Learning By Enduring

random post

2010-07-08T18:03:00.000-05:00

Well this is random... I haven't posted since December and here I am typing this post on my blackberry waiting for my oil to be changed. I've been terrible about posting as life has been busy and I frankly haven't had time. My running has been marginally successful so far this year. Have ran two 50k's, a 50 miler and one marathon with Kristen. The plan is to get myself into better shape so.I can run a speedy marathon at twin cities this fall and requalify for Boston. My p.r. Is 2:54 and change and I hope to improve upon this. I plan on posting more frequently than every 6 months. My car should be done shortly so I better wrap this up.

Afton A.M. Run

2009-12-05T10:47:00.002-06:00

I made it out to Afton State Park this morning for a 15 mile run. I was out there early enough to caught the sun rising over the bluffs. I must have seen over 10 deer on my run. Next door at the ski hills they were busy making snow. It was an enjoyable peaceful run with not too many others out.

My running has started to become more consistent, running 5-6 days a week and trying to get a longer run in here and there. I plan to continue to increase my mileage over the winter months in preparation for some spring ultras. I was planning on trying to run Chippewa 50k this year but will have to change my plans due to an apparent cancellation of the race. Does anyone know why it was cancelled, and is it cancelled for good or just this coming year?

Back at it

2009-11-10T19:48:00.002-06:00

This past week I made it out running six out of seven days. I have not been going far but rather just enjoying the nice fall weather and getting in a few miles each day. It feels good to be back running and it is nice to start to get into a running routine. My headlamp has become my best friend during my weeknight runs because it has allowed me to run on some trails. I plan on continuing to run on trails throughout the winter months as much as I can. This week I am continuing to do short daily runs and will soon gradually start increasing my mileage.

Mike Reneau Interview

2009-11-02T19:21:00.004-06:00

Check out this interview of Mike Reneau after finishing NYC Marathon yesterday.

http://www.youtube.com/letsrundotcom#p/u/7/UqXuz1IdkeI

NYC Marathon

2009-11-01T19:08:00.002-06:00

The 40th running of the New York City Marathon was today as local Mike Reneau ran a 2:16:45 for a 15th place finish. I know Mike from his days at UWRF and the weekly summer runs a few summers ago out at Willow River State Park. Meb Keflezighi had an impressive win (2:09:15)being the first American since 1982 to win the race. Ryan Hall also had an impressive showing running a time of 2:10:36. This race is one that is on my to do to list.

This week I plan to start running on a regular basis again after taking about 3 weeks of basically no running. I went for a 6 mile run this morning, which felt good.

A look ahead

2009-10-31T09:14:00.007-05:00

It seems like we didn't really even have a fall this year and its already November tomorrow. Its daylight savings time tonight so don't forget to set your clocks back. This also means that it will now be dark when I get off work and I will be running five days a week in the dark.

The past three weeks I have done little running, and I have enjoyed taking the time away from running, but I am about ready to start training again. I am trying to figure out what races I plan on running next year and am really looking forward to some new races and new challenges. I am quite certain that I want to run my first 100 miler in 2010. I am thinking that Kettle Moraine would probably be the best timing for me. Leading up to this race I would likely do a few local 50k/50 milers and a marathon with Kristen in preparation for the 100. Depending on how things work out I am also thinking that I would like to see what kind of a time I could run in a fall marathon with proper preparation. I have really not had proper preparation for a marathon since my first marathon at TCM in 2004 (2:54).

I know the 100 is a whole new world compared to a 50 miler so I would appreciate any advice or recommendations as I begin to prepare for my first 100 miler.

Glacial Trail 50

2009-10-18T08:28:00.005-05:00

Its already been a week since I was running through the Kettle Moraine Northern section in the Glacial Trail 50 miler with my brother Eric. It was a beautiful crisp morning at the 6 a.m. start with temperatures around 25 degrees with no wind. We started the race out conservatively both knowing that this was a long run and we could always pick it up on the way back if everything was going well. The first half of the race seemed to go by quickly. We didn't wear a watch or ask what time if was until we accidentally found out what time if was at the 43 mile marker where we were 7:33 into the race. The footing throughout the race was definitely a challenge with leaves covering lots of roots and rocks in places which kept my eyes busy scanning the ground below. I only fell once and ended up flying forward head first, but fortunately I landed in a relatively soft spot with no rocks and was able to get up right away and continue on. From the last aid station (43 miles) to the entrance of town was a mentally challenging part of the course for both us because we were looking for a certain road crossing where we would have 5 miles left and we never came to it. We were pleasantly surprised and we saw the trail sign that indicated that we have roughly 2 miles left in the race. Once we entered town with less than a mile to go it was all paved roads to the finish which felt weird to run on after running over roots and rock for the last eight plus hours. We finished in a time of 8:49 which was faster than we both anticipated going into the run. This was a well organized race and I enjoyed being a part of it.

Twin Cities Marathon

2009-10-07T20:16:00.008-05:00

Sunday was a perfect morning for a nice run through the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul as I enjoyed running along side Kristen in her first marathon. The good news is not only that she finished but I think she is hooked.

It doesn't matter how many times I cross the starting line at TCM I always get chills as I cross the starting line and hear all the beeps from everyones race chips. Kristen's goal for this first marathon was first of all to just finish and secondly to break 4 hours. We went out a little too fast for her as its never easy to hold back with all the excitement and energy in this race. She started to feel the early fast pace around mile 9 or 10, but we still came through the half in 1:49.

We slowed down a little the second half of the run but still maintained a good pace. I knew the last 6 miles would be interesting as Kristen had completed a 20 miler in training but anything beyond that was new territory. She said she really wanted to walk about mile 23, but she continued to push and was as tough as nails to the finish. We finished in a time of 3:49:15 well below the goal of a sub-4. One of the best parts was watching her go down stairs for the next couple days. By the end of the day on Sunday, Kristen was already talking about doing another one.Congradulations to everyone that ran on Sunday including some of my friends, Kyle (2:54), Brandon (3:06), Jason, and Angie. Up next for me is Glacial 50 miler on Sunday with my brother Eric.

TCM 1 Day Away!

2009-10-03T09:55:00.003-05:00

The Twin Cities Marathon is one day away. This will be my fourth time running TCM. I will be running along side my fiance Kristen in her first marathon! She has worked hard and I am excited for her to experience the thrill of finishing a marathon for the first time. It brings back memories of my first marathon with all her nervous excitement.

Good luck to my friends that are also running the marathon: Brandon, Kyle, Angie, and I am sure others that I am unaware that are runnning.

Have fun out there to all participating!

New Bridge, New Trail

2009-08-05T23:51:00.005-05:00

Today I decided to run down to the new bridge down in Glen Park. I had not been down there yet since they finished the bridge and blazed the new trails. I was going to run the new trails, but decided against it because of the rough trail conditions as pictured above, and the swarms of bugs biting me as I contemplated running the new trails. I know the new trails need runners in order to become something that resembles a trail but I had no desire to do so today.

Jammin' Jamaican Results

2009-08-03T23:32:00.005-05:00

Dan Ristau

5K Race Results
1. 17: 39 Dan Ristau
2. 18:17 Andrew Mueller
3. 18:41 Eric Klein
4. 18:56 Brandon Heebink
5. 19:37 Spencer Veersteg
6. 22:00 Aaron Goemann
7. 22:13 Brian Klein
8. 22:22 Deb Esslinger
9. 22:29 Steven Morrow
10. 22:40 Tim Klein
11. 22:52 Andree Escherich
12. 22:53 Bev Klein
13. 22:54 John Mark Dundas
14. 22:57 Brett Stevermer
15. 23:23 Larry Schroeder
16. 23:38 Joan Krull
17. 23:49 Kenzie Schroeder
18. 23:56 Debra Eliason
19. 26:03 Beth Svenby
20. 26:18 Sabrina Bushlock
21. 28:17 Amber Klein
22. 28:38 Bethany Bushlock
23. 28:39 Mary Erin Mueller
24. 28:59 JoEllen Mueller
25. 31:19 Jamie Gasteiger
26. 32:09 KK Mueller
27. 32:09 Lindsay Johnson
28. 33:19 Megan Meyer
29. 34:06 Diane Kaplan
30. 34:18 Dale Urbain
31. 34:22 Karen Quade
32. 38:17 Marie McVenes
33. 54:02 Doris Urbain
34. 54:02 Carol Nogosek
35. 71:01 Jennifer Olson
36. 71:01 Shelly Lutteke

Brandon Heebink

1 Mile Results
1. 5:39 Brandon Heebink
2. 5:48 Spencer Veersteeg
3. 6:41 Adam Stevermer
4. 6:46 Larry Schroeder
5. 7:04 Debra Eliason
6. 7:05 Kenzie Schroeder
7. 7:12 Joan Krull
8. 7:50 Jordan Quade
9. 8:53 Melody Morrow
10. 9:28 Jen Lyons
11. 9:53 Rachel Mueller
12. 10:01 Beth Svenby
13. 10:01 Susannah Mueller
14. 11:08 Elizabeth Bathke
15. 11:08 Diane Bathke
16. 11:14 Emma Lyons
17. 12:52 Jill Frederick
18. 13:03 Rachel Brown
19. 13:10 Jenny Brown
20. 16:02 Doris Urbain
21. 16:02 Dale Urbain
22. 16:03 John Miller

Wells Flight Pictures

2009-08-01T20:59:00.011-05:00

Wells Flight & More

2009-08-01T12:10:00.009-05:00

This morning I experienced flight for the first time in a single engine plane. We flew out of the Wells Airport and Mark Schmitz was the pilot. Eric, Liz, and I went up first and then my Mom, Dad, and Nicole went up next. We were up in flight for about 30 minutes each and enjoyed a birds eye view of the Wells area. I have never been in a plane before day but was told that flying commercial is completely different so I am looking forward to experiencing that in the next six months as well. I was not sure if I wanted to fly this morning but I am really glad that I did. It was a great experience and I would definitely do it again. It even makes me wonder if I would want to get my pilots license someday... To get a license to fly a single engine plane it takes 40 hours of flight time, and can be done in as little as 2 weeks if you want to just go for it.

Thursday evening I had interested workout with Brandon, Kyle, and Scott on the UWRF Track. The plan was to run a 5 mile tempo run on the track at marathon pace. We were hitting our times and about two miles into the run we were asked to leave the track, because the almighty KC Chiefs were in town. There were no signs saying that the track was closed, and we have all paid UWRF a penny or two over the years with tuition. We ignored the guy asking us to leave the track because we felt like we had a right to be there to do a workout. No Chiefs were around and training camp wasn't even starting until the next day. They called the cops on us and about a mile and half later a public safety vehicle pulled up and the officer asked us to leave the track. We respected his authority and explained to him the situation. He was on our side and agree that it was rather stupid that we couldn't run on the track. He agreed that they needed to put up signs if they wanted people to stay off of the track. We then made our way over to the high school track and finished our work with another 2 miles of tempo running and a nice cool down. One thought I have is why would the university treat three and soon to be four alumni the way they did? Do they ever want to see a donation from us? I certainly have no ambition to do so any time soon.

Jammin' Jamaican Run

2009-07-20T18:26:00.001-05:00

The first annual Jammin' Jamaican 5K and 1 Mile run/walk was a big success. There were a total of 53 participates with several running both races. The course was a cross country style course that ran quite a bit slower due several turns including some 180 degree turns. Dan Ristau won the 5K, and Brandon Heebink won the 1 mile. I will post the full results and some pictures from the race soon. I enjoyed helping organize this race, and want want to thank all the participates, volunteers, and sponsors that made this race a success. Profits from the race will go towards Jamaican Missions this coming January.

New Kinni Bridge

2009-06-08T20:40:00.008-05:00

This evening I took part in moving four wooden blanks to span across the kinni down in Glen Park. It was really cool to see so many people pitch in and help. At one time I counted 17+ people that came down to help. One guy even recruited some guys from the weight room which was a big help. After the blanks were in place we formed two lines and began moving rocks across the creek. It felt good to be apart of this and I look forward to it being compeleted on Friday when the final touches will be made. After the bridge is in place approximately an additional mile of trail will be blazed adding to the glen park trails. I also hope to be a part of the trail blazing which will take place once the bridge is completed.

Tour De R.F. Trails

2009-06-02T21:50:00.003-05:00

Today I decided that it would be fun to run all three of the trails in River Falls. I first ran a loop up on top of Hoffman Park and then made my way out to the Whitetail Trails behind Shopko for a 5 mile loop and then back down main street to Glen Park and then back to the house. Kyle joined me for the first two trails, and then I ran solo the rest of the way. I wasn't wearing my Garmin but my conversative guess is that I ran 18 miles in 2:27. I felt good other than my feet getting a little tired which means that I need to start breaking in another pair of shoes. It was a perfect evening for a run with temps in the upper 60's and lots of sun.

Last week I reached my goal of running 65 miles in 6 days of running. This week my goal is to run 70 miles which shouldn't be hard to accomplish since I am already at 31 miles two days into the week. It feels good to be putting in some decent miles again, and getting out and enjoying the trails in this nice spring weather.

If you are looking for a fun cross-country race this summer sign up for the Jammin Jamaican 5K Run. Race is located in Wells, Minnesota on Saturday, July 18th, at 8:00 A.M.

Back On Track

2009-05-26T21:31:00.004-05:00

I finally have my running back on track after Zumbro. I had taken a few down weeks and then was having a hard time finding motivation to run, followed by a bad cold a little over a week ago. This last week I was able to run 5 out of 7 days and put in a total of 57 miles. I am enjoying the beautiful spring weather and am happy to be back on track. My brother was up in R.F. for part of last week to go turkey hunting so we were able to get in some good runs together which was alot of fun. Today I ran 10 miles with Kyle around R.F. and down in the Glen Park Trails. We ran by the high school track meet and ran into Rick who said he had just put in the footings for the new bridge that will span over one of the streams of the Kinni river. He said that there will be an additional mile of trails added on the other side of the bridge, which will be sweet! My goal for this week is to run at least 6 days and to log at least 65 miles. I am getting close to figuring out what my race schedule will look like the rest of the year. I do not plan on running anything real long until September. I am going to use the summer months to build my endurance and fitness for some fall fun!

Grill Master

2009-05-23T16:37:00.002-05:00

Today I am becoming an expert at grilling chicken. I am working on grilling 72 lbs of chicken breasts for my sister's graduation party on Monday. We are serving homemade Chipolte style burritos that do actually taste close to the real thing. In fact I think that they taste better than the real thing. I know for sure that they are healthier. So far I have grilled 22 lbs of Chicken. I have a ways to go.

This morning I went on a nice 10 mile run with Eric out in the country side of Wells. We ran the gravel roads most of the run, but threw in three miles of rail road running which was enjoyable. Rail running is the closest thing there is to trail running in Wells. It is quite challenging making sure that you don't catch a rail road tie and fall on your face.

Time to continue grilling...

TCM 1 mile Report

2009-05-17T10:26:00.004-05:00

A week ago Thursday I ran in the TCM 1 mile race down the Nicollet Mall. I had no expectations, but just wanted to see where I was at for a mile run with little to no speed work. I ended up running about 5:14, and had a great time. Nothing great but at least I now know where I am at and can work on bringing that time back down. I had the pleasure to meet Ryan Hall before the start of the race as he was their to watch his wife Sara run in the women's race. I congratulated him on his third place finish at Boston, and found out that he is planning on a fall marathon but will be jumping on the track this summer to see what he can do. What I found really cool about meeting Ryan is that he was more interested in what I was doing then telling me about himself. Ryan is in my opinion an example of a class act. I plan on putting the TCM 1 mile on my race list again next year.

TCM 1 Mile

2009-05-07T12:11:00.002-05:00

Today I will be running my first mile race in about 4 years. I last ran one on the indoor track and I actually think that it was a 1500 not a mile. So its been a while since I have ran a mile race. Considering my last race was a 100k and I haven't ran a short fast race in a long time this could be an interesting evening. My friend Kyle signed up for this race about 6 weeks ago and I decided to sign up as well for the fun of it and to see what kind of a mile I can run these days. The race is down the Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. Here is a map of the course.

Good luck to all of you running Ice Age this weekend, and have fun!

Iowa Adventures

2009-04-22T21:16:00.012-05:00

While I was in Sioux City yesterday I had the chance to check out a new state park nearby called Stone State Park. This park is a gem and I would like to see what it looks like in the summer months when everything is green. I ran and walked the trails for about an hour as I enjoyed the beautiful spring weather and took some pictures of the park. I would have liked to cover more of the trails but I wasn't moving all that fast because I did my first 5 minute squat challenge the night before and my legs were really feeling it. I ran into a large heard of about 20 deer on one of the trails and also saw a couple of turkeys running through the woods.

Today on my travels I stopped by at the highest elevation point in Iowa, which is 1,670 feet. I was traveling along Highway 60 and I saw a sign for Hawkeye Point which I had read about before online. I quickly slowed the car and made the right hand turn on to a gravel road and then I turned into the farm sight where the highest point is located. The highest point used to be at the end of a feed trough, which has since been removed. There is now a stone with the elevation and they are currently adding a concrete landmark with plans of adding some landscaping. All of the new additions are neat, but I was a little disappointed that the feed trough was removed. I would have liked to see the highest point at the end of a feed trough and not a concrete slab. Now I had two state highest points down, 48 to go.

I went for a relaxing run tonight and my legs loosened up as I went. They are still feeling the effects of my first 5 min squat challenge though. My next race is TCM 1 Mile on May 7th. From 100k to 1 Mile.

Zumbro 100K

2009-04-17T20:28:00.018-05:00

Wow...it was about a week ago that I was putting up a tent a with my brother at Zumbro. Time sure flies by quickly. A week ago I was about to embark on an unknown journey of attempting to run further then I had ever run before. Previously, my furthest run was 37 miles at Ice Age last year when I had to drop out due to I.T. Band issues. Before the race I had a hard time falling asleep because I was thinking about everything under the sun including what it would be like running through the night. My nervous excitement would soon be put to use as I got up around 11:20 and crawled out of my warm sleeping bag. After making sure I had all my gear together, I headed to the coffee pot to grab some caffeine which really seemed to help keep me alert on the technical terrain. As I was getting my coffee I ran into Wynn who mentioned he had ran the course earlier in the day and said that it was real sandy. The 40 minutes that I had been up went by real fast and before I knew it Larry was giving us directions and then we were lining up on the road to do the first two miles before heading into the first of three loops. I believe there were 8 runners starting the 100k.

The night was perfect with nearly a full moon, stars shinning brightly, and no wind to speak of. Eric and I completed the first 22 miles in 4:10. I found out for myself on that first loop that the terrain was sandy, rocky, and technically challenging in spots. If I took my eye off the ground for more than a couple of seconds I knew that I would be on the ground, so I kept my eyes peeled to the ground.

There were many ups and downs during the run. I find it fascinating how little things such as food can lift your spirits and give you a whole new attitude during an ultra run. Coffee was my favorite pick me up for the first 5 hours along with the crackers with the cheese in the middle. Soup also hit the spot and provided a much needed boost at times. When we left aid station 3 the first time through they mentioned that next time we came through there would be pancakes and fresh toast. This was music to Eric's ears and he kept bringing it up how be was looking forward to returning to aid station 3 for the breakfast food. I would say the biggest boost to my spirits was when we completed our second loop and we were greeted by Kristen, Dad, Mom, and Nicole. It really meant a lot to both Eric and I that they came to support us during the run! The chocolate chocolate cookies that Kristen brought us also hit the spot for me.

After completing two loops I had ran 42 miles which was now the furthest I had ever ran. The third loop would prove to be both physically and emotional challenging. We made it through the flat part of the loop without too much trouble but then after nearing the 50 mile mark Eric was really beginning to have troubles with his knee and was just trying to power walk the best he could. Eric had fallen late in the second loop and really banged up his knee good. Somewhere around 50 miles I began to have pain on the top of my foot which concerned me that I might have a stress fracture as I know what that feels like. My quads were also tighten up, and walking was becoming more and more appealing. We ran when we could and walked when we had to. After what seemed like forever we finally made in to the second aid station. It was here that we both were considering calling it quits but decided to push onward with only about 10 miles to go. At this point my attitude was negative and I was really having trouble finding the desire to move forward. The next 6.3 miles proved to be a long journey of mostly walking, and climbing, and moving forward at a very slow rate. It took us 2.5 hours to reach aid station 3 and we had decided on the way that we would call it quits at aid station 3. We both agreed that we had nothing to gain and we were happy at what we had accomplished. 59.3miles.

I would like to congratulate all of the 100 mile and 100k runners that took part in the running of the first Zumbro 100. Thank you for all the volunteers and Larry, the race director that made this race possible. Well done crew!

As for me, a week later I am feeling good. I have enjoyed taking some days off and going for some walks. I do not have a stress fracture and my quads actually recovered quite quickly. Kettle Moraine 100 was in the plans before this run, but after Zumbro I have changed my plans. I realize that I need to train harder before I attempt my first 100 mile. I know a few things that I will be adding to my training to get me prepared for my first 100 mile attempt. I am going to join all of you out there on your squat challenge, and I am also going to start spending a lot of time running, walking, and climbing hills, hills and more hills! I don't know what my next ultra will be but I will be striving to improve my fitness and get ready for whatever lies ahead.

My brother Eric also wrote some comments on his race experience at Zumbro. Which you can view here.

Random Thoughts on Zumbro

2009-04-06T20:51:00.005-05:00

Today I ran 5 miles on the Hoffman Park trails with Kyle. I am really looking forward to the race! I picked up some Chocolate covered expresso beans tonight as I think they may come in handy around 3 A.M. on Saturday. Has anyone tried eating these on a run yourself? I am interested to see how my run goes as I am about 15 pounds ligher than my last ultra in November (Surf the Murph 50K). I am looking forward to running with my headlamp for the first six hours or so on Saturday. This will be the first time that I have run more than 30 minutes with a headlamp, so this will be a learning experience in itself. My goal is to get more sleep this week which means I need to get to bed eariler than normal. The NCAA National Championship game is on tonight and I thought that it might keep me up later than I should be. The game is looking like it may be a blowout in UNC's favor. It is almost half time and UNC is leading Michigan State by about 20 points. Although I hope that Michigan State comes back and beats UNC. On my bracket I picked Michigan State to make the championship game and lose to Oklahoma (one for two isn't bad). Now it is half time and UNC has a 21 point lead on Michigan State which is the largest half time lead in Championship history. I think I will go to bed. It is also kind of ironic that I am wearing Carolina jogging pants right now but I am rooting for Michigan State. They are my favorite lounging pants and I can't seem to give them up even though they are falling apart with the elastic band barely in tack. I plan on running Tuesday and Thursday this week and taking Wednesday and Friday off.

Jammin Jamaican 5k & 1 Mile

2009-04-05T17:29:00.003-05:00

I am helping organize a new 5K and 1 Mile Run in my hometown of Wells, Minnesota. The race will be held on Saturday, July 18th. The race proceeds will go towards mission work in Jamaica this coming January. I will be part of the of the 26 person team going to Jamaica to spread God's word and help at a children's orphanage.

The race will be on my hometown high school cross country course and will consist of two loops mainly on grass and dirt surfaces. I think that this will be an excellent opportunity for any high school cross country runner looking for a 5K race to gear up for the upcoming cross country season. This race will also be a good opportunity for any runner looking for a change of pace and an opportunity to get off of the pavement. Runners will be given the option of running both the 5K and the 1 Mile Run.

Race information and registration forms will soon be posted on Raceberry Jam. I will be posting more information at a later date. If you have any questions or are interested in joining us for the 1st Annual Jammin Jamaican 5K & 1 Mile Run, please let me know.

Floods of 2009

2009-04-04T10:57:00.018-05:00

Last night Kristen took me on a tour of the floods of Grand Forks. I think it is crazy how much water there is. The flood waters have went down since the crest earlier in the week, but the river is expected to crest again later this month when all the snow melts. I don't think that any of us will ever see the Red River rise high enough to go over the new dikes of Grand Forks that were built after the devastating floods of 1997 that left much of Grand Forks under water. I believe the new dikes are between 60 & 63 feet high. One of the pictures below shows the landmark that represents the record water levels of the 1997 flood of 54 feet.

Dike holding back the flood waters.

Landmark of the 54' record flood level of 1997.

Kristen experiencing a Grand Forks flood season.

View from the parking ramp in downtown Grand Forks.

One of the bridges that is closed.

Interstate 29

View from along Interstate 29, North of Fargo.

Red River next to downtown Grand Forks.

Zumbro Bottoms

2009-03-29T13:14:00.017-05:00

Yesterday I made my way down to Zumbro Bottoms outside of Wabasha, Minnesota. This will be the site of the first annual Zumbro 100. There will be a 100 mile and 100k race. My brother Eric and I are both running the 100k. This will be the first 100k for both of us. I decided to check out the trails before race day. The following are pictures that I took on my 2 1/2 hour venture through some of the trails at Zumbro.

Glen Park Trails

2009-03-27T20:43:00.008-05:00

I thought that I would share some pictures of the Glen Park Trails in River Falls that I run regularly. I will share some pictures of my planned Saturday visit to Zumbro Bottoms, the site of my first 100k run. Two Weeks til Zumbro!!!

New Trail at Glen

2009-03-25T21:52:00.005-05:00

Today I hit the Glen Park trails after work. After all the rain this past week there is no longer ice on the trails. I even found a new trail that has been added. This trail will be a nice addition to the Glen Park trails. The trail goes down a steep hill and then follows the river for a ways before climbing back up the hill and connecting with the existing trail. The trail still needs some work but is mostly runable. This evening I enjoyed being back on the local trails as I ran 9 miles.

As you probably know the Red River is rising and Fargo along with other communities down the river are bracing for the worst. Thousands of people are volunteering their time filling sand bags and doing whatever they can do to save their communities. It is great to see people help each other in times of need. On the University of North Dakota's website there is a live flood cam that shows the river rising and getting closer to going over the one of the bridges in Grand Forks, ND. You can view this live flood cam at the following link... http://www.grandforksherald.com/pages/floodcam.

Tomorrow I am taking a CPR and AED training class. Hudson Hospital is offering this class to the community throughout the year for a small fee. I have never had CPR or AED training but think that it will be a good thing to have. If you are in the area and are interested in this training you can visit http://www.hudsonhospital.org/ There are several dates to choose from.

Scott County Park

2009-03-23T20:46:00.007-05:00

Today I had an opportunity after my travels for work to go for a run at Scott County Park which is just north of Davenport, Iowa. I was excited to run some trails without ice because this past weekend there was still ice on the trails in River Falls. I first ran on some of the horse trails that ran along a creek through the woods. A couple of minutes into my run I spooked a few deer and a couple of turkeys. After running about 4 miles on the horse tails I thought I would have to run in the campgrounds because I had covered most of the trails, but I later found out that that wasn't the case. As I was running on the edge of the woods I noticed some red ribbons, so I jumped into the woods to find out where it would lead me. Just as I had thought the ribbons were marking a new single track trail. So, as I began following the single track trail it brought me winding and twisting through the woods. The single track trail was a lot of fun and made my run complete and well worth the stop at Scott County Park. I would definetly stop by again to run these trails. The Scott County Park enabled me to get a total of 9 miles. Next time you're in the area stop by Scoot County Park to enjoy the 5 miles of horse trails and 6 miles of single track trails!

NCAA Basketball

2009-03-22T20:50:00.006-05:00

This afternoon I had the opportunity to attend the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Metrodome with Sid. This is the first time that I have been to a NCAA tournament game. The first game was Kansas vs. Dayton. The first half was a good game, but Kansas pulled ahead comfortably in the second half making it an uninteresting second half. I new the second half would be a much closer game with Michigan State taking on USC. I was correct with this prediction as both teams were within about 6 points or less of each other the whole game. Each team took turns leading several times making it a much more interesting game down the stretch. However there were no buzzer beaters or nail biting free throws in the last minute as Michigan State pulled ahead by five to take the victory and move on to the next round. I enjoyed the games and would definitely go again if the Metrodome is still standing next time we are due to host part of the tournament.

Frisbee Golf

2009-03-21T22:56:00.005-05:00

Saturday was a great day to enjoy a game of frisbee golf. Kristen and I played frisbee golf for the first time. We realize that we are far from experts but it is alot of fun! I noticed that my frisbee golf game is alot like my golf game. My throws slice just like my golf shots.

North Dakota Running

2009-03-18T21:01:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday I was in Lidgerwood, North Dakota to celebrate Christmas at Kristen's Grandparents. Yes, I did say to celebrate Christmas and yes it's March, but it sure seemed like Christmas with all the snow they had!! Lidgerwood is a small town with a population of 738 located in the southeastern corner of the state. I took advantage of the different scenery and decided I would have Sid drop me off about 16 miles outside of town to do a long run. On the drive out to my drop off point we saw lots of pheasants that were also out enjoying the early spring like day.

When Sid dropped me off I started running in pants and three thin layers of shirts with a hat and of course gloves. The temperature was right around 30 degrees when I started and the sun was bright in the sky. A little over a mile into my run I came up to a farm grove on my left side and all of a sudden I heard a loud roar of pheasant taking flight and cackling. I had to stop and take in the moment. I counted over 25 pheasants that flushed out in all directions of the grove. It was an awesome sight.

Sid had drove up the road about three miles and stopped to wait for me. I am sure glad that he did as I needed to take off a layer of clothes. I also remembered that I had my sunglasses in the truck which I put on so I wouldn't have to squint the rest of the run. Believe it or not I think this is the first time that I have wore sunglasses on a run because normally I only wear sunglasses in the car. I will be wearing sunglasses more often now because it made my run more comfortable.

Eventually I stripped down to shorts, t-shirt, and a hat with temperatures around 36 degrees. The country side was beautiful and very quiet. I did not see one vehicle other than Sid's until the last mile going into town on the highway. I saw well over 100 pheasants between the ride out and my run back. I was able to hold an average pace of 6:54 for the 16 mile run and I felt like I could have kept going at the same pace.

Last Thursday I went to "Beyond the Epic Run" showing in Minneapolis. I enjoyed the movie and I am looking forward to it coming out on DVD in the fall. I won't talk too much about the movie; instead, I will let you go out and see it in the theater in May. I did feel that the movie was inspirational and well worth seeing. I agree with what some other people are saying that the movie did not include enough details about the mental and physical aspects of running that Serge experienced during his run around the world. I am also looking forward to reading Nicole's journal that will also be published soon.

March Madness Begins Thursday! I have my bracket picked and I am ready for the madness to begin! Go Gophers!!! The Gophers play Texas on Thursday at 6:10 P.M.

More Daylight

2009-03-08T22:12:00.004-05:00

Today was daylight savings time, and I am happy to see longer days. I am excited because I will now be able to run after work in the light.

Yesterday I ran 16 miles on the backroads of River Falls. It was a beatiful day for a run with sunny skies and a high of 40 degrees. Towards the end of my run a bald eagle flew about 20 feet over my head. It was close enough that I could hear the sound of its wings flapping. It was a pretty amazing sight.

Today I decided to run 10 miles in town. After running the first 7 miles on the roads I decided it would be a good idea to follow some deer trails near the kinni river. After the deer trails ended I found myself climbing and crawling through thorns to get down the river where I knew I could get on the actual trail. Once I got to the trial it appeared to be icy, but I really wanted to run on the trials a little bit, so I ran where I could and walked when I had to. Further down the trail I even tried testing my long jumping skills which results in one of my feet getting soaked.

I plan on signing up for Zumbro 100k tomorrow, which I am really looking forward to.

Beyond the Epic Run Showing is in Minneapolis on Thursday at the University of Minnesota. Check my previous post for details. I believe this is a free event.

Beyond the Epic Run - Minneapolis Showing Details

2009-03-06T22:00:00.002-06:00

I was able to get the rest of the details on the upcoming showing of Beyond the Epic Run in Minneapolis.

Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009
Doors Open: 7:10 P.M.
Time: 7:30 P.M.
Place: University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minnesota Film Arts
Oak Street Cinema • Bell Museum Auditorium
309 Oak St. SE • Minneapolis , MN 55414

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9adl5twJlU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1C0a0jYTYQ

Snow Storm Running

2009-02-26T21:57:00.007-06:00

I just got back a little bit ago from a run in the snow storm. Not sure how much snow we have accumlated so far but it is still coming down. I would guess that we have around 6" or so. Add to this, the wind is at least 15-20 mph, and this makes for a fun run. I ran the first half of the run with Kyle and then continued for little over an hour. I had a blast! There is just something about running in a snow storm that makes it so invigorating. Here are several reasons why I find running in fresh snow so enjoyable:

-fresh clean air
-fresh blanket of snow
-most everyone else is inside their house staying warm
-not having a clean path to run on
-something different from the typical winter run
-the discomfort of snow pelting me in the eyes
-the ice that forms on my facemask
-not knowing where the side walk begins and ends
-getting funny looks from people as I run by them with nothing but my eyes exposed
-the feeling of playing in the snow like a kid
-the fact that I am out side running, not inside wishing I had

I felt really good running tonight and I felt like I could have kept running effortlessly for another couple of hours. I will try to get up tomorrow morning before work to get a little run in the snow before the streets are all plowed again. The last thing I wanted today was more snow because I'm more than ready for winter to be over, but I had a blast running in a snow storm on one of the best days in February!

Mark your Calenders

2009-02-25T22:53:00.004-06:00

The "Beyond the Epic Run" showing is coming to Minneapolis on Thursday, March 12th. Their website says that it will be at The University of Minnesota and the time is to be determined. Check it out at http://beyondtheepicrunblog.com/movie/. I plan on attending this showing if at all possible. It looks like it will be a fascinating and inspirational movie.

Spring Race Schedule

2009-02-24T21:15:00.005-06:00

My racing plans have changed quite drastically in the last few weeks. I was originally planning on running Trail Mix 50k and the Eau Claire Marathon. Now I will not be running Trail Mix and will probably not be running the Eau Claire Marathon. I have decided along with my brother Eric to run the Zumbro 100k. Hopefully all the snow will be gone the second weekend in April, unlike last year when there was a foot of snow on the ground. The Zumbro 100k starts at midnight on Friday, which will make things interesting after a full day of work. I am excited to test my fitness level and to run further than I ever have before.

Training was still low last week, but I managed to put in 37 miles. I had the time to run a nice long run in Grand Forks on Saturday, but only ended up putting in 9 miles for the day. My energy levels were low, and I wasn't too excited about running in the cold wind in the North Dakota tundra. I did however witness my first snowmobile race during my run along the Red River. They were racing right on the Red River between North Dakota and Minnesota, I believe it was even being televisied.

I am off to a good start of running this week. I put in 13 miles yesterday and 7 today. My energy levels have been better. I have started keeping track of the amount of sleep I get each night and then documenting how I feel during my run for the day. Although it is no suprise to me, I am finding that when I get a little more sleep I do feel better running the next day. My sleep is still not where it needs to be, but it is improving.

Another Good Soup Recipe

2009-02-12T19:57:00.007-06:00

I thought I would share a good soup recipe that Kristen and I made this weekend. It was absolutely delicious. It is basically a tomato soup with some good flavoring and a little kick. It's called Vegetarian Tortilla Soup.

Ingredients
20 small yellow or red cherry tomatoes
Splash of extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne or other spicy red chili powder
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth ( or water)
a few sun dried tomatoes, chopped
a few torialla chips to crush over the top

Directions
Halve (or quarter) the tomatoes lengthwise and put them in a small roasting pan, oven proof dish, or rimmed baking sheet. Toss with a bit of olive oil and a pinch or two of salt. Bake in a 350F degree oven for 40-45 minutes (less time if you use smaller cherry tomatoes), or until the tomatoes are shrunken and golden around the edges. The tomatoes keep nicely in a jar for days (refrigerated), so you can do this part in advance if you like. Set aside.

Now for the soup itself - in a big pot over medium-high heat cook the garlic and onions in a splash of olive oil along with a couple pinches of salt for just a minute or so. Stir in the spices and then the tomatoes. Cook down for about five minutes or so, it should thicken a bit. Remove from heat, add one cup of the broth and puree with a hand blender (or puree in a traditional blender). Add the remaining 5 cups of broth and puree until smooth. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.

Put crushed torilla chips, baked tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes on top of the soup after you pour a bowl. This is not my own recipe, it was found online. Give it a try, hope you enjoy.

As for running....I haven't done too much within the last week because I did not have the energy. Unfortanetly, running only a few miles at a time was a chore. I think one or more of the following were contributors to the way I felt last week. First of all I think I may have caught some kind of bug. Second, I have been extremely busy at work. Thirdly, I've been putting in more miles than I am used to. These last two things have contributing to getting less sleep than I should have been getting. On top of this I think that I may not have been consuming the amount of calories my body needed with the increased mileage.

I have taken a few days off, gotten more sleep and made sure that I am getting enough calories. I have been feeling better the last couple of days. I plan on finishing this week of running with what feels good and then I'll get back on track next week. I was also able to get back to lifting this week. I lifted both Tuesday and Thursday and plan to do so again on Saturday.

Well...time to go for a run.

Sauna Running

2009-02-03T22:17:00.003-06:00

Tonight I decided to play it safe from the slippery sidewalks and streets and ran on the comfort of the treadmill at my local Snap Fitness. I thought that I would try and run 12 miles tonight, but unfortunately things did not go as planned. As I pulled into the parking lot it looked like there were more cars then normal. As I was walking towards the door to Snap Fitness I noticed that the windows were completely steamed up, and I could not even see that anyone was inside. I opended up for the door and into a tropical climate. At first it didn't seem that bad since I just came in from outside where it was 4 degrees, but that soon changed. I took the last treadmill that was available; put my headphones on and started running. At this Snap Fitness there is a mirror in front of the treadmills, so I watched myself as my face began to turn red and I started sweating way more than normal only about two miles into my run. My mind began playing games with me, but I kept sweating it out. I made it to 5.5 miles and decided that the people next to me probably had enough of a sweet shower and I had enough of the heat. I ran to 6 miles and called it quits for the night.

This run tonight got me thinking that if I ever decide to run Badwater, I should get a sauna and stick a treadmill in it to train for the extreme heat conditions, or maybe just go to your local Snap Fitness when it is packed. I'm pretty sure other people have probably tried this idea before. Does anyone know of anyone that has trained on a treadmill in a sauna?

Veggie Soup

2009-02-01T22:18:00.008-06:00

This evening I decided to make some homemade veggie soup. This is the first time that I have made homemade soup from stratch. I plan on making it again sometime, and I think that I will try a different combination of ingredients. The soup turned out pretty good, and now I have leftovers for later this week. The ingredients I included in my soup were the following.

8 cups water
1 cup of uncooked brown basmati rice
2 cups carrots
2 cups celery
2 cups green peppers
2 cups onions
1 cup black olives
8 cloves of garlic
fresh cilantro
cayenne pepper
sea salt

I went for a run in the glen park trails this afternoon. It was nice to get out on trails and enjoy another spring like day. I even saw my first sighting of robins today. I had to look twice to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Pretty crazy that on February 1st I saw a bunch of robins. The trails were packed pretty good, but icy in areas. It was a slow go that required some walking, I ended up running 9 miles in 89 minutes.

Training from this past week...
Monday - 11.5 in 90 min
Tuesday - 4.5 in 40 min
Wednesday - 11.5 in 90 min
Thursday - OFF
Friday - 12.5 (First 10 in 69 min and then cd)
Saturday - 21 in 3 hr 2 min
Sunday - 9 in 89 min
Total = 70 miles
Time on my feet = 9 2/3 hours

I am looking to get somewhere between 60-70 miles in again this week. I may take the day off tomorrow. I am headed to watch my Sister play some basketball tomorrow night which I am really looking forward to! I am also trying to learn how to create a website for my Mom's photography business. It is some pretty tough stuff but I am up to the challenge.

A bit of Spring

2009-01-31T21:59:00.006-06:00

Today was a beautiful day with highs in the 40's. Great day to wash your car! I found out that is what everybody else thought as well. During my run I ran by a bank thermometer that read 45 degrees. I did not run in shorts but it did feel good to run without a facemask. I ran about 3/4 of my run on the roads and the other 1/4 on single track trails. It was nice to see the snow and ice melting away on the roads and sidewalks! I was getting rather tired of slipping and sliding all over the place on my runs. Ended up running 21 miles in 3 hr 2 min.

During my run I saw 4 hen pheasants feeding in the field, that were startled by my bright yellow jacket and flew into the tall grass on the other side of the road. I also saw a bald eagle soaring high above River Falls. I saw a few people out and about on walks and a few runners enjoying the nice day.

Speaking of Spring I received a postcard in the mail today notifying me that I have been selected to receive permit in the 2009 Spring Turkey Drawing. This will be my first time turkey hunting and to tell you the truth I don't know a whole lot about it. I am going to have to get some pointers and advice from my Dad and Uncles, and also learn how to turkey call. My brother Eric also was selected for the same weekend and plans on joining me if scheduling allows.

Super Bowl is tomorrow. I am rooting for the Cardinals, although I probably will not even watch the whole game. I am interested in watching the commercials though.

"Beyond the Epic Run"

2009-01-29T21:13:00.002-06:00

If you have not read about Serge Roehteli's 25,000 mile, 5 year run around the world, I would recommend checking it out. It sure puts a new perspective on pushing yourself to the limit.

There is any interview on the blog link below.
http://runtrails.blogspot.com/

You can also check out his website.
http://beyondtheepicrunblog.com/movie/

There is a movie coming out on his five year journey early this year. Check the website out for times and locations. This is a DVD that will definitely be added to my collection when it comes out.

Week in Training Jan 19th-25th

2009-01-25T20:25:00.003-06:00

It has been a while since I've put in a 60+ mile week, and this week I was able to do just that. I am looking forward to warmer temperatures and snowless trails. My training for the week went as follows:

Monday - 10.5 miles
Tuesday - 8 miles
Wednesday - 11 miles
Thursday - 13.5 miles
Friday - OFF
Saturday - 8 miles
Sunday - 12 miles
Week Total = 63 miles

King Carp

2009-01-18T21:15:00.004-06:00

I thought I would share this picture of the 15 lb carp that my Dad caught this weekend while ice fishing for walleye.

Spring Marathons Galore

2009-01-16T23:15:00.009-06:00

As I begin to decide which races I plan on running this year, I am pretty sure that I will be running a spring marathon. There are several spring marathons to choose from in the area, but the question is which one? I decided I would list all of the spring marathons that are in the Minnesota and Wisconsin area. I'm sure I will forget at least one, so let me know if I am missing any. In no particular order

May 3 - LaCrosse Fitness Festivial Marathon*
May 24 - Stillwater Marathon*
May 9 - Fargo Marathon
May 24 - Mad City Marathon
May 17 - Green Bay Marathon
May 3 - Eau Clarie Marathon*
May 24 - Med City Marathon
May 17 - Rockford Marathon
May 31 - Minneapolis Marathon at The Depot*
June 20 - Grandma's Marathon
May 9 - Journeys Marathon
April 4 - Trialbreaker Marathon
May 9 - Lake Geneva Marathon
May 2 - Wisconsin Marathon*
April 25 - Run for the Lakes Marathon
April 24 - Pipeline Marathon

*New Marathons in 2009

Does anyone have any of these marathons on their race schedule this year?

Break from the Cold

2009-01-13T22:28:00.003-06:00

I have spring fever already, and it is only January. I decided to take a break from slipping and sliding through the snow and ice today and ran 9 miles on the treadmill tonight. It sure felt good to get a good sweat in and run a faster pace.

I've been able to get into a more consistant running routine the last few weeks. I was able to get in 48 miles last week, and plan to get about 55 miles in this week. I am working on figuring out what races I will plan on doing this coming year and will post that as soon as I figure that out.

My friend Kyle Donovan has started a new running blog, check it out at http://www.kyledonovan.blogspot.com/.

Enjoy the Arctic Weather!

50M Didn't Happen, 50K Did

2008-12-09T21:06:00.007-06:00

On Saturday I made an attempt at running 50 miles (10 x 5mile loops) on the Whitetail Ridge Trails in River Falls. I got up at 5 A.M., had some coffee, gathered my supplies and I was set. On the short drive over to the trails my car said it was 23 degrees and I noticed that there was a bit of a breeze by looking at the flags blowing in the wind. My friend Kyle had agreed to run the first two laps with me. We were welcomed by a fresh coating of snow that covered the trail.

It was hard to get in a good rhythm because of the fresh snow. After about 30 minutes my headlamp was no longer needed. We finished the first loop and I re-filled my water bottle, grabbed a bite to eat, and we were off on to the second loop. The footing on the second loop did not get any easier. The snow kept blowing around and there were places where I couldn't even see my tracks from the first loop. We completed the second loop with a total time of 1:53. I knew this was going to be a slow day. I decided I needed to chance my socks, so I walked back to my car. It felt so nice sitting in the car without the wind blowing in my face.

I got myself back out on the trail a few minutes later and began my third loop which I ran solo. I remember part way through this loop I was a little zoned out and all of a sudden a dog came running towards me. I did not see an owner following behind either. The dog sure acted like it had ran these trails before as it zipped by me. The dog had caught me by surprise, and had woken me up out of my zone.

The fourth lap I also ran solo, and it seemed as though the wind had picked up since I started and I was beginning to get cold at times. When the wind was in my face it was nasty. When the wind wasn't a factor it wasn't so bad. As I finished the fourth lap, Kyle met me and brought me some hot chocolate. Boy did that taste good! I wish I could have had something warm every lap. I was starting to have a negative attitute at this point. I was thinking that I wasn't even half ways done and I was getting cold, the trail was slow, and I knew I was going to be out here for a long time. But dispite all this I continued on.

I had called Brandon during the time I had stopped. He was on his way from the Reindeer Run and was in St. Paul. I told him I would be on the second part of my loop when he arrived. Brandon found me with about a mile and half left in my fifth loop. We then continued on with the sixth loop.

The sixth loop really started to get to me. I had to take several short walk breaks because I just couldn't seem to breathe right. Half way through the sixth lap I stopped and put my hands on my knees. I told Brandon, "These are times I wonder why I do this". After thinking back to that statement, I would have to say that is exactly one of the reasons why I do this. I love challenging myself and seeing how far I can push myself.

As we continued on I realized that my lungs were really cold and that was why I kept stopping to walk. I decided I needed to listen to my body and call it a day before I got myself in trouble. I finished my sixth loop and added another mile on and called it a 50K for the day.

I was out there for a long time and the trail conditions were causing me to run really slow. I was out there for 6:45. I was happy with my effort and look forward to the next opportunity to run a 50 miler. I thank my friends Kyle and Brandon for giving me company and support during my run.

Does this course sound fun? Maybe if there is enough interest I can get an actual event planned for next year? Maybe a 25k and a 50k?

4 Days Til 50 M Fun Run

2008-12-02T19:42:00.012-06:00

My attempt at running 50 miles is only four days away! I am excited for the challenge and I know it will be a good time. As of now, it is going to be a real small crowd. My friend Kyle is going to run the first two loops with me in the morning and then come back later in the afternoon to run another two loops. My friend Brandon is going to be running the Reindeer Run 5k in the morning and will join me for a few laps in the afternoon. If anyone is still interested in coming out and joining me on a few laps of fun, you are more than welcome to join us.

Directions are as follows:

From I-94 take exit 3 (Hwy. 35) South toward River Falls approx. 6 miles. Take a right at Whitetail Blvd., and then a left at Highland Drive. Park on the street and you will see the entrance to the trail. If you need better directions than these let me know. Here is a map to help you find your way.

We received less than an inch of snow in the last week which may make things a little slick. Kyle is going to try and scout it out tomorrow on his run. I will not have a chance to look at the trail conditions until I hit the trails on Saturday morning.

Time: 6:30 A.M. Start

Where: White Tail Ridge Trails, River Falls, WI (see directions and map above)

Who: Anyone stupid enough to run 50 miles for the fun of it, or willing to come out and run a few laps for fun.

If you have any questions or are thinking about joining the fun, please let me know ahead of time if possible.

Map of the loop. The loop I will be running is just a bit different than this one, because I added another 0.1 miles to each loop to make it an even 5.0 miles per loop.

I went pheasant hunting this weekend with my Dad, and Brother. I even talked Kristen in to coming with for a while, and she took some great action pictures of the hunt! We ended the day with two birds, and I won't mention how many we missed. It was one of those days where it seems like your gun doesn't shoot straight...

On Thanksgiving Day I also ran the Turkey Day 5k in downtown Minneapolis with Kristen who had a great run! Her Dad Sid, did a great job running his first 5k ever and he is already looking forward to his next! This is the first time that I have ran this race and I thought it was alsolutely crazy how many runners showed up. I heard some people say that there were between 8,000-10,000 runners.

50 Mile Fun Run Anyone?

2008-11-15T19:28:00.006-06:00

I have yet to complete a 50 mile run and would like to before the years end. I attempted to run Ice Age 50 mile but my I.T. Band cause me more trouble then I anticipated and I had to stop myself at mile 37. I decided this summer that I would come back and run the North Face 50 mile in Madison in October. The week after I competed Twin Cities Marathon I was planning on signing up. As is turns out I was too late because the race was full. I think it was meant to be, as I have been able to be heal my body and do some consistent training. I still wanted to run a 50 mile run before the end of the year, and unfortunately there were no other trail 50 milers in the area the rest of the year. So, I thought I would run my own 50 mile run right in River Falls...

I decided that I would attempt this 50 miler on Saturday, December 6th. The course would be on the Whitetail trails behind Shopko in River Falls. Shortly after I came up with this idea, I wheeled and used my GPS to measure the course loop. The wheel indicated the loop was slightly over 5 miles and the GPS showed the loop was slighly under 5 miles. For my purpose one way or the other it will be close enough. So on December 6th I am determined to run my first 50 miler by running 10 loops.

Last Saturday, I ran 3 loops with Kyle and I've realized that it will not be an easy course for my first 50 miler. Within the course there are not that many hills, but there are a lot of turns and uneven places that definitely slow most runners. Not to mention the occasional root, rock, or stump that is hidden by fallen leaves. The course is 95% single track weaving throughout the woods. Come December 6th there may also be other factors that come into play such as snow. We shall see in three weeks!

This is just a FUN Training Run and anyone is more than welcome to join me on Saturday as I attempt to run my first 50 miler. The loop is 5 miles, so come out and run 5, 20, 30, 50 or however many miles you feel like running!!! Please bring your own supplies, water, food, etc. Come see what the Whitetail Trails in River Falls have to offer!!

Please let me know if you plan on coming for part or all of the run in three weeks! I will post more information later this week on times, directions, etc.

Surf The Murph !

2008-11-02T20:44:00.008-06:00

This weekend was the first annual Surf the Murph 50k. I found this race about one week prior to race day by browsing some runner's blogs. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get a nice training run in, so I decided to see if there was still time sign up. Luckily, I was still able to sign up for the race! Les and Cindy Martisko organized the race. They did a great job, and everyone had a great time. We couldn't have asked for better weather.

The temperature was a crisp 39 degree at the start, and was around 60 degrees by the time we finished. I am glad I wore shorts instead of pants, because I warmed up real fast. The first 20-25 minutes were in the dark. I learned that my headlamp does not work well because it either pointed towards the sky or shined right in my face. I ended up taking if off and using it as a flashlight instead.

After about 2o minutes on the course I understood why they named the race Surf the Murph. The course was up and down for about the first 4 miles of each loop. The last 3.75 miles of each loop was more down hill with some flat sections. I enjoyed the half mile single track section towards the end of each loop. I had a chance to say hi to Adam Grim who was helping out at one of the aid stations.

My lap splits were as follows:
1:08:45 - 7.75 miles
2:17:00 - 15.5 miles
3:28:03 - 23.25 miles
4:40:56 - 31 miles

After the race I had a chance to meet a few new people! I talked for a while with Bob McGrath and Eric Skytte. I learned that this was Eric's first ultra and he was hooked, he was already looking forward to the next. I met Kim Martin who was the first women to cross the finish line. Her 11 year old son was there who has already ran a marathon and several half marathons. Thinking back to when I was 11, I remember running the mile in gym class was an accomplishment.

I was a bit surprised to see Steve Quick at the race because I read on his blog a few days earlier that he was taking at least a week off of running and blogging. Those of you that know Steve, know that I shouldn't have been suprised at all. He has run through alot of injuries in the past year, and it is hard to keep him off the trails.

I want to thank Les and Cindy Martisko for putting on a great race and for all the others that made this race possible. For anyone that has not ran at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, I challenge you to go out and run a workout there. The park is truely a Minnesota gem located right in the heart of the metro.

Today I ran 90 minutes in Hoffman Park which I was pleased with. This is the first time after a marathon or ultra that I hve been able to go for a run the next day. Usually, I am just happy to be able go for a walk.

Training this past week...

Sunday - 65 minutes
Monday - Arc Trainer 30 minutes, weights
Tuesday - 60 minutes, 30 minutes Arc Trainer
Wednesday - 60 minutes, weights
Thurday - 65 minutes (hill workout)
Friday - 30 minutes
Saturday - 50k (4:40)

Approx. Mileage 68 miles

Great Pumpkin Chase

2008-10-26T13:50:00.004-05:00

On Saturday was The 5th Annual Wildwood Lodge Great Pumpkin Chase at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. I decided to run the 10k race and run the 5k race with Kristen as a bandit. The race was mostly on ski trails with quite a bit of rolling mini hills. I had no expectations for this race other than to have some fun and get a good workout in. Both of which I accomplished. I ran a 38:22 which is not blazing, but I had a great time, and got a good workout in.

Jason Finch of River Falls won the overall 10k for the third time in the races five year history. I am not sure of his time because no times were recorded due to a problem with their timing system.

I had a fun time running as a bandit in the 5k with Kristen. It was fun to see her run a race again after her ankle injury which sided lined her for much of the summer and fall. She is still not 100% healed, but has been seeing signs of her injury improving.

River Falls residents swept both of the races with Wynn Davis winning the 5k two weeks after winning the Heartland 100 miler in Kansas. Another River Falls runner, my friend Kyle Donovan placed second in the 5k.

This was a well run race, besides the problem with the race clock. I would definitely run this race again in the future.

Training was consistant for me for the first time in a while. My foot has felt good most of the week. My training this past week was as follows...

Sunday - 30 minutes

Monday - 60 minutes, 30 minutes ArcTrainer, Weights

Tuesday - 60 minutes, 30 minutes ArcTrainer

Wednesday - 70 minutes, 30 minutes Arc Trainer, Weights

Thursday - 30 mintues

Friday - OFF

Saturday - Pumpkin Chase (10k, 5k, wu's and cd's) - 13 miles

Approx. mileage 47 miles

Early Season Pheasant Hunt

2008-10-18T19:04:00.009-05:00

This morning I went out for a pheasant hunt in southern Minnesota with my Dad and Duke (dog). This is the first year that I haven't been a Minnesota resident, so I had to buy an out of state hunting license which is a bit more pricey. Duke was full of energy this morning as he knew we were headed out for a hunt. I love watching him get all excited and jump right into the kennel.

Pheasant hunting starts at 9 a.m. in Minnesota but we wanted to stake our ground on some public hunting land. We were approaching our destination about 8:10 a.m. and saw a whole bunch of bright orange vests. Turns out there was about ten guys that beat of to the spot we were planning on hunting. No big deal, we just went down the road and went to anther public hunting area where we were the first to arrive. We waiting until nine and then got Duke out of the kennel and started walking. We walked for a good 90 minutes and didn't see one bird, but nothing beats a nice walk through the grass on a nice October day watching the dog work.

The next plan of attack was to walk some railroad tracks. We were walking a two mile section, and we got about a mile in and hadn't seen anything. My Dad turned about to get the vechile and pick Duke and up and the other end. Duke and I kept walking, and he was beginning to show that he was wiped out. Duke is definitely not in hunting shape. After about another half mile of walking Duke started to act birdy. Seconds later I about stepped on a hen. It is always an adrenaline rush when you step on a bird or nearly step on a bird.

Shortly after we kicked the hen out another hen and a rooster. I pull my gun up and was able to knock down the rooster with one shot. Duke got right on it, and lucky he only got ahold of the head. He was a tendency to try and eat the bird before we get to it. This is his downfall. We retraced our steps to make sure we didn't run by anything. We were able to kick two more hens out of the grass.

Duke and I walked out to the road where my Dad was waiting for us. Duke happily went into his kennel. We definietly put him through a workout today. But no matter how sore he is, I am sure he would love to go out again tomorrow. The rooster I shot is definitely the smallest rooster my Dad and I have never seen hunting. It was a good morning of hunting and I was glad we were able to do it.

This afternoon my sister Nicole and I raked the backyard and then brought Duke out to play in the leaves. I decided it would be a good idea to barry my sister in leaves.

Minnesota State Park Pictures

2008-10-15T12:55:00.011-05:00

Minnesota State Parks

2008-10-14T21:06:00.003-05:00

This past weekend Kristen and I went up to enjoy the north shore with all of its fall beauty. The leaves were gorgeous and they were at peak if not slightly past peak. On the way up we stopped at Interstate State Park where we learned about the Glacial potholes that are unique to the park. I also noticed that across the river on the wisconsin side that a few people were getting ready to climb the side of the cliff.

The second stop was at Gooseberry Falls, where it looked more like an amusement park than a state park. The parking lots were packed and cars were parked on both sizes of the road entering the park. It was a challenge to not get any random people in pictures. From there we stopped at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park and took a few pictures from the beach south of the Lighthouse.

We are went to the Jay Cooke State Park which is south of Duluth about 10 miles. This is the first time that I had been to this park and I must say that I am impressed. It reminded me of being near a river in the Rocky Mountains with all of the rocks in and around the river, resulting in "Minnesota Rapids". I noticed advertisements just outside that park for whitewater rafting rentals. I think that this is definitely going on my to do list. We didn't have time to go for a run on any of the trails, but I would like to come back and explore the 50 miles of hiking trails that it offers.

On the way back, we stopped at the Newhaven Winery in Chisago City. We both agreed that it was the best wine we have tasted at any of the six local wineries. An interesting wine I would recommend trying is Pumpkin wine.

Having trouble downloading pictures will post them tomorrow.

TCM Pics

2008-10-07T12:20:00.009-05:00

Twin Cities Marathon 2008

2008-10-06T19:18:00.014-05:00

I sure was alot slower moving around the office today, and going down steps was sure painful. I am definitely feeling the effects of running a marathon relatively hard without having the training to back it up. Due to a couple of injuries this year I haven't had consistant training since March, and even though I have completed a few ultras, I haven't done anything at quite the same intensity than I did yesterday. Add to it the fact that I am used to running on softer surfaces and not the hard asphalt did not help me either.

It was raining as I headed to the start of the marathon, but by the time I arrived around 6:50 the rain had stopped and temps were comfortable around 50 degrees. I met up with my friend Brandon Heebink, who was ready to go after a PR (sub 2:59 something). Brandon has run a few other marathons including Grandma's, Boston, and Twin Cities. Brandon ran his first marathon at Twin Cities four years ago when I also ran my first marathon there, although I didn't know him at the time, I later ran track and cross country with him at UW-River Falls.

I jumped in line with hundreds of other runners waiting for the port-a-potty before saying bye to Kristen, Sid, & Paulette who came to cheer me on. Brandon and I went on a warm-up run and then went to stretch in the Dome. Brandon was in the first wave 1 so we parted ways and I went to join the slew of runners in wave 2. I saw that there was no way that I would get the to the front of wave 1 before the start, so I jumped the gate, ran up the side of the gate and made my way close to the front. This is the first time that I have been in Wave 2 and I did not realize that they let the first wave go and waited another two minutes until they let wave 2 go.

Wave 2 was off and I had several hundreds of people to pass that would be running much slower than I planned on running. I felt like I was pac-man weaving in and out of people for the next 5 miles or so. I was able to see Kristen, Sid, & Paulette as I left the starting line, and continued on my way as I continued to pass more runners. I passed the most of the neccessary runners in wave 2, and there was a bit of a gap, and then I ran into the back of wave 1, and had to continue passing people again.

It started to rain about three miles into the race and gradually picked up intensity. Around mile four I remember seeing umbrellas lining the street on both sides. It was a pretty cool sight seeing all of the fans still cheering all of us runners on either though it was pretty miserable conditions to be spectating. I caught up to and passed the 3:20 pace group at mile six and continued to push toward. I when was surprised to see another set of ballons at mile eight where I passed the 3:10 pacing group. After I passed this group the rain really started to pour.

This was the first time I have ran a marathon or ultra where it has rained more than a few drops. It certainly make things interesting as my shoes became soaked and left like I was wearing two pound weights on my ankles. I was wearing my Garmin and I was continuing to run a 6:30-6:50 per mile pace. I came through the half way point at 1:29:20. I was pleasantly surprised by my first half, but I knew that the second half to the finish would be a tough journey.
I saw my dad, mom, and sister right before the 20 mile marker and they knew that I was hurting. I told them that the alsphalt was tearing my feet up. At the 20 mile mark I was at 2:20:56 which still put me in position to break three hours. Unfortunately I had been slowing for a couple of miles and my feet hurt so bad from the alsphalt that I couldn't push any harder than I was. My quads also were tighting up and that didn't help the situation.

I soon saw Kristen around mile 21 and she handed me a gel, and I stopped and walked until I finished the gel because of pain in my feet and quads. Of course for anyone that knows the Twin Cities Marathon, the course is flat, but the last four miles or so basically goes gradually up hill.

I slowly ran most, walked a little here and there, and was able to get in sight of the finish. It felt good to finish and I was happy with what I had accomplished given the circumstances. Finish time of 3:17:35. I ran a 57:00 last 10k, the achilles heal of my run.

I grabbed a bite to eat, got some warm clothes on, and ran into Brandon who ran a 3:10:53. Not what he was shooting for, but he once again qualified for Boston. Great job Brandon! My cheering crew was waiting for me in front of the capital and we snapped a few pictures, grabbed some coffee and exited.

As we were leaving we ran into Mike Soma's parents, who is a friend from high school. I found out that he ran the marathon also and did well. He ran 3:28 something. Great Job Mike!

Also congratulations go out to all that participated in the run yesterday that braved the rainy weather. Thanks to all the thousands of fans that lined the streets from Minneapolis to St. Paul.

CHANGED PLANS...

I originally was going to run the North Face 50 miler in three weeks on the Ice Age trail. I hadn't registered yet due to the uncertainy with my injuries and training. Before the marathon I told myself that I would make my decision by the end of this week. My brother Eric was going to pace the second half of the run for a training run. He sent me a text last night that said..."The 50 is full". I guess that decision was make for me. This is what the website said when I checked it today...

North Face Endurance Challenge Midwest Regional has reached maximum capacity. All race distances are full. While there is not a waiting list and no new registrations will be accepted under any circumstances, there are ways to still get involved. For those who participate as a volunteer either at an Aid Station or at the Finishline Festival, they will receive priority registration benefits for the 2009 Endurance Challenge.

More than likely I am done racing for the year, and need to get healthy for the 2009 season. I will post my thoughts at a later date. I will post some pictures of the race later.

TCM Expo

2008-10-02T21:18:00.004-05:00

Three days until race day. I thought I would remind everyone of the Marathon expo that is open to the public, on both Friday and Saturday at the St. Paul RiverCentre. Olympian Alberto Salazar will be speaking on Saturday afternoon at 2:00.

I also added a couple of links on the right column. One is for Folske Spine and Rehab which is the place that does Active Release Technique which I would recommend for anyone who is dealing with a running related injury. The second link I added is for Running Warehouse which is a great place to purchase shoes. They offer some great prices, free shipping, and free return shipping. Check it out!

Good luck to everyone running on Sunday!!! Enjoy the cool weather, heat will not be an issue this year...

River Falls Trail Development Update

2008-10-01T21:08:00.007-05:00

As I mentioned before I had an idea to add about 1.5-2 miles of trails in River Falls in the Hoffman Park area. I called city hall and was directed to the correct person who is involved in parks, trails, zoning, and such. I met with him today at city hall to go over the maps of R.F. and see who owns the property that I wanted to development trails on. I found out that most of the land is not owned by the city, or an individual but by the the Boy Scouts. A small part of the land is owned by the city, and a little bit by a company.

I thought this was going to be a fairly easy process...Talk to the city, present my request at a city hall meeting, and go ahead and make the trails. I mean after all, I was going to volunteer along with my friend Kyle to build the trail. Boy was I wrong...

The guy at city hall was as helpful as he could have been. I appreciate him taking time out of his day to go over the maps with me. He suggested that I see what the Boy Scouts have in mind for the land that they own. So I guess the next step may be going to the local Boy Scout meeting and proposing that they build trails on their land as a project.

I found it very interesting talking to the guy at city hall today about the future plans for trails in River Falls. He showed me a map of all the current and planned trails for River Falls.

Then he told me that this is "The 50 or 100 Year Plan". What a let down! It is driving me nuts knowing that the city has this awesome trail plan and nothing will be done about it for years. So...I am off to the Boy Scouts now to see if I can get something accomplished sooner than 50 or 100 years.

Even though I am not properly trained for Twin Cities on Sunday I am getting super excited and I am having a hard time focusing during the day. I just want to get out there and run. Even though I haven't been able put in the miles to actually taper, I sure feel like I am tapering because my legs feel dead and I am super antsy.

One Week Til TCM

2008-09-27T22:01:00.010-05:00

A week from tomorrow is the running of the Twin Cities Marathon. I will be taking part in the run although not the way I originally planned. I originally was going to run the race with Kristen as it was going to be her first marathon. Unfortunately she developed a tendon injury in her ankle this summer and has pretty much been side lined since the middle of July. She has finally been able to run some shorter runs more consistantly in the last few weeks, but will not be able to run the the marathon with me this time around.

This will be my third time running TCM and I am looking forward to it, but do not have high expectations of finishing with a good time. My two previous TCM's have been sub 3 hour runs, but I know that I am not in that kind of shape after dealing with injuries on and off all summer long. I just want to go have some fun and see what happens. It is a beautiful course and a well run event, and I am thankful that I get a chance to run it.

My Plantar Fasciitis has been getting better, but it still wants to flare up once in a while. It was good all week when I was getting in 45-60 minute runs, and today I ran a 10 mile run with Kyle and it hurt after the run. I am not sure what to think. I recently bought a pair of Arch Molds to see if that would help, and I think it has, but today it didn't seem to matter. I also am trying a different pair of trail shoes, the Brooks Cascadia 3. They have good arch support, heel cushion, and are fairly lightweight.

Other things that I am doing to try and heal my Planter Fasciitis are stretches for my calfs and achillies muscles twice a day, along with messaging my foot. I have also tried to ice the spot where the pain is after runs. I also am using a Strassburg Sock when I sleep, which seems to be helping.

I am in the process of trying to propose some more trail development in the River Falls area. I contacted City Hall on Thursday and will be talking to the guy in charge of trails on Monday. I am proposing to add another 1.5 - 2 miles of trail on the backside of Hoffman Park. I will be posting updates to my progress on this project.

I decided to go fly fishing for pan fish on Pine Lake near Somerset, WI today. I am new to fly fishing and I'm still learning. I never have tried fly fishing for pan fish before today. I bought some new flies specifically for pan fish and gave it a try. I fished for 40 minutes before I caught my first and only sunfish of the day. I had several other fish that tried biting the fly but were unsuccessful because the fly was too big for them. Oh well...it was a nice day to get a little fall fishing in, and enjoy the weather.

Trent Tucker Celebrity Golf Tournament

2008-09-13T18:48:00.008-05:00

Today I went to the Trent Tucker Celebrity Golf Tournament with Kristen. I had been there two previous times and thought that I would go back again and watch Michael Jordan play a little golf. The first time that I went to this event was five years ago when I had the opportunity to shake hands and with Jordan which was pretty cool considering I was a huge fan of his growing up like so many other kids. Some of the other celebs attending the event were Ed McDaniel, Scottie Graham, Randall McDaniel, and others. You can check on the website if you know of someone that would be interested in attending next year. http://www.trenttucker.org/

Running is going alright but not as well as I would like. I got a 2.5 hour run in last Saturday which went well. But I have been dealing with my Plantar Fasciitis on and off and I am still trying to completly heal it, so I haven't been able to get the volume of running in that I would like to be doing in this beautiful fall weather.

Also, Congrats to all that ran the Superior 100M, 50M or Marathon last weekend ! I wish I could have been there.

C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race

2008-08-26T21:48:00.006-05:00

I just finished a good book on C.C. Pyle's 1928 Coast-to-Coast "Bunion Derby". I would definitely recommend this book if you are unfamiliar with the history of the Bunion Derby. Before I read this book I knew nothing about this race, and found it to be quite inspiring. I thought it was amazing how these runners were able to deal with the harsh conditions along the way and still be able to perform day after day for months on end. They didn't have the running luxuries that we are fortunate enough to have these days, such as proper footwear and knowledge about nutrition, ect. I won't go on about it any further, but definitely check in out if you haven't done so already.

I have been off running again for a little over a week due to some plantar fasciitis. I have just been doing some biking and weights. I plan to test it out tomorrow because I no longer have pain stepping out of bed in the morning. I think that I came back a little to hard too soon after my I.T. Band injury, but I feel that I should be ready to go now that I have the plantar fasciitis taken care of.

Weekend Runs

2008-07-21T12:10:00.002-05:00

My I.T. Band has been treating me well, I have been getting in 30-40 miles the last three weeks. I think this weekend I proved to myself that my body is ready to increase the weekly mileage. My brother Eric joined me for a series of weekend runs. Friday night we ran 10 miles at Willow River, and then another 10 miles at Afton/Alps on Saturday afternoon, and another 5 miles around R.F. in the evening. Sunday included a 12 miler consisting of Glen Park Trails and Shopko Trails, and another 5 miles in the evening. Weekend total of 42 miles. I look to continue to increase my mileage in the coming weeks and add more trail runs ( I have been running alot on the road due to my injury). Also enjoyed some trout fishing in the kinni, sure is a great way to ice the legs!

Good To Be Back Running!

2008-07-01T12:02:00.005-05:00

I've had an interesting past couple of months with my running. I had been battling I.T. Band problems all winter and spring. I went into Ice Age 50 mile not being a 100% confident that my I.T. Band would hold up. I ended up dropping after 37 miles realizing that it wasn't worth injuring myself even more. My brother Eric ended up having a great race for his first 50 mile, placing 15th in 8:16.

After Ice Age I realized that it was time to get myself healthy. I went to see a specialist that does Active Release Technique (A.R.T.). I went to visit him four times and so far I am back running pain free. I would highly recommend Active Release Technique to anyone dealing with a running related injury. There are only a few people in the metro area that are certified for Active Release Technique. A.R.T. is more popular on the east and west coasts, and hasn't caught on as much in the midwest.

My racing plans have changed for the remainer of the season. I am no longer going to run Afton, Superior 50, or Glacial 50. Instead I am going to get myself healthy and get my training back to where it should be. I am going to run Twin Cities Marathon with Kristen as she runs her first marathon, and I am planning on running the North Face Challenge 50 miler in late October in Madison.

Good luck to everyone running Afton on Saturday! Looks like the weather should be better than the oven that it was last year.

Happy 4th!
Justin

Trail Mix 50k

2008-04-22T20:06:00.005-05:00

Saturday proved to be an interested day for me. Before this weekend I had not ran two ultras on back to back weekends, so I knew going into the race that this would be interesting. I recovered nicely after Chippewa 50k the prior weekend and I didn't have any troubles with my I.T. Band all week. My intention for Trail Mix was to come back after Chippewa and get another long run in with little rest to prepare me for my first 5o miler at Ice Age in May.

As I lined up for the start of Trail Mix on Saturday we were all informed that the race would be shorter because the ski hill section was going to be removed from the loop due to ice. This didn' t mean much to me since I hadn't ran the course before. The race diretor was saying it would make the race more like a 30 mile run. As it turns out...I just looked on the Trail Mix website and they are now saying that the race was only 28 miles.

The race started and I ended up taking the lead with Steve Quick close behind. Not knowing the course definitely made things interesting. I saw a couple of roosters running across the trail in front of me and a few deer off to the side. It sure was a lot more peaceful running the first two loops before all of the traffic of the 25k and 50k relay runners clogged up the course in places.

One thing that I would have changed with this race is that I would have ate more early on in the race. I made the mistake of not stopping until a little over half ways into the race to try and grab something to eat and then I realized the aid station had no food. I then assumed that none of the aid stations had anything and I passed up the next couple as well. I finally got something to eat about 3:20 into the race; I know... that was stupid! I learned my lesson.

I was leading the race by 1-2 minutes for the first 3:10. Shortly before this time my legs really tightened up and I soon had to walk up a couple of hills. My I.T. band then decided to tighten up as well and then I knew I was a dead duck. Eve passed me and was looking strong and I knew that she would run away with the win. At this point I would have been happy to just be able to jog the rest of the race, but unfortunitely my I.T. Band wouldn't allow that to happen. I ended up mostly walking the next 2-3 miles, with a little jog here and there.

In the time that I was walking, Steve passed me as well as four others. I managed to run the last mile without too much pain and ended up placing 7th and running a time of 4:00:54.

I would like to congratulate Eve on her impressive win, Steve Quick who ran a solid race and placed second overall and everyone else who was out there and ran on Saturday. I would also like to thank all the volunteers who made this race possible.

As of for my I.T. Band, it is Tuesday evening and it is feeling good. I've taken a few days off from running and have done a little biking. I plan on giving running a try again tomorrow. 2 1/2 weeks until Ice Age 50 Mile!

Chippewa Moraine 50k

2008-04-14T20:57:00.016-05:00

What a great adventure this past weekend! I ran the Chippewa Moraine 50k which ended up being more of a winter race then the John Dick 5ok in February. The course was blanketed by a fresh coating of snow the night before the race, and we were running through anywhere between 4 and 16 inches of snow depth. This race was definitely one of my toughest races I have ran in my short history of running marthons and ultras.

As for my race I was doing pretty good until my I.T. Band decided that it had enough of the snow and started giving me troubles with ten miles to go. I gutted it out for another 5 miles and when I stopped at aid station 2 on the way back it really tightened up. Shortly after leaving the aid station with my brother Eric, I had to stop for a while and stretch it out as it was getting real painful to run each step. Eric continued on and I ran and walked until aid station 1 and then I was able to mostly run the rest of the way to the finish. Not exactly what I had planned, but what is the adventure if everything goes as planned?

I want to thank Wynn Davis for putting on a great race and for all of the volunteers and sponsors that made this race possible!

Alumni CC Crew at Aid Station #2

After I finished this race on Saturday I wasn't sure if I would be able to come back and run The Trail Mix next weekend due to my I.T band. On Sunday I got out for an hour walk and an easy 40 minute bike ride, did alot of stretching and took a ice bath. I felt great today running an easy 30 minutes and I'm going to send in my registration for Trail Mix 50k and plan to toe the line come Saturday. I think my I.T. Band doesn't like the snow at all because I've had problems with it throughout the winter when I've ran on snowy trails.

Eric and I with the sweet Finishers Award

Me, Mom, Eric, Dad

Spring Fever

2008-03-30T21:39:00.010-05:00

Well...spring is here, or is it? Just as I thought I was near the end of running on slushing trails for the year, I heard we may get 4-6" of snow tomorrow. But on a positive note I got some quality running in this weekend on the trails around R.F. I put in 2.5 hours both Saturday and Sunday. I am really looking forward to the Chippewa 50k in two weeks. It sounds like there is still quite a bit of snow on the course, so it will be interesting to see what the course looks like come race day.

Two weekends ago, I was up in Lutsen for a few days on a mini vacation, and I did a lot of hiking and a little running on the Superior Hiking Trail. The trail itself was nicely packed, but if you stepped off the trail it was well over knee deep. This is the first time that I have been on the Superior Hiking trail, and I must say I was impressed. I am really looking forward to September when I plan on running the Superior 50 miler. Below are a few of the pictures from my trip to Lutsen.

Kristen demonstrating the snow depth

At the Top of Eagle Mountain. Highest Point in Minnesota.

Afton Showshoeing

2008-02-19T23:19:00.004-06:00

This weekend I enjoyed a nice two hour run on the trails around River Falls. It was nice to get out on the trails and get a good one in. I can't wait until it stays lighter longer so I have more time to hit the trails before it gets dark after work. I am sick of running around R.F. on mainly the roads during the week days!

On Sunday Kristen and I went snowshoeing at Afton State Park. The snowshoe trails are snow packed. Would have been pretty good conditions for running. Sure was a nice day for a stroll in the woods though.

I plan on signing up for the Chippewa Moraine 50k this week. Wynn Davis is the race director for this race, and is doing a great job putting it together. Check it out for yourself.

Also check out the new website for the Upper Midwest Trails Runners Organization.

Later,

Justin

John Dick Memorial Crusty 50k

2008-02-05T21:52:00.000-06:00

I ran the 20th Annual John Dick 50k with my brother Eric on Saturday. The race started at 7:30 with 68 runners eager to run through the fresh snow covered trails. The course consisted of five out and backs in one direction, and five loops in the opposite direction. The trail conditions were real slow, and there was ice under the snow in places as I found out running down a hill on the first out and back. There was one killer hill on the course that seemed to be longer each time up it. The sceneary was amazing with snow covered trees lining the course. It even snowed for a while during my fourth loop.

It seemed as if the snow slowed everyone down considerably except Joe Kurian would finished with a time of 3:54. He finished nearly an hour ahead of the Chaz Heckman and the rest of the field. Of the 68 runners who started the run, 48 finished.

I went into this run with no expectations other than to finish, and get myself jump started at training for my first 50 miler in May. I can say that I accomplished what I set out to do with this race, I finished with a time of 5:13:45 which is the longest time I have ever been on my feet running. My pace was slow, but the trail conditions had alot to do with it. I am feeling almost completely recovered and I am now ready to prepare for my next race, The Chippewa Moraine 50k in April.

Adios,

Justin

Winter 50k Plans

2008-01-29T23:18:00.000-06:00

This coming weekend I will be joining my brother Eric for a winter 5ok down in East Troy, WI called the John Dick Crusty Memorial 50K. The interesting part about this race is that they don't know exactly where the course will be until right before the race due to trail and weather conditions. They usually run it on the horse and snowmobile trails, but if there is little or no snow they will run in on the Ice Age Trail or the Scuppernong hiking/skiing trails. I just talked to my brother tonight, and he is out in Milwaukee and said that it rained today and they have no snow on the ground, but there is a chance of snow for the remainder of the week. The forecasted high is 32 degrees for Saturday so whether or not there is snow, the weather should be good for a nice 50k. My training has been somewhat spotty during these past two months, but I am looking at this run as a chance to get a good long run in to get my training rolling for my first 50 miler in May.