I Hate The Cold!

Like it says, I am not a big fan of the cold. I don’t mind it when it gets into the upper 30’s and low 40’s, but this teen shit needs to go! I mean there is nothing like heading out for a run and having sweat freeze on your face. I guess that’s just part of living where I do. Not moving, so I guess I’ll just live with it.

Ok, enough bitching. Since running my first marathon just over a month ago, I have managed to increase my weekly mileage quite a bit. One of the main reasons is to hopefully avoid the feeling that happened at about the 18 mile mark of the Indy Marathon. I would like to not feel like I’m just looking to the next mile marker so I can walk for a few minutes. Luckily for me, I run with season marathoners who are helping me get where I want to be.

So every long run since then has been over the 18 mile mark and just about every run during the week has been around 8. So I am averaging around 50 to 60 miles a week now. Hope that does it.

Last Saturday was another day of firsts for me. When I woke up to head out the door there was snow covering the grass and plenty more falling from the sky. The plan was to do 24 miles, so this was going to be interesting. I have been out before and had a few flurries fall, but nothing like a steady stream falling from the sky.

In order to get in the 24 that Shawna and I were planning to run, we decided to meet at 4 am so that we could get 6 miles in before everyone else showed up for the 18 mile loop we ran a couple of weeks ago. We knew that Tom and Jen were definitely coming with Dave being a possibility. Dave has been having some heel trouble and has missed a couple of run because of it.

So when we got back there was no one else there. Kind of a surprise, since it was almost 5. But within a few minutes they started to roll in. I think it was Tom, then Jen, followed by Dave. As everyone started to get out of their cars and get ready we saw another car turning into the parking lot. I looked and was surprised to see Chris, my favorite Yeti, pulling in. This made us have to come up with a game plan kind of quick. So Shawna and I devised a plan without really letting anyone else know.

The plan that we came up with was to run the route we had planned thinking that when we got to the 5-6 mile mark Chris would need to head a different direction and we were 100% sure that Dave, and possibly Tom, would head back the same route. This is where I encountered another first, and it was not a good one.

As we approached the point where the turn would have to be made I let everyone in on the plan. At that point it suddenly became like a grade school game where people had to choose sides. Not a good thing. I knew Chris had to turn back, but was completely shocked when no one else did. So, Chris bid us farewell and off we went along our separate routes. He was just heading on his alone.

So we finished out the run, which ended up taking over 4 hours because we had to take quite a few walk breaks. I know towards the end my hands were freezing.

When I got home I felt like a complete ass. I really couldn’t believe I had left Chris out there alone. So I texted him and apologized. At first I thought this was going to be a really bad thing for our friendship. Luckily Chris is a bigger person than I may have been if it had been me on the receiving end of it. We seemed to get things smoothed out, although I don’t know if he’ll run with me again, not that I would blame him. I really hope that’s not the case.

So that is how things are going right now.

Later

2010 Fast Freddie 5-Mile Foot Feast

Thanksgiving morning I ran in my second Fast Freddie 5-miler. What made this one so special was that my daughter, Jade, had decided to run it with me. How cool is that?

The day started off pretty early for me. Tom, Shawna, and I had planned on meeting at 6 am to put in a few miles before the race. Mainly because Shawna was going to her families house near Indy and couldn’t join us and I was running with my daughter, so I wasn’t going to be pushing too hard. But unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. About 5:30 am I received a text from Shawna and she had been watching the weather. She said that we were getting ready to get hit by a storm any minute. So we scrapped the early run.

After that I just kind of checked out blogger and Facebook to kill time before heading out to pick up everyone and head to the run.

Before I knew it I needed to get ready. I had told Tom that I would pick him up at about 8 and then head to pick up Chris. Which is just how it played out.

By 8:30 we were at the 4-H fairground. Unfortunately it had started raining just after 7, so where we had to park we ended up walking through puddles of water. I knew my feet would be wet once the race started, but I wanted to keep them dry as long as I could. No such luck. We headed inside and hung out until it was time to head out to the start.

Tom’s goal for this race was to beat his friend Traci. She had told him that she was going to beat him, but he wasn’t planning on letting that happen. Chris had never really said what his plan was, but I really didn’t expect him to stay with us. It really wouldn’t be fair to him.

As we walked out to the starting area everyone started to run! It wasn’t even time to start the race, so I have no clue what that was all about. By the time we did reach the starting area it was time to get things underway. I told Tom good luck as he headed towards the front of the pack. Chris stuck with us for about the first quarter mile and then was off.

I stayed with Jade for the entire race. She did great! The only time she needed to walk was almost 3 miles in, and that was just after climbing a decent hill. We only walked for a few minutes before she said she was ready to go. We never stopped again until we crossed the finish line. Tom came back and ran in some of the last half mile with us. He was so happy because he had beaten Traci! What made it even better was that Traci was receiving help from Garry and still couldn’t beat Tom. He beat them both. Chris was near the finish line and was awesome enough to take a few pics of us coming in. He even ran to the finish line and snapped a few there. Thanks Yeti!

I have to say that this was one of my proudest moments since I started running. It was really awesome to see Jade cross that finish line in front of me. Some people think they have to make a statement and beat there kids across the line. Not me. I think it shows so much more class to let them get that feeling of finishing a race, without having you tell them that you beat them. This run was not about me at all. It was all about Jade.

Chris had an awesome run as well. He was very close to his PR for that distance.

So that’s how I started off my Thanksgiving. I really hope it becomes a tradition.

Later

Another First

Yesterday was another first for me. I went out for a run in the rain on purpose. I wasn't out for a run and it started raining, I knew it was raining when I headed out the door!

I guess I have been what is called a fair weather runner when it comes to rain. Yeah, I've been in a couple of races where it has rained briefly. But for the most part, when it is raining I stay inside. I think I am over that now. I will say that it was made much easier because I knew someone else was going to be out there in it with me.

Shawna was planning on running, so I decided to join her. I will say that once we got going I kind of forgot about the rain. Now the wind was a different story. It seemed to be in our faces for over half of the run. Other than that it was a pretty good run. It usually is when you run with good friends though.

We did have one of my neighbors roll down her window as she passed and tell us that we were "hard core". I always thought the same thing when I would see people out running in the rain. I just never imagined that I would be one of them. Live and learn.

I will say that I won't be shying away from running in the rain in the future. Unless there is lightning, that's a definite game changer!

Later

2010 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

This past weekend I ran my very first marathon. It was an amazing event. I just hope that my recap can do it justice.

The adventure started Friday night around 5 pm. I headed to Tom’s house to pick him up and then headed to the Y to meet everyone else. When we arrived Dave’s car was already in the parking lot, but he was no where to be seen. A few minutes later Shawna was there quickly followed by Jeff, Jen’s husband, and then Jen. After Jen did the kid handoff to Jeff and we managed to get everyone’s things packed into my car we were on our way.

The drive only took about an hour and a half. We were heading to Carrabba’s for dinner and would be meeting Carole, who was awesome enough to head to the race expo and pick up all of our packets. Before we knew it we were there. Since Shawna had thought ahead and made reservations for us we only had to wait for a few minutes before we had a table. Dinner was awesome and the company was just as good.
After dinner as we were heading out into the parking lot we were greeted with snow, yeah you heard me correctly. I knew there was a chance of snow, but it was still a bit of a shock. We then said goodbye to Carole and headed to Shawna’s sister’s house.

When we arrived at Shawna’s sisters house I was very impressed. Shawna and Jen had talked about how big her house was, but until you actually see it you have no idea. It is one of those houses that just seems to go on forever. I think that I could have hidden in there and they still wouldn’t know I was there. We then all settled into the living room in front of the television and watched Talladega Nights before heading to bed. I will say that it took me quite awhile to fall asleep. Not sure if it was the third shift schedule or just some pre-race nerves, but it took awhile.

Morning seemed to come pretty quick. I had set the alarm on my phone for 6 in order to get us up and give everyone time to do what they needed to do in time to leave by 6:45. We wanted to be to the race area by 7:30 to meet Carole and do our bag drop off.

As we arrived near the race area the traffic was insane. There were cars and people everywhere and I felt like I was surrounded by idiots! No one seemed to know how to drive and the traffic lights didn’t seem to help things. We did finally manage to make it to a parking garage and to the bag drop to meet Carole.

We then headed for our corrals. Tom was planning on running a 3:20 – 3:30 so he was in a corral in front of us. The rest of us jumped into the 9 minute mile corral. Before I knew it we were off.

I had given Shawna my Garmin before we headed to the start so that she could pace me and also so I wouldn’t keep looking at it. Basically all I had to do was stick with her and she would do what needed to be done to get me in under 4 hours, which was my only goal other than finishing upright.

We quickly seemed to loose Jen, Dave, and Carole. The first 3 miles just seemed to fly by. A couple of times Shawna looked at the Garmin and said that we were running in the low 8’s. But since we run so much together she knew where I would need the extra time and was banking time for later.

Miles 3-17 seemed fine. It is really awesome to run with someone that you are great friends with and to be able to talk with and take your mind off of what you are really doing. It wasn’t until about mile 19 that I felt like I really needed to walk. So we walked for a few seconds and then were on our way.

I made it 2 more miles before walking again. Then it seemed to be every mile after that. It probably became more mental than anything, but I seemed to suddenly be looking for the mile markers and they seemed to be getting farther and farther away. When we hit 25 I stopped to walk again. It was at that point that she told me that when we started again we weren’t walking again until we were done.

At about a half mile from the finish I was really wanting to walk. I told her and she said that I didn’t. She told me that I could walk all I wanted once we were done. She said I could walk home if I wanted, but I wasn’t walking now. She was so awesome in the last mile. She kept telling me different things to try and take my mind off of wanting to walk. It must have worked, because I didn’t walk. As we turned the last corner and I saw the finish, I suddenly found myself picking up speed. From behind me I heard Shawna say that she knew my legs had some left in them. She then let me cross the finish line just ahead of her. I told her that she should have crossed with me, but she told me it was my race, not hers.

I ended up with an official time of 3:56:01. A time I would not have if I hadn’t had such a great friend to run with and motivate me when I needed it. All I can say is thanks.

After we finished we saw Tom standing in the finishers area. We got our medals and our free hats, which was a bonus, and then headed to the bag check for warmer clothes. After I got my bag I sat down on the ground and I felt terrible. I just felt completely sick so I just sat on the ground with my hood up trying to stay warm while Shawna changed. I must have looked bad because she kept asking if I was ok. I finally got up and decided I needed more to drink. So we headed back to the finishers area so I could get a Gatorade. After drinking that I did feel a little better. But then I was freezing. We found a spot out of the wind so that we could watch for Jen and Dave. I know it wasn’t that long before they came across, but it seemed like forever because I was freezing and my legs were done.

Soon enough we saw them cross, which was awesome to see. We  then got everyone together in one of the recovery tents. Then it was on to gear check to pick Jen and Dave’s stuff. Then it was on to the car to head back to Shawna’s sister’s house for a much needed shower.

I thought I was fairly prepared for my first marathon, but I know now that I definitely need to do more long runs. I don’t like the feeling that came during the 20’s. I am looking forward to the Disney Marathon in January. I will just have to make sure to get in some long runs.

Marathon Week

 

After weeks of training it is finally here. This Saturday I will be running in the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. I am very excited and nervous all at the same time. I think that I should be able to do this, but there is always that shadow of doubt that creeps in when you tackle something completely new.

I have been following a training plan that Chris and I had found in a Runner’s World several months ago that was designed to get me across the finish line in 3:59:59. I did my best to hit all of the runs, but there were times when life got in the way and I missed a few. I managed to hit all of my long runs though, and I think that is all that really matters.

Chris was planning on running this one with me, but life got in the way. He had to make the choice of either being a good parent and coaching his kids volleyball or being a runner. The choice in my eyes was extremely easy to make and the same one that I would have made. Kids always come first!

I will be running the marathon with Shawna, Jen, Dave, Tom, and Carole. I look for Tom to take off and leave us at some point, since he is planning on racing this one. Shawna is going to stick with me and make sure that I get across the finish line alive. I don’t have any idea what Carole’s plans are, since I don’t really know how fast she is or what her goal is. Dave and Jen plan on sticking together.

As far as this week goes, it’s going to be an easy running week. I ran 4 miles yesterday and may get out today or tomorrow, but that will be it until race day.

So hopefully everything I have done will work in my favor. Wish me luck!

Later

Bourbon Chase 2010

 

 

Dave, Tom, Carole, Shawna, Jen, Me

This past weekend I took part in the Bourbon Chase 200 mile relay which runs from Clermont, Kentucky to Lexington, Kentucky along the Bourbon Trail. I will say that the best part of this event was running it with a great group of friends.

This all started a couple of months ago when we were having our pre race meeting for the Red Eye Relay. We found out that there was a spot open that we could take, we just had to have the entry money right then. We made it happen. Next thing you know, it’s 3 months later and your running 200 miles across Kentucky!

The day started off pretty early for everyone, I think. At least it did for me. We had planned on meeting at the Y at 9. So I was out of bed around 6:30 am in order to make sure that the kids were up and ready to head out the door for school. After that it was time to double check and make sure that I had everything that I needed. I was planning on heading to Panera Bread to pick up a dozen bagels for us to munch on as we ran. So I was not too surprised when I got a text from Jen requesting a Pumpkin Spice latte. It was like she was reading my mind! After having breakfast with Autumn we made our way to the Y to meet everyone.

When I pulled into the parking lot I didn’t see anyone else. So I started second guessing myself and thinking maybe I had misunderstood where we were meeting. I had already made the mistake of thinking that we were meeting at 8:30 instead of 9. Luckily I asked Shawna and she told me the correct time, only after asking if I was drunk during our meeting. I was only there a few minutes before everyone else showed up. Then it was up to Brad, Shawna’s husband and driver extraordinaire, to figure out the jigsaw puzzle he had to put together in order to get all of our gear into the back of the Suburban. So we stood around and watched as he made it happen. Next thing you know, we were on our way.

Not sure exactly how long it really took to get there, but it seemed pretty quick to me. We made a quick pit stop for gas and fuel for Brad before heading to the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont. Once we were there it was time to check in. We had a little under an hour until our start time. Suddenly you would think that we had never done this before. I headed to the check in with no id, so as I ran back to the car to get it I handed Dave my waiver. When I got back, Shawna said that I was checked in and that she was my emergency contact because she couldn’t find my waiver. I thought I had actually given it to her. It wasn’t until Dave turned in his that we realized what I had done. Then it was on to the start, at which point we realized my number was in the car! Again, are we new at this? Shawna took off for the car for me.

I finally had my number when I realized that I had left my water bottle sitting on my kitchen counter. Not sure where my head was when getting ready for this one. The only good thing is that for whatever reason I don’t usually drink a lot when I run. Not sure why, but I don’t. My first leg was only 7 miles, so I knew I would be fine.

Before I knew it we were off! The first leg ran along a very nice trail for almost 3 miles. It was pretty awesome. I could get down with running on those type of trails, but the ones that involve climbing mud banks and crossing streams don’t appeal to me at all. I managed to finish my first leg in a little under an hour. Then it was up to everyone else to get there legs done, which they did in awesome fashion!

Me at the start.

The rotation went me, Dave, Carole, Tom, Shawna, and Jen. This went on for the rest of the night and into the next day.

As we arrived at the half way point we got a bit of a surprise. Jen was coming in to hand off to me. As she approached the hand off and called out our team number they told us that we had to stop because we had a 2 hour hold. When we asked why, they told us that we were running 43 seconds faster than the times that we had submitted when we signed up. Now mind you, these times were submitted almost 3 months ago. Don’t they think that just maybe we might be a little bit faster? Or that because the weather was great we were running great? Brad immediately called Shawna and told her that her and Tom needed to head over there. Before I knew it Shawna and Tom were by my side. They then began to argue our case. Tom said that he was not waiting 2 hours. He said that we were either running and getting DQ’d or going home. So we headed back to the van to see what everyone wanted to do. We decided to run it and let them DQ us if they wanted. Tom and I headed back to the hand off and when Tom told them that we were going anyway they said that it was fixed and we were good to go. They said that they would add our time back. If they did or not, I’m not sure. I do know that at that point we were less than 2 minutes behind the leading men’s ultra team. It was definitely a momentum killer.

At that point everyone only had 3 legs left. I ran my 4th leg with a lady from Cincinnati. It was kind of nice to have someone to talk to over the next 5 miles. It kept me from running too fast. I ended up averaging about 8:45’s for this leg, which was good. Before we knew it the sun was coming up and we were coming in to the home stretch.

I think that everyone was just about wiped out before starting there final leg, but everyone dug deep and pulled it out. We ended up finishing 200 miles in 29:48:07. I think we kicked major ass!!

Me coming in on my final leg. I was ready to be done!

Next on my agenda is the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. This will be my first. The awesome thing is that everyone from the relay, with the exception of Brad, will be running it with me. How awesome is that. I can’t wait. I am sure there will be more relays in my future, because they kick ass and we have an awesome team.

Congrats to our team, wearejustdoing9:40s! Can’t wait until next time.

The Farthest I've Ever Gone

This past week was kind of weird. It was one of those weeks that I just didn't have the motivation to run. Maybe that was due to the fact that most of my runs would have to be done on my own. Not sure. But for what ever reason, I only managed to put in 3 runs this week. 

It started off pretty good with an afternoon run on Monday. Nothing crazy or particularly memorable about his run except good company and a pretty decent pace. After that I seemed to get lazy. I knew that I should run, I just didn't. It happens. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went without me lacing up the running shoes one time. Thursdays I always head into work on second shift, so I use it as a rest day. Not that I needed it to be at this point.

Friday morning came and I was back on the streets. I met Shawna and Dave for an early morning run. It was another good run. As we ran we discussed what we were planning on doing Saturday morning. I wanted to run 20. Of course Shawna, the overachiever, was wanting to do 24. Dave, who is now the newest member of the Bourbon Chase team, was down for whatever.

Saturday morning came with a 4:30 alarm. I managed to drag my ass out of bed and get ready so that I could meet everyone at the Y at 5. I was the first to show up, but was soon joined by Dave and Shawna. Before I knew it we were on our way. As we started out Shawna reminded me again that we were doing 24! There was a chance that another runner, who no one really wanted to join us, would be showing up around 6. So we came up with a scheme to stay out a little longer on our first loop to try and miss them. Our first loop was just under 8 miles. Unfortunately, as we were making our way to the cars to refill water bottles and GU, we saw the runner in the parking lot. Oh well. We quickly came up with a plan to head out on a route that would add about 12 miles to our run. I was happy with this.

As we headed out Shawna came up with the plan to add miles to the route by heading across the bridge into Kentucky. I think that is where she got me, I love running across the bridge. I have only done it a couple of times, but it is a very cool experience. On a good note, we were able to let the other runner leave us by slowing down. Before I knew it we were crossing the bridge. 

Once across the bridge we made our way along a few streets near the river. We took a few walk breaks, which were very welcome at the time. Then it was back on the bridge for the return home. Dave was beginning to slow down and have to walk more. This was completely understandable. He has made a huge leap in mileage over the past couple of weeks. As we approached the 19 mile mark, I mentioned that I would be entering virgin territory. Once the Garmin alerted me to 19 miles I began to say, with every step, "This is the farthest I have run." I don't think it took too long for that to get old, but it was fun while it lasted. 

As we were making our way into what I thought was the home stretch Shawna tells me that we are making a turn. Dammit! I could see where I wanted to go! So we made the turn, which ended up adding almost a half mile to the run. I did have to stop and walk for a few minutes along the way. But in the end I ended up running 23.4 miles, and  that is the farthest I have ever gone. I was very glad when we were done, but I am glad that Shawna pushed me to go the distance. I think I have an idea how I will feel after my first marathon, which is now just 4 weeks away!

So, that is my tale of the farthest I have ever gone. It is still hard for me to believe that I ran that distance.

Later

Marathon Training: Week 11

Well, week 11 is in the bag. I can't hardly believe that I am only 5 weeks away from my first marathon. I will say that I am starting to get a bit nervous about it. Everyone that I run with keeps assuring me that I can do it, but it is still 26.2 miles!

As for this past week I had some very good runs. So let's recap, shall we?

Monday


I headed out with Shawna for an afternoon run. For what ever reason I felt like pushing the pace, so we ended up running 8:12 per mile for 5 miles. I was very happy with this. I feel like when I run with her I can push the pace without the fear of it being too much for her. That's one good thing about running with people who are faster than you.

Tuesday


When I woke up I knew that I had 7 miles in store for me. I had told Shawna that I had planned on running if she wanted to join. Unfortunately she could not. So I decided to head out alone, which I hate. As I was getting suited up I grabbed my Garmin only to realize that it only had one bar of battery remaining. I was optimistic and thought that it might hold out for the run. Man was I wrong! It only lasted for about a half mile. Luckily I had looked at the clock just before heading out the door. I ended up running 7.2 miles in 58 minutes, which was a n 8:07 pace. Woo Hoo!

Wednesday


This was hill day. I met Shawna and Tom at my favorite running store for this one. We headed out towards Moser Knob at a pretty descent pace. As we reached the hill I decided to push and see what I could do. I ended up hitting the top of the hill first, which was a first for me. I will say that I welcomed the brief break while waiting for everyone else to finish the hill. We then tacked on a mile or so to make it 4 miles before the turnaround. Then it was back to the store. With about a mile to go Shawna started to push the pace. I decided to see if I could keep up. It wasn't easy, but I did it. Our last mile was a 7:46! She constantly amazes me with her endurance and ability to push no matter how many miles she has already put in.

Friday


Long run day. I started off my day with Shawna, Jen, and Dave. Jen was heading out of town for the weekend and wanted to get in a long run, so we ended up doing 10 miles. Everyone kicked ass! Dave ended up heading in after 8 so he could get to work on time. Shawna, Jen and I finished off our run by heading through my neighborhood.

Later that evening Shawna and I headed out for an evening run once I got home from work. We ended up putting in an awesome 14 miler. I will say that the highlight of the run was when I scared the shit out of her near a cemetery. As we were walking up the hill near the cemetery she said that she was seeing a red light in it. So as she was walking and looking into the cemetery I grabbed her shoulder. She jumped pretty damn good before punching me. I deserved it, but it was well worth it.

So that is how my week went. Today was filled with my daughters Cross Country and my sons Band Competition. I am glad they are involved in these things, but I am also glad that I am done for the day.

Monday starts week 12. I will keep you posted.

Later

2.5 Miles with The Yeti

Since I have started this whole marathon training thing, I have not had the extra energy to head out on those lunch time runs that I really enjoy. Yesterday was a different story. Lately I have felt like I haven't had very much time just to sit down and relax and enjoy and evening with my family, with all of the cross country meets, band competitions, marathon training, and extra hours at work.

So yesterday I decided to skip my 10 mile run and just hang out and do nothing with my wife for a change. Man was it awesome! So as the evening went on and the time to head out the door approached, I decided at the last minute to grab some running clothes and toss them in my backpack before heading out the door.

I didn't say anything about this to Chris. So, at lunch time I suited up and headed out to the parking lot to wait for him. When he walked out I think he was a bit surprised. He asked me if I knew what was about to happen. I said yes, and we were on our way.

We ended up covering the 2.5 mile loop in just over 20 minutes, which was good. But man it felt awesome to be back out there on an evening run with a great friend. I know that I have done this to myself with the tasks that I have decided to undertake, but there is something to be said for running for the fun of it.

With that said, today is hill day. I will probably end up putting in about 6-7 miles later today, which may actually leave room for another 2.5 this evening. We shall see.

Later

Marathon Training: Week 10

Today was the beginning of Week 10. On tap for today was a 4 mile run at a 9:52/mile pace, which I knocked out with ease. I have found that when I run by myself that my pace is quite a bit quicker than when I run with any of my friends. I guess that is because I am not running my mouth! I ended up averaging just over 8:30's for my run. I am very happy with that, since the pace felt pretty easy. Tomorrow is calling for 10 miles with 8 of those at marathon pace. It shouldn't be a problem, but who ever knows how a run is going to go until you are a few miles in?

As for the rest of the week, I plan on running hills on Wednesday with Tom and Jen followed by a couple of rest days. Saturday will be my very first 20 miler. I am not too concerned, since I ran almost 19 last Saturday and felt pretty good afterwards. But it will still be the farthest I have ever gone. Every weekend has been pretty busy with running in the morning followed by my daughter's cross country meets and my son's band competitions. But I wouldn't miss anything my kids do for any reason. They take priority over everything, even running!

So that's what this week looks like. I'll try to post a little more frequently. I know, I've said that before and haven't done it. 

Later

Late Night Run

This weekend we changed things up a bit. We normally put in our long run on Saturday mornings, which for about the past month meant getting up around 3:15 - 3:30 am for a 4 am run. It has worked out, but not as much fun as it sounds. So, when we realized that we may have to get up earlier or cut our run short something had to change. Shawna and Jen came up with the idea to run Friday night. Worked for me since I am a third shifter.

I had planned on working Friday night on second shift for a bit of overtime, so that I can enjoy my Disney Marathon trip to the fullest. So the plan was for them to meet me at work and run from there. Shawna said she would put together a route, which I knew meant heading up Moser knob weather we liked it or not!

At 10:30 everyone was there and ready to go. The route was pretty awesome. It headed up into the hills that overlook Louisville. So the views of the city lit up at night were awesome. The hills were definitely a good challenge and I am a big fan of not running the same route over and over. I think that changing it up actually makes the miles go by faster, just like good company.

We ended up putting in 15 miles in 2:34:55. I was very happy with that considering all of the hills. I will say that at the 15 mile mark I was done. As soon as my Garmin hit 15 I started walking. We were still about 3/4 of a mile from work, so it made for a nice cool down walk.

Yesterday I was a little bit sore, but not too bad. I may try and get out for an easy run later today. We shall see. Tomorrow starts week 9 of training and longer miles through the week. I envision very tired legs!

That's all I have for now.

Later

Marathon Training: Week 7

Good morning faithful readers. Sorry it has been a bit since an update, but life has a way of getting in the way.

Yesterday wrapped up week 7 of training. I have to say that it went pretty well. I only missed one run, which I think I have consistently done for the past few weeks. One of the best things about week 7 was that everyone is back. I am pretty sure that I got to put in miles with everyone of my friends this week. I call that a win!

Week 7 also brought a couple of awesome accomplishments my way. One being my second successful attempt at 18 miles. I have learned a lot from running with my group of friends. They have a vast resource of knowledge and couldn't be more supportive. Accomplishment number two was that I hit 1000 miles for the year yesterday! That is very hard for me to believe! I honestly thought that it would take me all year to even get close to that. Now it looks like I will probably get close to 1500, amazing!

On to week 8. Hope everyone has a good holiday weekend.

Later

18 Miler

Yesterday was my second attempt at any mileage over 15. I had only attempted tackling 3 loops 1 other time. And although I made it, there was plenty of walking and leg pain involved in that run. Not the case on yesterdays run.

Due to having to be at my daughter's cross country meet by 9 am, Shawna and I decided to start running at 4 am. It was early, but not too bad. The first loop went great. Once we made it back to the Y and realized that we were the only ones running, we decided to not continue looping. We headed out on a route that I had mapped out a couple of years ago while training for the Mini Marathon. It was roughly 12 miles. We had to head into my neighborhood to pick up the last 3/4 of a mile to make it to 18.

I will have to say that I think I was more prepared for this one that last time. The run went awesome. It really helps to have a good friend along the way as well. I don't think that I could have pulled that one off alone. This run gave me a little more confidence that I will be able to pull of a full marathon. It was a nice way to end the 6th week of training.

Next weeks long run calls for 16, but I don't think that I want to look back from 18 unless I just can't keep going.

That's all I have for now.

Later

Marathon Training: Week 5

For what ever reason week 5 has been the hardest to get all of my runs in. Part of that is that my partner in crime for the training is dealing with having to try and juggle his sleep schedule and coaching duties for his kids volleyball. This has caused him to not be able to run yet this week. I completely understand, kids always come first. Luckily for me, we run with an amazing group of friends who are always willing to get out for a run. So I have only missed one run this week, and that was due to attending my sons freshman orientation. Damn, I can't believe both of my kids are in high school.

Last night was hill night. I met Tom, Shawna, and Jen at our favorite running store. We then headed out for Moser. Of the two hills that I have ran with them, I will say that this is probably my favorite. It kills you at the beginning and then just gradually heads up. The other hill we run is just one long climb, which I think sucks. We ended up doing 8 miles. Everyone kicked ass! It is a rare occasion for all of us to be available during the middle of the week to get together, so that was nice.

On another note, I signed up for the Walt Disney World Marathon! This will be the second marathon that I run, but it is the first one that I have signed up for. Shawna tells me nothing but good things about this run, so I am very excited. I think it will be an awesome time.

So that is where things are now. I know that over the next couple of weeks the miles are really going to start adding up. This is where I think the challenges will happen. So wish me luck.

Later

With Week 4 Come New Challenges

Week 4 of marathon training is now upon us. It is hard for me to believe that in 12 short weeks I will be lacing up and toeing the starting line in my first marathon. Time is seeming to speed up!

Now that week 4 is here we have encountered some new challenges. The biggest and maybe the hardest to work around will be rearranging our schedules to get the runs in. So far we have been able to get most of our runs in after work in the mornings. This has been good, since it means cooler temps and good sleep throughout the day. But now with the kids going back to school and all of the activities that go with it things are gonna get interesting.

Chris will be coaching both of his daughters volleyball teams again this year. What this means is that his afternoons and possible weekends will be occupied elsewhere. I on the other hand have a daughter running cross country and a son in the marching band. This means being a chauffeur for my son and not missing an event for my daughter. The only negative thing is that the majority of her cross country meets are on Saturday mornings, which is long run day. We have already adjusted hill day. I just hope that everyone else we run with can adjust too. If not it won't be a deal breaker. It is just fun to get everyone together for a run.

So that is how things are shaping up for now. I am sure we will figure it all out and get the training in. It may just take an algebraic formula to do it.

We did run 4 miles this morning in just over 37 minutes. It was a bit faster than prescribed, but it just felt right.

Later

Marathon Training: Week 3

Today started week 3 of marathon training. So far, so good. But we haven't really gotten into anything that we haven't done before. I will be week 7 before the long runs get into new territory for us.

This morning Chris and I headed out for an easy run. Training called for 3 miles, but that is so below us! We ended up doing just over 4 miles while covering some different scenery. That is one of the great things I have found about having my Garmin. We can just head out and kind of adjust as we go to meet the mileage we are wanting to hit. Totals on this run were 4.03 miles is 38:40. A little faster than what was on the plan, but again we are already past that level at this point in our running.

I did get to take my new shoes out for their inaugural run this morning. I was lucky enough to pick up what I think is the last pair of Asics Cumulus 11's on the planet. I was even able to get a pair in black. That should help out with keeping them looking descent after a few months of running. As opposed to the white ones I had that now look gray.

So that's how things are shaping up at this point. I am sure things will get harder and I will whine about it at some point. But for now all is good.

Later

100 Posts!!!!!!

Tom, Shawna, Jen, me

It's hard to believe that I have finally made it to 100 posts. Considering that I am a very bad blogger, this is an accomplishment. With that being said, post 100 will be my recount of the 100 mile relay that I ran this weekend. Seems kind of fitting, if you think about it.

So here goes.

This past weekend I participated in the Red Eye Relay. What an amazing and tiring experience. It consisted of 21 legs that covered 100 miles. These were not your average flat miles either. There were plenty of hills along the way.

We started our journey by meeting at noon on Saturday at the local YMCA. After everyones gear was loaded we were on our way. It took us a little over an hour to make it to Columbus, Indiana. We then stopped at the local Subway for our last meal before the run. Then it was off to the Indiana University track for check in.

As we arrived in the parking area I was greeted with the site of the Upland Brewery van. What made this even better was the fact that the beer on tap was FREE!!! Nothing like starting off a run with ice cold Upland Wheat straight from the tap. So I grabbed a free beer and then headed to the check in area. We grabbed our gear and watched a couple of teams start their race.

Then it was back to the van to get everything ready to go. Once everything was ready to go, we headed back to the track to wait for our start. One thing that sucked was the heat. It was in the upper 90's at the start of the race.

Jen had the first leg, which was just over 2 miles. She did an awesome job. Then it was on to Tom, who is an awesome runner. To had to run just under 6 miles for his leg. This meant that I had just over an hour from the start of the run before I was up. It was kind of nice to relax for a bit longer. But before I knew it, I was up.

My leg was 5.9 miles. I told Brad, Shawna's husband and driver extraordinaire, that it would be about an hour. I knew there were some hills and it was hot! So I was amazed when I came in in 53:08. I will say I was glad that leg was over. I handed off to Shawna, who had probably the hardest legs for the entire event. Her total mileage was over 30 and they were not easy miles.

That's how the rotation went throughout the night. After each leg the person who just came in would grab whatever they needed to drink out of the cooler and then hop in the van. We then covered up with towels and got out of the nasty clothes we had on. I don't think I could think of anything grosser than wearing and sitting in the same clothes leg after leg. The smell would have probably killed us. Luckily they have done this for the past couple of years and have a system down. Get out of your wet clothes, tie them up in a plastic shopping bag, cool off, then put on fresh clothes and be ready to go. The system worked well.

The rest of my legs were as follows:

3.99 miles       33:35
2.22 miles       17:12
3.81 miles       33:52
3.18 miles       31:03*
3.23 miles       31:17

The leg with the asterisk is the one that I finished out for Shawna. I had to damn near wrestle the slap band from her since she wanted to keep going. She is an awesome runner, but sometimes I think she pushes herself too far past what her body wants to let her do.

We ended up finishing the relay in 15 hours and 31 minutes. We won our division, granted we were the only ones in it. But we still won.

After the run we all got a much needed and deserved shower before heading home. Before making the journey home we stopped by Denny's for some food. All you can eat pancakes for $4 was amazing. Once we got back in the van I don't think I remember a thing until we were getting off the exit to head back to the Y.

I took last night off work because I knew I would probably be sore. Man was I correct! This morning I met Shawna, Jen, and Norma for a very easy 4.7 mile run. The first few steps sucked! But I have discovered that once you get moving the soreness fades. At least for that brief amount of time you are moving.

If they ask me to join them again next year I will definitely do it. It was an amazing time.

Later

Marathon Training: Week 1

This week was the first week of my 16 week marathon training in order to get ready for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon on November 6th. In order to accomplish this goal, Chris and I have chosen to follow the marathon training plan that was in the July issue of Runner's World. It is a training goal designed to get you across the finish line in under 4 hours. 3:59:59 to be exact.

The plan calls for a total of 5 days running and 2 days of rest. We kind of mixed up the way it is put together to meet our schedules a little better. So far week 1 has went pretty well. It call for 3 days of easy runs. Which were 4 miles each at a 10 minute pace. The thing about this is that we run faster than that normally, so it was actually harder making myself slow down. I ran two of these days with Chris and one with Shawna and Tom, since I slept later than I thought I would and could not meet up with Chris.

The other two days consist of a 4 mile hill run and a 9 mile long run. For the hill run we hit Moser Knob with Shawna, Jen, and our surprise guest Garry. Hill work sucks, there is just no way to sugar coat it. They say it gets easier, but I will believe that when I see it. We ended up doing a little over 7 miles on hill day. I know it was farther than prescribed, but we are actually able to do the farther mileage since we are not new to the running game.

As far as long run day goes. I will be participating in the Red Eye Relay later today. The Red Eye is a 100 mile relay ran overnight. My total mileage for this is just over 19 miles. So I will far exceed my mileage for long run day. Chris on the other hand has the unfavorable task of putting in his long run solo, since everyone we run with is doing the Red Eye.

So that is how week one went. I will post a recap of the Red Eye, as long as I live to tell the tale.

Here is looking forward to week 2.

Later

Friday Morning Run

Since I am about to undertake the task of running 26.2 miles in approximately a little over 4 months, I have been upping my mileage. This means running just about every time that the crazies are. So the past couple of Friday mornings, when I am usually sleeping, I have gotten up at 4:30 am for a 5 am run with Shawna and who ever else shows up. So far it has only been Garry.

Yesterday was no exception. I arrived at the Y just before 5 and before I knew it we were on our way. I will say that I had visions of them just bolting and leaving my ass, since they are both a hell of a lot faster than I am. Also, Shawna is wanting to get her speed up so that she can bury another runner in a race just to shut her up. But it didn't happen. We just plodded along at a 9 - 10 minute pace. Shawna had to walk a couple of times as well. I guess all of that mileage is catching up with her. About 3 miles in Garry asked her about picking up the pace and she said not today. Worked for me, but he did sound a bit disappointed. Not sure if he was just wanting to take off and leave my ass or what. But it didn't happen.

We ended up putting in 6.6 miles in just over an hour. Not too bad. Shawna did pick it up for about the last quarter mile. Not sure why, and she didn't say. The faster pace actually felt pretty good though.

Currently Chris and I are waiting for the thunderstorm to get out of here so that we can head out for our normal Saturday morning run. Should be gone in about and hour.

Later

Wednesday Hill Run

I guess that Wednesdays will be the day that I hit the hills. I think that they unfortunately will be a part of my marathon training since every plan that I have looked at has them incorporated in some manner.

This past Wednesday I joined Chris, Shawna, and Tom for a hill run. Before we made our way to the meet up spot there was a question about which hill to run. After going back and forth, I just said that we should do Spickert Knob since I had only ran it once in the past. I had remembered it as a long gradual climb as opposed to the straight up killer that is Moser Knob.

When we got to the meet up spot, our local running store, we walked inside to mess with a friend of our who works there. As we entered we asked if he was ready. His reply was "To go get a beer?" In hind site, that would have been way more enjoyable than the task at hand. Maybe next time!

After that we were off. From the store to the top of the hill is about 2.9 miles. That doesn't seem like that big of a distance until you figure that at least a mile of that is up hill. As we approached the bottom of the hill Shawna started to walk and said this was our break before the hill. I think that everyone either said or thought, Thank You. After that we were off. Tom took the lead and was like a man on a mission. I fell in behind him but was soon walking. I think that it is going to take a bit for me to get used to the increased mileage that we are suddenly putting in. I made it to the top about a minute after Tom.

This was Chris's first trek up this particular hill. Since Shawna had put in plenty of miles earlier in the day, she ran with him. They made it to the the top not long after I did. Once everyone was at the top, we took a short break before putting in the distance to make it a 3 mile run before heading back to the store.

The downhill may have been the best part. It doesn't take a ton of effort and is gradual so you don't feel like you are going to break through the front of your shoes.

The run back to the store was not pretty. There was plenty of walking, which I believe was welcomed by all. But we made it.

We ended up putting in 6 miles in about an hour. Not bad since it was hill day. Today I will be heading out for a 5 am run with Shawna. Not sure if we will be joined by anyone else or not. At least it will be early enough to beat the heat, since we are still hovering in the 90's. Man I can't wait for cooler temps.

Later

Monday 5 Miler

As in keeping with what I said, here is another update!

Yesterday I headed up to the Y for an afternoon run with Chris, Shawna, and Tom. We headed out along our normal route. Nothing really exiting happened on this run. I wish that I could tell you that we found bags of money or helped save a little old lady from being ran over by a semi, but I can't. It was just another run with good friends.

We ended up putting in just under 5 miles in about 45 minutes. Not too bad, since there was some walking involved along the way.

Today we are supposed to head out for a hill run. That should be interesting since it is supposed to be in the 90's with high humidity! I will survive. I keep telling myself that these runs will only make me stronger and get me prepared for a marathon. I hope I'm right!

Later

It Sounded Good In My Head

All last night at work before heading out for our lunchtime run I was thinking that this could be the night that Chris and I break the Samtec Loop record together. The reason being that I did not get in a hill run earlier in the day, so my legs were fresh. I had gotten plenty of sleep the previous night. And I guess I just had that feeling.

Man was I wrong. We headed outside to our "starting line" and waited for the Garmin to get a signal. Once we had we were off. I guess I started out faster than normal, because Chris said "Where are you going" and then quickly caught up. I knew we were running pretty quick, but we were still talking for pretty much the whole way. As we hit mile 1 and I looked at the Garmin, all hopes of this being the night were shattered. We hit 7:40 at mile 1. I will say I was a bit disappointed. That sounds bad for a 7:40 mile, but I thought we were rolling a bit faster.

At that point I suggested that we reel things in a bit. We probably did for about 2 -3 minutes. Then as it always happens on mile 2, the pace slowly crept back up to where it was. Mile 2 ended up being 7:54. Still a respectable time. At this point I could feel I didn't have much left to give.

About a quarter mile from the finish Chris started to pull away and there was nothing I could do to keep up. I was spent. He ended up finishing about 5 seconds in front of me with 19:26 for 2.54 miles. Pretty good pace. The run for me was 19:31.54. It is still hard to believe that the record is sub 18!

I would love to break this one together. It will just take a great alignment of the stars for it to happen.

Later

Man I Suck At Blogging

You would think since I have two blogs that are about fairly interesting things that I would actually keep them up to date. Obviously I suck at it. For what ever reason I either don't have the time or desire to blog sometimes. And then by the time I do think about it, so much time has passed that who really cares about a run I did a week ago?

So from this point on I am going to try and keep this thing updated as much as I can. This may either be a good thing or a bad thing for the few of you who read this. We shall see.

So on with a bit of an update. Last week was my first week back to running after an 11 day vacation. I won't bore you with the details of each of the runs. Let's just say that the first day back we did a hill run, which sucked, and ended up putting in about 37 miles for the week.

Next week Chris and I are going to have to get serious about our marathon training. We will be 16 weeks out from our first. It is quickly becoming a reality. It didn't seem as daunting several months ago when we said we were going to do it. But it will be only 16 weeks away!!

Hopefully the crazies that we run with will help get us there. I am sure they will. They like to torture us.

That's all I have for now. Today may include a hill run. Not sure just yet. If so, you will know about it tomorrow.

Later

2010 Barnyard Dash

This past Saturday I participated in our first official 10k. Yeah, I know I ran the Rhodes City Run 10k back in April. But I did that one Bandit! So this was my first official one.

The day started off kind of early. Shawna, Jen, and Tom were planning on putting in a few miles before heading to the run. So I decided to join them. I normally run between 11 and 13 every Saturday, so I knew if I didn't join them for an early am run that I would either not put in the extra miles or I would have to run later in the afternoon in the heat. Which was not what I wanted to do with my Saturday afternoon. I arrived at the Y just before 5 am. Not long after Dave, who has joined us on a couple or runs, showed up. Right behind him was Chris! That one kind of surprised me. Chris had said he was going to take this Saturday as an opportunity to sleep in. Guess 3rd shift got the best of him, because here he was.

We headed out on a kind of random route. We started out by heading into my neighborhood and then onto our normal loop, which Chris and I modified since we only wanted to run between 6 and 8 miles on this run. As we are running along, Shawna asks me if I would be interested in running in the Red Eye Relay with them next month. They had a team member drop out and needed a replacement. After hearing all of the stories of how much fun they have on this, how could I say no? I told her I would have to check with my wife, but I didn't see it being a problem. I checked, and it looks like things are a go. I just hope I don't die!

Chris and I ended up putting in 7.77 miles on our morning run. We then headed to my house to change into some dry clothes and headed up to the Barnyard Dash. We ended up arriving about 30 minutes early. Which turned out to be a good thing. Earlier in the week Chris had taken our registrations to Pacers and Racers to hand them in, since he was getting new shoes and it would save us a few bucks not signing up online. For what ever reason they had his info and not mine. This is where having friends who work there comes in real handy. Tom told me when I walked in that he could not find my registration info but to head to the table to make sure. Of course it wasn't there. So I headed back to Tom who hooked me up in record time. Within no time I had a number and a shirt and was good to go. It turned out that about 30 registrations had been misplaced as well.

About 10 minutes before the start, Shawna and Jen showed up and picked up there swag. Then it was on to the start. As we started the run the sky looked ominous. Within the first mile we were getting rained on. I don't really like running in the rain, but I will say that once it was gone and the sun and humidity hit I would have welcomed it. The course was a bit hilly, but nothing terrible. Chris and I decided to walk the water stops, which seemed to be about every 2.5 miles, just to take a small break. I ended up having to walk a couple of more times as well. My threshold seems to be between 13 and 15 miles right now before my legs start telling me it is time to walk. So, instead of doing something stupid, I listen. Running is supposed to be enjoyable, right?

My only goal for this run was to come in faster that our last one. We succeeded! We ended up knocking about 30 seconds off of our 10k time and running a 52:50. Afterwards we hung out and listened to the awards being handed out while gorging on fresh strawberries, bananas, and free sodas. What an awesome way to end a run.

So now it is on to getting ready for the Red Eye, which I started doing yesterday by doing hill repeats with Shawna and Jen. So wish me luck.

Later

June Already?

It is hard for me to believe that it is already June. This year seems to be flying by. The one good thing about it being June, is that in about 22 days I will be headed south to Disney again. Can't wait! Speaking of Disney, I am planning on running in the 2011 Disney Marathon. It will be my second marathon, if I don't die on my first in November. So hopefully the first one doesn't suck and make me dread the second. I can't see that happening, but you never know.

As far as running goes, I have been putting in quite a few miles. Last month was my biggest to date. I ended up putting in 142.5 miles! I am at 589 for the year. That is awesome, since my goal for 2010 was to hit 1000. Shouldn't be a problem. I am steadily upping my weekend long run mileage in order to start getting ready to run a full. So far it hasn't been that bad, but I haven't been much past the 15 mile mark. Yeah, I know, there are still 11 miles past that for a full. It will come with time.

Chris and I are planning on running a 10k next weekend, but he may have to sit this one out. He had a mishap with a shampoo bottle and may have broken his foot. I sure hope not. Time will tell. Last week we attended a 3 mile fun run that one of the local running stores put on. Chris had ran one last month and really enjoyed it. So I had to make sure that I hit one. It was a pretty good time. It ran through an awesome part of town and a park. The weather was kind of hot and humid, but I guess it's better than rain.

And if you didn't know, today is National Running Day. So get out there. Even if you only run to the mailbox, it counts.

Later

Lazy Sunday

As I set here doing nothing while watching it rain and looking at blogs I thought I would post an update. I had planned on getting out for a run this afternoon, but I just don't feel like running in the rain if I'm not in a race. I guess that makes me a fair weather runner by some runners standards. I can live with that.

Training continues. I am averaging about 25 - 30 miles a week at this time. I am very sure that as it gets closer to  November and the Monumental the miles will drastically increase. Which will mean I will need new shoes before too long. Fortunately for me, I have found the shoes that I am currently running in on Amazon for $65. That is a great price. I guess since they are getting ready to come out with the new model, they need to get rid last years model. Works for me. I will probably go ahead and get 2 pair while I'm at it.

I had asked Shawna yesterday when I needed to get serious about getting ready for a full. She said probably July. I told her that I wanted a full to feel like the mini, which to me was just another Saturday morning run. She said that I should start increasing my mileage slowly from now until then so that I am running 18 to 19 on Saturday mornings. That is kind of scary, since the one and only time I did that kind of mileage I thought I was going to die. But they do it every weekend and survive. So it can be done.

For now I think I will just relax and enjoy a lazy Sunday with the family.

Later

I Hate to Run Alone

Have I mentioned this before? If not, I do. I guess I am a social runner since more times than not, if I don't have someone willing to get out and suffer with me, I will just not run.

Today I ended up waking up a few hours before my alarm. So after having a quick bite to eat I decided to head out and put in a few miles before I headed to work. The first mile was a relatively slow 8.28. As I began mile two heading into a head wind and uphill, I began to think that I might just turn back and head to the house. I didn't. But that was about the time I started to pick up speed. I am not sure why or how this happens. I guess it just takes about a mile to get my body on board with running. The miles after that were a lot closer to the 8 minute mark. No that is not fast to some runners, but to me that is damn near killing it!

I ended up putting in 5.42 miles in 43:09.29, which ends up being a 7.58 average. That may very well be my best average to date. This is more than likely my last run for April. I will end up finishing the month with 122.8 miles. With getting ready to start training for a fall marathon, I can only see the monthly mileage increasing from here on out. So my goal of 1000 miles for 2010 should be no problem.

Chris and I are working on something that could be awesome. I will keep you posted when I know more.

Later

2010 Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon

Yesterday I ran my 3rd official half marathon. And in doing so, I beat my 14 year old PR for that distance. My previous best was set way back in 1996 and was a 1:58:54. Yesterday I pulled off a 1:52:19 with Chris right by my side. I am not sure if setting a new PR, or seeing him accomplish what we set out to do was more fulfilling. Either way, we rocked this one!

The day started off pretty early for me. For what ever reason I ended up waking up around 3 am. Not really that out of the ordinary for a 3rd shifter, but not what I wanted to happen on race day. I tried to get back to sleep with no luck, so I just said screw it and got up about 30 minutes earlier than I had planned. After getting some breakfast and just relaxing for a bit it was time to suit up. Before I knew it Chris was in front of the house and we were on our way.

The group of runners that we train with had planned on meeting at the Y around 5:30 am. We drove through the parking lot about 5:20 and no one was there, so we went ahead and made our way to Chris's wifes parking garage she uses for work, which was about 5 block from the finish. I would say we made it there just before 6.

The weather forecast leading up to race day was all over the place. There was a 30 - 80% chance of rain, depending on where your info came from. Tom had told us the day before to make sure and bring garbage bags to cover up with while waiting for the race to start. A great tip from a marathoner. I would have never thought of that. So once we got parked and garbaged bagged up, it was off to the shuttle to the starting line. Lucky for us, there was a bus just getting ready to leave when we got on. I would say it took about 20 minutes to make it to the starting area.

Once we made it to the starting area we found shelter from the rain under a bank awning. We hung out there with plenty of other runners before deciding to look for our friends. We made our way towards the bus drop off area and porta potties. No luck in locating anyone. We decided to make a quick bathroom pit stop and then head to the starting corral.

We made it to the starting corral about 15 minutes before race time. We looked through the entire corral and could not find anyone we knew. Just before the race was about to begin, we saw Garry, Shawna, Jen, and Jeff walking along the outside of the corral. We yelled to them with no luck.

Not long after that we were on our way! We had about a mile before hitting Iroquois Park and 3 miles of hills.  As we ran, we were looking for anyone we knew. I seriously think this made the park and those hills fly by. They didn't seem to be that big of a deal at all. At probably 2 1/2 miles in we saw Jeff up ahead. And of course he had already taken his shirt off! We managed to catch up to him fairly easy. He told us that Tom was only about 50 yards ahead. So we bid him farewell and headed after Tom. As we came upon the next Powerade/water stop, I saw Tom standing on the side of the road. We stopped for just a moment and talked with him. He was waiting on his friend Carol to catch up. After finding Tom we settled into a pretty nice pace.

Last year I hated running through Churchill Downs. Mainly because of the tunnels you have to use that go under the track. To me they suck! It is a steep downhill followed by a steep uphill. This is about 7 miles in. They weren't as bad this year. On the final tunnel Chris pushed ahead and was flying. I just fell in behind and followed suit. Before I knew it, we were out of Churchill and back on flat streets.

We had set a goal of running this thing in under 2 hours. That meant that a time of 1:59:59 would have done the trick. I knew with 4 miles to go that we had this thing in the bag. We would have run 10 minute miles from that point and still hit a 1:56! Chris was a trooper. I could tell that he was tired, but he never complained. Not one time! The only time he actually said it out loud was when I asked how he was doing. His response was: "Fine, just tired."

I was all over the place with telling him how we could finish. I had told him at mile 5 that when I saw the finish I was gone. Then later I changed my mind and said that we started this together, let's finish it together. That ended up being the one we went with. I am damn glad we did! Finishing the race in under 2 hours with Chris by my side just put the icing on this one.

After getting through the finish area we headed for the free beer. Then it was to the car for a much needed change of clothes. I don't think dry clothes have ever felt so good. Chris had packed a couple of post race Leinenkugel's for us to celebrate with, which we did in true Yeti fashion. We then headed to where the marathoners head across the bridge to Indiana to watch for our friends. We found Jeff and Tom waiting in that area as well. Within a half hour our friend made it to our location. They stopped for just a moment to pick up Tom, who had planned to run the last part of the run with them. After they departed, we bid Jeff farewell for a second time and headed home.

What an awesome race. Up next for Chris and I will be the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.

Later

Tomorrow is the Day

Tomorrow I will be running in my 3rd official Mini Marathon. I feel like I am ready. Now, if the weather will cooperate things will be fine. As of right now there is a 30 - 70% chance of thunderstorms, depending on where you get your info, for the morning.

Today we did packet pick up at the expo. We met Shawna, Jen, Gary, and Tom at the Y before heading over. It was a pretty good expo. Picked up lots of free stuff, including an extra tech shirt! After that it was off to Olive Garden for lunch. All in all it was a good time.

So wish me luck and do an anti rain dance. I will post a race report this weekend.

Later

5 Days until the Mini

We are in the home stretch here people! There are only 5 days until I will be running in my 3rd official Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon. The first one I ran is my PR of 1:58:54 set way back in 1996. Last year I was not able to meet my goal of running under 2 hours.

This year on the other hand should be different. The training is in, the shoes are new, and my favorite running partner will be by my side. I don't see anything working against me this year. Yes, I know that anything can happen on race day. But, I feel that I have done everything correct to meet and exceed my goal. All I can do now is show up and run my race.

This week Chris and I will take it easy. More than likely we will do the majority of our running at lunch at work. These runs are easy 2 - 2.5 milers that we knock out in about 20 minutes. That still gives us time to cool off and grab a bite to eat before getting back to making money.

Today I received my new Garmin Forerunner 205 just in time to charge it up before meeting Shawna for an afternoon run. We put in a relatively easy 4.97 miler. She has been having some issues with her stomach, so we weren't killing it. Our time was 41:53 with an 8:26 pace. I had mapped the route before using Runningahead.com and came up with the exact same distance as the Garmin. So, I guess it is pretty accurate.

That's about all I have for now. I do want to give kudos to Chris for putting in a 15 miles on our Saturday morning run. That was his farthest distance to date, and he kicked ass! Way to go Yeti!

Later

19 Miles

Today I managed to go farther than I have ever run in my life. Like I said yesterday, I was planning on attempting to do a 3rd loop with my Saturday running group. As crazy as that sounds, I set out on loop number 3 feeling pretty good.

At about the 15 1/2 mile mark my calves felt like they were going to explode! So I knew it was time to walk. It was at that time that I had my first GU. Now that I look back on it, I probably should have had one before setting out on loop 3. I am not sure that taking it after the pain had set in was going to do very much.

After a few seconds we were on our way. Luckily for me I had Chris and Shawna at my side to help push me. I don't think that I would have made it without them. I ended up walking about 4 more times before finishing up the loop. I call it a success. There was a time when I thought that walking was a failure. Not any more. I think with more miles comes more of a chance that you will have to walk.

It will be a couple of weeks before I attempt to put in 3 loops again. There are only 2 weeks until the Mini and I don't want to jeopardize that by doing something stupid and getting injured. So 3 loops will have to wait.

Now I am just hanging out at home enjoying this wonderful day looking forward to when I don't think 3 loops are that big of a deal. I know it will come, it might just be awhile.

Happy Running.

Later

April Update

So far April is shaping up quite nicely. Chris and I ran the Papa John's 10 Miler last weekend and we both set new PR's for that distance! The weather for the race started out pretty descent that morning but turned colder with a bit of rain at about the 8 mile mark. The rain actually felt good at that exact moment, but after the race as we stood around waiting for the rest of our friends to finish it got kinda cool with the wind. All in all it was a great race. You can check out a more detailed run report by checking out Chris's blog. He is much more timely about posting than me.

The weather has also gotten nice enough for us to run almost every night at lunch, which is awesome. We were able to get out 3 of the 4 nights that I worked this week. I had to take one night off since my wife had to head out of town for a conference.

Last Tuesday I bought myself and early birthday present. Here is a pic:

I have been holding off on getting something new for some time. I had been going back and forth on whether or not to get a car payment or just pay cash for something. In the end I decided it was time for us to get a newer car since the van has about 130,000 miles and my daughter drives my old Jeep. So I bit the bullet and got a payment. We had gone 2 years without one since paying off the van, so I guess it's not that bad. I am very happy with my purchase.

Today, since my wife was gone, I was able to get out with Shawna, Jen, and Norma for a Friday afternoon run. We ended up putting in a very slow and leisurely 5 miles. I was cool with that since I plan on attempting 19 miles in the morning. Yeah, you read that right. I said 19! We will see how it goes. I just feel like I want to push myself and see what happens. Wish me luck. If I don't end up sleeping all day after the run I will try and post an update.

So that is how my month is shaping up.

Later

March in review

Last month was by far my biggest mileage month ever. I managed to drag myself away from life and put in 21 hours running in which I covered a total of 139.6 miles! When we started this running thing back in 2008, I had no idea that this is where I would be heading. I will say that I am happy with the path that I am on at this time. The biggest challenge over the next couple of months will be keeping the motivation after the Mini to do the training for a full in the fall.

March was full of great running moments for me. Here are just a few.

• There was the Shamrock 2 miler that both of my kids joined me on. This was there first official race. They both did amazing in my eyes, but how could they not?
• Chris's feet seemed to stop working against him, and allowed him to up his mileage.
• I did my first "official" hill run.
• The weather has warmed up enough for us to resume our OYSTR (Overnight Yeti Seasonal Training Runs) runs. Thanks Chris for coming up with that!

Those are just a few of the highlights for me. Next month will be full of several more with the Mini, my 40th Birthday, and probably making a decision on training for a full.

I will keep you posted.

Later

Last week in running

This past week has been one of the biggest weeks for mileage that I have had. I managed to put in a total of 39.55 miles. Wow! Now let's recap.

Monday I ran with the Y group. We ended up putting in 10.5 miles. It was a good run at a descent pace. Jen's husband Jeff ran with us on the second lap, so it was a bit slower. Still a good run.

Tuesday Chris, both of my kids, and I headed downtown for the 2nd annual Shamrock 2 miler. This has become one of my favorite runs. It is a quick 2 miler followed by free green beer and door prizes. This year, like last, Chris had my number. Last year he got my by a step. This year he was feeling it and ended up getting me by 14 seconds. It must be the shoes! He beat last years time by a little over 40 seconds. Outstanding! He ended up running a 14:09 with me coming in at 14:23. A damn good run for both of us. As I promised, here are a few pics that Chris managed to get on the day of the race.

Wednesday I had my first official hill run. The new runners that Chris and I have started running with like to run up a couple of hills near where we work. They have been extending the invite for several weeks, but I have either had other things going on or just didn't think I was ready to do serious hill work. I will say that I was a bit uneasy about this run. When I arrived at Gary's office, which is the official starting place of most of the hill runs, I saw his car and one other that I didn't recognize. After a few more minutes, Norma showed up and walked into the office. Next thing I know Gary, Jen, and Norma are walking out and waving me over. How was I to know that I was supposed to head inside? After that we were off. The hill wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Since it was Norma and my first time doing the hill they took it easy on us. We ended up doing a total of 6.3 miles in a little over an hour. I will definitely be back for the hill runs.

Thursday and Friday I took off from running. Mainly because I don't have time on Thursday and Friday I spend with my wife.

Saturday was the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown of Running, which is the Rhodes City Run 10K. The group was going to put in about 13 miles and then run to the start of the race, which ended up being 6.55 miles from the Y. Chris and I had hatched a plan to run with them to the race and then just Bandit the run. We ended up running the 6.55 miles to the start of the run in 1:05:30. There were a few pit stops along the way for bathroom breaks and to pick up others. Once we got the the start of the race, it was only a few minutes before the gun went off. This really didn't matter much, since it took us a good 4 minutes to get across the starting line.

For most of the run we were running in a pack. Then Jeff and Jen started to fall behind. At about the 5 mile mark Shawna fell back to check on them. At that point Chris and I settled into a nice pace. If I had to guess, I would say we were running around and 8:30/8:45 mile. At about 5 and a half miles Shawna come blasting up between us and the pace quickened. We kept up with her until about the 6 mark when we just let her go. I figured we would just cruise in from there. But when I saw the finish line something just kinda snapped. Without giving Chris any warning, I just bolted. Not something that I normally do. It just felt right. I ended coming in just in front of Chris because I got the jump and I never let him know it was on my mind. Hell, I didn't know it was going to happen. I ran a 53:16 and he ended up with 53:30. All I can say is DAMN! We put up good numbers for running 6.55 before the race.

This morning I headed out for another hill run with Gary, Shawna, and Jen. The funny thing is, when I got the text about running with them, they didn't mention running the hill. They took me up a different hill this time. Jen seemed to be struggling with asthma today. We ended up putting in 8 miles in about an hour and a half that included more walking than I had expected.

So that was my week. Next week won't be as big. I am heading to Chicago with the family for Spring Break. So I will be gone until Thursday. I am sure I will be ready to run when I get back. I plan on taking some running gear just in case I get a chance to run while up there. We shall see.

Later

The Training Continues

With 6 weeks until the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon the training continues. So far it has gone better than I would have expected. I attribute this to two different factors. The first, and probably best, is that Chris is running it with me this year. Being able to get out and run with him several times a week has kept me motivated. The second is the group of runners that we have started running with. They have pushed long runs out of me almost every weekend. Which is a good thing.

Next Tuesday Chris, both of my kids, and I will be running the 2nd annual Jeffersonville Shamrock 2-Miler. Chris, Z, and I did this run last year and it was a blast. I mean really, how could a quick 2 mile run followed by free beer be a bad thing? I will definitely post an update following that one. And if I know Chris, I will probably have a couple of pics to share as well.

The week of the the 22nd will probably be my week of lowest miles this month. We are heading to Chicago with the kids for Spring Break. With all of the things that we are planning on seeing, I don't see that many opportunities to get out an run while I am up there. We will see. I may be able to sneak off for a quick run on a treadmill in the hotel.

I have also signed up to run the Papa John's 10 miler on April 3rd. This will be one of the last big runs before the Mini. I will end up putting in a total of about 16 miles that day, which will be the farthest I have ever ran.

So, that is how things are shaping up. So far this month I have put in 40 miles with another 12 - 13 on tap for this morning.

Later

February Wrap Up

February was not my biggest month for running, but there were a few things that factored into the lack of mileage. One being the amount of snow that we had, which was more than we have had in quite some time. The other being that I have realized that I am a social runner. My favorite running partner, Chris, was sidelined with foot problems. Since the group I run with meets on Monday and Saturday, that is when I ran with them. I found myself only running on Mondays and Saturdays. Not a good combo for getting in big miles.

With that being said, I still managed to get in 84.4 miles. Not too bad considering I only ran 10 days during the month. Here is how it looked:

Now that Chris is feeling better and the temps are on the rise, I look for the coming months to have more miles. That should keep me on pace to reach my goal of 1000 miles for 2010.

Later

Monday Run

Today started week 7 off the Y Running group runs. With the temps being a little bit warmer I expected a huge turnout. Man was I wrong! It ended up being just Shawna and myself. Some of the other die hards were out with illness.

Anyway, we ended up putting in 5 fairly quick miles in 41:30.46. A nice pace in my opinion.

So that is how this week has started. I am sure that Chris and I will get out for some runs this week, since he is feeling better.

Later

Long Time No Post

I haven't posted in so long that some of you may have thought I didn't have an internet connection anymore. That is not the case. I have just been lazy. It happens. But since I have an empty house and an ice cold Upland Wheat, I figured I would get everyone caught up.

The running is going good. The weather on the other hand is not cooperating the way I would like it to. We have had more snow this winter than we have in quite some time. That has made it very easy for me to not run. I don't want to run on crappy roads and take a chance on busting my ass. With that being said, I have managed to get out and run at least two days every week. Usually a short 5-7 miles on Monday followed up with at least 12.5 on Saturday. Both runs are with the running group that I joined at the Y. I am sure that when the Y group ends, I will still show up and run with my new friends.

Unfortunately, my favorite running partner has been sidelined with some foot issues. You can read all about them on his blog. I am glad to say that it looks like he will be making his return very soon. We did get out for an easy 4 miles on Friday, which was nice.

Today I ran the farthest I have ever ran. When I showed up this morning, Shawna said that she was thinking that it was about time for me to go from the 12.5 miles that I run every weekend to 13.1. So, as the run went on I started thinking about where I could pick up that last .6 miles. I decided that when we got close to my neighborhood I would part with the group and run a few blocks in and then return to the Y. I did just that. I ended up finishing my run in 2:03:06. I just wasn't sure exactly how much extra I had tacked on. When I got home I mapped the extra distance and was pleasantly surprised to see that I had tacked on an extra mile! I will say that I was ready to be done with my run by the time I finished. But I finished. I think that I may continue to add the extra mile at the end of my runs, since Chris and I are contemplating the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November.

So, that is what has been going on around here. There are 9 weeks until the mini. I think I am ready.

Later

Solo Run

Today I headed out for a solo run. This was a rarity, since lately I have either ran with Chris or the Y running group. So I headed out around 4 with no real plan. I started out by heading around the loop in my hood and adjusted from there.

When I hit the first mile in 7:44 I realized I was going way to fast. From there I tried to reign things in. I ended up putting in 4.83 miles in 38:43.74 which equated to an 8:03 pace. Not bad, but that is what happens when I run alone. I have no one to talk to and end up running way too fast.

I think I may take tomorrow as a rest day, we shall see.

Later