The Watches

The other day my son called and asked if I had a digital watch he could use. He is off at college and started running again. And like most people his age he doesn't use a watch on a regular basis, he uses his cell phone. Which can be a bit difficult on a run. I told him that I "think I may have one he could borrow." So I went to my bedroom and looked and found not one, not two, not three but four digital watches. And a dress watch. And an analog watch. I think I have my son covered. So who needs six watches? Who even needs two watches? Well, I do. Most of the time when I ref soccer I go out with two watches. One is set to count down and the other is set to count up. And there have been several times when a watch has died on me in the middle of a match. Usually when I only have one watch... And there is also when I go for a speed workout. I have one watch that records 27 laps and another that records 30. So between the two I can do 20 or so quarters with rest intervals. Someone might look at that and ask the question: "Why not get one watch that records more laps?" What! Then I would have five digital watches...

Topeka to Auburn Half Marathon Results

Good run.

I was reminded of Dean Karnses statement that he never feels so alive as when he is uncomfortable and striving to do his beast. This race was a challenge and I was glad I did it.

Got to Topeka around 945 and picked up the race packet. Nice pair of commemorative socks. Bathroom facilities were sparse so we went to the McDonalds down the street. I met a guy wearing a jersey from one of the prior races.

He said that he had run the race several times and the course was S#$%@@. Hills and gravel. He also passed on that this was the first race he could remember that there was no snow. The other thing he said is that he has a better year when he runs this.

We hung out in the car until five minutes before the race. About 500 started. The race went off at the crack of 11, right on time.

We headed straight south right into the wind. Cold and grey, 19 degrees with a S wind at 9. It felt cold. I listened to the guys around me who were wearing GPS to find out the pace.

Big hills at three and six fight before the half way point. Significant ups the rest of the way. Flew down hill, ran steady uphill and cruised through the flats. Kept pace right around 8:10 for most of the way except on a couple of hills.

One young guy told me: "If the race was all uphill he would be beating me." I told him: "See you on the next up."

Ran negative splits (second half faster than the first half). Felt really strong all through the race.

Finished at 1:48:24 or and 8:16 pace. 142 out of 500 finishers. 16 out of 37 in my age group.

Temp was 23 at the finish.

Good hoodie for finishing. Skipped the breakfast and headed home.

The course wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I almost fell on the transition to gravel. It was kind of a shock. This is a good small race. Didn't do as well as I hoped but OK for the conditions and course.

Already plan on this one for next year...

Topeka to Auburn Half Marathon Race Stategy

So tomorrow I will race my first half marathon.

13.1 miles from Topeka to Auburn, KS. Starts at 11AM. Temp is supposed to be around 28 with an ESE wind at 10 or so. Cold. The course is very hilly with some on gravel country roads.

Goal is to break 1:44 or around 8 minutes a mile.

I will be happy with under 2 hours and ecstatic with under 1:44. I have put the miles in and should be ready.

The plan is to start out about 100 people back from the front of the pack, start slow and keep the pace around 8 minutes a mile. According to the McMillan pacing calculator, I should be able to run around 7:50 miles. That may be pushing it a bit.

More tomorrow after the race...

The Epic Run

After church on Sunday, I went out for a run.

It was almost an Epic Run but not quite. It was foggy and humid. Visibility was about a quarter of a mile. Some of the heaviest fog I've seen in a while.

Had a good, solid run in the fog. I did wear my bright lime green hi-visibility jersey. And it was just cool enough to wear the white gloves and a head band.

Visibility was just enough to take make the run a bit less than Epic. And usually an Epic Run is a bit longer than I went (3.42 miles) on Sunday.

I've had only a few Epic Runs in my life. If I had too many then they wouldn't qualify as Epic. Probably the first one was Grandma's Marathon in 1979 where I blew up and barely finished. My first and only marathon. So far... Most marathons will qualify for Epic Run status.

And then there was the time I went running with a coworker: Dick Beardsley. We worked at a running store together while I was in college. He was recovering from a bit of knee surgery (only way I could keep up with him) and wanted to go for a run. We left from the store in Dinkytown (Minneapolis) and ran down into Saint Paul. We did about 4 or 4 and a half miles. In -40 degree windchill. At night. On ice and snow. I don't remember the actual temp just the wind chill. Still the coldest I've ever run in. But that run instantly made Epic Run status. For me at least, not sure about Dick.

And back on July Fourth last year I went out for a run. It was drizzly and warm. Traffic was very light and no one, absolutely no one was out on the roads and trails. I had the route all to myself. And I flew. I ran the 6 and a half mile course faster than I ever had (at the time). And I took great pride in the fact that I had been out there when no one else was. My running log for the day starts with: Epic Run!

There have been other Epic Runs over the years. If I'm lucky there are one or two a year. Runs that just stand out by virtue of being over. A twenty miler in rain the whole way. Personal bests that come on days when I didn't want to run. Runs in extreme heat or against a north wind at 25 mph. Runs in fresh snow early in the morning on streets and trails unmarked by anything except the rabbits. A race with both of my kids when they were young.

There are two things every one of my Epic Runs have: I run. And I am smiling like a fool when they are over.

There isn't much else in common between the Epic Runs. Some are with other people, some are solo runs. They can come at any time in any season. They can almost never be planned.

An Epic Run is an unexpected valuable gift. They are to be treasured since they are so rare.

And I've found that I can put in a bunch of ordinary runs on a bunch of ordinary days waiting for the next one...

Two Words

And this time I mean it: two words.

Yesterday was a warm day about 65. Bit warm for middle of February. Gray and overcast. Really windy out of the SSE at 25 with gusts up to 40.

I went out for a nice middle length run of 6.5 miles. I have a nice out and back course laid out that runs roughly north south. Going out there is a nice downhill from about mile 2.25 to the turn around point at 3.25 miles. And with the wind from behind you can really fly down the hill.

Problem is: what goes down must come up (when you are running that is).

So yesterday I reached the turn around point and headed for home into the teeth of the wind. Uphill. Wasn't pleasant. It was a struggle. And over the last quarter mile is a 50 foot rise. I wasn't feeling real good as I neared the top.

As I neared the top of the hill there was an older guy out for a walk. He was pushing his granddaughter (at least I think it was his granddaughter, she was dressed in pink) in a stroller. And he had one of those ankle biter rat dogs on a leash. I moved off the path to give him room to get by.

I kind of croaked out my standard greeting to those I pass: "Morning." It was morning after all.

And then he said the two words. It took me a couple of seconds for them to soak through my somewhat addled brain and register.

Those words were: "Looking good".

And they were exactly what I needed to hear. They carried me through the rest of the run home. Finished strong. I am grateful for those words of encouragement even if I am fairly certain the guy is a liar.

I am certain that I would have made the run home without hearing those two words. But they sure helped even if it was to get me off of how crummy I was feeling for a bit and get me back on what I enjoy about running.

As I finished my run I thought of how often as Christians we miss opportunities to encourage each other. Too often we rejoice over other people's discomfort and problems when we should be praying for them and encouraging them. Too often we pass by someone struggling and barely notice them.

The guy on the hill didn't have to say anything. I sure didn't recognize him. He could have just given me that half head nod guys usually give each other.

But he didn't...

Outside Again

Yesterday the temperature hit 54. A nice day.

I haven't been able to run outside for a couple of weeks. We had a large snow storm the first of February and then last week we had a couple of inches. Large piles of snow blocked a lot of sidewalks and the trails I like to run on were covered with six or seven inches of snow.

So I have been stuck inside for my workouts. And I hate that. I have to get on the treadmill. And I really hate that. The only good part is that I get to see Jeopardy and yell at the contestants.

But there has been some good melting for the last few days and yesterday the streets were finally wide enough for me to feel semi safe running. I was able to wear shorts and get out in the sun.

It was great to get outside and run again even though there were still large piles of snow all over the place. There were a couple of bonehead drivers who cut it kind of close to me. Probably the same people who don't shovel their walks after a snow storm.

But the one thing I noticed is that I was kind of out of shape to run outside. Not out of shape, just off my form and not quite ready to run. A couple of pounds of sludge and crud seemed to have built up. It wasn't really a struggle but it wasn't a lot of fun either.

But today was much better. Felt better and ran faster even though I slept lousy last night (had to get up and talk with God about a couple of things at 135 this morning) and it was a bit colder out.

As I ran today, I realized that my relationship with God is kind of like that. If I am not daily working on that relationship, it gets off. There is kind of a build up of sludge that I have to clean out. I have to deal with those issues (lets call them what they are: my sin) that come between me and God on a daily basis.

But if I don't take the initiative and deal with that sin, it festers and slows me down, seeping into my joints and making me ineffective in my relationship with others. Its way easier to deal with it on a daily basis. The walk with Him is easier even as I grow stronger and take on greater challenges. If I am not daily working on the relationship, it makes it easier to take another day off and pretty soon I am heading in a totally different direction.

And I have to take that initiative. God is patient and waits for me to come back and confess my sins. No on else can do it for me.

Kind of like my runs...

Running in the Snow

Today I went out for a run after work.

It was the first time I have gone running outside since the snow storm a week ago.
By the way, I hate running on the treadmill. This was confirmed several times in the last week.

Anyway, I went out for a run on the route I usually take when I do a short run. Part of the route is on city property along the creek. The city doesn't plow the trail. So it was covered with about four inches of snow. And this was the part with the biggest hill.

Running up the hill was like running up a sand dune.

I have run up sand dunes in the past.

I don't like running up sand dunes.

But I sure like running outside a lot better than I like running on snow...