Tagged and ready

Well I was tagged a couple of days ago by Brian and I figure now that I'm on the last days of my taper and driving everyone nuts I'd do my duty. The rules were as follow:

The rules are as follows:

# Link to the person who tagged you

# Post the rules on your blog.

# Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.

# Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.

# Leave a comment on their blogs so that they know they have been tagged.

Well I will do all but the last two as I don't like forwarding on these things. If you are reading this and feel so inclined consider yourself tagged.

The fun random weird facts...

1. I married my high school sweetheart. She was the first serious girlfriend I ever had and we started dating when we were 16. We are now 32 and will celebrate our 10 year anniversary in less then three months. We never have been in a serious fight and I couldn't see it any other way.

2. I am one of 4 children and each of my siblings is now married and either have two kids or will have two kids within a few months. So my parents will soon have 8 grand kids. Family is everything to me. Every direct relative I have from second cousin all the way through great grandmothers currently living are within a 40 minute drive of my current home and we get together often. When I designed our current house I made sure that we could accommodate everyone without having to separate into different rooms. So the entire first floor of my home is open spaces.

3. The first time I was ever on a plane in my life was for my honeymoon and we went to Mexico. I now fly at least once a month and in the past two years have been to Europe, Taiwan, China, Japan, Hong Kong, and most every major city on the west cost on multiple occasion's.

4. I never participated in any organized sporting activity from the time I completed T-ball until I ran the 4 mile race for the parks in Hudson (note the time below 38:01 not bad for the first race ever but don't pay attention to the sweatshirt/pants in the 70 degree weather). I have never been athletic and my first time ever to work out in a gym was at the age of 27.

5. When I was married I weighed over 250lbs.

6. I play paintball with worldclass players (yes their are nationals) and this is the reason I began getting in shape. I started running because I couldn't run 50 yards to a bunker without being so winded that I couldn't catch my breath and shoot straight for a minute. So now my running friends don't understand me leaving after running 15 miles to go play paintball and my paintball friends can't understand my running. I'm just misunderstood (some of you have experience me changing gear at the Boston store to go directly from one sport to the other.

7. My father as well as every sibling I have owns and rides at least one motorcycle (some have 3-4). My current ride is a Harley Davidson Sportster. Makes it hard for me to get in riding time with the two kids and wife.

8. Sorry only 7 for today... Oh did I tell you I had a third nipple... damn I wish I had something cool like that to tell you.

First Class it must be a sign

So as I'm sitting at the dinner table today waiting for the slow picky kids to finish eating I check my email on the BB. I see an email from Continental Airlines telling me that I have recieved my complimentary upgrade to first class for my trip to SFO on Saturday night. In case you haven't heard my babbling lately I'm running the Napa Marathon on Sunday morning. My crazy schedule has me arriving in SFO at 8:01 PM... I figure I will get to my hotel in Napa after clearing the airport with the rental car by around 9:30PM. I've been worried about sleep as I have to be at the finish line at 5:00am to sign in and catch a bus to the starting line. I was worried about the 6-1/2 hours of sleep the night before a marathon with trying to catch extra sleep on the 5 hour flight. Well now I'm chilling in first class so the sleep on the way out shouldn't be a problem. Now if the Hilton gives me my normal upgraded room with the jacuzzi tub in Napa I will know that it is a sign. Called in the locals today and the weather should be a low of 48 at the start with a finish temp of around 55-58 degrees and sunny. Oh and did I mention that the marathon is small rolling hills (can't even call them that) for the first 10 miles and then 300 feet downhill from mile 16 to the finish. Seems like the perfect setup for a PR. To bad I don't plan to push it to much. Trying to enjoy the journey this time you know.

Maybe I'll have to grab the convertible sportscar when I choose the rental. Go first class all the way.

Good luck to Greg, Missy, and the other local runners that will be joining me in Napa. Hope to see you during the journey. Hopefully not passing my ass on the side of the course :)

Oh and I got tagged by Mr. Skin but don't have time to take care of it yet... maybe with a race report.

Let's Dance

Well if you thought I was going to be dancing your wrong. After my 16 mile run on Saturday I had to promptly jump in a car and head to Youngstown State. My daughter was in her first competitive dance competition with the team she is on. It's amazing how these things go. Costumes, make-up, hair, rehearsal, and now starts 4 competitions in 5 weeks with the culminating event being a national competition (pending qualification). So low and behold my daughters group takes 1st place in thier age group for Jazz competition and 2nd for thier age group in overall (they lost to the Tap group from the same studio). I guess that means they qualified for nationals in thier first competition. Much better then I did in my first race.

So I guess 10 hours a week at the dance studio and more money then I would ever like to admit to later she tells me it's all worth it. So does this look like my little 7 year old?

Let the Taper Begin

Well I got in my 16 miles yesterday with a pretty varied group again. Started with the early group and ran with some new people I had not met before. For a little while it was like running with Kurt again. One of the guys was training for a 100 miler so he would run ahead or drop back to go check out nature and then all of a sudden would be back with me. The pace was far to fast for the first 7-8 miles at around a 9 minute mile but then I got up to Jes who had started the second loop a little early to get a lead. I slowed up and started to run with her as we have a lot in common and neither of us wanted to continue running as fast as we were. So the last 7-8 miles was mostly just the two of us and random groups who would catch up and pass us. The last 2-3 miles was pretty rough. I went out to fast and as I was starting my taper I didn't want to push things.

So three straight weeks of 40+ miles and 2 weeks from now I should be sitting in Napa after finishing my third Marathon.

Have a Nice Day

You ever have one of those days when you wish you had this (read the barrel)?

Now I know why they make running shorts so small, so this won't fit in your pocket.

44 mile week

Well I'm three weeks out from my next run so I figured it was time for the 20. I headed to the VR group on Saturday morning and got there for the 6:30 start. There was a misunderstanding and Melisa and I thought everyone else was doing an 8 mile loop (we didn't want to try that in under 60 minutes) so we broke off and did a 5 mile out and back on Riverview.
We met back with the group at 7:30 and there were a ton of people. Everyone seems to be showing these days except for Chef Bill. When the run started everyone seemed to take off like rockets and I was stuck in between the slowest in the group and the middle of the road runners. I had thought about keeping around an 11 minute pace but after running with Trainer Nick for a while he dropped back to check on the slower runners and I decided to try and pull in some of the group in front of me.
I managed to run down Brian’s group and Sherri's group as we crossed over 303 towards major road and thanked them for waiting up. I stuck with Brian and his friend for the rest of the run back into Peninsula. We then turned and headed back out on Akron-Peninsula road for a little extra. We started getting passed by some of the other VR group heading back towards downtown and when I saw Melissa I headed back with her. Total run was 15.27 miles at an average pace of 10:05.
After talking for a while everyone was getting ready to leave and DaisyDuc came running in after the end of her 19 with her friend that is running Boston with her. Well hell I was supposed to do 20 today so why didn't I? So I asked if anyone was up for another couple miles but it seemed everyone was already in the mode of going home. So I sucked it up and headed back out on the towpath to get in another few miles. Once I got going it was like I had just started. I don't know what it was but it almost felt like I had just finished a little warm-up run and was just ready to go. So I dropped the pace to around a 9:30 and got in a 2.5 mile run out away from the towpath. I then stopped to give a lady some feedback about the condition of the towpath for a couple of minutes before heading back. Well I started feeling pretty tired about 3/4 of a mile from the parking lot when a woman ran up behind me and asked if I was okay as she passed. I guess this gave me a little boost (might be ego) and I started keeping pace with her. I asked her if she minded me trying to keep up with her for the next 1/2 mile or so until I reached the parking lot and ended my run. She smiled and didn't mind at all. Turns out she is also training for her first Boston and was getting in 16. So I managed to hang until we were almost back to the parking lot.
Long story short it was the best 20 miles of my life. No stomach issues, no "burnout Brett" just friends and conversations. Now If I can just put them all together in three weeks for a nice slow 26.2 mile training run through Napa Valley.

Fat Tuesday and Rain

So in celebration of Fat Tuesday I guess the Panczkis were not enough so I put on my baking hat with the kids and went into mess mode. By the time we were completed we had made three very nice King Cakes on Monday night to be shared with all on Tuesday.

My daughter took one into school to share with her class and I took one into work to be included in the Fat Tuesday celebration along with the Paczkis.

Although there are only around 22 people in our office the 16 Paczkis and the King Cake were destroyed quickly. So we all headed out to Five Guys for the best burgers and fries I've had in a long time. When you order fries at this place they just put the burger wrapped in foil in the bottom of a paper bag and then fill it up with fresh cut fries. So after my day of no exercise and 4k calories I realized that I would be giving up ice cream and candy through Easter so I celebrated the Cavs win with a Root beer float and then some candy to wash it down with. I figure I'd be conservatives if I said I ate 5k calories yesterday.

So thinking I would go for a run today I ran into this...

The river is a good 6 feet higher then normal at this location and is almost reaching the train tracks. No running, the park service had closed the towpath due to flooding and I actually had to drive through a pretty good stream to get to work. So with more rain on the way today I don't think there will be any fun trail running for the next couple of days.

Lonely Sunday Morning

I tried to call in some friends to join me for what was to be an 18 mile run today. Well it seemed everyone was busy, tired from a 50k, or running on Saturday. So I headed to Lock 29 today hoping someone would read my post and head on down. 7:30 past and as it got to be around 7:45 I realized I was not going to have any company. I had spent 15 minutes hoping someone would just happen to stop buy and I could have company for a little bit of my run. Hell I even thought about heading home but then realized I had forced myself out for a reason. So I stocked up on water, gels, and Pure Fuel bars and headed out with my iPod (luckily I had this in the car). Nick had given me the low down on the towpath being an ice ring so I headed out on the roads.
I started feeling the need for a bathroom break and turned up by Brandywine ski resort to run by the restroom there on the towpath. After my stop I headed up to the towpath and just at the entrance to the carriage trail ran into some runners I knew. I ended up turning around as it seems the trail was pretty icy up there and spent the next 3 miles running with them. When we got near the trail for Brandywine falls I left them and headed up to do the loop. Well once again I did the river crossing and was happy I was alone. I don't think I could have convinced anyone accept perhaps Vince and Melissa to head over the river with me. There was so much ice you couldn't even make out where the stones were accept for the water running under your feet.

I started turning and running all over the area. Up to the bike and hike, down Boston Mills to the Buckeye Trail, then took the trail to Pine lane and back to lock 29. I can tell everyone one thing, just be happy the BK50K was last weekend. The trail was so bad that I kept slipping on all the down hills even though I was walking. I was afraid at one point I would go over the side of the cliff. My abs still hurt from tightening them up and throwing my feet under me to try and prevent falls.

In the end I got in all but a little of the 18 miles and felt great that I had the mental fortitude to go it alone (well accept for those 3 miles in the middle). The best part is that I kept it to an 11 minute mile most of the time and feel great now. I have hit my first 40 mile week in a couple months and I could have easily put in 20 or even 26.2 today.

Next week I get to hit my 20+ on Saturday so I should have plenty of company. I figure I'll start out at 6:30 and get in 5-6 miles before the group, then do the 10-12 with the group and then just tack on the rest at the end. Then comes taper time. My airfare, rental car, hotels, and even the wine are all planned for my Napa Marathon. Four weeks from now I'll be sitting in Napa after finishing relaxing and drinking some great wine.

Getting ready for Fat Tuesday

Well it seems I was diagnosed as one of those people who run just so that they can eat. Well with this in mind, when I returned to my sences after nearly two weeks of traveling around the world I realized next week begins Lent. Well that means that February 5th is Fat Tuesday. One of my favorite days of the year. So I picked up the phone and submitted my order to Babushka's for Paczkis (the best I've ever eaten). If you have never been to Babushka's and are a fan of Polish food you should find this little hole in the wall right in downtown Northfield Ohio http://www.babushkafoods.com/ (across from St. Barnabas)

For those of you who like a little history many eastern european communities refer to "Fat" Tuesday as Paczki (poonch-key) day.

"Fat" Tuesday signals the beginning of Lent, a holy season among Christians. Church rules dictated that no sweets and very few meats or fried foods be consumed during Lent. The frying medium of choice during those times was lard -- bacon drippings, meat drippings, etc. Since meat or meat products can't be consumed during Lent, it was tradition to use up as much of those fats as possible the week or two before Lent. ergo, "Fat" Tuesday! And thus the PACZKI tradition was born. A sweet, tender donut fried golden brown and filled with wonderful jellies made the day worth waiting for.

So I'll pick up a dozen of the Paczkis to share at work and while I'm there grab some homemade pierogis and a dozen Kolachky for desert. They also just added handmade fresh kielbasa to their menu which should round out posibly the worst foods you could ever put into your body if you have any heart problems.

I was being mocked today by people teasing me saying that I would have to spend this weekend praying to make it to next without a heart attack. Well if nothing else I should have plenty of calories stored up to make it through the 20 miler next Saturday.