Turkey Trot

Todays Turkey was bit a let down for me. What was going to be a rematch from last year never happened. Apperantly he had something wrong with veins in his legs and got that treated and hasnt been running. So my motivation dropped for this race and I was still sore from running the half on Sunday. It seemed like a good idea at the time. So wentand got registered got the shirt and number. Waited for the start it was record crowd for the Turkey Trot, over 2000 was announced. I gave what I thought was a good effort but ended a couple minutes slower then I was hoping for in 45 minutes. I know every race doesnt go has planned. It just seems like im getting slower and in worse shape and I think im getting in plenty of miles. More then ever.

Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Blah.

To say the race today didnt go has planned is an understatement. I got up this morning with some high hopes. I was ready when Rick showed up and we took the hour plus drive to Strongsille for the Cleveland Fall Classic Half Marathon. I have done this race twice before and it went well both times. Its a double loop and flat.

When we got there the first problem was parking. Ended up parking a half mile or more away from the packet pick up and starting line. So we ended up going to get the packet, then back to the car then back to the start. It actually left no time for what turned out to be a needed portajohn start. We were almost an hour early for the race but with all the back and fourth we had no time to spare. It was a bigger race then I remembered. Maybe it got bigger. I remember parking much closer, but didnt remember showing up much earlier.

We got to the starting line with minutes to spare. We took off, and naturally the first mile was crowded, but after 3 miles I was on pace to break 2 hours. Shortly there after I realized I was going to have to stop at a portajohn. Unfortunately I didnt see one, the only place I knew where one was was at the packet pick up area, which we pass around 6.5 miles. I actually stayed close to the pace and at 6 mile marker I was at 55 minutes. But the pit stop took longer then I had hoped it would. I took off now hoping to stay close to 2 hours. But I could never get back to the right pace. I just never felt quite right. I took a GU around mile 8 like I planned and that didn't help, may of made things worse.

I started to have stomach cramps around 10 or so. After mile 11 I was hoping to just throw up and hope that helped. But I didnt and just kept trudging along. My calves started to cramp up some which usually only happens after 18 or 20 miles. It may of gotten warmer then planned my ball cap was soaked, but didnt think I was over dressed, long sleeve tech, shorts and ball cap. I finally finished in 2:10ish. 2009 really hasnt been a good racing year for me. Too many bad races where things didn't go well.

On the good side, the race did give out a nice long sleeve tech shirt, assuming you like burgandy and a nice finishers medal.

Jack Daniels with Glover

I taking it easy running this week since a few races in the coming week. Sunday is the Cleveland Fall Classic Half marathon in Strongsville. I hope for a good time, its a flat course if nothing else. Then going to the Warren Turkey Trot 5 miler. It ws supposed to be a big rematch but I heard the competitor had some medical issues and wont be there. But I will still be out there running it. Still up in the area about the 5K on Saturday but would be a great way to finish off a week. No real plan for any of the races, just show up and see what I got that day.

I have been looking at some different plans for next years Cleveland Marathon. After the Thanksgiving races I plan to get back to base building. I looked at several plans, including Bob Glovers, Jack Daniels, Galloway, Bart Yasso, among others. I like parts of several of them but cann't seem to find one I realy can and would stick to to a tee.

In Jack Daniels plan you pick the peak mileage and he gives you a percentage of mileage to run each week with 2 quality workouts a week. One of them a long run, the others speed work. I may do this using Glovers weekly mileage, long runs and speed work. And do the long runs in Galloways run/walk method. Just doing the run all the miles I think I can and a long run on Sundays isnt really working.

Ask away!!

I got in a 12 miler at the park this morning with a buddy I hadn't run with in a while. He was busy running marathons. He had run 3 marathons since end of September, one of them a Boston qualifier. Made me think theres hope for me yet, last year I believe he ran Akron in 4:50ish, this year did it in 3:51. Its a hilly course, then went and ran the flat Towpath marathon in 3:18 a BQ. Finished off a week or 2 ago with a tough trail marathon. Said the winner of the trail marathon ran a 3:40. Sounded like a tough course. Now to figure out how I could do that without injurying myself.





I keep meaning to blog on a more regular basis, meaning 3 to 5 days a week but I dont think of enough things to write about. Most of my ideas come while out on the runs. So im looking for topic suggestions. I will also try to remember more from my runs to help. I also was if there's any interest in doing a Q&A. So ask your questions and next weekend they will be answered. Maybe I'll just steal some ideas from all the podcasts I listen too.

Not for the squeamish...

Saturday evening me and the wife went to get something to eat. I wasn't really hungry but she was and we know how that goes. I started with soup and the rolls and almost immediately felt stuffed. Stomach hasnt been quite right for a couple days. I ate a little of the main course, chicken with rice and black beans when it got worse. I ended up losing my lunch and dinner in the restroom. But started feeling much better after I got it out of my system. I'm not blaming the restaurant cause I ended up eating the leftovers without a problem.

I went home after that hoping to lay around, watch football and try to recover for Sundays long run. Nope, a little after 8 got a call from my sister that my dad had gone to the hospital. She didnt want my mom sitting there alone and couldnt go in. So I went to hospital. He had been dizzy and wasnt sure why. Blood sugar was too high other then that nothing could be found wrong. He spent the night and came home fine on Sunday.

After all that I barely got any sleep, woke up late. It was 20 minutes to 8 and I was meeting Rick at the park for a long run. We are both signed up for a half in 2 weeks so it was definitely needed. Some how I made it thru it, lets just say I finished it time isnt important.

I got a comment yesterday from a lady running her first half and training with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Societys Team in Training. She (I would give her a name but after reading her blog a bit I still dont know it) said she's having her first give away and said send readers/followers to it. So please go there Live, Love, Run, Pray and leave a comment saying I should be winner of the giveaway! Thanks, we appreciate your support.

case of the blahs

I had a really blahhy run. The week was going good after a really interval workout on Wednesday. Then on Thursday I gave blood instead of running. I must of given the good blood cause I been blahhy since. On Friday the training group at the new job I was with went to Applebees to celebrate being done with training. I ended up eating too much. Or the chicken wings weren't mild. Ended up with very upset stomach.

So to break the blahs for tomorrows run I signed up for a half marathon on the 22nd. Yeee doggie!! CWRRC Races Its the Cleveland Fall Classic, Its put on by the Cleveland West side road runners, a nice course doing a double loop in a park. About has flat has you can get an course to be. They give long sleeve tech shirts nice to get going into the winter.

Another 10 miler

The last 3 days my running went fairly well. Friday I got in a 6 miler. It was more 2 3 mile runs since I ran with Rick from his place to Bob's house. We stayed there while he told us about his trip to DC for the Marine Corp Marathon. He finished, then passed out twice in the finishing area. Left there thinking he was alright and passed out a third time on the subway. He ended up in hospital for a few days before coming home. Looks like nothing too bad, maybe some dehydration.

On saturday did a 4.6 mile run, it was mostly wet leaves covering road so made it a little tricky. Saw some guy stealing rocks. I was in Mill Creek park and this decent size rock was near edge of road in park. Obviously placed there for decoration, and he pulled up next to it and put it in his trunk while I ran past. Ok whatever.

Sunday morning I got some extra sleep since we fell back in time here. After eating too much Halloween candy, it was probably a good thing I did a 10 miler. I met with Rick at 8 and we did a nice loop around the park. Thinking the others that hadnt shown up in a while were missing a great day, if a little chilly day to run. It was fourth week in a row I did 10 miles on Sunday. I should be about ready for a half on November 22. We plan to go longer next Sunday, just so we can definitely be ready. Hopefully to add in some speedwork this week that I missed last week. Of course I had a funky knee last night/today so playing it by ear.