tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31856168469163600952024-03-13T17:12:56.856-04:00The Running MoronA chronicle of one idiot's rise from couch potato to 5K races, half marathons and beyond.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09692314680504183768noreply@blogger.comBlogger711125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185616846916360095.post-3711138959363052062014-02-08T11:18:00.000-05:002014-02-08T11:37:03.369-05:00Did You Know It's Going to be the '80s Again Soon?There's a <a href="http://www.groupon.com/deals/80-s-retro-run-baltimore">Groupon available</a> in a my area today for something called the <a href="http://80sretrorun.com/events/frederick-md/">'80s Retro Run</a>. It's a 5K that harkens back to the days of <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Members+Only+jackets&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=vE72UuifF-rQyAGD_oDYCQ&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg&biw=1761&bih=916">Member's Only jackets</a>, neon, and if it's any kind of 80's deal, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Hypercolor&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3k72UuGJO8XYyAGwioHgDg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1761&bih=916">Hypercolor</a>. The Groupon is to run for $36 rather than the $59 regular registration fee. There was an early bird registration fee of $40, but that ended on January 23. A few things come to mind:<br />
<ul><li> When I think of running in '80s gear all I can think about is getting nipple damage from '80s materials.</li>
<li>Who would pay $59 to run a 5K in a Member's Only jacket and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Hypercolor&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=-k72Uqa4FoONygHxzoGQBg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1761&bih=916#q=Wayfarers&tbm=isch">Wayfarers</a>? (Hence, the Groupon. I know.)</li>
<li>Registration must be going so poorly that you can register now for less than the early bird registration fee.</li>
<li>If I registered early and paid $40 how mad would I be right now?</li>
<li>How poorly has this race been marketed, that I, a person who scopes out local running events on an ongoing basis, knew nothing about this one?</li>
</ul><center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/80sgear_zps90c0d4e9.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
<br>First we're going to have fun, then we're going to Wang Chung!</center><br />
Hopefully, the race will be a rousing success. As for me, I think I'll sit it out but attend in spirit by wearing a pastel t-shirt under a white sports jacket with the sleeves pushed up my arms.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
If you have a page that 50,000 people "like" it's a pain but you're still getting exposed to about 10,000 of those people for free. That's not bad. But when you have a small following of 500 or so likes like I do then you're only getting exposed to about 100 people. I still get more than 100 views a day on this blog and I've only updated it a handful of times in the last year or so. The solution to Facebook penetration woes without paying is for everyone who likes your page to comment, like, and/or share every single thing you post. Quite frankly, that's a garbage thing to expect of people who "like" your page.<br />
<br />
My interest is not in getting the people who "like" my page to do the work to spread the word about it. If they think it's worthy they'll do it on their own. I'm not going to beg people to spread my gospel, so to speak, to try to maintain whatever relevancy I have from what I've built.<br />
<br />
What I'm getting at is that I'm going to shift my focus from social networking -- or Facebook... I've been a miserable failure on <a href="https://twitter.com/runningmoron">Twitter</a> and I'm not interested in Pinterest or Instagram or any of that for now -- and back to my blog. I'll still post to Facebook and I'll link to my posts here from there, but I'm just going to do more of what I like, blogging, and not what I think I should do. If people come along with me back to this archaic form of internetery that'd be great. If not, you can still catch me where you've caught me. Just not as much. And you may have to seek it out.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/Hello-Im-back_zps94a8b750.jpg" border="1" alt=""/></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
While I stopped drinking caffeine I also stopped drinking juices, sports drinks, milk. Basically everything other than water. And speaking of water, I upped my intake of that considerably. I'm now up to at least a gallon a day. My bladder is as thrilled about that as those people who were around me the first four days of the cleanse were.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the result was 22 lbs. lost (I was hoping to shed 5-10), better mood, better sleep, and dramatically improved running ability.<br />
<br />
After 30 days of the cleanse I decided to basically stick with it, although adding a few more calories and allowing a little more cheating, and I started taking vitamins that included a blend of something that provided <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomere">telomere</a> support. I didn't know anything about telomeres either, and that's why I provided the link. <a href="http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/telomeres/">Here's another one</a> if you're still interested.<br />
<br />
After 30 days of the cleanse and after 30 days of post-cleansing that included vitamins I am running like I never thought I'd be able to again since suffering a stress fracture in my foot each of the last two years. It has been absolutely nuts. That's the only way I can describe it. I even had an annual physical and at 43 I'm in such good shape my doctor said he wishes all of his patients were as healthy as I am. <br />
<br />
My point is not to brag about my awesome physical condition. My point is that I'm running like a maniac these days, and while I credit clean eating I credit the constant flow of only water into my system almost as much.<br />
<br />
I used to struggle with hydration issues when I run because I'm a pretty heavy sweater. In the summer, even during the cooler parts of the day, I couldn't run three miles without bringing along water. I'd make sure to drink a cup or two before I headed out, and I'd have to replenish as soon as my run was finished.<br />
<br />
Now, because I am constantly so well hydrated water is not an issue. I can run further than ever without a sip. If I leave the house and forget to drink a cup or so before I leave it's no problem. If I spill some when I'm half way through a long run I don't panic.<br />
<br />
It's taken this long for it to sink in and for me to appreciate it, but a full-time water only hydration strategy helps me run like I never thought I would again. It's a miracle fluid. Tell your friends about this secret I've discovered.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/I-heart-water_zps1685672b.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>Aw, I heart you too water.</center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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Hi blog. Long time no talk. In the months since my last post I've struggled with running mightily. Maybe it was just summer's heat and humidity or whatever else, but I just wasn't getting it done out on the road. I made some changes to my diet, finished a 30 day nutritional cleanse which helped me clean my body of toxins such as artificial sweeteners and assisted me in kicking my caffeine addiction, and then hit the NFL Run Series <a href="http://nflrunseries.com/ravens/">Back to Football 5K</a> to see what, if any, improvements I made.<br />
<br />
I have to admit that I've kind of lost interest in 5Ks. They're not too terribly challenging really so participants don't take them as seriously as they might a longer event. You see a lot of walkers 4-5 wide out for a nice stroll, or people stopping to take pictures while others are trying to run by. But what's really turning me off is the price. Race registration fees in general are getting crazy but if you were to register last night just prior to the race the fee set would you back $55. For a 5K! I've run half marathons that didn't cost that much. The Ragnar Relay I ran last May was $105, and that covered three separate runs many miles apart over a day and a half. In comparison 5K registration fees are ridiculous.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I've been feeling pretty good about things and the Back to Football 5K was fun. It was held at the home of the <a href="http://www.baltimoreravens.com">Baltimore Ravens</a>, <a href="http://www.baltimoreravens.com/gameday/mt-bank-stadium.html">M&T Bank Stadium</a>. Part of the lower concourse was open, and concession stands and team store was open. There was also a few sections of seats open so friends and family could watch participants cross the finish line. There were also appearances by beloved Ravens alumni such as <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Jamal+Lewis&oq=Jamal+Lewis&aqs=chrome..69i57j5j0l2.641j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8">Jamal Lewis</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Matt+Stover&oq=Matt+Stover&aqs=chrome..69i57j5j0l2.705j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8">Matt Stover</a>, NFL Commissioner <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Goodell">Roger Goodell</a> was there to say a few words while everyone was lined up at the start, and the Lombardi Trophy was even on display. There was lots of festive Ravens and football decorations put up and it was a generally fun environment.<br />
<br />
The race itself started off right in front of the stadium's Gate A, which is called <a href="http://www.sportssteve.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/1UnitasToe5Nov2006.jpg">Johnny Unitas Plaza</a> and headed up a bridge/overpass. Since I lined up with the 9:00 min/milers I was in the second wave, which was ok because I was in the front of it. I was wearing a brand new pair of <a href="http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-07/under-armour-speedform-review-finally-bra-feet">Under Armour SpeedForm</a> running shoes. They fit like a glove and I was feeling pretty good.<br />
<br />
Once we got up and over the bridge the route leveled off and featured a fairly long out and back along a road where a couple parking lots were located. The route really stuck as close as possible to the stadium, and if you're unfamiliar with Baltimore's Camden Yards you'll know that there's really nothing of interest in the immediate are surrounding M&T Bank Stadium. <a href="http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/bal/ballpark/index.jsp">Oriole Park</a> is another story, but that's wwaaaaayyyy on the other side of yet another parking lot. <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/backto5kroute640x380_zpsde880e96.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>There's really nothing sexy about this route, unless you're a big fan of out and backs and business districts.</center><br />
After getting back from the out and back we hit another small incline going up another bridge. I guess it was about a mile into the run. When I got up to top the song (or organized noise, if you prefer) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YHbfzQRwVY">Bangarang</a> by Skrillex was in my head. The bass dropped at the perfect time and I just wanted to fly. So I started to sprint! Then I got my wits about me so I backed off a little.<br />
<br />
I didn't have to back off much though because while it was little warm out I felt great and my pace was inching lower and lower. We ran another out and back, went under an overpass, around a parking lot, along the side of the stadium and then down a ramp, through the tunnel the players come out of on game day and we ran around the field to the finish line, which was on the sideline on the other side at the 50 yard line. The finish was supposed to be on the field, and I guess it was but only in the loosest of terms. <br />
<br />
There is no way I can praise the <a href="http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/speedform">Under Armour SpeedForm</a> enough. I had them in my usual size 10.5 but they were too long and my foot was slipping in them so I exchanged them for a pair in size 10 and while I thought they were just slightly narrow I couldn't have taken them in any other size. They felt great just putting them on and running in them was a revelation. They're ultralight but still have a 6mm heel-to-toe drop so they're not what you could really call minimalist shoes. You will leave a trail of fire in your wake if you run in them though.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/SpeedForm_zpsa9b1cd80.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>They're bright and they're blue and they're my new running best friends.</center><br />
By my watch I finished in 24:20, which amounted to about a 7:50 pace. Since running has been such a struggle for me I was hoping to keep it under 8:40, so this was something of a shock. A happy shock. I was feeling good, but I didn't think I was feeling that good.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/5b85402c-ad3e-41ba-a64c-bca56d1eaab5_zps66780268.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>Officially, I was even two seconds better.</center><br />
This was a good race, a fun time, and I would do it again as long as I got in on the early registration fee. Also, thanks to the <a href="http://www.baltimoreravens.com/ravenstown/cheerleaders/index.html">Ravens cheerleaders</a> for lining the field at the end to cheer people on to the finish, the camera operators who allowed people to see themselves running on the big stadium screens, the local people along the race route who cheered, sung to, and otherwise entertained and motivated the runners, and my buddy Mark for killing time with me before the race started.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/c7ca0088-60d6-46d9-90c4-6a3818affd25_zpsccb84d4d.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
192 miles later, the finish arch.</center><br />
There was a little confusion as soon as we finished. There were pictures to take and medals to be awarded and flags to turn in and t-shirts to exchange and gear to buy. But we got it all together and made our way up to the actual post-race celebration, which was up some stairs (cruelty!) and through a <a href="http://www.pilgrim-monument.org/">Provincetown, MA museum </a>and up more steps (more cruelty!) to an open area with tents and beer and chowdah for relay finishers. The ladies in van 1, who had it a little more together than us van 2 Ragnar n00bs, found a table and we all finally sat down for our celebration beeah. We also got to meet the volunteers Dayna recruited to save our bacon, and our wallets, and we all got to thank Nikki and Alex personally. They were like, "no big woop," but it was. It was a huge woop.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/e135635f-9f93-4386-b7ba-76266d2c7017_zps8f2e5fc7.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
The view from the finish line party area was worth the run.</center><br />
One thing I left out of this recap so far has been the weather. Usually when I run a race on the first weekend of May it's either hot and humid or hot and rainy and then humid. This race was chilly, and by chilly I mean it was perfect running weather. It was cool and cloudy, and while it was a little breezier than I'd prefer I loved it. I ran in shorts and long sleeves and I was fine, although it warmed up enough to run in short sleeves for my last leg.<br />
<br />
However, it was like running three blocks from the Arctic Circle to the women of van 1 who log most of their miles in Southern California. And it <i>was </i>cool and a little breezy during the post-relay affair while we were sitting around. One of the women in that van, Rebecca, was having trouble with her knee and that in combination with the weather didn't make her feel too festive. You can't really blame her for that. She was the Wendy of Van 1. When she said she was going back to their van to chill out that kind of signaled the end of our time as a team. We all hugged, said our goodbyes, and promised to keep in touch. That may actually happen, because we might try to either recruit or join some of those ladies for a <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/race/napavalley">Napa Valley relay</a> down the road (hint).<br />
<br />
Anyway, Wendy had to get home, and Dayna and Kristi did too, so after a little nut clustery we men in the van met up with the ladies and their cars so they could get their stuff. We said our goodbyes and everyone went their own way. Not only was our time as a team over, but so was our time as van mates. Sigh.<br />
<br />
The ladies from van 1 were smart and were hanging out in Provincetown for the night while we guys were headed back to Hull and our hotel at the start line. It was about a two hour drive so we got on the road. My usual post-race routine is to clean up and then go out to enjoy a celebration bacon cheeseburger, but we were all so tired -- especially Patrick, who was working on even less sleep than my hour AND he was driving -- we just stopped at a Friendly's on the road and built our own burgers. I asked for double grease on my burger and I'm pretty sure they obliged. Hoo boy was that thing a grease bomb. Anyway, this is how with it I looked during our burger stop:<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/burger640x480_zps9c8ae37f.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
Hello, ladies.</center><br />
From there were made a beeline to the hotel, split company, and I crashed. Hard.<br />
<br />
We met up again early in the morning to clean up and turn in the van. The area across from the hotel that was set up for the Relay and milling with activity just two days before looked like this: <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/21c1327c-4bbf-48c8-a7c3-12fe6bf2cfc6_zpseedaf4ef.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
Ragnar Relay? What's a Ragnar Relay?</center><br />
Patrick, Mark, and I turned in the van, did some touristy stuff, got a lobster roll because New England, and then Mark and I were deposited at the airport to put a definite end to the weekend. The Ragnar Relay Cape Cod was the most fun running thing I've ever done, and I owe it to my old running buddies Patrick and Mark, and my new running buddies Wendy, Dayna, Kristi, Courtney, Carrie, Rebecca, Carrie, Tara, Gena, and Joelle. We weren't the fastest team (327 out of 355 teams). We didn't have the best decorated van, and we weren't the most outwardly spirited, but we were the best team. I'd run with any of those people anywhere. Even the effin' hippies.<br />
<br />
<b>POSTSCRIPT</b><br />
<br />
I usually like to do a list of things I noted during an event, but like I said things were just a blur once the relay started and being so tired just made things more blurry. But here are a couple things:<br />
<br />
1. One of the neat things about Ragnar is how everyone gets into everything. It's ostensibly a competition, but it's probably not a lot of fun if you're too busy trying to win. Kind of like the <a href="http://www.warriordash.com/">Warrior Dash</a>. One of the things people do is tag other vans with their team's name or logo or something. Some teams even had magnets made that they'd stick on other vans:<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/35d5c30e-eb68-45ef-82b8-6a32ca72b201_zps1fe1a7e8.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>These teams were here.</center><br />
2. Some teams really enjoy the creative aspect of van decoration. Our was not one of them. This one was:<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/ded42bda-04a4-4915-99a1-c7d375506981_zps77c24427.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>I like the effort, but enough with the zombies already.</center><br />
3. Some teams also like putting motivational slogans on their vans. Or taunting ones, whatever:<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/f416f193-0eea-4194-8575-0443e395bfa7_zpsedb151f3.jpg" border="1" alt=""/></center><br />
4. Every Ragnar volunteer I interacted with was terrific, even the ones standing outside in the middle of the night shivering.<br />
<br />
5. Running a Ragnar Relay is a grind, but I didn't want it to end.<br />
<br />
6. I do want this recap to end.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
To be honest, once the running started things got a little fuzzy for me. Everything became a blur of waiting to run, running, and rushing to get to the next runner. There were breaks in between when van 1 was on duty, but they didn't seem very long and we didn't get much rest during our rest. I do remember getting to Plymouth for our first leg, which was going to be run by Dayna. We got to Exchange 6, went through the proper procedures to get on the go and waited for Gena, who was runner #6 for van 1. She texted a warning to her crew that she was on her way, so we all waited with Dayna to take over the baton (or slap bracelet, whatever). <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/exchange6640x320_zps8bca9e76.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
Gena running toward Dayna on the left, courtesy of the Ragnar photographer and Dayna waiting for Gena to get to her on the right.</center><br />
When that happened we were off. Then we followed and leapfrogged and otherwise drove to exchange 2, where I was going to take over as runner #8. <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/423d834f-ad82-419c-a27a-4af98d767627_zpsccf17dfb.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
My first leg, Plymouth Beach to somewhere else in Plymouth.</center><br />
Thinking back to this run there's not much to distinguish it. I remember that it was supposed to be a "very hard" 5.1 miles, but it was neither very hard nor 5.1 miles. There were a couple hills, but nothing killer. There was a lot of downhill which I guess makes things difficult. I guess. The one thing that I do remember is getting up to the top of one of the hills I was running and seeing the water reach out to infinity past the trees next to the road. I remember thinking how nice it was. I was also so happy to be running my first Ragnar Relay leg I think the joy overcame everything else. My Garmin recorded 4.93 miles rather than the 5.1 I was supposed to run and when I was finished I felt like I got cheated out of the last .17 mile. Also, my goal was to run a 9:00/mile pace. Maybe even a little slower. I ran at a 8:44/mile pace. Oops. I kind of worried a little about that biting me on the tail some time later. Too late to worry about it then... <br />
<br />
I passed off to Mark, and he ran a killer 8.3 miles. He was our knuckleballer. He wasn't going to blow you away with heat but he'd grind out some innings. And he did.<br />
<br />
Mark finished his leg and handed off to Wendy, who has plantar fasciitis (PF) and shouldn't have even been running, who looked really good running, and she handed off to Kristi. <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/472749_657712524245366_1863341394_o640x480_zpsfa4cf13b.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
The picture helps jog the memory of what happened.</center><br />
Wendy was a true battler and was probably the most hardcore of the bunch in our van. She could barely walk but she was knocking out 4-ish mile legs that featured some pretty nice hills and looked good doing it.<br />
<br />
Kristi ran her leg along the canal, which she liked, and she handed off to Patrick, who had a short-ish leg, but he had to run over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourne_Bridge">a bridge</a> that looked steep and was full of traffic. Patrick handed duties back over to Courtney and van 1 and we were off the clock for a while.<br />
<br />
We decided to get something to eat and hit up an Italian restaurant called <a href="http://www.mezzalunarestaurant.com/">Mezza Luna</a> near the Bourne Bridge, because runners are required to eat pasta or something. We were smelly and maybe underdressed, but the restaurant didn't care and the chow was good. I ate a ziti with chicken and broccoli thing. Then we went to the room Mark reserved for us to chill and clean up in, but I don't think we were in there for 30 minutes before we had to hit it for our next shift. Money well spent!<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
<b>SECOND SHIFT, LEGS 19-24</b><br />
<br />
For the second go-round we'd all be running at night. That meant headlamps and reflective harnesses. We all looked something like this:<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/934602_10200746758566624_2072334670_n477x640_zps5a55a057.jpg" border="0" alt=""/><br />
We were sexy and we knew it.</center><br />
We met up with van 1 at a school to take over for them. By this point Wendy was in even more pain, but it turned out van 1 housed a couple physical therapists. Those SoCal ladies got better and better! They applied some <a href="http://www.kttape.com/what-is-kt-tape/">KT Tape</a> to her heel and wished her the best as they took off to go chill until they took back over in the middle of the night. Dayna grabbed the stick from Gena and away we went again.<br />
<br />
Dayna killed her run and I took over for her in the parking lot of an <a href="http://www.ems.com/home/index.jsp">Eastern Mountain Sports</a> store, where I discovered the race volunteers worked and which was open for Ragnar Relay runner business. Smart!<br />
<br />
This run was in the dark, and I thought it'd be enjoyable, and it was. However, my route went on a road that had a fair amount of traffic even for 10:30 at night and I kept getting headlights in my face. That kind of ruined my night vision and very much reduced the effectiveness of my headlamp. I also had to run on this walking path thing for the first 3/4 of a mile that kind of zig zagged around trees. After a while I just said screw it and ran on the road. That worked.<br />
<br />
I'm not exactly sure where we were and I couldn't see anything, but it was a pretty residential area, I think. At one point I was approached by teenagers or young adults or something who were smoking cigarettes and trying to engage me in conversation. I was rocking out to Metallica too hard to hear them though and they didn't chase me or anything so it was all good. I was feeling pretty good, but the pasta I ate earlier was kind of sitting there in a lump and my stomach was cramping a little.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/Leg2640x525_zpsff23c192.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
My second leg. From EMS to church.</center><br />
There's a thing in Ragnar called kills. That's what you get when you pass someone. Every time you do that you tally one. (There's also something called reverse kills, which is what you get when someone passes you. We didn't count those.) On my first leg I got two kills. On my second I didn't even see anyone to kill until I hit the "One Mile to Go" sign. She was part of the group that dressed up as members of AC/DC and was wearing lit-up devil horns. I was kind of having a hard time of it, but I didn't start walking like she was when I passed so I felt pretty good about myself. Then, very shortly later, two guys came right up behind me and passed me with ease. I did not take a walk break, but I was struggling and worried that I had been running too fast. I was afraid my first leg was way too fast, and this one probably was too. By the third mile I was running at an 8:40 pace and I still had 2.5 miles to go at that point.<br />
<br />
So those guys passed me with ease and that last mile made me pay. I ran the last half mile at a 9:29 pace and that helped drop my average pace for the leg down to 8:58/mile (still sub 9:00 though). I finished at a church parking lot and I needed to walk around a bit to catch my breath. Two down and one to go. My last one was only 2.4 miles though, so how bad could it be?<br />
<br />
After me, Mark took off and he powered through his leg, but he lost our slap bracelet, which acted as a baton between runners. I wanted to fire him on the spot but I was overruled. He got lucky.<br />
<br />
After him Wendy took off again and hobbled down the road. We told her that we'd cover her miles for her so she didn't risk further damage but she was too hard <s>headed</s> core to give up. She actually looked better running than she did walking. Maybe she should have never stopped.<br />
<br />
Kristi rocked her leg after Wendy and then Patrick took over at exchange 23 for our last leg. I don't remember exactly, but it had to be about 1:00am by then. At that exchange there were a couple police officers helping with traffic control or something (thanks guys!) and wouldn't you know as they were standing there they nabbed themselves a drunk driver. As we were waiting for Kristi we watched as the dummy driving drunk up to a police filled intersection submitted to a field sobriety test and was then hauled away. Good times.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/drunk_zpsb609e919.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
Of course I had to take a pic. I was just afraid to use a flash. Here the guy is holding up one leg and saying his ABCs or something. He failed. Dummy.</center><br />
At this point in the relay, when it's the middle of the night and you're tired after running two legs and 10+ miles or whatever, your true self starts to come through. That was certainly true of me. My van mates dealt with me getting grouchier and more profane as time went on. I was driving the van when Patrick was running and when we were looking for the ladies of van 1 before he showed up to slap hands with Courtney I was calling for them out the window of the van using terms that might be thought of offensive. And maybe misogynistic. But at least not racist. Luckily, I think at least all of us in the van were at the same place. Except for Wendy. She's a deacon in her church and what you say in front of her you say in front of God. <br />
<br />
So Patrick took off from the crime scene and headed to our meetup with van 1 for them to start their last shift. I don't even remember where that occurred, but the ladies were ready to go. Off they went and off we went.<br />
<br />
Mark had another room reserved for us and we were actually going to head straight there rather than use our time off eating at a restaurant and getting no real rest. But it was like 2:00am or so and the place we had our reservation was closed. Yes, a hotel closed. We were going to just head over the next major exchange and rack out in a school gym or something, but we weren't even sure if the place was set up yet. While we were wondering Mark was on his Google machine finding a place for us.<br />
<br />
We camped out in two rooms and got what I'd call a little nap. I think I got a solid hour or so of sleep. I was tired and crabby and could have used more sleep. But I did get a shower, and that was nice. We gathered ourselves together and hit the road to meet up for our last shift before hitting the finish line.<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
<b>THIRD SHIFT, LEGS 31-36</b><br />
<br />
Before we went to get a little shut eye I offered to switch legs with Wendy to help her some because of her PF. Her leg was 3.7 miles while mine was 2.4. The first thing I saw when I got up from my nap was a text from her: "Can I still swap legs with you?" <br />
<br />
The plan was for me to just go balls to the wall for 2.4 miles, but going 3.7 a little later than I expected to changed things some. I figured I'd take it conservatively and of course I'd swap legs. My leg was not only short, but it was supposed to be easy too. <br />
<br />
By now it was daylight and Dayna was on her last leg. She finished with a bang and high-fived Wendy to begin what was my leg. They should have been able to swap a slap bracelet but Mark lost that. I'm not bitter.<br />
<br />
We took off in the van in support of Wendy and found out that she had a big hill to go up right off the bat. There was nothing easy about that. Then a little past a downhill she had another big hill to climb. Quite honestly, her "easy" 2.4 miles seemed a lot harder than my "very hard" 5.1 mile first leg. She came down to the exchange to meet Mark looking pretty strong though, so she (wo)manned up and got it done.<br />
<br />
Mark grinded out a tough 7+ miles and met me at the bottom of a hill that I'd run up as part of my last leg. I was running a 3.7 mile "moderate" leg that belonged to Wendy before we swapped. As I waited for Mark at least a dozen other runners came down and their counterparts left. I was going to have some company on this leg. <br />
<br />
Mark showed up and I just took off. The plan was to keep it slow and steady because a) it was as warm as it had been since the relay starter, b) I had already run two legs faster than I planned, and c) I didn't know how I'd handle the extra mile and a third.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/Leg3640x520_zps978b6ac2.jpg" border="0" alt=""/><br />
My third leg...</center><br />
But a funny thing happened. I got a kill, passing someone who had trouble right out of the gate getting up that first hill. Then I passed another person. Then two more. Then another and another and another. The next thing I knew I cruising way harder and way faster than I intended, but I was passing fools left and right so I figured I'd keep it up and deal with it if I crash and burned.<br />
<br />
I got behind this one runner who was doing the relay ultra style (6 runners on a team with each running 6 legs rather than 3, and usually back-to-back). I was little worried about passing her because I didn't want her to get a reverse kill on me. So I followed her for a while and decided she was going too slowly and I just had to move. As I passed she said something like, "keep it up, less than two miles to go," and I said something like, "ok, I'll see you when you pass me." I didn't see her again before I finished the leg.<br />
<br />
There was a mother of a hill to get up and there was only person on it in front of me, a pretty big guy. About half way up the hill there was a guy, probably someone who lived there, offering water as people went by. The big guy was a little up ahead of me and he took some water. In fact, he liked it so much he stopped running and went to talk to the guy at his table. All right then.<br />
<br />
I just kept chugging. The guy asked if I wanted a drink as I went by and I politely declined. That hill sucked and I didn't want to ruin my mojo. I got up to the top of the hill and then there was a glorious decline for me to catch my breath on. By this time there was about a mile to go. I looked at my Garmin and saw I was cruising at a sub 8:30/mile pace. I was hoping to keep it at around 9:00/mile!<br />
<br />
But then I felt a little tweaking in my calf. It was flexing and I knew if I didn't slow it down it would seize up and I'd have to walk. The problem was that there was one more person up ahead and I <i>had</i> to pass her. I slowed it down a little and then a good thing happened: my last potential kill started to walk. <br />
<br />
I passed her by and then slowed a little more, trying to keep it together so that my calf wouldn't seize up. Luckily, I was able to do that and I was able to finish the leg strong. I passed every runner I saw between the time I started the leg and the time I finished and ended with 16 kills on that leg. I finished that run with an 8:41/mile average pace, my fastest pace of my three runs. To say I feel like I finished on a high note is an understatement.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/leg3Wide640x519_zpsfa00e133.jpg" border="0" alt=""/><br />
...went all the way across the cape.</center><br />
My leg finished at a beach. I slapped Kristi's hand (still not bitter) and off she went to her exchange at a library. I think she did some miles along a rail trail and handed off to Patrick for our last leg, a 7.2 "very hard" miles to the finish line. It was getting hot out so while Patrick said he'd be ok with the water he was carrying we still stopped to see if he needed anything a few times.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/941139_10200752856799076_1784143375_n640x469_zps94edd844.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
Some of us still had time to pose for pics on ratty, flea bitten sofas dumped on the beach. You know who didn't? Me. You know who didn't get flea bitten? Me.</center><br />
Finally, when he had a few miles left we headed to the finish line, which took a little longer than we'd hoped. We parked the van at a designated spot in a VFW parking lot and started to walk to the finish line, only to discover it was about half a mile away. As we were walking up we started to notice people coming by who were in the vicinity of Patrick when we saw him last, so we knew he couldn't be far behind. Would we make it to the finish line in time to run across with him and the rest of our team, who was already there?<br />
<br />
Well, pretty much. We made it up and just as I got up where the van 1 ladies were here comes Patrick in the zone and just running with a group of other finishers. He never even saw us to slow down and let us run across with him! We chased him down and finally, after 36 legs, 32 hours, 192 miles, and approximately 40,000 f-bombs we were finished.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/3fd5e43e-7ce9-4b8d-b22d-2b49e6f2f28d_zpsaf28d36c.jpg" border="0" alt=""/><br />
And no worse for wear.</center><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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</script></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09692314680504183768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185616846916360095.post-76707594290295746822013-05-07T13:11:00.000-04:002013-05-07T13:11:46.337-04:00The Ragnar Relay Chronicles, Volume I: Cape Cod, Part I<b>NOTE</b>: <b><i>I was going to post my recap of Ragnar Cape Cod as one post, but it was well over 5,000 words long and I hated half of it. Here's the stuff about leading up to the relay itself while I punch up the rest. It should be posted tomorrow.</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>INTRODUCTION</b><br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/ragnarhull640x480_zps53ae9004.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>The start of the adventure lies ahead.</center><br />
One of the things that's been on my running bucket list has been a <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/ragnar">Ragnar Relay</a>. Traveling 200ish miles with 11 other people in two vans with each person running three legs sounds like a party. Unfortunately, I only know like 4 people and 3 of them hate running, so it's been hard to get a team together.<br />
<br />
I do have some virtual running friends and on occasion they've become reality running friends so last fall after running the <a href="http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/">Falmouth Road Race</a> and loving Cape Cod I floated the idea of putting together a team to run the Ragnar Relay that's held there. The team came together so quickly it was unbelievable. I mean monetarily committed together. It's not cheap to register for one of these relays but we had the $1,260 required within a couple weeks or so. I was so excited.<br />
<br />
Time rolled on and nothing really happened and then around January or February the one person on the team who had previously run a Ragnar relay was like, "uh, hey guys, we need to get our act together and make some plans and decisions" about such things as vans and hotels and celebrations and the like. Running a Ragnar takes planning, especially when only one of us had ever really done something like this before. <br />
<br />
It was at that point things fell apart. A couple team members we never heard from again after they paid their registration fees. Others had to drop out for various reasons and by the time all was said and done there was four of us left. A little bickering went on, and I thought we were going to have to cancel our plans and drop out.<br />
<br />
Luckily, there was some time as we still had a couple of months to go, so we calmed down a little and put out a call for runners on the Ragnar web site. I also contacted at least 6 or 8 people who were listed on the site as looking for a team to run with. Those people all either found teams to join or they decided to do something other than Ragnar that weekend. It wasn't looking good.<br />
<br />
With only about two months to go before relay day I was contacted by a nice guy named Adam who was looking for a team for himself and other friends. That would give us at least eight, but they wanted to be in a van together and were wishy washy about whether they had two or six. Still, I invited them on to the team because I was desperate.<br />
<br />
Shortly after that I got contacted by a lady named Courtney. She was from Southern California and she was looking for a team that could accommodate six. They also wanted to be together in a van and they were prepared to handle everything they'd need. They had some Ragnar vets who knew how to ride in the rodeo, so Courtney was like my Ragnar angel. She offered to cover 6 of our 8 open slots AND handle all of the logistics for the six. I couldn't welcome her and her friends to the team quickly enough.<br />
<br />
So we had one van taken care of, but we still had Adam and his crew looking for slots and we were down to two at the most. I didn't want to tell him no because I had no other options for the two open slots, but I didn't want to absolutely confirm his places on the team either.<br />
<br />
And then I was visited by another angel. Dayna was looking for a team for her and her sister to join. Just the two of them. They would round our team out perfectly. Also, because we had a runner who was "local" we had to provide either three volunteers to help man the relay or pay $120 for each one we couldn't provide. Dayna had volunteers. She and her sister Kristi were in! I told Adam our team really didn't have a place for him anymore after I said it did and felt like a jerk about it, but he was extremely gracious about it and hoped we'd meet up during the relay to say hi. We didn't get the chance, but who cares. After having our team fall apart we had one raring to go!<br />
<br />
[Note to those looking to put together teams early on: make sure there's an agreement between all parties that once the team is registered there will be no registration refunds for any reason. We were very clear about that on our team. The people who dropped out understood they were losing their $105 and would live with it, and it provided a little incentive when we were looking for runners. We might not have had everyone we needed, but we were able to offer whoever would join us a spot on the team without having to pay a registration fee. That was over $600 our SoCal contingent saved.]<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
<b>PRELUDE</b><br />
<br />
After all of the hassles of getting the team together I had one more unfortunate hurdle to deal with leading up to departure for Boston and the relay.<br />
<br />
My Aunt Ar had been very sick with cancer and things weren't looking bright. She decided to not continue with chemo and was moved into hospice care on April 21. She was given a few days to a few weeks. I didn't know whether the end might come at a time that would jeopardize my trip or if it would force me to leave Cape Cod almost as soon as I crossed the finish line or what. I had 11 other people depending on me and after all we'd been through I didn't want to be the one who screwed everything up. I came up with several contingency plans to use if necessary, and my van mates, Patrick, Mark, Wendy, Dayna, and Kristi were all understanding. The way it worked out my aunt passed away on April 25. Her funeral and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_(Judaism)">Shiva</a> were finished by April 30, and I was able to travel, run, and return without a heavy heart or concern for what was going on back home. You could say it was the last favor she did for me.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I flew up to Boston with my local running buddy and van mate Mark and we met up with our virtual and occasionally reality running buddy Patrick, who was our experienced Ragnarian and the possessor of the 15 person van we'd be calling home for a day and a half. The other half of our van mates, Wendy, who only Patrick knew, and Dayna and Kristi, who none of us knew, were going to meet up with us the following morning once the relay was underway. We were van 2 so we would start later in the day. Our SoCal contingent of Courtney, Tara, Carrie, Carrie, Rebecca, Gena, and Joelle were manning van 1 (yes there were seven ladies and two Carries), and they were on the clock at 5:00am Friday morning.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/nantasket640x480_zps0abd048d.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
<a href="http://www.nantasketbeachhotel.com/">The hotel</a> I stayed at before the race. The start line area was across the parking lot.</center><br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/start1640x480_zpsd9a70da5.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
This is the start line area, an hour or so after my team started. It was pretty amazing how uncrowded and laid back it was for a start line area.</center><br />
The van 1 ladies hit the ground running in Boston on Thursday taking in the sights and doing all that touristy stuff, and they were still up to meeting the three of us at the lounge in their hotel before they called it a night. We met up at 5:30pm. I figured we'd spend a half hour or so saying hi and then wishing each other well, but while a few of the ladies cashed out and went to their rooms we wound up hanging out for three hours with the few who stuck it out to the end. I don't know how they felt about it, but I thought we made fast friends. We had a good van 1!<br />
<br />
After saying goodnight and good luck we headed back to our hotel, which was right next to the start line. I said I'd try to see the ladies off at 5:00am but didn't make it. I moseyed over and checked things out for a while and saw the 6:30am wave take off from Nantasket Beach in Hull. It was a reasonably leisurely morning for me considering our team was already on the move.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/0630wave640x480_zps0c90037f.jpg" border="0" alt=""/><br />
The 6:30 wave taking off. Sorry for the light pole in the middle of the picture. I'm a lousy photographer.</center><br />
We got our things together after a while and Patrick, Mark, and I went to meet up with Wendy, Dayna, and Kristi, who were at a hotel in Plymouth, MA near where our van would take over from van 1. The three of them shared a room Thursday night. Wendy had never met Dayna and Kristi before bunking with them. How <s>crazy</s> awesome is that?!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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If you want to help support the victims of last week's Boston bombings and pretty up your running shoes in the process, <a href="http://www.saucony.com/store/SiteController/saucony/home">Saucony is set to begin selling</a> shoelace medallions with 100% of the proceeds going to <a href="https://secure.onefundboston.org/page/-/donate2.html">The One Fund Boston</a>. If you'd like to do even more, <a href="http://blog.saucony.com/sauc-talk/6-ways-boston/?utm_source=201304home&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=PostMarathon">here's a list</a> of six ways you can help.<br />
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<br />
Out of all the Saucony shoes in which I've run I've had the most success in one model. I've run everything from speedwork to half marathons in them and they've always performed well. That model is the <a href="http://www.saucony.com/store/SiteController/saucony/productdetails?stockNumber=20173-1&showDefaultOption=true&skuId=***4********20173-1*M070&productId=4-111900&searched=true">Mirage</a>. You can see what I've thought about it in the past <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-usually-run-towards-mirages-and-not.html">here</a>, <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/03/its-your-time-shoe-better-step-it-up.html">here</a>, <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/03/that-guy-impersonating-cheetah-yeah.html">here</a>, <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/03/at-least-i-have-weather-to-cover-for-my.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/03/footwear-follow-up.html">here</a>. The Mirage is up to its third iteration and I was fortunate enough to get a pair to test. How did the new shoe do?<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/mirage3-2640x480_zpsb1555492.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp looking shoe...</center><br />
I put these shoes through a three-part test.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Part I</u>: Three mile treadmill run</b><br />
<br />
I always like to put a new pair of shoes on a treadmill so if something goes wrong I'm not a mile or two away from home. The big test for this very first run is to see if the balls of my feet get a little hot with friction. It's something that happens with many new pairs of shoes and it doesn't indicate a bad shoe for me. It just shows the shoe may take a little while to get used to. The Mirage 3 got me through the three mile treadmill test without feeling those hot spots.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Verdict</u>: Success!</b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Part II</u>: Three mile outdoor run</b><br />
<br />
If all goes well on the treadmill I hit the road. In this case, I went about 3.5 miles on a breezy and cool Saturday morning. I've been slowly recovering from injury so I wasn't running as fast as I'd like, but it wasn't because of the shoes. My feet felt light and they could have gone a lot further than my lungs.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Verdict</u>: Success!</b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Part III</u>: Speedwork</b><br />
<br />
If I can run indoors well and if I can run outdoors well in a pair of shoes then I put them to the real test: Running fast for short bursts. I need a shoe that's light enough and responsive enough to allow me to run fast while huffing for air and not make me feel like I'm being weighed down by my feet. I didn't really attempt anything too brutal, but 3 miles that included 4 X 400M at 5K pace could not have gone much better. Well, I guess I could have sweat less.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Verdict</u>: Success!</b><br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/mirage3-1640x480_zps50f0956b.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>Hello, ladies.</center><br />
With performance out of the way let's worry about the important thing in regards to the Mirage 3: looks. The Mirage 3 is a sharp looking shoe, but there's all kinds of technical wizardry included in pair. Things like a FlexFilm covered upper, ProGrid heel, and XT-900 rubber outsole. I don't know what any of that means because I'm just a running moron, but it all works to make a really nice performing, and looking, shoe. <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/miragecollage_zpsb7da86fb.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>The original Mirage on the left, the Mirage 3 on the right. My, look how you've grown!</center><br />
My one little problem with the Mirage 3 is that it fits just a little small. I wear a size 10.5 and while the Mirage 3 in that size fits I'd probably like to see what a size 11 feels like. However, even with the snugger fit my toes don't feel bunched up and that's what matters most to me.<br />
<br />
In sum, I like the Saucony Mirage 3. If you try it I think you might too.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
In addition to not wearing glasses I'm not really a sunglasses guy when I run. I'm a pretty heavy sweater and I almost always get drips of sweat on the lenses when I try to wear sunglasses when I run, and there's not much more annoying than that and it's completely avoidable, so I avoid it. There was one pair of shades I would wear that were fantastic for running, the <a href="http://www.oakley.com/halfjacket">Oakley Half Jacket</a>, but I left my car unlocked one day and someone stole them. They were in production for something like 20 years but it looks like Oakley finally stopped making the original Half Jacket model. They're still available, but a little too expensive for me to re-purchase.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/Jet-Black-Black-Iridium-03-614_zps64cf8bde.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>My lost love.</center><br />
Anyway, with my latest eye exam I tried contact lenses again. This is the first time I've worn contacts for any extended time since I started running in 2007. They're working out pretty well, but if I'm trying to run or workout or something after work it's a hassle to take them out and put them in and all that so I've been running and working out with them on my eyes. Results have been mixed. If something gets in my eye or I get a little sweaty and I rub my eye it'll hit me like I woke up from a nightmare that I shouldn't do that. Or sometimes my eyes will just dry out and I have no desire to carry eye drops out on a run with me so I'll have to blink and disrupt my juju to get my eyes back in whack.<br />
<br />
So, to the visually imperfect: how do you manage not running blind? Do you wear glasses? Are contacts ok for you? Have you figured out any way to make seeing while you're running easier? What are your tricks? I want to know, because I kind of like to see where I'm running.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
Planet Fitness has two areas for circuit training, a 30 minute full-body one and one to do abs in 12 minutes. There are lights and timers to tell you when to work out and when to rest and switch exercises. The equipment in these areas are meant to be used only in conjunction with circuit training, so all of the stuff inside the circuit areas are available in other places around the gym if you choose to use them to do individual exercises. There are also signs at the entrances of the circuit training areas with the rules of use for them, as well as signs on the wall saying the equipment in those areas are for circuit training only.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/pfcollage_zpsa70a5f8d.jpg" border="0" alt=""/><br>Use these areas only for what they're supposed to be used. Unless you don't feel like it.</center><br />
And still, even though members acknowledge to only use the circuit training equipment for circuit training when they sign their contracts and even though there are signs telling them to only use the circuit training equipment for circuit training, people still feel free to meander in there and use the machines will nilly for whatever exercise they feel like doing, lights and timers and rules be darned. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to complete a circuit with people clogging up machines for minutes on end with no regard for anyone other than themselves.<br />
<br />
To make matters worse, the people who work there don't seem to care about the people misusing the circuit training areas so you're left to your own devices to ask, cajole, beg, or threaten people to follow the rules of the circuit training areas or get out.<br />
<br />
Planet Fitness makes a big deal about being "lunk-free," but in my opinion the shmoes who fail to use the circuit training areas properly are just as lunk-headed as the jacked musclehead bro who drops his dumbbells on the floor with authority and they deserve to be shamed with a loud alarm even more than he.<br />
<br />
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PKDecuG4wxk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>I have more of a problem with non rules followers than I have with meatheads.</center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
Fast forward five years and those updates are now $10 more than last year's. It's gotten to the point where there don't seem to be many models of shoes <i>under</i> $100. To satisfy my curiosity I did some research. The table below shows four popular running shoe brands and includes the number of models each brand has for sale, how many have a MSRP under $100, the percentage of models under $100, and the most expensive pair of shoes that brand has for sale. It's not completely comprehensive, only includes men's running shoes, and doesn't include spikes and models that are made solely for track and field competition. You may also be able to find many of the $100+ models for less than that on retail sites. The table deals with MSRP only.<br />
<br />
<center><table border="1"><tr>
<td><center><b> Brand </b></center></td>
<td><center><b> # of models </b> </center></td>
<td><center><b> # of models < $100 </b> </center></td>
<td><center><b> % of models < $100 </b> </center></td>
<td><center><b>MSRP most expensive model</b> </center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center>Asics</center></td>
<td><center>34</center></td>
<td><center>9</center></td>
<td><center>26</center></td>
<td><center>$190</center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center>Brooks</center></td>
<td><center>25</center></td>
<td><center>7</center></td>
<td><center>28</center></td>
<td><center>$150</center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center>Mizuno</center></td>
<td><center>25</center></td>
<td><center>2</center></td>
<td><center>8</center></td>
<td><center>$200</center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center>Saucony</center></td>
<td><center>19</center></td>
<td><center>9</center></td>
<td><center>47</center></td>
<td><center>$150</center></td>
</tr>
</table></center><br />
(<b><font color="red">NOTE</font></b>: <i>I tried to include New Balance, but their web site is a mess. They list the same models over and over and it was tough pulling out what was relevant. I can say there are 62 shoe models for sale on their web site (with dupes), and roughly half of them are under $100. However, most of those under $100 are discontinued shoes on sale/clearance.</i>)<br />
<br />
If there's one thing that stood out to me it's that none of these brands sell more than half of their shoes for less than $100. The way things are going by 2014 Mizuno will have <i>no models</i> of running shoes selling with a MSRP less than $100.<br />
<br />
Also, is it really necessary to sell 19 shoe models, let alone 34? I'm curious to know how many of those models are really profitable and if some models are kept alive because there's so much money invested in their R&D. The Mizuno Wave Prophecy 2 has the same $200 price tag as the original Wave Prophecy. Is $200 the limit people will pay and Mizuno recognizes that, or are they afraid to add another $10 to the price because sales are kind of dicey and Mizuno really believes in the shoe? <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/2013-Sneakers-Mizuno-Wave-Prophecy-2_zpsa04a4dd9.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>The Mizuno Wave Prophecy 2. Worth $200?</center><br />
I imagine that eventually running shoes will regress and the number of models and their prices will stabilize. Or not. Maybe every shoe company will create a shoe for every type of foot and body type imaginable and they'll charge premium prices for them. All I know is that I personally am regressing when it comes to running shoes and am moving away from the lighter, thinner, more "responsive" shoes in favor of something a little more stout and protective. The unfortunate thing is that I may have to eventually pay for the privilege to not run on the cutting edge of running shoes.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
<center>-----</center><br />
These days it seems there are more and more themed “fun runs” showing up across many cities and states. And whether these races involve mud, paint, music, or fire they are attracting hundreds, if not thousands, of participants at each event.<br />
<br />
Many of these races offer a variety of distances so all runners - from beginner to skilled - can join in on the fun. There seems to always be a 5K, or 3.1 miles, distance for beginner runners to participate in. But if you’re just starting out on your running routine, and you haven’t run over 3 miles yet, you may not be completely prepared for the work involved in these fun races.<br />
<br />
Below are a few tips to get you ready to run your first 5K.<br />
<br />
<b>Start Small</b><br />
<br />
If you are just starting a running regimen, or you haven’t run more than a couple miles at once before, you’ll want to train for your first 5K. Start by completing small runs every other day - not exceeding 2 miles - for the first couple weeks of your <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2009/12/and-winner-of-training-program-most.html">training</a>. You can continue to bump up your distances each week before your race, but be careful not to increase your total weekly miles by more than 10% each week. And don’t be afraid to walk a little if you’re tired. Walking to completely acceptable and many others will be taking walking breaks during the official race as well.<br />
<br />
<b>Take Care of Your Body</b><br />
<br />
Your body is what’ll be propelling you forward during your race, so you need to make sure you take care of it. Make sure your <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/">running shoes</a> are high quality and provide the right kind of support for your feet, legs and back. Also, your diet may need to change a little to ensure you’re taking in the appropriate nutrients you need for running. Increasing your protein intake, as well as your overall vitamin intake, will help your body recover faster. Additionally, pamper your muscles a bit by getting regular massages. There are countless <a href="http://www.massageenvy.com/benefits-of-massage-therapy.aspx">benefits to massage</a>, including repairing your muscles when you’re working them out so hard.<br />
<br />
<b>Find a Run That’s Fun</b><br />
<br />
If you’re deciding which run to choose for your first 5K, try to pick one that will be fun. Find runs that allow participants to dress up in costume, or give finishers free beer at the finish line, or cover participants in paint during the race. And try to get some of your friends to run the 5K with you. It’ll be even more fun, and you’ll be sure to finish with a smile on your face.<br />
<br />
By following these simple tips, you’ll successfully complete your first 5K, and be well on your way to 10Ks and 15Ks - or even <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/07/marathon-training-two-week.html">training for marathons</a> in no time.<br />
<br />
<center>-----</center><br />
To extend my laziness to graphics, here is a cool infographic I was sent that fits in nicely with Dana's discussion, particularly about fun runs. Check out the full-sized graphic and share it yourself <a href="http://runningshoes.com/running-boom">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://runningshoes.com/running-boom" title="The Running Boom"><img src="http://runningshoes.com/Data/Default/Marketing/RunningShoes/RunningBoom/infographic-full.jpg" width="600" alt="The Running Boom"></a></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001878/">Athlete's foot</a> isn't a problem on the scale of a <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kidney-stones/DS00282">kidney stone</a> or anything, but when you have it you're miserable. Your toes are always itching and it bothers the heck out of you at the least opportune moments. Luckily, there are products that take care of the itching and irritation almost immediately and cure the minor cases of "the foot" within a few days.<br />
<br />
I needed some of that magical between-the-toes cream so I entered my local pharmacy and looked around for it. And that's when I discovered the product I needed is marketed in different ways for different people.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lotrimin.com/index.html">Lotrimin Ultra</a> is not only good for athlete's foot, but it's also good for <a href="http://men.webmd.com/tc/jock-itch-topic-overview">jock itch.</a> I'm not embarrassed to admit that I have athlete's foot, but jock itch? That might give me pause. And every package of Lotrimin Ultra in my local pharmacy was packaged for jock itch and mentioned nothing about being effective for athlete's foot. This was new because from what I remember this product is good for both athlete's foot and jock itch. This package was so jock itch-focused I thought maybe Lotrimin Ultra wasn't good for athlete's foot anymore.<br />
<br />
Still believing it works for what I needed I sheepishly took the Lotrimin Ultra jock itck cream off the shelf and hoped the person running the checkout wasn't a cute girl who would silently judge me. For some reason I was irrationally troubled by this whole thing.<br />
<br />
As I was walking around the store it just so happened that I stumbled down an aisle and there, in all its glory, was Lotrimin Ultra packaged for athlete's foot! Thank goodness. The nerd in me had to put the jock itch Lotrimin and the athlete's foot Lotrimin side-by-side to see if they are the same thing. Trust me; they are. Same ingredients, same size, same price, same everything except for the packaging.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/lotrimin_zpsd7269098.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>Same exact product. Completely different packages.</center><br />
With the correct package in hand I be-bopped up to the cash register with a spring in my step I would not have had if I was forced to by the jock itch package. There was a cute girl working the cash register. I placed the package down with confidence, and as I was being rung up the cashier flashed a very quick glance that indicated she was silently judging me. She was probably grossed out at just the thought of my gross toes. Maybe I would have been judged easier if I was buying the jock itch package...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
Last summer I won a trip to <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/08/recapping-falmouth-road-race-without.html">Cape Cod and an entry</a> into the <a href="http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/">Falmouth Road Race</a> (I still owe a race review for that... I'm sorry Jeanette!). To make it even better I was provided wicked awesome New Balance running gear for race day that included a pair of shoes, the <a href="http://runningshoes.com/mens-new-balance-1080v2#/11485/0,0,2201/1">New Balance 1080 v2</a>. I love the shirt and I love the shorts, but I ran Falmouth in my trusty <a href="http://www.saucony.com/store/SiteController/saucony/productdetails?productId=4-108450">Saucony Mirage II</a>s. The 1080s sat in their box where they remained until I broke them out of their cardboard prison a few days ago.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/954881349_640_zpsc84391f3.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br />
I'm like the Great Emancipator of running shoes.</center><br />
I did a test on a treadmill to see if I could <s>run</s> <s>jog</s> slowly meander one mile. First I walked a mile and then came the test, and the 1080s held up really well. They felt a little heavy and a little clunky, and they're more in line with a shoe that's full-featured and sorta kinda trying to be on the edge of minimalist, such as the <a href="http://www.saucony.com/store/SiteController/saucony/productdetails?productId=4-107670&stockNumber=20127-4&skuId=420127-4M075&selectedWidth=M&selectedSize=7.5&showDefaultOption=true&directURL=true&CID=cse_googleprodsrch_Men's%20Cortana&gclid=CJrf7OOY8rQCFcuZ4Aod_3AACA">Saucony Cortana</a>, but to see if one of my feet broke trying to move them at a slightly faster pace than glacier they were fine.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure I'm willing to say it'd be a great idea for me to ride a shoe such as the 1080 v2 to double digit distances, but to get back at it I think they'll be fine.<br />
<br />
It's a good thing I'm not too wedded to the idea of making the New Balance 1080 v2 my new go to shoe, because they're on clearance to make way for the <a href="http://runningshoes.com/mens-new-balance-1080v3/red-green">1080 v3</a>, which looks like an entirely different shoe. My timing is always impeccable.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
Saucony changed their philosophy on how they design and develop shoe lines. They've dropped the distance between the heel and the toe on many of the most popular models to better mimic the minimalist/barefoot running experience. Sure, the shoes may have quite a bit more cushioning than actual minimalist or barefoot shoes, but the change in the drop of the heel to toe is still pretty radical in the grand scheme of running shoes. And, unfortunately for me, I think I need to be radically traditional when it comes to running shoes.<br />
<br />
Truthfully, I love how the new philosophy has manifested itself in Saucony shoes. I <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-ncr-trail-marathon-relay-in.html">ran a half marathon</a> in Kinvara 3s on Thanksgiving weekend and my feet felt great all 13.1 of the miles I travelled. But with <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/12/not-everything-is-for-everyone-except.html">the realization</a> that even mock minimalist/barefoot running isn't for everyone I believe I'm going back to shoes with more of a heel to toe drop than less. <br />
<br />
The question is which shoes should I use? Here are a few candidates:<br />
<br />
<b><u>Asics Gel-Kayano 19</u></b><br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/kayano19640x480_zpsd627dec7.jpg" border="1" alt=""/></center><br />
<b>Weight</b>: 10.9oz<br />
<b>Heel-to-Toe Drop</b>: 10mm<br />
<b>Price</b> (as of 1/4/13): $134.95<br />
<b>Comments</b>: Asics has been releasing some really fun and colorful looking shoes recently. The Kayanos in this picture are one of the more tame color schemes, in fact. I also loved my old Gel-Cumulus shoes, but one of the updates was too radical of a change and they didn't agree with me so I had to turn elsewhere (hey there, Saucony). The heel-to-toe drop isn't ridiculously high or low at 10mm and they're not too heavy, so they may make a good choice for a full-featured, full-foot supporting running shoe. The big drawback? The price. $134.95? Yikes. Even the <a href="http://www.asicsamerica.com/footwear/running-shoes/gel-cumulus-14-t246n-mens/">latest model</a> of the Cumulus is up to $110.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Mizuno Wave Nirvana 8</u></b><br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/nirvana8640x4802_zps3854785c.jpg" border="1" alt=""/></center><br />
<b>Weight</b>: 11.4oz<br />
<b>Heel-to-Toe Drop</b>: 14mm<br />
<b>Price</b>: $119.95<br />
<b>Comments</b>: The heaviest of the candidates and with an insanely high heel-to-toe drop of 14mm. It'd be like running with wedge under your heel I'd imagine. However, it offers a tremendous amount of support so maybe it'd be the shoe that offers someone like me the lowest risk of foot injury?<br />
<br />
<b><u>Saucony Hurricane 14</u></b><br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/hurricane14640x480_zps7311f084.jpg" border="1" alt=""/></center><br />
<b>Weight</b>: 10.9oz<br />
<b>Heel-to-Toe Drop</b>: 8mm<br />
<b>Price</b>: $84.88<br />
<b>Comments</b>: I have to have at least one from Saucony in here. I have some experience with older versions of the Hurricane and wasn't really impressed. The shoes I tried made me feel like I was running through mud when I wore them. But that's been a few years now, so who knows. This shoe has the lowest drop, which may or may not benefit me for what I want to do, and it's by far the least expensive of the candidates. However, it's only as cheap as it is because it's an endangered shoe with the release of the <a href="http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRS-SHR15M1.html">Hurricane 15</a> imminent. And who knows what that model will be like. Also, the new model will be $129.95. That's not really a bargain.<br />
<br />
<b>Summary</b>: I'm still a couple weeks away from fully recovering from injury and returning to running, but I'm very seriously considering giving Asics shoes another try. I need to scrape some pennies up though, because that price tag... whew.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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I'm not really one for year in review posts, but I'm nothing if not a hypocrite so here's a month-by-month rundown of my 2012.<br />
<br />
<b>January</b>: Just coming off of three months of walking boot wearing <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/10/skidding-to-halt.html">because of a stress fracture</a> I tried to get right back on the horse and got frustrated because I wasn't at my pre-injury level right away. That month sucked.<br />
<br />
<b>February</b>: <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/02/you-set-out-to-run-90-minutes-and-next.html">Felt a little better</a>, but not good enough. That month kind of sucked.<br />
<br />
<b>March</b>: Slowly rounded into shape, but <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/03/learning-loud-and-clear.html">started to get nagging aches</a> in my knee and hip. That month pretty much sucked.<br />
<br />
<b>April</b>: Ran my first races of the year, the <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/04/and-finally-run-sort-of.html">Cherry Blossom 10 Miler</a>, where I've set my 10 mile PR twice. This time I made it to 7 miles and walked/ran the rest. That sucked. Also ran the inaugural Charm City Run 10K. Felt a pop in my hip just after I crossed 4 miles and <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/05/coming-back-from-injury-again.html">hobbled the last 2.2 miles</a>. That really sucked.<br />
<br />
<b>May</b>: Blew off the Frederick Half Marathon because of my hip. Felt like a loser. Pretty sucky.<br />
<br />
<b>June</b>: Blew off the Survivor Harbor 7, which I loved and which I found out is <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs147/1102717891930/archive/1111679166935.html">no longer going to be a thing</a>, and <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/06/once-average-asks-for-average-help-to.html">the Baltimore 10 Miler</a> because of the hip. So I spent money to not run those months. That sucked.<br />
<br />
<b>July</b>: <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/05/this-week-i-yogad-and-then-i-got-rolfed.html">Sessions with my rolfer</a> started to pay off for my knee and hip. Slowly got back into shape and slowly upped the mileage. Not too sucky.<br />
<br />
<b>August</b>: A pretty good month, considering it's probably the worst month for running in my part of the world. Kind of <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/08/recapping-falmouth-road-race-without.html">flamed out</a> at the Falmouth Road Race (7 miler) in Cape Cod, but was ok with it because my hip was still balky. Ran a Blue Moon Run in late August, an untimed 10K-ish fun run in the dark. I was happy with how I did. Not too sucky at all.<br />
<br />
<b>September</b>: Felt good enough to run the Tower of Terror 10 Miler at Disney World. It was <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-disney-tower-of-terror-10-miler_4.html">my slowest non-walk break 10 miler</a> ever, but the conditions were brutal in Orlando and I at least ran the whole thing. That month was unsucky.<br />
<br />
<b>October</b>: Kind of hit my stride this month. Run times dropped and the body felt pretty good. Almost <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/10/chasing-rabbit.html">felt like my old self</a> again. Quite unsucky.<br />
<br />
<b>November</b>: <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-baltimore-zoo-zoom-8k.html">Ran the Zoo Zoom 8K</a>, where I was happy with how I ran, and <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-ncr-trail-marathon-relay-in.html">ran the first half</a> of a marathon relay. I didn't quite break two hours, but was reasonably happy with my 2:02 time, all things considered. I felt like a real runner again who not only had room for improvement, but could improve. November was the antithesis of suck for me.<br />
<br />
<b>December</b>: <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/12/got-bit-by-bug-injury-bug-again.html">Back in the boot</a> with another stress fracture. Talk about deja vu all over again. Running thudded to a stop, but the injury wasn't as severe as last year so it won't keep me out as long. In fact, I could be back running slowly by mid-January, and maybe running for real by February. We'll see about 2013, but 2012 is ending just as suckily as it started. So good riddance to this year.<br />
<br />
I do have some resolutions for 2013. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runningmoron/posts/586397184710234">Check them out</a>. And if you can, help me out with my #4 resolution by <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/p/running-moron-store.html">clicking here</a> and spending money. You still have some Christmas cash to burn off, right?<br />
<br />
Have a great new year, running and otherwise!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
Regardless of the reality of your injury, whenever you get sidelined you wonder what you could have done differently to prevent it. I can think of two things I could have done differently to prevent my foot injuries: not wear <a href="http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm">VFF</a>s like sneakers while I wasn't running, and not wear minimalist-type shoes when I was.<br />
<br />
It goes against the hype I know, but I've come to the belief there is just a certain type of foot and/or body that should not forego the protection of a well cushioned shoe and I'm wondering if my feet and/or body belongs in that group. Maybe it's our natural disposition to walk around barefoot like our caveman ancestors, but back then not only did a caveman die from simple viruses that are rendered relatively harmless now with antibiotics, but there was no way to correct any problems cavemen experienced with age. There were no corrective lenses for eyes as vision deteriorated with age, for instance. I know life expectancy now is much longer than it was 25,000 years ago, but a big part of that is because we figured out how to fix the things that killed us then.<br />
<br />
The problem with barefoot/minimalist running, and any subject that has more than one point of view, is there is plenty of facts and research to support whatever you want to believe. So while we have more information about more things than at any time in the history of the world we're really more confused than ever about everything.<br />
<br />
My biggest confusion now is wondering if my foray into barefoot/minimalism put me on the shelf and if it was worth it. If I was forced to answer I'd say no, running in lighter shoes with less cushioning/support in exchange for slightly faster run times was not worth it. At all. <br />
<br />
Still, I love walking around in VFFs. There has to be a happy medium somewhere... <br />
<br />
<center>-----</center><br />
As discussed and voted about on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runningmoron">my Facebook page</a> in recent days, Running Moron t-shirts are coming! I wish they could be a little cheaper, but for this first run $21 is the best I can do. The more shirts that get purchased now the cheaper they'll be in the future, so keep that in mind. Also, I thought about charging $15 and $6 for shipping, but that's a little shady to me so $21 includes shipping. It's a bargain! I've opened a store that you can access by clicking the Store tab on the top of the page or by <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/p/running-moron-store.html">clicking here</a>. Buy one and wear your moronity with pride!<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/rlamgrey1.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br />
You know you <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/p/running-moron-store.html">want one</a>.</center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
On Monday, December 3 I was diagnosed with my second stress fracture of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navicular_bone">navicular bone</a> in my right foot in a little over a year, and I have been forced into a <a href="https://www.djoglobal.com/products/aircast/fp-walker-foam-pneumatic">walking boot</a> again. Last time I was in a boot for 12 weeks and it took me almost a year to feel good about my running again. And as soon as I did feel good about it I got hurt again. Obviously, this is a crushing blow.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/boots.jpg" border="0" alt=""><br>The more things change the more they stay the same.</center><br />
I don't have the heart or desire to once again <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/search?q=stress+fracture&max-results=20&by-date=true">chronicle my recovery</a> from this injury, so activity on this blog may be even more sporadic going forward than it was in 2012. It's a shame too, because I've gotten good feedback and made some nice connections that I'll likely lose, but I just don't have it in me.<br />
<br />
I'll probably keep up some kind of appearances on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runningmoron">Facebook page</a>, so look for me there.<br />
<br />
There is a small consolation. I don't think this stress fracture is quite as bad as the last one and six weeks in the boot may be enough (I hope). And when I'm ready to run my first post-stress fracture 5K or whatever it may be just in time to run it in a pair of <a href="http://blog.saucony.com/saucony-lab/kinvara-4-sneak-peek/">Saucony Kinvara 4</a>s. I ran my longest ever distance in Kinvara 3s when I ran my last half marathon and the shoes were great. I'm excited for the 4s, although I'm under no illusion I'll be <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/03/initial-reaction-to-running-in-saucony.html">one of the first</a> in the world again to try them.<br />
<br />
While my running is finished for now I want to know about yours. Visit me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runningmoron">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/runningmoron">Twitter me</a>, or <a href="mailto:runningmoron@gmail.com">email me</a> about how your running is going. If I'm going to run vicariously through anyone it might as well be you.<br />
<br />
Peace out.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
At any rate, I lined up at the start line for the <a href="http://ncrtrailmarathon.com/schedule.aspx">NCR Trail Marathon Relay</a> on a cold and breezy post-Thanksgiving day Saturday last weekend and passed the <a href="http://www.ipicosports.com/products/tags/multisport-tag/">home detention anklet</a>, AKA the timing chip, to my partner for a return trip some 13.1 miles later.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/ncrt_trail291x640.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>I did not run the entire NCR Trail. It only felt like I did.</center><br />
I didn't run my best race, but considering it was my first half marathon in a year and a half, and the first time I've run more than 10.5 miles without stopping in that time, and since my last long run a couple weeks ago -- a 12 miler on that very trail -- became a walk/run affair after 9 miles I think I did ok. I aimed for 2:00:00, thought 2:05:00 was a little more realistic of a goal, and finished in 2:02:09, so I pretty much split the difference.<br />
<br />
The next morning I woke up with absolutely no soreness, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runningmoron/posts/566740710009215">lamented on my Facebook page</a> that I should have pushed it harder and probably could have made it to 2:00:00 if I would have been a little less conservative during the first 10K. But hindsight is what it is, and both my partner and I finished and live to run another day. That's about all you can ask for. <br />
<br />
Here are my thoughts about the race:<br />
<ul><li>This was the 23rd running of the NCR Trail Marathon. For being around that long I thought communication from the race organizers was pretty lacking. The event is relatively small -- capped at around 550 total marathon and relay runners -- and many runners seem to be repeat participants who know the drill. The rest of us were left on our own to figure out the details. They were pretty well laid out on the race web site, but an email with a link to the site at some point would have been nice at least.</li></ul><ul><li>While I do many long runs on the NCR Trail I've never run beyond the mile 11 marker, and I've not run past the mile 7 marker in about 4 years. This race started at <a href="http://sparkses.bcps.org/">a school</a> and spent the first mile and a half or so on the road getting to the trail. We turned on to the trail to head north a little before the mile 4 marker. My leg ran to a little past the mile 15 marker and I was excited to see parts of the trail I haven't seen in years and parts I've never seen before. What I learned is that the 8 miles of the trail I'm not that familiar with look exactly like the 7 miles I am. That was kind of disappointing.</li></ul><ul><li>Once we got on to the trail and spread out a little it was like any other long run I've done on the trail. There wasn't a mad crush of people in front of or behind me.</li></ul><ul><li>Sometimes half marathon runners are treated as second class to marathon runners, which is kind of excusable I guess, even though both relay participants in this event pay the same price to run 13.1 miles as those who pay to go 26.2 miles. But there was nothing for relay runners who finished the first leg at the exchange point. There was no water, no porta potties, no direction, no nothing. The only reason I knew where to catch the shuttle back to the start/finish line was because one of the people running the second leg and waiting for her partner said the bus was "a ways" up the trail. In fact, the shuttle was a half mile away and there was no race personnel between the exchange point and the bus to let us know we were, in fact, going the right way. I think because there were only about 40 relay teams and about 40 first leg runners to worry about we weren't much to worry about at all. It goes back to the communication thing, I guess.</li></ul><ul><li>The first leg was essentially flat. There were a few modest hills on the road leading up to the trail, and the trail itself is a slight uphill grade going north, but it's so slight you can't really feel it. Coming back is a slight downhill grade that is good for good times, but my partner said the last two miles, which took a different road route back than we took out, was all uphill. I'm sure that was a fine how do you do.</li></ul><ul><li>Post race featured bananas, soup, water, Gatorade, hot chocolate, tea, cookies, and bagels. And it was indoors, which was nice. The race has a partnership with the local elementary school to be open for race day. Considering it was quite cold and quite windy that was very welcome.</li></ul><ul><li>The shuttles were efficient to and from the parking area to the start/finish and from the exchange point to the finish line. It was a long ride back after I finished my part of the relay though and my legs were getting tight crammed into a school bus seat.</li></ul><ul><li>I'm glad I ran this race, and it was nice for being a small scale, small town, rail trail event, but I don't think I'd do it again. Maybe I would to run the second leg of the relay to see what that's like, but I'd never do the marathon. All I kept thinking on the way out was thank goodness I don't have to run back. I can run on that trail for free as much as want. I don't see a whole lot of reason to pay for the privilege. Unfortunately, I came to that realization after I paid for the privilege.</li></ul>I guess this sounds a little negative, and I don't mean it to. The NCR Trail Marathon/Two Person Marathon Relay is a fine event. I'm just too familiar with the area, and considering it's 23 years old and put on by the Baltimore Road Runners Club I might have expected it to be a little more "friendly" since it's pretty much an event that's of the runners, by the runners, for the runners. But I've never organized a race so what do I know?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/zoozoom445x640334x480.jpg" border="1" alt=""/></center><br />
They <a href="http://www.active.com/running/baltimore-md/maryland-zoo-zoom-2011">brought the race back</a> as a 8K for 2011, and I would have run it then had I not been spending the last three months of the year <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2011/10/skidding-to-halt.html">in a walking boot</a> and unable to run. My only hope was that it was good and successful enough to come back in 2012, and that I'd be healthy enough to run it.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the answer to everything was yes and I lined up yesterday morning to once again conquer the <a href="http://www.marylandzoo.org/2012/09/zoo-zoom-2012/">Zoo Zoom</a>, hopeful the route was changed to not run past the back side of the elephants.<br />
<br />
The race started in front of the Mansion House, which is the administration building for the zoo (I think). It sits on top of a hill and from the start you could see the finish, and it was apparent there would be a hill to run up before finishing downhill. I kept that in mind as I started the run.<br />
<br />
I had a pretty modest goal for this race. It was to finish under 8:30/mile average pace, and if things were going really well maybe even get close to 8:00/mile pace. I didn't remember there being any real hills to worry about in '07 so I thought I'd be good to go to make it up the hill at the end. I was ready to rock.<br />
<br />
There were about 800 runners and I don't recall anyone starting the race with a horn or a gun or someone yelling "Go!" through a bullhorn or anything. We all just kind of started to move a few minutes after the scheduled 8:30 start time. All 800 of us, down a road about the width of a car. I felt like I was basically walking for the first quarter mile because we were crammed together.<br />
<br />
Luckily, things opened up after a while and by the end of Mile 1 I was just under a 9:00/mile pace after starting at about 11:20.<br />
<br />
From there things got rolling. I was feeling good and running faster and faster. There weren't any bad hills to worry about and I was cruising with only that last big hill on my mind.<br />
<br />
The first three miles were out in <a href="http://bcrp.baltimorecity.gov/Parks/DruidHillPark.aspx">the park</a> and the last two were in the zoo. We turned into the zoo and ran around a bit, things going just peachy, when we hit a spot out of the back side of the zoo that was a big downhill. I thought "uh oh" because I didn't think this downhill would be made up with the last uphill before the finish. Some people were making up time by flying past me down that hill. I took my good old sweet old fashioned time.<br />
<br />
And it's a good thing too. When we got to the bottom and went around the bend there was a huge steep hill to climb up. Many people walked up that hill, including some of the people who flew past me going down, but I just kept going. I thought if I stopped running I'd never start up again.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/132054_563454720337814_567462373_o640x346.jpg" border="1" alt=""/></center><br />
I finally made it very slowly up the hill and things leveled out some. Shortly after making the turn from the uphill back into the zoo we passed the Mile 4 marker. My Garmin said I was at an 8:47 average pace. Before going down the hill I was at a 8:37 pace and cruising, and at that time I didn't think I'd make it to an 8:00 pace but 8:30 was easily within reach. Oops.<br />
<br />
it took me the better part of a quarter mile to get my breathing right after that unexpected hill, but I did start to feel good again and picked up the pace pretty significantly. I got up the last hill pretty slowly because the effort I was waiting to use there was spent going up the other hill, but it wasn't too bad. In the end, I finished the 8K in 42:58 for an 8:39 pace, 139/835 overall, and 13/48 in my age group. Not great, but not bad.<br />
<br />
The race was definitely better marked than I remember from 2007, and there were volunteers where they should have been to direct runners, and we didn't go behind the elephants, but the best part was when we ran past the cheetah (or leopard) who was sitting there just watching runners go past. He knew we were no competition.<br />
<br />
I'd run this race again, and next year I hope to. And I'll be ready for the hill and The Hill too.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
(Let's all ignore the last month, which included <a href="http://runningmoron.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-disney-tower-of-terror-10-miler.html">a trip to Disney World</a>, very poor dietary choices, and no consultations with The Man. I was lucky to maintain status quo. Let's leave it at that.)<br />
<br />
One of the things I do in preparation to see my trainer is run. I meet him at a gym near my <a href="http://www.dnr.state.md.us/greenways/ncrt_trail.html">favorite running trail</a> so I crank out a few miles before my appointment, which hopefully translates into a pound or two lost to water weight on the scale, if nothing else.<br />
<br />
Yesterday I met The Man, which meant I stopped off for a quick 4 miler pre-meet.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/image8.jpg" border="1" alt=""/><br>Old picture of the start and finish line of my run.</center><br />
There's a funny thing about running on the Trail during the day during the week as opposed to running during the morning during the weekend, which is my usual time. Most people out there during the day during the week are, um, mature. Folks are walking, or riding their bikes, or maintaining the parking areas (and God love them for that). But there are also a lot of fit women out there during that time. I'm not going to say they're the well-off soccer moms from the well-off surrounding communities who have free time while kids are in school and such, but I'm not going to say they're not. OK, I'm saying they are. Probably.<br />
<br />
Anyway, yesterday I was running to the Mile 4 marker from the Mile 2 marker, and when I got it in sight and was about .15 mile away I saw one such fit woman walking past the marker. As I got closer she took off like a shot. She ran past me about 75 or so meters before I got to the marker.<br />
<br />
To get to two miles I had to go a little past the marker, and when I finally turned around I saw the lady running in the area where I first caught sight of the Mile marker coming the other way. Two thoughts crossed my mind:<br />
<br />
1. She might be running mile repeats.<br />
<br />
2. I'm going to catch her. <br />
<br />
She didn't know the race was on, but it was, and she had a very generous head start. I figured I had a mile to make up a lot of space, and I was starting at a disadvantage because a) I had to turn around and that slowed me down, and b) she had to be nearly a quarter mile away. Furthermore, I'm slow and she wasn't.<br />
<br />
I kept running and running and it didn't seem like I was making up any ground on her. She wasn't really pulling away, but she wasn't getting any closer either. After a half mile or so I was hoping she was doing mile repeats and would stop at the Mile 3 marker and end my dumb idea to race someone who was easily outclassing me.<br />
<br />
There is a a little clearing and slight curve shortly before the Mile 3 marker when you're running south, and when I got around the curve I saw the lady up ahead and coming up on the marker. I thought she'd stop, but of course she didn't. However, she seemed slightly closer than she was for most of the past mile.<br />
<br />
I spend the next mile, my last one, closing the gap. Slowly but surely. Every few steps I was gaining a step on her. There's a bridge you run under on the Trail that marked exactly .4 mile until the end of my run. When I got to that bridge the lady was within striking distance.<br />
<br />
Increasing my foot turnover rate (That makes me sound like I know what I'm talking about, doesn't it?) to give myself a final push and a last chance to catch the lady I finally did, and when I passed her I said, "chasing you for two miles is no fun." She had ear buds in so I don't know if she heard me. I had ear buds in and was sucking wind so I don't know if the words came out the way they sounded to me, but I passed her, flashed a thumbs up and prayed for the Mile 2 marker to get there before she returned the favor and re-passed me.<br />
<br />
Turned out she stopped at the same place I did. I kept walking on the trail to catch my breath and cool down and I guess she walked right off the trail and back to her car because I never saw her again after I passed her, but I did it. I caught her.<br />
<br />
Luckily for me, during the second mile of the chase she slowed down considerably while I was able to pick it up (my 3rd mile was run in 8:23; 4th mile was run in 8:06). Also luckily for me, she didn't know she was in a race. Even more luckily for me, she didn't know she was being chased by a lunatic on the trail and didn't spray me down with mace when we both got to the Mile 2 marker where our cars were parked.<br />
<br />
It was nice to be able to do something like that, but then I was brought right back down to earth when my trainer showed obvious disappointment in me for my skin fold measurements to not be anywhere near what he expected. The highs and the lows, I guess... <div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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I've never participated in a <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/">runDisney</a> event, and the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/tower-of-terror-10-miler/">Tower of Terror 10 Miler</a> seemed like the perfect one for me to dip my toe into the Disney running pool. I don't think I was wrong. Here's what I thought of it:<br />
<br />
<b><u>Pre-race</u></b><br />
<br />
Disney suggests you get to their races at a godawfully early time. For a 10pm start they suggested we get on a shuttle bus no later than 8:00pm and to be in our corrals by 9:15pm. I, being brainwashed by the Army to believe that being less than 5 minutes early means you're late, left for the race at 7:15 and got there at about 7:30. That gave me 2 1/2 hours to kill before the race started. That's kind of nuts, but at least I wasn't there at 4:30am for a 7:00am start.<br />
<br />
Luckily, Disney does things to liven the wait up a bit. For one thing, they put up backdrops all over the place so people could get pictures of themselves in front of race-related themes. They also had a DJ who was pretty good and got the crowd jumping. There was also a line of food trucks so runners and their guests could indulge on things like lobster rolls and cupcakes. It wasn't a bad place to be.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/ToTDJ.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br />
A bellhop from the Hollywood Tower Hotel doubled as a DJ.</center><br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/prerace.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br />
I had no intention of standing in a line to get my picture taken in front of a Tower of Terror backdrop, so here's a horrible self-shot one of me standing in front of the line to stand in front of a backdrop.</center><br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/preraceparty.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br />
Some runners rocking out to the pre-race jams.</center><br />
There was plenty of porta-potties, bag check was smooth and simple, there were tables full of cups of water, everything you expected and hoped for was there. Eventually, I hung out in my corral sitting leaned up against a barrier and talked to some nice lady for a while about running Disney events, of which she'd run many while I was a virgin. I asked if she was local and she said she was from Pensacola, to which I replied that she was local then, to which she told me it was a <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&gl=us&daddr=orlando&saddr=pensacola&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=Kbuqy6xFv5CIMXxleTFumsan%3BKXe8zf7Yc-eIMZ6_pTwGssMK&ei=u8ZtUODqL-yC0QH9xoDYAw&ved=0CCEQ9w8wAA">7 hour drive</a> and she was actually much closer to New Orleans than Orlando. Ok, then. I got it. She was local.<br />
<br />
After a while I got up to stretch my legs a little before the race. It was about 9:10. When I got back to the corral it was already emptying because the race was moving us up to the start line. That was more of a walk than I was expecting, but by 9:25 I was in my corral at the start line with no place to go and nothing to do but wait until 10:00.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Race</u></b><br />
<br />
After all of the cursory things like the national anthem and a motivational word from the Designated Running Celebrity (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Galloway">Jeff Galloway</a> in this case) the wheelchair athletes took off at 9:55pm under a spray of fireworks. Five minutes later we were off. Somehow I wound up in the "A" corral. I'm still not sure how that happened.<br />
<br />
The start line was the main toll plaza on the road to <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/">Disney's Hollywood Studios</a>, and we were warned of a speed bump right at the start as we ran under the "welcome to..." structure. Of course, I nearly tripped over it. But I recovered and everything went fine from there.<br />
<br />
It was quite hot and very humid for being so late at night, and since I lined up at the very back of the corral where there was at least a little room to move I was behind the corral's slowest pokes. My first mile was recorded at over 10 minutes. Normally I would freak out about going that slowly, speed up to get my pace down and then crash and burn at about mile 7, but this time I said screw it and just went with the slow pace. There were points around mile 5 where I was feeling good, and I recorded those miles at about 9:30, but I never really tried to push it in the second half of the run. I really wanted to run the entire distance, and with the weather being what it was I thought taking it slowly would be the right thing to do.<br />
<br />
And I was right. This was by far my slowest-ever non-walk break 10 miler, but I finished while running the entire way in tough conditions and I'm ok with it all. And I finished well within the top 20% of finishers, which is always a goal. <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/actionshot-small.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br />
This is a very rare action shot of me at about mile 9.25, within the boundaries of Disney's Hollywood Studios (I'm the one on the right).</center><br />
Notes about the race that I can remember -<br />
<ul><li>Each mile featured a well-lit marker with a clearly visible clock. And I believe each mile had a Disney villain standing near it. I remember Captain Hook, the hyenas from the Lion King, Stitch, and that's about it but there were more. A lot of people stopped running to stand in line to get their pictures with that mile's villain. That must be a Disney thing to stop and take so many pictures.</li>
</ul><ul><li>There was a DJ that we passed at about 1.5 miles and again at about 3.5 miles. I think it was the same one from the pre-race festivities. He was good.</li>
</ul><ul><li>There was also a McDonald's under an overpass we crossed twice. I can't remember the last time I ate McD's, but that one smelled delicious.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Many people who participate in Disney events must follow <a href="http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/index.html">Galloway's walk/run technique</a>. I've never seen so many run/walkers in one race.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Disney puts a lot of audio cues on course, such as one that repeated over and over, "WARNING! SHARP LEFT TURN JUST AHEAD! WARNING! SHARP LEFT TURN JUST AHEAD..."</li>
</ul><ul><li>At about mile 4.5 we turned off the road and onto a stone trail headed to the <a href="http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/complex/">ESPN Wide World of Sports complex</a>. All I could think at that moment was that I was glad to not be running barefoot.</li>
</ul><ul><li>That trail was probably also the most decorated portion of the race. It was about a half mile or so long and there were sights and sounds and everything else along it. Pretty neat.</li>
</ul><ul><li>We ran around a track in the complex and also around the warning track of <a href="http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/complex/champion-stadium/">Champion Stadium</a>, the spring training home of the <a href="http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=atl&sv=1">Atlanta Braves</a>, where I saw my favorite sign of the race: "Worst parade ever"</li>
</ul><ul><li>Also at the stadium, there was a camera there and since we were running against a green background as you ran past the jumbotron screen you could see yourself and it looked like you were running out of the elevator shaft in the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Hollywood+Tower+Hotel&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wMptUJqoLYjm0gG_zICICA&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1495&bih=880">Hollywood Tower Hotel</a>. Very neat.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Disney cast members were the spectators in many areas that were kind of out of the way, and they were all positive and enthusiastic. I don't know if Disney is a great place to work, but those people made it seem like it is.</li>
</ul><ul><li>The last mile or so was within the confines of Hollywood Studios, and quite honestly I don't remember much of anything. There was a stage in front of the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi80Wx2GFX5TGkktGe0UBrBYXX8hoiDZG_VX90iukP8ieA6yOGJtZ5rUbAvkqqKzuZBhF1i_9EIpVd_mpSNJ9gxX-v6-7j7Z-PZgHBDLgySkUZs1Cbe-MjXTihQM946FswgPhQ_HU6dQw/s1600/Sorcerer+Hat+-+Hollywood+Studios.jpg">giant hat and ears</a> with a DJ calling out runners as they went by that I completely missed.</li>
</ul><center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/TowerOfTerrorMile9.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br />
I didn't realized this was part of the race until I saw other runners going by after I finished.</center><ul><li>I do remember everyone I passed saying the finish was just around the corner, but it never was until I got to like the 8th corner.</li>
</ul><ul><li>The finisher's medal is really cool! Heavy and substantial, with moving parts. I'll have to post a video of the hot elevator action.</li>
</ul><br />
<b><u>Post-Race</u></b><br />
<br />
While I am healthy these days sometimes after I stop running on my longer runs my hip stiffens up. Usually if I sit down and stretch it for a minute I'm fine, but I kind of need that time. After crossing the finish line of the Tower of Terror 10 Miler I walked down the chute a little ways and then off to the side to lean up against a barrier and stretch my hip. I was in nobody's way and was impeding no traffic, but someone came up and asked if I needed medical. When I said no she told me I had to move along. The distance from the finish line to where you can actually stop post-water/bananas/food/medals wasn't insignificant and my hip felt it. There should have been a stretching/cool down area a little closer to the finish line. I think that's really my only criticism of this race.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/postrace1.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br />
Post-race zombies milling about in the shadow of the Hollywood Tower Hotel.</center><br />
Bag check was set up in the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/attractions/indiana-jones-epic-stunt-spectacular/">Indiana Jones stunt show</a> amphitheater, and it was absolutely amazing how well organized it was after collecting thousands of bags in another location a couple hours before. It didn't hurt that I was one of the first 2,500 runners as part of Corral A, but I don't think I've ever been out of bag check so quickly for a race that size before ever. Big, big props to runDisney for that.<br />
<br />
There were changing tents because everyone was a drenched and disgusting sweaty mess. I went into the male one after I got my bag and it was so hot and so smelly I said screw this and changed outside. It was dark enough.<br />
<br />
As for the party, it was pretty cool. There was the aforementioned DJ, and some of the rides at Hollywood Studios were open, including the two best in the park, <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/attractions/rock-n-roller-coaster-starring-aerosmith/">Aerosmith's Rock n Roller coaster</a> and the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/attractions/twilight-zone-tower-of-terror/">Twilight Zone Tower of Terror</a>. There were a few others as well. Plus some food stands were open and good lord were the Disney people selling the holy bejeezus out of alcohol on every corner of the park. There were Disney villains milling around to be photographed with and everyone seemed to be in good cheer.<br />
<br />
Ironically, the lines at 1:00am were longer than they were during business hours and when I was standing in one to ride the Tower of Terror one last time the reek of whiskey/liquor in so many cups was overpowering. Supposedly, the party was only open to the runners, of which there were supposed to be 10,000, and paid guests, of which there were only supposed to be 2,500. There seemed to be a lot more people there than 12,500. Maybe I'm wrong about that though. <br />
<br />
Running a Disney event is a running bucket list thing for me that I can check off. I thought more of the route would be "Disneyfied," but I guess that's hard to do when you're using public roads and have 10 miles to cover. I did get to run through the "lesser" parks, and it was a well planned and executed event. I don't know if I'd do this particular race again, but I would definitely do another runDisney event. If I do another it'll have to proceed around the lake and through the <a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/epcot/ep-worldshowcase.htm">World Showcase at Epcot</a> though.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
There are a lot of runDisney Events at different locations and times of the year, but I figured a) a 10 Miler was long enough to make a trip to Disney from Maryland to run worthwhile without it consuming my entire time there with me driving my family crazy; and b) the weather in Florida in late September couldn't be too too bad. Well, one out of two ain't bad.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/OperationMars.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>While at Disney World, prepare for your trip to Mars...</center><br />
The 10 miler was indeed the perfect distance to run in conjunction with a visit to <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/">Disney World</a>. Go a few days early, take in the sights and sounds, check out <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/">all of the parks</a>, and then run. It even works out well having a night race because you can spend the day chilling out and relaxing and still feel like you're not wasting your time by doing nothing after doing stuff for a few days beforehand.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/everest.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>...or view Mt Everest from a jungle river...</center><br />
But then there's the weather. The running weather in Maryland had been perfect for a couple weeks leading up to my departure. Cool temps, low/manageable humidity, very breathable and confidence building. The plan during the week leading up to race day was to run 4 miles Tuesday before leaving, 6 miles on Thursday in Florida, then the 10 miler on Saturday night. The 4 miler was fantastic. Probably my best 4 mile run in a year. I left for Florida with a lot of confidence.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/Germany.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>...or visit the streets of another country...</center><br />
The weather in Orlando was like the weather in Maryland. If it was late July. Thursday morning I got out to run my intended 6 miles at about 5:30am. The air was so warm and thick it was like running through blankets. <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/caribbean-beach-resort/">The place</a> I stayed at had a 1.2 mile paved trail circling a lake that I expected to run 5 laps around. I made it to 4 and gave up. I was drenched with sweat, unable to breathe, and worried if I pushed it too hard I'd never make it walking around the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/">Magic Kingdom</a> all day. My confidence waned some, and I don't think I ever stopped sweating that day.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/electric.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>...or take in a parade...</center><br />
The good thing about Florida is that in the late afternoon there is usually a torrential downpour and then the humidity eases a little going into the night. I waited for the rains to come on Saturday while I lounged around the resort waiting for time to pass, but of course it never came. So I headed off to the race at about 7:00pm -- THREE HOURS before the starting gun -- wondering what I was in for. Because not only did it not rain on Saturday, and not only was it about 80 degrees with 90% humidity on Saturday night, but I had been up since 5:00am and was never able to take a nap. How would I ever run 10 miles in heat and humidity I wasn't really acclimated to after being awake for 17 hours? Yikes.<br />
<br />
Backing up some, there was the expo on Saturday morning at the <a href="http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/complex/">ESPN Wide World of Sports</a> complex. I took my son along with me and we got there about 15 minutes early and were put into a line to wait for the expo to open. From our spot we could see some morning runs associated with the event finishing up, such as the 5K and the kids runs. I spent 14 and a half of those 15 minutes wishing my running was finished for the day rather than 12 hours away.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/castle.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>...or look up at castles...</center><br />
At any rate, the expo went smooth as silk. <a href="http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/complex/jostens-center/">The Jostens Center</a> where it was held was big and roomy, the volunteers cranked everyone through quickly and efficiently, and the vendors were pretty good. It wasn't the kind of expo you can spend a weekend in like the <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/las-vegas">Rock n Roll</a> one at the <a href="http://www.mandalaybay.com/conventions/">Mandalay Bay convention center</a> in Vegas, but it wasn't too shabby. <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/postrace1.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>...and then end your day back at your hotel.</center><br />
Finally, after a long day of doing nothing, I got on the bus to head to the pre-race festivities... <br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/cb3-1.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>And the bus was caught from this very bus stop!</center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
<b><u>Sunday, August 12, 2012</u></b><br />
<br />
<b>2:00AM</b> - Woke up needing to use the little boy's room because I spent most of the day Saturday hydrating. Based on the visit every cell in my body must have been saturated.<br />
<br />
<b>2:05AM - 5:00AM</b> - Unable to sleep. At all. No matter what I tried to do. Bleh.<br />
<br />
<b>5:05AM</b> - Gave up trying to sleep. Heard noise outside the hotel room. Rain. Heavy rain.<br />
<br />
<b>5:10AM - 7:30AM</b> - Various getting ready activities, which included watching the marathon at the Olympics. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Hall_(runner)">Ryan Hall</a> is probably the most hyped American marathon runner, but he is clearly not good enough to get on the Olympic podium. He's the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/sports/olympics/olympian-lolo-jones-draws-attention-to-beauty-not-achievement.html?_r=1">Lolo Jones</a> of marathon running. When he <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/olympics/ci_21296132/olympics-ugandan-stephen-kiprotich-wins-mens-marathon-london">dropped out</a> of the marathon he was holding his hamstring like I do when I just don't feel like running anymore but don't want to look like a douche for quitting. <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/london2012/ci_21296313/american-meb-keflezighi-olympic-marathon">Go Team Meb</a>!<br />
<br />
<b>7:30AM</b> - Left the hotel to get to the <a href="http://www.falmouth.k12.ma.us/index.php/our-schools/lawrence">Lawrence School</a>, where the shuttles were to take us to the start line. Still pouring rain.<br />
<br />
<b>7:45AM</b> - After waiting through a good bit of traffic we made it to the school. We were told there would be no parking at the school during the expo, but we were asked if we were dropping off or parking. Huh? We said parking and were guided into a perfect spot to leave post-race without dealing with the traffic. Score.<br />
<br />
<b>7:50AM-ish</b> - Made my way to the shuttle, which was about a quarter of a mile or so away across a giant, rain-soaked field. I tried to glide over the ground so my shoes wouldn't get soaked, and it was still pouring rain. Ugh.<br />
<br />
<b>7:55AM-ish</b> - While waiting in a line in the rain to get on a bus - there were a LOT of busses, to the race's credit - I asked some girl behind me if she ran this race before. She said she had. I asked if this is where the shuttle drops people off after the race. She said she didn't know because she never took it back post race.<br />
<br />
<b>7:57AM-ish</b> - A lady in front of me overheard me ask about the post-race shuttle and she told me there is no post-race shuttle. I thought she was kidding, but she wasn't. But she said the walk back from the finish line to the school was "only" about a half mile, which isn't that bad, right? <br />
<br />
<b>8:10AM-ish</b> - The shuttle dropped us off at the start line. Or at least a quarter mile away from it. We were herded through residential streets to get to where were supposed to be. In the pouring rain it felt like a death march rather than exciting. Some guy had a box of trash bags and gave me one to wear to ward off some of the rain.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/20120811_181043640x480.jpg" border="1" alt=""></center><br />
<b>8:20AM-ish</b> - Over an hour and a half left until the start of the race and there was nowhere to hide from the unrelenting rain. I ducked behind a market that had seating on a marina behind it with chairs and umbrellas. Sat there and stared at the rain falling into the water.<br />
<br />
<b>9:05AM-ish</b> - The rain finally slowed down and then stopped. Left my cover to explore the start line area. The Falmouth Road Race does two things pre-race that are very smart:<br />
<ul><li>They strictly control starting corral access. If you don't display the correct colored bib you ain't getting in.</li>
<li>They place port-a-potties within the corrals themselves.</li>
</ul>They did have port-a-potties scattered all over the place, which was a good idea too, and kept most of the lines for them pretty short. As it got closer to start time and the corrals filled up the lines for the port-a-potties in the corral became a mess, but I wasn't in one so I didn't care.<br />
<br />
The Falmouth Road Race does one thing pre-race that's pretty stupid:<br />
<ul><li>They place water stations in only a couple of the corrals.</li>
</ul>Standing around for two hours there's not much to do other than wander around and drink water, but if you don't have a lucky corral assignment then no pre-race water for you! To be fair, there was a water station back where they first started to divide people by corral assignment, but that was a little hike from the corrals themselves.<br />
<br />
<b>9:10AM-ish to 9:45AM-ish</b> - Milled about, mostly. The race voice came over the loudspeakers and started to introduce the elite runners and past champions in our midst. Also said the start of the race would be delayed due to two places on the race course being washed out thanks to the heavy rains. DPW was on location with pumps. Additional info to follow. Let's hope the rain doesn't start back up.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/dabrettman/20120811_181553640x480.jpg" border="1" alt=""><br>I can't even tell you have many times I passed by and looked at this plaque waiting for the race to start.</center><br />
<b>9:50AM</b> - Good news. Pumping of the washed out places is going well and wheelchair athletes will be able to kick off the race at 10:05, only 5 minutes after the scheduled start. To make life a little easier, the rest of us wouldn't have to wait until 20 minutes after the wheelchair athletes start. We'd only have to wait 10 minutes, starting us only 15 minutes late. That's cool.<br />
<br />
<b>9:55AM to 10:15AM</b> - A lot of talking coming over the loudspeaker. Some lady sang the national anthem and the guy right next to me shouted "O!!!" when she got to the "O say does that star spangled ba-a-nner..." part. That could only mean one thing. As soon as she finished I asked the guy if he was from Baltimore. Of course he was. So that made two of us.<br />
<br />
<b>10:15AM</b> - No rain, but it's getting a little steamy. I've been up since 2:00AM and my shoes slosh when I take a step. And the race begins....<br />
<br />
Part III of this endless saga coming next.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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