Showing posts with label the Angry Runner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Angry Runner. Show all posts

Sunday, October 12, 2008

The ING Hartford Marathon race report.

Pre race: Friday night was pretty uneventful..other than a mad dash to the EXPO only to find out it was open until 7PM not 6:30 like I thought. Also I got lost trying to find my way to Constitution Plaza, what a mess. In any case I met up with Claire, Cranky and Sir Angry and we hit this somewhat swanky joint, in which Claire and I were definitely under dressed. Also as Angry kept scoping out the newly minted young female professionals dining behind us Claire would chime back with chorus of "Skanks"and what defined their Skankiness/skankhood. Anyway after getting a set of directions from Angry I got back to my car, drove back to Wolcott and got my shit crammed into my little Orange bag for the 26.2 mile hammer fest.

After a restless night of sleep, I got up showered, cussed to myself that I forgot to pick up milk, and made my way out to Hartford insanely early. I parked by Union station literally a block away from the race ( also got anally raped with the Parking fee $12 to park my car...ugg!) anyway it was 5:30 when I got there went to the bus station to take care of business shot the shit with a first time marathoner, made my way over to Bushnell park and forgot that I left my cell in the car got it and then made my way back. Called Claire because she and the Angry one were running late and confirmed the rendezvous point. I met up with Cranky at about 6:45 after applying poor man's blisterblock ( med tape) to my insteps and heels. Claire and Angry showed up about 7:15 after a quick reconfimation of where to meet post race. Crankys and I dropped out bags off at the gear truck, I bumped into Al (Waterbury's Ironman) and shot the shit real quick , Also bumped into Vin from HEAT as Cranky slipped into the crowd then Claire and I cut inthrough the elite corral. IT WAS CROWDED! but luckily we were up front so we wouldn't be running through traffic the entire race. After endless annoucements speeches by politicians, who's idea of a marathon was the legislature's last session, things were finally ready to go.



The Race:

After the quick commands of "Runners Ready..Set." the Air Horn went off and the caution tape dropped, and immediately everyone was off. The first couple of miles were tough as everyone jockeyed for space, I used my bike etiqute for a second shouting out "On your left!" as I would attempt to pass at one really congested corner. I wasn't able to get a split at the first mile but by the two mile mark, things had settled down a tad we were averaging slightly over 7 min miles...I got an official split at 3 miles of roughly 5k 21:21 just over 7 min. miles..shit I'm taking it out too hard I thought to myself. It was about this time the 3:10 ( my Boston Qualifying time) pace team came along I decided to ride the "train to Boston" as long as I could as it wasn't putting me in difficultly. I was still able to talk and struck up a conversation with one guy who was looking to do a 3:15. When I mentioned I was looking to break 3:45 that was when the "Oh shit ,you're definitely going out too hard conversation started. I decided that I would start conserving pace at about the 10 mile mark or whenever my calves started chiming up. 4 miles in 28:26 a 7:05 mile..this pace was cooking 5 miles 35:36 after 7:09 still keeping that 3:10 red vest infront of me and taking gatorade everyother aid station mile 6 I hit in about 43 min. at a 7:02 but I accidently hit stop instead of split on my watch, it was about this point I let the 3:10 pace train mussle ahead along with a guy I met pre race, he was 30 trying to get to Boston and his pace group was only 300 meters up the road. I began to slow the pace it was then I realized that I ha stopped my watch, I refired it but the screwed up the split timing as well as my overall estimates. Regardless I was feeling alright took a hammer gel to get some fuel in the tank granted it felt like it was going to come up at any second, so I threw some water in wash it down. the mile 7 came up at 58:09 after a 7:45 mile, I started talking to a chick on a bike that came along side it was helping to steady my pace. My hip was starting to hurt I knew I had to pee so at the next aid station I stopped used the facilities, got back into it. I hit the 8 mile mark at 1:06 after an 8:30 mile including the pee break. I saw the leaders coming down from the turn around, among them one of my high school teammates Jay Shiel, ( apparently another one of my high school team mates was right on his heels as they both flew pulling 2:57's) mile 9 came at 1:14 after a 7:52 mile I was finding I was getting back to my comfort zone. Mile 10 came at 1:22 after 7:50 mile, at mile 11 we hit the turn around. I looked at the groups coming up the scattered rnners, the 3:30 pace team, the 3:35 pace team, the 3:45 pace team..and then "the party crowd" the 4:00 pace team complete with their leader holding a sign on a pole. I couldn't see Claire, and hoped she didn't drop out. I took my splitat mile 12 1:30.16 a 7:54 mile. I started talking to my friend on the bike again as I saw some of the slower runners coming up. Some people limping along others doing the run walk, preping themseleves for a long day of 5-6 hours of running. I was swallowed up by the 3:20 pace team and a bunch of guys in M-dot visors. I started talking to one of them Kurt as I held on to the pace train for about 1 miles and then was spit out the back a 1:38 13 mile split after a 7:48 mile about this time Cranky along side and would begin work as my pacer..for the next 12 miles. and so it began a conversation to keep the pace and our minds off the collective pain the race directors had in store. I apologized for seeming annoying for talking but after a quick "If it takes your mind off the pain don't worry about it." and so the miles clicked by hovering between 7:45 and 8:30. At some of the aid sations Cranky would stop get a drink because if his words "He didn't want to be wearing his water." As for me I went with the more tradtional method of drinking and dousing myself on the fly. I would tend to get a couple of minutes ahead and then he'd come back helping me to push the pace. We finally got back into Town a with Cranky acting as my Yoda continued at a good clip although the race directors threw a bunch hills in the last 6 miles. My pace began to drop as the latic started creeping from my calves to the knees. After a passing of the 20 mile marker and some encouragement from Cranky, I made myself determined not to walk. But around us we were starting to see those who had gone out too hard strating to drop and those who had been saving surging forward. We ended up on a riverfront shaded trail and it was heaven until it started going up hill.We went trhough the center of Hartford Angry came along side for a little bit giving some encouragement , then he dropped back to wait for Claire.We ended up passing the Jimmy Buffet themed aid station at about mile 22 complete with Santa in a red Hawaiian shirt and wooly pants raking spent paper cups. After Cranky caught up we made our back into on to the rail trail and caught a kid in a UMass shirt at about mile 23 or on the "you've gotta to be shitting me hill." we held steady for about 2 miles still passing runners and at the 25 mile mark the pain in my calves was becoming too much, Cranky and Umass guy pulled away as I began slipping back. One guy came by and commented on my Blazeman Tech shirt..."Fighting Lou Gerhig's disease..Good job man!" "Technically I'm raising money for research.." trying to make the running thing seem less dramatic..."Hey good job none the less dude!" I could already tell my mile pace was dropping way off, my legs felt like lead weights as we came back into the business district, after a quick turn back toward the park a young tri geek decked in his Orca suit was coming along side, I heard somebody scream go Josh and as he pulled along side he started doing the "skip of death and shouting "cramp Cramp, shit shit" as I got back around. We headed toward the park and I was greeted with a cruel sight the line of Portolets...man we have to go the long way round....As we hit the cruve and the arch came into sight I had that emotional moment as I high-fived two kids..I dug in deep Orca boy was toast. I got around him and sprinted to the line some 40 year-old was looking over his shoulder probably thankful I didn't have another 200 meters to the line..because I was closing fast. I crossed with my fist in the air. 3:26:44 a PR by 24 minutes.

The Post Race:
Cranky and I walked to a grassy patch, he went for the food tent as I took some time to stretch out. The massage line and the beer line were huge so no go for me. Plus if I had anything right after the race I would have puked. I laid out on the foil blanket and stretched out. Untaped my feet and put on my trainers...Cranky came back and I made my way to the food tent and loaded up. Claire came by with Angry, she had broken 4 hours and had been barely edged out by "sign man" from the 4 hour pace team. Cranky had qualified for Boston and Angry did better than he hoped in the 5k so I officially won $1 for guessing his time.

Not a bad day at the office. I could go on about post race, Angry trying to get me to hit on MILF in Yoga pants... all the young co-eds/profeesionals coming after 4+ hours but I was too sore to move...

The Lactic Acid is slowly draining
R.D.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

For those about to rock.....

Today is D-day or I guess I should say V-day for Claire Badass MoFo as she tackles her first Iron-distance at Vineman. Actually as I write this she's probably in the midst of a 2.4 mile (3.8k) swim and making war on some Nemesis that reared their ugly head in the pre race. In either case she should be flying on the bike so I expect to hear it on how her bike split schooled mine from New Zealand....now if only Vineman had a live tracker.......

In two weeks my HEAT team mate Tony and New England Pro John Hirsch take on Louisville..and there will be a trail of much death and destruction left in their wake. I fully expect Tony to do pull ups on the finish line tower after the leap of faith in RI.

Vin, and a Small HEAT contingent are going to go at it in Niantic tomorrow, sadly it sold out but I need to save my pennies anyway. Park City is off the calendar as Entry is F**king Ridiculous...I knew I should have registered inMarch....uggg.

Angry....I don't know what Sir Angry has on his agenda... but I know it will involve speed, strength and the ever increasing the power of his chain.

Pants and Runner Gal, well I know Runner Gal is running a marathon in my part of the Motherland ( Yes I am of French Canadian desent Vive Quebec!) and Pants hasn't really posted what's next on her agenda, but it should be something exciting out in the tri capital of the world.

Bjoern is going to launch and all out assault on Vienna in September.

Jodi is doing Steelhead today, then Hopefully Clearwater in Novemeber.

Ken who has suddenly gone from zero to 3 races in a week might be creeping around winding trails on Tuesday, keep you eyes peeled for a tall guy in a HEAT or Cookie Monster Jersey.

Bree Wee looks to take the party to the Motherland ( Canada eh....) and after reading about her repeats of the Energy Lab, it looks as if a first pro win and a duel in October with Crissie Wellington might be right around the corner....

I'm not sure if Ironmatron is doing Timberman although I have some friends racing up there.

Cranky seems to have dropped off the face of the Planet, I hope he hasn't been mowed down by some group of Rabid Central Park Cyclists.

Mindy Contiunes to heal and make her way back.

Gretchen continues on the path to her 100 mile adventure.

Well that's all that seems to be happening in the racing world in August.

R.D.

Friday, January 18, 2008

How do you define "Triathlete"?

I usually read Cranky Runner's page daily and Yesterday's post ended with his coach giving him a cocky remark as he attempts a distance athlete's dream, training for the Boston Marathon ....His coach scoffed the idea of running Boston saying "you're no longer a runner you're a triathlete." Now realistically this got me thinking what exactly is a triathlete. Now in cases like Cranky and the Angry Runner's it is a runner who gets in an insane amount of cross training...hey I can think back to track when my coach encouraged cross training....I remember doing Y swim practices a couple hours after track let out, but then again at that time I was focused on becoming a pure swimmer, It was sophmore in high school that I realized my odds of going to the Olympics were about the same as a blizzard in Death Valley in July. It was also about this time I picked up a copy of Runner's World, ( to try to improve my form and look at the absurd times the Kenyans were pulling) the issue I picked up had an article on this 75 year old dude training for an Ironman, well it got into this whole spiel that Triathlon training is good for runners, and long story short I had the swim back round and the run back round so I hopped on the bike and voila instant triathlete....but enough about that....how does one define a triathlete, is it a multisport machine such as Jodi , Speedy Claire,or myself is it a runner who cross trains al a Cranky and Angry, is it a swimmer who just hops on the bike and throws on running shoes occasionally....the point is it doesn't matter ...so Cranky go and Bitch stomp Boston, and if you're training for the half I think you're training for you'll have plenty of time to recover in between I know I did the Nashville Marathon in late April and an Early July Half IM it actually helpped my running)..Boston's a big deal and don't let anyone talk you out of it....just think of you're swimming and cycling as cross training, just avoid breaststroke at all costs....not good for the knees...also a sprint or olympic tri before the Half IM will help...especially with the bike to run transition. Ok enough with this post I'm starting to get preachy....

The Guru
R.D.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

For those about to marathon we salute you......

Well tomorrow is D-Day for the Angry Runner his first marathon and what better way to celebrate than having , a fur covered rodent ( either a mouse or a chipmunk) give you a towel and foil blanket after you have just put yourself through the physical torture that is the marathon. No for the Angry Runner and Runner girl this is the culmination of months of getting out in frigid weather, bearing the long tedium of long hours on the road, hundreds of dollars on gear, training,nutrition,and proper fitting shoes. In short to paraphrase ACDC for those about to Run We salute you.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Running before work.

By the title of this post some people are probably thinking I traded in wing tips for New Balance flats, my shirt and tie for anything moisture wicking, and I have given the corporate world the finger , in order to grow out my hair and a beard and get my Pre on. Most of you have common sense and realize that I'm merely describing my morning workout which I was able to get in (I have to wait for my vacation to get my grunge/Pre look going on.) , in dare I say, daylight. The past few mornings I have had an addiction to the snooze button. Yesterday I did nothing, my sinus were starting and rather than push myself to get a post work run/ trainer session and susequent head cold in I decided to follow my body's warning signals and take a nice nap. Today I again hit snooze, got up a 7am and dropped my sister off at school. Got home and ran my normal 7-8 mile loop because I was not due in to work until 10AM. Now I definately like running this loop in the daylight better than at night, although on a clear night running around the lake is quite pleasant, but running past the old town burial ground is unsettling ( even in the daylight I pick up my pace a little as I run past.) My total time for my morning jog was an 1:02 which means I back to my summer pace. I just need to get in a couple more long runs and one long brick and I should be Taper ready. This weekend it supposed to get cooler but no snow or ice is in the forecast so I could be able to get some more outdoor riding in, perchance two bricks a 30mile bike/10 mile run on Saturday and a much longer ride on Sunday, up at Waramaug as always, riders always welcome. Next week looks to be mostly run focus as Temps are supposed to dip back below normal and the week after a "School enforced" taper begins, and it'll probably be in the 70's, with all these wacky weather patterns. Oh well back to the grind. And before I sign off a shout out to the Angry Runner, who is probably enroute to Orlando and 26.2 miles of suffering...er ....Glory.
Well that's all I can crank out right now, Karas has some sadistic plan for me tonight.
R.D.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The People have spoken:

and Cervelo has been brandished the most overated tri bike. ( Boo-yah !) in a close second Specialized ( d'oh)...third was PlanetX (a write in via Dr. Jodi) the other nominees did not recieve votes, which now means I cannot badmouth C-dizzle, or trek, or the QRoo/Litespeed and the sketchy although tempting bike and a wetsuit offer....putting my credit card in a block of ice. ...temptation averted. The newest poll is open until Saturday who will finish higher in the Disney Marathon:
Runner Girl Lenna the pride of Canada. A woman who's idea of whimping out is an 8 miler in -20 degree weather with -40 wind chills.
or the
New England's own Angry Runner. A ticked off young soul running on emotion, gansta rap, and pure piss and vinegar.
In either case it will be close current polls are deadlocked with each person recieving 2 votes a piece.

Monday, November 26, 2007

The Death March: Or The infamous 20 miler.

For those of you who already read Angry's Post we did a 20 mile run along the relatively flat Farmington River Canal in Cheshire, For those of you that don't , well the cat's out of the bag now. Yes we did 20 miles of "joy"if you're idea of joy is running the last 4 miles feeling like your hip joint is about to break in two, and you've got a nail hole in your foot that feels like it getting larger with each step...alright it wasn't that bad, but I did feel considerably tight afterward and the Turkey Day foot injury was making its presence known as it slowly heals and re calluses. Here's the break down:

Pre Run: Call Angry Tell him I'm running late. Buy Parents scripts, A Hershey Bar and 32 oz Gatorade, drop scripts at home drive out to Cheshire. Consume Hershey bar and about 20 oz of said beverage en route. Call Angry ask him where the Hell he is. Look across parking lot see the Under Armor Clad Warrior on Cell phone.

First 5k.
Take off from park to the end of the Cheshire trail about 1.6 miles away then run back to the park to continue.Start out running at comfortable pace Angry's holding up. Talk Random Nonsense, How the Office was on of Comedy's greatest gift to man kind. Firing up the overworked and under appreciated proletarians of the financial world, how I do not want to remain a low level corporate under ling for the rest of my life, scoping out the young chicks in tight yoga pants. Angry pulls a nutrition tip from Jodi ( Reese's pieces.) Crank out first 5k in just over 26 min. Kinda slow for me but hey We've got 18 more miles to go.

The first split.
Start to Pull ahead of Angry. He goes down the Left fork of the trail toward this rebuilt canal lock thingy. I go down the right with a nice view of some dude's back yard. Cute 20 something year old college student on a pimped out road bike rides past. Smiles......look back and oh good lord she was cute. Meet up with Angry when the trail re-merges, run at same pace tell him about HCC (Hot Cycle Chick). Keep running talk random nonsense ( Something about a Free Tibet jersey or the Dali Lama is my Homeboy Sweatband at IM China.). HCC rides past Angry Sprints I try to sprint. Catch up. Enter the zone, suddenly I'm 400 meters ahead. At stop turn around and double back....leave no man behind. Head down trail in to Hamden several breaks. Finally hit the long ass stretch. Now I don't know why but somehow I'm able to retreat into my head and think of totally random songs and crap, to keep myself from getting bored out of my mind. ( like one of my post about one of my 12 milers stated, on a long run my mind is a scary place.) Unfortunately or maybe fortunately this a skill Angry has confessed he has not learned yet....yet being the key word. maybe its the fact I'm one of five kids and I'm used to heading into my own little world when shit stresses me out or becomes monotonous as all hell. Maybe it is the optimistic hope of a tortured person that the pain and torture they are feeling will somehow end. I don't know and I don't care because when I'm in Bobby's World it makes the long run a little more barable. We reached the turn around in Hamden I doubled back the 400 meters to angry and we began the run back. As we started at the same pace he commented " On that long stretch I honestly felt like shooting myself." I could actually agree with him. It was on the same stretch in April as I trained for the Country Music Marathon, I would have sold my soul for some cortisone for my aching knee joint. Or a bottle of water on the return run. ( this was in the PFB period ( pre-fuel belt)...which I bought in August because I was tired of feeling like I was going to pass out from dehydration on my 8 milers.) I told him to try to zone out and let the randomness fly as I began to settle back into my rhythm. The gap between the future Ironman and the Angry Runner once again began to widen.

Now I know How Floyd Landis Feels:
As I ran back toward Cheshire I kept trying to look for mile markers and familar land mark. 5.0 miles 7 miles until the end. That pain in the ass little climb 6 miles to go. People's Bank and the intersection of doom. 4.5 miles to go. A Group of guys rode past, two of the guys looked like Vin and Dean from HEAT, but I digress. My hip was now starting to feel pressure form a long day in the saddle combined with a long day pounding pavement. I tried to numb it out but as I continued to plod along the dull pain in my pelvis grew more intense with each passing mile. To make matters worse the wound on my right foot began to feel like it was ripping open with each foot strike. I looked back for Angry he was nowhere in sight. " I should Double back." I thought to my self."If you do you won't be able to drive." My hip, foot and now Achilles chimed in. I ran past the last set of port o lets before the park. Only 4 miles to go. Maybe I should stop to pee I thought to myself...then the Falshbacks of Nashville came back. Each bathroom break was pure Hell on my joints, each stop took more out of my battered body on that hot April Day. I kept. Going. " I'll double back for Angry on my cool down." As I crossed into Cheshire all I could think of was finishing this run. I tried to add up the distance in my head....21.5 miles + 2x 400 double backs = roughly 22 miles. I looked at my watch. Just over 3 hours. I was on pace to run a sub 4 hour marathon. I almost thought about tacking on the extra 4 miles, then my hip reminded of its inflammed state, also the fact that I was out of the Fruit Punch flavored drink of the gods, Gatorade, presuaded me from not risking futher injury upon myself. I drated back into the parking lot. 3:11.33 was my time for 22 miles. 8:42 min/miles 3:47 marathon pace. I began to walk to cool down drinking the ater that was left on my fuel belt. Walked back to the trail waiting for Angry to appear....one minute went by....then another....and another....after about five minutes he came into sight...he was walking....." My hips are killing me." he stated..." Same Here." I replied...."I'm going to have to name my Post My hips don't lie and throw up the Shakira video." he said with a grin. Angry's time for 21 miles. 3:18.19 9:26 min/mile 4:07 Marathon pace. Not bad for a first 20+ mile run. ( My first attempt at this I did about 3:20, this one was my third 20+ miler. Well technically 4th. April Trainer, The CMM, The summer Zen run, and this one.) Well that was it. It wasn't pretty, but it got done. Today I rested my legs and my bank clients reminded me why I hate Christmas so very much. Now I've got to formulate how to get my shopping, training, and take home finals crammed into my tight budget for time and money. Well that's it for tonight...I'm going to collaspe.

The Exhausted Extremist
R.D.
P.S. Free Tibet!!!!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Where are you Angry Runner........

Yesterday, in the course of my workday I hit up the ol' blogspot . I clicked on the familar link to The Angry runner's site for my daily dose of the nonsense that is the run seen in HOTford..the familiar links and Jack Abramoff photo popped up but no post. I clicked on the link to see all posts but nothing has happended. I checked last night after class and this morning but it seems Sir Angry is missing in action...has he been shut down by the FCC, booted by google, hijacked by software pirates... or worse....Angry if you're alive out there shout so we can hear you.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Run on Angry Runner!


Yes tomorrow is the United Technologies Greater Hartford Marathon/Half Marathon and Huck Finn 5k. Unfortunately this endurance minded blogger has been chained to a desk and will have to miss the Angry Runner's Rendezvous with Half Marathon Greatness as he races all 13.1 miles in the Purple livery of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society's Team in Training, after raising well over $1500 to help bitch stomp the diseases. All I can say Sir Angry is stomp that bitch, stomp it for those suffering, for those that believe in you, and for one cantankerous bank teller who will be handing out envelopes of cash and saying "Thank You ( especially for cussing me out you psycho) Have a Great Day!" as you march on toward destiny...also for any other blogger preparing to Bitch Stomp Hartford. or Central students preparing to do battle in Stanley Park .....I will paraphrase ACDC ......" For those about to Run I salute you!"

R.D.