How I Left For Work Wearing Mismatched Shoes

This morning, I left my apartment a little earlier so I could swing by the recycling bins and drop off some old magazines.  I did that, and began to walk along the train tracks because that was the shortest way to the bus.  I became worried that the ground would get muddy, so I looked down, and this is what I saw:

Yup, I mixed up my old running shoes (the dirty one on the left) with my new ones (the clean, geeky one on the right).  They don't look that different in the picture, but the camera flash hides the differences.  They are noticeably different in person.  Since I didn't have a lot of time, I seriously considered just going to work like this, but I relented, and sprinted 50 yards back to my apartment carrying my lunchbox, dashed up the stairs, changed my shoe, and speedwalked to the bus.  What a start to the day...

Tesfa 5k - Race Recap (finally!)

Two weeks ago, Katie and I signed up for a 5k on a whim, and headed down to Fort Snelling State Park for the race.  Fort Snelling is beautiful place—even with all of the leaves gone.

The 5k was a smaller one (approx. 70-80 people), so significantly more manageable than the Monster Dash.  I love smaller races because they remind me of conference jamborees from back at LHE.  Anyway, to the race:

I got bib number 4.  I find this exciting, even though the number assignment was completely random.  The low number didn't help me, though.  I started out strong and thought I was going to be going for a PR.  The course was fairly flat and the weather was beautiful (60 and sunny in November!).  I missed the first mile marker, but somewhere around the start of the 2nd mile, I got a pretty vicious side cramp.  Up to this point, I was in 6th place, but I slowly started dropping back.  In the end, I ended up around 15th or 16th with a time of 23:59.  Certainly not my best, but not terrible either considering I didn't focus on speedwork during marathon training.

Katie, though, had a fantastic race.  It was her birthday, and she wanted to beat 30 minutes.  Her previous PR from the Monster Dash was about 32 minutes.  She destroyed that time and came in at 28:30ish.  I barely had enough time to get back to the car after my race, grab the camera, and make it back to the finish to snap this photo.

Other fun things from the race:

~ We followed a Mini.  It was a low budget race (supporting a great cause too), so after the RD tried to describe the course, it was clear that people may get lost.  The solution: have a dude drive his Mini the entire way in front of the leaders.  This duty, typically reserved for golf carts, turned out to be semi-necessary.  The course was well marked, but it was fun to see a Mini drive along narrow wooded trails.  I kept it in sight for the first mile, but lost it once my side cramp hit.

~ There was a fun percussion troupe along the course.  I'm pretty certain they were along the marathon course too.

All in all, a fun race.  I'll be looking out for other races this winter as I decide if I'm going to do Twin Cities again next year.

Race Tomorrow!

Two weeks in a row??  Yup.  Katie and I will be running a 5k tomorrow morning (it's her birthday too!).  I'll have a race recap sometime this weekend.

Team Ortho Monster Dash 5k - Race Recap

Katie and I ran the Monster Dash 5k today.  This was Katie's first stand-alone 5k ever, and her first race since the tri.  It was my first 5k since the Haiti Hustle a few years ago.  I signed up for the race as a way to end my post-marathon recovery period.  (Oddly enough, I'm 70% sure I saw Hal Higdon running the 5k).


Katie and I headed over a little early, not knowing how far away we would have to park.  We had a little walk from the car to the Lake Harriet Bandshell, but it wasn't too bad.  We marveled at all the crazy costumes, including a whole set of Legos, farm animals, the cast from the Wizard of Oz, and a dinosaur.  


We warmed up and stretched, and then had the big surprise of the day: no bag check!  I understand not offering a bag check for a race like a 5k, but the race website just said "bag check", and we assumed it was for everyone.  Turns out it was only for the 10 mile and half marathon.  So, with about 4 minutes to the start, we had to scramble to find a place for our bags.  We shoved them in some bushes and hoped for the best [they were fine].


I bid farewell to Katie, and we each found a spot at the start.  I was hoping for a faster race and was able to get a spot about 10 feet behind the line.  There were a lot of people, so I knew it would be tough to get moving.  Nonetheless, a sub-25 was my goal.


The race starts, and most of the people between me and the starting line were all people who should have been much farther back.  It was a tough obstacle course, but within a half mile I was able to get moving pretty well.  The 1st mile marker wasn't out, so I had no way to check my splits.  I just kept pushing and tried to gauge my position based on how far around the lake I was.  We merged in with the half marathon finish, so that required a lot more weaving and wasn't great for time.


I finished in 19:35.  Just kidding.  The first clock I saw ended up being for the 5K-9 (with dogs), and they started about 4 minutes after we did.  As excited as I was about a sub-20 finish, I'm happy with my actual 23:16 finish.  I was beat by a chicken, but no vegetables, so I count this as a major victory.

Katie had a great race too—right around 32 minutes.  We stretched, snapped a picture, and headed home.  Good race overall, but there were too many people for the venue.  Next year I'll need to look into the 10 mile or the half.

Team Ortho Monster Dash 5k - Race Preview

A great thing about doing these larger races is that they're featured on Fox 9 news before I head off to the race.

Katie and I are heading to Lake Harriet for the Monster Dash 5k.  My goal is the low 20s, although if there are too many people, my goal is to not run over anyone.  Race recap to come later.

Morning vs. Afternoon Runners

While I was training for the marathon, I ran in the mornings.  I did this for two reasons: first, I'm a morning person, and I like to start my day off with a run.  Second, I wanted to avoid the summer heat.  So, I ran in the mornings.  Lately, though, I've been running when I get home in the afternoon.  It doesn't get light until about 7:45 now, and I've been getting to the U earlier, so I've squeezed out my morning run.  Should be no big deal, right?  Sunshiny afternoons and a good way to wind down the day—just like cross country practice.  Well, I don't enjoy running in the afternoons for one major reason:

Afternoon runners aren't nearly as friendly as morning runners.

I'm a waver.  It's a gesture from one runner to another that we acknowledge each other's trials and tribulations and that point in time.  It's a simple wave.  Sometimes it's accompanied by a "good morning" or a "keep it up".  80% of morning runners return the gesture.  In the afternoon, only about 10% wave back.  And since there are considerably more runners in the afternoon than the morning, I look like some sea mammal whose flipper is going into spasm constantly because I keep waving for seemingly no reason.  I'm not sure of the reason for this phenomenon, but I posit that it has something to do with the passive-aggressive nature of all Minnesotans.  They're nice enough to be outside with other humans, but when it comes to interacting, they're much too busy.

At some point, I would have thought this was madness

First, read this story.  Gross, right?

It is gross, but to dismiss it is right away is unfair.  These people are solving a major problem that they have, and the solution works for them.  The fact that we just don't get it isn't their problem.  Years ago, I thought runners were crazy—then I became one.  I then thought marathoners were crazy—well, we are, but I appreciate it now.  Are ultrarunners crazy?  Sure, but that's their thing.  If they want to surgically remove their toenails, so be it.  And they have the ability to really creep people out—always a fun thing.

Tips that are more useful before a marathon than after

Too bad I didn't find this catchy video earlier.

Last Minute Marathon Tips: shot with Nikon D90 from Mike Kobal on Vimeo.

Wider is Better

My blog was getting dreary and boring, so it's time for a big announcement...

Redesign!

New template, new widescreen layout, more posts, more pictures (coming soon), and more crazy thoughts from your slightly eccentric editor-in-chief.  The goal is to turn this into an interesting running blog, containing my thoughts on running, my thoughts on other things tangentially related to running, and probably some things not related to running.  (I'll keep that last one to a minimum--I promise).  I'll also share works from other blogs, sites, and a variety of other sources. 

I encourage you to become a follower in the box on the right side of the page.  It will keep you up to date with this blog, and it makes me look cooler if I have more followers.  Seriously, that's all I care about.  Really.  Stop laughing...

Hope you enjoy the re-launch and make sure to comment often!

Ahhh! Real germs!

http://dailyviews.runnersworld.com/2009/10/germs-filthy-germs-everywhere.html

Wow, I totally did this. All of this. On occasion, I would stop breathing in Chem class while people were sneezing and coughing around me.

Upcoming Race

Have any plans for Halloween?  If not, check out the Team Ortho Monster Dash.  I'm running the 5k, but there is also a 10 mile distance open.  The 5k does a loop of Lake Harriet, so it will be nice and scenic.  Consider this race as a good way to end the season.

http://www.teamortho.us/Monster_Dash

Watch me Cross the Finish Line

Here's a video that will make your day! (Just kidding, but it made mine).

http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-kare-3323-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=kare11immersiveplayer15282008&maven_referralPlaylistId=playlist&maven_referralObject=1286397831

Fast forward to about the 20:45 mark and you'll see yours truly shuffle across the line.

It's not like the giant bumblebee wings we're that big a deal...

http://dailyviews.runnersworld.com/2009/10/its-not-about-the-ipod-.html

A good take on the recent hullabaloo over someone being disqualified for wearing an iPod in a marathon.

Feet back to the pavement

Great news! I felt pretty good when I woke up this morning, and went for my first run since the marathon. It was only a 2-miler, but I felt good. I'm looking at a 5k for October 31st around Lake Harriet. It's the Team Ortho Monster Dash. There are half marathon, 10 mile, and 5k distances. I think it would be a good way to end my recovery plan, eh?

Recovery

It has now been 2 days since the marathon. Sunday afternoon I was pretty exhausted, but not too sore. Yesterday, I was in a bit more pain, but I think the "runner's high" caused me to ignore a lot of the pain. I had a massage. I don't think it helped that much, and it kinda hurt.

Since I had class yesterday, I had to go to campus. All of the walking (to the bus, around campus, back home, grocery store later in the day) turned out to be a bit too much for me. I wish I would have been able to take it easier yesterday, but sometimes you can't control those things. Today, though, I'm taking as a rest day. My quads are still really sore, so I think a rest day will be very beneficial. I'm working from home, and I'm avoiding stairs completely.

It was great to wear my finisher's shirt and medal all day yesterday, no matter how cheesy it may have looked. I saw others with shirts and medals, and it was great when we could say things like "Mile 22, that was a killer" or "Stairs are rough today" and totally understand each other.

We do 26.2

Wow, what a race! I've never experienced anything like this—not the pain, not the fatigue, not the awesome support from hundreds of thousands of spectators. Here's the recap.

Before the Start

My super spectator (Katie) dropped me off at the Dome around 6:30. I hung out there for a while, stretched, and downed Gu #1. I lined up at the start around some cool people (actually, all the runners are cool), and we all noticed the same thing: SAUSAGE! Really, an intense smell of sausage was wafting over the start. It was pure torment!

Mile 1

About 5 minutes after the gun, I crossed the starting line. Everyone was pumped. I was passed by so many people. I started around the 4:45 runners, and ended up actually running a perfect 4:30 pace the first mile. So let's just say that these people don't believe in negative/even splits. Also, are people so unprepared that they have to use the port-o-johns on mile 1? Really?

Mile 2

The Basillica of St. Mary had the loudest and most fantastic 3 bell peal ever! The first water stop was chaos, but I got my Powerade and Water. I then dumped half a cup of Powerade on my shirt. Super.

Mile 3

Alan Page, a Minnesota Supreme Court justice, was playing his Tuba. It was cool.

Mile 5

Mishap #1. In prepping my Gu, my hand decided to open. Gu on ground. Too many people for me to stop and grab it. Thankfully, I had 1 extra, so it didn't hurt me later.

Mile 9

I did the YMCA while running. Of this I am not ashamed. An interesting aspect of the race is all of the spectators offering food. They had Jolly Ranchers, donuts, pretzels, orange slices, champagne, bananas, and a host of other things. Each time I saw this, I was reminded of something I read: You're in a marathon, not a buffet line.

Mile 10

Mishap #2. The water stop at the 9 mile marker was right at the mile marker. So I didn't see it. When my watched showed my time for mile 9 approaching 18 minutes, I caught on. Going under Nicollet Ave. on Minnehaha Pkwy, there was a percussion troupe. They were really good, and their positioning under the bridge created the most amazing reverberation I have ever heard.

Mile 12

To the woman who shouted: "You're halfway there!" No, mile 11.4 is NOT halfway there. Thank you.

Half Marathon

At this point I was still feeling great. My splits were dead on for a 4:30 finish. I was cautious not to go too fast, and I was getting optimistic at this point.

Mile 14

My first spectators! Thanks to Kelli and Eric for cheering me on! What a boost that was!

Mile 16

My second spectator! Katie is awesome!

Mile 19

The wheels start to come off here. My right quad was not happy. It tensed up, forcing me to stop about every half mile at some sturdy vertical object and stretch it. Also at this point, I will tell you the story of one of the more inspirational people I was running with. I don't remember his name, but he is a Marine. He was in combat fatigues, and carried at giant American Flag and POW/MIA flag. To top it off, he loaded 50 lbs into his gear pack because he raised a certain amount of money for Toys for Tots. I can imagine the agony that his hands and arms were feeling from that flag, but he ended up finishing about 40 secs ahead of me. On Mile 19, when my quad started acting up, I slowed down considerably. He hollered at me to keep pushing. If only we could all be a bit more like him.

Mile 20

While on the the incline up to the Franklin Ave. bridge, I turned to my left and saw Katie. There were so many people at this bottleneck, so she didn't see me, but it gave me a good boost.

Mishap #3. Missed a mile marker because of the water stop again.

Mile 21

Gu! This made up for my lost one. They were passing it out. I pointed at a volunteer, and yelled: Orange? He gave one to me, and then exclaimed: "Why doesn't anybody want espresso?"

Mile 22

The hill. It actually wasn't too bad. 2 people dressed up as nuns were cheering. Nun pajamas! The rest of this mile, and the next, were a gradual uphill.

Mile 23

More up hill. But spectators too! Thanks Kevin and Renee! I did't have time (or the mental capacity) to read your sign, but it looked great!

From this point, it should have been easy. I run this route 4 times a week. If it weren't for my quad, it would have been easy. Alas.

Mile 26

Coming around the corner and seeing the Cathedral and Capitol was the best thing I have ever seen. I blame it on the previous 25ish miles. I'll also admit that I got a little emotional seeing the finish and the GIGANTIC American Flag over the course.

Finish

I did it! Crossed the line at 4:49:13 (chip time). I was elated, tired, thankful, in pain, and so many other things, but it felt great. I needed help getting my medal and putting my heat sheet on. There was food, and official pictures, and picking up my sweats. I found Katie, and we went home.

Thanks to everyone for the support. Whether it was cheering for me on the course, encouraging Facebook messages, emails, thoughts, and prayers, thank you. And thanks to the people who had to listen to Eye of the Tiger on loop for 6 hours. I wouldn't wish that on my enemies.

Now I recover. I'm really sore and really tired. Would I do it again? Totally.

To your mom and beyond!

It all comes down to this

It's a little surreal that 6 months after I decided to run a marathon, today is the day. 6 months of early mornings, hot runs, and more carbs than I care to recount (I actually dreamt last night about a giant milkshake covered in M&M's). All the training and planning leads me to this morning. I'm nervous, but also confident that I'll do this. It will be tough, but I'm ready. So I leave myself with all the motivational tools I can think of:

~ To your mom, and beyond!

~ Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, let's go Eagles, it's Cross Country time!

~ 35 comes after 34

~ Just keep running, just keep running.

TC Marathon Countdown: 2 hours, 47 minutes

Be a Spectator Around the World

**Shameless Plug Alert**

If you're in the Twin Cities, I strongly encourage you to head down to the course on Sunday morning and cheer us runners on. You wouldn't believe how much the cheering actually helps you get through the long and grueling race.

If you're not in the Twin Cities, you can follow my progress too! Starting at 8am (Central) on Sunday, October 4, you can go to www.mtcmarathon.org and click on the link to track runners. Enter my race number, 2315, and you'll see live runner tracking. It will update my position at each mile when I touch the tracking mat, and extrapolate my position until the next checkpoint.

And that's the ballgame...

Today was it—my last training run. It was an easy 2 miler. I barely broke a sweat and I wasn't even running long enough for it to get light out. Strange to think about where I started this endeavour, and now, just 3 days away, where I'll end it.

TC Marathon Countdown: 3 days

When Appropriate

Spectators are an interesting crew (a crew which I strongly encourage you to join next Sunday). All walks of life can cheer you on—including those who may not be familiar with marathoning. So, it makes sense that the marathon organization would put together a "spectators guide" to clue people in on all the complexities of the marathon. (You can download the guide here: 2009 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend Spectator's Guide )

While paging through the guide, I came across a rather perplexing statement. On the page where they give suggestions on what to cheer, is this one:

Welcome to St. Paul! (when appropriate)

This marathon does go through 2 cities, the second one being St. Paul, so putting the wording "when appropriate" makes sense on some levels. But, I imagine the circumstances that led to the inclusion of this directive went something like this:

The first time the marathon published a spectator's guide, it included the suggestion of cheering "Welcome to St. Paul". Some kind-hearted, and most likely over-exuberant, spectator read this, and after they set up somewhere around Lake Calhoun (which is in Minneapolis), they cheered wildly: "WELCOME TO ST. PAUL!! WELCOME TO ST. PAUL!!" Most of the runners were probably scratching their heads, and so were the nearby spectators. The next year, the spectator's guide included this: "Welcome to St. Paul! (when appropriate)"

TC Marathon Countdown: 7 days

Dances with Squirrels

I must have done something to anger the squirrels in Minnesota. There seems to be a concerted and extremely effective effort by the squirrel community to attack me. On my 20 miler a few weeks ago, a squirrel leapt at my head from the top of a fence. Only quick action on my part assured that he didn't actually hit me. Today, though, I wasn't so lucky. I was running on Summit, and noticed a group of cyclists going down the road. As my gaze returned to what was in front of me, a squirrel scurried across the sidewalk, and threw a fast-acorn at me. Having no time to react, the acorn hit me just millimeters to the right of my right eye.

No more long runs left in the training plan. The race is drawing nigh.

TC Marathon Countdown: 8 days

In Range

I hope things stay this optimistic…

TC Marathon Countdown: 9 days.

Tapering

Since my 20 miler, I've been involved in a process known as tapering. The running gurus tell me that by reducing mileage in the 3 weeks preceding the marathon, my muscles will recover and I'll feel great on the big day. I think it's just a way to keep getting runs in as the amount of daylight dwindles. Either way, a "long run" is now 12 or 8 miles, and the Thursday before the marathon I'll run a whopping 2 miles. 2 miles is almost not worth getting up for anymore.

Only 12 days until the marathon. I'm waiting in fearful anticipation of the day when the 10-day forecast includes marathon weekend. Will it be hot, cool, rainy, sunny…snowy? (This is Minnesota after all). I've got my participant's guide and I think I'm set with all my gear. All that's really left now is to eat more carbohydrates than one would think possible, and then run the marathon.

If you're in the Twin Cities on Oct. 4, it would be fantastic if you could take a little while to come down to the course and cheer me (and everyone else) on. Would you rather watch Sunday morning talk shows or 11,000 runners in the beautiful setting of the Twin Cities before church? I think the answer is quite obvious… ;)

Whether you're in the Cities or not, you'll be able to track me in real time the day of the marathon. It even shows where I am on the course (well, a lot of it is extrapolation, but assuming I don't get lost, it should be pretty accurate). I'll post the details of how to do this once the day draws near, but until then, you can always check out the spectators page on the marathon website for all kinds of fun information. The website is here: http://www.mtcmarathon.org/Spectators/index.cfm

TC Marathon Countdown: 12 days

The light at the end of the tunnel.

A lot has happened since my last update. I passed the 1 month left point, and this past week I reached the pinnacle of the training program. Dealing with a bit of injury, I had to take a couple days off, but today I did the big 20 miler. Yup, 20 miles. In such a long run, many things can happen. Things such as…

…being attacked by a squirrel.

…eating lots of Gu. (Tri-Berry is a good flavor. Plain, not so much)

…having Katie ride her bike and replenish my water supply.

…running through a balloon arch for some 5k that was about to start.

…hitting the wall. Yes, it's as unpleasant as they say. Like really.

…forgetting what comes after the number 34, and spending 20 seconds trying to remember.

The taper begins this week, so that means 3 weeks until the marathon. Oh boy…

TC Marathon Countdown: 22 days.

I ran how far?

The distance keeps going up. Today was 18 miles--my longest run ever. Only 8.2 miles short of what I'll be doing October 4. I felt pretty good on the run, mainly because today was seasonably cool (49 degrees when I left!). I also found a Gu flavor I like--Orange! It still tastes weird, but not nearly as weird as all the other flavors.

TC Marathon Countdown: 34 days

50 days and counting!

Today marks the 50 days until the marathon point. I finished my longest run to date (16 miles) and it was a toasty one this morning. The marathon organizers ran a water stop at Lake Calhoun where they gave out water, Powerade, and Gu. I thought it would be about 8 miles from my apartment. Turns out, it was more like 9, so I had to improvise my return route to cut a little distance.

I have also concluded that energy gels are weird. The texture is rather unexpected, and the taste isn't that great. The flavors they had were chocolate, espresso, strawberry banana, and vanilla bean. Vanilla bean looked like the least objectionable, so that's what I tried. I picked up some other flavors from the store today, so I can see if any of them turn out to be better. All in all, I did notice a boost in my energy, even if it was short-lived.

TC Marathon Countdown: 50 days

Liberation

Dear Nike+iPod,

I want a divorce. We've been together for 10 months and 240 miles. But it's over. Things started off grand for us. You helped me get back into running. You told me how far I went each day and when to turn around. You even brought Lance Armstrong and Paula Radcliffe along with us on occasion.

But it's over. You see, I'm tired of the voices in my head. I don't enjoy having more wires wrapped around me than there are in Radio Shack. My arm is sick of the armband. My pace is all messed up. And I've missed one of the best things about running outdoors--the outdoors.

You should also know that I've found someone new--a "friend with benefits" if you will. It's name is Nike+Sportband. Yes, it's your cousin. I'm sorry, but it's just so much more compact. It tells me everything thing I need to know, and nothing I don't. To any outsider, it's just a watch, but to me, it means freedom.

I wish you well. I hope you find someone new.

Sincerely,

Matt

TC Marathon Countdown: 60 days

Milestone

This post is a little late, but on Sunday I completed a major milestone in my training: I'm halfway through the training program. Less than 9 weeks to go now.

TC Marathon Countdown: 61 days

Observations

I ran 12 miles today. It was grand. As it turns out, I also had a lot of time to think. I thought about how different my running is now compared to when I started running. And I made a list. In my head. Now in a blog.

Then: Running in the afternoon

Now: Running in the morning

Then: Running in groups (Go Slow Group!)

Now: All by my lonesome

Then: Sounds of nature and Harper Woods in my ears

Now: My iPod. (I hope to change this soon)

Then: Stopping at Tim Hortons, Harper Woods Fire Department, and sprinklers for water

Now: Carrying a water bottle

Then: LSD was, at max, 8ish miles. (Well, except when PZ had us run the long way to Liggett, but I didn't make the whole way anyway)

Now: 12 miles today, 26.2 in 2.5ish months

Then: High Fives when running by a teammate (unless we missed, which was common, for me at least)

Now: A wave to other runners, but not always reciprocated

TC Marathon Countdown: 78 Days

Running Dreams

Apparently, the liturgical disaster dreams have given way to running dreams. Two nights in a row now.

Last night, I dreamt I was running the Twin Cities Marathon. I was about 9 minutes into the race when I decided it was time for lunch. So I stopped at Subway. Then, about 17 minutes later, I was hungry again, so I stopped a another (slightly sketchy) Subway. I decided that I was probably not doing so good with the running part of the marathon, so no more lunches for me. I finished with a time of 7 hours, 47 minutes. Does that make this a running nightmare/disaster? I don't know, but let's hope I'm significantly faster than that on October 4.

TC Marathon Countdown: 101 days

2 Weeks Done

Week 3 of training began today. Hooray!

One of my favorite things about when/where I run is that at any given time I can look around and see at least 4 other runners.

TC Marathon Countdown: 110 days

So it begins, officially

Today marks the beginning of my official marathon training program. My knee is feeling good with the brace, so this easy start shouldn't be too bad. Today was 3 miles. Tomorrow is 3 miles. But the mileage will increase soon enough.

TC Marathon Countdown: 124 days

The Return

After touring the world with my rock band, The Iliotibials...

It's been 2 weeks since my last run. I spent most of the first week limping around and riding elevators. I finally caved and saw the doctor, which turned out to be a good thing. He was able to diagnose what was wrong (Iliotibial Band Syndrome) and show me what to do to help it get better (stretch). I'm supposed to ease back into running, so I only went about 1.25 miles today (and it was an agonizingly slow pace). It was starting to hurt at that point, so instead of running through it, I just walked.

The Doc also suggested biking so I could keep my fitness level up until I'm ready to fully return to training. It felt good to run again, but I need to be careful. Marathon training starts in 3 weeks, so I don't need any more injuries.

TC Marathon Countdown: 148 days

New Shoes and a Wonky Knee

I bought a new pair of running shoes this weekend. Decided to go with the new model of my trusty Brooks Adrenaline GTS's. Best pair of running shoes I've ever had, so here's hoping the new model isn't so different.

I also managed to do something to my knee. Started running and my left knee felt funny. I stretched it and kept going. Then it became too painful to keep running, so I decided it was ok to stop running and give the knee a break. Unfortunately I was about a mile from the apartment when I decided this (stubborn me), and had to walk/limp the whole way back.

It's feeling a bit better today, so hopefully I'll put shoes to the pavement Monday or Tuesday.

TC Marathon Countdown: 161 days

An Accidental 5k

I run on Summit Avenue. Many people run on Summit Avenue. It is quite beautiful, and has a wonderful grass median for most of its length (I should post pictures). It also connects directly to the Mississippi River Parkway--also very nice.

This past Saturday, I set out for a longer run (~5 miles). About 1.5 miles into the run, I was approaching the University of St. Thomas along Summit, and there was a grouping of people under a big "Start" banner. I figured it was a race. As luck would have it, the gun went off the exact same time I passed the starting line. So, lo and behold, I found myself in a 5k!

Well, I was running on the grass, and they were on the tarmac. I had already run a mile and a half, and they were quite fresh, but it was exciting nonetheless. I stuck with them along the river parkway, but peeled off around their 2k marker. For this, I was rewarded with a Cranbrook-esque hill.

'Twas a fun 2 kilometers, and maybe I'll incorporate a 5k into my training this summer.

Registration Complete

I am officially registered for the Twin Cities Marathon. There's no going back now (especially since it cost $100!). The official training program starts June 1, and I can't wait.

13 Short Eastland Routes

I ran yesterday, and once again, that's not the big news. It was a great run, though: fifty degrees, sunny, lots of people out running and biking. But I digress.

I have decided that it is time to tackle one of my lifetime goals. I am a distance runner, and who can claim to be a distance runner if they don't run a marathon once in their life? So, that's what I'm going to do. On October 4, 2009, you will see me complete 26.2 miles in one of the most beautiful cities in the country. It certainly won't be easy, but I'm going to do it.

Thanks to Kelli for pointing me to a great training program, found here:

Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide

Here is the marathon's website if you're interested:

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

If you're in the Twin Cities on October 4, I would love to see you out on the course!

Twin Cities Marathon Countdown: 184 Days

Technology is on our side...well, kinda

I ran yesterday. This is not the big news. It was a good run. The weather was nice, the ground free of snow and ice.

But, what is excited is that I finally got the Nike+ gizmo to do automatic Facebook updates. Now, whenever I run, you'll read about it within 2 hours right on Facebook.

It's been a while...

My running frequency has taken a hit over the past 2 or 3 months. I blame it on the weather mostly. (No amount of Under Armour can protect you from -50 wind chills).

But, I'm hoping to increase my frequency. I went out today for 20 minutes. The temps were in the low 40s, so it felt good to wear shorts again. I also particularly enjoyed Summit today. The snow was melting, and I could almost feel the trees waking up. I can't wait to run through there in the spring and summer.

I'm still here!

Yes, I still exist.  And on rare occasions, I still run.  I just have to say that temps of -20 are not conducive to running--fyi.

I ran today.  I had my first experience at the University Rec Center.  There are no semester locker rentals left, so I'm stuck with daily rentals if I want one.  I was also kicked off a treadmill by an undergrad.  Apparently you need to sign up for treadmills.  I miss the cramped converted racquetball courts of Valpo.