Grandfather Mountain Double 2010 Part 1

The first 13 miles of the Grandfather Mountain "Double" Marathon

Grandfather Mountain Double 2010 Part 2

Part 2, miles 13 to the finish of the Grandfather Mountain Marathon.

Grandfather Mountain Double 2010 Part 3

The last 26.2 miles of my "Double" Grandfather Mountain Marathon

Grandfather Mountain "Double" Marathon 2010

I don't know if I'm the first person dumb enough to do this but it was the first and last time for me. Once was enough. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I did it and enjoyed the weekend and the whole experience but it was tough out there. Maybe now that I've done it some others will be inspired to give it a shot.

We arrived in Boone early Friday afternoon and went straight to packet pick-up where we saw several friends and then drove up to show Jenn some of the course and stash some water and gatorade for us to refill our bottles for the trip down until Karla and Lisa would be able to get down the mountain to start crewing for us. It was pouring down rain and we were hoping that it would all blow over by morning start time.

We arrived at the ASU track about 6am and began preparing for the race. I was very excited about what was ahead and was enjoying visiting with the many friends in attendance. I lined up with Karla planning to run as much as possible with her. Lisa has been running great lately and we knew she would be going for a fast time this year so we didn't even try to go with her today. I had the video camera going to try and share a bit of the experience for those that have never had a chance to see what this race is about. I hope to get it uploaded soon.

It was a warm , muggy and overcast morning and within a mile I was sweating and worrying about overheating. It looked like we would avoid the rain but I was hoping for cloud cover for as much as possible. Karla and I settled in to an easy pace and went about enjoying ourselves out on the course, taking in the sights and talking to other runners along the way.

We were making decent time but Karla wasn't feeling too zippy today and we were walking a bit on the steeper hills earlier than last year. On one hand I was hoping she was feeling good and would have a great day but on the other hand , an easier pace would allow me to stay with her longer. Normally not an issue but today I needed to be saving energy for the return trip.

The race was moving along smoothly for us and by the time we got to the Blue ridge Parkway around the 11 mile point, the sun was breaking trough the clouds. A beautiful day and we could finally see the mountains in the distance but that was just going to make it warmer for us. I had forgotten my handheld water bottle I'd planned to run with so I was trying to make sure and drink plenty at the aid stations.

Things were still going well as we moved onto Hwy 221 for the last 9 miles along this gorgeous course. I was feeling fine and there is nothing better than to be sharing the day with The Marathon Princess. As always we were having a grand time talking , laughing and enjoying each others company. We have run thousands of training miles the past 5 years and this was the 11th marathon we have run together.

And then we finally reached the site of the Highland Games and the finish line of the first marathon. I had the camera out as we ran past the race tent to make our way onto the track. I am a bit amazed at how many of the small crowd that were there were people I have gotten to know over the past 8 years and the great cheering and support that we received as we passed by. Once on the track we were getting a lot of cheers from the grandstands due in part to the fact that Karla and I were both wearing our kilts. We crossed the line together in 4:56 and after a quick photo opportunity, I began my journey back down the mountain by running a reverse lap on the track and back down to the marathon tent.

I spent about 15 minutes here getting some food and drinks and talking to a few friends. Jenn had taken the shuttle to the top and was now ready to accompany me on my reverse marathon back down to Boone. I got a hug from The Trail Angel, said good bye to some friends and off we went. By now it was pretty warm out on the course and the sun was high overhead. There is a lot of shade on the course but during the mid afternoon there are a lot of exposed areas too.

It had been a great day so far running with Karla and now I was having the pleasure of The Ultra Angel for the rest of my adventure. Once we were out on the road for a while I was noticing just how much climbing there actually is on the return trip. With it being a mostly uphill climb to the finish its hard to judge just how much downhill there is on the course but believe me you really start to notice that when you are going backwards. By now I was in ultra mode so we were running the downhills and walking most of the uphills. I was starting to feel the effects of the warm day and was trying to stay hydrated as the temperature crept up to a high of 82F.

By now my left foot was beginning to hurt a little but otherwise the legs were ok. Jenn was great company and content to move at whatever pace I wanted to move. Normally I'm pretty talkative but now as I was getting tired and facing the reality of what I had committed myself to doing I was being a little quieter than usual. Still we were having a good time enjoying the sights and views as we went along Hwy 221 and after awhile we finally made the turn back onto the gravel road around mile 17. It was here that I finally ran all of the hill that Laura calls simply 17. It is the steepest hill on the marathon course and even in the year I was in my best shape and racing for a sub-4 I had to walk part of it. Now I was finally going to get my chance to run all of 17. The only difference was that now I would be running it downhill.

At the bottom of the hill is where we had stashed some water and gatorade. We took a short break and then continued on. I had guessed that we would reach this point in about 2 hours after leaving the top and we were right on pace. I had figured the one drop would last us until Karla and Lisa could take the shuttle back to Boone to get the car and then drive back up the course to crew for us the rest of the way.

Things were still going ok, slow but steady as we made our way back to the Blue Ridge Parkway and about 15 miles to go. Let me tell you, the BRP is not the place you want to spend too much time running on a July afternoon. Although it is beautiful there is a lot of traffic, just like a major highway and a lot cars are going too fast. There is practically no shoulder to get out of the way either and there is hardly any shade this time of day and the sun was beating down on us.

The first two miles of the Parkway are a nice gentle downhill but then there is that 2 miles climb that we enjoy so much when it's a downhill going the other way.
Well now it was a hard two mile long climb and I was beginning to wear down. And I was running low on fluids and still no sign of the crew. We walked halfway up the hill and then I spotted a place to sit on the bridge over Sims Creek so we took a short break to take a gel and stretch for a few minutes.

We started again and the climb got steeper the closer to the intersection where we would be getting off the Parkway. And then just before we finished that climb, we saw the ladies and they pulled over at the exit. It was great to see them and we re-fueled and refilled looking forward to a couple of miles of downhill running on Shulls Mill Road. From here we had about 10.5 miles to go.

At about the 10 mile mark we reached the point where I usually get a picture of Grandfather Mt off in the distance, the first place you can see it in the marathon. I have pictures of Laura and I when we ran together in 2008, Lisa, Karla and I in 2009, Karla and I from this morning so I had Jenn stop so I could get one of her there. No one around to take on of the two of us but at least with the clear skies you could see the mountain.

The crew was waiting again at the bottom of Shulls Mill Rd and then we turned onto Poplar Grove road. The marathoners always see that as a nice long quad burning downhill break but going the other way it turns into a nightmare of a climb that is as long as any going the other way and probably steeper than any hill going up the mountain. By now I was really starting to drag and I was so thankful to have Jenn along to share in my misery. She was doing a great job of keeping me moving and breathing and trying to make sure I was taking in fluid and calories. When I'm hot my stomach doesn't want anything but I was forcing myself to take in as much as I could.

It was slow but we finally made the climb and I knew there would only be one more significant climb after that. The ladies met us one more time with about 6 miles to go and then they headed to ASU to wait for us and have an ice cold Coke that I was craving waiting for me. We reached that last climb and Jenn kept prodding me along and once we reached the next downhills we actually were running a decent pace over the next couple of miles. We reached the point of two miles to go just as Winkler's Creek Rd enters town and I was feeling ok but within the next half-mile when we reached the main hwy through town leading back to the stadium , the wheels were really stating to come off. The heat humidity, dehydraion , pounding and miles were about to beat me down.

Finally we made the turn with the one short hill back up to the stadium and on to the track. The gate was open so we stepped onto the track to do the last reverse lap back to the race starting line and my calves both decided to cramp on me. I had to walk most of the lap and then we ran the last 100yds to the "finish". I had done it. Fulfilled another dream and completed my "Double" Grandfather Mountain. They handed me my Coke and I walked over to a bench in the shade and sat, too tired to drink it and when I finally took a small sip I was hit with a wave of nausea and spent the next couple of minutes throwing up everything I had put in my stomach over the past hour. first time I have ever done that in an ultra. Ok that wasn't fun but I immediately felt better.

Total time for the run was 11:33. It consisted of 8,000 feet of elevation gain and 5,000 ft of elevation loss. and as I said just because it has a net elevation loss of 900ft running back down to Boone , it is not an easy course. There are still many miles of climbing, some long climbs and some steep ones.

I did make this a little harder than I should have by running the first half, or the actual marathon as a normal marathon and then try to run back, especially considering how tough the race is anyway. It would have been much smarter to approach it for what it was, a tough 50 mile + ultramarathon and spent a lot more time walking the early climbs saving energy. But with that said I'm glad I did it the way I did even though it made it much more difficult. Otherwise I wouldn't have made the 5 hour cut-off for an official race finishers medal and even more importantly I would not have been able to share the marathon with The Marathon Princess.

Thanks so much to Karla for running yet another marathon with me and Lisa helping to crew with Karla making for a very long day after running their races. Lisa had a great run in 4:16 knocking about 30 minutes off her time last year and taking 3rd in her age-group against a tough field of women runners. And a special thanks to Jenn for making the trip, waiting around all morning for me to run the race and then keeping me moving down the mountain. Having these three ladies made it even more special than ever. And Thanks to all of the many friends, runners and non- runners for your support and encouragement.

Some photos

A "Special" Grandfather Mountain Marathon?

So what's "special" this year? Well, every year at this race is a little special. I love going to the mountains any chance I get and Grandfather Mountain is probably my favorite. Very beautiful with it's unique profile and so rocky and rugged up top. I have vague memories of my first trip there at age 5 or 6 with my family to see the Highland Games.
Of course the thing I remember the most was a little girl about my age that was one of the Scottish dancers and I thought she was the prettiest girl I had ever seen and she had my complete attention all day. Some things never change.

I heard about the marathon soon after I began running 33 years ago but it wasn't until 2003 that I finally made my first trip to run the race. The first two times I ran were special. I ran in the 4:30's and cramped up in the last few miles. Then in 2006 when I was in my best shape ever I went for a sub-4 only to find the course had a detour that year and was long. I passed mile 26 in 3:56 but had another 6tenths to the finish. I was able to run the first 11 miles with The Trail Angel before coming to my senses and backing off the pace.

I 2008 I returned, not in my best shape and was only hoping to finish without injuring myself anymore. At mile 5 I came across The Trail Angel walking due to some breathing problems so I stayed with her the rest of the way. And then last year I had the pleasure of running with The Marathon Princess and Mountain girl in their first trip up the mountain. So as you can see all 5 of my previous runs have been special but this year will be EXTRA Special.

Ever since that 1st run I have wondered what it would be like to run the course in reverse and of course being an ultra runner, naturally I thought it would be cool to do both. So, as I was running last year I made up my mind that I would plan to do just that in 2010 if everything was going well with my training and health. So yes, this year I am doing the Grandfather Mountain Double Marathon.

The plan is to run once again with Karla and Lisa for as long as I can but if I feel I need to slow down to save energy I'll let them go. Then when I reach the finish line I will reverse direction on the track and began my trip back to Boone. And this is where it gets even more special. My dear friend Jenn, The Ultra Angel is going to be waiting for me at the top and run with me on the return trip. How cool is that? And of course The Trail Angel will be running the race too so I'll have most of my "harem" as Laura refers to my Angels and Princesses in attendance. Woohoo. It's going to be FUN !!!

Oh yeah, and just for the special occasion I will be wearing the family tartan. I have a new Anderson Clan kilt and the ladies will be running in kilts too.

Mid Year 2010. how's it going ?

Looking back I must say that 2010 has gotten off to a great start and certainly better than the past couple of years. Overall the training has been going well. My mileage goal for the year is 2400 miles and I'm only 10 miles off that pace mid-year. I've been very consistent with the workouts which is always a good thing. Karla and I have only missed a couple of our key workouts all year meeting at the track in blazing heat and freezing cold, wind and rain but it has paid off. We switched to hill repeats in May to build strength for the hills of Boogie and the upcoming Grandfather Mountain Marathon. We've been joined by Lisa on most of our weekend long runs and we three try to meet every Thursday for a mid-week 10 miler in Umstead.

I began the year with the 5k Resolution Run and had a very good effort on a hilly course. A week later in frigid conditions I set a new PR at The Salem Lakeshore Frosty 50K. This was especially satisfying in that I have run this race 6 times since 2003 and was still able to improve at 54 years of age. It was a great trip with the ladies Karla , Lisa and Jenn. What a lovely bunch of traveling partners I have. Yes,it's good to be the Ultraman.

February was a flop with the Myrtle Beach Marathon being canceled but the ladies and I still got in a great half-marathon workout on Ocean Blvd and Lida even set an unofficial pr for the distance.

March brought us to the Tobacco Road Marathon. Under nearly ideal weather and racing conditions I was able to run my second fastest marathon and achieve my goal of racing my way back to a Boston qualifier in 3:45:00. Karla and Lisa also qualified so we have already booked our rooms for a special weekend in Boston next year.

In April I ran with Karla in the Tarheel 10 miler where she got a pr and I had fun and got in a great workout. Then two weeks later we traveled to Asheboro for another 5k. I had a great run on another perfect weather morning running my fastest at the distance in nearly 5 years while winning age-group. Karla won first masters lady and Frank also claimed an age-group award.

May found us traveling to the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati with my buddy Jerry along for the fun. I had a bit of a disappointing race on a rainy morning but still enjoyed the weekend. Jerry had a bit of a revival after not training very much for awhile. Karla's race was a bit slow too while Frank ran his usual time in the half-marathon. A week later when I normally would still be in recovery mode, I raced the Garner 5k and amazed myself dropping my 5k time for the year down to 21:33 finishing 2nd in my age-group.

June has turned out to be one of the hottest early summers I can remember but we've still been getting out there and getting the training done. I ran a slow hot miserable 5k at Archers Lodge and then a week later headed down to Ellerbe for the Boogie 50 miler.

Looking ahead, I have the Grandfather Mountain Marathon next weekend on July 10th. It will be my 6th time running and this year should be special. More on that later. I don't expect to do any racing in August but will be training hard for an attempt at a fast marathon in Allentown PA on Sept 11th.

In October I will be racing for yet another 50K pr attempt at the New River 50k in Virginia. Annette Bednosky is the Race Director and I look forward to finally being able to run her race. I had to miss the first two editions.

I've decided just in the past couple of weeks that I will return once again to the OBX Marathon in November and hope for cool temps and a chance to race hard and make up for last years very slow painful death march. Then if I can work it out I would like to take a trip out to Nevada and run the Valley of Fire Marathon with Margo. No plans for December so we'll just see how things are going then. Mainly I'll be focusing my training then on a marathon pr attempt at Boston 2011.

Where's Ultraman? Boogie 2010

As I entered the main aid station at the church, 30 miles into the race, the ladies volunteering asked me how I was feeling and what did I need. I replied that I needed a good reason to keep running because right now I was not feeling very motivated . So Susan Dummar says, Where is Ultraman Joey? What are we going to call you now? I said I guess TRFKAU or The Runner Formerly Known As Ultraman.

Little did Susan know but that is exactly what I had been asking myself as I slowly dragged myself up 1.4 mile Bethel Church Hill for the 3rd time in the still, muggy, hot hours just after midnight. Things were not going as I had hoped and planned and now I was just slow, hot and tired and wishing I could just stop running , cool off ,have a cold drink and eat. I was looking for a good reason not to quit.

But then why was I here anyway? It has been over two years since the last time I have run over 50K. The last two 100 milers and a 24 hour run had all ended in DNF's and I was physically and mentally burned out on the sport and a long break was needed. During that break I achieved what I had wanted. I am now injury free, I've qualified for Boston, I've finished an Ironman and this January I ran a 50K Pr. And I was ready to once again be Ultraman Joey. Or was I? I'm hoping to go run 100 out West next summer, probably at Tahoe Rim with Jenn. What if I can't even finish another 50 miler? I drop out now and just go ahead and tell her to forget it? That I'm done with Ultra's?

As I slowly trudged up the hill, I kept asking myself why I should keep going. I certainly have nothing to prove to anyone but then it's never been for anyone but myself anyway. And that was the answer. I would go on because I am Ultraman Joey and I wanted to finish this thing for me. So, even before kidding around with Susan and Tammy and Ms. Wright at the aid station I was already committed to going on.

Susan told me to eat something while I sat to take a short break. I grabbed a cookie and she told me I needed to eat something more substantial next time through.( I found out later Jenn had told her to make me eat.) I am so lucky to have my wonderful Angels and Princesses to look out for me and encourage me.

So after a few minutes I stood up and headed out into the dark for lap 4. This would be the slowest and loneliest lap of the night. I ran the whole evening with out a light and it was very dark and remote most of the evening but that is the way I like to Boogie. It was a little strange but I actually felt better running than when I was taking walk breaks. I made it over to the dog pen aid station and sat for a few minutes kidding around with the helpers over there. It seemed like forever before I finally made it back around to the main aid station at mile 40.

I grabbed some baked potato and sat to try and eat it but as soon as I put it in my mouth I got a gag reflex so I spit it into the trash and said I guess I want be eating anything this last lap. I was able to take a gel with no problem though so I was still able to get in some calories. Just as I was about to leave, Laura The Trail Angel came in finishing first woman and 4th place overall. I went over and gave her a congratulatory hug and then headed out for my last lap.

And strangely enough I began to feel a little better on the last lap. I still took a short break at the dog pen again but then when I passed the church at mile 46 I just kept running on down the hill for the last time. As I made the last turn and started up the hill it began to get light as dawn was beginning to break. And finally it was over. there at the finish was one of the things that make this sport and especially this race so great. There greet me at the finish and checking to see if I needed anything were the race winner Jonathon Savage and Laura the womens winner along with Mike Walsh who had shared the ride down with me.

So how was it? Hot, humid, long and hard. But I found Ultraman Joey and I'm happy to report that he is alive and doing very well.

Bethel Hill Moonlight Boogie 50 miler

Moonlight Boogie V2 0001

No doubt about it , I was born to Boogie

What is it that causes us to want to return to the Boogie? On one hand it is a beautiful setting. A low-key event with many friends with a great race director and wonderful volunteers. There is something magical about running on those sparsely populated roads into the wee hours of the morning with the lightning bugs and sounds of the night.

On the other hand it is usually very hot and muggy on pavement and the other biting bugs of a southern summer evening.

Well, I can't explain why but I'm looking forward to returning to test myself on this course with it's unique challenge. And a test it will be with realy high temps for this years race. The predicted high for today in Ellerbe is 97F. At least after the first lap we'll have shade and cooler temperatures but still hot and humid. The last time I ran here was in 2008 with very disappointing results. I had been struggling with my hip and hamstring pain and dropped out after just 10 miles. The pain had gotten so bad I couldn't run up the hill the first time and was nearly in tears from the pain. It was then that I began steps to began my rehabilitation.

It has now been over 2 years that I have run over 50k so it will be interesting as I attempt to move into the long ultra world again. Although I have not been doing any ultra-specific training, my running has been going very well. I have focused mainly on marathon training and most of my ultra pr's were set after similar training in 2005 and 2006.

My plan has been to try for a 50 mile pr. Of course I was hoping for a bit milder weather so I may have to back off on what I was planning to aim for but with luck I may sill have a chance. Most of my 50 mile races have been on tough single track or mountain runs and my 50 mile pr is actually the 50 mile split on my way to my 100 mile pr at Rocky Raccoon in Feb. 2007.

For those of you new to the blog here is a video I made for the boogie.

Andrew (AJ) Johnson Memorial 5K

Everybody knows the best way to train for a 50 miler is to race a 5k the week before. Right? Well, maybe not but for some reason I had the urge to try another 5k. Since last June and my focus on marathon training I have improved my 5 k time every race going from 23:26 last June to 21:33 last month which was my fastest since Oct 2005. This is without doing any training for racing 5k's so I am happy to see the speed improvements. Now I'm curious to see how much faster I can get at the shorter distances as a GrandMaster but that will have to wait. But for now I was hoping to see if I could possibly get close to that 2005 time.

Well I should have known better than try on a hot humid weekend like we had today. With the late 9am start, the sun bearing down on a cloudless muggy morning there would be no fast times for anyone. I chose this race because its a short drive from home, has a relatively flat course and it is for a good cause. It is a memorial for Andrew Johnson , a firefighter that was killed and the proceeds go to several relief groups for Fallen Firefighters.

I arrived early and walked from the remote parking area to the Archers Lodge VFD where the race would be held. It was already in the 80's and I was sweating just walking to the registration area. Not a good sign. I did a 1.25 mile warm -up and wasn't feeling too zippy then did a few strides and then lined up with 113 others.

I was surprised to pass the half mile in 3:19 because I didn't feel that fast. I had heard it wasn't a certified course so i was wearing my garmin and the half was dead on. Got to the 1 mile and was already slowing down to 6:57. As I approached the turn I saw Raleigh friends David Meeker and Kimberlie Fowler running in a lead pack of four with two teenagers. Gave them a cheer and pressed on.

Passed mile two which was also exactly 2 on my garmin in 14:16, a 7:19 mile and way off my hoped for pace. The last mile was pretty much painful suffering as I tried to maintain as fast a pace as possible. I was able to at least get under 23 with a 22:47 final time, so it was still about 45 seconds faster than last June and I was able to grab 2nd in the 50-59 age-group. Final Garmin measurement was 3.07 so it is probably very close to being a true 5K.

In fact everyone I knew at the race won something. David was just out kicked by one of the kids and was 2nd overall. Kimberlie was 3rd overall and first female. Crystal Moore won her age-group, Val Price won the 60 to dead age-group and a young man that is a new runner and just joined the NCRC, Jordan Duvall was 3rd in the 20-29 group. Interestingly, he runs in the Vibram 5 fingers and has never run in regular running shoes before.

So anyway, despite the suffering in the heat, the pain was short-lived, I had fun and got in a good run.

Here is a link to the race.

and here are the results.

No pictures form this one but they will have a lot on the website I'm sure.

On to the next one.

The rest of the Ohio Trip- Serpent Mound

One of my favorite things to do when I travel to a race is to get out and explore the surrounding area. My interest is usually oriented more towards the natural and scenic areas and I also have an interest in the historical sites. Although I do occasionally enjoy some of the modern attractions I especially like to get a feel for an area and try to imagine what it was like long before my arrival. Exploring questions about why a town or city ended up where it is, looking at the old architecture, what drew people to the area. Of course with Cincinnati , the Ohio River was the main influence for it's development.

So on the Monday morning after the race with Jerry already back in Raleigh and the Werners back in Dayton, I set out by myself to check out the area. My first destination was to Serpent Mound Historical Park which is located about 60 miles east of Cincinnati. This is an archeological site,that was built about 1,000 years ago by the best estimate of the scientist that have studied the area. I have known about the existence of the park for many years and always wanted to visit if I got the chance. The drive over was pleasant with little traffic as the region is very rural once you leave the city of Cincinnati. It is mostly flat with the occasional rolling hill, green with pastures and farm and woodlands that could easily pass for the eastern peidmont area of NC.

Upon my arrival at the park I started over to the small museum but as seems to be normal with my luck it was closed for renovations but most of the information about the site is on the signs around the area. It is a beautiful area with the mound winding around a parcel of land on a small hill with cliffs on two sides overlooking the Ohio Brush Creek Valley. The mound itself is quite large and is nearly 1/4 mile in length from head to tail. They have an observation tower that you can climb up to get a look over the whole site. At the end past the head there is an overlook with great views of the surrounding countryside.

After checking out the mound I hiked down a trail that leads to the base of the cliffs and passes underneath the overlook. There is a small creek at the bottom that flows into the larger Ohio Brush Creek that was very pretty and there were numerous wild flowers in bloom and a small waterfall across the creek. Due to heavy rains over the weekend the creeks were high and the trail was flooded after a short distance so I hiked back up to the mound. Just past the serpents tail , the trail goes down the other side so I decided to see if I could get a better look from the bottom on that side.

The first thing I saw as I started down was a green snake lying across the trail. I got a few pictures and wondered if his ancestors were the model for the mound. Further down the trail you can see small caves in the cliffs and just before reaching the flooded portion of the trail I could see up to the overlook.

After hiking back up to the top I walked around to explore the rest of the grounds. There is one effigy mound in the park but there are many more in the surrounding area on private land. The park keeps a meadow maintained for wildlife and I saw another large brown snake sunning himself. He didn't seem to mind me taking his picture or walking around him and he hadn't moved as I continued on. The Buckeye trail passes through the park on it's long 1400+ mile journey around the entire state of Ohio. Anyone up for a real long run?

After leaving the park I headed South for about 30 miles until I came to the Ohio river at Aberdeen Ohio, with Maysville Kentucky on the other side. The river was swollen from all the rains and an amazing amount of debris was washing downstream. I took Highway 52 West from here back in the direction of Cincinnati. This is the same Hwy 52 that passes through NC from the Virginia border , into Winston-Salem and on South.

Lots of nice sights and views as the Hwy meanders along side the mighty Ohio River. I stopped along the way at another historical park, the site of a village that was built for the families and workers of one of the many locks that were on the river from Pennsylvania to the Mississippi. This one was called Chilo #34. Several of the original buildings remain including the power house which is now a museum and of course it is closed on Mondays. The locks here were replaced when a newer and more modern dam was located about a mile downstream and the area where the locks and the promenade were located is now under 30 feet of water.(A few more feet on this day with the flooding).

My next stop was the birthplace of U.S. Grant in Point Pleasant. And of course it is closed on Monday and Tuesdays. It is a very small white wooden home with an interesting story to it. You can read it on a placard that I photographed. They have a small park along the river here and although I was a bit tired and sore from the marathon I wanted to get in a little run and this looked like a good place to do it. Most of the area you are either running flat parallel to the river or if you head away from the river you have to do a lot of climbing up the bluffs. I was hoping to avoid the hills so with Big Indian Creek flowing into the Ohio here I thought maybe I would run on the road beside the creek.

It was about 82F but no humidity and as I hoped the road was a very gradual climb with some flat and a little downhill. I felt ok and was glad I chose this route to run. Not far along a small creek passed under the road several times and it was one of the prettiest I have ever seen. It is called Col Colzater Run and is named after one of the first trappers/explorers that settled in the region. The creek flows in little falls over the shelf of layers of sedimentary rock until it flows into the larger Big Indian Creek a mile before ending in the Ohio River. After my run I drove back up the road to get a few pictures before heading back to Cincinatti and a good nights rest.

Here is a link to all the photos I took on this day.

Catch Me If You Can 5k, Garner NC 5-9-2010

I really hadn't planned to run this race this year mainly because I didn't think it would be too smart to race a 5k just a week after the Flying Pig Marathon. However, after a couple of easy running days and a day off for a massage, my legs have actually felt very good this week so I began to consider maybe going anyway. Other than feeling good I actually had a couple of other good reasons to go. Number one is that the race is held 2 miles from where I grew up and Mom and Dad still live in the same house so it is convenient for me to come race, and then go to church with them for Mother's Day. And two, I get a free entry since I work part-time for the sponsor giving out the awards cards, The Athlete's Foot -Cameron Village.

The race is three years old now and I have run each year. The race has been lucky to have nice weather each year. Just yesterday we had a very warm muggy morning but today was in the mid-50's and lower humidity, perfect conditions for racing.

I arrived in plenty of time to get in my usual warm-up routine so I was very relaxed. I have had several of my usual running friends here each year but none of them showed up this time around for various reasons. I did get a pleasant surprise when I saw that Susan Karnatz was running. She has been mostly out of the sport the past 2.5 years due to having two fine sons with husband Tom but she has been training and getting back into shape. Also Gavin Coombs one of the very fast young men I work with at TAF and winner of the Tobacco Road Marathon was there to go for a fast time in the 10k.

About 166 of us lined up for the start of the 5k and since there weren't too many fast looking runners I lined up right near the front. Once we started Sue,took off like a rocket. I felt I was going fast enough so I let her go and stuck to my plan. I couldn't believe how good I was feeling in the early going. It is flat and slightly downhill so you can really get a good start. I never saw a sign or mark when I got to the area I thought should be the one mile mark, and when I checked my watch I saw nothing that looked right and I thought I must have pushed the wrong button at the start. Oh well , I would just have to run by feel but I doubt it would have made a difference. I run by feel anyway but like to have some feedback on my pace. I had passed Sue just before this and she wished me luck.

Just after the one mile mark the course climbs a little hill and the next mile is gently rolling. About halfway , I looked down at my watch and then I realized I just had it on the wrong screen and it was actually working. My overall pace there was about 6:57 and I still felt great. Mile 2 is at the top of a little hill and at that point I was at 14:00 so I had slowed down just a little over the hill. The last mile is mostly flat with a couple of small rises which slowed me just a little but as soon as I hit the top I was pushing hard again.

I passed several people in that last mile and was able to go strong to the end and held off a late challenge from a 32 year old guy, unlike getting out kicked two weeks ago in Asheboro. When I saw my time of 21:33 I was very happy to see more improvement over the past year. This was the 2nd fastest time I have run a 5k since the 1980's and the fastest since Oct. of 2005 when I ran 21:12 in the Selma Railroad Run. Despite coming in 10th overall and running this fast, I was 2nd in my age-group. That's OK though, I'll take the time and be very happy with it.

Sue was the overall womens winner and Gavin was the overall men's champion in a smoking time of 30:16.

So what's next? Well the plan is to hit the hills and get ready for the Boogie 50 miler next month. Strange to go from 5k to 50 miler? Well, it seems that most of best ultra times have come during marathon training and when I was running well at the shorter distances so we'll see. And maybe, I could jump into another 5k between now and then if the urge strikes me.

Here is a link to the race results

Gettin' Jiggy with the Piggy

The big question on everyone's mind was how bad was the weather going to get? Rain was a given, but hopefully no thunderstorms and high winds to go along with it. The band of storms that had caused flooding and havoc in Tennessee looked like it might be heading our way.

We awoke about 4 am Sunday morning to a steady rain and about 62 degrees so being in no hurry to stand in it too long Karla , Frank, Jerry and I lingered a bit longer in the Millenium Hotel lobby before walking the 6/10ths of a mile to the start at Paul Brown Stadium on the riverfront. I had a disposable poncho just for the occasion and it was great to keep me warm as we finally headed down to find our places at the starting line. I had made the decision to race it after looking over the course so I wished my friends luck and made my way close to the front near the 3:20 pace group. I had no intention of running that fast but it seemed folks were reluctant to fill in the space and I didn't want to get trapped behind a lot of slower runners with a crowd of 18,000 in both races.

There was some lightning in the area but the race was in direct contact with the weather service and with assurances that the severe weather would stay well to the south of the city, the race began on time. Despite the large crowd, I was able to run without any problems early other than dodging a few idiots that were walking who had lined up at the front and one woman trying to avoid getting her feet wet ( in the pouring rain !) nearly bumped me off the course. My plan was to take it easy until things thinned out a little bit and soon enough I was stepping onto the bridge heading over to Kentucky and the one mile mark which I hit in 9:30. Not too bad with the congestion so far and now I was able to run at my on pace.

I guess I picked it up too much and passed mile 2 in 7:55 so I quickly backed off the pace and settled into a relaxed but steady run. Our visit into Kentucky was a short one and we hit the 3 mile point as we began climbing up the bridge back to Ohio. It was here that a runner from Raleigh named Jim came up and began talking to me. He was a lot younger and a bit faster but like me was planning to wait until we got over the HILL before pushing the pace so we stayed together for most of the next 8 miles.

By now I was settled into pace and was enjoying the sights around me and the large cheering crowds in town that had come out and braved the rain . By now the rain had slacked off quite a bit and would just be an off and on light rain for most of the remainder of the day. Actually the rain felt good and helped to keep the temperature down and allow for a faster pace than if the sun had come out.

A quick mile through downtown on 7th street and everything was going along perfectly. Now with the HILL looming just ahead I should get a real test of how the day was going. My plan was to just take it easy going up and pretend I was just on a training run in Umstead. Jim and I were taking about just that as he trains out there regularly too. The real climbing begins just at the 6 mile mark and my time was just :33 seconds off of my goal pace for a sub 3:45 for the day. The good thing about the climb is it is never very steep and every half mile or so it levels out a little bit and there are even a couple of very short downhills to break it up a little.

At mile 7 I felt fine and was satisfied with the time and at 9:27, the slowest mile since mile one. I high fived Elvis there at the Krohnn Observatory and then crested the first part of the hill and entered into the little park and overlook of the Ohio River below. This was one of the breaks and I felt great. The worst of the climb was already behind but it would still be an uphill for about 2 more miles. Mile 8 was 6:55 and although I forgot to hit a split at 9, my average for 9 and 10 was 8:30, so I was right back to goal pace now as we began running mostly downhill.

I was still holding back some even with the downhill and was planning to wait until halfway to pick it up some and see just how fast I could go. This course seems to be ready made for running a negative split and that's what I was intending to do. Then just before the 11 mile mark there is a slight incline and then the course makes a sharp left turn up a steep hill but it is only about half a block long. But that's when I knew something was wrong. Jim begin to pull away and I felt I had no strength to run up the little hill. Very strange. I had been drinking plenty and was well hydrated, the weather was cool and I had already had a couple of gels so where was my energy suddenly?

The next few miles are predominately downhill but the best I could do was about 8:50 pace. No matter how I tried to pick it up. I had no zip in the legs. I can usually run this fast or faster on my training runs at home and here I was just nearing the halfway point and I couldn''t run goal pace going down a hill !!!!

The half-marathon point is on a sweet gradual downhill and I passed it in 1:53:11, Just 41 seconds slow but I was already slowing more instead of picking up the pace. I wasn't too worried just yet. It is still mostly flat or downhill and the energy level does return sometimes in these things for me so I just tried to relax and keep going as fast as I could comfortably run. Several more miles passed by an still I could run no faster than 8:56 -8:57. I then accepted that there would be no fast time for me today but hopefully I would be able to maintain what I was doing and hang on for at least a 3:50 or so.

And then when I knew I had nothing but downhill for a few miles after the 18 mile mark the wheels started coming off quickly. A 9:55 mile and the race was over for me. Now I was wishing I had just run with Karla for fun after all. I tried to keep my spirits up but the miles were passing so slowly now and finally at mile 21 , feeling like I was doing the Ultraman shuffle, I began to take walk breaks. Now I was running a while then walking backwards looking to see if maybe Karla was going to have a great day and catch up to me so we could run it in together. The difference between this and OBX though was that on that day I had gone out at a suicidal pace and blew up big time. Today I was just slowly deflating so at least my finishing time would be a lot faster and would be much less painful than in November.

The last several miles are back close to the riverfront and with about 3 miles to go I could see the Baseball Stadium where the race finishes. Wow, it sure looked a long ways away. I continued to look back for Karla now not caring about the time as each mile continued to be slower and slower and now even a sub 4 was beyond my reach. There is one last climb just before the finish and after one last look back and no sign of the Marathon Princess I dug in to get it over with ,picking the pace back up a little bit. The rain had come back a little heavier too and I was relieved to finally see the Finish Swine ahead.

My time was 4:06:44 and after getting my medal I waited just over the line under an overpass to wait for Karla. She finally came in at 4:22, after not having a great day but with a smile on her face.

Jerry would have a miracle race considering he had surgery last December and didn't start running again until sometime in February and was as happy as ever after a marathon. Frank had run the half but the hills slowed him down a few minutes over his normal time.

Despite the disappointing time for me, it was a great event. The have a great organization, great volunteers and everything went very smoothly. Even with the rain the city came out in large numbers to cheer us on. I doubt I return since there are just too many other things I would like to do, especially in April and May but I would recommend that everyone put this on there bucket list and do it once just for the fun of it.

Here is the race website with the results and some photos that show just how wet it was.

I didn't run with my camera for two reasons: I was planning to race so taking pictures would not be very easy and it was raining but I did take some pictures touring the course and a few others around town. Here is the link to the pics

Time to get my oink on

It's a bit odd I guess that I ended up coming to run this marathon. I usually don't travel this distance for one, usually saving my travels for ultra's with the exception of Boston. I usually don't go for urban marathons with big crowds either, preferring smaller low=key races. I know that Karla and I had talked about this one a few years ago because it looked like fun and she really liked the cute Flying Pig theme. Years went by and nothing else was ever mentioned.

Late last year as I was making our plans for trying to get our Boston qualifiers, I was going over the schedule at marathon guide.com . We had already chosen Tobacco Road as our primary choice but I was looking for a back=up just in case around this time of the year. So when I saw that the Flying Pig was around the first of May, and usually had cool weather I mentioned it to her and she was all for it.

So we signed up and here we are. Frank and Jerry are here too with Frank running the half and Jerry joining in , woefully under-trained in the full. Since we have both gotten into Boston I was debating with myself on how I wanted to run it. A part of me would love to run alongside Karla as I have done in 10 others and her first 50K. But I'm in good shape right now and focusing on the marathon so I also want to race it and see how fast I can go. I didn't make up my mind until this afternoon after Jerry and I drove over the course. It has a serious climb, from mile 6 to9 but is mostly flat or downhill on the remainder of the course. I'm going for it. No guts no glory right ? But I still wish I could run it with her. She will be deciding after she gets going whether to go for her pr. Either way it looks like we'll have a lot of fun.

Randolph County 5k Health Run

I was hoping to find a little speed and I guess I found it.

I met Frank and Karla in Cary to ride with them the rest of the way to Asheboro early Saturday morning. The trip passed quickly and we had no problem finding parking at the race site, Memorial Park. Despite having over double the normal number of entrants, packet pick-up went quickly. Karla and I then went for a warm-up mile about 30 minutes before the race start.

We were going to be really lucky with great weather for the race with the thermometer around the mid-50's and mostly overcast. It looked like they were going to have a timely start so after a few strides we lined up near the front. With 390 entrants, it didn't look like there were too many fast runners so we lined up near the front. Mark Long from the Mangum Track Club was there, the only other person we knew in the race. Mark is now in my age-group so it looked like he may be my main competition.

The course was a little hillier than I remembered but nothing too steep or really long but there was a little rise at the start. I began easily , not getting caught up in the excitement. There were a bunch of young guys in front of me but I figured they would burn out quickly and most of them did. They had the half-mile of this certified course marked and I went through it in 3:29, right where I wanted to be. Mark passed me then and I just let him go and stuck with my planned pace. If he was feeling better than me then he could have 1st place. I wasn't going to blow up early trying to race him.

As we headed down a nice hill, I was steadily passing people that had gone out too fast. Mark had moved about 20 yards ahead but as we neared the mile mark I was closing the gap. I passed the mile in 6:54 and felt great, feeling confident I could achieve my sub 22 goal unless there were some really tough hills ahead. The course made a little climb to the halfway point where they had a water stop, totally unnecessary in a cool 5k and it was here I eased by Mark. I know he has had some injury issues lately so was not in top shape. We had a nice downhill again now and I finally passed the last of the kids that had started out so quickly. At about 1.75 we hit probably the steepest hill but it isn't very long so I just eased off the effort slightly. However, this is the beginning of a gradual rise for about the next 3/4 mile. The course flattens a little then climbs a little more. Even with the nice downhill portions, I still slowed down the 2nd mile to 7:06, or 13:58 for 2 miles.

And of course like all 5 K's the last mile starts to hurt if you are racing and giving it all you have. The good thing is that the pain only last a little while. I was looking forward to getting through Downtown Asheboro knowing I had a sweet 1/4 mile downhill finish ahead. As usual I probably sounded like I was dying to anyone nearby but I was still passing a few people. I went by the 3 mile mark in 21:14, (7:16 for mile 3) so I knew I had the sub -22 in the bag as I passed a young 20-something guy. As we neared the line I could hear him trying to come back on me so I kicked it up a notch but then just before the finish he found an extra gear that doesn't exist anymore in the legs and he nipped me at the line. Sprinting is not what I had wanted to do and I paid for it with a minute of dry-heaving inn the chute but I got what I came for.

Then it was time to wait for Karla. Mark had come in about 30 seconds behind me but no Karla in sight. I finally spotted her but there would be no PR for her today. She crossed the line in 24:23, which is still a great time for her on this course. I'm pretty sure she could have done it on a flat course. I told her I was pretty sure she won her- age-group because I hadn't seen many women finish and none looked 50 but then neither does she. We waited for Frank to come in which he did in a very good time for him , especially considering how little training he has been doing and then made our way over to the park for refreshments.

Karla and I went for a 2 mile cool-down and then waited for the results and awards. As I thought, she not only won her age-group but was 1st place Masters female. I won the 50-54 age-group and Mark was 2nd. And Frank was 3rd in his. Even with 390 finishers I was amazed to come in 21st place overall. This is a very nice race and the local running club, the Randolph County Roadrunners does a great job. Here is a link to the club and race website where you can check out the results.

One really cool thing is that my time of 21:54 was exactly 1 minute faster than I ran here in 2002, the last time I was here.

Looking for a fast time in Asheboro

With marathons, ultra's and the occasionally triathlon being my focus for the past 8 years, I haven't entered very many shorter road races but every no and then I like to race one just to see how much speed the old guy can still produce. normally in April I would be looking forward to running the Promise Land 50k on this weekend or maybe the Bull Run Run 50 in April but with my focus on getting faster the past year I decided to enter more road races.

Back in 2001 and 2002 when I was mainly concentrating on tri's and a few road races for fun but with my mileage and conditioning much less than it is now, I went to Asheboro to run the Zoo Run 5k. It was a great little low-key local race and was sponsored by the NC Zoo. It made a great excuse to go run a race and then spend a nice Spring afternoon walking around the zoo. It was great to be able to take my then teenage son Jeremy along for a fun father-son outing. the race is no longer sponsored by the zoo but that doesn't mean you can't still go and see the zoo anyway. I had talked about it several times with my running partner Karla but it never worked out that we could go but this seemed to be the perfect chance. She and Frank have never been to the NC Zoo and she loves meerkats so that was all it took to make plans to make this the year.

The race, now called the Randolph County 5k Health Run is held at Memorial Park in Asheboro. It is a relatively flat course considering how hilly the Asheboro area is, at least I seem to remember it that way. And that's what I had told Karla, but looking back in the journal I seem to have noted that the 2nd mile was hillier than the first. Hmmmm, We'll find out tomorrow I guess.

Anyway I'm just looking to run as fast as possible. I hope to run under 22:00 for the first time in almost exactly 2 years. Karla will be shooting for a Pr and Frank will hope to run well and maybe get an age-group award.

Look for report soon

Here is a link to the race website

Tarheel 10 Miler

As I was making my plans for racing in 2010, this event was not in the plan. The focus was on getting ready for the Tobacco Road Marathon and then going to Cincinnati in May for the Flying Pig Marathon as a back-up in case I didn't qualify at TR. It's not that I don't like 10 milers. In fact in my younger running days it was my favorite distance. It's just that a hilly 10 mile race didn't fit the plan. But then Karla was featured on the cover of Endurance Magazine promoting the race and along with that was a comp'd entry for her. And since the proceeds were going to the Cancer Hospital she was excited about it so I decided I would enter to run with her.

We thought it would be a good chance for her to go for a 10 mile PR and the pace she needed was just slightly faster than my current marathon race pace so it would be a good workout for me as well as enjoying running with her again. We had actually run her first 10 miler together back in 2005 at the Dash for Cash in Greenville on a very flat and fast course. She ran 85:07 that day, just two months before being diagnosed with cancer. Her comeback seems to be complete now with her qualifying at Tobacco Road but it would take a great effort to PR on the hilly Chapel Hill course.

I met with her and Frank and our friend Jerry who is on the comeback trail now at 6am in Chapel Hill but Lisa was sick and wouldn't be joining us. Too bad because I know she would have run great on this course. We were very lucky to have perfect weather for running with the start in the upper 40's and only reaching a high of near 60F.

Despite our early arrival we didn't plan too well and had to line up without a warm-up but that didn't turn out to be a problem. We lined up with the 8:30 pace group and in just a few minutes the race began. The first mile was a loop with some downhill, some uphill and several sharp turns and with the crowd we were having to be careful making those turns and dodging around other slower starters but amazingly we passed that 1st mile in exactly 8:30. Wow, I'm good at pacing.

The next couple of miles went well but were a little frustrating with the narrow streets and crowds and already the leaders were coming back toward us after doing another small loop. Despite that and more little hills we were building a little cushion with `an 8:24 2nd mile and then once the crowd thinned out we ran mile 3 in 8:16. The next couple of miles were relatively flat for this town and we were cruising now. Karla was looking great(as always)and feeling fine. We hit mile 4 in 8:19 and then turned onto Franklin Street.

I was enjoying a great workout and trying to entertain The Princess with stories of my visits to CH over the years and pointing out landmarks along the route. we passed the halfway point in 41:42,with mile 5 in 8:13. At that point she said she was getting a side stitch so I told her we would back off the pace a little for her to recover since we had a nice cushion to work with. Mile 6 took us 8:39 and included a hill so we really didn't lose much time.

Mile 7 is awesome, all downhill. We took advantage to relax but not push too hard because we knew that we would soon have to be making up that elevation. Mile 7 was 8:16. Mile 8 was mainly flat with a little rise and we hit it in 8:35 just as we hit the beginning of Laurel Hill Road. This mile would be almost all uphill with a very short little break about halfway up. It is through a beautiful residential area of older homes with large wooded lots. It was cool that we were passing people and I was trying to keep Karla's mind off the pain of the hill by pointing out things along the way. I knew if we could get her to the top without losing too much time that the PR should be in the bag.

That 9th mile took 9:15 and like that the cushion was gone but she still looked strong and after letting her relax for minute once things leveled out I started to push. Normally I run beside her but now I was running ahead and looking back trying to get her to chase me. This last mile was almost all flat and downhill with only a small rise just before turning toward the football stadium and I knew we were making good time. We finally entered into the stadium but I was unsure of the time it would take to get around so I kept pushing. She responded like the Champion she is and we ran that last mile in 7:58 ! Woohoooo. Pr by 36 seconds by my watch with a time of 1:24:31.


We waited and soon Frank and Jerry came into the stadium. Frank had a great race for him and Jerry did well considering how little training he has been able to do this year after having some elective surgery.



Overall it was a fantastic day and a wonderful run with my amazing training partner. The race itself needs a few tweaks but overall they did a good job too.

Tobacco Road Marathon=Ticket to Boston

3:45. That was the magic number. My finish time? 3:45:00. How sweet is that !?!?

We're going to Boston in 2011 !!

As race day approached I had no doubt that Karla an Lisa were going to qualify but I have to admit, I knew that for me to make it I would have to have nearly everything fall in to place perfectly. Good weather, a good strategy, good hydration and a lot of luck.

Well, the weather cooperated. It was a cool and dry morning and with all but the last three miles in the shade overheating would not be a problem. The strategy was to go out easy on the rolling hills in the first three miles to the trail. Did that successfully hitting 3 miles in 25:21.

Once on the trail the plan was to use the slight up and down grade to my advantage. Most of the time the ups and down are almost imperceptible but at times it is noticeable if you are paying attention and if you are familiar with the trail you can adjust the effort accordingly. Soon after turning onto the trail I noticed a group of 5 or 6 runners that all seemed to be aiming for about the same time as me. When I would notice a slight incline I would back off the effort a little and they would pull ahead but then when the trail started going down I would slowly pick the pace back up and gradually reel them in.

The first turnaround was about the 7 mile point of the race. It was a little hectic for a few minutes with runners trying to figure out which side of the trail to run on to avoid the runners coming in the opposite direction but soon the crowd thinned out and was never a problem again. I was enjoying looking to see who I knew in the race in front and behind me but waiting to see where my ladies were at. When I spotted them they were hanging with the 4:00 pace group and looking great. Our friend Eric Nesbit was running with them at this point too.

Over the next many miles everything was going well and really quite uneventful. My strategy was till working well and my energy level was smooth. I passed the halfway point in 1:50:57, about a 1:30 minute cushion over what I need to run and I was still doing the yoyo thing with the others around me since mile 3. I got a great boost at about mile 16 when I saw The Trail Angel out cheering and taking pictures. As I passed by I was feeling great and now I just had to maintain for another 10 miles. Easier said than done but I was very confident now with everything going so well.

I was cruising along the next few miles but as I approached the turnaround at mile 19 I noticed I was feeling a bit tired but when I checked my split I was almost shocked to see that I had slowed down so much that mile. 9:08 for that one and just like that I had lost a 3rd of my cushion. This was not good. I couldn't begin to fade this fast with 7 more miles still to go. I grabbed some water and a Gu and walked around the turn barrel while I mentally prepared myself for the push to the finish. This was beginning to look like a repeat of Myrtle Beach 2006 and I knew that I needed to keep my focus. Once again I thought about Karla and how important it was to both of us to get back to Boston. I thought about my parents that I knew were watching the clock at home and praying for me. I thought about Lisa and all my friends that were out there pulling for me. And I began to run again knowing that I had to go for it whether I felt good or not.

Fortunately once I began to run I did feel good again and despite the short walk break I still ran mile 20 in 8:20. Now if I could just hold on, stay calm and relaxed and keep moving. I backed off the effort a little not wanting to push too hard now.

I saw Eric again about a mile behind me. He had left the ladies and was pushing the pace now. When I saw him at the finish he said I looked intense when I ran by. A few minutes later the ladies went by , still hanging with the pace group and looking strong. I waved to them gave them a bit of encouragement on then re-focused on my race

I was beginning to feel that my hamstrings were starting to cramp up and I knew if they did my qualifying bid was over. I was praying and asking God that if he would just let me run without cramping, I would do my part and run my heart out to make it in time. I backed off the pace slightly hoping to hold on and not lose too much more time until I could get back on the road and the mostly flat and downhill finish. I once again passed by Laura and told her it was going to be close as she cheered me on. But I was still losing time and my energy was waning. I turned onto the road with less than 3 miles to go but mile 24 was a slow and painful 9:24 and like that my cushion was gone.

It would have been so easy to give up now. I was slowing down every mile, I was tired, and I was hurting, but I was not going down without a fight. I had a mission to complete and if I was going down I was going down in flames. 2.2 miles of pure pain to look forward to but I had to go for it. So I picked up the pace one more time determined to hold it as long as I could. I know everyone I passed by in the race or spectating must have thought I was dying the way I was gasping and groaning with a look of near death on my face. Every fiber of my body was begging me to stop and walk but I knew I couldn't . I had to qualify and then be there to wait at the finish to celebrate with Karla when she would come in soon behind me. So I pushed and groaned and gasped fighting off nausea and cramping until finally when I could see the 26 mile mark ahead and checked my watch I finally knew I had done it.

What a relief to cross that line and know I had done it. And what a difference in 4 years. In 2006 I finished in tears knowing that my dear friend was facing surgery and months of chemotherapy and radiation and may not even be able to make the trip to Boston that we had trained so hard to do. This year there was only sheer joy and celebration. I quickly joined with Frank who had run the half, Jerry who was out to cheer for us and Belinda, who had also run the half to wait for Karla and Lisa.

We didn't have to wait too long before we spotted Lisa making the turn for the finish. Not only did she qualify and set a pr but also broke 4 hours with a 3:59:03, good enough for 3rd in her age-group. And not too far behind was the Marathon Princess finishing well under the qualifying time in 4:00:49, her 2nd fastest marathon. The 3:45 was also my 2nd fastest marathon.

What a great day. All three of the training team are Boston Bound.

Here is a link to my photos. Jerry used my camera, Frank took some and a couple of friends took some at points along the course.

And here is a link to some that Laura took.

Race results can be found here

Another Boston Qualifying Attempt Coming Up

Well, actually the last attempt was pretty lame. I knew going in I didn't have a realistic chance but this time I am hoping things will be different. Karla and I had made the decision it was time to get serious about getting back to Boston last year since she was finally getting back to normal and I was getting over the injuries. We began training on a regular basis and after I finished my Ironman last June it was time to focus on running.

Since June I have increased my weekly mileage considerably and tried to stay consistent. We began going to the track again in the Spring but really got focused on that in the summer. Looking back over the training log I was actually surprised how well we had done, only missing three workouts since last August and all three of those were the weeks after racing a marathon and two 50 K's. We have been meeting on Tuesdays doing a mix of interval workouts from 330's, 1k's and 2k's in the summer to mostly 800 and mile repeats over the Winter. I have seen steady improvement and it's been really fun to watch Karla reach a new level with her running.

We picked up a new running partner early last year too, Lisa "Mountain Girl" Howell who is in the picture of the three of us at Grandfather Mountain last July. She joins us on our Saturday long runs and we occasionally get together for about 10 miles on Thursdays. If I don't run on Thursday with the ladies I usually do a tempo run. I've also been doing a marathon pace workout on Mondays.

I feel good about my chances for qualifying this Sunday morning, especially since I now can run 10 minutes slower ! I need a 3:45 now. The plan is to go out conservatively and get the qualifier and worry about running faster and shooting for a marathon pr later.

The ladies are both running exceptionally well too and I expect them both to qualify easily. They both need 4:05 and they will also be running just for the time. If she is successful it will be a pr for Lisa. Karla could probably run a pr too but like me she will save that for another day.

Here is a link to the race website

Stay tuned for the results !