2015 Campwannarunamileormore - Race Report

Race day this year was Saturday, April 4, 2015, Holy Saturday, the third day of the Triduum, better known as the day before Easter. This was the 6th annual running of the event which started in 2010. The course has been basically the same over its six years with only the start/finish line changing from the North parking lot entrance to the South parking lot entrance of Bald Eagle Park Reserve. The weather was almost perfect, sunny and low 30’s for the start with a WNW wind of about 7 mph.

On the ride up from Cottage Grove (CG), my thoughts were more focused on the events of the rest of the day and not so much the run itself. Holy Saturday is kind-of a big deal at my house. My Mom was in town visiting from Ohio, and we were having the immediate family and some close friends over later in the afternoon to enjoy the first Easter meal, which I would have blessed at Saint Casmir’s church in St. Paul.

My son and daughter in-law live about a mile south of the start/finish line, and as I have done now for the past three years, I planned to park at their house and jog over for my warm up. Liz (my daughter in-law) was running the 15K today, she has recently gotten back into the sport, and this would be her first event of the young season.

When I arrived, the car temperature stated 32 F, and it felt chilly as I made my way into the house hoping the coffee was ready. We still had 30 minutes or so before needing to be at the starting line. I was happy for the hot coffee; as the pre-run chatter carried on and my Grand-Puppy Meryl bounded around with excitement. I talked Christopher into driving us over; the 15K started about half an hour after the half-marathon, so he could visit with Liz and keep her warm before the start of her run (that was my excuse anyway).

I wished Liz luck on her run and made my way over to the starting line where I ran into a few Tri-Fitness peeps. This is a Tri-Fitness event, so there were many familiar faces. I started training

with Tri-Fitness’s triathlon team last spring; I have made many new friends along the way. Orien was volunteering today and was driving the SAG wagon (hopefully, he would not find me on the course today), and Shelley and Theresa, two tri-mates, were also running the half today. Orien took a quick pic, I wished everyone well, and I made my way to the start line.

I plugged into my 2015 Campwannarunamileormore play list (building of the playlist, this is a very important part of the pre-race preparation, you have to have the perfect playlist, right?) and jumped around a little waiting for the starting signal. With music already filling my head, the visual queue from those around me was my indicator to start my watch and get this going.

My only real expectation for the day was for it to be a consistent effort and not blow up with three miles to go. I set a time range that should result in a strong tempo run, which I felt I should be able to maintain
for the 13.1 mile trip skirting Bald Eagle and Otter Lakes. A group of about five runners, including Shelley and me, seemed to settle in at a brisk but maintainable pace (I knew Shelley would leave me in the dust at some point). We would pass Christopher and Liz’s house at about mile one and again at mile 12 on the return trip. I knew I would not see him on the way out but thought maybe he and Meryl might be there on the way back.

At about 3.5 miles or so in, as we made our way toward I35E and the west side of the course, Shelley lit the afterburners and within a few minutes was out of sight. The group of five that I started with began to dissipate and stretch out with me towards the back of the group. The wind was more noticeable on this side of the course, but with the warmth of the bright sunshine, I was still comfortable.

At about mile 6.5, the route turns east on Cedar and then makes its way back south to the north side of Bald Eagle Lake at mile 8.5 or so, and then follows around the perimeter of the lake, now counter-

clockwise, back to the finish line. It was nice to have the wind at my back for a while, but there was pretty gusty side wind along the east side of the lake. I could feel the energy I expensed in my legs up the last short climb at mile 12 and just held on for the last ½ mile or so to the finish line. Christopher and Liz were there, as were Shelley and Joe. We congratulated each other and briefly chatted about our runs, but it did not take long for the strong wind off the lake to bring a chill to my bones. After a quick (warm) shower at Christopher’s, I made my way back to CG with thoughts of the Easter goodness I would shortly enjoy with family and friends.


I highly recommend this race whether as your first half, as an early season warm-

up, a good Boston training run (if your fast - not me), or as a potential half-marathon PR. The course is mostly flat, the race is well supported, and the weather is typically ideal if you like cooler running temperatures (like I do).

2015 Race Schedule

My last blog post was two-weeks prior to my last Ironman in Madison, Wisconsin, on 08 September 2013. It was not my best Ironman Wisconsin finish, and it was not my worst. What I remember is the thousands of volunteers and spectators that cheered and encouraged the 2336 finishers across the line. I remember watching Dan Rotert, the last official finisher, cross the line at 17:00:10 and cheering for my many friends that raced and finished that day. I also remember that this racecourse has my number, that someday I will be back, and eventually we will reach common ground and make peace.

That last post was 576 days ago, holy hana-banana, no wonder my readership has gone in the tank…I guess life has a way of doing that sometimes. It has been quite the rollercoaster ride since then, and I hope to share some of those stories with you over the coming months, but for now, I just want to get a post out there with my 2015 event schedule; this way you can plan your vacation accordingly and be there to jump, yell, and cheer this now 51-year-old, middle of the pack, endurance athlete across a few more finish lines.

04 April 2015

Half Marathon - 13.1 mile run
Bald Eagle Lake Park

White Bear Lake, MN

website: http://www.trifitnesswbl.com

The half marathon course is challenging and scenic. This has been an intimate event with good support. My son and daughter-in-law bought a home that I get to pass twice on the 13.1 mile run around Bald Eagle Lake. The ice will most likely still be on the lake, so the breeze can be bone chilling at times. I ran my best ever half-marathon here in 2011. I am not predicting a PR in 2015 but hope to have a solid training run and put together another awesome 13.1-mile play list. For the low-low price of an email with some shipping info, I will mail you the high pumpin’ CD. Additionally, my daughter-in-law is planning to run the 11K (she is training for the Twin Cities Marathon this fall, her first). Plus, the event is on Holy Saturday, so burning a few extra calories before the Easter feast is a nice bonus.

07 June 2015
Olympic Distance Triathlon
Buffalo, MN
website: http://www.tribuff.com

Buffalo Triathlon is my favorite triathlon, and I have done the event every year since 2007. Last year was the first year that I did not do the Olympic distance event. I was suffering a quad/calf/hip injury and opted for the sprint distance race. The event officially changed hands last year and is now one of three Graniteman Triathlons. They have added the Olympic distance to each of their 2015 event,s and I will be doing the entire series this year.

My daughter-in-law (Liz) grew up in Buffalo, and her parents still live there. Their home burned to the ground last January and they are in the process of rebuilding on the original property. I have always enjoyed this event weekend and look forward to it again this year. I have had some great results in Buffalo, not that I am predicting anything extraordinary for 2015. The 2011 race here was my best Olympic distance performance.

12 – 14 June 2015

C.H. Robinson MS 150 Ride 2015

Duluth to the Twin Cities

A new event for me in 2015, the bike MS ride is not a race, but a cycling weekend with great support and for a great cause. My son (Christopher) works for Cummins, and they have put together a team for the event; I am just along for the ride. I am looking forward to spending the weekend with Christopher. I am planning a little twist for the event. Instead of riding the bus up to Duluth on Friday, I plan to ride my bike up. I will ride 150+ miles on Friday from my house to Duluth and then make the return trip of an additional 150 miles on Saturday and Sunday. I am hoping for decent weather. If you are interested in supporting Team Cummins and me financially with a tax-free donation to the MS Foundation, please follow the link below:

Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=6889257&pg=personal&fr_id=24936&et=2ot863XV98HTBPvtDwh8bg&s_tafId=395811

03 - 06 July 2015
2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana

/Minneapolis, Minnesota
website: http://www.nsga.com/2015-national-senior-games.aspx

The ‘Old People Olympics’ makes it way to the Twin Cities in 2015. This is a really big deal and will include opening and closing ceremonies and everything. For me, it is all about the swimming. I qualified for the event last year and will swim the 50, 100, 200, and 500 freestyle over a three-day period, 03 July – 06 July. The swimming events will take place in the aquatic center on the U of M campus, which is a great swimming venue. I have put a lot of energy thus far into my swimming this year. I have been swimming with SEMS (South East Metro Sharks) since October this past year and have been swimming 4 to 5 times a week. I am not expecting miracles, but I am hopeful for a few new PR’s this July, which at the ripe age of 51+ will be a real accomplishment.

11 July 2015
Olympic Distance Triathlon
Clearwater, MN
website: http://granitemantri.com/index.php/event-details/graniteman-clearwater

This tri is the second of three Olympic distance triathlons for 2015 and a new event for me personally. As stated earlier, I will be doing the entire Graniteman series this year and look forward to comparing the three venues. The three events are 4 weeks apart and should give me some indication of my overall fitness. I hope to stay healthy and injury free.

26 July 2015
Half-Iron Distance Triathlon
Chisago, MN
website: http://www.dutrirun.com/page/show/845808-toughman-minnesota-july-26-2015

I volunteered at the 2014 event and spent 6+ hours directing traffic, cheering, and encouraging the athletes that participated. A friend and training partner of mine has done this event several times, and I look forward to competing with him in 2015. The event has new ownership in 2015 and has been re-branded as Toughman Minnesota, which is now part of a national triathlon series and concludes with its championship in NY on September 13, 2015. This will be the first of two half-iron distance races for me in 2015.

08 August 2015
Olympic Distance Triathlon
Big Lake, MN
website: http://granitemantri.com/index.php/event-details/graniteman-big-lake

The third and final official Olympic distance event of 2015, One Last Tri, my last triathlon of 2015 which is in September, is not an official Olympic distance race. This is a new event for me and I look forward to experiencing a new venue. Graniteman took over the Buffalo Triathlon in 2014 and did a good job, so I have high expectations of the two additional events this year.

13 September 2015
Long Course Triathlon
Stillwater, MN
website: http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/event/square-lake-triathlon-long-course-sunday

This is where it all started for me in 2006. A family friend was diagnosed with cancer, and I did this event as a fundraiser that year. I bought a bike (which I still ride and Christopher will be riding for the MS 150 and for the bike leg of the Buffalo triathlon) from not-for-profit bike shop in St. Paul for $200. It was cold, it was drizzly, it was miserable that day. I flatted on the bike at mile 30, and I shivered for hours after I was finished. I swore I would never do another…

Now ten-years later, I will be back to do this course again, and Katie, I will be thinking of you as I swim, bike, and run my way around Square Lake. I pray that you will watch over me and the other athletes as we complete the nearly 71 miles of this challenging course, and I hope you know how much we love and miss you here.

20 September 2015
International Distance Triathlon
White Bear Lake, MN
website: http://trifitnesswbl.com/as_one-last-tri

My final triathlon of 2015, which is an odd distance race that we in the triathlon world refer to as an International distance race; an 800-yard swim, a 27-mile bike, and a 10K run. I started training with Tri-Fitness in 2014 and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I have been a customer of Tri-Fitness for many years but have trained on my own for most of the past ten-years. Although I do not have an official coach, the tri-club coaches have been very helpful and encouraging (you know who you are). But even more importantly has been the comradery of the other Tri-Club members. I look forward to another year of racing, telling stories, and training with like-minded, motivational, comrades.

24 October 2015
50-Miles Trail Run

Savage, MN

website: http://surfthemurph.org/Surf.aspx

I have not officially registered for this event (registration does not open until June) but I am planning to attempt the 50-mile distance this fall. A lot can happen between now and then but forgoing an

injury or other life-changing event, I am in! 50-miles is a long way to run, hell, it is a long way to drive. However, I am hopeful that I will be healthy and able to toe the line this October. I just need to find the right costume to wear…

I hope to share some of these experiences, the trials and tribulations, some stories, and new this year some video highlights, of this 2015 endurance sport season...Are you ready for the ride?

Its Taper Time

I can't hardly believe that the race in Madison is only two weeks from today.Really, where does the time go?

The last long workout is in the books and taper officially begins on Monday with a DOR (day of rest). I'm not excited about tapering because it's kind of like being in a pitch black room, in the middle of the night, by yourself. You start to hear things and your imagination starts to play tricks on you; it can be very scary!

 

I have so many mixed emotions about this year's race. You'd think it was my first, not fourth, Ironman. It has been an up and down year filled with good, bad, and the indifferent. Sounds like any other year so far, right? I could be referring to any one of us with that statement, so what's the big deal? The year started with so many big expectations...and now that the time is near the reality of life starts to set in and those big, glorious, overreaching goals need to be harnessed in a bit and painted with the brush strokes of reality.

I know first hand that there comes a time in every endurance event when you hear that voice in your head. You know the one, the one that tells you its okay to give up now. In an Ironman you can expect to have conversations with this voice a half-dozen times or more. It's a wise voice, a voice full of conviction, logic, and persistence. It will tell you it's okay to walk now or even to just give up completely. You have to be ready for it, prepared with answers as to why you will not give in to its pleading. It's this voice that scares me the most because it knows me, it knows my weaknesses.

As most of you know, my daughter Alexandra was in a bad accident this summer. Just a little over four weeks ago, July 14th to be exact. We were on vacation in Michigan, on Mackinac Island, horseback riding. It had been a glorious day to that point. We had traversed the perimeter of the small island (9+ miles) on bicycle, had explored the island,s history with a horse drawn taxi tour, and had
sampled some of the picturesque town's food. The horseback ride was the day's last event and we were just finishing up when her horse (Lilly) bolted, a full- out sprint, down the road. My entire being screamed NO! STOP! but there was nothing I could do but watch, helplessly, in disbelief. Alexandra got Lilly stopped briefly, now 50 yards or so in front of me before she bolted again. This time she ran up onto a sidewalk and into a crowd of people. My mind was racing as I tried to get to her. The police report stated that her horse reared, throwing her to the pavement. Her skull fractured at its base on the left back side of her head. When I got to her she was face down, unresponsive, with blood seeping from her left ear. The next 10 days were a blur, from the logistical nightmare of just trying to get off the island and to a real hospital, to the endless nights in the ICU praying. Her list of injuries included the 6cm (nearly 2-1/2 inch) long skull fracture, a laceration on the back of her head, two bilateral bleeds in the frontal lobe of her brain, a subdural bleed in the left temporal lobe, a punctured left ear drum, a hemorrhage behind her left eye, brain swelling, and numerous abrasions on her shoulders, arms, and legs. We have lost one child in this life already and I could not bare losing another. Our prayers (and yours) were heard and after two plus weeks in the hospital, 10 days in Petoskey, Michigan, and another week in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Alexandra is on the road to recovery. We are very grateful her injuries were not worse and we are very hopeful for a full recovery. She's been going to outpatient Occupational, Physical, and Speech therapy about three times a week and her progress has been excellent. She still has some work ahead of her and she will miss competing during the Girls High School swim season and will have an altered school schedule but the poem below, that she wrote recently, will give you some idea where she is today.





Shattered

Sunshine rains down on me
I laugh. I smile
The breeze tickles me
Peace. Happiness
Air moves my hair across my face
Soft. Whispering
Father speaks to me quietly
Both aside me and above
Looking up I sigh
Life is-
Blackness
Eyes cracking open
Needles. Machines. Pain
Life changes
It is no longer happy
No longer peaceful
Why?
Anger. Loneliness
Frustration
Everything is different
Sound. Smell. Taste. Sight
Hatred burns
The Father whispers in my head
Hope
It's not over
Happiness. Peace
All is possible
I am different
Life was shattered
It was broken
Key word
Was
Sunshine rains down again
My eyes twinkle

And I smile

Finally

 

By Alexandra R. Burd

 

Alexandra is an amazing young lady and her courage, strength, and faith, along with a great group of supportive friends, will see her through this challenge. And I will definitely lean on her to inspire and motivate me on race day.




Mid-Year Update

Mid-Year Update

I'm really getting kind of lackadaisical with my blogging. You know what they say; the older you get the faster time seems to pass. Well, if it goes much faster I might fall off this ride :)

Since my last post back in February, eight events have come and gone. With only one other event on the schedule between now and September, wow, it really has been a crazy year.

To try to get you up to speed without melting your brain with the gory details, my racing has been average. And I'm really okay with it. To some extent I have put the blinders on and my focus remains on the triathlon in Madison on September 8th. But at the same time I have noticed that my intensity on race day has changed. Not to say that I don't put out my best effort, but I'm less willing to push to the point of failure. It seems I was more willing to do that in the past. You know, the 'Go Big or Go Home' mentality. I might be justifying a little here but I think I paid for that in the past with longer recovery times and more injuries.

My recovery rate has been phenomenal this year, and I attribute that to my change in diet and to my 'keep it under control' B and C race day efforts. Although, even as I write this, I wonder if this is my own self-justification oozing out. Let me give you a couple of examples:

Last year following the Chippewa 50K I literally could not walk until Thursday the following week.

The race was on Saturday so that was four (4) days where I could not train, seriously, I could barely walk. This year I road the Minnesota Ironman bike ride (70 Miles) the following day and additionally had a normal training week following the event. This has held true with every event this year, including Grandma's and the 50K at Afton.

Besides the quicker recoveries; another highlight this year has to be the 50K at Afton. Yes it was a ATR PR by 20+ minutes. It was not a 50K PR but it was competitive with my best 50K. This I contribute primarily to executing my plan on race day. It was probably the first time that I actually stuck with me pre-race plan on race day. It's kind of sad, but up until this race it seems I put together a plan and then race day comes and I do something completely different. It has to be an adrenaline thing with me. But; anyway, this year I had a plan and I stuck to the plan most of the day. I only swayed from the plan due to the weather (90F, I think my head was baked by then) with just about 3 miles left. And additionally I had a normal training week following (so far at least, the race was this past Saturday).

So what's up next?

The Minnetonka 5-Mile Challenge. A 5-mile swim from Excelsior Beach to Wayzata Beach across Lake Minnetonka. I'm excited about this one but a little worried as well. Each swimmer for this event has a support boat and we have signed up as a family. My daughter (Alexandra) and I are swimming and my son (Christopher) and daughter-in law (Elisabeth) are operating the support boats. My worry comes with Alexandra, not about her swimming the 5 miles but about the weeds; she is freaked by weeds, really freaked by them. So I'm worried about how this will affect her if there are a lot of weeds. This is the first time we have done the event but I've heard from others that it can be weedy, especially towards the end of the swim. So I ask that you say a little prayer and keep her in your thoughts on Saturday, July 27th, that weeds or no weeds she has fun!

2013 Race Calendar



It is the eve of the first race of the 2013 season and time to officially publish the 2013 Race Calendar. There are still a couple of open dates and some built-in flexibility to allow for adjustments if needed.

The year will completely revolve around the race in Madison on Sunday, September 08, 2013. The first half of the year will focus on running with a bit of multi-sport thrown in for flavor. The calendar in the later part of the season leading up to 'The Race' is intentionally open with a plan to do some high-intensity self supported efforts in late July and throughout the month of August. I hope to rope a few of my like-minded multi-sport enthusiasts in to join me in these self-supported Swim-Bike-Run 'race-like' events (you know who you are). The primary recipe for 2013 will be layered, baked, and seasoned with one goal in mind; a strong performance in Madison. As I throw caution to the wind and break the golden rule and put all my eggs in one proverbial basket; I will tend the garden with care, eliminating the weeds, in hopes of a bountiful harvest.

Sweet Heart Run
10 Mile Run
Front Runner Events and Promotions http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Mahtomedi, MN

This is the first of five Front Runner events I will do this year. Honestly, the Black Friday deals on these events (50% off) are without a doubt the best value for multi-sport and running events in the Twin cities. Randy and his crew put on professional events, they do not always have the glitz and glamor of some of the others, but are well attended with athletes of all levels of ability. The events are well organized, challenging, and a lot of fun. With today's tough economic conditions I appreciate and am grateful for the value these events provide.

The 10-Mile run is on a variety of surfaces, road, paved trail, unpaved trail, and dirt roads. With our recent snows there will be many snow covered and icy areas but the weather forecast for tomorrow morning looks to be pleasant with temps around 25 F for the start of the race, under mostly cloudy skies.

Camp Wannarunamileormore
Half Marathon (13.1 Miles)
Tri Fitness http://trifitnesswbl.com/
Saturday, April 6, 2013
White Bear Township (Bald Eagle Lake)

Proceeds from Camp Wannarunamileormore help pay for special needs kids to attend Young Life Summer Camps.

The half marathon course is challenging and scenic. The venue is beautiful and the field is intimate and competitive. There is good support and is for a great cause. It also gives me an early season look at where my training is and is a good warm-up for the 50K trail run in a couple weeks. And as a bouns, I get to run by Christopher and Elisabth's new home at mile 3 and 10.

 

 

Chippewa 50K Trail Run

Front Runner Events and Promotions http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Ice Age Trail

New Auburn, WI

 

This year's race sets up for a very interesting weekend. A true early season Ironman test. You see the 50K trail race is being held the day before the MN Ironman 100 mile bike ride. How could I pass up this unique opportunity to test my early season conditioning.

 

The 50K trail race is very challenging on mostly single track trail. After last years race I could barely walk for three days, literally. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride http://ironmanbikeride.org/
100 Mile Bike ride
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Stillwater, MN

The ride now in its 47th year is moving to the scenic St. Croix River Valley. The ride will take place in Washington county and will be supported by the communities of Scandia, Stillwater, Afton, Lake Elmo, Marine on St. Croix, and Oak Park Height.

http://vimeo.com/vistapop/mnironman

The ride, notorious for the extreme weather that typically occurs, should provide plenty of challenge following the 50K Trail run from the day before.

Oakdale Spring Classic Duathlon
3 mile run - 14 mile bike - 2.5 mile run
Front Runner Events and Promotions http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Lake Elmo Park Reserve
Lake Elmo, MN

This early season event is a great kick-off to the multi-sport year. It's a pretty and challenging course and is well attended. The race brings out some of the areas best multi-sport athletes and provides excellent competition for all ability levels.

Buffalo Triathlon http://www.tribuff.com
Olympic Distance Triathlon
1500M Swim, 40K Bike, 10K Run
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Buffalo, MN

 

This event has become my favorite Olympic Distance race and has been on my race calendar for the past six years. The host city of Buffalo does a great job of supporting the event. It is one of the largest Triathlons in the state, second only to the Life Time event, now known as Tri Minneapolis.

 

The course is challenging and the competition is strong. This is definitely an A-Race and will give me a good understanding of exactly where I'm at with my training.

 

Grandma's Marathon http://grandmasmarathon.com/site/
Marathon (26.2 Mile Road Race)
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Dulth, MN

This will be my seventh Grandma's Marathon. This race is my first love, so to speak, my first ever marathon, and will always old a very special place in my heart. I love the atmosphere and the course. I have run very well here in the past and hope this year will produce a new PR.

As always I look forward to spending time with my friend Gordy, my running mentor.

Afton Trail Run 50K http://www.aftontrailrun.com/
50K Trail Run
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Afton State Park
Afton, MN

Last year this race kicked my butt and wounded my pride. A very challenging course with such a variety of terrain, from single track, to wide open dirt roads, to well maintained wide all purpose trails. The location could not be better (7 miles from my house) and the park provides some of the best views of the St. Croix around.

Ironman Wisconsin Madison
Full Triathlon
2.4 Mile Swim, 112 Mile Bike, 26.2 Mile Run
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Madison, WI

'The Race' the one we have worked and prepared for all year. Let's hope we can get to the starting line well prepared and in the best possible health.

Officially (as far as USAT is concerned) I will be in the 50 - 54 year old age group for this race. So I plan to celebrate my first half-century of being alive with an 'all-in' leave nothing on the field approach. It will be my fourth attempt at this course which has so far beat me into submission in my last three attempts here.

I'm looking forward to finding out just how far I can push this 50 year old pile of bones. :)

Run for the Apples
5 Mile Trail Run
Front Runner Events and Promotions http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Pine Tree Apple Orchard
Dellwood, MN

One of two fun runs to close out the 2013 race season. A great venue and a run I look forward to each year.

The Great Pumpkin Chase
10K Trail Run
Front Runner Events and Promotions http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Lake Elmo Park Resrve
Lake Elmo, MN

The final planned race of 2013. A fun run on a challenging course.

 

So as the dawn of the new day approaches there is an optimistic glow surrounding the 2013 race season. I look forward to the journey, the challenges, the new highs, and the new lows. I enter the season willingly and pray;

 

Lord,
Watch over me today as I swim, Bike, and run.
This is the day and this is the time for the race.
Watch over my body.
Keep it free from injury.
Watch over my mind.
May I listen to the signals from within as I enjoy the scenes from without.
Watch over my spirit.
Watch over my competitors.
Remind us that we all are struggling equally.
Lord,
Let me win.
Not by coming in ahead of my friends, but by beating myself.
Let it be an inner win.
A battle won over me.
And may I say at the end,
I have fought a good fight.
I have finished the race.
I have kept the faith.  

Closing out 2012 - A New Begining

Well you must feel like the 'Red-Headed Step Child'. It's not that I've been ignoring you intentionally, really. I think about you almost daily, but I've just been unable to ink the pen and write to you like I should.

So in an attempt to make up, and catch up, I think I'll break this entry into a two-part post; one to recap the past few months and one to look at what is in store for 2013.

So let's rewind to September. The month started off with my son getting married. It was an amazing wedding, and Charlene and I now have a beautiful and loving daughter-in-law. We are so proud of both of them in this year of transition; new jobs, new home, the Wedding, National News Celebrities, and just recently a New Puppy (Meryl). It has truly been a year they will never forget!



Then a bit later in September;

This year I was in Madison, not as a participant, but as a volunteer and spectator. It was great fun and, I saw some amazing, gut wrenching performances by several of my friends. You guys now who you are (Amy, Dave, Jenny, Milan, Tiffany, Tina, Steve, and Wiseman). You truly do inspire. They each had their own story and journey to get to the start line and finish line as True Ironmen and IronWomen!

The most memorable of the day has got to go to Wiseman with his hair-raising just under the wire swim plus T1 time, making the cut-off by an amazing 32 secs.

I had a blast cheering and helping out. And by the way, I did manage to register for the 2013 race, but there will be more on that later...

Moving on; The 2012 Twin Cities Marathon - Race Report

This will be a very brief review, but if you would like a detailed description along with a training plan for how NOT to train for a marathon, I'd be happy to share. My longest training run between mid-July and the race was 12-miles, and that was in August. I'm not making excuses. I'm just saying that this is not how you want to approach a 26.2 mile running road race.

My travel schedule for the second half of the year was challenging and was not cohesive to good training. So, going into the race I had no real expectations other than just finishing my 3rd TCM and getting another finishers shirt. My strategy was to run 9:00 min miles for as long as I could, which ended up being exactly 17 miles. I ran into a friend just before the the 18 mile marker. Unfortunately, he was also struggling. So for the next 8+ miles, we walked, talked, and jogged our way to the finish line.
_____________________________________
One final bit of news prior to rapping up this post, and since it has been four months, I guess it's okay to publicize the following news.

I have adopted a whole foods plant based diet. I've tilted this way for many years and have experimented during lent with abstaining from meat. I have; however, never attempted to also abstain from dairy in addition to meat. Some might actually use the dreaded V word to describe my diet and lifestyle choice. I'm not quite ready for that label. It has many other connotations beyond diet that I'm uncomfortable with. I've chosen this lifestyle change for many reasons, but I was inspired by the following books in particular:

The Thrive Diet - Brendan Brazier
Finding Ultra - Rich Roll
Food Revolution - John Robbins

In addition to meat and diary, I've also chosen to greatly reduce alcohol (in four months I have consumed about 3 servings) and caffeine, which has been reduced to green tea and an occasional decaf-coffee.

These changes are the cornerstone of my 2013 training plan:

Eat Right - Sleep Right - Train Right

If nothing else, 2013 will be interesting...part-two coming soon...