BS Rools

Pre-Race Thoughts – This may be the STG swan song, make it a good one.   Pin on a number, do your best that day.   (17th STG and 37th marathon)

Post Race Thoughts – Forget the swan song, train smarter next year, work harder, looking forward.   Goals:   I had joked about finishing before dark, some truth in the joke considering the situation.  My real goals were:  do my best, beat last year’s time and have fun.   (Post knee surgery PR and beat last year by 53 minutes)

Bus ride in the dark – normally, much anxiety about the race, none this year, just see what the race brings.   Sylvie really helped keeping the mind in line, saying you can break 5 hours, you can do it, etc. so nice to have a supportive running partner. 

Bond fire – nice time chatting with a couple of runners from Texas, first timers, really nervous.  Ran into Kim and Tom taking clothing bags, talked to old running buddy Bruce and his wife running her first marathon (she told me 5 years ago how much see hated running) go figure. 

The Start – wow, we were not 30 seconds lined up and the start was off, thousands of strong running soles headed off to a distant finish line.   It took all of 15 seconds for Sylvie to fade into the darkness ahead of me, wished her well on her quest.  

Splits - Now, mile splits have no meaning, my thinking was in terms of how to manage this race, less impact on the knee, maximize strengths, chi when possible, keep replenished and stay focused.  Well, did notice 2:15 split at half, the clock.  The next split was the clock at 20 and 25, realized at mile 20 that breaking 5 hours may be possible. 

Runner Encounters of the Third Kind – Colleen (fastest shuffler stride ever, passed me at mile three) ran a 3:59 at age 61,  Sheldon (soon to be Chi instructor, running his 10^th STG) and Hal the crazy Buffalo runner.   It was nice to run a couple minutes with each of them. 

Race Management – 8 (gu, cliff shot and Excel Gel) total, two bananas, Gatorade every stop) good energy.   The knee;  ran about 5 miles of the race off the left side of the road in the dirt, really helped on portions of the downhill.   Almost 5 hours may seem like a long time to be running, funny thing, the miles flew by, don’t know why, just enjoyed the race.    Maybe it’s a good thing, maybe this is the last one, really gives you a sense of satisfaction to “just do it”.

Post Race – chatted with Brett and his daughter, superfly and s few other runners.   I could hardly walk, too exhausted, left for food and rest.

10-Year Club Banquet – Hear my name, Queen Josse calling to one of her loyal subjects, big smile, she ran a great race and a PR.   The banquet was fun, talked to Cheryl,  STG PR, she earned it with all those hard workouts.  

Sylvie ran a 4:12, was not her day, still gave it her best.  

Lastly, enjoy these marathons, they are truly precious challenges. 

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out  

(BS Rools can not resist having a little fun) when the 4:30 pacing group caught me at 18 miles, ran with them for a couple of minutes and led them in a running chant: 

I don't know, but, I just heard

Here comes the 4:30 running herd

Sound off:  several counter off, 1, 2, 3

What are we running for:  I don't know and I don't give a darn

The next stop is St.George finsish barn

The pacing group leader laughed.

Upper body weights, spin 30 minutes. 

Lost, gone on vacation to Hawaii - blogging off-line, paper run log for a couple of weeks

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

Thanks to everyone that commented on STG, 

Cross train, 2 hours spin bike, 200 crunches, upper body free weights. 

Marathon recovery, feel great, when was that marathon anyway? The knee is no worse for the effort.  Post STG thoughts:  get stronger on the uphills, concentrate my runs on the uphill, cannot do much downhill.   It seems there must be a training plan for someone in my situation, how to get the legs ready for running a marathon under 4 hours, while running 20 or less miles a week.  Maybe the physical therapist can help, surf the internet for training ideas.   It would be nice to run with Sylvie at about a 3:45 to 4:00 pace.  Me and Sylvie talked about running two marathons next year, a training marathon about 3 or 4 weeks before St.George and STG. 

Waiting, not a good waiter,  waiting for our ride to the airport.  It will be fun in Hawaii. 

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

Jet Lag Run - early morning, 4 a.m., still on MST,  along the beach walk to Alomoana Park point and back, hot and humid, huffing and puffing.  Fun to see the surfers waiting for wave.  When when reached the turnaround point, two oriental men doing Ti Chi, one was churning butter and the other giving himself chest slap.  These moves were over and over, concentration.  Sylvie caught me setting in the bucket, got me to stop and get in Chi position. 

B Rools often reacts on the moment.  I ordered a sandwich, hand way too many onions, I just threw half the onions off the linai, 11 stories up.   The onions hit no one, but, Sylive gave me the business.  On the plane ride, the seats in front of us gave you the option to watch several different movies or play games, started playing battle star galactica, hitting buttons, was getting up to level 9, did not realize that I was banging the seat in front of me, had to apologize to the lady.  Darn, could have made it past level 9.  

Great to be on vacation in paradise.  Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

Same run as yesterday, along the beach to Alomoana park and back, puddle jumping, weight workout in the gym, 200 crunches and 1 hour spinning.   North shore, shark's cove snokeling, fun day.  We at at Cholos in Haleava, walk along the beach at sunset.   Finished "Once a Runner and started "What I talk about ....  see my reading list.  This book is a good read, reminds me of Kelli's blog where she is stark and honest about her running thoughs.  I would highly recommend Once a Runner, got it off Benn's blog.  *Note, I do not normally run 2 days in a row.  Knee feels fine. 

Stay Kool, Endless Grains of Sand, B of BS Rools out

Kapalenie Park to Diamond Head overlook and around the park.  Wore myself out chasing Sylive, felt good to be tired.   Running club doing a long run for Honolulu marathon, brings back memories of running it 3 times, 1 hour spinning, brought 3 great Tri shirts, hot tub, pool,  shopping, relax, read, mellow out. 

Stay Kool, Dark Chocolate and Macedamea nuts, B of BS Rools out

Raw Running Thoughts (RRT) - tought to accept decline in running speed and ability, legs only have so many miles.  Positive side, can run more that 2 days a week without knee trouble if on soft surfaces, we have ran about 70% on grass on packed sand.  My slowness really hit me when I was listed as second to last in STG running time for bloggers.  The blog is fast running blog, hum?  Another RRT - many top runners have hit the pieces falling apart at a much younger age than myself, wonder if the hard core 100+ miles contributed to the wonder years of running closing early.  Lastly, never feel sorry for yourself, move on, do what you can.  We stayed at teh Hale Koa, a military hotel.  There were some disable veterans, WWII vets, etc. great americans.  The hot tub conversation with these veterans is priceless.

Stayed up late last night, late start running, hot and humid, the tourists were out in full force, weaving and bobbing like a boxer, close calls, near knockouts, clueness tourists in a daze, wrong way walkers, free weights, crunches. 

Paradise Cove Laua, fun time. 

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

RRT - many years running with Sylive, slowing down to run with her, she does not slow down for me, chasing her is my way of keeping motivated, never stop on a hill, keep her running honest.  If we are on grass, can give her a good run. 

No running, day off, spin 1 hour, crunches, swimming a few laps, romance, paid the singer at the beach to play James Taylor, "How sweet it is to be loved by you"  Always goot to get commando points with Sylvie. 

Hunama Bay snorkel and Bellows AFB boogie boarding, caught some good waves, no jelly fish, sunburn city, beautiful day. 

Stay Kool,  Fire Works, B of BS Rools out

RRT - would life be grand without running?  50 lbs heavier? Hum, don't want to find out.

Kapoleni Park to Diamand Head Overlook and back, chasing Sylvie.  Sylvie calls it the Sylvie push, if I ever get ahead of her, give it my best to not let her pass, dead dog tired, went ahead of hear going up the Diamond head hill, could hear her coming, did not let her pass me, maybe motivation is lacking, could pay someone to pant and run right behind me on ever run? 

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

RRT - Stopped at the Scofield Barracks commissary, great buy on food.   This brought back memories, 10 years ago, I signed us up for the Scofield barracks 10 miler on the day after we arrived in Hawaii, our legs were dead, we were running in waste deep peanut butter, we ran our slowest 10 miles in a race for ever, very hard to acclimate instantly to heat and humidity. 

4 miles Alomoana with Sylvie, surfers out, waves breaking, stopped a few minutes to watch.  Homeless were scared out of the park by police. 

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

RRT - homeless, quality of life, how did it happen, family?  Seem a story on the news about a homeless shelter running group?  Does the group stop at every dumpster or trashcan?  Anyway, how many people make it back to normal society? 

Tough 5 miles with Sylive, she was feeling it today, worked hard, weights and swiming.   Long walk on the beach, shrimp, chowder, fireworks on the beach. 

Stay Kool, water world, B of BS Rools out

RRT - move my lard butt, have I just accepted the slow pace and blame it on the knee, come on, get some guts.  

Diamond head hill work out, up one side, down and back up, good hill run.   Several thousand runners doing the Race for the Cure,  smell of sweet trade winds, stink of sweaty clothes, odd smell when combined. 

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

RRT - sitting on the beach, watched the siloette of 3 people walking toward teh ocean during sunset, they disappeared into water (it seemed) seemed a fitting way for the last night in paradise. 

Moto, Moto, motivatin - was not going to run, last day in paradise, knee was kind of bugging me all night.  Sylvie says - I'm going, last day in paradise, could not let her go without me, actually had my best run of the vacation, paced Sylvie on step ahead.   Best fun - had a male running go by me towards the end, sped up and stayed right on his heals for about 600 yards, looked at my Garmin, about a 6:56 pace.  Sylive laughed when I took off chasing him, great fun, pace not nuch to boast about, brought back memories of old where I would let know one pass me on a run without a fight to exhuastion.   Funning thing, the guy did not know I was right on his heals, was wearing an Ipod. 

Stay kool, B of BS Rools out

RRT - my running outfit looks like a ninga warrior, black calf sleeves, knee sleeve, blue shoes with red non tie laces, red shirt, sun glasses - feels good to look foolish and tough. 

Back to back spinning classes, good workout.   The first class was all women except for me.  Tina, the instructor made a big deal out of me showing up, "I am so honored to have BS Rools here".   Others is the class had not clue what she was talking about, they likely think I'm a big BSer.   The second class, IRON man la da jay roadie, always a good class.  Got some tips on swimming, may attend a few master classes. 

Stay Kool, Home Sweet Home, B of BS Rools out

RRT - kinda sad to be home in some ways, working for a living, leaving paradise.  

Early run, nice moring, ease does it, no other working out today.  Darn, tough to go back to work.

Stay kool, B of BS Rools out

Spin,  21.2 miles, good effort, avg HR, first 30 minutes 140, last 30 = 127.  Hopefully, weights later today.  Tough to get back into working out after the natural mental relaxing from STG and from being on vacation.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

RRT = already thinking about how to more effectively train for STG, start hill workouts tomorrow. 

Brick Day - Early, the cat meowing, 4a.m, got up, ready, hit the spin class at 5 a.m., rode for 45 minutes before the class started, good interval workout, good effort, 2 guys and 6 ladies. 

I had planned on swiming after spinning, Murray high swim team had the pool, scratch that idea unless the Jordan river, nay, went running for 8.2 miles along the parkway, slow pace, a skiff of PB on the trail.

Pushup challenge, entered a pushup challenge at work, 24 entries, $5 to sign up, all those that can do 100 pushups by 1 Dec 2009 split the pot.   I did 30 last night, may not make it to 100.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

Lazy morning, 1 hour spinning, 3 sets of 35 pushups, curls, 200 ball crunches, ball hamstring curls, bench press, shoulders.  

Beautiful Fall morning, did not run yesterday, ITB giving me issues on the right leg, got a massage on friday night, stretched and took some IB.  The ITB issue is my fault for running 9 out of 11 days in Hawaii without stretching.  Leg feels 95% better today.  Time to get back in a winter bass and strength building routine.  Back to the run, ran along the Jordon river north, nice even pace, passed about 10 dog walkers and 4 runners, said hi to all of them, Some said hi back.  For whatever reasson, just feel great today, don't know why? I even love doing laundry today, well, not quite.  

Scrap Book, I have not scrap booked my last two marathons, time to get er done. 

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

Spin 30 minutes, 20 minute mph, spin 30 minutes 22 mph, chess press two sets, 200 crunches, 3 x 40 pushups.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

RRT - run in the mornng, crank out a good pace, goal set

Reality gut check - how far out of shape?  Over the last few months, have settled into a 9:30 to 10 minute pace (chi like running) to lessen the impact on the knee.  The result: run more, but at a much slower speed.  Hopefully, improve leg turnover and leg strenght over the winter with a goal to break 8 minute miles in a 5k and 4 hours in a marathon next year.  (These seem like silly goals given my running over the last 30 years, but, today is today)

First goal race SLC Half Marathon, break two hours.

30 minutes spinning - then, put on the calve sleeves, knee sleeve - Milly 1.5% incline, 8:30 pace for two miles.  It doesn't sound like much, kicked my butt, avg HR was 155 during the run.   Me and Milly were once great running buddies, not so much now.  I may need to bring her flowers.  My plan over the winter, hilly on Milly. 

Spin class after work, Murray Rec, good hard class, simulated Big Cottonwoold Canyon ride. 20.40 miles.  Convert to 5.1 cross training miles. 

Monday and Wed will be running with Milly

Thursday - spin

Friday - spin and run brick

Saturday - bike 2 to 3 hours -

Sunday run, spin and swim brick

Stay  Kool, B of BS Rools out

Spin 1 hour. 200 crunchs. Day off sylvie having oral surgery. May run a few miles this afternoon

3 x 50 pushups - 1 set curls, 1 set bench press and shoulders.

4 miles run along the river, nice day for a run. Murray parks blocking off part of the trail where the river is ready to claim the bank.

Stay kool b of bs rools out

Lite day, spin 60 minutes, moderate effort.  Talked to Tony De.... today, he has a great hill workout on the treadmill that is forwarding to me.  It seems, if you need to run with Milly, make it count, it is basically and interval hill workout with 1 minute rest periods working from 1% to 7% grade at the same pace.   Fall is pretty, looking out my window on the 4th floor while blogging, nice fall look.   No immediate races planned, kinda wish we did not a race coming up, likley wait until Sylvie is over her hip flexor issue.  Started a book on the last wild american indian, very slow read, but, interesting.   I will likely skim read, the book has too many details that I would never put to memory.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

Arrived at the class 45 minutes early, spin spin spin, good class intervals and hills, (love spin classes with hard core instructors, today, Celeste a marathoner and la da jay rider, awesome shape) 36 good effort miles, can feel the legs getting stronger from the 3 easy weeks. Nice to get back in the groove. May run this afternoon or do a longer run in the morning, leaning towards a longer run on saturday. Starting next week, keep a 60 to 70 mile range combined running and cross training miles, lose 5lbs, look tough, be nice, shave my mustach (several people have told me to shave the 70's old man look, gees, have not shaved the darn thing for 20 years)maybe shaving will make me look younger and be arrested for entering the old man running div. ha ha) Miss running races this time of year, some bloggers keep on racing. Miss some of my old blogging buddies, Kim, Tom and Lybi have quit blogging, miss old runner partners Diana, Bruce and Brett. I may reenter some of my running shorts stories, for those that may be interested in reading. Sylvie still recovering from oral surgery, a little better today. Feel like talking about running, past races - darn, no one to blabber with today, may scrap book a couple of races today, just got back pictures from STG. I want to run like the wind, float on air, pick up the pace whenever in my dreams. Stay Kool, No nonsense,

Hundred pushup challenge,  4set x 35 pushups with 30 second rest between sets, 5th set 38 pushups, have 1 month to hit 100, may win $75.

B of BS Rools out - Go Utes

Every run is a great run,  5:30 a.m, beautiful while clouds puffing with stars peeking though, giving light to this runner along the morning journey.   No Cat Stevens or moon shawdow, great just the same.  My run worked on pace today, quick turnover on the short hills, can feel the legs are getting stronger from the hard spinning.  

Scary morning, two years ago on Halloween, a guy dressed as Darth Vadar was walking on the parking durning my morning run, no vampire, goblins or other scary creatures this morning.  About 5 years ago, me and Sylvie we running in the dark, three guys dresse up in weird outfits jumped out of the bushes to scare one of their friends on the parkway, Gardner Village. 

200 crunches, curls, bench press, shoulders, ball hamstring curls

Stay Kool,  BOOOOOOO, B of BS Rools out