Max's Race was the only race I did last year, 2012. I was planning on several more for 2013. I looked and looked for races for 2013, combed websites and running stores for good races to do. Plus, I wanted to cap my running "season" with a great race and something that would provide both a mental victory, how far I've come, and some bling.
The first race I planned to do in 2013, was while I was on a cruise and I would do it on a private island. My wife and I planned our 20th wedding anniversary vacation on a Disney cruise. Yes, I can hear you all now. "You went on a Disney cruise?!?!? With no kids?!?!" Yes, we did and had a great time, eating, lots of eating, and drinking, even more drinking. Stayed on the adult side of the ship, and had an absolute BLAST.
One of the ports, or stops the Disney ship makes is at its own private island, Castaway Cay. Disney offers at 5K run on the island that is free. The Tshirt is extra. On this trip, the finishers got medals. I was wondering if we would get medals for at the finish. Sometimes they hand this out, sometimes they don't.
Our cruise was in late April so the weather was great mid to upper 80's most of the trip.
So, here's how it goes for the Castaway Cay 5K. The ship pulls in and docks. I think it was around 7:30 am. I went down to one of the bars or dance clubs to sign up and participate. There is no cost to do this. I got down there with plenty of time and then was told we needed our ship ID's to get back on the ship. I think it's so they have an accurate count at the end of the day and make sure no one gets left behind. I ran back to the room and got it, and then headed back to the club to register.
There were 2 cast members, Disney's fancy way of saying crew members, who signed everyone in and gave us our bibs. Yep, you get a bib and everything. They go all out.
The cast members said it was going to be hot. It was already pushing 80 and the humidity was at 85%. They told us to make sure we drank a lot of water.
Once everyone was signed in, about 30-40, we all got off the ship and walked together to the starting point. I've heard of Goofy being at the bottom of the gangway and pictures being taken, but no such luck. It's a 10 minute walk from the ship to the start point. The cast members weren't lying, it was toasty already.
Some of the group and some of the ambiance walking to the start line.
Once we got to the start line, they explained the course to us. It's an out and back basically, and also, you have to follow the bike loop both out and back. The island used to be used by drug smuggler's. Yes, that's right Disney owns and island that once had illegal activity on it.
I was told that they have shirts out for purchase and that they have limited sizes available. Well, there were only 5 shirts out and only one was Flint Tent and Awning size, so I seized it and bought it. As I'm finishing up the transaction, the race, well clock, was started and everyone was off. I finished up and then I too, took off. I had decided to walk 1 min and run 1 min. Well, with the humidity, that didn't last long.
When I reached the left turn to get on the runway, I was passed by a very tall guy. He was moving. I made it to the entrance to the bike loop and grabbed some water. It was brutal out already. I had only been running in Michigan, and even though it was nice weather by then for us, it wasn't in the 80's with that high of humidity. I started prolonging my walking and was about 1/4 of the way through the bike loop when the guy who passed me right before the runway, was passing me again. Yep, he was almost done already. UGH!!
I finally head out of the bike loop for the first time, grab more water, and head to the far end of the runway. Seems like this guy who is finishing up, passed everyone. I meet almost the rest of the participants on their way back from the end of the runway. I was almost continuously walking by this point. It was hot and the air was heavy. I kept at it though. Made it to the end of the runway, did a quick about face and headed back. I grabbed more water again, took 2 cups and took them with me for the bike loop. Once around the loop, I grabbed 1 last cup of water, and thanked the cast member for being out there and doing this for us.
There were a few people still behind me......very few. Once I was off the runway, I decided to try to run to the finish. I had to take a 30 second walk break, but I finished. I did it in a little over 46 minutes. I thought that was pretty good for doing it in such hot humid weather.
I then got a medal, well, a plastic medal. It's a plastic Mickey head with a Disney Cruise line sticker on it attached to a red ribbon that says, "WINNER".
The worst part of the whole thing, was after the race, I had to spend the rest of the day on the beach being forced to drink beer and other fruity alcoholic drinks. Oh, it was sssssoooo tough.
This is the view from the adults only beach. Yes, it was this crowded all day. Very tough to enjoy.
A quick shot of the family area.
Headed back to the ship at the end of the day. When heading back to the ship, I at least felt like I was not a complete slug all day and had accomplished something besides drinking on a private beach. I would do this again, especially now that I've been running more. I probably still couldn't do the whole thing without walking especially in that heat and humidity. But I'd give it a shot.
I went out this morning in pretty high humidity and ran a 10K training run. It's been decades since I've gone that far. I had a rough start, but once I got 2 miles in it was clear sailing. Since it was the first time I've ever gone that far, I decided to do a 1/2 (R/W) ratio. Doing that benefited me in the end. I wasn't totally spent by mile 4 and I was actually running very well with 1 mile to go. At some point, I went on auto-pilot and listened to my music running and walking when the queue was given to do so. I kinda woke up with a 1/2 mile to go and finished very strong.
I'm really hoping this keeps up. My intention is to do 7.5 or 8 next week, a 15K the following week, 11 miles, and then 13.5 miles to finish up my training. The 13.5 will be exactly 2 weeks from the half marathon and I'll tone down the training and go into taper then.
The only issue I have right now is nutrition on the runs. I'm afraid to use GU's or gels because I tend to hurl early in my run. I don't know why. My nose tends to run, even when it's dry out, and then I get a cough which leads to puking. Weird. So, today I used some Stinger chews which really helped carry me the final 2 miles. I may start with the chews and end with a gel. More experimenting to do.
One of the people I've been following and has inspired me to run, eventually do a tri, and to blog is running the Ironman Louisville tomorrow. Her name is Jillian O'Malley and her bib number is 357. Sounds like a finishing number to me. Here is the link to the Ironman Louisville. Previous Ironman races have let you search by bib and you can see splits on where they are going on the course. Also, there hopefully will be live streaming web cams set up at the finish of the swim, bike transition, run transition, and the finish line so hopefully you can catch a glimpse of her.
She has come a long to way to make it here. She served our country and is now continuing to serve our country as her husband, Joel, is just back from another tour in Afghanistan. You can read her blog at Fattytoironmom.com. She has inspired me to get moving and realized that I can do things and one day, I will be training for an Ironman.
Thanks Jillian and Joel for your service to our great country and your inspiration to get me going.
Keep on Runnin!!
Early last year I started running, or trying to run. I figured if I wanted to do a triathlon, I needed to get going and running was going to be my worst discipline so I wanted to work on that right away. Well....I also didn't have a bike, so I couldn't do that.
I downloaded Couch to 5K and went to a local running store and go some new shoes. I did some walking for the sales person and was told I had flat feet. I don't have very high arches, but they're not flat. I got some shoes with stability and started slogging away.
I got a bit discouraged. I couldn't do what Couch to 5K said I should be able to. I figured if I kept going I'd catch up, but eventually, I ended up doing my own thing. The other issue I had was my feet hurt, I got shin splints and I ached. I figured it was being sore from being inactive for so long. But it never went away.
So I did what any smart person would do, I quit running. Then the Eastbay catalog showed up at my house. I looked at running shoes and ordered a pair. Give this thing one more shot. Well once the new shoes arrived, things were F A B U L O U S!!! My feet felt great, there was no pain, and I was enjoying running. These were neutral shoes and I didn't even wear socks. I figured it was time to get going. I ran and ran and ran, well, slogged.
The farthest I ever went was about 2 miles. Those were my long runs. It seemed to take me forever to get to that point. Started with a log of 1 1/2 mile runs to 2 mile runs. Finally, I was able to complete a 2 1/2 mile run and decided it was time to put myself to the test and sign up for a 5K.
I signed up for a local race, Max's Race in East Lansing. I actually picked it because there were no "hills." The race report said it was an easy flat race with very few hills. What a bunch of shit. More on that later. So I paid my fee and was excited, motivated, and ready to get going.
The Friday before the race and after my class, I stopped at the running store and picked up my T-shirt, race bib, and safety pins.
My first ever race bib.
I was all set. I arrived the next morning bright and early on the campus of Michigan State University for the race. I stretched out and wandered around. The MSU cheerleaders were there and so was Sparty, MSU's mascot.
While I wandered around, I saw people running. I don't mean they were jogging 30 - 50 yards and loosening up. They were running. Doing sprints, running 2 block squares. This shit just got real. This was serious business. I never knew. Yes, I was quite the newbie.
Soon, they called for people to line up. I knew enough that I needed to be in the back. I was not going set any land speed records. So, I waited and got in line the "back." I never looked behind me again. Well, I should have. I was so concerned with getting my music set up and my running apps going, it never occurred to me that I was no longer in the "back." Yes, I became one of "THOSE" people.
The gun went off and I got passed by hundreds of people. Blowing by me on all sides. They were flying up the first hill. WAIT, what?!?! This is supposed to be flat. NOT SO MUCH!!! We ran up Farm Lane and it's a half a block of flat to a 2 block up hill. Okay, this should be it then, no more hills. The course designed changed from the previous year. MSU does construction in the summer, like most colleges, when the students are away.
I made it up the first hill. I was slogging great. The course ran down to the football practice facility, around to the basketball arena, the hockey arena, around the football stadium and then the famous statute of Sparty.
And then all hell broke loose. The "hills" started. It was a roller coaster of hills. At this point, I was about halfway through the race. The course runs down to the banks of the Red Cedar River. There are bridges for students to cross every so often. Well, the path next to the river goes up to meet the bridge and then back down. Try 3 of those, steep tall "hills", not FUN. I made it back to close to the start, but not done yet. I had to run back up that hill cross the street and back down the other side. I wasn't running, er slogging, much anymore. A lot of walking breaks were occurring.
Once I had crossed the street and gone down the hill on the other side, I had to follow the side walk back UP the hill towards a dormitory. Once at the top of the hill, near front of the dorm, I ran down the hill along side the dorm. Then behind the dorm, to run back up towards the front, yes that's another HILL. I slogged along Shaw Lane, which runs in front of the dorm, for about 50 feet, then it was back down the hill. Only to return back up it AGAIN!!!! This is getting ridiculous. When I got to the top of that, I was told there were no more hills, THANK GAWD!!!! I was just about D E A D!!!
I crossed the Red Cedar and was told it was all down hill from there. I passed behind the Alumni Chapel where I got married and I could hear the crowd and the announcer. The bibs have a RFID chip in them and my name was announced when I neared the finish line. Not a bad deal, might even make me want to come back and torture myself again.
I finished in 43'35". My first race. I grabbed some chocolate milk and a banana. I made it and survived. I didn't hang around for the awards, cause I knew I wasn't going to get any. I didn't know too many people there and I didn't see any of them in the crowd anywhere to stay and chat with them. I headed to my car and made for home.
Some told me after that race that I had gotten a bib, I slogged the entire course and finished, and that I was officially a runner. WOW, that felt pretty good.
I'm back. I survived my final exams. The last of which I took on Sunday morning. Not the best way to spend a nice Sunday morning, but when it was over I celebrated with beer!!!
A few things have happened in the last few weeks since I ran last. First the medals came out for the Rock N Roll Cleveland half, along with the Tshirt design and color.
Not too shabby. The medal is HUGE!! I need some good bling for my first half marathon. Which is one of the reasons I chose this race. The other was that it's not all that far away, but it is out of state for me.
The other thing is I got roped into doing the Detroit International half marathon two weeks after the Cleveland one. I was kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and NAIL not to have to do another half. I was forced, and I mean FORCED to push the button to register and pay $110 for the Detroit half. OK, well not really, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
The Detroit half runs back and forth from Detroit to Windsor, ON, Canada. Runners run over the Ambassador Bridge and then back to the US through the Windsor Tunnel. I'll have in my possession my passport. Apparently, I'll need it to get back in the US. I don't have a passport card or enhanced driver's license, ahh well. Or I could do what a drunk dude from Windsor did a month or so ago, and that's swim across the 6 mph current in the river separating the two countries. No international incident gonna happen there.
Here's a map of the International half.
My biggest concern is the elevation changes for getting on the bridge and coming back through the tunnel. I swear the tunnel has to be a 45 degree angle and about 1/2 mile to get back to the top. UGH!!!! not looking forward to THAT!!! OK, I may exaggerate a tad, but only a tad.
I did finally get back to running on Monday. I did a 5K run-walk. 1/1 was my ratio and I was about half way through when I realized I wasn't going to make it at that ratio. I had to go to a 2 minute walk and 1 minute run. That's when I had a bit of a revelation.
When I was running prior to finals, all my runs had to be personal bests. I was competing with myself so much that if I didn't do better than the last run, my run was no good. I finally figured out that as long as I finish, I've done something and who cares what the time is. I'm not going to win the Olympic gold, I'm not going to beat Osain Bolt. He will be in the shower by the time I finish the 100 m run, and that's after he does his celebration victory lap. I'm no longer a young pup who can go and go and go. Reality has smacked me in the face.
I have 6 1/2 weeks until the Cleveland have and 8 1/2 until Detroit. I need to get my mileage up and who cares about the time. Cause it's not how you start, it's how you FINISH!!!
I promise some pics and race reviews coming up soon.
I purchased a hydration belt to wear for my upcoming races. I looked and searched and read reviews and finally decided on Nathan's Speed 4R hydration belt. I went with a 4 bottle belt, that held 8 ounce bottles with sport tops. Read good things about it. One thing I did like was they were 8 ounces each.
If you use Nuun, like I do, then it takes the measuring out of the equation. Nuun is an electrolyte tablet that will dissolve in 16 ounces of liquid, water. There's no sugar in it and I don't have to deal with the syrupy stuff like Powerade or Gatorade. Plus, instead of paying over $1.50 for each 20 ounce bottle, a tube of Nuun works out to less than $0.75 for 16 ounces where I live. The tablets can be split in half and then I can dump the halves into 2 separate bottles and shake, and be done with it.
There's a pouch in front for gels or chomps, cell phone, whatever. It's quite roomy. There's also a small pocket in the back for a small item, like a single car key or house key.
So, I decided to take it on a 3 mile run I did last Saturday. Needed to get out of the house and out of the library for a bit and give my mind a rest. Finals are fast approaching. Less than week away from this post.
I filled 1 bottle with just plain water and the other 2 with Nuun. Got the tablet dissolved easily enough. The temperature was about 78 F and ended up being over 80 when I got back. The humidity was high enough so I was glad to have this.
The issue with the belt or more specifically was with the sport bottles. I'm a bigger guy and the belt fit around me fine. But as I bounced and slogged to start my run. The bottle I had on the back of my belt that was full, shot Nuun out every time I landed on that foot. It happened a few times and the water hit my elbow or if it missed landed on my back foot. I kept looking to the sky to see if it was raining............not so much.
So when I had my walk break, doing the Jeff Galloway method of run-walk-run, I would drink a few ounces thinking this would help. Again, not so much. I don't know how much liquid I lost from this issue, but eventually it worked out. Glad I had the water and the Nuun, seemed to help me later in my run. I didn't do any chews or gels, cause I was only running 3 miles. See how the rest of my longer runs go before I use it in a race. Can you imagine the person behind me getting drenched with Nuun or water as I slog along!?!?
I haven't had a chance to use it again because of classes and studying.
That leads me to this, I appreciate you reading and I know I just started this blog, but I don't know when I'll post again between now and August 18. My last final is the morning of the 18th.
After that I'll try to update the blog with some of the races I've run and my training leading up to the Cleveland Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon I'm running on Oct. 6th. I'm signing up for the Detroit Free Press International 1/2 Oct. 20th. I get to run in Detroit, cross the Ambassador bridge into Windsor, ON, Canada and the come back through the Windsor tunnel.
Anyway, that's what I got for now.
Hello Everyone, my name is Pete and I'm beginning my blog, the first one I've ever done.
I started running last year and found out....I don't mind it so much. I used to HATE running way back in the day. I played high school sports, mostly football and baseball. Back then running was a punishment. Mess up, run a lap. Mess up again, run 2 laps. Mess one more time, and "I'll break off my John Brown hind parts...." (quote from Remember the Titans).
I had issues with the wrong shoes, but when I finally found the right shoes and started doing couch to 5K. I didn't mind running. I entered only 1 5K race last year (2012). This year I've already done 3 and I am signed up for 1 half marathon. I'm trying to talk my wife into letting me do 2 half marathons (2013).
Other than running, I have 3 kids, 10, 14, and 17. Married and I live in Michigan. I am a police officer, for now. I'm going to law school and hope to graduate in December of '15, then take the bar in February of '16.
This blog will have sarcasm, can't help it, some swear words, you've been warned, and hopefully a little insight if not for people who read this, but for me as well. As I try to juggle work, school, and a bit of racing and the biggest obstacle - family life.
I will tell you this, the ultimate goal is to run a triathlon someday. Not Kona, but an Ironman, either in Wisconsin or Lexington, KY. I've always been a swimmer, yes I know an Ironman is 2.4 miles, but I'm not worried, with some training. OK, maybe I'm a bit naive, but that and the bike, I know I can do. The running part....not so much. My kids wanted me to sign up for a local triathlon. Swim 500 yards, bike 10 miles, run 4 miles. And I would say, "yep, I do the swim, I can do the bike, but the run....yeah, nope." Might take me forever to do the bike and swim, but I knew I could complete those elements. I knew I would die on the run though. 4 miles was intimidating to me.
The title of this blog I kinda stole. Slogging to Tri. I got this from another big fella who does triathlons. I forget his name, if I remember, I'll post. Don't hold your breath for it though. He called his running style slogging. Slow - Jog. If I get any slower, I might actually be considered a turtle. So, I'm just above a snails pace. I have gotten faster since I started running, I must admit.
Lastly, I'm using the Galloway method of running. Which is run walk run. I like it better than the couch to 5K method. It gives me confidence and I can complete long runs. That method is actually mostly why I enjoy running now. Where was this 25 years ago when I was in high school!?!
I hope you enjoy my ramblings, comment if you wish.
