Injury??

I would have thought if I was ever to get an injury it would be when I first started to run. Could have been because people could walk faster than I could run, but that is not the point. I have always been one to stretch, even before training runs. After my first marathon I did experience black toenails. But nothing real painful, just ugly. After the marathon I took off a week to let my body heal. I thought that was a long time. It felt that way, until now.
I can not even remember the last time I ran. I know it has been more than a week. What sucks about the whole deal, it is not a leg injury. It is the neck and arm. No I was not in a car accident. No I did not fall off my bike this time. I was not trying to do any gymnastic moves. I was just being me, but now I'm like some crippled up old man. While my age is catching up with me, I have not entered a new category. I'm still 49 but unable to move. I hope something can be done as the three races on St. Patty's Day may just be a thought.

signed up

It does not matter what it is, without commitment, it is nothing. So in order to commit I have signed up. No only for my second world major which will be held in September of this year, but the Irishman as well. I have always like to wait to sign up. It may cost a couple of dollars more, but I always tell myself, that in my job something could come up and I would be out the entire registration. What I have found is it is easy to say well I'm not signed up-I'm tired, it was a long week or night of work... and the excuses continue and I do not go. So in 2012 I've made my commitment to the races I know I want to do. Of course there will be more as summer and warmer weather approaches. But for now I signed up to the Irishman, even though last year I thought, next year I may skip this one. Well March 17 is just over 45 days away. The Irishman is a little different. You can do a five mile, a 5K or one mile race on that day, or you can do all three. Last year there was just couple of committed to all three in the same day. This year, the Webster-ewangen Team may have as many team members doing all three events as we have team members doing any one of the others. But the big thing is, is having fun and getting another shoe for the showcase in city hall. Yes, you get a green shoe on a plaque for the team with the most members. It might seem a little odd to have an Irishman award in the German show case, but that is what makes it so fun. But that plastic does make a drinking item after the win.
I did make a another commitment as well. I'm in a lottery for the ING NY City Marathon and if I get in I should be in good shape, it's four weeks after my other, but that would leave me just two to go-London and Boston.

Disapointments

A lot of people congratulated and asked me a ton of questions after the Chicago Marathon last year. When I saw the finish line and for that matter when I hit the 1/2 marathon mark, the only thing that came to me was disappointment. For the 18 weeks leading up to the Chicago Marathon I followed an aggressive training plan. I never worked that hard in high school, now I'm an old man. Cold, heat or South Dakota wind I was out there putting in the miles. It was the most I've run for any type of training. I kept telling myself of my time I wanted to do it in. I was like the little train. I know I can... and then I saw my spit at the half way point. Disappoint set in. It was heartbreaking to cross the finish line, yet I just run 26.2 miles and was in the top 1/3 of the race. Since Chicago I ran another full marathon did less training and less stress and did better and was happy. Next week you will find out on plans for 2012 and the second world major. Never give up. I know I can.

2012 resolutions

While I missed the first two weeks of my goal, I hope this week gets me back on track. In 2011 I set out to do a marathon. The first in five. The five world majors that is. Well I hit it hard. I looked up Hal Higdon's marathon training plans. While a novice, I skipped it. I'ver run a few half marathons, so it is like running two of them back to back. Twenty-six one mile runs and an 800 meter dash at the end. Hal also had some intermediate plans, but I did not even look at those. I had a grand idea, a goal. Train hard and qualify for Boston. The second of the second of the big five. Well I trained hard, and missed only two days in 18 weeks of his advanced training plan. I ran all my 20 mile runs easy and all under three hours, all but one under 2:50. I did the hills, the long runs, the pace runs. For the first 10 weeks I hit Pereboom's gym for some weight training and core workouts. It didn't matter how I felt, or how the weather was, I was out there. Remember I'm talking South Dakota weather. I thought I was prepared for the cold, wind, rain and that stuff in between. But during my 18 weeks we never really had heat. When I finished Chicago it was 80. I felt good from the start, but I'm sure the other 45,000 plus runners thought the same. I was in the C corral. I was in the top 12,000. If I stood on my toes I could see the front with a spotting scope. No it was not that bad, but when the elite runners took off they looked small. At mile five I had to make a pit stop, and stepping off the course rolled my ankle. I finished and worked through it and by mile seven I was back where I left off, behind two guys I started with. At the 10k I was doing good. At the half I thought I was doing good. I forgot to subtract off the gun time and when I crossed the line. I was depressed. No way could I make up that time. I was so down on my self, but I was here to finish and I did in 4:06 and just over 10,000 across the finish line. I missed my time by a half hour plus. Later I looked and realized what I had done. But the first major was over. now four majors left–Boston will have to wait, NY, London and Berlin. FYI-I'm in for Berlin in 2012.
I did the LasVegas marathon eight weeks later. LeAnn was doing her first half marathon and did a great job. I was going to finish. At the end I beat my time a new PR.
In 2012 I set out for some New Year's resolutions. The first was to blog each week and tell you on how my training is going. Plus I have some other goals not related to running or fitness, so for now I will not bore you with those. My goal besides Berlin is to stay in shape. Tell you the truth after Christmas and New Year's I really lost interest. Both of our kids were home for the holidays and it was more import to see them than run. Well, they are both gone and so were my excuses. I am back in running mode-sort of.
If the weather holds and the May wedding plans do not get overwhelming I will try to do a marathon between the end of April and early June. Then the training will start for Berlin. History and cobblestone streets. Until next week. Take it easy and there is still time to get back to your New Year's resolutions.

Resolutions

When I first began to exercise I had no idea I would stick to it. The biggest thing was setting a goal and trying to reach. The first was the most difficult, while sounding like the easiest. My goal after being talked into doing a 5K race was to run it without stopping. Did I mention I ailed. I did not even run parts slow, I stopped, but finished running and walking the rest of the three miles. In 2010 one resolution was to do some races I thought would be fun. Not to say I did not enjoy those I did in 2010. Most were fun, one was even painful, but I would do the Extera Triathlon if it works out. What to challenge yourself, this is the event. Another resolution was one to complete in the next two year, run a marathon. A week ago I made a commitment and part of the resolution. Run a fun race and one that is also a marathon. In October I will be heading to Chicago and participating with 40,000 others running the Chicago marathon.

wow, I forgot how to swim

I entered my second tri, an Exterra. It is still a swim, bike and run, but just a little different. It was an 1,100 meter swim, approximately 550 get out out of the water run a few yards and back in for the swim. Friday night I did a test run in the local pool. Swam 550 yards got out walked around the pool and back in and swam the remainder. I was happy. It was the best I have swam. Sunday was a totally different story. I freaked seeing the red markers which seemed to stretch forever. I got in forgot how to breath, stroke and all the other important aspects of swimming. I flipped to my back to try and rethink. I must have been rethinking what the heck am I doing. I did need some breathers, but I finished it and was upset with myself on how bad I swam. It was like the first day I hoped in the pool and the life guard thought all their skills would be tested today. On the way back to the transition area I hard to get my head into the game, because it was only the day before that I rode a mountain bike for the first time. The rain from the night before was sure to make the course a hole new challenge. It was. Even after one spill I thought took me and the bike out, we straightened out and got going again. Could I have road faster, maybe on the straight a ways, but after the spill my only goal was to finish. Back into the transition area it was on to the running shoes, but my body was wondering where do you think you are going. I was taking in a lot of fluids, but I must have been light headed, because I took off running. The only thing at this time it did not feel and probably even look like running, but maybe power walking. 4.5 miles and 3 plus hours I was done. I'm glad I did it. It was good challenge of where I'm at today in my fitness. A long way to go. Think you are fit, try an Exterra. Would I do it again, I probably would, next weekend no way. My body needs time. I will still run, bike and swim during this time, but not all three in any one day. If it was not fun, I would never consider it again, but the slipping through the mud on the bike except the one instance was wild, the trail run if I would have remembered my tunes and not totally wiped out would have been greatest type of run I think I have done. The swim we will leave it at that. It is over and now I have to get my mind to not be intimidated.

tri, tri again

I completed my first tri, while a mini, the fear of water was still there. I finished the Watertown Tri in 37th place with a time of 1:22.32. My goal was 1:30. I was pleased and learned a lot. What did I learn? What it feels like to get kicked or hit by an arm swinging. But that pain was nothing. The real pain was walking across the rocks to get into the water and then to have to do the same getting out. Getting in I was not concerned, because the clock had not started yet. Getting out the clock was ticking away. Seconds turned into what felt like minutes, and listening to my wife and daughter, that might have been the case as I tried to walk out of the water and into the transition area. My feet are tender. But all in all it was OK. If it works I will try another tri before summer ends.
If I had tougher feet, it might help in my time not only getting into the transition area, but out I had to make sure ever grain of sand was off the bottom of my feet, socks on and straight and shoes tight so they did not blister.
Walking back and forth on our gravel driveway might help, but just thinking of taking of my shoes in house makes my feet hurt.
Knowing swimming is my weakest, I've devoted more time to that than either the biking or running, so much so I was worried that I may have lost a step on my running. Not that running is my strong suit. Biking is not either.
For biking, LeAnn and I have been doing one ride in Aberdeen with a group of experienced riders. Oh and did I forget to mention they like to ride, let's say not not a Sunday ride pace. It has been good, now if the wind was always at he back it would even be better for me.
I will be keeping up my swimming, but because the pool is outdoors and once school starts, its back to on the road, adding time to already shorter days.
Will I be able to get in the mile swim, who knows, but one day the Titanic even needed to head out of dock on her maiden voyage. I just hope the same thing does not happen to me.