Recently in Races Category

I'll be running the Ice Breaker Indoor Marathon in January (http://www.indoormarathon.com). Not sure what to expect, but it's 95 times around an Olympic-size skating rink. That's sounds like nothing if not mind-numbing.

I'll be commenting on the Chicago Marathon in a few days. I'm still too upset about it right now to think rationally.

The second marathon in my 3 for 30 quest is in the books. I know I haven't even finished the race report for Pine Line. Who knows if that'll ever happen. I guess I need to post more. Either way, Green Bay went well. My time was almost exactly the same as Pine Line and yet I felt like I ran better. I didn't have to take a major (i.e. unplanned) walk break until mile 21. The weather could have been better. It was cold and windy the entire race.

The sissies running the half marathon and those stallions running the full were on the same course for the first 12 miles. At that point those half-marathon nancies ran home to momma while those of us with true desire and determination soldiered on. From miles 12-17 things were great. I even took off my headphones and enjoyed the sights and sounds of this area that I am growing increasingly fond of. It wasn't until mile 17 that I really felt the need for mental distraction.

At mile 17 the race moves onto the Fox River Trail for five miles. I have run this stretch of trail so many times that I know every crack and tree and house and river view. So I put my headphones back in and told myPod to shuffle it's little heart out. After a few musical duds I was treated to "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and The Pips. This is one of my all time favorite songs. It carried me through almost five miles of late marathon running this past Sunday.

For those of you just joining us, this is part two of an as-yet-undertemined number of posts describing my running of the Pine Line Marathon on Meford, WI on April 28th, 2007. When last we met, I was talking about the pizza I had for dinner.

Fast forward a few hours from the completion of the pizza to when I slipped into bed and tried to go to sleep. Tried and gfailed for a very long time. The bed was horrible. Too firm here. Not firm enough over there. It was as if two midgets, one under and the other over weight, had a wrestling match on the bed an hour before I got there. Eventually I was able to get to sleep.

The morning of the marathon technically began for me at 2:30 a.m. when I arose with the desire to pee (two bottles of PowerAde before bed will do that to a brother). While standing in front of the bowl waiting for the flow I became lightheaded and started to see stars. "Great," I thought, "All this effing training to passout and die in a crappy hotel bathroom." I was able to finish peeing and make it back to bed (with only a few dribbles on the carpet) and lie down. The lightheaded feeling passed. I thought that I simply got up to fast and had a head rush, but who knows? Either way, I got back to sleep until my alarm went off at 5:30.

Last Saturday was the Pine Line Marathon in Medford, WI. What follows is a breakdown of the weekend in however many parts makes sense.

I left work on Friday afternoon around 3:30 and drove to Medford from Appleton (about three hours). The whole way I had cows and grass to inspire me. Wisconsin might not have a lot...actually, there is no continuation to that thought. Wisconsin just doesn't have a lot. While on highway 10 between Appleton and Steven's Point there was one (1) exit for a gas station in over 90 minutes of driving (bearing in mind that highway 10 is a four-lane road!) Upon reaching Medford I quickly learned that there was no need to print out directions to my hotel as there was just one main road in and out of "town."

I have stayed in some grand hotels in my time. The New York Palace. The Burlingame (CA) Sheraton. The Sydney (Australia) Harbor View. I can now add to my list the Medford, WI AmericInn. After I checked in I was directed to room 150 in which a smoking convention must have taken place the previous evening. As an ex-smoker you would think this wouldn't bother me so much, but sitting there was like being in Hell's waiting room. I suppose I could have asked to be placed somewhere else, but I didn't because I don't like to cause trouble. I have no one to blame but myself...and God.

This past Saturday I ran in the Schneider National Pamily Fitness Event 10K. I was hoping for a PR. For me, that would mean running it in under 55 minutes. That's slow for a lot of people, but fast for me so back off!

I was cruising along for the first 2.9 miles. I was on pace to get my PR and then some. I was on fire. I was fast and loose. But, tragedy struck. Right as I was crossing the 3 mile mile mark, I was hit with a ridiculously bad pain in my right side. I am assuming this was nothing more than a stitch/cramp, but I had to stop moving for a few minutes followed by walking for a few minutes more. I ran the remainder of the race, but with a great deal of pain. Man, it sucked.

At any rate, my PR turned into 1:02:45. Horrible. I guess the Running Gods didn't feel I deserved a PR this time around. I am still happy that I ran the race. It was my first race in almost a year, and I need to get a few more in before I start my 3 for 30 campain next year.

At least there were a lot of good looking women at the event. Don't tell my wife the real reason I enter these things. ;)