My 2010 Half Illinois Marathon Experience @ILMarathon

So I ran the Half Illinois Marathon last Sunday in 1:54:23. I was hoping to get close to my personal record of 1:45:29. It was humid and not the most ideal race conditions. I stuck to my plan of 1 mile to 30 second intervals. Like most of my races, I went out too fast. The the first half of the race I was hitting 8 minutes per mile. I ended up with a 8:44 minute per mile average. I finished strong, was under 2 hours, and had fun. I even ran out to the marathon course and ran in my friends to the finish line. To top every thing else, I was quoted in the Daily Illini Newspaper.

From Bobby on the Run

Goals for 2010 Illinois Half Marathon

For my upcoming race, the Cristie Clinic Illinois Half Marathon, in May I have high hopes. After I finished Rock N Roll Mardi Gras in February a part of me felt disappointed. I had fun, the proof is on my friends Facebook profiles. A part of me wanted to hit close to my PR. So the voice in my head told me to do a half marathon before I give into to my Steelhead Half IronMan training. This is the competitive side of me. The nut job part of me that says to go longer.  The same voice in my head that is telling me to do Ironman Madison in 2011.


I’ve been training hard. On my long runs I’ve been hitting 8:00 to 8:30 minute per miles paces. I’ve been training with 1 mile to 30 second intervals. I expect to finish between 1:44 and 1:50 May 1st. This race no beads, no head phones, no wig. It’s going to me, my Team in Training Jersey, shorts, shoes, socks, sun glasses, Power Bar Gel, Garmin Watch, and hand held water bottle.  I just don’t want another long distance event under my belt. I want one that says I gave it my all and pushed my self to my limits.

I get to Coach the 2010 Indi Mini Half Marathon for Team in Training! @TNTIL

I just got the word today that I get to coach the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon  (AKA The Indi Min)i for Team In Training on May 8th. I’m really excited. I’ve always wanted to do that race. I’ll probably be running more then 13.1 miles that day but I’ll be so pumped to help others cross that finish line. This will be my second time officially coaching a race. 


This is how the race is described on the website:
The 34th Running of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon takes place on Saturday, May 8, 2010.  The Mini has sold-out for the past nine years with 35,000 registrants, and an additional 4,000 participants in the Finish Line 500 Festival 5K. The Mini-Marathon is the largest half-marathon in the U.S., and overall, the fifth largest running event in America. The 2010 event sold out on December 14, 2009.


If your read my Twitter updates you know I’ll be running the Half Illinois Marathon the week before. Last year I ran the full. I wanted to run a half to see if I can P.R. or get close to it. My personal best was the 2006 Chicago Distance Classic where I finished in 1:45. 

My game plan for 2010

Tonight I finally received my 2009 Chicago Triathlon Triple Challenge Shirt. About friggin time. Its a nice blue long sleeve tech shirt. It has the total miles from each race listed I did that weekend. Which I guess is reason why I’m blogging tonight. Well, not the real reason but it makes a nice segway for what I’m about to talk about.

In 2009 I ran the Illinois Marathon; raced the Harbor Lights Sprint Triathlon, coached the Chicago Rock and Roll Half Marathon; Raced the Chicago Triathlon Triple Challenge; rode the Apple Cider Century Ride; and coached mile 5 of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon . Let;s not forget that I’m running the Schaumburg half marathon Turkey Trot at the end of the month. It’s been a great year. I’ve enjoyed allot of memories with friends and new friends alike.

So how do I top all of this for 2010? I’ve asked myself the same question this past week. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you know I’ve been  struggling with the idea to sign up for a Ironman. After consulting with friends and Team in Training Triathlon Coaches I’ve decided to wait for 2011 to do the the Madision, WI Ironman.

So this is my plan 2010. I’m assuming nothing earth shattering happens in my life.
2010 will be themed OMG…My Last Year in my Twenties. Or something catchy like that. I’m up for suggestions.

Anywho…


February 28 (The Day after I turn 29) – I’ll be running my seventh marathon in the Rock And Roll Mardi Gras Marathon. Louisiana will be my sixth state I’ve run a marathon in.


Early June – I plan to race the Olympic Distance Elkhart Triathlon. My goal is to beat my 2007 Chicago Olympic Triathlon time.My 2009 time was slower because I ran out of gas on the run.


July 31 – I’ll be racing the Whrirlpool 70.3 Ironman in Benton Harbor, MI. After doing the Triple I’m ready for a Half Ironman! My goal will be to finish all 70.3 miles strong. More info later on this.


September 12 – Volunteer for Ford Ironman in Madision, WI. This way I’ll learn some new tricks and register for the 2011 race.


Mid November – Race in El Tour De Tuscon. My goal will be to finish under 6 hours and get the gold medal. After July 31 I’ll be focusing on everything to get to that finish line under 6.

Of course some sprint triathlons, a 8K race here and there, and a few bike rides will slip in the cracks. The above are my major events planned.

As I said before I’m going to sign up for the 2011 WI Ironman this September in person. By doing it this way I’ll save a few dollars. According to Bill Snyder, the Team In Training head triathlon coach, my schedule and all athletic events will be planned around my training for the Ironman. That’s something I’ll worry about next December. 2011 is tentatively themed “Crap I’m 30…Now What?”

My question for every now is…Who’s going to be partying with me in Mardi Gras this February? FYI, I’m brining lots of purple and green beads to the race!

Kick Off and a Bike Ride

I had a really productive weekend:

On Saturday I ran 5.8 miles by my house in Buffalo Grove before I headed over to York High School for the Fall Season Kick Off of Team In Training. We all had a blast. For me I was kicking off two things…

1)The official start of me coaching for the Chicago Marathon, Rock And Roll Chicago Half Marathon, and Nike’s Women Half & Full Marathon. I even got to lead the the rally cry for the Marathon Team. I met allot of the participants. I’m really excited for the season.

2) It was the start of my Chicago Triathlon Triple Challenge Training. Training for this is going to be tough on me. I have to balance a 11 to 12 hour a day job, fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and marathon coaching.

Speaking of fundraising, it is going really well. Since the release of my You Tube Video last Sunday I have received $353!! Some donations came from people who just saw the video who live in Pittsburgh, Arizona, & California!

Thank you everyone that has donated. As for the color of my hair so far I’m having green hair with a purple stripe down the middle is winning. Remember a $1 donation gets you 1 vote on the color of my hair. You get a thank you e-mail with a link telling you where to vote after I received your donation. ($20 gets you 20 votes)

Please keep passing the link along to everyone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCDqenRDR6M). Please post it on your blogs, your Facebook profiles, twitter profiles, etc.

As for today, me a Steve B., From The cycle Team, rode 41 miles on the 62″ish” mile course of the Blood, Sweat, & Tears Bike Ride (BST) that’s happens on Sunday, June 22. There is a 5 mile Family Fun Course, a 25 mile course, 45 mile course, or 62 miles course. It starts in Highland Park Train Station and is $35 for adults and $10 for people under 16.

If you want to train for the BST Ride, The Team in Training Cycle Program is holding a fundraising program. The goal is $250 per person. For more info e-mail tnt@tntillinois.org.

Follow me on Twitter for the IL Marathon

This weekend I want to keep a record of my Illinois Marathon Expereince. If you want to follow me go to my Twitter Page at http://twitter.com/sideshowbobby71. 

Twitter should also update my Facebook Page. FYI, Facebook will only let Twitter post so many updates.

Who I’m Running With This Weekend

Even though all my friends and teammates from Team in Training won’t be with me this weekend when I run the Illinois Marathon they will be with me in spirit.

These two photos will be pinned to the back of my Team in Training Jersey this upcoming Saturday

My Teammates from Team in Training.

All the people who I ran, swam, and cycled with.
The people who trained me and the people who I now help train. 

You give me the super human energy & excitment I have every Saturday morning.

My Inspirations

• My Dad – A cancer survivor who worked a full time job while FIGHTING CANCER, so I can stay in college. He is the first person I call when I finsih my races. 
• Firiza, Ryan, and Robbie – Cancer Survivors who each have completed a marathon.
• Eddie, Keegan, Katie, Paige, Fabian, Emily & Katie – Children who left their families to soon and lost their life to a blood cancer.

According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Website:

• Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20.
• Every 10 minutes, another child or adult is expected to die from leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. (145 people each day, or six people every hour.)
• An estimated 138,530 people in the United States was diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2008.

Please make a donation to my fundraising page for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Your dollars will go to life saving research that will create new life saving drugs and programs that will help improve the quality of life for cancer victims.  

As Kegan Grant said durring his cancer treatment, “You can be happy or miserable either way the distance is the same.” You dam well know, I’ll keep a smile on my face every mile durring any race if a little boy facing death and going through hell can keep a smile on. 

OMG, only 6 days until the Illinois Marathon. Time to start packing!!

Six more days until I run my sixth marathon down in Champaign-Urbana. If you’ve been reading my status updates on Twitter and Facebook you know I fell pretty confident in my running. The other day I ran 7 miles along the Chicago Lakefront under an hour. That is even sticking with 5 minute run to 1 minute walk intervals. Training aside, I need to pack for the Illinois Marathon.

Just read the following items I need for race day:

• Running Shoes.  – Goes without saying.
• Team in Training Running Jersey – Have to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Have you donated a $1 yet to my fundrasing page?
• Running shorts – I’m not running naked in this race.
• Sun Glasses – So I don’t squint my eyes. Every little bit of energy counts. I might have to buy a new pair at the expo. 
• Team in Training Headsweats Visor – So the sun doesn’t get in my eyes and to support the Team.
• Two Pairs of Running socks. – Wearing two socks helps prevents blisters.
• Garmin Heart Rate Monitor and Watch – To help me watch my pace and keep track of my 5:1 intervals. I plan on doing a 8:50 to 9:10 minutes per mile pace. 
• Body glide. –Helps to prevent chaffing.  Something no runner should ever be without.
• Band aids. – To prevent bloody nipples. Yes it has happened to me. The shower after that one fateful training run was quite painful.
• Five Strawberry Banna Gu’s – For energy replacement.
• Fuel Belt – So I can have water, Gatorade, and my Gu’s when ever I need it.
• Sun block – to prevent skin cancer.
• Pretzels – I get really hungry after mile 20 and to help replace all the sodium I lose while sweating.
• Running pouch – Something To carry my pretzels.
• Race Bib – I’ll pick up at the expo on Friday
• Running Chip – I’ll pick up at the expo on Friday. “No Chip, No Time.”
• Photos of my inspirations – Pretty much my dad, cancer survivors and all the people I train with.
• Extra pins – To pin my bib, gu’s and photos  to my jersey
• iPod Shuffle and Headphones – That little extra boost in my head.

Incase it’s cold on race day

• Throw away shirt
• Team in Trainining Head Band
• Running Gloves – Incase it’s cold on race day
• Running tights
• Underarmor
• Plastic Bags – so Snow doesn’t get in my shoes like the Shamrock Shuffle last Sunday. 

Why do I need so much stuff you might ask? I’ll be running 26.2 miles. It’s pretty much a 4 to 5 hours for me. I need to be ready for all the contingences. Something that you’ve been training for  4 to 5 months is a big deal. Usually things that are big deals, at least for me, require a little bit of planning and a list so I don’t forget anything before I leave for the race or my house for that matter. Most people don’t realize how much thought goes into these endurance races. I just thought I share my list with you. 

 

 

New Shoes…New Era

I feel every time I put on a brand new pair of running shoes it feels a new era has come. I set aside old goals in place of new ones. Big things happen in my life too.

I’m now an assistant coach for the Team In Training North Marathon Section for the Summer Season. I will be helping participants get to the start line finish and provide them with the tools and the experience to get across the finish line. Participants will be training for the Chicago Marathon, Indi Mini 500, Seattle Rock n’ Roll Marathon, and the San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon (My first marathon). I hope I can keep my energy and spirit the entire time and be as much help as I can  to the participants and Coaches Lu and Andy.

Here is the Team picture of us at Kick Off.

On a side note I ran my 12 miles on a Tread Mill at Ballys in Deerfield. This is preparation for the Illinois Marathon I’m running on April 11. It was a good run but very boring. I can’t wait until the snow melts and the sidewalks are clear. I thought I was going to have a bad run because I had back problems and had a head cold all week. Oh well like I said new shoes are now on me. All my past challenges are in the past and the new ones await for me.  

There is still plenty of time to start training with the Team. Learn how to run with a cause at www.TeamInTraining.org/

Last Vision Quest Coaching Session For Now… Time for the marathon!

Yesterday I participated in my last Vision Quest Coaching session for the winter. In December my threshold wattage was gauged at 263 watts. Yesterday I  was gaged at 277 watts. I’m very proud of myself that I improved. I want to do Vision Quest again when I start training for my triathlons this summer. Hopefully I’ll be able to do El Tour de Tucson again this year and finish under 6 hours. I’ll be shooting for under 5 hours but if I’m under 6 hours I would be happy.

If you don’t know already I’m running the Illinois Marathon on April 11. Last week I had a 10 mile run. It was so cold outside I ran at the Indoor Bally’s track in Morton Grove.  A lap is a sixth of a mile at Bally’s in Morton Grove. Yep that means I ran around the track 60 times! Thank goodness I had my iPod to keep me sain.

I took training easy this week in prep for my VQ test. Today I’m going to hit the tread mill for a nice easy run this do some speed work out this week. I’ll go out for a 10 to 12 mile run next Saturday.