Since I was 15 years old I had always wondered what it would be like to run a marathon.  I can remember eagerly tuning in to ABC Wide World of Sports back in the early 80's to watch the coverage of the New York City Marathon.  I can remember getting goosebumps watching the leaders enter Central Park.  Being a former high-school and college cross-country runner, I had many a opportunity to participate in marathons throughout the 80's and early 90's - but I never answered the call.  That is, until today (March 12th, 2011).  Now forty-six years old and much slower than I was in my youth, I now know what it feels like to experience the sense of accomplishment with a marathon finish line looming just yards away after having ran over 26 miles.

Welcome to the Land Between the Lakes (LBL) Trail Run.  This is a race that has been around for several years now and it starts out in Grand Rivers, Kentucky - located on the far northern tip of Kentucky and Barkley Lakes.  The race is sponsored by the West Kentucky Runners Club and it features a 23k, marathon, 60k, and 50 mile ultra - all ran simultaneously on the same 11.3 mile loop trail known as the "North Canal Loop" The 23k'ers run one loop while the marathoner's do two, 60k'ers - three - and you guessed it - the 50 milers do four loops.  In addition to running the trail loop(s) the race actually starts at Lighthouse Landing right in the middle of the town of Grand Rivers so all of the runners must endure a 1.7 mile run down the paved road before entering the trail head.  Of course - that also means once you complete your final loop you must endure a "mostly uphill" 1.7 mile return to the town of Grand Rivers before you get to experience the glory of the finish line.  And that final 1.7 miles of pavement - as I experienced it today - was challenging to say the least.

My plans and inspiration to run this race came about by accident.  I had planned to run a local (Evansville, Indiana) road race marathon as part of my preparation and training for Ironman Louisville 2011, however; much preferring to run trails and turf as opposed to running on pavement, I stumbled across this race via an old friend of mine who had mentioned it on his Facebook page.  Upon researching the website I noted that the entry fee was reasonable and the trail was a great venue for running.  I registered within the day and decided to shelve plans for the local marathon as it was pricey plus 26.2 miles on the pavement at effort did not sound too enticing.  The LBL race would also be a good "tune-up" and indicator for another trail marathon I had (have) planned in June, The Indian-Celina Challenge. Indiana Celina 2010 was my first and only trail race (until today) and both myself and my son (Tyler) ran a half-marathon there last year.  It's a very challenging course featuring around 3000-3400 feet of gain per 12.89 mile loop.  While LBL claims a 1100 feet per loop gain.  For this reason I knew LBL would be a more favorable first marathon experience as reaffirmed to me by several friends who had previously participated in the race.  You can check out a full race-report of our 2010 Indian-Celina half-marathon experience here.

During the month prior to the race I had managed to make two trips to LBL to "get-a-feel" for the loop and get some long training runs in.  In fact - my longest training run (20 miles) took place on the LBL loop just a few weeks before the race.  After completing that 20 miler I became a bit nervous about the upcoming marathon because I was hurting pretty bad after that run.  Yet I was confident I could go the distance.  The question was simply how much pain I might be in and how much walking would be involved. One more visit to the loop a couple weeks later for an 11 miler and my taper would begin.

As I began my two week taper for the race I also took the opportunity to see a nutritionist about race day fueling and normal daily nutritional needs.  Having completed two half-ironman distance triathlons in 2010, I knew I needed to find a better nutrition/hydration strategy as my previous experiences had me running out of steam to soon.  So while I was looking to improve my nutrition strategy for this race, more importantly I was experimenting for my ultimate goal this season - Ironman Louisville 2011 which takes place at the end of August.  Breann Ellis of Absolute Wellness conveyed some very good information and insight as to my nutritional needs during the course of a normal day and the days leading up to a race. All of the suggestions she shared with me were put into practice days before the race and followed through on race day.  And I believe - it made all the difference in regards to my race experience today.  So just a quick recap of my nutrition and hydration execution today.  Firstly, as I normally do not drink much water and am somewhat fond of Coke Zero's, Breann and I made an agreement for now that I would drink at least one bottled water for each soda I drank.  So three days before the race I started drinking water in place of the sodas.  And per our agreement, if I drank a soda, I had to drink a water also.  Additionally, I started trying to take in some carbs during the early morning hours as I am not normally a breakfast eater.  Also, an extra PB and JY late in the afternoon may help out the major hunger pangs I always see to have in the evenings.  I did all this as discussed.  So here is what I did on race day:  Aid Stations - (about 30 minutes apart) consume 1 Hammer Gel while refilling my 20 oz. Amphipod water bottle with Hammer HEED.  I drank very consistently throughout the race requiring refills at every aid station.  I would guess I was drinking about 15+ oz every 30 minutes or so.  Additionally, I took two Hammer Endurolytes (electrolyte "salt" capsules) about every 45 minutes. I stuck to this plan like clockwork and only bypassed the last aid station with only 1.7 miles to go as I still had fluids and didn't need another gel.  Without going into great detail - this is the first longer duration event I have ever finished with fuel left in the tank.  In fact, after crossing the finish line, I was neither thirsty or hungry.  Thanks Breann.

The day before the race Tyler (my son) and I departed for Grand Rivers as soon as he got out of school.  Only being  a two hour drive we managed to get there with some daylight left so I took Tyler down to the trail head to show him where he could meet me at the half-way point, which also happened to be the location of one of the primary aid station.  We also took the opportunity to drive around the North Canal Loop area a bit just to take in the sights and show Tyler the general layout of the course. The location of the porta-potties which had already been put in place confirmed my "guess-ti-mate" as to the locations of the aid stations.  In my opinion the aid stations were placed at perfect intervals over the course.  After about 30 minutes of scouting the course Tyler and I made our way back up the road stopping by to pick up my race packet and proceed to America's Best Value Inn (1-star accommodations) - less than 5 miles from the start of the race.  The close proximity would enable me to get as much sleep as possible prior to the 6am race start time.  Our lodging choice was about the cheapest place I could find and it was so close to the starting line - but lets just say - "Value" was the key operator in their name.  The joint looked nice enough from the highway and the rooms were reasonably clean, and the staff was very nice - but as we entered the lobby to check in it was obvious that it was a hotel that simply did not maintain or make repairs to their facility.  In our room alone, the heater was dead, the shower faucet broke off, the electrical outlet for plugging in our laptop was loose in the wall and had previously shorted out as indicated by the scorch marks on the outlet cover, and the crapper paper holder was busted off the wall also.  The good news - it had two double beds that were comfortable enough to get some sleep the night before the race - and that was enough for us.  Fortunately the temps only dropped into the high 40's that night so the room didn't get too cold.  Honestly, I'd stay there again as the location is great for this race, but if I were hauling the family along, I'd look elsewhere.  I set two alarms on the trusty ole iPhone, one for 3am, and another for 4:45am and we were crashed out by 8pm that evening.  With the exception of several trips to the water closet to offset the effects of a good hydration strategy, I slept pretty good and wasn't really suffering from any pre-race nervousness.  I beat the 3am alarm and woke up at 2:45 and quietly dined on a PB and JY and a banana while Tyler slept.  Chased it down with a few gulps of Gatorade and went back to sleep.  This early morning feast was another of Breann's recommendations.  I guess somebody else had seen a nutritionist also as I could smell cinnamon oatmeal cooking in one of the adjacent rooms.  An hour and a half later Tyler and I were up and getting ready to make the 5 mile drive down to the starting line.

It's also worth noting that I had been tapering for this race for the two weeks preceding this event.  That mostly involved just cutting way back on the running and biking volume.  I also invested in a foam roller to begin working on loosening up the legs, in particular; the IT bands as they had been giving me a bit of trouble on my longer runs.  The good news is that the taper was working as evidenced during the two or three days before the race - I was feeling like a caged animal.  I was definitely ready to run!

And at 6AM that beautiful Saturday morning, that's exactly what I did.  There was a slight chill in the air as the temps were in the high 40's at the start of the race, forecasted to reach 63 degrees later that afternoon.  Just a few short words from a race official and the 465 runners were off.  As we made our way down the 1.7 miles of pavement towards the trail head, I wondered just how tough it was going to be to get around people once we were on the trail.  The trail is fairly narrow and expending excess energy getting around slower runners did not sound too appealing for my first marathon experience.  There were 100 entrants registered for each race except the 23k which had 165 registrants.  That meant that after the first loop the traffic would thin out significantly.  Yet my immediate concern was how it would play out on that first loop around the trail.  Anyway, we all progressed south on Hwy 453 and within a mile it seemed that everybody settled into their pace.  I wasn't passing too many people, nor getting passed.  Over the canal bridge and a right turn into the camping area, past the aid station, and we were on the trail.  There were at least a dozen or so runners directly in front of me and at least the same at my six-o-clock.  I don't like much running in traffic and for some reason I find it really annoying when people choose to run right on my six - especially when it sounds like they are getting ready to have a heart attack.  Yet, here I was - running a nice steady rhythm as were everyone in front of me and behind me.  I was running my pace and I guess everyone else had settled into theirs also.  In fact, I would estimate that during those first 5 or 6 miles trail I didn't pass 3 people or get passed by 3 people.  I was very pleased to say the least.  A couple miles into the trail there were 3 or 4 folks a few yards out in front of me and 3 or 4 right behind me but everyone seemed content running right where they were.  I gotta note however that I always feel a bit "pressured" when someone is running right behind me as I always feel like they are trying to get around me.  I'd try to stay to the side of the trail where possible but after awhile it was apparent the folks behind me had no desire to go around.  Generally, I like to hang back a few yards when trail running so I can get a clear view of my footing.  I guess I can't understand why folks would choose to run "right behind" you.  In summary though - it really wasn't bothering me too much.  I had my MP3 player going but left one of the ear-buds out so I could hear people coming up behind me.

The 11.3 mile loop is a pleasure to run and the trail is very well taken care of.  It is also a favorite destination for mountain bikers from all over the region.  However, today they would have to enjoy one of the other trails in the area as runners from all over had "taken over" their domain.  Running the loop clockwise sends you along very gentle rolling terrain for the first 6 to 6 1/2 miles.  The trail skirts the very northern fringes of Lake Barkley in a couple spots (some very nice views) before making a westward turn towards the North Welcome Center.  After crossing over HWY 453 and making your way past the Welcome Center, you have less than a mile to go before you start encountering some notable hills which also feature some spectacular views of Kentucky Lake.  Chances are, you won't enjoy the overlooks too much as you will be out of breath by the time you reach the top of these climbs.  As you continue in a northerly direction along Kentucky Lake the runners get to experience about 4 or 5 significant climbs and descents over the next 3 1/2 miles.  Eventually, you come to the base of a large microwave tower and that marks the end of the big climbs and signifies that you only have about two miles to go before reaching the primary aid station and the end of your first (or only) lap around the North Canal Loop.

I was now about 3 1/2 miles into my race so I took a quick glance of the Garmin and although I don't remember the exact time, I knew I was under a 10 minute per mile pace - which incidentally - was my "optimistic" goal for this marathon - 4:20:00.  A few minutes later I arrived at the first of 4 aid stations and quickly refilled my Amphipod water bottle with HEED and took advantage of a Hammer raspberry gel.  I was in and out of the aid stations usually under a minute each and one of the volunteers would generally top off my HEED supply while I consumed a gel.  The spacing of the aid stations worked perfectly for my nutrition strategy as I needed to do a gel about every 30 minutes - plus my HEED was generally needing refilled about the time I arrived at the next station.  My pace brought me to each aid station very close to 30 minute intervals so "living off the course" was quite easy for this race.  Just a few minutes after departing the first aid station, I popped my first pair of Hammer Endurolytes and would continue them every 45 minutes throughout the race.

So having departed the first aid station on the first loop, I struck back out again feeling quite well.  My breathing was good.  My knees didn't hurt, and I had plenty of energy and "rested" legs as a result of a two week taper.  I reflected on some race strategies as provided by a couple good friends and triathlon training partners.  Drew F. advised me that I had the engine and the training under me and "don't be scared" to go out and run your pace, while Dennis K.  suggested I "leave some on the table" for the second lap as it would be a large mental boost and momentum builder catching people on the second lap who had possibly went out too hard.  Personally, I found both strategies to be quite attractive so I tried to balance both of them out.  I knew that regardless of how fast I did the first lap - the second lap was going to be slower.  That being said - I decided to pace the first lap at a steady consistent tempo and push it just ever so slightly.  I figured if I had any chance of making my time goal it was going to be made on that first 13 miles.  Yet - I wanted to make very sure that when I arrived at the primary aid station which would represent  the 13 mile mark - that I was feeling very good and well in control.  I figured that if my legs were starting to "feel it" at 13 miles I would be in for a challenging second lap.   Five miles into the race and I was running right where I needed to be.  Pace was good and I was feeling great.  A few minutes later I would make my way up to the 2nd aid station located at the welcome center and get my HEED refill and another gel.  Less than a minute later I was off again and began mentally preparing myself for the 3 1/2 miles of ups and downs rapidly approaching.

I wasn't sure if I would walk the steep sections of hills or if I would shuffle my way up them as quickly as possible.  As I arrived at the first climb I noted about 3 or 4 runners spread out over a 100 yards in front of me.  All of them were walking up the hill.  Quickly but walking.  Having always prided myself in running up the hills - I chose to keep my momentum and jog easily up the incline.  I passed one of the walkers but only to have "her" quickly come back around at the top.  The other walkers that I did not catch on the first climb - were off and running again and there would be no catching them.  So much for a reward for speeding up that ascent.  Climb number two arrived and the cycle repeated itself.  I passed the same girl as I quickly shuffled my way up the second hill and she quickly came back around after reaching the top.  But more notably - I had not narrowed the gap on the other "hill walkers" that were a hundred yards or so out in front of me.  Right then I made my decision - "I'm going to walk the big climbs"  The excess energy expended running up them was not yielding any result.  In fact - it was probably hurting rather than helping.  I walked the remaining two or three hills on the first loop and interestingly enough, the other "hill walkers" were still about the same distance in front of me.  Lesson learned.

Another quick stop at aid station number 3 and I was off again.  Still feeling pretty good - I kept my tempo pace going and started the final ascent which would bring me to the microwave tower - which also signified the end of the hilly section of my first loop.  So as I steadily made my way up that last half mile of ascending trail in search of the tower, I heard a voice calling out right behind me.  "So how do you like your shoes?"  Meet Ultra-Dude #1.  A quick glance over my right shoulder revealed a gent who was running the 50-miler as evidenced by his 3-digit bib number which began with the number "4" - indicating 4 loops for his race.  Within seconds me and ultra-dude struck up a steady conversation covering all kinds of topics from TV sitcoms, Youtube videos, and shoes.  In fact - ultra-dude #1 talked so much I had trouble just listening fast enough!  I had to wait almost five minutes before I could slip in a question that weighed heavily on my mind at that moment - "how hard is it to run 50 miles?"  Well ultra-dude #1 finally came up for air and I was able to get the question off before he could start up another topic.  "So I'm really wondering - how in the heck can you run 50 miles" I asked.  His answer was quite simple - "Just keep running!"  OK, well so much for that enlightening answer.  On to the next.  "So have you ran a lot of ultras?"  Reply - "How many would you define as a lot?"  My response - three or four.  That started the ball rolling and ultra-dude spent the next five minutes telling me about all ultras he had ran pretty much all over the nation.  As a matter of fact, this was his fourth year participating in this event.  He had done so many races that I couldn't even start to remember them all.  Ultra-dude was quite the experienced long distance runner and that became even more evident as we approached the end of our first loop.  Less than a half mile to go before completing the first loop and reaching the 13 mile mark, ultra-dude and I checked our Garmins and it was evident that I was going to come in right at 2 hours flat for the first half of the race.  That also meant ultra-dude was running incredibly fast for a 50 miler. Having previously reviewed the winning times for that race in years past, I knew he was running close to a record pace for that race.  I had to ask, or rather comment - "So you're moving along pretty quickly for a 50 mile race aren't you?"  "Is there a benefit to going out this quickly for that long of a race?"  And in true ultra-dude fashion - his reply was - "No - I'm just being stupid"  We both laughed both commented about how fast the last two and a half miles had went by as we were so busy talking.  Ultra-dude #1 was a pretty cool guy and I really enjoyed his company for the 20 minutes or so.  Moments later we would emerge onto the asphalt for a moment and take advantage of the primary aid station for the course.  And Tyler was right there waiting for me.

Here is me with Ultra-Dude #1 right on my six as we came up to the aid station which represented the 13 mile mark.

And here is a better pic of Ultra-Dude #1 probably talking to himself.  Note the blue shirt.

I felt really good.  I wasn't breathing hard.  My legs felt good and the knees were not bothering me at all.  I pulled up for a minute or two and talked to Tyler while I got my Heed refilled and did another gel.  Tyler snapped a couple pics and we exchanged a few words and I was off again.  Tyler had commented on how good I looked at that point and I would certainly have to agree that I felt much better than expected.  I was also very glad he was there to see me at the halfway point.  During that entire first loop I was looking forward to seeing Tyler at the aid station.  Right before I headed back out onto the trail I told Tyler that I thought I would be finishing somewhere between the 4:15 to 4:30ish mark.  I knew I was going to give up some time on the second loop but I had no idea to what extent.  Twenty-six miles was six miles further than I had ever ran and there was still a good 4 miles of hills to contend with.  However, I felt fairly certain I could come in under 4:30 even if I started falling apart.

The primary aid station located at the trail head.

As I headed out onto my second loop it took a minute or so to get the legs fluid again.  I probably stood still a bit too long talking to Tyler.  Yet a few hundred yards later and I was back on the move.  I also took a moment to do some quick calculations.  As part of my plan - this was the spot that I needed to "up the effort" a little bit and try and gain some time advantage.  Firstly, I had about 5 miles of "less hilly" trail in front of me, and secondly, I still had my legs under me so let's take advantage of them.  So I picked up the pace a bit and tried to hold onto some 9 minute miles.  By this point the pack had thinned out so much that I was running by myself most of the time.  I recall a couple runners coming by me while passing a few others.  But mostly - I was doing what I really enjoy, running through the woods, jammin' to my tunes and - at that moment - reflecting on the fact that less than a year ago an 8 mile run would have been a challenge.  How cool was this that I was coming up on 16 miles and still trucking along!  Just a couple minutes later I was back around to the first aid station.  Another gel, a HEED refill and I was off once again.  And just minutes later somewhere around 17 miles I could finally start feeling the effort.  I could feel it both in my legs and in my lungs as my breathing had become more shallow, albeit ever so slightly.  The last 4 miles of extra effort and the sheer distance into the race was finally coming to the surface.  I didn't let it concern me as this was "expected" and I knew there would come a point when I would start to fade.  I had went out at a pretty good pace and held it for 17 miles and I was a bit ahead of pace to reach my time goal.  I just needed to "hold it together", stay relaxed and keep executing my nutrition / hydration strategy and my legs should get me to the line right on target.

Now at 17 1/2 miles - enter "Ultra-Dude #2".  Less than a mile from the second aid station one of the other 50-milers came up on my six-o-clock and started up a conversation with me.  Another very nice guy and not quite as talkative as ultra-dude #1.  He was asking me questions and honestly I can't remember exactly what we talked about.  What I do remember was that it was becoming more difficult to carry on a conversation at this point.  My breathing just wasn't as relaxed as it had been those first 16 miles.  And then somewhere in the middle of one of my sentences it happened - "Nosedive!"  Right in front of ultra-dude #2.  He had been running right behind me and I think the extra exertion to keep talking wore me down enough that I failed to lift my right foot high enough and caught a root big time.  I went straight down but fortunately unhurt.  Ultra-dude #2 stopped and pulled me up off the ground and after I dusted the mud off my clothes, we were off again.  He asked if I was ok and offered up some ibuprofen but I was fine.  We talked just a bit more but our paces became varied so we kinda see-sawed past each other for the duration of that second loop.  These ultra-dudes are really nice guys.  Seriously!

Meet Ultra-Dude #2

Anyway, just a few minutes after kissing the mud, I had arrived at the welcome center aid station.  That meant I only had about 6 more miles of trail in front of me followed by 1.7 miles of "hard" asphalt all the way to the finish line.  That also meant that I would soon be entering "unexplored territory" as I had never ran over 20 miles and I would be right in the middle of the hilliest part of the course when I breached my previous distance record.

Another HEED refill at the aid station but this time I had a small piece of banana rather than a gel.  The gels were starting to taste really sweet so I elected for something different and a banana just sounded good.  I gotta say - the aid stations had all kinds of goodies.  It was like a runners buffet.  Once again reloaded,  I "walked it out" for about 50 yards and kicked it back into second gear.  I was still trying to keep up a reasonable pace because I knew in just a mile or so I was going to give back a lot of time on the hills.  And just a few minutes later, I had arrived back at the first climb.  Quickly I downshifted to a walk and reminded myself to try and walk a "brisk" pace up the hill.  I was tired enough at that point that it was really easy to just slip into a nice relaxed walk pace and I caught myself doing it a couple times.  I was tiring but I still had legs under me and I didn't want to give up any more time than I had to.  Even walking up the hills still left me winded but once again I forced myself to get back up and running as soon as I caught my breath.  I also noticed I was starting to pass some people on this hilly section of trail.  Several folks were walking up the hills and would continue walking after they reached the top.  I probably passed 5 or 6 folks in this area.  I also had a couple younger marathoners come screaming by me at a pretty good clip with about 6 miles to go.  But mostly, I ran alone.  Ultra-dude #2 was walking the climbs and even some of the flats.  I'd come around him and a few minutes later he'd catch back up with me.  Climb 2 completed, climb 3, then climb 4.  Just a few minutes later I would arrive at what would be my last aid station stop.

I filled the water bottle to the brim with HEED, did another gel, and chose to eat a handful of M&M's.  I love those things!  Caught my breath and embarked on the last 3 miles or so of trail.  I once again made my way up the long ascent to the microwave tower just stopping to walk briefly a couple times to catch my breath.  Now at the microwave tower I took a gander behind me to see that there was nobody in sight.  Looking for that last little bit of adrenaline that I could pump out of my body, I put in my second ear bud in and cranked up the volume on my tunes.  No more leaves shuffling, no more huffing and puffing, just me, my tunes, my feet hitting the ground, and whatever energy I could muster to get me to the finish line in tact.  I once again picked up my tempo to try and gain back some time lost on the hills and the walks.  I checked my Garmin several times over those next couple miles to see what kind of pace I was mustering at that point.  Not terribly surprised, what felt like a 9 minute pace was actually closer to a 10 minute pace.  With less than 4 miles to go to the finish I did the math and it appeared that 4:20 was going to be out of reach.  Yet 4:30 was still very attainable.  That became my new goal and I had a little time to spare.  My legs just didn't have any 9 minute miles left in them - or so I thought.  I continued my effort for the next two miles while taking two quick 25 yard walks to slow my breathing back down.  I was still fading ever so slowly but I was now 24 miles into the race and still had legs under me.  I was feeling much better than anticipated.  Less than 3 minutes later I emerged from the trail head and back to the location of the primary aid station.

My second loop had been completed and all that was left between me and the finish line was 1.7 miles of pavement which I was not looking forward to.  As a minimal runner, hitting the pavement after running many miles on soft trails hurts.  The jolt just goes right through you.  As I emerged onto the roadway I was pretty winded once again so I elected to walk up the long incline from the trail head to once again catch my breath.  A couple minutes later I was back on the move again.  As I made the left turn onto Hwy 453 heading north back to the town of Grand Rivers I saw a few walkers and one other runner way out in front of me.  I made my way over the canal bridge, past some road guards and a very long gradual climb came into view.  Ouch!  It had to be at least a half mile to the top!  I simply did not remember that hill being that long as I had just ran down it some 4 hours earlier.  I could see an American Flag way off in the distance and it appeared that would mark the summit so I set all my focus on Old Glory.  I kept on running but once again elected to do another 25 yard walkout to slow down my breathing.  A slight twinge in my left calf signaled to me that it was on the verge of cramping.  Hydration was fine yet 25+ miles of minimals was working the calves harder than ever before.  Quickly getting back up to speed I made it to the flag and although a bit more hill came into view, it was only a couple hundred yards further before I would find flat ground.

By now I was clipping along pretty quickly.  I knew I was close but I didn't know exactly where the finish line was for the race.  It really didn't matter at that point however.  I had conserved enough energy that I knew I could sustain my tempo for another mile if necessary.  Yet I figured I was much closer than that to the finish.  A few hundred yards further down the road I saw some guards on the highway at one of the intersections going into the town.  I kept up the tempo and a quick glance at the Garmin showed that my legs still had another 9 minute mile left in them.  In fact, they had better than that.  As I drew closer to the road guards they flagged me to turn right at the intersection.  I still had the tunes cranking so I couldn't hear a dog-gone thing they were saying but I got the hint.  I made the right turn and in front of me there was a pretty good down hill but nothing I could make out as a finish line.  I didn't care, I kept on hoofing it and made my way over to some grass along the side of the road to take the sting out of the descent.  About this time the left calf decided to knot up a bit and there it was!

Just a few people and a finishing chute that was just 300 or so yards away off to the side of the road.  I buckled down and kept up my tempo and with about 50 yards to go I ran past Tyler as he was snapping a pic of me.

As I came through the chute I saw the time clock.  4:23 something.

I had no idea I was that close to making my "optimistic" goal of 4:20.  Either way - I was ecstatic.  As I crossed the line I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.  Over 30 years had passed since I had first pondered what it would be like to run a marathon.  Now I knew.

As I was catching my breath one of the race volunteers came up and gave me a finisher's medal and removed the tag from my bib number.  Tyler was there just seconds later and that's when I started to shed a tear or two.  I was extremely grateful that the race gods were on my side that day and equally as grateful that my son had come down to watch his father race very early on that Saturday morning.  Tyler came up and gave me a hug and offered his congratulations.  We talked for a minute or two and interestingly enough,  I felt fine.  I took advantage of the curb to stretch the calves back out and realized that I was neither hungry, nor really thirsty.  This was a huge deal for me as all of my previous longer duration events left me dehydrated and starving.  I directly attribute 75% of my race success directly to the nutrition / hydration suggestions suggested to me by Breann.  It made all the difference in the world.

After a couple minutes of telling Tyler about the race, he excused himself for a minute while I continued to try and stretch out the calves.  A couple minutes later he returned with a six-pack of  - you guessed it - ice cream sandwiches!  Now I wasn't hungry, but nobody in their right mind would ever turn away a good ice cream sandwich so I had myself two of them.  Tyler had a couple also and he was kind enough to give the remaining ones to a couple children waiting for their loved one to show up at the finish line.  After my Muncie half-ironman in 2010,  they were giving away ice cream sandwiches and I remembered how good they tasted.  I guess Tyler had remembered that also and was thoughtful enough to replicate the gesture for his dad.

I felt great.  I never hit a wall so to speak and still had some legs under me all the way to the finish line.  I never had to go into "survival mode" and I didn't get hurt.  The weather was great and my race preparation was right on the mark.  Everything went right.  My official time was 4:23:11.  A couple days later I would discover that I had finished 21st/105 overall and managed to get 3rd in my age group.  That just added to the positive experience.  Tyler was kind enough to make the 2 hour drive home and outside of getting fairly stiff, I had no post-race issues.  I'll definitely return to this race next year.  If I can get the knees lined out, I'd really like to take a shot at the 50 miler.  Time will tell.  Tyler - "Thank You" for supporting me at the race.  Knowing you would be waiting at the finish line helped to keep me motivated.  I look forward to being able to watch you come across the line for your first marathon.

The year 2010 has come to a close.  For the past week or so I couldn't help but reflect on all the experiences I have had this year.  So many in fact; that 2010 seems to have went on forever.  Like any other year, 2010 has dished out it's share of personal challenges - but that's just life!  Fortunately; these past twelve months have also been packed full of some great times which have all but overshadowed the more challenging episodes.  And it all started twelve months ago.

January marked the beginning of a dedicated training plan to prepare for a couple half-marathons and two "half-ironman" triathlons.  Sometime during the second week in January I registered for all my races for the upcoming season.  Needless to say I was pretty "pumped" that you decided to participate in the half-marathons with me.  More specifically, the 1st Annual SIC Half-Marathon and the Indian-Celina Challenge.  Both of which were still months away.  It goes without saying that we were "behind the eight-ball"  in regards to our run training, but at least we managed to get out there and run together at least once a week.  Albeit, rain, sleet, ice or snow; we always seemed to manage getting those training runs in.  That is: at least around the flat lands of Angel Mounds.  Now as far as accompanying me to the hilly woods of Perry County to train for Indian-Celina?  Well; let's just say the only company I had out there most of the time was the deer and turkeys.  But that's alright, I knew you would be there on race day and probably still put a hurt on me.

Now I can't speak for you, but with only two weeks before the SIC Half-Marathon I was getting a little nervous as I hadn't ran that distance since college.  In fact, my longest run to date was only 10 miles.  I don't recall the reason you didn't run with me that weekend but but I remember sending you this:

As a confidence builder for myself - I had made the distance on the turf at Angel Mounds - all 4 laps of it.  What surprised me however, was that you didn't seem too overly concerned about going the distance at the upcoming race.  After-all, you had never ran that distance and your race preparation was notably less than mine.  Nonetheless, just a couple days later - you answered the call.  I remember you texting me that you had just ran 12 or 13 miles nonstop.  I remember being a bit surprised that you pulled off that long of a run with just a week til race day.  But mostly, I was just pretty excited that we were both competing in this race together.  I also remember that we met at Angel Mounds just 3 days before the race to run a couple miles so we could kinda sorta determine a "target" race pace for the upcoming event.  Doing a one mile warm-up jog to the boat ramp then a tempo run back to the parking area in 8:05 left us both pretty winded.  Definitely not a pace to attempt for 13.1 miles - right???  So going into the race we were thinking somewhere around the 8:30-8:45 per mile mark.

So here it is race-day and as we pass the one-mile marker the trusty ole Garmin indicated we had just clocked a 7:56 first mile.  Now having run many races in my lifetime I simply chalked this up to "pre-race nervous energy" and figured we'd settle back down into a more "realistic" pace based on our ability.  Since we were both listening to our tunes, I recall tapping you on the arm as we passed the mile markers to tell you the splits.  Now four miles into the race and we are still clocking 8 minute miles.  We both agreed that we felt OK so we decided to keep up the tempo.  Now personally, I was a bit concerned that we would "crash and burn" 9 or 10 miles in but I guess we were both willing to take that risk.

The miles continued to tick by and the Garmin kept reporting 8:00 splits.  Although starting to "feel the effort", 10 miles into the race I had noticed you were starting to drop back a few yards.  Now truthfully I was actually somewhat surprised that you were still running beside me at that point simply because you had not trained as much as I had during the previous months.  In fact, I was quite simply amazed we were still running together this far into the race - especially at that pace.  We had come this far together and I remember easing up just a tad and hollering that we only had 3 miles to go and that you were doing an awesome job!  Just a few yards later, we were running side by side again.  I was once again pretty happy that we were still together this far into the race.  Of course about the time you caught back up to me the tables were turning and I was really starting to fade.  With less than 2 miles to go I was struggling to keep up with you.

So here we are at about 11.5 miles into the race still clocking 8 minute miles.  I distinctly remember what was going thru my mind at this point.

1. I can't believe we have been running this fast.

2. I'm truly in awe of the effort you are putting into this race.

3. We come this far together and I want to make sure we finish this race together.

Now I don't know if you recall this photo, but after giving it a second look it took on a special meaning.  Now the obvious thing here is the look on our faces.  It's evident that we are both hurting.  But then look a little closer.  We are running stride for stride in almost perfect unison.  Look at our feet, neither one of them are touching the ground.  And look behind us: the church.  To me there was a very symbolic message here and that message is that  the Good Lord was carrying us to the finish line.

And less than 12 minutes later, we made it!  With 150 yards to go you literally bolted away from me while I crossed the line just moments later.

It took a couple minutes for it to sink in what we had just accomplished.  The race timer showed 1:45:??.  Almost 15 minutes faster than we had figured we'd finish this race!  But again, the primary thought going thru my mind was one of awe.  Given the amount of training you had put in prior to this race, there was no doubt in my mind that the effort you put forth was nothing short of "monumental".  Perhaps you noticed, perhaps you didn't - but there were tears running down my face.  Tears of joy from a father who couldn't be more proud of his son.

And then to further enhance the experience, this happens:

We both get 3rd place in our respective age groups.  Who would have ever thought?  Two years prior I was smoking a pack and a half a day and was packing an additional 30 pounds.  So yeah; this race was definitely a personal victory but, the majority of my happiness came from the fact that we got to share this race experience and I got to witness you experience the joy of accomplishing and surpassing a goal.

Fast forward two months (June 12th) and now we are at the Indian Celina Challenge.  Our next half-marathon race.  The only difference is now we'll be running on trails with lots of BIG hills.

Now if you recall - what led us to this race was a chance meeting when we came over to hike the trail in April of 2009 - remember?  I'm sure you also remember how thrashed we were having just hiked the trail in some 5 hours or so.  Yet here we were lined up at the starting line in a bid to run the entire trail.

Yeah, you may barely be able to make yourself out standing next to your dad fumbling with his Garmin.  You know - over by the bushes you just watered before the race :)  Now granted we had more than surpassed or expectations at the SIC Half-Marathon a couple months earlier but your preparation for this race was definitely - shall we say "marginal" at best.  While I had been making several trips over to the hills at Perry County to practice the hills - I think you only made it over there with me once during the preceding months.  All the same - I was once again really glad you decided to run this race with me.

And race we did.  We started out the first couple miles together but as we got into the hills we would find ourselves running in solitude.  I wasn't worried however, I knew I'd see ya at the finish line.

And a couple hours later there you were.  A smile on your face and "no shoes on your feet"  "What the heck were you thinking" having just finished the last few miles of the race completely barefoot?

Once again I was quite impressed that you had finished the race - let alone run part of that trail barefoot.  I remember how much I enjoyed hanging out with you after the race as we told each other about our race experience that day and dined on 10am cheeseburgers.

The Indian-Celina race held a special place in my heart and always will.  That hike we did one year earlier was during an era where I was really trying to change my lifestyle and get back in shape. I can't express how grateful I am that you were there with me, not only for the race, but during that hike one year earlier.

One year earlier I would have never imagined myself being able to run around that entire course and here I was,  just yards from the finish having ran the entire 13 miles nonstop.  Thanks for sharing that with me!

Fast forward another month.

Without going into public detail, we knew how difficult making this trip happen became.  Very very limited funds, lack of adequate transportation, and now no place to stay - right?  Our months of planning to hike the Barr Trail at Pikes Peak got totally fumbled they day before we were to leave.  So fumbled in fact - it was almost comical.  However - like in the Blues Brothers - it kinda became "we're on a mission from God".  So less than 18 hours later, we borrowed a car, grabbed the tent, and bought a bunch of peanut butter and jelly and hit the road.  Oh yeah, and we remembered the camera. And, if everything went right - we "may" have enough gas money to make it home.

Guess all the pre-departure excitement wore you out as a couple hundred miles into the journey you were copping some zzz's.

Now when we made this trip in July of 2010 I was 45 years old and had never driven west of Kansas City until today.  The closest thing I had seen to this was in the movie "Dances With Wolves".  We had officially made it to the Kansas prairie.  I think we were both quite excited about seeing it for the first time.

Half way across Kansas and we encounter a windmill farm.  So intriguing we made a u-turn so we could go back and check them out more closely.  I think I will always remember standing on that gravel road in the middle of nowhere hearing nothing but the wind and the sound of that turbine swinging by at a couple hundred miles per hour.  It was quite a sight.

Anyway, now half-way across Kansas and running out of daylight, it was time to start looking for a campground.  Cedar Bluffs in Wakeeney KS would be our destination. A campground located about 2/3rds of the way across the state and less that 6 hours from our ultimate destination of Colorado Springs.  Upon arriving, I distinctly remember checking the iPhone for the local weather and it was a balmy 100 degrees.  Perfect weather to get a run in!

So we pitched our $20 (yard sale) tent, donned our running gear and tunes, and hit the road.

And you remember what comes next right?  SNAKE!!!!!!!!!

I'm glad I was running block for ya and I still don't know how I was able to miss stepping on this dude and not get bit.  And less than 50 yards down the road another one.  Anyway, lesson learned about running along the side of the road on the high plains of Kansas (watch out for Prairie Rattlesnakes!) This little encounter must have gotten our adrenaline up as we ended up running a very quick 5 or 6 miles that eve.  Then on the trot back to our campsite your foolish dad busts his hump pretty good climbing down the rocks on the dam.  The biggest, blackest bruise I ever had, let alone how tender it was.  I'll tell ya - running out west can be hazardous.  Now the good thing about this run was we just ran a hard 5 or 6 miles in 100 degree it and it only felt like 75.  Take away the humidity and it makes all the difference in the world.  In fact - this felt like the best run I had had in quite a while because I could breathe and stay cool.

So we make it back to camp, get showered and treat ourselves to some PB and JY.  Life doesn't get any better.  Now getting dark, and lounging in the lawn chair, I see the silhouette of an animal walking thru the campsite next to us.  It comes a little closer and I realize it's a bobcat.  I had never seen one before (at least not in captivity).  I couldn't believe he didn't bolt when he saw me - instead he looked at me like "what the heck are you staring at" and casually strolled by.  So here we are - just 14 hours into our trip and already we:

• have seen the Kansas prairie for the first time
• checked out some big wind turbines
• Ran in 100 degree heat
• Almost got bit by a rattlesnake
• damn near broke my leg climbing down rocks
• and saw a bobcat
• (not bad for a first day on the road)

So the next morning we break camp and hit the road, not before taking a couple pics however.

Just a few hours later and we made it to Colorado - just a couple hours to go! By the way, I think you were sleeping at this point.

And off in the distance (still about 70 miles away in this photo), our destination - Pikes Peak towering 14110 feet.

So now we have arrived at our destination.  With no plans on where to stay,  we stop and treat ourselves to a Subway and try to determine where we are going to pitch our tent.  Good-ole Rand McNally and iPhones tell us there is a state park on the other side of Pikes Peak about 20 miles away.  Now there is always an element of stress when you show up at a destination without any kind of reservation but like I said at the beginning, our lodging plans got fumbled and we were on a mission from God.  So now having driven 17 hours across the country - the lady at the state park tells us they are "full".  What!  It wasn't ski season.  It was the middle of July.  Anyway - she goes on to tell us that there is another campground up the road that has pull-off sites (free) and paid sites (not free) on a first come first serve basis.  Just a couple miles down the road we go check it out.  (The Crags Campground) for those interested.

Now our "borrowed" little Toyota Camry may have been great on gas but it lacked 4 wheel drive.  And the road up this side of the mountain had some pretty rough spots.  However we made it up and checked out what was available.  Just a couple pay sites but also a couple free pull-off sites.  Basically, if you could pitch a tent there, it was a campsite kinda mentality.  Of course this also meant, no electricity and no running water.  That also meant the closest water closet (you know - the crapper) was 1/2 mile away.  However, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking!  Plus we would have a mountain stream running right next to our tent.  This was the most beautiful camping area I had ever seen.  So here is where we would call home for the next few days.  And to make it even better - no camping fees.  Oh yeah - and did I tell you we were camping at 10,000 feet?  Not bad for a couple of flat landers who live at 416 feet above sea level.  Oh - and did I tell you that the temperature dropped into the mid-30's that night?  With just a couple blankets and light jackets we about froze our tails off!

Just a short walk up the road brought us to a parking area.  We noticed a trail head there and struck up a conversation with a few folks coming off the trail.  Lo and behold this was a trail head for another route up to the summit of Pikes Peak.  Only 8 miles to the top and shorter than the Barr Trail (12 miles) which we were planning to ascend in a few days.  However this trail was significantly more steep than the Barr.  Nonetheless, the folks were kind enough to give us their printed route map and Tyler and I decided we'd do this trail also and attempt two summits of Pikes Peak that week.  Stumbling into this campground really turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  We would have never known about this other trail head and here we were camping only a half mile away from it.

A couple mornings later and we were off.  Along with some other folks.

The climb started out fairly easy and the scenery was totally breathtaking.

About 3 miles into the climb it starting getting pretty steep.  We could definitely tell we were at altitude but fortunately the effects were nothing more than being short of breath.

And above timberline (about 12,500) we stopped for a photo.  A really steep section of trail and quite beautiful.

At this point we had been climbing for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

And after a somewhat hairy final ascent through the rock field at the summit, we made it!  Fortunately an experienced climber taught us what a "cairn" was.

We were both pretty thrashed at the summit.  Legs burning and really hungry.  So we took advantage of the savings we had from the free campsite and splurged on some Pikes Peak summit house donuts.  Afterall, we'd need the energy to make the hike back down the mountain.

And just a short while later, we started our way back down the mountain.  The return trip went really quickly as we ended up jogging some of it as some thunderheads were rolling in.  Rule #1 - when you hear thunder - get below treeline fast!  Lightning is a huge hazard on top of these mountains.  So what probably took us 4 1/2 hours to climb, only took us about 2 1/2 hours to descend.

Summit #1 was complete.  Time to get a couple days rest and strike out for our primary objective (and our primary reason to drive out to Colorado) ascend the Barr Trail.  (which also happens to be the venue for the annual Pikes Peak Marathon).

And a couple days later around 4am....

We began the hike that had been months in the planning.

Making our way up the Barr at daybreak overlooking Colorado Springs.

Already hours into the hike, the summit still looms way off in the distance.

Well above timberline with less than two miles to go to the summit.  Just a short while later, we were once again dining on Pikes Peak summit house doughnuts.  Two summits of Pikes Peak in four days.  Both ascents were nothing less than spectacular.  Now completely wore out, sleepy, tired and sore - thank goodness we had a ride back down the mountain.

A day later we would break camp and begin the trip home.  I can remember almost being in tears breaking down the campsite.  This place was just so amazingly beautiful plus I was having a great time hanging out with you.  So I snapped this pic from our campsite just before driving off the mountain.

And almost like out of a postcard, here is a road we traveled in Kansas en-route to the same campground we stayed at on the way out.

And the driver enjoying his dads jokes.

Our $20 yard sale tent and weathered the wind, rain, mud, heat and cold.

And Tyler, maybe next time we'll see if we can further diversify our "road menu".  As you can see, I wasn't joking about the PB and JY.  There is something to be said for living out of a giant tupperware container of food for a week.  It was actually quite a cool experience (albeit a necessity in our case) . I'm glad we took advantage of the rest stops all along I-70.  I don't think I ever realized just how valuable these rest stops are until making a trip like this.  It's kinda like a place to "hang your hat" when you are one the road.  And when you are on a limited budget, there really isn't many places to do that for free.  As a matter of fact, I kinda speculate that back when the Interstate system was built  - these rest stops were the primary stopping points for cross-country travelers.  After all, they were built for much more than just stopping to use the restroom.  In fact, many of them are quite impressive and located in very nice areas.

And yes we did have enough gas money to make it all the way home too!  All told I think we managed the entire week long trip for less than $450.  That included gas and a $60 car repair.  That would barely pay for one day at a Sandals resort in Jamaica.

So Tyler,

You may be wondering why I take the time to write all this.  Well - here goes:

As you know, I've done and accomplished a whole lot in my life so far.  I've traveled to a lot of exotic places, had a lot of cool toys, had more prestigious jobs, and at times - had a lot more money.  These days that has all changed.  Now I get just as excited heading out the door on Saturday morning for Perry County to go run some hills as I would if heading out for Sandals in Jamaica.  Today I find more enjoyment and satisfaction jumping on my tri-bike and heading out for a ride with my friends than if I were heading out for Gatlinburgh on my Honda Goldwing.  And while the highlight of my week used to be getting home on Friday eve to enjoy a beer and a cigarette.  Now the highlight of my week is when I get to meet you to go running like we did all last summer at Angel Mounds.

I've had a lot of great races in my lifetime, in fact I'm told I still hold records at Harrison High School on the gym walls.  BUT, none of those races mean as much to me as the races we shared earlier this year.  It is one thing to accomplish your own goals and objectives but when you get to watch your son do the same the reward is ten-fold.

And then there is the trip to Colorado.  On a shoestring and a prayer, it was absolutely the best trip I have ever been on in my life.  We got to do some pretty cool stuff but the best part for me was getting to hang out with you all week and share the adventure and the accomplishment of two summit hikes.  I wasn't able to do much with my dad when I was your age as he wasn't around very much.  But somewhere, even in the midst of all his problems and his absence , he did manage to en-grain (to my brothers and I) the belief that we could accomplish and achieve anything we set our minds too.  All of these experiences I have wrote of were all goals that I knew I could reach if I tried hard enough.  And I did - with you right there with me.

The real kicker is that you are much smarter than me and have a better head on your shoulders than I would ever hope to.  If I could hope to pass on to you anything, it would be the same belief that my father passed on to me.  "You are smart enough to do anything you want.  Don't be scared to go after it, even if it seems out of reach.  Kinda like the Nike motto - Just do it!"  Somehow or another, I have always believed that in myself.  If you have the desire - there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you will accomplish anything you set out to do.  Just like making it to the top of that mountain - "twice!"  Pulling straight A's with your class load was a feat in itself.  You may not think much of it but we all know you worked very hard to accomplish that and we are all very proud of your efforts.  That same effort can carry over to anything you set your mind to.

2010 has been a great year!  I have found a level of fitness I never thought I'd see again, got to see and experience a great road-trip out west, made a lot of great friends, and got to spend a lot of time with my best friend - "you".

So as we begin a new year, I want you to know, I look forward to the drives over to Perry County, I look forward to meeting you over at Angel Mounds to get those evening runs in.  and hopefully we can squeak out another Colorado 14'er this summer.

Enjoy the rest of your break and look forward to next week - finally - marathon training begins!!!

Love

Your Dad.

Call this a race report, call it a entertaining story, call it whatever you wish; but to the two dudes gunning each other down in this photo finish, was probably the most "memorable part" of their 2010 triathlon season. And believe me, we had a lot of good memories before this little "photo opp" occurred.

Although the setting for this event was the 2010 YMCA Mind, Body and Spirit Triathlon held August 14th at Scales Lake in Boonville, IN, this story actually begins about two months earlier on June 19th in St. Wendel Indiana. It was on this day that I (Jeff Williams) had the opportunity to participate in a "practice" olympic distance triathlon with my new friends Dennis Keisel and Mason Flake (who also happens to be a former president of the Southern Indiana Triathlon Club). I had actually met Dennis and Mason earlier in the year but did not know them very well - so when I received the invite to participate in their weekend practice triathlon I was somewhat surprised - but I was also eager with excitement. Afterall; in three weeks I was to compete in my first half-iron distance triathlon - yet my longest race to date was only a sprint tri. This olympic distance tri would be the perfect opportunity to "guage" my progress for the upcoming half.

The course started out with a beautiful lake swim, then proceeded to a challenging bike course, and ended with a brutal 2 mile uphill run to the finish (which my newly acquired friends failed to mention to me before the race). So as we commenced on our "practice" triathlon bright and early that first morning, I managed to exit the swim portion well ahead of Dennis and Mason. That advantage was short-lived however as I burned most of it up fumbling around in T1. Within the first mile of the bike course, they both overtook me and that would be the last I would see of them until the finish. I think they both enjoyed seeing my expression as I crossed the finish line now having experienced the "killer" ascent to the finish line. In their exact words - "it'll get your attention" was pretty much an understatement. Nevertheless, I had been initiated and ascertained that Dennis finished approximately 10 minutes in front of me while Mason had about a 5 minute advantage at the finish line. The bar had now been set and I knew how much I would need to improve in order to make a race of it with Mason.

Over the upcoming weekends Mason, Dennis and myself participated in several olympic distance "practice" triathlons leading up to the premier Evansville YMCA Triathlon event. The result was usually the same. I'd exit the water well ahead of both Dennis and Mason, and eventually they would catch me on the bike. The only difference was that it was taking them a lot longer to catch me during the bike leg. Although Dennis was still way ahead of me, I actually had Mason in my sights that final weekend rolling into T2. The smack talk between Mason and I had been growing for weeks and Mason was fully aware that I was "gunning" for him every weekend we showed up in St. Wendel. Mason must have ate his Wheaties that morning because by the time I got out of T2 and emerged onto the road to begin the 6 mile run leg, Mason was nowhere in sight! He was smoking the run and I could only hope he would fade on the return leg. No chance - he smoked me on the run that day. A week away from the YMCA tri and now the stage was set. The smack talk escalated and Mason knew I had closed the gap. But I knew Mason was a formidable opponent. I really questioned whether I could catch him at the big event the following weekend.

As we arrived at the race site that typical hot and humid August morning the tension in the air was almost as thick as the humidity. It was no secret that Mason knew I was gunning for him and he made it known he was going to do his best to "put me away". The grudge match had finally arrived and it was time to put our cards on the table. The horn sounded and we were off. My goal was to "cruise" the swim as I normally do and hammer the bike portion as best I could. The run had been reduced from a 10k to a 5k earlier that morning due to excessive heat so I would simply not worry about saving anything for the run. Since cycling has always been my weakest leg, I really wanted to hammer the bike in hopes to at least be within sight of Mason at T2. And on the run - let the chips fall where they may.

The race was on!

I exited the water with no idea how far back Mason was. However, whatever the gap was, there was no doubt he was going to close it on the bike. The question was - How Much? The answer to that would start to become more apparent at the bike turn-around. I had made it to the turn-around with still no sight of Mason - then there he was! I finally saw him on my retun leg and estimated he had to be at least 1 mile behind. However, with about 13 miles to go, I knew Mason could close that gap on the return leg. Well guess what? He did. I was in T2 changing into my running shoes when I heard someone call out Mason's name. Shoot!!! He had closed the gap. I finally got out onto the run course and figured Mason was somewhere right on my six-o-clock. A few minutes later, still no Mason. Where was that bugger? Then I got the shocker of my race - approaching the first turn-around here came Mason on the return leg. That scoundrel had got by me in T2 and was running in front of me! To make matters even worse he had already ascertained a good three-hundred yards advantage.

But, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words and the look on Masons' face was one of fatigue. Now of course that was just my perception but it was enough for me to mentally stay engaged in the race and try to close the gap. 4 out of 5 times Mason would waste me on a run but I was actually feeling ok at the moment so I picked up the pace. About a mile and a half later we came up to the second turn-around and I had closed about half of the gap on Mason. That was when I realized I could close the gap entirely. With less than 3/4 of a mile to go I made the final turn around and kicked into high gear. A quick glance at my Garmin and I was down around a 6:49 pace rolling accross the Scales Lake dam. At this point the race had become one of strategy. As we made our way back onto the roadway exiting the dam we had less than 350 yards to the finish. Mason still had about 50 yards on me and if he saw me it would be all over. I stayed very wide on the turns trying to stay out of Mason's view in case he decided to peek over his shoulder. Now about 20 yards behind, I settled back into his pace and waited for the right moment. That moment came with about 100 yards to go and I lit out at almost a full sprint. With 75 yards to go I clocked by Mason like he was standing still. Well, needless to say it wasn't over! With 50 yards to go Mason came back on me. Where in the heck did he get the speed to do that? Anyway, I sped up, he sped up, I sped up, he sped up, I sped up, he sped up (well- you get the idea). Elbows, snot and spit flying - there was no holding anything back. This was all about "bragging rights" and we all know that is the most important aspect of triathlon - right? Internally I was "bustin' a gut" laughing over this whole scenario and was grinning ear to ear realizing that our competitive grudge match and weeks of smack talk had come down to the final 25 yards of that race! Mason and I crossed the line virtually in a "dead-heat".

I felt like I had held Mason off at the finish but the official results had him ahead of me by 6/100 of a second. Truthfully, I didn't care. In fact, neither one of us did!

During the previous weeks I had gained a formidable opponent to chase after but more importantly, I had gained another very good friend. As Mason and I walked out of the finishing chute I threw my arm around him and congratulated him on a great effort. He did the same. I think we both realized at that moment that we had each just lived a very memorable experience in our lives. Certainly one of the highlights of our 2010 triathlon season. Most people wouldn't think twice about two kids challenging each other to a foot race to the end of the block. Yet, here were two middle-aged adults raising kids and supporting families - that for a brief moment - were able to put the world behind them and relish in the pure joy of friendly competition. Much like kids do. We both inherently knew that was a moment to remember for that exact reason.

For guys our age those moments don't present themselves very often. It is for that reason that I am so grateful to have found the sport of triathlon. And the countless friends I have made this year as a result of being involved in this sport. Dennis and Mason both have been like mentors to me during this summer of 2010 and for that I am very thankful. But mostly - I am grateful to have their friendship!

After six months of solid training, my "A-Race" had finally arrived. I began training for this half distance ironman event the first week in January. During the summer of 2009 I had competed in two local sprint triathlons so I knew this would be a big step up for me. Although I had many months to prepare, I did not take it for granted and religiously stuck to my training plan through rain, sleet and snow - literally! Most of my training was geared towards building an endurance base with my training volume topping out at 14 hours during the month of May. I was fortunate enough to slip in a practice "olympic distance" triathlon a couple weeks before this race which enabled me to get a better feel for what was to come. All the hours on the road, on the trails and in the pool paid off. With two weeks to go before race day - I knew I was ready. Kathy, Tyler and myself made the 4 hour drive to Muncie Indiana the day before the race and checked into our room at the Best Western Muncie. After unloading the car we made our way over to the Horizon Convention Center just a few miles away to pick up my race packet, get body marking and attend a mandatory pre-race meeting required for first-timers to the Muncie Endurathon. Additionally, they had a very large exposition featuring lots of retailers with tons of tri-goodies for sale - and I mean lots of goodies! It would have been nice to have some extra funds to do some shopping but I had to pass as my funds went for food, gas and hotel rooms. The mandatory pre-race meeting was short and sweet. My compliments to the speaker who was concise and to the point - getting us out of there within 15 minutes. I also bumped into a few other Evansville participants and wished them good luck in case I didn't see them on race morning.

After the meeting my crew loaded up and we drove over to Prairie Creek Reservoir, the site for the race just to check things out. Although this is a race day pic, you can kinda get an idea how big this lake is. It's really a beautiful place and pictures don't do it justice. You may also barely be able to make out the first swim buoy a little bit left of center in this pic. You may also see the various swim waves making their way in that direction. Yeah, I'm out there somewhere. Anyway, we saw just a few miles of the bike course and headed back into town for supper. Kathy and Tyler elected for Red Lobster so given they were willing to give up their weekend in support of my activities I conceded. After a light supper - speaking for myself - we returned to the hotel room and set every alarm at our disposal in addition to requesting a wake up call at 4:30 am (3:30 Evansville time). Although I wasn't really nervous, I was anxious and had a hard time getting to sleep. I tossed and turned much of the night and probably managed to get four and a half hours of sleep. Not really enough but I woke up at 4am and felt ok after a cup of early morning coffee.

We immediately got ready and loaded the car back up for the 1/2 hour drive to the reservoir. It was still dark when we arrived at 5:30am (remember - it's only 4:30 in Evansville). The temp was in the low 70's and the humidity was fairly low. Additionally, the winds were pretty calm and would actually remain that way most of the day. That meant a calm lake and fresher legs for the run. Here you can see the first signs of daybreak and the bags still under my eyes from the lack of sleep.

I immediately went over and set up my transition area while rejoicing that the race would not be wetsuit legal. That would make T1 much easier plus I didn't want to be burning up in the suit during a 1.2 mile swim. The water temp was posted at 80 degrees that morning. I was also happy that I had practiced transitions the preceding week and had formulated my plan on how to execute them. The benefits of taking the time to actually practice those transitions would surface later that day. After taking a few minutes to set up, I went over and lounged out with Kathy and Tyler for almost an hour. I took it easy until it was time - "not to take it easy".

I was in the 9th wave with a starting time of 7:30 (#434). Just a few minutes before I had made my way through the line at the lieu and headed down to the beach. They had muster areas for each wave so there was no confusion as to where we should be. As a side note - The only complaint I had the entire day was the lack of water closets at the start/finish of the race. After all, there were over 1000 competitors and probably only 30 crappers on site. The lines got huge right before the race and earlier wave participants had to be juggled to the front of the lines so they could make it to their wave start on time. Other than that, Muncie did a "phenomenal" job putting this race on. I made it to my wave start with no problems however. There were 12 waves in total which meant that 75% of the racers were already in the water by the time I started. That also meant shorter lines at the toilets.

Assuming I would probably come out of the water in the top 10% of my age group and that there was about 3 minutes of clear water in front of me, I found a position near the front of my wave start. The horn went off and it was finally time to reap the rewards of six months of dedicated training.

The swim started out just as planned and I managed to just swim a nice steady pace right from the start. Although I knew I was swimming fine I was surprised to see just how many of those dark blue caps came buzzing around me. I knew I wasn't swimming slow but I was kinda surprised at how fast these guys were going out. Regardless, I stayed my pace. I had opted out of doing a warm-up swim prior to the race as I knew I would be shivering for the half hour waiting for my wave to start. Anyway, the lack of a warm up swim showed up right on time about 400 yards in as I started going into O2 debt and struggling in the water. This always happens to me for some reason but falling back on my experience I focused on keeping it steady and focused on technique. And right on cue, a minute later I got my wind back and calmed myself back into a very comfortable steady rhythm. I had also just come through a lot of congestion in my wave but had no problems threading the needle through the mass of blue caps. I was very calm and really enjoyed the swim. I tried to stay focused on my technique and could hear Heather's (my Masters coach) voice reminding me rotate, relax on the recovery, and wait for the catch. No kidding, that's how calm I was. The buoys were a little hard to see without popping way up out of the water so I sighted more off the center mass of people in front of me. That worked well and brought me within yards of the buoys. I was consistently passing people while rarely getting passed.

The final leg of the swim was marked by two of those crazy blow-up men you see at the Verizon stores which made for pretty good sighting on the return leg to the beach. Muncie did this to help with the sighting as the sun is in your face at this point. Here is my water exit as I jogged the 300yds or so up to transition. I came out of the water feeling so good I could have jumped back in and swam another loop with no problem. I was once again reaping the benefits of my hard work. My swim time was 40:34 which included the run up to transition. Officially I was clocked at 2:06/100 which is way the !*!*!*!* off as I know I was swimming closer to the 1:45/100 mark. The course was probably long also based on my estimate. When it was all said and done, I came out of the water 6/54 in my wave. Like I said, top 10%. I guess I had passed up a lot of blue caps later into the swim. My T1 went like clockwork. My shoes were already clipped and banded to the bike so I put on my sunglasses and helmet and jogged to the street. I jumped on the bike, hit the start button on my Garmin and strapped into my Specialized Tri-Vent shoes. A few moments later I checked my six-o-clock to make sure it was clear and did the no-handed thing for a moment as I manipulated my Garmin 305 onto my wrist. I had it strapped to the top bar as I don't use the "bike quick-connect" for fear of it being ejected. I was in and out of T1 in 1:23. Kathy tried to get a pic but I was gone before she could get up there to see me. Now strapped in and with the clock running, I spent the first couple miles getting my legs warmed up and tackling a couple rollers before we turned onto the Cardinal Greenway (part of the Rails to Trails program). I could feel some tightness in my hams and glutes as I always do coming out of the water but I knew it would subside in a few minutes. About 3 miles into the bike they were fine and I was riding comfortably. The 6 miles or so of the Greenway was the best section of the bike course. It was like riding in a tunnel of trees and it felt fast. My plan on the bike was to put in a "moderate" effort and try to come in under 3 hours. Glancing at my Garmin I was cruising between 20 and 21mph in this section. I was also getting passed quite frequently during the first 10 miles. That included a couple blatant "pacelines" as the motorcycle couldn't patrol that section of course. As they rolled by I could only think to myself - "why would I race so many hours only to know my finish time was based on cheating?" Nonetheless, I gave it little thought and made sure I passed promptly and maintained the required 3 bike lengths separation. I was also enjoying checking out some of the fine rides that were buzzing by me. This race was a bonanza for awesome bikes and I saw many that were just "jaw-dropping" sharp. My favorite was a blue and white Look with matching Zipps that really caught my eye around the 35 mile marker. Of course the predominant bike out on the course was Cervelo. There were hundreds of them. I only saw a couple Specialized Transition Experts like the one I was riding - and none that were the same color as mine. Now about 8 miles into the bike we emerged from the Greenway and made the turn south on one of the state roads. The entire 56 miles (actually 54.5) was a closed course for the race. It was very nice. Once again, my compliments to Muncie for a well organized event. Although I had left the shade behind, it really didn't feel that hot out. With the first aid station approaching (mile 9) I was getting ready to attempt my first bottle snatch on the bike. The volunteers were in force and calling out if they had water or Gatorade. As I approached, I slowed up to about 10mph and pointed to the lady I would take the bottle from. Moments later I had my aero-bottle topped off with water and discarded the mostly empty water bottle in the drop zone. All of my hand-offs would go perfectly that day. I just made sure to slow down enough as not to risk a miss. My Podium Quest bottle has two chambers holding about 56oz. combined. One being used for water and the other for nutrition. My choice was a very concentrated mix of Hammer Perpetuem and Heed to get me through a 3 hour bike. It was almost the consistency of pancake batter. An occasional sip of the batter with a drink of water would work perfectly throughout the bike. By the time I finished the bike, I should be out of the batter if I did my nutrition correctly. All I had to do was keep my water topped off and keep drinking! Now if you talk to anybody, that has raced Muncie they will tell you that the bike course is flat and fast. What they won't tell you is that the bike course is always ascending or descending via very long shallow grades. Yes I will have to concede that the course is fast and "relatively" flat but some of those long shallow climbs were over a mile long. The lactic acid in my legs was there to prove it. Now I'm not really complaining here but if you were to ask me what the bike course was like, I would tell you it was fast and "relatively" flat; unless you live in Florida of course - then I would tell you it has some mild climbs and descents. I may also tell you that the roads are in very good condition and navigation of the course was very easy as volunteers were abundant. To interject a quick tidbit here; during the pre-race meeting the speaker noted that there was one volunteer for every 2 participants. That translated to over 500 volunteers! All I can say is WOW! It was evident throughout my race experience that day. I continued in my pursuit of the bike turn-around and got to see the pro's coming by me on their return leg. That was kinda cool seeing them cruising along at 24 to 25 mph for a 56 mile bike ride. I was settled into my bike pace fairly well and I was fairly certain I was ahead of pace. My hunch would prove correct as I reached the turn in 1:25:39 - over 4 minutes ahead of schedule. I guess the bike show was over too as I wasn't seeing any of those fine machines rolling past me any longer - at least not very often. In fact, after making the turn for home, I began to put on my own bike show as I was passing people regularly all the way back to transition. I'm sure no one was impressed however as I didn't have any of those cool sounding carbon wheels to announce my arrival. The only hint they would have of my approach would be the sound of my huffin' and puffin' as I closed in from their six-o-clock. Heck, my helmet didn't even match! I didn't care, My trusty ole steed would get me back to transition in record time. I negative split the return leg with a total bike time of 2:48:19. Officially this would go down in the books as a 20mpg average but in truth, it was 19.5 as the course is 1.5 miles short of advertised. Either way, I was ecstatic as my best effort on a ride of this duration was at best an 18.25mph avg. I had just smoked that and still had my legs under me for the run. I was glad to get off the bike as my back and hamstrings were getting a little tight from the continuous effort.

About 100 yards from the dismount line I started getting out of my shoes and just as practiced, I did a flying dismount with no problems. I was also grateful that my son was there to greet me and cheer me on - as was Kathy - digitally recording the moment - and a moment it was. Now there are 3 things I'd like to point out in this picture. The first one is me rolling my bike back into transition (under the sign with the mismatched bike helmet), my son Tyler jogging toward the tent shelter, and the volunteer standing under the tent with a huge grin on her face while looking at Tyler. Now to the untrained eye you would never figure out why the volunteer is grinning ear to ear. But don't worry, I'm going to share that with you now. As I had just flew off the bike in record time, Tyler greeted me with the words "Hey Dad - Guess What? - You Only Got 13 miles to Go!" After further analysis I have determined that just by altering, or even eliminating the "Guess What" portion of that statement, I may have taken it as a sign of encouragement, such as "Hey Dad - Great Job - You Only Got 13 Miles to Go" or even "Hey Dad - You Only Got 13 Miles to Go!" See how much better that rolls of the tongue? Anyway, I'm sure the volunteer got quite a chuckle out of this and truthfully, I knew Tyler was actually cheering me on in his own way. It was kinda funny and I actually cracked a smile at him after his statement. Having received my words of encouragement, I jogged to my designated rack space and equipped myself for the run. As today's run was on asphalt, I would use my Speedo-Surfwalkers water shoes and my thin wool socks for the run. I also opted to wear my Halo bandanna to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

After a slight struggle getting my socks on, I made my way onto the pavement. Time in T2 was a respectable 2:01. I switched the Garmin over to run mode and started calculating my time in the race so far. I had no idea what my swim split was but I knew combined with my transitions it couldn't have been over 45 minutes. Add in a 2:48ish bike and I determined I was well on pace for my goal of a sub-6 hour half ironman. In fact, if I could simply hold a 2 hour run pace I would be closer to 5:35. Well, "simply" was the key operator in this little computation. A few other observations I made right out of the gate were - number one, my legs were feeling ok considering I just mustered a PR on the bike - number two, it felt really hot out there on the pavement - and number three, this course was hilly right from the start. The hills didn't concern me at all and I knew my legs would carry me through the run. But, I felt like I was toasting right from the start. The temps were only in the mid 80's but the sun felt very intense as there was little shade to be found. Based on this, I went out on the run very easily and my goal was to just maintain a pace which would bring me in close to 2 hours. The run course was also an "out and back" so once again I got to see the pros come by me. Honestly, they didn't look like they were going too fast and they all appeared to be hurting. Of course, this is all relative. I also saw Matt B and Andrea K come by me. I yelled to each of them as they came by me. Matt was definitely way up there and I guessed he was easily in the top ten. I continued on towards the run turn-around and took advantage of the water stations at every mile. The aid stations had Hammer Gels, Hammer Endurolytes, water, and Gatorade. But the favorite seemed to be the iced towels! I heard many a runner rejoicing over these pieces of sub-ambient cloth. I wasn't hungry at all so I passed on the gels. My choice was just a cup of water - a few gulps with the remaining being dumped over my head - and boy did that feel good. I was cooking out there and I figured it was just a matter of time before I was going to begin a meltdown. I just wanted to hold it off as long as I could so I kept drinking. Within a mile or so of the run turn-around I must have been getting tired and irritable. I would hear people coming up behind me that ran very flat-footed and sounded like they were dying. They would just hang right there behind me and I just wanted to turn around and tell them to get by me or go suffer at someone else's six-o-clock. They would eventually make the pass and as one of them did he made some remark about me passing him on the swim. He was in my age group and kidding with me of course but I didn't even answer him as he was one of those guys I distinctly remembered riding in a very large pace line. Mostly though, I knew I was just getting really tired and grumpy. Just minutes later I finally made the turn for home. A quick glance of my Garmin put me at 1:03 for the first half of the run. I was pretty close to where I wanted to be and picked up my pace ever so slightly. Not even a mile later that was "all she wrote" as I just couldn't sustain the faster tempo. I settled back into a comfortable pace which was pretty slow (10 minute miles) and did the math in my head. If I could just maintain this I'll still be well under 6 hours - unfortunately though, I was going to give back much of the time I gained on the bike. Regardless, I was now in survival mode and just wanted to keep what momentum I had to the finish. As each mile "very slowly" ticked away I kept drinking and started taking advantage of the iced down towels. Every time I dumped the remaining ice water over my head it almost put me into shock it was so cold. It felt great however but the effects wore off very quickly. At 9.5 miles in, I was done. I finally had to walk and try to regain some composure. There was no shade to be found and the heat was just killing me. There were just a couple spots of shade that I came through and the temperature difference was huge. It felt like a breath of cold air in the shade. The racers were dodging to the other side of the road to take advantage of what would total less than a half mile of shaded asphalt. I walked for about 300 yards and started out again. With just over 3 miles to go it was just one foot in front of the other. Now probably barely mustering a 12 minute pace. I squeaked out another 3/4 of a mile or so and walked the next aid station. A mile or so later I would walk up a hill and pick back up again. With about 1.25 miles to go, I came around a gent that was somewhat in the same predicament as me. As I pulled up next to him I said "great job buddy, we're almost there". He immediately picked up a bit and jumped in right next to me. We had a short conversation about the bleepin' heat and stuck together pretty close to the finish line. During the last 300 yards or so there is a pretty good hill and I lost him on that but I was glad to have a running partner for that mile or so.

As I suffered my way up that last hill, I could hear the cheers in the distance. I knew I was close and the sound of those cheers and clapping helped get me up that hill. As soon as I topped the it, the finish line came into view. I held my pace all the way across the mat. I also heard the barker call out my name as I crossed the line. How cool was that! Kathy and Tyler were right there to greet me at the end of the chute. I had done it! Yeah I had to walk a few minutes of the run but I had successfully completed my first half-distance triathlon and met my time goal - barely! Finishing in 5:58 flat. Note that my wave started 30 minutes after the start of the race hence the clock time at the chute. I had no idea I was that close to 6 hours. I really had eaten up some time on those last 6 miles but either way, I was happy.

As I walked away from the finish, I was kinda "out-of-it" for a minute or so. Tyler said he came over to give me a "high-five" and I don't even remember it. All I wanted to do was get off my feet for a few minutes.

And I did. I immediately went over to our little area in the shade and parked it for about 10 minutes or so. I told Kathy and Tyler about some of the race and after feeling a bit recovered, I went to grab some food. The Hammer Perpetuem must have done it's job well during the race as I wasn't hungry all morning. Actually, I still wasn't that hungry but I knew it would be a good idea to get some solid food in me. After filling up my plate I returned to the chair and started eating and drinking. Both the food and the soda burned the roof of my mouth - I'm not sure what caused this but obviously something to do with 6 hours of continuous effort. I peeled off my Speedo Surfwalker shoes to reveal some pretty good blisters I had ascertained on the run. I normally don't blister but I think the heat of the pavement just radiated through the soles of these shoes causing them. As I finished up my complimentary post-race meal Kathy, Tyler and I talked more about the race both from a racer and spectator standpoint. It was nice to hear that Kathy and Tyler had enjoyed watching the race and that the race was spectator friendly - with food and refreshments available. A few minutes later we began packing up our stuff to get ready for the 4 hour drive home. I limped over to an outdoor shower and rinsed off under the icy-cold stream. That water was freezing! I headed over to the Baskin Robbins stand and exchanged my ticket for 2 ice cream sandwiches. Man they tasted absolutely great! I could have ate about a dozen of those. I packed up my transition area and headed back to the car a few hundred yards away. I was pleased that there was a security check point at the transition exit where you had to show your bib to get your bike out. With a race this large, I can see where this could be a problem. I once again dis-assembled my bike to pack it into the trunk of the car. One of these days I gotta get me a bike rack. I did the towel thing and changed into some dry clothes and we were on our way. Kathy was gracious enough to make the drive home which enabled me to take it easy. Fortunately I was able to keep the cramps at bay while in the car also.

Kathy, Tyler and I decided to grab supper at the Denny's in Vincennes on the way home. Kathy has been extremely supportive of my efforts. This race was the culmination of countless hours of training day in and day out. Grumpiness due to fatigue and juggling of family activities to accommodate my long training weekends. I would like to take this opportunity to "Thank" her and let her know how grateful I am. "Thank You" Hon. I would also like to let Tyler know I treasure the time we spend together running - probably more than you know. I sincerely hope we continue to run together and share the experience for years to come. In closing, I would like to once again tip my hat to Muncie for putting on such a well organized event. I'll definitely be back next year as this will be my tune-up race for Ironman Louisville. I came away from this event feeling great about what I had accomplished and how far I have come over the past year from a fitness standpoint. I had countless great experiences while training for this event. I have met a lot of great people and learned much about triathlon and much about myself. If you were to ask me why I do this. The answer would be simple. "It makes me feel good about me!" Nothing more - nothing less. As long as this body allows me, I'll continue on this journey.

Only a week and a half before this event I was recruited by my friend Mike Demerly to run the anchor leg for a team he was putting together for the local YMCA Xterra Scales Lake Triathlon. Mike had already recruited a great swimmer, "Jeff Willis" and with Mike doing the mountain bike portion, I was to fill the spot of running the anchor leg. The swim leg was 800 yards, the bike leg was 11 miles followed by a 3.3 mile (3.46 actual) run. While the swim portion of the course was relatively flat, the bike and run sections of the course are littered with lots of ups and downs.

Pictured from left to right is Jeff Willis, Mike Demerly and me (Midwest Jeff - the blogger). This event was held in Boonville, Indiana at Scales Lake Park. The best I can tell this was property that was strip mined many many years ago. Now the property is heavily wooded with a large lake in the center. 2009 was the first year for this event and I had actually swam for a team the preceding year. The lake is very clear and calm which makes for a nice swim. Additionally, this is still a smaller race so fighting traffic on the swim is minimal compared to some other races.

The weather the morning of the race was a little more favorable than anticipated with temps in the low 80's and lower humidity levels than expected. A welcome reprieve from the heat and humidity we had been experiencing for the past several days. After a short pre-race meeting, the competitors headed to the beach for the 8am start. Given that I was running I didn't want to spend a lot of time taking pics and visiting so I found some shade and parked in my deluxe captains lounge chair. I wanted to just get a couple pics of my team mates in their respective legs and conserve energy for my run.

Jeff (our secret weapon swimmer) came out of the water with a stellar time of 12:50 for his split. That would turn out to be the second fastest time recorded by any of the racers that day. Seen making his way up to T1 to make the handoff to Mike the mountain bike dude.

The bike portion of the race consisted of two 5.5 mile loops.

Here is our team captain screaming through the spectator section of the course getting ready to start his second loop. His presence also meant I had only about 35 minutes to get geared up for my portion of the race. Mike completed his second loop right on schedule and finished his portion with a very respectable time of 1:10.39. Having gotten suited up I eagerly awaited Mike's arrival into T2. Upon his arrival I snatched the timing chip off his leg and floundered with the confounded Velcro elastic thingy for about 30 seconds trying to get it on my leg. After getting the twists out of it, I was off. Now while I was waiting for Mike I was kinda keeping a count in my head trying to have an idea about how many people were out in front of me. I estimated around 16 to 20. My goal was to see how many I could catch. A couple of the other teams had a pretty good jump on us so I would focus on anybody I saw in front of me. I had only ran this course once but I really paid attention to the lay of the land while I jogged it just a few days before. The first mile of the course was actually pretty fast with some really nice trail conditions. Starting out along the road for about a half mile then finally ducking into the woods. There is a pretty steep 25 foot climb right at the entrance to the woods that I was mentally ready for. The woman that I had just passed moments before obviously wasn't ready for what was to come as I heard her sigh as she encountered the wall of dirt and roots. I have to admit I was laughing at this point. She was #1. A couple hundred yards later you drop off the ridge and veer back into a really flat section of nicely mowed trail. It's fast and a joy to run in minimal shoes. A quarter mile later starts the second longest climb of the course (about 100 yards). I topped that on no problem and went through the first mile under somewhere around the 7:50 mark. I had still only seen and passed one person however. I didn't know if I was running that slow or if everybody else was just running faster. But then I emerged onto the roadside again (after sliding down El Capitan) and subsequently, the baseball diamond. There I saw 3 to 4 runners strung out in front of me. Knowing I had another good mile of trail in front of me I kept my exertion level up and started focusing on #2. Within the next half mile #2, #3, and #4 hear the words "on your left". Moving along, the next half mile is littered with some small climbs, descents and sharp turns. I couldn't see anyone else out in front of me but I could hear someone. This is also where I heard another racer expressing his discontent with those confounded walls of earth. It was quite funny but I chose not to laugh this time as I wasn't exactly just abounding with energy to spare. Nonetheless, I emerged onto a flatter straighter section of trail and took aim at my next two visible targets. Within 200 yards #5 and #6 gave way. For the second time, I emerged onto open road for about a quarter mile where targets #7 and #8 came into view. About 2 miles into this race I wanted to be a bit careful on exertion level as I knew the hardest part of the course was to come. I had just clocked another mile around the 8 minute mark and I knew this was flirtin' with disaster. Staying within my means I made my way around #7 and after re-entering the woods - squeaked my way past #8 along the top of a ridgeline. Now obviously as I was moving up through the ranks the #'s were becoming more competitive. #8 decided he wanted to give chase and he did. He jumped on my heels but I held my pace. I wouldn't have cared if he came back around or not as I was insistent on running within my means and not blowing on this short course. He never came around me, he just stuck there - that is - until we hit a couple hills. Then it was "bye bye" #8. You gotta love minimal shoes! A couple minutes later, and for the third time, I emerged onto open road to see #9 and #10 and feel just how hot it had become. They were approaching the dam and I was a good 150 yards back. By this time I was feeling the effort a bit as I had just come off a tougher section of the course. In front of me was the last third of a mile or so of nice flat ground to enjoy before dropping back into the woods for a final 3/4 mile tough finish. I wanted to take advantage of it so I picked it up and tried to close the gaps on #9 and #10. By the time I had made it across the dam I had caught up to #9. I had closed in on #10 also but he was still a good 75 yards or so out in front and I lost sight of him as he re-entered the woods. After repelling down another cliff into the woods I came around #9. Now this dude was tough. He was a huffin' and puffin' and came back on me at least 3 times. The guy was really annoying me as I thought he was gonna have a heart attack tight there on the trail. Now granted, this is a really tough section of trail and I was definitely feeling it too. But finally, after a couple minutes the huffin' and puffin' sound grew more faint. I had finally dropped him only to hear myself huffin' and puffin' pretty good. I was tapped. With less than a quarter mile to go I was excited to hear the sound of timing chips crossing the mats off in the distance. #10 would cross

before me as I never caught him. I'm not even sure if I gained on him that last half mile as I couldn't see him. I crossed the finish line feeling pretty good about my effort. I was definitely hurtin' at the finish.

Here is a pic of the "catch map". Nobody passed me on the run which also meant that I didn't get "chicked" this time. I usually always do. Maybe I need to stick with Xterra events! Anyway, it took me a few minutes to recoup. My split was 29:06 which worked out to a 8:25 average. The "Wacky Willis" team finished 4th out of 7 teams with a cumulative time of 1:53.30. For a group of middle-aged dudes, I think we held our own pretty good! Overall I really enjoyed running this course and getting the opportunity to race with and visit with my friends. The YMCA has done a great job with this race and I sincerely hope to once again participate in 2011.

After almost a year of waiting and with great anticipation, I finally had the opportunity to compete in the Indian Celina Challenge. This is a smaller trail race that takes place in the Indian-Celina Lakes Recreation Area located in the Hoosier National Forest in Southern Indiana. My inspiration to compete in this race began over one year ago. My son Tyler and I had just finished hiking the "Two Lakes Loop Trail" which winds around both Indian and Celina Lakes for approximately 13 miles. Both of us were exhausted having just completed the hike on what seemed like a never-ending climb. As we were stowing our gear away in the car, another man and his daughter were just returning from the trail also. What struck me as odd was that they were wearing running clothes and were dripping with sweat. Curiosity got the best of me and in striking up a conversation with the man I learned that they had just RAN the entire trail. I had a difficult enough time just hiking it and these folks just ran the whole thing! That 5 minute conversation left me in awe of what they had accomplished. That same gentleman was also the one who told me about this race.

Days would pass and my thoughts would continually drift back to the conversation I had with that gentleman in the parking lot. I was so intrigued and impressed by their ability to run that trail that somewhere deep inside I had already made the decision to strive for that same objective and compete in the Indian Celina Challenge in 2010. This is where my journey to complete this race began. (April of 2009) Although I had been training for a triathlon I was in no kind of shape to run a half-marathon - especially one that hilly. With much determination however, I returned to the trail (hereinafter referred to as "the loop") several times during the summer and fall of 2009 to hike "the loop" while gradually integrating running longer sections of it (which weren't very long). By the end of 2009 I had worked up to running 3 to 4 mile stretches of the loop while walking the big climbs. Albeit slow, I had made some progress. In the meantime I had already done my online homework trying to learn as much as I could about the "the loop" and the race itself. Registration for the race didn't open until the first or second week of January 2010 and being that the race had a limited number of slots, my registration and $$$ were in the mail the day registration opened. After telling my son Tyler that I had registered for the race, he decided he wanted to participate also. We got his registration sent off and I started counting down the months - and really getting serious about successfully running the entire loop - nonstop! During January I registered to compete in 2 half-marathons (one being this race) and 2 half-ironmans. That was also when I embarked on a very demanding training regimen to prepare for my events, all of which were still many months away. This training also included several trips to "the loop" with one objective - "run the entire 13 miles without stopping". An objective that would elude me for several months. Meanwhile, we rolled into April and I had my first half-marathon in Evansville. Tyler elected to run that race with me and each of us did much better than we expected; finishing around the 1:45 mark. I had never raced that distance; so for me this was simply a tune-up run / confidence builder for the event I really had my sights set on - Indian-Celina. Of all the events I registered for, the one event that I was most excited about was Indian Celina! And it all stemmed from that 5 minute conversation in the parking lot. Yet, I still had not successfully run the entire loop without stopping. Several more trips and several more attempts - And then it happened; on May 8th, 2010 I ran the entire loop nonstop. It was a perfect day for running and trail conditions were very good. I'll never forget the feeling that overcame me about 8 miles into the run. Running alone, surrounded by the beauty of the forest, and feeling great, I was literally thanking God for that moment and that experience. My health and fitness level had come a very long way since I had met that man in the parking lot over one year ago. I knew that this day was going to be the day I would successfully run the loop without stopping - and I did! I finished that loop with tears in my eyes. During the drive home I felt like I had just won "gold" at the Olympics. I was ready for the Indian-Celina Challenge.

Here is my Garmin data for that day. The difficulty of this course is evident in the mile splits. Just a few weeks earlier I had averaged 7:59 mile splits in my first half marathon. There is simply no comparison when running on this type of terrain. The elevation gain for one loop around this course is somewhere between 3000 and 4000 feet. Garmin devices tend to skew this number but more simply said, one lap around this course would get you half way up the Barr Trail at Pikes Peak. By the way, click on any of the pictures for the high-res image.

So now that you know what inspired me to sign up for this event and the journey that got me here, lets fast forward to Saturday, June 12th, 2010. It's Race Day!

This race took place at 6:30am. Being that Tyler and I had a one hour drive to get there we needed to depart bright and early. Additionally, that called for a stronger pot of coffee that morning. We were on the road at 4:30am. Here is the blogger (yeah that's me) taking in the last few last sips of caffeine during the drive to the race. It is also worth mentioning here that during the previous 2 days the race site had been pelted by thunderstorms. A large squall line had also rolled through the area just hours before. Remember, this is a trail race and when you mix rain with dirt we all know what forms - mud! However, it had quit raining and the temp at 4:30 in the morning was a very humid 78 degrees; forecasted to only be around 81 degrees at 9am (about the time I was hoping to complete the course). That was good news.

I decided to stop at the rest area en route to relieve myself of the coffee and take care of business. We were only 20 minutes from the race site but this was purely a strategic move as I knew the water closets in the park were limited in number and did not feature indoor plumbing.

Here is our approach into Perry County that morning as it was starting to get light out. Note the hills in the distance, note the humidity already visible in the air, and note the Interstate still wet from the squall line that had rolled through shortly before. In the words of the race director, "race conditions were perfect". As a side note, I recently read that Perry County is the "hilliest" county in Indiana.

Just a short while later we arrived at our destination.

Here is the check - in tent located just inside the park entrance. Fortunately the wait was very short.

This is the parking area at Indian Lake. That's Tyler on the left and one of the premier water closets on the right. I wouldn't be needing that today because I planned ahead!

Here was our ride to the Rickenbaugh House located on Lake Celina. The location of the start/finish line for the race. As parking was very limited at the site, we were asked to use the lot at Indian Lake about 3 miles away. Hence the need for the shuttle.

A pic at the Indian Lake boat ramp featuring participants eagerly awaiting the shuttle bus. Incidentally, the woman with the pink top on - I would be seeing her several more times that day.

Here is Tyler just before the race start. He was feeling much better having just watered some poison ivy as the line at the lieu was too long.

And here is the blogger just prior to the race. It's worth noting some choices in gear at this point. More importantly, the strategy behind choosing my gear. Starting at the top and working my way down I'll begin with the Halo bandanna. About two weeks prior to the race I had made the trip to the loop for a final practice run. As soon as I got out of the car my semi-bald head immediately became the "JFK" for bugs. I wasn't getting bitten, I could just feel the little critters landing up there. As I embarked on my training run I guess air traffic controllers redirected all the forest traffic to the newly proclaimed JFK "bugport". This lasted the entire 13 miles. Although I wasn't getting bit, it was extremely annoying. Later that day I would return home and pay a visit to eBay for the remedy. I truthfully didn't care if a hive of bees were hitchhiking up there, I just didn't want to know that they were there. Now what makes this even more amusing is the email sent out by the race director just a few days before the race - with an emphasis on the third paragraph.

I definitely got a laugh as I read the email. Fortunately, I was prepared and my solution to the bug problem was somewhere out there in Fed-Ex land. Next was the Under Armor tight shirt. There were two primary reasons for selecting this garment. One being that it didn't hold water, and two is that it wouldn't be flapping in the breeze to snag on one of the several briar patches encroaching on the trail. I enjoy running while listening to my 90's Eurodance tunes (yeah - I've always kinda marched to the beat of a different drummer whereas my music preference is concerned) so given this race was MP3 legal, you'll see my little green iPod Shuffle clipped to my newly acquired Nathan Speed 4 hydration belt which is next on the list.

I debated heavily whether to carry fluids or just live off the course. During all of my training runs at the loop I wore a hydration backpack and was able to take in fluids at-will. There were 3 water stations on the course that I could utilize but my concern was how far apart they were (mile markers 4, 7 and 11). Now that may not seem that far but 4 miles between water stops in that terrain, humidity and heat can seem like an eternity. Especially the section between miles 7 and 11 as this is the most difficult part of the course. I had trained being able to take on water at- will so I elected to purchase a hydration belt as it would be a little less cumbersome than a hydration pack. The Nathan Speed 4 hydration belt was my solution. The night before the race I filled all the bottles (totaling 40 oz.) and weighed it - just 3 pounds! I had no doubt that the benefit of being able to take fluids at-will would far out weigh the sacrifice of the added weight. I filled two bottles with Gatorade and the other two with water for raceday.

Any finally, my last significant choice of gear were my trusty ole $8 CVS Aqua Socks (minimal running shoes). This is actually a pic of them taken after the race. Running through water and mud on the loop is not a choice, it's a necessity; and running with waterlogged, mud-laden shoes is not fun - especially when climbing long hills. The primary benefit here (outside of the joy of running in minimal footwear) was weight. Combined with my $16 wool socks, water evacuates from these shoes very quickly. Additionally, there is no tread on the bottom of these shoes for mud to accumulate in. So there you have it. As you can probably tell, I did my homework. There was only one thing left to do - RACE! And this portion is the bittersweet part of this blog entry. Being that I was racing, I really didn't want to stop and take pictures along the way - at least not this year. I'll simply share my experience as I made my way over the course and try to include some pics of previous visits to the trail so you can get an idea of what I am describing. Tyler and I just had a few short minutes get ourselves to the starting line after getting off the bus. We quickly geared up and joined the rest of the 100 or so racers lined up for the big event. Chris Hollinden (the race director) reassured us that race conditions were perfect and he quickly began his countdown, 5-4-3-2-1 and we were off! No fancy timing mats, no guns or horns - just Go! Somewhere in the middle of the pack I started my tunes and hit the button on my Garmin and I was off with Tyler in tow.

Now being that this was my first trail race I was somewhat curious as to how this would play out because less than 100 yards away 100+ people were going to be funneling into a very narrow section of the trail. Less than one minute later I would get my answer. Have you ever heard of the toy called a "Slinky"? The entire group of people were now "single file" on the trail replicating what I would refer to as the "slinky effect" (run a few yards - walk a few yards, run a few yards - walk a few yards). Additionally, it became very apparent just how muddy the trails had become.

Above is the exact section of trail I am referring to. Note the trail on the left side of the pic. This pic was taken in April of 2009 as are the others I am providing for reference. You may also notice the white diamond on the tree. If you don't see one of these for a while then you guessed it - you made a wrong turn. No worries though, I knew every inch of this trail by heart. Anyway, I participated in the very slow slinky effect for a couple more minutes until I saw a hole (by hole I mean some 3 foot tall weeds growing along the trail). I saw this as my opportunity to escape the dreaded effect and I made my move, again with Tyler in tow. Plowing through the weeds Tyler and I almost immediately passed over 20 people and successfully escaped into open trail. Truthfully, I was very surprised how quickly the pack thinned out. We were less than 5 minutes into the race and I was running by myself, Oh yeah - and Tyler was right there with me. Going into this race my pacing plan was to stretch it out on the flats and downhills while baby-stepping the significant climbs. Just a few minutes into the race I expectantly altered my race strategy due to trail conditions. The trails were simply just too muddy to really push it. I had my first half-ironman in 4 weeks and I did not want to risk serious injury and jeopardize my whole triathlon season which I had trained so hard for. This was a case of Risk vs. Reward and the risk of injury far outweighed the reward of possibly shaving a few minutes off my race time. I still pushed it when I safely could, but I decided within the first couple miles that I would stay within control on the downhills and the other technical parts of the loop.

About 15 minutes into the race I was running alone; or at least I thought I was until someone came around me on my left side. To my surprise it was Tyler. We were on a wider section of trail somewhere in this vicinity when he came around me. As I was jammin' to my tunes, I had no idea he was behind me. As a side note here - given that the race director was gracious enough to allow MP3 players, I would look over my shoulder every quarter mile or so to see if anyone was approaching from my six-o-clock. I always stayed to the right of the trail when possible to allow enough room for people to get around me. Anyway, Tyler was looking pretty chipper and I jumped in behind him. What Tyler probably didn't know was that we were approaching our first significant climb. (Once again I had this trail memorized) Less than 2 minutes later we arrived at the first big climb and that would be the last time I saw Tyler until the finish line. Tyler had not trained for this event as much I had and his experience running hills was minimal to say the least. Had Tyler trained for this race as I had, he would have certainly smoked me on this course. Tyler was also racing in minimal shoes that day. Nonetheless, I was grateful he was participating in the race as I always enjoy running with him and sharing the experience. Once again I was on my own and ever so carefully watching my every footstep. The first 3.5 miles of the loop is dotted with some pretty good mudholes and that's when conditions are dry! Now the mudholes were deeper, longer, and more numerous. Somewhere around 2.5 miles in I was really starting to feel like I was going "over the edge" yet I knew I wasn't running too terribly quickly. I've experienced this a few times before on this trail usually between miles 2 and 3. I'm not sure what causes it but I was really wondering if I would need to walk and catch my breath. I'm beginning to think that the act of contending with the mud while continually ascending and descending just puts the zap on your body and cardio system. Fortunately however, there are a couple relatively long downhills around 3 miles in that seem to provide enough relief to recover from the "zap factor".

One of those downhills lands you here at what is actually the third creek-bed crossing. This one is a little over 3 miles into the race and typically fairly dry. But, falling back on my experience, I knew the relief would be short lived as I had learned - When running "The Loop", if you cross a creek-bed, get ready for a significant climb! And the one after this little ditch is tough!. This climb would be the only time I would walk on this course today. It was only a 10 yard walk but the incline begins very steep and the footing was so bad I had to grab onto whatever I could to make it up those few yards. Albeit a long climb, the really steep grade here is only about 25 yards long so within 45 seconds or so I was back running again. It was here that I also realized I was starting to pass people on the climbs. I was about 3.5 miles in and had probably passed 3 to 4 people on the hills while I got passed by 2 to 3 other people on the downhills or flat sections of the course. One of the slight disadvantages of the minimal shoes in this terrain is the downhill sections. One wrong step could result in broken bones in the foot so I had to really stay in control on those descents. Anyway, although not completely recovered from the "zap-factor", I was starting to find my rhythm on the course that day. It felt slow and I didn't have the bounce in my step that I was looking for but I felt good enough to enjoy the race and not have to walk. I finally emerged onto the dam at Lake Celina. Thank goodness they mowed it as two weeks prior the grass was waist-high and very difficult to run through. This is also one of my favorite parts of the course as the view is incredible.

The far side of the dam (left side of pic) would be the location of our first water station. Seen below is the view from atop the dam. You may also recognize this photo as it currently serves as the banner photo on MidwestJeff.com.

As I emerged onto the dam I saw 3 or 4 runners spread out making their way towards the water station. A quick inventory of my hydro showed I was in great shape so I elected to pass this station up - in addition to the 10 or so runners standing there. Unlike a road race, getting water at a aid station here meant stopping to drink it as the footing is too rough to try and drink on the run. Of all the runners standing at that station, I only saw one catch back up to me a couple miles later. I had actually talked with that guy before the race. A very nice fellow from Santa Claus, IN. Probably in his 50's and a very strong runner. Before I headed back into the forest I made quick peak over my shoulder to see if Tyler had made his way out onto the dam yet. There was no sight of him and I made my way back into the forest and started to take advantage of some more favorable trail conditions. That meant better footing and fewer mudholes. It was still slick but much more pleasurable than that first 3 miles of perpetual slop. This was also the first time I took a good look at the Garmin. I was 4 miles in and right at 40 minutes. At a 10 minute per mile pace I was a little ahead of my best effort on this trail so far. Given the trail conditions and the 2 or so minutes of participating in the "slinky effect" I was a bit surprised I was making that good of time.

This is also where the first very long climb begins. This ascent continues for over 3/4 of a mile and it's a very gradual climb but it certainly can zap you if you are not prepared. This is one of the climbs that never seems to end. I stayed as relaxed as I could and made it over the top without pegging my heart rate too bad. I also picked off another runner on that climb. Just a few minutes later I had arrived at what is probably the best downhill on the entire loop. Almost a mile long on relatively good trail with pretty good footing. Up to this point I had spent the majority of the race running without seeing anyone else out on the course. That was about to change however as I was half way down the descent and I got "chicked" (passed by a woman). I'm a pretty humble guy and I didn't want to go over the edge trying to keep up with her so I elected to stay my pace. That decision paid off as just a few minutes later on the final small climb before emerging on Indian Lake dam, the "chicker" was about to get "old-duded" (yeah - that's me) as she was walking up the hill. Little did I know that this cycle would repeat itself many times over for the next several miles. Have you ever seen the movie "Groundhog Day"? Well, you get the general idea.

As I emerged onto the dam at Indian Lake I was once again grateful they had cut the grass. I maybe saw one other runner crossing the dam in front of me but other than that, I saw no one else. Even the water station at the far end of the dam was empty. Once again I inventoried my hydro and much to my surprise I still had plenty. I double checked my water once again to be sure I didn't need to refill at the aid station, for beyond that was over 4 miles of very tough trail before we would see the next water stop.

And as you look across Indian Lake you can see a hill that holds a rigorous 3/4 mile climb in store for you. It's the one way off in the distance in the top middle of the photo. Probably the toughest climb of the race, but we're not there yet so let's move on. Once again, I arrived at the decision to bypass the aid station and proceed into the most difficult section of the loop. Additionally I had planned to take in a Gu gel at this point but I simply wasn't hungry and really didn't had the stomach for it. I had fueled up pretty well the couple days preceding the race and I knew I would be fine. After getting "rechicked" by the woman I "old-duded" walking the hill I did my exit right and re-entered the forest. I wasn't too concerned as I knew I would be seeing her again very soon. The next mile of the trail is characterized by lots of stones that are just the perfect size for bruising your feet. It's a fairly flat section but once again I stayed well in control to avoid a misstep. Now in my humble opinion, this trail has 3 climbs that stand out above all others with regards to the level of difficulty. But more importantly, the amount of mental anguish these 3 ascents can dish out to the unsuspecting hiker / runner. Each climb stands out in its' own special way. Climb #1 (6.75 miles in) as I call it is only about 1/4 mile long but it is incredibly steep and the footing is cruddy. Climb #2 (8.25 miles in) is the one I mentioned in the picture above. It starts out very steep and slowly eases off to "just steep" for around 3/4 of a mile. You think you're done climbing and around a bend in the trail awaits more hill. And Climb #3 (9.5 miles in) - I call this Heartbreak Hill - is usually accomplished with soaking wet, muddy feet as you just crossed a creek that is usually full of water followed by a stretch of trail that resembles a rice paddy. This ascent stretches out for well over a half mile and continually gets steeper and steeper. It will start to level out but as you round a bend in the trail you get treated to even a steeper section than the last. You think you've made it to the top and another bend in the trail treats you again. This happens 3 times on this puppy and the last treat is a bear! Anyway, I had just arrived at Climb #1. Backed by my experience, I shifted into "baby-step" mode and puttered up the very steep incline. I once again "old-duded" the "chick" that "rechicked" me on the dam along with one or two other racers. The reward for this ascent was the long slight downhill on the other side. The trail here is actually very good and can be very fast if the grass isn't too tall. I took advantage of that section and picked it up just slightly. And then something happened which truly made me chuckle. I got "triple chicked". Yeah that's right - passed by 3 women at once. They cruised by me like I was standing still. I wouldn't see two of them again until the finish line. The third women that came flying by would soon be participating in the "Groundhog Day" effect with me all the way to the finish line. Remember the woman in the pink top? Then, shortly thereafter - you guessed it - I got "re-rechicked" by the chick I old-duded for the second time on Climb #1 less than a mile back. I really did find quite a bit of humor in the whole scenario and was actually laughing aloud just thinking about it. I could go home and tell all my triathlon buddies about getting "triple chicked". I truly didn't care. One nice thing about getting old is the ability to find humor in situations like this even at your own expense.

Here is a pic of that section of trail about 7.5 miles into the loop. This is the last 200 yards or so of that long downhill section and this is the only bridge on the entire loop. So as I crossed the bridge I was running alone again. Here is where I started to mentally prepare myself for the tasks that awaited me in close succession, Climb #2 and Climb #3. Climb #2 was less than 7 minutes away and I tried to make sure I was relaxed and hydrated.

I had arrived at the headwaters of Indian Lake (which as you can see is generally somewhat soggy) and had only a few hundred yards to the biggest climb of the day. Without hesitation I trudged straight through the soggy portion of the trail and once again down-shifted into "baby-step" mode as I made the left turn up the hill. The first 50 yards of the climb is very steep but quickly shallows out to "just steep" as previously mentioned. Just for reference, we are now climbing the hill pictured in the photo of Indian Lake as viewed from the dam. Here I would once again pass the woman I originally got chicked by and one of the other women from the trio that came flying by me earlier. The woman that was part of the trio would be the only one that would catch back up to me that day.

I stayed focused and made sure not to peg my heart-rate too much on this part of the climb as I knew I would be climbing another monster within minutes. True to plan I came over the top of Climb #2 panting pretty good but not over the edge. As for my reward in completing Climb #2 - well there wasn't one. Now it was time to make a somewhat hairy descent to the creek where we will get our feet nice and soaked before arriving at Climb #3.

The water is low as seen here but remember that this pic was taken over a year earlier. Today the water was muddy and about 10 inches deep. The bank here was a slick sheet of mud from the previous traffic and as I made my way up the bank I began running the the rice paddy section of the trail. My feet were slippin' and slidin' quite a bit here for a minute or so but my handy little Aqua Shoes and wool socks did their job and I would arrive at Climb #3 with damp - but not soaked feet.

I have always been intrigued by this grove of pine trees. I'm assuming they were hit by a tornado as many of them are dead. Additionally, most of the pine groves I have seen are at the top of the hills but this one is in a very low-lying area at the bottom of what I have been referring to as Climb #3. This is also a section where briar patches are encroaching on the trail. Extreme caution has to be used when running through this section as it would be easy to catch a briar in the face or eye. Anyway, here I was at the base of Climb #3. I was feeling ok considering I had been running through mud for the last 9.5 miles, been chicked, rechicked, triple chicked, and hadn't passed out from the humidity or hills yet. So what the heck, let's get our butt up that hill, and I did. Heartbreak Hill started out as expected but that last "hidden" 100 yards of it really pegged me this time. I knew it was there but fatigue was setting in and I struggled to keep some forward momentum going. Upon cresting the hill I maintained a nice easy pace for a minute to recover and get my wind back. I had survived the three majors and I was back on the move again! My reward for completing Climb #3 - I knew between here and the finish line (about 3 miles away) there was only one hill that was worth fretting over and that hill was within a half mile of the finish line. Regardless of how bad I may be feeling at that point, I knew I would make it. As I knew I was quickly approaching the water station at mile 11 I once again checked my inventory and decided to pass it up as I had plenty of Gatorade left - almost a full bottle. Interestingly enough, I was much preferring water at this point but had ran out a couple miles back. It may have been the humidity but for whatever reason, Gatorade just didn't sound good. It would get me to the finish line however. Then I couldn't believe what I was seeing on the trail about 100 yards in front of me. A man, wife and their child in one of those running strollers. Don't ask me how they managed that on this trail but here they were in real life. I smiled at them and yelled "Great Job" as I passed by. I had also passed one younger guy at the water station but he came back around me less than a mile later. He had noticed my Aqua shoes and asked me how my feet were feeling. I replied "Great" and they were. It made me think back to my first run in minimal shoes. My calves were screamin' at me a mile and a half into that run, and here I was 8 months later running an off-road half in them with no discomfort at all. That is - until I hit the pavement.

With just under a mile and a half to go, the runners briefly get to see a little bit of civilization as the trail brings you onto the road for about 100 yards before disappearing back into the woods. I can run just fine on asphalt with my minimal shoes but when you have been running on soft trails for 11+ miles and hit the asphalt - it jolts you. I also felt like I was running very slow right here. On the trail you constantly have the forest moving past you in close proximity but when you hit open road that point of reference changes. It just felt like I had downshifted a couple gears. Maybe it's just my perception but I thought I'd interject that little thought. Regardless, I was back in the woods in short order and my feet were thanking me for it. I also felt like I was running faster again. Just ONE hill to go baby and the Indian Celina Dream would become a reality! With about 1 mile to go I got passed by another gentleman and the "pink top" woman who was part of the fast trio some miles back. I passed both of them on the final ascent but with the finish line only a half mile away they quickly came back around shortly after I topped the last hill. I had no aspirations of making a race of it at that point as I knew the last 1/3 of a mile was a fairly steep asphalt downhill and I simply didn't want to take the pounding on the descent. All 3 of us emerged onto the road within yards of each other and it was all downhill from here. Just a minute or so later, I would cross the finish line. There were no time clocks, just a few spectators and nobody calling out names on the bullhorn. It was just me and the exhilaration of realizing a dream that had started during a conversation with a man 13 months ago. That chance meeting took place less than 10 yards from the finish line for this race. I had hoped to have some photos of my finish but I wasn't able to manage that today. Then, much to my excitement, the race director emailed us the results along with a link to a gallery of photos another family took. And I couldn't believe my fortune!

Just yards before the finish my moment was captured. To the family that took this photo I am very grateful. Thank You! After crossing the finish line I spent a minute or two regaining my composure and went in search of the camera. My son Tyler was still out on the course and I wanted to try and get some pics of him crossing the line. I had no idea how far back he was so I just stayed close to the finish line while talking to some of the other racers and getting a few photos of others finishing. I just got a few but as they say - a picture is worth a thousand words.

This gent here is probably wondering why I am taking a picture of him. It was because he was there. And, he looked really strong crossing the line.

These folks were absolutely amazing and the smiles on their face say it all. They drew more applause then anyone else I saw finish. And then my favorite:

I would like to think that this gentleman is experiencing the shear joy of participating in and finishing this race as I did. The expression on his face is priceless. Most of the runners I saw finish this race were smiling ear to ear even though they had just completed a grueling race. Again this is just my humble observation but I really got the impression that most of the people racing here today were here moreso to share their achievements and personal victories with others rather than trying to best their fellow man or woman. This race definitely had a different feel to it than a typical road race. Again, that's just my opinion. Anyway, a little while had passed (not sure exactly how long) and I saw Tyler just coming through the finish line. Darn-it! I had missed getting pics of him finishing. And then I noticed something - Tyler had his Aqua Shoes in his hand (remember - he runs minimal too). I couldn't believe it!

After talking to him Tyler had completed the last 4 miles of the course completely barefoot. Some of those sections of trail were really hairy and I asked to see the bottom of his feet. Pruned and muddy but not a scratch!

Tyler started running in minimal shoes with me in October of 2009. He has one of the prettiest running forms I have seen since he went minimal. His form is incredibly smooth and he can be very fast when he wants to be. You may be seeing him running for the Bosse High School cross-country team next season as he plans to participate. Anyway, with Tyler back it was time to enjoy some post-race activities. First and fourmost was to get cleaned up and dried off. While Tyler decided he wanted me to enjoy the aroma of his "BO" the entire entire ride home, I decided to join in the attempt to turn the boat ramp into a beach.

Now I generally don't make a habit of breaking rules but that water just looked way too tempting. Plus, why not get some "OWS" (open water swim) practice in while I am here. Afterall, I had a triathlon in 4 weeks.

Now refreshed and with some dry feet it was time to get some food. Tyler and I both were starving after the race. I had heard a few people say how good the cheeseburgers were so I elected to try one out. They were great! So I had another one! "Brunch"

As did Tyler

Our compliments to the chef - he was a little camera shy.

I also took a moment to say "Thank You" to the race director Chris Hollinden (as seen here on the right) for his efforts in organizing a truly great event. Tyler and I had completed the race, we didn't get hurt, we had some great food and we had shared another great experience together once again. And then something happened as were were packing up our stuff for the shuttle ride back to Indian Lake parking lot.

I saw this man getting ready to start his second loop on the course. What I hadn't mentioned was of the 100+ runners that started, almost 30 of them were racing a full marathon (two laps around the loop!) and this was one of those 30 or so. I had seen a few of the marathoners come by but for some reason this fellow stood out to me. He came past the spectators and the aid station. Nobody was cheering, probably not too many people noticed. It was just him, and (I'm guessing his wife checking on him) and the trail in front of him, another 13 miles of it! This vision immediately became etched in my head. On the drive home I kept thinking about this fellow out there on the course. I wondered - how hot was it getting in the forest now? I wondered - what motivated him to take on such a grueling task. I wondered - where was he from and what led him to participate in this race? I wondered - would he finish? And I wondered - Could I do that? Could I possibly get myself ready to run a full-mary on this course in 2011. I don't know what the answers to these questions are but I know what makes me tick. 13 months ago it was the actions of a man and his daughter and a short conversation that motivated me and led me to this race. 12 months from now it will have been the vision in this photo that inspired me to once again be on the starting line at the Indian-Celina Challenge, the only difference is that I will be signed up for the full marathon. Here is the gallery of all the photos I took at this event and here is the gallery of all the photos taken on the trail in April of 2009.

First let me say that although I have this blog categorized as a Race Report I need to clarify that I did not compete in this event. I was fortunate enough to obtain a ride from my friend and training partner Cody Riley who was racing that day. Cody showed up on my doorstep about 4:45 am and an hour plus a water closet break later we arrived at Moffit Lake Recreation Area just outside of Morganfield, Ky. The time was around 6am and there were only a handful of cars in the parking area - most of which belonged to the race volunteers. (the race didn't start until 8am) Lucky for me that gave me plenty of time to wonder around the grounds a bit and once again enjoy the great outdoors - and the humidity.

As you can see, the registration area wasn't too busy just yet. It must be noted however, they were well prepared for the arriving racers. I have to admit that the occasional thought that "I could be home in bed" crossed my mind more than once, but, I was here in support of my training buddy and I was going to see this thru. Fortunately for me, the coffee started kicking in and I was looking forward to watching the pre-race activities unfold. Within a half an hour, the bike laden vehicles started rolling in.

It was shaping up to be a beautiful day albeit a little on the warm side.

A short while after the large influx of vehicles several of the race participants from the Evansville area starting gathering and this is where I had the opportunity to meet several other triathletes that train in different circles. This is when I also had the idea of collecting names, emails and race numbers as I would attempt to get photographs of the Evansville clan racing and post the pics online for free downloading. It seemed like a good thing to do as I would have plenty of idle time while the racers were out on the course. I also thought about the fact that I would have liked to had more pictures of me racing in my events without having to pay an arm and a leg for them.

Seen here (from left to right) are Wayne Ricketts, Mason Flake, Matt Bartsch (yawning), Dennis Kiesel, Mount Davis (rubbing the sleep out of his eye) and Cody Riley (my ride to the event).

Seen here is Matt discussing something of great importance with Dennis prior to the race. As you can see, Dennis is politely listening, however; quietly conserving his energy so he can use it on the course. And believe me he did! I had the opportunity to re-connect with Dennis after many years and I was amazed to learn that he has been participating in triathlons since 1998. I really like this pic as it exemplifies that regardless of our age and/or abilities, triathlon provides us a common ground on which we can share or knowledge and experience.

Here is Mount and Cody (my training partner) before the race. Once again, both very fierce competitors who both went on to podium in their age groups!

Cody and Blake Voges (winner of the 2009 1st Annual YMCA Offroad Triathlon at Scales Lake) setting up their transition area. Blake also went on to podium in his age group. Congrats Blake!

Here is Tony Goodwin setting up his transition area. Tony just completed a Half Ironman in Florida just a couple weeks before this race. Way to go Tony!

Here we are using age progression technology and photo enhancement to show Matt 35 years later (on the right). If you look very closely, you'll actually see that their features are very much alike. It's almost scary. Actually, This is Paul Ferguson and he also went on to podium in the Clydesdale division. Great job once again! On a side note, I met Paul at the pool at Bob's Gym in Newburgh early in 2009. Paul was the one who told me about the Southern Indiana Triathlon Club which I subsequently joined. Being a member of that club has been a great source of training, knowledge and fellowship.

Another pic of the lake prior to the event.

Another pic of Matt - oops - I mean Paul and Cody taking in some hydration before the race.

Hopefully nobody will be needing a ride in this today.

Pre-Race meeting.

Off to the swim start. Finally - my nerves were starting to get the better of me.

The washing machine. An interesting little tidbit here. As "all" the racers were out in the water I struck up a conversation with one of the locals and he said this lake was loaded with snakes - no joke! Anyway, we had an ambulance on hand and I figured if a snake saw this mass coming they turn tail and run (swim) as fast as they could anyway. Now at this point I'm just going to post a few race photos and skip to the post race activities as there are simply too many race photos to get into this blog. I took about 100 pics at this race and you can view and download the entire collection here. Please note that I am not a very good photographer but I did my best to catch everybody in all stages of the race. I sincerely hope you enjoy this blog and the pics.

Here is Blake on the water exit. Blake was first out of the water for the Evansville group to the best of my knowledge.

Once again here is Matt (the younger version) on the final climb coming into T2. Matt was in second overall at this point coming off the bike about a minute or two behind the leader Barry Knight.

Barry Knight went on to be the overall winner of this event - seen here crossing the finish line.

Wayne Ricketts crossing the finish line. Wayne also went on to podium in his age group!

Matt - (I mean Paul) - crossing the finish line!

A post race discussion among some of the Evansville clan. Note here that Dennis is no longer trying to conserve his energy as he shares his triathlon wisdom with the youngsters.

Post-Race nutrition. Pizza!

And finally, here is a pic of Matt "humbly" accepting his award for 2nd Place Overall. Note I did manage to get photos of all the Evansville group receiving their awards but you'll need to go the the album to get them as they are too numerous to post here. In closing, I would like to say that I truly enjoyed watching everyone race. I was truly inspired by the efforts of the Evansville racers and I sincerely enjoyed getting more acquainted with each of them. Enjoy the pics and once again - Great job everyone! By the way, if you happen to be sidelined at any of my races in the future, get some photos for me! Once again, here is the link to all of the photos taken at this event.

During the month of October 2009 I starting running in "minimal" shoes. Now what led me down that path is a whole other story and we'll save that for another blog entry. This blog is just an attempt to share some info regarding some inexpensive shoes that are currently available at your local CVS store for a whoppin' $7.99. Most normal people out there could care less about the current availability of these "water shoes", "aqua socks", "beach shoes", or whatever else they may be called but if you're a minimal runner or triathlete trying to get your hands on a pair of these fine pieces of footwear during the month of October you are pretty much "SOL" See, by October in Southwest Indiana it has cooled down enough that the marketing gurus of virtually every chain store around have determined that nobody in their right mind is gonna buy a pair of "water shoes" this late in the year so what do they do? - They yank every pair off the shelves and send them who knows where. All I know is that you cannot find them in October - At least around here. Fortunately however, there are a few alternatives albeit a little more costly. But lets stick with the CVS deal for the moment. My work allows me the opportunity to frequent many of the CVS stores in the tri-state quite often as I regularly service their CCTV (video) systems. It was during one of these visits that I noticed the "Aqua Socks" (as they call them) in the seasonal aisle. Although I already had two other pair of minimal shoes, I stopped to check out the goods.

As you can see here, they aren't packaged to terribly fancy but the bright colors just jump up and grab you. Now if you are partial to yellow, you'll need to have some pretty small feet as those are only available in kids sizes. The black ones are in mens sizes and well - you guessed it - the blue ones are sized for women.

And the best part! The everyday regular price is a whoppin $7.99 (plus tax) Notice that these shoes are a "Super Value". They also "fit right", "feel great" and are "skid resistant". I mean - what else could one hope for? Perhaps if they just lowered the price a few bucks - wouldn't that be great. Either way - I had a trail race coming up pretty soon and given that the sole on these shoes was a little thicker than my normal minimal running shoes, I decided to splurge and buy me a pair. After all, I'm constantly reading on the forums about people shelling out $100 plus bucks online for VFF's (Vibram Five Fingers) when they can't even try them on. Heck, I plopped my butt down right in the middle of the aisle, shucked my moccasins and started trying on the Tru-Fit Aqua Socks right then and there. Yeah, I got a few funny looks from other store patrons as I was snapping photos and trying on shoes but I didn't care. Afterall, I had already shut down the CCTV system so it wasn't like they would have me on camera or anything. The cool part is that I could buy 10-15 pair of these bad boys for what some people were paying for one pair of minimal shoes.

Now, I will honestly say, these shoes truly do "fit great" as advertised. They wrap nicely around your feet and there was no annoying material sticking out inside the shoe to aggravate your feet. Additionally, the drawstring in the back of the shoe enables you to snug it up nice and comfy. This is extremely important for a trail runner because we know what can happen if you run through a nice soft mudhole. Suction wins out and you end up entirely barefoot. Not with these puppies though - the drawstring works perfectly. After trying on several pair and smiling at several store patrons stepping over me, I determined the best size for me was a mens size 7-8. One interesting note here is that one year ago I was wearing size 10.5 shoes. Since I started running in minimal shoes my feet have shrank considerably, probably as a result of much much higher arches. I'll talk more about this in another blog. I also prefer my minimal shoes to be very tight to eliminate movement within the shoe itself as this has helped prevent blisters.

With new shoes in hand, I decided I better go put the CCTV system back in service then pay for my goods. Now every time I go to check out at a CVS store they always ask me for my CVS ExtraCare card. I have one but I never carry it with me. It's one of those cards whereas you earn discounts on future purchases with your current purchases. I simply tell them I don't have a card and most of the time they end up swiping one for me anyway. Here is my actual receipt for this pair of shoes.

Now for the really cool part. As they were so kind to swipe some other ExtraCare card for me, look what printed off on the bottom of my receipt. Thats Right!!! - A free gallon of milk baby! And you know what that means - a gallon of chocolate milk to mix with my whey for another weeks worth of recovery drinks! Life doesn't get much better than that. During the next 3 weeks or so, I managed to put several long trail runs in with these shoes. These shoes have worked out very well for running on trails with really poor surfaces such as sharp stones and numerous roots that are just unavoidable - offering just enough protection to your feet without taking away the feeling of running in minimal shoes. For my upcoming trail race, they would fit the bill perfectly.

Here is a couple pics of my shoes (aqua-socks) taken just after a very difficult 13 mile trail run. Another interesting note here is that the socks (Keen wool socks) cost $16 bucks. Twice as much as the shoes.

Here is a pic of the blogger (yeah that's me) sporting my shoes and socks having just come off the trail. It was probably everything I could do to muster a smile for the camera as I was toasted from the training run. It's super hilly and a very tough trail to ran - also happens to be where my upcoming race is. You can check out the details here (Indian-Celina Challenge).

Now back to the features and benefits of these shoes, remember - Notice that these shoes are a "Super Value". They also "fit right", "feel great" and are "skid resistant". I already mentioned that they fit right, they do feel great and they actually are very skid resistant. As far as the "Super Value" claim is concerned. In my humble opinion I think they are. Here is another pic of these same shoes with about 50 miles later.

As you can see I managed to hit some rocks or some other impediment with my toes a few times and the shoe on the right is starting to show signs of the sole separating from the upper. It's actually still attached very well but I wanted to at least make note of this. Now keep in mind that I wear these shoes extremely tight to the point where my toes are bulging out of the front of the shoe so I'm sure that is the primary reason for the separation. Add in the fact that the trail I have been running on with these shoes is truly a very rough trail.

Take a look at the soles and you'll see they are holding up just fine. The soles are made of some kind of dense foam that has been covered with some type of skin that wears thru very quickly. I thought about making a phone call to the manufacturer in China to find out exactly what the material is but I'm still waiting on my Rosetta Stone Cd's to show up. For those interested, I indicated where I land when running in minimal shoes. The wear on the soles makes it pretty evident. I am pretty bowed legged and as a previous heel striker I suplinated a lot. This seemed to carry over to my minimal running as I tend to land on the outside of the ball of my feet as seen above. You may also notice a little wear on the heel on the right (left shoe). That was the result of me hobbling in off the trail one day after pulling a tendon in my foot thanks to a bad decision on foot placement on the run. (No worries though - it's all better now). All in all, I really like these shoes for running. They don't require any "break-in" period and they are very comfortable. If you have ever thought about trying out some minimal shoes these would be a good place to start. They are forgiving enough to protect your feet yet thin enough to truly experience a minimal shoe. Just head over to your closest CVS and tell them Midwest Jeff sent ya. Just don't tell them I took the CCTV system out of service. Also be sure and tell them you don't have an ExtraCare Card. You never know what may print out on the bottom of your receipt - perhaps a free pair of panty-hose - and you know what that means! - complimentary compression socks!

It has been just over two years ago that I started cycling (around May 2008). Since then I have had many great experiences and memories that have taken place during my time in the saddle. One of those memories came during a group ride organized by "Top Spot Outdoors" in Evansville. While shopping for some biking equipment they told me that they had a group that got together a couple mornings a week for a 20-23 mile ride. The rides started at 5:30am so that meant we would be starting out in the dark. It was on that first early morning ride that I had one of those "moments" as I was topping a very large hill and seeing the sunrise from the saddle. I had not seen a sunrise in years. At that moment I recall reflecting on how much my fitness level had improved, but more importantly; that my lifestyle was changing much for the better . It felt great getting such an early start to the day and being able to experience the sunrise was an extra added benefit. I went on to participate in several of those group rides with Top Spot that year and was fortunate enough to experience several more sunrises from the saddle. During the riding season of 2009 I was unable to participate in those early morning rides due to work constraints and it would be almost two years later before I could manage to slip in another pre-dawn ride. That day came on the morning of May 30th 2010.

This ride held more significance to me for a couple reasons. One being that I would once again get to enjoy seeing the sunrise from the saddle. And secondly, the completion of this ride (3hrs and 40 minutes - 65 miles) would mark the end of my highest training volume week for the year 2010. In anticipation of seeing the sunrise from the saddle on this morning, and being able to share my experience here, I armed myself with my camera and headed out at 5am. Here is the sunrise as I experienced it that morning. This photo is taken from Olmstead Road just north of Evansville. Below are a few more photos from the same ride.

Another sunrise photo from Stevenson Station Road.

Some call it "fog" - We in the Midwest know it as "humidity".

Rolling down Olmstead Road. Hopefully my next sunrise ride will be sooner than later.

As I walked into the Castle High School Natatorium this evening I was in amazed how quiet and calm the pool was. So much so - that I had to get a picture. I typically swim here on Monday and Thursday nights and have participated in organized Masters Swim practices since March 2010. Normally this state-of-the-art indoor pool facility is a hustling, bustling place. From toddlers learning to swim, high-school standouts preparing for state meets, coaches and instructors walking the pool decks, to supportive parents sitting in the stands; this pool is usually amass with activity.

Here is the pool as I was preparing for my swim this evening. This picture does not do the facility justice however I will be sure to feature it on upcoming posts (with better photos), along with some of the folks that dedicate hours and hours to make this place "tick". I am very grateful to have such a wonderful facility to practice and train in.