Great news, we met our fundraising goal for the IMM of $262! Thank you to everyone who contributed to our success! We had two successful campaigns this year with donations totaling $1,262 for NF research!
Here is a list of our IMM contributors (in order by donation date):
Mary Dull
Irene Nankey
Jill Nothstine
Laurie Nothstine
Stan & Rose Hahn
Stan Hahn Jr
Lance and Shelley Dirr
David Mlotok
If you would like to participate in an event in 2010 for the NF Endurance team then let us know. We'd love to have you run or walk with Anneliese's Road Racers.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Monumental Melt Down
This will serve as my race report for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon that took place on Saturday, November 7. My goal for the 26.2 race was to finish in 3:58:30 if things went well but no worse than 4:15 if it wasn't my day. More on the finish time in the minute.
The day started out well. I woke up refreshed at 5:15 when my alarm went off. A 1/2 bagel with peanut butter and 10 oz of Gatorade served as my breakfast. After getting dressed in my long sleeve tech shirt and NF singlet I grabbed my hat, gloves, and watch and headed out the door. Traffic at that hour was light as I started my 20 mile drive to downtown Indianapolis.
I arrived downtown and parked under the Circle Centre Mall. As I was getting my stuff together the gentleman parked next to me was unpacking his bike from the back of his SUV. I asked if he was volunteering on the course. He was not, he was there to take pictures of his son who was also running the full marathon. We exchanged a few well wishes and away I went to street level.
The sun was just beginning to rise. The muffled sounds of the city were starting to warm up as the day progressed. I headed over toward the state capitol building where the start of the race would take place. Along the wait I stopped to chat with a couple of other runners that I planned to meet up with before the race. We shared a few stories and wished each other luck as we headed towards our start positions at the starting line. There was a strong wind blowing (forecast for up to 20 mph on the day) but the temps were mild.
I stood in beanie cap and gloves waiting for the starting gun. Some words from the prodium. Couldn't hear them. Former Olympian and US 5k record holder Bob Kennedy said something over the intercom. Then the invocation and finally the Star Spangled Banner. Go time was here! The wheel chair racers were off and soon we would be too.
I was stationed just in front of the 4:00 pace team. A pace team is a group of runners with a common goal who are led by an experienced marathon. The herd started moving ahead toward the start line without any kind of signal. Within a minute or so I crossed the start line and my marathon began.
The streets were packed with runners. In the first two miles there were several turns which created bottle necks as people tried their best to hug the nearside curb. Running tangents is the best way to save yourself from running extra distance on race day. Hence the mad rush to stay as close to the inside on the road as possible. Due to the density of runners at my pace I missed the first two water stations. About 2 miles in I realized that I was too hot already! I pitched my beanie hat and kept on. About a 1/2 mile later I let loose of the gloves. I was thinking the long sleeve shirt was overkill too.
At mile three there was a road block, literally. We were on Mass Ave which is under construction. At a point just before a left turn there were 4 barricades blocking the road. Imagine water runing through cracks in a damn and you will have an idea of how we passed the obstacle.
A bit later we turned right and headed north. At around mile 4 I decided the long sleeves had to go. I pulled off to the side and continued on with just my singlet on. I would carry the other shirt until mile 8 where I ditched it on the mile marker post. The course passed the Indiana State Fair Grounds. Road closures related to the race had cars backed up about 2 miles at this point in the race. Some drivers honked and cheered; some drivers honked and jeered.
I looked in my mind for the stretch through Broadripple. Liz and the girls would be there to cheer for me and give me a spiritual lift to carry me on to the second half of the race. Just before I got to where they were I came across a cheering section with Usain Bolt "fire power." I gave them a little bow and arrow of my own and carried on with my business. About a block later I had sweaty daddy kisses for my family and told them I'd see them at the finish.
Shortly after I passed through the half-way point in 2:03:57 and I still felt strong. Wait for it... Mile 14 it fell apart quick! A cramp in my right calf and a pulling feeling in my left inner thigh simultaneously hit me. I stopped to a walk immediately and limped along. Ugh! The march continued until mile 15 when I felt like I could maybe start to shuffle a bit again. As I started my shuffle the 4:15 pace group passed by. I had a momentary thought of hanging with them but that faded quickly also. I tried my best to concentrate on damage control and getting to the turn at mile16.
When I turned the corner at mile 16 the water/aid station was right ahead and out of cups. No water to be had and no gel packs. This left me struggling to stay in the right mental state. A DNF (did not finish) was dangerously close at this point! I dedicated miles 16-18 to a fellow NF Endurance team member who is battling health issues right now. I thought of this man and knew that I couldn't give up. I began to shuffle and walk on and off. About this time I turned the corner heading towards the Indianapolis Art Museum and there it was! An oasis. The rally point for my race. I came across the next aid station and they had WATER! and gel packs! and peanut M&M's! I was finally putting some calories back into the system.
I came through the 30k with a new PR time despite my struggles. Mile 19 went by and then I got to mile 20. Mile 20 is a big one. Only 10k to go. I can do the math easily in my head for those short distances. If I could hang on to 10 minutes per mile then I could still finish in 4:35. The truth of the matter is that at that point I was already scorched by the sun and heading towards dehydration. Not much of a chance of 10 minute miles. I kept battling though.
Between miles 21 and 23 I chugged along passing some of the other people whose day had not turned out as plan. Right calf cramp still tightening up. Hips starting to tighten. I counted those left behind as I went on. Through the course of those two miles I passed 40 people.
Mile 23 to 25 were the most brutal of the day. No relief from the sun on Meridian Street and then those 20 mph winds kicked up. What the heck!?! I struggled along mightily with the walk/run strategy. As I neared Monument Circle though I pushed all of the pain out of my mind. I was able to find a stride that didn't offend any parts of my body. Perhaps the endorphine rush of nearing the finish was blocking the discomfort.
I circled the monument with th biggest smile I could muster. Partially out of excitement but mostly out of relief that the journey was ending soon. I turned on to Market Street and was greeted with photographers and the strongest head wind that I have ever run into. EVER! I joked with the photogs "Which one of you guys ordered the head wind in the last mile?" In the moment it was worth a chuckle.
As I turned on to Capitol Ave a man said only 4 more turns. I clamped down and concentrated on blocking out the people around me and focused on "form and pace." Turn left, ahead a block, turn left and the crowd appears. Cheering. Celebrating. Cones split the final approach for the 1/2ers and the full runners so I move to the right lane. At this point I remove my sun glasses and gather all I have for the final .2. One last left turn and there is the finish line. I cruise in to a finish time of 4:57:17.
I staggered to a volunteer who removed my timing chip from my shoe. Then another who handed me the most delicious bottle of water ever. Then another volunteer hung the medal around my neck. Finally a space blanket wrapped around my shoulders. I met up with Liz and the girls, more like they found me since I totally missed them as I headed towards the finish line. It was so good to see them.
The day did not go as planned. 6 months of training felt wasted. Sure I 'completed' the distance. But I did not do it on my terms. There will be revenge. Watch out for Chicago 2010.
The day started out well. I woke up refreshed at 5:15 when my alarm went off. A 1/2 bagel with peanut butter and 10 oz of Gatorade served as my breakfast. After getting dressed in my long sleeve tech shirt and NF singlet I grabbed my hat, gloves, and watch and headed out the door. Traffic at that hour was light as I started my 20 mile drive to downtown Indianapolis.
I arrived downtown and parked under the Circle Centre Mall. As I was getting my stuff together the gentleman parked next to me was unpacking his bike from the back of his SUV. I asked if he was volunteering on the course. He was not, he was there to take pictures of his son who was also running the full marathon. We exchanged a few well wishes and away I went to street level.
The sun was just beginning to rise. The muffled sounds of the city were starting to warm up as the day progressed. I headed over toward the state capitol building where the start of the race would take place. Along the wait I stopped to chat with a couple of other runners that I planned to meet up with before the race. We shared a few stories and wished each other luck as we headed towards our start positions at the starting line. There was a strong wind blowing (forecast for up to 20 mph on the day) but the temps were mild.
I stood in beanie cap and gloves waiting for the starting gun. Some words from the prodium. Couldn't hear them. Former Olympian and US 5k record holder Bob Kennedy said something over the intercom. Then the invocation and finally the Star Spangled Banner. Go time was here! The wheel chair racers were off and soon we would be too.
I was stationed just in front of the 4:00 pace team. A pace team is a group of runners with a common goal who are led by an experienced marathon. The herd started moving ahead toward the start line without any kind of signal. Within a minute or so I crossed the start line and my marathon began.
The streets were packed with runners. In the first two miles there were several turns which created bottle necks as people tried their best to hug the nearside curb. Running tangents is the best way to save yourself from running extra distance on race day. Hence the mad rush to stay as close to the inside on the road as possible. Due to the density of runners at my pace I missed the first two water stations. About 2 miles in I realized that I was too hot already! I pitched my beanie hat and kept on. About a 1/2 mile later I let loose of the gloves. I was thinking the long sleeve shirt was overkill too.
At mile three there was a road block, literally. We were on Mass Ave which is under construction. At a point just before a left turn there were 4 barricades blocking the road. Imagine water runing through cracks in a damn and you will have an idea of how we passed the obstacle.
A bit later we turned right and headed north. At around mile 4 I decided the long sleeves had to go. I pulled off to the side and continued on with just my singlet on. I would carry the other shirt until mile 8 where I ditched it on the mile marker post. The course passed the Indiana State Fair Grounds. Road closures related to the race had cars backed up about 2 miles at this point in the race. Some drivers honked and cheered; some drivers honked and jeered.
I looked in my mind for the stretch through Broadripple. Liz and the girls would be there to cheer for me and give me a spiritual lift to carry me on to the second half of the race. Just before I got to where they were I came across a cheering section with Usain Bolt "fire power." I gave them a little bow and arrow of my own and carried on with my business. About a block later I had sweaty daddy kisses for my family and told them I'd see them at the finish.
Shortly after I passed through the half-way point in 2:03:57 and I still felt strong. Wait for it... Mile 14 it fell apart quick! A cramp in my right calf and a pulling feeling in my left inner thigh simultaneously hit me. I stopped to a walk immediately and limped along. Ugh! The march continued until mile 15 when I felt like I could maybe start to shuffle a bit again. As I started my shuffle the 4:15 pace group passed by. I had a momentary thought of hanging with them but that faded quickly also. I tried my best to concentrate on damage control and getting to the turn at mile16.
When I turned the corner at mile 16 the water/aid station was right ahead and out of cups. No water to be had and no gel packs. This left me struggling to stay in the right mental state. A DNF (did not finish) was dangerously close at this point! I dedicated miles 16-18 to a fellow NF Endurance team member who is battling health issues right now. I thought of this man and knew that I couldn't give up. I began to shuffle and walk on and off. About this time I turned the corner heading towards the Indianapolis Art Museum and there it was! An oasis. The rally point for my race. I came across the next aid station and they had WATER! and gel packs! and peanut M&M's! I was finally putting some calories back into the system.
I came through the 30k with a new PR time despite my struggles. Mile 19 went by and then I got to mile 20. Mile 20 is a big one. Only 10k to go. I can do the math easily in my head for those short distances. If I could hang on to 10 minutes per mile then I could still finish in 4:35. The truth of the matter is that at that point I was already scorched by the sun and heading towards dehydration. Not much of a chance of 10 minute miles. I kept battling though.
Between miles 21 and 23 I chugged along passing some of the other people whose day had not turned out as plan. Right calf cramp still tightening up. Hips starting to tighten. I counted those left behind as I went on. Through the course of those two miles I passed 40 people.
Mile 23 to 25 were the most brutal of the day. No relief from the sun on Meridian Street and then those 20 mph winds kicked up. What the heck!?! I struggled along mightily with the walk/run strategy. As I neared Monument Circle though I pushed all of the pain out of my mind. I was able to find a stride that didn't offend any parts of my body. Perhaps the endorphine rush of nearing the finish was blocking the discomfort.
I circled the monument with th biggest smile I could muster. Partially out of excitement but mostly out of relief that the journey was ending soon. I turned on to Market Street and was greeted with photographers and the strongest head wind that I have ever run into. EVER! I joked with the photogs "Which one of you guys ordered the head wind in the last mile?" In the moment it was worth a chuckle.
As I turned on to Capitol Ave a man said only 4 more turns. I clamped down and concentrated on blocking out the people around me and focused on "form and pace." Turn left, ahead a block, turn left and the crowd appears. Cheering. Celebrating. Cones split the final approach for the 1/2ers and the full runners so I move to the right lane. At this point I remove my sun glasses and gather all I have for the final .2. One last left turn and there is the finish line. I cruise in to a finish time of 4:57:17.
I staggered to a volunteer who removed my timing chip from my shoe. Then another who handed me the most delicious bottle of water ever. Then another volunteer hung the medal around my neck. Finally a space blanket wrapped around my shoulders. I met up with Liz and the girls, more like they found me since I totally missed them as I headed towards the finish line. It was so good to see them.
The day did not go as planned. 6 months of training felt wasted. Sure I 'completed' the distance. But I did not do it on my terms. There will be revenge. Watch out for Chicago 2010.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
1 week until race day...
Happy Halloween! I started off the fetive holiday with the Trinity Free Clinic 5k race this morning. The local race features a flat course with great volunteers and all proceeds benefit the medical clinic which offers services free of charge to the community. The weather was iffy at best with strong winds and occasional drizzle. Temps were in the 40's unless facing the headwind. I went into the race thinking that I was in 22:30 shape for the distance. My final time was a 23:49 placing me 77/373 overall. The good news is that I felt like I had plenty left in my legs. At the pace I ran early on I was struggling to convert oxygen to match the racing effort. This makes sense since few of my recent workouts have been at lactate threshold (5K pace or faster). The short of it is that my lungs sold me out today. No big deal though since next week is the big enchilada.
One week until IMM. I am as ready as I can imagine that I will be. I look forward to a stong marathon performance followed by 2 weeks of sweet recovery. I've had several 40+ mile weeks and many more 30+ weeks. I can't fathom how people can run 150-200 miles a week. It is hard on the body and eats up a lot of time. Granted most people posting those big mileage weeks do so as professionals. Still think about this, in order to run that many miles you have to run twice a day most days and rarely (if ever) take a day off. But I digress. My point being that I'm ready to put my feet up and rest for a bit.
Good luck to fellow NF Endurance runners who are participating at NYC tomorrow.
One week until IMM. I am as ready as I can imagine that I will be. I look forward to a stong marathon performance followed by 2 weeks of sweet recovery. I've had several 40+ mile weeks and many more 30+ weeks. I can't fathom how people can run 150-200 miles a week. It is hard on the body and eats up a lot of time. Granted most people posting those big mileage weeks do so as professionals. Still think about this, in order to run that many miles you have to run twice a day most days and rarely (if ever) take a day off. But I digress. My point being that I'm ready to put my feet up and rest for a bit.
Good luck to fellow NF Endurance runners who are participating at NYC tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
30 days and a wake up
Where did the summer go? Here we are with the first week of October in the books and staring down 30 days until the marathon. Training has stayed close to schedule for the past 12 weeks. I have missed a few runs at various points for various reasons but I am feeling strong overall. So far my longest effort was a 21 miler. I am scheduled for 18 this weekend and 20 next weekend before starting my taper. With those long runs in the bag and the work that I have put in I am confident that I will have a good day on Saturday, November 7.
At different points in the training cycle I have adjusted my time goal in my mind for the race. I have used online finish time calculators like the one on Greg McMillan's website. I have also used the rule of thumb 1/2 marathon time multiplied by 2 plus 10 minutes. And in the end I used the good old fashioned "I want to break four hours." Thus I have set my goal to run 26.2 miles in a time of 3:58:30. That translates to a pace of 9:06 per mile. McMillan predicts a time of 3:45 and the other method predicts a 3:48. I suspect the final time will be between the 3:58 I am shooting for and 4:10.
Recent workouts have been strong. I ran a 5 miler on Monday and a 7.5 miler on Tuesday at marathon pace which both went well. The remaining runs this week will bring me to about 45 miles and next week I will peak at 52 if all goes well.
The mystique of the marathon is hard to explain. It is both enticing and terrifying. The enticing part is pushing my body to the limit of physical excertion. Challenging myself to put on a pair of shorts, a neon yellow tank top, some 99cent gloves from Menards, and a skull cap and stand in the middle of a pack of people who saw fit to roll out of bed at 4:30 on a Saturday morning and stand in the cold waiting for someone to fire a gun. Going from station to station on the race course and crossing the finish line with that look of joyful anguish. Terrifying for many of the same reasons but mainly because the mind can play tricks on you. What I mean is that the mind can betray the body with what a sales manager of my past called "stinkin' thinkin.'" Try as you might to block them out, sometimes those thoughts creep in. Like say mile 16 when you realize that you have run 16 miles and still have double digits to go. A mantra helps. This training cycle I have been using-- "pace and form." I hope to be lucky enough to keep my mind on other things during the race instead of fatigue, pain, and the like. A great course helps and I think the IMM fits the bill.
Another thing that helps is that I do not run alone. The support of family, friends, fellow runners, and the NF Endurance team is a boost. On race day I will think about all of the NF heroes out there and I will not want to let them down. I will think about my own Anneliese and I will not want to let her down. They will carry me to the finish line.
Thirty days are all that remain.
At different points in the training cycle I have adjusted my time goal in my mind for the race. I have used online finish time calculators like the one on Greg McMillan's website. I have also used the rule of thumb 1/2 marathon time multiplied by 2 plus 10 minutes. And in the end I used the good old fashioned "I want to break four hours." Thus I have set my goal to run 26.2 miles in a time of 3:58:30. That translates to a pace of 9:06 per mile. McMillan predicts a time of 3:45 and the other method predicts a 3:48. I suspect the final time will be between the 3:58 I am shooting for and 4:10.
Recent workouts have been strong. I ran a 5 miler on Monday and a 7.5 miler on Tuesday at marathon pace which both went well. The remaining runs this week will bring me to about 45 miles and next week I will peak at 52 if all goes well.
The mystique of the marathon is hard to explain. It is both enticing and terrifying. The enticing part is pushing my body to the limit of physical excertion. Challenging myself to put on a pair of shorts, a neon yellow tank top, some 99cent gloves from Menards, and a skull cap and stand in the middle of a pack of people who saw fit to roll out of bed at 4:30 on a Saturday morning and stand in the cold waiting for someone to fire a gun. Going from station to station on the race course and crossing the finish line with that look of joyful anguish. Terrifying for many of the same reasons but mainly because the mind can play tricks on you. What I mean is that the mind can betray the body with what a sales manager of my past called "stinkin' thinkin.'" Try as you might to block them out, sometimes those thoughts creep in. Like say mile 16 when you realize that you have run 16 miles and still have double digits to go. A mantra helps. This training cycle I have been using-- "pace and form." I hope to be lucky enough to keep my mind on other things during the race instead of fatigue, pain, and the like. A great course helps and I think the IMM fits the bill.
Another thing that helps is that I do not run alone. The support of family, friends, fellow runners, and the NF Endurance team is a boost. On race day I will think about all of the NF heroes out there and I will not want to let them down. I will think about my own Anneliese and I will not want to let her down. They will carry me to the finish line.
Thirty days are all that remain.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Vacation is over now it is back to work!
Last week we enjoyed a respite from daily life with a trip to SW Michigan. We visited Holland, Saugatuck, South Haven and Grand Haven. We had a great time and photos of the girls can be seen at dh-thisismylife.blogspot.com. Walking was plentiful, running was sparse. First of all, I forgot to pack my Mizuno Wave Alchemy running shoes. Not much chance of me running in flip flops so we stopped at Shoe Carnival on our way to Michigan Adventure. I picked up a pair of Asics Gel-Kahana 3's. Turns out the Asics are more of an all terrain shoe but the price was right given the circumstances so I pulled the trigger on the purchase. I ended up running in them once during our vacation.
Marathon training officially starts next week. I am looking forward to the rigors of training and the sense of accomplishment that I will get from running another 26.2 for the NF Endurance Team. If you would like to see a video of the course for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon (forever more referred to as IMM in this blog) then go to www.monumentalmarathon.com. The video is on the lower right side of the page.
I have set a modest goal of $262.00 to be raised for the IMM in support of NF Research. 26.2 X $10 per mile. Feel free to sponsor me for a mile or a portion of a mile. The donation page can be found here: http://www.active.com/donate/nfraceforresearch09/ar3nf. You will notice that the page is purple this time since that is Anneliese's favorite color.
See you on the roads.
Marathon training officially starts next week. I am looking forward to the rigors of training and the sense of accomplishment that I will get from running another 26.2 for the NF Endurance Team. If you would like to see a video of the course for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon (forever more referred to as IMM in this blog) then go to www.monumentalmarathon.com. The video is on the lower right side of the page.
I have set a modest goal of $262.00 to be raised for the IMM in support of NF Research. 26.2 X $10 per mile. Feel free to sponsor me for a mile or a portion of a mile. The donation page can be found here: http://www.active.com/donate/nfraceforresearch09/ar3nf. You will notice that the page is purple this time since that is Anneliese's favorite color.
See you on the roads.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
So what's new anyway?
Since we last chatted on this page much has happened/will be happening.
First, we raised $600 for Anneliese's Road Racers for Research through a yard sale held at Liz's aunt's house in Milford. That brought us to nearly $1000 in donations for the Indianapolis 500 Festival Minimarathon campaign. Thanks goes out to family and friends for their support in the forms of items to sell and time. Without help we could not achieve such great results. $1000 more for research to find a cure for NF. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Next, Chasing Down the Cure 5k is on the books for July 11th. Please come out and join us for a morning of walking/running. Also, cast a wide net by inviting family and friends to come out for the race or to sponsor you. Details on the website, click on the link above.
Next, I signed up for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon which takes place Nov. 7. This will be my second crack at 26.2 miles. Training officially starts in 2 weeks. No goal finish time in mind yet.
Last but not least, our NF Endurance friends are undertaking an awe inspiring trek across the country on bikes. 3 teams wearing NF colors will venture from CA to MD in about 8+ days of riding in the Race Across America. All total they have raised nearly $190,000 for this event through fundraising. Unbelievable. Follow their trip here: www.ariangels.org.
First, we raised $600 for Anneliese's Road Racers for Research through a yard sale held at Liz's aunt's house in Milford. That brought us to nearly $1000 in donations for the Indianapolis 500 Festival Minimarathon campaign. Thanks goes out to family and friends for their support in the forms of items to sell and time. Without help we could not achieve such great results. $1000 more for research to find a cure for NF. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Next, Chasing Down the Cure 5k is on the books for July 11th. Please come out and join us for a morning of walking/running. Also, cast a wide net by inviting family and friends to come out for the race or to sponsor you. Details on the website, click on the link above.
Next, I signed up for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon which takes place Nov. 7. This will be my second crack at 26.2 miles. Training officially starts in 2 weeks. No goal finish time in mind yet.
Last but not least, our NF Endurance friends are undertaking an awe inspiring trek across the country on bikes. 3 teams wearing NF colors will venture from CA to MD in about 8+ days of riding in the Race Across America. All total they have raised nearly $190,000 for this event through fundraising. Unbelievable. Follow their trip here: www.ariangels.org.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Chasing Down the Cure and Mini photos
Great news! Chasing Down the Cure 5k Run & Walk is on for the 2nd year. The race will take place on Saturday, July 11th at 8:30 am. The location will be the same as last year, Northview Christian Life Church. There will be a slight change to the course this year. Details on the course change will be available soon.
Last year we had nearly 100 participants with many of the participants being supporters of Anneliese's Road Racers! We would love to see everyone return this year and to add even more runners and walkers. We also have a need for raceday volunteers. Feel free to contact me for more information about volunteer opportunities.
***********************************************************************************
2009 Minimarathon photos are now available from brightroom.com. Click on the following link to see my raceday pictures. This year there are plenty of clear photos of me: http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=47187&BIB=22944&S=230&PWD=
Last year we had nearly 100 participants with many of the participants being supporters of Anneliese's Road Racers! We would love to see everyone return this year and to add even more runners and walkers. We also have a need for raceday volunteers. Feel free to contact me for more information about volunteer opportunities.
***********************************************************************************
2009 Minimarathon photos are now available from brightroom.com. Click on the following link to see my raceday pictures. This year there are plenty of clear photos of me: http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=47187&BIB=22944&S=230&PWD=
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