On 8 October 2011 I participated in the 'world's toughest 5K'! This is a local race that is easily the most challenging 5K I've ever ran due to the crazy hills. I've ran this race 4 times now. 2 as a chubby runner and 2 as a not so chubby runner. Oddly enough, the second time I ran it (chubby), I finished third in my AG at 28:04 (the 20-29 AG is never really that competitive). The first time I ran it as a decent runner, I finished in 11th place overall with a time of 22:56 (I think?). On 10/8/2011 I scored some hardware again, finishing 3rd in the 30-39 AG with a time of 21:49.
The hardware! (posing with my wife's uncle who also scored some hardware for his AG....2 hip replacements later and he's still rocking the 5K....AMAZING!)
Now, this is by no means a PR course. My times are always well off of my 5K best (20:09/10). But, it is still a lot of fun. It's a great challenge. But, what I'm most proud of this year is the fact that my 9 year old daughter ran the race too!!
It's a family thing y'all!
Time is running out to accomplish my remaining race goal for this year....5K in under 20:00. I'm considering a race this weekend, so we'll see! Stay tuned!!
Hey folks! In case you haven't noticed, I've slowed down my blogging quite a bit....but, not because I've lost focus or motivation...I've just been busy logging my workouts on a social media group site that I created through Facebook. I've been using the site to share workouts and encourage others to share their own. It has really picked up and there's even a group of local people that get together every week for 'Mystery Workouts'. A mystery workout is just that.....you show up at a given location and you have no idea what to expect...you just know that you are about to sweat. A lot.
I hosted today's mystery workout, but it was mostly for me and two buddies that have been coordinating the mystery workouts. Today was a bit more exclusive....it was good fun.
I apologize for the delay in my posts once again. I hate to keep my loyal readers waiting, but I've been very busy with my new water sport training regime.
We took some unexpected R&R this past week to visit my in-laws at their second home....which is soon to be their primary home. We had a blast...lots of boating, swimming, eating, and drinking...and even some exercising! Yeah, there's no doubt I put on some lbs...but, I am a believer in allowing the body to reset every once in a while.
At least I didn't eat as bad as these guys: I certainly did not help them tear up that hotel pizza. Really. I did not.
I managed to get a few decent runs in on some very hilly terrain. Kinda like this:
I capped my much-needed R&R off with a great day of fitness. I started off with a hot and humid 10 mile run in the morning and then finished the day with a nice 30 mile bike ride in the afternoon. Look out le tour!
On a more serious note, I want to dedicate the following video and song to someone that has motivated me more than just about anyone. I won't be seeing this dude for a while, but I'll be thinking about him every time I need to push myself through a hard run or workout...just like I did in Chicago on 10-10-10. Thanks for all that you do and stay safe. Watch your six...we'll see you in a few and a wake. Over.
Tremont Turkey Fest 5K: 20:09....3rd in my AG! I had a great race. But, sooo close to my goal of finishing a 5K in under 20:00...soon.
Steamboat Classic 15K....1:10:xx...new PR and a great race!! This is one of the most challening 15Ks around. It has a beast of a hill that sucks the energy right out of you...and the course takes you up the hill twice! I felt pretty good during the race, just a bit of side cramping that never really developed into anything serious. The hill is definitely a character builder.
Yeah, so maybe I need to score some new race day clothes. :)
Cookie Club Racing....messy faces in .32 seconds...also a new PR!!
With the exception of the past week or so, I have still been rockin the gym and the pavement. The last week has been a different story though. I had some unexpected travel and stuff come up for work and my routine has been pretty shaken up. My eating certainly hasn't been great and my runs have been minimal. Proof that this journey of healthy living is never complete....always at war, just different battles along the way.
I'm looking forward to getting back into the routine this coming week. I've been doing a lot of high intensity training at the gym (The Big 55, crossfit-like workouts, sprints, tire flips, etc) and it has been kicking my butt. Winning.
I also had an opportunity to go for my first Texas run earlier this week....95 degrees...but, it was as dry heat. :) It was actually a pretty interesting run. I had just flown into Texas and knew that I needed to sweat it out a bit just to get the endorphins moving. I was only planning to do 3 or 4 (for some reason my post-flight runs never feel great). I didn't really have a route mapped out and I really had no idea where I was going. But, I found a sidewalk and decided to just use my garmin to tell me when to turn around and head back to the hotel. This plan was going quite smooth...until...my ADD brain saw a nice residential area and thought 'how about I just take a looksy at this neighborhood?'. Yeah, mistake #1.
I got deep into the residential area....distracted by the nice homes...and suddenly realized that all of the nice homes were looking alike. Then I realized that I was totally lost. Every street that I turned down was either a dead end or led me to a busy intersection with no sign of my hotel.
5 miles into the run, the sun blazing down on me, and the early signs of panic beginning to settle in (i.e. I paused my music, stopped my garmin, and proceeded to cry, screaming 'Why God? Why???'...ok, I made that last part up...really, I did....).
Fortunately for me, the people of Texas are a very nice breed. Seriously, some of the nicest people on the planet. In fact, when I ran into a nursing home to ask for directions back to my hotel, only a few of the guests tried to trip me with their canes. Actually, without hesitation, they told me exactly where I needed to go. That's a first folks....thank God for the elderly. Anyway, 6 miles later I found my finish line at the Holiday Inn. Yep, that's right...I was chillin at the Holidae Innnn. Stop, drop, kaboom!
I hit the pavement at approximately 0600 hours today....not knowing how far or how fast I was going to go. I have a 5K in STL tomorrow with family, so I wasn't really sure what to do today. It's been a pretty tough week in the gym and I had a super crappy 9 miler on Thursday....I was actually thinking today would be a rest day, but...rest is highly overrated (not really).
The weather was beautiful....it's so nice to run in May....without cold weather gear. The only issue was that is still seems like it takes 3-4 miles for my feet and legs to get comfortable with the new kicks. But, after I'm settled in, I turn it on. The first 4 miles I averaged around the slow 8:20s. I ended up doing 10.17 at an 8:07 ave pace. I really felt great towards the end....but the start was a little rocky.
I'm thinking I will take it easy at tomorrow's race....maybe I'll help Traci PR!
Check it out, an early bday present from the wifey and kiddos!!! Nike Free2 with a runningonginnis spin! Make it Happen!!
I'm loving the new kicks! I broke them in with a local charity run on Saturday to benefit a very special person. It was suppose to be a 4 mile course, but the course wasn't marked well and everyone pretty ran a different distance. But....no one was complaining....this one was for a great cause. Never stop running Sacha.
The weather was absolutely terrible...and I didn't even get any pictures. But, imagine almost everyone in a small town coming together to raise money for someone that needs to be lifted up. At first, the new shoes felt very strange....almost as if I had forgotten to put shoes on! I felt a bit unbalanced...like I was going to slip and fall at any moment. My calves and shins were a little tight too, but overall I think I'll really like the shoes. I was in second place overall for most of the race, but then I lost the first place guy and pretty much had to guess where the route was. I finished with 3.76 miles. The first place guy finished with 3.5. Two other guys came up on me as I was trying to guess the route....not sure where they finished at. But, I'm pretty sure I came in at first place in the 3.76 mile race. :)
On Sunday I knocked out 10...also in crappy weather! Cold weather gear in May....really Illinois? Really??!!
My calves and shins felt tight for the first 4 miles...but after that, everything felt great. It seems like it took 4 miles or so for my legs and feet to get used to the new kicks. Seriously, the shoes were rockin. I finished at a 7:59 pace and definitely could have kept going longer and faster.
You may recall that back in January I set two 2011 half marathon goals. I wanted to PR (1:50:30) and break 1:50. I ran this race with an IT Band injury last year (1:59) and it completely sucked. I am proud to tell you (finally) that I crushed both goals last weekend! I had the perfect race.
At the very last minute the wife and I decided to find a hotel near the race....surprisingly, we found one! We drove to the expo Friday night, picked up our packets, and made a few rounds through the booths and shopping area. As much as I love this race, I really think they could do a better job with the expo...and the race shirt. But, I shall not gripe about the perfect race.
We woke up Saturday morning bright and early....ready to make it happen. The weather was a little chilly, but I was sporting some new arm warmers, so I was all good.
We both found our way to the start line...saying hello to a Boston Marathoner on the way!! While we were hanging out waiting for the race to start we also stumbled upon a few other folks...my friend KC and her husband GC! KC and I occasionally run together during the weeks....she also ran Boston! She ran Illinois just for kicks...mostly because it's a race that she'll do every year. I also saw a few other folks that I knew. One of them is a guy named Mike. Mike is an amazing success story of a lifestyle transformation. He has provided me with a lot of motivation as I have moved through my own transformation.
Seeing Mike there really made me wonder how many other runners were there that day saying goodbye to a lifestyle that was unhealthy, depressing, and no fun. My motivation spiked....I was ready to rock it!
My goal for this race was to finish in the upper 1:40s. I was thinking something like 1:47. As the race kicked off I stuck with KC and GC. It really felt like a normal weekday training run. My pace was very comfortable....we all kept looking at our Garmins and announcing that we were running a sub-8:00 min/mile pace....but it felt so good that we kept it up. In fact, we kept getting faster. The first 10 miles flew by...I've never felt so good during a 10 mile run. The next few miles even felt good....it was awesome.
We finished our last mile at 6:40-ish! This course finishes on the college football field. We sprinted out the final 50 yards and I felt super. I was actually wondering if I should have kicked it in a bit more and finished under 1:40! Next time!
Here's a little self-portrait postrace action
The best part about this race? It was for my bro. Every single step. When I felt like I needed some extra motivation to push forward, I looked at my hand.
Thanks for the motivation bro. Be safe and watch your 6 while you are over there. This one was for you.
Hello bloggies! It's been so long since we've talked! Oh how I have missed your company. Really. I have. Just messin' peeps! I haven't posted in a few weeks and I'll spare you the lame excuses of being too busy with work, family, blog-stalking, and...dang! See what I just did there? Anywho, this past weekend we drove to Omaha, Nebtaska to see my broseph before he does his thang. We had a blast...we all hit the zoo to see (my wife's relatives) some cool animals and stuff, we had some killer margaritas, and then my brohem and I had a little guy time and we managed to squeeze in some fish n chips and my very first bloody mary. So, yeah....we did some damage.
But, we also managed to knock out a freezing cold, wicked windy, stomach churning 6 miles. Seriously, my bra and I were sooo close to calling this one off. It could have been the fact that as soon as we stepped outside we were both nearly blown away by an Omaha hurricane. Or....maybe it was because we ran out of throwing stars and I left my numchucks at the hotel....let's face it, you gots to be packin these days. It's a good thing my ninja bro knows kung-fu.
While we were in Omaha my two sons decided it was time to start serving their country. I have to admit, I'm darn proud of my boys and seriously, it's about time they start earning their dues.
I was able to pound out a quick and sweaty 4.5 in the hotel fitness center/sauna before we started the drive back home. I was a sweaty mess, but it felt good sweat out some margarita goodness.
After all of the eating, drinking, and sweating was over with I had to shake my bro's hand and wish him well. It was an emotional moment, I'm not gonna lie...it's a good thing I don't cry. Ever. I love my bro and I can't even begin to tell you how proud of him I am.
Some people talk about it, others DO IT. Here's to those who serve, especially my bro. I'll see you in a few.
I knocked out a good 12.5 today at a nice and easy 8:22 ave pace. I'm ready for race day next weekend. I've decided that every step I take will be dedicated to my brother...I'll be finishing this one for him.
GREAT run today....FINALLY some gorgeous weather. Dr. C and I pushed it hard today (read: he made me go faster). We had planned to just do 12, but at the 12 mile mark we were pretty pleased with our pace and we knew that stopping short of a half marathon made no sense at all. So, we made 13.1 happen. We finished in 1:47.x at about an 8:10 average pace. If I can repeat today's run in Champaign in a few weeks I will be a happy runner dude.
Everything felt outstanding today....minus some chaffage. Note to self, buy Body Glide....and possibly some new running shorts. Me thinks I've got too many miles on the 3 pairs of shorts that I rotate through now.
Check this out....the wife hit her first double digit run today!!! 10 miles!!! AND, she did it in under a 10 min/mile pace!!! OUT-friggin-STANDING! She has come a LONG way in a very short time period. Pretty impressive stuff!
The wife about to make it happen! (and someone else sporting his new runner's briefs)
Yesterday was 15 miles in some amazing weather in the beautiful Mackinaw River Valley.....I was loving every minute of it....until around mile 11 when I had a series (probably close to 700?) of hills to tackle that made me feel like a Sherpa on Everest. The good thing about this 15 was that I didn't do it alone. At first there was one Sherpa scaling the hills of Mackinaw. Then I was joined by a second Sherpa. Together we became a pack of Sherpas, a Sherpa-pack if you will.
A local P90X superstar, a future school board member, and doctor hit the run with me (all one person). I am not going to mention his name here, but let's just say that the run was just what the doctor ordered.
It was his longest run in 12 years and probably the fasted 15 I've ever completed. We finished right at an 8:30/8:31 pace. I know, we didn't break any records...but it felt great!
35 miles total this week. 41 days until my next half marathon!!
Well, it wasn't a 5K PR, but it was a course PR. Last year I decided to run this race about 45 minutes before it started. This year I was planning to sit it out due to this nasty cold/sinus sickness that is refusing to leave my house. My family has been getting it's butt kicked by the cold bug....I started getting it last weekend and then it hit me hard at around the middle of this week. Pair it up with a stressful week of work and it makes for a very rough week of training. In fact, I only ran/worked out once this entire week.
I woke up this morning happy that I was able to get some decent sleep, but still feeling pretty miserable. The wife and I were both registered for the race, but after doing a quick round of temperature checks we found that 2 out of our 3 kiddos had slight fevers. So...that meant that either me or the wife would need to stay home. I was pretty convinced that I would get sick bay duty, since the wife seemed to be feeling a little better than me. But, after thinking it through (read: me nagging and whining), I was nominated to go run. We knew that someone had to go pick up the race packets to get our shirts....and I felt that if someone was going to drive all the way in for the packets, that person should also run the race. The wife and I didn't quite see eye to eye on that one. :) She was scheduled to teach an aerobics class later in the day, so I didn't feel so bad about racing.
The running conditions weren't that bad....just over 30 degrees, very little wind, and a big crowd. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite shake the mucus out of my system! (gross, sorry). I wasn't really sure what to expect from this race. I told myself that if I could finish under 21:00 I would be happy. I started off feeling great...not too fast this time, pace felt really good. My pace slowed towards the end, but I still felt good. In fact, I probably could have kicked it in a bit more. I ended up finishing at 20:52, 40th place overall. I'm okay with the time considering my health, but I know I could have done better. I guess I was just a little hesitant to kick it in. Next year!
This weekend I knocked out the first race of 2011!! The first ever Frozen Turkey 5K in Tremont, IL. I finished in 4th place overall with a time of 20:31. It was a really fun race. For the first time in my racing 'career' I actually led the pack for a little bit. I was leading the way for about a quarter of a mile....I have to admit, it was a strange feeling. I thought about how everyone else in the race was following...me. I wondered what would happen if I took a wrong turn....I wondered what would happen if I actually finished first. Then, before I knew it, some speedster zoomed past me and the thrill was gone. I looked at my watch at about the one mile mark and the pace read 5:51....what the heck was I doing?? Then I started to think about finishing in second place....but once again, I was passed by a couple of youngsters. The top 3 were gone and I thought for sure others would be approaching as well. But, I reached the halfway point and turned around to see that there was a pretty good distance between me and the 5th runner. So...I gave it all that I had and finished hard at 20:31.
Yeah....a fourth place finish at 20:31 tells you that there weren't too many runners (around 90) and that there may not have been too many fast runners....but, I am totally good with a PR that is 25 seconds better than my previous PR. And...I still have some time this year to shave 32 seconds off of my 5K time to reach my goal of finishing in under 20 minutes. I was 29 seconds away from getting a trophy too...only the top 3 male and female finishers scored trophies...damn you young bucks. Had I known, I totally wouldn't have let those kids pass me.........Oh well.
I'm pretty pleased with my time, but the best part about this race was seeing the wife come in at 26:18!!! She did an amazing job. Amazing. Her previous 5K time was 33 and some change...mad improvement!!! She totally rocked the Frozen Turkey!
Happy February!!!! Today was the first shorts run of 2011!!! Let me tell you, it...felt...FAN-FRICKIN-TASTIC!! 13.1 miles in 1:49 and some change...a new outside training run PR! Lookout Illinois Half Marathon PR, HERE I COME!!!! I'm not sure if it was the awesome weather, the new shorts, or just the joy of running, but something hit me good today and I felt like I could run for days. I was only planning to run about 12, but when I realized that I was on pace for a nice training run PR, I decided to get the full half marathon in. I really, really had to convince myself to turn back home though.
Words just can't describe how a really good run makes you feel. There's just something about being in the running zone that makes you feel so alive. The zone...it's such a peaceful place to be. Everything moves right...arms, legs, breathing...everything just clicks. You live in the zone and you don't want to leave it.
I can't wait to be in the zone on my next race. Tell you one more thing....if I keep finding the zone, there's a good chance that I might just sign up for 26.2 in 2011....instead of waiting for 2012. We shall see loyal readers...we shall see.
Dear Curt, Congratulations! You are now registered for Illinois Marathon. Please check the event's official website for updates: http://www.illinoismarathon.com
YEAH! 4/30/2011....here we go! I'm looking forward to redeeming myself from last year's time....I ran the entire race with severe IT band issues (which resulted in about 3 months of physical therapy....ouch).
Even more exciting....the wife is running it also!!! Her first half marathon!! AMAZING!!!
Yesterday was a nice and cold 12.5 miles along the rolling hills of the Mackinaw valley. It was the longest and coldest run of 2011! Most of my bod stayed fairly warm, in fact....I might have overdressed a bit. My hands got a little chilly towards the end of the run. I will admit, it wasn't a speedy run by any means (8:37 ave pace)....that is until about mile 10 when I was attacked by a vicious ninja-eating K9 that came out of nowhere. I swear it was hungry for the blood of a Nike protected runner...I thought I was a goner....it darted across the country highway and immediately began to attack me...my ankles were almost done. Until...a passerby saw the attack as it was driving by and honked it's horn to scare away the beast. Luckily, that did the trick and the little monster went running back to it's hideout...waiting for its next victim I' m sure. Stinkin mutt.
If only Doug were there to protect me. But alas...sleeping on the job again.
After a splendid 11 mile run today I became extra motivated to follow my fellow bloggers and type an end of 2010 posting....but, then the Bears game came on, followed by a brief nap, and then some laundry...and here I am, finally. Just like today (minus the laundry and the Bears losing), 2010 was a year full of goodness.
As you might recall, the year started off with a photo shoot for Mens Health magazine!! What an amazing experience. Soon after my national publication appearance, I began to train for the Illinois half marathon....well, I trained myself right into physical therapy due to IT Band syndrome. It. Sucked. I was still able to run the race, but it certainly wasn't pretty. It was by far the most painful race I had ever done....until, 10-10-10 that is. The Chicago Marathon....I still don't think it has fully hit me yet...still hard to believe that I ran 26.2 miles. 26.2 freaking miles....each time I say it, I get chills, followed by a huge inside smile because I'm proud of how far I've come and how hard I've worked....but also because I know Chicago won't be my last 26.2. In fact, that brings me to my next subject....2011 running goals!
Race Goals: 1. Half Marathon PR (current PR is 1:51:31) 2. Half Marathon in under 1:50:00 (might be crossed off after number 1?) 3. 5K in under 20:00 4. Sign up for my next full marathon!!!! Jan or Feb of 2012...race is TBD...Disney??
Weekly Goals: 1. 1 speed session every week 2. 1 leg strength training session every week 3. 1 stretching session every week 4. Ab strength training 3 times per week (2011 will be the year of the 6 pack!!!)
Well, that's it folks....I've got a busy 2011 ahead of me. It will be full of new challenges, tough runs, brutal workouts, buckets of sweat, maybe some tears, and lots of fun. Here's to making it happen in 2011! YEAH
