We left Chicago on Friday morning and rolled into Carlton, MN around 5:30PM.  After picking up our packets, we went to Cozy Cafe for dinner.  Sitting near the entrance was a group of runners, one of which we recognized as Rob Wehner (the super RD for Glacial Trail which we ran and loved last fall), he invited us to join their group and boy were we glad we did, they were hilarious!  After dinner we walked over to watch the finish of a 5k the town holds as part of their Carlton Daze festivities.  We were drawn to a couple with a tiny yellow lab puppy and immediately made friends with Jim and his wife.  It turned out to be one of those conversations that leaves you wishing you were neighbors so you could get to know these people more (and play with their puppy, of course).  We headed into Duluth to have a look around.  Having run Grandma’s marathon several times, it was fun to revisit and show Paige around since she’d never been before.

Race day: I’ll start with saying that this race was a lot tougher than I remembered.  Paige and I ran together the whole way which was too bad for Paige because I was in a terrible mood for most of the run.  I think this was a lingering bad mood from the week but I thought a day in the woods would heal it… eventually it did but it took like 40 miles of being grouchy and, as usual, Paige was a trooper.

A Swinging Bridge At Roughly Miles 3.2 and 46.8

The temps at the start were in the low sixties but the humidity was in the mid ninety percent.  We rolled out of town and quickly picked up some very technical single track for the first 3+ miles.  It was slow going with several runners taking it very easy through this section.  Next we started on several miles of nice rolling wooded trails before hitting the dreaded “power lines”.  I didn’t remember this section being all that bad last time, selective memory apparently because it was tough.  We got through it and the rain began to fall.  At this point, I was soaked from sweat anyway and the rain felt good.  We ran like this through the turnaround, physically I was fine but my mood was still a bit dismal.  The return trip was good with a lot of running despite some long gentle uphills.  We purposefully threw in a few walking breaks but generally, we just kept plugging along.  The sun started to peek out and accented the beauty of this course, I had also forgotten how gorgeous it was.

Someone Is Having Fun

On the way back, we did a sock and shirt change at the 34 mile drop bag, it felt amazing.  The next section led us back to the power lines, the sun had heated things up a bit and the rain had turned the trail into a muddy slip and slide - this didn’t do much for my mood.  By the time we got through there, I was more than ready to be done.  We topped off our bottles at the aid station and I tried to muster some friendly banter but only got out a “thank you”.  The last ten miles got progressively better and by the last five, we were moving really well.  We danced over the rocks and roots, passing people that were feeling the effects of a long day.  As we hit the pavement on the edge of town, Paige noticed a woman in front of us and locked in.  She hit the turbo and it was all I could do to keep up with her, I loved it!  We passed her and said some friendly words of encouragement but I’m guessing she was thinking to herself, “they saved way too much for the end.”  After crossing the finish line, Andy Holak came over to congratulate us and give us our finisher mugs.  They have custom made pottery finisher mugs - a very cool tradition.  This was Andy’s first year as RD and he did a great job preserving the “look and feel” of the race.

We met up briefly with fellow CHUGs Tony, David and Jerret before showering and grabbing some post race dinner.  One thing I really love about this race is that they encourage people to stick around by serving dinner and providing showers so people can get cleaned up and hang out.  My gut instinct tells me that I will be back at this race again but the nine hour drive may keep me from making it an annual thing.

We are off for the northland.  Ten years ago, I ran my first ultra at Voyager Trail 50. At that time, I was living in Iowa City and running several marathons per year but this was a big deal.  This year, I return with a little more experience but just as much excitement.  In four weeks, Paige and I will be toeing the line at Leadville and this race will serve as our “dry” run to dial in our nutrition, shoes, etc. before the big race.  I have very fond memories of this race and the Iowa City crew that made the trip special and have no doubt that this year will be just as special as I will be running with my favorite person not to mention several CHUGs will also be running.  There may be some limited runner updates on race day on the website.

Our Job: Get This Man To The Finish Line

The packing is finished and for once, I don’t feel like I overpacked… at least not much.  We have watered our plants and we are ready to head to the airport.  We fly into Vegas and then pick up Jim before meeting up with Ed and Terry, who are driving out, then off to Furnace Creek to find Adrian.  We then have two days to get acclimated to the 100+ degree temps before the race start on Monday.  Adrian is a veteran at this race and hopes to improve on his time from last year - go Adrian!  Once he crosses the finish line, he hopes to keep going right on up to the summit of Mt. Whitney - amazing.  Our job will be to keep him hydrated, fed and moving forward, he’s given each of us a whip to use liberally - kidding, of course : )

Thoughts heading into the experience: 1) I’m glad I’m not running it, 2) I hope I can hold up okay in those temps, 3) I plan to have a lot of fun, and 4) I hope Adrian has a good race and bags that summit!

Once our duties in Death Valley are done, its off to LA for a few days of running and relaxing.  Dave is hosting us for dinner at his place on Friday and the Coyotes have graciously accepted us as their honorary guests for the weekend.  It should be a fun trip!

For those wanting to follow along with Adrian’s progress, here is the link to the main results page which has a link to the 2010 webcast: Badwater Race Results

Also, if you get inspired, Adrian is running in support of a local charity , here is a link to learn more and donate: Aggeus Foundation

A couple of months ago, I noticed that Harry Connick Jr. was coming to town.  I’ve always been a fan and so I mentioned it to Paige to gauge her interest.  We talked about it but it seemed a little expensive and we had a lot of fun things on the calendar already so we opted to pass.  Fast forward a month and a half, its my birthday and Paige, being the observant and totally sweet girl that she is, got tickets to see the show.  First of all, my birthday was the perfect night with sushi and a walk around town on a gorgeous summer evening followed by yummy birthday cake (Paige’s first ever attempt at a cake and she pulled it off like a pro).  Then last week, we celebrated our first year together by going for dinner at McCormick and Schmick’s and then to see the concert.  Dinner was delicious, we started with oysters and lobster bisque followed by surf and turf - kind of an odd mix but exactly what we were both craving.  After dinner, we made the short walk over to the Chicago Theatre just in time for the show.  Our seats were fantastic, center stage and six rows back.  No warmup band here, the curtains went up and out came Mr. Harry Connick, Jr.   At first, he seemed just a little awkward and stiff but it only took him a song to get in the grove and by the third song, he had the whole place absolutely rocking!  The band was amazing and he far exceeded my expectations (which were quite high).  He is a tremendous performer and I love love love the style of soulful music he plays.  The two hours flew by between the music, his anecdotes, and the fun interactions he was having with the crowd and before we knew it, the concert was over.  My favorite section of the concert was about two-thirds the way through and he had a guest trombone player on stage and he turns to his guest and says, “let’s show them how its done in New Orleans.”  At that point, they both put down their instruments and started free form dancing - it was borderline out of control but perfectly matching the music - hilarious and awesome.  Thank you, Paige, for the great birthday and for an amazing first year!

Short and sweet… training for Leadville has begun.  I finally feel focused, motivated, chomping at the bit to run and am actually executing “my plan.”  With just a couple of weeks under my belt, it still feels new to be pushing and following a loose schedule but at the same time it feels very familiar.  I am loving the speed and hill work and feel confident this is going to be a critical piece of the training.  I still need to add weights and, Paige would say, stretching.  So far, everything feels great - no residual soreness in the muscles, no lingering stiffness in the ankles, no hip stiffness, and my attitude is great.  I am sure as the miles stack up and the summer wears on, this will fluctuate over time but I’m enjoying it for now.

Me Finishing in 2009

Last year on this weekend, I ran my first hundred mile race - Kettle Moraine 100.  This year, Paige and I went up to crew and pace Ed (an awesome guy and fellow CHUG).  We drove up on Friday night and had a delicious dinner with my dad and Andrea.

Paige Getting Final Instructions From Ed

Saturday, I wasn’t late (like I was for my own race) and we met up with Ed to go over final race prep and strategy.  Ed has his packing and racing down to a science which made our job easy.  Our plan was to meet him at each crew accessible aid station and make sure his needs were taken care of - simple enough.  The day started out comfortable for the spectators which translates to warm for the runners but Ed was moving great!  It was fun to watch runners come through each aid station, their rituals, how they interacted with their crew, and to see how their position changed as the day progressed.  We were able to see him quite frequently and he was an easy runner to crew for - strong, knows what he needs, and smiling the whole time.  Simultaneously, we were following Leslie as she attempted her first hundred mile run.  We traveled from AS to AS with Bill and were able to see Leslie come through just after Ed making our day very enjoyable - both were running strong and having a great time despite Ed tweeking his calf early on.  The sun was warm and while the weather forecast promised rain and dropping temps, we watched on as runners soaked through their clothes under warm sunny skies.  At the 31 mile AS, we met up with Leslie’s dad and brothers, they had come to surprise her and accomplished that goal handedly.  Ed was still chugging along nicely, managing the pain in his calf and making the best of it.  We were having a blast.  As the day wore on, both runners seemed to be enjoying the experience and holding up well.  Soon, Brian, Ben and Sarah joined us.  Brian was pacing another CHUG for the last 38 miles.  Ben was running the “fun run” which started at 8PM and covered the last 38 miles of the course.  And, Sarah was pacing Leslie from mile 62 until the end.  I thoroughly enjoy each of their company and it added to the fun we were having with Bill as we traveled from stop to stop.  Eventually, the rain did come and the temps did drop but they seemed welcomed by the runners as they provided relief from the heat.  Soon the rain had turned to a downpour and then the lightning started.  Paige and I were planning to split the 38 miles of pacing but when Ed came into the Bluff Road AS, he was thinking he may not be able to continue past the 100K mark.  I got dressed and waited for him, just in case.  When he got there, the rain was starting to finally let up but he wasn’t able to carry on any further.  I trust Ed’s instinct as to what he can push through and what needs to be respected.  Congrats on a great effort Ed and the 100K personal best.  With our runner now safely back in his hotel room, our focus turned to Leslie.  The rain and dropping temps had chilled her to the bone.

Leslie And Sarah Heading Out

When she got to the 62 mile AS, she changed into dry clothes and picked up Sarah.  She was tired and muddy but in decent spirits.  As they rolled out, back on to the course, we were all moved by the strength to keep going when so many were opting to stop their race.  We followed the two of them as they made their way over the last section of the course.  Their times slowed as fatigue took hold but the forward motion was maintained.  We napped for a few minutes here and there but mostly, we watched for our runners.  Brian was pacing Mike, we watched for them too.  The wee hours of the morning are interesting, runners have waves of feeling good only to be followed by waves of wanting to end it all.  The weather was cooperating and that seemed to lift spirits some.  We had all been up for nearly a full 24 hours and the world was starting to feel a bit odd - this is when things seem to get interesting.  Runners drop from the race, others unexpectedly surge to the finish, and others walk around in a zombie-like state - it is completely different being a crew person as opposed to a runner… I love both experiences.  Leslie was in the zombie-like state but doing all she could to keep moving forward, Sarah was doing all she could to encourage Leslie to keep moving forward.  Soon, the sun came up and the two of them were moving along nicely.  We ushered them through the Hwy 12 aid station and headed off to get some breakfast.  It wasn’t long before we got “the call” - Leslie had pushed as far as she could.  With a finish rate in the low 3o percentile, neither she nor Ed were alone but they couldn’t help but feel the pang of some unfinished business.  Paige and I turned our focus to Mike and Brian who were still out on the course.  The had come through the last AS in plenty of time to finish under the cut-off and now it was just a waiting game.  After a couple of false alarms, they came around the bend and crossed the finish line with smiles on their faces.  Mike had fought the urge to quit multiple times and was now standing with a finishers kettle.  We said our good-byes and made our way to the truck.  With only cat naps for sleep, we headed toward home.  As the adrenaline wore off and sleep deprivation set in, we had to pull off the highway and sleep for a bit to take the edge off.  Finally home and showered after a wonderful weekend in the Kettle.

A couple of weeks ago, we traveled to Florida to witness the union of two dear friends.  Brian and Kelly are now officially Brelly.  The wedding was on Saturday but we decided to extend our stay a bit and soak up some warm sunny weather so we left on Thursday after work and flew to Clearwater Beach.  Brelly greeted us but it was late so after catching up a bit, we agreed to meet up for breakfast.  Friday, we had them to ourselves until late afternoon when the first batch of guests started to arrive.  We got to meet family and friends though they purposefully kept the numbers small.  Saturday was a relaxing day at the beach and then the wedding/reception.  The ceremony was on the beach facing the ocean and it was gorgeous - simple and elegant.  Some weddings are truly inspiring and this was definitely one of them.  They were both so happy, they were nearly busting at the seams.  One of the greatest things about the wedding, and the whole weekend, was that it was exactly what Brian and Kelly wanted and it fit them perfectly.  Fitting with the beach ceremony, instead of a unity candle, they each had a glass of sand and they poured them into a larger common vase.  It represented how they each came to the marriage separately but now their lives were inseparable just as the sand was now one jar of sand - it was very cool.  They had sunset pictures along the water’s edge that were amazingly beautiful.  Sunday was another relaxing day at the beach and then we did a dinner cruise with several family/friends that were still around.  The cruise took us into the bay and then out into the gulf for a stereotypically beautiful sunset and provided me with my first wild dolphin siting.  Monday we had breakfast with the remaining guests before early afternoon flights and then it was just us and Brelly.  We played wiffleball on the beach (where I couldn’t seem to connect with the ball and Paige smacked the thing like no tomorrow), caught some waves (little but fun), and then headed to dinner at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, right on the beach.  It was a gorgeous night and our last sunset didn’t disappoint.  When we returned to the hotel, Brelly asked us to help them finish off the wedding cake - considering it was the best wedding cake to ever cross our lips, we were happy to oblige.  They had an early flight in the morning so we said our goodbyes and wished the newlyweds a happy honeymoon.  Tuesday morning, we were the final guests left and spent our last day walking around town and relaxing.  Congratulations Brelly, thank you for letting us share in the ocassion!

Good Luck Kisses From Mia

Last weekend was the Ice Age Trail 50 so I left work a little early to get home and load the truck so that when Paige was off at five o’clock, we could head straight out of town.  Traffic cooperated and we made it to my dad and Andrea’s place by 7:30ish.  We had a delicious dinner and enjoyed my niece Madeline’s cuteness before heading to bed.  I slept great and popped right up when the alarm went off at 4AM.  Despite having prepped most everything the night before and having a short drive to the start, I still managed to get there just as the race was starting and thus lost about ten minutes before I even crossed the start line.  My motto, I’m gonna be out here all day anyway so what is ten minutes, right?!  Kelly and Mia were at the start so got some good luck kisses from Mia, said my goodbyes and headed out.  I felt good and was running well very quickly and soon started catching runners.  The downhills were quick and I was even running most of the uphills - fellow ultrarunners can probably hear the ominous music playing in the background and know exactly what is coming but as far as everyone else is concerned, it is a good day.

I passed Brian and would have missed him had he not grabbed my attention.  After a quick hello, I continued down my path of destruction.  I kept passing runners and was clicking off miles comfortably when I rolled into the start/finish area.  Paige was waiting with bottles ready to go - I had decided not to carry anything with me on the first 8+ mile loop.  I didn’t stick around long before beginning the second portion of the race.  I met Jason and spent the next several miles chatting about everything from running (of course) to group theory (his PHD thesis) - it was good meeting you Jason, the miles really flew by.

Almost Done, Just Seven Miles To Go

Paige was meeting up with me every few miles at the designated crew/aid stations and was typically in the company of several CHUGs.  The day was cool which wasn’t bad for runners but made spectating tough; as always, Paige was a trooper and always had a smile on her face.  I saw her at the Easterly Road Aid Station and was still feeling pretty good but by the time I left the Rice Lake Turn Around, the error of my ways was becoming evident.  I slowed down and immediately began to be passed.  I kept moving forward but it was much less comfortable than before and with the slower pace, I had to fight off the cold.  After Easterly Road on the way back is when the wheels really came off and the next 10 miles would be rough going.  No one likes having a tough day but for some reason, I was actually enjoying it.  My body felt more like I was 80 miles into the run rather than 30.  There is something very rewarding about being that in touch with your body and being so focused on the basic necessities of keeping the body moving.  It simplifies life for a moment.  This is one of the greatest gifts of running long and why I enjoy the hundred mile distance so much - here, I was getting the experience from a fifty mile race and it felt like I was cheating : )

Eventually, I did begin to feel better and the pace improved some.  Right about then, Jack, an old running buddy of mine from Iowa City caught up with me.  I met Jack through a group I ran with on Wednesday nights back when I first started running longer distances.  It didn’t take long hanging out with that group before I decided to train for a marathon and Jack was at the starting line with me for my first Grandma’s Marathon back in 1997.  We spent the next 8-10 miles together, getting caught up on all that’s happened since last we saw each other.  Great to see you Jack!

Ice Age 50 - Finish

After the turnaround at Emma Carlin, I knew I was home free with less than 10 miles to go.  I would experience a short hail storm, get to see Paige one more time, and get some alone time before finishing but soon the day would be over.  Paige, Brelly and several CHUGs were waiting at the finish line when I arrived.  The sun was shining for a brief moment and the post race party had begun.  After a change of clothes, we headed to get some food at the BBQ.  Sarah had won her age division so we hung around for the awards - congrats Sarah!

Lessons I relearned: 1) drink early and often, 2) don’t fall behind on your nutrition, 3) don’t fall behind on your electrolytes, 4) don’t start out too fast, 5) don’t run the uphills too early in the race, 6) don’t run the downhills too hard, 7) respect the distance - lots of good reminders of things I already learned at some point before.

Thanks for all the support out there Paige, it was motivating to know that I’d get to see you at the next aid station… if I could just get there.

Paige and I went to see STOMP last night and it was every bit as good as I remembered.  The show was popular years ago and I saw it on its first go around, well they brought it back and we just had to see it.  Paige has got a little wiggle in her and loves to dance and watch dancing so this show was right up her alley.  I forgot how much humor was strewn throughout the performance too.  The basis for the show is this group of rough looking individuals in a very urban setting make music from ordinary everyday objects - brooms, garbage cans, plastic bags, lighters, basketballs, paint cans, newspapers…  and through the coordination of each of them making a noise with their object, it was turned into a very catchy tune.  One of the characters was the goof of the bunch and repeatedly did hilarious things.  It was a fun night and lucky for us, the thunderstorm didn’t hit until we were inside the theatre and broke just long enough for us to walk home - perfect timing!

Finishing A Run At Kettle

Leading into the weekend, Paige and I felt like we were a bit run down and tired from a week of not getting enough sleep but that didn’t slow us down much.  Friday after work, we packed up our stuff and headed for Brelly’s house.  We hung out for a while and got to bed late (after 11PM).  Morning would come soon with the alarm going off at 4:30AM for a 5:15AM departure for Kettle Moraine.  Brian and I are running the Ice Age Trail 50 in a month and had made plans to join some CHUGs and an unofficial training group to run part of the course.  We rolled into the parking lot of the Nordic area around 7:10AM and went about getting ready to run.  It was sunny but quite cool and we were still very sleepy.  I looked up and saw Paige standing there looking defeated and when I asked her what was wrong, she replied “I am so NOT into this.”  She was tired and cold… and about as cute as girl could be.  After a little hug and some encouragement, she got dressed to run.

We headed out on the first 9+ mile loop with Ben and Sarah and warmed up nicely.  The trails in Kettle are awesome and the morning was perfect for running.  I was feeling okay but not great and had a hard time finding a groove.  Just as we were finishing up our loop, we heard someone approaching from behind, it was Ed.   We greeted him and our group grew by one (though we had lost Ben and Sarah by this point).  The end of the loop brought us back to our cars where we refilled our water bottles and made some slight clothing adjustments before heading out for the second portion of our run.  Paige turned back after another mile or so and then it was just Brian, Ed and me; we were all planning to do 25 miles or so.  We chatted as we ran and time passed quickly at first but soon, I was starting to feel less than stellar again.  Nothing was really wrong, but I felt tired and generally fatigued.   We took turns leading the way along the winding single-track, through pine tree laden woods with the aroma of the forest coming to life under the warm sun.  I absolutely love that area and those trails.  Eventually we hit Hwy 12, our turn around point, where we filled our water bottles and took a short break before heading back.  The return trip was tough mentally and physically but we still had a nice time.  When we got back to the car, Paige was waiting and was in a much better mood with the sun warming things up, a nice run in her legs and a nap taken.

We said our goodbyes to Ed and headed toward home.  We stopped at McDonald’s for some post run grub - always delicious.  By the time we got home, we had just enough time for a quick shower and power nap before heading to meet up with some CHUGs for dinner at RAM Brewery.  After dinner, we continued the evening at GameWorks.  I was completely beat but somehow managed to play 400 games of Skeeball, okay that is a slight exaggeration but it was a lot.  Paige was on fire with Skeeball and the tickets were rolling out of the machine as fast as she could tear them off.  At the end of the night, she cashed them in for candy to help ease the sweet tooth she had developed at some point during the day.  Ben and Sarah used their tickets to get a cool little parachute wearing alien which they immediately tested out by having Ben drop from the second floor overlook (it worked like a charm and brought smiles to everyone’s face).  Once we had all had our fill, we parted ways for the night.

We got back to Brelly’s and four minutes later, we were all sound asleep.  We slept in and woke up to Brian and Kelly fixing breakfast.  We could smell coffee first and then bacon - yum!   After breakfast, we played with the dogs for a while and lounged around before facing the reality that it was time to head home.  Thanks for another fun weekend Brelly!