The Swimming/Flying Pig Marathon

It's 55 degrees with a light breeze. It's a little overcast. Maybe it's sunny and there are puffy clouds floating lazily along offering an occasional break from a warming sun. I feel weightless. My legs are pumping rhythmically and feel like I could go all day. I'm running the race of my life. There is no pain. The finish line is up ahead, and I have reached the pinnacle of my racing career. I am Pre. I am Bolt. And I am Benoit as she won her second Boston Marathon in a world record time. Then I wake up.

I am standing near the starting line of the Flying Pig Marathon in the pouring rain at 6:45 in the morning.  I have a trash bag with a whole cut out of the bottom over my body trying to keep some square inch dry with no success. My fingers are so soaked my iPhone has stopped responding to my touch. Maybe it's for the best, because I'm pretty sure that if I get my playlist fired up it's going to send a death shock up through the headphone wire and into my brain. Fortunately, as the gun goes off to start the race I get the tunes rolling and I don't die of a sudden shock.

It's an hour later and after slogging it up the hills into and out of Eden Park I'm wishing that there had been a sudden shock that killed me at the start line. I've been running an hour and my legs still haven't quite loosened up and my stomach is starting cramp up...and then I wake up. I said I wake up. Oh no, I'm awake. Crap.

This pretty much sums up my experience at the 2010 Flying Pig Half Marathon. It was wet and soggy. I didn't have a good run at all and my iPhone had a near death experience that lasted for 4 hours after race. I'm fine, but I think it's suffering from PTSD. I can't say it was a total waste of time. Any day out on a run isn't a terrible day, and I did learn a few things.

• Technical running shirts are awesome. Heavy weight technical running shirts in the rain are terrible. After about 10 minutes I felt like I was running with a wet blanket wrapped around my upper body. When running in the rain forget about planning to stay dry at all. Plan to wear the lightest material that will hold the least amount of water possible. Those dudes that run in speedos don't seem so ridiculous after all. Who am I kidding? Yes they do.

• There is no such thing as a 100% waterproof pouch/case, especially when you have to open it. I was using an iFitness belt to keep my iPhone and a few things in. It didn't get rain directly in it, but there was so much moisture in the air combined with me opening the pouch and fiddling with said iPhone spelled doom. When in doubt leave the expensive stuff at home.

• In case of electronics meltdown due to moisture don't freak. There are several remedies for wet electronics that don't include spiking them on the ground when they quit working. Here is one that I was reminded of by a friend on Facebook. Thanks Nathan. Finally I have a use for all those little bags of rice I get at the pig and other races. 

• Any given race could be your best or worst race no matter how well prepared you thing you are. I suffered pain my knees and tightness in my calves for no really good reason. I also suffered some stomach discomfort. Not sure why. I ate the same thing I've eaten before dozens of other races with the exact opposite results. It's a mystery.

Finally, as I put the pig to bed again for another year, maybe I should say always enjoy the run and the experience. Or, any day running is a good day. That's not true. Some days I hate the run. During races like this I want to quit. I could be sitting on the couch right now reading a book, watching a movie or anything else that doesn't involve rain, pain and running. Then the race is over, and I dry off and the pain subsides.  After a good meal and a few hours on the couch with that movie or book my mind drifts to the pig. Next year. It's gonna be 55 degrees and sunny.  I'll be well trained. I'll be weightless....

March of the Flying War Pigs

Less than a week left until the Flying Pig Half Marathon!  It's time to get my running mix on. This year I decided to go 100% kick ass rock and roll. "You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention." That's exactly what I did Rob. Thunderstruck blows it up and makes me want to kick somebody in the teeth every time. "Then you got to take it up a notch..." Listen Rob this is my mix, my rules. I decided to cool it off a bit with a mid-tempo bar brawling rocker. Then I bumped it up 3 notches with my fist in your face, and your face on the floor.  You get the point.

I took the mix for a 6 mile test run this morning and it does indeed totally kick ass. I found myself having to slow it down a bit to meet my goal pace. That is a very good sign. Then I punched a squirrel in the face.  I knew the mix was ready. That squirrel should have never stepped to me. Welcome to the jungle squirrel. You're gonna diiiiiiiieeee.

B-EE-RR-UN

This blog post and Flying Pig Run is brought to you in technicolor by the refreshing taste of MGD Light 64

Look for me on race day drinkin' a beer and wearing this shirt

I am a master practitioner procrastinator and occasionally it really pays off. I've been getting regular email newsletters from The Flying Pig Marathon for years. Every year they countdown to race weekend with an email of updates and information everyday.  

22 days to go: Pig Out Saturday Night! Hell yeah I will.
21 days to go: Mail in entries are closed! Oh crap I haven't signed up for the half marathon yet.  
20 days to go: It's Miller Time at the Pig! Time out. Flying pig says what?


The first 64 to show up and sign up at O'Bryon's in O'Bryonville on Tuesday night, April 13th from 6-8 p.m. can be part of the MGD 64 running team!


I am so there...and I was. After a quick stop at the Running Spot to pick up some shoes....

 I love you Cumulus

 

I rolled across the street at about 4:45 to be sure that I was early enough to get a spot. Turns out I wasn't the only one that was determined. I was the second person to show up. One determined runner had been waiting since 3 pm. Dedicated procrastinator. My kind of person.  


All I had to do was hang out drink a few free Miller MGD 64s and sign up for the race...also free. All I have to do is wear the team shirt (up above) on race day. Done and done. Hell, they can hand me an MGD 64 during the race and I'll drink it down with a smile on my face and a big thumbs up. Aaaahhh refreshing.   

"Sometimes you eat the bear...."

"...and sometimes, well, he eats you."

Were there any truer words spoken than these by The Stranger? I think not. In the Heart Mini-Marathon the bear is Torrence Parkway. You are, well, you, the runner. A lot of people get eaten by the bear. New comers are surprised to find the bear between mile 5 and 6. Actually, the bear finds them...and eats them. If you run the 15k be warned. Torrence the bear awaits, and he is hungry.

I take great pains to not get eaten by Torrence. That means eating a weekly dose of bears for approximately 6 weeks leading up to the race. Bears are tough, chewy, salty and tiresome to eat, but it's all worth it race day. What am I talking about? I think I've beaten the metaphor into the ground.

The 33rd running of the Heart Mini-Marathon has come and gone once again. I went into this year's race with not much in the way of expectations. I wanted to run well, but didn't expect to set any personal records. This was a test race leading up to the Flying Pig Half Marathon in a few weeks. I wanted to try to maintain around a 7 minute/mile pace with something left in the tank at the end. It all went very well. I finished up at 1:06:04, which is a 7:07 pace. Perfect. It's a hilly course just like the pig at a faster pace than my last half marathon.

What's more perfect was the delicious Mokka french toast which was devoured after the race. Fast times are nice, but brunch with friends is what it's all about. 

Runners, take your mark...

Spring race season has arrived. In 3 days I'll be lining up for my 5th running of the Heart Mini Marathon 15k. The forecast is looking shitty just like last year. ugh. The first 4 years have seen steady improvement. Last year I brought it in at just under 1:05 for a personal record at 15k. This may be the first year that doesn't happen. Training has been going well. I've been consistant with my runs and they've felt pretty good, but the speed just isn't there this spring. It's been harder to work on speed with my work schedule. It's hard to get pumped up for a speed workout after being on your feet for 12 hours overnight.  On top of that I've been dealing with shin and foot pain. Also probably from working on my feet for long hours.
 
This year it's going to be less about speed and more about mixing it up. I'm going to enjoy the usual running and races, but want to mix in a couple of triathlons. That's probably what I'm most excited about doing. The swimming is going well, though it's been a little inconsistent over the last couple of weeks. I blame it on the fact that the dog at my goggles. True story. That little bastard. I've got some new ones now, and hit the pool evening for a good workout. up to 600 yards for my longest set and ready to move up to 1000 yards. I haven't been following that swimming schedule exactly, but it's a good guideline. Now I need to work in some cycling.

Maybe this year will be a little bit about the speed. Looking at my personal records I have one long standing record. My 10k personal record was set at the Thanksgiving Day Race in 2006. There are a couple of 10k races in the fall where I can take a shot at this record. Maybe I should....maybe I need to quit whining and grow a pair....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyWBmTq3JJw

Just Keep Swimming

 I have a new addiction this winter. Swimming. A couple weeks ago I started a new program. 0 to 1650 in six weeks. I'm working my way up to swimming a mile straight. The ultimate goal in this is to sign up for a couple of triathlons this year. I've got my eye on a couple. In May there is the Tri for Joe at Coney Island. It would be a good first tri for the year since it's done in a pool, then in August there is the East Fork Triathlon.  

The program is below. If you want more info check out this link. 
  
WEEK one (Three Days):
4 x 100 yards (or meters)...rest for 12 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 8 breaths between 50s
4 x 25 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 25s
total: 700 yards
(Your pool is 50 meters? Just add 2 50s instead of the 25s)
 
WEEK two:
200 yards...rest for 12 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 10 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 6 breaths between 50s
4 x 25 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 25s
total: 900 yards

WEEK three:
400 yards...rest for 12 breaths
200 yards...rest for 10 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 8 breathsbetween 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1200 yards

WEEK four:
600 yards...rest for 10 breaths
300 yards...rest for 8 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 6 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1500 yards 

WEEK five:
1000 yards...rest for 8 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1600 yards          

WEEK six (days 1 and 2):
1200 yards...rest for 6 breaths
3 x 100 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 100s
3 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
(day 3)
1650 yards straight (equals 1500 meters)
total: 1650 yards!

Farewell to the Otts?, Ots?, Aughts? Happy 2010!

I'm not all that in to New Year's resolutions. I'll typically set up a few goals for the year for training or excercise, but not so much the traditional I'm gonna lose 10 lbs., quit smoking, or take up knitting type of resolutions. As a matter of fact this year I think I'll quit exercising and take up smoking. That way I can have some good resolutions for 2011. 2011 is gonna be my year. 2010? eh.

Actually 2010 is shaping up to be my year. Things are gonna change...I can feel it. In honor of a new year and a new decade here are a couple of resolutions. It's stuff I'll be doing anyway, so I'm virtually guaranteed success. First resolution is to join a new gym and get back to running and working out. I've been off for about a month now. It's time to get rolling again. The second resolution is to get back on the nursing school track. Since I changed jobs this year I lost my tuition reimbursement. As of June I can start getting reimbursed from the hospital. Let's do this. To start on that resolution I just finished up an application of University of Cincinnati. I'm gonna apply to as many nursing programs as I can. One will work out. My third resolution is to continue to not smoke...or smoke crack or do meth or heroine. Easy enough.

Happy New Year everybody!

Statistically Speaking: Favs of '09

It's that time kids. It's time for everybody to break out their year end/decade end lists of everything from the best music, movies, celebrity indiscretions to the best commercials. You name it there is probably a best of list to go with it. Here's my small contribution to the glut of favorites and bests. Here is a quick run down of my favorite music for the year of 2009.

Since Last.FM has tracked pretty much every song I've listened to in iTunes and on my iPod for almost 2 years these were pretty quick and easy lists to compile. We're going to keep it simple and go top 3 songs, artists and albums of the year.


Songs of the year:

3. Ludacris - One More Drink
I first heard this song at a WEBN fireworks party over Memorial Day Weekend. Thanks to my iPhone and Shazam I tagged it and picked it up the next day. It immediately went in to my running mix and heavy listening rotation. It's super catchy ear candy.

2. The Ting Tings - Be The One
Simple, catchy tune on a great album full of catchy tunes. This is another running mix mainstay of the year.

1. Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You
What better to describe the destructive side of love than a force of nature. I never grow tired of this song.

Artists of the year:

3. Neko Case - Brilliant songwriter and criminally under appreciated artist. Check her out. Now.

2. Lily Allen - Say it ain't so!! Hopefully she'll take some time off and come back kicking ass like she has on her first two albums.

1. Pearl Jam - Speaking of comebacks. I am a die hard Pearl Jam fan, and have every album they've released. I have nothing but respect for these guys as they ditched the mainstream, their label and went their own way to develop a Grateful Dead like following. This is the first album in a long time to get media attention and for good reason. It's brilliant.

Albums of the year. (Oddly this is not on the website, but only on the iPhone App.)

3. Pearl Jam - Backspacer
2. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
1. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

If you don't own these albums. You are missing out.

Cardiac Cats Candies

My  Christmas bag of Cincinnati Bengals M&M's were invaded by a stray purple candy. I'm thinking it was a  Baltimore Ravens or Minnesota Vikings M&M. As you can see though the encroacher was soundly smashed by the delicious orange and black candies. Let's say it's Fav-ra and his Vikings and this is a glimpse of the coming playoffs. Who Dey.

Thanksgiving Day Race Report

Sometimes how you feel during a race is inexplicable. I've gone into races well prepared and sometimes something great happens, other times things go as planned, occasionally the wheels fall off. When I know I'm unprepared the result is usually as expected, but every once in a while something unexpected happens. This is one of those inexplicable races. It wasn't the best 10k I've run. I was almost 2 minutes slower, however considering the shape I've been in over the last couple of weeks it should have been 10 minutes slower.

It started about 10 days ago when I was taken to the emergency room having a hard time breathing, with a high fever and some other not so fun symptoms. I found out I had the dreaded H1N1. It was one of the most unfun nights I've had maybe ever and I've had my share. I did have the good fortune to leave the hospital that night with a prescription and orders to stay at home away from the rest of the world. I spent the next week taking Tamiflu, cough medicine and Advil while waiting for it to pass. As luck would have it I did get the vaccine which probably helped my recovery.

I was able to get out for my first "run" on Thursday. I couldn't take sitting in my apartment anymore. I went out for a slow walking, shambling run in which I had to stop every now and again to have a coughing fit. At least I was outside again.

By race day I had gotten in a couple more runs including a slowish interval session the Tuesday before the race to get my legs warmed up. I didn't have high hopes for the race, but I was determined to show up. To add to the odds against a good race I had to work Wednesday night before the race. I had been on my feet for 12 hours. I've run on mornings after my work shifts before and it's usually not good. My legs are usually tired and stiff.

So I rolled up to the starting line Thursday morning with conservative goals. If I could I wanted to hit some 7:30 minute/miles, and if things weren't feeling good I would just back off and enjoy the morning. And a beautiful morning it turned out to be at race time. It was clear, sunny and cool, a perfect day for racing.

The gun sounded at 9 am and 15,000 plus runners and walkers were off! The first few miles were all about being conservative. When you're running in such a large crowd it's very easy to get caught up in the excitement and take off too fast. I didn't want to get caught up and then pay for it late in the race. I found a pace where I felt comfortable and stuck with it. For those first few miles I tried to keep it around 7:15 minute/miles. You know...conservative.  I felt good. I mean I felt really good, but I forced myself to hold back. I always felt one breath away from a coughing fit with the cool air.

The course starts in downtown Cincinnati just outside the football stadium up through the city and back across the river into Newport and Covington, Kentucky looping back around to the stadium. We hit the halfway point in Kentucky. Everything still felt good. I held a steady pace. I watched some pull ahead and others start to drop back as they were worn down by that early rush. Damn I feel good. Is this possible? The other shoe is going to drop soon. I know it.

It wasn't until mile 5 that I let myself believe that I really was going to pull this off. The proverbial shoe never dropped. This was really going to happen. With 1.2 miles to go I finally opened things up. That last 1.2 miles were amazing. I clocked my fastest mile during the final stretch as I let loose and smiled to the end enjoying the sunshine, the crowd, the feeling of my legs pumping and the cool air in my lungs. It may not have been my fastest 10K or my fastest Thanksgiving Day Race, but it felt really great. It has me excited about racing again.

750 on the run

With my 7 mile run today I reached one of my major goals of the year. Or is it my only goal of the year? I can't really remember. Since it's the only one I can remember let's say it's my most important goal for 2009. Drum roll please....I surpassed 750 miles today! *Signals balloon drop and confetti cannons explode*!!!  Woohoo! As you can see from the photo above I was tracking my progress with a challenge group on Buckeye Outdoors.

I first mentioned this goal on a blog post back in April. It was just a means to keep me motivated and running throughout the year. It appeals to my competitive nature and totally worked. Maybe if I started it a little earlier I could have topped 1,000 miles. There's always next year! Next year I may use my iPhone along with a Nike+ chip and take on some challenges over there. I tried it out for the first time last night when I forgot my Garmin and borrowed Gina's chip for a run. While not the most accurate device, and far more simplistic than all the information the Garmin can provide I could totally get sucked into the social aspect of the Nike+ site.  Check out my one lonely logged run.

Halloween '09: Run Like Hell

It's time kids. Dress up as your favorite super hero/character/rock star/slutty whatever. In my case it's my favorite rock star, but more on that later. This year Halloween kicked off with one of my favorite races: The Run Like Hell! This is my 4th running of the race and it has become very near and dear to my heart. I've run it in costume, just run it, and even volunteered on the Cystic Fibrosis committee that puts on the event. If you've never been out for the race check it out for sure.

This year I just went out to run the race. It was a last minute call since I worked the night before (until 7 am that morning) and the weather outlook wasn't so awesome. As the afternoon went on it stayed very warm and there was no sign of rain. I was feeling pretty good after getting some sleep, so I ran on over to the race site and signed up. This turned out to be more of an ordeal than I had anticipated.

After signing up for the race I decided to stop by the Running Spot and pick up one of the 100th Anniversary posters for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Race. In my haste to get in and out I accidentally locked my keys in my car! I was flipping out. I walked up to my car, and the keys were hanging out of the ignition...mocking me. Luckily, after a chance meeting with my girl Gina she came to the rescue with the assistance of AAA. Thank goodness. If not for that it was pay a locksmith or break the window and pay for that. I considered breaking the window.

I made it to the race site with 5 minutes to spare. It gave me just enough time to squeeze up near the front. The street was packed behind the starting line and I didn't want to get caught in a mass of costumed bodies. Even though I haven't been doing any real training for 5k racing and didn't have any particular goal in mind there is a part of me that can't help but think about the top 50. I had come close a few years back. If I had a good race I might be able to crack it.

The beginning of the race is downhill. As usual with most races there is a mass sprint at the beginning and the key is to not get swept up in the sprint. If I can hold back I will definitely be seeing many of these people once we hit the cemetery and the massive hill to the top. If I didn't see them there I would probably see them on the hills after the cemetery. There is only one race that I have done that is more hilly, The Reggae Run, and that's because it is all hill. The Run Like Hell is a series of hills with one mammoth one in the middle. The only good part is the downhill finish.

I felt pretty comfortable during the first part of the race. I kept a steady pace at the beginning and didn't worry too much about if I was passing anybody or if they were passing me. I just wanted to let the pace flow. I had plenty of time to punish myself on the hills...and were they punishing. Once we hit the cemetery we were  plunged into darkness. So we're battling up hill and then back down on a foot path in the dark surrounded by other unpredictable runners. It's not really the best setting to set a blazing pace. But no worries, it's a fun run right?

By the time we left the cemetery I was feeling pretty wasted. The climb up just about did me in. Working 12 hour overnight shifts seems to have taken its toll in terms of endurance. I'm not sleeping a regular sleep schedule and I can tell it's effecting my running. Even on training runs I often feel exhausted by mid-run. I just tell myself it's good training for tough races and push on, but still it's not helping. So, after leaving the cemetery I hunkered down and just kept up the best pace I could for the remainder of the race. I put the top 50 and my time out of my mind I would just enjoy the run. How often do you get to race at night surrounded by 3,000 other costumed runners?

So I let it go until the last 1/4 mile or so. I wasn't going to roll over and give up. As we topped the last hill I knew we had one turn left and a downhill straightaway to the finish. I stepped on the gas and finished strong as any self respecting competitor would. My official time was 22:19. It's a good time, but not my best. I ran a 21:21 in '06. I found out later I just missed the top 50 again! I'm not sure exactly by how much since some runners paid for chip timing and others didn't, but I know I was close. Next year it's on...for real. 

Culinary Adventures: Chicken and Dumplings Slow Cookin' Edition

There is something about the fall and winter that brings two words to mind: crock pot. It's all about warm comfort food on a cold, dark day. Gina and I became obsessed with the crock pot for like 2 days late last fall. We had big plans to crock pot our winter blues away. We'd put it on in the morning and come home to some warm soothing deliciousness. I bought a slow cooker recipe book and she bought a crock pot. It was so on! And then it was off. We definitely made one thing in it, possibly two things.

This year is different. Things are gonna change...I can feel it. This year it is on! For real! Maybe? Seriously though I'm digging the crock pot even more now that I'm working nights. I can pick up what I need on the way home. Throw the ingredients in...and voila! I wake up to a delicious, hot home cooked meal. Gina comes home from work to a hot meal. We could be heroes just for one day.

Today was just that day. I was craving some serious comfort food, and one of my favorites is chicken and dumplings. I decided to go with this Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings recipe from the Allrecipes iPhone app. It has become one of my favorite iPhone apps. I highly recommend it. I also recommend the Epicurious app as a companion recipe app. They're both free so, you know, why not? But I digress...

It's the simplest recipe imaginable...until you delve into the comments. People can't help themselves when it comes to commenting on recipes. They can't just say whether it's good or bad, or why they liked or disliked it. Inevitably they rewrite the entire recipe. A typical comment looks like this...

This recipe was great! It's so simple and easy to make. My (insert significant other here) and (insert number) kids kept eating it until they're stomachs ruptured and I had to take them to the hospital! OMG! hahaha. Anyway I made a few modifications: I changed it from chicken to beef, and added cumin, oregano, seasoning salt, parsley. I used beef broth instead of water to give it more flavor. I doubled the cooking time and changed the temperature by 20 degrees. Then I served it with my own family recipe sauce that has been passed down through the generations. I could tell what it is, but I'd be disowned. I know this recipe will be on the menu for years to come! 


Wait. What? Was the recipe great? If it was so great how come your preparation has absolutely nothing to do with the original recipe? I make fun, but the comments are usually helpful for spicing up a dish. I usually look over the comments and pick out a few modifications that are simple, and add to the recipe without becoming overly complicated.

For the chicken and dumplings I ended up going with this:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 (10 ounce) packages  refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces
  with these changes from the first comment
  
• pinch of parsley, salt and pepper
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 3/4 can of low sodium/low fat chicken broth
• 2 cans of mixed vegetables

I put in everything except the biscuit dough for the first 3 1/2 hours. I then added in the dough for the dumplings for the last 2 1/2 hours as suggested by the comment.

The verdict:
Gina and Aiden really liked it! Gina only suggested adding more vegetables. There actually was a lot of vegetables in it, but they were kind of pushed to the bottom by all the dough. I think I have a fix for that in my suggested changes for next time.

Next time: 
There are a few things I will change. First, I think I'll skip the cream of mushroom soup. The taste and smell was a little overpowering. It also thickened it up a little too much. Second I will use less dough. I think 1 can will be plenty for the recipe. I will also put it in later in the cooking process. With the cooking time and the extra time before dinner the dough soaked up a lot of liquid and turned the entire thing into a very thick stew. I want actual dumplings. Next time maybe an hour at most for the dumplings. Maybe add a few different seasonings which will be able to come through without the overwhelming mushroom soup. Other than that I think it's good.   

What should I throw in the crock pot next? 

Fall and Winter Plans

After spending 3 to 4 months training for a marathon or half marathon (as I did a few weeks ago) and the race is complete there is always a period afterward that is at once a relief and a bit of a let down. It's like post marathon depression. Crazy right? Probably. After months of structured training and weekly mileage I kind of miss it. I like to have a goal. Something to look forward to and a goal to reach. After a few weeks though comes the fun part. I get to look forward to the coming months and spring training! Ow!  Too much?

As I often do after months of running I'm looking forward to doing some other things this fall and winter. I have a few more races that I'd like to run:

• October 30th - Run Like Hell 5K
• November 26th - Thanksgiving Day Race 10K 
• December 5th - Jingle Bell Run 5K 

These will be for fun. I have no particular goals in mind, no special hopes for a pr. I just hope we have some good weather and some fun runs. The fall is going to be about building some base miles and getting in some cross training. The goal is to get into the gym once or twice a week to do some strength training along with some spinning classes and outdoor cycling when the weather is nice.

In January it's on. I've committed to run the Flying Pig Marathon Relay again with Gina and a couple of her friends. This will be the 4th Pig Relay I've done and it's super fun every time. I'd also like to do a spring marathon. I have a couple of contenders right now that I'm considering:

• April 11th - Athens Marathon 
• April 24th - Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon 

Here's looking forward to spring!

Ain't No Party Like a Windows 7 Launch Party!

....An incredibly awkward, uncomfortable Windows 7 Launch Party!! People have laughed, made fun of, and spoofed this incredibly weird and awkward video released by Microsoft to promote their home launch parties for Windows 7. That's right home launch parties for Windows! Ow! They've laughed and laughed...and kept right on talking about it. This may be one of the most genius marketing moves ever made by Microsoft. The original video is approaching a million views on Youtube. Watch because it's a train wreck. They still gotcha.  Who's laughing now?

Most of the spoofs don't come close to improving on the weirdness of the original. This one is pretty good though....

Dear Runner's World

Dear Runner's World,

I have a small issue I'd like to address regarding your magazine covers. Why is it that all of your magazine covers appear to be shot at your version of an Olan Mills Photo Studio? Sorry if the reference isn't universal. Google it, you'll see. My point is month after month we get the same glowing hard bodies in the same poses on virtually the identical pristine rural setting. This was brought to my attention once again when a link to the new cover was previewed on Twitter.

How about something different? Maybe this is the ideal running physique we all should be aspiring to and the gear we all wish we could afford, but having it featured every month so unimaginatively is quite frankly boring. Why not feature some of the wonderful runners with interesting stories from the pages of your magazine? Even those Rave Run photos are fantastic!

I know I can't be the only one that loves your magazine, but is growing tired of seeing the magazine show up every month with the young white hard body on the cover in a running pose. There is a class we are required to sit through at work called Diversity Training. Maybe look into it. I see runners of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities on the road everyday...and I live in Cincinnati. You seem to gear toward runners of varying degrees of experience. You want to encorage "newbees". Maybe your covers should reflect your audience and goals.

Sincerely,
Adam

State To State Half Marathon Race Report

"If you can run one 6:30 mile you can run 13." Those were the words of wisdom from Gina after I told her my goal time for the half was to break 1 hour 30 minutes. She immediately challenged me to run 1 hour 26 minutes. While 4 minutes doesn't seem like much time when you break it down into a pace over 13.1 miles it's a 6:51 pace verses a 6:33 pace. It doesn't really matter. It all became irrelevant around mile 9.5, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

This was the moment of truth. After spending 3 months working through my training program race day had finally arrived. I woke up around 6 am to get a quick shower and my pre-race grub. This time I went with an egg sandwich, a banana and a cup of coffee. I wanted to get in an early kick of caffeine. Honestly though, I think for future races I'll go back to the peanut butter, honey and banana. The egg sat fine, but I think it didn't stick with me long enough. By the end of the race I was starving and wasted.

We arrived in Oxford to an overcast and cool morning. It looked like a perfect day for racing. As long as it didn't rain or the sun decided to break through to scorch the runners out in the corn fields on the way to Indiana. I got in a quick warm up while Gina scoped out the Starbuck's across the street near the starting line and it was race time before I knew it.

Off the line I felt pretty good. Maybe I could run 13 6:30 minute miles after all! I knew this was just the adrenaline talking. If I let it go to my head it would be a quick 5 or 6 miles followed by miles and miles of pain. The plan was to stick it around a 7 minute mile and then see how it goes from there. For the first few miles things went perfectly. I would creep up around a 6:45 pace then draw it back to 7-ish. Eventually I found a few runners going at a similar pace and stuck with them. It was an "easy" cruise into Indiana.

The course was out and back. We started in Oxford, near Miami University, and headed out to the Indiana state line, across it for a mile or so and back. There were a couple little side loops on the way out and a straight shot back. That made the trip back a little shorter and should have been a mental boost knowing that you would get back sooner. For me it didn't quite feel that way. As we crossed the border into Indiana I could fee the first little bit of discomfort in my right hip. This isn't terribly unusual on long runs. I often get tight around my hips, so I didn't worry about it too much.

Some time between mile 9 and mile 10 I did start to get concerned. The discomfort had increased and now both my hips were growing tight. It was becoming difficult to maintain my pace at this point, and I had to slow down to regroup. I found myself caught out in no man's land between the ultra fast runners way up ahead of me and the slower runners behind me. As the discomfort increased and my pace decreased I lost the few people that I was pacing with earlier in the race. I slowed down concentrated on my breathing and tried to psych myself up for the rest of the race.

I could see the 10 mile mark approaching, so I talked myself up. Only 3.1 miles left. I know I'm out of the hunt for breaking 1:30, but I can still set a PR today. I did a quick calculation in my head. If I can keep the pace at 7:30 or faster I can still beat my PR of 1:35:55. Breathe deep, relax and let your legs do the work. With that it was back on.

Miles 11 and 12 went by at a snail's pace in my head. I pushed the pace as much as I could. Shortly after mile 12 I went through the strangest water stop I've ever encountered. Usually the volunteers at the water stops are very encouraging, jovial, fun people. This one was a different story. I swear everybody at that water stop was completely silent and almost solemn. It was like being handed water by the children of the corn. Did they know something I didn't? Is this some sort of death march? yikes.

I think what they knew and I didn't was that there was this ridiculous hill 100 yards before the finish line. They knew I was going to die on it. It was out and back, so we ran down this on the way out. It wasn't nearly that steep was it? Where did it come from? 99% of the rest of the course was completely flat. What sadistic race planner does this? I reminded myself that I had done my hill work. This little bump was nothing. That little bump took the last bit of energy out of me.

When I reached the top I could see the finish line. I summoned anything I had left in the tank and "sprinted" to the finish. Official time: 1:34:53. A one minute and 2 second improvement. Not the race I was hoping for, but any day you can PR is a good day. Hell any day pounding the pavement is a great day.

I'm not really sure what happened after the race. Gina has the post race coverage along with her trials and tribulations tackling a grande latte at Starbucks. All I know is I woke up some time later that day to head out to my parents with Gina to watch the Bengals pull off a miracle win over Pittsburgh and eat lots and lots of snacks.

Culinary Adventures: Chili Edition (Part 1)

Every year around Halloween the fam gathers at their usual camping spot along the mighty Ohio River for an annual chili cook off. Family members, friends and camping neighbors usually participate giving us a good sampling of 8-10 varieties of chili. The chili is consumed. The votes are cast and counted. The winner usually gets some sort of token trophy or plaque and more importantly bragging rights.

Usually I like to partake in the consuming of the chili and voting for the winner. I haven't thrown my chili into the mix. That's all going to change this year. I've decided to throw my hat into the ring, and I'm not going into this unprepared. Recipes will be tested to find just that perfect winning chili. Mostly it's just an excuse to make and consume lots of chili. Delicious, delicious chili.

This past weekend I started the testing. With the help of my two taste testers Gina and Aiden I'm going to crack the perfect chili recipe, or just eat lots of delicious chili.

I started with a basic chili recipe from allrecipes.com. I started with a little browning of ground beef, and onion saute.

Dump it into a pot with the beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings.

Bring to a boil, followed by a simmer for 15 minutes. Then....we wait. That is the end of the recipe, and we could have eaten it right then, but we all know that chili tastes much better if it's allowed to sit for a while. Let those seasonings settle in and mature to perfection.

Flash forward a few hours and....

Voila! Throw some crackers and shredded cheese and we've got some delciousness happening.

According to the taste testers....
It was delicious. According to Gina it wasn't terribly spicy, but still had a nice underlying kick. That would be the extra bit of spice I threw in. Aiden gave it two thumbs up.

How could we improve upon this recipe?
More. Gina suggested putting in some more beans. Amp up the that spicy kick. I agree it could use a bit extra bite to it. Otherwise it was quite good. It was just as good when I took in the leftovers for lunch. Yum.

What's up next?
I'm not sure just yet. I'm checking out some other chili recipes to make this weekend. Ed's Chicago Cocoa Chili sounds very interesting. Whatever I decide to make I can't wait to chill out after the State to State Half with some delicious chili and the Bengals on the tv.

Diagnosis Wenckebach

What makes a normal sinus rhythm? What causes  a wide and bizarre QRS complex? Most importantly, what's a Wenckebach (2nd degree AV block, Type 1)? I've been learning about these and much more in an ECG class that I'm currently taking at work. I only wish it were all set to catchy pop tunes. Despite that shortcoming the class has been very interesting. All those little lines, bumps, and dips are starting to mean something. Hopefully I'll be able to put this new knowledge to work soon before it goes back to looking like lines, bumps and dips. I'll always know Wenckebach.

On Schedule

17 days and 10 hours until race time according to the website. So in just about 2 1/2 weeks I'll be lining up to run the State to State Half. I haven't written about the training much, but that's only because things are going along smoothly. I don't want to jinx myself. The less I say the better. Crap, I hope I didn't just jinx myself by saying that.

The Higdon advanced half marathon plan has been a really great program. While it has definitely pushed me as far as mileage and difficulty of workouts I feel like it has been manageable. I like that it has mixed up the speed workouts. One week I've been doing 8 x 400s the next week 4 x 800s and then 3 x 1600s following. There is an overall progression to it if you look at the plan in total, but from week to week it gives enough variety to keep it interesting. I'm a big fan of Yasso's, but doing that steady increase every week 5 x 800, 6 x 800, 7 x 800... gets to be mind numbing. It gets tougher and yet more boring as the weeks and months go on during training. I need variety.

So with 2 weeks left I am optimistic about the race. My goal is to break 1 hour and 30 minutes. It's a tough, but attainable goal and I got a little boost today. I've had some tough workouts over the last couple of weeks. I've been battling fatigue from working long overnight shifts that require a lot of time on my feet. On top of that I think I've been suffering from a bit of training fatigue. I haven't done some of the races I planned on doing along the way to prepare for the half, so I haven't seen any of the fruits of this training yet. Today though, after a week of struggling through some less than awesome workouts I felt like I had a break through of sorts. Over the course of the four 1 mile repeats I did I felt at times great, bad, tired, re-energized, and worn out during the final interval. When it was all said and done I managed to maintain a sub 7 minute pace per mile. It's what I had planned and executed all out on the roads. These weren't intervals on a flat track, but out in real life racing type conditions. It was a much needed morale boost. I look forward to lining up in 17 days, 9 hours and 40 minutes. But who's counting?