Fall Racing Plans now set

ORN: 5.2 miles, R5/W1

 

A couple of years ago, I was sitting at the table, calendars and race brochures spread before me, when my wife grinned.  It was the look that told me a bit of sage wisdom was about to follow.  "You know, I think you enjoy PLANNING running as much as you enjoy running itself."

 

She had it pretty much right, as usual. 

 

I am usually working about 12 months or so ahead on race plans, as all of that gives shape to daily runs.  So here is what the rest of 2009 is looking like for me.

 

My good pal Darrell and I have worked out our now-annual fall race.  We'll be running the Heart of America Marathon in Columbia, Missouri on Labor Day, September 7.  He wants to notch the Show Me state in his marathoning belt.  It worked well, schedule wise, for us both.  So I'll drive, pick him up at the St Louis Airport and we'll head to the middle of Missouri.

 

The race itself is kind of interesting.  Not a household name in marathoning, this year will nevertheless be the 50th annual running of the event.  It will be small, looks like a couple hundered runners max.  And early September can still be hot and humid along the banks of the Missouri River.  Plus, a confirming email from the organizers I got last week noted:

HOA is one of the oldest and toughest courses in America. It began on Labor Day in 1960 with five runners, two of whom completed the course. Running guru Hal Higdon calls it a "down-home country course," and he lists Easley Hill as one of the 10 toughest climbs in the nation.

Whoa.  Here is Hal Hidgon's description of running the 2001 Heart of America Marathon at age 70.  Darrell, bring plenty of water bottles for your Fuel Belt. 

 

The month of October has several possibilities, still to be determined.

 

A target race will happen on November 7 at the Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis.  It falls at a perfect time, is an hour from my house, has a race-day packet pick up, so will be simple, logistically.  I'm also seriously considering if I can target this as a race to try to get under 4:30.  I'm getting familiar with the marathon now.  But can I also run one hard?  A flat course in cool weather may be the right way to test the theory.  Stay tuned.

 

I'll then finish out the year with a differnet sort of target, running the Huntington Ultra-Frigid Fifty, a 50 km ultra in Huntington, Indiana.  The HUFF is the first trail race I ever did, as I ran their one lap (12 mile) option in 2004.  I really want to do a legitimate 50K now.  December 19 will be the day.  Mud?  Ice?  Snow?  Could be any of them. 

 

I actually have a couple races penciled in for 2010 but that's another story.  And my wife is grinning as I plan all this out and that's a good thing.

 

Persevere. 

Local runner hit during pre-dawn run

ORN:  9 miles total, with 5K time trial @ 26:06

 

We got the sobering news this morning of a local runner hit and left by a car.  He is still in serious condition at a local hospital, with what was reported to be a broken ankle, broken shoulder and other abrasions. 

 

This whole thing happened around 4:30am Friday on a well traveled road about a mile and a half from our house.  The driver hit the man, then took off and has yet to be found.  Very sobering indeed.

 

The situation also struck a chord with me.  Some of you may remember my long-term running goal of running at least a half-marathon on the day of my grandkids' weddings.  Well, the man who was hit was 86.  Shoot, that could be me in 31 years.

 

Three things struck me from this event, as I read the details, knowing the area.

 

First, the runner was apparently not wearing any reflective clothing.  This is a simple, defensive and necessary thing when running in the dark.  At that hour of the morning, most drivers are sleepy and NOT looking for anything on the road.  There is a lot of reflective gear out there; use it.  I'm particularly fond of a small LED blinky thing I got at a bike store years ago which I clip to the back of my waistband.  My wife read the article first this morning, showed it to me when I got in from my run and gave me a hug, saying "Thanks for always running all lit up like a Christmas tree." 

 

Second, it appears this man was running on the right shoulder, with the traffic, and thus got hit from behind.  We need to run on the left side of the road, facing the traffic (unless we're in England..then reverse it).  I'm a morning runner and probably once a month I take some evasive action when I see a car approaching and I'm not confident the driver sees me as well.  Running on the left adds a good 12 to 15 feet between you, the runner, and any car coming from behind.  It may have made the difference for this gentleman. 

 

Third, pick your path.  The traffic patterns in our small community make the road he ran on a main thoroughfare.  Even at 4:30am, if anyone is heading across town, they will use this road.  It is also a long, steep (well, steep for Indiana) hill.  Purdue and High School cross country teams use it repeatedly for hill work.  But it always bothers me to see runners on it...there is not a lot of margin for error, nor much room to jump off the road.  Finding less traveled streets or trails is worth the effort. 

 

Let's hope this man can recover.  And do take care out there.

 

Persevere.   

Animal Husbandry

ORN: Tuesday--5.1 miles, R3/W1

We just returned from a three-day mini-vacation to South Haven, Michigan, celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary. This little vacation spot, long an escape destination for Chicago residents tired of the summer heat, is right on Lake Michigan and has the usual sets of shops, restaurants and sun-catcher emporiums. Yet, this trip also gave us some surprises.

It started on Monday when we went to our car, parked in a city lot, and noted, one car over, this tricked-out customized Cooper Mini with a giant can of Red Bull Cola on the back.



Had to have a photo...my blogging mind was already whirring. At that point, much to our surprise, up walked the drivers of the car, the Red Bull Girls.



So what kind of a summer job is this? I ask. "Oh, we just go where people are and hang out and talk about Red Bull" said one of them. Sure beats flipping burgers, I suggested. "Well, yes, but it's really a very important public relations job. And it was an extensive interview process," she intoned seriously. So, maybe it was. They gave me a free can of Red Bull out of the car's built-in ice chest. Later, my wife dryly suggested that being a Highly Attractive Female Person was probably also part of the job requirements.

Later, Monday, we went out for some ice cream at a famous South Haven parlor. Dominating the roof line was a big Blue Cow.



Given what we'd seen so far that day, we got thinking; If a Red Bull and a Blue Cow got together, to what would they give birth? And, later that evening, in a shop window, we saw the "offspring."





It was fun to be away, to talk, to read, to run, to relax, to celebrate. And we were reminded of the joy of such deep companionship Tuesday evening. Standing on the end of the pier in Lake Michigan, watching the sunset, I noticed a young couple doing the same, oblivious to all others around them.



May they enjoy a long, wonderful life together as we have.

Persevere.

Forget trying to be profound

ORN: Saturday; 5km time trial, 27:15...ugly.  6.3 miles total

 

In my mind, I often have deep, sweeping, profound, erudite, life-changing pearls of wisdom to write on this running blog.  Pithy yet substantive prose at which many will marvel.

 

And then I sit down to compose and it looks pretty vanilla. 

 

So, shoot, I'll just keep telling a simple story of running and leave it at that.  Suffice it to say, I had some profound moments at the Sunburst Marathon two weeks ago, some great memories of my Dad and some very wonderful thoughts of my sons serving in the Army.  But, to tell the stories, well, it's flat.  So, be happy with me I had a good time and we'll just call it good.

 

The legs are starting to come back, two weeks after the marathon, but not fully.  The deep summer humidity we have each year here has set in, though, complicating the recovery.  My run last Saturday just didn't work all that well in the heat.  But I got the miles in.

 

For the next three days, G and I are on a brief anniversary getaway (34 years!!) to South Haven, Michigan.  Hope to run all three days on the Kal-Haven Trail, a rail to trail path, 34 miles long. 

 

The fall plans are also taking shape...will post those soon.

 

Persevere. 

Race Report: Sunburst Marathon

ORN;  26.2 miles, R2/W1, 4:46:41, 10:57/mile

 

Quick Summary

 

In my first marathon on this course after running the HM the last four years, the experience was just as enjoyable, only much more demanding.  The race went very much as planned, though miles 24 and 25 were tough, with some nausea and a battle with rising temps.  I beat my target by just over 2 minutes and had a very quick recovery, post race.  Several surprising emotional adjustments made for some good memories.  

 

Gory Details

 

Pre-race.  Along with local running buddy Tony, we drove to South Bend late Friday afternoon, got our bibs, found an Olive Garden and then basked in the lap of luxury at Motel Six, a marvelous experience once we convinced the front desk we really did want towels and washcloths and promised not to steal them.  After the usual pre-race night's sleep (i.e. waking up every hour to see if a) the alarm was still set and b) if it had sounded yet), we got up at 4am, grabbed Tony his needed big cup of coffee and were downtown at the College Football Hall of Fame by 5:15am.  The early temperatures were wonderfully in the mid 50s and the sun wasn't up yet.  The 600ish marathon runners assembled and off we went, right on schedule at 6am. All the other races went off later, so it was only marathoners in our pack.

 

The Race.  The first half of the course followed the same route as the half marathon I've run four times now.  I realized I knew the course well when at one point in a neighborhood, I was looking for the yard signs in the house I knew housed an Active Democrat Issues-Oriented Voting Person.  Surely there's a better use for my brain cells.  

 

My plan was to run the same splits I shot for at the Illinois Marathon in April.  I ran a 2/1 run/walk sequence, shooting for 10:53 miles through mile 19, rising to 11:20/mile to the finish.  Given I had perfect weather in the 40s/50s in April, I felt if I could hold the same pace in warmer, more humid conditions today it would represent progress.  By mile 5, I was 1:30 ahead of pace and held that edge pretty much through 18.

 

With such a small field, the pack thinned quickly and I was able to enjoy a long run largely by myself.  The run/walk thing, of course, gave me plenty of back and forth with pretty much the same folks for most of the race and, at the back of the pack, the mood was jaunty and humorous. 

 

At mile 11, the marathon route took a right where the HMers would take a left...we went on a long out and back to add 13.1 to the course.  The route generally wound along the St. Joe River to the south and east, finally concluding in a serpentine turn-around sequence in a local park, where we ended up sharing space with the local Organic Gardener''s association.  I suspect there was some scheduling confusion.  Finally, by mile 18, we were heading back to the stadium.  My pace was steady and I still felt pretty good.

 

Near the 3:30 time mark, I had the first half of a Gu, which I try to take at the bottom of each hour.  For some reason I don't know yet, it didn't sit too well.  I didn't take the second half of it and for the rest of the race had this nauseous feeling.  I've had this before and have observed the one thing NOT to do is to quit drinking water.  So I kept up the hydration, even though the stomach was churny.  Amazingly, I held the pace through mile 23, when I was a full 3:30 ahead of projected pace. 

 

Miles 24 and 25 were tough, though.  The course was back in a commercial district at this point coupled with a long uphill grind.  The temperature was into the mid/upper 70s and the sun was hot.  Those two splits were the slowest of the day at 12:47 and 12:05, respectively.  As usual, the marathon becomes mental at these spots. 

 

Yet, hitting the mile 25 marker was a boost.  We turned a corner, had a perfect view of the sun reflecting off of Notre Dame's famous Golden Dome. My thoughts shifted to my Dad and his studies at ND in the 1930s.  I thought of his constant effort and just started smiling.  I ran the rest of the way.

 

The drama builds on this course as the route approaches ND Stadium from the south (past the poorly-named Mendoza School of Business...my baseball sense just goes nuts at that moniker) and then loops to the tunnel on the North end of the stadium.  What a rush to go down that tunnel and onto the very famous football turn of Notre Dame.  The finish was emotional for me.  And marathon number 12 was done.  The official time was 4:46:41, 2:09 better than my calculated finish time. 

 

Post Race.  I still felt somewhat nauseous.  Tony, who ran a 3:58, was waiting for me, though he wasn't feeling too great either.  I got a welcome ice-cold towel to drape on my head when I rediscovered the famous Sunburst Popsicles.  They were the perfect fix for the nausea. I just walked and ate about 5 Popsicles and, seriously, in about 7 minutes I felt fine again.  Got the heart rate back down, got some fluids and sugars and I was OK again. Tony and I headed out, showered and made the two-hour drive home, discussing issues of corporate decision making now that the Government owns General Motors. 

 

There were the usual funny and odd quirks during this race.  I may write about them later.  There were also five distinct emotional moments for me today, four of which really surprised me.  I will write about those at some point. 

 

A good day.  The pace was one that simply called for perseverance.  And it worked.  Thanks for listening. 

 

 

Liftin' Up, Lookin' Ahead

ORN:  5.1 miles total, with 3x1 mile intervals, 8:17 average

 

May is the time of year where running intersects with umpiring Little League baseball.  So, two or three nights a week, I'm at the local ballpark, trying desperately to make the strike zone big enough to keep the game moving along.  It's also a weird combination of the use of leg muscles; but, as it does each year, the legs work and the kids get some feel for what baseball is supposed to be. 

 

I'm in taper mode, ahead of next Saturday's Sunburst Marathon.  So, it feels odd to not be doing all that many miles.  I'm trying to keep the intensity up, without the mileage.  But I always wonder if it's right. 

 

In the meantime, I've had fun encouraging some other runners.  Two folks at our company ran their first ever 10K on Saturday.  For them both, the thought of running 6.2 miles was daunting.  I tried to assure them their training left them in good shape to cover the distance.  It is so cool in running how at any level, there is always a distance or time which represents a challenge.  They will do well.

 

The big news for other people running was my nephew John doing his first marathon today, the Rock and Roll San Diego Marathon.  As some of you may recall, John is the oldest son of my oldest sister.  While technically his uncle, I'm only 10 years older; relationally, John is much more a brother to me than a nephew.  We have a wonderful friendship.  He started running about 18 months ago in conjunction with a set of life-changing decisions on diet.  We've been gabbing, incessantly, about running since.  A year ago, John and I ran together in his first half marathon at the Sunburst.  Over the winter, he pondered if he could or would ever do a marathon.  Living in San Diego, he began to wonder this spring about doing the RnR...it was convenient and the date worked.  Gulping a bit, as we all have at the first marathon, he signed up about 6 weeks ago.  We've since talked and emailed on all aspects of a marathon, from the mundane (where to park on race day) to technical (watching out for road camber) to the critical (hydration rates).  We texted each other last around 10pm Saturday night...he emailed me at 4am before he left his house...and, yeah, we've thought a lot about this.

 

Through the magic of real-time split reporting, I could follow his progress.  Amazingly, he beat his goal by four minutes, finishing in 3:56:03 in his first ever full marathon.  He did this using a run 3/walk 1 pattern, which is also really awesome. I was as excited as he was.  He called me later and we had a full-contact race review.  He did well.  He learned much over the last 8 miles.  He is a marathoner, a sub 4 marathoner at that.   How cool it was. 

 

Next Saturday, it'll be my chance to phone John with the race report.  Then, in another 13 weeks, I'll be at it again. 

 

Persevere.  John did.  He's lost weight.  He's in great shape.  And happy for it. 

Running article in the WSJ

Got up this morning and, as usual, downloaded the Wall Street Journal onto my Kindle.  In addition to the usual news of bank bailouts and auto company restructuring, I saw this title:  Running for Lean Times;  "It's no accident jogging took off in the 1970s."

 

What a fun article about the simple stress-reduction found by runners all over.  About the low-cost, effective fitness afforded by our sport.  About the very funny stories most runners can tell of mishaps along the way.  And, the best paragraph?

Of course, some people "jog" purely for fitness purposes and hate it. This might explain why the French were recently in an uproar after photos surfaced of President Nicolas Sarkozy in shorts and a T-shirt breaking a sweat in the Tuileries. Running is an American activity, the French press claimed, a fascistic act designed to manage and control the body. Not an intellectual pursuit at all. "It is about performance and individualism," one writer wrote, right-wing values antithetical to everything cherished by the country that gave us foie gras.

Persevere.  With or without the duck liver.