This is a good "wall"

So I've been re-modeling our study/computer room and I wanted try a cool wall treatment. Since I've been running I've been saving my bibs after each race (I know we all do this) and I'd been wondering what to do with them.

I had an idea (I know it's not an original idea, but...)

Here is it, my runner's wall: (I figure I'll have the entire wall covered by 2012)

It had to happen eventaully...

Yep I got sick (I have not been sick since January of this year)...I started feeling crappy Sunday and it got worse, went to the doctor on Monday morning and I have an upper respiratory infection. I've been taking it easy over the past few days, barely leaving the house. Actually today is my 1st day back at work.

I'll pack my gym bag and hopefully get back into the routine of lifting, running and posting (sorry for the lack of words). I'm looking forward to the next few months. Really want to build a strong base for 2010. Currently I'm registered for a 10k in February and 1/2 marathon in March. I'm sure I'll have 8-10 race in 2010, that seems to be par for the course. My ultimate goal for next year will be the same as this year, PR in every race I run!

Should be fun and exciting (and sometimes a bit painful) but I'm ready to get back to training (I really dig the structure)...

I hope by the time Monday rolls around I'll be back to my old running, lifting, number crunching self...I plan on logging my 1,200th mile this month!

Go long and stay well...

-J

Playing in the rain...2009 Silver Comet Race Re-cap...

Yesterday was the 2009 Silver Comet 1/2 Marathon. This year was my 3rd year running the race. A few things were different, most of the changes I noticed were better. The only downside was traffic congestion/parking; but considering that Mableton (the town the race is held) usually does not see an onslaught of 2000+ folks at once...traffic and parking went smoothly enough. The finisher's shirt and medal were top notch this year (much better than year's past)

After a little traffic congestion, packet pick-up took all of 5 minutes. Once I got back to the truck Tommy had gotten there and we hung out for a few getting our bibs pinned on and chips strapped to our shoes.

Funny thing about the weather, all the forecast I read said that it was not going to rain until 1pm, so I figured that it would be relatively dry throughout the race. One odd thing though...it would get cooler as the race progressed (68 at the start 60 at the finish!!)...back to the rain.

While driving to the race it misted/sprinkled all the way there. Once I got to the race site, it was still sprinkling, but I though that if it did this through out the race that would be awesome! Tommy and I lined up at the 9:00 per mile pace marker and the entire field walked to the start line...we crossed the start line 1 min after the gun and we were off...

Tommy's goals were a little different than mine, but he said that he would hang with me for a 1/2 mile to a mile then settle into his pace. I really did not know what to expect from my race. Since Chicago I have not completed a run longer than 4 miles, but my pace was still around the 8:15-8:45 pace so I figured I might have a change at a PR. My supreme goal for the year was to PR in every race I ran...only this race stood in my way.

So for the 1st mile the weather was perfect; overcast, cool, light mist and a bit windy...perfect! Then in the 2nd mile, the bottom dropped out of the sky and it was raining cats and dogs...to be honest I really like running in a downpour, it reminds me of playing in the mud when I was a kid, getting dirty and enjoying it!! So needless to say the harder it rained the faster I seemed to go!

The Silver Comet 1/2 is run on the Silver Comet Trail, it's a rails to trail project so we're on a flat and fast course with trees on both sides of the path. The 1st 2 miles of the race are run on the streets of Mableton then we transition to the path. With 2000 runners at times it can be crowded, but on days like this the trees sheltered us from the rain...I did not mind the rain, but it was a nice relief after a few miles of rain. That's about all I can give you on a description of the course, while it is flat and fast, it is repetitive and at times a bit monotonous.

Here are my splits:
Mile
1-8:32
2-8:10
3-8:08 5k time 25:38
4-8:01
5-8:02
6-8:01 10k time 49:43
7-8:19 gel time
8-8:12
9-8:05
10-8:23
11-8:27
12-8:50
13-8:30
.1-:51

Official "chip" time 1:48:35 293rd out of 1597 runners!

I PR'ed by 4 minutes and 52 seconds!

Now it's time to take a breather, concentrate on weight loss and speed and get ready for the 1st race of 2010...The Chattahoochee Challenge

Go long...
-J

Deam on...

Sorry for the long gaps in posting, works been uber-busy this week and I have not had a chance to get back into the habit of posting since coming back from Chicago. After my race this weekend I’ll post the race results and a run-down of how things have been going…

I'll also post a pic of the Misses and I dressed up for Halloween (it's our 1st couples costume) awwww. Last year she went as Punky Brewster and I went as this guy Quite the odd couple...

Halloween 2009
Last week was my first week back running, I eased into it and logged 17 miles. This week I’ll log 28 miles giving me 103 and change for the month of October.

During my race Saturday I’ll cross the 1,100 mile mark for the year! Well above my goal of 100 miles a month this year…at this rate I’ll hit 1,300+. In the next coming months I’ll switch gears and work on speed and weight training…aiming to improve my 10k time and get all buff and stuff (that and keep off the Holiday weight)

Par for the course I had a race anxiety dream last night so I though I’d share it with you:

I’m at work and I’m about to leave for the Silver Comet ½ marathon. When my boss’ boss (the regional VP) says I can’t leave till I clean his office. On top of that, he makes his office super-messy on purpose so it will take me longer to clean. My boss pulls me aside and say “don’t worry about it, he’s getting fired and he’s just taking it out on you”…I still had to clean it, but I think I made it to the race on time. Here’s what all that may mean…

Boss
To see your boss in your dream, represents the bossy or authoritative side of your own personality. Your boss may reveal self-confidence and the assertive aspect of yourself. It is telling of your issues of control and authority. Alternatively, to see your boss in your dream may indicate your over-involvement or obsession with your work. Negatively, the boss in your dream may symbolize your limitations and lack of freedom/originality.

Late
To dream that you are late, denotes your fear of change and your ambivalence about seizing an opportunity. You may feel unready, unworthy, or unsupported in your current circumstances. Additionally, you may be overwhelmed or conflicted with decisions about your future. You feel time is running out and that you do not have time to accomplish all the things you want.

Attack/Conflict
To dream that you are being attacked by someone, signifies questions to your character and the need to defend yourself. You are feeling stressed, vulnerable and helpless. You may also be faced with difficult changes in your waking life. Dreaming of an attack provides a way for you to confront these situations that you may be avoiding in real life.

Clean
To dream that you are cleaning out a desk, suggests that you are getting rid of the burdens that has been weighing you down. You are acknowledging your new choices, decisions, and a new sense of freedom.

Fired
To dream that you are fired from your job. indicates that you are wanting to end some relationship or situation in your waking life.


So let’s see. I’m not sure if the Fired description really relates to me since it was my Regional VP who was getting fired…but let’s give the race day interpretation a try:

I’ve highlighted the words in the above descriptions that mean something to me…confidence that you are running by someone!


Go long-J

Duct tape is a runner's best friend...

At least it’s this runner’s best friend. As chronicled in a post I made in February I’ve been using duct tape as a nipple chafe deterrent. Last night I used the last two pieces of my roll. I briefly crunched the numbers and I have saved roughly $146 during that period (compared to using Nip Guards). $146 goes a long way, that almost 2 pairs of running shoes!

Speaking of…


As chronicled a couple of months ago, I got a pair of Nike Frees. I’ve loved running in them so far. To date I’ve logged 220 miles in them, including the Chicago Marathon and long runs of 19 and 20 miles. After the marathon I noticed that my right arch was sore, sometimes verging on pain. I’m happy to report that the arch is getting better; I think the worst is behind me. I think it was just a case of constant pounding for 26.2 with little or no support. Maybe I put too many miles on the Frees too soon…my bad. Maybe I should have used them for my shorter runs and kept running in a more “structured” shoe for my longer runs. I consider myself fortunate that I don’t have PF, heel or knee problems from my zealousness. I’ll keep up the R.I.C.E. and see where it gets me; I’m feeling confident that I’ll be close to 100% for the Silver Comet next Saturday.

Along with RICE, I needed to get pair of shoes that would give me support, at least a bit more than the Free’s offer, so yesterday I decided to add new pair of shoes into the rotation. I wanted shoes that (1) were light (2) gave me support (3) incredibly breathable upper…what did I get? The Nike+ Avant

The Avant is the cousin of the Nike Lunar Trainer, just a little sleeker, lighter and less expensive ($62 compared to $100). I have to say, so far so good. The ride is softer, but smooth and responsive. Offering more structure and control than the Frees, but not too much as to seem restrictive. It does seem weird to go low cushion (Free) to cushion (Avant), I like the difference and I think it’ll be good to go back and forth.

These two shoes will be a 1-2 punch for me during training. I expect no drama to unfold with them, but if they do I’ll let you know. Here’s a discussion link regarding the shoes.

back in the saddle...

I took a week of from running and working out. just a blip in the map, but something my body needed; for 18 weeks I had been focusing on running, running and more running. So last week I did some chores around the house. I seeded the yard and started re-painting out study. The seeding is done and the study, well that'll be a project in process for a few more weeks, hopefully the disarray that is our study won't get to me too much (I tend to be a bit of a neat freak).

So back to running, after the marathon my right arch was quite sore, possibly on the verge of pain; but as the week progressed it stated feeling better. I went for my first run yesterday and found that it still worked! I cranked out a 5k at an 8:30-ish pace. (my Nike+ Sportband would not sync, so it's not showing up on the app. on the left of the page) So all in all I feel better, SOME of my conditioning has eroded, but I think I'll be able to find it by the Silver Comet 1/2 on Haloween.

Since I've been running in the Nike Frees I have not had any problems until the arch pain surfaced after the marathon. I'm not blaming the pain on the shoes (maybe it was the 26.2 miles?), but I might go back to a bit more structure in my trainers. I'll give em' a shot and re-evaluate in a month or two. I'll go ahead and train and race in the Frees, but after the 1/2 I'll get a new pair of trainers and see what I can see.

After the Silver Comet I don't have another race planned until February (Chattahoochee Challenge 10k) so from 10/31 to February 6th I'm going to concentrate on weight-loss and strength training...the progress might be like watching paint dry, but I enjoy the process so it's all good...

That's all for now, I'll get a 7-8 mile long run in this weekend along with my usual complementary 3-5 mile runs during the week...

I'll be back next week with stats, cause last week's would have read like this...

Miles run: 0
Times Lifted: 0
Games of racquetball: 0
Laziness...accomplished!

2009 Chicago Marathon Race Report...

First before I get into the description of the race and how it all played out, I’d like to congratulate my friends that ran along side me for most of the race (Chad, Tommy and Skipper) we all had a great time and great times (literally and figuratively)! Chad set a PR of 4:11:05, Tommy had an awesome time of 5:16:40 for his 1^st marathon, Skipper finished with a time of 4:48:59 (not bad for a guy who’s been putting forth a lot of effort starting up his own company). I’d also like to congratulate Morgan at Caution: Redhead Running for running a great race as well.

So onto business…

5:15 came early on Sunday, but fortunately my internal clock still read 6:15, so it was not too rough. I’d been used to getting up around 5-ish anyway for most of our runs so the early start did not phase me. By the time we walked over to meet Tommy and Skipper it was a brisk 30 degrees outside with a nice wind-chill of low 20’s…perfect marathoning weather!? (maybe a tad too cold, but much better than my first marathon (87 degrees for a high at the 2007 ING Georgia). We breezed through gear check and got to the open coral with 15 minutes or so to spare, we made our way up to the 10:30 pace group, I knew I’d run faster but I thought there was no use in making our way farther up. I figured eventually I’d find my pace and I’d be able to stretch out my legs.

As I stood there waiting to get going I though about the past 4 months; actually about the past 10 months. I though about the weight I’d lost and the effort I’d made to try and run a sub 4 hour marathon, did I train enough? Am I fast enough? Did I taper correctly? Is it too cold? Did I wear the right gear? Before I could really dwell on those questions we were moving. While in motion we walked over the countless pieces of clothing shed by the front runners, quite a collection of running Couture. I kept on my log sleeve shirt, but I had a good rip up the front ready to do my best Hulk Hogan impression at a moments notice. Eventually we got going and it…was…on

Miles 1-3 saw me shed my shirt and start running with singlet, short shorts, gloves, ear warmers and hat. I wanted to hit the gas (and I felt great) there were just so many people! I ended up running inside, outside and around folks. I knew I was wasting energy, but my pace was slow and I figured I’d have plenty left in the tank when the path cleared.

Pace for the 1^st 5k

Mile 1: 10:51

Mile 2: 10:35

Mile 3: 10:13…well off where I wanted to be, but I though I’d be able to hit the gas soon enough

Pace through the ½ way point

Mile 4: 9:36

Mile 5: 9:26

Mile 6: 9:43

Mile 7: 8:48 (there we go!, that’s my pace let’s hold it there)

Mile 8: 9:05 (slower)

Mile 9: 9:32 (slower)

Mile 10: 9:18

Mile 11: 9:00

Mile 12: 9:08

Mile 13: 9:33…my half time was 2:05:48…I was thinking (OK, I feel awesome! plenty in the tank, 12 minutes slower than my 1/2 PR…Can I run a 1:55 to seal the deal?)

NOPE, but thanks for trying! Ok, buh bye!

Mile 14: 9:21

Mile 15: 9:08

Mile 16: 9:23

Mile 17: 9:30

Mile 18: 10:02

Mile 19: 9:41

Mile 20: 9:46…at this point I was JFR-ing (Just Fu**ing Run) it and wanted to finish as best I could

During the last 6 miles the wheels started to fall off (I admit I felt a bit frustrated and defeated) I averaged a pace of close to 12 minutes, not exactly what I had in mind, but I’m very proud of my new PR, 4:25:02 (24 minutes better than my previous PR)! I know next time I’ll do much better. I can say that in every race I’ve run to date I’ve learned some valuable lessons.

Lessons learned this time:

**Try and qualify for another corral if I’m going to be involved in a large race

**If I can’t qualify for a higher corral spot either sign up with a pace group or…

**Get to the ‘open” corral really early so I can start close to the front

(I actually learned all these lessons at the Peachtree Road Race, but I assumed "there's no way a marathon could be that crowded from beginning to end")...we all know about assumptions and what they do to us)

Chicago puts on a great show! The crowd support was electric and awe-inspiring. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Highlights of the race, Little Mexico, Little Italy, Chinatown and Boys-town! There were points at the race when the crowd was right on top of you and I felt like I was at the top of the Pyrenees riding in the Tour De France. Also at the Nike+ motivation zone they called out my name! It was cool to hear “here comes Jamie Crosby from Norcross Ga, let’s give it up for him!"…I also had someone recognize my Alma-mater’s logo on the singlet I was wearing (not many folks outside of Georgia know of Mercer University). I think the coolest moment was at the end of the race; I finished next to a guy with one leg that ran the entire race with crutches!! He threw them up in the air in victory and hopped across the finish line…that was one of the coolest moments I’ve ever experienced! The human condition can be so inspirational.

Ah the first 18...feels like I could run all day...

all in all we're just another brick in The Wall...

That being said, starting in the middle of the open corral and ducking and dodging for almost the entire race wore me out. Did I have a sub 4 in my legs? Probably not, but with lessons learned I hope to see a 3:XX:XX next to my name next marathon, where will it be? At a smaller race somewhere in the Southeast in 2010…more on that early next year.

Now I have to recuperate and get ready for the Silver Comet ½ Marathon on 10/31 (my 3^rd consecutive Silver Comet). One of my goals for 2009 was to PR in every race I run…to date I’ve accomplished that…1 race left in the year…1 race between me and my goal for the year. A flat, fast and small ½ marathon…my goal, sub 1:53:27

I’d like to thank every single one of you who wished me luck this past weekend, your thoughts and well wishes were greatly appreciated…

We are each an experiment of one.-Dr. George Sheehan