5 days before Glacial 50M

I will be the least trained for any race I have done ... But I will also be the least over-trained for any race I have done.

I have had this habbit of over-training, then not tapering enough. I suck at taper and never taper enough to maximize my current fiteness.

At least for the Glacial 50M, I feel good ~ Not fit, but not beat up.

My training has been:

End of June to Mid September ~ Run / Walking on TM 4-5 times a week ... no core, weights or stretching
Week #4 ~ A couple of trail runs with my beautiful sister in CA ... total 38 miles for the week
Week #3 ~ Trained pretty hard: 1 30 mile rail trail run, one 100 minute technical trail run and one 20 mile trail on on actual race course ... Total 96 miles
Week #2 ~ 1 100 minute technical trail run, One TM hill workout ... Total 45 miles
This week ~ 1 80 minute technical trail run, 1 light TM hill workout ... total 30-35 miles pre-race

My back and hip and holding together, I can hear them wispering in the back ground, but they have not screamed since last Wednesday playing tennis.

I a weird way, I am looking forward to not caring about "racing efficiently". Taking my time at aide stations, diggin in my drop bag, chatting with other runners. A race with no self imposed pressures of finishing times or place.

The downside = By the time I finish, there will be little time left to sit and chat post race with other runners.

I am hoping to hit the turnaround at New Fane(mile 25) in 5 hours and finish between 9:45 and 10:30.

Good running to all!

Signed up for Glacial 50 Mile

I had promised myself I would not race again in 2013. I guess I am a liar ... A no good dirty dog!

I wanted the priveledge of signing up for the Western States 100 Mile lottery and I do not have a 50 mile qualifying race.

Glacial 50 mile: This is my favorite race, it has a low key vibe. Great organization, volunteers and race course. I have not trained since June, I have an angry back and hip, but what the hell? I pulled the trigger and signed up a little over a week ago.

11 days of training and 10 days of taper will not leave me with much room for error. But I believe if I pace very conservative, I can get the 50 miles done in under 11 hours, the required time to use it as a qualifying race.

If I were to race aggressively, I might be able to get under 9:30, but that is not the goal of the day so I expect to be around 10 hours ... as long as I am under 11, I am happy.

Good running to all!

I still haven't found what I am looking for

I believe in the Kingdom Come Then all the colors will bleed into one Bleed into one But, yes, I'm still running .... You broke the bonds And you loosed the chains Carried the cross of my shame Oh, my shame, you know I believe it ...U2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Nothing much has changed and yet many things have changed. I am wrestling with the future and trying to break free from the past. My hip and back (March 3rd ski crash) are about the same, but I have only recently started to try and strengthen the injured areas. Weight is still very high (235) and my fitness very low = a lot of run / walking. A few weeks back my good freind Richard and I hit a low point at about the same time and we have re-issued a fitness / weight loss challenge bet from years past. Funny we both weighed in at 241# that morning and reached out of the blue reached out to each other. Between now and January 31st - I have my rules of engagement that should drive some consistency in my daily routine. What am I looking for? A return to the origins of running for me? I started running to increase general fitness that would support all the other activities I love. But it is hard to break the bonds of trying to focus on running and racing. I guess we will see how the next 4-6 months play out. Can I learn to run for fun? Good running to all!

Racing year over ... Maybe

I have made peace with the fact that even if I get my issues fixed up, my racing season is over. I was reluctant to let go of my goal to run a sub 3 marathon every year. I really thought I would be able to do this for many years to come. The streak will end at 9 years in a row. The "Maybe" is for a miracle - Miracles do happen, but I am not expecting one. I have looked at Marathonguide.com for what would be possible. The latest one in WI is November 10th ~ Mad City. The latest one that would work logistically is December 15th ~ Dallas White Rocks. Four things would have to happen: 1) Specialist sees no long term issues in my vertebrea if I keep running, 2) I have to be injury free and 3) I have to lose 30 pounds and 4) I have to have enough time to actually train injury free for at least 12 weeks ... so basically be fixed up by September 15th. Like I said, it would take a miracle. Good running to all!

Looking into the future

I am still fighting hip and back pain resulting from a March 3 downhill ski crash.  It came to a head June 26th when I was already tired, but ran a couple hours on the Ice Age trail from Greenbush.  I had to drive right by for a 2 day off site meeting and could not resist.

Since then I have made some bad choices to not cross train and eat and drink without much control.  This has put 15-20 pounds on my already not too svelte frame.

I did see the general MD before vacation and I am now looking to get an appointment with a specialist.  The MD did an ex-ray that showed some mild compression between a few vertebrae.

I see it likely as two unrelated issues.  My back has a softball sized area that has remained tender / sore to the touch since the ski crash, it is half way between my spine my side.  The mild compression of vertebrae would seem normal to me after 47,000 miles of running the last 10 years.

My DW and I have been thinking about retirement (15 years away) and trying to plan what we want to do during retirement.  Looking into the future, I want to be active into my 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.  I am seeing this issue as my "50,000 mile check up"

With the goal of being active in a relatively pain free manner, is it wise to continue to run?  I hope the answer is yes and I am able to work through the current issue and the compression of vertebrae is a non-issue.

I am also more than willing to accept alternative ways to get my aerobic fix.

Until I get an answer,  I have started to jog again on treadmill and trail trail to minimize the impact.  I have made a plan to lose those 20 pounds by mid-September.

I am guessing it will be a couple of weeks before I know anything and may be a couple of months before I have the real answer.

Good running to all!

10 years of running - 47,120 miles later

Ten years ago I was 300+ pounds.  I was an active fat guy , but I was tired of being fat.  I was a family man, with a wonderful wife and a two year old daughter.  I was tired of struggling with weight, tired of the yo-yo weight loss ... weight gain.

Ten years later, I still struggle with weight, but now the range is not 200-300+ pounds, but 195-235.  Running always brings me ... sooner or later.

It has been a wonderful road of self discovery, new friends, new experiences and exploring many places.  There have been sacrifices I wish I had not made ~ I have lost contact with many friends, I have given up or limited many activities that I enjoy.  It is hard to find the energy for other things that I love to do.

Ten years and 47,120 miles later I am at a turning point in my life.  After running > 6,000 miles in 2012, I decided to run a lot less in 2013.  To run another 10 years, I will need to find more balance.  My wife never complains and encourages everything I do, but she deserves more time.  My daughters are now 12 and 8 and there activities are ever increasing.   I need to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.  I need to have the joys of other sports.

I also need to figure out how to train while running 2/3 the mileage I have become accustom to run.  I need to figure out how to eat for 80 mile weeks instead of 120 mile weeks.  How do you effectively use a scalpel when all you know how to use is a sledgehammer?

It is time to re-balance the spiritual, mental, physical and social in this big experiment called life.

Good running to all!

2013 Maritime Marathon Race Report

Wow - My body rebelled for this marathon!

Ok, maybe I helped a little by going out with friends Friday night, eating food that was not good fuel and drinking beer. 

Saturday the whole family headed over to Manitowoc to hang out with my Wife's Aunt and Uncle whom we had not seem for a long time.  Great family time, but we got going late to their house and stayed a bit too long.  Luckily we arrived at packet pick up 15 minutes before closing (4:00pm).

I went for a little 3 mile run after packet pickup and did a few striders.  I felt sluggish and uncoordinated.

I slept decently and the morning went smoothly.  Right before the race I chatted with Mike and Nic ~ 2 people I knew that were also going for a sub 3.

The gun went off and from the start it was hard.  I was working my butt off, I felt sludgy and stiff.  Mile #1-3 I was fighting to stay with a couple of people hoping my legs would loosen up.  All I could muster in miles 1-3 were 6:55-7:00 miles.  I knew I was in trouble and backed off. 

Even running 7:15's felt uncoordinated and hard.  At mile #5 I was passed by 3 people and I decided to tuck in behind and just try to relax.  The pace was 7:05-7:10 and I was barely hanging on.  I started to leave sweat foot prints before mile #6.

This was also the time I realized I had seen a guy with a sign "I don't know you, but your are a star #98 (My number) 3 times already.  I say him maybe 9-10 more times in the race, it turns out he was there for his wife, but had randomly picked a number to also cheer for.  I was close enough to her pace that I saw him a lot.  Weird, but nice and fun.

Mile #10 I let them go and went into survival or "Faking it" mode.  I relaxed and ran comfortable hard, I stopped looking at my watch and just smiled.  If I am going to be slower, I might as well enjoy the day.  I started to walk for 10 steps at aide stations to get both a cup of water and a cup of Gatorade.

I went through 1/2 Marathon at 1:34:35.

Sometimes smiling and deciding you are going to have fun works.  I was feeling much better and smooth at mile #17, so I started tracking mile splits again. It was a 7:17, I decided it was time to re-focus and finish as best I could.

I could get my pace down to @ 7:05 before I would get light headed, my legs felt like they could go faster.  I was fairly dehydrated at this point, so I just took what my body gave.

At mile #22 I saw 3-4 people ahead and just focused on them, although I did not pass the 4th person until near mile #24. 

The last 2 miles have some short but steep uphills, a pretty mean place for hills!  After mile #25, I saw 2 guys ahead.  1 was 2 bocks ahead and the other 2 1/2 blocks ahead.  I caught up to the 1st one with 1/3 mile to go.  He put the hammer down, so I just ran with him as we approached the 2nd guy.  I passed the them both just before a 180 degree turn 1 block from the finish line.  He immediately passed me back and I did not have the heart (Desire) to go after him again.  He ended up 3rd in our age group and I was 4th.

2nd half was 1:35:39 for a 3:10:14 12th OA.

Both Mike (2:56 3rd OA) and Nic (3:08 9th OA) finished ahead of me.

My wife's cousin Jody and husband were at mile # 23 and the finish line with my wife and kids - I was nice to spend a little time catching up.

After the race we went to Neshotah Beach in Two Rivers.  The wind was now straight from the East, making it fun to play in the waves.  We added a little volleyball and beer and had a great time.  The water was in the low 50s, making for a nice post race ice bath.

This was an amazing family weekend that just happened to have a race that I struggled running.

Good running to all -