Turkey Trotting and a Police Escort

Because I’ve been bad about keeping up with my races, here’s two to catch me up.

Turkey Trot

This one is one of the largest Thanksgiving Day races in the nation (so I’m told). This year was no different with approximately 4,000 folks braving the cold for a 5 mile(ish) race. It’s an out and back and the last ¾ of a mile is uphill and typically into a brisk November wind! The race never really starts on time so it’s a 9ish beginning. The interesting thing about this event is nobody really lines up properly so you’ll have some of the faster runners in the back and some walker in the front. We started about mid-pack and found ourselves dodging people for most of the first few miles. Early on, I realized the colder weather gear I had on was too much and I peeled off the top layer at the first water stop. I immediately felt more comfortable and once I hit the halfway point, I increased my pace. I hit the final water stop and made the right hand turn to home where I was greeted by that wonderful headwind. Because I’m not the most wind resistant person, I struggled up the hill and actually stopped to put on the layer I’d taken off some 2 miles ago. I crossed the tape (I think) yet again without winning a pie. I checked the watch and I ran about 10 seconds slower than I wanted to but based on the maneuvering around the walkers and having to stop for equipment issues, I was pretty pleased.

…and then I ate turkey!

Tour de Ashland Half Marathon

Jim Miller and I drove up to Ashland the morning of the race and were greeted by a windy mid-teens degree overcast day. I had been sick most of the week but decided to go for it anyway. About 130 or so runners braved the cold for this jaunt through the streets of Ashland. The course and weather made for a challenging day! The 5k started just in front of the half marathon and it wasn’t long until we were passing some of the 5k racers. At the first water stop I didn’t feel that cold anymore and continued cranking at a relatively consistent pace. When the 5k racers peeled off at mile 3 I began to feel pretty alone. As we made a turn I looked back and didn’t see anyone so I assumed there were people way behind. The 10k mark was met by me having to stop for a traffic light and lose about 60-90 seconds while I waited. It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever had to wait for a traffic light while in a race. I wasn’t too concerned because my pace wasn’t that slow (for me anyway). I hit the relay transition made a right turn and began to wonder if there actually was anyone behind me. By the 15k mark, I felt completely alone except to see a few people what seemed to be 3 or so minutes ahead of me. I hit the 10 mile mark about 2-3 minutes behind where I expected but wasn’t too terribly disappointed due to the weather and hills on the course. It was about this time the police truck pulled up beside me. I asked if I was last and he replied with a yes. I couldn’t actually believe it because at most races of that length, there would be quite a few people behind me. I actually laughed and he said he’d be my escort through any stop signs, traffic signals and anything else for the rest of the way. Unfortunately the hills took a toll on my legs and I got my first cramp around mile 11. Then it started to snow pretty hard. The people who were in front of me started to get bigger so I knew despite being a little chilly and cramped, I was catching them. I had closed to about 200 yards by the finish and decided I could sprint and hope to catch them or just ease in and relax. Because I wasn’t really racing this one, I chose the latter and finished about a minute or so behind the person in front of me. Fortunately I still got a medal!!

The trip home was very eventful due to the deteriorating conditions from the snow. We saw a few semi’s and 5th wheel campers upside down due to the slippery roads. Fortunately we slowed down even more and made it home safely.

All in all, this one wasn’t a bad race but if you’re 2:20 or so half marathoner, be prepared to spend quite a bit of time alone. Definitely a good race if you’re looking for hills!

Up next…. White Rock Half Marathon in Dallas

Philadelphia Marathon, Half Marathon and 8k

This is a repeat race for me and my third trip to the City of Brotherly Love to run a half marathon and it didn’t disappoint. After clearing up my travel issues earlier in the week I flew out early Saturday, stopped at the expo and then to the Farmer’s Market for some lunch and an Amish pretzel or two (love those things!!).

The great thing about this race is the early 7am start. It was in the mid 20’s and the mile walk from the hotel to the start was very brisk!! The race started just a bit late due to the wheelchair athletes balking at the marathon distance just before the race but after about 10 minutes, we were off.

The fun thing about the course is there is quite a bit to see. Practically the entire course runs around downtown so there are plenty of things to see. I got off to a slow start due to the 18,000 runners on the course and really couldn’t get comfortable through the first 5k. I saw my buddy Dan pacing the 3:40 marathon group right before the 3 mile mark. We talked for about 15 seconds and he and the rest of the group he was pacing scooted by me. By 10k I really hadn’t begun to feel that much better but I was trying to be consistent. I surprised Jim Miller when he passed me at that point of the race (he’s way faster than I) but I’m guessing he started way behind me! Right at 15k there is a decently sized hill. I temporarily lost focus and walked up quite a bit of it. Fortunately there was a water stop shortly thereafter and I was able to regroup a little. I was definitely off my pace of the first 9 miles by then but a few rather steep descents helped make up a little. I ran out of gas just past 12 miles so I limped it in. Fortunately I was some 30 seconds faster than my time in Indy so I wasn’t all that disappointed. I realized though, my pre race food the day before probably caused me some time. Damn soft pretzels….haha!!

Let's Play Two!!

A Double Header Weekend

I thought it would be an interesting idea to do a double this past weekend so I registered for the Mason Mini 15k on Saturday and Buckeye Classic 10k on Sunday. I had to do the 10k because it was the last race of the 2008 Columbus Grand Prix and just crossing the finish line would secure a podium finish for the season for me. While I have quite a few finishers’ medals I don’t have a lot of awards for my Kenyan like (ok, not so much) speed. Here’s how it went:

Mason Mini:

I did this race two years ago and thought it was quite a bit of fun! They moved the course and changed the starting time from 8 to 9am so I made the 90 minute drive from home that morning. It was a brisk day in the upper 30’s with overcast skies and a bit of a breeze. The start of the race was a few minutes late and the national anthem singer was a elementary school (I think) student in the area. I never really mention the pre race singers but she was more of a yeller than a singer and really belted it out! The runners were definitely appreciative of her getting us started!!

The course turned out to be a double out and back with rolling hills throughout. My plan was to take it pretty easy and save something for Sunday. I may have never said this but I don’t really know how to do that!! The first mile was about 30 seconds faster than I wanted it to be but I felt really good. The next few miles were also significantly faster than expected and by mile 5, I knew there was no “taking it easy” in my future because I was on pace to potentially set a personal best. At the 5 mile mark we made it back to the start line (or near it really) and went to the other loop on the course. Fortunately it was down wind and a little down hill so I picked up the pace. When I hit the 10k mark, I knew if I just relaxed and didn’t think about it, I’d be close to a PR! Despite nature’s calling just before 7 and the hill right at the 7 mile marker, I wasn’t slowing down very much and was happy to have a guy right in front of me who seemed to be pacing me. Because I was running a little harder by the last water stop around 8, I could feel fatigue setting in. There was no way I was stopping because I knew if I just kept running, I’d be done very soon! The finish was 2/3 of a lap around the track and I tried to take it easy finishing but had some guy try to motor by me around the corner. I picked up the pace and finished just ahead of him in my new personal best!!

It was a fun day and I actually made a few new friends before and during the race. I’d recommend this race if you feel like mixing it up with a 15k!

Buckeye Classic 10k:

This race was held at Highbanks Metro Park on the north side. I had driven by the park countless times but had never actually been inside! I also had no idea the course was going to by 90% or so trail. A pleasant surprise for sure!!

The day was a little more brisk than the Mason race but we were shielded by all the foliage. I knew pretty early I was going to struggle as my body wasn’t happy with me trying to hit the trails and some semblance of a pace! Around 1.5 miles we started getting into some significant elevation changes and near the top of the hill, I completely lost focus. I spent the next few miles trying to motivate myself to push but it was only near the 4 mile mark where I called myself a few names and picked up the pace. I hit the finish line some 59 seconds slower than my expected finishing time but was reasonably pleased with my last few miles. Everyone I spoke with post race said the course was very difficult but all said it was a ton of fun. Despite being pretty tired from Saturday, I’d tend to agree on both counts!!

This weekend is an off weekend from racing but I’ll be back in force for the 11/23 running of the Philadelphia Marathon, Half Marathon and 8k. I’m doing the half and it will mark half #40 in my “career.” Here’s hoping to a new personal best!!!

Until next time!!!!

The Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon

I got home from Phoenix on Thursday and left Friday evening for Indy (about 2 ½ hours from my house). I didn’t get there until about 10:30 because I had forgotten about beggar’s night in my ‘hood so I really didn’t expect much out of my race on Saturday. Fortunately the hotel was a suite (a sweet suite we'll call it!) and it was pretty comfy!!

I woke up extra early on Saturday (about 5am) because I needed to register for the race. I typically pre-register but because I had been traveling I completely forgot. Fortunately I got there a few minutes before late registration closed (I was told I “just made it”).

The start of the race is the same place as the Indy Mini (the half which part of it is a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) but the course is far different. It was a warmish, Indian Summer like mid 50’s at the start. From the beginning I felt like I was running in wet cement. At the first mile we ran around Lucas Oil Stadium (where the Colts play) and were greeted by a bunch of fans standing in line for something. I’m pretty sure they were surprised at the 4,000 or so runners whizzing, walking and wandering by but they were seemingly into it. The course ran through a few neighborhoods through the first half of the race and was visually pretty pleasing and more importantly flat. I hit the 5 mile mark about 90 seconds slower than I wanted but realized I needed to gut it out because I just couldn’t get comfy with my pace or running in general. Simply put, I wanted to be not running! By mile 8 I didn’t feel much better but was managing to be consistent. Slow, but consistently so. The mile markers from 9-11 were all significantly off as 9 and 10 were about .9-.93 each and mile 11 was 1.1 or so miles. Fortunately I continued my slow and steady so my usual slow down really didn’t happen. By mile 12 I realized I could be a few minutes faster than Hartford and my 2nd fastest time of the year if I pushed a little. I tried to focus on the IHOP I was going to have on the way home rather than anything else. I crossed the finish line about 2 minutes slower than Columbus a few weeks earlier but 5 minutes faster than New Mexico just 6 days earlier. I was pretty spent!! I came away from the race pretty much in tact except for some unexpected chafing in the chest region (damn band-aid fell off!) so the shower wasn't very much fun post race. Man that stung!!! haha!!

All in all this has the potential to be a really good race! It was a nice course with only small elevation changes throughout. The crowds were somewhat scarce but the people were great and the water stops plentiful! Assuming I don’t get into New York in 2009, I may just do this one again!

Speaking of New York, congrats to all my friends with finishes in the Big Apple last Sunday! Great work!Next week is a double. 15k in Mason, Ohio on Saturday with a 10k at Highbanks (north of Columbus) on Sunday. The weather isn’t supposed to be that great but we’ll see how it goes.

Trail running season is approaching. Time to break out the trail shoes!!Until next time. Keep running!!

Rio Grande Half Marathon (Las Cruces, NM)

I scheduled this race as a side trip to a conference I am attending in Phoenix this week. I hadn’t done a race in the desert since the 2006 Phoenix Rock n Roll Marathon so I thought it’d be a nice change of pace running in a smaller race (about 300 people doing three events) and at a little elevation (4,000 feet).

This race was quite a bit different than the previous two (Hartford and Columbus). There was little fanfare and the packet pickup was just that. I thought it was pretty funny they had the packets all made up and the only thing in the packet was a race number and safety pins. They had a freebie pasta dinner and I was able to meet a few folks, one of which was a woman named Theresa (I think) who won her age group in her first ever race. Way to go!!

The race started and finished at the “Field of Dreams” in Las Cruces. For some reason, the race started about 20 minutes late so the clear sky of the morning was becoming more evident and the temps were increasing by the minute. Fortunately it was a cool-ish 55 at the start. This race was extremely flat and very exposed. There was absolutely no shade to speak of! It was pretty cool seeing the mountains all around us as we ran. At mile 4 ½ of the race the course went off road for the next two miles It looked like a sandy service road for about a half mile or so then turned onto a desert trail until almost the turn around. It was extremely scenic and a very nice change of pace. At the turn around I realized the higher elevation (yeah, I know 4,000 feet isn’t that high but it’s different than the 800 or so in Columbus) as well as the TRAS potluck beers on Friday night probably were going to be my downfall. I turned around to be greeted by a nice 15 or so MPH headwind. It was heaven….ok, not really. It blew!! I slowed about 45 or so seconds a mile and just tried to persevere until we hit the crosswind right before mile 10. I hit the 10 mile post about 4-5 minutes slower than in Columbus but thought if I could match Hartford, it’d be a good day! The last 5k was mostly downwind with a little cross and the temps were in the mid-70’s by then. I was out of gas by 11 and slowed a bit more When I hit the stadium for my “victory lap” I realized the clocks were wrong and my time would be way better than what my watch showed. At least it’ll look like a PR!!! I crossed the line about 6 minutes slower than Columbus but 3 minutes faster than Air Force so with everything considered, I was pretty happy. I grabbed my medal (rather chintzy but I really wasn’t worried about it), a bottle of water, talked to my new friend Theresa, then hit the road.

The story typically ends there but the post race “festivities” of the Jacuzzi tub in my room (awesome post race thing!!) and the trip back to El Paso are worth mentioning. About 30 miles from El Paso, the middle of the desert, I heard a loud “POP.” I didn’t see anything but realized I might have a flat. Sure enough, I did! While it was a slow leak, I could hear it and knew I had to change to the spare. It’s pretty unnerving with semis whizzing by at 70+ MPH while you’re trying to change a tire. I’ll give kudos to the Chevy folks for designing a good tire changer. It took about 20 or so minutes but I got it done with only a few scrapes but NO curses! I was just glad I had booked a later flight!!!


All in all a good race with great scenery! I think it’d be fun to do that one again but I’ll probably save my $$ for another state.

23 down……..

Next up, Indianapolis Monumental half marathon on Saturday. I guess I better get some rest!!!

The Columbus (Half) Marathon

Yesterday’s race was my 7th consecutive year running this event but the first running the half (I had done the full the previous 6 years). It was a crisp fall day with the temps in the upper (ok, mid) 30’s at the start. I was amped because I LOVE running in this sort of weather!!

I lined up with the 3:30 pace group (for the full) with my intent to drop back slowly and settle in somewhere between the 4:15 and 4:30 group. When the gun went off we started at a nice clip but my legs weren’t really happy with me. I decided the best plan was to hit the UP volume button on the iPod and not think about it. I hit the first few water stops a bit faster than expected and I kept telling myself to slow down (which is tough since I’m pretty slow in the first place). I hit the 5k mark faster than expected as well as the 5 mile mark. By 10k I knew I needed to try to slow down or I’d have issues later. The problem was I couldn’t slow! My first issue happened at the 7.5 mile mark and I wanted to quit. Fortunately I realized it was just a bad patch and a quick downhill helped!! I hit the 15k mark faster than any 15k time in 3 years and it was only then when I lost focus and had to slow a little! By mile 12 I actually was contemplating running the entire marathon but realized I needed to get home to be at the party I was hosting for Frontrunner. I hit the 13 mile mark then increased the pace for the last tenth passing 4 or 5 people in the process. My time (just over 2:17) was my 2nd fastest official half ever and I felt great!!

The post race was really fun cheering everyone at the 22.5 mile mark of the marathon. Seeing all the marathoners nearing their goal was great. Thanks to the Columbus Marathon staff for changing the course and putting my place on it! Fun, fun fun! Too bad I’ll be running the full next year (I think) and I won’t get to see all the people running by my house!

Next week, week 8 in the 7 half marathons in 9 week stretch. Las Cruces, NM! No grandiose goals in this one. I just want to take it easy and have fun!!

Until next time!!

ING Hartford Half Marathon

I was supposed to be in Boston for the BAA Half. I couldn’t stomach paying $500 for a decent flight to Boston and decided to bag that race. I found out Hartford was the day before and when I realized I could get there and stay there reasonably inexpensively, I booked it. State number 22 in my quest for a half in all 50 was ON!!

The trip in was interesting to say the least. A rental car mix up followed by paying $10 for 22 minutes in a parking garage not to mention the power in the hotel where I was staying losing power at 2am was enough to drive many people to drink! I actually thought it was pretty funny when I got my 5:30 wake up call via a knock on the door and a glow stick so I could see (ingenious actually!!). By 6:45 I was ready to run. Enough of the peripheral stuff!!!!

The day turned out to be gorgeous!! Upper 40’s at the start and not a cloud could be seen! I got there a bit too early but fortunately found a park bench free so I could relax a bit. A woman joined me and we chatted about running and drinking for 30 or so minutes. She was running two legs of the relay so I hope she did ok!!

The national anthem played at 8am and despite no jets flying over, it was a pretty amped crowd. It was interesting seeing two sides of the road meld into the start with about 8,000 people trying to hit the start mat. I may have been a bit too far forward but it seemed pretty chaotic to me passing and being passed by tons of people (more of the latter, I’m sure). By the 2nd mile we were fairly stretched out and I settled into a pace. I was surprised how the course was rolling. Nothing too steep in either direction really but living in Columbus, any slight change in elevation is always interesting!! The course split the marathoners and half runners just before mile 4 and I had a pretty good rhythm for me. Unfortunately the rest of the day wouldn’t be that easy because by mile 7, I had the feeling of lead in my legs. I pushed through it for as long as I could but by mile 8, I had to walk for a minute to get stretched out. Fortunately all wasn’t lost! I rebounded a little, had another PowerGel and I felt a little better. I hit the 10 mile mark faster than I’ve done 10 miles in probably 3 years. The last 5k was a little slower than I had hoped but when I hit the tape, it was a 2 year best by about a minute. A good run for me for sure!!

Here’s a special congratulations to my new friend Cat! She was also there completing her first half marathon! We didn’t actually meet there (she bought a 13.1 sticker from me on ebay) but she blew by me around 9 or so miles! Congrats, Cat!!!

Next up, The Nationwide Better Health Half Marathon. Then to Las Cruces, NM for the third of four straight half marathons!!Keep running, all!!!

USAF Half, Home Stretch 20k and No Limits 10k

As I start my stretch of 4 half marathons on 4 successive weekends I realized I hadn’t updated my post IKEA race thoughts. They’re mixed but generally a little better.

(inhales) Here goes:

USAF Half Marathon (Dayton, OH):

I was told this was a really fun event so rather than trek long distances for a race or train at home, I’d try this one out. I got there on Friday shortly before the expo closed and almost missed my chance to get my race number (which would have meant no running at the race on Saturday). I couldn’t find a nearby pasta joint so had to settle for a Pizza Hut fast food (inside a Taco Bell).

I had no idea what to expect on race morning as we parked near the airstrip at Wright Patterson AFB. They shuttled us to the starting area and we were greeted with a jet flyover. I’ve seen quite a few of these at larger races and they really never get old. It’s amazing to see those things whiz by then hear them seconds later. Good stuff!!

I probably got there a bit too early as I stood waiting to go for nearly an hour. Once we started, my legs felt like absolute lead and I knew there was a monster hill right before the first mile marker. I thought I may be in trouble! I had one of those talks with myself right at the beginning of the hill where I made myself continue to run despite needing to replace my watch with a sundial (yeah, it was that slow!!). The ascent went for about a kilometer (just over .6 of a mile) and once at the top, we were greeted with a nice descent then some rolling (but mostly descending) for the next few miles. At the 3 mile marker, I felt pretty good!!

The interesting thing about the course was it was fairly exposed and far more rolling than I’d imagined. I hit the 10k mark in decent fashion and when I hit the 7 mile mark, I knew I would probably be much faster than any race since Cleveland in early May. I hit the 10 mile post ahead of schedule and I simply just didn’t fall off as much as normal. I’m guessing the rolling hills made me feel better! I crossed the finish line about 2 minutes ahead of where I expected! It was also pretty cool to be handed a finisher’s medal by a Commander!!!

The funny part of the race happened after I crossed the finish line. There was a line for all the free food and it happened to be the only way out. I had no interest in a piece of pizza or waiting in line for 15 minutes just to get out of the finisher’s area so I found a hole in the fencing and started walking through it. As I passed the woman guarding it, she made a comment for me to stop. I didn’t break stride and waved. She said it again. This time I continued walking and told her I wasn’t interested in the pizza but I wanted out. I was fully expecting her to grab my arm or something but fortunately, there was nothing. I grabbed a bottle of G2 (or vitamin water or whatever they had) and walked out.
All in all a good day of running on a challenging course!!

Home Stretch 20k (Groveport, OH):

Not a bunch of fond memories on this one but definitely a much better course than previous years when it was in Westerville. The weather was overcast and a bit warmer than I’d hoped. They had a course change at the last minute due to some weather (Ike) issues but they moved the course to a new stretch of bike path near the Groveport rec Center. At 8am we were told there was a delay. It lasted about 30 minutes. The 20 mile race started at that point followed by the 20k (my event) 3 minutes later. I actually liked the remote course as it was a nice change from many longer races. The part through Three Creeks Metropark was really enjoyable as well! I hit the 8 mile mark and started to run out of gas. I slowed a little on the last third of the race but ended in a PR time for the distance (I don’t run many 20k’s and the PR time wasn’t that great really).


No Limits 10k (Lewis Center, OH):

I hadn’t run a 10k race for three or four months and this one was a tough one! It was at the picnic area below the Alum Creek dam area. It was a crisp, lower 40’s morning which I hoped would offset the tough course! The course is a 4 mile loop followed by a trip up the stairs (about 50-60 stairs) to get from the lower picnic area to the top of the dam and then back around to the finish. At the start we immediately went uphill for the first ¾ of a mile. It actually didn’t feel too bad as I felt pretty fresh! We ran across the dam continuing another mile on a double track. At the halfway point, I knew if I could hold it together it was going to be a good day. I hit the 4 mile point ahead of schedule but slowed considerably when I hit the stairs. I wanted to run up them but it was too steep and I was forced to walk them. I made up for it from the 5 mile mark to the finish as the final descent was (for me) a quick 1.2 miles with the last .2 in around a 7:20 pace. The event wasn’t a PR for me but it was the fastest 10k I’ve done since I set my PR in 2005.

What’s even better is Jim Miller won his age group and Geri was the 3rd overall female. Yeah, I hang with fast people!!! I’m hoping by osmosis I somehow gain speed!!!

Next up, ING Hartford (CT) Half Marathon…..

Until next time…

Ikea Montour Trail Half Marathon

I previously had only done a 10k in Pittsburgh but thought running on a trail would be a load of fun. The day turned out to be just a bit warmer than predicted with mid 60’s and very muggy at the start. The race itself started in the IKEA parking lot with 1 punishing mile of straight downhill before entering the Montour Trail. The trail ran along a valley and was crushed limestone (I think). Having about 800 runners on the course caused quite a bit of dust at the start and it was a little tough to breathe at first. By the 5k mark I was dripping wet and didn’t feel all that great. Because we were running through a valley there was no air movement and it was a little stickier than I had hoped! I slowed down and tried to survive! Fortunately I didn’t realize the out and back was a gradual ascent on the way out and descent on the way back. The trail was really fun and we ran underneath a tunnel for about two-tenths of a mile each way. The finish was less than stellar and they ran out of finishers’ medals by the time I had finished. On top of it, they ran out of fluids at the finish. Not much fun!!

All in all, it was a great race with an IHOP right by the finish line (at the 1k mark on the course!!) ! Congrats to Jim Miller for another age group victory! Great job, Jim!!

Coming soon: USAF Half marathon update

Post Boston races.....so far. Not much has changed. I'm still slow....

Yeah, I know I’ve been bad about updating my two readers about where I’ve been running lately so I thought I’d catch up all in one swoop! Here goes:

Indy Mini Half Marathon: 35,000 people running through the streets of Indy. The legendary race includes 2 ½ miles, or one lap, around the speedway. Probably a bit few too many people for the two lane roads at the end. An extremely well organized event. Not my best day of running as I had no business running that soon after Boston! Another state on the board!!
River Bank 25k (Grand Rapids): An oops packing left me without one orthotic and two different shoes so I had to buy a pair of new shoes and inserts the day before. While it wasn’t ideal, I still did ok despite my feet killing me by the 11th mile. A great course and a beautiful day for running!
Cleveland Half Marathon: I decided three days before the race to do it. A steady rain stopped a few miles into it making it a not so bad day for running. Thanks to the organizers for changing the course enough to make it interesting! My best half of 2008 and about 2 minutes slower than my 2007 best.
UA5: This memorial day event always kicks my butt for no apparent reason! The 2008 version was no exception. I guess the third hill got me this time! Maybe 2009 will be better??
Sunburst Half Marathon (South Bend, IN): Not the best of courses out there and it seemed the 10k and marathon were the featured races with the half being the ugly step child. I liked the separate starting times for each race but most of the course was less than appealing. I guess all of the races can’t be great!! Fortunately for them there’s an IHOP!
Columbus 10k: See the UA5 description above. This race is my nemisis for no apparent reason. I think the heat was the problem this year. No wait…the sun was in my eyes…no wait..the dog ate my homework. Yeah, that’s exactly what happened!
Father’s Day 5 miler: They use the old Turkey trot course and while it’s not great, I had a decent day and even got a plaque for my finish! Breakfast with Megan and Jay at Marshall’s afterward was even better. Too bad for Jessica she bailed! They have good flapjacks!
Circle of Friends 5k: My friend Julie scored me a free entry in this New Albany event and I made it my 2nd run of the day. I forgot my watch so it was the first run in forever I had no idea how fast I was going. My 2nd 5k (first since 2002) wasn’t bad but paled in comparison to the beer and chow at Rusty Bucket afterwards. I think Julie found she likes running 5k’s. At least someone does…haha!!
4 on the 4th: A new race in town running around the Bethel, Sawmill, Henderson and Riverside Drive area with a tough uphill finish. A good feeling day and crowd. Happy Independence Day!!
Pancake 10-miler: I knew it’d be a bad omen when the Frontrunner crew bailed on the race the day before. I felt off before the start and running on the rails-to-trails in Hilliard really never is fun. I stunk! I didn’t even get to eat the pancakes either. Bummer!!
Columbus Mini-Marathon: I’ve done this 15k 3 times now and you’d think another race on the rails to trails would gain an immediate entrance to the insane asylum. 1000% humidity but it wouldn’t freaking rain!! Better than the 10 miler above but still could’ve done better! I’m still laughing about the guy who decided he had to beat me for 200th or whatever place. Every time I’d catch him, he’d start to sprint for awhile then walk until I caught him again! Funny stuff!! Congrats dude, you beat me!!!
Dash for Donation: A weird day on this double loop course. Ran out of gas around 11 in this half marathon and was about 7 minutes slower than the 2008 best. Not a bad day nonetheless.
New Albany Classic 10 miler: This will be a good course once the trees mature a little bit. I took it very easy due to having to play golf immediately following the round. What’s up with Heed sports drink? Man, it blows!!
Chicago Distance Classic: A great way to see the lake in Chicago on this out and back course! The 6 ½ mile headwind on the way back wasn’t the best, nor was the course being almost 13.5 miles a positive but a very good race. My buddy Jim Miller was there and scored us free VIP treatment in John Bingham’s spread for special entrants. We were treated to an elite Italian runner telling us some stories afterwards. A great day!!
Vernonia Bear Creek 10k: I decided to find a race in Oregon or Washington when I was on vacation and this was a great, very small race in the middle of nowhere to support the food bank for Vernonia. A fun run on a paved bike/running/horse trail. A perfect morning for a run on this shaded course and one I’d recommend to anyone living that way to do! Very friendly folks and my fastest 10k in 2 years!
CRIM Festival of Races 10miler: Great course. Unfriendly police. Horrible day! A personal worst for me at that distance but despite being done for in the heat by mile 2, I muddled through it and took what the day gave me. I now know how long it takes me to walk 10 miles!! What’s up with police yelling at you when you are asking for help and directions? I’d recommend doing the race if I thought the people of Flint were friendlier but I really didn’t get that vibe!!
Panerathon 5k: My 2nd 5k of the year. I did this as a 2nd run of the day and felt horrible at the start. I muddled through this one and had a better than expected finish! Jeff didn’t have a water stop on the course and it was surprising but plenty of eats and drinks post race. Not a season’s best at the distance but only a few seconds off!
Spirit of Columbus Half Marathon: I was looking forward to this race quite a bit and the run didn’t disappoint at all. A huge logistics problem left about 1/3 of the field at the finish line to be shuttled 20 minutes before the scheduled start. Most of us waited 40 minutes or longer for the bus!! Fortunately they delayed the start by 30 minutes! The course is actually fairly challenging and rolling but a great run! I think I went out too hard and paid for it at about 15k. I had to stop just past mile 12 to help a fellow competitor (well…try to help anyway) so my official time was a few minutes slower than the time spent trying to complete it. I know this will be a great race in the future and a must do for anyone!

Whew!! Now both of you are up to date!! I’ll try to do better with the updates!!

Coming soon: IKEA Montrail half marathon, Warsaw, IN Half marathon, Indian Run (trail) and Home Stretch 20k before the BAA Half and Columbus Half. Please bring the straightjacket!!

My Boston Experience

Here's the article I wrote for the company newsletter

The Super Bowl of Running…

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play quarterback in the Super Bowl? On April 21, 2008 I had my chance to do something similar by running in the 112th installment of The Boston Marathon.

For those of you unfamiliar with the race, or a marathon in general, the Boston Marathon is a 26.2 mile road race starting in Hopkinton, Massachusetts finishing in downtown Boston. It’s been called the Super Bowl of running largely because it is the oldest continual marathon in the world as well as it is the only non-Olympic race which requires a qualifying time to gain entry. Fortunately they also have a small allotment of charity “invitational” runners, or about 2-3% of the 25,000 person field. Because my fastest of the previous eleven marathons I’d done wouldn’t have even come close to a qualifying time, I was fortunate enough to have been selected by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) as one of their fundraisers.

The process for entering the race actually started in September when I applied for entry with the DFMC. Their application consisted of many questions which surprisingly had less to do with running and more about why you wanted to run for them. After filling it out, I waited for several weeks before I was told I had been put on their waiting list. Finally, in mid-November (at about 5am as I recall) I received notification I had been accepted by DFMC!! I immediately put together a training program as well as a plan of attack to achieve the $5,500 in fundraising I had promised them. I also tried to find a time to visit Boston and Dana-Farber.

During the course of the months from November until the actual marathon, I learned quite a bit more about DFMC and was able to attend two team meetings in Boston. I was amazed at how passionate everyone was about the charity and absolutely blown away by the support we were given. Our coach, Jack Fultz, was a former winner of the race and was extremely interested in each and every one of us and our attempt to accomplish running, walking or crawling twenty-six point two miles! Simply, he and the entire staff and team were remarkable! They made me feel like part of their family and were very open about their fundraising, training. In fact, many of them invited me to come for a weekend and train with the group. It made training much easier knowing I had a new group of friends putting themselves through the marathon training process just like me.

After countless miles of training and travel, it was finally race weekend. 25,000 of the fittest, fastest marathoners on the planet (and me) converged on Boston. The weekend started with a visit to the race expo where we picked up our race number and visited the 600 or so different vendors who were peddling their running, nutrition and race items. Sunday was the 2008 U.S. women’s marathon trials won by Deena Kastor. Watching 160 women run 26.2 miles at sub 3 hour pace (or about 7 minute or less pace per mile) was amazing. Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic Champion, ran her final race and set an American record for anyone over 50 by running a sub 2 hour and 50 minute race. The crowd was lined up many deep to see it all and the energy was similar to any big sporting event you’ve seen (Daytona 500, Indy 500, Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, etc…).

Finally it was race day. It started with a bus ride from downtown Boston to Hopkinton where I chatted for a few hours with complete strangers about running and the race. When we arrived at the start line, I was sent to the DFMC staging area which was a church used exclusively by us. There I saw many familiar faces and was treated to a spread of bagels and other pre-marathon treats as well as any medical items (aspirin, Vaseline, band-aids, etc..) you could imagine. At 10:15 we went to the start line. What started as a dreary, overcast day turned into a gorgeous 60 or so degree morning with the sun popping out of the clouds. The buzz was amazing with the second wave of about 12,000 runners getting the command at 10:30am to “GO.” I realized very early I had overdressed just a little and the sun was a little warmer than I had anticipated. I pushed on and marveled at how awesome it was to see the runners both in front and behind me in a mass running up and down the rolling hills of the first five or so miles in a collective push to the finish line. The crowds were simply amazing. I saw people from start to finish cheering “Go Dana-Fahbah” and “Go Troy” surprisingly exactly when I needed it.

Unfortunately my day which started as a little overdressed turned to a clunker of a running day around the 10 kilometer mark (6.2 miles). I started feeling generally lousy and while my plan was to run the first 14 -16 miles before I took a walking break, I found myself walking by the 7th mile marker. I couldn’t get comfortable running but was still pushed on by the countless fans cheering us to the finish. By mile twelve I was miserable but was greeted by the girls of Wellesley College in their famed “Scream Tunnel.” The Wellesley girls, probably 200 or so of them, all had signs, cowbells and were yelling like crazy for all of us to go! It was really funny to see the signs saying “kiss me, I’m single” Had I been having a better day, I may have just stopped for an hour or so there but I knew I needed to keep going. By mile 17 I entered the town of Newton and the famed Newton Hills. This is where my hamstrings were so tight I didn’t know if I could even get up the second of the four hills but somehow I managed to get through it. By the fourth hill, the famed “Heartbreak Hill” my body was somehow recovering a little and while my pace was very tortoise-like, I was still moving forward with some semblance of a running stride. Mile 21 was the trip through Boston College where the fans were still out in great numbers cheering us on. The cheers for both me and DFMC were about every 100 yards and it made me forget about every muscle in my legs being on fire! Finally, in just about six hours I made the final turn on Boylston Street. I stopped and took a moment thinking about everyone who supported me and realizing my dream of crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon had finally come true. It was definitely one of the coolest moments in my life seeing the people on both sides of the street cheering for seemingly just me as I limped to the finish line. I took in absolutely all of it and I think I heard every person as they cheered. As I crossed the finish line, my legs finally cramped up enough so I almost fell, something which has never happened to me in any of the 100+ races I’ve done but something which seemed pretty fitting due to the day I had just had. Despite the physical feeling, I had probably the largest smile I’ve ever had on my face. I had just COMPLETED the Boston Marathon!! I had also raised well over $7,000 for innovative cancer research through Dana-Farber. Never have I felt so fulfilled!

Thanks to all of you who supported me with your contributions, thoughts and well wishes. All of you helped me and were with me to complete this journey and I can’t thank you enough!

finally...a weekend home!!

Despite advice to the contrary, I decided to run the Columbus half! I knew a bunch of people running it and thought it'd be a good final exam for Boston! I had no intention on running it hard and thought I'd get to 90 minutes and then basicaly walk it in from there (a little light jogging, also!). It was a breezy day with the temps pretty good for running! No real problems during the race and I hit the 90 minute mark at about 8.5 miles. From there I used my watch to guide my pace and basically dialed the time. I crossed the finish line pretty much exactly where I was the week before and felt great! In fact, I went to see a movie that afternoon (The Bank Job. Excellent flick!!).

...my 28th half marathon is in the books! Time to focus for Boston!!! I'll write about that at length to share all my experiences!!!

Go! St. Louis Half Marathon!

After the Around the Bay it was time to taper so I thought I'd go to St. Louis and run a half. I had a plan! I was going to run the first 7 or so miles then ease off until the finish! It was a cool morning and pretty much perfect for running! I started with Julie (yeah, the one that made me drink too much the previous weekend. REAL COOL!! haha!!) and ran the first .2 with her. She ran the marathon (3:55 that day. Great job!!) and I knew if I tried to hang with her, I'd probably make it about 3 or 4 miles then pass out! Despite feeling great, I ran conservatively until I hit mile 7 then eased off doing a little run/walk thing for much of the next 5 miles. The course was hilly and I decided at 12 I was going to finish a little stronger than normal so I picked it up a little and according to my garmin, I hit the tape with a 6:51 pace (at that instant and not for the entire race).

The cool thing about the race was the Columbus contingent was present and a local woman won the women's portion of the Marathon in 3 hours and change. I saw her and her three friends at the airport on the way home (all 4 in the top 15!!)! Great job!

oh, and add another IHOP to the mix! There's one right by the airport and who can pass up flapjacks after a race!!

...next up, Columbus Distance Classic!!

Around the Bay 30k

This race is the granddaddy of them all! No, it's not the Rose Bowl but it is the oldest road race in North America and was my first international race!

The weekend should actually start on Friday night when my friend Julie and I went to a CBJ game! Julie forced me to drink more than I should have (well...not really but I need to blame someone for my misfortunes on race day and it's certainly not MY fault...haha!). Keep in mind I didn't really drink a ton but when you don't typically drink, 4 or 5 beers has an impact! Real cool, Julie...haha

I got up early on Saturday and drove the 7 hours to Hamilton, ON! I hit the expo at The Copps Center about 2 hours before it was over. I was a little sluggish so I went for a short walk around downtown Hamilton before getting back to the hotel. Dinner was bland pasta and I was hoping I'd be ready for the run!

The race literally runs around a bay (hence the name, huh!!) and the first 15k is flat and pretty boring. I wasn't setting the world on fire with my pace but I was pretty consistent through at least the first 7 (according to my garmin). I slowed a little for the next 3-4 miles but was still at an ok place. Then the hills came! Those #$@#)*(@)!!! They started small but from 10-18 they were very rolling and increasingly steeper! The last one was 1k (about .6 miles) in length and at some point, I wasn't sure if I was going to get up it!! Finally I hit the finish line inside Copps Stadium. They made this finish to be a pretty big deal but it was just a little better than finishing inside the Fairgrounds Coliseum! Plus there was a guy who finished right in front of me playing airplane as he hit the line. I'm glad he had all that extra energy!!!

Thanks to the Hamilton YMCA for the use of the post race shower facilities! They allowed me free use and I greatly appreciate it! I was dreading the 7 hour ride home without showering!!

..another 30k out of the way! The hard training is over. St. Louis, Columbus and then Boston!!!

until next time!!

Ft. Wayne 20k (March 23)- just like the Columbus Winter Run!

March 23-Fort Wayne 20k-

Believe it or not, Jim Miller and I drove over the morning of (race was at 11) and were greeted to snow! It was in the 20's with a little wind! We joked about how we thought we were done with the snow for the next six or so months! The race started with 100-150 entrants doing either the 5 miler or 20k. It was very rolling for the first few miles and I could tell very early I hadn't fully recovered from the marathon of the previous week! By the 4 mle mark I was all alone with people getting smaller and smaller in the distance(despite my 10:20 per mile pace even). Just past 10k we did a turn around and for some reason I completely lost focus! I think it had something to do with the snow, solitude and general lousy feeling I'd had since I woke up! Fortunately there was one guy behind me (way behind me) and I knew I needed to keep pushing. By mile 8 I started catching some dude and right before 9 he looked back and sped up a little. What was interesting is I was probably 30 seconds behind him and right at the 10 mile mark, he jumped in a car and left. So much for catching him!! I trudged forward completely alone! I finished in about 2:20 but I was really glad just to be done! Jim and I stopped at an IHOP on the way home and were able to warm up just a little! I never thought we'd make it home but fortunately we finally did!!!

Note to self: Don't run a 20k 6 days after a marathon. You'd think I'd be smarter than that but then again, I really don't ask for directions when I'm lost so what would anyone expect!!!

Keep running!!!

What a week! Concerts, beer and a marathon!

This past week was a pretty eventful one and I’m thinking I probably need to whoa down all my travels!! Tuesday a few friends and I flew to New Orleans to see the band 311 play on 3/11 day-2008 (March 11). It’s a marathon type show they do in New Orleans every other year! The concert sold out in about an hour many months ago and tons of hard core 311 fans could be found all throughout Bourbon Street!! We got to the French Quarter around 2:30 and had a beer and lunch then checked into the hotel! On the walk to the arena we grabbed another beer and took in the sights all along the way! By 6:30 we were in the arena getting ready for their show! We knew it would be long but had little idea how long it would be! The band came on at 7:30 and played a 20 or so song set only to say they’d be back for the 2nd of 3 sets!! Great energy and a very wonderful vibe! Everyone was into it! By the end of the next set I was exhausted (I had stopped drinking long before the end of the 2nd set and had switched to water) but we trudged forward! Set three lasted another 90 or so minutes and they rapped up the show, despite nobody really wanting to leave, by around 12:30am! That’s right 5 hours of 63 songs from 311! Great stuff!!

One would think that would be enough for one week but after flying home on Wednesday from the show, I rested for a day then flew to Richmond for the beginning of my trip to the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach! The race was Sunday so Friday and Saturday were spent relaxing and getting to the race. A brief recap of the race would go something like, flat, windy and in the low 40’s. It’s a decently sized race with the half starting an hour before the full. The course is extremely flat but somewhat negated by the wind of the day! I hit the 5 mile mark about as expected and the 10 mile mark a minute or so ahead of my planned time. About the 11 mile mark we turned directly into the wind for about 10k worth of “fun” starting just off the boardwalk but continuing onto then off it again! Miles 13-16 were cross traffic with the slower half finishers and the faster marathoners! At mile 16 we went through a tree lined 4-lane dual highway where someone had put up some Burma Shave type signs! Definitely made me laugh!! At the loop just short of 19 we turned away from the wind and it was a fantastic feeling! While I slowed considerably the rest of the way, it wasn’t as much as I expected and was able to finish the race a little tight but just over 5 minutes faster than I’d planned! While I’m not where I’d like to be relative to my fitness for Boston, I’m definitely heading in the right direction!!

Next week: 20k in Ft. Wayne, Indiana! Hopefully I’m recovered nearly enough to do it decently!!

The Lonely Road…..and a PR

This past Sunday was the longest training run of the season thus far and the longest since the 07 Columbus Marathon. The course was a 15k loop and run twice (total of 30k-18.6 miles for those of you not that great with math and conversions). It was in Avon Lake and the 7am start was a frigid 20 degrees at the start! There were three races starting together (5k, 15k and 30k) but from the looks of it, only around 50-60 people did the 30k.

The start of the race was pretty uneventful. It’s a course I’ve done three times in the past so I knew it would be largely flat yet windy race. From the start, I couldn’t get going or into any sort of rhythm. Within the first mile, I had to slow due to ice on the bike path on which we were running. At the five mile mark I was 3-4 minutes off my expected time. I didn’t panic and decided I wasn’t going to quit and mail it in by slowing way down! I was out there for the duration so I put my head down and just sucked it up! By mile 8 I hadn’t picked up much on the time lost earlier but I was running consistently. The end of the first lap did slow a little, again due to the ice but I finished the first lap about where I had been in previous races but not quite where I thought I should.

The second lap was more of a fight! More ice between 10 and 11 made for even more treacherous footing and I slipped once this time through. By the 2nd of 4 water stops on this lap, I had began doing the walk/run thing and was using the garmin very well to make sure I hit my pace marks! I hit the half better than the previous week (which was good since I still had 5.5 miles left) and was determined to follow my plan and not have the wheels fall off! At the 25k mark, I realized I had run consistently with that of the only 25k I’ve done in the past and I was 8 or 9 minutes faster than the 15 miler from 5 weeks previous (still slower than I’d hoped). By 16, I smacked into the wall and really didn’t feel all that great! I trudged through and despite getting passed right at the end, my time was surprisingly faster than I’ve ever run a 30k race.

The good news is despite a “PR” for a 30k this week, I know I’ll get better for the Around the Bay 30k at the end of the month! I’m guessing I’ll be about 8-10 minutes faster because I’ll ramp up training between now and then. Sure, it’s quite a bit of time but I’m confident I left something on the course at this race!

This week: 15k trail race in Indy and potentially a 4 mile trail race in Columbus. Just depends on how much wine I drink on Saturday…haha

Happy Running!!

Mom Said There'd be Days like This!

Every once in awhile you’re bound to have a real stinker of a race! Today was my day! I’m in the airport in Houston decompressing from the Armadillo Dash Half Marathon (College Station, TX). I had a sense I’d be in trouble at the start as it was in the lower 60’s at 7am and I had dressed for the 50 degree start the weather folks were saying would be the case!

At the first mile mark, I was drenched with sweat! I felt just a little “off” but was determined to put it out of my mind and try to hammer through the race…well…as much as I can hammer through any sort of run! At the 5k mark I was passed by a shorter guy who, if you can believe this, was smoking a cigar while running! The worst part was he was blowing smoke all over the place and I can say, without question, breating cigar smoke remnants during a run is not only a first but enough to make anyone queasy! Fortunately he stopped running shortly after he passed me and I didn’t see him again!

The course was a big rectangular type deal and when we hit the 10k mark we were as far away as we could be. It was a very rural race through the first 15k and then we ran parallel with a highway for about 3 miles. The wind picked up as we turned onto the parallel road and we ran into a 20mph headwind for 3 miles. For lack of a better word, it sucked!! Interestingly enough, it was so windy I had a guy draft behind me and my 6’3” 240 lbs! When he realized it made me uncomfortable, he pulled up beside me and said I was the biggest thing he could find to draft behind. He also thanked me!

About the time the drafter passed me, I felt a little twinge in my left groin muscle! It flares up from time to time and rather than push it, I thought it was a good idea to take my foot completely off the gas and limp home! Of the past 4 weekends, it was my slowest half by about 4 minutes but the good news is my worst is getting better!! I guess I'l l make a little lemonade from the bag of lemons I was dealt today!

I decided I’m not going to Knoxville for the 30k next weekend but I’m going to Avon Lake for a similar distance race. It’ll save me about 6 hours in the car and the race is ay 7am! All this flying around is starting to take it’s toll!!

8 weeks until Boston! I’ll be ready….I hope!!

The Century Mark….plus one

Last weekend marked a bit of a milestone. As I’m a nerd and like to keep track of things, I know last Saturday marked my 100th race of my distance running “career” at an event in Strawberry Plains, TN. The run started at a grade school, I think and was basically a very rolling/hilly course through many horse farms. It was nice to be out in 50-ish degree weather through the countryside. Having smaller mountains as a backdrop didn’t hurt either!!

Because of the hills, I was good through 7 miles and struggled to the 11 mile mark before slowing considerably and walking quite a bit of those last 2 miles. At the finish I realized I had just completed my 100th event! While it’s not the 997th event as another gentleman was completing that day, I’m still amazed at the 20 race per year average I’ve done over these past 5 years!!

Of the last three weekends my pace was a few seconds faster on a much tougher course! I would imagine on a flat course I may have even approached a sub 2:20 time. I’ll get there!!

You would think Sunday was a day of rest! Not quite!! I knew I needed to start ramping up more miles so I decided to do the “last chance for Boston” 10k race Sunday morning. It’s a blah 1-mile loop course but filled with several hundred entrants! I was sore at the start and didn’t know if my body would hold up for me but by the end of the 2nd mile I had gotten into a rhythm and cranked off consistent laps from 2 through 5. On the last lap, I decided I’d take it somewhat easy and at the last quarter, I’d try to finish strongly! I think my last quarter was at a sub 8 minute pace (which is a world record, I’m sure….haha). It felt great to be done and I was about 2 minutes ahead of where I thought I’d be! Just as soon as it started, race 101 was in the books!!

Time for rest! Keep on running!!

Half at the Hamptons- Hampton Beach, NH

I wasn’t sure what to expect for this race but it turned out to be a great course which wasn’t completely flat but was just rolling enough to make it interesting! The race started at 11am and the weather forecast was for low 30’s with high winds and snow. I wasn’t expecting upper 30’s with little to no wind and hadn’t packed correctly! Within a half mile, I was dripping wet with sweat and ended up taking off my outer layer! The course went about a mile on the ocean then through some housing development and then through some what I’ll call scenic (others may disagree) rolling area. Just before mile 7 I saw the emergency vehicle with the lights flashing. Later I found out the squad was there because of the collapsing (and later death of) one of the participants. May he rest in peace! The snow started falling around mile 8 and lasted for a mile or two. It was a seemingly Christmas like scene and made that part of the run very peaceful!

I hit the 10 mile mark around 1:49 and about that time the wind picked up just in time for the 5k headwind finish! I slowed down considerably at that point and was just happy to finish with a consistent time of my Orlando race the preceding week!

The post race was fun as Harpoon (I think) Brewery was serving free beer! I sat down and talked to a few guys from the area about running, races and the like! The beer was fantastic and the conversation was just as good!

All in all, a great race and a fun time! I may not do this race in the future only because of the logistics and timing of the event but I would absolutely recommend it to all!!

98 races, 18 states…and counting.

This weekend was the 98th race of my running life. I started running about 6 years ago after deciding doing a marathon was on my life’s list of things. It was one of the two resolutions I had that year (the other was to visit Australia). Both were accomplished and while I thought back then I was a one and done marathoner, history proves otherwise.

These past years have been a wonderful experience of travel, new friendships, new running experiences and quite a few medals and t-shirts. I mean c’mon, aren’t we all in it for the t-shirts and medals anyway??!!

I thought I would recap my favorites as well as races which weren’t nearly as fun.

A few of the “fun” ones (in no particular order):

2007 Carlisbad (CA) Half-Marathon: 8 or so miles with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop made this one probably my favorite race ever. Gorgeous day in the mid 50’s at the start made this one perfect. Great organization and support as well. One I’ll probably do again.

2007 Philadelphia Distance Run (half marathon): A very quick tour of downtown Philly followed by a run around the river. Crowd support was unreal and the finish at the Philly Museum was something else! It was the first true fall day of the year with the leaves starting to change and temps in the low 50’s. It was a runner’s delight of a day and one I wish could be bottled!

2005 Charleston (WVa) Distance Run (15 miler): I’ve done this race three times (05-07) and while the finish leaves a little to be desired, “Capital Punishment Hill” and the descent of it make it a very fun day. It’s surprisingly flat from mile 6 on and running by the state capitol building is pretty cool. The expo isn’t that great but the free pasta dinner more than makes up for it! A great way to start Labor Day weekend and a race which will be on my list probably as long as I run!

2005 HP Houston Marathon: Despite the concrete wrecking my knees at 19, this was my first out of town marathon and a fantastic experience! A near meeting with former President Bush at mile 18 (knee forced me to walk by without shaking his hand) on a gorgeous day. I recall Shawn Colvin singing the national anthem and jets flying overhead. I was nearly in tears at the start it was so cool! A very well organized event and a fun time!!

2007 Baton Rouge Beach Half Marathon: A great group of people on this one! Small race but man it was fun. Running through LSU’s campus as well as about 6 or so miles around a lake made it fun. A perfect day for running didn’t hurt either!! A must do for everyone!

2005 Hoover Dam 10k: No, not THAT Hoover Dam! I only add this one because it’s the best running event of my life and the only race I sort of felt how you fast runners feel. Tough 10k course they made tougher when they reversed the direction of the race. Not on my “must do” local races anymore but man that was a great run for me!!


…and on the other side of the ledger. My least favorites (again, in no particular order):

2005 Columbus Distance Classic: This half marathon isn’t on the list because of the race, course or anything else. I put it on here because it was 20 degrees and snowing sideways throughout the event. I still had a respectable time (for me) for the event but when you have snow accumulation on the bill of your hat, it’s probably not the best day for a run.

2007 Columbus Winter Run: My first experience with this 15 miler saw the temps drop from the mid 20’s to the mid teens during the race with wind chills near zero. It’s an absolutely boring course and the fact I couldn’t blink or move my jaw by the end didn’t help. And to think I actually did it again in 2008!!! Sometimes you just don’t learn!!

2003 Columbus Marathon: While I’ve run this marathon six times, 2003’s installment was the “how not to” spend your 2 days before the race. Splitting a few bottles of wine two nights before with my girlfriend at the time started the weekend off on the wrong foot and about 3k into the race the road was spinning. I never recovered. I finished but in a personal worst time!

2006 Home Stretch 20-miler: This isn’t a bad race but this edition for me caused me to pass out shortly after the finish line (at my car!). A warmer day than expected and a lack of support on the last 5 or 6 miles made it seemingly like a death march. I’m still not sure how I finished.

2007 Cleveland Rite-Aid Half Marathon: Not a big fan of the race or the course. Not much to see outside of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Stadium and Jacobs Field. A very vanilla race and one of a very few I wouldn’t recommend.

As I looked through my list I realized there are far more on the good side of the docket than the bad. Here’s to me reaching 100 on 2/16 and beyond!!

Happy Running!!

The Orlando Xtreme Half Marathon

Friday I flew to Orlando for the Xtreme half marathon. It was at the wetlands just east of Orlando (in Christmas) and is basically in the middle of nowhere. The course was a 2 and change loop course around a series of, well, wetlands including a few lakes. It was interesting to see the “Watch out for alligators” because that is simply not something I’m used to looking for while pounding the roads in Ohio.

The start was at 7 and we were instructed to walk to our start line at 6:45. What they didn’t mention is there were 4 different start lines (5k, 10k, half and full marathon) and because it was dark there was no telling exactly which way to go. I did manage to head in the correct direction but didn’t realize it was a mile from the finish line to the start line. Most of the other people didn’t either and the race started about 10 minutes late. At the start, it was clear this was going to be a quasi-trail race with us running on a double track of compressed sand on each track with a big grassy patch in between. Footing was definitely not the best although it was much softer than running on asphalt or concrete. The weather was in the low 50’s with no clouds to speak of!

Like many of my other races, the pack spread out rather quickly. This time I wasn’t quite so far back. Water stops were about every mile and a quarter and because of this I had to stop at mile 3 for an unscheduled pit stop! Despite the terrain, I somehow managed to establish a rhythm and throughout the first lap, my mile splits were fairly even. What was interesting about the race is because of the different starting points, I was getting passed regularly by marathoners and 10k runners. I’ve been passed more times than the Patriots practice balls in my running “career” so it’s no big deal but it was interesting to see the faster runners blow by me. I cramped right before mile 9 and had to walk for a minute to stretch out the right quad. My guess is it was due to the rough terrain. By mile 10 I realized I would be much faster than the previous weekend’s event and while I was starting to tire, I was still able to limp in about 8 minutes faster than the 13.1 mile mark of last week but still short of where I wanted to be. I’ll chalk that up to the terrain! Oh well, another state (that’s 16 where I’ve run at least a half..only 34 more to go!!)

Overall, a fun race with some really nice people. I didn’t talk to many while I was out on the course but before, after and at Denny’s I talked to the participants and it was enjoyable trading stories of the road!

Coming soon: I’m 98 races into my running “career” so I’ll do a top 5 or so list of favorites as well as a top 5 or so least favorites.

Also: Half at the Hamptons report…

Until next time, see you on the roads!!

Two races....

I just read Abby’s blog about Derry (I considered flying in to do it but now I’m glad I didn’t!) and it inspired me to share my last few “events” to whomever cares to read them. I’d call them races but, well, you’ll see why I don’t!

For the record, I’m slow. I’m 6’3”+ and built more like a linebacker than a Kenyan. In fact, my friends say I’m two Kenyans. But I digress…

Two weekends ago I ran Dave’s Shoe Run. It’s a 10 miler in a tiny town called Delta, Ohio. It’s about 15 miles west of Toledo if you’re looking for it on a map. It’s largely flat but does have 4 hills which really are bridges over the Ohio Turnpike. It’s a wide open space of running with virtually no trees, houses or anything of the kind. Basically, it’s pretty boring and I still can’t figure out why I’ve driven the 2 ½ hours up there TWICE to do this race. Maybe it’s the post race soup? Maybe it’s the chance to stop off on the way home to see the P’s? Who knows? All I know is the 2008 version of the race created a new first for me.

The race started rather innocently enough with the 160 or so entrants taking off with varying speeds. As I tried to get into my rhythm, to which I have none, I was just hopeful the nearly two weeks I lost from being sick wouldn’t come back to haunt me. At the 1 mile mark I noticed I was getting dusted by virtually everyone. At the next turn, I realized only 3 people were behind me. By mile 4 those 3 people were all in front of me. Yep. I was last!! It wasn’t like I was monumentally slow (I think I did just over 11 minute miles for the race) but I most definitely wasn’t fast either. By mile 8 I had resigned myself to the truck driving with the back of the packers would be spending more of his time worrying about me. With about a mile and a half to go, the truck driver pulled up to see if I was ok. I had started doing a little interval walk/run thing about a mile earlier and my guess is the guy was concerned I couldn’t complete the distance. It was sort of funny and I think I surprised the driver of the truck when I gave him this big, cheesy grin saying I was great. In fact, I was fine. I was just spent since my longest actual run in the two weeks prior was only a 4 miler (I don’t count the half in Mississippi I did the week before because being sick made me walk most of it). I crossed the finish line just north of 1:50. About 11 minutes off my PR, about 4 minutes slower than expected and in 160-whateverth place.

Some thoughts about the race:

I probably shouldn’t have done it and ran 10k or so at home.
It’s not the first time I shouldn’t have done a race. See above about the half in Mississippi. That was most definitely the worst race I’ve ever had.
While I didn’t note it above, I think the driver was a little put off I was so slow. It’s funny because I have been to many races where a 10 mile last place is approaching 3 hours. I wasn’t out there even 2 hours. In fact, the person in front of me was only about 30 seconds ahead of me.
For whatever reason, I am still struggling since my race in early December in Baton Rouge.

The Columbus Winter Run:

It’s the annual 15 miler on the east side of town. I did the race in 2007 and thought 2008 would be a good way to train for Boston with a longer run. The course is a rather blah 7.5 mile out and back on mostly country roads through farmland and a few rolling hills. It’s a convenient event to do because it’s 20 minutes from my house and it starts in the early afternoon. The bad part is most people who are slow like me don’t run that far in the winter AND the back part of the course is due west and always into a stiff headwind!

This year’s run was much better than last year’s 15 degree-20mph wind event. Temps were in the high 20’s and winds were less than 10. The bad thing was probably the 4 beers I had the night before discussing world events with the neighbors. It seemed like a good idea at the time…..

As the start I noticed the field was smaller than last year’s with about 100 or so entrants. Within a mile we were very spread out. I did manage to run with a gentleman for a few miles. We discussed races and how it’s easier for him to run when he’s working rather than when he’s not! The turn was supposed to be at the 7.5 mile mark but when we arrived, we noticed the cone had been moved an extra quarter mile. Apparently, people from the east side of town have division issues. I almost turned at the actual 7.5 mile mark but realized I’d be cheating the rest of the competitors by not running the same course. It didn’t really matter as there were few behind me so I trudged the extra quarter mile each way to and from the cone.

Around the 10 mile mark I was passed by another gentleman (who I later learned was from West Virginia and just felt like running 15 miles that day). He was followed by a police escort. At that point I realized the police car was given instructions to keep an 11-minute mile pace. I also realized the wind had picked up. I was cold!!

The rest of the race was pretty uneventful. I ran out of gas shortly after the 11 mile mark and limped home a few minutes slower than 07 and about 6 or 7 minutes slower than I thought I would run. I did pass someone just past 14 and finished 6th from last. I’ll chalk the time up to the beer the night before and still trying to get back into pre-illness fitness.

Next week….Orlando Xtreme half marathon