I've been feeling a bit off lately and I don't believe it's the Swine Flu...I have Gnaw Bone Fever! The race takes place on May 9th over in central Indiana. I'm pumped. I ran it last year and had a good run going...until I got lost. That 2008 race report is here. This year I'm back for revenge. And a bit to my surprise, I am actually feeling "in shape." This darn "Moon Walk" competition has forced me to be more consistent in logging miles every single day. I've always lacked that consistency. Now I'm regularly running twice a day. I'm mixing in fast runs with slow jogs and treadmills with roads and trails. I only have 10 days until the race--not much time for training. If I hold my current pattern for another week, then have a couple easy days before May 9, I'll be fine on race day.
If you want to catch "Gnaw Bone Fever"...check out this race video:
Do you now have the fever? If so, sign up and join me for some hill running fun in the backwoods of Indiana. Just make sure you follow the correct colored ribbons. Did I mention they have several races (half marathon, marathon, 50K, 50-mile, and a relay) which all seem to have different ribbons marking the course?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Race Changes for 2010
I meet with the Second Wind Running Club board of directors tomorrow to give them a report on the 2009 Clinton Lake ultra race. Basically I go over the budget, tell them how things went from my perspective, and suggest a few changes for the future. If you have run the race the first two years, you may have noticed that I didn't send a pre-race or post-race feedback survey to the runners. That was intentional. First, I pretty much gathered the feedback I needed those first two years. You all gave me great ideas before the races and nice feedback after each event. Second, I was fairly sure this would be my last year as race director. It took 2+ years to get this race off the ground, and I've now directed it for three years. That seemed like enough.
Parts of the race organization are getting to me. I didn't want to announce this was my last year because that may not have been true (and it seemed a little hokey). I wasn't sure I wanted to retire as RD. Leading up to the race, and for a few days afterward, I confided in a couple friends that "I was 99% sure I won't do this next year." The probability would vary from day-to-day. On good days I would say, "I'm 70% sure this is it for me" and on bad days I'd proclaim, "I'm 99.9% positive I'm done with this sucker!" I kept telling myself that I didn't need to make a decision until the board meeting. Well, the board meeting is around the corner. I'm fairly certain (90% confidence interval?) I will remain as race director. I have compiled a set of notes about what I'd like to change and what tasks I want to hand-off to another person. If the board agrees to the changes, I'm ready for another year!
Here are a few of my proposed changes for the 2010 race with my rationale:
1. Only online registration. This will save me lots of manual data entry and eliminate the possibility of bounced checks. It also takes care of me forwarding checks to the running club treasurer. And all of the liability waivers will be stored electronically. Less paper, less chances for mistakes and lost data.
2. No more "early start" option. Everyone starts at 7:30am and the race concludes at 4:30pm. This will simplify the finish line and results scoring. While the early start will be gone, the TOTAL race time has been expanded to accommodate a full 9 hour cut-off. Seems like the best of both worlds! My volunteers are usually around before and after the race anyway, now I'll just need a couple guaranteed to start early and stay late with me.
3. Hot food after race. I have wanted this every year, but it's tough with no running water and only a couple electrical outlets at the race site. Plus, we have no large shelter. This year we'll need to figure out a way to have some shelter, hot soup, chili, cocoa, coffee, etc. I'll need a couple volunteers committed to this new task, but that should be easy.
4. Grand Slam awards change. I am still tracking Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam points, but I need someone else to take care of awards. Adam Zimmerman has tentatively agree to do so. He assists Dave Tapp with the Farmdale race (and he completed the Slam last year) so I think he's a perfect fit.
5. Keep the cotton shirts. I always told myself that if I ran a race it would have the best & coolest tech shirts around. Well, the first 2 years I did like the Clinton Lake race shirts (nice technical fabric, simple design, no sponsors, etc)...unfortunately, those suckers are expensive! I couldn't afford to buy shirts for all of my volunteers. With good quality cotton shirts, I have greater flexibility in sizes, can give all vols t-shirts, and the screen printing design can be a bit more extravagant. We'll change it up each year (color and design) so you'll want to "collect 'em all." Plus, all the races are now giving tech shirts, I need a few more "lounge around the weekend" type shirts.
6. More attention to finish line. We have to separate the aid station and finish line crews. This year there was some confusion with a couple runners. We'll restructure the finish area (clock, chute, workers, etc) to make sure runners are tracked well and awards are given out right away. We'll actually pull bibs and have a manual back-up tick sheet. Wind, rain, or snow...we need a dedicated crew at the finish area that is not distracted by the aid station hub-bub.
7. More and better tents. We need shelter! If nothing else, we need an extra tent with side panels. I've thought about renting a huge enclosed tent for the day. We are a small race, so I'm not sure what is feasible. I just know my volunteers suffered this year. And I'd like the runners to stick around after finishing. Hard to do when it's cold, windy, and rainy.
8. Restate race policies and stick to them. I'm too easy. I try to be fair and hold everyone to the same rules, but I end up bending one here and another there. It causes me angst. So let me reiterate a few rules: no race bib transfers, no refunds, no rolled registration to next year, no mailed goodies, no pacers, no dogs, no drop bags. There is an unofficial wait-list, but only 1-2 runners each year get picked to join the race after it closes.
9. Shorter early packet pick-up. Who needs packet pick up to last 6 hours? I thought people would come over lunch. A few did. Those folks will now have to come after work. I'm proposing a shorter, but later, packet pick-up period. We'll go from 3:30-6:30pm. This should allow out-of-towners to get their packets as they arrive in town. And it's less work and down-time for me and my volunteers.
10. Assign a goodie bag coordinator. I hate gathering all the goodies for the bags. I hate filling out the bibs. And I especially hate stuffing those darn bags with the shirts, bibs, and goodies. I'm not a big fan of hauling those suckers to early packet pick-up and race day pick up either. This whole set of tasks needs to be assigned to another person.
11. Find more sponsors. This isn't really needed, but I'd love to have one cash sponsor and one more product sponsor. Maybe Exelon Corporation (they own the land and the Clinton power plant) would be a sponsor? Maybe Zombie Runner would provide some goodies? I say "bring on the extra goodies"...I'm not stuffing them anymore! I have excellent current sponsors, so this is simply a wish for more. I'm not too greedy. If this happens, great. If not, that's cool too.
What made me change my mind about race directing? The runners! You can be a pain leading up to race day (lots of special requests), but on race-day and after, you are the best! I enjoy seeing everyone trying to achieve their running goals. I really love most of the race directing duties. So, this coming year, I have decided to off-load the tasks that I hate (goodie bag & bib assembly and pick-up). This should allow me to focus on other tasks that I enjoy. A happy race director makes for a happy race experience for the runners! Wish me well.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET: Feel free to click on my personal ASPCA fund raising page to donate whatever you feel comfortable with--it's all for a good cause and it is tax deductible. Help me help the animals via the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
UPDATE...I am staying on as race director for 2010. Look forward to implementing most, if not all, of the ideas above. I appreciate the board's approval and support. TENTATIVE race date for next year is Saturday, March 27, 2010.
Parts of the race organization are getting to me. I didn't want to announce this was my last year because that may not have been true (and it seemed a little hokey). I wasn't sure I wanted to retire as RD. Leading up to the race, and for a few days afterward, I confided in a couple friends that "I was 99% sure I won't do this next year." The probability would vary from day-to-day. On good days I would say, "I'm 70% sure this is it for me" and on bad days I'd proclaim, "I'm 99.9% positive I'm done with this sucker!" I kept telling myself that I didn't need to make a decision until the board meeting. Well, the board meeting is around the corner. I'm fairly certain (90% confidence interval?) I will remain as race director. I have compiled a set of notes about what I'd like to change and what tasks I want to hand-off to another person. If the board agrees to the changes, I'm ready for another year!
Here are a few of my proposed changes for the 2010 race with my rationale:
1. Only online registration. This will save me lots of manual data entry and eliminate the possibility of bounced checks. It also takes care of me forwarding checks to the running club treasurer. And all of the liability waivers will be stored electronically. Less paper, less chances for mistakes and lost data.
2. No more "early start" option. Everyone starts at 7:30am and the race concludes at 4:30pm. This will simplify the finish line and results scoring. While the early start will be gone, the TOTAL race time has been expanded to accommodate a full 9 hour cut-off. Seems like the best of both worlds! My volunteers are usually around before and after the race anyway, now I'll just need a couple guaranteed to start early and stay late with me.
3. Hot food after race. I have wanted this every year, but it's tough with no running water and only a couple electrical outlets at the race site. Plus, we have no large shelter. This year we'll need to figure out a way to have some shelter, hot soup, chili, cocoa, coffee, etc. I'll need a couple volunteers committed to this new task, but that should be easy.
4. Grand Slam awards change. I am still tracking Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam points, but I need someone else to take care of awards. Adam Zimmerman has tentatively agree to do so. He assists Dave Tapp with the Farmdale race (and he completed the Slam last year) so I think he's a perfect fit.
5. Keep the cotton shirts. I always told myself that if I ran a race it would have the best & coolest tech shirts around. Well, the first 2 years I did like the Clinton Lake race shirts (nice technical fabric, simple design, no sponsors, etc)...unfortunately, those suckers are expensive! I couldn't afford to buy shirts for all of my volunteers. With good quality cotton shirts, I have greater flexibility in sizes, can give all vols t-shirts, and the screen printing design can be a bit more extravagant. We'll change it up each year (color and design) so you'll want to "collect 'em all." Plus, all the races are now giving tech shirts, I need a few more "lounge around the weekend" type shirts.
6. More attention to finish line. We have to separate the aid station and finish line crews. This year there was some confusion with a couple runners. We'll restructure the finish area (clock, chute, workers, etc) to make sure runners are tracked well and awards are given out right away. We'll actually pull bibs and have a manual back-up tick sheet. Wind, rain, or snow...we need a dedicated crew at the finish area that is not distracted by the aid station hub-bub.
7. More and better tents. We need shelter! If nothing else, we need an extra tent with side panels. I've thought about renting a huge enclosed tent for the day. We are a small race, so I'm not sure what is feasible. I just know my volunteers suffered this year. And I'd like the runners to stick around after finishing. Hard to do when it's cold, windy, and rainy.
8. Restate race policies and stick to them. I'm too easy. I try to be fair and hold everyone to the same rules, but I end up bending one here and another there. It causes me angst. So let me reiterate a few rules: no race bib transfers, no refunds, no rolled registration to next year, no mailed goodies, no pacers, no dogs, no drop bags. There is an unofficial wait-list, but only 1-2 runners each year get picked to join the race after it closes.
9. Shorter early packet pick-up. Who needs packet pick up to last 6 hours? I thought people would come over lunch. A few did. Those folks will now have to come after work. I'm proposing a shorter, but later, packet pick-up period. We'll go from 3:30-6:30pm. This should allow out-of-towners to get their packets as they arrive in town. And it's less work and down-time for me and my volunteers.
10. Assign a goodie bag coordinator. I hate gathering all the goodies for the bags. I hate filling out the bibs. And I especially hate stuffing those darn bags with the shirts, bibs, and goodies. I'm not a big fan of hauling those suckers to early packet pick-up and race day pick up either. This whole set of tasks needs to be assigned to another person.
11. Find more sponsors. This isn't really needed, but I'd love to have one cash sponsor and one more product sponsor. Maybe Exelon Corporation (they own the land and the Clinton power plant) would be a sponsor? Maybe Zombie Runner would provide some goodies? I say "bring on the extra goodies"...I'm not stuffing them anymore! I have excellent current sponsors, so this is simply a wish for more. I'm not too greedy. If this happens, great. If not, that's cool too.
What made me change my mind about race directing? The runners! You can be a pain leading up to race day (lots of special requests), but on race-day and after, you are the best! I enjoy seeing everyone trying to achieve their running goals. I really love most of the race directing duties. So, this coming year, I have decided to off-load the tasks that I hate (goodie bag & bib assembly and pick-up). This should allow me to focus on other tasks that I enjoy. A happy race director makes for a happy race experience for the runners! Wish me well.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET: Feel free to click on my personal ASPCA fund raising page to donate whatever you feel comfortable with--it's all for a good cause and it is tax deductible. Help me help the animals via the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
UPDATE...I am staying on as race director for 2010. Look forward to implementing most, if not all, of the ideas above. I appreciate the board's approval and support. TENTATIVE race date for next year is Saturday, March 27, 2010.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
ASPCA Fund Raising
After running in memory of my sister yesterday, I feel compelled to run for a charity. Yesterday I ran 47 miles and donated 47 dollars to the local Champaign County Humane Society. It felt good. Time to ramp it up a bit...I am now an American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Ambassador! Not sure if that gives me diplomatic immunity, but it does give me a venue for helping animals. To better inspire me to run during the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race, I have decided to raise funds for the ASPCA. I've never done this before and I could use your help. Feel free to click on my personal ASPCA fund raising page to donate whatever you feel comfortable with--it's all for a good cause and it is tax deductible. Help the animals while helping me reach my fund raising goal. Thanks in advance! I have added a link to the top left of my blog page too. And the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race web page has a link as well. Whatever reminds you (and me) to donate to the ASPCA. Together we can make a difference in the lives of animals...and maybe motivate me to "run for a higher cause" during the 7-day race.
NOTE: If you decide to contribute, you are not pledging a certain amount per mile. You simply donate a set dollar amount (I'm trying to raise $303 total to match the miles I ran last year in the 7-day event).
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Honor Thy Sister
I suppose every day is a good day to "honor thy sister or brother," but today is special. In a sad way. Today is the anniversary of my sister's death. Sandy passed away on April 22, 2006. Time doesn't heal all wounds, but it muffles the pain. Her death still hurts. I miss her dearly. It's odd that she passed away on Earth Day. Sandy loved the outdoors and would have wanted any remembrances of her to include environmental thoughts & actions. So, today I will try to be green as I remember my sister. It's a great day to recycle & reuse, plant a tree, donate to a green charity, and generally lower your carbon footprint.
Starting today, I plan on taking every Earth Day off from work...to remember and honor my sister...and the Earth. I'll do my part to recycle, reuse what I can (or donate to a local shelter or Goodwill store), sow a new tree or shrub, donate to a good environmental cause (or animal shelter--Sandy's other great love), and generally be a better steward of my environs. As a way to reflect on the day and what it means to me, I'll go for a long run. Maybe an all-day affair of running, jogging, and walking. Whatever miles I can accumulate, I'll donate in dollars to the local humane society or an environmental group in her name. It's the least I can do to honor my sister.
Time to run. I have miles to cover and fond memories to reflect upon. I miss you big sister. Later today I'll post how many miles I achieved.
UPDATE: I covered 47 miles today. That is one mile for each of Sandy's years on the planet. I will donate $47 to the Champaign County Humane Society too. Wish it could have been more.
Starting today, I plan on taking every Earth Day off from work...to remember and honor my sister...and the Earth. I'll do my part to recycle, reuse what I can (or donate to a local shelter or Goodwill store), sow a new tree or shrub, donate to a good environmental cause (or animal shelter--Sandy's other great love), and generally be a better steward of my environs. As a way to reflect on the day and what it means to me, I'll go for a long run. Maybe an all-day affair of running, jogging, and walking. Whatever miles I can accumulate, I'll donate in dollars to the local humane society or an environmental group in her name. It's the least I can do to honor my sister.
Time to run. I have miles to cover and fond memories to reflect upon. I miss you big sister. Later today I'll post how many miles I achieved.
UPDATE: I covered 47 miles today. That is one mile for each of Sandy's years on the planet. I will donate $47 to the Champaign County Humane Society too. Wish it could have been more.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Reasons to Run
(Image from the American band Why? and their 2008 album "Alopecia.") Why run? Unlike my DNF at the McNaughton Park 100 miler, I now have a few reasons to run. OK, more like reasons to race. But to race well, you need to train well. So I now have a few reasons to train and subsequently race well. Don't pull your hair out trying to find reasons to run, they'll come to you. Here are mine...
My Moon Walk team needs my miles. I mentioned this "Moon Walk" competition in an earlier post. A bunch of teams in Champaign County (currently 125) log their miles (walking, running, biking, swimming, etc) and the team with the best miles per team member average wins. My team is currently in 4th place and we plan on holding onto that spot...or maybe we'll move up! With only 5 total team members, my extra long running miles really count for something. Our average per team member is rather high. When I feel tired after work and don't want to run, I think of my Moon Walk team and get out there to log a few miles. Every mile helps the team. I'm now consistently putting in 2 runs per day. My team gives me a reason to run.
My sister passed away 3 years ago this week. I'll be doing an individual "memorial run" on Earth Day to remember my big sister and honor her with some miles. This is a good motivator for me. No matter the weather, or how I feel, I'll log some solid miles this Earth Day. Memories of my sister give me a reason to run...even if only for one day. I miss you sis. Wish you were here.
My next formal race is the Gnaw Bone 50K on May 9th. This race kicked my ass last year...only because I got lost. If I stayed on course, I think my finish time and placing would have been pretty darn good. This year I hope to be in better shape and a bit more cautious at intersections. I believe I can take 30-45 minutes off last year's time. I'll be ready to tackle the bone. I have revenge in mind...and that's a good motivator!
After Gnaw Bone, my informal week-long race will be coming up...the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race will run from May 24-30. I logged 303 miles last year. I want more this year. I plan to be in better shape, I'm hoping for slightly cooler weather, and I learned a lot about myself and how to pace from last year's effort. Practice makes perfect...and I'm ready to perfect my 7-day running form! The stage race gives me a reason to run.
June and July look to be fairly quiet racing months for me. I might find a local 5K to test my speed, but otherwise I simply plan to log more and more miles in preparation for my goal race of the year...Howl at the Moon 8-Hour run on August 8. Simple enough. I now have several reasons to run. I may not be the aerobic monster I was hoping to be (before McNaughton Park), but I plan on getting there soon. I believe I'll be ready for Howl...50 miles in the heat, sun, and humidity over 8 hours seems possible.
I believe in my running. I have reasons to run. That's a good combination.
UPDATE: I have a new reason to run...I have just started an ASPCA fund raising page as part of my 7-day stage race effort. The link is at the top left of my blog. Or access my ASPCA page directly.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Updated 2009 Grand Slam Standings
We are half-way to the completion of the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam! Clinton Lake and McNaughton Park are done. Only Rock Cut Hobo 50K and Farmdale 32 miler are left. I have posted the updated standings. Let me know if you think there are errors and I'll correct them. Remember that standings are based on PLACING within your race distance and gender group. You can view the standings by last name or overall placing within gender.
After two races, we have a tight competition going on among the male and female runners. Jake Vernon leads the women and Matthew Condron leads the men. Congratulations to both of them! I hope everyone that's still in Grand Slam contention signs up for Rock Cut Hobo 50K (and Farmdale 32 miler too). We have culled the 88 Clinton Lake race finishers down to 19 Slam survivors. How many will be left after Rock Cut Hobo?
NOTE: Please remember that if you did not complete the race you registered for, you count as a DNF and are no longer in the Grand Slam. If you signed up for the 150 at McNaughton Park and finished 100 miles, you are a DNF. If you signed-up for the 100 and finished 50 miles, you are a DNF. That's how Andy lists you for his race and that's what counts for the iTUGS standings. No complaining allowed.
After two races, we have a tight competition going on among the male and female runners. Jake Vernon leads the women and Matthew Condron leads the men. Congratulations to both of them! I hope everyone that's still in Grand Slam contention signs up for Rock Cut Hobo 50K (and Farmdale 32 miler too). We have culled the 88 Clinton Lake race finishers down to 19 Slam survivors. How many will be left after Rock Cut Hobo?
NOTE: Please remember that if you did not complete the race you registered for, you count as a DNF and are no longer in the Grand Slam. If you signed up for the 150 at McNaughton Park and finished 100 miles, you are a DNF. If you signed-up for the 100 and finished 50 miles, you are a DNF. That's how Andy lists you for his race and that's what counts for the iTUGS standings. No complaining allowed.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Moon Walk Progress
My work Moon Walk team is currently in 5th place out of 119 teams ("Center for Teaching Excellence"). The buffalo runner team is in 1st place! I'm proud of our team--except for me, they are all walkers so they need to push to get miles. I have hopes that we'll slowly work our way up to 3rd place. The first two teams look too tough to catch. No way we are knocking the buffalo team off their perch. I would settle for 3rd. The rankings of all the teams can be accessed here (without any log in). On a side note, Champaign County is beating Peoria and sticking close to the Quad Cities.
NOTE: Occasionally a team logs their miles incorrectly and jumps to #1 with thousands of miles to their credit. Those stats get corrected pretty quickly.
NOTE: Occasionally a team logs their miles incorrectly and jumps to #1 with thousands of miles to their credit. Those stats get corrected pretty quickly.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
I Have No Reason to Run
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| From 2009 McNaughton Park 100 |
The first 40 miles on Friday afternoon and evening went OK. It was very muddy and hard running, but I met some good people and tried to enjoy the day and night. I easily made my goal of 40 miles the first day. Unfortunately, the mud running really got to me that night as I slept. It was cold in my tent and sleeping bag and I didn't sleep well. I kept thinking about getting out at 6am to run more loops in that mess. When I heard Andy giving the pre-race briefing at 5:45am, I told myself,"Wait until they head out, then grab some coffee, and decide what to do." I was fooling myself...I had already decided this was it for me. I HAD NO REASON TO RUN.
Without motivation, all is lost. I wasn't running for myself (I had finished this 100 before and this year wasn't going to be a PR), I wasn't running for a friend or family member (I admire those that do), I wasn't running for a charity cause...I basically was running to see Andy the RD for the last time at McNaughton Park (the races will be moving to Vermont next year). Guess what? I achieved that goal before the race as I picked-up my packet and said hello to Andy and congratulated him on creating a fine set of races over the years. OK, time is 10:30am on Friday and I've achieved my primary objective. The rain was still coming down and the wind was picking up. It was cold and the trail was looking pretty sad. Water was already digging trenches in the first downhill right at the start. I could hear the creeks swelling with rushing cold water. It wasn't going to be a fun day. And...I HAD NO REASON TO RUN.
On days like this, you need a reason to run. Last year, I had three DNFs to avenge. I KNEW I was going to persevere and finish the race. No matter what. Same for my first 100 miler at Rocky Raccoon. I didn't know anything about 100 milers, but I did know I came to Huntsville State Park with two friends and I was going to finish! I did. So did Jeff & Gregg (even though we all had major problems). If you have a reason to run, you'll run. If you have no motivation, then you'll find an excuse to stop. I didn't need an excuse...I just had my coffee on Saturday morning, yanked my timing chip from my ankle, and handed it to Andy..."This wasn't my year" I told him. It wasn't the course that beat me, it was me that beat me. I didn't care. Why go on for another 60 miles? I could pack up my crap and be home in a couple hours. I preferred clean clothes and time with my wife rather than more nasty mud and stream crossings in Pekin, IL.
I wish the best for all the runners still on the course. Tracy is shooting for a 150 mile win, Jerry is running for his wife, Carey is trying to get his "DNF monkey" off his back. Good luck to them! They have reasons to run and I hope they achieve their goals. Me, I'm back home feeling just fine. Tired, achy, and hungry, but fine. I made the right decision at the right time. If I had stopped and gone home Friday night, I'd have been second-guessing myself. If I was still out there now---my oh my--I'd be unhappy. I ran a good 40 miles, toughed out some miserable conditions on the trail, and decided that was enough. I need a challenge to motivate me and my running. Maybe it'll be the Gnaw Bone 50K or the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race. Or Howl at the Moon 8-Hour? We'll see.
NOTE: You can click on the photo album at the top of this post to view all of my McNaughton Park race photos. They aren't great, but I was tired and it was getting dark.
PS: I've only had 4 DNFs in my whole life of running...all 4 have been at the McNaughton Park 100. The event moves to Vermont next year. Glad I finished the 100 miler in 2009--I don't want to see what Andy dreams up for his new New England race. Good luck Andy! You're the best.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Billy Mills Rocks!
Last night, gold-medal Olympian Billy Mills came to the University of Illinois and gave a talk about his life, running, and philosophy of living. What a motivational guy! His life story is something else. Lots of obstacles that he turned into opportunities. The footage of him coming from behind to win the 10K gold medal at the 1964 Olympics is just amazing. It's like the other runners are walking through mud and he has wings sprinting by them to win in the last 100 meters. Probably the best finishing kick ever in a distance race. Most people claim that his victory was the greatest upset in Olympic history. I believe it. Billy was an unknown and he took down the world record holder. He is still the ONLY American to win Olympic gold in the 10,000 meter event. Billy Mills is spokesperson for Running Strong for American Indian Youth. He is an Oglala Lakota (Sioux) who was raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He earned a track scholarship to the
University of Kansas and later served in the United States Marine Corps. Billy was a three-time NCAA All-American cross country runner. While his 10K gold medal made him famous, most people don't realize he also ran the marathon in that same Olympics...finishing in 2:22...good enough for 14th place. Not too bad after draining all his reserves in the 10K come-from-behind victory!His journey from Pine Ridge to Tokyo is fascinating. If you ever get a chance to hear Billy Mills talk, don't miss it. He's a classy gentleman. You might want to find a copy of the movie "Running Brave" too. It's a reasonable representation of his life leading up to the Olympics. After seeing the movie and hearing him talk, I'm ready for my 100 mile trail race this weekend. Bring on McNaughton Park!
Here is the grainy B&W film clip of his last lap at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics...
A big thank you to the University's Native American House & American Indian Studies program for sponsoring his talk last night. I learned quite a bit about Native American culture & struggles and have a better understanding of the true meaning behind the phrase "strength through diversity." I still have a lot more to learn.
Here is another video of that same 1964 Olympic 10K race--in color--with commentary:
Monday, April 6, 2009
Unprepared For Another 100 Miler?
I'm doing the McNaughton Park 100 miler this weekend. And as usual, I'm unprepared. I haven't put in nearly enough overall miles and definitely not enough long runs. That's not new for me. This year I do have an excellent attitude about the race. I'm not sick and all my injuries have faded away. I have no plans to set a course record...but maybe a PR for this race. Last year I ran this sucker in 48+ hours (over 3 days with the early Friday at Noon start). That's a rather weak PR. It was excellent preparation for my 7-day stage race. With the Friday early start, I slept both Friday and Saturday nights and turned MP100 into my own little stage race. This year I have similar goals, but I would like to finish in less than 48 hours. I plan on running later into the night and sleeping less. If I get especially pumped, I may even finish this thing early Sunday morning (1-2am?) and end up with a 37-38 hour finish! How many others could say they knocked off 10 hours from their previous year's time?
This is Andy Weinberg's last year as race director. He's moved to Vermont and may well move the race up there in 2010. Hopefully, there will still be a version of McNaughton Park next year in Pekin, IL. It's a nice venue and there seems to be lots of support for the race among central Illinois ultra runners. Whatever happens, Andy has done a fantastic job with this race over the years. I've run this race every year since 2003 and enjoyed every one of them. Thanks Andy for all your hard work!
One of these years I'm going to commit to running a fast 100 miler. Maybe Rocky Raccoon in 2010? That was my first 100 miler way back in 2004 and it kicked my ass (I did finish, but it wasn't pretty). I'd love to go back and show that course what I can do. I have much more ultra running experience and think I could pull a sub-24 down there. One step at a time. Let's finish McNaughton Park 100 this weekend. My goal is to beat last year's finish time of 48:26. Hey, don't laugh, that finish was better than my previous 3 years at the McNaughton 100...DNF, DNF, DNF.
This is Andy Weinberg's last year as race director. He's moved to Vermont and may well move the race up there in 2010. Hopefully, there will still be a version of McNaughton Park next year in Pekin, IL. It's a nice venue and there seems to be lots of support for the race among central Illinois ultra runners. Whatever happens, Andy has done a fantastic job with this race over the years. I've run this race every year since 2003 and enjoyed every one of them. Thanks Andy for all your hard work!
One of these years I'm going to commit to running a fast 100 miler. Maybe Rocky Raccoon in 2010? That was my first 100 miler way back in 2004 and it kicked my ass (I did finish, but it wasn't pretty). I'd love to go back and show that course what I can do. I have much more ultra running experience and think I could pull a sub-24 down there. One step at a time. Let's finish McNaughton Park 100 this weekend. My goal is to beat last year's finish time of 48:26. Hey, don't laugh, that finish was better than my previous 3 years at the McNaughton 100...DNF, DNF, DNF.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
2009 Trail Ultra Grand Slam
Don't forget, now that the Clinton Lake ultra is over, we still have the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam! If you finished the Clinton Lake 30-Miler, then you are entered into the iTUGS. You need to complete the following races to finish the Grand Slam:
McNaughton Park 50/100/150
Rock Cut Hobo 50K
Farmdale Trail 32 Miler
These are all fine Illinois trail ultras. Sign-up, complete them, and you will be a Slammer! I have posted the current Grand Slam standings. They are sorted by last name and also by standing within gender group. Since Logan and Christine won the Clinton Lake race, they are currently in the lead. With three races to go, it's still anyone's game. Who will be named the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam champion?
McNaughton Park 50/100/150
Rock Cut Hobo 50K
Farmdale Trail 32 Miler
These are all fine Illinois trail ultras. Sign-up, complete them, and you will be a Slammer! I have posted the current Grand Slam standings. They are sorted by last name and also by standing within gender group. Since Logan and Christine won the Clinton Lake race, they are currently in the lead. With three races to go, it's still anyone's game. Who will be named the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam champion?
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