Running
2021 Twin Cities Marathon Recap
Well after all the build up for the past 9 months the race is done and I am happy with my own results. After, what has been a 20 year hiatus (more on that below) I was glad to conquer this one in much more style, less pain, and a time I had not planned for 😁. As I have told most people who ask me, it is amazing what some real training does when preparing for a marathon.
Building up to race day I was asked what time or pace I was shooting for and in reality I didn’t have much thought. Well there was some thoughts but honestly my goal was faster than 20 years ago time but more specifically I was shooting for under 4 hrs since I felt even being 20 years older I could bet that time of 4:12:11 by 12 min (chip time). Not only did I beat that time I crushed it by 34 minutes for a time of 3:39:28.
Also, I can’t thank my family enough for coming out to support me as it was great seeing people I knew from time to time throughout the day.
Not to mention my champion wife who was trucking around the Twin Cities to various points even though she didn’t know the roads very well while with her was 3 kids of which some expired at my 2 hr mark.
She was there for the first one 20 years ago so it was great to have her and the rest of my cheering section. Also, for the last push of 6 miles I saw my uncle on the sidelines saying “looks like you got this one” which was a great confidence booster in the middle of the 3 mile uphill climb.
(This was early on in the race and I seem a little to happy)
(Later on in the race still happy, I think)
(Final push to the finish)
##2001 Race Background##
20 years ago on a whim I signed up for the 2001 Twin Cities Marathon sometime after I had just turned 20. I am not really sure what I was thinking but I believe in a way it was because I had not keep up running much from my High School days and missed it. I also thought I would share in the punishment and poor college student me signed my brother up (who was working at the time) as well since he lived in Minneapolis. I figured what was he going to do if I signed him up for it, not show up?
I jumped right into some training plan I am sure I found on the internet at the time and was following it religiously throughout that summer as I stayed up at school and all my friends went home. However, when the training plan started to tick up miles school was back in session and my training fell off the radar. I don’t even think I ran anything of value or consistency the month before the race. Talk about coming in cold. In fact, the longest I had run before that 2001 Marathon was 13 miles.
Let’s just say the day turned out as you would have expected, the adrenaline and excitement pushed me though probably 17 miles worth. Then I gritted it out for another 3 that I can’t remember. The last 6.2 miles were torchure and I think most of it has escaped me. From what I remember it was a lot of walking for that last 6.2 miles and seems right as up to that point I was tracking time well and then it took me one and fifteen minutes to complete that last 6.2 miles. I remember finally realizing that I as only 1 mile from the finish and I think that is when I started to somewhat run again knowing the end was finally in sight. The best part of that race was that I crossed the finish line with my uncle and to this day we all still joke how I touched the finish line first.
However, in reality when I was dying on those last miles at some point he passed me up and I caught back up to him in the final stretch. Since that time but probably not right after I kept telling myself that if I was ever going to run another one and I did want to I wanted to make sure I trained for it much better than before. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t that the time was overly horrible but I knew I could have done better so it was my goal.
📸 Photoblogging - Day 3: Majority
A majority of people would not say this is a fun way to spend a Sunday morning. However, I had a great cheering crew today that made it even better than I could have hoped… 🏃🏻♂️
📸 Photoblogging - Day 2: Dark
Tomorrow is go time and it will be an early morning in the dark. So gathering up what I need for tonight and explaining to family where they can find me on the course. Hopefully running 😁🏃🏻♂️
(9 hrs to go)
Was a little warmer out today than I was thinking it would be. I sure hope it gets cooler again in the days to come. However, got my last run in until the day… 🏃🏻♂️
(3 days to go)
Not sure why they are doing the hour countdown already. In a way it makes me feel like there is a bunch of time left… 🤔
Just another rainy run today… 🏃🏻♂️
(13 days to go)
Prespective...
Earlier this week where I live a runner, Mike Elhard, who was going out on a 20 mile training run for the Chicago Marathon went missing on Monday morning. He wasn’t running at night or even during really hot weather as it was 10am and the day was actually cooler than normal. Once they realized he was missing the local police and residences searched that late afternoon and into the evening on roads and paths near his house and routes he frequently took. Unfortunately, he was found dead Tuesday just off a sidewalk in some brush. The police said there was no signs of foul play but nothing else has been released.
As I was running yesterday, I couldn’t shake the thought out of my mind as I too am a runner mostly running by myself during the week. I am fortunate enough that my longer runs I have been running with a friend in the area.
Even though I never knew Mike, I want to think we might have crossed paths at some point along the trails and probably gave a nod, or wave or maybe just smiled at each other.
Mike was only 39 and probably in pretty good shape seeing how he was going to run a Marathon in a couple weeks as well and was out on his 20 mile long run. I am only 40 and it really puts things in perspective how short life can be sometimes. Rest In Peace fellow runner.
Luckily I didn’t get rained on this morning but it was nice out…. Until I got a text from my son that he missed the bus 🤦♂️. Let’s just say I ran the last half faster than I had planned and wasn’t happy about it 😒 🏃🏻♂️
Let the taper begin… Overcast morning run today with views of the Twin Cities while we circled the chain of lakes (21 days to go)
Getting spoiled now with this nicer weather for running. For picture purposes I sometimes like clouds in the sky but I will take the clear blue skies today 🏃🏻♂️
Another beautiful day for a run today but headed another direction from the old rail trail of the Minnesota River Bluffs Regional LRT Trail (that’s a mouthful) 🏃🏻♂️
Nice thing about everyone gone durning the day to school is now I have more flexibility during my days as work is the only focus. That also lets me run mid day when it is light out and what a beautiful day it was! 🏃🏻♂️
Spent a short amount of time today exploring some new trails in town. Pretty sure we ran across 7 of these bridges in a 1 mile stretch…🏃🏻♂️
Beautiful day for a long run this morning as it finally wasn’t too hot (57°F) and we had some cloud cover along the way. 🏃🏻♂️
Not a bad way to get over 30k steps before noon 🤣
Nice slow run this morning watching the sun rise. Earlier than planned however as the dog got me up at 5am 🤦♂️🌅🏃🏻♂️
(32 days to go)
Early morning long run after my soak run on Saturday 😁
Advantages of me running a long run on a Sunday morning… I bring back drinks for the family (pup cup in the center included 🐶) 😁…
