Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot

I had the opportunity for the second year in a row to be the race director for our local Turkey Trot. I believe that this is the 4th year that this event has been around. By taking this race over last year I decided to use it as a fund raiser for our local food pantry. We had a nice turnout last year of about 120 people. This year with the great weather on Thanksgiving we had close to 180 runners and walkers!

There is a lot to organizing and directing a race but I had several great volunteers to help me make it happen.

Through sponsors, registrations, and donations, we were able to raise over $2,500 for the food pantry this year. This is about $500 more than last year!

We had a local business design and print the shirts for us, I thought they turned out well and participants were excited to receive a nice long sleeve t-shirt.

Amish Run

I haven't been running much lately but when I do, it's all mostly been out on the trails. I got the itch to do a long run on the road today. I was curious as to where my pace would be, most of my trail runs have been pretty casual. I typically run some hills and walk some hills and stop to take some pictures while on the trails. It's been a good change for me lately.

I headed out this afternoon after work, feeling good I decided to run the Amish Route. The Amish Route is a half marathon distance that runs right through the heart of the Amish countryside. Lots of horse and buggy traffic, goats tied up in the front yard, dirt roads, all sorts of interesting things to see. I had not run this route in quite some time and found it to be a real challenge. The entire run seems to be up hill or down hill.

Here is the elevation chart from today.

I started out feeling great for the first 8-9 miles then I started to struggle a little. Running 13.6 miles with almost no training was not the smartest thing that I have ever done but I did enjoy all but the last couple of miles. It was a perfect day for running, and for being poorly trained, I am happy with my results.

I hope you were able to get out there and enjoy a run today!

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." - Oscar Wilde

Focus

I am putting a focus on fitness again. I have been running very little lately. Partially due to a nagging cold and congestion, and partially due to the work / life balance being out of whack again. Luckily I have started back with my early morning core fitness group on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and now the gym is offering a boot camp class on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Yeah, I may be a little obsessive at times, but now that I have the first week's soreness behind me, it should all be loads of fun!

Last week I had a couple of short and early road runs just trying to ease back into things, then I hit the trails on Saturday afternoon. I bought some new trail shoes, Mountain Masochist 2, so I had to give them a spin. I ended up doing 6 miles out on the trails and had a great time.

I missed a lot of the colors, but the trails are still beautiful right now...almost picture perfect!

I initially planned to take it easy and avoid the hills, but halfway through I was still feeling good so I took the hilly route on the way back.You cannot see them here, but off to the left out of the picture were a couple of deer that watched me as I took this picture.

I took these pictures with my phone and the zoom isn't real great. The deer was about 100 yards away, I have him circled but it's still pretty tough to see it. He is hiding behind the tree, you can barely make out his head to the right and his rear end the the left.

Some areas of the trail are still calf to knee high with grasses and weeds. This time as I was cruising along and found something a little sharper than the average weed.

That's about the extent of things now. My plan is to run the Ice Age 50 miler in May and maybe  a 50K sometime in the very early spring before that. Beyond that, I really have nothing planned.

How is your training going? Any big races on the horizon?

With a Purpose

I think I am finally back at it with a purpose. I have been sick now for a little over a week with coughing, sneezing, congestion, etc. I finally felt well enough today to venture out for a run so I chose my favorite area of trails.

It wasn't a very long run but it gave me enough time to reflect a little about why I have really enjoyed running on the trails. It can be easier on your body than road running because the grass and the earth can absorb your foot strikes much better. But more importantly, trail running makes you focus on the task at hand. When you are on real trails, there is no zoning out like there can be when you run miles down the road. You have to focus on where you plant almost every foot step or risk falling and possibly even injury. Here is one of the hills I ran up, and then back down today.

It's a fairly steep but not significantly long hill. On the way down I really have to engage my core to control my speed so that I am not out of control while also trying not to step into one of the cracks in the ground. There is no day dreaming on this hill, it's all me with one goal at the moment; making it down this hill quickly and safely.

The other thing this area of trail running provides is year 'round beauty. I have had the pleasure of seeing plenty of deer, turkey, and raccoon while out on my runs. "My trails" are not perfect by any means. There are several areas where the grass is waist high and all you can do is follow the deer paths. The footing in most areas is pretty awful too, rarely is there much of a level area to step. But the changing seasons and variety of trails keeps me coming back. 

Who wouldn't want to run in a place such as this?

Sunday Photo-fest

It was a cool foggy morning on the trails. 

I ran across a couple of bow hunters, this means it's time to start wearing my blaze orange running shirts for safety. The funny thing about this... it was the first time that I can remember not seeing any deer or turkey at all on the trails.

The fog made for some interesting navigation, the trails looked different, there were a couple of times that I wasn't sure where I was and then was totally 

surprised about where I ended up.

I love the variety that this trail had to offer.

Shameless self-portrait

It's not mountain climbing, but there are some great rolling hills

In some places you really have to pick your way through the trail

The fog made for some interesting navigation

Dry stream bed

Tribute to a Hero

Today, soon to be 63 year old Diana Nyad ended her quest to be the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. This was her 4th attempt. According to her website, she was in the water for 41 hours and 45 minutes. She swam over 60 miles before being pulled from the water because of sharks, storms, multiple jellyfish stings, and severe sunburn.

Did I mention that Diana turns 63 tomorrow?

Simply amazing

You can read about her adventure here.

Here is a news clip about her adventure.

On another note....

I had an awesome weekend in La Crosse Wisconsin. I participated in a 100 mile bike ride as a fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). JDRF holds about 5 of these rides a year throughout the United States and this has become the largest. There were a record 425 riders and we were able to raise well over $1 million on this ride alone. It was a great feeling to be able to participate in this event.

My 100 mile ride went fine, we had a great time. But it was nothing compared to what Diana Nyad has accomplished.

Support sign from a T1D child, very inspiring.

This was a stop at mile 40, still feeling good.

Going for the balding mowhawk look :-/

After the ride, we found a place famous for their bloody mary's.
For the record, it was awesome!

Trail Porn

Beautiful morning for a run!

Here are some pictures from Grand Trace Conservation Area today.

See the moon in the middle?

Mother Nature added some obstacles today.

Gorgeous Day!

How much for this ride? Two Bucks!

Hills!

No shortage of hills!

The grass (weeds) in some areas was waist deep.