Author: Mike

The Maine Event

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Fear not!   I was not attacked by a bear or a giant lobster.  However, I saw both (kind of… check out the pictures.  The bears (and moose) are made of solid chocolate, but keep in mind: a chocolate bear is still a bear…).  Anyway, I went for a 17 mile run while in Maine.  The weather was, well, perfect.  58 degrees, 2% humidity (based on my internal humiditometer), and not a cloud in the hemisphere.  It was supposed to be 18 miles with 14 at Marathon Pace (~8 min/mile).  Based on the route I chose, 17 is what it came out to be.  An exact 8.5 miles out and 8.5 miles back.

Lighthouse

Maine-ly (see what I did there?) because of the amazing weather, wide bike lane, and awesome scenery, everything about this run felt good.  As the sun was rising during the first mile I started to pick up the pace to get to the 8:00 min/mile mark.  My plan was to run miles 2 through 15 at that speed and use the other miles as warm-up and cool-down.  Well, when everything falls into place like it did, I actually found it difficult to go slow enough.  After a bit, I stopped fighting it.  Other than the first mile (8:15 min/mile), every mile was under 8 minutes.  Actually, there were several late in the run in the 7:30s that felt amazing.  It seemed like I always had another gear to get up the next hill, so instead of slowing down, I pushed a little harder and not because I thought I was being chased by a giant lobster.

The halfway point was the end of Cape Elizabeth in Two Lights State Park.  The picture above was taken later in the trip when Ev was looking for rocks.  (Side story: Ev and I went to Cape Elizabeth so I could show her the lighthouse and great view I saw on my run.  There were lots of people there, most of whom were staring at the ground and picking up rocks.  It turns out they were looking for sea glass*.  Well, without a moment’s hesitation, Ev started looking for sea glass.  She was quite good at it too.  If it were a game, I think she would have won.  You can see her dominating the children competition in the picture.  End side story)

Without going into too much more detail, the entire run was amazing.  Perhaps the Maine Marathon will find its way onto the schedule, but that’s for another post.  Definitely in the top 5 best runs ever.

The Details:

Portland’s 17 Mile Long Run:

Route

Distance: 17 miles
Time: 2:12:24
Pace: 7:47 min/mile
Average HR: 159 bpm (174 bpm max)

*Sea glass, for those who don’t know, is just glass that gets eroded in the ocean and washed on shore.  Typically from beer bottles and the like, it finds its way onto the sand in a very smooth condition.  That is your sea glass lesson for this blog post.  Questions can be directed to http://tinyurl.com/q6edza

Running Takes a Back Seat to No One!

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But blogging does… Life has been busy busy this August, so some niceties had to be sacrificed. Thus, it’s been awhile since you’ve been subjected privy to my thoughts. Too bad! Because August was a huge month of miles. My most ever actually. Now that August is over, the grand total was 204 miles. I know, I know, but please, hold your applause. It definitely feels like I ran 200+ miles last month.

September has kind of picked up where August left off, though so far the intensity has fallen off a little. There was an unexpected switch up in the schedule already (future blog post to come with more details [updated]). I did get a pretty good Birthday Run in yesterday though. Scheduled for 12 miles, but I ended up finishing around 11.3. Why the shorter distance, you ask? Because it was my birthday, so I could do what I want. And because the island I was going to run on was closed (how/why/when do you close an island??), so I had to modify my route on the run (PUN!).

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p>Tomorrow is a tough 9-miler, and then Ev and I are going to Maine! I’m excited to run in Portland, especially with 18 miles lined up. I only hope I don’t get mauled by a bear or giant lobster. I’ll be sure to carry a claw cracker and wear a bib. It should be a great time!

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I’ll be sure to report back after we get back from faux-Canada. Stay tuned.

Fast Food is not that cheap…

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I was watching the news today and heard something about a recession, so I was like “wtf?? where’d that come from?”  Well, the next logical thought was, “I need to start saving some money!”  Now, I know what you’re thinking: “you’re an idiot” “brilliant!  Next in line for Treasury Secretary”.  First solution that came to me (while eating breakfast, mind you) is to cut back on the high cost of food.  What I need is calorie-dense, inexpensive meals in order to have money to stick in my mattress, because currently my mattress is pulling a higher interest rate than all most banks (dust bunnies are worth more than 0%).

The Hamdog, "A hot dog wrapped in a beef patty that's deep fried, covered with chili, cheese, onions, served on a hoagie bun topped with two fistfuls of fries and a fried egg."

Anyway, after some searching on The Google, I learned something very displeasing.  Apparently, obesity is expensive.  In fact, it’s even more expensive than cancer.  Based on this article, the US is spending ~$150 billion a year on “health conditions related to obesity.”  However, “all cancers combined cost the health system around 93 billion dollars a year.”  So it seems like saving money now by eating inexpensive, unhealthy food will actually end up being very expensive later.  Ugh, just when I was getting the hang of it.  2 out of 3 adults are overweight or obese and 1 out of 5 children are too.  That means, if you are not overweight, the 2 people next to you are.  If you are, then you have an overweight friend and a non-overweight friend.  TWO OUT OF THREE!  What if 2 out of 3 people had bad breath?  Or homeless?  or had cancer?  2 out of 3 is major.

Weight (or really, overweight) issues aren’t only a strain on your pants; they’re messing with the economy too.  Without getting into any sort of a political argument, the health care system is devoting nearly twice as much of its resources to obesity as it is to cancer.  Seriously??  How is that ok?

It’s no secret that exercise is a free (go for a walk), easy (go for a walk) solution to a major problem.  Let me tell you, if someone said I could fix a creaky door by going for a walk, I’d be out the door before you could say creeeeeeeak WD-40.  And that’s not even a big problem!  The article (linked above) mentions the problem is that obesity starts early but the health effects don’t hit until later.  Good point, but I think it’s still just problem of convenience.  Meaning, it’s just convenient to eat poorly now and push off the dangers until later.  The American way!

I don’t have all the answers, but I think a little exercise (specifically, exercise some moderation, and exercise some exercise) would go a long way.  And so I leave you with a quote:

“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley

Hains Point

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Oh Hains Point.  More like Pains Hoint. Running around Hains Point is just painful.  I headed down there this morning to get my run on, and realized why a) I don’t ever train there, and b) don’t like that part of Marine Corps Marathon.  It’s just flat and boring.  I’ve never run it in the morning, though, and I was surprised by how many people are biking around the little island.

The thing is, it seems like biking is the way to go.  I’d say I saw 3 other runners plodding along and maybe 40 bikers zipping around.  It’s about a 3-mile loop around the south end of the island, so I got to see some flamboyant aerodynamic cycling outfits 2, 3, or even 7 times… like when I saw one really ridiculously dressed fast girl guy 7 times.

All the speedy bikes definitely made me feel slow special for not being one of the crowd.  They were probably all passing me thinking “hmm, he looks awesome.  I think it’s because he’s running and I’m just riding my bike like the other 40 people including that girl guy.”  I could basically read it on their faces.

There were a few roller bladers too.  I thought those were extinct.  Like dinosaurs.  And Furbies.

Anyway, it was a run of pros and cons, ultimately leaning towards the cons.  Doubt I’ll be back, but that’s what I say now.  We’ll see what happens when it’s 6am and I need to think of where to run 12 miles on-the-fly-run.

Tuesday’s Medium Long Run:

Route

Distance: 12 miles
Time: 1:40:57
Pace: 8:24 min/mile
Average HR: 152 bpm (171 bpm max)

Over the River and Through the Woods

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This weekend’s run wasn’t typical of my normal Saturday runs for a number of reasons:

  1. I ran with the DC Road Runners rather than solo. I couldn’t quite get geared up to run by myself.
  2. Because of #1, I got up at 5:30am on a Saturday. Really.

    I didn’t even know Saturday had a 5:30am. I left my apartment at 6:30am and ran to meet the DCRR group 3 miles away.

  3. We ran through the Glover Archibald trail, which involved running over a river and through some woods! Actually really awesome, but would definitely have gotten lost. I’m thinking a Blair Witch situation, only actually scary and less seizure-inducing.
  4. I got back from the run so early (see #2) that I got back in bed and still got up at a luxuriously late reasonable time.

Overall I’m really glad I went so incredibly early because I a) got to run with people, b) tried a BA* course, and c) avoided the heat. I still don’t think I could run that route without getting lost, so I’m not sure it’s worth trying on my own (see #3).

On a side note, I bought a Vanilla Hammer Gel and took it with me, but it remained in my pocket the entire time (per usual). The DCRRs have a midpoint water stop so I refueled around mile 9 with some Gatorade.

Saturday’s Long Run:

Route

Distance: 18 miles
Time: 2:32:19
Pace: 8:27 min/mile
Average HR: 155 bpm (173 bpm max)

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p>*BA = bad ass. simply writing BA makes it seem more scholarly, like a Bachelor of Arts. Why do you think people say BS? Of course it’s for the scholarly connotation of a Bachelor of Science.

Are you gellin’?

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As in, energy gels.  Because I’m not.  At least not in training.  I used to for any runs over 13 miles, but I’ve slowly been bringing them along but never eating them.  It’s not that they aren’t delicious, because they are.  (At least, when my brain is functioning at 20% it tells me that they’re delicious)  Even on the 17 miler with Colin he had two and I had zero, which really just proves I’m much more manly.  Ouch.  Yea, I went there.

Gu
Over the past few years I’ve tried several brands and developed my opinions of each.  Some have been used more than others and some are still on my “to-do-goo” list.  Get it??  My current gel of choice is Gu.  I have a multi-pack of flavors including Vanilla, Chocolate Outrage, Espresso Love, Tri-Berry, Plain, and Lemon Lime.  My two favorites battling it out for top spot are Chocolate Outrage and Plain.  Yes, Plain.  It doesn’t taste like that paste that you used to eat in middle school kindergarten.  It’s slightly sweet without nauseating you into oblivion.  Chocolate Outrage is a smooth, rich chocolatey flavor reminiscent of brownie batter.

(SIDE NOTE: speaking of brownie batter, I had a terrible experience at Maggie Moo’s the other day.  Before our movie, Ev and I swung by MM to satisfy my craving for some mixed-in ice cream.  Here’s what went terribly wrong: 1) walked up at 8:53pm and the door was locked, they said they were closed.  They close at 9pm;  2) I ordered a small brownie batter ice cream and got Reese’s Pieces mixed in.  Total: $5.15.. for a drop of ice cream;  3) I asked how much for a medium.  She said medium gets a free mix in, so it costs $5.16.  Seriously.  We left and will not be returning.  The good part was that the ice cream was delicious.  Artwork provided by me.)

Broken Heart

Gu also offers an alternative called Roctane, which amps up the caffeine, amino acids, and sodium.  It’s a bit smoother too.  Currently that only comes in Blueberry Pomegranate and Vanilla Orange.  Colin mentioned he can tell a difference between regular Gu and Roctane, but I couldn’t.  I’m not sure it’s worth the additional (double) cost.

Carb Boom

Carb Boom was a long-time favorite of mine, only recently being dethroned by Gu.  It has a thinner consistency that’s easy to swallow.  I was a big fan of the Apple Cinnamon and Banana Peach, though the Banana Peach got a little old… the Vanilla tasted like a vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting.  No joke.  Really good stuff.  I ended up switching because they got to be a little sweet.  I would definitely recommend Carb Boom to anyone new to the gel world.

Powerbar Gel

This review may be a bit unfair, but it must be said.  The first (and only) time I had a Powerbar Gel was on my first long run with Barrett.  It was actually the first gel I had ever tried.  Whether it was the unfamiliar consistency or the mental block I had for it from the get-go, I squeezed it into my mouth and immediately spit it out.  The strawberry banana flavor, from what I can remember, did not help the cause.  I never tried another Powerbar brand gel and probably won’t be going back considering all the other options out there.

Clif Shot

I have never purchased Clif Shots in a store.  As a good marketing tactic they were the sponsor for energy gels around mile 17 in the Marine Corps Marathon in 2007.  I grabbed a vanilla and a chocolate.  The consistency is very thick and really needs you to chew through it more than any other I’ve tried.  The chocolate flavor was rich and not too sweet, and really was like brownie batter, in flavor and thickness.  I still haven’t purchased these if that says anything, but would probably grab another if it was offered on a race course.

Clif Bloks

The Clif Bloks, another energy source made by Clif Bar is an alternative for those who cannot face the gel.  I’ve tried some of the tame flavors, like Black Cherry, and stayed away from the less desireable ones, like Margarita or Cola… Why not make a flavor like Malt Ball or Beet & Goat Cheese.  I certainly can’t say if some of the oddball flavors are good.  I imagine someone is buying them, but it sure isn’t me.  The bloks are slightly less chewy than a Starburst, but twice as big, so it takes some jaw work to get them down.  Also, a personal issue, is that each pack comes with 6, but you should only eat 3 at a time.  It just isn’t convenient to open the pack and eat half and then stick it back in your fanny pack pocket.  Not a bad option though.

Sport Beans

I’m not sure who thought jelly beans have a place in the endurance sports realm, but apparently enough people like the idea.  Jelly Belly has a line of energy jelly beans known as Sport Beans.  They’re a little bigger than regular jelly beans, seemingly because there’s a thicker layer of sugar/coating around them.  I do like them, but if I had one bone to pick, it would be that it sounds like I’m running with maracas in my fanny pack pockets.  Overall I give them a thumbs up.

Like I said, there are other brands that I have yet to try, like Hammer Gel, which is very popular, or the Stinger brand, which is only sweetened with honey.  What gels have you tried and liked / not liked?  Let me know in the comments.

Today’s Recovery Run:

Route

Distance: 4.05 miles
Time: 38:31
Pace: 9:31 min/mile
Average HR: 139 bpm (150 bpm max)

Biking all the way to the bank

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Insurance companies aren’t always the worst.  I guess not all of them follow after AIG and their brethren.  Instead, State Farm came through in the clutch.  Quick background story so everyone’s on the same page:

I got a bike last September for my birthday.  It was glorious.  A real steal off of craigslist.  Well, the weather turned chilly.  Too chilly in fact to ride it much during the Winter.  So it stayed locked up in my apartment building’s garage.  After the cold weather got tired of being cold, it started to warm up.  Hooray!  Time to ride the bike!  I get down to unlock it, stare at the bike rack, and see my lock cut in half, lying on the floor, mocking me.  I even tried it with the key to make sure it was mine.  It was.

So, after a bout of infuration coupled with disbelief, I told people of my tragedy.  I received some sage advice from an unlikely source: Brent.  Presumably because of his age experience, he told me to check my renter’s insurance to see if it covered my bike.  I did and it did!  After some legwork (left a message for my insurance agent Garrrrry) I filed a claim.  Surprisingly after very little work on my part, a check was sent my way and I was able to get a new bike!

My New Bike! So fast that the black paint can't even stay on.

My New Bike! So fast that the black paint can't even stay on.

I’ve ridden it a few times so far and, if you weren’t jealous already, you should be.  It’s sweet!  Thanks to the Bicycle Pro Shop for all their help getting me squared away.  Now the bike lives in our apartment never to be stolen again.

PS- if you have my old bike and are reading this, I’d like to grab coffee with you some time.  You can bring my old bike along and we can go for a ride.  It’ll be fun!

PPS- if you didn’t steal my bike and are reading this, I’m planning on meeting up with the guy who stole my bike and punching him in the face.  Hopefully he’ll bring my old bike too so I can get it back.

Colin all runners

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It’s been awhile since we last talked.  I blame it on the economy prior commitments, but could have also been due to Michael Jackson’s untimely departure.  Ok, let’s get serious, I don’t have prior commitments…

Anyway, this past weekend Colin was in town (worth noting: not to see me) so we planned on getting a non-race run in together.  Yes, a non-race run.  The only times we have run together in the last 4 years has been for races, and quite a few at that.  Imagine my excitement when I could take him on a “tour” of my turf!  Like a little school girl when she receives her first Beanie Baby iPhone… times have changed…

Anyway, we had 17 miles on the calendar and that’s what we did.  My initial route was more like 19 or 20, which is too bad because it would have been an awesome display of what DC has to offer.  But I cut it down to 17 miles and we were good to go.  I hyped it up to show off the mountains of the District that would impose a quad thrashing like no other.  We had agreeable weather that stayed cool enough during the early hills and then heated up on the downhills.  So a “thank you” is in order for the weather man.  The highlight in my mind was going to be the no-cars-allowed section of Beach Dr.  In an effort to thwart my promises of a car-free zone someone decided to require immediate medical attention.  Selfish!  So we had to navigate around some ambulances and a police car, which in turn passed us back after they were done ambulancing and policing.  Graciously, Colin let this slide.

We approached the “mountain” portion around mile 9 but actually handled it pretty well.  The pace was even the whole time, something I typically have trouble with on my own.  At the top of the mountain, right next door to the National Cathedral, we deviated from my normal route and headed into No Man’s Land (that area northwest of Georgetown) and saw some new scenery.  The long downhills were much appreciated.  After a quick jaunt through Georgetown (thankfully before the shops opened) we were back at my place.

It was a great change to run with someone, especially a formidable rival.  It definitely helped the nearly 2 and half hours fly by.  Unfortunately it doesn’t look like there are any more rendezvous in the foreseeable future.

PS- It’s worth mentioning that we swung by Good Stuff afterwards for burgers and shakes.  Epic.  How could a Milky Way milkshake be anything but outrageous?  It can’t.

Details:

Route

Distance: 17 miles
Time: 2:25:57
Pace: 8:34 min/mile
Average HR: 158 bpm (174 bpm max)

Burgers and Hotdogs and Pizza, Oh My!

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New Haven – A beacon of traditional cuisine crossed with a lovely touch of bizarre twists that makes it a fun place to try some really different versions of our favorite classics.  During the half marathon weekend Colin and I set out to tackle as many famous (and not-so-famous) New Haven eateries in preparation and recovery for the Fairfield Half Marathon.

Saturday began at Louis’ Lunch.  It lays claim to inventing the hamburger and does things today the same as when they started.  First off, it’s a tiny place.  We got there at noon, right when they open, and there was a line of about 20 people waiting for a hamburger.  It’s not a fast line because everything is made to order.  The only confusing part is they only serve hamburgers, so they should be able to see how many people are in line, and at least have a few extra going.  Anyway, we finally get up to order and there’s no menu, so trying not to look like a noob, I say “I’ll have a hamburger” and she looks at me, gives an exasperated sigh, and asks “tomato, onion, cheese?  Anything to drink?  Here or to go?”  Blast!  She saw right through me.  “Just tomato.  To go.” and I step to the side to pay.  She writes down the order on a sheet of paper with a Sharpie and makes it visible for the chef (this is a 3-person operation: order, pay, cook).  The burgers are cooked in super old-fashioned vertical broilers about 12 at a time.  About 30 minutes after first getting in line I’m holding the paper sack with my burger and we’re off to Colin’s to eat.

The burgers are served on white sandwich bread, just the meat, and in my case, with a single slice of tomato.  And they are thick!  Very juicy and delicious, if not a tad underseasoned.  Colin also got potato salad, which he reported to be a great partner to his “CW” (short for Cheeseburger with the works: cheese (actually a cheese spread), tomato, onion).  The final verdict is it was very good but nothing outrageous.  It was fun to go to such an old place with a different way of doing things.

The rest of the day included grabbing some bananas and bagels for the morning of the race and picked up a bagel sandwich before dinner.  We had a pretty uneventful pasta dinner to get ready for the race.

Then we ran.

To refuel we went to Super Duper Weenie.  It was only 2 miles from the race, but there’s no way you could find it without knowing exactly where it is.  It’s on a back access road near the highway, adding to its allure.  Anyway, we walked in just after 11am to a small counter next to the 9-seat bar.  The menu actually had non-hotdog items, but that would be for the weak.  I got the New Yorker: Sauerkraut, Onion Sauce, Mustard, & Hot Relish.  The hotdogs are split down the middle and cooked on the griddle (while the chef will twiddle his thumbs.  My poetry bone started flaring up there).  Then put into a perfect bun and topped with all the aforementioned garnishes.  Really top notch!  Perfect refuel following the race.  Colin got the New Englander: Sauerkraut, Bacon, Mustard, Sweet Relish & Raw Onion, because who doesn’t need bacon on a hotdog?  We also split some fresh cut fries, you know, to replenish the carbs and potassium.  If you’re ever near exit 24 on I-95 in Connecticut, stop by the Super Duper Weenie.

We then changed up the plan a bit.  As a midafternoon snack we agreed on a fantastically amazing idea to get ice cream.  We walked down to Ashley’s Ice Cream Cafe and I had no choice but to get the coffee oreo ice cream.  There are few things I enjoy more than ice cream, and this reaffirmed everything.  Smooth coffee ice cream laced with large and small bits of real Oreos.  Great idea Brittany!

We wrapped up the weekend of over-the-top eating at Modern Apizza.  As I mentioned in the preview, the site is worth visiting for the music alone.  We sat down without any wait (though it was 5pm and the average age of everyone in there was 70) and scoped out the menu.  Upon a recommendation by a native New Havenite, I went for the plain mozzerella.  The real decision was what size.  It wasn’t much of a decision at all though.  LARGE.  I got through about a third of it and boxed up the rest to go.  The dough was thin but not too crisp, a good chewiness.  It was just a really good cheese pizza.

Looking forward to the leftovers 🙂

Un-Fairfield

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The weather was moderate; the runners were ready; the course was brutal.  For a late June race, the temperature never got over 75 while we were running.  The clouds helped keep the heat monster at bay, as did the abundant tree coverage.  The small-time race invited mainly locals to run (1871 of the 2597 finishers were from the unnecessary small state of Connecticut).  It was all set up to be a quaint fun-run to contrast the behemoth races like in Nashville, Orlando, and DC.  All but for one small detail.  The gremlins hills.

Not like “wheelchair-accessible-ramp” hills.  More like “get-out-your-rock-climbing-gear” hills.  Let’s take a step back.  Going into this race neither Colin nor I were expecting fast times.  We knew it was a difficult course from last year (where I imploded and luckily didn’t have a blog to record it for all five of you to read).  As such, we had no real finish time goal.  Finally, upon Colin’s insistance, we agreed on a 7:30 min/mile pace.  For the record, I thought it would be a little too fast.  The race started off smoothly, mainly because the first two miles were completely flat.

Mile 1: 7: 39 min/mile
Mile 2: 7:19 min/mile

The course (aka Course) does you no favors by starting flat.  It lulls you into a deceiving comfort zone and slowly builds your confidence.  Where once you felt apprehensive of what laid ahead, by the two-mile marker you’re feeling confident. Nay!  Arrogant.  You say “I can beat you, Course.  You are but a series of roads and I am a runner!”  HA!  How quickly the tables turn.  The enigmatic great Jason Statham said it best in Revolver “in every game and con there’s always an opponent, and there’s always a victim. The trick is to know when you’re the latter, so you can become the former”.  Well, I was the victim and the course was the opponent.  Before I knew it, I was climbing a treacherously vertical cliff steep incline.  I know, that doesn’t sound like a big deal.  The problem is that it was only the first of many, each one longer and steeper than the last.  The real tragedy is that the downhill offered zero relief.  After reaching the summit with legs burning and breathing labored,  you were out of luck if you forgot your parachute.  The descent seemed to be twice as steep as the uphill, virtually ripping my quads right out of my legs.  It was not as fun as it sounds.  Such hills led to mile splits all over the map.  Only twice (at the very end) did two consecutive miles fall within 16 seconds of one another.

Mile 3: 7:53 min/mile
Mile 4: 7:05 min/mile

When we finally reached Mile 4 I thought that the race was taking awhile… not good when there’s still 9 miles to go.  After tackling more rolling hills Colin mentioned that the worst of the hills would be during this stretch and end around Mile 6.  At this point I was beginning to worry that Colin would pull away and leave me to implode again like last year.  Mile 5 was by far the slowest thanks to Mount Runnerhater.  We struggled up the best we could, but after a quick 7:05 fourth mile, we added over a minute to the fifth.  That’s unheard of (unless you’re reading this for a second time).

Mile 5: 8:10 min/mile
Mile 6: 7:22 min/mile

After finishing the “hardest stretch” of miles 4 thru 6 I rewarded myself with a Roctane (for the uninitiated, it’s an energy gel).  We faced some resistance from Mile 7, but we could tell the course was beginning to succumb to our foolhardy spectacular determination.  To lay the proverbial smack down on the course, we unleashed a sub-seven minute mile.  Don’t bring that weak sauce up in here, Course!  Course did not like this and had a final treat for us at the end of the race.

Mile 7: 7:45 min/mile
Mile 8: 6:58 min/mile

Coming off a speedy downhill Mile 8 we cruised through Mile 9.  The remainder of the race focused on counting down the distance and time until the finish.  The brain isn’t running on all cylinders when the body is exhausted and dehydrated.  I found myself rationalizing the rest of the race in terms of random, unrelated comparisons, like TV shows (try to follow this:  I would think “OK, 4 miles to go, that should take about 30 minutes.  I could watch an episode of 30 Rock in 30 minutes.  But on Tivo I could watch it in like 20 minutes.  That’s 1.5 episodes of 30 Rock until I finish the race!”)  Apparently I thought it would help… Maybe I need help.  Mile 10 was the last real hilly part of the course (as it backtracked over the beginning part of the race when Mile 3 presented the beginning of steepery).

Mile 9: 7:24 min/mile
Mile 10: 7:40 min/mile

Finally reaching the end of the hills we coasted Mile 11 trying to regain some energy for the last push.  At this point it was still a race between Colin and me.  Neither wanted to lose, but neither could gather enough reserve energy to muster a final push.  It was here that we agreed on finishing together, becoming allies in a battle against Course.  We pushed on into Mile 12, expending as much energy as possible without falling apart.  It’s a funny thing that Mile 12 is.  Once you complete it, there’s only a smidge more than a mile to go.  You can taste the finish, and yet there’s still a mile to go.  More hallucinations rationalizations creep in, like “only 10 more minutes, that’s how long a whale can hold its breath.  Certainly I can keep this up for 10 more minutes”.  It doesn’t cross my mind that there is absolutely no correlation between a whale’s lung capacity and my voluntary discomfort.

Mile 11: 7:41 min/mile
Mile 12: 7:21 min/mile

The final mile-&-change required that we dig deep and turn this into a mind over body affair.  Well, that didn’t bode well considering my state of mind.  The pain in my legs matched the pain of imagining W reading the Russian National Soccer team line-up, followed with his little smirk after each one.  Well, as mentioned above, Course had one more surprise in store for us.  With the finish line in sight, we were directed over a 50 yard stretch of gravel.  Running on gravel is like running while pulling a cinder block through tar.  You work twice as hard to go half as fast.  We crossed that boobytrap and finished in a world of pain in the exact same time: 1:38:40.  I came in 228th out of 2597 – top 9%!

Mile 13: 7:18 min/mile

I am pleased to report (much in the theme of this blog (race medals, not stream-of-consciousness rambling, jerk.)) that we received medals!  They’re not bad either!  We refueled with some watermelon on the beach and stretched our drained and victorious muscles for a bit.  As a reward (other than the medal, of course.. duh) we headed out for some real recovery food.

For the full food report (definitely not as long as this), check it out over here.

The details:

Distance: 13.1 miles
Time: 1:38:40
Pace: 7:31 min/mile
Average HR: 173 bpm (184 bpm max)