Ear Candy

Things have been busy at work lately. The nice thing about my job is that I generally work alone and can put on the ole headphones and rock out whilst drawing a paycheck. I'll zone out working away and, next thing I know, the album has recycled three times and it's lunch time. Good deal.

With the marathon approaching, I'm overdue on loading my MP3 up with new tunes. Of course, I won't be wearing my MP3 during the race. That would be against the rules. And I'm all about rules.

So, if I theoretically were to bring my MP3 along for 26.2, here's what I might listen to:

Icky Thump by The White Stripes

I've been rocking out to this recently. Some good stuff on here for those for the taste for something, er, different.

Minutes to Midnight by Linkin Park

This is a good album. At first, I thought it was of lesser quality than their two previous efforts but, after repeated listenings, I'm into it. Just a bit poppier (look at that, I just made up a word) than the last two.

I'll mix some of these songs in - with Springsteen's new album coming out next week - along with my traditional standbys (more Springsteen, some AC/DC, Green Day, more Linkin Park,The Killers, etc) and, viola, a nice, happy run it makes.

Last year, I wore my ear buds the entire way at the Chicago Marathon but never once turned my MP3 on. The same may happen this time. But I'll at least be prepared for those long, never ending miles past the half way point when the crowds grow sparse.

Question for my few readers: Has anyone successfully used their Garmin, or other like device, during the Chicago Marathon? I've heard it said that you cannot get a signal during this event for some fairly obvious (and tall) reasons. Just wanted to confirm this with anyone who has first hand knowledge.

Happy taper trails.

Checking My List; Checking It Twice

Or, Life as an Anal Retentive.

I admit to slavishly following routine. Typically, I'm very organized, write lots of lists, and keep to my schedule. That doesn't mean I'm really uptight though. In fact, most people who know me describe me as very laid back. There has always been this dichotomy lurking within. To the outside world, I'm an easy going guy always up for doing something fun (rather than work). On the inside, I'm quietly counting every penny spent, meticulously planning my upcoming days - nay, hours - and fretting over last minute changes to my schedule.

When it comes to planning trips, er races, I usually mull over the slightest details constantly. I've checked my hotel reservations at least 3 times. Yep, still reserved. Go figure. I'll probably check a few more times also.

I've had internal debates about whether or not I should wear those shorts on today's run. Those are my race shorts and I want them clean for the marathon. Yeah, I know I have 2 weeks to wash them but maybe, just maybe....well, I'd hate for them not to be ready.

Did you know the weather constantly changes in the Midwest? I do. I've grown up here. However, that doesn't stop me from checking the weather channel constantly to see what might be happening in the Chicago area on October 7th.

I pretty much know to the second when we'll be hoping in the car to drive over. And when we'll be at the registration expo.

And my 13 miles this weekend? Despite the cold that prevented me from breathing most of the night and despite the Vicks vapor rub odor permeating the air within 3 feet of me, there I was getting those miles in. The schedule said to do them so there I was.

All of this may seem like a drag to others but, for me, it's somehow fun. There's probably some sort of psychological Need for Control thing going on here (I am the youngest of three brothers). I've given up trying to fight it. Embrace it! Revel in it! Quietly.

Happy trails.

2007 Chicago Marathon Goals

I've held off declaring any goals for this race because, frankly, I haven't been driving towards any in particular. Normally I decide pretty early in the training cycle that I want to go after a certain time or pace and then work towards that. My original intention going into 2007 was that this would be the race in which I would be attempting to qualify for Boston. Instead, after a stronger than expected training period into the run up to the Bayshore Marathon in May, I was able to accomplish that main goal one marathon early. So, as a result, I haven't been overly driven to achieve any particular goal this time around.

I've enjoyed the training this summer. I continue to get excited as a marathon approaches. I'm looking forward to running my next few for pure enjoyment rather than a time goal. I'm sure next year I'll raise the bar a bit and set a new time goal which will have me sweating and fretting again. For now, I'm just going to have some fun at Chicago 2007.

That being said, I did want to comment a bit on my summer of training. As I mentioned, it has been enjoyable but it has also been the most painful training period to date. I've had nagging heel and ankle soreness as well as a near debilitating right leg muscle soreness that has plagued me over the last few months. I pressed on (though I probably could have benefited from a week or so off) and feel pretty strong and ache-free - just in time - as the taper begins.

I've wondered why these various aches and pains have suddenly arisen during this 3rd marathon training session. Likely culprits? (1) A culmination of 1 1/2 years of straight training (2) Lack of focus on pre/post run stretching. This is an area I need to improve on going forward. (3) The introduction of some trail running which unexpectedly beat the crap out of me. My lingering ankle pain is a direct result of this type of training.

I don't have any regrets. You live, you learn. Certainly, I've been luckier than some friends of mine who have been sidelined for long periods of time smack dab in the middle of their training cycle. So, no complaints here. It's part of the process right? It's supposed to beat you up a bit.

So, as far as goals, here they are in all their mundane glory:

1) Have fun.

I know. Kinda silly and generic. I always have fun at my races. This time, I really want to enjoy the experience free from the overwhelming anxiety I get pre-race. I think not having a HUGE ALL IMPORTANT time goal will help alleviate much of this distracting, nervous energy. This won't be my first marathon. This won't be my end all, be all Boston qualifying attempt. So, I think I'll be able to relax a bit and really take in the experience. I'm not sure when I'll run Chicago again so I want to soak it in this time.

2) Beat 3:16

Why not get another BQ in the back pocket for 2009 in case it's needed? I think this is very doable depending on the normal things like weather, injury, etc.

3) Beat 3:12:19

And set a new PR. Frankly, I don't think this is in the cards. I expect to come in somewhere between goal #3 and goal #2 time-wise. But never say never. Chicago is the windy city. Maybe it'll be at my back the whole time right? I'm going to try a different strategy for this marathon just for the learning experience which may impact my ability to set a PR. Instead of going out strong, hitting 7:05 miles and then holding on at the end as I chase my goal (as I did for Bayshore), I'm going to stick close to 7:20 miles for the first half marathon, try to bump that up a bit to 7:15 miles for the next 5 miles or so. I'm trying to maintain more endurance for the dangerous post 20 mile zone where I normally start bleeding seconds like a madman. While working out this new strategy, I think a PR my not be possible and I'm completely comfortable with that.

That's it as far as goals.

I hope to be reading everyone elses in the coming days.

Happy trails.

I Lied

My next post (this post) isn't going to be my Chicago Marathon goals.

I feel the need to comment separately on my last 20+ mile training run. Twenty miles is still an unusual and significant event that I can't let it go by without mention.

So, here goes...

As mentioned previously, my right knee and leg muscles have been complaining a bit lately. Enough, in fact, where I would report it on my personal pain/annoyance/concern scale at 3 of 5 (5 high). It had my attention.

I think I found the source...and the cure.

New shoes.

Funny how having a little bit more padding and stability in my shoes can make such a big difference. I felt I could squeak out another 50-60 miles out of my old shoes to get me through the last 20 miler this past weekend before starting the break in of my race shoes during the taper. It didn't work that way. I had to break them in early. The legs needed it.

Here's how I know the issue is with my shoes.

During the previous Saturday's 16 miler, I started experiencing sharp right leg muscle pain that almost caused my leg to lock up on me. In fact, I had to walk a bit to loosen it up after I stopped for my last water/GU break. This was on the heels of the pain developing during my Higgins Lake trail training run two weeks ago.

During the week, my 6 miler in new shoes went fine. No pain.

My 9 miler, in old shoes, left me back in pain again.

I was still a bit sore (and concerned) going into Saturday's scheduled 20 miler. I started out with a bit of pain. In fact, it slowly got worse during the first 5-6 miles. I stopped for a water/Gu break and, afterwards like magic, no more pain. I completed 21.0 miles and barely felt sore afterwards. I was wearing my new shoes.

I'll still be proactive by icing down a bit and elevating but I'm reasonably confident that my shoes were the source of the problem. In fact, almost every time I start getting leg muscle pain, the shoes are the problem. Time to stop trying to squeak a few more miles out of those old kicks!

21.0 miles

2:34:27 time

7:24 pace

I looked back at my last LR before Bayshore in May and I ran the exact same distance in 2:34:50. Based on this, I'm reasonably certain I'm still in the same shape as I was for my last marathon despite the fact that I dramatically reduced my speed training this summer. I'm happy about that!

Also, I did make it into the book store this weekend. I decided on Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. I can already taste the words dripping with satire. Mmmmm. Brain candy!

Glad to see people are still reading Faulkner and, well, just reading. Seems like a lost art these days.

One complaint: Why can't you find Sinclair Lewis' (pictured) work in your typical book store, they might have one or two but never his entire selection. He's the first American winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Get with the program people!

Happy trails.

Egads, Time Flies!

Is it Friday already?

Is it taper time already?

Is it Fall already?

This summer sure has flown by. I can't believe I'm looking at another last, big long run before the marathon. This time: Chicago.

I've been dealing with some slight discomfort and swelling on the outside of my right knee and a bit of pain in the right groin area. It starts aching a bit around 5-6 miles in and sometimes bothers me the next day. Illotial Band anyone? I'm hoping to knock this LR out this weekend and then employ some liberal R.I.C.E treatment for 2 weeks. I suspect I've worn my shoes a bit too long and they aren't giving me the cushioning/support I need. I always start to get various aches and pains when my shoes break down (and I'm tardy in replacing them). I have another set already being broken in for the marathon itself. I'll just slide them into the rotation a week or so early and see if that helps. No biggie.

This weekend, I'm planning a 21 miler. I may need to run without the MP3 as mine is hosed. Curse the new Windows Vista! Every time I need to recharge, Vista starts messing with my MP3 one way or another. I think it may have finally screwed it up beyond repair. I'll be performing an emergency resuscitation procedure on it this evening.

Last night, I knocked off 9.7 miles @ 7:16 pace.

Quickie Book Review:

Finished Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild about confused, adventure seeking Chris McCandless and his two year odyssey living a meager life through the Western United States before his starved body was found in an abandoned bus in Alaska.

You can't help but feel for the young man, a bit misguidedly consumed in a search for a meaningful existence. Like in Into thin Air, Krakauer does a fine job delivering the facts -wrapped in speculation and emotion - in nice bite size, easy to swallow pieces. A very interesting read. Especially if you have a bit of wanderlust lurking in your own heart.

Also, I've removed Team of Rivals from my current reading list. I got a bit into but, frankly, found it extremely dry and bit to detailed. I love history. I love details. However, the 3 non-Lincoln characters examined in the book (Seward, Chase and Bates) were described so similarly that I had a difficult time keeping their identities distinct. It was a bit frustrating. I know the book has won rave reviews but, for me, it didn't spark. Perhaps I'll come back to it one day and really enjoy it. This happened before with Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. I became so frustrated with the confused, first person narrative of the retarded Compson boy that I set the book aside only to return to it years later, finish it, and immediately place it on my personal Favorite Books list.

Next post: Official 2007 Chicago Marathon goals.

Let's see how this long run goes first!!

Good luck, fellow Chicago runners, knocking out this last LR.

Happy trails.

What's the Difference?

So, trail running versus road running. There really isn't much difference is there?

At the base level, not much. Running, sweating, hydration, fatigue. They all come into play on the trail as much as the open road (or sidewalk as the case may be).

I have tons more experience running on a flat, paved surface than a sandy, root filled trail. However, I have completed a few trail runs this year (one race, two training runs) and there are a couple of things that have jumped out at me, both literally and figuratively, that is different.

Intensity. A good trail (defined here as containing slopes, loose sand, low hanging branches and high arching roots and maybe a river or two to cross) demands much more total and immediate concentration. You simply cannot lapse into that "runner's coma" like you might during a long road run in familiar territory. The moment you start thinking about Aunt Petunia's apple pie is the moment you get lashed across the face with a low hanging branch or step on a sand colored rock twisting your ankle. You must concentrate. And you must do this from start to finish. You don't realize how much effort it takes to focus on each foot fall until after you're a couple miles in and fatigue starts affecting you as much mentally as physically.

Conditioning. It's a lot of work weaving through a forest trail and over terrain in which your foot slips a bit on each step. This seems obvious but it did catch me by surprise. I run marathons, right? How hard could 10 mile trail runs be? Answer: Pretty exhausting. There are a bunch more muscles that come into play to stabilize your knees and ankles as you bounce across the uneven trail to basically keep you upright. Count me as someone a bit naive to this. I nearly collapsed my left ankle about a dozen times during the 10 mile race I did. I just wasn't used to the need to balance while running. I'm currently paying the price for this lack of strength in my stabilizer muscles. My left ankle muscles (ligaments?) have been sore for 4 weeks. The outer edge of my right knee is sore since the Higgins Lake trail over a week ago. So much so that I still have a slight limp during regular walking this week. I'm finding it hard to keep up playing soccer and basketball with my kids in the yard as the side to side motion is killing me. Thank God Chicago is flat...and paved.

Fun. Though it's a bit more grueling, I've really enjoyed the few trails I've ran and hope to do more. I'm currently scouting for a pair of good trail shoes. It's fun to become "lost" in the trees hearing no one ahead or behind you, wondering where the trail ends, only to emerge into a open field and parking lot. There's always a new challenge around each bend....loose sand, a rock strewn path, an unexpected hill. It keeps you on your toes. There is a feeling of accomplishment when you've completed a difficult trail run.

Plus, it's just a nice change of pace if regular road running has grown a bit routine. Try it!

Happy trails.

Roosevelt's Tree Army

Summer is coming to an end. The kids are in school. Football is starting. This is a great time of the year. I love the fall except for one thing: it leads to winter. My least favorite time of the year.

This past weekend, summer came to a close for us with a camping trip to North Higgins Lake State Park in Roscommon, MI. Decent campground with a beautiful lake and beach. Alas, no pictures to accompany this post as the family and I enjoyed the beach without a camera tagging along.

I managed a 14 mile long run on Sunday. The first 7 miles were off road through the Civilian Conservation Corps trail. Again, I found the trail portion of the run a lot more challenging than expected. Loose sand, small hills, roots, twists, turns....I flashed back to the The Legend trail run I did a few weeks ago. I was very happy to emerge from the trail and return to the nice, flat campground. Don't get me wrong, trail running is a lot of fun. It's just a lot more physically demanding - much more than I wanted to get into for a weekend long run. A few more miles along the beach and through the campground and 14 miles done! Two more LONG, long runs to go for this marathon training session!

A word about the CCC Museum from which the off road trail began. There is a museum dedicated to the roughly 100,000 folks that made up "Roosevelt's Tree Army" in the 1930's until the advent of WWII revitalizing Michigan's natural beauty. I got to thinking about the power of collective effort in our Me First society. Now, I'm no socialist. I believe strongly in the rights of individuals to pursue their own personal ambitions and wealth (as long as it doesn't trample on others). I think this benefits society on the whole. However, this is not absolute. There is room for us to band together collectively and create something for the benefit of the whole...whether it be building national highways, revitalizing our park system, creating a social security safety net, or - maybe one day - health insurance for all. These ideas didn't seem so extreme decades ago. Before the days of the Red Menace and Rambo films. Before hyper capitalism. During my time on the CCC trail, I wondered if a politician could get away with creating a 100,000 person corps to PLANT TREES in this day and age. I think not. They would be labeled the worst kind of government fat cat, spending tax payer money, tree hugger.

All I know is that I enjoyed my time on their trail. I'm glad it was there for me and others. If it cost someone a few tax dollars to create it, well, so be it. Thanks. It was worth it.

Anyhow, I had no intention of going off on a rant.

I feel a post coming on soon on the differences between trail and road running. It is significantly different to warrant its own discussion.

Also, I need to finalize and make official my 2007 Chicago Marathon goals. I hope to do that soon.

Happy trails.

Overreact Much?

Sometimes I wonder if maybe the terrorists haven't "won" after all.

Here's a story, a couple days old, of a running club in Connecticut busted for putting a white powder trail marking down on the ground for its members to follow. Does the reaction seem a bit much? Do you think someone might have put 2 and 2 together on this before sending in the National Guard???

Much Ado About Nothing

Man, I'm going to be more careful about where/how/when I eat a powdered sugar donut next time. I'd hate to be thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and tossed into a squad car because I dared to make a stop at Dunkin' Donut near a Nervous Nellie onlooker.

In other news...

Lansing has caught its serial killer! Apparently there had been one stalking the streets but the public only became aware of it after the 4th murder. I guess what we don't know can't hurt us?

Serial Killer Caught!

To celebrate, I went for an evening run last night after sundown. I'm not going to lie to you, I was going a bit faster than normal. What if they got the wrong guy, right?

8.75 miles
1:02:01
7:05 pace

It put a little giddy-up in my stride. Spooky stuff.

Time to head to the bathroom where I'll be taking great care NOT to do any toe tapping. Geesh, I think back to all those times where I sat there humming a little tune unknowingly tapping my foot. What people must have thought!

Wow, what a world!

This weekend: Camping @ Higgins Lake, Michigan. 15 miles on a nature trail path. Should be fun.

That completes the week in odd news.

Happy trails.

My Running List

So waaay back last spring when I finally decided to attempt a marathon, I, of course, went overboard and immediately jotted down a list of marathons I'd like to do in the future. Keep in mind, I hadn't actually completed the first one. Or trained for it. Or knew if I would even enjoy it. Knowing myself like I do, I figured everything would go well and I'd have so much fun I'd want to do more. And I was right!

Every day at work, I open my desk drawer to grab my pen and deposit my car keys and the first thing I see (besides my kids pictures) is that list I jotted last year of marathons I hope to run some day. Now, it has a few check marks next to a couple of the ones completed.

Some on my list are logistically and financially doable - and will be done - within a few years. Others will be more of a challenge.

I think it would be a nice accomplishment to complete the 5 marathons comprising the World Marathon Majors (Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York) but I'm not sure how often I'll find myself in London or Berlin. And convincing the wife (and myself, for that matter) to spend hard earned money to fly to Europe - twice - just to run a marathon could be a difficult sell. Maybe, Maybe for London but Berlin? Not a chance.

Here's my list of marathons I definitely want to run. I'd be curious to see anyone else's Must Run list. If you are reading this, take a turn and post yours. We might all learn of some new, exciting races out there.

In no particular order:

1) Chicago Marathon (accomplished 10/06; again on 10/07/07)
2) Flying Pig Marathon (Cincinnati - gotta admit I find the name funny and the medal is cool.)
3) New York Marathon
4) Bayshore Marathon (accomplished 5/07; Traverse City, MI; my hometown;beautiful run.)
5) Walt Disney World Marathon (registered for 1/08)
6) Country Music Marathon (Nashville - a friend recommended it)
7) Honolulu Marathon (do I need to give a reason?)
8) Boston Marathon (scheduled for 4/08 when I register next week)
9) Detroit Marathon (probably doing this next fall)
10) London Marathon

Happy trails.

Feelin' Good 20

My original training plan called for three 20+ mile runs prior to Chicago but I think I'm only going to do two with the other being shortened to 18. That's just the way it's working out.

Yesterday was the first 20 miler and it went pretty good.

You'll recall that after my 18 miler nearly two weeks ago, I was a little down on myself for taking it a little lightly and struggling through the run. This time I prepared a bit better. I took in a good, high energy breakfast, stretched properly, and "psyched" myself up for the longer distance. With more attention to the pre-run preparation, the 20 miles went a lot smoother. I learned a good lesson which I'll benefit from going forward. You can't cut corners when taking on a run of this distance.

I'm also trying to teach myself to run slower at the beginning and fall into a slightly quicker pace after a couple mile warm-up. I've been busting out of the gate at marathon pace on every run lately. This is a bad habit I've developed and I'm trying hard to correct.

More than the previous two marathons, I've also noticed that it is taking me longer to get warmed up. Previously, I could fall into a run after just a 1/2 mile of warm up. Now, it seems like it takes 5-6 miles before my legs loosen up, heart rate stabilizes, and I'm feeling really good about my stride. Perhaps my body has adjusted to expect longer miles now after a year plus of marathon training. Or am I just fatigued from too much running? Interesting. I'll have to monitor this as the weeks roll by.

I was planning to hit a couple 5k races next year. I'll be curious to see how this elongated time to warm-up plays into shorter race distances. Maybe I'll need to run a few miles before the 5k?

20 miles
2:26:24 time
7:19 pace

Happy trails.

Eight Mackinac Miles

This past weekend, my family made the trek north to Mackinac Island (pronounced "mack-a-naw") for a couple days of tourist trap type fun before the kids go back to school. Mackinac Island is located just off the shore between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas and in the shadow of the Mackinac Bridge, for those of you unfamiliar with Michigan geography.

Mackinac Bridge

It's famous for fudge, horses, bikes, no cars allowed, the Grand Hotel, some of the tackiest gift shops imaginable and some beautiful and historic island scenery. If you go, explore the island's many trails and forget the downtown gift shop trash.

Fort Mackinac on the hill (view from ferry dock)

We stayed at the 150 year old Lake View Hotel on the west end of downtown. I've stayed there a few times now and it hasn't disappointed. A good base from which to launch island exploration.

View downtown from Fort Mackinac (Lake View Hotel arrowed)

There is a paved, flat 8 mile path that winds along the edge of the turtle shaped island. I've always wanted to run it. I've biked it numerous times (including again this visit with the kids). Tuesday morning, I finally got a chance to do it.

The alarm went off at 6:45 AM. It didn't take me much to get out of bed. I left the room as quietly as possible while the wife and kids slept.

It was already light by the time I took off. In hindsight, I should have arranged to start my run as dawn was breaking. I suspect that would have been spectacular.

I passed about 10 people along the way - about 4 runners, 2 cyclists, and 4 photographers - but the path was largely my own. Quiet. Birds singing their morning songs on my right; the wind and waves rushing ashore on my left.

British Landing. Arch Rock. Fort Mackinac. All came and went.


Back into town, I toyed with the idea of a second loop but knew we had other plans that morning. I circled back around, took one more look at the distant Mackinac Bridge, and re-entered my hotel to find my kids and wife still asleep.

I did the 8 miles in about an hour. I didn't have my watch or Garmin functioning to know for sure. I now realize I need to invest in a small, runner friendly camera in order to capture some of these images 'on the run' as they occur.

It was about as nice of a run as you'll ever experience. I can't wait to do it again.

Happy trails.

Time for a Reality Check

I have weekend plans that will prevent me from completing my 18 mile LR this Sunday. So, last night, I set out to knock them out a couple days early which lead to....a reality check.

Maybe it was the heat.
Maybe it was the after effects of Saturday's trail race.
Maybe it was just too much after a full day of work.

Or maybe it was something else.

Last evening's 18 mile run was about as tough of a training run as I've ever had. After 13 miles, my legs were dead. My hamstrings were throbbing. My energy was zapped. I felt an obligation to trudge on and "get the miles in" though.

My legs have felt heavy lately on every run.

I haven't lost my enthusiasm for running. I'm still as passionate as ever and look forward to my upcoming races and goals. After some consideration, I think what's going on here is a couple of things. First, there is no doubt that the heat of this summer is starting to catch up with me. I expect it's affecting everyone to some degree. And with the Chicago Marathon approaching, and the correlating increase in weekly mileage, this is a potent combination.

I think, however, I've become a little too cocky. Not in the I'm-such-a-great-runner kind of way. That's not true at all and I remain humbled before this sport. I think I'm getting comfortable running long distances (which I'll describe as 12+ miles). I'm no longer nervous or fearful or excited by a run of 18 miles. Just like I wasn't anxious at all before my 10 mile trail run - and that kicked my butt. I step out the door to run 15,16,17,18 miles, whatever, without a second thought. Previously, I would mentally (and physically) prepare myself for this time of run. I'd psyche myself up for an 18 miler. I'd consider my diet and physical activities in the hours preceding a run of this distance.

Lately, I've just been lacing up the shoes and running out the door. No preparation. No concerns.

And it has made for some tough runs.

No matter how many times now I've run half marathon or greater distances, it is still a demanding distance. It requires some mental and physical preparation. I need to remind myself of that and get back to being a wee bit fearful. Or one of these times I'll pay the price.

I'll be better off in the long run.

On a side note, Good Luck to Mike and Lisa as they tackle their Night 20! We should establish a southeast-south central Michigan running club. Steers Running Club perhaps? Run with the Steers, maybe? A little take off the running of the bulls in Pamplona? White shirts....red ties...just a thought. (I'll let Mike explain someday the derivation of the Steers being a founding member and all).

Last night: 18 miles @ 7:24 pace.

Happy trails.

The Legend Trail Race Report

Saturday's Legend 10 mile trail race setting the scene:

My first trail run. It's only 10 miles. How hard could that be? I did a 17 mile run last weekend and will do 18 miles this week. Not to mention the two marathons in the past year and several training runs in the 20 mile range. Okay, so it's a trail run. Big deal. I'll get up Saturday morning and treat this like an intense 10 mile training run - which I was going to do anyway this weekend.

That was the plan. Total confidence. I didn't even think much about it the night before.

Saturday morning, the wife and I herded the groggy kids into the car and drove the 20 miles to Sleepy Hollow State Park just north of Lansing, MI.

This is a small race. I was expecting about 150 ten milers (turns out there was 203).

The 5 mile run got going first. I watched them take off and disappear into the trees. Flat, packed dirt trail. No problem.

We were up next...and were off. I'm thinking: enjoy the experience, don't worry about pace, this will be a fun, new experience, etc.

#97

Right off the bat, about a 1/4 mile, a dude misses the path around the closed (and locked) gate and slams into a 3 foot steel post landing on his side in the road right in front of me. He was okay though and continued on. Warning received. I better take this a bit more seriously.

The first mile was mostly on packed dirt and downhill through a winding dirt forest path. This fed my overconfidence. First mile: 6:20. This is way faster than I wanted to be going.

Second mile, it all caught up. Guess what? After you go downhill for a bit, there is payback on an uphill path. That goes up, up, up, up...never severely so but constantly and seemingly without end. Now I realize how I did the 6:20 first mile. The first mile hill must have went straight down and I didn't even realize it.

After mile 2, I'm already begging for a water station. It was about 70 degrees at the start but, trapped in the trees and brush, it feels like 80 or 85 now with the foliage creating a sort of devilish blanket.

I decided to get much smarter about my pace and settled in at a goal of 7:20 miles. At mile 2.5, there is a brief 6 foot river crossing - just big enough to require a couple ankle deep foot steps in the muddy river. Okay, so 7.5 miles left now in soaked socks and shoes. Another new experience.

By the half mark, I'm already contemplating a walking break. I never would consider this at this point in a typical road race. The rolling hills are non-stop. Of course, you don't feel the down hills but you sure as hell feel the up hills. And it seems like it is all up hill!!

I carried on until mile 6 when a large drop (I considered sliding down on my rear but took one look at the tangled roots and rocks protruding down the hill and gave that idea up) knocked the wind out of me. I gave myself a 30 second walk break.

Miles 6-8 I spent a lot of time questioning why I didn't start with the 5 mile run. Also, I'm considering the 50k trail run next year. At this point, thoughts were passing through my head like "you would never make 31 miles of this" and "are you freakin' crazy?".

By the time I hit mile 9, I caught sight of a man who had flown by me around the half way mark while I was despairing about my lack of trail running conditioning. He was within sights again. With 1/3 mile to go, I zoomed past him and found extra life to sprint into the finish (maybe because that part was flat and on a concrete surface?? back in my element??). That felt great.

Post race with the kids

I remember saying to my wife afterwards "I think this was harder than the marathons." In hindsight, I don't think it was. It was tough. It was more of a challenge than I expected. The constant up/down, twisting, turning, and need for total concentration just made it different than road marathon running. There is constant strain on the legs as you go through patches of loose dirt, take last second leaps over knotty roots coming up from the trail like little mountain ranges, while watching for low hanging branches. I think I nearly twisted my ankle about a dozen times but managed to catch myself before it went to far to cause injury. Plus, you can't zone out and just run. Concentration is required to stay on the course. For about 4 miles I was running by myself, I couldn't see anyone ahead of me and only heard the occasional crunch of branches behind me to indicate the presence of someone else. They mark the course with ribbons tied to trees but, if you zone out, you might wander off one of the crossing trails. I did, briefly, but looked back and saw a ribbon and had to run back to the course. I wonder how many people got lost??

Wife, daughter, and bad rocker poses.

It's a great run. Lots of fun. I was exhausted for the next 36 hours however. I'm sure I made the classic road-runner-doing-a-trail-run mistake though as far as underestimating the demands of a trail run. Next time, I'll know. For those of you considering a trail run, be forewarned.

In the end, I finished 1st in my age group and 24th overall of 203. My time was 1:13:08 with a pace of 7:19. I would not be happy with this for a road race but I'll sure take it for my first trail run. I got a nice little The Legend beer pilsener award based on the result. I enjoyed some Heineken from it later that evening. It always taste better when guzzled from a Major Award (to bad it doesn't light up and go in the front window - anyone get that reference??).

Happy trails.

TCFF

As I mentioned, last week was spent in Traverse City and my time there coincided with the 3rd annual Traverse City Film Festival. It's becoming a very popular event increasing in size, scope, and, so far, regional popularity every year. The festival was founded and still run by uber-liberal (though more of a populist in my opinion) Michael Moore.

There is delicious irony in the success of the festival in this area of Michigan. Traverse City is notoriously conservative politically. So, here is Moore, a nearby resident in the area and the devil incarnate to many a conservative, working in partnership with the bedrock conservative groups in T.C. to bring the film festival to life. I guess when there are dollars at stake, political differences fall to the wayside!

The wife and I made it to only one ticketed film - a documentary involving the 2004 election - hosted by Moore and then sat in on the post-film Q&A with him and noted 60's documentarian D.A. Pennebaker (Monterey Pop, Don't Look Back [Bob Dylan]). That is, until the clock struck 12:30 AM and our Cinderella carriage was going to turn back into a pumpkin (re: the parking garage was locking its doors at 1 AM).

We also took the kids to the free outdoor flick Raiders of the Lost Ark at the downtown Open Space park. I have to say, I've seen the film many times but never noticed the frequent slamming of port-a-potty doors on the soundtrack or the image of an electrical box in the lower half of the screen for the entire movie. Go figure. ;)

I did learn that the State Theatre, a T.C. landmark (shown in picture above) and my former employer (projectionist, circa 1990), will be re-opening full time in November (thanks to Moore and the film festival). Hooray!! These old theatre's are classics and need to be renovated and saved whenever possible.

This Weekend:

My first trail run, The Legend, is this Saturday morning just north of Lansing, MI. Ten miles of off-road fun. I'm very curious to see how different it is from a road race. I need to get some rest though. Sunday's 17 miler wiped me out more than I care to admit. Last night's 6 miler was tough in the humidity. And to top it off, I was awoken at 3:30 AM last night (morning?) as work needed me to stare at some computer code to fix a problem as if the brain functions at this hour.

I have discovered that Girls Gone Wild seemingly has an unlimited budget to advertise between the hours of 3-5 AM on Comedy Central. Who knew that so many 'normal, every day college freshman willing to bare all' also resemble your garden variety stripper?? I'm sure they are just regular women choosing to pull their tops up though right? Not strippers. Nope. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Happy trails.

The Leelanau Trail

One of the great things about northern Michigan is the natural, scenic beauty every where you go. Going to the store? Grand Traverse Bay just happens to be on the way. Going to the beach? Look at that, a bunch of sail boats and a beautiful sunset. I love being in the Traverse area during summer and fall. Winter and spring on the other hand? No thanks. I hate the snow - especially piles of it - and dripping, melting slush in the spring. I still prefer to visit the area rather than live there. But it is a terrific place to visit as a "fudgie".

I spent the last week at my folks place on a lake in Traverse City. The kids and I went swimming three different times in West Bay. Surprisingly, it was warm on 2 of the 3 trips. We did some boating, golfing, water skiing, and went down to the Traverse City Film Festival (more on this in a later post). It was a good week all in all except the wife had to stay back home and work during the week. That was a bummer.

I knew it would be a challenge to keep my running schedule this week but, somehow, I managed. I'm surprised really. There were so many more appealing attractions. I'm giving myself a pat on the back for keeping to my weekly goals. Of course, both weekends, my wife gave me a big assist. Never more so than this past Sunday.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I planned to hit 16 laps around the Civic Center track. I've done 20 laps before (each lap is almost exactly 1 mile) so I figured 16 would be no problem. So, on July 29th I dutifully started running circles. About 6 miles in, wanderlust struck and I started feeling trapped in a cage. Why am I running laps? There is so much to see just outside the gates. So, I veered right instead of left off the track and out the gates. I ran past 2 of my previous childhood homes. I ran for awhile on the Bayshore marathon course along the bay. I circled back and finished my last few miles on the track again to bookend the experience. Being that my Garmin quit on me again, I had to guess I went roughly 16.5 miles @ 7:18 pace.

Yesterday, my planned 17 miler, I decided not even to attempt the track again. Traverse City has a variety of running/biking trails. Why not try one of those? Sure enough, there's a 17 mile trail from the (former) Clinch Park Zoo on West Bay to downtown Suttons Bay. It's called The Leelanau Trail . This is where the wife came in. She needed to drive me downtown after getting up at 7 AM - on a Sunday, sleep in day - and then drive out to Suttons Bay just over 2 hours later to pick me back up. What a game wifey I have!

Start: West Bay in Traverse City

The Leelanau Trail: Off Road

Finish: Suttons Bay

This is a beautiful, serene stretch to run. Quiet countryside. Only a few road crossings. I was amused by the number of "tractor crossing" signs posted along the route. Much of the trail cut through farmers' fields. I kept my eye out for a John Deere haulin' a** across the trail.

The first 8 miles are paved, then 6 miles off road, and then 3 more paved miles into downtown Suttons Bay and the sweetness of an ice cream shop. Except none of them were open yet. Bummer. I recommend it as a nice run/bike if you are in the area. Bring water, however, as there are no water stations past mile 3. I took it a bit easier on this trail as I've been going hard - too hard - lately. I wanted this just to be a pleasant run through the countryside. And it was. (17 miles / 7:32 pace).

Happy trails.

Need for Speed Returns!

After last week's near gut spewing incident on the high school track, I was a bit leery at first with my second post-Bayshore attempt at speed work. The conditions were basically the same. Hot. Muggy. Except there was a slight cooling breeze this time.

Again, I managed only 2 miles worth of repeats proceeded and followed by a 1.5 mile jog. this time, the total mile time for my repeats was closer to 6:24. I didn't feel like puking, so, thumbs up. I'd love to get my mile times closer to 6:00 by the end of the year if possible. I am thinking I may make a return to some 5k racing next year and would love to get under the 19 minute mark. We'll see. That's on the back burner for now.

I'm still experiencing a pain in my left heel that is very sharp at first but recedes after about a mile to the point were I barely notice it. My right hamstring is a little sore also. I remember that it was at about this point in the spring while training for Bayshore when I started experiencing various aches and pains. I'm starting to increase the mileage while mixing in some maxed out repeats. I'm sure these annoyances are just part of the joy of running.

I'll be getting some miles in at a one mile circular track in Traverse City over the next week. I'll try not to get dizzy and fall down on my planned 16 miler.

Happy trails.

Wicked and Headless Horsemen

The wife and I went to Wicked last Friday night. This is the big draw in town this week at MSU's Wharton Center. It's a nearly 3 hour performance. The first hour or so, I must admit, I was looking at my watch a bit. There was a lot of set-up to build to the second half of the performance. After the intermission (Toblerone's = delicious), it was outstanding. I've heard better songs and better vocal performances come through Wharton but, as a spectacle, very entertaining! It's worth a look for any live theater fans out there.

Meanwhile, I have pulled the trigger on another race registration. I will be doing my first trail run on August 11th. It's a 10 miler promising rolling hills. How different is a trail run? I don't know but I'm gonna find out. I'll do some reshuffling to my long run schedule as the weekend of this race I was scheduled for a 19 miler but will instead do this 10 miler. No problem. I'm looking forward to it.

Running Update:

Sunday's long run was a little tough. It was the farthest I've gone since Bayshore. After about 11 miles, I noticed the hamstrings started getting real tight, real quick. I managed to finish my planned distance.

14 miles

7:18 pace

Happy trails.

Disastrous Speed Work. Almost.

So, I wandered up to the local high school track to run some 1/4 mile repeats Wednesday night. I didn't really have a plan in place when I left. It's about a 1.25 mile jog to the track so, on the way, I formulated my plan of attack. I decided to go 1/4 mile hard (one lap), 1/4 easy, 1/4 hard, 1/4 easy. Rest. Repeat.

Sounded good.

Except it was 88 degrees and incredibly muggy. The air was thick and hot.

I figured a couple of miles of hard work would be doable though, right?

I managed to complete both miles worth of repeats but only at a total average 6:30/mile clip. I was hoping for closer to 6:10/mile. At the end of the second mile, I had to suppress the growing urge to puke all over the track. I haven't done any speed work in awhile and on that hot track, that day, it was not a good idea. A couple of deep breaths kept my afternoon snack from creeping up my esophagus. I made my light jog home and peeled the sweat saturated clothing off me.

Next time, I'll be more selective on my speed work days.

I did come to the realization that I have become too content with my training pace and need to push a bit harder periodically if I don't want to plateau. Despite the heat, the repeats were harder than it should have been.

Upcoming Events:

There are two races I'm eyeballing before the big 2007 Chicago Marathon. Both are 10 milers. I would love to do the Crim in Flint, MI on August 25th but I may be out of town that day. If not, count me in.

I may soon sign up for The Legend at Sleepy Hollow Park on August 11th. It's a 10 mile trail race with some hills and other natural obstacles. I'm thinking I may take a stab at the 50k Dances with Dirt adventure race next September so this might be a good introduction to this style of running (at 1/3 the distance and probably 1/3 the intensity).

Streak Ends:

I did not run the Traverse City Cherry Festival race this year breaking my streak of seven years that started with my first official race in 2000. My heart just wasn't in it and I had a 'been there, done that' attitude to the whole thing. Plus, while it's a scenically nice race, I don't think it is particularly well organized when compared to the Bayshore Marathon run in the same city but by different organizers. I'm sure our paths will cross again though.

Happy trails.

Exhale

This has been one of the busiest past few weeks in recent memory. Between work, travel, running, yard work, etc. it has been non-stop GO. Consequently, all of the hilariously irreverent anecdotes I had saved up for various blog entries have washed from memory and you're left with just a run-of-the-mill update. Time to exhale for a bit.

Recently, I completed The Road by Cormac McCarthy. My first from this author. It's your standard apocalyptic tale of lost hope and vanished dreams in a barren landscape. However, the two main characters - a nameless man and his child - and their relationship while existing in this bleak world is wonderfully crafted. His prose is simple and direct with short Hemingwayesque sentences. I really enjoyed the way the author conveyed the strong emotions between the two with very little description or effort. I'd give it a B+ if you are scoring at home (which I am).

Secondly, I finished Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killers by James L. Swanson. I really enjoyed this book. It's history on the fly told in a fast pace, energetic style. History is typically among the least favorite classes for any student but this was a heart pounding read even though you know the outcome in advance. Like most, I was familiar with the general details of the Lincoln assassination. To step right into an hour-by-hour, day-by-day account of the hunt put you right at the scene. It was fascinating. A wrong turn here and there cost Booth his escape and living glory in the South. It almost happened. You'll learn more than you would think. Did you know the Lincoln assassination was part of a plot to topple the Union government in one evening with Grant, V.P. Johnson, and Sec of State Seward all targeted that fateful evening? Grade: A

Running Update:

I'm a bit behind my ambitious Higdon Intermediate II schedule but still in a good shape. I've been putting in about 3-4 less miles per week than he would like. I am not concerned. I feel like I'm right where I want to be. No goal yet for Chicago. I may have one shortly though. I'd like to see how Mike is doing so we can work together towards his BQ.

Tonight I'm going out for my first true "speed work" effort. I usually do that fartlek style but I'm actually going to the local high school track this time to give it a try.

Sunday's LR:

10 miles
7:07 pace

Until next time...

Ode to the Crushed Chipmunk

Your indecisiveness this morning cost you your life. Sorry 'bout that. I took no pleasure in the sound of the crunch under my tire. If it means anything to you, I closed my eyes and cringed. There was no room to swerve and you changed direction suddenly. I'll pay my respects when I run by your flattened carcass later today.

Running Update:

I have been extremely busy lately but things are starting to slow up again. Major projects are being delivered! I have some vacation time! I'm glad to see everyone has been keeping up with their training.

I have also been able to get most of my runs in. My left heel pain has dramatically reduced. I found that if I stretch better after my run, it doesn't tighten up and get real sore anymore.

Rather unwisely, I choose to go for an impromptu Saturday evening run under the blazing sun and 90 degree weather. It was a bit of a struggle. I think people in passing cars thought I was insane.

Saturday's LR:

12.0 miles
7:22 pace

Next week, I'm going to start getting back into some formal speed training at my local high school track. It's been awhile since I did any at all.