"Get to Gills Rock, Face South, and Don't Stop Running Until Someone Hands You a Beer!" - Fall 50 Race Report

Mile 36...on my way!

Wow. I want to always remember everything about this run. Who knows when I'll have an experience like this again? This is going to be a long report. There, I've warned you. I'm not even sure where to start. Friday afternoon, I guess...

Ellie and I were on our way up to Door County with my parents by 4:15. I had packed and unpacked several times and then read Ellie's post on the likelihood that I still forgot something. Most of my ride up to Door County was spent figuring out what I had forgotten...

Ellie's parents had arrived at our cottage at the Bay Shore Inn earlier that day (GREAT ACCOMODATIONS!), and the rest of her relay team (her brothers, Curt and Doug, and Curt's wife, Gretchen) were arriving shortly. Our first stop was at the event's host resort, Stone Harbor, for packet pick-up. Inside the lobby we saw several other friends from Plymouth. Our little hometown had 21 different runners taking part in this event! How cool is that!? The mood among all of us was anxious excitement. Almost everyone was asking if I, specifically, was ready. Every time I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. I had absolutely no idea.

For dinner, my mom was insistent on eating at the "Evergreen Supper Club." She vouched for its great food and great service and had been there many times with her parents. In typical Monica (my mom) fashion, she had the name wrong--it was actually called the Greenwood Supper Club. After hearing this, I was really hoping to hear some "Proud to Be an American" as we walked in, but no such luck.

Me, Ellie, Doug, Curt, Gretchen (aka "Human Debris")

This place was a classic Wisconsin "supper club"--wood panelling on the walls, nature pictures for decoration, Old-fashioned's at every bar stool, a very questionable wine selection, and good food...if you're looking for a friday fish fry. I wasn't looking for fish, but I had a great Chicken Parmesan Dinner. We all had a great time reading Ellie's post from Friday. Doug especially liked Ellie's assessment for her team ("Human Road Debris") and my expected finish time:

"...its so demoralizing to think that he's going to run faster than my team...I
mean, there are four of us...three of us are younger, two of us are much better
looking, and I even shaved my legs...does that not count for anything!"

Think Reggae

The past week had been spent reading as much as I could about strategy in a 50 miler. I was all over the world wide web (to quote Ellie, "thanks Al Gore") like crazy. One particular post on http://www.runningandrambling.com/ really resonated with me. It talked about the differences between an Ironman and a 100-mile Ultramarathon. The analogy the author uses considers Iroman events much like rock concerts--adrenaline-laced, jam-packed, lots of people in close confines--and thinks of Ultras as, in his words, a "reggae festival." Ultras last a lot longer, everyone is really relaxed, and you become one with nature (occasionally in the form of marijuana).

I've never completed an Ironman, and Ellie promises serious ramifications if I continue to talk about a 100-miler. I still found the comparison amazingly similar to my recent experiences in the marathon and my approach to this 50 miler. My last couple marathons have been a lot like rock concerts for me, and I decided to "Think Reggae" during the 50 miler. I needed to stay relaxed, enjoy the scenery, and stay positive. Unlike a reggae festival, however, I decided I'd refrain from any wacky tobacco along the course.

I slept terribly on Friday night. My mind was racing through subjects from the politics (that'll keep you awake at night) to what song Ellie, Doug, Josh (a friend of mine), and I should perform at an upcoming Lip-Synching Fundraiser for a local charity (I'm really hoping we perform a number by 2ge+her, but we'll see). Fortunately my alarm FINALLY went off at exactly 4:51 AM. I hopped out of bed and hit the shower, then had my normal Breakfast of Champions, Chicken & Stars. I also had some protein dissolved in water and a banana, and topped it off with some coffee. The Fall 50 uses a "wave start," where the solo runners start at 7:00 AM, and the teams follow, based on expected finish times, on the hour from 8:00 to 10:00. Our hotel was near the finish line, so my parents (who were picking me up) and I had about an hour-long drive to get to the start line. My mom and dad are, to say the least, dependable. I had given them a schedule of when I wanted to be at the start line, when I hoped to be at each aid station, and anything at all I may want, from a gel, to some ice cubes, to perhaps some weed (JOKE) at any particular time throughout the day. I wasn't asking all that much, right?

In a word, Mom and Dad are AWESOME.

My Crew and I awaiting the Start...

I walked out of our cottage at 5:30, into the darkness, and was welcomed by two small bucks who were hanging out in the lawn. They took off, and I took that as another sign it was going to be a good day. My parents werewere staying at a different hotel, so a quick call to them to make sure they were on their way to pick me up (I was freaking out about not being at the start!) assured me they were minutes away, but they had to stop for several deer to cross the highway. Five minutes later, my stuff (3 backpacks full!) was in the car and we were on our way to the start line...Gill's Rock.

Gill's Rock/The Start/Leg 1 (0-4.8)

"50 miles...50 miles...Think Reggae..."

[Map and Elevation can be seen here.] It was dark and cold when we arrived at the top of Door County, and I was a nervous wreck. Whether it was the cold or my nerves, I was shaking like crazy. My mom gave me a blanket and my dad broke the ice by pointing out that he wanted to get a picture of the phone booth. "Don't see that every day any more," he said. I couldn't help but laugh. Of all the places for a phone booth to stand, Gills Rock, at the tip of Door County?

Shortly before the start, Ross from RunAway Shoes said hello. He was staying at a hotel at the start line and wanted to wish me luck before I started this journey. He's been a great help for me in my 1month100miles journey. I was wearing shoes and a shirt from his store and had a stockpile of Gels and ClifShots for the journey. Thanks again, Ross!

Minutes before the start. I'm the two little reflections on the left.

Sean Ryan (the race director extraordinaire) quoted Hebrews (I think, or was it Ephesians? I was so emotional and nervous at this point my mind wasn't working at optimal levels) and told us to "beware of left turns" because if we end up at Lake Michigan, it's "gonna be a long day." With that, I was on my way. I'm not sure what to say about Leg 1, besides the fact my pace was right around 9:00/mile and my heartrate was in Zone 17. I did whatever I could to stay as calm as possible, and I even walked some of the uphills.

Leg 2 - Ellison Bay to Sister Bay (4.8-10.4)

Leg 2 (map and elevation here) is where it starts to get interesting. It starts with a big climb outside of Ellison Bay, which at 7:45 AM was still sleeping and fogged over. So sleepy, in fact, that several runners completely missed the first aid station, and consequently their drop bags. One such runner asked me where the first aid station was after we had already climbed the first hill out of Ellison Bay. I broke the news to her and promised that my parents would give her water and gels and anything she needed. Despite that, she wasn't happy. I apologized and continued. The route then follows Hwy 42, the main highway through Door County. It's pretty plain, especially at that time of the morning, but the best part is the passing of the relay teams on their way to the start line. Horns, cowbells, and painted cars keep the solo runners moving!

Finally, a big downhill welcomes you to Sister Bay and after making your way through the downtown (which includes Al Johnson's Grass-roofed restaurant), leg 2 ends with a climb up and up and up. I chose to walk it. I commented to Kurt, a fellow solo runner, that I ran this thing last year when Ellie and I were on a Pairs Team, and it was a bad idea then. There's no way I'm running a single step this year! Finally, at the top of the hill is the next aid station. My dad was waiting to write down my split time, and my mom was scrambling to get the next gel and bottle of nuun ready. She told me later she felt terrible for not having things ready for me when I arrived. I was speechless--I hope I never gave her the impression I was disappointed. My crew was amazing! I hope they'll come back next year!

My dad writing down my split for Leg 2

Leg 3 - Sister Bay to Peninsula State Park (10.4-15.4)

[Map and Elevation HERE] Along Hwy 42 the relay teams continued to honk and cheer and hang out the windows ringing cowbells. I can't explain how fun this race is! I did a lot of "yo-yo-ing" with Kurt through this part, where I'd catch him, we'd talk, the conversation would dry up, I'd run ahead, then he'd catch me, and so on. Every time I ran away from him, a single thought crossed my mind. Kurt finished third in this event--behind Stu Kolb and Roy Pirrung--in its first year. What in the hell am I doing passing him?!

This leg features some hills and also makes its way through downtown Ephraim, which provides beautiful views of the harbor.

After an uneventful, keep-the-pace-steady leg, I made a right turn into Peninsula State Park and completed leg three.

Leg 4 - Peninsula State Park (15.4-22.8)

[Map and Elevation HERE] This is, hands down, the prettiest leg of the event. It takes place over 7 miles entirely in Peninsula State Park, right on the coastline, on a narrow road that has a canopy of trees over you. While the colors were about a week past peak at this point, it was still gorgeous. Throughout the park I traded in my yo-yo-ing with Kurt for yo-yo-ing with Mike, another 2-time Fall 50 veteran who I should NOT be passing. I continued to tell myself, "Think Reggae," and keep things loose. I really concentrated on making my stride as much as a shuffle as possible. I also wanted to take in the scenery...it doesn't get much better than Peninsula State Park in October. Last year, I gave Ellie this leg because I had an idea it was going to be stunning, and I think I was right, especially considering last year's weather was blue skies and sunshine, and this year it was overcast and about a week past autumn's peak colors.

Kurt and I yo-yo-ing through Peninsula State Park.

Leg 5 - Fish Creek to Juddville (22.8-27.6)

As you can see by the elevation profile and map found here, Leg 5 is a doozy. Despite the hill (complete with switchbacks..see the top left photo on this page), Leg 5 also produces 3 inspiring points. Mile 25 is in Leg 5. The Marathon Distance is in Leg 5. And Leg 5 ends at the "Half Way Buffet" Aid station! I was starting to feel the aches of 20+ miles, and reaching these points really helped! I stopped, took a couple pictures, and then emailed them out to my family to let them know where I was. This also gave me a great reason to walk "the hill."

Feeling good! See that left-turn sign behind me? That's "the hill."

Marathon Split: 3:52

I was very excited for the Buffet this year, yet I had made one big error. I was so concentrated on hydration and gels during the first half that I reached the Buffet and wasn't hungry for anything. I looked around, walked away, went to the bathroom, then looked around some more, and finally just took a little cup of chicken broth. I left without taking in any real solid foods. Probably a mistake.

Leg 6 - Juddville to Egg Harbor (27.6-31.5)

[Map and Elevation HERE] As I descended the hill out of the aid station, I was starting to pick people off. I knew I had started too fast, but there were obviously people who had started way too fast, and it was now their time to work through a rough patch. I continued on and enjoyed running past some of the most massive houses and contemporary architecture Door County has to offer. If you like looking at trendy houses right on the lakefront, Leg 6 is for you.

About a mile from the next aid station, I could hear something. It was the sound of a xylophone ("klink klink klink" with every step) and I had no idea where it was coming from. My water bottle? I emptied it and stuffed it into the back of my shirt. But I still heard the sound. Then I realized it was my gut. Uh oh.

The last time I heard that noise I was puking at Mile 25.5 of the Madison Marathon. I immediately slowed down and assessed the situation. I was really putting down the water. I wasn't really sweating at all. I had already determined my pace was too fast. That, ladies and gents, is what you call a bad combination and a good way to delay gastric emptying.

For the remainder (about a mile) of Leg 6 I jogged slowly and walked. I did NOT want to puke. Humans almost always make decisions in life for one of two reasons: (1) To move towards pleasure or (2) To move away from Pain. In this case, moving towards "pleasure" (finish line) was severely hindered by moving away from pain (throwing up).

When I got to the next aid station in Egg Harbor, my dad was way ahead of me. As I walked up to him, I knelt down and began to explain my current situation. Before I got a word out, however, he looked at me, raised his eyebrows, and said, "You need to slow down."

The look on our faces says it all--I've been running too fast.

He knew I was in trouble because I was about 1/2 hour ahead of my "optimal goal" of 8:10, and blowing the doors off of my "realistic goal" of 8:30. The sound of his voice and the look in his eye reminded me of so many times growing up...I looked at him like I'm sure I've looked at him a hundred (okay, a thousand) times before: I'm in trouble. :)

I asked my mom for some her homemade chicken broth (secret weapon!) and I started to walk out of aid station. I remember explaining to my parents that if I didn't get some salt in, I was going to puke. I remember looking at a young woman in the aid station and saying to her, "too much information?" She laughed and told me its part of running an ultra. She was apparently waiting for her boyfriend, another ultra veteran that I was running wayyy too far in front of. Great.

Leg 7 - Into the Wind (31.5-35.5)

[Map and Elevation HERE] As I walked out of the aid station, my dad came running up behind me to walk with me. Have I mentioned how awesome my crew was?! We talked a bit and I sipped on my secret weapon broth and my stomach started to come around. I can remember telling my dad about S Caps and Salt Tablets and how I never really was interested in them. At this particular moment, however, I would have drop-kicked a puppy for them. The broth was good, but it was simply more liquid into an already-full-of-liquid stomach, and its effect on emptying was minimized a bit. Still, I was feeling better after the walk with my pops and the broth, and it was time to get moving.

Earlier in the week, the forecast for the event was rainy. Fortunately, that passed through earlier than expected. Unfortunately, the forecast then included a 25-30 mph WSW wind. For those of you not following, that means a HEADWIND. Hello, Leg 7.

On a bad stomach and into a relatively boring and flat portion of the run, I hit the wind. I was in my first low spot of the run, and it was getting ugly. At one point Mike, who was still yo-yo-ing with me, said to his wife, "F*&%ing Wind." My sentiments exactly. What I needed now was some good news, and it came when Ellie called to find out how I was doing. She had already texted me that she was a little worried and really didn't like being removed from my progress. When I saw her calling, I knew it was time to act.

"Hey, Ellie! How are things going!?" I gave it my best effort, and she bought it. Her team was doing great and she was hoping to be able to drive down and see me finish at some point later in the afternoon. I told her I felt amazing and things were going wayyyy better than expected and that I was having a blast (all said with a big dumb grin on my face for effect). I said goodbye and dry heaved a couple times. It was literally that close. But I pulled it together and continued along the road...the straight, flat, boring road...

...finally, Aid Station 7.

Leg 8 - Unfortunately, More of the Same, Only Longer (35.5-41.6)

All I wanted was an S Cap. Or a Salt Tablet. Okay, I'd settle for some pretzels. Unfortunately, this aid station was 0 for 3. I left with a bottle of only ice cubes and some saltines. That seemed to hit the spot in the beginning, but Leg 8 is over 6 miles long and a bit boring. "Think Reggae," I decided. Along this leg I had some real low points, but they were lifted by a red van full of relay team members. One member, her name I never actually caught, got out of the van and ran with me. "You're famous, aren't you?" She asked. I responded with a chuckle and a "No."

"Yes you are. You're running for your friend, right?"

Wow. Talk about a boost to the spirits! I shared the story of why I was running this ultra, and why I run for the NF Endurance Team, and I talked about my best friend, Brock. Soon enough I was clipping off sub 9-minute miles again. What a lift! If only I knew her name...

Soon enough I arrived at Aid Station 9. The stomach was still in pretty rough shape, but the goal was so close!

I squatted down (painfully) thinking I was about to throw up.

Leg 9 - The Quarry (41.6-44.6)

[Map and Elevation HERE] After a long and less-than-exciting leg, I could feel the anticipation building. Leg 9 is less than 3 miles in length, and although it travels along the same (boring) road as the previous leg, I was feeling better and moving a lot faster. I really can't say I remember much about this leg, outside of a BMW driving towards me near the end of the leg. I recognized this car, and was overjoyed when Ellie hopped out and came running towards me. She had made a special sign, just for me...

Wow. How inspiring. (Ellie thanks Nitmos for the idea)

And with that...I was off.

Leg 10 (!!) - The Quarry to Stone Harbor Resort (44.6 - The Finish!)

[Map and Elevation HERE] Again, I was in a rough spot not long after getting to the aid station. In fact, I even bent over, thinking I was going to puke (again). Getting into a squatted position was torture enough. Fortunately, I pulled it together and began a power walk/run combo. The wind had really chilled me and I was almost shivering at times, so I got my jacket from my mom and put it back on. I can remember noticing that my brow was tense, and my steps were purposeful. As cheesy as it sounds, I remember thinking "F*ck Reggae, lets get this thing over with."

At mile 46 I was greeted, once again, by the relay team girl, who started running with me again and told me I wasn't looking so good. I told her I could use a beer and a running partner, and she shuffled along with me for about a mile. At mile 47 (ish) we caught up to her relay team car and she told me good luck, as she was going to wait for their anchor to come past. I once again thanked her and once again forgot to get her name. I do remember that their team name was "Going for the Gold(baba)."

At 48.5 I was moving decent again. I was at the point that my stomach issues didn't matter anymore, and I was more pissed at this damn headwind. Ellie joined me and we ran to the final stretch together...past the enormous ship-building crane, into downtown Sturgeon Bay, and finally down the finishing chute. At this point Ellie pulled off the course, knowing this was my big moment. I came down the cute in typical Nic fashion...with a sprint. I came across the line to big cheers and...

What a feeling!

...it was AMAZING.

I crossed the line (7:59:13, for 13th place overall), received my "bling bling" medal, and walked through to an area all by myself. I took a deep breath and my eyes welled up a little. (Okay, more than a little.) 50 miles.

There really isn't a feeling like entering an area you've never been before. Maybe that's why we all crave vacations and new places. On this Saturday I went someplace that I was honestly a little afraid to go. I hadn't felt the nerves of a race since my first marathon. It really was amazing.

You can tell by the stupid grin on my face I was experiencing the "running high."

Time for beer.

When "Going for the Gold" came through the finishing chute, I was right there to congratulate them (I'm talking to my "pacer" in the picture) and thank them for getting me through the rough spots.

Into party tent I entered, and I grabbed my drop bag and hit the shower. I was incredibly sore but loved every painful moment of changing clothes. I returned to the party tent and immediately requested a beer. Soon enough, I had a beer in my hand and was watching a relay team pour each other beer bongs--no kidding! What an event!

When "Human Debris" finished, I once again was waiting for them at the finish line, with beers in hand. After handing a beer to Curt and Doug, I said, "Welcome to the Mile 51 Aid Station! Drink up!"

The party continued until about 6:30, when we finally headed back to our hotel to enjoy some of Ellie's mom's Lasagna and, of course, some Spotted Cow (my personal request). I can't say I slept all that well on Saturday night, but it was mostly because I was re-living what may be the peak of my running career.

I can't say enough about this event. To my family and everyone else reading this, you've got to join us next year. It really is an event built for every level of runner, and it's so much fun! I honestly feel it's a greater accomplishment for the relay team members who haven't run very much to complete this event, than it is for a marathon runner to jump to the 50 mile distance and finish. I think the accomplishment that comes with this event is what makes it so special, at least to me. From the course, to the comraderie that develops between fellow participants, to the after-party, it's an A+ event all the way!

I'm already thinking about how I can improve my time next year...although I'm not sure I can improve the experience.

7:59

I (1)Finished, (2)Crushed my expected time, and (3)Didn't puke--although I almost went ahead and made myself because I felt so awful.

Did you know there's a SALE at the Door County Outlet Mall this weekend!?!

Oh, and we're going to be there for the Fall 50 too, so hopefully we can squeeze BOTH in...kidding...ish ;)

SOOO, thank you all so much for thinking I'm funny(er then Nic)! It's really boosted my (already high) self confidence...so now, instead of running 26.2 miles at the Fall 50, I've decided to run 26. 9 (and the crowd gasps...), I'm pretty sure I can handle that last .7...

I'm So proud and excited for Nic--he's almost as nervous as he was the night of our first kiss...let me set the scene: 1998, we're both Jr's in High School and Nic had just finished a basketball game. I drive the two minutes to his house, blaring Alanis Morissette "Otta Know" to get my confidence up (even though we both know I'm the more "experienced" maker-outer). I arrive at Nic's house, and we head down to the basement. We awkwardly hug, and try to chat about the game. I apply (again) cherry lip-gloss (so classy) and nic pops a mentos...and we lean in..and BAM! we smash teeth...Nic is humiliated...I laugh...and I can't remember the rest...BUT we are still together now, so I guess it ended up alright!

Anyway, last night Nic was all fidgety as he packed, and repacked his bags. Not that I need to say this, but I did a much better job backing my 2 Vera bags (once) and I can garun-fricking-tee that he forgot something, and I, have not. However, I know Nic will REALLY do well, and I can't wait to see his face after he accomplishes this crazy thing he's got us all roped into.

My team "Human Debris" will, I'm SURE be much slower, much more relaxed and not 100% sure that we will finish in the allotted time, but we WILL be thinking and cheering for Nic all the way (its so demoralizing to think that he's going to run faster then my team...I mean, there are four of us...three of us are younger, two of us are much better looking, and I even shaved my legs...does that not count for anything!?!

In conclusion, I just want to reply to some of the comments from my first post:
Nic--I love you honey, you should know by now that with me, it's NEVER gonna be what you expect ;)

Helen--YAY, I did get two dresses; one is strapless black (kind of like the one Angelina wore at the Changling premier) and the other is an eggplant with Kimono sleets and a key-hole back, super cute.

MN ultra runner--DUH, the funny that Nic is, he gets from me

Steve--I can tell from your profile photo that you moisturize, and this leads me to believe that you would lose a fight to my very manly-bearded husband (who does not moisturize), SO bring it on Mr! Nic will fend you off to the death! (unless there's a run somewhere, then he'll fend you off until it starts, and then I guess, you'd win)

Marcy & Nitmos--believe me, I have a running total of what Nic spends on his addiction, and once he starts making some coin, I'm going to buy TWO boats and a dingy and a life-saver thingy with an obnoxious boat name on it... Like I've always said, I'm MUCH better at having money...it's so hard to be poor!

Happy Friday!!!

2 Days

My check list has been completed...I think. See below. I’ve been to the grocery store, the running store, the chiropractor, and the massage therapist. All that’s left is to pack and unpack and repack my bags a couple more times. The current forecast calls for some rain, but that’s not a big deal to me after having run in a Tropical Storm last month (and mildly enjoyed it)!

Several requests have been made regarding my performance this weekend. Doug, my brother-in-law wants me to not run too hard so that I can drink more beer with him after we're done (he's running on a relay with Ellie). Nitmos would like me to throw up at some point because his favorite race reports always include vomit. (Funny, my favorite posts always include cramping. Needless to say I was disappointed in his last race report.) Ellie prefers I (a) not kill myself, (b) enjoy it, (c) but not enjoy it enough to ever want to do another ultra. My personal preferences are (not that they matter to any of you):

1. Finish


2. Finish in under 8:30


3. NOT puke. (Sorry, Nit.)


4. NOT need to use a porta-john when one isn’t available.
   

Here's what I've got packed to help me get through Saturday:
Warm Chicken Broth/Thermos
Chicken/Stars
Nuun
3 bottles
Bottle Strap
Ice
Water
Gu
Shoes/Socks
NB’s/Black Socks
Mizunos/Injinjis
Brooks/Thin Socks
New Glarus Spotted Cow
Leinenkugel’s Nut Brown
Cooler
Body Glide/Band Aids
Change of Shorts/Shirt/Underwear
Gummy Bears
Scotch
NF Jacket
Running Tights
Under Armour Top
Hat
Gloves
Udder Cream
M&Ms
Mullet Wig (for post-race cheering)
Camera
Bag with change of clothes
Umbrella
Note Pad
Pen
Watch

In other news, after this announcement regarding yet another reason for Illinois residents to come to Wisconsin (apparently the town of Lake Geneva, the Cubs playing at Miller Park, Door County, and Wisconsin Dells isn’t enough), there are now 16 marathons in Wisconsin! Is there another state with that many marathons in a single year? Having run 5 of them (and planning on 3 different events next year), it’s a good problem for a guy like me to have. But what I’d love is for the marathons that share a weekend to split up—one Saturday, one Sunday. I think LaCrosse and Eau Claire would be perfect. Instead of battling over the same group of idiots runners in that part of the state, why not try to attract a special kind of idiot runner that would do them back to back? Maybe even give out a special medal for it? That could be kind of fun, right Ellie?

Icebreaker
Trailbreaker
Pine Line
Wisconsin
Journeys
Lake Geneva
Green Bay
La Crosse
Eau Claire
Madison
Paavo Nurmi
Fox Cities
Blooming Idiot
Lakefront
Rails to Trails
Whistlestop

I can’t say thanks enough for all the support! But I think this someecard says it all:

...and, if Nitmos gets his way...

...and with that, I'm off to Door County for a great time!

One Week

Hello World Wide Web! It’s good to be back! Trying to reply to RBFs via my Blackberry over the last couple weeks is not much fun.

First of all, I would like to share that Ellie’s hair looks fantastic. I really haven’t cared for her attempts in the past to darken it, but this time it’s HOT. I would also like to share that I’m hoping she’ll write more in this blog journal, so as to keep Adam (“finally, an interesting post”) happy. Jerk.

I’ve decided to ask her to become a guest columnist without consulting any of you, as I’m sure some of you would tell her to simply take over the site completely and rid yourself of my drivel all together. So take that--I'm doing what you actually want me to do, but not nearly to the extent you'd prefer.

My last long run before the Fall 50 was completed Thursday—a total of 17 miles. I did about 2.5 with Parsenn and then dropped him off and ran 14.5 miles in 1:52. After completing the mileage, I’m ready to rest and taper. It has been a crazy couple weeks in non-running life, and the mileage has added up (42 this week, 50+ the previous two weeks).

I’m especially feeling some stress in my right anterior ankle. It loosens up within a mile of starting running, but it’s sore during the day to walk on. My best guess is that it’s due to heavier mileage running on roads with a slight to moderate pitch, where my right foot is slightly higher than my left. Both marathons I ran in the last month were on roads and most of the roads used were open to traffic, resulting in the course being in the oncoming lane of traffic. So for the majority of my recent mileage I’ve been running on an angle. Unfortunately, the Fall 50 will have the same angle involved along the roads, so any mileage I’ll be doing in the next week will be on a soft surface (Grimey Runner is currently currently shaking his head and thinking to himself "What a shame...another road-induced injury. Someday he'll learn").

I’m absolutely chomping at the bit to get up to Door County and run this thing. I’ve visualized the course and thought about when I can push it and when I will walk, and I’ve thought about my nutrition and hydration plan, and I’ve wondered when I’ll hit the first “wall.”

During training I’ve run into walls like never before. In marathons I’ve hit them and gone through the low point, which seems to last a couple miles. While training on some longer runs this summer, what I’ve found different between marathon training and 50 miler training is that the wall lasts longer when on a 50 mile training run. On one of my runs, I literally sat down and waited. And waited. And swore at myself. And got depressed. Then, with a “F*@K IT!” I got up and started moving forward again. To my surprise, it wasn’t long and I was feeling as strong as I did at the beginning of the run. Lesson learned: Next Saturday there’s going to be low points. They’re going to last longer than Marathon low points. But they’re going to end. Keep moving forward. As always, if you’ve been through a 50 miler, let me know what you do to keep yourself going!

Another thought I’ve had is when to change shoes. I plan on having a couple pairs of shoes and socks along with me to change into at some point during the run, but I’m not sure when. Again, any tips or strategies, veterans?

Good luck to all the runners this weekend! Hopefully Nitmos doesn’t get mugged in Detroit, and Chia has a slightly better experience than she did in Portland.

He asked for it...Never send your Wife to do your dirty work ;)

Hello Readers of Nic's blog...I mean "Journal" (that's what he calls it)! Its so nice to finally meet you all. I'm Mrs. Nic, and I will be doing Nic's update today. Nic does not have access to the "world wide web" AKA Internet (Thanks Al Gore) at his new office, and since it takes the fricking cable company MORE than a week to set up phone/cable/Internet at our new place...he's asked me to do the update for him. Typically, this would be no big deal...but I'm a little crabby today, and don't' feel much like doing any favors, so I've decided to talk about what I want to talk about...not about Nic's obsession with running. My best friend lives in Ireland, and she's been off line ALL WEEK, so I've got some girl stuff to get off my chest...SO, here goes ;)


First of all, I'm going to the salon tonight (which I totally deserve and can't WAIT for) and plan on changing my hair color...but what shade!?!?! Brunette? Caramel? Honey? Chocolate? Auburn? I'm a blonde right now, but as we ALL KNOW, you have to go darker for the Autumnal season, but picking a shade can be so difficult, especially when one bad decision could mean a big(ger) hole in the pocket book, weeks of low self-esteem AND the reality that Nic will have to lie and tell me he likes it until its changed. Once in college, I was trying to get the highlights out on my own, and I ended up turning my hair grey with greenish streaks...Nic must have said "I actually like it" like 100 times...until I had it professionally fixed, at which point he could say "WOW, that was really bad...". Sweet and not so sweet, all rolled into one. Anyway, I'm thinking about a combo of this one...





and this one



Cute, right? I thought so. Good, glad that's decided.


What else...ummm, the move went well, and I only had ONE breakdown. OF COURSE it happened right as Nic was calling from his posh accommodations at the Holiday Inn Express in Chippewa Falls, as he flipped through channels on the working TELEVISION (jerk). I was SOOO hungry, and could not wait to eat my Mushroom Ravioli leftovers...but the box with the plates in it was MIA, and I couldn't lift the box that was over what I thought was the right box, and I was so hungry...the tears came, Nic called, I yelled, I felt better...and then, I found the right box, and all was again right with the world ;) Only two more rooms to unpack...wait, here come the tears again :)


I really want to go shopping for a new dress. We're readers in a Wedding in November, and I like the people enough to want to look REALLY nice at their Wedding...and I can only do that in a new Dress...and new shoes (duh, that goes with out saying). I can't find ANYTHING on the internet...so I'll have to take a shopping trip to Milwaukee, YAY! That's got me in a better mood already! The only real decision here is to get new heels OR new knee high boots...I plan to wear tights with the future fabulous dress, so I'll need closed toed heels or boots...and LOVE rocking the boot look, BUT some old people (My mother) think that's not dressy enough for a wedding. I could wear the boot look to the rehearsal dinner...true...but then I'll probably need an additional new outfit for that. GOOD thinking.


This is fun.

OK, enough from me, Nic's probably going to fake yell at me tonight...hopefully the new hair do will:
1) Take the words right out of his mouth
2) Cause him to not recognize me and yell at some random blonde in the restaurant
3) Make him be more mad about all the $$ I spent on my hair so that he totally forgets about this blog!!

I can hardly wait!!!


Oh, here's Nic's boring update:

-Chip Falls was gorgeous. So was Leinie's. I'm a big fan of Fireside Nut Brown.
Steve at stevequick.blogspot.com agrees that ChipFalls is gorgeous. (Link)


-I ran 14 miles on the IAT near ringle and loved it--but not as much as the IAT here (still my favorite section)


-Parsenn is in peak form for a fall PR attempt at the 5k distance.


-I have no internet at work. Ugh.


-I'm really excited for the fall 50 and am changing my goal time by an hour or 2 faster. Probably a mistake.


-my wife really loves me and is a lucky lady. (Write as much about this as you'd like).


-I have a slight strain of my tib anterior muscle and am looking forward to tapering next week.

It's a Good Thing I Don't Believe in "Fate:" Milwaukee Marathon Report

My last post regarding my hopes for this event was titled "Tempting Fate." Fortunately, I make my own luck. And things happen for a reason.

Before I go on, don't get me wrong--I still want to run the "Big City" events: NYC, Chicago (again, to redeem myself), Twin Cities. But the more I run the smaller events, the more I love them (and the more I look forward to some trail races). Milwaukee was no different.

On Friday my parents and sister (Kathy) picked up my bib (lucky #55!!)and bag from the expo, so I can't say much about that, other than the fact that Dick Beardsley was the speaker. From what I've heard about him at both Milwaukee and Grandma's, he shares an amazing story, which includes:

• "Hi, I'm Dick, and I'm a drug addict."
• "I remember the night before sitting in a hotel saying, ‘you know what Dick, if you ever want to have that chance and to see if you can run with the big boys, you need to forget about time, go with that lead pack and stay with them as long as you can.'
  The next morning I got up, no splits on my arms, went out with the lead pack and hung with them for about 15 miles and finished, I think 9th and PR'd by 3 or 4 minutes. After that, every marathon I went into it, I went into it with the idea I didn't care how fast I'd run, I'm going for the win. And I knew if I could run with that lead group, ultimately it was going to be a fast time anyhow. That was my strategy."

Talk about inspiring!

Having the expo out of the way on Saturday, I was lucky enough to experience a fantastic Saturday with my family-which includes my parents and my 3 older sisters and their families. Our Saturday included a fantastic breakfast at the Exchange Bank (my favorite place for coffee), a trip to my office, a fantastic dinner, and also a great campfire, with "pudgie pies" for dessert.

I was in bed by 8:15 and sleeping soundly by 9:00. Sunday was going to be a good day.

Sunday morning started with some coffee and my personal breakfast of champions (Chicken & Stars soup) and a very relaxing 35 minute drive to the start line. I almost fell asleep on the way to the start line and was worried--I'd never been that relaxed on the way to a marathon.

The marathon starts at Grafton High School, where you can wait inside for the event to start. While waiting, I was lucky enough to hear what appears to be this year's marathon theme song: "STAND UP" by a yet-unknown band. I couldn't help but jump around a bit.

At promptly 8:00 I was on my way, wondering what the day would include. As I mentioned in my last post, I wanted to run a BQ (3:10:59) but had been above my expectations lately, so I was also prepared for a letdown in results.

I tried to stay right around the magic pace of 7:15 a mile, and was, for the most part, successful. I passed the halfway point in 1:35:24 and felt fantastic. I tend to judge my current condition by my breathing rhythm (of two inhales and a quick exhale. If I'm down to a 1:1 inhale to exhale ratio, I know I'm pushing too hard), and through the halfway point I was feeling really relaxed.

That changed, for some reason, by mile 16. Suddenly I was 2 minutes under my pace (Planned Pace: 1:56, Actual Time: 1:58+). I really don't know what happened, but this threw me off a bit. How did I fall 2 minutes off pace in less than 3 miles? Still, it wasn't anything to get too upset about, so I just decided to make up the 2 minutes in the next mile.

I know, dumb idea.

But, it worked. I came into Mile 18 back on pace (Planned Pace: 2:10:30, Actual Pace: 2:10:40). Unfortunately, at Mile 20 I was slow again by a minute (2:24:45). What the hell!?

This time, I held back a bit. I knew that Mile 23 included a killer downhill so I decided that at that point I would pick up the pace. While the expected downhill wasn't all that steep, I still used it as a trampoline to a faster pace.

Coming down the stretch the course takes you right next to Lake Michigan. Unfortunately that also included a pretty stiff headwind. And my legs were feeling it. However, after glancing at my watch at mile 24, I knew I had 17 minutes to make it to a BQ, and about 15 minutes to PR!

Finally, I was at the home stretch. At first sight of the finishing chute, I went into my finishing kick. Too early. I pulled back a bit, but about 15 seconds later it was time. I was in full sprint, arms pumping (flailing wildly), legs churning (barely keeping up), chest pumping (about to puke), and flying down the chute. I have no idea what time I finished in, but knew that it was a PR. And a negative split PR to boot (I ran a 7:14 avg pace through 20 miles, and finished in 3:08:19, for a 7:11 avg pace). Within 30 seconds I was hugging Ellie and...
Life. Was. Good.

If you haven't run a marathon, I'm not sure you can understand what the finishing chute is like. For me, it's one of those moments that I live for. After 26.1 miles of running, I still was able to finish strong. I get emotional. I get the "runner's high." I get exactly what I was looking for over all those training miles.

Today, it was a Personal Best and a Boston Qualifier. And it was shared by family. It doesn't get any better than that!

We finished the day with a fantastic pint (okay, several pints) and a meal at the Rock Bottom Brewery in Downtown Milwaukee. Unfortunately, we also had the opportunity to watch both the Brewers and the Packers lose. All is not bad, though. After all, at the least the Brewers were still playing! (Take THAT, Twins and sCrubs fans!)

PR!

3:08:19, a 40 second PR and another negative split!

To quote my dad (who was saying lonnnng before it became a brand of clothing)...

Thanks.

I can't say enough thank yous for the kind comments. I never saw myself as the kind of person that would get that attached to an animal, but it certainly happened and shook me up a bit. As I had mentioned though, while it wasn't fun to witness, at least I was there to hold Lilly. And while I still don't really know exactly what caused it, if I had come home to find her dead I may have wrongly accused our dog of foul play (there was quite a bit of blood). So all in all, I chalk it up to a learning experience and have also gained a perspective on how precious life is...especially human life. Thanks again!

Parsenn was incredibly sad for a couple days also. It was eery how different he and our other cat, Grace, were acting over the last couple days. Parsenn had a genuine look of concern when looking at me lately, so I've rewarded him with some great runs on the Ice Age Trail this week.

Tempting Fate

I think I'm walking a fine line here, but I'm going to set the bar relatively high for my run at the Lakefront Marathon this weekend: 3:10.

I haven't done nearly as much speed work as I probably should this summer, but I still feel strong and have run easily and pain free lately. But still, I think I'm tempting fate on this run because my last two runs have been surprisingly great. In both of them, I didn't think I would run that good and did:

1. Full Moon Half Marathon: Coming off Lyme Disease and Shingles, and not running for 2 weeks, I ran 1:30.


2. Fox Cities Marathon: After a safe first half, I ran a 10 minute negative split and finished in 3:19.

As I mentioned earlier, my runs this week have been from 2-5 miles, all on trails. Running on the Ice Age Trail really isn't a great idea this close to marathon (sprained ankles likelihood HIGH), but I really love the trails, especially when running with my dog. Add to that a new section of Ice Age Trail has opened nearby, and I couldn't resist. I'm taking Parsenn out there again today.

So, there you have it. This has not been a normal training cycle. I used a marathon as a training run for Milwaukee. But I want to BQ, and I'm sure as hell gonna try!

I think this card is fitting: