Baltimore BOT-Fest

[Honeibee]

Too late. Everyone has quoted it.

 

[Jodi]

Too late. Everyone has quoted it.

Ugh, I suck.

 

[Jodi]

Quick race report-

Woke up around 4:45 - ate & left a little late @ 6 for an hour's drive. I drove like a maniac which I NEVER usually do, & we got there a little before 7. Thank goodness Bruce packed his war chest, my bike, his cooler, etc., etc., the night before. When we awoke it wasn't raining, by the time we left....it was.

Got there, drizzle, checked in, awesome red tech-shirt (if I'd known this I would have run as well!), put chip on shoe (Bruce was like, "do I have to put that on?") . He was nervous, but glad the day had finally arrived.

So off they went (about 40-50 people) @ 7:30...sort of a shout from the director...."OK, GO". Love it. They started with a short out & back, then came past the start/finish line again to begin their first loop.

I waited....my mom showed up, hung out with her in the car & heat for a while (did I mention it was freakin' cold, too????).

He came around for his first loop all smiles, but looking for a dry set of upper body gear (of course he had brought multiple - thanks for that advice Matt, it was clutch!). Someone from his work had showed up @ this point.

2nd loop he looked a little beat, but still smiling/eating gu, etc. He'd been running with some guy out there.

Waiting for him to show for the 3rd loop & it seemed to be getting a bit long . Hopped on the bike & found him about 3 miles away...he was hurtin'....ALREADY!! His calves had tightened up real bad. He hadn't even run a marathon yet...uh oh.

When we got back someone from his work was ready to go to run lap 4 with him....that got him pumped back up so off they went.

Lap 5, looking OK. My brother showed up with a pizza & to run a lap w/ him. He ate some pizza & powerade while walking, then took off "running" again. That lap started off good, but then it just fizzled. At the beginning of this lap the man who Bruce was running for, Jim, showed up w/ his bike to ride beside him, too. He would up staying with us until the very end, which was nice. Bruce had laminated a picture of Jim's daughter who passed away, & had it clipped to his shirt.

More later....

 

[Honeibee]

He ate some pizza & powerade while walking, then took off "running" again.

Brilliant! I'm going to use this refueling plan for my first Full! I'll need WISHers on the scream team at various miles along the way with slices. Brilliant. Just brilliant!

 

[Theta]

Got there, drizzle, checked in, awesome red tech-shirt (if I'd known this I would have run as well!),..

me too!

 

[jbucci]

looking forward to more race report... out of curiosity, how long was a loop?

 

[Jodi]

The loops are about 7.6 miles or so.

Lap 5 was pretty dang slow, so I went out on my bike to see what was up. I went out about 2 miles & found them. My brother was shot so he took my bike back to his car/start/finish line & I "ran" in with them.

Lap 6 things were looking pretty ugly. It had rained a LOT during loop 5 & spirits were low, but more people from work had showed up to say hi & cheer Bruce on. He changed tops again, grabbed a MoJo bar & he & Jim took off. I w as going to go on this lap, but one of his co-workers husbands decided to run 4 or so miles with him - this was good.

By now the rain had pretty much stopped but it was cold, so I got my running crap on & chatted with a friend who was volunteering (yes I have friends...well...A friend). I waited & waited & waited. Back on the bike to see where they were at. They were about 2 miles out so I rode ahead a bit & parked the bike & got Bruce's ipod. He really didn't want it, but I told him I'd carry it when he was done with it. This helped him out a lot - he was running, if you could even call it that, SO SLOW. I was basically walking, but didn't want to make him feel worse than he already did so I made pretend I was running . Jim& I chatted for a while, but when I looked over @ Bruce @ one point he had a serious 1,000 yard stare going on. When cars came by I had to pull him in & run on the inside of the road b/c I was afraid he was going to pitch himself into the Lake by accident as the road leaned that way. I was starting to get a bit worried.

You have to figure we were running 13-14mms at this point. Then, all of the sudden, @ mile 58 or so, he gets this burst of energy & starts really running! It was all I could do to keep up - it was wild. Then he slowed for a bit, then did it again . He was getting SO sick & tired of his deadman shuffle.

The cruel part about this race is @ the end there's an out & back. We passed the finish line & had to go out about 1.5 miles then back. This really did him in. By this time it was getting dark. I mean, REAL dark...ADVANCED darkness (for those of you that watch SpongeBob).

The aid station out there was unmanned, but still there. he grabbed some JuJuBees, turned around & headed for the finish line. They were all but wrapped up by the time we got there, but they waited. Carl, the race director, is just an amazing guy. They were all so supportive & positive. I would have been SO pissed that I was still there!!

Bruce took the medal & put it around Jim's neck. Jim didn't want to take it, but finally acquiesced & said that he'd hang it in Bailey's room. There were some wet eyes. We waddled back to our cars (could barely find them in the dark), packed our crap & made the hour long trip home....during this ride it began to rain again. Thank goodness it held off because I don't think he would have made it had it started while he was still running.

He's still real beat up today - took yesterday off from work. His right knee is hurting worse than the rest...we'll see what happens with it.

He said he's going to burn his running shoes. Oh, and I DID tell him, around mile 59 that I had signed him for MCM. He said "no way I'm running again". I told him how much it costs for an entry fee & he said "I'll give you the $90" He'll run it....you'll see.

 

[StitchAttack]

Wow that sounds like a crazy race. Tell Bruce that we are all proud of him and that everyone says "never again" after they finish a long race. In a few days / weeks I'm sure he will change his mind.

 

[rKyDeX]

Jodi

Thanks for the report. I was glad to hear he finished. I hope his knee problem is just temporary.

Chester

 

[Theta]

Reggae Marathon

Race Start: Dec 4, 2010 5:15:00 a.m.

Come and run in Jamaica's paradise. Negril is as lovely as Nature created it, and has embraced an event that is so natural, all it takes is your breath away! Join us on a mostly flat out and back course running along the North Coast of the island for the full, half marathon, or 10K.

 

[Cindylou]

Good Morning Bots.

Jodi: Thanks for the detailed race report. I'm incredibly in awe of Bruce, especially given the running conditions. It was great that so many people came out to support him. I'm sure it meant a lot to his friend whose daughter he was running for. Still loving the five fingers?

Colleen: I like that race. Or rather imagining the recovery after the race.

Howard: Sounds like you are enjoying your vacation. Thanks for the updates on FB.

Lou: Hope you enjoyed your trip to DC. How's the bursitis?

Sara: Hope all is well.

Dave: Hope your trip to visit your dad went well.

Judy: What's up on the job front? Are you looking, or just enjoying your time off? Great timing for training for a full marathon. Things are a little shaky at my job and I keep hoping that if it's going to fall apart that it happen over the summer and not wait until February. I could keep myself plenty busy during the summer.

Mike: How's the recovery coming?

Jen: Hi!

Chester: Still working crazy hours? What race is next?

Matt: Hope the knee is behaving.

Cindy: Have you been able to build your mileage up yet?

I got out for a run on Monday. 3 easy miles that felt pretty good. I'm going to continue with 3 runs per week for this week and next then start ramping up. I meant to report that my stomach problem has been absent for the past 3 weeks. I'm not sure if that means I'm cured, but I'm happy for that.

Has anyone used the SmartCoach training on RW? How did you like it? I requested a plan for running a 5K in 9 weeks and said I was willing to train hard. The plan came back with a lot of easy miles. There is one LR (up to 10 or 12 mi) at 10 min/mile, one either tempo run or speed session then 3 5 to 7 milers at 10 min/mile. This seems too slow to me. Since I usually only run 3 days a week it might be wise for me to follow the plan to start to avoid injury, but I feel like I might be better served to run a little faster in the easy runs? What do you think?

Have a great day everyone.
Cindy

 

[Optimator]

Jodi - How's Bruce feeling today? Has he started training for MCM yet?

Mike: How's the recovery coming?

Too good. I'm ashamed to admit it's kind of nice not having that little nagging pressure of making sure to try to get a run in. I better get back at it pretty soon.

Glad that your tummy is behaving, at least for now.


Colleen - Funny you should mention that Reggae marathon. Just yesterday I was reading a little 10 question interview thing in a local running mag. They asked the guy the random question of what race he's done had the worst porta-pots. The Reggae Marathon was his choice.

 

[Honeibee]

Cindy - Thanks for asking. Things have been extremely bleak, until lately. Just this past week I applied for jobs at Sears (HR), JetBlue (flight ops), a law office (admin), the local tax assessors office (as a clerk or something, I'm not really sure but I could walk to work there) and a really great vet clinic (as a vet assistant). As you can see, I am up for anything. However, I'm hoping for either the Sears job or the JetBlue. Imagine the benefits!

 

[Optimator]

However, I'm hoping for either the Sears job or the JetBlue. Imagine the benefits!

I can imagine someone from JetBlue loosing your purse every day when you come in.

 

[Honeibee]

I can imagine someone from JetBlue loosing your purse every day when you come in.

Well, if I get that job, I'll be sure to remember who my REAL friends are.

 

[Jodi]

Well, if I get that job, I'll be sure to remember who my REAL friends are.

like ME?

Mike - Bruce is just OK. His right knee is really beat. Other than that, he said that his entire body is sore...especially his forearms???? MCM? Uh, no. He's enjoying the "no pressure" of not having to run or go to the gym as well!

Cindy - Glad the gut is good . Nice to ease back into running, eh? I've never tried RW training, but you've been running long enough to know how you feel. Follow one of their plans & tweak it as needed, run faster when you feel good. You know, wing it!

Colleen - Jamaica & no porta potties? I'm there.

Seriously, I was going to run Las Vegas in Dec., but I could be persuaded to the land of Margaritas....

More later.

 

[msblrobs]

Jodi - Congrats to Bruce and thanks for the great race report. I hope he's feeling better today and that you're taking real good care of him

Judy - Best of luck on the job hunt

Cindylou - Glad to hear your tummy seems to be keeping quiet these days Sorry I can't be any help with the Smart Coach

Dave - Thinking of you

Matt - Congrats on finishing your degree

Howard - Hope Jamaica's heavenly today

I am officially done with the radioactive gig and for the most part I am past this speed bump, minus the issue with the vocal cord that I can't sweat. Due to my recent illness and subsequent complications, I've decided to become a respiratory therapist and will begin full-time studies in the fall towards that goal. I figure I'm a good poster child for the profession with my trach experience and hope to do good things there

 

[StitchAttack]

Has anyone used the SmartCoach training on RW? How did you like it? I requested a plan for running a 5K in 9 weeks and said I was willing to train hard. The plan came back with a lot of easy miles. There is one LR (up to 10 or 12 mi) at 10 min/mile, one either tempo run or speed session then 3 5 to 7 milers at 10 min/mile. This seems too slow to me. Since I usually only run 3 days a week it might be wise for me to follow the plan to start to avoid injury, but I feel like I might be better served to run a little faster in the easy runs? What do you think?

I used to read / post on the runners world forum a bit and the general consensus is that smart coach isn't very smart. It seems to have a few rules built in (like increase mileage by 10% each week) but there is no real sanity checking. If you put in that you run 50 miles per week and want to train "hard" for a marathon for the next 16 weeks it will increase your mileage in a crazy way. It also often schedules you for tempo runs and track workouts that are virtually impossible to complete. I think a few posters complained that they would need to set a 10K PR just to finish a tempo run at the paces smart coach suggested.

I find that it is hard to find good training plans for shorter races like 5Ks, since most of what you see online is for beginners who are trying to build up to running a 5K. Hal Higdon does have intermediate and Advanced 5K training plans at his website. You might want to give them a look.

Regarding the reggae marathon. One thing to consider is that it is really humid, even in December in Jamaica. I'd totally do it, though. Cindy and I stayed in Negril a few years ago. It was amazing.

 

[Honeibee]

Oh Sara, I'm so glad your over the glow in the dark business. How wonderful that you have decided on something new! Being a respiratory therapist sounds right up your alley!

 

[Theta]

Colleen - Funny you should mention that Reggae marathon. Just yesterday I was reading a little 10 question interview thing in a local running mag. They asked the guy the random question of what race he's done had the worst porta-pots. The Reggae Marathon was his choice.

That really doesn't surprise me because normal facilities are not exactly luxe. I remember my first time in Jamaica, my cabby stopped at a little roadside "bar" for us to get a Red Stripe and when I saw the facilities, I decided to wait until we got to our hotel in Negril.