On Vacation - Gone Running!

Whew! It’s been a marathon just training for the marathon!! But the time is finally here. I’m leaving tomorrow (Thursday), June 2^nd and returning on June 16^th.

I had hoped to be further along in my fitness, aka Wish-I-Was-Doing-The-Full-Marathon, but at this point I’m happy enough doing the half (13.1 miles).

My main concern is shin splints. Other than that, I’m pretty sure I can drag my butt across the finish line, no matter what. I have four hours to complete it, but I’m hoping I can do it in three. I’m counting on training at 9000 feet to help me run at sea level.

With 30,000 people signed up, you probably won’t see me in the crowd, but I’ll be the one in the green tank top that says, Does This Shirt Make My Butt Look Fast?

I will be checking in, but I am on vacation, so if I don’t respond quickly, I’ll be at the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, or Disney Land, or Sea World, or the San Diego Zoo, or the San Diego Wild Animal Park, or at the beach hanging ten, or at the Colorado River in Yuma laying on a raft with a margarita in my hand.

Wish me luck!

San Diego, here I come!!

Running from the Shin Splints (alias: S.S.)

The S.S.

The Shin Splints, aka S.S. are always trailing me, lurking around corners, trying to grab me, trip me up, slow me down.  I constantly have to stay one step ahead, outmaneuvering them at every turn.  I am always on the run, hiding from the S.S.

If I run outside, they harass me, attack me, assault me.  I shake them off and keep running.  I can tell that sometimes they think I don’t know they’re there, but I can feel them.  When they’re around, I have to tread lightly.  I knew they were going to catch up with me at some point, so I made a plan.

Two weeks before the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, I knew I had to get ready. So I cut back on my mileage and rested, relaxed, put my feet up.  I ran shorter miles. 

Shhh!

And I have a top secret weapon that the S.S. doesn’t know about: the treadmill!!! Uh huh, you heard me right. Treadmills have shocks, bounce, give!!!  It’s what’s been saving me the entire time I’ve been on the run, incognito, in hiding. I owe it a huge debt. It has helped me to escape the S.S. many times.

On the day of The Big Run, I’ll be down the road before the evil S.S. are even awake.  I’ll be across the finish line and half-way through my free beer before the S.S. realizes I’ve made it to safety. Muahahahahaha!!!!!

Dozer the Dog Crashes Half-Marathon

Article first published as Dozer the Dog Crashes Half-Marathon on Technorati.

Dozer the dog crashed the Maryland Half Marathon held in Howard County Maryland, last Sunday,May 15, 2011, unbeknownst to his owners. Seeing the 2000+ participants run past his house around the five mile mark was just too much for him. He broke through the invisible fence and joined the fray.

The Goldendoodle crossed the finish line (See Dozer Crossing the Finish Line) after several stops at water stations, completing the final eight miles of the race in only 2:14:24. Not too bad for a 3-year-old with little experience.

Dozer received a finisher’s medal and hopes to compete in next year’s race, with permission from his parents. Next time he’ll be wearing a bib with a special number just for him - “K9.”

Dozer made his way home on Monday to his worried owners with sore paws and a bit tired. After a precautionary trip to the vet, he was pronounced fit.

The race benefits the University of Maryland’s Greenbaum Cancer Center.  Dozer liked running the half marathon so much, that now he has his own cancer research fundraising page at Dozer's Fundraising Site. So far, he’s raised nearly $1900.00.





Running the Shakespeare Marathon

Article first published as Running the Shakespeare Marathon on Technorati.

Theme marathons are the ideal running experience for runners just wanting to have fun or raise funds for notable causes. The Shakespeare Marathon is a course favorite for top club runners in Britain. It was first created in 1982 and organized by the Stratford Rotary Club in Stratford-Upon-Avon, and primarily benefits the Stratford Hospice and other charities.

Stratford-Upon-Avon is, of course, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, hence, the Shakespeare Marathon. As we all know, Shakespeare was an English poet (often referred to as the Bard of Avon) and playwright who is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language.

What is little known, perhaps, is that William Shakespeare knew a lot about running – and perhaps was even a runner himself!

“I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start...‘Faith, I ran when I saw others run” (Henry V).

The line-up begins outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with a leisurely start time of 10:00 a.m. To aid in the fun, many of the contestants, participants and bystanders dress up for the occasion, often as The Bard himself.

“These high wild hills/and rough uneven ways/draw out our miles/ and make them wearisome (Richard II).

For the most part, the course is flat except for Rumer Hill just outside of Welford. The runners have to negotiate the hill twice as the full-marathon is two laps; the half-marathon is just one. Most injuries reportedly occur on this long and steep descent towards Long Marston.

“I would give a thousand pound I could run as fast as thou canst” (Henry IV).  

This year’s marathon held on May 9, 2011, was won by Andrew Siggers, a rugby athlete, with a time of 2:37:41. Sandra Williams was the first woman to finish in 3:06:42.

10-10-10 AKA Marathon Madness

Barking Mad

What is the significance of 10.10.10?  While I’ve heard that it represents divine intuition and ambition that makes you feel motivated, it must also represent some kind of full-moon madness.  I don’t know if tonight is a full moon, but I don’t feel like howling at it, unless it’s with mad, hysterical laughter for what I’ve just done.  Or I guess I should say half-moon “marathon” madness, because surely I didn’t just sign up for a half marathon of my own free will!?  When I can barely even run two miles! 

So I’ve just got to blame this madness on 10.10.10.  This is another one of those “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast” moments. 

Why, Why, Why, do I always think I can do everything? 

I'm just saying.... I must be barking mad.