Last Day of September

This is the last day of September. Few people are on the beaches now, I really like this time of year....

In Norhtwest Florida it takes until this time of year to truly feel the presence of Fall. Football has started, Go Rams, Go Alabama and Go UCLA! This year, I am pulling for the Pheonix Cardinals except for when they play the Rams. You see each year I have a Pro team that I pull for to be a cinderella story. I am sort of pulling fo rthe Lions, but sheesh they are such perinnieal losers.....and Detroit, I don't think there is much positive about Detroit.

Now for Running, our neighborhood's Garden CLub meets this coming Monday and my plan all along has been to incorporate them into the mix on how to raise money from our neighborhood for the Boston Marathon Experience. I suppose I should go to the meeting to pitch my idea and see if there are ideas and support from that arena. Each year our Neighborhood has a "Yard Sale" I Think that specific publicity and making it as big as possible would be cool then get folks to pledge some percentage of the money they make from the yard sale...... Anyhow perhaps some ideas could be set on that way!

I have a great Neighborhood. It is part of the reason I am still here!

Curtai Out.

Running for the sake of running

Dang today was the most beautiful day for running in months. One of those days where the sun is out but not beating on you. The humidity was low, which for Florida is a big deal. I ran in visor, MP3 player and raceready shorts. The neighbors might not like it, but I did not care. The time was pretty good, just a month ago I would have been euphoric with it, so I am still improving at 38:15.

I think I have broken in the new shoes well enough to give them the nod. THis Sunday's 10 miler will determine. They have to be perfectly comfortable or they are out.

Anyhow, I am feeling the effect of taper, with additional energy and a real Desire to run forever...... LOL.

Rest Daniel-san, says Mr. Miyagi.

We leave next Thursday and spend a day in Philadelphia, then Drive to the Pocono's to the Bischwind. (Doesn't that just sound cool). I hope Robia enjoys herself as I think she is feeling shortchanged that her weekend is associated with a marathon. I suppose a weekend associated with a Marathon is better than no weekend. I would still like to do another one before Pensacola, who knows maybe I will find one somewhere...... HEHEHEHEHEmmmmmmmwwwwwhahahahahahahaha.

Curtai Out

Running Down the Road Trying to Loosen My Load...

Today was a nice run at lunch. I can tell that I am tapering now because the running is feeling pretty easy. I mean Lunch run of 36:45 is scootin’ and it did not feel difficult.

I am in the home stretch and I have a “hot spot on the bottom of my right foot. It concerns me only a little as I do not want to get a blister.

Things are pretty calm for the most part, but October is looking busy. Robia and I are trying to keep things simple right now to avoid burnout.

The nice thing about running is that it can be done at any time.

Talk to you soon.
Curtai

OK here is me with my technical shirt and happy as a lark to have made the Disney Marathon in 4:20:21. I need to remember that not every race brings a better time. and that is OK. Just run for fun....

OK is anybody buying this nonsense? Not me baby, I am gonna beat that time if only by a little bit. I am oficially tapering now although I am not sure what for, I have not put in the miles required to NEED a taper. But I shall take one nontheless. I still get to do a 14 and a 10 before the Marathon so I should not go to crazy and as always I will be playing Ultimate Frisbee, which keeps me somewhat sane.

Today I ran a 2 mile loosen up run, more of a rest day really

just at 20 mins so 10 minutes per mile. I am looking to go at 9:30 pace for the marathon. Good Luck to me!

Curtai Out

Last Long Run of 20+ Miles

I ran on Saturday Night/ Sunday morning. And ran and ran and ran. This was to be the 22-23 mile run which ended up being 22.81. It took me 4 hours and 10 minutes. My Marathons have thus far been 4:20s. Now without getting all wrapped around the axle, I was hoping that my time would have been better than marathon pace.

I guess the combination layoff, broken shoulder, not done a marathon since February has caught up with me. Not to be outdone, I am going to try to do better than the 4:20. In fact here it is, I am printing the pace band, Official projection, Goal, etc etc….

Finish between 4:00 and 4:15

This give me a lot of room upside while it is still a stretch goal.

I will run my last two long runs at the pace I hope to have at SteamTown.

OK looking at the 4:00, I am panicked, it seems too fast and a recipe for disaster. SO here is the plan, Run the first half at the 4:15 pace and try to improve with a negative split. Any improvement will be from the half to the barn or just stay with the 4:15….

OK that’s enough of that.

I got new shoes the other day and ran 2 miles in them today, they felt fantastic. I know you should never ever take new shoes to a Marathon. But what constitutes new? My 22 miler the other night was run on the yellow pair, they felt a little flat in the toe box if truth be known.

Plan, I am going to run the last two longish runs on the new ones and if they work ok, then I will use them.

The mileage left is about 60 miles. They could be broken in by then… we’ll see. I am not making a plan now, except to keep the yello pair, which are already broken in set to go. Not using them unless the new pair cant go. SO oranges are the backup pair with the new ones as the lead. LOL all this to choose my shoes, sheesh, I sound so “Amelda Marcos.”

The nutrition will be gels every 3 miles starting at mile six so
6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24. I don’t want to carry that many so I need to find out from the race director if they will be on the course.

More to come.
It feels great to feel excited about this race.
Curtai Out.

Technology

My Timex, GPS system either died from a bad battery or from being drops for the tenth time. GRRR. I ran the other night for about 1:45 and felt pretty good, but had no way of knowing how far. Tonight I will be doing the 22 miler that I have been putting off. I can not put it off any longer. It is time. I have rested the last two days, eaten pretty well and am as ready as I can be at this point. SO just do it eh. I have to find out if I have the ability to go the distance. Steamtown is one month away and I feel woefully unprepared. I wish I had another race on the schedule, however, I guess this will have to do for now.

I will let you know how it goes!

Be good and God Bless.

Curtai

Boston

You know I talked about doing Boston, but never realized I could do it without being a lightening bolt runner. Well I found a way. I am going to run for Charity.

www.liverteam.org

I am very excited about this, nervous and excited, nervous about raising the money and excited to have the opportunity to run THE BOSTON Marathon......

Whoa... How cool is this.

I waited to publish this post until they charged me the entry fee!

Very Cool!

More Later
Curtai out.

I need to figure out how many houses there are in my neighborhood 200 at 10 bucks each is $2000 hehehehehe.

I feel determined again

I do not know why, but today and last night I found a little bit of determination. I believe that I will be OK. Not fast, but OK. I need simply to put in a 22 miler this weekend. Simple. I ran for about an hour before ultimate last night and felt good. I was good with my diet last night. That helps me feel good.

Funny, when I am disciplined and do the things I need to do, I feel better about myself and thus have more energy, which allows me to do what I need to do + some of what I want to do. When I am not feeling good, I relapse into bad habits, eating like Crap, not running, not motivated to get the things done that need doing.... Both of these states of being are self perpetuating.

Funny I have long held that attitude is the driving animal in my life, however there are times when the action is the predessessor to attitude. Hmmmm. Go figure. Way too deep today.

My intent is to do a buttload of laundry tonight and a 8 mile run.

I need to get the new pair of running shoes, perhaps not, I will run with the yellow ones in the Marathon. SO this weekend I will run them 22 to make sure they are oK. Then shelf them till the race.

Be well. Curtai Out.

Steamtown Feels Like a Locamotive

Heading my way! I have unfortunately capitulated to the fact that I am only running for a finish that day as I have not piled up the miles necessary to perform like I want to. 38 days is not nearly enough time to fix what is not right. I simply will show up and do the best I can. I do understand and respect the distance, but I can not bring back time.

So now what to do, Run Forest Run!!!!!!!!!!!