Altars

Running is pretty awesome, wouldn't you agree?  One of the reasons it's so great is all the reasons that someone can get into the sport.  Losing weight, competitive spirit, grew up around runners, or maybe you just want to eat a lot of donuts..  Maybe it's a love for shiny things.

Running has many opportunities for obtaining shiny things.  Race medals.  I have a small collection of them, and other running stuff, in a dresser drawer of mine.  It started as a sock/unmentionables drawer with my first medal in it.  It's two years later and I've removed the socks and undies.  Running/racing/triathlon has taken it over.  Everything from my first 5k race bib to a green wrist band that I adorned for my first, and only, triathlon.  In it there are also some non race items.  Newspapers, magazines, results books, etc etc.

I don't go into the drawer too often.  Nor do I really think about it.  My mind always is looking towards the next race.

Early on in my running "career" I thought of doing something to display my medals in my home.  Something to motivate me or perhaps a conversation starter when guests come over.  I quickly discounted this idea.  Isn't that bragging?  Or being prideful?

A couple months back we had a Bible study with some friends from our church.  We talked about altars.  In terms of the Christian faith, I thought of altars as a bad thing.  Almost confusing it with idolatry.  I thought that  it was praising something that we turn into a god.  After some good, hearty, discussion I changed my stance. Altars go all the way back to the first book of the Bible.

For example: Gen 12:7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Altars were a way of reminding yourself of the amazing things God has done in your life.  In the Old Testament there are examples of altars being built, and then revisited later.

In comparison, my running may not be yielding fields and fields of fruit for the kingdom of God but I'm not here to compare myself.  Everyone is called in different ways.  What that drawer has inside, and what those medals represent, is an altar.  From where I've begun to where I am now is amazing in my book.  Maybe I should take them out and remind myself every once in a while..

Also, isn't being proud of not sharing race accomplishments still pride?

Any altars in your life?

Family First: My Cleveland Recap

Hello everybody.

Yesterday was a weird, yet exciting, day.  I made the mistake of going to bed past 11 p.m. the night before the race.  Race day started with a 2 a.m. wake up from my coughing daughter, Savannah.  The poor girl was going through allergies, or just a general illness.  Once I got her some water, and applied large amounts of Vicks, I laid in bed and couldn't fall back asleep.  Race excitement?  Too hot upstairs?  Still hearing Sav cough?  Could be any of those reasons, or a combination of all three.  When I wake up in the middle of the night, and have a lot on my mind, I just kind of lay there and stare at the alarm clock.  After a good thirty minutes I had an idea!  I got up, and turned on the fan in our room.  This got rid of the hot upstairs and hearing coughing.  With only an hour and fifteen minutes left till go time I headed back into the land of slumber.  Or so I thought.

I heard something over the fan noise.  A little boom.  I thought it was just something falling off of one of the girl's beds.  A minute or two later I felt the need to investigate.  I made my way to the door to check and see if the girl's door was still closed.  As I swing the door open I look down and see Savannah.  She was RIGHT in front of the doorway.  Scared the crap out of me.  My first reaction was to hit the deck.  In a half sleeping/half awake daze I hear my wife laughing.  Looking back on it now I don't feel like I could adequately protect my family against a burglar if that is my natural reaction, to a 3 year old...

Needless to say I was not going back to sleep.  With all of my race gear ready to go the night before, I came downstairs and got ready.  I'm glad that I take the time to get ready beforehand because I still had a little mini panic session.  For me, race preparation is a little OCD.  My race inventory was checked and double checked.  All ready to go.  My breakfast consisted of a cool mint chocolate Clif bar and a low-calorie, purple, Gatorade G2.  Time to hit the road.

Departure time was a little past 4 a.m., because it takes an hour to get to the Cleve.  I made my way up 77 and there is nothing to report on the trip.  Aside from starting to get tired.  Aimee made an observation a couple weeks ago that I will rub my knee, arm, neck, or really any part of me, when I'm tired.  Nearing Cleveland I noticed I was rubbing my leg.  This realization shocked me awake.  It's hard to run a race when you get in an accident from falling asleep at the wheel.

Arriving downtown, I got on 90 to exit near the rock hall.  Captain America had other plans for me.  They're filming the new CA movie in Cleveland so they shut the exit down that I wanted to take (even though they aren't filming on that stretch of highway till May 30).  Luckily there was someone in front of me with a 26.2 sticker, so I blindly followed them.

This "Cleveland Experience" was a weird one.  I've always done big city races with someone there accompanying me in my journey.  I was flying solo.  You don't realize how important it is having someone there with you, even doing the most mundane of actions, like walking to the stadium.  I missed not having my wife with me.  The time alone (surrounded by 20k other people) was an odd feeling.  I made my way to the 9:30 corral and waited for the race to begin.  Because of the extra fluids of the past days I went to the bathroom a couple times and still felt like I had to go as the race was about to begin.  This caused flashbacks of two years ago when I stopped to go, during the race, and couldn't run anymore.  Instead of rushing to get in the bathroom lines I held it in.  For 13.1 miles..

The loud speakers didn't reach too far back so I  had no idea the race had started.  Luckily there is a solid 7 minutes of walking before you reach the starting line.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, I did not have a training plan for this race.  I followed somewhat of a plan for my first triathlon and just extended the training into May, aside from adding two longer runs of 8 and 10 miles.  I didn't have much confidence as I started running.  Chalk it up to nerves.

My lack of confidence turned to optimism as I passed the first mile marker.  In my head I was thinking "Wow!  Already a mile in.  I feel great!".  The miles were just chipping away.  Optimism would be important because I was feeling some foot pain from the start of the race.  It came and went throughout but never hurt enough to slow me down.  At four or five miles in I noticed how close everyone was to each other.  Also, I didn't want to think of my pace so I tried my best to not look at the clocks at each mile marker.  This was to enhance the enjoyment of the experience.

In most races you can shake out of a group within a couple miles but today was a little more crowded than I remember.  Because of this, and people not starting in the proper pace area, I was doing my best Patches O'Hoolihan impersonation with my dodging, ducking, dipping, diving, and dodging of other runners as I passed.  As I reached mile nine the clouds made way for sun.  The sun reminded me that I forgot to apply sunscreen.  D'oh!  Luckily a woman threw an over half full water cup on the ground and got me soaked.  Thank you..

Throughout the run my breathing was great.  Cardio would not be a problem.  Mile ten, before heading back into downtown, was when I started to feel my legs tiring.  At this point in the race we head up the bridge towards the Jake and the Q.  Usually hills are my strong suit but my body didn't want to push it up this final climb.  I didn't stop to walk but I didn't put forth much effort to fly up the hill.  The crowds built up as we headed downtown.  One of the supervisors at my place of employment was there to cheer on a friend and I saw her at mile 12.  Pleasant surprise seeing someone you know in all the crowds.

Right after mile 12 is the turn for the full marathoners.  I was extremely excited that I was only running 13.1.  For the first time in the race, I looked down at my legs and I had actually created soap suds from all my sweating (combined with the swishing of the legs).  Some call it disgusting. I wear it like a badge of honor.  My joy switched back to pain when the back of my knee started stinging.  I was less than a mile to the finish.  No plans of stopping now..

I made my way to east 9th and it was a downhill to the rock hall.  Unlike the other downhills prior, I kept my eyes open and gave as many high fives as I could.  No zen running at the finish.  I turned the final corner and there was the finish.  It was just over 2:09 (gun time).  I now had a mission to beat 2:10.  I knew I ran a good race when I couldn't belt out a last minute sprint.  My body had run the course very well.  I was able to cross right as it hit 2:10.  The excitement of finishing created a celebratory fist pump.  Now where's my chocolate milk...

Side-note: When I got home I checked my official time.  2:03:49.  New PR for the half marathon.  Beating my best by 17 minutes, and over 20 minutes faster than my first attempt at the Cleveland 13.1.  Ka chow!

I'll spare the details about leaving the race and the drive home.  I will, however, share a picture that I sent my wife.

The face of a PR (That's my running hat on my head, not a weird hair-do)

I will now leave you with a few thoughts, followed by an extremely cute closing:

-I won't go to a big race alone.  All the excitement of a PR doesn't beat the feeling of sharing it with someone you love.
-I will not run the Cleveland race again for the next few years, as it falls on my wife's birthday weekend.  I signed up for this race because I love the city, and I think that was why I was selected to blog for it too.  I just don't want it getting in the way of time with my family on an important weekend.  Looking at the calendar, if CLE keeps the race on the third weekend of the month I may be able to do the race again in 2021... 
-Aside from the Saturday Team Active:Water Run I am going to take a few weeks off from running to let my feet completely heel.  I REALLY don't want planters fasciitis.
-When I blog I usually get the title of the post done first.  I couldn't think of one so I thought it would come to me while writing the post.  As you can tell, it did not.  **Update** I thought of one :)

When I got home I called Savannah over and I put the medal on her.  She was elated!  She then said "When I get bigger, I'll run and get you a medal, Daddy"...

Hearing that was better than any race finish or PR I could ever run...

It's Been a While

Hello everyone.

It's been a while, hasn't it?  Two and a half weeks to be exact and even then my last two posts were just regurgitated memories.  Maybe you were wondering what I've been up to in the past two and a half weeks.  Here are a few bullet points before I go into some running stuff:

• I was cat called by a young teenage girl in my work parking lot.  I don't share this with pride.  The parking lot was empty because I had to leave a few minutes early.  While walking through the parking lot I hear "look at him!"  "oh, what I would do to him, mmm MMM!".  I avoided any eye contact.  It was extremely awkward.  Later I was told  by a friend "hey, you've still got it!"  I've got great friends...
• I finished my semester of college.  My course load isn't immense since I split the semester up into two different online classes, but I was still feeling the pressure.  Intro to psychology was the class.  B was the grade I earned.  Earned is a relative term.  I don't feel like I did much to earn it.  If I did the amount of course work for this class in an actual classroom setting I would have been close to failing.  So is the life of an online student...
• There was a single deer on my run yesterday.  It still frightened me.  They're so weird and all muscle.  
• I rode my bike on a local trail a couple times, and there were geese on said trail.  Geese frighten me too.  I'm a city slicker in every sense of the term...
• The Boston bombing has still been fresh in my mind.  I joined the local running community and purchased some shoe laces saying "We will run, We will remember" "4/15/13".  I also ordered a t-shirt from my favorite band from yester-year: the Dropkick Murphys.  All of the proceeds went to a fund for the families hurt from the bombings.  
  
  

  

  New laces

• A couple people made comments about my weight loss for the year.  One told me I looked like I lost a lot of weight and the other told me I looked too skinny.  This is said with a little more pride than the teenage parking lot girl.  I'm down 33 lbs this year and I did it with eating right and exercising.  All of my clothes are beginning to be too big for me.  I noticed the clothes but I looked at myself and didn't see the weight loss.  Until something else happened....
• I shaved my beard.  It was my first hot run of the year and I wanted it gone.  It was a good 14 to 15 weeks in the making.  Shaving the beard did let me see myself slimming down: 
  
  

  

  Beard-fore and after

  It may not have looked great but gosh darnit it was mine.  The longest beard I've ever grown.  I think I'm going to start letting it grow after my last big race of the year until the spring of the next.  
• The times were released from my first triathlon: 1:27:57 total.  17:05 for the swim (including getting dry and bundling up, which not everyone did) 56 out of 62.  Bike was 43:52.  Good for 23 out of 62 (This was very exciting to me!)  T2 was 57 seconds.  I didn't have to change anything.  Because of my brick workouts leading to calf issues I took some time to stretch first.  My run portion was 26:02 which is 40th out of 62.  If you would like to read about my first triathlon click HERE!!
• On Saturday I went to an all day bachelor party for my good friend Aaron.  I joined him, my friend/running partner/small group leader Scott, and some other friends and went to an Indians game (which they won) and ate in Little Italy (which was my first, and not last, trip).  I ate.  Lots. 

So those are the highlights from the past couple weeks.  On to a little bit about running.

The Cleveland Half Marathon is next week, and I'm pumped.  I feel like I am, today, in the best shape I've been in in my entire life.  This is the first big race I haven't been on any training plan.  Having done a few half marathons before I know how to not increase the miles too quickly.  Plus I was training for a triathlon since the beginning of the year so my cardio has been way up.  I'm still actually swimming and biking during the week.  I only make it to the pool once a week, but even once a week is making me feel more confident.  

For this race I have only been running two to three times a week but my times are going down.  Another plus is every run has been enjoyable and not monotonous.  The race will take place next Sunday.  Friday morning I'm going to go up to the expo with my oldest daughter Savannah for a day date.  Probably stop and get donuts on the way... Mmmmmm... Donuts.....

ANYWAY

One last item to share.  I finally took a step of faith and started the running group at my church.  Starting this Saturday we are meeting once a week to run together.  We are going to meet up for a quick five to ten minute study, some prayer, and then hit the streets together.  God put this on my heart a little over a year and a half ago.  I spoke in front of my church fam on Sunday.  I was nervous but feel like I got the point across well.  A good amount of people came up for information afterwards.  Also, a couple people want to start something to raise money for Active:Water, which is awesome.  I've invited anyone and everyone to the group runs and team Active:Water Canton will also use those Saturdays as our training runs for the Akron Marathon races at the end of September.

It's easy to get caught up in all the equipment, blogs, running clothes and shoes, big name races, and PRs.  Those things are not bad at all.  I mean I'm blogging RIGHT NOW.  I just want to remind myself of why this journey of running started in the first place and never lose sight of it.  

Thanks for reading everyone.  I've got another post set up before the race.  

Ya'll come back now, ya hear! 

Cleveland 2011 Part 2

Part 1

Welcome to the continuation of my trip to the past, covering one of my first races and first half marathon.  Now, where were we?

Ah yes!  I left the bib pick up area with my race shirt, bib, and a goodie bag.  I don't run races for the SWAG but this bag was for a woman.  I'm sure of it.  Inside was a thin elastic workout headband and women's antiperspirant.  The only other item I remember was a Reese cup.

Aimee, Savannah, and me made our way to the expo booths, our youngest, Addison, was in my wife at this time.  The expo was not nearly as exciting as I thought it would be.  This would be a recurring theme in my race life.  Unless you have money to buy equipment the expo is close to useless.  Yeah.  I said it!  There were some highlights though.  My wife and I won a minute rice spatula and a small measuring tool (which I still use to this day).

We live an hour away from Cleveland, so driving to the expo took longer than us being in the expo.  Back home we went.  That night I took a picture of my bib.  This would turn into a routine for all my big races, and some of the smaller ones.

Ohhh.. Bibby!

Saturday morning I woke up and headed to drill.  I don't remember much of this day so I won't dwell on it.  That may be because I try to wipe some of these weekends out of my brain completely.  I did not pass my PT test.  I did not tank the test because of the race coming the next morning.  My run portion was much slower than normal though.  If you don't know anything about the Army PT test than I will let you know that if you fail one of the three assessments (push ups, sit ups, and run) you fail the whole thing.  While I don't remember how I did on the two first events of the morning I would put money on it being the push up event that I failed.  You see, my arms are long and have no visible muscles.

Anyway!

The company was on a local school's track for the run portion of the test.  While making my laps I noticed my team leader giving me a look.  THE look.  The "what the heck are you doing?" look.  Later he approached me about my test failure and brought up how slow I was running.  He was right.  I'm not the fastest of runners (even going a little slower on the test wasn't far away from my pace at the time).  Most of the day is a blur to me so let's get to the good stuff.  Race day!!

It was an early chilly morning.  Driving up route 77 to the Cleve is a familiar route to me.  It reminds me of trips as a kid to go and see my family, who all call Cleveland home.  This morning it was a bit different.  There was anticipation and nervousness flowing through me as I drove.  Aimee was more than likely sleeping.  The highway was barren, which is usually the case pre-sun up on a Sunday morning.

The race would start next to a bitter sweet place for me, Cleveland Browns Stadium.  I say bitter sweet because I'm a Cleveland fan, no need for any further explanation.

RACE MORNING!

We ended up getting there extremely early.  "First people there" early.  "The starting line/finish line/ or anything for that matter" early.  People started trickling into the stadium.  Aimee and I found a good spot to pop a squat and waited for the race to start.

Squat:popped

You may notice in the picture above that I am wearing the race shirt FOR the race.  What. A. Noob.

ANYWAY

While we were sitting there it was interesting watching and listening to people.  There was a couple minimalist foot shaped shoe enthusiasts next to us going over all the benefits of being a minimalist runner, which I think is their mating call.  All of the people stretching and race prepping is interesting to me.  My lack of race prep should have alarmed me (in the following years my pre run prep eventually vanished.  I don't even stretch anymore.  I'm not saying that as me being tough or cool, if anything I should probably start again....)

It was time to head to the starting line.  I kissed my wife, prayed with her, and found my place in the crowd.  Full disclosure: I cried a little bit during the Star Spangled Banner. Something about that song always gets to me.  That is a whole 'nother post topic in and of itself.

The Cavs on court guy Ahmad was there to pump the crowd up and gosh darnit does he know how to get people psyched up.  It was time to run!

There was no strategy for the race.  My eyes were set on finishing.  Leading up to race day I did not run a single double digit run and it was my first big race.  A mile in we were heading up onto an expressway and someone fell in my proximity.  It happened so fast and I didn't go to help.  In hindsight I wish I would have, because A. it's the nice thing to do and B. I still think about that person falling from time to time and how I should have helped.  Hopefully there isn't a next time for that but if there is the race time doesn't matter.  Help each other out!

The race route was predominantly in the surrounding Cleveland neighborhoods.  The race forecast was in the 50s with light rain but this didn't stop people from cheering in their yards, and on the course itself.

I chugged along pretty good for over half the race.  At mile 8 I stopped to use the restroom.  This would prove to be my demise because when I got back onto the course my body wasn't having it, which is a shame because the second half was the best half.  In the second half I passed Sokolowski's restaurant.  My grandpa and dad would take me there multiple times.  It's a cafeteria style restaurant serving the best central-eastern European food you can find in the states.  Pierogis the size of your head.  Maybe not my head, but someone's...  It was in front of Sokolowski's that I stopped and removed the wrap from my ankle.  It had started digging into my foot again, so I took the shin pain over the cutting pain.

The course took me up the Carnegie bridge, which comes out right in front of Jacobs Field and the Q.  Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure:

Carnegie Bridge

The view when you get off the bridge.  Beautiful.  Just beautiful...

I love the city of Cleveland.  Ahhhh....

The remaining few miles would serpentine through downtown.  At this point it was a combination of running and fast walking.  My shin was in a good amount of pain.  The more denser the crowds, the more I would run.  Call it peer pressure, I guess.  At this point I wanted the race to be done.  It was also the place where energy came back to me.  I turned a corner I heard an all too familiar drumming.  If you have been to a Cleveland Indians game you know the drumming.

John Adams sets himself up at the last turn of the race, where it is much needed.  Once I turned I saw the finish.  Off I went.  WARNING: Picture of me running ahead...

Still with me?  I can explain how I felt reaching the finish or show more pictures but I think this video sums it up best...

I was done.  Pooped if you will.  Once I hit the finish line I did just that, finished.  I didn't run through or anything.  I then proceeded to chug chocolate milk with reckless abandon.

As you all know this was not my last race.  If you're an endurance runner you know that within an hour after finishing a race you're either A. done with running forever or B. itching to scope out your next race.

My Cleveland experience was great in some ways, and not so great in others.  With less than a month till the next installment of the Cleveland Experience, I am ready to go.  While my memories of my first half marathon will never go away, I am hoping this time around is even more memorable.

Thanks for reading...

Do you have any fond memories from your first race?

Cleveland 2011 Part 1

With the Cleveland Half Marathon coming up, and the attention that the marathon sport has had over the past week, I have been reflecting on the past.  Come along with me as I take you on a trip.  A trip that is my first half marathon.

The Cleveland Half Marathon was my first solo race.  It was also a race where I raised money for Active:Water.  It was also a race that I trained for almost completely on a treadmill.  I can say that this is because I lived on a busy street but really it was fear of running outdoors.  The treadmill was safe, plus I could watch TV!

A month before I would do my first official race, a 5k with my good friend from work.  It was her first race too.  She kept telling me before the race that I'd be ahead of her and I didn't have to run with her, but I'll take running with a friend at a slightly lower pace than running by myself.  

There's a picture of us finishing but it must not be on digital format...  You get the idea.  We had a good time!

A few weeks before the big race I received an email from my military unit.  Our one day drill weekend turned into a two day drill weekend, with one of those days being the day of the race.  I did not panic.  I called my team leader and explained the situation and waited for him to bring it up the chain.  A day later I received a call telling me I couldn't miss drill for the race.  The reason I couldn't miss the day was because I did not pass my physical training test (PT test).  (Side note: for years up until my relationship with running I was out of shape and overweight.  Hence not passing my PT test.)  This is when panic set it.  It slipped me into a mild depression for a few hours.  My sentence had been read and I was going to miss the big race.  I wouldn't be refunded my entry fee.  I would also let down everyone who had donated to my race.  Maybe it was the running I had been doing but I decided to stand up for myself, which used to be a rarity.  I organized my case and eventually got it up to the highest ranking sergeant in the company.  I noticed that the people I've run across in my past life as a military service member are not that flexible.  Especially with a dead beat PT test failure like myself.  Well, when God has a mission for you a stubborn Army unit can't get in the way.  They allowed me to skip Sunday to run the race but I was still required to go Saturday (although I had given proof that the race offered no race day packet pickup, he ASSURED me that they had race day pick up (they didn't)).  I was fine with this.  We could go to the expo Friday.  Army and relaxing Saturday.  Race on Sunday!  

On that drill Saturday we were going to have a PT test.  Knowing that this was looming I incorporated push ups and sit ups into my work outs.  One night while doing sit ups something happened.  My feet were under my wife's hands.  She switched from her hands to her knees (because holding someone's knees in sit ups SUCKS).  I did a sit up and the added pressure on my feet caused me to pull something in my foot/shin area.  Ouchies.  To aid this I purchased a sleeve for my ankle/foot/shin area.

A couple weeks before the race I had a 10 mile run on the training plan.  I had been warned about the difference of running on the treadmill and on the road.  With this warning fresh in my mind, I decided to test out my sea legs and run outside.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into...  It was a beautiful rainy (monsoony) early May day in Ohio.  It would be a 5 mile out and back.  I was equipped with a rain jacket, Ipod, and water bottle.  Less than a mile in I took out the music because rain and headphones staying in your ears do not mix.  Less than 3 miles in I was walking up the hills.  I turned my run around at mile 3 and ditched my rain jacket because I layered up too much.  There was no way to get back to my car except by running or walking.  I decided on the latter, minus my ankle sleeve because it was digging into my skin.  Following this training session (I still can't bring myself to call it a "run") my confidence was pretty low.  **See above about God having a mission for me.  A crappy session wasn't going to stop the race from happening**

It was finally race weekend.  We went to Cleveland on Friday to pick up the race packet and go to my first race expo!  My inner race noob came out when I walked up to my last name area and the kind volunteer asked for my bib number... (the following conversation may not be verbatim... it's been 2 years)

Me: "Bib number?"

Volunteer: "What is your race bib number?"

Me: *blank stare*

Volunteer: "You don't have your bib number?  You have to go over to the computer to verify your registration and get your bib number."

Me: *looks over to computers*

Volunteer: "What is your last name?  I will look it up for you." *pulls out cell phone* 

Well.  That was embarrassing...  Thank you race volunteer for saving me the time of waiting in line to find out my bib number.  I wouldn't be surprised if drool started coming out of my mouth.

Wow.  I didn't realize it would be this long of a post.  I'm going to split it into two parts.  In my next part I will go over my one day Army weekend and race day.

Thanks for reading!

Part 2

Rambles

Since 3 p.m. yesterday a lot has been said.  Thoughts and prayers have been extended.  I've seen links to many different news articles, blogs, and social media statuses supporting those in pain from the horrible events at the Boston marathon.  I do not have anything groundbreaking to say about it.  The story gripped me, as I'm sure it has done to you.  I'm merely using this platform to get some thoughts off my chest.

When I got home from work, an hour after the blast, I sat with my wife and watched the coverage while our girls played in another room.  After a while my wife looked at me and said very calmly "this one hit close to home".  We knew people at the race. One person finished a little over a half hour before the blast, a local runner in the community finished five minutes before the explosion.  What she meant by it hitting so close was her being one of those people in the crowd.  I've done a couple big city races and she has been there at the finish line.  Hearing this from her scared me.  Throughout the coverage of the day I hadn't once thought about my safety as a runner.  Hearing that an innocent loving family member could be hurt would rock me even more than myself being hurt.

There is not a part of me that can understand what the families who have lost loved ones have been going through.  Frankly, I'm not going to try.  I'm going to continue in praying and join in with the millions of others covering these families with the Lord's comforting touch.

The running community is strong.  Much stronger than whoever put on this heinous attack.  Tonight I'm thankful for being in this community.  In the past 24 hours I've been emotional both for the lost and for the love shining out of people.

Watching videos of people in the blast radius tearing down barricades and performing life saving medical treatment still amazes me.  In times of horror and fear people come together.  I wish it didn't come to moments like this for all of us to join and work together.

If you get a chance, please join in with your local running community and run in remembrance.  I don't know about you but I won't let fear scare me from doing something I love.  If you can't run with your community just get out and run.  Put away the watch and the ipod and run.

My First Triathlon

Hello all!  Welcome to a historic post.  Today I completed my first triathlon.  (This post will have no race time information as the results have not been posted)

In previous posts I mentioned that my wife would be accompanying me on this historic day.  Not only to provide moral support, but to also take pictures (she is a great photographer).  Well... Plans changed.  Here's a brief rundown on how it went (in terms of who is going to the race):

Bryce, his wife, their daughter. Me, my wife, and my girls.
Bryce, his wife, their daughter, his parents.  Me, my wife, and my girls.
Bryce, his wife, their daughter, his parents.  Me.  I didn't feel it was fair to Aimee to keep tabs on both of the girls while I raced.
Bryce, his wife, their daughter, his parents.  Me, my wife, and my girls.  She decided she really wanted to be there and it wouldn't be as bad with Bryce's wife, Debbie, and his daughter.

Then the forecast came out:

Of course the race is Saturday.

This is when people started dropping like flies..

Bryce, his Dad.  Me, my wife, and my girls.  At this point the Costello's are still standing firm on coming to the race.
Bryce.  Me.  And then there were two...

So.  Because of the actions that transpired above there are zero pictures from the race.  Sorry...

Friday night I packed up all my stuff and double checked I had everything.  I'm not the most thorough of people when it comes to planning, but this was a different scenario all together.  I checked, and double checked, all my equipment.  I brought multiple pairs of clothing and both of my pairs of swimming goggles.  Nothing was going to get in my way of having a good race.  In past posts I talked about working on mental strength this year, and this race would prove to be a success of both mental and physical training.

With our race being an hour away I woke up at 5 am.  Sounds brutal, but compared to all the mornings of going to the pool and running this was actually sleeping in.  Having packed everything the night before I didn't have much to do.

Locked, loaded, and ready to go

I got dressed, patted down my hair, and waited.  Bryce was actually on time, and after a quick stop to adjust the bikes on the bike rack, we were on our way.  Most of the bigger races I've done have been at least an hour away.  I don't know what it is about the distance, but adding a road trip feeling makes the race a little more special to me.  Almost like I'm investing more into it so I'll appreciate it more.  This race was for a good cause.  It was going towards mission trips for a Christian ministry on campus.  Plus it also happened to be one of the earliest races on the schedule (I'm a tad bit impatient).

After a bass bumping hour of listening to the new Andy Mineo album we arrived at the beautiful Ashland University campus.  I say that without an ounce of sarcasm.  It's a great campus.  Nestled in a historic neighborhood of old beautiful homes.  We parked the toaster and made our way to the registration table.. kinda.  We had no idea where we were going.  We made our way into the rec center pool area where we asked a lifeguard where the registration table was located.  He pointed us in the right direction, kinda, and we made our way to the table.  During this journey, someone else, and someone else's son, had tagged along with us in our quest.  We were one hobbit away from a LOTR trilogy.  At last we had our ankle bracelet timers, wrist bands, and SWAG.  Unfortunately they did not have race bibs for this one.  I say unfortunately because I have accumulated quite the collection of race bibs (as you can tell from the top of my blog page).  Now all we had to do was wait on direction for what to do next.

Because of the cold temperatures they allowed us to have our towels and clothes inside the rec center.  With the wind it was in the low 30s.  The only bad thing about this is it would effect our final swim time.  There were mats strategically set up at the beginning of the race before jumping in the pool, and book ending the transition area outside.  All the time spent inside changing would add to the swim.  This fact did not bother me since I wasn't banking on having a great swim time regardless of where I could change.  It did wonders for my T1 time though!

The way the swim worked was they had 8, 25 meter lanes.  The faster swimmers upfront and the slowest in the back.  Every quarter pool length, of the first lane, another swimmer would enter.  We had to swim up and down a lane and then go under the floating barrier to the next lane and do it again.  This would be repeated 8 times.  I was ok with this method.  I started one or two people from the back.  Not necessarily because I'm the slowest, but so I didn't feel pressured or get surrounded.  Bryce started directly in front of me.  While we waited for our races to start I struck up conversation with some fellow first timers.  I could smell their fear.  Not of me, of course, but of the race.  I wasn't nervous or afraid.  When asked by a co-worker how I felt about the race I told her I was ready to go.  Confident.  Ready to push myself.

The race started when I jumped in the pool.  The Canton Nat is deep but this plunge into the pool was ridiculous.  It was set up for diving depth.  A few seconds in I still wasn't at the bottom.  Feeling a little panicked I pushed off the wall and started my swim halfway down the pool.  All I thought on the first lap was "Holy crap I'm doing a triathlon!"  I did not pass anyone in the pool.  I was passed once by someone who came to the race late.  The only negative about my swim was a lone wolf deciding to backstroke down the middle of the lanes.  My strategy of starting in the back to alleviate pressure didn't necessarily work, but it ended up helping me.  I didn't want to be the last one out of the pool so I kept a close eye on the person behind me, and kept a nice steady pace.  I noticed I was also keeping the same pace as people who started a couple lanes before me.

I got out of the pool and headed to my clothes.  Because of the cold temps I had to put on long legged running tights, a new pair of shorts, compression top, running shirt, and a running jacket.  I got everything on but the running jacket and made my way to the bike, while putting on my jacket.  I was the second or third to last person to leave the pool.  When I made my way to the bikes I got some motivation from the people working the race.  I'm not trying to be a negative Nancy but the motivation felt more like "aww.. look at you trying to race!".  Whatevs.  It's biking time.

Helmet on.  Gloves on.  Swig of Gatorade.  Let's do this!

Hopping on my bike I felt good.  The worst part of the race was over and I feel like the bike is my strongest leg of the race.  Within the first quarter mile I passed a couple people.  I was able to get my bearing pretty quick.  My strategy for the bike was simple: Reel 'em in!  I cast my line out to whatever cyclist was in front of me and starting pulling them closer.  At one point I came up next to one of the guys I talked to in the swimming line, a fellow newbie.

Me: "How're you feeling?"
Him: "Horrible!"
Me: "You've got this!"

Off I went.

The course was a 12 mile out and back.  It was down some hilly rural roads (try saying rural roads ten times fast).  I don't know what it was but I was being extra friendly.  I was warning people I was about to pass.  Thanking police officers and volunteers.  Even talking to the people I was passing.  No one seemed to eager to strike up a conversation though.  While I don't have an exact total, I would say I was able to pass 12-15 people on the bike portion.  It gave me a big morale boost going into my first tri run.

T2 has nothing big to report.  I took off my helmet, stretched for a minute, and started running.  This is a luxury since I do not have clip in pedals/shoes.

Within the first quarter mile I felt my calf muscles twitching.  My first instinct was to stop, but I fought it.  It was a tough fight.  Leading up to race day this was my sole fear (get it?).  My two bike/run brick days were met with cramping muscles.  By a half mile in my legs worked out the kinks and the twitching went away.  I was able to pass a couple people here and there, and be passed myself in the last mile.  I didn't see the guy coming up till the turn around in the middle of the campus.  I fought it off as long as I could but it was inevitable.  When he passed I said to him "aw man, you caught up!".  He ignored me and kept going.  As I came to the last turn Bryce was there waiting for me.  I was met with him yelling at me to push it through the finish.  I responded, like normal, "I hate you", and proceeded to sprint to/through the finish.

They even gave out medals!  Nice way to remember my first tri.

While the race only had 73 people entered, it still had a big race feel.  Big inflatable finish line.  Great timing system.  I also say this because the announcer said my name as I crossed.  After the race Bryce would inform me that the announcer would follow my name up with "representing the Chicago marathon!".  I was wearing my CHI running jacket.  Knowing that he said this made me feel like a turd.

That in a nutshell is my first triathlon.  Overall I give the day an A.  First race in a new sport went off without any major hitch.  It was a little cold but I ran my race, my way.  I met a lot of cool people and was able to spend some good quality time with the ole training partner.  Next tri will hopefully be May 25th, with an open swim.  For now I will now focus on next month's Cleveland half marathon!

Sorry there were no pictures.  I'm really breaking the basic blogging rules by not giving people stuff to look at.  Reading is too difficult!