3,000 Miles in 2011 = RAWKFIST!!!

Whew, I need to sit down a minute ... I'm a little tuckered out!  Today my 2011 running odometer finally hit ...

3,000 MILES!!!

This was a huge goal of mine for the year, and honestly in the last couple of months I wasn't sure I was gonna make it.  I'm really-really-really-really tired.  If 3,000 miles wasn't my goal, I would have probably taken a couple of weeks off after the Rocket City Marathon in early December.  But at that point I still needed about 150 more miles.

Actually if you figure 3 feet (36 inches) per foot step, 3,000 miles is about 5,280,000 footsteps.  About 5.3 MILLION!!!  Most of those footsteps were pain-free, but I'm currently messin' around with a little bout of tendinitis in my right hamstring.  Nothing major though.  And all-in-all, I'm thankful for a VERY HEALTHY 2011!!!  I couldn't have asked for more considering the mileage I put on my legs.

Probably the thing I'm most proud of is my running form.  I literally ran exactly like the picture at the left every step of the way!!!  Inefficient ... maybe.  Somewhat spastic ... possibly.  But did I have fun ... most definitively!

It  makes me feel good to know that there are probably only a handful of folks in the U.S. and maybe the world that ran this much this year.  I know it's not a record or anything - heck, several bloggers got there way before me this year.  But it was still a HUUUUGE accomplishment for this old man!

So as we wind down 2011, only one word can describe what will probably be my best running year ever ...

Here's to a great 2012 for you and yours.  Best wishes ... Seacrest out!
... be great today!

2011 Recap #4: "I've Been Everywhere Man ..."

Well, I haven't exactly been "everywhere", but I probably did more travelling in 2011 than any other year.  I travel throughout the Midwest with my job, and many of my training runs throughout the week are on the road. This past year, I had the opportunity to run in 12 different States and 26 different cities.

My favorite new cities were Boston, MA and Austin, TX.  My least favorite was Garden City, KS.  (I saw neither a city or any gardens ... just a lot of tumbleweeds, dust, and cow sh--)  The furthest I traveled for a race was Missoula, MT which took me about 22 hours to drive.

Hope you have safe travels and a wonderful 2012!!!

... be great today!

2011 Recap #3: UNDEFEATED Old Guy!!! (sorta)

2011 Recap: Part 3
I ran several non-marathon races this year, but only targeted four of them for PR's or "going all out".  The rest I ran with family, friends, or just for fun.  In every one of these races where I "raced", I was fortunate enough (or lucky enough) to win my age group!  Child please ... that's four first place medals for the old guy ... even if it was luck!!!

Now, were these huge races ... no!  Were there really, really fast people in my age group ... apparently not!  And were these merely first place medals in the "old-man" division, and not over all ... yes!  But this is all beside the point!  It was still a great year of shorter races for me, and one that I am proud of.

I've learned not to make races about competing with other people, but rather just competing with myself.  Unless you're world class or something, what's really the point of targeting someone to beat in a race. There's most likely always gonna be someone faster than you out there! And like Michael always tells me "You can't control who's at the race, you can only run your best!"  She also always says, "Zebras is just a horse with stripes!"  But that's a whole different thing I won't get into right now.

All Non-Marathon Races ... 1st Place 40-44 AG
  6/4 ... Kansas City Hospital Hill 10K - Kansas City, Missouri ... 45:32, 7:19/pace (1st Place 40-44AG, 26th/1,406 Overall)
6/10 ... Lees Summit Night Flight 5K - Lees Summit, Missouri ... 20:06, 6:29/pace (1st Place 40-44AG, 13th/830 Overall)
8/28 ... Kansas City Royals 5K - Kansas City, Missouri ... 19:09, 6:11/pace (1st Place 40-44AG, 13th/1,479 Overall)
9/24 ... Cerner 15K ... Kansas City, Kansas ... 1:04:14, 6:54/pace (1st Place 40-44AG, 36th/975 Overall)

I felt like I ran pretty well in most of them except for the 10K at Hospital Hill.  That's the first time I've ever ran a 10K and it's not a great "PR Time".  Hopefully I can whittle a little off of that next year.  Best wishes in 2012 and happy running!!!
... be great today!

2011 Recap #2: Funniest Comment

As you know, I'm kind of a smart--- and joker!  I love humor and the blogs that are consistently funny.  There are so many of you that write with quick wit and crack me up.  One of my fav's is Char at My Life's A Marathon.  She lives in Australia or Austria or some place weird, and always uses terms that my apparently sub-par Missouri education did not learn me.  (In fact I'm posting this on Friday morning at about 5AM, which means it's like August or something where she's at)  In an October post about a race in Melbourne,  (oh okay - it's Austria)  she wrote the following about the starting line ...

"The hooter went off and so did we."

I left the following comment on her blog ...

"I always love reading your posts because besides being a great runner, you use terms that I don't know ... what's a hooter?"

To which she later responded on my blog ...

"In answer to your question about the hooters.  We have a very strange tradition at some of the major marathons where a very busty young woman stands on a cherry picker.  When it's time for the race to start she sings the national anthem and lifts up her top - the hooters go off! You can imagine the mayhem at the start line.  But it's all in the name of fun.


And for the real answer - the hooter is a klaxon horn."

That's why I love this gal ... she's much funnier than me!  Of course, that could probably be said of most of you.  Have a great 2012!
... be great today!

2011 Recap #1: 9 Marathons, Average Finish Time 3:27:31

2011 Recap: Part 1
One thing I learned in 2011 ... you can't PR at every marathon!!!  That should be obvious to a 43 year old man, but apparently I'm just now figuring that out.  I have a little tendinitis right now in my right hamstring that I've struggled with for most of the year.  Why?  Over-striding from trying to run too fast.  One thing this dummy is gonna focus on in 2012 is limiting  my "A" races where I "go for broke"!  I'll probably just try to set PR's in two races (maybe one).  That being said, I was really happy with my average finish time for the 9 marathons I ran this year.  If you take out Kansas City, which I intentionally ran a little slower because of the Des Marathon the next day - the average drops to 3:25:39.


9 Marathons ... Average finishing time 3:27:31
  2/20 ... Austin Livestrong Marathon - Austin, Texas ... 3:29:01
  4/18 ... 115th Boston Marathon - Boston, Massachusetts ... 3:20:35 (former PR)
  5/21 ... Scheels Fargo Marathon - Fargo, North Dakota ... 3:22:52
  7/10 ... Missoula Marathon - Missoula, Montana ... 3:22:32
  9/11 ... Sioux Falls Marathon - Sioux Falls, South Dakota ... 3:21:15
10/15 ... Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon - Kansas City, Missouri ... 3:42:25
10/16 ... Des Moines IMT Marathon - Des Moines, Iowa ... 3:30:47
11/20 ... Route 66 Tulsa Marathon - Tulsa, Oklahoma ... 3:20:03 (current PR)
12/10 ... Rocket City Marathon - Huntsville, Alabama ... 3:38:06


I really felt in control of all races except for Rocket City where I kinda gave up (I was just worn out). Looking back, I think I really began to figure out "how to run a marathon".  I still have A LOT TO LEARN.  But I think I made some pretty significant progress.  I also PR'd twice ... first at Boston in April, and then later at Tulsa in November ... so that was cool! In 2012 I really want to qualify for Boston again with the new qualifying standards. But I've gotta get to 3:15, which realistically I'm not sure will ever happen. (I'm glad I qualified and ran it when the times were a little slower - ha!) Hopefully I'll have another year of good health and I'll get 9 or 10 more under my belt!  Have a great weekend!
... be great today! 

2011 Photo Album

Here are a few of my favorite running & race photos from 2011.  
It was a GREAT year! 

Here's to an awesome 2012 ... best wishes in the new year!

JANUARY: My daughter Madi & me at the KC Groundhog Run 10K - her first race ever ... I couldn't be prouder of her!

FEBRUARY: Me & Jon from 2Slow4Boston at the LiveStrong Austin Marathon (Jon is very fast by the way)

MARCH: Michael & me at the KC St. Patty's Day 4 Mile Run ... dressed in green of course!

APRIL: The last .2 miles on Boylston Ave. at the 115th Boston Marathon ... sprinting toward a PR!!!

APRIL: Crossing the finish line at the 115th Boston Marathon ... one of the greatest thrills of my life!

APRIL: Me & one of the best runners in the blog world ... EMZ, at the Boston Marathon.  She's a cool gal with a great family!



MAY: Madi & me before the Oklahoma City Half Marathon - not a real boot!

MAY: Madison & me at the The Oklahoma City Half-Marathon ... her first half!  It was raining and FREEZING!!!



MAY: Raisin' the roof at the Fargo Marathon ... kind of a disappointing run as you tell  from my face!

MAY: Me & former blogger Maia at Fargo - she and her husband were really cool

JUNE: Early morning track workout at Campbell Jr. High in Lees Summit, MO

JUNE: Pre-race dance before the Hospital Hill 10K ... we must have been doing the running man???

JUNE: "Sore Winner" at the Hospital Hill 10K ... worst run of the year, but somehow (luck) I won my age group

JUNE: Madi & me before the Lees Summit Night Flight 5K ... an after dark race - nice warm summer evening!

JULY: Down the stretch at the Missoula Marathon ... my first trip to Montana - a BEAUTIFUL State!

AUGUST: Kansas City Royals 5K ... an awesome race that finishes inside Royals Stadium (future World Champs!!!)

AUGUST: Madi, me, & future son-in-law Nate before the KC Royals 5K ... I couldn't ask for a better husband for my daughter!

SEPTEMBER: 80 degree finish line at the Sioux Falls Marathon ... a little too toasty for a  fast long run!

SEPTEMBER: Pre-race dance before the Cerner 15K ... Jack's actually a pretty good dancer!

SEPTEMBER: Cerner 15K - probably my best and most rewarding race of the year!



SEPTEMBER: Michael & me at the Cerner 15K ... Michael killed it at this race! (Just look at that sexy gal - I'm a lucky dude!!!)



OCTOBER: Pre-race dancing before the KC Marathon ... it was good luck for Michael - she PR'd!!!  Jack didn't run!

 

OCTOBER: Kansas City Marathon - first leg of my back-to-back marathons.  Ha - looks like I'm leading the pack!



OCTOBER: Finish line at the Kansas City Marathon ... probably my most favorite race photo of all time!



OCTOBER: Crossing the finish line at the Des Moines Marathon - less than 24 hours after finishing Kansas City!  Awesome feeling!



OCTOBER: My son Gage & me at the Halloween Hustle 5K ... Gage got 2nd in his age group in  what was his first race!



NOVEMBER: Tulsa Route 66 Marathon ... crossing the finish line with new PR

DECEMBER: Wrapping up the year at the Rocket City Marathon ... whew, pretty worn out!

Best wishes and happy running in 2012!!!

... be great today!