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.