Diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis in June of 2008. Started taking Enbrel in March, 2009.
Run as much as I can, and race as well as I can. Make the most of however much time I have left as an able-bodied runner.
Training for the 2018 Colorado Marathon
Long-Term Running Goals:
Run until I'm old, and then run some more. Stand tall.
Personal:
1 wife, 2 kids. 1 cat. Work as a GIS Specialist/Map Geek
Endure and persist; this pain will turn to your good. - Ovid
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. - Romans 5:1-5
AM - ran the dog around the block. Watched the Boston Marathon (until the feed froze), then ran the Logan Loop (8.25 miles). 6:59/mile average pace. It is hot out.
*****
Good running related story for today that I wanted to share. A friend of mine is currently working in Addis Abada, Ethiopia for the World Food Programme. She runs sometimes. Quote from her last email:
saturday morning i
went running a bit later than i usually do, and so the streets were full of
people (i usually go at 6 am and there's no one out). i was taunted by multiple
teenage boys running after me shouting, "haile??? haile????". kids
can be so cruel sometimes.
I think that's awesome. The best taunting we can get over here is "run Forest run".
PM - ran to the dentist. Ran back to work. Then found out I was locked out, and so was my boss (he went cycling, I went running, and the third guy went home...and locked up). So then I ran home. Extra mileage, oh yeah.
Ran the dog around the block. Then did the Millville Hill Loop with an 8-mile tinman tempo. Had a headwind going south (first half of run), and tailwind going north (second half of run). The tailwind, combined with the downhill of the second half, kind of put me to sleep, so I ended up just cruising and daydreaming and not really exerting myself too hard. Oh well, probably a good thing, since I only had one easy day since my last workout, so recovery is good.
Mile
Split
Comment
1
6:01
7/8 uphill, 1/8 downhill
2
6:03
1/2 uphill, 1/2 flat
3
5:58
1/2 downhill, 1/2 uphill
4
6:26
The Millville Hill (all uphill)
5
5:42
3/4 flat, 1/4 uphill (tailwind)
6
5:58
1/8 uphill, 7/8 downhill
7
5:51
all downhill
8
5:37
1/3 downhill, 2/3 flat
Got some email info from the Indy Mini today. I'm pretty excited about this race. The min elevation is about 700' and the max elevation is about 730'...so it's close to sea level and pretty much flat. The Course Tool indicates I should run pretty even splits. Here's the prize money breakdown:
Prize Money
Open
$3,500.00
2
$2,000.00
3
$1,750.00
4
$1,250.00
5
$1,000.00
6
$800.00
7
$750.00
8
$500.00
9
$250.00
10
$100.00
Not bad for a half. They also sent a start list of "elites". The only guys I had heard of were myself and Sean Sundwall. Most of the rest are local (Indiana) runners. There are few east-African sounding names too:
5
Jason
Lokwatom
6
Joseph
Mutinda
7
Elijah
Nyabuti
8
George
Towett
But no more than a half-dozen or so. They discontinued the old Elite Program this year, and no longer pay for anyone's travel. But with $3500 for first place, there will still be some pretty smokin' guys...probably just not as many, or maybe fewer 2nd-tier runners. I'm somewhere in the 3rd tier, but would love to steal a 9 or 10 spot. That would be rowdy.
Currently how their program works, is if you are a sub-1:14 half runner, they will comp you, no questions asked (other than documentation of your time). If you are a sub-1:10 runner, they will comp you and give you a free hotel. I think that's a incredibly good deal, less stringent than many other races. I forget women's standards, but they are fair too.
Also, it's a Saturday race. Does this all meet the Blog recommend criteria?
Oh, and there's more:
6:00 a.m.- Pre-race hospitality
NCAA
building (map attached)
Come
relax and enjoy some refreshments before the race.Your Mini-Marathon bib number serves as your
entry into this room.This exclusive
area will have private restrooms for your use and water.You may also leave your warm-up clothing in
this room so that it can be transported over to the finish line VIP tent for
you to pick up after the race.
Oh...yeah...private restrooms. I know this will get Jon's attention. This is better than St. George already. If the food is good, I may not actually do the race.
Stayed over night at the Touch of Paradise camp for a valley-wide church men's retreat. I got a short 6-mile run in before breakfast. Ran from the camp up into Paradise, and onto the WBR course for a while. After breakfast, I had a little bit more time, so I went the other direction, crossed the Little Bear River, and headed up into the hills. And up and up and up. I had to turn back at 3.5 miles (for 7 miles total), but I have a feeling the route would have taken me to Sardine Canyon or somewhere like that. It was very beautiful too, and less steep than Avon Pass. I'll have to come back sometime and run the whole road when I have more time.
