Hey Penguins! Its Thursday So That Means The New Newspaper Is Out! Sweet Huh? Heres The Cover!

Coins For Change Results Are In!

More People Gave To The Environment, I Gave To Them All What About You?

Rockhopper Blabbering On About Coins For Change

Now! The Igloo Contest Results!

I Didnt Enter My Iggy But We Gangsta Like That

These Are The Very Deserving Winners!

Did You Enter Your Iggy?

Coming Soon Is The Golden Puffle Play! I Hope It Brings Golden Puffles! But I Think It Will Just Be A Statue In A Egyptian Tomb

The Catalog Cheats Are Soon Too! Ill Post Them As Fast As I Can! The Fireworks Too! WOOT!

Cool Huh?

Arent Following Freddy On Twitter? You Should! He Chats To His Fans ALOT! Click Here!

- Freddyp9

Hey! It Looks Like Coins For Change And Igloo Contest Is Over!

But Never to Mind, You Can Still Do Cool Stuff Like -

Igloo Contest Closed. Awe, Though My Igloos Still Halloween, We Dont Enter Cos Were Gangsta Like That

Hey! It seems that Aunt Artic has arrived on the snowy island!

Heres some tips on finding her -

• She wears a pink hat, black glasses, and a pencil behind her ear.
• She normally goes on servers that have 3-4 bars.
• She is normally in the full rooms.
• Her favorite servers are Mammoth and Blizzard

This is her playercard -

This is her background -

I Suggest You Try Several Xat tracking groups too.

Arent Following Freddy On Twitter? You should! He Gave ANOTHER Rare Peng Out Today! Click Here!

- Freddyp9

Santas’ in the Sun!

The Strathclyde 5k Santa run is certainly one of the more surreal events I have taken part in. I was persuaded by my jog Scotland pals to join them this year. Arriving at the registration and chip pick up area (yes, they do provide chip timing for Santas) we were greeted by the largest collection of Santas, Rudolphs and Snowmen I have ever seen. The atmosphere was great, with (almost) everyone taking part in the spirit of the event, and the weather was perfect – a bit cold and cloudy but dry and not much wind. After the mass warm up, we all walked along the edge of the loch to the start. The first K was tricky as there were almost 500 runners on the loch path, but once we had sorted ourselves out a bit it got easier. Eileen and I ran together for the first 2K, then I decided I was actually doing ok and started to speed up a bit. Most of the route is flat, the path around the loch is pretty easy to run on and even the ‘undulations’ are pretty short and easy to negotiate.
Running past Santas and Snowmen is a bit odd, and I should apologise to Frosty – I think I splashed him as I ran through a deeper than expected puddle – I just hope his leg did not melt too much! The last K was great, running along the end of the loch and all I could see in front and behind me were a long line of Christmas characters – lots of fun. My final time was 26:28, a PB for a Santa run (well it was also my first Santa run) and actually a pretty good time for me for 5K, especially since I really was not thinking about a time at all for the first 2k.
Finlay also did extremely well, finishing first in the 50+ male category, although with his St Trinian’s style Santa outfit (red elf suit, tie, blonde wig with bunches and Santa hat) he could have got put into the wrong category!
I would certainly do it again and I now feel like Christmas has started. I do feel, however, that if you are not wearing at least a token Santa hat then you should not be allowed to win!

Un año más he asistido a la carrera de navidad celebrada el pasado domingo, en Cercedilla (Madrid). Se trata de una de las carreras populares de montaña más numerosas de España, en lo que a participación se refiere. En su VI edición ha contado con más de 2.000 inscritos a la prueba. Para tratarse de una prueba de montaña estamos hablando de mucha gente, lo cual es un problema si lo que esperamos es ir a correr, pero si lo que esperamos es una fiesta y una escusa para reunirse un montón de amigos del trail running, esta prueba es la mejor. Como todos los años, para mi es motivo de doble alegría, en primer lugar porque fue mi primera carrera de montaña hace ya tres ediciones y porque se trata de una prueba que corro con la familia, cosa que para mí significa mucho más que correr.

Después de un fin de semana intenso en la capital del reino, de mucho entrenamiento en barra y restaurant (si le pusiéramos el mismo empeño a las series…), el domingo con mucho (pero mucho, mucho…) esfuerzo, nos levantamos temprano para ponernos rumbo a Cercedilla. La cosa pintaba mal nada más salir de casa, el termómetro nos indicaba que nos íbamos a pelar de frio, -3ºC y no paraba de bajar según nos acercábamos a la sierra del Guadarrama. Por fin llegamos y efectivamente hacia un frio intenso, que no animaba mucho a ponernos a la faena, solo el sol que brillaba con fuerza nos animaba un poco a salir del coche.

Lo primero era saber que dorsales teníamos, recoger el chip, la camiseta y esperar a que la gente del canicross tomase la salida para coger el relevo. Entre unas cosas y otras cuando nos quisimos dar cuenta todo el mundo se agolpaba detrás del arco de salida. Instrucciones de última hora acerca del estado del recorrido y sus “dificultades” y se dio la salida, -4ºC según rezaba el termómetro de la plaza en esos momentos.

Aproximadamente 2 minutos entre que se dio la salida y pase por el arco, eso os dará una idea del lio que allí había. Comenzamos a correr, un par de kilómetros de asfalto por el pueblo y comienza el monte con una subida. Aquí, yo me dormí en los laureles y cuando me quise dar cuenta estaba en el medio de la carrera, entre marujas, asfalteros y jubilados del correr y encima helado de frio. Cuál es el problema de ir en medio en una carrera con estas dimensiones de gente, pues el problema es que cuando la cosa se empieza a estrechar y a poner divertida, resulta imposible correr. Allá por el kilometro cinco había logrado entrar en calor (prácticamente habíamos completado los tramos de pendiente positiva) pero lo que paso es que la carrera discurría por sendas angostas y sombrías que aún conservaban nieve y hielo de la ultima nevada y la gente en lugar de correr se dedico a caminar y a pararse, sin dejar alternativa posible a los adelantamientos (el miedo es libre, lo sé, pero fue desesperante). Después de aproximadamente un kilometro desesperándome, puede aprovechar que los senderos se ensancharon para empezar a correr y apretar un poco para quitarme de encima a toda esa gente, aunque ya era demasiado tarde, al menos pude disfrutar de la ultima parte de la carrera corriendo a un buen ritmo y muy cómodo sin tanta gente a mi alrededor. Cuando te quieres dar cuenta ya estás en el kilometro once y estas entrando al pueblo de nuevo por una vertiginosa bajada entre tapias y casas, para enfilar la recta de meta.

A mi parecer este año el recorrido ha sido menos técnico que otros años, sin ninguna dificultad que reseñar, quizás se echo en falta un poco mas de nieve por los caminos como en años anteriores para darle algo más de gracia a la cosa. Si bien es cierto que yo no vi ningún accidente en la carrera, si me comentaron que los hubo y muchos, entre ellos Abel Antón que por lo que decían debió de meterse un cacharrazo considerable. Pero no podemos olvidar que se trata de una carera popular y de lo que se trata es de que esté al alcance de todos el poder correrla y que no se trata tanto de disfrutar corriendo cono de disfrutar de la compañía de tantos aficionadas a este deporte. Como me ocurrió a mí hace unos años, recomiendo esta carrera a todo aquel que quiera empezar en este deporte, ya que es una carrera divertida, asequible a todo el mundo y que recompensa con creces el esfuerzo realizado.

Una vez terminamos, recogimos la bolsa del corredor (que no fue tan esplendida como en ediciones anteriores) y nos dispusimos a tomar unas cañitas que reconfortan mucho el espíritu después del ejercicio. Nos juntamos unos cuantos amigos, Jose, María, Gustavo y Kiko todos ellos pertenecientes al Club Peñalara, y demás enfermos del correr que por allí había, entre caña y caña nos dieron más de las tres y sin comer, la caña reconforta pero no llena el estomago después de una carrera.

Y esto fue todo lo que dio de sí la edición de este año, hasta el proximo año.

WOW! OMG THAT ROCKED SO MUCH!

Thanks You To All That Came! Heres The Pix!

Well I Didnt Take Pics At The Beacon, But I Just Asked PPL How They Were, And If They Had Snow Lolz!

So Many AWESOME People!

I Was So Rubbish At Sled Race Cus It Was Glitched! Cudnt See A Thing!

Playin Cazz JR At Card J!

Some People Had To Go But It Was Still Pimpin!

Then We Made The Christmas Tree Grow At The Iceberg And Ran Round Crazily!

Lol We Chatted Again Lol!

Not Many People But It Was Still Really Fun!

I Played Zxz192, He Won Lol!

Now I Was Going Lol Sorry!

Look At All The Good Feedback I Got!

Some People Even Took Pics!

So Yeah, Comment How YOU liked It And If YOu Came And Are In These Pics!

Oh BTW! Idk Who Yoda Ads If But He Came Lmao!

Arent Following Freddy On Twitter Follow Him Here!

]]> http://gristwoo.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/reflecting-on-running-in-2009/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:40:11 +0000 gristwoo http://gristwoo.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/reflecting-on-running-in-2009/

13 races this year…

1 x 3 miler
2 x 5K
3 x 10K
1 x 4 miler
1 x 10 miler
1 x 13.1 miler
2 x 15K
2 x 26.2 miler

Another year of speedwork at the track, hill repeats and tempo runs.  Individually grueling; but collectively powerful.  Four first place female finisher medals to add to the shelf, four age group awards, and two marathon medals to hang on the wall.  13 more running bibs and three pairs of sneakers later, I’m teeming with pride.  Not because of the awards, but rather because of my unwavering motivation.  I can honestly say that running the long distances has been great fun.  I enjoy going long.  I find that it takes me a good 5K to get warmed up, so running a competitive 5K is a challenge!  But, register me for a 10K or longer and I’m in my element!

At the close of 2008, my goal was to run two marathons in 2009.  So, in February, I set out with a marathon training schedule and a goal: finish a marathon.  With a subgoal of: in 3 hours 30 minutes.  I did run my two marathons (but neither at the time goal I set).  What I have learned is that the marathon is tough.  It hurts.  But, jubilation is inevitable, once you cross the finish line and the pain subsides.  Not to mention, the freaky HUGE smile that you sport post run!    After months of training (unlike my husband, who decided to run two with minimal training!) and preparation, the marathon is still a challenge.  It’s a race that will punish you in many ways.  And, to be able to say that you still love to run a marathon (after having run the 26.2 miles), and have fun along the way, is what running is all about!

Running to race. . .  racing to run. . . all the while having fun!

It’s no surprise that this year has found me running – a lot!  Thanks to my hubby and mum for supporting my running endeavors (however crazy they may seem).  If not for them, I know that I would not have been able to accomplish what I have this year.  Running 2009 seems incomplete, as I have not finished a marathon with a Boston Qualifying time, but it still makes me smile.  My motivation has not wavered and I am already considering an Ultra once I BQ!  (Sorry honey… there will be more marathons!)    And, I fully intend to run many more half marathons in 2010, as I firmly believe that 13.1 is the perfect racing distance!  I absolutely LOVE the half marathons!

So, with a smile, I declare running 2009 a success.  I still have goals to accomplish and more races to run.  For fun.  For PRs.  For a BQ.  For me.  For smiles…

Run happy.  Run long.  Run without limits!

“You also need to look back, not just at the people who are running behind you but especially at those who don’t run and never will… those who run but don’t race…those who started training for a race but didn’t carry through…those who got to the starting line but didn’t in the finish line…those who once raced better than you but no longer run at all. You’re still here. Take pride in wherever you finish. Look at all the people you’ve outlasted.”  - Joe Henderson

The Christmas Rush is an annual tradition in Kent, WA. The event includes a 5K walk, a 5K run, and a 10K run.

This past Saturday was the 27th annual running. This year, things had to be a little different. A nearby dam is weak, so the usual course is covered in industrial-sized sandbags. I used to walk my dogs down there on Sundays, but the bags cover so much of the trail that we had to look for other opportunities to get some exercise.

The weather has also been unusually cold for the Pacific Northwest, with temperatures below 20F consistently. Normally, I avoid running outside if the temperature is below 40F. I’d like to toughen up, but exercising in the cold and then going back indoors triggers my asthma.

That meant separating the parking area from the starting line by a 5-minute walk. I don’t know if they tried to put registration in the parking lot and couldn’t make it work, but it was near the starting line. That meant walking 5 minutes to the starting line in below-20F weather, registering, walking back to my car and dropping off my gear, then walking back to the starting line. I saw a lot of people doing the same thing.

The course was lined with sandbags but, because it was a two-lane road instead of a walking trail, there was still plenty of room for everyone. Frager Road, it turns out, is badly in need of repair. That was a large pot hole filled with ice, an area of leaves frozen to the road (which can be extremely slick), and a spot where one lane of the road is slipping into the Green River. My favorite was the nursery with signs saying “open to the public,” “no trespassing,” and “private property.” Talk about mixed messages!

The event was well-attended. The parking lot was packed. I would have made two other changes. First, I would have moved Heaven and Earth to have hot food and/or beverages at the Finish. We certainly missed having Ivar’s handing out free clam chowder! I suspect the grill and oyster bar that let use their parking lot for registration and start/finish put limits on who could be there, but since they didn’t do anything to support the race beyond that, I don’t think I’ll be eating there.

Second, I would have divided the return lane by runners and walkers, with runners getting the inside lane. Because they didn’t make that division, those of us finishing the 10K were dodging the 5K walkers at the end, and collecting irritated glares as we did so.

Overall, I think it’s a terrific event and I’ll run it again.

At this time of the year, I’m in a reflective mood, but I want to do my best to avoid a big year-end round-up post. They really don’t do anything for me. So instead of recapping my year sometime between now and Dec. 31, I’d rather do some Top 5 lists – Top 5 Moments of the Year, Top 5 of the Decade, Top 5 Posts You Read, etc., etc. And I certainly don’t want to jam into one big long post that you’re not going to read anyway because, well, it would be a long post. Long posts are for long races or when there’s a hodgepodge of things to write about.

I’ll start this year-end series of posts with my Top 5 Running Moments of the Year.

#5 – What’s up Doc?
After the weekends of No. 1 and No. 2 on my list below, I was hurt. And I just couldn’t take the pain in my foot anymore. So I finally went to the doctor – my first trip ever due to running issues. I ended up skipping out on future visits, but that one trip saved me from future issues. I’ll never again mess around when something bothers me for more than a week or so.

#4 – Stung in the Eye
No one said that this list had to be top 5 “best” running moments of the year – just “moments.” And for several moments a few months ago, I seriously thought a bug in my eye had permanently damaged my eyesight. While it’s funny now (and to some people it was funny then), my eye hurts just thinking about that moment. My summer running will never be the same. And, at least right now, that post from a bug getting in my eye is one of my most read posts of the year. I’m sure you’ll help keep it in the Top 5 for the next couple of weeks.

#3 – A Return to Bedford
I’m nowhere close to where I want to be right now when it comes to fitness, yet just two weeks ago I set a course record in the Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k in Bedford. Sure, a lot has changed since 2005 when I last did that race, but a course record is a course record no matter how many times an event has happened. And of the 13 5ks I’ve done since 2004, this was my fourth fastest. I still have a lot of work to do, though, to get close to my 2007 PR of 22:42.

#2 – The Unexpected PR
A week after my No. 1 highlight below, I ran the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k. Two races in two weeks? Sure, no problem I thought. I would just go out and run the 10k easily. I would run it to be a part of the Lynchburg College alumni who were running; I would run it to just do two races in a row; I’d run it because I had organized a group of employees at then-Christian Children’s Fund (now ChildFund International) to form a team. It was the least selfish races ever – and to my surprise I set a PR by 21 seconds.

#1 – Shamrock III
It what seems like forever ago, I trained and ran a half marathon less than five months after becoming a father. That experience alone tops any PR to date and rivals the feeling I had when completing my first marathon. I ran that race to prove to myself and to others that there are no excuses when it comes to running a big race.

This was my first 10k…and I was able to get MapMyRun to work this time! Course was great – small hills, smooth pavement, closed wide roads/paths but there were no spectators on the actual course and not much scenery so it got a little boring. There were lots of photographers so finally marathon-photos was able to catch a few snaps of me running. The best part – running into the stadium to cross the finish line!

The official race results are in (HERE), 82.22 mins which is nearly 3 and a half mins faster than last year (85.43), by looking at the results I can see there were a lot of slower times compared to last year and there were a lot more men finishing around the same time as me whereas last year I was last Senior Male by quite a while.

I also have a couple of pics of the run, none of them are particularly good (I blame the camera for some, my speed for others and my “rugged good looks” on the rest) but I thought I’d post them anyway for a giggle.

I completed the race today in about 82 mins (pending official results), which is equally pleasing because it’s better than last year and I feel I ran better than last year too; and disappointing because I only shaved a couple of mins off when it actually felt like I’d gone much faster.

The race started at the foot of the big dipper and I marched my way to the top and whereas last year I thought I did well at this section, this year I found the ascend far more taxing and I also think the bottleneck at the top seemed to take longer to clear this year (maybe I lost more time here than I did last year?).

After the dune we hit the road, and this year I managed to keep my concentration and focus on running and never stopped as we progressed over the swing bridge and through the muddy field and onto the main road. I did however falter when we hit the big hill and walked a large section of it but after that my only other pause was at the water station situated at the top of the mountain.

At this point I found myself running with another runner and we shared conversation (or light chit chat between strained breaths) and encouragement for the next couple of miles and this really helped, it kept me focused on not stopping and distracted me from what I was actually putting myself through (thanks Becky).

I think we maybe over-cautious but made good time none the less as we descended the mountain and crossed the bridge and made our way down to the river bed. From there we made our way onto the common where I found myself running alone again and struggled to keep going but when I hit the first water hazard I was invigorated, they were all deeper than last year, the first was half way up my shins, the second was up to my sorts and the splash of jumping in soaked me up to my chest and even splashed my glasses and the third was shallow to start but got deeper with each step and involved a tricky climb out.

From there I trundled to the finish line where I had a well deserved drink, water has never tasted so good.

I found myself jogging part of the way back to the car as my nephew who had slept while I raced decided he now had to RUN RUN RUN so my poor soaking feet got even more punishment.

This was the most unprepared I have ever been for a race, not through lack of effort but I seemed to time my pre race runs badly, got some blisters from playing football and I even ended up running through Cardiff yesterday in a Calamity Capers style incedent trying to renew the parking ticket on the car before it expired but overall I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the run; I’m happy with my performance but disappointed with my time.  Once again everyone from marshalls and police to the other runners where encouraging and friendly and some even remembered me from last year. I can’t wait until next year!

13 December 2009

Patchy cloud, showers, little wind, around  6°C

The Andy Reading 10k is held as a memorial to the eponymous Andy Reading, who established the Oxon Cross Country League amongst other things, and raises money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The race takes place over a lollypop-shaped course, with the majority of the track snaking round an airfield. It’s almost entirely flat (aside from a bridge around the 2km and 9km marks), is entirely on good road surfaces (rather than pot-holed sections of path, or forcing runners to deal with the punishment of undulating curbs), and – perhaps unsurprisingly – its reputation for speed makes it very popular with local running clubs.

Taking place at the end of the year, over exposed ground, you are potentially at the mercy of the elements. Today, though, the weather was generally kind (although an icy shower about 20 minutes before the start time reminded the gathered runners that it could get cold), with the head (and tail) wind moderate on the exposed straights of the runway. However, even with favourable weather, there’s something quite post-apocalyptic about a pack of runners making their way around a wintry landing strip – like a low-budget Mad Max.

My race hadn’t been looking favourable. I woke up this morning with the tell-tale snuffling of a fledgling cold and with a tight chest from the cold. A generic lemon-flavoured cold and flu drink and an antihistamine later, I felt a little better, but sluggish. (I always find that antihistamine gives me a ‘brain fog’ – at its worst, it can become like thinking through treacle – but it helps to clear the lungs.)

Once I was at the race HQ, and had picked up my chip for the race timing (with a start and finish mat, rather than being linked to the gun, so race times genuinely are accurate), I got down to the business of warming up. I’d decided that, no matter the weather, I was braving shorts so there were no restrictions on the movement of my legs. With the sun hidden behind a cloud and a wintry shower, it was quite bracing. I decided to keep my gloves on for the race itself as a token gesture towards keeping warm, but in the end it wasn’t necessary as the sun came out.

The race itself felt good. The course isn’t terribly scenic, which is only to be expected from a flat course, and there’s an element of awe the moment you get on to the airfield and see the leaders streaming away in the distance. Most importantly, though, the race was well organised and the supporters were quite vocal – which always helps. The only problem seemed to be around the fact that the runners came to the finish through the same gate as the cars leaving the race HQ. It wasn’t a problem for the faster runners, but the slower racers had to contend with dodging round cars on their way to the finish line.

Tips for running Andy Reading 10k

1. Try to avoid burning out. It’s a fast course, and there’s the usual congestion around the first kilometre, so there is the eternal temptation to dart round people and make an unsustainably fast first split. Perhaps this is made more common by the course’s reputation – I certainly overheard a lot of conversations about runners trying to avoid blowing up at the start. (Not literally, one assumes.)
2. Keep focused to keep motivated. There are several long stretches of road – not to mention the whole of the airfield – where you can see the pack way out in front of you. In fact, the runners at the tail of the race see the leading pack coming out of the airfield before they’ve even entered the circuit. You have to focus on your own race, and ignore the speedsters way out front.
3. Keep something for the bridge. Around the final kilometre you come up against the comparatively steep incline of a bridge. Push through it and make the most of the downhill afterwards – although that might be easier said than done.
4. Have a decent warm-up. I took the time to do a warm-up jog, some high knees, heel flips and striding sprints as well as some static stretches, which meant I was ready to run for the first split, rather than settling into my pace around the third. Notably, I didn’t do anything other than static stretches for Eynsham two weeks ago.
5. Think sensibly about clothing. This winter seems to have been quite mild so far, and there wasn’t a frost this morning. Although it didn’t feel warm, I’d decided to go for an optimum range of movement rather than layers of warmer clothing. Ultimately, your body temperature raises under vigorous exercise, so you only generally feel the chill while you’re waiting for the starting gun.

Details

Results here.

Finish time: 38:51 (race time; 38:46 chip time) (PB)
Position: 44 out of 445

1km: 3:47
2km: 3:48
3km: 3:57
4km: 3:57
5km: 3:45
6km: 3:53
7km: 3:58
8km: 3:55
9km: 3:56
10km: 3:45

This was a massive PB – I’d been setting my goals around the 40-minute mark, but this was well under my previous PB of 40:20 (from just two weeks earlier). Based on the Runner’s World race-pace calculator, this puts a sub 1:30 half marathon well within my ability, and moves me closer to the 3-hour mark for Paris.

I’m running the 2010 Paris Marathon for The Stroke Association, and have set the target of raising £1000. Donations of any size are massively appreciated. If you would like to donate, please go to www.justgiving.com/lewis-birchon.

I have 10k’s marked on my training schedule for me to run tomorrow… But I don’t know if that’s a very good idea?

My hip is still really sore from Thursday’s speed training and my trainer hasn’t emailed me back about it. Also, I went for a 6k run yesterday and along with my hip hurting and my quads cramping up like crazy, my left knee started giving me gip. It hurt so badly that at about 5k’s I had to stop for a few seconds to see if there was any way I could ease the pain and discomfort.

No hope.

I came home and hurt REALLY BADLY. I iced my knee for about 20 minutes and for the rest of the day it was incredibly painful.

Thankfully, today was a rest day so I’m able to let my body heal a bit more, in retrospect, I should’ve taken a rest day yesterday, but I hate skipping runs, so I wasn’t going to let a little PAIN stop me (stupid ego).

Therefore, this leaves me with uncertainty as to what the best decision would be for me. My hip is a little bit better today and my knee is ok, but should I take the plunge and run 6 miles/10k’s tomorrow?

If I wear my knee sleeve, pop ibuprofen before I go and ice my knee when I get back I should be ok… but what about my hip? :/ It’s times like these that I need to speak to my trainer.

So you see my dilemma?

It would be awesome if anybody could offer some informed advice on this. I don’t wanna injure myself any futher.

xoxo

Sunday brings with it the Andy Reading 10k at Bicester, and another shot at the 40 minute barrier. With a reputation for speed and run over an airfield, this may be my best chance at breaking through the threshold before the end of the year.

Following on from the results of the Eynsham Maylarch 10k, nearly two weeks ago, I was very happy to see that I’d run the 18th fastest 10k in the Abingdon Amblers this year. Given that there are some real speed demons in the club (the fastest time is a rather nippy 33:32), I’m happy with that. However, if I manage to run a sub-40, there’s a good chance I could nudge my way up to 17th.

So, having run a number of 10k (or similar distance) races this year, I’m going to go to the race with a game plan. (Which I will promptly ignore in the excitement of the first surge through the start line, in all likelihood.) Regardless of whether I actually manage to stick with these intentions, my tactics for race day are…

• Start slow, finish fast. Rather than blowing up after 2km having started at something crazy like 35-minute pace, I’m going to aim to keep my first 5km consistently around the 4 minute mark. The plan – and the best practice – is to speed up for the second 5km.
• Wear unrestrictive clothing. I’ve been pondering on whether the base layer and leggings combo I sported at Eynsham might have been a bit restrictive for a fast-paced run. It’s going to be cold at the weekend, but I’m intending to go for shorts. (If nothing else, it’s an incentive to get round quick and have a cup of tea.)
• Try not to focus on timing. It sounds contradictory, especially given the target, but I always find I tire quicker if I’m watching the seconds drift past. In past races, I’ve always manually marked off the splits, but I might need to re-evaluate this if I find that I’m fixating on the time.

So, all that’s left is a fast 5km training run tomorrow, a rest day (not exactly a rest day since I need to catch up on some Christmas shopping), and then it’s the big race… Fingers crossed, and no pressure…

Ok, so I started my 10k training schedule this morning with a trip to my gym.  The gym I go to is new and it’s usually pretty empty which I love.  There were several things that annoyed me today. 

1.  There is this new woman who works at the front desk and she is a cunt.  The first time I saw her she looked me up and down and gave me the stink eye.  I was like.. WTF??  Do I KNOW you!?!?  All during my workout I could see her looking at me. First off she dresses completely inappropriate to be working at a gym.  Skin tight jeans tucked into 4″ boots, tight sweater and a cheap coat.  She’s and over-bleached blonde that looks like she was rode hard and put away wet.  Every time I see her she gives me the stink eye and it’s really getting to me.  I do what I always do to whomever is sitting behind the counter, smile say hello and swipe my card.  I would really like to poke her in the eye and tell her to stop giving me the stink eye!!

2.  This morning there was a woman working out with a trainer.  She was working on the elliptical and they were yapping back and forth then he pulls out his cell phone and starts texting!  Seriously mother fucker?  This woman is PAYING you and you have the nerve to pull out your crackberry and text your friends?!?!?!   I could tell she was pissed and I was pissed right along with her.  He also needed to be poked in the fucking eye!

3.  There are 8 treadmills lined up.  Eight, not seven not six not even five but EIGHT.  I am on the one closest to the wall and ALL the rest are empty.   Do you know what I’m gonna say?   WHY THE FUCK DO YOU GET ON THE TREADMILL RIGHT NEXT TO ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?     ARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!   That is soooooooooooo ANNOYING!    To me it would be the same as a row of empty urinals and a dude coming right to the one your using to take a piss.  Wouldn’t you be like.. “dude, leave one between us.”    I gave her the stink eye!  She really needed to have her eyes poked!   

Deep Breath. 

 I am a money magnet.  Money comes to me effortlessly and easily.

  I am a soul mate magnet.  My soul mate and I are coming closer to each other every second of everyday.  When we come together it will be effortlessly and easily.

So Naughty Nurse has thrown down the gauntlet and challenged me to compete WITH her in a 10K.  Holy fuck, are you kidding me? I have a hard time consistently running 2-3 miles and now you want me to run 6.2 ??  I am going to give it a try.  Why not, I’m not fucking anyone so I have a lot of pent-up energy.   

Durata Athletes have not let the holiday season slow them down. This weekend we saw DT’ers putting up results all over the world!

Kim Wilson – 1st in Womens 35-39 AG, 51:24 @  Spicewood Vineyards 10K, Spicewood TX.

Arnie Lachner – 2nd in Mens 50-59 AG @ Woodside Trail Run 10K, Woodside, CA – 1100 ft. elevation gain over 6 miles Ouch!

Mina Pizzini – 1st in Womens Open @ Cross Houston Cyclocross Race

Marc Bergeron - 2nd Cat 3/4 @ Cross Houston Cyclocross Race

Bliss Pak - 5th in Womens 35-39 AG @ Laguna Phuket Triathlon, Thailand

Katie Wandoff - 7.5mi PR as part of Marathon Relay, West Palm Beach, FL

Stephen Carr – 36:39 Joe Kleinerman 10K, Central Park NY 20 second PR!

Mark Foster -2nd in Age Group at Decker 1/2 Marathon 14th Overall!

Dick Snyder – 5th in Age Group at the Decker 1/2 Marathon

Benjamin Palmer – 5th in AG at the Decker 1/2 Marathon

Kelly Williamson – 1st Overall Female Decker 1/2 Marathon

Derick Williamson - 1st Overall Male Decker 1/2 Marathon

MRC members participated in events around the east coast on Thanksgiving. Congratulations to everyone on some preemptive calorie burning before the big feast!

Gallop & Gorge 8K – Carrboro, NC

• Derek Waterhouse  38:27:50
• Richard Kohrman  40:38:21
• Ann Brady   41:45:99  3rd place age cat
• Eliza Korhman  45:04:33
• Tammy Rice   50:41:90
• Laurie Conteh  50:44:49

Hurricanes Wrestling Club Turkey Trot – Mebane, NC

No results yet – but congrats to the following MRC members and friends who participated!

• Rebecca Brouwer
• Stephen Weinland
• Erin Weinland (with Baxter Weinland)

CenturyLink YMCA Turkey Trot 10K and 5K – Carlisle, PA

• Denise Snyder         47:40 (10K)
• Rod Snyder               32:30 (5K)
• McKenna Snyder     32:39 (5K)

Seven Summits 5K for Pennies for Peace – Wayne, PA

• Wally Bixby    21:36      6:58/m   40th overall    9/53 age cat
• Elaine Bixby  28:28      9:10/m                              13/27 age cat

THIS JUST IN:

Reports are coming in of a bewildered trio of runners who, early Saturday morning, accidentally ran an entire marathon-length race, which is just over 26 miles, instead of the 10k race (about 6.2 miles) that they had actually trained for and planned to run.

The event was held at the Spicewood Vineyard just outside of the small town of Spicewood, TX.  At the three runners’ request, we have changed their names in this article to Alisa, Christie, and Bill.

According to Alisa, the group of three friends had started running regularly in their neighborhood and area running paths to prepare for the race, going as much as 5 miles in recent practice runs.  “I fully expected to arrive here and run a fairly challenging 6.2 mile race, having run almost that distance in recent practice runs… but I never would have imagined we would run over 26 miles in one stretch today, and accidentally at that!”, she said.  Christie, on the other hand, denies that the group ran any further than the original distance of 6.2 miles, or 10 kilometers, that they planned to run.  When presented with several facts about the morning’s incidents, including the time of their run, various eye-witness accounts of the distance, and the distance meter on her own ankle, Christie became defensive: “Yes, I know the run took us over 6 hours, but we also knew that our pace was slightly slower than the average runner, and our running companion Bill was keeping track of where we were at and how much further we had to go at all times.  We fully expected this run would take us more than an hour; what’s an extra 5 hours or so really matter?”

After being alerted by concerned citizens living on Burnet County Road 409 near the vineyard, reporters arrived on-scene about 1 hour after completion of the incredible, accidental 26+ mile run.  Despite the time elapsing since they stopped running, one of the runners (Bill), was still short of breath.  However, between breaths, he confirmed they had indeed run a full 26 miles, by accident.  “What happened, you ask?  Well, all I know is that my contacts were itching, and so for the first mile or so I did a lot of rubbing of my eyes.  At that point, it all became a blur.  The two girls with me were busy talking about the runners dressed in Santa or Elf outfits as well as new racing ‘gear’ they wanted to buy, and so I was left with the task of tracking the path and progress of our run.  At one point, I thought for sure I saw a sign that read something like the 10k midpoint, but it apparently was about the 10 mile mark of the half-marathon that was going on this morning.”  Bill went on to describe hours of running with no one else in sight, hallucinations experienced by various members of the group (“we just thought it was the effect on us of rotten, fermenting grapes in the fields beside us”, he says), people in the distance, far so as to be barely perceptible and yet clearly waving at them as they crested various hills on the sprawling vineyard property, and even a long period of time just past the midpoint of their run when dozens of cars were passing them on the road, clearly leaving the area “as if everyone had somehow finished before us.  Now I know, of course, what happened… apparently, the half marathon on-site had apparently finished a while before we saw those cars passing, and as I know now we were only halfway done with our ‘accidental’ marathon”.

Race officials were flabbergasted by the incident, and confirmed that there was both an organized 10k  and half-marathon race held that morning at the Spicewood Vineyards, but said there was not even a marathon section of the race organized or a course of that length laid out on the premises.  Commenting on the the unlikely run by the three confused runners, race organizer Johnny Chase said “I’m completely dumbfounded by the whole thing.  The only scenario I can imagine is that they missed the 10k turnaround point, and then must have run the half-marathon route twice, mistaking the finish line of the half-marathon as their race’s midpoint–because at one point we saw the group of three jogging very slow towards the finish line much later than anticipated for their 10k finish, probably because they ran the half marathon route instead.  My staff ran from the finish line towards them, hollering words of encouragement, but the three runners apparently misunderstood them as fellow runners just having reached the midpoint and turning back around, and so they followed suit and turned around and started running back away from the finish line again.  We didn’t see them again for about 3 more hours, and so my guess is they had just completed the half marathon route on our property at that point and in their confusion turned back to do it all over again.  Still, they must have turned off the path at some point on their second trip around, because the search effort we launched yielded nothing, when to our surprise they eventually crossed the finish line, coming from the back of the property out of the grass and woods”.

Other runners and various bystanders who witnessed various segments of this so-called accidental marathon described the scene as “painful”, “a joke”, and “a disgrace to the vineyard”.

Still, the biggest mystery of all is how the three runners had the stamina to run a marathon, even in 6 hours at that, when none of them had run more than 5 miles in recent months.  Christie, still not willing to admit the group had indeed run a marathon-length distance, instead bragged to our reporter about her extremely lightweight Spira shoes, and Alisa emphasized the “slow, steady pace we were running”.  When we attempted to question Bill further on this issue of the group’s incredible stamina, he responded with some mumbling about the “below-freezing, disorienting early morning temperatures” and “getting my vision checked and tweaking my brand of contacts”.

One thing is certain: race organizers and nearby rancher/farmer neighbors are absolutely adamant about preventing a repeat of this type of episode in the future, or at least limit the fallout from such incidents.  Late this afternoon, an especially concerned neighbor called a community meeting to be held at the vineyard in the coming days. According to the organizer’s urgent email, the agenda will include, among other things, talk of how to better accommodate police on their next search and rescue attempt in the area as well as a vote on the erecting of several no trespassing signs along the boundaries of the typical route of the annual race.  Various local officials and businesspeople have also been invited to speak, including a local game and wildlife official who will coach residents on how to construct fences properly to prevent runners from entering heavily-hunted wooded areas on their property, as well as a local insurance broker who will give a presentation on liability insurance available to the property owners to protect them from claims filed by wayward runners in the future.

And if you believe this story, my friends, well then clearly you weren’t there…or it’s just too late (or too early) for you to be up reading my blog 

Saturday, December 6, 8:00 AM

Central Park East Drive near 101st St, New York, NY

The legacy of NYRR founder Joe Kleinerman lives on with his namesake 10K. This wintry run not only pays tribute to Kleinerman, who passed away in 2003, but it also benefits a scholarship fund in his name for scholastic runners. $1 of your registration fee goes directly to the fund, and additional donations can be made during registration. http://www.nyrr.org/races/2009/r1206×00.asp(Source)

Expect cold and icy conditions tomorrow morning because of the storm New York is having Saturday. The race time temperature will be in the mid-30s. Check the forecast for more details.