Jack Rector 25k & Creek Classic 10k

There is a group of races here called the Triple Crown. This consists of a 25k/5k, 10k/5k, and then a St. Paddy's (Day before) 8k. The 25k is named in honor of Jack Rector, the man I'm pictured with. He and his wife started the Oklahoma City Marathon training group years ago. Jack has since passed, and the race was named in his honor. I had only run this race once before, and since it was the only time I'd run 25k, it was my P R. I wanted to run it this year to see if I could improve on my "P R." I also felt it would be a good test of my conditioning for the Boston Marathon. My goal was to hold 5 minute k's. This would give me a 2:05 time, and about a 10 minute P R. I started out holding this pace, and while I would go over by 3-5 seconds, I was able to average this almost the whole race. I finished just over 2:05 and was pleased to be able to reach my goal. I also won my age group.
After the 25k, I decided to go ahead and run the Creek Classic 10k. I've run this race a couple of times before, and swore I wouldn't run it again after two years of poor after race activities. But then a friend took over the race, and I felt like she would make improvements. The race itself had been fine, but the awards ceremonies the last two years took way too long. Last year they ran out of medals and said they'd mail them to us. I never received mine, and when the previous race director emailed me telling me I was going to be charged for not turning in my chip, I pointed out to her, one, that I owned my chip, and two, that they hadn't sent my award. She replied to me that "I don't know why runners care so much about those medals." I told her that I didn't care about the medal, but that it was more about doing what you say you're going to do. Enough of that. My goal for this 10k was to try to hold 4:30 k's. This would give me a 45 minute time, not a P R, but not easy for me. I started holding this, but was letting it drift a bit after 4k. I was probably averaging 4:35 k's through 8k, but got a second wind and ran the last 2k under 4:15 each. I finished just over 45 minutes, and won my age group again. The awards ceremonies was better, but still needs some work. I know it is not easy putting these races on, and hope they can improve next year. They had a great turnout and say they raised more than they had hoped for for their cause.
Next up, 8k.

Whatever happened to Lucy

My sophomore year at the University of Oklahoma I had a professor, Dr. Temerlin, who taught psychology. It was the most interesting class I had in college. And we had to read a book called "The Person" that basically covered the person from birth to death. It was the biggest text book I had all through college, and the only one I read cover to cover. You could sell it back, but I still have that book.
Dr. Temerlin and his wife were raising a chimp, Lucy, from birth to be as much like a human child as possible. Many of his lectures would be about their progress with Lucy. He even brought her to class a couple of times. They taught her sign language and she was able to learn over 140 signs. This was fascinating to me, and from time to time, after college, I would hear news of Lucy and how she progressed. But like a lot of things, I didn't really seek out news, just moved on. Saturday, after leaving a brunch I had to attend, it was terrible, I was listening to NPR's This American Life, and they were telling the story of what happened to Lucy. The short version is that they put her in a rehabilitation center in Gambia, but she did not adapt to the wild. The story is much more interesting than that. Janis Carter, a grad student under the Temerlins, actually lived with Lucy and other chimps trying to re-introduce them to the wild. Again, the short version is that Lucy finally left sanctuary and when Janis returned after about a year, she found Lucy dead.
The story was both interesting and of course sad. I was fascinated by what Lucy learned, one thing is she would lie. Something they thought was unique to humans. But the sad thing is that Lucy had never lived in the wild, and then they tried to introduce her to it, and you know the result. Isn't that just like humans? When they're through with you, they basically throw you away. But I'm able to say I know what happened to Lucy.

Sooner State Games Trail Run

Yesterday, Saturday the 13th, was the running of the Sooner State Games Trail Run. This is a race held on trails within Oklahoma City. The course is a 3.5 twisty hilly rooty trail. For the record, that picture is not from this course. This race had 3 distances, 3.5, 7, and 14 miles, 1, 2, or 4 loops of the course. The starts were staggered 5 minutes apart to keep it from being crowded. This race had been postponed two weeks because of the big ice storm we had. The day was almost perfect, the trails were a bit muddy with small water crossings, but not bad. I decided to run the 7 mile race because I felt like that was a distance I could push all the way. We started and I ran fast to not get caught behind slower runners once we hit the single track. After about a mile you come to a fork in the trail. I've run these trails before, but I don't run them often. Needless to say I took the wrong turn. I ran for awhile, but noticed I wasn't seeing anyone else. Then I passed a marker, and it was meant to be read from the other direction. At this point I left the trail and got on this paved path that is nearby. I started running a loop of it, debating whether to drop, or take my lumps and go back to where I made the wrong turn. I ran a mile on the pavement, then decided, what the heck, I probably won't medal, but I'm going to complete the race. I saw someone who knew the trail better than I and she explained to me where I went wrong. I picked it back up there and went the right direction. Almost an hour to finish the first loop, but I was over 6 miles according to my Garmin. I was really feeling good, so I started pushing the second loop. Many of the people I knew thought I was lapping them, but I told them I was just catching them. I finished around 1:37, 1st loop 58 minutes, 2nd loop 39 minutes. Oh, and 1st place in age group. The 2nd guy finished about 3 minutes after me. I told the timer what happened in case I should still be disqualified, and he said as long as I returned to where I went off course I was OK.
Today our marathon training group was scheduled to run 16 miles. The weather forecast said the temperature would be dropping below freezing, it was around 58 yesterday, and we would likely get sleet and snow. When we started it was cold but nothing was falling. Within a mile a light sleet started and by mile 7 it was coming down hard and stinging my face. A friend said she was only doing 14 so I took the shortcut with her. I wasn't tired, but I was tired of the sleet hitting me, and we were running right into it. With the turn around it was now at our back. But it soon turned into a light snow, and it was just a beautiful run. As I got closer to the end I was feeling like I could pick up the 2 miles I had cut with no problem. I had been running by myself for some time now, so I decided to keep straight where I should have turned to get the extra mileage. I felt good and did an out and back to get the total to 16. A great start to Valentine's Day.
Congratulations to all my friends that ran the Austin half and full marathon today.

Danman 50, 26.2, 13.1, 10k

Danman is an unofficial race held at a man's (Dan's) land down near Madill in southern Oklahoma. It's almost a Fatass, but it probably has too much support to qualify as a FA. As the title suggests, there are multiple distances to run. And I didn't run any of them. I signed up for the 50 miler, but with the snow and rains we've had, I knew I wasn't going to run 50 miles. You didn't have to pre-register, but I did. I rode with some friends who planned to run 13.1 miles. So I had to keep their schedule in mind also. So I went with plans of trying to do at least the marathon distance.
Dan has a large "ranch" with a beautiful house on it. Large, plenty of room, this served at the headquarters for the race. The race is two loops, 6 miles, and 7 miles. You do these loops as follows, 1st loop only for 10k, both loops for 13.1, and both twice for 26.2. The second loop has a 3 mile plus offshoot for the 50 milers to get around 17 miles per two loops.
I started on the first loop, and it was very muddy, and somewhat hilly. But I made it through ok. Second loop was a bit easier, although it was shoe sucking muddy right near the end. I decided to take the 50 mile extra loop to get to 17 miles. I also decided that I would take the 2nd loop again, rather than the first. The 2nd time I just did the 7 mile loop, ending up with close to 24 miles.
This is a nice run, and if I ever do it when the conditions are better, I will attempt to go the full 50 miles.

Egocentric

Before I get to the reason for that title, just a few words about training. I've run both trails and the road lately and things seem to be going well. Our cold snap seems to have snapped, at least for the time being.
I commented on another blog that was about what the author felt was an overemphasis of fighting tobacco use at the expense of other worthy endeavours. I expressed a dissenting opinion. The author and I have no problem. We do not always agree, but we are always civil. Another person commented that I was egocentric, or rather my blog is egocentric. Here are his exact words;
"I looked over your egocentric blog brother and I find it amusing, this comment of yours, because connected to what you write about (me, me, me) your concerns are not for public health but rather for your own desires in your own little world. "
Now his comment didn't really bother me. However, he sent me a very childish email. But the purpose of this post is to look at whether what he said is true. Of course it is. This subject has been covered by me in the past, and by many blogs that I've read. We allow ourselves to boast, if we so choose, about what we do or accomplish. Those who have read this blog for any amount of time know that it is primarily about my running. But is running all there is to me? Of course not. I simply choose not to talk about the other things I do or am involved with. Nor am I going to talk about them now. From time to time I do, but not often. If I am to be judged solely by the content of this blog, then so be it.

Goals - Past and Future

January 2009 I set 4 running goals. 1. To run my first 100 miler. 2. Run the Boston Marathon under 4 hours. 3. Run a sub 20 minute 5k. 4. P R in the marathon.
I achived two of them. I ran 100 miles, and I completed Boston in under 4 hours, barely.
For 2010 I am carrying the two that I didn't achieve over to this year. And I'm adding two more. My running goals for 2010

1. Qualify for Boston at Boston (3:45:59 or faster)
2. Run 100 miles again.
3. Run a sub 20 minute 5k.
4. P R in the Marathon.

I didn't specifically train to run a sub 20 5k. I plan to do that this year starting past July or August. Vamos a Ver.

A New Year - Short Ultra - Met Blog Friend

A New Decade is here. And like a New Year or a New Day, what is the difference between today and yesterday. I guess in this case a lot more hung over people.

For my first race of the year I ran a Fat Ass race. For those who don't know what this is, it's a very low key minimal support informal run/ultra. This one has a maximum distance of 50k (31 mile), but you were welcome to run whatever you wanted. I haven't run much since the CIMarathon early December. Several reasons, one - I wanted to rest a bit, two - a very busy time of year, 3 - relatively cold here. We had a blizzard Christmas Eve which stranded me in the DFW Airport trying to get back home. Anyway I decided to run the race and just do it by feel. This is a 17 mile out and back, then a 14 mile out and back. I would guess around 30 people started, but many turned back at the only water crossing. The temps were around 20 at the start, and while there was a makeshift bridge, some just didn't want to chance it. I started out very slow, and was in nearly last place for some time. I pressed on and made it to the dam which you only had to do once. While I had warmed up some on the trail, the dam is elevated and open to the elements. It was cold and windy and my hands started getting cold again. I made it to the turn around and continued back, still undecided if I would go beyond the 17 miles. The trail was snowy, icy, and muddy. After making it back to the start, I sat down, had a sausage with chili and some hot chocolate. I decided to go back out, but since I figured I'd be the last person on the trail, I told the director that I would turn around when I encountered the last person returning. There were only three people who had headed back out to do the full 50k. I just wanted to get past the marathon distance. The second time out I was much slower, not feeling bad, just low on energy. I encountered what I thought was the last person returning, decided to continue just a bit more so I would get over 28 miles, and then headed back. I finished feeling ok, ate a little more then headed home. A nice way to get back into the swing of things.

On New Year's Day I met one of my blog friends. She was headed back to California from Tennessee, and had stopped in Oklahoma City to rest for the night. The next morning we met at Starbucks, and chatted like we were old friends, which we now are. Nice meeting you Penny, look forward to the next meeting. Below is our picture, and here is a link to her blog.