Fall is in full swing here in the Midwest, and I’m still chugging along. I have one more race on the calendar for the year, a 25K trail race in November, so I am trying to build a little speed while hoping I don’t reaggravate some dumb running injury. I’m also hoping to run over 1000 miles this year, something I didn’t do last year, only hitting 800. I’m confident I can get that done.
I had two decent runs this week, a 10.5 miler on Wednesday and a 12 miler on Friday. I was happy with both efforts, running them straight, without taking any walk breaks. Even though I am still running the A/C at home due to some lingering warm fall temperatures, both Wednesday and Friday were cooler than what I was used to. In typical “me” fashion, both days resulted in my overdressing for the run. You would think that in my thirty-plus years of running, I would know how to dress myself for running success. Nope. On Wednesday, I wore shorts and doubled up on top with a long-sleeve shirt covering a short-sleeve one because I was worried about being too cool. By mile two, I had warmed up nicely and was sweating heavily and cursing myself for not dressing smarter. Then I went and did the same exact thing on Friday.
It’s been a struggle for me year in and year out. Every year, I promise myself that this will be the year that I keep some sort of journal on what to wear for the weather to be comfortable. I neglect it every year.
Wearing layers is the smart thing to do, and that is something I don’t fail at. If you get too hot, you can take off a layer and put it back on if necessary. But it’s not just about knowing how many layers to wear; it’s also about wearing the right things, as well. When I started running in the late 1980s, there wasn’t any sort of industry-wide clothing for runners. We had cotton shirts, shorts, socks, and you wore what was comfortable. If you signed up for a race, you were given a cotton shirt. I wore them like badges of honor, even though they held on to sweat and became miserable. According to Google, Nike didn’t debut its Dri-Fit clothing until 1991, and it took a while to convert us running neanderthals. When tech fabric (generally made of polyester) became widely available, it made a huge difference in running for me.
This is a much younger me running the 1999(?) Jenny Spangler Trustmark Marathon in Lake County, IL. The shorts and top are some of my early tech running gear. I still have the shirt. I wore it on Friday. The hat was a cotton Univ. of Kentucky hat. Apparently, I hadn’t made the switch to visors yet.
It’s interesting to see how others dress when the temps get cooler. I saw a woman running the other day in shorts, a short-sleeve shirt, and an ear covering headband, clearly worn to keep her ears from getting cold. In the fall, when the temperature hits the 50s, people start wearing pants and sweatshirts. In contrast, on the same type of weather day in spring, they won’t be wearing anything like that, happily enjoying their runs in shorts and t-shirts. I guess going from cold to warm is an easier transition than warm to cold. The picture of me above was what I wore on a spring day. Looks like I was ready for the warming temps.
Well, since I don’t have a handy-dandy reference log to tell me how to dress perfectly for the changing seasons, I guess I will just keep changing clothes with the seasons.
Total Miles – 800 miles / 67 miles per month / 15.4 miles per week
Total Runs – 128 runs / 10.6 per month / 2.4 per week
Total Time – 135 Hours / 11:15 per month / 2:35 per week
LIFETIME TOTALS – 32,703 total miles run / 5650 total lifetime runs / 4599 total lifetime hours run
JAN 58 miles / FEB 70 miles / MAR 34.5 miles / APR 3 miles (lol) / MAY 39 miles / JUNE 64 miles / JULY 48.7 miles / AUG 108.8 miles / SEP 132.7 miles / OCT 86 miles / NOV 88 miles / DEC 67.3 miles
In November, I had a “what the heck?!” moment. I decided to pull up the running totals for the year and staring right back at me was a total running mileage of just over 700 miles. At that moment, I realized that topping 1000 miles for the year would not happen. The last time I failed to go over 1000 miles was in 2010, so running 1000 miles in a year had become an expected milestone to reach, and to not get it was a little shocking. Then reality set in: I looked back at the monthly running totals and saw that April had a grand total of 3 miles. Yup, that isn’t going to help push me over 1000 miles. And the preceding and following months both were very low. I had forgotten that high hamstring tendonitis had taken me out of running for a spell, and I was using those three months to recover and rebuild.
Recovering and rebuilding seems to be the norm for my running anymore. At 61 years old, my brain keeps writing checks my body can’t pay for. I don’t think that will change, as I have already set myself up for some more body punishment for 2025. But I need to be smarter about staying within my ability without overdoing it.
Even though some mandatory recovery months in 2024 were necessary, I was still able to get some running and racing accomplished and did well at them. Four of my five races went really well, seeing that the first race of the year was the reason that set me back in the spring for me. Here are the links to the race reports:
The Forge Gravel Triathlon Race Report – Summary: What did I do after tearing myself up running the 25K trail race? I switched to the bike and started getting my cycling conditioning back. Feeling good again and cautiously pushed the pace through a very technical running course, a course that half the field cut and ruined the overall and age group results. I’ll probably skip this race in the future. I had fun getting back into triathlons though.
2024 Chicago Marathon Race Report – Summary: I was thinking this race would be a farewell victory lap for marathoning for me – one last hurrah. Then the speed started coming back and I attempted to shoot for a sub-3:50 Boston Marathon qualifier. Missed it by 3.5 minutes, but I was still happy with my sub-4-hour final Chicago Marathon. I’m done with marathons.
What’s in store for 2025? First up is a return to long-distance triathlon specifically the 70.3 Ironman Rockford in Rockford, Illinois. This is the inaugural race there, so I have my fingers crossed that this new race will have wrinkles ironed out. After that June race, I will switch from multisport and concentrate back on building distance to hopefully go far at Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra in Iowa. In the back of my mind is a return to Tunnel Hill, but mainly thinking about racing the 50-mile race, with a goal of being around 10 hours. A man can dream.
Typically before a run workout a wise runner might warm up with some walking or light jogging before hitting the start button on their watch. After the workout, a cool-down might also be utilized to bring the heartrate down and get the body temperature to be less hot.
I was never much for either a warm-up or cool-down. In my younger running days, I would walk about a third of a mile before and after a run thinking I was a smart runner. In races, I almost always did a jog/run with some up-tempo strides prior to the race just to get the juices flowing. And then followed it up with a short easy cool-down back out on the course, which was probably a total jerk move, and looking back I can’t believe I used to do that. I never warmed up or cooled down before/after a marathon. The warm-up was done in the first 3-5 miles, and the cool-down was done as a shuffle heading back to the car or hotel.
Today I ran outside and nearly froze myself. Early December is here, and it wasn’t quite freezing, but the wind chill was brutal. I had planned to run eight miles, but the sun had taken a pass on the rest of the day, and the “warm-up” walk around the block with the dog made me question any run outside. I swapped a windbreaker for a running jacket, and out I went thinking maybe five miles was more in line with my current comfort level. I got to the two-mile mark and decided to turn around.
Upon getting home I had the realization that I was in need of both a warm-up and a cool-down, as I was still freezing but I was also sweaty and tired from the quicker pace due to the stupid temperature that I ran in. That was a new one for me. By mid-February, I will probably be out there on a similar day wearing much less running gear. Until then, I’m picking my outdoor running battles and hoping to avoid the warm-up/cool-down.
I have been fortunate to have lived near several great bike/walk/run paths as an adult. In my early running days, I loved running on the Green Bay Trail in Highland Park, Illinois. I would typically run this trail from Highland Park five miles out to Winnetka and then return home. A relocation to the Western suburbs of Chicago presented me with the option of running on the Great Western Trail and the Illinois Prairie Path. And I have spent more than half of my 35 years running at the local Hickory Creek Nature/Forest preserve paths and the Old Plank Road Trail (aka Old Plank Trail or OPT), where I see lots of locals also out enjoying the paths.
Over those many miles and years, I have seen quite a few faces over and over again. I call these people “regulars,” and even though I may not know them by name, we are pretty familiar with each other. Sometimes I will have a brief conversation with them, learn their name, and find out their reason for being out on the trail, but most times we just pass by with a nod or a wave. I thought that I might highlight a few, some I haven’t seen in a long time, and some fairly new. So, in no particular order, here are some of The Regulars.
Shirtless Tall Guy – One of the more recent regulars is a tall, fit guy in his 30s who runs shirtless, loping along at a relaxed pace, but I have seen him running fast on occasion as well. We usually give a brief wave when we pass each other, acknowledging the fact that we are always out on the trail pounding the pavement. I’m not sure if he runs to compete, or just runs for the pleasure of it. I envy his effortless-looking gait and often think that he would be a great distance runner if he wasn’t already.
Buford Pusser – In the 70s there was a movie called Walking Tall, telling the tale of a Southern sheriff who meted out justice by carrying a rather sturdy baseball bat-sized stick. There’s a local guy who walks the trail who reminded me of that character. I hadn’t seen ol’ Buford on the trail in quite a while, but recently there he was, walking along and carrying the four-foot-long thick dowel rod that he carries like he’s going to have to fend off a wolf pack attack. I usually run by this guy with caution, but I don’t fear him.
Wrong Side Wheelchair Lady – I encounter this lady all the time in the hilly nature preserve trail and she’s always on the wrong side of the trail. She used to have a friend who would walk along with her but I haven’t seen her friend in a long time. Lately, she has been singing classic rock songs at the top of her lungs while pushing herself up the hills. I’d probably be more friendly to her if she wasn’t always on the wrong side of the trail.
Baby Jogger Mom – This redhead with a wolf tattoo on her back shoulder used to push her newborn in a stroller in the preserve and I would see her nearly every run. Then she disappeared for a while, later to return with a double-wide stroller and two kids! But she seems to be fading quickly from the ranks of the regulars, as I haven’t seen her in quite a while.
Mario! – A long-time runner, this guy reminds me of Mario from the arcade game. He’s been out there as long as I have, and we just keep putting in the miles.
Will County Forest Preserve Lady – An older lady who wears a pullover-type top emblazoned with the logo of the forest preserve is one of the older regulars on the trail. A taller, thinner lady who I see often on the Old Plank Trail in Frankfort. There used to be a trail sentinel program run by the forest preserve district, so maybe she wears the pullover from that. Not sure.
Bill – Mostly a midday runner like myself, I encountered this local guy quite often, usually crossing the railroad tracks where the make-shift path gets me into the nature preserve. He was always friendly, and at one of the crossings, I took a moment to chat him up. He said his name was Bill and that he runs about four miles nearly every day. He doesn’t race and thinks the distances I run are crazy. But anyway, he’s a nice guy.
Curly-headed Guy – I used to see this curly-headed guy all the time running on the OPT and one day we stopped at a road crossing together and I introduced myself. He was wearing an Ironman visor and I had to at least say hello to a fellow Ironman. Turns out his name is Charlie and we are now good friends and follow each other on Facebook. He tends to ride more than run nowadays, but we are always joking about wanting to be each other when we grow up.
Bike Pusher Guy – I have passed people on bikes while running in the past, and although the speed needed to do that has long left me, but occasionally I come upon Bike Pusher Guy. This guy is older than me and doesn’t ride his bike very fast, and he always hops off and pushes it up the hills. Friendly guy, and we see each other often.
Me – I guess I’m a trail regular as well. I often wonder what others think of me as I jog by huffing and puffing in my sweaty clothes. Well, if you become a regular make sure to say hello to me because I’m always up for a chat.
I have done the spring version of this 25K before, and since I opted to not burden myself at Tunnel Hill 100 with another 100-mile attempt this year, I decided to give the fall version a go. And I am happy that I did! We had a cool and overcast morning for the race, with perfect trail conditions, and seeing that the fall version is run at a different course, I found this one to be a lot less technically challenging. That’s not to say this was easy – it had nearly 1500 feet of elevation! Lots of rolling hills, and a few steep enough to force me to walk, but the day turned out great for me.
My faithful sidekick/super sherpa/wife Kari and I got there way earlier than necessary, but were glad to do so to get a prime parking spot as the location had very few and we didn’t want to have to find the second and third parking option and have to walk. We had lots of fun people-watching and chatting about the other racer’s prerace routines.
I had made a race morning decision to wear my more comfortable road shoes instead of my trail shoes, based on the race director’s email stating that the course was in great condition. I also wore my gaiters to keep the little rocks, sticks, leaves, and other trail junk out of my shoes. I was looking around and it seemed that I was the only one that opted for them. I was so glad that I did.
At the start of the race, a short grassy section that led to the path.
The 50K started at 8:30 and my race started at 9:30. This course is much more crowded with other patrons, but they weren’t too bad and gave us plenty of room. My plan was to not go out too fast and have to suffer in the later miles, but of course, I bolted out of the gate. It wasn’t long before I found myself in no-man’s-land once again, not quite with the lead pack and way ahead of the back-of-the-packers. Doesn’t matter what length of race I do, I find myself in this spot every time.
There was a giant hill that I walked just before mile 2 and I got passed by a couple of other runners, but walking calmed me down and I settled into a more appropriate pace. The hills kept coming and I just kept pushing on.
That’s a lot of hills.
The 50K leader was shirtless and I saw him around my 5-mile mark and knew that I would definitely see him again. It wasn’t long after that when I saw the first 25K leader coming back at me from the turnaround, and she was flying! She did eventually win the race, a first for the race director, which he was super excited for.
As I got closer to the turnaround myself, I was marveling at how good a gel would make me feel. Every 30 minutes is when I choke down the 100-calorie syrupy stuff, and I was finding myself looking at my watch 15 minutes after each one wondering how much longer to the next. I finally caught a guy that I had been slowly reeling in, but he would jog the hills and I would walk them and have to work at pulling him back in again. We arrived at the turnaround aid station at the same time. I had already had the lid off of my 21-ounce water bottle and had it refilled with another 21 ounces. I’m glad that I opted for the bigger bottle this time instead of the 12-ounce handheld bottles I used in the spring race. I was staying on top of hydration.
After the turn, I found my legs and started running at a pretty good clip. This portion would be downhill for a while, and I tried to take advantage of that. I could see the competition coming at me for the first time and I was glad I had a good lead.
I have to give a shout-out to the large group of spectators who greeted us when we went out and came back on the course around the middle section. It was a big pick-me-up.
The next runner ahead of me was another one that I had tried to reel in from the start. She had passed me within the first 1/2-mile of the race and looked strong, but by mile 11 she clearly had run into a wall. I passed her and put some distance on her. I didn’t think that I was in the top ten at this point, but gaining a spot gave me some motivation to keep chasing others. The problem was, there weren’t any ahead of me that I could see!
With about 2.5 miles to go, we hit the last big hill and I was passed by another guy. Great, I had just gained a spot and now I was losing one. I tried to match pace with the guy, but he was younger and stronger. And to add insult to injury, the race director informed us at the awards that he had raced the RDs fall Lakefront 50K the week before. Tip of the running visor to him.
Once up the big hill it was flat and I summoned the energy I had left to push a little bit. I could hear the quick footsteps rapidly approaching me from behind and of course, it was the 50K finisher passing me in the final mile. It has happened twice now to me and I hate it! Oh well, another tip of the running visor to the shirtless 50K winner, whose overall 50K time was nearly a half-hour faster than my Chicago Marathon time. Actually, the second-place 50K finisher was also faster than my CM time. Crazy kids. Tip of the running visor to both of them.
As I was dealing with that defeat, the sounds of more footsteps were approaching, and I was passed by a woman who clearly was kicking to the finish. I tried to keep pace with her but she was slowly pulling away (tip of the visor to her-lol). We emerged relatively close from the trail and onto the grass to do a parade lap of the park to the finish and she hit the afterburners, beating me by 15 seconds. I knew that I couldn’t catch her, but I also knew that the clock was ticking rapidly to the 2:20 mark and I gave it my best to be sub-2:20, but my official time put me two seconds over it. My watch time shows 2:19:38, but it paused while I was refilling my water bottle. Seeing that I had predicted a 2:40 finish when I signed up for the race, and then thinking I had a good chance to go sub-2:30, to get 2:20:02 was a huge surprise that I will proudly take as a new PR.
Earned another A/G glass – 1st place!
Finishing the race and getting my medal and age group award
All in all, it was a great day and a great performance for me. I might have to keep this one on the calendar for next year!
Let me be honest with everyone, I fully expected this marathon to be a final hurrah, a victory lap, a farewell tour to marathoning. I had nothing left to prove with running marathons. I am past setting personal bests, I have qualified for Boston three times and run it once, I just really lack the motivation to keep doing them. The 2023 marathon and it’s perfect weather and record-setting performance was definitely fun to watch and gave me a little push. And when the email came to encourage me with my legacy status to sign-up for the 2024 I did it.
Of course, the training season didn’t go so well. I was doing pretty good gaining some speed and endurance again without injury, I set myself back after racing a sprint triathlon and had to take some time off to get back on track. I flip-flopped from following an Ironman training plan to a basic marathon training plan, finally settling in on just the running plan. I opted to do a backyard ultra as my final long run (2024 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report). Although I didn’t practice marathon pace there, I certainly was confident in my ability to be on my feet for a long time and cover the distance easily.
Then I found that the speed was coming back. I bought some super-shoes (HOKA Cielo X1) and I felt like a gazelle. Now I was running an 8:45 pace easily and a 3:50 BQ time was in sight of being a possibility. Instead of taking the intended victory lap/farewell tour at Chicago, I showed up to race as hard as I could.
Saturday my wife Kari and I met up with my Gunner team buddies – Alex (who was gunning for a sub-3:00), his dad Dave, and Jeff in the city and went to Maggiano’s to carbo-load. After a great meal, we went back to Jeff’s place and had great conversations until it was time to get some uneasy sleep for tomorrow’s race.
Looking fresh in the hotel room
Looking fresh just before entering the runner gate at Jackson St.
I was up at 4:30 and took a shower. I had some bathroom issues and I was hoping that it wouldn’t dehydrate me too much, if you catch my drift. But I was glad to void all of that out of my system. Kari found me a coffee and a breakfast sandwich from the shop located at the hotel (I stayed at the Palmer House Hilton, which I highly recommend. Very close to both the start/finish.) and I was all set. I had been concerned about the temperature and about being comfortable with what I would wear, but the walk to the entrance gate was very comfortable and I ended up giving Kari the sweatpants I was wearing before going into the runner’s area. Once inside, I made my way to the porta-potty lines and waited my turn. After that, I headed to Corral F and took a seat on the ground. 8 am came soon enough and we started moving to the start line. One guy took it upon himself to lay a doodie right there in the corral, which was quite a sight to see. He had no shame. Others were up against the fencing peeing. I shoved my empty Gatorade bottle in my pants and peed into it as well. At least I had a little modesty. My mother would be proud.
I crossed the timing mat at 8:01:15 am and decided to ease into the first mile or two. I was expecting some GPS issues going under Randolph St. and Wacker Dr. but the first mile marker came at 0.86 miles and I hit my lap button and all was fine for the rest of the race. The mile marker signs usually came a little early, and sometimes a little late, but I just trusted my watch.
It was fun going through the various neighborhoods and I was starting to realize that I was taking it all in for the final time. The crowds were amazing and the city was super crowded this year.
I was holding my pace around 8:40 min/mile pace and was feeling pretty good. I was sweating and was concerned about that becoming an issue knowing I had started a little on the dehydrated side. I made sure to take water and Gatorade at each aid station. I kept on my one gel per 30-minute routine and felt fine energy-wise. I tossed the white arm sleeves off and kept my thin arm cooling sleeves. I was comfortable but a little concerned about getting cold.
Ten miles in I felt fresh. At the halfway mark my split was 1:55 and that seemed perfect for the moment, all I needed to do was keep running my pace and empty the tank around Mile 21 or so to grab that sub-3:50.
Earlier in the race I had an issue with my right shoe feeling tied a little too tight, so I stopped and tried to untie the double knot but failed at that. I pulled the tongue of the shoe up a little and soldiered on, but then got concerned about it again and took some time to stop again and loosen it. From then on it felt fine. I also stopped right around 13 miles and used the porta-potty to ease my mind with that issue. So all told, I probably wasted 3 minutes doing those things, which I hoped wouldn’t rob me of that 3:50 BQ.
Kari was joined by my son Ben and daughter-in-law Emily, as well as a couple of their friends, and I had no trouble seeing them on the course. I think I saw them 5-6 times on the course and each time it was a pick-me-up. Around the 14-mile mark, I motioned that I wanted my gloves back, as I was now heading into the wind and was hoping not to get too cold. She shook her head and said she didn’t have them. Oh well, it turned out to not be an issue.
Somewhere mid-marathon
I kept pushing on and didn’t even worry about hitting a wall. I was feeling pretty strong and my pace was hanging tight. It was at Mile 22 when the wind came out of my sails. There was a commotion and they were directing us runners to the right. Then I saw the runner on the ground getting chest compressions. It was one of the most unsettling things that I have seen in a while and it broke me down mentally. Nothing cared to me at that point. I got rather emotional and I just pressed on knowing she was in good hands and hoping the best for her. After the race, I had seen some posts from others also seeing about a total of 3-4 runners from the race in a similar predicament. I haven’t seen any reports of deaths so far, so fingers crossed that they all made it okay. Man, it was unsettling.
I had written down my 5-mile splits on the back of my hand for a 3:45 marathon finish and could tell that I was behind on time to nab not only the 3:45 but also the 3:50 BQ time I was hoping for. My intended kick at six miles to go got pushed to the last five miles, then got pushed again to kicking with a 5K to go. But I realized that no matter if I ran the fastest 5K I have ever run it wouldn’t be enough. I started to cramp a little at Mile 24, I slowed and walked it off, and did the same again at Mile 25. That last mile was still pretty good, all things considered, shuffling in 9:08 min/mile. I took my time up Mt. Roosevelt and coasted it into the finish. Three hours, 53 minutes, and 27 seconds was a satisfying finish time, and I was pleased.
In the last mile(s) on Michigan Ave.
I had been in my head for quite a while in the race thinking that I was definitely going to have a spectacular crash at the end. I slowly shuffled through the chute, grabbed a mylar blanket, a medal, a banana, and water, and tried to keep moving forward. To my surprise, I was starting to feel pretty good. By the time I passed the medical tent (I’m a frequent med tent flyer!), it wasn’t even a thought. It took forever to get through the sea of people, but finally made my way to Monroe Street, made a left turn, and walked the two or three blocks back to the hotel in good shape.
A ride up the elevator left me a little nervous when the door wouldn’t open on my floor, and started beeping at me like I had done something wrong, but it reset itself somehow and opened. I had expected Kari to be there, but she wasn’t so I got in the shower and got cleaned up. Some time in the shower my body was done with this nonsense and started to punish me for once again putting it through the mill. I got dressed, got under the covers, and started working on reversing the meltdown. Kari was giving me food and Gatorade to help me recover, but once I started in on the soup she brought for me, my stomach was not having it. I puked magnificently and immediately felt better. I cleaned up, exited the bathroom, and said “Let’s go.”
Kari wanted to go get the car, which was parked about a half-mile or so away at her work, but I told her I was fine. We got to the car and headed home. Another crash was coming, but some sipping on Gatorade led to some potato chips, some soup, and a sandwich. I was feeling better.
So all in all, it was a pretty good way to end my marathon running career. 10 Chicago Marathons, 23 marathons total, and some great memories along the way. And if you ever hear of me thinking about running another one, please remind me to reread this race report.
I mowed the lawn the other day. It didn’t need it. I just did it to take my mind off the elephant in the room – it’s race week and the Chicago Marathon is Sunday. It’s on my mind constantly.
You would think that I would be used to pre-race jitters by now. This will be my 23rd marathon (if you count the five Ironman marathons, and I do), and tenth Chicago Marathon total. I’m not new to this, and I know that once I start moving forward everything will be okay. But damn, the nerves are kicking in hard.
To start, I didn’t get an email with the packet pick-up QR code that you need to get your bib and t-shirt at the expo. I got every other damn email they sent me to remind me about everything regarding the race, but not that one. It wasn’t in my inbox, my junk folder, or in the e-trash bin. Trust me I checked, numerous times. I posted that I didn’t get the email on r/ChicagoMarathon on Reddit and found that I wasn’t alone. Someone mentioned that they emailed the race and got a new email within a couple of days. So I went with that approach. Crickets. Then I get one of their regular emails stating “Packet Pick-up tickets cannot be resent. Please go to Participant services… at the expo.” Great. Thursday comes and I check my email – lo and behold – a nice email from Kelli thanking me for being a Legacy Finisher and the missing/replacement QR code.
I hate driving into the city, so I looked at the Metra service to get me to the expo. It looked like the Metra Electric line east of me runs by McCormick Place. Perfect. I asked a police officer coworker of mine if that train line was safe, and he strongly suggested not to take it. Interestingly, my Facebook friends mostly said that it would be fine. I rechecked the schedule from another “safer” place to catch the train and it turns out that none of the afternoon trains even stop at McCormick Place. Driving it is.
I found the Chicago Marathon’s suggested parking garage fine, the one with the half-rate cheap parking. But once in there I had no idea where to go. There was no signage, so I found someone who looked like they had just come from there and they directed me to continue going in the direction I was heading. I found some people getting on the elevator and I asked if they were heading to the expo and got a yes. Great. Up the elevator and down the hall and we were there. I was sure that I was going to have trouble finding my way back to the car.
The expo on opening day Thursday wasn’t too bad, and the check-in volunteers were great. I got my envelope with my bib and started heading to the back of the expo to pick up the t-shirt. I wandered through the Nike store with the official race gear and glanced at some of the offerings. I was unimpressed. The quality seemed poor and the prices were crazy. When I saw how long the line was to overpay for cheap stuff, I made my way out of the store and walked to the back for my t-shirt. I have been to the expo numerous times, and there’s really nothing there that I need. I made my way back to the exit but didn’t see where the event posters were located. The volunteer that I asked didn’t have any idea either. I finally found a guy who had one and he pointed me to the booth. I have to have a poster for my basement workout room shrine to myself. (I took an extra one for the shrine at work, too!)
I was right about not knowing my way back to the parking garage. I doubled back two times and finally found the way out. I got my parking ticket validated and was back on the road quickly. Glad I got in and out of the expo. It was underwhelming and just causing further stress.
At home, I began the “nesting” process where you gather all the running crap that I still own and figure out what I will wear and use on race day. Sometimes I will overthink this way too much, and the five different shirt/shorts/socks/visor options will need to shrink down. I also had the bright idea to bring enough gels to eat one every 20 minutes. I’ll look like a clown carrying that many gels. Time to pare that down as well. Eating a gel every 30 minutes has worked well in the past. Why change it now?
Oh, and let’s stress about the weather a little too while we are at it! I’ve been checking the weather app constantly for ten days now, and nothing has really changed. Low 50s (d. F) for the start rising to mid-60s and dry. So the weather looks to be pretty good, and last year’s race had perfect weather and was one of the reasons I signed up to run the race this year. That’s a win. Stop stressing.
I will carbo load on Friday night, and eat a sandwich or something easy Saturday night. I’m not trusting the restaurants downtown, not so much for the food causing issues, but more so for the lack of availability. Maybe some soup and bread with the wife.
I’m staying at the Palmer House Hilton, very close to the start/finish line. I will walk the route to the Jackson Street race day entrance, and then walk from where the exit from the finish line to the hotel in case my wife can’t find me. I can get turned around very easily downtown.
And that reminds me, I bought an Apple AirTag device, which I plan to carry so Kari can track me more precisely. It’s an extra thing that I will have to have on me, but I think it is worth it.
Just writing this stuff down has been a good stress reliever. Now I just have to kill 1 DAY : 16 HOURS : 14 MINUTES: 37 SECONDS until race day. Not that I am counting or anything. Pre-race nerves stink.
Earlier this year I struggled with some butt pain, essentially some high hamstring tendonitis that was not going away. I took time off from running, did a whole bunch of stretching, and finally got myself back to feeling pretty good – good enough to start running again without the tendonitis bothering me. And then I went and raced a sprint triathlon.
If there’s anything that will do me in is pushing myself too hard, and I when I sign up for a race, I plan on racing it at my hardest and best effort. I had tested myself a little leading up to the race and had no issues really. And even during the race and the day after, I had no ill effects. I felt great. So great in fact, that I thought why not switch to the marathon training plan and stop following the Ironman training plan that I was using to train for my fall marathon. After all, the sprint triathlon was over, I wasn’t sore or hurting, and really felt like I was ready to add some more running intensity. So instead of taking Monday off, I ran a four-mile run and pushed a little in the last mile per the plan, and that’s when I felt the butt pain again. Oopsie… oh, well – back to the drawing board.
I think I will bounce back a little quicker this time, knowing that rest and stretching was the combo that worked the best for me earlier in the spring. I’ll have to take a little time off from running again, stretch more, and keep putting my butt back on the bike to keep my cardio fitness going. And I will rotate the Ironman training plan back to the front. I need the cross-training to keep me from overdoing the running.
There’s still plenty of time to get ready for the Chicago Marathon in October. I just have to stop doing foolish things and stay away from things that will derail me. No more oopsies!
One of the finishing photos from last weekend’s race. I actually don’t look fat here.
Walking saved my season. Old me would have thrown in the towel if I had to resort to walking, but as I became a more experienced and seasoned ultra-distance runner, I found walking to be not only necessary but enjoyable. This year though, without walking I might not have accomplished much.
In May I developed knee pain that would later turn out to be patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as “runner’s knee.” This knee injury was a bear and the most difficult of running-related injuries I have ever had to get over. It took rest and some physical therapy to get a handle on it. But what salvaged my season was walking. Walking wasn’t making my knee hurt, and when the plan called for miles of running I substituted walking. Most walks were in the 4, 5, and 6-mile range, but I eventually reached 10 miles and more. Time on my feet was important, whether I walked or ran.
May, June, and July took the biggest hits as far as running goes, but I was back to getting my training runs in by August. A little knee brace I bought on Amazon was a gizmo that I thought was a waste of money, but whether it was a physical positive or a mental one, it seemed to help me run without hurting my knee. I used it up through September and during the Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra, until I decided to take it off in the late portion of the race. I stopped wearing it altogether after that.
By November and Tunnel Hill 100, I felt pretty good. I amazed myself by getting through 76 miles of that run, knowing full well that walking was the reason I got that far.
So when I look at the total running mileage of 1214 for this year, I’m pretty surprised that I amassed that much. Add in the 522 walking miles and it adds up (1736 miles!) to be a pretty good year!
2023 RACES
The racing season was held to just four events, which were eventful for sure.
First up was the Paleozoic Trail Runs – Devonian Spring II 25K, a local trail race that I’ve done twice and really enjoyed. The 2022 race was a complete mud-fest, but 2023 would be bone-chilling cold. I felt pretty good condition-wise for this race, but it really did paint a picture of what was to come for me. Once the race started I felt sluggish and didn’t have any speed. I tripped over a hidden tree root on the trail about halfway through and landed on my face. I pushed on but finished missing out on the podium. Race recap:Paleozoic Trail Runs – Devonian Spring II – 25K Race Report
I think I immediately stopped bleeding when the blood flash-froze on my face.
Next up was a return to the WausaUltra Backyard Ultra in Wausau, Wisconsin. I really enjoy the backyard/last runner standing format and WausaUltra really puts on a good event. The weather was a little better this year and not as warm, but seeing how I tripped and fell at this highly technical trail course in 2022, I managed six 4.16-mile loops before I pulled the plug on it before I tripped on something significant – i.e. a jagged rock. Of the backyarders I have done, this one is the most technical and toughest. Race recap:2023 WausaUltra Backyard Ultra Race Report
Totally beat after one loop. It’s a tough course.
After suffering through the knee pain earlier in the year and learning to train around it through walking, I was elated to even be able to show up for the BROKEN ANVIL BACKYARD ULTRA, in West Point, Iowa in September. Another second year in a row race for me, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect or even if I would get more than a couple of loops run. Kari joined me for this race and ran a personal best farthest distance, before dropping out to help crew me. She’s the best crew/sherpa ever. I managed to get through 9 yards and 37.5 miles before deciding that I had had enough. I was tired, starting to chafe, and did not want to overdo it and jeopardize the looming third attempt at Tunnel Hill 100. I could have run up to 50 miles, but I was being cautious. I was also starting to have a Forrest Gump moment, that point when I was kind of sick of running. Race recap: 2023 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report
Kari and I wrapping up her last yard together.
I ended the year in Vienna, IL to attempt running the Tunnel Hill 100 for the third time. Honestly, I couldn’t believe that I had gotten enough training done to even show up prepared to run. The first 50 miles went pretty well, and I looked forward to pressing on for the second half. Kari and Ben had joined me to crew and pace for me. Kari joined me for the trip from Heron Pond to the turn-around, and back toward Vienna, slogging through 21 miles with me – a new personal best distance for her. But as we pressed on, it was clear that I was starting to struggle, with cramps popping up here and there in my feet and calf muscles, as well as being just generally worn out. For the second year in a row, I happily pulled the plug at 76 miles in Vienna, with no regrets at all. I’m not sure a 100-mile finish is in the cards for me, but I won’t say I’m done trying. I just need the perfect training season, and 2023 was not it. Race recap: 2023 Tunnel Hill Race Report
Some day I hope to finish the race with this pose.
2024 GOALS
I’m not really sure about what to plan for 2024. I decided after Tunnel Hill to put ultras on the shelf for a while and focus instead on rebuilding some speed and getting back to triathlon. But I did something dumb and signed up for the Chicago Marathon, something I claimed that I would never do again. And trying to reclaim some of the speed I have lost doing nothing but long, slow distance running is not going so well. I may have to come to grips that I am an old guy and those days of running fast are fading behind me. That’s okay, I’m really enjoying setting new distance records, running backyard races, and experiencing new types of events. One on my radar is a trail race in June in Valparaiso, IN called Trail Golf Endurance Challenge. It’s a trail run, covering nine “holes” of distances of about 3.5 miles each. The faster you run, the lower your score. I may have a conflict that weekend, but if not, I will show up and give it a go. Here’s the link if you are interested: Trail Golf Endurance Challenge
So there you have it. A season that clearly had no business turning out the way it did, and I’m so glad that walking was an option to keep me moving forward. On to 2024!
RUNNING STATS
JANUARY – 15 Runs / 96.5 Miles / 24 Miles per week
FEBRUARY – 13 Runs / 83 Miles / 21 Miles per week
MARCH – 15 Runs / 136 Miles / 34 Miles per week
APRIL – 14 Runs / 145 Miles / 36 Miles per week
MAY – 14 Runs / 114 Miles / 28 Miles per week
JUNE – 4 Runs / 28 Miles / 7 Miles per week (Injury impacted)
JULY – 6 Runs / 42 Miles / 10 Miles per week (Injury impacted)
AUGUST – 12 Runs / 111 Miles / 28 Miles per week
SEPTEMBER – 11 Runs / 151 Miles / 37 Miles per week
OCTOBER – 13 Runs / 141 Miles / 35 Miles per week
NOVEMBER – 6 Runs / 101 Miles / 25 Miles per week
DECEMBER – 16 Runs / 88 Miles / 22 Miles per week
2023 TOTALS – 135 Runs / 1214 Miles / 23 Miles per week
LIFETIME RUNNING TOTAL
31903 Total Lifetime Miles / 5522 Total Lifetime Runs / 35th Year of Running
I shut myself down from running in mid-November, after attempting Tunnel Hill 100 for the third time, only running occasionally and only short-distance stuff. Doing nothing but running long and slow had been a blessing initially because speed was causing me some issues. But now, after three years, long and slow is wearing me down too.
I’ve spent some time this fall thinking about what I want to do next year. I like to find races and set goals, and I really miss riding my bikes and doing triathlons. I was pondering whether to keep running ultra-distance runs. I have really grown to like the challenge, and the backyard/last runner standing events are so enjoyable to do. I know one thing for certain – I’m done chasing the 100-mile finisher goal for a while. I’ve had three shots at it, and I’m not sure that distance is for me, an aging runner who should have attempted that distance earlier in life. I’m not saying I’m done, I just don’t want to put myself through that again right now. I already have the Chicago Marathon on my calendar, and I believe that is more than I should tackle.
I recently came across a new race format that I found very interesting. It’s an ultra-distance event (50K) that has an element of the backyard/last runner standing format to it but adds a speed challenge. It’s called the “Trail Golf Endurance Challenge” and is local to me, located in Valparaiso, Indiana. The format is runners will run nine “holes” starting on the hour. The distance of each hole is a little under 4 miles of technical trail terrain. If you can average an 8 min/mile or under for the hole, you get an “eagle,” worth two points. A sub-1o min/mile is a birdie-3, a sub-12 min/mile is a par-4, a sub-15 min/mile is a bogey-5 and anything over a 15 min/mile is a double bogey-6. So if you run an average of 10 min/miles for each of the nine holes, you will end up with a score of 27. The runner with the lowest score will be the winner. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.
But there are two things that stand in the way of me signing up for it. First, my daughter will be starting a new job and may have to move to another area on that weekend, which will require dad to assist. And secondly, I KEEP TRIPPING AND FALLING DOWN!
The crack, the shoe, and me wondering what the hell happened.
I really don’t understand how a simple trip to put the garbage bins to the curb and to grab the mail can be a tricky endeavor for me, but on this cold day I decided to pick up the pace a little to get back up the driveway and into the house and my foot got caught on the lowest of low trip hazards ever – the small little gap between sections of my concrete driveway. It’s barely 2mm high! My legs were doing a cartoon spin trying to catch myself, but I went down anyway. Fortunately I had time to get my hands under me to prevent a face plant, but my shoe went flying and so did the mail. Fortunately, my dog Murphy was the only witness to this craziness.
So, maybe I should stop thinking about trail running altogether because my past history has shown that a fall is certainly a high probability.
If you are less of a klutz and would like more info about the Trail Golf Endurance Challenge, here’s the link: Trail Golf
an amazing run 