Great Photo

OK, so they took 98 race photos. I’m in zero of them. But Mrs. FitnessGeek, my brother-in-law and my sister can be seen here.

 

Rough Couple of Days

I’ve been bad. Very bad. I haven’t lifted weights in four days and I ran yesterday, but it was the first time in a few days.

I feel miserable about it. Here I am trying to improve myself and I’ve been doing nothing but going backward. I’m going to have to turn things around.

On to LOST. Incredible. Exhausting. Satisfying. I’m pretty sure that was the best season finale of any show, with the exception of House. I can’t believe I have to wait until February to find out more answers…

The Braves picked up a rare road win yesterday. I still think they can win the division if they get their offense back on track like yesterday.

Recovering…

I ran two miles yesterday as I continue to let my knees heal. It’s tough because I’m ready to hit the pavement hard, but I have to take it slow. I’ve been getting a marathon training plan in order, which I’ll probably post in a few days, along with a special announcement.

Today I got up early and did a short workout, and I’ll finish it up tonight with some more weights. The plan right now is to keep alternating running and weight lifting days for the next wek or so until I feel my knee is fully ready to get back out there on a 4-5 day a week schedule.

The Braves lost a tough one last night. An infield single that bounce off Tim Hudson’s foot did the team in. Oh well.

By the way, the race site has yet to post results or photos. They’re supposed to be up next week. I’ll post a link when the time comes.

Go Braves. Take the Thrashers with you.

Recovery and Tuesday Addictions

I’m still recovering from Saturday’s race. My body is pretty much fine, with the exception of my knees. It’s a case of IT Band Syndrome. That’s according to several reasonably reputable sites. The cure is rest. And that sucks.

I’m feeling better today. My knees are still sore, but it’s getting better. I’ll be running just a few miles a day for the next week or so to let my knees heal. Then I’ll start with my marathon training. I’ll take it slow and probably hit up an orthopedist in a few weeks just to have everything double checked with my knees. Now…

Tuesday Addictions!

1. My Half Marathon – I can’t stop thinking about it. 13 miles. On trails. What a blast.

2. Fantasy Baseball – Because I can’t go a day without checking my team.

3. My knees – I can’t stop worrying that maybe it’s worse than IT strain. I think this stems from when my tendonitis took five years to get better.

4. Wii – Picked up Mario Galaxy over the weekend and kicked Guitar Hero III up to medium difficulty. The amount of fun is hard to measure.

5. The Braves – They’re playing well and in second place. Sure they lack starting and relief pitching, but who cares?

6. My Marathon – I really hope know I can do this.

My First Half Marathon

My thighs were on fire. Not burning, but fully engulfed.
Near as I could tell, I was about nine miles in to the runnest run I’ve ever attempted. The trail was brutal and the hills seemed to go on forever. Going downhill wasn’t much better. The steep declines were more taxing than anything.

And that’s how I found myself nine miles in and realizing I didn’t think I could go much more.

Two minutes to start and I knelt down and ran my hand along the pavement, a superstition I started a few months ago. It helps the course and I come to an agreement. I don’t like you, you don’t like me. Let’s just get this done and move on.

We start. I hang back and try to conserve my energy as we head toward the woods and the main crux of the run. I’ll need all my energy for the miles and miles through the woods. I know this.

My thighs were burning and it was flat ground. Well, relatively flat. Up ahead, a hill. A steep one. The only kind I’ve seen since the race started. I hit the bottom of it and high step it up to the top. I’m practically floating up as I pass a guy walking. At the top, I slow and my thighs relax. I’ve made it. Just a bit more.

The next hill is rough too, but again I float. At the crest,  I slow again and try to recover. I’ve no idea how long I’ve been running,  but I know I’ve got more to go. The darkness starts to roll in again. I. Can’t. Go. Anymore.

Walk, my legs plead. Just a bit. Just to get the wind back. Just up the next hill. And what a hill it is. Runners are slowing at it, bending over, breathing hard. Walk. Please.

It’s been a wild trip I think as I enter the woods. A month ago, I wasn’t planning on doing a half marathon and yet here I am. Ahead of me a woman is dodging roots and rocks. I watch where her feet land and move as she does. Minus the grace. And some of the speed.

The track widens and we’re leaping rocks while dodging faster runners. I hang back still. I’ll need the reserves. I know this.

Back home the last quarter mile of all my runs is uphill. It’s nasty, but it’s also a hell of a challenge. I hit this hill hard too. Float. Float. Float. Past walkers, past bent over runners, past the point I thought I could go. Up. Up. Up.

I’m at the top and suddenly heading down again. Another switchback, one of dozens on the course. Up. Then down. Up. Down. My thighs are on fire. The last aid station was back around mile 6, and the next one will be at the finish line. Not good, but it’s hard to put an aid station in the woods.

I’ve been alone awhile, but that’s fine. I don’t have the breath to talk. Walk, my legs keep asking. Nobody will see. It’ll be fine. Just a minute. Up the next hill.

A runner catches up to me. He slips by and says, “You go up those hills so smooth.”
I thank him and keep pushing. At the next hill, I float again. Up. Up. Up.

At the first aid station I’m rolling. I’ve managed to stub my feet no less than five times, but I’m going hard. We’re back in the woods along the edge of the valley and the view is nothing less than stunning. No time to look though. I’ve stubbed my toe again.

Fire. Burning fire. I slow down now and slip out of the woods to a rocky trail that runs along the bottom of the causeway. The race finish is somewhere up there. More climbing. But when. Back in the woods. Run, run, run. I’m exhausted. The leaping, jumping, ducking and climbing has knocked me around. I’ve already passed one injured runner.

Someone says it’s two miles to the finish. I push on. And float along on burning legs.

Down and around a bend. Two runners are stopped. One is showing the other how to ice down an IT band. I wish them good luck and continue on. I’m still moving good, but…there is smoke. My legs are starting to burn a bit. It’s going to catch up with me soon. Doubt begins to creep in. The smoke drifts up and suddenly my legs are fully engulfed.

For the last few miles I’ve been trailing a runner/walker. I gain on the hills where he walks, but he’s picking it up on the flat bits. We round a sign that says “Finish.”

Finish. I kick it up and my thighs start looking for water to extinguish the fire. Another bend, another turn. I catch the runner/walker. Wishi him luck.

One more corner. Cheering. A hill. Float. Float.Float. Up. Ahead my wife. My family. My thighs are no longer burning. I’m sprinting. Arm raised. I cross the line.

2:24:34.

It’s a set of firsts. My first half marathon. My first trail run. The longest run of my life.

I’m done. And a half marathoner.

I am a half marathoner.

Before:

After:

 

 

 

A New Day

Today I am a half marathoner. I finished the toughest race of my life. I’ll post a full report and photos tomorrow. But for now, I’ll just say this: I am a half marathoner. And it feels great.

Third and Final Post of the Day

I’ll be heading off soon to go home, grab a few things and then hit the road. I’ll be back late Saturday or early Sunday.

Some final notes:
You don’t realize how big an event is until someone tells you to take care of yourself. Yeah, now I realize that this isn’t a little 5K or even a 10K. This is a half marathon. Two hours of straight exercise. People don’t do half marathons. Athletes do half marathons.

I’m a runner. Even after months of running, I still wasn’t confident using that word to describe myself. I’ve only bought one issue of Runner’s World in case I got injured again. Now, I consider myself a runner.

Finally, I’m ready for tomorrow. Whatever it brings. I’m ready. I’ll let you know tomorrow night!

I’m off to the race(s)!

Second Post of the Day

Someone asked me yesterday if I was ready for the race tomorrow. I said I think so.

That was yesterday.

Today, I’m ready. More than ready. I’m set. I’m stoked. Jazzed. Pumped. On my mark.

Thanks to everyone who has been with me for the last five months and the supportive words. I’ll be back one last time today and then I’ll post a race report late Saturday night.

In the words of the great salesman Tommy Callahn… “It’s Go Time.”

First Post of the Day

Back in high school I worked at a Baskin Robbins. Every now and then this beautiful woman would come in with her overweight, underloving, overlucky husband. He didn’t deserve her. She flirted with us, not because we were attractive(we weren’t) or because we had money(we didn’t), but because we paid attention to her.

After they would leave, my friend and I made a pact to never be like that guy. I still think about him. And her. Back five months agao when I started this whole fitness adventure, I decided I wanted to change my ways as well.

There are many things I should do but don’t. There are plenty of bad things that I do, but shouldn’t. I’d like to think I’ve made strides. But there are times when I realize I’m more like that guy than the guy I want to be.

So here I go: Starting today, I’m going to be the guy I should be. Do the things I should do. Don’t do the things I shouldn’t. Be the guy I want to be. The guy I need to be.

Now, enough of all this, time to get ready to run!

Counting Down

I ran a smooth four miles yesterday with just a bit of knee pain. That was definitely disconcerting. I’m hitting the ibuprofen all the way to race time along with ice on my knees. Other than that, I’m so ready.

Mrs. Fitnessgeek and I had a fight last night. She hit me. With her car. It’s OK though. When she did hit me I slid over the finish line and ended up in first place. She finished second in Mario Kart Wii. She was upset, but yeah, it was her fault. Mario Kart has been a blast. We were up until 1 a.m. last night(a work night!?!?!) playing and having fun.

I’m going to check out some other games this weekend. I’d like to get a role-playing or action game, but we’ll see. I’m having so much fun with Guitar Hero and Mario Kart.

Elsewhere, I’m so ready for my race. I can’t stop thinking about it, worrying about it, and focusing on it. Two more days…