Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The 11th Hour


Don't tell A2, but I'm a little worried. Oh, not that I can keep up with him, I'll hang in there long enough to get him over Smith Mountain and back to the lake. He can finish from there if he drops me (he's running smooth as silk and slick as owl poop on a hot tin roof!). No, no, I'm worried about just getting to Arkansas!


See, my Driver's license has expired and I can't get a new one because in one of my 27 moves over the last decade I lost the box that has all that junk in it. Also lost, my teaching certificate, my transcripts, and $400,008 in moving expenses. Man, I sure would like to find my birth certificate! Well on September 8, I finally ponied up the $22.50 and paid the state of Montana to send me another one. Montana, a state in which so few people live that a person actually answered the phone when I called to get a new birth certificate (sadly, it's the same information, they wouldn't change the year by a decade like I asked!). Anyway, thankfully I still had my Visa card when I called because the I would lose that the next day at Universal. No Driver's license, no Visa Card, cash won't last forever.


Speaking of the 11th hour, no time to finish this post, you get what you get!!

Monday, September 27, 2010

So, Cool the Fonz Approves!


Did I get a letter this weekend?
AAAAAAAAAAY!
I got the A. Pinhoti Tra_ _ _ _ _
Almost there, but I'd better be, only 5 weeks to race time. Yikes!
I did my 20 in Clermont, I did the second 10 in about 1:35 with a stop in the Orange Grove to fertalize the winter crop (I said CROP!). So that's just over 9 minute miles with no walk breaks. It may not be fast enough to keep up with A2 in Arkansas, but it'll get me a belt buckle in Alabama.
In additon to the stellar running I weighed in at 180 on Sunday, that's four pounds lower than on my birthday. If I lose a pound a week I can weigh in at 175 in Alabama, shoot that's what I weighed when I lived in Alabama during college!
Yep, that's an A, or as the Fonz would say, AAAAAAAAAY!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Ndrew, Pples, Lligtors & Cptin Meric!

Last weekend I did not get a letter. Oh, my workouts were fine, but there was nothing special there, I could have run faster, I should have run farther. Letters are only for going above and beyond, not for just getting it done.




With a better attitude I would have earned a letter on Tuesday when Davo and Jon and I ran 6 miles in 45 minutes (that 7:30 per mile for 6 miles) I haven't done that since 2004. Why no letter? Because I whined and I cut a corner or two. AndyMan, just buck up and enjoy the experience and you're that much closer to success, you bonehead!





Ok, I'm running out of time to spell out Pinhoti Trail 100 (I'm at Pinhoti Tr---) so I have to get a letter this weekend. I'm running up in the hills of Clermont, here's my plan for Sunday. 20 miles. 1st 10 mile loop nice and easy, 2nd loop, charge the hills, no walking the ups, finish the loop in less than 100 minutes (that's under 10 min. miles). Come on how can I be the A Man if I've lost my A?

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Hey Father Time, How about we Slow the Heck Down!

Whew, it's a whirlwind of activity, and no time to prepare!
Yo Father Time, slow the #*@% down will you?!
.
This weekend, crushing run in the vortex, I'm going 25 miles or God's a monkey! Then the beer mile (I can break two hours, I know I can!). Sunday, who knows, but probably 15 at Trout Creek before a day at Universal (I'm a Gryffindor).
.
Next weekend, probably 20 at Croom and 20 at Bradshaw, don't know the order.
.
10/2 Arkansas with my man A2, and the crew. 10/10 Some event, don't remember. 10/16 Something with my brother, not sure what, and a 5 K. 25 in the tough SC hills on 10/17. 10/23 20 at Croom. 10/30 15 at Croom and Pinhoti send off.
.
11/6- Pinhoti. Me versus you Father Time! You sick old bast@%%! Or sure, you're going to win out, but I'm going to fight you off, and I'm gonna give it all I got to go under 24 hours in Alabama (I'm not allowed to stay any longer than that in the state anyway. Some old warrant from College, alcohol was involved and that's all I'm saying about that, that and please don't call me tater salad if you see me in anywhere new the Alabama state line!)

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Two Words, RRR RRR!

Well, they might as well re-name the place C OOM. Why? Because I took the R home from Croom this morning!

Where do I stand? Pinhoti tR _ _ _ on my way to Pinhoti Trail.

Yesterday's run was solid, but a little slower and shorter than I'd hoped. But I finished strong, Running all the hills and flats the with Steve Wheeler and Woody for the last 6 miles. It was great crew we had out there. Becky and Lisa came up with me for the early 5. We were joined by Adam, Lindsay, Andrea, A2, Steve W, Woody, Traci Cole, and a friend of Steve's. Overall I had nice 21 mile jaunt.

This morning it was just Davo and I running out a then Croom (now Coom, as I mentioned, I took the R home with me!). I wanted to do the 12 mile Orange to blue loop that I plan to use for the Croom Zoom 100 in January. I scouted the course, I think it lays out perfectly for an 8 loop 100. It won't be as fast as Umstead, but it'll be comparable to Rocky.

Davo pushed me the first 7, though it was easy for him. I'm used to bit more of a warm up with some walking mixed in, while Davo is a hard charger (guys, he even stops his chrono when he walks, that's so, Roadish!). Anyway, after the first 10 I made him go on alone. I told him it would help me if he took off and I hung on as long as I could. This lasted about 1/2 mile, before I backed off to my tortoise pace. I was a little down because I wanted to run the whole loop non-stop, but the 21 from Saturday had zapped a legs a bit. So, I figured I had to do something extra to earn a letter. I made the deal that if I did the 1 mile out and one mile back west on Croom Road that I would earn a letter, provided I ran the whole thing. It wasn't looking good as I walked up the car coming up the South slope of the orange trail. But as I got to the parking lot, I couldn't let the opportunity to capture my Arr get away. So, I took off. I ran the mile out and the mile back. Not only did I get my Arr, but was treated to a chat with June and Dan, Spencer and Claude, with their wives, Wendy and her mom, Shawn (or Sean) and his friend Ilene, Tory, Robin, and two cats also doing Pinhoti, Greg and Chris. They are both looking fit! I was hoping for a 10 3 finish, with those 2 and Steve Wheeler going up, I may not even be in the top three from Florida! Oh, well, I'm not racing them, I'm racing..... no one! I'm just going to survive!

I can feel my legs getting stronger and my stamina increasing. I sure do appreciate having a large community with whom to train! Like June says, "It takes a village to run an Ultra!" (or did she say it takes a village idiot? I can never remember.)

Truly it was a fun day at Coom! (hey, you guys get your own R's, ARRR, ARRR!)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Croom Zoom Talk

Hey, It's time to start the chatter again!

The Croom Zoom 100 and 100K is happening, darn it!

Now, in January 2011, it may have to be low key, it may have to be a Phat A$$, it may have to even be unauthorized, but it's happening! Shoot since we are now supposed to get permits even for our overnight runs, how much harder will it be to get a permit for 150 of us to run overnight? I'm thinking we can do it!

I'll keep you posted.

Croom Zoom, The Florida Panther 100, The Croom 100, The Dill-a-Dillo Armadillo 100, the Florida 100. It's happening!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

49 Years Young!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

To the 18 or so folks that came out on a Sunday night, in thee woods, in Hernando County, to help a young guy celebrate his birthday. On Thursday I was 48 years old, by Monday morning as we wrapped up our run, I was 49 years young!

We started at 8PM with 16 or 18 of us running, a few twists and turns aside, the Blue bike trail to Nobleton road. From there 10 of us went on to Ethel's stop at Nobleton Park, where I was finally able to get rid of 8 or the 10 quarters that had been jingling in my pocket for 14.5 miles. Ethel was a no-show, but we managed ok without her.

Andy and Andrea kept the griping to a minimum, even though they "Hate that stretch!" Hey A's, you may as well get used to it, because other than 8 miles in the first 1/4 or Arkansas, that's what you're getting! At least, I only gave you 5 miles of road!

When we got back to drop 1 at midnight, 7 more of continued on for the full route, Patrick (who had biked 105 miles, and run 4 on Saturday, he's really tough, of course, he also made us all tougher, our ears anyway!), 3 A's (A1 - A3 and 3 J's, John Wood, John Pyle, and Justin).

We negotiated the Vortex without getting lost (thanks Woody), then we popped out again at Nobleton Road. From there our really long trek to Croom Road Commenced. Even though they did a little trail modification on us, we somehow managed to pop out on Croom Road (thanks again Woody!) after about a ten mile stretch.

From the Croom Road drop 1, we refueled and took off again. Last time we did this section on the south side of Croom Road on the blue bike trail I was feeling good and picked up my pace. This time was similar. I started feeling good, even after 30 humid miles, and steadily pulled away from the gang. Sometime in the middle of this 9 mile leg, I started stretching my stride out and running all the hills. After a bit I was all alone and having a birthday blast. I kept pushing the pace until I hit Croom Road again. After a couple of minutes A2 sprinted out of the woods and shortly thereafter, the rest of the magnificent 7 arrived and we strolled to drop #4.

From drop 4 we all stayed together for the 6-7 miles back to Croom Road. There was a few signs of fatigue and a bit of grumbling from the crowd, but all in all spirits were high as we closing in on the completion of my 49 mile birthday run.

We refueled for the last time on Croom Road and set out for the final 2.5 miles back to the cars. Andrea, Patrick, Justin, Andy B, and I were holding steady and all running well (John Pyle and Woody had headed up the road). Not too long into the final stretch Andy B decided it was time to put the hammer down and put an end to this madness. It was finally light out. . . again (I love those light to dark to light runs!) so we could safely pick up the pace, but who wants to do that after 47 miles? Who, I guess, Justin and the two Andy's. Because when Andy B took off, Justin and I followed shortly thereafter. Justin and I worked like mad to catch Andy with exactly 1.4 miles left. We were content to follow Andy till the 1-mile mark. when I scooted around him and left those guys in the dust, for about 1/2 mile, when I died. Justin (he's solid! What a good runner this guy is!) went around me so fast I wondered if I was moving in the right direction. With 1/4 mile left Andy B came upon me and shamed me into jogging it in. He said something subtle, like, "What's the matter MFer, you were a man a minute ago!" Thanks Andy, you're right. I finished in a limping jog, and then hobbled over to the nearest picnic table and collapsed on top of it. Andy B on the other hand went out and ran a couple of hills (he's ready for a sub 23 hour finish at Arkansas.)

Soon after the rest came in looking fresh. We showered up, and and Andrea bought me breakfast at Denny's. It was a great birthday. Thanks all.

Oh, and I earned a letter. We're now at Pinhoti T. Just a Rail to go!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Too Bad On My Birthday!

I'm having a heckuva fun day.... it's my birthday.This weekend it's a 49 mile run, until then it's fun, fun, and more fun!