race report: dances with dirt

Okay, I know its been way too long since my last post - especially since I promised to do a race report. Much to my surprise someone is actually reading this blog and is asking for a recap of dances with dirt, so this one's for you Barb... The morning started out early. I was up by 4:30 am to get ready, grab some breakfast and meet Jason and Mark at 6am. I arrive about 5 minutes early and no one was there. Jason arrives about 10 minutes after and Mark 5 minutes that. We throw everything into my car and I thought we were ready, but nature calls for Mark, so we wait. Finally get on the road and I am thinking that it will be close. We will probably arrive just as the relay gets started, which is fine since Jason runs the 2nd leg and Mark runs the 3rd. I have the feeling of impending doom in the pit of my stomach about the race - could be the fact that I do not feel well trained, but am taking some comfort in the fact that I am running the same legs as last year. At about 1/2 hour away, nature called for Jason, so we hit a rest stop and then continued on. The last 20 minutes is on winding two lane road that is next to impossible to pass anyone on and as luck would have it, we were behind a slow driver. Somehow, we managed to pull in right as the relay started, remarkably we grab an awesome parking spot, then transfer gear to the team vehicle. It was a cool, crisp morning, with a slight hint of humidity in the air, but it felt good. with me being fourth in line to run, I had plenty of time to "relax", but I kept getting more and more nervous. I usually do at races anyway. Between the 3rd and 4th legs we had to drive to the exchange point inside the state park. It was here that I would start me leg of the race. I had to wait on Mark to arrive though and this was his first time running this race. We weren't sure how he'd run on this, since it is quite different than most terrain anyone runs on, but he managed a decent time and then it was my turn to head out. I remembered this leg being straight down for the first 1/4 mile then around a lake and then up and down hills to the end - a short 5k leg. What I forgot was, there were stairs half way down the trail and like and idiot I tried to go down them (when what I should have done is run along side them). The steps were to small for my big feet and very wet and slippery from the early morning dew. I ended up walking down (like most people were doing). I caught up to a couple of people at the bottom and followed for awhile. Once we got around the lake, it was up a hill, across a road and down a hill. So far, not too bad. It seemed better than last year, but then it seemed it was all up hill from there... the hills were kick my ass, but I pushed on and then had to take a walk break up one of them, then another walk break on another, then finally it "flatten out"to were it went across a series of hills, which was becoming painful for my ankles to run at an angle like that. Just when I thought I couldn't take anymore, the "trail" pops out of the woods and then along a road to the next exchange point. I was a little sore and glad my first leg was over. My second leg ended up not being the same one I had run last year. I was somewhat disappointed because that leg had me finishing up by jumping in a drainage ditch that is filled up to about waist height with water. Instead Mark ran that leg and I ran the one that followed - which had me jumping in the ditch first then running straight up a hill (for what seemed like forever) and then through the woods, up and down, through briars - all that fun stuff. The nickname for this leg was "Stupid" and I understand why. With the obvious jump into the drainage ditch and crossing a creek and the up hill running, some through briars (my legs were a little bloody by the end) it at one point had us running in the middle of stream - flags tied to branches overhead. I think we ran about a 1/4 mile in the stream then back into the woods and briars to an almost vertical hill. No. Seriously. It was one step up, slide two steps back. It was a nice layer of slippery mud under all the fallen leaves. I finally made it up the hill, and then ran some more hills. I could finally hear the traffic from the road ahead an knew I was getting close. Then it was downhill to the road (hard to slow down as I kept picking up speed) and then the final 1/4 mile was along side the road. I thought I could pick up the pace then, but my legs started to tighten up with each stride. I hobbled in, glad that "stupid" leg was over with - and it was only 3 miles! My final leg was a 5.8 mile leg that I was hoping to redeem myself on. Last year it was so muddy that it zapped a lot of energy out of me and I did a lot of walking. This year I vowed to run as much as possible, but I was feeling exhausted... uninspired even. I waited and waited for Mark, but it was way passed the time it should have taken him to run the leg. We weren't sure if he was lost or injured, but I headed out so we could make sure we finished in the daylight. I felt slow and was sure my pace was somewhere between a slow jog and a fast walk. The first mile was on paved surface and then it heads into the woods, then onto some horse trails. The horse trail were the muddy part last year and surprisingly with all the rain we got the week leading up tot he race they seemed okay. They were okay until I rounded a corner and it was what I had imagined it to be., but I plowed through it and kept going. I got passed by one guy not too long after that and I couldn't keep up, but I kept up my slow run as best I could. I came across him not too long after that - he lost his shoe in some deep mud. I passed him by and kept trying to pick the best spot in the trial for footing. I came up to a hill and had to walk it. It was a rather small hill, but I needed the break. I had forgotten to set the timer on my watch to keep track of time and I had only a slight idea of what time it was when I started. I estimated I was a little over half way done. This leg was changed slightly from last year and had me going up to the top of a ridge and then straight down a double black diamond ski slope... it was full of ruts and wash-outs - lots of fun to run down after your legs are trashed! There was a small gathering of people at the exchange point, so I had to make sure I didn't fall and roll down the hill. Luckily I made it, legs feeling tight and heavy. I was happy to be done and more happy to have survived. We stuck around for the BBQ, drank some beer and shared our stories of our runs. Then we all decided to do it again next year... yep we're crazy...

i survived, again

I survived Dances With Dirt. It was more fun this year, but more painful than last year. More to follow, but for now I am resting and mending. Will definitely need to train better if I do this next year...

Race Report: Indianapolis Half Marathon

The week leading up to race day was a tiring one. Lilli spent most of the week sick with a fever. After two doctor's visits and many sleepless nights, her fever broke on Friday and it ended up being some viral infection - not the roseola we thought it might be. Needless to say I was not well rested for the race (though I had only run one time all week).

It was a cool, crisp morning - about as perfect as it could be for a race. The leaves were almost at peak and it was a picturesque autumn day. I got to the race site about 45 minutes before the start. I met up with John and Jason. Jason was running in the marathon relay and would run the first 6+/- miles with John and me. The race had grown even more from last year (which was capped at about 4500 marathon and half marathon participants). This year there was a field of about 5700 runners for the full and half - pretty exciting. They made some more improvements to the race this year. Packet pick up was at the local YMCA, which offered a little more room for the expo - and better parking. There was a little more course entertainment (at least on the front half - not sure how the other 13.1 miles were). Great fan support in and around Fort Harrison (the first 6 miles, and last 1.1).

We started out at what seemed like a very comfortable pace. Unfortunately my GPS shut down because I started it too early, so I am unsure of our exact pace, but it was right around 8:30/mile. We were conversing back and forth for quite awhile and everything seemed to be going pretty well. I wasn't sure if the pace would hold, but through mile 6 it had. Surprisingly around mile 5 I was getting warm, but I kept the long sleeve shirt on - my plan was to ditch it at mile 7 (my home) if I was too warm. Surprisingly I got cool when the sun went behind the clouds, so I kept it on, but took off my gloves.

At mile 7 we were in my neighborhood and there were Steph and Lilli waiting to cheer me on. They were about the only ones in the entire neighborhood out that morning - a bit too cool for everyone else I guess. I got a boost of energy and we pushed on.

By mile 8, I was feeling a little sore in my right knee, but it was slowing me down or changing my gait at all, and then around mile 8.5 we spotted Brooke and she joined us for a run to the end, to keep us on pace. Miles 9-11 are the toughest part of the course and the part I was dreading, even though I trained on the very hills we were going to run. It was all mental, because when we hit the hills we were up them before I knew it - though it did slow down our pace a bit. We exited the park and headed for the finish with about 2 miles to go. Not feeling too bad, I knew I'd finish strong. At around 12.5 miles the half and full split off. I had some flash backs to last year's marathon and then realized that there was no way I could have run a full...

We turned into the final stretch and worked hard to pick up the pace - it probably wasn't until the last 1/4 mile that we pushed it and picked the pace up to 7:30's. We got finished and got our medals and I felt pretty good - not that I expected to feel bad after just a half, but it was a pretty good effort - just not a PR for me. We came in at 1:53 - a 8:39/mile average pace.

Speaking of medals though - this year's medal rocked! Sad to say, my two other full marathon medals don't even equal in weight the one I got for this half! Oh well, it's more about the accomplishment - but the medals are cool too.

Race Report: DINO Trail Run #6

Just a mere 5 days to go... I am not feeling prepared for this half. I can run it, sure, but I doubt that I'll be setting any PR's (which I really need). At least that is how I am feeling after my run on Saturday. It was the DINO Series Race #6 at SouthWestway Park.

It all began great. I met up with Brooke, whom I haven't been able to run with all summer. Our last run together was the Geist Half Marathon in May, so we had a lot to catch up on. I am pretty sure we did not have enough time during the drive there and back and all throughout the race. So, we'll need to try to get runs scheduled more often than every 5 months...

We began at what I considered a very easy pace of 9:00/miles, but around mile 2 or so, it seemed to get much harder... sure there was a huge hill, but even that shouldn't have been that big of a deal, but it definitely was work to get up it and left me feeling tired. The course itself was beautiful. Nice paths to run along and with just the one big hill, a somewhat challenging course, but not the toughest I've run on. In all fairness, I have only run trails once since the Dances With Dirt Race back in May, so I wasn't necessarily prepared for the race in terms of dealing with the terrain, but the distance wasn't a big deal.

Brooke and I kept up a conversation most of the time. John had started out with us, but he maintained the 9:00/mile pace and we didn't see him after mile 2 or so until the end of the race. We touched on quite a few topics, but it still seemed like we ran out of time to talk. It was a beautiful day out - sunny, blue skies and cool in the morning. A great day for a trail run.

We finished in a respectable 1:31 (John finished in 1:24) - so it wasn't a bad run, just not the pace I thought I'd be running - especially this close the the half marathon. I keep trying to tell myself that it is a different kind of running than a road race, so I guess we'll have to see in 5 days if I am right...

Race Report: Inaugural Geist Half Marathon

I am FINALLY getting around to my second race report in the last two weekends...

After my Dances With Dirt experience I took it easy for a couple of days - mainly to let my legs heal. Oh they were sore... anyway I got in one run mid-week and it felt just fine so I thought I would be okay for another race on the weekend. Besides, I did not have plans to PR, but just to finish without embarrassing myself too much.

I arrived an hour early to park and use the bathrooms. Then took a leisurely stroll to the finish line since it was a mile away from the parking. They offered shuttle buses, but I thought a walk/jog would be best. Of course, I could have been wrong too... on my way to the start line my ankle started aching and my hip... surely casualties from the previous weekends race. It wasn't painful enough to stop running, so I kept going and then stretched a little when I got to the start line.

It was a beautiful sunny morning, about 55 degrees with a good wind. The line up was not organized to the point where they had pace signs up to line up with, so I just lined up in the front-middle and decided to start out easy and work into a pace that felt comfortable.

The race started on time and out I went, slowly at first (10:00/mile pace), then settled into a very comfortable 9:00/mile pace. The course was very scenic - starting on a bridge over the reservoir and then winding through some neighborhoods, crossing the reservoir a few more times and finishing up right on the reservoir. One could not have asked for a more beautiful day.

My pace remained pretty consistent mile to mile. I checked at each mile marker because they had clocks at each one which was nice. The first 6-7 miles were not bad. I had my ipod going and I was just cruising along feeling good and enjoying the run. Just past the mile 7 mark, I met up with Brooke who said she'd join me for the last 5-6 miles of the race, which was great. We hadn't run at all since November so we had a little catching up to do. So for the next 5-6 miles we talked and ran like old times.

The next thing I knew we were approaching the bridge to the finish line so I picked up the pace because I still had the energy to do it (plus I wanted to make sure I finished in under 2 hours). We get over the bridge and turn the corner to the finish, Brooke drops off to the side and I head on in to finish in 1:59:31... not bad for no specific half marathon training... though not close to a PR, but it was a great day for a run.

The rest and recovery area was well organized and we hung around for about a 1/2 hour or so talking and stretching. Then we boarded the shuttle bus back to my car (about 3 miles away... probably could have run it back, but it was already the farthest run I had done in over 6 months).

I am actually looking forward to running this race next year, but for now need to set my sights on something closer. I am now debating the 42k relay in July, but will probably still do it... I need some more races throughout the summer to keep me motivated. More on these to follow when I find some interesting races to do.

Until then, keep on running...

Race Report: Dances With Dirt 100k Team Relay

It was a cool, crisp, foggy morning. We loaded up the van and headed to the start/finish area. We arrive to a sea of vehicles with people milling about, getting ready for the long day. We walked over to the start line and sized up the other teams. We saw a few serious teams, and quite a few not as serious teams wearing some interesting costumes.

It was finally time for the start. Our first team member headed out - a quick 2.5 mile loop with incredible hills. He returned well ahead of the majority of the other runners. Then our second runner headed out on the second leg - a 2.75 mile loop with more hills and plenty of water. She gets back and our third runner heads out for a 6.5 mile point to point leg. The rest of us clambered into the van and headed to the next exchange point where I would be the next runner.

Leg 4 Description: "Shoot Me Now (They shoot horses don’t they?) – 3.2 Miles – Follow Blue - Nature Center to Hoosiers Nest – Reverse of Stairway to Heaven (Leg 13), you go … down a ton of steps to shatter your quads, a quick view of the lake then bushwhack up and down a serious hill to a mucked up horse trail filled with horse remnants, muddy hoof prints and several creek crossings (rivers if it rains). You will leave this trail onto a poorly maintained trail that goes … straight up! At the top you will roll along up and down through some nice pines but tricky footing to the exchange. If you end up lame, the team might have to put you down!"

My adrenaline level was at a high point when it was my turn to run. As he description says, I took off going down a trail that led right to a set of steps that seemed to keep going down. When I got to the bottom I ran along the edge of a beautiful lake only to head back into the woods for rolling hills. I didn't keep track of my pace during this run, but I felt good until I hit my second hill that seemed to go straight up. It was then I decided to walk up it -- a strategy I thought would prove to keep me from fading too much at the end. I soon learned that no trail run I had done to date had come close to preparing me for this race. At the end of my leg, I ran from the woods out into an open field where I became slightly disoriented from the change in scenery and had to focus on where I needed to go. I made the exchange and then headed over to the van to change my socks and dry out my shoes.

We ran two more legs from this exchange point and then it was time to head to the next exchange where we ran two more legs. It was once again time for my second run.

Leg 9 Description: "Gnaw Boned – 3.1 Miles - Follow White - North Gate To Opry – 1.5 miles of good trail then right into a bushwhack. Some of it’s very runnable and all of it is beautiful, some hills. You will run along a thorny ridge before plunging down to the highway and the exchange to the left. May of may not be a river to cross at the exchange"

This started out as a great trail run - just as described - beautiful, some hills. Then it turned into the woods where it had me going through briers down a hill and then onto a trail with rolling hills until it turned once again into the woods where it headed straight down a hill through more briers (and with runners coming up the hill on a different leg of the race) only to kick me out onto the road side about a 1/ mile form the exchange point. I turn on the speed and head to the exchange point. A runner heading out on the next leg shouts out to me as I approach the exchange: "it's not that deep". I wasn't sure exactly what he meant, but soon saw what he was talking about. The exchange had me crossing a river that didn't quite come up to my waste, but nonetheless had me going through it and up the other side of the bank to tag my team member. He, unfortunately, had to start his leg going through it, while I was lucky enough to finish on it. It actually felt pretty good.

We end up at a couple of more exchange points and run our other legs and then end up back at an exchange point we had been earlier in the day -- in fact the one where I started out on my first leg, but this time I was running a 6.2 mile point to point leg back to the start/finish.

Leg 14 Description: "Boned Again – 6.2 Miles - Follow Blue – Billy’s 2, down the road behind the Dance Barn. The reverse of Leg 3, start with ½ mile of road then left on to funky horse trails all the way to “The Plunge”, deadly downhill and finish in the field a ¼ mile behind the Dance Barn."

I was still pretty anxious to run my final leg - and all of a sudden they call out "legal cheat!" Which allowed the remainder of us still waiting for our runner to tag us to go ahead and leave now so we could finish up the relay around 6:00 pm. So I take off, this time armed with my GPS so I could track my pace and distance. I look down once I started and saw a 6:34/mile pace... what? I couldn't possibly have done that... I calmed down and settled into a rhythm - about a 8:30/mile. The other thing? I was running on road. I was getting comfortable with this thought until about 1.5 miles into my run it headed onto a trail, but it was an well maintained trail, so it wasn't bad. But that didn't last long... after two miles, I was once again going through briers, but my legs no longer felt the scratches I was on a mission to finish. After surviving the briers, I was back on a trail - a horse trail. It looked familiar... in fact it was the horse trail John and I had ended up on when we over shot our turn around point a few weeks back when we tried to run the first leg. Unfortunately it didn't help me much to be on familiar ground because it had rained two days prior to the race, there was almost nothing but mud on the trail. It was next to impossible to actually run through most of it, and I had to walk through these patches so I could keep my footing. One runner had lost his shoe to the mud just as I was passing him. I was actually catching up to some of the other runners when we were going through the mud. We finally got past the "bad spots" and turn onto a quasi-logging road filled with ruts and roots. I followed this out of the woods make a turn and find myself looking down a 250' drop down to a field. At this point my calves are balling up into knots, but I take off down the hill and get to the bottom pretty quickly and felt a surge of energy as I ran across the field. I caught up with the last two runners I had been following and pass them on the road and then turn back into the field to the exchange zone to finish my final leg. As I approached the end my calves were on the verge of seizing up. I finally made it and it was all I could do to not just fall down -- 12.5 miles completed and it felt like a lot more.

It was tough, at times painful, but wow it was sure fun. I think I would do it again, but I would definitely train more and differently.

D.IN.O Trail Run #2 Race Report

This past Saturday was race #2 in the spring series of D.IN.O. I decided to attempt the 15k again to better my previous 15k trail run - which shouldn't have been too hard.

The weather was much nicer this time around - It was sunny and about 34 degrees at the start. The day just got better from there. I must have change clothes at least twice when deciding on what to wear. I ended up with shorts and three layers on top plus a hat and gloves. I actually ended up too hot towards the end, so the hat and gloves came off. 

The race was held at Mounds State Park in Anderson, Indiana. It is a very scenic park with some great trails - nice wide paths most of the time, but also quite a lot of stairs which made it very challenging.

Long story short - my time was 1:25:31 for an average pace of 9:11/mile. Not where I wanted to be, but not bad considering the stairs. It definitely showed I have a lot of training to do for Dances With Dirt in May...

This weekend was Lilli's 5 month birthday... wow, I can't believe how quickly she is growing... my good friend Brooke came over Saturday evening and watch Lilli for a few hours while Steph and I got out for dinner (we actually were able to eat at the same time) and then some relaxing shopping. We missed Lilli very much, but it was nice to get out for just a little "alone" time.

Today we continued our pre-spring cleaning that we had started on Saturday and still have a long way to go, but hopefully will get the inside stuff done soon, so I can be outside to whip the yard back into shape when the weather gets nicer.

race report

Yes. You read it correctly.

I said RACE REPORT.

I actually ran this weekend.

I will actually blog about some running.

It had been one day shy of two weeks since I had run. Oh boy did it feel like it too. Actually it felt like it more this morning than yesterday. My legs were tight when I woke up - most likely from running up and down all the hills from yesterday's race.

Okay. The race report:

It was the last DINO trail run for the year and it was held at Fort Harrison State Park (my "home turf" of sorts). I had not been trail running in three weeks (the last time was Sunday morning of the day when Steph's water broke) and had only run two other time since Lilli was born.

I didn't know for sure if I would run the race or not until that morning. It all hinged on Lilli cooperating with her schedule (i.e. sleeping between feedings). Thankfully she did pretty well and I was able to get ready and go. Steph didn't want to deny my need for running and was happy to let me get out - she knows it makes me happy.

I showed up at the state park and saw a vast sea of cars everywhere - probably the most I had ever seen at a trail race. I was determined to run the 15k even without running for almost two weeks. Probably not the best idea, but I wanted to see if my legs could handle it.

I met up with Brooke just before the race started and ran with her for the first half. We were keeping a pace right around 8:30/mile even with some pretty challenging hills. But after the turn around point, I felt I was losing steam. I was feeling it and wondered if the 5k wasn't a better idea - oh well - too late. I pushed on and kept focused on the person in front. I actually ended up running with a guy named Josh who was a first time trail runner. We talked a little bit and eventually he headed out past me around mile 6. By this point I was on more familiar ground with the trail since I had run this trail throughout the summer, but my knee was feeling the pounding of the downhill running. When I hit the road, I felt a sense of ease and picked up my pace, only to slow down a bit on the way up the sledding hill. Back down the hill my knee protested a bit, but I pushed on with the finish in site.

I finished in 1:21:58 - about a 8:48/mile pace which I was pretty happy with given my running over the last few weeks. So I am hoping for a more regular routine, but we will have to see. Maybe I'll try to run the Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving morning, but again, it will depend on how my running goes. More to follow... until then Happy Running...

indianapolis marathon race report

It was a beautiful day. The sky was cloudless and the temperature was perfect at 52 degrees. I am not sure I could have asked for more perfect race conditions for my third attempt at a marathon and second attempt at the Indianapolis Marathon.

I met up with Brooke, Jason, John and Andrea before the race. The race was delayed 10 - 15 minutes due to heavy traffic near the race site and they wanted to make sure all racers could get there in time. So we got lined up and talked a little more. The plan was to run together at about an 8:30/mile pace - the fastest I would want to run (especially since I was the only one running the full marathon). I felt I could reasonably run at this pace and be just fine, though I only need a consistent 9:00/mile pace to accomplish my goal.

With everyone lined up under the large American Flag, the national anthem started. There was a problem with the sound system and it cut out a few times at the beginning, but when it did, there was a low murmur in the crowd singing along, getting louder as we went along. Kind of gave me goose bumps.

Then it was time to race. Luckily where we were lined up we were close to the start - probably 45 seconds from the start line. Once we got started, we took off with the group. The first mile was right on pace and I was feeling good. The next couple of miles I had noticed that we were going too fast - about 8:00/mile. This is when Jason and John pulled away and Brooke and I tried to slow it back down to the goal pace. I wasn't sure if those first 5-6 miles above pace would hurt me, but I was feeling good so I didn't worry about it. I had a few minutes in the bank, so even if I slowed down on the back half to 9:30/mile I would still be okay.

At mile 6 I took some gel and water and continued on. We approached my neighborhood around mile 6.5 and Steph was out in front of our house with our neighbor cheering everyone on. We pushed on and then I started thinking about the hills in the state park - the ones I trained on - the ones I knew I could run. I am not sure what I was dreading, but it was at the back of my mind. Just after mile 8 we saw Brooke's husband Keith and her mom. We waved and headed towards the state park. Once in the park we were able to relax a little for a nice gradual downhill section of the course (of course the hill was on the back side of the loop still to come). The park looked amazing today - the sun and the leaves seemed in perfect harmony and they seemed to just glow. We rounded the back side of the loop and took the hills with no problem. It was a little work, but it was over before we knew it. We headed out of the park towards mile 12. I took a gel and water at the next water stop to keep up my energy, I was still feeling good and was having visions of crushing my goal at this point (not a good idea).

Brooke and I separated at mile 12.5 where she headed to the finish (she PR'd) and I headed into the state park, this time at the main entry where I would run straight through and do an out and back. At this point I was on my own. This was the part I had been dreading all summer long. This is where I had to prove to myself I was mentally strong enough to keep going on my own because this is where the fan support tends to drop off.

I was still feeling amazing. My pace was still around 8:30 - 8:40/mile so I figured I would push to stay at this pace as long as I could. I still felt like I would crush my goal and come in well under 4 hours even if I had to slow down to 9:30/mile further on.

Mile 14 got me to the back of the park and then I headed out to to the turn around point at mile 19. I tried to keep my mind busy with taking in the sight of colorful trees and looking at all of the runners. My pace was still holding steady up until around mile 19. I started to slow down and I was now running about 9:03/mile. I was starting to feel a little tired, but strong enough to keep up this pace. I took my last gel at mile 21 where I walked through the water stop and I pushed on. It was at this point I was trying to conserve some energy and I was planning on a walk break every mile - I still had plenty of time in the bank so I wasn't too worried, though I really didn't want to do any walking at all.

It was getting harder and harder to keep myself going. I finally made it back to the back of the park at mile 24 and I started walking at the water stop some more. At this point I was not feeling well. I couldn't tell if I drank too much or if I was at my limit. I continued to walk some more until I saw a photographer taking photos. I immediately threw my drink down and started running. I got a few good photos (I hope) and was about 25 feet past him when I felt light-headed and nauseous. I stopped and was walking once again. I had hit the wall HARD. It wasn't my legs at all - they did not hurt, it felt like my body had no energy left to give. I tried taking deep breaths, but couldn't seem to relax. My GPS had somehow gotten messed up at the very beginning of the race, so I wasn't even sure what my overall time actually was at this point, but I knew my banked minutes were disappearing quickly.

Brooke had promised to meet up with me somewhere in the park and pace me in. Unfortunately I was in no shape to be paced. She found me at about 24.5 miles walking and I had nothing in me to start any kind of shuffle, let alone run. She walked with me to the next water stop and then to mile 25 where I stopped to stretch. I though it might help, but I still felt awful.

This is the part I keep going over in my head. I keep thinking I could have started running at this point and made the last 1.2 miles, but I know at that given moment I could not. It wasn't until mile 25.5 that I was able to start a jog. I tried to pick up the pace for the last .2 miles and I am not sure if I did, but as I turned the corner I had a sudden surge of energy and I felt like I was sprinting to the finish.

My official time: 4:12:59. I am always happy to PR by ten minutes, but I still feel a bit disappointed to have made it so far into the race feeling strong only to crash and burn as I did so close to the end. I don't know if the first few miles hurt me (most likely), but I am going to try to not over analyze this anymore. It leaves me open for another PR for my next marathon and thw same goal to finish in under 4 hours still.

I have to thank Brooke for sticking around and helping me finish. I am not sure I could have started running again without some encouragement. Also, thanks to Jason who was at the end to see me finish (and to hand me some Propel, though an ice cold beer sounded better!). Without the support of my friends, it would have been a miserable experience.

That is all for now. I am taking a few days off and then will get back to it. I think my next race will be a trail run at Fort Harrison State Park on November 17th . Until then... Happy running to all!

42k relay race report and week 5 recap

The weather was more cooperative this year than last. It was a beautiful day - starting out in the low 60's and reaching low 80's late in the afternoon.

The team name for the relay was "2 Fast, 2 Furious" - a bit cheesy, but appropriate. Our team members were myself, my friend Jason, our co-worker Andrea and her husband John.

I was first to go again this year and also ran the last lap, so my total mileage during the relay was 8.2 miles. We all did a great job, though I started out a little slower than last year, my overall pace was faster - 7:42/mile. I was very happy with my results. Our overall team time for the relay was 3:24:31. About 6 minutes faster than last year.

I did have one mess up during the relay - John, who was last in the rotation ran much faster than he thought and caught me sitting down - I thought I had another minute or two before I had to be at the exchange zone. I was about ready to get up and go over there when I hear my name being screamed... oops. I think we lost about 15 second on that transfer... oh well, we still had lots of fun and are already talking about doing it again next year - but with maybe another team or two...

After we got done, we packed up and Jason, John and Andrea headed out for some lunch, but I, trying to stay dedicated to my training schedule, headed out to get the remaining 8.8 miles in. My plan was to go nice and slow and just get my miles done and I even ran it faster than I expected - at a 9:37/mile pace. Most of the path was shaded and it was very pleasant, but as I got to 6.8 miles, my legs just wanted to rest they were done for the week.

The good news is: I got all my runs in and just 2 mile short for the week, but I think that is still a victory. Next week is a step back week of sorts, so I can let my legs rest a little.

talk-walk-run 5k race report

It was another beautiful day - sunny, a little cool, but all around perfect running weather. I decided to go ahead with the 5k today and my friend Jason joined me. It was held at Fort Harrison State Park, my usual running hangout, so I was familiar with the terrain.

Unfortunately, it did not prepare me as well as I had hoped. We started out at almost the front of the start line and took off with everyone only to find it was just too fast. I don't think we got in the way of too many people, but it felt like we got passed by quite a few people.

The course was a double loop - one small loop (.6 miles) and one larger loop (2.5 miles), both with some aggressive hills. As we approached the first hill, we made a good climb and passed a couple of people. This wasn't too bad, but it was already feeling like it was going to be a tough race. As we came back around to the start line area to begin the second loop I was settling into my pace and was feeling pretty good.

When we hit the first mile marker, I looked down: 7:55/mile pace... not bad I thought, but with a long grade ahead, I was not sure our pace could remain. Our talking stopped and my breathing got heavier, but we made it to the top and once on the flat ground I was able to relax a little. The back half of the course was undulating hills, none too serious. On the last hill before rounding the corner towards the finish I made one last attempt to pass a few people without expending too much energy. We got to the top and held our pace until we hit the three mile mark and then my legs went into overdrive (eventhough my lungs said, "I don't think so"). Final time: 25:01, average pace: 8:03/mile, I was 39th out of 155, and 4th in my age group - I believe this is a PR for finish place, eventhough it is not my fastest 5k time.

That is all for now. Time is quickly approaching to make my big announcement, so stayed tuned...

Happy running to all!

race for the cure 5k

It was a beautiful morning and there were tons of people. I was feeling tired and not up to the race, but I decided to run it anyway, as I said it was a beautiful morning...

I lined up at the back of the 8:00/mile corral (there were only three choices anyway - 6:00, 7:00 and 8:00) hoping I would not get passed by everyone. To my surprise, I did okay. I still felt sluggish, but I kept up with everyone, even passing some.

As the sun crept ever-so-much higher in the morning sky, it started getting warmer...any more and I would have been uncomfortable. Wasn't it just 30 degrees last week?!?

As I approached the finish I was able to push a little harder and finish strong. My overall time was 25:13, with an average pace of 8:07/mile. Not too bad for being tired, I guess. I immediately followed up my run with a drive down to my parents to try to finish installing the flooring. Unfortunately, something came up and I had to leave early... hopefully I'll be able to get that done soon...

trail run race report

So the question is: Was it a big mistake to do a trail run with my knee periodically "acting up"?

Answer: NO

In fact, it seems to be just what I needed. My knee did not hurt one bit during the run, not after, and not even the next day! I am not sure why, perhaps the ultra-soft ground on which I ran? Seems somewhat logical, but at any rate, it was a great decision.

The weather had forecasted rain and thunderstorms for most of the day, but when I woke up it had not rained yet and it was a cool, crisp 55 degrees. I got ready and picked up Brooke and we headed up to Mounds State Park in Anderson, IN. We arrived in plenty of time to get registered and still have time to relax, do some light stretching and get ready for the 5k race.

When we lined up for the race, we started in an open field that was an out and back configuration which then went right into the woods and onto a well maintained path. The first mile was not bad, some minor hills, but nothing compared to my first trail run last year. Our pace was a little faster than what I thought it would be, but it seemed okay at the time. It seemed mile 2 took a little longer to get to and our pace settled to a more comfortable pace for the terrain.

We had been warned that at mile 3 there would be a set of stairs to climb to get to the finish and to make sure we had some energy left... at each stair we came across on the course I wondered if they would be worse than these (because they did not seem all that bad).

Well, they didn't disappoint. These stairs took every ounce of strength I had left to get up to the top and be able to run to the finish. I was spent. I was very glad I did not choose to do the 15k run - especially since it began raining just as we started our climb at mile 3. I finished in 26:54 - 55th out of 117 - not bad. Roughly 8:41/mile pace...

This was a great end to my step-back week and I am looking forward to this week where I will start building my mileage again. With a cold spell coming in on Wednesday, I will be sure to get out tonight and/or Tuesday for a run. Hope everyone's weekend was a good one.

Happy running to all!

jingle bell run

It was my last race of the year... the Jingle Bell Run 5k. I had high hopes of posting a quick time, and while it wasn't what I asked Santa for, it was a respectable time...

It was a very sunny, but very cold (28 degrees) morning. I got to packet pick-up with 40 minutes to spare before the race, so I took my time, did an easy jog to and from for a warm-up to find out I needed my hat! I almost NEVER wear a hat (not too shabby for a "folically challenged guy"), but this morning my ears were cold to the point they hurt. So I grabbed my hat when I got back to my truck and then headed over to the starting line with jingle bells attached to my running shoes...

The race was chip timed, but there was no starting mat, so I tried to start right at the front, but once again got behind too many people (I underestimate how fast I have gotten over the last year and a half) and I spent the first half mile weaving around people - but there was plenty of room for all runners and it was a great time. I love this race because it is kind of fun to run and hear almost nothing but the sound of jingle bells for the entire 5k! They had Christmas music playing on the track where the race started near and finished on.

I spent the enitre run thinking I was going too slow, and feeling sluggish. I tried to push as much as I could at the last mile - the slight hills felt like nothing surprisingly though. All of the races I have run on this same course (and there are a lot of 5k races that use the same course) I slowed on these inclines, but this time they were not a factor - I was keeping my stride.

I do not know how I did for each mile - I chose not to time myself, but just run by how my body felt. My overall performance was 23:51 for a 7:40/mile pace. A new PR! I was slightly disappointed that I did not place in the top three in my group, which was the "Santa weight" division instead of my normal age group, though I faired better in this race placing 5th.

So the remainder of the year is going to be focused on my mileage and trying to get over a 1,000 miles for the year... I have seen a lot of runners post much higher mileage for the year, and that is my goal for next year so I will hopefully become a stronger, faster and leaner runner...

Happy Holidays to all!