Bellevue 5K

Today was a good day. The weather welcomed us with sunshine and the warmest race day we've seen this year. I thought about wearing shorts. Then I stood in front of the mirror staring at my bone white legs and decided to wear my tights. I mean running pants. Hey, I didn't do it for me, I was thinking about the safety of others....little kids....weak hearts....women screaming.

Even better was that the three of us were back running together again. Albert was in top form and Sharon though recovering from mouth surgery, joined us. But wait, there's more! Jerry (recently back from his debut at the Boston Marathon) was there to watch, cheer, and snap a few photos. Joining the run was Nicole Rad who just the week before called me out, stating that she would (cover your eyes kids) kick my ass - you can bet there will be more on that later, hang tight. Her husband Jason also ran (his first 5K I believe). With them, Tori. I saw her on the course as she blew by me during mile 2....while going uphill....didn't even appear impacted by the rise in elevation (I was looking for a rope-tow). We also got to meet Kate and her son Lucas. They came to watch Albert. Kate and Albert are....humm, how would I phrase this? It's very likely that both will read this blog and I don't want to mis-speak. They've been on a date, only one I think. All I can say after meeting her and seeing their interaction is that another date is likely in the cards. Kate is very nice and so easy to talk to. She and Lucas joined us for the post Starbucks tradition and she fit in like she'd been around us forever. Lucas was the perfect gentleman (4 years old I think). He didn't fidget once and we all know how boring adults can be to the young.

Ok, the race. The official results listed 431 runners. I have first hand knowledge that there were actually 432. What? An extra runner? Could someone have snuck into this race without paying? We runners call them bandits. They run without a bib (number), they run without care, they run without paying....Today that was our friend Sharon. To her defense she was coming off mouth surgery and wasn't sure she'd be able to run. In fact she brought a camera to take pictures. So....after a warm up jog she looks at me and says - and I quote - "I'll run with you". Thank you I say, with you pacing me I'll be sure and beat Nicole and have a good run. "Done" she says. It's important to mention that a pacer will normally run next to you or a step ahead to keep you motivated and hitting a specific pace. The starting gun goes off and we're moving. A great pace. I ask Sharon to run a yard in front of me to I can focus on her and not think about my pace. She nods and rolls up in front of me. Sweet, this race is going to rock! Reality hits. By the time I've covered a half mile she's so far in front of me that I can no longer see her. I think to call out but then I'd just look like some crazy guy running alone. It was nice while it lasted and I think to myself that I'll have to thank her for the half mile pacing and remember next time to be clear that I'd like the whole 3.1 miles.....I check my GPS and I'm running under a 7:00 minute pace. @&#@! I've never done that. I manage my best ever first mile at 7:02 - thank you Sharon for showing me that I do have it in me even though I have trouble finding it myself. I'm feeling great and ahead of me runners are turning left.....

Left.....yes, I turned left. As I did I looked ahead and saw the longest hill/incline I'd seen in a long time. Wait a frickin minute I'm thinking to myself, the website said "Fast flat course". If that guy thinks this is flat then he must be in heaven at Hooters. Ok, we all might be in heaven at Hooters but geez, those buffalo wings are simply the best....Halfway up this hill was when Nicole's friend Tori passed me. Don't worry, she wasn't alone. Seemed like the whole city of Bellevue was passing me. They weren't of course but I did have a moment of self pity as well as echo's of Albert and Sharon telling me to run hills as part of my training. I'll listen to them next time.

The rest of the race was seemingly uneventful. I was taxed. Started faster than I should have and wasn't ready for the hill. Even so, I had a good run. My target was 23:30 and I came in at 23:29. 43rd out of 431, and finished 8th in my age division. Six weeks until I hit 50 and a new division awaits - I'll be ready. Albert again stood tall. He set a personal record! 20:24.....BAM! 9th out of 431...9th! He was 3rd in his division. I didn't see him run. After the first couple minutes he was gone. Destiny was waiting for him. How about our little bandit? Unofficially she came in second in the women's division. The first place finisher hit the line at 20:38 and the official second place finisher registered 22:23. Sharon wasn't that far behind first place so look out for her at the next race. I see a PR comin!

Nicole Rad. The woman that called me out. I could say that I beat her by 2:14 and do a little dance but I'm a crappy dancer and what good would that do anyway? Instead I will say that Nicole has impressed me. I remember when she told me she was going to start running. Hearing stories of her progress and success. She has trained hard and not once backed down from one of her goals. It's easy to give up and it takes something special to push forward when you know it's going to hurt. Today she ran a 25:43, was 92nd out of 431, 6th in her division, and ran a 8:18 pace. It was a personal record!!! Keep it up Nicole, you are a runner!

St. Patrick's Day Dash

I don't know where to start. I like people, really I do. For the most part they are kind, polite, and pick up after their dogs. Maybe this run just wasn't for me. Don't get me wrong, every person I met was kind, polite, and the bottom of my shoes held no special surprises. But from a runners point of view, today was a madhouse! The official results aren't in yet so I can only share the numbers I heard. Approximately 7,500 people....I ran in the green wave which was reported to consist of a few thousand runners (there were 4 waves).

The weather. Isn't Spring next week? Good Golly Miss Molly it was snowing today....flakes the size of golf balls and coming down as if someone shook a snow globe. Luckily the snow ended during the run or maybe I just got used to it. I'm one of those runners that attempts to concentrate on my form while I run but my mind slips in and out of consciousness. Relax your shoulders....I'm cold.....breathe easy....a 12 year old girl just passed me....short strides....how much further....

Back to the madhouse. Let me say first that this event was very well organized and kept very close to the posted schedule - impressive. I'm there to try and run this event in 30 minutes - the posted distance was 3.75 miles. IPod set and my Garmin Forerunner 305 would help me keep pace. The countdown concluded and the race began. We started moving forward and I got a light jog going. I looked over at the girl next to me (does it seem like there is always a girl next to me?) and she was walking - my Garmin showed a 20 minute pace. Not a great start.

The first mile had pockets that I could dash through and then we'd bottleneck. Going around a corner I just missed a fire hydrant - I'll just say that had I hit it at the angle I was going, I might have qualified for the women's division in the next race. A chunk of mile two was all incline - not huge but wow, it was sucking the air right out of me. A few passed me and I passed my share. We made the turn and I knew there wasn't more than 1.5 miles to go and I found that provided a little extra confidence. Maybe those 800 sprints really do help....At mile one I had a 7:42 pace, mile two at 8:22 (sad) and mile three 7:43. Ready for the good news? The last .88 averaged a pace of 7:18...good to know I had something left in the furnace. I could have puked when I crossed the finish line but I was too tired. Nothing left and my legs were taxed. Notice anything odd? Add that up and you have me at 3.88 miles and the course was 3.75. All I can figure is that I had to run back and forth many times to find holes to run through in order to find space and that added about a tenth of a mile. Race metrics: 49 of 329 in my division, 506 of 3422 men, 625 of 7245 total (means 119 women smoked me), 8:04 per mile pace.

7,500 people and I felt like I was running alone. Albert and Sharon make running fun. We kid around before the race, have our pre-race warm-up, and share our stories after we cross the finish line. Post race is always a stop at Starbucks. At that point it doesn't matter if you sucked or had a great run, we've laughed and set our sights on the next race. I missed my friends today.

LaConner Smelt Run

Speed was king today and the couple hundred runners didn't disappoint. This was one of those races where you look around and everyone looks like a runner. I'm not talking about sleek running clothes, high end shoes, and watches that not only tell time but provide heart rate, pace, intervals, and remind you to pee before you run. I'm talking toned bodies. Healthy looking people. Butts that don't continue to giggle for a few minutes after the person stops moving....

This race was my coming out. Or coming back I should say. I haven't trained much but did arrive with inhaler in hand. For me today wasn't so much about speed as it was about getting back in the groove, running and breathing, being part of the running scene, and having that feeling of achievement when you cross the finish line. I did have some speed though today was not the best time I've recorded - it smoked my last two races however. Before I get too cocky, let me say that I see-sawed with a runner during the race. He was ahead then I overtook him. He'd overtake me. He was ahead on the home stretch and I was hurting. I pushed and crossed the finish line a few steps before him. Ha! I thought to myself. Who's the man now! Then I saw the results board and while I beat him, I looked at his age. He was 66.....He's the man.

I managed a 23:30 (7:32 minute pace), came in 37th overall, and the best part was that after crossing the finish line I was able to take full breaths....who would have thought that would ever be a highlight for me??? It was a hard run but improvement is now more a matter of conditioning than anything else. Later today my training plan will be set for the next 5K....thanks Sharon.

Speaking of Sharon....she ran very well today. Not well if you ask her but very well if you ask anyone else. She sets high expectations for herself and doesn't (but should) take time to celebrate her victories. She ran a 21:19 (6:51 minute pace), came in 21st overall. Better yet, in the woman's division she was 2nd. She led most of the race and was leading down the home stretch. She was passed before the finish. Who stole 1st place from our 40 year old friend? How about a 20 year old who runs for Western. The difference was 3 seconds. All I can say is way to go Sharon - that girl was half your age and she had to give all those young legs had to give to squeak in the win. Sharon won her age group and walked away with a medal. I wonder what that would feel like...pretty freakin good I think.

Note the new photos to the left - big thanks to Albert for bringing his camera. Albert....talk about speed. He came in 16th overall with a blistering 20:50 (6:42 minute pace). This course was an out and back and I saw him coming back and he was movin. Gads that guy can make speed look easy. I think he actually smiles when he runs. My face is a grimace, I'm sucking air, snotty nose, and an occasional drool. Albert was king of the one liners today and had us in stitches.

Today was a good day. If you don't run, try it. Walk....Jog....Run....you'll feel better because of it and if you're lucky like me, you'll find running buddies as special as mine. They support you but aren't afraid to push you to the next level.

The Inhaler 5K

Today was the day. The test. The day to answer the question of whether or not my exercise inhaler would help....or would it be a return trip to see my friendly doctor. I admit I was feeling nervous about the run. A good run and recovery meant good news. Anything else would be doggy doo.

Sharon was eager to come and pace me. I knew she'd push me and since she has recently completed lot's of CPR type trainings, I was eager for her to be there too. We walked a lap and then jogged one. Hitting the starting line, we began our 3.1 mile journey. Sharon claims that I was pissy - needed to have my water in a certain place, had to start at a certain point on the track, etc. Come on, you all know me...pissy? Ok, maybe a little but it was more about following a routine to help settle myself in.

The plan was to run at an 8:00 pace. The would be faster than my last run (8:29) and the doctor wanted me to push myself. My last two 5K's sucked at an 8:05 pace so I thought if I could manage an 8:00 it would be a good test. The first mile averaged 7:40 and I felt it. I also noticed Sharon was no longer next to me but 10 yards in front. This actually helped me as I could focus on her instead of the endless looping track. It also helped me concentrate because I couldn't find a rhythm in my run.

At the two mile mark I had to slip off the track for a quick pee and then I was back in. The last mile was tough but it was probably a mix of being out of shape (deconditioned as Sharon puts it) and well, being deconditioned. My trusty Garmin showed 3.1 miles completed and though tired, I wasn't doubled over fighting for air - wow, it felt good to NOT struggle for air. We walked a lap and headed for our post run tradition, a Starbucks 16oz, single shot, non-fat, low foam, 180 degree latte.

My post run cough has been minimal and I plugged my Garmin into the computer to see how I did. Turns out I averaged a 7:33 pace....Sweet....My heart rate was high but that is all about conditioning. My running buddies will help me back to that world and I know much of the work to do will suck, some will hurt, and I might even get a little pissy. But at the end of the day, it will be worth it when I cross the next finish line and see the clock smiling at me.

My Personal 5K

I can't count the number of doctor appointments and tests I've experienced over the past two weeks. For a guy who does his best to avoid the doctor, I'm beginning to get into the groove. I know my Group Health number by heart and am starting to recognize the voices of the receptionists. I keep a roll of twenties in my pocket for the co-pay...

Friday was the stress test. Must have been a slow day because I had a doctor, an assistant, and a student. After a quick weigh in I stripped off my shirt. The assistant took a long look (it seemed long to me) at my chest, looked at the student and said, we'll have to shave it. Granted it seems like I have more hair on my chest than on my head but really, shave it? She pulled out a dry bic razor and with Ninga like moves, carved out two nice square sections on my chest before I knew it was happening. They plastered round stickies all over me and hooked me up to about a dozen or so wires.

Stepped on the treadmill and smoked it. That's all I can say. We went through multiple stages and finally the doctor shut it down. It felt good to hear the student say that I must be a runner - as a runner you gotta like that! The verdict is that I have a healthy heart. A healthy heart and two squares as smooth as a baby's butt on my chest....

I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday to get the results of the pulmonary tests from the week before. Oh, the doctor at the hospital wants to CAT scan my chest to be sure my lungs are ok. A precaution she says. I was feeling better before I heard the words "CAT scan".

They've put me on an inhaler as right now it might be asthma. Two shots in the morning and two in the evening. I feel a little strange after each shot but if it helps, cool.

So today the sun was out and I thought I'd try a little jog around the track at the local high school. I had my cell phone in case I dropped on the track...After the first mile I decided to make it two and after two I thought I'd try to get out 3.1 or the same distance as a 5K. Mentally that would be good for me. I made it. It wasn't fast. I averaged a 8:29 pace but I felt better than I have in a long time. It was not without a cough/wheeze when I was done but it wasn't anything like what I had been experiencing. It was a good day. More to come as my appointments wrap up. Until then, Run...Don't jog.

Valentine's Dash - Love 'em or Leave 'em

They left me... Before you feel too bad for me, I actually didn't run the race. I didn't even walk it. I did go to the race however and attempted a warm up and after less than a half mile I knew my day was done. I should backup and give a little background. I have been feeling a tightness in my chest and have not been able to take full breaths when running. No mom, this isn't the time to call me. I'm fine. I will be sure and wear clean underwear (just in case).

I did see the doctor last week and after listening to my chest she ordered an EKG and chest x-rays. The good news is that the x-rays appeared fine and my resting heart rate is 57. The other news is that she wants to be sure my heart is as big and healthy as you all know it is. I have a pulmonary appointment on Thursday and a stress test on the 17th. Doctors orders are simply this - no physical exertion until the results are in. Good thing I've added Benefiber to my diet recently. What a story that would be - 49 year old man found slumped over the toilet, pants at his knees, film at eleven.

Of course with my vast medical background I decided to warm up with Albert and Sharon. I think I made it a half mile before my lungs seemed to be running without the benefit of air. Yes mom, I stopped. See, I'm only stupid some of the time. At any rate, I will update my blog after the various appointments and you can decide if I need a small dose of pity or my ass kicked to get back out there running. Honestly I would love to feel your respective feet on my back end because it would mean good news.

Ok, back to the race. I admit it wasn't easy for me to see a couple thousand runners take off at the sound of the starting horn and not being in the pack. What was harder however was going to the registration tent and turning in my timing chip and telling them that I wasn't running - they charge you $30 if your chip isn't returned so I didn't have a choice (I'm cheap).

Sharon was running with a chest cold and Albert (big heart) ran with her for encouragement. I say this because he would have had a faster time and possible gave up a PR (personal record) to help her through the race. They both came in with an amazing time of 21:09 (6:50 pace). Sharon finished 7th of 229 in her division and Albert was 19 of 130 in his. Incredible results! Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Albert's brother Jerry ran the 5K as well. His warm up wasn't the typical mile and light stretching that most do. No, Jerry ran to Green Lake from Renton....over 17 miles. He had a few minutes to rest and then ran the 5K. I believe he finished before Sharon and Albert. He is crazy good and is training for the Boston marathon.

I look forward to the next 10 days and completing my tests and finding out what's going on. Stay tuned. I'm open to your positive thoughts and in the meantime, I'll keep tossing down the benefiber.

Resolution Run

What a great way to start the year...running. Really, I mean that. It did mean that New Year's Eve was an early night. We toasted with sparkling apple cider when the ball dropped and then quickly decided that it was time to get some sleep. While that might sound like a late night, we celebrated the ball dropping in New York - so by 9:30 we were ready for a visit from the Sandman. He didn't disappoint.

Granted I wasn't completely convinced that this race was a good idea. I've been fighting off a bit of a chest cold and the thought of running wasn't having the charm it normally does. "Run for fun" was the mantra Sharon sang. It's easy to hear but not easy to do. I'm at the point in my running where I want to beat my previous time every time. You can't do this running for fun. The time clock is your enemy. At any rate, Albert and Sharon were all in and I enjoy running with them so there you go.

It was a bit on the cold side. Better than the Jingle Bell run but I do look forward to a warm Spring run. Needless to say it was another hat and gloves race (I made the mistake of wearing a coat too). This run gave you the option of taking the "polar bear" plunge at the end. As I was signing up (yes, race day registration - big mistake) John Curley from Evening Magazine was next to me. He asked if I was going to take the dip and I replied that only crazy people do that. He told me he was going to take the plunge - it'll feel good! He certainly didn't seem crazy to me and likely was thinking I was a bit of a girly man. I just straightened my skirt and walked away.

The course was not so great. Lot's of puddles, bumps in the asphalt, and mud. It wasn't all bad but mix that with cold weather and it has a stronger impact. Oh and least I forget, I'd like to thank all the SLOW runners who refused to line up according to their running ability and clogged up the first half mile. It was fun running around you which meant more puddles and mud than I and others would have experienced. Thank you yes, I do feel better now.

I struggled on this run and it was my slowest time in a year. 25:13 or an 8:08 pace. Not a proud moment for me and I could easily blame it on my cold or my sore ankle that put me out of running for seven weeks. In reality, I've not pushed myself hard enough in my training. I've taken the easy road a few too many times and I tell you right now that will change. I have a revised training plan (thanks Sharon) that starts Sunday and my next race will be better. I did manage to finish 12th out of 40 in my division.

How did my buddies do? Albert (the fastest 5Ker of the gang) ran an incredible 21:16 (6:52 pace) and finished 6th out of 40 in his division. I'm always amazed at how smooth he looks when he runs. Seems effortless yet cruises. Sharon did very well also. She ran a 22:30 (7:16 pace) and finished 8th out of 68 in her division. As usual she wasn't happy with her time. How can someone be 3 minutes faster than me and not be happy? I must have really sucked. Now where did I put that dress....