Sixteen Seconds!

Completed my 6th marathon here in Chicago Sunday, October 22 and almost nailed my predict time right on. Was gunning for 5:15 and chip time was 5:15:16. It was the first marathon that I deliberately ran slow. Did a run/walk training thing this summer and did the 5 min run 1 minute walk on Sunday. Goal was 12 min pace and right at 12:01. It was an interesting summer training and I had more fun than one old man should have had during the marathon. Was all over the course, flirting with girls, grabbing spirit beads from one group then handing them off to little kids with their parents who didn't have any beads. Was chilly around 35-38 degrees, wind gusts and high humidity but it didn't matter at all. I was alive and moving. I was shocked at the big crowd of spectators despite the nasty weather.

I just have to quit smoking and see what I could do with my running with clear lungs and a clear conscience. I've cut corners with my training but really haven't gotten by with anything. I have to run under 4 hours to qualify for the Boston Marathon. At this point, I've done all the marathons I want to do for fun. The next one has to be a fast one, which is another level of fun. I have to find the guts to do my hardest training ever....STOP SMOKING!

I committed to the run/walk program this year because I had heard so much about it and some people love it. I did it, but mentally I just couldn't adapt. Once I get in the zone with running, I just have to keep running to feel good about myself.

Different strokes for different folks. Not original, but it holds true.

"All We Are Is Dust In The Wind"
Later
Sam

Twenty and a half and counting down

I survived my endurance and confidence building weekend. My groupies and I did our 20 early Saturday on the lakefront and for some reason the 20 was so much easier than the 18 miler
two weeks ago it's scary.

Soooo. I got cocky and went ahead with the Chicago Half early Sunday. About half way through the thing I was seriously thinking that I should have filled out the emergency contact info
on the back side of my bib number.

It was really, really hard but I got the darned medal and by Sunday evening I was feeling like I may have a life after all. I don't have a car here in the city, I'm too cheap to spend money
on a cab and of course I can't ask anyone for a ride. Sooo I ride my little Trek to the start of these runs. Saturday morning's early ride was into the wind and rain and 5 miles and naturally it was a 5 mile ride back home after the 20 mile run.

It's around 10 miles to the Museum of Science and Industry, the start point of the Chicago half so all told I ran 33 miles over the weekend and biked 30. I'm going very, very slow and easy right now because of a setback I had last summer and a visit to ER here in the Windy City.

I'm learning to go slow and enjoy it but I'm looking forward to picking up the pace over the winter and into next year and see what this old man can do. My race times and training runs are around 12 minutes per mile right now. I don't like to admit that because I know I can go faster but this is where my mind and body is today.

And as for tomorrow...just hoping for another breath of air, another run and a few more smiles from these beautiful girls.

"All We Are Is Dust In The Wind" - Kansas