ORN Saturday: 18.1 miles, R4/W1, 3:13:18, 10:41/mile
Resting squarely at the intersection of my professional interest in management and my personal interest in running is the blog From Where I Sit by Michael Hyatt. Hyatt is the CEO of a large book publishing company and I’ve come to respect his views and appreciate his transparency. He’s also a runner.
In January, he invited folks in his company to run one of two half marathons on April 26. Nearly 180 signed up and 135 completed the races. He invited their feedback and published Half Marathon 2008 Testimonials last week.
Most of these folks had never run a half before; many had never run a race before. It was a sizable accomplishment, mind-boggling for many. Setting a goal to do something difficult; getting through the inevitable ups and downs of training; having the sense of accomplishment; knowing the support of others in pursuing the goal; all of these and more came through in the comments.
Which was a wonderful reminder to me. Those of us who run distances regularly can forget just how cool it is to actually run 13.1 miles for the first time. And it is wise to never forget it, as we never know when an injury or life-change can take that ability away. It sure hit me yesterday when I set out to do 18, having run a half marathon last week, with another one set for next Saturday. Even crazier was how enjoyable the run was, so much so I was really disappointed when it was over; I could have easily done another five. Dare I take that for granted?? The gift of health is simply too precious to be looked at lightly.
Persevere. At any distance or situation.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Race Report: One America Mini Marathon
ORN: 13.1 miles, run, 2:03:45, 9:27/mile
Quick Summary What an event. This was my fourth straight year running this mega-race of 35,000 and it is always full of surprises. I shot for a 2:05 in humid conditions and was pleased with my time even though I did not get the negative split I had hoped for. I did have two conversations, however, which made the entire day worthwhile.
The Gory Details The drill for this event is pretty familiar now. Up at 4:30, wheels turning at 5:00, leave car in the same parking garage, marvel at the spectacle before the race actually starts. Running buddy Jess drove and ran the race with his son Josh who had just finished his last Mechanical Engineering final exam at Purdue around 10pm on Friday night. The joys of youth…it was not a biggie for him to sleep five hours and run 13 miles.
I was a little blasé about this race going into it. I don’t know why…perhaps the bigness of it; perhaps the warm weather; perhaps its familiarity; perhaps I was just mentally tired. I don’t know. My goal to “Run the best race conditions allow” still held, though. The mix of this blah feeling and humidity added up to shooting for a 2:05 and wearing my clunky shoes to avoid any injury.
The race went off on time. I was seeded into Corral F (out of the 26 total corrals, A-Z), so got a clean start and crossed the start line about 3.5 minutes after the gun. As I have done in recently, I eschewed the run/walk sequence on race day, choosing instead to run continuously and walk through the water stops. The early miles were smooth; my chip time over the mat at mile five was 46:13, a 9:15 pace. Mile 6 dropped to 10:00 though, as I had to make a “pit stop” just outside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The next four miles averaged 9:20 but my 10 mile chip time showed miles 6-10 slowing to a 9:25 pace. The humidity was taking its toll. The last three miles were 9:37, 9:26 and 9:37, with the last bit of a rush to the finish line at an 8:40 pace. No negative splits today. Final official chip time was 2:03:48, an overall 9:27 pace.
Yet, I enjoyed the day, more than I thought I would. As is often the case, people win out over raw numbers. Two conversations touched me; one poignant, the other invigorating.
Along the front stretch of the Speedway, I came up behind a guy with a t shirt commemorating a soldier who died in Iraq. I asked him if this soldier was a relative or a friend. He told me the story of the loss of his brother-in-law seven months ago. The pain was real for him and I felt for him. It is a mystery to me why some things happen; why my son made it home from Iraq, safe and whole, when others do not. It is inexplicable. I could only share with him my sympathy, how sorry I was for him and, as the father of two soldiers, my inadequate yet sincere identification with his family. We shook hands and he seemed to genuinely appreciate the conversation. I hope it was an encouragement.
The second conversation began in Corral F at the start. I noticed a young woman with lettering on the back of her shirt “Run with endurance the race set before you.” That’s an alternate reading of the inspiration for the title of this blog. I walked over, we chatted briefly and wished each other well. Well, around mile 11.5 I noticed that same shirt as we were in the home stretch. I said hello again and we started chatting. Lynn is an effervescent person doing her first half marathon, her longest single run before today being one 10 miler. We had a lot in common, even to the detail of finding deep metaphorical and spiritual significance in ITB injuries. We talked and talked. Then, with about a quarter mile to go, I invited her to open it up to the finish line; she did, enjoying the sprint to the finish and she had her first HM in the bag. As we headed out, we realized we both have blogs; hers is here. Lynn, it was a treat to meet you!!!
One funny note. I got home, showered, donned today’s race T shirt and went to the grocery store to pick up some items for supper. As I walked out of the store, a mid-40ish woman glared at me and said sternly “Why aren’t you hobbled like I am??” She was shuffling along, stiff and sore from running the race today and obviously upset not everyone felt that way!! Sorry, Ma’am, I feel fine!!!
So, a race I was rather neutral about turned into a most enjoyable event. Persevering through meant everything. Thanks for listening.
Quick Summary What an event. This was my fourth straight year running this mega-race of 35,000 and it is always full of surprises. I shot for a 2:05 in humid conditions and was pleased with my time even though I did not get the negative split I had hoped for. I did have two conversations, however, which made the entire day worthwhile.
The Gory Details The drill for this event is pretty familiar now. Up at 4:30, wheels turning at 5:00, leave car in the same parking garage, marvel at the spectacle before the race actually starts. Running buddy Jess drove and ran the race with his son Josh who had just finished his last Mechanical Engineering final exam at Purdue around 10pm on Friday night. The joys of youth…it was not a biggie for him to sleep five hours and run 13 miles.
I was a little blasé about this race going into it. I don’t know why…perhaps the bigness of it; perhaps the warm weather; perhaps its familiarity; perhaps I was just mentally tired. I don’t know. My goal to “Run the best race conditions allow” still held, though. The mix of this blah feeling and humidity added up to shooting for a 2:05 and wearing my clunky shoes to avoid any injury.
The race went off on time. I was seeded into Corral F (out of the 26 total corrals, A-Z), so got a clean start and crossed the start line about 3.5 minutes after the gun. As I have done in recently, I eschewed the run/walk sequence on race day, choosing instead to run continuously and walk through the water stops. The early miles were smooth; my chip time over the mat at mile five was 46:13, a 9:15 pace. Mile 6 dropped to 10:00 though, as I had to make a “pit stop” just outside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The next four miles averaged 9:20 but my 10 mile chip time showed miles 6-10 slowing to a 9:25 pace. The humidity was taking its toll. The last three miles were 9:37, 9:26 and 9:37, with the last bit of a rush to the finish line at an 8:40 pace. No negative splits today. Final official chip time was 2:03:48, an overall 9:27 pace.
Yet, I enjoyed the day, more than I thought I would. As is often the case, people win out over raw numbers. Two conversations touched me; one poignant, the other invigorating.
Along the front stretch of the Speedway, I came up behind a guy with a t shirt commemorating a soldier who died in Iraq. I asked him if this soldier was a relative or a friend. He told me the story of the loss of his brother-in-law seven months ago. The pain was real for him and I felt for him. It is a mystery to me why some things happen; why my son made it home from Iraq, safe and whole, when others do not. It is inexplicable. I could only share with him my sympathy, how sorry I was for him and, as the father of two soldiers, my inadequate yet sincere identification with his family. We shook hands and he seemed to genuinely appreciate the conversation. I hope it was an encouragement.
The second conversation began in Corral F at the start. I noticed a young woman with lettering on the back of her shirt “Run with endurance the race set before you.” That’s an alternate reading of the inspiration for the title of this blog. I walked over, we chatted briefly and wished each other well. Well, around mile 11.5 I noticed that same shirt as we were in the home stretch. I said hello again and we started chatting. Lynn is an effervescent person doing her first half marathon, her longest single run before today being one 10 miler. We had a lot in common, even to the detail of finding deep metaphorical and spiritual significance in ITB injuries. We talked and talked. Then, with about a quarter mile to go, I invited her to open it up to the finish line; she did, enjoying the sprint to the finish and she had her first HM in the bag. As we headed out, we realized we both have blogs; hers is here. Lynn, it was a treat to meet you!!!
One funny note. I got home, showered, donned today’s race T shirt and went to the grocery store to pick up some items for supper. As I walked out of the store, a mid-40ish woman glared at me and said sternly “Why aren’t you hobbled like I am??” She was shuffling along, stiff and sore from running the race today and obviously upset not everyone felt that way!! Sorry, Ma’am, I feel fine!!!
So, a race I was rather neutral about turned into a most enjoyable event. Persevering through meant everything. Thanks for listening.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Bits and Pieces
ORN: 4.1 miles, R6/W1, 10:04 pace
“Hectic” doesn’t quite capture the past three weeks. I have had many blog postings in my head and no time to post. Here’s a quick update.
Gone Fishin’
Two weekends ago, four of us middle-aged guys went fishing for two days on a big lake in southern Indiana. I’m pleased to report the fish were very safe. Mike (on the right) and I had nary a nibble in two days; Jess and his boat mate caught these three whoppers and let us hold them for the obligatory “fish picture” before we released them.
While the catch was light, the time together was awesome. Getting away with guys who enjoy each other, sitting in a small boat with gentle waves in a quiet cove on a remote lake, sitting up at night discussing issues from the Purdue football team to substantive poverty problems in our city, all made for a wonderful time.
Saying Goodbye
Last weekend, I attended a funeral for a family matriarch. My father’s oldest sibling passed away quietly at the age of 94. The funeral was a celebration of a life well lived. Mary Alice was the family historian and a source of stability to several generations. While her body eventually gave out, her mind was sharp to the end. My cousin John reported a lively debate she sparked with him only a month ago over the pros and cons of stem-cell research. Yeah, she was sharp. We’ll all miss her.
Many of my cousins gathered and we had a wonderful time remembering Mary Alice and catching up with each other. My sister Marge is in front, the rest are cousins. Neat guys, we have much to be thankful for.
Getting Things Done
If any of you have read David Allen’s book Getting Things Done, you know it is a terrific method of handling all the “stuff” that comes our way, keeping it organized and then getting the right things done. The staff there recently heard of my implementation of GTD and asked me to write about it. They published it on their blog here. If you like personal productivity issues, you might enjoy it. If you just want to see my handwriting, well, you can see that too.
Let’s go racin’ boys
Half Marathon #3 in my spring series of 5 happens on Saturday. The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is Saturday morning. Along with 35,000 of my closest friends, we’ll wind through Indianapolis, do a lap at the Speedway and run back downtown. Fishing buddy Jess and I are running again, this time also accompanied by Jess’ son Josh doing his first half marathon. Josh will finish the last Mechanical Engineering final of his sophomore year at Purdue around 10pm on Friday night, so he’ll be ready to run. The weather looks to be muggy, with a chance of showers and temps in the low to mid 60s. I’m thinking I’ll punch a 2:05 target into the Garmin, enjoy the sights and the crowds, try for a negative split and just enjoy myself. No PRs this week. And that's OK.
Persevere…no matter how hectic life gets!
“Hectic” doesn’t quite capture the past three weeks. I have had many blog postings in my head and no time to post. Here’s a quick update.
Gone Fishin’
Two weekends ago, four of us middle-aged guys went fishing for two days on a big lake in southern Indiana. I’m pleased to report the fish were very safe. Mike (on the right) and I had nary a nibble in two days; Jess and his boat mate caught these three whoppers and let us hold them for the obligatory “fish picture” before we released them.
While the catch was light, the time together was awesome. Getting away with guys who enjoy each other, sitting in a small boat with gentle waves in a quiet cove on a remote lake, sitting up at night discussing issues from the Purdue football team to substantive poverty problems in our city, all made for a wonderful time.
Saying Goodbye
Last weekend, I attended a funeral for a family matriarch. My father’s oldest sibling passed away quietly at the age of 94. The funeral was a celebration of a life well lived. Mary Alice was the family historian and a source of stability to several generations. While her body eventually gave out, her mind was sharp to the end. My cousin John reported a lively debate she sparked with him only a month ago over the pros and cons of stem-cell research. Yeah, she was sharp. We’ll all miss her.
Many of my cousins gathered and we had a wonderful time remembering Mary Alice and catching up with each other. My sister Marge is in front, the rest are cousins. Neat guys, we have much to be thankful for.
Getting Things Done
If any of you have read David Allen’s book Getting Things Done, you know it is a terrific method of handling all the “stuff” that comes our way, keeping it organized and then getting the right things done. The staff there recently heard of my implementation of GTD and asked me to write about it. They published it on their blog here. If you like personal productivity issues, you might enjoy it. If you just want to see my handwriting, well, you can see that too.
Let’s go racin’ boys
Half Marathon #3 in my spring series of 5 happens on Saturday. The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is Saturday morning. Along with 35,000 of my closest friends, we’ll wind through Indianapolis, do a lap at the Speedway and run back downtown. Fishing buddy Jess and I are running again, this time also accompanied by Jess’ son Josh doing his first half marathon. Josh will finish the last Mechanical Engineering final of his sophomore year at Purdue around 10pm on Friday night, so he’ll be ready to run. The weather looks to be muggy, with a chance of showers and temps in the low to mid 60s. I’m thinking I’ll punch a 2:05 target into the Garmin, enjoy the sights and the crowds, try for a negative split and just enjoy myself. No PRs this week. And that's OK.
Persevere…no matter how hectic life gets!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Second Day Sorness
ORN: 5.1 miles, R5/W1, 55:10, 10:43/mile
The rule of thumb that the sorest you'll be is two days after the run is certainly true. I had a very enjoyable 17.5 mile run on Monday and woke up this morning pretty stiff. I got out the door, though, and had a very easy five miler. And, as usual, after the first couple of miles, the legs loosened up, I got moving more smoothly and the run was in the books.
And, after a loooooooong Midwest winter, I can't tell you how good it is to just toss on a shirt and shorts and head out the door in the early morning. That alone makes the running worthwhile.
Looking ahead to the next event, the nation's largest half-marathon in Indy on May 3 (also known as "tres de Mayo" in Indiana), the weather may not be all that good...looking like it will be warm and possibly muggy. Makes me very glad I pushed for a good time in the first of this series of five spring half marathons. It sure is fun, though, to have a series of races fall together so nicely.
Also, a quick shout out to blogging buddy David who is running the Country Music Marathon in Nashville this weekend. Enjoy the hills, David, and persevere to the end!!
The rule of thumb that the sorest you'll be is two days after the run is certainly true. I had a very enjoyable 17.5 mile run on Monday and woke up this morning pretty stiff. I got out the door, though, and had a very easy five miler. And, as usual, after the first couple of miles, the legs loosened up, I got moving more smoothly and the run was in the books.
And, after a loooooooong Midwest winter, I can't tell you how good it is to just toss on a shirt and shorts and head out the door in the early morning. That alone makes the running worthwhile.
Looking ahead to the next event, the nation's largest half-marathon in Indy on May 3 (also known as "tres de Mayo" in Indiana), the weather may not be all that good...looking like it will be warm and possibly muggy. Makes me very glad I pushed for a good time in the first of this series of five spring half marathons. It sure is fun, though, to have a series of races fall together so nicely.
Also, a quick shout out to blogging buddy David who is running the Country Music Marathon in Nashville this weekend. Enjoy the hills, David, and persevere to the end!!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sunrise
ORN: 5 miles, R6/W1
What a treat! After groggily dragging myself out of bed for a five-miler in chilly 31F weather, I got a unexpected thrill.
My favorite Cumberland Woods route takes me 2.5 miles west then I turn around to head home. I slogged through the out portion, not very awake, thinking about a very, very busy day ahead of me.
Then I hit the turnaround point.
The cold weather came with a high pressure system which made the sky cloudless. By this time, the pre-dawn light was just barely visible over the eastern horizon. The palest of pinks, grays, purples and blues danced slowly with each other as I made my way back home. The entire tapestry of light was painted before me. Birds, just returned to the Heartland after having the good sense to winter farther south, were singing their hearts out. No humans were around, the trail was just out there, alone, with the sky, the birds and me clomping along. It was indescribable.
On the front end of a work day which will extend past 11:00pm tonight, it was a marvelous morning. I hope yours is as well, as you persevere.
What a treat! After groggily dragging myself out of bed for a five-miler in chilly 31F weather, I got a unexpected thrill.
My favorite Cumberland Woods route takes me 2.5 miles west then I turn around to head home. I slogged through the out portion, not very awake, thinking about a very, very busy day ahead of me.
Then I hit the turnaround point.
The cold weather came with a high pressure system which made the sky cloudless. By this time, the pre-dawn light was just barely visible over the eastern horizon. The palest of pinks, grays, purples and blues danced slowly with each other as I made my way back home. The entire tapestry of light was painted before me. Birds, just returned to the Heartland after having the good sense to winter farther south, were singing their hearts out. No humans were around, the trail was just out there, alone, with the sky, the birds and me clomping along. It was indescribable.
On the front end of a work day which will extend past 11:00pm tonight, it was a marvelous morning. I hope yours is as well, as you persevere.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
A Civilian Again
ORN: 5.1 miles, R6/W1
It was a big day today for our family. My oldest son David was given his honorable discharge from the US Army yesterday after nearly 5.5 years of service. He arrived back home early this morning.
David was in boot camp when the US invasion of Iraq took place. He served a 12 month tour on the DMZ in South Korea plus 12 and 15 month deployments in Iraq. He has just been away from his wife and three kids for another 2 months outprocessing at his base in Colorado Springs.
We're glad to have him home.
I first caught up with him at noon today, after he'd had maybe 3 hours of sleep. While young Miss B was napping and his wife was teaching at her post at the local community college, David was just enjoying being with the 4 year old twins...who were waaaaaaay less sleepy than Daddy. Never mind...it was all right, being together again.
Plans are for David to take some time getting reaquainted with the family he's missed so much of, then begin coursework in the fall towards a Physician's Assistant degree, building on his Army medic experience.
Rejoice with us...we've all persevered.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Race Report: Indiana University Half Marathon
ORN: 13.1 miles, Run, 2:03:11, 9:25/mile
Race Summary
The first time I’ve ever run half marathons on back-to-back weekends. I shot for a 2:05 on this hilly course and beat that, with a negative split to boot. Cool and clear, another perfect day for running made for a most enjoyable outing.
Race Details
Sitting at dinner Friday night, Gretchen posed a question.
“So you are running a race tomorrow in Bloomington?”
Yep.
“And how far is this one?”
It’s another half marathon, the same as last weekend.
“And what time do you have to leave in the morning?”
Uh, that would be 5:00am.
A pause and a smile; “And you regard this as huge fun?”
I just smiled in return. She loves me a lot.
I was up at 4:30 and backing out of the garage at 5:00am. (Gretchen reported later my departure didn’t disturb her sleep!) The 2 hour drive was uneventful, as was check-in. The temperature at the start was around 38, with projections to the mid 40s by the end of the race. Sunny skies and no wind made this quite enjoyable…a couple of technical layers and gloves were quite adequate.
Work and life intervened this week and I only had a single 5 mile run since last weeks half marathon. I wondered what my goal to “Run the best race conditions allow” meant this week. I concluded, rather quickly, the race would not be as quick as last week. It was a new course to me this week (vs the known course last week), a hilly course (vs a flat one) and my legs were not as fresh. David encouraged me not to over think this race and I didn’t. A target of 2:05 seemed about right; I wore my clunky Brooks Beasts and determined to just enjoy a lovely day.
The race started on time. I estimated about 800-1000 folks ran. We wove in and around the campus of Indiana University, a beautiful place, and the college town of Bloomington, Indiana. The course was quite hilly; I would guess there wasn’t more than 1 mile of the 13 even close to flat. We were up and down all the way.
Splits are deceiving on the hills. The “up” miles came in around 9:45 or so; the “down” miles were close to 9 even. I just tried to keep an even effort. Doing the math after the race, I did the first six miles in 56:48 (9:28/mile), and the next six in 56:35 (9:26/mile). That pleased me a lot.
During the Sam Costa race last week, a fellow runner observed the first six miles or so seem to crawl by, while the last mile seem to start clicking by very quickly. I’d never heard that so succinctly; I found it to be true last week and the same thing this week. All of a sudden miles 8, 9, 10, 11 just clipped by. The second half went really quickly, in my mind.
My legs felt heavy during the first few miles, worse than last week. But they seemed to perk up around mile 5 or so. By the time we got to mile 12, I knew I had gas left in the tank, so cranked it up a bit. Mile 13 went by in 8:53 and the Garmin told me I ran the last tenth, a downhill sprint to the finish line, at a 5:52 pace. It was very nice to see 2:03:11 on the watch. The organizers had a great finish; plenty of water and food, a nice medal, a great shirt and all for 25 bucks...a terrific value.
This has nothing to do with anything but it puzzled me during the race: Why do college kids not wear gloves? There were a lot of fresh-faced, intelligent-looking kids helping to direct runners on this chilly morning. But not a one of them had on gloves. Shirts, hoodies or coats were pulled down over their hands, shoulders scrunched up to keep the hands in the sleeves. All of them. My son, in college, won’t wear gloves either. Why?? I don’t understand. And I sound like an old fogie…
I had a first after the race. I was walking to my car when a man drove by, rolled down his window and said "Are you Joe Ely?" Well, yes. "Great! I read your blog!" How cool. Randy, thanks for stopping by and talking...it was great to meet you and your pal. Good luck in the Flying Pig!
As a proud graduate of Purdue University, I couldn’t help having some fun with our archrival Indiana University. So, after the race, I pulled on my Purdue shirt and had my photo taken in front of Assembly Hall, IU’s palace of basketball, former home of Bobby Knight and Kelvin Sampson. Go Boilers...we don't have scandals.
It was a fun day. Race 2 of 5 in the spring series in the books. I’m enjoying it.
Persevere.
Race Summary
The first time I’ve ever run half marathons on back-to-back weekends. I shot for a 2:05 on this hilly course and beat that, with a negative split to boot. Cool and clear, another perfect day for running made for a most enjoyable outing.
Race Details
Sitting at dinner Friday night, Gretchen posed a question.
“So you are running a race tomorrow in Bloomington?”
Yep.
“And how far is this one?”
It’s another half marathon, the same as last weekend.
“And what time do you have to leave in the morning?”
Uh, that would be 5:00am.
A pause and a smile; “And you regard this as huge fun?”
I just smiled in return. She loves me a lot.
I was up at 4:30 and backing out of the garage at 5:00am. (Gretchen reported later my departure didn’t disturb her sleep!) The 2 hour drive was uneventful, as was check-in. The temperature at the start was around 38, with projections to the mid 40s by the end of the race. Sunny skies and no wind made this quite enjoyable…a couple of technical layers and gloves were quite adequate.
Work and life intervened this week and I only had a single 5 mile run since last weeks half marathon. I wondered what my goal to “Run the best race conditions allow” meant this week. I concluded, rather quickly, the race would not be as quick as last week. It was a new course to me this week (vs the known course last week), a hilly course (vs a flat one) and my legs were not as fresh. David encouraged me not to over think this race and I didn’t. A target of 2:05 seemed about right; I wore my clunky Brooks Beasts and determined to just enjoy a lovely day.
The race started on time. I estimated about 800-1000 folks ran. We wove in and around the campus of Indiana University, a beautiful place, and the college town of Bloomington, Indiana. The course was quite hilly; I would guess there wasn’t more than 1 mile of the 13 even close to flat. We were up and down all the way.
Splits are deceiving on the hills. The “up” miles came in around 9:45 or so; the “down” miles were close to 9 even. I just tried to keep an even effort. Doing the math after the race, I did the first six miles in 56:48 (9:28/mile), and the next six in 56:35 (9:26/mile). That pleased me a lot.
During the Sam Costa race last week, a fellow runner observed the first six miles or so seem to crawl by, while the last mile seem to start clicking by very quickly. I’d never heard that so succinctly; I found it to be true last week and the same thing this week. All of a sudden miles 8, 9, 10, 11 just clipped by. The second half went really quickly, in my mind.
My legs felt heavy during the first few miles, worse than last week. But they seemed to perk up around mile 5 or so. By the time we got to mile 12, I knew I had gas left in the tank, so cranked it up a bit. Mile 13 went by in 8:53 and the Garmin told me I ran the last tenth, a downhill sprint to the finish line, at a 5:52 pace. It was very nice to see 2:03:11 on the watch. The organizers had a great finish; plenty of water and food, a nice medal, a great shirt and all for 25 bucks...a terrific value.
This has nothing to do with anything but it puzzled me during the race: Why do college kids not wear gloves? There were a lot of fresh-faced, intelligent-looking kids helping to direct runners on this chilly morning. But not a one of them had on gloves. Shirts, hoodies or coats were pulled down over their hands, shoulders scrunched up to keep the hands in the sleeves. All of them. My son, in college, won’t wear gloves either. Why?? I don’t understand. And I sound like an old fogie…
I had a first after the race. I was walking to my car when a man drove by, rolled down his window and said "Are you Joe Ely?" Well, yes. "Great! I read your blog!" How cool. Randy, thanks for stopping by and talking...it was great to meet you and your pal. Good luck in the Flying Pig!
As a proud graduate of Purdue University, I couldn’t help having some fun with our archrival Indiana University. So, after the race, I pulled on my Purdue shirt and had my photo taken in front of Assembly Hall, IU’s palace of basketball, former home of Bobby Knight and Kelvin Sampson. Go Boilers...we don't have scandals.
It was a fun day. Race 2 of 5 in the spring series in the books. I’m enjoying it.
Persevere.
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