You can actually win something by following this link:
http://quadrathon.blogspot.com/2010/02/friday-freebies.html
It is something that all of us can use. It is a Moji icing product for back or knee. These babies work and you will love, love, love it if you win. Please do yourself a favor and enter. If you win, you will not be disappointed.
Okay, now that the "do this" portion of the blog is out of the way. Is anyone gearing up for a goal run this year? I would love to be your coach. I have over 17 years of running experience and I raced road bicycles for 10 years prior to that. I love to read everything I can get my hands on about every aspect of training and nutrition. I have a few runners that are gearing up for runs from 10K to half-marathon and a new triathlete that I am training for the Wendy's Triathlon. I have room in my schedule so if you have a goal and you want to reach it, contact me at stevecalhoun2003@yahoo.com or post a comment here and I will get right back with you.
Bexley Running Group - don't forget, we meet every Saturday at 10 a.m. in Bexley at the Jeni's Ice Cream at the corner of Parkview Ave. and Main St.. We usually run 4 miles as a group and some folks tack on miles afterward if you want a little more. We will not leave anyone behind and everyone can easily find a pace partner. It is snowing right now and calling for more snow through tomorrow morning, Saturday. It should be a great run tomorrow in the snow so PLEASE join us.
So, have a great weekend. Run carefully if you run outside. If you need motivation, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdd31Q9PqA
Now go Run!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
SUNDAY RUN AT HIGHBANKS
Sunday, January 31st - 7:30 a.m.
My buddy, Jim Smith, and I ran 15 miles this morning at Highbanks Metropark here in Columbus, Ohio. It was 9 degrees F when we started. And that is F as in Fahrenheit and not an expletive. Although that would be warranted too. It was COLD but the sun stayed out the whole time. ALLELUIA! It really felt good when the sun would hit you as you could feel yourself warm up.
We started by doing one loop of the entire upper loop where we saw three deer. We joked that they said to themselves "What the hell are those furless idiots doing out here"? We then did two loops of the entire rest of the park. We did see more people than we thought we would, gladly. It's always comforting to know there are others out there with us.
The best part about running with someone that you are good friends with is that you can talk the whole way or choose to not talk at all. Jim and I have some great talks while we run. We come up with some great ideas, and some fun ones that might not make too much business sense but are fun none the less. We are working on a really good one right now so stayed tuned here for more details soon.
INSPIRATION
As we were running we talked about MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and the UFC (Ulitmate Fighting Championship) and some of the intense, insane workouts that some of it's fighters do. One in particular is B.J. Penn, who is the lightweight champion. He lives in Hawaii and is known for his amazing stamina and conditioning. One training technique that Jim told me about is that he and his training partners swim out in the ocean to where the bottom is about 12'-15' down and they swim down to the bottom. While there they roll or pick up and throw heavy rocks, swim back to the surface, and do it over again. I tried to find a video of this but could not. Anyway, it inspired me. We had to stop for a "pee break" and as Jim was finishing up I found a log about 4' long and about 10-12" in diameter. It weighted about 25-30 pounds. I picked it up, hoisted it over my right shoulder, and continued running. At first I thought, "I'll probably won't be able to keep this up too long". Well, I ran along and felt pretty good. I did switch shoulders once and as we got to an intersection that we would run past again, I put the log down. As we got back to that intersection about 1/2 mile later, I picked it up again and ran with it again for a while and dumped it off back close to where we parked. I have to say that it was not easy at times but I got a great workout. I probably ran with it for about 1 mile all together.
The reason I relay this is not to impress but to share with you the fun and challenge that I got from thinking outside of the training box that I find myself in sometimes. Challenge yourself. Do things differently. You never know when you will find something that works for you and that you really like doing. Jim challenged me to run the entire Burning River 100 mile race this July with that same log, carrying it the whole way. At first I thought, "You must be crazy". I'm re-thinking my position. Stay tuned...
My buddy, Jim Smith, and I ran 15 miles this morning at Highbanks Metropark here in Columbus, Ohio. It was 9 degrees F when we started. And that is F as in Fahrenheit and not an expletive. Although that would be warranted too. It was COLD but the sun stayed out the whole time. ALLELUIA! It really felt good when the sun would hit you as you could feel yourself warm up.
We started by doing one loop of the entire upper loop where we saw three deer. We joked that they said to themselves "What the hell are those furless idiots doing out here"? We then did two loops of the entire rest of the park. We did see more people than we thought we would, gladly. It's always comforting to know there are others out there with us.
The best part about running with someone that you are good friends with is that you can talk the whole way or choose to not talk at all. Jim and I have some great talks while we run. We come up with some great ideas, and some fun ones that might not make too much business sense but are fun none the less. We are working on a really good one right now so stayed tuned here for more details soon.
INSPIRATION
As we were running we talked about MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and the UFC (Ulitmate Fighting Championship) and some of the intense, insane workouts that some of it's fighters do. One in particular is B.J. Penn, who is the lightweight champion. He lives in Hawaii and is known for his amazing stamina and conditioning. One training technique that Jim told me about is that he and his training partners swim out in the ocean to where the bottom is about 12'-15' down and they swim down to the bottom. While there they roll or pick up and throw heavy rocks, swim back to the surface, and do it over again. I tried to find a video of this but could not. Anyway, it inspired me. We had to stop for a "pee break" and as Jim was finishing up I found a log about 4' long and about 10-12" in diameter. It weighted about 25-30 pounds. I picked it up, hoisted it over my right shoulder, and continued running. At first I thought, "I'll probably won't be able to keep this up too long". Well, I ran along and felt pretty good. I did switch shoulders once and as we got to an intersection that we would run past again, I put the log down. As we got back to that intersection about 1/2 mile later, I picked it up again and ran with it again for a while and dumped it off back close to where we parked. I have to say that it was not easy at times but I got a great workout. I probably ran with it for about 1 mile all together.
The reason I relay this is not to impress but to share with you the fun and challenge that I got from thinking outside of the training box that I find myself in sometimes. Challenge yourself. Do things differently. You never know when you will find something that works for you and that you really like doing. Jim challenged me to run the entire Burning River 100 mile race this July with that same log, carrying it the whole way. At first I thought, "You must be crazy". I'm re-thinking my position. Stay tuned...
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Bexley Running Group
Hey all!
I wanted to let you, all how ever many of you, that I have gotten a running group going where I live here in Bexley, Ohio. It is just East of downtown Columbus by 3.5 miles.
We meet every Saturday morning at the Jeni's Ice Cream in Bexley at the corner of Parkview and Main Streets.
Here is a link to the location:
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=google%20maps&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl
We ran this morning and had a great run. It was a bit cold at the beginning but it was not as bad as I was expecting. We had 8 runners total.
Here we are:
I also to a picture of this flock of geese flying South that I took after our run. I tacked on a few miles at the end and heard this faint "Honk, Honk, Honk" and looked up and saw two groups, sorry flocks of geese about this size. I always think this is an impressive sight.
Do they take turns at the front like a cycling peloton performing an echelon in the wind? Is it the oldest one at the front? Is that the only one that knows the way or is that the one with the GPS? Inquiring minds want to know.
Please join us whenever you can. You don't have to live in Bexley to join us. Just come and have fun running with a group a people. We have all different paces so no one gets left behind.
Have a great day.
Get out there and RUN.
I wanted to let you, all how ever many of you, that I have gotten a running group going where I live here in Bexley, Ohio. It is just East of downtown Columbus by 3.5 miles.
We meet every Saturday morning at the Jeni's Ice Cream in Bexley at the corner of Parkview and Main Streets.
Here is a link to the location:
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=google%20maps&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl
We ran this morning and had a great run. It was a bit cold at the beginning but it was not as bad as I was expecting. We had 8 runners total.
Here we are:
I also to a picture of this flock of geese flying South that I took after our run. I tacked on a few miles at the end and heard this faint "Honk, Honk, Honk" and looked up and saw two groups, sorry flocks of geese about this size. I always think this is an impressive sight.
Do they take turns at the front like a cycling peloton performing an echelon in the wind? Is it the oldest one at the front? Is that the only one that knows the way or is that the one with the GPS? Inquiring minds want to know.
Please join us whenever you can. You don't have to live in Bexley to join us. Just come and have fun running with a group a people. We have all different paces so no one gets left behind.
Have a great day.
Get out there and RUN.
Friday, January 8, 2010
COLD AS A, ... WELL JUST REALLY COLD
Okay, this will be fairly short and sweet. I have not blogged in a while but this one will be short and then back to recap The Columbus Marathon and then pick up from there.
Dateline: Sunday, January 3rd
Columbus, Ohio
I went out for a run last Sunday morning. I got up early and left by 6:10 a.m.. Okay, so your saying no big deal, I do that all the time. True, but I'm just not used to it when it is 6 degrees F outside with a windchill of -6 degrees F. I have figured out that I absolutely love running in the snow but just aren't so fond of the sometimes bitter cold temperatures that can accompany. I checked the local weather radar before I left and I have run plenty in cold and snowy weather so I knew how to dress. Warmly and in layers. I had on a warm knit hat, a fleece neck gaiter that I could pull up to cover my nose. In fact, I could pull my hat down and the gaiter up so that only a slit for my eyes showed, which I did. I had on my Pearl Izumi jacket (love the Pearl), my Craft baselayer (love it more), a duofold heavy knit long sleeve top over that, my Brooks winter running pants, my asics knit running undies with a goretex wind-proof/water-proof panel to cover the twig and berries (I can't tell you how much I love these), wool Darn Tough socks, and my Pearl Izumi syncroguide II shoes. Oh, and my Pearl Izumi lobster gloves, with integrated terry backs for nose wiping. If you think I like Pearl Izumi gear you are right. I was introduced to their stuff back when I raced Road bicycles and they make great performance gear.
In fact, here is what I looked like after my run:
So, I left at 6:10 a.m. and when I
first hit that outside air it literally took my breath away like I just got a light kick to the nads. Ouch! Kind of like that first time that one of your kids accidentally hits you there without knowing it and it not really being a hard knock. But a knock none the less.
Once I got used to that freshly kicked feeling I was fine, in the relative sense of the word. Fine as in "that set of thumbscrews fits me just fine". Find as in "I love creamed chicken casserole just fine" the first time you go to your would be mother-in-laws house. You get the picture. You are trying to convince yourself that it is not as bad as it feels but given the choice I would choose for it to be 60 degrees and sunny.
I always like that sound of my running shoes "crunching" through the snow. It seems like the colder it is the louder and crisper the "crunching" is. Well, it sounded like I was running through a field of freshly laid Frosted Flakes. The quiet of the morning combined with the apparent volume of the "crunching" made me think "If I was a hunter there is no way I could sneak up on any prey. They can hear me coming 1/2 mile away for Gods' sake". However, I discovered that there is something that is very peaceful about that scenario. It is quiet and actually hearing the sound of my contact with the frozen earth is kind of humbling. I didn't necessarily think that way at the time but now that I reflect on it, I really enjoyed that aspect of the run.
I ran from Bexley, just East of downtown Columbus, towards downtown and turned North on High St. and ran up High St. to the OSU campus, took a right on 17th ave. and up to touch Ohio Stadium (the Horseshoe) making that my turnaround and headed home.
As I was running back I encountered that thing that used to be a tailwind but was now a headwind blowing cold air right at me. WOW! Another kick to the nads.
My eyes watered, there was a little snow coming down, and my eyelashes were freezing to each other. Not fun, but easily remedied by rubbing them. I had been breathing through my mouth for some time now and the neck gaiter that I had pulled up to cover my nose had developed a frozen crust on the outside by this time. It made it easy to remove to take drinks from my semi-frozen water bottles as I could just grab the stiff cloth and pull down. I have to say that at this point the only part of me that was really cold was my hands and I had to keep moving my thumbs and fingers around to keep them warm. The rest of me was not too bad. As I was about 12 miles in to this 16 mile fridgefest I had to utilize a maneuver known as the "farmers' blow". Now, for those not familiar with this I will explain. Since ones nose can run more than usual when it's cold one has the need to blow ones nose. Since I don't have a hanky, I need to improvise. If you take your right thumb and cover your right nostril and blow, you will get "nasal stuff" shooting out of your left nostril and if you hold left thumb to left nostril you get the same from the right nostril. This is also know as the "snot rocket" as sometimes it can really move depending on the voracity at which one blows. Then you just take the back of your glove and wipe. Mission accomplished. When I completed this maneuver as I passed a car I swear I thought that I broke the side window of the car because I think from the time I blew to the time it accidentally hit the parked cars' side window, it froze. You get the picture.
And another really odd thing happened right about this same time. I was fairly close to CCAD, the Columbus College of Art and Design and I heard the strangest noise, blackbirds calling from a large tree. I don't mean one or two either, I mean many, many birds. I would guess that there were probably 15-20 or so. I found this odd because I have never experienced this in this dead of winter. I guess I always figured that most smart birds flew South for the winter. I guess not.
So, I continued my run back home, and was exhilirated yet quite glad when I finally got home. I felt really good but I can tell you that there is nothing better than the last mile or so of that run thinking about the nice, hot shower to come along with the warm breakfast.
Life is good.
Here are a few other photos that I took that morning as well:
This is called the frozen grimace!
I call this one Frozen Neck Gaiter!
I even found two cents during this run. Life is Good.
Now get out there and enjoy YOUR run.
Dateline: Sunday, January 3rd
Columbus, Ohio
I went out for a run last Sunday morning. I got up early and left by 6:10 a.m.. Okay, so your saying no big deal, I do that all the time. True, but I'm just not used to it when it is 6 degrees F outside with a windchill of -6 degrees F. I have figured out that I absolutely love running in the snow but just aren't so fond of the sometimes bitter cold temperatures that can accompany. I checked the local weather radar before I left and I have run plenty in cold and snowy weather so I knew how to dress. Warmly and in layers. I had on a warm knit hat, a fleece neck gaiter that I could pull up to cover my nose. In fact, I could pull my hat down and the gaiter up so that only a slit for my eyes showed, which I did. I had on my Pearl Izumi jacket (love the Pearl), my Craft baselayer (love it more), a duofold heavy knit long sleeve top over that, my Brooks winter running pants, my asics knit running undies with a goretex wind-proof/water-proof panel to cover the twig and berries (I can't tell you how much I love these), wool Darn Tough socks, and my Pearl Izumi syncroguide II shoes. Oh, and my Pearl Izumi lobster gloves, with integrated terry backs for nose wiping. If you think I like Pearl Izumi gear you are right. I was introduced to their stuff back when I raced Road bicycles and they make great performance gear.
In fact, here is what I looked like after my run:
So, I left at 6:10 a.m. and when I
first hit that outside air it literally took my breath away like I just got a light kick to the nads. Ouch! Kind of like that first time that one of your kids accidentally hits you there without knowing it and it not really being a hard knock. But a knock none the less.Once I got used to that freshly kicked feeling I was fine, in the relative sense of the word. Fine as in "that set of thumbscrews fits me just fine". Find as in "I love creamed chicken casserole just fine" the first time you go to your would be mother-in-laws house. You get the picture. You are trying to convince yourself that it is not as bad as it feels but given the choice I would choose for it to be 60 degrees and sunny.
I always like that sound of my running shoes "crunching" through the snow. It seems like the colder it is the louder and crisper the "crunching" is. Well, it sounded like I was running through a field of freshly laid Frosted Flakes. The quiet of the morning combined with the apparent volume of the "crunching" made me think "If I was a hunter there is no way I could sneak up on any prey. They can hear me coming 1/2 mile away for Gods' sake". However, I discovered that there is something that is very peaceful about that scenario. It is quiet and actually hearing the sound of my contact with the frozen earth is kind of humbling. I didn't necessarily think that way at the time but now that I reflect on it, I really enjoyed that aspect of the run.
I ran from Bexley, just East of downtown Columbus, towards downtown and turned North on High St. and ran up High St. to the OSU campus, took a right on 17th ave. and up to touch Ohio Stadium (the Horseshoe) making that my turnaround and headed home.
As I was running back I encountered that thing that used to be a tailwind but was now a headwind blowing cold air right at me. WOW! Another kick to the nads.
My eyes watered, there was a little snow coming down, and my eyelashes were freezing to each other. Not fun, but easily remedied by rubbing them. I had been breathing through my mouth for some time now and the neck gaiter that I had pulled up to cover my nose had developed a frozen crust on the outside by this time. It made it easy to remove to take drinks from my semi-frozen water bottles as I could just grab the stiff cloth and pull down. I have to say that at this point the only part of me that was really cold was my hands and I had to keep moving my thumbs and fingers around to keep them warm. The rest of me was not too bad. As I was about 12 miles in to this 16 mile fridgefest I had to utilize a maneuver known as the "farmers' blow". Now, for those not familiar with this I will explain. Since ones nose can run more than usual when it's cold one has the need to blow ones nose. Since I don't have a hanky, I need to improvise. If you take your right thumb and cover your right nostril and blow, you will get "nasal stuff" shooting out of your left nostril and if you hold left thumb to left nostril you get the same from the right nostril. This is also know as the "snot rocket" as sometimes it can really move depending on the voracity at which one blows. Then you just take the back of your glove and wipe. Mission accomplished. When I completed this maneuver as I passed a car I swear I thought that I broke the side window of the car because I think from the time I blew to the time it accidentally hit the parked cars' side window, it froze. You get the picture.
And another really odd thing happened right about this same time. I was fairly close to CCAD, the Columbus College of Art and Design and I heard the strangest noise, blackbirds calling from a large tree. I don't mean one or two either, I mean many, many birds. I would guess that there were probably 15-20 or so. I found this odd because I have never experienced this in this dead of winter. I guess I always figured that most smart birds flew South for the winter. I guess not.
So, I continued my run back home, and was exhilirated yet quite glad when I finally got home. I felt really good but I can tell you that there is nothing better than the last mile or so of that run thinking about the nice, hot shower to come along with the warm breakfast.
Life is good.
Here are a few other photos that I took that morning as well:
This is called the frozen grimace!
I call this one Frozen Neck Gaiter!
I even found two cents during this run. Life is Good.
Now get out there and enjoy YOUR run.
Friday, October 23, 2009
2009 COLUMBUS MARATHON
This past Sunday, well okay MANY Sundays' ago, I ran in the 30th Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon with my friend Jim Smith. Yes, the same friend that I ran the Mohican 50 mile trail race with this past June.
My posting of the race and events:
6 a.m. -
I actually got up much earlier than 6 a.m.. In fact, I woke up at 4:45 a.m. to get some food in me to properly fuel and hydrate myself prior to the race. Had a bit of oatmeal, coffee, and lots of water.
I got my son, and many other Bexley Middle school cross country runners, up at 5:45 a.m. to go work at the Bexley aid station, which is right at about the 5 mile mark. I organized members of the team to work at the station with the help of Nicole Rehill and Carla Sokol, thanks ladies. When I dropped him off it was pitch dark and there were already volunteers setting up cups and filling them for impending throng of humanity that was about to descend upon those two long line of folding tables. This scene was playing out all over the 26.2 miles of the course and the race could not be run without the great help of all the volunteers that help so a big THANK YOU goes out to all them.
I dropped him off and headed down to park near the start line and meet Jim.
We met at the Marriott Residence Inn on Gay St. and discussed the days pending challenge. We met two ladies from Chicago, sorry I can't remember their names, and they walked to the start line with us. One woman was running the half and was up for a faster pace than we were hoping ot run so she was a bit closer to the front than we wanted to be. For those that don't know, when you line up at the start of most marathons there are pace signs or balloons that have a pace or goal time marked on it. You just find the one that corresponds to your goal pace and you start there. In theory, this works fine. However, the start of all of the marathons that I have run, except for trail marathons, is very chaotic. Fun and exciting, but chaotic. There are lots of people all running in the same direction and only so much space for everyone to be at a given time. After you run a few marathons you get the hang of the start but it is best to run with your hands at the ready so you can gently (or not so gently) nudge people or brace yourself if you think your going down. It is easy to clip legs or get your legs clipped so just be careful, that's all.
So we find our goal pace, 3:45, and we get in the starting chute. It was a bit on the cold side, I think 32 degrees, but very clear skies. A perfect day for running.
THE START
The starting gun went off at 7:30 a.m. and down Broad Street we went. It was a great start and everything went smoothly. Since it was a bit chilly at the start most people wear something that they don't mind donating to the homeless in Columbus. Lots of additional tops get jettisoned in the first few miles of the race as people warm up and begin to sweat. I wore a zip up nylon vest and Jim rocked an old school Pearl Izumi nylon running jacket with neon yellow sleeves. Those were our "shed layer". As we ran East on Broad St. and headed into Bexley we were right with our 3:45 group. We passed the Franklin Park Conservatory at about mile 2.5 and were feeling great. As we ran through Bexley the crowds were really good and loud. I love my neighbors. As we came up on the aid station (mile 5) that I dropped my son off at I could not tell which side he was on as fluids were given on both right and left. I did not get water from him but another runner on the middle school cross country team and that was a fun exchange. Next year I will have to coordinate better on location with him.
This area and as you turn right on Main St. is one of the loudest sections on the course. The crowd is outstanding. This is where my wife, Pam, was cheering with our daughter. Jim and I jettisoned our top layer of clothing as we heated up. Thanks honey! I love running through this area of town as this is where I live and I always see lots of friends here. Thanks for coming out to cheer all. It really helps propel you along the race.
So we then head West on Main St. and turn right on Nelson Rd. and head up to the backside of the Franklin Park Conservatory. Just as we turn left on Franklin Park S. there was a huge inflatable "Start" line that Brooks running shoe company put up to encourage runners to have a great race and start the rest of their race there. It was quite funny and there was even someone on a bullhorn shouting encouragement to everyone. Kudos to Brooks for that.
We ran around the backside of Franklin Park and then back to Broad St. to head back downtown. Nice crowds here around the park. This section is nice because of the park but the road surface and the large speed bumps can be a hazard so be careful here.
As we make our way back downtown down Bryden Rd. the crowds get thicker again and Bryden Rd. is very nice as there are many large trees and this area has been going through a long resurgence of folks buying these great old houses and restoring them.
As we get closer to the left turn down 3rd street you can hear the crowd from a few blocks away. It is quite load here (mile 9) and it is a great boost to the running ego that keeps you going. At this point we still have sight of the 3:45 pace group but we are hopeful to stay in touch and reel them back in.
We turn down 3rd street and head down into the great German Village area of Columbus. This is one of the prettiest parts of the course as the old houses and large trees make this area a treat to run through. The crowds here are normally large and loud. It seemed a bit smaller on the crowd size this year and not as loud as I remember it. We run down into German Village, around the beautiful Shiller Park, and then turn right on to High Street for the longest straight run on the course. It goes from mile 11 to about mile 15 and it has a few undulating hills on the course. As we approach Nationwide Blvd. (yes, named after the insurance company that also is the title sponsor of the marathon-thank you Nationwide) this is where the half-marathon people turn left on Nationwide and head down to their finish line. This is great for the marathoners as it is very loud and there is a lot to cheer about. Believe me, people cheering for you REALLY helps.
As we pass the half-way point in our marathon Jim is starting to slow a bit and his legs are beginning to feel it so we kick our pace back just a bit. We are heading through the Short North area of the course and the crowds here are not as big as I expected as there are a lot of people that live here. In fact, when I first moved to Columbus in 1989 in lived in the Short North right on High St. in the Greystone Building. Ah, the good old days when you could observe offers of solicitation directly from your very own fire escape. That was back before this area of Columbus was cleaned up. It is a great area of town now.
We take a short walking break at the water station at mile 14 or so. No big deal. Better to finish than push too hard and not finish at all.
As we continued up High St., turn right at Eddie Georges' #27 restaurant, then head North where we then turn left down Fraternity and Sorority Row. That would be at The Ohio State University in case you don't know. We then weave through campus and run past the hallowed grounds that is Ohio Stadium.
This is one of the most glorious college football stadiums in the country. It officially seats 102,329 but the largest crowd is 105,708 vs. Michigan in 2006. Just thought I would throw that in there.
We then head out through West campus and into Upper Arlington. This area has great crowds as it runs right through neighborhoods and past peoples' houses. Some folks actually still had their pajamas on and were cheering. How fun.
We then head South and go through Grandview. This is a great neighborhood in Columbus and this was the first year that the marathon ran through Grandview. The crowds were great and I think all the runners appreciated the enthusiasm. Thanks Grandview!
Here is a photo of my buddy Jim and myself running in the Grandview section.
Good times!
We then headed West from Grandview and ran onto Neiil Avenue, which has some great old houses that line both sides of the avenue. Lots of trees too which helps when it is sunny. We turned left from Neil and headed up a slight incline known as Buttles Ave, which is flanked by Goodale Park. At the top of that incline there was a spectacular treat. There were Buckeye candies passed out by Anthony Thomas Candy company. A Buckeye is a chocolate covered peanut butter ball that looks like a buckeye nut, or the eye of a male deer, take your pick. It was a glorious treat in the last mile which gave one a little boost of energy to hit the finish line smiling.
We finished in a time of 4:12 and felt good about doing so. It was a glorious day weather wise as you can see from the photos. The post race food tables were good, as always, the one thing that I saw missing were floating balloons with big letters on them so people could find their loved ones. It helps when these are floating above the crowd and easily seen above heads. Other than that little quib, the Marathon was great. I look forward to running it again this year, as always. This year I would like to qualify for Boston again so I'll need a 3:20 or faster. We'll see.
By the way, you can see that I was WAY late in posting this report but I guess better late than never, right?
Now get out there and run.
My posting of the race and events:
6 a.m. -
I actually got up much earlier than 6 a.m.. In fact, I woke up at 4:45 a.m. to get some food in me to properly fuel and hydrate myself prior to the race. Had a bit of oatmeal, coffee, and lots of water.
I got my son, and many other Bexley Middle school cross country runners, up at 5:45 a.m. to go work at the Bexley aid station, which is right at about the 5 mile mark. I organized members of the team to work at the station with the help of Nicole Rehill and Carla Sokol, thanks ladies. When I dropped him off it was pitch dark and there were already volunteers setting up cups and filling them for impending throng of humanity that was about to descend upon those two long line of folding tables. This scene was playing out all over the 26.2 miles of the course and the race could not be run without the great help of all the volunteers that help so a big THANK YOU goes out to all them.
I dropped him off and headed down to park near the start line and meet Jim.
We met at the Marriott Residence Inn on Gay St. and discussed the days pending challenge. We met two ladies from Chicago, sorry I can't remember their names, and they walked to the start line with us. One woman was running the half and was up for a faster pace than we were hoping ot run so she was a bit closer to the front than we wanted to be. For those that don't know, when you line up at the start of most marathons there are pace signs or balloons that have a pace or goal time marked on it. You just find the one that corresponds to your goal pace and you start there. In theory, this works fine. However, the start of all of the marathons that I have run, except for trail marathons, is very chaotic. Fun and exciting, but chaotic. There are lots of people all running in the same direction and only so much space for everyone to be at a given time. After you run a few marathons you get the hang of the start but it is best to run with your hands at the ready so you can gently (or not so gently) nudge people or brace yourself if you think your going down. It is easy to clip legs or get your legs clipped so just be careful, that's all.
So we find our goal pace, 3:45, and we get in the starting chute. It was a bit on the cold side, I think 32 degrees, but very clear skies. A perfect day for running.
THE START
The starting gun went off at 7:30 a.m. and down Broad Street we went. It was a great start and everything went smoothly. Since it was a bit chilly at the start most people wear something that they don't mind donating to the homeless in Columbus. Lots of additional tops get jettisoned in the first few miles of the race as people warm up and begin to sweat. I wore a zip up nylon vest and Jim rocked an old school Pearl Izumi nylon running jacket with neon yellow sleeves. Those were our "shed layer". As we ran East on Broad St. and headed into Bexley we were right with our 3:45 group. We passed the Franklin Park Conservatory at about mile 2.5 and were feeling great. As we ran through Bexley the crowds were really good and loud. I love my neighbors. As we came up on the aid station (mile 5) that I dropped my son off at I could not tell which side he was on as fluids were given on both right and left. I did not get water from him but another runner on the middle school cross country team and that was a fun exchange. Next year I will have to coordinate better on location with him.
This area and as you turn right on Main St. is one of the loudest sections on the course. The crowd is outstanding. This is where my wife, Pam, was cheering with our daughter. Jim and I jettisoned our top layer of clothing as we heated up. Thanks honey! I love running through this area of town as this is where I live and I always see lots of friends here. Thanks for coming out to cheer all. It really helps propel you along the race.
So we then head West on Main St. and turn right on Nelson Rd. and head up to the backside of the Franklin Park Conservatory. Just as we turn left on Franklin Park S. there was a huge inflatable "Start" line that Brooks running shoe company put up to encourage runners to have a great race and start the rest of their race there. It was quite funny and there was even someone on a bullhorn shouting encouragement to everyone. Kudos to Brooks for that.
We ran around the backside of Franklin Park and then back to Broad St. to head back downtown. Nice crowds here around the park. This section is nice because of the park but the road surface and the large speed bumps can be a hazard so be careful here.
As we make our way back downtown down Bryden Rd. the crowds get thicker again and Bryden Rd. is very nice as there are many large trees and this area has been going through a long resurgence of folks buying these great old houses and restoring them.
As we get closer to the left turn down 3rd street you can hear the crowd from a few blocks away. It is quite load here (mile 9) and it is a great boost to the running ego that keeps you going. At this point we still have sight of the 3:45 pace group but we are hopeful to stay in touch and reel them back in.
We turn down 3rd street and head down into the great German Village area of Columbus. This is one of the prettiest parts of the course as the old houses and large trees make this area a treat to run through. The crowds here are normally large and loud. It seemed a bit smaller on the crowd size this year and not as loud as I remember it. We run down into German Village, around the beautiful Shiller Park, and then turn right on to High Street for the longest straight run on the course. It goes from mile 11 to about mile 15 and it has a few undulating hills on the course. As we approach Nationwide Blvd. (yes, named after the insurance company that also is the title sponsor of the marathon-thank you Nationwide) this is where the half-marathon people turn left on Nationwide and head down to their finish line. This is great for the marathoners as it is very loud and there is a lot to cheer about. Believe me, people cheering for you REALLY helps.
As we pass the half-way point in our marathon Jim is starting to slow a bit and his legs are beginning to feel it so we kick our pace back just a bit. We are heading through the Short North area of the course and the crowds here are not as big as I expected as there are a lot of people that live here. In fact, when I first moved to Columbus in 1989 in lived in the Short North right on High St. in the Greystone Building. Ah, the good old days when you could observe offers of solicitation directly from your very own fire escape. That was back before this area of Columbus was cleaned up. It is a great area of town now.
We take a short walking break at the water station at mile 14 or so. No big deal. Better to finish than push too hard and not finish at all.
As we continued up High St., turn right at Eddie Georges' #27 restaurant, then head North where we then turn left down Fraternity and Sorority Row. That would be at The Ohio State University in case you don't know. We then weave through campus and run past the hallowed grounds that is Ohio Stadium.
This is one of the most glorious college football stadiums in the country. It officially seats 102,329 but the largest crowd is 105,708 vs. Michigan in 2006. Just thought I would throw that in there.We then head out through West campus and into Upper Arlington. This area has great crowds as it runs right through neighborhoods and past peoples' houses. Some folks actually still had their pajamas on and were cheering. How fun.
We then head South and go through Grandview. This is a great neighborhood in Columbus and this was the first year that the marathon ran through Grandview. The crowds were great and I think all the runners appreciated the enthusiasm. Thanks Grandview!
Here is a photo of my buddy Jim and myself running in the Grandview section.
Good times!
We then headed West from Grandview and ran onto Neiil Avenue, which has some great old houses that line both sides of the avenue. Lots of trees too which helps when it is sunny. We turned left from Neil and headed up a slight incline known as Buttles Ave, which is flanked by Goodale Park. At the top of that incline there was a spectacular treat. There were Buckeye candies passed out by Anthony Thomas Candy company. A Buckeye is a chocolate covered peanut butter ball that looks like a buckeye nut, or the eye of a male deer, take your pick. It was a glorious treat in the last mile which gave one a little boost of energy to hit the finish line smiling.
We finished in a time of 4:12 and felt good about doing so. It was a glorious day weather wise as you can see from the photos. The post race food tables were good, as always, the one thing that I saw missing were floating balloons with big letters on them so people could find their loved ones. It helps when these are floating above the crowd and easily seen above heads. Other than that little quib, the Marathon was great. I look forward to running it again this year, as always. This year I would like to qualify for Boston again so I'll need a 3:20 or faster. We'll see.
By the way, you can see that I was WAY late in posting this report but I guess better late than never, right?
Now get out there and run.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
RUN 4 THE HEALTH OF IT!
Hello all,
I wanted to tell you all about a race that I did on Labor Day this year. It is the Central Ohio Primary Care Physicians Foundation "Run 4 the Health of It" 4 mile race in Westerville, Ohio. This is the second year for the event. Last year my wife, Pam, ran it with her friend Karen. They had a great race and really enjoyed the course. My son also ran last year as well but in the shorter kids race, probably 200 yards or so.
This year he wanted to step up to the actual 4 mile race. I was very proud of him for wanting to take on this challenge on his own. My wife had planned to run it with him but when the forecast called for Rain, Rain, and more Rain she decided against it. I did not marry a woman whom is fond on ANY inclement weather. So I decided to run it instead. My son is only 12 so couldn't drive himself and running there as a warm-up was probably not wise.
We left about 7 a.m. or so as the race was to start at 8:30 and we had to still register and get warmed up. We got there and got registered and then warmed up for a mile or so and did a few strides (short, quick little bursts of speed) to awaken the muscles. As we made our way to the start line the skies looked a bit ominous and I was sure we would get wet at some point.
I asked my son if he wanted me to run with him to pace him and he said "No thanks Dad, you run your pace and do your best and I will too". That made me a proud Dad. I was proud that he was taking this races' challenge on his own terms.
THE RACE
As we were called to the line I got my son settled in a place toward the middle of the pack and I then went up toward the front. I felt like I wanted to get a quick start and then maybe settle down a bit. The gun went off and so did we. There was an early, first 200 yards, pack of about 10-12 runners out front and then myself, Leslie Dorado (whose husband is a member of COPCPF and hosts the race), and Doug Bean. I tucked in behind Leslie and Doug. I think I may have pulled once (meaning that I took the lead of us three and tried to offer some minimal draft and some pace) and then hung on for the ride. Leslie was having a good day and I stayed behind her and Doug the rest of the race.
FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS
As this race is in Westerville on a bike/running path that is around soccer fields there are always geese present. I don't know if geese like soccer or what but they are always there. Oh wait, I guess they eat the large expanse of grass to get fat for flying South in the winter. My bad. So if you have been to your kids (or someone else's) soccer game you know that there is goose dooky everywhere. Half of the battle is just dodging the slick little piles of poop. Next to impossible when you are focused on just running fast. That's where the lovely rain comes in. At about mile 2.5 of the 4 mile race it began to rain. Not a hard driving rain but enough to nicely cool us off and rinse the goose dooky from our shoes.
WHAT IS THAT NOISE?
I was able to keep a good pace and finished 15th overall (2nd in my age group) in a time of 25:23.
I then cooled down and ran the course backwards to look for my son. As I was running along I heard a noise that I can only describe as sounding like a goose was having an asthma attack while getting beaten with a 9 iron. "HONK, GASP, WHEESE, WHACK!" all at once though. I could not figure out what it was or where it was coming from but it sounded like it was getting closer as I was running along the course. As the noise got closer I finally figured out that it was coming from a person. It was an African American gentleman who was probably 60 or so who was making that noise with every footstep. He seemed to be running along just fine though. I asked if he was okay and if he needed help as I came upon him but he said "No thanks" and just kept running. I have been running for a long time and I can tell you that I have never heard or seen anything like that. Goes to show you that everyone has there own style of doing everything. People find a way of figuring out what works for them and jsut going with it. He didn't care what anyone thought of his style, he was just running, and I appreciate that independence.
I came on my son right after that gentleman noisemaker and ran the rest of the race with him. He was chuckling only the way a 12 year old boy can about the gentleman noisemaker in front of him. I asked if he heard it the whole way and he said, "Yes, he's been honking the whole way". I let him totaly dictate his own pace. I just asked him how he was doing and told him that I was incredibly proud of his race and was excited to see him finish. As we approached the finish line with about 300 yards to go I encouraged him to find another gear and hit the gas to see if he could pass the guy in front of him. I split off to the side of the course and ran in behind him to watch him beat that guy at the line. I was one proud Daddy. He finished 136th overall but 2nd in his age group in a time of 39:12. Way to go son!!
I'm telling you this story to relate a story of pride sprinkled in with some humor about a great Monday (Labor Day) morning between my son and I. I hope you have fun stories of pride that you can share with your running friends too.
See you next time.
By the way, any idea where that good looking young man got his ears?
I wanted to tell you all about a race that I did on Labor Day this year. It is the Central Ohio Primary Care Physicians Foundation "Run 4 the Health of It" 4 mile race in Westerville, Ohio. This is the second year for the event. Last year my wife, Pam, ran it with her friend Karen. They had a great race and really enjoyed the course. My son also ran last year as well but in the shorter kids race, probably 200 yards or so.
This year he wanted to step up to the actual 4 mile race. I was very proud of him for wanting to take on this challenge on his own. My wife had planned to run it with him but when the forecast called for Rain, Rain, and more Rain she decided against it. I did not marry a woman whom is fond on ANY inclement weather. So I decided to run it instead. My son is only 12 so couldn't drive himself and running there as a warm-up was probably not wise.
We left about 7 a.m. or so as the race was to start at 8:30 and we had to still register and get warmed up. We got there and got registered and then warmed up for a mile or so and did a few strides (short, quick little bursts of speed) to awaken the muscles. As we made our way to the start line the skies looked a bit ominous and I was sure we would get wet at some point.
I asked my son if he wanted me to run with him to pace him and he said "No thanks Dad, you run your pace and do your best and I will too". That made me a proud Dad. I was proud that he was taking this races' challenge on his own terms.
THE RACE
As we were called to the line I got my son settled in a place toward the middle of the pack and I then went up toward the front. I felt like I wanted to get a quick start and then maybe settle down a bit. The gun went off and so did we. There was an early, first 200 yards, pack of about 10-12 runners out front and then myself, Leslie Dorado (whose husband is a member of COPCPF and hosts the race), and Doug Bean. I tucked in behind Leslie and Doug. I think I may have pulled once (meaning that I took the lead of us three and tried to offer some minimal draft and some pace) and then hung on for the ride. Leslie was having a good day and I stayed behind her and Doug the rest of the race.
FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS
As this race is in Westerville on a bike/running path that is around soccer fields there are always geese present. I don't know if geese like soccer or what but they are always there. Oh wait, I guess they eat the large expanse of grass to get fat for flying South in the winter. My bad. So if you have been to your kids (or someone else's) soccer game you know that there is goose dooky everywhere. Half of the battle is just dodging the slick little piles of poop. Next to impossible when you are focused on just running fast. That's where the lovely rain comes in. At about mile 2.5 of the 4 mile race it began to rain. Not a hard driving rain but enough to nicely cool us off and rinse the goose dooky from our shoes.
WHAT IS THAT NOISE?
I was able to keep a good pace and finished 15th overall (2nd in my age group) in a time of 25:23.
I then cooled down and ran the course backwards to look for my son. As I was running along I heard a noise that I can only describe as sounding like a goose was having an asthma attack while getting beaten with a 9 iron. "HONK, GASP, WHEESE, WHACK!" all at once though. I could not figure out what it was or where it was coming from but it sounded like it was getting closer as I was running along the course. As the noise got closer I finally figured out that it was coming from a person. It was an African American gentleman who was probably 60 or so who was making that noise with every footstep. He seemed to be running along just fine though. I asked if he was okay and if he needed help as I came upon him but he said "No thanks" and just kept running. I have been running for a long time and I can tell you that I have never heard or seen anything like that. Goes to show you that everyone has there own style of doing everything. People find a way of figuring out what works for them and jsut going with it. He didn't care what anyone thought of his style, he was just running, and I appreciate that independence.
I came on my son right after that gentleman noisemaker and ran the rest of the race with him. He was chuckling only the way a 12 year old boy can about the gentleman noisemaker in front of him. I asked if he heard it the whole way and he said, "Yes, he's been honking the whole way". I let him totaly dictate his own pace. I just asked him how he was doing and told him that I was incredibly proud of his race and was excited to see him finish. As we approached the finish line with about 300 yards to go I encouraged him to find another gear and hit the gas to see if he could pass the guy in front of him. I split off to the side of the course and ran in behind him to watch him beat that guy at the line. I was one proud Daddy. He finished 136th overall but 2nd in his age group in a time of 39:12. Way to go son!!
I'm telling you this story to relate a story of pride sprinkled in with some humor about a great Monday (Labor Day) morning between my son and I. I hope you have fun stories of pride that you can share with your running friends too.
See you next time.
By the way, any idea where that good looking young man got his ears?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Middle School Cross Country
Hello all,
It's been a quick summer for me and I am sorry I haven't posted a new entry in a while. I have been up to some fun stuff lately.
My son is on the Middle School Cross Country team this year. It started out as him just wanting to run with the team in the summer for their conditioning. He wanted to get in shape for the soccer season. He found that he really likes running and let us know that he wanted to join the team.
I believe that we have close to 45 kids on the Middle School team. I say because I got involved with the team too. I work for myself so I have the luxury of being able to somewhat control my schedule. During the summer I ran with the kids in the mornings before I started my day. I really enjoyed running with them and watching the kids get stronger each week. My wife and I are friends with the Head Coach and his wife an
d I asked him if I could volunteer to assist him with the team. He said "Of course, I would love the help". So I help out any way I can. I try to go to most practices and run with the kids to keep them motivated and provide any assistance and help coaching I can. I also am at each meet since my son runs so I help out there too. I enjoy ge
tting the kids warmed up before their respective races and cheer them on wildly when there are competing. I help out getting their tags on their singlets too. They tear these off when the kids finish to keep the finish order of the runners.
Both our girls and boys teams are good and usually place very high in every competition we got to. Our girls team is especially strong and we stand a very good chance of doing quite well at our district meet in October.
Canal Winchester meet - First Place
Here is a fun picture of the start of the girls' race at Granville recently. We are the blue team, Bexley.
I can't tell you how much enjoyment I get out of helping with the team. I love passing on my running knowledge and the kids are like sponges that absorb everything you tell them. They are genuinely interested in learning more about running and hearing about the running that I have done. The satisfaction I get out of watching a group of kids participate in the sport I love and grow in that is HUGE.
THANKS!
I want to give a special thanks to Head Coach Dave Valentine, Coach Carla Barno, and Coach Jack Tapee. They have welcomed me as one of their own and I am just a volunteer. I truly appreciate them allowing me to help with the team and I have learned much from all of them as well.
Mostly, I want to say "Thank You" to the kids. I have learned so much from them and they have given me a chance to pass on my skill and knowledge of running. Thank you for putting up with my loud and enthusiastic cheering and blue and white flag waving.
I will post additional entries about the team soon but I wanted to get this out there.
If you have a child that is in Cross Country, get involved. If you don't, you can still get involved in helping your local Cross Country team. Contact the Coach or Athletic Director of the school and ask how you can help. Perhaps supply some fluid replacement such as Gatorade for the team or provide a bag or two of oranges for them to eat after they race. Nothing much tastes better than a fresh orange piece after a hard race. Perhaps you can even help out on a race day. They always need help directing cars to park, being stationed at the finish line to help with the finish order, being stationed at the mile markers to shout out times. Just get involved. The kids will appreciate it and you will feel great.
Thanks for reading and RUN ON!
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