Oktoberfest 5K

Discretion and Valor

Nearly 10,000 of the 45,000 registered runners in this past weekend’s Chicago Marathon chose to not race in the heat despite promises by organizers of a host of mist stations, cooling buses, and water-soaked sponges available all along the route. It seems that they made a wise decision.

Just four hours into the race, organizers were forced to shut down the entire course because of 88-degree heat and sweltering humidity that left at least one runner dead and sent at least 50 more to area hospitals. Emergency medical personnel treated another 250 runners for heat exhaustion and dehydration. Chad Schieber, an experienced 35-year-old runner and police officer from Michigan, collapsed midway through the race and was shortly thereafter pronounced dead by the Cook County medical examiner's office.

At first, organizers hoped those who passed the halfway mark could complete the run. The fire department turned on hydrants to hose people down along the course. But eventually when shortages of water and energy drinks were reported all along the route, runners were diverted by police, firemen, and volunteers to the starting area, where they were provided with medical attention and cooling misters. Helicopters hovered over the race course while police officers shouted through bullhorns to warn runners to slow down and walk.

This should be a great reminder to all of us to pay attention to our bodies, to run smart, and to never allow our goals to get in the way of our common sense. If I'd been in Chicago, I hope that I would have had the wisdom to stop running when I began to seriously overheat--as I most assuredly would have. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.

Great New Running Book

Run, Spot, Run

I do love my dogs. I do love running with my dogs. And I am typically a sucker for any kind of running gear. But, this assortment of doggie running gear is a little over the top--even for me.

Day Dreaming

Classic Pix

Surprises Today?

Hot Dog

Still recovering from a recent "mystery" illness that has kept me lethargic and achy for the past three weeks, I was not about to miss the Franklin Classic today. I love this race. I love running through downtown Franklin. I love the fact that the starting line is a block from my office. I love the cause--supporting Mercy Children's Clinic. I love seeing so many friends and neighbors come together for a great community event. Just about the only thing I don't like is getting beaten by the local Sonic hot dog!

Oh well, I was out there in the torrid heat, terrible humidity, and toiling humanity. And yes, the hot dog beat me again! If I had run my best time ever, he would have still beaten me (and I was a long way off my best time). I had fun regardless.

Coming Soon

Up Next

Yep. That'll Do It.

Cross-Training and Tempo Runs

This past week I started training for the Uttermost (October 11,12, and 13) in earnest. I slogged through some cross-training (a couple of hot, long bike rides) and some tempo runs (admittedly pitiful now, but hopefully they'll pay off come October). It is so hot, even early in the morning, that I am having to go a lot slower and accumulate far fewer miles than I had hoped. And as if that were not enough, my iPod's Nike+ died--just a few miles shy of the 1,000 mile mark. Oh well, I've actually enjoyed running with nothing at all but my watch. It's been great to get going again after a long semi-lay-off since the Country Music Marathon at the end of April.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD/DER!!

St. Jude Marathon

I've signed up for the St. Jude Marathon for the fourth year in a row. I've also committed to raise at least $1000 for the work of the St. Jude Children's Hospital. To learn more about how you can help in this life-saving work, visit my online support page at the St. Jude site. .

Firecracker 5K

Cracking the Code

OK. So, I posted this on my other blog, but it is too good not to post here too:

Leave it to the French to crack the code of the vast right wing conspiracy. It seems that the new French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has fallen afoul of the press for--OK, get this--keeping in shape. Yep, that's right. He has had the audacity to continue to go for a run every morning even though he is now the official occupant of the Elysée Palace. Gasp! And, as we all should know, the French Press informs us, running is "un-French, right-wing and even a ploy to brainwash his citizens."

No really. I am not making this up. Le running du Président, especially when clad in his favourite NYPD T-shirt, has become "a national affront." That's what all the Left Bank intellectuals are tsk, tsk, tsking about these days. British commentator Boris Johnson finds the whole affair a good reason to actually like what's happening in France for the first time in a very long time.

Ellie's Run for Africa

Dragging Across

Well, thanks to my friend Dave Minnigan, I actually made it in to the finish line in downtown Bell Buckle this morning. But, he practically had to drag me. My allergies or cold or whatever this lingering sickness is, combined with general fatigue from three weeks of constant travel, added to a lack of training during the past two months made for a rather ugly race. I walked a lot. Dave walked with me, bless him!

I have to say, despite really laboring physically and a time twenty minutes slower than I've ever gone in this race, I still had fun. Being with Dave was great. The atmosphere is always a hoot. And the weather was glorious--yes, it was warm, but the breeze was pretty constant.

I've already made reservations for next year at the Mingle House B&B where Karen and I stay every year.

Moon Pie-RC

I know it seems like an anomaly--Moon Pies and RC Colas hardly invoke images of health, vitality, and athletic endurance! Nevertheless, this coming Saturday I will once again participate in what has become one of my favorite summer traditions: the Moon Pie-RC 10 Mile Run in beautiful Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Yep, that's right! Moon Pies, RC Colas, and a long, tough endurance run through the hills in the heat of the summer!

This is a really spectacular event--the sort of thing that could only happen in the small town South. You see, in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee lies the tiny town of Bell Buckle and on the third Saturday in June two Southern traditions, RC Colas and Moon Pies, are brought together for a grand celebration

The historic old railroad town (population 405) has been known for antiques, arts and crafts, and great food for a number of years. But in 1994, the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce began looking for new ideas to increase foot traffic during the summer months. The concept for the Festival first began as a way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Moon Pie. Little could anyone have expected what a huge event this would become--more than 15,000 people now attend annually!

And the Festival actually begins with the 10 Mile Run. Attracting over 1,000 runners, the course is a stunningly beautiful jaunt through the hills and fields surrounding the town.

I've been on the road and haven't had much of a chance to train properly for the tough hills (especially for that doozie at mile four). That's only compounded by the fact that I had the post-marathon blues during the first couple of weeks of May, exams and end-of-the-academic year stuff the next couple of weeks, and then an overseas trip during which I caught a cold. But, that is neither here nor there when it comes to this race. I am looking forward to running it no matter what. It is just so much fun!

Running in London

Running in the city of London is always a fun challenge. But this next week, during my annual trip to that great city, I will be staying just a block away from the beautiful Regent's Park where running trails abound. I will enjoy the time with my students and the opportunity to run in a whole new environment.

U10K

This weekend I'll be busy. I have a series of year-end academic events culminating with a marathon banquet and award ceremony Friday night and graduation on Saturday. Squeezed into that flurry of activity, I am going to run in the inaugural Memorial Day Weekend Urban 10K early Saturday morning. This event in downtown Nashville will benefit the Nashville Civic Design Center which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the quality of Nashville's urban art and architecture by promoting public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional community of human-scaled cityscapes.

The U10K Race Route promises a memorable run past downtown Nashville's many wonderful historic and cultural sites--as well as some of the city's newest architectural icons, flourishing urban neighborhoods, and the Titans' LP Field--with a start and finish at the Public Square Park in front of the recently-refurbished historic downtown Courthouse.

My plan is to run slow, slow, slow with several students and friends--just to enjoy the run, support the Design Centery, and relish the blossoming of a lively downtown Nashville renewal. I'm just not ready to run fast again after my all-out marathon effort. Hopefully, my trip to England next week will provide me with the respite necessary to start training in earnest again.

Recovered Chip Time

At long, long last the good folks at Elite Racing have recovered my time from the Country Music Marathon. It is official. I had a huge PR (Personal Record). But no BQ (Boston Qualifier).

My chip time was 3:37:01, my clock time was 3:42:26. My average mile split was 8:17. That placed me 390th out of 4797 finishers and 17th of 234 in my age division.

That means I beat my previous best time for a marathon by 22 minutes--for which I am very grateful and quite delighted. It also means that I just missed qualifying for the Boston Marathon by 2 minutes and 1 second! Oy veh!

Both Tortoise and Hare

A fascinating article in the New York Times cites new studies that seem to confirm the value of the Galloway method--and other like-minded variable speed plans. Of course, being both tortoise and hare at the same time, in the same workout, is no problem for me; I've been alternating short bursts of high-intensity runs with easy-does-it recovery walks even since I took up running three years ago; just witness my workout this morning!

On the Road Again

My first day back to running after the marathon was a total delight. I was sorely missing my run route, my after run routine, and my all-day sense of refreshment that inevitably follows a good morning run. I think I've become a hopeless "lifer." I did just under 4 miles, but man, oh man, did it ever feel great.

Done

Time to Run

Tomorrow!

Rain! Rain! Rain! The forecast says that we'll be in it, under it, and through it for the entire distance of the race tomorrow. Yikes. I am on my way to find some gaiters and perhaps a lighter poncho than the one I have--I really couldn't find anything at the expo yesterday. I did get a chance to drive the course with several of my students who are running with me up to the halfway point. It was a good mental exercise and excellent for the morale.

Two Days to Go

After I teach my classes today, I head off to the marathon expo to pick up my race number and packet, see the exhibits, acclimated my students to the pace teams, and absorb some of the energy and excitement that the expo always exudes. One thing I will be looking for is rain gear--the forecast is still calling for rain on Saturday. Ugggh.

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Former Tennessee Titan Eddie George is running in this year's Country Music Half Marathon. The fan favorite and all-time franchise rushing leader, who ran for 10,441 yards in his NFL career, will attempt to complete the 13.1 mile race this year, the marathon next year, and eventually to qualify for the Boston Marathon by 2009. According to a story in today's Tennessean, Nashville's daily newspaper, Eddie has trained well and is up to the challenge. This is gonna be fun!

Three Days to Go

Well, rain is back in Saturday's forecast--scattered showers with a high of 72 and a low of 49. I guess I'll have to break out the rain gear after all. According to the official marathon website, registration is now "over 30,000." Oh my!

My final short run this morning, was a nice little tune up. It was very humid and about 64 degrees. Hopefully, Saturday will be somewhat cooler, otherwise we're all going to be laboring to stay hydrated. My ankle feels a bit better--but still not 100%. Overall, I'm feeling great and looking forward to the Expo tomorrow.

30 Thousand!

The surging popularity of the Country Music Half Marathon this year will swell Saturday's crowd to a total of more than 30,000 runners according to a report from today's Tennessean, Nashville's daily newspaper. Registration was capped at 20,000 for the half marathon--add to that about 10,000 who have registered for the full marathon. Wow! There may very well be a whole, whole lot of weaving and navigating through a dense pack for the first 12 miles or so. Amazing!

Four Days to Go

The latest weather forecasts look excellent. With the marathon start time at 7 AM, temperatures should be in the upper 40s. By the time I arrive at the finish (hopefully somewhere between 11 AM and noon) it should have warmed up to nearly 70. And right now, rain is not expected to a factor at all--we'll have thunderstorms for the next three days or so but then the skies start to clear by Friday. Thanks be to God. 26.2 is enough to worry about without also having to take into account inclement weather.

Five Days to Go

My schedule this week is very hectic--with teaching, speaking, and a host of meetings. That is probably just as well. It should keep me so preoccupied that I won't have time to be nervous. I plan to do a couple of easy runs of three miles or so over the next three days plus a little cross training on the balance ball and the eliptical. That's it. I am counting on a strong taper to not only get me good and rested but to also help my ankle heal up.

Six Days to Go

Just six more days. I can hardly believe the marathon is here, I'm in my taper, and I'm already planning logistics like parking, connection points, and on-course hydration and nutrition.

I've pretty much settled on all my gear choices except those special items having to do with weather oddities. Hopefully, there won't be any weather oddities--though thundershowers and heat are both likely to play into the race at some point--this is Tennessee in April after all.

At this point I really do feel good. My training is done. And now it is just a matter of getting good rest and some good carbs this week.

In Just One Week

One week from today, the Country Music Marathon will once again be staged on the streets of Nashville. The current forecast--always an iffy proposition this far out--calls for scattered thundershowers. Oh dear. I think I better prepare better than I have the last several years when rain caused delayed starts and soggy socks.

My taper is now in full force. I was away for most of the weekend speaking in Atlanta and got in only one token easy run.

The countdown has begun.

9 Days and Counting

Just a little over a week from now I will be attempting yet another marathon. I've done 14 half marathons and 5 full marathons since I started running just over three years ago now. They never seem to get any easier. And I never seem to get over the sincere certainty that I just won't be able to pull it off this time.

My training has gone pretty well right up to this taper. I never did any long runs over 18 miles, which is probably a really bad mistake. But, it simply has not been possible--because of time and my own physical limits. At any rate, it is too late now to try to pack in the miles.

I did a laborious 10-miler today, in the face of a strong wind. I'd hoped to go about 14 or 15. So tomorrow, I'll give a long run one final shot. I am speaking out of town this weekend and then I have an unusually busy week ahead this next week, so tapering should be no problem whatsoever.

I think that given my level of conditioning I should be happy with a finish any time under five hours. But, knowing me, I won't be that reasonable. Anything less than a PR will be a disappointment. We'll see what happens.

The Marathon

On this day in 1897, the first Boston Marathon was run from Ashland, Massachusetts, to Boston. Winner John J. McDermott ran the course in two hours, 55 minutes and ten seconds. A few years later, the start would be moved to the town of Hopkinton--in order to conform to the newly established international distance for the marathon.

Interstingly, the distance has varied wildly throughout the history of the event. The first modern Olympics in 1896 had a marathon distance of 24.85 miles. Then, over the course of the next seven Olympic games, there were six different marathon distances. The marathon at the 1908 Olympic Games in London began at Windsor Castle. The planned course was extended by 385 yards from its set 26 miles so that the runners would cross the finish line directly in front of the Royal family's viewing box in the Olympic arena. Thus, the length became 26 miles 385 yards (which is why many marathoners to this day shout out "God save the Queen" when they pass the 26 mile mark). In 1921, the International Amature Athletic Federation (IAAF) set the official distance by the Queen's standard, and so it has remained ever since.

Inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and still ranks as one of the world's most prestigious road racing events.

Boston Soggython

Boston's On

Gusts of wind up to 50 miles per hour. Torrents of rain from a pounding nor'easter. Temperatures in the mid-thirties. Two inches of standing water at the staging area. Flooding streams. Extreme risk of hypothermia for 26.2 miles. And twenty thousand other runners who have been looking forward to this moment for at least a year--some, for many years--and not a one willing to quit now. It is the 111th running of the Boston Marathon.

Boston's Weather Woes

This is the year the fleet-footed Kenyans will face a homegrown challenge at the Boston Marathon, and it's not from the American runners or the undulations of Heartbreak Hill. It's the New England weather: very wet and very windy. The blustery conditions are sure to make things unpredictable when the world's longest-running annual marathon leaves Hopkinton for the 26.2-mile slog to Boston's Back Bay tomorrow morning.

A massive nor'easter is already dumping heavy rains on the whole region. So, you can bet running in the marathon this year is going to be anything but pleasant. Forecasts call for 3-5 inches of rain, start temperatures in the mid-to-upper 30s and wind gusts blowing in runners' faces at up to 25 mph. Yikes!

The foul weather is certain to dramatically slow the pace for the top runners--just a year after Kenyan Robert Cheruiyot broke the course record in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 14 seconds. Typically, a slower pace will lead to a more tactical--and a more exciting--race amongst the elite athletes. But, the slower pace is less welcome news for the other 20,000 runners, who will be out on the course longer, exposed to the brutal elements. "The interest is to get them out of the elements as quickly as possible," race director Dave McGillivray said between meetings with state and local officials on how to handle the storm. "With hypothermia, you can't take something to make it go away. You have to get into a warmer environment."

McGillivray said organizers will take buses used to drive runners out to the start and station them along the course, to provide shelter and a ride back for dropouts. More shelters are being arranged in schools and other buildings along the route as well.

Pumps have been stationed at low-lying areas in case of flooding. Ponchos will be provided for workers assigned outdoors. Runners were warned in an e-mail blast today to wear appropriate clothing. But really! What is appropriate for weather like that?

Adding to the logistical struggle with this nasty storm is a new starting time--10 AM for the main field, after more than 100 years of noon starts--that was adopted in part because of a few years of afternoon heat. The earlier start also will allow the cities and towns along the route to have their roads back sooner. But, it will mean that the start of the race may be during the worst of the storm.

I have always dreamed of qualifying for Boston (a very distant and remote dream indeed). This year, I guess I should be grateful that I'll be watching from the comfort of my own home instead (the national broadcast will be on the Versus cable network--the same network that covers the Tour de France every summer).

14 Days Until the CMM

Just two weeks from today! The Country Music Marathon is the really big one for me! So today, I did one of my final tough training days before I begin to taper for the race. It was a rainy, cool, and blustery Saturday. I ran a 10K race first thing this morning--the start was rather soggy, but the hardest part of the rain stopped just before the race began. Most of the course retraced the most difficult part of the marathon (miles 12-16 along the banks of the Cumberland River), so it was good to refamiliarize myself with that portion of the race.

After the race, I changed into dry socks and shoes and ran just over ten miles through the Shelby Bottoms Park--one of my favorite places to run in Middle Tennessee.

So, I got in the equivalent of a 16-miler with some tempo pacing (during the 10K race).

I don't know if I could ever feel really confident going into a marathon--I've done enough now to know just how grueling 26.2 can be. But, I am much further along than I thought I could be. So, I am actually starting to get excited.

17 Days Away

What a day! Daisuke (Dice-K) Matsuzaka's Fenway Park debut was upstaged by Felix Hernandez. The Preds brought the greatest show on ice to Nashville as the NHL playoffs got underway--alas, they were just nipped in an exciting double-overtime shoot-em-up by the Sharks.

And I ran my fastest 5-miler ever! That, after logging (or really, slogging) an 18-miler on Monday. Nevertheless, the legs felt great today.

I've got one more long run before my taper begins. I think I may do the Moosic City 10K on Saturday as a speed workout and then aim at getting in an additional ten-twelve miler immediately afterward. The race is conducted along the last and toughest part of the marathon route so it should be good acclimitization.

19 Days Until the CMM

With less than three weeks to go, I feel like I am in great shape to run a half marathon. The trouble is that I have to run a full marathon! Yikes.

I had some good moderate length workouts this past week--a 12 miler and a 9 miler with a couple of 5 milers mixed in. But, because of the busyness of Easter week, I was unable to get in a good long run. So, I saved that for today.

I did great through 10 miles. Then, I started falling apart. Literally. My right ankle. My left knee. My aching back. My wimpy will. Despite all this, I was able to log 18 miles in just about 3 hours at an average pace of just over 10.30 a mile. Now that I'm done, I feel good about it. But, I really wish I had been able to go a little longer and a lot stronger.

Hopefully, I will be able to get in one more long run before the marathon at the end of the month.

Team Hoyt

One of the Boston Marathon's unique traditions will be on haitus this year: the father and son team of Dick and Rick Hoyt.

Dick, 66, and Rick, 44, have competed as a team at Boston 25 times at since 1981, running every edition of the race since then except for 2003. Father Dick pushes son Rick in a special wheelchair from Hopkinton to Boston because Rick is a quadriplegic with cerebral palsy and cannot run himself. Rick, a graduate of Boston University, is unable to compete this year because he is suffering from cellulitis, a common infection of the skin and the soft tissue immediately beneath it. He is scheduled to have surgery to alleviate the condition, but his post-operative recovery will take up to three weeks, putting him out of this year's race.

Over the years, the Hoyts have become symbols of perseverance. Prior to last year's race, Rick said: "Because we stuck with running and did not ever accept 'No, you can't,' we are now educating the world about people with disabilities, making them more aware of the issues that the disabled face every day."

The Hoyts plan to compete in the 2008 edition of the Boston Marathon, race organizers said.

28: CMM

Twenty-eight days to go before the Country Music Marathon. In a perfect world I would be almost ready to begin a taper at this point in my training. Alas, this is anything but a perfect world. I am still building milage totals. This week was good--though I really pooped out on my long run. I felt great through the first seven miles. But after that, I really struggled. I was supposed to do eighteen miles. Instead, I quit after just thirteen. Despite that small disappointment, my weekly total was a respectable thirty-six miles and my monthly total was well over a hundred. I am going to keep pushing to see if I can get caught up and actually give this marathon a go.

Run with a View

Although I never was able to squeeze in a long run this past week (I'll just have to try to do that early, early Monday morning), I was able to log a really solid 40-mile week by running morning and evening most days. That's the best week of running I've had since late November. And I got to do it with a most spectacular view (I took this picture while on my Friday morning run).

I'm home now and Spring really has sprung--so, I fully expect to be able to keep up the consistent milage (but, I'll have to do it the ocean and the sailboat, alas).

Running in Paradise, Part 2

Running in paradise is, well, it is just wonderful. Though I've not yet had any long runs--I am saving that for tomorrow--I've run at least twice every day for at least a three-miler each time. It is great. I still don't feel very confident about the marathon--now just five weeks away. But, hey. I do love a challenge.

Running in Paradise

It is amazing what glorious weather can do to jump-start one's running. My first day here in Florida, I was able to run twice--once before church, once after lunch--for a total of seven easy, wonderful miles. This afternoon, my plan is to get in a nice slow ten-miler. Let's just hope that I can keep this up and carry it over into my at-home schedule.

From Brisk to Beach

My weekly long run planned for today was supposed to be between 14 and 16 miles. It was very windy and more than just a little brisk. So finally, I had to give up after just 10. I remain way, way behind on my schedule for the marathon at the end of April. But, the 10 was a really comfortable 10. The really good news though is that I will be in Florida this next week where I hope to be able to reasonably ramp up my training and my milage (while also enjoying the sun, the surf, and the requisite seafood).

Slow Start

I'm nearly recovered from the debilitating flu bug that derailed me for two weeks. Though I am not all the way back, I felt like I really needed to try to get back on track with my training. The Country Music Marathon is just seven weeks away--and I am off to a very slow start.

Before I readjust my expectations for the marathon I want to test myself to see just how far this slow start has set me back. So, I am dusting off the training program.

I was in snowy Washington, DC on Wednesday and Thursday. So, my first workout back was in the hotel fitness center. It was probably just as well. But then yesterday, I logged a nice easy nine-miler. And this morning I added another four-miler.

Thankfully, I felt pretty good afterward--though I could tell that I've lost a lot of conditioning. This is going to be even more of a challenge than a marathon already is!

Never Tired

Getting the flu kinda knocks milage plans, good intentions, and training schedules right out the window. I've been sick for a week--and I still ache and even though I have only just trudged through the hours and days since succumbing to this nasty bug, I am tired all the time. I just have to get back on track soon or there is no way that I am going to be ready for the Country Music Marathon at the end of April. So, I have prescribed a heavy dose of General George Patton for myself. The tough-as-nails 1912 Olympic veteran said, "Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."