Okay, since I have a second I better drop a line about the race last weekend before the soreness is gone from my legs.
Shelley and I head to Branson MO. on Friday after work...we stop off at the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield MO. to pick up packets. We have now been there the total of twice...the fucking wildlife exhibits have been closed both times so all we get to see is fat fuck rednecks wandering around lusting after camouflaged underwear, guns and fishing shit. It is a slice of Americana to behold. It has if these good people have found the holy grail. Awesome.
We get our packets and head to Branson...we decide a steak would be nice since the race is two days away...pull into an Outback Steak house...whatdafuck...that dude is smoking...at his table...so is about half the restuarnt...wow...we leave hoping for a non-smoking anything.
Pull into Branson and find a rib crib....mmmmm ribs...around this time it strikes me...this place is fucking weird...old people every damn place...no police....just old people milling around like some kind of fucking elephant grave yard...dude there is evil afoot.
So we get to our hotel which is surprisingly nice and chill...since we were the first of our crew to arrive. Wake up Sat morning and head back to Springfield so Shelley can shop and we can see more of America...well we apparently didn't see enough cause back to Branson we go to the Bass Pro shop there...wow...more of the same.
The rest of our crew arrives and we head out to the race site so they can pick up there packets...talk with the RD...ask about drop bags...RD has no idea what a drop bag is or what she is going to do with them...OH shit this might be a cluster fuck of a race. Get sorted head back to the hotel and crash...
Race morning...
We are greeting by Barney Fife and the race site...seriously...a Don Knotts impersonator...he was spot on and actually funny as hell. We get instructions that we will be starting with the 25k people and basically run the second loop backwards.
One bullet Barney shoots his gun and we head down a little asphalt to start the day....then the first creek crossing at about 1/2 mile...then another then a couple more then a few more...the RD said there were 5 creek crossing 10 for the 50k...I stopped counting on the first loop at 1o meaning 20 at least for the 50k. Once were left the first creek we went straight up. I mean freaking straight up. These were by far the steepest hills I have ever been on. I thought my back was going to seize up and paralyze me. I was blown after the first up and down...I thought my knees were not going to make it. So I settled into an easy pace on what ever flat I could find and took the hills very slow...
I believe we covered 7 hills in each lap and had a total elevation gain of nearly 10,000 feet. The course was beautiful as all the leaves were changing colors. I really just had fun running the thing even though I was shit slow at 7:29. I actually thought about pulling at 25k because the hills were killing my back but I thought now way and I wanted the sweet North Face Finishers fleece.
Shelley rocked with a 5:08 but spent time trying to figure out the course on the second loop. There needed to put about twice the signs up that they had. The course marking was shit.
Shelley was 2nd female and 11th OA...there were 4 guys from the New Balance Mountain running team so the front was really stacked.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival.
http://media.basspro.com/images/outdoors/outdoor_fitness_festival/DogwoodElevation.pdf
Fuck me. 4880 feet of climbing x2. I truly thought that my knees were going to blow.
Too tired to post more but will in the next couple daze
Fuck me. 4880 feet of climbing x2. I truly thought that my knees were going to blow.
Too tired to post more but will in the next couple daze
Friday, October 24, 2008
Are We Fucking Crazy?
As Shelley and I head to Missouri this afternoon for the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival...man that is a long name...50k I again question my/our sanity. Not that we do more than many of our friends but we have this race on Sunday...then next week is a cross race...then the following another 50k. This will make 3 50k's for Shelley in 3 months...only two for me.
We have a friend who is funning 3-100's in like 4 weeks. I wonder how many people to this type of shit. I really can't be normal.
I am feeling awesome though and it seems that my last few runs have been awesome.
So here we go back into the mix....run mother fucker run!
We have a friend who is funning 3-100's in like 4 weeks. I wonder how many people to this type of shit. I really can't be normal.
I am feeling awesome though and it seems that my last few runs have been awesome.
So here we go back into the mix....run mother fucker run!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Palo Duro 20k
What an amazing place to run. I will get some pictures up soon but I think that Palo Duro is the most majestic place I have ever run. Just so remote and stark. Fucking awesome.
The weekend was really cool. We camped out thur-sun. with Jamie and Andrea, Lauren and Marc got there on Friday. We spent a lot of time hanging out and catching up. Shelley and I really appreciate our friends.
Sat morning broke nice an cool and we got the start about the time the sun crested the rim of the canyon. Shelley was up front of course I started in the middle hoping to run a even race. I was really concerned about my calfs as they have started to lock up again. No worries, I was just going to cruise it. I settled in and went through mile 1 around 12:15. Cool if I run 12's I will be at 2:30...so that was goal #1. My calves weren't complaining and I was just loving the run...mile 2 around 11:35. Feeling awesome. Sun was warming things up and the trail was just perfect...miles were clicking off and I was beside myself with how good I was feeling. I was getting a few sub 11 miles but I told myself to hold back until mile 9 then we would run hard. I really didn't get passed at all once we spread out. My biggest fear was I would catch the nekked dude and not be able to pass him, causing me to run behind his naked ass for 4 miles. Thankfully I never saw him after the out and back. I got to the last aid station and started to push it. Mile 10 was 10:10 or so then mile 11 was 9:58 then mile 12 9:38...finish 2:13:27. Not fast but I really felt great the whole way. I was 52nd out of 188 total.
Shelley rocked and was 2nd female and 8th OA! Awesome day for her.
The weekend was really cool. We camped out thur-sun. with Jamie and Andrea, Lauren and Marc got there on Friday. We spent a lot of time hanging out and catching up. Shelley and I really appreciate our friends.
Sat morning broke nice an cool and we got the start about the time the sun crested the rim of the canyon. Shelley was up front of course I started in the middle hoping to run a even race. I was really concerned about my calfs as they have started to lock up again. No worries, I was just going to cruise it. I settled in and went through mile 1 around 12:15. Cool if I run 12's I will be at 2:30...so that was goal #1. My calves weren't complaining and I was just loving the run...mile 2 around 11:35. Feeling awesome. Sun was warming things up and the trail was just perfect...miles were clicking off and I was beside myself with how good I was feeling. I was getting a few sub 11 miles but I told myself to hold back until mile 9 then we would run hard. I really didn't get passed at all once we spread out. My biggest fear was I would catch the nekked dude and not be able to pass him, causing me to run behind his naked ass for 4 miles. Thankfully I never saw him after the out and back. I got to the last aid station and started to push it. Mile 10 was 10:10 or so then mile 11 was 9:58 then mile 12 9:38...finish 2:13:27. Not fast but I really felt great the whole way. I was 52nd out of 188 total.
Shelley rocked and was 2nd female and 8th OA! Awesome day for her.
The Canyon....
A cool wall on the run course
Shelley and I taking a break running the day after the race...sore fucking legs!
Monday, October 6, 2008
46 years today
Wow man, I can't fucking believe I am this old. When did that happen.
I guess age is just a number because I still feel really good and there are many things that I still want to do before I slip off the deep end. There is so much to explore in mind, body and the world around me.
...but...the clock does tick on and on.
I guess it just goes back to making every moment count.
This weekend was an awesome for a birthday...ran 20 miles or so with friends at Turkey...then home for a quick shower and headed to McNeely's for burgers, many beers and shots, then Shelley and I stayed downtown so we didn't have to drive...up at 6:30 for an hour run at Turkey...
...what do you know the oldest of our crew was the only one other than Shelley to show up!
I guess age is just a number because I still feel really good and there are many things that I still want to do before I slip off the deep end. There is so much to explore in mind, body and the world around me.
...but...the clock does tick on and on.
I guess it just goes back to making every moment count.
This weekend was an awesome for a birthday...ran 20 miles or so with friends at Turkey...then home for a quick shower and headed to McNeely's for burgers, many beers and shots, then Shelley and I stayed downtown so we didn't have to drive...up at 6:30 for an hour run at Turkey...
...what do you know the oldest of our crew was the only one other than Shelley to show up!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Last Crit of the Season
Last night was the final race in the series here in T-Town. I pretty much decided last week that I was only going to race once since my legs were beat to shit. We did some really long runs this weekend and I took Monday completely off. Yesterday morning I did a short run in the morning and my legs were complaining.
My shoulder is still sore, as well as my hand. I was concerned about my grip but it did bother.
Got to the race site and the director was late so it was a hurry up kind of warm up. The legs were not as bad as I feared. Got the line up and the whistle and we were rolling. The usual guys were there so I just sat in most of the way. Nothing really got shaking until 5 to go. Then an attack from some new guy. Covered easily. Crazy Ivan never came through which was different. I was holding 3rd wheel and sitting well.
We get two to go and I talked a guy into attacking and went with him. American flyer cuts me the fuck off but I hang onto his wheel. Excel sports guy's attack doesn't get a break so we are all together with one to go. Strange jersey guy goes with about a half lap...American Flyer guy and I stay with him. Last turn as we head the sprint...American Flyer guys goes way too fast and into the gutter...I kind of sat up and though what the fuck is he doing...about that time he fucking cranks it up and caught me napping. We both blow by Strange jersey guy and he takes the win.
Great way to end the season...
My shoulder is still sore, as well as my hand. I was concerned about my grip but it did bother.
Got to the race site and the director was late so it was a hurry up kind of warm up. The legs were not as bad as I feared. Got the line up and the whistle and we were rolling. The usual guys were there so I just sat in most of the way. Nothing really got shaking until 5 to go. Then an attack from some new guy. Covered easily. Crazy Ivan never came through which was different. I was holding 3rd wheel and sitting well.
We get two to go and I talked a guy into attacking and went with him. American flyer cuts me the fuck off but I hang onto his wheel. Excel sports guy's attack doesn't get a break so we are all together with one to go. Strange jersey guy goes with about a half lap...American Flyer guy and I stay with him. Last turn as we head the sprint...American Flyer guys goes way too fast and into the gutter...I kind of sat up and though what the fuck is he doing...about that time he fucking cranks it up and caught me napping. We both blow by Strange jersey guy and he takes the win.
Great way to end the season...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
