Back Feeling Much Better

Wow, the start of this week I thought I was down for the count, but the past two days have been much better.  I've even got out and ran 12 miles so far for the week.  I'll have another week off then back to more consistent training for three weeks then one more week off.  Maybe that is throwing me off or maybe the fact that I haven't bought a pair of shoes in about 6 months or about 1200 miles has something to do with all these problems I've been having?  I'm thinking about going to buy some shoes today. 

Just a few hours until I'll be home again.  I can't wait to be playing with them!  Arn't they cute?  Who couldn't wait to play with them? 

Hobbled up.....wow

Went for a little swim to try to work out my back; 1200 yds in 33:19 and then it really hit me.  I can not stand up straight and in huge pain.  This is the worst in years.  Not sure if I'll even go to work tomorrow. 

Hotfoot Hamster 12 Hour - 53.4 Miles

Had a great time at the 12 Hour Race yesterday.  No stopping for 12 hours which resulted in 53.4 miles.  It was pretty tough and brought back memories how much pain the longer races are.  No matter how "in shape" you are going over about 8 hours is a real challenge.  I was chasing the 50 mile mark since I spread my goal so widely and that kept me going after 2 am when things got really tough and only about 10 people kept running, while others were sacked out like a battlefield; bodies spread out everywhere.   There should be results with the whole 12 hours of splits posted sometime next week.  It will be fun to see and to post my mile splits, but the average was 13:29 and I was pretty steady throughout the race.  At 6 hours I was at 29 miles, then the last 6 hours I cranked out 24.3.  I hit 50 miles at 11:17:12, which would be a new resident state record if it can be counted; previous record was 11:37:17 by Robert Andrulis.

Lisa Smith-Batchen attempt at 50 mi/50 states/50 days! DNI sacked!

Big news to talk about, but first is the incredible feat that Ultra legand Lisa Smith-Batchen is taking on.  She is more than half way through with the first ever attempt at 50 miles/50 states in 50 days.  Move over Dean, this is the real deal.  This blog tells the whole story. 

Only a few hours before I start my 12 night run.  I'm at 30 miles for the week already and with whatever I get tonight it should make for a pretty good week.  Also, I should crack 200 for the month tonight since I'm sitting at 157 right now. 

Big news in my career field.  My number one boss was sacked yesterday.  Here is an interest article on the subject.  Dennis had a very tough job.  Here is his statement yesterday.

It is with deep regret that I informed the President today that I will step down as Director of National Intelligence effective Friday, May 28th.

I have had no greater honor or pleasure than to lead the remarkably talented and patriotic men and women of the Intelligence Community.

Every day, you have worked tirelessly to provide intelligence support for two wars and to prevent an attack on our homeland.

You are true heroes, just like the members of the Armed Forces, firefighters, and police whose job it is to keep our nation safe.

Your work over the past 16 months has made the Intelligence Community more integrated, agile, and representative of American values. Keep it up – I will be cheering for you.

Dennis C. Blair

Found this picture; how does it make you feel?  Very interesting. 

Last Week only 21 Miles//136 Miles for the Month So Far//Gave Power Platelets

Boy had a great vacation with my children and a jaunt out to Oklahoma to visit my extended family with my little boy Leo!  I didn't do much running due to a continued pain in my lower back.  I went to the doctor yesterday and he prescribed me with Prednisone and Robaxin, one is a steriod and one is a muscle relaxer.  He looked at X-rays and said I just have arthritis in my back and he is working with me to set up physical therapy and further pain management as necessary. 

I've been feeling better as the day goes on, but the mornings are really bad and I can barely get my shoes/boots on.  Sure cannot wait for this to get better.  What is up with all these problems this year? 

I'm ready for the 12 Night Run this Friday.  I sure hope to get at least 50 miles, but will also have to listen to my body and make sure I don't do any lasting damage. 

LOST was on last night and the final episode is this Sunday.  I can not wait!  It sure has been a great season. 

Yesterday I went on an adventure giving platelets.  The process took almost two hours and the plasma or whatever was being shot back into my arm was cold and started to hurt after the first hour.  I felt good that I can help more people by sacrificing just a few hours of my life.  I'll do it again someday soon. 

Off to HOME...I can't wait

I'll be off the net for about 7 days now as I go on vacation.  It is a great break, I spend 100% of my time with my family and do not look at a computer and barely answer the telephone.  Also, it will be about seven days without running.  I'll be sure to get some exercise, but running around with my little boy keeps me in shape enough, plus he tires me out because he is non-stop from about 6:30am until about 10pm.  He doesn't take naps anymore and will run you ragged.  He still needs constant attention. 

So far good miles for the month 126, but I'm still in hope of getting 200 miles for the month.  We will see how the race on the 21st goes. 

Give back and get a free race. Rio Vista 8K//71 miles for the week...

I volunteered at the local 8K for about 4 hours and received a free race in the future.  I enjoyed helping out, but didn't feel like I was a part of the race.  They had me working from start to finish and couldn't get involved in the race, but still I feel it is a very important part of the sport.  Sometimes you have to sit the race out and give back.  I would have loved to run the course, but it was fun meeting a few people and learning about the timing machine as we took it apart to put into the van. 

I ran 8 miles in 1:11 just under a 9 minute pace.  My back is still giving me a lot of trouble.  I don't know what to do about it? 

Good new the census called me and I will be able to accept a job and take the $15 dollars an hour for 4-6 weeks of work (maybe 20 hours a week).  We need it with all the money we are spending on our house. 

I cannot wait to go on vacation with my little boy.  I'm taking him to Oklahoma next week!  It should be a lot of fun and a test to see if I can take care of him all by myself for three full days! 

I bought some REALLY good beer called Stone IPA, and is it some good beer!  I'm enjoying it right now. 

I had a good week of running, 71 miles for the week.  I need the high miles due to several days of planned no running.

Day Twenty Two Leaving Car at Work

Not much going on, but sure glad to have 36 miles for the week already, but I am having continued back problems!  Anyway, back to leaving the car at work, and running home in the 98 degree sun.  Well I now know that I'm in Phoenix and the heat has arrived!  Also, I've been getting in the pool several times this week, because it seems to help my back. 

Interesting what is going on in Greece.  Is that the writing on the wall?  We can not continue on this spending path, and whether we pay the piper in the coming years or next decade, he will need to be paid.  He may not just take cash, but a good amount of blood. 

Team Red White and Blue

Not much going on in my life.  My back is really giving me trouble so I'm feeling a little sad right now.  This year has really been a pain in the ass.  I've had injury after injury, which as slowed my running down, but at least I am able to run, even though it is really slow.  I'm already at 27 miles for the week, and shooting for a big week due to having seven days scheduled of no running when I'm on vacation with my little boy in Oklahoma. 

I was introduced to a great organization called Team Red White and Blue and will work to raise awareness and funds for them through my running.  Check out this great mission statement! 

Team RWB Mission & Vision

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” --George Washington


"THANK YOU.” It‘s a simple phrase, comprised of two words, and takes less than one second to say. Yet far too often, those who fundraise for and donate to charities are only able to say “thank you” from a distance. Similarly, wounded veterans and their families are often unable to express their appreciation to the great Americans who fund the charities that support them. We have established Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB) in order to bridge this gap and allow donors, fundraisers and wounded veterans to say “thank you” to one another---and build relationships that will last into the future.

Team RWB’s mission is to assist a different group of wounded veterans annually by establishing a direct support structure that not only meets their individuals needs, but also connects them to the Americans supporting their recovery. From a grassroots level, Team RWB will achieve its mission through three main avenues. First, Team RWB athletes will use numerous events throughout the year, primarily marathons and triathlons, to fundraise for these veterans. Along the way, we will fund these veterans' travel to a number of the events to enable them to meet the great Americans who have trained hard and raised money on their behalf. Second, Team RWB will tailor a plan specific to each wounded veteran’s needs and use contributions to make a significant impact on each of their lives throughout the sponsorship. Team RWB followers and contributors can see their impact through pictures and personal comments from the veterans on our website. Finally, Team RWB will combine forces with other wounded veteran organizations in order to maximize the support efforts given to all wounded veterans in our continued quest to adequately say “thank you” for the sacrifices they have made that have changed their lives forever.

Our history affords Americans the realization that flourishing relationships between veterans and the American people is critical to our nation’s success. While we have seen the impact these relationships have when they are positive, we have also seen the troubles that arise when the connections are frigid. Building long-term relationships between wounded veterans and the American people is not only a consistent sign of appreciation for their sacrifice, but it will provide these brave men and women with the confidence they need to share their experiences and strength with the rest of the country in the decades ahead.



Please get involved! Here’s how:


• Become a TRWB athlete-fundraiser or donor. We will hold various events nationwide throughout the year and we want you to be part of our team. Sign up for an event and email mike@TeamRWB.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the details, your story and a picture.

• Interested in giving, but not participating in an event? Use a check or Pay Pal to make a donation and sponsor a Team RWB wounded veteran. Our webpage will include their pictures, personal stories and specific areas of need.

Your time, effort, and generosity will help insure that the critical bond between donor and recipient is not lost, and that young Americans in the future are more willing to serve our country because of the strong relationships they witness between the American people and their wounded veterans.

If that doesn't get you going I don't know what will? 

Lot going on in the world.  Humans have shown how smart we are and how we continue to take care of the Earth.  I think someday soon Mother Earth will take care of about half of us once and for all, and that is probably just what we need.  There are just too many of us running around. 

Also, great job catching the knuckle-headed car bomber.  I thought "they" would have brought the fight to us a long time ago, but maybe we are really that good at security that it is very hard for them to make successful attacks on the America homeland.  Anyway, good job local/national (maybe international) law enforcement!  I'm all for more cameras, which seemed to help.  I have nothing to hide and would love to see more in every large city.

Whiskey Row Marathon 3:56:23 //Anton Krupicka wins MiWok!!

Nice long day yesterday in Prescott.  I underestimated the difficulty of the Whiskey Row Marathon and only posted a 3:56:20 or average 9:01 pace per mile.  I was happy to negative split the race going out in 2:00:00 and coming back in 1:56:20.  I was 30th place out of 190 finishers or in the top 16% of the race, but that is not saying much for such a small town race.  There was a lot of walking going on, but I'm not complaining because it was incredibly beautiful! 

Here is the link to all my photos, but I saved them and thought I'd post some of the better ones here. 

I made it into the Across the Years Lottery.  I didn't get my first choice of the 48 hour race, but was able to get into the 24 hour race, so I'll have to really run fast to get the 100 mile buckle in under 24 hours! 

As expected Anton (check out his race report) won MiWok!  I'll post some links to the results pages once they are posted.