Done!

2:18 for me, you all did much better. Watching the group run together was amazing - nice to see the miles fall away, I wasn't ready for the finish line. Every year I tear up at the start and at the end, I'm amazed at us each year!

Enjoy your recovery, wear your medal and be obnoxious about it: you participated in the largest sporting event in Nevada history, no sitting around on a couch for you!

all my best to you,

Ryan the Terrible

12 miles. The closest we get to glory

Wow - so much for my "let's do an easy run and have fun" speech.
We rocked the course today - just under 12 miles, just under 2 hours: that's a 10:03 min/mile pace.
Uh, we're supposed to run 10:18, right? Right! Today's run was the best by far. Our little pack of runners was huge - so many people there, we all ran together for most of it and we talked the whole way. Thanks so much for being there today, it's the best way to spend a Sunday.
Except for sleeping in, but that's what naps are for.

Stay healthy, stay intact, and if you are hurting, keep yourself slow and ready. We have one month, we're in the best shape we've been all year, now we taper and maintain. Keep the weekday miles up, keep your legs on ice, your refrigerator full of good fruits and vegetables, and have your friends come out to cheer you on.

You are all ready for this!

Ryan the Terrible,
proud Fearless Leader,
The Flying 2:15

Stuff found on the web

from graphjam:

Cocktail Sunday recap

Great run this week: 8 miles at a 10:10 pace. Perhaps it was the rum waiting for us?
Something I noticed is that we talk a little then leave on the usual week, but Cocktail Sunday keeps us standing around talking all day. Nice!

We usually hear about marathoners keeling over, but Detroit lost three half-marathon runners.
Autopsies expected after 3 die during Detroit race

Mon Oct 19, 5:54 am ET
DETROIT – Autopsies are expected after three half-marathoners died during the Detroit marathon.

Officials say 36-year-old Daniel Langdon collapsed at about 9:02 a.m. Sunday between the 11- and 12-mile markers and 65-year-old Rick Brown collapsed at 9:17 a.m., near where Langdon went down.

If you feel a little funny, talk to your doctor.

Officials say 26-year-old Jon Fenlon collapsed at about 9:18 a.m., just after finishing the 13.1-mile half-marathon in 1:53:37.

Autopsies are planned for Monday.

Rich Harshbarger, vice president of consumer marketing for the Detroit Media Partnership, told the Detroit Free Press emergency personnel were on the scene within seconds.

More than 19,000 people were registered to participate in the 32nd Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon.


.

Another reason not to run marathons - they make your brain go fuzzy.

Marcus Riley Salvador Lopez-Barr fell in love with his running coach, Hollis Bathen, while training for his first marathon.

So it seemed only fitting to propose to her during another 26.2-mile race, this one in Chicago. It was his fifth and her eighth, though the Chicago Marathon also held a special place in Hollis' heart -- it was the first marathon course she ever ran, back in 2004.

"So I decided to propose to her at the end of the race," Salvador, 36, said. "I only had to make sure to keep up."

Salvador -- a black-haired, cheerful attorney from San Francisco -- had a simple plan. Buy the engagement ring. Carry it for 26 miles. And then -- in front of the finish line grandstand, the TV cameras, photographers, and the cheering crowd -- get down on one knee and simply say "will you marry me?"

The proposal was to be a surprise. Everything had to be perfect, so Salvador prepared diligently.

He bought Nike runner's shorts with an interior pocket flap to hold the ring's box. The pocket was so tiny, Salvador had to find a smaller box. The pocket also didn't have a zipper. Salvador safety pinned it closed.


Everything in place, the couple began their run. In an attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon, both Salvador and Hollis were running eight minute miles.

Hollis, at 30 a lithe and beautiful woman with blonde shoulder-length hair, was the more experienced runner. She would set the pace.

After three and a half hours, the couple neared the finish line, matching each other stride for stride. Right before they reached the grandstand in Grant Park, Salvador untucked his pocket flap, de-safety pinned the enclosure, pulled out the box ... and tripped.

"I did some kind of somersault," Salvador said. The grandstand gasped. The crowd let out a collective "oh."

After the race, Salvador would explain that he had planned to trip, but not to go sprawling like he did. He scraped up his knee and elbow. Other runners, concerned, tried to help him up. Salvador shooed them away.

"I'm thinking to myself 'get away man, this is all staged, it's cool, it's cool!"

Meanwhile Hollis, intent on making her qualifying time, was exasperated.

"I was so bummed! Because the first marathon we ran together he cramped up at mile 12 and we had to walk eight miles," she said. "And I was like 'oh my god, you can't fall here! Get up!"

That's when Salvador held up the box.

"And I was like, 'you tripped on a tiny box?!'"

Salvador popped the question.

Hollis, dumbfounded, and still frantic to make their qualifying time, realized she was being proposed to. She said yes. But there was one hitch.

"I had mittens on so he couldn't really put the ring on," Hollis said. "So he just sort of tried to hand it to me and I was like 'no no, you have to put it on me!'"

So Salvador, exhausted, slightly bruised, and in love, did what any man in that situation would have done. He tried to place the ring over her finger.

On her right hand.

While her mitten was still on.

"All I remember thinking was 'I think it's supposed to be my left hand,'" Hollis said. She de-mittened, he placed the ring on her finger, and they crossed the finish line engaged. All according to Salvador's plan.

"I looked down at my hand and I saw this ring and I was like, is this really happening?"

Salvador assured her it was. His family and best friend, and her mother and their friends -- who had all flown in from San Francisco, the couple's home -- congratulated them at the finish line.

Finishing at 3:36, Hollis qualified for the Boston Marathon. Salvador did not. But no matter how unlucky he is running, he's very lucky in love.

Or as Salvador says, "it was about as romantic as you can be at mile 26."

Improper Assistance

Let's hope we don't need this:

Man, 81, finishes race after borrowing a catheter
The Associated Press
Posted: 10/08/2009 02:25:25 PM PDT
Updated: 10/08/2009 06:03:28 PM PDT


MINNEAPOLIS—Organizers of the Twin Cities Marathon said they won't disqualify an 81-year-old runner who won his age group after using a borrowed catheter. Jerry Johncock of Shelbyville, Mich., was sidelined at an aid station about 21 miles into Sunday's race because a blood clot prevented him from urinating. The aid station had no catheter, but a spectator stepped forward to offer Johncock a catheter he had in his car.
Aides helped insert the catheter and Johncock went on to finish in a little over 5 hours 22 minutes.

Race officials considered disqualifying Johncock because of a rule against improper assistance. But executive director Virginia Brophy Achman said they decided Johncock didn't break the rule.

She called Johncock "a great role model and example of what you can do as a runner."

Johncock's wife, Dorlene, said her husband was cheered by the ruling. She said he found the whole situation a little humorous.

A fast 10k

Congratulations to the marathon group for completing their first 20 miler - that's The Wall - about the spot where your body decides it's time to stop. Back in the pre-Gatorade and Gu days, you would have about exhausted the easy energy stored in your muscles, and your brain would get a little panicky about running out of food.
Your legs are fully capable of going on and on, take a look at the success of the Badwater ultramarathon - running out of the lowest point in North America toward the top of Mount Whitney. Really, people do this. In July, no less.

We won't have to worry about physical walls, it's all mental for us. 13.1 miles will be a cake walk if you do your homework. Our legs, lungs, brains and heart are all ready for this, each of you can run a half-marathon tomorrow and go back to work on Tuesday with no problem, it's a matter of How Fast now. Fearless Leader Erin led us on a 10k run, 1:04:15 - by the way, putting that into the Runner's World finish time calculator spits out ......2:15:27! If you are a little sore this morning, you earned it. We did half our race at the right speed.

The group is shrinking! If you slept in because it was howling wind and smoky air, good for you. You made the right decision. If you weren't there for any other reason: shame. We need the group to be strong, a solid pack of 2:15 muscle to blast through the maddening Elvis horde and trample through the pesty brides and grooms clogging our starting line.

See you at 6 am from now on!
Ryan the Terrible
Fearless Leader

Forest Challenge

Let's see...
Forest? check! Starting line at 8470 feet up Mt Charleston, just shy of the ski resort.
Challenge? check! The trail led straight uphill for over 3 miles, then it really got interesting. The trail got skinny and rocky and went uphill and down all the way to the 4 mile turn around. We topped out at 9400 feet, but the downhill made up for it. I crossed the line, arms flapping to either take off flying or just keep my balance at 8:45 min/mile pace on rubbery oxygen-deprived legs.

It was beautiful up there, not so cold, and the aspen are turning color. I'd recommend a trip up the hill, it's a nice reminder of what "seasons" are. Ours tend to run hot and windy to just plain hot.

Interesting stuff from NPR

So, running makes good financial sense as well!
This from NPR's Marketplace

Runners in the news!

Today's R-J mentions one of our own Flying 2:15: Brooke Bohlke is doing good for the world.
We did good last week: our third 6 mile run, and all of them are grouped right at 1:04 - consistency! Not only the hobgoblin of little minds, it's a sign that we're at a good comfortable pace. If the only time difference can easily be attributed to talking with Tim Kelly at the water stops, we're doing something right.

No details yet on running the Strip. That would simplify Cocktail Sunday a bit.

Best Weekend, part Two

Sunday morning, cool and dark, springy legs and lots of sleep = a nice six mile run in 1:04, or about a 10:35 pace. That's what we've been knocking out the last couple of weeks, so we will have no problem as we keep adding to our distance.
We skipped the Secret Shortcut due to police activity and fear for my skinny life: turns out we also miss a little hill. We may have to re-think visiting the trolls underneath the bridge.
I had a question about handling the hills on the first and last mile: sadly, a good way to get strong on the hills is to go run up and down a hill one day on your training. I have a nice hill that's part of my weekly run, running up Mountain Vista near SECTA. I run to the top then take it easy back down - I lean forward and take a lot of shorter steps to avoid any knee pain on the downhill. Back to the top at race pace, repeat as necessary.
If you prefer a treadmill, see if there's a Hill program on it. The one at my fitness center has a brutal little course - starts out small and keeps getting steeper and taller as you go. It spaghettifies my legs in short order.

Keep it up, 2:15!

Ryan the Terrible,
Fearless Leader and shortcut avoider,
the Flying 2:15, fastest group in the Half!

Our best weekend yet!

Except for the ones with cocktails, I guess.
Saturday's Las Vegas Track Club crowned our own Legend: Brian Schreiber, 3rd in the Senior Division:



Nice!

Say goodbye to the short runs!

Sunday's 4 miler was the last time we'll see that distance, it's going to be ramping up from now on. Next week five, then a couple sixes, then seven and up. Are you starting to feel like a runner now? You sure look like runners - lean, color coordinated, shoe-spangled, technical socks and streamlined sunglasses.

Our run totaled a little less than 4 miles, I guess our Secret Shortcut works. Our pace averaged 10:37 per mile, including lounging at the water stop. How about this: Mile 3 - downhill from the water stop - was sub 10. We flew!

Keep up the good work, 2:15!

Ryan the Terrible
Fearless Leader,
the Flying 2:15

Tall and Skinny wins the race!

Interesting thing off the Yahoo page:

Taller athletes are Faster

Another Tricky Day

Or is it Another Sticky Day? I thought we moved to the desert to escape humidity? Good thing it was the last Sunday of the month. We're done with July - August heat lurks, with September promising no real relief.
We ran 5 miles in 54:37, averaging 10:45 by the Giant Nerd Watch. That's faster than our previous couple of weeks, and a good sign that your homework is paying off.
Next week's drop-back to 4 miles gives us a chance to perhaps work on some speed, let's try to get to 10:30, closer to our race pace of 10:18 per mile.
You were in good hands last week, Fearless Leaders Mark and Valerie ran you a little extra so you got to hit the sprinklers, and they kept you safe from the runaway car. A terrifying reminder to keep your eyes open, and to maybe think twice about headphones. I like them, but knowing what's going on around me - priceless.
Congratulations to Fearless Leader Erin, who knocked out a 2:05 half marathon in Bryce Canyon last week, and I just waded around a river, throwing canoes onto trailers, hauling drunks out of said boats, and generally lazing on the porch, drinking beer.
I bring shame to the mighty 2:15, the fastest group at our pace!

Another record!

5.2 miles in 60 minutes, that's an 11:29 pace : eleven twenty-nine? what happened?
Simple - it's hot and it's early. We stopped to gather ourselves at the water stop, we walked out of them and detoured through the sprinkler. No problem. Today was our longest run to date, we went farther along the trail than we've been this year, my Nerd Watch and I tagged along toward the end of the pack, and did I mention it's 5:30 in the morning?

Tim Kelly complimented us on our cohesiveness today as we hit the waterstop. That's important, we're stronger together and you'll notice it's easier to run if you have someone to talk to, someone to focus on. Watching other runners gives you some good pointers on form, how to hold your elbows, or just be fashion conscious. What brand of shoes do people prefer? What kind of earbuds are people using?

I'll be in Missouri next week, enjoy the Notch Run and I'll see you on Cocktail Sunday!

Ryan the Terrible,
laggard and fearless co-leader,
The Flying 2:15, fastest in the half!

Independence Day +1

So, I go off to Iowa to eat fried things and I get this email from Fearless Leader Erin:
Our Sunday run was chaos, shenanigans, and near-disaster without co-pace leader Ryan!!! We somehow ended up taking the "scenic" route around the dumpsters, and everyone was far too nice and polite to ask me where the heck we were going! But after that little detour, we took it easy and just ran to the water stop, where I left the flock and continued on a looooooooooong run in preparation for my Bryce Canyon half in two weeks. I'm sure the group made it back smoothly, and next week we can get back on track: 60 minutes, 5:30am, no more "scenic" detours into dumpsterland. I think my brain was fried from all the junk food I ate on the 4th. Anyway, we'll look forward to having Ryan back next Sunday!

Fearless (or brainless???) co-pace-leader,
Erin

Sounds like you-all had fun. My less-than-5k was stellar, as usual I was beaten by little old ladies and grade school boys. The food and beer and fun took its usual toll on me, and it rained for the first time in memory. That's my first rainy race, interesting being a desert dweller. I think my body puffed up with all the moisture, like a raisin in your morning oatmeal.

Only pinker.

See you at 5:30 am!

Welcome to the 2:15!

It's official now: all you runners are part of the fastest pace group in the half-marathon. We hit two major points today: the water stop, which will be the social point for our remaining months on the trail, and we had our first post-run cocktail!
It was pretty hot this morning, and we had a little shorter run because of it: by the Giant Nerd Watch, we ran 3.88 miles in 42:43, or an 11:00 minute per mile pace. Very solid run. We kept together in a nice tidy pack, we shared the trail, and we ruled the parking lot after the run.
Your homework during the week is important for race day: we're building the base for our longer runs now. It's hot, so do your running in the mornings or indoors - the treadmill is a dreadful invention, but it beats heatstroke. Swimming, biking, tennis, salsa dancing...all good cardio training and fully acceptable alternatives to one of the day's runs.
I'll be gone next weekend, celebrating the Fourth of July with my family in Iowa. It's the annual Dunlap Firecracker ~5k. I say 'about' 5k because running from the park to one edge of town, aroud the care center, across town to the John Deere dealer and then back to the park is still less than 3 miles. Then we eat fried things and watch the parade. It's my grandmother's 90th birthday party on Saturday, then the other grandmother turns 86 on Sunday.
Spend a safe holiday with your loved ones, and I'll see you back on the 12th!

What's with all the hills?

Week four, already?

Sunday's run was the last of the challenging ones: we ran 3.3 miles in 35 minutes, or about 10:30 pace, a little brisker than last week. Your homework is paying off!
The reason I say it was the last of the challenging runs is that from now on, we'll hit the water stop. The first mile and a half are hills - both up and down, and once we cross under the railroad trestle we're done with that nonsense. A little detour under the streets we cross but that's it for the steeps - it'll be back to our beloved flat, level, smooth surface!
The six am start time is a little cooler, isn't it? I hope you enjoyed yourselves, and that you'll be ready for next Sunday - to celebrate our distance achievement and the magic water stop milestone, we'll celebrate with mimosas - one of the Running World Approved post-run cocktails. Look it up!

Week Three - in the bag!

Good job runners!
Thanks to Fearless Leader Erin's secret shortcut, we had a nice little run in the park. And in the wash. And under a bridge, like trolls looking for plump Billy Goats Gruff. And always up a hill!
The new course information is out, there's links on previous posts that show the route. Tim Kelly told us it's flat, so the whole idea of a hill is anathema. However, I know something: hills build leg strength. It's a good idea to get some hill work in as part of your homework. I have a nice route by my house that gives me a mile warm up then some laps on a nice little hill.
So where are we?
Today, we ran 2.66 miles in 30 minutes, for an average pace of 11:16 per mile.
(by the way, that's another 1/10th of a marathon, with a 5 hour estimated finish time- did you know you had that in you?) It's hot, we're still on soggy tired desk-bound legs and it's EXCELLENT work. The marathon is in December. Now is the time to the basics down, the time to train your mind. The body will come along with whatever the mind tells it to.
We will be back to 6 am next Sunday, looking for more billy goats!

This just in!

The new course for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon:
http://las-vegas.competitor.com/event-info/course/

Interesting U-turn at the start!

And this comes to us from the KVBC website:
Marathon course

June 7: Week Two

What a beautiful morning for a run!
Today's 25 minute run covered 2.25 miles, for an 11:13 minutues per mile pace. The first part of the course is the hilliest: our giggle runs are now covering the hardest part of the whole thing - ha ha, some giggle!
I talked to some of you about ways to carry water, we examined the assortment of socks available, and I saw a couple of people trying on shoes. Good for you, you're getting the equipment part covered.
Everyone said they did their homework - 20 minutes of exercise a day- so either everyone is on board, or you're all fluent liars. I'm a blend of both I'll confess.
Once again, thanks for coming out. We'll be back at it next week at 7 am again, then we'll move back to the 6 am start time.

See you then!
Ryan the Terrible,
Fearless co-leader,
the Flying 2:15

Week two: 25 minutes

Be ready for another fun Sunday morning: same time, same place, shorter distance. We'll be running 25 minutes, which will get us down the path a little bit. It's going to be a little cooler and a little windier, but we shall overcome!

Day One!

Welcome to the Flying 2:15, the fastest runners in our pace group!

We plan on running a half marathon together in December, in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. That translates to a 10 minute, 18 second mile, or a little faster than 6 miles an hour. Your car at idle is probably faster than that, so no worries about us! We have a lot of time together to take baby steps toward the starting line. I'm glad to see so many familiar faces, back for more, and especially glad to see the new faces.

Today's run was a good way to get a feel for the course and the group. We had a nice 2 1/2 mile run on our first half-hour together, and we found out a couple things: it's hot at 7 am. It's thirsty work, this running. I need good shoes.

7 am will be our start time for the next two weeks, then we'll move back to 6. That'll cool things off a bit.

Water? yup. We'll have water along the trail, every two miles. It's not a bad idea to get something to carry water if you find yourself drinking more: but wait a little bit before getting carried away with a water belt. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll adapt and your body gets used to running.

Good shoes keep you in good shape. Spend some time, spend some money and get properly fitted shoes that are right for you. Are you a pronator? a supinator? Do you heel strike? Do you have high arches? We have several dedicated running stores to assist you in making good shoe decisions. And socks? that's a fun task, finding the right ones. In three years of running, with a marathon, three half marathons, several 10k races, countless 5k races, and over 1000 miles running on Sunday mornings, I have had no blisters. I also have a lucky running hat, but good socks and shoes take most of the credit.

We'll be spending a lot of time together, so come ready to talk and make friends. Erin Tasko and I will be your co-Fearless Leaders, and there will be treats along the way: we have secret shortcuts, magic jelly beans, apple pie for Thanksgiving, a possible kidnapping, and the famous post-run libations.
Do your homework, tell people you're training for a half-marathon - and remember, you already ran 1/10 of a full marathon this morning! How hard can it be?

Thanks!

Ryan Young
aka Ryan the Terrible (and you'll soon realize why!)