tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14975900880253215202024-03-13T12:19:30.105-07:00Six Degrees of MVNUSIDWe are all characters in this story called life. What we do with the days that we are given is up to us, but remember that what we do can also impact the lives of others. Make the most of every day.MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-47476719559228301272013-09-20T08:56:00.000-07:002013-09-20T08:56:40.515-07:00Jersey Boys...Oh What a Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Rw9DwmbrZ0/Ujxvfzo6ubI/AAAAAAAAAxU/iyBFvItT4ig/s1600/jerseyboys2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Rw9DwmbrZ0/Ujxvfzo6ubI/AAAAAAAAAxU/iyBFvItT4ig/s200/jerseyboys2.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend the Broadway on Tour performance of Jersey Boys at the Ohio Theatre. I had heard lots of positive things about the show and was definitely looking forward to seeing what it was all about.<br />
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Well, the show and the packed house did not disappoint. It's the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and how the group came to be. The story is told in a very entertaining way from the perspectives of all four members of the group in four segments (seasons) and they use the seemingly endless hits that they produced to do it. I've been to several of the shows in Columbus the past few years and this was probably the most the entire audience has gotten into the entire performance.<br />
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You don't realize how many hits these guys had until they just keep singing and singing. It was a very interesting look into life on the road for four guys and all the things that go into keeping groups together and watching them fall apart. The rise and fall of relationships, financial struggles, sacrifices, and successes.<br />
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<a href="http://twitter.com/nickcosgrove22">Nick Cosgrove</a> as Frankie Valli really delivered with a voice that you just don't find anywhere. <a href="http://twitter.com/jasonkappus">Jason Kappus</a> as Bob Gaudio, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brandon-Andrus/286744941357117">Brandon Andrus</a> as Nick Massi, and <a href="http://twitter.com/nicolasdromard">Nicolas Dromard</a> as Tommy DeVito were also outstanding. All four really embraced their roles and seemed perfect for the personality that they were portraying.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgmmN-dCtgo/UjxvntzctwI/AAAAAAAAAxc/5vwTP0MxLlM/s1600/jerseyboys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgmmN-dCtgo/UjxvntzctwI/AAAAAAAAAxc/5vwTP0MxLlM/s320/jerseyboys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you are looking for a fun evening out, this is a show for you. There is some language that would not be suitable for children, so just make this a date night and enjoy!<br />
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This show will be in Columbus until September 29. For more information about the show or to
purchase tickets, visit the CAPA website at: <a href="http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/jersey-boys">http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/jersey-boys</a><br />
<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-34884727562990093022013-08-13T11:41:00.001-07:002013-08-13T14:20:42.199-07:00Running Apparel Brands...Can You Keep Me Dry?This is a different kind of blog entry for me. Running friends, I need your help. And brands who make running apparel, I would REALLY love to hear from you.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isoUMZbL2AA/Ugp9BDOaqnI/AAAAAAAAAxE/CUV8wpg6vFk/s1600/runningshorts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isoUMZbL2AA/Ugp9BDOaqnI/AAAAAAAAAxE/CUV8wpg6vFk/s200/runningshorts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Those of you who know me and especially if you have ever run with me know that I'm a big guy (6-foot-6, 198 lbs after this morning's weigh-in). And when I run, I really sweat! I mean the kind that sometimes during a 10-mile summer run requires wringing out my shirt (if I wear one) multiple times with enough liquid coming out that I could more than refill the liter bottle of water that I usually carry. And it doesn't stop there. The longer I run, the more my shorts and even shoes just become soaked. Yes, I know...it's gross. And uncomfortable.<br />
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Here's where you - the reader - come in. I've tried numerous supposed dri-fit, moisture-wicking shirts and shorts. I would love to hear your recommendations, running friends. Especially if you perspire heavily like I do. I would like to especially challenge a brand or two to step up and let me review a set of their products (shirt and shorts) in exchange for proving that they've got the best gear on the market, especially when it comes to shorts. I typically haven't spent a lot of money on this apparel because I haven't seen a difference. However, my guess is that <a href="http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/running/">Nike</a>, <a href="http://www.asicsamerica.com/">Asics</a>, <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/">Brooks</a>, <a href="http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en">Under Armour</a>, or another brand has a product out there that they feel confident in and might want to sell me on it. And, <a href="http://www.lululemon.com/">Lululemon</a>...I'm on your mailing list and read all your claims that your <a href="http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/men-shorts/Pace-Breaker-Short?cc=5760&skuId=3492527&catId=cat230013">$64 Pace Breaker shorts</a> are the best out there. I really challenge you to put your money where your mouth is and send me a pair to prove it. Until then, there is no way I'm forking over that kind of cash for a product I know nothing about except from my female running friends who swear I'll see a difference. Oh, and <a href="http://www.runningwarehouse.com/">Running Warehouse</a>....you are welcome to get in on this
challenge, too, as you have access to every brand. What's your
recommendation for this very loyal customer?<br />
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I look forward to hearing your responses, running friends, and let's see if any brand is truly willing to put their products to the test. I mean...what are they out, right? I've proven time and time again that I'm a loyal customer when I find products and services that work for me and meet my expectations.<br />
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<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-84694019668371813062013-07-29T13:14:00.001-07:002013-07-30T05:37:08.369-07:00The First Five Grand<div style="text-align: right;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kzR_kudi-OE/UfbM02X-24I/AAAAAAAAAw0/JiAOQOoKUJU/s1600/5000miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kzR_kudi-OE/UfbM02X-24I/AAAAAAAAAw0/JiAOQOoKUJU/s1600/5000miles.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first race (left) and my most recent marathon (right)</td></tr>
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This morning's run was much like most of my runs. No fanfare. Just me, a few other runners and bikers, and the open road or in today's case the open trail.<br />
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However, today's run was extra special. During the first mile of what would end up being a 7-mile run, I ran my 5,000th career mile. To some that might seem like a big number and to others who have run for awhile it's not as big a feat. For me, it was special.<br />
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I started this running journey 1,161 days ago on May 26, 2010...much like today on the trail and ironically like today without the Garmin providing me time, pace, and distance. On that day, I was lucky to run two miles. I went back the next day and barely pulled out another two-mile run without walking. It was brutal! Over the next two weeks, I only managed to run three more miles.<br />
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Then, on June 12, 2010, things finally started to click. That day, I went out to run two miles and ended up running four miles. I went back out the next day and ran three more miles. And I went back again. And again. And again. And I haven't stopped going back out.<br />
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Running has provided me with countless benefits. When I started, I weighed in at 235 pounds. Not awful for a 6-6 guy, but today's weigh-in of 198.5 pounds has me in much better shape. I'm eating smarter (notice I didn't say less) and drinking a whole lot more water. I really do feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. And it doesn't hurt that for nearly half of my running journey (575 days and counting to be exact), I have been on a streak of doing at least 100 pushups and 100 situps each day to help augment the running.<br />
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In addition to the health benefits, I have made some incredible friendships. When I started this journey, I was running solo. However, soon after running my first race on August 28, 2010, several local runners in Mount Vernon began to get together in the mornings at 6 a.m. and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MountVernonRunningBuddies">Mount Vernon Running Buddies</a> were born. Ever since that day, it's a rare morning that you don't find someone from that group meeting up for the daily run. Their dedication to running is amazing!<br />
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I've also enjoyed meeting numerous runners from Central Ohio and beyond. Run DMC is a group that corresponds primarily via social media, but people in that group have become some of my very closest friends. I've also met great people in the midst of races who have gone on to become close friends, too, after we helped each other get through the tough times in a race.<br />
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Since this journey began three years, two months, and four days ago, I've been blessed to be able to run in some great places. I've run on the beach of both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean as well as the Gulf of Mexico. I've run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back. I've run the magnificent mile in Chicago, under the Arch in St. Louis, and on the track at Daytona International Speedway. I've run a three-state 5K with a mile at three different state welcome centers. I've run three marathons (Columbus 2011, Earth Day 2012, and <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2013/02/from-dl-to-bq.html">Last Chance for Boston 2013</a>) and eight half marathons (Pittsburgh twice, Earth Day twice, Erie, Xenia, Cap City, and Columbus). I've participated in two amazing relay races - <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-hood-to-coast-relay.html">Hood to Coast in 2012</a> and Relay Around Columbus in 2013. And too many shorter races to even mention, yet all have been incredibly fun and provided their own enjoyment to this journey.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RrxvYN10qHA/UfbK_7h9KJI/AAAAAAAAAwk/2vY7FzGFP_8/s1600/hoodtocoast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RrxvYN10qHA/UfbK_7h9KJI/AAAAAAAAAwk/2vY7FzGFP_8/s320/hoodtocoast.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running my leg at Hood to Coast</td></tr>
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The journey has not been without its bumps in the road either. I spent August of 2011 with limited mileage due to shin splints. Then, about the same time in 2012, the shin splints returned and turned into stress fractures in both legs that sidelined me with only 78 total miles from August 1-October 31. I had to learn patience through the injuries. And I also learned the importance of cross-training both on the bike and in the pool as well as with core workouts. The encouragement and support from other runners was unwavering and helped me immensely as I worked to heal.<br />
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As I reflect back on the past 5,000 miles, for me it's all about the journey. It's not about any personal accolades or even the fact that I've reached this milestone. It's about the people's lives I've been able to be a part of and the amazing times that we've had. For those of you who I've had the pleasure of running with, THANK YOU! For those of you I haven't met in person yet, but who have supported me from afar, THANK YOU! YOU are what this milestone is all about because without you this journey would be pretty lonely. I look forward to seeing all of you on the run sometime soon!MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-42983021762185942772013-07-01T07:33:00.000-07:002013-07-01T16:48:18.119-07:00Zoom to BOOM! with COTA<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3IrQmv_osmE/UdGSsPniYjI/AAAAAAAAAwA/dLIyA_8bbRk/s400/rwboom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3IrQmv_osmE/UdGSsPniYjI/AAAAAAAAAwA/dLIyA_8bbRk/s200/rwboom.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red, White, and BOOM! will light up the Columbus skyline</td></tr>
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As we turn the calendar to another month, the summer is really starting to fly by. When I think of July, I think of hot days, picnics, and of course...fireworks! And in Central Ohio when you think fireworks, you definitely think Red, White, and BOOM!<br />
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Red, White, and BOOM! is billed as the largest fireworks display in Ohio and it takes place on July 3rd in downtown Columbus. For complete information about all the activities and the schedule for the day, visit the <a href="http://www.redwhiteandboom.org/">Red, White, and BOOM! website</a>.<br />
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This year will actually mark my first ever trip to watch Red, White, and BOOM! in person. I've always wanted to go see it before, but the biggest reason that I didn't go was because I didn't want to fight the crowds and mess with all that traffic.<br />
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Well, thanks to <a href="http://www.cota.com/">COTA</a> and it's <a href="http://www.cota.com/News-Releases.aspx?id=254">Zoom to the BOOM! initiative</a> I really don't have an excuse to not go any more. For just $5.50 round-trip for adults or $2.00 for children through the age of 12, you can park in seven different locations (Crosswoods, Dublin, Gahanna, Grove City, Olentangy/Bethel, Reynoldsburg, and Westerville) and ride an express bus downtown between 5:30-8:30 p.m. and get dropped off near Huntington Park where you can show your COTA wristband and go into the ballpark for free where some of the best viewing seats for the fireworks show await you. (For details on the Park and Ride location drop-offs, <a href="http://www.cota.com/Rider-Alerts.aspx?id=217">click here</a>.) There will also be activities at Huntington Park including entertainment by McGuffey Lane and Phil Dirt and the Dozers, face painting for kids, inflatable games, and more. Concession stands will also be open.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FH46qCDk52w/UdGS6gfE-0I/AAAAAAAAAwI/g13SvbvxY6Q/s401/Zoom+to+the+Boom+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FH46qCDk52w/UdGS6gfE-0I/AAAAAAAAAwI/g13SvbvxY6Q/s400/Zoom+to+the+Boom+Logo.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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Then, after the fireworks, buses will leave downtown between 10:45 p.m. and midnight from the designated Red, White and BOOM! boarding zones to head back to the seven park and ride locations. It's that simple!!! Not only do you get the best seat in the house to view the show, but COTA handles all the driving and stress of traffic and parking downtown. Sure sounds like a winner to me!<br />
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You can find lots more information about this program by visiting the <a href="http://www.cota.com/">COTA website</a> and the <a href="http://www.cota.com/News-Releases.aspx?id=254">Zoom to the BOOM! specific link</a>. For tips on riding COTA, you can also go to <a href="http://www.cota.com/import/2012_WEB_COTA_How_to_Ride_Guide.pdf">this link</a>. And if you decide to join me in doing this on Wednesday, make sure to follow <a href="http://twitter.com/cotabus">COTA on Twitter</a> and tweet using the hashtags #COTAbus and #RWB13. It's going to be a fun night!!! Hope to see you at Huntington Park or while we Zoom to the BOOM!<br />
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<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-28201449695736721802013-06-30T22:10:00.002-07:002013-06-30T22:17:59.876-07:00For the Love of Outback<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4dCrgidUUd4/UdEPkhHZUvI/AAAAAAAAAvg/wnxUrLHE1jw/s480/IMG_3684%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4dCrgidUUd4/UdEPkhHZUvI/AAAAAAAAAvg/wnxUrLHE1jw/s200/IMG_3684%5B1%5D.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie and I after we met for the first time</td></tr>
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Well, last night it finally happened. Yes, that's right...<a href="http://twitter.com/DebbieGibson">Debbie Gibson</a> and I finally met in real life. For those of you who are new to the blog, you might be wondering what the big deal is. However, there is quite the back story that you need to catch up on. :)<br />
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See, I've been a fan of Debbie's since her teen pop sensation days of the late 1980's. Her hit "Lost in Your Eyes" was my junior prom theme in 1989. I've got several of her cassettes. Yes, I may have even had a slight celebrity crush on her like a lot of my 17-year-old friends.<br />
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Fast forward to a year and a half ago. My friends at <a href="http://www.outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a>, who I had gotten to know through the power of Twitter, sent me <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2011/11/turning-40-in-styleoutback-style.html">40 presents to give away in conjunction with my 40th birthday</a>. After giving a bunch away to friends and family and then branching out to people in the community, members of the news media, our town's mayor, and even <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Z12sq9M_o">Jungle Jack Hanna of the Columbus Zoo</a>, I saved the best for last. I was determined to try to get the final present to Debbie Gibson. Yes, it took lots of tweets and nearly five months after my birthday to do it, but <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/04/anything-is-possiblejust-ask-debbie.html">Debbie got the final present and was even nice enough to send a fun video that she filmed from the dressing room of the Tonight Show to mark the occasion</a>.<br />
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A little over a year has passed since then. Debbie and her publicist, <a href="http://twitter.com/eneffbuzz">Elizabeth Neff</a>, have both been nice enough to correspond with me from time to time via Twitter. When I noticed on Debbie's website that she would be in Ohio for a concert at the end of June, I started to think that maybe I would finally get the opportunity to meet her. As the day of the event drew closer, I sent her a couple of messages. Before I knew it, her production manager, Rob, was calling me on the phone and telling me what I needed to do to meet her at the concert.<br />
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I was stoked! Despite being a big fan, I had never even seen her in concert. And now, I was going to get to go backstage and meet her! Was this really happening?!?<br />
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Saturday came and I made the drive to Cincinnati through lots of rain. I was worried that maybe the concert, which was outdoors, would get canceled. However, the rain stopped about the time that I arrived and before I knew it the time had come to meet Rob and go see her.<br />
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I don't know about you, but too often we put celebrities on pedestals as better than everyone else. However, whatever expectations I had for meeting Debbie quickly vanished the moment I walked in her dressing room with Rob.<br />
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As soon as she saw me, she gave me a big hug and immediately acted like I was a long lost friend she had known forever. We talked and laughed. Next thing I knew, I realized that it was just Debbie and I hanging out and chatting as Rob had disappeared to take care of some things. Seriously, could it have been a cooler experience. What could have been intimidating was not because of how kind she was by going out of her way to make me feel special. She is a very genuine person and it was really easy to talk to her.<br />
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I left the dressing room and waited outside while she made last-minute preparations for her show. I was able to stand on stage and watch the whole performance. It was great! She sang lots of her old songs ("<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A84f_hZvVi8">Shake Your Love</a>", "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GaC8DhRbz0">Lost in Your Eyes</a>", "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IiOZyeWx98">Only in My Dreams</a>", "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqGzaaxr0PQ">Electric Youth</a>", and "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBigBU-nFjk">Foolish Beat</a>", and even a tribute medley of songs by other artists that she enjoyed back in the day. Debbie is definitely a performer and did a great job vocally as well as interacting and connecting with the crowd. And she has endless energy, too. She even rolled with the punches when a stray dog got loose on stage and she led the crowd in "Who Let the Dogs Out". She also didn't miss a beat during her rendition of "Lost in Your Eyes" when she had to whack a mosquito who had landed on her arm mid-song.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWqr35w2wh8/UdEP1T-ERXI/AAAAAAAAAvo/UKC6L2GQd4U/s1440/IMG_3703%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWqr35w2wh8/UdEP1T-ERXI/AAAAAAAAAvo/UKC6L2GQd4U/s400/IMG_3703%5B1%5D.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie heading out to the stage to get the concert started</td></tr>
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I had so much fun throughout the concert as she would came on and off stage walking right past me. Before the first song, I gave her a fist bump. I had no idea what the protocol was or what I should do. Guess that came from working with student-athletes every day. LOL I also had fun chatting with Rob and her two dancers, <a href="https://twitter.com/Euphorian54">Eddie</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/BuddyCasimano">Buddy</a>. Everyone was just incredibly cordial and fun.<br />
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When the concert ended, I had the chance to talk to Debbie for a couple more minutes before she headed off to meet her fans and sign autographs at the merchandise tent. She even paused long enough to record a quick message with me for our mutual friends at Outback. Probably the most impressive thing for me all night was being about 45 minutes into my three-hour drive home and getting a message from her saying that she enjoyed meeting me finally. Seriously, Debbie, you are the best!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=651815915170" width="400"></iframe></center>
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Well, it's been a little over 24 hours now since the fun night and I'm still buzzing over how much fun it was. We may never cross paths again (although I'm really going to push Outback to let us both be in a commercial 'cause Debbie may be a bigger fan of theirs than I am and that's saying something), but for one night she was kind enough to take the time to get to know me a little better while allowing me a glimpse into what life is like for her. What a cool thing to do!<br />
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Thanks, Debbie, for a fun-filled evening. Thanks, Outback, for helping to connect me with someone I know can call a friend. And thanks, Twitter, for once again showing me that anything is possible if you work at being yourself to establish a relationship with someone else. I can't wait to see what will happen next.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_OXhe71KTs/UdEQEPveB3I/AAAAAAAAAvw/8jeF0RLwoWQ/s1440/IMG_3705%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q_OXhe71KTs/UdEQEPveB3I/AAAAAAAAAvw/8jeF0RLwoWQ/s400/IMG_3705%5B1%5D.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie and I after the concert</td></tr>
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MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-20630854653247390422013-06-06T20:02:00.002-07:002013-06-06T20:06:07.943-07:00What an Oz-some Night....The Return of Wicked<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0WVnLy1uqw/UbFMdhQS0_I/AAAAAAAAAvE/MgsH26r2yGA/s1600/wiked+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0WVnLy1uqw/UbFMdhQS0_I/AAAAAAAAAvE/MgsH26r2yGA/s400/wiked+pic.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glinda and Elphaba</td></tr>
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Last night, I had the opportunity to take the family to see the Broadway show Wicked at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus. This was my third time to see it and it seems to get better each time!<br />
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The story is basically a prequel to the story of the Wizard of Oz and attempts to explain what all is going on when Dorothy arrives. However, it's a story like you've never heard with lots of plot twists and turns that you never expected.<br />
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The show starts by showing how Glinda, the Good Witch, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, met in school. Like any relationship between strong personalities, their story has its ups and downs, but after a rocky start as rivals they become friends.<br />
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Jenn Gambatese, an Ohio native, stars as Glinda and does a great job of portraying the self-absorbed blonde with great vocal range and a flair for the overly dramatic. She has great comedic timing and provides plenty of laughs with her antics.<br />
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The star of the show is <a href="https://twitter.com/AlisonLuff">Alison Luff</a>, who has only been portraying Elphaba for just over a month since joining the team. While she may not have been 'greenified' for very long, she pulls off the performance with aplomb. Her vocal skills were so outstanding that my oldest daughter leaned over to me at one point and said "Dad, she sings better than the Elphaba on the (original cast recording) CD." That's pretty high praise. She also did a great job of portraying the misunderstood girl who grew up to wear the label of Wicked Witch. Of the three different performers I've seen portray the Elphaba character, she was definitely the best. The young woman has some serious pipes and had the best rendition of "Defying Gravity" that I've heard.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/curt_hansen">Curt Hansen</a> was strong in his role as Fiyero, the love interest of both of the main characters as well as some of the swooning women in the packed house. He also nailed his songs including his duet with Luff on "As Long As You're Mine", which is my personal favorite song in the show.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vqPVIG_phfc/UbFM-n-Mj1I/AAAAAAAAAvM/DFe87dZMm1g/s1600/wicked+for+good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vqPVIG_phfc/UbFM-n-Mj1I/AAAAAAAAAvM/DFe87dZMm1g/s400/wicked+for+good.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiyero and Elphaba singing "As Long As You're Mine"</td></tr>
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Kim Zimmer as Madame Morrible and John Davidson as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz both brought plenty of experience on stage and television to the show and did a good job in their roles. The rest of the cast was also outstanding and never missed a beat.<br />
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This show will be in Columbus until June 23. If you have never seen it, it's a three-hour journey that will have you on the edge of your seat and ready to cheer as the cast puts on what I personally feel is the most enjoyable Broadway show there is. For more information on purchasing tickets or even a shot to get great seats for cheap through the nightly Wicked lottery, visit the CAPA website at: <a href="http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/wicked">http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/wicked</a><a href="http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/wicked">http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/wicked</a><br />
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How much do I like this show? I would go to the performance each night if my schedule and bank account would allow it. In fact, I need to see if there is a way to volunteer to be an usher because it would be worth it just to hear the show each night. It's that good!<br />
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<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-30213935445543696622013-04-16T20:47:00.000-07:002013-04-16T20:47:05.191-07:00Let the Healing BeginIt was just a couple of hours ago that I posted <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2013/04/no-words.html">my thoughts about what happened at the Boston Marathon yesterday</a>. It was a struggle to find the words, but I knew that I needed to in order to begin my own process of moving forward from this tragedy.<br />
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Late in the afternoon, I saw a posting on Facebook that runners everywhere were being encouraged to meet at the nearest high school track tonight at 9 p.m. and run one mile for Boston. I shared the post among my local running group, the Mount Vernon Running Buddies, and hoped that the stormy weather would be done in time for me to participate.<br />
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Little did I know just how therapeutic one mile could be. It was dark and wet when we arrived at the high school track, but the rain had stopped. We all worked our way on to the track and the 10 of us gathered at the starting line. John Hofferberth, who is busy this week with all the final details for the Earth Day Challenge half marathon, said a couple of words and we took off.<br />
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I'm not used to not having a plan for my run. I'm also not used to just running a mile. I knew that I didn't want to go all out, but I also knew that I wanted to go hard enough that I was working at it. I thought about the victims and their families as I went around the oval. I didn't look at my watch. I knew that I was moving at a good clip, but it wasn't about that. I ended up doing five loops of the track instead of four because it just felt right.<br />
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When everyone had finished, we stopped for a moment and chatted as a group. We didn't all know each other before the event that only lasted about 10 minutes. But what I posted earlier today about running bringing people together was true as we all interacted like old friends. We talked about a few upcoming local events and one person shared how she had just started running again and had already run for two hours on the treadmill before coming to the track as she wanted to really start working hard to improve her fitness. Another person ran three miles barefoot to the track and then ran home afterwards. For me, it was the first time since <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/MVNUSID/entries/8828023">August 3, 2011 that I had run on that track</a> as I remember vividly leaving that day with really bad shin splints from pushing too much speed work. This time around I left with a great sense of pride in my running family as my mile felt like I was walking on air.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IqPVOyX47vI/UW4bFhyegYI/AAAAAAAAAuo/0uGM3xFA5-Y/s1600/one+mile+for+boston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IqPVOyX47vI/UW4bFhyegYI/AAAAAAAAAuo/0uGM3xFA5-Y/s400/one+mile+for+boston.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It may have only been one mile tonight, but it was many steps in the right direction towards the healing process for all of us in the running community and I'm so thankful that I was there.MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-91754442125852240592013-04-16T16:25:00.003-07:002013-04-16T16:25:47.722-07:00No Words....<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-euLkW2LHQ/UW3dvaNJtAI/AAAAAAAAAuY/uqs_THReDmk/s1600/ashleyandI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-euLkW2LHQ/UW3dvaNJtAI/AAAAAAAAAuY/uqs_THReDmk/s1600/ashleyandI.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley and I at the 2012 Cap City Quarter</td></tr>
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Yesterday was a perfect day to run. An ideal race day, especially for a marathon. And after the extreme heat at last year's event, the <a href="http://216.235.243.43/races/boston-marathon.aspx">117th Boston Marathon</a> really could not have asked for a better day.<br />
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When I started running nearly four years ago, I had no plans or goals for being a runner other than I needed to lose a little weight and stay active. After a few months of just solitary running on the local bike path, I signed up for a four-mile charity race to benefit our local hospital. As the result of that race, I was hooked on both racing and interacting with the amazing running community. Along with a couple of friends, we started a local running group, the Mount Vernon Running Buddies, and the running and relationships have just blossomed.<br />
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As my running continued, I began to push myself to try longer distance races. I did the <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2010/12/getting-caught-up.html">2010 Columbus half marathon</a>. Then, the <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2011/10/im-marathoner.html">2011 Columbus marathon</a>. While my times weren't incredibly fast, they were good enough that I really felt like if I pushed myself, stayed injury-free, and got a little lucky that some day I could earn my way to Boston with a <a href="http://216.235.243.43/races/boston-marathon/participant-information/qualifying/qualifying-standards.aspx">qualifying time (BQ)</a>.<br />
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The Boston Marathon is the pinnacle for a runner...the holy grail of running. You have to post a pretty fast time based on your age and gender to earn the right to enter or there are also a limited number of spots for people who raise significant money for one of the official charities of the event. Either way, it's not an easy task.<br />
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Yesterday was a day that so many runners had been dreaming about...some for their whole running careers. It was their day to run Boston! I personally had six friends running in the race and for four of them it was their first time. For three of them, they had tried and tried and tried to qualify and finally had. All their hard work had paid off and they were set to toe the starting line of the 26.2-mile journey! I signed up to get text alerts on their progress and pulled up the live stream of the race on the internet. I was hundreds of miles away, but I too was caught up in the excitement that is the Boston Marathon.<br />
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The push cart/wheelchair division started and then the elite women's race followed around 9:30 a.m. Then, the men's elite runners were off at 10 a.m. followed by the rest of the throng of 27,000+ runners. The journey had begun! I was enjoying having the live stream of the event on in the background in my office while I got work done. Then, when it came time for me to teach the Sports Information class that I teach, we watched the race as a class and discussed various aspects of the event from a media standpoint, from a fan standpoint, and from a participant standpoint. We got to see the women's finish and then the men's finish. The class was really into it even though most of them had no experience at all with running and especially marathon races.<br />
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I went to lunch and then worked on some things in my office. My friends begin to finish and I began to get their text alerts. One by one, they accomplished their goal of crossing that finish line. First Nate, then Jace, and then Brandon. Time ticked on and some more updates came. Soon I saw that Deb, Carrie and Carla had all finished. I was proud of my friends for pushing themselves to do it. Some had battled injuries even getting to the starting line. But they all did it!<br />
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I turned my attention back to my work. All of sudden a message popped up about an explosion in Boston. Everything else just stopped for me. My oldest daughter, who is 11, was sitting in my office as we began to watch the news unfold. We were in utter shock. My heart was breaking. It felt like the day when my daughter was just a month old and I held her in my arms while I watched the 9/11 attacks take place on my TV screen. It was all just surreal. But this time, I had a personal connection. I had friends who were right there! And I mean right there as Carla, Deb, and Carrie had just finished minutes before the bombs went off.<br />
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I immediately got on my phone and started trying to find out what I could about each of them. Thanks to social media and our running group, we quickly heard that Deb and Carrie were ok. I was able to track down Brandon, Nate, and Jace and they were already away from the scene. I finally heard that Carla was ok, too. I was incredibly thankful that they were all safe and sound.<br />
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However, that didn't take away the huge ache that I continue feeling in my heart for the people who are suffering. People I don't know and probably never will. I've watched other national tragedies and natural disasters take place and felt for the people involved. But this time it was different. It was my family...the running family. And one of the things that was hurting me the most was that it was the spectators who took the brunt of the explosions. They were cheering on their loved ones. Showing support. Like they had done for months leading up to the race. It's probably the most often overlooked part of the sport of running and definitely the part that doesn't get enough thanks. Wives, husbands, kids, extended families, best friends...they all pick up the slack to allow us time to run, listen to our countless stories and moans about our injuries, and continue to cheer us on and love us in spite of it. Today they were the target. And they never stood a chance.<br />
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The running community is one of the tightest, most caring groups of people you could ever belong to. If you visit any city small or large, you can instantly strike up a friendship just passing a fellow runner and joining in on their journey. Runners come in all shapes and sizes and all paces. But we root for each other. And we all have the common goal of crossing that finish line. Some times we are out for a PR. Other times we are out there to pace others. And other times we are out there just to enjoy the journey. But we keep getting out there and we keep cheering each other on.<br />
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Yesterday was a perfect day to run. However, we live in a very imperfect world where people do evil, hurtful things to innocent strangers. It's incomprehensible. And it takes all of our resolve to not let evil win sometimes. I had to look in my eight-year-old daughter's eyes last night and assure her that it was ok for her dad to go to his next race this Sunday. I can't even begin to comprehend the grief of the dad who lost his eight-year-old son in yesterday's tragedy. I had a long talk with my older daughter about the upcoming Cap City quarter marathon as we plan to run it together in three weeks for the <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/05/one-half-goofy-amazing-race-weekend.html">second year in a row</a> while her mom does the half marathon. She was worried about running it and worried about her mom since she would be running by herself. I told her that we can't live in fear or it allows the bad people to win.<br />
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While Boston and the entire running community and our nation mourns the events of what happened yesterday, we WILL keep running and we will help each other along the journey. And my hope is that <a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2013/02/from-dl-to-bq.html">I will be there at the starting line when next year's Boston Marathon gets under way</a>. In the mean time, my thoughts and prayers are with the people who have suffered so very much.<br />
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<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-82648790869384320672013-04-10T14:41:00.000-07:002013-04-10T14:41:21.876-07:00And the Winner is..........<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-adDIFjsSguM/UWXbqxshhoI/AAAAAAAAAuA/6WsOLSXIC5I/s1600/patrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-adDIFjsSguM/UWXbqxshhoI/AAAAAAAAAuA/6WsOLSXIC5I/s320/patrick.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick Neville - 2013 Champion</td></tr>
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Congratulations to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Patrick_Neville">Patrick Neville</a>...the overall winner of this year's <a href="http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/group?groupID=51806&entryID=578375">Six Degrees of MVNUSID bracket contest</a> sponsored by <a href="http://www.outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a>! Patrick was one of only two people out of 75 in the contest to have Louisville playing Michigan for the NCAA national title and he successfully predicted that the Cardinals would be the winner which meant that he'll snag the coveted Outback Steakhouse gift certificate as he ran away from the competition with 1370 points. <br />
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ryancworkman">Ryan Workman</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AfternoonDrive">Joe Rinehart</a> tied for second place behind Patrick with 1200 points each as they will both also snag a Bloomin' Onion thanks to the generosity of Outback, who allowed me to pick a few extra winners above and beyond what we originally agreed to. (Really that's how they always operate....exceeding expectations at every turn!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hNFthwbQM0c/UWXVZi-hVkI/AAAAAAAAAto/xE_XwIBwNr0/s1600/patrick+bracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="279" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hNFthwbQM0c/UWXVZi-hVkI/AAAAAAAAAto/xE_XwIBwNr0/s400/patrick+bracket.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick Neville's winning bracket</td></tr>
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Additional Bloomin' Onion winners as selected by me are: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/The.Thief">Brian Vinson</a>, who finished in third place with 1160 points, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mike.schreiber.988">Mike Schreiber</a>, who was one of only two people to have picked Michigan to win it all, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/rollerCD">Rob Oller</a>, who only got 18 of the first 32 picks right but still made it all the way to a tie for fifth place for the entry with the biggest comeback, and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JamesMummert">James Mummert</a> because he finished dead last and there are no losers among my friends.<br />
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One other winner was <a href="http://www.twitter.com/grhoads56">Greg Rhoads</a>, who along with Mike had picked Michigan to win the national title, as he tied with Patrick by getting both Final Four winners correct on Saturday.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivI2vqunNUk/UWXVmq95EfI/AAAAAAAAAtw/-tqCZjBIq6A/s1600/32226-hi-onion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivI2vqunNUk/UWXVmq95EfI/AAAAAAAAAtw/-tqCZjBIq6A/s400/32226-hi-onion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thanks again to my 75 friends who jumped in and played. Some have done it every year and for some this was the first time you ever filled out a bracket. Let me know if you enjoyed it. And, make sure to drop Outback a thanks on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/outback">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Outback">Twitter</a>.<br />
<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-61461751655130930912013-04-04T10:46:00.001-07:002013-04-04T10:46:11.703-07:00Down to the Final FourWell, the second week of the NCAA men's basketball tournament provided more drama, upsets, and buzzer beaters as well as new winners and leaders in the fourth annual <a href="http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/group?groupID=51806&entryID=578375">Six Degrees of MVNUSID bracket contest</a> sponsored by <a href="http://www.outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a>.<br />
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On the first day of the Sweet Sixteen last Thursday, 11 of the 75 people correctly picked two of the eight winners while two of the group's predicted champions went down with losses by Indiana and Miami (Fla.). The Indiana loss affected the most brackets as 21 of the 75 people in the contest had them winning the whole thing with a good portion of the remaining people having them in the championship game. Thursday's winner of the Bloomin' Onion courtesy of Outback is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/darren.mahan.5">Darren Mahan</a>, who vaulted into a tie for the top spot with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nokuley">Nate Okuley</a> in the overall standings.<br />
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The second day of the Sweet Sixteen saw another predicted champion go down in Kansas and also saw Nate's run atop the leaderboard finally come to an end. There were 14 people in our contest who correctly picked three of the eight winners right. Friday's Bloomin' Onion winner is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runnerjace">Jace Wolford</a>, who can use it for fuel when he runs the Boston Marathon in a little over a week, as he moved into a tie for the top spot overall with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ryan.workman">Ryan Workman</a>, who continues to lurk as a possible winner of the overall grand prize.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TEomoC5ktvI/UV2727KLtHI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/SOd7n36Peqg/s1600/darren+and+jace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TEomoC5ktvI/UV2727KLtHI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/SOd7n36Peqg/s400/darren+and+jace.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Darren Mahan and Jace Wolford</b></td></tr>
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On Saturday, the Elite Eight got under way and only two people out of 75 got even one of the four games picked correctly with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ghrtz">George Hartz</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mike.schreiber.988">Mike Schreiber</a> each picking one winner. Ohio State got knocked out of the tournament and with the loss there were 16 more contestants who lost their eventual predicted champion. George took over the top spot in the contest with his one correct pick, so that earned him the coveted Bloomin' Onion for the day.<br />
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On Sunday, the Elite Eight wrapped up with six people correctly picking two of the four winners. My bracket officially went in the dumpster with Duke's loss, but I wasn't the only one as now 33 of the 75 people have officially been eliminated from title contention with no more possible points remaining from their picks. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ersmith">Eric Smith</a> claimed the Bloomin' Onion for the day as he moved to the top of the leaderboard, but that reign will be short-lived unless Wichita State and Syracuse both win on Saturday as he has no possible points remaining either. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PatrickNeville">Patrick Neville</a> is just 10 points behind hoping for a Louisville national championship to add a steak dinner to the Bloomin' Onion he already won.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYJ7ftyao7E/UV28G_LWiVI/AAAAAAAAAtY/fUk0jPb3JNQ/s1600/george+and+eric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYJ7ftyao7E/UV28G_LWiVI/AAAAAAAAAtY/fUk0jPb3JNQ/s400/george+and+eric.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>George Hartz and Eric Smith</b></td></tr>
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The action will resume on Saturday when Michigan takes on Syracuse and Wichita State tries to shock Louisville. Very few people nationally picked this improbable Final Four, but here's hoping for two more close games and then a lot of shining moments in the championship game on Monday. <br />
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<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-61648156154080614772013-03-28T06:49:00.001-07:002013-03-28T06:49:25.990-07:00Heading to the Sweet Sixteen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, the Sweet Sixteen will start this evening with four games on tap as we start the second week of March Madness. How is your bracket faring these days? I'm in the middle of the pack tied for 48th place out of 75 people in the <a href="http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/group?groupID=51806&entryID=578375">Six Degrees of MVNUSID contest</a> sponsored by <a href="http://www.outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a>.<br />
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The two days of the round of 32 last Saturday and Sunday saw lots more excitement with more upsets and now three teams who had been picked as eventual champions sent home in Georgetown, Memphis, and Gonzaga. On Saturday, nine people correctly picked six of the eight winners and to choose the Bloomin' Onion winner I went with the person who got the most correct in a row and that is my twitter pal, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alisonannes">Ali Schwanke</a>, who went 6-for-6 on the day before finally stumbling. It helped her jump way up in the standings. Then, on Sunday, one person, the always entertaining <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Patrick_Neville">Patrick Neville</a>, correctly picked seven of the eight results to jump from 18th place all the way up to fourth.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uHrUfYZTYsQ/UVRJ2h9r5gI/AAAAAAAAAtE/InBICF-DrXw/s1600/ali+and+patrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uHrUfYZTYsQ/UVRJ2h9r5gI/AAAAAAAAAtE/InBICF-DrXw/s400/ali+and+patrick.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ali Schwanke and Patrick Neville were the round of 32 winners</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ndokuley">Nate Okuley</a>, who at one point got as high in the ESPN national bracket contest as 125th, continues to lead in the overall race with 490 points although he will be taking a few hits in the next couple of rounds as he already lost some of predictions. <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ryancworkman">Ryan Workman</a>, one of my sports information friends, is right on his heels with 480 points just waiting for him to stumble. The two of them have different champions picked, so it will get interesting to see what happens as the games continue.<br />
<br />
Here's hoping that the excitement of the tournament continues with more great games and buzzer beaters. Good luck!MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-73918623851396555742013-03-23T09:48:00.003-07:002013-03-23T09:48:58.497-07:00And Then There Were 32....<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGIzAmL0R0U/UU3co0XnybI/AAAAAAAAAs0/ceDr_Llmh3Q/s1600/matt+schreiber+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGIzAmL0R0U/UU3co0XnybI/AAAAAAAAAs0/ceDr_Llmh3Q/s200/matt+schreiber+pic.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt Schreiber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With only four upsets on Thursday in the first big day of March Madness, we should have all known that the upsets would be more plentiful on the second day and that's what happened as Freaky Friday ensued to shake up the <a href="http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/group?groupID=51806&entryID=578375">Six Degrees of MVNUSID bracket contest</a>. Six upsets took place in all with five of them being by double digit seeds including No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast shocking No. 2 Georgetown, No. 13 LaSalle knocking off No. 4 Kansas State, No. 12 Ole Miss sending No. 5 Wisconsin packing, No. 11 Minnesota bouncing the Bruins of No. 6 UCLA, No. 10 Iowa State ending the luck of the Irish by downing No. 7 Notre Dame, and No. 9 Temple getting past No. 8 North Carolina State.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mvnusid.blogspot.com/2013/03/first-day-of-march-madness-is-in-books.html">First day winner Nate Okuley</a> continued to do well as he followed up Thursday's 14-for-16 performance by going 13-for-16 on Friday to maintain a 20-point lead on the nearest competitor, Ryan Halley, who has been in second place both days. However, Nate's bracket took a hit with the losses by Georgetown and Wisconsin as he had them in the Final Four and Elite Eight respectively.<br />
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Five other people joined Nate in correctly picking 13 of the 16 games on Friday. Of the six people, Matt Schreiber, one of my running friends, has the most possible points remaining as he jumped from 27th to third place in the standings. So, Matt is the Day 2 winner of the free <a href="http://outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a> Bloomin' Onion.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-629b1wVykVM/UU3cm4fEe_I/AAAAAAAAAss/G5Wo_LBqaEQ/s1600/matt+schreiber+bracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-629b1wVykVM/UU3cm4fEe_I/AAAAAAAAAss/G5Wo_LBqaEQ/s400/matt+schreiber+bracket.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt Schreiber's Bracket</td></tr>
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I managed to hold steady in the standings despite just going 11-for-16 on Friday. It was good enough to move me from 12th place to seventh place as the standings shifted a bunch. And interestingly enough, I actually have the most possible points remaining of anyone in the contest with 1,560. That won't happen, but it's fun to speculate while I can.<br />
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The round of 32 action is tipping off and things should continue to get interesting as more upsets are bound to happen. We already had one person lose their predicted eventual champion yesterday when Georgetown went down, and I'm guessing some others will follow the way this crazy season has gone. Enjoy the ride! And enjoy some Outback Steakhouse! :)MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-55794606002924419642013-03-22T08:44:00.000-07:002013-03-22T08:47:23.934-07:00First Day of March Madness is in the Books!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jiQDUc-pUbE/UUx7rD12J7I/AAAAAAAAAsQ/p352cZucs2M/s1600/nate+okuley+day+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jiQDUc-pUbE/UUx7rD12J7I/AAAAAAAAAsQ/p352cZucs2M/s200/nate+okuley+day+one.jpg" width="145" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nate Okuley</td></tr>
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Well, the first day of March Madness is in the books! There were a couple of upsets and some close games, but all in all things went pretty much as planned with only two games that wrecked much havoc on the brackets as No. 14 seed Harvard upset No. 3 seed New Mexico and No. 12 seed Cal knocked off #5 seed UNLV. No. 12 Oregon over No. 5 Oklahoma State and No. 9 Wichita State beating No. 8 Pitt were the other two upsets although most people didn't have Oklahoma State or Pitt going much farther.<br />
<br />
Greg Rhoads, Justin Ross, Bruce Petersen, and Hannah Gibbs went the longest out of the 75 people in the <a href="http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/group?groupID=51806&entryID=578375">Six Degrees of MVNUSID contest</a> with a perfect bracket as they each survived the first 11 games before the UNLV loss knocked them all out of the ranks of the unbeaten. My only loss through the first 12 games was when No. 14 seed Davidson blew a nine-point lead in the final 5:23 to lose 59-58 to No. 3 Marquette as I stood at 11-1 as well.<br />
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The final four games of the night proved to separate the field a little as when all the dust settled one person stood alone at the top after day one - Nate Okuley. Nate is one of my former student workers and a great guy and he went 14-2 on day one with his only blemishes being the losses by Pitt and New Mexico. He correctly picked the other two upsets and then went with the higher seeds the rest of the way. He has a 10-point lead on 10 other people who each went 13-3. I'm in the next group tied for 12th after going 12-4.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--QFr-eXPQFA/UUx7rJgejRI/AAAAAAAAAsc/DgvmCgrXDws/s1600/nates+bracket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--QFr-eXPQFA/UUx7rJgejRI/AAAAAAAAAsc/DgvmCgrXDws/s320/nates+bracket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nate's Bracket</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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No one lost their eventual champion on the first day although one person did have New Mexico playing in the final game. Of the 75 people, 23 picked overall top seed Louisville to claim the title, 21 went with Indiana, and 16 chose Ohio State. I'm one of only two people to have picked Duke.<br />
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My guess is that things will get a little more interesting as the action tips off today on the second day of action with 16 more games on tap. It will be interesting to see how things stand at the end of the day. Enjoy!<br />
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A big thanks to Outback Steakhouse for sponsoring the bracket. Nate will be enjoying a free Bloomin' Onion to celebrate his successful day one. MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-15256561721278038852013-03-17T16:35:00.002-07:002013-03-17T16:38:38.556-07:00It's March Madness Time, Baby!It's that time of year once again for the annual Six Degrees of MVNUSID men's college basketball March Madness bracket contest! You can check out the results from <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2010/04/and-winner-is.html">the inaugural event</a>, the <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2011/04/and-winner-is.html">second year</a>, and then last year when Jim Clark <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/04/and-winner-is.html">beat out 68 other people</a> to grab the coveted <a href="http://www.outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a> gift certificate and bragging rights for the year.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hir29JDFe_I/T15oiUkMurI/AAAAAAAAAak/WpVlLjL1oP8/s1600/marchmadness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hir29JDFe_I/T15oiUkMurI/AAAAAAAAAak/WpVlLjL1oP8/s200/marchmadness.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
March
Madness is a great time of year for college hoops junkies and even the
casual fan. One of the best ways to follow the action is to fill out a
bracket and then root for your picks to advance. Go the safe route and
pick all the higher seeds or be the one person to take an underdog
Cinderella team to the big dance. Either way, it's lots of fun to
participate and bragging rights as well as some good food in this case
are up for grabs.<br />
<br />
That's where my contest comes in. For the fourth straight year, my contest is free to enter so there is no excuse
not to get on board. The overall winner will receive a $20 gift
certificate courtesy of my friends at <a href="http://www.outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a>.
And, they have been gracious enough to throw in free Bloomin' Onion
cards for the winner of each round, too. So, the steaks (er...stakes)
are high and you need to sign up today!!!<br />
<br />
To enter, just follow <a href="http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/group?groupID=51806&entryID=578375">this link</a> to the private group that I have set up for my friends on ESPN's site. The group name is <b>6 Degrees of MVNUSID</b> if you need to search for it and the password is <i>MVNUSID</i>. (If you need the back story on my history with Outback, you can read it <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2011/09/talk-to-brand.html">here</a>. They've also helped me celebrate my last two birthdays in style - <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/04/anything-is-possiblejust-ask-debbie.html">40</a> and <a href="http://www.outback.com/dave">41</a> - if you want to click on those links. I would also encourage you to follow them on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/outback">@Outback</a>.)<br />
<br />
I'll
look forward to having you join in on the fun. Your entry (only one
per person) must be submitted before the first game tips off <b>on Thursday around noon ET</b>. The First Four games are not picked in this contest.
MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-7130476802050775382013-02-25T17:47:00.000-08:002013-02-25T19:04:35.917-08:00From DL to BQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-seY8rZvoT0E/USwFB07ZgrI/AAAAAAAAArQ/FcC9XJiErOU/s1600/lastchance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-seY8rZvoT0E/USwFB07ZgrI/AAAAAAAAArQ/FcC9XJiErOU/s320/lastchance.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
Six months ago, I was a broken runner. On August 24, I completed <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-hood-to-coast-relay.html">my first of what was supposed to be three legs at the incredible Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon</a> and had to be helped to the van knowing that I wouldn't run again any time soon due to the excruciating pain in both legs. I was crushed and beaten down. Running was a passion for me and it had been taken from me. I was diagnosed with stress fractures in both legs and was sidelined indefinitely.<br />
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October rolled around and I still wasn't running, but my legs were slowly starting to feel better. When it came time for the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon, <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/10/inspired-to-do-more-columbus-marathon.html">I supported several friends there and ended up getting some running in</a> and knew that maybe things were finally getting better. Then, in November, I slowly started back in a return to running program prescribed by Dr. Darrin Bright. There were times that I wanted to just push things forward with this plan that called for a lot of walking, but I also knew that I didn't want to feel that pain again and so I was patient.<br />
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During this time, I also took up swimming as a way to stay in shape and not use my legs. By no means am I even an average swimmer and my technique is awful, but I still manage to get a good workout in each time and I also feel stronger because of it. I also got lots of cycling in as another way to not have impact on the legs.<br />
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When I was finally released from the return to running program by Dr. Bright, I decided to start training for the Xenia marathon in April. I asked my friend, Cindy Warner, for help with my plan because she had successfully used one to PR both the Erie half marathon and the Columbus full marathon this past fall. She came up with one from the Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon that seemed to fit me pretty well and also took into account my propensity for over-training and injury. She agreed to help hold me accountable with following the plan and so the journey began.<br />
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The first eight weeks of the plan went really well. During that time, I made my first comeback race at the <a href="http://www.premierraces.com/viewresults.asp?resultsID=1216">First on the First 5K in Westerville</a>. Since I hadn't raced in a long time, I had no idea what I was capable of. I just went out and pushed hard and then held on at the end to finish with a 19:52 - just five seconds off my PR. I was ecstatic.<br />
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I continued to follow the plan with solid outdoor runs and some great indoor track workouts. Doing eight loops for a mile on the indoor track got me thinking about the <a href="http://www.premierraces.com/LastChance/lastchance.html">Last Chance for Boston races</a> that were coming up in February as the participants would keep circling a one-mile loop to reach their desired distance. To some people, the thought of 26 loops (plus a .20 start) seems like pure mental torture, but after doing an 11-mile indoor track workout or 88 loops I started to believe that it might be something that I could handle. During one of our Saturday group runs, I asked Cindy what she thought about that race. We discussed my history of always running a great first 20-mile training run as I prepared for a marathon and my ability to go for a long distance without necessarily training by the book for it. I am also a social runner and the thought of having people constantly around me on the loop made that a draw for me. And, a loop course would also be the easiest type of course to get support on. The only downsides we could come up with were that I would be under-trained and the possibility of getting injured without reaching my goal and then being forced to miss the Xenia race.<br />
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With all the information digested, I also got the feedback of a few friends who had run the race before. Both Teri Pokosh and Ken Varian gave it good reviews and encouraged me to do it. So, I signed up. I decided that I would treat the race as a 20-mile training run and then just see what I had left. The goal would be to finish the race the best way I could, but if there were any issues I would stop and not risk jeopardizing the Xenia race. Cindy helped me adjust my training plan as I increased my long run mileage to a peak of 17 miles two weeks ago, and then I tapered this past week. I also got another shot of confidence a week before Last Chance when I beat my goal of a 7:00 pace at the hilly <a href="http://www.columbusroadrunners.org/media/7.5MILEWINTERRUN13RESULTS.HTM">Granville Winter Run 7.5-miler</a> by finishing in 51:44 (6:50 pace) and shockingly won a race for the first time ever! <br />
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That set the stage for race weekend. I went down on Saturday afternoon to pick up my packet and race bib. I decided to walk the one-mile loop while I was there and get a feel for what the course would be. One other huge aspect to my preparation for this event and for improving my training has been reading the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unleash-Champion-Denny-Dicke/dp/0979549000/">"Unleash the Champion" by Denny Dicke</a>. He teaches all kinds of techniques to make you mentally tougher and to help you push the negative thoughts out when you run as a way to have your best performance. I'm not a huge fan of self-help type of books, but I connected with this one and followed a lot of them. I wrote out 3:14:30 as a goal time on a piece of paper and the words "Determined", "Tenacious", and "Unstoppable" and hung them on the mirror in my bathroom to stare at every day. I would repeat those words on training runs when things got tough. I would visualize me finishing my race with the goal time that I wanted. I bought into it and my performance began to improve. The final aspect for me was to visit the actual course and imagine myself having the race that I wanted to have and I was able to do that less than 24 hours before I started the actual event.<br />
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On Sunday, February 24, I was up bright and early to knock out my core work that includes 100 situps and 100 pushups that I've done every day now for over a year. Then, I was off to the race. I met up with Cindy on the way as she was going to serve as my support for the day, hand me water and fuel when necessary, and try to help keep me on track and help me make a good decision about whether to continue on or not when the time came as I approached the 20-mile mark. My pace to qualify for the Boston Marathon needed to be a 7:25 per mile or a 3:14:59 overall finish time. My previous best marathon finish in two attempts was a 3:41:39 at the Earth Day Challenge last spring. My goal for Sunday's race was to start out at a 7:20 pace and just keep knocking them off at that clip for as long as I could.<br />
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We lined up at the starting line at 8 a.m., the horn sounded, and we were off! Since the clock started on the horn, I had lined up right in the front and was among the first 10 people to head out. A couple of faster guys took an early lead with a guy in an orange Boston Marathon jacket sprinting to the front. I figured if he had the jacket and he seemed to be near my age that he would be a good guy to keep in my sights as I ran the loops. I tried to settle into an easy pace and tried not to let the excitement of the start get me going too fast. We did the first .20 and then crossed the spot that would eventually be the finish line when we passed 26 more times. When I finished the first mile, I realized that I had gotten off to a faster start than I planned to as I posted a 6:57. I dialed it back for Mile 2 to a 7:03, but then hit a 6:58 for Mile 3. Right as I hit the Mile 3 mark, I caught up with my friend, Melanie Kopp, who was doing the half and trying to PR. I had told her prior to the race that I would see her at Mile 3 and Mile 12. I met my goal for the first part of that.<br />
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I managed to back the pace down a bit for the next two miles with a 7:15 and a 7:13. As I approached Cindy at Mile 6 after a 7:03 lap, I had finished my first water bottle and told her that I would take a Gatorade G1 pouch on the next lap to fuel. I grabbed it after posting a 7:08 lap for Mile 7 and proceeded to drink it through the next two laps at 7:08 and 7:12. I hit Mile 10 at a 7:06 pace and thought to myself that I was now halfway done with my 20-mile training run. Mile 11 came and went in 7:12 and then it was time to see if I would catch up to Melanie on Mile 12. Once again, I caught her right at the mile marker as I finished that lap in 7:11. I ran alongside her momentarily and told her how well she was doing and that she had lots of time in the bank to PR the half. I thanked her for pushing so hard to make me go hard in my race and told her I was proud of her and to finish strong and then I took off again.<br />
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As I hit Mile 13 in 7:18, I realized that I had run the first half in under 1:34, which would be a new half marathon PR for me by nearly a minute. My goal coming into the race was to be consistent each mile and hit the halfway point at 1:37. I didn't dwell on this potential time gain because I knew that the tradeoff could very well be a big crash waiting for me late in the race. I focused on my positive mental training that I had been doing and tried to settle in for the second half of the journey.<br />
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I continued to try to keep the pace as close to 7:20 as I could. Miles 14 through 20 went by like clockwork in 7:20, 7:16, 7:13, 7:12, 7:20, 7:15, and 7:18. Somewhere during the middle teen miles, I passed the guy in the Boston jacket and I vowed to not let him pass me back. By the time I crossed the finish line, I had actually lapped him as his quick start came back to haunt him.<br />
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As I approached Cindy after Mile 20, I commented to her that the training run was done and now it was time for the icing on the cake. She had been good about making me drink part of another bottle of water around Mile 13 and then a second G1 pouch at Mile 16. My stomach was starting to give me fits, but it would have definitely been worse if I hadn't done the fueling even though I didn't want to. Big thanks to Cindy for being stern about this and keeping me from derailing that part of my plan like I had in my previous two marathons.<br />
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As I knocked out Miles 21 and 22, I knew that I was starting to fade slightly but I managed to keep the pace at 7:28 and 7:25. I'm not a big Eminem fan, but his song "Lose Yourself" came on at this point and it was the perfect song as I knew that I was now just a little over four miles away from reaching a huge goal. I knew that I needed to dig down deep and push through the stomach pain and tired legs that I had going on and finish out what I started. Melanie had also joined Cindy in cheering me on and they were doing a great job of pushing me towards the finish even though I could tell by their faces that they were just as nervous as I was that it was going to be really close as they could also tell that I was starting to slow down. I finished Mile 23 in 7:38 and I was starting to calculate in my head how much cushion I had for the final three-plus miles as I was really starting to hurt. It was at this point that Cindy yelled at me that I needed to make it through the next mile and that she would jump in and try to run me in the final two.<br />
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Mile 24 seemed like it took forever. The crowd of runners had really thinned out as most of the half marathoners were done and some of the full marathoners were starting to really show signs of the wear and tear that the distance can take on one's body as I saw numerous ones stretching on the side of the course. I finally got to the point that I could see Cindy and Melanie again and I was thankful to know that I would have company for the final two laps. Mile 24 took 8:01.<br />
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As nice as it was to get someone to run with me for Mile 25, it was also my worst mile of the whole race. My stomach was really revolting at this point and I nearly come to a screeching halt around the first turn as I dry heaved. Cindy was in drill sergeant mode because she knew I didn't have much margin for error (although what she didn't know but I did was that I had two more minutes than she thought because she was looking at the half marathon clock which started two minutes before the full marathon). She told me that I just needed to keep pushing through and that if I had to throw up to just do it all over myself and keep moving. And here I thought she was my friend. LOL I somehow managed to make it through that mile in 8:16.<br />
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Then, it was finally time for the last lap plus the final .20. Cindy thought I had roughly 10 minutes to get it done while I really had more like 12 minutes. She kept encouraging me (insert barking orders at me) to stay after it. (In fairness, while at the time I was thinking it was harsh, she was doing the right thing. She knew that if I came that close and missed my goal that I would be not only sore from the running but mentally devastated.) I manged to pick up the pace to an 8:07 for that lap. Then, I could see the finish and I kicked things into gear to make sure that I got there in time. I covered the final .20 at a 7:36 pace and hit a 5:46 pace going to the finish - which was my fastest pace during the entire race. Once I saw the clock and knew that I was going to meet my goal, I started to ease up just a bit so I wouldn't totally collapse when I crossed the finish line. <b>I HAD DONE IT!!!! 3:13:33!!! A new PR by 28:06 AND a Boston qualifying time! :)</b> I was even more surprised when the person at the finish line handed me a plaque and said that I had won the 40-49 age group. I later found out that I finished 8th in the entire race.<br />
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As Cindy and Melanie each grabbed an arm and helped me stumble and stagger into the area for post-race food, I began to tell them about the other people who had helped me on the course. There was a guy who stood near Cindy who gave me a high five for at least the first 14 laps and then later I saw him in the race as a relay participant. There was the girl on the exact opposite side of the course who gave me a high five through each of the first 16 laps and then apologized that she had to leave. Finally, there was the heavy-set 20-something man who was walking the half marathon. I think I passed him 12 times and each time I told him how much he was inspiring me to keep pushing on. I'm sure it was just as hard if not harder for him to do his race as it was for me to do mine. It was nice for me to be able to reiterate that thanks again to him in the finish area as he came in just after I did. All of these things are the kind of things that make me enjoy doing these kind of events.<br />
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After changing into dry clothes and drinking some water, it was time to head to <a href="http://outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a> for something I had been waiting three years for - Aussie cheese fries!!! I hadn't had a tater tot, french fry, or hash brown during that span as I tried to use that as motivation for me to help push towards this goal of a BQ. The Bethel Road Outback was right by the race and since I have a huge history with Chris, the owner, and the great folks there it was a no-brainer to stop. The cheese fries were SOOOOO GOOD! And to top it off, Chris paid for my meal! Wow!<br />
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On the way home, the magnitude of what I had accomplished began to finally hit me as I started to get phone calls, text messages, tweets, and Facebook posts from my family and friends as they began to hear about what had happened. I have the best people in my life...I really do. Several people said they wished they would have known about this so they could have been there to cheer me on and I know that my family wanted to all be there. But, I kept it quiet and low key because I didn't want to put any pressure on myself as I was trying my best to just think of this as a training run and that proved to be the right choice. I'm extremely thankful for all the love and support of so many great people! I am truly blessed!<br />
<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-46814264353315814222012-10-31T14:09:00.000-07:002012-10-31T14:16:05.191-07:00Inspired to Do More - Columbus Marathon 2012<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EiPyl12hNG0/UJGJ-vM37tI/AAAAAAAAAqM/j0Bdqmg9ync/s1600/dpcbus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EiPyl12hNG0/UJGJ-vM37tI/AAAAAAAAAqM/j0Bdqmg9ync/s320/dpcbus.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
Well, the 2012 <a href="http://www.columbusmarathon.com/">Nationwide Children’s Hospital ColumbusMarathon</a> is in the history books and for me it will go down as one of my favorite
races yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather was perfect, the
18,000 runners and walkers were inspiring, and the huge crowds and Children’s
Champions were encouraging and supportive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What more could you ask for?!<br />
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Going into race day, the plan for me was to support my
friends, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/teri.pokosh">Teri Pokosh</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cindytaylor.warner">Cindy Warner</a> who were running the half and the full respectively,
since stress fractures had sidelined me for the past two months with no running
as I worked to get healthy again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure,
my legs were really starting to feel better and I wanted to get back out and
run, but I knew that I needed to keep being patient so that I could fully
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So, on Sunday morning, I packed up my bike and met up with
Teri and Cindy and got ready for what I knew would be a fun-filled, exciting
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We met up with a bunch of other
running friends prior to the start and then as the start time approached it was
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up my bike about half a block past the starting line, and since I had a bib of
my own because I was registered for the race I jumped into the corral with my
friends and waited with them for the race to get under way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our friend, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/melanie.c.kopp">Melanie Kopp</a>, who was also doing
the full, joined us and it was fun to listen to all of them talk through the
butterflies and pre-race jitters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
tried to offer as much encouragement as I could and pretty soon it was time to
send them on their way as the starting line fireworks erupted and 18,000 people
began their journey.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdCWMPfE7FE/UIyj-XAPORI/AAAAAAAAApU/PPWydLVPpVk/s1600/IMG_0797%5B1%5D+cbus+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdCWMPfE7FE/UIyj-XAPORI/AAAAAAAAApU/PPWydLVPpVk/s400/IMG_0797%5B1%5D+cbus+group.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teri, me, and Cindy before the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just past the starting line, I made a quick right turn and
hopped on my bike and began my own adventure as my goal was to get to as many
miles as possible to cheer my friends on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes this required going around a block, riding down alleys or
across open fields, or just slowly going down the sidewalks while avoiding
spectators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the trickier spots
were going around the port-a-pots since runners would dart in and out of
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pleasantly surprised that I
was able to get through the first six miles of the race with very little
issues.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, around the 10k time checkpoint, the biking started to
get interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no sidewalks
and no open fields to get around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hopped off the bike and carried it as I walked along a very narrow curb as I
tried to stay out of the way of the runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I made it through eventually and then the course opened up some more as
I again kept tabs on my friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, the real fun began somewhere between Miles 6-8 when
my rear tire went flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed the
flat when we hit the cobblestones of German Village, but I just kept on going
because I knew that I had to get back to Nationwide Arena to where my vehicle
was parked and I figured the race course was the best way to get me there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As part of my plan to ride support, I was carrying some of
Cindy’s fuel and some spare water so she wouldn’t have to worry about getting
stuff on the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, when I
realized I was having problems, I gave her what I could and let her know that I
would do the best I could to come up with a backup plan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By Mile 10, the plan really became a jumbled mess when the
chain on my bike came off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew then
that it was going to take a miracle to be able to provide any more support on
the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked a policeman who was
working the event the quickest way to get back to Nationwide Arena and I set out
jogging with the bike beside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hope
was that I could get to the halfway point and at least offer some encouragement
before Cindy set out for the tough second half solo.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I arrived at Mile 13 and locked the disabled bike to a
tree, I received the text alert that Teri had already finished her half
marathon in 1:43.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that I had to
be close to catching Cindy going by, but as the seconds and then minutes ticked
by I realized that I had to have missed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s tough in the crowds to find people, but afterwards I discovered
that I had missed her by roughly 30 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bummer!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I unlocked the bike and wheeled it to my vehicle where I
found Teri recovering from her great race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I stowed the bike and then set off to find the shuttle to the ‘Shoe to
try to catch Cindy going by there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
trouble figuring out where the shuttle was and by the time I did find it and
saw the long line waiting to board it I realized that I probably wouldn’t make
it out to the Mile 18 mark in time to cheer her on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that was a risk I couldn’t take if I
wanted to see her finish the race.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, I headed back to my vehicle again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I really only had two options
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait around at the finish line for
an hour for her to come in or head out on the course and cheer her on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The decision was a no-brainer as I quickly
peeled off a couple of layers, laced up my running shoes, grabbed a <a href="https://twitter.com/Quaker">Quaker granola bar</a> and a <a href="https://twitter.com/Gatorade">Gatorade</a> G1 pouch for fuel for me and a bottle of water to
take to her and I set out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I knew
it, I had knocked out two miles at a sub 8:00 pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where did that come from on no training and
two months of running inactivity???</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I ran the course in reverse, I got to watch all but the
top five marathoners finish and it was amazing to watch how hard these men and
women worked to finish so strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
offered up encouragement to each and every one of them as they went past
including my friend, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kvarian1">Ken Varian</a> who was running so strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure they had to wonder why a guy with a
marathon bib was running the opposite direction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I closed in on the Mile 23 marker, I started thinking
about how far I should go out as I knew that I would need to have the strength
to run with Cindy to the finish at whatever pace she was running when I found
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paused three times around this
point to cheer for my friends, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dan.bosch">Dan Bosch</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rancidgoat">Doug Owsley</a>, and Melanie, who was
still smiling on her way to a PR and just missing a BQ (Boston Qualifying time).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWzK3S-r3RI/UIymGnnwlwI/AAAAAAAAApc/uowsx244OSY/s1600/IMG_8496+melanie+cbus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWzK3S-r3RI/UIymGnnwlwI/AAAAAAAAApc/uowsx244OSY/s320/IMG_8496+melanie+cbus.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melanie smiling the whole way!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to go ahead and go one more mile to Mile 22 as I
started to wonder if somehow I missed Cindy in the crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, just past the mile marker I saw her
coming in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she ran by
where I was, I hopped in and started to run with her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t even know that I was there for the
first 25 feet or so, but as soon as she did you could see a big smile cross her
face as she realized she was going to have company for the rest of the run.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next four miles clicked by as we began to pass people
who were hitting the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I vividly
replayed the previous year’s race in my head when I walked most of the final
six miles on the same course as I gave in mentally and then physically, so I
knew exactly what the people who were struggling were going through and I
offered as much encouragement as possible to everyone we went by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite pain in her right leg, Cindy just
kept gutting it out and her pace never faltered by much.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we closed in on the Mile 26 sign, I realized by the elapsed
time and our current pace that it was going to be really close for Cindy to BQ
(she needed a 3:55).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowds were
really thick through here and I hollered at them to let the runners hear them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They responded with great cheers and I think
it really picked up the spirits of everyone as we turned right to head down
Nationwide Boulevard to the finish.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Turning the corner, I decided it was time to let Cindy know
just how close this finish was going to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The coach side of me got stern and hollered at her that she needed to
get her butt in gear if she wanted to meet her goal of the BQ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her she had worked way too hard over
the past few months and more recently the past nearly four hours to come up
just short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was really cool to see
the fire rekindle as she found one final burst of energy and hit a 6:13 pace
heading towards the finish as she crossed the line in 3:53:50 to meet her goal
by 1:10 and set a new PR by nearly five minutes!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oEKKiMnhFZo/UJGTIBN2WWI/AAAAAAAAAqs/jEO5EKhBgc4/s1600/IMG_8511+cindy+cbus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oEKKiMnhFZo/UJGTIBN2WWI/AAAAAAAAAqs/jEO5EKhBgc4/s320/IMG_8511+cindy+cbus.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cindy on her way to her BQ!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I’ve had a few days to reflect back on the events that
transpired on Sunday, I’m continually inspired and amazed by what all took
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching everyone work so hard
will continue to motivate me to be a better runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m filled with great pride for all of my
friends that did so well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I was able
to see first-hand the difference that being a little more mentally tough and
pushing through the wall can make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
I didn’t gain the experience of running the full marathon like I originally had
hoped to do, I gained so much more experience by soaking it all in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m also pleased to report that even though I ended up
running 13.5 miles after not running once in two months that my legs feel
great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I went on Wednesday
after the race to my doctor, Darrin Bright, and I’ve now been cleared to start
a return to running plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t wait
to get back out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I plan to be back
for the 2013 marathon in Columbus.</div>
MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-31481591262970171632012-10-10T00:57:00.000-07:002012-10-10T11:24:39.970-07:00Be Our Guest - Beauty and the Beast<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-4h0CCMjCs/UHUpgRgVfAI/AAAAAAAAAo4/o9DXS33WJgg/s1600/IMG_0700%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-4h0CCMjCs/UHUpgRgVfAI/AAAAAAAAAo4/o9DXS33WJgg/s200/IMG_0700%255B1%255D.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley, Carla, and Kylie getting ready for the show to start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tonight, I had the opportunity to take my family to the Palace Theatre in Columbus to see NETworks presents Disney's Beauty and the Beast and what a fun night it was.<br />
<br />
When we arrived, our girls (ages 11 and 7) were excited to see that we were sitting a mere seven rows from the stage. They had been to two previous Broadway shows (Mary Poppins and Wicked), but both times our seats had been in the balcony fairly far back. They could not wait for the show to start so they could see the actors up close and personal.<br />
<br />
The plot of the show follows the script of the Disney movie by the same name, so my girls were able to just sit back and enjoy the action as they already knew the story. They remained attentive throughout the entire show which lasted a little over two and a half hours yet never seemed that long.<br />
<br />
The show was extremely enjoyable and very well done. Every single character played his or her role very well. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hilary.maiberger">Hilary Maiberger</a> as Belle nailed the lead role and has an incredible singing voice. She seemed perfect in the role. She also had good chemistry with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/yeddick">Darick Pead</a>, who played Beast. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510849133">Jeff Brooks</a> stepped into the role of Gaston for the night and I cannot imagine the main actor being any more believable. In fact, if this was his first time to move up as understudy, I'm guessing he'll get a lot more chances. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hnazarirobati">Hassan Nazari-Robati</a> (Lumiere), <a href="https://www.facebook.com/james.may.566">James May</a> (Cogsworth), and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/erin.edelle">Erin Edelle</a> (Mrs. Potts) were also excellent in their roles as servants turned household objects in Beast's palace.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoyUO0lTRDA/UHUpZd5bO9I/AAAAAAAAAow/lwiVGzbJJog/s1600/beautyandthebeast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoyUO0lTRDA/UHUpZd5bO9I/AAAAAAAAAow/lwiVGzbJJog/s400/beautyandthebeast.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belle (Hilary Maiberger) and Beast (Darick Pead)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you are looking for a fun date night out or a good evening for the whole family, this show is for you. It's only in Columbus through Sunday, though, so don't miss your opportunity. You can find all the showtime details and ticket information by going to the <a href="http://www.capa.com/">CAPA website</a>. <br />
<br />
<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com181tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-28795604974550825512012-10-09T11:30:00.000-07:002014-08-12T06:58:52.802-07:002012 Hood to Coast Relay<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CYTQNOwV7Fc/UHQqwVE74QI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/YCEAcFZTX3I/s1600/hoodtocoast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CYTQNOwV7Fc/UHQqwVE74QI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/YCEAcFZTX3I/s320/hoodtocoast.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cresting the second of three hills on Leg #6</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wow, I can't believe that it's already been six weeks since I took part in the <a href="http://www.hoodtocoast.com/">2012 Hood to Coast Relay</a> on August 24-25 as a member of Random Acts of Running, one of the 1,068 teams of 12 people each in a race that started 6,500 feet up on Mt. Hood in Oregon and ran nearly 200 miles to the Pacific Ocean in Seaside, Oregon. This race consisted of many ups and downs for me personally over two days, but it is definitely an experience I will never forget.<br />
<br />
After a <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/08/headed-to-hood.html">great time leading up to the race that included an amazing complimentary dinner at the Outback Steakhouse</a> in Tualatin where the staff went all out to treat us as celebrities and my love affair with the chain just continued to grow, we packed up our vehicles and tried to get a good night's sleep for the adventure that awaited us. Fortunately, we didn't have an early starting time, so we knew that we should be plenty rested heading into the two-day event.<br />
<br />
As part of Van #1 for our team, we needed to finally load up and head to the starting line for our 2:45 p.m. start. However, on the way, we stopped at the local Krispy Kreme store to pick up a dozen donuts and some chocolate milk that they had graciously agreed to donate to help fuel us on the trip. If you know much about me, you know that I love my donuts and see them as a great reward for all the running that I do. This proved to be a great treat and I'm thankful to Krispy Kreme for donating them to us and for <a href="https://twitter.com/krispykreme/status/239052922355322880">all the love they gave us on Twitter</a> during the race. Interaction with brands is priceless and it's why I'm a big fan of several you see mentioned in this post.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--amvmV6NMIs/UHQrmtZw8UI/AAAAAAAAAmY/15GnhvBxHkg/s1600/IMG_0282%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--amvmV6NMIs/UHQrmtZw8UI/AAAAAAAAAmY/15GnhvBxHkg/s400/IMG_0282%5B1%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random Acts of Running posing in Krispy Kreme</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCwl3RD4Gsg/UHQr4cICOzI/AAAAAAAAAmg/uQ9nnmcrFV0/s1600/IMG_0283%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCwl3RD4Gsg/UHQr4cICOzI/AAAAAAAAAmg/uQ9nnmcrFV0/s400/IMG_0283%5B2%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A look at all the goodness we had to leave behind. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xrz-8oajJDo/UHQr-1OVyNI/AAAAAAAAAmo/IhpAIlXUPek/s1600/IMG_0285%255B2%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xrz-8oajJDo/UHQr-1OVyNI/AAAAAAAAAmo/IhpAIlXUPek/s400/IMG_0285%255B2%255D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our elite runner, Peter Arbogast, fueling up with a glazed donut prior to his run. I later showed the group how to eat one in a single bit. :) Yep, it takes skill and years of practice. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
With the donuts and chocolate milk secured, we continued the drive to Mt. Hood. Pretty soon, we found ourselves on the actual course for the race - just going in the opposite direction. As we passed the exchange zone for the end of Leg #6 (my leg), I began to get excited and started studying the course that I would be running in a few hours. The rest of the group did, too. We knew that we had some challenges ahead of us, but we were excited to get the adventure under way. As we got closer and closer to the starting line, the views just kept getting better.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f0hQXwzAcdA/UHQtA2gbZMI/AAAAAAAAAmw/zfsoNPFNffw/s1600/IMG_0290%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f0hQXwzAcdA/UHQtA2gbZMI/AAAAAAAAAmw/zfsoNPFNffw/s400/IMG_0290%5B1%5D.JPG" height="400" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Mt. Hood from the parking lot as we approached the starting line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We spent a little time at the starting line getting ready for the race and just soaking in the energy of all the teams around us. I even ran into a couple of Central Ohio friends there, Brandon Button and Molly Stout. It's always great to see a familiar face, but especially 2,000 miles away from home. Molly's team was actually starting the same time as our team and she was running the same leg as me, so I knew that we might see her a couple of times.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BORJd0tFQrk/UHQvS9PcyOI/AAAAAAAAAm4/7XqvMHnzxqw/s1600/IMG_0293%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BORJd0tFQrk/UHQvS9PcyOI/AAAAAAAAAm4/7XqvMHnzxqw/s400/IMG_0293%5B1%5D.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter, Brandon, and I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ysQPsVt5RzU/UHQvaIvPMUI/AAAAAAAAAnA/IfpdQ-D5_c4/s1600/IMG_0291%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ysQPsVt5RzU/UHQvaIvPMUI/AAAAAAAAAnA/IfpdQ-D5_c4/s320/IMG_0291%255B1%255D.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O - H - I - O at the start. Me, Molly, Sarah (a Twitter friend on Molly's team), and Peter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Just before it was time for our first runner to take off, our van of six runners took a moment to all go to the starting line together and capture a picture to commemorate the start of what would be a great journey together.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Od1cgdQKwfk/UHQwW9V7oTI/AAAAAAAAAnI/GDMGlRhUdEY/s1600/IMG_0299%5B3%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Od1cgdQKwfk/UHQwW9V7oTI/AAAAAAAAAnI/GDMGlRhUdEY/s400/IMG_0299%5B3%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure there's a more picturesque starting line anywhere</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
When 2:45 rolled around, we all cheered as Sarah Suever, our first runner, took off straight down the hill on Leg #1. She cruised over those 5.64 miles at an 8:18 pace and the race was on! Before I knew it, Ryan Halley, our captain, had knocked out Leg #2 at a 6:29 clip, Brett Milliken hammered out Leg #3 at a 6:20 pace, and Amanda Smithberger rocked Leg #4 at a 7:34 pace. As we dropped Peter off to do Leg #5, the butterflies were really stirring big time in my stomach as I realized it was almost time for me to get to work. I had been waiting nine months for this opportunity and it had finally arrived.<br />
<br />
It had been 11 days since my previous run as I had battled shins and just rested the legs in hopes that I could somehow pull out the three legs I was assigned for the race. However, after a brief little jog on the top of Mt. Hood earlier
in the day as we waited to start
the race, I knew that I was in for a lot of soreness if my legs even
allowed me to attempt these runs.<br />
<br />
<div class="entry-description">
<br />
I arrived at the exchange point for Leg #6 and eagerly awaited the arrival of Peter,
who had the unenviable assignment as the #5 runner - the toughest
assignment in the race. I bumped into Molly briefly at the exchange and we encouraged each other. Then, I saw Peter cruising up the final
hill towards me and I began to get geared up to go. He handed me the
relay bracelet and I was off!<br />
<br />
I cruised through the first mile in 6:38 with a max speed of 4:49
during the initial acceleration. I passed one person during this
stretch and then set off after two others who were in the distance on an
uphill. I eventually caught both of them before the third mile ended
as I covered those miles in 6:53 and 7:20 to stand at 20:51 after the
first three miles for a sub 7:00 pace.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ggHAzaae8Ho/UHRYq7OwixI/AAAAAAAAAnk/OKHmzq5xNxU/s1600/leg+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ggHAzaae8Ho/UHRYq7OwixI/AAAAAAAAAnk/OKHmzq5xNxU/s400/leg+6.jpg" height="368" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the exchange zone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This was where my legs began to really fall apart as it was just a
constant struggle to manage the pain of what I thought at the time was really bad shin splints with
the lack of fitness that I had to run that pace with all my time off as I
started to really suck wind. However, I
started thinking about all of my <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/MVNUSID/">Daily Mile</a> friends along with those
following on Facebook and Twitter who were cheering me on. I also
thought about my goal to not walk at any point in my next marathon and I
just kept pushing myself to finish the leg and then worry about what
was next. In the back of my mind, I also was trying to stay as close to the time of my friend, Carrie Jarvis, who had run the same leg a few hours earlier, and I knew that if I slowed down too much that Molly, who is super fast, would catch and pass me. So, I just kept going.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o0aqjyX9D-k/UHRYZ7mqEiI/AAAAAAAAAnc/qjO5_ylffPY/s1600/Peter+n+Dave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o0aqjyX9D-k/UHRYZ7mqEiI/AAAAAAAAAnc/qjO5_ylffPY/s400/Peter+n+Dave.jpg" height="303" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter coming back to help run me to the finish...in flip flops nonetheless</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The leg ended up being more hilly than I anticipated, but I
knocked out the next three miles in 7:39, 7:28, and 7:29 before closing
the final .70 at a 7:31 pace with a 5:41 burst at the end. I was
utterly spent by the time I handed off to Brad Petersen to go on to Leg #7, but I
had finished my first assignment. It wasn't the 7:09 pace I had
predicted months ago when healthy, but I just missed by seconds (7:16 pace) and I
was pretty pleased. I had to be helped to the vehicle as my legs were
total mush and shaking, but I had accomplished my first goal of completing at least one leg.</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7asFiKSZELM/UHRZMECrfJI/AAAAAAAAAns/l65PDnEF2fo/s1600/IMG_0302%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7asFiKSZELM/UHRZMECrfJI/AAAAAAAAAns/l65PDnEF2fo/s400/IMG_0302%5B1%5D.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The face of total exhaustion and pain right after I finished</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once I got back in the van, I began to realize that the pain I was feeling was not something that was going to subside any time soon. Not that day and probably not in even the week to come. I knew it was bad and that was confirmed in the days ahead when I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in each leg to the point that the muscle was pulling away from the bone.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, I had taken a boot with me since I had been having issues with my right leg and that had seemed to help take some of the pressure off. By the time we stopped at Amanda's house for an amazing spaghetti supper that her husband, Luke, had so graciously prepared for us, I could barely stagger out of the vehicle. Going up stairs to shower or use the restroom required crawling and I ended up just collapsing on the floor in a heap and staying there for what seemed like two hours, but was probably more like 45 minutes. I knew that I was in for a very long night being cramped up in the vehicle and I was also feeling really bad about the fact that now my team was facing the challenge of figuring out what to do about my remaining two legs that needed run.<br />
<br />
We met back up with Van #2 after they had pounded out Legs #7-12 in better than expected time and it was time for our group to do its thing again. We switched the order around enough so that Ryan ended up with an 8.82-mile second run, while Peter did two runs in the second round as he absorbed my second run on top of his own to do 11.31 miles in a short span of time. I do admit that I wallowed in self-pity (and a lot of pain) for awhile and really questioned why I was there. I just shut down and went into a shell and didn't say much. I'm a team guy and I really felt like I had let the team down. <br />
<br />
However, the more I watched my team rally to the occasion, the more I began to feel better. The entire group just continued to pick up the slack and didn't
complain and I stood by and watched with amazement and appreciation for
great teammates as there was nothing else I could do. Or so I thought. I started to look for little ways to help. I hobbled to the exchange points with the clipboard to jot down times. I gave up my jacket to the waiting runner so they could stay warm until they needed to start their leg. I tried to be an encouragement just as much as I possibly could. And I kept just soaking in all the amazing sights around me. So many people working so hard to do things that individually would be impossible but together were doable. I learned a lot of life lessons over the next few hours.<br />
<br />
There were plenty of challenges the rest of the way. Due to congestion on the roads, what should have been a four-hour opportunity to sleep in an open field never materialized to much more than about 20 minutes. The final 12 legs of the race it was a constant adventure to try to get the next runner to the exchange point before the previous runner arrived. It often meant that the a runner would have to run an additional mile or so to be there in time. It must have been a good warm-up because our van just kept busting out amazing mile after amazing mile. Brett ran my leg and his leg over the final round to finish with 12.55 miles in the round and he was stoked to do it. In fact, I'm not sure on a healthy day I could have done what he did. Once again, just super impressed with my team.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMRwPtE6CKU/UHRghp5oEdI/AAAAAAAAAoA/QmS1XoSDkJE/s1600/Kade+finishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMRwPtE6CKU/UHRghp5oEdI/AAAAAAAAAoA/QmS1XoSDkJE/s400/Kade+finishes.jpg" height="242" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kade coming to the finish and you can see me in neon green under the arch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When our final six legs were done, we headed to Seaside and the finish line. We made one stop for a well-deserved meal where I chowed on a plate of french toast. Then, it was on to the beach to wait for the arrival of our other van. When we finally saw Kade Chambless, our final runner, approaching with her trademark smile on her face, we all began screaming and cheering her own until she crossed the checkpoint. Then, we lined up to cross the official finish line all together and get our official team photos taken and be presented with our medals. Somehow, I hobbled boot and all through the sand across the line and grabbed my medal. Wow, our team was amazing. We were predicted to finish in just over 27 hours but had come in at <a href="http://www.hoodtocoast.com/files/htc-2012-results.pdf">25:55:38 which was good enough for 97th place out of 1,068 teams</a>. Even better, we were 14th out of 360 teams in the mixed (6 guys and 6 girls) division. Great job, Sarah, Ryan, Brett, Amanda, Peter, Brad, Becky Peach, Spencer Dries, Taylor Bailey, Claire Bailey, and Kade!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_S57ea2Hs3k/UHRhIGkoH0I/AAAAAAAAAoI/UjaPQckEzfw/s1600/IMG_0316%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_S57ea2Hs3k/UHRhIGkoH0I/AAAAAAAAAoI/UjaPQckEzfw/s400/IMG_0316%5B2%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's five of the six members of Van #1 at the finish...the stranger who took the pic cut Ryan out of the shot. :(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some other thank yous that I need to make sure to mention include my running friends who called me or
texted me while I was on the trip and encouraged me even when I was down
and hurting. You guys are amazing!! Thanks also to the MVNU athletic department for allowing me to take a rare couple of vacation days during the fall season to soak up this amazing experience that I haven't come close to describing in this post. Seriously, I could write numerous posts about numerous sights, but let's suffice it to say that every runner should have this event on their bucket list. You won't regret going.<br />
<br />
I also need to thank several other brands in addition to <a href="http://www.outback.com/">Outback Steakhouse</a> and <a href="http://www.krispykreme.com/home">Krispy Kreme</a> who made this trip possible. We received two of the latest sets of <a href="http://www.knucklelights.com/main.sc">Knuckle Lights</a> that were just available weeks before the race and they are amazing to use in the dark. I highly recommend these over headlamps because you control the direction they shine AND they are much brighter. In fact, I used them this morning at 5:45 a.m. on a foggy bike ride.<br />
<br />
We also received a donation of the SC Johnson to get free <a href="http://www.ziploc.com/Products/Pages/BigBags.aspx?SizeName=XXL">XXL size Ziploc bags</a>. Let's just say that when you are traveling for more than a day in a vehicle filled with sweaty runners that being able to zip up your sweaty clothes and running shoes in an airtight bag really helps keep the vehicle smelling a lot fresher. So, a big thank you for these!<br />
<br />
We also enjoyed some chewy granola bars from the great folks at <a href="http://www.quakeroats.com/home.aspx">Quaker</a> who sent us a very generous supply for the trip. I can attest to the fact that I personally inhaled quite a few and it was great to have that as nourishment to keep us going towards are better-than-predicted performance.<br />
<br />
One more thank you goes to <a href="http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/Default.aspx?type=default">Chipotle</a> for donating a free burrito card to each of the 12 runners so that we could refuel after the race. Thanks to Joe for making this happen and to the brand for always interacting with customers.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-4Ld5DxSTo/UHRpV7i3v5I/AAAAAAAAAoc/BiX2PlfE_2w/s1600/IMG_0319%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-4Ld5DxSTo/UHRpV7i3v5I/AAAAAAAAAoc/BiX2PlfE_2w/s400/IMG_0319%5B1%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hood to Coast shirt, bib, and medal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As you can tell, we had a blast, we ate well, and the team performed amazingly. To me, that makes this trip a hands-down success. I'm still in the process of recovering from the stress fractures that were already there before I went, but my hope is one day to return and successfully complete all three of my assigned legs. I do know that I am a better person and runner from having gone on this trip!<br />
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<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-8522029821804902742012-08-24T10:09:00.001-07:002012-08-24T10:10:36.413-07:00Headed to the Hood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l58mphvKV7s/UDe1OR4seRI/AAAAAAAAAlw/CDWNFlRz2jI/s1600/peter%2Band%2Bi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="170" width="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l58mphvKV7s/UDe1OR4seRI/AAAAAAAAAlw/CDWNFlRz2jI/s200/peter%2Band%2Bi.jpg" /></a></div>Today is a day that I’ve been looking forward to since last November. That’s when I found out that I was going to have the opportunity to participate in the self-proclaimed “Mother of all Relay Races”, the almost 200-mile <a href="http://www.hoodtocoast.com/">Hood to Coast Relay</a> in Oregon.
<BR><BR>
Up to this point in my running career, my races have consisted of 5Ks, half marathons, and two full marathons with a few other mid-range distances mixed in. I haven’t ventured into any of the obstacle type events like the Warrior Dash or Color Run and have focused strictly on races that consist of just me and the open road.
<BR><BR>
Well, that will all change today when I hop in Van 1 of Team “Random Acts of Running” and we drive up Mt. Hood to Timberline and its 6,500-foot elevation. <a href="http://www.hoodtocoast.com/course-maps">That will start an adventure that will see our team of 12 people each do three legs of roughly six miles each before we finish about 27 hours later on the Pacific Ocean in Seaside, Oregon.</a> Along the way, we’ll see lots of interesting sites and have lots of interesting adventures and I can’t wait!!!
<BR><BR>
All the planning and preparation has been done at this point. Now, it’s up to us to just go out and doing our running. With all of the elevation drops and gains, it won’t always be easy. But, we are going to give it our best shot and see what happens.
<BR><BR>
Our team of 12 consists of six guys and six girls, so we’ll be competing in the mixed open division, where they have predicted that we’ll finish <a href="http://register.hoodtocoast.com/teams/finish_times?category=11">28th out of 361 teams in just over 27 hours</a>. Really, time is irrelevant in an event like this. It’s all about the experience. There will be elite teams like the team traveling all the way from Japan with their national media and expected to win the race in 17 hours. And there will be teams that will take twice that long but have just as much fun. We’ll see plenty of costumes and decked out vans and I hope to get lots of pictures along the way.
<BR><BR>
Here’s a brief introduction of our team. Most of them I met for the first time last night when the Outback Steakhouse in Tualatin so graciously hosted us for a pre-race team meal. A big thank you to Jon Lakefish, the director of franchise marketing, and Dave Seeley, the managing partner of the Tualatin store, for giving us a one-of-a-kind dinner that none of us will soon forget. And, a big thanks to our server, Miranda, who handled all 15 of us (our three volunteers were included) with ease. It really was a perfect evening!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7JYCAXg-4vI/UDey3RS9NPI/AAAAAAAAAlY/mxt1ISswZU0/s1600/IMG_0256%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7JYCAXg-4vI/UDey3RS9NPI/AAAAAAAAAlY/mxt1ISswZU0/s320/IMG_0256%255B1%255D.JPG" /></a></div>
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Van 1 will get the race started at 2:45 p.m. PST on Mt. Hood with Runner #1 Sarah Suever. Sarah is a 14-year-old high school student from Ohio who runs cross country and plays soccer. Her first leg is a beast as she’ll descend something like 2,000 feet in five miles. While to some that might seem fun to go that fast, it’s labeled as one of the very hardest legs on the course. She will then legs 13 and 25 before enjoying the final 11 legs in the van.
<BR><BR>
Runner #2 in Van 1 is my good friend, Ryan Halley. Ryan went to college at MVNU and later taught there as well. He currently teaches in the business department at George Fox in the Portland area and he was my invitation to this team. He’s also the captain of the team and has organized all the details necessary to make this adventure possible. I appreciate he and his wife, Jess, and their two kids for letting me stay at their house while I’ve been out here. Ryan gets to do leg 2, which drops 1,500 feet in just over five miles and then legs 14 and 26. He’ll probably also do a lot of the driving for Van 1 while trying not to drive off the road laughing at the antics that are sure to ensue. This will be Ryan’s second straight year doing Hood to Coast.
<BR><BR>
Runner #3 in Van 1 is Brett Milliken. I met Brett for the first time last night and he’s a young guy in his 20’s from the Portland area who looks to be a strong runner as well. He gets the award for the best mustache out of group of 12 and he’s wearing it well! I look forward to getting to know him better over the next two days and I’m sure that he’s going to do a great job with legs 3, 15, and 27.
<BR><BR>
Runner #4 in Van 1 is Amanda Smithberger. Amanda actually went to MVNU for a short time and was a member of our women’s soccer team. She is married to Ryan’s cousin and they live in the Portland area. Amanda has done Hood to Coast two previous times, so her expertise will be invaluable to us as she knows what to expect. She’ll be doing legs 4, 16, and 28.
<BR><BR>
Runner #5 in Van 1 is Peter Arbogast. Peter is a friend of mine that I’ve gotten to know that past two years through various running events in Central Ohio. He lives in Marysville and is definitely the most decorated runner on our team. A few of his highlights just this year are running the Boston Marathon and just last month completing the Burning River 100 – an ultramarathon half the distance of Hood to Coast that he did on his own. The man is a rock star and there is a reason that he is doing what is considered the toughest three legs on the Hood to Coast course as he runs legs 5, 17, and 29.
<BR><BR>
I’ll be masquerading as Runner #6 to finish out Van #1. My combined mileage for the three legs will be just shy of 18 miles and I’m hoping that I can pull this off despite not running in almost two weeks as I’ve been resting up a bad case of shin splints. I get to do legs 6, 18, and 30 and will hand off to first runner in Van 2 each time, which means that my exchange zones will be filled with both vans from each team running the same pace. That should add to the hoopla and hopefully carry me through.
<BR><BR>
Van 2 Runner #1 will be Brad Petersen. Brad, who is running his second Hood to Coast and is a Portland area resident, is the captain of the second van and has been tremendous in helping Ryan with all the details that go along with this event. I guarantee that Van 2 will have fun with Brad and his fun-loving personality. When we left him after the Outback dinner last night, he was still trying to convince the rest of his van to get mohawks with him. I’ll look forward to seeing today if anyone did. Brad’s also a great runner and it’s going to be an honor to be sandwiched in between the two fastest guys on our team. He’ll run legs 7, 19, and 31, which is the second-toughest assignment of the race.
<BR><BR>
Van 2 Runner #2 will be Becky Peach. Becky is from Virginia and is the mother-in-law of the original organizer of this team, Megan Peach, who ended up dropping out when she had a baby. Becky is looking forward to this race even though she has the single-toughest leg for her second one when she has to climb nearly 800 feet in five miles on a gravel road. She’ll do great as she knocks out legs 8, 20, and 32.
<BR><BR>
Van 2 Runner #3 is Spencer Dries. Spencer is one of the four Colorado runners who round out our team. He’ll team up with Brad to keep the four ladies in Van 2 entertained while posting good times knocking out legs 9, 21, and 33. He has some relay experience with the Wild West Relay under his belt and he’s also been training for longer endurance races.
<BR><BR>
Van 2 Runner #4 is Taylor Bailey. Like Spencer, she is an avid cyclist and triathlete. She will be running legs 10, 22, and 34 and I know she’s going to do a great job. She is also one of our two ICU nurses along on the trip and we hope to not need their services.
<BR><BR>
Van 2 Runner #5 is Claire Bailey. Another of the Colorado runners, she will be running legs 11, 23, and 35. She designed the cool team bandanas that we got last night at our team dinner.
<BR><BR>
Van 2 Runner #6 is Kade Chambless. She will be running legs 12, 24, and 36 and gets the honor of leading our team across the finish line. She is the second of our nurses in Van 2.
<BR><BR>
Here's our team picture from after the Outback dinner last night:
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aO1KEDwedWc/UDe0SHNb8-I/AAAAAAAAAlk/hEgLK1Mpa7c/s1600/Team%2BRAOR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="296" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aO1KEDwedWc/UDe0SHNb8-I/AAAAAAAAAlk/hEgLK1Mpa7c/s320/Team%2BRAOR.jpg" /></a></div>
<BR>
If you want someone’s entertaining take on the two van assignments and the legs of Hood to Coast from previous experience, check out these links. <a href="http://www.ohsusportsmedicine.com/2011/07/on-road-to-hood-to-coast-with-jason.html">Van 1 description</a> <a href="http://www.ohsusportsmedicine.com/2011/08/on-road-to-hood-to-coast-jason-effmann.html">Van 2 description</a>
<BR><BR>
Well, we are coming down to the wire with last-minute packing, some light eating, and feeling the butterflies in our stomachs as we’ll be heading out the door soon to head up Mt. Hood. However, we do have to make a stop at Krispy Kreme on the way ‘cause everyone knows how important it is for me to have donuts on race day.
I’m not sure what access I’ll have to post along the way, but I’ll try my best at least on Twitter and Facebook. Good luck to my other friends running in it as well and I hope to see you at some point along the way.
MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-18133096222295202762012-07-04T17:24:00.001-07:002012-07-04T17:24:59.084-07:00RunFest...Be There!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UYvJe9aF6mA/T_TegYrYHnI/AAAAAAAAAlA/sNyTnDg4Pwg/s1600/runfest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UYvJe9aF6mA/T_TegYrYHnI/AAAAAAAAAlA/sNyTnDg4Pwg/s200/runfest.jpg" /></a></div>Mark you calendars!!! This Saturday, July 7 from 1-4 p.m., the <a href="http://www.columbusmarathon.com">Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon</a> will be holding an event called <a href="http://www.columbusmarathon.com/blog/2012-06-28/join-us-for-a-meet-up-at-runfest-">RunFest (click for all the specifics and to RSVP)</a> at <a href="http://www.landmarkaviation.com/fbo.aspx?fbolocation=66">Landmark Aviation</a> located at 4130 East Fifth Avenue in Columbus.<br><br>
This will mark the third straight year for this free event that will hopefully draw in excess of 1,000 runners and walkers. There will be giveaways, sneak peeks at this year's race shirts and medals, booths offering training advice and healthy living tips, free food from some of Columbus’ favorite food trucks, the full line-up of <a href="http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/marathon-miracle-mile-patients">Nationwide Children's Hospital Patient Champions</a> and more!<br><br>
OK, that's the nuts and bolts for RunFest with plenty of links to surf to your heart's content. Now, here's my take on why this is such a great event and an important step in your marathon or half marathon journey. And it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm one of the meet-up hosts, but more on that later. ;)<br><br>
For most us, we started out running or walking on our own and may even do most of our workouts that way. I'm fortunate to have a group of friends (the Mount Vernon Running Buddies) that I run with almost every day and it's a great way to stay accountable, get advice, and get the support needed to attempt these longer races.<br><br>
Well, events such as RunFest are great ways to find out that you are not alone in your running or walking endeavors. Just like on race day, you'll see people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities coming together with a common interest. And, there will be plenty of experts around to ask training-related questions as well as event-specific questions. If you haven't decided to commit to one of the two races, what better way to make that decision than to stop by RunFest, check out the course map and finisher bling, and then take advantage of the final day of registration savings by <a href="http://www.columbusmarathon.com/race/registration">signing up for this year's event</a> before the cost goes up $10 on Sunday.<br><br>
In addition to talking to experts, enjoying free food, and signing up for giveaways, you also get the opportunity to meet six people with various backgrounds who have been designated as meet-up hosts for this event. I'm very humbled to be one of these six people and I'm looking forward to meeting the other five for the first time myself. From my very first involvement with the Columbus Marathon via its <a href="http://www.twitter.com/CbusMarathon">Twitter account</a> before I ever ran my first race, I've been thoroughly impressed by the great interaction that makes this large race feel like it was being put on especially for me. While I enjoy pushing myself to post the very best time possible, I also really thrive on the social aspect and all the great friends that I have made as a result of running in this race twice so far (half in 2010 and full in 2011). I've found that every runner and walker has a story and it has been a blast to hear a lot of them the past two years since I started my own journey. I would consider it a privilege to meet as many of you as possible on Saturday and would love to hear your story about what motivates you to run. So, stop by between 1:30-3:30 and look for the 6-foot-6 guy and introduce yourself. :)<br><br>
See you at RunFest on Saturday and then at the starting line on October 21! Feel free to comment below or connect with me on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/MVNUSID">Twitter</a> to let me know you are coming.<br><br>
MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-57630195863128338192012-05-30T11:32:00.001-07:002012-05-30T11:32:08.522-07:00Memphis...It's Fantastical<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2lNRWsDxSrs/T8YxWub5-hI/AAAAAAAAAkg/XTvrp-t-28c/s1600/memphis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2lNRWsDxSrs/T8YxWub5-hI/AAAAAAAAAkg/XTvrp-t-28c/s200/memphis.jpg" /></a></div>If you have followed this blog very long at all, you know that my wife, Carla, and I enjoy checking out Broadway musicals whenever we can. Well, last night, we had the opportunity to attend the opening night performance of <a href="http://www.memphisthemusical.com/">Memphis</a> at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus and we were blown away by the show!<BR><BR>
The backdrop for the story is 1950s Memphis, Tennessee where segregation is still a very real every-day issue with a strong line drawn between black and white. Enter Huey, a white man with only a 9th-grade education but a love and appreciation for the rock and roll music of the underground black clubs and a penchant for creating his own words and off-the-wall sponsorship plugs as a radio DJ who plays black music on a white station and the journey begins. The plot explores the racially-charged issues of the day and shows how music has a way of bringing people of different races together.<BR><BR>
This show, which won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Show, was high energy from the very beginning with incredible voices, talented and funny actors, and fast-moving, high-flying dance scenes. There was not a weak link in the cast and every one from the lead performers to the ensemble and swing groups contributed to the success of the show.<BR><BR>
<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Steinway7">Bryan Fenkart</a> as Huey was a perfect fit. He has a great balance of comedic timing, strong singing voice, and dance skills to successfully lead the show with pizzaz and humor. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/felicia.boswell.5">Felicia Boswell</a> as Felicia, an undiscovered black singer longing for her big break, has incredible pipes and kept the crowd clamoring their approval on several numbers as she just kept going for more and more as she knocked out several big songs. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/quentin.darrington">Quentin Earl Darrington</a> is another incredibly talented performer with a booming voice in the role of Delray, a club owner/music producer and Felicia's brother. <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/WillSingForFood">Will Mann</a> (Bobby), <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/RhettGeorge">Rhett George</a> (Gator), and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/parrywh">William Parry</a> (Mr. Simmons) are also exceptional in their roles, while <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001095286119">Julie Johnson</a> steals the show from time to time as Huey's doting mother, who can sing even better than she can keep you in stitches with her lines and dance moves. Seriously, the entire cast is incredible and I could go on and on writing things about all of them.<BR><BR>
I've been to several musicals like <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2011/12/mamma-mia-here-i-go-again.html">Mamma Mia!</a> and <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2010/12/rock-of-ages.html">Rock of Ages</a> where the crowd really responds to the songs because they are so familiar with them. While I had never heard any of the Memphis songs before, I felt like the crowd really embraced each number and the whole theatre was just waiting to explode as we all had a great time. I've been humming the songs ever since and I can definitely say that now "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWo39-1JsmE&feature=related">Memphis Lives in Me</a>".<BR><BR>
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If you want to enjoy a night out without the kids and watch some incredibly talented performers execute a well-written script and belt out some great songs, then Memphis is the show for you. But, don't waste any time as it will only be at the Ohio Theatre through June 3. For complete ticket information, visit the <a href="http://www.capa.com/presentations/current-season-presentations/memphis">CAPA website</a>.<BR><BR>MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-21532495799909819032012-05-15T22:28:00.000-07:002015-05-28T12:26:39.657-07:00One Half Goofy, Amazing Race Weekend (Part II)<i>(This is the second of my two-part racing recap from May 5th-6th when I did the Cap City Quarter Marathon and the Pittsburgh Half Marathon on back-to-back days - my own unofficial two-state, half Goofy Challenge)</i><br />
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With the <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/05/one-half-goofy-amazing-race-weekend.html">Cap City Quarter Marathon just a few hours behind me</a>, it was time to continue a whirlwind weekend adventure that rivaled anything my favorite reality show "The Amazing Race" could throw at me. As soon as I took a quick shower, I had just enough time to grab the essentials for a quick overnight trip to Pittsburgh for my second race of the weekend. Fortunately, my dad had volunteered to drive me there, so we headed out in the car with the GPS telling us we were going to be cutting it really close to make the 6 p.m. packet pick-up deadline.<br />
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As we drove across eastern Ohio, a brief bit of West Virginia, and then into western Pennsylvania, I thought back two months earlier about how entering the Pittsburgh half marathon even came about for me. I had always heard good things about the race, but I had never seriously thought about trying to do it. Then, back in March, I was in Orlando with the MVNU baseball team waiting to fly back to Ohio from the team's annual spring trip. As I scrolled through my Twitter feed, I noticed a message from the <a href="http://www.twitter.com/PGHMarathon">Pittsburgh Marathon account</a> that one of my tweeps, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/NickiinNY">Nikki Conroy</a>, had retweeted saying that you could win a free entry if you tweeted a picture of your <a href="http://www.toyota.com/">Toyota</a> (one of the race sponsors). Well, we had just purchased a new Toyota RAV4 in December and I had a picture on my phone and so I <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/MVNUSID/status/182793363261628417">tweeted my entry back to them</a> just before boarding the plane to fly back to Ohio.<br />
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To be honest, I forgot about the tweet and the contest as I slept most of that flight home and was looking forward to seeing my family after being gone for over a week. You can imagine my surprise when I turned my phone on after we landed and started checking messages that had come in while we were traveling and found this one:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-in-reply-to="182793363261628417">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/mvnusid">mvnusid</a> mvnusid Congrats! you are our winner of a free reg. from @<a href="https://twitter.com/Toyota">Toyota</a>! Email your contact info to socialmedia@pittsburghmarathon.com<br />
— Pittsburgh Marathon (@PGHMarathon) <a data-datetime="2012-03-22T18:51:27+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/PGHMarathon/status/182902325436878848">March 22, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Needless to say, I had to do some quick searching on the internet to see when the race even was and then began to plan ways to make it happen. I thought at first about trying to do the full marathon despite doing a full two weeks earlier, but then after much thought and listening to the advice of some of my running friends I decided to do the half so that I could race it and try my very best. So, I signed up and then started to find out more about the race as I looked forward to this new adventure.<br />
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Fast forward back to the car ride to the expo to pick up my race stuff on Saturday evening and time was really starting to be close. As we got within 15 miles of downtown, traffic was really picking up as the Pirates were hosting the Reds that night with a 7 p.m. game. I got more and more nervous that we might not get to the expo in time and that I might not be able to run the race as a legit runner since there was no race day packet pick-up. I began to tweet at the Pittsburgh Marathon account in hopes that someone would take mercy on me and wait around a couple of extra minutes, and my friend Nicki saw my tweets and did too.<br />
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We got to within a block of the convention center where the expo was being held and I could see people with packets walking towards me. We were down to just a couple of minutes left until 6 p.m. and we were still moving slowly in traffic. I told my dad to just circle the block and that I would call him to find him, and then I darted out the door and sprinted for the convention center. Once inside and out of breath, I quickly made my way around the expo (which was being torn down as I entered) and found all of my necessary stuff just as time ran out. Whew! I had made it! As I started back to find my dad outside, I saw that the social media person from the Pittsburgh Marathon had sent me her cell number and was working to have my stuff set aside in case I was late. I called her to say thank you and found out that she had taken time away from a dinner out to do this. Talk about great service and once again <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/04/anything-is-possiblejust-ask-debbie.html">proving the power of Twitter</a>.<br />
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With my race entry secure and since we were already downtown, I talked my dad into going to the Pirates-Reds game. PNC Park (pictured above) is a beautiful park to watch a game at and we were able to get good seats just up from third base. We watched through the bottom of the eighth inning before heading out of the stadium and cross the bridge back to our car with the plan to watch the postgame fireworks display from our parking garage and then beat the traffic out of town. The plan worked to perfection as we enjoyed an awesome display of pyrotechnics and then scurried out of town to find our hotel, the <a href="http://www.priorityclub.com/hotels/us/en/pittsburgh/pitex/hoteldetail">Holiday Inn Express near the airport</a>. (Side note...the benefits of being a Priority Club member paid off on this trip as I had enough points saved up to stay for free and this was a GREAT hotel with GREAT staff that I would highly recommend for anyone staying in the area.)<br />
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After setting out all of my race gear (pictured above) for the next day and then setting my alarm AND getting a wakeup call, I called it a night in hopes of getting a little over four hours of sleep after what had been an exhausting day with another one sure to follow. I think I was asleep when my head hit the pillow and the next thing I knew the alarm was going off and it was time to get up. That may have been the best sleep I've ever had the night before a race as I usually toss and turn and toss and turn thinking about it.<br />
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Dad and I headed back downtown and parked in the same parking garage as we had figured out that it would provide one of the best routes back out of town after the race since lots of the bridges and roads were closed for the full marathon. We started walking towards the race area and explored the finish line spot and talked about our plan to meet up after the race since I wouldn't have a phone on me and there were 25,000 people doing the race. We didn't want to assume that we would see each other right as I crossed the finish line. Then, we headed to the starting corrals where we bumped into Nicki. We chatted for a few minutes and it was nice to meet her in person. We parted ways and Dad and I also said our farewells as I got ready to hop in my starting corral. First, though, I made a stop by the stage to say hi to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/BartYasso">Bart Yasso</a>, who is one of my running heroes. It was nice to <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/BartYasso/status/199246207665704960">chat for a minute</a> and he left me with the words "Run a smart race today!". I thanked him for his time and then left to get ready for the start.<br />
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As I stood in my starting corral, I realized that I had never really decided how I planned to run this race. Usually, I've spent hours thinking about every detail of a race, studying the course map and elevation guide, and talking to my friends who were running the race with me. Well, with the exception of Nicki who I had never met in person before that day, I knew no one else in the race. And, while I had looked briefly at the elevation guide and the course map, it was more to just have a basic idea of what to expect and not to plan how to race. I had always wanted to run with a pace group and I thought that this might be the perfect time to try it since I would be with them for the first 10 miles before they turned off to do the full marathon. I had attempted this once before at Columbus in the fall in my first marathon, but I abandoned the plan less than five miles into the race. This time, I was determined to stick with the group, but now I needed to decide which pace group to go with. I started out behind the 3:30 group which would yield me a 1:45 half (8:00 pace), but I decided that I needed to push it more than that since I had been training to attempt a 3:15 marathon (7:25 pace). So, I moved up a little further in the corral to the 3:20 pace group (1:40 half). As the start time got closer and closer, I talked myself into running with the 3:10 pace group (1:35 half) and inched forward once more. My thinking was that my half marathon PR was a 1:34 and change and that I could always slow things down at the end if necessary. So, I fist-bumped the guy next to me and said good luck, heard the crack of the gun, and we were off!<br />
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First let me say that while I've run a couple of big races (the Columbus Marathon and Cap City) there is nothing like starting with 25,000 people. Since I had moved up in the corral, it took me less than 30 seconds from the time the gun went off until I crossed the starting line and the race had begun! The 3:10 pace group had two guys with signs they were holding up and I kept those signs in sight. They were weaving in and out of people just a bit and I tried not to do that and just held steady as I kept following them. We hit the first mile in 6:56 and then approached mile 2 and the first water stop at 6:59.<br />
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As we approached the first water stop, Bart Yasso's words to run a smart race echoed in my head. I have also done a poor job in distance races of drinking enough fluids. In my recent <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/04/running-is-team-sport.html">Earth Day Marathon attempt</a>, I paid the price in the second half of the race as my legs cramped up on me and that's been a consistent issue in all my other distance races. On Saturday at Cap City, I had really preached to Ashley about drinking during the race and she did a great job. I figured that it was time for me to practice what I preached, listen to Bart, and just see what happened. So, I took a cup of <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Gatorade">Gatorade</a> and downed it and then two cups of water and did the same. (I really liked having the Gatorade first AND on both sides of the road so you had easy access and then could wash it down with water which was also on both sides of the road.)<br />
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During the third mile, we went up and over the first of what would be five bridges. The first four bridges were probably some of my favorite parts in the race. Each one was packed with people cheering us on and it was just really cool to run over them. Mile 3 came and went in 7:11 and then we dropped back down to a 6:59 for Mile 4. There were a few hills as we wound through the different streets, but the great crowds kept spurring us on. At the second water stop, I once again had one Gatorade and two waters and was feeling great.<br />
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During Mile 5, we crossed two more bridges and ran past PNC Park as it ticked off in 7:10. As we approached the water stop in Mile 6, I took a <a href="http://www.twitter.com/honeystinger">Honey Stinger gel</a> to fuel me for the second half and then grabbed another Gatorade and two waters as I finished the mile in 7:17. We crossed another bridge in Mile 7 and I knew that I was starting to slow down just a bit as that mile was a 7:20. However, I picked things back up and caught back up to the pace group in Mile 8 as I posted a 7:11 AND passed one of the Kenyan runners who had pulled the plug on the race for some reason and was walking at that point. I continued to follow my pattern at the water stop at Mile 8 as well.<br />
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Mile 9, Mile 10, and Mile 11 were very consistent at 7:22, 7:21, and 7:21 respectively and then I said good-bye to the 3:10 pace group as they veered to the right as we all headed up the steepest bridge yet. Lots of people were starting to walk at this point and I tried to encourage anyone I passed. I came upon one runner who was starting to struggle just a little and I began to talk to her as we ran. I told her she was doing great and that she still had enough in her to keep going with me. She thanked me and I told her that if she had the energy to pick the pace back up that it would help encourage me just as much and we would try to do the rest of it together. She perked up and before I knew it she was back to full speed and it was all I could do to keep up with her.<br />
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As we turned a corner to start Mile 12, I realized that the elevation guide on the Pittsburgh Marathon site was a total fabrication. (This was the only negative to the whole race, but it's not like it really mattered 'cause you still have to climb whatever they throw in front of you.) Anyway, I really let this hill (a little over 150-foot elevation gain in less than a mile) get the best of me, but I forced myself to keep moving as I remembered that my 10-year-old daughter hadn't walked a bit in her longest race ever - a quarter marathon - the day before. I finally crested the top of the hill and started down towards the finish line with an 8:17 for the mile. Mile 13 was a little faster at 7:43 and the guy I had started next to (who was from Bexley, Ohio ironically) when the race began had pulled alongside me. We chatted a little as we made our way to the finish line. As we got to within a quarter of a mile of the finish, I really picked up the pace and then flat out sprinted to the line over the final tenth of a mile as I hit a 4:09 max pace to finish with a 6:30 pace overall for the final .26 of the race. What a fun finish!!!! I ended up finishing 344th overall out of 12,142 half marathon finishers and I was 35th out of 534 men in the 40-44 age group. Not too shabby at all!<br />
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While I caught my breath and grabbed my finisher's medal, someone came up and tapped me on the shoulder. It was the girl that I had encouraged on the hill. She had taken off over the final mile when I hit the tough last hill, but she had waited for me at the finish line to say thank you. I thought that was extremely cool! We chatted for a couple of minutes while I caught my breath and I found out that she had just graduated from Penn State the day before. Talk about a fun way to celebrate your college graduation. Anyway, it was just another great example of how running can bring total strangers together in a way that helps both of them out. I thanked her for waiting on me and then headed off to find my dad. He was waiting for me at the end of the food line after I had grabbed a Panera cinnamon crunch bagel and one of the famous Smiley cookies (they are really good) as well as an assortment of other food they had available. The race organizers did a great job of keeping the lines moving and funneling people into the celebration/family reunion area. My dad and I hung around for a couple of minutes there and I got a picture taken at the Dick's Sporting Goods tent (very nice to give each person a free picture that was emailed to them immediately), and then we realized that we still had time to high-tail it back to the Holiday Inn Express in time to catch the free breakfast before it ended at 10 a.m. (Yes, you know I wasn't passing up free food).<br />
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After I got cleaned up, we headed for home and I began to check all my messages that had poured in thanks to the live runner tracking system that the race had in place for people to follow via text messages, Facebook postings, or tweets. People from all over had been following my progress and chimed in with encouragement and congratulations. Races that have yet to embrace this technology are really missing out as it's a great way to get the event in front of a lot of people.<br />
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I would be remiss if I didn't say a big thank you to Toyota and the Pittsburgh Marathon social media people for making this race possible for me. I would highly recommend this event as a very well-organized, fun race to be a part of. While I'm not sure if I'll come back and attempt the full, I will definitely try to come back and run the half again as it is a challenging but really fun course. Besides, I still have something left to prove to that final hill that surprised me at the end. :) I'm really happy with the way that I ran this race (thanks for the pre-race advice, Bart Yasso), and while this was not a PR for me I feel like I executed a lot of things in this race that will lead to a PR on a flatter course if I follow the same plan. I can't wait to get back out and embark on the next amazing race!<br />
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<br />MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-37347832612644082632012-05-08T09:28:00.000-07:002015-05-28T12:20:07.867-07:00One Half Goofy, Amazing Race Weekend (Part I)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Several months ago, I made plans with my 10-year-old daughter, Ashley, to run the Cap City Quarter Marathon with her, but little did I know what an adventure would be waiting for me as this would turn out to be just the start of an amazing race weekend. Ashley had done several 5Ks and a four-mile race, and the quarter marathon (6.55 miles) seemed like the next obvious challenge for her to undertake. In addition, the <a href="http://www.capitalcityhalfmarathon.com/">Cap City event</a> (both a half marathon and a quarter marathon) is really one of the best races around from a crowd support standpoint, a post-race food standpoint (always important to a guy whose motto is "I run to eat"), and a relatively flat course standpoint.<br />
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So, we did a little training and joined up with nice-sized group of the Mount Vernon Running Buddies (pictured below) as we set out to attack the course. It was a hot, humid day, so staying hydrated and not overdoing it needed to be a big part of our race day plan, and I knew that I was going to need to watch Ashley like a hawk to make sure that she didn't have any problems.<br />
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We set out with <a href="http://www.twitter.com/csims5">Chad Sims</a> and his 11-year-old daughter, Hanna, who was also doing her longest race. Starting in Corral B, I was a little worried that the girls would start out too fast, but Ashley did a great job of running a 9:55 first mile and just letting the crowd go. We hit the part of the course where you could see the lead runners coming back towards you, and it was fun to cheer on some people we knew including several of the Running Buddies and some Run DMC'ers including my pal, <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/RevRun">Brian Vinson</a>, who was on his way to a blazing PR in the half.<br />
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We hit the first water stop and I had told Ashley to just stay in the middle and to keep running while I grabbed two cups of water. I made her drink all of hers and asked if she needed any more before downing the second cup when she said no. I'm awful about drinking during a race, but I knew that as hot as it was that I needed to set a good example and make her do it and to her credit she did every time.<br />
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Mile two came and went in 10:03 and then mile three in 10:14 even with a slight uphill that had some of the runners walking. Several friends passed us through here and it was fun saying hi. Usually the races are a blur if I'm focusing on my time and trying to meet a goal, so it was fun to be more relaxed and able to take in all of the other aspects of the event. At this point, we split off from the half marathon crowd and continued on and faced another hill during mile four that she conquered in 10:39. Man, she was doing great with no hint of walking at all!<br />
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As we headed into mile five, we merged back on to the half marathon course just ahead of the half marathon leader and eventual winner, <a href="http://www.capitalcityhalfmarathon.com/media/2012/may-recap12.shtml">Matt Folk</a>, as he came flying along with over eight miles already completed! It was fun to see how effortless a 5:18 pace looks as he blew by on his way to a 1:09:20 finish!<br />
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It was also during mile five that the crowd really picked up in size and volume as we ran along High Street, across Nationwide Boulevard, and then turned on to Long Street. People were really cheering for Ashley and calling her by name, and the encouragement fueled her to pick up her pace as the crowd cheered even louder as she nailed a run-best 9:36 for that mile!<br />
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Mile six proved to be the toughest mile as the crowds thinned back out and the burst of speed took its toll. When we reached the 5.5-mile mark, we were entering unknown territory because she had never run that far before. She never complained, though, and she also became the inspiration for several runners as they saw her and ran alongside us. Those of you who ran along with her and encouraged her through this point...thank you! It really made a huge difference! Mile six ended with a 10:47 pace, but still no walking as she was determined to finish the whole thing on the run!!!<br />
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Then, it was time for one final turn and we could see the finish line. The crowd was huge at this point and once again they were cheering her on by name!!! I'm still getting goosebumps and a little misty-eyed typing this recap three days later when I think about what she did. She gave it everything she had as she sprinted for the finish line...finishing the final .66 miles (yes, my Garmin had the course a little long, but it might have been me swerving to pick up all the water for both of us) at an amazing 8:58 pace that including a Kenyan-like 4:56 dash at the very end!!!! I had planned to make sure she crossed ahead of me, but there was no worry of that as I couldn't keep up at that point as she finished her first quarter marathon in 1:07:07 with me two seconds behind. Unbelievable!!! A 10:15 pace!!! (She ended up 561st out of 1,788 people in the race and 11th of 37 in the female 19 and under age group.)<br />
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After we spent a little while cooling down and celebrating what Ashley had just accomplished (yes, that means I had a few cinnamon crunch bagels from <a href="http://www.panerabread.com/">Panera</a>), it was time to head back out on the course to cheer on other members of our group as they finished the half marathon. After cheering <a href="http://www.twitter.com/teripokosh">Teri Pokosh</a> to the finish, I was waiting for my other running buddies, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ghrtz">George Hartz</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/scottbburgess">Scott Burgess</a>, to come along. It was fun to encourage all the runners over that final half mile as they wrapped up their 13.1-mile journey in some tough heat and humidity.<br />
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It was during this time that I noticed one lady coming along at a pretty good pace, but with her legs getting a little more wobbly with every step that she took. After being at the finish line watching helplessly when Matt O'Brien collapsed last year just 25-feet from his goal at this race, I started to have a sinking feeling in my stomach. As I watched, she stumbled and started to fall as myself and several other spectators rushed out to her. She was very pale and was struggling to try to get back to her feet as dehydration had really set in. One lady who identified herself as a nurse helped me hold the runner up as she in a daze muttered about trying to continue on, but there was no way we were letting her do that on her own. Soon, another guy who had also finished his race and was waiting on his girlfriend to finish appeared out of the crowd and identified himself as a doctor. He told me to help him do a fireman's hold to make a chair for her out of our arms so we could carry her to the finish and she could cross the line.<br />
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As we got closer to the finish line, the runner was making attempts to hop off of our arms, so we decided to see if she could stand and walk across the line. The whole time she had been alert enough that she kept checking her watch as she kept murmuring about wanting to make it in two hours! :) We promised her that we would help her meet her goal, and we walked arm-in-arm with her to the end as the crowd cheered her on. Once she crossed the line (and I'm pretty she made her goal), we set her in a wheelchair and let the medical staff take over. I have no idea who she is although I think the name on her bib started with an "A" or who the other man was who helped me get her to the finish line, but I am just glad that she made it there safely and hopefully is fully recovered by now. I know first-hand after my recent <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2012/04/running-is-team-sport.html">Earth Day Marathon</a> how the running community comes together to help each other, so it was a no-brainer for me to jump in and do what needed to be done. Any other runner would have done the same.<br />
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I have to give a big shoutout to the Cap City race staff on putting together another amazing event. Not only do they always have the best medals each year, they really do a great job of making sure that it's an event for everyone. The course is a fun course to run and this race will always be on my calendar as a must-do event if at all possible. While it would have been fun to have raced the half marathon as I've found that's my favorite distance, I am so glad that I did the quarter marathon with my daughter. It's probably just a matter of time and a few more races until she's racing me in the half. :)<br />
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And here's the crazy part...this is just the first part of what would be one half Goofy, amazing race weekend! Stay tuned for Part II!MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-90557540172178057322012-04-23T22:21:00.000-07:002012-04-24T06:55:52.305-07:00Running is a Team Sport<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JPZ8LFgSZEI/T5Y1o4dUMhI/AAAAAAAAAfM/p_qBNdzzff0/s1600/IMG_0325%2B-%2Bfinish%2B-%2Bcropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="241" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JPZ8LFgSZEI/T5Y1o4dUMhI/AAAAAAAAAfM/p_qBNdzzff0/s320/IMG_0325%2B-%2Bfinish%2B-%2Bcropped.jpg" /></a></div>For almost two years now, I've been able to call myself a runner. <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2010/06/off-and-running.html">I started out on this journey to lose a few pounds</a> and then stay in shape, but along the way I discovered that I really have a passion for it. Whether it is a long, pre-dawn solo run or a large race with thousands of participants, running has become a big part of my daily life and changed me for the better.<br><br>
Just a couple of months into my running journey, I discovered that a few of my other local friends were also interested in getting together as a group to run. We formed the Mount Vernon Running Buddies and it is a huge reason why running has become so much a part of my life as the accountability that comes from being a part of a group really helps you to show up at 6 a.m. instead of sleeping in. These other runners have become some of my closest friends as we spend time working hard together to reach our respective goals. We've hosted numerous themed 5K's and also two charity ones to-date.<br><br>
One of the great aspects of our group is the fact that we try our very best to make sure that no one ever finishes their runs by themselves if at all possible. On our daily 5K's, we loop around and run in with the last runner. At races, we always wait until the entire group has crossed, and we also find ways to encourage each other even when we can't all be there. Even when one of us has been down with injuries, the rest of the group has worked hard to keep the injured runner encouraged.<br><br>
The Mount Vernon Running Buddies are also now part of a larger group of Central Ohio runners known as Run DMC (or Daily Mile Columbus). This group is made up of runners who have connected via the running social media website <a href="http://www.dailymile.com">Daily Mile</a>. The group schedules training run meet-ups to keep people from having to run by themselves and then usually has a great presence at most of the Central Ohio races and beyond. It's been fun for me to meet other runners and find other places to run.<br><br>
On Sunday, these two groups came together with at least 20 total runners along with others there to support the runners at the <a href="http://premierraces.com/EarthDay/EDC2012.html">Earth Day Challenge half and full marathon in Gambier, Ohio</a>. There was a fun time of catching up in person and meeting some people for the first time in real life, and then it was time to head to the starting line for the business at hand. I was one of four people in the combined groups to have signed up for the full marathon, and I set out to attempt what was my second marathon with a lofty goal of a 3:15 to BQ <a href="http://mvnusid.blogspot.com/2011/10/im-marathoner.html">after posting a 3:52:04 in my first marathon attempt at Columbus last fall</a>.<br><br>
The first 13.1 miles of the race was so much fun as I ran pretty much a perfect race according to the plan that I had going in and I crossed the halfway point in 1:36:10. Since the course was an out-and-back course there were a couple of times in the first half that you crossed paths with all the other runners and it was so much fun to share smiles and encouragement with all of my other running friends that also included a lot of MVNU students. This made those first 13.1 miles just fly by as we all helped each other.<br><br>
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Then, I passed the turn off for the half marathon finish, high-fived my daughters (<i>pictured above</i>), and headed out to the much less traveled second half. Boy was it lonely! The only four people I saw the next three miles were volunteers stationed at cross roads to protect us from traffic. I kept churning out the miles, but all of a sudden my legs started to fail me around mile 17. Two of my Run DMC friends, <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/BButton">Brandon</a> and <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/Parboruns">Peter</a> (who was pacing Brandon after running Boston himself on Monday) caught me as I started to slow down and they tried to get me to go with them. I did for about half a mile and then faded again. <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/MikeS4/">Mike</a>, another Run DMC friend, caught me just after the turnaround and also tried to get me to hang with him, but I was pretty much toast at that point. (My best guess is that I didn't drink enough water the first half and dehydration hit my legs hard.) A smile and some encouragement from <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/candiceh6">Candice</a>, another Run DMC'er, and <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/coffeebean71">Chris</a>, a fellow MVNU alum, helped me keep trotting along for a few more miles as we crossed paths. However, by mile 22, a bad cramp in my left hamstring brought me to a screeching halt and I started to walk.<br><br>
As I approached another cross road, I saw my Mount Vernon Running Buddies group, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/CSims5">Chad</a>, <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/TeriP2">Teri</a>, and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ghrtz">George</a>, as they had come out to cheer me to the finish. Seeing all of them REALLY lifted my spirits and I started to run again and thought "OK, I can definitely do this" and continued on. Since they had each run the half and had driven out there, they had to drop off after a short run and drive back to the finish, but just the brief minute or so they were there really helped and I trudged on.<br><br>
Before I knew it, another familiar face popped up in the distance. This time it was <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/LightsOutStout">Molly</a>, a new friend I had made through Daily Mile and then had met in person for the first time the week before at a 10-mile race when we ran the first half of it together. She had finished the half marathon with a new PR and as the fastest female, but she took the time to come out along with her brother to help run me in to the finish. We jogged along to around the 25-mile mark and then the Mount Vernon Running Buddies (including <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000514263423">Donald</a> in jeans and all) appeared again along with Peter to create quite the contingent to get me over the final mile and to the finish line.<br><br>
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As we got closer to the finish, my daughters also joined in the running group (<i>pictured above</i>) and I saw that a huge portion of the Run DMC group had stuck around for almost two hours after finishing their half marathon race to see me cross the finish line. Talk about a show of support!!! Every single one of them helped will me to the finish line and I crossed it more than 10 minutes faster than my previous best time with a finish time of <a href="http://premierraces.com/viewresults.asp?resultsID=608">3:41:39</a>.
While I still have a lot of work to do to reach that elusive BQ, this is a race that I will never forget because of the kindness, encouragement, and support of my family (Carla, you were a trooper to have the girls there for over four hours!) and a huge contingent of running friends. While our times are recorded individually, I am more convinced now than ever that running <b>IS</b> a team sport. We have the opportunity to encourage those around us and help push them to more than they think is possible. This PR belongs to every single person who helped me cross that finish line. Thank <b>YOU</b>!<br><br>
P.S. If you want to see exactly how amazing this support has been, check out <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/MVNUSID/entries/14559258">my Daily Mile page with the race report</a> there. I'm blown away!MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497590088025321520.post-17138267232498832302012-04-20T06:35:00.009-07:002012-04-20T08:27:20.604-07:00Welcome to Central Ohio, Kristyn Hartman<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-43AWnhBI7vw/T5F9FRyNlxI/AAAAAAAAAeE/RNLhdTXgBjs/s1600/kristynhartman.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-43AWnhBI7vw/T5F9FRyNlxI/AAAAAAAAAeE/RNLhdTXgBjs/s320/kristynhartman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733501330246178578" /></a>As part of my ongoing plan to introduce you to the people I've had the privilege to cross paths with, I would like to use this post to welcome to Central Ohio the newest member of the WBNS 10TV family - Kristyn Hartman.<br /><br />It was <a href="http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/17/kristyn-hartman-is-new-anchor-at-10tv.html">announced back in mid-February</a> that Kristyn was being hired to fill the evening anchor spot being vacated in May by <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Andrea10TV">Andrea Cambern</a>, the award-winning, beloved newscaster <a href="http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2011/10/27/wbns-andrea-cambern-leaving-10tv.html">who will be stepping down</a> after working at the station since 1991. Being a fan of Andrea and the entire 10TV family through various interactions both via social media and in real life meetings, I was curious to get to know more about Kristyn, especially since the bio in the release about her hiring mentioned that she was a runner. I looked up her e-mail address on the website of the station she was currently at in Chicago and dropped her a quick note just to welcome her to Central Ohio and 10TV and give her a standing open invitation to join the Mount Vernon Running Buddies any time she wanted to.<br /><br />Imagine my surprise when an hour and a half later an e-mail popped up in my inbox from Kristyn thanking me for taking the time to reach out to her. Here, on what was probably a pretty exciting yet busy day in her professional life, she took the time to respond to a total stranger. In the meantime, I had seen that one of my friends had started following her on Facebook so I checked out her page and noticed that she was also responding to all the well wishes from people in Central Ohio there, too. It was a great first impression for me as she was already connecting with what would be her viewing audience.<br /><br />After that brief interaction to welcome Kristyn, I honestly didn't give it much more thought. I knew that she would be coming on board at the station sometime in May with a first on-air anchor date set for June. Well, imagine my surprise last week when my cell phone rang with an Illinois number and the voice on the other end was hers. She was calling to say that she wanted to take me up on the offer to come up and check out Mount Vernon and meet some of my friends. She said that she had orientation all day on Monday which was her first day at 10TV and then was booked until Thursday morning so we scheduled to meet that day.<br /><br />It was great to have the opportunity show her around the university where I work (<a href="http://www.mvnu.edu">Mount Vernon Nazarene University</a>) and introduce her to some of my friends and co-workers. We also briefly saw part of the city of Mount Vernon and I introduced her to the mayor and representatives from the police department, the fire department, and the sheriff's office. Everyone commented about how down-to-earth and genuine she was and they all enjoyed meeting her. I think she was also impressed with what she learned about our community and MVNU.<br /><br />During the time that my wife, Carla, and I walked with Kristyn around campus and then the time that I spent driving her around town, I really enjoyed getting to find out more about what Kristyn is all about and what her plans are heading into this new job. She told me about how excited she is to come to a station that is viewed from the outside as one of the best jobs in the business regardless of size. She has been blown away by the hospitality and welcome that she has already felt from Central Ohio. She spoke lovingly about different things relating to her and her husband of 20 years, Chris, as their relationship started on a college campus much like Carla's and mine did.<br /><br />Kristyn spoke with great admiration about Andrea and all the amazing things that she has done in her role over the years. She feels a sense of responsibility to continue the great relationship with the community and charity organizations, but she also knows that you don't replace someone like Andrea or try to be her, and she is looking forward to connecting with people in her own way much like she did with me and the others who met her on Thursday. She is very much looking forward to making Columbus her home and getting to know the great people that make up Central Ohio. Who knows...you might be the next person to get a phone call from her saying she's coming to see you! It really wouldn't surprise me at all because she knows that everyone has a story to tell and she loves to hear those stories and meet the people behind them.<br /><br />From what I understand, you will start seeing Kristyn doing stories as early as next week as she gets her feet wet locally first in the role of a reporter. Then, her first on-set anchor date is set for June 4 when she will start doing the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. news slots with Jerry Revish. You will want to check it out and welcome her into your homes.<br /><br />For more information on Kristyn, you can check out <a href="http://www.10tv.com/content/sections/about/people/hartman-kristyn.html">her bio page on the 10TV website</a>.MVNUSIDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822859661725956248noreply@blogger.com2