Go, you chicken fat, go away!

More flag football today with the guys and a couple of girls this time.  It was fun, but I suck as QB.  I found out today that the calendar on the ARR website was wrong and that the  Open Mile is tonight.  Now I have the perfect excuse for not hitting allie's predicted 5:55.  Or was it 5:50?  No, she said 5:45.

My legs felt tight all day because all the sprinting from the previous day's flag football escapade.  I did not prepare myself mentally throughout the day.  But how can you when you're at work?  I did not prepare myself physically by hydrating or stretching throughout the day.  But how can you when you're at work?  I was hoping the mental and physical preparation would all come together in my half an hour pre-race stretch and warm-up routine.

I saw my internet buddy Terri who organizes the race.  I guess I can call her my real buddy now since we've met on several occasions.  She wasn't running today.  Tonight was the biggest turn out that I've ever seen.  Maybe it was because of the pizza.  There were a couple of high school track teams.  I lined up one spot back in lane one.  Nobody was taking pole position, but with the turnout, there was no way I was going to.  I spotted Jim Prescott, one of AZ's finest road racers in the masters' division.  I told him I saved him a spot.

Mark, set, go.  I was amazed at how fast people got in front of me.  It was like a funnel of legs and BO.  I even had to slow down because I was cut off.  That was probably a good thing.  I started off waaay too fast.  I couldn't believe it when I hit that first lap in 1:19, six seconds faster than last time.  But I thought, "I'm in better shape than last time.  Let's see if I can hold it."  Coming down the straight away as I finished my second lap I knew I was in trouble because my vision was blurred, and I couldn't see the clock.  I finished that lap in 1:27.  I remember thinking, "I'm on pace for a 5:32.  Holy cow!"

But I knew I was fading fast.  I told myself to just hold on one more lap, then try to finish with a good kick on the last lap.  The third lap was 1:37.  I got passed by about three guys.  I kinda felt bad, but not too much, because they had to go around me.  The last lap was 1:35.  So it was a little faster than the third lap, but just barely.  That's exactly how I used to run in high school.  My third lap would always be my slowest, and usually way slower than the rest.

These are Garmin splits with a slight adjustment because Garmin measured it at 1.02 miles.  I will update my time when the official results come out, but for now I think I was 1 second slower than last month.  Then again, last month I thought I ran a 5:58, but it turned out to be a 5:57.  So, here's for wishful thinking.

After the race I thought I was going to die.  Sorry Sis. Esplin.  No chunks or heaving.  But the top of my lungs were, I don't know how to describe it, it felt like I was hit by a bronchitis bus.  I thought about bagging the second mile because I for sure broke 6 again.  But I really wanted some pizza and would have felt guilty for eating some without running both miles.  So I finally felt a little better and did the second mile as a cool down.  I got lapped by about 5 guys and finished in 7:37.  I was actually surprised I broke 8 minutes. 

My lungs still hurt.  I wonder if it is bronchitis and running that hard triggered something.  About three hours later I finally hacked up some phlegm.  I hope I feel better for my 5k on Thursday.  I want to break 22.  Maybe 21.

I was worried about running this race because of the "lung burn" I got doing my mile race two days ago.  It's still bothering me some.  Now, I know I can run, but racing as hard as I can might trigger it again.  And to have it happen while I'm running was scaring me. 

A lot of people showed up, more than normal.  We got to run next to Tempe Town Lake instead of the road because they finally opened that part of it back up.  The only bad part of that was a couple patches of gnats.  When I ran there a few weeks ago there was a lot more gnats.  I hate those little bichos.

When the race started Nick Coury took off in the lead.  Nick has evolved into quite the public figure in the local running community.  It didn't take long for me to settle into 2nd place.  I was constantly looking at my Garmin to make sure I wasn't running too fast or too slow.  I wanted to run a 7 minute flat pace.  I started a bit fast, so I slowed down.  After 1:29 my Garmin beeped at me.  I had set it to alert me for every 1:29 for my mile race.  I also set it to record my quarter splits.  So, I realized that I hadn't changed it back and that it was going to be beeping a lot.  Oh well.  At least I'd know exactly where I was.

I had Nick in my sights for most of the first half of the out and back course.  He wasn't even trying though.  He ran a 5:03 mile two nights ago at the Open Mile.  Then he got too far ahead and I lost him.  It was dark and the path was winding.  I began to wonder if I was supposed to turn or something.  Before long I saw him coming back.  We exchanged pleasantries, and he looked as relaxed as a Jabba the Hut on weed. 

As I was coming back I saw that I had the same lead on the 3rd place guy as Nick had on me.  It now became a race against the clock.  Everytime I looked at my Garmin it seemed like I was right on pace.  There were a couple of small hills that really suck the energy out of you.  But they were so small I tried to power up them and relax on the backside to catch my breath.  My plan was to run steady until I hit the last hill, then kick to the finish.  But I misjudged how close it was to the finish and lost some time.  Then when I got up the hill I held back a little still afraid that I would get hit by the bronchitis bus again.

I knew the course was going to be short, so I checked the Garmin right before crossing the finish line.  I was at 3.04 miles and decided to keep going until I hit 3.10.  I finished in 21:54, a post high school PR.  It took me a while to catch my breath.  But I had 0.06 miles to walk it off and go congratulate Nick.  Then we cheered on the rest of the runners as they came in including my Facebook friend David Weeks and new friend I met tonight Toothless Dave.  He seems like a nice guy and now wants to be my new running partner.  LOL!  ay yi yi.

After the race Muscle Milk was there handing out free samples.  I got vanilla.  Mmm-mmm!  I also got a pack of blueberry/pomegranate Gu Chomps, a vial of 5 Hour Energy (anybody want it?), and a Roadrunner Sports beanie.  I didn't win anything in the raffle, but David Weeks won a free entry into the PF Changs Rock and Roll Marathon.  He said he didn't want to run it.  I wonder if he'd be willing to sell it. (Anybody want it?)  Then there was a Ultra Running 101 Clinic that Nick put on.  Now I want to do an ultra.

Quarter Splits - 1:45, 1:44, 1:45, 1:46, 1:43, 1:46, 1:47, 1:44, 1:43, 1:49, 1:52, 1:44, and 0:40 for 0.10.

Mile Splits - 7:02, 7:03, 7:10, 0:40 for 0.10 (6:44 pace)

I was digging throught some old pictures, and I found this one of me and Rattletrap.

I also found this picture of Toothless Dave.

This turned out to be one of the funnest runs I've ever done.  My old high school chum Mike invited me to join his team.  That was a lot of pressure because he's won the costume contest the last two years in a row.  We decided on a Christmas theme, and that evolved into a Grinch theme.  My wonderful wife sewed me up a Christmas present costume.

Doesn't it look good?  Mike's costume was awesome.  He made it out of mattress foam.  He spray painted it green and was getting high off fumes all race.  More to come on the costume.

Here's a picture of us as we made it to the finals in the costume contest.  It was us against one guy that was dressed as a nerd.  He played the role quite well.  The crowd cheered for "Who" they liked the most.  It was a tie.  Three years in a row for Mike!

I saw a guy that looked like a teacher from my high school.  I mentioned to my wife that it looked like Mr. Dykman, and she agreed.  I never had him, but his daughter was two years younger than me and ran track with me.  So I stalked him down and saw his daughter there.  It was fun to catch up with them.

She's the 5th tutu girl from the left in the picture.  Can you see her in the back?  Sunglasses on?  That's her.  Turns out she lives real close to me in Val Vista Lakes.  Small world.

When the race started it didn't take long for Mike's ornaments to start falling off.  Let the ball dropping jokes begin.  At least no one would get lost.  He called it his trail of tears.  The most mysterious thing was when we were running and saw one in front of us! 

The first obstacle was the over-under hurdles.  It was over then under then over then under.  Over was easy.  Under in a box and a Christmas tree, not so much.  The next obstacle was the balance beam, tires, balance beam, tires.  Keep in mind I couldn't see my feet.  Good thing I have ninja-like balance.  Now the sun was starting to shine.  I mentioned that my costume felt like a confectionery oven.  But I knew Mike must be twice as hot in his get-up.

The third obstacle was the wall climb, a 6 foot wall at about a 80 degree angle.  The first thing I did when I arrived was give some lady a boost.  Then Mike gave me a boost and his niece, the Grinch.  He was able to impressively hop over unassisted.  Cindy Lou Who and the Ornament were a little ahead of us, but they waited here, and we basically ran the rest together.  The fourth obstacle was the low crawl.  Down we went under the ropes.  Somebody behind Mike thanked him for wearing something underneath his costume.

The fifth obstacle was another wall, this time with a cargo net.  Luckily I only needed two steps to scale it because I couldn't see my feet.  It was like I was fat again.  The next obstacle was the hay bales.  They were stacked so you stepped up twice and down twice.  Not too bad.  I just had to trust my instincts.  Finally we approached the finish line.  We had to climb through a 3 foot diameter, 10 foot long pipe, then one more hay bale pile, then to the mud pit.

 As we stood on the bank getting ready to take the plunge, Mike pushed all of us in.

Oh, guess what.  I can't see underneath me.  I feel a body underneath me.  I'm sure it's the Grinch.  Am I on top of her head?  Am I smothering her in a bog of disease ridden mud?  I don't know.

Okay, she's fine.  But holy cold!  My wife said everybody was hanging out to see the tree go through the mud.  They got to see a little more than they bargained.  That mattress soaked up the mud and water like a sponge.  It quickly became 100 lbs. of dead weight, and there was no way he could keep it on him.  Somehow he managed to drag the remnants of his sad tree with him and used it to cover his, well, branches?

And then we were done!  A very fun time.