Today's the first anniversary of my 29th birthday!
And it's very busy. Sigh.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving!
Before tomorrow's trip up the parking lot otherwise known as Interstate 71, we'll be running the Turkey Trot 5-miler. The big prizes are pumpkin pies for the first 2000 finishers. I'm guessing I'm not among them, but it's something to shoot for anyway.
This year, they're even giving out whipped cream!
Then, it's off to Thanksgiving dinners both Thursday and Friday. Being married has its advantages. :) Happy Thanksgiving!
This year, they're even giving out whipped cream!
Then, it's off to Thanksgiving dinners both Thursday and Friday. Being married has its advantages. :) Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 20, 2006
A Step Forward
My fencing tournament came and went this Saturday before the big game, and it was an improvement over the last official tournament I participated in.
In the opening round-robin format, I won three of my five bouts, with one narrow 5-4 loss, and one 5-1 defeat in which I lost my concentration. That performance left me as the #4 seed in the single elimination tournament format. I received a bye in the first round, but was knocked out in the second round by the #5 seed.
In a match to 15 touches, I fell behind 10-4. I managed to climb back into the match, tying it at 13, but gave up the last two touches to lose 15-13.
Overall, I was a little disappointed not to reach the semifinals, but I realized that it was a step forward from where I stood last year. There's still a lot of room for improvement.
In the opening round-robin format, I won three of my five bouts, with one narrow 5-4 loss, and one 5-1 defeat in which I lost my concentration. That performance left me as the #4 seed in the single elimination tournament format. I received a bye in the first round, but was knocked out in the second round by the #5 seed.
In a match to 15 touches, I fell behind 10-4. I managed to climb back into the match, tying it at 13, but gave up the last two touches to lose 15-13.
Overall, I was a little disappointed not to reach the semifinals, but I realized that it was a step forward from where I stood last year. There's still a lot of room for improvement.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
What A Difference A Week Makes
Okay, so maybe it won't take as long as I thought to get back in the swing of things. Fencing last night seemed to slow down for me a bit, and I won 4 of 5 bouts. My form is still terrible, though...lucky for me I was taller than most of my opponents.
Today's training was another 20 minute treadmill run. I got in a mile at an 8:30 pace, which went okay. Maybe it's time to start building up a 2 or 3 mile base at 8:30 before I push myself to go too much faster. No shin splints, please.
Also, my fencing club is hosting a tournament on the 18th. In Columbus. On the day of the OSU-Michigan game.
*sigh*
I brought that fact to my coach's attention, and she said she'd try and schedule my event for early in the day so we can be done before the game. (I didn't tell her I'd leave mid-tournament if I had to...)
Today's training was another 20 minute treadmill run. I got in a mile at an 8:30 pace, which went okay. Maybe it's time to start building up a 2 or 3 mile base at 8:30 before I push myself to go too much faster. No shin splints, please.
Also, my fencing club is hosting a tournament on the 18th. In Columbus. On the day of the OSU-Michigan game.
*sigh*
I brought that fact to my coach's attention, and she said she'd try and schedule my event for early in the day so we can be done before the game. (I didn't tell her I'd leave mid-tournament if I had to...)
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Winter Goals
So, now that marathon season is done, what's next?
First, I'm getting back to fencing. I held off until the race was over to reduce the chance of injury ruining all those months of training. I'd still like to earn a USFA ranking, but I've got a ways to go before that happens. I went back to class last week and felt as slow as molasses. They talk about football players seeing the game slow down when they get used to a new level of competition. Towards the end of the spring, I felt like I could see what was coming in a bout, but now everything has sped up again, and I found myself going on the offensive just to keep my opponent from having a chance to attack me. Against an evenly matched opponent, that's a sure recipe for a loss.
Second, I think I'm going to prepare for a half-marathon in the spring. By doing that, I want to give myself the chance to do other activities and not burn myself out in training. I came out of Chicago with a good feeling about where I had come in my training, and I want to look for ways to build on it. I think that I can beat my half-marathon PR without a problem if I train for it. The other advantage I see to preparing for a half is that I can work more on my speed, as it doesn't require so many long runs. That way, if I did decide to do another marathon, I'd be starting from a faster base, and could work my way back up the distances.
During lunch yesterday, I went to the gym and ran some negative split half miles to see how it felt. I started at a 9:30 pace and kicked it up half a minute every half mile for two miles. That last half mile at an 8:00 pace felt pretty fast, but I also wasn't gasping for air. If I can get my body used to an 8 minute-ish pace, at least for short distances, I should be able to break my 5k PR, if nothing else!
First, I'm getting back to fencing. I held off until the race was over to reduce the chance of injury ruining all those months of training. I'd still like to earn a USFA ranking, but I've got a ways to go before that happens. I went back to class last week and felt as slow as molasses. They talk about football players seeing the game slow down when they get used to a new level of competition. Towards the end of the spring, I felt like I could see what was coming in a bout, but now everything has sped up again, and I found myself going on the offensive just to keep my opponent from having a chance to attack me. Against an evenly matched opponent, that's a sure recipe for a loss.
Second, I think I'm going to prepare for a half-marathon in the spring. By doing that, I want to give myself the chance to do other activities and not burn myself out in training. I came out of Chicago with a good feeling about where I had come in my training, and I want to look for ways to build on it. I think that I can beat my half-marathon PR without a problem if I train for it. The other advantage I see to preparing for a half is that I can work more on my speed, as it doesn't require so many long runs. That way, if I did decide to do another marathon, I'd be starting from a faster base, and could work my way back up the distances.
During lunch yesterday, I went to the gym and ran some negative split half miles to see how it felt. I started at a 9:30 pace and kicked it up half a minute every half mile for two miles. That last half mile at an 8:00 pace felt pretty fast, but I also wasn't gasping for air. If I can get my body used to an 8 minute-ish pace, at least for short distances, I should be able to break my 5k PR, if nothing else!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Marathon Pictures
Here's a couple pictures from the end of the race:
Warming up after the race
Run Dave Run! - My Mom and I after the race.
Warming up after the race
Run Dave Run! - My Mom and I after the race.Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Potery Barrn
Back to our series of homemade knock-off furniture. The office hutch is still in progress, but we decided to do another quick project in the meantime.
You'll never guess where this one came from. Our project was the bench and coat hooks in the back of the pictured room. Meredith designed the coat hooks and provided the sunflowers, while I did the bench.
Farmhouse Bench
$99
Iron Row Of Hooks
$69
You'll never guess where this one came from. Our project was the bench and coat hooks in the back of the pictured room. Meredith designed the coat hooks and provided the sunflowers, while I did the bench.
The Target:
Farmhouse Bench
$99
Iron Row Of Hooks
$69
The Solution:
Entryway Bench
1 construction-grade 2x3: $2.50
Leftover wood from other projects: $0
2 cans black spray paint: $8
Total: $10.50
Savings: $88.50
Entryway Coat Hooks
3 double coat hooks: $18
1 firring strip: $1
1 can black spray paint: $4
Total: $23
Savings: $46
Entryway Bench
1 construction-grade 2x3: $2.50
Leftover wood from other projects: $0
2 cans black spray paint: $8
Total: $10.50
Savings: $88.50
Entryway Coat Hooks
3 double coat hooks: $18
1 firring strip: $1
1 can black spray paint: $4
Total: $23
Savings: $46
Monday, October 30, 2006
Christmastime Is Here
Or so I was led to believe when I got to work today. My office is at a mall, and the giant wreath has been hung over our conference room window as of this morning.
Maybe we can just start hanging it on Labor Day?
Maybe we can just start hanging it on Labor Day?
Monday, October 23, 2006
Chicago Marathon 2006
(Note - splits and pictures to be added when I have them)
Everything pointed to a rough day. I hadn't been able to get my head in a good state for running over the last few weeks. I was so focused on getting through the last 20 mile training run that when it was over, I had a tough time remembering I still had one more run to go: the marathon itself.
We arrived in Chicago to find it a little chilly, with worse to come, according to the forecast. Saturday was to be rain all day, with it tailing off to a rain/snow mix during the race on Sunday. Meredith had helped me pick out some new cold-weather gear before we left, but I still needed a few more pieces. We hit the expo Saturday morning, and I picked up a new hat and gloves. I found it amusing that in a 40,000 participant race, my bib number was 41542.
Also at the expo was a booth allowing you to buy a tech shirt with your name/message on it for $20. We all jumped on that opportunity, and I went for "Run Dave Run". I figured if I was going to run a race with 1.5 million spectators, I might as well take advantage of it, and get some people cheering me on.
Meredith and I napped and watched football in the hotel room most of Saturday afternoon, and went out for a pasta dinner with our group in the evening. The restaurant was in the bottom floor of an office building, and was so crowded that we were actually at tables out in the building lobby. They refused to separate our checks, so a bunch of us had to run outside across the street in the rain to hit an ATM. Thanks, Rosebud Restaurants! (I will admit, their lasagna was very very good.)
Sunday morning found us facing a 40ish degree forecast, still with possible rain, according to the news. I decided on a long sleeve shirt with my "Run Dave Run" shirt over it, mesh shorts, a baseball cap, and my new gloves. Like many other runners, I brought a trash bag to put over my gear at the start line to stay warm. Unlike many other runners, mine was grabbed at the last minute before we left, and happened to be scented. Sadly, I received no compliments at the start line regarding how good I smelled.
I managed to work my way up to about to the 4:30 pace group in the starting corral, but couldn't proceed any further due to the solid wall of humanity ahead. From what I had heard, the first few miles were pretty chaotic in this race anyway, so I didn't worry too much about it. We spent the time in small talk; everyone fighting nerves and wishing each other good luck. It seemed like most people around me in the start were also second or third time marathoners. About ten minutes passed before I reached the start line after the gun sounded. (At least, I assume it sounded, I couldn't hear it.)
Mile 1: We ran up Columbus Drive out of Grant Park, passing under a bridge full of screaming spectators. That was the first moment I really realized just how many people were out on the course. It did get pretty hectic as we dipped under that bridge and over the river as the runners all dodged around people who didn't line up with their actual pace and were jogging or walking.
Mile 2: I saw Meredith's mom, which would be the only time I managed to spot anyone I knew for the entire race. I also heard my first "Run, Dave, Run!" It was certainly not be the last time I heard that.
Mile 3: Mile 3 took us back through the city as we crossed the river twice more. It was really loud through this stretch. I had a hard time keeping track of where we were, as it was overcast, and I didn't remember which street went which direction very well. The last turn in this mile faced us to the north on LaSalle St., where we would be headed for quite a while.
Mile 4: By this point, the racers started falling into better organized paces. I didn't have to keep weaving as much, although there was some amount of dodging people throughout the race. We passed a really entertaining drill team here, though I was on the wrong side of the road to get a really good look.
Mile 5: This mile continued up LaSalle St., and ended where it dropped us into Lincoln Park. That was one of the landmarks I remembered from the course map, so it let me get some bearing on where I was. I pulled out my first gel packet at this point. It was chocolate, and pretty difficult to swallow after being used to some of the thinner gel types recently. In retrospect, I was going too fast at this point, but it was tough to fight the adrenaline and desire to catch back up to my pace.
Mile 6: We curved through the park during this mile, passing a live band who sounded good. There were more people than I expected out along this stretch of the course.
Mile 7: This seemed like a pretty residential area, with a fair number of people out on the sidewalks. I started running over to the side of the road here, and got a lot of people yelling for me in return. At this point in the race, I was trying to thank everyone who yelled for me.
Mile 8: Addison Drive, the turn-around point for this longest leg out of the downtown area, was during this mile. I was feeling great at this point, but was still glad to hit another major landmark and know that I wouldn't have to run any farther from the finish line than I was here.
Mile 9: We were sort of funnelled into a smaller area of the road along this stretch, which made for a tight squeeze, but also added to the noise. It kind of reminded me of the scenes from the Tour De France where the crowd is all over the athletes, parting at the last second. The entertainment on this mile was a western theme. This was the first mile that I finally saw a pace team, the 4:00 pace group. I decided I'd try and stick with them for a while, since we were at about the same pace.
Mile 10: I passed a high school marching band that was playing "Hang On Sloopy" here, and made sure to give an O-H-I-O with my arms. My legs were still feeling great at this point of the race, and I wasn't having any of the knee issues that I sometimes have when I hit the double digit runs.
Mile 11: At this point, we could see that we were approaching the downtown area again. Somewhere in here, a girl near me tripped on a bump in the road and took a nasty fall. However, she managed to get up and keep running without looking too much worse for the wear.
Mile 12: The crowd really started getting dense at this point again, with people up on top of staircases and planters to see over the front lines.
Mile 13: Here, we came around a bend downtown to cross the river and hit the halfway point. I was really feeling good, and gave myself a little clap to get myself ready for the second half.
Mile 14: After we crossed the Dan Ryan Expressway, the crowds thinned out pretty quickly. There were still some spectators, but not nearly as many as before. Though my legs were feeling good, it was a little bit of a mental letdown to lose that level of support.
Mile 15: Mile 15 took us to our westernmost point. I was hoping this would be another good landmark for me, but I felt like I was starting to falter for the first time here. I started concentrating on staying with the pace group, rather than just running the pace that felt right.
Mile 16: We headed back toward the city during this mile. I started feeling a little better and regained the few seconds I had let the pace group advance on me.
Mile 17: The route twisted through Little Italy here, and the crowds picked up again. Again, I concentrated on keeping a short distance between myself and the pace group.
Mile 18: I don't honestly remember much from this stretch, other than feeling like I was experiencing a little bit of tunnel vision. I started getting sort of dizzy around here when we would go from daylight to the darkness under a bridge. So, I walked through my first water stop during this mile to try and give my body a little break. I don't like walking through water stops, as I find it hard to get my legs moving again, but thought it might work here.
Mile 19: Getting harder to stay with the pace group. We continued down toward the south side of town during this mile. I stopped to stretch out my hamstring that had given me trouble in the last 20 miler here. When I headed back out, I was amazed to see another 4:00 pace leader nearby, and fell back in near him.
Mile 20: Dave, meet wall. After getting caught behind some people walking during a water stop, I fell significantly back of the 4:00 pace group for the first time. This was the first firm realization I had that I didn't have the gas left to catch back up to them.
Mile 21: I continued to fall apart. Multiple walking and stretching breaks weren't helping my time any. My ankle began to hurt somewhere around this point of the race. We crossed the river for the last time during this mile.
Mile 22: Mile 22 took us through Chinatown. The crowds were pretty good here, though I had expected a little more based on hearsay from others who had run Chicago before. I did enjoy the dragon dancers at one of the turns. I started calculating how slowly I could run for the last few miles to reach different target times.
Mile 23: At this point, I was just hoping that each corner held a water stop around the bend so I could take another walking break without feeling bad about it. Of all things, I was getting these twinges from my elbows up my forearms at each step. Guess my form was getting pretty bad here, as I was probably landing on my feet pretty heavily.
Mile 24: I started to regret wearing that shirt around here. Hearing someone yell "Run, Dave, Run!" is a lot more fun when you aren't on the curb trying to stretch out your quads. From here on, it was pretty much a straight shot up Michigan Avenue, so you had a good view of what was ahead, for better or worse.
Mile 25: The streets started to be completely lined with people again during this mile. Great for encouragement, but didn't leave anywhere to stretch out. I ended up jogging backwards a few steps early in this mile since my quads were threatening to seriously cramp up here.
800m Remaining: Was that seriously only half a mile? Felt more like two. I resolved to try and run the rest of the way, cramping muscles or not. That worked pretty well until...
400m Remaining: What better to turn the corner and see than a steep (for this course) uphill climb? I was *not* excited. I made it about halfway up, but had to walk a little bit before I could reach the top. I kept stealing glances over to my left to see if I could get any encouragement from seeing the finish line, but no luck. Finally, when I reached the top and made the last turn of the course, the finish line was revealed, along with rows and rows of bleachers full of screaming people. There was no way I could keep from running with that much support out there.
I crossed the finish line at 4:10:28, approximately 34 minutes faster than I had done in Columbus the year before.
Though I had some dreams of breaking four hours, I realized that those were a best case scenario, and had set my goal at 4:15. I think I could have broken 4:10 if I ran a little slower pace for the first half, but I'm glad I took my shot at the four hour pace group. I think I could reach it if I try another marathonwith a little faster-paced training plan if I try another marathon. For this one, I had concerned myself mainly with staying healthy, rather than being a slave to my watch during every training run.
Next up is probably a half-marathon in the spring, where I'll try to break 2:00 for the first time outside of the first half of a full marathon. For some reason, my two fastest half-marathon times have come during marathons, where they don't really count.
So, it was a good experience, and a great close to the summer/fall training season. Thanks to my parents and aunt and uncle who came out for the race, and to all the friends and family from Columbus for the support!
Everything pointed to a rough day. I hadn't been able to get my head in a good state for running over the last few weeks. I was so focused on getting through the last 20 mile training run that when it was over, I had a tough time remembering I still had one more run to go: the marathon itself.
We arrived in Chicago to find it a little chilly, with worse to come, according to the forecast. Saturday was to be rain all day, with it tailing off to a rain/snow mix during the race on Sunday. Meredith had helped me pick out some new cold-weather gear before we left, but I still needed a few more pieces. We hit the expo Saturday morning, and I picked up a new hat and gloves. I found it amusing that in a 40,000 participant race, my bib number was 41542.
Also at the expo was a booth allowing you to buy a tech shirt with your name/message on it for $20. We all jumped on that opportunity, and I went for "Run Dave Run". I figured if I was going to run a race with 1.5 million spectators, I might as well take advantage of it, and get some people cheering me on.
Meredith and I napped and watched football in the hotel room most of Saturday afternoon, and went out for a pasta dinner with our group in the evening. The restaurant was in the bottom floor of an office building, and was so crowded that we were actually at tables out in the building lobby. They refused to separate our checks, so a bunch of us had to run outside across the street in the rain to hit an ATM. Thanks, Rosebud Restaurants! (I will admit, their lasagna was very very good.)
Sunday morning found us facing a 40ish degree forecast, still with possible rain, according to the news. I decided on a long sleeve shirt with my "Run Dave Run" shirt over it, mesh shorts, a baseball cap, and my new gloves. Like many other runners, I brought a trash bag to put over my gear at the start line to stay warm. Unlike many other runners, mine was grabbed at the last minute before we left, and happened to be scented. Sadly, I received no compliments at the start line regarding how good I smelled.
I managed to work my way up to about to the 4:30 pace group in the starting corral, but couldn't proceed any further due to the solid wall of humanity ahead. From what I had heard, the first few miles were pretty chaotic in this race anyway, so I didn't worry too much about it. We spent the time in small talk; everyone fighting nerves and wishing each other good luck. It seemed like most people around me in the start were also second or third time marathoners. About ten minutes passed before I reached the start line after the gun sounded. (At least, I assume it sounded, I couldn't hear it.)
Mile 1: We ran up Columbus Drive out of Grant Park, passing under a bridge full of screaming spectators. That was the first moment I really realized just how many people were out on the course. It did get pretty hectic as we dipped under that bridge and over the river as the runners all dodged around people who didn't line up with their actual pace and were jogging or walking.
Mile 2: I saw Meredith's mom, which would be the only time I managed to spot anyone I knew for the entire race. I also heard my first "Run, Dave, Run!" It was certainly not be the last time I heard that.
Mile 3: Mile 3 took us back through the city as we crossed the river twice more. It was really loud through this stretch. I had a hard time keeping track of where we were, as it was overcast, and I didn't remember which street went which direction very well. The last turn in this mile faced us to the north on LaSalle St., where we would be headed for quite a while.
Mile 4: By this point, the racers started falling into better organized paces. I didn't have to keep weaving as much, although there was some amount of dodging people throughout the race. We passed a really entertaining drill team here, though I was on the wrong side of the road to get a really good look.
Mile 5: This mile continued up LaSalle St., and ended where it dropped us into Lincoln Park. That was one of the landmarks I remembered from the course map, so it let me get some bearing on where I was. I pulled out my first gel packet at this point. It was chocolate, and pretty difficult to swallow after being used to some of the thinner gel types recently. In retrospect, I was going too fast at this point, but it was tough to fight the adrenaline and desire to catch back up to my pace.
Mile 6: We curved through the park during this mile, passing a live band who sounded good. There were more people than I expected out along this stretch of the course.
Mile 7: This seemed like a pretty residential area, with a fair number of people out on the sidewalks. I started running over to the side of the road here, and got a lot of people yelling for me in return. At this point in the race, I was trying to thank everyone who yelled for me.
Mile 8: Addison Drive, the turn-around point for this longest leg out of the downtown area, was during this mile. I was feeling great at this point, but was still glad to hit another major landmark and know that I wouldn't have to run any farther from the finish line than I was here.
Mile 9: We were sort of funnelled into a smaller area of the road along this stretch, which made for a tight squeeze, but also added to the noise. It kind of reminded me of the scenes from the Tour De France where the crowd is all over the athletes, parting at the last second. The entertainment on this mile was a western theme. This was the first mile that I finally saw a pace team, the 4:00 pace group. I decided I'd try and stick with them for a while, since we were at about the same pace.
Mile 10: I passed a high school marching band that was playing "Hang On Sloopy" here, and made sure to give an O-H-I-O with my arms. My legs were still feeling great at this point of the race, and I wasn't having any of the knee issues that I sometimes have when I hit the double digit runs.
Mile 11: At this point, we could see that we were approaching the downtown area again. Somewhere in here, a girl near me tripped on a bump in the road and took a nasty fall. However, she managed to get up and keep running without looking too much worse for the wear.
Mile 12: The crowd really started getting dense at this point again, with people up on top of staircases and planters to see over the front lines.
Mile 13: Here, we came around a bend downtown to cross the river and hit the halfway point. I was really feeling good, and gave myself a little clap to get myself ready for the second half.
Mile 14: After we crossed the Dan Ryan Expressway, the crowds thinned out pretty quickly. There were still some spectators, but not nearly as many as before. Though my legs were feeling good, it was a little bit of a mental letdown to lose that level of support.
Mile 15: Mile 15 took us to our westernmost point. I was hoping this would be another good landmark for me, but I felt like I was starting to falter for the first time here. I started concentrating on staying with the pace group, rather than just running the pace that felt right.
Mile 16: We headed back toward the city during this mile. I started feeling a little better and regained the few seconds I had let the pace group advance on me.
Mile 17: The route twisted through Little Italy here, and the crowds picked up again. Again, I concentrated on keeping a short distance between myself and the pace group.
Mile 18: I don't honestly remember much from this stretch, other than feeling like I was experiencing a little bit of tunnel vision. I started getting sort of dizzy around here when we would go from daylight to the darkness under a bridge. So, I walked through my first water stop during this mile to try and give my body a little break. I don't like walking through water stops, as I find it hard to get my legs moving again, but thought it might work here.
Mile 19: Getting harder to stay with the pace group. We continued down toward the south side of town during this mile. I stopped to stretch out my hamstring that had given me trouble in the last 20 miler here. When I headed back out, I was amazed to see another 4:00 pace leader nearby, and fell back in near him.
Mile 20: Dave, meet wall. After getting caught behind some people walking during a water stop, I fell significantly back of the 4:00 pace group for the first time. This was the first firm realization I had that I didn't have the gas left to catch back up to them.
Mile 21: I continued to fall apart. Multiple walking and stretching breaks weren't helping my time any. My ankle began to hurt somewhere around this point of the race. We crossed the river for the last time during this mile.
Mile 22: Mile 22 took us through Chinatown. The crowds were pretty good here, though I had expected a little more based on hearsay from others who had run Chicago before. I did enjoy the dragon dancers at one of the turns. I started calculating how slowly I could run for the last few miles to reach different target times.
Mile 23: At this point, I was just hoping that each corner held a water stop around the bend so I could take another walking break without feeling bad about it. Of all things, I was getting these twinges from my elbows up my forearms at each step. Guess my form was getting pretty bad here, as I was probably landing on my feet pretty heavily.
Mile 24: I started to regret wearing that shirt around here. Hearing someone yell "Run, Dave, Run!" is a lot more fun when you aren't on the curb trying to stretch out your quads. From here on, it was pretty much a straight shot up Michigan Avenue, so you had a good view of what was ahead, for better or worse.
Mile 25: The streets started to be completely lined with people again during this mile. Great for encouragement, but didn't leave anywhere to stretch out. I ended up jogging backwards a few steps early in this mile since my quads were threatening to seriously cramp up here.
800m Remaining: Was that seriously only half a mile? Felt more like two. I resolved to try and run the rest of the way, cramping muscles or not. That worked pretty well until...
400m Remaining: What better to turn the corner and see than a steep (for this course) uphill climb? I was *not* excited. I made it about halfway up, but had to walk a little bit before I could reach the top. I kept stealing glances over to my left to see if I could get any encouragement from seeing the finish line, but no luck. Finally, when I reached the top and made the last turn of the course, the finish line was revealed, along with rows and rows of bleachers full of screaming people. There was no way I could keep from running with that much support out there.
I crossed the finish line at 4:10:28, approximately 34 minutes faster than I had done in Columbus the year before.
Though I had some dreams of breaking four hours, I realized that those were a best case scenario, and had set my goal at 4:15. I think I could have broken 4:10 if I ran a little slower pace for the first half, but I'm glad I took my shot at the four hour pace group. I think I could reach it if I try another marathonwith a little faster-paced training plan if I try another marathon. For this one, I had concerned myself mainly with staying healthy, rather than being a slave to my watch during every training run.
Next up is probably a half-marathon in the spring, where I'll try to break 2:00 for the first time outside of the first half of a full marathon. For some reason, my two fastest half-marathon times have come during marathons, where they don't really count.
So, it was a good experience, and a great close to the summer/fall training season. Thanks to my parents and aunt and uncle who came out for the race, and to all the friends and family from Columbus for the support!
Friday, July 28, 2006
One week, 3 cities, 20 miles...
I am the winner of the amazing 20 mile challenge race!
I know it's not a lot of miles for those hardcore runners out there, but it was a pretty rare week where I ran all five weekdays. Now, I've got my group run Saturday, and we're planning on a 10 mile race on Sunday if it's not too hot. So, that'll be seven straight days. Monday will be nice!
I know it's not a lot of miles for those hardcore runners out there, but it was a pretty rare week where I ran all five weekdays. Now, I've got my group run Saturday, and we're planning on a 10 mile race on Sunday if it's not too hot. So, that'll be seven straight days. Monday will be nice!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Midweek Challenge Update
Just a quick update to the 20 Mile Challenge. It's Wednesday, and I have 13 miles out of the way. Looking good for a successful week!
Today's run was a nice easy 3 miler to let my legs recover. They were complaining last night about the increased mileage, so I tried to appease them today. They also demanded ice cream later tonight, and I told them I'd see what I could do.
Today's run was a nice easy 3 miler to let my legs recover. They were complaining last night about the increased mileage, so I tried to appease them today. They also demanded ice cream later tonight, and I told them I'd see what I could do.
Monday, July 24, 2006
20 Mile Challenge
My lovely wife proposed a challenge this week: 20 miles of daily runs before Saturday. I've not been great about sticking to the distances on my training schedule so far. Maybe this will give me some incentive to get those longer daily runs in.
So far, so good. I ran 5 miles before work today. 15 to go!
So far, so good. I ran 5 miles before work today. 15 to go!
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Krate and Barrul
One of our favorite stores to browse is Crate and Barrel. Both Meredith and I love a lot of their furniture, but a lot of it is also out of our league financially.
What's the solution? Knock-offs! Our strategy now is to find some great designs there and make it ourselves.
Project 1: Bathroom Floor Mirror
The Target:
Parsons Floor Mirror
$429
The Solution:
White Wooden Floor Mirror
$80 for mirror, $40 for wood and paint = $120
Savings: $309
What's the solution? Knock-offs! Our strategy now is to find some great designs there and make it ourselves.
Project 1: Bathroom Floor Mirror
The Target:
Parsons Floor Mirror
$429
White Wooden Floor Mirror$80 for mirror, $40 for wood and paint = $120
Savings: $309
Project 2: Dining Room Table
The Target:
Hawthorne Dining Set (Discontinued, similar Provence set pictured)
Table: $1,999 + 6 Chairs: 6x$399 = $4393
Breadboard Style Dining Set
Wood + Supplies: $100, 6 Chairs: $800 = $900
Savings: $3493
The Target:
Hawthorne Dining Set (Discontinued, similar Provence set pictured)
Table: $1,999 + 6 Chairs: 6x$399 = $4393
The Solution:
Breadboard Style Dining SetWood + Supplies: $100, 6 Chairs: $800 = $900
Savings: $3493
We bought the chairs from Unfinished Wood Furniture, and had them finished. (Chairs are still above my skill level) The table is solid pine, somewhat distressed, and should continue to distress with use.
The best part of the table project was the source of the wood. All the wood in the table except the legs came from the stash of wood my grandpa had collected over the years. My grandma recently sold her house, and there were stacks and stacks of wood planks left in the garage. I took some of the less warped pieces, and used part of it to make a table that should be in our house for years and years.
Project 3: Office Armoire
The Target:
Hideaway Home Office Armoire
In progress. This one will be more different from the source than the others. We want the style to match the dining table, since it's in the same area, so it'll be more rustic than the pictured one.
The best part of the table project was the source of the wood. All the wood in the table except the legs came from the stash of wood my grandpa had collected over the years. My grandma recently sold her house, and there were stacks and stacks of wood planks left in the garage. I took some of the less warped pieces, and used part of it to make a table that should be in our house for years and years.
Project 3: Office Armoire
The Target:
Hideaway Home Office ArmoireIn progress. This one will be more different from the source than the others. We want the style to match the dining table, since it's in the same area, so it'll be more rustic than the pictured one.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Unwanted
Today is my first morning with nothing stronger than Advil in my system. Not feeling great, but I think I'm improving slowly and steadily.
So, I drove off to the office, not really looking forward to sitting there all day. When I arrived, I unlocked the front door and let myself in. I put away my lunch in the fridge, and went to my office, only to find it locked. Our offices are never locked, and I don't even have a key to it.
After looking at my coworker's office next door (unlocked, naturally), it looked like a pretty simple mechanism. I tried every card in my wallet that I didn't care about messing up the edges, but I couldn't manage to pick it. So, here I am at home to work rather than having to sit there in the hallway two hours until the person with the keys arrived.
I guess they're not that eager to have me back.
So, I drove off to the office, not really looking forward to sitting there all day. When I arrived, I unlocked the front door and let myself in. I put away my lunch in the fridge, and went to my office, only to find it locked. Our offices are never locked, and I don't even have a key to it.
After looking at my coworker's office next door (unlocked, naturally), it looked like a pretty simple mechanism. I tried every card in my wallet that I didn't care about messing up the edges, but I couldn't manage to pick it. So, here I am at home to work rather than having to sit there in the hallway two hours until the person with the keys arrived.
I guess they're not that eager to have me back.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Recovery
Well, things are a little happier now that I'm on my painkiller schedule. Waking up was pretty painful, though I did sleep through the night ok.
Apparently, I was pretty entertaining yesterday when coming down from the anesthesia. I guess I let Meredith know that the assistant for the procedure was Canadian three or four times, and kept insisting, "I'm fine!".
I didn't get the chance to post about it before the appointment, but I ran in the "Run For The Rainbow" 5k in New Albany on Tuesday. I missed out on a personal best by about 30 seconds, but having just started training again, I was pretty happy. It certainly wasn't for lack of effort - it was probably the hardest I've run in a 5k, but my body just wouldn't quite let me sprint in the last couple hundred yards.
Apparently, I was pretty entertaining yesterday when coming down from the anesthesia. I guess I let Meredith know that the assistant for the procedure was Canadian three or four times, and kept insisting, "I'm fine!".
I didn't get the chance to post about it before the appointment, but I ran in the "Run For The Rainbow" 5k in New Albany on Tuesday. I missed out on a personal best by about 30 seconds, but having just started training again, I was pretty happy. It certainly wasn't for lack of effort - it was probably the hardest I've run in a 5k, but my body just wouldn't quite let me sprint in the last couple hundred yards.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Spring Pictures
Here's our walkway. Our daisies looked pretty sad over the winter, but are exploding now! We also put in some solar powered lights in the flowerbed.
Snapdragons in a field of petunias.
Delphinium after the rain.
Daisy ready for its close-up.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Like Pulling Teeth
Quite literally.
This Wednesday, I get to have all four of my wisdom teeth removed. Anyone out there have horror stories (or even better, "it's not so bad" stories) I should hear?
Got a bunch of other stuff to catch up on as well. I had a novice fencing tournament a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, only three people showed for my division, but I did finish in second place. I missed out on the gold medal by one touch, losing the final bout 15-14.
Also have some new pictures around the house to show, but those will have to wait for now.
This Wednesday, I get to have all four of my wisdom teeth removed. Anyone out there have horror stories (or even better, "it's not so bad" stories) I should hear?
Got a bunch of other stuff to catch up on as well. I had a novice fencing tournament a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, only three people showed for my division, but I did finish in second place. I missed out on the gold medal by one touch, losing the final bout 15-14.
Also have some new pictures around the house to show, but those will have to wait for now.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Wrong Number?
I just got a call on my cell phone.
Me: "Hello?"
Woman: "Do I have the wrong number?"
Me: "Umm...I don't know?"
In retrospect, my response should have been:
Me: "Were you calling me?"
Me: "Hello?"
Woman: "Do I have the wrong number?"
Me: "Umm...I don't know?"
In retrospect, my response should have been:
Me: "Were you calling me?"
Monday, May 01, 2006
Tournament Postmortem, Spring
I got the official results from the tournament, and I did indeed finish dead last. What I didn't expect was that I wasn't far from climbing out of the cellar. One more touch (or one fewer against) would have brought me up to second last.
Also, my opponent in the elimination round ended up winning the whole tournament. So that makes me feel pretty good, and our bout was actually tied for his closest score until the final.
I had the opportunity to get outside and work on our flowerbeds a little this weekend, which were being overgrown by our suddenly vibrant grass. It looks like everything expected to come back has indeed sprouted. In addition, a peony we planted last year and gave up on seems to have broken ground. (Much to the chagrin of another plant right on top of it)
This week also marked the arrival of some plants I ordered online. Who knew you could do that? There were a couple varieties I didn't think I would find in local stores, so I hopped on The Growers Exchange and put in an order. The plants all arrived in good condition a few days later, and are now basking in the sun on the front porch. I got a pineapple sage, a catsmint, and two calibrachoa, which kind of look like miniature petunias.
Also, my opponent in the elimination round ended up winning the whole tournament. So that makes me feel pretty good, and our bout was actually tied for his closest score until the final.
I had the opportunity to get outside and work on our flowerbeds a little this weekend, which were being overgrown by our suddenly vibrant grass. It looks like everything expected to come back has indeed sprouted. In addition, a peony we planted last year and gave up on seems to have broken ground. (Much to the chagrin of another plant right on top of it)
This week also marked the arrival of some plants I ordered online. Who knew you could do that? There were a couple varieties I didn't think I would find in local stores, so I hopped on The Growers Exchange and put in an order. The plants all arrived in good condition a few days later, and are now basking in the sun on the front porch. I got a pineapple sage, a catsmint, and two calibrachoa, which kind of look like miniature petunias.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Not Just A Fencer
I can also make the one-handed catch in the high stakes of a flag football game. Please also note the look of awe in the background. *pats self on back*
(Thanks Chris for taking the picture!)
Later during the game, my roughly 10-year-old shorts were nearly ripped in two by an overzealous defender, leaving me to walk off the field holding them around my waist to keep myself decent in mixed company. Fortunately I was wearing clean underwear that day, because I think quite a few folks got to see a good portion of it.
(Thanks Chris for taking the picture!)
Later during the game, my roughly 10-year-old shorts were nearly ripped in two by an overzealous defender, leaving me to walk off the field holding them around my waist to keep myself decent in mixed company. Fortunately I was wearing clean underwear that day, because I think quite a few folks got to see a good portion of it.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Ready? Fence!
Sunday marked my long delayed return to fencing. I fenced off and on for about two years in college, but hadn't picked up a foil in around seven years. A club opened up just down the road from us, and I decided to give it a shot. So, I took classes for a few months, and I took my meager skills on the road to scenic Ada, Ohio, for the 2006 Ohio Northern University Fencing Open.Fencing tournaments have two stages. The first stage is the pools, in which small groups of fencers compete in a round-robin format. The results from the pools are used to seed the competitors for the direct elimination (DE) bracket. In this part, it's one loss and you're done for the day.
My goals were three: Score a touch, Be competitive, and Win a Bout. Two out of three isn't so bad, I guess. I started off pretty tentative in my pool bouts. Instead of going after my opponents, I let them come to me, which didn't work out so well. I lost my four pool bouts 5-2, 5-1, 5-0, and 5-2. I had accomplished my first goal of just scoring a touch, but I wasn't able to keep the score close in any of my bouts.Unfortunately, the results of my pool bouts put me at the bottom of the barrel for the DE bracket. The #1 seed had a first round bye, so I wound up fencing the #2 seed, who had already beaten me in the pools. However, I now realized I had nothing to lose, and could fence more aggressively.
After falling behind a couple points to start the bout, I found myself able to stay with my opponent. 3-1 turned into 5-3, and to 7-4. At the first break, I found myself only down 10-6! I was pretty excited that I was able to keep things respectable against a quality opponent.
After the break, I scored the first touch to bring the score to 10-7. Unfortunately, my opponent was prepared with some tactics I haven't learned to counter at this point, and rolled off five straight points to close the bout at 15-7. A loss, perhaps, but I count it as a moral victory, and fulfillment of my second goal: to be competitive.
As for the third goal of winning a bout...well, that will have to wait until another day. I think I learned some things Sunday that will help prepare me for the next tournament I enter. The current plan is for a local novice tournament on May 27 to be my next challenge.
Testing...testing...
Hi everyone! Just wanted to serve notice that I'm going to be posting again after a long absence. Got some new and hopefully interesting things going on, which should be posted this evening.
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