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!!
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