“Race” Report: Denver Marathon

In short, the race was a great experience and a lot was learned, but I have to admit that I ran quite a bit slower than my goal.  I was aiming for a finish of 3:30 and ended up at 4:08.  I based my goal time on my 24 mile run that I completed in 3:08.  Ultimately, I think I have something to learn about hydration levels and salt balances.

We gathered with the other runners just before sunrise for the 7:00AM start of the Marathon, Half-Marathon, and Marathon Relay.  The weather couldn’t have been more cooperative starting out at about 50 degrees.   I finally crossed the start line about 2 minutes after the official start of the race.

I started out very conservatively at around 9:30 mile pace.  Over the next couple of miles I moved up to my 8:00 mile pace.  All was well in my world for the next several miles, but I think this is where my troubles began. I don’t pay much attention while I’m running, and I breezed past a few of the early hydration stations.  But feeling great, I didn’t let it bother me.

I took my first Clif Shot at about 45 minutes and from then on tried to drink at each hydration station.  I felt great up to mile 13.  Miles 13 and 14 were a gradual uphill, so I slowed a bit.  Miles 15 and 16 were flat or down hill, a welcomed relief.  At the end of mile 16 urination was necessary, and it was an awfully dark color (for my urine at least).  At that point I realized I was in trouble.

I drank a cup of gatorade and a cup of water at each station from that point, but I think I was already in too deep of a hole.  The cool temperatures of the morning were giving way to a warm, sunny 70 degrees.  The gradual stiffness in my legs had turned to cramping at mile 18, and I had to stop and walk at each water stop.

Miles 22 – 25 were rough.  Walking had become marginally more comfortable than walking.  I think I managed 10:00 minute miles with a combination of runing and walking.  The last mile was grueling.  My stride had turned to a short choppy waddling effort, but there’s something about that final mile that makes it tollerable.

Four hours and eight minutes after I crossed the starting line, I finished.  Legs cramping and feet aching, all I wanted to do was sit down and eat.

After a bit of reading (thanks Internets) I’m pretty sure I wasn’ t managing my water and electrolyte/salt intake well.  I think I’m going to start experimenting with salt tablets on my long runs.

Here’s  a good post on marathon cramps.

Short list of upcomming races:

• Monster Dash, Minneapolis, MN
• Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA
• Some Thanksgiving day run, TBD

 

Motherflippin’

Because it’s good to be a gangster.

Hat tip to Huffymofo

 

Running and Yoga

surprising forms

I know what you’re thinking, “mmm… granola is tasty.”  We’ll you’re right it is tasty.  Emily over at Barefoot Fitness found an article that echos my sentiments on the yoga/running combo.

Back in college when I was running everyday, and training (mostly) properly, I was fairly strong and flexible.  But in this older, more domesticated life as a desk jockey, my body’s resilience is waning.  My workouts (if you can call them that) are also much more sporadic: short run here, long run there, bike ride whenever…  So basically adulthood is cramping my style.

I’m not a full-on yoga fiend (remember sporadic), but when I do include it as a regular-ish part of my routine, my legs feel less restricted and I’m more injury free.  All of my chronic injuries since college have been soft tissue/flexibility related and yoga seems to keep this beast at bay.  The right instructor and studio/dojo combination can also do wonders for your stress levels.  I can come out of certain sessions feeling as good as I do after an hour massage.

• Full article at Silent Sports

 

Chuck Palin

Or is it Sarah Norris?

Sarah Palin Facts

 

Alright, I get it.

Pants, what you really need to know.

A couple of friends (are they friends if you pay for them to hang out with you?) have informed me that I haven’t been attending this blogishness, so I’ve been really, really, REALLY bad about keeping this thing updated .  I’ve been busy… I think.  We’ll go with that.  But, I have drank a lot of beer, worked a lot on the house, and occasionally gone for a run or bike ride.  So, for that one person who checks this site monthly, I may have some content.  But it won’t be interesting; it won’t be like the Obama Shamwow infomercial that was on last night.

 

You get what you pay for

So, the lady and I have a pontoon boat. We bought it last year. It was in someone’s yard along the highway. It was cheap, it floated, and the engine mostly worked. It had an issue with shifting in to gear. I think I know what the problem was, but it’s a moot point now.

We had it out for the first time this year, and it was behaving poorly (as was it’s normal behavior). On our final lap around the lake before heading in, it started to lose power. I ran back and took off the engine cover to reveal this.

Yeah, chewing gum isn’t going to fix that. It ran long enough to get us close to the landing. Anyone need a non-working 55hp outboard?

 

Still here!

I’m still here! Crap people, give me a break. I just crawled out from underneath the ruins of an ancient Mayan temple. Those natives are feisty! Don’t EVER take directions from a guy with an eye patch just because he’s the only person speaking English.

Despite what movies like Turistas will try to impress upon you, the locals are generally very kind and helpful. It’s the other Americans that you have to worry about. Just don’t start robbing the graves. I mean seriously people, WTF is up with grave robbing? I’d be pissed too if someone was trying to break in to my great-grandpappy’s tomb and take is afterlife worldly goods.

It should go without saying that people are better off without pants. I can’t count the number of times that they have held me up. Whenever I have to whip off my belt in order to use it as a zip-line handle, they just end up around my ankles. But that’s what I get for buying Ecko jeans four sizes too large. (They look PHAT with my aviators.)

So after converting my pants into a shoulder fired phallace missile, I was able to stop the collapse of yet another fledgling government. Luckily my mullet distracts most people from the fact that I’m not wearing any pants.

Since returning to the states I have only done one thing of note: viewed the latest moving picture show in the Indiana Jones chronicles. While I have to admit a great fondness for the Jones movies, it has been some time since I have see them. This one was a bit more sci-fi that I would have anticipated, but it still made for an entertaining show.

Now it’s time to dust off the bike and get back to work.

 

Gravy = Fuel

I don’t know what particular component of the two is so outstanding: the biscuit or the gravy, but the combination of the two is nothing short of fantastic. That warm flaky tasty bomb of a biscuit drowning in spicy gray matter of grease and pork. Mmm MMM!

It is with that inspiration that I bring you this morning’s list: Things I love about mornings, things I don’t love about mornings.

Love:

• Being alone on the road, fewer cars
• The peace and quiet
• Cool damp air
• Shaking of the sleep
• Payday
• That whole fresh start, new day thing
• Biscuits & Gravy

Not so much:

• Waking up
• Being tired
• Car exhaust
• Tire-eating grates
• Stumbling out the door, three times, because I forgot something… twice

I take back what I said. Not to reduce the majesty of the buscuit, but the gravy is the superior member of the combo.

 

Sleeping in

I woke up late yesterday. It was just one of those mornings. Ladyfriend has class in the evening, so we don’t carpool. Time to bike. If I was smart, I would pack my clothes and food at night instead of scrambling in the morning. But I’m not smart like that. I’m never sure if I’ve got everything I need.

The weather was a balmy 39 degrees (that’s Fahrenheit, folks), but the wind was calm. Donning my full length bike thermals, I shot out the garage door… only to realize I forgot to put on my bike shoes. Dirt clogs (shut up, I’m not a hippie) just don’t work that well.

I warmed up quickly. After about a mile I was comfortably generating heat. Windproof gloves are a must for me. Since I had a late start, I put a bit more effort into my ride. I tried to stay around 18-19mph. This is pretty easy for the first few miles of the way in. There are few hills and the overall grade is negative. However, the second half of my morning ride is quite the opposite.

My own experience has taught me that starting out hard is a bad idea. Warming up and gradually working up to my cruising speed always works out better in the end. This is especially true in the morning when I’m out the door within 30-40 minutes of waking up. There is probably some physiological explanation for this, but I’ll let people smarter than me carry that conversation.

The crux of my morning ride is the Summit Road hill. It’s about half a mile long and ascends just over 200 feet. By the time it hit the hill, I was pretty much done. It reduced me to a near crawl, and my 38T x 32T gearing doesn’t provide the mechanical advantage that I could have used.

The ride home was great. A 10mph tailwind does wonders for the stamina. Combining that with a couple of errands, I logged 25 miles for the day. Not a bad way to start off the week.

 

Trash Island

Ugh…  Have you ever watched a documentary or read about something that completely depressed you?  The Lady and I watched National Geographic’s Strange Days on Planet Earth Dangerous Catch; Dirty Secrets.  It covered a few unsavory topics: over fishing, fresh water contamination, and the trash island between California and Hawai’i.

I have heard of this island before, and it just bugs the hell out of me.  But what really got me this time was the video of albatross and sea turtles eating the stuff because they mistake it for food.  That doesn’t end well for them.

I’ll let the Popular Science Blog describe:

A heap of trash that’s twice the size of Texas is floating somewhere between San Francisco and Hawaii. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, as it’s called, is 80 percent plastic, and weighs in at 3.5 million tons. Trapped in a circular course by winds and currents, it’s been around since the 1950s, and has been growing tenfold every decade.”

All of this can leave one feeling helpless and hopeless.  That’s where people neglect to understand the importance of aggregates.  Just as in voting, one person’s choice makes only a small impact, but when many people change their behavior the effect is enormous.  Here are some the things that you can do.

You can also support businesses that have ecologically friendly practices.  I normally don’t like national chains (I’m a snob like that), but my wife was introduced to the cardboard straw at Ted’s Montana Grill.  They have declared themselves an “eco-friendly” establishment, with the apparent chops to back it up.

So gather up your friends and start doing things that don’t kill other things… unless it’s steak, because steak is tasty.