There's a 10K race in Kenosha on Thanksgiving Day. I had been considering signing up since last week. Since race day registration was available (though it won't be next year), I decided to make a game-time decision. The weather was a bit cold, but with rain and snow out of the forecast, I got the tights out of the drawer and made my way to the Kenosha Lakefront at 8 a.m. this morning. I had plenty of time to sign up, warm up, and be ready to run. I chatted with SCJ running buddies Gerry and Ken before the race. I also talked with Pastor Dean, the senior pastor at KBC, where I attend on Sundays. He was walking the 2-miler, but his son, Luke, ran the 10K.
My last 10K race was in 2007, when a crazy course mix-up resulted in me being the first person to complete the entire course. I finished in 49:22, a personal best despite covering a small portion of the course three times over. Though I haven't been doing much speed training lately, I knew that the strong cardio base from training for my 50-miler would make it likely to break that record.
The race started a minute or two after 9. My plan was to start out at 8:00 / mile pace and gradually speed up throughout the race. As we headed north from the downtown area, I clocked the first mile in 7:59. Mile two continued north on trails in parks along the lake. I saw Luke and passed him -- he was targeting to run between 8:00 and 9:00 pace, so he was doing great.
As I approached the turnaround near Carthage College, I counted the runners in front of me. This was a pretty popular race -- when I made the turn, my count was at 137. I did not feel tired at all, so I decided to see how many I could pick off before the finish.
My pace quickened a little bit in miles 4 and 5, and I passed about 8-10 people. Looking back, I probably should have gone even faster, because I had more than enough left in the tank for the final stretch. ZOOM! For the last 1.22 miles, I was running at 6:47 pace, including a final quarter-mile sprint at about 6:11 pace.
I finished in 47:28, taking about two minutes off my personal best. Congrats to Luke, who finished in 49:08 (7:56 pace). Well done!
Happy Thanksgiving!
My mile splits:
7:59, 7:55, 7:51, 7:43, 7:39, 6:58, 1:23
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Fall 50 Recap
Check out some race photos while you read!
Getting There
I took a vacation day on Friday, October 22. David, the relay team captain, arrived at my house in the morning. At about noon, the two of us and my wife, Jenelle, left for Door County. It was a good day for traveling. We arrived at our hotel (the Bridgeport Waterfront Resort) a bit before 4 p.m. My parents also arrived at about that time. My brother, Andrew, who drove in from Minnesota, arrived about an hour later.
Packet Pick-Up and Pre-Race Meal
The six of us piled into two cars and went to the Ladder House, a bar/restaurant in Sturgeon Bay, to pick up our race packets. Everything was very well-organized. I got my solo runner bag, and David got everything for the relay team, the rest of which would be joining him in the morning.
Knowing that our hotel room had a fully-equipped kitchen, Jenelle and I brought pasta and some other items with us for a carbo-loading dinner. To make sure that all six of us would have plenty to eat, we stopped at a nearby supermarket and picked up some bread, drinks, and some other snacks. Jenelle and Andrew did a great job preparing everything back at the hotel. I had my fill of pasta and bread, and I knew my glycogen stores were fully loaded for the big race.
Race Morning
I was up around 4:30 on Saturday morning. I quickly got dressed and ventured outside for a short warm-up. The weather was cool, perhaps a bit cooler than ideal, but still very nice for running. I wanted to be sure that I could stay warm and show off my Team Compassion running shirt, so I wore a tight-fitting black long-sleeve shirt underneath. Yay for layers.
Around 5:15, I gathered with Andrew and my parents, and we all made our way to the start in Gills Rock, which was about an hour away by car. My parents served as the main support staff during the race, so I loaded up the car with plenty of Accel Gel, Sport Beans, and Accelerade that they could give me at a moment's notice.
We arrived at the start with plenty of time to spare. I made my usual pre-race pit stop and downed a Clif Bar around 6:30. As the sun came up, the weather got a little warmer. I handed off my warm-up jacket to my parents, but I kept my purple winter Northwestern hat and a pair of knit gloves. The race started right on time at 7 a.m., and I joined about 100 other runners on the long journey south to the finish.
Leg 1: Gills Rock to Ellison Bay
The course took us off the main highway and down some well-paved side roads. Trees surrounded the path, and it made for a pretty start. It didn't take me long to get warmed up and eased into my planned race pace -- 10 minutes a mile for the first 10 miles. At first, a lot of the runners passed me, but when we approached the first hill, quite a few runners immediately slowed to a walk. This is a pretty smart energy-saving measure, and I was amazed by how many people resisted the adrenaline of race day this early in the race. While my pace slowed a bit, I continued running up the hill and moved up several spots. Of course, it doesn't really matter who is ahead at this point. :)
As the first leg continued, I handed off my hat and gloves to my parents, exchanging them for the black cap I bought at the San Antonio Marathon two years ago. I picked up a bottle of Accelerade and sipped it every so often along the course. With the cool temperatures, there was little risk of becoming dehydrated, but I still drank plenty. More on that later.
Leg 2: Ellison Bay to Sister Bay
At the first exchange point, I gulped down my first Accel Gel with a cup of water. I ended up doing this at every exchange point, which means that yes, I consumed NINE gels throughout the day. There was a significant hill after the first exchange point, but it didn't slow me down too much. We were now back on the main highway. None of the streets were closed to traffic, so plenty of cars zoomed by, but there was plenty of room to run safely.
Mile six was a tiny bit slower because of the Accel Gel break, but I moved along well in the next four miles, which were all between 9:30 and 9:45 each. I was chatting with other runners and feeling comfortable, but I kept a close eye on the heart rate indicator on my GPS to ensure I wasn't going too fast. There was another big hill just before the second exchange point. Once again, I slowed my pace but kept on running.
Relay Team: At about 8:20 a.m., Jenelle and David met up with the rest of the relay team, who would be starting at 10:00. The relay team consisted of David, Scott, Michelle, Maria, and Anna. After a photo, the relay team ventured north to the start in Michelle's SUV, and Jenelle headed north in the Prius to find me on the course.
Leg 3: Sister Bay to Peninsula Park Golf Entrance
The second exchange point was just past the 11-mile mark. This is where I made my first mid-race pit stop. Leg #3 contained the steepest hill on the course, known as Little Sister Hill. It's only fitting that my planned race pace had me slowing to 11-minute miles from now until the end. Rather than simply reducing my running speed, I endeavored to take more frequent walk breaks, doing so for at least thirty seconds of every mile.
Somewhere around mile 12 or 13, I saw the entire relay team for the first time. I knew about when to expect them thanks to the cell phone I carried with me. They pulled over so that I had the chance to meet and say hello to everyone. I had never met three of the five team members face-to-face until this point. They cheered me on and gave me some much-needed encouragement before continuing their ride to the start.
Shortly after that, I saw Jenelle for the first time since early that morning. She was all smiles and full of enthusiasm. At this point, Andrew joined Jenelle in the Prius while my parents continued to navigate the course in their car. I felt pretty special having TWO support vehicles during my run.
As I approached the third exchange point at the golf course entrance to Peninsula park, Jenelle was holding a sign that stated, "My husband can run farther than yours can!" My brother had a sign that showed "Ben's Mileage Chart" and tally marks for each mile I completed. The count was now at 16. Shortly after that, I picked up some more sport beans and gel from my mom, and I was well-stocked for the fourth leg.
Leg 4: Peninsula Park -- Golf Entrance to South Entrance
This leg was the longest (7.4 miles) and the prettiest of the course. It went right along the Green Bay shoreline. The only drawback was that support vehicles were not allowed, so I had to draw strength from within to keep on moving. There were a few other runners in sight, so I chatted with some of them when I had the opportunity.
At this point, it became pretty clear that I was drinking more than necessary. This wasn't a big deal except that I had to make a few more pit stops than originally planned. This became even more apparent later in the race when it started raining, and I was stopping at a portable restroom at every exchange point.
The hills continued during this leg, but I was doing a great job of staying on pace. I was steadily building an advantage. At mile 20, I was about five minutes ahead of my goal pace. The best part was that I still felt great, and my legs were not getting sore at all.
By the end of this leg, I was eager to see my family. They were very supportive the entire race, and I missed their presence during this leg. My brother had his pocket HD camera, and he managed to get over fifty minutes of video from the race. My dad also got plenty of video, and Jenelle took pictures. Mom was always ready with a bag full of goodies, and she did a great job of anticipating what I would be needing further along the course. A big thanks to everyone for their on-course support!
Besides my family, there were a lot of people at the fourth exchange point, which was just prior to mile 24. The cheers raised the excitement level and pumped me up for the next leg of the course.
Leg 5: Peninsula Park South Entrance to Juddville
The course was back on the main highway (42) for the start of leg five. It was after 11 a.m., and there were plenty of cars on the road in the Fish Creek area. I was never worried about getting hit, but I was a bit concerned about following the right roads and staying on course. I knew that the course left the highway At one point, I approached an intersection and didn't know whether to go straight or turn left. I shouted "Does anybody know which way the runners go?" A bystander said, "I think straight." I appreciated his help, but the lack of confidence in his voice was apparent. However, I soon saw the official course markings straight ahead, so I thanked him and continued on my way.
Here comes the rain. A light drizzle began to fall. While I could still run comfortably, I had a feeling that the rain would get worse before it got better. The other thing I noticed was that my cell phone, which had intermittent reception up to this point, had turned itself off and would not turn back on. Weird.
I reached a set of quick uphill turns called "Hairpin Hill". I slowed down as I approached another runner shuffling up the hill. I asked him, "Is this the last big hill?" He responded, "There's one more near the Egg Harbor Dock, but that's it." I didn't realize it at the time, but I think that runner was Sean Ryan, the race director who also happened to be participating as a solo runner.
My pace remained steady in the rain as I reached the Juddville aid station at mile 29. I had run a marathon plus a few miles, and I was still feeling great. Despite the rain, my spirits were high.
Leg 6: Juddville to Egg Harbor Boat Dock
As with the previous leg, the aid station was on highway 42, and then we left the highway and followed a less-traveled road along the western coast of Door County. The rain continued to fall, and it was nearing the point where I would soon be soaked to the skin.
My pacing strategy continued to work successfully. With the exception of the miles during which I stopped at an aid station to use the restroom, all of my splits were below eleven minutes. I kept on eating sport beans and energy gels. While I certainly wasn't as fresh as at the start, I was confident that I could keep going. At mile 31, I was over ten minutes ahead of my goal pace.
At the end of this leg, I picked up more goodies from my parents, and I got my rain jacket from Jenelle. I also handed Jenelle my no-longer-working cell phone in the hopes that she could use the car charger in the Prius to bring it back to life.
Leg 7: Egg Harbor Boat Dock to Murphy Park
I walked up the final hill, which was just past the Egg Harbor boat dock, and for just a moment, celebrated two accomplishments. First, all the serious hills were now behind me. Second, I had completed about 33 miles, a distance I had never run before in a single shot.
As I continued south on Horseshoe Bay Road, reality set in. The rain poured steadily, and I could see big drops falling off the brim of my racing cap. I didn't feel cold thanks to my running jacket, but I still felt wet. While I had seen other solo runners here and there, the course was now quite lonely, except when a relay team member would zoom past me. While I was still pacing well, it seemed like forever between each mile marker. Thirty-four... thirty-five... thirty-six... would this ever end? I could tell that I was fatigued. I had been steadily increasing my advantage over my goal pace, but now I was just trying to maintain that advantage.
I was thrilled to reach mile 37 and the Murphy Park exchange point. I walked a bit more than usual as I gulped down another energy gel. The presence of volunteers and spectators gave me a little pick me up. I also got my cell phone back from Jenelle. It was up and running, so I could freely communicate with support teams and friends and family back home.
Leg 8: Murphy Park to Chateau Hutter
I was a half marathon away from the finish, but the overwhelming sentiment remained, "Am I there yet?" It was still raining. My parents continued to stop frequently in case I needed anything. Looking back, I was thankful for all their efforts, but at this particular point in time, it seemed like they were stopping too much. "You need anything?" "Nah, I'm good." Lather, rinse, repeat.
At mile 40, the sparks of optimism finally developed into flame, thanks to an unexpected gesture from my brother. Andrew got out of the Prius and approached me. As I slowed to a walk to find out what he wanted, he declared that he was going to run with me for a while. Wow. I don't remember our exact conversation, but I asked if he was prepared to run and if he had done any "carbo loading" recently. His response was that he just had several handfuls of potato chips (BBQ Krunchers to be exact). This is going to be interesting. :)
I attempted to run at my usual pace of 10-11 minutes a mile. He stayed right alongside me. We chatted a bit, as this pace is more than comfortable enough for me to engage in conversation. I don't recall him being out of breath. After half a mile or so, the Prius pulled up again. We stopped for a moment so that Jenelle could get a picture. I thanked up for livening up the last part of the race, and I continued my run.
Andrew didn't seem tired after he was done. I spoke with him later, and he said that he was developing a side stitch, and he probably would have been forced to walk if he had gone another half mile. I think he was impressed with the fact that I was still moving well after over seven hours of running.
At the end of this leg, there were less than eight miles to go!
Leg 9: Chateau Hutter to Old Stone Quarry Park
The shortest leg of the course! With the doldrums of the thirty-something mile marks behind me, I was now excited and confident that I could finish the race. My pace was slowing ever so slightly, but I was able to maintain the ten-minute advantage on my goal pace, and I was convinced that I could break the 8:50 barrier.
There were now plenty of other people on the course. Relay team members were passing me regularly, but I was passing a few tired solo runners. I encouraged everyone to keep moving, and I got plenty of uplifting words in return.
Moving right along!
Leg 10: Old Stone Quarry Park to Sunset Park (Finish)
The final leg of the race was exciting for so many reasons. I was tired, but to be honest, there's some marathons where I've felt much worse than I did during the last leg of this race. The rain was finally clearing up. I was thrilled about this, as I wanted to cross the line comfortably with my Team Compassion shirt in view.
With two miles to go, I handed off my accelerade bottle, my jacket, and my cell phone to my parents, dropping all unnecessary baggage for the home stretch. After a quick pit stop, I was full of enthusiasm.
With a mile to go, I was about 11 minutes and 30 seconds ahead of goal pace. A finish under nine hours was just about guaranteed, and I was pretty sure I could break 8:50.
Zoom! I ran the final mile at a faster pace than any other that day. I was passing solo runners and even a few relay runners as well! All of the runners were wearing race numbers on both the front and back, so one could easily determine the identities of other participants.
I approached one solo runner, and running alongside her were several friends or family members who had joined her for the last part of the race. She was moving along well, but I was feeling much better at this point. As I was about to pass, I said, "Great job! Great job! You're almost there!" One of her friends responded, "Yeah, it's amazing what she's done." I realized that my pace and words of encouragement had given them the impression that I was a relay runner. As I waved and passed by the group, the same friend gasped when she realized I was a solo runner. She shouted, "You too! You're doing awesome!" I smiled and continued my semi-sprint to the finish.
I was flying to the end. But as my GPS was nearing the point that would indicate the finish, the line was nowhere in sight. Huh? The road led us into Sunset Park, but having run at least a mile since the 49-mile mark, I still couldn't see the finish. I continued on and finally saw the finish in the distance. As it turns out, the final mile measured about 1.35 miles on my GPS. Now, my Garmin can be off at times, but given my pace during the final mile and the time elapsed, I know that it wasn't off by much.
I was a bit perturbed that the final mile was not measured correctly, but an extra third of a mile was not enough to take away the joy and excitement of running FIFTY MILES. I raised my arms in victory and smiled with delight as I crossed the line in 8 hours, 49 minutes, and 14 seconds. I was thrilled that I broke the 8:50 barrier despite the added distance at the end. By my estimation, the last mile should have taken me about 8:45, but it took me 11:50 to complete. Oh, well! Time to celebrate!
Post-Race Fun
I received my race medal, which is the first medal I've received with a chain instead of a ribbon. It looks like bling! An extra bonus is that it glows in the dark.
Andrew passed me the "Ben's Mileage Chart" sign and gave me the honor of tallying the final mile. I did so and signed my name to the bottom. I got a picture of Jenelle holding the sign next to me while I showed off the medal.
As I was waiting around for word on the progress of the relay team, I suddenly got quite cold. Andrew was nice enough to loan me his jacket so that I could keep warm. I ventured into the post-race party tent for a plate of pizza. Solid food -- yum! I soon received word that Scott had started the final leg of the relay team's effort, so we prepared to meet him and cross the line as a team.
The Relay Team Finish and more Post-Race Fun
David and the other team members (besides Scott) joined me in the post-race gathering area. We waited about 100 yards or so in front of the finish line. We soon spotted Scott, and all six of us ran together to the finish. As it turns out, Scott was way too fast for the rest of us, especially me, and zoomed ahead. However, David and I were all smiles as we crossed the line. It was official -- Team RunningHungry had completed the challenge of the Fall 50!
Most of the team joined my family and me in the post-race area for more pizza. I ate and ate and ate. It was wonderful. We chatted about the race. Each person, whether runner or spectator, had a slightly different view of it, so it was exciting to hear from everyone. I was totally stuffed with pizza, breadsticks, and chocolate cake by the time we got back to the hotel. What a day! I had no trouble at all getting to sleep that night.
Heading Home
After a light breakfast, we all packed up and headed home. Andrew left for Minnesota, but before leaving, he gathered up all the photos and video we collected from the race on his laptop. He's going to put a video together for me as a Christmas present. I'm thrilled that he is doing that for me, as that's better than any gift I could ask for. Besides, I still have to work on a video from the Sunburst Marathon that I ran in June!
David, Jenelle and I were on the road shortly after Andrew and my parents left. We got back to Kenosha in plenty of time for David to be able to comfortably drive back to Ohio without it being too late.
Final Thoughts
It's really tough to describe the feeling of accomplishment after running for nearly nine hours straight. Perhaps I'll do it again someday, but for now, I am just taking it easy. I'd like to say thank you again to everyone has supported me in this endeavor, especially those who pledged to support Compassion International via the Running Hungry site. As I write this, the total amount raised is over $2,200.
Race Stats
Here's the mile splits, separated into 5-mile legs. Keep in mind that the legs listed here do not correspond exactly to the legs mentioned above, as the exchange points were anywhere from 3.0 to 7.5 miles apart.
Leg 1 -- 49:45 -- 10:07, 10:01, 9:48, 9:54, 9:55
Leg 2 -- 48:45 -- 10:22, 9:32, 9:32, 9:38, 9:41
Leg 3 -- 52:38 -- 10:18, 11:04, 10:27, 10:26, 10:23
Leg 4 -- 53:28 -- 10:33, 11:29, 10:12, 10:40, 10:34
Leg 5 -- 53:07 -- 10:38, 10:22, 10:32, 11:23, 10:12
Leg 6 -- 52:50 -- 10:09, 10:37, 10:58, 10:54, 10:12
Leg 7 -- 54:11 -- 10:09, 10:55, 11:50, 10:32, 10:45
Leg 8 -- 54:40 -- 10:54, 11:46, 10:52, 10:39, 10:29
Leg 9 -- 55:33 -- 10:37, 11:32, 11:40, 10:58, 10:46
Leg 10 -- 54:17 -- 10:59, 10:55, 9:58, 10:35, 11:50*
Total -- 8:49:14
*Final mile measured approximately 1.3 miles on my GPS
Getting There
I took a vacation day on Friday, October 22. David, the relay team captain, arrived at my house in the morning. At about noon, the two of us and my wife, Jenelle, left for Door County. It was a good day for traveling. We arrived at our hotel (the Bridgeport Waterfront Resort) a bit before 4 p.m. My parents also arrived at about that time. My brother, Andrew, who drove in from Minnesota, arrived about an hour later.
Packet Pick-Up and Pre-Race Meal
The six of us piled into two cars and went to the Ladder House, a bar/restaurant in Sturgeon Bay, to pick up our race packets. Everything was very well-organized. I got my solo runner bag, and David got everything for the relay team, the rest of which would be joining him in the morning.
Knowing that our hotel room had a fully-equipped kitchen, Jenelle and I brought pasta and some other items with us for a carbo-loading dinner. To make sure that all six of us would have plenty to eat, we stopped at a nearby supermarket and picked up some bread, drinks, and some other snacks. Jenelle and Andrew did a great job preparing everything back at the hotel. I had my fill of pasta and bread, and I knew my glycogen stores were fully loaded for the big race.
Race Morning
I was up around 4:30 on Saturday morning. I quickly got dressed and ventured outside for a short warm-up. The weather was cool, perhaps a bit cooler than ideal, but still very nice for running. I wanted to be sure that I could stay warm and show off my Team Compassion running shirt, so I wore a tight-fitting black long-sleeve shirt underneath. Yay for layers.
Around 5:15, I gathered with Andrew and my parents, and we all made our way to the start in Gills Rock, which was about an hour away by car. My parents served as the main support staff during the race, so I loaded up the car with plenty of Accel Gel, Sport Beans, and Accelerade that they could give me at a moment's notice.
We arrived at the start with plenty of time to spare. I made my usual pre-race pit stop and downed a Clif Bar around 6:30. As the sun came up, the weather got a little warmer. I handed off my warm-up jacket to my parents, but I kept my purple winter Northwestern hat and a pair of knit gloves. The race started right on time at 7 a.m., and I joined about 100 other runners on the long journey south to the finish.
Leg 1: Gills Rock to Ellison Bay
The course took us off the main highway and down some well-paved side roads. Trees surrounded the path, and it made for a pretty start. It didn't take me long to get warmed up and eased into my planned race pace -- 10 minutes a mile for the first 10 miles. At first, a lot of the runners passed me, but when we approached the first hill, quite a few runners immediately slowed to a walk. This is a pretty smart energy-saving measure, and I was amazed by how many people resisted the adrenaline of race day this early in the race. While my pace slowed a bit, I continued running up the hill and moved up several spots. Of course, it doesn't really matter who is ahead at this point. :)
As the first leg continued, I handed off my hat and gloves to my parents, exchanging them for the black cap I bought at the San Antonio Marathon two years ago. I picked up a bottle of Accelerade and sipped it every so often along the course. With the cool temperatures, there was little risk of becoming dehydrated, but I still drank plenty. More on that later.
Leg 2: Ellison Bay to Sister Bay
At the first exchange point, I gulped down my first Accel Gel with a cup of water. I ended up doing this at every exchange point, which means that yes, I consumed NINE gels throughout the day. There was a significant hill after the first exchange point, but it didn't slow me down too much. We were now back on the main highway. None of the streets were closed to traffic, so plenty of cars zoomed by, but there was plenty of room to run safely.
Mile six was a tiny bit slower because of the Accel Gel break, but I moved along well in the next four miles, which were all between 9:30 and 9:45 each. I was chatting with other runners and feeling comfortable, but I kept a close eye on the heart rate indicator on my GPS to ensure I wasn't going too fast. There was another big hill just before the second exchange point. Once again, I slowed my pace but kept on running.
Relay Team: At about 8:20 a.m., Jenelle and David met up with the rest of the relay team, who would be starting at 10:00. The relay team consisted of David, Scott, Michelle, Maria, and Anna. After a photo, the relay team ventured north to the start in Michelle's SUV, and Jenelle headed north in the Prius to find me on the course.
Leg 3: Sister Bay to Peninsula Park Golf Entrance
The second exchange point was just past the 11-mile mark. This is where I made my first mid-race pit stop. Leg #3 contained the steepest hill on the course, known as Little Sister Hill. It's only fitting that my planned race pace had me slowing to 11-minute miles from now until the end. Rather than simply reducing my running speed, I endeavored to take more frequent walk breaks, doing so for at least thirty seconds of every mile.
Somewhere around mile 12 or 13, I saw the entire relay team for the first time. I knew about when to expect them thanks to the cell phone I carried with me. They pulled over so that I had the chance to meet and say hello to everyone. I had never met three of the five team members face-to-face until this point. They cheered me on and gave me some much-needed encouragement before continuing their ride to the start.
Shortly after that, I saw Jenelle for the first time since early that morning. She was all smiles and full of enthusiasm. At this point, Andrew joined Jenelle in the Prius while my parents continued to navigate the course in their car. I felt pretty special having TWO support vehicles during my run.
As I approached the third exchange point at the golf course entrance to Peninsula park, Jenelle was holding a sign that stated, "My husband can run farther than yours can!" My brother had a sign that showed "Ben's Mileage Chart" and tally marks for each mile I completed. The count was now at 16. Shortly after that, I picked up some more sport beans and gel from my mom, and I was well-stocked for the fourth leg.
Leg 4: Peninsula Park -- Golf Entrance to South Entrance
This leg was the longest (7.4 miles) and the prettiest of the course. It went right along the Green Bay shoreline. The only drawback was that support vehicles were not allowed, so I had to draw strength from within to keep on moving. There were a few other runners in sight, so I chatted with some of them when I had the opportunity.
At this point, it became pretty clear that I was drinking more than necessary. This wasn't a big deal except that I had to make a few more pit stops than originally planned. This became even more apparent later in the race when it started raining, and I was stopping at a portable restroom at every exchange point.
The hills continued during this leg, but I was doing a great job of staying on pace. I was steadily building an advantage. At mile 20, I was about five minutes ahead of my goal pace. The best part was that I still felt great, and my legs were not getting sore at all.
By the end of this leg, I was eager to see my family. They were very supportive the entire race, and I missed their presence during this leg. My brother had his pocket HD camera, and he managed to get over fifty minutes of video from the race. My dad also got plenty of video, and Jenelle took pictures. Mom was always ready with a bag full of goodies, and she did a great job of anticipating what I would be needing further along the course. A big thanks to everyone for their on-course support!
Besides my family, there were a lot of people at the fourth exchange point, which was just prior to mile 24. The cheers raised the excitement level and pumped me up for the next leg of the course.
Leg 5: Peninsula Park South Entrance to Juddville
The course was back on the main highway (42) for the start of leg five. It was after 11 a.m., and there were plenty of cars on the road in the Fish Creek area. I was never worried about getting hit, but I was a bit concerned about following the right roads and staying on course. I knew that the course left the highway At one point, I approached an intersection and didn't know whether to go straight or turn left. I shouted "Does anybody know which way the runners go?" A bystander said, "I think straight." I appreciated his help, but the lack of confidence in his voice was apparent. However, I soon saw the official course markings straight ahead, so I thanked him and continued on my way.
Here comes the rain. A light drizzle began to fall. While I could still run comfortably, I had a feeling that the rain would get worse before it got better. The other thing I noticed was that my cell phone, which had intermittent reception up to this point, had turned itself off and would not turn back on. Weird.
I reached a set of quick uphill turns called "Hairpin Hill". I slowed down as I approached another runner shuffling up the hill. I asked him, "Is this the last big hill?" He responded, "There's one more near the Egg Harbor Dock, but that's it." I didn't realize it at the time, but I think that runner was Sean Ryan, the race director who also happened to be participating as a solo runner.
My pace remained steady in the rain as I reached the Juddville aid station at mile 29. I had run a marathon plus a few miles, and I was still feeling great. Despite the rain, my spirits were high.
Leg 6: Juddville to Egg Harbor Boat Dock
As with the previous leg, the aid station was on highway 42, and then we left the highway and followed a less-traveled road along the western coast of Door County. The rain continued to fall, and it was nearing the point where I would soon be soaked to the skin.
My pacing strategy continued to work successfully. With the exception of the miles during which I stopped at an aid station to use the restroom, all of my splits were below eleven minutes. I kept on eating sport beans and energy gels. While I certainly wasn't as fresh as at the start, I was confident that I could keep going. At mile 31, I was over ten minutes ahead of my goal pace.
At the end of this leg, I picked up more goodies from my parents, and I got my rain jacket from Jenelle. I also handed Jenelle my no-longer-working cell phone in the hopes that she could use the car charger in the Prius to bring it back to life.
Leg 7: Egg Harbor Boat Dock to Murphy Park
I walked up the final hill, which was just past the Egg Harbor boat dock, and for just a moment, celebrated two accomplishments. First, all the serious hills were now behind me. Second, I had completed about 33 miles, a distance I had never run before in a single shot.
As I continued south on Horseshoe Bay Road, reality set in. The rain poured steadily, and I could see big drops falling off the brim of my racing cap. I didn't feel cold thanks to my running jacket, but I still felt wet. While I had seen other solo runners here and there, the course was now quite lonely, except when a relay team member would zoom past me. While I was still pacing well, it seemed like forever between each mile marker. Thirty-four... thirty-five... thirty-six... would this ever end? I could tell that I was fatigued. I had been steadily increasing my advantage over my goal pace, but now I was just trying to maintain that advantage.
I was thrilled to reach mile 37 and the Murphy Park exchange point. I walked a bit more than usual as I gulped down another energy gel. The presence of volunteers and spectators gave me a little pick me up. I also got my cell phone back from Jenelle. It was up and running, so I could freely communicate with support teams and friends and family back home.
Leg 8: Murphy Park to Chateau Hutter
I was a half marathon away from the finish, but the overwhelming sentiment remained, "Am I there yet?" It was still raining. My parents continued to stop frequently in case I needed anything. Looking back, I was thankful for all their efforts, but at this particular point in time, it seemed like they were stopping too much. "You need anything?" "Nah, I'm good." Lather, rinse, repeat.
At mile 40, the sparks of optimism finally developed into flame, thanks to an unexpected gesture from my brother. Andrew got out of the Prius and approached me. As I slowed to a walk to find out what he wanted, he declared that he was going to run with me for a while. Wow. I don't remember our exact conversation, but I asked if he was prepared to run and if he had done any "carbo loading" recently. His response was that he just had several handfuls of potato chips (BBQ Krunchers to be exact). This is going to be interesting. :)
I attempted to run at my usual pace of 10-11 minutes a mile. He stayed right alongside me. We chatted a bit, as this pace is more than comfortable enough for me to engage in conversation. I don't recall him being out of breath. After half a mile or so, the Prius pulled up again. We stopped for a moment so that Jenelle could get a picture. I thanked up for livening up the last part of the race, and I continued my run.
Andrew didn't seem tired after he was done. I spoke with him later, and he said that he was developing a side stitch, and he probably would have been forced to walk if he had gone another half mile. I think he was impressed with the fact that I was still moving well after over seven hours of running.
At the end of this leg, there were less than eight miles to go!
Leg 9: Chateau Hutter to Old Stone Quarry Park
The shortest leg of the course! With the doldrums of the thirty-something mile marks behind me, I was now excited and confident that I could finish the race. My pace was slowing ever so slightly, but I was able to maintain the ten-minute advantage on my goal pace, and I was convinced that I could break the 8:50 barrier.
There were now plenty of other people on the course. Relay team members were passing me regularly, but I was passing a few tired solo runners. I encouraged everyone to keep moving, and I got plenty of uplifting words in return.
Moving right along!
Leg 10: Old Stone Quarry Park to Sunset Park (Finish)
The final leg of the race was exciting for so many reasons. I was tired, but to be honest, there's some marathons where I've felt much worse than I did during the last leg of this race. The rain was finally clearing up. I was thrilled about this, as I wanted to cross the line comfortably with my Team Compassion shirt in view.
With two miles to go, I handed off my accelerade bottle, my jacket, and my cell phone to my parents, dropping all unnecessary baggage for the home stretch. After a quick pit stop, I was full of enthusiasm.
With a mile to go, I was about 11 minutes and 30 seconds ahead of goal pace. A finish under nine hours was just about guaranteed, and I was pretty sure I could break 8:50.
Zoom! I ran the final mile at a faster pace than any other that day. I was passing solo runners and even a few relay runners as well! All of the runners were wearing race numbers on both the front and back, so one could easily determine the identities of other participants.
I approached one solo runner, and running alongside her were several friends or family members who had joined her for the last part of the race. She was moving along well, but I was feeling much better at this point. As I was about to pass, I said, "Great job! Great job! You're almost there!" One of her friends responded, "Yeah, it's amazing what she's done." I realized that my pace and words of encouragement had given them the impression that I was a relay runner. As I waved and passed by the group, the same friend gasped when she realized I was a solo runner. She shouted, "You too! You're doing awesome!" I smiled and continued my semi-sprint to the finish.
I was flying to the end. But as my GPS was nearing the point that would indicate the finish, the line was nowhere in sight. Huh? The road led us into Sunset Park, but having run at least a mile since the 49-mile mark, I still couldn't see the finish. I continued on and finally saw the finish in the distance. As it turns out, the final mile measured about 1.35 miles on my GPS. Now, my Garmin can be off at times, but given my pace during the final mile and the time elapsed, I know that it wasn't off by much.
I was a bit perturbed that the final mile was not measured correctly, but an extra third of a mile was not enough to take away the joy and excitement of running FIFTY MILES. I raised my arms in victory and smiled with delight as I crossed the line in 8 hours, 49 minutes, and 14 seconds. I was thrilled that I broke the 8:50 barrier despite the added distance at the end. By my estimation, the last mile should have taken me about 8:45, but it took me 11:50 to complete. Oh, well! Time to celebrate!
Post-Race Fun
I received my race medal, which is the first medal I've received with a chain instead of a ribbon. It looks like bling! An extra bonus is that it glows in the dark.
Andrew passed me the "Ben's Mileage Chart" sign and gave me the honor of tallying the final mile. I did so and signed my name to the bottom. I got a picture of Jenelle holding the sign next to me while I showed off the medal.
As I was waiting around for word on the progress of the relay team, I suddenly got quite cold. Andrew was nice enough to loan me his jacket so that I could keep warm. I ventured into the post-race party tent for a plate of pizza. Solid food -- yum! I soon received word that Scott had started the final leg of the relay team's effort, so we prepared to meet him and cross the line as a team.
The Relay Team Finish and more Post-Race Fun
David and the other team members (besides Scott) joined me in the post-race gathering area. We waited about 100 yards or so in front of the finish line. We soon spotted Scott, and all six of us ran together to the finish. As it turns out, Scott was way too fast for the rest of us, especially me, and zoomed ahead. However, David and I were all smiles as we crossed the line. It was official -- Team RunningHungry had completed the challenge of the Fall 50!
Most of the team joined my family and me in the post-race area for more pizza. I ate and ate and ate. It was wonderful. We chatted about the race. Each person, whether runner or spectator, had a slightly different view of it, so it was exciting to hear from everyone. I was totally stuffed with pizza, breadsticks, and chocolate cake by the time we got back to the hotel. What a day! I had no trouble at all getting to sleep that night.
Heading Home
After a light breakfast, we all packed up and headed home. Andrew left for Minnesota, but before leaving, he gathered up all the photos and video we collected from the race on his laptop. He's going to put a video together for me as a Christmas present. I'm thrilled that he is doing that for me, as that's better than any gift I could ask for. Besides, I still have to work on a video from the Sunburst Marathon that I ran in June!
David, Jenelle and I were on the road shortly after Andrew and my parents left. We got back to Kenosha in plenty of time for David to be able to comfortably drive back to Ohio without it being too late.
Final Thoughts
It's really tough to describe the feeling of accomplishment after running for nearly nine hours straight. Perhaps I'll do it again someday, but for now, I am just taking it easy. I'd like to say thank you again to everyone has supported me in this endeavor, especially those who pledged to support Compassion International via the Running Hungry site. As I write this, the total amount raised is over $2,200.
Race Stats
Here's the mile splits, separated into 5-mile legs. Keep in mind that the legs listed here do not correspond exactly to the legs mentioned above, as the exchange points were anywhere from 3.0 to 7.5 miles apart.
Leg 1 -- 49:45 -- 10:07, 10:01, 9:48, 9:54, 9:55
Leg 2 -- 48:45 -- 10:22, 9:32, 9:32, 9:38, 9:41
Leg 3 -- 52:38 -- 10:18, 11:04, 10:27, 10:26, 10:23
Leg 4 -- 53:28 -- 10:33, 11:29, 10:12, 10:40, 10:34
Leg 5 -- 53:07 -- 10:38, 10:22, 10:32, 11:23, 10:12
Leg 6 -- 52:50 -- 10:09, 10:37, 10:58, 10:54, 10:12
Leg 7 -- 54:11 -- 10:09, 10:55, 11:50, 10:32, 10:45
Leg 8 -- 54:40 -- 10:54, 11:46, 10:52, 10:39, 10:29
Leg 9 -- 55:33 -- 10:37, 11:32, 11:40, 10:58, 10:46
Leg 10 -- 54:17 -- 10:59, 10:55, 9:58, 10:35, 11:50*
Total -- 8:49:14
*Final mile measured approximately 1.3 miles on my GPS
Saturday, October 23, 2010
The Final Final Update!
Ben finished in 8 hours 49 minutes!! So I think that's about 11 minutes ahead of his goal time. Whoo hoo! Way to go Benj!
When asked if he had a final quote for the blog, his response was, "Yo, Jenelle. I did it." ;-)
One last photo for you:
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Check out that bling around his neck! And look he's still standing...and has a smile on his face!
Congrats Ben!!
When asked if he had a final quote for the blog, his response was, "Yo, Jenelle. I did it." ;-)
One last photo for you:
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Check out that bling around his neck! And look he's still standing...and has a smile on his face!Congrats Ben!!
The Finish!
And Ben finished!!!!
I'm having some technical difficulties in receiving the final email from Ben. Just wanted to let you know, he did indeed finish. And I'll be back in a bit with the final final update! ;-)
I'm having some technical difficulties in receiving the final email from Ben. Just wanted to let you know, he did indeed finish. And I'll be back in a bit with the final final update! ;-)
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Mile 45
Report from Andrew: Ben is at Mile 45 and ten minutes ahead of pace. Looking tired, but still doing well! Of the solo ultra-marathoners, it seems he's passing people, not slowing down. So that's a good thing! Look for a photo from Mile 46 coming up!
Mile 37
Just got a call from Ben. At 37 miles, he's 9 minutes ahead of his goal time! He's still feeling pretty good overall. Starting to get tired since this is further than he's ever run before. But he says he's still in good spirits! It continues to rain. :-)
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Lunchtime update
Just got an update from Andrew on the sidelines. Ben was at 34.5 miles. 50k or around 32 miles is the longest he had run before. So he's just starting to enter new territory. It's now raining so the second half of the race is pretty wet. Ben seems in good spirits still and feeling well!
The first half of the course has some pretty big hills, but the second half seems to be more flat overall.
Andrew and Jenelle are cheering on Ben every 2-3 miles and Tom and Pat (Ben's parents) are cheering him on about every mile or so.
Hopefully, I'll get an update posted again just before he finishes and/or just after.
The first half of the course has some pretty big hills, but the second half seems to be more flat overall.
Andrew and Jenelle are cheering on Ben every 2-3 miles and Tom and Pat (Ben's parents) are cheering him on about every mile or so.
Hopefully, I'll get an update posted again just before he finishes and/or just after.
Early Morning Update
Hello, this is Holly (Ben's sister-in-law), reporting from the Run Ben Run Newsdesk here in Minnesota. ;-) Just chatted with him on the phone. He sounds in a great mood!
He's at mile 3 in exactly 30 minutes so he's right on pace for his goal. He reported that it's a little chilly, but no wind or rain or anything yet, so it's a beautiful day so far to run for nine hours!
Thanks for stopping by! Keep checking back as Ben will continue to post photos and I'll be back later this afternoon with more updates.
He's at mile 3 in exactly 30 minutes so he's right on pace for his goal. He reported that it's a little chilly, but no wind or rain or anything yet, so it's a beautiful day so far to run for nine hours!
Thanks for stopping by! Keep checking back as Ben will continue to post photos and I'll be back later this afternoon with more updates.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Race Tracking Here!
A special welcome to all who have reached this page via RunningHungry.org. If you check this blog on race day (Saturday the 23rd), I will be posting occasional updates, and some will have pictures taken BY ME while I am running the race. Exciting, eh? :)
Here is my planned race pace. If I run the first ten miles at 10:00/mile pace and the remaining forty at 11:00/mile pace, I'll finish in nine hours. I'm not going to try and follow this exactly -- in fact, I'll probably be a tiny bit ahead of it, at least in the early going.
Here is my planned race pace. If I run the first ten miles at 10:00/mile pace and the remaining forty at 11:00/mile pace, I'll finish in nine hours. I'm not going to try and follow this exactly -- in fact, I'll probably be a tiny bit ahead of it, at least in the early going.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Cayman Islands Movie!
After ten months of procrastination, I have finally put together a movie from the Cayman Islands Marathon, which was last December. Check it out on the movie blog!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Peak Training Weekend
The biggest difference between my usual marathon training plan and my training for a 50-miler is the running on the weekends.
Marathon plans feature one long run of 12-20 miles and one shorter run of 5-10 miles. I'd usually do the shorter run on Saturday and the long run on Sunday.
My Fall 50 preparation has long runs on BOTH Saturday and Sunday. I have been spending progressively more time running on the weekends, and I finally hit the peak of my training this past weekend. From now on, I will be steadily decreasing the mileage, also known as "tapering", to build strength for the race.
First, here's a quick summary of the past two days of running.
Saturday
I was awake before 5 a.m., hoping to complete my five-hour run in the morning hours. A check of the radar showed some storms approaching, but I hoped they wouldn't be too serious. I was out the door at 5:20 a.m., wearing a headlamp to light the way. It wasn't too cold, so I was fine in a t-shirt and shorts, but I kept my lightweight rain jacket on the porch in case of inclement weather.
With about one mile done, I saw a scary-looking bolt of lightning in the northwestern sky. It was still a ways off, as the thunder didn't follow it for 10-15 seconds, but I made the decision at that point not to risk it. I don't mind the rain, but I'd rather not mess with lightning if I can help it. I made it back home with just over two miles done.
The radar showed some red moving through, and another nasty-looking red spot two counties to the west. I took it easy for a couple of hours, eating a light breakfast and staying loose for my second attempt. The radar showed more rain to the west after the "red", but it didn't look nearly as bad as what had already gone through.
At 7:40, I was out the door again. It was still raining, but only a little bit. I was moving along pretty well. I think the extra wake-up time and the two-mile warm-up helped significantly.
I had my cell phone with me, so I called my friend, Mark, who lives nearby, just in case he was up for running with me for a little while. Though he wasn't able to, he and his oldest son, Caleb, waved from their front window as I ran by.
I was all over the neighborhood, spending time on both the streets surrounding my house and a nearby bike trail. The temperature was in the low-to-mid 60s, so I didn't need my jacket. I never ventured too far from home in case the rain suddenly got worse.
Just over two hours into the run, a steady downpour developed, and I was no longer comfortable without the jacket. I was about a mile from home. I got a bit wet as I returned. Strangely enough, the rain had let up by the time I got back. When I got home, Jenelle opened the front door, handed me my rain jacket, offered me a towel, and gave me some important news: "You just got caught in a yellow spot. There's a red band on the way."
Thanking her for the advice, I put on the rain jacket and continued on my run. There was no sign of lightning until I was half a mile away from home. I did an about-face and started heading back. I should have turned around much sooner, as I was caught in a drenching rain for the last quarter mile. I made it home, opened the big garage door, stopped the timer on my GPS, and began walking laps around the inside perimeter of the garage. The rain continued to come down in buckets as I considered what to do next. The timer was at about 2:34 with 15.65 miles covered, so I was a little over half done.
I left the rain jacket in the garage, and I took one step inside the house, being careful to stay on the floor mat and keep the kitchen floor dry. Jenelle brought up the latest radar image on her laptop. The red band was about done, and then there was a bit of green after that, after which it was clear.
I went back into the garage and waited for the worst of it to be over. It was still drizzling a bit as I put the jacket back on, resumed the timer, and continued on my way. The walking break lasted about eight minutes.
As the miles counted up and the rain came to a stop, fatigue was setting in. I began taking regular walk breaks -- about 20-30 seconds per mile. That, along with Accelerade, Accel Gel, and sport beans, kept me from completely burning out. I managed pretty well, as nearly all of my miles were 10:30 or less.
It was about 12:50 p.m. when I *finally* finished the run. I covered 30 miles in 5:02, not counting the early-morning two-miler or the eight-minute walk break.
A few more thoughts on Saturday's run:
9:22, 9:23, 9:15, 9:35, 10:12,
9:50, 9:55, 9:56, 9:41, 9:56,
10:40, 9:48, 9:49, 10:03, 10:37,
9:29, 9:57, 10:28, 10:09, 10:28,
9:58, 10:14, 10:06, 11:03, 10:26
10:04, 10:22, 10:52, 10:25, 9:39
Sunday
As I rolled out of bed a little before 3 a.m. on Sunday, there was no rain, but the temperatures were ten degrees cooler. I was out the door at 3:15 with the rain jacket on -- not to stay dry, but to stay warm.
Yes, that's correct -- I started running at 3:15 a.m. I don't like to be out there at that hour, but with church commitments starting at 8 a.m., I had to get a pretty early start. I wore a headlamp and a reflective sash to keep myself visible. As with Saturday's run, I stayed close to home, running several loops to rack up the miles.
I could tell from the start that my legs did not have the energy of the previous day. Even though I ate and drank quite a bit on Saturday afternoon and evening, when you only have 14 hours to recover, it's tough to keep the spring in your step. Despite that difficulty, I completed every mile in less than eleven minutes, throwing in walking breaks whenever I needed them.
I don't remember a whole lot of other exciting things about the run. I wasn't overly thrilled to be out there, but I know that the benefits will be realized about 33 days from now when I run the Fall 50.
The final mile, however, was pretty neat. I saw a rainbow in the western sky, and I took a few pictures of it using my cell phone. What does this mean?
Sunday's mile splits:
10:36, 10:18, 10:26, 10:15, 10:25,
10:21, 10:05, 10:23, 10:22, 10:27,
10:50, 10:23, 10:26, 10:28, 9:51,
10:49, 10:20, 10:30, 10:19, 10:40,
10:34, 10:29, 10:25
And that's enough for one post. Let the tapering begin!
Marathon plans feature one long run of 12-20 miles and one shorter run of 5-10 miles. I'd usually do the shorter run on Saturday and the long run on Sunday.
My Fall 50 preparation has long runs on BOTH Saturday and Sunday. I have been spending progressively more time running on the weekends, and I finally hit the peak of my training this past weekend. From now on, I will be steadily decreasing the mileage, also known as "tapering", to build strength for the race.
First, here's a quick summary of the past two days of running.
- I ran 32 miles on Saturday and 23 miles on Sunday.
- From 7:30 a.m. on Saturday until 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, I ran 53 miles, the most I've ever run in any 24-hour period. Those 53 miles took about nine hours, which means that I was outside running for more than 37% of those 24 hours.
- I consumed five 20-ounce bottles of Accelerade, three 20-ounce bottles of water, three servings of Accel Gel, and three servings of Jelly Belly Sport Beans while on the road. This isn't really that much; had it been warmer, I would have consumed a lot more fluids.
- I averaged 10:04/mile on Saturday and 10:26/mile on Sunday. For comparison purposes, my fastest marathon was run at 8:30/mile pace, and my fastest 50K was run at 9:19/mile. At the Fall 50, I hope to average 10:48/mile or better, which means I would finish in nine hours or less.
Saturday
I was awake before 5 a.m., hoping to complete my five-hour run in the morning hours. A check of the radar showed some storms approaching, but I hoped they wouldn't be too serious. I was out the door at 5:20 a.m., wearing a headlamp to light the way. It wasn't too cold, so I was fine in a t-shirt and shorts, but I kept my lightweight rain jacket on the porch in case of inclement weather.
With about one mile done, I saw a scary-looking bolt of lightning in the northwestern sky. It was still a ways off, as the thunder didn't follow it for 10-15 seconds, but I made the decision at that point not to risk it. I don't mind the rain, but I'd rather not mess with lightning if I can help it. I made it back home with just over two miles done.
The radar showed some red moving through, and another nasty-looking red spot two counties to the west. I took it easy for a couple of hours, eating a light breakfast and staying loose for my second attempt. The radar showed more rain to the west after the "red", but it didn't look nearly as bad as what had already gone through.
At 7:40, I was out the door again. It was still raining, but only a little bit. I was moving along pretty well. I think the extra wake-up time and the two-mile warm-up helped significantly.
I had my cell phone with me, so I called my friend, Mark, who lives nearby, just in case he was up for running with me for a little while. Though he wasn't able to, he and his oldest son, Caleb, waved from their front window as I ran by.
I was all over the neighborhood, spending time on both the streets surrounding my house and a nearby bike trail. The temperature was in the low-to-mid 60s, so I didn't need my jacket. I never ventured too far from home in case the rain suddenly got worse.
Just over two hours into the run, a steady downpour developed, and I was no longer comfortable without the jacket. I was about a mile from home. I got a bit wet as I returned. Strangely enough, the rain had let up by the time I got back. When I got home, Jenelle opened the front door, handed me my rain jacket, offered me a towel, and gave me some important news: "You just got caught in a yellow spot. There's a red band on the way."
Thanking her for the advice, I put on the rain jacket and continued on my run. There was no sign of lightning until I was half a mile away from home. I did an about-face and started heading back. I should have turned around much sooner, as I was caught in a drenching rain for the last quarter mile. I made it home, opened the big garage door, stopped the timer on my GPS, and began walking laps around the inside perimeter of the garage. The rain continued to come down in buckets as I considered what to do next. The timer was at about 2:34 with 15.65 miles covered, so I was a little over half done.
I left the rain jacket in the garage, and I took one step inside the house, being careful to stay on the floor mat and keep the kitchen floor dry. Jenelle brought up the latest radar image on her laptop. The red band was about done, and then there was a bit of green after that, after which it was clear.
I went back into the garage and waited for the worst of it to be over. It was still drizzling a bit as I put the jacket back on, resumed the timer, and continued on my way. The walking break lasted about eight minutes.
As the miles counted up and the rain came to a stop, fatigue was setting in. I began taking regular walk breaks -- about 20-30 seconds per mile. That, along with Accelerade, Accel Gel, and sport beans, kept me from completely burning out. I managed pretty well, as nearly all of my miles were 10:30 or less.
It was about 12:50 p.m. when I *finally* finished the run. I covered 30 miles in 5:02, not counting the early-morning two-miler or the eight-minute walk break.
A few more thoughts on Saturday's run:
- This run marked the debut of my new iPod shuffle. It's half as big as my old one, holds twice as many songs, and cost half as much. I also like the "voice over" feature -- a computerized voice announces the title and artist of each track.
- The weather kept others inside. I don't recall seeing any other runners, and I spotted only a few walkers. Sadly, I saw several smokers lighting up and trying their best to stay dry under awnings and whatever shelter they could find. Ugh.
- On a much more positive note, a big thanks to Jenelle, who filled up water bottles and gave me several weather updates to keep me safe. She's the best!
9:22, 9:23, 9:15, 9:35, 10:12,
9:50, 9:55, 9:56, 9:41, 9:56,
10:40, 9:48, 9:49, 10:03, 10:37,
9:29, 9:57, 10:28, 10:09, 10:28,
9:58, 10:14, 10:06, 11:03, 10:26
10:04, 10:22, 10:52, 10:25, 9:39
Sunday
As I rolled out of bed a little before 3 a.m. on Sunday, there was no rain, but the temperatures were ten degrees cooler. I was out the door at 3:15 with the rain jacket on -- not to stay dry, but to stay warm.
Yes, that's correct -- I started running at 3:15 a.m. I don't like to be out there at that hour, but with church commitments starting at 8 a.m., I had to get a pretty early start. I wore a headlamp and a reflective sash to keep myself visible. As with Saturday's run, I stayed close to home, running several loops to rack up the miles.
I could tell from the start that my legs did not have the energy of the previous day. Even though I ate and drank quite a bit on Saturday afternoon and evening, when you only have 14 hours to recover, it's tough to keep the spring in your step. Despite that difficulty, I completed every mile in less than eleven minutes, throwing in walking breaks whenever I needed them.
I don't remember a whole lot of other exciting things about the run. I wasn't overly thrilled to be out there, but I know that the benefits will be realized about 33 days from now when I run the Fall 50.
The final mile, however, was pretty neat. I saw a rainbow in the western sky, and I took a few pictures of it using my cell phone. What does this mean?
Sunday's mile splits:
10:36, 10:18, 10:26, 10:15, 10:25,
10:21, 10:05, 10:23, 10:22, 10:27,
10:50, 10:23, 10:26, 10:28, 9:51,
10:49, 10:20, 10:30, 10:19, 10:40,
10:34, 10:29, 10:25
And that's enough for one post. Let the tapering begin!
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Amazing August
A lack of activity on Ben's Running Blog does not necessarily mean that I have not been running much lately. In fact, quite the opposite!
Last month, I reached another running milestone without realizing it. On a 25-mile training run on August 14, one of many long training runs in preparation for the Fall 50, I reached eight thousand lifetime miles! Yeah! I don't know if I'll ever be training as heavily as I am right now, but there's a change I'll crack five digits before I turn 35.
There was another new record last month. I ran a total of 250 miles last month! My previous record was 214, set in March 2008 when I was gearing up for my first 50K.
This month is off to an interesting start. Though I planned to run 40+ miles over Labor Day weekend, I was sidelined with a fever. However, I was out for six miles this morning, and I'm planning to be out there for some serious miles this coming weekend.
Last month, I reached another running milestone without realizing it. On a 25-mile training run on August 14, one of many long training runs in preparation for the Fall 50, I reached eight thousand lifetime miles! Yeah! I don't know if I'll ever be training as heavily as I am right now, but there's a change I'll crack five digits before I turn 35.
There was another new record last month. I ran a total of 250 miles last month! My previous record was 214, set in March 2008 when I was gearing up for my first 50K.
This month is off to an interesting start. Though I planned to run 40+ miles over Labor Day weekend, I was sidelined with a fever. However, I was out for six miles this morning, and I'm planning to be out there for some serious miles this coming weekend.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Running Hungry!
With less than three months to go before the Fall 50, I have updated runninghungry.org. Make a pledge, join the relay team, or just sign the guestbook. Even a few words of encouragement are very much appreciated!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Freedom 5K - Age Group Win!
I've made an annual tradition of being up north the weekend before the 4th of July. So, for the third time in a row, I ran in the Freedom 5K in St. Germain, Wisconsin.
In 2008, I was third in the 30-39 age group with a time of 21:58.
In 2009, my time improved to 21:12 (a new PR at the time), but I only managed fourth in my age group.
In this year's race, my time slipped to 21:44. A factor may have been the mass quantities of food I enjoyed the night before in celebration of my birthday. However, I was fast enough to win the age group! Woohoo!
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Sunburst Marathon Recap
On Our Way
On the afternoon of Friday, June 4, my dad and I made the 3+ hour drive to South Bend, Indiana. I picked up my race packet just outside the College Football Hall of Fame, which is also where the race started on Saturday morning. In what has become a pre-marathon tradition for me, I enjoyed pasta at a nearby Fazoli's for dinner.
Pre-Race Routine
As I went out for a warm-up around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, I noticed that it was already warm (about 70 degrees). When I signed up to run a marathon in June, I knew that I probably wouldn't be setting a new personal best. Considering the temperature and the relative ease at which I was warmed up, I decided that four hours was a reasonable goal. Dad and I made it to the start area with plenty of time to spare. I ate a Clif bar, used the restroom, and stretched out a bit before joining other runners at the start. After a lone trumpeter played the national anthem, the gun went off, and I was on my way!
Here's a link to the marathon course map in PDF format.
Mile 1 - 9:25
16 seconds behind goal pace
The opening mile was set up perfectly for my dad to get two videos of me running by. I waved to him shortly after crossing the start line. The course ventured south, then west for two blocks, then north again, and I waved to Dad one more time. I settled into an easy pace. It seemed like hundreds of runners were passing me, but I figured they all had a case of mile-one adrenaline, also known as a "jackrabbit" start. I hoped to be passing most of them further along the course.
Mile 2 - 9:02 - Total 18:27
Nine seconds behind goal pace
The first aid station was at the 1.5-mile mark. I wasn't overly thirsty, but I had a cup of Gatorade anyways, trying to fight off any dehydration issues that usually arise on days this warm. I picked up the pace a bit as well, wanting to stay as close to goal pace as possible.
Mile 3 - 9:09 - Total 27:36
Eight seconds behind goal pace
Race officials set up a flag system to keep us aware of course conditions. I don't remember the exact wording of each, but here's a basic description:
GREEN = All systems go.
YELLOW = Heat is a factor. Proceed with caution.
RED = Extreme heat. Increased risk of dehydration.
BLACK = Race canceled / stopped -- timing is turned off.
I was pleased to see a green flag just past the mile marker.
Mile 4 - 9:22 - Total 36:58
21 seconds behind goal pace
As I meandered north on Riverside Drive, I was officially on the first "out" of the two out-and-backs on the marathon course. I stayed on the left side of the road and caught a glimpse of the leaders zooming by on the other side. I'm always impressed by how far ahead they are, even this early in the race. I continued to run conservatively, taking some extra walking time at an aid station to preserve my energy.
Mile 5 - 8:59 - Total 45:57
Eleven seconds behind goal pace
We looped though a quaint neighborhood north of the city. I felt pretty good and didn't have any major concerns at this point. Onward!
Mile 6 - 9:02 - Total 54:59
Mile 7 - 9:11 - Total 1:04:10
Six seconds behind goal pace
We continued north into Pinhook Park and reached the northernmost point of the course. I started my non-liquid fuel intake at this point, which consisted of Sport Beans and GU. I had one serving every 2-3 miles from this point through the end of the race. I was now on the first "back" part of the course and running at a comfortable but steady pace.
Mile 8 - 9:08 - Total 1:13:18
Mile 9 - 9:07 - Total 1:22:25
Two seconds behind goal pace
With over a third of the race complete, I was still feeling great. I was thrilled to see my dad again, who gave me a cool bottle of Accelerade and lots of positive encouragement. If you are ever a spectator at a race, do not underestimate how much you can help the participants. Words of support are more beneficial than you think!
Mile 10 - 8:37 - Total 1:31:02
Mile 11 - 9:58 - Total 1:41:00
19 seconds behind goal pace
Though mile 10 was one of my fastest of the day, I made up for it in mile 11 by making a "pit stop". Since I was slowed extensively by dehydration in my first marathon, I've always erred on the other side, especially on hot days. My personal experience is that it is more comfortable to over-hydrate and take a minute break than to under-hydrate and cramp up late in the race. In this particular situation, the wait was minimal, and I didn't mind the rest break at all.
Mile 12 - 9:24 - Total 1:50:24
34 seconds behind goal pace
As the summer sun continued to rise, I noticed a yellow flag on the course. I did my best to conserve energy before reaching the halfway point.
Mile 13 - 8:38 - Total 1:59:02
Two seconds behind goal pace
I was now entrenched in the "out" portion of the second out-and-back of the course. I wouldn't be turning around until mile 18. I grabbed a GU at the mile 13 aid station, ensuring that I'd have plenty of fuel for the second half of the race.
Mile 14 - 8:36 - Total 2:07:38
Mile 15 - 9:20 - Total 2:16:58
20 seconds ahead of goal pace
Looking at the numbers early in the second half of the race, I was going at about the same pace, on average, as the first half. However, I was now passing tired runners on a regular basis. I also saw the race leaders heading back for the finish, which still seemed so far away for me.
Mile 16 - 9:25 - Total 2:26:23
Four seconds ahead of goal pace
I saw Dad again. As usual, he was full of enthusiasm, which lifted my spirits. I traded in my empty bottle of Accelerade for a full one.
If you don't have it open already, take another look at the course map. Nearing the 16-mile mark, I could see other runners on the opposite (south) side of the river near the turnaround point.
Mile 17 - 8:44 - Total 2:35:07
29 seconds ahead of goal pace
As I continued on the north side of the river, I passed several bridges. A volunteer was stationed at each of these bridges to ensure that runners would NOT cross them and cut the course short. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I finally reached the bridge that was open for crossing.
Mile 18 - 9:24 - Total 2:44:31
15 seconds ahead of goal pace
TURNAROUND! YAY!
Mile 19 - 9:11 - Total 2:53:42
Mile 20 - 9:23 - Total 3:03:05
One measly second behind goal pace
I feared hitting the wall in the final six miles, so I took slightly longer walk breaks at aid stations. I also saw Dad one more time -- he was at the exact same spot where I saw him last time. I guess there's some advantage to laying out the course like this.
Just past where my dad was stationed, I saw a runner in distress. She was sitting on a bench, and two EMTs/paramedics were providing assistance. She was conscious, but was clearly not feeling well. As if that wasn't a serious enough reminder of the tough conditions, I saw a red flag just past the 20-mile mark.
Mile 21 - 9:03 - Total 3:12:08
Mile 22 - 9:03 - Total 3:21:11
Eleven seconds ahead of goal pace
I was getting tired, but my conservative pace in the early going was paying off. Many other runners had slowed down, but I was steadily advancing at four-hour pace. There were a few folks approaching who were still 10+ miles from being done. Hopefully, they kept up their fluid intake and made it safely to the finish.
Mile 23 - 8:56 - Total 3:30:07
Mile 24 - 9:03 - Total 3:39:10
31 seconds ahead of goal pace
I grabbed one final GU at mile 23.5. It wouldn't help during the actual race, but it would certainly benefit my post-race recovery.
I was flying past runners, many of whom were walking along. I tried to encourage folks to keep moving, with the finish just a few miles away. I could tell that it was getting even warmer. I recall wondering what motivated me to sign up for a June marathon in the first place. I guess I just wanted to check another state off my list. :)
Mile 25 - 9:13 - Total 3:48:23
Mile 26 - 9:04 - Total 3:57:27
32 seconds ahead of goal pace
I finally finished the second "out-and-back" at about mile 24.5, and I was officially on my way to the Notre Dame stadium.
Before continuing my recap, here's some background information:
The full marathon started at 6:00 a.m.
The half marathon started at 8:00 a.m.
The 5K fun walk/run started at 9:00 a.m.
All three of these events finished at the stadium.
So, you can guess what this means. There's people everywhere during the final two miles. Walkers were instructed to stay on the left half of the road, which kept them out of my way. However, on the right side were tired marathoners AND half-marathoners, so I had to weave around them. I'm sure there's a benefit to having all of the races finish at about the same time, but it didn't seem like a great idea to me at the time.
Finish - 1:45 - Total 3:59:12
I had a small digital camera that I picked up from my dad the last time I saw him. I kept it running in video mode as I entered the stadium. There was quite a crowd both on the field and in the stands. I saw Dad, who got a great video of me crossing the line (I'll get that done soon). The adrenaline of the final .22 miles allowed me to finish 48 seconds ahead of my goal time. YES! I got a pretty neat-looking finisher's medal.
Post-Race
There was a huge line to get food from a tent on the far side of the stadium, and most of the folks in line were walkers. I was pretty hungry after 26 miles 385 yards in some serious heat, so I walked right up to the tent and quickly grabbed an apple and a bagel. I didn't get a single dirty look or comment about skipping ahead in line. I guess the marathon medal has some privileges attached to it.
Heading Home
Dad and I were hoping to try a local stuffed pizza place for lunch, but it didn't open until dinner time, so we settled for a CiCi's Pizza near the hotel.
There wasn't much traffic on the way back, so we were home with plenty of time to relax and rest up for the week ahead. Thanks again, Dad, for joining me on the trip to South Bend!
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Under four! Yes!
On a warm sunny morning in South Bend, I clocked approximately 3:59:15. It's the first sub four-hour finish in about a year and a half. Woohoo!
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Summer Runnin'
As you can see from the sidebar, I've added a few items to the upcoming races list.
I am running a full marathon in South Bend on Saturday. I'm targeting to finish in under four hours. I feel pretty good, but I don't think I'm quite fit enough to challenge my personal best (3:43:06 in Nashville).
Three weeks later, I'll be in St. Germain for the Freedom 5K. This will be the third year in a row that I've run that race. I'm hoping to finish under 21 minutes.
The "tentative" race is a 50-miler in Door County in late October. I'm still on the fence about this one, considering that I've never run more than 50 kilometers (about 31 miles). Fifty miles is pretty crazy, I know, but if I can get it some good training over the summer, I think I can do it!
I am running a full marathon in South Bend on Saturday. I'm targeting to finish in under four hours. I feel pretty good, but I don't think I'm quite fit enough to challenge my personal best (3:43:06 in Nashville).
Three weeks later, I'll be in St. Germain for the Freedom 5K. This will be the third year in a row that I've run that race. I'm hoping to finish under 21 minutes.
The "tentative" race is a 50-miler in Door County in late October. I'm still on the fence about this one, considering that I've never run more than 50 kilometers (about 31 miles). Fifty miles is pretty crazy, I know, but if I can get it some good training over the summer, I think I can do it!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
High Five
This morning's twelve mile run was more interesting than most. The weather was a comfortable 60 degrees and partly cloudy. I started at about 9 a.m., heading east. I had a great mix of tunes on my iPod shuffle, including a catchy kids' song called "Five Senses" by Hi-5. I first heard that song when one of my nieces, Ella, was singing along with it in the car on the way to a 5K I ran in Minnesota three years ago.
I passed by Mark & Heather's house, waving to Mark and his oldest son, Caleb. I turned south. At the corner of 35th St. and 19th Ave., on the ground right by the curb, I saw a five dollar bill. There was no one outside within earshot. I ran a loop around neighboring blocks just in case there was a trail to be followed. I found plenty of empty soda/beer cans and discarded food containers, but no more cash.
I went passed Rachel & Jeremy's house, and then by Janet & Jamie's place. I had a brief chat with Jamie, who was having a relaxing Saturday morning. I appreciated the break, as I had been going six miles under 9:00 pace, and six more to go.
I ventured west and then north, passing by Steve & Mary's as well as Rich & Maryke's. There were quite a few rummage sales in their neighborhoods. I thought about stopping at one and spending my five bucks, but nothing caught my eye.
I made it back home before 11 a.m., logging 12 miles in 1:49:30, which is about 9:10 pace. One other interesting item of note -- on three separate occasions, I saw someone walking with a gas can. Either a bunch of Kenosha residents let their tanks get too low, or they are just getting some fresh air while purchasing gas for their lawn mowers.
In any case, I will always be joyful and thankful that I can visit several of my friends in one morning without spending a dime on gas. And once in a while, I'll come out ahead.
I passed by Mark & Heather's house, waving to Mark and his oldest son, Caleb. I turned south. At the corner of 35th St. and 19th Ave., on the ground right by the curb, I saw a five dollar bill. There was no one outside within earshot. I ran a loop around neighboring blocks just in case there was a trail to be followed. I found plenty of empty soda/beer cans and discarded food containers, but no more cash.
I went passed Rachel & Jeremy's house, and then by Janet & Jamie's place. I had a brief chat with Jamie, who was having a relaxing Saturday morning. I appreciated the break, as I had been going six miles under 9:00 pace, and six more to go.
I ventured west and then north, passing by Steve & Mary's as well as Rich & Maryke's. There were quite a few rummage sales in their neighborhoods. I thought about stopping at one and spending my five bucks, but nothing caught my eye.
I made it back home before 11 a.m., logging 12 miles in 1:49:30, which is about 9:10 pace. One other interesting item of note -- on three separate occasions, I saw someone walking with a gas can. Either a bunch of Kenosha residents let their tanks get too low, or they are just getting some fresh air while purchasing gas for their lawn mowers.
In any case, I will always be joyful and thankful that I can visit several of my friends in one morning without spending a dime on gas. And once in a while, I'll come out ahead.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, May 01, 2010
New Half Marathon PR!
I ran 1:49:08 in the Wisconsin Half Marathon this morning. It was a beautiful day in Kenosha. I thought that the yellow foam tie pinned to my shirt might slow me down, or perhaps the three games of volleyball I played last night would tire me out, but neither was enough to keep me from a new personal best. I kept the pace around 8:30 for the first 8-9 miles and then picked it up down the stretch. I didn't train extensively, so I think there's room to improve my half marathon PR even more. For now, it's time to relax and enjoy the little victory!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Hometown Racing
I just signed up for the half marathon in Kenosha on May 1. I don't think I'll be in PR-challenging shape, but it should be a fun race!
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
What is going on with me?
Maybe it's the cold, but I haven't been overly excited about running lately. However, I am certainly staying fit. I am running 3-4 miles three times a week (usually Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), lifting weights 2-3 times a week, and getting some additional cardio work via my elliptical trainer at home a few times a week. While I'm not in shape to run a marathon, I'm feeling pretty good. Perhaps when things get a little warmer, I'll find a race and get excited about it.
I still owe all of you faithful blog-watchers a couple of movies -- one from the Cayman Islands Marathon and one from the Iron Horse 5K way back in August. I should really get to work on that!
I still owe all of you faithful blog-watchers a couple of movies -- one from the Cayman Islands Marathon and one from the Iron Horse 5K way back in August. I should really get to work on that!
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