Quick update

90 and 90 this week, so run early in the morning or late at night. Did not run at all yesterday and had a quiet night in. This morning I put on 6.62 miles in sub 9 minute pace and it really felt great. For the first time in a long time, I feel semi free of a lot of burdens; or at least have them in a manageable spot. So anyway, 3 and weights on Monday, 6.62 this morning, 3 and weights tonight, run the parking lot for my hill work tomorrow then Friday rest. 6 on Saturday and 13 on Sunday. All tolled, 31 this week and so far I feel like Spartacus! I will just keep going when I reach the Alps this time, no turning back to Rome for me!

UPDATE: Four times up the 5 level parking garage on Thursday was fun, the Saturday 6 was at 8:30 per mile and due to a late night on Saturday, the 13 miler was this Monday morning before work at about 9:45 per. Felt great and I think I am headed in the right direction.

Settling in and Remembering how Old I am

I am now in week 3 of training for the next race. The Portland Marathon on October 10 is my next challenge. Even though I had a disappointing 4:13 in the Illinois Marathon, I was bitten by the bug and enjoy getting out to get the miles on and I continue to do the mental laundry when I run. Plus, I can see the improved physical condition evidencing itself in body tone, mental focus and improved endurance (in all areas ;)). I am shooting for a time well under 4 hours this time and so my training has taken on a little different approach. First, since it is summer, I have added swimming once a week (800+ meters) as well as speed work (hills (parking garages here in the flat land prairie), tempo runs and longer pacing runs). In addition, the long runs on Sundays started at 10 miles and only go up from there. Between Portland and next year’s Illinois Marathon, I hope to break 3:30 to be the Boston Marathon qualifier that I know is inside me.

I moved into my new apartment a month ago and am settling in. Waiting for the cable guy today. I am living downtown and as such, walk everywhere or take the bus (plus, it saves $150 per month for gasoline). Yesterday, I ran most of my 11 mile training run (90 degrees and 90% humidity killed me at 8.5 miles) then walked another 5 miles each way to get to the parade route. Right before the parade, we had a brief downpour so while the marching bands and politicians did not like it, the spectators (well okay, me) welcomed the rain. I then realized that after watching an Irish folk band over at the Blind Pig, that it was time for me to get some rest and I missed the fireworks. All part of remembering how old I am.

An aside with respect to remembering age and maturity: I remember when I was, oh, I don’t know… 18, that if you did not want to see someone anymore, you would just not call or respond. With age and experience come refined communication skills and a certain amount of respect for others. A polite conversation that gets the point across that it is time to move on earns a tremendous amount of respect and a walking away from a relationship, albeit pretty casual, that everyone feels pretty good about. So, why, in any higher power’s name, do the mixed signals continue to go on? Text: “I really have fun with you, you make me feel good.” Next 5 Texts: “No. Already have plans” (or something to that effect). Just tell me to leave you alone and I won’t invite you out anymore. It’s really that simple. Anyway, I still feel good about me and I have already moved on. The training helps.

The fatigue I feel today is mostly from putting 20+ miles on my feet yesterday and partly from having people aged 35 to 70 acting like 18 year olds. Say what you think and others will not have to guess. That’s something that I have recently had trouble with, but no longer. A mild relapse to come close to seeing how I really was long ago and remembering that I do not like that guy. I am back on track and back on the track. It’s good to be back.

How did it go?

Okay, so that’s over with… I had 3 goals that I wanted to reach. First, I wanted to finish; secondly, I wanted to beat 4 hours and lastly, I wanted to reach 3:30:00. I guess when you are trying to overcome the challenge that is a marathon, reaching at least one of your goals is most important. I FINISHED! I was slower than some, faster than most, but I did not beat 4 hours. At 4:13:35, I was the 665^th finisher of the 2,420 that started the race. 612 runners did not finish and I did beat about 60 marathon relay teams! The average time of the finishers was 4:30:15, so I was faster than average. I never walked and the only time I cried was when I had a moment alone after I finished. All in all, a great day!

I got to sleep around 11:00pm on Friday night after the big pasta feed. We heard from the first woman to ever officially run the Boston Marathon back in 1967. She even greeted almost everyone when they came across the finish line. I was supposed to get up at 5 to make the pancakes, but I was so excited that I woke up at 4 to get eth breakfast rolling. Weather had just come through and I was a little unsure of how to dress for the race, so I just took the long sleeve tech shirt they gave us at the registration (probably not the best idea for my approach, but hey I made a number of mistakes during the day). Anyway, I got to the race at about 6:30 (an hour before schedule) feeling very pumped up. I cranked up my iPod while I stretched and then checked it in with the rest of my stuff (I wanted to run “Old School”, with no tunes) at about 7:10 and then I walked up to where my 4 hour pace group was standing. We all did a little chatting and waited for the race to start.

The gun went off at about 7:40 and since the Half Marathoners were starting with us, it took about a minute and a half to actually cross the start line. At about the 1 mile mark, it seemed that the race was going to settle into a good rhythm. I saw an old friend from over 20 years ago; which was amazing in its own right. With over 10,000 runners starting out, I guess the odds of seeing him were 1 in 10,000! We were both shooting for the same time so we ran together as best we could. Now I am at the 2 mile point in the race and I realize that the long sleeve shirt is not the right call. I am sweating like crazy because of the humidity and that means a lot more use of the water and Gatorade tables. It does help to cool me off when the wind blows, but I probably got fatigued more quickly than I otherwise would have. By checking my watch, I am clicking of the miles at about a 9 minute pace, which is just where I want to be. At 55:28 for the first 10 K, everything is feeling pretty good and now we have already gone the furthest East on the course. On to the next 6.9 miles to the half-way point!

Mile 9 and weaves through Meadowbrook Park and there are a couple of good bands playing (one rock and roll on the way into the park and a dixieland band on the way out). I see the first severe casualty on the course. One guy experienced the terrible too’s (too fast, too hot, too soon) and passed out, He was put on the crash board and had oxygen strapped to him and was being driven out of the park by EMT’s. To have that happen so early in the race was a wake up call for me; especially since I’m already over dressed for the weather. We come out of the park and get our first hand out of energy gels. At this station, they had strawberry banana and vanilla bean. Let me say one thing… STAY AWAY FROM VANILLA BEAN ENERGY GU GELS WHEN IT IS HOT OUT UNLESS YOU WANT TO PUKE ON THE ROAD! It was just not a good thing for me. Now we head back north into town and we have been the furthest south on the course and I am still feeling pretty good. At mile 11.5, we lose the half-marathoners as they head back into the Stadium and we (about a third of what we had) head back to Green Street, through campus again. The half marathon timing spot comes up before I thought it would, so I feel really good about that; especially since I am at the half-way point in 1:59:01. Everything is still looking pretty good for a good pace. Now, off to “no-man’s land” – miles 15-20.

Downtown Champaign is moving along and the Elvis impersonator is doing his thing, a little behind the tempo for “Hound Dog”, but nice, nonetheless. Coming up to West Side Park, I see the 4:00:00 pace leader moving out from me and I appreciate the road shower to help cool down. There are a couple of these on the course and they are a God-send. Now this part of the course is one that I train on regularly and so I still feel pretty good. Get another Gel at Eisner Park, but I can start to feel my pace suffer a little bit. Coming back up University Avenue, with the field thinning out, the race starts its transformation to a group effort to a personal challenge, now. Mentally, I am a little down, but I also know that at this point, I will finish. I thought that Maynard Lake was going to be the worst spot, and it was from a pace standpoint, but I think the toughest spot for me mentally was John Street to Centennial Park. I was pacing with a guy who apparently had a lot of friends on the route because a lot of folks were cheering him on and I tell you, when people cheer for one and not others, it is definitely not a lift. I got over though when I started chasing a pair of French Braids in tight shorts. I thought when I hit 20 miles and only had 10K to go, that I would feel exhilarated, but no such luck. I get here in 3:06:14 and there still is a very outside chance that I beat 4 hours, but my last two miles are at or more than 10 minutes.

The rest of the run down in Southwest Champaign is fun. While pace is slow, the fans are good. Two tables along the way are offering beer to runners. I laugh, but am not tempted too much. It took a little while to get to Mile 23 and now I am back in my old training loops. Our version of “Heartbreak Hill” is along the north side of the Champaign Country Club and we start losing a lot of runners to walking. I WILL NOT WALK! I WILL NOT WALK! That is my mantra throughout the climb and when I finally make the turn at Hessel Boulevard, I know that it is almost over. I do not have the speed I hoped I would, but I pick up the pace by about 30 seconds per mile over the last 1.5-2.0 miles.

The crowd over the last 385 yards is great as they line the chute and cheer us on. I try to sprint once I get up the driveway to the stadium and onto the field. The Astroturf feels pretty good as I keep going to the final finish. The speaker from the Boston Marathon greets each finisher and that feels great. I get my medal and I am overcome with a rush of emotions. I find the folks and greet them and get some pictures.

I then go get a banana and my gear (I can’t believe they made us walk up the stadium steps to get to where the food was) and when I then I find a quiet space and I actually weep for about 20 seconds. I am fully spent, happy, disappointed with the time, but feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. It is at this time that I see someone in dehydration tremors being carted out by EMT’s. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to run the marathon and for today, even maybe for a little while longer, I will feel like I am in a select group. It’s not everybody who can complete this challenge. I am pleased that I completed it and it gives me confidence to attack other things in life because I have been on Champaign’s Heartbreak Hill and I did not stop. When my pace started falling off, I did not stop just because I was not going to beat 4 hours; I adjusted my expectations and kept on going. I kept on going and I was able to show myself that when it got really tough that I could not and would not turn to anyone else. This day, this event, was about me. Nobody was going to help me when I felt like quitting. I feel great about it, all the training in the rain, sleet, snow, heat and incredible cold. I learned a lot about training and myself. I am looking forward to the Portland Marathon this October (running with some friends there) and I am pretty sure I will run this one again. Thanks for all of your good wishes and support.

Tomorrow's the Big Day!

So the months of training are coming to their "climax" tomorrow! I can say that I am a little nervous, but mostly excited to get going tomorrow. I hope for the serenity of the Buddha, the strength of Thor, the speed of Mercury and the patience of Job. I have laid out a strategy for the day and I think I'll be able to be successful. I will let you know how it all goes as I write about each stage of my strategy next week.

Adam’s Marathon Strategy:

5:00 AM – short stack of pancakes and coffee

6:15 AM – Get to race area

7:00 AM – Drop off Gear

7:30 AM – Race Start – set out with 4:00:00 group

7:50 – 8:00 AM – Reach Downtown Urbana (Main between Race and Vine) (Mile 3) (R&C Photo?)

First tough stretch through Stone Creek Golf Club

8:45 – 9:00 AM – Meadowbrook Park (CK Photo) (Mile 9.5 at the corner of Race and Windsor) take first Energy Gel and first Gatorade

Half Marathon at Green and First – Shoot for right at 9:30 or a little earlier (remember short strides, use upper body)

9:40 AM – West Side Park (Mile 14 on Church Street Side) (R&C Photo)

9:50 AM – Eisner Park – Gatorade and Energy Gel

10:15 AM – Crescent and Sangamon – Take first carried (3^rd overall) Energy Gel at Mile 18

10:23 AM – Gatorade at Kirby and Duncan (Mile 19)

Keep focus through Maynard Lake – Imagine this 4 mile stretch to be the worst – Take Gatorade and Energy Gel at Mile 21, Gatorade at Mile 22

10:55 AM – Take second carried (5^th overall) Energy Gel along with Gatorade at 23.25

11:04 AM – Gatorade at Country Club corner

11:14 AM – Gatorade at Mile 25 – Start Sprint all the way home (CK Photo at Elm and Hessel)

11:25 AM – FINISH in Stadium

Adam to West Stands/Great Hall to pick up gear and some food

12:00 Noon – meet family in East stands, south of 50 yard line

Beer at 1:00 PM

Wish me Luck!

It would help if they knew what they were talking about...

Yep, you guessed it. I did not run today so instead I got out my soapbox as I got my dander up over all of the truly inane comments I have been hearing about the terribly intrusive Federal government; especially since the 2008 election. "Taxes are too high!" "Obama wants to run every aspect of your life!" "The stimulus is a waste of money!" "If Brown can't stop it, a Browning can" blah blah blah. My personal favorite is in some states that think the burden of of the federal government is too much when all they are really saying is "Keep your government hands off my Medicare, Social Security or my Social Security Disability Compensation!" It would really help if these people actually knew what they were talking about. Or better yet, because they all can't be that STUPID, it would be nice if they stopped lying. Let's attack each of these issues...

"Taxes are too high" - Taxes are truly lower as a percentage of personal income than they have been in over 25 years. The real complaint that is coming from the crowd is that did not get their taxes cut; the folks who make over $250,000 per year; roughly 2% of the population. Although it is true that only 53% of all families paid income taxes, that does not mean that 47% of the citizenry is a bunch of deadbeats. What it does mean is that people are buying houses and taking advantage of the first time home buyer tax credit, it means that people are going back to school to take advantage of the education tax credit and true enough, there are approximately 9.5 million people out of work. All that said, for those people who actually end up paying income taxes, it's not so bad to have a tax problem. IT MEANS YOU MADE MONEY! Also, those folks who paid no income tax also finance a portion of the federal deficit spending by contributing their social security taxes. Social Security is the largest investor in Federal Treasury bonds. Financing the government; not the Chinese, Japanese or any body else.

"Obama wants to control every aspect of our lives" - This is just plain silly. It's the other side of the aisle that cares about who you sleep with. It's the other side that wants to pick its nose into some of the most personal decisions that someone can face. Decisions that should be left to you, your partner and your higher power are not the business of old men sitting in the legislature. All that this administration wants to do is give everyone the same opportunity. That include the same opportunity as you and I to buy private health insurance and not get ripped off. That is all this NEW LAW does. The last government started the snooping ON YOUR PHONE CALLS AND READING YOUR E-MAIL.

"The stimulus is a waste of money" - Okay, tax cuts are a waste of money, 2.2 million new jobs are a waste of money, helping millions of homeowners improve and keep their homes are a waste of money. Money multipliers take time and although it's easy to erase 6 million jobs through lack of regulation and letting the inmates run the asylum, it will take more than 9 months to fix things.

My favorite one is the secession and militia movement. As Harris and CBS news mentioned, the Tea Party members are primarily Republican voters (92%) and there is an interesting discussion that needs to be had about how much of a burden the federal government truly is to the states. The Tax Amnesty Program follows net federal taxes paid compared to federal funding received by each of the states from 1981 through 2005. On average, 15 states receive less than $1 in federal funds for every $1 in federal taxes paid. 35 states receive more in federal funding then they pay for. Before I outline who these stalwarts of fiscal responsibility are and who the leeches are, I'll tell you what... If you are in a state that receives more than you share of federal funding, I will support your secession movement as long as you pay back the other states you owe money to. It will sure help balance some state budgets!

Okay, here it is, the list of states that pay more than the get, along with the % of each dollar funded that is received back and which Presidential candidate the state voted for in 2008. Also, before we go any further, JUST BECAUSE YOU LOST THE ELECTION, YOU CANNOT SAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS ILLEGITIMATE!

State $ received/$ paid Presidential Vote

Colorado $.80 Obama

California $.78 Obama

Connecticut $.70 Obama

Delaware $.77 Obama

Illinois $.75 Obama

Massachusetts $.80 Obama

Michigan $.90 Obama

Minnesota $.70 Obama

Nevada $.65 McCain

New Hampshire $.70 McCain

New Jersey $.60 Obama

New York $.80 Obama

Oregon $.93 Obama

Wisconsin $.86 Obama

Texas $.95 McCain

Washington $.93 Obama

As you can see, real hot beds of socialism here. The anti-tax stalwarts lead the pack on the other side, though. Alaska (Sister Sarah's home) gets $1.60 for every dollar it pays, Arizona, a real mavericky place gets $1.40, and Oklahoma, who recently had a legislator propose an anti federal militia, receives $1.40 for every dollar of federal taxes paid. Being someone who is a resident of a net payor, LEAVE ALREADY! We can balance out state and federal budgets without your leeching state being part of the union. Let's see how your state residents like having their taxes increase 25%-80% to make up for no more federal aid.

ANYWAY, it's time to base arguments in fact; no, it's past time. No more with the lies, the spinning and the made up stories about 9/11 AND about the secret Kenyan birth certificates. You know, Rodney King may not have been wrong! Let's get along and have reasoned debate, not hysteria.

Three Weeks!!!

I am beginning to feel a lot like Forrest Gump these days ("I just kept on a runnin'"). Oh well, the last real big training week then taking it easier over the last two weeks.

Tuesday - 11.07 miles at 9:55 (I ran in the evening and and it was very warm out (upper 80's)

Wednesday - The Spring Bloom killed me and I went to bed early and slept for about 10 hours.

Thursday - Woke up feeling feeling a bazillion % better and it showed... 5.55 miles at 8:49 per.

Monday and Friday are lifting and Sunday is the monster---

20 miles + on Sunday. I will try, repeat, try to beat 10 minutes. Hopefully it will be a little cool out and I will go in the morning to avoid the wind. Well, I started out at about a quarter to 8 this morning; pancakes at 6:45, had my electrolytes/carbs/protein in the camelback and the energy gels and the Ipod and I came in AT 9:17 PER MILE! 22.25 miles and it felt GREAT! Only 2 energy gels (at 13 and 18) and only about 13 ounces of electrolyte/carb/protein drink. If I feel like this in two weeks, I really believe that my time can start with a 3!

By the way, Curious George was one if my favorites, too. On to May 1st! If you can make it, would love to see you there! Excelsior!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Under a month to go!

Okay, this week is 5, 5, 5, rest, 8, 13 Tuesday through Sunday (Monday and Friday I lift (maybe on Wednesday, too)). Weather is good, mind is in the right place and after the first mile, my ankle does not hurt anymore!

Tuesday - 5.55 miles - 9:04 pace

Wednesday -2.5 miles on the tread mill. I was kind of out of sorts. 9:30 pace

Thursday -Made up for lost miles. Got 8.4 miles in at 9:27 pace felt great. Chilly evening; great running weather.

Saturday - Cross training workout. Burned over 1,300 calories

Sunday - 12.3 miles at 10:09 pace. Lots of climbing in comparison city routes