Good Cause, Powerful Meaning

Training for the Grand Rapids Marathon, what better way to prepare than by running the course? That was my thought when I saw Grand Rapids advertise a Half Marathon coming up, odd I didn't remember seeing anything recently. After further research, I found out the Grand Rapids Marathon was doing something very cool and there was a reason I didn't hear about this Half Marathon sooner.

This Half Marathon was a response to the devastation Joplin suffered with the tornado. Joplin was suppose to run a Marathon this year, called the Boomtown, but obviously unable with the damage. Grand Rapids stepped up and decided to offer this Half Marathon with all proceeds going to help Joplin. It didn't take more than a second to sign up for this race knowing it was for a good cause.

For being put together somewhat last minute, I have to applaud everybody involved. It wasn't officially timed and there will be no official record of me running it, but I'll always remember the speech given before the start of the race (well, fun run as they called it). This is where I ruin this blog entry with a obscure movie reference, but the speech reminded me of Cannonball Run, where the line goes something like "There isn't one state with the death penalty for speeding....though we aren't sure about Ohio". Instead in our speech went like this, "We haven't told the police that you are out running this morning, so if they stop you, good luck and we don't know you!".

I'm very excited to run this course in the fall. Running through downtown was very cool. I enjoyed looking at the buildings, running over the bridges, it made for a very fun run. Keep in mind though, I hadn't ran more than 6 miles since the Kalamazoo Marathon. Once the sun came out and when I hit mile 10, I was done. The last three miles were an absolute struggle. Once I finished, I waited for my teammates. It was great to have four of my running partners with me. It made for a great day, both for the route, then without any race pressure, it was a very relaxing feeling. Even with my struggles, I think this will be one of my favorite runs.

We were treated with this beautiful finisher medal, which by itself is special because it is the actual medal that would have been given out had the Marathon taken place in Joplin. It wasn't until after we found out there were a very specific number of medals given out, and it was the exact number of people who lost their lives in that horrible tornado. That medal represents MUCH more than running 13.1 miles.

Klassic Results

How many races can we run? That might be the theme of the year! It seems like I barely get finished with a race and it's time for another one. I'm not complaining, but it makes it easy to plan the weekend when you know Saturday is race day. Though, it gets confusing where I should be standing that morning, Battle Creek last week, Kalamazoo this week, back to Battle Creek next week!

This week was the Kalamazoo Klassic. This always seems like a popular race based on the turn out, but I soon found out why it's so popular...the course. Everybody is always happy when a course is advertised as a flat, fast course. Well the Klassic is a downhill course. Hence, very popular to help with the PR's (personal records).

Another reason the Klassic is popular, they run the 10K first and the 5K second. This gives the true crazy runners a chance to run both runs. CT and I should have done this to help us work on our distance for our marathon coming up, but we have both been preoccupied with trying to get faster in our 5K's. We decided we wanted to be fresh and push for our PR's. CT's sister did the 10K and did awesome at it. The 10K is much harder. It laps the 5K course twice and remember how I said the 5K is downhill? Well, the part that is cut out of the 5K is a HUGE hill, which the 10K people have to do. Anybody that does that hill gets immediate props from me.

Getting there early to watch CT's sister was great. It was a blast cheering on other running friends as they went by as well. When it came to our race it wasn't like I spent all my energy cheering, but I was already sweating. The later start time, the cheering, and simply walking up that hill a couple of times already had me second guessing if this would be a PR run. Once the race started, the first half mile felt like being herded like cattle. It was a decent pace, but I know if I were free and clear I would have gone faster. A mile in, it opened up enough where I could run at my own pace, but then the sun hit. Between mile one and two, it felt like the sun was scorching me. At this point, I mentally gave up any notion of trying for a PR. I figured I was already behind on my time, I was starting to overheat, simply run to have fun and don't worry about the PR. After mile two, it was all downhill, which you'd think was the greatest feeling in the world, wrong! The best part was the shade! That last mile wasn't easy, but it felt survivable at that point.

Coming down to the finish line, I saw on the clock exactly what I wanted, it still read 20:xx. Wow, did better than I thought even though I felt like I had given up somewhere before mile two. I had to dodge one younger kid in front of me as he puked and crossed the line thirteen seconds better than my previous best!

I always worry about the day CT crosses the line before me. Until then, I think we make a great pair because I feel like death crossing the line. I catch my breath, stumble to the water station, get a drink, then grab a cup for her and about the time I get back to finish line, her she comes. By the time she crosses the line, I feel better, give her water, and to her look like I'm not even tried as she's now the one dying!

No medal for me this week. All the fast people show for this race and knew even if I did get my PR, it wouldn't be enough to place in this race. Still, I feel good about getting my PR again for 4th 5K in a row. BTW, CT not only got her PR as well, but she did medal in her age group. Until next week, readers.

They're Grrrrrrrrrrreat!

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What a better way to start the day than running the Cereal City 5K? Okay, so eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes would be much easier, but the sugar high can't compare to the feeling moments after crossing the finish line knowing that you gave it your all. It also doesn't hurt seeing the clock and knowing that you beat your previous best time, but also seeing that you placed in your age group, that's the real sugar coating.

For the second 5K in a row, CT and I both lowered our times and finished 1st and 2nd in our age groups. I hope this trend continues, but CT is quick to point out that I ONLY got 2nd. She doesn't realize how fast the guys are in my group! I'm completely satisfied. This race had an added bonus of the person in 1st for each age group got to select a homemade bowl created by school kids. CT had picked out the bowl she wanted, but it was no guarantee she'd get it. Turns out it was her day, all the age groups that went before her, nobody select her bowl, and she got it. Now, she has something to put her cereal in to start her day.

My favorite moment from this race was coming down the home stretch, there was a young kid in front of me. He was darn fast, but I had been gaining on him for about the last mile. I was happy with myself because I had already passed my main rival, knew I was going to beat my time, and was going to be happy finishing the race like this. The home stretch was up hill some and even though I was keeping my pace, I ended up pulling dead even with that kid. Once even, the kid apparently took offense to me passing him and started in a sprint to the finish. I couldn't resist and sprinted myself to pull dead even with him, I pushed him to a step or two before the line, then I shut it down. Officially, our times were the same, but he got me.

Normally, you'd have to be impressed with meeting Tony the Tiger. In this case, I think Tony was impressed to meet the 1st and 2nd place Superstars, we are pretty great.