Week 5: Hey, I’m Running A Marathon

Week five of Mill Race Marathon training began with me still thinking about my Running Sister Catharine and her accident with the dogs. It also started with me trying to find new tires for my car. Saturday night while on my way home from my first non-12-hour Saturday since Feb. 4 at “The World on Time,” as I jammed to the best radio show in ALL the world – John Michael Vincent’s “JMV Takeover” on B-105.7 – my right front tire blew. Fortunately, I took my short cut through a community called Southern Dunes, which has one of the popular golf courses in the area. I wasn’t on the side of a major road or the interstate. I was able to pull into the club house parking lot. I called Wendy and asked her to meet me. I knew I could change the tire but wanted her to follow me home in case the doughnut spare failed.

By the time Wendy arrived in the club house parking lot, I had the tire changed. I felt like Ralphie’s father in “A Christmas Story” in changing the tire like a member of an Indianapolis 500 pit crew. Unlike Old Man Parker though, none of my sons lost the nuts and said “THE word. The big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the F-dash-dash-dash word!”

Wendy followed me and we safely made it home that night.

MONDAY

Which brings me to Monday of last week’s training. I spent the morning looking for an auto shop which had the right tires for my car. Somehow on the ENTIRE southside of Indianapolis (well mainly in the Center Grove area where we live) not a one had the right size tires for a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am! NOT A ONE! The one shop closest to us was able to order them but wouldn’t have them in until Friday.

In times such as these as I like to say – “So…Be…It!”

Later that morning, Ryan and I went out and ran our five “Miles and Smiles for Catharine.” As usual it was another easy pace run. We ran down the incline from the crack in the street and out to the main entrance of our subdivision. We ran up the sidewalk which leads to the parking lot of the church. Around the church parking there is a ¼ loop marked in red. We ran ¾ around that loop and then out to the road that leads to the secondary entrance of our subdivision. We turned around at that entrance and ran through the new section and back to our house. This loop is close to being two miles. We took a short break for water. We started up again in the same direction. On the second lap, we changed the route a little came back around for another small water break at the 5k mark. We ran through the new section and back to the secondary entrance and through the church parking lot. When we got to the sidewalk toward the finish of the fifth mile, Ryan looked at me with that smile. I knew was about to happen to me.

_{Ryan and I sitting on the steps of our front door after a Monday run. Ryan dropped me for the final .15 of the run. Hope he does that again on July 3 at the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga.}

Yep, just like he did at the 2019 OneAmerica Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon, Ryan dropped me. I didn’t mind though because I was in no mood to push the pace especially after my run on the hills of Mullinix and Smokey Row the day before. It was good to see him push it at the end. It showed he still likes to crush when he feels like it.

During the winter, Wendy had thought about making some changes to our property with a landscaping project. So, thank you stimulus check, we built five flower beds and fixed our drainage issue. We made four of the five flower beds she had planned. After Andrew and Ryan’s graduation party, Wendy and my sons worked on the fifth. Before my tire issue, I had planned to help finishing the project on Monday (she promised to give me Father’s Day off). When she looked at the pending weather forecast, it looked like rain for most of Monday. Then miraculously the skies cleared up. As I drove home from ordering the tires, Wendy called to let me know Andrew and she were taking the car we had just bought for the boys to another repair shop to have it looked at for repairs. Wendy said, “We are also going to get the rock and start finishing the flower bed.” To Wendy’s shock, I told her “I had already planned on doing that after Ryan and I got done with our run.” She actually didn’t hear what I said and started to get mad. Then she stopped and said, “You just said you planned to do that today?” I replied, “Finally, you listened.” She responded, “Well, at least one of the males in my house is on the same page with me today.”

_{The final flower garden (on the right) we finished after Ryan and I ran on Monday. The massive landscaping project of our property officially completed.}

We spent the rest of Monday afternoon placing the rock around the fifth and final flower bed. Wendy’s goal was met – we had it all completed before we left for Atlanta next week.

Tuesday

Right before training for Mill Race began, I looked at the mileage on my current footwear. I had almost 400 miles on both a pair of Hoka One One Clifton 7s and Brooks Ghost 13s. I knew I could likely start training with these two pairs of shoes. By the end of June though, I would need at least one new pair and preferably two for the next three months of training. One pair to use for my easy runs and another pair to use for my speed, tempo, and long runs. After completing my 22.5-mile-time trial, I started shopping around. I saw that the Clifton 7s were getting discounted to make way for the 8s. With that price cut plus my credit with one running store, I ordered a pair through its website. Side note: I have completely fallen in love with the Hoka One One shoes – not because my current favorite team in ALL of sports – NAZ Elite wears them (although like it was when I was younger with basketball shoes, it doesn’t hurt). The Cliftons would definitely be used for the hard workout days. I still needed a pair for the easy days, and I hoped to get them a tad cheaper than the Cliftons. I kept looking at various websites for deals for another pair. While I was on vacation in May, a friend called me up and said, “Hey, come up on Friday, do lunch and hang out.” Well, he lives on the northside of Indianapolis. My friend, Shannon, works at a running store close to his house. I messaged Shannon and asked her to see what they might have in stock on the clearance rack. The next morning, she sent me a picture of the shoes they had in my size.

There was a pair of Brooks Launch GTS 8s in my size for a good price. I sent her a reply, “I’ll take the Brooks.” Shannon answered, “Are you sure? Uh, they’re pretty crazy looking even for you.” Me: “I don’t care what they look like. I just need a shoe that fits me right and I can get through easy day runs. I’m not out there for a fashion show.” Shannon replied with the laughing out loud emoji at my comment and said she would hold them for me to pick up when I came up on Friday.

_{The “Shamrock Shoes” my friend, Shannon, found for me at her store. These will be used for easy run days and of course whenever I feel like cheering for Notre Dame and on St. Patrick’s Day.}

Having ran in the Cliftons I recently purchased on my run Sunday, I decided it was time to get the Brooks out of the box and try them for a run. Although it was Tuesday, I didn’t think it would hurt to see how I could go with a progression run.

As I made it up the incline on my street to start this run my legs didn’t feel quite awake. Then again my entire body didn’t feel conscious even for almost 7 a.m. When I made it around the small circle before turning to go around the main entrance of our subdivision my legs finally started to feel like they were ready for some speed. I was about 40 seconds faster than the first mile. The third mile I was about 20 seconds faster than the second. It didn’t feel as comfortable as Sunday’s run in the Cliftons, I could tell I was having to force it a little more in these shoes. The fourth mile was a tad faster than the third. During the fifth mile, I decided it was time to really see what I had left.

As every Tuesday, I purposely go a little faster because Wednesday is the off day. I made it around the entrance and back up the incline to my house. A complete circuit of this same loop would put me way over five miles and I still had core work to do before getting ready for work. I made a turn at the top of the incline and then a quick left on to a street with a couple of rolling hills. Although my watch beep when I got to the end of the street, I turned right and continued to pick up speed until I reached where the road came to a “T.” I clocked a final mile of 6:50 and the additional two tenths of a mile at a 6:21 pace.

WEDNESDAY

The off day was spent praying and thinking about Catharine and her surgery. Happy to report the operation went according to plan. The surgeon even did as Catharine requested. He said she should be able to get back to running within three months! I texted her husband, Craig, and daughter, Anne, to get the report. I figured she would be worn out from the surgery and bombarded by others. They gave me the information about the surgery and agreed. Matter of fact, Craig even said she was zonked by 5 p.m.

Thursday

Another Thursday and another “Where am I going to run this morning?” I got my Garmin synced with the satellites and walked to the crack in the street. I headed down the incline toward the entrance of the subdivision when I looked behind me and saw the teenage girl, who lives next door to us, driving down the street. It was at that point I decided to veer left and run the “It’s Exactly 1-Mile Loop.” As I stated in the last post, Frank Shorter says this is a good way to chart your progress and make the run go faster when you “find your loops.” Thursday’s runs aren’t for registering if I’m getting better. These runs are supposed to be easy pace. I had five miles that morning, which running this particular loop meant five laps.

About midway through the training segment for last year’s virtual CNO Financial Monumental 13.1 to now, I have made a concerted effort to follow the paces in the Luke Humphrey calculator for all types of runs, but especially the easy pace ones. I realized how important it to make sure to go slower on the easy days. I could feel a significant difference in my legs on my speed, tempo and long run days compared to my other training segments.

Anyway, Thursday, I made my five laps around the “It’s Exactly 1-Mile Loop” then followed it up with IronStrength core blaster session.

Friday

As I went to bed Thursday night, I dreaded my weekly Friday appointment with Cushing’s Hills. I believe the reason was because I knew I was going to be out of my Friday routine. Since training began in May for the Mill Race Marathon, I’ve done about the same thing on both Fridays and Sundays. I get up, make my coffee, eat some breakfast – usually a banana and a breakfast sandwich. While I’m eating and enjoying my coffee, I lounge around, watch television, and catch up on what people are doing on social media. Since I am now working every Friday at “The World on Time,” but go in a tad later than normal, I usually head out to Cushing’s Hills around 8:30 a.m. Sundays, I try to get out at 7:30 a.m. – which is when the train horn is expected to go off to start Mill Race Marathon on Sept. 25.

I was being taken out of my habitual schedule because I needed to have my car back at the tire place at 8 a.m. to have the new tires put on it. I skipped the breakfast and even the dynamic warm up to head straight over to Cushing’s Hills at 6:30 a.m. My thought was this could be a good thing because who knows how much out of my routine I could be taken out of come race day.

I got out a little slower for the first mile this week than I did the previous week. The last two weeks I had went out at 7:51 and this time I was at 7:57. When I made the turn from Skyline Court back to Skyline Drive, I could feel my legs saying, “let’s go!” I stayed consistent between 7:22-7:15 pace for miles two through four. The fifth mile picked it up and clocked a 7:09 split where Skyline Drive meets Birch Lane. From Birch Lane down to Brer Rabbit, I went for a fast finish. I looked down at my watch to see the pace around 6:10 as I reached where Brer Rabbit meets Olive Branch Road.

_{The rolling hills of “Cushing’s Hills” – it nice running these the last five weeks in preparation for the hard work about to be put in for the rest of Mill Race Marathon training.}

It will be a few weeks before I head back to Cushing’s Hills. I’ll probably go back for some hill repeats on a Tuesday, but not to run the full course. I have to say these five runs have been some of my best on those rolling hills. The last four I went from 7:35 average pace on June 4 to back-to-back runs of 7:21 average pace on the last two.

_{Heading to the intersection of Birch Lane and Skyline Drive on Cushing’s Hills.}

Saturday

I got to bed late Friday night. 5:30 a.m. came awfully early Saturday. I was in the “shamrock shoes” and the pace was nothing like it was when I wore them for the first time on Tuesday. It felt like I was literally running in my sleep as I went up the incline of Harness Drive into the new section of our subdivision. When the watched beeped to show my first mile at 9:23, I shrugged my shoulders. Old me would have been gotten frustrated and immediately did all I could to get the pace faster. Now, I’m like “this is an easy day run it as slow as you can and want. It will pay off on race day.” I slogged through the rest of the run. I even ran through a few of the neighbor’s sprinklers as I finished.

Sunday – Final Day of Fun

Work wasn’t as easy Saturday as it was the previous one. It was about an 11 ½-hour-work day. I still was up at 5:30 a.m. I fixed my coffee and light breakfast. Around 7:15 a.m. I was out in the driveway doing my dynamic stretches and getting ready to venture to a new route to me.

While I was at work Saturday evening I felt some tightness in my upper right quad and hip. After the dynamic stretches and as I made the turn from Olive Branch Road on to Skyline Drive I felt my leg loosen up. I basically had run the same path up Skyline as I did at the beginning of Friday’s run. My watch beeped at the completion of first mile on the south end of “horseshoe” on Skyline Court. 7:51! I yelled out – “THE WHAT!” Not the pace I wanted for the beginning of this 10-mile run. Maybe I was excited because it was sunny, 73 degrees and the humidity again made the air feel like I was drinking it. This was definitely another long run to cherish my mantra – “Runners are made in the summer.”

I was between miles two and three when went around the middle school. I was between the school and its football field when I looked down at my watch. The pace was jumping all over the place. It went from 7:35 down to 6:00 to 4:30 to 3:30 to even 1:50 before going back up – but my effort continued at the same level. It seemed to finally sync back into place when I got on the path that is parallel with Morgantown Road and eventually goes around the soccer and softball fields complex.

_{The heat map and pace chart from Sunday’s run. The black circle is where I ran around Center Grove Middle School and the brief moment my watch went bizerk.}

Following several people who live around me on Strava, they seem to enjoy this path that goes in front of the elementary school and the aforementioned soccer and softball fields complex. Along the path I was visited by two rabbits and squirrel. The latter almost meeting my right foot as it jumped out in front of me on the path. The path continues and winds into a neighborhood. I went through that neighborhood and an adjoining one back out to Stones Crossing Road. I crossed there and went around the high school’s athletic complex. For it being just past 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning there appeared to be quite the exciting baseball games taking place on both the varsity and junior varsity diamonds.

After getting out to that fast start, I yo-yoed my splits for the majority of the run. The miles alternated between 7:30 and 7:40 for the splits. I passed the CITGO sign at Don’s Garage between miles six (7:30) and seven (7:40). Of all things on this run, I went up the highest point in Johnson County – Sally Doty Hill – not once but twice amid miles seven and eight. I joked with Catharine after the run my main objective was to avoid “Big Ugly” on Mullinix Road this Sunday. So of course here I was going up the highest point twofold. The first time I went up the hill was going north on Morgantown Road. The second pass of Sally Doty Hill was going up Nottinghill Court in Kensington Grove.

_{Missed running by this sign June 19. Decided to go by it on my way up to Sally Doty Hill this past Sunday.}

I went around the fountain roundabout in Kensington Grove. I was about to exit on to Stones Crossing Road for a short stretch back to Horizon Boulevard/Skyline Drive and the finish. I was forced to take a break because there was traffic coming in both directions making it impossible to cross the road.

Another difference from this run compared to the one last week – there was plenty of shade along Mullinix Road and Smokey Row Road to and from Stewart Farm. That wasn’t the case this Sunday. The shade was non-existent for about 90 percent of the run. Actually, I was glad for the small interruption. It allowed me to fully take in some much-needed Gatorade to finish the final mile and quarter.

Safely across and heading up and down the rolling hills of Horizon Boulevard/Skyline Drive, I was ready to finish the run. As I veered left from Skyline Drive to Birch Lane and eventually Brer Rabbit Drive I thought to myself – this was the last week of “fun running.” The serious part of this training segment for Mill Race Marathon started the next week with structured speed work on Tuesdays and tempo runs on Fridays.

I exited out of that part of “Cushing’s Hills and was on Olive Branch Road. The sprinklers in front of Calvert Farms were still on and I gladly ran through them as my watch sounded for the completion of my tenth mile. I stopped when the sidewalk ended at the entrance.

_{Checking the watch – yep – Week six means the fun is over. Time for the hard work to begin.}

After I uploaded the run from my watch to the website, the one thing I was most impressed with was despite the up and down of the splits, the heat map was all blue. The pace chart (except for the one section around the middle school) was a complete flat line.

I posted the run on Strava, Twitter and Instagram as I drank my chocolate milk while eating my waffles and bacon. Of course, Catharine was the first to give me kudos and comment about the run on Strava. Finally, my routine seemed to be back to normal.

Week 4: Hey, I’m Running a Marathon

After my Sunday long runs, I have a routine – sync my Garmin to Strava, drink chocolate milk while I stretch and foam roll with “The Stick,” shower and breakfast – more chocolate milk along with waffles (let go of my Eggos!), bacon (four to five strips) and coffee (with Deena Kastor’s secret ingredient of cinnamon sprinkled in the grounds during brewing).

What I also look forward to is my Runnin’ Sista Catharine – who I have mentioned quite frequently in this blog – being the first to give me “kudos” on Strava for the run. If the run appeared particularly spectacular to her, she’ll message me. Since I started working those ridiculous hours at “The World on Time” in February, her usual note reads, “WOW great run! How can you do that after working such long hours on Saturday?” I have been known to reply with a gif – One of them is from “Sherlock” when Moriarty comes out of the helicopter to the Queen song, “I Want to Break Free” at Sherrinford Island in the final episode. The other is Michael Jordan shrugging his shoulders after he had hit six 3-pointers against the Blazers in the 1992 NBA Finals.

_{My usual responses at times to Catharine’s messages about a long run on Sundays.}

This past Sunday I ran up and down the rolling hills of Mullinix and Smokey Row Road to Stewart Farm and back. Upon my return I did my normal routine as mentioned above. This time though instead of waiting for Catharine to be quick with the finger and give kudos or send me a message, I sent her one.

“Please forgive the language.

BUT…

Hot damn that felt good!”

The run to Stewart Farm and back that day was 10.7 miles. Amid the hills and the heat that morning, I averaged my goal pace for the Mill Race Marathon. My shorts were soaked in sweat to the point I could wring them out.

_{Soaked in sweat after a strong run up and down Mullinix and Smokey Row Road to end Week 4 of Mill Race Marathon training.}

Normally, Catharine is quick to respond. I ate breakfast while watching Dustin Hite’s message online via Facebook for that Sunday at First Christian Church of Bargersville. By the time communion was over, I still hadn’t heard from her. I don’t usually get worried when someone doesn’t instantly reply to me on Messenger but this time I was because it wasn’t like Catharine.

I started watching “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” I was about to fall asleep when the Messenger app on my phone dinged to notify me I had a message.

FINALLY!

It was from Catharine. She sent me three pictures – two which appeared to be a very broken ankle and another with said ankle in a cast almost up to her knee.

Yep, my Runnin’ Sista had suffered a dislocated ankle and three broken bones in her foot. A couple of unleashed dogs had charged by her. One of them with a leash got tangled up with her and she fell.

Catharine had been doing so well rehabbing from her most recent injury.

This was more than a setback. This was devastation to her ultimate dream of running the Boston Marathon on Oct. 11. The one where I was going to watch and follow her on the Boston Marathon app. The one where I was going to plug my laptop into my big screen like I did for “A Time & A Place,” watch for her to cross the finish line. I couldn’t wait to scream with excitement as she did. I knew I’d be crying as well while jumping up and down in the theater room.

None of that will happen this October because someone was irresponsible with their pets.

We had talked about how we were going to have two great experiences between Sept. 25 and Oct. 11. Me – as she along with some of our mutual friends have been thinking – FINALLY – running a marathon with the Mill Race Marathon on Sept. 25. Catharine, of course, fulfilling the dream of running the Boston Marathon on the new Marathon Monday – instead of Patriots Day this year but Columbus Day on Oct. 11.

I instantly had to go into my office from the living room and start crying. One of my sons was the only one home with me at the time. I can’t go into specifics, but it was better for me to let out the cry with this certain son not seeing it.

I don’t think I have cried that hard since the night I found my father dead in his bed on Sept. 9, 2010. Interesting enough this was Father’s Day. Catharine had worked so hard to get over one injury to run the CNO Financial Monumental Marathon in 2019. She was amazing that morning here in Indianapolis. Catharine qualified with a time of 3:55:41 – more than enough to qualify for her dream race.

_{All smiles after my Running Sister, Catharine, and I after she BQ’d at the CNO Financial Monumental Marathon in November 2019. Here’s to hoping Catharine and I are smiling again like this at a race in the near future.}

Of course, COVID hit and there was no Boston Marathon in 2020. Then when they announced the window to register for this year’s Boston Marathon in October, Catharine fretted that her time from Monumental in 2019 would not be enough because of the reduced size of the field for the qualifiers and those running for various charities. I, along with several of our mutual friends, continued to tell Catharine her time would give her plenty of room to run the race.

The cutoff for this year’s Boston Marathon ended up being 7:47. That meant anyone in Catharine’s age group with a time of 3:57:13 or faster got into the famed race. Catharine was in this year’s race with 1:54 to spare from the cutoff time.

Then came her most recent injury. When I saw Catharine in April prior to her running the Carmel Half Marathon, you could tell her back and leg hurt. She powered through the race though and had a solid time despite the injury. Me being the sports-medicine-research junkie, Catharine explained to me what was happening. Through my inquiries, I told her it sounded like a possible stress fracture in her back. Even the doctor she went to said he was somewhat shocked with the results of the MRI when it showed she didn’t because “you had all the symptoms of possibly having one.”

The rehabilitation of this recent injury was going well. Following and messaging back and forth, it looked like she was in the process of building base mileage. I could tell in her words that she was getting ready to pick up the training. She was going to be ready to conquer the Boston Marathon course, especially those hills. She was looking forward to seeing the CITGO sign with a mile to go.

Now…

We wait and see how surgery goes and the time timetable of Catharine being able to run and seeing that finish line on Boylston Street.

After that, it was hard for me to stay excited about my run from earlier that day. When we returned from my Father’s Day lunch at a local pizzeria, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch in my office and continue to cry for my “sister.”

I couldn’t even get amped for the book “Inside a Marathon” by one of my favorite runners, Scott Fauble and currently my favorite coach in ALL of sports Ben Rosario – both, of course, with the Hoka One One Northern Arizona Elite. Plus my replacement band for my Garmin finally arrived as well.

_{My reading material for our upcoming trip to Atlanta for the Peachtree Road race and my replacement band for my Garmin watch.}

Since “meeting” in the Coach Jenny Hadfield’s “Challenge,” Catharine and I truly have become the brother and sister we always wanted from a virtual standpoint. The best part though is how supportive and encouraging we both have been to each other whether it’s running related or not. We have had our fair share of happy moments, but there’s also those times when she’s been that “big” sister and letting me know I needed the appropriate attitude adjustment.

It’s also funny how most of our other friends call her Cathy and I constantly call her Catharine. I don’t know if it’s because I had a great aunt named Catharine or I do it to be that annoying little brother in hopes that she doesn’t like it – HA!

Crack-Boom-Zap

I missed my first run of this training on Saturday. My alarm clock didn’t wake me at 4:45 a.m. the boom of thunder and the crackling of lightning did. The lightning even zapped the electricity for a brief moment. Wendy tapped me on the shoulder and asked, “You going out in that this morning?” “Nope,” I replied. “It’s only three easy miles any way. Not like I would be missing a tempo or long run.”

Missing three easy miles regardless at any point in training is not going to make or break the goals I have set for the Mill Race Marathon.

Despite the fact I FINALLY worked less than 12 hours for a Saturday at “The World on Time” for the first time since February and the sun was still out (thank you Daylight Savings Time), I decided not to lace up the shoes to run those three miles in the evening. Felt it best to rest up and be ready to attack Mullinix and Smokey Row the next day.

Fridays at Cushing’s

After leaving my subdivision and running to Cushing’s is located, I didn’t run up Brer Rabbit first. I decided to be different and run up the Skyline side of “Cushing’s Hills.” When I rounded the “horseshoe” of Skyline Court and made the turn back on to Skyline Drive, my watch beeped a time of 7:51 for the first mile. I made the turn just past Bob’s Court and headed back up and down the inclines of Horizon Boulevard/Skyline Drive. I had just grabbed my water bottle off my hydration belt when my watch beep again between Kathie Court and Tony Court with a split of 7:19. My thought was – either I am going to fall apart at some point later or I was going to battle for a consistent pace.

Consistent splits it was. Getting back up Skyline Drive I went from a 7:16 third mile to a 7:18 for the fourth. I made the turn again just south of Bob’s Court and it hit me – it was June 18. If my dad were still alive he would have been 82 last Friday. I could feel I had begun to push the pace. Thinking about my dad’s birthday, Father’s Day, and the fact both parents have been gone for 14 and 11 years, respectively, I think I instantly began running harder to not get depressed. I went into a serious saddened time after my dad died in 2010. I barely slept. Actually, I’d go days without sleeping. I completely shut down. All I wanted to do was watch television, read books, and work the games I was still under contract for as a high school basketball official – and I did all I could to give as many of those games back or have my partners find replacements for me.

_{At the south end of the “horseshoe” on Skyline Court after another crushing of “Cushing’s Hills”}

It got to the point Wendy forced me to go to a psychologist. Thanks to him along with a two-week trip to Disney World and the beach in May of 2011, I believe saved me.

Anyway, I looked down at my watch as I got to Kathy Court and saw I was under 7-minute pace. I reached the fork in the road where Skyline Drive and Birch Lane meet. I finished the fifth mile with a 7:13 split. I veered to Birch Lane and then down Brer Rabbit to finish the run.

Despite the overcast skies that morning, going through the sprinklers in the front of my subdivision again was a great way to cool off from another strong run at Cushing’s Hills.

The Path is Destroyed

I don’t know what it is about Thursdays, but I can never decide on a route. Am I going to run the big loop I have plotted in my subdivision which is 1.12 miles? Am I going to run the “It’s Exactly 1-Mile” loop in my subdivision? Am I going to run an out-n-back to Innisbrooke? Am I going to run through Deerwood and maybe see “Boston Brian?” What about the new subdivision still having houses built in it and Brookhaven – which had the nice 1/3 of a mile path in the back of it? I say had because the construction of the “western regional interceptor” through that part of Brookhaven, they completely took out the north end of the path. I enjoyed having that path. It made it easy to run a warm-up from my house to the path prior to the workout scheduled that day – if it was repeats such as 400s, 800s, mile, etc. After the completion of the workout, I could run back to my house for an easy cool down. I ran on the dirt of what used to be the path Thursday, but it wasn’t the same. It also doesn’t look like they are going to rebuild the north end of the path any time soon.

_{The north end of the path in Brookhaven that no longer exists. It was the perfect place to do various distance repeats during training.}

Typical Tuesday

Knowing Wednesday would be its typical off day from running, I let it rip on Tuesday. I ran the big loop around my subdivision. All the while thinking of what Frank Shorter said last year during the Zoom meeting with Ben Rosario sponsored by JackRabbit by running loops. Shorter is right the big loop – about 1.125 miles around from the crack in the street in front of our house – it does go quicker and doesn’t feel like it takes that long. It definitely didn’t feel like it took long on this Tuesday.

After what felt like a pedestrian 7:56 first mile, I picked up the pace. The watch beeped as I ran from the new section back into our section of the subdivision with a 7:15 split. Pick it up a little more I decided. Before I knew it, I had zipped up the incline by my friends Chad and Stacey’ house, back into the new section and down Champion Way with a time of 7:04. Well, why not, let’s go a little faster. This time into the new section where Angel View Way merges into Champion Way, I had broken the sub-7 barrier with 6:52. Time to finish it. Around Champion Way on to Harness Drive back to Golden Field Drive to Angel View and as I got to the crest of the incline by Chad and Stacey’s, my watched beeped for the end of the fifth mile and 6:44. I ran a few more feet to finish at the corner of Angel View and Surry Lane.

_{All smiles after a hard five-mile run on a Tuesday morning. Still about a week away from the real speed work to begin.}

I walked home with a smile on my face knowing I had a solid run going into the off day. I felt good about how the rest of the week was shaping up regarding my training.

Mondays with Ryan

It seems Monday’s runs with Ryan are used to get him used to running in the heat. We got out about mid-morning and the temperature was already scorching 79 degrees and the sun beating down on us. Prior to going out, Ryan again asked me what kind of run was planned for the five miles. I said same as always – easy.

We were heading toward the entrance off Mullinix Road when I had to stop. I couldn’t clear my throat and couldn’t stop coughing. We stopped right at the entrance of the parking lot to St. Francis & Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church and School. Once I thought I had it under control, we continued on with the run. This loop I created through our neighborhood is about 2 1/3 miles long. We stopped at the crack in the street for a quick water stop. We went back around and this time through the church parking lot and down the sidewalk that’s parallel with Olive Branch Road to the entrance of our subdivision.

When we made the turn on to our street, I looked at Ryan and said, “Time to attack! It’s a race to the crack in the road and the finish.”

I actually think he beat me by the length of a hand.

_{Ryan racing past the crack in the street on our regular Monday run.}

Week 3: Hey, I’m Running A Marathon

There’s different ways to look at things, isn’t there? I mean I could say there’s 15 weeks left in training for the Mill Race Marathon and that would seem like a long way off until race day. I could also say I’m 1/6 into it after the completion of Sunday’s 10-mile-long run. That would make it seem closer to race day, not by much, but doable.

Either way you look at it both ways are facts. The point is three weeks are now completed in my training for the Mill Race Marathon. As far as training goes it was an average week. I ran just over 29 miles and had my first double-digit-long run since the “22.5-time trial” back on May 8.

Ryan joined me for the one time a week we now run together on Monday. It’s just over a two-mile loop if you start from the crack in the road in front our house and run a loop including the back road of the new section and each of the cul-de-sacs plus the road that leads to Mullinix Road in the neighborhood. We did two circuits of that loop on Monday. As it was when we ran regularly together, I like it when Ryan asks what kind of run we are doing. Once I tell him, it’s like Ryan automatically knows the pace we are going to run. Ryan’s really good at knowing when the pace is picking up and needs to be brought back down. Even though I didn’t push it the day before during my eight-mile run, it was nice having Ryan out there with me to make sure I didn’t push the pace either on this one.

Ryan and I after the completion of our two-loop-four-mile run.

Tuesday was a little different. I went out at a conservative pace for the first mile on the “It’s Exactly 1-Mile Loop.” Then I decided it was time to test the legs and see what they had in them. With Wednesday being a rest day, I figured I could get away with a faster pace for the final two miles. Reeled off the second mile at 7:30 (right at pace I want to be for a majority of the Mill Race Marathon). Heading up the incline at the beginning of the final mile, picked it up a little more (almost to half marathon pace). I was proud of myself that I didn’t switch the face of my watch to pace/miles and continued to run it by feel. It felt good to cross the crack in the road and here my watch beep with a split of 7:19.

A great way to end six straight days of running heading into the off day.

When I got into my car after work on Wednesday, I had received a message from my running friend Lisa. She had an MRI earlier that day. The prognosis was not good. Likely her running career as she likes it is over. It appears Lisa will need knee replacement surgery. I have never met Lisa in real life. We began following each other on twitter about the time I started using that as a social media platform to connect with other runners. She’s one of them who has inspired me through most of my training. She’s also one of them who encouraged me early on that Ryan could run races with me.

Prior to sustaining the injuries to her knees and some other things, Lisa had run the Boston Marathon – get this – SIX STRAIGHT TIMES! SIX! THAT’S S-I-X…6! There are people who try to qualify for Boston and NEVER make it. Lisa had run it six straight times! One of the times she qualified for Boston was here in Indianapolis at the CNO Financial Monumental Marathon.

I’m gutted when a running friend informs me they are injured. I want to take my toy Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver and push a button and say, “You’re healed!” This stings because ever since the pandemic hit, Lisa’s been trying to make a comeback to running as she had been used to it. The news during that 24-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday set her back even further. It seems she’s come to peace that running marathons are no longer in her future. Her post on social media has all been positive and showing how strong of a person she is. Being the competitor and warrior that she is, Lisa will find a way to keep running in her life. We joked Wednesday night that maybe she should turn into the recreational runner version of former elite runner Ryan Hall and pick up body building.

She’s also said she’s committed to bust my chops if I get down on myself during my training. Matter of fact, a couple of weeks prior to my time trial, I asked her if I was being too unrealistic about trying to BQ in my marathon debut. Her reply was priceless, “For a normal person, I would always recommend not even trying (to BQ). You aren’t normal and you’ve been running a long time. You’re pretty fast at that. From your previous Strava posts it seems to me you’re on your way there already.”

Want to know why I love the running community more than any other sport I have been a part of – that quote right there is a prime example.

Thursday’s run was a pre cursor for the rest of the weekend – running amid heat. Speaking of not being normal – I am one of the odd ones – I love to run in the heat. I could feel the humidity the moment I opened the door to go into the garage that morning. It brought a wide smile to my face.

Even at a pedestrian pace as I left the new section of our subdivision I was already sweating. By the 2.5-mile mark of the four-mile run, I hoped one of my neighbor’s sprinkler systems would start up in their front yard. There’s nothing better in the summer than when it’s hot, moving from the street to the sidewalk to run through the sprinklers to cool off. Unfortunately, none of the systems were on in the front yard even by the time I finished. When it’s hot again like that as it will be a lot here soon, best make sure I’m out before 7 a.m. if I plan to run through sprinklers throughout the loop.

Then came Friday’s weekly appointment with Cushing’s Hills. After my run Thursday, I sent a picture of the predicted temperature to another running friend and BQer, Catharine, who is currently rehabbing an injury as she prepares to run Boston in October. I captioned it – “Cushing’s is gonna be fun tomorrow morning.” I could see the ooze of sarcasm and vision her eye rolling in her reply – “Oh, I’m jealous.”

I hadn’t even made it up to where Brer Rabbit becomes Birch Lane, and I was already profusely sweating. I started down Skyline and by the “horseshoe” when the watched beep – 7:51. Heading back up Skyline and this time around the horseshoe and up a couple of inclines and passed the house of a recent “Sagamore of the Wabash” recipient former Center Grove Assistant Athletics Director and girls track coach, Carol Tumey, it felt like I was gliding.

Heading back up Brer Rabbit, I began to feel the heat trying to overcome me. Although my subdivision is right next to the one where “Cushing’s Hills” is located the homes in that subdivision are old enough none of them have sprinkler systems. As I made it back up Brer Rabbit, to Birch Lane and around to Skyline, I began thinking, “Sure would be nice for a sprinkler system to start up so I can run through the water it would spray and cool off a tad.” At the same time, I thought, “I should have brought my hydration bottles.” Then again as I went up Skyline and turned on to the horseshoe, I had a smile on my face. I was running “Cushing’s Hills” in the heat. In my mind a summer run doesn’t get any better than this. It was like I could hear Frank Shorter in my head saying his and mine favorite mantra’s, “Remember, hills are speed work in disguise. This run is a perfect instance of runners being made in the summer.”

After Friday’s run at Cushing’s Hills. First of many when even my freckles will be sore after a run this summer.

CG Cross Country coach, Howard Harrell, hasn’t remarked the arrows at the Brer Rabbit entrance since the repairs have been made. No worries, I’m sure the correct turn around is at the stop sign and street sign. I finished right where Olive Branch and Brer Rabbit meet. As I walked back to my house for my cool down and thought about the run just completed, the sprinklers along the retention pond of my subdivision were on – a great way to cool off after a strong run-on Cushing’s.

5:22 a.m. Saturday: that was the time I push the button to start my Garmin and begin my run. It felt like I was running in my sleep from the moment I started up the incline south of my house. I went around every cul-de-sac except for the one with the big incline in our subdivision – after Cushing’s, the day before my legs wanted nothing to do with even the slightest of inclines – the one on my street was tough enough.

I was excited for the day though because I was returning to my regular team at “The World on Time.” In February, I was sent away from my work group to another to help them out. The goal was to see if I could help with their process of being more effective and efficient. After the senior managers were satisfied with my performance with that group, I was sent to another team in April to do the same thing. The hours were extremely long during the three and half months. I averaged about 11 ½ hours a day at work. I still wonder myself how I accomplished working those hours and still train for that time trial in May. It’s also why doubt of what I am doing in training and trying to run the Mill Race Marathon has creeped into my head on several occasions these last few weeks.

Although Saturdays are already one of our longest days at “The World on Time,” when the new format began in March (24/7/365), it felt like the hours doubled especially when I got moved to the second group. Anyway, Saturday I started off with my original team, but was instantly sent back to the most recent one I had been working with because of a staffing issue. Another 14 ½ hour day – my third in a row since I got back from vacation and my sixth since being sent to that group from the other one in April.

The third week of training concluded with my first double-digit run since the “Time Trial.” With the impending closure of Olive Branch Road east of Morgantown Road on Monday, I decided I would run that way. Like the last cycle, as training continues, my goal is for these Sunday long runs to be race set ups while hoping I run them like the final 16.2 and not the first 16.

Like Friday, the heat and humidity were already high when I left at 7:45 a.m. I got up the hill on Olive Branch that is west of Morgantown Road and was already drenched with sweat – not even a mile into the run. Unlike Friday’s run at Cushing’s, I did bring the hydration bottles with me – one with Gatorade and the other with water. As I entered Hunter’s Pointe, I thought I saw my middle-school-basketball coach working in his backyard, but even at almost 8 a.m. on a Sunday thought best not to yell out at him.

I continued on through two other subdivisions. When I got to the corner of Highland Park Drive and Dockside Drive, I questioned myself if I should turn or continue straight. I decided to go straight, which was the right choice. Dockside Drive eventually merged into Shoreline Drive and that’s when I knew I was still on the course I had plotted out for the run that morning. I followed that street around into Willow Lakes. Running through this area always ends up being an adventure for me especially when I enter Willow Lakes. I usually – no I ALWAYS – get lost.

I got to the corner of Willow Street and Lake Crossing Drive. I saw a woman walking her dog. She looked at me and said, “hey, buddy.” It was my friend, Casey, and her dog Rico. I stopped for a moment, and we talked. Rico is quite the over-active-8-month-old puppy. As we continued to converse, Rico got his leash wrapped around the street sign pole. Casey said she didn’t want to interrupt my run any longer. I asked if she needed help untangling Rico. She said she would be fine. As I got ready to hit the button to start my Garmin again, I asked her if I turned left and followed Lake Crossing Drive around would go to Stones Crossing Road.

“Yes,” she replied.

I went along a slight curve and there was Stones Crossing Road just as Casey said.

FINALLY! My streak of getting lost in Willow Lakes was over thanks to Casey and Rico!

It was a slight jog from the entrance of Willow Lakes to Saddle Club Road. Even at this time of the morning the 17-year Cicadas were at full strength as I went up and down the hills on Saddle Club. I made the turn on to Smokey Row Road. Unlike the subdivisions and Saddle Club Road that I had ran through that morning, there is no shade on Smokey Row Road. The Cicadas still buzzing, I could feel the heat intensifying as I ran by the CITGO sign at the corner of Smokey Row and Morgantown. It’s also when I noticed I was running out of Gatorade and water.

Another problem I face on a frequent basis when running the country roads on Sunday mornings is traffic. Those times I occasionally get a Saturday off from work, I purposely move my long run to that day because I know the roads will be dead. Sundays, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Once it gets to around 9 a.m. the traffic picks up like it’s a weekday morning with cars going in all directions to get to the many churches surrounded by us.

This past Sunday was no exception. As I headed north on Mullinix and running the “Mullinix Rollers,” which of course included “Big Ugly” I made several stops – four to be exact – all for traffic and not because I had nothing left because of the heat and the lack of Gatorade or water to quench my thirst. Once I got up “Big Ugly” there was only thing on my mind – crush that final third of a mile like Lisa would.

Feeling good after the first double-digit run of this training cycle for the Mill Race Marathon.

Week 2: Hey, I’m Running a Marathon

The second week of Mill Race Training ended with a party.

We celebrated a couple of life achievements in our family. We had our open house for Ryan graduating from high school and electrical school. Along with Ryan graduating, his older brother, Andrew, also graduated from Liberty University with a degree in criminal justice. It seriously feels like I blinked, and they went from playing backyard baseball with me to these two grown men who have bright futures ahead of them.

Ryan will try to take the electrician’s exam eventually – along with getting his driver’s license. His goal is to be able to join the electrician’s union and get an apprenticeship. Andrew will continue to work with me at “The World on Time.” He has to wait about another year before he can apply to go to the police academy.

Hard to believe I am now the father of a college graduate in Andrew. Ryan graduated from both high school and electrical school.

My other two sons recently capped off successful academic years as well. Luke – my third oldest son – finished his sophomore year through Liberty University Academy with a 3.8 grade point average. Of all my sons when it comes to being competitive, Luke is the fiercest competitor. When he doesn’t get an A, it really gets to him. The best thing is watching him bounce back. He is constantly looking for ways to improve when he doesn’t get the grade he thought he was going to get or when he “bombs” a test. Micah finished eighth grade with all A’s! Luke continues to want to do something in business and possibly even going to law school. Micah hasn’t decided what career he wants. Although he keeps trying to convince us he can make it as a professional gamer.

I am quite impressed with all of these accomplishments. The boys constantly work hard to achieve their goals.

Sunday was the first time we have hosted anyone since the pandemic. It was surreal at times. It was good to see friends we hadn’t seen in almost 18 months. It was also good to interact with people other than those I work with on a daily basis. Then again I wasn’t sure how things would go especially with the whole mask/no mask/who’s vaccinated/who’s not as guests arrived.

So, maybe we not only celebrated the graduations of Andrew and Ryan, but life returning to somewhat normalcy as well.

My long run Sunday was uneventful. I left my subdivision and ran up the Skyline Drive part of “Cushing’s Hills” then on to Stones Crossing Road to Center Grove High School. I ran around the athletic complex and through a couple of other subdivisions. I left the subdivisions to head west on Smokey Row Road to Morgantown Road. It was another opportunity to incorporate seeing the CITGO I sign at the corner. I saw “Boston” Brian Wilson. We yelled at each other across the road and asked how much mileage we were running for the day. I hope he didn’t think I was trying to “one up” him when he said “seven” and I replied, “eight.”

It’s only the second week of training, I’m not ready to use the long runs as a “Something of Substance” (SOS) workout just yet. I will gradually make it “race set up” runs as I progress in the training for Mill Race. I was alright with the paces starting in the high 8s and building down to around the 8:00 pace. Although after passing Brian and then the CITGO sign at the corner of Morgantown and Smokey Row when my watch dinged for the end of mile six. I was surprised I was nine seconds slower than the previous two miles. Then again, it could have been because a majority of the sixth mile goes up the incline known as “Sally Doty Hill,” which is the highest point in Johnson County.

After getting up the hill and turning on Travis Road, I did pick up the pace and ran the final two and quarter miles under 8:00s with negative splits. There’s a slight curve on Travis Road before it meets Mullinix Road with a decent hill. Speaking of hills, “Big Ugly” – which is about a half mile from the entrance to my subdivision on Mullinix – awaited me toward the end of my run. Also, those who live around me – including Brian – who have run the Boston Marathon say that hill is tougher than the infamous “Heartbreak Hill.” It was still early enough in the morning, I decided not to scream “CHARGE!” as I often do on the chance I might wake someone up from their slumber.

It’s early enough in training that I can make some adjustments. The one big adjustment possibly will be doing away with the Saturday easy run and adding those miles to other days of the week (like one extra mile each day). The last two Saturdays before my “22.5-mile-time trial,” I hit the snooze button on my alarm clock and pulled the sheets back over my head. This was because I knew I would need to save my energy for work. Saturday’s at “The World on Time” have become complete torture since February 5. On that day of the week alone, I have averaged 13 hours! If I am to get the run in before I work I have to get up at 4:45 a.m. for a run that will be somewhere between three-to-five miles. The last few Saturday nights, I have not pulled into my driveway until 9 p.m. or later.

My biggest argument against this is I HATE not running the day before my long run. This was even before I started using the Hanson’s Marathon Method. Prior to starting the Hanson’s Marathon Method, I would do a speed workout on the day before my long run. This was an idea I took from Hal Higdon, who suggested running a fast workout the day before a long run. The premise was this would make you go slower on your long run the next day. Now, fully sold on the Hanson’s method, it has an easy run scheduled for Saturdays and the long run on Sundays. The training should simulate the Hanson’s philosophy of cumulative fatigue. From the book – When I get to week 11 and my first of three 16-mile runs during the training, the run should feel like I’m not running the first 16 miles of the marathon, but the last 16. The plan should simulate cumulative fatigue that is experienced during the marathon, without completely zapping my legs. I’ve already tweaked the plan by moving the usual tempo run from Thursday to Friday. The Hanson’s and Luke Humphrey believe in not giving a day off before a long run because recovery should occur on easy running days. The goal is for the legs not to feel wrecked and feel the effects of fatigue accumulating over time.

See the quandary that has developed?

Friday’s venture to “Cushing’s Hills” didn’t go as planned. It was actually faster than I anticipated. When I started the run from the crack in the road in front of our house, I went down the small incline and out of our subdivision and briefly on a country road before turning into the subdivision where “Cushing’s Hills” is located. After I made the turn from Birch Lane on to Skyline Drive and passed the horseshoe, my watched beep with a split of 8:04. It felt slower than that. I ran down Skyline and back up and around the horseshoe. Still feeling it was a comfortable pace, my watch beeped and this time 7:38. At this point in the run, I decided there was no sense of trying to slow it down but remain consistent for the rest of the workout. Ended up with negative splits and averaged my intended race pace.

I spent the rest of the day – even while I was at work – debating on whether or not I did a good thing with that run.

Sometimes you just have to say “Oops. I guess I was feeling it that day.”

The week started with Ryan running with me on Monday and Tuesday. We road tripped it Monday down to one of our favorite places to run – Franklin. We started at the Ben Franklin stature in the front of the Franklin College campus and ran around campus and then through Province Park and Greenlawn Cemetery. Just like when we run Sparkler Sprint, we ran by my grandparents’ graves in the cemetery. We also ran up Dunn Street Hill before heading back to the finish at the Ben Franklin statue.

Figured since we are missing Sparkler Sprint this year, we’d visit Ben on Memorial Day.

After our run, we went over to the park and watched Coach Ben Houston, Kandice Casey and several other friends run in the Memorial Day Mile. Ben won his age group and Kandice finished second. There were about 1,000 people there. Another sign that life has started to return to a semblance of normalcy.

Ben showing off his hardware from winning his age group at the Memorial Day Mile in Franklin.

Kandice finishing strong in the Memorial Day Mile.

Ryan was excited to see Lightning McQueen and TowMater in Franklin.

On Tuesday, we ran from our subdivision over to Deerwood and back around. Once we left the new section of our subdivision, Ryan and I raced each other passed our house finishing at the stop sign at the corner of our street. It was nice seeing Ryan pick up the speed at the end of the run.

It’s always nice to have Ryan running with me especially that Monday and Tuesday when we could enjoy running in our favorite places. We are just under a month away from running the Atlanta Journal Constitution Peachtree Road Race. It’s already shaping up to be a memorable weekend.

Share the Journey

Hey, Did I Tell You I’m Running a Marathon

It was about this time eight years ago when I made a post on Facebook about a run I had on a treadmill at the Mount Pleasant Christian Church Community Life Center. The first person to reply was my childhood friend, Colleen. As usual during our lifelong friendship, Colleen didn’t hold back.

“Oh, come on (insert expletive and my childhood nickname). Get off that gerbil wheel and run outside.”

I replied, “Is this a challenge?”

“You know it is! The next run you post better be of you running outside! Or I’m unfriending you forever!”

Colleen skipped dare, double and even triple dog dares when she called me my childhood nickname. There was no turning back now. My next run had to be outside or else.

The very next day I went outside for a run after work for three miles. Although my legs were like, “What is this?” as each step landed on the pavement, I was hooked. I started diagramming routes throughout the neighborhood. Then a couple of weeks later, Wendy asked if I would be interested in the meeting at church about running a half marathon in October with Team World Vision. Next thing I know, I’m getting a book titled “The Big Book of Marathon and Half Marathon Training.” I’m calling my friend and at the time Greenwood Community High School track coach, Tad Frahm, about a training plan. I’m running on Saturday mornings with the MPCC Team World Vision group.

Trying to make a long story short (if that’s possible) – I posted on all the social media sites – one to show I was doing it but also to gain traction for people to donate to me for Team World Vision. I collected over $2,000 and I ran the race (with a time of 1:35:00 to finished fifth in my age group and to this day still feel like I left parts of my physical body if not my soul along the course at Fort Benjamin Harrison on the northeast side of Indianapolis).

Runnin’ Sista Colleen and I after racing the Ripple Effect on Labor Day in 2013. Look what she caused by calling me by my childhood nickname a few months prior.

Colleen also ran the race at Fort Ben. Unlike me being ultracompetitive, she ran with a couple of her friends from her work. A couple of days after we had both recovered the conversation went something like this.

“You know,” Colleen said. “You might just run Boston someday.”

“Uh, no,” I replied. “That race Saturday about killed me.”

“HA!” Colleen sent back.

Flash forward from that conversation in October of 2013, a foot issue that had me not running for most of 2014, then Ryan joining me from St. Patrick’s Day 2015 to now only occasionally running with me when the schedule works out. After seeing one of my long runs on Strava last October, Colleen texted me, “I saw your run on Strava this morning. Imagine if you kept the pace of the last two miles for the final 12.2. Do you realize what’d you’d run? You’d have a 13-minute cushion for Boston! Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. You were thinking about it ever since you finished. Probably even while you were in your ice bath. I KNOW YOU!”

As always being the wise-older one of us (only by two days) Colleen was right. Even before I had started to scream from just putting my big toe into the tub full of ice, I thought about running a marathon in 2021. More accurately to Colleen’s text, I thought about Boston.

Now it’s May 2021 and here I am completing my first week of training for the Sept. 25 Mill Race Marathon in Columbus, Indiana.

There are several reasons I picked the Mill Race Marathon over other marathons which happen locally. Maybe I have already stated them in the blog, but just in case here’s a reminder.

• It’s small compared to a race Monumental and for my first marathon I would rather go with small and less glamourous than big just like we did for Ryan’s first 13.1 at Mill Race in 2015.
• The weather will likely be a little more predictable than later in the fall. I’d rather take my chances with it being a chilly morning in early fall or hot on a late summer morning than possibly cold or even snow as it could be in November.
• Columbus is known for its architecture. The Mill Race Marathon course goes by several city landmarks that are known as masterworks in the world of architecture.
• There’s a chance to win a truck after the race.
• Columbus has a strong tradition of running.
• Columbus is by far one of my favorite cities in Indiana.
• I feel like I have some unfinished business with the Mill Race Marathon. I wasn’t satisfied with our performance in either of the 13.1’s in 2015 and 2016. When we’ve run the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon and the CNO Financial Monumental Half Marathon we hit our goals or at least came close. The times we didn’t, I would say we had respectable outcomes. Granted, I’m going the full distance this time without Ryan, but there’s a part of me that seeks redemption. I want that feeling like I had at my first 13.1 at Fort Ben – when I cross the finish line, I want to feel like I have left parts of me both physically and spiritually along the course in Columbus.

Ryan only wants to run for fun these days and I’m still yearning to be competitive. It’s not as much against other runners as it is me versus myself. Since I was never satisfied with either time we ran Mill Race’s half marathon, conquering that course for my first full Mill Race Marathon in Columbus seems like the logical choice.

After my 22.5-mile run using the Hanson’s Marathon Method “Just Finish” plan with my own tweaks added I feel confident I can handle the grind to be fully prepared for 26.2 of the Mill Race Marathon. I missed a few runs during the last training cycle, but as the saying goes “life happens.” Of course, also averaging 11 ½ hour days at “The World on Time” contributed to me hitting the alarm clock, pulling the sheets over my head instead of changing into my running gear and getting my miles completed.

I promoted I was using the winter/spring training cycle as a tune up for Mill Race but hadn’t registered. That changed on the Monday during my vacation. Fully assured now of my ability to finish a marathon, I finally backed up my talk and registered.

PUTTING THE PLAN TOGETHER

When I wasn’t outside working on the world’s largest flower beds for a residential area, I again put the Hanson’s “Just Finish” plan together with a variety of adjustments for the “something of substance” workouts. The complicated part of putting the plan together was what to do about the 4^th of July weekend when Ryan rejoins me. We are running the Peachtree Road Race on July 3^rd. It became problematic when I realized that was also week 6 of the plan. This is when the “something of substance” workouts begin. Not to mention, I would have to throw in two days of nothing for traveling to and from Atlanta.

Signing up and putting the training plan together wasn’t the biggest project I worked on during my recent staycation.

Looking forward to our first race since the 2019 CNO Financial Monumental Half Marathon when Ryan and I run the Peachtree Road Race on July 3 in Atlanta, Ga.

My biggest quandary was what to do on Peachtree race day. Going by the plan, Saturday (race day) is supposed to be an easy mileage day between a tempo and long run. When I thought about it, Peachtree is only 6.2 miles. That’s when I realized Saturday could still be an easy-run day since I am running it with Ryan. We get into Atlanta July 1. On Friday morning before going to downtown Atlanta to pick up our packets, I can run the prescribed tempo run. Then Sunday can be the long run day. There won’t be a run Monday because of the travel back home. I’ll eventually return the plan to the normal schedule after returning home.

FIRST WEEK IN THE BOOKS

Completed the first week of training with Sunday’s eight-mile-long run. As I approached the water fountain at the roundabout in Kensington Grove to finish mile six, although my mind wasn’t ready for it my legs said, “let’s go!” It wasn’t anything amazing, but it did feel good to pick up the speed especially as I ran up and down part of “Cushing’s Hills” and exited at the Brer Rabbit entrance. Speaking of “Cushing’s Hills.” Even though during the first five weeks of training the Friday runs are supposed to be easy, I have decided to run up and down “Cushing’s Hills” for two reasons. The first is obvious because the Peachtree Road Race is practically all hills. The second, well if you’ve read this blog long enough you know I prescribe to several of the philosophies from the “Father of the Running Boom” Frank Shorter. One of them being Shorter’s most famous – “Hills are speed work in disguise.”

Heading down the hill on the Skyline Drive part of “Cushing’s HIlls” during the first week of training for the Mill Race Marathon.

BOSTON?

When I look at that time of 2:49:58 from what Coach Ben Houston called the “22.5-mile-time trial,” it would equate to about a 3:17:00 time for a marathon. This would be an eight-minute cushion to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

I think I have to be realistic about all of this though. It’s my first marathon. My main goal should be to get to the start line injury free and finish strong. Plus, as I witnessed with myself while training for the time trial, a lot can happen both professionally and personally that can have adverse effects. Above all, everything has to go right on race day for a “BQ” to even be in the mix.

BUT…knowing I have the ability to go sub-3:20:00 makes it hard not to think I can “BQ” at the Mill Race Marathon on Sept. 25. When I say to friends, “hey, did I tell you I am running a marathon?” Their reply usually is “Well, what’s your goal time?” I do my usual “Maverick” as he talks to “Charlie” about the interaction with the MiG 28 in “Top Gun.” “That’s classified. I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

I passed the small CITGO sign at the corner of Smokey Row and Morgantown Road last Sunday during my long run. I plan to go by it a lot during my long runs as training for Mill Race continues. It will be for extra motivation and specifically when doubt about my running a marathon creeps into my head.

The CITGO sign at what was known originally as “Don’s Garage” at the corner of Smokey Row and Morgantown Roads in Center Grove. It will be a source of motivation when I feel doubt while training for the Mill Race Marathon.

My mindset though for the next 17 weeks will be to “enjoy and trust the process” “train hard” have “patience-belief-execution” in the training and not worry if I “BQ.” If all goes well with that, I’ll be able to “race fearlessly” on Sept. 25 and if the ultimate-goal time is there for taking then I’ll yell “Let’s attack!”