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Monthly Archive for: ‘December, 2011’

2011 Running Year in Review

2011 Training Stats (2010)

  • Total Distance:  1,763 Miles (1,550)
  • Total Time:  246 Hours (220)
  • Average Pace:  8:24 per mile (8:34)

2011 Race Stats (links are to race recaps / reviews)

Full Marathons Completed – 4

*Was originally registered for the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge, but had a 103 degree fever the morning of the half (flu). My fever broke, so I still ran in the full the next day (probably not smart).

Half Marathons Completed – 3

**Unofficial PR – Course was .4-miles too long in mile-2 due to misdirection. This time was calculated by using the average pace for the first 10K (official time – 6.6 miles), and then reapplying to correct distance (6.2 miles). Final 6.9 was unaffected.

Other Races

  • Apr 16, 2011 – Purity Moosic City 5K – 19:43 (PR)
  • Apr 16, 2011 – Purity Moosic City 10K – April 16, 2011 – 44:59 (PR)
  • Sep 04, 2011 – Tupelo 14.2-Miler – 1:48:06
  • Nov 04, 2011 – Ragnar Relay -TN – 196.2-Miles – 24 Hours 19 Minutes
  • Nov 24, 2011 – Boulevard Bolt (5-Miler) – 32:35

2011 Overview

2011 has been another great running year with PRs in both the full and half marathon. I came up just short in my quest to break 3:15 in the full, but I’ll keep plugging at it in 2012.

I think my improvements in 2011 came partially from making a few changes to my training routine in the middle of the year. These included:

  • Increasing my days running per week from 5 to 6, and thereby increasing mileage
  • Adding more trail running to my schedule (generally once per week)
  • Incorporating “barefoot” running (in Saucony Hattoris) into my schedule at least one day per week.

The “barefoot” running in particular has improved my running form, increased my lower leg and foot strength, and allowed me to fully transition to a lighter training / racing shoe (Saucony Kinvara) and to eliminate my need for orthotic insoles.

The other reason for my improvement is being a part of a fantastic running group and having great running friends to train with (Nathan and Paxton). The marathon workouts over the past summer put together by Dan Ashmead from our group really helped kick my fall marathon training into high gear.

By far one of the highlights of the year was competing in the 196.2-mile Ragnar Relay Tennessee with 11 other members of our running group as part of “Team Isabel.” This was one of the most awesome yet difficult things I’ve ever done. Unforgettable experience.

Well, that’s enough about 2011…Looking forward to another year of running in 2012. Happy New Year Everybody!

Former Preds’ coach gives hope to other Parkinson’s patients From WKRN News 2 in Nashville:

Former Preds’ coach gives hope to other Parkinson’s patients

From WKRN News 2 in Nashville:  This is INCREDIBLE! An absolute MUST SEE!!! Former Nashville Predators Associate Coach Brent Peterson has been undergoing a series of treatments for Parkinson’s disease known as Deep Brain Stimulation. The results in this video are jaw dropping. Worth waiting through the Ad at the beginning. Trust me.

(Source: http://www.wkrn.com/)

Marathon Maniacs #4778

Yesterday I was officially accepted into Marathon Maniacs as member number 4778. My “bronze” level qualification came from completing 3 marathons in 90 days. I wanted to be able to qualify from the first time I heard about this group, and am excited to now be a part of it.

Saucony Kinvara 3

Yesterday, Competitor.com posted preview pictures of the Saucony Kinvara 3 which is set to launch sometime in 2012. Over the past 2 years, the Saucony Kinvara has become my go-to shoe for races of all distances, speedwork, tempo runs, and some normal training runs. I was very pleased that there was very little change between the Kinvara 1 and Kinvara 2, and that nothing was altered in the sole or midsole.

Well, it looks like that is not going to be the case with the Kinvara 3. From the pictures below It appears the support structure of the upper has been extensively modified:

It is also obvious that the sole design has been altered, especially in the heel and midfoot areas. It is interesting that the rubber is now only on the outside of the heel, with EVA foam everywhere else. Looks like the forefoot is relatively similar to the previous models.

Here’s hoping that these changes are an actual improvement, and do not negatively affect the fit, weight, or ride of the earlier models.

What do you think of the new design?

2011 Rocket City Marathon (Race Review)

My thoughts on the 35th annual Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL

Rocket City Marathon
December 10, 2011
www.runrocketcity.com

My Run:  Overall, the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville was my tenth full marathon completed. I decided to run this race for three reasons: (1) The close proximity to Nashville (2) We have very dear friends that live in Huntsville (3) Recommendations from running friends who spoke very highly of the organization and the small field.

I have been very public about my “Quest for 3:15” this year, but my expectations coming into Rocket City were somewhat muted due to an inconsistent training schedule since completing the Bank of American Chicago Marathon in early October.

There are several reasons for this inconsistency in training:

  • In October and November I competed in 5 races…*Shelby Bottoms Boogie 15k – Oct 2
    *Bank of American Chicago Marathon – Oct 10
    *Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon – Oct 16
    *196-Mile Ragnar Relay – Nov 4-5
    *Boulevard Bolt 5-Miler – Nov 24
  • I missed 5 days of training from being sick, and it took another 5 days to get my energy back once I was able to run again. Due to fatigue from racing, and from getting sick, I was not able to get in a 20-mile run until 2-weeks before race day. I had originally planned on doing one 20-miler and one 22-miler before Rocket City.
  • Just as I was getting over being sick I hurt my back (re-aggravated an old injury). This did not prevent me from running, but did impact the quality of my runs for several days.

After failing to make 3:15 at Chicago because of unexpectedly hot conditions (finished with 3:22), I had put my hopes on Rocket City thinking the smaller field and cooler temps would be conducive to faster times. But…with about a week to go before the race, I was really feeling like 3:15 was not going to be a realistic goal. However, several of my running friends convinced me that I had enough of a base built up after a year of consistent training to at least give it a shot. With this in mind I made the decision just before the race that if weather conditions were favorable I was going to go for it.

On race morning it was cloudy with temps in the low 30s and a 10 to 15mph wind which made it feel rather crisp. The sun came out around mile 10 and the temps at the finish were close to 40. I would have preferred slightly warmer conditions, but this was awesome compared to Chicago. Even with the cold conditions I still went with a sleeveless shirt and shorts (with arm warmers, gloves, and a beanie), and actually felt quite comfortable for most of the race.

Read more »

The Quest for 3:15….Continues. But, I got about everything out my run I possibly could today. My finish time for the Rocket City Marathon was 3:18:44 which is a new PR by just over 3 1/2 minutes. My time was 88th overall out of approx 1100 finishers. Very pleased with the result! It was also awesome to have my family there to support me along with our dear friends Chris and Jana Miller. They were awesome!

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http://www.hulu.com/embed/OOXgq0YuTBXWf7Scv-l0Cw

“Spirit of the Marathon” – Full Length Movie – Even with ads, it is pretty cool that this awesome documentary is available in its entirety on Hulu for online viewing. If you are a runner and have never seen this, it is an absolute MUST WATCH!! If you are not a runner or marathoner, this might provide a little insight into the mindset of those of us who are. It gets to me every time I watch it.

Official Description – Spirit of the Marathon is the first film to capture the passion, drama and essence of the famed 26.2-mile Chicago Marathon. Intimate, fascinating portraits of six runners from all walks of life unfold as the film follows seasoned athletes and amateurs alike in their preparation for the big race. See why the Los Angeles Times said “Even if you’ve never run for anything but a bus, you’ll… get swept up in this movie’s inspiring journey.”

(Source: http://www.hulu.com/)