11/30/2008

So.........I don't mind running in the cold and I don't mind running in the rain. I do, however, mind running in the cold AND the rain. I planned on putting in a few miles this am with Aubrey but by the time he got to the house there was a pretty steady rain coming down.........and it was 39 degrees. Hell no! I've got to make a quick road trip to pick up the kids from my parents and if the weather is better when I get home I'll run but I may have to wait til tomorrow am.

11/27/2008 Happy Thanksgiving/Turkey Trot

Race time was 0900 this morning. It was absolutely gorgeous outside, about 45 degrees with no wind. There was a SHITLOAD of people out there! I love how no one really runs at all during the year but then the whole family comes out to run the Turkey Trot. Weird! Oh, well. Anyway, I actually felt pretty good out there today. I ran the 12K or 7.5 miles, whichever way you want to look at it. I really didn't have any issues with pain at all. I got kind of tired towards the end of it but I expected that. Overall, I kept an 8:50 pace so not too terribly fast but once again, that's not what I am out there for. I ran with a friend from work, a little bitty pharmacist named Kimberli, for the first 3 miles of the race and then she left my ass in the dust when I stopped for a drink at an aid station. She is going to run Whiterock in Dallas on 12/14 and is totally stoked. It will be her first marathon. Her longest run so far is 11 miles and man, can she run. I wish her the best of luck and I know that she'll have a phenomenal time there. Whiterock is a fantastic race with all the bells and whistles. Anyway, everyone have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Peace!

11/23/2008 Madeleine Diva

Not sure if I'm going to run today. I have been advised that maybe some rest will do me good and I tend to agree. On a lighter note, we have a new family friend. We picked her up yesterday afternoon late. Her name is Madeleine Diva, she's a dachshund puppy born on 9/24/2008. Cute as hell! Enjoy the video!

11/22/2008

After a nice breakfast of homemade French Toast, Lite Syrup, and Turkey sausage I headed out to 1585. Before I went out though I made sure to hammer my ITB's with the roller. It didn't help too much. ha The lateral aspect of my right knee, which is the insertion point of the ITB, was pretty sore after about 2.5 miles and I had to take it pretty easy the last mile and a half. All in all it was a good 4 mile run but I wished I could have gone farther. It is absolutely gorgeous outside too which didn't make going home any easier. Anyway, obviously, I have more work to do on the ol' IT bands. That which does not kill us, makes us stronger. Toes felt good though. haha

11/21/2008

Alllllllllrighty then. The toes are almost back to being pain free but the nails have yet to fall off. I am ready for that. I wish I could go and have them fixed so they never grow back again. They just get in the way anyway. ha Ok, so my legs have been back to normal for the last 3 days or so which is fantastic and more than I could have hoped for considering how they felt during my last loop of the race and the next day. I am rolling them out at least twice a day so I guess that's what's helping the most. I plan on a nice little recovery run tomorrow, not sure how long yet. Also I signed up for the 12K at the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. I'll keep ya posted.

11/18/2008 Getting better...........physically.

Ok, so this morning I got up and there was pus under two of my toenails on my left foot and then both of my big toenails had large amounts of serous fluid under them. So I used an 18g needle to make short work of all the problem areas. They definitely don't have the pressure under them that they did have! My shoes are extremely comfortable so I don't know exactly what caused this major nail issue but oh, well. I will survive. So still trying to figure out exactly what happened at the race for me not to finish other than the fact of being a big wuss. I really don't think of myself as a wuss but I really do wonder what would have happened if I had actually gone back out on the course with my legs, ankle, and foot feeling the way they did. Would they have perked up and felt better or have disintegrated even further?? I will never know. I guess I am upset that I didn't summon the gumption to find out. That won't happen again.

WTF!! Ork feet!!

If there is ever any question as to how nasty runners can be..........just check these bad boys out!! SEXY!!!

Let's start this off by saying, first and foremost, that I had a wonderful time. Both running in beautiful country and also getting to meet so many good friends. Aubrey and I headed out on Friday morning around 0200 and drove to Arizona in my Xterra. It took us about 11 hours and 15 minutes. Not too bad. We actually got there early enough that we got to set up our tent right beside the headquarters. I was able to pick up my packet around 5pm and I was really pleased with the bag o' stuff. I got a really nice tech shirt from North Face and a set of black fleece Moeben sleeves, plus lots of other cool stuff. The pasta dinner hit the spot too and I got to meet a bunch of other runners which is always fun. I finally got to meet Tony of irunultras.com, one of my friends from the blogging world. It was really nice to meet him in person finally. Congrats on your finish, Tony, you are one tough mofo!
So anyway, Aubrey and I headed to bed pretty early that evening and slept really well. I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by 0400 and they had coffee for us to drink too, which was straight from the gods! After slamming a couple of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme pies and washing it down with coffee, I was ready to go. The race started at 0600. We were pre-warned to not go out too fast on the first loop. So I didn't............I thought. I really felt great going out, enjoying the company of the different people on the course and just stretching out my legs in such gorgeous terrain. I loved the saguaros! They were really cool! Anyway, I made it around the 15.3 mile loop in 2:59. I grabbed a chocolate Boost and refilled my hand bottle and took off again. On the second loop I was able to catch up with Tony and his gang. We played leap frog for awhile and then I finally pulled ahead and would stay that way until the 4th loop. Also on the second loop I caught up with a fellow nurse from San Diego. Her name was Chris and we got to gabbing since we were running pretty much the same pace at that time. She got to talking about her friend that was running up ahead and we figured out that her friend was Jill, the gal that I ran with quite a bit at Rocky Raccoon. I caught up to her and we enjoyed catching up on our races and such. So on and on I went, finishing the second loop in around 3:09. Another Boost and a bottle refill and I was off again. I also stopped at the aid station and grabbed a couple of bean roll-ups. I really did a good job of fueling I think. I used the new GU Roctane as my primary fuel source and really liked them. I also changed clothes before I took off which seemed to help revitalize me a little. The third loop was fairly uneventful. I did run into a baby tarantula and thought he was pretty cool. Some other runners said that they had seen a rattlesnake and a coyote. I think I would rather deal with the baby tarantula. ha Anyway, at the end of the third loop I still felt pretty good, finishing it in about 3:40 or so. I was getting excited about finishing the 4th loop so I could have Aubrey out on the course with me as my pacer. It gets pretty lonely out there after awhile. About a third of the way into the 4th loop it started getting dark so I turned on my headlamp and listened to my Ipod for the first time during the race. This, however, is the loop where "it all went to hell in a handbasket" for me. I wish I could figure out what happened. I felt really good going into it but about halfway through the lap my right ITB just absolutely seized up on me. It was really, really tight. Then my left one started up. I really don't know what happened. My legs were absolutely gone. Even my right Achille's was starting to freak out. I was able to continue walking at a decent pace but it hurt like freaking HELL. The only thing I could think about was getting back to headquarters and using the foam roller on my ITB's and getting some Advil into me and see if that would help. The people that I had passed quite a bit earlier were catching up and passing me. That never really bothers me in a race cuz I ain't in it to win but it was really disheartening because it let me know that I wasn't moving very well. Tony caught up to me and we talked for a minute and then he was gone again, looking strong. He had had some heat issues earlier on but after the sun went down he was all over it. Anyway, I plodded along and eventually made it back to the headquarters. Aubrey and I talked about my predicament and decided that rather than really risk serious injury, I would call it quits and take the 100K buckle. Not at all how I planned it and I'm still not sure what I would have done if they wouldn't have had the 100K buckle option. This was my first stab at this distance and I decided out on the course that 100 miles is "a long fucking way to run!" I will definitely give it another whirl in the near future though. I have so many mixed emotions about the decision that I made too. I had so many friends really encouraging me to continue on and wanting to see me do well that it really made dropping at 100K difficult. However, considering how fucked up my feet are right now, I think I made the right decision. My feet are swollen double and my toes look like vienna sausages. I am fixing to lose about 8 toenails too. My ITB's don't feel too horribly bad today but are definitely fatigued. I will take about a week off and then pick it back up again.

For anyone wanting to consider Javelina as a race for 2009 I can highly recommend it. The aid stations and volunteers were top notch! The course is gorgeous and not too terribly tough. Make sure to do your heat training though. The heat wasn't really a factor for me, it felt just like home.

Ok, so, my plans for my next attempt at a hundred miler (don't know which one yet).
1. I guess go out slower. I thought I did but I guess it was just a little too fast.
2. I am going to start doing lots of strength training for my legs. I'm really tired of my fucking ITB's going crazy on me.
3. Continue to fuel and drink appropriately. This was one of my strongest points during Javelina. No stomach upset or bonking, energy-wise, at all!
4. If you have any other ideas of what I could do.....LET ME KNOW!!!

11/10/2008

Man, this month is really slipping by. Craziness!! I got up early this morning and helped get the kids off to school then hit the road for an easy 6 miles. The weather was perfect and my legs felt great. I thought about going further but decided it wouldn't be beneficial OR detrimental so I just packed it in at 6. I may or may not run in the morning, depending on how my night at work goes. I work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights and then off for 5 nights. Ready to rock and roll in Arizona!

11/8/2008 Buffalo Wallow

A 9am start brought cooler temperatures but it warmed up pretty quickly. A little too quickly actually. I wore a North Face pullover and a pair of CW-X tights and it was too much. Oh, well. Overall it was a good run. I finished in 2:09 so not the fastest but that's not what I was out there for. Just getting some more miles under the ol' belt before Javelina next Saturday. The hills, as usual, were pretty intense so I walked most of the long uphills. It's so hard to incorporate a walk/run with everyone around you "racing" to the finish. You can easily get caught up in the throng and take off way too quickly. I did well, I think, hanging back and taking my time. I'm not sure what kind of mileage I am going to put in tomorrow but I don't think it needs to be very far. I am really going to hit the foam roller this week too so I am nice and "kneaded" for next weekend. Anyway, more later. Ciao!

11/7/2008

I got off my ass this morning and Aubrey and I ran a nice little fast-paced 5 miles. I felt great, the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was only about 30 degrees but no wind. Tomorrow morning is the Buffalo Wallow out at the lake. A very hilly half marathon. I believe it's touted as the "Most Challenging Half In The State!" Not sure how they qualify that but oh, well. It definitely IS a tough course. Some of the hills that we will be running on are part of the bike course and running course of the Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3. Should be a nice run though. I'll let ya know.

11/3/2008

Another 6 miles covered this morning after work. Probably 8 tomorrow morning if I have a good night at work. The Buffalo Wallow is this weekend out at Buffalo Springs Lake. It's a half marathon with the West Texas Running Club and it's a really nice hilly run so I definitely plan on doing it. I think that will be the longest run I will go for at this point in time. I am totally stoked about Javelina coming up. Aubrey will be going with me and both crew and pace me later in the race. Should be some kinda fun! The race director has created a blog to keep everyone updated which is VERY cool! The site is javelinajundred.blogspot.com. Check it out.

10/31/2008

Happy Halloween, everyone!
Aubrey and I have gotten out the last two days and put in 6 mile runs both days. Feeling pretty good out there but need to go a little further in the next week or so. If I can get myself motivated tomorrow I will put in a longer run. Aubrey has to work tonight so that counts him out. I may actually use my Ipod for once. We shall see! Peace, guys, and have a "scary" evening!!

10/27/2008

After work this morning I hit the road and ran an easy 8 miles out on 1585. It was colder than I'd expected and wished that I had worn my gloves. It warmed up a little on the way back though so it made for a nice morning. Anyway, back to work tonight..............again. Man, I gotta win the lottery.

10/24/2008

Finally.........I was able to get out today and run a little. I've been working every freaking night since Monday. I really hate working that much. My legs were back to normal by Wednesday morning, no soreness at all. I had thought about running that morning after work but I had to get up early to pick up Zach from school. So today, being my only day off, I got to put in a nice 5 miles with Aubrey. I felt really good out there too, which is good cuz now I need to start building my mileage again so I can be ready for Javelina in less than a month. Well, I am going to go finish enjoying my one freaking day off. More later.

10/18/2008 Palo Duro Trail Run Race Report

We made it to Canyon around 5pm or so on Friday. Kelli, Zach, Kenzie, Aubrey, and I had all crammed into my Xterra for the trip. We checked in at race headquarters and picked up our race packets then headed to the hotel to meet my parents. We obviously had pasta on the brain so we headed to Olive Garden for a gentle carb load. You can't beat Olive Garden's Alfredo to dip your bread sticks in. Hello!! I had a bowl of Zuppa Tuscano soup and then my main meal was the Ravioli di Portobello! Hell yeah, it was good!!
Ok, so the next morning we got up and headed to the canyon. It was pretty chilly to start off. We started on the dot at 7am. It was dark still so we had to use head lamps for the first 45 minutes or so. Aubrey was running the 50k while I ran the 50 mile but we all started together. I really got aggravated that we started so far back in the queue. It was like a cattle chute for the first 3 miles and really effed up my first loop time. Anyway, at the 3.5 mile aid station Aubrey and the rest of the 50K'ers peeled off to the right and the 50 milers headed left. Each loop was 12.5 miles long. It was much hillier than I had expected. (A pattern that I've started to notice) The first loop was really easy after I finally broke free from the cattle chute. I finished it in 2:38. Aggravating. Once back at the main aid station I just refilled my bottle and then headed on. My family hadn't made it to the race yet so I didn't have to worry about them. The second loop was much better than the first. The trail was absolutely gorgeous. It had nice soft dirt on the majority of it all but there were definitely some areas that were pretty rocky and the hills were steep. I ran a negative split on my second loop at around 2:20 or so. Kelli and the rest of the family was there rooting for me which put a little extra energy in my step. I hit the ice chest and grabbed a chocolate Boost and took off again. The third loop was a little more difficult. Duh! I hit a rock with the ball of my foot halfway through the third loop. I would find out the next day that I had a 1 1/2 x 3/4 inch blood blister on the ball of my right foot. ha Good thing Kelli and I are both nurses. We made short work of it. So after the third loop I grabbed another Boost and headed out for the final lap. I had heard that lots of people had DNF'd due to the heat. From what I heard, it was around 83 degrees. It felt hot to me but not THAT bad. I just stayed hydrated and felt ok. So I finally made it in at about 11 hours and 16 seconds. Pretty good, I thought for the hills and heat I stayed pretty tough. I am posting this now on Monday night/Tuesday morning and my legs are feeling fine. My right foot is just a little sore but not bad. All in all, it was a great run and I will definitely give it another go next year.

10/14/2008

Fall is definitely here! Today it's about 50 degrees, cloudy, and raining. No running today. I may get on the elliptical if I feel industrious but more than likely I will just do some pushups and stuff like that. Aubrey and I ran a really nice 9 miles yesterday. The weather was perfect yesterday being a little overcast and cool. I love running in the fall weather, sans rain. Anyway, I may get a couple more shorter runs in before Palo Duro but all in all I feel that I am ready for the 50 miler. Mom and Dad, my nieces, and my wife and kids will all be there for this run so that makes it even more special. Mom and Dad haven't been to one of my races since I bumbled my way through the Buffalo Springs Lake Half Ironman almost 3 years ago. This should prove to be some kind of fun!

10/11/2008

I've only been able to get a couple of runs in this week since I've been at work ALL freaking week. I signed up for an extra shift on Thursday for extra money and it really took it's toll. I'm exhausted! Monday, before I went back to work, Aubrey and I ran a little 4 mile recovery run and felt fantastic. We were going to run 10 miles on Wednesday but we were both worn out from working all night and I knew that I had to get up early to go pick up Zach after his robotic's class after school too. We decided to wait until today to get a little more distance in. Today's run, however, was pretty shitty. It's cloudy and it rained on us a little and neither one of us felt that into it. We just plodded along for 8 miles. We had originally planned to put in 15 today but just couldn't bring ourselves to do it. I will try and get at least 10 miles done on Monday. I don't think that's too close to Palo Duro, especially since it's just 10 miles. We shall see. Keep your fingers crossed!

10/4/2008 Crossroads Marathon Report

Today was the inaugaral Crossroads Marathon and it went off without a hitch! The race started pretty much right on time, the course was beautiful, the aid stations were great, and the start/finish area was really cool. Aubrey and I stayed very true to our normal pace and walk/run ratio and ran it in just about the same time as Albuquerque. We finished in 4:30-something, feeling strong at the end. The only bad part of it all was the 15-20 mph wind directly in our face for the last 10 miles of the run. That was NO FUN! However, I have absolutely no soreness in my legs so I am really pleased even though I did the stupid thing and wore my new Speed Cross 2's. Of course that was a gamble but they're new shoes and I HAD to try them out, ya know! I really like them. I think they will be an excellent replacement for my New Balance mr790's. Still light but more cushioning. Anway, all in all, a GREAT day!! Ready for Palo Duro in two weeks!

10/1/2008

Okay, so Crossroads being in a couple of days, we got out and put in 6 miles this morning after work. Feeling good and ready to go!
I haven't received my new shoes yet but they should be here before too long. I don't think it would be a smart idea to wear them for the marathon anyway. Ok, I'll post in a couple of days and let ya know what's up.