Waco Five-0

I finished the hardest race I have done all year. The Waco Five-0. A 50k (31 mile) race through the hills of Cameron Park in Waco.

There were 36 people that started the 50k, I was the 12th one to cross the finish line. It took me 7 hours and 9 minutes to get through the race.

The course was mapped out in 10.5 mile loops - we completed three of them. I ran the first loop in 1:56 - just about a 11 minute mile pace. I walked the steep hills and ran the flats and downhills - after the first loop I was probably in about 5th or 6th place.

About a mile into loop 2, just 11 miles passed and 20 to go, I felt a cramp in my left calf. The temporature was kind of high for March. It was already close to 80 degrees by 10am. I managed the cramps pretty good through the 2nd loop running most of the course, but still walking the hills. At this point I was getting more liberal as to what I was calling a hill. :)

Loop 3 was all about completing the race. I walked the majority of the last 10 miles while still managing the cramps by continuing to consume lots of Gatorade, a salt tablet every 30 minutes and a PowerGel every 45 minutes. I jogged lightly on the flats - the last loop I averaged a 16 minute mile, which is a little faster than I normally walk, so I guess I was still moving OK.

The official results are not out yet, but I expect about 10 of the 36 not to have completed the course. This was a very tough race and one that I'll train for better next year.

I would like to run one more 50k before it gets too hot. There is one in Huntsville on April 1st and one in San Antonio on May 6th. I'll lean toard the one in Huntsville if I think I can be ready in 3 weeks, it is closer and I can drive down the morning of.

I really like to run the trail runs - it is just a great group of people that do ultra-marathons, not a lot of compitition we are all out there to finish and just enjoy beating ourselves up. I'm still very sore two days after this and have now begun to regain the 7 pounds that I lost on Saturday.

Bearathon - 1/2 Marathon

Last Saturday Baylor University held their annual 1/2 marathon. This race starts at Baylor then heads through downtown Waco through Cameron Park and back to Baylor.

The first 4 miles are flat until you get to the park, the park is about 2.5 miles deep, so the next 5 miles are very hilly, then you get 4 miles of flat running back to Baylor.

I went out a little fast trying to hang with Stewart so I covered the first mile in about 7:30, then finally settled down and got in a good 7:45 pace till I got to the hills. The hills are always tough, slow going up and knee killing down.

Final time: 1:44:41 - 7:59 mile pace for 13.1 miles. My best 1/2 marathon yet. Well only my second 1/2 marathon - the first was a year and half ago in Dallas. Anyhow I improved by 5 minutes.

This week I have really taken it easy on working out. I'm resting up for this Saturday's 50k (31 miles) of hilly, rocky, rooty and now muddy trails in Cameron Park. I have only run once this week - 3 miles on Tuesday morning. I took the bike class yesterday at lunch and swam about 500 yards today.


Here is a picture of the kids waiting around at Baylor for me to finish.

1st Place!

1st Place

I got 1st place in my age division in a race this past weekend. I guess I shouldn't mention that there were only 7 guys in my age group, but still I was the fastest!

This was a 5 mile trail run through Cameron Park so the times aren't that good, but there are times that you are literally swinging around the trees, dodging limbs and jumping over stumbs and large rocks. Not to mention the up and downs on the hills.

My average heart rate for the 43 minutes was 169. Running up one hill I saw 184 which was the highest I think I have ever got it up to.

There was one guy running, he looked like a marathoner - sleek body, no shirt, wind shorts and racer shoes. When I saw him, I thought for sure this guy would win, but as we approached our first down hill with loose rocks he pulled to the side and let us all fly down it. However it did seem that "Cross-Country" was a little miss-leading for this race. In Cameron Park Cross-County<>Trail Run. And this guy appeared to be taken by surprise.

Things are looking good for my next two races. The knees are feeling pretty good, I completed a 17 mile run on Sunday and have taken it easy this week. A couple of treadmill hour runs on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

1. March 4th. Bearathon. It is 1/2 marathon here and Waco.

2. March 11th. Waco Five-0. A 50k (31 miles) race on the trails of Cameron Park. This is going to be tough. Much, much tougher than the 50k in Huntville. I did the 31 miles in Huntsville in 5 hours 18 minutes. But in Cameron Park, I expect a time closer to 6 1/2 hours.

Bowl for Kid's Sake - Results

Team "Texas Farm Bureau" had a great time at the bowling alley on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Our team raised a total of $1,054 for the kids in Central Texas.

Pictured left to right: Sarah Andrews, Linda Andrews, Slade Hornick and Kim Lucas.

I went to the bowling alley on Monday night to practice. After bowling 7 games my scores ranged from 150 - 231 with an average of 192, so I was feeling real good going into today hoping to raise quite a bit more money with all the pledges I had received totaling $1.65 per pin for my highest game.

Today was not my day, and this is a reminder for me from all of those bowling tournaments of days gone by. I CHOKE!!! As you can see from my scores, I didn't have a good day.






I want to give special thanks to the following people that donated or pledged to support such a good cause.

Bill O'Rourke
Barbara Austin
Rebecca Mergner
Linda Vineyard
Pam Swanstrom
Dan Burleson
Allison Stoffer
Betty Crigler
Gene Hall
Paul Marable
Curtis Childers
Johnny Pabian
Sue Sparks
Kathy Marlett
Marcia Bales
Renee Monahan
Darren Callaway
Cyndi Gerik
Maggie Krueger
Tracie Perkins

Wind, Wind, Wind

Wind, Wind, Wind
I didn't know that Waco was the windy city. Boy has it been bad. Today the wind was going 28 mph gusting up to 35.

Tammy and Karen went for a bike ride a couple of days ago and as they were leaving the house going south they were getting over 25 mph on their bikes. That was the really fun part for them. But just as anything goes up it must come down.... I guess you know where I'm going. They had to come back north. 6-8 mph and struggling to keep their balance. Karen even told me that she at one point was going to slow to clip out of her bike, she was afraid she was going to fall over.

They got back to the house and looked on-line for the weather and the wind was blowing 39 mph.

Redman Triathlon - September 23, 2006

It is a long way off - but I already have my training plan input into my logs. The training officially starts on May 7th. I think it is a 24 week plan.

Now I'm just trying to hold a good base and drop a few more pounds from all the candy, cookies and pie that I ate over the holidays. I'd like to get back down to 180 - this is what I feel is my optimal weight. I'm at 185 now, down from 190 about 2 weeks ago.

My knee is still an issue and the 50 mile run is now off the schedule for February. I'm hoping to still run the 50k on March 11th here in Waco. Also the bearathon is on March 4th - I plan on for sure doing that. It is just a 1/2 marathon and it being in Waco, I can hobble that far.

I guess I'll have to wait till Sunmart in December to run a 50 miler, the one in February is the last one within driving distance this spring.

Knee Update and other stuff.

Things are progressing real good with the "runner's knee". I was able to run 17 miles yesterday for my long run. The first 12-13 miles went without any pain in that knee, but I began to feel it around mile 14. I was practicing a run/walk of run 5 minutes/walk 1 minute. This seemed to help it by taking these little breaks.

Oddly enough, my right knee is totally fine today (one day after long run) - my left one is the one that is sore. But it feels like a normal soreness the day after.

Other Stuff:

I went into Robinson today to donate my $124 to the cause. Yes, I got a speeding ticket in November. I was ACCUSED of doing 49 in a 30. Yet the 30 was not posted anywhere on Stegal. That was my reason in pleading innocent - my citation said, "Posted: 30mph", yet it wasn't posted.

The prosecuting attorney quickly advised me that posted or not posted, inside the city limits it is 30 mpg unless otherwise posted. OK, OK - I guess you have me. What are my options? Defensive driving? - Actually because I hold a commercial drivers license, that is not an option for me anymore. Bummer, now I was down to A) Pay the fine, B) Take it to court. I didn't stand a chance in court by myself and don't have the money to hire Allen Shore (Attorney on Boston Legal). So, I opted for A. She was nice enough to knock off $35 for my trouble.

Have I learned a lesson? Time will tell, this is my 2nd speeding ticket in Robinson in the last 5 years. Both doing 49 in a 30. So, maybe it is not me - it could be their radar guns. So, when coming to Robinson, WATCH YOUR SPEED - we apparently need the money to FIX the ROADS!!!