Left. Right. Repeat.

Week 15/10 (North Face/Fox Cities)

2009-07-12T18:02:00.000-05:00

Monday: 4 easy miles to and from work, with the last two being right around 6:52 pace.

Tuesday: Fail. I was supposed to be out of work by 5 pm. Instead, I didn't leave until 6 and then had to attend a meeting with our 3-legged cat and a vet. All went well, but I missed out on my speed work.

Wednesday: After missing out on Tuesday, I decided to cram as much activity into as little time as possible. This resulted in leaving work at 6:20 PM (I need to talk to the boss about these long hours), running a mini tempo run (including a 6:06 mile!) until Yoga at 6:45, then begging for "savanasa" for an hour, then running back to the office (with a surprisingly easy 6:40 mile in there!), then biking home. Not bad! I tapped a beer soon after my arrival home and started getting ready for Thursday.

Thursday: I was hoping for another 3 hour trail effort but managed 2 and was approaching that lovely landmark known as WALL so I stopped. I didn't want to be stuck out halfway through another loop when the wheels really came off. Teh first loop was my standard loop, which Garmin said was 5.62 miles this time. Normally Garmin reads someplace around 6-6.5, and I think it's more like 7. I wish it was 7.5. I may just rent a distance wheel to find out for sure at some point. After a gel/SCap/Water refill I took off 7 miles on the IAT in around an hour--I was hoping it would be under an hour--but I finished up in 1:03 for a 8:46 pace. I'd like to get that pace DOWN as the summer rolls along. Had I run the IAT portion first, I think it could have been closer to 8 or 8:15.

Friday: Busy day, but found some time for a long walk with Parsenn.

Saturday: 3 hours total, one hour running the IAT, then an hour hiking with Ellie and Parsenn, then 57 minutes back to the car. Loved it.

Then, off to Milwaukee for a great tailgate party and the Brewers game, and then some time at a friend's cottage.

Part of the baseball game was spent trying to keep Ellie interested.

The rest was spent doing...other stuff.

Stay Away From Young Girls

2009-07-10T22:29:00.001-05:00

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/lifestyle/50468897.html

I'm hoping to spend 3 hours on the trails tomorrow...we'll see!

Wisco Pride

2009-07-08T21:11:00.003-05:00

I can't say I've ever heard a story of a Golden Gopher getting drunk and stopping traffic.

Then again, Minnesota just elected (and that term is used very loosely) Al Franken to the UNITED STATES SENATE, for SBJ sake. Yikes.

Here's the story, which I noticed when reading this.

Post-post Edit: Had to add a link to this picture.

Week 16 North Face Training (Week 11 Fox Cities)

2009-07-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

In an attempt to keep track of my training a bit more precisely, I'll be posting weekly wrap-ups of my training for my two main events this fall. (yes, I know...training for a fast marathon and a fast 50K may not be the best way to go about things. But I love doing stuff like this, so I don't care.)

Thought of the week: Ellie asked me a great question the other day. If I could run any race as the last race I'd ever run...and I'd voluntarily stop running after that, what race would it be. I knew the answer immediately, and after reading this report, I'm 100% certain about that answer.

Mon: Nada.

Tues: Greenbush Single Track Loop. I kept it easy, for the most part, and felt pretty darn good and ended up running my 2nd fastest time for that particular loop. My soleus muscles are still pretty sore, but other than that I'm feeling good! I added a 30 minute out/back on the IAT to get the time up to an hour and a half. I kept the pace on those miles at around 8 minutes. Felt good!

Wed: 1 hour of Yoga with Ellie (best. teacher. in the Tri County Area.). I wanted to run a bit but called it off after still feeling sore in the calves and left shoulder (job related). Yoga really helped out those areas and got me ready for a big day on Thursday.

Thurs: Today was the first long effort since Grandma's and I'm happy with it. The temp/humidity got up to 70/80% today and I felt it. I ran the my favorite single track loop 3 times, with breaks between each for water, gel, and S!Caps. Beautiful scenery, but it was kind of dark out there because of the overcast skies and dense tree canopy.

This is from the trailhead and shows how dark it gets in the woods.

The second loop was the fastest, but I made sure to keep this run easy and not push too hard.

Fri: Nada. Had a blast at a 4th of July party.

Sat: 6 road miles sweating out the 'refreshments' from Friday night.

Sun: I wanted to do another long road run but family stuff got in the way, so instead Ellie and I enjoyed a 15 miler on our bikes. I actually got a little sunburned too...first time this year!

Haiku Update

2009-06-30T06:47:00.004-05:00

Ran One Mile Last Week.*
Legs Still Quite Sore From Grandma's.
What, Did G Retire** Also?

*Is "Mile" one or two syllables?
**Is "Retire" two or three?

It's time...

2009-06-24T21:55:00.003-05:00

...to run!

I had planned on keeping a big ol' ZERO in my running odometer for this week...but I can't. Tomorrow it's time to get back at it.

In my post-Grandma doldrums, I signed up for the Fox Cities Marathon. It fit into the schedule relatively well (September 20) and I really really want to run sub 3. I am also signed up for Twin Cities in October, but my goal race, where I want to run really fast, is the North Face 50K, and I don't want to run two races that hard that close together. Thus, Fox Cities it is! It's cheap. It's close. It's a decent event. I'm sold. Last year Fox Cities was the first event in my "1 Month 100 Miles" fundraising effort, and I ended up running the first half conservatively and then blistering home (relatively speaking, of course) for a 10 minute negative split. While I really didn't like the ending (having to dodge 6-wide walking groups from the half marathon and marathon power walk events), the overall Fox Cities Marathon is a well-run event with great crowd support. I wish it were a bit smaller, as then I'd place a little higher, but I'll still take it and am looking forward to a hard summer of training (including some mid-day runs for the heat) that will prepare me for ANYTHING!

And thanks for all the kind words. Looking back, I was really not a good sport about Grandma's, especially if you consider that in the previous post I had mentioned that the weather may not allow a sub-3 time, and that I'd still be happy with running. Apparently, according to the photos from the event, I was NOT HAPPY. I'm not sure I've seen someone more angry while running. See for yourself at MarathonFoto.com and put in Grandma's,Giebler, and 3038 to see the carnage known as Nic in Death March mode. Fantastic.

But I digress. It's onward and upward! Tomorrow I'm heading to the trails without any music, without an HR monitor, without a watch, and I'm shaking out the cobwebs. My shiny new sub-3 pursuit starts tomorrow! (Okay, full disclosure...I'll be wearing a watch for sure, and most likely also an HR monitor. What can I say, I'm addicted.)

Thanks again for the support!

(Especially from Ellie...who even gave me a hug at the end!

Grandma's Report

2009-06-21T20:47:00.010-05:00

Or: Grandma: 2, Nic and Ellie: ZERO

Last year Ellie came up close and personal, and eventually through the wall known as Grandma. This year dear old Grandma allowed Ellie to finish the Half Marathon in 2:05 and with a huge smile on her face (and a beer in her hand before 10 AM) and decided to beat me down with her walker. It sucked.

The short story is that I tend to have one decided goal for a race and no back-up plan. When my goal of a sub-3 marathon on Saturday fell apart around mile 14 due to the heat, I had nothing else to run for. This led me to end up more disappointed in myself than I've ever been before. I totally mentally checked out on this event, and despite the fact that I had so much support out there (more on that later), I mentally quit, and I hate that. Physically, I finished. I have the finisher's tshirt and the medal, but mentally, I didn't participate past mile 14. And that sucks.

Grandma's marathon is a TOP NOTCH event. Every aspect of the event was a breeze...from the expo to the bus to the start line. I enjoyed every minute of it, and as I left the school bus that took me to Two Harbors on Saturday morning at about 6:40 AM, I was pumped. It was gonna be a good day.

I relaxed at the start line, dropped off my warm-up clothes, and waited in line for one more potty break. After that it was off to the start area, where I made my way up to the 3:00 area. On my way I paused for the national anthem, then a jet fighter fly over with "Danger Zone" (from Top Gun) blasting in the background. I vocally cheered and had goosebumps, despite the mounting humidity. What a great event!

As soon as I reached the 3:00 area, Helen came over to say hello. (I apologize to her for already smelling. I noticed about 5 minutes later that I was already sweating) It was great to see her again, and I was beaming with confidence at that point that my sub-3 goal would be reached, despite her warning's of "It's hot and it's early." I was sure I would be waiting for Helen to arrive at the finish line, just like at the Chippewa 50K. Unfortunately (for me) she greeted me at the finish of Grandma's. And now I owe an Irish woman beer. Not good.

Soon enough Adam came over to say hello, noting it was easy to find me in my NF running shirt. Adam quickly took me under his wing and introduced me to several runners also aiming for a sub-3. These guys looked like real runners, and I was excited to be a part of such a fun group. (To my knowledge, only John Maas actually crossed under 3 hours.) Kurt was especially helpful and it was amazing to hear him know every damn runner at Grandma's!)

Soon enough the horn sounded and we were off. It felt SO GOOD to finally be running this event that I had planned for so long! The first mile went by easy at 6:59. I wanted to average 6:50's for the first 20 miles and hopefully be able to finish in 6:40's in the home stretch. The first 4 miles went by like clockwork, with me tucked in with my sub-3 friends, clicking off 6:48's right behind Kurt.

At mile 5, I was talking to Adam as we approached my family. I knew my parents and sister/brother-in-law would be at mile 5 (they had called earlier that morning asking what I would need at that point in course, hoping to offer any assistance at all). At about mile 4.75 I could see the "NF MARATHON TEAM" flag flying back and forth and I began to wave. Adam, who had met my parents at Chippewa, mentioned how great it was to have the support I did. I completely agree and was reminded again to thank God for the support. As I passed them I mentioned it was a "wee bit hotter" than I'd like, but I was smiling nonetheless. My target Heart Rate is always under 160 beats per minute, and through 5 miles I was right around 163. I figured this was okay. Oops.

I next saw my parents at mile 7, and by then the pace group I was with had fallen apart completely. Adam was still around, as was John Maas, but Kurt was far ahead, along with a Wartburg College runner, and Adam's friend Tom had already begun to fall back. Tom ended up in a medical tent with an IV, but recovered enough to put down a couple beers later that afternoon. I call that day a push :) I passed the Wartburg runner at about Mile 25, and he looked about as terrible as I did and didn't respond to any encouragement (not that I could muster much).

As I passed my family at Mile 10, my mom informed me that Ellie and my bro-in-law Doug's girlfriend Kelly had finished the half marathon with huge smiles in 2:05. This brought a HUGE smile to my face, as Ellie was nervous about her training, and Kelly had never run further than a 10K. All was well with them!

I told my family that I was doubting that sub-3 was going to happen, but that I was keeping the pace thus far. My Heart Rate was now averaging in the high 160's per mile. Not good.

I came through the half way point in 1:30 and change. The "and change" part is what did me in. I knew I wasn't going to negative split on a day like that, so I pretty much mentally gave up. Not long after the half way point, Adam told me that he figured one would need to be in 2:50 shape to run sub-3. Not a good boost to my goals. Very soon after that, he told me he was dropping back. Very bad for my goals :)

Miles 14 and 15 went okay. My heart rate was now over 170 and I was sweating like crazy. I was trying to take in the SCaps I had along with the sugars, but there simply aren't that many water stops in the first half of the course, and I was already wayyyy behind on fluids. I ran miles 14 and 15 in the 6:40 area (what the F was I thinking??) and eventually reeled back in Kurt. Being an idiot, I just kept going, right past him and continued on my own, seemingly hurrying up into my own demise.

Mile 16 is when it really hit. I fell apart. I called Ellie and told her I was slowing down. I started walking through the aid stations, keeping an eye on my HR. I figured if I could get it back down under 160 I could bring it in. Unforturnately the only way to get my heart rate anywhere under 165 was to flat out WALK. Being an idiot, I continued to run, albeit slowly, and really started to check out mentally. I've never been closer to a DNF--to quitting--than I was in this race at this point.

Luckily, at that exact moment, I heard "Brett Favre wouldn't be walking." I was surprised this topic hadn't been brought up more from the MN natives. Adam had announced his presence with this joke and was closing in from behind me and his smile helped me keep going. Soon enough we saw my parents again at mile 17...and I'll be honest--if Adam wasn't running with me at that point, I feel like I would have told them I'm done. Take me to the finish line, my wife, and the beer.

As I passed them, I told them I couldn't stop. If I did, I'd probably quit, and I couldn't quit in front of Adam. I already taken enough grief from Patten...and a DNF would make the time from now 'till next year's Chippewa unbearable.

Not long after mile 18 the wheels continued to come off. Adam motored on and I slumped into more and more self-pity. Right around Mile 20 I actually stopped and took a potty break. Big mistake. This simply added some groin chafing to the serious damage that the aid station self-sponge-showers were doing to my nipples. From mile 21 to Mile 26 I carried my NF jersey and HR strap in my hand to aid the bleeding going on from my nips. Can't wait for the race pictures to become available...should be a real treat. I've never been so close to floating the 'bird' over at a camera before. Man, I was in rough shape.

I have to interject that the crowd at Grandma's is UNBELIEVABLE. As you've probably become aware of, I was done. I was cussing every human being's existence at this point. If I didn't KNOW that a drop of alcohol would make me vomit, I would have joined in the course-side keg stands taking place at mile 22. There were more unbelievable cheering sections, garden hoses, and bands than I can list. Truly an amazing event.

The final part of the course makes its way straight through downtown Duluth, along Superior street. At this part of the course, Kurt caught me once again, during one of my many walk breaks. His enthusiasm really picked me up physically, but mentally I was gone. I ran with him for a while, absorbing every ounce of motivation he was providing. What a great guy...yet, as much as it sucks to admit, I quit one more time and started walking. Just about that time Helen came by. I yelled "Helen!" as she passed, and she muttered a sentence which I didn't catch...outside of the F bomb she dropped in the middle of it :)

Helen and Kurt continued on and I continued to get pissed at myself :)

Finally I made the turn off of Superior and into the final 1.5 miles of the course. I'll be honest...I don't remember much. At mile 26 Ellie and Kelly were waiting for me. They didn't even see me until I had already run past them. Ellie later shared that she was looking for my yellow shirt (which was in my hand) and looking for my personal running gait (which was also, apparently, non-existent). She cheered like crazy after I was about 10 yards past her, and I stopped, handed her my shirt and HR strap, gave her a look which I'm sure spoke volumes about my current mental status, and continued shuffling along. Immediately after Kelly asked Ellie if I was going to be in a completely horrible mood the rest of the weekend. Ellie answered, "I don't think so. But be sure to get him a couple beers." Damn, I love that woman :)

I eventually crossed in 3:21 and change, stopping my run ASAP upon hearing the first beep from my timing chip. I'm not sure how she made it there so quickly (or was I THAT SLOW?), but Ellie was waiting for me at the finish with a huge smile and open arms . I gave her A HUGE hug and would have probably cried had I not been SO DAMN HOT at the moment. She told me she was very proud of me and that she was expecting a 3:40 time based on how miserable I sounded over the phone.

Not long after finishing Helen came over to say congrats. She looked remarkably well recovered from her 3:17 (I think that's what she finished in) and I hate her for that. While I caught her at the end of the Chippewa 50K and finished one spot ahead, she returned the favor at Grandma's. What's your race schedule look like in the fall, Helen? :)

I also got to introduce Ellie to Adam, who was sitting on a curb in the shade, and Kurt, who was still walking around, seemingly checking on everyone else. They all came through ahead of me, but I was thankful for them, as I would've still been out there (or worse yet, in a car after quitting) if they hadn't been running.

After the run, I simply couldn't cool down. I really, really enjoy beer post-marathon, but that was NOT an option. Instead I was pouring water bottles down my legs trying to cool them off. I was not in good shape. Adam mentioned a dip in Lake Superior, which I really should have done in hindsight. Lake Superior was 180 degrees and probably a 1/4 mile from our hotel room unfortunately, so I skipped it in favor of a cold shower.

I eventually recovered enough to understand a story my dad told me about meeting another spectator who knew of an NF Endurance Team runner who was also a Chiropractor and would be wearing Plaid shorts during the run. My dad was familiar with the NF and Chiropractor stuff but (not a frequent visitor of this website :) ) knew nothing about the plaid shorts.

The plaid shorts didn't make an appearance, but I hope Glaven will be content with the shirt I wore the rest of the day Saturday (I wasn't in the mood for the "Grandma's Finisher" shirt handed out upon completion), which not only sports a bull, but also a prominent N#TS@CK :)

Duluth is absolutely gorgeous and I'm not sure how I can pass up Grandma's next year. I mean, it can't be this hot this many years in a row...right?

It's gonna take me a couple days to completely digest this sucktastic run...but in the meantime I can't complain. It's an amazing weekend, I saw some great people...and...

SUB THREE WILL HAPPEN!

Update!

2009-06-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm running...and hopefully, at the moment, I'm coming through the half way point in about 1:29:50. You can find out how I'm doing here...

https://secure.marathonguide.com/runnertracking/grandmas2009/

or here...
https://secure.marathonguide.com/runnertracking/grandmas2009/signup.cfm?

2:59 here I come! (?)

Grandma's Post 3: Nerves

2009-06-18T20:32:00.005-05:00

I'm normally as cool as the other side of the pillow when it comes to big events. Okay, total lie there. I'm normally an over-analyzing wreck...which is why I think I've really taken to running...

It's all up to me. Either I do, or I don't.

When I was in high school, my world pretty much revolved around Football and Basketball. I was an absolute disaster of nerves before games. Most of this stemmed from the responsibilities I put on myself to perform and to lead. I couldn't let everyone else down! I wanted to be the leader and I wanted to have the responsibility, but I'll be honest--I would dread having the ball in my hands near the end of the game...and being a point guard in basketball and quarteback/running back in football, avoiding the ball was difficult to do.

If I could have just realized that it's a game I would have been fine. In fact, I was a lot better of a player in college intramurals than I ever was in high school because I was able to recognize the event as a game and not my identity as a human being. I was even able to win some of the coveted Intramural Championships* in college as part of the prestigious "Dugan Hayes Boys," "Dugan's Disciples," and also "Dugan's Last Dance." (Don't ask who Dugan Hayes is**.)

And that's why I've gotten in to running. I'll either run a certain time or I won't. I'll either put the training in or not. The weather will either cooperate or it won't. No matter what, I'm out running!

But I'm still given the opportunity to get myself all worked up about it. I get the opportunity to get a bit freaked out. Like right now. I'm nervous but really excited. I used to dread the game actually starting. Warm-ups were a nightmare. Now, I can't wait for that horn to go off...so that I can wait 5 minutes to cross the start line and run!

My desk is empty at work. I actually did all the stuff that my boss (wife) and employee gave me to get done. The xrays are taken and read. The reports are done and mailed. The insurance companies have been contacted and told that I will not accept a 78% reduction in fees for services rendered.

It's time to run!

Don't worry...that's as deep as this post is gonna get. It'll return to the self-deprecating humor*** soon enough.

The last time I felt nervous like this was before my first marathon in Chicago in 2005. I was being dropped off by my sister, and Ellie was in the back seat with me, and she looked at me and said, "You alright? You look scared." I was. Fortunately, 5 hours and 15 minutes later I was wearing a medal and wrapped in tin foil and smiling ear to ear. I did it!

Going back to high school, forget the nerves of those pre-game jitters. I was flat out paranoid on a Friday night in 1997 (junior year), when Ellie Andrews was coming over to my house after a basketball game where we beat the rival Sheboygan Falls by 22 and I had scored a then-career high 17 points (all-time career high was senior year, in the playoffs, against Falls, with 24...I think).

First...a bit of background info: I had it on reliable sources that Ellie had a thing for me. I had a serious thing for her. You see, Ellie was a "bad girl." I, on the other hand, was on the Economics Team for chrissakes. Polar opposites. This was my one chance!

As the night progressed, I did my best to play the confident male. Finally, when the moment was right, I made my move and went in for the kiss...and bonked.

Well, more like clanked. As in, my incisors clanked against hers. And my eyes were even open as I went in. Yikes.

I played it off (using the "That was your fault" excuse) and somehow managed to talk her into a second chance. Then again, I think she really just dated me for my car.

Hello Ladies. Yes, that's a Chevy Spectrum sans hub caps. Yes, my Nike Swoosh (Marcy's favorite) Tshirt matches my car. And yes, those are Oakley Eye Jackets, Cargo Shorts, and some Killer Nikes. No, this wasn't my yearbook photo. I opted for the one with me on the hood.

Perhaps this weekend will include a clank or a bonk. It may happen. I don't think it will, but running has pretty much taught me that, for the most part, what you put in is what you get out. I'm ready for 2:59. I may not get it, and if that's the case, I'll dring a couple extra beers and still smile about it. I mean, no matter what, I'm still running!

So, thanks for all the "good lucks!" Thanks for the laughs! I'd probably be a nervous wreck on Saturday morning, but because of all the laughs, I'll be wearing my plaid patch shorts and that'll help calm the nerves.

Sub 3, here I come!

* Okay, so they were "B Division, Second Flight Tournament Championships. Such miniscule details...

**Unlike other blogs, my allegiance to my college intramural namesake ended in college.

***Yes, the shorts are making a return trip to Grandma's. They'll be worn before and after the (hopefully less than 3 hours of) running has taken place. And there will be pictures.

Grandma's Post 2: Ellie

2009-06-17T15:16:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I had planned on having a bunch of posts this week to help me deal with the nerves I've got building up to Grandma's Weekend.

Unfortunately, I'm too busy to be nervous. At least for now.

But, Glaven then called me out on my lack of Grandma's Posts. So here's a goodie...it's Ellie's Race Report from Grandma's Last year--one of my all-time running moments, and I wasn't running!

http://www.left-right-repeat.com/2008/06/ellies-race-report.html

Enjoy, and I'll be back tomorrow...maybe...with an actual post.

Grandma's Post 1: Frank

2009-06-14T08:07:00.005-05:00

What a story!

Although, once again, I'm amazed at the impression that running can be bad for you because of the "incessant pounding, the stress on the cardiovascular system and, of course, the pain." Perhaps if people stayed healthier in their younger years through the application of some stressors to their cardiovascular system instead of simply waiting until the inevitable MD visit where they're told their cholesterol is too high and they need some drug ending in "-tor," perhaps then, the "stress on the cardio-vascular system" wouldn't be such a bad thing!

And why is the media director of RUNNING USA being quoted with the "incessant pounding" garbage? As I've pointed out before, the evidence is becoming more and more overwhelming that running is NOT BAD for your knees, and may even be GOOD for them! Ugh! If I had hippie-like hair like Glaven used to, I'd be pulling it out at the moment.

But back to Mr. Frank Ruebl (from the article):

Ruebl ran his first marathon when he was 59 - a double loop that started at Mayfair Mall. He's run Grandma's, Lakefront, Paavo Nurmi in Hurley, and Boston. He qualified for Boston in his early 60s by running Grandma's in 3 hours and 23 minutes - a 7:44 pace.
He is attracted to the solitude and the challenge each spring of ramping up the mileage after spending the winter on his well-worn exercise bike.
To augment the running and stationary cycling, the 5-foot-6, 130-pound Ruebl lifts 10-pound weights - dozens of times - and walks up and down his basement steps until he's tired.
He also bought a new puppy, another black lab, and named her Smokey. Same as the old dog.
After he runs on his favorite route, Whitnall Park, Ruebl occasionally will drink a beer in the parking lot. "If there is a little sunshine, that's a pretty nice day," he said.

That's what it's all about!

Final Tune Up

2009-06-13T13:41:00.003-05:00

I decided to run a local 5 mile race this morning, and ended up running a 10K also!
This morning I ran the Walleye Run 5 Miler in nearby Fond du Lac and, despite running an opening 6:07 mile (so much for a negative split), I finished in a couple ticks under 32 minutes, just behind the female winner, and far behind a guy pushing two kids in a stroller and another guy who happened to be 67 years old. The stroller guy kicked my @ss but the 67 year old was getting announced as I finished, so he barely beat me. If I had known it was that close, I woulda thrown an elbow or two and avoided being chicked, old-duded, and strollered.
On the way home I stopped in Elkhart Lake, where the Olympic Triathlon was underway. I picked up a good friend of mine who was using this event as a final workout before going to France for an Ironman over there. He also biked 40 miles to the event and was going to bike home too. He wanted to run a sub-50 minute 10k, so I joined him and we ended up finishing in 49 and change. He also mentioned that the Tour de France (not to be confused with The Tour de Franzia, which is more my thing)has a time trial two days after his Ironman. He'll be in attendance. I hear some guy is racing le Tour again this year. Could be cool. What a vacation!
That triathlon is a great event, and when you factor in the fact I knew 20-30 people running with us, it has my interest for next year...but for now, it's full-on TAPER TIME! Bring it, Gramma!

"Jump Out the Pool on DAT!"

2009-06-12T08:53:00.006-05:00

You may have seen this insane viral video that helped football player Jarron Gilbert end up getting drafted earlier than expected into the NFL:

Well, he just got "One-Upped" by this guy, who is probably giving Adam some ideas for a new Primal workout:

I love that the guy in the hat feels the need to qualify the feat by making sure we know there aren't "no mirrors, no nuttin'" involved.

PS Look, Marcy, embedded videos! Just for you!

Much more like it.

2009-06-09T21:28:00.001-05:00

Today's workout called for 6 miles total, with 3-1 mile repeats in the middle with a minute rest. After the last couple runs I've grinded through, I wasn't exactly excited about them.

BUT, they turned out pretty good! This weekend my HR was all over the place, hitting 175 at times while trying to maintain a 6:52 pace. Today...

Mile 1: 5:55, 166 AvgHR, 175 Max
Mile 2: 5:59, 169 AvgHR, 177 Max
Mile 3: 5:56, 170 AvgHR, 179 Max

I'll take it. And that's why I run...just a little bit of an improvement, and I'm once again really looking forward to Duluth!

I found a pretty cool video online also, featuring Marco Olmo, who (I believe) is the 3-time defending champion of the "Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc"--the biggest Ultra in Europe. Oh yeah, he's 60 years old, too. Several amazing American runners have gone over there the last couple years with very little success, as mentioned in the video. After seeing there's a documentary coming out about him (not a "documentary about him coming out"--that one is about Glaven, not Marco), and the fact he lives in a shack in the mountains with no internet (gasp), I decided to find out more about Marco. Quite an interesting character!

He has found in running his emancipation: “I run to revenge myself”, he admits.
Running has made him free, victories have been his revenge on a fate against
which he feels defeated. Marco doesn’t have trainers, he doesn’t have running
tables or specific diets. He does everything by himself. He’s vegetarian, he
runs with an old pair of shoes which he has modified (by adding a piece of
plastic taken from a laundry detergent container, in order to deaden the ground
impacts).

Video Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oiwpt6K_1Co

More Info Here: http://runtrails.org/articles/?p=754

Umm, it's June...

2009-06-07T11:08:00.006-05:00

46 degrees and overcast here in (Soviet) Kiel today. I'm a bit worried we won't see 70 degrees until right about June 20, when I'm running Grandma's and it'll be 85 and suddenly I'll need to have some experience in the hot stuff. Oddly enough, in my previous "I'm not posting anymore for a while" post, I was contacted by a running company asking if I'd review some running tights of theirs. I told them I'd love to try out the winter tights, but that I likely wouldn't need them because even in Wisconsin it gets nice out by June. Maybe not :)

Today's the last big run for me before really buckling down into taper mode for what I hope is a great run in Duluth. I've even changed the picture above to a view from Highway 61 along the Grandma's course. I really can't wait for that event, and I'm hoping a change in mindset (i. e. Optimistic and Determined) from how I'd been feeling (i. e. Sluggish, Heavy, and Slow) will get me through the next couple weeks.

I haven't been nervous like this since the days before my first BQ in Madison last year. However, in Madison, I knew I had it in me. I knew I was fast enough to run 3:10. I knew it would be hard, but I was pretty sure I'd get it done. And, despite some puking at Mile 25.5, I got it.

This time around, I only think I can run sub-3. And each run lately has been chipping away at that confidence, as even BQ pace (7:10/mile) has my breathing off. Oh yeah, I forgot: Optimistic and Determined.

Side note: Mega Congrats to Matt for an AMAZING run at the Kettle 100 this weekend, finishing in LESS than 20 hours. It seems his training and preparation were spot-on, and by the splits posted, he just kept getting stronger. I'm looking forward to reading about it, so stop sleeping and get writing, Matt!

Mega Congrats also to SteveQ for completing the Kettle also, in what I believe was his 17th ultra in 15 weeks. Okay, maybe not quite, but close!

Now, it's time to get out there and put some miles in...hopefully 12 at goal marathon pace (6:52). BRB with an update...

UPDATE: Well, I started off with a warmup 3 miles, then picked it up from there. I ended up running 12 at 6:51 pace, but it was hard (AvgHR 167), I was sweating (didn't I just comment on how cold it was here?) like crazy, and immediately upon hitting "stop" at Mile 12, I started dry heaving. Seriously, WTF is going on?! That run sucked! Oh, wait, stay Positive...that run Positively Sucked!
(Thanks to Chuck Barkley, via Teh Marcy for that :)

TGlavenIF

2009-05-29T15:07:00.005-05:00

I'm off to Columbus, Ohio, for the a fun-filled weekend of Chiro Business talk. I've already found a couple places I want to run, so that's something to look forward to, along with the fact I rented one sweet ride to cruise C-bus in.

Have a great weekend!

Even you, Horse teeth.

UPDATE/UPGRADE: Upon arrival in CBus, I was given a FREE upgrade to a...wait for it...Toyota Carolla! I was also given the option of a Jetta (additional $5) or Corvette (additional $50), but passed on both, thus upholding my total tightass tendencies.

UPDATE2: I ran at the Alum Creek Mountain Bike trails today, and they were amazing! They reminded me a bit of the Greenbush Single Track I run on a lot, only condensed into a smaller area, with less hills. The first 6 mile loop was done in 48, second loop in 44. Humid, too!

Specificity Schmecificity

2009-05-23T12:30:00.007-05:00

Not long ago I had written about how I wanted my upcoming weeks of training to focus on fast road miles in preparation for Grandma's. Forget that approach.
I have ZERO interest in fast road miles. I have very little interest in slow road miles. I don't even like walking road ~~miles~~ yards at the moment. I'm hooked on the trails, folks.
So that's how I spent this weekend. Saturday's run was a 5 miler on trails with Ellie, followed by 7 miles on the Ice Age Trail, followed by about 4-5 more miles on roads. I had intended for that road portion to be about 12 miles, with my final destination being my home. I made it about 5 miles before I called for a ride. It. Was. Boring. I was hot and tired from the trail, and simply had very little ambition to continue. Saturday's Run available here.
Today, after 3 hours of landscaping around the office, I made it out to the Greenbush Single Track for some speed work. I ran a combination of the 3 loops that was likely about 7 miles a couple of times and LOVED IT!
The highlight of the run was stirring up an owl. Every time I see one, I'm amazed at how large they are, the small confines they'll fly through, and how quiet they are. They're amazing. I'm not sure I've ever seen this type of owl before (not even sure that's what it was, but the huge black eyes were pretty creepy), but he wasn't real worried about me. After landing in a tree about 50 feet from me, he spent only 30 seconds looking at me before returning his gaze to the forest floor. I could have stood there all day and watched. Can you find him? Sorry for the terrible film quality...it's from my phone. I'm pretty sure the only ~~thing that would take a worse photo~~ worse piece of 'technology' is Glaven's ~~camera~~home internet connection and 39 gig memory.

Nada. Nada. Nada. Nada. Nada.

2009-05-19T20:05:00.011-05:00

(Daily Mileage since last Thursday)

Much like Helen's recent training, life has been a bit busy. If you can consider Karaoke at a Graduation Party and Morel Hunting (I've collected about 4 lbs in the last 3 days) as cross training, then I'm good!

Perhaps tomorrow will produce a run, but it'll have to be in the morning, as I'm headed to Madison for classes all day Thursday.
Luckily, SteveQ's recommendations don't mention any goal for weekly mileage, so I'm using that as my excuse if I sleep in tomorrow.

Fawn spotted while Morelling --Parsenn was completely oblivious

Morel and Pepperoni Pizza

(There is photographic evidence of a truly epic Karaoke performance. It may or may not make an appearance.)

...and in other news from Sheboygan County...

Update: This morning, 5 miles, 35 minutes, felt like crap.

So, what's next?

2009-05-15T14:26:00.003-05:00

I actually have some time off until my next marathon. From late March to present I was running an event about every other weekend (13.1, 26.2, 50K, 26.2), but now I'm off until Grandma's in June. I'm not sure what to do with myself!
My goals for Grandma's are pretty simple: Sub 3. But how far under can I get? Perhaps a SteveQ-like drop in my PR to 2:46? (JOKE) That's what the next couple weeks are for--speed work! I have ZERO desire to do a long run (anything over 12 miles) on roads currently. When it comes to nice long runs, give me the trails, but the shorter intervals can be managed on the roads, and I guess we'll see what kind of pace I'm capable of and have a better idea about Grandma's after that.
After June 20th I can really focus on the trails again in preps for the fall, when I hope to run very well at the North Face 50K. The Ice Age Trail around here gets incredibly overgrown and clouded over with bugs (thankfully, very few ticks, though) so that will be a challenge from July to September. Still, the trails are so much better than the sidewalks...I can't wait!
Yesterday I took a spin on the new road bike for my longest ride yet--18 miles--and loved the transition of run to bike. Only one problem: it seems I've developed a metal "tapping" or clicking every time my left pedal is at the bottom of the rotation. Very, Very annoying. Anyone out there have any suggestions? Considering I know as much about mechanics of a bike as Glaven knows about tact regarding photoshop, consider me a blank canvas for suggestions.
Speaking of which, Ellie loves to hide behind doors at our office, and then jump out and scare me. I fall for it way too often. It was only a mild annoyance, until yesterday, when she started a meatpunch/bag tag to the act. Note to self: no more pics of Ellie without approval.

Meatpunch Forthcoming...

2009-05-13T11:00:00.008-05:00

In hopes of spurring some more worthwhile content (i. e. stuff from Teh 'Bride) on Glaven's site, I'm risking my 4th meatpunch this week (and it's only Wednesday) by posting, without permission, pictures of Ellie's many hairdos. And, perhaps even, some hairdon'ts, but who am I to judge.

Rockin' the Bunny Ears

Rockin' the Jovi Hair

Striking a (Senior Picture) pose

Straight Hair

As a brunette.

Whoa...way outta my league.

Journeys

2009-05-10T20:01:00.006-05:00

This past Saturday was the Journeys Marathon. My legs have been heavy lately and my last couple runs weren't all that good, but I still felt like I had a PR in me, and after being named Blogger of the Week by Marcy, I knew I had to represent! I mean, if I was going to increase my readership at all, I should at least post something during this momentous honor, right? So I pulled it together and ended up with a great day!
But I'll be honest. I'm really not in the mood for writing a long report. Don't get me wrong...I'm really happy with my run (3:02:21) and happy with setting a 6 minute PR! I really want to write this report using bullet points (just to irritate Glaven, mainly) but instead I'll put a little bit extra work into it and use Picture Points:

The start of the marathon was 26.2 miles northwest of Eagle River, at the White Birch Resort. The resort had opened up their lobby and provided coffee and snacks, which was a big plus considering it was 34 degrees out. I lined up somewhere in the middle, and after a gun sounded (fired by a politician, no less...insert joke here), I was off. Yes, I'm wearing the "ladies ballroom gloves" too.

By about Mile 5, the field of 99 had been spread out so much that I could only see one runner in front of me, and zero behind me. I was running the first half (which contained endless rolling hills) as easy as possible.

At Mile 13, the course leaves the very hilly county highway and starts its 'journey' over a bunch of roads that are all named after lakes. While it is a beautiful area of Wisconsin, these roads were pretty forgettable. With the exception, of course of the runner ahead of me, sporting jean shorts, going shirtless, and letting his shoulder-length gray hear flow in the wind. Parsenn couldn't believe someone was running in that either, and literally never even saw me as I ran past at this point.

After passing Jean Shorts, he said "Congrats. You're now in 8th place." Really? The next time my parents came up to me, I asked them to drive ahead and find 7th place and time the split back to me. About ten minutes later they informed me I was roughly 5 minutes back. Considering it was about mile 21, I was going to need some serious bonking to occur on their part, so I just kept plugging away. I must have been feeling it a bit, too, as my mom asked at one point, "Nic, are you okay?" Between breaths, I managed to answer that I had just completed running 23 miles and still had 3 to go. So no, I was starting to feel a bit tired.

Due to a Garmin Snafu (more on that later) I really wasn't sure of my exact time for the event. I didn't know my first half split, but knew I was close to running the second half in under 1:30. At mile 24 I started to push it, seeing if I could sneak in under 1:30...and perhaps break 3 hours. My 24 was my fastest mile of the run (6:40), and just about killed me, so I decided sub-3 would have to wait for Grandma's, and finished strong. The picture above shows zero celebration, and I managed to even keep my eyes shut as I crossed, in 3:02:21.

I celebrated a 6 minute PR with a single beer, and then it was off to the car. My feet were KILLING me. I ran in Brooks T5's...and there simply isn't enough shoe available for a marathon. My right big toe feels like the nail's gonna fall off, and the tops of my left toes are all blistered. The shoes worked well, though: I ran 3 events in them (Milwaukee Marathon, Dick Lytie Half Marathon, and Journeys) and set 3 PR's. Parsenn was also exhausted from a big morning. He needed a nap and a dip in the lake :)

I had told my dad this morning that I wanted to run a PR and maybe even sub-3, and that I think that would put me in position to possibly win an award...and I did! 8th overall, 3rd in the 19-29 age group!

This picture was included for Ellie. She always tells me my (big) ears are "cute" and is especially fond of pictures which seem to accentuate them. I think this one qualifies! Perhaps the ears are the reason for the good run--we had a 10 mph tailwind the whole time :)

Oh so close...

2009-05-10T13:42:00.002-05:00

3:02:21

Journeys is underway!

2009-05-09T08:06:00.002-05:00

May 9, 8:00. Time to run....
See you in a couple miles...

Catching the Marathon Bug

2009-05-07T12:37:00.003-05:00

I just stumbled (more on that in a bit) across this article (that includes a photograph) announcing Kara Goucher will be running in Berlin in August. That's not what got my attention (neither is the photo...okay, yes it did). In the article, Kara shares she "desperately" wanted to run the London Marathon the Sunday after Boston, and wasn't talked out of it until Wednesday! How cool is that? I was taken aback by the emotion she shared after Boston, and this really shows how much the marathon means to her. Very cool.

As for that "stumbling" topic, my run today was terrible. I wanted to run an easy 30 minutes, then pick up the pace a bit for another 30 minutes. Instead, I ran 3 miles and felt really crappy. My legs felt especially dead, so I turned around and called it a day. The worse part? It's probably the best day here we've had since last fall. And my arms, as I've mentioned previously, could really use some sun.

Not Techno Saavy. Savvy.

2009-05-05T21:49:00.006-05:00

Despite the dearth of changes on this site, I've actually been running and biking quite a bit! We bought a new computer for our home and office, and in the process I've somehow lost the ability to automatically download my activities to Garmin Connect. My USB port searches aimlessy for its buddy, my watch, making me increasingly frustrated with each minute.
Today's run was an 11 miler, where I ran the first 5 relatively easy with the intention of running the following 3 at 6:50 pace, and then the last 3 all-out. Unfortunately, I've got nothing regarding how it went. D@mn you technology!

(any help out there?)

This weekend is the Journeys Marathon, and I'm excited. I was thinking about trying to run sub-3 there, but that's simply not going to happen. Well, maybe...there's supposed to be a strong NNW wind on Saturday morning, and that would make for a great tailwind the entire run. Considering how much I lucked out at Chippewa weather-wise a couple weeks ago, though, I won't hold my breath.

I do want to PR. That leaves me running something under 3:08:19. I'm hoping to take the hilly first half down in around 1:34 or 1:35 and then having something left to run a negative split. Hopefully all goes well, and with a couple good weeks of training, the sub-3 happens at Grandma's!

After that, I'll celebrate by having several beers before Helen even arrives at that huge ship near the finish of Grandma's, at which point I'll make my way back to the finish line to heckle her.

Update: Now the trackball on my blackberry is on the fritz. Fantastic. And I looked up my run on my watch...first 5 miles at 7:08 pace/158 AvgHR, last 6 at 6:47/166 AvgHR.

...and now for something completely different...