A Little Warmer Today

Today was a good run. I went to Pettit to run 2 hours with Paul. I got there before him and started ahead of him. 5 laps in and Paul joined me as we went at an easy pace of 2:24 to 2:28 per lap (8:44 to 8:58 per mile). I did not want to go any faster so I stayed relaxed and clipped off the laps taking water at 5 and 10 miles and only taking a break when the played the National Anthem for the Speedsketers.

It was the National Long Track Speedskating Championships going on. This was fun to watch. It wasn't the long track speedskating you see in the Olympics, but rather 6 to 8 people skating at one time in heats and finals. The races that went on during the time I was running was either little kids or the 55 to 59 age group or better yet, the over 70 age group. These guys can really skate fast!

As I was approaching the half marathon point, I decided I was going to do the last mile faster. I picked up each of the last 4 laps until the final mile was at a time just under 7:00 (I think). It felt good to go this fast at the end.

After the run, Paul and I went to the Great Lakes Multisport and Running Expo. My Chiropractor had given me 2 passes so we went to check it out. Pretty good stuff and I was able to get a free 10 minute chair massage from the same lady who gave me my sports massage a few weeks ago. That felt good. I was also able to talk to a guy who gave me some advise on how to not "Bonk" in my marathons. He suggested some carbohydrate gel packs for 2 days and 1 day before the marathon. Also some different Gels for during the race with more protein. I think I will try this before and during the next race and see how I works. Now I just have to remember what it exactly was. (I didn't have anything to write on).

I came home and soon after that it was nap time for the Princesses. After nap though it was time for some fun. It was a warm day here in Wisconsin, at least warm compared to the recent weather. It got into the Mid 30's so I took the Princesses with me for a little sledding fun. We have 1 inflatable sled and 1 long toboggan. The girls had a blast and it was nice because it wasn't too cold. We will definitely have to this this again soon.

A Good Tempo Run

I decided today to go on a Tempo Run. I ran the same 5 mile hills loop I usually run after work during the winter and it was about 15 to 20 F when I started. There was no wind and there was still some light when I started. I left at a good clip, faster that a normal run and went through 1 mile in 7:48. I was worried this was a little too fast to start as I still have to get to the hills. Mile 2 had 2 hills but I had increased my pace to a 7:34 mile. I still was worried that I couldn't keep up the pace fro the entire 5 miles especially since mile 3 was mostly up hill. No fear, I finished that mile in 7:45. mile 4 started with a huge down hill section, too steep to actually run fast on but downhill none-the-less. Then up and down some more and finished this mile in 7:33. Now I was feeling good and after a few seconds waiting at the stop light, I completed mile 5 in 7:28. Then the final 0.1 of a mile in just under 7:00 pace for an average pace of 7:36. Again, I was very pleased with the workout and am gaining some confidence for the next 2 marathon which are a mere 2 1/2 weeks away.

Surfside is on a beach so it is very flat. Austin is a different story. Over the first 17 miles, the course climbs 450 feet (I think) before it drops back down for the finish. I don't think I will be in much of a finishing kick at Austin but downhill should help.

Paul and I are planning a 2 hour run or a bit longer this weekend so maybe we will get in up to 15 miles. Art has been training in Austin so it looks like he is preparing well for the marathon. Larry is planning on doing 18 this weekend so he is going to start his taper just after that. Should be a good time in Texas. While I am looking forward to the fun of the marathons, I'd be lying if I didn't say I was mostly looking forward to being done with both.

Keep up the good running everyone!

Strange Things I Have Seen While Running

I thought I would go a different direction with running today. Us marathon runners get to see a whole lot of different things while we are running. More so than the casual runner mostly because we are out there for much longer periods of time during our long runs. I have had my share of odd experiences while running and I am sure you have as well. So I will let you in on some of the strange (and some pretty cool) things I have seen while running. I have put it into 2 categories. Things I have seen while on training runs and things I have seen while in a race. My list in incomplete for 2 reasons, I am still running so more will happen, and I can't remember them all.

Strange things I have seen or experienced while on training runs:

1. A large white swan chased me as I ran past what must have been close to her nest. good thing I out ran her. She was not in a good mood.
2. A red winged black bird flew and pecked me on the top of my head actually drawing blood. Again, I must have been close to her nest. I have seen these bird often hovering and chirping but this was the only time I was hit by one.
3. A dog tried to bite me on the thigh 4 days before my first marathon. Left scratches on my leg but did not break the skin. Close call!
4. A few times I have seen drug deals going down. At least that is what I perceived them to be, i didn't wait around to find out.
5. On a bike trail, I ran behind a man riding a bike so slow, I was behind him by 25 yards for over 1 mile. He was carrying a boombox radio listening to (I think) a Christian radio story. I think he was mentally challenged, not sure, but it was at least nice to hear him listening to a good story.
6. I ran past a car full of kids waiting to enter a outdoor music theater's parking lot a full 9 hours before the parking lot was scheduled to even open. They were there to see the Dave Mathew's Band so I guess they were dedicated fans.
7. Running on a bike path through a golf course, I saw a golfer hit a shot that sliced and smashed the back window of a car in the parking lot. the ball rolled right past me as I was only about 50 feet from the car when it was hit.
8. A car cut me off so closely out of a parking lot in the winter that I slid into it. As I continued my run since I was not hurt, the driver followed me yelling at me out his window. He then drove ahead, parked his car, and tried to grab me as I ran close to him. I was too fast for him and lost him.
9. On a long run with Art, we saw what seemed like 2 dead people in a river. They looked very real to me and I had to get a closer look before I realized they were dummies face down. They are now know to us as the Fake Dead People.
And the strangest thing I saw:
10. A lady kidnapped a goose from a local park I was running through. She grabbed the goose and put it into the trunk of her car and drove off.

Here are a few strange and cool things I have seen during races I have done:

1. 4 guys ran Al's Memorial Run in Milwaukee wearing Milwaukee Brewer Sausage Costumes. They ran the whole 5 miles.
2. Ladies relieving themselves on the side of the road. Men do this all the time, a little more difficult for women. I guess all modesty goes away during races.
3. A guy running, actually more like doing, The Grand Rapids Marathon (2007) on stilts.
4. A guy running a marathon barefoot. I saw this twice. Chicago Marathon 2006 and Twin Cities Marathon 2008.
5. A marine running the 2008 Twin Cities Marathon in full fatigues and in Marine issue boots. He was also carrying a pole with both a full sized American Flag and a Marine Flag. It also rained (Poured) during this race for about 1 1/2 hours.
6. The strangest thing I have experienced in a race was when I pushed my middle princess in a local 5K. As we finished, a lady tried to grab the jog stroller handle. I am not sure why. The front wheel moved to the right as she grabbed it touching a guys foot who finished just ahead of me. He proceeded to go off on me using every curse in the book saying I was a hazard to dangerous to all runners and how I have no idea how to run. I walked away as he kept up his tirade (did I mention my 2 year old was with me). After I went to the car to change my shirt, he saw me again and continued his cursing in front of all the families there. I could not walk away without him continuing. My friend Chaz stepped in and told him if he did not stop, he would call the police on him. the only funny part of this was that he said between curses, that I have no business running and that I was not even going for an age group award. I fully was thinking of that as I was holding my daughter in front of everyone accepting my 4th place age group plaque.

Like I said, this list is incomplete. I would love to hear some of your strange, weird, or cool thongs you have seen or experienced. Please leave me a comment or even make a post of your own on your blog.

I will end today with a nice running quote I saw today. "Someday I will not be able to run anymore, today is not that day!"

A little lazy today

After work yesterday, I went on a nice 5 mile run over the hills loop again. I was a little ambition and ran at a 8:10 pace. It felt good to go a little faster and to work the big hill more. It was a very needed run as work was tough again for the day. Running is the best stress relief I know of.

This morning I woke up to go running at 6AM. The problem was that I was a bit tired and lazy and I ended up just laying back down and sleeping for 2 more hours. I justified this in my mind that since I just ran a marathon 1 week ago, I could take the day off from a longer run. It is easy to justify these things when you are in a warm bed and are still tired. I must stop doing this if I want to improve my times.

I am going to leave this a short post today. Have a good weekend everyone!

Random Stuff off the Top of My Head

Today I went for a 5 mile run after work. I needed it as a stress relief as we are still pretty hard core into this ERP conversion stuff. I ran the usual Hills Loop at 8:32 pace which I was quite pleased with since I am still recovering from the Icebreaker. Only 3 1/2 weeks though until Surfside and Austin so no time to rest an my laurels. I have no laurels, but if I had them, I definitely would not rest on them.

Did you watch the inauguration of President Obama yesterday? I watched a delayed taping of it since I was at work during it. I watched CSpan and I was glad I did because there was no commentary. Sometimes those commentators really ruin it with their own opinions and political views. I did like watching though to see how these things go again. I have watched some in the past but since they only happen once every 4 years, I like to watch again and see what is different.
I couldn't care less what Michelle Obama was wearing. I don't see why this is a big deal. I was much more interested in seeing how his children were. They are very cute kids! They behaved so well. I think my princesses could learn A LOT from them. I love how the younger one stood on a blue box so she would be able to see better and be seen by the cameras. There was a lot of talk about how this is so historic. As far as I am concerned, it is historic because he is now a president, not that he is a black president. Too often we all put race into things where is doesn't need to be. Let's just hope he runs the country well and makes good decisions.

One presidential note. The Grand Rapids Marathon has pace groups but instead of the usual times, they have celebrity pace groups. You run at the pace that an actual celebrity ran a marathon. A little fun twist to the pace group idea. Well, they have the Dubya Pacers. George W. Bush ran a marathon in 3:44 a in the early 90's (I think). I ran in this group a year and a half ago and beat the Pres. I ran a 3:43. Here is how it is listed on their website:

4:58:25 New for 2008!!! Al Gore's: An Inconvenient Pace Teama pace team that honors the inventor of pace teams and leaves a very small environmental footprint.

4:44:44 The Penguin Brigade - This pace team is for penguins everywhere and is officially endorsed by Runner's World's John "The Penguin" Bingham.

4:29:20 Team Oprah - Everyone wants to know if they can beat Oprah!

4:14:54 P. Diddy Pacers - So not all of our celebrities are great role models, but they are all marathon finishers, and their times conform nicely to a 15 minute (approx) spacing.

3:56:12 Will Ferrell's Sub-4's - Nine minute miles on the nose will break four hours with four minutes to spare, just like Will. Shake & Bake!

3:44:52 George W.'s Running Mates - While W's time is impressive, imagine how much faster he could have run if he hadn't stopped to look for weapons of mass destruction. Either way, here's your chance to win the Presidential Race.

3:29:24 The Billy Baldwin Racers - We're not really sure if he counts as a celebrity, but he's Alec's brother and we do respect his time.

3:1415926 Pi's Pacers - geeky younger brother of Phidippides in ancient Greece, was more interested in mathematics than in running.

Pretty funny descriptions. I do recommend this marathon to anyone who is in the area in October. One of favorite marathons I ran.

Back to the random thoughts.
After the inauguration, I was flipping TV channels and came by Fox Sports North. This is a station that plays a lot of Wisconsin sports. I caught it just as it was showing scenes from the Icebreaker Marathon. COOL. About 5 seconds into it, I saw myself running by. Must have been early in the race as I still looked in good form. It was good to see publicity for the event. Next year it should sell out quickly. I will reserve my spot as soon as possible.

It is supposed to get cold here again this weekend. Maybe below 0 F again. I think I have had enough winter now. But 3 1/2 weeks and I will be in Texas for 4 days so, Art, make sure it is cool in the mornings and warm in the afternoons and evenings.

Keep Running!

Recovery 3

After work today, i went on an easy 3 mile recovery run. My legs were still sore from the marathon 2 days ago but it felt good to run anyways. I also ran outside which was the first since my fall. I took a different route as I don't want to go past that place for awhile. I have no idea how long it took me as I didn't even start my watch but is was an easy pace. I didn't fall this time, WOO HOO!

Only 3 weeks and 5 days until the "Heart of Texas Challenge"

Race Report – Icebreaker Indoor Marathon

Let’s get the suspense over with. I had a disappointing race in the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon and finished in 4:24:09. Well behind my goal of Sub 4, but here is the story.

I woke up early and ate 3 packs of Oatmeal before the race. I wanted a little more in me as I usually run out of fuel later in the. I packed up my bag with my GU packs, extra water bottles and all the other things I bring to a race. By just after 6AM, I was out the door for the cold drive to The Pettit Center. I arrived at 6:30 and went upstairs to wait for Paul to show up. As I waited, a guy with a UW-Oshkosh Track jacket came in so we sparked up a conversation since I am an Alum of the same program. Not long after that, my coach from college, John Zupanc, showed up. I expect him to run a fast time and he is 55 years old but runs marathons often. Paul finally arrives and now we are close to the start time.

Before the race, Chris goes over the rules with everyone including running in lane 2 and passing in lane 1. Also no headphones allowed. Most of the time I don’t care if people wear their headphones, but in this race with ONLY 2 lanes of running room (Maybe 3 abreast total) and people passing each other all the time, I agree with the rule. During the race, 1 runner was pulled off the course after being warned 5 times to take her headphones off. They let her continue after she finally too them off.

The race started without and incidents and off we were for 95.377 laps of pure enjoyment. I started in the middle of the pack with Paul and wanted to run lap times of 2:26 to 2:28. On lap #2, I was already lapped by the leader. He was flying!!!

I must have been very well hydrated because I stopped to use the Porto at about 1 mile, 5 miles, and 10 miles. Good thing it was only 10 feet off the course and I only lost about 20 seconds each time. Another goal of mine was to take a short walk break after each 5 miles. This went well for awhile.

I was clipping off laps between 2:23 and 2:29 for over half the race and everything was going according to plan. I passed the half way point (or at least where I thought halfway was) at about 1:57:20. My legs were feeling a bit tired already which did concern me but I wanted to keep on goal pace.

It was nice seeing Paul and John pass me occasionally since usually we can’t see friends running different paces in a marathon. That is one major plus to a race like this. My friend Chaz showed up as well and he has able to watch and cheer every lap.

I took my 15 mile (54 lap) break right on schedule and took a GU and a banana. (I took GU at 5 and 10 miles as well along with a salt pack before the race and at 10 and 15 miles). By lap 65, I was slowing down and my lap time was in the Mid 2:30’s and I took an early break to rest the legs for a moment. Things only got worse for me from here on. The laps got slower and the breaks came more frequently. With 12 laps to go, I was trying to run 4 laps then a break. I already knew 4 hours was out of the question so finishing was now the goal. I knew I would finish, but I wanted to as soon as possible as the pain was coming on. My knees were very sore, something I have never experienced at Pettit before, and my back was sore from the fall last week. I told myself that there are no excuses and to keep on. The last 12 laps took what seemed forever and I unfortunately walked quite a bit of it. I was able to muster up a final lap of good speed and finished looking good down the final straight away.

I walked around afterward for awhile and did not feel queasy to that was good. I was able to talk to Paul who finished in 3:37:08 and in 23rd place. John had already left but he was done for a long time. He place 8th in 3:13:15. Both pretty good times for them.

The Number of the Day was 4

The number for the day for me apparently was 4. My race bib number was 4, time was 4:24, and my place was 44th. Next year I will ask for #3. The person who was assigned #3 didn’t even show up. I had people in the stands saying stuff like “Hey, Brett Favre” who was #4 for the Packers. Sounded funny the first time but got old quickly.

So now that I am a day removed from the race, my disappointment has lowered some. I don’t want to belittle anyone who runs a 4:24 marathon or even slower. Hey, you run marathons! That is awesome in itself no matter what time you run! I am very thankful for the gift God has given me to be able to run marathons and the discipline to train for them. I am just disappointed because I had higher goals for myself. Just 4 measly weeks ago, I ran 22 miles at sub 9 minute pace at Pettit and now all I can muster is 10:06. But like I said, I am OK with it. I have another marathon in 4 weeks (actually 2 marathons!) but I am rethinking my strategy. Obviously I am doing something wrong. So I may go out a lot slower in hopes that I can pick it up a lot in the second half. I am also going back to my Jeff Galloway method of 30 second walk breaks every 2 miles. I may also cut down on the number of marathons I run. Since I am already signed up for the 2 in Texas, I will still do those, but I was thinking of 1 or 2 more in later spring but I think I will forgo those and concentrate more on better training and getting a better base and try another fast one in the fall. That will give me the opportunity to run more local short races which I enjoy and have been missing the last year or so.

All in all, the race was a great experience. I loved the race and it was a lot of fun and I will definitely do it again next year. A nice winter marathon where I don’t have to travel is a major plus.

Sorry for the long post, glad you made it this far. Please do comment to me on your thoughts. I would love to hear from you all.

-20.8 F

Holy Crap was it cold this morning! I woke up for work and saw the thermometer and it said -20.8 F. Now that is COLD. And I am running a marathon tomorrow in this same city?!?!?

A lot of us marathoners like to look at the weather forecast before a marathon so we can prepare properly. Here is the forecast: Start Time 2 F, 4 Hours into the race 6 F.

Thank God this is an indoor marathon.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It is cold outside today. The temperature right now on the thermometer at home is -10 F and who know how cold the wind chill is. Brrrrrrrr.....Last night when I was clearing the driveway quickly, my face hurt from the cold. But the car started this morning so off to work I went. Did I mention my car has no heat? There is something wrong and I am not sure what it is but I usually tolerate it since the car has close to 140K miles. It started after work to go home so all is OK.

No running today. Only 2 days until the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon. Actually, since I am writing this in the evening, it is more like 35 hours from now. Physically I am ready for the run. I did a quick 3 miles yesterday before a Chiropractic Appt. and that went well. My back lets me run and my wrist is no problem running. They say to get a lot of rest and have no stress to have the best results. Well . . . I . . .I had a good 3 miles yesterday.

I haven't slept much recently as I have been going to work very early and working late. Stress is very high at work as well. We are about to go live with an new ERP system and I am the main production scheduler there so I am involved heavily in the implementation. We are doing testing now and it isn't going as well as I would like it to so it is giving me a lot of stress. A nice hard run would help out a lot so I guess I will have to wait until Saturday for that. Yesterday, I left for work at 5:30 AM and did not get home until 10:30 PM. I wasn't at work the entire time, I did get in 3 miles indoor at Pettit, have a Chiropractic Appt, go grocery shopping, and go to a 2 hour meeting at Church. Our Church is planning an expansion to the school and since I donate to the expansion fund, I like to know what is being planned and give my input if needed. I just sat, watched and listened this time. Should be a cool expansion when done, at least Phase 1. My 3 princesses will all be going to the school, the oldest is already there in 1st grade, the 2nd will be in Kindergarten next year, and the little one will be there 2 years after that.

This is also the school in which I am planning and organizing a Kids Marathon for. I don't remember if I mentioned this before but it should be a cool program for the kids. I will take time later and explain the plans and maybe ask you if you have any ideas to help out.

Anyways, see you most likely after the race. I hope to have some pics. Keep Warm.

What have I done?

Time for a little fun. I borrowed this from Melanie. I did something like this a month or so ago but this one is a bit different. Time to learn a little about Bill.

Here's the rule: Bold the things you've done & post on your blog!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (Does Air Guitar Count?)
4. Visited Hawaii (I have to run Hawaii to join the 50 states club)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (Disney World many times but not Disneyland)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (Are you kidding?!?! I am told to stop singing A LOT)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (I can do Calligraphy though it has been awhile)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (Not the top but been to the base)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked (When I was a kid, dumb huh!)
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort (Umm, I live in Wisconsin!)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (#14 in 5 days!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (Solar and Lunar)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (Sunrise at The Grand Canyon is the best!)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (Did I win Powerball?)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (On a wall in REI, suppose that doesn't count though)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (Thank God it was with others)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing (In Lake Michigan, doesn't count though)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (Bought a lot)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (Did not like it at all)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (Soph. in High School, first job)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (1 rib and 1 finger)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (Do not miss Sunrise!)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (A fish counts, right?)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Minor Celebrities)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (OK, not a fair item for a guy, but have 3 princesses)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

39%. Hmmmmm. I have a few things to do.

Quick Update

Mike & Paul finished the second leg of the Goofy Challenge today down at Walt Disney World. The Goofy Challenge is running the Disney Half Marathon on Saturday and the running the Disney Marathon on Sunday. Paul was being a nut again and PR for his second straight day with a time of 3:36:33, a mere 5 1/2 minutes from Boston Qualifying after he PR'ed yesterday by over 6 minutes in the half. Mike's knees were very sore and he finished in 3:37:19. Not bad for 2 days work.

1 week until the Icebreaker

This morning I went to Pettit to run a quick 8 miles run as my last longer run before the Icebreaker. IT was an easy run and I averaged 8:36 per mile, a bit faster than I plan on running next Saturday. I did run a few laps with Chris (Icebreaker Race Director) and we talked about the plans for next weeks race and other good running stuff. I found out that because this race is on an oval, it is measured differently that a normal road marathon. Not sure why the USATF does this but it is their rule.

Mike and Paul ran the first leg of the Goofy Challenge today. The first leg of the race is the half marathon. They both ran really good a time with Mike running a 1:26 and Paul running a 1:35. This is a PR for Paul by over 6 minutes so he ran really well. Let's hope they both didn't use too much energy as they will run the full marathon in the morning. Good Luck to them.

By the way, it was my oldest Princesses birthday today. She is now 7. Last night she had 3 of her friends over for a sleep over. They stayed up late and talked too loud but that is how 6 and 7 year-olds play. As I left this morning at 6:45, they were already awake talking. they all had fun and no one was hurt so a good time was had by all.

A Redeption Run

After work today, I went to the Chiropractor for another adjustment. My back is starting to feel better but I still need a few more to untwist it. He also adjusted my wrist. I didn't even know you could do that. My wrist is feeling a lot better. The spot I landed on it is almost completely better and the sprain is getting there. My mobility is about 80% not but if I go to extremes, I can still feel the sprain. Another few days and it should be close to new.

After the adjustment, I went to Pettit for a 5 mile run. It snowed about 6 to 8 inches today and I am a little skittish about an outside run (with the fall still fresh) and since I was only about 2 miles from Pettit, I decided to run there.

I started out at a good pace of 8:04 for the first mile. At this point I was still feeling good so I decided to try to keep up the 8:00 pace for the entire 5 miles and turn it into a Tempo Run. Mile 2 was about 8:02. I kept this pace for the next 2 miles and then took the last mile at about 7:20. Final pace average was 7:54. It felt good to run a little faster again. This is about on average 1 minute per mile faster than I plan on running during The Icebreaker.

Tomorrow's plan is 8 miles easy and then full taper next week. Maybe 2 or 3 short easy runs and then Saturday is the race. Let's hope all goes well.

One last thing. On the radio on the way home, I heard about a video to go see on YouTube. I saw it and I recommend everyone to go watch it. It is 5 little girls, I was told they are all 6, 7, & 8 years old singing the National Anthem. It is the most amazing video, they harmonize so well and sing perfectly. It was sung before a Texas Tech Basketball Game. Go to YouTube and search under Texas Tech National Anthem or maybe this link will work.

Interesting News

As I was reading my daily dose of Runner's World online, I came upon an article in the racing news section about a marathon that is 94 laps. Sound familiar? It was about The Icebreaker Marathon at Pettit on Jan. 17th. This article linked to the entire article posted on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel site. (See it here). The best part of the article is that is is quoting my coach from college, John Zupanc. That is how I found out that he is running as well. I emailed him immediately and talked about the race we are both doing. He has done over 50 marathons in his life including 20 Bostons.I think his personal best is around 2:21 or close to that but at 55 years old, he still cruises at 3:04 this past fall.

Anyways, it was cool to see the article about the race on Runner's World and even better to see my coach in it.

Went to the chiropractor today to get my back checked out after my fall on the ice yesterday. He took an X-ray and my spine was twisted some from the fall. He did an adjustment and things are starting to heal. My wrist is still sore but mobility is improving. The sprain and contusion will take awhile to heal. My first planned run will be on Friday but it looks good to continue the marathon quest.

A Split Second Later

I decided after work on Tuesday to go on an easy 4 miler since I was starting the Taper for the Icebreaker. It was about 30 F outside and a light snow falling. A nice winter's evening for a run. I set out at a nice easy pace and off I went. About 9/10th of a mile into the run, a little disaster hit. I had just started running on a sidewalk in Rochester, when I stepped on a lightly snow covered patch of ice. This was very slick ice and my feet flew forward and up and the rest of by body flew down. I first hit my left hand on the ice/sidewalk followed by my left elbow. Then I hit the left side of my back pretty hard. I am not sure if I hit my head or not but that didn't hurt much. I was laying down in the ice for about 3 to 4 minutes in pain while I tried to figure out how to get up and to a little check of myself for injuries. I finally rose and walked a little then jogged very slowly back to my work because it was a bit painful to run.

I knew the left side of my back was hurt some. It was the lower part and it seemed to be the muscle. Maybe I had landed hard on it and it spasmed some? I knew my left elbow was bruised but not more than that. My left wrist at first feeling just sore but as I drove home, it kept getting worse and the mobility kept getting less. After a quick bite to eat I was off to the Urgent care in town to have it looked at in case I had broken it.

I see the doctor and he check it out and most of the wrist is OK but some pain when I move it in certain ways. Then he checked my hand and we found a very painful area . It is the left hand inside part opposite the thumb. Very tender to the touch. So he orders some X-rays. X-rays come back and the good news is that nothing is broken. The bad news is there is nothing they can do to help it. I end up with a (I think he called it this) bone contusion and a bad sprain. Good News!

Today I plan on making an appointment with my chiropractor to check out my back and see if my lower back pain is spinal related or not. Hopefully just some soreness from landing on it and it will only take a few days to go away but we will see.

So that was my adventure for yesterday. I can check off another 1 1/2 miles of running and now I can be on a forced taper as I am going to take a couple days off from running. I don't think this will stop me from running in the Icebreaker at this time. Hopefully all the injuries won't affect my running or will be minimal while running. Stay tuned to find out.

Runners tally

Today was an easy run by myself. I did the Hills Loop 5 miler at 8:30 pace and it felt easy. Mile & Paul did not run. They are leaving Wednesday for the Disney Goofy Challenge. I am jealous but I plan on doing that in 3 years so I have begun saving up. It won't be cheap taking all 3 princesses to Disney World but it is a vacation I am looking forward to, at least in 3 years.

My legs felt lighter today. That was because of the sports massage I had on Saturday. I was told I would be sore on Sunday from it but I really wasn't. Guess I drank enough water during the day.

My friend Art Vance has been doing his Blog for many years not. It is called By Foot with Arthur Vance. His Blog is linked to mine and he is one of the blogs that got me started runner blogging. He has started up his blog again after a long time off. He is now Video Blogging from his runs. It is pretty cool as he carries a tiny camera while he runs and then edits it with music. He is one of the guys running the Austin Marathon in February. He now lives near Austin. He has this Runner's World Mileage tally on his blog. I am going to try to see if I can start one up as well. Let's see if I can find time to do it.

11 days until the Icebreaker Marathon. I might be able to convince Larry to do it as well. We'll see.

First Run of the Year

I got up early this morning and was on the road at about 6:45 AM to do a nice half marathon distance run. First 5 miles were flat and I kept an nice pace of about 8:45 then some hills came. I had kept every mile under 9:00 so far so I decided to see if I could keep this up through the hills. I wanted to keep the run easy as I will be running the Icebreaker Marathon in 2 weeks. The hills seemed easy and I finished up at an average pace of 8:30. Total time at 1:51 and some change.

2 hours later I was off to my first ever sports massage. I was a bit nervous going into it as I was told it can hurt a lot at times but it should help out the running. It started out with resistant stretching which felt good. I haven't done a lot of that since my college days. The person doing the massage was named Rachel and she is a little thing but is very strong. She was twisting me up and taking all the force I was pushing back. Then she started on working on my leg muscles. So much for the good feelings. She was using those muscles of hers to destroy my quad muscles like they have never been before. VERY PAINFUL. She did some of the muscles on my back and Glut and I felt like I was going to die at times. Thank God that was over but my legs feel very refreshed now and actually feel lighter. Now I am suppose to drink a lot of water to let all the toxins out.

I suppose that overall it was a good experience and maybe someday I will do it again. We will see how the muscles feel over the next few days. This is suppose to help the marathon in 2 weeks so let's hope for the best.