Seasons don't fear the reaper...

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...

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...

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!

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...

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

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

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