Any date. Any Time. Any Distance.

Trail closed

2011-12-17T12:09:00.001-06:00

Beautiful day for a run. Fresh snow.

Who knew traffic barricades could float?

Chicago Marathon 2011 recap

2011-12-16T08:09:00.001-06:00

The 34th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon witnessed historic performances by men’s champion Moses Mosop of Kenya and women’s champion Liliya Shobukhova of Russia as 35,755 participants crossed the finish line. “Moses and Liliya set the pace for a special day at the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon,” said Carey Pinkowski, Bank of America Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director.

Mosop followed up his debut marathon performance in Boston this year with a record-breaking victory in Chicago. Mosop’s race in Boston was the fastest time ever clocked by a debut marathoner, and here in Chicago he broke the course record by four seconds, setting a new mark at 2:05:37. With her performance, Shobukhova set a new Russian record and also became the first runner in Chicago Marathon history to win three consecutive titles. On top of that, she had clinched her second consecutive World Marathon Majors title even before the gun went off, guaranteeing her the $500,000 grand prize.

By the numbers:

45,000 - Marathon registrants
1.7 Million - Estimated on-course spectators
50 - U.S. States represented
106 - Countries represented
12,000+ - Total volunteers
125,000 - Health & Fitness Expo attendees
58,420 - Gallons of water
64,000 – Bananas
31,850 - Pounds of food donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository

Nominated for best Chicago Marathon headline…

2011-10-10T18:08:00.001-05:00

Woman runs Chicago marathon, eats dinner, gives birth

Amber Miller's day was far from over when she crossed the Chicago Marathon finish line on Sunday...

http://news.yahoo.com/woman-runs-chicago-marathon-eats-dinner-gives-birth-224949638.html

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/woman-run-marathon-gives-birth-1318280150-slideshow/

Daily App Deals: Hit the Streets with a Free Couch to 5k Guide for Android

2011-10-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

http://lifehacker.com/5847038/daily-app-deals-hit-the-streets-with-a-free-couch-to-5k-guide-for-android

C25K Pro (Amazon Appstore ) C25K Pro is an app companion to the popular "Couch to 5K" running program. The app contains details about the runs for each week, and it has helpful timers, voice cues, and a music controller to help get you through the runs. Previously $1.99, the app is available for free from the Amazon Appstore for today only. (via LogicBuy)

Comedian Drew Carey, unbelievable!

2011-10-06T05:09:00.001-05:00

sub 2:00 hour half marathon

Marine Corp Marathon

Oklahoma Snow Idiots

2011-02-10T13:46:00.000-06:00

iReport —
Old Hat Creative staff enjoy the wintry weather in Norman, Oklahoma. 10 degrees!!

Chicago Marathon 2010 time lapse runner

2010-10-18T18:47:00.000-05:00

Uploaded by mikesrightbrain on Oct 12, 2010

I ran the Chicago Marathon on October 10, 2010 with an HD camera strapped to my head. I compiled this timelapse from the photos taken every two seconds throughout the journey. I did my best to hold my head steady during the entire run, but it was not easy!
Thanks to Jonathan Guerra of Milano at http://hearmilano.com
for the great music. Check out his stuff- it is awesome.

Very cool!

Volunteering at Chicago Marathon 10.10.10

2010-10-11T22:10:00.005-05:00

After running the Chicago Marathon 4 times I have expanded my running horizons and got involved with volunteering. This year I am back again as the co-captain of Aid Station #9, at mile 12.5 of the Chicago Marathon.

This is a brief photo-documentary of one of 19 aid stations along the course.

Jump to Flickr gallery...or click the photos below to scroll through the documentary.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

A big shout out to Coach Jenny Hadfield for soliciting runners and volunteers for their favorite 25 Tips for Volunteering in a Race

Quad Cities Half Marathon 2010.09.27

2010-09-28T19:52:00.002-05:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Chicago Half Marathon 2010.09.13

2010-09-14T21:43:00.000-05:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Free State 40 Mile Trail Run, Lawrence, KS

2010-04-29T15:15:00.001-05:00

Been a while since I made a video. Enjoy...

Trying out my new running shoes...

2010-04-10T15:19:00.003-05:00

Going out to break in my new Vibram Five Finger running shoes.

Quick Review:

Comfortable. Lightweight. Good feel.

Has just enough protection to take the bite out of stepping on sharp objects; pointy rocks, fallen branches, pieces of glass, etc. But flexible enough to feel like you’re almost barefoot.

Takes some getting used to just to get them on your feet, slipping your toes into each “finger”. They fit like driving gloves—a bit snug, but flexible enough that you can forget they are on your feet.

The shoes give you good feedback on your gait with the trade off that they are less forgiving of mistakes. It’s kind of like taking your car and lowing the suspension, stiffing the shocks, and using racing tires – you get a better feel of the road and, consequently, can respond to it better and (for most people) makes it more fun to drive. The downside of driving a race car is, your car no longer skids in the corners if you make a mistake—it snaps out of control. Potholes aren’t absorbed by the suspension—they’re transferred to the seat.

If you strike your heel (like I usually do), the jolt is no longer absorbed by the inch+ of cushion on your shoe and dispersed throughout—the strike is sent as a jolt up your leg into your hips. The upside is that you know—immediately—to plant your foot under you (not in font).

It forces you to be deliberate about your running gait with the idea that eventually the proper gait will become habit/natural for you.

I’ll go out on a limb and say they are not for everyone and are squarely aimed at the serious, and more technical, runner. But, like a sports car, there is a “fun” factor.

I think the biggest surprise to me is how thin the sole really is. You feel *everything* -- cracks in the sidewalk, small rocks, twigs. This also means I have to start with low mileage on these shoes—it’s not really a replacement for everyday running shoes at this point.

More to come....

Indy Mini Marathon 2009 May 2nd

2009-05-03T22:42:00.001-05:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Do you believe?

2009-04-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

My friend put together this video for Nike's I believe in the run. Please, vote early and vote often!

BELIEVE IN THE RUN

Sponsored by Visit NIKE USA

Boston Marathon, Top Results

2009-04-20T12:08:00.003-05:00

Congrats to all who ran!

Thanks to MarathonGuide.com for providing a real-time feed for the Boston Marathon.

Womens:
Salina Kosgei 2:32:16
Dire Tune 2:32:17
Kara Goucher 2:32:25
Bezunesh Bekele 2:33:08
Helena Kirop 2:33:24

Mens:
Deribe Merga 2:08:42
Daniel Rono 2:09:32
Ryan Hall 2:09:40
Tekeste Kebede 2:09:49
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot 2:10:06

Not your parents summer camp...

2009-04-17T12:06:00.004-05:00

As the temps hit near 70 today in the Chicago land area and I'm still struggling on busting out of my winter running funk, this video can't help to provide some motivation.

Thanks to super-coach Jenny Hadfield for finding this...

Nike Naked Running Camp

Go back to the basics by running super natural at the Bear Butte Running Camp.

I Ate What?

2009-04-16T13:28:00.003-05:00

From the throes of Men's Health comes this enlightening article; Eat This, Not That

Most of us probably have some general idea of what's good and what's not. And every now and then an article comes along to remind us of what we already know, or occasionally throw us a curve (dark chocolate is good for you!).

Here's the latest incarnation of that reminder. This one more complete that most I've seen. ...and learn what shake provides a full day's calories in a single serving...

http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/index.php

Good news from the world of coffee…and, um, running…

2009-03-31T16:52:00.002-05:00

Coffee Lessens the Pain of Exercise

LiveScience Staff
livescience.com – Tue Mar 31, 1:37 pm ET

(link to original article)

That cup of coffee that many gym rats, bikers and runners swill before a workout does more than energize them. It kills some of the pain of athletic exertion, a new study suggests. And it works regardless of whether a person already had a coffee habit or not.

Caffeine works on a system in the brain and spinal cord (the adenosine neuromodulatory system) that is heavily involved in pain processing, says University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Robert Motl. And since caffeine blocks adenosine, the biochemical that plays an important role in energy transfer and thus exercise, he speculated that it could reduce pain.

So the researcher, a former competitive cyclist, divided 25 fit, college-aged males into two distinct groups: subjects whose everyday caffeine consumption was extremely low to non-existent, and those with an average caffeine intake of about 400 milligrams a day, the equivalent of three to four cups of coffee.

Unexpected results

After completing an initial exercise test in the lab on a stationary bike to determine maximal oxygen consumption or aerobic power, subjects returned for two monitored high-intensity, 30-minute exercise sessions.

An hour prior to each session, cyclists - who had been instructed not to consume caffeine during the prior 24-hour period - were given a pill. On one occasion, it contained a dose of caffeine measuring 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (equivalent to two to three cups of coffee); the other time, they received a placebo.

During both exercise periods, subjects' perceptions of quadriceps muscle pain was recorded at regular intervals, along with data on oxygen consumption, heart rate and work rate.

"What we saw is something we didn't expect," Motl said. "Caffeine-naïve individuals and habitual users have the same amount of reduction in pain during exercise after caffeine (consumption)."

The results are detailed in the April edition of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Co-authors included Steven P. Broglio of the University of Illinois and Sigurbjorn A. Arngrimsson of the Center for Sport and Health Sciences, Iceland University of Education.

"Clearly, if you regularly consume caffeine, you have to have more to have that bigger, mental-energy effect," Motl said. "But the tolerance effect is not ubiquitous across all stimuli. Even brain metabolism doesn't show this tolerance-type effect. That is, with individuals who are habitual users versus non-habitual users, if you give them caffeine and do brain imaging, the activation is identical. It's really interesting why some processes show tolerance and others don't."

Regarding the outcome of the current research, he said, it may be that tolerance to caffeine plays no role in the way it diminishes pain during exercise.

Motl said one of the next logical steps for his research team would be to conduct studies with rodents in order to better understand the biological mechanism for caffeine in reducing pain.

"If we can get at the biological mechanism, we can begin to understand why there may or may not be this kind of tolerance."

Will it help you win?

Motl previously has conducted other studies on the relationship between physical activity and caffeine, and considered such variables as exercise intensity, dose of caffeine, anxiety sensitivity and gender. A future research direction might be to determine caffeine's effect on sport performance.

"We've shown that caffeine reduces pain reliably, consistently during cycling, across different intensities, across different people, different characteristics. But does that reduction in pain translate into an improvement in sport performance?" he said.

Meanwhile, the current research could prove encouraging for a range of people, including the average person who wants to become more physically active to realize the health benefits.

"One of the things that may be a practical application, is if you go to the gym and you exercise and it hurts, you may be prone to stop doing that because pain is an aversive stimulus that tells you to withdraw," Motl said. "So if we could give people a little caffeine and reduce the amount of pain they're experiencing, maybe that would help them stick with that exercise."

10 Things You Need to Know About Coffee
5 Things You Must Know About Pain
Top 10 Mysteries of the Mind

Original Story: Coffee Lessens the Pain of Exercise

www.RunsWithCamera.com

2008-11-21T08:57:00.000-06:00

It appears I have lost the domain for the time being. I registered for renewal, have a receipt, but the wound up in the hands of GoDaddy (Google's registrar). Curiously, my credit card was never charged.

That's the downside of using proxy registrar (aka GoDaddy). You actually never own the domain name, they register it in their own name and in turn allow you the rights to use it.

Unfortunately, there's no support for available for blogger.com. What can you expect from a free service. I guess since I paid for the domain originally I would expect to have been provided an email address or support form.

In the meantime, I'm back to the original sub-domain name.

2008 Chicago Marathon

2008-10-11T20:52:00.001-05:00

Check back soon for pictures from the 2008 Chicago Marathon! Will we repeat the heat?

2008 Chicago Half Marathon

2008-09-14T17:29:00.005-05:00

Summary: it was wet.

Great Worm Migration of 2008

2008-09-13T21:28:00.003-05:00

I was trying to sneak in a run this morning. It's been quite wet around here recently. Now we're in the middle of three days of non-stop rain due to the effects of Ike.

The gutters were full of worms, up and down the block. Amazing.

Oak Brook Half Marathon 2008

2008-09-03T12:14:00.000-05:00

A quick pictorial of the Oak Brook 1st Annual 50th Anniversary Half Marathon. Full write-up in the works.

6:05am and virtually no lines.

Glad I got here early.

Marty and Eric.

Lots of people ahead.

Lots of people behind.

Inching closer to the start.

Here we go.

My family made it up early to cheer me on!

After a short jog on the street to thin the pack out, most of the course was on hiking paths or nice wide sidewalks.

Hope they weren't trying to get in a golf game with all these runners going by.

Decent amount of aid stations along the way.

My family is everywhere!

Just over half way, now we're out in the sun and it's starting to warm up.

No more shade trees, at least for now.

My family, again!

Berma shave!

...just a few...

I nice finish through the park.

Chicago Area Dead Runners: Russ, Kelly, Paul

Monkeys in a tree.

The house of the holy chainsaws... (aka Madison-Chicago 200 Mile Relay 2008) PART 2

2008-06-10T22:34:00.000-05:00

After the hand off to Debbie, we able to catch a glimpse of our team in action as the path now ran parallel to the road. So we pulled over gave Debbie a cheer before heading on to the next TA where van #1 would pick up the rotation.

As we waited for Debbie, van #1 pulled up next to us, fresh off their first rest break. The smell of Culvers burgers made me anxious for our turn to grab some lunch. The day was now warm and sticky with some wind gusts, but seemingly otherwise a decent day for running. However, as we waited, the TA operator announced the course had gone "yellow" -- which meant severe weather was in the area. Within 5 minutes, the status was changed to "red" and all runners would be held at their current TA. This gave us time to review the first leg of the race with the other van, download pictures and otherwise relax.

After 30 minutes our van took off to grab some much-needed lunch. Emily, our navigation system, found us a nearby Subway so off we went. Shortly after finishing lunch we received word the race was back on after a 1.5 hour weather relay.

After lunch we headed off to the next TA where we would take over in the rotation. It was almost 3 hours before we were up next, so we took advantage of the warm sun to stretch out and relax.

I was still feeling rather "unclean" from my run and was anxious about having to run again. Usually the night before a run I rarely sleep, so any attempt at rest was nothing more than a time to stretch out and relax as best I could without actually sleeping.

As van #1 progressed, we received updates via cell phone. As they got closer I woke up the team. Matt started getting prepared as the rest of us tried to shake off our morning grogginess.

Someone suggested going for coffee...so I checked with Emily who came up with a Starbucks a mere 2.5 miles away.

It was getting late enough that a round trip for coffee might mean Matt would miss the incoming runner. So we wished him well and promised we'd see him at the next TA, and the remaining four us headed off for a late night latte.

As we pulled through the drive-through I asked the barista if I could take a picture. He asked where we were from (assuming we were tourists, I suppose) and I told him about the relay in which he responded with an unenthusiastic "oh".

We made it back in time to see the other van arrive and before Matt had left. Feeling a bit rejuvenated by the java, one again we chatted with our teammates, cheering on the incoming runners and waited for Brian. Soon the exchange was made, Matt was off and we were, once again, chasing TAs.

Matt's leg ended at the Milwaukee Mile raceway with his final mile being a lap around the track. After watching him complete half a lap, we made our way over the the TA cones and assisted Eric in getting ready. It was now officially nighttime with sunlight quickly fading.

Eric seemed to have drawn the short straw as this leg was almost entirely uphill. The race was also starting to draw attention from the locals as a steady stream of runners was now headed down the street and the last mile was almost entirely residential.

The next TA was in a forest preserve parking lot with very little light. Any flash of light caught everyone's attention as a potential runner headed in.

By now the van was starting to become a bit disorganized. So we used our spare time to throw out a few bags of trash that had accumulated (yes, 2 trash bags in 12 hours) and get everyone's gear bag back in place.

Eric came in, and Dawn was off. We followed Dawn as best we could through the residential area. After turning on to the main streets it became difficult to do anything but follow the flow of the traffic. Our well-painted van attracted the attention of several motorists who wanted to know what was going on. One particular elderly couple rolled down their window and, after we explained the relay, the old man started giggling like a school girl. The incident kept us entertained for some time.

The next TA brought us to a school which had opened up their facilities for the relay. The night had become nice and cool and several groups decided to sleep outside. The gymnasium was open for sleeping, the locker rooms were open for showers, and the cafeteria open for food.

The though of food and a shower sounded inviting, but I was due to run next and didn't want to be caught in the shower when Dawn arrived.

It was 10pm or so with a few minutes to spare, so I chatted with my wife back home and was able to study my map. The map for this leg had a warning on it: NOTE: The segment from Grange to Loomis is an unlit section of street.

The segment from Grange to Loomis was almost 3 miles long. But I had a headlamp, a reflective vest, and flashing light. How bad could it be?

Dawn had managed to work her way to the front of the pack and was the first (I think) runner into the TA.

I have 0.5 mile of well lit roads before turning onto Root River Parkway where I began 2.5 miles of unlit forest preserve.

Often times when running at night I turn off my headlamp and my eyes adjust accordingly. The crushed limestone paths I frequently run on glow with any amount of ambient light. A headlamp constricts your eyes accordingly and can limit your visual range (or so I've found).

But this was no limestone path, it was 2 lane black asphalt road. The small crescent moon was still low in the horizon, well hidden by the trees and provided no light. I tried for sometime to allow my eyes to adjust without the headlamp, but I straining to see the road under my feet.

I flipped the headlamp on which severely limited my peripheral vision, but at least allowed me to see the road ahead of me.

The other sensation I experience when night running is hearing footsteps nearby. I know I'm not alone as a few of my other early-morning running partners have the same problem. We hear footsteps off in the distance that follow us the entire route. We've never been able to determine if it's the sound of our own footsteps echoing off the trees, or just a trick our mind plays on us, but we still flip the light on and scan the area.

This was no exception. This area was more open than my usual night running path, so I actually felt more comfortable with the phantom feet following me.

However, what I did not get used to is the eery sensation of being watched the whole time. Nearly every step of the way I encountered glowing eyes staring back at me.

I was able to identify at least one owl, what I believe to be a fox, and several deer--but dozens of other pairs of eyes went un-identified.

A well-lit road was off in the distance and I felt the 2.5 miles had gone quickly and I was sure I was making good time. But the arrows pointed me across the road for one last section of unlit territory.

Another road was ahead and arrows guided me through a few intersections. I was glad to be out of the 100-acre woods--the fact that I was now running through a cemetery was actually a comfort to me.

I had to consult the map a few times as the sidewalk turned, but the road continued straight ahead. The course brought me out and running alongside a 6 lane highway for a 2 mile stretch. Again I consulted the map as it was now getting difficult to keep track of time and distance and I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed my turn.

At the next intersection I made my final turn towards the TA. There were no sidewalks and only a small shoulder to run on. Any car on the road sent me into someone's yard until they passed where I made my way back to the road.

The TA was visible from some distance away. I handed off to Debbie and took some time to cool down. I was now tired. I'd run two 10k in the last 12 hours and have been up since 5am with only one serious meal all day long. I needed something to eat--and a shower would be nice too. But it was 11:30pm and only one runner to go before the other van took over.

No one was up to pacing Debbie on this late-night leg, so instead we followed her in the van, pulling ahead 1/2 mile, letter her pass, and them leap-frog her again. With the headlamp, reflective vest, and flashing lights, she could be seen from some distance away.

After a few miles we again pulled ahead and off to the side of the road and waited for Debbie to pass. Conveniently enough we were parked right in front of a Wendy's. Half the team headed to the road to wait for Debbie while the rest of us head into Wendy's. The dining room was closed so had to pull into the drive through to order. It must have been closing time as it seemed they really didn't want to go through the effort of selling food. The conversation at the intercom went something like this:

us: We'd like 4 grilled chicken sandwiches

them: The 99 cent value meal fried chicken ?

us: No. The grilled chicken sandwiches

them: We'll have to make them.

us: Ok

them: It will take 10 minutes

us: Ok, you better get started.

them: So, you want the grilled chicken sandwiches?

us: Yes, four of them.

After placing the order, we waited our 10 minutes and came near to missing our runner at the next TA, but we did manage to make it in time. Van #1 was already there and fresh off dinner, shower, and a rest.

It was a perfect night for running. The wind had died down and the skies were clear. But I was glad to be done for the evening and more than willing to let van #1 take the midnight to 4am shift.

We headed out to TA #23 at St Andrew's Lutheran Church. The church was open for sleeping and food so we thought we'd take advantage of the services offered.

There were no showers at the church, but I grabbed a change of clothes and bag of baby-wipes. It wasn't quite as good as a real shower, but I was smelling fresh.

The church youth group was there to help everyone out. Most of the building was dark as most people where there to sleep. Our group was lead into the sanctuary where I grabbed a spot on the floor. A beech towel served as my blanket and that was all I needed. It was dark and quiet and I quickly fell asleep -- at least for a short while.

When we arrived we there was only a handful of people, but over the next few hours, more and more runners arrived. Many of them came and went and I never knew they were there.

Others insisted on dragging chairs across the floor, rearranging them into a make-shift bed.

The chair-dragging seemed to go on forever. As soon as one person got their chairs arranged just right, another would start.

I was happy with my spot on the floor. Then the chain-saws began...

I realize it's genetic. I realize it can be a serious medical condition. I know not everyone may have wanted to bring their splints along for the relay weekend. I also realize that the lack of sleep during the weekend may be to blame. But there we were, trying to sleep in the church sanctuary and we were being kept awake by people snoring (and it wasn't even Sunday).

After almost an hour, I grabbed my gear and moved to the gym where I could something to eat and drink. With the lights on in the gym, people moving around and talking, and finishing off a cup of coffee, I promptly dozed off at the table for another 30 minutes. Go figure.

I called the other van to check on their progress and estimated the time we need to meet them.

As we got within one hour, I began hunting around the church sanctuary for my teammates. Most of them were awake already. We sat down for food and beverage provided by the church youth group.

Van #1 would be passing through this TA soon, so we headed outside to cheer them on. Once they passed we packed up and headed on our way where we would begin the final segment of our relay.

( TO BE CONTINUED ... )

"You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone."

-- Percy Cerutty

A weeklong camping trip in 34 hours... (aka Madison-Chicago 200 Mile Relay 2008) PART 1

2008-06-09T22:55:00.000-05:00

This is another one of those events I agreed to run without a complete understanding of what the event really entailed. Maybe I knew what was involved in a 200 Mile relay, but I really didn't *know* what was involved.

For those of you who don't know; the MC200 is a 200 mile relay running race. The team starts in Madison, Wisconsin and works it's way to Montrose Harbor in downtown Chicago--203.4 miles away. To give you a perspective of the event, refer to the image on the right: the red course in the lower right is the Chicago Marathon. The yellow line stretching from the upper left to the lower right is the entire course of the relay.

The race is broken down into 36 legs which range from 3 to 8 miles long. Each runner runs their leg then passes a baton (a slap-bracelet) to the next runner who takes off on the next leg. The baton is always moving.

Sound simple enough? The cutoff time is 36 hours. This means your team runs all day, all night, and the next day. With a cutoff time of 36 hours, a team must average better than a 10:30 min/mile pace.

Our team consisted of 10 runners, split into 2 vans. Van #1 had runners 1-5. Van #2 had runners 6-10.

Van #1 would rotate through their 5 runners and respective 5 legs. Van #2 would meet at TA (transition area) #5 where we would take over the next 5 legs while van #1 got a short break. At TA #10, van #1 would take over again. The cycle continues all the way to the end.

Since I frequently work overnight shifts, and run at odd times of the night/day, I figured I was well trained for this event -- and the thought of not sleeping much, running a lot, and taking a day off of work all sounded like my type of trip.

So I packed an overnight bag with one change of clothes and 3 running outfits, a selection of power-food--which included peanut butter and jelly, M&Ms, pretzels, 7 gallons of water, and 2 cases of Gatorade--and picked up a van-load of friends and drove to Madison Wisconsin.

Once there we met up with the other half of our team and captain Brian went over the logistics of the race and we handed out our team t-shirts.

5:30am came early as we got our team checked-in for our 7am start time.

After getting well-caffinated and a small bite of food, we lined up to see Sean, our #1 runner, at the start line. The race started from the hotel parking lot. Early morning storms prevented the race organizers from completing the scaffolding and start line. So we started with nothing more than a clock, and few cones, and a small crew to start the 40 teams assigned to this wave.

Since our van had a few hours before we needed to run, we headed back in and took advantage of the free breakfast provided to us while staying on the club level. The morning news was on with frequent updates on severe weather moving into the area. (The area marked "Severe Storms" covered the entire 200 mile route.)

After finishing breakfast and several more cups of coffee, we headed to Walmart to pick up a few more supplies we needed. By the time we arrived at Walmart, a light rain had started. Within 5 minutes the light rain changed to a torrential downpour. The rain was so loud on the metal roof of Walmart that it was difficult to hold a conversation. Our thoughts turned to our teammates in van #1 as they were out running in the rain.

The rain subsided, but dark clouds continued to loom in the distance as we left Walmart and headed over to catch a glimpse of our teammates in action.

By the time we arrived at TA #3 it was sunny with clear skies and moderate winds.

Van #1 pulled up shortly afterwards and we had a chance to exchange stories on the morning's weather. We also had enough spare time to paint our van windows and fit in with the rest of the group.

After watching the transition we were off and head to TA #5 were van #2 would take over in the rotation.

Matt began his last minute stretching as the rest of waited (im)patiently. Soon Brian was in sight, we cheered him in the last few hundred yards, the exchange was made, and Matt was off. Now the pressure was on as we headed off to the next TA.

The sun was out in full force and temperatures rising.

The transition zone was marked by two cones, usually 10-15 feet apart. The exchange includes passing the baton from one runner to the next. The time of the exchange is marked and recorded by both the TA operator and in the team log. While it doesn't seem like a huge administrative burden, we were so pumped about the exchange we frequently forgot to record the time in our log.

Another exchange was made at Matt completed his leg and Eric was on his way. After giving Matt a short time to relax and cool off we were back in the van to prepare for the next leg.

The TA operators were members of several local HAM radio clubs. They used this event as an exercise in emergency communication across a wide area. HAM operators all along the 203 mile course were in constant contact with each other, updating team times and keeping an eye on the weather. The operator at TA #8 was well prepared with tents housing multiple laptops and radios; keeping an eye live weather feeds and other emergency news sources. If a drop of rain fell, I was sure he would know about it.

By now the course started to thin out. No other teams had passed by this TA and only our team and one other were expecting their runners to come by in the next 5 minutes.

Dawn was next up in the list and was the only one of our group to have ever participated in a long-distance relay before.

Eric came in with a healthy lead over the next team. The exchange was made and Dawn took off, down the path, and across the road where she narrowly avoided being run over by a car. The rest of the team stood and stared at what may have a been a rather unfortunate event, but Dawn continued down the path seemingly unfazed.

I was next up in the rotation and was anxious to get to the next TA and some time to prepare. My water bottle was ready to go, I was covered in sunscreen, all that was left was to review my route.

We soon discovered that running the relay is only half of the race. The other half is driving.

We were given a second set of maps with directions on driving from one TA to the next. Since the running route was frequently a hiking trail, simply driving along the running path was not possible. There were several problems with the directions: (1) some roads were closed due to construction, (2) Rural Routes aren't in alphabetical order (if you just crossed RR "A", RR "B" was farther away than RR "C", (3) Sometimes the directions would indicate to turn left on "Louise Drive" but the street sign was "Rural Route AA", (4) The directions indicated to turn left on Louise Drive in 0.5 miles, but Louise Drive was 3.8 miles away.

This particular leg seemed to be a problem for everyone. We arrived at an intersection that wasn't mentioned in the direction and team vans were traveling in every direction, making U-turns and turning every which-way.

We made several wrong turns, attempted to follow two different detours and, only after some time, were we able to reconcile our actual location with the directions.

At this point we found ourselves at another detour. Our "updated" directions indicated the TA was just beyond the construction zone (which was probably 1 mile long). The directions recommended a bypass route which seemed like backtracking into the previous aforementioned series-of-wrong-turns.

We decided to follow two other team vehicles through the construction zone. By now we had accumulated a line of 4 team vehicles behind us as well.

In the first 100 yards of the construction zone, the 2 vehicles ahead of us turned into parking lots and turned around. We were running out of time and patience and decided to forge ahead.

Our van slid around in the mud, skidding sideways, throwing dirt...I kept my foot on the gas knowing that if we stopped, we would never get moving again.

By the time we reached the end, no one was following us.

Sure enough, the TA was just around the corner. Vans were already lining up. We rounded the corner and noticed Dawn was 50 yards from the transition zone. I immediately stopped the van (I think I was clear of the road), grabbed my water and camera and darted across the street. Dawn and I were headed straight at each other at full speed. I performed a hockey-stop on the loose-gravel path, grabbed the bracelet, she handed me the waist pack (which contained our mandatory cell phone and maps) and I took off. I never got time to study my route, so I had to ask my teammates which way I was supposed to leave the TA. They pointed me down the road and off I went, hoping the course was well marked.

I kept going as I fumbled with the waist pack, adjusting the belt from a size 3 up to a size 36. I finally had everything in place, so I settled in and cruised ahead.

The first section of my leg took past the junction of Junction Rd and Junction Rd, a group of cows who appeared rather fascinated by the runner cruising down the road, and more hills than I care to count. The course was fairly well marked with large arrows mounted on street signs to point the way. After a short jog on the streets I was directed to a path for the final 4.5 miles of my leg. The tree coverage was just enough to block any wind, but open enough to let the sun beat down. With an event like this, there are no aid stations or water stops. I had 6 miles to go with nothing more than what I carried. With the heat continuing to rise, I had to ration my single water bottle, only taking sips every 5 minutes. It wasn't quite enough to quench my thirst, but enough to keep me moving.

At one point I noticed a huge rock in the path, far ahead. The more I looked at it, the more I could swear it was moving. I thought maybe I was hallucinating. It's not uncommon for me to hear things and see things late at night or very early morning, but this was still mid-day on the first leg of the relay. As I got closer, I realized the rock was a huge turtle, inching his way across the path.

Only once on this leg did I pull out the map. The path split and there was no arrow indicating the way. I continued on the "most-straight" path, but checked the map just in case. I imagine that somewhere, among the 200 miles of arrows along the course, at least one arrow had probably gone astray and I didn't want to wind up 5 miles of course.

Before long the TA was in sight and I heard my teammates cheering me in. I passed the baton and waist pack off to Debbie who would complete the first rotation of our team.

( TO BE CONTINUED ... )

"Life (and running) is not all about time but about our experiences along the way."

- Jen Rhines

Can't Afford An Ipod?

2008-05-29T02:49:00.004-05:00

Mike O'Gorman supplies music for New Yorkers jogging without iPods.

Thanks to Ken P for passing this video along, and congrats to Ken for qualifing for Boston!

black20

Chase Corporate Challenge 2008

2008-05-22T06:24:00.001-05:00

The worse 3.5 mile race you'll ever run.

Where do you fit in?

2008-05-11T19:59:00.015-05:00

I'm not much of a celebrity-watch person, but there's something intriguing about charting "famous" people and their marathon times. I guess it comes down to, they're just as human as we are. So, here's my collection of famous people and their best marathon times. I'm going to keep this updated as I discover more. Feel free to post updated info as a comment.

And, yes, anyone 90 years or older that finishes a marathon is a celebrity in my book.

time	name	known for	event
2:46:03	Alan Turing	mathematician, cryptologist	1947 Leicestershire Amateur Athletic Championships Marathon
2:59:36	Lance Armstrong	american bicycler	2006 ING New York City Marathon
3:04:21	Dana Carvey	comedian	1972 Ocean to Bay Marathon
3:23:54	Bjorn Ulvaeus	musician (ABBA)	1980 Stockholm Marathon
3:24:29	William Baldwin	actor	New York City Marathon
3:44:52	George W. Bush	President of the United States of America	1993 Houston Marathon
3:55:40	Anthony Edwards	actor, ER	Chicago Marathon
3:56:12	Will Ferrell	actor	2003 Boston Marathon
4:08:30	Meredith Baxter	actress, Family Ties	1982 NYC Marathon
4:14:54	Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs	musician	2002 NYC Marathon
4:29:20	Oprah Winfrey	tv personality	1994 Marine Corps Marahton
5:29:58	Katie Holmes	actress	2007 NYC Marathon
5:40	Fauja Singh	92 years old	2003 Toronto Marathon
6:04:43	David Lee Roth	musician	1987 New York City Marathon
7:33	Dimitrion Yordanidis	98 years old	1976 Greece to Athens Marathon
11:34	Jenny Wood-Allen	90 year old woman	2002 London Marathon

Quarryman Challenge 2008

2008-05-10T06:26:00.000-05:00

King of the Hill(s)

Nashville Country Music Rainy-Day Marathon

2008-04-27T23:07:00.000-05:00

I heard a great many good things about Nashville's Country Music Marathon. I didn't let my disdain for country music get in the way of signing up for good race.

With a field of 30,000 runners the Country Music Marathon has risen to the occasion with the apparent full support of the city and community.

The registration process was quick and efficient but thorough enough that newbies should consider this for their first marathon. I mean, how many races actually have a demonstration on how to attach the timing chip to your shoe?

Race time is 7am on Saturday morning. The start and finish line are 2 miles apart and the race coordinators recommend parking at the finish line and taking a shuttle bus (which run from 4am to 6am) to the start. Our hotel is a just about a half-mile from the finish so my plan is to walk over and grab a shuttle bus to the start.

I set my alarm for 3:10am and check the weather--which continues to predict rain all morning long.

It's just about 4am as I head out. The hotel provided Gatorade, bananas, bagels...even rain ponchos! Kudos to the Courtyard Marriott for proving extra service to the runners.

The rain continues to pour during my short walk to the shuttle buses.

There are literally hundreds of shuttle buses, stretching for over a mile, lined up to shuttle runners to the start.

At 4:15am I'm able to hop directly on a bus and head to the start line.

(The obligatory picture of the line-o-port-o-johns)

This is the first race I've known that provides food and drink before the race (even coffee). With almost 3 hours before my corral is scheduled to go, I grab some food and fuel-up for the morning.

A pre-recorded voice repeats "starting corrals are straight ahead." Since the the info booths, food tents, and gear check lined up in a U shape--it was a bit confusing which way "straight ahead" really meant. Runners were headed in all directions.

Initially I begin to follow largest group of people, hoping they headed to the corrals, but soon discover they are headed to the Parthenon (really, in Nashville) seeking shelter from the rain.

I stumble across gear check--which is provided by twenty something UPS trucks. While I still have 2 hours before race time, I'm already soaked so I decide to shed my extra clothes and check my gear.

I find my way to the corral and have plenty of time to relax and think about my race.

At this time most of the people in the corral are volunteers. There are 30 something corrals which are scheduled to be let go at 2-4 minute intervals.

Around T minus 1 hour; I get asked if I would be willing to hold the corral sign. No less than 3 minutes later the emcee requests runners to start lining up and announces corral captains are holding a sign and will be able to answer any questions you have. Nice.

Our corral begins to fill up and, sure enough, I become the answer man for "Where is gear check?" "Bathrooms?" "What time do we start?" "How will I find my family at the end?" "How many aid stations are there?" "At what mile do they hand our Power Gels?" and my favorite "How did you get to be a corral captain?"

At 7 am the elites are released and every 3 minutes after, another corral. We begin inching up in a parade-like fashion before we reach the front.

We are held back for what seems like an eternity.

But in 3 minutes the horn is blown and off we go with nothing but smooth sailing ahead--no rubbing shoulders, no tripping over heels, no one weaving in and out trying to get a PR on the first mile--just find your pace and set the cruise control.

While there are no mountains to climb on the the Nashville course, it's not flat either. It's 26 miles of rolling terrain. Six months ago this course probably would have kicked my butt, but after the Clinton Lake ultramarathon my definition of hills has forever changed.

The only thing more plentiful than water stops is the music. Bands are everywhere.

And if there wasn't a band somewhere, someone would put together their own band.

And if someone didn't put together their own band, they hired a DJ and danced with dogs.

And if there was no music, you got a group of friends and cheered.

Or you dressed up as train engineers and cheered.

Or maybe you dressed up as ducks and cheered.

Or sunflowers...

Or bees...

Or cats...

Or maybe you dressed up as nuns and blessed people as they went by (okay, I think the nuns are real).

And, of course, what do they offer at the aid station just outside the Abbey?

Maybe you made signs for your loved ones.

Or you just gathered your friends, from both sides of the ocean, to clap.

Maybe you have no friends so you taught your dog to clap.

Or maybe you don't even have a dog, so you cracked open a bottle champagne and dined on the right-of-way.

Did I mention there were bands everywhere?

...and people with signs...

...and people dancing...

...all for the people that run.

The first part of the course is shared between those running the half-mary and those running the full. Around mile 10, Elvis is there to separate the half-marathoners from the full-marathoners.

After the split the course thins out considerably and becomes a lot quieter. Even the guy at the half-way point begins dozing off.

The course winds through an industrial park before going up and onto the river-front path. A nice change of scenery. While I miss the crowds and noise, a peaceful two-mile stroll can be just as rejuvenating.

Then it's down, off the path where we are greeted by another band.

Mile 16 I catch up with Flat Stanley pinned to the back of someone's shirt.

At Mile 17 I cross "Russell Rd." and realize I've held a steady pace for the past 17 miles. It's quiet enough I begin reviewing my time and how many miles I have left and I begin doing some math. I've always had difficultly doing simple math while running--I think it's because my brain all but shuts off while I run (maybe that's why I like running?)--even calculating simple splits require intense concentration. But I soon realize I am on my way, not to a PR, but a solid second-best marathon time.

Mile 18 I catch up with Tom Joens. I notice his " 'Run' Hit Wonder" shirt and I strike up a short conversation. I discover we both live 500 miles away and within 10 minutes of each other. Tom is also on the board of directors of CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association).

I review my time, pace and remaining miles again. The math still adds up. I could actually ease off a tad and still take a solid second-best marathon time.

At mile 20 we enter the third and final loop of the course. A scenic road that takes us for a loop around the lake. The aid station is handing out Jolly Ranchers. I've learned that, as much as I'd like to lose weight, a marathon is not the time to start dieting--I must eat to avoid bonking. And I have to eat a lot. If my heart rate monitor is accurate, I burn 4,500 calories during a marathon distance run. Your body typically doesn't burn fat during intense exercise, but will begin to burn muscle once glycogen stores are depleted. To avoid burning muscles (and hastening the "bonking" process) you have to continually replace glycogen. For someone that burns 4,500 calories during a 5 hour run, that's a lot of food. My pockets are stuffed with Power Gels and Clif Shots that are consumed at regular intervals.

At mile 25 we finish our lap of the lake and are greeted by the Music City branch of the Hash House Harriers. I quickly inhale one last packet of gel, grab a cold one (which really is ice cold), chug, give a hearty belch and put the hammer down.

For some reason, the last mile is strewn with runners on the side of the road, stretching, cooling themselves off, resting. I'm thinking to myself, why rest now? 10 minutes and you'll be home. I begin tossing my extra packets of gel to those who just can't seem to take another step.

It's good to hear the crowd as we approach the finish line.

My official time is 4:58, making this a solid second-best marathon for me. I think what pleases me more is that I ran it consistent. The last two miles of the race were as fast as the first two miles and I crossed the finish line with nothing left to give.

It's getting difficult to pick my "favorite" race. I can say I was pleasantly surprised with the organization and thoroughness of this event with plenty of water, sports drink, food, and entertainment throughout the course. I'd rate this as a "must do" for anyone looking for a top-notch marathon.

After cleaning up and a short nap, we head out for the evening and settle in at Mulligan's Pub for some good Irish food. We are entertained by the house band, Def Leprechaun, until well past midnight before my legs freeze up and I begin to nod off at the table.

It's been a good day and I'm sure I'll be back to Nashville for another marathon.

I appreciate the art and science of running, but more than a sport it's a part of my life. It helps me live better. -- McGough

Nashville Country Music Marathon 2008 brief

2008-04-26T16:49:00.009-05:00

Nashville Country Music Marathon 2008 is now history. It was downpouring at the start, but was warm and sunny at the end. Finish time was 4:58.

FULL RACE REPORT IN THE WORKS!

MUST DO 26.2 WORKOUTS

2008-04-19T18:10:00.002-05:00

MUST DO 26.2 WORKOUTS

When preparing for a marathon, make sure you fit these two workouts into your training
By Amby Burfoot

PUBLISHED 07/17/2007

Mile Repeats

In a fascinating article in Marathon & Beyond in 2002, veteran marathoner Dan Horvath plotted various workouts against his subsequent results in 30 marathons over a 12-year period. The most effective workout? Mile repeats. Horvath would typically run 6 x 1-mile at his 10-K race pace once a week. It turned out that the faster his mile repeats prior to a given marathon, the faster his marathon time. Mile repeats are a modified form of tempo training.

Yasso 800s

This deceptively simple workout has been used effectively by thousands of runners over the last decade. The goal, after several months of working up to it, is to run 10 x 800 meters in the same minutes:seconds as your goal time (in hours:minutes). If you want to run a 3:40 marathon, for example, you run your Yasso 800s in 3 minutes, 40 seconds. This workout isn't based on physiology; it's just a very tough effort that's got a mathematical appeal to it.

Shamrock Shuffle 2008 8k

2008-03-30T17:19:00.002-05:00

One day after the Clinton Lake 30 miler was the Shamrock Shuffle 8k. I hadn't missed a Shamrock Shuffle in several years and I wasn't going to let a 30 mile run spoil my streak.

FULL RACE REPORT IN THE WORKS!

Clinton Lake 30 Miler 2008

2008-03-29T17:14:00.003-05:00

30 miles, nothing but dirt trails and hills, 8:30 hours on my feet.

FULL RACE REPORT IN THE WORKS!

Running In the House of Mouse

2008-01-22T02:31:00.001-06:00

(aka I Should Prepare Less More Often)

It was a dark and stormy night... It was Saturday night before the 15th annual Walt Disney World Marathon and down came the rain. I had hoped the rain would make for a cool marathon the next day so I finish organizing my gear and head for bed.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Walt Disney Marathon, it’s an early starting race to say the least. I’m sure there are a few reasons, one to minimize the amount of time runners are running in the heat of the Florida sun and also to minimize the impact of non-running park guests (since the marathon runs through all 4 WDW parks).

Gun time is 6am. Working backwards, Disney starts to close gear check around 4:30am. If you’re a park guest, buses start making their rounds at 3am. Those of you that have read my previous race reports know I like to get to races early and avoid the rush of last-minute preparations.

At 2:30am my alarms goes off and by 3:15am I’m on a bus headed for gear check.

Another Disney oddity is the ½ mile+ walk from gear check to the starting corrals. Disney cast members began to cheer “You’re almost at the start line!”

I line up in my corral and by 4:30, stake out my spot around the 5:00 pace group, and lay out for a short nap.

At no point before or during the race do I think about how under-prepared I am for this marathon. After the Chicago Marathon Misery three months earlier, I had never run more than 12 miles at a time. 48 hours before the Chicago marathon I was on a strict schedule—no milk, no spicy food, no caffeine, get a chiropractic adjustment, get a massage, go to the expo Friday, drink lots of water, run 2 miles Saturday morning then rest the rest of the day (which included watching Chariots of Fire-twice, Running on the Sun, and Lord of the Rings).

This race couldn’t have more different: Thursday and Friday I spent 9+ hours each in the car with multiple stops for fast food, gas station coffee, and a bag of beef jerky. Saturday I spent all day in the sun, running with the kids during their races, hiking around downtown Disney with a fish and chips dinner at Raglan Road with a bottle of Orange Juice that doesn’t expire for 1,000 years. Not exactly the R&R and diet the doctor prescribed.

In typical Disney fashion emcee’s are there to get the crowd pumped with a pair of jumbo-tron TV’s for music videos and clips. There’s the singing of the national anthem, a few more motivational words and then fireworks before the starting gun.

The race starts just outside Disney’s EPCOT, with the first lap taking you partway through the World Showcase before heading up to the Magic Kingdom.

Around 10.5 miles you run down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom, through Tomorrowland into Fantasyland, through Cinderella’s Castle, through Liberty Square and out Frontierland. Despite multiple photo opportunities during the first half, I pass the 5:00 pace group and gain some ground. My last-minute change in strategy to start slow is beginning to pay off. I pass the 11 mile mark and feel good, splits are holding steady, even dropping a bit.

There next five miles takes you through access roads not generally open to the public where you pass such exciting behind-the-scenes areas like the float maintenance sheds and recycling center.

Despite these glimpses into the Magic of Disney, Sharpie (markers) sponsors a series of random trivia signs scattered throughout the course and a stream of constant music. It’s at this point during the race that your average marathoner (aka: me) appreciates the distractions.

Stand away from the bird... Around mile 16 you enter the backside of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I pose temporarily to get my picture taken with a parrot where I am sternly told to stand on the side opposite the parrot (maybe parrots get aggressive towards sweaty runners?).

Mile 18 exits the Animal Kingdom and the effects of the rising sun are starting to take their toll. Humidity has been high all morning long, but the Florida sun raises the air temps and I begin a slow throttling back of my pace. I lose the 5 mile pace group and, unfortunately, never catch back up.

Around mile 19 a modest selection of Clif Shots are available for consumption. Having somewhat of a coffee/caffeine addition, I figured the Double Espresso would be a match made in heaven. I down the Clif Shot and I barely last a half-mile before my stomach cramps, I get nauseous, and finally vomit. Guess I’ll stick with the Mocha flavor. Mile 19 would be my second slowest mile.
At mile 23 the course enters Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney’s MGM Studios).

Mile 23 is my slowest mile, 4 minutes slower than my average pace. The photo opportunities at every corner are to blame.

I'm taking a picture of you...

...taking a picture of me.

The last few miles take you the long way through EPCOT (again) with a finale loop past almost all nations in the World Showcase and exiting through the main gates at Future World. By now the heat has caused me to change my regular hydration plan and kick in my “alternate” plan--forcing myself to drink Gatorade with regular sips every few minutes. I know I’m slightly dehydrated so I check my pulse and adjust my pace and drink accordingly.

Almost there, but it's getting hot!

Right at mile 26 is a 50 piece gospel choir providing a final boost of motivation. Never before has gospel music sounded so inspirational.

The final 100 yards are grandstands packed with cheering fans and Disney characters.

My watch time is around 5:16 but I’m satisfied and feel like I’ve run a good race. A quick check of my splits seems to confirm that starting out slower lead to quicker times between miles 10 and 18. After mile 18 my times increase due to the effects of the rising sun and rising temps, something I’m not acclimated to as barely a week ago I was running in 6 inches of fresh snow.

For an average marathoner, there’s no place better to enjoy a long race than Disney. The course is full of distractions. It’s not a race you’re likely to set a PR, and a running purist may balk at the course—there are a few pinch points and lots of corners—but it’s a race you’re not likely to forget regardless of your finish time where even the mile markers become worthy of a photo stop.

My wife has agreed that, if we come back next year, she will run/walk the 5k (normally a non-runner/walker). I suppose this is her way of trying to force me back to Florida next January. Without hesitation I sign us both up for the 5k in 2009 and also sign myself up for the Goofy Challenge. For those of you unfamiliar, Disney runs the 5k on Friday, the half-marathon on Saturday and the full marathon on Sunday. Three years ago they started the Goofy Challenge, offering people the option to run both the half on Saturday and full on Sunday. After almost 1,000 people signed up they had to close registration, apparently never expecting so many people to take them up on the challenge. 2007 they offered the Goofy Challenge again with a cap of 1,000. In 2008 the cap was raised to 3,000. Within the first week of sign up for the 2009 Goofy Challenge, registration is over half full.

We spent a week in Florida, spending most of our time at WDW. It seemed like every other shirt I saw was a Disney Marathon, Half, or Goofy shirt. After a week we made the trip home, watching the outside temperature drop from 68 degrees when we left Florida, to -1 as we pulled in the driveway. About 3 inches of fresh snow has fallen since I started this blog entry. Welcome home.

"There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools you can't get into, but the roads are always open." - Nike slogan

Citius, Altius, Fortius

2008-01-07T23:21:00.000-06:00

Bill Bowerman (during prologue of Without Limits): Citius, Altius, Fortius. It means Faster, Higher, Stronger. Its been the motto for the Olympics for the last 2,500 years. But it doesn't mean faster, figher, stronger than who you're competeing against just; Faster. Higher. Stronger.

Over Christmas break I received the next batch of NetFlix movies and received a movie I have been looking forward to for some time.

Without Limits (1998) is based on the life of Steve Prefontaine, who, during his high school and college years, broke just about every 5k record that existed.

Pre believed there was one way to race and one way to train; give it everything you've got. No holding back, no saving for the end. When he ran a race, he got the front, built a huge lead, and stayed there.

He believed he had no inherent talent but his success on the track resulted in nothing less than hard work.

Mary: Not everything can be learned, somethings take talent.
Pre: Let me tell you something, talent is a myth, Mary. There's a dozen guys on the team with more talent in their little finger than I have in my whole body.

As I head out for a run the next morning I couldn't help but think about how much I'm holding back. I complete a 4 mile run and realize that I don't feel much different then after I take the dog for a 2 mile walk.

Pre: I don't want to win unless I know I've done my best, and the only way I know how to do that is to run out front, flat out until I have nothing left. Winning any other way is chicken-#^%@%.

My times have not significantly changed over the years and, while I suppose you could argue keeping steady times while you get older might actually be considered some progress, could my best times actually be ahead of me?

What would happen if I forgot about the limitations I put on myself? I'm not as young as I used to be. I'm not as thin as I used to be. My joints ache more. What if, as Pre believed, my only limitation was the level of effort I was willing to give? And, as Pre believed, there is no limit to your will.

Its difficult not to compare your individual performance against everyone around you, it's not necessarily the best way to track progress or performance. I have several years of training logs and race results and I realize the only competitor I need to worry about is myself.

Bowerman: The purpose of running a race isn't to win, it's to test the limits of the human heart...and nobody did it more often...nobody did it better.

So this year, while I had vowed to make it a year to get back to running for the run of running, I believe I can train harder, improve my times, and still have fun.

Bill Bowerman: Pre, you see, was troubled by knowing that a mediocre effort can win a race and a magnificent effort can lose one. Winning a race wouldn't necessarily demand that he give it everything he had from start to finish. But he never ran any other way. I couldn't get him to, and God knows I tried... but... Pre was stubborn on holding himself to a higher standard than victory. 'A race is a work of art' is what he said and what he believed and he was out to make it one every step of the way.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T05:14:00.000-06:00

(Running related material at the end)

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Christmas morning run.

Daily Kick in the Butt

2007-12-14T19:36:00.000-06:00

Runners World sends out a dialy "Kick in the Butt" email, usually some quote or motivation slogan. Today's "Kick in the Butt" made me laugh:

Sign up to receive your own "Kick in the Butt".

Things to do with a waterproof camera

2007-12-13T21:35:00.000-06:00

Jillian on left, Jessica on right

2007 Bonfield Express 5k Turkey Trot

2007-11-22T21:27:00.000-06:00

Not much of a write-up just a few pictures so I can say that I'm getting caught up on my race reports.

This is, by far, the best race picture of me ever. Serious. I'm not very photogenic when it comes to race pictues, so this ones a keeper.

Me and Doug Faron at the race line up.

Support from the home team!

Shirt of the day:

For more information about the Bonfield Express 5k race and Bonfield Express Foundation, click here: http://www.bonfieldexpress.com

Do It Yourself Duathlon (aka I GOT FIRST!)

2007-11-11T22:56:00.000-06:00

Roll The Tollway

I always enjoy one-off races. While I have my regulars, it's always exciting to run a new race--whether it's the inaugural race of a series, a race out of state, or those once-in-a-lifetime races such as today's Tollway Bike/Run.

As the completion of the I-355 extension neared, the Illinois Toll Authority organized a 20 mile bike ride that looped most of the 12 mile extension and also a 5k run on the same day.

I immediately signed up for the 5k run, only to realize the run wasn't until 11:30am. After reviewing the situation, I signed up for the bike ride to fill up my morning.

The morning of the event I dug out my "Wacker Drive Is Done" shirt from 2002 -- a race the city of Chicago organized after the rehab of lower and upper Wacker Drive. I packed my stuff and headed out the door.

There were no plans for the days events, just a bike ride followed by a run. No time goals, no pressure.

Almost since I left my house I noticed people riding their bikes heading south towards the starting area in Lemont. I wasn't sure how many of the morning's bikers were going to Roll The Tollway, but their numbers grew the closer I got.

Every other car on the road at that time had bike racks with bikes of every shape and size.

I found a parking lot within a 1 mile of the start, loaded up my backpack and rode right up to the next wave.

Usually one-off events are a bit disorganized but I found the signage great and the volunteer staff . For the biking portion, there was no check-in or packet pick-up. A wrist-band was mailed the week before and that was all that was needed.

Bikers were sent off in waves. After several minutes of announcements, another wave would be sent off.

After we were let go it was 22 miles of open sailing.

Bikes of all kinds were on the course... big bikes, little bikes, bikes with training wheels, bikes with 3 wheels, bikes with 4 wheels, fat tire bikes, thin tire bikes, fast bikes, slow bikes, tandem bikes, recumbent bikes, tandem recumbent bikes, bikes that fold, and even bikes with dogs...

...and bikes from Canada...

I kept a steady pace. With my road bike in recurring state of (dis)repair, I brought my mountain bike. I had no target speed or time goals--only to be finished in time for the 5k.

I finished the 22 mile just after 11am which means I had less than 30 minutes to get to the start line. Several bikers were racking their bikes, changing clothes, and pinning on race bibs. I hadn't even picked up my packet yet...

Chapter #2

I ran to the pick-up tent, grabbed my packet and before I darted off to the start line I noticed a note on the envelope "1st to Sign Up!". Really? I opened my envelope and sure enough, my race bib was number "1".

Immediately after pinning on my race bib I became a mini-celebrity. People would point "Hey, he's number 1!". I was wished "Good Luck #1" by a number of people. I was even approached by someone who claims he was once "#1" in a race a few years ago. I was told I should frame my "#1" race bib. Someone even offered to buy it from me.

I have since learned about the super-secret society of People-With-#1-Race-Bibs. It's so secret most members don't even know who the other members are.

The start was even more crowded that I anticipated, and since I was late getting to the start line, I was stuck in the back.

At the back of pack, I bumped in to no less than a dozen people I know. Most were families running/walking as a group or pushing strollers.

Soon we were off and I was stuck in walking traffic. But the scenery was great. The course was fairly straight, 1.55 miles out, 1.55 miles in. From the start, you could see all the way out to the turnaround and the lengthening line of 5,000+ runners. I had a lot of passing to do.

I did my best and made some progress. I weaved back and forth across the roadway--probably adding a few 1/10th of a mile--as large groups of people were clumped together. The course was not flat, but the uphill was gentle enough it was hardly noticeable.

On the return trip the headwind became more of a factor than grade. However, my temporary-celebrity-status as "that #1 guy" made it bearable. I received cheers and high-fives from numerous people that I passed still on the outbound leg. I had expected my "Wacker Drive" shirt to attract more attention, but its limelight was stolen by the fluke chance of the registration queue.

Props to Salute Inc for a well organized, one-off event--actually two one-off events (although I've been told that the post-race shuttle bus service left something to be desired).

With a self-timed finish of 25:32, this qualifies as an "average" 5k time for me. However, I will always remember this race as my first "#1" race. Maybe I can put this race bib on my Hole-In-One Golf Ball rack until I have something else to display.

The Spirit of the Marathon

2007-09-29T03:31:00.000-05:00

I'm pumped! The trailer alone is motivating enough...

The North American premier is this weekend in Chicago. Visit the official website for more details: http://www.marathonmovie.com

This movie will also be shown at the Chicago Film Festival.

Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon

2007-09-11T02:18:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure why, but I set my alarm for 3:30am. I wasn't to meet Steve until 5:30 and two hours was more than enough time to get ready for this mornings race.

After showering and getting dressed, I double checked my gear and scanned my pre-race checklist for the third time. Yep, I'm ready. What do I do for the next hour?

I laid back down and enjoyed a cat nap. With a few minutes to spare, I darted out the door and stopped at Dunkin Donuts for the pre-race drink of champions.

Steve and I met up, made a quick stop at Starbucks (never hurts to have two doses of
caffiene...) and headed to the race area.

This was Steve's first half marathon and I was impressed with how calm and prepared he was. I've done several half's before and you would have thought I was giving a public speech with as nervous as I was.

We found a decent parking spot within a half mile of the start. Before we got out of the car, the lot was filled and the parking lot was filled with runners going through their pre-race rituals.

After scoping out the starting area, we run into Doug and Jenny from the Downers Grove running club. We stretch and discuss our race strategy. Before long the emcee calls the runners to the starting line. As we head over we run into Matt and Matt, also from the Downers Grove running club. We wish each other good luck and start getting into position.

Jenny and I had similar time goals so we lined up together around the 9min/mile sign which happens to be right at the intersection. It begins to get crowded and people continue to move in every direction trying to find "their" spot.

With no warning we begin moving forward. There are a few false starts before we're at the start line and we take off. The start line was much narrower than the road, while it made getting to the start line a bit tough, it meant things opened up once we went through.

Jenny and I settled into a rhythm and checked with each other several times if this was an ok pace. While the roads were crowded, we had no problem staying with our pace and passing (or getting passed) as we needed.

Our first mile clocked in just under 9 minutes. Perfect. We'll hold this pace.

Before mile 2 came the water station. I was carrying a fuel belt so we skipped this station and saved a few seconds. Even with skipping the station, mile 2 clock in at 9:54, about a full minute slower. But we felt good and running strong, but didn't want to cross the line and get out of a rhythm.

Jenny and I kept elbowing each other as we'd maneover to pass another runner. We kept telling each other "excuse me", "sorry"--and it was happening a lot. Finally we made a pact that it wasn't intentional and an apology was automatically understood. I did break this pact once after I made a full arm impact that I thought might give her a black eye.

We completely missed the mile 3 marker but was glad to see mile 4 whiz by with an average 9:40 pace. Not the pace we origianlly planned for, but quicker than the previous split.

Carrying a water bottle allowed us skip every other water station. However, after reaching the half way mark we started our run/walk schedule. As we learned from training, walking doesn't always slow you down and can often lead to quicker times. But the course was now on Lake Shore Drive with no shade, and the morning sun was rising high and beating down.

We alternated Gatorade and water at the aid stops and I downed a few mocha Clif Shots along the way. It was getting hot, but we kept hydrated and maintained pace. Somewhere between around mile 8 the crowd picked up a lot and gave us a boost. I was having fun giving the crowds high-fives and trying to distract myself. It must have worked as I missed all the mile markers until 11.

At this point the course leaves Lake Shore Drive. Only 2 short miles to go, but we lose the crowd and reality sets in once again. Ok, one more walking break and then we attack the last two.

We pick up the pace just a hair and our conversation practically stops as we cross the line into the next zone. Mile 12 comes up and I tell Jenny I'll see her at the finish. I was sure I was holding her back but I had to walk just one more time. It was short, maybe 30 seconds, just enough to catch my breath.

We turn the corner and begin our final stretch home. I see my family cheering me on and I get the boost I need to finish. I give it everything I have left which, at this point, isn't much.

The coarse winds back and forth a bit and there was a collective subdue cheer from the runners when the finish line came into view.

Final time: 2:12

I'm always glad to have another finish under my belt. While I'm disappointed I actually ran this race 4 minutes slower than my half marathon a month ago (in which I bonked half-way through), I ran a smarter and more consistent race. Except for the first mile, every other mile was within 60 seconds of each other.

So...what did I learn? Running with someone can make the miles go by faster, thanks Jenny for hanging with me for 2 hours on a Sunday morning.

Everything else I knew, but I actually did it this time: (1) Stick with the same food and drink schedule you practice in training (2) Walking can actually make you go faster, but at worse, you break even.

Now it's time to rest before next weekend's 24 miler.

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."
- Sir Roger Bannister

Me, Jenny, Doug post-race

Congratulations Steve on your first Half Marathon finish!

I've always wanted to be on a Wheaties box

Jessica, champion cheerer-on-er

Jillian, another champion cheerer-on-er

DLF > DNF >> DNS

2007-09-10T21:25:00.000-05:00

Haven't had time to do a writeup on the Chicago Half Marathon this past weekend. But I do remember the best shirt I saw...

DLF Dead Last Finish
is greater than
DNF Did Not Finish
which greatly exceeds
DNS Did Not Start

Awesome.

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing the things people say we cannot do."
-- Walter Bagehot

Anyone can run 20 miles...

2007-09-03T23:45:00.000-05:00

It's 6 am on Saturday and we pull up to Prairie Path junction just west of downtown Wheaton. There were few cars around, but already we noticed several runners up and down each of the three branches. It was a comfortable morning, crisp air and not too hot. A great day to get in 20 miles.

We loaded up our Fuel Belts, had one last bite of bread and sip of coffee before weighing ourselves. If we weighed before and after the run, and kept track of how much we drank, we could approximate our sweat-rate. Additionally, we could see if we were drinking enough (or too much) during the run. Losing more than 2-3% of your body weight can affect performance. Dehydration is considered a loss of 3-5%. A loss of 5% or more would send most people to the hospital.

http://www.devinesports.com/Article.7+M535bd0f142b.0.html?&cHash=5bb235490a

http://www.premierraces.com/RunnersCorner/runnerscorner47.asp

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-302--10084-0,00.html

We headed east from mile "0" out towards Elmhurst; 10 miles out and 10 miles back. It was nice to soak in some new scenery, after countless laps at Waterfall Glen this summer.

One major difference the the sheer number of people on this trail. We passed _thousands_ of people during our 20 mile trek. Many of them in groups of 5 up to 30 in a pack.

We started asking other groups, as we passed them, how far they were running today. Most groups were running 18-20 miles.

Many running clubs and stores set up water and Gatorade tables along the coarse. Some groups kept a "closed" table, only handing out drinks to club members. Most were open and even invited all runners to fuel up.

We hit the 10 mile marker and turned around.

The miles flew by as we continued to pass hundreds of runners. I can never remember a time we were more than 100 yards from another group.

With 3 miles to go the mental game kicked in and the benefit of staying together as group made turned the game in our favor.

Around the Glen Ellyn train station we passed the Farmers Markets and soaked in the smells. Many groups were stopping here and were going through their post-run routine; stretching, eating, etc. There was a juice bar nearby with numerous runners walking through the drive through.

From here to the mile 0 junction the number of runners dropped of significantly and we finished with little fanfare.

I had bagels, bananas and more drinks in the car which I brought out for everyone to enjoy.

At our post-run weigh-in I dropped 4 lbs for a 2% weight-loss. Far from critical, but it shows I still need to drink more.

We loaded up and stopped at McDonalds for the short trip home. We were all starved and proud of our run. Certainly our morning workout would more than make up for any bagel-egg-sausage sandwich.

Karin noted her heart-rate-monitor shows she burned 1400 calories on this morning's run. I glanced at my HRM which showed a whopping 3400 calories burned. I guess that's the difference between a 120 lbs female and a 200 lbs male.

A huge thanks to Kitty, Kathy, and Karin for keeping me company on this jog. Can't wait for our last long run before the marathon.

"Anyone can run 20 miles. It's the next six that count."
--Barry Magee, Bronze Medallist in 1960 Olympic marathon

Insanity - 4. extreme folly; senselessness; foolhardiness

2007-08-22T00:58:00.000-05:00

—Synonyms 1. dementia, lunacy, madness, craziness, mania, aberration.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insanity

It's amazing how busy life can get -- and then you try to cram in training for marathon and your life goes from crazy to flat out insane.

It's not a cliche to say that running is no longer a habit, but an addiction.

The marathon schedule called for a 19 mile run this weekend. Most of the group met Saturday at 6am to run. But I needed to coach a soccer game early that morning and had family plans the rest of the day.

At least one other person in our group wanted to run Sunday morning as well. Even on Sunday we had committments late morning so we agreed on a 4:30am start time.

The insanity begins.

I woke up 3:30am Sunday morning to heavy downpour and thunderstorms. I checked the forecast and noticed the severe weather moving out of our area so I continued to grab my stuff and head out the door. When my wife questions whether or not I'm running on any particular morning, my response is always they same (it's also the same response I use to motivate my self to get out the door each morning): they don't cancel the race because of a little ran.

Shortly after 4:30am I arrive at Waterfall Glen and my running partner is already there. Before long, we're off and running for two laps at WFG... at 4:45 in the morning, in the dark, and a steady down pour.

It's barely 5am, still dark outside, the rain continues and it begins lightning again yet neither of us hesitate passing mile 2. At this point we realize we have clearly crossed the line and begin to laugh at our obsessive behavior.

Most people would consider someone who chooses to run a marathon as insane, but if they knew what was involved in our training on a week-to-week basis throughout the program it would remove any doubt in their mind.

Around mile 7 we pass our first runner of the day.

We complete our first lap of 9.5 miles in around 1 hour and 50 minutes. We held a good pace as we knew we’d have to do it. We made a quick stop at the car to refill our water bottles and grab a quick bite. In less than 3 minutes we started our second lap.

We decided to run the second lap with a 1-2 minute walking break every 20 minutes. We also ran the second lap clockwise so we could count our miles down on the posted markers. I believe this is also the more difficult way to run the trail, but I know that is not universally accepted.

We came across at least 40 people other people on the trail, mostly runners but a few groups of bikers as well. As we catch the passing the glance of the oncoming runners we’d often break into bursts of laughter as realized how crazy we all must be and how crazy we’d appear to the rest of world—if they weren’t at home sleeping.

Somewhere on this lap we notice our legs are on autopilot, so we try to mix things up a bit. We try different things; running backwards, sideways, skipping, deep strides—anything we could find to loosen up a bit. Its hurts but it also feels good to stretch.

17 miles into the run and we hit the mile 2 marker. We feel so good at this point we agree to pick the pace up. We had always maintained a pace just quick enough were we could still talk. But the last two miles our conversation fell quiet and the pace quickened.

Before long we came to the trail-head and the finish line was in sight. It was difficult to stop running, but we made it.

Our last mile clocked in as our fastest of the set, and the second lap was a full four minutes faster than the first lap—to which we can only credit our run/walk strategy.

During our cooldown, Kitty (my running partner) asked something I didn’t expect: “Did you learn anything from the run today?” Hmmm…. What did I learn?

1) Walking can definitely make you go faster.
2) If you have a refuel and re-hydrate plan, stick with it. If you don’t, make one up!
3) My socks are too short.
4) You’re less likely to ‘cheat’ when running with a friend.
5) Don’t take yourself too seriously.
6) There’s no longer any doubt that I’m an addict.

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.
-- T. S. Eliot

Here's my impression of Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption:

26 miles in 24 hours

2007-08-04T12:18:00.000-05:00

9 weeks to go until Chicago Marathon 2007 and training milage is reaching new heights.

I ran 9.5 miles on Friday (one lap at Waterfall Glenn) and 16.5 miles Saturday morning (three laps at Springbrook Praire). That brings me to 26 miles in just over 24 hours.

Next weekL: Rest: Running miles cut by a third with a bit of crosstraining thrown in.

Sunday August 12st, Chicago Distance Classic 13.1 miles

RunsWithoutACamera

2007-08-02T23:24:00.000-05:00

I almost always carry a camera with me. Especially when running. I see so many interesting things and nothing helps capture the memory like a still photograph.

Its been years since I pulled out a home movie, but hardly a week goes by that I don't flip through a few dozen snapshots of time. I've started the monumental task of scanning and labeling my parents and grandparents photo albums.

So what does this have to do with running? On this particular day I leave my camera at home. I almost go back for it when I realize the battery isn't charged so I'd be limited in my picture snapping capabilities.

Besides, there are several days and several runs that pass by without taking a pictures. Certainly this would just be another one of those days.

Less than 1/2 mile into my run at Waterfall Glen, I pass by a doe and her small fawn who are grazing (do deer graze?) on the edge of the path. Without a picture, no one would believe that I came with 10 feet of the deer as they watched me pass by. No running off, just a cautious glance as we cross paths. Unbelievable.

Before the mile is over I pass a sled-dogs-in-training group. A wheeled sled with 6 dogs pulling the trainer. Another unusual sight without a picture.

I have since bought a second rechargable battery for the camera so one is always charged, and I just need to swap batteries. No more excuses for being camera-less.

5 weeks and no updates??

2007-08-02T23:01:00.000-05:00

Time is flying by. I cna't believe it's been 5 weeks since I last updated this blog. No wonder I don't get any hits. Is my life really that boring? Between training, work, training, family, and training I managed to cram in a vacation.

I spent some time in Branson MO. The weather was hot and crappy, so we spent a lot of time getting wet.

Eating ice cream.

And even a few runs. My longest run on vacation was 9 miles which included a trip to the water tower and back.

with a few hills inbetween

Downers Grove 10 Miler Race Report

2007-06-25T22:56:00.000-05:00

It never fails. Mid-June roles around and I can't wait to compete in the Downers Grove 5 & 10 Miler. I've been running this race as long as I can remember running races. And now that I live in Downers Grove it's nothing short of a reunion race for me; meeting up with friends and racing on the same streets I train on.

Most races I never look at the course ahead of time. I always took the follow-the-person-ahead-of-you strategy. However, a well memorized race course does provide a slight advantage.

It's 4am and I literally bounce out of bed this morning. I'm normally an early morning person. I know that freaks most people out, but I actually enjoy getting up early. I check my PDA which contains my schedule of things to do in the morning and a time schedule to follow. Yes, an early morning person and anal retentive. Are you scared yet?

Shower, dress and grab my gear bag. My first stop? Dunkin Donuts. The usual? Large iced coffee with cream and sugar.

Race check-in is all of 2 miles from my house. Arrival time: 5:20am. I get waved into the volunteer lot (certainly no runner would arrive this early!). I sip my iced coffee and enjoy the view as I watch the setup crews erect tents, put up the finishing chute and carry supplies.

The pre-race registration table not yet manned. Around 6am someone arrives and I'm the first customer of the day.

Fast forward one hour. I'm now sitting on a park bench just outside the Park District office. The registration tables are now crammed. Race day registration is out the door. An announcement is made that the port-o-potty vendor is running late and that the only bathrooms available are inside the PD building. Another line forms. I sip my coffee and slowly work on a Clif Bar.

7:10 and I take a quick warm-up and head over to the start line. By 7:20 the street is starting to fill. I greet several friends and get prepared for the start. I see a few friends that are first time runners and wish them well.

I've decided that picking a starting location is more of an art than a science. Even pace markers doesn't help with the qualitative decision of where to line up. Line up too close to the front and you get run over, elbowed, and provide a road block for the faster runners. Line up too far back, and you're the one elbowing your way to the front, cursing the walkers, and leaping ahead at every opportunity.

Once the gun went off I immediately knew I was too far back. I charge ahead the best I could sometimes leaping to the right-of-way to pass groups of people. But the race starts in an area with large trees in the right-of-way making this a not-so-easy task. However, the small rolling hills give me a good view of the large group of runners ahead of me.

Before the first half mile the crowd thins out and I'm able to settle into pace with plenty of room to maneuver. Next thing I know, Mile 1 is down: 8:10.

My goal was to keep every mile under 9:00 minutes. 8:10 is a good start, now I just need to keep it up for 9 more miles.

Before I realized it, Mile 2 was down: 8:40. I'm still on target. The miles literally fly by.

Between mile 2 and mile 3 is the infamous Downers Grove version of the Bermuda triangle. The course comes to a 3-way intersection with the roads forming a triangle-shaped island in the middle. Instead of taking the "short" section through, you must run to the far point, make almost a 180 degree turn around a cone and head back. I'm sure this is deliberate as if it was a matter of distance, one could simply move the starting line back 50 yards.

To make it worse, the second lap (for those of us running 10 miles) the cone is moved out another 10 yards.

While Mile 3 clocked in at 9:01, Mile 4 was here in a blink of an eye at 8:41.

Have you ever taken a trip where getting there seems to take soooo long? But after your vacation is over and you head home, the return trip speeds right by. Maybe because it's familiar territory...and that's the way is was with this race. Recognizable landscapes, schools, and streets make for a short run - I can't believe I'm at mile 4 already.

Just before the 4 mile mark, the crowd speeds up. I'm sure this wasn't an illusion. Half the group is only running 5 miles while the 10 milers repeat the same lap. I try not to get swept up in the kick too much, but I was feeling good and wanted to keep a sub-9 pace.

I realize the last 3 miles I have been following at old lady. I'm not sure how old this lady is--but I checked the 5 mile results and there is a 76 year old lady that finished around this time averaging a 8:38 pace for 5 miles. Hopefully I haven't offended anyone by calling a 76 year old lady old...but if it's any consolation, I only hope that when I'm 76 years old I can give some someone half-my-age a run for his/her money. On the bright side, it looks like I have 40 more years to set a PR at any distance.

Just ahead is the finish line and less than 50 yards in front the 10 milers turn and repeat the loop. I was surprised at the number of people going for 10. There is still a steady stream of runners in front of me.

The second half flew by quicker than first. After mile 6 (also 1) there is a house that puts a lawn sprinkler in the street for the runners to run through. In the 10+ years I have run this race, I can count on this house for a cool shower when needed.

Around mile 7.5 we come upon the Bermuda-Grove Triangle and, sure enough, the cone is another 30 feet into the intersection.

Before I reach mile 8 I realize I'm still feeling quite good and start picking my targets. Mile 7 would be my slowest of the day at 9:04.

Just after I passed two runners, a hear two people approaching from the rear with a similar strategy. They pass me for a moment as we reach the south peak of the Lyman Ave Valley.

Mile 9.0 - 9.75 follows Lyman Ave which is probably has the most elevation change on the course. When standing on the far south side, you can look out 3/4 of a mile to the other "peak" with the road almost disappearing in-between. It's no Death Valley, mind you, but it is one of the most challenging stretchs we have in the area, and it's at the last mile of the race.

As we start the descent I use every bit of gravity available and shift into neutral. My speed is uncomfortably fast but this is no time to put on the brakes. I pass 4 people (including my the two that just passed me) before I reach the bottom.

As we begin the climb up the back side I downshift, taking short strides and doubling my cadence. With my head back and chest out I easily tackle the climb back out of Lyman Ave Valley and pass 3 more people.

At the upcoming right hander I'm able to pass a few more. I feel like I'm playing a video game, placing my crosshairs on a target, knocking them down and moving on to the next. No one has passed me (and gotten away with it) for the last 1.5 miles.

The left hander from Park Ave to Randall St is greater than 90 degrees and I had to swing this corner wide to keep my speed up.

I could just barely see the finish line ahead through the overhanging trees.

Three more people ahead of me and then a wide gap. I picked off two without problems. Number 3, however, had his own plans.

As I approach my final target, I noticed him give a passing glance over his shoulder to confirm someone was behind him. He picks up his pace to stay just ahead of me. I return the favor and speed up. The parry continues with #3 giving no more effort than required to stay a single stride ahead of me.

This continues for the final 1/4 mile and my frustration grows. The dark side of me wants to grab his shirt.

I have nothing left to give as we reach the tip of the funnel. I back off, pat my worthy opponent on the back and greet him with a "nice race."

My final mile would tie with my first mile as the fastest two miles of the race at 8:10.

My final time of 1:27 would be my second best 10 mile finish ever.

Props to Downers Grove Park District for hosting another successful running race. Aid stations were well placed and every intersection had someone with a traffic control sign.

Doug, Jenny, Kathy, Russ

Matt, Steve, Matt, Russ

Final splits:

Mile 1 - 8:10
Mile 2 - 8:40
Mile 3 - 9:01
Mile 4 - 8:41
Mile 5 - 8:58
Mile 6 - 8:43
Mile 7 - 9:01
Mile 8 - 9:04
Mile 9 - 8:42
Mile 10 - 8:10

Final - 1:27:05 for an average pace of 8:42

Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training and some are not.
--Dr. George Sheehan, writer and philosopher

Downers Grove 10 Miler - results only

2007-06-25T08:48:00.000-05:00

Another successful Downers Grove 5 & 10 Miler has passed. Expect a full write-up soon, but here's my results:

10 miles - 1:27:10 - for an average pace of 8:40

Mile 1 : 8:10
Mile 2 : 8:40
Mile 3 : 9:01
Mile 4 : 8:41
Mile 5 : 8:58
Mile 6 : 8:43
Mile 7 : 9:01
Mile 8 : 9:04
Mile 9 : 8:42
Mile 10: 8:10

Again, this puts me in the mid-pack range for my age group and the overall race placement.

This is my second fastest finish for the 10 mile version of this race. My best was 2003 with a finish of 1:21:09 for an average 8:06 pace.

The Training Wall

2007-06-22T14:54:00.000-05:00

Hitting a wall is usually something most people avoid. It doesn't matter if you're driving a car, riding a bike, running, walking or shadowboxing. Hitting a wall is bad.

Ok, so there's a scientific explanation on wikipedia that attempts to explain why runners 'hit the wall': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonk_%28condition%29

But I've hit a difference wall, really it's more of a rut. My training milage has stagnated. Trying to run longer miles has become more difficult. Not that I can't do it physically, but there's only so many hours in a day with some small fraction of them available for running.

My first Chicago marathon was back in 1999. I was undertrained, and it was cold. Just cold enough that your legs would freeze up if you slowed down for the aid stations. Getting back to a running pace was a gradual process. At mile 20 there was a large brick wall with a opening in the middle. A sign hung overhead "Run Through The Wall!". It was actually just off the street in an adjacent parking lot, so you had make an extra effort to physically run through the wall...but it was worth it.

But the best part about this experience is actually making it through the wall; mentally and physically. The success of running a marathon isn't determined on race day. It's determined every morning between now and October.

A Gatorade commercial sums it up best:

"You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the
sweat off of your face."

3 months and 15 days to Chicago Marathon 2007.

I'm a bit behind on my training, and a bit behind on my fundraising. But the fun is just beginning...

You think you're special? (aka Numerical Madness part 2)

2007-06-19T13:15:00.000-05:00

In 1976, 25,000 people finished a marathon. Thirty years later there has been a 16-fold increase in the number of marathon finishers to 410,000 finishers in 2006.

Over the past 20 years the average marathon finish time has slowed by 45 minutes.

Lest you think the elitism of finishing a marathon is waning, just remember, less than 0.01% of the world’s population will finish a marathon this year with estimates of less than 0.1% of the world’s population have ever finished a marathon.

Of 2006 finishers:
52% of finishers were men
46% of finishers were women
2% were junior

Median age:
40 for men
35 for women

Median finish time:
4:15 for men
4:46 for women

Most finishers:
#1 ING New York City Marathon with 37,866
#2 Chicago Marathon with 37k+
#3 Flora London with 33k+
#4 Paris with 30k+
#5 Berlin with 30k+

Nike Women’s Marathon has the highest percent of women finishers at 94% (and the other 6%?)
Steamtown Marathon has the highest percent of male finishers at 69%.

For even more statistics, the complete article is here:

A look at marathons, by the numbers
By Diane Sherrer

How to perform a proper Farmer Blow

2007-06-18T15:15:00.000-05:00

You've probably seen someone do it, or heard of someone that's tried it. Maybe even tried it yourself. Sometimes it's unavoidable. But there's a right way and wrong way. Dr Cameron Peterson tells us how.

http://www.trailrunnermag.com/article.php?id=22&start=Air&cat=5

Air Hanky
How to perform a proper Farmer Blow
By Cameron Peterson M.D

Definition: Strategically clearing the nasal passage without the use of tissues, sleeves or other wiping equipment.

The following steps, with practice, will take only seconds, can be done in stride, and will result in maximum airflow through the nasal passage, enhancing your running efficiency. An effective farmer blow will make you look like a pro, while a blow gone bad will make a mess of your face, clothes and reputation.

Ensure the area is clear of runners, hikers, pets and law-enforcement officials. A five-foot diameter is recommended. Take a deep breath.

In stride, as your right hand comes forward, place your index finger firmly against your right nostril, completely occluding the nasal passage. Simultaneously rotate your torso to the left, and lean over slightly, clearing the left shoulder from any nasal shrapnel. Close your mouth tightly, and raise the back of your tongue against the back of your hard palate to prevent air escaping. Failing to do so will cause a decrease in pressure behind the mucous in the nasal passage, which may result in the disastrous half-farmer blow. With maximum effort, rapidly and forcefully exhale out your left nostril. This will clear the majority of obstruction whether it is thick, thin or any viscosity between.

A small post-blow wipe may be necessary, but with proper technique, the amount of dribbling discharge will be minimal. For clearance of the right nasal passage, repeat the above steps replacing lefts for rights and vice versa. You'll know if you screw up.

Cameron Peterson M.D. is an intern at the University of Utah and manages www.mountaintrials.com, a new website where runners can post their times to some non-technical summits throughout the U.S.

This article appeared in Trail Runner magazine, issue #35 (SEPTEMBER 2005).

Memorial Day Xtreme 12k Trail Run

2007-05-29T07:38:00.000-05:00

Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz …. 5:15am on a holiday Monday morning and my alarm goes off. It’s dificult enough to get up on any given Monday, but after a weekend of holiday parties, hot dogs, chips, and a modest selection of adult beverages it wasn’t any easier on this particular day. Even the dog gave nothing more than a passing glance before going back to sleep while I went about the house.

Breakfast, shower, dress and out the door at 6:15. First stop was Dunkin Donuts for my usual pre-race drink; a large iced coffee with cream and sugar. Okay, so it probably doesn’t make the list on The Breakfast of Champions, and it probably doesn’t even make the list of The Breakfast of The Mediocre… but it’s become my pre-race ritual and that’s that.

Next stop; pick up my friends Gaby and Debbie that managed to talk me into running the Xtreme 12k race. It didn’t take much of an arm twisting, as I was looking for a good Memorial Day race and the chance to race with friends sealed the deal.

8:00am we arrive in Portage Indiana at Imagination Glen Park, check-in and begin waiting patiently. Actually, Debbie had decided to run without socks which sounded like a good idea and I agonized over doing the same for the next hour (I finally decided to run with socks).

There was a presentation of colors by the Marines, a dedication and prayer for those in the service, a brief course talk, a remembrance of Pat Rhoades, and starting instructions.

Before too long, we were off. It was a field of about 300 runners and the course started with a lap around the park. At the back side of the field the path narrowed to 15 feet, then down to 4 feet and finally single track trails. Shortly into the event was the first stream crossing; 4 feet deep and maybe 50 feet across. There was a rope strung across the river which helped to balance and pull yourself through. At this point the group was bunched up and we had already slowed to a walk. I’m not sure if Gaby or Debbie said it, or I just imagined it, but I’m sure I heard someone say "lets pass these people"— I crawled under the rope to the other side and passed 20 people before crawling up the bank on the far side.

The next few miles would be difficult to explain in any interesting detail. If you’ve ever ridden technical mountain bike trails you know the drill; log piles, up hills, down hills, switchbacks, and more stream crossings.

It was easy to get caught up in a group and maintain pace but Debbie was on a mission to beat last year’s time and would eventually pass the pack in one fell swoop. Gaby was never far behind. Myself, on the other hand, took much longer to pass a pack of runners but would eventually catch-up.

At some point we came out to a trail head with a directional sign. "Roller Coaster" was the name of our final path, and that it was. Up, down, up, down, down, hard right, up, down left, right, left, left, up..... This was the first time I was glad I was not on a bike and actually thought taking these trails on foot might have been easier.

We approached a group of standees warning us about the upcoming stream crossing. This was the same section we crossed at the start of the race but would do it in reverse. The steep bank we climbed out of at the start, was now our launch pad into the river. My plan to charge down the steep embankment and attack the river quickly proved foolish. The embankment had been beat by 300 pairs of feet on the outbound trip into deep muddy mush.

My first step on the downhill and my feet flew out from under me. I landed flat on my back and my rear sank several inches into the muck. I inched myself out of the rut and immediately started sliding down the embankment until I was half under water. I threw my arm up over the rope hoping to slow my descent and provide some assistance in climbing out. I was finally able to get my feet dug in so I get up and continue forward motion.

Exiting the river led to a short uphill climb and back to the grassy paths we started out on. Gaby, Debbie and I had already started to joke about out next trail run. We had very little left for a kick during the last 1/4 mile return loop around the field but continued a strong pace to the very end.

After crossing the finish line I removed my shoes and all the mud, sand, and peddles that had accumulated and promptly dumped them in trash.

Congrats to Gaby for coming in first in her age group. Congrats to Debbie for dropping 4 minutes from last year. As for myself... I set a PR for my 12k distance...

Busy Week

2007-05-21T08:45:00.000-05:00

Last week was a recovery week on my training schedule. I follow a three week cycle. (Week 1) A "build" week, which is composed of running 5-6 times a week of moderate distances. (Week 2) A "distance" week, which is composed of running 4-5 times a week of varying distances, from 3 miles up to a longer and longer run on each cycle (currently 12 miles). (Week 3) A "rest/recovery" week, 3-4 runs this week, some cross training, lower milage, etc.

This past week was a "rest" week and 23 total miles. Saturday, however, was the Quarryman Challenge 10 Miler. This is probably one of the toughest 10 miles you'll find in the Chicagoland area. The elevation map doesn't do this race justice. I'll get a dedicated race report out soon.

This weeks goal is at least 6 runs with a total of 30 miles.

I have two races coming up over the next 7 days, neither of them will be maximum effort but more for fun. Thursday is the Chase Corporate Challenge 3.5 miler. And Monday is the Xtreme 12k in Portage, IN.

A jog in the Glen

2007-05-16T13:33:00.000-05:00

Monday morning I stumble out of bed to meet a friend for a 9.5 mile loop around Waterfall Glen forest preserve. It was a perfect morning to run, clear, cool and no humidity to speak of.

I put on my running clothes, snarfed down half a Cliff Builder's bar, chugged a portion of Gatorade, grabbed my gym bag and headed out the door.

Whenever I run with anyone else I never want to be the one to slow the group down. While I prefer to run most of my runs solo, a weekly group run always pushes me past my comfort zone. Often times, I find that I have been sandbagging my solo runs as was the case today.

We agreed on a 9:45 pace that would be a standard long/tempo pace for me, and a slow recovery pace for her (this is someone who runs a sub 4-hour Boston Marathon).

Our first mile was intentially slow as we stretched out and warmed up. We were able to converse comfortably as we approached the first mile -- 9:37. Faster than our planned average pace.

We decided to slow it down a bit so we could negative split our miles. This was, after all, a tempo/recovery run. Mile two came in at 9:13 -- how did that happen??

Mile 3 : 9:26

Mile 4 : 9:45 (a mostly uphill mile)

Mile 5 : 9:16 (a mostly a downhill mile)

Mile 6 : 9:43 (a moderate rolling hills mile)

Mile 7 : 9:34

Mile 8 : 9:23

Finish: 9:05

It's amazing what a bit of company does...you forget about the minor aches and pains, the one shoe thats too tight, you forget about ever walking or making any other excuse to slow down.

You just run for the fun of running.

Runners World Quote of the Day:
"If you want to win a race you have to go a little beserk."

Bill Rodgers, four time Boston and New York City Marathon Champion

Marathon - The Day After

2007-05-01T20:26:00.000-05:00

I originally found the video on this blog: http://briangaines.blogspot.com

I put the YouTube'd version here for easy viewing...

CASA Cares 5k

2007-04-30T20:38:00.000-05:00

Time for an update:

Yesterday was my first 5k of the spring seasion (not counting the one I did on New Years day).

Half the runners I know came out for this local 5k on a somewhat-unusually warm and sunny day. It was like a family reunion, catching up with each other on the first event of a new year.

Now this was the time to put my new strategy to use. Armed with knowledge gleened from a recent Runners World article, it suggests going out fast. Your first mile should be your fastest of the race, then hang on for the next 2.1 miles (yes, I'm paraphrasing).

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-259-11738-0,00.html

So, thats what I did... my first mile came in under 7:00min/mile pace: 6:56 to be exact. Fast, yes --- and it felt good. It felt good to get out and pull away from the pack, to keep up with the more serious runners. At times I felt out of place, not worthy to stay among this group. But there I was (yes, I know this was the 7 minute group, not the 6 minute group).

Just after crossing the 1 mile mark I backed off a hair which may have proved to be in error. I felt I couldn't keep this pace forever, I convinced myself I need to conserve engergy.

My 5k runs over the previous year were all around a 8:00 pace. Dropping 1 minute per mile is a fairly significant change. Dropping 3 minutes off a 3 mile race would be a major accomplishment.

Mile 2 came in at 8:13 -- oops. More than 1 minute slower than my first mile! Now I was mad and kicked up the effort level for the last mile.

My heart rate monitor showed my pulse pushing up through 90%. I had a good sense of the remaining distance as I was familiar with the neighborhood. I could see the final turn ahead. Rounding the corner the finish chute came into view just a few blocks away and I pressed on. My heart rate was now at 98% max. I felt like Eric Liddle (watch Chariots of Fire), my head was back and chest out allowing me to take massive gulps of air necessary to fuel my stride. I didn’t have much of a ‘kick’ left as I was already pushing maximum effort.

I crossed the finish line at 23:08. I was satisfied.

Still miffed at mile 2, but still happy with an average 7:29 pace.

My official time came in at 23:12 (took 4 seconds to cross the start line).

Soon after I realied that if I’m going to set a personal record at the Chicago Marathon, I can’t treat a 5k as a distance event.

Next scheduled race: May 19th, Quarryman Challenge 10 Miler

Numerical Madness

2007-04-06T17:21:00.000-05:00

As we approach the 6-months-and-counting date, I've finalized a personalized training program that will lead me to the Chicago Marathon. (Six months is approximately 26.2 weeks, go figure.)

Over the next six months, my program includes 778 scheduled miles of training runs.
After completing the marathon, I will exceed 800 miles on foot:

134 miles per month for the next six months.
31 miles per week for the next 26 weeks.
4.4 miles per day, every day, for the next 183 days.

Total milage per week will range from a low of 18 miles per week to a high of 40 miles/week.

Assuming an average pace of 9.5 minutes per mile, 804 miles will consume:

7,647 minutes, or
127 hours, or
5.3 days

I anticipate burning through 3 pairs of running shoes during this quest.

Stay tuned for more numerical madness...

And the price of milk was...

2007-03-22T20:35:00.000-05:00

The running season officially gets underway at the 28th running of the Shamrock Shuffle 8k/5mi. 30,000 runners cram the streets of downtown Chicago in the first major competitive run of the season.

I still have (in active circulation) a shirt from the 1998 Shamrock Shuffle, although I know I have older shirts somewhere.

My first competitive event was the Chicago Triathlon way back in 1989. At that time it was known as the Bud Light Triathlon.

At that time, it seemed like most major races were headlined by beer companies. At the finish chute you were handed your medal and a beer. Now you get bottled water specifically made for athletes and a banana.

Weather

2007-03-20T18:34:00.000-05:00

The weather has finally become more cooperate for running. While I usually run all winter long, after two months of single digit temps and sub-zero wind chills, even I was having a hard time getting out and keeping the milage up.

Welcome

2007-03-19T17:32:00.000-05:00

I created this corner of the Internet to chronicle my journey to the 2007 Chicago Marathon. While I have run marathons in the past, this is the first year I have decided to run as a charity runner.

As a charity runner, I agreed to raise $2,000 for Children’s Memorial Hospital. You can learn more about Children’s Memorial Hospital from their website here: http://www.childrensmemorial.org/marathon/about/aboutus.asp

Please consider sponsoring Children’s Memorial Hospital by going to my fund raising page at: http://www.childrensmemorial.org/marathon/sponsors/runnerDiary.asp?runnerID=703

Stay tuned for training updates!