The Perfect Day?

What a great day for running!

Headed out this morning at about 9 am. Temperatures were in the low 50s and it was cloudy . . . with no wind! Just a fun day. Ended up doing about 13.5 and managed an 10:50 pace. Not so shabby for me. Just a totally enjoyable run. Did the last 4 miles in my subdivision and I couldn't believe how many people were out walking! And even passed one runner! Wow! The mild temperatures were just want everyone was looking for.

Got my new GPS and tried it out today. I believe it is more sensitive than my old one I lost. Can't wait to try it at Medoc! My old one never worked there so hopefully this new Garmin 205 will do the trick! Maybe tomorrow I go run 6-8 miles there and see. The map part isn't all that great, According to the map, I started my run about 50 yards off-shore! And managed to run about 3 miles in the water!!!

How hard is an Ultra?

A good friend, Michael Forrester, just finished running a really good race at the Disney Marathon. Near the end of our conversation, Michael said something like "Yeah . . . but this was just a marathon. It pales next to running your 50k." I said something like "But a 50k really isn't much harder than a 50k" which he dismissed quickly.

Interesting . . . must people think an ultra is WAY harder than whatever it is they are doing. They know how tired they feel when they finish a marathon and they can't imagine going further. I, too, have fallen in this logical trap! It seems to make sense. But it's simply not true!

Even today, when I run a marathon, I'm spent at the end! In my mind I couldn't go any further. But I do go further when I run a 50k! Do I run slower at a 50k? Maybe a little slower, not not so much. Do I walk more? Not really.

I think the answer is all in your head! We mentally prepare for something and when we get to the end . . . that's it! I think a marathoner would easily be able to finish a 50k by JUST preparing for a marathon! No more training miles needed! The difference will be when you go to the race you know you're going to run 31 miles, not 26.2 miles.

I actually believe the same thing is true for running a marathon. All the "experts" tell us we need to run at least one 18-20 miler in training. And maybe to run a fast marathon, this is true! Certainly, it does help with your personal confidence. But if you just want to finish 26.2 miles, you can easily get by with less.

Most folks running their first marathon have as their primary goal "to finish." I believe if one enters a 50k with the same goal, they will find the same thing I have found. A 50k is harder than a marathon, but not THAT much harder! Maybe you don't run quite so fast . . . but you can do it. It's just making your mind up to try!

I hope this holds true for running 50 miles! I'm told by many folks who have run 50 that it is! Guess I'll find out for sure pretty soon!

In the mean time, you marathoners consider trying a 50k . . . I think you'll be surprised!

Frosty 50k

Today was a great day at the Frosty 50k!

Temperatures started in the 20s but not too bad at all. The Frosty course takes the group on a nice, flat trail around Salem Lake and then on a paved green way for a couple of miles. Turn around and run back. Lap 1 completed . . . about 15.6 or so. Turn around and do it again! The trail really is pretty flat and very scenic. A great place to run! The Twin Cities Track Club does a nice job with this event. Only thing lacking was I REALLY wanted lobster when I pass the aid station around 23 miles . . . but they told me they had just run out! Go figure! They did offer crab legs but that just wasn't the same!

I wasn't flying but I did well. Passed the marathon point at 5:27 and ended with a 6:38. My previous best was about 8:10, so I REALLY PRed here! Of course, that 8:10 was on a course where we climbed a mountain . . . twice. Plus I got lost and ran an extra 2 miles. But still . . . I PRed!! Whee!! My big accomplish was to not get lapped by the eventual winner! Had to really book it for 2 miles so he wouldn't pass me. He ran a 3:09 50k and a course record.



Frosty 50k comments:
o interesting and beautify course
o nice and flat
o nice shirt (wish it were cotton)
o neat finisher's medal.
o fun people, great crowd!
o volunteers were great. How much do I appreciate the folks who tank their personal time to make our day better? They totally rock!
o aid stations were very good . . . water, Gatorade (or similar) peanut butter, bagels, Krispy Creme donuts, pretzels, M&M, cookies . . . etc.

All in all a REALLY fun race and a great day.

2009 . . . Ready, Set, GO!

In some ways, 2008 was a great year! A lot of big events: James got married, Eric Spencer (my nephew) got married, Michael got into Clemson's graduate school . . . But 2008 was a tough year in other ways. No matter, 2008 is done.

Running wise (and that is what this blog is supposed to be about primarily!) I did achieve my 2008 goal of 12 marathons during the year (okay, I originally said "a marathon a month" but getting sick killed that possibility so a slightly adjusted!) Turns out 12 marathons in a year really wasn't all that hard to do. So . . . what are my 2009 goals going to be?

For one thing, I do plan to stay active running. I do enjoy the longer distances more than the 5-10k type races. Plus, I don't seem to have as many injuries since I backed off the speed and increased distances. But "staying active" isn't much of a goal. I guess I want a goal that will be hard to accomplish. One that I may even fail if I attempt it. An easy goal isn't much of a goal.

So for 2009 I want to run 50 miles . . . in one run. Probably I'll do this at some official race . . . probably attempt it fairly early in the year so I'll have time for a second attempt, if necessary. I do want to find an event where the course is flat! But it would be pretty cool to maybe run 1/2 of Shenandoah National Park! That would take quite a bit of support and crew assistance. Still, it's something to consider.

But it does seem like this goal has what is necessary to be a good 2009 goal . . . simple, specific, hard and possible. So, that's it. A 50-miler in 2009.

How about you?

Smokin' Hot

You know I'm not talking about myself!

Today, we're talking weather! And 75 degrees is NOT smokin' hot during the summer, but for a long run on December 28th, that's pretty frickin' hot!

Races just didn't line up too well during the Christmas season and there was just too much time between the Thunder Road Marathon on December 13th and the Frosty 50k on January 10th. So, I needed to do a long run. Unfortunately, I chose today!

Couldn't bring myself to get up too early, so I headed out at about 9:30 am. Actually I felt really good for the first 14 miles or so. Winds were really high and I knew it would be easier to be heading into them to start . . . but they where to my back for the first 4 miles. But after about 9 miles and heading back to the southside of the lake, I still felt good. Winds were bad across the Eaton's Ferry bridge and the hill up was tough. But I was keeping a fairly good pace.

Once to the top, I picked up a bottle of Gatoraide I had dropped and headed over to Eaton's Crossing and those hills! They kicked my ass. Then, into another subdivision and I was dragging. Survival shuffle back to Eaton's Ferry Estates and my house.

We all have good days and bad days. Clearly, this wasn't a good day! But the question is why wasn't it? I had had two weeks rest from my last marathon. Should be plenty of rest. Was it the temperature? Maybe . . . but 75 degrees isn't all that hot!

Still . . . 18.7 miles. Done. But not a very positive run leading to the Frosty 50k January 10. But I keep telling myself the temperature was a big factor . . . Guess we'll see come January 10th.

Some days are just great!

Let's face it runners . . . some days are better then others!

We've all had them. You're feeling good, weather is nice, but for some reason, it's not a great day. Other times, you're not all that excited to start, but the run ends up being great. Today I was really excited to run, as I had to miss the last three days. Weather was perfect for me, overcast and 45 degrees or so. Was expecting rain but it never came. But for some magical reason, everything felt perfect. I limited myself to only 13 miles, but I wanted more! I felt great from start to finish. It's days like this that keep me going. Suffer through the hard days and enjoy the good one!

Done . . . Goal Achieved!

I did it! 12 marathons in 2008. A marathon a month. It was a good goal . . . achievable, simple to state, understand and remember. And it sounds hard.

But when you get down to it, it's really not that bad. All it really takes is a desire to do it and a little luck on the injury front. Heck, a friend of mine, Doug Dawkins, just finished his goal . . . running across the US from Atlantic Beach, NC to Mission Beach, California. 122 days covering 2,700 miles. That's averaging over 22 miles a day and he didn't run every day . . . he took some days off!

So a marathon a month really isn't all that much. But considering work and everything it wasn't bad!

The only really hard part was deciding to still try for the goal after getting sick. On August 8th I got sick (night before James and Cheryl's wedding) and couldn't start running again until September 27th. 7 weeks is a long time and I lost a lot of fitness due to both the lack of running and the sickness. When I started back, 2 miles was a struggle . . . but I built back up and decided to attempt the OBX marathon November 9th and see how it would go. If I remember correctly, my long run was 15 miles in preparation.

While I did struggle, things when fairly well, so I started thinking about the goal again. The next weekend was the Richmond Marathon, and I decided to give it a shot. While I worried about "back-to-back" marathons, it really proved to not be a factor all. Did "back-to-back" marathons again December 6th and yesterday . . . again, not a problem at all.

So . . . where were they?

1. First Light Marathon – Mobile, AL January 12, 2008
2. Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon – Myrtle Beach, SC February 16, 2008
3. Rocky Mount Marathon – Rocky Mount, NC March 14, 2008
4. Ellerbe Springs Marathon – Ellerbe Springs, NC March 28, 2008
5. Country Music Marathon – Nashville, TN April 25, 2008
6. Capon Valley 50K – Yellow Spring, WV May 9, 2008
7. Boogie Marathon - Ellerbe Springs, NC June 14, 2008
8. Sweaty Butt 50k - Raleigh, NC July 5, 2008
9. OBX Marathon – Kitty Hawk, NC November 9, 2008
10. Richmond Marathon – Richmond, VA November 15, 2008
11. Medoc Trail Marathon Re-Run – Hollister, NC December 6, 2008
12. Thunder Road Marathon – Charlotte, NC December 13, 2008

My favotite? Hard to say. Loved Boogie, Capon Valley, Richmond, Medoc and surprisingly Charlotte. Looking at them, they either were a unique / different event (Boogie, Capon Valley and Medoc) or well done with an interesting course and good support.

My least favotite? Country Music by far. Though it was really neat running that race with James as his first marathon. Really surprising since this is one of the Rock 'n Roll events. Lot's of areas they should do MUCH better (parking, shirt, medal, finish area, and the second 1/2 of the course was terrible!)

Best medal / award? Guess I'm biased somewhat (!) but I think the Medoc medal is #1 followed by Charlotte. For me, this is a good place to show creativity and spend a little money.

Least favorite medal / award? Well, Capon Valley gave nothing at all! Nor did the Sweaty Butt 50k. But the Boogie marathon gave a ceramic coffee mug . . . with the race info scratched on the bottom! Totally worthless! I think a marathon deserves a medal. Period. No mugs, No glasses, no belt buckle. Medals. (Guess "fat ass" races like the Sweaty Butt get a hall pass here, since these are put on by one or two individuals and there is no entry fee.)

Best shirt? Capon Valley, Medoc Charlotte and Boogie were all really great designs. Just wish race directors would forget the technical shirts and go back to 100% cotton. And a fall marathon shirt needs to be long-sleeved cotton . . . no exception. But, Capon Valley wins! Very different and no ads!

Worst shirt? No competition here at all! This shirt was by far the WORST I've ever seen or heard of! Myrtle Beach . . take a bow as the race with the worst taste!

So, this goal is over. How about 2009? I need a goal. Been thinking about some . . . we'll see. Stay tuned.

The Re-run was a blast!

To me this is what running is all about!

Probably 35 folks showed up on a cold Saturday morning to participate in the Medoc Re-run. For those of you that don't know, this run was a chance for those of us that worked on the Medoc Trail Races to earn a medal by doing either the 10-miler or the marathon. Also, anyone else was invited too! If you just couldn't make it to the real race, or just later decided to come. Anyone was welcome!

Probably 30 folks opted for the 10-miler and five of us chose the marathon.

The first part was truly crazy . . . soooo many people got lost &/or turned around. I met probably 6-10 folks going the wrong way! Passed Brad Wiesner and Kevin Boudreau probably three times!! And they were trying to do the 10-miler!

The whole day was social . . . not a race at all! The five of us doing the marathon met up after each lap, just having fun, taking pictures and trying to keep warm! William, Levi, Tom, Dave and I had a BLAST!

Tom twisted his knee a little and so he and I just cooled it . . . running some, walking some and talking a ton! Heck, we ventured off the route to explore! No time worries at all!

Running was tough with all the leaves. I took 5 falls . . . one I got a 9.7 for style, but the rest were just thuds!! Hard falls but not cuts! Just each time it scrambled my brain a little!

But I finished and that makes 11 completed and one to go!!

Oddly enough I'm really sore after Medoc. I'm surprised! Actually when I finished the 26.2 I considered going for another lap (34-35 miles) but I was just too cold and the last lap had taken too long. So why am I sore??

My plan is to do the Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon this coming weekend for 12 marathons in 2008. Hope the soreness diminishes before then. Otherwise, it would be the Jacksonville, FL Marathon the following weekend. A long drive!

We'll see. But the Medoc Re-run was a blast!

Thanksgiving is behind us and the Re-Run looms!

One week off work. Way too much to eat. Not nearly enough mileage last week. Sounds perfect for a good Medoc Re-Run marathon next weekend!

The Medoc Mountain Re-run (for anyone reading this that doesn't know) is a chance for those of us that worked at the October 4th Medoc Trail Races to do either the 10-miler or the marathon and earn the medal. I'm planning on the marathon. That gives me just one more marathon before the end of 2009 to average a marathon (or longer) a month during 2009. My 2009 running goal. Right now I have two more marathons to go . . .

Richmond Marathon - Great!

First I did a little better here . . . ran a 5:33 and felt really good, in spit of doing OBX last weekend. Quite frankly I had absolutely no ill effects from the marathon last weekend . . . go figure!

For the first 15-16 miles I ran with a RICHMOND native that was QUITE an inspiration! Tim Samulson was one of the nicest guys I've met in quite a while. Tim lives just south of Richmond, is married with twin 5 year olds. But Tim has had to deal with TWO seperate bouts with cancer. One testicular cancer and the other was a lump of cancer in his neck. After the last fight he promised himself he would run a marathon if he survived.

I can attest that Tim has survived and he finished his marathon with a 5:20 (he ran off and left me at about mile 15-16). Tim . . you made my day, I was impressed with everything about you. Wish I knew your wife and family . . . I'm sure they are GREAT too! Thank you for letting me run with you for a while!

Good to see and talk with Don Garber again. Don is a prince! Hope he comes to the Medoc Re-Run

Richmond changed their course just a little . . . bypassed a really ugly section near the end! Much better!

My Richmond Marathon complaint was I didn't like their shirt . . . AGAIN! Please give me a long-sleeve cotton short and forget the tech shirts . . . ESPECIALLY short sleeved tech shirts!!

All in all , , , A GREAT DAY!

OBX Marathonre super

Overall a really good time!

The OBX course is nice . . . the first 13 miles were really fantastic! Neat neighborhoods, unbelievably good crowds (don't know where all the people came from!) and great views of the sound. And that half ended with a 2 1/2 mile section on a trail through the woods! Perfect!

The second half was not quite a great, but it was still very nice. Had to have stretches along US158 (the main highway), but crossing the bridge to Manteo was cool, the views od the sound and Pirates Cove marina and subdivision were excellent . . . even if it came around mile 23!

Going in, I knew my preparation / training was sub-par so my expectations were not high. And my performance pretty well equaled what I put in. I'm not disappointed in my 5:51 but I should be 51 minutes faster if I work at it. Just not sure I want to do that.

Ahhhh . . . a good day!

The weather was perfect and Andy, Brad, Joe and I headed out today for our "Nooner" run. Brad had run a hard 5.5 yesterday so he and Andy ran the around Talbot Park (aka Tom Stith Park)but Joe and I headed on around MLK. Didn't keep time but we ran a solid pace for the 4.3 miles and I felt GREAT at the end. Joe and I always have a good time together and today was no exception. Just a really fun day! Cool days ROCK!

Running is a funny thing.

Good days . . . bad days. Who can tell what is going to happen? Sometimes it's easy!

Like when your stretching out your long run. You know those last few miles are going to hurt. Or when the day is hot and humid . . . nothing good ever happens on days like this. But sometimes an totally unexpected day happens.

For me, today was one of those days. Last two weekends I ran 17 miles a did fine. Today the weather was nice and cool, I was going to only run 10-13 miles so I was expecting a "cake walk" of sorts. But what a struggle! I know my training is far from what it should be to do a marathon in two weeks, but I never expected this!

After about five miles a started to struggle. Walked some . . . more than I should have! Oh well . . . I can't do anything about it now. And I've got to remember the exact opposite happens too.

Next weekend is fishing with Michael and James. Going to Morehead City and going out flyfishing for false albacore! I haven't done much saltwater flyfishing so this should be great, going out with a flyfishing guide. We'll learn something for sure! Plus have a ton of fun!

I love being wrong!!

Forget my last post! I said I was going to take another week or two off and see how the ankle healed.

Well, today I couldn't stand it . . . the weather was perfect (50s) and my ankle wasn't hurting, so I decided to try it out anyway. I promised myself if it started hurting at all I would quite immediately.

Well . . . it never hurt so I ended up going 16-17 miles!! Guess it wasn't a stress fracture after all !!!!

So OBX is a go after all!

Give me a break!

Last weekend, while in Tennessee, I ran 17 miles and felt fairly good, last four were tough but still not bad at all. I was encouraged and sure I could at least complete a marathon.

Took the next day off as a rest day and was ready to run Tuesday. Ran a moderate 3.1 mile run and felt really good. That afternoon I flew to Toronto for business and no problems at all.

But when I woke up Wednesday morning to go for an early run, my left ankle hurt. Figured I had somehow slept on it wrong so took the day off. It hurt all day long. Next day I decided to not run again . . . still hurting. But better.

Here it is Saturday and it's still hurting. Not to walk, but if I cross my leg while sitting it hurts. Something is obviously really wrong!

Given how it developed (slowly) and given the time after my long run (three days) I'm pretty sure it's not a ligament or tendon injury. That leaves a stress fracture.

I had a stress fracture years ago and this feels much the same. No need to spend $ going to a doctor to confirm. There is nothing they could do to speed the healing along anyway. So I'm just going to take two weeks off . . . no running. So I'll try it again November 3rd. I may wait and simply go to OBX and try it out on a marathon! That would be three weeks off!

The other option is to start back around Nov 8-9 and then do Medoc Dec 6th. That would give me a chance to get some running in between the 9th and Dec 6th.

I'm leaning to going to OBX . . . it's my only chance to achieve my goal this year (average running at least a marathon a month in 2008).

But even if I can't 2008 has been a pretty good running year!

98% Correct . . .so why do I feel so bad.

Saturday we had the Medoc Trail Races. ~250 runners, 57 doing the marathon and the rest doing the 10-miler. Most everything went quite well for a first marathon . . . but two things happened that ruined everything else.

First, we had four marathoners make a wrong turn and shortened their run significantly. One leading, and three followed I went back to where they made their mistake and I've got to say it was well marked. I see how they missed the turn, but we had 2 signs that were obvious if you were looking . . . but it was a "rooty" section and if they were focused on their footing, they could (and did) miss it. But the leader didn't miss it. And neither did the rest of the marathoners and all the 10-milers. So I believe the error was on them. But the guy who made the mistake didn't see it that way and made quite a fuss. Two of the other three also were quite angry but with Michael's Forrester's help, they ended up seing the mistake was really their own.

Second, we had a bunch of confused volunteers at the main aid station where the marathoners finishing their first small loop, met with some 10-milers just entering the trails. They both came from the same direction. But the 10-milers needed to bear right and enter the loop the marathoners were finishing. The marathoners needed to stay left and enter the big loop. A few folks ended up going the wrong way. But we were able to correct these by getting the runners to "make up" what they missed.

I feel really bad because the course and aid stations were my charge. Originally we had the 10-miler starting closer to the marathon start, but I suggested to the group we move the 10-miler start back. My mistake.

I also marked the course, so when people go off course I feel bad. Guess I'm not cut out to do this. Feel like I let everyone down.

Every Day Can't be Great!

Good news about Laurie and her wierd symptoms . . . not MS and not a brain tumor. Now they just need to determine what it is! For some reason I was never very concerned, but both Connie and Laurie were beside themselves with worry. This is giving them tons of relief.

Struggled through a humid 8 miles this morning. Just didn't have it! Oh well! Ran the lonesome Road . . . south from Vaughn. Just a few houses but mostly nothing, One "good" hill 1 mile long. A good training run, but for some reason every time I run it I have a bad day. Guess I just should pass on that route!

Medoc Mountain Marathon

Haven't talked about this much, but the Rocky Mount Endurance Club is putting on the Medoc Trail Races - a 10 mile run and a marathon. This is a big deal for our little club and the result of a whole lot of work by our race committee, but especially for club president Michael Forrester. Michael is a unique guy with tons of ideas, energy and the ability to actually execute on things . . . so often the idea guys aren't worth a crap at actually DOING stuff. Not Michael. we're lucky to have him.

We've got about 180 10-mile runners and 55 marathoners . . . a great first race turnout.

Lots of little last minute details, but overall we're feeling good about where we stand. Stay tuned.

Running is going good. Feeling much better but my doctor tells me I've got quite of few kidney stones, now broken up that will be passing through sometime soon. His recommendation . . . keep your pain pills with you at all times! Probably good advice, but none needed so far (of course no stones have passed yet!!)

Is that OBX I see ahead?

Like I said yesterday, cooler is better! Back when I was in my 40s or earlier, I loved cold weather. And I do mean cold. Below zero? Sounded good to me then. I even loved to backpack in that kind of weather.

But things changed a few years ago. I first noticed the change on a backpacking trip, in the fairly deep snow in SW Virginia on Mount Rodgers. Though I had adequate gear to keep me warm, I stayed cold . . really cold. No more cold weather backpacking for me. But that doesn't mean I like hot weather! I still love cold weather. It just invigorates me. My body operates better when the weather cools off. Today is is a great example.

Temperatures were in the mid 50s when I headed out for my run this morning. Planned on trying 10 miles. My longest run so far in my recovery has been 4.6 this last Wednesday and I felt good. Today was the same . . . I just felt good! Good frame of mind, legs strong . . . just plain good. As I neared home, I still felt good so I tacked on an additional two miles. 12 miles!! I'm excited! Of course, I maintained my normal race pace throughout: 11:30!! I feel like I'm back!

Cooler is better . . . much better!

At noon today the temperature was probably in the high 70s! How nice! I decide to to run 4.6 through MLK and really felt good. Could have done more! Guess I'm a little afraid to get too excited, but maybe I'm turning a corner. Plan to try 10 miles this weekend. This is as long as the temperatures don't get into the 90s!!

The Medoc Mountain Trail Races are coming along really well. October 4th is coming fast! I honestly feel good about where we are given the time till the race. At the race committee meeting today, we seemed to have most everything well covered. The key is always the volunteers that show up to help. We totally depend on them. Volunteers rock and we ann need to take our turns at helping on a few races.