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. 

Last post of January

Wow, I haven't missed a single training day yet since I started this adventure.  Last weeks 11-miler in 26 degree WI weather was nice and easy.  I started off running pretty fast (well, faster than my MP of 8:30) but the second half got really slow as my hams started to hurt.   Still hurts today.  Ice and heat Troy!  I prolly should retire those shoes as well.

I bought a Garmin 405 (used, but so what).  What an awesome tool for a runner, biker, walker, boater!  I even got a new friend out of it, my "Virtual running partner" named Egon (a play on the word 'Gone'). He beeps at me when he is catching up. It is too cool!  (I know, I should find a running partner)  My max heart rate is about 180 (well, thats the max it got running a 7:10mm in a 5k).  At MP I am at about 165.  It also gives me the calories burned (118 per mile on average).   No need for me to skip the deserts anymore (well, besides the cholesterol problem)

I am also taking a breath on the indoor running and all the nOObs.  Those poor people need the exercise more than me, so I am just being patient.  Being angry at them will not make me any younger.  I should be happy when I run, right!

So by the end of this month I will have logged 125 miles.  Keep this up and I will have 1,500 miles for the year.  I think this will be my yearly goal.  Easily attainable, as I will also be doing the same 1/2 Marathons this year as last (the Chicago R&R with Jeff and Beth, and the Madison NFEC again).  I might even do the Urbanathalon in Chicago as well.  We'll see.

WTF

Just picked up some cholesterol meds today.  I am depressed that I cannot control my bad cholesterol with diet and exercise.  I do not like to be on meds.  Especially these meds.  It is another thing that I have no control over and makes me feel weak.  I got to keep thinking that taking these meds is actually better for me. 

A month from now I get another blood test to see if this small amt (10 mg) will bring it down to managable levels. 

UGH!!!