Salt Lake City & the Half Marathon

The majority of my entries this year have been related to either my injury or my plan to run the Salt Lake City Marathon/Half-Marathon. It really is sad that even after all of that I have allowed over a month to pass since the event to record the experience. The fact that NO ONE has been clamoring for my write-up speaks to how little the smattering of readers I have even care. Well, I guess you have to put up with a report anyway.

After repeated attempts to train for the full marathon, each ending in IT BAND issues, I finally accepted reality and registered for the Half-Marathon. I guess it speaks well of my fitness and training to be able to just default to a 13.1 mile race without much concern. There was a time not so long ago when completing that 5k presented a significant challenge.

I arrived in Salt Lake on Thursday evening and was picked up by my sister Coleen. Even though I moved away when I was 14, Salt Lake will always feel a bit like home to me. After dinner at my sister Diana’s house we went up to my grandparent’s old house that Coleen now lives in. Perhaps no structure in Salt Lake holds more memories for me other than my childhood home. Despite the small rooms, even smaller closets, head trauma waiting to happen staircases, and general design for no one taller than 5’6", I love spending time in that house.

On Friday we had a relaxing day around the house. Then I went for a short run. That is when the panic set in. About a quarter mile into a 2.5 mile run my knee burned like it had at the peak of my troubles. I was so angry and upset and pushed through the pain (which I knew I shouldn’t do). I finished my run in severe pain but never let on to Coleen. I debated withdrawing from the race for fear of risking more damage. I don’t know what was different on that run, but it was perhaps the most humbling 2.5 miles I have ever run. Ultimately I decided that I had come to far to back out now so I stretched really well and hoped that I was just stiff from the flight and time change… (Yeah, that’s it, knee pain is attributable to jet lag! A desperate man will believe anything.)

Next Coleen took me to drive the route I would be running. This was the first time I have done this and it was really quite helpful the next day to know what was yet to come. From the endpoint we went to the Salt Palace to pick up my bib and race packet. The neatest part of that experience came in the form of an announcement over the PA system. They announced that a David Warden would be giving a presentation about Triathlon Training on one side of the conference center. I turned to Coleen and asked if they were referring to "our David Warden". She said that they might be as she thought he was a tri-athlete. We wandered over to the presentation area and there sat my 1st Cousin once removed, David Warden. We had played quite a bit as children before we moved away from Salt Lake but I’m not sure if I had seen him since! It was so cool to catch up with him.

After finishing up at the Salt Palace we went to Trolley Square. We had made a reservation at the Spaghetti Factory where all my Salt Lake family would help me carb load for my race. It was so nice to sit down to dinner with all 4 of my Salt Lake siblings and various members of their families. The trip to Salt Lake would have been worth it just for that. My mistake that night however played into the next day’s story. Looking over the menu, they didn’t have just plain spaghetti with marinara sauce at all. The closest I could find was the "Mt Vesuvius," which was close, but included Tobasco in the sauce… mistake! If anyone ever considers any menu item with the word Tobasco in the description the night before running any distance beyond the 20 feet from the TV to the toilet, STOP THEM! Other than that, the food and company were fantastic.

Due to the afore mentioned menu item, I visited the restroom 4 times between that night and the next morning. I was convinced that there was nothing left in my system to worry about, as there couldn’t possibly be anything left in my colon following the cleansing it had! (more on this assumption to come at a later time…)
Race morning I got up and went through my typical routine. I was dressed, showered, and ready to go well before race time. I ate some toast with peanut butter and proceeded to consume most of my sister’s grapefruit juice as I had drank most of her orange juice the day before. Only then did I wake her up and ask her to drive me the few short miles from her house to the start line. As we approached the start line we came to an intersection where the cops were stopping cars from getting any closer. I reacted quickly, handed my bag to my sister while asking her to bring it to the finish line, and then I bailed out of the car so she wouldn’t have to deal with the hassle of finding some place to park. Only after she drove off did it hit me that I had forgotten to call my wife as planned. My phone was in my finish line bag, pulling away. It was the first "hitch" to the day.

The temperature was perfect, cool but not cold. I had on some gloves and a hat along with my standard running gear and that was more than enough to keep me warm. At the start area I realized that Vesuvius was not done erupting and found my way through the port-a-potty line again. I jogged a bit to warm up but didn’t want to press my luck with my knee too much before the actual race. I lined up a bit further back in the pack than I should of, partly due to lack of faith in my knee, partly due to lack of faith in my ability to run at altitude, and partly due to my general lack of faith in my preparation and training. The other thing that I found a bit amusing was the start line entertainment. It was a Baptist Choir singing gospel music. Not exactly the "pump you up" race music you would expect, and oddly out of place in this bastion of the Mormondom.

When the race finally started it took me almost 2 minutes to cross the start-line and initiate the timing chip strapped to my foot. The first mile was quite frustrating weaving through very slow runners and groups of 8-10 people that present very imposing obstacles when they move en mass. Although I was moving at what I though was a quick pace my watched beeped at the 9 minute mark and I had not yet seen the 1st mile marker. I hit the lap button, convinced that I had just missed the marker.

The field continued to thin and it became much easier to find my way through the crowd but I was still passing a lot of people through that second mile. When I reached the second mile mark and my watch was still on 6:53, my suspicions were confirmed about the first mile. So including the crowd weaving I was on an 8 minute pace early on.

The third mile is where I developed a side stitch. This is not common for me at all and I think this was the first sign of running at altitude. I consciously increased the rate of my breathing to try and compensate for the lower levels of oxygen (I have no idea if this is the suggested approach to such a situation). That seemed to work as the stitch relented and didn’t come back the rest of the way. Mile 3 took me 7:32.

Mile 4, in 7:42, is where it hit me that I hadn’t even thought about my knee, let alone felt any pain from it whatsoever. It is almost just as frustrating to not have issues because it highlights the unexplained times when it blows up on me.
I had settled into a good rhythm and those middle miles went by in a blur, or should I say without incident.

Mile 5, 8:08
Mile 6, 8:14
Mile 7, 7:52

Somewhere in mile 8 the red pepper sauce from coastal Louisiana decided that it wasn’t done and I felt the growing need to find a port-a-potty once again. I went quite a ways trying to convince myself that I could hold it or perhaps that it was just gas and I could let it out and be done but eventually rightly concluded that the next available outhouse would need to be occupied. Mile 8, 8:18.

As I was passing the 9 mile mark, 8:27, in Liberty Park I was in near panic, looking for the park lavatories, debating asking a local home owner, anything short of ruining a good pair of running shorts. Then I saw the row of plastic green sheds up ahead that had never appeared as such a godsend to me before. I jumped in and stopped my watch (I didn’t want to count non-running time!). The pit stop took me almost exactly 2 minutes and was far more enjoyable than any "No 2" should be. As I took off running again my knee twinged for the first time all day and I nearly panicked but within a few hundred feet the pain went away, never to return the rest of the run.

Mile 10, which included a little of the in and out of the potty was run in 8:55. Miles 10 and 11 went by with a new lightness afoot but still were slower due to the stage in the race I was at. Mile 11 took 8:46. Although I was slowing, I was still quite happy with my overall time considering all of the obstacles I was facing coming into the race. I had set what I thought was a realistic goal of 2 hours, roughly 9-minute miles, given those obstacles, so my splits up to this point had all been gravy. Then I hit the biggest obstacle the course had to offer, State Street climbing up to South Temple. Most of the course is downhill, something like 400 feet net from start to finish, but mile 12 is a straight shot that gets steeper and steeper as you go. The capital building and the stupid arching bird monument over State Street at South Temple are deceptively far away and taunt you the entire climb. Mile 12 was my only split slower than 9 minutes (other than my miss timed 1st mile) and that beast of a hill nearly broke me, 9:32. It was the one of the few places where I noted several people passing me and perhaps the most apparent example of my lack of altitude training.

The run down South Temple to the old train station was relaxing in comparison. I ran Mile 13 in 8:34. The turn into the shopping center that was the finish line was really cool. The last .1 miles (39 seconds) was through a relatively narrow outdoor mall that crowded the family and friends right on top of you. I saw Coleen with her two boys and heard her screaming my name. Only later did I see how poor of a videographer she was. ;) Diana and Adam were down the chute a bit further, near the finish line. It was so cool to have them take time out of their day to cheer me on.

So, the final results:

Gun Time (from when the gun starts the race until I finished): 1:52:48
Chip Time (subtracts the time to cross the start line - what the organizers use to assign placements outside of the "winners"): 1:50:53
Watch Time (did not include the potty break): 1:48:49

Placement:

802nd out of 4139 Half Marathoners
545th out of 1588 males
79th out of 248 35-39 year old males

Overall, I was ecstatic with the finish. It could always be better, but halfway between my fastest (1:40:35) and my slowest (1:59:05) Half Marathon times was a perfect compromise given the challenges of injury, elevation, and digestion that I faced.

That evening we went swimming at Cottonwood Spa where I really learned how to swim as a kid. I went by my childhood house that has changed SO MUCH since my childhood. On Sunday we went to Church in my Grandparents old ward house. That may be the first time I have been in that building for anything other than a funeral. Then Coleen hosted a big dinner with the whole family coming over. It was a great get together that could have only been improved with the addition of my wife, parents, and other missing siblings. It is times like that that make me miss not living closer to the bulk of my family.

I flew home Monday morning, having failed to make time to visit a college friend that I had hoped to stop by and see but for the most part I had accomplished what I had set out to do that weekend. In the end the trip was less about the run and more about my sister and my family for many reasons but I was glad that the run had given me a reason to be in Salt Lake at that particular window of time. Hopefully, at some future date, I can return to the valley and conquer the full 26.2 miles I had intended to run.

My Plan, a Full Nelson

I think the few of you that read my blog are well aware of my challenges in preparing for a planned marathon in April. With the Kearny 9 mile run on February 21st, followed up with a successful 12 mile run on the 28th, I started to do the calculations. With 7 weeks until the Salt Lake Marathon I am asking myself if there is a logical path between where I am right now and the possibility of running a full marathon on April 18th. By "logical" I mean that there is a training plan that follows safe guidelines to prepare me for 26.2 miles that doesn’t take shortcuts which would open me up to even more injury. I think there is, but only one.

Every plan you look at has two basic elements of minimal training to realistically prepare for a marathon. One, you have to have run at least one run of at least 20 miles and Two, you should not increase weekly mileage by more than 10-15% week to week. Beyond those elements there are other things that are desirable but not as critical. Things like, you should be running at least 35 miles a week (and if you are doing 20 on one day, this is really not that hard!), you should aim for your long runs to be no more than 50% of your weekly miles, you should have a 2-3 week "taper" to allow your body to rest and repair training damage prior to race day. There are a million other things, but these are the elements I contemplated in my situation.

First, where am I right now? The last two weeks have been 18.5 and 22 miles respectively with the long runs I mentioned above, 9 & 12. I have been doing almost all of my weekday runs on a treadmill and not once over 4 miles. The miles on the treadmill are easier on my knees and I can do more of the proper stretching on a carpeted floor in a heated house than leaning up against a car at 5am in 40 degree weather. So, as much as I cringe at the treadmill training, I think it will be key to getting me to the Full Marathon.

So the key to my plan is the month of March! Each Saturday in March my long run will have to lengthen by 2 miles; 14, 16, 18, 20. If I can do that, I can then taper back down to race day in April; 16, 10, 26.2. If for any reason I fall off of that schedule, I think it would be unrealistic and dangerous to run the full marathon and I will step back down to train for a half-marathon which I am confident I would be able to complete that day. (Unless my knee completely blows up... then I walk the 5k… but that’s not going to happen, right?)

So here is the plan, you can follow my log on the right side of the page to see how I do each week but I will keep you posted on any significant deviation or development.

Week Ending......Long Run Length (miles)....Total Miles for Week
March 7....................................14.........................................25.5
March 14..................................16.........................................29.5
March 21..................................18.........................................34
March 28..................................20........................................39
April 4.......................................16.........................................34
April 11.....................................10.........................................24
April 18 ...................................26.2......................................34.2

The other element of my training that has had me thinking a lot lately is what to use as my motivation. I have almost always had the motivation of wanting to set a new personal record in any race I have run. The ONLY instance that I didn’t improve on my previous record at a race distance in the last 3 years was last years Peachtree Road Race on the 4th of July when I was running with 55,000 people and it was more for the experience than a PR. But I still ran a good time.

This time around I am not trying to kid myself into thinking I will improve my marathon time. I hope I do, and I will pace initially for a 4 hour marathon, but I would be shocked if this level of training and my patched together knees would allow me to finish there.

Last fall I found the fundraising I did for Diabetes Action to be very rewarding and provided a lot of strength and motivation over the final grueling miles of that run. I’m not doing another fundraiser at this point, one because I can only humble myself to ask for donations from friends and family only so often, and two because I have neither the time nor resources to put something like that together like I did last year.

So I asked myself, "Why am I running in Salt Lake when injury and lack of training would dictate perhaps putting it off?" It started off as something that would be fun to share with more of my brothers and sisters but that alone doesn’t get me over the hurdles I have been jumping. The biggest reason I can’t pull out now is that my two sisters would probably KILL me, but that gets me to Salt Lake, not through 26.2 miles.

I haven’t asked my sister if this was okay, but I hope she will forgive me. Last Saturday, on my long run, I had a kernel of an idea that sprouted into a full concept in a dream I had Sunday night. My nephew Nelson has been fighting more health issues during his 10 years of life than any human should face in a lifetime. He went into the hospital on Saturday, I’m sure that is why he was in my thoughts. The further I ran that day, the more the concept of completing the Full Marathon became a reality to me.

Forgive the terrible play on words here but I kept thinking things like, "Run the Full for Nelson" and other pun variations of the worlds most notorious wrestling headlock… "I can escape from a Full Nelson", "Life is a Full Nelson", you get the picture. Sunday night I dreamt that I ran the whole race wearing a shirt reading "Put me in a FULL NELSON!" with my nephew’s face on the front. If you have ever been put in a Full Nelson (as the youngest of 8 kids, trust me, I have) it can be suffocating, frustrating, and painful. The key to escaping this hold involves flexibility, relaxation, strength, and perhaps more than anything else, patience. What a great metaphor that is not only for my race, but life in general.

The more I have thought about it, the more right it feels. So, I hope my sister and brother-in-law don’t mind but I am dedicating this run to their son who has shown more flexibility, strength, and patience than most grown men have been asked to have. His relaxed, matter of fact demeanor that I have seen in him, belies the pain and struggle he has faced and overcome each time. I hope I have half his composure when I hit the wall somewhere near mile 23 (based on previous experience).

And what if I falter this month and can’t do the full marathon? Hey, a HALF Nelson is a wicked strong headlock as well!

Knee Roller Coaster

Since my marathon I have been riding a physical and emotional roller coaster. I have lovingly called it my "knee issue" or "IT band struggles" and many cuss words not fit for documentation in this blog. It has been a mix of denial, pain, optimism, depression, prescription and over the counter medication, doctor visits, rest, limping, new sleep positions, questioning my commitment to running, rapid weight gain, some periods of weight loss, stress induced eating, recommitment, bodily betrayal, comments on how good I am looking, questions as to whether I have put a few pounds back on,...... I think you are getting the picture.

Here is how it looks in graph form. This is my last 52 weeks of training miles. Gradual building of miles, running a 10k every few months, peaking in September, tapering in October, and then a brutal race schedule of Marathon on November 8th and Half-Marathon on Thanksgiving day. Over 1000 miles, NO INJURIES. Then it hits the fan.
Following a planned rest period in early December I tried to start running during Christmas break. What had been observed just before my Half Marathon as a minor knee irritation in my right knee exploded into severe pain after each run, no matter how long or how hard. By the end of the year I had identified it as an IT Band issue and resolved to take three full weeks off and let it rest and then commence my training for Salt Lake.

I resumed running the last two weeks of January. Each run had pain or discomfort but I "pushed through" thinking it might ease with time. (I am not claiming to be the brightest crayon in the box here.) At the end of January I couldn't fool myself any longer. I was taking two Advil and two Excedrin every 4 hours just to numb the pain enough to walk. I finally went to see a doctor. She gave me a far better anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxant to allow me to sleep.

With that two week rest and better pharmaceuticals I was pain free for the first time since November. I began running again VERY SLOWLY and with A LOT of stretching in mid-February. The first week I ran until I felt even the slightest discomfort. At first sign I would immediately stop and walk. If the tightness or discomfort didn't subside, I stopped.

While visiting my parents in Kearny Arizona last weekend I went for a morning run. I ran to one side of town, okay, to the other side of town, a little off but not discomfort, two miles around my old high school track, and then it happened. I noticed that for the first time in three months, I couldn't even feel my knee! I ran to the top of town and then winded back to my parents house all at a faster pace and with NO Pain! Now don't get too impressed, it was only 9 miles total as Kearny is just not that big, but for the first time in a LONG time I felt optimistic.

This week I have three runs for a total of 10 miles under my belt and so far, not one bit of pain... I have a hard time thinking what I may have done right or what the true cause of my change of condition may be but I am not complaining. The only other change I have made is at the end of January I stopped umpiring our church basketball league. The knee pain came before I started umpiring but it certainly got FAR worse during the period I was umpiring... I don't know but really I don't care.

It remains to be seen if my knee will hold together for training over the next month and a half. I am committed to run in Salt Lake on April 18th... its just a matter of WHAT I run. 5k? Half? or Full Marathon? I haven't ruled out any of those options just yet and I am realistic to know that I will not be setting any personal records, no matter which distance I run. At this point I only appreciate that I will be running something!

For all my Salt Lake friends and family - If I can push through these obstacles, I am confident you can push through yours and join me on April 18th in some measure. A 5k can be WALKED in under an hour! Are you going to join me?

Wildlife or is it Wild Life?

I thought I would throw up something so everyone would know I'm still alive. I am slowly getting back to the running routine. After 3 runs for 18 miles last week I'll probably be up to 4 runs for just over 20 this week. I'd like to get over 22 so I can keep my "at least 40 miles a month" streak alive. Celebrate the little victories, right?

My leg is holding up well and I haven't had any IT band issues since I resumed my running. The biggest hurdle I have now is the weather. I keep wimping out at 5 am when I know it is going to be under 40 degrees F. I run on the treadmill in the evening instead but just don't have the same satisfaction or euphoria from the experience. I ran a 10 mile run on Saturday and saw a total of 22 deer! That is such a cool feeling to connect with wildlife that way. That's not to say I'm not checking them out for antler size and debating whether or not I could get away with hunting just off the running path...

I keep wondering if I am pushing into another Marathon too quickly. Salt Lake is only 2.5 months away now but I'm confident that I have retained a good amount of my training from the fall. Unless the injury resurfaces, I am confident I can be ready! I am REALLY looking forward to it. Partially for the run but a lot for the chance to see family and friends! FYI - I fly in on the evening of Thursday April 16th and I will fly back out on Monday morning the 20th. I hope to see many of you that weekend and would LOVE to see you running the 5k on the 18th while I'm slogging from UofU out to Holliday and back to Temple Square.

The other trip I am making soon, like just over two weeks from now, is out to Arizona. I am flying in for business and then staying through the weekend to visit family. I fly in on Monday, February 16th, stay in Tucson all week for work, and then drive to Kearny on Friday night before flying home late Sunday afternoon. I hope to see as many of you as time allows. (of course I will have to work you in around some running time too...)

I hope all who read my blog are happy and healthy and enjoying the new year. Hopefully your new years resolutions are still alive if even just on life support... Hope to see many of you soon!

Done Deal, Running the Salt Lake City Marathon

After taking a few weeks off from running to let my body get a rest and clear my mind, I’ve got the bug again. I went for my first run since my Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon yesterday morning. And although I was quite sluggish, well off my pace, and sore for a good part of the day after only running 3.7 miles, my thoughts for two days have been squarely focused on taking another crack at a Full Marathon and the sub-4 hour run that eluded me the first time.

Maybe this is my version of "baby hungry". My wife and many other women occasionally suffer from an ailment, starting about a year after having a kid, where the sight of a newborn brings a rush of emotion where she insists she is ready and not only wants but NEEDS to have a newborn to cuddle up with, YESTERDAY! Lost is any rational thought about the 9 months of pregnant discomfort, the pain of child delivery, and the sleepless nights over the previous year. It is all worth the reward.

This is VERY similar I believe to my desire to run another marathon. Lost is any memory of the 1000 miles I ran in training with the associated fatigue, injury, leg cramps, and 3 pairs of $100 shoes. Lost is any memory of the suffering incurred at mile 23, hitting that wall, and having my body shut down. Lost is that blissful feeling the last month of sleeping in (to 5:45 instead of 4:45) every morning. Lost is the foresight that last time I trained in 45-70 degree mornings and this time it will be 25-50 degree mornings. All, in my mind, is worth the reward.

So it is done. I haven’t signed up for the race yet (budgets dictating the new year for that) but I have pulled the trigger of commitment (or is that "should be committed"). Today I booked my frequent flier mile financed flight to Salt Lake City, Utah, the weekend of April 18th. I couldn’t see myself waiting an entire year for Atlanta on Thanksgiving before taking another crack so I weighed my options and turned west. As I looked at spring marathons I wanted to run a larger race, on a Saturday, and where I wouldn’t have to pay for a hotel. With family in Salt Lake it was a perfect fit. By using my frequent flier miles I only had $5 to pay today to cover the flight taxes.

The Salt Lake City Marathon is a net downhill course that spans the length of the valley. Starting near the University of Utah at the Olympic Legacy Bridge, we will run south along Wasatch Dr and Foothill Dr, turn west on 2100 S. to Sugarhouse Park, and then south to Holladay Blvd and 6200 South before turning Northwest up Van Winkle Expwy. We will then run north up 500 East, past Fitts Park and through Liberty Park. The race finishes with a series of 90 degree turns zigzagging through downtown, ending at the Olympic Legacy Plaza near South Temple and RioGrande St. A full map of the course is found HERE.

I share the course because it actually helped me realize just how far 26.2 miles is! For me growing up this would have been a trip from just past Grandma’s house, almost to my house, and then downtown to temple square. Are you kidding me? That DRIVE would have taken us an hour to do when I was growing up and we would have finished the alphabet game 2-3 times (depending on the spacing of the Quaker States, School X-ings, and Zions Banks along the way…).

My only regret is that we can’t afford to fly my wife and kids out with me on this trip as they were such a pillar of strength to me in my first crack at this. I am looking forward to hopefully celebrating with siblings and if my parents can swing a trip north, celebrating with them as well. The question that has to be asked here however… are there any of my Salt Lake friends and family willing to take the leap with me? Come on, you could always run the Half Marathon or the 5k that day as well…

Shadow Dance

Well, we have expanded the John household once again. This time Jamie didn’t have to suffer through 9 months of discomfort to do it. We have added a dog to the mix much to the delight of all of my kids. Here he is, Shadow. He appears to be a Weimaraner/Labrador mix. He is a bit too dark for a Weimaraner but is distinctly gray/silver which is really unheard of for pure Labs.

Last Friday shortly after I arrived at work one of my coworkers came inside and asked if I had seen the puppies. Going out to investigate we found two puppies roughly 3-4 months old had been abandoned in our parking lot. One of the two puppies was very friendly and immediately made a connection with me. I called Jamie to let her know. She wasn’t 100% onboard until I sent the picture, then it was a done deal. A coworker took the other puppy.

To say we are happy with this dog so far is an understatement. So we have had a few accidents two days into house breaking, other than that he has been Wonderdog! He travels well just laying still the entire time in the car. He shows no aggression towards the kids at all. And with a 3-year-old pulling your tail, ears, jowls, and tormenting that dog just about every way you can think of… his mellow demeanor has been put to the test. He was friendly to visitors we had Saturday afternoon without hesitation. When Jamie came home Saturday night he barked twice when the front door opened and calmed immediately when he saw it was Jamie. He has slept in his crate with very minimal crying each night and without having an "accident". The kids are learning the value of picking up their toys, shoes, etc. if they don’t want him to carry it off. We should have tried this a while back!

I’m sure it won’t all be fun and games, we have the food and the vet bills, the housebreaking and the shoe chewing, the "what to do with him when we travel" discussion and general cleanliness of our house issues. But hey, I couldn’t ask for a better personality in a dog and at least for now the kids are gah-gah for him. And yes, I am REALLY looking forward to having a running buddy at 5 am.

Mille Borne

I don't know if you ever played the card game but it was the first thing that came to mind this morning when I logged my run and noticed that I went over 1000 miles since I started logging my miles 13 months ago. I used to LOVE playing this game with my siblings, particularly my sister Coleen as she would say all the french words correctly. Even if she was the most ruthless player out there...

The 1000 miles took me 149 hours and 49 minutes of running. Makes me wonder why I didn't just run for 6 days, 5 hours, and 49 minutes strait and gotten done with it. Somehow something you can do in just over 6 days doesn't sound like as much of an effort as it really was. If you do the math it calculates out to 8 minutes and 59 seconds per mile.

Hopefully I will have all the safety cards during these last 6 weeks of training so I can call out "Coup-Fourré" if injury or an empty tank hit me!

Suwanee Day - Official Results

Only a week and a half later than usual, here are the official results. OK, so it wasn't quite as good as I thought it was, but still a personal record. So here are the numbers:

• Time - 47:43 (not the 47:30 I had guessed)
• Pace - 7:41/mile
• Overall Place - 24th out of 203
• Age Group Place (35 to 39 M)- 7th out of 22

The time was always a guess as I indicated I hadn't seen the clock well. The 24th place was exactly where I thought I was. However, the 7th place in my age group was a bit of a disappointment. I'm guessing a few people delayed turning in their cards by the time I was there. Hopefully they corrected their summary sheet before the awards went out because she had filled all three slots when I turned in my card and there were faster times turned in after that... Based on their organization, I'm guessing they handed the trophy to the wrong guy!

As for my wife in her 5k - her time was bumped back a bit, 36:08 instead of the 36:03 she timed. I'm guessing that is due to the 5 seconds or so it took her to cross the start line so 36:03 is her personal time while the 36:08 represents the official time based on when the gun sounded. You can probably subtract a similar amount from my time. At least it wasn't the minute and a half it took me to start the Peachtree or the nearly 3 and a half minutes to cross the start line for my Half Marathon last Thanksgiving...

Suwanee Day and Other Stuff

Oh the fun life training for a marathon! I have wanted to write for over a week now, but this time it is not my fault. I ran a 10k on September 13th and I have been waiting for the official results to be posted to put up a race report. Based on the organization of the race I should have known it would be a long wait. So here I am, 10 days out, still no results, but how can I withhold my writing any further and deny all of you the pleasure of reading about my… sweating?

First, the race. With all of my focus (obsession) with running this summer, some of it finally wore off on my wife. As I wore on about how a good race is "the validation of all your hard work"… blah, blah, blah… I finally talked her into signing up for a race. The perfect opportunity came in a local town’s annual carnival affiliated race, the Suwanee Day 5k & 10k Classic. I call it perfect because it is the first race I have seen where they run the two races an hour apart allowing Jamie to run the 5k and me to run the 10k.

First let me say that I am WAY proud of my wife. I think she obsessed about her training schedule more than I do. Of course she was more obsessed about running etiquette than the actual running I think. You can read about her view of the experience HERE, but my view of the experience was one of awe and pride. I can tell you that she did way better than I would have done decorating a cake or the million other crafty things she does! Although she missed her goal but roughly a minute, a post race drive of her roller coaster coarse made me wonder why they didn’t suggest a Sherpa for the runners. Holy Hills Batman!

It was during her race that I had my first signs of the lack of organization. About 300 yards from the finish line the runners crossed a set of railroad tracks. The leaders had come across but somewhere around 25 minutes, a looooooong train came by holding up every runner that would have finished in the 26 to 30 minute window. In a 5k, that’s probably your largest group. When the train passed, a slug of roughly 50-60 runners all sprinted to the finish making a nightmare at the finish line where they couldn’t hand out slips fast enough and the line backed up to where people were waiting in line to cross the finish line… almost comical. Of course, with the train interruption, its not like they were setting any PR’s anyway! I also noticed that the only thing they had for the runners finishing was a bottle of water, no fruit, no food, no other drinks. All of which is fairly common at most races. Jamie also reported that they only had 1 water stop during the 5k and although I have seen that for some 5k’s, the better-organized ones usually have two.

Thankfully, the 10k course went the other direction and other than one big hill (½ mile) down to start and the same hill up at the end, was almost completely flat. As usual I started out a bit further back than I should have as there are a lot of runners who feel like they have to be at the front despite the fact they know they are not fast enough to be up there. I spent the first ½ mile passing people. With the steep downhill gradient and my push to get past these slower runners that first mile was FAST. As they didn’t have mile markers, I don’t know how fast, but I knew I was going out faster than normal.

When we reached the bottom of the hill I slowed some but still tried to push it. The interesting thing about the course was that it was held on a popular local jogging route on a Saturday morning so there were almost as many non-racers as racers out there. At about the 2 mile mark one of the non-racers pointed at me and said "You’re number 22". It was great feedback that I don’t often get in a race. With that as motivation I pushed to see if I could break into the top 20.

I soon discovered that the 10k only had one water stop as well. That was a first for me and it was really not enough on a warm and very humid morning. The water stop was at the turnaround point (more of a small loop than point), I assume somewhere around the 5k mark. After drinking, I glanced at my watch and it read 23:15. I had caught and passed 2 runners by that point moving me to 20th. Pushing back the other way it was odd to pass runners going in the opposite direction. I have only raced loops or point to point courses in the past so an out and back course was a different sensation.

I could tell I was slowing somewhat but not too much. In my mind I wanted to save something in the tank for that last ½ mile climb at the end. On the back half though a few runners did catch me, 3 or 4. I still felt good about my running though. My PR for the 10k was 48:00 set on Memorial Day. I had about the same 5k split then but then really tailed off to finish at 48:00. Since that race I had run over 400 miles. I had confidence that that training would prevent the much slower 2nd half split.

When I reached the hill at the end I pushed into it with full vigor. I did catch one runner on the climb and I was closing on 2 more when we crested. With that I thought it was just a short sprint to the finish but one of the volunteers yelled out, "not yet, you have one more". I thought he meant one more hill and if we did a lap around the park we would indeed have one more hill so I delayed my sprint as I scanned the horizon for indications of the course. It had been as I thought originally, I kicked anew and was closing fast on the two runners I had almost caught on the hill but ran out of course before I got there. Maybe that volunteer meant one more sprint or one more tenth, who knows, and who knows if I actually could have caught them if I had started my sprint where I intended too. But I later discovered that one of those gentlemen were in my age group, and not catching them would hurt.

In the confusion of the finishing area I accidentally cleared my watch before I saw the time. I had vaguely seen the finish clock at the line in the rapidly approaching 47:30 so that is what I put on my finishing card, a new PR by 30 seconds. I glanced at the other cards in my age group, I was the 5th card in with the 4th card listing a time of 47:27. A volunteer was writing down the top three for each age group and I saw the 47:27 time written in the third place slot. This meant that the top finisher in my age group had finished in the top 3 overall. So instead of giving that person an award for both overall and age group they are removed from the age group pool to determine those finishers. So long story short, I missed the podium and a medal by 3 seconds, one of those runners I didn’t catch… 35-39 M is the most competitive age group out there. To put it in perspective, I would have finished on the podium in every other age group!

Of course the organization woes continued. Not only did they not have food for the 10k runners either, they had run out of water after the 5k and hence had NO WATER for the 10k finishers. They had hastily set up 2 coolers (well away from the finish line) with Powerade but had no volunteers working with the runners so you were on your own to get a cup and fill it. The delay posting the results was just the icing on the cake. I’ll let you know the official results when I get them.

My facebook friends also know I completed a 20 mile run on Saturday. This was my best long run to date by far. It has given me the confidence that I will meet my 4 hr (9:05/mile) goal for the marathon. I ran the 20.06 miles in 2:59:24 which works out to 8:56/mile. I felt great the whole way and after an ice bath, I was good to go about 2 hours later. I will repeat the 20 miles this coming Saturday, hopefully with the same results.

I also have to say how proud I am of Caleb who is now running a bit and will complete a 1 mile fun run on October 4th, the date of my next race. I will run the Stonemill Race for Autism 5k while Jamie and Caleb do the 1 mile fun run a little later. Hopefully that will be a better experience for my wife. Caleb is also running the "Jr Marathon" that is part of my marathon. For that he is required to log 25.2 miles of running before the November 8th race day, then he runs the last mile on race day, while I am doing my marathon, to complete his 26.2. He will get a medal just like the full marathon finishers.

I’m also proud of my twin brother who has been running in the morning for 2 weeks now. Although I am the only person on the planet that he has the desire to be competitive with, I think it is killing him to know I am 20 lbs lighter than him after spending 35 years as "the skinny one" of the two of us. Eventually he will get used to it. He can always fall back on being "the bald one" now. ;o)

Beaches, Bigfoot, Books, and Shoes

It has been a week or two since my last post. I seem to do this in waves. I wish I could do a post a day type theme but lets just face it, my life is just too boring to fill that much space. Since I last wrote much has happened with our family, part of which is responsible for me not writing for a while.

My brother David planned and took his family to Ocean Isle Beach North Carolina for vacation. A couple weeks back he called and invited us since the beach house he rented since it was capable of sleeping 13 people. We gladly joined him for 5 days 4 nights of fun, sand, and surf. Who cares if we shoved 14 people into that house right? When we rolled out on Wednesday afternoon we were very jealous that they got to stay another 3 nights. I want to publicly tell my brother THANK YOU. We enjoyed his family and our beach visit immensely! So while my twin was hanging out with my sister in a mountain cabin, we hung out in a beach house. Who wins that one? Could argue both sides really.

Caleb loved the boogie board and spent most of his time doing that. Of course the waves were so big that trying to get out into the surf to where they were breaking was quite the task for him and we frequently found ourselves going down the beach a couple hundred yards to retrieve him and return him back to our section of the beach. His most successful rides were when I went out with him and pushed him into the ride. When I did that he frequently rode the wave all the way to the beach. By the end of our trip he had boogie board sores on his stomach and thighs but I don’t think that deterred him one bit.

Mischa tried the boogie board a few times and it was only on the last day she learned that if I pushed her she could ride the waves as well. She was most content playing in the surf and helping me dig for shells. Joshua was a bit timid at first and preferred staying at the beach house if given the option but by the end of the trip he really enjoyed the shallow surf quite a bit. He tried the boogie board once but nose-dived and barrel rolled on his first attempt "nearly drowning", after that, I couldn’t convince him to try again.

Liesie LOVED the beach, but wasn’t too thrilled about going anywhere near the surf if it got water on her head (her mother’s daughter). She loved the shallows and loved playing in the pits I dug at the water’s edge. Here she is playing while I dig.

What can I say, I’m a geological engineer that works for a mining company. I like to dig looking for hidden treasure. I found several shells I was quite proud of. I would also like to confirm that despite reports of Bigfoot being found in the North Georgia Mountains, this is not a picture of him on vacation in North Carolina! Perhaps my next marathon could be run to raise funds for laser hair removal for my back? Maybe that will be more successful than my significantly slowed marathon fundraising efforts for Diabetes… (there is your dose of passive begging for the post)

This last Monday the older 3 started school. Continuing the tradition of taking each kid to his or her first day of Kindergarten I dropped of Joshua and gave a high 5. I had been worried that he might be a bit to timid and not ready to be away from Mama just yet but after the first three days of the week, all concerns are gone. That kid is having a blast. Mischa also rode with me while Caleb opted to ride the bus. Based on the end of the day, maybe I should have picked them up as well.

The other mini-event, was that my first pair of really good running shoes logged their 500th mile this week. You may be thinking "Wait, I thought he bought new shoes?" Or, "Does he really track that?" But more likely you are thinking, "Why the heck should I care?"

I did buy new shoes when these ones reached 400 miles. When I went to find the post I could have sworn I did to mark this occasion in June, I couldn't find one. Maybe I never put one up... huh? Anyway, I just upgraded from the Saucony Omni 6 the current year's model, the Omni 7. They may look quite similar to my first pair, but they took some getting used to. They are almost an ounce lighter but rub ever so slightly on my right forefoot. Since June I have worn each pair alternatively to transition into the new shoes which now have around 180 miles on them (I have been wearing them for the long runs hence they get almost twice the mileage each week).

I track the mileage to help avoid injury. The cushioning (even in a $100 shoe) is only good for so much stress and depending on the shoe, type of surfaces you run on, and the size of the runner, most books (not just the shoe companies) will tell you that you have anywhere from 300-500 miles in a shoe before it should be replaced. It is probably not as important for the casual runner logging 5-6 miles per week running 2-3 times per week. But for marathon training, logging 30+ mile weeks running 6 days a week, the body needs all the cushioning it can get. The last thing I want to do is derail my marathon training with 3 months to go. I definitely notice a difference in the cushioning from when I first bought them, still, $100 bucks is quite the pill to swallow and despite the fact that I have my cost/mile down to $0.20, I may keep running in these for a while more (600 miles?). If nothing else, I have a GREAT pair of regular everyday shoes now.

As for why should you care? You shouldn’t. Just another insight into the running world for your gee whiz collection. Also, I like to pad my blog post length with worthless filler. Maybe I should have broken this into it’s own post but then this wouldn’t be a "catch-up" post, now would it?

Anyway, with school begun and vacations over, the summer is all but over. I would argue that this was one of the more enjoyable summers I have had for a while now. My family brings me so much joy and it was nice to spend almost two full weeks (separated by a month) with them instead of at work. All good things come to an end so they say.

The Pirates of Penzance

Over the weekend I was watching TV and came across a movie that I hadn’t seen for quite some time. From the title of the post you already should know that the movie was The Pirates of Penzance. It was the 1983 production with Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury, and Linda Ronstadt. If you haven’t seen it, MAKE THE TIME. It truly is one of the great musicals, if not movies, of all time. Gilbert and Sullivan plays have stood the test of time wonderfully but perhaps none more so than this one.

While I was enjoying the movie I thought it was funny that every time Mable (Linda Ronstadt) and her sisters came on screen I almost half expected to see my sister Coleen. Every little line or common quip I could hear her quoting even before they said it onscreen. Perhaps it is because of her years of theatre that I associate more movies with this one sister than anyone else I know. EVERY time I see or hear any of the songs from any of countless musicals, i.e. Oklahoma, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, the first thing in my mind is my dear sister. Due to the time difference I was quite certain my sister was still in church when the movie came on or I would have given her a call. By evening, the moment had passed and I never got a chance to give her a call.

One of the nice things about running is it gives me the free time to just let my mind wander. As I pondered about my sister and these associations I began to think of my other siblings and other family and if any of them have similar associations. With some I thought of movies, others songs or bands, but in each case the movies below trigger immediate thoughts of one of my siblings for various reasons. I hope no one takes offence as none is intended… So here is my list:

Mom – Pride and Prejudice – The black and white, not the new one.
Dad – October Sky (also Short Circuit – I have never seen him laugh so hard at a movie before or since)
Lorin – Rain Man – You would think this ties into the autism thread but really it stems from my childhood view of my eldest brother as the smartest man on earth!
Keith – Any movie with John Candy but particularly Uncle Buck. For some reason I can just see him making snow shovel pancakes. It is more than just the similarity in looks, it is his demeanor and his non-verbalized expectation of the best from other people.
Diana – Along with Dave, one of the harder to come up with something from "Pop-culture" to associate with her. Although I have many fond memories of her, they don’t really tie to movies or songs. From those memories, various objects remind me of her: model paint, birch beer, Breyer horses, and children’s storybooks, particularly "My Turn on Earth".
Coleen – See Above…
David – I thought hard on this one and I really couldn’t come up with a movie but what kept coming to mind was early 80’s rock, Journey, Loverboy, Rush, etc. I can’t get through "Come Sail Away" without picturing Dave at some point.
Oliver – You would think the obvious "Oliver" but the first movie that came to mind was Tron. Of course the other one that instantly brings Oli to mind is Rock Horror Picture Show. I’m sure he’ll wear that with a badge of honor… much to my mother’s chagrin.
Pat – The obvious would be Twins with his DeVito to my Schwarzenegger, but in reality it is all things from the 80’s. As no one was closer to me during that time, just about everything from that decade remind me of him.
Jamie – Although most everything is seen through the light of how I experienced it with her, I’m going to have to go with a song, I’m guessing she knows which one already… Whistling in the Dark by They Might Be Giants. Yes there is a story there.

So what I want to know is two things, am I the only one that associates particular movies with a single individual or is that common for all of you? Secondly, do any of you associate particular movies with me? Other than the obvious of course… Superman, The Incredibles, The Incredible Hulk… Of course, I could also be The Very Model of a Modern Major General...?

Increased Expectations?

I noticed something today. Where I used to celebrate and crow about every milestone reached with my running, I noticed I haven’t done it as much lately. Examples for this include: I posted when I crossed the 100 mile mark on my log but I haven’t really celebrated the century marks the 5 times since then (ok, looking back I marked the 200 miles this year point). I posted about my first 80 mile month and my first 100 mile month, but when I repeated the 100 mile month in June, I didn’t rush here to write about it. I have almost 100 miles on my "new" shoes (below) I got over a month ago but I didn’t write about them at the time like I did the first time I spent $100 bucks for a pair of shoes… (FYI, I just moved from the Saucony Omni 6 to the Omni 7 which is this year’s version – I like the 6’s more). So, the question is, how fast does something move from monumental to mundane? If I didn’t run 100 miles in a month I would feel like I am letting myself down but I now EXPECT to reach that threshold each month. Reality is that to prevent injury when running as many miles as I am I have to replace shoes after around 500 miles on them so big whoop if I got a new pair. I was excited somewhat, but why should you be excited? Of course, that question could be applied to the entire blog concept I guess.

Perhaps I am jaded by the lack of comments and say, "Wow, I didn’t get a single comment on my 100 miles post, why should I point out 200, 300, etc…." Maybe celebrations are not meant to be linear and I will be as excited about crossing the 1000 mile mark as I was about 100. Logarithmic Joy? It used to be that some of my runs were so exciting to me that I transformed them into fictional stories to glorify them further, where now, other than races, the only way I write about the events of individual runs is when something other than running occurs. So there may be a combination of dynamics here as to why I write about something one time but not another but the question is, does it even matter? I think you would be even MORE bored to read that this morning I ran 3.7 miles in the dark and saw 1 deer, 5 frogs, and countless dried worms on the sidewalk.

Maybe the constant droning about running gets stale. Maybe that is why my wife had to throw in a picture of an 18 year old (at the time and time since) backside. Running posts can only convey so much enthusiasm and dynamics. Of course, my life is not exciting enough as it is to support a blog. Other topics from the last few months I could write about? Movie reviews: Indiana Jones, C+ - IMHO, too much unrealistic reliance on CGI, Kung Fu Panda, B - I saw with a screaming 3yr old but a bit predictable, WALL-e B+ - funny and original but a bit too heavy on the anti-corporate/lazy human propaganda. Swimming Pool Maintenance: balancing pool chemistry is harder than you would think, no wonder pool boys would rather be doing something else… I’ll try to put up video of Caleb and me on a roller coaster when I get a chance, but other than that, I got nuthin…

Of course, I’m still doing better than my parents and 7 siblings combined who either don’t or RARELY blog and hardly ever comment!

P.S. - Many Many Thanks to my sister Coleen and her Husband and my High School Friends Ryan and Deanna who are my most recent donors toward my marathon fundraising efforts. I am truly humbled by every contribution! I am 17% to my goal with 4 months to go… I also only recently found out about another person in my life now taking Type II Diabetes medication but I will leave it to HER to tell others as she sees fit as she has decided not to broadcast it but yet not keep it a secret either.

My Wife, the Turtle

At her "request" in her comment to my last post I had to throw this post up for my wife. In an effort to support my wife in her recent running efforts I suggested an idea to her. I said that I would love to go on a run around the neighborhood with her. I have mapped out several 1.4 to 1.7 mile courses just running around our neck of the woods. I told her that I felt that the kids could behave themselves for 20 minutes and in the event of an emergency I could be home in far less than 10 minutes from anywhere we might be on our run. I told her that I could carry her cell phone and that we could pre-dial the number from our home phone so the kids would only have to hit the redial to get us. We have done this same practice when she goes shopping and I am on the roof cleaning our gutters. After some initial hesitation, she agreed to give it a try.

We decided to take the shortest loop on our first run that is only 1.39 miles to the kids school and back. I told her to go her own pace, and I would jog along for moral support and conversation. I wore my hydration belt so she could have water when she needed it. Although it was warm, it was not unbearable at around 80 degrees or so. She would run for several minutes and then walk/drink every so often. She had tried to say, while arguing why the plan wouldn’t work, that I would be walking along side of her running but I assure you that I couldn’t have kept up just trying to walk the whole way.

Our neighborhood is somewhat hilly but I was quite impressed that she chose to run up the hills. I don’t remember a single significant hill she walked up. We completed the loop and reached home in 19:40 or 14:09 / mile pace including the walking and running – never stopping. This was the fastest pace Jamie has gone since getting her new shoes and when you consider the hills and that the other ones also included full stops and breaks not included in her time, it is extra impressive. For the record, that is fast enough that if she were running a 5k and me a 10k, she would still finish first… I know there were several runners at my last race who couldn’t make that claim.

The run was extra fun for me as well. I did most of the talking but I enjoyed the conversation that I rarely get on my solo runs. The run also functioned as an EXCELLENT warm-up run for me as I went back out for another 3.73 miles that I ran at a pace much faster than I had run for several weeks in training. I rarely get the luxury of a separate warm-up run.

I am sad to report that she is having some shin pain after that run that she didn’t have with her home treadmill runs. I hope she didn’t push too hard because she felt pressure from my presence at her side. I guess some breaks for stretching are needed if I can talk her into doing it again. She may not realize it but her 4.4 miles so far are actually a big motivation for me as I see her try to find joy in my hobby. I wonder if she gets the same emotion watching me play with her stamps at Christmas time or helping her frost a cake?

She may have suggested the title to this post but if I’m the hare, EVERYONE knows the end of that story…

What Goes Bump (or Pop) in the Night

My Long Run on Saturday included an event that I wanted to write about and get your opinion/feedback on. Usually I run in the mornings on the Alpharetta Greenway for my long runs. Last Saturday I had a change in plans, or more correctly, my plans were changed for me. Friday night I spent the night in the Hospital Emergency Room with Joshua getting 4 stitches in his forehead. That is a whole other story but suffice it to say he was one of the monkeys jumping on the bed and we know what happens to each of them in turn… Getting home at 4 am, I slept until noon. So following a full day of activity I finally got out around 9pm for my long run.

Instead of running at the Greenway, which has convenient markers each half mile, I decided to run a double loop around my neighborhood and adjoining wetlands/park. I plotted out a course that would be just over 9 miles and headed out the door. Due to the late hour I wore my headlamp that I usually wear on my early morning runs. Fairly early in my run I heard a noise in the distance, from the general direction of an apartment complex next to our neighborhood. Pop-pop-pop…pop-pop….pop-pop-pop…pop… I didn’t get an exact count on the pops but there were several. From that distance it really is impossible to distinguish between firecrackers (they have started selling them for the impending 4th of July) and gunfire. As it was so far in the distance, I just filed it away and continued my run.

About an hour later I was well into my run and was now in the park running around some of the man-made wetlands and ponds. As it was after 10, the sun had fully set and I was depending on my headlamp for lighting. I rounded a corner and approached a loop around another pond and noted what looked like a light from a flashlight about 1/8th of a mile off, just off the trail. This park is a favorite of mountain bikers and the first thought that went through my head was "wow, that is one dedicated biker." As I continued to run I noticed that the light wasn’t moving, it was staying in the same general area, just off the path. My mind tried to explain this as "maybe he has a flat tire" but that, or any other explanation I was thinking, just wasn’t feeling right. Then, as I continued to run around the loop in that direction, when I got about 120-150 yards away, the flashlight all of a sudden turned off.

My mind went into overdrive. Why would they turn the light off? Did it correspond to when they saw me? Maybe it was a bike and it went around a corner? In the dark, not a house within a half-mile, the mind and its natural defense mechanisms can do amazing things. Fairly quickly my mind retrieved the memory of the popping noise. Then I realized that where I was I was actually closer to the apartment complex than to our neighborhood. It was through a tree line and a fence but where that light was is only 250 yards from the closest apartment building… Could this be thugs disposing of "something"? Or is this just some kids out messing around in the woods after dark? So many questions with ZERO answers.

That’s not entirely true. I was getting an answer but I was choosing to ignore it. My "gut" and the Holy Ghost were YELLING at me, turn around NOW and run back the way you came. Three things betrayed me. One, my feet, they just kept moving. In a world of maintaining pace and stride, the unnatural act of stopping and turning around, just didn’t compute in my head. Two, my planned run, I knew the exact distance of the route I had mapped out but if I turned around I would have to go on to Google Earth and re-measure that segment of my run. And even then, it would be a guess as to my exact turn around point. And third, my biggest hurdle, my ego. I can’t be afraid of a flashlight or noise or anything while I’m out running… If I let this one win, what would I do the next time I heard a howl early in the morning, or the crashing of some bushes? Where do you draw the line when your mind’s imagination takes over?

For good or bad, I kept running. As I approached that stretch of the trail my heart rate peaked, and not because I was already 7.5 miles into my run or because I had picked up the pace. This was different, this was pure adrenaline from the fear and concern that I had made the wrong decision. As I ran past the area I made a point of not shining my light off the trail, I just ran straight ahead, looking straight ahead, like I never saw the flashlight in the distance. Just as I convinced myself that there was nothing there I heard a small rustle and a distinct "Shhhh Shhhh Shhhh" from the bushes. Sweat soaked hair on the back of my neck still found a way of freeing itself from the moisture and sticking straight up. My ears perked, straining to hear more. The bullfrogs droned from the adjoining pond but my heightened senses functioned like noise cancelling earphones finding a way to filter the frogs out to listen to the bushes more intently. But there was nothing but silence from the grassy knoll. Somehow my mind started developing exit strategies and contemplating the question of what a bullet to the back would feel like. Would I go down with the first shot? How many could I take and still run? I reached up and turned off my head-lamp thinking "I’m not giving them a target, let them shoot in the dark!" As my eyes quickly adjusted to the tree filtered moonlight I kept a focus on the white concrete path, I quickened my pace, lengthened my stride, and never looked back.

It was a good quarter mile before I slowed down, if only slightly, and turned my light back on. Even then I wouldn’t turn around and my ears strained to listen for running feet other than my own. I ran straight home from there (that was my designated course anyway). I debated whether or not to tell my wife and decided to share the experience with her. Not a mistake, but I took my scolding and her point about 5 people back at the house that depend on me making the right decisions and listening to the Spirit when it is talking did not fall of deaf ears. I debated whether or not I should tell the Police but I settled on the argument of "it still could have been your imaginations, lets see if there was any crime reported in the news before I get the police chasing random flashlights". Watching and searching the news for the next two days, nothing showed up.

It could have been, and most likely was, nothing nefarious. But what would you have done? Have you ever been in a similar situation? What did you do? Inherently I think that late night in a park is far more dangerous than early morning in a park or late night around the neighborhood. I think I have decided that if I have to run after dark again, I will stay on the neighborhood roads and not loop into the park. That is sad because the park is nice and I often see wildlife but ultimately I don’t want to have to make this decision again and my family IS more important than any enjoyment I get from running.

My Kids

If you want to see some really nice pictures of my kids, wander on over to the blog of a photographer friend of ours who is doing a series of kids photo's. Check 'em out:

1. My oldest doing Karate
2. My second, drawing a picture
3. Mixed shots of all of them

Dang - those 4 kids are the best Father's day gifts I could ever ask for!

Tucson Arizona - Bear Down Baby!

It sure was nice last week to get a taste of the old stomping grounds. Of course in writing the title of the post I'm reminded that my school slogan sounds like something an OB/GYN might say... As part of an expansion of my job responsibilities at work I am adding our facility south of Tucson, Arizona to the list of facilities I take care of environmentally. As part of that, I visited Tucson last week. For those of you not aware, I attended the University of Arizona in Tucson for my undergraduate degree where I met my wife. Of all the places I have lived, Tucson ranks third, for now, only behind Salt Lake City and Silver City for duration. Kearny may beat it out if you add in a few summers here and there but I don’t think so, I’ve never done all the math…we could call it a tie for third…

Anyway, I flew into Tucson late on Monday and back to Georgia early on Friday. If I was smart I would have booked my return flight for Saturday or Sunday and used the company paid flight for a trip up to Kearny as well, but I guess I can do that next time. As it was I was able to arrange dinner on Tuesday night with my twin as he stopped en route from Silver City to Phoenix with a co-worker headed to a training conference. I also met up with my parents on Wednesday night as they drove down to Tucson for dinner. My brother Ollie, who lives in Tucson for another month or two, joined in for both occasions. Living on the East Coast with only one sibling within driving distance makes me appreciate those rare chances to see family all the more.

I can’t have a post without a nod to my running of course. Oh how nice it was to run in Arizona. I could get used to that in a hurry! Each morning I would go out for my runs at the usual 5 am but due to Arizona’s insistence on ignoring daylight savings time the sun came over the horizon within 15 minutes of the start of my run each day. The desert may get hot in the day (103 last week) but the morning cool in the mid 60’s with what felt like single digit humidity was PERFECT running weather. My 70-degree runs with 90% humidity back in Georgia this week have felt oppressive in comparison!

For all the old acquaintances I wasn’t able to hook up with this go around, I’m sorry, I’ll try to catch you next time. As it was, I was with my boss who had rented the car for us, so getting the car for my own use on two of the three evenings was pushing it as it was. The trip reminded me of all the things I enjoyed about Arizona not to mention the proximity to family, but for all that, I love life in Georgia as well. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean I cheer for the SEC over the Pac-10, that doesn’t mean that I don’t read the Kearny, Tucson, Silver City, and Salt Lake City online newspapers at least weekly, it just means I follow NASCAR now as well…

Proud of my Daughter

I know this is a reposting of the same picture my Wife put up but hey, you wouldn't deny a father the chance to thump his chest for a daughter that I can't be any more proud of. I had the wonderful opportunity to baptize her on April 12th.



This is us just before the service. She was baptized in a service with two other youths. My brother from Charlotte and his family came down for the service and visited for the weekend. All in all, it was worth missing my Saturday long run... easily, and thats saying something if you just read my last post.

Family Update - Pictures (and video) Added as promised

I guess I have to write an entry about the general status of our family since my dad sent out an email to the family claiming that all I was doing was running and babysitting so Jamie "can pursue some goals" a.k.a. girl scout leadership training. I guess if you are using my blog as your only source of information that might be the impression one might get. I would argue that I have discussed other things with my dad but I’m sure many of us would describe our current lives differently if given more than a sentence. Props to my father for at least communicating something to the whole family. I know it is more than I have done.

So, where do I begin? I guess I can start with the kids then get to Jamie and me.

Caleb - Cub Scout - Night he got his Wolf and became a Bear

Caleb is doing great in 3rd grade. His first quarter report card came in with straight A’s. I don’t know if that still means the same thing in these public school grade inflated times but it still makes a dad’s chest puff out. His other great endeavor right now is Karate. This past summer he won a door prize of 6 month of unlimited karate classes and has gone 2-3 times a week since our return from Utah. He is easily the best student in the beginner level courses and his teacher has requested to move him up to the next level of classes starting next week. At this pace we may end up having to pay for these things come January but the confidence and discipline I have seen it bring him is irreplaceable.

Mischa - Rockstar award at school (kind of like "Student of the Month")

Mischa is our bookworm. Based on the comparisons from my childhood, I’m sure she would make my brothers Loren and Oliver proud. She CONSUMES books. Since July she has read the complete Harry Potter series, twice, not to mention the dozens of other books in the same time frame. In a school program that assigns point levels to various books read and tested on, students have a goal of 25 points for the entire school year. Mischa is about to reach 200 points for the first 3 months. And the girl will read ANYTHING – don’t get me started… Her other endeavor is piano. She started lessons back in July and is moving along quite swiftly. Her teacher told me last Friday that she has never had a student progress through the books as quickly as Mischa who is already playing sharps and flats in three hand positions and can play several Christmas songs… guess we have to find a piano as she is outgrowing our keyboard.

Joshua - What makes you think we are drugging our kids?

Joshua is our tenderheart. Hard to believe he turns 5 in a week. He aims to please and will cry quite quickly if he thinks he has disappointed you in any way. The other day he heard me getting upset with his little sister for having marker all over her face. Twenty minutes later when he came downstairs he had a blanket over his head like a Jaw-wah. Upon further investigation I found that he had played with the marker first and was the source for his little sister’s escapades. He broke into tears and cried more about the experience than his sister. The boy loves his Star Wars, Spider-man, Power Rangers, and video games. Do you think we need to shield him from pop-culture a little better?

Liesie-Lu --- Who me?

As for Liesie-Lu (my nickname for her) she is not accepting the back seat to anyone just because she is the youngest. She is very opinionated and will resort to screaming to get her way. And is VERY jealous of her mother holding anything that even LOOKS like another baby. Her speech was delayed somewhat (may have led to the screaming) but she seems to be making great progress in her vocabulary and very clearly understands what is asked of her. Recently she has found an affinity to having books read to her, that is both good and bad I guess.

Jamie, Caleb & Liesie - Can you pick them out? Yes, that is Caleb with the last line in the skit

Jamie is the perfect diligent busy mother and wife. Apart from taxi driver she is a Cub Scout Den Leader, a Girl Scout Troop Co-Leader, frequent school volunteer, babysitter for two neighbors who are working mothers, and pretty much finds a way to always seem to be in constant motion. I don’t know how she keeps things straight and I often refer to her as my Franklin Day Planner. She is "working on goals" as dad referred to but I would guess that she would like to do a few other things if not for the constant deluge of tasks that beset a stay at home mother.

As for me, yes, running has taken a central theme in my life right now. My wife might argue that it has taken a bit too much of my focus… Maybe that will die down some over the winter once I get past this half-marathon I am running on Thanksgiving Day. I think a full marathon is in the cards down the road but I will make that call sometime in the future. That may take more time commitment than I am willing to give. My problem is I can’t just run out there and do a 6 hour marathon and call it good because that is basically walking. If I do it, I want to do it right… Enough with the running already (I know you are thinking it!) It has provided results though. I am currently 201 lbs and I’m sure I will be at the 200 lb goal I set for myself to run this race on Thanksgiving, even if I’m back over 200 by the end of the day… In other news, my "new" job is going great. I am enjoying not having to travel as much and being at a plant instead of a corporate office every day. Our industry is hurting a little right now as a good chunk of our product goes into the housing market but we seem to be keeping our head above water. Speaking of water, if you haven't heard, we are in the middle of an historic drought in these parts. At least I can blame my dead lawn on the lack of rain and watering restrictions instead of my ineptitude of growing fescue in the south… Just keep your fingers crossed that we don't have to train the kids on "Yellow let it mellow, brown flush it down" as it is enough of a hassle just to get them to flush at all!

I hope this suffices as an adequate family update instead of a book-long, rambling post of themes you had already heard. I’m sure my wife would highlight other elements of our life right now if you had her write on the same topic, but hey, this is the view from where I sit. Pretty nice view I might add…