Santa Barbara Marathon 11/06/2010

A bud from the Actuarial Outpost just made an open invite for anyone interested in the 11/06 SB Marathon.  OK!  Chico was closed, and I didn't think I'd want to do a Marathon that close to 5/1, but I should have.  Next year Chico is my bitch.  Training Starts Early July!  I just hope other's from my chat site join in.

Other than that I have several tune in races planned, some more weight training, and the 100 pushup competition (again) in the summer.  Here are my races and places:

Upcomming/Completed :


05/27/10: JP Morgan Chase 5K Corporate Challenge
05/29/10: Fleet Feet Soldier Field 10 Mile
06/19/10: Racine Lighthouse 10 Mile
08/01/10: Chicago R&R Half Marathon
10/16/10: Men's Health Urbanathlon - Chicago
11/06/10: Santa Barbara Marathon

WooHoo! Crossed the finish line (barely) in (now official) 4:18:05! Wow does the Marathon kick your arse hard tho. I did learned somthing tho. Respect the Marathon, huge, cause otherwise you are in for a lot of (fkucing) pain. I made a silly mistake for sure, but I was able to hold it together with a little help from friends the last 4 miles.
Wake up at 4:30 with a nervous/excited feeling

Kitchen for an egg and a peanut butter and banana sammy

Quick shower

Geared up

Arrive at the location 6:30, took a shot of 5hr energy, take some pix, chat with friends, and I am beaming with excitement. Line up at 6:50, down a 1/2 of Agave #9. Breath, try to find some mojo, and blammo! The race starts.

I had a great, really, great 13.1 miles. Faster than I had anticipated, felt absolutely in tune, no issues at all, totally positive attitude. We started at a nice 60 degrees (nice, so I thought). A little overcast to hide the sun and a light breeze. Mile 1 I am running with Barb and Beth Malone (the one I borrowed on a training run a few times). Chatting it up, dodging others that were slower. That was the one bad thing - they didn't have corrals, but they did have places for each 30 second pace. But NO ONE was lined up correct. So we couldn't get any closer than 10:30. We wanted the 9:00, and I planned on doing an average 8:30-8:40 the entire 26.2.

Beth is a very aggressive dodger. To the point where I must have pissed someone off because some dude started to rub at me. I was dodging with the two ladies and I must have cut some one off. He even said, at one point, "take that". I didn't think I did anything, but the addrenalin kicked in, and anger got the best of me, so I started to pace him and soon lost Mrs and Doc. Took me about 5 minutes to cool down, but I was looking for a point to rub him back. I regret this. I now wish I just said a prayer for him. Mistakes happen in a crowded Marathon.  I didn't see him the rest of the race.

It takes me 12 miles to get to my goal pace after mile 1. For 12 miles, I was rockin. Every mile someone would shout out "Go T-roy".  Kenosha Running club members, Ms. Jodi, Brian H.  I keep telling myself after each Garmin bleep - "T-roy you have got to slow down". Every time I did slow, someone shouted at me, and, if you know me, I eat attention up. Here are my stats for 1-13:

1: 8:43 took a sip of H2O
2: 7.33
3: 7:26
4: 7:23 took a half glass of G2 after this, every H2O stop was hit for water and a splash on the face, it started to get warm and sweat was abundant.
5: 7:29
6: 7:47
7: 7:49
8: 7:50
9: 7:50
10: 8:07
11: 8:08 Split off from the half'ers
12: 8:32
13: 8:33

Seriously, I felt great! Really good in fact. Look down at my watch and I hit the 13.1 in 1:45 ish. So I had plenty of give in my avg to meet my 3:45:00 goal time. So I start to enjoy what was in front of me (IYKWIM - hey, Barb wasn't around, it is OK, and she knows Doc Malone and I do this all the time together anyway, runners have amazing arses).

The 14th mile went into new territory that I have never run on. They made a switch to the course last minute. I was on gravel. A different feel. Last night it rained so it was dry on the top but still soft from the night before. I felt my shoe rubbing on my left foot arch. Ended up blistering. I stop at the H20 stop to refil my sole H20 bottle (I ran with a belt) and opened my cliff bar (never had one, another mistake). Decided to walk and eat. Still feeling fine. Put tunes in my ear for the first time, the song was "Meet me half way", but it starts out "ooohhh ooohhh ooohhh, I can't go any further than this" - SKIP (Quickly)

Then mile 15....

Let me start this off by letting you know what I didn't do. When I ran my 20's and 22 miler, I had a snack and a short break at 14-15ish miles. A small bag of cookies, a special K bar, whatever. This time I did not. Big mistake. Especially since I was too full of energy the first half. UGH! BUT, looking ahead, I knew my parents were at mile 18 with something for me to chew on.

Mile 15 I started to notice a cramp right above my right knee. OK, got one before, slowed it down to work it out. It wouldn't go away and kept getting tighter and tighter. So just as I decide to walk my legs gives out, I hit the gravel pavement. WOW, this charley horse is killing me. I do not know what to do. Twisting and pulling (never felt this in my life). I force myself to my feet, walking and hopping it off slowly. Starting to talk to myself to "get over it and stride". Well it goes away for now. Good thing parents are ready to give me something sugary in a few miles. Take a swig at the G2 and have a little Agave #9. I really slow the pace down, walking when needed:

Mile 15: 10:18
Mile 16: 10:51
Mile 17: 10:08

I run into my parents and they are asking if I am ok. I tell them I am cramping bad and walking a bit. They have nothing in their hands. Turns out, Barb told my parents that is a no-no to hand racers stuff. Thats OK, at Mile 19, the turnaround, there should be GU and oranges.

Mile 18: 10:42

Uh oh, Gu is Cinn-apple. I took one , hesitating, and refilled my bottle. Attempted to do the Gu but the second I bring it to my nose memory took the best of me. I threw up the last time I had one of these. I put a little in my mouth but had to spit it out. Also, no oranges at the turnaround, GREAT.

Mile 19:11:35

I feel depressed. And I start talking aloud, trying to motivate myself to go thru the pain. I see my parents again, and still, nothing in their hands. They ask again if I am OK, I tell them that I just ran a mile in like 11 minutes. "I am not ok, I hurt, call Mrs T- please". Mrs T- would know what to do - She'd come and meet me a bit closer than she planned, and send Doc Malone even closer. Maybe bring me something sugary to eat.

Mile 20: 12:54
Mile 21: 12:01 Getting very upset at myself, try on some tunes again.

Mile 21.5 I slap to the ground. Don't worry, my hands slapped the ground. But it looked like I smacked my forehead to those behind me. My leg gave away again unexpectedly. WOW, what pain. Three Marathoners stopped and asked me if I was ok, I see a Navy recruit (who were all over the course) running toward me, so I tell them "I am fine and help is on the way" and pointed to the Navy dude. I said a "thank you very much, but get going please!" My face was sincere as possible and voice calm. Navy dude helps me up and asks if I am ok. I walk a bit more and see Doc Malone ahead (he's cheering everyone on, and doing a good job at it. Doc is awesome!). Start to run as I do not want him to see me hurting. I then see Mr Dan, he teaches with Barb and ran the half and had steam to help me out too. "Thanks guys, I am out of steam and I need to walk".

I keep talking aloud, saying things like "I've made it this far before. No way was this supposed to happen. What did I do wrong. That first half was so awesome." Rich Davey's, the friend from Cinci I trained with, voice pops in my head - "Glycogen".

Mile 22, 12:09



Doc Malone and Mr Dan were very supportive. "Run just a block, see how you feel" I hear from Doc M. Start running and Doc says I look great, good form, smile on my face. "Do you have any sugar" I hear. No one does. Doc Malone asks if I had anything other than the G2 or Gu on me. "You are cramping because you are out of sugar, not out of steam. Mrs T- is up ahead to take you in. T-roy, I am a little dissapointed in you that you don't have a rabbit". It puts me in a good mood. Sugar on the way, I think!

Mile 23: 10:56

Barb snapping pix and sees I am hurting, but still very supportive. No sugar (besides herself tho.)  She picks me up and I start walking again, and a hill is ahead. Mrs T- says "Lets start running after the hill k". The rest of the way, I jog and walk, jog and walk.

Mrs T- asks me to do my math at one point - If I can do math, my head is right-all clear. I start to ball, I actually cry.  I say "Mrs T- I don't know where I am". I was asking for mileage, so I could to the math, but she tells me "We're in Carol Beach - the Dunes". Big brain fart and it tells me to walk again and almost stop, hugely depressed now. I started to ball again saying "I can't finish, my legs are in too much pain" They'd shake when I walked. But then Mrs T- tells me, in ST's voice, "ST would say you came to far to even think that". She was so right, thank GOD! I decided to listen this time.  She also tells me not to get upset in front of the kids.  They'd get scared.  All of the sudden, I get a burst of energy.

Mile 24: 12:56
Mile 25: 11:27
Mile 26: 13:08

Decide I am not stopping again once I see the finish line (from 25.8ish to 26.2). At the 26.1 I see my kids, Doc Malone's kids, parents and Inlaws. They are all holding their hands out for a high-5.  Posters in the air saying "Go Troy Go".

Mile 26.2: ??? Forgot to turn off Garmin. I see Oranges and bananas and don't even reach out to get my medal. Went caveman on the orange and banana.

Family comes by at the finish and Dad has some string cheese and hands it to me and also gives me a big hug, which I haven't had in a long time. We normally just but-heads (its our affection thing), but the hug was awesome.

Also ran into another running club buddy, says he finished but didn't like his time. His first Marathon too. I tell him, you just finished a marathon, you did great. Little chit chat and off I go to the lawn to meet up with family again.

At the end, there were Brats and Beers, but I started to freeze my arse off. Shivering was not helping my cramps, I was very tired and literally turning purple. So we headed home so I could jump in the hawt-tub and then ice my legs.  Getting into the car was a chore, legs started to cramp and I jump down to the ground once.  WOW, these cramps are killers.

Whew. I am not at all angry at myself for those small, yet devastating decisions. I just finished a marathon. I know EXACTLY what I did wrong and how to fix it. Very educational about what limits I can push my body to do. If this were an actuarial exam, I just passed with a 6, but am requesting the errors to see what I did wrong. I now feel good enough to go have a nice dinner courtesy of the owner of Twisted Cuisine.

I will do another, as I am sure I will be asked. But I need a babysitter for the next one. I thought that was what egon, my virtual running partner, was for. I need someone chirping in my ear.

Every time I talked to myself above, I was thinking what Rich would be saying to me. He was yelling at me during the first half, but supportive at the later half.

The Day before the Marathon

I wish I could explain how I am feeling right now.  Nervous, excited, emotional, scared equates to something that I have never felt before.  I have my plans all written out and memorized for the marathon:  When to take a drink, when to eat my Agave#9, when to chomp down my Cliff bar, when & if to take a sip of 5hr energy. 

I am #166.  I will be wearing  a red sleeveless shirt, black shorts and have a red or black bandana around my head (my mother in law likes me in red).

For now, it is noodles for lunch, a haircut, a Fat Tire beer, then home to rest.  Dinner is spaghetti with the wife, and maybe another beer (MGD 64).  then up at 5:AM to eat a banana-n-peanut butter sammy and an egg white.  Then off to the test...  Wish me health and wish me luck!

March Totals

March Total:  174.5 Miles
YTD: 413.4
Training Cumulative: 424.4

What a month, just under 175 miles of running.  Both 20+ milers logged, and a tune up race to finish.

I traded a weekend with Rich, a (running, actuary, vegas) buddy from Cincinnatti, to come here and help me thru one, then I went down to see him the following weekend to do another 20.  We did "Kenosha" stuff here:

(1) Mangia's
(2) Uncle Mikes
(3) Franks Diner (Rich had the famous Garbage Plate, I had the Capt Crunch Toast)
(4) Lumpy's and Winter Camp (kind of)

We did Cincinnati stuff there:
(1) Montgomery Inn Boathouse (Yummy ribs!)
(2) Hofbrauhaus (goot beer)
(3)Terry's Turf Club
(4) Dingle House
(5) Skyline (What a hot dog!)
(6) Cincinnati Beer Fest
(7) 15K Mini Heart Marathon (we had too much cincinnati, but still ran a sub 8mm ;) )

The Kenosha weekend:  Friday was a nice day, but led into a snowy, slushy, very windy, crappy Saturday.  We decided on an 8 miler from southport north to Carthage and back.  My brother Kory and friend Greg (the Dude) helped us take some pix.  Sunday was the (my) first 20 miler, in Kenosha, which went OK.  Rich purposely took it slow, he was my pace daddy ;).  I still had a sour feeling in my side, not a very good attitude after the 14th mile, and kinda dehidrated toward the end, but I made it.  It was a great feeling for both running 20 miles and running over 3 hours.  I did it!  

The Cincinnati weekend: The second 20 miler, I did a lot better.  I felt better for sure.  More positive, better attitude, just more fun.  There certainly were a lot bigger/longer hills in cinci that I have EVER seen, that I didn't expect.  But I took them in stride, I took rests when needed.  I believe I passed the test;  I believe I can run, and finish, the Kenosha Marathon May 1st.  I believe I became a runner.  Cool quote - "I believe, I became, I run", Well, sounds cool to me at least.  We finished the weekend with a 15K race - The 33rd annual mini heart marathon.  I ran it in my Kilt.  I got a few high fives for it, and I also gave inspiration to a few.  One woman said, as she was right behind me, "I cannot let a guy in a Kilt beat me".  I gave her an "atta girl".  Finished this in 1:16:02, I think the entire weekend of bad (well, bad for you) food, lots of beer, and more beer slowed me down.  But well worth it. 

Busy week ending 3/7/10

Being so busy actually made me a bit crabby and jumpy this week.  I shouldn't be doing so much, and I know this.  Here is what I had going on:

(1) Running daily - 39 miles total this week, 17 on Friday Afternoon (2:25:28)
(2) Didn't do my regular weight lifting routine (Which I really hate now)
(3) Finish the poker table and deliver it (pic below)
(4) Pl Pr. Parks Meeting and Bike and Ped Trail Steering committee meeting
(5) Clean basement up a bit, and continue some other small woodworking projects (a medal hanger for "13.1__26.2"), and my hat hanger. 
(6) Hailey's first indoor triathalon (Saturday morning, 10 minute swim, 20 minute bike, and 15 minute run) - she did great and had fun

It really doesn't look like much, but the little things to do added in-between really took its toll on me.  Barb got the worst of it, sorry babe!  Anyway, vacation Apr 5th cannot come fast enough! 

So friday's 17 mile run, all lakeside and took off my headphones for the first time.  Very flat course, 40 degrees, low wind, no traffic.  Wow.  I've never felt so pleasantly exhausted.  I got a runners high on this one, at about the 2 mile mark, which I get normally on my shorter runs.  My runner's high:  I feel tall, stick straight ,doesn't feel like my feet are touching the ground, and the world stops around me (or I forget it is there).  A really enjoyable experience for that 10-20 seconds for sure.  When it was done, I wondered about what others feel when they hit theirs, is it the same, or is their experience different for that moment?  Back to reality ;)

The poker table.  It has been some time since I've built one of these.  I think this one is like the 42nd one I've built.  A lady from work had me build one for her husbands 40th b-day.  She was very happy with it.  I am learning a little bit more about how to upholster the vinyl rail without seams and "bubbles".  Here are pix:

Another month of running down, half way point

Another month of training comes to a close.  I am now half way thru my marathon training (by date only, not by mileage) :yikes:  Looking at my stats I am running just under an 00:08:30 min mile.  Very happy with that as it is very close to what I set for my goal marathon pace.  Although, my distance runs I do slow down toward the end of the route.  Yes I would love to hit a 03:45:00 for the 26.2, but talking with other marathoners I shouldn't be so crazy about hitting that mark.  Really, I just need to finish, learn, not hurt myself and have fun.

I turned 37 y/o on Feb 27th.  I celebrated the night before with friends and family - I had a "Beer Tasting party".  Tons of fun, and everyone had a really good time.  I had 4 tasting beers:

(1) Goose Island Sofie - A Belgian Ale that got our tastebuds ready for the treats
(2) Chimay Trappists - All three colors (White, Red, and Blue)
(3) Dogfishhead 90 minute IPA
(4) Rogue Chocolate Stout for the desert

Each had its own food pairing and they were served in a 3-oz glass.

I also lost a bet (another one sided bet).  So I had to jump into Lake Andrea for the Special Olympics Polar Plunge.  WOW!  It was cold!  The second I hit the fridgid water my body tightened up so hard that I pulled a muscle in my shoulder.  A lot of fun tho, and a worthy experience - I raised $250 ish for it too.  Thanks goes to e'one who donated :).  Here is the proof - I am the dood on the left:

14 Miler

Happy Valentines Day everyone, especially my loving, supportive and encouraging wife.

I finally ran more than I ever have in a single day - 14 miles.  Did it in just over 2 hours (2:02:44).  Weather was nice at about 30 degrees.  I did this one from home, instead of driving down to the lake and running the usual Kenosha Marathon route.  Started out with the wind to my back and elevation decreasing the first 4.5 miles.  It occurred to me at ne point that I may have trouble getting back up this hill.  Well, I did.

The only other item that was shocking was at a point where I was about 13.1 miles into the run (I wanted to see my time).  A dog in the subdivision to the south of my subdivision decided to follow me.  As I am figiting with my Garmin this chocolate lab starts sniffing at my elbow.  YIKES!  The dog scared me to death (but just for that second).  I never felt so much adrenaline rush thru my body.  It actually was good timing as I picked up the pace to make it home.  I laughed pretty much the rest of the way home. 

The next big run report I do is probably my 20 miler and 22 miler.  Unless of course something happens in between.  Each week I pick up another mile and anpther milestone run.  Normally I get a medal for reaching these distances, so since Uncle Mikes Top Shelf Pub is on my run route I normally stop there to pick up a nice new beer that I've never tasted.  I limit myself to a pint, so if you are around U-Mikes after my run, you might just get to try one of my medals.

Ooooh, I am also making a medal whore hanger.  Still undecided on some of the material, but I have a prototype.  Will possibly give them away as presents/awards for others as well.