Monday, March 31, 2008

Flip Flop, Part 2

This is the flop part of the flip flop from yesterday. I ran 4 X 3 mile loops down at the Mohican Campground. No particular reason for doing the multiple loops. Thought it would be different.
Boring!!!!!!!! The 12 miles are in the books. I also ran 3 with one of my distance track runners.
Haley is ready to kick something at tomorrows 5 way meet.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Flip Flop

Today I did a flip flop. I was to run 12 miles, but decided to do my Monday's 5 miler instead.
It was 56, however tomorrow will be in the 60's, better to do 12 tomorrow.
I did get some measuring done on the Mohican course. It looks like the 50 miler is now 3.8 miles short.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

10 miles on the B+O Trail

This afternoon I ran 10 miles on the B+O Trail from Butler to Bellville. Of course I returned to Butler. The weather was sunny, but windy. Actually the wind was quite stiff at times. Lots of people out and about today.

Then I took my wife to the emergency room around 8 pm and returned home after midnight.
She had another bad migraine and extremely high blood pressure. She's now resting and I'm posting............

Friday, March 28, 2008

Revelation Run


First, here I am heading back to the US after a beverage run in Mexico. Back then I did not actually run, as you can see.

I know I haven't been posting much. This is do to the blue flu. Down in the dumps with the runs and feeling Blah. Was blaming it on the weather, which does get some responsibility. However, during my run today I had a revelation as to my pooh pooh problem, it is cross country and track.

In 1999 I took over as the head coach for Loudonville High School Boys and Girls Cross Country.
In 1998 the were no girls out for CC so the previous coach was asked to retire. A shame as she was the coach who established a sound girls CC team at the school over her ten year tenure. Now my 10th year is coming this fall and destiny looks to repeat, as my boys team may not have the numbers to compete as a boys team. This is a little depressing as the boys teams have been a power 7 of the last 9 years. So will I be asked to retire after my 10th year or should I step down and let a younger coach come in and regenerate the team?
As for the girls, the numbers are there, but the talent or desire is missing.
A delemia for me to sort out. And that's what has been making me so blue, as I still enjoy coaching. Maybe age (mine) is the factor that is limiting the number of athletes heading for cross country and track.

Tomorrow I plan on running 10 miles and 12 miles on Sunday. Monday is the last day of March so I will finish out with 5 miles.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Easter Morning Run





I met Rob Powell at Butler, Ohio to run 15 miles on the B + O Trail. We ran 7.5 miles out past Bellville and almost to I-71 before turning around. It was nice of Rob to coerce me into getting up early for the run. He was convincing since he wanted 20 miles and myself only 15, so he ran 5 miles before I was to run with him. That meant he should be a little worn down.
Some Photos of Rob's past...............................
What a beautiful morning with a nice frosty feeling, probably due to the 17 degrees at 7:15 am. A plus was no wind, at least not aloft and the sun was appreciated. Overall we had a good visit while running and I was glad I got up and did the run.
Rob has Umstead 100 in a couple of weeks and with his training schedule, he should be prepared physically and mentally. Mentally getting all those training miles in in this miserable Ohio winter. Go get it Rob!!!!!!!!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Rob 'Buckeye' Powell, What an inspiration.


Today I received a call from good friend Rob Powell, the one who ran 20 miles on Good Friday. He ran 4 multiple loops to get those miles in. Now that's inspiration. I told Rob I was heading out to do my run when he called and intended to beat his number of loops from yesterday. Rob inquired as to the number of miles I was intending to do.
I told him 5 loops at 1 mile per loop. He thought that was unfair, but I only intended to beat the number of loops he ran. He's the one who's running a 100 mile race in two weeks , not me. I did run the 5 miles down at Mohican in the Campground area.
Now to be fair, I am taking pity on Rob by running 15 miles with him tomorrow morning. He is planning on 20 miles, so he will run 5 miles prior to me showing up at the B+O Trail in Butler. I hope I don't sleep in!!!!!!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

5 X 800

This is week #1 of my 12 week marathon training program. Today I did 5x800 at my 5 km pace. I did a 1 mile warm up and a 1 mile cool down. The 800's went well with a 3:36.8 average. The weather made it tough on the LHS track as it was raining and the wind was very strong. However by the end the rain stopped and the wind was much calmer.

Monday, March 17, 2008

5 Hilly Miles.

Ran to the Mohican Resort Lodge, all road and hilly. Felt good with temperatures at 40 and windy. Interesting thing while I did my run, I saw the three fence post taken from my property, they are now 0.7 mile away my my house. They were used to hold up a wooden fence that was loose. Now the reason I know they are my posts, they are painted bright yellow with the top 10 inches painted in bright red. The same color as my face was when I saw them. Not likely a person would take care to paint those post that way for the purpose they used them. Now what to do, call the police or contact my neighbor who lives next to where the posts were taken?

Kyle Does Good!




Kyle Lemke, Loudonville's 800 m runner finished 5th at the State Indoor Track Meet at Akron University on 3/15/08. His time was 2:03.00. He was in 2nd or 3rd most of the race, but two runners got past him with 150 m to go. Still not a bad showing for his 1st trip to the indoor meet. Kyle is a senior.

As for me, I know it's been a while since I blogged. I'm getting as bad as my friend Rob. However, I have been busy, busy, busy. Indoor track, outdoor track, and my running. Speaking of my running, it has slid a little the past two weeks due to being busy and the weather (snow). Now I will get back on track with my running. I decided to start my 12 week marathon training program anew, focusing on the Teton Dam Marathon in June. I will have to go into Lake Waramaug 50 km Ultra not in top form. What's new!

I saw Rob, due to Mike had a PICKLE up on his blog, in tribute to Josh. I am apparently out of the loop on that. Any thoughts?

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Snow Storm Done.

Finally the snow stopped and I had the chance to fire up the snow blower. I was beginning to think it would not be used this year. My philosphy is don't clear the snow if it will melt soon. When the snow is 12 inches deep with drifts of 24 inches, you got to clear it so the car can go.

After the snow was cleared today, it was time to do at least a 3 mile run, so I did at Mohican S.P., Class A.

My running schedule went to h........, due to the weather. Next week it's back to salt mines.

On a good note, Kyle Lemke qualified to the state indoor track meet this weekend for the 800m. The 4X400 team are alternates, so if enough top 16 teams don't confirm they may be there also (Lemke, Nick Kopp, Micky Harvey, Jace Wolford).

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

5 X 1000 /// Comments on last Fridays Indoor Meet


Went to Wooster Indoor Track to do the 5 X 1000 at 5 km pace. This is the true test if you are in shape. I'm not, so lots of work ahead to be semi ready for Lake Waramaug Ultras on April 20.
I ran a mile warm up, did the 1000's in the 4:30's and followed with a cool down mile. There was a 3 minute rest between the 1000's.

The Mt. Union College High School meet went OK last Friday. Had one girl place 4th in the 3200 and the boys 4X400 relay team placed 2nd, giving them a chance for the state meet. My boy 800 runner was 4th, however DQ for running in the wrong heat. Oh well, he had secured his ticket for the state meet at Kenyon College meet.
The 4x400 race was run around 12:30 am. What a long night. Got home around 2:30 am. Notice the parent on the edge of his seat during his son's race. I won't name names.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Kahtoola's Revisited

Today was a beautiful day for a run except the snow on the ground. Rob 'some kind of nut' Powell came over at 7:30 am for a run at Mohican. He ran from my house to the Covered Bridge while I drove to the Covered Bridge. He ran 3.2 miles to that point.
Our plan was to run the MT 100 orange loop (Minus the grist mill section).
Well!!!!!!!!!!! We started from the CB up the bike trail. The snow was deep and no one had traveled that way, at all to do any packing of the snow. Not even a mountain bike? I did notice Rob let me head up the trail first. He must think I'm a real dumb ass. He wanted me to break the trail.
As I led the way we were discussing how tough the entire run was going to be. I was already exhausted. So after a half mile into the run we went back to the car.
New plan, run to the Big Lyons Falls .85 miles (1.7 miles round trip) and to the Pleasant Hill Dam .75 miles (1.5 miles), round trip 3.2 miles. I ran 15.5 miles while Rob did 18.7 miles. If you haven't figured it out we did multiple loops.
The conditions on these trails were snow packed and/or icy.
Now for the Kahtoola's revisited part. I wore my Kahtoola's and they were great. Worked well in deep snow, I didn't. Worked great on packed snow, excellent traction. On ice they gave outstanding traction and no slipping.
So there you have it a nice long run with a nut, snow, ice, and my Kahtoola's. www.kahtoola.com