So there are 18 days left until the Chicago Marathon. Anyone who follows me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram know that I have been training for the 2013 Chicago Marathon for the past 5 months. I signed up in February like everyone else and was lucky enough to not experience any issues with the registration process. I have done several races of varying distance this year in preparation of the Marathon. Just prior to the Chicago Half Marathon on September 8th my wife and I moved into our new home. Apparently during the move, I tweaked my knee and a few days later had swelling. I ran the half marathon that weekend and was unable to push hard because of pain in my left knee and later in the race, my right foot.
I went to my doctor last week to have it looked and and found out I have a torn Medial Meniscus. Needless to say, this was a huge blow. My right foot is strained but is minor and will get better. The knee however, is going to need significant rehab in order to heal if not surgery. I have already told my doctor that I intend to finish out my racing season. I still have the Chicago Marathon, Monster Dash 10k and Spartan Race Milwaukee Sprint. The only race that concerns me is the Chicago Marathon. I am continuing my training, albeit not as much as it should be. I have purchased a knee brace that helps a bit but honestly it feels like it is causing more problems than its solving.
This past weekend was supposed to be a 20 mile run but I opted for a 8 1/2 instead. The run felt ok. No significant pain or discomfort. I have no illusions that my time will likely not be what I hoped for throughout training. Now I am just hoping to finish. I will be posting an update once I finish the race, hopefully, injury free.
Ron
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
My Forrest Gump Moment
So I'm sure most people have seen the movie Forrest Gump. It was voted one of the top Running movies of all time. In the movie, when Forrest was a small boy, he had braces on his legs to correct his spine. The braces limited his leg movement and he was unable to walk properly let alone run. Until one day, while being chased by bullies, he started to run and broke the braces right off his legs. At that moment, he realized how fast he was and how good at running he was. From that moment on, if he was going somewhere "he was run ing." That was the moment he realized he had potential and decided to follow it.
So here is my Forrest Gump moment. When I was a teenager, probably 16, a friend and I were at my house and we decided to go to his. Now we normally rode our bikes because it was about 3 miles between my house and his. That day, he had his bike but I had left mine at his house. So I said "fuck it" and said I would jog along side to his house. So we started off at a slow pace but progressively got faster. When we got to his house I was drenched in sweat, it was the middle of the summer and quite hot. We then proceeded to play several hours of basketball and then I rode my bike home. After that day, I started running a lot. I found that I loved to do it and that I was good.
I went on to run track for Junior and Senior year of High School and loved it. I was recruited by the football coach because of it as well. I went on to play 3 years of Semi-Pro Football after that. So looking back on it in my early years, running actually opened a lot of doors for me. Now I do it because I love it and even though I am not as fast as I was back then, I still like to compete as best I can.
So tell me, what is your Forrest Gump moment? Where and when was it that you realized that you had a love for running, or any other sport?
Ron
So here is my Forrest Gump moment. When I was a teenager, probably 16, a friend and I were at my house and we decided to go to his. Now we normally rode our bikes because it was about 3 miles between my house and his. That day, he had his bike but I had left mine at his house. So I said "fuck it" and said I would jog along side to his house. So we started off at a slow pace but progressively got faster. When we got to his house I was drenched in sweat, it was the middle of the summer and quite hot. We then proceeded to play several hours of basketball and then I rode my bike home. After that day, I started running a lot. I found that I loved to do it and that I was good.
I went on to run track for Junior and Senior year of High School and loved it. I was recruited by the football coach because of it as well. I went on to play 3 years of Semi-Pro Football after that. So looking back on it in my early years, running actually opened a lot of doors for me. Now I do it because I love it and even though I am not as fast as I was back then, I still like to compete as best I can.
So tell me, what is your Forrest Gump moment? Where and when was it that you realized that you had a love for running, or any other sport?
Ron
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
2013 Soldier Field 10 Miler
I completed the 2013 Soldier Field 10 Miler on Saturday May 25th and it was by far one of the best races I have ever run! This is no exaggeration either. The event was planned and executed very well. From Packet Pickup to post race party, everything was smooth.
The packet pickup at Fleet Feet Sports in Old Town went very smoothly. As opposed to the usual 2 day window for pick up, they had it available for 5 days! That was awesome! Made it very easy to get in and get out with your packet if that was your goal. I stopped and had a gait analysis and shoe fitting done( Thank you Colin). The men's t-shirts ran big this year, which they were very helpful with in providing a t-shirt exchange at both the packet pickup and the race.
The race day itself went off without a hitch. I chose to park at my building about a mile away from the start at Soldier Field, however, they did offer free parking at the stadium. I did not do the gear check, although one was offered. Plenty of port-o-potties were available, which if you have ever been to a race that only had a few you can appreciate having enough to accommodate all racers. I was assigned to Corral #5 in the Blue wave. They had an ample number of announcements for corral closings. The Purple wave, which was first, had a hard close time. Meaning they closed the Corrals at 6:45 and if you were not in them, you had to move back to the Blue wave. The Blue wave Corrals had a soft close time, which meant they closed at 6:45 but were still allowing people in. My favorite part of the corral setup was that they had volunteers at each corral entrance to make sure that only people that were assigned to that corral got in. Too often you see people trying to sneak into earlier corrals.
There was a very nice starting ceremony where there was a moment of silence to remember all of the fallen veterans and for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and tornado in Moor, OK the previous week. They called out the names of many members of the Military, both retired and active duty, that were running the race.
Before you knew it the horn blew and the purple wave took off. These were the elite runners that were trying to win it. While they took off and we waited for the next start, they played Sweet Caroline which got a lot of crowd reaction. Then they blew the horn and the Blue wave started and I took off.
I won't bore you with extensive details of the route itself, but it was a wonderful route. It was the same as the previous year. I was quite happy with my pace and time. I managed to run almost the entire race, only stopping at a few of the aid stations for a drink. Towards the end of the race with only about 3/4 of a mile left, my legs were burning and lungs were on fire, I began to pull off to the side to stop for a moment when a man came from behind and put his arm around me and gave me a friendly shove and told me to keep going and that we were almost to the finish line. I managed to grit my teeth and keep going. After a few moments all pain died away and I went numb. I managed to push harder and cross the finish line in 1:33:07! That time was almost 7 minutes faster than last year. I managed to find the man that helped me and thank him for his support.
The post race party was very nice. They had Soul Asylum as the band playing and many vendors offering freebies. I helped myself to a few of the freebies, passing on the beer. I hung out with a few friends for a little while and then headed back to my car, which was about a mile away, but felt like 20 miles at that point.
If you ever get a chance to run the Soldier Field 10 mile, I would very much recommend it. It is one of my favorite races to do.
The packet pickup at Fleet Feet Sports in Old Town went very smoothly. As opposed to the usual 2 day window for pick up, they had it available for 5 days! That was awesome! Made it very easy to get in and get out with your packet if that was your goal. I stopped and had a gait analysis and shoe fitting done( Thank you Colin). The men's t-shirts ran big this year, which they were very helpful with in providing a t-shirt exchange at both the packet pickup and the race.
The race day itself went off without a hitch. I chose to park at my building about a mile away from the start at Soldier Field, however, they did offer free parking at the stadium. I did not do the gear check, although one was offered. Plenty of port-o-potties were available, which if you have ever been to a race that only had a few you can appreciate having enough to accommodate all racers. I was assigned to Corral #5 in the Blue wave. They had an ample number of announcements for corral closings. The Purple wave, which was first, had a hard close time. Meaning they closed the Corrals at 6:45 and if you were not in them, you had to move back to the Blue wave. The Blue wave Corrals had a soft close time, which meant they closed at 6:45 but were still allowing people in. My favorite part of the corral setup was that they had volunteers at each corral entrance to make sure that only people that were assigned to that corral got in. Too often you see people trying to sneak into earlier corrals.
There was a very nice starting ceremony where there was a moment of silence to remember all of the fallen veterans and for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and tornado in Moor, OK the previous week. They called out the names of many members of the Military, both retired and active duty, that were running the race.
Before you knew it the horn blew and the purple wave took off. These were the elite runners that were trying to win it. While they took off and we waited for the next start, they played Sweet Caroline which got a lot of crowd reaction. Then they blew the horn and the Blue wave started and I took off.
I won't bore you with extensive details of the route itself, but it was a wonderful route. It was the same as the previous year. I was quite happy with my pace and time. I managed to run almost the entire race, only stopping at a few of the aid stations for a drink. Towards the end of the race with only about 3/4 of a mile left, my legs were burning and lungs were on fire, I began to pull off to the side to stop for a moment when a man came from behind and put his arm around me and gave me a friendly shove and told me to keep going and that we were almost to the finish line. I managed to grit my teeth and keep going. After a few moments all pain died away and I went numb. I managed to push harder and cross the finish line in 1:33:07! That time was almost 7 minutes faster than last year. I managed to find the man that helped me and thank him for his support.
The post race party was very nice. They had Soul Asylum as the band playing and many vendors offering freebies. I helped myself to a few of the freebies, passing on the beer. I hung out with a few friends for a little while and then headed back to my car, which was about a mile away, but felt like 20 miles at that point.
If you ever get a chance to run the Soldier Field 10 mile, I would very much recommend it. It is one of my favorite races to do.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Boston Marathon
My thoughts and prayers go out to the runners, family and friends at the Boston Marathon and to the entire running community. This was not just an attack on the US, but on the entire world. The Boston Marathon is a multi-national event that has a longstanding tradition of sportsmanship and of bringing people together in a common interest. This tragedy will not be forgotten and neither will the people affected by it.
Ron
Ron
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
2013 Shamrock Shuffle
Well I finished the Shamrock Shuffle with a time of 44:03 on Sunday. This was the first time I ran the Chicago Shamrock Shuffle and I'd have to say the race route was very nice. Supposedly this was a mini preview of the route the Chicago Marathon so this was good practice for me. It was a beautiful day for the race, sunny with only a few clouds. The post race party at the end was well setup with beer tents, venders and merchandise. I am disappointed that there was no medal for the race, even though I knew this going in. In my opinion, a race that is put on by as large a company as Bank of America should have some sort of finishers medal. Either way, the race was definitely worth it. The tech shirt I got was nice and made by Nike. After seeing this course I look forward to the Marathon in October, but I'm glad it's still 6 months away, because I need to train.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
2013 Race Season Begins
My wife and I kicked off our 2013 race year with the Team Ortho Foundation Get Lucky 7k in Chicago. It was a cold morning, barely above freezing, and windy along the Chicago lakefront. The starting line for the race was just outside Soldier's Field, where several thousand people waited to start the 7k race. About 30 minutes earlier the Half Marathon had taken off. Considering the cold, there was a pretty good turnout for the race. My wife runs about an 11 minute mile average usually but we were unable to get to the correct starting position because of the number of people. Unfortunately, a lot of walkers lined up towards the front and were therefore taking the spots other runners should have had and severely gridlocked the start of the race.
There was very little ceremony for the start. In fact, I didn't even know the race had started until I saw the crowd moving. The crowd inched toward the start line slowly at first but eventually picked up the pace. It took around 3:30 for us to actually get to the start line and we were off.
Coming off the start line was slow at first. Like I said before,many walkers had lined up at the front of the crowd, instead of at the end like they were supposed to. This caused a bad delay for the first half mile or so, especially since many of the walkers did not move over to the right, but instead chose to walk side by side down the middle of the path, which wasn't wide to begin with.
About a mile in the path opened up considerably and we were able to move more smoothly through the crowd. Raquel at this point was stripping off her gloves and unzipping her sweatshirt, she always wears too much and then gets hot. I spent the rest of the race carrying her gloves for her. We kept a good pace for the first half of the race heading South along the lakefront. Once we made the turn to come back North the wind picked up a lot and it started to sleet/snow a little. This made the second half of the race much slower and more miserable.
The view along the lakefront, which I usually enjoy, was mitigated by the wind and stinging sleet coming down. Raquel pushed on through it and refused to give up. Once we got back to McCormick Place, I was able to reassure her that the finish line was near. We pushed on for the last mile and ended up finishing with a time of 53:34. Not bad for her first 7k and the longest road race she has run to date.
My next race will be the Shamrock Shuffle on April 7th and our next race together is the Indiana Spartan Sprint on April 27th. All in all, this race was a nice start to the year and will make us thankful for nicer race weather and prepare us for worse in the coming months.
Ron
There was very little ceremony for the start. In fact, I didn't even know the race had started until I saw the crowd moving. The crowd inched toward the start line slowly at first but eventually picked up the pace. It took around 3:30 for us to actually get to the start line and we were off.
Coming off the start line was slow at first. Like I said before,many walkers had lined up at the front of the crowd, instead of at the end like they were supposed to. This caused a bad delay for the first half mile or so, especially since many of the walkers did not move over to the right, but instead chose to walk side by side down the middle of the path, which wasn't wide to begin with.
About a mile in the path opened up considerably and we were able to move more smoothly through the crowd. Raquel at this point was stripping off her gloves and unzipping her sweatshirt, she always wears too much and then gets hot. I spent the rest of the race carrying her gloves for her. We kept a good pace for the first half of the race heading South along the lakefront. Once we made the turn to come back North the wind picked up a lot and it started to sleet/snow a little. This made the second half of the race much slower and more miserable.
The view along the lakefront, which I usually enjoy, was mitigated by the wind and stinging sleet coming down. Raquel pushed on through it and refused to give up. Once we got back to McCormick Place, I was able to reassure her that the finish line was near. We pushed on for the last mile and ended up finishing with a time of 53:34. Not bad for her first 7k and the longest road race she has run to date.
My next race will be the Shamrock Shuffle on April 7th and our next race together is the Indiana Spartan Sprint on April 27th. All in all, this race was a nice start to the year and will make us thankful for nicer race weather and prepare us for worse in the coming months.
Ron
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
2013 Race Season: The Journey Continues
So Raquel and I added a new race to our schedule for the year. It's the Get Lucky 7k in Chicago on March 16th. It probably wasn't the smartest idea since a few days before signing up I strained my right calf muscle and have barely been able to run since. Yesterday was the first time I have actually run in a week and a half, and it was only a mile of off and on running and walking with stretches. Raquel and I will be running this race together and I wanted to be able to do this with her since she only has a few races scheduled this year.
This will be her longest road race to date, but not her longest overall. I am very proud of her for putting in so much work over the past 2 years to get physically fit enough to compete in races and actually enjoy it instead of just wanting it to be over. As much as I have helped her to improve her fitness, she has inspired me to keep going with my own. She works so hard in the gym and is far more dedicated than I when it comes to diet and it shows. She is literally half the woman she was when we got married and together we have come to far to quit. She is now training to start the 2013 race season and is committed to getting faster and being able to run farther. I have no doubt that one day she will be running Half-Marathons and the longer OCR's with me and I couldn't be prouder.
Here is a quick look at some of the progress Raquel and I have made in our fitness journey. The first pic is of us on our Honeymoon in 2009. The rest are all pics from different races in 2012.
This will be her longest road race to date, but not her longest overall. I am very proud of her for putting in so much work over the past 2 years to get physically fit enough to compete in races and actually enjoy it instead of just wanting it to be over. As much as I have helped her to improve her fitness, she has inspired me to keep going with my own. She works so hard in the gym and is far more dedicated than I when it comes to diet and it shows. She is literally half the woman she was when we got married and together we have come to far to quit. She is now training to start the 2013 race season and is committed to getting faster and being able to run farther. I have no doubt that one day she will be running Half-Marathons and the longer OCR's with me and I couldn't be prouder.
Here is a quick look at some of the progress Raquel and I have made in our fitness journey. The first pic is of us on our Honeymoon in 2009. The rest are all pics from different races in 2012.
Honeymoon
Nov 2009
Polar Dash
Jan 2012
Muddy Buddy
July 2012
Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon Expo
Sept 2012
Carolina Spartan Beast (on the way home)
Oct 2012
Monster Dash
Oct 2012
These are only the pics I could find of us together. Some races we didn't get a chance to take pics together. Stand by for pics from our 2013 race season. Thank you for taking the time to share our journey with us.
Ron
Complete list of races Raquel and I have run together...
2011 Santa Hustle (not pictured)
2012 Polar Dash
2012 Indiana Spartan Sprint (Not Pictured)
2012 Muddy Buddy
2012 Monster dash
Thursday, February 7, 2013
2013 Race Schedule
So my Race schedule for 2013 is pretty much st. This year I will not be running as many races as 2012 due to the prospect of my wife and I purchasing our first home. Here is a list of the Races that I have planned so far....
April 7th
Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle
April 20th
Indiana Spartan Sprint
My wife and I will be tackling this race together and trying to beat last years time.
May 25th
Soldier Field 10 Mile
This will be my 2nd time running this race. It is all so the 10th anniversary of the race.
July 20th
Midwest Super Spartan
This will be the 2nd time I will have attempted this race. Last October I finished in just over 3 hours. I am aiming for around 2 1/2 this time.
Oct 5th
Wisconsin Spartan Beast
This race is still in pre-registration but as soon as it is announced I will be signing up so that I can get my Spartan Trifecta again in 2013.
Oct 13th
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
This will be my first Marathon ever, and it all so happens to land on my 30th Birthday.
April 7th
Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle
April 20th
Indiana Spartan Sprint
My wife and I will be tackling this race together and trying to beat last years time.
May 25th
Soldier Field 10 Mile
This will be my 2nd time running this race. It is all so the 10th anniversary of the race.
July 20th
Midwest Super Spartan
This will be the 2nd time I will have attempted this race. Last October I finished in just over 3 hours. I am aiming for around 2 1/2 this time.
Oct 5th
Wisconsin Spartan Beast
This race is still in pre-registration but as soon as it is announced I will be signing up so that I can get my Spartan Trifecta again in 2013.
Oct 13th
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
This will be my first Marathon ever, and it all so happens to land on my 30th Birthday.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Reebok Spartan Race
You heard right. Reebok and Spartan Race have teamed up to bring the sport of OCR to new and better places. Announced on 1/17/2013 "Reebok, the global fitness brand, and Spartan Race, the world’s leading obstacle racing series and Outside Magazine’s Best Obstacle Race in 2012, have today announced a multi-year partnership. The collaboration marks Reebok’s commitment to one of the world’s newest and fastest growing sports – obstacle racing." With the backing of Reebok, Spartan Race will now have the ability to reach more people and change even more lives.
I can attest to the fact that Spartan Race has helped to change my life. It gave me a reason to keep training and to stay off the couch. Now they have given an even better reason. According to comments made by Reebok Spartan Race, " They are committed to a Spartan Race in "Sparta" Greece in 2015 for Trifecta holders." This is an awesome turn of events in my opinion. To have the opportunity to race in the birthplace of what I consider true military discipline and what was the inspiration for the Spartan Race is amazing. I for one hope this comes to pass. I have already earned my Trifecta for 2012 and will hopefully earn the Trifecta again in 2013.
I would encourage everyone that has made some kind of New Years Resolution to lose weight or get fit to sign up for a race. Any race will due, but I would personally recommend the Reebok Spartan Race Series. They have races all over the country and will most likely be bringing a Spartan Beast to the Madison, Wi area in 2013. I for one will not be missing out. I am already registered for the 2013 Indiana Sprint and the Midwest Super and am pre-registered for the Madison Beast. If you do nothing else for yourself this year, please make it a healthy year.
Ron
To read the full Press release for Reebok and Spartan Race Click Here.
I can attest to the fact that Spartan Race has helped to change my life. It gave me a reason to keep training and to stay off the couch. Now they have given an even better reason. According to comments made by Reebok Spartan Race, " They are committed to a Spartan Race in "Sparta" Greece in 2015 for Trifecta holders." This is an awesome turn of events in my opinion. To have the opportunity to race in the birthplace of what I consider true military discipline and what was the inspiration for the Spartan Race is amazing. I for one hope this comes to pass. I have already earned my Trifecta for 2012 and will hopefully earn the Trifecta again in 2013.
I would encourage everyone that has made some kind of New Years Resolution to lose weight or get fit to sign up for a race. Any race will due, but I would personally recommend the Reebok Spartan Race Series. They have races all over the country and will most likely be bringing a Spartan Beast to the Madison, Wi area in 2013. I for one will not be missing out. I am already registered for the 2013 Indiana Sprint and the Midwest Super and am pre-registered for the Madison Beast. If you do nothing else for yourself this year, please make it a healthy year.
Ron
To save 15% on any registration click the picture below.
To read the full Press release for Reebok and Spartan Race Click Here.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Make 2013 Count
Welcome to 2013!!!
So it's a new year and the world didn't end. This is the time of year that everyone makes their New Years Resolution. A lot of people resolve to lose weight. I challenge you and myself to not make that resolution. Instead promise yourself to become more healthy and active. Losing weight will be one of the results, but being healthy and active is the road to the results you want. Be active and eat right and everything else will fall into place. It will be tough and you will want to quit. But it is very worth it in the end. I am glad that I made changes to my life. I am not where I want to be yet, but I know I will get there.
Tip: Set a goal for yourself. Not a weight loss goal, but an activity that you cannot currently do. If you like to run, sign up for a race and then stick to a training schedule to prepare. Once you invest the time and money to prepare for the race, you wont want to quit on yourself. After you finish the race you will want to do more. I guarantee it. There are many races out there that fit for all fitness levels. Click here for a list of my favorite races.
So it's a new year and the world didn't end. This is the time of year that everyone makes their New Years Resolution. A lot of people resolve to lose weight. I challenge you and myself to not make that resolution. Instead promise yourself to become more healthy and active. Losing weight will be one of the results, but being healthy and active is the road to the results you want. Be active and eat right and everything else will fall into place. It will be tough and you will want to quit. But it is very worth it in the end. I am glad that I made changes to my life. I am not where I want to be yet, but I know I will get there.
Tip: Set a goal for yourself. Not a weight loss goal, but an activity that you cannot currently do. If you like to run, sign up for a race and then stick to a training schedule to prepare. Once you invest the time and money to prepare for the race, you wont want to quit on yourself. After you finish the race you will want to do more. I guarantee it. There are many races out there that fit for all fitness levels. Click here for a list of my favorite races.
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