Sunday, November 11, 2012

Proud Of Her

I sit here and I write about the accomplishments I have achieved thru running. I brag about it and I brag about how supportive my family is. I'm going to change it up a bit this time and tell how you proud I am of a certain lady in my life. Deb is my wife. She never was into running when we met. Don't get me wrong, she's a sprinter when she needs to be. :) It was the distance running that she really wasn't into. Well, let me tell you, that seems to have changed since we came to Arkansas. I started a running club shortly after getting here. Most of you know I call it the Muckas Running Club. Deb has played a major part in it. She has been there from its inception.
Deb was always a walker. Not just a walker but, a very fast walker. I could never keep up with her when we would walk together. Well, she said she decided to take up running so we could spend more time together. Now that's what I'm talking about. ;) She has steadily increased her daily and weekly mileage. Getting faster and faster. She has run in a couple races since then. Specifically, she ran the St Jude 5K, in Memphis, last December. She smoked it. Looking strong as she entered Redbirds Stadium. Then, in the heat of the Summer (She hates running in the heat. LOL!), she took on the hilly 10K of Mucka Mania. Not only did she finish the race with no issues but, she was the 2nd female overall (Missing the 1st place female by 10 seconds) and 1st in her age group. This was followed by the Heart & Sole 5K in Jonesboro, in Sept. She ran this with Sherry and helped push Sherry to the finish. Deb placed 3rd in her age group. She wasn't finished. She ran the Life is Good 5K we helped put on at Village Creek. This was in Oct and she took our advice and ran this race for her time. Well folks, she was the 1st female finisher in this race. SMOKIN!!! Again, not done. She took on a new challenge. She signed up for the MidSouth Half Marathon. Now, Deb had only run 8.5 miles as her longest run prior to running this race. A half marathon is 13.1 miles folks.
We started MidSouth with temps in the 50s. That quickly warmed up to a finishing temp of 78 degrees and a lot of wind. I offered to run this race with her as I had promised to help her. What was I thinking?? This woman needs no help. She has got this running thing down. She told me to run my own race because she wanted to test herself and see how she would do on her own. She finished in just over 2 hrs and 5 mins, placing 1st in her age group. If it weren't for the temps and wind, she would have been under 2 hours, I have no doubt. Now, just so everyone is a witness, Deb originally told me that she only wanted to run this one half to see if she could do it, and say she had run one. She said she has no intentions of running another one. However, she slipped the other morning and, while talking about the race, said to me, "When I sign up for my next one....." Then she caught herself and stopped. I told her too late, she's got the bug and she committed herself to another half. LOL! Amazing woman my wife is. I am very proud of her and the accomplishments she has made. AWESOME!!!!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

One Week

Here we are, one week from running MidSouth. This will make the fourth time I have run this race. Two full marathons and two halves. I had originally signed up to run the full again this year but, due to my leg issues, and lack of training, I reverted back to the half. I think this was the best decision as anything over 13 miles is starting to get the best of me right now. I ran with our running group this morning. The Muckas had eight runners show up. Three women and five men. The ladies ran eight miles. The guys turned in a 12 miler. My pace was a little faster than I thought I could run this distance. But, I'm not complaining. Well, maybe just a little. Around mile 11, my leg felt like it wasn't working right. Almost like I couldn't move it. But, I pushed on through for a decent run. I think, as time goes on, and I start back on the weights, this will go away. I need to get back to having well rounded workouts. Doing nothing but running has proven to not be the best choice right now. When we were living in Oklahoma, we had well rounded workouts. I felt better, the weight came off and stayed off, and my clothes fit a lot better. Not to mention the pain was gone. So, I am on a mission to get back to that level. Not to mention, while running one day, back in 2005, with my buddy Matt Mendez, I told him I did not want to get back to the condition I was in before I started running. Well, I need to stick to that promise I made to myself.
Now the promise and challenge have been made public. Time to make it happen. Come along for the ride.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

I Promise!

Ok, I know I keep taking long breaks away from posting on here but, I promise to continue with more activity now. Here's an update of what is taking place with my running life. We ran the Heart & Sole Half Marathon and 5K in Jonesboro. What an awesome experience!! We had so many friends taking part in this race. Not only our local Muckas (Deb, Sherry, Jerry, Jody, Mike, Brandon and myself), but some out-of-town Muckas as well (Todd, Juan and Greg). This was the first year for several of us to run this event. The Race Director claims they changed the course to take out some of the hills. I would like to file a formal complaint and state they added some big ol hills on this race. No matter, we pushed through. The Muckas made a great showing in this race. Three of us placed in our respective age groups. Deb took 3rd in her age group for the 5K. Todd took first in his and I placed 2nd in mine. Several other Muckas ran fast times and set new PR's in this race. Not bad for a bunch of us starting out with a 4 am wake up to make the race. :)
We followed this race up with the Life is Good 5K at Village Creek State Park on Oct 13. This was a great race, in a great setting, for a great cause. The Muckas were a huge part of this race as one of our founding fathers (Ethan Cook) helped set up this race. We had a bunch of Muckas at this race. I guess it helps when the race is in our own back yard. :) We convinced Deb to finally run a race for herself. For those of you who don't know my Deb, she is that runner that enjoys the workout but, always wants to help others achieve their goals. I think that's another reason we get along so well. ;) She did run this race for herself. Well, let me tell you..... she smoked it. She was the first female overall. This is an awesome accomplishment. 171 runners/walkers total and my wife is the first female to cross the finish line. That rocks!!!!!!!!!! I am very proud of her. Not only the first female but, the 13th runner overall. Get some of that!!!!
At the completion of this race, we had several Muckas placing in their respective age groups. I've already mentioned how Deb smoked this race. Let me tell you who the rest of the Muckas were. Brandon Boger, Sherry Rogers, Lori Silver, Donna Seagal, Tanner Wallace (Our youngest Mucka running), Melissa Wallace, Holly Cook (Walking for two), Juan (Jonesboro Mucka), and myself, completed an awesome race. Several of us collected medals for placing in our individual age groups.
Running has become an addiction for many of these Muckas. Unfortunately, I am dealing with a leg issue that may prevent me from running future marathons. You know what, I'm OK with that. I have run 12 marathons (First being an ultra) to this date. My goal now is to inspire and motivaate others to achieve thier goals. i may not be running across that finish line with them but, I want to be that voice in their ear and mind that helps push them beyond their current limitations. I feel I have helped motivate two current Muckas (Jody and Brandon) to take on a new challenge and run their first ever full marathons. I feel I have pushed other Muckas (Holly, Kevin and Barrett) to run their marathons as well. I have accomplioshed my goals. My new goal is to help others. Deb is considering running the half at MidSouth in two weeks. I want to be there with her, step for step, to help her achieve a new PR/goal. That would be the best. :)

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Heart & Sole Half

Here we are, 21 days away from running the Heart & Sole half marathon in Jonesboro, AR. I am really hopeful the temps will be at least similar to today's. We went out for our group run and enjoyed the 66 degree temps. The only thing that was tough about it was the 18 mph wind gusts. But, we powered through that wind for 8 solid miles. Trying to get two of my friends ready for their first full marathons. The four that ran together are definitely used to a faster pace for an 8 miler but, 26.2 miles is a lot further down the road. Gotta get them to settle down before they burn up all their energy and hit the wall in the race. I think they are starting to get it. :) I'm looking forward to the Heart & Sole as it will be my longest race since completing the Little Rock marathon back in March. Not only that, Deb will be running in the 5K race as well. She is doing an awesome job with her running and workouts. Getting stronger and stronger. Still trying to convince her to take on the half marathon at the MidSouth race in November. Hmmmmmm......... you never know. :) A change of scenery may be in the Wise Family future. Stay tuned and we'll keep you all posted.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Goals

Looking back on the goals I had set for the year of 2012. Well, goals are set to be reached or adjusted. They are never set to be defeated. If you let your goals get defeated, there is no need to set them as you will never be in a positive state of mind. I had a goal of running 2000+ miles this year. I hit 200 miles in one month and never saw anything close to that again. So, with that being said, I will adjust my goal to reach at least 1500 miles in 2012. I'm almost to 1000 miles, which I plan to reach by the end of August. That will leave me with four full months to complete this goal. Setting my goal at 1500 also allows me to reach that goal and beyond. I look forward to the challenge as I have brought some new friends into the mix. I have a new Lieutenant working for me who is really wanting to get involved in several of the races I have signed up for. We are running the Heart & Sole half marathon in Sept. I should be able to convince him to run at leat the half marathon at MidSouth in Nov. We are looking at a Ragnar relay race in the near future as well. I have come to the realization that speed is not always the necessity. Just getting the miles in seems to be the main drive now. Another goal I have is really non-running related. We've been here in Arkansas for around 3 1/2 years now. Been away from Lompoc, CA since 1997. The time has come for me to work on getting Deb closer to home. She made the sacrifice of moving away from her family to follow me in my career. I promised her, in 1997, to get her back to California. Here we are, 15 years later and it is time to work on getting back that way. My girls are Cali girls by heart. Cali is my second home. Ohio will always be where I'm from. The Ohio Sate Buckeyes will always be my team. However, I will be a West Coast fella. Looking forward to running many marathons out West and just enjoying life. Come back here often as, once we get back out that way, I will flood this page with race results and preparations. Stay tuned my friends! :)

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Just a Run

With Deb and Amy out in California for two weeks, I thought I would get out early in the morning for my daily runs. Saturday's group run has been the only time I have accomplished this feat. Met up with 4 other Mucka friends to run at Village Creek State Park. Running out there is very peaceful. Minimal traffic, always a chance of seeing wildlife, and just beautiful scenery. Today, Jody Hodges and I set off to take on the hills. Not what I was hoping for but, with my upcoming half marathon on Sept 29, in Jonesboro, I need to keep attacking the hills at least once a week. We also had Sherry and Donna out there. Sherry typically runs with Deb when the group meets up. No Deb today. :( I think Sherry was close to tears. LOL! She and Donna set off together. Donna's little legs were turning over as best she could but, Sherry pulled away from her. I have to say, this is one of the stronger runs I've seen Sherry have in some time. Proud of her. Donna fought through the four miles she ran, not to mention she took on the big hill by the visitor's center. We had a new runner join us today. Joshua Berry is his name. I recognized his name but, wasn't sure why. Then Jody informed me that he had run our Mucka Mania race. He followed Jody and I up the hill toward the cabins and camper areas. He turned in a 7-miler. As Jody and I made our way through the the camp ground/horse stable area, a weenie dog rushed us. He had evil in his eyes and he went straight for Jody. Jody tried to hurdle him but, that damn weenie dog got some good air time and almost bit him! Fortunately for the pup, his owner was close by and rescued him just before he got punted by Jody. I had to stop and just laugh at the whole thing. Now, it is still Summer time, and this time of the year in Arkansas can get rather hot and humid. My dumbass did not run with water today. Don't think I wasn't looking for water fountains as we ran through the various campgrounds. But, no such luck. Once again, lessons learned. Just need to make it lessons adgered to. I think we still rocked out a great run with the hills and heat. We were around a 7:27 pace when we came off the last downhill. I had to back it down a bit and Jody pressed on. I was about 20 seconds behind him when we finished the 6-miles. I'll take it. I'm about 10 years older than him. LOL! All-in-all, great group run this morning. A couple of the runners knew what today is (Mom's 70th b-day) and they dedicated their runs to her. She is looking down from Heaven and enjoying the same scenery we are as we do what is best for us. Love and miss you very much Mom!! My girls will be home next weekend. I can't wait!!!!!!! :)

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Halfer

Took advantage of the rest I got by not running during the week and turned in my longest run since running the Little Rock Marathon back in March. Not my fastest half marathon time but, it was a training run and not an actual race. Felt good to get it in even if it was on the treadmill. Not trying to kill myself in this Arknsas heat and humidity. Looking at the weather forecast, it is supposed to get back up over 100 degrees this week. And that is before the heat index is factored in. Wow!!! Looks like dragging my crusty butt out of bed early in the morning is the best option. Took my son, Josh, to the gym with me. He got in a good little workout as well. Hit some weights and some cardio. Then he started getting bored waiting on me. LOL! At least the olympics were on TV at the time. Kept us both interested. On a good note, the pain and tightness I was experiencing in my right leg was very minimal today. Just gotta keep on working on building up my mileage again. The half marathon is 2-months out. Been a while since I actually ran in a half marathon race. Really looking forward to it. I'll keep you posted on how my training is going. Stay safe everyone.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

DAMMIT!!

Alright, I have signed up for three more races this year, Not to mention a couple others I am looking at taking part in. However, my energy levels and motivation are kind of down. I need to get my lazy ass out of bed in the morning, get out the door and start getting some quality road time in. Deb and Amy are in California for two weeks. I think I am going to try and take advantage of that by getting out there and getting it done. No worries about waking anyone but myself up. With that being said, I can't wait for them to get back home as well. Love my girls and hate being apart from them. Ran our Mucka Group Run this morning. Only four of showed. Ran with Jody Hodges, who is training for his first full marathon in November. We started off with 75 degrees and 90% humidity. Man, I cannot wait for cooler temps to come back around. Now, I mentioned having three races coming up. First one, for sure, is the Heart & Sole half marathon on Sept 29. This will take place in the heat and humidity of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Fortunately, I can train on the route once or twice before the race. Already have a buddy, from Dailymile.com, coming in from Mississippi to run with us. Jody is supposed to sign up as well. Got a couple more Muckas interested in running it. Gotta reperesent. LOL! After all, I am the oldest Mucka signed up. Folling that race, we have the MidSouth marathon on the calendar for November. Funny thing is, after Mucka Mania, the MidSouth folks want us to take over their race. Now, putting on a 5K/10K race is one thing. Taking on a full and half marathon is a whole other ball of wax. We will help them this year and see what all it will take to put on this great race. Fortunately, it is already established and sponsors are intact. Volunteers are our biggest need. This is a Boston Qualifier now. Can't mess it up. After that, I am running the St Jude marathon for the third year in a row. Not to mention, I have Brandon Boger running this as his first full marathon. The bug is spreading and it is addictive. I wonder if they realize that? :) All in all, I am ready to get back in action. I have a trip to Denver in August but, I'm not going to let that slow me down. The elevation may get the best of me but, it better be ready for a fight. :) See you all next time. Stay safe and healthy.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Losing My Mind

Once again, I finally made it back to here. The constant issues at work have kept me busier than a Redneck in a barnyard full of sheep. However!!!!! I have officially started my marathon training for my 13th full marathon. This will take place in Wynne, Arkansas, at the MidSouth marathon. This will be my fourth running of MidSouth. One half and three fulls. This is a fast course. I BQ'd here last yere, by 19 seconds. Leading up to this race, I have a couple smaller races to contend with. Running the Heart & Sole half marathon on Sept 29. Also, looking at a 5K Mud Run in Jonesboro, Arkansas on Sept 8. The Muckas have teamed up with a local group to set up a 5K at Village Creek State Park on Oct 13. Gotta keep my race calendar full or I get out of whack on my training. With that being said, this heat and humidity are playing Hell with my training. Many of my runs are taking place on the treadmill. That really gets boring after so long. Not to mention, it gets easier to cheat on the treadmill. At least when you run outside, you run out so far. Then, you have to turn around and run back so you can get home. So, that makes better sense. :) Just ran with the Muckas last Saturday and was really enjoying our run when my work phone went off. Yes, I carry my work phone with me when I run. I'm the Captain, I have to. Back to the phone call. I let it go initially. I told Jody that the caller could leave a message. He laughed and said, "I guess if they call right back, you know something is up." I think he cursed me because that is exactly what happened. It rang again and I had to answer. Not to mention making a follow up call to the boss after taking the call from work. We set off again only to be stopped by the longest train in the world. We waited for a good 5-minutes before we could get across the tracks. Another half mile in and we saw an elderly woman broke down in her vehicle, in the middle of the road. Sooooo, we stopped and helped push her vehicle out of traffic. That was the longest 6-miles I think I ever ran. No matter what stands in your way of getting the run done, never give up. The run is a very rewarding experience and only helps you run the stress away. Keep smiling everyone.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Oh The Humidity!

One would think the humidity wouldn't be so thick at 5:30 am. But, that one would be wrong. We set out for an early Saturday morning run and felt like the air was just holding us back. Thick and heavy on our lungs, making it hard to get your breathing pattern in sync. That's something very important when you run. Enough complaining though. It was still a great run. Deb and I talked the whole way. We talked about the race, the kitten she just rescued the other night, the ballgame we're going to tonight, and several other things. Gotta love it when you run with someone and you can carry on a conversation the whole way. That means a couple things. One, you're comfortable with the one you're running with. Two, you're running at a comfortable pace to allow you to carry on a conversation. I was told, several years back, you can tell how hard you're running by the ability to carry on a conversation. If you can't talk while you're running, you're pushing too hard (or racing). If you can carry on a conversation while you run, you're at a comfortable pace. If you can sing, you need to pick it up because you're just being lazy at that point. :) Off to work now. I'm the Duty Officer for the week so, I'm stuck working the weekend. Might try to sneak in another run during my lunch break since I missed out on the Mucka run this morning. Looking forward to spending the evening with my girls at the Memphis Redbirds ballgame tonight. First time we have gone to a baseball game together. Amy actually wants to hang out with her parents and watch the game. Family night! :)

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Absence

Well, looking back at my last post, I have been absent from here for well over a month. Guess I have some catching up to do. As stated in my last post, things at work have been crazy. But, prison work is unpredictable so, you have to roll with the punches. May was my first month, out of three, that I broke the 100 mile mark for the month. I have friends that do that in a week. I need to get back in the game if I'm going to be ready for my two marathons in Nov and Dec. The last three months have also included the development and putting on of Mucka Mania! This was our running club's first annual 5K/10K race! Months of planning, course development, sponsor gaining, t-shirt and medal designing, and just the long hours of bringing it all together. We finally reached the day when it would all pay off. June 9 was that day. Yes, the same day as my birthday. What better way to spend it than with my girls taking part in the race as well as many of our friends. When we first started registration, it was slow. Not many signed up at all. Up to a month out, our race was looking bleak. Then, out of nowhere, the numbers started creeping upward. When we hit the century mark, we were ecstatic. The it hit 110, the 120. Panic started setting in. We truly didn't think it would take off so much, considering it was our first race. We closed down online registration at 153. Race day registration pushed us over 160. Amazing! Race day arrived and the turn out was great. Our volunteers rocked! Everyone loved the courses! I've had a couple ask when we were going to put on another race. Many have already said they cannot wait to run it again next year. Some are verbally committing to step it up and run the 10K. There were so many smiles at the finish line! It made it all worth while. Oh, and some of the end results for the Wise Clan were as follows: Deb took 8th overall, 2nd female, 1st in here age group in the 10K. Amy took 2nd in her age group for the 5K. The birthday boy took 3rd overall, 3rd male, and 2nd in my age group. Not a bad way to spend my B-Day. :) We finished off the day with some friends and closed out a great day.

Monday, April 23, 2012

WOW!

The weather is sure having a hrad time making up its mind. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I am really enjoying these cooler temps. However, issues at work have really cramped my running lately. But, that's what I signed up for when I went into Law Enforcement. Fortunately, running is one of my stress relievers. After the longest days of dealing with some of the worst people in society, I can rely on a run to take my mind off of it. Not to mention, I have a great home life to help remove the stressors.

One thing that really helps is getting in some good quality runs with Deb. She joins me on early morning runs, before I go to work. She joins me on mid-day runs when we want to sleep in. When her running partner doesn't make it to our group runs, we team up and enjoy a great run together. How awesome is that to have a spouse who enjoys and shares your healthy habits. I'm pretty lucky in that aspect. :)

I think, with everything going on, my priorities are starting to change. I had a goal of running a certain amount of marathons within a certain time frame. I always seem to have goals of beating my fastest time, never really taking in the whole marathon experience. After running Little Rock, I saw some fellow Marathon Maniacs just runnning and enjoying their race. They weren't concerned about their time. They just enjoyed the race from start to finish. After completing 12 marathons, I think the competitive part of me is subsiding. The fun part is starting to take over. I want to enjoy these races. Take full advantage of what each one has to offer. Being one of the original Muckas Running Club founders, and putting on our own race, I think the fact of putting on an enjoyable race is huge!!

I guess what I am trying to say is, I think I'm slowing down and finally going to try and take it all in. There are so many people out there just running to have fun. I think it is time to be one of those people. Deb has shown me what it is like to get out there and enjoy it. Even though she says she's not competitive. Wink Wink!! She has shown me how to just enjoy the run. To get lost in the sounds and sights. Our morning runs are greeted with birds waking to the rising sun and singing all along our route. It has taught me to watch where I run because running in the dark sometimes prevents you from seeing the skunk crossing the road in front of you. Close encoutners of the almost stinkiest kind. :)

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't worry what people think. Enjoy the run. It's good for you. :)

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Mucka Mania Training Run

As we draw closer to our first ever Mucka Mania, our group met up for another training run on the 10K route. We had 8 Muckas show. I ran the course with Deb today. Her regular running partner, Sherry, is out on injured reserve for a bit. Always enjoy running with Deb. She helps keep me under control on these runs. :)

Temps were perfect today as we started off in the upper 40's. Would love for those kind of temps when we run Mucka Mania on June 9. Which, by the way, will be my 44th b-day. I sure hope the race directors will give me bib #44. :) Fortunately, I have some connections. LOL! The race participant numbers are starting to grow. Hopefully it will continue to grow.

Back to the training run. Fortunately, at least half our course is shaded. Running up 64B seems to be the busiest part of our run. Not to mention a long steady uphill. Making that left on Airpark would give you the false impression you're going to get off that hill but, WRONG! There's still another 1/10 of a mile uphill. Pass through Cogbill Cemetery and enjoy a nice downhill on the other side. Beautiful homes in this quiet neighborhood. Just as you start to enjoy the serenity of the pond to the right, you take on another hill. It's small and quick. ANother gradual downhill before you come around a curve and take on a larger hill. But, what goes up, must go downhill on the other side. Gotta be careful on this downhill as you cross Killough. 1/4 mile down, right turn twice then 1/4 mile up Bridges. This turns into Peterson Road, better known as Rabbit Road due to the up and down. Once you take on the last hill (Gut Check Hill), the hard part is over. Steep downhill and then turn right and it's a sprint to the finish.

Great training run with some great friends. Come join us on June 9th and meet all the local Muckas, and take on a great course.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

So Many Goals, So Little Time


I started running marathons back in 2008. My first ever endurance race, over a half marathon, was the El Scorcho Dos. This was an ultra marathon. Yes, I skipped right over a normal marathon and went straight to an ultra consisting of 31 miles. I actually placed 28th overall in the male division for this race. I can remember saying to myself, "Crap! I'm gonna be last. Please don't let me be last." :) Yes, there were more than 28 runners. There were roughly 68 in the male division.

Since then, I have completed 11 more full marathons. My goal is to eventually run a marathon in all 50 states. As you can see by my map, I have a lot of ground to cover. Only having five states knocked out, the last 45 may be a challenge. Getting older, job responsibility getting higher, and money lacking, completion is looking bleak. But, one must never give up. And, if we survive December 21, 2012, it will be on! :)

Check back from time to time and see how the progress is going. Hoping to knock out OK and MO soon. And, depending on where the job takes me, there will be some new states falling as well. Eventually, we will start conquering the West Coast. My cousin wants me to take on the Goofy Challenge with him, at Disney World. That would knock out FL but, gotta save up some moola to cover that kind of race. Not to mention my girls would have to enjoy some time at the Magic Kingdom. :)

Follow me on this journey. Who knows, some of you may join me along the way. To date, I have run marathons with Tony Brake and Barrett Burns. Two of my followers. I hope to run more with them as they recover from various injuries. They both inspire me to run and push beyond the pain threshhold.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Mucka Mania 5K/10K Race


Our running club is putting on its first race on June 9th, 2012. We are joining up with the Wynne, Arkansas Farm Fest and giving runners a challenge to run through some of the scenic areas of Wynne, take on some hills, and just enjoy the open air. Both races have a final hill that we have so lovingly named, "Gut Check Hill". It's not a long hill, just tall. The 5K race will allow for runners and walkers. The 10K course is strictly for runners as time will become a factor. Either course will challenge you. But, that's why we do what we do. To conquer more challenges. So, if you are looking for a challenge in June, come join the Muckas and run through some hills in Wynne. Afterwards, you can enjoy the Farm Fest in downtown Wynne. Registration is at: http://www.racesonline.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.race_detail&race_id=13216

Course info:
5K - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/74032162
10K - http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/74016260

Come join the fun and meet some Muckas. :)

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Catching Up

Wow, time has flown by with the new job. Unfortunately I haven't been keeping up on here, as well as keeping up with my Dailymile friends. Time to catch up. :)

After my biggest mileage month, in January, I came back with my lowest total since last February. No worries. Still broke 100 miles. Opened March up with the Little Rock marathon. This marked my 12th marathon. Is it a bakers dozen since my first marathon was an ultra? Gotta love it. Now for the race review. We had 12 Muckas show up to run different races. Four of us, (Holly, Jerry, Kevin and myself), ran the full. Sherry, Brandon, Jody, Jeff, and Greg ran the half. Allison, Sarah, and Brad ran the 10K. The day started off with good weather. We were at about 40 degrees to start. We all fought our way into the corrals and found our places. Once the gun went off, it was like speed walking for the first quarter mile. Once everything started to thin out, it started getting easier to settle in. Holly and I stayed together for the first two miles. Unfortunately, I hydrated so much, I had to make an early pit stop. Holly kept rolling. I caught back up to her by the first water station. As we made our way under the bridge, it was her turn. I kept running.

As I was running back on the bridge, over the Arkansas River, I came across a wheel chair participant. If you have never run the Little Rock marathon, there are some killer hills along the full course. The wheel chair participants were doing the full, and rocking it! Amazing!!! I'd also like to say, Little Rock has some awesome fans out there! Supportive the entire way. As I passed the 6 mile mark, I got to see Occupy Little Rock. Not to offend anyone but, I thought hippies went out back in the 60's. Oh well, press on. Shortly after passing them, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Holly. She caught up. As we made our way through downtown and around to the Governor's mansion, the temps started to rise. Holly started to fall back. Normally, I would stay with her and try to motivate her but, I knew I was facing a rough trip up the hills myself. I wanted to push on through and try to stay under 4 hrs total. Once I passed the halfway point, I didnt see Holly anymore. I pressed on through the hills and made it the whole way, pulling ahead of the 4 hr pace group.

Around mile 18, it was a full on head wind! I had my phone with me and told Deb where I was on the course. She text back and told me Jerry was in trouble around mile 21. Asthma attack! I started looking for him but, at mile 20, I had to take a walk break because the winds were killing me! Oh yeah, just before that, I unofficially met Marathon Maniac, Dave Mari and his big Afro wig! Funny guy! At mile 23, I saw Kevin heading the other way. High fives exchanged, we pressed on in opposite directions. By this point, the wind and 60+ temps took their toll. Walk breaks were more frequent. At mole 26, I was running in and felt another tap on my shoulder. It was Jerry. I found him!!! Ok, he found me. :) We ran in together and crossed the finish line together. That was pretty cool running in with another Mucka.

After collecting the dinner plate sized medal and making our way out of the finish line chute, I was greeted with some awesome hugs and kisses from Deb and Amy! My finish time was 4:07:09. Not my fastest but, I'll gladly take it considering the conditions. Waited for Holly and Kevin to finish. Holly crossed with her Daughter, Bailey. Kevin beat the 5 1/2 hr mark. Even with his pit stop to have a few beers around mile 25. Great race by everyone. Tough course, tough conditions. Will do it again!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Joy and Sorrow

2012 started off with a bang. I finally breached the 200 mile mark for the month of January. This is the highest monthly total for me, ever. I felt great the whole way. My goals are being met, and I'm on pace to break that 2000 mile year. That, coupled with the fact I just received a promotion at work, has made this a good year so far. I say good, not great. Not great because the same day I received the promotion, I also attended a funeral to bury one of my young officers. He was only 28. Unfortunately, with triumphs, sometimes great sorrow follows. However, I am blessed and fortunate to have my family and my running to help keep me sane. Count your blessings my friends. Enjoy life to the fullest.

Friday, January 27, 2012

20 miles and a Day of Work


One more 20-miler in the books prior to running Little Rock. Funny how my co-workers think I'm nuts for running from home to work. I view it as an opportunity to help the environment for a day and not use gas to to get to work. Well, not gas in the truck. ;) The weather was pretty much perfect for this run. 39 degrees with 85% humidity. Started out at 4am, nice and dark outside, and quiet! That's the best way to run. Not seeing how far you have to go, or the elevation change, and just quiet. Once out on Highway 1, things changed. Of course, it was still dark out but, traffic picked up. And, with it being dark out, the oncoming traffic couldn't see a runner in a bright orange shirt (with reflective material) and they never got over. Thus, creating a potential game of dodging the huge semi truck. In case you're wondering, I survived. ;)

We are now 37 days away from running Little Rock and I am feeling strong and ready to go. When I ran this race last year, I was about two weeks removed from dealing with the loss of my Mom. When I run it this year, I will have dealt with the one year anniversary of her death. I miss her. But, I will use those emotions to help push me through my 12th marathon. Not only that but, I am on pace to actually run 200+ miles in a month for the first time ever. I am feeling stronger than ever with my running. My goals have changed along the way as well. I want to continue to push for every marathon I can run until I can't run anymore. However, I want to help others achieve their goals through running as well. Deb is considering running her first half marathon in November, right here in our hometown of Wynne, AR. This will be her first half marathon.

This is the part where I tell you how prooud I am of her and her fitness goals and achievements. Don't assume I am making lite of what she does. Deb rocks her workouts. I have many people tell me they admire what I do in my running achievements. However, Deb does so much more with her runs, walks and spins. She is amazing in everything she does. I have a friend who asks me how we are so happy together after so many years (16 years together, 14 married). I let them know, because we find ways to spend time with each other. I took on running to help lose weight back in 2005. It became an addiction to me. Deb saw that and decided to take on running as a way to have more time with me. How awesome is that? Now, that is love. :)

Ok, rambling is over. You guys keep moving. Keep the fitness goals going. Looking forward to running the 10th anniversary of the Little Rock marathon in March. Share your stories and races on here as well.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Neglect


As things have picked up at work, I seem to have neglected my blog. However, in the same breath, I can say my running has not been neglected. I am on track to have the highest mileage month ever. My runs are feeling great. I'm not killing myself over how fast I run. I just run with what feels best. I think I am actually getting better workouts by doing so. And not to mention running more miles with Deb. She has been a great motivator and running partner. Gotta love it when you find someone who you just gel with all the way around. :)

I just checked the calendar and realized we are 46 days out from running Little Rock. Our running group, Muckas Running Club, have about 11 runners altogether. We have runners in every event taking place on Sunday. This includes the full and half marathons, as well as the 10K. This is the 10th anniversary of the Little Rock marathon so, we are expecting big things. This will make my 12th full marathon (this includes my 31-mile ultra).

What is my goal? To run happy and enjoy the race. The last time I rane this race (2011), I finished in 3:57. If I beat it, I beat it. If I don't, no harm. I just want to enjoy the race, enjoy the atmosphere, and finish strong. I want to enjoy our little weekend vacation with Deb and Amy. So, with that being said, come on March and come on Little Rock marathon. Let's do this and have fun along the way. :)

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Running Streak

Only eight days into the New Year and I've already had to stop my streak. This constant change of the weather got me a little under the weather. Who knows, maybe I can get back into it once I kick this thing. On a better note, we had our first 5K for our running group, the Muckas. We only had eight runners show upbut, we all enjoyed it. The hilly course we mapped out scared a few runners initially but, once we ran it, they all said they were glad they did and couldn't wait to do it again. I think that's pretty dang awesome!

With all that being said, I'm getting motivated again. I may start slowing my speed down a bit, just to help out with some lingering soreness but, I am going to attempt my streak again. Another goal I have is to actually hit 200 running miles in month. Not to mention 2000 in one year. All are possible, just gotta keep at it. Another motivator is Deb. Between her running and cycling, she hit 92 miles in a week!!! Freaking awesome!! She's my inspiration! Her passion for fitness has flourished and keeps me on a positive note. Others read about her progress and realize they can get out there and do great things as well!!

So, I say to all of you, unless you're hurt, get out there and kick some butt. Don't be scared of the weather, just adapt!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Hello 2012

As we say goodbye to 2011, and welcome in 2012, I think back to the whirlwind that happened over the past year. As most of you know, 2011 pretty much was a very rough year for me. I experienced some highs, and some very bad lows. During 2011, I took on the challenge of raising money for various charities, to include the American Heart Association and the Dana Farber Cancer Research foundation. One exceeded my goal, the other fell short. The hardest part of 2011 is the fact I lost both my parents just 6-months apart. I don't care how old you are, losing your parents is never easy.

One extremely great benefit of 2011 is my wife and I have become running partners. She is an awesome partner all the way around. She tells me she took up running to spend time with me. And by God, I'm going to take advantage of that. We have many friends who just hate to run together as couples. I, on the otherhand, love it. She took on the St Jude 5K and loved it. I think it was pretty dang awesome. She did an amazing job and wants to better her time next year. Love her dedication. Even though she's not "competitive"! LOL! Don't ever let her tell you that. :) She's an amazing woman who has been a huge supporter for me. She has been to every marathon I have run. She's a huge part of my motivation. She has kept me going throughout the losses I have endured over the last year.

Well, here we are in 2012. The very first day of it to be exact. Currently I am training for the Little Rock marathon in March. This will be my 12 marathon, as I chase the 50 marathon goal. I continue to run for charity. I want to help out some way. I can't always help out in a monetary way, personally but, I can use my legs to raise money to help. So, with that neon said, Little Rock, MidSouth and St Jude are confirmed races for 2012. Additional races as money dictates. And in case you're wondering, I started 2012 off with my own personal Mucka half marathon. Come joine in my quest to run. My other goal is to run at least a mile every day for a year or more. Come get some!!