Stuff the Sleigh 5K - New Personal Best!

On November 30 (my mom's birthday), I headed to downtown Racine for a small but well-organized 5K race. You can't expect comfortable temperatures this time of year, so I was thrilled that it was warm enough to keep the tights in the drawer.

A downhill start paved the way for a fast initial pace. After the dust had settled and I reach the 0.5-mile mark, I was in fifth place. As I slowly gained ground on the fourth place runner, I was surprised to see a runner pushing a stroller making significant gains on me. The stroller guy passed me and didn't even seem like he was pushing himself. I passed a runner soon after that, so I stayed in fifth place.

At the 1.5 mile mark, I passed by Lakeshore Towers, where my grandma lives. This is also where my parents and my kids were stationed. I waved to them as I ran by. At this point, stroller guy was in the lead, and I had moved up to fourth.

I wasn't getting that much faster, but I had the energy to overtake the third place runner with about a mile to go. I passed Lakeshore Towers again at the 2.5-mile mark, heading back to the finish line on Sam Johnson Parkway. In the last half mile, I solidified my position in third, allowing me to complete the uphill finish comfortably.

I finished in third place overall, setting a new personal best at 20:30. Because of the overall place, I did not qualify for an age group award. That's the first time this has ever happened.

The second place guy finished in 20:17. Could I have beat that? Probably not, but perhaps a super-mega-huge all-out effort could have done it. I don't think I ever could have caught the stroller guy. He finished  in 20:02, but I think he could have gone faster if someone had pushed him.

What a GREAT day to set a personal best and earn a place on the podium.

Haunted Hustle (Middleton) Marathon Recap

  

Packet Pickup
I picked up my packet on Saturday morning without any issues. My daughter seemed to enjoy the small race expo at the Keva Sports Center, which was near the start/finish of the race. My race number, 1119, seemed familiar to me, but I still can't recall from what.

The Night Before
My family and I had dinner with my aunt, Gail, who lives about 30 minutes away from Middleton. She made the perfect dinner -- pasta, salad, bread, and more -- to get me energized for the race. Jenelle and I didn't have too much trouble getting our daughter (almost 3) and son (almost 1) to fall asleep in a new environment, so I was able to relax, look over the course map, watch the World Series, and catch up with my aunt before getting a decent night's rest.

Race Morning
Props to Jenelle for handling our son, who rose even earlier than I did, and getting him back to sleep. I was dressed and out the door shortly after 6:00 a.m. for a short warm-up around the block. I left my aunt's house (in her van) at 6:40, arriving at the race site in plenty of time for the 8:00 start. I struck up a conversation with the 3:30 pacesetter prior to the race. While I wasn't planning to run in that group, I considered the possibility of breaking the 3:30 barrier if I had a good race.

It was a tiny bit on the cold side (high 20s / low 30s), so I wore a heavy 'throwaway' sweatshirt on top of my orange short-sleeve shirt and a black long-sleeve base layer. My purple NU winter hat, gloves, black shorts, socks, and my orange shoes completed the outfit. I wasn't carrying my phone, but I did have plenty of gels and sport beans.

Here we go!
Things seemed pretty typical at the start, except that I kept my sweatshirt on for a while. Keeping in mind my PR pace of 8:09/mile that I set in Kenosha earlier this year, I ran a conservative 8:19 out of the gate, picking it up soon after that. After five miles, I was averaging just over 8:00/mile. I ditched my sweatshirt near some bushes by a park entrance, curious if anyone would pick it up. As it turns out, it was still there after the race, so my throwaway sweatshirt, originally purchased for $3 at a thrift store on the way to the Paavo Nurmi Marathon last year, will see another race.

Early Efforts
My effort remained steady and strong in the first half. As I finished mile 7, I was headed east on Airport Road near the start/finish line. I could hear the buzz of the half marathoners getting ready to start. Mile 8 was a fairly significant hill that led to the double-loop east of Highway 12 that would comprise the next 14 miles of the race. I felt pretty good as I took gels and sport beans to stay energized, taking full advantage of every aid station. After ten miles, I was running at 8:05 pace, which would be a PR if I could maintain it.

Loop One: Moving Right Along
The course was pretty, especially as we entered a more wooded area for miles 10-11. It was at about this point when the half marathon leaders, who were at mile 5 of their race, flew past me. A few cheered me on, which was a really nice and unexpected gesture. I tried to return the favor while they were still within earshot.

I could no longer see the 3:30 pace group for the most part, but there were moments when the course profile allowed me to see pretty far ahead, and they were still within striking distance.

During mile 13, I spotted my cheering section, which consisted of Aunt Gail, Jenelle, and kids (when they weren't napping in our SUV). Always a joy to see them. I executed a perfect transition, losing my gloves and winter hat, exchanging it for a cap, some gels, and a small water bottle.

I finished the first half in 1:46:20, which would lead to a PR if I could duplicate the result in the second half. Before the first loop was done, I had to ascend a hill, steep by Wisconsin standards, at mile 14. This one was bigger than the one at mile 8. I powered through it, knowing that I would have to do it again later in the race. Oh, boy.

Loop Two: Keep It Together
The second loop was a challenge, but it had its bright spots. My splits became more sporadic as I took extra time to ensure I was getting the fuel I needed, hoping to make up the time between aid stations. As I reached the latter portion of the loop (mile 18 and beyond), I was passing the slower half marathon participants, who encouraged me in my efforts.

At mile 20, I was ahead of PR pace, but not by much. My quads felt fine, but my calves were getting a bit sore. I thought about my performance in Kenosha, recalling the speedy finish that included a 7:40 split at mile 24. I certainly didn't have that edge this time, but I still felt I was okay.

And then, the hill again. Gah. Despite the amazing effort of my cheering section, who stopped to see me several times, the challenge of the course pushed my calves to the limit. I found myself walking the steepest parts of the hill.. My only hope was to pick it up a bit after the loop was over and finish strong.

Hanging On
My splits at mile 22 and 23 were 8:18 each, so I would need solid speed to achieve a PR. My quads were certainly willing, and so was my mind, but the new experience of sore calves got the best of me. My thoughts moved to making this race my second fastest marathon ever, which would be respectable given the course.

A Memorable Finish
With a mile to go, I was fairly certain that I would be done at about the 3:37:00 mark, which would beat my second best performance (Minneapolis, June 2012) by thirty seconds. As I made the turn, there were plenty of cheering fans. I slowed down a little bit so that I could spot Jenelle, Aunt Gail, and the kids early on. As I saw their happy faces, I took a quick look around me for other runners. There was a slow half marathoner some distance in front of me. I could easily catch her if I turned on the afterburners. Behind me -- nobody. Nobody even close.

My next decision was a no-brainer.

I slowed to a walk and stopped by my family. I extended my hands out to my daughter, and asked her, "Do you want me to carry you?" She ran into my arms with a smile. I picked her up, and we crossed the line together. Here's the result.

Post-Race and Heading Home
As I was gathering some post-race snacks, my daughter asked me for an orange slice, which she ate pretty quickly. Running makes you hungry, but so does cheering! After a quick stop to pick up my throwaway sweatshirt, I met my family back at Aunt Gail's house. After a shower, we enjoyed take-n-bake stuffed pizza from Papa Murphy's. Yum.

With plenty of daylight remaining, we decided to go for a ride on the ferry in Merrimac, which my daughter really enjoyed. Soon after that, we headed back home for a relaxing night.

I'm not sure when my next marathon will take place, but maybe I should finish all of my recap videos before I do another one. :)

Race Statistics:

Miles 1-5	8:19	8:07	7:54	7:56	7:51
Miles 6-10	8:06	8:05	8:15	8:13	8:02
Miles 11-15	8:01	8:14	8:25	8:06	8:12
Miles 16-20	8:08	8:12	7:44	8:17	8:00
Miles 21-25	8:52	8:18	8:18	9:12	9:22
Miles 26-End	8:46	1:50

• Finish Time: 3:36:49
• Average Pace: 8:16/mile
• First half: 1:46:20 (fastest first half to date)
• Second half: 1:50:29
• Fastest Mile: #18 (7:44)
• Slowest Mile: #25 (9:22)

Finished -- 3:37 and change

Not a personal best, but it's my second fastest marathon so far. There were a few too many hills for me to stay strong at the end. Still, a pretty good day!

Sent from my iPhone

16 Miles

Just saw Ben at 16 miles and at 2:10 and he looks great!

Marathon tomorrow!

No real-time tracking tomorrow in Middleton, but Jenelle may post an update here about halfway through the race. I'll post here after I'm done.

It'll be chilly at the start, but I'm ready to run a solid race.

Sent from my iPhone

Hustle Countdown: Six Days

My training has gone well for this Sunday's Haunted Hustle Marathon in Middleton, WI. I managed an 18-miler five weeks before race day, and a 20-miler three weeks before race day, and the taper has been treating me well.

I plan to go out between 8:00 and 8:15 pace to start, and we'll see if I can hold it together to the end. I'd love a sub-3:30, but that may be a challenge. The course isn't flat, but it's not super-hilly either. Hmmmm. Wish me luck.

2013 Kenosha Firecracker 10K Recap

After averaging 7:12 / mile at the Lighthouse Run (10 miles) on June 15, a 7:00 pace seemed reasonable for the Firecracker 10K in Kenosha on June 30.

My previous 10K effort was a personal best 45:21 on Thanksgiving Day 2011, so I was optimistic about setting a new personal record.

For the most part, I was able to go at my planned pace. The first four miles were done in 7:03, 7:02, 6:59, and 7:00, respectively. I got just a little bit tired down the stretch, as mile 5 was a hair slower at 7:08. Motivated to keep my position, I clocked 6:57 for mile 6, and 1:37 for the final .22 miles to the finish, resulting in a finishing time of 43:46.

A couple of notes:

• The 5K and 10K finishers crossed the same finish line, so it got a little crazy at the end weaving around slower 5K runners
• The results page has me finishing in 21st place, 3rd in my age group. I'm pretty sure about my age group position, but I'm not sure there were 20 people ahead of me. Based on discussions with the folks who finished ahead of me, my guess is that some people entered in the 5K somehow slipped into the 10K results. Oh, well. Crazier things have happened at this race. 

2013 Lighthouse Run Recap

As I have in many years past, I joined the SCJ OFF! and Running team at the Lighthouse Run on June 15, 2013. It was a rainy morning, which can sometimes lead to fast times. I was fully in team spirit mode because one of my teammates (Jorge) and I were planning to run together. Our e-mail conversation went like this:

Me: See you at the Lighthouse Run on Saturday!

Jorge: We are running together right? 7:15 pace?

Me: Sure! 7:15 pace sounds perfect. See you then.

If I could manage 7:15 pace, I would finish in 1:12:30, which would be a personal best by about a minute. So how'd it go?

I wore my orange shirt and black shorts, which I wore when I slashed my marathon PR in Kenosha in May. Instead of my orange shoes, I wore my Saucony Grid Fastwitch 3s, also known as my fast shoes. I wore a light jacket to stay dry until the race began.

Mile 1 (6:57): Right from the start, Jorge surprised me by going faster than 7:15 pace. He was 20-30 feet ahead of me before I knew it. Rather than spend extra effort to catch up to him, I decided simply to keep him in my sights in the hopes that he'd settle in to a slower pace. I waved to my family, including Grandma Iz, as I zoomed by on Lake Avenue and headed north.

Miles 2-4 (7:10, 7:11, 7:11): The course changed this year. Instead of going north on Main all the way to Four Mile Road, we turned right onto Three Mile Road, bending north onto Lighthouse Drive, then heading west on Four Mile Road. Basically, we did the same loop as in past years, but in the opposite direction. Fine by me. Jorge slowed down a bit, but he was still going faster than 7:15 pace. I kept him in my sights, though, still planning to catch him later on.

Mile 5 (7:05): I grabbed a bottle of water from Aunt Sue. I didn't need much of it because the steady rain was keeping me cool. I was hoping that the rain would taper off to a drizzle, but I was still pretty happy with the conditions. I'll take this over 80+ degree heat anytime.

Miles 6-7 (7:13, 7:15): Jorge was not slowing down. From my perspective, I couldn't tell if he was speeding up or not, but he was getting further away from me. I noticed him look back a few times, and I waved to let him know I was okay.

Miles 8-9 (7:25, 7:31): Continuing south on Main Street toward the finish, I had to ease up. I had not expected to go this fast. Jorge was out of range, but I was glad that he was doing so well.

Mile 10 (6:59): I saved a bit for the finish. The reality is that I was ahead of personal record pace, and a solid final mile could get me a sub-72 minute result. I zoomed past the fun run / walk folks and cruised to a finish in a satisfying 1:11:57.

Let's check out the team results. I finished fourth on the team, good enough to get me a medal, as the team finished in second place. The InSinkErator guys had too much speed for us to win the corporate division. Maybe we'll get 'em next year.

An added bonus -- I finished fourth in my age group, so I actually got two medals. Woohoo!

Running Log - August 14 to September 17, 2013

Someday I'll be caught up. Maybe.

August 14: DOUBLE! Six miles, then five miles later.
August 15: 4 miles.
August 16: 10 miles.
August 17: Rest.
August 18: 7.5 miles.
August 19: Rest.
August 20: 5 miles.
August 21: 5 miles.
August 22: 3.5 miles.
August 23: 8 miles.
August 24: Rest.
August 25: 3 miles.
August 26: Rest.
August 27: Rest.
August 28: 3 miles.
August 29: 4 miles.
August 30: Rest.
August 31: 4 miles.
September 1: Rest.
September 2: 13 miles (nice day in Oregon).
September 3: Rest.
September 4: I think I ran today, but I can't recall how far or when, so I'm just going to say 'Unknown' and not count any miles for the day.

September 5: 4 fast miles.
September 6: 10 miles.

September 7: Rest.
September 8: 10 miles.

September 9: 4 miles.
September 10: 7 x half mile intervals on the treadmill. Zoom.
September 11: 4 miles.
September 12: 45-minute tempo run (about 5.5 miles).
September 13: 6 miles at marathon pace on a cool Friday night.
September 14: 5 miles.

September 15: Rest.
September 16: 9 miles.

September 17: 7 hill repeats -- about 4.5 miles including warm-up, cool-down, and recovery jogs.

Running Log - July 4 to August 13, 2013

Yup, I'm still here.

July 4: 5 quick miles pushing J in the stroller.
July 5, 6, 7: Rest.
July 8: 2.5 miles with J in the stroller.
July 9: 4.5 miles at lunch.
July 10: 3 miles.
July 11: 4 miles.
July 12: Rest.
July 13: 6 fast miles.
July 14: 10 miles.
July 15: 5 miles.
July 16: 4 miles.
July 17: 5 miles.
July 18: 4 miles.
July 19: Rest.
July 20: 6 miles.
July 21: 10 miles.
July 22: 4 miles.
July 23: 5 miles.
July 24: 4 miles.
July 25: 5 miles.
July 26: Rest.
July 27: 8 miles.
July 28: Rest
July 29: 5 miles.
July 30: 4 miles.
July 31: 3 miles.
August 1: 4 miles.
August 2: 10 miles.
August 3: Rest.
August 4: 7 miles.
August 5: 4 miles.
August 6: 5 miles.
August 7: 3 miles.
August 8: 4 miles.
August 9: Rest.
August 10: 10 miles with J.
August 11: 5 fast miles pushing J in the stroller.
August 12: 4 miles.
August 13: 4 miles.

Cree Cruise 5K Recap

I wasn't expecting much when I ran 5K in Sturtevant on June 1. It was six days after my return from a two-week vacation out west, and I hadn't been running much. Still, I put together a pretty solid performance.

Before the race, I took Eliana in the stroller for a warm-up to the Washington Highlands condominium complex where I used to live. I said hi to my old neighbor and the person who bought my place. It's been seven years since I moved out, so I think my neighbor was a bit surprised to see me.

I started out fast -- maybe too fast -- and turned in a first mile of 6:28. Had I been training extensively, that would be perfect to set a sub-20 minute PR, but it became pretty obvious that I couldn't keep that up. After a 6:59 second mile and fatigue setting in, I did my best to hold it together. Mile #3 was 7:09. Another 38 seconds to the finish, and I was done in 21:14, about 40 seconds off my PR. This was 30th overall and 6th in the highly-competitive M30-34 age group.

An hour or so later, Eliana entered the Kids Cruise, which was a very short run in the Cree parking lot. Despite my best effort to prepare her, she was a bit spooked by the person who yelled "Go!" and ran directly into my arms. I guided her around the course, and then she freaked out again when a volunteer tried to give her a ribbon. I'm sure she'll be a bit more excited about her next race. :)

Running Log - June 10 to July 3, 2013

Here's about a month more of running activity. Look for recaps on the races soon.

June 10: 4 miles.

June 11: 4 miles (30-minute tempo run).

June 12: 4 miles.

June 13: 3 x 800 at 5K race pace (about two miles including recovery jogs).

June 14: Rest.

June 15: Lighthouse Run - New 10-mile personal best (1:11:57).

June 16: Rest.

June 17: 5 miles.

June 18: 5 miles.

June 19: Rest.

June 20: 5 miles.

June 21: 4 miles.

June 22: Rest

June 23: 6 miles.

June 24: 5 miles.

June 25: 5 miles.

June 26: 3 miles. Happy birthday to me.

June 27: 4 miles pushing J in the stroller.

June 28: 3 miles.

June 29: Rest.

June 30: Kenosha Firecracker 10K - New personal best (43:46).

July 1: 5 miles.

July 2: 3 miles.

July 3: 5 miles pushing J in the stroller.

Running Log - May 14 to June 9, 2013

I try to post my running activity on Twitter a few times a week. It gives me another way to track my progress besides the Excel spreadsheet on my computer. I haven't tweeted since May 13, so here's a recap of what I've been up to since then:

May 14: Rest (travel day).
May 15: Four miles along the eastern coast of Kauai.
May 16: No running, but I did hike for three miles going up and down the Sleeping Giant.
May 17: Rest
May 18: No running, but I did some kayaking followed by a short hike to and from Secret Falls.
May 19: Rest
May 20: Rest
May 21: 6.5 miles, again along the Kauai coast, before heading back to Oregon later that day.
May 22: 4.5 miles in Oregon.
May 23: 7 miles in Oregon.
May 24: 3 miles at 7:30 pace.
May 25: 9 miles in Oregon.
May 26: Rest (traveling home).
May 27: 5 miles.
May 28: 5 miles at about 8:15 pace.
May 29: Rest
May 30: 4 miles.
May 31: Rest
June 1: Cree Cruise 5K (21:15).
June 2: 10 miles.
June 3: 3.5 miles.
June 4: Interval training: 10 quarter-mile splits at about 6:00 pace, with two minutes slow jogging / walking in between.
June 5: 5 miles at about 8:15 pace.
June 6: 5 miles.
June 7: Rest
June 8: 4 miles at 7:08 pace.
June 9: A late-night two-hour half marathon on the treadmill.

After some limited running while on vacation, I have picked things back up in the past couple of weeks, and I am optimistic about another great performance at the Lighthouse Run, which is coming up this Saturday.

2013 Wisconsin Marathon Recap - Still Flying in Kenosha

Recaps from previous years:

2009 (full)   2010 (half)   2011 (full)   2012 (half)

On Saturday, May 4, 2013, I ran the full marathon in Kenosha for the third time. It's become a tradition since the race started in 2009. I run the full 26.2 in odd years, and the half marathon (13.1 miles) in even years.

For the third consecutive year, my friend, David Hoskinson, made the trip from his home in Ohio. As he did in 2011 and 2012, he ran the half marathon. He finished the 2013 edition in 2:29:17. It wasn't his best effort, but considering that he made the seven-hour drive the night before and had limited opportunity to train, that's a notable accomplishment. Congrats, buddy.

I donned a bright orange shirt that matched my bright orange Asics Neo33 running shoes. While I hadn't run a race in anything besides Sauconys since 2005, I trained plenty in the Asics, so I was confident they'd hold up well. I also wore the typical RaceReady black shorts and a black long-sleeve base layer. The shorts had plenty of pockets for gels, sport beans, and my iPhone, which I used to post real-time updates to the blog. Before the race began, I also had a jacket, gloves, and my purple NU winter hat, which I switched out for a black cap right before the start.

We arrived at the starting area at about 6:00 a.m., one hour before the start. The starting area is right by the lake, so it was pretty cold. David and I took shelter in a post-race party tent while waiting for my parents to park the car. I chowed down a chocolate chip Clif bar with a little bit of water. Time went by pretty quickly, but we were in the starting corrals with time to spare. The pre-race activities featured a moment of silence to remember all those affected by the tragedy in Boston a few weeks prior.

Mile 1 - 8:25

The "GO" signal came right at 7:00 a.m., and I reached the starting line about thirty seconds later, starting my Garmin Forerunner 305 and the Runmeter app on my iPhone almost simultaneously. I waved to my parents, stationed just past the start, and gave them my warm-up clothes as I passed by.

Mile 2 - 8:03

It's easy to go too fast at the start, especially when it seems like everyone is passing you. I did my best not to get too excited, keeping in mind that many of the lightning-quick starters weren't even in the same race as me. The current results show more than 1,000 marathon finishers and more than 2,000 half marathon finishers.

Mile 3 - 7:51

After a relaxing first mile, I picked things up in the second and third miles as the course reached Southport Park and headed back to the north. There were still plenty of runners around me, but I had room to run. I could hear the RunMeter app updates coming from my iPhone speaker every half mile, but I didn't discern every single word from its computerized voice. At the very least, I knew it was working.

Mile 4 -- 8:04
Still going strong and feeling great. If I could keep this up, I'd get a personal best for sure! I got extra encouragement from those who were following my run on Facebook. Whenever somebody clicked "Like" or left a comment on the thread started by RunMeter, I would be notified via an audio message, again via the iPhone speaker. I still couldn't hear everything clearly, but I knew I had a strong virtual cheering section.

Mile 5 -- 8:16
Okay, now let's hear it for those who braved a slightly cold morning to cheer on me and 3,000+ other runners. A decent group of spectators lined the streets downtown. I recall high-fiving someone dressed up as a duck. Near the north end of downtown (about 51st Street), I spotted my parents. My dad always does a great job capturing me on film, and Mom is always shouting at the top of her lungs for me to keep going. Considering that I've been doing marathons for almost eight years, their continued enthusiasm and support is remarkable.

Just one block further along, I spotted my friend, Nick. I stopped to take a quick picture of him, as this was his first time cheering me on during a marathon. His support was essential later on in the race. I'll explain further down.

Mile 6 -- 8:16
Runners are off the city streets and on a trail continuing north, along the lake. I don't recall feeling cold or uncomfortable, probably because of the base layer and the previous five miles of running. If there's a hilly part of the course, this is it. I had no problems at all.

Mile 7 -- 8:04 
Still lots of runners and plenty of spectators, including my parents. With the turnaround point in the distance, I began to see elite runners heading back to the south, moving so incredibly fast and looking perfectly relaxed.

Mile 8 -- 8:47
I reached the turnaround point and still felt wonderful. Having achieved better times with more solid fuel intake, I started my intake of sport beans and gels much earlier than normal. I downed a lime accel gel and chased it with two cups of water at an aid station, slowing a bit and stepping aside to stay out of harm's way. Don't be afraid to take a short walk break, especially in the early going. I think it helps more than it hurts.

Mile 9 -- 8:17
LOTS of runners still heading north, including David, who I high-fived as he went by. I started eating sport beans. I saw my parents one more time, who informed me that they were heading back to my house to watch my youngest son. My wife and daughter would be on course to cheer me on in the second half.

Mile 10 -- 8:41
In what is becoming a tradition at the Wisconsin Marathon, I made a pit stop in a small restroom shack at Lake View Park. No waiting. In fact, nobody in there at all. I wonder how many runners actually recognize that the building has restrooms. Anyway, I was still feeling great, moving on from sport beans to some Clif blocks -- black cherry flavor infused with caffeine. Yum.

Mile 11 -- 8:19
Remember Nick? He was still at the same place as when I saw him last. This time, he had his camera ready, and was filming me as I approached. With the weather turning warmer and the wind predominantly behind me (blowing north to south), I decided that now was the perfect time to lose the base layer. I took both shirts off and put just the orange one back on. The fact that Nick got this all on video made it quite hilarious for the other runners, I'm sure. Nick also gave me a ziploc bag with three gels and another pack of sport beans that I had given him the night before. My supplies replenished, I continued south on my 26.2-mile journey.

Mile 12 -- 8:13
I stayed strong through the downtown area, where plenty of spectators kept my energy level up. At the rest stop just before the half marathon turnaround point, I had a vanilla accel gel, leaving me with four more servings in my pockets for the rest of the race.

Mile 13 -- 7:53
Just past the mile 12 marker, the half marathoners turn around and head north for the finish, and the marathoners continue south. Things became a lot quieter and a lot more 'serious' at this point. I wasn't exactly sizing up the competition, but I took a moment to survey the runners around me. We're all in it for the long haul.

Mile 14 -- 7:54
There wasn't a clock at mile 13.1, but I estimate that my first half was about 1:48:04, which is nearly the same as my personal record performance in Minneapolis last June. While slightly concerned that I was going too fast with a lot of race in front of me, I nevertheless forged ahead, turning in two consecutive miles under 8:00. At the mile 14 aid station, I had yet another accel gel -- this time a raspberry one with caffeine. I'm still on the fence as to whether or not caffeine improves my racing performance, but I try to include a little bit whenever I run a marathon or beyond.

Mile 15 -- 8:09
At about mile 14.5, I passed by a 'homemade' aid station. Someone had set up a card table with several 8 oz. bottles of ice mountain water on it. Sensing an opportunity, I asked if I could take one. An enthusiastic "yes" came in response, followed by an even more enthusiastic "thank you" for me. This was the perfect tool to regulate my water intake for the remainder of the race. I could have gels whenever I wanted, and I could drink smaller amounts of water more frequently, rather than slogging down multiple cups at each aid station.

Mile 16 -- 8:21
I slowed down just a bit to have another vanilla accel gel and some water. I also filled up my now nearly empty bottle at the mile 16 aid station. In the past three miles, I picked off several runners. The only time people ever passed me was when I slowed at an aid station.

Mile 17 -- 7:55
RunMeter, continuing to announce split times, also told me the following: "Message from Jenelle: See you at 18!" I was thrilled to hear that I would soon be seeing Jenelle and Eliana. Another sub-8 mile. I didn't notice it at the time, but a tailwind was probably helping.

Mile 18 -- 8:27
Jenelle and Eliana were at the same spot as they were two years ago. Eliana was sitting in our jogging stroller, waving a flag and a red/white pom pom. Jenelle was filming me with her iPhone. It was hard to hear them because of some vuvuzelas and a cowbell, but they looked very happy to see me. I stopped to snap a picture of them before moving on. I ate my last pack of sport beans.

Mile 19 -- 8:09
Yay for finally reaching the turnaround point! Heading back north, I felt the wind coming from the north and a bit from the east, but it wasn't slowing me down. I saw plenty of runners in front of me before making the turnaround, but there were a ton more behind me.

Mile 20 -- 8:39
I saw Jenelle and Eliana one more time. They were still full of smiles and cheers. Jenelle had a bag of race fuel (accelerade and more gels) with her, but I decided that I didn't need them. A bit down the road, I ate my last vanilla accel gel. I was still feeling pretty good, though perhaps just a tiny bit overhydrated. As luck would have it, I spotted a portable restroom on the side of the road, and saw someone exiting it just as I approached it. Perfect timing. I can't set it up any better than this.

The aid station just before the mile 20 mark had PowerGel available. Though not my favorite brand, I ended up grabbing one chocolate flavor and one pomegranate / acai berry flavor. Now I was sure to have enough fuel to get to the end. On to the final 10K!

Mile 21 -- 8:17
I assessed my time and state of fatigue. I was averaging about 8:15/mile, so I could set a PR as long as I kept that pace. From an energy standpoint, I was feeling it in my legs, but not to the point where I wanted to slow down. At this stage in a marathon, I usually find myself thinking about extra walk breaks to save my strength. Instead, I was thinking about all the other races where I reached the finish knowing that I could have persevered and gone faster in the final miles.

Let's drop the hammer and see what I've got left.

Mile 22 -- 8:00
I took the chocolate PowerGel at mile 21.5. Ugh. It was way thicker than the accel gels I was downing earlier in the race. I'm glad I had plenty of water left in my 8 oz. bottle to wash it down.

Mile 23 -- 7:48
I was picking off runners left and right. I kept reminding myself of all the times I had slowed down, determined not to do it this time. "Just hold out for another half hour. The race will be over and done before you know it." I kept myself busy by doing math in my head. As I reached 22.22 miles (four to go), I did some calculations and considered the possibility that I could push it hard enough to cross the line in 3:33:33, which would be sweet. I don't remember the exact pace I would need to set to achieve this goal, but I knew I had to run sub-7:50 miles.

Mile 24 -- 7:40

Without realizing it, I broke my record for the fastest mile during a marathon. I considered eating the other PowerGel, but I was convinced I could finish strong without it. I drank the rest of the water in my bottle and threw the empty container to the side of the road by the last aid station. I noticed that RunMeter had stopped announcing splits to me, indicating either a GPS failure or a low battery issue. My guess was the latter, and it was confirmed when I checked my phone after the race.

Mile 25 -- 7:51

Still picking off runners, I was now certain that I would not slow to walk until I crossed the finish line. I was still doing plenty of math in my head (which is a great way to pass the time). It seemed like I was going to finish in the high 3:33 or low 3:34 range, so I no longer focused on 3:33:33, instead simply trying to get done as quickly as possible. I was very excited, because I was certainly going to beat my time from Minneapolis and set a new personal best.

Mile 26 -- 7:43
I flew past the half marathon turnaround point, which just over a mile from the finish. In addition to the marathon runners I was regularly passing, I was now passing half marathon walkers as well.

The Finish
Jenelle and Eliana were at the finish with lots of spectators. They were a hundred feet or so in front of the line, and I nearly missed them as I zoomed by, but I did spot them in time to give them a wave. I passed one more runner, heard my name announced out loud, and crossed the line with a big smile, followed by more smiles when I spotted David, who got several great post-race photos.

I stopped my GPS watch, which showed 3:33:48. Knowing that I stopped it several seconds after crossing the line, I realized I was way closer to 3:33:33 than I thought I would be. The final chip time was 3:33:39.

Could I have gone faster?
Of course. I could always go a little faster, and I probably could have found a way to shave six seconds off my time, knowing now how close I came to 3:33:33. However, I am still very, very happy with my performance. I covered the last 10K in 48:56. As you may have noticed, I'm quite thorough with record-keeping, and the best final 10K before this race was in Tybee Island in February 2008 (51:46). Almost three minutes difference. Wow.

Post-Race
David, Jenelle, Eliana and I headed back to the house pretty quick after I was done, though we did stop to get the free beer and bratwurst that traditionally accompanies this event. For some reason, Eliana wanted me to carry her to the car instead of riding in the stroller. My upper body was fine, so I had no problem granting that request.

I had quite a bit of stuffed pizza for lunch from Tenuta's, one of my favorite pizza places. The weather was beautiful for the rest of the day, perfect for celebrating a personal record performance in my home town.

Photos
Here's a link to the complete photo album. A few of these photos are linked above. Enjoy!

Race Statistics:

Miles 1-5	8:25	8:03	7:51	8:04	8:16
Miles 6-10	8:16	8:04	8:47	8:17	8:41
Miles 11-15	8:19	8:13	7:53	7:54	8:09
Miles 16-20	8:21	7:55	8:27	8:09	8:39
Miles 21-25	8:17	8:00	7:48	7:40	7:51
Miles 26-End	7:43	1:37

• Finish Time: 3:33:39
• Average Pace: 8:09/mile
• First half: 1:48:04 Second half: 1:45:35
• Fastest Mile: #24 (7:40) -- Fastest ever during a marathon
• Slowest Mile: #8 (8:47)

3:33:39! Yeah!

The results are in. I finished in 3:33:39, taking nearly four minutes off my personal best. While it would have been nice to get 3:33:33, I am still extremely thrilled with my performance. Woohoo! More details soon!

Runmeter Run May 4, 2013, 7:02:09 AM

Battery low. Finished. Unofficial 3:33:48 (new personal best)!

Finished Run: May 4, 2013, 10:42:26 AM
Route: Wisconsin Marathon
Run Link: http://runmeter.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Run-20130504-0702?r=e
Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Runmeter-Run-20130504-0702.kml
Run Time: 3:10:33
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 23.17 miles
Average: 8:13 /mile
Fastest Pace: 5:13 /mile
Ascent: 686 feet
Descent: 627 feet
Calories: 2871

http://www.runmeter.com

Runmeter Run May 3, 2013, 6:26:55 AM

All systems go for tomorrow!

Finished Run: May 3, 2013, 6:47:41 AM
Route: Bradford Loop
Run Link: http://runmeter.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Run-20130503-0626?r=e
Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Runmeter-Run-20130503-0626.kml
Run Time: 20:33
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 1.98 miles
Average: 10:23 /mile
Fastest Pace: 6:15 /mile
Ascent: 98 feet
Descent: 115 feet
Calories: 267

http://www.runmeter.com

Kenosha 2013: Real-Time Tracking (Start 7:00 a.m. Sat. May 4)

Thanks to the RunMeter app and my iPhone 3GS, there will real-time tracking of my progress this Saturday. The race begins at 7:00 a.m., and I just might challenge my personal best of 3:37:30 (8:18/mile pace).

When I start the race, after each mile, and when I finish, updates will be posted as follows:

• Facebook status created or updated
• Post created on this blog. You can see the format from my training runs earlier this week (on April 28th and 29th).
• E-mail updates sent to those who have asked to be subscribed. So far, this includes my parents, my brother, and a few friends. If you would like to be included, please let me know your e-mail address.

Each of the methods above should give you access to a map that gives you a rough idea of my current location.

There are a few things to keep in mind:

• The distance tracked by RunMeter is based on GPS information, not on the course's official mile markers. While it should be close to accurate, it's still an estimate. I use the lap button on my Garmin to obtain my splits for race recaps.
• GPS tracking should be fairly good in Kenosha, as the run doesn't go through any heavily-wooded areas. However, I may lose it at some point -- this happened in Minneapolis last year at about the halfway point. Runmeter first showed me running faster than 6:30/mile, and then it lost me entirely.
• Based on previous efforts, my battery will probably last through the end of the race. No guarantees. If posting stops as I near the finish, the battery is the likely cause.
• As with past RunMeter uses, comments and likes made on Facebook will be read out loud to me. However, I will not be wearing headphones, so I may not hear them clearly from the iPhone speaker.

I plan to do a final training run on Friday morning, and I'll have tracking activated for that as well. Wish me luck!

Runmeter Run Apr 29, 2013, 11:07:41 AM

Finished Run: Apr 29, 2013, 11:55:10 AM
Route: Work Five Miler
Run Link: http://runmeter.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Run-20130429-1107?r=e
Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Runmeter-Run-20130429-1107.kml
Run Time: 45:06
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 5.03 miles
Average: 8:58 /mile
Fastest Pace: 6:48 /mile
Behind Best Run: 0:57
Ascent: 233 feet
Descent: 243 feet
Calories: 647

http://www.runmeter.com

Comparing GPS trackers

I have two devices that I use for tracking my distance and pace when out running.

The first is my Garmin Forerunner 305, which I got for Christmas in 2007. Its first official race was the Rock N' Roll Arizona Marathon, and I've used it for every major race since then. It's very reliable. The battery lasted through all fifty miles of the Door County Fall 50, though it did have a warning indicator by the time I was done.

The second is my iPhone 3GS, which I got in March 2012. I checked out a few different running apps, and I decided on RunMeter. It's got great features and a lot of flexibility. One of my favorite perks is that it posts updates and a tracking map to Facebook in real time, and comments left are read to me while I am still out running. I've found the tracking ability to be a lot less reliable than the Garmin -- it totally lost me during last year's Minneapolis Marathon. Still, I recommend this app. You can't blame the app developers for the GPS issues, which are a part of the iPhone.

Yesterday morning, I used both tracking devices for an eight-mile training run to do a side-by-side comparison.

It's hard to say which is more accurate, but the Garmin paces me a bit faster than Runmeter.

My current plan for this Saturday's marathon is to use both devices, as I did in Minneapolis. I like using the Garmin because I can manually track when I cross each mile marker. I like using Runmeter because it keeps race fans informed. This time, I do not plan to wear headphones, so I probably won't hear any Facebook comments unless I happen to hear the iPhone speaker while on a quiet part of the course. In any case, I'll read them all after I'm done.

Runmeter Run Apr 28, 2013, 5:49:45 AM

That's enough for today.

Finished Run: Apr 28, 2013, 7:02:54 AM
Route: Eight Mile Training Run
Run Link: http://runmeter.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Run-20130428-0549?r=e
Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/19bfd39732fac2da/Runmeter-Run-20130428-0549.kml
Run Time: 1:12:21
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 8.20 miles
Average: 8:49 /mile
Fastest Pace: 6:34 /mile
Ascent: 312 feet
Descent: 315 feet
Calories: 1027

http://www.runmeter.com

Come on out for #30

On Saturday, May 4 (in eleven days), I'll be running the Wisconsin Marathon in Kenosha. This will be the 30th time that I run an organized race of 26.2 miles or greater. I think I am in great shape, but I won't know until race day if I can challenge my personal record from Minneapolis last year.

Some may wonder how I am feeling about this race, considering the events that occurred in Boston earlier this month. While the possibility is remote that something could happen in Kenosha, I still feel concern for all the runners and the spectators. I pray for everyone's safety, and I encourage all those in attendance to keep a watchful eye for anything that seems out of the ordinary.

With the above in mind, I would love to see lots of friends and family members out on the course on Saturday the 4th. The race starts at 7 a.m. in downtown Kenosha. If you plan on checking out the race, please let me know. You could potentially hang out with Jenelle and the kids, or with my parents, all of whom plan to be in attendance.

My friend, David, is also running the race. You are welcome to join the two of us and my family for a post-race meal. Again, let me know if you're interested.

Heading Out - FINALLY

It seems like forever since I've had the opportunity to run outside. With highs in the 50s today, it's the perfect chance to join some work buddies at lunchtime and get in a few miles.

Since my last post, I've been averaging 35 miles a week, thanks to a treadmill in my basement and the treadmills at the company fitness center. With two young kids at home, I'll go running just about whenever I can fit it in. A supportive wife is key, and mine is beyond wonderful. Last weekend's 20-miler was a late Saturday effort (9:00 p.m. - 12:15 a.m.). I've got a number of things to keep me entertained while logging the miles, including free movies / TV shows via Amazon Prime and a Playstation 2. Yes, I can play while running. :)

Things are looking good for the Kenosha Marathon on May 4. The mileage is slightly reduced this weekend, and then I'll get in one final 20-miler next weekend, hopefully outside. I should be in good shape to break four hours, but it's hard to tell if I can challenge my PR from Minneapolis last year (3:37:30).

I have a twitter account now. I don't put much on it beyond the mile counts, but who knows when I'll put more interesting info there. http://twitter.com/marathonbenj

Finally, here's some exciting news. I have now reached 12,000 miles on my lifetime odometer! That's almost half way around the world! Onward!

Paavo Nurmi Recap

Here is the long-awaited recap from the Paavo Nurmi Marathon than I ran nearly five months ago. This race was more about the destination and the people than it was about my finishing time.

With a then 21 month-old daughter and a son on the way, Jenelle was kind enough to let me pick one more marathon to do before we would quickly become busy with two kids. I considered a number of races, including the Chicago Marathon, the Air Force Marathon (Dayton, OH), and some smaller races in northern Illinois. What drove me way up north in Wisconsin for an early August marathon?

1. I have never completed a marathon in August before. In the past seven years, I've managed to hit all the other months at least once.
2. I have family somewhat close to Hurley, so they could join Jenelle and Eliana to cheer me on.
3. Our son's due date was in November, so this gave me plenty of time after the race to focus on preparing the house for his arrival.

It took us about six hours to get to my aunt and uncle's cabin on Long Lake, which is in Mercer, WI.  They made a lovely dinner for us, and Eliana had lots of fun playing with them. Their cabin has plenty of space for visitors, so I got a great night's sleep before the race.

I woke up a bit early and drove myself to the finish line. It was interesting to travel on roads where I was more concerned about deer than other cars. I eventually reached the main highway (51) and headed north to Hurley, where I parked the car. The weather was just about perfect for running. I boarded a bus that took us to the start line in Upson, about thirteen miles to the southwest.

On the bus, I realized that I had not left my wallet in my car as planned, so I had to stow it away in my gear check bag. This is where someone gave me some extra help. One of the race official offered to lock my gear check bag in her vehicle to ensure it would not be stolen. What a wonderful gesture -- I sent her an extra e-mail of thanks after the race.

The race started right on time, and I had both my Garmin GPS and my iPhone tracking on, just like I did in Minneapolis in June. I didn't expect much in the way of reception in this part of the state; I figured the Garmin  would work okay, but real-time race tracking would be spotty if it worked at all. As it turns out, RunMeter tracked me perfectly until my phone's battery died. I even got one early comment on Facebook read back to me, though later comments never got through. Yay for technology.

The course headed north for four miles and then east for three miles before reconnecting with the highway (77) that the bus used. We passed through several small towns, including Iron Belt at mile 7.5 and Pence at mile 10. I kept things nice and easy in the early going, enjoying the scenery and averaging about 8:50/mile for the first ten miles. My plan was to pick it up in the second half, and I predicted I could finish in about 3:50.

We went through Montreal (that's Wisconsin, not Canada) at mile 12 and headed south to Gile at the halfway point, which I reached in 1:55:47. The course was not flat, and I remember a few substantial hills, but it didn't seem like anything that would dramatically affect my performance.

We traveled back to north and then northeast on highway 77 for a couple more miles. At this point, I realized that I might not have quite as much gas in the tank as I was hoping, but I still felt pretty good. At the 15.5-mile mark, we were less than a mile away from Hurley, but I had much further to run. We headed south on county highway C, which we stayed on for about six miles.

Somewhere around mile 16, I spotted Jenelle, Eliana, and my aunt, who were full of cheers and encouragement as I ran by. I recorded a movie of them while Jenelle recorded a movie of me. Yay again for technology. It was wonderful to see all of them, especially Eliana. They cheered me on at several points on highway C, which was great after being on my own for the first part of the race.

Shortly after seeing my family, I discovered that I recorded an 11-minute movie of the inside of my pocket. Whoops. Not a big deal, except that it significantly drained my battery. It probably would have lasted the whole race were it not for that mistake. Still, it made it all the way to mile 23, which is pretty good for my iPhone 3GS.

At mile 20, highway C turned left, directing us east. At this point, I realized that I was not going to be able to pick things up in the last leg of the race. I wasn't super-tired, but I certainly did not have the speed that I had in early June in Minneapolis.

At mile 21.5, we reached highway 51 and turned north. There was a wind in my face. Combine this with some hills, late-race fatigue, and the tension from cars passing by at 55 mph, and you have an interesting finish. We had a decent amount of space on the side of the road to run, but I still get a little bit nervous in these kinds of situations. I did my best to relax and ensure that I finished somewhere under four hours.

Before I knew it, I was in Hurley, turning left on to 'historic' Silver Street, passing by my family and hearing my name announced as I crossed the finish line with a time of 3:58:10. Woohoo! Later that day, I enjoyed some tasty pizza at Liberty Bell Chalet.

We got to spend a lot more quality time with my aunt and uncle before we headed back home the next day. It was a pleasant and enjoyable mini-vacation in the beautiful northwoods of Wisconsin. I'm not sure if I'll ever run this one again, but it was certainly a unique experience.