Race #53 - Run to Victory

I never thought I would ever run a race after running a marathon the previous day. One thing that I have learned after years of running is that its good to get out to do a slow jog after a long hard race. John and I decided to drive two hours north of Charlotte on Sunday to participate in the Run to Victory in Randleman, NC. The funds raised from this race goes to the hole in the wall gang for the disabled. It's a camp that was started in the memory of Adam Petty who was a stock car driver who died in a crash. He had this vision to start a camp for the disabled long before he passed. His dad and the NASCAR community kept his dream alive.

The race started at Randleman middle school and finished at the camp. There big race was the 1/2 marathon which John and I knew we wouldn't or couldn't do. The weather was horrible. It was cold and rainy but there was no turning back for us. We signed up for the 5 miler and we would not let the weather bother us.

Adam's dad, Kyle Petty was the official starter and John "the Penguin" Bingham was also there. John has written many books on the running slowly, but happy. He his an inspiration to many folks that speed is not that important.

My legs were certainly stiff as was John's. We we certainly tired but after hearing an inspirational speech from Kyle Petty at the start, John and I were pumped that we made the trip. We didn't give much thought about the course but that start was a 1/2 mile downhill. If you know anything about running downhill running is worse than uphill running especially after running a marathon. My legs were killing me the first mile and half and then we hit the hills again. Our pace was at least 11 minute miles and content with the speed.

There were no mile markers so we didn't know how much further we had to go but knew we were getting closer to the camp. At our final turn we had a slight downhill and headed into the camp. This camp was huge and the finish was toward the back near the cafeteria. The theme was all race car and extremely impressive. John and I finished in 53:30 and headed right to the food line in the cafeteria. All runners got a nice bowl bowl of chili which was excellent and corn bread. It hit the spot after running almost an hour in a cold wet rain.



We changed into dry clothes and headed back to my car via the shuttle bus. The 7 hour ride home from there was tough on our legs. Getting out at the rest stops was extremely painful.

I think that is my last race of the year. It has been a fun year meeting new people and running with lots of friends.

Race #52 - Thunder Road Marathon - Charlotte, NC

John Liptak and I headed down to Charlotte on Thursday night at 5pm so not to have to make the 10 trip in one day. Our plan was to drive until about 11pm and pick out a hotel and spend the night. We hit 11pm just south of Petersburgh, VA so we decided to get off and find a nice hotel. There wasn't much around, but saw an Economy Inn. The place looked like the Bates Motel so we got back on he road for another hour. We were still jacked from the Starbucks so we drove another hour and found a Holiday Inn Express in South Hill, VA. Nice accommodations for 59 bucks.

We got up early on Friday and went for an easy 2.5 mile jog. It was surprisingly cold and we started to re-evaluate our plan for what to wear for the marathon. We were hoping to go with just a short sleeve and the Bob's 50@ 50 long sleeve but temps were going to be in the low 20's at the start.

We arrived in Charlotte at 1:30pm, checked in the DoubleTree Hotel and then headed to the expo. Not a bad expo for a small marathon. I met a guy who came up with an ingenious idea to showcase your medals from your favorite races. More to follow.

We got a nice technical long sleeve shirt and a few other freebies. From there John and I headed to Charlotte-Douglass airport to pick up Frankie T. Frank hasn't been able to run race with me this year and felt bad so he decided to run the 1/2 marathon. Frank and I ran together many days when we worked at BT/DB.

After picking up Frank we headed out to dinner and a big bowl of pasta. We also stopped at a few bars afterwards since it was still rather early. Two beers and we were all in bed by 10pm.

Temps were in the 20's at the start so we added an extra heavy layer but went with shorts. The hope was that it would be warmer towards the end of the race. Frank's hotel was very close to the start so we met him there and did our "business" in comfort. With ten minutes to the start we headed out. It's was great to be near the start. We got right to the front but backed away and hung with the sub 3:30 pace group.

John and I had just one goal in mine and that was to qualify for Boston. John needed to run a sub 3:30 and I needed a sub 3:35. My plan was to go with John and run a sub 3:30. That way we would keep each other company. Frank had no time in mine so we figured he would run the first 1/2 with us and then say bye bye. We were all doing 7:45's for the first 5 miles and felt very comfortable but it was clear early that the course was going to be up and down for much of the race. Frank pulled ahead of John and I by mile 8 and so we were on our own. We ran through some beautiful neighborhoods early in the race and the crowd support was surprisingly strong for a small marathon.

John and I hit the halfway point at 1:41 so we both on target for the sub 3:30 but rolling hills were coming more frequent. They weren't very big but they were steep and often. By mile 15 John and were still together but I was feeling it a bit. John was extremely encouraging and he kept me motivated, but the hills were starting to get to me. I think it was a hill at mile 17 that I just couldn't keep with him so I told him to go. I knew at that point my sub 3:35 was in trouble unless the course turn favorable, meaning downhill. As John slowly pulled away he looked strong as I was struggling with the hills.

At mile 20 there was brick wall made from plywood with a door to run through. They wanted you to hit the wall as you passed through it. As I did, I was hitting the wall myself. I hit mile 20 at 2:38 which meant I needed to run the last 6 miles in just under 1 hour. I knew it was going to be tough since I had taken a few walking breaks up the hills. I picked up my pace but once again felt it as I ran up another small hill. I was getting a bit disoriented so I took another walking break. There were a few of us struggling and we tried to encourage each other to keep going. One guy told me to take it easy, "it was better to finish then to end up in the medical tent". I took his advice and just concentrated on finishing. I couldn't believe I was feeling this bad.

At mile 24 there was one last big hill (Hawthorne Hill) which I pushed hard to make it. I made it to the top and found a woman handing out cookies. My stomach was filled with GU but I needed to eat something. I ate 3 of the best tasting cookies ever.

Two miles to go and the sub 3:35 a distant memory so I wanted to just finish strong and running. I was just hoping not to see John at any point. As I mad the turn to the finish i heard Frank call my name. I think I gave him a smile and crossed the line at 3:46:40.

I was disappointed but I knew I gave it everything I had. I saw John and he told me he ran a sub 3:28, so at least one of qualified for Boston. He said he was fading fast at the end but held on. Those last 7 miles are a killer.

I guess overall I was happy that I finished with a decent time, but was dismayed that I was a mess at the end. I trained hard but maybe I just ran too many races to realistically think I could be fresh for this race. I also think the course was way to hilly for a good time. It looks like I will have to find a runner friendly course if I want to run Boston.

I had a great time hanging with Frank and John. We ate well and had a few $2 beers at various gin joints. I hope we can do again in 2010.

Race #51 - Born to Run 5 Miler - Freehold, NJ

Race #50 - Flemington Turkey Trot - 29:48

Today I completed my goal of running 50 races in my 50th year. When I contemplated running 50 races when I turned 50, I knew I needed the support of my family and friends. I immediately got both so it was just a matter of lining up all the races. It was a special finish to have all my family with me as well as my nephew Andrew, his girlfriend Kate and my neighbor Ken White. This journey started on a very cold January 1st New year's eve with Brad Hunt, Jackie Barnes and her sister. There were many fun races along the way as well as some nice destinations. I met many new friends and hooked up with lots of old ones.


The Flemington Turkey Trot has become one of the largest races in the state. There were over 3400 finishers today on what turned out to be a beautiful day for a run. Ro was walking the course and I was planning on running with Leigh, Bob and Michael. They were planning on running under thirty 30 minutes, so I was going to pace them. Unfortunately we all got lost at the start but I found the boys on the course and ran with them. Leigh and Ro were towards the back so they got stuck in the pack and couldn't work their way up towards us..

Bobby sprinted towards the finish and finished in 29:36 while Michaela and I finished in 29:43. My nephew Andrew ran a 27:40 which was very good time for him. We all met at the green where the food and refreshments were given out after the race. There I met up with Ken White, Mark and Rosemarie Strawn.

I have met a lot of great people this year and it has been a blast running almost every weekend although I was getting a bit tired the last few weeks.

I have a lot to be thankful for on this Thanksgivng day, especially being married to my wife Ro who allows me to do these crazy things. We will be married 25 years in February and I have been running long before I met her. Maybe after my anniversary in February, I will do a 25@25 but it won't be races and hopefully it will be mor than 25.

I thank everyone who joined me as well as everyone who has made a donation. Although I reached 50, I still have about 4 more races to run, including the Charlotte Marathon in December. I am also running tomorrow in Freehold.



I won't be running 50 races next year, but I still hope to have people join me at the races. Please consider getting out there.

Race #49 - The Saddle River 15K - 1:07:25

John Liptak and I have been doing long runs (14-18 miles) every other weekend and today's race was meant to be the other weekend's run. We wanted to run something with distance and at a comfortable 7:30 per mile and maybe push it the last few miles. This wasn't a big race, actually it was the first time it was held. I rarely run up in Bergen county so it was serving two purposes, a long run and a change of scenery. I had to convince John to run with me otherwise I was going to do a 5K in Somerset on Saturday. John has been a great runnng patner and it doesn't take much to convince him to run a race. I think he has run about 10 races with me this year

Today's race was held exclusively in Wild Duck Pond so I really didn't see much of Saddle River. The course was like a double out and back and we had to dodge the slower runners on the back portions, as they were running 3 across a narrow path. The weather was just about perfect as the rain left us the night before. In fact, it was a bit warm for a November 15th race. It was run very well except no t-shirts.

Core Therapeutic was at the race working on runners which John and I took advantage of. The 10 minutes of pressure in certain spots really helped. We also met a few folks along the way.

John and I went out faster than we wanted, hitting the first mile in 7:20 and then the second one in 7:14. We couldn't get a consistent pace, mainly due to switchbacks on the course. It seemed like we were always turning somewhere. We did speed it up the last mile running a 6:52 but I think it was a little short. Overall we were happy with the time, but not thrilled that we hurt at the end. We are both running the Charlotte Marathon in December with hopes of qualifying for Boston. We need to run sub 3:30. We have one long run next week and then we take it easy for the last few weeks leading up to that race.

I write today's blog as with only one race to go to complete my goal of 50 races. Race #50 will be on Thanksgiving with my whole family plus a nephew or two. I am looking forward to the Flemington Turkey Trot because everyone will be there. I think there will be 3 more races after that so it will actually be 53@50.

My one regret is that more of my friends couldn't make one of the 50 races. I really appreciate the company of those who have joined me. It has been a blast.

Race #48 - Run with the Vikings 5K - 21:57

This race is my baby. I started it 5 years ago with lots of help from my wife and the Viking Athletic Club. The club needed a fund raiser and I suggested a road race. I always wanted to organize a race, but knew I needed help. I brought my proposal to the VAC and they thought it was a great idea. To date we have raised over $35K and energized the community to get out there and exercise. My goals are to raise at least $10,000 each year and attract over 500 runners and will continue to work towards those goals. I have run over 450 races and I think I know what runners want in a race. I try to give them more than a t-shirt and a bottle of water.

We had 282 finishers in the 5k which was down 20 runners from last year. I attribute that to the Yankee game running late, Halloween the night before and the early rain in the morning. It was a successful day and made better by Phil from IHOP who donated his time and over 1000 pancakes for the runners. I received lots of emails and one call saying it was a great time.

I saw lots of my friends from South Brunswick running today but not many of other friends there. Taugh Lynch who is a regular at the RWTV5K and Chris Kelly showed up which was much appreciated.

I ran a 21:57 running much of it with Taugh. My son Mike ran with my nephew Andrew which was nice to see.

Only two more races plus a few bonus races including the Charlotte Marathon. Holiday season is coming so I think you should get out and exercise a bit. That way you won't have to pass up the egg nog. It's never too late to get back in decent shape, unless of course you like having 3 wardrobes.

Race #47 - Allan D. Morrison 5K - Melrose, MA -21:12

First cool day in a while so Bob's 50@50 long sleeve had to come out of the bag. I ran a 21:12 with a 6:19 first mile, 6:40 second mile and a real slow mile 3 due to a big hill halfway thru the third mile.

I was planning on running a 10K on the Sunday in Dorchester while I was in Boston. Ro and were visiting Bobby for BU parent weekend so I figured I would get a race in. I really enjoy running in different towns whenever I get the chance. It's a good way to see different towns and meet different people. There was lots of bad weather predicted this weekend with Sunday getting the worst of it, plus it made more sense to run the Saturday. I found a 5K that was only about 20 minutes away from where I was staying. I chose the Allan D Morrison 5K in Melrose which was north of Boston although I few other options. My concern was getting back quickly so I would have more time to spend with Ro and Bobby.

It was the 1st annual so I wasn't expecting many runners and since the weather was very cool I thought that might hold off some runners. I got the sense there were going to be a lot of walkers and not many runners. They had 201 finishers and about 120 of them were walkers. This was my first race in a while that I was running alone and didn't have company. I was concerned that I didn't have someone else to hold up my banner.

Since I signed up on race day I didn't get a t-shirt which was fine with me because I just don't have any more space in my drawers. My legs were feeling good despite running the 18 miler the weekend prior so my plan was to run at 80% speed for the first mile and if I felt good, push it the final two.

My first mile was 6:19 which was closer to 90% percent of my top speed. Mile two was a 6:40 which I thought was slow but I never trust these mile markers especially at a new race. In fact I am not even sure the course was certified. We were running through the streets while cars were zipping by us and all runners had to look both ways at the intersections. They could have used a few more volunteers on the course. At mile two I was at 12:50 so I thought if I could just hold the sub 7 pace I would finish close to 20:20. There was a big hill halfway through mile 3 which slowed my pace considerably, but I was very surprised I hit the tape at 21:12. You just never know when you run a race that the course is not accurate.

I got a good workout in and still got back to the hotel and was ready to go before Bobby was up back at his dorm. We met for lunch at his cafeteria, which Bobby said is ranked in the top twenty of all colleges. The food was pretty good and they have a huge selection of goodies. The rest of the day was walking the streets of the University and some shopping.

Not sure what my next races will be but it looks like I am doing the Thunder Road Marathon in December.

Race #46 - LBI 18 Mile Run - 2:20:08

What a wonderful day to run 18 miles. It was sunny and 60 degrees with very little wind. This race and distance could be a real bear if the weather is not favorable. This race is run from one end of the island to the other which is 18 miles long, from Holgate to Barnegat. I ran this race 5 years ago into a 25 mph head wind which was not very pleasant. When I signed up, I was hoping the weather would be in my favor and it did.



There weren't many takers for this race except for Eric Davis who has run a few races with me this year. Eric goes sub 20 for a 5K and 1:30 for a 1/2 marathon. My goal today was to run easy and hope to feel comfortable at the end. It was meant to be more of a training run leading up to a potential marathon in November or December. My plan was to hopefully run 7:45's and feel good at the end. My overall pace was 7:47, but I didn't feel great at the end. It was combo of the feet pounding and just the legs getting fatigued. This was my longest race of the year so I wasn't sure want to expect at the end.

The number pickup and registration was at the St Francis Community Center, from there you get bussed to the start in Holgate. Everything was well organized and we got to the start with 30 minutes to kill. A little stretching and multiple bathrooms stops took care of the excess time.

Eric and I headed out together at the start and ran the first two miles at the 7:45 pace but he by mile 3 he was pushing t a bit. I didn't want any part of a faster pace at mile 3 so I let him go. I was clicking off the 7:45's and to my surprise I saw Eric at mile 6 struggling. He said he just did an 8:30 mile 5 so I knew he was in trouble. Way too may miles to be suffering at mile 6. I hung with him for a bit, but continued to run my race. I passed the house my brother built 10 years ago which was a source of inspiration today. It is a wonderful house on the bay, but he never really got to enjoy it, passing away less than 2 years after it was completed. At the halfway point I felt pretty good and thought maybe I should pick it up a bit. I did run faster but not by much. At this point I knew I wanted to run 2:20 or slightly better.

I hit the 13 mile mark at 1:40:25 and just wanted to stay strong for the final 5 miles. It was getting a bit hot and I kept drinking water at each stop. I didn't pass many folks but you can see some were struggling the final few miles. There was some walking and others were trying to work out cramps. The Barnegat lighthouse was the finish and you really don't see Old Barney until the final turn into the park. It was a nice sight when I did finally see it and I also saw the clock at 2:19:48. I thought it would be great to go sub 2:20 but the clock ticks quickly when the legs are heavy. I guess I had to cover about 75 yards when I noticed the clock, but couldn't get my legs to move quickly.

As soon as I stopped running my legs were cramped and I needed to walk a lot. In 15 minutes I felt much better. A quick massage and I was feeling 100% better. Meanwhile Eric struggled to finish in 2:50 which was nowhere near the time he thought he would run. This was his longest race of his career so I am sure he just misjudged how fast he could go for this distance.

The folks that put this race on do a wonderful job with many volunteers helping out. The bus ride back to the Church was tough as we hand to cram into the small seats. At the Community Center we were fed sandwiches and pasta as well as many sweet desserts.

I think the worst part of the day was the 90 minute ride back home. My lower body was sore and uncomfortable in the car.

Race #45 - Army Ten Miler - 1:11:17

The Army Ten Miler was as advertised in terms of size, organization and inspiration. The weather was perfect, the course historic and the crowds extremely supportive. I ran with Dale, my brother-in-law, who was running his 6th race with me this year. Dale and I have been running races together for over 25 years since we met as future brother in laws back in 1984. Dale has been running a lot this year and I think has turned back the clock with some of his fastest times in years. He just finished the Air Force 1/2 marathon two weeks ago and since he is an Air Force guy, he was in his own element there. I am not sure if he felt comfortable amongst the Army guys today, but I think he enjoyed it. Dale ran a very good 1:19:40.

My wife Ro accompanied me as well as Dale's wife (Ro's sister) Joanne who was celebrating her birthday. We made it a birthday weekend for Jo and weekend away for Ro and I. Leigh was home taking care of my son Michael.

We met up on Friday night at the hotel bar then proceeded to go to dinner. Friday was going to be the later night out since the race was on Sunday. We went for Spanish food and a few beers and met up with one of Joanne's old friends who works in Washington DC.

Saturday was spent picking up the race numbers and t-shirts and some sightseeing. We took in the Smithsonian and did lots of walking. I don't think that was a great idea because by the time we got back to our rooms, we were beat. We had Italian food at Philomena's in the Georgetown section then a drink by the Potomac. Unfortunately while having that drink, my wife and I received a call that our dog of almost 9 years, Blaze, had died suddenly of a heart attack. It was crushing blow and certainly put a damper on the rest of the evening and took all my enthusiasm for race day. Although her death was sudden it wasn't unexpected. She was diagnosed with an enlarged heart about 5 weeks ago and the doc said it could be any day or 6 months. Blaze was my running partner and a wonderful dog and will be missed.

The following morning we got up at 5am, got a cup of coffee, stretched and walked to the start which was near the Pentagon. I was assigned the second wave while Dale was in the third wave. With 30,000 runners those waves were pretty far apart. Paratroopers jumped from lanes and landed perfectly at the start and there was a copter flyover.

I got off to a good start and planned on running 7:15's for all of the race unless I felt good at the end, then I would run 7's. I felt okay early but my legs never got loose which I attribute to too much walking the day before. I hit just about every split between 7:05 and 7:20. Time was good but I wanted to feel a little better running that speed and did not.

This is another race that I would do again. The folks that put on this race did an excellent job from race expo to post race party. There were lots of teams competing from many of the army bases across the country.

Next up for me is the LBI 18 on Sunday. I will take this one at 7:45 pace.

Thanks to all who have donated and please join me at one of the remaining races.