Run Central Indiana

Central Indiana to Minneapolis Minnesota!

2008-07-24T22:13:00.004-05:00

In case you have forgotten Run Central Indiana is sadly no longer in operation. We moved to Minneapolis at the beginning of 2008 and therefore it didn't make any sense to keep this site going. I tried to find someone to take over because I felt like it was a valuable resource to the running community, no one wanted the responsibility.

I wanted to give you a quick update on things here in Minneapolis and encourage you to keep following me if nothing else! We are having some great adventures. How do you sum up 8 months? Well let's see...

... I ran the Earth Day Half Marathon
... I'm training for the Twin Cities Marathon
... I'm dedicating my marathon to raising money for children in Africa through Team World Vision
... I've been racing on a USATF-MN Team
... I've written 160 posts since January at my new blog - Team Cross Runs - including a wide variety of running topics.
... I ran in -34 degree windchill (and similar temps outdoors on a regular basis) note the picture!
... I got a Garmin 205 for Christmas!

One of my most view posts this year was about Jesse Owens as a MLK Tribute.

Well that is probably enough to bore you to tears. Please stop by my new site and let me know how things are going!

In the next few weeks I'm going to work on closing this site down, so if you know anyone who might be interested in keeping it going have them contact me.

Results from the New Year Races

2008-01-02T13:05:00.001-06:00

Results from races around New Year's Day!

Club Kokomo Road Runners' New Year's Eve 5K was won by Scott Colford in 17:17 about 15 seconds ahead of second place. Laura Farley won the female division in 18:08, almost 2 minutes ahead of second place and 3rd overall. Jerry Lambert won the 5K walk in 31:59 and Mary Miller in 33:08 won the female division. 139 finished the run and 21 finished the walk.

Race to the New Year 5K was won be Jon Little, 26 of Flagstaff, AZ, in 15:38 (5:02) about 40 seconds ahead of second place. Leslie Dillon, 24 of Fishers, won the female division in 19:11, about 15 seconds ahead of second place and 19th overall. 325 completed this event.

The Huff 50K Trail Run has 3 divisions: 10 Mile Fun Run, 50K Relay, and 50K Trail Run. The 50K Trail run was won by Hank Risley in 4:04:14 (7:36) the female winner was Ellen Erhardt in 4:32:05 (8:28).

The other events didn't have posted results!

The final results from the Anderson Road Runner's Road Series and Thursday Night Point Series have been posted. I easily won my age division in each (I was the only one in the Road Series and in the Thursday night's the other guy didn't show up for the last half of the races).

This is the last time I will post race results for Central Indiana. If you are interested in continuing this blog please contact me.

Best of 2007: Top 5 Most Read Articles

2007-12-27T07:58:00.001-06:00

I began Run Central Indiana in May of 2007, when I created Team Cross Runs I brought all the old content with me. The below rankings are based on Google Analytics data for RCI from September 1, 2007 until today!

The Top 5 Articles in 2007 are:

Volunteering at the Chicago Marathon - this was by far the post read post as I recapped my perspective as a volunteer at the second aid station of the now infamous 2007 Chicago Marathon.
Ways to Ruin Your Next Race - looked at 10 great ways to ruin your next race and then I confessed to ruining some of my race!
Caffeine - A Banned Substance - Did you know that too much Caffeine could disqualify you from Olympic competition? I didn't either, but see what I found.
T-Shirt Etiquette - is a comical look at some unspoken rules about race t-shirts. I highlighted some of my favorites from a longer list written at Bad Ben Rambles.
Indy Classic Marathon Date Changed - I'm a little surprised this made it so high on the list, but the Indy Classic had a lot of trouble with getting their race off the ground this year - ultimately canceling it.

Thanks for stopping by in 2007 and I hope you'll keep stopping by in 2008.

Yesterday's Workout

Since I hadn't worked out Monday or Tuesday I combined today's cardio exercise - 30 minutes on the elliptical - with my upper body workout. I did a full 15 minutes of the elliptical backwards which isn't easy and am a little sore! I also think that you have a good upper body workout when you have trouble raising your hands to your head to wash your hair! Christy joined me at the gym today also doing 30 minutes on the elliptical.

Originally posted at Team Cross Runs.

Technorati tags: Best of 2007

Race Results and Upcoming Races

2007-12-26T23:22:00.001-06:00

Running is a different way to celebrate Christmas, but running a race seems like a good way to log the last few miles of 2007 or start 2008 off with a race!

Race Results

5K's of Christmas was won by Hunter Spencer, 27 of Indianapolis, in 15:51 (5:06) about a minute ahead of second place. Renee Masterson, 18 of Beech Grove, won the female division in 18:47 (6:04) about a minute ahead of second place and 11th overall. 310 competed in this inaugural event!

Rudolph Run 5K was won by Sean Hudson, 22, in 15:56 (5:07) almost 3 minutes ahead of second place. Amanda Holzhausen won the female division in 19:42 (6:20), about 10 seconds ahead of second place and 4th overall. 135 finished this inaugural event!

Upcoming Race

Huff 50K Trail Run begins at 8am on December 29th at the Huntington Reservoir. There is a 50K, 50K relay or 10.8 Mile Fun Run!

On Your Marks for the Parks 5K begins at 9:30 am at Cool Creek Park in Carmel. This is a Tuxbro event.

Club Kokomo New Year's Eve Day 5K begins at 2pm on December 31st at the UAW Local 292 Hall in Kokomo.

2008 Resolution Revolution begins January 1, 2008 at 9am. You can run a 3 mile, 6 mile, or 9 mile race! Refreshments and pre-race Champagne! This is a Ken Long & Associates event.

Run or Walk in the New Year (RITNY) begins at 10am at the Hilton Garden Inn on January 1, 2008 in West Lafayette. Hang out at a buffet afterwards! This is a Wabash River Runner's Club event.

Runners Forum Winter XC Series Community 5K Runs begin on January 5th at 9am at Northview Christian Life Church in Carmel.

Technorati tags: Race Results, Race Preview, 5K, 50K, 3Mi

Best of 2007: National Performances

2007-12-26T08:08:00.001-06:00

There were some great performances on the national stage this year. Many are viewable at Flocast and the Running Network has compiled a list of its Top 10 Best Moments for 2007.

It should be no surprise that Ryan Hall dominates the list with three performances (flotrack):

#5 Hall Shatters Long-Standing U.S. Record at Aramco Houston Half Marathon
Ryan Hall of Big Bear Lake, Calif. started the year off with a "bang" as the Team Running USA athlete shattered the long-standing U.S. half-marathon record with his scintillating and solo 59:43 at Houston on January 14. Hall's Splits: 5K - 14:05, 10K - 28:21, 15K - 42:21, 10 miles - 45:33 and 20K - 57:06

#4 Hall Sets U.S. Marathon Debut Record at Flora London
On April 22, at the Flora London Marathon, against a top international field, Ryan Hall ran like a veteran to finish 7th in an impressive 2:08:24 to set the U.S. marathon debut record. The old record was 2:09:41 by Alberto Salazar (New York City 1980) and Alan Culpepper (Chicago 2002). Hall now is the second fastest U.S. marathoner all-time - behind only Khalid Khannouchi.
#1 Hall Sets U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Record for Beijing Berth
With seeming ease, Ryan Hall, 25, floated over the 5-loop Central Park course to become Olympic Marathon Trials champion on November 3. His awe-inspiring 2:09:02 performance set a Trials and USA Championship record and against one of the best U.S. marathon fields assembled, it was the largest men's Trials victory margin ever: 2 minutes, 5 seconds. On the challenging course, the Team Running USA athlete produced a huge negative split: 1:06:17 (first half) vs. 1:02:45 (second half), 3 minutes, 32 seconds, and the first sub-2:10 at the Trials and USA Championship.
From 5K to 35K, Hall ran each successive 5K faster than the previous one. His progression went: 5K - 16:51, 10K - 15:35, 15K - 15:26, 20K - 15:12, 25K - 15:05, 30K - 14:48 and 35K - 14:28. His final 5K - where he celebrated the last 400 meters - was 14:57.

#1 was actually a tie between Hall's Marathon Trials race and a Women's 10K Medal at the World Championships in Japan by Kara Goucher. Goucher was also listed multiple times with 2 Top Ten Performances (flotrack):

#7 Goucher Beats Radcliffe, Runs Fastest U.S. Half-Marathon at Great North
At the BUPA Great North Run in late September, Kara Goucher beat marathon great Paula Radcliffe, 1:06:57 to 1:07:53, and in the process, the Portland, Ore. resident ran - on the point-to-point, downhill course - the fastest half-marathon time ever by a U.S. woman.
#1 - TIE Goucher Earns First U.S. 10,000m Medal at World Championships
At the World Championships in Osaka, Japan in late August, Kara Goucher, 29, ran a smart race under challenging conditions - warm and humid weather as well as pushing and shoving in a tight, large pack - to earn a surprise bronze medal in the 10,000 meters. Over the final laps, Goucher battled Briton's Jo Pavey and New Zealand's Kim Smith and the three-time NCAA champion at Colorado produced the best kick and a less-than-two-second edge over Pavey, 32:02.05 to 32:03.81, for the coveted hardware and a spot on the podium. Goucher's medal was the first for the U.S. at the distance in eleven World Championships. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia defended her world title with a 31:55.41 clocking.

I also feel that Alan Webb's American Record-breaking performance in the mile at the Atletiek Vlaanderenmeet in Brasschaa, Belgium is of note. It was a good year for American distance running.

What do you think of their Top Ten Picks?

Workout Summary

The last time I worked out was Friday. I biked 9.4 miles at the gym, using the endurance function which is really just a big hill that slowly takes up the whole workout! This was a 30 minute workout. I hope you had an excellent Christmas!

Originally posted at Team Cross Runs.

Technorati tags: Best of 2007, Marathon, 10K, Mile, Track and Field, Olympic Trials

Foto Friday

2007-12-21T09:25:00.001-06:00

Taken December 2007 at Mounds State Park, Anderson, IN.

Yesterday's Workout

Thursday was another lifting day. I lifted focusing on calves, hamstrings, quads, and back. Nothing exciting happened at the gym.

Originally posted at Team Cross Runs.

Races on December 22 and Last Weeks Results

2007-12-20T08:47:00.001-06:00

I'll continue posting results and upcoming races into the new year!

Race Results From December 15

12K's of Christmas was won by Matt Moody in 43:49 (5:52) about 1:30 ahead of second place on this somewhat snowy course! Rose Lehe won the female division in 50:54 (6:49) about 30 seconds ahead of second place and 12th overall. 84 completed this 12K (7.44 miles) event. In the 5K Terry Mudler won in 21:57 (7:03) about 1 minute ahead of second place. Sarah Walker won the female division in 22:47 (7:19) about 4 minutes ahead of second place and third place overall. 13 completed the 5K event.

Upcoming Races

Power Bar 5Ks of Christmas Run/Walk begins at 9am on December 22 at the NCAA National Offices on the Canal in Indianapolis. (Note the starting location change due to the recent fire in the Hall of Champions) This event is being hosted by Standing O Promotions and benefits the United Christmas Service, a program of the United Way of Central Indiana. This inaugural event also includes special pricing for High School students.

Rudolph Run 5K begins at 9am on Christmas Eve (December 24) at the Intelliplex in Shelbyville. This inaugural event is on paved trails, includes door prizes and is being hosted by Shelby Road Runners.

Workout Summary

I forgot to post my workout from Tuesday, it was an upper body lifting day again, I worked my shoulders, chest, biceps, triceps, and abs. I'm not quite as sore this time around, I did increase the weight on some of the lifts, partly because a kid was using my 20lb dumbbells (shoot!) I will say that as an endurance athlete my focus is more on toning my muscles, not bulking up, so I really am ok with a kid lifting the same weights, just a little discouraging. Also, I focus on light weight, but higher repetitions. For example a body builder might try curling 150lbs 3-4x's but I want to curl 35lbs 10x's.

Yesterday I swam again. It is getting a little easier, but I really have to focus to try and breathe regularly! I did 400 meters again, but was able to swim more together. I did 200 meters at once switching each 25 meter length between freestyle and backstroke. Slowly but surely!

Originally posted at Team Cross Runs.

Technorati tags: race preview, race results, 5K, 12k

Major Blog Announcement

2007-12-19T07:57:00.001-06:00

After writing 130 posts in the 7 months that I've been writing on this blog, it is time to make a pretty major change.

When I first created RCI back in May I was in the middle of a nationwide job search. I created RCI after blogging on my personal blog about my race performances. I dreamed up RCI and began making it what it is today, an informational resource for runners specifically from Central Indiana and runners in general.

I dreamed of a site that could be a one-stop resource for runners across the region, not just a small segment represented by the various running clubs. As the year progressed so did this site and its content. I even began dreaming about what could happen in 2008 and beyond.

I always knew in the back of my head that we would probably be moving away from Anderson, but devoted a lot of time and energy to make this blog a great tool for Central Indiana. I have really enjoyed some of the friendships and dialogue that has come from it and the personal growth I've experienced. Well, I now have a job that starts January 7, in Minneapolis, Minnesota - 10 hours from Central Indiana. We are very excited about moving and the opportunities before us and sad to be physically leaving friends and family.

New Site

If you would like to continue to follow my running journey I have created a new blog, this time not location specific! You can continue following my journey at Team Cross Runs the actual URL is www.teamcrossworld.com/running. Click here to subscribe to the new feed (e-mail feeds are also still available). My new e-mail address will be running (at) teamcrossworld.com

In many ways it will be very similar to RCI, except that it won't have content about weekly races and results (related to Central Indiana). The new blog will be more personal although I’ll still blog about broad-based running topics, with others filling in the remainder of my time.

I have also changed my blogging name from Anderson Runner to crossn81 to remain consistent across the greater Blogosphere and World Wide Web! I know its not overly original, but I've been using it for years! It may change sometime in the future if I have a moment of brilliance.

Future of Run Central Indiana

I have contacted several people about taking over RCI, because I feel it is such a great asset to the running community. Unfortunately, none of these people have responded favorably to the idea. It is fairly simple at this point to keep adding and updating content. I spend maybe 5 hours a week doing research and writing posts. So if you know of anyone who might be interested in administering this site please let me know or have them contact me.

Thank you!

I'd like to thank everyone who has helped make this site a success, if you are reading this, that means you! Over 50 people regularly receive my content and 100's more stop by: THANK YOU and I look forward to continuing our friendship.

I will continue to post here until someone wants to take it over or I move (January 4), although everything will get posted first at Team Cross Runs.

If you have any questions, comments, thoughts, or concerns I'd be happy to entertain them in the comments or via e-mail.

Best of 2007: Race Event

2007-12-18T08:04:00.001-06:00

This is my personal opinion and only based on the events that I attended. What do you think was the best overall event you attended in 2007?

This is another tough category. Again in no particular order.

500 Festival Mini Marathon - while I'm not a big fan of this event since I've never raced well and don't like 35,000 fellow runners, they put on an excellent event.
Drumstick Dash - this was a fun and festive event with lots of activities for every age and competitive stripe. I enjoyed this event.
PopWeaver 5K - this is always a fun event with the Popcorn Festival and a year's supply of popcorn. There is also always good competition and lots of high schoolers.

Honorable Mentions

DINO Races - These are fun no matter what, but more fun if you do a bunch of them, win a pair of shoes, or just like to get muddy!
Run the Mounds - This is a tough 5 miler with good post-race food and lots of running friends.

Yesterday's Workout

I hit the gym for an easy 30 minutes on the Elliptical machine and then 5 minutes on the stair climber. It was fairly enjoyable for a gym workout! After 15 minutes on the elliptical, the machine flashed and said pedal backwards! I tried it for 5 minutes, that is a weird feeling to "run" backwards. It definitely works a new set of muscles, I might try it more often.

Technorati tags: Best of 2007, 5K, 15K, 5Mi, 4.5Mi, Half-marathon

Best of 2007: Personal Race Performance

2007-12-17T07:48:00.001-06:00

As 2007 quickly comes to a close here's a look at some of the Best of 2007.

Here are 3 of my best race performances in 2007. What was your best race this year?

Buzzards Roost 10K I ran 42:22 which left me very confident for later races and was only 54 seconds off my 10K PR. This was a 6:49 pace.
Ovarian 4Mi Run I ran a 25:43 which I was very excited about. This was a 6:25 pace.
DINO Series - Fort Harrison 15K I ran a 1:07:32 with an all out sprint finish I was very pleased with this 5 minute PR and a tough course. This was a 7:14 pace.

After the Buzzards Roost race I felt confident that I would run some excellent 10K's later in the year and this was a fairly tough course, so I was very pleased with my race.

The Ovarian 4 Mile run was definitely my fastest performance of the year, I ran a solid race throughout the 4 miles and felt like everything came together perfectly.

The DINO races are all tough and I was super-excited to have ran a 5 minute PR on a mostly hilly course. I was still reaping the benefits of my taper and feel that overall it was a good performance.

Honorable Mention would be the Mid-South Half-Marathon, which I ran a little slower than I wanted but felt that overall it was a good race.

Weekend Workout Summary

Friday - I was at the gym riding one of the bicycles, I put in one hour of easy riding and rode about 16.5 miles. My gym has several styles of bikes, one has the big fan wheel, another is a "real" machine bike with a seat and a back rest - more of a recumbent bike, and the last is a machine with a normal style seat. I think either of the two machines provide a good workout but I personally prefer the normal style because it is more realistic.

Sunday - I ran for the first time since Thanksgiving. We had gotten several inches of snow and a layer of ice. I decided to go ahead and run a loop at Mounds State Park with Brian. It was a pretty tough workout, some of the trails hadn't been touched and it was beautiful, if not disorienting. We also saw a nice fat deer and lots of deer tracks. It was a good run, but very tough and we both could feel the extra work required due to the snow. My foot felt fine and still feels good so far!

Technorati tags: Best of 2007, 10k, 4Mi, 15K, Half-marathon

Foto Friday

2007-12-14T07:51:00.001-06:00

Don't end up like this guy!

Taken February 2007 in Anderson, someone set this up next to 18th Street.

Yesterday's Workout

Thursday was another weight lifting day. It focused primarily on the lower body and back. Lifts focused on the Quads, Hamstrings, Back, and Calves. My legs felt a little jello-y afterwards, but not as sore as my upper body was.

Past Results, Upcoming Races, and News

2007-12-13T08:42:00.001-06:00

I changed things up a little this week since there aren't that many races I thought I would just combine the results and the races into one post!

Race Results

Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk on December 8th was won by Abdelaziz Atmani, 25 of Indianapolis, in 15:22 (4:56) about 30 seconds ahead of second place. Sarah Higgens, 17 of Greenwood, won the female division in 18:25 (5:55) about 50 seconds ahead of second place and 34th overall. Bill Bentley, 55 of Greenfield, won the walk in 30:56 (9:57) about 20 seconds ahead of second place. Janet Higbie, 66 of Indianapolis, won the female division in 32:17 (10:23) about a minute ahead of second place and 4th overall. 979 finished the 5K run and 127 the walk.

Upcoming Races

The 12K's of Christmas Run and Walk begins at 9am on December 15th at the Northview Christian Life Church in Carmel. 12K is 7.44 miles, there is also a 5K fun run!

Toys for Tots 1 Mile Run/Walk begins at 9am on December 15th at the Professional Office building main entrance at Union Hospital in Terre Haute. Contact Jo for more info.

News

As of November 30 the 2008 Indy Mini Marathon or the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon sold out at 35,000 entrants. They claim that entrants come from all 50 states and 8 countries. There is still room in the Finish Line 500 Festival 5K, which was about 51% full at the time. Starting in January the organizers will also registration transfers again this year.

Tuesday marked the Grand Opening of The Running Company's newest store. The Greenwood store is located at 1251 US 31 North Greenwood Indiana, 317-887-0606, inside the Greenwood Park Mall Lifestyle Center.

Yesterday's Workout

I hit the pool again! This time I kept track of how many laps I swam and in total I did about 400 yards, which isn't a lot but its a good start. I didn't time it so I'm not sure the actual time which would give a better comparison to distance, but swimming is a lot harder than running! I have always heard that you need to do 3x's as long on the bike and 1/3 the time on a swim to equal a running workout. (90 minute bike is equal to 30 minute run which is equal to 10 minute swim) I also found if I slowed down a little bit it was easier to turn my head and breath!

Technorati tags: race results, race preview, 5K, 12K, 1Mi, News, Half-marathon

9 Winter Weather Tips

2007-12-12T07:57:00.001-06:00

Since I haven't been outside running I'm a little late giving out winter running tips! But here are nine tips every runner should know:

Be Careful! Running in any extreme can be dangerous. Make sure you are properly dressed for the weather and distance of your run. For longer runs consider carrying extra supplies (dry socks, extra gloves, extra gel packets).
Cross-Train Winter is the perfect time to step back and re-focus your energies, it is also a great time to add strength training and/or cross training to your schedule. Unless you are planning an early spring race, this can be a great way to maintain your cardio fitness while letting your legs heal and get ready for next year. My cross-training includes the elliptical machine and cycling, I've also started swimming, rowing, and stair climbing. Cross-country skiing is also an excellent cross-training method if you have that much snow!
Cover-up If you are running outside and the wind-chill drops make sure that you don't have any exposed skin, you can also use vaseline to cover your face if you need to. Make sure you wear chapstick and sunglasses. If it is really sunny you may need sunscreen!
Stay Hydrated Hydration is still important in the winter, even if you think your sweat rate decreases. You may be wearing a wicking layer and that may trick you. Also during colder weather your mind may not want as much water, even if your body needs it. If your skin is dry and chapped, think about the inside of your body and drink more!
Fall Gracefully With winter comes ice and slippery conditions, be careful. I've never worn spikes or claws over my shoes, but even those aren't 100% guaranteed to keep you standing! We are all bound to fall at some point so try to protect your head and face by tucking in your chin. Try to land on your butt or the side of your body if possible. Try not to make any one part of your body absorb most of the impact, you could break a wrist or damage your knees.
Stay Motivated It can be hard to keep motivated during these depressing months. Plan ahead for next year, setting goals, and enjoy the freedom of not following a structured plan or make a structured plan depending on your needs. Explore new routes or run with different groups of people.
Snuggle Up Take some extra time to read a running-related book or do some research on the Internet. Winter is a good time to grab a book off the shelf and read or spend some extra time on the Internet checking out running sites.
Watch Out Be aware of the conditions you are running in and watch out for traffic! Remember that it will not be as easy for cars to stop or move around you. You may also need to be aware of sliding cars coming at you. You also need to watch out if you are indoors, be aware of others around you and your running form.
Eat Healthy I know this is the worst time of year to try and eat healthy! But as you switch to cross-training and take more time off, the calories really begin to add up! I've talked to a lot of people who have gained weight already. Runner's World has provided a good list of ways to stay fit and trim and actually lose weight during the holiday season. It mostly comes down to being disciplined in your eating habits and not gorging yourself!

Bonus: Joe over at Run with Perseverance has developed a Winter Weather Temperature Chart (Excel Spreadsheet) which describes which items of clothing you should wear at 2 degree increments in the winter. This is a great system which can be modified to meet your specific running needs. I found it may be a little overdressed for my personal tastes.

Some of my inspiration came from these sources:

Yesterday's Workout

Today was a lifting day! This is the first I've lifted since early spring and I can definitely feel it! My thought has always been to cross train MWF and lift on TR. It was nice to actually get the chance to do it! Today was upper body workouts which included bench, curls, dips, hanging leg raises, and shoulder press. No cardio!

Technorati tags: Winter, Running, Weather, Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

2007-12-11T08:24:00.001-06:00

Well by the time you are reading this the 12 Days of Fitness will have already begun. It is scary how quickly Christmas is approaching but don't worry there are more than 12 shopping days left!!

I signed up for the 12 Days of Fitness to receive daily e-mail "gifts" which is described as

Sharing the the knowledge, skills and abilities of over 250 of the world's leading health and fitness experts each and every day for a full 12 days starting on December 10th and ending with a final bumper sack full of health and fitness presents, enough to fill Santa's sack 10 times over... and then some!

The free gifts are actually a bunch of promotional materials without lots of helpful content.

And what's really great is that we have them in all kinds of formats from printable PDF to downloadable audios to follow-along-at-home streaming videos that'll walk you step-by-step through specific exercise routines and stretching.

I like free content!! Unfortunately there is a small "cost" involved. All of the ones I looked at required you to give your name and e-mail address.

There is a lot of good topics and what could be good content. You can visit Day 1 and Day 2, but I'm not going to post any more links. If I find some really good content I'll be sure to let you know!

HT Run to Win

Yesterday's Workout

I started the workout with 15 minutes on the rowing machine. White River Club only has one machine and the computer is broken so I'm not really sure of any stats. This felt better than last time, but I still feel the burn in my back and shoulders! After that I stair climbed for 10 minutes, the program shut down before I got my stats off, but I was a climbing machine!! This is definitely a solid quad workout. I finished the day with 15 easy minutes on the elliptical machine! This was a good 40 minute workout, mostly focused on strength.

Technorati tags: Christmas, Fitness

Guest Review: St Jude Marathon

2007-12-10T07:57:00.001-06:00

Indianapolis native Allison Martin recently completed her second marathon at the St Jude Marathon in Memphis, TN. Martin now lives and works in Nashville, TN and plans to complete her third marathon next spring! She ran the race with her friend Bridget. Excellent job Allison!

YES! Another marathon completed!

This weekend my running partner Bridget and I ran the St. Jude Marathon in Memphis. The weather was great--40s when we started and maybe 60 by the end--with a clear sky and bright sun. Not too strong a sun though. The course was relatively flat with some gradual hills throughout, and sadly some at the end. (Who puts a three-fourths a way up a hill right before mile 24? C'mon!) And several Elvis impersonators, including two at the finish line for a photo op.
Bridget had been having knee pain for the past month or longer, classic runner's knee, and it started bothering her around mile 13 a lot. We got these way cool temporary tattoos at the registration on Friday that showed your mile times based on your desired finish time. (Check out www.pacetat.com) So we knew that we were a consistent 2 minutes ahead of our 4:45 finish time. Until mile 15. We slowed down quite a bit. Bridget finally convinced me to go on without her since I felt good and her knee was killing. So I took off, determined one of us would finish in our goal time.

And man! I felt GREAT and kept a consistent 10:30 min mile. Not until mile 22 did I really start to slow a bit but by that time, I was so close to the end, I didn't even care! I ran the whole time, only stopping to stretch at water stops cause my hamstrings were extremely tight!

And then--there it was! AutoZone Park! I entered, ran around the back of the baseball field and crossed the finish line at 4 hours, 42 minutes and 33 seconds!

HOORAY! Now for Country Music April 26th and maybe a 4:20 finish?

Technorati tags: race review, Marathon

Foto Friday

2007-12-07T07:09:00.001-06:00

Don't worry, I'm getting a new watch band in my stocking!!

Upcoming Races on December 8-9

2007-12-06T04:20:00.001-06:00

I guess it shouldn't surprise us that the race calendar is dwindling as 2007 slowly wanes away! I could only find two races this weekend. Are you still racing or is it time to kick back a little?

2007 Jingle Bell Run/Walk begins at 9am near the IUPUI track in downtown Indianapolis. Lots of awards, costume contests, and more at this Tuxbro 5K event.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 9

Muncie Ten starts at 1pm at the Mitchell School located on Prudue Rd in Muncie. This event is reportedly the oldest in Indiana at 41 years. Lots of refreshments, no shirts, entry fee is $2. Course record is held by Cecil Franke and Turena Johnson Lane, both Olympic Trials Qualifiers.

WEEKEND WEATHER

Yesterday's Workout

I'm at an all-day conference Weds and Thurs in Indianapolis so I'm not training those days. Since I'm taking more of a 3 day a week posture right now that fits in fine since I worked out Monday and Tuesday and plan to on Friday.

Technorati tags: Race preview, 10Mi, 5K
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Training Analysis, Part 3

2007-12-05T04:13:00.001-06:00

In this final edition of looking back over my 2007 training, I will look at my training for the Mid-South Half-Marathon. This is part 3. See Part 1 and Part 2.

I was asked to travel to Arkansas to compete by friend Brian Rayl. After a little deliberation I decided to go ahead and make the trip. I made the final decision to compete at the beginning of September, shortly after completing the Bears of Blue River 10K and and subsequently 3 weeks into the new training plan I chose.

I chose the Half-Marathon Training Program for Advanced Competitive Runners from Running Planet. I wanted something different after having used the Cool Running program for several races. This program is different in several ways, it includes a lot more pacework, harder speed sessions, and in general is a tougher program. In short, I liked it! Some of the workouts were a little complex and I had to re-read them to make sure I understood what I was supposed to do. The site said, "this half marathon training program assumes that you are currently at a base of at least a 6 mile long run and at least 15 total miles per week."

Even with my taper I was at that level so that was a good start! Being three weeks behind I had missed a few speed sessions, but nothing too much. Unfortunately, I was suffering with a little burnout. I had still been racing Thursday nights at Shadyside in addition to another speed session and possibly a weekend race.

The weekend before I decided for sure to do the Arkansas race I did a brick workout with a friend who is training for a half-Ironman distance triathlon next summer. It was a 25 mile bike and 3 mile run brick. (A brick is when you ride your bike and then try and run, it is hard because your legs feel like bricks!) That was a little grueling.

I licked my wounds and got right back into it. Not the best thing to do with burnout, but I managed okay and bounced back fairly well. We traveled several times in September (anniversary) and October (being in Chicago for the inferno of a marathon!) which resulted in missing some runs. It was fun to run on the Prairie Path in Wheaton, IL with a college buddy and his high school cross country team.

I missed several days of training after volunteering at the Chicago Marathon. I wasn't feeling very well and it was hot. I missed a 16 miler and a couple of speed sessions. I tried to make up for it a little bit and raced the Indianapolis Half Marathon on October 20 which I completed in 1:37:31.

I missed a few more days of training at the end of October because of a trip to Boone, North Carolina for an interview, missing the last few hard workout before the race.

After traveling I raced a pretty good race finishing 1:36:19. I wasn't completely happy with it and felt like I was in better shape. But after looking back through my training, I see a huge common theme: MISSING WORKOUTS.

How can I expect to perform at my best, breaking PRs, and meeting my goals if I don't train consistently? I think that is something I struggled with all year and even right now as I take time off to relax and recover. Some of the time I missed workout could be directly tied to lacking motivation. A little ache may not have been anything serious, but a day off was easy to justify!

As I look to next year, I'll need to be more consistent and stick to the schedules. I'll plan ahead and make sure training schedules don't overlap and that I'll have "down time" between big events.

Graph It

Graph created by Running Ahead, my online running log. If you look closely you'll notice that the dates from Part 3 and Part 2 overlap. This is because the training program was supposed to start before I raced the 10K.

Yesterday's Workout

At the gym again... this time I did the bike. I rode for 30 minutes passing 9.53 boring miles staring out the window! I was listening to my trusty mp3 player. Today I rode a strength workout on the bike which included several hills, maintaining my pace throughout. It was a sold workout and my legs hurt a little afterwards! On a more personal note, I really don't like the seats they have. They use the wide seats which are supposed to be better I guess, but I prefer the seat on my road bike!

Technorati tags: Training, Analysis, half-marathon

Race Results from December 1

2007-12-04T06:34:00.001-06:00

It didn't seem like a good weekend for racing, but that didn't stop many brave souls from venturing out and competing well.

2007 Sleigh Bell 5K was won by Dave Nordhielm, 40 of West Lafayette, in 17:54 (5:46) about 30 seconds ahead of second place. Andrea Blocher, 43 of West Lafayette, won the female division in 18:40 (6:01) about 2 minutes ahead of second place and 4th overall. 249 finished this Ken Long event.

Tecumseh Trail Marathon was won by Nicholas Johnson, of Huntington, IN, in an impressive 3:03:55 (7:01) about a minute ahead of second place. Marla Luckey, of Champaign IL won the female division in 3:47:05 (8:40) almost 4 minutes ahead of second place and 30th overall. 453 finished the marathon distance. The 5.5 Mile Fun Run was won by Scott Weaver of Indianapolis in 37:41 (6:51) about 10 seconds ahead of second place. Amanda Holzhausen, of McCordsville, won the female division in 40:28 (7:21)about 1:30 ahead of second place and 6th overall. 76 finished the fun run. Both are DINO events.

Frostbite 5K was won by Jeremiah Vaughan, 18, in 16:01 (5:09) over a minute ahead of second place. Pam Mertz, 39, won the female division in 19:06 (6:08) about 1:30 ahead of second place and 17th overall. 225 finished this event hosted by the Easter Seals and part of the Wayne County Challenge.

CKRR Charity Run 5K was won by Jeff Hemmeger in 19:07 (6:09) about 15 seconds ahead of second place. Heather Weber won the female division in 21:32 (6:55) in 11th place overall. 65 finished the 5K. Mary Miller won the 3 Mile Walk in 39:08 (13:02). 21 finished the walk.

Kris Kringle 4 Mile was won by Ethan Ferguson, 17 of New Castle, in 24:25 (6:06) about 10 seconds ahead of second place. Pam Mertz, 39 of Richmond, won the female division in 25:32 (6:23) not bad for racing two days in a row! she was about 2 minutes ahead of second place and 7th overall. Friends of mine from Taylor finished 10th and 14th. 74 finished this 4 mile event. The 3 mile walk was won by Greg Callahan, 57, in 33:12 (11:04).

Yesterday's Workout

I was at the gym again, I used a rowing machine for about 15 minutes, the computer was broken. This was my first time on a rowing machine, it is a very different feeling. You feel a little burn in your legs, but a lot in your back and shoulders. I need to do some research to make sure my form was correct. I followed this with 15 minutes on the elliptical machine. It was a nice 30 minute aerobic workout!

Technorati tags: race results, marathon, 5K, 5.5Mi, 4Mi

Guest Review: Monster Mash Dash

2007-12-03T07:44:00.001-06:00

The following review is written by Michelle Hollingsworth a Club Kokomo RR member. She raced this October event. This review was originally published in The Roadrunner (pdf). This review is about the Monster Mash Dash hosted October 6th by Tuxbro.

I can always be persuaded to do a run in the fall. Fall is my favorite
time of year and a run through Eagle Creek Park sounded delightful. I
might mention I also love Halloween, candy, trick‐or‐treating and all
those fun doings associated with Halloween. Darin and I decided to
drive down to Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis to run the Monster Mash Dash on Saturday afternoon at Eagle Creek Park for the 4:30 5‐mile run. I found the run on the internet and because it said "haunted" and longsleeved shirts awarded―I was in the car before Darin had his shoes tied. Saturday afternoon set record high temperatures for this time of the year. I believe it was 87 degrees when the race began. I thought I read on the internet that this course was flat. I was starting to question if this was a good idea when I saw the start line was straight up‐hill.

Basically, this race was a series of consistent rolling hills.The race sure made you appreciate the down‐hills because you know about 10 seconds after you get down―you are going straight back up and so it was―the whole 5 miles. I generally don't think much about hills because around here it's not much of an issue but after about the 10th hill I was beginning to notice. Around the three mile mark I was starting to dream about those wet cloths they handed out at the
BeeBumble race. That was a great idea and I was sure hoping they had some to hand out soon.

I almost forgot―the internet said "haunted" run so where were the "haunters?" I was hopeful, that someone might jump out and try to scare me or something, but realized I was being "haunted" by this extreme heat and these never ending hills. I never saw any "haunters" so that was kind of disappointing.

The park is nice for running paved winding roads with bits of shade here and there. The leaders quickly surfaced and paved the way for the rest of us. I was sure glad when this one was over. At the end of the race there were bananas, cookies and of course water. There were no wet cloths. There was a costume contest for the kids and adults.

This race was chip timed, but after waiting around afterward for what seemed like an hour, we were told by the race director that something had malfunctioned and he wasn't able to get a print out of the race results. He said the results would be accurate online tomorrow, but for now he didn't have any information to give awards.

He announced that if you thought you won an award to come up and get it. I thought―No way‐‐ people are going to be scrambling all over
each other to get these awards. I have been to a few Indianapolis
races and they usually give away nice prizes. Gift Certificates to
running stores, restaurants, etc. So, of course I made my way (okay, I ran) to the table fully expecting 20 other females to claim they also won. The nice race director handed me a flashlight and said congratulations!" I know my mouth fell wide open. Not that a flashlight is bad, but is that a TOOL? Basically, if I can't eat it, spend it, drink it, or wear it―I don't want it. I of course didn't say that, I was very gracious and said "Thank you." Believe it or not―no other females even claimed that they won prizes. I believe they might still be sitting around laughing at me and my flashlight.

Darin just sat back and laughed. He now owns my flashlight. I always
find a way to make a fool of myself, but at least I can laugh and
learn from my mistakes. Later, as I was looking through my packet, I
saw the t‐shirts were short‐sleeved not long‐sleeved like advertised.
Also, it might be worth mentioning that the bathrooms were a step
above an out‐house so if you are planning on doing this race in the future and eating dinner in Indy like we were you will have to leave the park to change clothes and clean up because there are no luxuries here. It did cost $4 to enter the park by the way. In general, after the 3rd, 4th or 5th strike I think this race might be off my calendar for next year. I am glad we did it for the experience, but just had too many issues!

Comments from the Race Director

This was the same weekend as the Chicago Marathon, nothing could be done for the heat. I don't know where she heard the course was flat - I have conducted events at Eagle Creek Park for 20 years and always advertise the course is rolling. As for flashlight award - we did those 2 years ago and a lot of people liked them - so we decided to do them again.

We did have a cable connection break for the computer - the only time this has ever happened - we had to run to Best Buys that night so we could run full results and have them posted by 9pm that night.

All in all we had a good event despite the very high temperatures and
computer problem - no medical issues, lots of water, food. Lots of awards for costume contest. Good money raised for a good cause (Child Care Referral Services).

Thanks Michelle for allowing me to publish your thoughts on the race and congratulations on winning your age group. She ran a 38:05 (7:37) placing 23rd overall.

It is always good to hear about concerns with local events. I know as a race director I appreciate hearing from the participants about what could have been done differently so that next year's event can be even better.

Yesterday's Workout

I went to the gym again on Friday and did a little pool workout. I'm not really much of a swimmer, I have trouble breathing while doing laps! So I swam a few laps, treaded water and did some other aerobic stuff!

Technorati tags: Race review, 5Mi

November Highlights

2007-12-01T07:27:00.001-06:00

I still can't believe its December already! This year has gone by so fast. Here are the highlights from November (and some from October since I forgot to do this then).

Race Reviews

Drumstick Dash 4.5 miler on Thanksgiving Day!
DINO Series # 7 15K at Fort Harrison State Park.
Midsouth Half-Marathon all the way in Arkansas.
Indianapolis Half-Marathon in scenic Lawrence area.
I volunteered at the Chicago Marathon this year, this is my thoughts and analysis.
Turn up the Volume 4Mi run for Ovarian Cancer.
Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon reviewed by Wray Jean Cornwell.
Various Race Reports including Nike Regional's and NCAA action.

Blog Reviews

Other Posts

Gatorade Inventor Dies
Training Analysis

Olympic Trials: Triumph and Tragedy a look at Indiana connections to the Olympic Marathon trials. Also a preview to the Trials.
Indiana is Obese a look at Indiana statistics.
Taper Time looks at this important aspect of the training schedule.
A few last minute marathon tips.
A hilarious post about t-shirt etiquette from Bad Ben Rambles!

I do a lot of reviewing don't I? Geesh, well at least you know what to do and what not to do!

Foto Friday

2007-11-30T12:21:00.001-06:00

This picture was taken while driving the Blue Ridge Parkway in Boone, North Carolina. Future Foto Friday's will be actual running-related pictures!

Upcoming Races for December 1

2007-11-29T08:18:00.001-06:00

Can you believe that it's already December?? Where has 2007 gone? The race calendar for this weekend is still very full, despite the chilly forecast. Will you brave the elements?

25th Annual Sleigh Bell 5K Run/Walk begins at 9am at the Lafayette Family YMCA in Lafayette. This is a Ken Long & Associates event benefiting the YMCA.

Tecumseh Trail Marathon has been sold out. It is run in Yellowwood State Forest benefiting the Hoosier Hikers Council. There is a 5 Mile fun run that is still open and they are still looking for course volunteers. The Fun run starts at 11am. This event is hosted by the DINO Series.

Frostbite 5K begins at Glen Miller Park in Richmond at 4pm. The event benefits the Easter Seals programs for persons with disabilities. This is also part of the Wayne County Challenge.

Brown County Community YMCA 2007 Reindeer Romp begins at 1pm at Brown County State Park's Nature Center. Lots of door prizes. All proceeds benefit the YMCA.

The 5-K Reindeer Walk/Run will be held in Frankfort, Indiana at 4:15pm. It will kick off the first year for the county's annual Christmas Parade to be held at night. A Free Rudolph Romp for the kids will start right after the 5-K. The kids will run around the square once and will have a goodie bag, just like the 5-K participants. This will include gloves, Reindeer antlers, a Rudolph nose and some goodies for after the race!

Eagle Run '07 begins at 9:15 at Franklin Twp Middle School in Indianapolis. This is a 5K road race. This event is raising awareness for Organ and Tissue donation. Event registration is closed.

DECEMBER 2

Christmas in the Park begins at 6:15pm at Deming Park in Terre Haute. $10 of each entry goes to Cloth a Child. This is a Wabash Valley Road Runners event.

17th Annual All American Kris Kringle 4 Miler and 3 Mile Walk (pdf) begins at 2pm at New Castle's Memorial Park. Monetary awards offered at this event which is part of the Anderson Road Runner's Road Race Series. Event hosted by the Knights of Pythias of New Castle.

CKRR Charity 5K Run/Walk begins at 2pm at UAW 292 Union Hall in Kokomo.

WEEKEND WEATHER

Yesterday's Workout

I haven't done anything since the Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving until last night. I went to the gym and rode the bike for 20 minutes (6.43 miles). Kind of a puny workout but I needed to do something. It was good timing for a break since we were traveling around for the holiday. My foot feels good walking around now, but I haven't tried running or anything on it.

Technorati tags: race preview, 5K, Marathon, 4Mi

Gatorade Inventor Dies at 80

2007-11-28T07:35:00.001-06:00

I interrupt the regularly planned posting schedule for this breaking announcement.

Dr. James Robert Cade died Tuesday of kidney failure, according to ESPN. Cade was the inventor of the sports drink Gatorade.

Born James Robert Cade in San Antonio on Sept. 26, 1927, Cade, a Navy veteran, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Cade was appointed an assistant professor in internal medicine at UF [University of Florida] in 1961. He worked until he was 76, retiring in November 2004 from the university, where he taught medicine, saw patients and conducted research.
Cade and his wife, Mary, had six children.

Cade was the first kidney researcher at the University of Florida but is most well-known for researching and creating a re-hydration formula for the UF football team, which they credited for their 1967 Orange Bowl win.

Gatorade which first "tasted like toilet bowl cleaner," and was vomited by Cade after tasting it, is now sold in 80 countries with 30 flavors available in the US and 50 around the world. Gatorade has a market share of 81%. Since 1973 royalties from each purchase of Gatorade have brought $150 million to the University of Florida. So it could also be called Gator - aid!

Cade was named MIT's Inventor of the Week in May 2004. And at that time was working

... as a professor of medicine and physiology there [UF], conducting research on kidney and liver disease, diabetes, hypertension and other illnesses. He also studies Down syndrome, autism and certain types of schizophrenia and develops diets to help these patients improve or recover. In addition, Cade has developed products similar to Gatorade such as the Go Energy-Recovery Shake, which helps athletes recover more quickly after a workout.

Gatorade's website made no mention of its founding researcher's death as of this morning.

Technorati tags: Gatorade, Football, Hydration

Race Results from Thanksgiving and beyond!

2007-11-27T09:07:00.001-06:00

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are getting back into the routine of your life! Welcome to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season!

Four Mile Foot Fest was won by Nick Polk, 23 of Indianapolis, in 19:59 (5:00) almost 3 minutes ahead of second place. Nicole Gliem, 22 of Beech Grove, won the female division in 23:44 (5:56) about 10 seconds ahead of second place and 5th overall. 172 finished this event.

Drumstick Dash was won by Jeff Powers, 23 of Bloomington, in 21:40 (4:49) about 15 seconds ahead of second place. Maddie McKeever, 20 of Littleton, CO, won the female division in 25:12 (5:36) about 10 seconds ahead of second place and 23rd overall. 2,524 finished the 4.5 mile course (they don't count the 2.6 mile course finishers).

Christmas in the Park (Brazil) was won by Zach Whitkanack in 17:05 (5:29) about 40 seconds ahead of second place. Janelle Ralph won the female division in 20:08 (6:28) about a minute ahead of second place and 6th overall. 45 finished this event!

Pictures from Tuxbro and the Drumstick Dash.

Technorati tags: race results, 5K, 4mi