Feeling Burnt Out

Being in the midst of training for the Chicago Marathon, I am now in the constant state of flux. Between training, family, household chores and managing a running club,  I just feel so burned out most of the time. Lately when it comes time to hit the pavement or trails I been kind of sluggish in the ambition department. Funny thing though, on those days when I feel the worst mentally and physically, I've been turning out pretty good runs. Which makes me think, on those days you don't feel like getting out there, you could be missing one heck of a run.  In fact, thinking back, I have achieved a couple PR's while I was sick, or tired, or just not feeling mentally prepared.  I recall those PR races where I was standing at the starting line and thinking "I just want to make it to the finish, goals are out the window".  Those are the runs where it is like a perfect storm of emotions, like disappointment and anger, maybe fear of the first DNF come together and form an energy; guiding you through until the end. Those runs seem to re-invigorate my soul, and make me look forward to running again. To me this is what running is all about. Get out and go.

My New Favorite Shoe: Mizuno Wave Sayonara

Beast Mode On:

Well just surpassed 350 miles in my Mizuno Wave Sayonaras. First impression, man these look awesome. Upon further examination of the shoe I felt a little skeptical on the durability aspect when I received them as they were the lightest trainer I have used to date.  

First Run:

Release the Kraken!  These shoes are meant to go fast.  The are light, feel open, and have a low to the ground connected feeling.  I ran a 6 miler as my first run in this shoe, and never looked back.  

About My Training:

I am currently training for the 2013 BOA Chicago Marathon.  I have put the Sayonaras through the paces.  I have done just about every single run of my Chicago Marathon training in this shoe.  From easy runs, speed work, and tempo runs; to the epic long runs that define training.  I am not fast, nor am I slow.  I am your average runner for my age.  Speed work is usually intervals in the low to mid 7's totaling around 7-9 miles once a week.  Tempo work is usually 7:30-8:00 pace for around 10 miles once a week.  My long runs have progressed from 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20 milers done at about 8:30 pace once a week. Based on that I don't believe that I was easy on this set of shoes. So you can see that I am dedicated to running a Marathon not just to finish, but to finish strong.

Compared To Previous Shoes:

So far I have not had a single issue with the shoes causing any aches or pains.  My legs feel good except for normal fatigue.  The Sayonaras are wearing as well as any of the other shoes that I have owned by Mizuno. I have been a Mizuno customer since day 1.  I have trained for all of my previous 7 marathons, and numerous half marathons in Mizunos.  From the Wave Creations, Riders, and Precisions, to the current Sayonaras. These are my favorite shoe since the Wave Rider 13's. These shoes do a few things very well.  First, they breath like a champ, During the summer months my feet get hot yes, but very seldom do my shoes get squishy like the heavier trainers in the past.  Secondly, I have run in these things wet, and as long as you have good socks, no issues.  They did not feel heavy when they go wet either, as they did not seem to hold a lot of moisture. Lastly, they protect and cushion your foot very well.  The Sayonaras have a built in wave plate that extends to where the mid-sole starts and the U4ic mid-sole picks up. This wave technology helps to disperse energy as you land.  I like to think that I run pretty light on my feet and in control, and feel the Sayonaras offer a very sufficient amount of protection.  I have run on gravel, dirt, and step on the occasional stick, and have not felt any discomfort. 

Expected Mileage:

I will get 400 to possibly 450+, unless the shoes cushioning system the (wave plate and or U4ic midsole breaks down, but so far so good.  I would say for 350 miles wear and tear is totally normal.  See Photos.  There are some rips or tears developing up towards the toes on the big toe side of both shoes, I do believe that is just from catching them on the other shoe in transition. I think that because the outsides don't have those same rips or tears.  The X-10 rubber sole is holding up superbly.  See the photos attached.

Conclusion:

This shoe is a fantastic shoe if you are a neutral runner, with a good mid-foot or fore foot strike.  I am 6'1" and around 170 lbs.  My comfortable pace is around 8:50 and my speed pace is around 7:00.  Given that info you can develop your own thoughts.  like if your 6'4" and a heavy set heel striker, this may not be your cup of tea.  That being said this is a shoe that needs some consideration when looking into a lightweight, neutral performance trainer.  

Specs and features from Mizuno:

• Light, low to the ground, versatile–the Wave Sayonara makes everyday a Go Fast day.
• U4ic midsole provides resiliency and a smooth ride at a fraction of the weight of traditional midsoles.
• G3 SOLE has lightweight, superior traction, creating a pure connection to the ground.
• Upper design provides exceptional forefoot hold and assurance at toe-off.
• Weight 8.1oz mens, 7.1 oz womens.
• Retail $119.00

Here is what mine look like with 350 miles. All different surfaces.

Dear Lululemon Athletica Oak Brook, Illinois/I Run Because _____5K

My wife and I and about 8 other people in our running club had the opportunity to run the I Run Because ____ 5K. If you never heard of it is a small race, 350 participants. This race is hosted, and of course sponsored by Lululemon.  We all had high hopes that this would be a great race, especially since it was free. I guess I should say free for some. This race had no entrance fee, and today that is really tough to come by, especially since most of us know that running is the most expensive free sport out there.

Before I go any further, I would like to take the time to thank all of the volunteers who helped organize the actual race, and who showed up to cheer on the runners.  I understand that one person does not represent all of you.

To elaborate on the free aspect of this race, because it was really only free to some people. The entrance was free, but for my wife it wasn't.  She received an emotional stabbing at packet pickup at the Oak Brook location.  Let me explain.  When we arrived to pick up the packets, we had to wait since they were a few minutes behind schedule.  We thought that's fine it a free race we are getting what we paid for.  We decided to casually mill around and look at the merchandise they had to offer.  It was at this time that my wife was given unsolicited advice on product.  A sales clerk came up to her and saw what she was looking at and was told that the product she needed was "product X for big gir
ls".  I was not with her when this happened.  I was in the men's area having a conversation with a nice female sales clerk who was soliciting feedback from me on product. When my wife told me about what had just happened.  So I wanted to see the girl who said it to her.  My wife pointed out the girl who gave her the unsolicited advice. At this point I could have said something, but I know that it would have not been productive.  I had one look and said lets leave, of course without buying anything. Which is the best way to make a point. We had our numbers for the race so we left.
Since then in talking to others we have been directed to many articles about Lululemon's marketing practices.  Problem is we really have no beef with who a company decides to market to.  If that is how they make money and that business model works for them, then more power to them.  We believe that if your target customer is a size 00 through size whatever is your business.  You are a private business and you can focus on your demographic. We feel it is Lululemon's practice of making non or potential customers know and feel who their current market is, and that it is not people like my wife, and that is what disgusted us.
What that sales clerk did not stop and think about was that this beautiful person who she thought was "bigger" has a husband, and her husband will stand by his wife. Her husband has a running club, and belongs to many other groups in the Chicago area. Word of mouth.
I believe if Lululemon wanted to grow their business, they would grow their base through customer service. If you treat a person who may not be your customer well, one day they may be in your demographic or better yet your customer. That is good customer service, and good moral value. You know what they say about people remembering good customer service and bad service?  If  you give someone exceptional customer service they may tell someone.  You give someone bad customer service they will let the world know 5 times over.
The unfortunate part is that I am a target customer for Lululemon, and guess what.  I will never wear a Lululemon product because what I feel it stands for. They did not directly say or offend me, but their employee offended my wife.  I feel that if you have any self esteem issues, don't walk through Lululemon's door. It's as if some of the employees despise people unlike them. That is how I feel. This one girl in particular did a real nice job alienating any future potential customers they might have in us. Her pretentious attitude sealed the deal. That is too bad because there was a really nice girl that was helping me, she was very nice.  She even inquired how I thought they could make their product better. This goes back to the "good service and bad service". I received good service, my wife bad service.  I stand by my wife, and know begins the telling the whole world about bad service.
After searching "Lululemon Customer Service" on Google we realize we are not the only ones who feel like that.  I know that we will not put them out of business, I just feel that I hope they do something about harming other peoples feeling in hiring better people. With that said I am very grateful for the many choices of athletic wear I have to choose from. I am getting off my soap box.  That is all.

Unintended Consequence

I am thinking that the design of this shoe may have helped me in one area. In the previous shoes, Mizuno Wave Riders, and Wave Precision, where the front of the shoe was angled up, it seemed like I was always having an issue with sore toes on my right foot (dominant leg) after speed work. The reason for the soreness was when I push off of my mid-foot/toes, my toes grab into the shoe. I am a "gripper". With the Mizuno Wave Sayonara the shoe is flatter up front and not angled up and it seems like the gripping is not as extreme due to the shape of the shoe. Just a thought.

Mission Accomplished

Had a great run this morning with the crew from the Western Cook Running Club.  We rounded out week 8 of Chicago Marathon Training with 15 miles this morning.  I chose to run in the share tested Mizuno Wave Sayonara's. My thoughts.... So far so good.  Originally, I thought that I would be doing speed sessions, tempo, and easy runs in this shoe, due to the more minimal design i.e. lighter materials, sleeker look. I am happy to report my 15 mile run was great in these shoes. Needless to say they have become my daily driver, and a real workhorse. I am very happy thus far with these shoes.  Everything is still looking good, durability wise.  I will say I've run the gauntlet in these shoes now.  Speed Work, Long Runs, Tempos, and easy.  I've run treadmill, pavement, limestone, gravel, and dirt.  I've run in them wet, and when it was 95°F.  I personally will call it how I see it, and this is a great shoe.  I will definitely own another pair soon.

Mizuno Wave Sayanora Test Shoes

I was lucky enough to be chosen for the Mizuno Wave Sayanora Share Testing.

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression.  Well after running in the Sayanora's, I will disagree with the previous statement.

I received my box, and opened them with great anticipation.  Upon opening the box and investigating the shoes for a few moments I had some initial concerns. Those concerns have been addressed after a couple runs.

First when I pulled them out I noticed they were unlike any other Mizuno running shoe I have ever owned.  First, the toe was not angled up. This looked more like a throwback shoe, being very flat looking.

Second, looking at the bottom of the shoe I noticed that the treads did not appear to be as beefy as a Wave Rider, or a Wave Precision.

Third, the fabric overlays on the shoe were awesome looking, and more minimal. Thinking about all of these initial concerns I came to a conclusion.  These are a serious running shoe.

I love that they are very lightweight (Sayanora Pure Flow 2's LOL).  When I slipped these on for a run, I walked in them on a concrete floor, and felt as if they might be too thin.
I headed out for a quick road run . 100% hard surface. I have to say all of my concerns vanished when I started running in them. As thin as they seem, they provided more than adequate protection from stepping on rocks and debris.  I now feel as if this shoe can be a daily driver for shorter runs, and speed work.  This shoe will be in my rotation for my training for the 2013 Chicago Marathon. So I will provide more info as I log the miles.

Things I noticed during my run:
As flat as they seem, they still offered great support for my arches (which are normal).
They seem to breath as well if not better than the precision.  Lighter weight materials?
The minimal sole as compared to the precision's protected my feet when I landed on small rocks and other debris.
The flat profile, in conjunction with the reduced weight from a precision made them feel fast.  They were faster and felt comfortable to go fast.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/336046398

Inspiration

Sometimes you really have to wonder about life. Especially when you are having a really rough day, and things are just looking down, then someone or something steps into your life and helps you to recapture your outlook to add a piece of perspective. Lately this has happened to me a lot.  No matter how much this happens to me, I am grateful for those things, and those people who help you to see clearly. Life is truly a gift, relax and enjoy it while you can, don't waste it.

What Does Running Mean to Me?

I was asked earlier this last weekend if I would do a piece for the Run For Boston 5K Blog about what running means to me.  I of course agreed.  Here it is.

What does running mean to me? For most people running means health benefits like weight loss and stress relief. Non-runners would think that one runs as a means to achieve the aforementioned benefits, and in the beginning that is what it meant to me. But things change. My running journey began in early 2010 on a treadmill in my basement. To fully explain what running means to me, I have to give you a little background so you can understand the importance of running in my life. My journey began due to a life changing experience when I was an adolescent.My life changing experience was being diagnosed with cancer. That cancer took many things from me. Cancer destroyed my fitness as well as my self-esteem. Being asked what running means to me ultimately brings me back to high school when I could not "run" the mile in physical education, because I was so out of shape from being sick. I think it was that not being able to run the mile that planted the seed to start running years later. Let’s fast forward now 24 years,long story short Dan 2, cancer 0.  I beat that cancer 24 years ago, but the effects would be long term.
After being out of treatment a couple years I gained weight, got lazy, and became dependent on the creature comforts so many people fall into and get trapped by. I felt like I deserved to be comfortable. The whole time deep down inside I knew the truth full well, that I was terribly out of shape, and overweight. It made me think of the saying “If you’re comfortable, you’re not really living”.  I decided it was time for a change. That change would come in the form of running. I started running as a means to cure being overweight and my unhealthiness. It was immensely hard when I first started running regularly, I did not have a group or support, and I needed something to keep me going.  I would often reflect back on my days when I was sick for motivation. Slowly but surely I started seeing a difference.  The more I ran the more the "benefits" became apparent, which made running worth it. The more I ran, the more capable I became, setting goals, and slowly replacing bad habits with good habits as a way to help me reach my aspirations.My final goal (a secret) was to run a marathon, which I ultimately completed on 1-09-2011. When I completed that marathon, I thought that my journey had ended,this is where running really left its mark. What does running mean to me? Yes it means weight loss, stress relief, and health benefits. I now realize that these are not why I run, they are just side effects of running, I have learned that all of the things I thought I was sacrificing to run, really were not sacrifices, most were weaknesses and things that truly were no good to me.Running does not just physically make you stronger, but it makes you tougher both emotionally and mentally.
The weeks after running my first marathon we confusing, I felt a depression sink in.  There was emptiness inside me when I stopped training. I did not understand this emptiness. I had reached my goal of 26.2, but I felt somewhat unfulfilled, like my journey was not over.Since then I have run 6 more marathons, and numerous half marathons. I have realized that my journey was not about achieving a marathon, and it was not about what started me running in the first place. To me running is about constantly teaching me about myself. Most people really think they know themselves. I don’t buy that.  We need to define ourselves by drawing out our weaknesses and addressing them. Then you will truly know who you are. I was pretty ashamed of how lazy I was before I started running. Running has taught me that I have much strength, but it has humbled me, given me purpose.  It has given me the opportunity to help others by running for causes.  It has lead me to help others start their journey by starting a running club.Running has given me purpose and clarity when I needed it, and continues to do so.
What does running mean to me? Plain and simple it means life. Which brings me to a quote I heard….

In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away- shing xiong

2013 Walt Disney World Half Marathon Part 1

Here is part one of the 2013 Walt Disney World Half Marathon.
January 12th, 2013.

Where The Rubber Meets The Road.....Mizuno Wave Rider 16's

With the Disney World Goofy Challenge in my rear view, I think the shoes (Mizuno Wave Rider 13's) I wore have seen their last rodeo.  I have 440 miles on that pair.  I will let you know soon what I think about the new 16's.  Oh and they come in 3 delicious colors schemes.

Walt Disney World Goofy Challenge. 39.3

I will be posting soon my full race reports for these two races.  Hopefully I will have video available from the half marathon.

When Can I Call Myself A Runner?

Jan 13^th I found myself standing in my corral waiting for the start of the Walt Disney World Marathon.  I was excited to see 26.2 miles of Disney. As I stood there soaking up all of the adrenaline the age old runners question popped into my head.  When can I call myself a runner? Certainly I can call myself a “runner” since I successfully completed 5 marathons and many half marathons as well.  But, it is really not that easy a term to accept or question to answer, since it is very individual. If you are like me you stand in your corral waiting and you can't help but think about the journey that got you there to this moment. You start to think about all of the things you gave up, all of the aches and pains you endured, and the seemingly endless miles from which you emerged victorious, as you have arrived to this moment - this starting line. Before you know it, the national anthem is over, and you are crossing the starting line. You find that the initial miles are painless as the adrenaline courses though you, but as the miles stack up, your thoughts become laser focused on the most minuscule of things, usually minor discomfort issues.  As the adrenaline wears off, those minor discomforts can turn into mountains, and even though the finish line gets closer, it seems so far, perhaps even out of reach. You start doing crazy things like instead of miles left you calculate in minutes how much is left, why?  It does not matter 6 miles left or 60 minutes.  What is the difference?  It is funny how the brain works. Before you know it you are halfway there. You keep telling yourself that you need to maintain your pace. You tell yourself to stay focused and to breathe - you are pushing your body to the limits. This is the point of the race where you start to fight with yourself internally. Your mind is trying to discover some unknown excuse that will make it ok to quit. Your body is screaming at you to slow down to recover. You fight with your inner self. Every little irritant is now magnified by a thousand it seems. Now is the precise moment for which you have been training for. Is this what makes me a runner?  You have not just been training just to run, you have been training to beat your own thoughts and feelings, and after all you are your own worst enemy. By now your legs feel the miles pounding away at them, chipping away at your energy. Your feet feel achy as you turn them over, one step in front of the other. You feel sluggish as each mile is a repeat of this battle. Then as you think that you cannot feel any worse, legs tired, body crumbling you look up and finally see what you have been training for.......the finish line, here is where even at your worst physical state, your mental state helps you overcome that last stretch.  It’s funny how when people throw up, it’s after the finish line, and not before.

I made it to the finish line twice the weekend of January 12th, and 13th. These two races were very different for me. Because this time with 1/10th of a mile to go, for just a moment each time I thought that I really don't want to cross that finish line.  Sounds crazy I know, not because I just wanted to keep going, but because that means the race over. Like with any race, each finish came with a massive relief that I completed it, and the relief that I could finally stop running. With each race I got my finishers medals, and both times headed to out of the finishers area to feel the pride. As I stood there and looked around, I could not help but think. Are we all nuts?  I am sure many of those people running that weekend were thinking never again will I do this....EVER!  It's quite humorous, to see people limping and stumbling around in weakness smiling and laughing.  It is funny but, humbling at the same time.

For some of us the days following a finish start to feel “normal” again. You enjoy reconnecting with friends and family. You get back to all of the things you put off.  And as the days go by that awesome sense of accomplishment starts to wear off, and fade into the distance. For those who said never again, we feel the emotions and the memories slipping away, almost like it were something we dreamed. The race and training become a distant memory for some, as they stay true to their word “never again….EVER!”  But then there are those of us who feel like you need purpose or perhaps even feel depressed after this glory has gone.

To me this is the birth of a runner. This is where ‘runner status” begins for many. For me I can honestly say this revelation did not hit me until these last races. What I now realize is that I need running. The journey that got me to the start line of that first race never ended, and I don’t want my journey to end with each race. When I stepped over the finish line these last times and met my wife, and received my finisher’s medal, I realized something. I realized that I was not finished. I guess to me each race is a journey, and every journey is different. You meet new people along the way. You find out things about yourself you may not have known, like just how tough or weak you can be at the same time. You find out which friends will support you, and those who do not. You never know what challenges await you, physical or mental, lately for me it has been the Sunday morning blues "it's 20° out and it is nice and warm here in this bed".

When can I call myself a runner? I read it and hear it all too often.  I guess it really depends on the individual, but for me it was the moment I realized my journey was not over and I was not finished. Next up……First Midwest Bank Southwest Half Marathon May 5^th, 2013, then on to the Green Bay Marathon May 19^th.  Happy running everyone.

First Run of the New Year.

With the Disney World "Goofy Challenge" Coming up fast, Jan 12th and 13th. I figured I better get things in order and start learning to use my GoPro Camera. I bought it after watching some really fun, and entertaining videos by Jeremy from the Golden Triangle Strutters.  So I picked up the camera, and asked my running buddy Jack if he wanted to go an easy mile to bring in the new year. That said.....here it is...hope you like.

The Nike Element Shield Full Zip Jacket

The Nike Element Shield Full Zip Jacket

Retail Price: $115.00
Availability: Most major retailers and running specialty stores.

With the cold weather upon us, I have been finding it very hard to drag myself out of a warm bed on the weekends to get a run in cold, and rainy weather, especially the last few weekends. Back I. October while I was at the Chicago Marathon expo, I wanted to buy a souvenir. I wanted to purchase a jacket with the upcoming weather going to turn cold. I found one item that I really liked. The Nike Element Shield Full Zip Jacket, in Electric Green.

Upon first examination the jacket was well designed, and fit me well. What more could I ask for. I am no stranger to Nike running apparel. 90% of my shirts are Nike Dri-FIT. First reason I prefer Nike over the other brands because the way it fits me. That is most import. Second, they seem to be around $5.00 less than the competitors closest product.

This is where if you saved your money for a rainy day...........you will be happy.

Design:
The Nike Element Shield Jacket is made with Dri-FIT high-performance polyester fabric that very effectively wicks sweat away from your body and to the surface where it can evaporate and cool.

The tag on the jacket lists that it I designed to wind and water resistant in key areas to keep you dry and warm. The parts that are wind and water resistant are the entire front, the tops of the shoulders and the arms, all the way down to the hands. The undersides of the arms and the back of the jacket about 8 inches below the shoulder are the parts that are not so water resistant. Keep in mind this is not meant to be a rain coat.

The jacket has a stand collar which helps to keep in the warmth and cut the wind. It is soft and comfortable, and not restrictive in any manor.

The long raglan sleeves with thumbhole accents are a good length to keep most peoples hands warm. The full front zipper zips up to the neck, and can also then be unzipped up to the collar to dump excess heat.

The design of the lining is what I find most curious. The lining is a series of small plush thermal squares that make it light, breathable and surprisingly warm. There are reflective elements, which I will say are highly effective, made to increase visibility in low-light conditions. I feel that Nike could have put one more reflective strip across the back, like on the back of the Element Shield Vest. This on its own is not a deal breaker, since you may run during the day, or if you do run at night you can always opt for a hat with reflective properties. Just thought it would make for a nice touch since the jacket retails for $115.00.

Drop-in pockets at side for convenient storage.


Media cord loop at nape to keep cords out of the way. (Reflective)

Machine wash cold, line dry.

After a few runs in this Jacket I am able to write an objective review.

Warmth: Let me start off by saying this jacket is not made for over 40°F. I made one run when it was just over 40, and I needed to unzip as it was just too warm.

Water resistant not water proof: I have made two runs in the rain wirh this jacket. The first was 6 miles in a light drizzle, with a temp of 37 °F. I was very comfortable as I stayed acceptably and warm. So the jacket did exactly what it was supposed to do. I will say that in steady rain it is possible to get wet. The water resistant panels made the water bead up and just roll off. Not allowing it to soak in. The panels under the arms channeled the excess water and sweat, out of the jacket.

The other run was a windy, and misty 35 degrees. For that run, the jacket stated very comfortable as far as temperature. For reference I was wearing a short sleeve tech shirt. If it were colder, I would wear a compression top. I imagine that it would be good down to 20 with the right compression top, and to say you would not be out on a 20 miler. As for the mist on this run, the jacket did not even give it a second thought, handled it no problemo. It was a windy run as we had a cold damp wind of 17mph trying to cut in, the front panels do not allow the wind through, but it will transfer cold if it is cold enough and you sweated up the jacket pretty good, but to be honest, all lightweight materials would do the same.

I really felt that is jacket did an exceptional job on those runs. Below are some pictures of the features this jacket has.

Electric Green.  I love it.



As you can see your neck and chin are protected from the zipper.

The seams are sewn well.

The zipper is a YKK zipper.  This is a high quality zipper.

More seams.  Nicely sewn.

The outside right has a same zippered pocket to hold a key fob, gel, or ID. there is also another small pocket which could hold a gel or an inhaler.

 



The inside.  This fabric design helps to keep you warm, and helps to evacuate sweat.

This is the back of the jacket.  The top is water wind resistant.  The bottom is what you would find in a sweat jacket. 

Reflective swoosh on front.

This is a shot of the arm relector, the the reflective trim on the side pocket.



Reflective trim opposite side.


I have to say that I love this jacket so much I decided to get another one on sale.  $78.00 at Dicks Sporting Goods.  This jacket is well worth the money.  So the long and short of it is that if someone asked me should they get this.............I would say yes, if you run outside in the cold, and in the rain.  If you stay in while its raining or hit the tready, I would say save the cash, unless you just wear it to look cool.



Thanks for lookin.

Dan



2012 Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon

 

The Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon is a favorite in my race book.  There are many things that I enjoy about this race. This race is a night race and boasts a 10 pm start time, so if you are like me and not so keen on getting up early, especially while on vacation, then this race may be for you.  The W&D also has a relatively non competitive field of runners, so you can really feel good about your race results if you are not particularly speedy.  I have run this race 3 years in a row now, and am hoping for a 4^th in 2013.

 

Here is my official race report:

Race Day:  Saturday night race.  10pm Start.

Weather:  61°F and clear.

Race Field: 13,000

Type of Start:  Wave

What To Wear

My Diggs

Last Year this race was held as the opening ceremonies for the Wine & Food Festival.  Disney wanted to revive the Tower of Terror 10 Miler this year.  They moved the Wine & Dine Half Marathon to the last weekend of the festival to accommodate the the TOT10.  This move could prove to be good for a couple reasons.  First, the weather is cooler in central Florida in November vs. the end of September or beginning of October.  Second, more people can properly train for this race given the schedule is late summer and cooler weather helps people stick to training.  This year I wore a long sleeve Nike Tech Shirt, and 5 inch Nike Tempo shorts. My Shoes of choice, Mizuno Precision 13's.

Getting To The Starting Line

The Starting Line

We arrived at Epcot’s parking lot around 7:30 pm.  Disney has you park at the finish line area, and then they bus you over to the start line at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.  They use nice buses that have bathroom facilities. (Bonus)  This year the wait was relatively short as they had plenty of transportation.  Previous years, the wait was long. 


The pre-race setup was highly organized. Disney has a large lighted field as a staging area.  When you arrive you can check your bag, then you can get in line for one of the many probably 100 or more porta johns.  Then lines seem to move along at a decent pace. They open the corals around 9:15pm.

Lines for "The Can"

Coral A

 

 

Miles 1-4

I got to toe the start line. That was cool being right in the front.  Run Disney had a DJ at the start line that commenced a countdown, and then the fireworks went off, the start was great except I dropped my iPhone right at the start.  That cost me 5-6 seconds maybe, as well as some embarrassment.  After grabbing my phone off the ground I started off on a pretty quick pace.  I got through Mile 1, with a 7:13 split.  It felt fast, and then I came back to earth and tried to slow a little and control my breathing and get into a rhythm.  Mile 2 came and went, with a 7:21 pace, and again I felt that was too fast I wanted to be around 7:40.  The road was wide open having started in the front, it was nice not having to go around people.  This open road gave me the advantage of relaxing into the run.  Mile 3 came in at 7:26 and I thought, this could be a PR.  I was trying to slow, I thought I had, and I still felt good.  I was turning in sub 7:30’s.  My breathing felt a little hard, but was good especially for a race, temps were cool, and I was just starting to sweat between 2-3 miles.  I was off to a great run I got through the 5k mark in 22:57.  I pasted the 5k mat and said ok, just relax, slow down a bit and run sub 7:55 and I will have a PR. Just after entering Animal Kingdom I came through the Mile 4 mark in 7:35.

 

Miles 5-8

Just after 4 miles I started to feel side splits.  I have had those before, but only on runs that were fast, and I had not taken the proper time to digest.  That soon progressed into  heaviness in my lower intestinal area, I was like OH NO! I knew this feeling. I started to feel some cramping, and some nausea kicking in. I thought at this point I will go as long as I can, before I hit a porta john.  This way hopefully it would pass, and I would not have to try and make up for lost time.  Even with all the Disney awesomeness I was having a hard time now wanting to keep a pace.  The cramping was making me feel bloated and the pain was not subsiding.  This was not good.  I never felt this way during a run. I was feeling pretty bad.  It was downright painful. I came through Mile 5 in 7:54.  I was hoping to keep this pace, even with the pain. I kept on pushing through the conditions, and posted an 8:04 pace in Mile 6. I saw the mats for the 10k time split.  I hit the 10k mark in 47:37. This was the point when I started the mental fight.  “Your not even halfway through”  “I Feel Like Shit!” “Slow down till you feel better” “A finish is a win”, all excuses. This is where I zoned.  Time to blank my mind and stack up the rest of the miles and finish this mother.  I really don’t remember to much for the next couple miles except certain songs on my iPod, and mile markers.  Trudged through Mile 7 in an 8:09 pace.  I was out on World Drive headed towards MGM Studios, just hit Mile 8 and chimed in at 8:08,  I remember hearing The song “It’s Our Fight” by Steve Jablonsky, this is off the Transformers 3 Soundtrack.  Here is the link if you are interested. "It's Our Fight" .  This song gave me the fortitude to keep pushing through the pain, and the discomfort.

 

Mile 9-13.1

I thought this will be rough but I have to salvage this run, push.  One mile at a time.  I was now pacing with another runner, and he too was digging deep.  I let him ride for a little while right on my heels as I kept a steady pace.  I backed off he started to pass and I fell right in on him off his right hand side about 4 feet back.  He tried to move away, but I was going to stick right there.  I think it was making him uneasy forcing him to keep a pace. We hit the slow uphill to the off ramp to make the turn into MGM. We hit the Mile 9 mark and posted a 7:59 mile. There was some battling going on back and forth through MGM, cutting through on the inside of the turns and then back and forth. Mile 10 we had a split of 8:01.  By now I was really starting to feel bad, really bad.  I was seriously thinking of stopping, and this was rational thinking, not tired thinking.  I was like you are really hurting, you are going to either shit or puke, you can deal with barfing, but if you soil yourself there is no victory, only serious embarrassment. Just then I looked up to see the Mile 11 marker then….beep….beep I looked down 8:02.  2.1 To go.  You can do this.  Just get through it.  Keep pushing. Slow down if you have to.  I kept thinking if this was mile 8 or 9 I would stop for a break. I was doing calculations in my head.  I can still PR.  Not big, but a PR is a PR.  I knew the rest of the course from 11 thru 12.2 like the back of my hand.  I was going to try and keep up.  I was like I was being stabbed.  Horrible.  I other runner backed off coming out of MGM, and I kept looking ahead.  I felt accomplished as I fended off one competitor.  Mile I felt like was running a 9 min mile, then I hit the bridge between the Boardwalk and Swan and Dolphin Resort.  Legs felt 80lbs each.  I though this is going to kill me.  My Mile 12 split fell to 8:10. I was reassessing the situations when it hit me…..wall.  I was not drinking or gelling since the pain and discomfort.  I was afraid to.  I was going to have to finish this on pure will.  I could literally feel the energy drain.  One foot in front of the other, pic them up, or you will trip is what I was thinking.  I tramped along the Yacht and Beach Clubs. I hit the last incline (Bridge into the Epcot). I can’t explain how I felt.  Just bad.  I recall back lot scenery.  Mile 13 came in early at 8:14, I am going to miss a PR by seconds, is all I could think.  I have nothing left. I could see the 13 mile sign coming up.  It was time to see what I had left. 1/10^th of a mile left and I was running on less than fumes.  I felt unnatural, by body was slumping and I was clutching my stomach area.  I made the turn and saw the finish.  I did what I could, and came through the finish. I looked at my watch and saw 1:43:42.  I missed a PR, by 2 seconds.  I missed matching my previous PR by 1 second.  I felt even worse now.  I made it through to medical where they gave me something for my nausea and told me to lay down.     Long story short.  A few trips to the johns and a couple hours I felt a lot better.  We ended up skipping the Finish Line Party, since it was so crowded.

 

Ratings

 

Aid Stations – They had 8 aid stations with restrooms over the course.  The volunteers were upbeat and awesome.  They provided water and Gator-aid.  They had Clif-Shots at Mile 8.  5/5 rating.

Spectators –There were a lot of spectators at the race start, and then they all left to hit the Food and Wine Festival Finish Line Party, where they would wait for their runners. Needless to say spectator viewership was weak.  I compare this to the Marathon in Disney.  3/5 Rating

Traffic and Parking – They had parking available for free, and plenty of it.  It was Disney so traffic was no issue.  5/5 rating.

Race Tees – The race apparel that came with registration was nice.  A green long sleeve tech shirt. The design was nice looking too.  4/5 rating

Restrooms – Plenty, and well stocked. Given the large field wait was kind of long.  3.5/5 rating.

Course – The course had great views.  There is one downfall, if you can call it that, there is quite a bit of highway travel between the parks, to me it felt like a normal non-Disney race for those parts. They filled some of it with music, dancers, and float.  They did a great job.  They even had the green army guy from toy story telling us to “TAKE THIS HILL RUNNERS!!!!, and MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT, and ON THE DOUBLE!” That was up onto a ramp that headed towards MGM.  They also had the Osbourne Festival of Lights on in MGM, that was amazing.  Lots to see on this run.  4.5/5 rating.

Awards – The finisher medal is AWESOME! Nice ribbon, and medal.  5/5 rating.

Summary

There is a reason that I have run this course years years straight.  I love this race.  I like Disney of course, but they really cater to you.  They want you to have a great expeirience.  After all the entry is kind of pricey, but in my opinion worth the cash.  This course is a relativly flat course.  If you are a sub 9:00 runner, you will especially like this course.

 

Me and my Wife Post Race

 

 

Finsih Line
 

Ecpot Christmas Tree

Getting Ready For Vacation

It's funny to think that for most people, vacation is about going to relax and let go, I must be crazy.  All of my trips this year have been planned around running marathons and halfs.  Thinking back I have accomplished much this year.


Here is a list of my completed races for the year so far.

1. Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon - Springfield, Illinois, April 7th 2012
2. Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon - Louisville, Kentucky, April 28th 2012
3. First Midwest Bank Half Marathon - Palos Heights, Illinois, May 3rd 2012
4. The Cellcom Green Bay Marathon - Green Bay, Wisconsin, May 20th 2012
5. The Oak Brook Half Marathon - Oak Brook, Illinois September 3rd 2012
6. The Chicago Half Marathon - Chicago Illinois,  September 9th 2012
7. The Chicago Marathon - Chicago Illinois, October 7th 2012
8. The Community Health Indianapolis Marathon - Indianapolis, Indiana October 20th 2012
9. The Monster Dash Chicago Half Marathon - Chicago, Illinois October 21st 2012
10. The Hot Chocolate 15k - Chicago Illinois November 3rd 2012
11. Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon - Disney World, Florida November 10th 2012

Yes this has been a busy year.  I have loved every minute of it.  Even in the darkest miles when I wanted to give up.  Looking back there are absolutly no regrets.  I will of course post more once I get down to Disney.  Probably and expo post, and then the race post of course.

Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K Official Race Report:

Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K Official Race Report:

Date November 4th 2012

Race Day Wake Up Time:  5 a.m.

Race Start Time:  7 a.m.

Starting Corral:  C

Race Field: 40,000+

Race Day Weather:  36°F and Mostly Cloudy.

Race Day Breakfast:  Strawberry Oatmeal, and a banana at 5:10 a.m.

Getting Down There

We left the house around 6:10 am,usually takes 20 minutes from home to Downtown Chicago.  So I was super surprised that as soon as we hit the city it was gridlock.  Traffic was an absolute disaster.  We hit the city at 6:33, actually just outside the city on I-290.  We did not even get close to the parking garage until 6:55am.  I let the wife out, and asked her to hit bag check, and to see me after the race, she was doing the 5k.  She was set for corral M.  I knew I would miss my designated start since they had those city hacks that cannot direct traffic if their life depended on it out there.  I swear that is the city’s biggest waste of taxpayer funds are those traffic idiots.  That is a whole other story.  I parked the car in the Millennium Park Garage.  Parking in Chicago should be considered rape, $30 to park. 

Pre-race Atmosphere

There was a pretty good buzz in the air.  People were everywhere, it was total chaos.  I suppose it would not have been an annoyance, if I had been there earlier, (but I gave myself plenty of time to get there and park.  I was not really able to enjoy the pre-race buzz.  It appeared that they had a lot of restroom facilities available, so that looked like a plus,  I could be wrong since I did not have to go, plus just about everyone was in a corral.

Getting To My Corral

This was the worst I have ever seen it at a race.  The Chicago Marathon with a larger field is so much more organized.  There were no volunteers to point you to where you needed to go.  Corrals A, B, C, and D can only be entered from the east side (Bogus).  I needed to get from the west side of the corrals to the east side.  No on e could tell me where I could cross.  There is one solid fence the whole length of the starting corrals.  I started walking to towards the front corrals, since I was back by c corral.  I got as far as corral B and there was nowhere to get through.  Corral D was just starting, by this time it was like 7:15am.  I had to go all the way back to corral K in order to get through and across.  This whole thing was starting to seem like ordeal.  I finally ended up getting to corral G.  So I started around 10 minutes behind my group.  I was right at the front of this field with a few other faster runners who were probably made late by the unmitigated disaster that was taking place.

Miles 1-3.1 (5k)

This race was a wave start.  So when they dropped the line I headed out ahead of the pack.  Within the first ½ mile,I was running into stragglers from the previous wave.  Then around ¾ to 1 mile in, I was bogged down.  I was running mid 9’s for mile 2 according to my Garmin. We snaked our way through the city streets, as I tried to settle in.  I have never run a 15k race before.

Miles 3.1 - 6

I tried to pick up the pace here but it was hard since you were constantly getting bogged down.  My pace started to get down into the high 7’s.  Not sure how accurate that is since we ran under a lot of covered areas and I lost satellite quite a few times. 

 Miles 6 – 9.3 (15k)

I felt that I was hitting a good tempo pace, so I just played it safe through miles 6, and 7.  These miles were still packed since it was such a large field.  It was hard to get through.  Once I hit mile 8 I kicked it up a notch and sped up a bit and really started passing people.  I knew I was faster than tempo pace since my legs started to feel the miles.  We ran under Lake Shore Drive and headed into the final stretch of the race.  We hit our last right turn back out on to Columbus Dr. through the finish.

The Course Summary

The course had more negatives than positives.  The route had some great scenery, since you got to run on Michigan Ave, and then on Lake Shore Drive.  I mean that is pretty sweet.  However, the size of the field overwhelmed the route.  You were constantly getting stuck behind slower runners or walkers who were 3-4 across, or started in a faster corral.  When you hit Lake Shore Drive down to McCormick Place, they had you in the far right lane.  One lane with a huge race field means don’t run this if you are looking for a P.R.  Run it for fun would be better advice.  When we ran under McCormick Place it was pretty dark and footing was not the best.  So you had to be real careful not to end upon your face, or with a rolled ankle.   At the turnaround point they moved us on the lake path headed back.  Yes very nice scenery, the lake, and the skyline, and yes, the giant herd on a 12 ft wide path.  Overall it was flat except for the overpasses, which did eat up some speed since they are pretty are a little steeper than most.

My Race Experience

Overall it was a horrible experience.  The pre-race experience was what is making me feel most negative, other than the fact that you don’t get any medal for $68.00 entry.  Instead you get a cheap plastic bowl with cold, hard chocolate fondue.  I guess the really fast 5 k people would be the lucky ones to get hot fondue you can actually dip. My wife and I both got ours and there was hardly any chocolate to dip into.  The cup of hot chocolate was really watered down as well, and tasted like crud.  This was very disappointing.  It also turns out, that my time was not recorded.  I am unsure if there was problem with the chip or system.  I've sent an email to support asking about my official race time.  My wife and cousin both have one, but not me.  The pros and cons of this race:

Cons:

1. Horrible traffic control.
2. Lack of customer service trying to deal with my chip and time. 
3. The disorganization of getting to your starting corral and lack of volunteers being able to help you get there.  There was nothing communicated upon pickup about this either. 
4. The masses to contend with on the course, this is a packed race.  
5. No medal, no official time, no bragging.  
6. Getting boned on the hot chocolate fondue after racing.  
7. Lack of organization for the post race area, really crowded and long lines.  
8. Getting boned for $5.00 to park at the expo and then $30.00 to park at Millenium Park to make up for poor traffic control measures, and trying not to miss the start.

Pros:

1. A nice sweatsshirt.

Basically I paid $103.00 for a sweatshirt and lost my Sunday Morning. Would I do this race again.  No.

Overall Race Ratings

Aid Stations – They had 4 aid stations with restrooms over the course.  The volunteers at the aid-stations were upbeat and awesome handing out Gator-aide, water, and encouragement.  Rating:  5/5rating.

Spectators – Start and finish had decent crowd support there were plenty of people, but nothing like the Chicago Half Marathon, or Marathon. The aid stations gave a little mental boost with their cheering us on.They had some music out there too.  Rating: 3/5.

Traffic and Parking – Traffic was bad getting in, it is Chicago after all.  The Chicago Traffic Management Authority wasted so much of my time.  The city must not have a plan for this race. I sat at one stop light for 5 changes. this was to get to the parking garage that was right after the light.  I was only 10 cars back.  The traffic people are unprofessional and a bunch of hacks.  Then there is the$30.00 parking to contend with.  I will say this if you could have gotten over to Solder’s Field to park it would have been $13.00.  They Race Company needs to negotiate a reduced rate. Rating:  1/5.

Race Swag– The race apparel that came with registration was nice.  You received a hooded sweatshirt that is a tech style so it wicks moisture away. The hood is nice and a little over sized so it is comfy.  Rating: 4/5.

Restrooms – I hit the john after the race.  The wait was short. There was a lady going around looking to use one, but they were all out of toilet paper.  That is really inexcusable. Rating:   2.5/5.

Course – The course had great views on the way out and back. However it is not able to handle the load as the field is large.  Also when running under the buildings there road is slightly treacherous because it is dark.  Rating: 3/5.

Awards – The finisher medal is frikken……yeah, no finishers medal.  They should give you something, even if it was an inexpensive rubber one like Disney does with their 5k’s. Note:  In Disney’s defense they do have a nice ribbon on them.  Instead they give you a cheap bowl with a tablespoon of melted chocolate, banana, some pretzels, 3 apple slices and a tiny rice crispy treat…..stellar, this was the icing on the cake. Rating:  1/5.