You Shall Know My Velocity

2011 California International Marathon (CIM) Recap

2011-12-09T10:30:00.001-06:00

I stood about five or six rows back from the starting line waiting for the gun to go off. Michael, Verdo, Robert, and Jason were all within a few steps of me. We wished each other luck and began to focus on our own races. For me, my goal was to run in a time of 2:43:59 or faster. This part of the pre-race routine seemed rather natural, as I've had the pleasure of racing with these teammates numerous times.

Toeing the line ten feet in front of me was a pacer holding a 2:46 sign. Flanking behind, and on both sides of him were 50 or more women fidgeting and anxious to get started. They looked fit and many wore expressions of deep focus. They were unified by a goal of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.* This didn't feel so natural. I didn't know it then, but this would be the tone for a majority of the race to come.

I'm not entirely sure why this seemed so odd, but there are several possible explanations. For one, its odd to have so many runners capable of that pace in a marathon. There are usually a group of runners capable of running much faster, and then a small group of people running near my pace, and then the masses who are running behind. Secondly, its also strange for that group of fast runners to largely be female. Its usually closer to an even split. The other big reason it felt odd, is that these runners were not so much competing with each other, as much as they were simply trying to reach a certain time. I have no doubt that the competitive nature of runners this fast was present, but it was somewhat subdued, at least in the first 20 miles of the race.

I may struggle to communicate exactly what felt strange, but the point is, very early on this race felt different than any I've run before, even when I ran the CIM two years prior. So much so, I didn't need to pee three of four times in a 40 minute period before the race as I often do.

Immediately after the start. I'm centered with Orange shorts. Jason is over my left shoulder and Rabbit is in matching singlet to mine on left of screen.

When the gun did sound and we were underway I felt crowded. Its usual to take a few hundred meters to get settled into the right space to run, but this seemed to take much longer. I had started in front of some people who clearly wanted to run faster, and I had started behind the large 2:46 pace group that was running slower than I wanted to go. I was running on the right side of the road to cut the best tangent on the first turn of the course, a downhill 90 degree turn to the right.

As runners darted back and forth, a woman turned to me to point out one man who was making some pretty ridiculous and unnecessary turns to weave through runners. I spoke with her for a moment before turning my head and making eye-contact. When I did see her, I realized I was chatting and running with Jenn Shelton, someone I had read about many times. I first saw her name in the book Born to Run. Since we both resided in Oregon, I'd see her name pop up in many magazine articles and race results.

To be completely honest, I had decided I wasn't a fan of hers. The reasons I had were silly. I'm not a big fan of the book, Born to Run. I enjoyed reading it, but I don't like a lot of the effects the book has had on the running industry. I also think the book's conclusions about running shoes are misguided. I didn't particularly like the person that the book portrayed Jenn to be. I also was turned off by what I thought to be her attitude towards non-ultra marathons.

But, after looking into her eyes, some self-examination, and hearing some of the more recent interviews with her, I realize how stupid I was being for carrying anything but admiration for her. I suspect most of my feelings came from jealousy.

Why am I rambling on about this? I think it speaks towards my focus for a large part of this race. Not that I was focused on Jenn specifically (in fact I didn't notice or see her for the rest of the race), but I seemed to be distracted from my own goals by all of the commotion around me. In fact I missed the first mile marker, so I'm unsure of what pace I went out at. The rest of the markers were very obvious, so I suspect I was busy shuffling around trying to find open space on the road to run in when I passed by.

CIM is almost entirely full of rolling hills. Running from Folsom, CA to the capitol steps of downtown Sacramento, the course is largely downhill. In fact the course drops from 366 ft. elevation to 26ft at the finish. This makes for very fast times, but it can also add some challenges. Downhill running can put an extra pounding on your legs that causes fatigue over time.

A significant part of the downhill at CIM happens in the first few miles, so runners wanting to keep things slow in the first half of the race must be extra careful not to move too quickly. When I reached the 2 mile-marker I was at 12:33, or 6:16.5 pace. I was a bit surprised to find out I was running exactly on pace for 2:43. With the large downhill I expected to be a few seconds fast.

The course continues in the same direction on rolling hills through mile 5. During this time I realized that I was in the thick of the 2:46 pace group. There was a positive energy in this group. Many of the women speaking outwardly about how good was to have so many people working together. For some reason it wasn't working too well for me. I was still having to shuffle around a bit to run the tangents I wanted. Usually this is not an issue by mile 3 in a marathon. I also found the water stops tough to navigate. It was a lot of effort to get lined up for water in a way that wouldn't cut off other runners and I was really nervous about ending someone's effort to reach the trials by tripping them. In fact, a runner did go down just in front of and she was immediately helped up and able to continue. It still made me nervous.

I had noticed several runners in the pack that I knew, or was at least familiar with. People who ran against me in Chicago area races. Or others, sales reps who I've worked with in the shoe industry. I saw Kate DePosperis, who had stormed past me during this race in 2009 when I had gone out too fast. These were all people I would normally like to run with. I firmly believed they may run faster than me, but the group was too crowded for my tastes. Usually in these scenarios, I choose to run just behind a group. For some reason, perhaps wanting to get to water stops first, I decided to run just ahead of them. Since the pacer was allegedly aiming for 2:45:59 and I was aiming for 2:43 I thought this would be a wise move.

I accelerated to get in front of the group far enough that I wouldn't hear their footsteps. This is also odd, because I generally love the sound of listening to the footsteps of several runners covering ground quickly together. I covered the next two miles in 6:08 and 6:13 respectively. I then began to make an effort not too keep running at the faster pace. I slowed to 6:20 for the fifth mile.

Does anyone know at what point on the course this was? Most of these people finished ahead of me, but for miles I ran just ahead of them.

At mile five the course takes a sharp left for another long stretch of mostly straight running on rolling hills. Most of this portion of the race runs together in my mind. I ran 6:15, 6:11, 6:16, 6:22, and 6:16. I was pleased with this pace as I didn't feel I was working hard and I was right where I needed to be to run 2:43. I took a GU Roctane near mile 8. I struggled to get enough water from each stop despite being in front of the pack. The cups were smaller than I was used to, and I didn't concentrate on making sure I drank enough.

The temps were pretty cool, and I surprisingly had decided to keep wearing gloves, arm warmers, and a beanie this far into the race. I was relieved that low rising sun wasn't an issue and I didn't feel overly cold. The conditions were good to run well. I had an odd feeling in my feet as though I was running in slippers and the my heels were going over the back edge of the shoe. I tried not to worry about it, but I did wonder if the Asics Pirhana SP3 was too aggressive a show choice with this much downhill.

I was in a nice groove until somewhere in miles 11-15. My memory is a little fuzzy on exactly what miles certain things occurred, so if my account here doesn't match course maps, blame it on my brain. I ran a 6:21 and then a 6:25 which looking at now seem a little slow. I'm not sure why. I remember catching a few runners ahead of the pace group and deciding not to pass them. Perhaps they were running slower than I wanted to. I should take this time to say, that in no way am I blaming my pace on other runners, even though I seem to do so several times in this recap. I'm merely speculating as to why I might I have sped up or slowed down.

In the next section of the course there was a large downhill with a few sharp turns. This part felt unpleasant on my legs and I began to feel a little apprehensive about them fatiguing. At the bottom of the hill I heard a voice yell and call me "Mr. McDowell." This was the only voice I heard the entire day that was yelling at me. it was Molly Chernick, who had flown all of the way from Washington, DC the night before the race to cheer for Verdo. It was a nice little moment during the race.

I ran a 6:07, largely because of the downhill. The largest uphill of the course followed and I ran a 6:17. The uphill felt easy, and once I reached the top I began to feel confident about my race. I was feeling much better at this point than I had two years ago. As I passed the half marathon point, I didn't look at my watch. In some ways I think this could be a good thing, as I seemed to be focused on running relaxed and not getting caught up in being too fast or slow. At this point the pack of runners was just behind me and I was running a few steps ahead of them as opposed to 15 yards as I had been earlier.

Just after the half marathon, the course takes a sharp left that I remember being really demoralizing in 2009. After that turn I had encountered a head-wind and felt my body began to weaken. This year, the head wind was not as prominent and my body felt much more relaxed. I ran two 6:17's in a row to round out mile 15. I took another GU Roctane somewhere near 12 or 13 miles.

According to the official results, my time at the halfway point was 1:22:08. This was compared to 1:21:13 in 2009. I was running much more conservatively this year, no wonder I felt much better at that point in the race. For record at the 5.9 mile point in 2009 vs. 2011 my time was 35:44 vs. 36:33, so miles 0-6 were where most of this gap had opened up.

The course is a little flatter in the next 5 miles, before it almost completely flattens in the last 6.2. I began to feel a little uneasy in this stretch. I took a Larry Snack (which I described in my Green Bay Marathon recap) at mile 16, which was two miles earlier than I had planned. I ran a 6:16, 6:13, 6:20, 6:14, and 6:21 for miles 16-20. I don't remember too much detail on this section, but a few things stood out to me.

The course was much more crowded on this section with runners than it had been in 2009. The pack of runners behind me was now right at my heels. They would catch me and I would then gain a few seconds on them to open more space. I wasn't so concerned about staying in front of them, but it just seemed to keep happening. After mile 20 I let myself be swallowed and I ran for a while at the back of the group. I was impressed by the volume of the runners. I'm not sure how many there were, but perhaps 20 or so. A few were still talking, and I remember the pacer saying, "It's time to start believing!"

I could tell by the reaction of some of the runners that many were about to pop off the back. Others it seemed were holding back waiting to go. My plan had been to hold back until I reached the numbered streets of Sacramento. The first one I believe is 59th, and you could count down to 9th where the finish was found.

Unfortunately for me, I began to fade. At first I didn't realize I was fading completely. I though I was still just taking it easy, but mile 21 ticked by at 6:28. The group of runners was beginning to leave me. A few other runners were popping out of the back, but now other runners who had been more conservative were beginning to pass me.

I began doing the math of what 6:30 pace for the rest of the race would mean. I could still PR and run faster than 2:46:27. Usually this concentration on math is a bad sign of things to come. This time was no different. My body began to ache badly and my legs were screaming. Even thought the road was now wide open and flat I couldn't move.

At this point Christina Overbeck, whom I know through numerous mutual friends flew by me with a few other runners. In the next few minutes a few women passed me trying desperately to squeak in under 2:46. One even asked me, "If I beat you, does that mean I'm in?" I told her it did, hoping I could accelerate and run 2:46 but I quickly knew I was toast. Once my body hurts that badly, and I know I'll be running slower than my previous PR, it's very difficult to push on.

I ran 6:37, 6:56, 7:00, 7:24, and 7:49 for the last 5 miles of the race. I probably could have run the last mile closer to 7:00 flat, but the motivation was severely lacking at that point. I was very disappointed that I would be finishing slower than Green Bay in such nice weather conditions, but I wasn't driven to run as hard as I could, as long as i broke 2:50. I finished with a 2:49:39.

My initial emotional response was pretty solidly negative. I wasn't happy to have tanked so badly in the last few miles. It was also somewhat unsettling for the last few miles to have hurt so bad. If you are running a personal record, the intense pain can almost be relished, but when it combines with slowing down its difficult to take.

Christina tells me she quallified!

After crossing the line I saw Christina Overbeck and asked her if she made the cutoff. She had. She ran the race I wanted to run, crossing the line in 2:44:24. I saw Verdo and Robert and found out they had both PR'd, running 2:34:22 and 2:38:14 respectively.

After the marathon was over I began to shiver and tighten badly. I was unable to move well and needed help to sit down and put on pants and a shirt. Lucky for me, Verdo, Jason, and Robert seemed to enjoy laughing at my pathetic state more than helping me. What great friends they can be sometimes... Seriously though, it was easy to move on quickly from my own bad race, to enjoy the company of friends.

While the weekend was largely about trying to race as fast I could on Sunday morning, I really enjoyed several laughs with the people who joined me. I'm glad I get to run with them so often. The flight west with Verdo on Friday morning was particularly fun for some reason. It was full of anticipation, but also laughter and relaxation. Sharing a bed with Rabbit, was also fun. The three nights in Sacramento gave us 7 nights spent in the same bed this year. That's quite a tally. Michael and Carolyn were good company for many meals. Jason always makes me laugh more than just about anyone I know, despite his insistence on asking me if I qualified for Boston in front of every stranger he possibly can. Sunday ended on a very happy note, drinking car bombs, beers, and talking about why we love running.

Verdo, Myself and Robert looking serious late in the evening.

With the added perspective having a few days off of running after the race I've reached a few conclusions. For one, I probably should have had one more GU later in the race. I can't help but wonder if taking one at mile 20 would have changed anything. I doubt it, but I wish I would have tried. Also, I need to remember that I ran two marathons this year, numbers 12 and 13, and they rank number 1 and 2 on my list in terms of finishing time. Lastly, I probably just wasn't in shape to run 2:43. Its going to take harder work next year, and a more varied approach. I need to work on my flexibility and core strength. I'm getting the miles in... but perhaps not enough auxiliary work. That has to be my focus as I look toward 2012.

*The Olympic Marathon Trials is a race where the team to represent the USA in the Olympics is determined. The top three finishers in each gender are selected, while the 4th and 5th place runners are made alternates. To participate in this race, runners must run a qualifying time. For the 2012 games that qualifying time was 2:19:00 for men and 2:46:00 for women.

2011 Racing Update

2011-11-28T14:16:00.003-06:00

My work with Fleet Feet Chicago and Chicago Endurance Sports has really kept me busy this year. I did not do nearly as many races as I normally would. I did get to see things from the other side as I took a large role in producing several area races.

I’m currently 6 days out from my next marathon. I’ll be racing the California International Marathon for the second time this Sunday. Training has gone fairly well. I’ll talk more about that after the race. In the meantime, here’s a very brief recap of the racing I have done this year since Green Bay.

Kimbia 5k – North Park Track, Chicago, IL - 6/25/11

This was my first 5k race on a track. The Kimbia 5k was a small race put on by my friends Dan Kittaka and Lee Greenburg to benefit Kimbia, Kenya. Each runner donated shoes to be taken back to runners in Kimbia. The event was won by Moses Waweru (winner of Soldier Field 10 2011) in 14:26. He took the donations with him back to Kimbia.

I went into the race hoping to PR at the 5k distance. Justin Jackson, who at one time was a sub-15 minute 5k runner for Loyola Chicago, and I ran most of the race together. I ran very even splits, and put a little distance on him in the last few laps. I ended up finishing 4th in 16:38 which was a 4 second PR.

4 on the 4th – 4 Mile – Elmhurst, IL – 7/4/11

I ran 22:17 on a slightly warm morning. It wasn’t anything to be too happy about. I enjoyed riding out to the race with Lance and Betsy. This was the best chance I had to beat Jason Ream and Robert Wiegand in the same race. Both were racing WAY below their potential…. I came up just short of beating Jason. I know he was VERY glad to continue his unbeaten streak against me.

By this point in the season, the amount of training I was doing was much smaller than it typically had been during that point in the year. Work was really piling on.

Xtreme 10 – 10 Mile - Waterfall Glen, IL – 7/23/11

I ran this in 62 minutes and change. The time was brutally slow, but still better than in 2008 (which is probably the worst job I’ve ever done in a race). The conditions, as usual, were extremely humid and sloppy. There was rushing water all over the course. However, placement wise, I was happy with the race. I ran a negative split and managed a top 20 finish at race where I once finished out of the top 60.

Lawndale 5k – Chicago, IL - 9/17/11

This is a really cool small race in North Lawndale, which is not a community one would associate with running. I had high hopes to win this race, however my fitness dictated otherwise. By this point in the season I had not raced for nearly two months.

I wound up running 4th in 17:33. This was my slowest 5k time on a fast course in years. Still not sure exactly what went wrong…. Was I tired? Too Rested? It just wasn’t my day.

It seems that every year I reach a point where I suddenly feel very slow no matter what I do. Sometimes this time period can last a few months and sometimes only a few weeks. This year it was only a few weeks. Perhaps that was due to the lower total mileage during the warm summer months.

Monster Dash – Half Marathon – Chicago, IL

If by some chance you reached this page by googling the Monster Dash. Please do me a favor and don’t sign up for this race in 2012 or ever again. Team Ortho, and all of their races are absolutely awful and overpriced.

I’ve already written and talked to many people about the event, so I’m too burnt out to do it here. Basically, it started extremely late, the street crossings were not closed to traffic, the miles were not marked, the course was not well marked, I had to run against the flow of runners still running out while I was running in, bike marshals went the wrong way, etc etc etc.

As for my race… it was lonely. I could not see any racers ahead or behind me. I wound up in 4th, one spot behind Jason Ream. I ran a PR of 1:17:23. I really don’t know what my splits were like along the course… but I think I ran fairly evenly. I was happy to PR by about 35 seconds. Betsy kindly provided shelter for Jason and I before and after the race!

DH Dash – 10k – Nashville, TN

I love racing in Nashville. I may not win many (or any) races in Chicago, but I’ve won 3 out of the 6 races I’ve ever run in Nashville. This was a pretty small race, but the course was really challenging and cool.

I was alone (although I did have a lovely bike escort) from the time the gun sounded until I crossed the finish line. The course is a lollipop with lots of large and steep hills. I ran 35:03, beating 2nd place by more than 5 minutes.

The highlight of the race was having all of my family there, and running with Drake, Harper, and Riley after the race on the infield of the track.

Cellcom Green Bay Marathon Recap

2011-06-08T17:45:00.014-05:00

The Short Version
I finished 16th overall in the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon with a personal record time of 2:46:26.

The Video Version by Michael Martineau and Carolyn Wrobel

The Long Version
Background
This May I hadn’t run a marathon since April of 2010 in Boston. This was my longest layoff between marathons since I first ran one in 2006. I took half of October, November and December almost entirely off from running while I tried to recover from the mystery ailments that kept me out of the 2010 Chicago Marathon.

I kept my mileage a little lower than I had during my training in Portland last year and I tried to race a little more often. I did have a few weeks above 100 miles, but for the most part I was around 70 miles a week, with a race worked in every other week or so. These included the Race That’s Good For Life 5k (16:58), Shamrock Shuffle 8k (a hot 28:27), Lakefront 10 Miler (58:49), and the Run to Remember 5k (17:13 4th overall).

The positive signs about my training were that I PR’d in the 10 mile race, I had some decent short and consistent track workouts, and I was feeling fresh during non-race weeks. However, my work in the retail running world had meant I was unable to join friends for consistent weekend long runs or Monday night tempo runs. During my build up phase in Portland I was doing tempo runs by myself all the way up to 10 miles long at 6 minute pace. They gave me confidence that I was in the best shape of my life, however I never got to confirm this at the Chicago Marathon due to injury. It felt strange not to do specific tempo work during this training cycle but I was putting a priority on making sure my legs felt fresh and that I wasn’t duplicating what happened last year.

The Journey

My teammates Jason (photo left) and Rabbit (second from right) picked me up from my office on Friday night in a sweet rental and it felt great to leave everything behind and just focus on the race, and having fun with the guys. Highlights of the drive included the beautiful Milwaukee skyline, a stop at Aldi, and conversation about moon pussy. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. Our room was right next to Lambeau Field which meant the expo and race start were really convenient. Rabbit was kind enough to share his bed with me, leaving Jason lonely and bored across the room.

Saturday morning we shared breakfast and then went out for a shakeout run. It was very cold, windy, and a bit rainy. We ran the last two miles of the course and then the first mile just to get a feel for the area. I felt pretty good physically as we did some strides and I made mental notes of what the 24th mile marker looked like. The wind was pretty drastic, but moving in it didn’t feel so bad. Full panic hadn’t yet set in.

After the shakeout run we went to drive both the half marathon course (Jason and Rabbit were racing this) and the full. J+R noticed a few inconsistencies in the course around mile 3 and 4. It seemed the course was significantly long in these areas without being shorter in any other spots. This is when Saturday started to go a little bit off. When we arrived to the 16 mile mark I exited the rental to check out the riverfront path that would be home to miles 16-22. The wind was unrelenting and strong out of the north (the exact direction I’d be running). This is when the reality about wind began to set in. Weather forecasts for Sunday morning had been calling for winds out of the north all week, but in the last few days they were getting stronger and stronger. Now they were calling for winds between 25-30mph and gusts as high as 45. It was about this time that we all began to get hungry.

The mood in the car was pretty bad as we tried to make sense of the course inaccuracies and the wind. A big Lunch and a nap helped a little bit before we headed over to Lambeau to pick up packets and attend the elite runner meeting. Jason and Robert brought up their course concerns with the elite athlete coordinator who said they should talk to the course director. In the meantime we looked at a course map that was in the packet and it was different than the one posted online. We attributed this to our course measurements seemingly being off.

That evening Erik(the other guy in picture above) and Myra joined us for dinner. They had spent the day working at an expo in Milwaukee. Erik was also racing in the full and Myra was there to support him. Jason had a burger and fries while the rest of us had salmon. We were at Tilted Kilt which is a ridiculous pre-marathon restaurant… so I declared that should I PR I would have to eat there before every marathon in the future. After dinner Michael and Carolyn, who were graciously coming to ride bikes and offer support along the course arrived and hung out in our hotel room for an hour or so.

So… basically, very little of interest happened in the two days leading up to the marathon. This is a good thing. It doesn’t make for interesting reading, but it usually means my routine was pretty simple and I was able to stay off of my feet quite a bit.

Raceday

I set my alarm for 5:30am on Sunday morning, but I was up before it ever went off. This is the norm on the night before a marathon. I had stayed up until 11:30pm watching the Portland Timbers play the Seattle Sounders on ESPN2. Even so, the excitement of the race finally arriving made the short amount of sleep feel okay. Jason, Robert, and I headed to the lobby for breakfast.

The nice thing about doing races like these together is that in the few hours leading up to our race we are able to keep each other loose. There tends to be a lot of joking around and observational humor. We do analyze the task at hand quite a bit, but there is a lot of laughter mixed in. Each breakfast in Green Bay provided a number of laughs.

At breakfast I drank about 6 oz of coffee. I had abstained from any caffeine for about two weeks leading up to that moment. I wanted a lot more, but I knew that would be coming in the form of jelly beans, gu, and a Larry Coons Pellet (a tootsie roll type candy my friend makes that has a lot of b-vitamins and 100mg of caffeine). I’ve found caffeine can be a big boost to me, but if I have too much, too early I tend to go out a little too fast and hurt at the end. I ate some bagels, and a banana.

After breakfast, Erik and Myra came by and we walked to the elite staging area in Lambeau Field. Erik and Myra were staying at a hotel near mile 20 of the course and they reported that the headwinds in that area were blowing really hard. We were walking in some really brisk winds just to get to the start. The average wind on that morning in Green Bay was 28mph with gusts up to 40mph.

I crashed the elite staging area with the guys and did some light stretching on some wrestling mats. While I was in no way feeling confident about my chances in the weather, there were a few nice things turning in my favor. I didn’t feel very nervous (relative to how I normally feel) and I didn’t have to go to the bathroom. I didn’t get caught up in any lines anxiously looking at my watch. I also didn’t drink any extra water. I drink more water than the average person, but in the days and morning leading up to the race I simply had my normal amount.

Peeing
We left the concourse of Lambeau at about 10 minutes until the race start. It was nice to be out of the elements until the last minute. Myra graciously took all of my things with her so I didn’t have to bother with gear check. It was really nice to walk up to the starting line so close to the beginning of the race. There are some nice perks to being an elite runner, and while I’ll never experience them, I certainly do appreciate them. In the parking lot of Lambeau I walked between a row of cars until I couldn’t see anyone who could see me. I knelt and peed for a few seconds. Suddenly I heard my name which was unsettling. I looked up and didn’t see anyone, so I decided I must have been making this up. I heard my name again and saw Peter, a friend who worked for New Balance (and formerly Nike) standing in front of me. He hadn’t told me he was racing, but we had a laugh about the wind and my parking lot bathroom then wished each other well.

When I entered the starting line area I placed myself about 5 or 6 people back from the line. I stood with Erik and we watched Rabbit awkwardly pee in front of everyone into a bottle. He had throwaway pants on so that it wouldn’t be too obvious, but he’s lucky he was just out of earshot because we would have given him a hard time. He and the other fast half marathoners filed into the front of the start line.

As I stood with Erik impatiently waiting for the gun to go off I was happy my shorts were dry. There was a stretch of 3 marathons in a row where I peed in my shorts just before the start. I would use a portable toilet or bush just a few minutes before the race and then find myself 5 minutes later in need of going again. It was some combination of nervousness and over-hydration. Other than the wind, things were looking good for the race.

The Race Itself
The First Five Miles
The first few miles of the race weave through very flat residential streets near Lambeau Field. A majority of these miles were run into the wind or with a cross wind. I concentrated on sitting behind as many runners as possible. I’m not sure how many runners were in front of me but I would estimate there were 100 to 150 at one point. From behind I had no way of knowing who was running in the full or the half. In some ways this was helpful because if people passed me I assumed they were racing the half and it didn’t stress me out.

After 800 meters or so I realized Erik was only just ahead of me and I knew I needed to back off a bit. He’s capable of running much faster than myself, and I didn’t want to get tricked into trying to stay with him. I had run 12 marathons prior to this one and only one of them was a negative split where I ran faster in the second half than I did in the first. Going into the race I was hoping to run 6:30 pace through the first 10 to 13 miles. This pace can feel really slow at the beginning of a marathon with so much adrenaline flowing. Its also a full minute slower than what I would run if I was racing a 5k.

As the packs of runners began to thin out, smaller groups emerged. I wasn’t the only person trying to sit behind other runners to avoid the wind. I would sit behind a group until another group began to pass us at which time I would switch to the other group. With so many runners around it didn’t feel awkward just blatantly drafting on another runner. I would have been stupid not to. With this in mind, I was a little less concerned with hitting exact splits and more focused on just being with others.

My splits for the first 5 miles were:
1. 6:18
2. 6:05
3. 6:00
4. 7:21
5. 6:09

Miles 6-10 Settling In
As you may have noticed, the splits were all much faster than 6:30, with the exception of mile 4. Mile 4 was along the portion of the course that we had noticed was long the day before. I assumed this would be made up for at some point along the course so I didn’t stress too much. I knew I hadn’t changed pace all that much.

I do find it interesting that I ran a few miles near 6:00 pace as I don’t remember doing this at all. Normally I’m aware of this sort of thing, but I think I was in a very relaxed state just thinking about the wind and staying out of it.

During the next 6.5 miles we began to encounter some very small hills and some portions that were a little longer and more exposed to the wind. The hills felt good to me as they varied the run a bit without changing my effort levels too much. I began to pass a lot of people during this section. Most of the people I passed were half-marathoners who had gone out too quickly, but I did notice some people were in the marathon.

I missed a lot of mile markers on this portion so I wasn’t sure of my exact pace, but I felt I was pretty even and wasn’t too worried. A number of women were running with me at this point and the crowds of runners were now very thin. It wasn’t as easy to draft without being noticed. It seemed only right to take a turn or two pulling at the front. Several of the girls I talked to were trying to run an Olympic Trials Qualifying time of 2:45:59. A few passed me and put a solid gap on me. I was tempted to run with them, but I had told myself several times that I wanted to wait until 10 or 13 before I increased my effort.

My splits for these 5 miles were:
6. Missing
7. Missing
8. 18:34 (6:11.66 average)
9. Missing
10. 12:48.5 (6:24.25 average)

Miles 11-15 Calm Before the Storm
Around mile 11.5 the half marathon and marathon courses split and the atmosphere of the race really begins to change. There are a lot fewer runners. At some points I couldn’t see anyone ahead or behind me on the course. There are also fewer spectators because those that get up early to watch usually go to where they can see both groups.

It was at this point that Michael and Carolyn played a key role. They had been appearing at several points along the course shooting video as I passed by. They would then ride their bikes to another spot just ahead and do it all over again. There were times when they were the only spectators I’d see for a half mile. This definitely helped me psychologically. I made it a point to joke with them as I passed to make sure my effort level wasn’t too high. I also used some advice that Jason had given me and made a point to give my mind and body a few moments to relax while running. I stretched my arms out, allowed myself to slow a bit and just took some deep breaths trying to think about the fact that 10 miles were behind me.

From mile 11.75 to 15 there was a really strong tailwind. I was tempted to pick up the pace here to make up time that I knew I’d lose going into the wind. I resisted temptation and tried to take things slowly, staying relaxed. Even though I was well ahead of pace to set a personal record I didn’t really think it would be possible. I wasn’t running stressed, but I wasn’t running with any sort of bounce in my step. The wind seemed to have taken any belief that I could do well away from me. I also could feel twinges in my Achilles and legs that I wasn’t accustomed to. For some reason I had decided to race in Asics Pirhanas. These are by far the most minimal shoes I’ve ever done a marathon in. I love running in them but they have given me trouble in distances even as short as 5k. The twinges had begun as early as mile 6 or 7. They weren’t bad, but they definitely made me worry that I had made a stupid choice to race in them. The furthest I had ever gone in them was 10 miles.

As I started seeing splits from this huge tailwind (you can see it blowing me in the photo on the left) sections I was worried. I thought I was beginning to run slower than goal pace. I wasn’t, but the only split I happened to see and take in was the 6:28. I figured I would be in big trouble when I turned into the wind. Once you begin running significantly slower than goal pace, mentally and physically its almost impossible to recover. I also knew not to trust any of the mile splits since the markers seemed to be spotty at best.

Just before the halfway point I caught up to one of the girls who had drafted behind me. It was her first marathon and clearly she had been a bit too aggressive. She was clearly in pain and slowed dramatically. When she began to put some distance on me I was tempted to tell her to hold back, but I’m always self conscious of looking like I don’t want a girl to pass me.

My splits during the tailwind were:
11. 6:19
12. 6:28
13. 6:16
14. 6:23
15. 6:08

Miles 16 – 22 A Mighty Wind
About 15.5 miles into the race things really got interesting. The course turns left to cross a bridge and cross a river. At this point the strong winds really kicked in. The course was really exposed on the bridge and the wind was gusting extremely hard from my left and in front of me. I could see Michael and Carolyn on their bikes ahead of me struggling to move forward at all. My pace was suddenly slowed and it took a lot of concentration just to stay straight. I passed a few runners immediately. I would have worked with them but they were barely moving.

As I came off the bridge and settled onto the river pathway that heads straight into the wind for the next 6 miles something strange happened. I felt relatively calm. A runner passed me and told me he had been chasing me for several miles. I tucked in right behind him and the wind didn’t seem so bad. Our pace was certainly slowed by the wind but I focused on allowing the wind to slow me. I wanted to keep my effort exactly the same and not press into the wind. Tucking behind the runner who had just passed me helped a great deal. It was at this point that I started believing that the wind would not be too much to encounter, and that I could possibly set a personal record. After several disappointing marathons in a row I might finally be able to improve upon my time.

The runner was wearing a very familiar red and white candy striped singlet. The singlet belongs to North Central College which is one of the best NCAA Divison 3 cross country and track programs in the country. After about 800 meters trailing him I clipped his heel with my foot and took this as a sign that I should probably take a pull. He appreciated the gesture and we began to work together over the next several miles. One of us would go ahead and begin to tire and then the other would go back in front.

We were reeling in runners left and right. I’m not sure how many runners we passed on this stretch, but, I’d venture to say it was somewhere around 10. Not one of them was able to run with us. I kept expecting people to latch on and form a bigger group but it never happened. At one point we caught a Kenyan woman who had been staying next door to us in my hotel who had been in the early lead. She was looking desperately behind her to see if any other women were on the horizon. I told her to work with us, but she popped off of the back immediately.

When the first split came it read 6:32 which was slower than my goal pace, but it was certainly not as bad as I imagine the wind might force us to be. The next split we encountered was very fast… and obviously short. At this point I knew not to trust any of the mile markers until number 24 where I knew they were correct. There were a few markers missing during this segment, and I think that might have been a blessing because I didn’t get a reminder every 7 minutes that I was running so slowly.

At mile 18 I reached into my pocket and pulled out my “Larry Snack”. I had taken two GU roctane during earlier portions of the course but now I was going all in. The caffeine in the Larry Snack is usually quite a jolt to me. It did its trick very well. I sat it on my tongue and ran with it for almost half a mile. It didn’t interfere with my breathing and it gave me something to think about besides the wind. I was in a pretty good mood and didn’t seem to feel any of the aches and pains that had started to set in. I bet the caffeine was a big part of this.

Another thing to note about my mental feelings at mile 18, is that instead of thinking that I had 8 miles to go, I was thinking more that I had 4 miles to go. As bad as the wind was, it seemed to help break up the race. I was so anxious to get out of the wind that mile 22 seemed more like the end than 26.2. In my experiences, generally mile 18 is a time when I begin to crack a bit and the 8 miles left seems far greater than it really is.

16. 6:32
17. 5:10
18. 6:17
19. Missing
20. 14:33 (7:16.5 avg)
21. 6:30
22. Missing

Miles 23-26.2 The Turns Hurt

Just past mile 22 we turned left and crossed another bridge to go back over the river. This time the wind was a little more at our back and there was a sense that we had escaped. There were a few sharp turns on this section and that was when I noticed how much my feet and legs hurt. Straight wasn’t bad, but each turn really made the body seem to revolt.

A man standing on the course told me and my North Central running mate that we were 22nd and 23rd. I noticed that a woman was coming into view ahead of me and she had two or three bikes around her. I knew that meant she was the lead woman. She was slowly coming back to me.

At mile 23 the man I had been running with started to fade a bit. He had gone forward of me by about 5 seconds but soon I was passing him and wishing him luck. Along with him I began to reel in some other men who were starting to wear out. The lead woman was also passing these people.

I was watching anxiously for mile 24 because I had run from there to the finish the day before and I knew it felt really short. When I saw it I knew I was in for a good day. My splits were under 6:30 and I wasn’t blowing up. I kept my eye out for Jason and Rabbit knowing that they might be pacing me in the last few miles.

I saw them right near mile 25 and I yelled out to ask how they had done in the half marathon. They both yelled at me to get my head in the game and to race my marathon. It was a bit of a shock. I had been so set on staying relaxed that I had failed to realize it was time to start pushing. This is my only regret of the race. I wish that I had dialed in a little sooner on the woman in front of me and concentrated on catching her. I think I could have picked it up a little sooner and had I caught her we could have pushed one another to faster times.

I still managed to run 6:11 and 6:07 in the final two miles which I was proud of. I’ve only had two marathons where I ran my last two miles faster than my average pace. In the last mile of the course you run into and around the field of Lambeau. It’s kind of cool but honestly I’d rather do without it. The turns are tight and the course rejoins the half marathon course. This means I’m passing people who have taken as much time to reach mile 12.5 as it took me to reach 25.5, so they’re moving a little slower. I did pass one marathoner while on the field and when I exited I came across the line in 16th overall, in a time of 2:47:26 which was a new personal record by 3 minutes.

23. 13.33 (6:45 avg)
24. 6:26
25. 6:11
26. 7:17 (1.2 miles, 6:07 avg)

Afterward

Robert, Jason, Erik, and Myra were all there to greet me. I hugged Rabbit and Jason for a while and then headed out into the crowd to find Michael and Carolyn.

We all went to Hooters to celebrate and so that we could marvel at the matching outfits. I had never realized my racing kit was Hooters colors. After a few wings we piled back into the car and made it back to Chicago.

But, the story doesn’t end there. A few days later, an announcement was made by the race director that the course had indeed been long by about .15 miles. My time had officially been adjusted to 2:46:27. I had PR’d by 4 minutes instead of 3 and all I had to do was sit at my office chair.

Top 10 Music (that mattered to me) 2010

2010-12-23T13:58:00.003-06:00

As for running... well... I pulled up lame before Chicago. I'm still injured. I've learned not to take my body for granted anymore. Its amazing how our bodies heal, and I'm hopeful mine can reach the shape it was once in again. This is the longest I've been off of running since I first began the sport in 2006. Anyway...

Here is a list of the Ten Albums that mattered most to me in 2010 (well, 7 albums and 3 individual tracks/ 7"'s):

1. Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan experienced mental and physical sickness in the last year that wouldn't allow him to work (for a period rumored to be over 6 months long), and you can hear the effect this had on his work very clearly in the song lyrics (if not titles alone, "I want to be well" for example). I can't help but to relate my personal physical and mental crisis this year to so much on the record. His performance at the Chicago Theater on 10/15/2010 was a highlight of the year for me... After opening with a bare and INCREDIBLE "Seven Swans," he dove into his new material, with a stunning visual display of dancing and projected images, and a UFO landing on stage with Sufjan covered in neon, belting (almost certainly to himself) in autotune the words:

Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest

If an injured runner starved of his addiction can't relate to that... then I'm not sure who can.

There are a million other reasons I love this record... but I'll spare you. Here's a link to the video for the song "Too Much" which features a lot of the visual displays that were projected on the stage. Also, I can't get enough of his dancing on Jimmy Fallon.

2. Wonder Show of the World - Bonnie Prince Billy and the Cairo Gang
I can only say that I spent a great number of days this year walking around Portland by myself listening to this. It is absolutely fragile and gorgeous. I once loved a girl, but she couldn't take that I visited Troublesome Houses.

3. Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man on Earth
This is my favorite album, lyrically, of the year. I could spend an entire day pondering just one line of these songs. Is there a song that evokes the power of love to one person, or the absolute bitter despair of heartbreak to another better than "King of Spain"?

4. Abandoned Bridges, No More Nowhere, Top Shelf - Owen
Owen is probably my favorite artist. Easily top 5. But, when the first verse of this single made a frank reference to masturbation, I was a little put off. I'm certainly not annoyed morally... but it was just to empty and real to hear:

Well I left the party pretty early. I thought I'd go home and drink some wine and fuck myself.

But over time I've gotten over it and I've found myself weighing the pluses and minuses of burning bridges. Oh... and of course, sonically this song is beautiful. Duh, its Owen!

5. All Delighted People - Sufjan Stevens
As an entire unit, I'm not crazy about this EP. But, in certain moments it shines. Djoharia especially stands out to me. I'm instantly transplanted to the edge of the Willamette river path running as fast as I can to meet a MAX train to the bridge. I spent many runs with this song in my final months in Portland.

6. Manners (Bonus Tracks) - Passion Pit
This was a 2009 release, but the stripped down versions of Moth's Wings and Sleepyhead released in 2010 were sensational.

7. High Violet - The National
I don't know. I just liked this in a lot of ways.

8. July Flame - Laura Veirs
I want to take something beautiful and make it mine. I'm human. And while I want so much more, sometimes I have to settle for this in a simple peach.

9. El Turista - Josh Rouse
Overall, I think this was a slightly poor effort (which has been happening all to often to Mr. Rouse) but I was won over with "Don't Act Tough" and "Cotton Eyed Joe" believe it or not.

10. Hey Soul Sister - Cast of Glee
Train wrote this song. So, naturally the lyrics are TERRIBLE. The whole thing is terrible. But, I just can't stop listening and smiling!!!! So gangsta, I'm so thug!!!!

Briefest Update Ever

2010-09-01T23:02:00.001-05:00

August Total Miles:
444.0

Fundraising, Training Updates, Life Updates

2010-07-31T23:26:00.005-05:00

Fundraising

I'll be running the Chicago Marathon on behalf of Girls on the Run. Please check out my fundraising page here!

Training Totals and super brief update
June 375 miles
July 378 miles

The mileage is good. The pace isn't generally so hot. We'll see how I'm feeling when the race gets here. Its 10 weeks from tomorrow.

I ran a half marathon this past Sunday (results here) and finished 4th, one spot behind Bryce Burgess. I went off course twice due to terrible course marshaling. Ran through a ravine and my leg was cut to shreds at mile 8. Hopefully I've got a lot more speed than that time indicates.

Life Update
Hello:

Bye:

May Training Wrap

2010-06-09T16:20:00.002-05:00

The month of May and the very beginning of June served as a mini-base period of training for the Chicago Marathon on 10/10/10. It was the second rainiest May ever recorded in Portland. Almost all of my runs were done at a relaxed pace. The last week culminated with a 104 mile effort. The very last run was a 19 miler with Stan that included several sessions of Marathon and Tempo pace around Duniway track and on Terwilliger Hill.

The beginning of phase two has been marred with a shin injury that I'm monitoring closely.

Loving Portland, Missing Mammoth

2010-05-15T09:36:00.000-05:00

I am much happier living in Portland, but I certainly miss the actual running Mammoth.

Freedom Mile Advert

2010-05-13T17:21:00.004-05:00

Josh Cox posted a video advertising the Freedom Mile in Mammoth Lakes, CA today on his Twitter account. The ad features video form last year's race. You'll find me in the footage that starts about 8 seconds in. I'm the shirtless one about 8 runners back furthest to the left. Somehow, my running the tangent still didn't allow me to move up. Ahead of me you'll find Josh Cox, Ryan Hall, Mike Morgan and Ben Perez.

Twenty, Twenty, Bingo (2010 Boston Marathon Recap)

2010-04-29T10:51:00.010-05:00

In the game of Scrabble, the phrase "Twenty, Twenty, Bingo" references a typical scoring pattern for a top level player. Twenty points on the first turn, twenty on the second, and on the third turn the player has managed his tiles well enough to play all seven to receive a fifty point bonus. Bingo.

I had hoped to apply this phrase to my race strategy at the 2010 Boston Marathon. How? Having raced the course the prior two years, I knew how difficult it could be in the final miles once I had blown up. The last 4.5 miles are mostly a gradual downhill and the route is surrounded on both sides by loud, drunk, and enthusiastic supporters. However, I've always hated this section because I've felt awful after the Newton Hills and I've held on for dear life as throngs of runners have passed me. This year I would make sure to start slowly and save myself for the last five miles (you can see me responding to one of the many mustache compliments in this photo taken by Zach Bouzan-Kaloustian). I would aim to run near 20 minute 5k splits, saving myself for a push at the end. The last 10k would be my bingo.

Twenty, Twenty, Twenty, Twenty...

A few days before the race began, my friend Ben from Adidas offered me a spot in a private bus to get to the starting line. This allowed me to relax out of the elements until the race started instead of milling around Athlete's Village for a few hours. When the gun fired to start the race I held myself back as best as I could. Hundreds of runners passed me on both sides using the lengthy downhills to carry them forward. I was not going to get sucked in as I have in the past.

By the time the course started heading back up the elevation chart shortly after passing the girls of Wellesley College I still felt fresh (other than an odd pain on the ball of my left foot that I could not shed) and I began to pass a lot of runners who were beginning to slow (you can see visual evidence of my relaxed pace in this photo from mile 20 when comparing my expression to those behind me).

My 5k splits looked like this:

5k 19:51

10k 19:54

15k 19:54

20k 20:10

25k 20:00

30k 20:43

35k 20:25

40k 20:33

Bingo?

Unfortunately, I never laid down a bingo (or in this case, a few 5:30 miles) to lock in a solid result. By the time I arrived at the downhills and huge crowds I was feeling better than I had the past two years. I was passing a lot more runners and wasn't getting passed at all, but I lacked any ability to speed up. The legs were gone. I still managed a new PR by about a minute (thus the car bomb with Jamie in the photo), running 2:50:42.

I suppose I should be happy to have run so evenly, but I can't help but to wonder what it will take to get over the hump. I've been stuck on results right in the low to mid 2:50's since December of 2007. Here's hoping I can make a large improvement in Chicago.

Wait, I did Bingo on the Day After

I did manage to redeem myself against Brian (pictured in agony after his loss) in Scrabble this year. He and Laura played host to me once again this year, as I stayed at Winthrop House at Harvard University. I met a lot of nice people and even got to race in the Harvard River 1.7 mile race, grabbing third overall just two days before the race.

Mile Splits

1. 6:30

2. 6:22

3. 6:19

4. 6:12

5. 6:28

6. 6:23

7. 6:18

8. 6:27

9. 6:27

10. 6:29

11. 6:35

12. 6:22

13. 6:25

Half 1:24:09

14. 6:23

15. 6:33

16. 6:25

17,18. 13:30 (missed split)

19. 6:29

20. 6:39

21,22. 13:12 (missed split)

23. 6:32

24. 6:30

25. 6:46

26. 6:44 (briefly ran with Josh Arthur who was volunteering at the last water stop)

26.2. 1:25

Speed In A Given Direction (to the North) and Race Recaps

2010-04-26T16:11:00.032-05:00

You Knew My Velocity

But, I've been hiding for some five months now with no updates. I've given no indication of my speed, or in what direction it has been. Don't fret though, the word "shall" in the title has hopefully helped the reader to know that updates were inevitable if not timely. (Please note, that by reader I mean you Mom.)

Thumb Up in Tahoe, Thumbs Down in Sacramento (CIM)

133rd / 2:53:03 / 6:36

It's safe to say that CIM did not go well. On my way to the race, I was pulled over in South Lake Tahoe for having expired plates. My car was impounded and I was left 150 miles from the race and 200 miles from home without a means of transportation. Unable to redeem my car until the following Monday when government agencies would open again, I was forced to hitch hike. I walked several miles carrying all of my bags until a kind soul stopped to give me a ride. He dropped me off safely at my hotel hours after I had planned on arriving.

The long day left me feeling exhausted and I never recovered for the race. I was already nervous about my fitness going into the race, and the added troubles didn't ease my nerves. I ran a 1:21 first half which was right on the pace I was hoping to hit, but began falling apart in the later miles, managing only to run a 2:53. Upon crossing the finish line I broke down, my plantar was in so much pain I couldn't walk and I was overcome with stress about getting home. I had hoped a good race would allow me coast through the adventures of getting home, but a 2:53 was far from a good race.

Ken, Ben, and Todd (pictured with me sans Todd) my companions from Chicago did great to look after me and we managed to celebrate their successful races. I didn't get to travel with them to San Francisco as we had originally planned. I am really sorry to have missed it, but glad they had fun.

Overall, it was a really difficult experience to swallow. For months I had huge posters on my wall counting down to CIM, tracking my daily and weekly mileage obsessively without much else going on in my life. Now I was stuck in a snow storm in Sacramento, trying to make my way to Tahoe so that I could get my car out of impound. Once I got home, I was ready to leave Mammoth and find a place to live that would allow for a little more balance.

Rip City, City of Bridges, Stumptown, PDX, Portland

To make a long story short... I moved to Portland, OR to live with Ashley. We spent a few months living with her parents who made wonderful hosts and then settled into our own place in Sullivan's Gulch in inner NE Portland.

I'm working at Fit Right NW a running specialty store and spending the rest of my time running around the many fabulous places to explore throughout the city. At some point, I plan to compile a video of all of the amazing places to run within the city limits. Flat paved pathways along the river, curvy and hilly tree laden dirt trails hidden from site of any roads or buildings, hilly paved and mud trails climbing and descending a volcano, you'll find them all within 5 miles of our new place.

Red Lizard 5 Miler

15th / 27:56 / 5:35pace

My first race in Oregon was on a hilly road course in Lake Oswego in early March. I had hoped to hit 5:30 pace but I had trouble getting my legs moving early in the race as I hadn't raced since 12/6/09. After a really steep and short hill around the 3.75 mile mark I was finally awakened and I managed to reel a few competitors in (however, I couldn't get around the guy pictured on the tight bridge at the finish of the race). Overall, it was a good start to the season.

Shamrock Run 15k

31st / 54:40 / 5:55pace

Pain! The 15k course for the Shamrock Run is really great. It starts by the river, climbs up Terwilliger Hill, and then gently slopes back down hill eventually winding back to the river. Its really challenging on the uphill, but the downhill is gradual enough that it can really be used to one's advantage. Unfortunately, I was way too aggressive in shoe choice, and by the time I got over the hill I was blistered so badly I was barely able to finish (I'm near the finish in this photo).

I raced in the Asics PiranaSP which is really light and minimal. I love the way it feels, but unfortunately I don't think I have the right gait and foot to pull off running over 9 miles in them. The blisters that formed caused me to alter my gait and as a result I injured myself. I was out from training for nearly a week with 5 weeks until the Boston Marathon. This was terrible timing, but at least I learned not to wear that shoe during the marathon.

Race for the Roses 5k

8th / 17:15 / 5:33pace

I did this 5k as a little sharpening exercise one week out of Boston. I felt flat the entire race, unable to hold onto the lead group of runners as they slowly pulled away in the first mile. While I was much slower than I have been in the 5k in some time, I still had to be happy that a mild effort was able to duplicate what had been my PR just 2 years ago.

Fools who leave too soon

2009-11-07T14:04:00.007-06:00

It's true what they say about fools who leave too soon, they don't ever really move on.
-Mike Kinsella (Owen) in the song "Gazebo"

Four Weeks Until CIM

The California International Marathon is four weeks from today. I'm really hoping to set a significant personal record there. However, to be honest, I'm beginning to doubt my training. I could write endlessly about what I'm struggling with, so to be more concise I'll try to sum up my struggles in a few bullet points.

I have no one left in Mammoth to run with. It would really help to have people to push me through difficult intervals, long runs, and even easy 45 minute jogs.
I'm doing my runs as early as 5am, several days a week, because that is the only time available to me away from work.
Its VERY cold at 7,800 ft at 5am during this time of the year.
I have no social life at the moment, and laying in bed on a Saturday night at 7:45pm watching COPS has to be the lowest of the low. I don't mind such sacrifices when it means I'm meeting several friends the next morning for a run and breakfast, but when it means I'm rising at 4:30 to eat a bagel and drink coffee before running 20 miles in 16 degree pre-dawn weather, its not fun.
My workouts are inconsistent, and I haven't put together a decent long run in months.
My plantar fascia has been very painful. I stretch and ice like crazy trying to keep it manageable.

I'll stop complaining now. The positives are that I've put in more mileage this year than ever before, and in some ways I think I may be similar to a freshman in college who is adjusting to different training from high school, since I got a late start. Its possible that good results will come, but just later than I'd like. Also, big changes are on the way in my life that will improve my career and social lives dramatically. Hopefully, the same can be said for my training as well. More on that in the near future once it has solidified itself.

That's where the title to this post comes from. I think I left Chicago, and my job there, before I should have. Its hard to know for sure, and I hate to carry regret, but time will tell. And I won't lie, a good performance at CIM will probably make me feel differently. I hope I can get there in one piece, and deliver when it counts.

Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon Recap

This race took place two weeks ago in Folsom, CA. I wound up 4th out of 1400 some runners, with a time of 1:17:59.6. A disappointing result, considering I was aiming for a low 1:15. I didn't account for a very difficult 300 ft climb in the last mile, and I made the mistake of trying to stay in the lead (first two miles at 5:20 as a result). I should have definitely run my own race, as opposed to trying to psych two other runners by surging repeatedly, as I think I could have pulled off third, so it was a lesson learned. That being said, if this had been Chicago, and I saw two runners starting the race that I knew were out of my league, I wouldn't have chased them. Little did I know the guy I was leading through the first mile and a half was a participant in the 2004 Olympic Marathon Trials. This is a hazard of racing against unknown competitors.

So in summary, I took two things away from the race. Just because its slightly possible for me win local races of this size, its no excuse for poor tactics, and more importantly, my conditioning isn't as strong as I'd hoped it would be.

Tioga Pass Run

2009-09-17T13:15:00.004-05:00

I raced in the Tioga Pass Run this past Sunday. It marked my second race in six days. Once again, I finished 2nd to Dan Yarbourough. The local news sports anchor seemed to relish talking about how much I had been beaten by Dan once again. People aroudn here know him, but they don't know me. I'm a little frustrated by this, but its up to me to get faster and to give Dan Y a race, something I've been unable to do thus far.

The picture above is from around mile 9. The race is extremely difficult in the sense that it is a constant elevation gain over 12.4 miles (gaining some 3200 ft, almost reaching 10,000). Some years the start can be sunny and warm while the finish is cold and snowy. Luckily, this year was nice the entire way, excpet for a daunting headwind that added to the challenge.

It wasn't my best race, but certainly one of the most beautiful, and one I'll remember for a long time.

-----

Here's a nice video of some of the elites doing repeat 800's in Shady Rest Park. Almost all of my runs pass through this park at some point. The club that I workout with and sometimes coach, also does its workouts there during the summer. This workout was done right after ours finished.

Mammoth Rock Race

2009-09-12T12:49:00.003-05:00

I finished second in the Mammoth Rock Race 10k trail run this past Monday morning. The course was brutal, and I was hoping to get the win, but I didn't nearly have what I needed to stay with defending champion Dan Yarborough. Check out the results here, and you can see video of the race from local channel 72 here.

Here are a few photos from some runs I did while my parents were in town. Also a picture of me in my room looking at the mountain on my computer.

An interview with Ken Fandell

2009-08-25T12:49:00.002-05:00

Just a brief update to mention this cool little interview with my friend and running mate Ken Fandell. I admire his ability to have a pretty extensive life outside of running as you can see from this interview.

Bullets

2009-08-23T18:06:00.004-05:00

I have ambitions to do some lengthy writing about the time I've spent in Mammoth, but I haven't made the time lately. But, I really want to have a few things recorded here since I do treat it as a diary (of my running). So without further ado here are some bullets and pictures of things since I last wrote.

* The Chart House 5k and 10k took place two weeks ago today in Mammoth Lakes (follow the link for results). Its California's highest road race. Ashley won first overall in the women's 5k. I ran 36 minutes and change in the 10k (not great, but not too bad for 8,000 ft) and finished in 13th. Most of the runners who beat me run for Princeton University's XC team. I did manage to beat a few of them and enjoyed visiting with them during my cooldown. Here's a picture of us relaxing after the cooldown.

* Ashley came to visit and we house sat for a few friends of mine. We had a blast. Lots hikes and hanging out.

* This marked the end of my first week of my California International Marathon training phase. I hit 94 miles running mostly easy runs. Hoping to have my best training phase ever, we'll see.

The Story with Claudia and The Bay Bay

2009-08-07T12:43:00.005-05:00

The Story

I've written occasioanlly over the last year about my friend Claudia (the only girl in the P-team photo) and her running success. Today, on NPR and American Public Media's The Story she is featured in a nice interview about the recession and its effect on her running. You can listen to the interview here.

The Bay

I've been meaning to write for quite some time about my last race. I visited the Bay Area to see a friend and hang out, and while I was there I took advantage of being at sea level for a few runs.

I ran a 10kish (I don't think the course was accurate) in 35 minutes and change. I won first place overall, making me 2 for 2 in my 10k races this year. I was hoping to be in the low 34 minute range, but it was extremely hot, I was running alone, and the course was crazy and there is no way it was accurate. I could give a lot more detail, but those close to me have heard me complain enough already. On the plus side, I did meet a few really cool runners. One runs track and XC for Boston College and the other was in the Olympic Marathon Trials with Claudia last year.

The day after the race I worked in a beautiful long run (map of route is pictured) in northwest San Francisco. I ran across the Golden Gate, through Golden Gate park, along the Pacific Ocean and alongside the bay. The hills were plentiful and steep, but still felt like nothing since I was at sea level. Would have been nice to have a friend along for the run, but still a very nice experience. I love the bay area and I want to visit as often as I can.

Footloose Freedom Mile

2009-07-15T21:41:00.007-05:00

On July 4th, the High Sierra Striders held their annual one mile road race. Results can be found here.

I was very nervous going into the race as I had very little experience racing a mile distance, especially not on the road. Several friends of mine, as well as professional runners participated. Highlights included:

Racing with my friend Ben (pictured with me after the race) who ran a 4:43 in the midst of training for a olympic triathlon that occurred a few days ago.

Several elite runners and olympians made up the field. This included Josh Cox, Mike McKeeman, Dan Browne and Ryan Hall who edged Ben and I while dragging his miniature siberian husky along the course (pictured above).

Josh Cox for the win.

Here I am crossing the line in 4:50 in 7th.

I was bummed to run a 4:50 as I was hoping to be closer to :40, especially considering that Ryan Hall was just ahead of me, but I'm excited to have a road mile under my belt and I think I'll be able to relax a little and have a better result next time. On the plus side, I did edge out my rival from the Bishop racing series this summer, Dan Yarborough.

1. Josh Cox 4:21 (course record)
2. Mike McKeeman 4:22
3. Jameson Mora 4:27
4. Patrick Craven 4:38
5. Ryan Hall 4:41
6. Ben Perez 4:43
7. Dan McDowell 4:50
8. Dan Yarborough 4:55

MC200, Wilma Rudolph 10k

2009-06-25T21:59:00.007-05:00

Electric Boogaloo Wins Again!

You can read about our exciting race on Robert's blog here. For the record here are the mile splits for my 3 legs.

Leg 1 (7:37 PM) - 3.55 miles in 19:23 (5:31 pace)
5:33
5:30
5:37
2:42 (5:15 pace)

Leg 2 (2:29 AM) - 7.53 miles in 43:26 (5:46 pace)
5:41
5:51
5:47
5:43
5:47
5:47
5:51
2:57 (5:32 pace)

Leg 3 (9:08 AM) - 8.52 miles in 49:39 (5:49 pace)
5:50
6:05
5:51
5:48
5:46
5:45
5:45
5:48
2:57 (5:37 pace)

Here is Woods handing off to me for my first leg.

A Victory at the Wilma Rudolph 10k

I claimed my first 10k road win last Saturday morning in Clarksville, TN. The race started at 7am with a temperature of 93 degrees and extremely high humidity (as you can see form the sweat in the following photos). My finishing time (36 and change) was not a PR, but I think it was my best performance to date in a 10k considering the conditions.

I didn't know what to expect in terms of competition. Only 120 people toed the starting line. As the gun went off about 6 people went out ahead of me. I tried to run my own race, but I wondered about those in front of me. They didn't look legit, but its not about looks. By the time I hit the first mile (5:25) it was a two man race. One runner (this guy)stayed right on my hip, speeding up and slowing down just as I did things to try and shake him. I was pretty convinced that he would stick with me for a while and then kick me in the last mile.

But, as I settled into my third mile I heard his breathing change (during our first long stretch in the sun that had no shade) and I tried to pick it up. The course was up and down so my mile splits don't reflect my effort, but as I felt him struggling I surged to make a gap. Once I got some space I never looked back. I could not hear him and after a half mile or so the course had a 90 degree turn and I was able to peek back. I had 150m at least.

I cruised for the last mile and finished with a 50 second gap on 2nd place. I can't find an online link for results at the moment. I'll add that once they are posted again (they were taken down for some reason).

Electric Boogaloo Returns

2009-06-10T23:30:00.003-05:00

MC200 '09 This Friday and Saturday

Its been a while since I've had time to write on here. A lot is going on, and I haven't felt as though I've had much related to running to write about. I'm busy focusing on short, fast speed workouts three times a week and putting in about 65 miles a week. I'll be returning to longer distances in a month or so.

However, I do have some excitement to write about. I'm flying to Chicago tomorrow for the MC200. I'll be running the 8th, 20th, and 32nd legs (total of just under 20 miles) of the 200 mile relay for defending champions, Electric Boogaloo. I'll be sure to write a full report and include a lot of photos when I get back. We're feeling confident that we'll be even faster than last year.

You can follow us with live reporting from our Twitter page. No need to be a twitter member, as I'm not, but you can still follow our progress. We will begin on Friday afternoon in Madison, WI and finish in Chicago on Saturday morning.

Electric Boogaloo Calendar available Now!

Its that time of year when everyone is sick of the calendar they got for the New Year. Don't fret, you can buy our team calendar for only $20 (free shipping) and it starts with the month of June. It features the team members posing in exotic locations all over the world. Let me know if you are interested, as quantities are limited. A portion of the proceeds are going to support Special Olympics.

I'm Mr. January and you can see a small version of my month in the picture taken at right during our publicity tour in New York City. Photo with Emily Sekine outside of Hotel Chelsea.

Running at 3am in Central Park

I had a special run the other morning. My title is a little misleading, as it was 3am Mammoth time, 6 local. I ran from my hotel down in Chelsea through Times Square and up and around Central Park with Andrew and Jon, a coach at Columbia. This isn't so special, but it really stood out as a strange run. I was operating on only a few hours of sleep, as Ashley and I had been had a wedding (Ashley and I pictured at wedding) the night before. Its strange to run with friends from home when both are so far away.

So, I have no great story about it, other than it was one of those odd runs that really added a lot of variety to my life. A sick part of me loves getting up super early for some punishment.

1960

2009-05-22T23:34:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading Rome 1960 The Olympics that Changed the World by David Maraniss. I found it really enjoyable. I'm looking forward to visiting Tennessee State University when I next visit my parents as it played an incredible role in the training of a lot of the US track and field athletes in those games.

I'm posting two videos from the games that I find really fun to watch. The first is Wilma Rudolph winning the 200m final. The second is a great old clip of the marathon. It was won by Abebe Bikila, running barefoot under the light of thousands of torches and surrounding ruins from classic Roman architecture. The old film, music, and narration make me imagine that I'm watching this on a reel to reel machine in elementary school.

Here is the author talking about the book.

----

I went to Yosemite yesterday and had a blast. I'll write more about that when I get pictures back. I'm still running, a lot. But not much to share at the moment.

The Latest Ride, Brother Jay, And oh yeah, Running

2009-05-14T20:37:00.005-05:00

The Latest Ride

The weather has been stupendous in Mammoth lately. I've spent my days running, reading, and riding my bike. Here are a few photos from my ride up to Twin Lakes and Lake Mary (frozen).

Brother Jay

This section really doesn't require any explanation. That's my brother circa 1994.

Going Out Too Fast

I'm in the thick of speed training right now. I am doing 3 workouts a week and keeping my easier runs a little shorter than normal. A few days ago I did a 2 mile followed by 4 800s. I battled with Andrew for the first 1 mile and then he left me in the dust shaming me fore going out too fast. On a side note, finishing shortly after me during the workout was Nancy Fiddler, a former olympian, and an incredible athlete. Anyway, as a result I've been watching some great races where runners were smart and didn't go out too fast. This has to be my favorite that I've found so far. Can you send me some more?

Neglected Items, Cross Training

2009-05-08T00:05:00.005-05:00

Odds and Ends

I've neglected a few things in this blog over the last week or two. So Let me get a few things out of the way.

1. My friend Will Tarantino ran a 2:30 and finished 57th in the London Marathon. The time and place was a bit of a disappointment, as a lot of energy was lost weaving through slower runners (charity runners have to start at the back). But, when 2:30 is disappointing that's a good thing in itself. Be sure to read Will's story at this website. We ran together (on his easier runs) in Mammoth when he was working for the ski patrol at MMSA and I'm looking forward to his return this winter.

2. I was given notice that I would be laid off at work a week from tomorrow. So, if you know of any jobs I can do long distance, let me know. I need work!

3. Mammoth Track Club unveiled a new website. It's pretty nice and has a nice video of my coach winning a fun race.

4. Coach and I are also now featured on the Sage to Summit "Eastern Athletes" website.

5. I got a mountain bike! I bartered for a used Cannondale Jekyll 2000. While I'm still in the midst of speed training I've been able to put it to good use.

Back in the Saddle Again

When I moved from Chicago I had to say goodbye to my bicycle. It was a Trek road bike that was almost exactly my age given to me by my father. I also had my Trek 5200 stolen while in Chicago (also a gift from parents). While I never excelled on the bike, I've never stopped loving to ride. Even, if by the time I left Chicago I only used the bike to get to and from work. The thrill of negotiating rush hour traffic pumped me up quite a bit.

I never had an interest in mountain biking until recently. But, I suppose that was mainly due to the fact that the only mountain bikers I knew were 13 year old kids who used their bikes on flat sub-divisions in Indiana. Mammoth Lakes is a mountain biker's heaven.

I went on a 33 mile ride today that took 4 hours (because I'm slow, the ground is soft, I took a lot of pictures, and I did a lot of difficult climbs). It was absolutely spectacular. I rode from my house to the top of Lookout Mountain. Along the way I saw a lot of neat animals, trees, etc which you see in the pictures accompanying the post.

Bring on summer!

More on Boston

2009-04-28T14:13:00.012-05:00

Detailed Recap

The mood was light as Chris, Robert, Jason, Erik, and I stood in the corral shortly before the start of the race. We all took turns peeing in bottles, on the ground, on ourselves, etc in the moments before the race. You have to do what you have to do. We watched as the elite men moved in front of us and saw Ryan Hall come out full of energy. He gave me a nod as he came by and looked ready to have some fun.

The gun went off and we were on our way. Jason was pacing Robert and I through the first 10 miles (at least that was the plan). Robert and I would be hitting 6:20 or so on the first few miles and then drop it down to 6:05-6:15 pace. We managed to do this pretty well. Chris and Erik were with us for the first few miles and then took a more conservative approach.

There was a strong headwind going against us the entire way, but it wasn't unbearable. It surely slowed us down, but we've all run into worse. I was reminded of New York as Robert repeatedly urged me to slow down a little as we were slightly faster than we should have been. He's superb at that. We'd made it through the sharp downhills without pushing too hard or putting too much strain on our muscles. This is key to be able to race up the Newton Hills.

Around mile 8 or 9 we came upon a photo opportunity and we moved side to side (Robert is cut out of this photo, but you can see Jason and I). It was right at this moment that things went wrong for me. My heart began to race very quickly. Not from the effort, but from something else. I'm not sure what it was. Adrenaline, an irregular beat, or most likely, caffeine. Almost immediately I couldn't keep up with Jason and Robert. I was short of breath and slowing quickly.

You might think this was a penalty for going out too fast (doesn't Robert look fast int eh photo on the left?), but the truth is that I was going at an easy pace. If I was going to pay a price, it would have been later in the run. Not to sound cocky, but running 6:10 pace for 9 miles at sea level is very easy for me. I knew something strange was going on.

I continued on trying to hold my pace but miles were beginning to tick by at 6:50 and 7:10. I wasn't even halfway done yet. I averaged 6:32 miles at the NYC marathon, so I knew something was wrong. It was at this time that I lost it mentally. Runners were streaming by me on both sides. Chris and Erik came by with concerned looks as they could tell I was struggling. Chris offered me assistance but I told him to keep going (They both went on to 2:44 and 2:48 finishing times, btw). If I'd been calmer I think I may have been able to hop on with Chris and follow his very steady and strong pace.

Finally at mile 15 as I was falling farther off pace I decided to quit. I walked to the side and felt completely awful. I looked back for Ashley or other friends who I might join. I began walking slowly forward for a few minutes that seemed like an eternity. I was so distraught with my thoughts. I couldn't imagine having to tell people how badly the race went. I didn't want to face co-workers and try to explain what happened. Imagining the next few days in Boston with friends seemed awful. I couldn't be a downer, but I knew I wouldn't feel good about. When I could see the next mile marker I looked at my watch and decided I had been walking for 4 minutes.

I don't really remember why, but I began running again. I quickly felt good and began to pass a lot of the people who had driven by me. Physically I was back to normal, but mentally I was wasted. I couldn't believe things had fallen apart and I didn't know why. With my goals ow out of reach it was difficult to push myself through the hard parts. Still, with the break from walking and being slower than my usual pace I was blowing past people in the Newton Hills and especially Heartbreak Hill.

I crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 53 minutes. I felt awful, and anxious to put the day behind me. I don't like to pout about it, but it was frustrating to feel so fit, yet run so much slower than I had hoped. On the bright side, I had run 2 minutes faster than the '08 Boston in harder conditions and while taking a large walking break. This proved to me that I was indeed fit, but I just hadn't executed well. I suppose I have to accept that this happens once in a while as I've had a good string of PR breaking marathons and you can't expect that every time. It is hard to accept though, when you know you've put in way more work towards training than ever before.

Looking back on it a week later, I'm most disappointed with the way I handled the setbacks mentally. I think if I could have paused earlier and walked briskly to recover and set my sights on 2:50 instead of 2:44:59 it would have been possible. When I saw that goal slipping away I let it make me too distraught to refocus on a goal that was still attainable. But, I'll live with myself, and the good news is that a lot of people close to me had great days.

Robert cruised away with a great finish in 2:44. I think he could have done even better had I stayed on pace to help break the wind with him. But, it was a great day for him to be proud of. Ashley broke her PR with a 3:18. (Ashley and Robert are to my left in the yellow shirt photo taken by Zach Bouzan-Kaloustian) She did this on a much tougher course and in harder conditions than she ran in Chicago. Her hard work paid off and it was great to spend time with her after her accomplishment.

Regrouping

My trip home was not easy. After a flight delay my car broke down on the 405 during LA's rush hour. After a night in LA (crashing at JG's near USC, THANKS!) my car was fixed and I made it home after missing two days of work.

I felt the desire to jump back into a marathon right away. I still wanted a good time to show off as a reward for my training. But, I met with Andrew and after discussing things I realized this wouldn't be best for my training for the long term. We're focusing on 12 weeks of high speed work and low mileage to train for a 5k. After that phase I'll work on extending that speed to the marathon distance and I'll push towards a December marathon. CIM, Vegas, Fresno perhaps... I haven't picked on yet.

Great marathoners almost always start at shorter distances improving their speed and then slowly extending the length they can carry that. Not having run in high school or college I came at it the exact opposite way. I jumped immediately into the marathon focusing on endurance but giving speed very little attention. I'm hoping for big gains in the next two months.

One thing I know for sure, is that the runs here will be absolutely beautiful. Many of the mountainous dirt paths have finally thawed and are now clear to run. There is so much joy in following these trails that I can't really describe.

Thanks again for all of the support leading up to Boston and all of the encouragement and congratulations. Here's to continued training and enjoyment of running for all of my readers. I'll be writing soon about Electirc Boogaloo and our upcoming race at the MC200. And... a very special calendar. Stay tuned!

Boston Marathon '09 in short

2009-04-25T12:48:00.004-05:00

I will be writing a full recap of my trip to Boston in the next few days. I need a few more days to decompress and talk things over before I do.

I had a great time seeing so many friends, but my race left a lot to be desired. I ran a 2:53. Robert(pictured with me comparing chest hair), on the other hand, killed it, running a 2:44. More to come soon!

The Last Workout - Video of Round Valley

2009-04-14T18:01:00.004-05:00

The Last Workout

Four runs remain before I race in the '09 Boston Marathon. This morning marked the last "speed" workout in preparation for the race. It was a bit of a challenge to get in as I had to work from 7:45 am until 5:15 pm.

Luckily for me, my roommate agreed to get up early with me to give some company. James and I headed out the door at 5:30 to go to Antelope Valley (7200 ft)where we did a 9 mile run with 4X1mile repeat right at 6 minute pace (2:30 recovery, so pretty easy per taper). We were greeted with a nasty wind and hail, but as the sun came up the weather calmed, and by 7am it was a beautiful day.

I fly to Boston early Friday morning adn can't wait to feel the enjoyment of sea level running. If you have any interest in receiving updates via e-mail or text message during the race, let me know and I can set you up.

Ryan Hall at Round Valley

I've posted more videos about Boston in the last few days than I intended, but I can't resist showing this one because of the great views of Round Valley and Mt. Tom. It is such a great place to run in the winter as the video shows.

8 Days

2009-04-12T14:10:00.002-05:00

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234839-2009-boston-marathon/169111-ryan-hall-boston-preview

Great Video from Flotrack!

Carlsbad 5000 Recap, Fam, 11 Days to Boston

2009-04-09T21:06:00.007-05:00

A New 5k PR

My experience at the Carlsbad 5000 turned out to be very positive, but it didn't get off to a great start. I made the 7 hour drive from Mammoth to North San Diego County early Saturday morning and checked into my Motel 6. The weather was beautiful and I made my way to the course to do an easy shakeout run and course preview.

When I stepped out of my car I noticed an intense pain in my right knee. Something had developed while making the drive. I was able to do my run and check out the beach, but after I wrapped things up the pain increased greatly. When I got back to my hotel I couldn't climb the stairs and I experienced the pain all night while sleeping. I knew it couldn't be too serious since nothing had happened to cause it (so I hoped) but when I got up the next morning I could barely walk.

Carlsbad is different than a lot of 5ks in the fact that it splits its age groups into separate heats. The elites even have their own race at the end of the event. This makes for a festive atmosphere as there are races all morning. The energy seems to build as the morning moves on. My race did not start until 11:30 AM which is much later than normal. This worked to my advantage as it gave me plenty of time to try and get rid of the pain.

I began my warm up much earlier than normal, but I couldn't run for 15 seconds without experiencing too much pain. I took some medicine and hoped the pain would go away. After an hour it was still bad, but I noticed a difference so I doubled the dosage. I was able to warm up just in time. I moved into the corral at 11:28 and moved near to the start line. I didn't want to stand still long and have my knee tighten up again.

However, this didn't work out for me. Just before the gun went off it was announced that my race was being delayed for 8 minutes because an Amtrak train would be crossing the course. I did my best to dance around and stay loose. My mind was a nervous wreck as I had to wait. I knew I was about race on a fast course, and in a 5k there's hardly any time to work into a groove.

Finally the race did get underway and I immediately felt badly. The start is downhill for 400m and then works its way back up before taking a 90 degree left hand turn. Several people passes me including young boys who had to be 13 or younger. I couldn't seem to find a rhythm and felt slow. I finally approached the first mile marker and had some idea of how I was doing. To my surprise it was still in the 4 minute range when I could make out the time that it showed. I passed the first mile in 5:12 pace. I had been aiming for 5:20.

At this point I totally relaxed and found a rhythm. This pace felt very easy, and I knew I could hold it and push a bit at the end. Shortly after the 1 mile mark the course does a 180 hairpin turn and runs along the Pacific Ocean. At this point a lot of people who had started too fast were moving backwards and I began picking them off one by one. I passed the 2nd mile marker in 5:26 and knew I had a lot left for the final 1.1 miles.

During an uphill chunk of the third mile I picked off an entire pack of runners (maybe 7) and was grateful for all of the hill work I'd done in Mammoth. While the hill was certainly small, it did slow many people at that point in the race. Coming around the last corner to see the finish line I had two tenths of a mile remaining. A few people sprinted to get by my side. In the final 100 meters I turned on what I had left and kept them behind while managing to get two more runners (one at the very last step, you can see me just ahead of him in the pictures, and the other a few meters out, pictured looking to his left as I come by).

I finished in 16:42 and 40th place. While this is certainly nothing to write home about in the grand scheme of elite running, its a really good time compared to what I ran last year at this time. This was a PR by 31 seconds. If nothing else, this was a great confidence booster going into Boston to know that I'm in good shape and to know that I can run at a pace much faster than my marathon goal pace and feel comfortable. I know I shouldn't feel comfortable while racing a 5k, but my training hasn't been geared towards that short of a distance. I wrapped up the day by laying on the beach for a few hours before driving home. Its a lot easier to relax after a PR.

An Elite Perspective

Watching the men's and women's elite race was a lot of fun. Anthony Famiglietti came within four seconds of the American record and looked really strong. He wrote an interesting recap on falling short of his goal to break the record here.

I also shot some video of the race and set it to Richard Buckner. However, the audio was taken off by YouTube because of copywrite laws. The video quality is pretty comprimised as well.

The last hard workouts before Boston, and I got laid off!

Yesterday I got to work at 7:45 am and then took a break at 2:30pm. Mammoth has been graced with a nasty winter storm the last few days. High winds... snow... etc. I headed out in the conditions to repeat the brutal hill run I posted about a few weeks ago. I managed to run it a few minutes faster this time around and then headed back to work until 8pm. This was the final intense workout before I begin to pull back and rest for the race. I do still have a some mile repeats and tempo runs to complete, but the total mileage is beginning to drop.

The challenge has been getting the workouts in around my work schedule. I'm working 8 10 hour days in a row. I won't complain though. I need the work and the money as I was informed today that I will be laid off at the end of April. Does anyone know of a job openning?

In one final note about Boston, there was a GREAT interview with Ryan Hall on Runnersworld.com today. He mentions several runs in the Mammoth area that I'm familiar with. He also had this quote about the winter we've had in Mammoth this year.

All of my preparation has been done at Mammoth Lakes. We were totally blessed, although the snowboard crowd might have a different word for it, to have a super mellow winter this year. It was really tame compared to years past. Last year, I was only up here for a couple weeks and I felt like I was constantly thinking to myself "we can train anywhere in the world this winter, why are we training in this winter tundra?." Don't get me wrong, Mammoth is the most beautiful place in the world, but the winter is not usually so kind. This winter was beautiful though. I only had to run on a treadmill a couple of times and I didn't miss any workouts. In years past, we would have to drive down to 5,000 ft for most of our workouts and some of our easy days which made training seem really long. This year we stayed high for almost everything. I just kept waiting for the winter to show its wrath but it really never did. If there is any winter that I should be able to run fast off of, it is the winter of '09. Big Bear is usually much more mellow in the winter compared to Mammoth but there are also only a couple of spots to run on the dirt and even less then that that are flat compared to Mammoth, where we have more dirt roads with flat options if we want it. We haven't been able to get as high as 9,000 feet up here in Mammoth because to do so you have to be cross country skiing but we do most of our long runs and tempos above 7,000 feet. I can't wait to get into Boston. The first week at sea level after being at altitude for an extended amount of time is euphoric.

Carlsbad 5000

2009-04-03T18:40:00.005-05:00

I'm heading to San Diego this weekend for what some call the "World's Fastest 5k". I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm stoked to be at the ocean once again. I hope to have good news on my return. The field is very competitive, and luckily I'll be able to watch the elite race as the event is actually staged in several heats, with the elites in their very own races.

Boston Training

My mind is still focused on Boston and I found this video of American hopeful Kara Goucher to be quite exciting. Ashley will be excited to see Alberto Salazar making an appearance. She loved him as an assistant coach in high school.

A Day Off

2009-03-30T21:51:00.003-05:00

I took today off from training. Its the first day that I've not done any running or cross training in a very long time. Here's a video of how I spent my day with my 5 house-mates.

3 weeks from Tomorrow

2009-03-29T22:22:00.002-05:00

I ran in the middle of a sand storm today. The wind was incredibly strong. I was doing a few laps around a large square at about 4700 ft and the wind seemed to be working against me in three of the four directions. At some points my face and neck stung from being struck by sand. I did manage to get a little over 21 miles covered in the heat and wind.

This wrapped up a strong week of training. I hit 94 miles for the week and also managed a couple of 1 hour cross training sessions on the bike. The week included 2 speed workouts (mile repeats, 200's) and a 2 hour+ hill run. I'm hoping to keep up this momentum over the next 3 weeks!

Hills

2009-03-26T18:18:00.004-05:00

Last winter in preparation for the '08 Boston Marathon my training partners and I made frequent trips to Barrington, IL a suburb of Chicago. In an area that is mostly pancake flat, Barrington was one of the closest places Chicago runners can go to get in good hill training. On Saturday and Sunday mornings you could find the country roads there full of transplants from the Chi' that had made the hour drive, just for their run.

This year, has been remarkably different. There is almost no place to run from my house that is flat, unless I drive 25 minutes away. That means that even my 4 to 5 mile easy runs that I do in the late afternoon (when doubling) are done on hills longer and steeper than Barrington. I certainly don't know that this will make me faster, but I'm hoping that my legs are significantly stronger than they were last year.

Yesterday, I did a very difficult hill run. Starting at 8900 ft I ran a hard downhill for nearly 4 miles before turning and going up a steep, yet shorter incline. I then turned down again reaching my lowest point about 6.5 miles into the run. This was about 1050 ft below where I started. I climbed another hill to go back up 350 ft. At this point I hit the 8 mile mark and returned to trace my exact steps. By the time I reached the final 4 mile ascent, my legs were spent.

Running up long, steep hills at elevation is never fun, but its much harder after doing so much downhill. Usually I prefer to run uphill first and then hit the downhill. But, this is a luxury the Boston course does not afford. It's my hope that runs like yesterdays will allow me to cover the downhill first half of Boston with out any muscle fatigue. This will be key when hitting the the major climbs near the end of the course. I don't want to experience what I did last year, when Lance Armstrong flew by me on Heartbreak Hill. (Last year's winner, Robert Cheryiout pictured ascending the last of the Newton Hills)

I did the 16 mile hill run on an extended lunch hour at work. This meant I worked from 7:45am until 8:15pm (I work 10 hour shifts). It makes for a long day, but I was lucky to run in the middle of a crisp, beautiful afternoon, and earn a day's paycheck. I finished the night off with a 4 mile run at 9pm. Glad to see the temperature being somewhat reasonable at that hour.

I'm starting to get my swagger back. I realize I'm still slower than so many runners, but I'm back at the point where I can do 20 miles of running one day and still feel fresh the next morning. I can't imagine how I will feel at sea level!

Bring on Summer!

Week in Training - Anna Willard - MTC

2009-03-25T10:32:00.007-05:00

The Boston Marathon is 26 days away and the bib numbers were released today. Chris, Verdo, Robert and I are all in the very first corral meaning we'll line up immediately behind the elites.

It's crunch time in terms of my training. I finally had a decent week. I think my body is finally near full strength. I did just over 80 miles, managing a 20+ long run at 4,500 ft and 2-mile/800m repeats at over 7,000 ft. The week also included two 90-120 minute hill runs that included uphill and downhills that changed over 1300 ft in 5 miles.

This week is off to a good start, so I hope to have a good update next week as well.
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Here's a nice interview with Anna Willard (pictured at right with bib ending in 55) that was done at the gym where I do core workouts. She's training with the Mammoth Training Club (Team Running USA changed their name, read why here, great quotes from my coach) after her olympic experience in '08. Anna and her fiance Jon, have been really supportive to my training. Mammoth Lakes is a small town and I seem to see them everywhere. It's nice to be part of a sport with athletes that are so down to earth.

Running with a Heart on Fire - #1

2009-03-20T23:29:00.008-05:00

I'm in the midst of strong week of training (knock on wood) and I'll be sure to write about it in a few days. In the meantime, I've been intending to introduce a musical aspect to this blog since its inception last year. While I don't listen to music very often when I run, I do enjoy putting together a playlist for my run now and then. With that in mind I introduce "Running with a Heart of Fire" which will be a weekly (or thereabouts) glimpse into three songs I really enjoy while running.

"Pocketful of Money" by Jens Lekman

I'll start with the track that gives this "feature" its title. This structure of this song is very typical of a lot of songs that motivate me when running. It starts simple, somber and slow. There is a sense of heartbreak and introspection that almost becomes trance like. However, the song does eventually transform to become seemingly more inspired. Its not that it ever reaches a fever tempo or crescendo, but there does seem to be some sort of transcendence.

This may seem like an odd structure to run to, as I would imagine most runners listen to things that are more upbeat in tempo and message, but I get a boost from this sort of thing. I usually only listen to music on long runs when I'm by myself so my pace isn't going to be as fast as other runs. Also, I tend to think about various people and situations in my life during the melancholy at the beginning of these songs. Usually, I'll think of friends I've not seen in a long time and how much it would mean to reconnect with them. By the time the song has picked up, I'm inspired to somehow communicate with them and fix something that seems to be missing. A similar effect occurs when I drink a cup of coffee.

In this song, that pick up just happens to be the repeated phrase "I'll come running with a heart on fire!" What could possibly apply more to this sort of thought process? I'm running and wishing that person would be standing there at the end of my run so I can deliver my message. I want for them to somehow know that I am thinking of them, and wish that somehow they could see what I see (often times in Chicago, this was the lake at night and the city skyline, and here its the snow-covered mountains) and feel what I am feeling. This is a kind of crazy desire, and I think describing it as having a "heart on fire" fits very well. I'm sure it doesn't relate much to the actual song's meaning, but that doesn't bother me.

I should also note that I've seen Jens perform many times and he is on the label Secretly Canadian in Bloomington, IN which is staffed by many friends of mine. Much love SC!

Another song that fits this structure that I've worn out on my ipod has been "Shadowlands" by Ryan Adams. I'll be sure to write about it when I can get a full version of it on to youtube.

"7/4 Shoreline" by Broken Social Scene

Broken Social Scene may be my absolute favorite band to listen to while running. A few of their songs fit the structure I mentioned above (The Bee Hives version of Lover's Spit for example), but for the most part I enjoy these songs for more typical reasons. They are infectious, upbeat (not always in message) and loud. One of the beauties of this song is its time signature. You guess it, its in 7/4 time. Having an odd amount of beats per measure leads to some interesting movement with my feet.

If this was in 3/4 I'd be tempted to waltz, but somehow I find the fast 7 beats very good for running. We're so accustomed to 4 beats (or 8 beat phrases) that taking one of these beats away seems to make it feel rushed, and this makes me want to move faster. The great little ring of the high-hat on the "and of seven" really gets me going. I tend to strike opposite feet at the beginning of each 7 beats. My left foot strikes on 1 and I count (sub-consciously) the 7 beats and my right foot strikes on the 1 of the next measure. There are strides in between of course, but emphasis comes on that 1st beat. Back and forth. This is similar to hearing a marching leader saying left-right-left but much more pleasant and invigorating for me.

I probably lost most of you on that last paragraph, but maybe... just maybe someone out there knows what I mean and can relate.

"One of These Days" by Owen

I could go on and on about this song. Its another example of a song that is too slow, and somber for most to enjoy while running. But, the emotion it brings out in me overcomes the aesthetics of the song. Mike Kinsella, who is Owen, was clearly very effected by his father's death. The sense that there might have been failed potential in his father's life motivates me to make sure I don't let the same thing happen to me.

Also, the notion that the nice things in life that come with having money and a "real job" will have to wait at the expense of chasing a dream (in his case, being a musician, and in mine being an elite runner) is one I relate to very much. In terms of structure, once again this song floods me with thoughts at the beginning, and by the time the violin (or some sort of stringed instrument played with a bow) solo arrives at the end, it acts in the same way that a "last lap or premium bell" might. I want to go faster. I want to sweat more. I want to leave that pain.

Lastly, on an unrelated note. I have to say that this video makes me miss riding my bike in Chicago so much. There are even glimpses of the lakefront path, and the thin buildings off of Addison that seem to create a wicked wind.

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Back to running next time.

Free Shoes!

2009-03-16T21:30:00.006-05:00

The Sage to Summit Winter Race Series wrapped up this past Saturday. I was unable to beat Dan Yarborough for the second straight race. My race strategy was to hang on his shoulder as long as possible and then make a move some point late in the race. That was wishful thinking! I hung on for a mile or so and knew I had no chance. He took off at a very quick pace right from the gun and that left me hanging on for life for the entire rest of race. The courses for these 10k's were so difficult as I've said many times. The soft sand and hills made me long for road racing. I looked at my Garmin and saw I still had almost 4 miles to go, so it was best not to be longing for the road just yet.

The good news is that I was lucky enough to win the points series. I did so by getting one win and two second place finishes. The 2nd place finisher is a really neat guy, who probably would have smoked me had he made that his mission. Fortunately for me, part of his mission this year is to cover more miles on his feet running than any miles in a car, boat, train, etc. You guessed it, he's an "ultra guy" and goes by the name of Phil Kiddoo. This meant he ran to and from each race. Perhaps I'd have a chance to win Boston if Ryan Hall had to run from Mammoth to the race start. I mention Phil, because the best part of this series was meeting him and a lot of the eastside (of the Sierra) runners who live in the Bishop area. I particularly enjoyed talking with Phil and Jeff (pictured) who both have nice bios here.

I also won free shoes with my victory. For this reason, I'm now considering myself a professional runner. I'll do whatever it takes to hide the fact that I answer phones for a living. I did score some sweet Sanuks which I've been sporting around quite a bit. And yes, technically they are not shoes, but the owner of the store graciously let me apply my win to sandals.

The March Madness Half Marathon in Cary, IL was this past Sunday. This was a special race for me last year, as it was the first race where I really felt part of a team (in terms of running events). I wrote about it ages ago. Its a difficult course, and a great tune-up for Boston. Several friends put in good performances, but none better than Robert (pictured left) who finished 8th with a 1:16 on a very gnarly (whoa, the west coast is influencing me) course. Be sure to check out the excellent recap he wrote about the race on Coursing.

Speaking of Robert... when reading his entries about his faster miles something interesting has come to my mind. I find myself really missing those type of runs. Training at altitude rarely gives me a chance to run fast. I do get a bit faster on intervals and shorter tempo runs, but on any of my 10 -25 mile runs I'm pretty much hanging around 7:10-7:45. The view I have are beautiful, but there is a simple joy in moving at 6:30 or faster for long portions of runs with friends. I'm not doing a very good job of putting this simply enough. But, essentially, it feels good to run fast, and I don't get that as often up here. My hope is that the feeling I'll have at sea level will be so great it will justify my time up high.

Wish you could join me for my workout tomorrow. 2 miles at 6:00. 6x800 at 2:45. Sounds pretty easy. But, its always a bit tougher at 7,000 ft. Also, I'll be skiing for the first time tomorrow. I hope I break a leg.

Chico

2009-03-09T23:05:00.005-05:00

Weeks ago when I signed up for the half in Chico I was hoping to make a splash. I felt as though I could crush my old PR. Unfortunately, by the time I started the race I wasn't anticipating much. Luckily, I did feel better than I had in two weeks and I managed a 1:19. It was good enough for 4th (one spot out of a $100 cash prize). And, in one sense it sort of acted as a 13 mile tempo run. A news article on the race can be found here.

The best part of my weekend was that Ashley came to visit. It was very quick and rushed, but we had a good time. She did very well in the race, finishing 6th and running a 6:48 pace.

More on the race to possibly come later if I feel inspired.

Mazungu

2009-03-04T19:55:00.005-06:00

I've been anxious to write in here again since my last entry, as I don't like to have a negative vibe hanging around for long. Thanks for all of the positive encouragement that many of you sent my way.

The good news is that I'm feeling more myself now, and while I still have lingering congestion, its safe to say I'm no longer sick. In all, I missed 5 straight days of running, and my body got really worn down. I hopped back on the running on Saturday evening and I've not missed a day yet.

Unfortunately, I can tell that I'm a long way from 100%. I lost about 3 pounds when I was sick, and I've had a lot of muscle soreness and general slowness during my return. During my "speed" workout today I was unable to crack 6 minutes in three consecutive miles. 2 weeks ago I ran a workout with a 3-mile segment at about 5:40 pace, so I've clearly regressed considerably.

I still plan to race in Chico on Saturday, but my expectations are very low. I've been getting loads of sleep, and plan to continue to do so, so I hold out a small amount of hope that I'll somehow rebound completely by race day. But, in reality that is unlikely. I had hoped to feel spry at the lower elevation, and use the race as an announcement that my elevated training was a smashing success. Instead, I'll just put in a good effort, and if my legs are back I'll ride them. If not, that will have to wait a few more weeks for Boston.

I'm driving to Reno tomorrow in the afternoon, and spending the night in a casino (it won't be the same without you Jason), and in the morning I'll be heading to the airport to pick up Ashley and head to Chico. She is due for a good race as I know she's had some of the best training of her post-collegiate career.

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I really enjoyed this article from Running Times about a guy my age, who left the USA to train in Kenya. I've scanned it in below. Click on each page to see full-size.

Frustrated and Sorry and Selfish

2009-02-25T19:41:00.004-06:00

I went to see a doctor today. I've been carrying a temperature since Sunday night, aching, and coughing. I have not been able to run or work. The visit was less helpful than I had hoped. I've had symptoms for over 3 weeks which make one think its bacterial, but because of a terrible training mishap on Sunday night (stranded in cold/rainy conditions for just under 4 hours in my running shorts) the doctor thinks this could be new and unrelated and viral. This means he prescribed antibiotics for me, but I'm not supposed to fill the prescription until Monday (If I stay sick) or tomorrow if I wake up feeling even worse.

I understand there is nothing he can do. And I know there is not a wonder-drug he can prescribe. But, its very frustrating to a runner to take days off during the peak of training. And, while I can stomach that, not being sure when I'll return is hard to take. If I was taking meds and expecting it to disappear by the weekend I could handle it a lot better.

Doc told me no running for 14 days. But, that's why I always wish that I could see a doctor that an elite runner would see. No way they would say that. I'll be back on my feet when the fever has gone.

I know I need to be strong, and patient, and that in the grand scheme of things my overall running won't be affected, especially all season long when you look how early we are into everything. But, I have a half, a 5k, a trail-10k and full marathon all within 8 weeks. I've paid to do them, to travel to them, to have a place to stay while racing, and now it might all be money lost. That's hard to stomach for a person without insurance living check to check.

Next time I write, I hope to have much better news to share. I'll certainly be sharing an article from the most recent Running Times when I'm feeling good enough to touch the scanner.

And I feel selfish complaining about being sick. It happens to everyone. The great champions I admire have dealt with broken bones while training and they've bounced back! I need to learn from them. But, I also have to explain that almost all of my decisions are based on how I can improve as a runner. I make sacrifices every day that make my life less fun in the short-term because I find the long-term payoff to be so sweet, and then in looking back I usually realize how much fun I had getting there. I guess I need to remember that there is no promise that hard-work will pay off in terms of faster times. If it was that simple, then it would make the amazing feeling that comes with improvement less exciting and special. It is very hard to keep that perspective and not feel owed a reward at the end.

10k Race Report and Round Valley in the News

2009-02-21T21:54:00.007-06:00

Sage to Summit Winter Race 2

The second race in this winter series proved to be very challenging. If you take a look at the topographical course map you'll notice that the path goes over several lines. And with an out-and-back course, this means you have to go uphill in one of the directions. The 700 ft climb was made more difficult by the fact that it was done over a very sandy trail. I don't know how trail runners can stand the soft stuff, I'll take the roads any day.

I was hoping to get the 2nd win and be 2/3 or a way to a sweep of the series, but I had to settle for 2nd place as I was absolutely no match for Dan Yarborough who lead from the gun. I went off slowly from the gun and sat in about 5th place for the first half mile. I picked it up just before we left the harder park surface for the sandy trail. I didn't want to pass on the soft ground and risk having to leave the groove (the area of the path that was most packed and easiest to run on), however I quickly found that there was absolutely no groove. I entered the trail in 2nd about 10 yards behind first. I kept him in striking distance for much of the first few miles, but each time I planned to surge to catch him he simply put more space between us.

At the turn-around he flew past me and I knew it would be an almost impossible descent to catch him. I watched my competition after the turn and had a good 10-40 second gap on the next 4 racers. After running 7 minute pace up the hill I was now moving along in the mid to low 5's. Near the end of the race I heard the steps of someone behind me. I made a quick glance, and my heart sank when I saw my coach Andrew. He must have been absolutely flying, because I had a decent gap on him at the halfway point. I glanced at my Garmin (I don't usually wear this during a race, but there are no mile markers on this course) and saw there was just over a mile to go. At that point I felt I didn't stand a chance to hold him off. I began to push much harder in the hopes that he would tire.

I hit the hard ground again at the half mile to go point and I put in a surge. At the next 90 degree turn I took a quick glance and saw that I had opened the gap a bit more. It was certainly deflating to lost by such a wide margin (I'm not sure what it was as results have yet to be posted) but it was nice to hold of Andrew, who has out-kicked me in many a mile repeat.

Its hard to measure my performance in this race considering the conditions, but I'm happy to say my pace was a few seconds faster than race 1 and this course was certainly much harder. Next up: The Chico Half Marathon two weeks from today.

NBC article on Ryan Hall highlights Area Locales

I did a double take when I saw the byline on this NBC.com article about Ryan Hall's current training. Round Valley is a very tiny place, and imagining a reporter there gave me a good smile. Having done several of my recent workouts there it was fun to read the article and glance at the accompanying photos.

ROUND VALLEY, Calif. -- It is lonely and harsh out here in the high desert of eastern California. In the winter months, it is cold and it snows, the wind howling across land so remote and forlorn that just a few miles to the south the U.S. government set up internment camps in the 1940s.

One main highway, U.S. 395, cuts through here, interrupted now and then by service roads, strips of asphalt laid down to access huge pipes that carry water far south, to Los Angeles.

This is where Ryan Hall comes now to test himself, in thin air, on high ground, on roads with no names, readying for the Boston Marathon this spring, hardening himself to the elements and the doubts and the question whose answer, as yet, remains uncertain.

While I don't relate to the religious aspects of Hall's running, I really appreciate his attitude and he carries himself very well.

From the time he had started running, more than 10 years before, Hall had dreamed of his approach to Olympic Stadium, and the tunnel, and the roar of the crowd. In his dreams, of course, he was first.

That day in Beijing, bound for tenth, he nonetheless experienced an epiphany.

"I remember thinking, 'You can choose now how you want to live this moment. Do you want to feel disappointment or do you want to pout? You can. Or you can enjoy it.' I just felt like I had this voice from God: 'This isn't everything you wanted. But it's everything you need right now.' "

A nice section about the effects of training around other great runners and a good thought on race strategy and the mental warfare all competitors enjoy.

Every day, too, Hall can see in and around Round Valley and nearby Bishop, Calif., in the high desert, and in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., in the mountains that rise to the west off the valley floor, the evidence that what he's aiming for is possible. Meb Keflezighi, the silver medalist in the Athens 2004 men's marathon, lives and trains in the area. So does Deena Kastor, the bronze medalist in the Athens 2004 women's marathon.

"His form now is right on," Kastor said of Hall. "He is looking so impressive for so early in the season."

Mahon said of Kastor, and of the lesson her medal-winning tactics offers, "Deena makes you hurt as soon as the gun goes off," Mahon said. "If you're going to beat her, she's going to put you through an immense amount of pain. Why? Because she knows you're going to question that pain and question your will from the get-go."

Snow is Gone

Hello brown one, hello blue one
Last night's feathers exchanged for new ones
Hello blackbird, hello starling
Winter's over be my darling
It's been a long time coming
But now the snow is gone
-Josh Ritter

The blizzard from last week is done and the snow is beginning to melt here in Mammoth, but unfortunately it won't actually be gone for quite some time as its supposed to return tomorrow evening.

One last time...

Be sure to check out Jason's blog for pictures and a great story about his time in Austin.

Blizzard in Mammoth

2009-02-16T15:09:00.004-06:00

Mammoth Lakes is supposed to see around 22" of snow today. This evening I'm running in the gym, but before it piled too high I had to go have some fun. I had the same trouble seeing through the ice that was forming on my eyebrows and lashes. But, the ice that formed on my legs was unlike anything I've experienced before.

Happy Presidents Day!

Batman, Mr. Wiegand, and Chico Carlsbad

2009-02-14T00:10:00.006-06:00

BATMAN

Many of my running friends are headed to Austin, TX this weekend to race there. I'm anxious to hear about their results on Sunday morning. My friend Jason's latest blog entry does a great deal to explain why my running friends are so fun. Check out this excerpt:

My race is on Saturday morning and is supporting the women's soccer team at Texas State. I've always been a huge supporter of their program and I know that my $12.50 will make a difference. So in honor of the women bobcats I am going to sport my Batman costume during the race. Worst case scenario, T-Bud said it best. I wear this ridiculous costume yet still take the race seriously (this is possible) and lose to some 16 year old in training shoes. I agree, that would be pretty embarrassing. Luckily, my costume comes with a mask and my identity will be protected.

And while I know some very fast times are to be turned in, and Jason is helping to pace some folks on Sunday fun will still be had. As evidence I quote his blog again.

Also, to make sure that us northerners fit in with all these Texan cow herders we went out and bought the finest and most authentic western wear we could find. By that, I mean we went to Alcala's. Hats, shirts, shoes and most importantly a good belt buckle. Yes, I fully expect that we will not be welcomed with open arms.

Mr. Wiegand

He is a man that goes by many names. Rabbit, RH, Ashley Boyle's facebook picture boyfriend, Roberto, and abs just to name a few. Robert Wiegand is someone I've mentioned here numerous times, a friend and teammate I've finished behind in many races, and now you can read about his training and experiences with running at his new blog, Coursing. We'll be facing each other once again in Boston, and that will only feel natural as he's been at my side in my two previous marathons. Pacing me over the last mile in Chicago and keeping on a solid negative-split pace for over 20 miles of NYC.

Chico Carlsbad

My winter/spring race schedule has filled out quite nicely and I can't believe how quickly its all coming up. I'm still focused on the Boston Marathon on April 20th. But, I have a few prep races coming up between now and then that will be quite exciting. Besides the two 10k's that are part of the Sage to Summit Series I've written about, I will also be participating in the world-famous Carlsbad 5000 and the not-so-world-famous 33rd annual Bidwell Classic (aka Chico, CA Half-Marathon).

The Carlsbad 5000 (which is a 5k, a simple fact that our American non-metric minds often don't seem to get) has seen 16 world records set over its history. This is an extremely fast course that will allow me to put in a great speed test just two weeks before the Boston Marathon. Hopefully I'll set a new PR in the distance while I'm at it. I'll be racing with my friend James. Interestingly enough we'll actually be in different heats as the races are divided by age groups. We'll be able to cheer for one another.

The Chico Half falls 6 weeks before Boston and will offer another gauge for me to see where I'm at when at sea-level. This should allow me to spend my last few weeks of training with a great idea of what my goal pace will be in Boston. Running at altitude all the time has caused me to be completely clueless about whether I'm getting faster or slower. And, best of all, Ashley will be joining me to do the race. I'm picking her up in Reno on the way to Chico and then she is spending a few days with me in Mammoth. The trip is sure to make her wish to never return to Chicago.

Tomorrow brings a 2:20 minute run, which should give me some idea of where I'm at. Updates on Austin coming soon!

Losing Myself in the Moment Six Times

2009-02-07T19:53:00.009-06:00

Today's schedule called for two runs. A workout in the morning consisting of 6X1 mile at 5:25 at altitude (meaning a lengthy 3 minutes rest between intervals) and n easy 30 minute run in the afternoon. Sounds simple enough., but it ended up being very strange.

The snow has been falling like crazy in Mammoth the last few days so I decided to get up early and head south to clear roads in Round Valley. This is about a 35 minute drive and about 25 minutes in I tried to turn my Garmin on to check the altitude. But, as has happened now and then lately it refused to turn on. I quickly realized I had no watch with which to do the workout. I said a few curse words and contemplated turning around.

Luckily the road at Round Valley is marked with spray paint every 100 meters. I had both of my iPods with me and came up with a plan to time myself. I only had about 25 songs on my Shuffle so I looked at them in my Classic to find out how long they were. Turns out the song that was closest to 5:25 was "Lose Yourself" by Eminem (don't ask why it was on there in the first place). It clocked in at 5:20. "Anything" by 3EB followed so I listened to it on my classic studying the time. Stephen Jenkins' takes a deep breath into the mic 5 seconds in and the guitar starts at 11 seconds. These were my cues. I needed to finish each repeat on that breath, or at least beat the guitar to the finish line.

Next, I needed a way to time my 3 minute recoveries. "Anything" is exactly 2 minutes long, so I listened to the first minute and 5 seconds of "Wounded" also by 3EB which followed to find my cue for thee minutes passing.

I was feeling proud of myself for coming up with a system. I set up my water bottles at both ends of my one mile run during my warm-up as usual. I usually have 20 minutes of music on my iPod that is relaxing to enjoy during my warmup. This usually means 4 or 5 songs. I often pick the last of those to be a little more up beat, or something that will get me excited for the workout. Often times this last song is "Stars of Track and Field" (Belle & Sebastian) or "I Feel it All" (Feist) or "A Year Ahead... & a Light" (Richard Buckner) just to prove that I don't always listen to dorky music.

As a side note, It's amazing how nervous I feel just before and during these workouts. I'm running by myself in front of no one (although once again today I passed several members of Running USA as they did their workout) and yet I'm on edge and scared that I won't be as fast as I need to be, or that it will hurt too much.

It was sometime during that first mile when I realized the flaw with my plan. I would be listening to the same two songs, six times each in 48 minutes. And not just any two songs, but songs by Eminem and Third Eye Blind. I thought it would be terrible, but I have to admit it turned out pretty well. I began trying to get to a stop sign before Eminem would say "Spaghetti" or try to pass the final 100 meter mark before he says "You can do anything you put your mind to" which is really an ideal thing to hear when trying to push it over those last few seconds.

It also brought great memories from Little 500 practice my junior year at Indiana U. They played the same mix-cd at every practice and Lose Yourself played each day. My teammate Andrew and I made fun of it, along with other tracks most of the time, but we also loved it in a sick way. And I have to admit that I have positive feelings every time I hear a song that was on the mix.

And for the record, I beat the 3EB guitar to the 1 mile mark 5 out of 6 repeats.

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Two additional notes. After watching the Lose Yourself video, it is my opinion that its a GREAT song. Something that deserves respect and something that will stand the test of time. I have to admit that even though it is Eminem.

Also... I mentioned Belle and Sebastian's "Stars of Track and Field", and I just have to post this small chunk of lyrics.

Could I write a piece about you now that you've made it?
About the hours spent, the emptiness in your training
You only did it so that you could wear
Your terry underwear
And feel the city air
Run past your body

Landscapes, Professional Observers, Mr. Ream

2009-01-26T22:39:00.004-06:00

I've put together a short video of some of the landscapes I see while running here. The first place you see is near Pine Creek and Mt. Tom. The second location is Round Valley where a lot of cyclists and runners gather to escape Mammoth when it is stormy/snow covered. The last location is at a nice vista overlooking Mammoth Lakes at sunset.

I just finished my first week working under a new coach. His name is Andrew and I'm pretty excited to see what kind of results we can get working together. He's joined me for a few workouts and we're at a similar level, but he never leaves any doubt on our last rep that he could put me in the dust if we were actually racing. He's focusing on my speed and taking my mileage down a little. I've already been scolded for putting too much distance on after Saturday's 5X1.

Speaking of the 5X1, I felt really good during this workout. My times weren't amazing. But I stayed consistently right at 5:30 for all reps at 4,500 ft. My buddy James joined me and we ran back and forth near Round Valley. The road is part of a 15k loop that is often used by Running USA. The portion we ran on is marked with blue paint every 100 meters which is helpful during repeats.

On our 2nd mile we noticed a new crowd of cars had arrived (the white van in the video is a Running USA van) and a batch of runners was warming up. It made me a bit nervous to know that the pro's were there while I was doing mile repeats. On the third mile Sarah H. rode alongside us on a mountain bike briefly offering us encouragement. We must have appeared to be crawling at 5:30 considering her husband runs 10 mile tempo runs sub 5 pace. And for that matter, she has run a 4:35 mile.

During the 3rd repeat we crossed paths with Ryan following Sarah on the bike and shortly after that a group of about 12 pros all looking smooth. I have to admit it felt good to have some of them encourage me by name. On my cooldown after my 5th rep I crossed paths with many of them again and was caught off-guard when Deena offered verbal encouragement about my morning's workout.

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Finally, I discovered tonight that my friend and running buddy Jason has started a little one of these bad boys himself. Check out what he has at Unyielding Crossroads.

Mark Dolgin Sub 3 and more

2009-01-22T23:49:00.003-06:00

Recently I've spent some time reading about different coaching methods used throughout the years. I first stumbled across Australian coach Percy Cerutty in the great book The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb last winter. Cerutty advised athletes to follow a philosophy he called Stotanism. This was a combination Stoic and Spartan principles. I came across a few more things about him today and was tickled to read the sample log of olympic champion Herb Elliot, one his athletes. I would like to share it with you:

7am - A five mile run before breakfast in any direction our whim took us, followed by a dip in the ocean.
8am - Breakfast of uncooked rolled oats (without milk) sprinkled with wheat germ, walnuts, sultanas, raisins and sliced banana. Perhaps a few potato chips would follow.
9am - Swimming and surfing or outdoor chores like chopping wood, painting and carpentry.
Noon - Training and lectures at Portsea Oval, followed by another swim.
2pm - Lunch - Fish and fresh fruit.
3pm - Siesta.
4pm - Weight Lifting
5pm - Ten-mile run along dirt roads ending once more at the beach.
7pm - Tea and a general discussion led by Percy on a wide variety of subjects.
11pm Lights Out

That certainly sounds like an excellent day if one was surrounded with the right people.

---

The Sage to Summit running store recently updated their website to reflect the recent 10k. I'm certainly glad to have won, but after reading the recap I had to laugh at what a small race it was to win. It gave me a laugh so, here's their recap:

The race was a success! We had record temperatures in the mid 60s, no wind, and blue skies! 27 runners and 2 dogs competed. Dan McDowell and Ceal Kliner were the first place male and female winners.

---

The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in Phoenix was a success for friend and training partner Mark Dolgin (pictured at dinner with me in Boston last April so that you can make fun of my goofy look). He ran a 2:58:40 to get his first sub-3 hour performance in the books. We got the chance to speak on the phone shortly after the race and his "post-succesful-marathon-glow" was shining through the phone.

Weekend Update

2009-01-18T10:57:00.004-06:00

Its another beautiful weekend here in Mammoth. The weather is abnormally mild and dry. Bad for the local economy and for LA's water supply come spring, but great for the running community here.

Today is a huge day in distance running. The US Half Marathon Championships took place this morning in Houston. Results are still coming in and are a bit sketchy, but what is clear is that Meb (representing Mammoth Lakes) has won the race, after leading from Mile 1 edging out Ritz. Elsewhere, Josh Cox is currently trying to break the US and World record for the 50k in AC, and my friend and sometimes training partner, Mark Dolgin is running the RnR in AZ. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

I'm about to head out on a 20+ long run. But before I go, I wanted to share this video. Lots of great shots that show just how beautiful the scenery is here when running. You can take a look at part of the route they are running here.

Sage to Summit Race Series

2009-01-11T22:51:00.007-06:00

Saturday morning marked the beginning of the Sage to Summit Race Series. The series is comprised of 3 10k trail races on 1/10, 2/21, and 3/14 at the Millpond Recreation Area near Bishop, CA. Runners are given points based on where they finish and after the 3rd race a winner will be determined. These events serve the region as sort of a bridge between the beginning and end of the local racing scene as races are sparse this time of year.

Going into the race I felt a lot of nerves. This was the first trail race I've ever done, as well as the first race at altitude (although the alt. hovered around 4,600 which is three thousand feet lower than where I usually sleep and run). Lastly, I didn't know the course at all and was told that it had been marked with pink ribbons and chalk on the sand and should be pretty easy to follow.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I was able to race in a singlet and shorts. It was 18 degrees when I got up in Mammoth but had jumped to the 40s or higher by the time the race started at 9AM. I wore a hat and gloves (but was able to ditch those for my afternoon run). The field was small, with about 25 runners competing. I knew the race wouldn't be too large, but seeing as it was the only game in town I expected more.

After the gun went off I found myself in third running a pretty comfortable pace. I was hesitant to pick it up as I was nervous about going off the course. I followed for a corner or two and decided I could probably follow the markers without much trouble. I decided to pick it up a bit and very quickly found myself passing for the lead. I could sense an acceleration and increase in breathing from the two I passed.

About half a mile into the race the course turned off into the desert and off of pavement. We were running in pretty loose sand and it required a lot of hopping from side to side on the path as we searched for the packed grooves that were easier to run on. I love running on trails, and weaving in and out, but concentrating on footing during a race is new to me, and I must say it made me long for the races in Chicago where I could really pound it out on flat pavement. This video shows what the terrain was like about 25 seconds in. You'll also notice that Bishop is a haven for climbers from all over the world.

The course was a semi-loop. We ran out about 2 miles, did a 2 mile loop, and then retraced that 2 mile opening. The first 2 miles had quite a bit of uphill (elevation chart is pictured), so I knew I'd be rolling downhill quite a bit at the finish. As I climbed the hills I found myself swearing at the loose sand. Hills are never fun, but pushing yourself up on really soft stuff is quite a workout. I wondered to myself on each hill if I would break and be caught. I knew I was putting distance on my competitors, but I could still hear them breathing behind me. I didn't want to look over my shoulder and give them any indication I was worried about them.

By the midway point I had opened a gap, perhaps 20 seconds or so, and I was feeling good, but since I did not know my competitors, I considered that they may have strong finishes in store, so I did my best to soldier on. Not that I'm used to large numbers of spectators, but it was interesting to be in the middle of nowhere during a race. Leading the event added to this strange feeling. I've won two races before, but generally I have a few people just in front of me who constantly remind me that I need to keep pushing myself. Perhaps because of all of this I was very self-aware of my thoughts. I do experience this during races now and then. Its usually a neat thing. A dialogue I enjoy with myself about the need to push forward and ignore the things urging me to stop. But, this voice was different. Why?

Well, for some unexplained reason my mind was set on singing the song "Garden Grove" by Sublime. It's been years since I've heard that song. In fact I couldn't even place what it was I was singing until I was able to consult my ipod after the race. The human brain is truly amazing. Especially mine. Ha, only kidding. But, why in the midst of a desert fighting for a win in a race would my mind pull up some strange song from the past?

In the end I was able to hold on for the victory with a margin of victory of about 1 minute. My time was 39:00 which is much slower than the 10k's I ran in November, but obviously trail running is a different beast. I'm left with no choice now but to complete the series and go for the overall win. The second place finisher was a guy named Jeff Kozak who is an accomplished ultra-marathoner/trail runner having won several 50-mile events. We went for a run together after the race and I'm sure he'll be a good friend and running partner when I head south to Bishop. I must admit, that if the trials goal doesn't pan out I may have to extend my distances as listening to him describe his all day training runs in the mountains is incredible!

---

After the race the weather hit the high 60's and I declared that wouldn't go inside until after it was dark. I walked in "downtown" Bishop before heading a little out of town to run along the Owens River Valley. This area is a Mecca for fly-fisherman and climbers. I ran on a dirt road with great views of the Glass Mountains as well as the Southern Sierra Nevada (this is pictured as well, you can see the Owens river in the foreground and the Glass Mountains in the back, the dirt road runs along side the the base of the hills seen on the left). This is a spot where I will be doing lots of long runs and tempo runs. Its at about 4300 ft and has a working water well I can use to get more drink (pictured).

Things are going very well at the moment, and i hope the unseasonably nice January continues. I certainly miss running and being with all of my pals in Chicago!

Will Power

2009-01-07T22:39:00.005-06:00

I had an amazing run tonight. I arrived home from work well after dark feeling pretty worn down. But, the temperature was abnormally high for the point in the evening so I forced myself out the door.

As I reach the end of my street on a run I am forced to make a decision. Do I run up a big hill, or do I run down it? I always wish for a third option. I usually run down because I still want to take it easy and warm up. However, today as I hit this spot I saw another runner flying up the hill and passing me. He looked at me from across the street and I headed after him.

As we were climbing he wasn't putting much distance on me, but I certainly wasn't able to catch him. I was breathing hard and spitting like crazy as I'm pretty sick at the moment. According to my garmin we climbed for 11:00 minutes before reaching a mini-summit. I saw him glancing back a few times as we climbed so I knew we were both engaged. It was an awesome feeling. I expected him to turn or duck in somewhere and that would be that. But, after we got to the top he turned around and headed right for me.

He introduced himself as Will (pictured) and apologized for not waiting for me at the bottom. But, he was surprised to see someone keep up with him as he's not used to that. We decided to continue our runs together and we ran with bursts of accelerations and brief respites (when I think he was waiting up for me or waiting for my breath to slow, as he was pushing me to my limits). Turns out he lives two blocks down the hill from me and also works at the mountain. We've made plans to run to and from work with one another every so often.

I pressed him a bit to learn about his running and he mentioned running for William and Mary as well a few marathons. We both ran Boston last year so I had to ask how he had done. I expected to hear a time in the 2:40's or 2:30's. Instead he said simply, 49th. Anyway... enough gushing, it was nice to meet someone who was young and dedicated and friendly. I suppose I can run with him on his slow days. So that's the end of the story, right?

Not exactly. I decided to google him as I do any other competitive runner I meet to find out some more info (I almost always regret this as it makes me feel like I've violated the person's privacy). But, I can't help myself. So, what did I find? Will told me the truth, but he left out a pretty big chunk. There are lots of articles about him, because he ran under 2:30, finished in the top 50 at Boston, and did so while undergoing chemo to fight a brain tumor.

I think I can tough it out the next few days through my head cold to get outside and put in some big runs.

I've got a 10k race (first in a 3-race point series) this Saturday, so more coming then!

A Man of Leisure No More

2009-01-05T23:20:00.002-06:00

I begin a new job tomorrow. I'll write about it when I have time. It should be interesting. I'll be working at Mammoth Mountain. Hopefully, I'll still manage to get runs in. I work 4 10-hour days a week.

I haven't written about my running as much as I would like to. Te race in San Diego felt good, but the course was short so I don't truly know where I stand. My mileage has ranged from 90-100 miles a week in the last 4 weeks except Christmas week. At the upper-right side of this blog you'll find a list of my last 10 workouts. You can click on these to see what kind of runs I've been doing (as if anyone is that interested). The paces are often slow, but keep in mind I'm often running at above 7,800 feet.

One great plus to the last few weeks is that I've gotten to run with Ashley (pictures below) and Verdo in San Diego and just outside of Fresno.

800M Men's USA Olympic Trials Final

2008-12-20T16:43:00.002-06:00

This has to be one of my favorite moments of 2008.

Three Videos

2008-12-18T17:57:00.002-06:00

1. Team World Vision Follow Up - I wanted to post this as a thank you to the people who donated to my NYC marathon campaign. It shows some great results.

2. Running on Benton Crossing Road - The running footage takes place on Benton Crossing Rd (where I often run by the "green church"). I thought it would be fun to show one of the places I run.

3. This is part 3 of the Michael Jordan Become Legendary ad campaign. It aired a lot last year. There are no Cinederellas! This is another mantra I use while running. Can't get enough of what this is trying to say.

The Goal

2008-12-16T23:06:00.006-06:00

It's almost 2009?!

Three weeks have gone by since I arrived in Mammoth. I'm having trouble putting into words my feelings about my place in life right now. I'm startled somewhat by the position I've put myself in. For me I've always been puzzled by the fact that one (well, I suppose not all of us are so lucky, but speaking generally here) has so much control over his/her life in our society, yet one so rarely is aware of the power we hold over ourselves.

Its true that we often feel held back by many things, money/jobs, relationships, "the man", etc... but when I look back at the last 10 years of my life, I realize how much authority I truly did have on where and what I did. I've made the decisions to go to law school, leave law school, move to Bloomington, move to Chicago, etc. and I've not had anyone forcing me to go in any specific direction. It's kind of like when you are driving and you look in the mirror at all the stop signs, turns, and lights you passed but don't remember maneuvering. You wonder to yourself if you obeyed them at all, and then you realize that you must have, because there is a lot of traffic and you did not wreck. That's not a perfect analogy but it is close.

Because of this, I seem to have trouble recognizing the fact that I'm actually in California. I live here. I live in the mountains. I don't have a job. I am spending 3-plus hours (easily, perhaps more) a day exercising. I'm sitting alone reading books and listening to podcasts (All Songs Considered, The Moth to name a few). These things are all true, but I'm not so aware. It seems as though any day I'll go back to my regular life. But wait... this is my life! And I've guided myself here. I suppose these are pretty common feelings for someone that relocates to a place where they know no one.

Why am I sharing this on my "running blog"? I'll do my best to explain. I think one of the reasons the above is true, is that when I look at my life just three years ago, absolutely nothing about right now is how I would have planned it. I think the reason this is the case, is because the factors behind my decision-making are so much different now than they were then. (Perhaps I'll learn as I get older, that this is often the case and isn't so unusual.... but who knows?) The biggest thing that is a part of my life now, that was lacking then is running. "Runner" is probably the easiest, most accurate one-word description someone could give me. (Maybe a person or two would argue it should be asshole or stupid, but what do I know?)

I'm happy with where I've ended up. But, for some reason I'm driven to try and make a plan. Or, maybe it's more accurate to say that I think a plan has found me, and I'm not going to push it away. Those who know me best may laugh at the idea. Dan McDowell and plans? Well, I'm not exactly looking to dot every 'i' and cross every 't'; not even close. But, I do see one goal that has risen in me and seems to be the biggest influence on my decision making, and in that way I can see a recognizable plan ahead.

What is that goal? Well, let me make a few disclaimers before I share it. This is something that has been floating around in my mind for a year or so, and I have discussed it with a few close friends. And I don't think it will be a shock to anyone. But, I suppose I've been weary of laying it out publicly because it could lead to ridicule and some may think I'm not being realistic with myself. But, I will be ashamed of myself if I let that stop me from at least trying. The goal... I want to run in the United States Olympic Marathon Trials for either 2012, or 2016.

I had the privilege of running beside (and often behind, but don't take that the wrong way Paul) Claudia Becque this past season as she managed to accomplish this feat. It was inspiring to watch her during the trials in Boston. And in the weeks before, during training runs, and as I stood on the curb just off the side of the St. Charles River I knew inside how much I wanted to be part of something like that. When I went home from a Jens Lekman concert early, got up at 4am and ran 6 miles to a friend's house, just to watch the Men's trials live the November before last I knew there was a part of me that wanted in.

The thing is, I've had trouble admitting this to myself. Mainly because its a far-fetched goal. Only 134 men were able to compete for the '08 spots (which happened in '07) and the time requirements have been made more difficult since then. The men who have been in this field are all much faster than me. They are now, and they were when they were 14. And perhaps, I will never get close to being at that level, but I think I'll find joy in going for it either way. So, if you are inclined to pity me for thinking I have a shot, don't. I'll be happy in the pursuit, and if I'm lucky enough to reach the goal, that will simply be icing on the cake.

So, while most of that is probably too self-absorbed for anyone to get through, it makes me feel a bit better to get it off my chest. I'm aiming to go to the trials. I may have to take a half-hour off of my PB, but I'm going for it. I've already taken 28 minutes off of my debut time. So, does any of this have a practical meaning?

Days and Nights in Mammoth Without a Job

Training is all too easy when you have all day to accomplish your day's goals. So while I would certainly like a job, I'll appreciate the good parts of this in the meantime. I have been running twice a day. I usually get the first one in around 10am after the sun has warmed things up a bit. I do the second run around 3:45 so I will finish before the sun tucks behind the mountain and the temperature plummets. This has finally gotten my mileage above the century mark. I've also found a few 30 to 45 minute core workouts that I do every other day. Rabbit and Coach Leach would be proud. No Tunisian Circuit yet though... sorry Coach!

My routes vary, but they do have one thing in common, they are hillier than Chicago, and much, much higher. The breathing doesn't come quite as easily. I've also become much more accustomed to doing some of my runs at a significantly lower pace than usual. Many of my routes are variants of the ones posted at RunMammoth. The views are quite beautiful. I often run with a mantra of "power from the mountains" and i know this is silly. But after living most of my life in the midwest, I still am not used to them.

I live in an A-frame right in the center of town with two other bachelors (one in his 30's and one in his late 20's). There is great public transportation here even though only 8,000 people live here because the local economy is based on the ability for people here to get to the main lodge and ski, snowboard, or mountain bike (in the summer). A 5 minute walk puts me on the bus and a 10 minute ride takes me to my gym where I do runs when the snow and wind is too much.

While running on a treadmill often makes me feel that I'm not getting the best out of my workout, I did get a confidence boost the other day. I finished a workout and headed to the locker room. Inside I met Ryan Hall and spoke briefly. I was an idiot, but he was nice. As I left I noticed he was running on a treadmill just a few spots away from the one I used. This is really silly, but it did help me to realize, that if its good enough for the most elite in my sport it has to be good enough for me. I've met a few other elites here, and I have to say they've all been extremely humble.

I'll be racing a 5k in San Diego on 12/29 so I'll probably check in again after that, and hopefully I'll already have progress to report.

Away from running I've spent most of my time reading and listening to music. On that note, I've been meaning to write on here about some of the music and books I'm most passionate about, but I've never taken the time. So, be warned, I may do that over the next few days. In the meantime I want to share this video with you. It's the group M83. I really love watching and listening to the first song as they perform it live. One of my favorite moments of 2008's music. While I'm at it, let me quickly say that Bon Iver - For Emma Forever Ago is my vote for best album of the year. And yes, I know it was released in a smaller fashion in 2007.

So yeah... for whatever this has been worth... good winter to you.

Greetings from Mammoth Lakes, CA

2008-12-02T14:27:00.005-06:00

I surprised myself on my move to the west. When I got to CA I took a right turn and ended up in Mammoth Lakes instead of turning left and enjoying San Diego. How, Why, What etc.... these questions will have to be answered later. For now I give you a video of Jason and I running in Utah at dusk, and a few photos from the trip.

The Running Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq5gXkarl_8

Mammoth Lakes

Delicate Arch

New York City Marathon '08

2008-11-06T13:52:00.008-06:00

This is the wrong time for saying prayers
A kiss at the taxi will do
And if the Queensboro Bridge never gets you there
I'll be here waiting for you

-David Mead from "Queensboro Bridge"

DAN MCDOWELL 26M FF IL USA 2:51:33 0:21:37 0:41:45 1:01:39 1:21:36 1:25:57 1:41:57 2:02:04 2:22:26 2:42:36 6:32

I had a blast in New York City visiting friends and exploring the city. Not to mention running the marathon to record a new personal best time and my first negative split. I'm a little spent in terms of expressing myself at this points so I'm going to share some thoughts in list form and share lots of pictures (many of which were stolen from Ken Fandell).

Thanks to those of you who donated to World Vision! And, thanks to those who have donated to G.O.T.R. after Chicago!
I ran with Robert for the first 20 or so miles. He was a huge reason I was able to stay so steady and not waste energy during the race.
New York City is a great place to be on Halloween.
I would love to do a daily run in Central Park.
The Ferry ride to the start was a lot fun, and had a beautiful view of the sunrise.
It was really cold hanging out on the island before we began, but you couldn't ask for better weather for the race. The wind was a factor, but not nearly as tough as the warmth and humidity in Chicago.
I'm going to be tired and slow in Westchester at the Veterun 10k, but please say "hi" as it may be our last chance to talk for quite some time my friends!.

One final note before I put up a lot of photos. I'll be gone from this blog for a while as I'll be relocating from Chicago to San Diego over the next weeks and won't have internet access. However, expect a nice photographic entry as Jason and I will be hitting up several Rave Run sites during our nice road trip.

Sycamore Pumpkin Festival 10k

2008-10-28T12:07:00.005-05:00

I been childish
And all mean to the fools
Myself as acting as
Daniel the Cruel
I've taken attendance at
Finishing schools
Filled with children who go beyond the rules

Lyrics from "Kids Pushing Kids" by Danielson

I got into a physical fight for the first time since the 9th grade (some of you who witnessed this fight, also refer to it as Hugfest '96) on Sunday at the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival 10k. It was a little embarasing at the time, but now its something fun to laugh at. Imagine it from Verdo's perspective if you will.

Verdo continues his incredible streak of races and finishes 3rd overall with a 34:29 (Results) then in typical Verdo Zen fashion watches at the chute to see his teammates come in. I finally arrive right at 36 flat everything seeming normal. Except that I carry most of my speed through the chute and then push the person in front of me with gusto and a few curse words flying around. I can only imagine what Verdo is thinking at this point.

To make a long story short, the eighth place finisher passed me twice in the last mile. No big deal, right? Well, he did so by cutting the course significantly both times. I called him out on it verbally during the race and then he called me a few names while running. We ran next to each other exchanging elbows (soft ones) until he pulled away over the last .2 miles. If I had self-control I would have said something to him at the finish and let that be it...

But if there's one time I don't have self-control its when I'm pushing myself in a 5,000 meter or 10,000 meter race. These are times when I fill with rage at the people running near me. It's happened all year. The thing is, as soon as I reach the line, this rage turns into joy. I'm usually thrilled to shake hands with the person who has pushed me and broken me (when they beat me to the line) or the person who has pushed me and made me go that much faster (when I get to the line first). This time however, that rage didn't go away. I hope I see this kid again at another race soon. I won't let him have the joy of beating me twice. To his credit he didn't let things escalate by backing away from me. I hope its because he felt like slime inside knowing he cheated.

Lost in the drama (in my mind anyway) was scoring a nice PR in the distance despite brutally difficult winds. The course is very rural, and this allowed for the strong winds to both make me fly (miles 2 and 3) and drag heavily in the last mile. The wide open course was very enjoyable. I loved running on the centerline of Bethany road while fighting it out with other runners. I enjoyed watching Verdo, DP and some others duke it out in front of me over the expanse of the course.

Next up is the NYC marathon on Sunday 11/2. You can watch it nationally at 3pm eastern on NBC (replay show of the race). After that, I'm looking forward to my last Chicago area race before I move, the Veterun in Westchester. Sign-up and race me!

Lastly, I leave you with this video to get pumped up for NYC and a picture of my dad, brother and I playing hockey last week.

Victory and Sleep

2008-10-20T16:14:00.006-05:00

I had the chance to run a 5k in my old neighborhood (for one summer) in TN this weekend. I had an easy time cruising to victory. And I won't lie, it was a lot of fun. I wish I could say that I ran faster to earn the win, but the competition was just slower. The course was hilly by Chicago standards, but I enjoyed the rolling terrain.

There is a really impressive trail system that is forming in the Nashville area. Yesterday I did a 13 mile run from a trailhead near my parents' house to the Shelby Bottoms area, and I didn't have to stop at any crossings. There were some neat bridges, tunnels, wetlands areas that provide neat views. Today I went out for an easy 6 mile run along the Stones River.

I shared a victory nap with my youngest nephew, Drake. That was a better prize than the free oil change that I won.

2008 Chicago Marathon & Beyond

2008-10-14T18:25:00.020-05:00

Happy in the Heat

Wow. In my mind this was a celebration to end all celebrations. Most people running in this year's Chicago Marathon probably didn't see it that way as Mother Nature brought difficult conditions to the city of broad shoulders for the second straight year. But, in the end Sunday brought so many wonderful people together on the same stage, with an amazing city as its backdrop, I couldn't help but to be happy. (Jason is shirtless in the middle of this pack, and Verdo is on the right in the blue)

Of course, recording a personal-best time always makes it a little easier to see the bright side of things. I was hoping to crack into the 2:40's and I think if conditions had been a little cooler I would have succeeded. Instead I ran a 2:53:24, which was good for 245th overall. I can also proudly say that I've taken over 25 minutes off of my marathon time from the 2006 Chicago Marathon. It's nice to have something tangible to take from the two years straight that I've spent training since my debut race. That is, if you consider a race time to be tangible.

Race Notes
I ran a large portion of the race with Ric Nielsen. He is such an intense guy at the races. He calls out mile splits for all to hear, and does a countdown as markers approach. I owe him a huge debt, as he did a great job of urging me to stay at 6:30 pace and not to get carried away early on. He pulled away from me around mile 12 before the heat got to him a bit and I reeled him in around mile 19. He still managed a 3:01 despite blowing up a bit.

I ran mile 6.5 through 11.5 alongside Chris Woods (pictured with me after the race). This was very comforting as I consider him to be one of the smartest and smoothest runners in Chicago. One of the highlights of the race was passing the Fleet Feet aid staion around mile 10. Whoever was on the microphone at this point said, "ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Fleet Feet Racing and Dan McDowell" as I began to pass through. The crowds were huge here and a big roar came out and I have to admit I felt really cool. By this point the field was thinning, as many decided to pull out and avoid the heat (Chris was one of several who made this decision) so when I passed large crowds who were applauding, I felt they were all cheering for me since very few runners were around me (and I was delusional by this stage in the race).

At mile 12 my friend Mark Dolgin hopped in to join me. This was pre-planned and he delivered in a big way. He gave me gel and stayed by my side until mile 18. In this stretch I began to hurt and pulling 6:30's became a chore. The good news was that the runners around us were really starting to slow. I began to catch a lot of runners who had secured "Top 100" bibs. I recognized many of them as runners who usually beat me in area races, so this was a good boost to my confidence. Three T100 latched on to Mark and I as we passed them by. I don't want to sound sexist or crude... but they were amazing to look at. They were conversing in a language other than English, and I enjoyed the thought that perhaps I would be in their memories of Chicago as the guy they paced behind for the difficult western and southwestern parts of the course. Mark dropped off and said he'd meet me near the end. (It should be noted that Mark gave Ashley a great boost for the last two miles of her race as well. They are picture on the right later that night at Stanley's. More on Ashley's race below)

I spent the next three miles just trying to hold on to my pace until Chinatown. I slowed slightly and ran a few 6:40's. It was at this point that I knew I wouldn't make the 2:40's and I began tyring to hold on to a PR. I was still passing a lot of runners, so this was a huge boost mentally. I also saw Paul, Brent, Robert, Carolyn, Mike, Ken, Toney, Abbe, Liz, Alicia, Jenn, Joyce, Charles, Ken, and so many others. Their cheers did a lot to stir me on.

Mark rejoined me within 2 miles of the finish, and Robert also hopped in. Robert was looking spry (fresh of an incredible 2:47 in Berlin a few weeks before) and he urged me in vain to speed up. I picked it up slightly until I let out a dry heave and then I just put it on cruise control to the end. After climbing Roosevelt and turning onto Columbus I heard Mike and Brian yelling for me and I tried to give them a wave.

After the Finish
A I walked through the finishers chute a few tears began to fall. When I finish a 5k I am always filled with rage. Pushing myself for 17 minutes makes me want to punch small children. But, the endurance battle of the marathon brings on two things. The desire to throw up... and also an incredible happiness that results in tears. There was so much in those tears besides salt. I wish I could describe everything on here, but I feel like my poor writing ability wouldn't do it justice. I saw Jason and Verdo as I walked out and got the news that J had run 2:39:47 (good for 99th) and Verdo (pictured with me after the race at the CARA tent ran a 2:40 (102nd).

There were so many amazing performances by friends of mine at the race I could go on and on. But, this is a pretty self-indulgent blog (could anything be less a oxymoron?). Ashley (pictured with me before and after the race) and I found one another after the race and she brought good news. She ran a 3:20. This was a 17-minute pr. This came as no surprise to me, as I have the huge pleasure of getting to run with her pretty often. She seemed to be running well, and whenever friends told me they saw her running at other events, they always reported that she looked strong.

Team Tiara
I am proud to say that I raised $558 for Girls on the Run. But, I feel a little silly saying that. As the people who should feel proud are those that contributed. A huge thanks goes out to:

Erica Agran, Phlip Kepler, Ashley Boyle, Betsy Armstrong, Carolyn Wrobel, Michael Swisher, Christy Wessel, Dan Maurer, Chuck Aron, David Carlson, Jason Gromski, Lynn Rogers, and Jim and Brenda McDowell

Sometimes I drink a beer and eat bad Mexican Food
After the race Phlip had several of us up to his place along Michigan Ave. We had a view of the last mile as thousands and thousands of people continued to finish. We also had a chance to celebrate at Stanley's later in the evening. Here are a few additional photos. Jason and some blondes and Mike, Paul and myself hamming it up.

Autumn, second in my hearth to June... oh June!
It's hard to believe that my work at CARA is done. But, having some time away from work has allowed for some great things. I'm working on a few interesting projects (making a little more money will help my move) I may talk about later. I am also running while everyone is stuck in their offices. I ran 8.5 miles today (not bad for two days after a marathon) at 7:15 pace and took a camera with me along the way. Chicago was truly beautiful today (see pictures for visual evidence). It was the absolute perfect day to run. Leaving here will be very hard. Jason is coming with me (as far as Vegas anyway) and we'll be leaving on 11/11. But don't worry, that will allow for me to run the last two 10k's on the CARA circuit.

Here is a short video I took on my run today. This is just south of the Waveland Clock Tower, at Belmont Harbor.

My life has certainly been a blessed one so far. I have much further to go.

Makin' Tracks on the way to the Quad Cities (C'mon ride the train.... choo choo train)

2008-09-30T14:30:00.006-05:00

On Saturday morning Ben, Phlip, Matt, Verdo and I all made the trip to Forest Park, no Lake Forest, no Park Forest, no Lake Park... or whatever the suburb is called that hosts the Makin' Tracks 5k circuit race. Virdo crushed us all at 16:25, which was good enough for 4th overall. Phlip managed a new pr at 17:49 which was impressive on a humid morning. I continued my tradition of losing the 1st spot in my age-group to a person whom I gave a ride to the race (Verdo).

Sunday morning Phlip, Michael, Verdo, Ken and myself all headed to the Quad Cities Marathon to surprise Paul as he ran. We met up with his fiance, and our friend Claudia at mile 11. Paul finished 2nd in his age group and ran a 3:05. Also, many of us took our first ever steps into Iowa. Iowa spelled backwards is AWoiESOME.

I like short shorts.

2008-09-18T23:03:00.002-05:00

Nike sent a 3 person crew to Chicago a few months ago to make this video. Its a little embarrassing. But... I'm posting it anyway.

Park Forest Scenic 5

2008-09-04T09:37:00.005-05:00

September started off with a bang as several of my teammates and I went to race in the Park Forest Scenic 5. The race had about 1,000 fewer people than last year as the switch from 10 miles to 5 made the long drive from Chicago less appealing.

I ran a 29:19 and finished 2nd in my age group. It wasn't a perfect race for me by any means, but it was nice to get the legs moving again in a race setting. The highlight was definitely the 5 lap swim we did after the race.

We also saw a very strange veteran's memorial that highlighted September 11th. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was the stupidest thing man has ever decided to make.

Oregon

2008-08-27T08:26:00.004-05:00

Ashley and I flew to Oregon last week. She ran in Hood to Coast and her team finished 5th in the Women's division. Meanwhile I spent time with her family in Portland and Pacific City.

The highlights included:

20 mile run in the west hills of Portland on Skyline Rd.

Surfing for the first time!

Painting Ms. Boyle's truck.

Shadow, the dog.

Riding in a convertible from Pacific City to Seaside and back. Beautiful coastal scenery.

The Nike employee store.

The beauty of Cape Kiwanda and the Ape of the Cape.

Thank You (Manifest Destiny)

2008-08-13T18:01:00.001-05:00

I'm blown away by all of the nice notes and comments I receive from people since it has been announced that I'm leaving CARA. Everyone has been very generous, and I can't thank you all enough.

Working for CARA has been a unique experience. The very best part about the job has been getting to know so many people from all aspects of the running community. I'm reminded of this every time I lace up my shoes and head out for a run. When I'm on the lakefront path on a Saturday morning run I feel like I know every third person that passes me by. The many shouts and hellos on these runs are a great motivator to continue to push myself faster. When I've been in the various communities surrounding Chicago for circuit races and other runs its always comofrting to know that I will see so many familiar faces. Considering I have only been in Chicago for a little over 2 years, it already feels in some ways like a small town.

There is one drawback to holding my job as Volunteer Coordinator. The guilt! The guilt is overwhelming. So many people (too many to count) have volunteered at my request to help with numerous projects all over this great city. I never feel as though I can do enough to say thanks. Sure, CARA rewards volunteers with shirts, parties, and other convieniences, and I'm glad that is the case. However, so many volunteers go beyond the call of duty, work at a moment's notice and as quickly as their work is done dissapear without seeking any notice. With that being said, I've never received any angry correspondence asking for more acknowledgement, so I must say that I appreciate that greatly. I'm impressed by the genuine good-will efforts so many of you have put in.

Many people have asked me what I'm going to do now that I'm leaving CARA. This is an excellent question! I'm asking myself that very question.

Odds are good that I will end up in San Diego or Portland, but that is not for certain. I'll be staying in touch via this blog should anyone be so curious as to see where I end up.

I do, however have two certain plans. I will be running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on 10/12 and the ING New York City Marathon on 11/2. I find this to be a very fitting way to leave. Chicago was the location of my first marathon (3:18 in '06) and I moved here specifically for the race (sounds crazy, but its true). And New York, if anything is a city that has built itself as the capital of the fresh start. It makes an excellent launching pad for me as I move on after the 26.2 mile journey is over.

I'm asking you one last favor before I go. I've paid my own way into both of these marathons, but I still wanted to use them as a chance to fundraise for two organizations with Chicago connections. I will be racing with Team Tiara (Girls on the Run) in Chicago and with Team World Vision in New York. You can read about both organizations and donate to the one of your choice if you so like in the links that I've provided. Even if you are unable to make a financial donation, please know that your support of my work at CARA is what has allowed me to be able to compete in these amazing events.

Keep up all of the running, volunteering, and spirit that makes Chicago one of the best running scenes in the world

-Dan

2008 Season in Review (Halfway Point)

2008-07-26T17:28:00.033-05:00

Today marked the end of my first phase of races for the 2008 season. My focus will now turn %100 (well... almost) towards my training for the Chicago Marathon. I'm a little behind where I'd like to be in that regard, but that's the price I have to pay for a few of my other goals this year.

In case you are wondering, those goals were 1.) to win my age group (25-29) in the CARA Circuit, and 2.) to participate in as many of the amazing races this area has to offer before I move. While the circuit is by no means locked up, I'm pretty confident I have achieved both of these goals.

While taking the time to list all of my races, I realize that my teammates who give me a hard time for racing too much are completely justified in doing so (The number one offender is pictured hands akimbo to the right. I think he watches too much ski-ball while drunk). I'm feeling very beat up right now, thus the slow performances of late (especially today). I'm hoping that I've left myself enough time to rest my body from racing, and instead increase my mileage to put in a good showing at the Chicago Marathon (and maybe NYC too, if I decide to treat that as more than a fun run).

ANYWAY... the whole point of listing the races was so that I could write down a few memories about each one before they fade to the back of my mind. Many of them have been special and I'm blessed to have stayed healthy enough to compete (so to speak) so much this year. So, without further ado, the list of races I've done this year, followed by notes and (maybe) pictures from each race.

3/16 March Madness Half Marathon - Cary, IL

4/13 Race That's Good For Life 5k - Oak Park, IL

4/21 Boston Marathon

5/3 Run to Remember 5k - Chicago, IL

5/10 50 Hecto 5k - Wheaton, IL

5/18 Healthbridge 5k - Crystal Lake, IL

5/24 Soldier Field 10 Miler - Chicago, IL

5/26 Elgin Valley Fox Trot 10 Miler - Elgin, IL

6/1 Run for the Roses - Roselle, IL

6/6, 6/7 - MC200(mi) Relay - Madison, WI, Milwaukee, WI, Chicago, IL

6/22 Downers Grove 5 Miler - Downers Grove, IL

6/28 Race for Young Life 5k - Palatine, IL

7/4 Elmhurst 4(mi) on the 4th - Elmhurst, IL

7/10 Bastille Day 5k - Chicago, IL

7/17 Run for the Kids 5k - Chicago, IL

7/26 Xtreme 10(mi) - Waterfall Glen, IL

Key
Race Name
Time (Pace per mile) (Place Overall/Total Finishers) (25-29 Age Group Place)

3/16 March Madness Half Marathon - Cary, IL
1:21:59 (6:15) (25/992) (2nd)

I qualified for the New York City Marathon at this race with the help of some great teammates. I needed to run faster than 1:22:59 on this very hilly course to automatically qualify and I was able to do so relatively easily. Phlip, Mike, Robert, Paul, and Mark, were great to run with. We stuck together for the first 6 or 7 miles. Mike pulled me solo for a few miles, and shared his gu with me when I dropped mine. We burped at the same time as we ran down a hill and made light of our incestuous dating situation which made for some good male-bonding. He then effortlessly left me behind in the last few miles (which I've witnessed several times this year, he's an amazingly strong runner). This was my first major experience with teamwork in a running setting during a race, and it made me appreciate the relationships I made with these guys over the winter (and some before that) even more.

4/13 Race That's Good For Life 5k - Oak Park, IL
17:16 (5:33) (25/754) (8)

This was the first race in the 2008 CARA Circuit. This was a good chance to shakedown the legs one week before Boston. After the race, Ben, Jason, Robert, and myself went to brunch. All three had won awards (little plaques) at the race. I was the only one who didn't win one. They teased me all morning. When the waiter brought coffee they all spoke up to let him know that they didn't need a saucer, but that I did. They all placed their cups on the plaques. Priceless. Chad Marek took some great photos at the finish.

Robert breaking 17 minutes, Great hair, Matt looking good:

And here is a picture of the start from the Oak Park Newspaper. I'm somewhere on the right. Marathon Olympic Trialist Greg Costello is seen in yellow.

4/21 Boston Marathon
2:55:31 (6:41) (748/21,963) (539)

I set a PR for the marathon at Boston and encountered Lance Armstrong. You can read more about it here.

5/3 Run to Remember 5k - Chicago, IL
17:42 (5:41) (9/800) (4)

This was a very windy and dificult race with lots of abrupt corners. There was a strong wind from the south that we faced from 1.5 miles on. I darted in between Ken Herrmann and Greg Vande Kroll in the very last stretch to out kick them for ninth. They've both had nice seasons so it felt good to beat them (although I can't touch Greg these days as he's found another gear it seems). Robert, Paul, Phlip, Jason and I all enjoyed brunch afterwards.

5/10 50 Hecto 5k - Wheaton, IL
17:28 (5:39) (8/114) (1)

This was by far the smallest race I've run in all year. I ran neck and neck with Sam Cortez for most of the course and edged him out in the end. Ken Herrmann got his revenge by pulling away from me in the last half-mile to beat me by 5 seconds. The three of us began to see a lot of eachother over the next few races. Tiffany Carson rode out to the race with me in the car and we both won our age group. Here's a picture from the start line:

5/18 Healthbridge 5k - Crystal Lake, IL
17:17 (5:33) (7/396) (3)

What a fun race morning this was. Drove with Ashley, Matt, and Jason and had some really fun discussions. Ashley finished second in the women's race and Jason finished third in the men's which was impressive. I was cruising with Sam and Kenny again. I made my move at about 2.75 and they were not able to stay with me. I regret waiting so long as I had a lot of kick left and I think I could have reeled in one more runner to pick up 6th. Here is a photo of Jason pointing to yet another triumph over me.

5/24 Soldier Field 10 Miler - Chicago, IL
1:00:28 (6:03) (33/6045) (15)

I was a little disappointed not to break the one hour mark, especially when I passed my coach with about a quarter mile and he yelled for me to kick the people in front of me. As I picked it up I realized I had more left in the tank than I should have. But, I still had to be happy with taking a large chunk off of my time from the course the previous year (I ran a 1:05:21 in '07). Michael ran a very nice race. He didn't pass me until we were past the 5 mile mark and he ran a beautiful negative split to easily clear the 60 minute mark.

5/26 Elgin Valley Fox Trot 10 Miler - Elgin, IL
1:05:35 (6:33) (39/685) (5)

This marked my second 10 mile race of the three-day weekend and I was cooked. I started off with a little kick, but it was clear early on that I didn't have the legs for the hot sun or the hard hills. But, I managed to pick up 10 age group points and enjoy the beauty and challenge of the massive hill around mile 7. Any early morning driving with Ashley to a race is fun, even when I'm slow as dirt. Ken and Sam handled me easily.

6/1 Run for the Roses (5k) - Roselle, IL
18:18 (5:53) (21/579) (1)

Roselle started off beautifully. Matt and I got off the ground rolling and I cruised through the first mile feeling I could easily break 17 minutes which was my goal for this fast course. Unfortunately we were lead off course and I couldn't recover. I still managed to turn around and fight it out for the first overall age group decision, but this is a day that will live in relative infamy.

6/6, 6/7 - MC200(mi) Relay - Madison, WI, Milwaukee, WI, Chicago, IL
21:31:40 (6:27) (1/107)

This was by far the highlight of the 2008 season. Read more here!

6/22 Downers Grove 5 Miler - Downers Grove, IL
29:15 (5:51) (13/310) (2)

Matt, Jason, Ashley, and I jaunted out to the burbs. I was a little off and unable to hold onto Sam. But, I was glad to pick up 14 circuit points for the 2nd place age group finish and we all had a good time together modeling our age group award medals. Once again I gave Jason a ride to the race only for him to kick my ass and take points from me. After the race as seen here (Jason, Matt and half of Ashley):

6/28 Race for Young Life 5k - Palatine, IL
17:23 (5:35) (11/257) (1)

This is a race I'll remember more for the drive than the actual race. Went with Hutton, Matt, and Ben G. My car overheated about 4 times and we had to constantly replace fluid in the engine. We made it to the race just in time for me to win my age group and pad my CARA standings lead.

7/4 Elmhurst 4(mi) on the 4th - Elmhurst, IL

22:53 (5:43) (28/801) (4)

Ken had an awesome race here as he ran with a monster negative split to take me at the line. He's been a very evenly matched competitor for me. The highlight of the race came inside the first mile when Katie McGregor (one week removed from running in the US olympic track trials at Heyward Field in Oregon) blew past me on her way to a commanding victory. It was neat to see so many happy people at a well run race.

7/10 Bastille Day 5k - Chicago, IL

17:14 (5:32) (17/2675) (9)

This was a really fun night with lots of teammates competing in the west loop right next to my office. I had a lot left in the tank at the finish as I was disappointed to once again fall short of breaking 17 minutes. However, I'll take a PR whenever I can get one, and this was a 2 second PR. Verdo really began to show his legs on this night, and he hasn't looked back since. Phlip, Jason and I finished a very close second in the team competition running under the fake team name of Johannesburg South Africa Track Club. (Me, Phlip, Jason)

7/17 Run for the Kids 5k - Chicago, IL

17:58 (5:46) (14/1129) (3)

Just stretching out the legs at this one while running with the Road Scholars (photos). I won some Puma Socks for the 3rd place finish.

7/26 Xtreme 10(mi) - Waterfall Glen, IL

1:09:11 (6:55) (65/652) (5)

This race was a disaster. Although I enjoyed Mark Dolgin's company and he picked up an impressive third.

That's it for now. For the next month or so I should be laying off races as I try to regain my form from earlier this season in time for the Chicago Marathon on October 12th.

Electric Boogaloo: MC200 Overall Champions

2008-06-08T20:12:00.023-05:00

This weekend I competed in the MC200 relay race. It was an absolute blast.

The 200mile race begins in Madison, WI, travels east to Milwaukee, and then heads south to Chicago. The course is divided into 36 legs and teams are allowed to have up to 12 members. Runners on a team must stay in the same order through-out the race. Teams are given maps of the entire course along with directions. The course is marked (but sometimes difficult to follow, especially at night) and there are HAM radio operators that monitor checkpoints between each leg.

The approximately 120 competing teams use a staggered start based on their predicted finishing time. This means the slower teams started early on Friday (7am), average teams started throughout the day, and the last wave started at 4pm. We were a part of 8 teams that started in the last leg. We had two goals. First, and most important was to win the overall competition with the fastest net-time, and the second was to pass every single team in the race (even those starting at 7 am).

Our team, Electric Boogaloo, was composed of 9 runners, 1 bad-ass driver, 1 bad-ass 12 passenger van, and one sissy Chevrolet HHR. This meant we each ran 4 legs (with total mileage ranging from 19-27 miles each) from start to finish. We are all pretty similar in ability, but we matched our toughest legs with our strongest runners. Here's a look at our team.

Arik Anderson - Showed up wearing a leisure suit and purposely let every team beat him off the starting line so we could have the possibility of saying we passed every team. World-Class Ass-Slapper.

Lance Caldwell - Representing Running Away he proved to each of us that Martineau has friends away from Fleet Feet.

Ken Fandel (on right, in blue) - An amazing photographer, artist and teacher at the Art Institute who can also run with the best of them. He took almost every photo you are looking at.

Ben Geletka - Ricky Bobby couldn't hold his jock when it comes to driving. Ben stayed behind the wheel for over 27 hours without a nap. He also happens to be a great runner.

Phlip Kepler (driver's side) - It's hard to find this father not smiling. He sometimes dispenses some really sage advice, but that usually comes out in the middle of about 19 jokes that he's simultaneously telling. He enjoys trying to give tool booth operators the wrong amount of change.

Mike Martineau - One of the monsters on our team who churned out really fast miles in high heat on at least two of his legs. One of the lawyers on R Kelly's defense team.

Dan McDowell - I ate a lot of beef jerky.

Jason Ream - Our anchor. A real speed demon that humors me by running by my side now and then. Poster boy for the Cleveland Marathon.

Robert Wiegand - Famed instructor of Rabbit Abs. Friend of Jimmy John. Fast. Not related to Charles.

Chris Woods - The number 1 ranked Hi-Guy impersonator in all of Chicago. A model of speed and efficiency.

At the end of the first leg Arik rolled in about 20 seconds after the leader. He handed the slap bracelet (instead of a baton) to me and I began to chase. The first legs were in the city of Madison and had a lot of turns and busy street crossings. I was so nervous about getting lost that I ran with a map folded up in my hand. The heat and sun got to me and I felt slow. I suffered as I watched the lead open up in front of me.

After reaching the end of my first run I handed off to Robert. As we drove in the van to the next checkpoint was watch Robert obliterate the leading team's man. He caught him very quickly and left him baking in the hot sun. Our teams would continue to trade the lead for the next few legs. However, by the time we had gone through one cycle of our runners we had built a substantial lead. The main team we were racing against had 11 runners. We knew (or were almost certain) this meant that they had their 3 fastest runners going first, as they would be doing 4 legs while the others only did 3.

Nightfall brought great relief as temperatures dropped and running became a lot more comfortable (minus the bugs). During our second cycle through our roster we began to catch teams from earlier starting times. All runners during the night must wear head lamps, glowing vests, and blinking back lights. It makes for a goofy looking spectacle.

My second leg was perfectly straight. It ran along a railway that had been converted to a trail. The scenery was completely rural as I saw no artificial light save for the one on my head. I felt much faster than in my first leg and not worrying about taking a wrong turn made for a very pleasant experience. I ran through some thick tree cover and occasionally ran over some long wooden bridges that covered vast boggy openings. It was a beautiful night with lots of visibility. I saw my first roadkill ahead in the distance and enjoyed closing the gap with each step as I went in for the kill. By the time I handed off to Robert I was positive I had made the right decision in being a part of the race.

Our lead continued to grow throughout the night. There was no way to be sure how big it was. The only way we could measure it was to see how long after our vehicles reached a transition area it would take for our opponent's wheels to arrive. Eventually we were packing up our arriving runner, and heading off to the next transition before the 2nd place team's car even arrived. We knew this was a great psychological advantage.

By the time my third leg arrived it was around 3 a.m. The map called for a 7+ mile jaunt through southern Milwaukee. At this point we were surrounded by a majority of the teams in the race. Most of which had started at least 4 hours before us. If my memory serves me correctly I passed 11 teams along the route. The speed came easy despite the weird hour and location. Running in the middle of a random city street in darkness and calm air gave me an odd adrenaline rush. I could see many slower runners lined up ahead of me, their blinking lights a beacon for my carnivorous desire to pass. A few times during the leg the huge white whale driven by Ben and covered in our decoration rolled by to deliver water and gatorade. The hooting and hollering from inside the van made it easy to roll the legs even faster. A few of my miles were clocked under 6 minutes (which wouldn't normally be something to write home about, but at that hour after being up for almost 24 hours I was extremely happy).

As the sun rose our entire team seemed to be feeling pretty tired. But, the view along lake Michigan in southern Wisconsin was pretty spectacular. Some of us laid sleeping bags out on the ground and tried to catch a little sleep. Meanwhile, Ben continued to drive, navigate, and cheer us on as if it was the easiest job in the world. By this time the van almost always had someone taking a nap in it. The doors were also covered in tally marks as we kept record of every team we passed.

Lost in my recap of this event is the fact that Chris, Mike, Robert and Jason were all really flying. Without a doubt, they were the reason we were turning this race into a blowout. As we cycled through our last legs, Chris had a 8+ miler that put him in some high heat. There were still 3 teams ahead of us from the earlier start times. We hoped he could wrangle one of them is as we wanted to be the very first team across the line at Montrose Beach in Chicago. We had seen no sight of them as Chris left on his run. But, by the time he made it to the end of his leg, they were all left in the dust, wondering what the blur was that had blazed past.

In the last few legs we had managed to piss off a lot of teams. Lots of teams and their fans were waiting quietly in a park for the teams to begin arriving. Ken's Dad even greeted us and watched Ken take his turn. Who were those loud, cocky, sprinters waking us from our naps as they flew through the transition station? Electric Boogaloo, duh! And let 'em know who it is with a little extra honk of the horn big Ben!

By the time we all reached Evanston the beginning of our final leg I was running on empty. All I wanted to was to sleep in my bed. But, for Jason, he still needed to keep himself loose and ready for the final run. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Arik had been done for hours and had to keep himself awake while he waited for everyone to get done. He did so in spectacular fashion with lots of cheering and grab ass.

After Jason raced off to cover the last miles we raced in the two cars along Lakeshore Drive to try to beat him to the finish. We managed to find parking spots and then all gathered 50 meters before the finish line. We ran across the line together and began to celebrate with friends, family, beer, and laughter. It was great to see Ashley again as she met up with me just after we crossed the line. Robert somehow managed to fall on an orange cone as we crossed the line which was quite the contrast to his incredible speed in the first leg. Phlip came through as he always does with some excellent Bell's hand delivered by his Wife all the way from Michigan. Lance's wife gave me an incredibly nice lift back to Logan Square where I managed to nap for a while before the after party at Emmit's later that night.

In the end, we won by over an hour and 13 minutes, passed every team in the race, and had a great time the entire way. I can't say enough about how well everyone got along and how many times we all had to laugh at the fun and absurdity of what were doing. Dong ask. Dong tell.

I run with my mouth wide, wide open.

2008-05-11T00:38:00.014-05:00

Why do I run?

Because I have no short answer to this question, I direct you to Dave Eggers' You Shall Know Our Velocity. Below, you will find a ten page excerpt from the book that I find to be quite fantastic. In a roundabout way I feel as though it offers some insight to the reasons I enjoy running. It is from this book that the name of this blog was derived.

Its a shame that some runners don't know about the nomadic Jumping People who were indigenous to Chile, weighed as much as mountains, and were convinced a bird's mouth was more important to its flight than its wings.*

* This group may or may not be fabricated by Mr. Eggers.

Boston Marathon Bullets and Photos

2008-05-01T15:51:00.000-05:00

I ran the first 5 or 6 miles with my friend Verdo until stomach troubles forced him to make a few stops. This was my first marathon running with others that I knew. It made it very peaceful.
During the first few miles of downhill we passed Lance Armstrong like he was standing still. He had a huge crew of runners around him and I had a feeling it might have been a good move to slow down and run at his pace.
The women of Welsley College are incredible, although I wish I would have been running slower like my friend Phlip so I could have enjoyed them even more. There is a picture of Phlip below that was printed in one of the Boston newspapers.
As I covered the route I kept hearing updates that Lance was farther behind me. At one point it seemed he was 3 or 4 minutes behind.
As I began to slow in the hills I could hear a growing roar behind me. On the middle of heartbreak hill Lance came right by me. He stood shoulder to shoulder with me and passed me with a strong, ungraceful yet powerful stride. Having watched Lance ride on so many famous hills in the tour for many years it seemed fitting to watch him blow by me here. Although I must admit that I never dreamed I'd be racing with him in any capacity. It was one of those moments that I kept telling myself to remember for the rest of my life. You may be able to see it here.
I slowed a bit over the last few miles and could feel my muscles cramp once in a while, but luckily nothing ever shut down. This race is, as many have said, the perfect set-up. The beginning makes you feel so fresh, but the ups and downs at the end thrash your legs by the time you are anywhere near the Citgo sign.
Seeing Paul and Claudia near the finish line cheering for me really pumped me up. Especially the day after watching Claudia run a great race at the olympic trials.
Staying with Brian and Laura in Cambridge was great. Harvard is a beautiful place and I'm glad Boston is not on a grid.
There is a reason I don't drink very often. I think Monday night proved that pretty well. I had a blast with Phlip, Arik, Cari, Tiffany, Mike, and Carolyn anyway.
I hope to do this race many times again in the future.
Even with my significant pace drop at the end I still managed to run a 2:55 and I can be happy with that. But, here's hoping I'll be much faster in the near future.
When I arrived home and was taking the el from midway I found a copy of the Tribune sports section. To my surprise, my name was listed as one of the top Illinois finishers in the Boston Marathon.
My image appeared in both the Herald and Globe. I'm in the upper left under the large 21,963.
My pointer toe on my right foot had a nice little berry on it when I was done.