Venture to Run

Ultramax 50

2009-08-10T09:47:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was the Ultramax 50 triathlon - 1 mile swim, 42 mile bike, 10 mile run. The was a first time event at this location (Hillsdale Lake) and for this distance, which is in between an olympic and 1/2 iron distance.
As always, the Ultramax crew was well organized, course well marked and manned, etc, etc...all that you would expect for these guys. They put on a great race, including the sarcasm over the PA system to lighten the mood.

After my bad swim experience at the Innsbrook tri, I was determined to do better this time. I wasn't looking for shark like speed, just not to embarass myself. I am convinced that the swim is physically the easiest part of the race, but mentally the hardest. The violent start, getting kicked, bumping into people, murky water, fogged googles, muffled hearing, and always wondering "am I swimming the right direction?" Knowing what to expect, (and training at 2.5 times the distance) I actually had a great swim this time. I freestyled the entire distance, remained calm, and really enjoyed this part of the race. I had plenty of contact with other swimmers, practically swam over a guy that had slowed in front of me, got a little of course a couple of times, but managed to swim the mile in 34 minutes. Certainly not record setting, but for a guy that was taking swim lessons 6 months ago, I was pretty pleased.

I got through T1 fairly well, not blazing, but good improvement over the last race. I was just happy to get in the area and see there was still a lot of bikes in the rack, confirming that that swim had gone well. I rolled out onto the course and saw Mendy and the boys cheering for me which is always nice. Mendy is great at encouraging and cheering. Within a few miles, Brad caught up to me and then pulled ahead. He is a little stronger on the bike than me, so I made it my goal to keep him in my sights, which I managed to do for most of the 42 mile course. The course itself was good, long rolling hills but nothing to steep. The only downside was some pretty strong winds that made for some tough pedaling in a few spots. I was glad to have my aerobars and hydration system newly installed on my bike, they both worked great. I was envious of all the fancy triathlon specific bikes on the course, and a little intimidated at the start of the race looking around at all the fancy gear - aerohelmets, wetsuits, zoot shoes, TT bikes with disc wheels, and on and on. As I passed a few of these bikes on the course though, I reminded myself that gear does make the racer. (don't get me wrong, I was passed several times too.)

The transition to run went fairly well, but I made a fatal error here without even realizing it at the time. It was mid-day by the this time and temperatures were hovering around 96-97 degrees and we still had a 10 mile run in front of us. Fuel and hydration is critical. Knowing that I perform best with solid food when going longer than 2 hours, I had laid out a banana and some fig newton bars to grab and eat as I started the run. I looked at the banana as I was slipping my shoes on and the thought of eating a banana that had been laying out in the heat all morning sounded disgusting, so I grabbed just the fig newtons and threw them in the pocket on the back of my shirt. Grabbed my garmin and ran out of transition while getting it strapped to my wrist. I fiddled with getting the garmin set and satellites located while beginning the run and just totally forgot about eating! Brad had left the transition area just 30-40 seconds before me, so it wasn't long before I caught up to him on the run. It became quickly apparent that we would not be setting in PR's on this run course - the heat was insane, so we maintained a slow steady pace and stopped at each of the aid stations to drink and dump water over our heads. We had enough enough energy to flex and be silly for photo around mile five, but I started fading not long after. Normally, this should have been my best leg of the race, but today was proving otherwise. That said, there were a lot of beat up looking people out there, the heat was taking it's toll on most everyone. Brad and I ran together until about mile 8 when I really crashed. I was overheated and running on empty and could keep up anymore. I was having to take frequent walk breaks, telling myself that I would walk for 20 seconds, but my count would go ...17, 18, 19, 19, 19, 19...I had a hard time ever saying "20". Eventually, the finish line was in sight and I was done! Brad was already done, gaining six minutes on me over those last 2 miles. He did really well throughout the heat and I was glad we was there to run with for the majority of it.

After the finish, I made a beeline down to the lake to try and get my body temperature down, knowing that I was in dangerous territory. Mendy and the boys joined me in relaxing in the water for a bit. After a few minutes, I headed back up to the finish area to get changed. I kept having spells of naseau, dizziness, and getting chills. I knew I needed to eat and drink, but I couldn't stomach food so water was it. I had to just sit in the shade for a while to get my bearing back.

All in all, it was a good race. I was pleased with my bike and swim, the run sucked, but I was reminded h0w important nutrition and proper fueling is especially over long distances and heat. I was 64th out of 142 finishers, not sure how many started, but I know know several people dropped out for various reasons.

Quartermax Triathlon

2009-06-18T19:48:00.003-05:00

I have officially entered the triathlon world. It wasn't long ago that I greatly admired those that did them, but feared I was too weak of a swimmer to ever tackle one myself. A few swim lessons and several hours at the pool later and I found myself shivering on a beach in a pair of spandex waiting to hit the lake and start the long course of the Innsbrook Ultramax ... what had I gotten myself into?!!!

The starting gun went off with a blast and all the men hit the water - the once smooth water was instantly transformed into a churning mess of bodies and splashing water. I hung towards the back of the pack with a plan to relax on this portion of the event as it was mentally very intimidating for me - this was the first day I had ever even put on a swim cap! Initially, I settled into the swim pretty well, I was calm, the strokes were coming easy, and I actually liked the fact the the cap kept water from getting in my ears. About 150 yards out, the nerves found their way back and the next thing I knew I was choking on a mouthful of water, looking for an escape route and life preserver, while also contemplating how big of a loser I would be if I didn't finish this. I really did not want to be "that guy" that was being towed back in with a big orange life vest around my neck - not exactly the type of photo I would like to post here. All these images and thoughts raced through my mind in just a matter of seconds as one of the race officials heard me coughing and called out asking if I needed help. She paddled her canoe over to me and said if I needed a break I could grab hold for a moment without breaking any rules. I took her up on the offer and used the time to clear my throat and regain my composure. Once I started swimming again, all was fine. Despite my troubles, I was still ahead of a few guys (very few, but I wasn't last!) and just took the rest of the swim slow and easy. It was not physically fatiguing, but my little panic attack was mentally very taxing. I was thrilled to hit the beach again and transition to the bike.

As I ran into the transition area, probably 2/3 or better of the bikes were already gone, reaffirming that my swim time sucked if I had had notions otherwise. I didn't care though, I was still just happy to be alive. My transition time was pretty (very) slow too, I fumbled trying to put socks on my wet feet, and just generally jacked around much longer than an experienced triathlete would. Soon enough I was off and riding. I'm relatively new to cycling too, and this was my first event on a bike, but I felt much more comfortable on the pavement than the water. The short course race started 20 minutes before ours, and we shared the first portion of the bike route. Although it was primarily other newbies, it was encouraging to be passing people again. That said, I got passed a few times myself, but felt pretty "average" amongst all the competitors on the bike despite how green I was to the sport. About 1/2 way through the 28 mile route, a real sense of "I'm actually doing this!" came over me and I was thrilled to be out there having a great time.

Before I knew it, I was back at the transition area ready to run. Again, my transition time was very slow, but I was ready to run. I knew this would be my strongest leg, but was mildly nervous about my IT Band syndrome rearing up. The 6 mile run course was 95% gravel road and extremely hilly. The race description said it was "challenging", but wow, I didn't really expect this may hills. I was happy to see them though, because I was used to this stuff from trail running and assumed most of the others probably weren't, at least that's what I hoped. I was running around 7:30 miles through the elevations and passing people left and right. I was having an especially good time recognizing people that had passed me on the bike as I now passed them. With only a mile to go on the home stretch and still feeling strong, it felt like someone stabbed me in knee with a dagger. The IT Band had reared it's ugly head and literally stopped me in my tracks with no warning. I stretched as best I could and started hobbling in the final mile. I half skipped, half ran, half hopped the final mile as the pain came and went. Finally, the finish was in site and I was crossing the finish line.

Mendy had finished the short course and was there waiting for me. It was her second tri and she had done a really good job. We ran into some other folks and new friends from the Liberty area at the finish festivities and enjoyed meeting and talking to them. Ultramax did a great job organizing the event and we had a great time. I can't wait to do it again.

Berryman Trail 50 Mile

2009-06-14T15:07:00.004-05:00

It's been several weeks since this event, but I guess a post is better late than never.

Our weekend started with a huge downpour, flash flooding the streets and making it difficult to navigate through town to pick up our two oldest kids from school...a great way to start a weekend of camping and running. Mendy's parents had gone down the day before with our youngest son to get a good campsite and get things set up. I was thankful that they had, because it was well after dark when we finally arrived at the Berryman campgrounds, and the last thing I wanted to do was set up a camp for my entire family. If awards were given out for the best campsite preparations, they definitely would have won (it was slight overkill, but that's a whole different story). I slept on a blow up mattress in the back of our van that slowly deflated as the night went on and the rain continued to pour until the wee hours of the morning, so I was exactly well rested come morning...not that I would have slept much anyways.

As with any trail race, the start was a very modest "get ready, set, GO!" and we all started lumbering off. The marathoners had a slightly more ambitious pace than the 50 milers, but nobody was starting with blazing speed - there were plenty of miles ahead of us. I settled in with a group of 4 or 5 other guys for the first 10 miles or so and was feeling great, and then out of nowhere my knee started hurting, bad. There was an aid station coming in a few miles where I knew Mendy with be with my gear which had a knee strap in it. I figured if I could get there, all would be good and the pain would go away soon. Unfortunately that was not the case, the strap was in my stuff, but it didn't help.

With almost 40 miles yet to go, I knew this was going to be a long day. I slowed my pace considerably and decided to just enjoy the experience rather than worrying about a good time. Mendy was faithfully there at each of the stations she was able to travel to, sometimes with the kids, sometimes without. I enjoyed having her out there and spent a little more time than normal at the stations giving the leg a little break. The last few miles seemed to drag on forever. Eventually I hit the last aid station and knew I had just over 2 miles to go until the finish with the 11 hour mark looming. I was way over my original time goals, but decided it would be nice to stay in the 10 hour range, so I decided to put the knee aside and just try and finish strong. Somehow I managed to run those last couple miles faster than any of the prior individual miles and finish under 11. I was glad to be done.

Unlike shorter distances where I push hard the whole time and then don't have much of an appetite afterward, I was starving. We hung out for a few minutes so I could eat a hot dog and relax, and then we were off to my parents house farm for the rest of the weekend.

Aside from the knee, which ended up being IT Band syndrome which is still bothering me now, I loved the race and the distance. The trail itself was pretty much all single track, which just enough rolling elevation to make it interesting without any really crazy climbs. There was a couple of creek crossings to get wet in, and a lot of mud from the prior rains. Aid stations were every 3-5 miles and well supplied with all the typical stuff. Good race that I look forward to doing again and redeeming my time.

Lincoln Marathon

2009-05-08T20:46:00.007-05:00

As always, we were rushed to leave the house Saturday morning…I was trying to haggle on a new (used) car, grandparents were arriving to watch the kids, and Mendy was generally trying to cram too much into the morning as well. Nonetheless, we finally got on the road hoping to make it to Lincoln in time to see Jeff Galloway speak at the pre-race expo. Three hours worth of driving and great conversation later, we walked in just as he was beginning to speak. Our friends Brad and Adrienne, and Jon and Jen, were already there…they tend to be a bit more organized about these things. Galloway was very interesting to listen to, even though I don’t prescribe to his methods. The expo was the typical stuff, nothing too exciting. We made our way over to the free pasta dinner, met up with some other friends, and had a nice relaxing evening – complete with a movie!

Our hotel was within walking distance of the start, so we were able to sleep relatively late, walk over, and still be plenty early. (I don’t like being rushed before an event) I found Brad and we situated ourselves in the starting mob around the 8:30 milers. Before we knew it, the gun had sounded and the race began. It took us several minutes to get to the actual starting mat, but once we did, we were off and running. I didn’t really have a “race plan” other than to start out with Brad and then see how it went - maybe slow down and have a nice training run for the upcoming Berryman 50, but maybe speed up and go for a good finishing time.

Brad and I ran the first half side by side the whole way. Although I don’t remember what about, we talked most of the way, swapped snacks where we each grabbed the wrong things from aid stations, and kept good company for each other. I had to make one pit stop at a porta-john for a piss break that I couldn’t hold any longer, but other than that, I felt great the whole way.

At the turn where the ½ marathoners finished, I decided to turn up the speed a bit for the second half. I looked to Brad and told him I was going to speed up a bit and then just went on. I didn’t know if he was going to join or not, but after a few minutes a realized he wasn’t. After doing some mental calculations, I determined that I had a very slim chance in finishing in 3:30 if I ran hard for the entire second half – even though it would mean a negative split of around 7-8 minutes. What the heck, I might as well try.

Although I was now running by myself, the second half was a blast. While most others were slowing down, I was speeding up and passing people left and right. Nothing is more mentally encouraging than doing this. Mendy had ran the ½ and was now out on her bike encouraging those of us who were running the full. I was happy to see her a few miles before the finish, but didn’t have time to stop and talk – a glance to see her wave and cheer was all I needed. Fortunately I was able to maintain the pace all the way through and finished in 3:30:48. The 48 seconds kind of annoys me off because I my piss break in the first half was about that long. Oh well, I was still very happy with the time and looking forward to being under it next time.

As always, as soon as I quit running at the finish, the wall of weird pain, disorientation, and euphoria all wrapped into one hit me. I walked around for a few minutes to regain my bearings before all was well again. A few minutes later, Brad finished and we headed back out on the course together to find his wife and Jon to run them in. It was Jon’s first marathon and we figured he might be getting a bit tired by now. We found Adrienne first, so Brad started back in with her. I went on a bit further to find Jonathan. His wife Jen, was also riding along beside the course as encouragement, but I think he was happy to have someone run with him through that final grueling stretch. Seeing his excitement at the finish was probably the best part of the weekend.

After the race, Mendy and I gorged on some Chipolte, then headed home….great race, great weekend.

Brew to Brew

2009-04-07T21:04:00.012-05:00

This past Sunday was the Brew to Brew run. It's touted as a 44 mile relay race for teams from Kansas City, MO to Lawrence, KS, but it also has a category for solo runners. The actual distance varies slightly from year to year due to road construction, etc - this years actual distance was 43.2 miles. Only preliminary results have been posted, but there were about 79 registered solo runners, and 49 finishers. (I don't know how many of the difference between registrants and finishers didn't start versus didn't finish - some of each I'm sure.) There were probably somewhere around 2000 relay participants as well. This is the only race I've been involved in that gives a time handicap as opposed to posting results by age group...must be related to the relay portion? I'm not sure that I like handicaps for the solo runners - considering 4 of the top 10 finishers had "handicaps" that clearly weren't needed. Anyways, my time was 7 hours 42 seconds, which gave me the 9th best time overall, but was ranked 10th with handicaps figured in. If broken down by age group, I would have been 3rd for my group.

Solo runners started at 6:00 from Boulevard Brewery in downtown KC. It was still pitch black out, and because the relay runners didn't start until later in the morning, our relatively small group got a few instructions shouted out to us by the Race Director and we were off. The first mile or so was through downtown streets before we descended a staircase at an overpass that led us under the bridge and onto the levee. We spent the next few miles running along the hard packed gravel trail on top of the levee. The weather was still warm enough this early that I wore only a thin t-shirt, arm sleeves, light gloves, a stocking cap, and shorts. Conditions were great for running and I fell in step with Scott Giddings, a runner I had met at the Psycho Wyco 50K. Scott and I talked for a while until I had to stop for a piss break and lost a little ground.
Before I knew it, we were at the first aid station and Mendy was there waiting as planned. It was too early to need refueling so I said "hi" and ran on through.

Mendy was my "crew" for the day. She was armed with a tackle box full of food (PB&J, pretzels, peanut M&Ms, Cliff bars, GU, and boiled potatoes. She also had a a backpack full of spare clothes and shoes...just in case. My friend Brad was riding with her for the first portion, he was planning on getting out and running the 2nd half (or more) with me.

As the sun started to come up, the race was still going great. I kept having to check my pace and slow myself down though. As good as I felt now, I knew there would come a point (or 2 or 3) where I would not feel so great later on, and it was important to conserve energy and stay nourished. Mendy was faithfully waiting at each station as I came through, ready with fresh water bottles and a smorgasbord of treats. I tried to keep my stops limited to just a few seconds - just long enough to grab something and move on. Too much standing around causes me to stiffen up.

At mile 18, Brad decided to join the fun. I was still feeling strong and happy to have him join me. As an avid runner, and finisher of last year's race, I knew he was probably getting very restless watching the first section rather than running it. We traded spots back and forth with Scott for the next several miles.

All went well until and through the marathon point - I hit a small low point around mile 23 or so, but nothing major - I was happy to get that milestone completed in under 4 hours. Somewhere shortly thereafter that point though, the weather, which had been slowly getting worse as the day went on, really took a turn for the worse. Temperatures dropped, winds picked up, and it started to rain, sleet, and snow. Unfortunately, this coincided with a tougher section of the course and made for a rough few miles.

Around mile 30 we came to the river crossing. At this point we had to get in a small zodiac style raft that was hooked to a tow line to get across the river. We had to wait for a few minutes for the raft captain to be ready for, and then put on wet, muddy life-jackets. Even though the raft ride only lasted about a minute, the combination of my already soaked clothes, the freezing lifejackets, having to sit on the edge of the boat for the ride, and the sleet was enough to zap all remaining energy out of me. As soon as I stood up after the ride, my hip flexor locked up and I was in some serious pain on top of dangerously cold conditions. I hobbled on as fast as I could and luckily the next aid station was less than a mile away. Mendy was there anticipating our need to change clothes. Unfortunately, my hands were literally frozen (I have circulation trouble in my hands while running) and I couldn't get them to work. Mendy had to help get my current shirt and gloves off. Both her and Brad grabbed a side of the new shirt after we got it over my head and pulled it down over my body. Getting the new gloves on was the hardest - my hands were shaking so bad and I was unable to move my fingers. Mendy had to manipulate each of my fingers into their respective slots. Finally, we got my jacket on me and I was off again.

Within a mile or so, the dry clothes really started to pay off and I was warming back up and able to move my fingers. My hip flexor started to work itself out as well and I was soon back to feeling good. As the saying goes, "It always never gets worse", at least that's what I kept reminding myself. The next several miles consisted of primarily rolling hills. For the first time in the race, I needed to walk some of the steeper uphills. The amount of energy I was using up trying to run the steep portions wasn't worth the slow pace I was doing it at. Brad did a great job through this section trying to keep my mind occupied with things other than being tired, but I realize I wasn't much of a conversationalist by this point. We did manage to pass a few other solo runners through this section which was pretty motivating.

We came into the final aid station around mile 39, had a few swigs of RedBull for a final boost of energy and took off for the final leg - a flat 4+ miles to the finish, no problem. For a short while, the wind was at our backs and I hit a high thinking, "only 4 miles to go, it's flat, and the wind it at my back...this is in the bag!" We kicked the pace up to low 8's and were feeling great - then out of nowhere, the winds shifted again and were right in our face! It was blowing so hard I was literally knocked off balance more than once. Somehow, despite having to take a few short walk breaks through this, we managed to pass a few more runners. I wanted nothing more than to be done, the ground looked extremely inviting as a nice place to take a nap. After what seemed like forever, the finish appeared out of nowhere from around a bend. I asked Brad if that was really it, and we took off in a "sprint" to the end. Exactly 7 hours later, we had arrived in Lawrence, Kansas.

Overall, aside from grueling weather for the second half, I had a fantastic time. The pain and fatigue was to be expected and well worth the sense of accomplishment that comes with completing an event like this. Mendy did a fantastic job at having things ready for me at each of the aid station and should get the award for best crew - it was a huge motivator to see her cheering every few miles. Brad was awesome, it would have been much tougher without him. Just having him running along side helped me to keep pushing through. We've spent a lot of time on the road together so he knows what I am, and am not, capable of.

It was cool to get to see Scott again and spend some time running with him. We got to meet a couple of his friends that were running the race too. One of which had won the event three times in previous years, and the other was an Olympic hopeful at the women's marathon! Hopefully we'll get to meet up again at future events.

Each time I complete a run like this I get a little more excited about pushing the limits for the next one. Next month is the Lincoln Marathon, and then the Berryman Trail 50 mile - I can't wait.

31 mile training run

2009-03-22T18:35:00.002-05:00

Today was my last long run before Brew to Brew in two in weeks. I went 31 miles at an average pace of 8:38. I felt pretty good the whole time, never got sick or tired enough for a walk break. I was shirtless for the last 5-6 miles, which was a weird sensation after so many cold weather runs lately. It seems like it went from freezing temps to hot in just a matter of weeks. I only had two gels the whole run, but added in some solid food instead, which I think helps my energy levels. After 6 miles, I had a banana...then a gel after 12...at 18 I had a PB & honey sandwich...then a kid's cliff bar around mile 22...I had another gel around mile 25...then crunched on some Peanut M&M's for the remainder of the run.
I have been going back and forth between running the Olathe marathon next weekend (the weekend before Brew to Brew) and just going at an easy pace, but I've opted to stay away from it and getting some rest before the Brew's 44 miles. I don't really have a time goal B-to-B, but of course I'd like to feel like I did my best. Running a marathon the week before, and knowing that I'd get caught up in the excitement and run too fast, isn't probably the wisest of ideas - especially since the race wasn't even on my schedule for this spring. It's best to skip it and go for a good time at Lincoln. Plus, Garrett is having a big sleepover the night before, and Mendy could probably use some help with all the boys that morning.

Sunday Run

2009-02-23T18:35:00.002-06:00

Nothing new or dramatic to report, but I did have a good long road run yesterday. It has been a few weeks since I got any serious road mileage in so I was looking forward to running yesterday. We ended up staying out later than expected on Saturday night so I opted for an afternoon run instead of my normal Sunday morning routine. I maintained an average pace of 8:10 for the 20 mile route and still felt strong at the end. I'm convinced that even though my pace is considerably slower on trails, running them improves my times on pavement.

I am officially signed up for the Brew to Brew 44 mile solo run and the Berryman Trail 50 mile.

50K

2009-02-16T09:04:00.009-06:00

After a long, stressful week in the working world, a good 50K trail race was just what I needed to remove and refresh myself (barring the sore legs). As physically exhausting as it can be, there is something mentally rejuvenating about pushing yourself to completing an event like this.
The course is a 10+ mile loop and there were three different races held - a 10 mile (1 loop), a 20 mile (2 loops), and a 50K (3 loops). Between the three events, there were over 200 runners.
Loop 1 - The first time around went great. There were people around almost the whole time as all the 10 and 20 milers were still on the course. I was glad I had spent a little time on these trails in the past weeks re-familiarizing myself with them. I quickly realized though that I didn't run the same course in training as what were on now - oh well, close enough to have a feel for what the race would bring. I spent most of this loop simply getting into grove, getting comfortable with the mud, and trying not to bite it on the icy portions of the trails. I made it to turn, refilled my water, grabbed a few handfuls of peanut M&Ms, a boiled potato dipped in salt, and half a PB&J sandwich and was off again. (The Trail Nerds have awesome aid stations)
Loop 2 - By this time, the field of participants hand thinned considerably, roughly a third were already done after 10 miles, and the remaining 20 milers and 50K's were spread thin over the 10 mile track. I was still running well and feeling good, but starting to pay a little more attention to the need maintain energy levels through fuel, hydration, and up-hill walks. Some of the icy portions of the trails were starting to melt as the temps rose, but the course was still very treacherous - not sure if the mud or the ice was more slippery. I had witnessed several wipe outs by now, and had narrowly avoided several myself. Somewhere on this loop, my feet slipped out from under me to the side while taking a sharp turn too fast - luckily I caught myself with my hand before anything else hit the ground and was back up running in an instant with no damage. Soon, I found myself in a line of 6-8 other guys all running the full 3 loops. The small talk within the group and the camaraderie of simply having others around made those miles go by pretty fast, but eventually we all set back into our own paces and spread back out. By the time I made it back to the turn with 2 loops down, it was time to trade my heavy gloves in for a lighter pair, let one of the volunteers refill my water for me, and graze over the buffet of food a little longer than last time. I took a big swig of Red Bull and was off again.
Loop 3 - Although I was still feeling relatively good, I could tell I had slowed down quite a bit. I had no major problems - no stomach issues, no serious pains, just tired - and I was extremely happy with that. It was somewhere about this mileage at my last 50K that I hit a wall for a few miles and was completely miserable. This wasn't happening today, just the normal fatigue you would expect from running this far on a tough course. Most of the ice had disappeared by now, but the mud had been churned up and was at an all time high. I felt like I was running through 6 inches of creamy peanut butter through several stretches. About the time I would start to get really tired, I would come across another runner. We would give a few words of encouragement to each other, and then move on. I realized that I was lapping a few of those folks - considering the lap was 10 miles long, this was a huge morale booster for me inside. I made sure to refuel at each of the aid stations this time around despite skipping a few earlier on. I ate everything from cookies, to potatoes, to pretzels, energy gels, bananas, mountain dew, and red bull over the span of the entire event. It was a smorgasbord of crap - but perfect for keeping your energy up during an event. That said, I highly discourage eating 99% percent of these things any other time. While crossing of one of the many fallen logs on the trail, I didn't get my rear leg up quick enough causing my shin bone to hit hard and scrape along the bark. Ouch! Unfortunately it hurt much worse than what the wound let on, so I wouldn't even be able to tell any cool war stories about it. There was broken skin, but no flowing blood to mix in with my mud caked legs. The final aid station had soft chocolate chip cookies! Perfect, my favorite - I grabbed a few to eat as I ran the final few miles to finish.
5 hours and 55 minutes later I crossed the finish line - tired, happy to done, but ready for the next one. Mendy and the boys were there to snap a few pictures, and we headed home to clean up for a date night for Valentines Day.
Finishing times for the 50K ranged from the fastest male time at 4:22:31 (a blazing speed and almost 20 minutes faster than 2nd place), first place female at 6:14:25, and the final competitors finishing in just over 9 and 1/2 hours. My official time of 5:55:19 was good enough to earn 16 place overall out of 77 finishers.
Overall, a great race that was well organized from all aspects. Can't wait for the summer version.

5K Trail Race... plus some

2009-02-04T18:40:00.006-06:00

I went out to Wyandotte County State Park this weekend for a 5k event with Bronco (#9). He picked probably the toughest 5K course in the region as his first one, but at least everything from here on will seem easy in comparison. Another of my friends (#17) that I know through work decided to give it a go as well for his first event. Both of them did well and seemed to enjoy themselves, hopefully they will do more.

After the race I stayed at the park to get my training miles in. I was looking forward to running there again as I am running in a 50K there in two weeks, and figured it would be nice to have a refresher course of those trails. After a several miles, I was reminded how humbling they can be - especially since the majority of my miles have been on the road lately. After about 6 miles, I had to revert to fast-walking some of the steeper uphill sections. Despite the difficulty, I had a great time exploring the trails and navigating the rough terrain. I put in 20 miles by myself, plus the 5k for a total of 23.

I was also glad to work out some kinks in my shoes and equipment prior to the next race, which has resulted in me going on a minor spending spree for some much needed new gear - at least I have justified it as "much needed" in my own mind. I ordered some gaiters to keep out the massive amounts of debris that always collects in my shoes and socks, a new hydration belt system, and most importantly some new trail shoes. I really wanted to like my current trail shoes - North Face Rucky Chucks, gore-tex version - but they just don't fit my feet well. I have several sore spots on my feet directly related to the shoes after only 23 miles. They really didn't perform all that well in my last 50K either, but I tryed to ignore it because I liked other aspects of them. Oh well, I got probably 2/3 of their mileage out them. I can't wait to try out the new stuff.

Back to the Woods

2009-01-25T14:45:00.002-06:00

This morning was the first time I hit the trails in quite a while. A lot of excuses have kept me staying with the convenience of road running pretty much a winter. I was reminded of what I had missed out on and how awesome it is to cruise through the woods just after dawn.
I ran 21 miles total this morning, but did the first 12 on the roads, timing my arrival at the trails with sunrise so I didn't have to mess with a headlamp. It snowed just enough this morning to coat the trails themselves with a white film - highlighting the singletrack as it snaked through the trees - it looked very cool (wish I had brought a camera). Obviously, my pace slowed down when I hit the trails, and even though my legs could tell they hadn't been off pavement for a couple months, I still felt good through the entire run, including my last and fastest miles back to my car which was parked 3 miles away from the trails.
It was only 16 degrees this morning, but the wind was relatively light so I was very comfortable the whole time. I wore tights with shorts over, a fitted long sleeve shirt, tech t-shirt, and my Reebok running jacket. I wore a face mask and double gloves with hand warmers in them.
Great morning overall. Looking forward to hitting the trails more often.

Topeka to Auburn

2009-01-18T18:22:00.009-06:00

Yesterday was the Topeka to Auburn 1/2 Marathon. Brad invited me out to do it with him, he has done it a few times in years past. It turned out to be a great event all around. Aside from some strong winds at time, the weather warmed up into the upper 30's and was sunny - perfect.
The race is a one-way course from Topeka to the small town of Auburn, KS. We parked at the finish, and rode a bus to the start - a van took our gear bags back to Auburn for us to pick up at the finish.
We lined up about mid-pack at the starting line, and held a pace in the upper 7:00's for the majority of the first half. About mile 6 or 7, we sped up and maintained a pace in the low 7:00's for the next for miles. Around mile 10, I was still feeling pretty good, so I turned up the tempo just a bit more logging a sub 7:00 mile and holding through a sprint to the finish. I had just passed a girl right before the finish when I heard my name announced, then the girls name along with a notation that she was the first female to finish. So...at least I beat all the female participants. Final time was 1:39:50, 57th out of 270 runners.

Sun Rise

2009-01-05T19:44:00.003-06:00

I need to get my butt moving faster in the morning. I woke up at 4:00 so I would have plenty of time to get 24 miles in before church yesterday, but still ended up getting started about 15 minutes later than planned and only got 22 miles in before time to go to church. Oh well, it was still a good run and my last couple miles were pacing in the low 7s - not bad for me after 20 miles. I felt extremely fresh still when we arrived at the finish, and once again wanted to keep going if not for time constraints. Brad met me after the first 4 miles so I had him as company for the majority of the run. I normally like to run solo so I can do my own thing, but it's nice to have someone to talk to every once in a while, plus, Brad and I run at about the same pace.

Although it's sometimes hard to get out the door in the wee hours of the morning, it sure is nice to be running when the sun comes up. I love the feeling of accomplishment knowing that I have ran further than most people ever will - all before they even got out of bed for the day. There is a certain satisfaction that comes from it that I can't really describe. It's not an "I'm better than you" type of thing, but more just a secure sense of self confidence. A rush that keeps me feeling good all day.

Hurricanes

2008-12-28T16:03:00.006-06:00

Since the pain in my achilles area still hadn't gone away, but had instead spread to my right leg as well, I decided it was time to possibly try a different shoe style. I have been wearing Mizuno Wave Creations for quite awhile, and have always liked the firmness of them, but a little reflection helped me realize that maybe this was the problem - especially considering the weekly mileage that I have been averaging.
I went to the store last night in search of something with a little more cushion and some moderate pronation control (I slightly overpronate at best, but figured a little support in this area might help the pains I've been having). I came out with a pair of Saucony Hurricane 10's. I already put 20 miles on them this morning and couldn't be happier with my decision to switch to them - I didn't know what I had been missing all this time. I felt great the entire 20 miles, finishing stronger and faster than at any other point during the run, and had none of the achilles area pains that I had recently been experiencing even on shorter runs. The area is a little tight right now, but nothing like before and no more than what I would normally expect after 20 miles. If the family weren't waiting for me a tome to get to church, I would have liked to have kept going longer today - the extra cushioning in these shoes compared to what I was used to really helped keep my legs fresh.

Next week I'll get an extra early morning start and go for 24-26 miles, then I'll probably go down in mileage for a rest week before building the mileage back up again.

Running is an all-weather sport

2008-12-22T15:57:00.003-06:00

I logged 18 miles yesterday in single digit temperatures, and during the 2.5+ hours that I was running, I had plenty of time to contemplate my sanity. Not sure that I came to any definite conclusions, but I knew that I was happy to be running despite the icicles forming from my eyelashes.

Actually, it really wasn't that bad - I was slightly overdressed and working up quite a sweat (an odd sensation when the temps are that cold). For my upper body, I wore a long sleeve tech-T, a long sleeve 1/4 zip heavy tech-T, and my new running jacket with fleece vest liner. For the legs I wore tights with running pants on top, regular running socks with thin dress socks over them (mainly to ensure I had something over my ankles), light gloves inside a pair of my hunting mittens, and a face mask. I put Aquaphor on the exposed portion of skin around my eyes.

Normally, if I overheat, I would just shed a layer, but due to the extreme temps, I was afraid of shedding a layer and then exposing sweat dampened clothing and figured that wouldn't be very good. Fortunately, I was able to get used to the extra clothing and monitored the situation by lowering/raising the zipper on my jacket - it's amazing how much heat can be released or retained by doing this. I was also afraid to pee behind a bush as I normally would from a real fear of a mid-stream freeze possibly leading to even more troubles.

Aside from the shear weight of all the extra clothing, the mask also made for very labored breathing. It has holes in the mouth and nose area, but still obstructed the air from flowing freely. My water bottle froze too (guess I should have been able to predict that), but luckily my route looped back by my car a little past midway where I had another bottle that was still in liquid form.

I didn't really want to be out in the cold yesterday, but not running would have made me very grumpy, and I didn't think I could last that long on a treadmill. As I told Mendy, "I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't get my run in." Oh well, I guess there are worse hang-ups to have.

Back in Action

2008-12-09T09:33:00.002-06:00

Finally! After 8 days of virtually no running (1 mile total for the duration) I couldn't take the rest for my ankle any longer and decided to try it out this morning on the treadmill. Despite a dull, but tolerable pain in the trouble area, all went well. I had been nervous that I might start losing my running fitness soon, and I had a ton of anxiety from not running for this long. The anxiety wasn't because I wasn't exercising, I have been doing plenty of other cross training for that aspect, but just from not being able to do something that I so enjoy.
After a few minutes warm-up, I started running at a fairly conservative 8:30 pace. As I realized things were going well, I ended up turning the 5 miles into a progressive run and accelerated a bit every 1/2 mile to an ending pace of 7:20.
Funny thing is, prior to the injury, I had just decided to start working on developing more of a mid-foot strike as opposed to the slight heel strike that I currently have. As I employed some of these techniques this morning, the slight lingering pain that was still there seemed to improve and lessen with the mid-foot strike...all the more reason to keep working on it I guess. It's too early to tell for sure, but as this was the first time I had consciously tried working on this while on a treadmill, I could tell a noticeable difference in the ease of speed when using the mid-foot. It was apparent that I was running slightly faster - without more effort - because I would creep toward the front of the belt clipping the frame with my toes every time I did it for a while.
I've got my new bike set up on a trainer next to treadmill, so I hopped on it after the run for about 10 miles of cycling.
I need to remember to be cautious and take a couple more easy sessions as there was still a little discomfort, but I am thrilled to be back in action.

Itching to Run

2008-12-06T20:13:00.003-06:00

I haven't been able to run since last Sunday's 12 mile recovery run after the the Gobbler Grind. Everything felt fine during and even immediately after that day's run, but later in the day I started developing a soreness in the tendons on the back of my left leg below the calf. I don't remember any specific twist, turn, or otherwise damaging event, but the pain developed none-the-less. I've laid off the running all week to give it time to heal as it may simply be from over use, but I'm getting really sick of this. It doesn't hurt anymore to walk around throughout the day, but as soon as I start the running motion is when it kicks in. This past 6 days has been the longest stretch I've gone with zero running in a long time and I really miss it. I'd rather be a little cautious now and let things heal correctly than risk some sort of more serious injury that could have me out for awhile.

This forced week off did help me decide to definitely not run the Fat Ass 50K on January 1st. My early '09 schedule is getting pretty full and I had been debating the merits of trying to squeeze this run in and whether it would be too much to try and be ready for in just a few weeks, and then have time to recover and be ready again for another 50K in February. Without this week for training - the deal is off for that event, which is probably for the better in terms of the long term plan.

I did have some fun this week with some cross training to offset the lack of running. In addition to adding some leg work back into my weight routines, I started swimming. My first day was a total disaster. Kid lessons were being given at the pool so there were a ton of parents (in street clothes) sitting around the pool watching. Needless to say, I felt a bit subconscious walking amongst all the fully clothed people, and even more so as I flailed along the length of pool gasping for air as 10 year olds passed me with ease. My stroke resembled more that of a golden retriever than the dolphin I had anticipated in my mind. The second day went much better - I went early morning so there were no kids and parents, and I was able to gain a little more confidence in my stroke. I am determined more than ever now to become a good swimmer, I'm even going to take a couple of private lessons because I really have no idea how to swim properly. The only down side to going to the pool early morning is the abundance of naked old men in the locker room...

Gobbler Grind

2008-11-24T19:05:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was the Gobbler Grind Marathon in Overland Park. I finished in 3:38, a little slower than my ultimate goal, but I am still happy with the time and a place of 35th out of 202 runners. At 16 miles, I was still on pace for a 3:30, but ended up hitting the dreaded wall somewhere around mile 21 and slowed down significantly. I was able to pull it back together for the last mile and a half, but that stretch immediately preceeding seemed to take forever.

At the finish area I caught up with a friend of mine, an experienced marathoner, who came in just slightly behind me and had set a new personal time record. The competitive side in me was happy to come in ahead of him, but I was truly glad he got the time he was after, and I could see on his face when he crossed the line that he was too.

As we talked and waited for our wives to finish, one of Mendy's friends who had come down to cheer her on found me and told me she had saw Mendy on the course and she wasn't doing well - her ankle was giving her a lot of trouble, and not to expect her too soon. We waited for awhile and eventually I decided to start walking the course backwards to find her and help her in. After walking 2 miles, I found her walking along with another girl. I was relieved that she had somebody to walk with because the course had really thinned out by this point. As it turns out, she had been walking for about 6 miles to that point, and we walked the final 2 miles in together. Obviously, she was upset to have had the troubles, but I was very proud of her for sticking it out and completing the entire distance, regardless of the her time.

It was while I walked the course in reverse for those couple miles and then in again with Mendy, that I gained a newfound respect for the folks in the back of the pack. I've always respected people for simply finishing their event regardless of distance or time, but I had never considered the extra efforts some people go through to get this done. Whether they were injured, elderly, out of shape, or just simply slow, these people were trying and they were trying hard. There were some that were obviously content and had planned on walking from the start, but ultimately they had set out on a mission and completed it, regardless of their circumstances. In many cases, they had more obstacles to overcome and had put in more effort in than the front runners. Not everyone can be the prototypical "runner", but they can put forth the effort to achieve something great.

Somewhere along the course I remember a spectator holding up a sign that read, "only 1% of people ever complete a marathon". I don't know if that's true, but I thought back to that as I witnessed these people pushing through the end of 26.2 long miles. They (Mendy and myself included) were in the processing of completing a task that very few people will ever have the courage to even embark on training for, let alone stick to the plan and ultimately complete. It is this kind of personal drive and motivation that I am happy to be associated with and love to see in people. It is something that transcends money, fame, or even climbing the career ladder. Nobody got a promotion or a prize for doing what they did, but we are all better for it.

Preparations

2008-11-18T05:57:00.001-06:00

This past Friday morning was my last true training run before the marathon this coming weekend. I ran my typical route for that day of 7 rolling miles from my front door to the highway and back averaging 7:33 per mile. The weekend before I ran 15 miles at an easy 7:55 pace. Overall, I'm pleased with the pace I've been running over the past several weeks, as I have been taking deliberate training efforts to get it down, but I'm a little uncertain of my overall preparations for the race this coming weekend.
I would have preferred to get a 20+ miler in between the Dogwood 50K and this weekend, but time just didn't allow to safely get that kind of mileage in. Oh well, it's not the distance that I'm worrying about covering, it's a silly little obsession with time - I would be thrilled to run 3:30. I'll be happy with a solid finish, but I have that nagging time goal in the back of mind. Judging by my shorter distance runs, the time is attainable, but is certainly not a given or necessarily even likely. My fear is that I start too fast in hopes of hitting it, and then die off in the final miles and come limping in. But if I don't start out right, chances of picking up the required time with a major negative split could prove difficult. Oh well, I'll just run hard by feel this weekend and see what happens.

Running for Love

2008-11-02T21:21:00.000-06:00

Mendy and I had Saturday evening and Sunday to spend alone together without kids this weekend - they went to Meemaw and Peepaw's house. Saturday night we went out for sushi then to see the movie Fireproof (which is a great movie once you look past some not-so-great acting). Sunday morning we decided to run together, which we rarely get the chance to do. She typically runs on Saturday mornings with a group of other girls, and I run long on Sunday mornings. This schedule actually works really well for the boys and our lives, as I'm typically home prior to time to go to church.

She needed to run about 18 miles to keep up with her training for an upcoming marathon we're doing. Due to last weekend's race, I wasn't originally planning on going quite that far, but figured I'd might as well. Although we run at substantially different paces when not together, we stayed side by side throughout the entire run until we hit the college track at the end. It's kinda tough to run slower than what you're used to for an extended period, but I really enjoyed the time together with her this morning. I'm thankful that we can share an interest in running, and that she is who she is. I'm thrilled that we can spend time doing something like this and support each other in our goals - whether they be running or otherwise. It's a great place to be, when selfishness is set aside and loving each other takes priority.

Bass Pro Dogwood Canyon 50K

2008-10-31T09:59:00.001-05:00

Last weekend marked the first ever Dogwood Canyon 50K sponsored by Bass Pro and North Face. To my surprise, my parents decided to make the trip over, and of course Mendy and kids came along to make it a full family event. They anticipated being able to enjoy some of the amenities at Dogwood Canyon while I was running, but unfortunately the area was closed to everyone except runners due to storm damage repair. Some advance notice of that would have been nice, because it made for a long day for them trying to keep three boys occupied.

As far as the race goes, being my first 50K, and obviously the first time on this course, I didn't know really what to expect. Bass Pro didn't have a course map available until just a week or so before the event, and even then it was very uninformative - other than showing a lot of hills...

The course was basically a 15+ mile loop, and then we turned around and did the same course in reverse. In the first 3 miles there were several creek crossings in water that got up to knee deep at times. I learned that Gore-Tex lined shoes don't really give you advantage in water this deep. After the water, the hills set in and the runners finally started to thin out.

Somewhere close to mile 13 we hit a little stretch of paved trail which was a welcome change in scenery as it meandered through some of the great features, fishing holes, streams, and waterfalls, and caved found at Dogwood Canyon. It was on this short stretch that I encountered Kyle Skaggs and Tony Krupicka already well past the turn and into the reverse portion of the course. I was inspired at how easy, simple, and pure they made it look...oh to be young and carefree again.

At the 1/2 way point, and the finish of the 25K course, the field really thinned out and made for some long stretches of running without seeing anyone else, which for me is ok as I'm used to solo training and kind of enjoy the solitude. I hit a serious emotional low when I realized that the 50K course didn't take us to the actual finish of the 25K, but rather through a separate little isolated loop. I had been looking forward to checking in with the family for a moment at the turn while re-fueling and having a snack, and it wasn't until I hit the mid point aid station that I realized I wouldn't get to see them 'til the end of the race...I could have used their boost of encouragement, but luckily I was still feeling good physically.

Running the course in reverse got a little confusing at times as there where a lot of turns and the signs pointed in both directions (once for the 25/50K course going out, the opposite for the 50K going back). Luckily, I figured it out each time, but I did encounter a few others who didn't. Around mile 19 I started having some stomach troubles after slugging down some sports drink at the previous aid station. I knew it was a mistake when I drank it, as most of that stuff doesn't settle well with me, but it just looked so good at the time. After a 15-20 minutes of nausea, with the help of an S-Cap to settle things down, things were back to normal and I was feeling good again. At around mile 25-26, although I was happy to have hit the marathon point, my ankles were really starting to hurt and slowing me down. I had recently gotten new road shoes, and Mizuno had changed the design slightly on the model I prefer. The change made them rub on the bottom of my ankle bone to the point of bruising and sensitivity to all my other shoes. ( I have since taken scissors to those shoes and customized them to where this isn't a problem) Flat and uphills weren't a problem, but it was killing me on the downhills - not to mention my quads were screaming pretty loud as well on some of the steeper portions. At a few points, I had to resort to going down backwards in order to keep moving. This was defeating in that a equipment induced problem was giving me so much grief at this point in the race.

Finally I hit those final few relatively flat miles and was able to kick it back into high gear in between water crossings. I was ready to be done and was running fast just so I could stop sooner. I was able to pass another runner who had previously passed me back when I was feeling sorry for myself and limping along over my ankles - that little victory felt good. Eventually, I was back on the Dogwood grounds and could hear people at the finish area. My boys spotted me about the same point I spotted them, probably a 1/4 mile from the finish line, we were equally excited to see one another and their cheers helped bring me in.

We hung around for little while and had a post-race lunch of hot dogs and bison burgers. As good as the burgers looked to me though, I couldn't stomach anything except some hot cider at the time. I wanted to eat, but it just wasn't happening - this is pretty typical for me after a substantial run. I walked around and stretched out a bit before loading up for the 5 hour drive home.

Overall, I had a great time. The course offered a variety of tough terrain, and I learned some important lessons for next time.

26.2 - Almost

2008-10-31T09:39:00.000-05:00

Oringinaly posted on the Merschaum Canteen 9/14/08

Mendy and I went to St. Louis this weekend to run in the Lewis & Clark Marathon. Hurricane Ike decided to roll through town as well. The downpour put a serious kink in my pre-race plans and almost caused us to not even start - little things like the parking lot being under two feet of water and runners having to push their flooded cars out in the dark before the race even began. Eventually we found some high ground to park on and decided to brave the elements.

Despite running through ankle deep water, pounding rain, and gusts of wind that hard enough to knock over some of the course porta-johns, I was pacing pretty good. I really didn't know how fast or far I had gone at any point because the course markers had mostly been destroyed or blown away, and I didn't wear my Garmin watch for fear of ruining it, so I was mildly disoriented for most of the event, but feeling good running-wise.

As it turns out, the last half of the course was under water and the race directors had to move the finish line up to the 10 mile marker and started shuttling everyone back to the start and parking area from there. 80% of the runners were only signed up to do the 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles) so getting to 10 miles wasn't all that bad given the conditions. I, however, was running good, wanted to get my miles in, and was disappointed that the race had been shut down. So instead of boarding the buses with the rest of the masses, I turned around and did the 10 miles again in reverse. So, only 20 miles today instead of the full marathon, but a good war story none-the-less.

Next month - 50K Trail Run in the Ozarks put on by Bass Pro Shops and North Face...here's hoping for better weather.

video clip of the weather conditions at race start

Happy Trails

2008-10-31T09:15:00.000-05:00

taken from origianl posting 6/9/08 on the Meerschaum Canteen

Last weekend I ran in a trail run event put on by a group called the Kansas City Trail Nerds. Aside from solo runs, I hadn't done an organized trail event for several years. It was the most fun I've had in long time and can't wait for the next one.

A couple pictures from the event: cruising along and muddy legs at the end of 15 miles

The Man in the Arena

2008-10-30T15:05:00.000-05:00

It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
- Theodore Roosevelt