I Do Stuff.

I've had a busy few weeks but I have been able to sneak in a couple of rides and runs here and there. With surprisingly good results, even.

First was the Royal Riders Century. This was a last minute entry to benefit the Huntsman Cancer Institute and Roy High Athletics. Two great causes, and I prefer to register for events that give back to something I believe in. And I believe in cancer research. You might say with my life. Quite amazingly, this was my first organized century ever. Normally it's just me out there with only me to talk to and my face in the wind for a hundred miles or so. But considering my condition this year, which is poor, I thought the distance would be a challenge and if I got into any trouble I could draft behind Mike. Mike has been training to ride RAGBRAI (Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) with the Air Force team, and his wife said he could have a new bike if he rolled 4k on his odometer this year. He's been riding like a fiend, devouring miles like a madman. Plus he was bringing along Angie, another first time century rider. I thought it would be a good ride to do. And I was right.

Long story short, it started out as the three of us with Mike and I trading pulls and keeping Angie out of the wind and on our wheels. As the miles wore on, our trio swelled as riders started to struggle with the distance and found the pedestrian 16 mph speed I pulled the group along at to be mostly accommodating to their sense of survival. Mike looked out for Angie and I sat on the front, where I like it. We shepherded riders along. They left aid stations when we did. Other riders came and went out the back. Michael nearly choked out a guy for trying to ride two up with him on a busy road, and I nearly choked the same guy out for riding in front of me like he was trying to take a pull and help out, but riding at 18 mph. A pace the majority in the group couldn't hold. WTF? I helped out a lady who had been dropped by her husband after his ego pulled them past us and then left her in no woman's land. He attacked something and left her in limbo, behind him and in front of me struggling to catch up. I bridged up and asked her if she just wanted to ride in the group. He finally faded and came back to us under the relentless pressure of the crushing 14.5 mph I was dragging the group at. Anyway, 6:15 later I was in and glad of it because my butt was starting to get sore. I guess that is how centuries unfold. You ride with your group and people come and go. People irritate you. I doubt this will be my last organized century.

Next was the Morgan Marathon. A new event, work was a sponsor and I won a comp entry. So, current fitness aside, I decided that since it was free, I was going to get my no-moneys worth and signed up for the full 26.2 marathon miles. I had two months to parlay marginal fitness into becoming marathon-worthy. With huge projects at work, a late spring that delayed everything and a week driving cross country, getting ready was a true challenge. Which I failed. However, I was buoyed by the confidence from the century bike ride. I knew that, at a reasonable pace, I would be okay and finish in maybe 4:30 without problems. I'd be fine.

I totally PR'd this run. That's right, personal record. Now I have only run a pair of marathons, but considering I ran the downhill Ogden Marathon in 3:53 and the ribbon candy-profile Morgan Marathon in 3:52, I am extremely pleased. And I did it with no blisters, lost toenails or gut wrenching stomach issues I am normally plagued with. Other than sore legs and feet I am none the worse for wear.

I doubt I'll ever run Ogden again, but Morgan probably. And I might even train the next time. But the problem with run training is that it isn't on a bike. And I miss biking, almost so much I could stop running and swimming, sell my road and cross bikes and just ride and race my mountain bike. I won't, but being a jack of all trades ain't easy and I'll take a PR anytime.

Pain and a Few Words on Modesty

The last day of June was my first "real" mountain bike ride of the year. How f#@king sad is that?

I'll tell you it's pretty sad coming from a guy that used to live, and I stress live, to mountain bike. I rode, trained and raced. I ate, drank and slept to mountain bike. I even got sorta fast. Sorta.

But last night on the trails above Ogden was just brutal. Buhrootal. My bike is old. I'm too fat for my clothes. My fitness is lacking. Any riding skills I ever had have packed and left. I've been out on a couple of shorter rides this year and last night in the heat really confirmed the aforementioned woes.

Yet, in spite of the pain in my "quads" and back and pride, I still enjoyed myself immensely. Which got me thinking. When I started mountain biking 20 years ago (HOLY SHIT!), a mountain bike was all I had to ride and mountains were pretty much where I rode it. Then I started racing and bought a road bike to train on. Then I started riding more and more on the road, but still had time as a single man to get my mountain bike fix. If I rode five days a week, two or three would be in the dirt.

Then I started really enjoying the road bike. There is something great about mindlessly ticking off the miles, and it is easy to open the garage and just go out for a couple of hours. And I got a new bike I really like riding.

All of the sudden life got all serious with a kid and house and stuff, and I am lucky to ride twice a week. Then along came marathons. Try training for those and riding bikes. Then triathlons. Three sports to train for, four if you count mountain and road biking separately.

What's a guy to do? Day's aren't getting any longer. My life ain't either. I've been tempted to unload the road bike and get back to only riding a mountain bike. But then I lose the ability to grab and go on the road bike. And I do still enjoy the road bike. And why do I sign up for marathons? I need to swim, my back appreciates it, especially when riding.

I guess I need to just learn to embrace mediocrity. Even though my loss of mountain bike skills is a tough pill to swallow, I like the other stuff enough that I need to get used to it.

On a different subject, I hope that modesty comes back into fashion as Smarty Pants grows up. I've had a pair of incidents lately with attractive, long-legged ladies running/hiking in booty shorts with seriously, a one-inch inseam. Don't get me wrong, I'm far from a prude and certainly like looking, but save it for the swimming pools - where you expect to see it.

I hope fashion re-vovles into clothing that keeps ass cheeks covered by the time my daughter is a teenager. I can't follow her everywhere with a loaded assault rifle.

Does this Jersey Make Me Look Fat?

With summer finally coming to Utah, I have been making some occasional forays into exercise. It hasn't been easy. The getting out and enjoying the sun has been easy, it's the exercise itself that has been the toughie. My legs are killing me. No speed. No endurance. Both combine to make the Morgan (gulp) Marathon I am signed up for appear daunting. Tough course, light on fitness. It's going to be a slog. But, it's free because I won an entry. Heck, maybe I won't even finish this one. Or maybe I will. I dunno. I am hoping to make it under 4.5 hours.

So I am out riding the other day, on my way to East Canyon spillway. I catch my shadow on the road and notice I still have a little hair out the back of the lid. Then I remember I have on my white and pink Fat Cyclist jersey. And I haven't exactly been hittin' the weight room lately... and I start to wonder if I look like a woman. Long-ish hair, narrow shoulders, pink on my shirt... and it did seem like I was getting a little more room from passing cars. This is what I think about on road rides. Plus a bunch more stuff that I can't recall because I forget by the time I get back. But let me assure you there is some mind-blowing, world-saving shit going on in my head when I ride. And when I shower. I think of a lot of great stuff in the shower. I thought up a new ad campaign in the shower and now it is in national magazines. All while I am in lycra. Or naked and soapy with a shampoo mohawk.

Other than the Morgan Marathon, I don't really have any events that I am solid on. Mainly because work is nutzo and home projects are rampant and I just don't dare commit to anything too difficult. There are some trail runs out there. Maybe one of the Bear Lake triathlons - provided I do some swimming. If I do start swimming regularly, XTERRA is an option. At least the sprint. Regardless, now that the weather is looking warm I am just stoked to be training, even if it is for nothing particular. And that is my goal, to be fit enough to go and do any event, within reason, without gobs of specific training.

My run training for the marathon has increased. Unfortunately, I miss some runs that I normally get to do on my lunch break because I am just too dang busy to feel good about going. My pace has been slow, but in retrospect I think it is because I am tired from biking or longer runs. I had a shorter run last week and it kicked ass. But I ran 12 on Sunday and felt like shit. But I rode 40 miles the day before. I think that good training, with a short taper and some good rest before the marathon, and careful pacing will have me finishing and not hating myself.

I really need to lose 10 pounds. My jerseys are kinda tight...

I’m Here!

Since I have posted nothing of note since last fall, I’m going to skip the laziness and sloth of last winter and jump right into the very cold and wet “spring” in Utah. First up is a brief Canyondlands Half Marathon race report, followed by my first ride of twenty eleven. Before I begin, here is a transcript of an actual conversation I had recently.

Them: “Did I see you out running the other day?”

Moi: “Probably.”

Them: “What are you training for?”

Moi: “Nothing.”

Them: “Are you trying to lose weight?”

Moi: “No.”

Them: “What are you running for then?”

Moi: “I like it. I’ve run off and on since junior high.”

(Silence.)

Well, I thought it was funny. On with the show.

Canyonlands Half Marathon Race Report

It sucked. The hardest and slowest half marathon time of my life. I ran Vikingman faster with bad knees and 56 miles of bike before it. Headwind. It’s my own fault. I just didn’t get enough miles in. The wet winter kept me indoors. Being extra busy at work kept me from getting in my lunchtime runs. Excuses. Lazy. NOtivation.

Still, I’m philosophical about the experience and learned a few things: I was harshly reminded that you can’t hide from 13 miles of running. The minimum is just that, barely enough to get you by. And lastly, I like being in shape way better than not.

The weekend was fun though, I did some damage to my liver and ate very well. Katie and Kevin are awesome hosts. And it’s in Moab. What more can you want? Less wind maybe…

Back in the Saddle – First Ride of Twenty-Eleven

I made it before April. Barely. The first bike ride of twenty-eleven. Glad it’s out of the way. In typical FROTY (first ride of the year) fashion, it was more work than fun. My knees protested, ass started to hurt. I pedaled squares on the way back as I battled mounting fatigue, a stiff headwind and rolling hills that forced me to slow to a crawl. In short, it was g-l-o-r-i-ous, glorious. Better if you read it like singing the song by Them.

Yep, glorious. Just to be on the road again is a good thing. I didn’t even mind dodging old ladies u-turning on me and going deaf from Harley’s roaring by with nary a baffle in their exhaust pipes. What did bother me was that out of the dozen or so other cyclists I saw, only one waved back at me. Thank you, incredibly bolt-upright rider man for returning my salutation. Even the runners I saw offered a friendly nod my way. Not my fellow cyclists though. Maybe it was because I wasn’t wearing my official The Bike Shoppe team kit? Perhaps it was because I was on my non-carbon fiber cyclocross bike shod with 32s (which make Morgan County roads near bliss I must add)? Is it possible my gangly early-season form made me appear to be a new rider and thus less than those vastly superior specimens? Whatever it was, it was lame. Be friendly to your fellows.

It was also good because even though it’s taken 20 years of cycling, and with my age, a likely reduction in testosterone but I’m now smart enough to know that the first few rides of the season shouldn’t be exuberant, mouth-foaming death marches. I rode for an hour and a half and finished the ride without feeling shelled. Not normal for the FROTY. It makes me excited to get back out again, this time on the mountain bike. But I need to do some work on that, which I’ll have some time to do this weekend, while it snows again. And I get over this cold I now have.

VIKINGMAN! - The Run.

Off the bike and into T2, I was feeling good. Surprisingly good. I had a few things on my mind, mostly blister prevention. In T2 I changed to dry socks and slathered Blister Shield onto my still numb-from-cold toes and took off. My time was about 4 minutes. It was about here that I realized that while my Garmin 305 was running, I had forgot to put it into multisport mode and things would be weird when looking at the data. Alas, it certainly wasn't a day ender.

On course my legs adapted fast to running. More brick workouts and a tips like standing and pedaling the last mile of the bike course to pull blood from my quads and put it into my hamstrings must have helped because I had zero of the usual leg heaviness I usually experience. Sticking to my bike nutrition plan meant I was well hydrated and ready to run. My heart rate was where it needed to be, my legs felt fine and I was still moving past people. I settled into about an 8 minute mile average.

Then it started.

About mile 4 I noticed that my knees were aching. Not hurting, but aching. It was like this for about a mile and then it mostly ceased. I ran up the bridge over the Snake river at a sub-8 mile and passed a couple of people. I flew through the park, looked at the cute picture Smarty Pants had drawn for me, and started the second half of the run feeling awesome.

Then it continued.

At about mile 7 my right knee really started to hurt. Really hurt. By mile 8 I was limping and really slowing down. I was gonna finish, but the 8 minute miles were over. It was a good time to finally take that poop break I'd been needing and thought some rest would help my knee. Now, I have a storied history with GI issues and racing. Without going into detail, it's bad and can last for days. Not this time I am happy to say. Just a good ol' fashioned crap. The one my body wasn't prepared to do before the race. But enough about poop. . . The break did not help my knee. But I was going to finish and thus began the longest 5.5 miles of my running life.

Not only did my knee hurt like hell, but this section of the course was an out an back. Literally down a seemingly endless false flat two-mile long straight road to a turnaround and back. And it sucked balls. I could see the guys in ahead of me, some looking much more worn out than I was. But I couldn't go any faster than the 10-12 minute miles I was hobbling out. I got passed by one guy. But I passed three more struggling with stomach cramps - my usual nemesis. Still, it was a bitch knowing that I was so close.

Eventually I finished. Below are my numbers.
5:31:38.237 - Total
32:02.844 - Swim
6:48.143 - T1
2:50:18.365 - Bike
4:25.205 - T2
1:58:03.680 - Run
5 of 10 AG
19 of 73 OA

Despite the knee issue, I have nothing to complain about and there is no use lamenting what could have been. I achieved every goal I had for the race. I finished the swim under challenging conditions under 40 minutes, Sub-6 overall time, Sub-3 bike, Sub-2 run. I paced well. I ate and drank for nearly spot-on nutrition. And I learned a lot. Because of the bad knee luck I am stretching more and that will have nothing but positive benefits in the future.

What's next? Well, I'm writing this post two days after I solid XTERRA Sprint race. But long term I am not sure. An Ironman is the next logical step. I also want to ride LOTOJA again. They sort of go together, but I am not sure I could do them both unless I did an IM early in the year and, living in Utah, that's tough to do unless you really like training indoors (I don't). But an IM is a life goal that I'll get around to. Maybe not 2011. But maybe 2012, you know, before the world ends.

Run and Done

And another Ogden Marathon is in the books. Official time was 1:44:23 - I think. My Garmin 305 shows 1:44:27 and a 7:51/mile average. Not awesome, but I am mostly pleased. The legs felt pretty good the entire time. But the day was not without its hiccups. Once again, I was plagued by stomach problems.

I woke up at 3 am and noticed immediately that I felt bloated, like I had an air bubble right underneath my sternum. I went about my pre race breakfast that worked so well in Moab earlier this year. And I would say worked well again this year. I didn't have a great bowel movement at home, but hey even shit gets performance anxiety occasionally. Made it to the bus on time. Stood around a campfire and stayed warm. It wasn't even a frigid morning and really was a wonderful day. The race started and took off. Uneventful. No worries other than the pressure from the bloat. Now, let me tell you something about the start of a race like this:

If you ever doubt the optimism of people, look at the start of a running race.

People don't understand or are not aware of the concept of pace flags. I lined up in my normal 8 min/mile section which is sorta far from the front. But it was like I passed half the field in the first 5 minutes, human detritus with no business being that close to the start line in the 6 and 7 min/mile pace areas.

Now I am no speed demon, but just line up where you belong and leave the road open for faster runners so we don't have to trip over ya!

The first mile was a blur and I just wanted to get away from the throng (marathrong?) of optimists. Which I mostly did at the top of the first hill. And then the bloat really kicked in. And I dialed it back to a spot in the upper Zone 3. And stayed there for the next 8 miles. Which was okay other than the discomfort. I got passed by a lot of people, and tried to go with a few of them, but found that the pressure would build and I'd slow down again. I limited my fluid and food intake, which helped, and by mile 9 started to come around. Which was according to plan. So I figured I would stick with the plan as long as I could, pushing into Zone 5 to the line.

And then the day got hard. I still felt like crap with waves of bloating the rest of the day. No rest in sight, we carried on to Smarty Pant's dance recital and then on to Wifey's cousin's wedding. Finally I experienced near-death slumber.

UP next: RAGNAR.

Here We Go ... Again

I'm staring another Ogden Half Marathon in the face. I know because the frequency of runners on the streets and sidewalks the last two weeks tells me so. I see them when I am going to the pool at 5:30am and when I'm driving to work.

I'm ready as I'm gonna be to go out and enjoy myself on Saturday for about 100 minutes. I'm confident that I have trained to run a good race, in a reasonable time, without spending any time in the pain cave. I have to wonder when I see most of these folks, just how many of them have actually trained or if they are trying to cram their training into a couple of weeks like they would for a final exam in school. Because you can't do it like that. Physical adaptations aren't absorbed like learning from a book. If you don't have it by two weeks out, you aren't going to have it.

Not that I have "it," mind you. Sure I've been training, and tapering. I think I've put in more quality running miles in 2010 than I ever have during training for a half marathon. I still ain't going to win. I'll be lucky to finish in the top 50 in my age group. But I am confident that I can run a respectable time without feeling like I've been plowed by a bus afterward. And, if you have read some of my earlier posts this year, you'll know that is the new goal. Compete, have fun, don't feel like, or have, a baboon's ass afterward.

Unlike those poor bastards I see every year that have waited until it's too late to train.

Moab .5

Because I KNOW you are just shitting yourselves wanting to know how the Moab Half Marathon went for me last Saturday, here's a quick rundown.

I was 27 seconds slower than last year. So much for the magical, cumulative effects of training.

But Wifey was 14 minutes faster than last year. That is great.

Once again we stayed in style and unmatched comfort with great friends. We ate wonderful food and laughed out loud. I might have enjoyed a few too many gintonics, too. "Hey girlfriends! Moab Marathon! No boys! You'll do great sweetie!"

The start was cold, again, they all are. But this one was coldest, yet. Still, the skies were as blue as they get with nary a cloud to be found.

If there is a bright side to my time to be spotted, it's that I actually followed my pacing strategy of 145-150 bpm, with the option to go as high as 155 or longer on steeper climbs, until I got to the bridge and then would uncork and run as fast as I could, which was right at my threshold of about 170. My new feed plan worked well also. A banana and some pbh on wheat bread pre race, followed be gel as needed. I ate four gels. I needed them. I had zero stomach issues before or after. Could have been the slower pace, or it could have just been that I found something that will work for me.

Now, I'd planned on comparing the data compiled with my Garmin 305 to last years' race. However, the little piece of shit didn't do any mapping so all I have is time, pace, and average and max heart rate to go off of. I'm pissed. The ability to compare data is one of the reasons I bought the damn thing. Rather than chuck the thing against the wall, I'll compare what I have.
- avg. pace: 8:34 min/mile
- avg. speed: 7 mph
- max speed 2009: 14.1 mph
2010: 10.0 mph
- avg. heart rate 2009: 156 bpm
2010: 153 bpm
- max heart rate 2009: 177 bpm
2010: 171 bpm

Clearly I worked less this year. Had I ran at the frantic pace that I ran last year, I likely would have bettered my time. That is why I wanted the mapping data, I could have compared the heart rate graphs between years. I know this years' graph would not have resembled quite the sawtooth of 2009.

But enough of that. I also had a great ride up Amasa Back, which I hadn't ridden in years.

And now it is time to get after training again. The Ogden Half is coming up, as is the mtb race season and maybe a triathlon. Who knows?

It's that time...Again.

Welcome back spring. I've missed you. Mostly your sun-bathed warmth. I'd also like to take a moment to thank George Bush - The younger one - for moving daylight savings from May to March and allowing me to actually do something after work without the use of a headlamp.

Saturday will mark the official start of my 2010 race season also. Wifey and I are soon on our way to Moab for the Canyonlands Half Marathon. I'll admit I am not as prepared as I'd like to be, not even as prepared as I was last year. The whole upper and lower respiratory infection for three weeks in February thing sorta hit my training at a crucial time. But I am optimistic I can make it under two hours, heck that's only a 9 minute/mile average. Because my training schedule was dealt a blow, I've also decided to train the last two weeks as usual, rather than taper, and just use the half as additional training for events that may crop up later in the year. I am also going to play with pre race nutrition a little bit. I am going to minimize fiber and gluten intake - and even fluid intake a little - in an effort to avoid the digestive problems I had last year at the Ogden Half. I'm also having some shin and knee issues this year...

So the morning should go like this. Wake up about 6. Have some coffee, electrolyte water and a light, low gluten and fiber breakfast with a calorie count I haven't decided upon. Leave about 7:45 for the buses and take one of the last buses to the start. Start at 10. Run at a comfortable pace, keeping the heart rate in the upper aerobic zone - about 140-145 bpm - at least until I exit the Canyon. Hopefully that heart rate zone will coincide with at least a 9 min/mile pace. Then, if I am feeling randy, I'll step it up into the finish, hopefully under 2 hours.

I guess I am maturing. I am starting to think more about pacing and nutrition more than ever before. In the past, I've been careful to get plenty of calories and hydration before the race, but I think I might have overdone it, and had the wrong kinds of foods, leading to bodily issues. My pacing has also been poor. Run just within the limits as long as I can and then suffer like a dog the last couple of miles. I am hoping a calmer start and the right nutrition will not only lead to a time I am happy with, but also to no digestive issues during or after the run.

Because there will be good food and beer to be enjoyed. And a bike ride on the day after. Here's to 2010 and personal success for all three of you, as well!

Buying Shoes

Let me cut to the quick: I hate buying shoes.

Any shoes. But mostly running shoes. I am able to take this exciting (for runners anyway) experience and turn it into a sleep-losing and stressful ordeal. How? I have a knack for making things difficult. I don't mean it, it just comes naturally.

My feet fall between an 8.5 and a 9, with the 9 frequently being too large and the 8.5 being marginally too small. This is where my obsessive nature gets in the way. Which one do I choose? Too small and I risk losing toenails, too large and I risk blisters forming between my toes. Generally I end up buying a shoe and taking it home where I will obsessively try it on every 20 or so minutes, jam my thumb between the end of the shoe and my toe and try and convince myself that this is the one. Satisfied. I'll take them off and neatly return them to the box where I will carefully wrap them in the paper. Why do I put them in the box? Because even though I just decided THIS pair of shoes shall adorn my feet, uncertainty lingers like the few remaining hairs on my head.

Case in point. I recently ordered a new pair of Nike Pegasus 26 GTX. Lovely shoes. Suitable for both road and trail with a Gore-Tex® lining guaranteed to keep my feet warm and dry. Now, because I was ordering these I wouldn't be able to have the usual sleepover try on date. I wanted to avoid shipping them back. I had to do my homework beforehand. I went to the local big box store and promptly tried on a 9 and a 9.5.

Why not an 8.5 you ask? In my frantic need to get a shoe fix I overlooked this detail. Obviously the 9.5 was too big. The 9 was great. I pulled the trigger and ordered them.

When they arrived a slight squeal escaped my throat as I carefully removed them from the box and slid them onto my feet and checked the toe clearance. A little more than a thumb.

A little more. But it was just a little depending where and how I pressed in the top of the shoe. They were fine as I wore them for a few minutes, this is the size I needed I told myself.

They were too big.

Back to the big box at 8:00 pm to try on an 8.5. No Pegasus. So I tried on not one, but five other styles of Nike running shoes in size 8.5 and 9. The 9s all fit the same. The 8.5s all fit too tight. Most normal people would take this as an indicator of the 9 being the correct size. But I. Am. Not. Normal. I am tenaciously obnoxious and obsessive. About running shoes.

I went home and slid back into the 9s. This is good, these will be great. This is the size the guys at the running store would recommend. I stared at the shoes on my feet as I waited for the rationalization switch to flip. I'll take them to work with me tomorrow, and run in them. Carefully, they were wrapped and stowed inside that orange, swooshy box.

At work, again I tried them on and stared at them hopefully while jamming my thumbs first into one shoe and then the other (my right foot is slightly larger). I had tried on other 8.5s, but I would not be satisfied until I tried on the Pegasus in an 8.5. Again, back to the box.

Later that night, with a blessing from a very understanding Wifey (who is painfully aware of my nature), I drove to another big box with the hope of finding this elusive shoe. Which they did. And the 8.5 fit. Like. A. Glooooove.

A glove. Perfect in my estimation. Now that the 9s were dead to me, all I had to do was get them back. Then get my 8.5s. All of which should be done just about the time I no longer need the benefits of Gore-Tex®.

Next up? New cycling shoes. I don't like them too big either. I feel like my foot moves around inside and robs me of power. But too small, my toenails put holes in my socks and when my feet swell the shoes are too tight... Unfortunately, there is a huge price disparity between the shoes at the LBS and those at online retailers. Which means I'll likely order them. Maybe I'll just make it easy and order sizes 8-9.5. Then I can sit alone and really get crazy!

Back Blogged and the Ogden Half Marathon

I am so behind on my blog posts, but like many other things it's easy to let blogging slip by. So, instead of having a single long-winded post, I'm going to break it down into a few choice retrospectives. You know, do things the way they should have been done to begin with. Who reads this anyway, right? Topics will include:

· Man Dates
· Gogol Bordello Live in concert
· The real distance to Mantua by bike (Hint: It's far)
· Root canals and festering, rotting nerves in my head
· Swimming, triathlon, tri bikes and if I am even going to do this silly shit anymore
· Whatever else I can think of

But this post is going to be all about the Ogden Half Marathon. Here ya go.

85th overall (1,978 finishers)
73rd male
Time: 01:37:02.84
Pace: 7:32 min./mile
Far from world class speed but I am pretty pleased with myself, considering my sporadic training since Canyonlands.

The race was uneventful until the finish, and I really can't say anything dramatic happened. I really just felt awesome for the most part. About mile 8 I started to feel my lack of endurance with fatigue that I know was caused by the bod wondering how much longer we were going to do this. And my time should have been a little better, but in the course of avoiding too much liquid so I didn't get sloshy, I let myself get dehydrated which caused my calves to start tightening up and my gut to start going south, both about mile 10 (the dreaded Ogden River Parkway). Instead of full blown cramps and having to do the penguin to keep from pooping, I dropped back to an 8:30 pace for two miles before throttling back up for the Grant Avenue finish.

The finish turned out to be pretty funny.

Approaching the finish line some dudes started sprinting and, as so often happens in my life, the dumbass in me took over.

I went with them. I went past them. I was killing them. And then...

SLAP! My left hand got smacked. Which meant someone was very close to me.

This caused one of those fight or flight moments. In a millisecond I saw our legs getting tangled up and both of us slapping the pavement.

So I gave him a little shove to get him away from me. He didn't like that. After, it went a little like this:

Dipshit cromagnon-looking crewcut asshole: "That was uncalled for."
Moi: "You slapped my hand."
Dipshit cromagnon-looking crewcut asshole: "I did not."
Moi: "OH BULLSHIT, FUCKER. I DON'T JUST ARBITRARILY PUSH PEOPLE. YOU HIT MY FUCKING HAND WHICH MEANT THAT YOU WERE WAY TOO CLOSE TO ME SO I GOT YOU AWAY FROM ME!"
Dipshit cromagnon-looking crewcut asshole: " Did not...."
Moi: "Fuck off. You tell yourself what you have to sleep at night."

Race photos confirm he was right on my ass. Right or wrong for me to push? I don't care. I know that I wasn't bloody afterward.

I have never been so sick after a sporting event. I'll spare the sordid details, but it was a SHITTY time. Next time, it's right to the med tent for an IV. That's what Coach Katie told me to do. If there was a bright side to all this, other than my time, was the discovery of Sport Shield. Instead of the usual large blisters, I had only very small ones. I'll take what I can....

Oh, and I am due for some new shoes.

Canyonlands Half Marathon Race Report

I am so happy my first goal run of 2009 is behind me. But I would gladly do it again if I could have stayed in Moab for just a couple more days.

Wifey and I rolled into town last Friday and got settled into the Adobe Abode just on the outskirts of town. I can't tell you how great it is to have access to an actual home, and have friends that are so awesome to let us stay there. I've been to the Abode enough that, in addition to just being a great place to stay, I feel really comfortable there and already miss the quiet and solitude. Dinner at Eddie McStiff's was only adequate. But the beer was purty good so that made up for a weak meal. After dinner I donned my new trail runners - La Sportiva Crosslites - and went out for a short jaunt in the red dirt along a road that follows the base of the cliffs on the east side of town. My shins seemed to be okay, but did get a little sore. I wanted to get good and warmed up to allow a good stretch and ice session. A DVD brought the night to an early end.

Perhaps the best thing about the Canyonlands Half is the 10 o'clock start time. Conversly, the downer is the 8 o'clock bus pick-up. We had about an hour and a half to stand around freezing at the start. Sure, there was coffee and I always wear warm clothes, but then you have to strip down that last half hour. I'm here to tell you, being next to the Colorado River surrounded by towering canyon walls is as cold as it is beautiful. The sun sat tantalizingly close on the opposite side of the river, never quite making it to the runners until after the start.

We were well back in the throng of 5000 runners. About 4 minutes after the official start we finally crossed the timing mat. Not knowing how my body - specifically my shins - were going to hold up I ran with Wifey for the first couple of miles. The first mile is a fairly steep downhill and the shins were taking a beating. I was really dreading the rest of the race. But as the road leveled off, the pain went away and I decided to quicken my pace a little. I bid adieu to Wifey and took off. Soon enough the sun was in my face and things got really warm, really quick.

At first I sped up to about an 8:30 pace, but since I was feeling good, picked it up a little more. Then a little more. And still a little more until I was cruising at a 7:00-7:30 pace. I carried this speed until my average pace fell to about 9:00. I needed to average 9s to come in at my goal time of 2 hours. I found my rhythm was best at an 8:30 pace and pretty much put on the cruise control. I. Felt. Awesome. At least until I missed the second to last water station. There were no cups out and to stop at a water station means getting run the hell over by other runners. So coming out of the canyon I had a glob of not-digesting Power Gel and some dehydration going. That corresponded with a slight rise in the road and a headwind. It got hard for about 2 miles until the last water station where I was able to pound a couple of cups which made me feel immediately better. My chip time showed 1:53:11 and an average pace of 8:33. I ran hard only a couple of times and otherwise felt really good and ran within myself.

We spent Sunday with my in-laws, who braved the Apache Inn to come and watch the race. We went through Arches and did a couple of the arch hikes. It was good to loosen up a little before the drive back to reality.

Now it's time to take a little time off and let the shins heal. It's a good excuse to start biking more, anyway.

The Moab Half and an Apology...

The Moab Half Marathon is this weekend and I am really looking forward to getting into some warmer weather and enjoying my first longish run of the year.

You heard me. I am going to enjoy this run. No feeble PR attempts or banging myself into the ground. I am shooting for a reasonable 2 hour time, which is a 9:10/mile pace. That is going to be a big enough stretch this early in the year. It is going to be an exercise in restraint and test my maturity and ego, but I gotta do it.

Because I am hurt a little. I have a weird leg thing going with the inside of my right leg, where the calf muscle terminates. I am not sure if it's muscular or bonular or tendonular. It had been off and on for a couple of weeks, but since running last Sunday, it is so very much on all the time. Tender to the touch and generally bothersome.

But I am entered and so run I shall. I'll back it off (if backing off any more without stopping was possible) after and cycle more to ease off the pounding and see how it goes before heading to a doc.

And now, I would like to publicly apologize to generations of ladies whom I have generalized when it comes to shoe shopping. You see, I wanted to buy a new pair of trail runners. So I went to the running shoe store (Striders) and told them what I wanted.

Holy CRAP!

Within 5 minutes I had no fewer than 9 styles of shoes in 2-3 sizes each. I got confused and spent an hour and a half in there. Walking around and running on the treadmill. I finally settled on a New Balance because I was truly feeling stupid. I took them home and wore them around a little before deciding they were too big. So I took those back to find my size was gone. So I chose a La Sportiva Crosslite. Which is totally bad ASS. But I think they are too small. Plus, I can't put Speed Laces in them and they are a little tough to tighten up. Who cares? My bike to run transition cares.

So I may take them back and go with a Mizuno. Hopefully in the right size.

I don't remember being this wishy-washy in a long time. Especially not over something as simple as a pair of shoes. I guess it is more about the potential for the shoes to damage my feet with blisters that I worry about. Still...

I'll never make fun of women shoe shopping again.

Ramping UP

Perhaps I am turning a new leaf with two posts in less than a week. We'll see. One thing is for certain, this helps my creativity. Blogging is sort of like flushing a mental toilet. I get all this stuff floating around that I just can't seem to get rid of. Then I write a little, not work related, and the flotsam and jetsam disappears.

Or at least grows moderately more transparent.

I had a good run yesterday with my borrowed buddy, Cody. 7.4 miles in a time that doesn't reflect anything. Way too many dogs and ear scratchers to go non-stop. Still, I felt pretty good and Cody tempered his effort much better. I think he knew what he was in for this week. But by mile 6 he was off the back again.

I think there was another run since the last post, but I don't recall... I'm feeling pretty good about the half in Moab, and I'm hoping for a 2 hour time. But I really am not in the mood to kill myself.

Otherwise some resistance and core work. Just trying to build the connective tissues and improve core strength. I'll hit the pool the next three days, provided my daylight savings time affected brain will let me. I may as well swim, it's still snowing.

The Weekend is SO Here!

Damn if I'm not ready for a day off.

Some of you that know what I do will scoff at that remark, but this has been a rough week. Deadlines and demanding clients have taken their toll.

I'm gonna rock out with my . . . I'm gonna run a 10k tomorrow to benefit the Hess Cancer Foundation, something I don't do enough of. It will be fun, I've never done an organized 10k, so whatever my time is will be a PR. It is also on the new Legacy Highway. A road that took 12 years and a buttload of litigation and environmental studies to build because it goes right through a wetlands area.

I'm not a fan of the Legacy Highway, but it's here whether I wanted it or not so I may as well enjoy it.

I'm sure a bike ride is also in order for the weekend. Maybe another morning dark ride. Something easy to recover from the 10k madness for sure. Or a road ride.

There is sure to be plenty of working in the house, too.

Time to go have a beer.