Monday, February 20, 2012

I Run Kids Marathon!

It has been almost 6 months since last summers WELS Kids Marathon and it was probably the best one of the 3 we have has some far. It is time to start planning for the 2012 Kids Marathon and we started by officially announcing the new name, well, at least as official can be by posting it on the kids marathon website.

And the new name will be the "I Run Kids Marathon". There are so many reasons as to why people run and most runners are very proud that we run. I am proud to say that I RUN too. I Run ... to make a difference! I Run ... to be healthy! I Run ... for the glory of God! And a million more reasons too.

I am hoping that this name change attracts more kids to join the program and learn to enjoy and love running as much as I do.

I know my daughter loves to run. I know a lot of my friends love to run. Do you love to run?

Why do you run? Complete this sentence, I Run ...

Keep on Running!!!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

A Few Pictures To Share

I am closing in on the end of my "Running Exile" It was been almost a full month since I last ran any miles and I definitely miss it. You might think that this would be the perfect time for a break from running, the middle of winter in Wisconsin. I would normally agree with you (and to some parts I still do) but this has been the oddest winter in the Milwaukee area of Wisconsin. Hardly any snow and when it does snow, it is gone right away. Temp have been very mild in the 30's and even in the 40's. There is no ice on the roads so the chances of slipping and falling are not big this year. But you play the hand you are dealt and look for the positives. Hopefully in early March, I can run pain free and my running life will be back to good.



We did have an Icebreaker wrap up/Heatbreaker meeting yesterday. That went well and plans for the inaugural Heatbreaker Half Marathon are going good. I haven't decided if I am going to run one of the half marathon heats yet or not, I am leaning toward doing one right now or maybe the relay. We'll see.



Since the Pinewood Derby is done and we have been back from Disney for over 4 weeks now, I thought I would share a few pictures from each.


Disney World




After all the races, Melissa and I needed to make sure we had our picture taken with our Medals in front of Cinderella Castle.



The latest Princess, Rapunzel, was a big hit in the Magic Kingdom, and a big line too!



Tinkerbell did make an appearance to the surprise and delight of my girls.

Darth Maul also showed up, but Young Padawan Megan was ready to use her newly acquired Jedi Skills and the Force to make sure the galaxy was safe once again.


The girls didn't always behave on the trip. They had to be locked up for awhile.


While it was very sad to leave and no one wanted to, we did have to say Good-Bye. We will be back someday (Just not for the Marathon).



Pinewood Derby


Katelynn's 'car' was a Radio Flyer Wagon. It may not look too aerodynamic but did end up talking 3rd place out of 18 girl cars.



Melissa made a Perry the Platypus 'car' that she named "Agent P" Perry is from the Disney Channel cartoon "Phineas & Ferb", a funny show I might add. She ended up taking 6th place, coincidentally 1 place ahead of another Perry the Platypus.




Megan created the colorful and stylish "Megan-mobile" It may not look like it has a lot to it, but it screamed down the track to a 2nd place overall place.



Megan with her 2nd place trophy. She was happier than she looks.

Keep on Running!!!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Some of This and Some of That

It has now been over 2 weeks since I last ran at the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon. I am taking about 6 weeks off to recover from an IT Band issue. It sucks, but I do put things in perspective. I will be able to run again. There are far more pressing issues that others face too. I could most likely go 5 miles right now and not feel any issues, but I need the time for the IT to fully recover, and to learn whatever stretches to help that I need to learn as well.

Here is a funny little story. I was watching the movie “Courageous” this weekend. It is a nice movie about Fathers stepping up and not just being Fathers that are good enough, but really being great Fathers to their children and teaching them all the life lessons they need to be taught. The movie takes place in Albany, Georgia which is where the Albany Marathon is located. I ran the Albany Marathon back in 2010 along with my friends Mike and Paul so we could cross off Georgia on our way to 50 states.

I went to the Albany Marathon website (albanymarathon.com) to look at the course map since I recognized a few sites in the movie from my 2 days there. As I was looking at the website, I glanced at the top banner of pictures and saw that one of the pictures was my friend Mike just before the finish line. It was pretty funny to see that. I texted Mike and told him that he looked pissed off in the picture. Turns out he was intensely sprinting to the finish in order to break 3:13. His gun time ended up at 3:12:59 (Chip time 3:12:43). There is a reason there is a photo release in the small print of your race waivers, and this is why. I have been kidding him today that he is now an International Internet Marathon Super Star, and now he won’t talk to me, says he is too good for me. LOL

Remember that Jennipede thing I ran in and wrote about a few time? It is official now. The Jenniepe is the official Guinness World Record Holder for the most people linked completing a marathon. 62 of us! Take that Mr. International Internet Marathon Super Star!!! LOL I can get a personalized copy of the World Record Certificate too, I just don’t know how it should be personalized. Any other Jennipede’s out there? How are you getting your certificate personalized?

This coming weekend is the Pinewood Derby my girls are entering. They did really good last year and hope to do well again. We don’t try for the fastest “cars,” we try to make fun “cars”. And when I say “we”, that means I try to help them with things I don’t feel they are old enough to do or not skilled yet to do (ie power tools). So I basically mold the “cars” to the design that we both came up with and they sand them down and paint them however they want to. And I put the word, cars, in parentheses for a reason. Last year, we made a pickup truck, a semi-truck, and an ocean liner boat. Are we making cars this year? Nope! This year we have a “Megan-mobile” which basically is the name Megan carved out with wheels on it painted in rainbow colors. There is also a red wagon and a platypus. A Platypus?? Yes, it is supposed to look like Perry the Platypus from Phineas & Ferb on the Disney Channel. I will post pictures when they are complete and you can judge if it actually does look like Perry.

Finally, registration is now open for the first annual Heatbreaker Half Marathon. I will write a post on that one real soon. It looks to be a really fun filled day of half marathon fun and even a half marathon relay.

Keep on Running!!!