December 22, 2008

Go West...


To me Christmas is Christ, family and skiing, in that order. Just about every December we travel from Illinois to Utah for Christmas. Sometimes we fly, this year we drove. We also drove last year and got stuck in Rawlins, WY due to high winds on the way out and were slowed down between Dillon and the tunnel on I-70 going home. You'd think we'd fly this year but even though we looked for reasonable airfare beginning in July, we didn't find any. So again we drove. Here's a summary:

1. Charleston schools closed on Friday morning due to an ice storm that never happened.
2. Left Charleston at 10:30 am with a goal of getting to Denver, CO that night.
3. Lesa and I listened to The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - I highly recommend it.
4. I made Lesa a little nervous when I updated our progress on Facebook using my cell phone.
5. McDonald's always seemed to be the fastest option. Lesa flirted with a cute cashier named Jace.
6. See Denver around midnight. I knew the general area where a Fairfield Inn was located and after only a few minutes of being "lost" we luckily stumble upon it.
7. Leave Denver at 7:30 am. Wind in Wyoming made me to decided to stay on I-70. I hate Wyoming's Wind. I pretty much hate wind in general but especially in Wyoming.
8. Snow flurries and snow packed roads from Georgetown to Vail. The roads weren't that bad a few other drivers were terrible. After Vail it was smooth driving (see photo below).



8. Lunch at the worst Wendy's ever in Grand Junction, CO. Should have gone to BK or Taco Bell.
9. Arrive in Riverton a little after 5:00. Polly goes wild, she's really excited to see Erin, and that alone makes the trip worth while.

December 9, 2008

Tecumseh Marathon Quatre, 2008 (#22)



When:
December 6, 2008.
Who:
Me

Recall: It was a Winter Wonderland
Overall: Still one of my favorite marathons.
Rating: Remains 5/5 carbs

(The pictures aren't mine or of me. If I get any, I'll add them later.)

I sit down in the last bus seat and the driver calls out, “Does anyone know where we are going?” Normally, not the words you want to hear but this bus was for the Tecumseh marathon, the same race that starts not at 10:00 as advertised but “as soon as the last person is out of the Port-A-Pottie”. Not to worry. The same race director who sets the start time steps into the bus and asks, “Does anyone know how to get to the start?” Two runners who could have played the leads in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure raise their hands. The race director replies “good” and leaves. “Bill” tells the bus driver to turn left out of the Yellowwood camp ground when every other year the buses have gone right. I assume “Bill” isn’t stoned since he’s about to run a marathon but you never know. The runner seated in front me also wonders allowed whether we’ll get to the start. After two hard stops, one backup of 50 feet, and a very slow hill climb we arrive 20 minutes before start time having followed a route that no yellow school bus ever take.



Outside the temperatures are in the high twenties with brisk southwest winds and snow flurries so we all stay on the warm bus and wait. By 10:00 it’s obvious that the race will not start on time. For a second time the race director pops into our bus to announce the race will start in 10 minutes. I wait 5 minutes and go outside to get ready to run where I hear the race director announce that the race will start in about 10 minutes. Wait? Didn’t you just say that 5 minutes ago? And, after another 5 minutes he makes the exact same announcement. Is his watch frozen? My guess is that he’s basing his approximate start time by the length of the lines at the Port-A-Potties. Finally, the lines are gone and race vehicle’s battery is jumped, so we’re ready to start 20 minutes late.




Somehow between the start and mile 2, 500 runners have merged onto a single track trail. It’s slow going at times but I’m in no hurry. My last long run was over a month ago so my primary goal is to finish and secondary to that, stay warm. At the first descent, I sense trouble when I see a line of people standing still on the trail. The snow flurries have put an icy glaze on every rock, stump and exposed patch of hard dirt. I wait as runners slowly make their way around the icy spots. Three young ladies, in particular, are extremely cautious. When I said I wasn’t in hurry I didn’t mean that I wanted to stand and wait while sorority sissies tip toe around every ice pellet. Eventually, we all get past the slick patches and arrive at the mile 4.5 aid station. I’m carrying my own energy sources, Snickers and Payday candy bars, so I don’t stay long and leave the three ice princesses and a few others behind. The runners have spread out between miles 5 to 9 so the slow downs at the slick spots weren’t as long. I snack as I run and stop at the aid stations only to grab a drink and add a cookie or gel to my pocket. The cold temps made gave the energy gels the consistency of fudge. I’ve never had to chew energy gels before. But it’s worth it. Running in a small groups I’m able to notice the sharp contrast of the dark brown leaf covered trail cutting through the brilliant white snow. No one should get lost today. Off to the side of the trail I see green ferns poking through the snow. It’s beautiful. The trail cuts through a small pine forest and it really feels like Christmas! Was that sleigh bells I just heard...or was it gunfire?




At the mile 12 aid station a runner ask about a ride to the finish as I put two peanut butter cookies in my coat pocket. After the aid station, the beauty of the last few miles is replace by a one mile run on a slick gravel road. The only traction is on the larger, uncomfortable gravel poking through the ice. I would walk but I know the road will soon turn upward at an angle know as Indian Hill so I might as well shuffle along until I’m forced to walk. The good news is that Indian Hill is half way. As I summit the snow has slowed but I definitely feel the wind on the top of the ridge and for the first time feel a pinch of cold. I’m glad that I wore my old New Balance trail shoes and an extra pair of socks. I’m also glad I wore my Marmot coat with wind stopping capabilities and even more glad that my brother Tom gave me the coat in the first place. I went with a red Marmot ski hat to not only match the coat but to let the hunters know I’m not a crippled dear and not to shoot.

Back on the trail I follow a young couple at a comfortable pace until we catch four slow men. At this point the trail runs along a hill side and slants downward to the right making the slick spots even more challenging but come on guys. It’s almost worst when you go slow. There are too many to pass and we’re not too far away from the 15.8 mile aid station so I adjust down to their speed and hope the any energy saved is available over the last 6 miles. At the aid station we are greeted by a sign that says, “All You Can Eat” but I just grab a banana. Before I leave I hear the slowest of the four runners ask about a ride to the finish.

The ascent at mile 16 starts with not just any icy spot but a 20 foot section of ice. One slip to the left and it’s into a creek. Grabbing ferns on the upper hill side with both hands, I crab walk sideways on all four over the icy stretch. Never done that before in a marathon. I walk up the rest of the hill and descend into another beautiful section of trail that I run through at my own pace taking in the scenery as I go. The snow picks back up and is wetter than before but I remain warm. Thanks again Marmot. At the mile 18 aid station I feast on Gatorade and pretzels for a minute and leave. Before I know it I’m at mile 20 and as long as I’m not walking up hill my legs feel fine. Wait! This hasn’t happened before. No wall. No bonk. No problem.

The snow is lightly falling at mile 22 as I “cruise” down the last major switch back decline and think this is as close as I’ve gotten to skiing in the Midwest. A mile later I’m at the northwest end of Yellowwood Lake, opposite from the finish line. From here it’s two miles along the west side of the lake then the home stretch mile on icy gravel roads. I hate that last mile even without the ice. At least it is the last mile. After five minutes short of six hours and about 10 minutes slower than last year I cross the finish feeling better than I ever have at the end of any marathon. I’ll take that.

Now for the swag. The sweatshirt in the race packet was ugly and the only other freebie was some Vicks cold medicine samples. But, I didn’t mind. I know from past experience that the real treat comes after the race. I line up for the traditional Tecumseh post-marathon meal of soup and a sandwich. Sounds ordinary but I’d run 26.2 miles for it. No offense to mom or Lesa but it is the best tasting soup I’ve ever had. I tell the serving lady the soup is the reason I run the marathon. She says, “That’s a lot of work for soup”. She might be right and it probably doesn’t taste as good without the running. Now that I think about it, running, like Bill and Ted’s favorite herb gives me the munchies so just about anything taste most excellent after running a marathon. But, really, this is good soup.




[According to my Nike Plus system, I ran 26.61 miles and burned 3522 calories. It also shows that I passed out at mile 16. Huh?]

October 14, 2008

Annual Norda's Dr. Pepper, Banana Bread and Cheese, Ultra Half Marathon Run for the Cure, 2008

October 11, 2008. Logan, UT. Cloudy, 40 degrees, rain turning to snow. Great fun.


Setting my iPod Nike+ running system.




We're off!


With Ben and the first aid station sponsored by Spyder


Heading south towards Providence on Main Street


Approaching the Nyman's aid station in River Heights


With receiving some coaching tips from Courtney



Bringing up the rear


Snow! I love it!


Ben receiving coaching tips from Polly and Molly


Heading for home


Ben can win since Courtney came to see him run


It was a tie among brothers


Part of the excellence support team.
Check out Emmettville Blog for more photos.

October 5, 2008

First (Maybe) Annual Norda's, Dr. Pepper, Banana Bread and Cheese, Ultra Half-Marathon Run for the Cure

The official non-certified route for the First (Maybe) Annual Norda's, Dr. Pepper, Banana Bread and Cheese, Ultra Half-Marathon Run for the Cure.

For more information go to Norda's Ultra Half-Marathon blog

May 22, 2008

Drinking Problem





A common concern during a marathon is knowing how much to drink. A general recommendation during exercise is to drink 8-12 ounces every 20-30 minutes. However, the fear of dehydration during prolonged exercise, such as a marathon, has led some to recommend marathon runners to drink as much as they can tolerate. Add to this the notion that runners shouldn't wait until they are thirsty to drink because the brain's thirst mechanism lags behind the body's need to water and you have some marathon runners drinking to the point they become hypontremic (low blood sodium) which can cause all sorts or problems including death (see New England Journal of Medicine, April 2005.)



The increase in the number of hyponatremia in marathon runners over the past years have caused an reevaluation of the drinking recommendations for marathon runners. Dr. Tim Noakes was one of the first to recommend marathon runners to drink fluids ad libitum or as they felt the need to drink. But, wouldn't this led to dangerously high body temperatures? Noakes argues that other factors such as running speed, body size, and environmental factors play a larger role in causing hyperthermia. (see Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, September, 2003.)


(My heart rates during the 2002 Wash. D.C. marathon. The increase at the end was not due to me running faster but a compensatory response to being dehydrated and having less blood volume to pump. Yes, the miles are off. It wasn't a 28 mile marathon.)

The American College of Sports Medicine agrees. They recommend drinking enough during a marathon to prevent losing more than 2% body weight through dehydration and this can likely be accomplished by drinking, according to thirst, 400 ml (13.5 oz) to 800 ml (17 oz) every hour. (see Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, Feb. 2007).

Just like the recommendation to drink 8 glasses of water a day is a myth (see British Medical Journal, December, 2007), so is drinking more than your thirst dictates during a marathon.

May 8, 2008

Risks of marathon running

Last week a 55-year old man collapsed at mile 10 of the Flying Pig Marathon. Luckily, a group of emergency medical technicians were running just behind him and immediately administered CPR. Bobby Edwards, who had completed the previous 9 Flying PIg marathons, also had to be shocked three times with a defibrillator before being taken to a hospital where he's expected to make a full recovery. So, just how risky is running a marathon? A recent study by Redelmeier in the British Journal of Medicine found 26 deaths out of 3,292,268 runners from major marathons held in the United States. Earlier data collected by Maron and Roberts found a similar risk of 1.1 deaths per 100,000 runners from 15,239 runners of the Twin Cities marathon and the Marine Corp Marathon between 1976 to 2004. Interestingly, Maron and Roberts found the relative number of deaths decreased over those year despite an increase in the number of marathon runners. The decrease was in large part due to "availability of life support and timely defibrillation". Plus, the benefits of regular exercise required to run a marathon likely out weigh any risk. 



1. Me at about mile 20 of the 2003 Flying Pig Marathon. 2. Just crossing the finish line. 3. My favorite looking marathon medal.

May 3, 2008

Fat and fit no more...not me, but according to research.

One reason I run slow is that I carry a few extra pounds on my frame. However, I don't run for speed. I run for health figuring that even if I don't lose weight, at least I'll be avoiding the grim reaper for a few years (hopefully). But a recent study burst my fat but fit balloon. It found that women 45 years and older who are normal body weight (Body Mass Index less than 25) and active (burn more than 1000 calories per week which about the amount from running 10 miles per week) have less heart problems. The bottom line (no pun intended), run AND eat less.

Below: Me trying to look less fat between two flying pigs at the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon in 2002.


January 7, 2008

Backside Powder

A Christmas snow storm provided some light and fluffy stuff the days after Christmas at Beaver Mountain.