A community unlike any other

A Community Unlike Any Other....

As I make final preparations for a return trip to the Burning River 100, I have given much thought to this in all essence selfish endeavor that I will be taking part in. Last year, I had somehow convinced my wife, and a couple of friends who I had run with before to follow me along the course. Without them, there is no way that I would have finished. To motivate me along the way in training, I further took a step that was tentative in nature and began putting out a podcast to chronicle my attempt at covering 100 miles. Normally, a private person, I thought others might want to know what it took just a regular guy, a father and a husband with a job to train and do the race.

I never expected and still have trouble comprehending the fact that not only did people listen to me ramble on, but this year, when I put out that my BHAG was to return to Burning River and try and go under 24 hours that fellow runners (Gordon, Mark, Megan, and Eric), whom I have never even met and are spread out across the country would volunteer for this experience. I could offer no air fare, gas, or accommodations. However, if it all worked out and they showed up that they would be part of a crew helping me in this selfish endeavor. Where else but in this community of athletes?

The road this year to the starting line has been filled some roadblocks and potholes along the way, but through it all, this community of athletes (yes, we are all athletes, whether you run, ride, swim, walk, etc) has been encouraging, helpful, and inspirational along the way. This weekend, I will be doing nothing special in the landscape of ultras. There are participants that have done many 100 milers, and people that this year have done Western States, Badwater, and now are doing Burning River.

I am simply going out there with the goal of moving forward all day and with the support of my crew and YOU, I will complete my selfish goal. Thank you in advance for all of your support. This is a community unlike any other.

AT - NewFound Gap to Charles Bunion

Dirrty Girl and I were able to sneak in one more hike during our time in the Smokies, and it was the NewFound Gap to Charles Bunion route. An out and back 8 miler, it climbed quickly from the parking lot and Dirrty Girl put her new Vasque Blur SL GTX trail shoes to the test.
At about 3 miles in, we were able to check out the Icewater Spring Shelter.
Charles Bunion is a rock out cropping and just a short spur trail off the AT. The sign below indicated that Dirrty Girl was going to have face one of her fears: heights.
Cheezy pic, yes, but I am up on the rock out cropping while that was as far as Dirrty Girl was willing to travel.
View from atop Charles Bunion.

AT - NewFound Gap to Clingman's Dome

If I had a bucket list, a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail would be on it. The Appalachian Trail is a 2,178 mile marked hiking trail between Springer Mountain in Georgia and extending all the way to Mount Katahdin, Maine. Originally, when talks began about heading to the Smokies this summer for a family vacation, I was really excited about the opportunity to hop on the AT and log a few miles.

Enter, Randy McCarter . Randy who listened to the podcast and heard that we were headed this way offered up a route and to see if I would be interested in running/hiking this section with him. Absolutely!! My own research into which sections to hit had been not so much and to have a local willing to show me the AT was a great idea. Funny, when Randy and I met early one morning to drive up the mountain, he admitted that even though he had lived here for most of his life, that he had never been on the AT. Well, at least we had a buddy system to hit the trail, and we drove up the mountain to drop one car at Clingman's Dome and then back down the mountain to start our foray @ Newfound Gap.

If I have learned anything from my visits to National Parks, it is to start early! Even at 7 am, the parking lot was like a ghost town, but upon our return several hours later, it would be like the frenzy at an after thanksgiving early morning sale.

From Newfound Gap to Clingman's Dome was just under 8 miles and took us approximately 2 hours and 40 min to complete. The trail was filled with many sections like this below.
The motto was simply to run when we could and hike the rest. Randy was a great companion and I certainly would look forward to hitting the trail again with him.




Although, you pop out on the trail at the highest point of the AT, there is this walkway thingy that you can go up to get views like the one below.



The best way to describe my intial experience on the Appalachian Trail is this: ruggedly beautiful.

Berea Forest Trail

Located just outside of the town of Berea, Kentucky, the Berea Forest Trail was the sight of a nice hike for Dirrty Girl and I to begin our foray onto the trails of the South. Our destination for the next couple of days are the Smokies, but this was for our legs to say hello to some real hills. We were greeted at the trailhead by a muttly mutt, who bore a dog tag reading: "Hi, My name is Tillie. I am not a stray. I live at the house next door. Let's go for a hike." Tillie, did not make the trek with us, but was waiting when we got done to roll over, get a scratch, and thank us for coming.

The Good:



The Bad:



The Ugly: :)

Medals 4 Mettle

Yesterday, I had a unique opportunity to directly see the impact that the Medals 4 Mettle organization has on it's recipients. For those of you unfamiliar with the charity read below:

Via the Medals4Mettle website:

" In 2005, Medals4Mettle was started as a result of marathoner runners who award their finisher's medals to others who have demonstrated similar mettle, or courage. Certainly everyone cannot run a marathon, but people who are battle life-threatening illnesses and severe disabilities demonstrate mettle everyday. Marathon runners experience the cheers and support from total strangers as they run through the streets, and these same runners cheer wheelchair competitors that they may pass on the course. Medals4Mettle celebrates our collective human courage, and our innate desire to reward and support each other as we all face life's challenges."


Let's back up for a second though. About a year ago, I ran across the M4M charity via the Internet and saw that there was a Detroit chapter. My medals were just hanging there in my man cave/running room collecting dust and really served no other purpose to me than to avoid hitting them as I rummaged through for gear. Now, of course if you had asked me 5 years ago to donate my race medals, I would have told you no way! I ran "X" race, I earned that medal. Call it the preciousness of youth or simply immaturity, but I didn't see the value in donating something I felt I had earned. Forward motion and reflection left me lots of time to think about what it all means in terms of my running, those medals, etc. I will always have those memories and no longer saw any need to keep those medals. Pass it on, and let someone who is really running a much more difficult race be recognized for their efforts.

For an episode of the podcast last year, I was able to sit down with the Detroit chapter president , Joe Burns and donated all of my marathon and ultra race medals at the time. I have continued throughout the year to plug the charity and through the podcast, I have received medals from fellow runners from all across the country including one guy who was able to collect over 200 medals from a race that I have passed on to Joe. Last summer, Joe invited me and a few others to Children's Hospital in Detroit, where we met a representative and donated some medals that would then be passed out to the children. While, I was truly inspired by that opportunity to talk up the charity, yesterday's opportunity left no doubt in my mind that every runner/cyclist/triathlete who has participated in an endurance event should donate to this charity at least one medal.

University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital yesterday provided me and several others, the opportunity to meet and present children who are participating in their own endurance event that none of them chose with some medals. These children and their parents did not choose their event. They did not choose to have a closed head injury, or seizures, or compressed vertebrae, or burns, or have their twin brother not make it through the birth process. However, in every one of those kids eyes, I saw mettle, I saw courage, and I saw an indomitable spirit that said, they are going to persevere. They were going to keep moving forward.

I hope the small token acknowledging their efforts brought a smile to their face and a reminder that they are too endurance athletes in their own right. After yesterday, I have no reason, to complain or mire in the choices I make regarding signing up for an endurance event or an injury I might incur as a result. I made that choice, these children did not.

Road or Trail Runner?

Thanks to a fellow runner and listener of the podcast for this fun little test to see if you are a road or trail runner. What is your score?

1. Which would you rather run:

(a) the Boston Marathon in under 3 hours (0 points)
(b) the Pike's Peak Marathon in under 5 hours ( +1 )
(c) the Hardrock, who cares about the time (+2)

2. Do you regularly return from runs bleeding? (+1)

3. Do you regularly encounter animals which could maim or kill you (i.e. elk, bear, cougar, hog, or rattlesnake) ? (dogs don't count...only if you have been threatened by one) (+1)

4. Are all your running socks brown? (+1)

5. Have you ever gotten dirt in your mouth or up your nose from a fall? (+1)

6. Have you ever taken a detour in a race to top a peak or "see" what's over the next ridge"? (+1)

7. Do you time your workouts (-1)? Do you record the times? (-1)

8. Which do you fear more on runs, getting shot by hunters (+1), or getting shot by gangs (-1)?

9. Do you keep a written PR list (-1) Is it pubicly accessible (i.e. pinned to the wall of your office, or posted on a WWW home page)? (-1)

10. Have you ever missed a meeting at work because that loop was "a little longer than you thought"? (+1)

11. Have you ever had to pull cactus thorns out of your shoe, or a yucca spie out of your shin? (+1) Are there some in your leg right now? (+3)

12. On most of your runs, do you often have to decide whether to cross against the red light?
(-1)?

13. How long does it take a fresh pair of shoes to lose that "new look" two weeks (-1), one week (0), three days (+1) one day (+2), two hours (+4)?

14. Have you ever torn your shirt, shorts, or flesh on a barbed wire fence? (+1)

15. Do you regularly carry a street map on runs? (+1) A topo map? (+2)

16. Do you regularly wear gaiters or dump large amounts of dirt from your shoes? (+1)

17. Have you ever gotten lost enough on a run that someone had to come looking for you? (+1) And never found you? (+3) You're lost right now? (+6)

18. Are there times you can't go on your favorite run because of mud or high water? (+1)

19. Can you pee anywhere you want on your runs? (+1)

Scoring:

<7>A true road runner - may your PR's forever quicken

7 - 12 = A trail runner in spirit. now get the hell out of the city and move to where there are some trails!

> 12 = A hardcore trail runner. I can almost see your bloody knees from here

114th Boston Marathon

It was a running nirvana. From the moment, I first boarded the shuttle parking to the airport, until I was dropped off 3 days later, I was surrounded by runners and running. I commented to my wife as we made our way through the airport to our departing flight, "If this is going to be my only chance to run Boston, then I think this is going to be a memorable experience." While I looked at runners proudly displaying their jackets from previous Boston Marathons, I had not earned the privilege yet and instead rocked and represented:


Boarding the flight and making our way to our seats, instead of hearing the mundane chat over business transactions and travel mishaps that is normally heard, I heard things like; "Yeah, I just got a cortisone shot yesterday, hope my knee will hold up." "I think I might have a stress fracture in my foot, but it should hold up through Boston." Gosh, I thought, I am going into this race injury free..guess I am lucky.




Landing in Boston, early Saturday afternoon, we took the T (honestly, if you ever go to Boston, don't even think of renting a car or a cab to get around the city) to our hotel which was conveniently located a mere 5 min walk from the expo center. If the plane ride was any indication of the running madness I was about to enter, the hotel and walk over to the expo was a sensory overload. Everywhere you looked, there were runners and Boston Marathon jackets. Now, the one thing I could not do, was to wear the 114th edition of the jacket since I hadn't run the race yet, but I saw plenty of people who were. Qualifying for me, didn't mean I got to wear the jacket until the race was done.



The expo was large, loud, and full of running gear! On Saturday, I pretty much wandered around and got to talk to and hang out with Mad Dog (Chris R of the Run Run Live Podcast). I also got to speak with Jonathan who is the owner of Go Motion Gear, picked up a 3 watt sternum pack that I am super excited to try and picked up some kick ass rainbow colored Injini socks. A stop at the Brooks running booth and a chat with Steve, who is in charge of the Brooks ID program got me some sweet new arm warmers which would come in handy on Monday.


Sunday morning found me tired and stiff from the flight and walking around all day. An easy run, I thought to shake out the legs was in order, and I made my way down to Boylston street where the finish line was located and was full of activity all day long as runners were not only taking their pictures by but also runners were preparing for the BAA 5k. I hung out long enough to shoot this short video: Many thanks

As I made my way around the Boston Commons, I ran into my neighbor who had dropped off her husband who was running the 5k and needed to shake out her legs for the marathon as well. We rambled for a few miles until, as we were running past a guy, I heard "Hey, are you Dirt Dawg?". I stopped and met Dane, a listener of the podcast and we chatted for a few minutes before my neighbor and I ran back and watched part of the 5k. The lead men and women were smoking ass fast, and the rain that had started to fall convinced me that heading back to the hotel was a good idea.

Even though it would have been a smart idea to rest before heading to Fenway Park, I wanted to soak up more of the energy and atmosphere of the expo, so I headed back and was rewarded by being the first person to stop back by the Zensah booth with a tweet and scored some FREE compression calf sleeves. Yes! The weather had been questionable all morning raining on and off, but that didn't deter us from heading to:

good ole Fenway Park. Funny, as a kid, I lived in Rhode Island for 10 years and never made it there. In the course of less than a year, I get to go twice. The trip to the baseball cathedral was made even better, when my buddy who commented to his dad that he was going back to Fenway since his first trip as a child, his dad replied, " I never took you to Fenway." The weather couldn't decided if it wanted to rain or have the sun out and quickly depleted my energy. A nap and good meal was in order to prepare for the race tomorrow.

Race Day:

People have compared the Boston Marathon to the NYC Marathon in that it a day of lines of waiting. Up at 5 am for a race that starts at 10 am, I am in some respects inclined to agree. From the hotel, it was about a 3/4 mile walk to board the bus. No way, no how, were you going to get lost on this day as all you had to do was follow everybody else with a yellow bag and Paul Revere.



The temps hovered in the low 40's waiting for a bus, but once aboard, it warmed up to near sauna levels (note: not good for someone who had ingested a large amount of caffeine). While the ride seemed to be much farther than 26.2 miles, once we were allowed to get off we were greeted to this:


Since, I had gotten on one of the earlier yellow modes of transport, I had about 2 hours to wait until the start of Wave 1, but snapping the obligatory picture of this:


grabbing some food in one of the tents and standing in line for one of the 490 porta potties (how do i know this? they mentioned it several times that they had more porta potties then ever before. still didn't seem like enough ) helped to pass the time. Anyhow, I also got a chance to hang out with Jake, from the Run Like Health podcast and chatted until it was time for me to walk to starting line.

After dropping your bag, it was approximately another 3/4 mile walk to the starting line. Although there were another set of port a potties for you to use, many including myself played a cat an mouse game with the po po and tried to find a bush, back of building, etc to empty our systems before the race. I entered into my assigned wave 5000-5999, and made my way to the very back. Ditching the long sleeve shirt, I was ready to rock in my Brooks ID uniform.


After a short walk uphill, the race course starts and drops like a pinewood derby car back in my Cub Scout days. Everything that I had read and been told was that the course was downhill for several miles and it would be prudent to to hold something back before the hills. I tried, I really did. Slapping high fives, trying to slow the paws down, I went past the 5k mark at 22:36. Yikes!! In all honesty the legs felt really good, and I even threw in some walking breaks but still passed the 10k mark in 45:25. With the rising sun and temperature starting to tick upward, I made sure that I hydrated and took a gel at the hour mark. When I passed the 1/2 marathon mark in 1:37:28, for a brief moment, I thought, well if I run an even or negative split the second half, I could BQ at Boston.


Yeah, not going to happen. The gently slope of the downhills over the first half of the race, left my legs buttered up to get pounded by the hills in the second half. If this had been an ultra, I would have certainly walked the hills, but this is Boston right? No way, no how and perhaps foolishly, I ran up the hills. Yup, that's how you make sure your quads start to hurt and your pace falls off. You know what? How the hell cared? My legs have been to that point before and I certainly made sure that I walked a bit at every mile but this was Boston. A long time dream as a precocious youth realized and I was going to soak it all in.

I was still on pace for a sub 3:30 marathon and what I figured I could honestly run kept moving forward. Just past the 22 mile mark or so, I ran by Dane, whom I had run into yesterday on the streets in Boston and we chatted for about a mile before he was moving much stronger than me and trotted off to a sub 3:20 and BQ for him.

Soon enough, I could see the Citgo sign and the pull towards home. The quads were heavy, and my pace may have slowed, but man o man were the crowds simply amazing. As I made the turn onto Boylston, I was flooded with emotion, knowing I was going to finish, and far faster than I had thought. Crossing the line in 3 hr 23 min and 07 seconds, I was rewarded with the unicorn:




I may have walked around, ate, and drank to much prior to the race, but who cares? I was there for the experience, and believe me, I got my fun and finished that run, but don't think that as I reflect on the race, that I am not already planning my assault on it the next time, whenever that may be.

So this Boston thing

As I prepare to depart tomorrow for the 114th Boston Marathon, I sit mixed with emotion. During a mandated visit to my mom during Easter Break as a youth, she knew of my interest in running and decided to take me to the starting line of the Boston Marathon. My memories of riding the bus with runners and hanging in and around the starting line of Hopkinton are seared in my memory but little did I realize at the time that you actually had to qualify to run the marathon. Qualify? The precociousness of my youth led me to believe that one day I could and would do this.

Fast forward 10 or so years when I finally decided to try my first marathon and thought, "Hey, I am going to run so fast that I will qualify for Boston on my first try." I did not respect the marathon on my first try, and she taught a cruel hard lesson. A lesson that led me to lick my chops and think maybe Boston would never be attainable.

Ten or so marathons were to follow and I was mired in mediocrity. I ran them to run them but did not do any specific workouts. Tempo? Hills? Progression Runs? Nope...give me LSD...all day. After a 3 hr 32 min effort in Detroit of 2007, I began to think that maybe, just maybe if I actually became serious and was willing to commit to doing the necessary work I might just be able to live up to that statement all those years ago in Hopkinton as a youth. In the spring of 2008, I ran a 3 hr 24 min marathon in Toledo in what could best be described as crap weather and fueled my efforts to maybe give it a whirl in Columbus in the fall. Tempo? Hills? Progression? Yes...

At Columbus, I did nothing smart. I went out to fast ( 1 hr 31 min) and than ran/walked the second half watching my watch like a school kid on the last day before summer vacation wondering if my time would run out before I had crossed the finish line. I crossed in 3 hr 9 min and 51 sec. I had my Boston BQ. Scheduling precluded me from running Boston in 2009, and really I was ok with it. I was glad I qualified, but I turned my sights to my first 100 miler. The fact that I am able to go this year is a testament to support from my family and friends who have allowed me to run and make the necessary arrangements to watch our children as Heather and I go.

During the course of the past year, I have had lots of time to do a lot of introspection and reflection on this sport that I love so much. As the talk about Boston started to whip up via social media that I frequent, I began to make sense of what running Boston means to me. So what if I qualified for Boston? Yes, I am happy with the fact that I ran a time they deemed as a qualifying time for my age group, but that is all it is...a qualifying time to run a race that demands a qualifying time. This is not to take nothing away from the history and tradition of the race, and yes, I will enjoy the experience. Does that make me a "real runner" over someone who didn't or who was able to gain entry via a charity or as an invitation? Absolutely not...fast or slow, WE as runners are out there on a daily basis putting our best foot forward. That is all we can ask for as we move down the road.

I Run Because....

I continually order and read running related books. Few after reading, have made the cut in my opinion as keepers and ones that I will go back to from time to time to reread or find a quote or inspiration. Others, I have found are best to pass along to a fellow runner in hopes that they will learn or find inspiration between it's pages as it was not present to me when I was reading it.

Most recently, I finished Zen and the Art of Running, by James Shapiro. The book talks about runners and their attempts to get in the "zone" but through techniques in this book, you will reportedly learn to enter the "Zen" zone. By using a mindful approach which is most commonly associated with Buddhism, you may discover how to run longer, faster, and harder. It is an interesting read, and gave me something to reflect on, but not something that I felt was something I would continue to go to the well on.

Enter social media. I have done a couple of book giveaways via Twitter before, but asked nothing more from fellow runners than to indicate interest. This time, I thought that a reflection on why do they run would yield some interesting and insightful answers. So in order to enter the contest, I stated that they had to tweet me with the following statement and fill in: I Run Because..... (some of the responses).

- " I run because it is like drinking water"

- " I run because I need a new belt buckle. Running the Umstead 100 this weekend."

- " I run because it makes me feel so happy to overcome the evil brain every time I finish a run. It's a victory for me."

- " I run because NOT running isn't an option."

- " I run because it makes negative experimental results much more manageable. Also because, I feel better than I would if I didn't"

- " I run because it always given me back everything I've put into it. It's because of running that I even have a job right now."

" I run because it makes me a better person in so many ways: physcially, emotionally, spiritually, mentally. My kids are happier when I run. "

- " I run because it helps slow everything else down."

- " I run because I was fat and out of shape and have reversed it. I'll live longer for me and my family. I can keep up with kids and cool runner friends"

- " I run because it saved my life. 7 years ago, I was over 300 pounds and unhealthy. I knew I had to make a change. My first 26.2 is this May."

- " I run because it keeps me sane."

- " I run because even though I love my job, it can be stressful at times."

- " I run because it makes me a healthier man, with a clearer head, a happier heart, and a sense of purpose."

- " I run because stopping is not an option"

- " I run because I can. More complex than it sounds. There was a time, when I couldn't"

- " I run because it makes me a better human"

- " I run because the trails feel unappreciated and need to be used"

- " I run because life demands it! And I accept that graciously."

- "I run because it makes me a better person at everything I do and makes me a better person."

In the end, it is not about a contest, or winning a book, but the answers that people provided showed an honest and open nature as to how and why they have chosen this sport. So the question begs....I Run Because....

Lunch Run

By nature, I am an early morning runner. In fact, one of my favorite sayings is "up before the sun, to get it done." That being said, I had planned on doing another after school run today to get my mileage in for the day when I came upon an idea.

My job as a school administrator does not afford me the opportunity to squeeze a lunch time run or for that matter sometimes a lunch without interruption most days. However, I know that people swear by their lunchtime workouts as a way of maximizing their time and giving them energy for the rest of the day. So, with a Professional Development day on tap and an hour available for lunch, I thought, why not try out this lunch time run thing?

I am not gonna lie. As I sat through several meetings in the morning, I was giddy with the thought of slipping into my S3's (shorts, shirt, and shoes), sliding out for an easy 3, and hurriedly trying to scarf down some food within the hours time. The temp was a cool and comfortable 56 degrees with not a cloud a sight. Even though I gotten in just over 7 miles earlier that morning, the legs felt loose and light carrying my swiftly over the 3 miles in just under 24 minutes.

Post run, I slipped back into my work attire, scarfed down some food and resumed listening to presentations by various community agencies. However, the sweet smell of funk and the salty residue crusted on my brow was a reminder if only to me of the fun I had trying out this lunch run thing.

Still Tread

On average, I get about 300-350 miles out a pair of shoes. Given that last year, I ran just over 2,400 miles, that means I have several pairs of shoes laying around that although have carried me swiftly and safely over roads and trails, are no longer serviceable to me. I usually keep one pair to kick around in, and sometimes send some to my local church, but this time the tubes of the internet have led me to The Shoe Shed.

From the website:

Runners Helping the Homeless with Their Old Running Shoes

Running shoes, unlike regular shoes, have a fairly limited shelf life if you run regularly. They’re good for about 300-400 miles. After that, support breaks down and the risk of injury goes up. So even if they look good on the outside, and have plenty of life left in them, they might not be okay for running any longer. The Shoe Shed takes your “mileage worn” running shoes and donates them to local homeless shelters throughout the United States giving thousands of people shoes-- your shoes.

Send Shoes To: Attention: Donate My Shoes 25333 Gosling Road Spring, TX 77389

Email: info@theshoeshed.com

Given the recent state of the economy, where a larger number of men, women, and children are experiencing job loss, poverty, hunger, and homelessness, it is but a drop in the bucket to help. So, check your running room, cave, area, closet, etc and see if you have pair of running shoes with some tread left in them and think of donating to The Shoe Shed or check your local running store for places they might donate too and help someone out.

Qik - Cascadia 5 initial review by dirtdawg50k

Video Test

Short little video i shot with my Iphone 3g using the iVideocamera app today after long run.

Putting It Down

Little scraps of paper and a rambling thoughts in my head are as far as I have gone in establishing my tentative race schedule for 2010. I know what I want to run, but putting it down and then discussing it with Dirrty Girl (wife) are keys in the building process.

Paint Creek 50k
A local fat ass where I ran only the 25k several years ago. However, I learned the loop that day and have used it numerous times in training. Only problem I remembered after I signed up is that it is my daughter's birthday. Hmm..

Green Jewel 50k
from the website: The Green Jewel 50K Fun Run is a running event that showcases the Cleveland Metroparks. Running from the Scenic Park (near the Marina) in Rocky River to the Oak Grove Picnic Area in Brecksville.

The Green Jewel run is part of the 2010 Western Reserve Trail Running Series.

Martian 1/2 or Marathon
I think I have run this marathon 5 times? If you are looking for crowd support, you won't find it here as the run is mainly an out and back on Hines Drive that is a low key and well organized event. Last year, I used it as a long training run by doing about 6 miles before the start. No sure what I want to yet in terms of distance since Boston is 1 week later.

Boston Marathon:
Not gonna lie...kind of excited for this. I managed to qualify somehow (Columbus 2008) and am in the process of getting the legs to try and remember how to run fast. Goal is to simply put in the quality efforts and show up on race day.

Kettle Morraine 100k
A big of a longshot in terms of traveling logistics only and that it falls near the end of the school year. Would love to run this as I have heard of the beauty of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine State Forest.

Burning River 100:
Like a moth to a flame. My BHAG for 2009 took me to my core and it was everything that I had imagined and more. This was quite simply the best event I have ever participated in. Not simply because of the distance, but in terms of the course, support, and organization. I managed to put together a plan that kept my time away from family to a minimum and even in the months after this event, I have thought about the time out there, and I just want to go back. Simply put...there was nothing better than having no other responsibility for the day than to put one foot in front of the other and move foward. And oh yeah...it is the 2010 National Championship...

Hallucination 50k/50m
Held on the the beautiful Potowatomi singletrack, I paced my buddy Brian last year for his attempt at Michigan's first 100 miler. Only scheduling conflict is Dirrty Girl's 40th birthday that weekend.

Oil Creek 50k:
This ruggedly beautiful race sold out last year. Located near DG's grandparents, she actually encouraged me to sign up for this race last year. How is that for an endorsement? Haven't seen anything posted for it this year, but I am keeping tabs.

Detroit Free Press Marathon
Home of my first marathon. I ran it for the 5th time last year and had an absolute ball. Will try to remember and sign up early this year to avoid the frustration of standing in the immigration check and pay line.

Lose the Turkey Fat Ass:
My race directorial debut. Held on one of my favorite training loops, last year's inaugural event surpassed all of my expectations in terms of participation and weather. Totally fun

Nothing really groundbreaking here, but I know I have to plan things out. So far the only confirmed race is the Boston Marathon. Burning River is sure to follow soon. Most of it again is pretty local, but I am ok with that since I want to spend time with my family even while training for my goals. I will be coaching little dirt dawg's spring soccer team and then most likely will volunteer to help coach his tball team. Dirrty Feather just started gymnastics and will probably play squirt ball (soccer) for the first time this fall. As for Dirrty Girl, she is mounting a comeback to the roads and has a 1/2 marathon planned to try and achieve her PR. No doubt, I will be doing some runs with her, and will probably try and pace her. Looks like a busy year, but I know with proper planning, that I can achieve these goals. See you out there!

Y.I.R. 2009

Year in Review 2009:

Running:

# of runs: 350

Miles: 2,481

Time: 473 hours and 53 min

Average Run: 7.1 miles

Average Pace: 11:27 min/mile

Biking:

# of rides: 52

Miles: 428

Time: 33 hr 52 min

Average Ride: 8.2 miles

Best part was that I was able to get out there and meet some amazing people. Really excited to see what 2010 holds. Bring it!

What's your BHAG for 2010?

Lose the Turkey Fat Ass 50k Race Report

The running gods must have been smiling on Michigan today, because this was the first and hopefully not last, Lose the Turkey Fat Ass 50k today. Chilly temps near or below the freezing mark at the start warmed to a pleasant and comfortable mid 40's by early afternoon. From emails and word of mouth about 8 people had expressed interest at my first attempt at putting on a "fat ass" event. Even though, I had stated there would be no awards, I just couldn't help but put together a small swag bag. (Special thanks to Run Vegan Run for shipping some last minute items). Items included a couple of Vanilla Gingerbread GU's, a snack size Clif Bar, a couple of Sport Beans, a trial size of Vaseline, a couple of 15 spf Lib Balms, and a small medical kit all housed in a 2 1/2 gallon ziploc bag. I put together 10 just in case a few extra runners showed up. To my utter surprise, there were about 12 runners at the start of the "fun run" and they were pleasantly surprised with their swag. Not all of them were going to run the full 50k since we got back to our cars at around the 23 mile mark, but it was a pretty cool site to say "ok, let's go" and have them wait for you to start leading this pack of ultra runners down the road.

Since we were passing through areas open to hunting, most of them had at least read the race description and wore some hunter orange on them.

And even though, I had said there would be no aid, Craig (director of the Fallen Leaves Ultra), had contacted me and said that he would just be running the trail section due to a race next weekend and would set up an aid station that runners would hit at approximately the 5 mile and then the 18 mile mark. Waiting at the trail head were a few more runners who had heard through word of mouth about the event. The aid station was a welcome site for fluid replenishment and requisite chocolate chip cookie and potato chip inhalation.
The trails were in perfect condition and it was amazing to see runners all along the trail, as I have run this trail many times in solitude. Camaraderie and conversation made the miles fly by. In the end, I finished the 50k (ok..garmy said it was somewhere north of 31.25 miles) in just under 6 hours and had an awesome day running with a bunch of fellow ultrarunners. It left me one tired dawg, but excited at the possibility of making this an annual "fat ass" event.

Turkey Trot

In support of Dirrty Girl's return to running, I was more than supportive of her saying that as a family we were going to head down to the "D" yesterday to partake in the 27th edition of the Fifth Third Bank Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. Two years ago, we had done the 5k as a family in rather raw and wet conditions and then drove up a bit to catch some of the parade. Big mistake in the sense that we (read: parents) did not change and were freezing as wet clothes stuck to our bodies while watching the parade. Dirrty Girl had an answer for that. First off, we were going to do the 10k and we were going to stay down at the RenCen the night before. That way, after the race we could get change and then included with our hotel room were VIP passes in one of the grandstand sections along the parade route, along with a thermos of coffee and hot chocolate. Even though we live less than 20 miles from the city, we thought it would be fun to go down the night before, ride the People Mover and eat at Greektown with the kids.

Race morning, I had a few concerns. First, it was kind of chilly (mid 30's) and the wind was whipping around. Second, as evidenced by the picture below, Little Dirt Dawg had not ridden in a jogging stroller since I can't remember when since he is so tall and would rather run. I am thinking next year, maybe the Mashed Potato Mile or 5k for him. Lastly, the number of runners was estimated at over 14,000 and since we were just out for a fun run would be far back in the pack. Given that and our estimated time for the 10k along with the parade start, we smartly decided to drop to the 5k.
( Note: This could be our cheesy holiday family photo)

(Note: Dirrty Girl in her new running gear and Dirrty Feather keeping warm before the race)

Now, as for the Turkey Trot, it was a hoot! We ran together as a family and gave high fives and low fives, courtesy of Dirrty Feather in the stroller and stopped for cookies at the aid station. There were people though there with Garmins, Ipods, and Fuel Belts...for a 5k/10k!! Come on people...there were tons of people along the parade route cheering runners on and the rising sun took some of the early morning bitterness out of the air, enjoy the day, soak up the atmosphere. My only complaint was that even though we started near the back, there were tons of runners who thought that jumping over the jogging stroller wheels or cutting in front of us was a sound idea. You want to race, do it at some other race and at several points, I had to slam on the brake to avoid hitting some idiot. I think we finished in around 40 minutes for the 5k with a mad dash for which stroller crossed the finish line first.


A quick jaunt back to the hotel, shower, and inhalation of food brought us back out and to our parade seats for a bit until the requisite shuttling between our parents houses. In the future, we probably won't remember our time for the run or the weather, but we will remember the fun we had together and that is all that matters this time of year.

Lose the Turkey Fat Ass 50k

Lose The Turkey Fat Ass 50k

When: November 28, 2009

Time: 8 am

Where: Kensington Metro Park/Island Lake

Get out there and move your duff to eliminate the stuff consumed on Turkey Day. An easy “fat ass” ultra, with no fee, no aid, and probably no awards to be given. Mainly on bike paths, with about 13 miles of trail. Wear something hunter orange to avoid being confused as a deer in the woods. Contact dirtdawg50k@aol.com for more info.

Course:

Begin @ Kensington Metro Park. *Note* There is a daily $4 entry fee if you do not have a permit. Park at the East Boat Launch and head west on the bike path trail. Just before heading over a bridge, there will be a path to your left that goes under I- 96. Follow the path under the freeway and into Island Lake. At the fork just above the short hill go right. Follow the Island Bike Path. Just after the 3 mile marker on the Bike Path there will be a turn off to the left. Follow that an into the Mtn. Bike Trailhead. *Note* There are port a potties located here.

Follow the blue trail head markers and continue on the trail until past the 8 mile marker. There will be a Two Way Direction Sign with a blue arrow pointing forward and a yellow sign turn left. FOLLOW the yellow sign to the left. Continue on the yellow trail until you return to the trailhead parking. Return on the bike path back to Kensington Metro Park and your car. Total Distance to this point approximately: 23 miles. (approximately 13 miles of this are trail)

To complete the 50k distance…do one loop on the Kensington Bike Path (approximate distance 8.5 miles)

For those of you preferring to do a shorter distance less than a 50k and don’t want to get lost, or run trails…you can just run loops around Kensington. Each loop is approximately 8.5 miles. Or run the 23 miles out and back section and stop.

I expect for many of us to run together as this is not competitive at all. Somewhere in the 5 hr 30 min to 6 hour range for the full distance and will probably incorporate some walking.

NOTES:

1. There is no fee to run this (ok..except for the daily entry fee to the park. Most times though in the fall, there is never anybody checking the cars for permits)

2. It is HIGHLY ADVISED that you wear something hunter orange or very bright out on the trail section. I ran it this past weekend and saw some hunters out there.

3. There is no aid. I might have something set up at the start/finish, and somewhere along the way, but it is a approximately 23 miles for the first loop.

4. You are responsible for your own safety out there. This is merely a loosely organized fun run that just happens to be a wee bit longer than a marathon.

5. Please email me with your interest so that I can begin to take a head count

Kensington Metro Park:

http://www.metroparks.com/global/kensington_map.php

A short video about the course can be found here: @ Just Finish

Detroit Free Press Marathon

Armed with with sweet new shiny socks, I ran the Detroit Free Press Marathon for a 5th time. This was the 32nd running of the event, and the first time that the event had sold out. The only reason I was able to run was because they opened up an additional 250 marathon slots during the expo. I entertained no time goal for the marathon other than to have a good time and snap some photos seeing as how I was coming off a "fat ass" style 50k the weekend before.A new start/finish line had been constructed for this year. This was also the first year for wave starts. For the most part, it seemed to alleviate crowd congestion at the beginning and allow runners to get into their groove right from the start.
I never get tired of running up and over the Ambassador Bridge, as runners cross over from U. S. to Canadian soil.
A view of the Detroit city skyline while running in Windsor.
The Free Press Marathon boasts the only "underwater" mile as participants run back into the U.S. via the Windsor Tunnel.
Belle Isle
In the end, I ran it in 3 hr 47 min and had a blast with over 13,000 fellow runners. Despite the happiness I felt at how the city came together for such an event, a moment of silence/remembrance should be given for the 3 fallen runners who died during the event. We should all remember how lucky we are to be out there moving forward