A couple more races completed in the last two weekends. Haven't had a solo race since May in Prescott, Arizona, so I knew it would be a challenge to get back in the competitve mode.
Xterra puts on a regional trail series that I'd heard about through Ryan who ran in one of their events on the east coast earlier this year. This would be my first trail race and was a tough way to start!
This race was up on Estrella Mountain just outside of Phoenix and had two options, an 8k or a 20k. I chose the latter and got everything I could handle. It was steep, sandy, hot, rocky... and awesome! There was somewhere around 80 runners in the 20k and many of them were pretty darn good trail runners. As bascially a novice, I held my own and finished ahead of my goal time. I found out real quick just how many other muscles get used when sticking to the trails... I had to run on some sore legs for the next two days to get ready for the race the following Sunday. I had gone considerably farther when running with Ryan for the CC100 but since we did a fair amount of hiking I thought my legs my be less damaged. Wrong.
Nonetheless, Xterra put on a very nice event with great support and a killer breakfast after the race. Will definitely be looking forward to their next event in the series.
Seven days later I found it necessary to drive out into the middle of nowhere and abuse my body even further. Arizona Road Racers put on a free event (donations welcome) which was an 18 mile trail run in Sunflower, Arizona. It's about 50 miles NE of Phoenix so you get up into some eleveation and some green!
I grossly underestimated how long it would take me to get to the race start and also was unaware that I'd be driving my little sports car on Jeep roads to get there.... The race start was at 8am and I pulled in at 7:56 - plenty of time to stretch, warm-up, get loose.... Especially after and hour and a half car ride..... Perfect.
I walked up to the fold out table where a nice older woman was sitting and asked if this was where I check in. She said it was, I gave her my name, and she wrote it on the back of a piece of paper. Pretty official. Keep in mind I'm no snob about the way this whole race took place. It was actually very refreshing and the relaxed atmosphere was really cool. Just the polar opposite to a Rock n Roll event which can be a bit over the top. The lady, race director, was telling someone else about the 100 miler she completed earlier that year at Umstead State Park in Raleigh, North Carolina! No kidding, the same trails I run with Ryan when I visit and the same event where he volunteered earlier this year!
Anyway, I threw my shoes on, fired up my GPS, strapped up my water pack, touched my toes a couple times and in 3 and a half minutes was checked in, stretched and ready to blast 18 miles into the wilderness. So the check in lady walks up to the Jeep road where the other 20 runners are standing (yes, 20 runners) and says, "ok guys, stick to the 201 road until you get to the single track. It's really overgrown so be careful and follow the pink ribbons...." And along with a barely audible beep of her wrist watch she calmly said, "Go."
The only thing I knew about this race was that it was on mostly jeep roads with some single track and that it started at 3900 feet and its high point was just over 6000 feet. What I didn't know was that we would go from the start, straight up to over 6000 feet. It wasn't rolling or gradual up and downs, it was straight freaking up! So I go from flat ground and treadmill training runs to the Xterra race to a 6 and half mile 2100 foot hill climb. Righteous. However, the weather was perfect in the mid 60's for race start and the scenery was really nice. Aside from a light breeze (and my wheezing) it was as quiet and peaceful as can be.
From mile 7 to 10 it was more up and down as it sort of leveled off in the mile high territory. This race had only one aid station and it was somewhere around mile 10 where a nice volunteer had her truck loaded up with all kinds of good stuff: fruit, water, GU, chips, M&M's. I refilled my water pack, chatted with the volunteer for just a bit, grabbed some salty chips and hit the trail section.
Overgrown was an understatement. This 4 mile trail section was at times barely visible. And the overgrowth was not grass and soft bushes but thorny sticks and branches that would catch your clothes, tearing them and any skin it got into contact with as well. Even so, the trail section was very fun and a different challenge altogether. At times it passed through a dry riverbed and at others it turned and peaked up into the baking sun which was now up into the upper 70's. Many times I just had to cross my arms in front of my face and blast through sections of shrubs. Thankfully this was only a 4 mile stretch and not the whole course.
I cleared the bush around mile 14 to more jeep roads to the finish. By this time my hip flexors were getting a little crabby from all the hill work but running still felt pretty effortless and I was happy with my overall stamina. I was shredded up pretty good from the thorns but nothing causing an overwhelming loss of blood. My shorts and shirt however now resemble a cats scratching post.
The final 4 miles were really nice and mostly a gradual downhill. I cruised into the finish line, which was a pink ribbon drug across the road, to 6 or 7 people clapping and whistling. The race director, I think her name was Deb, looked at her watch and wrote my time on a piece of scratch paper with the other finisher names and times on it. She congratulated me and led me to a table with chips, cookies and water. I hung around for a half hour or so to watch a few others finish so I could repay the cheers and whistles!
All in all this race was a ton of fun. No one cared who won, or what time we finished in. It was just about 20 people getting up into the great outdoors and getting after it. It was incredibly challenging for numerous reasons and I'm glad I got the opportunity to be involved (even though I almost missed the huge race start festivities!)
Big thanks to Deb and the aide station lady for setting this up and giving me an unforgettable running experience!
What's next?
Luke
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Cascade Crest 100 - A Pacer's Perspective
First of all I have to say that I'm glad I'm not a badass like Ryan (yet). I say this because as I got the opportunity to be a pacer for Ryan at the Cascade Crest 100, I'm by no means an Ultra-runner and this meant that the duty of pacer over the last 47 miles was shared between an incredible group of people, and not just on me as some pacers were responsible for the entire home stretch. Because this duty was shared, I got to experience the mental hop-skotch involved with being a crew member, the rewards of being a pacer who succesfully manages a chunk of the Cascade wilderness for a guy running on one good ankle, and the beauty of a group of friends coming together to tackle a true, marvelous endeavor.
I will first off say, again and always, my hat is off to my lifelong friend who did something so incredible that you just kind of have to be present to understand the magnitude. If you ever drive over Snoqualmie pass... Look around and imagine someone humping 100 miles of that terrain, through the day, night, heat, cold, hunger, fatigue, and intestinal distress and you will start to get an idea of what this accomplishment really was.... But really, you gotta be there.
As I said, I got to be a part of the crew team and I need not explain what this was like... Check out Ryan's blog as Laura gives an inside look at what crewing is really like. Spot on.
Pacer, Psychologist, Friend -
Somewhere in the neighborhood of the 75 mile mark the sun came up over the Evergreen covered Cascade Mountains as we waited for our dude to come trucking up the Trail From Hell (or something like that). With no real idea of when he would be rolling in I started to stress out a little because I didn't know what type of shape he would be in. I wanted to be stretched, ready, alert, and conscious of the state of my runner as to be the best durn pacer I could be. However, time started rolling by and I hadn't slept in close to 30 hrs, so I hopped into Rob's truck and caught a few winks next to him as he "sawed his logs."
Suddenly, commotion, he's climbed out of 'hell' and its time for us to tackle the last marathon... That just seems unfair... 75-ish miles of treachery and I have to look at my guy with a smile, be supportive and find some words of encouragement that wouldn't hit home if I was Knute Rockne in the flesh. Well regardless of the words exchanged we both new that the biggest challenge was still ahead of us. And the next 25 miles would turn out to be the greatest running experience of my life.
As a pacer, it may seem that your job is simple. Keep your runner moving and motivated with proper hydration and nutrition. Now, this is my first experience as a pacer but I have an understanding of the task as I've gotten into reading about crazy people like Ryno and the things they may or may not encounter when pushing their body to this extreme. I was mentally ready to handle more than was put on me on this day which is a true testament to the preparation and conditioning of our Cascade Crest participant (gender neutral term we began using for runner's in the night).
The Long Haul-
After coming out of 'hell' it would have been nice to have been rewarded to a nice causal jog to enjoy the sunrise and the smell of the freshest air you could treat to your olfactory. No such luck. The first five of my pacing miles cranked us up 3K vertical feet which we basically power hiked. It was on a nice service road so Ryan and I got a chance to chat about his previous 21 hours of trail science instead of staring down at our feet and planning each careful step (that would come later). He seemed in good spirits but informed me that his shin splints were killing him on his right side but really only when going downhill. When we crested that portion of the climb it was time to test out the bad wheel on some very gradual decline while still on the service road. Ryan took about 8-10 jogging steps and realized it wasn't in the cards. I really felt bad for him here because from an energy standpoint he had plenty of gas in the tank to do some light jogging and enjoy the open gravel road. However, most of completing a 100 mile race is about being smart. I didn't take much convincing on my part to stick with the power hike and when/if he really felt we could open it up a little, we would discuss it. But with 20 miles to go, one foot in front of the other was the only thing we had to worry about.
Most of this last portion was either uphill or downhill, not much level ground and this was the case heading into Thorpe aide station around mile 84. It was quite an uphill technical section to get to Thorpe and just when you feel good about hitting another milestone, you have to turn 90 degrees and go a 1/4 mile straight up to a fire lookout (the name escapes me). At this point, the thought of a 1/4 mile of straight up switch backs is enough to break a runner but you are rewarded with one of the rarest views of Mt Rainier. The sky was clear, visibility perfect, and the snow covered peak perhaps made the ridiculous up and back worthwhile. I hiked up with Ryan and then ran back down to fill both of our packs so that when he trudged back in we would be ready to go.
The next section would be another up and down escapade called Cardiac Needles... Just like a jumping EKG reading this bitch of a section either had us looking straight up a peak or straight down one. Aside from the views atop the lookout however, this section was the most scenic and breathtaking of the entire final push. At the time, Ryan was very focused and driven but I made him pick his head up at several points along this section to take in the view. Who knows if we will every step foot on that chunk of land again and it would be a shame to not take in some the sights nature provided us that morning.
After leveling off of the needles, Ryan knocked down a tylenol that started to ease those "shin splints" enough to where we got to jog through a few meadow areas which was really nice. All the while I'm harping on him to drink water and take a GU while he is asking me every 5-10 minutes if we are gonna make the cut-off. (he would have had to sit down for 2 hrs to even come close to the cut off). After some light jogging there was a short but nasty decent into French Cabin aide station where they had fresh bacon.... I don't know who was eating bacon but it sounded gross to us. Ryan loaded up on his usual, I grubbed on a quesadilla and an assortment of M&M's, gummy bears, and Starburst and off we went.
Eight miles stood between Ryan and Laura who awaited us at mile 96 to finish the race. Few words were more motivating then reminding him how close he was to getting to see her and be with her for the final push to the finish. These 8 miles, however, would prove to be the most grueling and mentally taxing of them all and probably the only place where I really had to do my duty as a pacer. In talking, we decided that perhaps what he was experiencing wasn't shin splints and maybe was a high ankle sprain, and the more we discussed it, the more that seemed plausible. Whatever it was, it was making its presence known as the majority of this section seemd to be straight downhill on nothing but loose dirt, and rocky single track. A few times in this section things flattened out and we broke into what I kept calling the truffle shuffle (not really like on Goonies) but it was a slow steady movement that felt nice as the sun came up overhead and starting baking in some of the nicest, high mountain meadows you could imagine.
Ryan really toughed out this downhill portion and shoot, it was tough on me so I could only imagine how rough it was on a guy who was over 90 miles into a 100 mile race, on a badly sprained ankle. The most agonizing thing that took place was seeing a couple hikers come up the opposite direction. I was so happy to see them and asked how far until the last aide station which they would have had to pass by. They told us it was very close (something like a quarter mile) which raised our spirits. We weren't close. Every corner we turned only to see another 1/4 mile of open trail started to really get us down (and we could see that far with as steep as this section was). With a lot of gimping and only a few minor mental breakdowns, we began to hear voices and I knew we had survived the brutal downhill stretch. All that was left was around 4 miles of flat ground and paved road to the finish. It sure was great to see friends after such a long haul and I'm happy I had a small hand in getting Ryan back to his wife, and ultimately to the finish.
Laura's blogs describes the final 4 miles which I mostly hung back from the two of them, in my own little zone as I was starting to get pretty tight and ready to be off my feet as well. Cruising into the finish with a light jog was really cool and the scene at the end will be etched in my memory for as long as I have one.
This was truly one of the greatest experiences and challenges of my life. Going into it with no pacing experience, very little trail running experience, and a modest running base may have seemed like a bad recipe to most. But if you were gonna send me off into the mountains with someone for any distance, under any circumstances, there is no one else I'd rather be with. We have shared just about every life experience over nearly a quarter century already, and its only fitting that we got to pound out about a mile for every year of our friendship. It keeps coming up that it was a sacrifice for us to help out and be a part of this event but I think I speak for everyone in the group, from family to crew, that it was an honor to be a part of this. Not a sacrifice.
Pacing may be looked at as a selfless act and I'm sure that every participant in Cascade Crest was happy to have their pacer(s) there for them. However, the way I see it... I was fortunate enough to spend 8 hours in some of the most beautiful country in the world with my best friend. You may thank me and everyone else that helped you on that weekend, but honestly dude, I thank you.
What's Next???
Shirtless Guy
I will first off say, again and always, my hat is off to my lifelong friend who did something so incredible that you just kind of have to be present to understand the magnitude. If you ever drive over Snoqualmie pass... Look around and imagine someone humping 100 miles of that terrain, through the day, night, heat, cold, hunger, fatigue, and intestinal distress and you will start to get an idea of what this accomplishment really was.... But really, you gotta be there.
As I said, I got to be a part of the crew team and I need not explain what this was like... Check out Ryan's blog as Laura gives an inside look at what crewing is really like. Spot on.
Pacer, Psychologist, Friend -
Somewhere in the neighborhood of the 75 mile mark the sun came up over the Evergreen covered Cascade Mountains as we waited for our dude to come trucking up the Trail From Hell (or something like that). With no real idea of when he would be rolling in I started to stress out a little because I didn't know what type of shape he would be in. I wanted to be stretched, ready, alert, and conscious of the state of my runner as to be the best durn pacer I could be. However, time started rolling by and I hadn't slept in close to 30 hrs, so I hopped into Rob's truck and caught a few winks next to him as he "sawed his logs."
Suddenly, commotion, he's climbed out of 'hell' and its time for us to tackle the last marathon... That just seems unfair... 75-ish miles of treachery and I have to look at my guy with a smile, be supportive and find some words of encouragement that wouldn't hit home if I was Knute Rockne in the flesh. Well regardless of the words exchanged we both new that the biggest challenge was still ahead of us. And the next 25 miles would turn out to be the greatest running experience of my life.
As a pacer, it may seem that your job is simple. Keep your runner moving and motivated with proper hydration and nutrition. Now, this is my first experience as a pacer but I have an understanding of the task as I've gotten into reading about crazy people like Ryno and the things they may or may not encounter when pushing their body to this extreme. I was mentally ready to handle more than was put on me on this day which is a true testament to the preparation and conditioning of our Cascade Crest participant (gender neutral term we began using for runner's in the night).
The Long Haul-
After coming out of 'hell' it would have been nice to have been rewarded to a nice causal jog to enjoy the sunrise and the smell of the freshest air you could treat to your olfactory. No such luck. The first five of my pacing miles cranked us up 3K vertical feet which we basically power hiked. It was on a nice service road so Ryan and I got a chance to chat about his previous 21 hours of trail science instead of staring down at our feet and planning each careful step (that would come later). He seemed in good spirits but informed me that his shin splints were killing him on his right side but really only when going downhill. When we crested that portion of the climb it was time to test out the bad wheel on some very gradual decline while still on the service road. Ryan took about 8-10 jogging steps and realized it wasn't in the cards. I really felt bad for him here because from an energy standpoint he had plenty of gas in the tank to do some light jogging and enjoy the open gravel road. However, most of completing a 100 mile race is about being smart. I didn't take much convincing on my part to stick with the power hike and when/if he really felt we could open it up a little, we would discuss it. But with 20 miles to go, one foot in front of the other was the only thing we had to worry about.
Most of this last portion was either uphill or downhill, not much level ground and this was the case heading into Thorpe aide station around mile 84. It was quite an uphill technical section to get to Thorpe and just when you feel good about hitting another milestone, you have to turn 90 degrees and go a 1/4 mile straight up to a fire lookout (the name escapes me). At this point, the thought of a 1/4 mile of straight up switch backs is enough to break a runner but you are rewarded with one of the rarest views of Mt Rainier. The sky was clear, visibility perfect, and the snow covered peak perhaps made the ridiculous up and back worthwhile. I hiked up with Ryan and then ran back down to fill both of our packs so that when he trudged back in we would be ready to go.
The next section would be another up and down escapade called Cardiac Needles... Just like a jumping EKG reading this bitch of a section either had us looking straight up a peak or straight down one. Aside from the views atop the lookout however, this section was the most scenic and breathtaking of the entire final push. At the time, Ryan was very focused and driven but I made him pick his head up at several points along this section to take in the view. Who knows if we will every step foot on that chunk of land again and it would be a shame to not take in some the sights nature provided us that morning.
After leveling off of the needles, Ryan knocked down a tylenol that started to ease those "shin splints" enough to where we got to jog through a few meadow areas which was really nice. All the while I'm harping on him to drink water and take a GU while he is asking me every 5-10 minutes if we are gonna make the cut-off. (he would have had to sit down for 2 hrs to even come close to the cut off). After some light jogging there was a short but nasty decent into French Cabin aide station where they had fresh bacon.... I don't know who was eating bacon but it sounded gross to us. Ryan loaded up on his usual, I grubbed on a quesadilla and an assortment of M&M's, gummy bears, and Starburst and off we went.
Eight miles stood between Ryan and Laura who awaited us at mile 96 to finish the race. Few words were more motivating then reminding him how close he was to getting to see her and be with her for the final push to the finish. These 8 miles, however, would prove to be the most grueling and mentally taxing of them all and probably the only place where I really had to do my duty as a pacer. In talking, we decided that perhaps what he was experiencing wasn't shin splints and maybe was a high ankle sprain, and the more we discussed it, the more that seemed plausible. Whatever it was, it was making its presence known as the majority of this section seemd to be straight downhill on nothing but loose dirt, and rocky single track. A few times in this section things flattened out and we broke into what I kept calling the truffle shuffle (not really like on Goonies) but it was a slow steady movement that felt nice as the sun came up overhead and starting baking in some of the nicest, high mountain meadows you could imagine.
Ryan really toughed out this downhill portion and shoot, it was tough on me so I could only imagine how rough it was on a guy who was over 90 miles into a 100 mile race, on a badly sprained ankle. The most agonizing thing that took place was seeing a couple hikers come up the opposite direction. I was so happy to see them and asked how far until the last aide station which they would have had to pass by. They told us it was very close (something like a quarter mile) which raised our spirits. We weren't close. Every corner we turned only to see another 1/4 mile of open trail started to really get us down (and we could see that far with as steep as this section was). With a lot of gimping and only a few minor mental breakdowns, we began to hear voices and I knew we had survived the brutal downhill stretch. All that was left was around 4 miles of flat ground and paved road to the finish. It sure was great to see friends after such a long haul and I'm happy I had a small hand in getting Ryan back to his wife, and ultimately to the finish.
Laura's blogs describes the final 4 miles which I mostly hung back from the two of them, in my own little zone as I was starting to get pretty tight and ready to be off my feet as well. Cruising into the finish with a light jog was really cool and the scene at the end will be etched in my memory for as long as I have one.
This was truly one of the greatest experiences and challenges of my life. Going into it with no pacing experience, very little trail running experience, and a modest running base may have seemed like a bad recipe to most. But if you were gonna send me off into the mountains with someone for any distance, under any circumstances, there is no one else I'd rather be with. We have shared just about every life experience over nearly a quarter century already, and its only fitting that we got to pound out about a mile for every year of our friendship. It keeps coming up that it was a sacrifice for us to help out and be a part of this event but I think I speak for everyone in the group, from family to crew, that it was an honor to be a part of this. Not a sacrifice.
Pacing may be looked at as a selfless act and I'm sure that every participant in Cascade Crest was happy to have their pacer(s) there for them. However, the way I see it... I was fortunate enough to spend 8 hours in some of the most beautiful country in the world with my best friend. You may thank me and everyone else that helped you on that weekend, but honestly dude, I thank you.
What's Next???
Shirtless Guy
Sunday, June 19, 2011
its freakin hot down here!
I have really backed off on my running just to give the old joints a break before ramping back up for the race season come the fall. Rock n Roll LA (half) and Phoenix (full) are registered and on my horizon. I have dusted off the old bicycle and thrown in some cross training lately and its been pretty pleasant. I haven't been lifting a lot of weights but I'm keeping my core pretty strong and have been doing a lot of resistance band training here at the house and I really like it as an alternative. Also, I do some aqua aerobic activities that work some muscles that I rarely use otherwise.
Life is settling and my apartment search is going pretty well. I think I've narrowed it down to a nice place here in Peoria that is about 4 miles from my parents house (nice out and back 8 miler haha). Probably won't move in until my full time schedule starts in August.
Heading out to North Carolina for the 4th of July festivities to hang out with the new member of the 50 miler club. Looking forward to hanging with Ryan and Laura and having some quality friend time. This also means some trail running, biking, swimming and some good micros :-)
I still haven't comitted to the Arizona Road Racers club here yet and part of that is because most of the weekly functions are in Phoenix or Scottsdale. It's not that far but my schedule is sporadic and until it levels out I don't want to miss a bunch of things and seem inconsistent with the club.
Trying to manage my diet and strength training for the summer to be ready to get after it come the end of August! Excited for this year and all the possibilites it may bring.
Train on!
LUKE
Life is settling and my apartment search is going pretty well. I think I've narrowed it down to a nice place here in Peoria that is about 4 miles from my parents house (nice out and back 8 miler haha). Probably won't move in until my full time schedule starts in August.
Heading out to North Carolina for the 4th of July festivities to hang out with the new member of the 50 miler club. Looking forward to hanging with Ryan and Laura and having some quality friend time. This also means some trail running, biking, swimming and some good micros :-)
I still haven't comitted to the Arizona Road Racers club here yet and part of that is because most of the weekly functions are in Phoenix or Scottsdale. It's not that far but my schedule is sporadic and until it levels out I don't want to miss a bunch of things and seem inconsistent with the club.
Trying to manage my diet and strength training for the summer to be ready to get after it come the end of August! Excited for this year and all the possibilites it may bring.
Train on!
LUKE
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Long time no blog...
Well I made the move and have been out of the blogosphere for awhile. Moved to Arizona around the beginning of May and things have been a bit of a whirlwind since then. Everything is starting to calm down however and I'm getting into a bit of a groove here. Weather is beautiful everyday and work is going really well.
As for the running... Things have tapered off lately but I ran the Whiskey Row Half Marathon in Prescott, AZ on May 14th. It was a brutal uphill climb for the first half and then back down the hill to finish. My time wasn't great because of the climb and the 5-6K elevation but it was a fantastic race that I look forward to running next year! Chad ran with me except he did the 10K and did really well for a tough course and his first race of that distance.
I'm getting some information about a local running group here called Arizona Road Racers. I may join them just to have some running friends and for something to do on my days off.
Time to learn to run in the heat :-)
Luke
As for the running... Things have tapered off lately but I ran the Whiskey Row Half Marathon in Prescott, AZ on May 14th. It was a brutal uphill climb for the first half and then back down the hill to finish. My time wasn't great because of the climb and the 5-6K elevation but it was a fantastic race that I look forward to running next year! Chad ran with me except he did the 10K and did really well for a tough course and his first race of that distance.
I'm getting some information about a local running group here called Arizona Road Racers. I may join them just to have some running friends and for something to do on my days off.
Time to learn to run in the heat :-)
Luke
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Kiss again and I'll puke on your face...
4 months, 4 trips to AZ.
Dad was scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery on Wednesday the 13th. I had just enough time to head out for a few miles in the 80 degree sun before taking him to said surgery, and when I came back he wore an interesting smile and mom was fit to be tied. Surgery postponed until Friday (yesterday). So we hit the links instead and played a cool little course that was made up of 14 par 3's and 4 par 4's. I didn't not play all that hot but the weather was great and Dad eagled the very first hole!
Came back A.B.C.D. (At the Butt Crack of Dawn) Thursday morning on Alaskan so I flew into Seattle, and then over to Tri-Cities. I swear I was sitting next to the Cialis guy from Phoenix to Seattle and from Seattle to Pasco, I was sitting directly behind a couple that kissed WELL over 100 times. I know. I was counting. I was so nauseated and all I could think about was barfing all over them. They kissed 28 times before the plane took off!!!! Get a room for the love of Christ!
So..... One week out from my 2nd race of the year (that is far to few!) and I'm feeling pretty good. This week was a bit of a taper. Got 25 miles in and I had a twinge in my left hammie that has all but subsided due to less miles I believe. Very excited about this race even if I get poured on the entire time. The cool, rainy, Pacific Northwest air is gonna feel great in my lungs!
Cheers to a healthy week and a solid race! I will blog again after I cross the tape!
Train on!
The Luke
Dad was scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery on Wednesday the 13th. I had just enough time to head out for a few miles in the 80 degree sun before taking him to said surgery, and when I came back he wore an interesting smile and mom was fit to be tied. Surgery postponed until Friday (yesterday). So we hit the links instead and played a cool little course that was made up of 14 par 3's and 4 par 4's. I didn't not play all that hot but the weather was great and Dad eagled the very first hole!
Came back A.B.C.D. (At the Butt Crack of Dawn) Thursday morning on Alaskan so I flew into Seattle, and then over to Tri-Cities. I swear I was sitting next to the Cialis guy from Phoenix to Seattle and from Seattle to Pasco, I was sitting directly behind a couple that kissed WELL over 100 times. I know. I was counting. I was so nauseated and all I could think about was barfing all over them. They kissed 28 times before the plane took off!!!! Get a room for the love of Christ!
So..... One week out from my 2nd race of the year (that is far to few!) and I'm feeling pretty good. This week was a bit of a taper. Got 25 miles in and I had a twinge in my left hammie that has all but subsided due to less miles I believe. Very excited about this race even if I get poured on the entire time. The cool, rainy, Pacific Northwest air is gonna feel great in my lungs!
Cheers to a healthy week and a solid race! I will blog again after I cross the tape!
Train on!
The Luke
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Run...Think...Run
Had a nice week of running despite the ridiculous wind and cold front that moved in the last 4-5 days. Got just under 40 miles in and I'm pretty excited for the race coming up in a couple weeks. Given that its a small fundraiser I may be up there with some of the stronger runners and I may go for a fast time and see if I can't place in a respectable spot. I'd like to roll in under 1:40 and it's a pretty flat course so it's possible.
Lots on the mind right now so my hamster in the wheel is working overtime. Finally got the Arizona job offer and now it's time to put all the pieces of this move together. It's a very stressful situation even though it's really where I want to be. Nothing better than a long run to work out the logistics of a move like this and I hope to make this as smooth as transition as possible. (if that's possible)
Change in life is inevitable and this is definitely gonna be one of those changes that I'll be looking back on with a whole different perspective several years from now. Things will just remain tumultuous for the next few months as I will be turning 30 (holy crap), personal relationships will be changing, my job will likely present a new set of stressful situations, and my parents may be back in my life in a way they haven't been for over 10 years now.
Ah well, when everything else is in a state of change, at the very least one thing remains the same. I can always get out, breath some fresh air, and just run.
Arizona tomorrow, trip to the west side in 12 days, half marathon in 13 days :-) Plenty to be happy about....
Train on my friends.... I mean, my friend (Ryan)
The Luke
Lots on the mind right now so my hamster in the wheel is working overtime. Finally got the Arizona job offer and now it's time to put all the pieces of this move together. It's a very stressful situation even though it's really where I want to be. Nothing better than a long run to work out the logistics of a move like this and I hope to make this as smooth as transition as possible. (if that's possible)
Change in life is inevitable and this is definitely gonna be one of those changes that I'll be looking back on with a whole different perspective several years from now. Things will just remain tumultuous for the next few months as I will be turning 30 (holy crap), personal relationships will be changing, my job will likely present a new set of stressful situations, and my parents may be back in my life in a way they haven't been for over 10 years now.
Ah well, when everything else is in a state of change, at the very least one thing remains the same. I can always get out, breath some fresh air, and just run.
Arizona tomorrow, trip to the west side in 12 days, half marathon in 13 days :-) Plenty to be happy about....
Train on my friends.... I mean, my friend (Ryan)
The Luke
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Ramping it up --- Running for Risa
Nothing altogether exciting about this week of running except I hit two new highs. Ran an 18 miler on a day that was windy as hell (25mph), and tallied 38 miles for the week. Still feeling very strong and my soreness after these longer runs is fading. Was having some issues after a couple of my 15 milers but I have upped my protein intake and this is doing the trick for now.
On a sad note:
To recap, I'm doing a half in a few weeks (Running for Risa) that is a fundraiser for a 17 year old (Risa Whitaker) who has been battling cancer that her insurance has deemed a pre-existing condition. Thus, nothing is covered and the family is taking on all of her medical bills. I'm working on collecting some cash to take as a donation on race day. The sad thing is that she lost her life on Thursday after her liver shut down. She went to the emergency room and they more or less found out that her body was done. She lasted a few days and then they let her go. I don't know this girl and I'm not all that emotionally zapped by this, but it's a harsh reminder of how lucky we are to have our health. I'm enjoying every day that I get to run using this generally healthy body and I'll continue to do my best at not taking a single day for granted.
It's because of my long-standing and continually growing enthusiasm for being outside and the satisfaction I get from a good workout that make me shake my head at the thought of people who are content to sit inside, day after day, and limit their exposure to the great outdoors. Too much is missed while sitting in front of a TV, computer, or an X-Box... Of course our obesity epidemic has deep roots in fast food and lazy diets but lazy people and technology play important roles in this mess as well... I'm on a rant now but thinking about this girl passing at 17 makes me think about how short life can be...
Train on,
Luke
On a sad note:
To recap, I'm doing a half in a few weeks (Running for Risa) that is a fundraiser for a 17 year old (Risa Whitaker) who has been battling cancer that her insurance has deemed a pre-existing condition. Thus, nothing is covered and the family is taking on all of her medical bills. I'm working on collecting some cash to take as a donation on race day. The sad thing is that she lost her life on Thursday after her liver shut down. She went to the emergency room and they more or less found out that her body was done. She lasted a few days and then they let her go. I don't know this girl and I'm not all that emotionally zapped by this, but it's a harsh reminder of how lucky we are to have our health. I'm enjoying every day that I get to run using this generally healthy body and I'll continue to do my best at not taking a single day for granted.
It's because of my long-standing and continually growing enthusiasm for being outside and the satisfaction I get from a good workout that make me shake my head at the thought of people who are content to sit inside, day after day, and limit their exposure to the great outdoors. Too much is missed while sitting in front of a TV, computer, or an X-Box... Of course our obesity epidemic has deep roots in fast food and lazy diets but lazy people and technology play important roles in this mess as well... I'm on a rant now but thinking about this girl passing at 17 makes me think about how short life can be...
Train on,
Luke
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Hurdles...
No, I'm not thinking about the event. I'm thinking about mental and/or physical hurdles that often get in the way of what we want to accomplish. I suppose those individuals who accomplish many things are either faced with very few hurdles, or become very adept at 'leaping' these hurdles.
Although my marathon hurdle is undoubtedly a physical hurdle first and foremost, I think anyone who has every run can appreciate the mental hurdle that looms with a greater tenacity than the former. I am very aware of the mental handicap I'm creating and my efforts in the coming weeks will be focused significantly on the mental aspect of running rather than the physical components. My base is strong, recovery is great, and I'm ready to plow through my brain's barrier without looking back.
Ok, now that I've finished my positive self talk.
Solid week this last week with only three run days. Knocked out a total of 32 miles and got a wonderful sunny day near 60 degrees on Wednesday for my 15 miler. Cross trained a bit in the gym with the stationary bike and elliptical on my off days and I'm ready to kick my long runs in the arse!
I'd still kill for a dependable long distance running partner but until then...
Train on,
Luke
Although my marathon hurdle is undoubtedly a physical hurdle first and foremost, I think anyone who has every run can appreciate the mental hurdle that looms with a greater tenacity than the former. I am very aware of the mental handicap I'm creating and my efforts in the coming weeks will be focused significantly on the mental aspect of running rather than the physical components. My base is strong, recovery is great, and I'm ready to plow through my brain's barrier without looking back.
Ok, now that I've finished my positive self talk.
Solid week this last week with only three run days. Knocked out a total of 32 miles and got a wonderful sunny day near 60 degrees on Wednesday for my 15 miler. Cross trained a bit in the gym with the stationary bike and elliptical on my off days and I'm ready to kick my long runs in the arse!
I'd still kill for a dependable long distance running partner but until then...
Train on,
Luke
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Solid Week! Half #2
Solid week of training this week with a really nice 15 miler to start the week. Went out to Burbank which is just a few miles outside Tri-Cities and ran around with much less traffic. It was pretty windy but since I really wasn't worried about time, I didn't let it bother me too much. Came in at 2:02 for the whole run and if I'd have had someone else chugging with me I could have easily continued....
Got some nice complimentary runs in the rest of the week with a couple interval runs including some near sprint work. It was nice to mix it up a bit.
Signed up for my second half of the year (finally). Gonna do a fundraiser run for a girl with cancer where her insurance has claimed it was a pre-existing condition and won't cover her costs. The run is a bit Southwest of Portland, OR and I'm gonna try to make a trip out of it and perhaps head back down and visit Linfield to reminisce a little....
Anyhow, the race is about a month away and I'm just looking to speed up a little before that time. Feels go to be well prepared. Gotta start looking for a full now...
Train on,
The LUKE
Got some nice complimentary runs in the rest of the week with a couple interval runs including some near sprint work. It was nice to mix it up a bit.
Signed up for my second half of the year (finally). Gonna do a fundraiser run for a girl with cancer where her insurance has claimed it was a pre-existing condition and won't cover her costs. The run is a bit Southwest of Portland, OR and I'm gonna try to make a trip out of it and perhaps head back down and visit Linfield to reminisce a little....
Anyhow, the race is about a month away and I'm just looking to speed up a little before that time. Feels go to be well prepared. Gotta start looking for a full now...
Train on,
The LUKE
Saturday, March 12, 2011
AZ3
3 months. 3 trips to AZ.
This trip saw temps in the 80's pretty much every day and it was just beautiful! Got some golfing in with dad, sat by the pool, ate some good food and hit up a Sun's game.
I sort of took this week as an active rest week just to let the legs relax a little. I ran 5 miles Wednesday on an out and back from my parents house and sandwiched that between two hikes of Squaw Peak in Scottsdale. It had been about 17 years since the last time I had hiked that peak and it was very nice. Not too many people, nice weather, and a nice little change of pace for my quads. I believe it's about 2.5 miles to go up and back.
Came back to Tri-Cities Friday and got 5 more treadmill miles in to finish out the down week and I'm looking forward to ramping back up this next week (weather permitting). The only race that I think I can safely sign up for right now is the Wenatchee Half Marathon in mid April because I'm not sure if I'll be moving for work. Don't wanna waste money on registration fees if I can't do the race.
The pic attached is looking up the Squaw Peak trail... (pic from internet)
Luke
This trip saw temps in the 80's pretty much every day and it was just beautiful! Got some golfing in with dad, sat by the pool, ate some good food and hit up a Sun's game.
I sort of took this week as an active rest week just to let the legs relax a little. I ran 5 miles Wednesday on an out and back from my parents house and sandwiched that between two hikes of Squaw Peak in Scottsdale. It had been about 17 years since the last time I had hiked that peak and it was very nice. Not too many people, nice weather, and a nice little change of pace for my quads. I believe it's about 2.5 miles to go up and back.
Came back to Tri-Cities Friday and got 5 more treadmill miles in to finish out the down week and I'm looking forward to ramping back up this next week (weather permitting). The only race that I think I can safely sign up for right now is the Wenatchee Half Marathon in mid April because I'm not sure if I'll be moving for work. Don't wanna waste money on registration fees if I can't do the race.
The pic attached is looking up the Squaw Peak trail... (pic from internet)
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Nothing exciting...
I have no races to blog about... Just a couple nice weeks of training runs. I logged a new PR for 13.1 miles a couple weeks ago rolling in at 1:35:50. It wasn't my intent as I was setting out for a 15 mile run but my pace was holding at a little over 7min/mile so I decided to give it a go.
Both of the last two weeks have been 30+ mile weeks so things are progressing nicely.
Out of time at work now, busy freaking day so at least I posted a little....
Train on,
Luke
Both of the last two weeks have been 30+ mile weeks so things are progressing nicely.
Out of time at work now, busy freaking day so at least I posted a little....
Train on,
Luke
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Arizona (again)
Lots of great food and drink and it was pretty relaxing. Took in a Suns game where they beat the Jazz and all in all it was a very nice trip..... That's all I will write about that for the time being.....
Just wanted to post a couple pics to share some sun.
The Luke
Sunday, February 13, 2011
I am an Ironman.
Well, not really. Not even close.
Who is crazy enough for those events anyway, good lord!
Great week for me with no injuries and a solid 30 miles of running. Ran a 16 miler on Monday and felt awesome. Busted out for 6 by myself, and then met a running friend to finish the final 10 with me and I was cooking her the last couple miles... Ran the whole thing in about 8:06/mi pace which again is still probably too fast for the full marathon but it feels very comfortable when running it. Training is on schedule and if all goes well I'll be signing up for either the Whidbey Island Marathon or the Nashville RnR (both April events).
Went to the doctor on Thursday because I've been off my blood pressure meds for some time now and decided to have it looked into again. Didn't get the meds just yet but she heard some "funny" sounds in my right lung. Huh... I didn't think it was so funny.... Doctor ordered me to do some bloodwork and a couple chest x-rays which found a bit of an infiltrate on my mid/lower right lung. I've never felt any problems while running so maybe it's just one of those things... Not getting to negative about it but hopefully it's something that I picked up this winter and it's going away. I do work around some awfully sick folks.
So, off to Arizona again for a week! I leave tomorrow and can't wait to log a great week of running the mid 70 degree weather!
Train on!
The Luke
Who is crazy enough for those events anyway, good lord!
Great week for me with no injuries and a solid 30 miles of running. Ran a 16 miler on Monday and felt awesome. Busted out for 6 by myself, and then met a running friend to finish the final 10 with me and I was cooking her the last couple miles... Ran the whole thing in about 8:06/mi pace which again is still probably too fast for the full marathon but it feels very comfortable when running it. Training is on schedule and if all goes well I'll be signing up for either the Whidbey Island Marathon or the Nashville RnR (both April events).
Went to the doctor on Thursday because I've been off my blood pressure meds for some time now and decided to have it looked into again. Didn't get the meds just yet but she heard some "funny" sounds in my right lung. Huh... I didn't think it was so funny.... Doctor ordered me to do some bloodwork and a couple chest x-rays which found a bit of an infiltrate on my mid/lower right lung. I've never felt any problems while running so maybe it's just one of those things... Not getting to negative about it but hopefully it's something that I picked up this winter and it's going away. I do work around some awfully sick folks.
So, off to Arizona again for a week! I leave tomorrow and can't wait to log a great week of running the mid 70 degree weather!
Train on!
The Luke
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Race Fever
All the New Year's resolution types are getting running fever now and it's becoming the popular thing to talk about 5k's, 10k's and half marathons. It is all nice and cool until I ask these people if they would be interested in running with me. Running solo everyday can get a little mundane. Excuses fly from everywhere as soon as I ask and although I try to reassure them that I don't care how far they can go or how "slow" they will run, I would just enjoy the company. Alas, I will continue on my solo mission ;-)
Two local runners have signed up for RnR Seattle Half so I at least have a couple girls who have invested some money in the race. Hopefully I can get them out training a little more. One of them ran Wenatchee with me last year and we get together at least once every couple weeks. The other ran track at the University of Portland but since having two kids she has not run much since. She was very fast (5min/mile) in college so it would be nice to get her back to some speedy miles and maybe she can help me get faster as well.
No long run for me last week. Still logged 26 miles though as I was taking it a little easy after my first big run the week prior. This monday I'm hoping to knock out my first 16 miler and we'll see how I feel. Finally got some Under Armor spandex so the cold weather mishap I had a few weeks back should be a thing of the past! :-)
Hoping for another solid week and then I head back down to Arizona for another week with the folks and some training in warmer weather :-)
The Luke
Two local runners have signed up for RnR Seattle Half so I at least have a couple girls who have invested some money in the race. Hopefully I can get them out training a little more. One of them ran Wenatchee with me last year and we get together at least once every couple weeks. The other ran track at the University of Portland but since having two kids she has not run much since. She was very fast (5min/mile) in college so it would be nice to get her back to some speedy miles and maybe she can help me get faster as well.
No long run for me last week. Still logged 26 miles though as I was taking it a little easy after my first big run the week prior. This monday I'm hoping to knock out my first 16 miler and we'll see how I feel. Finally got some Under Armor spandex so the cold weather mishap I had a few weeks back should be a thing of the past! :-)
Hoping for another solid week and then I head back down to Arizona for another week with the folks and some training in warmer weather :-)
The Luke
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Marathon training.... :-/
Decided to bump up the mileage this week and start getting serious about a marathon this spring. Headed out Monday for a 15 miler (previously long was my half marathons) and it went really well. Picked a pretty flat route except for the last half mile which was a pretty good incline. Ran the 15 in just over 2hrs which was about 8:15 pace. I could probably slow that down a bit and will definitely do so as my distances increase. It was an encouraging run and a boost to the ol' confidence as I make my push to the full distance.
Finished the week with 3 mile jog/sprint treadmill workout, a 7 mile slow run with a friend and another 3 mile treadmill run. Legs feel strong and the soreness from the 15 miler faded by the time I did the 7 miler 3 days later.
Weather has been pretty decent here for January which has made the outside runs more pleasant. Very close to adding another employee in my department at work. If it goes through, I will be on the books for the Nashville full!
Stay tuned!
Finished the week with 3 mile jog/sprint treadmill workout, a 7 mile slow run with a friend and another 3 mile treadmill run. Legs feel strong and the soreness from the 15 miler faded by the time I did the 7 miler 3 days later.
Weather has been pretty decent here for January which has made the outside runs more pleasant. Very close to adding another employee in my department at work. If it goes through, I will be on the books for the Nashville full!
Stay tuned!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Post Race (Arizona RnR)
Ahhh..... Arizona.....What a great place for a race in January and a great race it was. Got to meet Ryan's runner friend Alison and run in perfect running conditions. All of our times were very respectable and aside from a few minor aches and pains our recovery was pretty smooth. Our average mile was somewhere sub-8:00 and we really kicked the last 4 miles which felt pretty good.
Got to hang with the fam after the race which means a lot of drink, hot tub, food and.... drink. Stayed up til almost 4am screwing around! It was a great time and of course the day after the race we hit the golf course (see pic above). This shot was from a picturesque par 5 that Ryan stuck the green in 2. We will just say that he missed his eagle put but at least he didn't miss it short.
Definitely a race I would do every year since my parents live down there and it was a great escape from the weather up here in Washington. Signed up for Seattle RnR Half (June 25th) this week and am seriously considering Nashville's RnR Full in April. Stay tuned.
The Luke
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Day shift... Blah
It was necessary this week for me to change my work schedule in order to head down for the Rock n Roll half in Phoenix. So, straight days it is M-F 7-3:30... I'm usually the weekend man where there are no suits around, less craziness, etc. It is now Thursday and I'm doing ok with the weekday grind but I sure do prefer my weekend gig. Seems I'm more tired working straight 8's than when I do my 16 hour weekend shifts.
Anyway, I got a run in Sunday (3.6) and did a 4 and a 3 on the treadmill the last two nights. I'm always cautious not to undertrain or overtrain and I'm certain I've not quite figured it out. However, race day has always been good to me so I'm happy with it. The plan is to take tonight off (get a lift in though) and then perhaps do a chug-a-lug 2 miler on Friday after work. Once in Phoenix, Ryan and I might do a mile or two just to breath that air once before the race and then we will get after it. That will give me around 25 miles for the week and I hope to only increase mileage from there.
Really excited about this race and heading down to hang with my parents with my brother there as well!
Luke
Anyway, I got a run in Sunday (3.6) and did a 4 and a 3 on the treadmill the last two nights. I'm always cautious not to undertrain or overtrain and I'm certain I've not quite figured it out. However, race day has always been good to me so I'm happy with it. The plan is to take tonight off (get a lift in though) and then perhaps do a chug-a-lug 2 miler on Friday after work. Once in Phoenix, Ryan and I might do a mile or two just to breath that air once before the race and then we will get after it. That will give me around 25 miles for the week and I hope to only increase mileage from there.
Really excited about this race and heading down to hang with my parents with my brother there as well!
Luke
Saturday, January 8, 2011
A little cold for a long run....
Missing friends this week as I return to the grind but had a great training week. I don't taper like I'm "suppose" to but it works for me. I ran a little under 25 miles this week and yesterdays run of between 5 and 6 miles was the strongest I've felt in a long time.
Monday, however, was not so strong as I chose to do a 10 miler with the breezy Tri-Cities weather hovering somewhere in the teens. The sun dipped behind Badger Mountain at about mile 6 and from there... Lets just say that the chill set in. There were parts of me that lost feeling that I would have rather stayed comfortably warm. Time for some spandex I do believe. And what made matters worse was that I didn't cap a bottle on my fuel belt properly so for 4 miles I was sloshing Cytomax all over my back... Awesome.
So it was a great week and I'm feeling perfect rolling into the Rock n Roll Phx event! Gonna do a few maintenance runs next week and then head south for the winter (3 days).
The Luke
Monday, however, was not so strong as I chose to do a 10 miler with the breezy Tri-Cities weather hovering somewhere in the teens. The sun dipped behind Badger Mountain at about mile 6 and from there... Lets just say that the chill set in. There were parts of me that lost feeling that I would have rather stayed comfortably warm. Time for some spandex I do believe. And what made matters worse was that I didn't cap a bottle on my fuel belt properly so for 4 miles I was sloshing Cytomax all over my back... Awesome.
So it was a great week and I'm feeling perfect rolling into the Rock n Roll Phx event! Gonna do a few maintenance runs next week and then head south for the winter (3 days).
The Luke
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