Not done yet...

This blog has been quiet because I have not been running nearly enough. Between school, work, and... well, school and work mostly, I have not been out on the pavement nearly enough. Then of course there was the sinus infection, and that led to, and I kid you not, SNEEZING A RIB OUT OF JOINT. I didn't even know that was possible, but sure enough it is. In case you are wondering, it hurts like hell.

I tell you this though: I am coming back. I am down to one class until I finish my Masters, and I have now run regularly for two weeks, including one of my fastest 10Ks last Saturday. You all know though, I am not in it for speed, I just want to run.

So, not much of an update here. I don't have an event in mind for which I am training (though I should choose something). I don't know that I will have any great epiphany about running that I didn't have before. But watch this space. The Running Dan is back, Eightball often at my side, the Bonk's clown shoes clomping behind but never catching up. It's time to run again.

Who's with me?

My wife is awesome.

If you don't know, this is my wife Jennifer. Jennifer is the love of my life, and indeed is really responsible for getting me into my running in the first place when she got me to do the first Bisbee 1000 with her, and then bought me "Born to Run." She chose a goal a while ago" she was going to march in the Bataan Memorial Death March.

Each year, the original Bataan is commemorated at White Sands Missile Base, New Mexico by a marathon length (26.2 mile) march through horrid terrain. There's a couple of categories; whether you want to just go for it, or if you want to do it in the heavy category you put 35 pounds on.

That looks like this.

You then go walk through the desert: sand, hills, wildlife, temperatures from 40 in the morning to 80 by the afternoon, and this year, 40 mile an hour winds. Jennifer trained, Jennifer set out, and Jennifer succeeded. She finished in 9 1/2 hours, which actually brought her in before a large number of military males in the Light category. In short, my darling wife is frakking incredible. I am so proud of her.



She says she has no intention of doing this again, but likes the idea of these distances. Next up? We're going to split the difference, and together we are doing Warrior Dash. She's so cool!

For Better and For Worse

So, it is finished! My second marathon, the Lost Dutchman 2011 is now behind me, and as you will see below, I have my second finishers' medal! So, how did I do?

Well, better and worse. Let me tell you up front, I did about a minute slower than I did last year. I can tell you this though: I did much better this year. How can this all be true?

Last year, the weather was simply wonderful: clear, still, just perfect. Go back and read last year though, and you will see those last six miles were hell. I stopped to walk every water point, and crossed that finish line by pure will alone. I expected the same this time.

Instead, I learned how to properly fuel, and felt really good at the end. Took down one GU gel an hour, and drove on. In fact, I skipped the water point at the 20, and after 22, didn't stop at all. I hit 22 at 3:52, and was moving at a 9:30 pace. It was awesome! I slugged down my 22 mile water and drove on. At mile 23, then there's a turn...

Into a 10-15 MPH head wind. I mean, it was rough. Most people around me walked instead, I kept running. Slow but steady, I kept moving. Three miles into the wind, and the last mile in the rain. It slowed me down, and so I came in 4:42:53, a minute slower than last year, but so much stronger. I didn't have that post race starvation either, because I was properly fueled. Initially I intended to make this my last one for a while. Now though, I need to see how that weather will be next year... I can do better!

Now the sad news. The lovely Jennifer was going to come do the half-marathon this year, but the flu got her. She is still all set up to do the Bataan memorial ruck march next month though, I bet she's going to knock it out of the park!

Now, enjoy some pics! (Thanks to Action Sport Images for the two of me)