The Hot.. Hot Days Of Summer

I'm struggling.... I know what's going on, I think..... Summer's here and I hate it...
It wasn't too long ago I hated the cold weather.... Now all I want is a 50 degree day and a little overcast... is that too much to ask?

I trained in this stuff last year and it didn't seem to bother me as much as this year... What's going on? I'm hitting a wall and official marathon training doesn't begin for another 3 weeks...
I've been trying to build up my base, but it seems to be hitting me in the face..

The little clock to the right of this page, tells the story. At this writing I have 136 days and 23 hours to get ready. The days ahead are going to be tough, filled with 8- 20 mile runs and a handful of 15, 17, and 18 milers... Then some tempo runs that are 8 miles.... one more time, I said TEMPO runs of 8 miles....

Not to mention the Thursday night speed work.... How's 10x 880 sound for a workout?
Something tells me it's going to be a long hot summer.

See ya on the road, runron

One more thing, my post might not be as timely as the should be... I've been working on another writing project and it's consuming me.... Maybe one day I'll show it to you.

Some days you shoot over par

No matter how much I run... I'm always learning something.
The Moffitt 5 mile run could be compared to the U.S Open in golf.
How?... Let me explain.
Most road races are run in cool weather and pin point distances.
Most golf tournaments are held on courses that are easy for professionals to shoot under par.

This weekend provided neither... Saturday was a grind on the road course... Due to the fact that there were no mile markes and the heat was coming from all directions.

The U.S. Open was full of grinders.... If you didn't hit the fare-way you were out of luck.... And once you get
on the greens.... Forgetaboutit... You had to putt left to go right... All that was missing was a clowns mouth on the 18th green... before you finished your round of goofy golf.

But somebody had to win, even if the score was over par.... 5 over par was the winning score and it was a nail biter to the end... With the worlds greatest golfer coming up short by one stroke...

My little road race was a nail biter as well.... I knew my pace was off, but I didn't know how much, for the fact of no mile markers... So I pushed, I struggled, I fought to the bitter end.
One runner collapsed about 20 yards ahead of me.... He didn't look good when I passed.... Heck, I didn't look good when I passed... But I was upright.

Making the final turn I looked at my watch and I was behind my best 5 mile time and still had a quarter mile to go.... No P.R. for me, I just had to grind it out to the finish.

Crossing the line, I hit my watch and looked at the bad news.... A full 2 min. off my best time.... I'm over par.

But wait... This is the U.S. Open where over par might win..... As I picked up my trophy for 3rd place in my age group, I realized sometimes... over par.... Is par for the course.


_____________________ DAY TWO____________________________________


I felt the pain of running two races in two days the morning of the 2nd day.(what?)
The grand-baby was great.. Had know idea her grandpops was a wreak trying to catch the guy pushing the stroller a few feet ahead.... Then a few yards ahead..... then the speck in the distance.

My son did really well... for a kid that who never trains and runs one race a year, he was outstanding.... He has the talent, but he hates to run.... Can't say I blame him, when I was his age, running was a punishment for all other sports.

Maybe running with a baby stroller is easy for you, but it's a grind of it's own. Try running with your hands in your pockets and you'll get the idea.

But this was an easy, fun, no pressure race, right? I mean it's all about family, who cares where you finish. (Tell that to ego)

I was in 3 categories or I thought.
Father running with son, did that.
Grandfather, was that.
Pushing a stroller, did that.
Alex (my son) and I ran a good race, but not well enough to win that bracket.
Pushing my granddaughter was a good ride, but one guy was flying, so I'm out.
All I got left to play is the grandpa card. And the award for the fastest youngest grandpa goes to..... Some guy that is 59 years old and ran a full 16 min. behind me.... What?

I knew I was in trouble when the lady (at the card turn in table) didn't believe me when I said I was a grandpa.... Now anybody that knows me.... knows I go around to all the races and try to convince race officials that I'm not who I really am.... I love to collect worthless trinkets like there gold...

Next year I'm going to enter the Mothers Day 5k as a 25 year old woman with 10 kids who is also a great grandmother.... Shh, don't tell anyone.

What a weekend and I lived to tell about it.
See ya on the road, runron.

A Runner's Dream Or A Nightmare

Big weekend coming up.... The rescheduled Miles for Moffitt 5 mile run falls on the same weekend of the Fathers Day 5k.... Not to mention Summer is here... A simple warm- up mile feels like the last mile of a marathon... The heat is brutal and it's not even July....

The grand baby will be making her first appearance in a road race... Normally I don't like strollers in a race, but this is what this event is about.. Time is not a factor in this race, just go out and have fun with the people you love.... Or your family.

So after a heat riddled 5 mile run on Saturday, grandpa will turn around on Sunday and put in a 5k with a stroller in hand.

I never run two days in a row, let alone race. My knees are telling me not to, but Ego is ready to roll.
If I make it, I'll tell you about it next week.

See ya on the road, runron

You mean there is only 13 miles in a 20 mile run?

As the rain fell on dust covered road, the clock read 6:00 A.M.... A scheduled 20 miler was on the menu. Thoughts went back to a day when a morning like this was made for sleeping in... I was a man coming to grips with who I was and what I've become.

Silent whispers of "Forget about it" are ignored as I pull into runrandall's driveway... I can't put into words the excitement one feels before a 20 mile journey.... Sleeping is for the other guy, I'm on a mission.

"You ready?" I say to runrandall as we hit the start button on our watches.... Sightless rain hits our heads as we begin before the sun lightens a cloud covered morning..

"Supposed to have 40 m.p.h. winds by 8:00" runrandall says as we make our first turn on Andy Dr.

Doubt starts to creep in a pensive mind and the first thought of cutting the run short was blurted out loud. I responded with, "No run is worth 40 m.p.h. winds". My words did not hang in the air very long before I heard, "right".

Two runners are struggling with the reality that nature is bigger then the pursuit of a good long run... Runs are funny things, some are easy, others become difficult as the miles drift into a misty haze... This run fell between the two... I don't know how much the conditions played on our minds, but by mile 8 we were spent.

When you run a long distance everything hurts... I can deal with foot pain, leg pain, back pain, but when pain shoots through your stomach with every foot strike... You turn into a walker. Blame it on the pre-run bagel or the price of oil... All I wanted to do was go home.... One problem, we were 6 miles from refuge with only the sound of passing cars to soothe wobbly legs.
The harbor of the driveway I was looking for flickered through my head as the labored journey draws to a close... One more turn and we are back to wince we came.

The day started with expectations of a 20 mile pre- marathon training run... And ended with a child crying for his mommy...

One thing I have learned about long distance running... Some days you eat the bear.... Other days the bear eats you.... I hope I gave him indigestion..

See ya on the road, runron.