Week 7

This week's long run, was a solo run. Susan and I got away for the weekend to celebrate our 7th anniversary! Believe me, similar to running a marathon, that's never happened for me before...

Checked out some options for a long run, I was looking to get ~12 miles and in hopefully around 2.5 hours. After a bit of research, and a drive through the country I picked the following route:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/il/-irish-cottage/751453872426

The pre-run dinner included Shepard's Pie from the Irish Pub in the inn we are staying in (Shameless plug for a good homeland joint: http://www.theirishcottageboutiquehotel.com/.) It proved to not be a bad thing, but might have been tempered by the three types of potatoes I had with it too (mashed, fried and skins...) I also stayed away from the Irish Car Bombs, and stuck with my MGD-64! I really think Miller needs to market more to the Marathoners of the world, it's the perfect combination of hydration and gives you a bit of a buzz!

The roads on the route proved to be nice, quiet, country roads (Irish Hollow: how can you go wrong with that and Rocky HILL certainly deserved it's name.) Cemetery Road was a bit creepy last night when I drove the route, but not so bad during the day. It was a little more creepy having the souped up 4x4's driving by me and wondering if "billy-bob" might be looking for a cute little thing to take back to the shack for some fun... Good thing I don't qualify as a "cute little thing..."

It was perfect weather, started out at 8:00am, and the landscape was beautiful! I saw hawks going out for their morning flights and a deer having breakfast in someones lawn. I was challenged on Rocky HILL when I noticed the "Steep Grade" sign, had to walk up some of the hills, but managed a head. Then on 6th mile I passed Marge Beadle's farm, and in particular her cows. I hadn't realized cows were such and active bunch, although I think it might be because I inspired them ("if that chick can run, so can we!") As I ran by the cows they joined along my side, although it was a bit embarrassing when they passed me for a bit, but I'll have you know they did finally give up, and I DIDN'T!!

I made it through the 8 mile loop and headed back out for about 4 more miles out on Irish Hollow, but turned around before I got back to the cows, something tells me at that mileage they might have been able to take me... The run finished at 2:42 hours, and I'm tired and soar... Time to go shopping, ok maybe a nap first...

Elevation Map (guess where the "steep grade" sign was!)

Week 6

BIG WEEK! Note to self, don't insinuate that you aren't being pushed hard enough in previous posts, cause Mo will take it as a challenge to test your endurance...

Saturday we did a two hour traipse around Governor Nelson State Park (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/govnelson/maps.html.) Got use to the sloppy wet shoe feeling, cause started out in the early morning dew. Perhaps I shouldn't take this next part too personally, but it was a bit disturbing at one point during the run when a large grasshopper was springing across our path. Maybe it was just its "time", and maybe Mo wasn't trying to make a statement, but the grasshopper was a little slow in moving off the path and got squished by Mo's stride. This certainly inspired me to keep pace with Mo, so as not to deal with a similar consequence...

Sunday was the Henry Vilas Zoo Run Run, which was a yearly staple in the 5K runs, however this year was a new test, to do the 10K, although again this had been achieved weeks earlier. So the trick to all this is to see if I can run on "tired" legs, after having run Friday (1hr), Saturday (2hrs), Sunday 10K... Ha, I laugh in the face of tired legs... Not only did I run the 10K, but beat my 5K pace from the previous year Zoo Run Run by ~50 seconds.

• 2007: http://www.onlineraceresults.com/race/view_individual.php?make_printable=1&bib_num=354&race_id=6617&type=result
• 2008: http://www.onlineraceresults.com/race/view_individual.php?make_printable=1&bib_num=313&race_id=9076&type=result

The nice thing about the Zoo Run is there was football and libations waiting for us in the neighborhood at Michele and Byron's!!! Hmm, those porch steps seem vaguely familiar???

71 days until the marathon....

Week 4 & 5

I've been deliquent, but it's been a busy and great couple of weeks. Last weekend (9/7) we were witness to ~2500 folks doing the Madison IronMan. Quite the site of all those folks flopping around in lake Monona. I got to watch the start and the finish. The finish was inspiring to see folks after >13 hours of swimming (2.4miles), biking(112 miles), and then finishing with a full marathon (26.2 miles)! Congrats to Wes for a successful event! Cool thing to watch, but no I have no interest in participating... Being the youngest of five where all four elders were accomplished swim team members, I fell through the crack, and would be lucky to dog paddle 2o yards!! And since I'm confessing I also got out of piano lessons, but make up for it know with my Karaoke abilities, for those of you that don't recall my fifteen minutes of fame (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkAeA7Sl584) Yeah, I know I got Mom's singing abilities...

Back to running, we are right on schedule!! I'm still at the max for one run around 11 miles, but I'm feeling good after 11 miles, and not exhausted. Overall mileage for the week is going up, and as Master Mo says that's the thing to do. Note Mo started referring to me as "grasshopper", so it greatly amuses me that upon looking up this reference the teacher in question was Master Po, so seems a natural fit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_(TV_series).

I've also found the ability to spend money on ALL the necessities for running (various socks, body glide, jelly bellies, water belt with all the proper accouterments, running shoes, trail shoes, rain jacket...) So, even if I don't finish the marathon I'll look good doing it!

Week 3: First 10K

Did my first 10K, seemed fitting the race was the Sauk Prairie Cow Chip Classic (http://www.wiscowchip.com/classicrun.htm)

Wes and Renee joined me and Mo for the my first 10K. Although for Wes it was just a "fun run" for next week's IronMan (maybe next year... ah no...)

Had a good run until the last mile and then it was all about just not puking my guts out :) Mo encouraged me on and we did make it across the finish with no ambulence... And made it just in time for kick off of the first Badger football game.

The rest of the days events are a blur, well, not really but let's just say it was little to do with running and it encouraged me to take a day of rest on Sunday.

Less than 96 days to go....

Week 1

So, it's > a week later, and I'm still thinking good thoughts about running!! Thanks all for your responses, and for the most part well wishes :) The thread from the email will definitely provide good scrap book material!

Susan and I are going to dust off our PM skills and put together a more formal invite and register for who's in for what and when. We have found a hotel that looks reasonable for ~$110 a night, and will see about reserving a block and inlcuding that information in the invite. Should have that all pulled together and out to all by 9/1.

If your interested in seeing what I look like after a 2 1/2 hour run in the woods check out the following link. Note the progression to happiness isn't the release of gas, I was stretching!! Also, the last picture isn't of me, it's of Mo, and her taking my training WAY to serious in trying to show me the proper way to do a belly flop on the trail run!http://picasaweb.google.com/kmack.mack/MarathonTraining/photo?authkey=5H-Ig2i11Fs#s5235663961936667026

The Beginning

Susan asked me the other day what I want to do for my birthday. Forthose of you not good with math, and for most of you that would besubtracting years from your age to get to mine, I got kind of a "big"one coming up in December. Since last year I made a mess of Susantrying to surprise me for my bday she decided it wise to have adiscussion about my desires for my 40th. My first thought is, wellit'll be like my 20th, and my 30th, invite friends and drink... Butthen I got to thinking, which is never a good idea, and I actuallycame up with an idea, not sure it's a good idea, and you all willthink I've lost it and send for an immediate review of my mentalstability... I want to do a marathon.

If you're interested, especially for those of you that met me in theearly years, running has NEVER been a passion/desire/thought of mine.I can still remember Ms. Schmock (if you don't know/remember that wasmy high school b-ball coach...) yelling at me to "MOVE MCCULLOUGH" mebeing always the last to cross the sprint lines... ~3 1/2 years agoRenee convinced me I should do the Shamrock Shuffle 5K, which howcould I resist a good Irish event like that, and being able to drinkafterwards. So, I started running but nothing serious. I can rememberhaving a conversation with a friend at work when I told her I was aslow runner, and she said there is nothing wrong with running 10minute miles, I said, um I run 13 minute miles... I went along forseveral years being content with running 2-3 miles at a time, and theoccasional 5K. Then I had my "second wind" inspired by Mo, whoalthough by full admission is an ultra-marathoner(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramarathon) I just like to call hernuts. She convinced me maybe I could run a bit further, and then abit further and a bit further. When a couple of weeks ago we went ~9miles, granted it wasn't pretty, but I made it up right, I thoughtwell that was stupid. But then I go back to Susan's question "what doyou want to do for your b-day", and you know what, I think I want achallenge, I know I can drink, but can I run 26.2 miles AND THENdrink?

I realize this is a little off the standard protocol, but Susan and Iare going to Bloomington IN for my 40th, and I would like you all tobe there, whether as a 26.2 miler, 5.5 miler or spectator (to keepSusan company) and at the end have a beer with me, I'd love for you tojoin us. I don't have high expectations for myself, just don't wantDNF after my name (Did Not Finish) or for that matter DOA....

When: Friday December 5th, Saturday December 6th (race day), SundayDecember 7th (hangover and recovery day)
Where: Bloomington IN is the closest town
What: Marathon and Drinking (http://www.dinoseries.com/marathon.html)

I don't have all the details yet, kind of want to see who'sinterested, but we could easily reserve a block of rooms in a hotel inBloomington. For those of you willing to consider doing the marathonI recommend you sign up soon, as they fill up. It's not going to bean easy marathon, but no one ever said life would be easy(http://www.marathonguide.com/races/racedetails.cfm?MIDD=2072051203)

And although John T.'s wisdom should always be considered "if you wantto run, why do you need to drive to the high school, just run..." Thelocation in Bloomington IN looks awesome!