Where have all the runners gone?

It sure has been quiet in the world of blogging for the Mighty Marathoners.  I hope it's because there is lots of running with too little time to write.  I thought we better get the blog going again if we are ever going to get to Boston en mass - we're hopefully still aiming for 2012.  A lot has happened since the last CIM posting.  In different half marathons, both Abby and Alexa ran 148's.  I think Katie Hammond ran this weekend in Hyannis but I have not been able to track down the results yet.  Nate may have sat out with injuries.  This weekend, Todd Y and Todd Z have a go at the Napa Marathon.  I'm hoping to better my BQ time to be able to register with an earlier wave.  I have been running well with a number of medium length runs of 10-14 miles.  But the long runs are still limited.  Speaking of long runs Katy Gifford is prepping for the AR50 (American River 50 miler from Sacramento to Auburn) in April.  Alexa and Katy did a training run of 21 miles last week; Kate ran 26 this week.  Now that's some distance training.  Time for me to go to work.  I'd love to hear from others.  Let's get this blog going again.  See you at the starting line, Todd.

Work to do...

Congrats to the CIM runners! Way to set PR's as well. It looks like I've got some work to do if I want to join Todd and Abby at Boston in 2012!

I've been logging some good mileage over the past few weeks and actually set an unofficial PR yesterday in training for 13.1 (1:32:23). I have two half marathons planned in the first half of 2011, building mileage to hopefully running a Boston qualifying time in the fall of 2011. I'm targeting a half ironman at the end of June and then will transition to building up to a marathon in mid October.

With speculation about new qualification standards, I'm aiming for 3:00 instead of the current 3:10 standard. That probably means that I'll need to get my open half time to 1:24-1:25.

Happy holidays and enjoy the rest and recovery after all of your hard work!

CIM Results

Runners are Ready

Support Team is Ready

It was a great day for the runners and for the support team.  That means the weather was wonderful and the runners did well.  The rains held up until after the race and jackets came off early for the support team.  Abby, Alexa, and Todd Z all broke 4:00 with PR's for Abby and Alexa, and BQ's for Abby and Todd.  Little Big Todd held in there despite some recent set-backs in training.  John Bricher finished his third marathon well and Katy Gifford paced the 5:00 group, getting the job done on time.  Chad, Todd Farmer, and Janet raced from spot to spot to cheer on the runners.  As the runners became more spread out, it was more difficult to see all the activity.  Janet was sad to miss Abby's 3:38 finish ... I guess that's the price you pay by going so fast.  Todd Y left from the race to catch a 1:30 flight.  I'm anxious to hear about the "Van Bath" with camp stove heaters and all.

     Net Chip Times:

Abby with Medal

• Abby    3:38:17
• Alexa    3:57:30
• Todd Z    3:59:21
• Todd Y    4:07:28
• John Bricher    4:33:57
• Katy Gifford    4:57:14

Chad and Alexa

Abby, Alexa, and Todd Z

Janet and Todd Z

Todd F and Abby

Great Finish at the Capitol

Pacer Katy

Beach House Deli - Yum

After the race, lunch at Beach House Deli made the day all worth while.  Time to take a nap and dream about the next race.  Till the next Starting Line, Todd.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already here. Katie and I are on Nantucket to have a small Thanksgiving with Lynn, George, and Ember.

Katie and I realized last night that there was a 5K we could do this morning, so we showed up a little early to get in a little warm up. There was also the option of doing the 'plunge' afterwards at Children's Beach, which raises money for the local library. This event has raised over $50,000 each year, but we opted to watch instead.

As for the race, I was shooting for a time around 19:00, but I didn't want to lead and the pace group was going around a 6:20 pace into the wind. I ended up with 19:24 and Katie got a time of 25:27. After the 5K we went for a 6 mile run out at Sanford Farm, getting in around 11 miles today.

A few weeks ago I did a 10 mile run a bit north of Boston. Somehow I ended up winning my AG, and in the process got a $60 gift certificate to a local running store. My time was 1:05:34, which would have been 8th in the 40-49 AG, so I didn't really deserve the win, especially since the overall winner was from my AG - essentially I defaulted into first place because of that!

The following weekend I used my gift certificate towards two new pairs of shoes, going from a 'Brooks' to 'Saucony' runner. One of the pairs are Kinvara's, and I really like their minimalist feel. I did some mile repeats with them earlier this week and loved the light weight feel.

With my goal of qualifying for Boston in 2012, I'm starting to up my mileage. Over the summer I was running around 20 miles per week. This month will be around 125 miles, which is a good start. I'll try to hold that mileage over the winter and build up in the spring for a early fall marathon, doing some halfs and a half ironman before the marathon.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Beware of Clear Ice

Frost in Granite Bay

A Happy Chilly Thanksgiving to all.  Wow, 27 degrees this morning in Sacramento makes for a cold run.  First time this year for 3 layers for me.  Finally got warm by mile 2 into an 8 mile run.  I noted some ice along the way.  I cross some wooden bridges that frost over pretty quickly making the way slippery.  Careful out there.

We decided it was too cold for Eleanor to be out for the annual Run to Feed the Hungry Race in Sacramento.  It's always fun to have the runners on the 6.2 mile course competing with the walkers on the 3.1 one.  Maybe we can return to that tradition next year. 

Miss Eleanor and Grandma

The training seems to be going well.  The hamstring now seems to be a thing of the past.  I'm afraid new injuries lie ahead.  I have been working diligently trying to strengthen my back going to Physical Therapy once a week.  I'm into the third week and it seems to be making a difference.  First week was stretching, then core strengthening was added the second week.  I'm been doing some on my own but with little commitment.  I seem be getting on track with a little more commitment now.  It's probably going to be a life time commitment but, hopefully, will result in some improvement.  Stretching twice a day and working on strengthening once a day added to running has turned my conditioning into a full time job.  But I guess the alternatives are not so good.  I seem to be feeling better.  Time will tell.

Autumn in Granite Bay

About 10 days to CIM.  I hope all are well and warm.  Right now I just looking to finish.  I need to get Alexa to pick our target time.  I must say I have already started to look ahead to Napa for a BQ.  Well, time to get going on the turkey and stuffing.  Happy Thanksgiving to All.  See you at the starting line.  Todd.

3 Layers on a Cold Morning

2 Weeks to CIM

Craig, Janet and Todds at soccer

We're starting the two week countdown to CIM, the California International Marathon) and everyone is scampering to get those last  training miles in.  Usually I like to taper for three weeks, but still recovering from my hammie I hated to cut down too soon.  Little Big Todd  and I did a 15 miler yesterday (after he ran 10 from his house to mine for, yes, a total of 25 for him).  An added highlight of the day was going to Craig's soccer game after our run.  Todd has been fighting illness with lots of traveling added in so he has had little running the past few weeks.  Alexa also had a cold and she cut down her running early.  I'm not sure what her weekly mileage is these days.

Abby, Eleanor, Elizabeth and Alexa

Katy Gifford is pacing the 5:00 group and I'm pretty sure she's gotten in her training miles.  She has continued her training from her recent trail marathon with Alexa.  Abby did a 22 miler last week and I think she has been doing well with her training program.  I haven't heard her time goal yet.

I'm happy with my progress with my sore hamstring.  I've managed to continue my running 5-6 days per week with 40-50 miles per week.  I have not done any speed work and really lack any real endurance.  It has been more base running than anything else.  I would like to be doing some longer runs (20 milers) and some intervals but decided to wait until after after CIM hoping to avoid injuries.  Alexa and I have been talking about aiming for 4:00 but I'm thinking that may be a little too hopeful.  I guess we'll have to see how we feel that day.

Harriot & Eleanor

Time to go check on Eleanor who is visiting us this afternoon.  Right now she's taking a little nap probably dreaming of running in Boston with her Grand-dad.  We both can dream can't we.  Stay well and run long.  See you at the starting line.

Back on the wagon

Although I had a temporary scare, I will indeed be running CIM this December. My company, Hankook Tire, has its US headquarters in New Jersey. Hankook will be flying Rebbie and I out to NJ on December 5-8 for a company Christmas party. Management has excused me from the opening night social so that I can run CIM. I haven't quite worked through the details but mostly likely I will take some sort of "wash cloth" shower before boarding a 1 pm flight to Newark. This is not a gross as it seems. I did it at Hartford about 5 years ago.

I'm thankful that I will be running but my training took a big-time downward slide last month. After a tough sickness that beat me up for a full week, and then a week long trip to South Korea, and then a extended weekend at PSU with my son, I'm back and ready. To illustrate my decline let's look at September versus October. In September, my best month ever, I logged 232 miles in October I ran 109. I'm very happy to have October in the rear view mirror. I hope everyone is healthy and not pushing too hard like I mostly likely did.