The past couple of weeks have really seemed like a big step up mentally, even though the reality is something less.  I’ve begun to feel the time drain that more miles entails and am still adjusting to that.  Its beginning to require many doubles as well as a big chunk of the weekend for long runs.  On top of that, doubles mean two showers a day which adds time.  And, two times of getting ready (Bodyglide, getting dressed, some stretching, etc.).  It also means, more laundry - which takes time.  The good part is that I still enjoy most of the runs and the weather has been pretty decent, even the wet days.   Paige has joined me for a few night runs which is a great way to catch up on the day, get in a few miles and wind down.  My body continues to hold up pretty well overall but that is not to say I can’t feel a difference, I’m requiring more sleep and feel more stiff, more often.

I had a great run with Jim O’brien on Wednesday last week, he really pushed me through a quick 8 miles before we had to “bust out” of the parking lot which had closed at dark and then he took me to an awesome Guatemalan restaurant.  The week was a step back week with 70 miles planned and only 62 actually achieved.  I knew the weekend was going to be packed so I planned to only run a few miles each day and ended up running even less which worked out just fine.

This week was a bit more miles and went really well.  I had several wet runs which always test me a little but after I’m wet, its not too bad, its just the surrender that is hard.  For my fartlek this week, I tried something a little different, I did 2 mile repeats which is longer than usual.  They felt okay but I don’t think I will be doing them every week though I will probably through them in once in a while.  My long run on Saturday was decent.  I was supposed to meet Gary but I got out the door later than I’d hoped and missed meeting up with him.  I headed north for a change and when I was about ten miles into my run, I tripped not once but twice in the matter of two seconds.  Both times, I caught myself on my right thumb.  When I got my bearings back, I looked at my thumb - it looked bad and was gushing blood.  As the blood dripped from my hand/water bottle, I became that much more focused.  I had anger and adrenaline pumping through my body - the miles began to fall away.  I stopped at a drinking fountain to wash it out and rinse off my hand.  I’m sure any bystander would have thought I had just hidden the murder weapon, it was pretty gruesome.  I finished the 27 miles with no real pain, just fear of what damage was done.  Part of my incentive to keep going was that I didn’t have to deal with the thumb until I got home.  As it turned out, it was ugly but not as bad as I expected.  Paige has been a trooper in helping me dress it and taking care of me while accommodating my bad mood.

Week Ending August 23 (Total - 62 Miles):

• Monday - 8 Easy (AM), 7 Easy (PM)
• Tuesday - 9 Easy (AM), 8 Easy (PM)
• Wednesday - 8 Easy (AM), 8 Tempo (PM)
• Thursday - 10 Easy
• Friday - Off
• Saturday - Off
• Sunday - 4 Easy

Week Ending August 30 (Total - 100 Miles):

• Monday - 12 Easy
• Tuesday - 12 Fartlek (4 X 2 mile)(AM), 6 Easy (PM)
• Wednesday - 10 Easy
• Thursday - 8 Easy (AM), 10 Easy (PM)
• Friday - Off
• Saturday - 27 LR (AM), 5 Easy (PM)
• Sunday - 10 Easy

After five years in Chicago, my number came up.  I got my jury summons at the beginning of August and my “day of service” was last Friday.  I had to call in on Thursday to see if I actually had to report or not, the message on the answering service was “if your last name begins with B, as in Bravo, through and including letter K, you must report as instructed.”  Seems like a perfectly reasonable way of choosing, huh?  The summons mentioned that I should bring reading material and change for the vending machine - that didn’t really leave me feeling all that optimistic.  So, I reported, as instructed, on Friday morning and oddly enough, I felt like the criminal.  They sent me through metal detectors and then directed me up to the “juror holding room.”  I was on a very full elevator and one more woman decided that our elevator had her name on it.  When she got on, the elevator made a very loud and startling squawk letting us know that we were over the weight limit (did I mention that she was a rather large woman), but she refused to get off and strangely enough, the elevator finally lost the game of chicken, the door closed and up we went.  Once in the holding room, we were very rudely instructed to turn off all cell phones/Blackberries, and have a seat.  Then a short orientation video was played which highlighted several things about the local court system - 5 million people served and 2.4 million cases filed each year (does that seem like a lot to anyone else?), discussed the roles of all the individuals in the court room, what to do if you had to go to the bathroom during the trial, and how the process worked.  One other thing the video stressed was how important the juror was, “they are the backbone of the legal system.”  Now I was feeling quite important and ready to get started.  When the video was over, they told us that throughout the day, panel numbers would be called as jurors were needed and until our number was called, just sit tight.  I made it to lunch without being called, the good thing was I got all caught up on my game shows and then soap operas.

After lunch, I was really chomping at the bit for a juicy case.  The woman next to me was sneezing up a storm and pulling Kleenex from a stack she had sitting on her leg - now I had a new reason to wish to be called.  The vending machines were in the front of the room so you could watch people make their selection, put money in the machine and then retrieve whatever goody they were seeking.  The funny thing was that several people couldn’t figure out how to use the machine, which made me wonder if a jury trial “by your peers” was really the best legal system we could come up with?!  One guy in the room hadn’t brought anything with him and was sighing every few minutes and giving us all the body language signals that told us how important he was and how boring this process was - hilarious.  Another guy fell asleep and missed his panel being called.  They did a head count and realized they were missing someone and he had to be woken up.  Another girl, who was dressed inappropriately, was freezing and decided to tuck her arms into her sleeveless shirt for warmth.

By the end of the day, I had a few laughs and gotten a lot of reading done but never did get called for duty.  They called our numbers so we could collect our checks, $17.50 is the going rate for serving as “the backbone of our legal system.”  Based on what I saw, that was a little high.

Goats On The Roof At Al Johnson's Restaurant

Last Friday night, Paige and I headed north stopping at Portillo’s on our way out of town, what a great way to start a weekend.  We made it as far as Sheboygan before calling it a night; we were on our way to Britta and Charlie’s wedding up in Ellison Bay, WI.  Saturday morning, we stopped along the way for some coffee at the Door County Coffee & Tea Co., it was worth the searching it took to find it, the coffee was delicious and the shop was very cute.  Back on the road, we passed through several small towns and came upon the restaurant where Paige worked for a summer, Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant.  Before leaving work on Friday, my coworker, Susan, was telling me about this restaurant that I needed to eat at that had goats on the roof.  I sort of listened out of curiosity but didn’t pay much attention beyond that.  Turns out Al Johnson’s is the very same restaurant - hilarious!  They have a grass roof and there are eight or so goats on the roof, its their thing, and people love it.  Their were cars pulling over to take pictures and people lined up on the sidewalk gawking.  I have to admit, it was pretty a pretty funny site and, of course, there was one goat that had to get that blade of grass right on the edge of the roof - daredevil.

Our next stop was the church where the wedding was to be held.  We got there just in time and met up with some of Paige’s friends for some quick hellos and introductions before the ceremony got rolling.  I’ve been to a fair number of weddings and this one started out as normal as any but soon took on a whole different feel.  As Charlie was awaiting his bride, he looked like any other groom but when Britta made her appearance, his whole demeanor changed.  As she approached, the tears started flowing and the excitement that was coursing through him filled the room.  He looked like a kid on Christmas morning that just got the perfect gift he’d been asking for.  When they got through with the vows, they did the traditional kiss and then her excitement took over and she started bouncing in his arms - it was absolutely awesome.

Me And Paige On The Patio Of Our Room

After the wedding, we headed to Gordon Lodge, which was the resort where we were staying and also where the reception was to be held.  The place was amazing, the perfect blend of old and new with friendly staff and a very quiet feel.  We checked in and then headed to the reception.  Everything was easy and despite knowing only one person in the whole place, I was having a blast.  Its funny how when you know noone, you can make up your own stories about them : )  Soon, dinner was served, followed by delicious wedding cake and then the dancing began.  They had a live band which kept it, well… lively.  Paige was a great dancing partner, I can only hope her toe heels quickly - I’m joking.  Toward the end of the evening, we said our good-byes and changed into more comfy clothes and headed our for a little walk about the resort.  The skies were clear and the air crisp - it was fantastic to sit out by the bay and look to the star-filled sky.

In the morning, Paige and I went for a run on the wooded trails located on the resort property.  At one point, we stopped and stood still for a minute to listen - dead silence… no traffic noise, no sirens, and no honking… it was wonderful.  After our run, we met up with her friends for the breakfast buffet.  We had to check out by 11:00 but we could stay and use the resort facilities all day so we showered and packed up then turned into little kids.  We played ping pong first and after that we took a paddle around the bay on kayaks.  The water was clear, the sun was shining and the bay was calm; we spent the next hour and a half exploring the area around the resort.  We wrapped things up at the resort and got on the road stopping for custard and a cheeseburger.

Me With Kristin And Hunter

My friend, Kristin, recently moved to Appleton, WI with her husband Tyler and their boy, Hunter.  Tyler is originally from the area and they wanted to be closer to family now that they have a little one.  I had yet to visit them in their new home and we decided to squeeze just a little more fun into this weekend.  Kristin had been very welcoming but without knowing what the schedule for the weekend would be, I hadn’t committed to anything.  When I reached out, she hadn’t changed her tune at all - it was set, we were going to grill out with the Browns.  When we got there, we got a tour of the new house (and yard) - gorgeous.  Then we headed over to Tyler’s brother’s house for some grilling action.  After spending some time catching up, playing with Hunter (who was absolutely awesome) and eating our second cheeseburger for the day (which happened to be about 10 times as good as the first), we decided to get on the road since it was after 7PM and we still had a three hour drive ahead of us.  One interesting little coincidence, Tyler’s parents honeymooned at Gordon Lodge 42 years earlier - how random!  Thanks Browns for the last minute accommodation, it was wonderful to see you all!

It was late when we got home but it was a fun filled weekend and I would definitely return to the land that is Door County.

Jay And Matthew In Millennium Park

It has been a busy summer with lots of social plans, all of which have been loads of fun and last week was no exception.  I got a call a couple of weeks ago from my friend Jay.  I met Jay through my uncle Steve, they played college tennis together and he was going to be in town on Thursday.  We worked out the plan to meet up for dinner at the Gage, a restaurant designed by one of Jay’s clients - double cool.  Jay’s oldest son, Matthew, joined him for the trip to see the Cubs, he’s grown into a fine young man.  After a delicious dinner, we headed over to Millennium Park to walk around a bit.  It was a gorgeous night and, as usual, the park was filled with people and a festive spirit.  Kids were playing in the fountain, people were playing frisbee, and “the Bean” was swarmed with people - it felt great to be there.  It was good to see you fellas!

On Friday, my brother and his family rolled into town for a long weekend visit.  On Saturday, my dad and Andrea drove my grandparents in and we had a little family get together.  I had a tough run on Saturday and it took me a little longer to finish and way longer to recover afterwards so I was a little late getting to the party but Paige and I caught up with the group at Edwardo’s pizza for dinner.  The food was delicious but the service, well, that was another thing all together.  Fortunately, we had Willem to entertain us.  After dinner, Paige and I went over to pick up tickets for the bicycle film festival which was in town and happening at Columbia College just a few blocks away.  Matt, dad and Andrea joined for the movies.  I’ve been to the festival many times before and always had a blast but this year, the “energy” of the evening was a bit different and I didn’t really enjoy it.  The films were pretty good but the vibe didn’t feel so good.

Sunday morning, we had a loose plan to meet for brunch.  It took a little while and an amended plan or two before we actually sat down at the Lockwood in the Palmer House but it was worth the wait.  The food was great and the service was at least 8 million times better than the night before, that might be a little exaggerated but not much.  After brunch, Paige, Matt and I headed over to over to check out the view from the Sears Tower (I know they are trying to rename it but I refuse to accept it, it will always be the Sears Tower to me).

Paige On The Ledge

The thing about visiting touristy areas is that you have to be prepared to wait in unthinkable lines for what invariably is not worth the wait.  We get in line, which is actually just the first of five separate lines all leading us to the top.  We are told that for twice the price, we can skip one of the lines - tempting but we opt against it.  One fun thing was the people watching, it takes all types.  By the time we finally get the right to pay our $15 and enter our final (or so we think) line to get to the top, it has been well over an hour.  We do finally make it to the top and it was pretty amazing despite the haze in the sky.  We could see the airshow going on over the lakefront and quickly identified all the familiar buildings around town.  We also checked out the The Ledge which is a glass box that hangs out suspended from the building - standing in it was an odd but awesome feeling.  We get in our final line and then head back down to ground level.

Grandma And Grandpa With Willem

After a little more time hanging out at the hotel, Paige and I head home for a little downtime before the weekend comes to a close.  My brother mentioned having thai food for dinner and soon enough we get a confirmation text that provides the time and location, we can’t refuse.  We walk over to meet Matt, Erin, Sarah, John, Avaleen (I hope I spelled that correctly) and Willem at the Star of Siam - yum, thanks for the invite!

It was a good week and it was fun to see everyone!

This week was a mixed bag, I had one of my best runs of the summer on Tuesday and one of my worst on Saturday. The temperatures have been warm and its also been humid, on Saturday that took its toll.  I left home an hour later than I was hoping and it was already in the mid 70’s.  I felt fine at the start but it didn’t take long to realize it was going to be a rough day.  After 5 miles, I was already looking for “excuses” to stop, “is that a rock in my shoe?”  Paige was going to meet me at 11:30 so I had timed my turn around to make it back by then and because of how I was feeling, I gave myself an extra 15 minutes buffer.  I blew right through that buffer and kept her waiting another 10 minutes.  I felt much better with her company and finished the last 7 miles.  Despite the tough run on Saturday, I feel my body is responding well to the increased mileage and the addition of some informal speed work.

Week Ending August 16 (Total - 90 Miles):

• Monday - 10 Easy
• Tuesday - 12 Fartlek (6 X .75m, 1 X 2 mile)(AM), 6 Easy (PM)
• Wednesday - 8 Easy
• Thursday - 6 Easy (AM), 8 Easy (PM)
• Friday - 9 Easy (AM)
• Saturday - 31 LR
• Sunday - Off

With his very persuasive selling, Brian convinced me to run Javelina Jundred as my “big” fall run.  He and Kelly were planning to go down and that was almost convincing enough - man, I love those two!  Soon, Brian had convinced several others into going as well and it was beginning to look like a regular CHUGfest.  So, with Javelina being the race, I started to lay out my training plan which leads me to my first “training update.”

My mileage has been slowly building up over the summer but hasn’t amounted to anything too serious until the past few weeks so I thought I’d start doing training updates until the race.

Week Ending August 2 (Total - 70 Miles):

• Monday - 6 Easy
• Tuesday - 10.3 Tempo
• Wednesday - 6 Easy
• Thursday - 4.3 Easy (AM), 4 Easy (PM)
• Friday - 4 Easy
• Saturday - 35.3 LR (Sunburn Six In The Stix)
• Sunday - Off

Week Ending August 9 (Total - 75 Miles):

• Monday - 6 Easy
• Tuesday - 6 Easy
• Wednesday - 6 Easy
• Thursday - 10 Fartlek (4 X .75 miles, 1 X 2 mile)
• Friday - Off
• Saturday - 30 LR (AM), 17 Trails (Marengo Ridge night run)
• Sunday - Off

So far, the body feels reasonably good.  Though it definitely seems a little harder than my buildup for Kettle Moraine.  One advantage I have this time is my personal masseuse who seems to know exactly where all the tight spots are and just how to work them out - thanks Paige!

The Marengo Gang

This weekend was the second CHUG event of the week but the first ever camping/night running event and, for the record, it set the bar pretty high for all future events!  Sarah and Ben did an awesome job picking a spot and putting together an awesome outing.  We met at Marengo Ridge near Rockford on Saturday night.  By the time that Paige and I got there, the group was already settled in and had the campfire all stoked up.  We made our rounds, said hello to everyone and then set up the tent.  It was HOT and very humid (the last bank we had passed was displaying 91 degrees)!  After getting situated, we sat down with the others just as dinner was being served.  Nick, Tony’s son, was manning the grill and doing a fine job of it.  We had burgers along with all sorts of delicious stuff.  I ate way too much considering we were heading out for a night run in less than an hour but I guess that is a lesson I needed to learn on Saturday.  After some more small talk, it was dark and the natives began to get restless.  Soon, everyone was dressed in running clothes and there were headlamps bopping around camp.  We suited up, applied lots of bug spray, took a group photo and then headed out.

Paige, Getting The Feet Ready To Run

The route had been marked with signs and glow sticks by Ben and Sarah - they did a great job, it was very easy to follow.  The first part of the loop was on the park road before turning left into an open prairie with a 4 foot wide path mown into it.  I was pulling up the back of the pack (dinner was sitting kind of heavy in my belly) and it was fun to watch the headlamps bouncing through the tall grass ahead of me.  The moon was just above the tree tops and was a nearly full glowing orange sphere.  There was a nice breeze which made the grass sway in the headlamp beam - it was a gorgeous night and what better way to spend it than running with friends through the night?!  The trail soon turned into a wooded area and after another turn to the left, we were on beloved single-track.  We ran single-file through the darkness, following the legs in front of us.  We crossed rocks, roots, muddy spots, wooden foot bridges, and eventually popped out of the woods back into open prairie.  The loop was a little over four miles long and was a nice mixture of terrain.  We finished the first loop in about an hour - a modest pace but one that allowed the dogs to join us and make sure that everyone got through a loop without getting lost.

Kelly

Several of us headed out for a second loop but this time we spread out a little more.  I was fortunate enough to get to run with Kelly, she and Brian are preparing for the TransRockies Run.  By the end of the second loop, we were starting to loose a few runners to the temptations of camp (primarily yummy treats and cold drinks) but there were seven of us that headed out for a third loop.  The night had cooled some but not very much and I was soaked clear through.  The grass was now wet with dew, even the roads looked as though it had rained.  The pace on this lap was a bit quicker and my headlamp was beginning to dim - a bad combination for a guy who likes to stay upright.  It wasn’t long before I took my first of many spills.  I didn’t go all the way down but I made quite the commotion and caught myself with my hand before doing a complete face plant, a maneuver I would master before the evening was through.  After a few more close calls, a couple of sharp turns of the ankle and a few brushes with the vegetation along the edge of the trail, we finished the loop and pulled into camp.

Brian, Showing One Of Seven Kinds Of Smoke

Now the party was in full swing - s’mores were being made, beer was flowing, runners had rinsed off and changed clothes and some serious lounging was starting to happen.  As tempting as all of this was, Tony and I headed out for one more lap.  For whatever reason, it still hadn’t dawned on me why I was tripping so much but soon my headlamp started flashing which meant that the batteries were getting low.  We had just started the lap but I figured there was enough juice to get through another lap.  As always, I loved Tony’s company and we did make it through the lap just fine.  We got back to camp around 2:30 AM and each of us cooked some hot dogs over the campfire - delicious!  I finished off the evening with a couple of s’mores, rinsed off, put on dry clothes, brushed my teeth and we all headed to bed.  It was a little after 3:00 AM by the time we zipped up the tent and I figured it would take me a while to fall asleep due to the warm conditions, the chocolate from the s’mores, the excitement of the evening, and the noises from camp, and I was right, it took me a full minute instead of the usual 15 seconds - four times as long.

Hungry Campers

I slept great and woke up feeling modestly refreshed.  Everyone else was already up and at ‘em and chomping at the bit to get some breakfast.  We had made plans to have brunch at a restaurant called Cafe 20.  When we got there, they started rearranging tables to accommodate our group of 13.  The first arrangement looked pretty good to me but they decided to change it and we were now short one seat.  We then tried another arrangement which put us short two seats.  Meanwhile, all the other patrons of the restaurant looked on as we moved things around trying to manage an arrangement that would allow us to all sit at the same table - I’m guessing they were either entertained by the spectacle or irritated and wishing this stinky group of runners would find another place to disrupt.  We did finally get an arrangement that worked and enjoyed a thoroughly delicious breakfast!

We said our good-byes, and like most times after parting ways with the CHUGs, I felt a bit of sadness - it is always so much fun that it is hard to see it come to an end.  Thanks for a great camping/night running experience everyone and an extra big whoop whoop to Sarah and Ben for being most excellent organizers/hosts of this event!

Me Grilling Right Before Gary Took Over

This month’s CHUG social was last night and, with the weather’s cooperation, we held a potluck dinner on the rooftop of my building.  I left work a little early to pick up some things from the store and then headed home to get some final prep done before everyone showed up at 6PM.  Leslie and Bill were the first to arrive and brought some homemade treats - carrot cake (which was amazing) and homebrew (which Adrian boldly professed to be the best in the world and immediately started plotting with Bill on how he could turn his brew into a business).  Soon, others began to roll in: Brian, Kelly, Tony, Torey, Gary - all in good spirits.  We got the grill fired up just as Deb and Vishal got there.

August CHUG Social

As if on cue, Deanna, Jim and Adrian all got there as we sat down to eat.  We had everything from burgers to chicken skewers to corn on the cob to potato salad to rice crispy treats and all sorts of other good stuff.  And, it seemed that everyone thought admission to the party was a 12 pack of beer.   The weather was perfect for a bbq - clear skies, warm but not hot, breezy but not windy.  As the night wore on, Adrian became increasingly hilarious doing a levitation trick that despite his hard selling tactics, wasn’t all that convincing.  Several CHUGs lingered well into the night helping clean up and extend the fun.  Eventually, I had to call ‘uncle’ as both Paige and I were running on fumes.  All in all, the night turned out to be a lot of fun with good food and great friends.  Thanks to those who made it out.

Kisses From Britton

Saturday, after running the Sunburn Six in the Stix, Paige and I went over to Brian and Kelly’s (Brelly’s) place for the afternoon.  We were promised doggie lovin’ and we got mega doggie lovin’!  They have two Vizslas (Britton and Mia) and they were most excellent hosts.  Right when we came through the door, Mia showed us her favorite toy (an earless stuff elephant) while Britton instantly showed us the love.  We played ball and then Brian demonstrated how Britton will give kisses on command - it was hilarious!   Thanks for a fun afternoon Brelly, we had a blast!

On our way back to the city, we made a couple of stops including one to Sonic Burger - it was my second cheeseburger of the day but it tasted every bit as good as the first!  There is something about a long run that gives me a hankering for a good burger.  After leaving at 6:30 AM, running 35+ miles, going out to eat (2X), playing with the dogs, making a stop at the store, and driving home, it was 10 PM and time for a shower.

Paige Being Interviewed About Trash Runners

Sunday morning, we had a trash run scheduled and were expecting a local news crew there to do a story on the group.  We met Kat and Devon (the news team) and Paige did an interview about the group.  She got some really tough questions that dipped into local politics and then national politics - I was squirming and I wasn’t even on camera, but she did fine with it and they finally decided they had asked all their questions.  They then turned to me wanting me to put a mic on and take a few questions - after watching what they did to Paige, I was quite skeptical but finally agreed to be a sport.  My questions weren’t nearly as tough nor were there as many but I was glad to be done never-the-less.  After that, they wanted to get some footage of the actual “trash running.”

Not coincidentally, it was the morning of the Chicago Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon and we were meeting up near the start/finish area, so we were expecting to find a lot of trash but we were still overwhelmed.  It was the first time that I felt embarrassed to be a runner.  I could not believe the amount of trash that people had left behind after the race - it was incredibly disheartening.  People who had taken far more than they planned to eat from the post-run party and then left unopened items laying around on the ground.  Used bandages, towels, shoes, banana peels, water bottles, energy gels/bars, potato chip bags, bagels, melted ice cream bars, … were all left on the ground often in small piles as though people knew it was trash but just decided it wasn’t their problem.  It wasn’t long before Devon was out there along side of us picking up trash.  I’m still a little scarred from the experience.  At the end of our collection period, we had several garbage bags filled with trash and nearly as much recycling.  While we were sorting out the trash from the recycling, a girl walked by and randomly stopped to help us - she was quite enthusiastic and pretty funny too.  Kat was so impressed that she asked her if she would mind being on camera to talk about why she felt compelled to stop and help - she agreed and gave a great interview.  It felt good to look back and see grass where there had been a field of trash before but it didn’t quite wipe out the feelings of frustration about the whole scene.

Me And Paige At Ravinia

After some breakfast, a shower and a short nap, it was off to Ravinia to meet up with Teague and Jillian; the Chicago Symphony was playing at 5 PM.  They were kind enough to stop at the store to pick up some good picnic supplies on the way so that all we had to do was show up - easy enough.  As it turned out, what they brought was perfect!  We had edamame, two kinds of cheese and crackers, humus, fresh veggies, turkey and ham sandwiches, sushi, a most delicious beer called Oberon, and for dessert we had homemade cookies and lemon pastries - yum!

Teague And Jillian At Ravinia

They also brought the cooler, the blanket, a small folding table, and dishes - it was quite the setup.  As the concert began, we realized that, at least for us, Ravinia is as much about the experience as it is about the concert.  We listened some but mostly we just talked and laughed.  Coincidentally, our friends Jen and Gary were also at the concert so we walked over to say hello to them as well.  They were easy to spot with Jen’s Hawkeye logo folding chair.  It was a great night - the weather was perfect, the music was enjoyable, the food was delicious, and the company was awesome!  Thanks Teague and Jillian for making it such an easy and fun evening!

Paige's Cheery Smile Which Greeted Me After Each Lap (w/Ian)

What a day it was…  The idea started out as a low key “fat ass” type event which are fairly common in the ultra world and consist of little more than a no frills gathering of runners who agree on a time, place and distance and then go for a run - very low key and best of all, free.  Brian was putting together just such an event at the James “Pate” Philip Park out in Bartlett, IL.  As with everything Brian does, it was first class.  He put together a very informative website with all the information that a “normal” race would have including a list of “registered” runners, video of the course, detailed weather information from past years, and even a list of items to consider bringing.  Soon, he was toying around with the idea of adding live runner updates during the race and then a live streaming video of the checkin table - like I said, everything this guy touches is first class.  The location Brian had picked was perfect for this type of event, a lolli-pop style loop followed by another small loop completed one lap.  The great thing about the lolli-pop loop was that you could run the opposite direction from time to time and still end up in the same spot - it also meant you could see other runners as they came toward you.

The day started with a little surprise, I had it in my head that the event started at 8:00 (though I really don’t know why because, Brian was quite clear on the start time) so I was planning around that start time.  Soon, Paige was getting antsy and mentioned that we needed to get going or we were going to be late for the 7:30 AM start.  What, 7:30??!?  I went into semi-panic mode trying to get out the door as quick as possible and driving all together too fast but we got there safely and rolled into the parking lot just as they were gathering for the start.

Me With Adrian (aka Mr. Badwater)

When Brian first proposed doing a six hour run on August 1st, I had an image of myself baking on a shadeless trail under a cloudless sky but as it turned out, the day was cool and rainy which was just perfect for running.  I started the day with the hard goal to have fun and the soft goal of getting in 35 miles - I got both.  After chatting with Brian, Kelly and Torey at the start for a few minutes, I started playing “catch-up.”  Soon, I met up with my first CHUGs, Ian and Connie.  They were in good spirits and why not, it was the start of a great day.  By the end of my first 2.28 mile loop, Adrian jumped in to join me for the second lap.  Adrian had recently returned from running Badwater where he finished the race in 33:46 - unbelievable!  It was good to hear some stories and catchup a bit.  He is one of the most humble guys you could ever meet despite being a complete running stud - a good role model for sure.

Pack O' Dudes (As Kelly Called It)

The next lap or two I ran alone before joining up with Ben and Sarah.  Sarah has recently started running ultras and looked strong on Saturday.  Ben is just finishing his training for Leadville at the end of the month - good luck Ben.  I enjoyed two laps of their company before hooking up with Vishal for the next couple of laps.  It had been a while since I’d seen Vishal and it was great to hear how his summer is going.  Before long, it was getting later in the run and I was starting to think about my mileage goal for the day which was still doable but I was going to have to focus a bit.  Tony was running strong and allowed me to tag along with him for the remainder of the day.  We ended up finishing a lap with a couple of minutes to spare, giving me 35.2 miles and Tony 37.5 (a complete list of results can be seen on the website).  I felt pretty good most of the day, which was a relief after a tough run the week before.

After the run, several of us headed over to a local restaurant for some grub.  The food was tasty and the service was fantastic.  We laughed a lot which seems to be a given when this group gets together.  It was such a fun day and it was great to see everyone, including several new faces!  Steve, it was good running with you.  Senator Brett, your boys were fantastic, glad to hear they had fun.  Louise, it was nice to finally “meet” you after the hundreds of friendly head nods that we’ve shared on the lakefront over the years.  Tony, I loved your stories, particularly the one about the tire coming off your car and it was great to finally meet Nick - awesome kid!  JimEJo, you’re hilarious and I love your spirit!  Rich, thanks for coming up from Peoria just to hang out with us and get a few miles.  Kelly, congrats on your first ultra - you looked great out there and always had a smile on your face!  Paige, thank you for “crewing” for me, it was a huge lift to see you after each lap!  To the many other friendly faces out there that I didn’t get to formally meet, thanks for the smiles out there on the course.

Brian And Kelly

One final comment, a big thanks to Brian for conceiving and putting on such a fun event!  I could get all mushy on you here but I’ll refrain and just leave it at this - you’re a great guy and I’m happy to know you.