Anneliese's Road Racers for Research

Whatever happened at the Mini anyway?

2011-05-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

Austin and I completed the 2011 Indianapolis 500 Festival One America Minimarathon as we proudly represented Anneliese and everyone with ties to Neurofibromatosis.

Here is my account of the event:

I have been due for a race with good weather and this was the one! I woke up at 5:30 and ate my traditional bagel with peanut butter and drank Powerade. Austin and I stayed downtown the night before the race which was a first for me. Our room overlooked the start line of the race where I could see final prep taking place. The Neurofibromatosis (NF) Endurance Team had a team pic scheduled for 6:30. We left for the picture expecting a slight chill in the air so I wore my arm warmers. I quickly realized that I wouldn't be needing the arm warmers or the sun glasses I had clipped to them. At the picture we met up with Team Captain Joe Gunn and several other people running the 5k or half-marathon. After the picture we completed our .5 mile warmup run and then headed back to the hotel to drop off the stuff we wouldn't need. While we were in the room the 5k race started. Seeing the race start from 8 stories up was pretty cool. I had a better appreciation for the wave in the sea of people.

Right after the 5k started we headed down to corral F (the Minimarathon uses an alphabetic coral system to stage the 35,000 runners for the race). A guy standing in front of us was a magnet for the beach balls that were flying around the pens of people. He must have been hit in the head 30 times or more before the corral compression started. Even as I stood in the corral I wasn't sure what my goal was going to be for the race. To race hard or even effort training run?

I crossed the start line about 3:45 after the start, give or take. I used an agressive weave to pass people in the first mile and still managed only a 9:25 first mile split. Mile 2 was right around 8:10, possibly too fast but that remained to be seen. Mile three was congested again and over 9:10. During mile 3 I was also feeling a little light headed. Shortly after mile 4 the feeling had passed possibly aided by the gel pack I had taken. My race strategy was broken down into a 5mile/5mile/5k segmentation so at this point in the race I was most concerned with where I would be sitting at the 5 mile point. I crossed the marker in 43:56 (my watch time). I was happy with that split since I was shooting for anything under 45 minutes.

Soon after passing the mile 5 marker I looked ahead and to my right and saw the facade of the Motor Speedway. I was determined not to be intimidated by the track this year. In past years the 2.5 mile oval inside of the Speedway had seen me go from PR (personal record- best completion time for a given distance) aspirant to holding on for dear life. As I entered the track the energy from the cheer squads boosted me. About the far turn I realized that I was no longer being passed by anyone and I was the one doing the passing. That boosted my confidence. I was feeling better than I ever have in any race! I exited the track and popped a gel right before passing the 15k point. After my second 5 mile segment I was @ 1:27:56 for the race (official time). Doing the math in my head I had even split the first 10 miles.
After a pit stop I was back on the course and headed for home. Running past the biker bar on the way back to town isn't the same since they hand out water now instead of beer. Miles 11 and 12 were comfortable, perhaps 20 seconds slower per mile than I was averaging to that point. Mile 13 included a surge until .75 when I dialed back a little, then a surge at 1/2 until I spotted my family. I ran by them before I realized it was them! I checked around me to make sure the coast was clear then I back tracked a little bit to pre-celebrate. Just then the announcer starting urging runners on to finish before the gun time struck 2:00. I gave it what I had and just missed with a gun time of 2:00:08 and a chip time of 1:56:10. I was about 2 minutes over my PR but proud of the effort.

Seasons don't fear the reaper...

2011-04-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

nor do the sun, nor the wind, nor the runner. Or something like that. Apologies to Blue Oyster Cult for mangling their lyrics. A few posts back I commented about the cold, snowy, icy conditions we endured over the harshest winter I can remember. Far be it from me to complain when the temperatures are unseasonably warm, as will be the case tomorrow. Highs are expected to peak at 84* in the hometown tomorrow. Early June you ask. Neigh says I, tis but April. Good news is the warm weather will help me acclimate to the temperatures we might expect on Carmel Marathon race day. So let's talk running:

Fundraising Report: Liz and I are nearly ready to launch our letter campaign for donations to Children's Tumor Foundation. A few tweaks remain but the letter should be in the mail this week. As a reminder, I will be running the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon along with the Carmel Marathon to raise money and awareness for Neurofribromatosis. Countdown to the "Mini" is on since we are less than one month away from race day. Any size donation will be accepted and appreciated. Thanks!

Anneliese: I'm so proud of my little girl! She and I have been doing running workouts together along with little sis Emmeline. Our street is a 1 km loop and makes for a perfect distance run for the girls. We are slowly building up their endurance. Right now we do one loop. Anneliese tells me that she is training to run a NF 5k with me this summer. How cool will it be to see her cross the finish line?

Training: As I sit and type this I am on the eve of an 18 mile run. Tomorrow I will run solo since my usual running partner will be out of town. If all goes well and I complete the course I have prepared (18.87 miles officially) then I will be at around 323 miles run for the year. The 18 miler will also mark the longest run I've completed going into a Minimarathon. I think what I am trying to say is that my training is going well so far. I haven't decided yet what my goals will be for either race.

On a side note, I was sitting down thinking about places I have run while traveling for work. My 323 miles since January 1st have taken place in Bellevue, Lexington, Louisville, and Newport in Kentucky; Carmel, Fishers, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville, South Bend, and Valparaiso in Indiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Chicago, Illinois. I've had the opportunity to share my passion for running with some good friends who joined me on several of those runs. I'm thankful to have the support of family and friends as I continue the journey.

Final Words: "Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." - Oprah Winfrey (4:29 Marathon PR)

See you on the roads.

Intervals...

2011-03-08T16:55:00.000-08:00

Fundraising has begun for my spring/summer race schedule. So far AR3NF has raised $100 towards our $500 goal. Please help if you are able by donating to a worthy cause near and dear to our hearts. You can click on the Click Here to Donate! link on the right to get to our fundraising website.

Anneliese will make her debut as a track star this summer. Sign-ups for the Westfield Youth Sports track club will not take place for 2 more months but we are already getting excited. I attended a coaches and volunteers meeting last night. The club is intended for K-6 grade children with practices and meets starting the first week of June. Kids will work out with high school coaches and athletes as well as college track athletes. Meets will be held on Friday nights. Anneliese will get the chance to run 50m, 100m, 200m, and longer if she wants. She is also looking foward to getting new shoes and running clothes!

Training continues for me as the Mini and Carmel Marathon approach. With only 9 weeks until the Mini I am feeling good about where I am in my schedule. I completed a long run of over 13 miles recently along with several strong speedwork sessions. Motivation is easy when you ruNFor a reason.

50 marathons is a major accomplishment. Earlier this year Bob Skold ran his 50th marathon. Way to go Bob. What's next for Bob? "100 is the new 50," he says. See you on the roads, Bob, and good luck! Read more of Bob's story here.

Runner's beard... Check out a beard contest conducted by Daily Mile recently. Your's truly was entered for my frosty tipped beard (photo credit goes to Liz) which can be seen in the hirsute collection of photos on the Daily Mile Blog. Congrats go out to the winner and the runner up, a dog. Yeah, I was beat in a beard contest by a canine. (Bad Don humor alert) That puts a new spin for me on the cliche "hair of the dog that bit you." I guess it is true that the world is going to the dogs. Ugh, sorry. You can judge for yourself here: http://www.dailymile.com/blog/contest/battle-of-the-beards.

Final words. "Human beings are made up of flesh and blood, and a miracle fiber called courage" -George Patton

See you on the roads.

First day of spring training...

2011-02-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

as in spring marathon training. Today was the first day of my 18 week marathon training plan that will culminate on June 11th with me running the inaugural Carmel Marathon. Carmel is a neighboring community to the area where I live. The race offers me a short commute along with an inexpensive entry fee (as far as marathon entry fees go). The course is advantageous to me since I have run most of route during workouts and races over the years. I'll also have an opportunity to do some of my training runs during this training cycle on the actual course. ...more exciting information about the race to come in future posts...

BEFORE I get to the start of the starting line for the Carmel Marathon I will be racing the OneAmerica 500 Festival Minimarathon on May 7th. This will be the sixth year that Anneliese's Road Racers for Research will take part in an event at the "Mini" for the NF Endurance Team. This will be my fifth running of the half-marathon distance. Last year I opted to run the 5k race and was joined by our cousin, Austin Yoder. This year Austin will return with me to the Mini and has stepped up to the half-marathon distance. The mini will also be the race that I am targeting for fundraising. If you are interested in donating to fund NF Research, please click on the "Donate Now" link on the right side of the blog. We are hoping to raise over $500 again this year.

This year the NF Endurance team has charity slots available for the Mini. This is the first time our team has been able to offer entry to the race to people after the official sell out has occurred. Find out how you can join the team by visiting the team page for the Indy Mini. You'll also notice on the website that our little Anneliese is featured for her courage and inspiration. If you have every thought about running a half-marathon then this is your chance to run the best in the world while supporting a great cause.

Weathering the workouts is as challenging as the workouts themselves. Record snow, ice and cold temperatures seem to be a way of life this year. In the past, most of my running workouts were usually done outside. I've been burning up the treadmill at my gym this winter with the exception of my weekend long run. I'm looking forward to the spring thaw out. With no sign of improving conditions in sight I am looking into alternative workouts...

I have moved many of my workouts indoors to BANG! Fitness Project (formerly Cardinal Fitness Carmel). Tonight I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill followed by stairmaster and Versa-Climber. I added a few sets of dumbbells to round out the workout. The owner of Bang was very helpful to me in getting started on the Versa-Climber. The machine offers a full body workout and will probably find its way into my gym routine.

I recently discovered Daily Mile. The website is a nice resource for logging workouts and keeping track of other teammates as they train for events. You can follow my workouts during marathon training on the AR3NF blog with the "widget" on the right side of the screen.

That is all for tonight.

See you on the road!

Don and Emmeline meet an Olympic Medalist!

2010-11-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, Meb Keflezighi. A 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist and 2009 New York City Marathon Champion came to town. Meb was in Indianapolis for a book signing at my favorite running store (formerly Running Company now BlueMile). We were fortunate enough to be second in line to have our book signed. Meb was a true gentleman. He was friendly to me and Emmeline and spoke to us by name. Emmeline was all too happy to let Meb hold her for the photo. I'm about 50 pages into his book as I type this and amazed by his family's story.

For perspective on the picture, I am 5'11" and weighing about 190#s right now while Meb is 5'5" 1/2 and weights around 120. Perhaps that explains the disparity in our marathon PR's :-)

One liners...

2010-07-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Anneliese, the little runner girl, has improved her 100m time from 41 seconds to 37 seconds so far this summer. Girl is fast!

Chasing Down the Cure 2010, a 5k to benefit NF research, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 21. For more information or to register go to www.chasingdownthecure.com.

There is still time to donate to Anneliese's Road Racers for our 2010 campaign. So far we have raised $535 towards our goal of $1000. Click on the donate now link on the right side of this page or visit http://www.active.com/donate/nfindy2010/AYoder6.

Need to refuel after a hard workout? Or just wanting a tasty snack? Check out this salsa recipe that Liz make's for me... I'm slightly obsessed: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/restaurant-style-salsa/

Running and math should not be attempted at the same time...but afterwards it is ok. Check out this nifty calculator from the folks at the University of Dayton that does an age and weight equivalant time for runners: http://academic.udayton.edu/PaulVanderburgh/weight_age_grading_calculator.htm I'm not sure how accurate it is but I feel faster already. (and yeah, I typed nifty).

Put it on your calendar for next year, the Mississinewa Triathlon. 500yd swim, 16.6 mile bike, 3.5 mile run. Barring a schedule conflict I will be there to try my first tri.

Keepin' Track of AR3NF

2010-07-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

May was a busy month for Anneliese's Road Racers for Research. We pulled our efforts together to race the Illinois Marathon
in Champaign, IL on May 1st and then conquered the 5k at the Indianapolis Minimarathon a week later. Here are the stories:

Saturday, May 1, 2010, Champaign, IL.

It had been over 5 years since I last stepped foot in Chambana (the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana). Champaign is where Liz and I lived when we were first married. Champaign is where we rescued our dog Lucy from doggy jail. Champaign is where our little NF Hero, Anneliese, was born almost 6 years ago. When my friend Brad mentioned on facebook that he was running a marathon in Champaign I offered to give him advice if needed about getting around, restaurants, or whatever he may have questions about. He replied on facebook to my message by suggesting that I enter the race too.

Lucy

My original plan for spring was to work on speed. I had signed up for the 5k at the Minimarathon (more on that later) and was planning on running shorter, faster workouts. Having just come off of a marathon training cycle in November, however, I decided that I would piggy back the Illinois Marathon on that training and take advantage of the endurance that I had built up. I told Brad that I was in for Illinois.

After packet pickup at the student center I grabbed a quick bite at a restaurant Liz and I used to eat at called Za's. I polished off a plate of spaghetti and some iced tea then headed to the Fairfield Inn where I'd be staying with Brad. As I cruised from place to place in Champaign I realized that not much had changed since we were last there and I was able to get around easily. I got in to the hotel around 9pm CT. Brad and I caught up with each other for a bit then it was lights out for the early wake up call.

The temperature at 6am was 68* with high humidity. I had a pretty good sweat going just walking from the car to the staging area. Brad and I stretched out together and hung out until a few minutes before the start when we went to our starting places. The sky was overcast which kept the start from being a scorcher.

The race course was as flat as I expected. There were plenty of aid stations along the way as well. Fan support was great considering how small the towns are. Many of the 5k runners stayed after to cheer on the 1/2 and full marathoners. Around mile 6 was when the sun broke out for me. It went from muggy to balmy. I ran a good race until the half way point and then I decided to enjoy the course and my visit to Champaign by taking the second half more easily. I finished in 5:19. The race finished at the 50 yard line of Memorial Stadium, home of the Fighting Illini of the Univeristy of Illinois. I thought about taking an Ohio State flag with me and laying it in the middle of the field but decided better against it. (Illinois and Ohio State are Big Ten rivals). I fully recommend the Illinois Marathon to anyone looking for a good/fast spring race.

Saturday, May 8, 2010, Indianapolis, IN

For the 5th year in a row Anneliese's Road Racers took part in the Indianapolis 500 Festival Minimarathon and 5k events. This time the team included me and a second member-- Austin Yoder. We opted to run the Finish Line 5k instead of the half-marathon. Race morning was not even remotely close to the weather of the previous weekend. We had temperatures, when adjusted for windchill, around 40*. That doesn't tell the whole story...it was COLD.

This year the 5k was scheduled to begin prior to the start of the 1/2. We arrived early for a picture with some of the other NF Endurance team members.

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Photo By: Liz Hahn

There was one other order of business to take care of at the photo op. Our team captain, Joe Gunn, lost a wager with team captains from three other fundraising events. He was one of three team captains who would receive a pie in the face! The pie thrower would be none other than---Anneliese! Video here.

Without much further adieu, Austin and I, along with our new friend and teammate Sandy Liang, made our way to the start line. I was in the preferred start coral based on sending in a previous race time to the Race Director. Somehow I managed to get within a few steps of the starting line. I even ended up being on tv for a few minutes as the WishTV crew broadcasted live from the event. Video here.

The 5k race started and we were off. Joe caught up with me on the course before mile one and we chatted as he took a shot at me:

Photo By: Joe Gunn

Shortly after I passed Joe came across Austin:

Photo By: Joe Gunn

We finished the race in times of 24:15 (Don) and 26:10 (Austin). Sandy came across the finish shortly after and we all grabbed some refreshments before heading for a group picture. Sadly, the group photos taken by Brightroom never showed up on their website. I bet they were really cool though.

We ruNFor Anneliese, 2010 campaign

2010-03-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

We ruNFor Anneliese! This year Anneliese’s Road Racers for Research (AR3) will once again be taking to the road and raising money to support NF Research. Elizabeth and I are very proud of our daughter Anneliese. Anneliese is a smart, beautiful, and caring 5 year old girl who happens to have NF1. NF is the abbreviated form of Neurofibromatosis, a neurological disorder that affects about 1:3000 people. Anneliese has many café-au-lait spots on her body and several small neurofibromas on her head. We have been lucky so far. Anneliese’s recent MRI came back clear and she has not been afflicted by the many symptoms associated with the disorder. I say that we have been lucky so far but we cannot be sure what her future has in store. NF is unpredictable.

Currently there is no cure for NF. There are many clinical trials taking place and progress is being made. The research to solve the NF puzzle is ongoing and needs funding. That is where we come in. We can help the skilled researchers continue to do their jobs by providing them with the funding that is required to continue with their work.

AR3 is back in action this spring. May is NF awareness month! What better way to kick off the month than a marathon? I will be running the Illinois Marathon in Champaign, IL on May 1st. The following weekend I will be joined by Liz’s cousin, Austin Yoder, for the 500 Festival 5k event that takes place just prior to the Indianapolis Minimarathon. These events will be our spring fundraising target events. We hope to raise $1000 for research with your help.

Here is how you can help:

• Donate to Anneliese’s Road Racers for Researchers at ar3nf.blogspot.com by clicking on the “Donate Now” link on the right side of the screen. Donations of all sizes are welcome.
• Join the team! Sign up for an endurance event (run, bike, swim, walk), fundraise, and run an event for AR3. Please note that all Indianapolis 500 Minimarathon events are now sold out.
• Organize an event to raise money for NF Research. Last year we raised $600 for the cause by holding a yard sale. Be creative and help raise awareness and money!

Thanks for your past support.

Don, Liz and the girls

IMM Target Achieved, Thank You

2009-11-28T08:43:00.001-08:00

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.

1 week until race day...

2009-10-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

Good luck to fellow NF Endurance runners who are participating at NYC tomorrow.

30 days and a wake up

2009-10-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

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.

Vacation is over now it is back to work!

2009-06-28T13:11:00.001-07:00

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.

So what's new anyway?

2009-06-18T18:05:00.001-07:00

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.

Chasing Down the Cure and Mini photos

2009-05-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

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.

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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=

2009 Indianapolis 500 Festival Minimarathon

2009-05-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the "mini." A great day for racing. When I left the house at 6:00 am the temperature was around 48 degrees. A little warm but not bad. I picked up my training partner, Matt, and we headed downtown. Traffic wasn't too bad and we were able to snag some free parking within 5 blocks of the starting area. We jogged through the crowds to get our legs a bit loose. About a block from the start Matt went on towards his corral* while I headed towards the Westin hotel to meet up with NF team members.

I arrived at the Westin and walked in just as Steve Kendra, NF Endurance Team Director, and other team members were heading out to the starting area. I was just in time for a quick photo op and then we were on our way.

From the Westin I had about a 1/2 mile walk to my corral: E. I weaved my way through the crowds assembling outside the baracades for each corral. I must have passed 20,000 runners and walkers all anxious to get the race started. Overhead the PA system was pumping out classic rock with an occasional announcement about walkway closings and special guests on hand. In the crowd I could see smiles, laughter, and many people with the look of determination in their eyes. The anticipation was building as I walked past the volunteer into my corral.

I worked my way into the middle third of the corral. Looking around I attempt to assess the abilities of the runners nearby. I've learned over the years that looks can and usually are very deceiving. I reminded myself not to worry about anyone else and to focus on my own race. The crowd started to push forward as we inched toward the start line. The official countdown started with the help of US soldiers stationed in Kuwait. Ten-Nine-Eight-Seven-Six-Five-Four-Three-Two-One and the race was underway. The people surrounding me began walking forward. We marched in time until we were within about 50 meters of the start then the run began. I hit the start button on my watch as I crossed the start line.

I felt strong and the cool air felt nice. I couldn't help but smile. The first mile was easy. I saw Steve within the first mile or two. He was on the sidelines waiting for NF team members to come by. He ran with me for a bit and snapped off a few pictures. We talked briefly and I told him I would be looking forward to seeing him later in the race. He then headed back to meet other team members. I continued on.

First mile 9:11. A bit slow. I was focusing on even splits each mile. Since training was not as thorough as for last years face I was not worried about a PR. I would be happy with 9 min/miles and an overall time of 1:57. Mile two was reached in 17:50; mile three in 26: 45; mile four in 35: 30; and mile five in 44:15. I was happy with the consistency. I slowed down to a walk at that point to take a gel pack and then hit my stride again.

Before hitting the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway I passed some old friends from Wiley who are entertainers on the course on mini race day. I gave them a shout "Play some Skynyrd" as I passed. They gave me a nice little shout out over the mic. That is the perfect pick me up before hitting the rigors of the two mile, banked oval of the speedway.

The Speedway is best handled before the sun breaks through the clouds. If the sun is out it becomes a sauna on the asphalt. I was able to make my way around the loop in high spirits and get back on the streets just as the sun broke through. I worked my way through mile ten in 1:30:15. I was still on pace. At this point I had 27 minutes to go 3.1 miles or 5km. Unfortuantely miles 10 and eleven are among the worst on the course where scenery is concerned. The mental battle began.

I struggled my way though mile eleven and was relieved that I only had 2.1 miles to go. Then the physical battle began. My calves started seizing up and cramping. I did my best to walk the cramps off and then run again. A pattern was to develop. I would run for about 3 or 4 minutes then walk for 1 or 2 to try to work the my legs loose.

Around my twelve I was walking when I spotted Steve. I started running again as he apprached and we ran together for a bid. He offered words of encouragement which is what I needed. After taking a couple of pictures Steve pulled off to the sideline once more. I ran until I got to the 3/4 mile marker where both calves locked up again. I walked a bit more, ran a bit, walked a bit and found myself at the 1/2 mile mark. As I was deciding how much I had left to give a runner who was also struggling came up from behind me and said "Enough of this, let's just get it over with, come on yellow shirt!" I was yellow shirt (NF Singlet). We pushed on. My calves stayed cramped the rest of the way but I didn't stop. I crossed the finish line in 2:03:15.

Since both of my half marathons from last year were under 1:57 you might say that I am looking for some redemption after my finish time yesterday. I have several 5K's coming up that I am going to be extra focused on.

Check back soon for details about Chasing Down the Cure 5K 2009.

*-The mini uses an alphabetical corral system. Fastest runners are seeded in corrals A-D while seeded runners who have not met the published qualifying times start in E and go back.

1 week until the Mini

2009-04-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

The house is crawling with sick people. Emmeline and Anneliese have been fighting a nasty cough for about 4 days and I have picked up a cough myself. It is that time of year for allergies and hay fever to act up. Liz had a stomach illness today. Not looking pretty a week out from the race, eh?

I have kept running through my seasonal alleargy attack. The last two weeks I have managed to get in 5 days of running per. I will run 6-7 (1 km each) laps around my neighborhood tonight after dinner. Tomorrow will be my last long run before race day (8-10 miles). I'll try to run several short runs next week.

Here is the mini schedule:

THURS: Packet pickup for timing chip
FRI: Dinner with the NF Team
SAT: Race Day, 7:30 start

Ready or not here I go...

Boston Marathon Monday!

2009-04-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

I'm in Ft. Wayne tonight. I worked out on the top of the line treadmill at the new Fairfield Inn. The tradmill was complete with flat screen HD tv. I was able to watch ESPN News while I did my tempo run workout. Total for the day was 5 miles in 42 minutes. My fastest mile was 7:03, also had an 8:00 minute and a 8:19 mile to go along with an avg of 9:31 per mile on my warm up and cool down miles. The overall average was 8:24 per mile. I'd like to be around 8:40 per mile on race day so today's strong workout is reassuring.

Congrats to all of the NF Endurance team members who ran in Boston today. I hope that you had a great race and recover well. Congrats also to Kara Goucher and Ryan Hall who were each 3rd place finishers today and the first American of their gender to cross the finish line.

It's fun to RUN at the YMCA...

2009-04-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

Work travel finds me in Lexington, KY. No Calipari sightings yet but I will keep my eyes open for him. The weather is about what you would expect for the Midwest in April, it was 73 here on Sunday and has been snowing off and on all day today. Since I didn't pack any cold weather gear I was planning to work out at the Fairfield Inn where I am staying. They don't have a fitness room but they do have a deal with the local YMCA for guests to be able to workout. I hit the treadmill for about 25 minutes then followed that up with butt kicks and high knees on the 1/16 mile indoor track. I followed that up with some upper body stuff. My workout ended up being 45 minutes total of high intensity. Not bad since I was sitting in my hotel room trying to talk myself out of working out.

Saturday I hooked up with my long run partner and we drove over to the Monon Greenway for 12 miles. We started at 9am on a very sunny 45* morning. It was a beautiful day to be outside and perfect weather for a run. The first couple of miles were a little rough and I had my doubts about making 12 miles. I got into a rhythm as we passed the Monon Center and headed south towards 465 on the path. As we were running and talking we almost missed our 91st turn around. On the way back I did take two 1 minute walk breaks. I was happy with the overall time of 1:55 for 12.1 miles. That averages out to about 9:30 per mile which projects to a 2:05:xx race time. Given race day adrenaline and aid stations (along with a few more weeks of training) I am starting to feel like a PR is not 100% out of the question. You'd have to check back next week to see if I keep on track this time after a lackluster Jan-March.

See you on the road!

One Month til the Mini

2009-04-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

Ouch... one month until the mini. You can say that training hasn't gone quite as well as I had hoped. I've managed long runs of 8, 9, 9, 10 and 10 to date. Planning to go 12 miles this Saturday with my training partner. At this point I have no expectations for a goal time. I think I can finish in under 2:00's again but I won't be devestated if that doesn't happen. I'm looking forward to the course and seeing other people who race for NF research and awareness.

baby it's cold outside

2009-01-26T17:40:00.000-08:00

Hello, hello. Coming to you live from the frozen tundra.

Apparently someone flagged this blog for questionable content. My apologies if I offended anybody, which seems unlikely since I rarely express views or opinions. But just wanted to put that out there.

Anyway, training continues. I will officially start my mini training plan on Feb 1 with a 7 mile race--the Groundhog 7. Looking forward to improving on last years performance.

So far I have logged about 40 miles in January with 6 days to go. I am hoping to streak out January (run everyday) and end the month around 65 miles. That is about 45 miles less than I originally planned for the month.

On my long run yesterday I hammered out about 6.5 miles in the snow with temps around 15*. When I got home I realized my beard had frozen over. I had Liz take a picture which refuses to load. I will try again next time.

Liz and I are also working out to Jillian Michaels "30 day Shred" dvd. The workouts are 20 minutes long with no rest. There are 3 segments that are repeated several times: strength, cardio, and abs. Right now we are on level I which we will probably do for 10 days then move to level II for 10 days and finish with level III for the final 10 days. Jillian is a little annoying on the dvd but it is a good workout.

In the warriors code, there's no surrender

2009-01-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Last week I was in DC for a business meeting. I am proud to say that I behaved myself and was able to muster 4 training runs while I was there. I arrived on Saturday afternoon to temps of 45* and high blue sky. I checked into my hotel, called home to check the fam, then put on some shorts to head out for a run. I logged about 7 miles in 65 minutes while touring our nation's capitol. There were people everywhere as if it were a summer day. On Pennsylvania Ave construction was well underway for the inauguration. Estimates of 3.5 to 4 million people will be attending the event. Bleachers were being built from one end to the other. It was cool to see, whatever side you voted for a piece of history is unfolding. Enough on that side note though.

After my run I went to the hotel fitness room for a core workout. The facilities were very nice and clean. I was chatting with the trainer about the clean smell. She said that is because no one uses the fitness room. Too bad. I did my pushups, situps, medicine ball exercises and some dumbbell stuff then called it a day.

On Monday I paired up with my colleague, and fellow Minimarathoner, Syd for a workout. We set out for a 30 minute run that ended up being a 45 minute run through the city. A quick trip to the White House then back down to the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam memorial past the reflecting pool and the new WWII monument, Washington Monument, Charlie Wilson Arch and back to the hotel.

On Wednesday Syd and I opted for the treadmills. Top of the line machines with tv's built in. I cannot stay motivated on TM's so I have to add little challenges. Usually, as was the case on Wednesday, that means 5 minute intervals. A 5 minute warm up followed by .5 speed increase every 5 minutes until I run 7:08's for 5 and then a retreat to a 5 minute cool down.

The final run was Friday. Syd and I put on our cold weather gear and headed out for a 30 minute run. Again we returned 45 minutes later. This time we switched up the route...passing the Jefferson Memorial, the tidal basin the over to Capitol Hill with the return route taking us through the mall and the Smithsonian buildings.

Since I got back I have not been able to muster myself into running. I am putting it on the line that tomorrow I will fire up the iPod and run 7 miles on the TM before work! There I said it, it is out there.

Let the funds begin!

2008-12-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS

I have created our fundraising page for the mini. You can click on the link above to be directed to the website.

This year I would like to suggest a "lunch in." One day a month when you would usually go out to lunch either pack a lunch or eat at home. Instead of spending that money on a quick meal you can put it towards research. So on the "lunch in" day just go to our website and donate $5 towards NF research (or $10, or if you are in the fine dining crowd $25). You will feel good about making the donation and will probably be eating a healthier lunch! Give it a try.

Oh, and I will be putting my money where my mouth is also. In 2009 I am giving up Moe Monday and donating that money to NF research instead. The impact? $6 X 52 weeks = $312. Damn those delicious 1500 calorie burritos anyway.

Guess what caught my eye...

2008-11-30T16:59:00.001-08:00

I was reading the new issue of Running Times when I saw an ad for the Buffalo Marathon (don't worry Liz I wasn't contemplating signing up). In the lower right hand corner of the ad is a picture of a group of runners hand-in-hand on the course wearing green "NF" shirts. Could this be our NF? I stared closely at one of the shirts and saw a website: leahmanth.com. Turns out that it was indeed a group running for Neurofibromatosis.

"76 family and friends ran in the Buffalo Marathon while 80 more volunteered at the the finish line and two water tables."

An amazing showing and they raised over $54K for NF Inc, a parallel group to Children's Tumor Foundation.

We'd love to have your help and support on race day.

Back in the game...

2008-11-30T16:41:00.001-08:00

I have signed up for the 500 festival race officially and filled out the NF Endurance team registration to fundraise for the event. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things as far as training goes.

I am almost fully recovered from a "procedure" at Immediate Care. On Wednesday I underwent a toenail extraction on my left big toe. It was painful enough on Wednesday and Thirsday that I kept on a solid rotation of Extra Strength Tylenol. By Friday I was feeling quite a bit better and could actually wear a shoe!!! As of today there is no pain and the toe is almost completely healed. Back to running tomorrow.

My recipe for December is simple- get ready for the Race to the New Year on Saturday, December 27th. That will be my last race for 2008. I am hoping to come in under the 21:40 mark for 5K. My previous best time was 23:10 from earlier this summer. If I achieve 21:40 or faster then I will be seeded in a better starting position at the Mini. I am not sure how much "fitness" I have lost having only run 3 times in November due to the foot injury and recovery from the October streak. I think I can get the time I want and will be hoping for temps in the 40's with no snow or ice.

The plan for the upcoming week is to ease back into mileage. M-W 2 miles each day, Thurs 3 miles, Fri off, Saturday 5, Sunday 3. That will give me a weekly total of 17 miles. If I am feeling good then I will start to add speed work and longer distance back in to next weeks schedule and try to end the second week of December with 22 miles total. The following week will be more of the same with a weekly total of 26 and wrap up the race week with about 20 miles including the 3.1 for the race.

Tonight I will start back into my core workout routine using two Men's Health exercise posters. The first is the "Marine Corps" workout which features dumb bells and wide range of motion. The second is a medicine ball workout featuring UNC baller Tyler Hansborough. Swiss ball pushups and situps and pullups will also be part of the routine. Should be fun!

Good news...

2008-11-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

The 500 festival committee has extended the deadline before the race entry fee for the Indy Minimarathon increases to $70. You can register between now and Dec. 1 for $50. However, field is limited to 35,000 runners and as of today my friend Syd registered and was in the 28,000s. Better hurry if you don't want to miss out.

The Streak

I completed the October streak of running every day. 31 straight days of running in October and 1 more in November to total 32. My longest consecutive streak before that was 3 days. My shortest run was 1K on a cold, cold night. My longest run was 8.5 miles. The seven day stretch with the most miles totalled 31. The monthly total was 101 miles. I am still recovering a bit from the wear and tear of the streak. I'll take it easy for another week and then start my mini pretraining.

See you on the roads.

Status Check

2008-10-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

16 days into October my streak is alive. I have run everyday in October. So far that I have tallied 51 miles for the month. Week one: 19.5 miles. Week two: 24.5 miles. I am hoping to run 30 miles this week and 35 next week as long as my legs continue to hold up.

NOV. 1 Indianapolis Mini-Marathon Price Increase

2008-10-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

On Nov. 1 the price to enter the mini goes from $50-$70. If you are thinking about running the race you may want to register soon to avoid the additional charge.

As I was on youtube I came across this video of the NF team at this years Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR). It would be awesome to have so many people wearing the NF colors at the 2009 Mini-Marathon. Take a look at the video in you need any more inspiration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGfK10N8O3M&feature=related

31 days of running in October

2008-10-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here is my ambitious October goal: run every day. I will attempt to run atleast 1 mile every day this month. I will still do my normal 3 to 5 mile midweek runs and longer weekend runs but will try to add the extra mileage on what would normally be my off days from running. October is just about the best month for running in the midwest weather wise. Morning lows are in the 40-50's and highs in the 60-70's. I prefer running right around 48*. Cool enough that I don't overheat on long runs or fast paced runs but warm enough that I am not shivering in the beginning of the run. On race days I always hope for temps between 45-55.

Give some thought to making your own active streak. Whether it is running every day, walking, adding push ups and/or sit ups or whatever else you like to do. Thanksgiving is right around the bend so you'll want to make room for that slice of pumpkin pie!

Todays Workout

This evening after dinner I loaded Anneliese in the jog stroller and we headed out for a 3.5 mile run. We started out with a loop around our subdivision which is exactly 1 km and then continued on to a 3 mile route through the park, past the track, and back past the library. We talked about Anneliese's day at school. Then she explained to me her theory about bedtime...I'll sum it by saying that she wants to always decide when she is going to bed. Not likely but nice try. She asked to stop at the park, "not tonight;" she asked to stop at the library, "not tonight." Then we got back to our street where I let her out of the stroller and we finished the trip back to our house with high knees and heiny kicks. She is a great little training partner!

Reflection on summer training...

2008-09-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I had some great training runs this summer. While my longest run since the Mini was only 7.25 miles I was able to get a lot of speed work done. Track workouts each week and faster paces in general on other runs have left me feeling strong and my legs loose. With the exception of two weeks of missed training due to a sinus infection I an happy overall with the mileage I covered.

The plan for my training this summer was to get my 400M time down for the Indianapolis Corporate Challenge relay race and to nail a 21:40 5k time at the same event. A 21:40 is the qualifying time for the Mini to achieve Level 3 seeding.

Saturday, September 27 was the date of the Corp Challenge. Lots of events take place as companies compete in competitive and good sport events. Participants run 5 mile, 5K and various track races, race walks, basketball, football toss, golf chipping, corn hole and more. As mentioned, I was scheduled to run the 5K and a 400M segment of the 4X 400,200,200, 400 relay.

I arrived about 8:45 for the day of events. The 5k was scheduled for a 10:20 start. My coworker Syd and I went for a warmup run at about 9:55 and legged out about 20 minutes. The start area for the race was crowded. We edged our way nearer the front of the pack. I lined up with Syd and Jonathan (another coworker) as we waited for the command to go. As we took off Syd and Jonathan found a seem and were able to move out quickly. I got boxed in by several slower runners and had to work my way free. My plan was to run splits of 7:00, 7:00, 6:48. I tried to chase Syd and Jonathan up the first hill (Syd would go on to finish 14th overall and Jonathan came in right at 22 minutes). I came back down the hill quickly and cut the distance between Jonathan and I to about 4 or 5 seconds. Then, at about 9minutes 45 seconds into the race, I dropped out. My first ever DNF-- did not finish-- for a race.

The relay race was last event of the day. Set for 11:30, the first heat actually started at 12:05. Our team was in Division 3. Heats started with Division 1 and then continued on to larger number divisions. We ended up starting around 12:25. Our training runs left us confident that we could do well in the event. That came to be the case as our team finished in 3:24. I was happy to run the opening leg of the relay and came to the hand off in a personal best 68 seconds for 400M. I was glad to leave with a strong finish after a less than satisfying 5K.

What's next?

My plan now is to start training for the Mini which takes place next May. I'll build up in mileage and hope to run several 35-40 mile weeks by December. I will try once or twice more to attain the 21:40 goal in a 5K for seeding.

Anyone interesting in joining AR3 for the Mini should plan to register soon as the race will likely sell out before Thanksgiving.

Back on the road

2008-09-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

After about 15 days of fighting a sinus infection I went to the doctor and got a presciption. I have been feeling fatigued since I have been sick. I started in with the Z-pack last night and woke up today with energy! I was able to get out for a run this afternoon. 2.5 miles at a hard pace. My legs felt ready to run so I pushed myself as hard as I could. I finished in about 17 or 18 minutes. Planning on a 5 miler tomorrow. The weather is getting prime for running!

Welcome to the training Blog for Anneliese's Road Racers for Research

2008-08-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

This blog is designed to be a training log for anyone that is running or riding in a fundraising event for Anneliese's Road Racers for Research. AR3 raises funds and awareness for Neurofibromatosis research. NF is a neurological disorder afflicting 1:3000 people. If you are on this site you are most likely aware of Anneliese's story and have some knowledge of NF. If you would like to learn more information about NF please visit the Children's Tumor Foundation website.

If you would like to run an event for our team and use this site to log your training then email me and I will set you up with access to this blog.

My next scheduled event will be the Indianapolis 500 Minimarathon which offers a half-marathon and 5k event. You can register online at that site. Registration generally fills up by Thanksgiving for the May race. I will give you details on registering with our team as the event draws near.

We hope to see you on the roads!

Don