The morning of the race I woke up with some lingering knee pain. I don't normally take anything before a run, but since it was still early enough I took a couple of ibuprofen. I had a little bit of time to kill so I watched TV until Erin got up and I decided that a trip to Hardees for breakfast sounded good. Her friend Sabrina was staying with us, so we got ready and informed her about the change of plans. She was a good sport and just rolled with the change. I had some cinnamon and raisin biscuits at Hardees and then we headed over to the civic center to meet up with Erik.
We arrived a little bit early and to wait a bit, but Erik was right on time. After we meet up we went over to the start line to watch the 5k and 10k races start. One of the unusual things about this event is how late the half marathon starts. Most of the 5k participants were finished with their race before the half marathoners started. The starting time was a common complaint among those I talked to. As we waited to start we met up and chatted with several of our running buddies. Eventually the time came to get started and we lined up. I finally too Rick's advice and line up at the very back of the pack. Once the race started I made sure I was the very last person across the starting line.
My goal for the race was to treat it more like a tempo run then a race. My focus right now is on the 50k at Surph the Murph three weeks from now. Even though I started last I quickly caught up to Erin, Erik and Chris. I guess I still have to work on my starting pacing even if I start dead last. Once I caught them I slowed a bit and settled in at my warm up pace. I figured I'd slowly bring my average pace down to something comfortable the first 8 miles and then start to push it, if I still felt good at 10 miles I'd push the pace a little harder.
The first few miles passed quickly. I was moving up the field of runners and could constantly focus on picking off the next person ahead of me. A couple of miles in I spotted a solder running with a couple of packs on. I tried to catch him, but he was holding about the same pace I was. I continued to follow him for a couple more miles until I was finally able to move past. I held my lead long enough that I had forgotten about him when he came up behind me and said I was keeping a good pace and he was trying to catch up to me. We chatted briefly and then he sped off. On our way back North I passed him a second time and I knew that he wouldn't be catching me again. I had started off the race a bit faster then what I'd planned, but it was still a conservative pace. Now it was late enough in the race that I didn't need to hold back anymore.
After crossing the bridge back in to Fargo the course kept going North for a bit. I ran past the finish line and though about how nice it would be if I were done already. I continued on into oak grove where I heard Judy, my former piano teacher, shout my name. She had already passed the turn around and was on her way back. I felt like I had more to give and tried to gain ground on her. With around a mile left I passed Erin on her way out. She told me that Judy was just ahead. I continued to push hard and after turning a corner spotted Judy just ahead. When I caught her she remarked about how quickly I had made up the distance since she spotted me. She encouraged me to finish strong and I did. My finishing time was 2:15:25. As I crossed the finish line Heather spotted my and came over to talk. We chatted for a while before I went in to get my medal and some chocolate milk. After I came back out we waited together for Erin to finish. Erin's goal was under 2:30 which she was able to achieve by about 30 seconds. After the race, Heather, Erik, Sabrina, Erin and I headed over to Rhombus Guys pizza on main. It was a great end to a good race.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Catching up on the past few weeks
The past few weeks I've been a bit lazy. I've neglected my training and my blogging. Here's what's been going on.
The day after the Bismarck marathon and my late night run with Connie, Erin flew down to Memphis to visit her sister and meet our niece. I stayed in Fargo and did my best to stick to a normal schedule. I had been focusing on eating better and that did manage to last a few days after Erin left. That Thursday I got up crazy early and did a 17 miler before work. I was hoping for 20, but started a bit late and I didn't really have much in the tank near the end of the run so I opted to end it early.
A few days later I was out in Park Rapids for the headwaters 100. I wanted to get a century bike ride in this year and I had a blast doing this event the previous year. I hadn't thought too much about the event until the night before, normally I do a better job mentally preparing myself for these things. I decided to pack up the truck the morning of the event and forgot to pack my biking shoes. Not a deal breaker, but not what I was hoping for either. I also felt a little off that morning, like I was starting to come down with something or had allergies starting to act up. When I started the ride it was a bit cold out, not unlike the previous year. I had forgotten to pack gloves to ride in, but lucked out when I dug through my gym bag and found a pair. I started off the ride along, but eventually picked up 2 couples from the cities who were attempting their first century ride. They were a bit faster then I was but I decided to keep pace with them so I had someone to chat with. As we rode up towards Itasca I was getting hungry. Skipping breakfast was another bad choice I had made that morning. I could have stopped and grabbed something from my pack, but I decided that I was close enough to the first rest area that I would just wait. Eventually we made it to Itasca and the first rest area. I had some hot chocolate and about half a dozen cookies. I don't know where they get these cookies from, but they were as delicious as the previous year.
After the rest stop the group I had picked up encouraged me to continue riding with them, so I did my best to keep up with them. The next part of the ride loops around Itasca and was significantly hillier. I wasn't able to keep up for long. Without my bike shoes I didn't have much power going up hills and would fall further behind with each hill. It was a gorgeous ride, but I definitely got my ass kicked by the hills. My group stopped at the first rest area again when we went by and I grabbed a few more cookies. I left the rest area with them and again tried to keep up. After leaving the park we were out on the highway again, and they formed a pace line. I'm not terribly comfortable drafting off people when biking, so I was probably further further back then I should have been and working a little harder to keep up. After 10 miles or so I had to drop back and let the group speed off. When I made it to the next rest area I grabbed some food and found my group. I started to explain that I was thinking of calling it a day and before I even got 2 words out one of the ladies said she could already see that I was done in my eyes. I went back outside and started to look for someone in a SAG vehicle when I ran across Ray. I chatted with him a bit before a lady came over and said that should couldn't help overhear that I was looking to drop out. She was driving a SAG car and would take me back to the school where the ride started. As we drove back to Park Rapids I had an interesting conversation with her about biking. She was part of the bike club that organizes the ride. It was neat hearing about the different places in the area that they go riding. When we got back to the school I packed up my stuff and drove back to Fargo. When I got back to town I stopped by five guys for a late lunch. I didn't really deserve it, but it sounded really good at the time.
The following week I was out in western North Dakota for work. We were doing some work for a coal mine near Beulah but since we'd booked the hotel late the closest we could find was in Bismarck. Tuesday morning I woke up early to get a run in. Since we weren't far from the normal Bismarck marathon route I figured I'd meet up with that and go from there. I had my headlamp on and as I ran by sertoma park several deer crossed the road. I turned my head to watch them and I could see dozens of eyes looking back at me from the park. It was a bit creepy. As I was getting back to the hotel I saw a steel rod poking up across the sidewalk so I moved to the other side. There was a rod poking up on that side that I didn't see. As I supermaned towards the ground the garmin beeped for 5 miles. It was only about a block and a half back to the hotel from there. When I got back I looked like a really mess, dripping sweat and blood running down to my ankle. I didn't get any running in the rest of the trip. We were working long days, and with an hour and a half commute in the morning and at night I didn't have much time or energy to run.
This past week I've been easing back into things. Tuesday I ran the overpass with Erin and I put in 7 hard miles this morning with the Beardsley group. I've got some knee pain from my fall still, but I'm hopeful I'll do well at the FM Half Marathon on Saturday. With the past few weeks not being ideal for training I'm starting to get a little nervous for Surf The Murph. Hopefully I can string some good runs together between now and then and gain some confidence back going into the event. The craziness continues to grow, Heather will be joining us at Surf The Murph for her first ultra marathon and it seems Erik is eyeing the 50k at Trail Mix in the spring. I'm going to have to keep working hard if I want to keep up with the growing group.
The day after the Bismarck marathon and my late night run with Connie, Erin flew down to Memphis to visit her sister and meet our niece. I stayed in Fargo and did my best to stick to a normal schedule. I had been focusing on eating better and that did manage to last a few days after Erin left. That Thursday I got up crazy early and did a 17 miler before work. I was hoping for 20, but started a bit late and I didn't really have much in the tank near the end of the run so I opted to end it early.
A few days later I was out in Park Rapids for the headwaters 100. I wanted to get a century bike ride in this year and I had a blast doing this event the previous year. I hadn't thought too much about the event until the night before, normally I do a better job mentally preparing myself for these things. I decided to pack up the truck the morning of the event and forgot to pack my biking shoes. Not a deal breaker, but not what I was hoping for either. I also felt a little off that morning, like I was starting to come down with something or had allergies starting to act up. When I started the ride it was a bit cold out, not unlike the previous year. I had forgotten to pack gloves to ride in, but lucked out when I dug through my gym bag and found a pair. I started off the ride along, but eventually picked up 2 couples from the cities who were attempting their first century ride. They were a bit faster then I was but I decided to keep pace with them so I had someone to chat with. As we rode up towards Itasca I was getting hungry. Skipping breakfast was another bad choice I had made that morning. I could have stopped and grabbed something from my pack, but I decided that I was close enough to the first rest area that I would just wait. Eventually we made it to Itasca and the first rest area. I had some hot chocolate and about half a dozen cookies. I don't know where they get these cookies from, but they were as delicious as the previous year.
After the rest stop the group I had picked up encouraged me to continue riding with them, so I did my best to keep up with them. The next part of the ride loops around Itasca and was significantly hillier. I wasn't able to keep up for long. Without my bike shoes I didn't have much power going up hills and would fall further behind with each hill. It was a gorgeous ride, but I definitely got my ass kicked by the hills. My group stopped at the first rest area again when we went by and I grabbed a few more cookies. I left the rest area with them and again tried to keep up. After leaving the park we were out on the highway again, and they formed a pace line. I'm not terribly comfortable drafting off people when biking, so I was probably further further back then I should have been and working a little harder to keep up. After 10 miles or so I had to drop back and let the group speed off. When I made it to the next rest area I grabbed some food and found my group. I started to explain that I was thinking of calling it a day and before I even got 2 words out one of the ladies said she could already see that I was done in my eyes. I went back outside and started to look for someone in a SAG vehicle when I ran across Ray. I chatted with him a bit before a lady came over and said that should couldn't help overhear that I was looking to drop out. She was driving a SAG car and would take me back to the school where the ride started. As we drove back to Park Rapids I had an interesting conversation with her about biking. She was part of the bike club that organizes the ride. It was neat hearing about the different places in the area that they go riding. When we got back to the school I packed up my stuff and drove back to Fargo. When I got back to town I stopped by five guys for a late lunch. I didn't really deserve it, but it sounded really good at the time.
The following week I was out in western North Dakota for work. We were doing some work for a coal mine near Beulah but since we'd booked the hotel late the closest we could find was in Bismarck. Tuesday morning I woke up early to get a run in. Since we weren't far from the normal Bismarck marathon route I figured I'd meet up with that and go from there. I had my headlamp on and as I ran by sertoma park several deer crossed the road. I turned my head to watch them and I could see dozens of eyes looking back at me from the park. It was a bit creepy. As I was getting back to the hotel I saw a steel rod poking up across the sidewalk so I moved to the other side. There was a rod poking up on that side that I didn't see. As I supermaned towards the ground the garmin beeped for 5 miles. It was only about a block and a half back to the hotel from there. When I got back I looked like a really mess, dripping sweat and blood running down to my ankle. I didn't get any running in the rest of the trip. We were working long days, and with an hour and a half commute in the morning and at night I didn't have much time or energy to run.
This past week I've been easing back into things. Tuesday I ran the overpass with Erin and I put in 7 hard miles this morning with the Beardsley group. I've got some knee pain from my fall still, but I'm hopeful I'll do well at the FM Half Marathon on Saturday. With the past few weeks not being ideal for training I'm starting to get a little nervous for Surf The Murph. Hopefully I can string some good runs together between now and then and gain some confidence back going into the event. The craziness continues to grow, Heather will be joining us at Surf The Murph for her first ultra marathon and it seems Erik is eyeing the 50k at Trail Mix in the spring. I'm going to have to keep working hard if I want to keep up with the growing group.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
2011 Bismarck Marathon Relay
Friday Erin was able to get off work a little early and we left town around 4:15. I had made us some sandwiches for the road and we ate along the way. When we arrived in Bismarck we began to finalize plans for the next day. I called up Rick and we decided who would run each leg of the relay. I would take the 6.25 first leg, Rick would take the 6 mile second leg, Kristy would run leg 3 which was 4.75 miles, Rick would run for a second time with the 5 mile 4th leg and Erin would finish up the last 4.2 miles of leg 5. After getting all of that squared away we then talked about how we'd get around. The previous year buses were available to get us to each relay exchange point. However this year with the new route we would have to work out our own transportation. We ultimately decided that Erin's dad Tony would drive and take us around to each relay exchange. With all of that finally decided we headed to bed to get some rest before a very long day.
Saturday morning we woke up a little before 6:00 and got dressed for the race. We met up with Rick and Kristy on our way to the park to give them a parking pass before heading to the park. We arrived just before traffic got really heavy. We chatted in the parking lot for a bit before making our way to the starting line. I wandered around and found Heather getting ready to run. She was running the full marathon while her twin sister was running the half marathon with a friend of hers. I wished her luck and we parted ways so she could drop her stuff off in the bag check area. I meet back up with our group just before the race started so I could drop off my jacket. When the race started I hung back a bit so that we would be towards the very back of the pack and hopefully not have to fight with congested trails.
The weather was a bit on the cold side with a stiff breeze and it misted just enough to barely keep the ground moist the entire morning. The first leg of the relay loops around cottenwood park before heading south with the relay exchange at the top of the hill inside the university of mary. The park was fun to run through, it was well maintained but did smell a little funny in a few places. There was one spot along the trail that was lined by sandbags and had some pumps keeping the trail mostly dry. I thanked the volunteer there and told him I hate running with wet feet. From there the course was fairly flat and as I ran I kept an eye on my heart rate. After the hard run the weekend before I wanted this to be a bit more relaxed, at least until I got to the hill. As I approached the hill I was running with a couple of ladies and chatting with them. When we arrived at the base of the hill I told them that I was going to put some work in and started to pick up the pace by almost a minute a mile. As I ran up the long hill I began to pass more and more people. One lady seemed almost shocked when she finally noticed me, I don't think she was expecting to be passed like that on the hill. As I rounded the corner and headed into the university I thought the course would flatten out again, but I was wrong. I kept climbing until I was at the relay exchange point and Rick took the timing chip from me. I took a minute to catch my breath and then we headed back to the van to get to the next relay exchange.
As we drove to the second relay exchange point I was still quite warm, but when we arrived there and I had to go outside again a quickly became chilled. We stood around for a little while waiting for Rick until Erin said she was going to walk over to the port-a-potties and Kristy decided to join her. In keeping with our tradition from the previous year, Rick showed up when Kristy was in the bathroom. Eventually the exchange was made and we hopped back in the van to get to the next relay exchange.
At the next relay point we stayed in the van to try and keep warm. We figured we had until around 10:30 until Kristy would be there. Shortly after 10:00 Erin's dad came over and said that Kristy was almost there. I filled Rick's water bottle from my own and he was off heading up the hill to the university. When Kristy got in the van we tried to figure out why we were so off in our estimate. Initially we just thought we couldn't do math until I asked her if she had run around the park before headed south. It turns out that she had missed that loop because of how the volunteers worded the question when telling her where she needed to go. She was about 2 miles short of what we were expecting her to run. Since our goal for the day was just to have fun, no one was really upset about the mix up.
Rick's exchange to Erin would only be a few hundred feet from where we were so we didn't have far to go. We spent most of the time waiting in the van to try and stay warm. When it was about time to get out and wait for the exchange I asked Erin how fast she was going to try and run. It sounded like something I'd be capable of doing so I asked if she'd like company and she said yes. We waited a bit more for Rick before Erin took the timing chip and we headed out. I was really cold starting out and opted to keep my jacket on, but after a mile the sweat was pouring off my face. Neither Erin or I wanted to disappoint the other person so we both worked real hard the last 4 miles of the race. A few full marathoners passed us, but we were doing well compared to other relay teams. With a quarter mile left Erin and I caught and passed another relay runner that we had both seen take off a few minutes before we did. It felt really good to pass her. Rick and Kristy joined up with us to cross the finish line. Erin and I were working hard and I tried to motivate her a little more to get every last bit of effort she had. After crossing the finish line I felt like throwing up, after a minute or so I asked Erin if she felt the same way and she confirmed she did.
After dropping off the timing chip we walked over and picked up some food for the finishers and Erin got her medal. I picked up some snacks for later and drank some chocolate milk as we looked for Erin's dad and Rick and Kristy's daughters. When we assembled our group again we decided that we'd head over to Famous Dave's like we did the previous year and get something to eat. After we ate we said our goodbyes and Erin and I headed back to her parents house to clean up before heading back to Fargo later then we were originally planning.
When we got back to Fargo I had a little bit of time to relax before getting ready for my third run of the day. Connie needed to do a 20 mile run this weekend and I had said I would tag along for it. The overcast skys had followed us back from Bismarck but it wasn't misting. The wind was a bit stronger then in Bismarck and it almost caused me to dress warmer then I what I knew I should wear. I met up with Connie in our usual location and we started to head south out of town. We had found a gravel frontage road a week or so behind walmart that we wanted to try out and this was as good a time as any. It was a little boring running down a perfectly flat straight road, but still fun since it was the first time we'd been out that way. It got dark out shortly after we got going but I brought head lamps for both of us. A few times as we ran that night we'd see the reflection of the light off of eyes in fields, but couldn't figure out what they belonged to. It was creepy. When we made it out to the wild rice exit on I29 we looked back at the lights of the city and marveled at how far out of town we were.
We started to hear some loud sounds in the distance but couldn't figure out what it was. It didn't quite sound like thunder, but we couldn't rule it out. We also saw some flashing in the sky and figured a storm was moving in. We continued on towards University drive and just after we passed the wild rice grill and bar a vehicle came up behind us and began to slow down. Rick had seen some fireworks and decided to drive out and check it out. Since he was already out south of town he figured he's swing by and check up on us since he knew what our route was going to be. Connie and I felt better knowing that there wasn't a storm moving in and started to head back into town on University.
Around this time I told Connie that I was starting to struggle and she did her best to distract me with conversation. Our plan was to turn onto 76th avenue and head towards Davies on our way back. When I remembered that we were going to turn I thought we had already gone by it, but just ahead I caught a glimpse of a street sign. We needed to run across the road to read it, and luckily enough it was where we needed to turn. We headed west again toward 25th street. I was still struggling on occasion, the long day was starting to get to me, but Connie helped me stay positive and we kept moving forward. After going by Davies we headed toward 52nd Ave. When we arrived at the intersection of 25th and 52nd we walked and ate our hourly snack. This is when I finished my water and we decided that we were going to cut our run short. Somehow Connie mentioned that her husband would be bringing her son's girlfriend home in a few minutes and I jokingly suggested we just get a ride back. A few minutes later we recognized her car drive by and make a U turn. We ran to the side of the road and pretended to pull up out short to show some leg. When the car pulled we we found out it was her son driving with her younger son in back with his girlfriend. Connie was a little embarrassed, but we had a good laugh about it. Since there wasn't enough room for both of us right then we waited a bit as they went and dropped off Matt's girlfriend. On their way back they picked us up and gave us a ride home. I finished the run about 5 miles short, but for the day I put in around 26. It was a productive day of training and I had a blast doing it.
Saturday morning we woke up a little before 6:00 and got dressed for the race. We met up with Rick and Kristy on our way to the park to give them a parking pass before heading to the park. We arrived just before traffic got really heavy. We chatted in the parking lot for a bit before making our way to the starting line. I wandered around and found Heather getting ready to run. She was running the full marathon while her twin sister was running the half marathon with a friend of hers. I wished her luck and we parted ways so she could drop her stuff off in the bag check area. I meet back up with our group just before the race started so I could drop off my jacket. When the race started I hung back a bit so that we would be towards the very back of the pack and hopefully not have to fight with congested trails.
The weather was a bit on the cold side with a stiff breeze and it misted just enough to barely keep the ground moist the entire morning. The first leg of the relay loops around cottenwood park before heading south with the relay exchange at the top of the hill inside the university of mary. The park was fun to run through, it was well maintained but did smell a little funny in a few places. There was one spot along the trail that was lined by sandbags and had some pumps keeping the trail mostly dry. I thanked the volunteer there and told him I hate running with wet feet. From there the course was fairly flat and as I ran I kept an eye on my heart rate. After the hard run the weekend before I wanted this to be a bit more relaxed, at least until I got to the hill. As I approached the hill I was running with a couple of ladies and chatting with them. When we arrived at the base of the hill I told them that I was going to put some work in and started to pick up the pace by almost a minute a mile. As I ran up the long hill I began to pass more and more people. One lady seemed almost shocked when she finally noticed me, I don't think she was expecting to be passed like that on the hill. As I rounded the corner and headed into the university I thought the course would flatten out again, but I was wrong. I kept climbing until I was at the relay exchange point and Rick took the timing chip from me. I took a minute to catch my breath and then we headed back to the van to get to the next relay exchange.
As we drove to the second relay exchange point I was still quite warm, but when we arrived there and I had to go outside again a quickly became chilled. We stood around for a little while waiting for Rick until Erin said she was going to walk over to the port-a-potties and Kristy decided to join her. In keeping with our tradition from the previous year, Rick showed up when Kristy was in the bathroom. Eventually the exchange was made and we hopped back in the van to get to the next relay exchange.
At the next relay point we stayed in the van to try and keep warm. We figured we had until around 10:30 until Kristy would be there. Shortly after 10:00 Erin's dad came over and said that Kristy was almost there. I filled Rick's water bottle from my own and he was off heading up the hill to the university. When Kristy got in the van we tried to figure out why we were so off in our estimate. Initially we just thought we couldn't do math until I asked her if she had run around the park before headed south. It turns out that she had missed that loop because of how the volunteers worded the question when telling her where she needed to go. She was about 2 miles short of what we were expecting her to run. Since our goal for the day was just to have fun, no one was really upset about the mix up.
Rick's exchange to Erin would only be a few hundred feet from where we were so we didn't have far to go. We spent most of the time waiting in the van to try and stay warm. When it was about time to get out and wait for the exchange I asked Erin how fast she was going to try and run. It sounded like something I'd be capable of doing so I asked if she'd like company and she said yes. We waited a bit more for Rick before Erin took the timing chip and we headed out. I was really cold starting out and opted to keep my jacket on, but after a mile the sweat was pouring off my face. Neither Erin or I wanted to disappoint the other person so we both worked real hard the last 4 miles of the race. A few full marathoners passed us, but we were doing well compared to other relay teams. With a quarter mile left Erin and I caught and passed another relay runner that we had both seen take off a few minutes before we did. It felt really good to pass her. Rick and Kristy joined up with us to cross the finish line. Erin and I were working hard and I tried to motivate her a little more to get every last bit of effort she had. After crossing the finish line I felt like throwing up, after a minute or so I asked Erin if she felt the same way and she confirmed she did.
After dropping off the timing chip we walked over and picked up some food for the finishers and Erin got her medal. I picked up some snacks for later and drank some chocolate milk as we looked for Erin's dad and Rick and Kristy's daughters. When we assembled our group again we decided that we'd head over to Famous Dave's like we did the previous year and get something to eat. After we ate we said our goodbyes and Erin and I headed back to her parents house to clean up before heading back to Fargo later then we were originally planning.
When we got back to Fargo I had a little bit of time to relax before getting ready for my third run of the day. Connie needed to do a 20 mile run this weekend and I had said I would tag along for it. The overcast skys had followed us back from Bismarck but it wasn't misting. The wind was a bit stronger then in Bismarck and it almost caused me to dress warmer then I what I knew I should wear. I met up with Connie in our usual location and we started to head south out of town. We had found a gravel frontage road a week or so behind walmart that we wanted to try out and this was as good a time as any. It was a little boring running down a perfectly flat straight road, but still fun since it was the first time we'd been out that way. It got dark out shortly after we got going but I brought head lamps for both of us. A few times as we ran that night we'd see the reflection of the light off of eyes in fields, but couldn't figure out what they belonged to. It was creepy. When we made it out to the wild rice exit on I29 we looked back at the lights of the city and marveled at how far out of town we were.
We started to hear some loud sounds in the distance but couldn't figure out what it was. It didn't quite sound like thunder, but we couldn't rule it out. We also saw some flashing in the sky and figured a storm was moving in. We continued on towards University drive and just after we passed the wild rice grill and bar a vehicle came up behind us and began to slow down. Rick had seen some fireworks and decided to drive out and check it out. Since he was already out south of town he figured he's swing by and check up on us since he knew what our route was going to be. Connie and I felt better knowing that there wasn't a storm moving in and started to head back into town on University.
Around this time I told Connie that I was starting to struggle and she did her best to distract me with conversation. Our plan was to turn onto 76th avenue and head towards Davies on our way back. When I remembered that we were going to turn I thought we had already gone by it, but just ahead I caught a glimpse of a street sign. We needed to run across the road to read it, and luckily enough it was where we needed to turn. We headed west again toward 25th street. I was still struggling on occasion, the long day was starting to get to me, but Connie helped me stay positive and we kept moving forward. After going by Davies we headed toward 52nd Ave. When we arrived at the intersection of 25th and 52nd we walked and ate our hourly snack. This is when I finished my water and we decided that we were going to cut our run short. Somehow Connie mentioned that her husband would be bringing her son's girlfriend home in a few minutes and I jokingly suggested we just get a ride back. A few minutes later we recognized her car drive by and make a U turn. We ran to the side of the road and pretended to pull up out short to show some leg. When the car pulled we we found out it was her son driving with her younger son in back with his girlfriend. Connie was a little embarrassed, but we had a good laugh about it. Since there wasn't enough room for both of us right then we waited a bit as they went and dropped off Matt's girlfriend. On their way back they picked us up and gave us a ride home. I finished the run about 5 miles short, but for the day I put in around 26. It was a productive day of training and I had a blast doing it.
Monday, September 12, 2011
2011 Dick Beardsley Half Marathon
The night before the race Erin and I were out babysitting rather late. When we got home I set the alarm clock for a few hours later and we got what sleep we could. After the alarm clock went off Erin and I feel into the usual routine of getting ready for a race. Checking the weather, finding my favorite clothes to run in, putting together a bag of stuff for after the race, deciding if I want the hydration pack or just the hand held bottle. After getting my stuff together we headed over to pick up Heather who was riding down with us to Detroit Lakes for the race.
We were one of the first few people at the park that morning, which seemed to suit us just fine. We picked up our packets and had some time to relax and talk to other runners that we knew. Eventually we headed back to the car to drop of our stuff and make our way to the starting line. I had forgotten to bring a hat to keep the sun out of my eyes but Erin was able to pick up a cheap one for me just a short distance from where the starting line was.
When the race started Heather quickly raced off. I wasn't planning on going for a PR so I was a bit more relaxed as I began. I was primarily looking at my heart rate data instead of looking at pace. I wanted to ease into things and save something for the finish. The first 2 miles passed quickly, by keeping a close eye on my heart rate I was able to slow down a bit on the hills in the first section of the course and keep my effort fairly even. When I passed Erin at mile 2 I remarked that it was already hot and it was going to be an ugly day.
After I passed Erin I noticed my heart rate climbing a bit faster then I would have liked and made an effort to slow down and keep it under control. The trees on this side of the lake were still providing a little shade and I tried to make the most of it. I was trying to drink plenty of water and Gatorade when it was available at the aid stations. When I reached the halfway point I ate the honey stinger waffle I had with me and hoped it would be enough to get me to the finish. I had also forgotten to bring endurolytes with and probably could have used then at the point in the race.
After the halfway point the race started to go poorly. My heart rate was higher then I liked and it didn't come down much when I walked. I was feeling uncomfortably warm and just not having a very good time. As the miles pasted the walk breaks became longer and the running periods got shorter. With a little over a mile left to go Connie caught up to me. It was great being able to talk with her. After running for a bit I said that I wanted to walk for a while but Connie was having none of that. She insisted that we keep running, but we could go as slow as I wanted. I reluctantly agreed and we kept running. Eventually rounded the last turn and I saw another runner I knew up ahead. I told Connie I was going to try to catch this runner and finish strong. As I took off I could hear Connie cheering for me as if I was in contention to win the race. I ran as hard as I could and passed the person I was aiming for within 30 feet of the finish line. After crossing the finish line I began to pay for that last burst of speed. I felt crappy, my heart was pounding and I was gasping for breath. I collected my medal and found a spot on the grass to sit down. After a minute or so I was still feeling awful, but I wanted to find Connie and thank her for the mental boost she was able to give me at the end. I staggered back to my feet, found Connie and gave her a hug. Shortly after that Erin and the rest of the gang found me and asked about the race. I told them it how badly things had gone and asked about getting some ice cream.
When we got to where the line for ice cream was Nicky, Amber and Talon said they would head over to Zorbaz and find some seats while we picked up ice cream. Once I had picked up the ice cream I plopped down on the grass again to eat it and to give my heart rate a chance to go down. Erin said that I should just eat it on the way and she didn't want to keep the rest of the group waiting. I still felt crappy but I complied headed off to Zorbaz. When we arrived it took a little while to find out group. I found a bar stool to perch on while Erin wandered in search of our party. Mike Almquist saw Heather and I and chatted with us for a bit until Erin came back to get us. After we sat down at our table my heart rate finally dropped out of the "working hard" range. Erin went and ordered for us and came back with some cups for our drinks. She asked what I wanted but I thought I should get up and get it myself to keep moving and not let things tighten up so bad. When I stood up I felt light headed and got tunnel vision briefly. As we waited for our food I started feeling even worse. I couldn't seem to get comfortable in the chair and felt increasingly nauseous. When our pizza finally arrived I felt so bad that I needed to head outside the restaurant. I found a place to sit on the ground a little ways down the street from Zorbaz and let my head spin for a while. Erin came out and found me a few minutes later. She suggested that I not sit in the sun and we crossed the street to find some shade. The little bit of a breeze that had kicked up felt good. I lay down on my back and told Erin about how I felt. After a few minutes I got up and headed back into Zorbaz with her. I ate a piece of pizza and drank a little pop before I told her I needed to head back outside again. After laying down for about 10 minutes I heard some familiar voices behind me. Ken and Monica were outside the restaurant chatting with some people. I felt good enough to walk over and talk with them for a bit before Erin came up to look for me again. We talked with Ken and Monica for a bit longer before I decided that my stomach had settled enough to try food again. This time I was able to eat more normally. Color had returned to my face and the people we were sitting with remarked how much better I looked.
On the drive back to Fargo I sat in the back seat. I had trouble finding a comfortable position and felt like my body temperature couldn't find an equilibrium. I constantly shifted from too cold to to warm. When we got home I jumped in the shower and that seemed to help things a bit. After that I headed downstairs to watch TV for a bit and try to relax. Later in the day I showed Erin how my legs were twitching on there own. The next day I felt almost normal, just a bit on the weak side. Since it was the NFLs opening weekend I figured I'd take a rest day and I spent most of the day watching football. It will be interesting to see how my body responds tomorrow when I get back out and try to run again.
We were one of the first few people at the park that morning, which seemed to suit us just fine. We picked up our packets and had some time to relax and talk to other runners that we knew. Eventually we headed back to the car to drop of our stuff and make our way to the starting line. I had forgotten to bring a hat to keep the sun out of my eyes but Erin was able to pick up a cheap one for me just a short distance from where the starting line was.
When the race started Heather quickly raced off. I wasn't planning on going for a PR so I was a bit more relaxed as I began. I was primarily looking at my heart rate data instead of looking at pace. I wanted to ease into things and save something for the finish. The first 2 miles passed quickly, by keeping a close eye on my heart rate I was able to slow down a bit on the hills in the first section of the course and keep my effort fairly even. When I passed Erin at mile 2 I remarked that it was already hot and it was going to be an ugly day.
After I passed Erin I noticed my heart rate climbing a bit faster then I would have liked and made an effort to slow down and keep it under control. The trees on this side of the lake were still providing a little shade and I tried to make the most of it. I was trying to drink plenty of water and Gatorade when it was available at the aid stations. When I reached the halfway point I ate the honey stinger waffle I had with me and hoped it would be enough to get me to the finish. I had also forgotten to bring endurolytes with and probably could have used then at the point in the race.
After the halfway point the race started to go poorly. My heart rate was higher then I liked and it didn't come down much when I walked. I was feeling uncomfortably warm and just not having a very good time. As the miles pasted the walk breaks became longer and the running periods got shorter. With a little over a mile left to go Connie caught up to me. It was great being able to talk with her. After running for a bit I said that I wanted to walk for a while but Connie was having none of that. She insisted that we keep running, but we could go as slow as I wanted. I reluctantly agreed and we kept running. Eventually rounded the last turn and I saw another runner I knew up ahead. I told Connie I was going to try to catch this runner and finish strong. As I took off I could hear Connie cheering for me as if I was in contention to win the race. I ran as hard as I could and passed the person I was aiming for within 30 feet of the finish line. After crossing the finish line I began to pay for that last burst of speed. I felt crappy, my heart was pounding and I was gasping for breath. I collected my medal and found a spot on the grass to sit down. After a minute or so I was still feeling awful, but I wanted to find Connie and thank her for the mental boost she was able to give me at the end. I staggered back to my feet, found Connie and gave her a hug. Shortly after that Erin and the rest of the gang found me and asked about the race. I told them it how badly things had gone and asked about getting some ice cream.
When we got to where the line for ice cream was Nicky, Amber and Talon said they would head over to Zorbaz and find some seats while we picked up ice cream. Once I had picked up the ice cream I plopped down on the grass again to eat it and to give my heart rate a chance to go down. Erin said that I should just eat it on the way and she didn't want to keep the rest of the group waiting. I still felt crappy but I complied headed off to Zorbaz. When we arrived it took a little while to find out group. I found a bar stool to perch on while Erin wandered in search of our party. Mike Almquist saw Heather and I and chatted with us for a bit until Erin came back to get us. After we sat down at our table my heart rate finally dropped out of the "working hard" range. Erin went and ordered for us and came back with some cups for our drinks. She asked what I wanted but I thought I should get up and get it myself to keep moving and not let things tighten up so bad. When I stood up I felt light headed and got tunnel vision briefly. As we waited for our food I started feeling even worse. I couldn't seem to get comfortable in the chair and felt increasingly nauseous. When our pizza finally arrived I felt so bad that I needed to head outside the restaurant. I found a place to sit on the ground a little ways down the street from Zorbaz and let my head spin for a while. Erin came out and found me a few minutes later. She suggested that I not sit in the sun and we crossed the street to find some shade. The little bit of a breeze that had kicked up felt good. I lay down on my back and told Erin about how I felt. After a few minutes I got up and headed back into Zorbaz with her. I ate a piece of pizza and drank a little pop before I told her I needed to head back outside again. After laying down for about 10 minutes I heard some familiar voices behind me. Ken and Monica were outside the restaurant chatting with some people. I felt good enough to walk over and talk with them for a bit before Erin came up to look for me again. We talked with Ken and Monica for a bit longer before I decided that my stomach had settled enough to try food again. This time I was able to eat more normally. Color had returned to my face and the people we were sitting with remarked how much better I looked.
On the drive back to Fargo I sat in the back seat. I had trouble finding a comfortable position and felt like my body temperature couldn't find an equilibrium. I constantly shifted from too cold to to warm. When we got home I jumped in the shower and that seemed to help things a bit. After that I headed downstairs to watch TV for a bit and try to relax. Later in the day I showed Erin how my legs were twitching on there own. The next day I felt almost normal, just a bit on the weak side. Since it was the NFLs opening weekend I figured I'd take a rest day and I spent most of the day watching football. It will be interesting to see how my body responds tomorrow when I get back out and try to run again.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Labor day and heading into Beardsley
It's been a while since I've posted so this one is going to hit a lot of things.
Last Wednesday Erin and I met up with Maggie, Penny, Tim, Rick and Kristy for a evening run from the downtown Y. We ran along the top of the dike for a bit until we got to the water treatment plant and the bike path was a little more clear. After 2 miles Kristy, Penny and Erin turned back while Maggie, Rick, Tim and I pushed on. At the time my right calf was a little tight. About half a mile later my calf was cramping so bad I couldn't run any more. I stopped for a bit to stretch and we decided as a group that we'd turn around. After walking for a bit I was able to start jogging again but about a mile later I was unable to run again. Again I walked until my leg loosened up enough to run but this time I was able to make it the rest of the way back to the Y. There was considerable pain from the cramp but I was able to still keep a decent average pace. I had planned to meet up with Connie the next morning and hoped that my leg would feel better after a good nights sleep.
Thursday morning when I woke up my leg did not feel any better. I figured that I had done some damage while running with the cramp the previous night but thought I'd be able to do a slower run with Connie. We met up like we normally do, but I suggested taking a shorter route to the store in case things got to bad. For the most part the pain stayed constant, not going away but not getting worse either. I felt good about being able to get in 8 miles that morning.
That Friday I rested hoping the time off would let the leg heal. It did help a little.
Saturday I met up with Connie for a long run. We started off with Erin and Erik who were doing a long run in preparation for the FM mini in October. Eventually we broke of from them and went out around the new high school and way out on south university. When we finished up I had 18 miles in and Connie had 19. During the run my leg had loosened up, but after the run it tightened up again and hurt when I walked.
Sunday Connie and I met up for a planned 7 mile run. I wanted to sleep in and rest the leg, but got out and ran anyway. The first few miles I was in a foul mood. My leg hurt and I just wanted to be done, but eventually things turned around and Connie and I explored some new areas that we hadn't run in. This run capped a 50 mile week for both Connie and I.
Labor day Erin and I went biking with Krisann out on the heartland trail. We started off in Park Rapids abd biked 18 miles to Akley for a late lunch. On the way back we stopped in Nevis for ice cream. It was a great day for a bike ride and I had a lot of fun getting to know Krisann better.
Tuesday I ran a 5 mile tempo run workout and it confirmed that I've slowed down since this spring. I still had some lingering leg pain as I ran, but things were definitely healing up.
Thursday Erin and I drove to the store early and we got 10 miles in. I was able to keep a brisk pace and it was a solid run. Better still was after the run I didn't have the lingering pain in my leg anymore.
Saturday is the Dick Beardsley half marathon. It will be my third year running it. I'm not going to shoot for a PR, but I'd like to have a solid run and I'm hoping it will be my second fastest half marathon when it's all done.
Last Wednesday Erin and I met up with Maggie, Penny, Tim, Rick and Kristy for a evening run from the downtown Y. We ran along the top of the dike for a bit until we got to the water treatment plant and the bike path was a little more clear. After 2 miles Kristy, Penny and Erin turned back while Maggie, Rick, Tim and I pushed on. At the time my right calf was a little tight. About half a mile later my calf was cramping so bad I couldn't run any more. I stopped for a bit to stretch and we decided as a group that we'd turn around. After walking for a bit I was able to start jogging again but about a mile later I was unable to run again. Again I walked until my leg loosened up enough to run but this time I was able to make it the rest of the way back to the Y. There was considerable pain from the cramp but I was able to still keep a decent average pace. I had planned to meet up with Connie the next morning and hoped that my leg would feel better after a good nights sleep.
Thursday morning when I woke up my leg did not feel any better. I figured that I had done some damage while running with the cramp the previous night but thought I'd be able to do a slower run with Connie. We met up like we normally do, but I suggested taking a shorter route to the store in case things got to bad. For the most part the pain stayed constant, not going away but not getting worse either. I felt good about being able to get in 8 miles that morning.
That Friday I rested hoping the time off would let the leg heal. It did help a little.
Saturday I met up with Connie for a long run. We started off with Erin and Erik who were doing a long run in preparation for the FM mini in October. Eventually we broke of from them and went out around the new high school and way out on south university. When we finished up I had 18 miles in and Connie had 19. During the run my leg had loosened up, but after the run it tightened up again and hurt when I walked.
Sunday Connie and I met up for a planned 7 mile run. I wanted to sleep in and rest the leg, but got out and ran anyway. The first few miles I was in a foul mood. My leg hurt and I just wanted to be done, but eventually things turned around and Connie and I explored some new areas that we hadn't run in. This run capped a 50 mile week for both Connie and I.
Labor day Erin and I went biking with Krisann out on the heartland trail. We started off in Park Rapids abd biked 18 miles to Akley for a late lunch. On the way back we stopped in Nevis for ice cream. It was a great day for a bike ride and I had a lot of fun getting to know Krisann better.
Tuesday I ran a 5 mile tempo run workout and it confirmed that I've slowed down since this spring. I still had some lingering leg pain as I ran, but things were definitely healing up.
Thursday Erin and I drove to the store early and we got 10 miles in. I was able to keep a brisk pace and it was a solid run. Better still was after the run I didn't have the lingering pain in my leg anymore.
Saturday is the Dick Beardsley half marathon. It will be my third year running it. I'm not going to shoot for a PR, but I'd like to have a solid run and I'm hoping it will be my second fastest half marathon when it's all done.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)