Louisiana Half Marathon Race Report

Time for a much-belated race report:

My beautiful wife, Laura, has the goal of running a half marathon in every state, so for the past couple years we've been doing races around the Florida panhandle (the Big Beach 1/2 Marathon was pretty eventful when I inadvertently dressed as a pacer, all the way down to having "pacer" written on the back of my shirt).

This year, Laura checked off Louisiana. We drove from Laura's parents' condo in Pensacola for about five hours to Baton Rouge. When arrived, we paid a small fortune to park next to our hotel. It would have been cheaper to park valet, but we figured after the tip it would have come out in the wash. We walked from our hotel to the expo where we got our race numbers and shirts. We also found out about a race morning mass.

After a nice meal at the hotel restaurant, we settled into bed to get up early the next morning for the race.

Race morning we got to get a grab-and-go breakfast that the hotel provided, and we headed to St. Joseph Cathedral to partake in a 26.2 minute pre-race mass. The mass actually lasted a little longer than 26.2 minutes as they had the Eucharist, so the large crowd of runners took a while to get through communion.

The priest was also a runner, so he emphasized that the cathedral had bathrooms available. After the mass, however, I thought there would be a long line, so I told Laura we should just use the port-o-potties at the race start.

Counting on the port-o-potties turned out to be a mistake. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes, I realized there was no way we were going to make it to the start on time. I didn't really have to go, so I decided I'd risk having to stop mid-race to use the bathroom.

When I got to the start, it was a repeat of the Madison Marathon where I got myself stuck way back in the crowd. I weaved through to try and get closer to the start, but people were packed into the starting corral, so it was difficult and slow going. As the race was about to start, I saw Laura weaving through the crowds in front of me. I guess I need to take lessons from her in moving through a tightly packed crowd.

The route through Baton Rogue was decent, but I really didn't pay attention too much as I was focused on getting through the crowd. My first 10K split was 7:47/mile, and my overall pace for the race was 7:21, so I was able to pick up the pace quite a bit after getting through the crowds.

My finishing time was 1:38:56. A far cry from my fastest time, but I was happy with it for the amount of training I've been doing (about 20 miles per week) as opposed to averaging around 50 to 60 miles per week when I was at my peak.

When I got to gear check after the race, I reached for my gloves that I had put in my pockets. Laura had bought them for me for my birthday, and I really liked them. Unfortunately, I only had one in my pocket. I walked back to gear check and asked them if anyone had seen a glove, but they had not.

So, I walked to the finish line to cheer for Laura and get a picture of her finishing. When she came through the chute, she informed me that she'd found my glove around mile 6. "I was 90% sure it was yours," she said.

The post-race food and drink were awesome. They had chocolate milk,  a post-race favorite for me. Then, we had five tokens to pick out the food and drink we wanted. I got some vegetarian gumbo, seafood gumbo, vegetarian jambalaya, and a couple beers.

Laura and I had a great trip, and I'm looking forward to whatever destination race she picks out next time.

Madison Marathon Race Report

It had been a while since I had gone a trip on my own to do a race. Back when I was pacing a lot, there were a few times I made trips to races alone, though I usually shared a hotel with another pacer or two.

I had decided to do the Madison Marathon because I didn't want to go another year without running a marathon. So, I registered for the race and booked a cheap hotel and headed to Madison, The drive was uneventful and quiet, and I arrived in Madison with plenty of time to get to the expo.

Those who know me know I'm incredibly bad with directions, so I paid extra close attention to where I parked for expo. On race morning I used Google Maps on my phone to mark my parking location.

But for the expo I risked using my memory, and fortunately it worked out. After picking up my race packet, I headed to the hotel. Unfortunately, the hotel wasn't too nice. I asked them about a late checkout, and negotiated my way to 12:30 p.m., which would be cutting it close after finishing the race, but I really wanted to shower before driving back to Eagan. Strangely, they didn't seem to take down my room number.

After I did a short shake out run, I got some dinner at Noodles and Company, then tried to get some sleep. I had been in a mixed state (combination of manic and depression), so it was difficult to fall asleep, but I finally dozed off around 10:45 p.m, which gave a about six hours of sleep after I got up early for the race,

I had plenty of time to park and get to the start, so after hunkering down it my warm clothes for a while, I  did my warm up exercises. Laura called me and told me that her coworker, who was there to watch her husband, was at the race, and that I should send a picture of myself to her so her coworker could watch for me and cheer for me.

Then, I got in line for gear check, which turned out to be a bit of a fiasco. There was a very long line, and only one person was collecting the bags. I was certain I wouldn't make it to the start in time, but a volunteer started walking up the line and taking people's bags just in the nick of time.

Unfortunately, there were thousands of runners already lined up, and I couldn't get very close to the front. When the race started, I was still walking a fair amount after crossing the start line, and it took me around six miles to being able to run without weaving through the crowds.

I had trouble deciding what to wear on top. The temperature was decent, but in spots in it was pretty windy, which made it a little chilly, so I ended up wearing a long sleeve shirt the entire race instead of taking it off like I was planning.

I saw Laura's coworker, Becky, at the halfway point which was a nice boost. The course was a little bit of a blur. We ran along a couple lakes which was pretty, and there were some rolling hills with quite a bit of elevation gain the last couple miles.

I finished the race in 3:34:46. I was reasonably satisfied with my time as I hadn't run a ton of workouts or miles leading up to the race,

After I got my finishing food, I decided to forgo the finishing beer so I could get to the hotel. Seeing's how they didn't take my room number down for a late check out, I was a little worried that my room wouldn't be held for me.

Turns out I came just before it was about to be cleaned. My key card didn't work, but fortunately they reactivated it for me so I could get in my room and take a shower before my 5ish hour drive back to Eagan.

Overall the race was fine, but there was nothing great about it that would make me want to do it again. I also don't think I'll go on a solo trip to do a race again. I missed the wife and kids, and it would have been more fun if they had come along.

The Social Distancing Run Marathon: Race Report

I don't write race reports for every race anymore as I have already written over fifty. But, since this race consisted only of me, I thought I'd write a little recap for me to look back on.

Running a race where there were no parking or traffic issues, and I could do my warmup exercises at home before riding with the family to the start (five minutes away) was nice. Once I got there I set up my aid station of fluids and gels, my wife and four year old counted down, and I was off.

The course consisted of eleven 2.4 mile laps, most of it along the perimeter of Eagan's Central Park. The course probably wouldn't be considered a fast course — it had 1,626 feet of elevation gain — but it wasn't an overly difficult course either. The hills were pretty gradual and on the backside of each loop was a long downhill.

The best part of the race was that I had a group of friends who showed up to cheer. For almost the entire race I got to see them each lap.

As for the racing part, things didn't shake out quite as I would've liked. Around mile seven, my foot started acting up. It's an old injury that occasionally flares up, and it had during a couple of long runs, but it had been pretty manageable and hadn't hurt on most runs.

Unfortunately, as my race went on, it started hurting more and more. Even if it hadn't hurt, I don't think I would have run the time I wanted because I was feeling pretty tired around mile 18.

At mile 21 or so I called Laura and told her I didn't think I'd finish. She said, "Oh I'm sorry. You're so close." Thinking about how close I was made me re-think dropping out. I decided to walk for a few minutes and try running again to see if it were tolerable.

When I started up again, it still hurt pretty bad, but I thought I could make it five more miles.

My foot was varying degrees of painful after my long walk. There was a lot of walking for the last five miles, but the walk breaks kept my foot feeling just well enough to finish the race.

My friends and family set up a toilet paper finish line. It was pretty cool breaking the "tape." I finished first (and also last), and I was happy to be finished.

I'm glad to have finished the marathon. It was my 19th marathon and I've now run a marathon every year since 2009.

Thank you for all your support and especially thank you to those who donated to World Vision. It really made the marathon worthwhile.

Twin Cities Marathon 2019 - Race Report

So I don’t usually do race reports anymore, but now this is my second in as many months. I thought this one would be important, however, given that I had so much support and so many people donate to my Team World Vision fundraiser. I thought about doing an abbreviated report, but I decided to just lay it all out. So many people helped motivate me along this journey of training for and racing the Twin Cities Marathon, so I wanted to give a detailed report of how my race went.

***

The night before the race went like many pre-race nights. Since high school, I’ve struggled with getting to and staying asleep before a big race. It took forever for me to fall asleep as I anticipated Twin Cities Marathon, and once I did fall asleep, I woke up several times.

Despite my poor sleep, I felt pretty good once I got out of bed. Laura was already up, so after I made my coffee, she helped me tape on my bracelet with the names of everyone who’d donated to my Team World Vision fundraiser and the miles I was dedicating to them. 

After getting dressed, I gathered my things and drove over to the Fort Snelling Park and Ride. I’d never taken the light rail to the start of a Twin Cities Marathon or 10 Mile before, but when I do the race in the future I will probably do it again—it was very convenient and stress-free.

When I got to the start I felt like I was there a little earlier than I wanted to be. I found a bench against a building and drank some Generation Ucan and finished my coffee. I still had plenty of time to use the Port-o-Potties (twice). Before the start I ran into several running friends and a former coworker. It was nice to see some friendly faces before the race.

I stayed in my warm clothes as close to the start as I thought was wise, then stuffed them in my drop bag, dropped off the bag, and headed to the start.

In the starting corral I took off the long sleeve shirt I was wearing and put it in one of the Goodwill bins along the side of the corral. I kept on an old pair of gloves and a stocking hat that I planned to toss off once I was feeling warm enough. 

As I started, I felt like I had to pee. It wasn’t bad, but I was afraid I’d have to stop to pee during the race. 

Like many big races, I felt boxed in at the beginning. There was a big crowd, and a lot of people moved at inconsistent speeds or weaved in and out of the crowds, cutting off other runners without a care. After a few miles, however, the crowd thinned out a bit, and I was able to get into a rhythm. And that’s where I started running not very smart. 

My “A” goal was to run under 3:05, but I was feeling pretty good. My right ankle started bothering, but it didn’t seem to be affecting my stride, so I decided I could go faster than I had any business going. Fortunately, the feeling of having to go to the bathroom passed, but the idea of running too fast stayed.

Through 30K I was cruising easily at a sub-3 hour marathon pace, but I was starting to feel like that pace was no longer sustainable. My legs and my body were starting to feel it, and I began doing the math of how fast I needed to run to break 3:05. By mile 20 it was clear I wasn’t breaking 3:05, and I took my first walk break, and then more walk breaks at miles 21 and 22. I knew I was coming up on Laura and Calvin around mile 23. I decided I’d make sure I was running then, and I ran as fast as a could, which happened to be about a minute per mile slower than I’d been running.

It was a big pick-me-up, and after taking one more short walk break after seeing them, I decided I was going to run the rest of the way to the finish. The race up to the point where the pace started to feel too fast had felt really good. I’d dedicated a mile to each person who’d donated to my Team World Vision Fundraiser and reading each of their names on the bracelet I’d made gave me a good feeling each mile.

I was able to run the last mile and a half without any walk breaks, and after getting passed again and again for the previous few miles, in the last mile I was able to do some passing myself.

I finished in 3:07:45, missing my “A” goal by about three minutes, but making my “B” goal by almost 8 minutes.

At the finish line I ran into a few old friends—I’ve always enjoyed the small world of running.

I had an unpleasant surprise when they couldn’t find my bag at the bag drop. There wasn’t much I could do about it beyond leaving Laura’s phone number (my phone was in the drop bag) and hope they called me.

Then, I headed to get a massage, then to the Team World Vision tent to have some pizza. Afterwards, I met up with Laura and Calvin, took a few pictures, and headed back to the Team World Vision tent so we could all eat.

We then went to the beer garden and I enjoyed a nice Summit beer. Before we left, I walked back to the drop bag area to check one more time, and thankfully they had the bag. Apparently I’d dropped it in the wrong spot and it went to the VIP area. Whoops.

Despite running a not-very-smart race, I’m pretty happy overall. I beat my “B” goal by a lot, and I surpassed my goal of raising $1310 for Team World 000Vision by over $200.

Now, I need to figure out what to do with the winter season. I have an idea of a race I’d like to do this spring, but first I’m hoping some new exercises I got from physical therapy will help clear up my nagging injuries. Once (I hope) that happens, I’ll think more seriously about training for a spring race.

Thanks for reading.

Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon Race Report

My 17th marathon is in the books. Not counting pacing, this was the slowest marathon I have ever run. I was planning on running as easy as possible, walking the water stops, and enjoying the scenery, but my plans changed on race day.

Before the race, I ran into my buddy, Dan, and found out he was pacing the three hour and 21 minute group. I was planning on running more like three hours and 30 minutes, but since I hadn’t seen Dan in forever, I thought it would be nice to catch up with him.

It was nice catching up, and although running at a 7:41 / mile pace was tougher than what I was planning on running, it turned out to be doable. Also, running with Dan and made the race go by quickly. I have paced a lot of races in the past, but I have never run with pace group on my own other than the first five miles of my first half marathon. It was a cool experience being on the other end of things, and Dan definitely pulled me along the last few miles of the race.

I’m a big fan of the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon, and I enjoyed my third time running it as much as my first two experiences with the race. The trail is scenic enough — a bucolic setting interrupted by a few streams and lakes, and a good amount of tree cover in the beginning and middle parts of the race. I’m always impressed with the aid stations and the food at the end, and this year was no exception. A bonus on the race this year, I saw a crane fly by at about mile 16. Pretty neat.

In the future post I’ll talk about what’s next for me, but I definitely won’t be pursuing a PR in the 50K or completing a 50 mile this season. My foot that has been bothering me started acting up around mile 12, and although it was bearable, I don’t really want to mess with the long runs required for racing at 50K or completing a 50 mile until I know my foot is 100% healed.

Run well.

Mudball 4 Mile: Race Report

I didn't set any goals for this one for a couple reasons. First off, I've never run it before, so I had no idea what the hills or running surface was like. Without that information, guessing my pace would be difficult. Secondly, I hadn't planned my race well due to an error in timing. I had written the wrong date in the planner and had been planning to do the race on Saturday and a longish run on Sunday. Instead, the race was on Sunday, so I ended up doing my long run on Saturday and racing on Sunday.

Saturday happened to be pretty warm, so my long run took a little more out of me than normal. As a result, my legs weren't exactly fresh for the Mudball 4 Mill on Sunday.


As a bonus, Laura and baby Calvin came along to watch. We also ran into a couple of running friends and they got to meet Calvin.The race itself actually went decent. My legs felt pretty heavy during my warmup, but once we got started they didn't feel bad at all.I started out with the leaders and managed to stay with the first place dude for the first couple miles. Then, my long run started to catch up with me and the hills started to drain me. The leader pulled away halfway through the second mile, but the second place guy had dropped off sometime during the first mile.

I thought maybe the first place guy would slow up, and he did, but not as much as me. I ended up finishing in 25:21, a little over 30 seconds behind the winner.

It was cool having Calvin and Laura at the race. For a race the day after a long run, it went pretty decent.


Happy Running!

Race Report: Ron Daws 25k

Ron Daws was a famous (as famous as a runner can be) Minnesota athlete who ran in the 1968 Olympic Marathon. The race of his namesake, the Ron Daws 25k, is a hilly route through Hopkins, Minn., one of Daws's favorites.

Start of the Ron Daws 25k <photo credit>

 I did this race once before, back in 2011, when I used it as a training run for the 2011 Boston Marathon. I was in a little better shape back then, and as that was my only 25k, it's stood as my PR since then.

My top goal for the race was a new PR, but about halfway to the race I noticed my naked wrist--I'd forgotten my Garmin 210. No GPS watch meant never having any idea how long I'd been running and having only a general idea of how fast I was running.

At the race, I ran into my friends Don and Jared. They were both in the midst of marathon training for Boston and Fargo respectively. Don was kind enough to offer me his watch, but I declined. I'd do my best to run by feel.

The toughest part of the race this year wasn't the hills--those were hard--but rather, the wind. I was pretty much constant at 15 - 20 mph, and there were frequent 40 mph gusts. The hills were also tough, but in the second part of the race there was a section that started downhill and the wind was so strong it felt as if I were running in place.

No watch didn't end up being a huge problem. I ran with another runner who was training for the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon, and he was nice enough to give me splits for the five miles I ran with him.

After that, I caught up to another runner. He had forgotten to start his watch, so no splits for him. The Ron Daws is also a pretty bare bones race (it does cost $5), so there were no volunteers giving splits at the mile markers either.

Still, running by feel worked out well enough. Had I known how close I was to a PR, the watch may have helped push me a little, but I doubt it. I finished with a time of 1:42:45, less than 30 seconds short of a PR. Two seconds a mile faster and I would have had it. I did, however, manage to reach my "B" goal for the second time this year.

I met up with Jared and Don after the race and we headed over to Pizza Luce for some brunch, beer, and talking about running. Though the race was cold, windy, and hilly, it was still fun.

Race Report: Lake Johanna 4 Mile

It was a nice, warm day on Saturday, March 12. With the race starting at 11:00 a.m., the temperature had already crept above 60. There wasn't much wind, the ice on Lake Johanna was sparkling, and the sky was clear--similar conditions to the 2015 edition.

I got to the race about a half an hour early--there was no line to speak of to register. The Lake Johanna 4 Mile is one of three races that's included with the MDRA membership, so I thought there might be more people registering the day of since there are no real benefits to mailing a registration in (I don't remember if there was much of a line to register last year's race).

Since I finished registering so quickly, I had time to chat with a couple of runners before I did a warm up jog and a couple of striders. I saw Peter, a runner Laura and I often see at the YMCA, and Angie Voight, a doctor who treated my broken leg in 2012 and also a frequent expert on C Tolle Run.

Right before the start, I ran into the Burnsville High School cross country coach and a couple Burnsville High athletes. I have the privilege of helping out a little with cross country this past fall, so it was cool to get to race with one of their better high school athletes.

The race itself went OK. I definitely came out a little fast with a 5:51, which would turn out to be my fastest mile of the race.

It was a hilly race, and hills in the middle of mile three and the beginning of mile four took their toll on me. I haven't been running a ton of tough hills, and definitely haven't been running fast on any hills.

I finished 5th overall--the same place I finished last year, in a time of 24:08. I'm happy enough with my time, which was under my B goal, but it's hard not to think about the fact that the pace I ran is still slower than my PR half marathon pace. I suppose that just means I have a ways to go if I'm going to race well this fall.

My 5th place finish also meant that the top finishing times this year were a fair amount slower than last year's times. Had I run the time I ran last year (22:05), I could have competed for the win.

Happy Running!

Race Report: Shoreline Half Marathon

Until further notice, this'll be my last detailed race report for a while. They seem mostly redundant at this point, so I'll probably start using them more as reviews and less as stream-of-consciousness replays of my races.

Embedded in this race report are some clues as to what made this half marathon special. If you think you've solved the mystery, feel free to leave a comment on this blog post, but please refrain from making any comments on other social media outlets.

Way back in July, Laura and I ran the Shoreline Half Marathon. We like to run a race when we travel, and Laura's got this goal of running a half marathon in every state, so we picked this one as part of an extended road trip from Washington D.C. to Niagra Falls, Canada, over to Hamlin Beach State Park in New York, and back to D.C.

 On the shore of Lake Ontario before the race

 The marathon started on the shore of Lake Ontario. Before the race I had been dealing with a pretty miserable cold that ended up turning into an ear infection. Really, I shouldn't have been the one dealing with sickness--that should have been Laura's department.

Up until the night before the race, I was considering switching to the 5k. My last run in Niagra Falls was only two miles--I'd set out to run four or five, but my cold had me so exhausted I ended up running one and then run/walking back to the hotel.

A break during out run in Niagra Falls, ON

Fortunately, I slept really well that night in Niagra Falls, and took several naps in the hotel and in the car ride over to Hamlin State Park. That night at the state park, I slept great--despite a thunderstorm that woke us up with driving rain and lightning, I probably slept a solid nine hours. Unfortunately, Laura was a little nervous and didn't sleep as well. Besides huddling down in severe weather safety position, she also had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night--a more common occurrence lately.

The next morning I woke up feeling the best I'd felt in days. This turned out to be a mixed blessing. It was hot and humid, but my newfound feeling of well-being gave me a false confidence in my ability to run a fast race.

The first two miles of the race were by far my fastest. The rest of the race was about survival. The course was mainly through the rural area surrounding the state park, and unfortunately I was so miserable during the last two miles that I wasn't able to enjoy the section of the course along Lake Ontario.

Laura fared better than me. She ran the race for fun, taking her time and soaking up the scenery.

Since it was a small race, I somehow managed to win my age group by finishing under an hour and thirty minutes.

Although Laura didn't win an official award, she did manage to set a PR if you consider the fractional aspect of her time.

After the race we enjoyed some post race refreshment, and I received a nice trophy-looking thing along with a jar of delicious, organic, natural peanut butter. Then we dipped our legs into the chilly Lake Ontario water.

I'm going to go have me some of that peanut butter right now. Leave a comment below (not on Facebook) if you think you've solved the embedded clue.

Run well.

Race Report: Wood Duck Days 5k

There's nothing more Minnesotan than a weekend at the "cabin." As a Minnesota transplant, I've learned that a "cabin" simply refers to any structure on or near a body of water in which a person can sleep. A cabin could be anything from an A-frame log cabin, to a 14 bedroom, 8 bathroom structure equipped with an indoor swimming pool and furnished with Armani-leather, jewel-encrusted sofas and recliners.

The cabin in which we resided over the weekend fell somewhere in between the A-frame and luxury residence. The stately structure overlooked Lake Shetek. Laura and I made the roughly 2.5 hour car ride with DJ, the husband of Laura's co-worker, Gayle. It's become an annual Children's Country Day tradition to spend a couple nights there to boat, play games, fish, and relax. We've also managed to squeeze in some running.

Upon arrival to the "cabin," we sat down at the kitchen table to talk about the weekend's plans. When I found out there was going to be a 5k at the Fulda "Wood Duck Days," I suggested that the "boys" go drive over to Fulda the next morning to compete in the 5k and the 1k "fun" run for kids.

Although I was enthusiastic, I knew that not everyone was as excited about getting up early and running as I was. The beer I poured on top of a Casey's General Store Charbroil Deluxe and Hostess cupcake didn't sit well, and after a night of tossing a turning, I wasn't sure I wanted to make the trip to Fulda to run a 5k.

A couple hours after sunrise (which happens around 5 AM this time of year), I was pleasantly surprised to see DJ, Seth (another Country Day employee), and their sons, Alec and Magnus, ready to go to Wood Duck Days to bring home some hardware.

The Wood Duck Day races were exactly the kind I like. Its events included a 5k run, 5k walk, and the grand finale--a children's 1k fun run.

Seth, Alec, and I competed in the 5k, and each of us brought home some sweet hardware. Seth won second in his age group, Alec finished his first 5k (and puked at least three times over the last hundred yards), and Magnus finished the 1k. Besides ribbons, we also brought home a Wood Duck Days 1st place trophy (won by me), shirts, and a $10 Scheels gift card.

The next morning, Seth, DJ, Alec, and I also completed a running-specific core workout.

Besides all the running-related activities, we also caught a couple catfish. Seth and I divided the spoils of two of channel cats, and one was released back into Lake Shetek.

Up next is the Afton 50k on July 4th. I injured my right foot twice at the cabin--once by stubbing/cutting my toe on an angle-iron, and once by using my barefoot to find the stump of a small tree.

Luckily, the cuts aren't serious, and keeping them cleaned and bandaged should have my feet ready for the 50k. Until then, I'll be doing a little more biking, hiking, and core work and a little less running.


Happy Running!

 

Med City 5k: Race Report

First the good news: I finished third overall, and first in my age group. When I returned to running back in 2009, I would have been happy with my time of 17:34, and thrilled to have finished in the top three.

This year, however, I was less than thrilled. After running a personal best in the road mile, I still had my sights set on a fast time at the Med City 5k.

Unfortunately, I did not run a smart race. My secret goal of breaking the course record and running under 16:15 had me pretty hyped up. Before the start of the race, I talked to several runners, and none of them was planning on running faster than 17 minutes.

The tallest of these supposedly seventeen minute 5k runners, a tall, college-aged looking runner with a white singlet, looked suitable for drafting behind, so I decided I'd run behind him.

When the air horn blew to start the race, I quickly moved behind the tall, white-singlet guy. In a matter of seconds, I misjudged his speed, and clipped his back foot. "Sorry," I said, though I wasn't really sorry. If you're going to run in the front, you'd better be running fast right away.

That clip made me think there was no reason to run behind him, so I took off. The first mile was down hill, and as I ran by the mile marker I looked down at my watch... 4:55, 4:56, 4:57. Uh oh. The white singlet dude soon came up behind me. "Run with me for a while," I said. "You can draft, but not too long."

At mile 1.5, the taste of copper came into the back of my throat--a possible sign of acidosis (read the article about metallic tastes from Outside Online). With half the race left, a chance at 16:15 was over for me.

By the time I reached the final straightaway to the finish, two runners had already passed me; my legs where heavy and my lungs on fire. I walked the last five feet to the finish line, secure in third and angry at myself for running such an unintelligent race. My father-in-law and mother-in-law had come out to watch me. "Nice job," said Jeff. "Third place overall."

2012 Med City 5k with Jeff and Sherry

 I was thankful that Jeff and Sherry had come out to watch me, despite the fact that Sherry wasn't feeling well. I thanked them, and then walked over to my buddy, Nate. I let him know the idiocy of my first mile and asked him to tell me how stupid I'd run.

"Well," he said, laughing. "You know you ran a dumb race. You don't need me to tell you."

I lied down on the grass several times, leaned over the bridge above the Zumbro River, hoping my food wouldn't make an appearance (it did not), and finally managed to feel well enough to stagger to the awards. 

Trying to be gracious

 Later, Nate and I went to a bar and grill in downtown Rochester to share some flatbread pizzas, watch the Royals play the Cardinals, and talk running, careers, and life.

2012 Securian Half Marathon with Nate

Upon arriving back at the in-laws, I coughed up phlegm and my nose began gushing blood. The humidity and poor air quality in downtown Rochester made for some sore lungs. The next Monday I would visit urgent care. The doctor said the infection was mostly high in my lungs, and that I should be able to clear it after a couple days (I did).

They'll be other races, other runs, and better days. I can be happy with a 17:34 and a third place finish.

Happy Running!

Taking a Break: Med City Marathon and 5k

Nate and Nate before Nate dropped. <photocredit>

Hello Readers,

Thanks to all of you who've followed me--it doesn't matter if we've met, if you're a close friend, an accidental reader who's looking for an effective kidney stone treatment or cold remedy. However we've crossed paths--thank you for stopping by.

Thank you to all the Med City runners, friends, family members, and all the people who've run with me since this blog started and before it began. Rochester has been my adopted hometown in Minnesota, and runners from Nebraska, Minnesota, Tanzania, and all over the world have become my extended family.

Running is a coping mechanism, and the 1,100 miles I've put on my running shoes this season ended with a painful 5k, followed by dropping out of the Med City Marathon after 23 miles.

I'm out of commission for a while, but will go into some rest and recovery mode filled with inspiration. Med City was my first DNF. I consider it a badge of honor to know that my body was physically and mentally exhausted. Twenty three miles was a long way to run, and I knew it was time to stop.



Writing is magic. There's no way around that. You'll imagine what I try to describe to you, or I'll try to explain and you'll try to understand, and we'll meet somewhere in the middle.

The stories I've heard while pacing have made my life's journey easier, and the inspiration I've drawn from other runners has been invaluable.

In the meantime, here's a few of my favorite blog topics:

Kidney Stones 

Races

Pace Reports

I'll be working on making this blog more useful, so check back now and then.

Med City 5k: It's Goal Time!

It's goal time!

A: Run fast
B: Run faster than 16:17
C: Run faster than 16:30

Thanks for following. Here's a couple of my favorites from the past few years:

2012 Med City 5k

2012 Med City Marathon 

2013 Med City Marathon

Runner's Prayer

I haven't looked at these for awhile, so if theirs any proofreaders out they're, please feel free to corect and errores.

Happy Running!

TC One Mile: Race Report

It took four years and three attempts, but it finally happened. On a drizzly, breezy, and cool evening, I finally broke five minutes in a road mile.


Unfortunately I forgot that I had yet to pick up my packet, so without a number I couldn't check my sweats at the finish. Instead, I jogged to the start in my sweats, caring the sweet race bag I got at the Fargo Marathon on my back. It worked out fine because that meant I was able to see the course twice and plan my race accordingly.

It turned into an evening of surprise reunions. I met Victoria, Jason, and I jogged Hennepin Ave toward packet pick up. While jogging with them, we passed Jana. She'd run almost the entire time with me at the 3:35 pace group at the Fargo Marathon. The only reason I remember her name is because she had so many fans along the course.

"Just for fun tonight!" she said as she smiled and continued to jog away.

At packet pickup I saw Linda, jogged to the start, dropped my sweats, and found Jon. Then I ran at a brisk pace back to the finish. My warm fuzzies brought me to the start line, and my adrenaline rush of making it just in time was held in check by the first quarter mile incline.

I ran a good race--slightly negative splits, and broke 5:00 in the road mile for the first time ever. A shiny new PR always feels good, so I celebrated it after the race by pretending to be important.

Jon's VIP Media Pass

I always like to thank those who make a new PR possible. For all my running friends; especially Hura, Don, Gerad, Dan, and all the other talented runners I've been blessed to run with. You've joined me for more runs than I can count, and I think of you often when I run.

Thank you. Thanks to all the athletes I admired who gave me the time of day, especially Dena, Carie, and Katie.

For Coach Rathke--who saw some talent in me and helped me grow as a runner. For Coach Einspahr--who gave me enough space to decide what kind of runner I wanted to be. Thanks to my wanna-be athlete friends who've put up with my stream-of-conscious talking, unsolicited advice, and have spent a lot of time with me on buses.

For my running and non-running roomates; Jared and Britney, Tom, Mark, Josh, Kenny, and Matt. I can hear the music playing me off the stage so I'll wrap this up.

Thanks to everyone, friends and family alike. If I haven't mentioned you buy name and you've put up with my running-related odors and messes; thank you. It's been a fun ride.

Tomorrow is the Med City 5k, and I'm going to try to run fast. Oh, and thanks to Laura--the only girl I'm still trying to impress.

Happy Running

Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon: Pace Report

Pre-race game face

My second pacing gig of 2015 is in the books. For the second time in a few years, I jogged around Lake Minnetonka carrying a pacer sign, attempting to run even splits en route to a 1:35 finishing time.

 The weather was pretty nice, though a little humid for a half marathon. Laura and I had been camping for the previous couple days and had really been enjoying the warm temperatures and the sun. Fortunately for the runners, the sky was overcast on Sunday morning, keeping temperatures cool enough to be pretty comfortable.

At Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon I had the privilege of having a co-pacer, Mike. It's always nice having someone to share the pacing duties. Only having to carry the sign half the time leads to a less sore neck, and there's also someone checking on the pace meaning I don't have to look at my watch quite as often.

I also really like pacing the 1:35 group. Checking my pace on a pace band is fine, but it adds one more thing to keep track of, and when I pace the 1:35 group I can easily add 7:15 for each mile, eliminating the need for a pace band.

Finishing on time

The Lake Minnetonka course is nice with a lot of sections being along water. It's got enough rolling hills to keep things interesting, but there are no really steep or long hills. The only downside to running next to so much water is that if it's windy, it can really hit you. Sunday wasn't too windy, but even a moderate amount of wind can be bothersome when trying to control a cardboard pacing sign.

Mike and I had a nice time chatting and running pretty consistently at our assigned pace. We came through the finish right on time at 1:34:50. Runners were very friendly after the race, and several thank me for pacing. One guy even stopped his car in the parking lot to thank me.

It'll be a busy May for pacing the next few weeks. This weekend I'll be pacing the Fargo Marathon for the first time. I'm looking forward to doing a new race and notching marathon number 13. Then it's on to the inaugural Valley Fair Half Marathon, followed by the Med City Marathon.

Happy Running!

Earth Day 1/2 Marathon: Pace Report

Another pacing gig is in the books! I won't say too much about this one. If you're interested in the race, the great event, and the course, check out my other Earth Day reports here: 2012 and 2014. Laura and I really enjoy this event, and last Friday afternoon we drove up to St. Cloud to pick up our race packets, grab some dinner, and watch "Sister Act" in our hotel the night before the race. Watching Whoopi Goldberg turn a struggling nun choir into a class act ready worthy of performing for the pope really got me pumped for pacing.


On race morning we munched on some granola bars and bananas before heading to St. Cloud State's field house to meet up with the pacers and get ready for the race. After a couple of years of not-so-great weather, this year was perfect. It was sunny, cool but not too cold, and only a slight breeze.

Ready to race

I had a nice group of runners in my 1:40 group at the start of the race, but for some reason we didn't seem to stay together much as runners dropped off the pace. We caught up to some other runners as we neared the finish, and as often happens people let out words or sounds of disappointment as they watched their goal slipping out of reach.

Pace team, mostly unaware the photo had already been taken

During this race I also got to sample a new energy gel. I was handed a salted watermelon flavored gel, then asked my pace group if anyone wanted to trade. "Hell no!" replied a runner who was apparently more happy with whatever flavor he'd received. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought, but I'm definitely not going out to buy a box.

I finished the race in 1:39:55 -- a nice way to start off the pacing season. Coming up I'll be pacing the 1:35 group at the Lake Minnetonka 1/2 Marathon, the 3:35 group at the Fargo Marathon, and the 3:35 group for the Med City marathon. Pacing season is underway!

Happy Running!

Fred Kurz 10 Mile: Race Report

Saturday was the perfect day for a race. It was sunny, cool, and just a little bit breezy. The temperature rose quickly, jumping from about 36 at 7 AM to 40 by 8:30 AM, to over 50 b y the time the race was over at 10:30 AM.

The Fred Kurz 10 Mile is a unique race, handicapping the start times of each runner with the goal of having everyone finish at the same time. Runners submit two recent race times, and are then given start times based on their estimated finishes. The earliest runners began at 8:30 AM, and the goal was to have everyone finish at 10:30 AM. My start time was 9:30 AM, which was perfect as my "A" goal was to run under 60 minutes.

I had one other runner starting with me, and she was also aiming for a sub-1 hour finish time. The race started at Wayzata Central Middle School, went on a sidewalk for about half a mile, then turned on the Luce Line Trail, a crushed limestone rails-to-trail path. The young lady I was running with started out at a good clip, running ahead of me for about the first mile. Deciding not to keep up with her, I ran my own pace, and at about a mile I ran past her.

Around two miles in I began passing runners who had earlier start times. I knew there were a few runners who had a later start time than me, so my goal was to not be passed. At three miles I was on pace for a sub-60 minute time, averaging about 5:55 a mile at that point.

At the turnaround, the wind was now at our backs, and I knew if I could keep the pace I would break 59 minutes. I was now passing a lot of runners, and had yet to be passed. Passing a runner I recognized, I said, "Way to go, Kurt!" He told me I was only the second runner who'd passed him.

With two miles to go, I thought I might have an outside chance of setting a new 10 mile PR, so I really tried to push it. Coming into the last mile, I knew my "A" goal was in the bag, but if I could run a really fast last mile, a PR wasn't out of the question.

I turned off of the trail and onto the sidewalk. Still passing runners, a minute later the finish line was in sight. Seeing the clock, it looked like it wouldn't be a PR. I'd run about as fast as I could, so dropping 15 seconds or more off the last two miles just wasn't going to happen. I came across the line at 58:32, making my "A" goal and missing a PR by 13 seconds--just over 1 second per mile.

Though it wasn't a PR, it was my best race of the season so far and the first time I've hit an "A" goal in a long time. I ended up finishing third overall and winning the 30-39 age group. My prize was a sweet MDRA hat. I'm feeling good about this early season, coming so close to a PR as I haven't set a PR since 2013. I hope this will be a good jump start to the season and lead to some PRs this year.

Happy Running!

MDRA 7 Mile: Race Report

My second race of the year is in the books, and it was definitely an interesting one. Though it was chilly, the wind in Hopkins wasn't a factor as the slight breeze and sunny skies made conditions for the MDRA 7 Mile quite pleasant.

The race started off well, and unlike the Lake Johanna 4 Mile when I went out a little fast, this time I started out a little farther back and let the lead runners go. After about half a mile I was running by myself. I could see the two leaders, both wearing neon running gear, quite a bit ahead of me.

When the course turned toward the first mile, I could no longer see the two neon runners. They popped in and out of view for about half a mile, but by the second mile they were completely out of sight, and I was running alone in third place.

At the third mile marker I was running a little slower than I needed to to break my "A" goal time of 40:08, but a PR was well within reach, and picking up the pace a little to hit the "A" goal was not out of the question, but then things got away from me. And by got away from me, I mean I took a little half mile detour through the streets of Hopkins.

Here's my Garmin-created map of the 7 Mile. Notice the little loop in the upper left:

Here's the loop up close:

At the three mile mark, I was supposed to turn right, but unfortunately I continued going straight. Though the course had nice blue arrows spray painted on the roads and sidewalks, I must have been looking at my watch and failed to notice the little blue arrow that directed me to turn right. I realized I'd probably made a mistake when I went past Birchwood Lane and there were no little blue arrows. Had I turned around at that point, it wouldn't have been so bad, but instead I kept going.

Fortunately the little detour brought me back to the course where I joined a group or runners to go past the 3 mile marker for the second time, this time with an extra half a mile on my watch.

I didn't get too upset--I decided I'd check my split at 7 miles and give myself 75% credit for that 7 mile time, and just try to forget about my official finishing time--the MDRA 7 Mile is just a free fun run anyway, so who really cares about my "official" time?

Anyhow, this race was hilly with a capital "H." Right after mile 4 (4.5 miles for me) there's a hill that's roughly three quarters of mile mile long with a grade of about 2%. Though it took some pop out of my legs, the rest of the race had more downhill then up.

I was passing a lot of runners at this point--they'd had a half mile advantage on me, but I was making up some ground. My unofficial 7 mile split was 40:28 (I took the split at 7.04)--slower than my 40:08 goal but faster than my PR. I eased up a little then, but not much. I still wanted to finish strong.

Even after slowing down a little for the last half mile, I finished the race at 43:34--a 6:13 pace if you discard the extra half mile and a 5:49 pace if you factor in the extra half mile.

As I was walking back from the start, another runner approached me and said, "Hey, are you the guy who got lost?"

"Yes," I said.

"Yeah, I wanted to yell to you, but you were too far ahead of me. I saw you go left and I started to go left, but then saw the blue arrow and made a hard right across someone's lawn." I guess I was glad he didn't get thrown off by me too. "I was doing a tempo run," he continued, "and I didn't know quite how fast you were going. I was going to try and stay with you, but I got stuck there in no man's land."

"Oh well," I said. "I guess I just got a little extra workout."

"Yeah," he said. "Good thing it's just a fun run."

"Yep. No trophies on the line today."

After a short cool down, I enjoyed a nice post-race cookie and chatted with Peter, a friend whom Laura and I are always seeing at the YMCA. He was sympathetic to my poor directional skills, and made me feel better when he said, "There were a couple of places when I thought to myself, 'if I weren't running with other people, I wouldn't know which way to turn.'"

Though things didn't go quite as planned, I'm still pretty happy with the race result. I ran hard and I'm feeling like I'm in pretty good shape. Now I'll just have to wait until my next race to see if I can run a fast time without getting lost.

Happy Running!

Lake Johanna 4 Mile: Race Report

My first race of the year is in the books. Saturday, March 14 was ideal conditions for an early season race. Above average temperatures, but still cool, a slight breeze, and a cloudless deep blue sky made for an enjoyable run, whether the actual race went well or not.

Warming up before the race

Laura was kind enough to accompany me to the race after doing her own run and a class at the YMCA earlier in the day. The 11 AM start was late enough that she got to do what she wanted before the race and I had plenty of time to get ready.

Upon arriving, I got my race number and did a two mile warmup. Running in a long sleeve for 15 minutes was about perfect to get ready to race. With the small race field and informal setting, I was able to finish my warmup just a couple minutes before the start and still line up toward the front. I tossed my long sleeve to Laura, and after a couple of pre-race instructions, we were off.

There was a lead pack of about seven runners right away, but after about 200m I could tell we were going a little fast. A quick glance at my Garmin let me know that I was running at a sub-5 minute mile pace. I backed off and let the leaders go, passing a couple of them within the first mile.

I came through the first mile in 5:28, right on pace for my goal of under 22 minutes. I was in fifth place at this point--right where I'd stay for the rest of the race.

The course was somewhat hilly, but nothing terribly steep up or down. I came through the second mile with another 5:28, still on pace for s sub-22 minute finish. My legs were starting to feel a little fatigued at this point, but I still felt strong enough to hold that pace. Mile three was a 5:35, which meant I needed to run under 5:30 to break the 22 minute barrier.

Finishing the last mile

 The last mile started with a decent hill, but it flattened out and went downhill, making me think I could pull off the sub-22. Coming off the last turn, one of the volunteers said, "downhill from here!" and it pretty much was. On the final straightaway I could start to see the clock as it ticked up toward 22 minutes. I pushed it as hard as I could, going through the finish line with the clock at 21:58.

Unfortunately, when I looked down at my Garmin, it read 22:05. Apparently the clock was not quite right. Although my official time was 21:58, I'll know that I didn't actually run that fast.

Under 22 minutes?

 Overall I was pretty happy with the race, barely missing my "A" goal and coming in solidly under my "B" goal. I did feel like I finished with a little gas left in the tank, and that I could have pushed it harder that last mile. It was, however, the first race of the season, so I'm still getting the rust out. This weekend I'll be running the MDRA 7 Mile, and I should have a better idea of how to pace that one.

The photographer and I

Happy Running!

Chicago Marathon: Race Report

Let's start with the end: I finished the marathon in 3:03:17. My streak of sub-3 hour marathons has ended at three.While this race was tough, there was nothing that really surprised me about it, though the end of a marathon is always harder than I remember the last one being.

Chicago is a fun city and Laura and I really enjoyed the Chicago Marathon. Our hotel was out by Chicago Midway Airport, and public transportation to the expo and the start was a breeze. We rode the train and bus to the expo on Saturday afternoon, and after spending some time at the expo getting free stuff and eating free samples, we went with our friends Brit and Jared to grab some pre-race pasta.

The next morning we got up early to catch the train to the start and get ready for the race. The start line was pretty crowded already at 6:45 AM, but it was still easy to get to everything. We took a couple of start line photos, then headed to our respective corrals for the start.

After waiting about ten minutes for a port-a-potty, I made it to the start line with about fifteen minutes to spare. With five minutes to go, I threw off my Goodwill sweats, and shivered slightly until the start.

As the race got going I knew I was dressed perfectly besides not wearing my sunglasses. The forecast said it would be "mostly cloudy," but at the start of the race and for almost the entire time, there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

During the fist few miles I chatted off and on with another Team World Vision runner, Andy, about our past race and race goals. I settled into a pretty good pace of about 6:45/mile, and felt really good.

Honestly, for most of the first 20 miles I felt really confident that I was going to get my "A" goal of under 2:58. My legs felt good and the pace felt nice and smooth. Then, around mile 21, I started feeling it. I did a little quick math and knew that if I could run right around 7:00/mile I would break three hours, my "B" goal.

Unfortunately from mile 21 on my pace got slower and slower. I was getting passed by a lot of runners, and every time I tried to speed up I couldn't hang on to a faster pace for more than a minute. My legs were very heavy and I was really hurting.

I tried to pick it up at the end, but even that didn't happen. Oh well. It was a fun race and it was cool to run through the big city with so many other runners. The crowd was awesome, the course was flat, and the weather was near perfect.

Laura also finished the marathon, and I was super pumped for her. She's been dealing with a foot problem for months, and we were both glad it held up and that she was able to finish the marathon.

So far I've helped raise over $1100 to bring clean water to communities in Africa. The Team World Vision post-race party was pretty awesome with pizza and soda and dozens of other World Vision runners. I can still accept donations through mid-November: fundraising page.

Chicago was a great race and I definitely put it up there on my list of marathons. I don't know if I'd do it again, but I wouldn't rule it out.

After running my second slowest marathon (not counting pacing), I will say I'm really motivated to improve my training. I've already got my sights set on a PR next fall. Fortunately I'm feeling completely healthy and I'm headed into winter training motivated and in decent shape.

Happy Running!