FREYGUY

7am run around Mutton Creek. 

8:15, :27, :29, :18, :32, 9:01, 9:13.  7 miles in 1:00:17 or 8:38 mpm

PM run around the High School.  55 degrees 9 pm start.

8:39, :43, :51, :38, :54, :40, :39, :56, :52, 9:32, 9:56, 11:11 (5:10)

1:54:46 for 12.5 or 9:12 mpm

4 am run around Mutton Creek.  50 degrees or so. 

8:55, 9:49, 9:49, 10:35, 11:07     50:17 for 5 miles or 10:03 mpm

9 pm run around mutton creek.  1:24:09 for 9.5 miles or 8:54 mpm

8:36, :34, :39, :40, :45, 9:09, 9:39, 8:19, 9:22 (4:26)

This is a two day 12 person relay.  400 team wave start at Jim Beam distillery. 36 legs following the bourbon trail.  Weather was an off and on rain with temps in the 50s and 60s.  Our team was MFSB (Must Find Some Bourbon).  Our roster had 7 women and 5 guys. All of us were in our 30s, 40s, and 50s (except my brother-in-law which is 28) One member was a no show, another was pregnant and walked her 2 or 3 legs leaving one of the guys to pick up the other.  Yet, another was unable to finish.  I ran four legs for a total of 26.6 miles.  The 11 runners were split into 2 vans.  One van was "on" and covering 6 legs while the other was "off" and resting.  This meant that there were 5 major exchanges.  We all then ran the last block together in downtown lexington. 

I Captained the team.  I had been packing, and readying things for this race for weeks.  My wife and I booked hotel rooms in Lousville for the start, in Danville for the exchange and Lexington for the finish.  We also had to get two big vans for runners and gear.  On, thursday, I was picking up the vans and shuttling them to my house for the designated drivers to pick up and take to Lousiville.  There was an insurance snafoo with van 1.  Little did I know that anything over 12 passenger rental vehicles now require additional insurance.  Luckily, by coincidince, I had booked a 12 not a 15 at TNT bodyshop.  The other van though was a 15 passenger, so I went to Jim's Bodyshop at noon (a bit earlier than planned) to pick it up and go through the additional paperwork.  To my suprise, it "was not ready" even though I booked it 3 months ago and verified its availability last week.  Around 3:30 I got a call letting me know that they had actually sold the van I booked that day.  There are 400 teams renting 2 vans each in this area.  No other vans were available.  Luckily, my mom was able to help out by driving from Shelbyville to the Indianapolis Airport to rent a van at the last minute (literally), then to Louisville KY.  My mom and dad end up driving for us and arrived in Louisville at 11 pm.  We had to pick the first 6 runners up at 6am friday morning.  Also, as mentioned above, one runner called on monday to back out.

Luckily, that was the end of the major suprises.  All went as planned at the check in and our first runner was on his way at 8am friday morning.  I headed back to my Hotel room to relax, get a shower, and eat. We picked up the other four runners and headed to Makers Mark for the first major exchange.  It was cool, foggy, with a light drizzle.  Van 1 was running about 23 minutes behind our schedule.  Arnold, my brother-in-law was first up.  He was able to make up a couple of minutes.  I then ran my leg. 9 miles starting at 3:37 pm.  This was a little hilly and a net gain of 100 ft elevation.  61 degrees with a 5 mph cross wind.

6:56, :47, :28, :53, 7:18, 7:01, 7:40, 7:05, 6:41.  Nine miles in 1:02:52 for a 7:00 mpm pace

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/610894429

Arnold picked up the additional leg.  Our van finished around 7pm and we went to the Danville hotel to shower, eat and rest up.

(go to tomorrows blog for the rest of the story)

(Continued from Friday)

12:00 am. I wake our team, call van #1 and get ready for another day of relaying.  It's 51 degrees, dark, and raining quite hard.  Van #1 has had a long night.  They were ready for down-time in the hotel.  Cindy spent 1:48 minutes covering her leg in pouring down rain. (just over 14 mpm).  This again put van #1 about 25 minutes behind schedule.  Again, Arnie led us off starting at 12:56am.  He cranked out a 22 minute 3.5 mile leg.  (6:23 mpm pace).  I was next.  My leg went straight up US 127 with a nice wide shoulder 5.7 miles.  I had a 5 mph headwind, but net slight downhill.

Leg 20: 6:34, 6:54, 7:25, 7:42, 7:12, (5:42)   41:05 or 7:13 mpm

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/610894447

I then picked up the extra leg after Tim and Heidi had run.  This was on Kentucky backroads.  kind of narrow and right in the middle of the night. However, the moon was very bright. 3:30 am start in the middle of no where; finishing at the beautiful Four Roses distillery.  They had bourbon balls for tasting.  They were great!

Leg 23: 6:40, 7:05, 7:22, 7:44 (1:04).  29:58 for 4.13 miles or 7:15 mpm

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/610894473

We finished our leg a little after 5 am and handed off to van #1.  Again making up 23 of the 25 minutes that we were off.  My team ate at the huddle house while I slept in the van.  Gel shots and bourbon balls  at 4 am were doing a number on my stomach.  We then went back to the Danville hotel for a shower and a little down time.

9:30 am:  back up and to the van we go for the last exchange.  Arnie, led us off scorching his first leg again.  Shannon picked up the additional leg this time giving me a little time to prepare for a difficult 7.8 mile hilly run through horse country.  By now, the faster teams are catching the slower teams.  There are literally over 500 15 passenger vans at the major exchanges now.  Roads are full of vans and runners.  The weather is a very nice mid 50 overcast day.  The long night is paying dividends with great scenery and lots of excitement.  There are runners with all abilities mixed together on the road now. 

It's now 12:57 pm 55 degrees and an 11 mile per hour head wind.  I'm standing on History Main Street, Midway, Ky.  I see runners in costume, carrying an American flag, and a guy in just a speedo pass as I'm waiting for my handoff from Shannon.  I pick a runner that I would like to pass out of the crowd as I take off.  I'm quite stiff from the prior three legs and van rides.  I decide to dial back my anticipated pace to 7:30

Leg 33:  7:01, :40, :11, :15, :48, 8:02, 7:29, (5:47).  7.79 miles in 58:17 or 7:29 mpm

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/610894507

I never catch the runner I wanted to pass.  He finishes about 100 yards in front of me.  His time had to be almost identical to mine.  Tim, Heidi and Shannon finish their legs.  We join Shannon for the last block of the race and finish together.  I had calculated that we would finish at 4:05 pm on Saturday.  We finished at 4:17pm.  There is Bourbon sampling and a huge block party in downtown Lexington at the finish line.  3 of our members stay.  I however drive the runners back that are tired and just want to go home.  Heidi and I get home around 9pm. 

I would love to run this relay again.  It was so much fun.  There is so much to see and do.  If you get a chance to compete in this event, do it.