Friday, August 31, 2007

I was lazy and didn’t want to run in the morning…thankfully my wife agreed but she said we had to run right after work. So when we both got home we changed and went for our 1 mile run.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

We had planned to go to the YMCA but since we needed to get the lawn mower fixed we changed plans and just ran late. We took it easy since neither of us really wanted to do this. We go it done though and stared at the stars…1 mile at a 9:24 pace

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

I had to get my run in before heading out to the trap range. With family issues getting to me I could have easily run for mile but due to the time issue I ran 1 mile in 8:31.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Tonight was very humid but we managed to do a great job. My left shin is still hurting a bit but the running helped to ease the pain. We got 1 mile in at a 9:40 pace. The full moon was beautiful!

Monday, August 27, 2007

I was hoping to have the grass cut before running tonight but seeing as the mower did not want to cooperate I gave up and had dinner. We went running at 8:30 this evening. I’m still nursing a sore left shin so I let my wife run out ahead. That only means that she just became a rabbit! I tried to keep up with her and struggled. By the half mile mark my shin had loosened up enough that I was able to gain some ground…not a lot mind you but a little…I think the hill slowing her down helped too. I finished the mile with a 8:40 pace (she finished with a 8:30 pace!)

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Today we flew home from Utah and then drove the long way home. Started to wash clothes and then decided we had better get out and do our run. Seeing how yesterday I ran a marathon I was not sure how well I’d fair. The humidity was up (54%) from Utah but down from last week. The temp was just right, 76 degrees. I told my wife to run ahead since I was not going to be busting any great numbers today. 1 mile at 9:26 pace.

Race Report - Park City, Utah

This all begins 3 months ago when out of the blue I find out that the late summer marathon I was going to run (Bangor, Maine) had been canceled due to an illness. This sent me into a tizzy looking for a new run so that I could have three marathons in this year.

Along comes Park City, Utah. The date for the race was ideal, 6 weeks prior to Chicago and far enough out so that I could adequately train.

Thursday’s flight out was eventful since we were ultimately delayed about an hour due to storms in the area and then due to the delay we were stuck on the tarmac waiting for takeoff. Once we got under way our pilot came on to tell us that only 2 planes were able to takeoff after us due to another storm that blew through Chicago!

We arrived in Salt Lake City and drove to Park City. The drive was rather uneventful but driving into the mountains with semis on the road can be rather nerve-racking when you are not used to it.

We spent most of Friday driving around town and the surrounding area just getting used to the altitude. Since I have never been at this altitude I was not sure what to expect. I found out that my muscles were tingling most of the night Thursday and by Friday they were feeling good but tired. I had trouble sleeping at this altitude, or maybe it was the humidity which was very low (10%) compared to home, and didn’t get sleep that I am used to.

Saturday morning came and I was up and ready to go at 5:30 am. I had half a banana and about a third of a breakfast bar. I drank about 20 oz of water and took 2 electrolyte pills. Got dressed and started to bitch about my shoes not fitting properly…at this point my wife jumped in and told me to knock of the negative talk, I was just making excuses and that everything would be fine if I just kept a positive attitude. She was right of course but at five in the morning I didn’t really care because I was nervous and worried about what the day had in store for me.

The temperature outside was 48 degrees…which for me is not a big deal but with 10% humidity it was COLD!!! The “gun” went off at 6:30 am on the dot and approximately 400 marathoners hit the road before the sun had risen above the surrounding mountain tops.

Miles 1-6: From the starting line we head east along a frontage road and we encounter our first hill of the day. It wasn’t that big of a hill but it was steep and all I could think of is “why did I chose this race?!?” The frontage road gave us some great views of the nearby nature preserve that we would get to see up close at the end of the race. We entered a residential area with some very impressive homes (we later found out that the cheapest one in that neighborhood was $950,000!!) and got a wonderful tour of the trails around the community. We encountered our first bit of gravel trails here. This section of the course, with the rolling hills, was the closest to what we would get in Wisconsin.

Miles 6-13: This was a long stretch. The course was an old rail line that had been converted to a multi-use trail. The grade was slightly upward and as the miles added up you could also feel the toll of the incline in your legs. The sights were awe inspiring. Upon turning onto the trail we could see 4 hot air balloons rising in the nearby mountains. We continued to watch them dance in the sky until about mile 10 when they were behind us. This section of the course we have mountains to both sides and straight in front of us so you know what is coming! The land on both sides of the trail were open for grazing and we got to see a number of cows grazing away…in fact at mile 10 there were two on the trail! As we got closer they moved just off to the side of the trail and kept eating. At 10.5 I saw my wife and introduced her to the people I was running with.

She was a champ…she made sure that I was in the right frame of mind, asked me what I needed and what I would need at the next stop. I told her that I’d like a few Jelly Belly’s the next time I saw her because I could really use some food. I was still progressing at a good pace and was confident at this point that I would be able to hit my goal of 5 ½ hours but the hills were still to come. By 13 miles I was doing great with a 2:35 half!

Miles 13-17.5: This is the hill climb. At this point we turn into Park City and start to progress up to the highest point on the course. The trail was impressive running right next to a major road and under many of the intersections into the city. From this vantage point we were able to see the many parks and shops of Park City up to mile 14. At mile 14 we take a turn and head for the “resort.” The “resort” in question is one of the most expensive in the area. The views here are spectacular! We ran into the resort and circled the lake. We were surrounded on all sides by the most fantastic mountain views I have ever seen. I was still feeling good but took my time and enjoyed the sights. The lake had people fishing in it and there were all kinds of people biking and hiking in the area. I continued on knowing that it was truly “all down hill” from here. My lovely wife was there to greet me at mile 14 and remained there until I returned from the resort at mile 17 at which point she gave me the beans I had asked for and we chatted a bit as she walked me down the trail I had just ran up not too long ago. I was still on pace and now I was headed down hill so all I had to do was run more that walk…sounds easy right?

Mile 17.5-18.5: This mile gets its own remarks because it was just mean. I’m telling you the person that placed this 3 block 16% grade hill at this point of the race should be shot! It was just plain wrong! We cross over a few walking bridges in town and then have to go up this ugly incline. There were people there to cheer us on and I was very grateful the guys at the top of the hill with the water.

Miles 18.5 to 20: This is the section that I though I would have the least trouble with it was down hill at a moderate grade and should be a fast section…well it was and it wasn’t. As I stated earlier Thursday my muscles were tingling from the lack of oxygen and up until this point in the race I had not felt any ill effects of the altitude but running down hill I was starting to pick up speed and my body was not getting enough oxygen to remain happy. My entire body tingled and not in a good way. I never felt like I was going to pass out but all of my muscles felt drained not tired. I know that sounds odd but I was feeling rather good but my body wasn’t sure how to handle what was going on. This section of the course we headed back into a residential area. We ran around a beautiful golf course at the foot of some impressive ski slopes and saw very little in the way of people.

Miles 20 to 26.2: We are back on the trails mostly gravel but there were some improved paved trails. Most of this section I spent walking. The sun was beating down and the temperature had risen to the low 80’s and there was literally no shade to be had. From 20 to 22 we followed a major highway and rounded a farm house where the aid station had bananas…now in the past I have had a bad reaction to bananas on the course but today I was craving them so I gulped a quarter of one down…boy did that taste good! The trail headed under the highway and made its way around a rather big hill and into the nature preserve. This was a beautiful section with a babbling brook to the side of the trail and a number of small bridges to cross. I tried to run a number of times but I felt like jelly and could not maintain any pace for more than a tenth of a mile. So with that I found a few people to chat with on the course and just admired the scenery. Rounding 25.5 mile mark I saw my wife in the distance and she had the camera in hand…I told her to take the picture as I was since I was not about to try running until I could see the finish line.

Well with a tenth of a mile to go I ran the rest of the way in. My official time was 5:46:42.

The rest: After the race I picked up my finishers shirt and sun catcher medal then stretched. The race had worked out an arrangement with the facility to allow runners to use the showers which was a great idea. I took a shower and was relaxing when we spotted someone with a Racine Half Marathon shirt on. It turns out that this couple was from Kenosha!! What are the chances? We chatted with them for quite a while.

The race was fantastic. I would recommend this marathon to everyone. The hills are, for the most part, easy enough. The views are beyond anything I could ever try to explain. The aid stations were well stocked with water, Gatorade, and fantastic crews.

We are ready to move…If we had a reason to move to Park City we would. The people are great.

I could not have completed this race without my wife. She keeps me level headed, she keeps me motivated, and she keeps me running. I can only hope that she realizes just how grateful I am to have her not only by my side but to have her course side. I’ve told her plenty of times that all I really need is to see her at the end of the race but she knows that her presence, expectedly or unexpectedly, on the course helps to move me along. Thanks babe…I love you.

Onward to Chicago.

Friday, August 24, 2007

First full day in Park City and we wanted to be sure that the streak did not end. We found a neighborhood nearby and set out to run our mile. We ran out .4 miles and came back to the park. Ran around the park to complete 1 mile. The altitude was much harder than either of us had expected, but it was worth the experience.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Got up this morning and my wife and I debated waiting until we were in Utah to run. It was decided that we had better do things now since it will be late when we get in. So we were out the door by 6:50 am. By the time we hit the end of the road it was starting to rain. By the half way point it was pouring. Finished the 1 mile in a great pace.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

You see sometimes it pays to procrastinate. Woke up this morning and didn’t feel like running and since my wife had the club tonight I decided to wait and run later. Tonight I was raining badly. So I didn’t head out until around 7:30 pm. When I got outside the rain had stopped and a new front was moving in so I stayed dry (except for the sweat) and got to see an amazing light show coming into the area. 1 mile at 8:20 pace.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Met my wife right after work and we ran our usual loop at a decent pace. 1 mile. Off to shoot trap!!

Monday, August 20, 2007

I was really hoping that my wife was not going to make me get up this morning but alas she did. I got up, reluctantly, and got ready to run. The ground was still wet from all the rain the previous night and while the temperature was pretty cool there was a note of humidity in the air. We started strong and by ¾ of a mile I was done I told my wife to keep up her pace and I’d see here at the end. Finished my 1 mile run at a 9 min pace.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Only 1 mile in the rain at night but it was worth it. All the gloom was starting to get to me and running cures quite a bit! Thanks to my wife I am a new man!!

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Well it is the last weekend before the Utah Marathon, only 8 miles today!! I only had to start running at 6:30!! This was great but I didn’t want to get out of bed…I’m starting to think that running real early is great since I do not remember getting up!!

First 3 miles was pretty hard…the last 5 miles went well running with my wife! :)

Total of 8 miles at a 10:21 pace.

Friday, August 17, 2007

This morning was hard to get out of bed. The weather was perfect for a run though: mid 50’s with a light wind from the west and humidity that was very low!

Ran 1 mile in 9:15.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

YMCA day...did 30 min. on the treadmill only 2 miles out of the 2.8 were running though. The running was all at a 2% grade the walking was upto 4%.

Did about 40 min. of weights as well.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Ran with my wife tonight and had decided to forgo the 1 mile route and do 2 miles. Didn’t go out until late due to a show being on. 9 PM we were heading out the door both with GPSr’s on our wrists. We were flying…so much so that my wife asked if my pacer alarm was turned off. I told her no that we were just running faster than the alarm…I’m not sure that made her very happy. By 1.5 miles she was getting a stitch so she let me run ahead. I kept a great pace and finished my 2 miles in 17:53. I’m getting there…I just have to remember not to try that during my marathon!!!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

It was raining in this morning so we decided to hold off and run later. Unfortunately as the day went on the humidity started to go up! I thought of running during lunch but decided against it…big mistake!

Got home from work around 5:30 and had to get ready for trap that night but thought I had better get my run in now since I did not know when I’d be home later.

Hit the ground running…the humidity was bad and the sweat started pouring. I had a rough day so my mind just kept churning which is why I ended up running 1 mile in 7:57 for me a new PR.

Monday, August 13, 2007

We got up at 6:30 and were ready to go! The temp was the same as on Sat. but the humidity was half!!! I was in heaven. We ran 1 mile in 9:09 and felt like we still had gas in the tank. I hope this weather lasts!

Sunday, August 12, 2007

After a long day of caching we still managed to head out and do a mile. Thought we were running much faster but only put in a 9:45 pace for 1 mile.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Glad it is taper time because this way I don’t have to get up so early!! Out the door at 5:45 is much nicer. 6.5 miles before meeting with the group but at 90%+ humidity I was glad to be there in one piece. Managed another 5 miles…a lot of it walking and poured myself into the car and headed to coffee with 11.5 miles in the bag.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Another morning another mile…quite humid but managed a 10 min. mile pace for 1 mile.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

We are going to the State Fair tonight so we had to get our run in this morning. 1 mile at about a 10:00 pace.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Didn’t run in the morning since I knew my wife would be going to the club this evening. I decided to do a few extra miles and see how the virtual partner works on the GPS…It’s Cool! Put in 3.25 miles and beat the virtual partner!

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

This will teach me to not write these things on time…I don’t remember if I ran in the morning or in the evening. I only know that it was only 1 mile.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Got up at 6:30 this morning and found out that the humidity was horrible. Ran a mile in 9:40 but was sucking wind at the end!!

Sunday, August 5, 2007

With the pain gone from the prior day I was ready to run around 7pm. We only did a mile but I felt great when it was over!

Saturday, August 4, 2007

When I have to get up early to run I dread the thought of being late…I slept right through the first alarm and luckily the second one woke me up! I hit the road at 4am when the moon was still high in the sky. I enjoyed the silence of the early morning but still have trouble remembering parts of the run.

The weather had gotten notably better than it had been earlier in the week but was still a little more humid than I like.

The miles went by pretty quickly and the wheels started to come off at about 12-13 miles. I struggled to get the 15 in before the Saturday Morning Running Group but I got them in. The next 5 miles were pretty bad…I walked most of it and it took me over an hour for 5 miles! I pulled my left shin pretty bad and the pain was horrible.

Ended the day with 19.91 miles.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Didn’t want to get up this morning…I hope this is not a harbinger of what is in store for tomorrow…but ended up running at 7am…wife stayed in bed! Tried to keep it slow since tomorrow is a long day but still ended with a 9:10 mile.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

WOW! I got up this morning thanks to my wife! She was up and getting ready at 6:30 so I figured I should too. We got outside and realized that it is still quite humid…I’m hoping it breaks before Saturday’s long run!! 1 mile in 9:40.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Well once again I didn’t get up to run in the morning so my wife recommended that we head to the YMCA after work. I hate the treadmill!! Put in 3 miles and work the pace for the 1st mile and the hills for the last mile. Utah is going to be fun!