Martian Half Marathon #4

Last entry, I tried to convince you this year was different, and that I'm trying to do things right.  One of the things I've never been able to do is get myself to sleep early on the night before a race.  The night before this year's Martian Half Marathon, I was in bed at 8:30pm.

I'd love to take full credit for that, and say it's all me, but some of that was missing sleep during the week, and another good chunk of it is my new job's 4:30am wake-up time.  Yep, I'm back on toddler time, people.  I'm even waking up BEFORE the dog.  No more whimpering wake-ups for me, I'm shaking him awake to go outside.

After getting an incredible amount of sleep, I woke up and realized that the new, more prepared, more thoughtful me had put everything I needed for this run out the night before.  So, after taking a shower, I realized I woke myself up way too early.  No matter, I just stayed up, drank a few more glasses of water, and watched Mister Ed, thinking about how a remake with Bruce Campbell as Wilbur would work out.  Close your eyes and listen.  The vocal resemblance between Alan Young and Campbell is uncanny (at least it was at 5:30am).

He has worked with horses before

We got down to the race a bit late, and we've learned our lesson from previous years to park far away and foot it to the race.  So, no getting stuck in traffic and waiting for pedestrians for us.  We're (unpaid) pros.  There was also no time to do a run back to the car to drop off our shirts, but I planned on throwing it under my "We Come in Peace" shirt anyway, to prevent a cotton rub, and did.  I also noticed that the screen on my point and shoot camera was busted.  No matter, I still was able to get a pre-race photo (but not much else during the race).

Pre-Race

We started in between the 2:10 and 2:20 signs, figuring that's about where we'd end up.  I just wanted to do better than last year, which was my worst halfer ever, and feel better after too.  With all the work I've been putting in, I figured that was a lock.  With the heat, I wasn't sure a course PR was in the cards, but if it was there for the taking I was going to go for it.

After the start, the first few miles went really nice and easy.  I was falling a little more and more behind the 2:10 pacer, but that was expected.  I just wanted to hold pace and run my race, and not be too concerned with that.  I have a love/hate relationship with pacers anyway, due to their accuracy issues, and always seemingly finding the one that's going way too fast or slow at a given point.  I try not to put too much stock in them.

About the 6.5 mark, I caught and passed the 2:10 pacer, but later it seemed like they magically turned into another person running significantly faster, and he came back and passed me.  I tried to keep up with about everything I had, but I think I was getting massively dehydrated out there.  As I've said before, for this race, I just wish there were more water stops.  Also, the 70 degree weather was a bit of an adjustment from the 20s (and below) we've been running in.  Honestly, I'm not sure I've run any decent distance in anything above 40 degrees.  I think that went for a few people.  I saw a larger number of people than usual that went down, pulled off, or hurled in the heat.  Luckily, the only thing that happened to me was a little cotton mouth and a bit of slowing down.

As I was coming down the home stretch for the finish, I heard someone on a speaker, megaphone, or some enhanced spectating mechanism telling everyone there were cookies at the end.  That turned out to be none other than Spike and with him as always is Redhead Running.  When it comes to spectating they are pros.  After hearing there were cookies (actually I didn't partake) and them calling out my name, I knew I better hurry and I picked up my pace a lot.  Also, thanks to them, I have an actual race action shot (see below).

I assure you, I didn't take this picture

I came in with a chip time of 2:12:28.  Not a course PR (2:11:03 in 2012), but very close.  I still believe I'm in better shape now, and that it will show up later.  As soon as I got my water at the finish, I felt really good, better than I've ever felt at the end of this race.  I don't really think I left too much out there, though.  I don't think I could have moved my legs any faster.  The only thing I think I could have done to help my cause was double-fist the water stations (and not accidentally grab Gatorade instead at station #1).  Bobby Boucher would be so disappointed...

You drank what?

Not wanting the challenges of the day to end, I also decided to take on Rio Wraps El Gigante.  Just couldn't pass up the chance to run a Half-Marathon and complete an eating challenge in one day after the failed 5/3rd burger weekend.

El Gigante!

El Gigante weighs in at a mere 2 lbs, and, supposedly, according to our waitress, there is an 8-year-old out there who has finished it (someone call child protective services!!).  Personally, I don't know how that's possible.  Even though it's only 2 lbs, it's really dense, and if I stopped very long, I wasn't going to make it.  However, in the battle of Brent vs Running vs. Food, today, Brent won.

For a mere $15 you can get your own El Gigante, and if you finish, you can also get your very own commemorative shirt for the occasion.*

Me  proudly displayingmy medal and shirt

Shirt (back)

Martian Shirt & Bib

* - I am not an official spokesperson for Rio Wraps, nor do I have any association with them.  I just like food.  I've tried to get Big Boy to be an official sponsor, and maybe get some white and red checkered overalls, but they won't return my calls.

Weight Loss Championship

So here we are on the cusp of a real start to the running year.  In my mind, everything truly begins with you first long race, and for me, pretty much each year, that's the Martian.

Considering how hard last year's race stomped the hell out of me, I really wanted to come out swinging this year.  I wanted to try and not gain any weight back over the winter, then hit the pavement hard in the early months leading up to this race.

Well, that didn't completely go as planned.  However, I didn't pack on very much weight, and, unlike last year, there wasn't any long periods where J and I completely abandoned the run days.  In fact, we kept running about twice a week, outside, throughout this entire horrible cold, and almost record-setting, snowy winter.

That means, we've been running with muscles that have been tested with cold-weather tightness.  We have had to climb snowbanks, run through several feet deep of snow, gingerly run and correct our balance on ice, and get back up and finish runs after several falls.

So I guess what I'm saying is, I don't consider this winter a failure, and now that the weather's broke I've tried to make up ground.  This year, I'm actually training for the Martian.  I know I haven't logged jack on daily mile.  I forgot over the winter that I even had a Garmin, and the quiet coming from this blog reaks of "slacker," but I'm here now to dispel that stench.

Perhaps the running mileage isn't what it should be, but I've ran a lot more than last year.  Barring a pre-Half Marathon (Flushing) last year, I've kept the feet moving a lot more regularly.  Outside of that, I've also added to the workout regimen.  Nearly every day, I have something scheduled (with only really 1 or 2 days off during the month).  I've basically doubled the weight regimen I did last year.  The most significant difference with that, though, is that I'm actually doing it consistently (and not ditching it for a month or more).

The other thing I'm mixing in on non-run days is some yoga exercises.  For some reason, I've kind of latched onto John Vitarelli as my video teacher.  I don't know.  I think I like the laid back style, the Star Wars references, and the fact he's not all geared up in a $1000 work out outfit.  He just kind of reminds me of the good runners I see out there that wear that ratty old white t-shirt and shorts, but go straight out and kick everyone's ass.  How I fell into doing this all the time, I can hardly remember, but I've stuck with it.

I think it's all been good for me, because I used to really sluff off eating properly on days off, because I didn't have to work out.  I could just eat horribly and sit in a chair with a book or a movie later.  Now I actually have to watch it, because it's no fun forcing yourself through a workout stuffed to the gills or running off straight sugar (and, believe me, I've been forcing myself).

J has mirrored with his own regimen (also weights and yoga, but different styles of each).  At the beginning of the year we got to talking about what we were doing, and what results we expected, and talking about those results at the end of the month.  Eventually, like all conversations like this between men, we figured out a way to make it into a contest.

With Wrestlemania XXX being fairly recent (last night), enter the "Weight Loss Championship."  Every month, on the very last day we have a weigh in (honor system) on the same scale and same time of day and text over the results of the month.  The person who drops the most (which I still believe should be by percentage of body weight, to handicap me from winning too much) wins.

Currently, the winner keeps an old child-sized (formerly WCW) World Heavyweight Championship belt.  Since we're both too fat to actually wear the thing (at least I am, perhaps it fits him, who knows?), I put it on my plastic "party" goose and he puts it on his stuffed dog.  I won February, he's won March, and I'm winning April (I hope).  Perhaps, eventually, there will be another prize or a custom made belt for this honor.  Until then, we'll continue with this ritual.

Renfield and Party Goose

Stuffed Dog Champ

Brent vs.The Irish Double

I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking attempting a March double race, especially this year.  Did I not remember that this was a thing I should only be doing in June and July?  You know, the only two months where I'm bold enough to fit two races in a day (see: Double Time, Double Time Again!, & Double Crim...).

Apparently I forgot about that.  I also forgot about the winter we've been having and how it will not yield to the spring.  Apparently, according to my wife, there is some sort of scientific, Rainbow Brite-related reason for all this (like her belt got stolen or something?). Anyway, I didn't really think how, this year especially, mid-March had the potential to be incredibly cold.

Sunday morning, I got dressed in what I thought I'd probably run in.  Also, I grabbed about as many potential running and St. Patrick's Day shirt that would fit in my arms and threw them in the passenger seat of my car (later to be bagged in my trusty Talmer Bank market bag from the Detroit Marathon).  I was bound and determined to have all the layers I needed, and have all of them be green.

I had a pleasant drive up to Bay City and an easy time parking my car right on the street over from the finish line.  I wanted easy access to trade out clothes after the first race.  I got out of my car and started to walk toward The Scottish Rites Masonic Center for packet pick-up.  

You know you love my socks (they're supposed to be for girls)

I immediately loved the shirt this year.  Two reasons for that:  First, it was the same color scheme as my new shoes.  Second, it said "Irish Double" right on the sleeves.  It's nice to get a little special extras here and there, especially when you've been coming back for the past five years.

After getting my bib and shirt, I went straight back to the car to sit until about 20 minutes before race time.  By the 8K Race's 9:30 start, I think we got all the way up to 9 or 10 degrees (Fahrenheit not Celsius, people).  Everyone was trying to move around to get warmed up.  The race organizer had to remind us that just 2 years ago, it was 70 degrees for the race.  Ah, 2012, so warm.

Before the 8K

There weren't a lot of people in the 8K (a little south of 1,000).  So there was plenty of room to run your race out there.  The ice and snow were pretty much cleared out, but I did manage to find one icy spot on a right turn, just after the first mile, where I almost bit it.  Other than that, I didn't worry about any sliding around too much.

Some of the 8K crowd.

I didn't wear the Garmin this time.  In fact, I've kind of abandoned it in general lately.  Maybe later, when I actually WANT to know my times and I'm pressing for something in particular I'll strap it back on.  For this race, I was just going to run my best the old-fashioned way, and that worked out just fine.

I put up a 46:04 (9:16 min/mile) pace for the 8K, which is a course record (though far from a PR) for me.  The best I've put up at this time of the year, and, especially considering the cold, I'll call this a win.  As I crossed the finish, I was handed a medal for the race.  I didn't know if I was supposed to get one, or if there was one for the Irish Double people waiting for us after the 5K.  I looked around for my fellow blue bibbers and it seemed like they all had one, so I didn't fight it.  Honestly at this point I just knew we got a "special gift" for doing both.  I assumed medal, but it could have been anything, I guess.

After realizing very quickly that I was cold and wet, I kicked up through the alley to my car.  I changed into some dry clothes, threw on the heater, and put my hat up on the dash to warm up for about a half hour.  I traded out the bow tie for a scarf, and headed back to the race start for the 5K.  I gave myself a little extra time to hit the portas (where I almost dropped by keys in), and lined up with a much larger 5K crowd for the 11:30 start.

Wardrobe change for the 5K

The 5K crowd

The 5K was much harder to navigate in, and, as always, I stayed too far back.  I had to cut through a lot of people, which slowed me down a bit, but I do have to admit, especially with the cold, that my legs were just kind of spent anyway.  I wanted to run a nice sprint 5K, but I just couldn't kick it in any more than I was.  It would have been really nice to course record both races, but I put up a 28:50 (9:17 min/mile), which was 18 seconds slower than the best 5K I had in this race (28:32 in 2013).

Irish Double Medal and Regular Medal

Once more with lanyards

You can say one thing for me, though.  I was consistent.  My 8K half split was 22:59, and both race paces were within a second of each other.  I think it's a good foundation to build the rest of the year one, and I think all the work I've been putting in over this extremely harsh winter has added up.  I don't think I could have tackled this double any better any other year so far.  Maybe, just maybe, you're going to see me step things up this year.

 Afterwards, I hit up the trusty Stein Haus for some beer and corned beef and cabbage.

Called "Stein Haus" for a reason

 Both hit the spot, but not enough for me to skip visiting Tri-City Brewing.  Last year they were closed on (actual) St. Patrick's Day, which I considered an abomination.  Also, I've never been a fan of their stuff I've gotten in stores.  So, really, I shouldn't have bothered, but they did put out a flyer saying they'd be open and would have $2.50 pints for runners, so I took that as an olive branch.

I'm glad I did.  I made some quick friends there and had a pretty good time.  The beer at the actual brewery was leaps and bounds superior to anything I've gotten off the shelf.  So, if you're in the Bay City area, check it out.  It is worth the trip.

Bringing things up to speed...

So I've covered the two previous big races of the year, and what happened there.  Now it's time to get into the nitty gritty about what's going on with me this year, the plans, goals, etc.

Last year, I think I mentioned there was a little flux with me and the job.  You know, with it completely going away at the end of the year.  Well, that did happen, and, for about a month, I was temping with my same company in Lansing, trying to help them with some transitioning.  With this rough winter, that was torture for me.  The drive on a good day was about 1 hr 15 mins, and on a bad day could easily turn into 2+ hours.  That wouldn't have been so incredibly horrible if there wasn't a 6am start time. 

Eventually that fizzled out to the point where they didn't need me anymore, but I did end up staying with them and taking another chemical treatment system job that's only about 45 minutes away from home.  I'm not sure how this is going to work out for me.  We'll see.  It's the same pay, but very boring and mentally unchallenging.  I'm not sure if it's really what I want to stick with long term.  I'm sure I could get a lot of reading done, but I miss being on the environmental side of things.  I'm also not sure about the culture here.  I'm definitely on the outs when it comes to that.  I'd say more, but who knows who's reading this.  Anyway, I'm okay with things for now.

I've started making a few changes to the regimen this year.  Last year I added some weights and strength training.  This year, I've added on some yoga, and I've really been sticking to things.  Other than being sick for a week, I've not missed a single scheduled workout yet.  Also, after a huge winter relapse, I've been fixing up the diet again, and I think I'm on a really good track to live up to "actually training." 

As far as the running plans this year, I really don't have a lot of set goals.  Blame it on having a hangover from last year's uncertainty, but I really am not sure what I should be pushing for.  I'm honestly still a little sad that, with the uncertainty, I didn't pull the trigger on signing up for Bayshore (Traverse City) in June (which sells out immediately in December every year).  One thing I do know, is I will be attempting some sort of out of state marathon this year.  Even if it's somewhere not all that far away (Chicago?).  I don't know about doing Detroit again.  That will depend on how I feel about it when the date gets closer.  I'd like to do it, but, unlike some people, I can't imagine doing Chicago/Detroit on back to back weekends.  That's just too much ouch.

Speaking of ouch.  I ran my first full-on sprinting (for me) 5K last month.  I ran the Crim's 1st Annual  "Run Your Ice Off."  It was a very small race of about 350 people.  The first 300 got a "Run Your Ice Off" winter hat.  I did not, because I registered way too late.  I could have picked up one of the leaders' hats when they tossed them off in the first mile, but I guess I didn't want it that bad.

"Run Your Ice Off" was really unique in a few ways.  First, this was the first race where the runners were supposed to be the ones singing the "Star-Spangled Banner."  Usually someone sings it for us, but that was kind of a cool nuance to the race.  I hope they make that a tradition.  Second, the race was the first in Flint to make good use of the Flint River Trail, which is one of the places I really enjoy running, biking, and walking.  Most of the route was along the river on the way out, then you crossed a road bridge, and came back on the other side of the river, still on the trail, through the University of Michigan-Flint campus. 

Sure there were some icy/wet patches, but it was cleared really well, considering the weather we had.  Besides, I've been running in junk a lot worse this winter.  I just wish I knew what my time was.  Apparently that got lost in the shuffle.  Even when I search by bib #, it goes from 354 to 356, skipping over me.  Oh well, what can you do?  It was still completely worth it, other than my muscles hurting for 3 days because I went all out and got well into the anaerobic zone.

Bad Post-Race shot

I'm sure I'll be in that zone this weekend as well.  I ended up signing up for the Irish Double at the Al Kayner St. Patrick's Day races tomorrow.  So I will be chasing my 8K with another 5K.  I'm not sure how that's going to go.  With the snow, I haven't been out to run much further than 6 total miles in a long time.  I know I can probably finish both with no issues, but I just don't want to be dragging ass in either.  You'll find out in my next post how that went.  Also, why don't they make knee-high St. Patrick's Day socks for men?

Winterläufe 2014 (a.k.a. What Would You Do For a Klondike Run?)

After a one year hiatus (which, if you've been stalking me, you know was only because of a funeral), I made my triumphant return to the Winterläufe.  For some reason the Holy Triumvirate of Frankenmuth has solidified itself as my favorite race series thus far, and I usually try to do all three.  This year, trying to do Winterläufe was a little more difficult than usual. 

First off, I woke up late, and, on a good day, was only going to make it there about 30 minutes before the race.  Also, though, like pretty much the rest of this winter, the sky was flopping down snow blankets like crazy.  So I only got there about 15 minutes before the start.

The second I step out of my car, I realize my key chain felt a little light.  Yep, due to a new job and a rearrangement of keys, the usual ring with the car keys was misplaced.  So I was locked out.  No matter, though, I'd take care of that after the run. 

Well, I get to registration, and my name is not up on the board.  My pre-registration didn't go through, and my wallet, you guessed it, in the car.  So I did what any logical runner would do in my situation, break into my car. 

Now, mind you, it was a bit easier for me, with my driver's side window already having issues and being able to push it down 2 inches without aid of a motor, but that still wasn't enough to get my hand to the unlock.  I was about ready to give up, until I decided to pull the window out, off it's track, and somewhat sideways.  Voila!  Great Success!

Grabbed $30, the CAR KEYS, and my gloves that I somehow forgot I might need, and booked it back to registration.  By this point, the race had already started, the booth was closing up shop, and I wasn't sure I'd get to go anyway.  Luckily, they let me still sign up, and even had a shirt for me.  I benefited from the bad weather scaring people away.

I threw the shirt on over everything else, because it was too late for another trip back to the car, and I ran to the start line, and crossed it, hoping it would still register my start and true chip time.  I'm quite sure I was the very last person to start this race (an honor I've actually had more than once before).

Had to make my way through the walkers and a lot of the slower runners, but I didn't do too bad for myself.  Pretty sure the chip time didn't hold up, because my official time was the clock time.  So now I have a few more minutes on my official time to make me look bad.  No matter, just happy I got to do it, considering I could have just been sitting next to my snow-covered car waiting for my wife to arrive with my spare keys.

Instead I got to run, get a slice of pizza, and take lots of photos of snow/ice sculptures left over from Winterfest.

The Tardis

Daleks are friends

The Octopus is holding a Hofbrau Beer



This Joker/Batman one is awesome



Love the shirt this year.  Great 70s feel

Did you miss me?

Narrator:  "Previously on 'Run Fatbrent Run'..."

Drinking DURING a Marathon

Eating Lots of "Food"

...and a general history of underacheiving.

For my first trick, I ran the Bigfoot Snowshoe Race again.  It's been a cold ass winter, and this year's snowshoe race really had some deep snow.  The trail itself turned into a one shoe wide, single track nightmare of a workout for a good chunk of it, and it felt like doing a sobriety test (one foot in front of the other) in snow for 6 miles.  Here are some of the highlights....

The Back of Me

The Front of Me

The Front of Me (more excited to be finished)

My Wife with Me, My Frozen Beard, & Frozen Ear Flaps

Now We're Both Done...

...And We're Both Excited

Then We Ate Pancakes...

...And took a long walk down the frozen beach

Other Highlights Not Pictured: 

1) Trip to Right Brain Brewery where I queued up "F*** the Pain Away" (Peaches) on the jukebox at Right Brain Brewery while we were the only ones there.  Ten minutes later, when the song plays, two families with young children had walked in.  Also, no photos of me apologetically telling the bartender what was about to happen in hopes that she could somehow stop it from playing, or photos of my friends (but not my wife) laughing.

2) My wife getting food poisoning, and laying in bed for the whole second night we were up there.

3) Seven Monks Taproom, Left Foot Charley's, Brewery Ferment (!), Low Bar (vampires?), Jolly Pumpkin, and Hotel drinking.  With the wife down and out, and me spending every summer up there with my family until I was 22, there's not much I haven't done, but breweries, pubs, etc....I needed made my rounds.  It was a lot more fun than staying in the hotel and watching Eddie Murphy movies or cooking shows.

4) The additional people we brought with us this year (also the ones guilty of staying in and watching Eddie Murphy and America's Top Naked Hibachi Bizarre Cake Nightmares: Most Extreme Elimination Challenge Edition).

5) All that time we spent in the pool and hot tub, especially after 10pm, when no kids were allowed.

Narrator: "Next time on 'Run Fatboy Run'...."

Winterläufe