Rock & Roll Marathon STL

Sunday October 23, 2011 I knocked 33 minutes of my marathon personal record.

The run started in earnest 18 weeks earlier. That's when I started on the training plan from Hal Higdon. The whole process was actually new yet familiar. I had followed one of his plans for a half marathon earlier in the year. It worked very well for me so I tried it for the full 26.2 miles. Let me tell you, 18 weeks is a long time to be following a plan.

Race weekend arrived. I made this journey with my best friends, StAshley or Stephen and Ashley. They're married and I have to say, awesome. This was Ashley's first marathon and she wanted Stephen to run it with her. He did and she ended killing my first marathon time, and Stephen's. While it is very obvious her accomplishment is fantastic I don't want Stephen's to become lost in the shuffle. Most people don't have any idea what it is like to run a long distance race at someone else's pace. It is an extremely selfless act.

The morning started off dark and chilly. I was in corral 1. The race started and I ran. I can't say I was really focused on my speed. I started with everyone around me but also made sure I was being slowly passed by those people. See, I have this little problem of going out too hot. It is occasionally used to get a laugh now and again.

There were around 25,000 people at this race. The first aid station was just over a mile in. With so many people I was having a bit of an issue getting a drink while being polite so I bolted to an open spot. Went to grab a cup but instead knocked the whole cup onto the volunteer. As you can tell we still had a lot of people at the 5k mark (24:43) from the picture below. You might also notice the very attractive lady over my right shoulder. Turns out she ran the half and beat my best half marathon time by 1 second. What a B! (Kidding, good work. Wanna go have dinner?)

Next big deal was around mile 8. Mom was going to be there. Well, supposed to be there. She was late. I thought about how Ashley would at least have some cheering for you and laughed about how she would try to ask them where I was. She sometimes doesn't understand what it's like on the course but I'm always happy when she is able to come to a race. This is also where we split from the half-marathoners. The course thinned out but we still had a lot of spectators and a fair number of runners.

Half way point was next (1:47:59) and arrived there feeling very good and being very impressed with my time. I thought, wow, I'm rollin.

That feeling changed around mile 20-22. This is when the struggle bus arrived and I got on board. I just started making deals with myself. Thinking about how I only had X number of miles. It's funny how easy 4 miles is at the front end, and how impossible it can be at the back end.

I crossed the finish line after 3:47:45 of running. This blew the old record out of the water by 33 minutes. Did I want to be faster, of course but am I happy with my time, ABSO-FRIGGIN-LUTELY!

Bourbon Chase 2011

This was the best event I've ever been a part of.

The Bourbon Chase is a 200 mile overnight relay race from Jim Beam to downtown Lexington. Along the way we pass Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, and Woodford Reserve.

I was roped into doing this over a year ago by a bunch of people I only knew via twitter. During this last year leading up to the event I've visited them several times and was even a guest at a wedding between two of the runners, Dooch and Jess.

After meeting up with most of Team Shirlock at a Waffle House (it's a house not a home) we went to Patty's. Patty is the sister of a former team mate from 2 years ago. She's obviously a really cool lady because she offered her BEAUTIFUL 1864 farmhouse for us to stay pre and post race. She and her husband, Steve, even made us breakfast.

We picked up the rest of the team at the Louisville airport and headed to Jim Beam. I've never been to a distillery. It really is an impressive place. I think the neatest aspect is the barrel warehouses. These building are HUGE. Stories tall, hundreds of feet long, and tens of feet wide. They are just packed with barrels of bourbon. There really isn't much room to walk. All the barrels are in racks on their sides towering up and into the darkness.

Dooch started us off at 2:45 in the afternoon on Friday. From here we just kept running. Person after person and leg after leg. We were supposed to have 12 runners but we only had 10. Some of us ended up running 4 legs with others running the standard 3.

Two of my 4 were at night. Around 1:30 and 3:30. I pretty much hauled the mail on the 1:30 leg. Averaged a 7:27/mile pace. If darkness can be gorgeous this was. All of the runners are required to wear a reflective vest, a headlamp, and a red taillight. The run was a road that was miles of straight pavement with slight elevation gain. When i would look behind me there was an endless stream of tiny white bouncing lights and ahead of me blinking red lights. I don't know what was so interesting about this scene, maybe I was delirious from lack of sleep but several times I'd look at this and smile and laugh. The next leg at night was much more challenging. It was me, the darkness, and my breath in my headlamp. Well those things along with the 3 runners that past me. It was tough; all alone, long, sleepy, hoping i wasn't lost, hungry.

My last leg I almost don't want to mention. Only 4.2 miles but so difficult due to cramps I would have quit if I didn't have a teammate waiting on me to hand them the slap-bracelet. Yeah, we had a slap-bracelet and I know you're jealous.

The best 28 hours 29 minutes ever. Pictures do much better justice than my words.

I want to see a movie

First, I don't call them films. I grew up calling them movies so that's what they are to me. I'll use film as a more detailed description of a movie, but in the end it's a movie.

I have a friend* that made a movie. I haven't seen it but I want to. It is apparently so rad that it is premiering at the Vancouver Film Festival. The movie is titled All Ages. I'm not sure when I'll actually get to see the movie but if you have the opportunity you better go; I might have to break your kneecaps if you don't. Maybe it'll show at True/False, a guy can dream.

I told her I wanted to meet the actress and she shot me down faster than Jerry Miculek. But come on, you have to admit she's a good looking chick.


*She's a twitter friend and an entertaining blogger that makes me laugh. Chances are I'll never meet her and her has-to-be-awesome-as-all-get-out husband but they do have an open invite to the cabin along with all my other twitter friends. Interweb friends are fun to have.

Arrival

I have arrived at our meeting place under a waxing gibbous. I await the rest of Team Shirlock and our grand adventure.

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

Saturday we headed to Hermann, MO for Oktoberfest. Priority number one was to celebrate Katie's birthday. Her birthday isn't for about another 3 weeks but that is just a minor rounding error. After all, October 1 and the beginning of Oktoberfest only happens once a year.

So we all piled onto a Moniteau County school bus and boozed are selves for the 64 mile drive. After arriving in Hermann we made our way to the Hermannhof Vineyards. It's a pretty nifty little place. We bought our bottles of wine, stood in the way of everyone else for awhile. This is where I saw the first fashion disaster. I didn't get a photo of this but she had on these black shiny tights, a white oxford that wasn't really long enough, and these fringy leather short boots. It was bad.

Our little crew eventually found a spot on the hill overlooking the town. Once everyone sat down I felt like I should start teaching them something. They ended up learning but it wasn't because of me.

We learned how to stack girls for pictures.

We learned how to do the chicken dance.

We learned how to propose and get a yes. This was probably the most fun part. Everyone on the hill saw this happening and we all started cheering once it was obvious she said yes. We think she said yes, or they were both real happy she said no. They also both turned to the cheering crowd and raised there arms in celebrated victory.

We learned how to hardcore make out in public. This wasn't the newly engaged couple, this was actually going on when the proposal happened. That's how we noticed them. When they finished her shirt was all screwed up and tangled in her bra and he was having trouble standing up. A lot of pocket work was going on to get things comfortable.

I can't seem to go anywhere without seeing a romper. They are the worst things ever and need to be banished to the bad decision bin of history. Nothing about that looks good.

Also saw this guy. Dude, first I'll let the fact that you are wearing a black suit slide and chalk that up to personal preference. However, never wear white shoes with a black suit. Also, last time I checked my calendar we've already sailed past Labor Day.

Next stop after the winery closed down at 6 (seriously why so early? we still wanted to drink your wine) was Tin Mill Brewery. I really should have snapped some shots of the old grain elevator in there and the brewing rooms but I think I was a bit sauced at this time and forget.

We also learned the proper technique for throwing the rock drink on a wine bottle thanks to my BF. He's kind of a pro so you may want to avoid pulling this move unless you are a trained professional. There is serious risk of injury, consider yourself warned.

The guys went down the street for a bit of Scotch Whiskey to celebrate The Gran. She was such a classy lady that loved scotch and golf. The Gran was BF's grandmother.

To cap off the night we had some trouble rounding everyone back up to get on the bus, obviously. It was like herding cats. I did get the joy of seeing a guy being thrown out of the bar. He was thrown out. Actually lifted up, placed horizontal, and chucked through the air like a stick of firewood. This would have been entertaining enough but the tossers didn't look to see if the approach and landing was clear. So on his way through the air he was impeded by a rather large lady. As you can imagine a lady isn't exactly expecting a man to be flying through the air so she was ill equipped to deal with the sudden impact of his body into hers. They both proceeded to fall to the ground scattering legs and arms all over the sidewalk. As you can imagine the guy wasn't too happy about this so on his way to his feet he pushed her down again. Then he wanted to take up the issue of being tossed with the bouncers that tossed him. They seemed to be doing a good job convincing him he was no longer welcome. The cops didn't think so so they got in on the action. Watching a drunk guy try to fight 2 bouncers and 3 cops is pretty entertaining.

All in all it was a great start to Oktoberfest!

Made Right Here

Lace up your Made in America boots and head over to check out Max's new project!
I'm super proud of him. He's come a long way from that goofy college freshman I met as an RA. He's come an even longer way from the fraternity roommate that would jump over me to get a peak at the Pi Phis out our window. Love you Max!

M, The Mighty Quinn

Last night I had the chance to listen to my long time friend, Mike, play a solo show. He's been creating music for longer than I've known him. I've liked it all but he's come a long way since the first band I heard him in, The Kids. That evolved into Non Stop 3. Later came Confident Years but with "real" jobs that project has subsided and Mike is now focusing on M, The Mighty Quinn. He plays everything and records it all in his basement.

The best story I think he has turned into song is, #2. He's now a divorced father of 2. He wrote this song after his wife packed up her stuff and left. Left Mike, his kids, but not the towel bars. Bitch took those too. Dinner that night was served to the kinds sitting on the floor, because she decided the kitchen table was hers too. I'll shut up so you can listen.

M, The Mighty Quinn, #2