New Year, New Goals, New Hopes

If you think about how many different ways humans try to mark the passage of time it's fascinating. We relish a sense of completion in the end of a day, race, holiday, week, birthday, semester, graduation, and year (just to name a few). The end doesn't so much hold the allure; it's what follows the end. With each ending comes a beginning and hopes that maybe what is to follow will be better.

"Hope is to the human spirit what breath is to the physical body--the very fuel that animates our being."--Rev. John Claypool

With a nod to progress in 2008, I can say without a doubt that I am very excited about 2009. This time last year I had a marathon in my sights. While I would like to be able to do a marathon in 2009, my main goal will be a half Ironman race in Augusta, GA this September (you can still register if you want to join us). I've got a lot of work to do to be able to complete the 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. J. will be preparing to do twice that distance in the Ironman Florida race in November.

For us, 2009 will be the year of the Ironman (and half Ironman ;). Training schedules start next week! So--a little inspiration for you J.



Whatever your hopes or goals are, I wish you the best. And have a Happy New Year!

Life is Good...Trail Running 101

As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm registered to run the Mountain Mist 50k in late January. http://www.huntsvilletrackclub.org/HTC_Races/MM07WEB/index.html This race is billed as the "Toughest Trail Run in Alabama," full of steep climbs and descents across 31 miles of rocky single track terrain.

Since I've only done one trail run in my life, I decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some practice today at Oak Mountain State Park. William and Colin agreed to join me on this adventure. We decided to start at the North Trailhead and run the blue trail up to Peavine Falls and the white trail back to the car. Sounds easy, right? Well, not so much.

William's brother in law, Bo, an accomplished and fast trailer runner, joined us. It was comforting to have someone who had a clue with us.

Upon arrival we only chatted for a couple minutes before we were off and running. Everyone but me has a house full of kids, so time is always precious and not to be wasted. The first mile of the blue trail was straight uphill. I reached the top gasping for air. It didn't get much better after that. Bo moved along with ease up front, while I struggled in the back, falling at least three times. The course was all singletrack, filled with rocks and branches.

None of us seemed to have packed enough water. About three miles in Bo refilled his water bottle from a stream, popping an iodine tablet into his bottle to cleanse the water. One thought entered my mind, "Holy S@*!, this sport is more extreme than I thought.

After a painful 6.5 miles we reached the halfway point at Peavine. I was considering bailing and having them send a car for me. Fortunately Bo and William didn't stop to chat and Colin and I were forced to continue the pursuit of our superior running partners.

We finished the 13 miles in 2.5 hours, about 45 minutes slower than we would have run it on a flat road.

At the car I realized that everything hurt...toes, feet, calves, quads, shoulder blades, wrist. I asked Bo, a four time Mountain Mist finisher, about my upcoming race. "Much harder terrain than we covered today for the entire 31 miles", he said. Not very reassuring.

I know that I'll survive and finish the race, though it may be slower than my 6 hour goal. As I've said before, "I'm stupider than I am smart", which seems to benefit me.

I'm thankful that I have a great wife and friends to train and race with. They are what truly make all these crazy weekend adventures fun.

2008 has been a blast with all of you and we're gonna kick ass in 2009.

May the upcoming year bring more races and longer distances.

JG

Life is Good...Rocket City Marathon

That's me at the half way point on the outside in the blue hat and grey shorts

Registration for the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL occurred after weeks of wondering if I'm capable of running a marathon two weeks in a row. Although it was pretty painful and not much fun, I now know that lots of rest before a marathon is nice, but not necessary.

Friday night we attended a Christmas party with Katie's co-workers. Since most of these good, hard working folks have either been laid off or have resigned, the party was a great way for everyone to get together one last time, drink a little more than usual, and talk about how much everyone loves each other and hates Time Warner, the dreaded former employer.

I left about half way through the party to go see Colin's band, Tonal Vision, play at a local bar called Marty's. All of our friends from the Jewish Community Center were in attendance and Wess even made an appearance. The band and company were great, but not being able to drink was a bummer.

I left Marty's around 10:15 and went back to the company Christmas party, which was still going strong.

We didn't get to bed until midnight, eight hours before the start of the race in Huntsville, 109 miles from our house.

When the alarm went off at 4:30 I seriously considered skipping the race. I was exhausted and not in the best emotional state after spending much of the week with my granddad at St. Vincent's Hospital.

There weren't any familiar faces in Huntsville or any pace groups. I ran the whole race without uttering a word to anyone. I really missed my usual race friends. Running alone is terrible. The race course was not very scenic but the fan support was nice. I ran the first mile in about 8:40. and miles 2-9 between 8:00 and 8:20. I started listening to my ipod at mile 10. Miles 10-11 were run at a 7:45 pace, which was way too fast. At this point I decided that sub 3:40 was possible. I ran the first half in 1:47:30. The pain set in quickly at mile 14. I was able to maintain an 8:30 pace until mile 23. Just like last week, after running 21 miles that were flat as a pancake, the last 5 miles were mostly uphill. At mile 23, I just needed to run an 8:50 pace for 3.2 miles to break 3:40. This did not occur. I gave in and walked mile 23.5 to mile 24. Walking hurt more than running, so I jogged the last 2.2 at an 11 minute pace. I felt no relief or sense of accomplishment at the finish, just pain and confusion. I stumbled and almost fell, crossing the finish line in 3:46:17, and couldn't figure out what was going on when some kid was trying to give me my medal and finisher's hat. Amazingly this was about 2:45 better than last week I was in pretty intense pain for about 15 minutes and am still more sore than I've ever been.

I don't know if I'll run back to back marathons again, but its good to know I can if I want to.
The Huntsville half and full marathon courses are much easier than Mercedes, Memphis, or Nashville. So while this race doesn't really offer much, its well run and a good place to try and set a PR.

After partying pretty hard Friday night, Katie got up and made the trip with me. Thank goodness she was there to drive me home.

Looking forward to not racing for a few weeks. The Mountain Mist 50k (31 miles) is on Jan 24. Its a trail run, which should be cool.

http://www.martysbar.com/

http://www.huntsvilletrackclub.org/HTC_Races/MM07WEB/index.html

It is Curious

"It is curious-curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare." --Mark Twain

Since late October I lived in fear that the company didn't need me. When they decided they did need me--I decided I didn't need them. (well--technically I do need the income--but hey, I'll figure it out)

Why?

"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

I look forward to being able to pursue more fully a profession in which ethics, character, and integrity still matter.

So here's to change--a long time coming . . .

"No man can purchase his virtue too dear, for it is the only thing whose value must ever increase with the price it has cost us. Our integrity is never worth so much as when we have parted with our all to keep it." --Ovid

Life is Good...St. Jude Memphis Marathon

We had a great time participating in the St. Jude Memphis marathon this weekend.

The race exists to raise money for St Jude Children's Research Hospital, where children fighting cancer and other serious diseases are treated regardless of their family's ability to pay. Its a shame that all hospitals aren't like this and disappointing that we live in a country where many of our citizens, young and old, don't have access to the best medical care available because its unaffordable. I'm hopeful that the Obama administration will take steps to improve this issue that has been ignored by the current president for the last 8 years.

Back to the race.

Katie, Brad, and I left around 1:00 Friday. This was my first trip to Memphis since Corridor X has been in place, which makes the drive much faster and smoother.

We arrived at our hotel around 5:30, and after making the mistake of turning the wrong way down a one way, we found a great parking place on the street that kept us from having to pay the hotel's $14 daily parking fee.

The sun was down and it was bitter cold. We quickly slid into the hotel lobby and there were runners everywhere After checking in we braved the elements and walked 10 blocks to pick up our race packet. We ran into Julie, a member of our Saturday morning running group, and her husband Charlie, and the focus quickly became dinner.

After several failed attempts to find food, we were finally seated at Automatic Slims. We gorged ourselves with pasta. For some reason dinner took about two hours, so it was pretty close to bedtime when we got back to the hotel.

We awoke on race day and quickly turned on the news for a weather report. 28 and cloudy, whoa!!! We met Brad in the lobby and started out into the freezing cold in search of the starting line.

Katie and Brad were running the half marathon and Julie and I were planning on going the full 26.2. Standing in the cold, 13.1 seemed like a much better idea.

Brad, Julie, Al (a fellow Vulcan Triathlete), and I all started out running together. This was Katie's first real test since the stress fracture and tendon damage suffered in Chicago, so she opted to start off at a slightly slower pace.

The first half of the marathon was a lot of fun. It warmed up a bit and there were a lot of people around to talk to. The marathon and half marathon course separated somewhere between mile 12 and 13. At this point the number of runners thinned out pretty quickly. We ran back down Beale street and out of town. I think fatigue really started to set in around mile 18. We were trying to run the race in under 3 hours and 51 minutes because doing so would qualify Julie for the Boston Marathon.

We slowed down a little after mile 20. The last six miles seemed to be all up hill. About a half mile from the finish line we pulled up beside a man pushing his disabled adult son in a wheelchair. I was totally blown away. This guy had a smile on his face and a great attitude after 26 miles of running a marathon pushing at least 150 lbs. One of the great things about all races is that you always run into people doing things that are inspiring and amazing, people who have been given lemons and choose to make lemonade everyday in spite of tough odds. Examples like this always help me regain focus and perspective.

We came up over the last hill and entered Autozone Park where the Memphis Redbirds play. The finish was now visible. A quick run around the warning track and we crossed the line in 3 hours, 49 minutes, and 10 seconds.

I was glad we accomplished our goal, but my focus quickly shifted to getting a shower. It was 12:02 and we had to be out of the hotel at 12:30. I quickly said goodbye to Julie and waddled off in search of the exit. I ran into Brad out on the street. He told me that Katie had done well, which was a huge relief. I'd been worried about that bum foot of her's for most of the day. She ran great for 10 miles and had to slow down a little for the last three. All in all, it was a great run for her. Hopefully she'll post a race report. ; )

I met Katie back in the room. She had us all packed up. I showered quickly and we met Brad in the lobby, threw our stuff in the car, and were off to the world famous Rendezvous for a celebratory beer and ribs.

We were headed back to Birmingham by 2:00. The trip home was slowed a little by wrong turns and stops for lotto tickets, but nobody seemed to care. We listened to Alabama lose to Florida on the radio, which as an Alumnus, was a little disappointing to Brad.

All in all, we had a great time and Memphis puts on a great race. We'd definitely do this trip again.

JG

Can You Come Out to Play?

I'm safe. For now. Job is still in tact. The aftermath of this mess leaves only 9 out of 23 staff members that worked on our December issue. All that this chaos has taught me is how secondary work life must be to life.

I worked and work with numerous dedicated, talented, hard-working individuals. I'll miss them greatly and they deserve much better than this.

Maybe that's why I love running--hard work really does pay off. If you have talent it generally pays off too (although I don't know about that). There are no games--just hard work, fun, and a medal when you finish (no matter the time).

I saw this posted on the Birmingham Track Club's message board:

I have been cycling on and off again for about 3-4 years. I have gone from extreme riding ,100+ miles and camping across North Carolina to not touching my bike for months. Recently, I decided that I would really like to start running. My boyfriend (who also cycles) runs pretty routinely while I stay asleep in the bed. This has done nothing but provide me with an additional 40 minutes of sleep and about 10 extra lbs =) which I chalk up to womanly curves. denial.

I suppose it's not that I have a question (yet) in regards to starting to be a runner. I have been a flakey runner for a while now. What I am needing most is someone's testimony to how joining the BTC and developing a running routine has impacted their life. Cheesy I know but I am looking to better myself, my health, my spirit, etc and don't just want to think this is cool because I see half of Homewood doing it on Wed nights and Sat mornings.

Some geniune feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Sincere Thanks.


Sort of an odd request on a message board, but who am I to judge. This response caught my eye:

If you want to run, why don't you? You've mentioned no physical reason you can't that going to bed an hour earlier or running at another time of day wouldn't solve.

If you don't want to run, no marathon course to Damascus story of transformation will make you like it. Anything someone else says can only reinforce your desires, not instill them. Besides, someone who has done some serious biking won't have the same revelatory encounter with running as someone who has been mostly sedentary.

Many trees have been sacrificed to writers rhapsodizing how running is a spiritual experience and how pounding the blacktop has helped them see Buddha in every leaf. Nothing like that has happened to me, though while laboring up a hill one hot July morning I'm pretty sure I saw Elvis. A fair number of people start running, then drift away from it, so maybe running doesn't reliably deliver major spiritual change.

There are health reasons, of course. Whitecoats have cranked out enough data to satisfy the biggest numbers geek. But whatever the benefits -- better heart and lung function, longer life -- none of them make blankets any less comfortable. Nobody slaps off the alarm and thinks, "Oh boy, I can't wait to improve my lactate threshold!"

So the main reason to run is because it's fun. Running is a sport and sports are what grown-ups call it when they play outside. When you get an email asking if you're going to be at the Wednesday run, someone is asking if you can come out to play.

Sports, unlike some forms of exercise, have climaxes, events to anticipate: A century, a 10K, a trip to Vail -- cherries in the fruit cocktail of our lives. People form social groups around sports and build websites and talk animatedly about skiing and biking and running. There are no groups of elliptical trainer enthusiasts.

People may begin activities for carefully considered and logical reasons, but their passions are intensely irrational. I've seen darkness every Saturday morning since July so I can fly to another state, run 13 miles, then turn around and run back.

Irrational? Sure, but I'm as excited as a 15-year-old on his way to sex camp.

That's OK. It's the irrational stuff that makes life worthwhile. People don't run or get married or adopt puppies or do anything they love through sheer power of reason.

You know this already. You're an athlete, even if you're in temporary hibernation. You know the delights of stories about tough races and mysterious calf twinges, of how talk about Gatorade flavors segue into talk about each other's lives and how exercise is sometimes just the backdrop to conversation. You know the weird and often hilarious things people talk about when they're physically exhausted. You love how the road allows you time alone when you want it without anyone worrying that you're brooding or endlessly asking, "What's wrong?" You remember the fierce joy when you were the boss, your body the servant.--Kenyanot

There are different rules in this running world. It's not about teams--and picking or choosing. All are welcome. All are encouraged. Success is defined by how you, not others, feel about your performance. And it's fun. I mean truly, deeply, play-in-the-sprinklers-like-a-kid fun.

There are good people out there. Humanity has bright spots (although I doubt it frequently). Have a little faith, run like a kid, and just keep moving.

Can you come out and play?

On the Eights

So. On the Eights . . . Here goes:

8 Favorite TV Shows:
1. The Office. Who wouldn't want Michael Scott for a boss?
2. Ugly Betty. I relate on a professional level.
3. Grey's Anatomy. No, I don't know if it's "Gray's" or "Grey's" and I'm not going to waste time googling it.
4. Rachel Maddow Show. Liberal newsie show on MSNBC.
5. Countdown with Keith Olberman (sp?). Another liberal newsie show on MSNBC. Think anti Bill O.
6. Operation Repo. This stuff is real-life Jerry Springer. Cops meets Credit Crisis of Today.
7. Barefoot Contessa. I don't have time, but I like to think I might someday.
8. Local News. Who knows what will be going on in the 'Ham now that our mayor is in the pokey.

8 Things that Happened Today:
1. Drank coffee this morning without cream--we're out.
2. Drank another cup of coffee without cream--took two to get going today.
3. Had leftover turkey for lunch.
4. Got excited for a co-worker who found out she is preggo.
5. Anticipated the "you're fired" meeting all day long at work.
6. Found out those meetings had been postponed until tomorrow. Great.
7. Got a massage by a physical therapist.
8. Have a burned spot on my leg from the electric current they used to "stimulate" my foot muscles. Running is still worth it.

8 Favorite Places to Eat:
1. Los Arcos!
2. Yankee Pizza
3. New York Pizza (sense a theme yet?)
4. Chez Fon Fon
5. Chez Lulu
6. Outback
7. Surin
8. My house--when I have time to cook
(very refined, no?)

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:
1. Running again
2. Some time off at home
3. Decorating for Christmas
4. Dog baths this weekend
5. Turning in my last paper for this semester
6. New Year's--maybe 09 will be better than 08
7. Friday
8. My sis being back in town this spring!

8 Things on my Wish List:
1. Stability
2. Gratitude for a job well done
3. Any of Obama's books
4. Running gear. Work gear is overrated.
5. More time
6. Healthcare for those who need it
7. A home for all lonely pups
8. Lottery winnings--so my friends and family wouldn't have to worry anymore.

8 People I Tag:

Anyone interested. I'm a little lax on this part of the game so pass along to anyone else you think may be interested or bored.

Life is Good...Thanksgiving

Katie and I have been down at the beach with my fam for the last few days. This year we're thankful for family, friends, good health and all the other normal stuff. We're also thankful that Katie has started to run and bike again. She's started out slowly and everything seems to be going well. Physical therapy starts Monday at 10:00am, as long as her company doesn't decide to announce their next round of layoffs during that time. It wouldn't surprise me though. They do seem to be the "Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, You're fired" type.

I'm off to run a few miles. Nothing too heavy as I'm running the Memphis marathon on December 6 and then the Huntsville marathon on December 13. I don't think anyone would advise running two so close together, but as I've said before, "I'm stupider than I am smart", and I like it that way. Hopefully my body will hold up.

Lastly, I predict that Auburn will beat Alabama today. Call you bookie and and put a few dimes on the tigers. WAR DAMN EAGLE!

http://www.stjudemarathon.org/

http://www.runrocketcity.com/

JG

Life is Bananas . . .

About all I can manage post-wise this evening.

Bananas for all . . .

Cheerio . . . Chump

So. J. is off watching some UFC brutality. I'm supposed to be working on my second paper--ahem--which I am--sort of. Just happened to take a "short" break to surf the net. I ran out of interesting things to read about, so I happened to do a search on YouTube for running technique. And I came across this . . . .



1. From what I can tell this is not a joke.
2. But it looks like a SNL skit.
3. Brits (at least this one) wear some daringly short, colorful skivvies.
4. Next time I "tuhn ouwt" for a run I'll remember to "peeck mah feeat uhp a biit highuh" and look out for "ruhts" so I "don't fall ovuh."
5. Although most of the info is "No shit Tonto" it's good for a laugh.

Downside . . . 10 more pages to go--and no real insight as to why I look like a duck when I run. Upside . . . fairly amusing--although I don't think it was intended to be.

Cheerio dahlings!

Life is Good...Weekend

Its the weekend, thank God. I met my running group this morning at 5 am. Today was our final training run for the Memphis marathon, which is in three weeks. We'd planned on running 22, but decided to be ambitious and ran 26.2 miles, which went very well.

We watched the first half of the Auburn game with RBA (Katie's dad). Katie spent the afternoon writing a paper for class. We're off in a few minutes to eat dinner at La Dolce Vita with friends, which will be followed by watching the Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view. I will have probably been up at least 20 hours before I find the bed.

Katie will probably spend much of the day at the JCC tomorrow doing non-running strenuous activities. I have at least 1 million leaves to get up. I'll be very glad when she's able to run again. I miss my #1 running buddy.

JG

10 Things About Running a Half Marathon

Meg's Half Marathon

Click above for pics from M.'s first half marathon!

M. I think J.'s E-mail sums it all up. I love you and I am so proud to be your sister. Pay special attention to #9 and #10. In J.'s pre-race words (and after the event, mine):

1. The hardest part of any race is the training, which is over. (unless you've signed up for another one . . . )
2. Running the race is merely a celebration of that training. (which is why you've probably thought about signing up for another one)
3. Don't ever downplay this accomplishment. It is one of significance that most people will never have the courage or will to complete. (Many estimates indicate less than 1% of the U.S. population will run a half marathon this year.)
4. At some point in the race you may feel poorly. Remember that there's magic in misery. (You didn't ever look miserable. Logical conclusion: you can run farther . . . Chicago 09?)
5. After it's over don't hesitate to tell people you ran a half marathon. Upon hearing your story people in your circle of influence may be inspired to start running.
6. You'll be surprised how quickly time will go by during the race. (I think Support People A & B and the shiny red cow bell probably helped with this one.)
7. Katie and I are extremely proud of you. There will be others that are proud, some that think running is stupid, and some that just don't care either way. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks. Run this race for you! (You did it for yourself. Satisfaction with what you've accomplished is better than any praise anyone can give you.)
8. Have fun. (And keep running :)
9. Party when its over, you've earned it! (I vote that #8 and #9 are the same.)
10. Sign up for another race. (Mercedes--on your birthday. And ice that hip flexor!)

JG (and KG)

And A Word About Yesterday

Yes. We. Can.

Countdown for M. . . . 2 days!

M. You've done this all on your own! I remember running 3 miles with you in the snow on the parkway and you said 5 felt like a really long way. Can you believe you're going to run 13.1 on Saturday?

And you're going to be great! I'll be there at every point I can be cheering you along and wishing I could be by your side.

I'm so proud of you (mostly for reasons outside of running), but I'm so glad you know and understand that you truly are capable--whether it's 13.1 miles, starting an I.V., or 26.2 . . .

You got it girl!

Here's one of my new favorite songs (and the cheesy music video) to get you PUMPED up.

Boo . . . 'bama

Wow. Could this week get any more bizarre? Lay-offs continue at work. Today our fearless leader and many of his counterparts have been forced into retirement. We're leaderless . . . unless you consider NYC TW a leader . . .

So, as a Southern institution crumbles all around me I'm having to find new ways to cope. I can't run. I can't bike. And if you think running is monotonous, you should try swimming for more than an hour. Down and back, down and back, down and back, etc.

Instead of working out some physical aggression, I turned on my creative hat and came up with this: (Halloween is tomorrow!)



Which I thought may look prettier like this:



So I got messy:



Pulled out my professional carving tools:



Worked for hours and finally sat back to admire this:



Subtle. Random perhaps. But why not? I plan on "redistributing" some wealth tomorrow night in the form of Snickers and malt balls. Share the love--Obama style:



Scary--not at all to me--but apparently it's topping some people's lists this year. I prefer the words hope, inspiration, and inclusive to scary. Boo!

Have a safe & fun Halloween.

Life is Good...There's Magic in Misery

Last month I commented on being inspired after reading the autobiography of Dean Karnazes, who commonly runs distances that most would think impossible. There's a quote in the book that I missed when I read it, but was later brought to my attention from a friend also reading the book.

"There's Magic in Misery"

At first glance this quote looks odd and doesn't make much sense. Upon further examination I have found it to be very true when running and a tool for managing my everyday life.

Katie and I truly enjoy running. We wouldn't do it so much if we didn't. As we plod along, most miles are fun and carefree. However, there are times when our journey becomes a struggle. Times when we've been running so long that our minds our drained. Times when our muscles ache. Times when our energy reserves are completely depleted. And as we've discovered recently, times when our bones are broken. Oftentimes when these obstacles present themselves, the journey to the finish line or the warm car is still many miles away.

In the moment these times are nothing but pain and misery. In the past they are the times we look upon with our fondest memories of perseverance and accomplishment. For we do not grow as people during the carefree miles, we grow during the miserable ones.

Katie has received some odd comments this week for dragging a broken foot through the last 10 miles of the Chicago Marathon. She has been accused of being excessive, unwise, and unbalanced. I can see how dropping out of the race seems like the more rational choice to some.

We have fond memories of the race. Its an achievement Katie will reflect on with a humble sense of pride for the rest of her life. Its true that if she had stopped running before the finish line a lot of misery and a broken foot could have possibly been prevented. But without the misery there would not be the magic of accomplishing a goal that once seemed impossible. That magic will remain long after the foot has healed.

There aren't any words that describe why we run better than Dean's.

"There's Magic in Misery"

JG

Response to Mr. Life is Good

Here's your list. I'll tell you what I manage to be thankful for today.

Sometimes thinking in terms of what you ARE thankful for is the best thing.

1. I don't know how, but I survived a 20% reduction in our staff size today (this is about the 4th big cut in 3 years). Every person who lost a job today is incredibly talented and I'm not sure yet how we're going to be able to produce the quality product we have without each of them.
2. My foot doesn't really hurt very much. I'll be back to pounding the pavement in no time. And seriously enjoying and appreciating every minute of it.
3. Our pups really do rock. And if we have to have our heat cut off they'll provide a good deal of warmth.
4. Stouffer's Casseroles and Campbell's Soups are actually pretty dang good. As is a $7-a-bottle-with-a-screw-cap kind of wine.
5. A rat didn't die in your car.
6. If it was hot outside this boot would be sweaty and nasty. Instead it's almost slightly comforting and cozy. Toasty as opposed to itchy and sweaty is a serious plus.
7. The Office comes on tonight. Woot!
8. Now that our standards for Auburn are so low, we can get excited about the small things--ya know, a first down every now and then.
9. We're in town this weekend with no races or places we have to go. I don't even have any school work right now. Let's soak it up. I think it may be the only one like it until mid-December.
10. You can still make me laugh. Which I admit must be hard to do on days like this.
11. I take solace in the fact that most people out there are having similar experiences. We really are in this together--on a very large scale.
12. We don't have a hole in our yard full of raw sewage anymore! Glad they got that fixed before trick-or-treaters invade our neighborhood in a few weeks--could have been treacherous.
13. The JCC has aqua-joggers. YES!!
14. Wickles make my heart sing. Any foodie who has not tried them, must.

And finally . . .

15. Touchdown Auburn. We may only get ten of them this season. Enjoy it :)

There you have it. Give thanks!

Gratefully yours,

Kate

Life is Good....?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Struggling to find positives today. Help me out with some comments.

So I Finally Found the Wall

I don't think I've ever really hit the infamous runner's wall that I always imagined would be some ethereal mental form of this:



Ya know, those runners that look like this:



Nope. No wall like that for me. I've gone slow enough for that to never happen to me. But I've managed to find a wall anyway. It just looks like this:



Yep. That foot pain I've been mentioning periodically--which I dismissed because, well, I honestly thought pain would just be a given. That was a stress fracture in my 5th metatarsal (i.e. the end of the pinky toe). It was also a severe case of peroneal tendonitis (all in my left foot). And a severe case of plantar fasciitis (but that's just my right foot).

This sheds new light on the time when I told J. at mile 18 of the marathon that I felt like I just didn't have any "feet" left to run on. The doc thinks I've had the stress fracture for a good while now. He seemed to be impressed by my pain threshold. I guess in a way it's nice to know that eventually it may not be as painful as it has been.

So. What now? Plan B.

No activity WHATsoEVER (doc's orders) for at least 6 weeks, possibly 8--of which my time must be spent in this ugly, constrictive "boot." No running with my sister for her first 1/2 marathon--only non-weight bearing cheering. No running the Memphis Marathon in 8 weeks. I've not counted Mercedes out completely, but after 6 weeks of immobility the marathon will be 10 weeks away.

Sigh. . . Enough crying, though. A pity party can only last so long.

Just don't tell my doctor I plan on hitting the pool first thing tomorrow :). And I'll be on that bike as soon as I possibly can.

Downside . . . I've lost the one activity that truly helps me keep my sanity. Upside . . . I get to wear tennis shoes to work and with the amount of swimming I'm going to do over the next 6 weeks I may even be able to give Michael Phelps a run for his money!

Life is Good . . . I agree

I do miss the "Life is Good" posts. I hope J. will be back soon with some of his optimistic musings. In the mean time we will all have to be optimistic on our own. Here are some random positives for the day (as I watch the 10 pm Bham news--seriously depressing!):

1. Change is around the corner. Get out there and vote--and be thankful you can. Less than 100 years ago I would not have had that right!
2. I really believe this change will be for the better.
3. We've come a long way in just 200 years--heck 50 for that matter-- (random, class-induced observation), thank God. As misguided as we seem sometimes, let's pause to admire the progress of humanity in general.
4. Dogs are great foot-warmers and soul lifters (or cats if you prefer). If you don't have one, I have two you can borrow--free of charge. Shout out to Aunt S.'s cute new addition to the fam (Nellie).
5. My air conditioner AND my heater are OFF! Who needs Alabama Power OR Alagasco . . . for now anyway.
6. Our leaves haven't reached peak yet--must be sad to already be socked in for winter (i.e. North Dakota).
7. We're blessed to have such great family and friends in town. If all goes Depression-style we can form a commune. And I know we'd make it through.
8. Chips and salsa are still complimentary at Los Arcos (click here for more courtesy K.) .
9. I can play telephone tag with my sister all week long and laugh about it with her when we finally get in touch over the weekend (can't wait until you're in town, M.!).
10. The Cubs (and the Auburn Tigers) always have next year . . .

So, yes. Life is definitely good. We just have to stop and remind ourselves every now and then. Happy almost-wednesday everyone.

Kate

Life Goes On. What Next?

So the event I trained for the past year (10 months to be exact) is over. This morning J. and I went to an RPM class (think spinning, but cooler)--my first attempt at exercise since Chicago, definitely not J.'s. He ran 20 yesterday. At 8:35 per mile pace. I know. Crazy, right? He can really kick some asphalt when he's not trying to hone in on a fellow runner with a camera.

So what has this week been like? A deep sense of satisfaction accompanied by a lot of this:



And this:



Which goes best with this:



Which is best followed by this:



Yes, savoring the week afterward as a week of ultimate indulgences was worth the 10 months of semi self-deprivation and training devotion. I've enjoyed every minute of it, but the sluggishness is starting to set in.

What's on the horizon? Huntsville 1/2 marathon (2 weeks--w/ M.!). Memphis 1/2 marathon (7 weeks--J. to do the full). Beyond that I don't have another major commitment until the Mercedes Marathon in February.

So on to the next big event. Training starts again tomorrow and I'm ready to dive in with renewed vigor. Maybe I'll even work on getting "sort of" fast. Maybe I'll take long, long bike rides (do need to get back on the bike since I'm signed up for a half-Ironman next Fall). Maybe I'll spend some more time in the pool. Maybe I'll make Rocky Road ice cream a staple in my next training plan . . . mmmmmm!

Recovery . . .

I'm not going to move very much today. And I'm going to enjoy it :).

The race was amazing. Chicago is beautiful. But it was HOT (early morning forecasts predicted 81--they were a little off)! Some estimates were as high as 88 degrees at noon (we crossed the finish line around 1:20 pm). Last year they canceled the race due to the 85 degree heat. Nobody died this year, though, and the aid stations didn't run out of water.

So, our time was a little off what I wanted it to be (5h10min) due to a bathroom stop, a bum heel, and some intense heat. But we survived and had a fairly good time in the process :). Thanks J. for sacrificing a PR to run with me. It was for the most part a great time!

So here are the video clips of the race . . . courtesy official race documenter, J.









And photos . . . click below:

Chicago Marathon

Downside . . . gonna be hard to sight-see on foot. Upside . . . the medal is pretty dang cool!

Life is Good...Quit Moving Kate

Congrats Katie for now being an official marathoner. I new you could do it and am very proud.

Take some well deserved time off and temporarily quit moving Kate.

JG

Countdown . . . Ready to Go!

We made it! Wow, it's beautiful here. The air is crisp and the sun is warm. It's WALL-TO-WALL runners around here. I've never been in one place with so many people of shared interests.

The trees have started to change here . . .



We went to the Expo and got our T-shirts, our race numbers . . .



We've gotten the bus/subway system figured out. Sort of . . .




And now we're resting up. After spaghetti dinner tonight it's off to bed and then game time!

Thank you to all of you who have suffered through boring discussions about running, acted interested in the blog :), and offered E-mails, calls, and notes of support and well wishes! We're very fortunate to have you in our lives. If we're not completely wiped out tomorrow afternoon, we'll post w/ news from the race.

K.--the CD is AWWWWWESOME :)!

Life is Good...Countdown 2 Days

This video speaks for itself. Rocky is the ultimate underdog and should inspire us all.

JG

The Details . . . for J.'s Mom :)

Race Confirmation:

Here are our numbers! J. is # 5772 and I am # 16640.

So. If you don't have anything better to do, here's what you can do on Sunday morning. Track us while we run around like crazy with 45,000 other crazies around Chicago on Sunday.

The race has this new thing where you sign up for E-mail updates or texts that let you know when we've crossed various points in the race. I think you get alerts at 10K (6.1 miles), halfway (13.1) . . . one other and then the finish line. And it's FREE (standard text messaging rates apply . . . )

Here's the link:

Spectators can electronically track multiple runners along the race course by receiving real-time updates via e-mail or text message throughout the race. Updates will be received as runners cross the 10K, halfway (13.1 miles) and 30K checkpoints, as well as the finish line. To sign up for Online Runner Tracking, visit chicagomarathon.com

Annnnnnnd . . . if you're super bored, you can check out a live broadcast (Watch the Bank of America Chicago Marathon live Webcast from 7 to 11 a.m.)of the race at:


2008 Broadcast Information
Whether you are in Chicago or across the world, you can catch live action of the 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on TV, radio and/or the Web. Check out exclusive coverage from the Bank of America Chicago Marathon’s broadcast partners.

Don't expect to see us on it, but I think Beijing Olympic marathon gold medalist Constantina Tomescu-Dita from Romania (yes, this is the insane woman who took a 3-mile victory lap after winning the marathon!) will make a great showing (she'll probably finish 3 hours before we do).

Only catch . . . got to sign up before 6 p.m. on Saturday night.

Inspiration to follow. Have to find some first :).

KG

Life is Good...Lucky Man

It was another tough one today on the work force. My car is in the shop, so my dad, who is also my boss man, gave me a ride into the rock.

After a long day I though I was out of the woods when suddenly a co-worker took it upon herself to inform me of my ignorance for being an Obama supporter. She was so angry you would have thought I had done something down right immoral. She made me aware that my man Barack is inexperienced, dishonest, and a terrorist. Who woulda thunk it? Its amazing that people that still stand behind G Dub can call anyone a terrorist. I decided to mention that Kennedy was young and inexperienced, which led her to also make me aware that he was a poor president and a philanderer. Who woulda thunk it? Cuban Missile Crisis Kennedy? Go to the Moon Kennedy? Ask not what your country can do for you Kennedy? Sounds like a half way decent president to me.

Moving on. Since I had no car I decided to leave my clothes, wallet, and cell phone at the office and run home from work. Heading off on a ridiculously hilly, 10 mile circuitous route, I traveled passed many placed that brought back memories from times past. My first elementary school, the church of my childhood, the house where Katie's Grandmother lived, and of course, the track where I ran my first mile. A funny memory made me smile. I remembered my mom helping me train there after school in first grade for the Presidential Physical Fitness test in P.E. I passed the test. Thanks Mom.

So now the day is almost done. I got in a great run which makes any day a good day. More importantly I have a great wife, great friends, a great family, and three half decent dogs.

All things considered, I'm a lucky man.

JG

Countdown . . . 3 days to go (Almost again)

I found a good one. And I couldn't wait until tomorrow morning to post it. (And I've procrastinated another paper--8 pages due tomorrow--so why not procrastinate a wee bit more.)

I'd like to dedicate this one to M. She's got 10 on her schedule this weekend for the first time. Way to go M.!! Remember, while you're running we'll be running :). And if you can do 5 then you can do it twice. If you can do 8 then you can do just 2 more. Take as long as you need--just don't give up.

Without more delay, here's Rudy (I relate especially to the bit about "5-feet-nothing without a speck of athletic ability"):



And because the song still gets me fired up. Here's the result of not quitting:

Countdown . . . 4 days to go

Almost . . . tomorrow morning's post, done tonight. Why? Because I anticipate tomorrow will be a bit of a break-neck kind of day.

So here's a light-hearted reminder of something we should all tell ourselves more often:



We can do it!

Countdown . . . 5 days to go (Encore)

Some of you wanted more info about the story of the father and the son. I found this video . . .

I'll try to find something a little more light-hearted for countdown #4:

Countdown . . . 5 days

The song is a bit cheesy--OK, really, really cheesy . . . but heck, isn't that what we're going for this week?

(Background on clip: Disabled son asks his father to do a marathon--that goes well, so they go on to enter the Hawaii Ironman--which is what the clip is about. The Ironman is the ultimate endurance event solo, but this Dad pushes and pulls his son through the entire thing. It took them more than 15 hours to complete the event (2.1 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run). Adds new meaning to the phrase, "Go, Dad, Go!")



The blog will return to reality post-Chicago. Until then we can't afford to be in a totally realistic frame of mind . . . let's revel in the fortitude of the human spirit until then.

Keep moving (or during a week like this--Keep trudging!)

Kate

Countdown . . . 6 days

Because things in all other facets of life are slightly depressing right now, why not focus on the cheesy and inspirational tidbits you can find? This is what started all of this mess:



Happy Monday!

Kate

Life is Good...Terrible 10

Katie and I ran 10 miles together this morning. We did not start until 9:30, which is very late for us. Katie had a headache and her heal hurts. I think her body is broken down from all the miles she has run during the Chicago Marathon training. I felt the same way training for my first marathon.

We spent the first five miles complaining back and forth at each other. The last five we got along quite well.

Overall, the run was not much fun. We will have many runs in the future that are not enjoyable as well. But, most importantly, we share this experience together. I am so proud of Katie for all the miles she's logged getting ready for Chicago.

Its going to be blast! Once we finish we'll realize that shitty runs like we had today are part of the process and make the finish line that much more rewarding.

JG

Good Morning Sweet Saturday . . . Inspiration

Lana sums it up best:

Click above for motivation to get out and enjoy this weekend!

TGIF . . . . Last Weekend before Chicago!

It's another Friday morning--thank goodness! I'll steer clear of political or stock-market-related statements--enough of that everywhere else, no?

With no long run looming this weekend (and no races)--just a quick 10 and that's it!--J. and I are scheming about all the things we may like to do. Sleep in until 7 am . . . have coffee on the back patio . . . take the pups on a long leisurely walk . . . indulge in some really good greasy food . . . indulge in a little adult beverage . . . not turn on the news once. It's interesting how much our training schedule has impacted our weekend (and weeknight too, I guess) plans--not that we were much of the "go-out-type" before.

We're savoring every moment of the prospect that we could do any of the above if we wanted to--and maybe that's what it's all about.

It's been a year or more of an adjusted lifestyle for sure--I don't call it a sacrifice because it's something we choose to do--and most days we enjoy doing it (the training that is). It's been cheap therapy, good times with friends, beautiful mornings or evenings outside, and eye-opening. If I can do this (jury is still out on that statement--check back after October 12 to see if I really can ;) anybody truly can!

And I recommend it without reservation. Start off slow; enjoy the small things for what they are, and before you know it you'll feel more capable than ever before. Life's too short not to run (even if your run pace is more of a shuffle).

So congrats to all of us on making it through a chaotic week. TGIF! Savor your weekend whatever your plans may be and let's be thankful we can all keep moving (in one form or another :).

Life is Good...Thursday Night Entertainment

The economy continues to struggle, which makes work challenging for Katie and me. We ran 5 together after work for stress relief, ate dinner, and are eagerly awaiting tonight's entertainment, the vice presidential debate.

Tonight, and tonight only, we get to witness the dumbest, most ill prepared human being I have ever seen in government, Sarah Palin, continue to make a total ass out of herself.

Go Sarah!

Life is Good...Team Gregg

Triathlon season is now officially over. As I reflect over the last few months, many things have been accomplished to be proud of.

At the beginning of this year, neither Katie or I owned a bicycle and we had not been in a swimming pool in years.

After encouragement from a few running buddies, I bought a used bike in March and started joining them on weekend rides. I tentatively signed up for my first multi-sport event, the Alabama Powerman Duathlon, the next month. The duathlon went well, and a few minutes after the race, Katie calmly commented that she would like to enter the 2009 race.

One problem...Katie had no bike. No problem! I found the right bike for her and had it shipped from North Carolina. I picked it up from Cahaba Cycles one weekday afternoon in early May and surprised her.

Before I new it she had singed both of us up for our first sprint distance triathlon in late May in Panama City. One problem. I'm not a great swimmer and the idea of swimming a few hundred yards out into the ocean did not sound appealing. Of course Katie did not think of this since she swims like a fish! I increased the frequency of swimming workouts at the JCC in hopes of not drowning.

The triathlon came and went. During the swim I remember wondering if they would ever find my body if I didn't make it. The experience was exhilarating. We were hooked like crack heads on crack!

We went on to complete in a combined 8 triathlons. We did sprint distances, Olympic distances, and a Half Ironman. While most wives spectated, Katie competed and did very well.

I think we both pushed our bodies farther than we ever thought possible, churning out miles for hours on end.

We'll spend this off season running marathons and half marathons. Great way to rest, right!

We both plan on kicking off the season next year with the Gulf Coast Half Ironman Triathlon in, you guessed it, Panama City. Let the count down begin!

J., aka Atomic Man

So, it was only a half--we can't call him an Ironman. But we can definitely call him an Atomic Man!

He survived--and did quite well (finishing 3rd in his age group). I won't rain on his parade. I'm sure a posting entitled "Life is good . . . thighs are sore" will follow soon. But for those of you who can't wait to see J. in mountain man form, here are some pics of the race. Click on this one to go to the slideshow:

Atomic Man

On the running front we're tapering (slowing down finally). Chicago is in two weeks. I can't believe it's already here. I've trained for almost 2 years for this--just to be able to finish it. Nothing like delayed gratification.

Whoa . . .

Who votes that J. should take up sailing or golf instead of ultramarathoning?

Remember . . . life is good . . . slow down a bit to enjoy it, J. :).

Life is Good...Dean Karnazes

I just finished reading Dean Karnazes' book. Dean runs farther than anyone, anywhere. He mostly competes in Ultramarathons, which are races ranging in distance from 33 to 150 miles. You may have seen him on the Regis and Kelly show last week running 211 miles nonstop on a treadmill. It took him 48 hours.

The book was truly inspiring. Dean truly lives by the motto, "Run when you can,
walk when you have to, crawl when you must; just never give up."

I've added the Mount Cheaha 50k (31 miles) to my 2009 race schedule and hope to someday complete a 100 mile race.

http://www.pinhoti100.com/mountcheaha50k/

To the Hills of Tennessee

J. likes to punish himself I've decided. Even though J. is feeling under the weather, he's going to put his body through the wringer this weekend.

On top of all this training for the marathon he's decided to squeeze in a half Ironman distance race this weekend--just because he wants to do a half Ironman distance race before the year is over. Half Ironman distance if you're not familiar with it is the following: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run (fun, huh?). To top it off he's picked a race promoted as having the worst hills in any half Ironman distance race (sections of the course are aptly named: Cry Baby Hills and Quad Screaming Hills).

The scenery (and topography) where the race is--Lenoir City, TN--will look something like this:



Hopefully he will not run into anybody that looks like this:



(don't watch Deliverance before heading to hill country)

So think about us this weekend when you're sipping your coffee on a beautiful Fall Sunday morning. I'll be up in the Tennessee mountains chasing after my half-Ironman of a hubby.

Stay tuned for pics of J. in mountain man form.

Good luck, J.! I'm proud of you :).

We haven't even completed the Chicago marathon and J. is already turning his thoughts to the next marathon. He's gearing up for Memphis in December and a repeat performance of the Mercedes in February. I'm definitely in for the half Mercedes--still pondering the whole. A lot of that depends on how Chicago goes!

But the most exciting news is that the other J. (see birthday gal below)--my J.'s mom has signed up for the BE&K 5K! The Mercedes Marathon weekend will be a lot of fun. O. (my youngest sis--pictured above w/ J. and his brother W.) will be running in the kids marathon (something they complete over the course of the school year and finish that weekend--the last mile of the 26.2). J., J., and I will be run/walking the BE&K 5K . . . and an undetermined number of us--M., J., and I will be running either the full or half marathon. We'd love to have you join us for any, all, or either . . .





Visit www.mercedesmarathon.com to check out the route, festivities, and sign up if you're interested. The more the merrier!

Have a great day and keep moving :).

K.

Wordless Wednesday

Puppy Love--'Nuff said. (Rudi is scared of the camera . . . but Stella and Beasley don't seem to mind)

By the Light of the Moon

It definitely wasn't a pretty process, but 20 miles is now under my belt. I owe a huge THANKS to J. He had to stand in as coach, cheerleader, and storyteller this morning. I don't know that I would have made it without him.

It's been a busy week leading up this run--got the paper done. I got six hours of sleep last night after going to class and studying for my exam this morning. J. and I were determined to squeeze this long run in before my 9 a.m. exam so we could have the rest of the weekend to "relax."

So, when the alarm clock went off at 3 a.m. we rolled out of bed, ate, gulped some coffee, attached our red blinking lights (so cars can see us) and started running at 4:05 am. The moon and stars were beautiful, sprinkler mistings plentiful. It's quite peaceful in the neighborhood back roads of Mtn. Brook from 4-6 a.m. Time seems to pass more quickly when you're running in the dark--not sure why but I'm thankful.

I was strong until mile 16 when my knee began to hurt. J. coached me the rest of the way through--mixing in some walking. It was painful for me--and probably painfully slow for J. I'm sure :). Huge THANKS J. I owe ya! But pain aside, 4 hours later we got back to the car--leaving just enough time for me to shower quickly before running down to UAB for my exam (which I was not necessarily in the best mental state for--but it's over).

For the next 48 hours J. and I plan to watch football, play with the pups, enjoy some good food, and relax in every way possible. Hope you all have weekends full of fun!

Downside . . . it took 4 hours. Upside . . . we have carrot cake left!

And--a quick shout out to Meggie! She got 9 miles in for the first time and joined a running club. You go girl! Looking forward to the H'ville and Seaside Half-M's with you.

"Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up." --Dean Karnazes

Life this September

I know. I'm sorry for the hiatus. We're still here. Now we're running in every facet of life. Here's how it goes for the J. and K. these days:

1.5 hours of running + 8 hours of work + 2.5 hours of school + eating + smidgen of leisure = not enough time in the day . . .

But, as J. pointed out, never fear--football is here. There's a lift in the humidity (however so slight) thanks to the hurricane-induced breezes and it's starting to smell like Fall (sort of) :). I'm craving this:



and this:



although I prefer marshmallows a bit more like this:




Why the missive on smores? Because all I can think about right now is anything other than the 12-pager I've put off until tonight (yes, it's due tomorrow night . . .). We're running 20 on Saturday--last long, long run before Chicago (which is now only 4 weeks away!). More on that at a later date--trying to get focused . . .


I've had coffee and carrot cake; now all I need is a little inspiration (hopefully before midnight).

Downside . . . sometimes I forget where I'm supposed to be going. Upside . . . life is definitely not boring.

Life is Good....Football

Thank you Jesus!!!!!!! College football season is here. The only downside; College Football=Mucho Cervezas = Painful Training.

My first half Ironman triathlon is only four weeks away. I met my normal Saturday group yesterday for a 26 mile bike ride. Colin was a no show since his wife Wendy is set to have their second child (a boy) at any moment. I left the group at mile 26 to ride 25 alone, for a total of 51. The half Ironman bike portion is 56 miles.

Woke up early this morning and ran 14 miles with Katie. This was the first time we've run together in a while, and I had quite a good time.

Received a report from Katie's sister Meg today about her training for her first half marathon later this year in Huntsville, which the three of us plan to run together. She is in school about 100 miles away a Auburn University. She ran 8 miles by herself today. Much better than I ever did in college. We are very proud of her.

Going to Katie's Mom's boyfriend's lakehouse tomorrow to practice swimming in my new wetsuit. This will be my first time to meet him, but I hear that he's nice. Hoping to knock out 1.2 miles in the water.

JG

Just Me and Fay

18 this morning--not 21. Rolling over at 4:15 this morning to the sound of rain slamming against the window wasn't the best start. Waiting an hour didn't help. So I went for it anyway. I actually debated just wearing a swimsuit (with shorts of course). A tri-suit may actually have been a great idea--but one has to be careful of chafing at 21 miles (may have turned out OK at just 18).

I put my iPod in a plastic baggie, grabbed a hat to keep the pelting rain out of my eyes, watched the weather radar and the big green mass that was still Tropical Storm Fay, and took off.

Rain has been a constant through this training--guess that's just part of the summer. But this was unprecedented--nice and cool--but a bit like running in a shower. Fay was definitely present. Sort of like this . . .



(minus the palm trees)

Mountain Brook and Lakeshore parkways--the best (i.e. flat) place for long runs--were covered with water--impassable in many spots. So I got brave and took off on a new route. BIG mistake. Hill after hill after hill after hill I wiped water out of my eyes (a hat, once saturated, doesn't do very much) and concentrated on not slipping on the downhills. The hills eased up but I found myself in an area with boarded up windows and a few stray dogs--enough to make me feel pretty uncomfortable. So I turned around early--and didn't end up making up the difference.

It was awfully lonely out there this morning, but Liv and J. met me at 18 to ride alongside me for the last 3. I opted for the car instead--but they're the best for coming out :). I'll get another shot at 22 in a few weeks.

Hope you all had fun and restful weekends! (And thanks for all the playlist suggestions sent via E-mail and comment--they got me through 18!)

Downside . . . wet shoes, wet hat, and 3 short. Upside . . . 18 is plenty of mileage to warrant a very large delicious, indulgent dinner!

Life is Good....Early 23

The alarm sounded at 4:30 this morning. I tried to get ready quietly to keep from waking up Katie and Olivia. By 5:30 I was running in the dark over the 280 bridge that connects Homewood to Mountain Brook my first of what I hoped would be 23 miles. The strategy today abandoned Powerade, instead opting for energy gels every 45 minutes with water. (Powerade + Energy gels = GI issues). It drizzled throughout the entire run, which was a good thing.

I made it through the first 7.5 miles without incident, and was glad to meet Colin at the Brownell building around 6:40 for the middle 8 miles of the run. I talked his ear off and probably drove him crazy, but the time passed by quickly. About an hour and 10 minutes later I was alone with my thoughts and iPod again with 7.5 miles to go. I didn't really get tired until mile 22, and was able to run through my weakening legs. I finished 3 hours and 24 minutes after I started, having averaged 8 minutes and 52 minutes per mile. This was a great run that gave me confidence of being on track to accomplish my goal of running Chicago in under 4 hours.

Going to spend the rest of the day at Uncles Ron's (who is actually a biological uncle to no one) tent at Stokin the Fire at Sloss Furnace. I plan to sit in a chair, eat ribs, and drink beer until dark. Don't worry Mom, Fitzmo is driving.

Katie is in school today. Olivia and I plan to keep her company during her 21 mile run tomorrow morning, although we may do it from bikes instead of on our feet.

JG