Cavedog Running

2012 Bolt Run Race Review

2012-04-01T16:39:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the 11th annual Bolt Run put on by the Tampa Bay Lightning which benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

It was a great race for me. Felt comfortable the whole way placing 3rd overall and could have taken second if I had wanted to put out the effort at the end. My time was 19:25 due to the course being long. They took us further down Bayshore than they should have messing up everyone's times. Would have loved to have run the right length to see what time would have been.

Once again, the Bolt Run finds a way to screw things up. After last year's fiasco, it was much better but is getting to the point where if it weren't for the free hockey tickets, I wouldn't bother running it.

As always, the race amenities were great. One of the best food spreads after any race. Plenty of fruit, pizza and beverage. Shirts were nice as well. Unknown to me and I think to a lot of people there, no age group awards were given. Only top 3 which basically makes the event a fun run for everybody. I was told after the race that they didn't do age groups due to complaints about how long it has taken in the past to get to the awards.

If they would organize the race correctly, this would not be an issue. The Bolt Run consists a 5 mile, 5K and 1 mile. The 5K starts then the 5 mile starts 30 minutes later. They need to swap this or start the races at the same time. This would allow for the awards to get started in a timely manner. Or, they could just ditch the 5 mile race and stick with the 5K which most people run anyway.

Odds are, we will probably run the race again next year. Hopefully, the race gets organised correctly like most races and becomes the shining event that it should be.

Jenny, Chris, Emily and I with Thunderbug after the race.

My Road to Boston

2012-03-27T22:31:00.000-04:00

With just over two weeks to go until the Boston Marathon, I thought I would reflect on my journey to get to this point.

For some reason, in late 2007, I decided to start running again certainly with no thoughts of ever doing a marathon. I have been quoted as saying that “I will never run a marathon”. My only goal was to have fun, get in better shape and enjoy the competition racing provides. It turned out to be and still is great stress relief and a place I can go to be by myself.

My first race was the Bolt Run 5K in February 2008. This was my first race since just after high school. It was a fun family affair that everyone enjoyed. The free hockey tickets were a nice excuse for everyone to run and was a day we all still talk about. My time was 24:43 getting under the goal of sub-25 minutes. It was a painful experience and I was sore for half the week after.

With more training, the race times slowly came down throughout 2008 which was encouraging. Sometime that summer, we picked up a FL Race Place Magazine from a race that had an ad for the inaugural Daytona Beach Half Marathon. We like NASCAR and thought that would be so cool to run at and on Daytona Speedway, but it was a half marathon! At that point, I had only ever done one back in high school and that sucked.

For the first time ever, I really started learning how to train and how to run. I successfully ran Daytona and enjoyed the experience while being no worse for the wear. It didn’t suck too bad!

Around this time, I saw ads for the Disney Marathon. Crazy thoughts started creeping in my head that I never thought would. I was already faster than I was in high school (I really sucked, I was the kid who got lapped during the mile races at track meets) and starting to enjoy running more and more. I finally decided to do it. I could run the race and take Jenny to Disney knocking out two birds with one stone! When I first mentioned this crazy idea of mine, she laughed and gave me that “are you nucking futs” look, she maybe said it too!

Somewhere between deciding to run a marathon and actually doing it, I learned more about the Boston Marathon. I also learned about the qualifying standards and figured no way in heck would I ever be able to pull that off. Amazingly, something deep in my head wondered if maybe I could.
I got schooled pretty good at Disney 2009 cramping my way through the last miles finishing in 4:20-something. Felt bad for Jenny and Tommy waiting at the finish so long. I didn’t do myself in and didn’t get that “I’ll never do this again” feeling. Good thing since we had already planned to go to Wisconsin to visit Jenny’s friend Carrie for their Relay for Life and run the Green Bay Marathon in May.

Green Bay went much better improving to 3:38. Still cramped but made it further before it happened. Starting outside and getting to run around the inside of Lambeau Field was so cool!

For 2010, planned a fun trip to Kentucky for the Kentucky Derby Marathon in Louisville. But first up was an unplanned marathon. The 10th and final running of the Gasparilla Marathon in Tampa was two months before and I thought I would give it a go since it was a dead flat course, it was the last one ever, and would be a good BQ attempt. Almost everything came together. The weather was great, I didn’t cramp but finished in 3:16:08. That’s right, 9 seconds too slow to qualify for Boston!

It was on to Kentucky two months later. This trip was taking Jenny back to her hometown across the river in Charlestown, IN. This was also our first big family camping trip. We stopped for a couple nights in North Carolina where I had my biggest running highlight ever to that point. After leaving home at 11PM and arriving an hour before a 5K race in Cullowhee, NC at Western Carolina U., I won my first race!

With the breakthrough at Gasparilla fresh on my mind, I went for another BQ attempt at Kentucky. Unfortunately, a few things like warmer weather and a couple hellish hills conspired against me and I reverted back to a time of 3:50 cramping my way over the bridge to Indiana and back. But, as usual, I didn’t toast myself, could walk myself to the car and enjoyed the rest of the day.
For BQ attempt number 5, I planned the Space Coast Marathon in Cocoa, FL. The course is flat and the weather is usually good. Plus it is a cool space theme that we all love.

Everything was coming together. I had a great Summer/Fall racing season, the weather was 45 degrees at the start and my confidence could not have been higher. I knew I was going to do it, everybody told me I was going to do it, and I did!! Ran a pretty flawless race finishing in 3:10:23 five minutes ahead of my needed qualifying time which proved to be a good thing with the new registration process for this year’s race. I sat on Cocoa Beach happy and satisfied that I was finally a Boston Qualifier.

So, here I am, just two weeks away from completing a journey that I never thought possible and still can’t believe. All the preparations are pretty much done. I am ready to go, ready to run my heart out, soak in and enjoy the whole spectacle of an event so big. Boston, here we come…Me and my Minions!!

Maybe this has just been a quest not to be that inadequate feeling, slow high school kid of 20 years ago…And it feels so good! That slow kid has been replaced by a bigger kid full of confidence that he can do things that he didn’t think possible.

Strawberry Distance Challenge 5K Race Report

2012-02-24T14:36:00.000-05:00

Ran this race for the 2nd time which takes place in the Walden Lakes development in Plant City. The race is a nice little low-key race with a fast and accurate course.

I went into the race with the mindset of trying not to blast a time and just run fairly comfortable. Ended up finishing in 18:30, 3rd overall and 1st in my age group. Got a medal and a ticket to the Strawberry Festival for the effort.

Should have ended up 5th overall, but one guy who is faster than me re-injured his foot and dropped out after 2 miles. Then, the kid who won MADD Dash the other week took a wrong turn down a road and finished a minute behind me. The kid in front of me also took the wrong turn, but the police officer there caught his attention. It really was a bad spot if you didn't know the course. There was not a sign or marshal present. There was a police cruiser at an angle in the median that made it appear like you should turn, so I can see how someone could make a mistake.

Finishing up with some finely dressed fruit!

2012 Dade City Kumquat Festival 5K Race Report

2012-01-28T18:19:00.000-05:00

In a nutshell, I won!! 17:39 Mile splits: 5:57, 6:20 (uphill most of the mile), 5:47. The course was short. They didn't go as far down the road behind the school as they should have and did last year. So, unfortunately, this does not count as a PR but it sure was nice to see sub-18:00 on the clock for the first time.

Beautiful morning for a race, temperature was right at 50 degrees. Doesn't get much better.

The kid who usually wins this race is off to college, so that left me to take on a couple of high school kids. One stayed with me until the turnaround by the school just after mile 1 marker. From there, I was on my own chasing the police escort.

This was my 2nd ever win. It is so much fun actually coming in first and having the crowd clap and cheer as you come in.

The day didn't start off too smoothly as far as the race organizers went. When I got there just after 7 o'clock, there was a line of people waiting to register. They didn't have any forms or t-shirts. Instead of standing and waiting, I went ahead with my usual warmup before registering. I found out that they had only 15 people pre-registered and I am not sure if they ordered any extra shirts. I told them they should try online registration. They said they did on Active.com. I've never seen it on there. I checked when i got home and it wasn't on there. The only thing for Kumquat was for the 5K/10K walk that is a completely separate event. Funny, for both races I have won, I didn't get a shirt for either of them! The organizers should know and be prepared for at least the same number of people as in past years (it's not like this is a 1st year event).

They have a really good 5K course that isn't flat and not so hilly that all can enjoy. They just need to measure it correctly!! They also need to quit with the double dip prizes. I ended up also getting a medal for 1st in my age group.

This could really be a great race that attracts a lot more people if they would market and run it right. Along with the Kumquat Festival, it makes for one of the most enjoyable race days.

And they're off!!

Rounding the turn for home.

Nice trophy for the collection!

Six Months Until Boston!

2011-10-18T09:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday marked exactly six months until the Boston Marathon. Time to get down to business!!

The next two week will be getting back into the swing of things adding in a couple longer runs before a full 24 week buildup.

Rattlesnake Run Race Review

2011-10-18T09:04:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday was the 32nd (I think) annual Rattlesnake Run 5 miler over the hills and through the woods of San Antonio.

Bested last years' time by 1:24 posting a 31:29 good for 2nd in age group and 12th overall.

I took a bit different approach to the race this year. I went out very conservative as the 1st two miles is where you can ruin your day if not careful. First two mile splits were 6:24 and 6:29. The race starts on a small but steep hill for about 50 meters. As you get down the road, you peel off into an orange grove and run behing St. Leo University. You really have to pay attention to your footing and also jump a ditch along the way. This leads you to the make or break hill. It is a 3 tiered hill that isn't real long but is steep. Take this one too fast and you will be gasping for air.

You get some time to recover with only one small hill leading up to the 2 mile mark.

Mile 3 has the next big hill that gets you coming and going. After taking a turn, you have a nice down that goes straight into the up. Run further to the turnaround and do it again. If you can get through here in good shape, you can cruise the final mile where it is mostly flat to downhill with one incline before a downhill finish. I did the last mile in 5:56, so was better than I expected but pretty much as planned.

Nice burnt orange shirts this year. Medals were the same design but different color than the last two years. They are one of the nicer medals you will get.

For only $20, one of the better races around. Wasn't as many runners this year though. Didn't seem like there was as many people at the festival either.

Next up is the Tower 10 miler in Clermont in 3 weeks. Looking forward to a fast time on that one!

2011 Miracle Miles 15K Race Review

2011-10-04T15:46:00.001-04:00

Posted a new PR of 01:00:29 for a 6:29/mile pace at last Saturday's Miracle Miles 15K in Orlando.This was 2:27 better than last year and 1:06 better than Gate River earlier this year. I placed 2nd in my age group and 23rd overall out of 1700 runners.

This was the first race in my new Newton MV2s and they performed really well. This was also the first time I ran a race without socks. I had tested the day before with no issues, so I figured it would save some weight from the socks getting wet and sweaty during the race. Worked out pretty well, didn't have any problems with my feet.

They changed the course quite a bit this year. I like this year's course much better. It seemed to go through some more neighborhoods. The previous course was kind of boring. Seemed there was more small rolling hills in the beginning versus the end last year. I didn't have my Garmin with me so wasn't able to map it as run, but I did map it on Map My Run and it came out to a whopping 9.5 miles as compared to 9.36 last year. Kinda ticked as I would have been sub-60 minutes if the course would at least have been the same length as last year.

The weather was hot again. With the 2nd half of the course being mostly in the full sun, that doesn't help. The last stretch through buildings was a nice refresher before the finish.

Was really disappointed with the age group prizes. We got spoiled last year with a pair of Sea World tickets. Sea World was there again, but only supplied maybe 10 pairs to top winners and top charity teams. The age group winners pretty much got shafted with getting a thin made in China metal bottle as a prize.

At least the race raised over $30,000 that goes towards the neonatal hospital, so that is good.

All in all, a good day. Will see if I make it back next year. This race isn't worth the effort to reward to be a must run, but if it fits into my schedule then maybe will do it again. It is a good race with nice shirts and other amenities that will please most people.

Boston, here we come!!

2011-09-27T09:04:00.000-04:00

Wahoo!! Got my acceptance notice into the Boston Marathon yesterday. 6 months of training begins October 17th. The ultimate goal is to run a sub-3:00 on one of the greatest courses in the world!!

Newton MV2 Review

2011-09-06T10:04:00.005-04:00

Update 9/26/11: Final update. Ran my first race in the MV2 at the Miracle Miles 15K in Orlando. The short version is I posted a new PR of 1:00:29, the MV2 felt really good and performed well.

I finally got the hotspot issue taken care of. Instead of the Yankz laces, I put the original laces back on. I loosened up the toe box area and that took care of the problem. Out of curiosity, I ran without socks during training and felt really good. I tested it to the max by running the 15K race sockless which I have never done. Overall, I had no problems. I did have a couple spots where the upper poked my foot and left a bit of a mark. The only time I felt anything on the bottom of my foot was right at the end (maybe my stride changed or something). Considering all the sweat, my feet were pretty much unscathed after. For kicks and grins, I just ordered a pair of Injinji lightweight socks and will see how those do.

It was a hot morning so I was soaked at the end. I was surprised how much water/sweat the shoes held. When I took them off, I couldn't believe how much heavier they felt. I weighed them when I got home and they were almost 2oz. heavier per shoe. That is quite a lot.

So, in conclusion...

Likes: 6oz. feels light, comfortable, responsive, FAST!!
Things I would change: Find a material that doesn't soak up water/sweat (my Mizuno Wave Universe 2 flats used recycled plastic for the upper I believe). Couple of ways I think the shoe could be made lighter...Remove all or some of the rubber on the heel. With a proper midfoot strike, the only wear is on the outside edge which is a small area. Get rid of the rubbery Newton logo on the sides and either use a different material or somehow "paint" the logo on. If there is no structural reason for it, remove the soft/leathery material at the toe of the shoe. I don't see a need for it and it soaks up water.

I will definitely use the MV2 for all races up to half-marathon. I will need to do some of my 2 hour runs in them and decide if I want to use in full marathon. I don't really see any reason at this time why I won't be able to use in marathon.

Update 9/15/11: After about 50 miles and another 90 minute run, the MV2 is doing well. I have been going back and forth with my Distance Racers trying to compare the feel and performance.

The hotspots are getting better. My stride definitely feels better in the MV2. Sad to say, but the Distance feels almost a bit clunky in comparison. Lug wear has been minimal. As I expected, the ridges are completely gone on the front of the lugs but hardly any wear beyond that. I really don't expect much more wear because the front of the lugs are flush to the toe area not allowing them to wear beyond the foam they lay up against. The MV2 is pretty comfortable to run in, I would say that the Distance is a bit easier on the feet. I have been wearing the Distance about 3 years now and think my feet just need to get used to the MV2.

Trying to gauge performance differences has been difficult as there are so many variables that can have an effect. I did have one of my best ever 90 minute runs earlier in the week with the MV2.

The best test I have been able to do is doing the same track time trials a week a part, first one in the MV2 and the other in the Distance. The TT consistes of 1 mile warmup, 200m TT, 1 mile Jog, 1000m TT, 1 mile cooldown. The MV2 proved to be faster with what felt like the same effort in both distances. In the 200m, The MV2 was only faster by .16 seconds. Not much, but enough to lose a race by. I will call the 200m a statistical tie. The 1000m was a different story. Last week in the MV2, I ran 1000m in 3:06. In the Distance, ran 3:12. That is a huge difference! With so many possible variables, take this info for what it is. Was wierd during the 1000m TT wearing the Distance, but part way through, I could feel the weight of the shoes on my feet. Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me.
So far, I am pretty happy with the MV2. Definitely the best racing flat I have used.

9/6/11: Much to my delight, I received my pair of MV2s Friday evening. Took them out for a short track workout that included an 800m time trial. Also had them out for an hour workout and 90 minute run. With about 25 miles on them, these are my initial observations

Besides being 3oz. lighter than my Distance Racers (my size 9.5 weigh 6.0oz.), the first thing you notice is the creamsickle orange. Not exactly my first choice of color. Seems like de ja vu to the old Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniforms. Thankfully, I don't generally look down at my feet while running and have always bought Newtons for their performance. A different color would maybe make for a better choice. Red is my personal favorite.

Taking the advice from Newton, I went up a 1/2 size to keep the fit what I am used to. The MV2 easily slides on your foot and fits great. I have a perfect thumbs width of room at the toes. For me, the toe box is plenty roomy. Newton could put the upper of the MV2 on the rest of their shoes and I would be happy. With being used to being almost zero drop with my racers, I did not insert the 3mm heel thingies included. I also use the Yankz shoe laces which allow me to never have to tie and provide the same fit and feel every time I put them on.

Standing up and getting the first feel of the new lug system was a little different. The lugs feel a bit more pronounced and stiffer. They do not have the small space behind the lugs that allow them to compress like all other Newtons. You can compress the lugs a tiny bit into the foam if you press hard. Another big difference is the toes feel like they barely touch the ground at toe off. The lugs seem to provide more of a lever effect than rebounding. It is a bit different and trying to figure out which I like better. The new lug system includes 3 thin lugs in the middle with more of a pad-like lug on either side. The new system does feel more stable. The lugs are also ribbed for better traction which really won't matter once worn down.

The first thing I noticed when running was how quiet footstrikes are. With my other Newtons, I get a loud tap, tap, tap as I run. The MV2s are pretty much dead quiet. Now, when I come up behind somebody in a race, it will be like the "Silent Assassin" and they won't know what is happening until I am gone!

The feel of the lugs definitely don't have that springy feel I am used to. I don't know if it is the reduced weight or the way the new lugs lever, but the MV2 feels like it has the same pop as my racers. Running is easy at any speed. My stride does feel smoother. Again, that may be due to the reduced weight. After only 12 miles, the lugs show slight wear on the ridges of the middle three which is pretty normal. I will probably start with my Shoe Goo applications in a few miles to maintain them.

So far, the MV2 feels great. The only minor issue has been that I get a bit of a hot spot on the ball of both feet after a while. Not a big deal and will probably go away after a few more miles.

Overall, compared to other racing flats I have used (Mizuno Wave Universe 2, ASICS Hyperspeed 2 and Nike Waffle Racer), the MV2 by far has the best fit and feel. Performance wise, I can't tell yet if they are more efficent or faster than my racers. As long as they are as comfortable/durable and with the lower price tag then they will be worth it.

So far, the only thing I would change about the MV2 is the color and maybe see if there are some ways to shave even more weight off. A couple suggestions are to remove the soft leather off the front of the shoe and make the whole thing mesh. Also, get rid of the plastic/rubber newton logo on the sides and somehow "paint" them on instead. These ideas might knock off another ounce.

I plan to use my MV2s this week for most of my training runs and will add more comments later. Look forward to getting in a 90 minute run and see how they feel. So far, I don't see any reason why I couldn't use these everyday and for any distance. Hopefully, that doesn't change as I go longer.

Watermelon Series in Review

2011-08-24T09:54:00.001-04:00

Each Summer, the Lakeland Runners Club hosts the Watermelon Series. The series consists of four 5K races run around Lake Hollingsworth.

This year was our 3rd year competing. I ran pretty consistent times: 18:30, 18:22, 18:38 and 18:29. The 18:30 tied my PR from the last race of last year's Watermelon and the 18:22 was for a new PR. I am happy that I pulled off two races in the 18:20s. I was hoping for lower times this year, but with all the hill and speedwork I have been doing, I don't think the legs had it in them. The weather also seemed a little worse this year with some mornings where the air was pretty thick.

Overall, I placed 2nd in my age group ending my string of 1st place finishes. My friend Robbie ran all the races this year and just blows my times away.

Once again, Jenny and the kids ran all the races as well as Jenny's Mom. Everybody did well and improved race to race.

It was nice this year with the chip timing even though that did double the cost of the races. The series is still dirt cheap costing only $30 for the whole series if you sign up for all races.

We look forward to running again next year. There really aren't many races around in the Summer and this series give Summer training a sense of purpose.

Lake Louisa 5K Race Report

2011-05-31T10:04:00.001-04:00

This was our third time running Lake Louisa. Only Jenny and I went this time. As usual, it was pretty hot and humid which makes the already too long "5K" course seem longer. This is the longest 5K course I have ever run coming in at 3.16 miles.

The numbers: 18:54, 2nd overall, 1st overall Male. Splits: 5:59, 6:08, 6:00, 4:55 pace (last .16)

I had a great run. This race isn't real fast so it gives me a great opportunity to win the race. Before the race started, I knew I had two to contend with. One guy looked pretty fast and a younger woman who looked like she knew what she was doing. I told my friend Kevin that she would win the race before the start. Well, she didn't dissappoint. When the race started, I went out at my usual effort. The woman went out fast, then the guy, and some other woman I caught on the first turn as she was huffing, puffing, and croaking. I figured if I could not lose much ground, I might be able to kick at the end. That didn't pan out as she slowly kept getting farther away. So, my attention focused on the guy who I kept about 20 yards in front of me. On the way out, I was pretty sure I could pick him off if the pace stayed the same. I just ran my race and lurked behind him. At the turn around, I was probably 30 seconds behind the leader and yelled some encouragement to her as she went by.

I kept biding my time behind the guy waiting to make my move. Even played hide and seek with him as he went on the wrong side of an island in the road that had tall bushes. The side I was on was also the shorter distance.

I planned to go just before the 3 mile mark. He still wasn't going anywhere so I went. I blew by him quickly and was alone for the finishing stretch.

This was my fastest time on this course by 40 seconds.

I have no problem losing the overall position to a female. Especially one so fast. As it turns out she is a pro triathelete trying to make the Olympic team. Good luck to her, maybe we will get to see her on TV next year.

Got to hang out with Kevin and Lisa for quite a while. Looks like we will all be camping in St. Augustine in July for the Bridge of Lions 5K!

This was the first of 5 straight racing weekends. Next up is the first race of the Watermelon Series in Lakeland.

Melissa and Gary Engagement Session

2011-03-23T13:02:00.002-04:00

Saturday, we did engagement photos with Melissa and Gary at Hillsborough River State Park.

You can view all photos HERE

Melissa is one of our "special" friends. Special in the fact that she is one of the wonderful people we met while Jenny was undergoing cancer treatments. We saw Melissa the most out of anybody there. She has punctured Jenny more time with a needle than one could count and all with a big smile on her face.

So, when Melissa asked us to photograph her wedding, there was no way we could possibly say no. I am not sure if there is anybody left at the Oncology office to do a wedding for since we have done most of them now.

We had so much fun hanging out with Melissa and Gary. It was nice just enjoying being out and about and getting to really know them better. I was surprised how adventurous they turned out to be. With my ideas and theirs, they ended up climbing trees, hopping rocks in the river and tried to throw Melissa off a bridge.

Looking forward to the wedding in April!!

Gate River Run 15K Review

2011-03-17T14:09:00.002-04:00

I was looking forward to the Gate River Run and it did not disappoint. Ran a new 15K PR of 1:01:34. placed 326 out of almost 15,000, and 29th out of 1000 in my age group. The PR is 1:10 faster than I did at Miracle Miles and on a harder course, so that is encouraging.

Although my goal was to get under 60 minutes, I am in no way disappointed with the result. I knew coming in that I still wasn't quite right after all the racing in February. My confidence just wasn't where I would have wanted and it showed with the constant mental battle going most of the race. The voices in my head were really starting to tick me off as they had for most of the week during training. They were so negative telling me I couldn't do what I wanted. They were probably right. If I would have pushed the pace, things would have gotten not so pleasant.

We camped the weekend in St. Augustine at the KOA on St. Aug Beach. KOAs are so not worth the money. Unfortunately, it was either camp there or nowhere due to the state park being completely booked for the weekend. KOA is so over-priced. Costs more to stay one day than two nights at Anastasia SP. And the park is much nicer and quieter.

We got going early and arived to the race site before 7:00. I had to get my race packet and with over 15,000 runners, wanted to avoid the crowd. Parking was easy. We were in the closest lot to everything.

Met up with Harold for a few minutes which is always nice. It is cool having friends in different parts of Florida.

Lining up to start was easy. There was actually a lot less people in the corral I was in than I expected. I could have entered a lot later and not had to stand there as long. And, used the potty before starting.

The weather was nice and cool. But, with the 8:30 start, was starting to warm up a bit which I was worried about. Thankfully, it didn't feel bad during the race. The start time is really the only complaint I have about the race. This time of year, the weather in Florida can be hot or cool. They should really start no later than 7:30.

Started the race off easy and got right to goal pace of 6:20. Right from the start, I really wasn't confident of holding it. I was actually surprised a couple times to look down at my watch and see I was still on pace. At mile 2 was a draw bridge that wasn't very steep and didn't slow anybody down at that point. From there, ran though quite a few nice neighborhoods with tiny rolling hills. I passed the 5K point right on 20 minutes.

I had the urge to pee at the start of the rae and hoped it would go away as I was running. It didn't. When I made it to 10K, I had lost a bit of time so I stopped at a potty for relief. I figure that this probably saved me a few seconds in the end. My legs felt a bit rejuvinated coming out and I made up most of the time I lost. To still get under one hour, I would have to run a 19:00 5K to finish the race. Knowing that the very large Hart Bridge was coming up, I figured that wouldn't happen. My suspicion was confirmed as my pace slowed on the ascent up the bridge. Just didn't have enough to power over. I was ready for the long downhill to the finish which I took full advantage of. Didn't go as fast as I would have liked, but kept a 6:00 minute pace on the way in.

Unfortunately, Jenny and the kids didn't have good luck with the crowds and barely saw me as I went by.

All in all, a great race. My only suggestion is that the race organisers start the race at 7:30 so it would be cooler out.

What is Happiness?

2011-03-14T14:58:00.001-04:00

It's Monday and back at work, so could be happier. This weekend we were camping in one of our favorite places, St. Augustine.

It has become a "tradition" of sorts to get pizza at Pizzalley's on St. George St. They make some of the best pizza you will ever taste! All you have to do to find Pizzalley's is walk down the street and find the guy giving out free samples in front.

You will instantly love the man who is usually outside giving samples. He is one of the friendliest people you will meet. He sings, jokes, and puts a smile on your face.

Sunday, while we were enjoying our pizza, he was asking questions of the kids (and adults). The kids enjoyed it and made them think. When he was done, he told the kids basically how important education is.

In the next boothe, was a man with his Son. When they got up to leave, the man looked over at us and made the statement that the only lesson given was to get a good education so you don't end up working in a pizza joint. That jackwad, kinda ticked me off. I looked at him and said that the pizza guy looks like the happiest man on Earth and I was thinking to myself "go screw yourself"!

Guess one's happiness is another's Hell. I believe that success and happiness is not defined by how much money you make, how big a house you have, the car you drive, etc. I believe a truly successful and happy person is one who is living the life they want and has a few people to love and to love them.

So, I hope you are happy!!

Dud of a training week

2011-03-07T09:57:00.000-05:00

Mileage-wise, last week was a complete bust posting only 22 miles. But, after the insane amount of racing in February that included two half-marathons, I needed a week to recoup.

After Gasparilla weekend, I just didn't feel like training. The body felt fine, but I don't usually have such a mental battle just to get out the door. A few outside distractions didn't help the cause. Only managed three runs this week. A 60 minute run, a fartlek, and a short stride workout. The runs themselves were good pace-wise. Mentally, they were a bit torturous.

I had good intentions to get more in. This was supposed to be the first of four weeks of hill training. Didn't feel like it immediately after the weekend. Planned to hit the hill Thursday, but there was a fire somewhere and was real smoky out. Saturday, Tommy had an Odyssey of the Mind competition that turned into an all day thing (his team ended up placing 3rd and going to the state competition, so we are super proud of him for that). I planned to do a 2 hour run Sunday, but decided to not even set the alarm to get up. It has been over a month since I have done a two hour run.

I am looking forward to getting back at it this week. it won't be a big training week due to running the Gate River Run this Saturday. This is one of my goal races, so I am not going to kill the training going in. After this, I have a ten mile race in April and some 5Ks, so should be able to get plenty of quality training in before Steamboat in June.

Gasparilla Michelob Ultra Challenge Race Review

2011-02-28T20:13:00.000-05:00

What a weekend running all four races at Gasparilla as part of the Michelob Ultra Challenge.

I am still surprised how well it went and as I had planned even though I was pretty sick for two days before. My goals coming in was to place top 3 in my age group for the 5K and top 10 overall for the challenge. Met both goals!! Here is the overall results for the challenge:

Neil Clements               TEAM# 1138
PLACED    10 WITH A SCORE OF 03:30:30

   35138      Neil Clements              2     in MALES 35 TO 39      00:18:52
   37138      Neil Clements              5     in MALES 35 TO 39      00:34:28
   01138      Neil Clements              36    in MALES 35 TO 39      01:07:22
   36138      Neil Clements              15    in MALES 35 TO 39      01:29:48
The first race Saturday morning was the 15K. I had already planned to just run this one at a easy, comfortable pace because I wanted to run a good 5K. It was nice just to run easy, enjoy the scenery and people watch. Ran about marathon pace and finished feeling like it was a training run. Caught up to my friend Brian in the 8th mile and ran him in. He was trying to run near an hour but had stomach issues early. I was sad to have passed our friend Melanie just before. She was running 4th in the women's race but dropped out.

Start of a long, fun weekend.

After a 90 minute rest, it was time to run the 5K. It was before this race that I learned that the seeded runners were those with yellow on the race bib. Glad I did as there was 11,000 people lined up. So, I just walked right around the whole lot and entered from the front. The race started at 9:30 and it was hot. I started off a hair fast with a 5:43 1st mile. I got hot quick and slowed accordingly. The 2nd mile wasn't bad at 6:08, but the 3rd mile really sucked at 6:20. That last mile was tough as the breathing was getting harder and I was just trying to keep it under control while preserving myself for the next day's races. In the end, I ran a decent time and finished 2nd in my age group only a few seconds out of 1st. Bummer, better pacing at the start may have changed that. Better to start slower and go faster than faster then fade.

With day one in the books, it was time to rest and refuel for Sunday. Plus, it was a great excuse to eat Jenny's Spaghetti!!

So, after a few short hours of sleep, we were awake at 3:30AM and headed back to Tampa for the 6:00AM half-marathon start.

Depending on how my legs felt, the goal was to give it a rip and see if I could get under 1:30 for the 3rd race in a row. Surprisingly, my legs felt really good when I woke up with no stiffness so it was game on.

The plan was to start out at 6:45 pace and see what happens. In longer races, I usually just start comfortable and let my body dictate. The 1st mile was 6:54 so I figured I wouldn't get down where I wanted and figured I would end up a bit over 1:30. As the race went on, I felt fine and the pace was confortable. The mile splits came down a bit and around mile 8-9, I started doing some mental math. I figured I was going to be really close to 1:30. I picked up the pace into the 6:40s and noticed I was picking up time and picking off other runners ahead of me. Each mile was a little faster than the previous and I ran the last mile in 6:33 which was also my fastest mile of the race. I was so pumped that I made it under 1:30. It feels so great to see 1:29 on the clock.

For the first time, I actually beat my friend Chuck in a longer race. He caught up to me 8 miles in and I figured that was that. Some reason, he slowed down, I passed and left him. He ran a much better 15K than I did, so he he still beat me by a couple minutes in the Challenge standings.

Finishing out a strong half-marathon effort.

The last race of the weekend was the new "5+3K". In other words, it was an 8K. I think they were trying to market the race to more 5K people to thin out the herds. The only goal I had for this race was to finish, maybe keep the pace under 7:00 and joked that maybe I would get lucky with an age group award. I started out at what felt easy and was enjoying the run running easy at a 6:43 first mile. The race started at 9:00AM and the weather was already hot and nasty. It was pretty bad that they were warning the crowd beforehand about the conditions. After the first mile, I actually kept pretty even splits around 6:56. Unfortunately, the effort to run those paces was getting harder as time passed. The last 2 miles really sucked running into the sun and the cool headwind from the way out gone. I was happy to cross the finish line and elated with how the weekend turned out. Found out later that I placed 5th in my age group for my 2nd award of the weekend.

Goofing off starting the last race of the weekend.

The walk back to the car was the first time all weekend that my legs actually felt tired, but was fine later and still good today. On the way home, we stopped off at Bo's Ice Cream for a milk shake. I had to reward Jenny and Tommy with something for being such a good crew. I should make them official uniforms or something!

The whole weekend from packet pickup on Friday through the last race Sunday was wonderful. After last year's experience, we easily navigated the crowds and had a great time. The only gripe of the weekend was with the text updates "provided" by Metro PCS during the half-marathon. Jenny didn't get a single update. Same thing happened last year with them as well during the marathon. I don't care how much money Metro PCS is paying Gasparilla as a sponsor, but they need to get rid of them because they suck!!

All the hardware...

These things are kinda heavy!

Bolt Run Race Review

2011-02-22T09:29:00.003-05:00

Race-wise, I had a good race. Unfortunately, the race organizers didn't have such a good day (I will get to this further down).

DISCLAIMER: Don't take my observations of this year's race as a reason not to do the race next year. Yes, there were problems, but I expect next year will go smoothly.

After fighting the unexpected crowds to get our race numbers and only getting about a half mile of warmup, we finally started about 15 minutes late because they had so many people still in line.

I put up a good time of 18:39 good for 1st in my age group and 7th overall. It was a little better than I expected as I trained like normal during the week and had over 40 miles on my legs. My overall effort was pretty comfortable. Only my calves were a bit sore. If not for that, would have put up a much better time.

They always have a decent course that starts in front of the Ice Palace. You loop around, through a couple tunnels, over a small bridge and out onto Bayshore and back. So, you can put up a pretty good time.

No real racing in this one. Once I cleared the people who lined up at the front and gassed themselves in the first half mile, it was just a case of running. Not really anybody to pass and nobody behind me.

My Garmin measured 3.22, but that was due to the tunnels screwing it up. The course is really about 3.13 miles.

Receiving my medal from former Lightning players Dave Anreychuk and Chris Dingman.

Now for the unfortunate issues that plagued the race this year. I believe this was the first year they have used chip timing which you would think would help things go smoothly. Believe it or not, the only races I have been to that got screwed have been those with chip timing. You see, the huge downside to chip timing is race day registrations. This time, they had a huge number of late registrants that had to be manually entered into the computer. Somewhere, it all went wrong. Things got so screwed with timing that they didn't even do the 5 mile awards. As of today (Feb. 22nd), results still are not posted on Cool Running. They did get them up on Active (they are net times and not the actual chip times).

Besides timing, this race had issues from start to finish. We arrived to the race site around 6:15 a few minutes later than normal and there was a huge line for packet pickup. After using the bathroom, we tried to figure out what line to get into as they had pre-registered and race-day registration lined up next to eachother. Then they had a separate line for number pickup. We were running out of time and not knowing what was where, I went to the number pickup line and left Jenny and the kids in the packet line. There were a lot of confused people. Another bonus, they ran out of safety pins for the numbers. Luckily, we have our own supply in the van. it was a good thing we grabbed our packets when we did. They announced to people to pick up the packets after the race. Well, the volunteers unknowingly gave out a lot of shirts to late registrants leaving a lot of pre-registered people without shirts.

For me, the race itself went fine. But, there were issues there as well. Miles were not marked well. I happened to notice the 1 mile mark spray painted on the road but no signs. No big deal with my Garmin. Jenny told me after that they were using foam cups at the water station. No big deal as I don't take water during 5K. Would have been problem if I did. In order to actually get water in your mouth, you have to crush the top of the cup and make a spout, you can imagine what would happen with foam. There was plenty of food and drink at the end including some pretty good pizza that they kept bringing out.

Police did a good job blocking traffic for us and it was fun watching all the POed drivers having to wait.

The timing issues caused the longest wait ever for awards. The race started at 7:00 and the 5K awards didn't start until around 10:30. That is pretty unacceptable.

Another SNAFU that did impact us was the tickets to that night's hockey game that come with each entry. You would think that 5 entries with the same name, in sequential number order would get 5 tickets together. Nope, we ended up with 5 tickets in 3 different sections. They had a ticket upgrade/issues table setup. They wouldn't be able to get 5 tickets together for the night's game so they offered up tickets for Wednesday or Friday. We went with Wednesday vs. Phoenix. Except for screwing up our plans for the night, this sort of works out as we all griped about having to watch the Lightning vs. Panthers which always and did suck. So hopefully the game tomorrow night will be a good one.

I was impressed that there was an email from Kelvin Woodson of the Lightning apologising for the mess when we got home. I was more impressed that he replied to my email within 5 minutes.

The Bolt Run is a good race that got completely blind sided. I am chalking all the oranisational snafus to a fluke and expect that the race will be top notch next year.

Next up for me is Gasparilla weekend where I will run all four races as part of the Michelob Ultra Challenge. Should be fun!

New Boston Marathon Qualifications

2011-02-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

The Boston Marathon just released the new qualification standards in response to the 8 hour sellout for this year's race. I think they did a good job making it a fair process that rewards the fastest runners. If I don't improve upon my 3:10, then I will get to register on the 5th day for the 2012 race. Based on last year's results, my 3:10 would have been god for 2700 out of over 22,000 finishers, so I should be OK. Below is the new standards.

2012 rolling registration dates
- Day 1 (Sept. 12) - Qualifiers who have met their age and gender qualifying standard (3 hours, 10 minutes for men aged 18-34 and 3 hours, 40 minutes for women 18-34) by a margin of 20 minutes or faster may apply for the marathon.
- Day 3 (Sept. 14) - Qualifiers who have met the standard set for their age/gender by a margin of 10 minutes or faster may apply.
- Day 5 (Sept. 16) - Qualifiers who have met their age/gender qualifying time by a margin of 5 minutes or faster may apply.
- Day 8 (Sept. 19) - Open to all qualifiers to register.
- Day 12 (Sept. 23) - Registration closes for qualified applicants. Registered qualifiers will be notified of their acceptance by Sept. 28.

For 2013, there are new qualifying times

Age Group	Men	Women
18-34	3:05:00	3:35:00
35-39	3:10:00	3:40:00
40-44	3:15:00	3:45:00
45-49	3:25:00	3:55:00
50-54	3:30:00	4:00:00
55-59	3:40:00	4:10:00
60-64	3:55:00	4:25:00
65-69	4:10:00	4:40:00
70-74	4:25:00	4:55:00
75-79	4:40:00	5:10:00
80+	4:55:00	5:25:00

Marathon Training Week 7 Report

2011-02-16T08:56:00.000-05:00

I think this is week 7. Anyway, last week was a bit of a down week only logging 33 miles following last weekend's half marathon. Not sure if it was laziness or a little tired. Did get a couple good runs in. Bailed on my Sunday 16 miler opting to stay in bed. After 3 weeks of lower mileage, mostly due to racing, I am getting in a normal amount of training this week even though I have a race Saturday. The only modification will be Friday doing a little stride workout instead of 60 minutes.

With all the racing this month, I kinda expected the lower miles. So I am just enjoying what training I am doing and having fun at the races.

Tommy & Chris Perform Solos at FBA Competition

2011-02-11T23:20:00.001-05:00

We are really proud of Tommy and Chris. Both received superior rating for their solos. Tommy also did two ensembles fetching a superior and an excellent on the harder piece. Chris had some trouble at the end of his due to being tired from playing all day. The judge was highly impressed that he was able to pick up at the right spot. Tommy was pretty clean during his solo and the judge had many good things to say.

Happy and relieved band kids.

Boston Marathon Elite Field Announced

2011-02-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

The 115th Boston Marathon is quickly approaching and the elite field has been announced. The men's field is loaded. I think that at least 5 guys should be together after 20 miles and I wouldn't bet against the winner coming down to a duel between 2-3 at the end. I am not going to bother typing the names, but last year's Boston (who shattered the course record) winner, the NY Marathon winner, Mutai (2nd fastest marathon time last year) as well as 5 other 2:06 guys including Ryan Hall who is giving a go for the 3rd year in a row. I would like to see Hall pop a win, but I dunno about that.

On the women's side, American hopes lie with Kara Goucher who is coming back from having a baby. She ran 2 years ago, I thought she was going to win that one, but she pooped out at the very end. Last year's Boston winner is returning as well. Who knows what will happen. The women's races are wacky. They could be slow, fast or somewhere in between.

I am guessing that the only way we will be able to watch this year is by paying Universal Sports to watch online again. :(

Dade City Half Marathon Race Report

2011-02-07T22:41:00.001-05:00

Had a great race Sunday on a very difficult hilly course at the Dade City Half Marathon. This is the first year for this race which was mostly well run. I hope this race comes back next year and more people enter.

I ran this course faster than expected finishing in 1:27:23, 2nd overall, 1st age group and a new half-marathon PR..

Ran the first 9 miles with Anthony, a local 17 year old from Pasco High where Jenny and I graduated from. Did I mention the course is hilly. Living here, I know the roads and ran the first 9 miles of the course two weeks ago so I knew what to expect and planned accordingly. The backside of Frazee hill is like a roller coaster drop. We we actually hit 4:30 pace on the way down, we were flying. I figured Anthony would take off at some point, I was hoping it would be the last mile so I could give a go and race him. But he kept flying at the bottom of the hill and I let him go as I knew I couldn't keep up. He ended up beating me by about 4 minutes, so he was cruising sub-6 minute miles the last four miles. I am happy I ran the race exactly as planned.

The course was enjoyable and fun. It was nice running over hills with fields and cows instead of through boring neighborhoods and buildings. I was amazed at the amount of police they had on the course. Never seen so many. The only time we had to deal with traffic was on Blanton Rd. which didn't surprise me. There was the right amount of aid stations in the correct places. Good live band played at the finish area. The race shirts were good. I ran in it tonight and it was comfortable. Finisher medals were decent and on par with most smaller races. Awards ceremony started pretty much on time. It was so nice being able to go home, shower and eat after finishing and coming back for awards.

A few things about the race I would change or fix. I will go over that stuff later in the post. The Dade City Half Marathon was a good race and I will be back to do it again next year.

Off we go over the hills and through the woods...

Anthony and I cresting the hill on Ramsey Rd.

Looking good for the finish.

Getting interviewed after the race. Need to find out where it is going to be.

DISCLAIMER: This is a first year race run by the USRA race management company that is in its 2nd year running races. They are putting races in some fantastic areas and I truly hope they are successful. These are things that could be done that I see at better races big and small. So, I am not bashing, these are just my observations that I do for every race I run. There were only about a combined 130 people for the half and 5K races so I know the organizers had to of lost money or barely broke even.

The race was mostly well organised with easy packet pickup and race day logistics.

Aid stations were adequate, but station workers need to be better trained. None of the volunteers were yelling out whether they had water or Gatorade and there was no organisation on who had what like the front person having water and the back person having Gatorade. After the 1st two stations, I started yelling out as I approached that I wanted water so they knew what I wanted and I knew where to get it.

There was no time clock at the finish. Doesn't seem like a big deal, but some people don't wear watches or run a stop watch.

The medals and shirts were good. The awards for overall and age group winners was surprisingly poor. Neither me nor Anthony (who won) could believe the little acrylic trophies being handed out. Especially for the overall winners. These races cost $60-70, the winners deserve a good quality award for the effort put in. Even the engraved plate was generic and just said Age Group Award Winner with the race logo above. No date, no distinction of what place or age group. These things are a big deal to anybody who wins for the first time or regularly.

The course measured short on both my Garmin and also mapping on MapMyRun site which measured 12.94. It states on the USRA site that the course is certified but did not list a USATF certification number and it was not listed on the USATF site. I hope the course was right or my time doesn't look quite as good. We were running the tangents really well, so not knowing what part of the course was measured could cause the discrepancy.

These are all things that can be easily fixed and I am looking forward to racing again next year. Overall, the Dade City Half Marathon was a good event and I had a great time!

"Natural Running" by Danny Abshire Book Review

2011-02-07T15:50:00.001-05:00

I just finished reading the just released book by Danny Abshire of Newton Running titled "Natural Running". The book consists of 180 pages of good reading and you can purchase for $18.95 at the Newton Running site.

The book does a great job examining all facets of how and why to run naturally. One point I would like to make is that this book is not an advertisement for Newton Running shoes. Mr. Abshire only mentions Newton Running a couple times in the whole book. As a devoted wearer of Newton Running shoes, I was worried people could be turned off of the book if they felt like it was just a plug to buys shoes. The book seems written more by a neutral observer rather than the owner of a shoe company.

Like most instructional type books, the first chapter gives a bit of history about Mr. Abshire on how he got started in the business and how his philosophy of natural running was shaped. I found it interesting the he initially learned the principles of foot biomechanics not by running, but by fitting people for snow skis in Colorado.

The next chapters go on to explain what natural running is, evolution of the sport/shoes, how to examine your own running form, explains running gaits, foot biomechanics, physics of running, common running injuries and their causes.

After digesting all the hows and whys to adopt a natural running style as well as running in a minimalistic type of shoe that is light weight with a low ramp angle, you get into the meaty part of the book.

The last 50 pages of the book teaches you how to not just run naturally but gives you the tools to engrain the correct form. First up is a set of basic strength and form drills to perform. The strength drills work the muscles, tendons, etc. that are used in natural running and may be weak if you have been a loping heel striker. You are then given form drills to perform that teach and reinforce the feelings and movements of natural running.

Most books of this type usually end here. But in this book, you are given an 8 week training schedule to help you adopt the skills needed to run naturally. With the combination of strength and form drills mixed in with just a bit of running, you should have a pretty good grasp of the concept if you adhere to the schedule and don't self-sabotage it by running too much or racing. This is not an in-season change you want to make.

The book finishes with a fantastic explanation of the training philosophies of the late, great Arthur Lydiard who has coached several world/olympic champions. Much of his teaching is still used by the best coaches and elite runners. This also happens to be the training I have personally used the last year or so with great results.

So, if you are a heel striker (especially one who fights injuries) or even if you already run with a midfoot/forefoot strike, I recommend reading "Natural Running" as it will help you learn how to run naturally or reinforce what you already know or don't know.

Exercise helps older people drive better

2011-02-07T09:57:00.000-05:00

Saw a link to a study that tested the effect of a 3 days a week exercise program on the driving reactions of seniors 55-78 years old. Across the board, drivers were better with exercise.

Here in Zephyrhills, you better keep your head on a swivel to make sure you don't get nailed. Maybe time to go a crusade to get seniors exercising for the sake of the rest of us!

You can read the study HERE.

Brooks HVAC Synergy Short II Review

2011-02-02T09:22:00.004-05:00

I needed another pair of racing shorts so I would have two sets for the Gasparilla races. I ordered a pair of Brooks HVAC Synergy II shorts from Running Warehouse for $35.95.

Upon initial inspection, the short are really nice. The shorts are cut nice and fit well. There are two small pockets located on each side of the rear hip and are closed at the top with a small piece of velcro. The inner brief is nice and soft. The only minor and really non-issue I have is the outer material. Unlike the soft Dri-Fit material in Nike shorts, this material is a little bit more rough.

Here is my observation after taking them out for an hour run. The shorts are very comfortable. They move well. It was warm out and they stayed fairly dry. The inner brief felt good on the sensitive parts. The brief didn't bunch up or rub on my inner legs. I also tested how well the pockets can carry gel packets. For marathons, I take 5 gels. I put three in one pocket and two in the other. They fit fine in the pockets. Not all the way in, but good enough they aren't going to fall out either. However, when running, the gels are too heavy and they bounce up and down with each stride. So, I will stick with my Fuel Belt racing belt to carry gels. I then tested with only one gel in each pocket. The gels will fit all the way with the pocket closed. There was no bounce and I didn't notice the gels were there. It is easy to remove the gels on the run even with one hand. This will be great for half-marathons.

Pocket located on back hip. Good for holding a gel.

All-in-all, the Brooks HVAC Synergy II short is very good and I will happily wear during races.

UPDATE 2/7/11: I used these shorts yesterday at the Dade City Half Marathon. Weather was in the 50s but quite humid so I was soaked by the end. The shorts performed fantastic. Very comfortable, didn't notice them while running. I carried a gel in each of the pockets. The packets fit easily, didn't notice they were there while running, and they were easy to remove when needed.

I highly recommend the Brooks HVAC Synergy II shorts and will continue using them in races.