Biker boy - 30.4 miles along the river trail. Nice day for a ride. Many bikers and walkers, few runners. Went to the Cookie Chaser 5K today to watch Sylvie, Harry, Richard and Tony. They all did real well. I was the photo guy, don't know how I did yet. Colleen helped with the timing, I felt sorry for her, it was darn cold typing in those race day registrations and correcting any timing errors. It was real nice of her to help Diana with the race. I took 135 photos, I will down load them and give to Diana to put on her Cookie Chaser Web site. I got a picture of every 5K finisher under 31 minutes.
Last note, seen Michael and Falcon, Falcon came second in the 2K, they took off before I could talk to them. Falcon has the heart of a lion, when the gun went off, he was chasing the leader, right on his heels. No Doubt, Falcon is a star rising.
Running Shorts: None today, may find the energy later in the day. I orginally thought writing these shorts was a good idea. I am unsure how they are working on my physcie (I am sure that it is spelled wrong). Self Mental Pep Talk - Decided to Write a Running Short Appropriate for the Moment.
Running Shorts: Racing Revival / Retro Race Report (1995) – After 12 years of running no races, my racing life was going to come back to life. It had been 3 years of raising two teen age girls on my own. My buddy convinced me it was time to get social and meet some women. Well, his idea, go line dancing at a church. The thought of this scared my left two feet, well, went anyway. Being fashion aware at all times, I wore my old 1983 St. George T-shirt. After trying to my groove on, sat down hoping no one would notice. A lady (Donna) spotted my running shirt and asked if I were a runner. After a few moments of talking, she asked if I would like to run with her Des News Marathon training group in the morning. Well, being a runner, I could not turn down a good run. I lasted 14 miles of the run and signed up for the Des News marathon. The running group was also aiming at BQ times for the running the 100th Boston the next April. This was in early June. I had run nothing longer than 10 miles for about 10 years.
Ye of Little Smarts – 6 weeks is really not enough time to get ready for a marathon. It was good I have little running smarts. Much of the next six weeks was running with this group. My two main running partners were Blaine Smith and Ken Duke. Ken was sight impaired and needed a runner with him. So, for several runs I learned how to direct him while being at my elbow.
Des News Race Day – Blaine and Ken got to start at the front of the race as Blaine was the sight assisting runner for Ken. My spot was at the back of the pack on a dirt road east of the golf course. It took 45 seconds to reach the start line, the race was on. My plan was to catch Ken and Blaine my first mile. I never have seen them until after the race. I must have passed them in the dark. I was off to the races thinking I could easily get a BQ at a 3:25, piece of donut (cake). I was feeling great, going like a bat out heck. I felt great running up east canyon and back down over little mountain. The wheels came off at half way; 1:35 first half, the rest was survive to the finish. We all know, these marathons are painful, we have all had them. I just missed the BQ and finished in 3:26. The second half was ugly.
The Bad and the Good - The bad news, missing a BQ and got a stress fracture running down immigration in racing flats. The good, called Boston and the let me in because of the slow start, I was not this first to call. I was determined to get a real BQ at St George that year. Well, 10 weeks from Des News to St. George with a stress fracture, rode like heck every day on an old mountain bike for 5 weeks getting ready for St. George. I had enough time to run one half marathon and a long run before St. George. I ran a legitimate BQ 3:07 at St. George.
Morale and Hope – Cross training on an old mountain bike with determination can help get you in shape for a marathon. Nothing funny about this story, wrote the story go give myself a pep talk for my current injury situation. So, Mike, Benn and others with injuries, cross train like an animal on an old mountain bike. The key, no fancy bike needed, the harder to peddle the better.
Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out
Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out
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