Ryan Case's personal blog

RACE REPORT: Park Forest Scenic 10 Miler

Location: Park Forest, IL

TIME (CHIP): 1:03:06

PLACEMENT: 79th Overall (Uggh 15th 25-29)

PACE: 6:18/mi



SPLITS

1 6:15

2 6:16

3 6:22

4 6:15

5 6:27

6 6:10

7 6:18

8 6:27

9 6:20

10 6:07



I was very pleased to be invited to the last race with Bud James (and possibly the last Park Forest Race ever.). I arrived the night before, and crashed with Stacey and Ben. A wedding party was staying contiguous to our room on every side…. They were loud.



Woke up early and got my red eye at Dunkin Donuts, additionally helped Mitch get some clothing unloaded early. I had a nice warm up, and I was relatively comfortable post my 21 miler on Saturday.



I met up with the team, we all sent best wishes, and gave advice. I knew this field would destroy me, so staying back the first couple of miles was imperative. Lisa performed beautifully to set the stage for yet another race. The gun went off, and I did my best to react slowly. My game plan was to breathe through my nose either inhaling or exhaling for the first 2 miles. If I went too fast, that wouldn't be possible…



I saw Lisa up in front of me around the one mile mark. She was really moving, I assume she went 6:10 or so. We hit the trail and I wished her luck, still keeping my cool, and running with a small group of Fleet Feet guys. The second mile went by in a flash – 6:16. At this point I decided to start using my mouth, and knowing the course from the night before, do my best to maintain pace in the rolling section, I was pleased to see 6:22 come up, and a pretty nice split for the 3 mile.



The race dragged on outside of the park on more undulating hills. I tried to stay as aggressive as possible, and came back relatively strong around mile 6. I felt worn, but not overly exhausted. I continued on, and gained momentum from the runners falling back. I had stayed consistent enough that others were now falling back.



I set my eyes on some key individuals, one namely Nigel's guest at the pre race party. She was in front of me around the 8 mile mark, and I did my best to stay on pace.



The last bit of the race was rather uneventful. A guy from Fleet Feet FLEW by me at the 600 meter mark like I was standing still (yet running my best mile…), I thought, what is this dudes deal. Well… he might as well run 9.8, because he was nearly walking by the time I kicked at the 200 meter mark. I scooted in at a disappointing 6 seconds shy of my goal to run in the 62's.



Overall, challenging, fun course, completely different than anything I have done in my past. Nice organization and man was it awesome to have pizza on Sunday night!!!



Thanks to Mitch for picking up this race. It was fantastic to see team members, and meet Bud James in person. Congrats to everyone, whether it was a PR or a PW, you still gave it your all.

RACE REPORT: Lone Tree Fall Festival 5K
LOCATION: Lonetree, Ia
DATE: 8/18/2007
CONDITIONS: 65 Windy, Wet, Cold
TIME: 17:50 ** PR **
PACE: 5:44
PLACEMENT: 2nd Overall , 1st 20-29

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Turns, turns, turns. This course winds through neighborhoods in town, and has plenty of ups and downs to keep you awake. Many of the roads were the chip tar, with loose gravel. The ground was wet, with puddles throughout the course. Aka - Crappy. Garmin Measured 3.19 Miles

Melisa and I went back to her parents house to watch her dad run his first 5k. He started running earlier in the year , and has been consistent. We thought it would be great to come back and watch him, in the process, give me a chance to try and improve on last year.

There were no mile splits, no mile markers, nothing. So I just ran.I warmed up for 2 miles, with my garmin, so I had a decent idea where the splits were. I did some strides and was ready to go.A younger kid that asked me how I thought I would run, I said high 17's. He responded with, wow, only to proceed to take off like a bullet when the gun went off, you facetious little....

I took it easy the first mile, too easy that is. I had already pulled on the group behind me, and the little rabbit was still about 15 yards in front of me. My strategy was to let him use up some steam, and I would make my move during mile 2.Mile 3 seemed abnormally long , I felt tired, although my legs were the primary source of fatigue, rather than my lungs. I made the final turn, and shot in as fast as my legs could go. There was no one in sight behind me, and no one in sight in front of me. How depressing. In the end, I should have probably taken off and stayed strong with the lead guy. Once I let him go, there was no way to stay with him. It was unfortunate.Nice to PR on a crappy course, looks promising for the year. I will continue to train hard, well knowing that my body needs time to heal.

Thank you to Mitch for some great coaching, and Patrick | Adidas for the gear.

My father inlaw ran his first 5k at this race, and broke 30:00 minutes. I was EXTREMELY proud of him pulling it off, with a great push to come in 29:57. Tough course that measured nearly 3.2 , and he ran well.

RACE: State Street Mile
Location: Rockford, IL
Date: 8/11/207
Conditions: 85, Humid
TIME: 4:50:01 (Cough...4:49 is what I had...wake up timer..)
PLACEMENT: 21st Overall, 3rd 25-29
I was a tad nervous about running a mile. I remember as a child being ridiculed for my poor performance, and overall mass given my height (My

shadow was similar to a large softball). I dreaded the "Fitness Test" in school, but then again, the PR was in 5th grade.

Chris assured me that I would beat my previous PR... All I could think about - Don't fall, slip, pull something, that would somehow make that

embarrassment a reality.

Big Stud Josh shows up to let everyone know about his 100 mile weeks, and 15 mile run in the morning, that's motivating for me...not. I asked

the wise how to handle the race. The best advice of the day went to Josh believe it or not..

1. If you dont make it through the first quarter without breathing hard , you are screwed.

Words of wisdom.

I warmed up , finding every section to cut an edge on the corner, avoid potholes, etc. Ran back ready to go. We line up, wait what feels like

10 minutes (due to a glitch in the matrix). Gun goes off... crap this is going to hurt.

Alas, the road was bombarded with a roar of name brand shoes and elite athletes pounding the pavement (collectively weighing in less than the

most recent miss America pageant i think,...those guys were little.).

My giraffe legs head out for a stroll, and Josh and Chris are still well within rock throwing distance at the first split (Closer to a good

spit). The timer said 63, seemed awfully fast, as I didnt give it very much. (later found out it was actually about 67)

The second quarter was filled with the finest of eatery's, wendy's , a bar, a bar, a bar, and a subway. I tried to distract myself and continue

to run. Survey says .5 mile 2:21.

Third Quarter - Well i was ready to cut the corner, DOH... someone put a huge flag in my way, not cool! I had to run to the left to avoid

embarrassment, and more importantly, instant death. Timer.... 3: oh no, i cant hear. I have lost my hearing.

Someone yells, another yells... mitch yells at josh in front of me.. carol yells, lisa yells. Well my hearing is back.

The bridge felt like it was uphill , and my arms were actually tired. I look up to see a nice gap between me and the group in front. I push ,

only to come in at 4:49... although someone forgot to have some coffee, and hit the button at 4:50...


Was glad to have PR'd over 5th grade, was glad to have placed in my age group, and felt ok. My hamstrings were a little tight from the previous

weeks training, and cough a multi-sport event I had done recently. I am glad nothing broke.

I have never felt soo proud to be a part of this team. We cleaned up the awards, money was taken home, Josh and mitch had their normal mature

interaction, Chris made a comment about being old... all the good things I expect during a team race.

Left our house at 2:30 PM , Arrived back around 10:30 - 8 Hours for 4:49... what a day

Thanks to mitch and patrick, and the team for the experience, what a day.

RACE REPORT: Steelhead 70.3
LOCATION: St.Joseph, MI
DATE: 8.4.2007
TEMP: Cool, Relatively Calm - Temp at finish 80.
WAVE: 11 - Start Time 7:36AM
TIMES:

SWIM (1.2 Miles) - 50:28
T1 - 4:18
Bike (56 Miles) - 2:37:31 - 21.4MPH
T2 - 3:39
RUN (13.1 Miles): 1:42:29 PACE - 7:49

OVERALL: 5:18:23
PLACEMENT:

DIVISION (25-29) - 53/154
SEX PLACE - 372/1272
OVERALL: 437 / 1789 Finishers (2700 Registered...)

PREFACE:

I did not send race reports for my first two triathlons, as I have received a negative vibe about my participation in the sport. This event will be a life memory for me, so I felt it was appropriate to send a report.
DESCRIPTION:

For some reason I thought this spring, hey It would be fun to start cross training for triathlons. I figured it would allow more workouts, more core strength, and something to change up my focus on soo many goals on the run. I registered for my first triathlon back in late May (Tri Shark - Sprint Distance) without really knowing how to swim... wow that was tough. I struggled to make it through the 600 meter swim, the bike was embarrassing as I huffed and puffed, and the run was one of the worst I have had ...to date. The funny part was I thought I was in pretty good shape. I had been running well, recovered from Running the Boston Marathon, and bounced back nicely.

I spent the next two weeks at 4 seasons in the pool , daily, sometimes 2x a day, and fit biking, in as well, making total workouts 3 a day for much of June. My running continued to go well, so I thought why not try again. So I signed up for Lake Evergreen, which at the time was about a month and some change away. Not one day later while running with Carol, I get the bug. I decided, well if I am going to finish an Olympic Distance Race, why not shoot for a Half Ironman? Rather unorthodox I know, alas, I signed up. Those of you that know me, understand I extremely dedicated to my goals. I knew this would take work.

The last month I missed 4 days in the water. I worked extremely hard, and honestly, am pleased to announce that although I struggled two weeks ago at evergreen, yesterday, without a nose plug, I felt great. Melisa and I came in town friday night to get my bike racked, and get marked up for the race. It was surreal. The bikes alone made me light up like a kid in a candy store. Guru, Litespeed, Fuji, Felt, Quintana Roo, Pinnarello, Cervelo... all the finest pieces of machinery were there, it was mind blowing.... all 2500 + of them.

We stayed with Don and Corry the night before in a hotel down a few exits, where I really didnt sleep the whole night. I just stared wondering what the next day would hold. This was my third triathlon... and I picked a half ironman distance....

RACE MORNING - We woke up at 3:45 EST, loaded up the cars and headed for fuel - coffee that is. Fast forward - We had to walk the 1.2 miles down to the swim start along the beach, which was very humbling... when it takes you 15-20 minutes to walk to the start of the swim.. you know its a ways. Mitch was in high spirits, almost too high. I questioned if he had been taking prescriptions or something. I sat on the ground while others did jumping jacks, one guy did pushups... that was a shocker. The waves took off, and I waited in line for group 11....fun.

7:32 - Time to line up. There were 210 of us in wave 11 the announcer said (25-29) , of which I later find out only 154 finished. I was cool, and calm, and looking forward to the next 45 minutes... or so. Buzzer went off, overlaying the sweet sounds of AC/DC through the loud speaker.

I ran down the shore so that I was nearly straight out from the first buoy. I instantly started thinking about the rest of the day, and forgot I was swimming... should have paid better attention, the current kept drifting me in to the shore, so I had to go back out around the buoy;s every time. I felt great, until i got punched in the jaw by a guy doing a breast stroke. He then continued to try and push me under the water... nice.

I came out of the water in 48 minutes. VERY PLEASED. I had never swam more than 1500 meters before, and didnt know what to expect. The beach was like a quarter mile from the first transition, so I fumbled up the beach, a little disoriented from the swim. I changed out of my suit, popped another salt tablet, ate a couple goo's and was out of there.

Bike- I would be lying if I told you I had problems on the bike. I have never felt so good in my life on a bicycle. I passed quickly, and efficiently, and picked up soo many positions that I cant keep track. I took energy gel's at 15, 30, 45, 50. In this time I had to stop to urinate on the side of the road 2x (At least I wasnt dehydrated). I had to go, I was drinking soo fast that I just couldnt hold it. Knowing I wasnt a contender for a Florida spot, it didnt matter.

I knew I was strong on the bike (for me), but was ecstatic when I saw 2:37... If I had not lost the 2+ minutes on each stop, I would have had fairly competitive bike time... cough for a runner. I saw Mitch when I came in, and really needed the motivation. I had to go AGAIN at the second transition, so alas, another minute was burned up soiling the sand at my neighbors bike rack. I popped some more goo's , drank some pedialyte, and was on my way for a half marathon journey.

I didnt make it out of the transition area when I realized I was chafing terribly in my right armpit, it was too late to go back, so I was looking forward to the pain.

RUN - The first mile I took off quickly. Long strides, and smooth movements separated me from many around, and I felt calm, and relaxed, my heart was glad to have a break honestly. A large came up out of no where and I pressed it. Doh - Cramp. I felt my quad start to go, and had to slow to a crawl for the next 2 miles to loosen it back up. Those miles were each over 10 minutes , which really hurt me on the time overall.

Every mile I stuck a sponge under my arm, and one in my hat to keep my core temp down. It worked. I came in with a great kick after the 13.1 miles... and 70.3 total to finish in 5 hours 18 minutes and 23 seconds. 1:42 is not a very respectable half for me, but I was proud to say I didnt walk,and I did finish, a feat that nearly 1,000 registrants could not say. This along with it being only my third triathlon, I am very thrilled to have partial Iron status now

I would to take this opportunity to thank everyone that supported me when I thought I was going to drown, Mitch for not yelling at me too frequently for participating in triathlons, Don and Corry for hanging out and lodging- Patrick for the support of gear, my Supernova Cushions should have been Supernova Couch Cushions, my feet felt awesome. K1 / K2 for their support leading up to raceday - it helped to a constant source of positive reinforcement.

One day later I feel amazing - its time to do some chores.

Special Congrats to Nigel for an awesome performance (as usual), and Carol for breaking her 6 hour goal by 5 minutes, awesome job girl.

Now its time for some serious road racing. Cheers -

RACE REPORT: Quad City Times Bix 7

DATE: 07.28.2007

LOCATION: Davenport, IA

TEMP: 70 / Very Humid

TIME: 43:57 (Chip)

PLACEMENT: 225th Overall, 42nd 25-29

PACE: 6:14

MILESTONE: 2007 Racing Goal < 43:00 - FAILED

DESCRIPTION:



Well the Bix has always been a beloved race for me. Last year being my first startup year of running sent me from a 2003 Time of 1:00:50 , to 2006 of 48:59. While it was great to improve and run a time, that while growing up seemed stellar (The good guys run under 45 I had heard growing up...). I had set a goal back in January to Break 43:00, and knew to do it I had to run well, but again, knew exactly what I needed ahead of time.



I had every inch of this course planned out - every single inch. I knew where I wanted to be at all the splits, how I would attack sections, and where to stay back. The week before I had planned out this, and documented it. I will overlay those numbers in my report.



WARMUP

------

I warmed up with Sherrie / Kelly for a little over a mile, we were kind of chatty, took it easy, no worries. With about 10 minutes before the Gun Emily and I did some strides. I felt light - and nervous (the Bix always makes me nervous...).



I had a few minutes to speak with Bill Rodgers, which is always cool; he calmed me down, and got my mind off the race. Gun went off - 5 seconds later I cross the start. I wanted to hang back up Brady, and then catch up some of my pace during the turn onto Kirkwood.



MILE 1 - PLANNED - 6:20, Actual 6:20 - PERFECT.



The second mile was where I planned to get some early speed, and recover quickly. This is by far the easiest mile in the course, all downhill, and relatively open. I felt great after my first mile, no complaints (as I was on pace). I ran with the effort feeling moderate, but of course factoring in the downhill, not too bad.



MILE 2 - PLANNED SPLIT - 12:00, Actual 12:02 - ALMOST PERFECT (5:42)



The third mile of the Bix is certainly the most difficult, however, offers its advantages in field placement for strong climbers. I knew this should be my slowest mile of the race, so concentrated on the moment, and keeping myself in the moment. That damn hill is steep, and it shows. I ran it slightly aggressive, knowing that my long legs coast on the back side of the hill (definitely a difference strategy than others). I passed nearly 20 people going up, lost about 10 on the way back down. I was winded, but caught myself early.



MILE 3 - PLANNED SPLIT: 18:30, Actual 18:30 - PERFECT (6:28)



The turnaround came up quickly, and this is in an area you really need to charge on in my opinion, you have plenty of downhill, and really nothing to hold you back.



SPLIT - PLANNED 21:30, Actual 21:29 - ALMOST PERFECT



I was pleased to see my split was dead on - the reasoning behind the split time was as follows. Coming back on McClellan Hill I can really book it down the hill (Garmin Recorded 4:35 best pace), so I can negate the slower times.



Mile 3-4 includes the journey back up the hill, and then back down the McClellan Hill -



Here I was planning on picking up some time, however, I was inundated with people hollering at me, and somehow lost the time... Garmin recorded

24: xx



Mile 4-5 is the journey back up Kirkwood Blvd - Again I knew this was a key area to the race, stay strong, but do NOT go to fast, there was plenty of race left.


I started getting a little cramp in my upper chest, no worries, it will go away.



MILE 5: 30:56 - Still on pace



At the top of the hill at 5 my lung seized. The cramp took hold - and oddly it blew up right near my lung. I started hyper ventilating, and didn't know what to do. I kept jogging, but runners went by like Barry bonds headed for meds. I was in severe pain, and for the first time this year though - crap I might DNF. What to do??



I kept jogging, and my Garmin was showing 7:20-7:40 pace consistently, I knew I was in trouble. This slip would cost me my entire race, or possibly a dnf. I held my arm over my head, and at the same time kind of punched my chest - (had to have looked strange). Near the church, at around 5.5 marker it started getting better, so I was simply breathing hard. I worked to recover the mile...



MILE 6 - 38:06 - OUCH. Well that was nice -



The top of Brady the crank loosened up - but my heart was not out of it. I was really depressed, and only could realize that I had failed to achieve my goal. The crappy part - I knew all of my areas to attack on- and that had gone well. The last mile is generally the second fastest on the course for me (Brady downhill is large).



I didn't run headed down the hill, rather just ran down with my back straight up to the sky. Emily caught me at the bottom of the hill, and yelled "Come on Ryan". Well without her - I would have run 45: xx I think...



We headed to the corner; one of the best feelings of any race in the year in my opinion is the final .4 of a mile at the Bix. That crowd is insane, and if you are fast, they react.



I bolted. I was angry, and was upset, but more importantly, I wanted to punish myself. Another guy that had got me earlier during mile 6 (along with the other 65 people...) was in sights, and I took him. Garmin recorded pace on straight: 4:05 - Probably the fastest 1/8th mile I have ever ran. I looked up and saw the 43:xx clicking towards the end, and just had to go. At least the 43:xx was a number similar to breaking 43... So I went 110% flat out for the last stretch, and was rewarded. I had a nice last mile, but the initial descent on to Brady was just too slow to do any damage. (Realistically I should be able to run a 5:10 - 5:20 on that last mile).



Overall - I was pleased that I am learning to follow my strategy - I know when to stay back, know when to push forward. Unfortunately for me, I had no contingency plan for having a cramp in a race. I have never had a lung cramp that was interesting.



Thank you to Mitch, and Patrick for the support and gear - I certainly was the only Adidas runner with Green (180 Energy Drinks is Adidas, they wear custom orange...), so I stood out for spectators. Congrats to Emily for an awesome 8th in her age group (including winners)! It was awesome to see her.



Additionally, my wife Melisa did an amazing job - cutting 7 minutes off her PR for the bix - 1:07 _ AWESOME!

RACE REPORT: Dog Days 5K
DATE: 07/07/07 (Trippy...)
LOCATION: Lake Bloomington
TEMP: HOT (86)
FINISH TIME: 18:05
PACE: 5:50
POSITION: 8th Overall, 1st 25-29
DESCRIPTION:

The last couple of years I have been unable to come out to this race, so I was excited about a new course. I took it easy at Park to Park intentionally to try and save my energy for a much more difficult race (at least condition wise). I drank what felt like gallons of water throughout the day (as well as some Pedialyte) to prepare for the temp.

We headed out around 4:30 , Melisa was volunteering, and I wanted to make sure I could warm up and relax (I think i warmed up in the car). I knew it was going to be warm, Melisa and I had biked around earlier in the morning.

Warmed up with Tom and Emily (Emily is just plain old fun to warm up with) , ran out to the mile mark and turned around. Man its hot. Ben asked what my goal was for the night, I was aiming for 18:00.

I had froze my boston hat earlier in the day, and brought it in a cooler full of ice to wear at the race. Well alas, I wore it for a few minutes before it thawed, and I had to throw it to Keith. Mitch made a comment about make sure you help when you cross the line (which Chris, Josh and I interpreted as something else... and were confused if we were supposed to like jump on the starting line on the way out..).

Some extra excitement ran through me as Mitch mentioned this was the largest Dog Days yet.. very cool on such a hot evening. Gun went off, and I hung back and let Chris / Mike / Josh go nuts. Alex (Lisa's Son) ran next to me, and Ben tagged along for a bit). The first mile seemed awfully difficult, and yet, I wasnt running that hard. Tom and I are running together at this point, and I figured he would be about 10 seconds stronger than me at the end (truth be told, he was 9). We come up on the mile mark (so I thought) where the timer spouts 5:47 - "HUH" - Crap Im really hurting for this time (compared to recent efforts, later found out it was actually 5:26). At this point I figured, aim for consistency then, so I set out through the winding hills to run around 6:00. I continue this pace through the second mile, but it wasnt marked. I didnt want to look at my watch, so I just ran ahead with Tom. Up the hill was tough, It was hot, and Tom started to pull on me finally. I simply felt like I was going to die or something.

I came around the bend and turned around to see if anyone was on my heels... negative. I pushed up to the clock and was shocked to see 17:xx still moving... wierd. Crossed in 18:05. I grabbed a water and hopped in line to help out. I was very pleased to run close to my goal in such difficult conditions, but as coach tells me, feel and know the effort (I felt the effort....)

It was very cool to watch the battle between Mike / Chris / Josh from the back seat (well its a long vehicle... but you get the picture), all that green, as usual I felt soo honored to be part of this team. Great Job by everyone (even nigel... who showed up at the start of the race... which we delayed for... ] from the ORRT team.

My home is not a shrine for pictures, we have maybe 4 in the entire home... of those , 2 are now ORRT Pictures. Thanks to Keith for the CD of the images from races, thats awesome!

Great Job for everyone out there - It was BRUTAL. Thanks to Mitch for directing this race, as well as flipping the bill. Thanks Patrick and Adidas for the fantastic sponsorship.

RACE REPORT: Park to Park
Location: Bloomington, IL
DATE: 07/04/07
TIME: 7:30AM
CONDITIONS: 69 Overcast, 7-9 MPH Wind
TIME: 30:33
PACE: 6:07 / M
PLACEMENT: 20th Overall, 1st 25-29
DESCRIPTION:

I signed up for this event having a clear objective, run smooth, run a tempo run, but dont overdo it. Dog Days is an important race
to our fearless leader, and our team, so I wanted to make sure not to use up too much energy with DD being on Saturday.

Melisa and I arrived around 6:45, and instantly saw two young female often members , Carol and Marcia. Carol looked rushed, as Mitch was taking her warmup clothes , and headed to the finish. We chatted, Carol discussed her crazy workout for the week, and took off. I warmed up in flats, quickly noticing there was some serious runners here. Good thing today was for fun.

Rossi and decided 30 seconds before the race that we would take it easy , shoot for around 6:30's the first two miles, and then negative split. We took off amongst the rabbits and I had to look at my watch to make sure we weren't going to fast - It felt slow.

Nigel Comes up to join the party, and we come up on Ben at about .75 miles. Ben looks rather chipper, so he does some commentary through the first mile...

Mile 1 6:19

Nigel, Rossi stuck together, again I check my watch to make sure I am holding back... and I hear "Stop looking at the Bloody watch"... no it wasnt from Rossi. Rossi surges to give Mike a little love tap on the rear, we continue.

Mile 2 6:11

Nothing eventful, we continue to reel in some, and then Rossi had a hardware malfunction (Shoe issue??) , so Nigel and I continued on. I felt great, so I just kinda kept running...

Mile 3 6:07

I am starting to pickup others slowly but sure, but see Todd Mccartney ahead about .5 mile (He decline Rossi / I's proposal to chug along the first few..) . I continue to just take it easy, move on forward.

Mile 4 6:03

Almost done, and all I can think about is how pleased I am with the new Natures Valley cereal... way better than Wheaties. No struggle, again, just wanted to trek along, not using up too much energy. At this point on the flats by the gas station (across from the Stadium) I realize that unless Todd speeds up, I am going to catch him. Well low and behold he does - good job Todd - I coast on in, and decide there isnt too much point to a sprinting finish -

Mile 5 5:53

I had a nice cool down running back to meet up with a friend who PR'd the course by over 2 minutes! Way to go to Terri. I watched the team come in and was very impressed, Nigel, Brian, Emily, Merlin, Marcia, Carol, what an ordeal. Very fun. We all celebrated with our pretty new mugs in the awards ceremony. Carol was huffing and puffing about not winning masters... Deal with it, maybe take a day off every once in a while eh? And I don't want to hear about mitch tying you up.... you can keep that private
Thank you to my wonderful sponsor, and amazing team , see everyone at Dog days, Coats and Sweatshirts optional.

RACE: Lexington 5K
Location: Lexington, IL
TEMP: 65
CONDITIONS: DOWNPOUR, 8-12MPH Wind
PLACEMENT: 2nd Overall , 1st 25-29
TIME:

ITS ABOUT TIME

17:53 **** PR ****
PACE: 05:45
DESCRIPTION:

RAIN RAIN RAIN - Oh well, a course that keeps you on your toes (for fear of falling into a pothole, a speed bump, or slipping in the mud.

We arrived around 6:45 and got registered, I then went out and ran 2.5 miles of the course to look for any potential hazards (a giant patch of grass??) , and see where the wind would be.

Nick Stirret from champaign showed up to greet me - great, you again! Alas, we had fun chatting about the race, and I gave him an overview of the course. At this point I see Deb and Keith show up, Deb looks confused , so I approach (she is playing with her watch of course..).

Nick and I did 4 sets of strides, and I am ready to go (albeit wet).

Gun goes off - A mighty little 14 year old darts off, Nick gives me this funny look and asks if he is the kid that won it last year, my reply, no worries. The youngster drops back after a few seconds, and Nick and head out. We approach a small lake and Nick went in front of me to stay single file, so this gave me inspiration to stay on his heel.

Mile 1 - 5:28 - Conservative, and I knew I had the slowest mile coming up (into the wind and rain). I got into a great rythm (all I could think about was 84 seconds...{ Long story Mitch would get } ). I feel pretty good when we hit the turn, and head back in.

Mile 2 - 11:26 - Not too bad, I am pleased the wind didnt affect me too much, and at this point Nick is a solid 25 seconds in front. I look back and there is a solid 30+ seconds between the next runner and I, and I realize this is my race now. I tried to relax, and felt great. I came up on the grass patch again, and had to slow around the turn, which caused me to lose a little rythm - no worries.

Mile 3- Its a mystery. The thing is I turned off the "touch" feature of my watch before the race as the rain picks it up, So at this point I am going on feel, and my "84" theory of my 800's. I hit the wet cinder track , and lose at least 2 seconds running out wide (it was a lake on the inside)

I look up , and the time reads 17:35 ... a nice sight - I hear Keith and Melisa yelling, and I feel great digging in, came across in 17:53.

This is my first 5k since St.Pats, so I was very excited to see some efforts paying off. Thanks to coach for helping me work on pace, and everyone support.

Deb did a stellar job - She came in first woman (14th overall) , and had an impressive 21:21.

With some work (cough a couple years), I might get to some competitive running!

Thanks Patrick and Mitch for the wonderful gear

RACE REPORT: Quad Cities Distance Classic
DATE: 5-13-2007 7:30 AM
DISTANCE: 1/2 Marathon
TEMP: 54
WIND: 12-15MPH
TIME: 1:23:18 ****PR*****
PACE: 6:20
PLACEMENT: 11th Overall, 2nd 25-29
COURSE: Moderate Hills

Splits
------------
MILE TIME
1 6:22
2 6:38
3 6:11
4 6:08
5 6:08
6 6:12
7 6:19
8 6:26
9 6:26
10 6:19
11 6:30
12 6:31
13 6:31
.1 :33

After embarrassing myself at the lake run - I was really looking for some validation

that I was in , at the very least better shape than my peak last year. I have been

healthy , working harder, and should be significantly faster.

I lined up with all the local studs, knowing very well that this race generally has 2

packs up front. The freaks, and the group behind. I really didnt set any solid goals

for times, just simply the experience, running smarter, and utilizing my energy more

effectively.

1st Mile is basically down hill, so I held back and ran with Barb for a few yards. I

was expecting her to take the win, but later found out she really really struggled. I

was proud of holding back.

Mile 2 started with the 2nd strongest Hill in the course. Again, I knew where I

wanted to be time wise, but that wasnt what I was thinking running the hill

...Consistency, rhythm, presentable performance.

Miles 3-6 - I felt great - I hit my rhythm, and the miles went by as if I wasnt even

trying. I made sure to take it easy, knowing the goal was consistency.

At the tail end of 6 and leading through 7, I set my goal on an older guy that flew

by me at mile 1, he was struggling, he was mine.

Interesting Facts at this point... I had not been passed since Mile 2... is that what

"pace" means Nigel?

Mile 8 was the turnaround, and the journey back into the wind. I worked to catch a

younger guy that had been in front of me the entire race, but looked like he was

falling off. I caught up to him at the mile 9 marker, and never looked back.

Mile 8 and 9 actually felt pretty good, although they had several turns, and followed

a small trail through the park, not the best format for the return, but oh well.

Caught another chap around the 10 mile marker who had been in front of me slapping

his feet on the ground for an hour. (I actually cringed thinking about his poor

knees...).

Mile marker 11 was the turning point for me. I began to feel a little less energetic,

however, I was cognizant of my fatigue, and ran through it. The last mile consisted

of an extremely (.8 miles) aggressive hill. I was really upset with myself that I

didn't push harder here... At this point I realized

1. I would be darn close to a 1:22 finish
2. I was pretty spent, and couldn't catch the small little guy in front of me.


The race ended on the Auustana Track, which was pretty cool. Pushed at a 5:17 pace

for the last .1, was happy to have some more left. Cooled down and stretched, then

waited nearly 2 hours for the awards ceremony. Nice hardware this race.

Side Note: Melisa PR'd by a minute in the 5K with a 26:59 - nearly 4:30 faster than

St.Pats - I guess that training is paying off.

RACE REPORT: Lake Run
DISTANCE: 12K
TEMP: 65
WIND: 6-9MPH
CONDITIONS: Overcast
TIME: 48:04
PACE: 6:27
PLACE: 18th Overall, 2nd 25-29

As a precursor to my race report, let me say I was extremely excited to be out with my team mates, my mother and father (and grandparents) came down to watch, and I was excited about our new jerseys. I worked this last week to get back in to race shape, and was looking forward to running something that doesnt consume weeks of recovery , and hours of time.

Bang...

I took off like I was actually being shot at from behind. I apparently thought I was in combat, becuase i ran on the side of Friedman for the first .5 miles... by that time, I knew I was basically screwed, and slowed down..

MILE 1 (5:44)

After making the marker, I tried to calm down, but I realized at this point I blew the entire race. I slowed down as much as possible, and the herds came flying by. I tried to calm myself realizing if I didnt slow down now, I would have catastrophic failure around mile 5... Made the turn, trying to regulate breathing... See the marker

MILE 2 (6:23)

The affect of slowing down started to murder my time here, but still I knew it was imperative if I wanted to recover. I hoped I was in good enough shape to pick it up , and run hard the second half.. no comment here, except Rossi passed me. He exchanged the common, "Great job.." which I have come to realize when someone is passing early that means, man you went out to fast.

MILE 3 (6:48)

Made it through the rolling sections, and prepared for what seems to me the most difficult section, 4 / 5. At this point I held my position strong. I checked behind me, and there was a group that I simply could not let go by.

MILE 4 ( 6:47) Expected, felt better this mile, and now had my breath back, I wanted to start going...

MILE 5 (6:32)
I really tried to attack the down hill, and concentrated on my leg strength (actually focusing on mantra's about getting my worthless effort straight).

MILE 6 (6:37)
Another mile I couldnt complain about , I was tired, but not exhausted, and was trying to save some steam for the passing lane coming up with the 7k Merger.

MILE 7 (6:30)
Now I wanted to try and pick it up, and let the guys behind me they were done...

LAST Stretch (2:42)

I finished knowing well that I had blown the race from the start. In the end, I was happy to have my family there, happy to see my team mates, and thankful for a safe race.
I was extremely dissapointed in my time, but was pleased with my ability to recover.

My dad ran the 12k as well,so I cooled down by running back on the course to find him. He really worked the last 1.5, and I was pleased to see how well he responded to the motivation.

Thank you to Mitch / Patrick / Adidas for the wonderful new uniforms. The gear truly makes an incredible difference in my racing / training.

Thanks to Mitch for picking up the tab on the race entry. Congrats to a fantastic outing by the ORRT members.

RACE REPORT: 111th Boston Marathon
DATE: 4/16/07
LOCATION: Hokinton, MA
AMBIENT TEMP: 46
WIND: 20-30MPH E
TIME: 3:22:45 PACE: 7:43

GOAL: HAVE FUN!!!!!

My dream of running in the Boston Marathon has come true, and the grin on my face has not worn thin.

Melisa and I arrived in Boston on Saturday knowing the weather outcome. The weather channel had been spouting all morning "the worst" weather in the history of the North East. Fun. We went straight to the John Hancock Convention where I was inundated with Boston gear (I felt like a 16 year old girl at the mall). I purchased the navy blue coat, which at the time was glistening (the following day... wet). Proudly, I lined up to pickup bib #5796, where I was instantly presented with a disclaimer for the weather (so much for sunshine).

We drove around looking for the appropriate place for the shuttle... ran in to a nice gentlemen from milford... long story. Sunday afternoon I spent consuming Pedialyte and Gatorade , around 8pm , my customary pizza. In the mean time, The weather channel was continually playing... to no avail, it was supposed to be crappy. Sunday night I didnt sleep at all, and was basically in shock about the morning to come. I made the decision that this was weather to have fun, not kill myself. (Anyone that knows me realizes the challenge this offered). That night I had received many calls asking the same question "Are you running it?" - My response , I know its going to be tough - but I cant wait.

Monday morning melisa woke up (i dont remmeber sleeping...) and we got ready to head out to the industrial park in Hopkinton. We were told 6am was the meeting time, so Ma / Pa Abbott drove us around. We waited until nearly 6:45 before the shuttles came.. nice organization. At this point I bid farewell (well it was difficult... it was soo damned windy and rainy I couldnt really talk).

The shuttle had no idea where to go - me being the only newbie on the bus that read the book, watched the course online, and read newsgroups regularly spouted out "Athletes Village.... Just up the road, its in the football field". I received instant gratitude from my peers, as if I was a veteran (I didnt stop them...).

We were dropped off , and everyone splashed around, muddying up there shoes as if they were children on the way to preschool. I happily wore my plastic bags around my shoes , and stayed dry. The school opened up due to the weathers turning conditions. The tent looked like it had seen better days.

9:15 - Time to get walking. My corral was sparse at best, and I decided to take advantage of the location.. the rope. I stretched, wondered if my Pancho would continue to hold... thought about how bad my loved ones would feel out in this crap all day. Other runners were talking about how to combat the wind, and the pacing strategy (their nerves showing through). I was actually calm, and nearly tear full thinking about how important this race was.

Something happened.... I was still in shock - I believe the Elite women and wheelchair participants took off.. I was smiling in the rain.

The start was really uneventful, people around me pushed and shoved to get to the start line, I walked... oh well. I crossed the line and it finally hit, I was running the Boston marathon. Whether I deserved to be there anymore than anyone else, I dont know.

Mitch had told me before to try and run pace, at the same time, Nigel yells at me nearly every moment he can about the importance of keeping pace, and how someday I will learn...

I am not going to talk about every mile, but anyone that followed my splits knows this... I ran every one of the first 22 miles between 7:40 and 8:00. This included 4 stops, in which i picked it up. What made me happy was my last 3 miles. The newton hills had absolutely zero affect on me (thank god i trained...), most likely because i ran for fun, but alas, sometimes It can be about fun. My last 3 miles I was getting soo emotional, I took off. I ran the last 3 under 7:00, with the last coming in at 6:30. It was an amazing feeling, and the crowd supported me. I looked stronger than the other runners coming in (some I had seen dart past me in the beginning...). I honestly felt better at 22 than I did at 4...

My family was waiting for my back home, and at mile 18. Melisa and Ma/ Pa Abbott were at the Newton fire station (Appropriate for Lieutenant Abbott).. I was absolutely ecstatic to see them before the hills, It was like the largest energy boost ever. (Well that and the two Goo's I took in at 17). Melisa commented later that she has never seen me stronger in a race of any length, I agree.

I have never had a better running experience in my life... It was the most memorable athletic event at this point, and at the same time, most pleasant. I enjoyed helping Margaret from ISU make it up the newton hills, I enjoyed talking to a suffering chris at 23 through brook line. I played good Samaritan.

Next Year, weather permitting I will attack the course, and the hills of newton, but for 2007 - The weather didnt affect me, I was not in pain on Tuesday, Wednesday or today, and I will focus on really moving forward. I know I am in 50x the condition I was last year at chicago, and I am here to prove my goals.... One race at a time.

Thanks for the amazing support from everyone, It means SO much to have My family and Friends support me up to something that could have been disappointing. The glass was 100% full on Monday April 16th. (Probably due to the rain...)

RACE: CASI St. Patrick 5k
LOCATION: Davenport, Ia
DATE: 03.17.2007
AMBIENT TEMP: 32 F
CONDITIONS: Sunny, 4 MPH Wind
COURSE: Hilly Out and back
TIME: 18:03 ***** PR ******
PACE: 5:50
PLACEMENT: 12th Overall /1100 Registrants, 2nd 25-29 M
DESCRIPTION:

After last weeks St.Pat's race in bloomington, I really wanted to see how I would do without a familiar face to run with. The course was rather difficult, with 3 high grade hills (6 degree + ). I ran this race last year, before I was running frequently with the team, in the high 22's.

I waited to warm up until about 20 minutes out due to the temp. I did a multitude of stretches until I felt comfortably warm to strip down to shorts. This was the largest 5k I have been part of (I couldnt see the back of the pack.. pretty cool really).

I looked around and saw an onslaught of CBRC members, as well as the famous "Runing Wild" Racing team members. They all lined up in teh front, and candidly, they always beat me , so I have let it go.

After about a 15 minute introduction to the race history, and directors involved, etc, they finally decided to cut us loose. The mat below beeped as each shoe hit (chip race). Off we went.

The first mile, I am trotting along, intentionally holding back... is everyone else doing the same? My heart rate is fantastic, lungs feel good, and we make the turn onto Central Park where the hills hit. At this point I can still throw a Rock at Ben Loyd (Stud of the QC) , so Im curious whats going on. I look down at my watch, and it has been 1.08 , and I am at 5:50....hrm, no mile markers?

I press the hills hard. No Pain, no gain. I quickly reel in the 7th and 8th place members on the hills, only to lose them on the downhill (Carol, I need help... I dont know how, why I should be losing ground with my giraffe legs).

Two more hills up and down, and I am in the flat. Out of no where Marcus comes up to say hello.... Glad to know I have been in front of him (thats a first). At the turn around I was careful and went around slow. Again, no mile markers to be seen. I continue to run, and try to take advantage of my strength ... the hills.

On the stretch home, I was tired, but patient. I knew I was capable of going 18:30 (I felt strong, but the hills had to have hurt me...). I lost a couple spots during mile 2. Mile 3 came up, and I could see the timer... 16:xx.. what?

Out of no where I get this odd anxiety attack where I thought.... I might break 18... So what do I do... I look down at my watch every couple of seconds to see how much distance is remaining. I know it was close.

Mistake

I should have been focusing on the slight decline and attacking. I could have gained a position, and possible broke 18 if I would have been less of a rookie, and more devoted towards the race.

Great race, had a nice 2 mile cool down immediately following (felt great... ).

I have to say I was pleased with the performance (even though my watch shows 18:01....) , and more importantly I learned a valueable lesson. I have all the time in the world to analyze my performance, but dont do it during my last kick. Great race - and on my way to that goal post boston. It was nice to see 14 seconds cut off my PR from last week.

Next Race: CIDA Peoria 5k

RACE: VFW St.Patrick 5k
LOCATION: Bloomington, IL
DATE: 03/11/2007
TEMP: 52 , 5-7 MPH WIND
PLACEMENT: 8 / 399 , 2ND 25-29
TIME: 18:16.4 **** PR ****
PACE: 5:54
DESCRIPTION:

The anticipation leading up to this race was almost unbearable. My training for Boston has been going great, but seeing results in a race gives me a significant boost in morale. Melisa and I showed up early so I could ensure a sufficient warm up. I ran a 21 miler on friday , so I was still sore in my quads. The longer I warm up, the better. Josh showed up shortly, and then carol, then deb. Carol, Josh and I ran a nice 1.5 -2 mile warm up on the course, which helped greatly. This course has a lot of turns for an "out and back" advertisement.

After a nice warm up, I got ready for business with some drills. Before the race began I asked Nigel for advice on pacing, etc, and he said " Shoot for closer to 6:00, then 5:30 on the first mile". So I took off slow, and let the rabbits go by. About .4 miles in, I started passing left and right, and nigel, emily and I were grouped together. The first mile clicked by at 5:30. (Soo much for the pre race advice). The run continued on to a turn around, where Nigel took off like he dropped weights or something. I knew I couldnt sustain the pace he was pushing on at, so I ran with Emily, keeping the turns tight, and not wasting energy. Mile 2 came by at 11:40. At this point, I wasnt feeling that strong. The weather was nice, but I was warm, and tired. The downhill slope after mile 2 allowed me to maintain pace. The younger kid next to me refused to do any kind of drafting. I moved in front of him, he moved around, I moved behind him, he moved aside.

At this point, I was clearly not paying any attention to my watch, or the time. I felt crappy, and Nigel was WAY out in front of me. Knowing what we ran the week before I thought, well, another high 18 minute , low 19 minute race. I come up on the 3 mile marker, and low and behold, i can see 17:xx.... what..? At this point the kid next to me bolts, and this is an indicator that I should kick or something. I know that I can PR at this point, so I dig down, (not wanting to run 18:18.... ) and pull out the 18:16. A PR, a nice day, and turned around to cool off, and catch the wife.

I was actually rather upset. Had I paid attention to my watch , I most likely could have pushed for 18:10 or better. Alas, You cant be upset with a PR in the first meaningful race of the year. This was a clear indicator to me that I am in at the very least, the same condition as I was for chicago last year (being as I ran 21 on friday... and still Pr'd on sunday), if not better. Long runs killed me last fall, so maybe I am recovering. Carol is helping me devise a plan for post boston. Implementing track workouts on tuesday night, increasing my mileage, and importantly, staying healthy, are all requirements for getting me down to 17:30.

Thanks to mitch for picking this one up. A Special Congrats to my wife Melisa for completing her first race in almost 7 months. She struggled, but hung in there and finished the race with a nice kick, way to go Miss! Congrats to everyone on the ORRT, what a strong showing by everyone.

Nigel - I will catch you some day

NEXT RACE: CASI St. Patrick 5k (Davenport, Ia) 03.17.2007
RACE: VFW St.Patrick 5k

RACE REPORT: Miller Park 5k
Location: Bloomington, IL
DATE: 03/03/2007
AMBIENT TEMP: 22 Degrees F
CONDITIONS: Snow, Wind, Cold
COURSE DESCRPTION: Rolling Hills with 1 Mile initial Loop
TIME: 19:14
PLACMENT: 5th OVerall / 2nd 25-29 M

I got to the race early enough (too early), that I was able to warm up for a mile, stretch, and work with carol on a couple of exercises to get my IT
Band moving. The snow was coming down when we got lined up, so I took my 5k flats off, and switched for a much safer
control shoe (plus they are warmer, so i had that going for me). We nearly had a false start, as the woman added the largest pause
history between get set, and go.. I had to jump back, and then push forwrd. We took off at a brisk pace (partially because I was freezing)
partially because I wanted to run stronger in the park, which was flatter than the rest of the course. The first mile went by, and I was in a comfortable and I was in
a comfortable third (3) position. The course went out of the park, where assistance along the course were supposed to suggest
the direction. I made a right turn up a hill after asking the direction, only to be alerted to come back down. I wasnt particuliarly
pleased about the loss in time (apparently Nigel had this problem... as did the second place finisher), but continued on. It was
about 2 miles in when I realized that I was cold. The course winds through some neighborhoods, which all seemed to have the wind
blowing in your face. Up and down I went, and all I could think about was how cold I was, not race strategy, technique , nothing.
At about 2.7 miles, I hear someone coming up on me, of course... Nigel. Nigel and Emily were behind, and I jumped behind with Emily.
Nigel pushed forward about 10 seconds , where I proceeded to goof up the course. One thing about running in a circle around that
park ... it all looks the same. I blew my opportunity to push at the end, but all is well. I was cold and just wanted to finish.

Outcome:

Not an exciting race, but alas, still glad to have ran. I was rather dissapointed in my time, but I was injury free (very sore the next day)
but at least, injury free. I have someone to gun at next week (Nigel), so I have that going for me.

Thanks to my sponsor for my gear, and team support. Ill get you next week Nigel

RACE: Frost 5 Miler
LOCATION: Channahon, IL
AMBIENT TEMP: 17
WIND CHILL TEMP: 2
WIND: 11 MPH
DESCRIPTION:
TIME: 31:40
PACE: 6:20
FINISH: 14th Overall, 1st 25-29
This was my first race of the year, and more of a proving ground to see how the winter had fared on me. This was also my first race in the 25-29 age bracket. With a fairly hard month in January, I knew i was prepared to run, but wasnt expecting to race in something quite soo cold.

I got in early... as in before the building was open, and sat around until someone showed up. I went inside to stretch, at this point it others were coming in, and I had about 1 hour until race time. Carol and Mitch showed up, and the excitement of a race finally hit me. Carol went out before me and did her ritual warm up. I ran about 3/4 of a mile down the road looking for her, only to come back empty handed... and cold.

The race started and I had only one goal, come out strong, and dont lose a position after mile 1. We took off relatively hard, there were alot of 18-24's in this group, some wearing tri outfits ... silly. It felt fast, but I wasnt sure how fast. I was just soo excited, and felt soo strong, at this point I am in 10th place. We cross the first mile in 5:08... or not. My watch showed 5:45, which is right where I wanted to be, couldnt quite figure out the timer, so I let it slide.

Mile 2 was the first chance I had to show my strength, the course had rolling hills. Most of my boston training has been focusing on strength, not speed. I was coasting along, my watch showing 6:30, right about where I wanted to be. I didnt want to have a false perception of my strenght so I attacked on the down hill, and ran conservative up the rolling hills. Hit mile 2 at 12:15. Mile 3 comes along about the same way, not too exciting. Down a fairly substantial hill... and I get passed. This masters fellow that was 6'5 or so brought a couple with him, now I am in 15th....I tried to remain calm, and really focus on my breathing... they were going to have to come back up the hill.

The fun begins. I swear there were weights on my competitors at this point, because I reel them in the hill, and bundle back in a group. I feel amazing going up the hills, my legs just grabbing the incline and pulling myself up. Mile 3 comes by, no worries.... 18:40. I see mitch and carol, both of which made me smile as they went by.

I now have everyone within eye sight, and a smaller gentlemen and I play tag on hills. I pull , he leads on the flats. It was great. We talked, and I realized I was ok, and was content with working on hills and breathing.
Mile 4 went by around 25:20, not what i had wanted, but not too bad. The flats hit on mile 4... and I noticed we were all doing fine, and then I looked at my watch... 7:20... no wonder everyone was still. We were all spread out approximately 40 yards or so, and thats when I decided to push. I felt fine, and had no idea why i slummed back.

Now comes the final 200m, probably the most entertaining ending of a race in my life. We sprint wide open, and both are yelling at each other to run harder. In the end, we come in at the same point, but it was still the race of a life time (well the end was...)

I catch melisa, and try to go back to find carol to push her in. I knew carol was going to come in around 37 minutes, and I see her, she looks like she wanted a 25 year old to yell at her... so yell I did. Carol pushed harder than i have seen yet. Amazing job, and she squeezed out 36:50something.

Great race, thanks for the support Mitch / Carol / Melisa