Sunday, January 22, 2012

The subject of this blog is Stan's running


I was running with Mike Kahn and he told me that having a blog is like being a publisher. And a publisher needs to publish content.

So this is my content. A quick catch-up recap of some running stuff since I last blogged.

On December 31 I ran the Freedom Park New Year’s Eve Marathon in Morganton, NC. This was necessitated because I was unable to run in the Art Loeb Trail Adventure Run that day, as planned. Anyway, I was fortunate to actually win the Freedom Park Marathon; there were only 5 participants. Most runners were running the 24 Hour event. It was really fun and well-organized, as all David Lee races are. I could say a lot more about this race, but I won’t.

Thus was my 12th marathon or ultra marathon completed in 12 months of 2011. I suppose that this marathon-a-month thing will continue.

Actually it has already continued, as I was an official pace group leader at the Charleston Marathon on January 14. It was my job to run an even pace and finish in 3 hours and 30 minutes. I finished in 3 hours, 29 minutes, and 59 seconds. However, I did not set a very consistent pace for the entire race. I fell behind by about 2 minutes and had to run semi-fast in the last few miles to get back to the goal finish time. Anyway, I wondered at about mile 23 why in the world I am running marathons. It all seems so ridiculous and foolishly painful. But after the race I changed my mind. I could say a lot more about this race, but I won’t.

Next Saturday I will be running the Charlotte Running Club Winter Classic race. I like Charlotte, I like running, I like clubs, I like winter, I am classic, and I like to race. The race will be 8 kilometers in length. My goal is to complete the race course in the shortest amount of time possible.

On February 4, I will compete in the Uwharrie Mountain Run 40 Miler. I am prepared for my beat-down. I harbor no delusions of grandeur for this endeavor. It is going to hurt, a lot. I expect it will be much tougher than last year’s Mount Mitchell Challenge 40 Miler. Mount Mitchell is basically downhill for much of the second half. Uwharrie is up and down through endless steep hills through rocky, rooty, often muddy terrain covered by leaves. I have run the Uwharrie 20 Miler three times, and it has always taken me longer than a full road marathon. My goal at Uwharrie 40 is to finish. A secondary goal would be to finish in under 8 hours.

If I can complete Uwharrie, that will be 15 consecutive months with a marathon or ultra. March’s race will be the Columbia (SC) Marathon. I'm not sure what marathon I will run in April or for the remaining months of 2012.

Oh, and now I am running at least a mile every day. I have completed 23 days in a row. So far, I am enjoying it. Thanks for reading my words.