Two a days

Wow two posts in a single day for me. I put in a couple miles yesterday on the treadmill and after about 1/2 mile the outside of my left hip started bothering me. I started trying to figure out if I had twisted weird or anything the night before during our run but couldn't come up with anything. I did what I always do and ignored it. It slowly went from ouch I need to stop running to, what's that going on with my hip to, hmm it seems to be okay now. After I completed my 5 miles of intervals I noticed a little limp and soreness but ignored it. Most of the soreness was gone today so during my Centergy class I asked the PT what would cause it and was hit with the answer of "IT band". Ouch... I immediately got worried. Is this what everyone complains about? I thought that the IT band was something in the leg not the hips. Well maybe it was just telling me that it's there and working and all will be fine during my run tonight and tomorrow morning. Here's to lots of alcohol to numb the senses.

Night Crawlers

With the Buckey 50k coming up in 7 weeks it seems the training is under way for most of the area ultra runners. With this in mind I decided to try the night crawlers run agian this week. Well it turns out the timing was bad for most of the "regulars" and injury has taken out one of us so I was prepaired to run it alone. Then I got a response from Beth indicating she could come and it seemed we had a few other potentials so Wednesday night 8:30pm at Lock 29 it was. Well when I arrived at lock 29 it had become the North Pole. The Christmas Train season is in full swing and all the elves were on their way to their cars and/or the Winking lizard after dancing and frolicing for the kids on the train. The decorations have really been turned up as well and driving to the parking lot was illuminated like mid day due to all the lights and decorations. Then about a minute after I parked one of the volunteers killed the generator and everything went dark all at once. It was like the scene from Christmas Vacation when the whole house just goes dark.

Anyway it seems I have digressed some from my running post. So it turned out that it was just going to be Beth and I for the run. A two second discussion of the route and we were off. Up to pine lane then to the boston store and back. It was a nice change not worrying about keeping up or paces just traveling through the woods and talking about whatever came to mind or even nothing at all. Wow, I didn't realize how much rain we had gotten though. I think it was about the muddiest I have ever gotten during a run. It's hard to avoid stepping in water/mud when you can't see it untill it's to late. At one point just after crossing over the turnpike we had the privilege of splitting a herd of deer in two that had been right in the middle of the trail. It spooked Beth quite a bit and she was reliving episodes of "when animals attack" in her head. I have to admit when I panned my headlamp to the right and noticed there were two dear on our left and about 6-8 on our right (one had to be a 10 point about 30 feet from us) it didn't seem like a good place to stop and take a break. So we picked up the pace and got out of there pretty quickly. I'm pretty good about nature and animals but I also know when I have entered their space and thats exactly where the two of us ended up.

We put in our miles and I was home by 11:00. Great night for a run to with it being in the 40's. I'm trying to decide if I need to go hit the trails again tonight or if I will save all my energy for tommorow's Sat run.

Proud Father

My daughter as she finished her first race. It was a 1k Turkey day fun run. I think I'm going to have to teach her to run without her hands in her pockets.

To follow up the pride from watching her run her first race, my daughter came home from school today and was so excited to show me her results on the "Presidential Fitness Test". She manged to run the 1/2 mile in 3 minutes and 48 seconds, do 3 pull ups, a +7 in Sit-n-Reach, an 11.7 second shuttle run and 28 situps in one minute. So this made her a national qualifier (above the 50 percentile) and she only missed the Presidential qualifier by 6 situps (above the 85th percentile). I guess we have to work on the situps but I couldn't believe my little seven year old can run a half mile in 3:48 and is flexible enough to sit and bend at the waist to a point at which her finger tips are over 7 inches past the bottom of her heals. I can't even fathom that. Heck its hard to touch my toes.

The Morning After

I'm starting new traditions all year long. It all started in December with the VR Christmas Run and then the New Years run. Now I completed the first annual Thanksgiving day fun run with the kids so it was onto the day after feast run. I met at the Gorge (two minutes late) for the Friday morning run. As soon as I got out of the car I was met with an abrupt, your late and your lucky we are still here. Well it was 8:32 and the run was supposed to start at 8:30 wow. So I just chuckled and told him I was going to follow the footprints if they had left. Just then Tanya recognized me and came over for a quick hug. We then determined that Vince wasn't going to join us and headed out. I recognized some of the fast group and settled into the back to run with Tanya some. After a mile or so I caught up to the guy who was pretty short with me upon arrival and he asked what I was doing in the back of the pack with the slow guys. So I introduced myself and told him that I was enjoying the company. It was at this point I realized that this was Wild Bill. We talked for a little while until he hit his head on a tree while watching his footing. After about 2.5 mile we hit an overlook that was just beautiful. It looked over the valley and the Cuyahoga River and was pretty breathtaking. Mark Godale took a moment to throw some snowballs and then it was time to head back. Most of the group continued on and were going to put in another hour and a half or so but I decided to head back with two of the gazelles. It was actually pretty good. They were running a pretty good pace that had me trying to keep up and yet I was the only one that actually knew the way back. So I kept them to about an 8 minute pace for the last two miles through the trails. Then I hit the parking lot and it was off to Niagara Falls with the family for the weekend.

Turkey day fun run

Although Thursday ended up as a pretty cold and wet morning, my daughter was more then ready to get out and run her first race. By the end of her 2nd grade year all the kids are expected to be able to complete a mile so they have begun the process of increasing their endurance. So at 8:00am I loaded up the kids and all the gear and headed out to Kent for a much smaller run then was had in Akron.

When we arrived there were only around 40-50 people getting ready so I was pretty happy. We went through the lines, got the Tori her number, and then jumped back in the car to keep warm until the 9:00 start time. When it came time to start, the race director had made the decision that the fun run would be just over one lap around the park (around 0.6 miles) instead of the expected two laps. So the 7 kids lined up and were off. It was a nice loop around the park so I ran across the muddy grass/puddles with the camera and two-year-old in order to get some pictures of her on the back stretch and then back to the finish line. I could tell after the first two boys ran in that Tori had lost some time. So when she finally came around the corner I was happy to see she was still running. She ended up crossing the finish line in 5:05 and 4th place out of seven kids with a crowd of people cheering them on. She told me that she normally runs around 4:20 in her half mile runs at school so she did great. It was also great that they gave all the kids shirts and medals for their hard work.

I think she may follow in dads footsteps and love to run. I'm just glad to see she is bypassing the decades of overweight, out of shape, complacency I had before finding running.

A Tuesday morning half

Until today I had only gotten to run two days since Richmond for a total of 10 miles. I was occupied with the kids over the weekend (Akron's tree festival and breakfast with Santa) and although I missed running with friends I don't think I could have passed on my kids experiences at the Akron Children's Hospital fundraiser. It was just great, not only did they have Santa but there was also Barney (I hate that little Purple Monster), T-i-double g-errrr, Pooh Bear, a nutcracker, and even clowns running around entertaining the kids. Santa even gave Dominic and Tori presents after letting them sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Tori was a little upset when he took her off his lap and told her to go get a toy. It seems she was just getting started on her list of 10,000 things she wants for Christmas. Anyway, if any of you have small kids I would definitely recommend attending this next year. After the breakfast festivities, they have a parade upstairs to the Christmas tree lighting where they cut the ceremonial ribbon and you get to be the first people to see the festival (aside from those that pay big bucks to go the night before).

I spent my day Sunday with the kids visiting my parents, brothers and sisters, and their children. So Monday I was going to run right? Not quite...... Monday was spent getting all the leaves out of the yard, mowing the grass, and taking care of the 100 things on my honey do list that have been left with all the marathons and other events in my life. I think Lesa knew I was getting cranky about not getting to run and I was starting to feel that pent up energy. Plus I stepped on the scale after all of the eating from the Ohio State game, UFC fight night, Sunday football and Nascar, and just general amounts of junk food (I'm trying to eat all the Halloween candy in the house so my wife doesn't have to... you know take one for the team) and to my amazement the scale provided me with a digital readout of 184lbs. I haven't been that heavy since I started running in December. Wow I wanted to put on some weight I guess I found out how although I was thinking about muscle mass not just mass.

So I woke up this morning and saw my daughter off to school with the family and realize it's 50 degrees outside. I'm on vacation all week and the family is heading out of town after the holidays for the long weekend so I'm sure running will be at a minimum. I decide it was now or never so on go the shorts and tank top and I'm off. My wife was taking our two year old to the library so I knew I had time. Believe it or not, since moving into the new house in May I've only run from my house on one other occasion and that was my last taper before Akron so I really don't have a good understanding of distances around the neighborhood. That was about to change. I decided to check distances to/from the bike and hike in two directions so that i could give this info back to my wife. I also wanted to check traffic so that she could figure out where to ride the bikes with the kids. Well It took me almost exactly 3 miles to get to the entrance of the trail in Kent. Then I headed back towards the house. In another 2 miles I was at the Young Rd entrance to the bike and hike and figured it would be just over a mile back to the house from here. But I was feeling great and wanted to run. So I headed down the trail that Nick and I had run so many times. Out and back and I started picking up the pace. Down to a 9:20 mile at one point, not bad for a mid week long run for me. To get to the end of the story I hit 13.1 miles in 2:07. Hmm that is most likely the third fastest time I have ever run a half in and it was just a Tuesday morning run. Another half mile and I was home and feeling pretty sore. I just couldn't pass up a 50 degree day in the end of November. It didn't even start raining until I got home.

Now I feel like running again. Time to break that 1:50 barrier for the half next year. But first I have a really important race on Thursday. Its a one mile long race with my seven year old. Wish me luck on keeping up with her. Something tells me she is going to beat me by a step or two though. If I can keep my ego in check :)

Centergy

So I returned to my post everyday running phase this week and began to participate in some other exercises that were an important part of my training the last year. I've only managed 10 miles this week (5 of those were during an interval training session) but I'm giving myself a week or to of relaxation after the Akron/Richmond period of my life. I hit the weights Tuesday and I seem to have only lost a small amount of muscle mass in my upper body. I'm still lifting about the same percentage based on body weight but I'm also around 10lbs lighter than I was prior to the last 10 months of training. I ran on Wednesday for around 5 miles and then yesterday I was forced to hit Chipotle for a double chicken Burrito. Add both beans, all three salsas, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and you are up to about 2lbs and 2500 calories of enjoyment.
To finish the week off today I participated in a group Centergy class. The class integrates strength and flexibility training and claims to help restore symmetry while also having what I call "nap time" at the end for relaxation and focus. I must have missed a lot not going to this class for the last two months because as I found out today, a small group that I use to work out with every day now gets together with the personal trainer after class and they partake in some wine and Hors D'Oeuvres. It was a good way to finish class.

Now I'm craving some running. I'm attending a breakfast with Santa in the morning at the John Knight Center in Akron and won't be able to run with the groups Saturday or Sunday. Maybe I'll get some miles in tonight.

Deep thoughts

Well the title has nothing to do with the post but. I was telling the story of my Marathon experience at work today to some non runners. One of them looks at me and says "Well I'd expect you to cramp up being dehydrated from all that travel last week". Hmm I didn't think of that. I drank like mad all day Friday with Vince on the way down to Virginia but perhaps the four days of traveling, driving, flying, and meetings before that left me a whole lot more dehydrated then I thought. I guess a day or a day and a half of re hydrating may have been the topper to the spill I took. Anyway, it's in the past now and onto bigger and better as they say. Time to start signing up for races next year. Anyone have any suggestions for some good shorter races. 13.1 miles or less? So far I've got the Buckeye winter half, the 4 mile race for the parks in Hudson and I actually might do the whole Hudson series this year as it is my home town.

Thanks once again for the support and for reading my ramblings. It makes me think someone may really like me.... I'm good enought, I'm smart enough, and doggone it people like me.... or at least tolerate me.

Back to Ohio

Well the Richmond Marathon is officially over for Vince and I now. Vince PR'd with a blazing fast time of 2:46. Only one minute off his goal and with the headwind we had I can see why. I was feeling great before the race and was trying to find my place in the line of runners. Only to see that there was no sign for a 4:30 pace group. We could see a 4:15 and then all there was after that was 5:00. Funny I know I signed up for a 4:30 pace group and got an email welcoming me to the group. Well anyway I was on my own. Just the way I wanted it. The race started and I just fell into a nice grove. Miles went by at a pretty consistent 9:45-9:50 pace. There were some pretty good hills that I didn't expect but hell it gave me a chance to pass people. Both on the uphills and downhills. It seems people around here aren't as eager as some of the people I run with to pick it up a little on the downhills.

Well around mile 16 starts the bridge of all bridges. It's on Belvedere street (may be spelled wrong) and it seems a mile long. This thing made the y-bridge look short. Oh and I forgot to mention the headwind. It seemed like we were running into a 10-20 mile an hour headwind and with it being 45 degrees it wasn't all that nice. So a group in front of me was going pretty slow. Well what was I to do but to pass them on the outside. Opps WRONG MOVE.

I caught my foot in one of these grates they put on the bridges for drainage. Not the once that just have square cutouts in them but the ones that are made from downward facing V shaped pieces of metal. So as my leg twisted propelling me forward I think I remember catching myself on the curb of the bridge. Luckily the curb was like 2 feet high so I didn't get a chance to build up as much momentum as I could have. Once the collective sigh of the runners around me died down to a whisper I did what any trail runner would do. I jumped right back up as if nothing had happened. Unfortunately it was at this point that I learned another lesson. Before jumping back up, you should make sure that nothing did happen. It seems when you fall, sometimes your body tenses up. Well when I jumped back up ever muscle in my legs tensed up and failed to let go. So I drop back down again.

Luckily at this point I find the curb and sit in pain trying to get my muscles to relax in order to stand. Up comes this great guy from the Richmond Marathon training group. All happy he asks if everything is okay, to which I reply "no". Well the next question was oh is this your first marathon? I think he was trying to access the situation better. So after I tell him it's the second in 6 weeks I think he realized I wasn't just tired and resting. Well I hobbled in pain the next 100 yards to the water stop and then scared the hell out of some small children watching me shiver and shake uncontrollably in the corner only able to walk by swinging my legs in wide circles.

Well not much time now. I'm heading home but I'm fine, the knee seems fine, It's nothing some rest won't fix and I'll be out and running again on Thanksgiving. I will follow up with the rest of the story. The story gets better.

Okay here goes the rest. So I make it with help from the gentleman to the water stop at mile 17. So he leaves me in what he thinks are good hands and I kinda walked behind the table to try and stretch out my legs. Well this is when both my calves as well as quads lock up like rocks. I pulled myself up from the ground using a brick pillar that was next to where I hit the deck and I am trying to flatten out my feet so that I'm not leaning back at a 45 degree angle. My calves just weren't letting go. I looked over and there is this cute little girl about 6 years old watching me and I can tell that she is getting worried and upset at my condition. So I ask the lady next to her if there is anyone around from the medical group/marathon. She had absolutely no idea what to do and no instructions that I could tell. She also indicated that she was just a volunteer from a church group and no one at the water stop really seemed to have any experience with distance running. They seemed pretty worried about me though and weren't sure why I wasn't very concerned by my apparent inability to walk. I had to tell them that there wasn't much that could be done short of massaging the muscles and stretching them/walking on them until the released and decided to cooperate. So to make matters worse by this time the temperature and constant wind along with my lack of aerobic activity had dropped my body temperature to the point that I was shaking uncontrollably. So they gave me a volunteers shirt (was probably a good idea so that the other runners didn't have to see me) and tried to warm me up. After a couple of minutes it become clear to me that I wouldn't be finishing the remaining 9 miles (If I would have been closer I probably would have tried to press on) and I gave up what had been to this point my best feeling/performing Marathon ever. Damn this distance.

So I got a ride from a dad with his two young children who were leaving the rest stop to go home. They got as close to my hotel as possible and were trying to get through a road block so I didn't have to walk up the hill to our hotel (the course ran right by the hotel) when I looked over and saw Vince walking up the hotel towards the Hotel. After finishing 17th overall in PR time he was looking for a shower and warm room. So I opened the car door and yelled over to him. He was surprised to see me and seemed really confused for a minute until I told him I had dropped and told him of my ordeal. It seemed as we walked towards the hotel that he might have been calling me a wuss or pussy under his breath when all of a sudden about 50 feet from the hotel the slight incline brought on another attack from my legs. Surprisingly to me rather than hitting the ground Vince grabs me and we both have a sort of wierd dance going on in the middle of the sidewalk. Me falling over backward as my feet straightened while my toes tried to point due to the cramping and him leaning backward the opposite direction trying to use leverage to pull me back up. I end up leaning over a wall with my legs still both locked and toes pointed as if I'm a ballerina falling forward. He was trying to get me the last 50 feet into the warm hotel but my legs were having none of it. After a minute they finally release their hold on me after a nice passer by inquired as to if I was okay. Ummmm Nooo I can't control my legs, so we told him it was okay and we were just about to head into the hotel. When I finally got to the room I realized as I wrapped myself in a towel and climbed under all the sheets on the bed that the entire bed was then shaking from me. 30 minutes later and a hot shower I was to the point where I could physically operate but man it was a really weired hour and a half or so. It's hard to believe the whole chain reaction was started by my trying to pass a slower runner. Although I'm upset becuase I was finally feeling strong and good during a maration at and past the 16 mile mark on pace to finish an hour faster than my time at Akron and then bam I'm driving back to Ohio just happy that I'm healthy and happy. Plus I can relish in the fact that I actually know a guy that just ran a 2:46 marathon and felt better then me after running 16 miles. Hell he even asked me about running a half marathon next week in Strongsville.

Thanks for everyones well wishes. Maybe it was one of those that prevented what could have ended up much worse. Next year for me will be a year of the 5k - half marathon distances. I think based on my 4 mile and half marathon times this year I could actually do quite well at these distances and I really enjoy running fast. So I'll train for the long runs and enjoy the training but will most likley use the training to improve my intermediate distances.

Off to Richmond

Well I just got home from a week long trip up and down the coast of CA and now I'm unpacking/repacking for a trip to Richmond early tomorrow morning with Vince. Unfortunately we lost our third person due to injury so he will be missed.

I'm feeling a little bit worn out from the week I've endured. I flew into SFO on Monday afternoon and spent the night there after some customer visits. Then Started Tuesday with a nice 3 mile run along the bay at Burlingame. All day driving and visiting people only to end up in Santa Cruz at 5:00. We had to haul all the way back up to SFO in rush hour traffic to catch a 8:30 flight down to LAX. Of course the flight was delayed and we didn't land in LAX until 11:00PM. Then we waited for luggage, the bus to the rental cars, and then a 2 hour drive south to Del Mar, San Diego for the night. Got to the hotel at around 1:45am and was ready to crash. After 6 hours of sleep was back up and at it again. Worked our way back up to Orange County and drove back to LAX last night to catch the 7:00am flight back to Cleveland. Traveling must be so much fun right?

So after getting home at 3:30 it's unpack, repack, spend time with the kids, and get ready for a 7 hour drive to run a Marathon. Wish me luck. It's my last try and I've got some emotional involvement in this one for the first time (well the last try for 2007). We will see how things go but I'll be happy no matter what the outcome as long as I finish on my feet.