2010 Race Plans

ORN:  2 miles...our annual New Year's Club run...9 degree temps!

 

My wife has often observed I enjoy the planning of running as much as the running itself.  An insightful person, she's certainly right on this one..  I do enjoy planning out races.  There is some method to the madness...and much of it is simply taking advantage of timing.  And remembering where relatives live.

The year kicks off on a surprising (and bit of a spontaneous) note with The Windburn Six in the Stix a week from Saturday, January 9. This is a free, low key trail run in which we'll run a 2.2 mile loop in a county park in Chicago's far western suburbs for six hours, come snow, wind or whatever.  I came across this run when looking for some Midwest trail runs, after missing the HUFF 50K in December.  It turns out that my youngest son starts his second semester at Wheaton College on Monday, January 11, so I'll take him up on Friday, stay over, run on Saturday and be home Saturday night.  Goal here is just to keep going for 6 hours...we'll see how far that takes me.  I did 27.5 miles on a six hour run 18 months ago in the heat of southern Indiana's July.  This will be quite different...I'm looking forward to it.  

On March 21, I'll head west and run the Los Angeles Marathon.  This was the brainchild of my San Diego-based nephew John, who has been running solid for two years now.  He ran his first half marathon with me at Sunburst in May 2008; he ran his first Marathon in San Diego last year, going sub 4 to boot.  He invited me to run on his turf this time for his second marathon.  The race route is new this year, from Dodger Stadium (note baseball connection below) to Santa Monica Beach, past many haunts from his days at UCLA.  While buddy Darrell is not running this race, we are making plans on connecting while in LA.  I'll spend an extra day or two in San Diego with my sister while in SoCal.  

The next big race is one I've been wanting to run the past several years.  The Bayshore Marathon is in Traverse City, Michigan over the Memorial Day weekend.  The race is billed as one of the nation's most scenic...I understand virtually the entire course is along the waters of Lake Michigan.  Gretchen and I will likely go together and enjoy the long weekend about 6 hours north of here. 

I'm not sure what running events I'll do over the summer.  I did find out how my last week of July will be spent, however.  Yesterday, I got a letter inviting me to umpire the Indiana Little League Baseball State Finals.  This will be my fourth time to work a State Finals in the past 11 years.  It is hot, intense and fun.  All the running I do all year helps me avoid the stereotype of the fat, slow umpire.  Blind, maybe, but not fat and slow. 

In the fall, the plan is to take on one of the biggest marathons of them all: the Chicago Marathon.  John wants to do this one and Darrell may run with us too...I'll let him fill you in on his plans.  Race Day is October 10; I'll turn 57 the day before the race, so will be a fun way to celebrate running.  Let's hope the heat waves which have plagued this race through the concrete canyons holds off.  Shoot, while we're hoping, let's hope the Cubs are in town playing in the postseason that afternoon, right??  

 

A local treat will happen two weeks after Chicago as we have the first ever Half Marathon here in our fair city.  The Home of Purdue Half Marathon will be cool to have a sizable HM in our small town.  I'm thinking I'll probably volunteer to help on this race.  So many folks have helped me run...will be wise for me to do the same for them. 

I'm looking for one more race late in the year.  Right now, the HUFF would be a good option...I still want to knock off a 50K trail race.  If not that, I may try Rocket City again.  If Darrell and I don't run together in Chicago, we'll probably do our annual event in some state he still seeks.  

But plenty of time remains for planning, right??!!

May 2010 be a good year...we all know 2009 had its challenges.  Persevere, whatever happens.  

 

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