How Was Your Thanksgiving?

That’s a question that has taken on new meaning for me this year.  See, I was asked to be “Nitro Turkey” for the Nitro Turkey Trot 10k/5k.  On the surface it seemed to be a simple task but as Thursday approached, I had to wonder what I was getting myself into.

I showed up at the race a couple of hours before the kids’ race was scheduled to start and just sort of stood around watching the organizers get things ready; it was a surreal feeling after organizing and timing events myself for the better part of seven years.  With an hour before the kids’ race I changed into the turkey suit and all of a sudden I was transformed from a coffee sipping wall flower to Nitro Turkey and instantly became a magnet for the crowds arriving.

I had been nervous about doing a good job and ran the whole thing through my mind several times, much like I try to do for actual races I participate in.  “Should I talk or be silent or talk in a goofy booming voice (like AJW’s voice)?”  “Will the suit (my head mostly) stay on if I do something like a cartwheel?”  “Will I be hot in the suit?”  “Will the kids be too jaded and savvy to appreciate a giant turkey suit?”

All the worries vanished immediately and the fun began.  Almost every kid wanted to high five or shake my hand, some wanted a hug, and a couple of little girls latched onto me in a death hug after I picked them up and cradled them for photos.

Bolstered by the anonymity, I certainly wasn’t shy with the big girls either…

Nitro Turkey came in dead last in the kids’ race holding hands with the last little girl who beat the turkey to the line.  All in all, I had as much fun as the kids and was very touched by a couple of the little ones who seemed so attached to the giant, goofy bird.  Over 320 people came out to participate and I believe every one of them left with a huge smile on his/her face.  Brazen Racing does a fine job with their events, paying close attention to the details that make them unique and memorable.

After the race I went home and prepared and cooked the real turkey I had won at last Sunday’s race.  It was the first time I oven-cooked a turkey; I usually deep fry them, which I highly recommend.  Surprizingly, after 5 hours, this one turned out great.  At this point I’m a little tired of turkey all together.

A Turkey In The Freezer…

I haven’t been that interested in either blogging or reading blogs for a few weeks, so I took some time off the internet all together.  In the meantime I’ve been managing maintenance running, keeping my head just above the level of sinking into an all out rest period.  I feel as though I’ve stayed in decent shape, so when Sam from Brazen Racing invited me to run a particularly difficult 8.4 mile trail turkey trot (in its 34th year and not Sam’s race), I gladly accepted.  Totally relaxed (how couldn’t I be with just jogging miles in my legs) I showed up at Sam’s house and rode with him to the race, with the only goal of trying to win a turkey.

I warmed up for 15 mins before the start, lined up alongside 4-5 college cross country runners.  We got underway and a tight pack of 7 (self included) or so guys broke into a lead.  My guess is we were in the low 6 pace effort until the hills began.  Fortunately, my “maintenance” running has included a solid amount of weekly hill work.  I settled into 5th place after a particularly steep and slick muddy section and began the long steady climb that followed.  I noticed that aside from the leader, who had built a substantial lead, the others struggled on the climbs.  I hit the turn around at 30:40 with 3rd and 4th just seconds ahead.

…then I ran the wrong way…  Yes, I followed the trail from which we had come instead of taking the right turn that was down in sort of a bowl.  I ran up the hill on the wrong trail, was informed of my mistake, ran back down then back up the correct trail.  Damage:  from 5th to 9th place.  Fortunately, it was a long climb and I caught most of the guys who slipped by during my wandering.  The rest of the run was solid for me.  The weather was near perfect and the course VERY challenging and fun.

Result.  5th place, 58:37.  Won a 15lbs turkey that barely fit into my backpack for the ride home.  Hung out with Sam, met his wife and baby at his house for a bit afterward and was happily intorduced to In and Out burgers.  I had a “3×3 Animal Style” (whatever that means).

Standard Time = Running Time

I’ve never been a morning person, so this last week of daylight savings time has whirred around and thumped me handily with the club of laziness.  I only use an alarm for race days or VERY important runs with others but even the alarm couldn’t help me this week.  The weather’s been in the 70’s and sunny every day (74 and sunny today), so that was no excuse.  Here’s the scene the last three days:  Alarm begins its soft beep with long intervals of silence (seemingly to see whether I register its soundings), then increases the frequency until blaring in a Rush-esqe drum solo gush of beeps.  I crawl to the absurd little machine and silence it, leaving me sprawled on the floor staring up at the dark void where the wall meets the ceiling.  “I have to run today.  It’s been one (two?) days.”  “Get up!”  “Just get dressed and out the door.  You’ll feel so much better all day.”  “Go!!!”  I move to the closet and get shorts, shirt, socks and shoes on.  Then hit the proverbial wall of lethargy and strip back into boxers and crawl back into bed.  All this time, Pippit (dog) has been patiently watching with just his nose and one eye peering from under the covers, knowing somehow that I’d be back.

It’s not from lack of sleep; I’ve been sleeping an unheard of average of 10 hours a night.  I’m ashamed to say that I’ve been going to bed at 9-930 each night.  I go through this not every year but many years.  One year during a particularly dank late fall in Michigan I would come home from work, eat, watch Jeopardy, and go to bed at 730pm, sleeping 12 hour nights.  Crazy, because I’m fairly happy and sufficiently rested on 7 hours sleep regularly.

Not today.  Even though I did go to bed at 930 (830, really when considering the time change), I am up and eager to move.  Here it is just 820am and I’ve had my coffee, Clif bar, and written a banal, wandering post, with little meaning other than to say to the sun, “Thank you, more please.”

Mill

I could hear the heavy wind rattling the window in my dark bedroom this morning and almost convinced myself to take the day off but finally just got up.  I decided to give the treadmill a shot since it had been a couple years (I think) since running on one.  Ended up being a decent, albeit, shorter run of speed intervals for 40 mins while listening to the all too loud ipod.  Good warm up for a long run tomorrow.

 

Sunday Stroll

Fairly soft couple of weeks running for me, so I was looking forward to a longer run today.  I was introduced to Bon Tempe Lake trails today courtesy of Stephanie.  She’s running her first trail half marathon next Saturday and will likely win it (in my opinion).  The women’s winning time last year was 1:43.  After running with her today for a solid 1:10 at no slower than 7:30 pace, I’m confident she’s going to surprize herself.  We arrived there and began the run a bit before 10am, still cool but warming to the 70’s.  As for me, it was a great run; we chattered the entire time and maintained a decent effort.  Since I’ve run virtually alone for three months, this was a treat.  She’s very nice and a damn good runner.  I felt like a plodding sack of potatoes with stubby peg legs next to her long, slender, elegant strides.

The trail loops around a couple of lakes were made for continuous, fast running.  They’re incredibly well maintained with a diversity ranging from hard pack single track to fire road and deeply padded pine needle trails under solid shade provided by the trees from which the needles descended and the town in its proximity is an oasis for mtn bikers, runners, and general trail enthusiasts.  I’ll definitely be heading back there for future runs.

Training in earnest begins tomorrow (again).

Next

Working on things other than running (but still running), I have been more scatter-brained than usual.  The IT band was a little sore after Firetrails, so I took it easy last week with a couple foam roller sessions and a whopping 17 miles for the week.  Feeling better this week, I did a solid hilly trail run Wednesday and plan on a good run this weekend but still will likely top out at only 35 miles.  Sounds paltry but I’ve learned the hard way that a full recovery after a 50 mile race is much better than a slight recovery and getting back into the training groove too quickly.  Even with just 14 days after Firetrails, I’m ready and eager to race again.  With that attitude, I’ve applied for a couple of teams for 2010.  I’m certainly about as far away from an elite runner as you can get but feel I’m “marketable” due to my extroverted nature regarding running, websites, socializing at events, articles, reviews, etc.  (not so much for the rest of life, unfortunately).

I’m registered for the North Face Challenge tomorrow in Wisconsin; obviously, I’m not there and won’t be running it.  Up next will more likely be the Muir Beach 50k on Nov. 14th and then the North Face Challenge Championships on Dec. 5th.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend!

Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile Race Brief

Just a few details.  I may write more about it later, since there is a lot of good stuff to cover.

Timid after the hamstring strain two weeks ago, I went into this race with the mantra of “no over striding and easy downhills.”  I followed that well and the hamstring was a non issue.  In fact all my body felt good the entire race (well, as good as it can feel running 50 miles).  My stomach had been a little odd the day and night before the race but I just assumed it was nerves.

Things were going well from the start and a group of 7 guys were off the front, spread out a little by mile six with three up about 40 seconds and four, including myself, following.  I hit the first split right on pace at 60 mins (I was carrying splits for an ambitious 6:50 finish).  My stomach both down by my waist and up under my ribs started cramping to the point were I was running with my fingers jabbed deeply into my solar plexus like I was trying to touch my spine.  This lasted from mile 6 to a little after mile 20.  I changed some of what I was eating and drank a little more even though it was cold and foggy and finally the cramping subsided enough for me to run a little faster.

The rest of the race was a lot of fun.  I have to admit that I was disappointed yesterday with my time but today, hobbling around my place, I feel ok with it.

The highlights of the race were many:  Meeting Ann Trason, the tough and incredibly well marked course, the food (salmon patties, apple chicken sausages, pasta salads, soups, wheat beer, etc, the finishers’ jackets and race shirts, and especially riding to and returning from the race with a super group of people who I’m grateful to have met and look forward to running with soon.

Certainly one of the best events I’ve been to and even though Ann told me it’s a “one woman show” I made sure to tell her what a great job she does with it.  I’m hoping she passed even just a tiny bit of her running greatness to me when we shook hands.

Wider View

Obviously feeling sorry for myself after Sunday’s race, trying hard not to admit to myself that I injured my hamstring, I opened one of my email addresses and received a note from one of the people who was a member of the running club I started in NC.  The club started in 2003 with me simply handing out half page flyers telling people to meet for a Thursday night run.  It grew, and grew to a point where Sharksbite was one of the largest running clubs in the Southeast and arguably the most active.  That club gave a lot to me mostly because of words like these from Eimear.  I haven’t seen her since I left NC in June 2008.  Sunday it showed me again that there are great triumphs and low disappointments but running is about embracing all of it, the good and bad, because you know how special the good can be.

Thanks very much Eimear.

*********************

Sunday 9/27/09

Hi Tim,

(I don’t know if either address still works for you, and if they don’t, I guess you won’t see this e-mail to let me know … but anyway … )

I was (am!) one of the people who ran on Thursday nights from Charlotte Running Company.  When I came down there first, I didn’t know anyone and had never run with a group and wasn’t sure what to expect and didn’t know what I was doing and was so nervous that I nearly turned around and went home instead …  it was a big deal for me!  Now I still run with some of the people I met there, and am enjoying myself a lot.  So I wanted to say thank you for organizing it all, and for making it a welcoming event so I kept coming back.

I have been working hard at running this year and doing well (for me) as well as having fun.  I made a Ninja Vow (like a New Year’s Resolution, but a bit sillier) to go under 45  minutes for a 10k this year, and managed it this weekend in the Hit the Brixx race here, so I’m feeling pleased with myself.  And then I thought that if you had been scary or intimidating or just not so nice and cheerful, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the whole thing so much, or felt so glad to keep working at it.

So I’m very appreciative – and wanted to say thank you.

I hope everything’s going well for you, in running and in the rest of life.  One of the Thursday Night guys told me about your blog and I saw you had a race today.  I hope it went well and I’ll look forward to reading about it.

Eimear Goggin

Santa Cruz 50k, er, 29k-ish

I’ll skip right to the start line because I don’t have much interest in talking about the whole day.

We line up, 29kers and 50kers together and get started on time at 8:30am.  We did a parade loop around the park, then hit the trail and first climb.  Dave and I led the parade loop (well, Dave really, I just followed).  We reached the trail and immediately there were four of us off the front and gapping the rest with a solid running pace up the 700 ft climb.  It was Dave, me, the eventual winner of the 29k and some other contender for the 29k, so Dave was leading the 50k from the gun with me in tow.  Dave and one of the 29k guys started pulling away a bit and I was happy to let them go but noticed the gap remained the same for a couple mins so I just sped up a bit and caught them with the other guy finally catching up too.  We’re back to a foursome and no one is ANYWHERE near behind us.  I figured it was suicide for me but my training has really paid off and I felt like I was putting out less effort than my long solo runs, so I just stayed there.  This went on for almost 30 mins.  After we did the water crossing (up to the *panty liner* in my shorts) there was a long, steep climb.

Everything sounds great to this point, huh?  Well, on that climb I noticed a twinge in the meaty part of my hammy and immediately backed off.  I figured I could hold it together for 2nd and a decent time of 4:10 or so (that’s what I kept telling myself).  Finally, I come to this intersection of multiple ribbons going in all directions and continue on, then come to another one that looked the same.  At that point I just stood there refusing to guess and run the wrong way, so I waited about 5 mins for the next runner to catch up and confirm the right direction.  At about 1:30 into the race I knew my hamstring wasn’t going to let me finish without doing some major damage and decided to end it when I got back to the start/finish area (thus, running the 29k race instead of the 50k).  It was too bad too because I noted that I was only 10 mins back of the 2nd place 50ker when I quit, even after hobbling for 30 mins at the onset of the pain and then easing into an acceptable gait .

Well, Dave and the two 29kers had all basically gone different directions at those silly ribbon-infested intersections.  He was running f-a-s-t for the terrrain averaging a bit over 7 min pace and came screaming across the finish in 3:38 (course record was 4:02).  We grabbed some of the skimpy food left out (seriously, a couple half eaten paper bowls of m&ms and crumbles of left over of chips…nice spread).

Dave and I got in the car and started driving away chatting about the course.  I mentioned that I hit the furthest aid station twice and Dave was like, “uh, twice?”  See, it was basically an out and back to a loop then back out to the aid station and back to the start area, then go out again and just do the long out n back.  Confused?  so were we.  Dave realized he missed 4k of the race and, to his credit, turned the car around and advised the race director of his folly and gave back the bitchin’ made in china coffee cup first place prize.  It’s really too bad because even with the extra 15 mins of running, Dave would’ve run a course record anyway at 3:53.

Me, well, it’s been a trying year of racing.  I don’t understand how I can run harder and longer on my training runs and then get a pulled hammy in a race where I’m running comfortably.  Was it the 2 hour motorcycle ride to get there?  The ice cold stream followed by an abrupt hill?  Did I miss-step when dancing around those ribbon intersections?  I don’t know.  I’ll try to run a flat 7 miles tomorrow morning to assess the damage and then decide what to do.

In the Shadow

So, I get in a little 5 mile shakeout run this morning, feeling good about tomorrow’s race, hoping to do well and feel good and then my cell starts buzzing in my pocket, “Incoming call:  Dave Mackey”…

After greetings and polite inquiries on life and things, I hesitantly ask, “Are you running this weekend?”  Dave, with a small, sadistic laugh says he’s doing the same race as I am tomorrow.  Lovely.

Actually, I’m really glad he’ll be there.  I haven’t run with him since June.  Not that I’ll be running ‘with’ him tomorrow but at least can hang out a bit before and afterward.  It’s supposed to be hot but look for a new course record sub 4 hours tomorrow.  Me?  I’ll be happy with a solid run and top 3 finish (really, top 2 finish among normal people runners – Dave doesn’t count).