deja vu all over again

Talk about history repeating itself. Country Music Marathon: 5:47:30 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon: 5:47:15 I really don't know how that happened. Those times are way too close to one another. And with the exception of a blister that has doubled the size of my left pinky toe, I pretty much survived this weekend. A complete race summary will happen tomorrow, but because it is sweeps month in the television industry, I will throw out some obligatory teasers. Shiner Bock "for dad" piggy back ride this sucks hills sun heat running with my sister

That's all for now. I've got a couple cold Coronas waiting for me.

Weather

I just looked at the weather forecast for both Nashville and OKC this weekend.

Now, I am trying to figure out why.

Is it going to make any difference knowing the weather versus just showing up.

If it is raining, will I just choose not to run? Probably not.

If it is too cold, do you think they are going to cancel the race? Nope.

Will the weather change how I pack. Absolutely not. I ran in a tank top and shorts in Phoenix earlier this year and it was 29 at the start of the race. There isn't any chance of it being below 40 in either Nashville or OKC next week so I wouldn't expect to run in anything but shorts and tank top. And I really can't dress any lighter without becoming "the marathon streaker".

But it is supposed to be sunny and in the upper 70s or lower 80s both places. That is perfect weather for a baseball game, sitting out on a patio drinking beer, or even a 5K. But it is a little warm for a marathon.

So all looking at the weather did was make me worry about dehydration, third-degree sunburns and death.

OK, death may be a little over-dramatic as I won't be pushing mysef to the point where that becomes an issue.

But as I said above, it won't change anything else I will be doing in preparation. So essentially, I just wasted 5 minutes checking out forecast.

Well, it did change one thing.

I will be packing sunscreen.

And not only will I be packing it, but I may even put some on.

Race Strategy

I have to be honest. I am not known for my race strategy. I have issues with starting off slow, regularly scheduled walk breaks, and saving energy for the last 6 miles.

Everyone always says to save your energy for the back half. I am told it is more fun to pass runners at mile 23 then to be passed.

Whatever.

But this weekend, I have to conserve energy. I have to accept that to keep my normally chipper persona in check and my morale high, I have to have energy.

Thus, I present to you my new and improved race strategy.

Strategy 1: Walk for one minute at EVERY water stop. No more dive in, grab a water and start up again. I have to walk for one full minute. I then get to run to the next water stop.

Strategy 2: My average pace cannot be faster than 10:45/mile. I hve been known to knock off a few sub-10 minute miles in the early stages of recent marathons. In Phoenix, I was clipping along at a 9:20 pace for the first 8 miles. That was a major oops.

Strategy 3: Nutrition. I will be carrying with me a mixture of plain Perpetum mixed with Rasperry Hammergel. It will be super concentrated, containing approximately 1200 calories. I will also have 4-5 Hammergel packets in reserve. This will get me close to 15oo calories for the race or ~300 calories per hour. This is about 500 calories more than I have consumed in past races.

Strategy 4: I will be loading up on electrolytes by taking 2-3 e-caps an hour. By maintaining a steady intake of electrolytes, my calves will be much less likely to cramp. That can't be a bad thing.

Strategy 5: Have fun and be social. As a back of a pack runner, I will have plenty of time to make new friends and, knowing me, flirt a little.

That's it.

It is just that simple.

Can I do it?

We'll find out.

The emotions of it

So am I starting to freak out a little?

Maybe.

Running two marathons in two days in two different cities 678 miles apart seemed like a good idea.

In December.

But now it is April. I am 10 days away from the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. That run doesn't scare me. It's a course I have never seen so it will be a new experience. My legs will be fresh. I will be in good spirits. I should be well rested. If I behave myself and do what I know I should do, I will be running with people from KC that will keep me from running out too fast, preserving my legs for Sunday. I have a nutrition plan in place. Really, I don't see many problems with the Nashville.

Then, after that race, I have to rush to the airport. Rush to get find the appropriate food to fuel me for Sunday. I may not have time to shower - which may be frowned upon by surrounding passengers. I have a layover in Dallas where I will rush to find another appropriate meal to continue refueling. I will also have to re-hydrate along the way, being careful not to over-hydrate because I will be on a plane. I get into OKC around 9:00 and should be in bed no later than 10.

Sunday morning will be the real test. I have to start out slow and NOT worry about my pace. Those first few miles I just have to keep my feet moving forward. I have to remember to walk a minute at every water stop. I have to continue to fuel properly. But I can't slow down too much. There is a "loose" 6-hour time limit. If it takes me longer, no sweat. The marathon won't shut down until the last man finishes. But I don't want to be out there longer than 6-hours. No way!

I have to stay focused and control those factors I can. Rest. Hydration. Nutrition. Pace.

But there are going to be so many other factors in play. Temperature. Wind. Sun. Emotion.

Can I stay focused. Can I stay out of the "bite me" zone?

That's going to be up to the volunteers in OKC. They have been great in the past. I am sure they will be that way again.

Nervous. Excited. Anxious.

Aren't emotions great!

Where do they all go???

OK, I ran just three miles today. I am in taper mode and ran my last long run b/f the double, 16 miles, yesterday. But running 16 miles is just that. Nothing blogworthy.

What I really want to know is the answer to the above question.

Today, in just three miles, I passed 71 people.

Yes.

I counted.

And if I passed them going both out and back, I counted them twice.But I didn't count anyone participating the three soccer practices, one baseball practice and the illegal high school football practice I passed.

I counted because last Tuesday, I ran 6 miles along that exact same route at the exact same time and I passed ZERO people.

That's zero with a Z.

Is the rain really that much of a deterrent?

Am I the only one in Johnson County that isn't so sweet that I don't melt in the rain?

Does anyone else follow the philosophy that he who makes the biggest splash wins?

Can't running in the rain be fun too?

Just curious.

Corporate Challenge

The kick-off to the 2007 Kansas City Corporate Challenge is rapidly approaching. Unfortunately, my company won't get to defend our championship from last year as we were moved up a division. This means more competition against bigger companies. But it's no worry. We have the leadership in place to tackle the challenge. Our CEO is the ultimate motivator. If you don't believe me, check out the e-mail he sent out encouraging his scientists-moonlighting-as-athletes to sign up for events. I mean, how can you not sign up for practically all of the events after reading this?


Subject: POAAPTLAAAAEWPIAE (otherwise known as Corporate Challenge)
From: The best CEO ever
Sent: Monday, April 9, 2007

Dear one and all:

Corporate Challenge has to be one of the worst-named things going. Anything with the word ‘corporate’ in the title is bad news. We are used to seeing headlines about ‘corporate greed’ and the like. And ‘challenge’ sounds too much like hard work. In essence, Corporate Challenge is what you do from 8 to 5, Monday through Friday. It’s no wonder people don’t flock to sign up for Corporate Challenge.

Had they asked me (and they didn’t), I would have suggested they call it POAAPTLAAAAEWPIAE, which stands for: People of all ages pissing themselves laughing and applauding anyone and everyone who participates in any event.

To be honest, I didn’t really want to participate in last year’s Corporate Challenge. You may find this hard to believe, but I’m slightly past my prime, and I didn’t want to spoil the memory of my sporting youth with some cruel facts about my current athletic prowess. What was worse, Alex convinced me to participate in a swimming event, which was my worst sport in high school. I seem to recall that I didn’t really swim through the water as much as I drank my way from one end of the pool to the other. And I seem to recall it was a pool of Clorox bleach, not water. (You could tell when I had swum/drunk for my school because two days later my turds turned white.)

I was even less thrilled about participating in Corporate Challenge when I looked for something to wear. I found my old, high-school Speedo. Kay encouraged me to wear it, once she had turned it into a bikini top. She’s encouraging that way. I settled for an old pair of rugby shorts. They were black, which is supposed to be slimming. Kay has photographic evidence to the contrary.

I can’t imagine anyone participated in Corporate Challenge with less enthusiasm than I did. But that’s because, up until the point when I did actually participate, I didn’t really understand what Corporate Challenge was all about. I thought it was like high school sports, which is all about winners and losers. However, in Corporate Challenge, the loudest cheers, the longest applause and the greatest enthusiasm are not for the athletic jocks in the prime of their youth; they are for those who didn’t let age, ability, shape, talent or size prevent them from participating. The person who won my swimming event (some 50-year-old mutant whose ass was one fifth the size of mine) got lots of applause when he finished the race (smiling all the way). But when I finished (gasping for oxygen after about the third stroke), everyone – and I do mean everyone – was cheering and clapping wildly (with the exception of the paramedics, who were too busy disconnecting the defibrillator).

If bad memories of high school athletics are keeping you from signing up for this year’s event, let me assure you that you will have nothing but a positive experience by participating in Corporate Challenge. It’s a laugh a minute. It’s totally different from high school competitions. And you can legally drink beer afterwards.

All of this is to say: Go ahead, sign up for Corporate Challenge. I guarantee you’ll have a lot of fun (and you’ll get a cool T-shirt). In addition to having fun, you’ll help the team, because EVERYONE who participates earns points for the team, even if you finish dead last. The reward is as much for participation as it is for performance.

Personally, I don’t have an excuse for not participating in Corporate Challenge, which probably means you don’t either.

So get with the POAAPTLAAAAEWPIAE program and sign up...

All the best,
The best CEO ever

77 miles and still kicking

So my longest week of running is over.
Training is past it's peak.
77 mile of running
All in one week.
There wasn't much to see
There not much to tell.
So I guess I'll make up some stuff.
What the hell.

I saw squirrels.
And a bird or two.
There were some deer by the creek.
But I didn't see anything new.

But what if the deer were zebras
and the birds were bald eagles.
Oh, I passed some midgets
Walking their beagles.
That's much more interesting.
It's much more fun.
Than seeing just squirrles and birds
As I run and run.

I also saw a bobcat chasing a rabbit
and was attacked by a copperhead.
I was luckier than the rabbit
I didn't wind up dead.

The Olathe marathon
Traveled on roads
That were covered with worms
And countless dead toads.
As I raced to the finish line,
an airplane appeared.
And dumped out confetti
while everyone cheered.

So that is my story
I'm sticking to it.
Some of it's true.
But some is just shit.

Opening Day. Running. Working

I love my crazy, messed up, always life.

It's never slow. It's never boring.

Some times it's hard to fit everything into a day. A week. A month.

April appears to be one of those months. But I'm trying to get my training in. And work. And find some time to have some fun.

Monday was opening day at Kaufman Stadium. It was sunny and 80. KC was playing Boston. Courtney tracked us down club level seats b/t home plate and third base. The Royals won. It couldn't have been a better day and a great break from reality.

Tuesday, my 6 mile run was tough. I was up late celebrating the Royals victory and Courtney had the pleasure of trying on a Red Sox 2004 world championship ring (it was pretty impressive) when we met a couple of guys that work for the Red Sox television network at Kelley's after the game.

Wednesday, I finally felt like I was getting caught up with everything. I even thought about getting some yardwork in after my swim.

Unfortunately, the weathermen didn't cooperate and I refuse to do yardwork when it's colder than 40 outside. So I put it off until the weekend. If anyone needs a good place to hide Easter eggs, my backyard would be ideal. Of course, small children may also get lost during the hunt.

Speaking of which, I am excited about this weekend, if for no other reason than it is relatively wide open. With the exception of a couple of 10-mile sort-of-long runs and a couple hours devoted to taxes, there really isn't much set in stone.

It will be a much needed, but presumably short-lived, break. I may even find time to watch the Masters. Or I might sneak out to Kaufman to catch an afternoon game on Saturday. Maybe I will go to the theater and catch a movie.

Or maybe, and just maybe, I will knock a few inches off my yard.

38.9 miles and still kicking.

Yes, I know and you know that number should be 41.2 miles. I shorted myself 2.3 miles today. I was supposed to run 15 miles today, but only made it to 12.7.

Why.

Because at 12.8 there was a big hill.

And I had no desire to run up a big hill.

Plus it was windy and I had been running up a gradual incline the entire time. My calf felt like it was going to cramp at any time and I was out of energy.

I should have been taking GU. I had it on me. I just didn't mess with it. By mile 10, I was out of energy. I ate some sports beans at that point which gave me a little boost, but I still decided to call it a day before the big hill.

My pace today was just under a 12-minute mile, which was kind of funny, because that was my average pace in the Olathe Marathon yesterday.

This marathon, for a lack of a better word, was boring. If not for the worms and dead frogs on the road, I may have lost my mind. Oh, and there was this little issue of the wind. It was howling out of the SW at 25+ MPH and it slowed me down. Other than that, it really was just a training run.

Tomorrow, I get to start running at 4:00 am to get my 10 miles in before work as I will be spending the afternoon at Royals Stadium welcoming in a new season of hope for my local baseball club. Good times!