QC Marathon Race Report

So yesterday was the big day, the culmination of a spring and summer of hard work and long miles, of pushing beyond my limits and striving for new heights and I'm happy to say it ended in a nearly 6 minute PR, I finished in 3:48:33 and I am still in awe of how much more difficult going under 3:50 was from going under 3:55. One wouldn't think there would be such a vast difference in just over 5 minutes spread out over 26+ miles, it breaks down to only 13 seconds per mile difference but wow how those 13 seconds add up in the hurt category.

I was extremely fortunate to get to run the majority of the way with 2 friends I have met over the last year through Live Uncommon, John "Obi Run Kenobi" O'Brien and Emily Bucy who certainly helped keep the miles ticking and get me through the rough patches.



John showing off some impromptu cold weather head gear



We started off in the very back, in fact we were still at the Port-A-John's when the cannon fired to signal the start of the race. We eventually crossed the start line timing mat at just about the 5 minute mark, this was actually exactly what we had planned for. We wanted to start off slow and ease our way into 8:30 pace and then make up any lost time on flat easy stretches throughout the course.

The first 4 miles went by pretty easy and we tackled the only real hill of the course. Once we made it down to the boat ramp in Bettendorf I ran up ahead to use the bathroom which is pretty much a ritual now at this point for me. We timed it perfectly and as I headed back on to the course John and Emily were just stopping at the water station and I rejoined them.

We talked casually as we ticked off the miles, the pace and effort seemed very relaxed and easier than I had expected. Somewhere along the bike path in Davenport we picked up another runner, Tom from St. Louis and the 4 of us traded off breaking into groups of 2 running and talking along the course. About this time we started coming up on some fellow LU members who were running the Half Marathon, which runs with the Marathon for the first 7+ miles then breaks off before rejoining back on the Arsenal Island.

When we made our way on to Centennial Bridge I was surprised at how good I still felt, I remember this being the beginning of a low point for me last year and being thankful I was running with someone then. Making our way through the District of Rock Island I was feeling good and strong and very confident that I would make my goal of 3:45. Coming on to the Arsenal we crossed the half way mark at just at 1:52 so we were right on track to make the 3:45 mark.

Running through the Arsenal I noticed a hitch developing in Emily's gait and I asked her how she was feeling, she told me her left knee was bothering her. John dropped back with her and I joined up with our new friend Tom and ran ahead with him. I felt bad for Emily she ended up running the last 7 miles or so solo after John left her to catch back up with me. She was okay and would still finish but she was going to have to back off a bit, she still finished under her goal of 4 hours at 3:59 so it ended up being a good day still for her.

Once we got off the Arsenal and on to the out and back stretch of River Drive, I was starting to feel the accumulated effects of the first 20 miles, I was hurting just yet but I was starting to get some tightness in my hamstrings and my quads were burning. Once we hit the 23 mile mark I had to stop to stretch my hamstrings, I knew then that 3:45 was not going to happen so I just wanted to do what was necessary to get under 3:50. Earlier John had asked me what my fastest 5k was and I told him 20:21 and he told me we would cruise the first 3 miles of and then go for my fastest 5k in the last 3. I knew then that wasn't going to happen and once I stopped to stretch going at 8 minute miles was going to be difficult. Mile 23-24 I just kept moving forward and knew I would have to turn it up on 25 and 26, I stopped to stretch again, and tried to stretch my quads and my hamstring instantly knotted up, so I just kept moving. When I hit the 25 mile marker I picked up my pace a little, I haven't looked back at my splits yet but it will be interesting to see what they were at the end. Once I saw the 26 mile marker I just went as fast as I could and summoned the last bit of my energy and ran as hard as I could to the finish line. John was there waiting for me along with other LU members and I remember doubling over as he congratulated me and saying "That hurt so f***ing bad".

All in all it was an absolute amazing race, I didn't make my top goal of 3:45 but I'm very happy and proud of going under 3:50. I felt better through the first 22 miles than I have in my previous 2 marathons so I know my training was good, I just hit a wall at the end and that happens sometimes, but I still finished strong.

Thanks again to not only John and Emily for running with me but to everyone that I have had the pleasure of running with over the last 9+ months, especially all the amazing Live Uncommon members that I have gotten to know over the year.

I look forward to taking some time off from running, 1 week for sure and then easing back into training for the Wildcat 50k on Nov. 11th.

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Tuesday June 5th

Been a couple days since my last blog post so here's a quick update of what's been going on in my world.

Had an awesome weekend, got in a pretty decent run on Saturday morning with the LU Crew, ran mostly with John O. and we (ok mostly John) shared some interesting stories from past training days. It was a smaller group with lots of people busy with races, life and various other things. Afterwards I headed home picked up Lucky and headed back out for a quick jog around the neighborhood, I've been neglecting my buddy with running lately and I wanted to get a couple more miles in to hit my goal for the day so it was a good chance. Later on played some catch with the football out in the yard with the boys, before jumping on the trainer while they ate lunch. Caden had a t-ball game @ 1:00 and Deanna was shooting pictures at a wedding so it was a busy afternoon, we had dinner with Grandma Marilyn, it would have been her and Grandpa's 61st anniversary on Saturday and I think she really enjoyed the company (and the distraction) that 2 of her favorite great grandson's can provide. I ended up missing out on the LU Torchlight Parade but spending time with Grandma seemed like the right choice and I'm glad we go over there.

Sunday I got out early for a bike ride before Church, service this week was outstanding. The message was about living a life of Integrity and one of the biggest take aways for me was the comment/definition that Integrity is when your actions match your beliefs. This is something I have really been struggling with over the last year or so, I have felt a change in my life in the last few years, more so than just the physical transformation that I've gone through but also a mental and spiritual one as well. One of the reasons I am so passionate about my involvement with Live Uncommon is the "Give Back" and how our Race Team is helping some truly worthy causes. This has been one step of a journey for me to live a life of integrity and so far it has been an awesome one. The message from Church really identified and put a label to what I feel like I have been missing in my life, and then more I learn and understand hopefully the better person I can become, and the best example to my sons of what they should aspire to be as well.

Had a great swim Monday morning, one of those where I just didn't want to get out of the water and could have just kept going, but I needed to lift weights and I had already completed my workout. I have a big swim on Wednesday and I hope I have that same feeling then too. After work it was so nice out (it had stormed earlier in the day) when I got home a wrangled up the boys and Lucky and headed out for a jog around the neighborhood. The boys rode their bikes for the first 2 miles with me and then they wanted to run a bit so we ran up and down the block for awhile before heading back inside for dinner. After dinner we played Xbox Connect, Deanna got a fitness game through work that is a blast to play. Speaking of my lovely wife she and some co-workers have just started a fitness challenge at work and she got up early Monday and did a work out plus walked nearly 2 miles at lunch, I am proud of her and I hope she sticks with it, so far she is doing great she also joined me early this morning to walk on the treadmill while I rode the bike trainer, 2 days in a row plus I think she is planning on walking again at work today, AWESOME!

That is pretty much all for now, Caden has T-ball tonight then I'm heading out of town tomorrow for 2 days for work...

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Saturday Long Run

Headed out to Crow Creek to meet up with the LU group for a long run, when I turned in to the parking lot I was a bit surprised to only see Phil there, apparently the Silvis crew either a) didn't get the memo, b) not bright enough to realize the weather conditions, or c) brave enough to weather the elements like hearty manly men, lol! I'm going to go for the latter, although in my case it probably is more like (b).

Phil was only running 6 this morning so I ran with him for the first 3 before he turned around. Even though Phil is still working his way back from an injury we started off at a good pace, and I needed a good long warm up this morning, my hamstrings were still tight from squats earlier in the week and deadlifts yesterday. It's still funny to me how an 18 mile run can leave me feeling fresh the next day but 5 sets of squats at a  third of the weight I used to hit can leave me walking funny for a week. I suppose its all about conditioning and adaptation, my legs will adjust to the new workload eventually.

After Phil turned around I picked up my pace a little, with the wind at my back it was actually not bad conditions to run in. That changed when I turned around and headed back into the wind. It wasn't bad in most spots, the path along Duck Creek is pretty well sheltered by the houses and trees but there where a couple spots where it opens up and the wind would smack me in the face and slow my pace a little. I picked up my pace where I could and made the second half of the run a kind of fartlek workout. On the way back I ran into Jay, he had spotted me as he was leaving the Y, he was on his way to join the Corn Belt Crew at Happy Joes and invited me to join but I was 11 miles in and almost done and wanted to get home for pancakes that I knew where waiting for me thanks to my lovely wife.

Even though the group didn't make it out today it was actually just what I needed, I haven't run a solo long run in awhile and it was good to know that I could cover some distance at a faster pace by my self. I tend to run faster with the group so being able to pick up alone gives me the confidence going into the QC Distance Classic in a couple weeks, I'm hoping to beat my pr from last year of 1:51.

Now its off to soccer games for the boys...

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Saturday Group Run

Met up with the group at Crow Creek at 6 am, much to my surprise there were 17 people there already. Amazing bunch of people, seriously can't say that enough, every time I run with this group it gets better and better.

I had 14 planned for today as we headed out down Devils Glen road towards the bike path, I had felt really strong after our run last week so I wanted to up my pace a little and see if I could hang with the lead group a little while longer today. Started off pretty well and was able to keep up with Jen, Byrne, John O. and the others for awhile but right before we got to the bike path Byrne got clipped by a tree sticking out over a fence line which snagged and ripped his shirt, I think that got his adrenaline going because after that they all seemed to hit another gear (one I just do not posses) and got trucking. I ran the majority of the bike path with Jay and Katherine and we carried on some nice conversation. Great thing about this group, always someone to run with and the conversations seem to come so easily and if there is nothing to say it's just good being out there with other people. We kept a pretty good pace throughout not sure exactly what my splits were my Garmin beeped low battery (apparently I forgot to charge it up after last weeks long run) on the way back on the first loop so its currently charging. I ended up ditching it for the second loop we did which was actually kind of nice. I love my Garmin and it is one of the best investments I've made in my running, but sometimes I become so reliant on it for feed back that I stop listening to my body and what it is telling me.

For the second loop we headed out with 7 of us, the pace was definitely quicker, though I'm not sure how fast I ended up going with out my watch, but at the end John, Michelle and Bryne broke away and finished up a few minutes ahead of me, while Anne and Jay took a slightly longer trip back to finish up with 17 miles.

All in all it was an awesome morning for a run. Arrived home to find that Casey had made pancakes this morning, and they tasted delicious, they added cinnamon and sugar to the batter. Then I got the privilege of steam cleaning the carpet for my darling wife and earned myself some extra "Good Husband Points".

After eating lunch I met up with my buddy James for an easy bike ride. We headed down to the bike path and planned on making our way down to Sunset Marina but right before getting to I-74 bridge it started raining so we headed back. Our justification for cutting the ride short was legit, he had been mountain biking for a couple hours that morning, I had 15 miles running in the books and neither of us wanted to ride much in the rain, works for me. Of course within minutes of arriving home the rain stopped but by that time I was in shut down mode. I've been pretty much up and at it since 5 am this morning and I believe the first time I've sat down all day has been to type this post so I'm good with that. Besides probably going to get a couple miles in on the trainer tomorrow morning before hunting Easter eggs. Now its time to go get ready for Church and then out to dinner with the family

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Have a Happy Easter!