Idle Hands...

When I sit in front of the computer at work I always find my self searching the web for new and exciting races. When I started this blog I said I was beginning my training for the Ozark Trail 100 mile endurance run, however, after some recent information regarding this course I have decided against participating in this event (at least for my first 100 miler, maybe in the future I will give it a try).

So I began my search for a new 100 mile race that was around the same time that i could run in its place. I have been extremely satisfied with the Pumpkin Holler 100 in OK, though they have not set a specific date yet. This is my number one pick at the moment! BUT... my hands have been moving on the keyboard way too much and I have been searching down more and more races i want to do as well as thinking about how I would like to host an ultra-marathon in honor of Forrest Gump! haha.

24 Hours the Hardway

Pigtails Challenge

Leadville 100

Boulder 100

Arkansas Traveler

Because a lot of these are around the same time of the month, I am thinking that every year I will go try one. Essential go on a 100 mile run test drive of the courses and after i try out a few I can go back and do the ones I like again and again.

Bass Pro Conservation Marathon

November 6th 2011

Before the Race
For the first time all season I went to bed at a reasonable time.. and it felt very weird, so I decided to wake up a little early to help offset the weird feeling. The first alarm set on my phone went off at 4:00am followed soon after by the digital clock alarm I set for a back, and then third back alarm I set on my watch started going off. All three with different sounds... all three.. Very annoying. I shut off each of the alarms and pulled myself out of bed to begin my usual race morning rituals (bathroom, race outfit, double tie shoes, make sure time chip is affixed securely, bathroom). As I got into my truck at 4:40am my amazing girlfriend called me!

Normally I like to get to a race around 30 minutes before the race start, however, I really wanted to make sure I didn't have to hassle with parking, so I got there a little more than 2 hours early. Well, I definitely did not have to hassle.. because the only other people there when I arrived were the people in charge of the race. So I kicked back and chatted with Alexis on the phone waiting for the race to come.

RACE
The announcer called for the competitive runners to go ahead and line up, so I made my way to the start. The race started and I darted out a little too quick (I'm so used to racing 5ks) I tried to slow my pace to a more appropriate marathon pace, but I still went out way too fast. I ran the first mile in 6 minutes.. I was aiming for 7:15. I knew this would happen and I thought I had adjusted my pace accordingly.. but apparently even by the 3 mile I wasn't into my set pace, because i crossed the 3 mile 18:48... and again around 6 miles I was around 40 minutes. I have been warned time and time again about going out slow, and I knew I needed to go out slower than what I felt comfortable with, but for some reason i just couldn't get my body to slow down. By mile 9 (61 minutes)I was getting closer to the appropriate pace.

Around mile 5 I turned my ankle pretty badly but kept on going and it worked itself out fine. Around mile 8 I started to get very hungry! I greatly desired to sink my teeth into a big fat juicy burger! Unfortunately all I had to indulge my appetite with were sport beans and I grabbed a packet every time the aid station had one! I forget where I was but it was within the first 9 miles that I was startled by someone loudly shouting my name! My physiology professor was out in his front yard cheering me on! I was going to tell him that when he saw Brad he needed to tell him to catch up to me (but I didn't think to say it soon enough).

I hit a perfect half marathon time that was right on track to qualify me for Boston. 1.29.. The only problem was I could already feel the fatigue hitting me. So I put it in my head that I would run the race 2 miles at a time, I would forget about the rest of the race and focus on 2 miles at a time(every two miles was an aid station). So I ran 2 miles, walked a little bit so that I could actually drink the water or powerade (unlike the past aid stations were one resulted in me missing the cup completely and knocking it out of the volunteers hand, or splashing the water at my face which in return got about 9/10ths of the water on me and not in my mouth) and then started back up with the running.

As I approached mile 20 I became a little nervous (last and first marathon I ran, Mile 20 consisted of me having an entire leg cramp up suddenly sending my face first into the asphalt. Then walking, running, jogging the best i could for the last 6 miles, with muscle cramps every time i tried to run/jog). Mile 20 passed just fine, although my fatigue was getting worse and my butt was on the verge of cramping. Every now and then I would feel great and was able to move at a good pace, still within an attainable BQ (Boston qualifier).

I was still going fairly well till I reached mile 23! My foot and hamstring cramped and I ended up walking for probably 3/4ths of a mile. I am extremely ashamed of this!!! When I hit Mile 24 I grabbed an orange and then got my feet moving (slowly.. but moving). If I hadn't walked I probably would have been pretty close to a BQ. As I rounded the last corner I sprinted (probably not an actual sprint, but it felt like one to me).

I finished 4th in my age group (1st was only 6 minutes ahead of me! that is less than a mile!! Imagine if I hadn't walked that "less than a mile"... URG.) 3rd place was 3 minutes ahead of me. I placed 25th overall for the whole marathon with a time of 3.26.33 (16 minutes slower than my goal) So now it is time to start training for the Run for the Ranch Marathon and kick some butt!!!

MSU & Hustle!!

OCTOBER 29th

It was a slightly chilly morning as I waited outside the MSU student union at 6:30am. The MSU Homecoming 5k started at 7am but no one had any idea where the start line actually was. haha. The campus health center (one of my current jobs) was the main host for this race. When the race started at 7am it was still dark outside and a gentleman in bright yellow and a blinking red light on a bike led the race. I took off fast and tried to get into a good rhythm. I decided to wear gloves for this race (good choice).

As the race continued I was very glad I was in lead following the bike because I could not understand where I needed to turn at All! lol. At one point I passed a spot where someone cheered me on by name but I didn't see who it was. To be honest, I didn't feel like I was running very fast. But as I approached the finish line (lapping at least 20 people) the clock was reading low 17s! I don't know if they got my legitimate time or not because they came up and asked me if I timed myself and what I had got. I looked at my watch that I hit a little bit after finishing and took off one second. But from what I remember when I looked at the race clock it read faster than what I had on my watch by a few seconds... Regardless of all this, I ended up getting 17:13. Still getting faster every race this season.
I jogged over to one of my bosses/co-workers and asked if there were prizes and told them I had to leave to go run another 5k race. I won $75 and a big Trophy =)

I jogged to my truck and headed to Jordan Valley park to get ready for the Halloween Hustle 5k.. a costume race! All of my costume stuff is at my parents house but I did have a black mullet wig, white tutu, and a red cape.. sooo.... I put that on! The race course seemed fairly easy! But i stopped seeing arrows on the concrete eventually and turned around. Ended up getting lost and was followed by about 5 other runners =$ We tacked on about an extra half mile or so probably. By the time I got back to the right spot the 1st place person was starting on the second lap so I quickly jetted in front of him and continued on for the second lap. I ended up finishing first again.. however.. my time wasn't too good.

They handed out all of the awards.. but never called anything for the first place finisher. So I went up there and asked them if overall winner got anything and they said no... But they happened to have an extra gold medal so I still got a medal.. But that is just jank.. They medal 3 deep in age categories.. but didn't have anything for the overall winner.. WOW..
Oh well. It's all about having a good time, staying in shape, and praising the LORD!