One month to go

Many moons ago when I set out to run a marathon, knowing that at some point in time I would have to reach the 'half way'  point.  Well it is one month until then, I have been signed up for the Camp Croft half Marathon November 12th.  Training is going, despite a couple of small nagging injuries (the pain in the back of my legI have no idea about, occasional ankle pain) and the biggie, a fractured big toe that occured while training (on the very course the race is on!).  Those have been the lows, the highs, I finished the course on a training run unscathed and have had some good speed sessions.  Despite a bum toe, I am feeling stronger each day and am very read for the half.   As is my motivator Sherry, actually I think she is ready for me to stop talking about it.  Well one month to go until that gun sounds and I go race for 13.1 in the woods!

D

The one that kinda got away...

After having a pair of so-so races, I went to the Shepard's Door 5k, the middle of a three race in three weekend stretch, not really high on my chances for a good time.  After only besting my time from last year my 20 seconds at Paris Mtn, I decided that it was time for a change in race day gear.  Gone was the blue shirt and shorts in favor of the white 2010 Greenville Downtown 5k and black Adidas shorts (which were a steal at $5!) Well as superstitious as I am, the combo worked.  The start gun went off and I was neck and neck with a pair of 17 year olds.  I ran hard and was waiting on them to show me my age and go, except when we got to the hill I took off and never looked back, somehow I found myself leading...leading at halfway, leading at the two mile mark, leading at 2.5 miles, get to 2.75 and I have company.  After a sprited battle on the hill, he passes me and takes off for the finish, I give pursuit but it is futility at this point I am racing the clock.  Can I do better than the 20:51 that I did last year on this course?  I speed toward the finish 20:25, yep, by 26 seconds, AND I finished second.  What a great run...what a great boost for Sunrise the next weekend.  Speaking of Sunrise (5 miles), I bested my time from last year by a minute and a half after an incredible  week of training, oh yeah and finished ahead of the guy who beat me the week before!  Maybe it is the outfits...well no more races until I go back to Gaffney in July for the Peachfest 10k, then Paris Mtn 7k in August ( what am I thinking, race up a mountain in mid-August in South Carolina?) then the goal of 2011...Camp Croft Half Marathon.

D

Ok so I WAS on the shelf

Reedy River 10k 42:51...done until at least Paris Mountain again due to the birth of our third child...that's it TRY and focus on the mountain or at the least the Sunrise 8k in June...we are hitting heavy miles until November...no need to waste training time on 5ks right?  Wrong, upon checking my e-mail upon my return from time off, there it was in the inbox...an invitation to run a 5k this weekend in Boiling Springs...ok, my curiosity has been peaked...let me look somemore...wow, it benefits Eathquake Relief in Japan. Awesome.  So this weekend instead of mileage on the trails, I am heading to do some speedwork (5k) and help the people of Japan, definitley a win-win.  And as an added bonus, Sherry and the boys may make it to the race!

D

How the pain motivates

It is Thursday and I missed my run this morning.  I know it was rainy, my legs were tired, and I can make up the run tomorrow...but it is 2 and a half weeks until Reedy. 

This is more about the pain that drives me from the Hot Chocolate 10k in January where I felt I could top my 42:23 from July (I mean 17 at the start...flat course for Asheville...no problem).  Well after a six minute first mile I faded to a 43:51...while that is impressive from where I was in May 2005 it could've been better.  See I slacked off  the last three weeks of training and didn't give it my all and it showed. So now I am training all the harder to do better at the Reedy in March.   Reminds me of some one else...Peter.

Last year while reading in Acts, I noticed that the most fervent spreader of the gospel was Peter, yes THAT Peter, who when we left him was denying he knew Jesus, but in Acts he does everything he can to get that taste out of his mouth of denying Christ  and fervently spreading the Gospel.

D

The beauty of VW

One of the best commercials to come out of the Super Bowl was the Volkswagen commercial where the little boy, all decked out in his Darth Vader costume tries to use his 'power' on everything, runs past his arms outstretched dad (I can relate) to use his power on the VW, and well watch the rest on YouTube.  As many times as I laughed at that commerical, there was one beauty that came from that commercial.  The fact that the mom was well being a mom, staying home with her boy (instead of having her and the boy pull up beside dad), and smiling while she gave him a sandwich. 
I am a huge proponent of stay at home moms and while certainly understand there are some situations that merit both parents working.  All in all, I love that my wife sacrificed to stay at home with our boys.  While there have been many extras we have done without and it is sometimes a struggle to make ends meet there is no better feeling than knowing intimately the person who is watching my boys while I am off at work and this is a concept that in recent history has been undeservedly put to shame.  I love to hear that there are other families that are making the idea of one parent staying at home to raise children!  So I want to say thank you to VW for the message they, whether they realize it or not, sent that it is a great thing for a woman to stay at home and watch kids while the dad goes out to work.

D

It's been two long!!

Well after my last posting, I MADE IT!!  Made the coveted Turkey Day 8k, a great race because, well it's free, a bunch of friends of mine run it, it ends at Rome night Club in beautiful downtown Spartanburg, oh yeah and if you rock the top 70 of your gender, you get socks!  32:15, haven't done that since college and well now sport some lovely Orange and Purple Turkey day 8k socks (of course Sherry hates them with a, well purple passion). Fast Forward two months to the Issac Dickson Hot Chocolate 10k in Asheville.  I loved this race as well, very well organized, someone watches your bag while you run, and there is hot cocoa waiting when you finished.  Only thing is when I signed up I didn't put 2 and 2 together and realize that Asheville in January isn't as tropical as the Upstate in January, so I put my manhood aside and purchased tights for the 17 degree run that awaited.  I slacked the last month of training and after blazing a 5:56 first mile, the last .8 uphill got me and I was slapped with a 43:51 time, not bad, but not what I had hoped.  But at the very least it did serve as a motivator for 2011 and the Reedy which comes up in March and is on the same course as the Spinx half-marathon I am going to do in October.

D