Masters Running

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The Saturday Before Boston Daily (Read 43 times)

Mike E


MM #5615

    Good morning everybody!  Where's Jay, by the way.  Did he go on vacation?

     

    i'm getting ready to head out for a 5k race.  The wind Is blowing from the SE at 26 mph.  I sure hope we're running  NW.  This is a benefit run for a local soccer coach who has ALS and Lyme Disease...he's in rough shape.  It has been hard to watch this guy's health decline so rapidly o ver the past year.  He has a wife and two young children.  When I signed up, yesterday, they were just about at 500 participants.  I hope, along with the money that is raised, the support that he receives will lift his spirits.

     

    Okay--i'd better bet going.


    Marathon Maniac #957

      Mike - my mother died of ALS last September.  It is a terrible disease.  My heart goes out to him and to his family.

       

      I, too, am off to run a local 5K, one that benefits abused children.  This race was started by one of our high school teacher's whose young son was killed by his ex-wife's new husband (the child's stepfather).  We live in a scary world.

       

      Then I will take DD to an Easter Egg Hunt (at 11, she still has one more year, she tells me), then to lunch and then church.

       

      Happy Saturday!

      Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

      wildchild


      Carolyn

        Mike and Holly, good luck at your 5ks today!  They both sound like they're for excellent, and sad, causes.  Good luck to anyone else racing today, too.

         

        I'm off to do a 50k trail run on the same course as the fatass in December that took me nearly 9 hours to finish.  There's a lot less snow now, so hopefully it won't take as long today.  I'm running with some ultra friends who are also training for the Bighorn.  Hope the rain holds off!

         

        Happy trails!

        I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.

        stumpy77


        Trails are hard!

          just in case I don't feel like enough of a slug...........................  Happy racing and running, guys.

           

          But still waiting out the last hamstring strain.  This time I guess I need to be a BIT more proactive instead of just rest.  I'm down to only two REALLY wide bars on my training log.

           

          I'm afraid I'm likely going to miss all the Marathon festivities--Easter dinner invite will do in Robin's partay and work is probably going to kill any chance at spectating on Monday.  Bleh.

          Need a fast half for late fall.  Then I need to actually train for it.

           

            Lots of races out there today -- love that the running community can give back and help out so many others!!

             

            I ran the BAA 5k today - nice and slow and enjoyed talking with friends the whole way!!  BOSTON IS HOPPING!!  Now time to carb load and rest my legs!!  I am sad to be missing the Mastah's partay tomorrow as well, but Easter is church and family day.  Will miss all of you there!

            denise

            Tramps


              Nice pic from Ribs yesterday.  Sounds like a fun experience.

              Hang in there, Stumpy. I know how you feel.

              Good luck to all the racers this weekend.

               

              No 5K or 50K race for me,  just an EZ 5-miler.

              Be safe. Be kind.


              King of PhotoShop

                Thanks all.

                 

                Spectacular day here, 70's and sunny.  Ran 3.4 at the park, then went home and got Lucy von Sheltie and took her back there for a walk.

                 

                So why didn't I race? Sleep sounded much more desirable. What a wasted week now I think of it.  Spareribs

                Mike E


                MM #5615

                  Hello everybody!  I'm done with my race and pancake breakfast and at a grandkid's soccer game...the first of 4 games today that I should be at.  I'm not sure if I'll make them all or not...that house plan I'm supposed to be working on is not getting very far.

                   

                  My race went okay.  They were clearly not prepared for all the people.  Gavin--the guy the benefit was for--was there on a golf cart to start us off.  Of course, they started late and it gave people time to talk.  There was one guy there in his cool looking racing clothes and looking pretty serious.  We were standing right next to each other so, to break the ice, I told him I was freezing.  He said, "Yeah, my warm up was a waste of time."  Looking like the clear favorite, I told him that he shouldn't have too much trouble, today.  Then he continued to tell me about how he was training for a marathon and his coach was mad at him for doing this race.  I made up mind that I really didn't care for this guy a whole lot.  When the whistle blew, it was no surprise to see him taking the lead.

                   

                  Figuring that he was going to blow us all away, I decided that a 2nd place finish would be okay and settled into about a 6:05 pace.  Then I heard footsteps behind me.  I took a peek as he went by and saw that he was an older guy and...well...not very skinny.  Well, I couldn't let this guy beat me, so I picked up the pace and passed him...thinking he would just drop off.  Nope, I heard him settle in right behind me...dang it.  Anyway, I was thankful that I had somebody pushing me because I was ready to just coast on in.  By the 2nd mile, I couldn't hear him clomping behind me so I assumed he had fallen off the pace.  AND, I realized that I was reeling in the leader.  All of a sudden, 2nd place was not going to be good enough.

                   

                  I picked it up a bit and passed him with about 3/4 miles to go...but my legs were screaming at me.  With about 1/4 mile left, I heard footsteps.  I figured he was putting on a finishing kick and was going to fly by me.  Well...somebody flew by me, but is was the "not so skinny guy"!   I thought I would have time to get back into it, but when we turned the corner, the finish was right there and I just couldn't get the legs moving.  Dang it!  2nd place in about 18:20.

                   

                  I congratulated him afterward and found out that he is the newest member of my racing team. He seems like a good guy.

                   

                  Okay--I guess I should watch the game.

                    ...thanks mike//...........everybody loves a FatGuy Racing story........

                     

                    =========

                     

                    ...24mprnb

                    deo

                    .........FlairUp in Progress

                     

                    ..................Good Racing to the rest of ya

                    ..nothing takes the place of persistence.....

                      Yeah for fat guy!!  Yeah for you too Mike, nice racing.

                       

                      I did the club run, a new route/town and really liked the route (almost entirely flat).  6.2 miles.  Skipped the breakfast social as I have a chore list the length of my arm.

                      "During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."

                      evanflein


                        I love hearing about Mike E's races and other antics. And to be clear, he wasn't a fat guy, he just wasn't skinny. Right? Good racing, Mike. 18:20 is an excellent time.

                         

                        Pretty cool picture on the set there, Ribs! You look like a natural. And I fully understand sleep winning out over getting up to go to a race. That happened to me last weekend. I'm sure Lucy enjoyed the time with you.

                         

                        I hope Twocat and his DW can find enough room along the Colorado River for them to both get a run in.

                         

                        Lots of Boston excitement building around here! Always sorta sad that we won't be there, but oh well. With the time difference, I won't lose too much of the work day on Monday to tracking it but I have meetings in the morning so will have to catch up later and see how everyone did.

                         

                        We've got a gorgeous weekend on tap with temps in the low 50's and lots of sunshine. The snow is going fast, but now there are huge puddles all over, especially on some of the bike paths where the frost heaves (and dips) have made lakes that are hard to get around, and I'm not going through them! So, still hopping between the paths and the roads, but next week I might do a "run home from work" one day! Today will be 8 or so miles in the sunshine this afternoon, and shopping and work around the house. It's always amazing to see what's under all that snow...

                        Henrun


                          A beautiful morning and we headed to the Boston Common for the BAA 5K to kick off marathon weekend. It was a well organized race for close to 9000 runners. We we're started by our new mayor and Kevin Spacey. Near the finish we crossed the marathon finish line. This was my first race as an 80 year old and my first race since last summer and a series of back and knee problems. My time was not spectacular but much faster than I expected and finished 4/5 in my AG. I met Marj at the finish and hopped on the subway for home where we hosted a family get together 2 hours later.

                          Off to the part-Tay tomorrow.

                          Mike E


                          MM #5615

                            My DD just shared with me that, on the way to the race, today, my DGD said, "I wonder if Grandpa likes that people underestimate him."  Hmmm...I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about that statement.


                            Marathon Maniac #957

                              I love hearing about Mike E's races and other antics. And to be clear, he wasn't a fat guy, he just wasn't skinny. Right? Good racing, Mike. 18:20 is an excellent time.

                               

                               

                               

                              +1

                               

                              Stumpy - hang in there.  You are playing it smart - the good weather is just arriving, so rest up so you can run the rest of the summer.

                               

                              Carolyn - hope your ultra went well!

                               

                              Well, I had absolutely no expectations about today's 5K race.  The sluggish way I have been running lately, I was fully prepared for a PW.  And while the temps were in the upper 40's, waiting for the race start, the brisk wind had me freezing and wishing I had worn long sleeves.  However, two miles into the race, I was hot enough to be glad of the wind, even if it was kind of tough when we were running into it.

                               

                              End result is that I surprised myself with a better run than expected - 25:25, which was good enough for 3rd AG in the 40-49yo group.  Not a super run, but far from a PW, and I was pleased.  A good start to the season.

                               

                              After church this evening I snuck off to my room to fill plastic Easter eggs with candy and money (half dollars, golden dollars, and quarters) and fill two Easter baskets.  A friend of mine teased me this week, saying, "Your son has a full beard and you still have an egg hunt and fill a basket?"  Well, okay, he does have a beard, but he still loves chocolate, right?  And money.  Mostly he will just give a half-hearted effort at searching for the eggs, which will give his sister just enough competition to feel happy about getting most of them.  DS is already making $80/week mowing a couple neighbor's yards, so he really doesn't need the money.

                               

                              Go Boston Runners!

                              Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

                                ribs, I look forward to hearing your news clip on Fox.  jlynne, I trust you enjoyed (are enjoying) your Will and Ben visit.  Mike, great 5K for a good cause.  Years ago, I lost a friend to ALS.  I like that you beat "attitude" guy.  About the "not so skinny guy", I've been left in the dust several times by people I didn't think looked like runners.  Holly, I trust your 5K went well and that a goodly amount of money was raised for a good cause.  wild, I look forward to hearing about your 50K.  deez and henrun, the BAA 5K sounds like a fine way to start the Boston weekend.

                                 

                                This morning, I did a 5 mile race.  The temperature was in the high 30s and there was some wind.  It took place in a park near Saginaw Bay.  It was about half paved and half gravel trails.  The associated 5K had about 150 runners.  It appears that the casual runners all did the 5K and only serious runners (except for me) did the 5 mile.  My GPS gave me a time of 52:23, distance of 5.05 miles, and a pace of 10:22 which I considered good for me.  I was 44/48 OA and 2/2 in my AG (70+).  The other runner in my AG is someone I've know from races for years.  We often make "old people" comments to each other.  Today, he told me that before a race he looks up in the sky to see if the buzzards are circling.  I did a .5 mile warmup and 1.5 miles afterwards to give me 7 miles for the day.

                                 

                                A good day and good runs for all.

                                TomS

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