2009 LIFER's Team!

2009 Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's) Team
* Pam, Aaron, Dale, Jason, Shane, John, Chad, Bill, Tracy, Doug, Rich, Tina/Steve, Angi/Pat
* Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.
* Team mission: God first, Defend the unborn (ProLife), Encouragement, Health
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Hi, 2009 LIFER's Team!

Note our current 2009 team members listed above, including the following new members: Pam McGushin, Tina Castle, Aaron Ferrie, Dale Sundermann, Jason Peters, and Shane Hall. Welcome! Let me know if anyone else wants to join us. Team membership simply entails being part of the LIFE Devotions Group and racing the marathon for ProLife. Like 2008, let's expect big things as we grow closer together (Body of Christ) and closer to God! Completing a marathon is a huge accomplishment (all glory to God!), but this is merely our vehicle (fueled by faith) to save physical and spiritual lives by defending the unborn. The marathon training will provide many opportunities for us to live out our faith (prayer, sacrifice, action) as we become part of the solution to end abortion in America.

The votes are in...we will be racing the Twin Cities Marathon next year (Sun, 4 Oct)! Here are the top three.
* Twin Cities (9 votes): #1 (6), #2 (2), #3 (1)
* Omaha (5 votes): #1 (1), #2 (3), #3 (1)
* Marine Corps (4 votes): #1 (2), #3 (2)

Here are some of the reasons for the Twin Cities Marathon, http://www.mtcmarathon.org/index.cfm.
* Voted most beautiful urban marathon in America.
* Cool weather.
* Teammates with connections there: Aaron, Steve, Doug, others?
* 10 mile run in conjunction with the marathon. This is a nice option for injury set backs and training time limitations.
* "The runners are treated great, the crowds are energetic."
* Just under 8,000 runners (really nice size).

I am truly proud to be part of our team of Christ disciples who defend the defenseless unborn and celebrate God's gift of life through marathon running!

Run for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13
life-devotions.blogspot.com

2008 Post-Race...2009 Prep (by Fri, 24 Oct)

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's)

* 2008 Team: John, Steve, Chad, Tracy, Bill, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug, Shane (deployed)

* 2009 Team (committed): John, Steve, Chad, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Doug, Others?

* Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.

* Team mission: God first, Defend the unborn (ProLife), Encouragement, Health!

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Hi, LIFER's Team -

With the help of our team (Body of Christ)...all but one found the starting line and all but two found the finish line of the 2008 Chicago Marathon (in top 5 marathons in the world)...but we all grew closer to Christ! This was a huge life accomplishment...all glory to God!

Most importantly, we lived our faith by being part of the solution to end abortion in America (prayer, sacrifice, action). Training for and running a marathon provides a whole year of reflection and stories to tell, especially when you run for a cause like abortion which begs for discussion in our country. Please continue to make significant sacrifices leading up to this election (prayer in front of abortion mill, bumper sticker on car, etc).

Thanks to Tracy's Mom for giving me the LIFER's banner for our 2009 marathon. What marathon are we going to run in 2009? The New York City marathon (1 Nov 2009) would be really cool, as it is the largest in the world (38,000 finishers compared to 31,000 finishers for Chicago). There is one major hitch for our team...registration is done by lottery, so we would not all make it. Granted, the training fellowship, faith journey, and cause are the main entrees and crossing the finishing line is only the dessert...but we need to eat the dessert together as a team (same marathon)!

Therefore, we need to find a different marathon, and I am open to everyone's suggestions. I have heard great things about Grandma's in Duluth, but it is in June. A Fall marathon makes more sense because training in the summer allows for longer days (early morning runs don't interfere as much with family time) and warmer weather. This why I have never trained for a Spring marathon. This may change for me in 2009 if the funding package gets approved to escort 4 cadet marathon club members to the Great Wall of China marathon (16 May). Here are some Fall marathon options (please present more):

* Black Hills (Sat, 3 Oct 09): mostly flat/downhill but at about 5000 ft, half marathon option, only about 500 runners, lower registration cost ($60), lower hotel/food costs, stay close to the race start, Sante Fe trail like surface but better, amazing scenery, 7.5 hr drive from C. Springs which allows less expensive travel (drive instead of fly) and more family support. Angi, Steve and I ran this last year. http://monumentalchallenge.com/new/

* Marine Corps Marathon (end of Oct, Washington DC): flat course, 22000 finishers last year when John and I ran it, good crowd support, interesting sites (DC monuments), well organized.

* Omaha, NE (end of Sep): 8 hr drive from C. Springs...allowing less expensive travel and more family support. Aaron Ferrie said it is a really nice marathon.

* Other options: Portland OR (early Oct), Lake Tahoe CA (late Sept), Air Force (late Sept, Dayton, OH), San Antonio TX (16 Nov).

* Please send me your top 3 preferences by Fri, 24 Oct. Do you plan on being part of the 2009 LIFER's Team?

I changed the title of our blog from Chicago Marathon for Life to just Marathon for Life until we decide on our next marathon. Let's continue to use this blog for fellowship. Please encourage others to join our team. The requirements for being a LIFER team member are: email on LIFE devotions and Marathon blogs, ProLife, and want to compete in a marathon. For the local LIFER's, how about we plan on getting together at Old Chicago's Pizza (I-25 and Woodmen Rd) at 6 PM, Sat, 22 Nov? I bet you can't guess how I came up with the meeting place!

I am truly proud to lead our team of Christ disciples who defend the defenseless unborn and celebrate God's gift of life through marathon running!

Run for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

Motivational Chicago Information

Today, at my daughter's soccer practice, the coach told me to check out a Runner's World article on pace groups. I thought the article was great. I think I'll join one.

The article is here:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--12854-1-1X2X3X4-5,00.html

Then, I stumbled upon the Chicago Marathon section of the website. It has all kinds of videos on the course, race tips, etc. I found it to be highly motivational and informative. I may not sleep tonight.

http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/0,8032,s6-239-487-0-0,00.html

October Roll Call - Scott

T-5 days!!! Holy cow! I think I'm ready in more ways than one. I'd go do it today if I could. I'm studied up and ready to take the test. I'm also ready to be done. Training fatigue has bothered my left knee a bit this past month. Luckily, a low dose of Advil is handling it on the worst days, so it's obviously not too bad.

It looks like the group logistics are on track. I've got my personal packing and travel plan laid out. It sounds like others have arranged meals, etc. Thank you!!!

Finally, my fundraiser is on track. I believe I'll have about $2000 by race day. I can't say enough about the generosity of my friends and family. On a side note, my car broke down on the way to work today and four people stopped in rush hour traffic in the first five minutes to help me. My faith in others is very high right now. I'll need that Sunday.

My charity has made me famous (ha, ha). Check this out:
http://www.alphaone.org/news/not-a-serious-runner-but-a-dad-with-a-cause

Since I'm on the fly-in, run, fly-out itinerary, I won't see you guys until about 2:00 Saturday at the Expo.

Pray for continued health through the weekend.

October Roll Call - Chad Livingston

After much massaging and much ice, I am ready to run like the wind is in front of me. =) I have had so much encouragement from people who know I am running this. It is wonderful to see that God is using us as something much greater than running.

I am looking forward to one of the best weekend ever.

I am Christ's most Truly,
Chad-The Big Hopper-Livingston

Post Race Celebration / meal

Good Day Life Runners. The following is all the information regarding our post race meeting spot for a celebratory meal. Thank you Tracy for helping put this all together for a seamless execution.

We will be meeting at the 'Walking Legs' statues located just west and south of the finish line. I have attached a map which includes the race route and meeting spot. Tracy's parents are putting together a tent and banner that will be easily spotted. One of the statues is set off by itself. We will be just north of this statue. Due to race day logistics, this is the 'general' location of our meeting. So get to this area and look for the tent with our banner on it. (There is a med tent set up next to this walking leg, so we are waiting until Saturday to know the exact spot of our tent.) We will try to let the team know of the specific spot but the statues will get
you close.

Food is being delivered via my in-laws, parents and Tracy's family. The meal is catered from a local well known restaurant and should be quite delicious. It will consist of sandwiches, fruit Ka-bobs, Rice-krispie treats, H2O, Lemonade, and various what-not. We are asking that each person, runners and family/friends, contribute $12 each to the meal. This should just cover the costs with no left overs. Please write me a check or hand me cash on Friday night or Saturday.

To re-cap, when you are finished, walk across the street to the West (away from Lake Michigan) on E. 11th Street. Go one block to Michigan Avenue and walk half a block south. The meeting spot will be on your left. (Look for the walking leg statues)This is going to be so much fun!

Pacetat

I found this online as I was looking for the article I share earlier in Runners World. Evidently they have a tattoo for your racing splits called Pacetat. It looks very cool. Check it out - it might be worth while for the race. It's cheep too - only $2.99 for the tattoo that goes on the inside of your forearm (big numbers too so easy to read). You can order them online, but I think there is a store in Chicago as well that carries them.

Here is the link...

www.pacetat.com

Facing Discouragement

Greetings Runners,
I work with a crafty, veteran runner named Jim. He's in his late 40's and still runs with a passion. Jim qualified for the Olympic trials for the 10,000 meter steeple chase in 1980 (we did not participate in those Olympics though). He has run 32 marathons and countless road races over the years. He looks nothing like a runner by his build (looks like an average middle age man), but can step on a track and poop out a 5 minute mile without much efforts (goes to show the power of V02 Max and genetics). Jim was made to run. Conversely I was not, but we both share a passion for running. I have been pouting of sorts since deciding to hang up the shoes for Chicago. Jim took a moment today to encourage me and share a story to this "young grasshopper."

Jim had recently read a story (in the most recent Runner's World) about a man who was a fabulous cross country runner and an Olympic hopeful for the marathon in 1980. Soon before he was in a horrific motorcycle accident which nearly severed one of his feet (hanging by his Achilles). He begged the Dr. to reconnect it, but in the process severely maimed his entire lower leg. He suffered for years with terrible pain in the leg and a deeper pain in his heart to return to the running he loved (when its in your blood its in your blood). He became a doctor and married a runner as well (imagine that). After many, many years of enduring this pain he decided to start running again. He was able to somehow find a gate where he could plod along at 12 minute miles though the bone had degenerated in his foot to nearly nothing. This caused intense chronic pain. He started to read about the successes of amputees and their subsequent successes running. He made a decision. He decided to do what he probably should have done initially - he had his leg amputated. After several years of rehab and training he was able to run a marathon in the 3:20 range! Amazing story. Jim literally was tearing up as he shared this story with me, and subsequently touched me as well. I tried to find the story online at their web page, but it wasn't online. I would encourage all of you to pick up a Runner's World and read this article.

The impact for me was perspective. Honestly, I have been sulking and pouting about not being healthy enough to run. I will live to run another day, and my body will heal. It goes to show that we often can become discouraged when we turn the focus inward - it is when we put that focus outward that we come to see the reality of our position in Christ and in relation to our fellow man. This is not a setback, it is an opportunity to watch all of you do something amazing! I hope all of you realize what a gift it is to do what you are about to do as you put your foot on the starting line with thousands of runners. You will accomplish something truly amazing and significant and keep in mind that the journey that got you there is just as significant as the race itself...

I guess my moniker was a bit prophetic...Wounded Soldier. The significance of this is completely different (initially), but God has a sense of humor.

Post Race meal - Oct 12th

I need a headcount for the post race meal. Please reply to me with the number of people you expect at lunch following the race. This number includes yourself and any family/friends you expect to eat with us. Right now, I need the approximate number. So, if you think someone might be coming, please include them. We will get the specific number when we are one week out.

The food will be brought to our meeting place (TBD) close to the finish line. (Picnic style) I expect the meal to cost around $10 per person (lunch downtown Chicago)

Please respond to this by Tuesday night. (Sept 23rd)

Oh my it's early

This is what a 05:30A Wednesday start time for a 10 miler looks like:

Don't Ben and Scott look so anxious to run?






Here's one of Pat and Tracy on an early Saturday: Only Pat could be this 'on' so early in the AM

Final Logistics! (reply requested)

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's)
* John, Tracy, Steve, Chad, Bill, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug, Shane
* Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.
* Team mission: God first, ProLife, encouragement, fitness!
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Hi, LIFER's Team!

We are down to just a couple weeks of training before the two week taper leading up to race day! Let's stay focused on our training plan, take care of our injuries, and encourage each other to the starting line. Our preparation, smart race plan and the excitement of the event will get us to the finish line! Now for the final logistics...

Meals:
* Friday night: We will do a search and destroy for food on Friday night...preferably walking distance from the hotel (1000 Drury Ln, Oakbrook Terrace, IL).

* Saturday morning: Free hotel breakfast begins at 7 AM. We will depart for the Expo at 9 AM, allowing people to sleep in.

* Saturday night: Angi's college roommate (Pam) volunteered to host us for the Prerace Meal (the price is right, not greasy restaurant food, served at the right time). The plan is to arrive to Pam's home between 4 to 5 PM, eat at 5:30 PM, and depart by 7:30 PM. She lives at 13538 Capista Dr, Plainfield, IL 60544 (about 30 min from our hotel). Here is the Prerace Meal guest list (please let me know of changes): Shannon family (4), Pat/Angi, Bill/Pam, Steve/Tina, Scott, Kevin, Rich, Courtney, Chad, Ben, Doug/Kerry.

* Sunday lunch: Chad Livingston is organizing a delivered meal to our designated meeting spot after the race. The meeting spot is still to be determined. Suggestions?

Lodging: booked rooms at Hilton Garden Inn Oakbrook
* Shannon family: booked (under John)
* Pat, Angi, Courtney: booked (under Pat)
* Chad, Ben: booked (under Chad)
* Steve, Tina: booked (under Pat)
* Bill, Pam: booked (under Bill)
* Scott, Kevin: booked (under Scott)

ProLife Charity: Please send me your ProLife charity today or tomorrow, as I will send these out soon to the LIFE Devotions Group for sponsorship consideration ($/mile). Thanks!
* Scott: Alpha-1 Foundation (http://www.alphaone.org/)
* Rich: Arbor House (http://www.arborhouse.org/)
* Angi & Pat: new C. Springs Pregnancy Center (across from abortion mill)

Run for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13

Sept Roll Call- Big Ben

After some painful runs over the past couple of weeks I'm starting to feel better. I've been battling some intense IT band soreness, which is the muscle between your quad and hamstring. As I'm beginning to learn runners often deal IT band issues. I just got a new pair of shoes this week and they have made a world of difference. Additionally my chiropractor has stretched it out a couple of times which really makes my entire leg feel better.

After this evening's 6-miler, my right knee is the only thing that is sore. Praise the Lord! Hopefully, I'll get totally back on track this week and be able to run all the miles on my training schedule.

Less than 5 weeks till Chicago!

"Run for fun, Run for life, Run for Him"

Ben Fisk aka Big Ben

Achilles Strain and Weigh-in

Greetings Runners,
I went into the doctor late last week and he confirmed that I have a strain of my right Achilles tendon or acute Achilles tendinitis. His recommendation was to take 1 - 2 weeks completely off (or risk further injury i.e. partial tear or rupture). I told him that was an option, and so we moved on to the next option which is physical therapy. I start that today.

I have been only running every other day the past week and I cut my long run in half this weekend from 12 to 6 miles. I am planning on starting a biking routine on my off days this week(probably an hour of biking at my target heart rate to stay conditioned). I have been icing it about three times a day (ice rub) and taking copious amounts of Ibuprofen, which seems to help. I have also continued my stretching regimen.

Needless to say I think it's going to take a miracle to get me to the starting line. I had a difficult time even walking after my 6 mile run on Sunday, so I don't know how I'm going to get my mileage where it needs to be. I have run a 20 and a 19 miler thus far in my training, but I'm very concerned this could get worse if I push it. I have already made the decision to pull out of the Sioux Falls 1/2 marathon this weekend which was very painful for me to make, but I know is the right decision considering the marathon is my ultimate goal.

I think my mental state is worse than anything. I'm just really bummed about the whole deal. I need to persevere and see where I'm at in the next two weeks. If it's not improving I'll make a decision then as to whether I'll be running again or not.

Oh, and to make matters worse my weight is up for the first time in my training. I weighed in this morning at....

209lb's

Need some inspiration? Read about this guy.

I know I'm having some significant motivation issues right now. This helped:

http://www.coloradorunnermag.com/read_feature/paul-driskill-keeps-going-and-going-and-going

August Roll Call (Rich)

August training has been a month for perspective. Eight mile runs that were long & painful at the beginning of the program have now become short mid-week runs that I now call "easy days." It was inspiring watching the long distance events during the 2008 Olympics. I was able to synchronize the start of one of my long runs with the start of the men's marathon. It was good perspective for me to find myself at mile 5 when the lead pack had just completed mile 8. It is amazing how the olympic runners can maintain a 5-min mile pace for 26 miles when I struggle with low 7's.

Somehow I have found myself 1 week ahead on my Intermediate I marathon training and am going to have to repeat a week to fall in line with the start of the Chicago marathon; 18-week Hal Higdon program has now become a Rich/Higdon 19-week program. This weekend I thought I had the first of my 20-mile runs scheduled and I decided to run a full marathon and simulate race day conditions as much as possible. I wanted to use this as a psychological boost to my training. I started the run at 8 a.m. having had a goo-pack 15 minutes prior. I ran at a consistent 3:10 marathon race pace (7:13 min miles; 8.3 mph). I had printed out the Chicago marathon course map complete with drink stations marked. I only hydrated at the marked drink stations alternating water and gatorade. There are drink stations at mile markers 1.5, 3.5, 5, 6, 8, 9.5, 10.5, 12, 12.5, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19.5, 20.5, 21, 22.5, 23.5, 24.5, and 25. I forced myself to use every single one of these rest stops to hydrate and view the course map to visualize my progress. The two most difficult sections of the course I found for hydration was between mile markers 6 and 8, and between markers 15 and 17. I absorbed my second goo-pack at mile 9.5 and my third coincided with the PowerBar/power gel station marked on the course for mile marker 18. At mile marker 20 I hit the usual psychological wall that I have experienced with past marathons, because my mind knows that I haven't trained for anything over 20 miles (the main purpose for completing a full marathon during this year's training). Hal Higdon might argue with what I was trying to do, but I believe that the mind is stronger than the body, and it can make or break your race, so you need to include it in your training. Starting with mile marker 20.5 I rewarded myself with pieces of fruit at each remaining fuel stations to coincide with the race day offerings. I felt really energized at mile 23.5 as I turned the hairpin corner up towards the finish line. Erica was really supportive during this experiment of mine; making sure that my fuel bottles were replenished. At mile marker 25.2 she surpised me by ringing a cow bell and cheering me on. Knowing that I only had 1 mile left I started my kick. I ramped up from my 7:13 pace to a 6 min pace. I sustained this through the final turn and sprinted to the finish line with a time of 3:08:20. This training day I killed my past best by 15 minutes. I felt pretty good afterwards. Erica said that it was the best I had ever looked, and I attribute it to how well I stayed hydrated. I felt that this little experiment was well worth the effort and has boosted my confidence considerably.

August Roll Call (Tracy)

August has been an intense month for me. My mileage has ramped up quickly and I will be tackling my second 20 miler this weekend. I feel great, other than an annoying hip pain (I think it's my hip flexor). It usually just bothers me at the beginning of a run, but loosens up once I get started. I ran a half-marathon today to get a better idea of my target pace and I felt great and ran much faster than I had hoped. I'm so thankful for the weekend group runs now that the Peakers have conquered the "mountain"!. My husband is even more appreciative that he can now sleep instead of waking up before sunrise each Saturday to accompany me on his bike for my long run. I'm looking forward to Chicago. I can't believe it's just over a month away! Happy training!

August Roll Call (Scott)

August was all about one thing for me... the Ascent. Since Pat covered it quite a bit already, I won't bore people with too much gory detail. The one thing I will say is that it's a miracle nobody died. If they had not shut down the race, somebody would have.

Now to look forward. Getting ready for a marathon is completely uncharted territory for me. I know how important the long runs are. I'll just have to see how my body adapts to the mileage. I've run very little the past two weeks due to travel, so it's time to get rolling. I'm at that point where I'm nervous, but excited. It's all good.

Aug Roll Call - GPS

Greetings Life Runners!

August has been a good month for my training. I'm finally staring to feel like a runner again. My weight is dropping nicely, and my pace is picking up as well.

I experienced my first Pikes Peak Ascent a couple weeks ago with much drama and fan fair. I reached the halfway point at 2hrs 10min's which was quite a bit ahead of where I thought I would be (remember Clydesdale + flat lander climbing a mountain). I made it about 4 miles from the summit when runners started coming back down with news they were closing the summit. Admittedly I was slowing in my pace and starting to feel the effects of the altitude (little cobwebs here and there).

My half marathon adventure quickly turned into a 18ish mile ASCENTATHON! Needless to say, my ankles and quads were completely thrashed the next day (could hardly get out of bed, swollen ankles). I am still feeling the effects of the mountain with a mild right Achilles strain. I have trained through this type of injury before, so it should be fun.

Next weekend I will be running the "Run for HIS Glory" 5k as part of the largest outdoor free Christian music festival in the country right here in Sioux Falls, SD - Life Light Festival. Check it out at http://www.lifelight.org/festival.

I will then being doing a bit of a warm up for the Marathon the first weekend of September when I'm scheduled to run the Sioux Falls Half Marathon. It is a beautiful, flat, fast course on our bike trails that hug the Sioux River that runs around Sioux Falls. I always look forward to this race. We'll see how I'm feeling, but I'd love to get close to 1hr 45 min.'s.

I put in my first 20 mile run yesterday. The first 16 were slow and easy, but the last 4 were grueling. I didn't feel very good the rest of Sunday either. I hydrated well, used goo packs (normal regimen), and the weather was beautiful (cool, with slight breeze), so I really can't put my finger on it. My Achilles bothered me the first 20ish minutes or so, but eventually loosened up. However, it is soar today. I'll have to see how it recovers this week.

I hope all is well with everyone's training - happy and safe training for all!

Romans 12:12

Monday Clydesdale Weigh-in (GPS)

Greetings!

It has been a few weeks since I have reported in mostly due to life (death of my grandmother and vacation to Colorado). I will detail more on this in my August roll call. As of this morning I weighed in at...


204lb's!

I continue to steadily drop the weight. I'm so close to 200lb's I can almost taste it! The past few weeks have been difficult maintaining my diet, but I think the ramp in miles has helped what I lacked in discipline. I should see some major weight loss with the serious of 20 milers in my training.

Happy and safe training - let's all make it to the staring line!

Aug Roll Call (Pat)

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's)
* Shane, John, Tracy, Steve, Chad, Bill, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug
* Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.
* Team mission: God first, ProLife, encouragement, fitness!
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Hi, LIFER's Team!

For several of the C. Springs LIFER's, the highlight of this past month was the Pikes Peak Ascent (Scott), Ascentathon (Steve, Angi, read below), and the Marathon (Doug, Pat). For the marathon, Doug and I dealt with snow/ice packed trails for the top 2 to 3 miles of the mountain (picture from Sun morning attached). This was nothing compared to what Scott, Steve and Angi encountered...as well as Steve's wife (Tina) who was waiting for them at the top (see comments below)!

* Steve Simon said: "I was about ¼ mile from A-Frame when runners started coming back saying it was closed. I pressed on until the aid station. I was cold and tired, but still disappointed. I think they made the right decision, though, because I would have continued if they’d not closed the course. I ran part way down with a guy who made it about a mile past the treeline and turned around on his own because it was so nasty. I talked to a guy who finished and he said letting them go was a mistake. Said it was way worse than 2005. The run down wasn’t as bad as I always thought it would be. Maybe I’ll do the marathon someday. I went back Sunday to get my drop bag, and they gave me the finisher shirt and medal. Said we finished the new event, the “Ascentathon.”

* Tom Lear said: "I was at the top from about 0630 organizing the finish line, and I can vouch for the miserable conditions. Just over 750 folks finished out of the ~1960 folks registered for the Ascent, and about 80 of them were treated for hypothermia, including the #2 male finisher. The biggest problem was people were soaked before they got to altitude. It just got worse as the day went on and conditions became very unsafe. Although it would have been quicker for runners to get to the top in most cases, the issue was the exposure to lightning, hail, freezing temps, etc. I know I couldn’t feel my fingers and toes after being up there for awhile, and I went through every piece of dry clothing I had. Under normal conditions, most well-trained runners take an hour and a half to get to the top from A-Frame. As an FYI, it took me almost 2 hours with the ice and snow-pack on Sunday, plus the fact that runners (sliders) were coming down the mt at that point (16 golden stairs were almost hand over hand)."

* Faith note: Last week, my Grandma Mary passed into the Kingdom, and I spent three days in Sioux Falls. On Sunday morning just before departing for the Marathon, a fox calmly came up on the porch of our house and sat down for at least 10 seconds while Doug, Steve, Courtney, Angi and I watched it through the glass screen door (5 or 10 ft in front of us). Steve and I took this as a God Sighting from my Grandma Mary. Thank you Lord for helping us see You amongst the distractions of the world. Amen.

Training: Looking forward to the group long runs on the weekends now that the Peak training is over.

Runner Updates: Hope to get a Roll Call from everyone...

ProLife Ministry Fundraising: Let's reach out to our friends and family to support our cause ($/mile). Angi and I are running to support the new local Pregnancy Center in Old Colorado City.

Run for ProLife,
Pat (aka M.A.)
Phil 4:13

July Roll Call - Rich

In July, the runs started getting long enough that I couldn't stand to run on the treadmill anymore. The challenge has been to try to find a way to stay hydrated during the long runs. A few times, Erica has gone along with me on her bicycle that is fitted with a basket and speedometer/odometer. Her basket is big enough to carry a small cooler chest with four icey water bottles. She can also keep me on pace and tell me how far I have gone. It is like having your own spider monkey on your back. Pat should know what I mean.

My cross training has broadened to include the Wii fit board. According to the Wii, I am as balanced as a yoga master. Other than that I have been trying to beat the heat and avoid the rain showers.

GPS Clydesdale Monday Weigh-in

Greetings All!
I know this isn't Monday, but it will do. We had some wicked heat this past weekend and I postponed my long run scheduled for Sunday to yesterday. I had a decent run through the first 15.5 miles, but bonked the last 1.5 miles of my run. I basically walk/ran the last bit of my long run. I still got the 17 miles in, but it's just not as gratifying if you have to walk some of it.

I'm sure being 11pm at night and pitch black along our bike trails had nothing to do with it. I'm going to be buying some sort of light for my early morning/late evening runs. It gets down right creepy with raccoons growling and hissing at you and things jumping around in the brush as you run by.

I think I got a bit dehydrated too; I started really cramping up in my lower legs and had some stomach cramps going on. Drinking seemed to make it worse. I did feel very good this morning upon waking - much better than I have felt on my previous long runs.

I weighed in this morning at...

208lb's!

I continue to "lean up" so I'm just keepin' on keepin' on.

Safe and healthy training for all - Take care!

July Roll Call - Tracy

My training has been going pretty well. Although, it's fair to say that it's kickin my butt. I can't seem to get enough sleep no matter what I do. It should be interesting once the school year starts NEXT week. Yikes!

I experienced my first long run bonking. Let's see, I attempted my first 12-miler on HOT Saturday at 9 am (again, that whole sleep thing), after not eating breakfast, and with no sustenance during the run other than water. To say the least, I didn't quite finish all 12 miles. It was a painful lesson. I have since tried to avoid heat (mainly by starting earlier), make sure I eat something before my long runs, and have discovered the miracle of gels! It's crazy how much I feel the boost! I love it...wish I had discovered these while I was competing in college. Since that one traumatic run, my long runs have been going great. I've got a 17-miler scheduled for this Saturday, so that should be interesting. As my dad calls it, I'm getting into serious mileage now.

All that said, I'm having a great time and losing weight even though I'm not trying to. Injuries have been pretty non-existent other than the occasional ache and pain. I am definitely interested in joining some folks for my long runs on FLAT surfaces, so if anyone is gathering for a long flat run, let me know. Happy training!

July Roll Call - Skippy

July was a good training month. I continued to get my long runs in, culminating with a 20-mile trail/hill torture session last weekend. I'm proud to say I had nothing left and walked a lot toward the end. The good news is that I now know I'm ready for the Ascent as long as I'm having a decent day and I don't lose my head over tree line. The combination of oxygen deprivation and exhaustion does weird things at that altitude.
The one race I did in July wasn't my best, but I was able to restore my confidence in running downhill without injury. A lousy time beats injury any day.
Looking forward to the marathon, I'm eager to get on the long and flat training plan starting in late August. I need to figure out how the Higdon and Daniels plans stack up and decide how I'm going to approach those critical six weeks of final ramping. Like many of us, my body just isn't used to that level of stress.
In general, I'm starting to get truly excited about the prospect of completing a marathon (alive)!

July roll call- Big Ben

Training is going great, although I do need a pair of actual running shorts.

The hardest aspect of my training is finding time to run when its cool and when I have at least a little energy. Besides that I've been injury free except for a couple of softball bruises/strains.

Oh and my nickname is Big Ben unless someone comes up with something better. $10 to the person who does ;-)

GPS Clydesdale Monday Weigh-in

Greetings!
I had a poor weekend of running after battling a stomach bug most of the weekend. I did get a very poor 7.2 miler in this morning. I just felt very tired and weak this morning. I am going to try to make up the 16 miler I missed tomorrow depending on how I feel.

I weighed in this morning at...

210 lb's!

I'm still on the decline which is great to see, and I am very eager to be below the 200 mark. My goal is to be below 200lb's by the September Half-Marathon here is Sioux Falls. Have a great week everyone and safe and healthy training!

July Roll Call - Shane (the GEEK)

Greetings all ... I'm so bad at this blogging thing!! But, here goes my report for July. First, a weigh-in report for my Clydesdale brethren:

Wk 1 (7 July): 202 lbs
Wk 2 (14 July): 198 lbs
Wk 3 (21 July): 199 lbs (gotta love it when you gain weight!)

Clearly, I was hoping for a monotonically decreasing sequence on my weekly weigh-ins (I love it when I can use geeky math terms ... hey, I feel a great nickname coming on ... The GEEK), but just wasn't meant to be. I'm playing single parent for the month of July with my two sons, and so I'm constantly surrounded with tempting food choices like white bread and mac & cheese, for example. In fact, twice now I've made my boys baked salmon with a gourmet fresh personally made spinach salad and you would think I was forcing them to drink poison! But, I can't say I would have reacted any differently when I was 10. Anyway, the fight moves on.

Second, my training. I'm doing the plain vanilla Hal Higdon's novice I schedule, which means my first double digit run was week 5 (12 Jul). Honestly, it's this threshold that is very difficult for me mentally ... at 10 miles my body simply says ... STOP!! It's funny, because the week before when I did 9 miles, I was thinking, "this isn't bad ... I think I could run a 1/2 marathon today." But then, the next week during my 10 miler, I wanted to fly to Colorado and strangle Pat for talking me into doing something so insanely stupid. Of course, I can really relate to all of your comments about how the stress, rest, diet, and temperature factors all impact the feel of a run. For example, I know I'm now doing distance where I need to refuel a bit during the run. I've had some good success with the goo packs ... they taste terrible, but can definitely feel the second wind.

Okay, now the big news ... during the previously mentioned 10 miler my thoughts of strangling Pat were intermingled with short prayers that somehow a miracle would occur and I could somehow avoid the next couple of months of unceasing double digit runs. Well, I suppose this is a lesson in "be careful what you ask for," because last week I received a deployment order for a 120 day stint to the desert beginning in Sept. Needless to say, I won't be able to participate in Chicago in October. All kidding aside, I'm bummed that I'll miss this event ... I was looking forward to meeting all of you and having another great experience with the old Champaign, IL Road Warriors!

For now, I'm pressing forward with training and weigh-ins, since I'll still owe the winner their pre-meal dinner (of course, it could be me if I can get back to my monotonically decreasing sequence :-)).

Keep up the good fight and remember "be careful what you ask for."

Shane a.k.a the GEEK

July Roll Call - GPS

I shared much of what is new in my previous post in terms of my training. I'm just coming off a rest week (miles ramp down), but will be quickly accelerating my training this Sunday with a 16 mile run. The most I've run up to this point is close to 14 miles so I'm a bit nervous. I just keep telling myself LONG AND SLOW. I'm good at that. I went out for an 8 miler yesterday and felt great, so I'm feeling optimistic. The key for me is running when it's cool - I perspire more than most, and heat really gases me. So far the heat hasn't been an issue like last year, but there's still some time left in July.

I started experiencing some "runners knee" in my right knee again (started seeing the symptoms last August). Mostly a dull ache under my kneecap that persists for a portion of my run, but eventually warms up. I believe this is the early stages of a tracking issue caused by some weakened quad muscles. I've begun some exercises to strengthen these muscles along with a strong stretching routine. I also purchased a Patella strap that I wear just below my knee cap. This has seemed to really help. I never thought I would be one of "those guys" with the black strap. I never even knew what it was far until I did some research recently.

After talking to Pat, I think I'm going to purchase a 2nd pair of shoes I can rotate in my training as well. I'd like to have my stride analyzed to ensure I have the right shoes. If I can't find anyplace around here that does that, I'll pick some up while in Colorado Springs this August.

For the most part, all is well and full steam ahead! By next update, I should be able to talk about the Ascent and my first 20 miler - Fun, fun.

GPS - Clydesdale Weekly Weigh-in

Hello All!
Well, my training schedule ramped down this past weekend and I took advantage to give myself some needed rest. I was starting to feel pretty tired from the training regimen. Looking back at last years notes, I was experiencing much of the same.

I purchased a Garmin Forerunner 50 (w/ hr monitor, footpod, and USB slot) and it's working marvelously. I love being able to see where my HR is at all times as well as my pace. It has been extremely helpful thus far. I also love the ability to track and see my progress - just awesome! I highly recommend it - I was able to get everything for $160 on Amazon.com.

I'm a little late on my weigh-in, but here goes...

...211 lb's!

I am slowly but surely inching downward. I am now within 6 or 7 lb.'s of my race weight for last October's marathon. My goal is to be in the low 190's by race day this October.

I'm ramping up my training schedule this week with a 16 miler on Sunday. It is going to be a challenge so please keep me in your prayers.

July Roll Call (Pat)

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's) Chicago Marathon Team

* Shane, John, Tracy, Steve, Chad, Bill, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug, Kevin

* Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.

* Team mission: God first, ProLife, encouragement, fitness!

------------------------

Hi, LIFER's Team!

Many of the C. Springs LIFER's ran the Summer Roundup 12K at Bear Creek park on 6 Jul. Picture attached: Chad, Ben, Scott, Angi, Courtney, Pat, Kerry (Doug's friend), Doug.

Training: The 18 wk marathon training schedule began 8 Jun...therefore, we are already on week 7...follow your training schedule! The C. Springs Pikes Peak runners (Scott, Doug, Courtney, Angi, Pat) have been training together in preparation for the Ascent (16 Aug) or Marathon (17 Aug). Starting 23 Aug, the Peak runners will join up with the other C. Springs LIFER's (Tracy, Chad, Ben, Bill, Kevin) for group long runs on the weekends.

Runner Updates: hope to get a more detailed Roll Call from everyone...

* John ("Duke"): Angi and I had dinner with him and his family in IL a couple weeks ago. He is working through a bulging disk in his back. How was China?

* Shane (nickname?): how goes?

* Tracy ("Cash"): She improved her "fueling" for long runs and has reaped the benefits.

* Steve ("GPS"): He is loving his new footpod. He is coming to town for the Pikes Peak Ascent in Aug...wants to experience the 16 Golden Stairs for himself! Steve is recruiting ASIMO to run the Chicago Marathon with him: http://asimo.honda.com/asimotv/default.aspx?txtCatID=0&txtCategory=New+ASIMO&txtVideo=http%3a%2f%2fvivacast.streamlogics.com%2fHonda%2fAsimo%2fNew01_MBR500K.wmv

* Chad ("Big Hopper"): Chad joined Doug and I for a speed workout last week...we worked on doing the big three checklist each mile (heal/toe roll, shake downs arms, slow down breathing). Chad is also working on converting his running "hop" into forward motion by rolling off his toe! I also challenged Chad to get a real pair of running shorts (above mid thigh)...a true sign of security :).

* Bill ("Willy"): I visited with Bill after Mass this past weekend...he is starting to find his training groove. We talked about warming up with a 2 min walk and 5 min slow jog...and doing stretching on warm muscles at the end of the run. I showed him an ITB stretch (important!).

* Rich ("Moby"): How is your cross training day going?!

* Courtney ("Fleece"): She is a great running partner for Angi. Her and Angi are doing RCIA this year! Scott and I did RCIA in 1997, and John and I did RCIA in 2004.

* Angi ("Anginator"): She is training hard to meet her near term goal...get into Wave 1 for future Pikes Peak races!

* Scott ("Skippy"): How was training in Hot-lanta?!

* Ben (nickname?): Ben had a great Summer Roundup race. He does need to get himself a real pair of running shorts.

* Kevin (nickname?): Scott assures me that you exist. Hope to meet you soon!

* Doug ("Big Brown"): Doug is one of the fastest Clydesdales I have met. He is a distance runner trapped inside a middle linebacker's body!

Running Quote: "If you ever want to see who the true runners are, take a peek outside during mother nature's next hissy fit." wearenotjoggers.com

ProLife Ministry Fundraising: Let's reach out to our friends and family to support our cause ($/mile). Angi and I are running to support the new local Pregnancy Center in Old Colorado City.

Run for ProLife,

Pat (aka M.A.)

Phil 4:13

Early Morning runs if interested

We are meeting at the Goose Gossage skate park, 3225 Mark Dabling Blvd, 80907 (just south of Garden of the gods and just east of I-25) at 6am. Tuesday will be an easy 4 mile run with some form work (Bio-mechanics) towards the end.

Anyone interested can call or email Chad but you do not need to. Simply show up. We will be meeting at 6 and will hang out no more than 10 minutes before taking off.

Also, We have a Wednesday morning 7 miler planned but have not set the location yet if you would like to weigh in.

Confirmed for tomorrow are:
Ben, Chad, Jason (Friend of Chad's) and Rich Reich. I'm really looking forward to seeing Rich. = )

We plan to post meeting times around the city as we progress up in the mileage and get closer to Chicago.

July 14th GPS Clydesdale Weigh-in

I had a wonderful weekend of running and play. For my birthday, we played paintball on a rural course about 30 minutes from Sioux Falls. It was a total blast and I highly recommend this activity for all us fit people. The balls can hurt like the dickens and I have a few nice sized welts (i.e. "man jewelry", badges of honor), but the adrenaline rush and overall fun factor far outweigh the pain. I've already got Pat marked for next summer.

My wife planned the activity and joined in as well - she held her own and did as well as any of the guys. For those of you that know my brother Dan, he was a total kamikaze, sacrificing his body for the good of the team - it was legendary. He has some wicked marks to show for his efforts.

Anyways, I ran 7 on Saturday + paintball for 6 hours, and 14 on Sunday, so a decent weekend of activity overall. It made up for a poor outing this past week. My body was telling me it needed rest and I complied taking Monday, Thursday, and Friday completely off going into the weekend. I feel great today, though.

Without further adieu, I weighed in this morning AT...

213

That's a 4 pound drop from last week! Feeling great, and my wife says she can see my love handles wilting away. I can definitely tell in my runs as well - my legs felt much stronger this past weekend.

Foot Pod vs. GPS Watch

OK, I need some guidance from you running experts. I'm getting tired of hand calculating my splits and pace via my $19.99 Timex Wal-Mart special. I want something that will 1) accurately measure my distance, pace, etc. 2) Have a heart monitor 3) Keep me on pace w/ alerts 4) Store training data for seamless (i.e. mindless) transfer to a computer

I've looked at the Garmin's and Suunto's thus far. From what I can tell, Garmin is the all-in-one wonder watch, but very expensive (and bulky unless you step up to the "sport watch" which is even more expensive). Suunto seems to be more versatile with "pods" to add the features you want to the base sport watch. Which brings me to the foot pod. Looking at what I want the price is relatively the same (about $250 for watch, heart rate function, foot pod vs. Garmin all in one with similar functions).

I'm feeling like a wombat staring at the lights of an oncoming semi right now. Could anyone lend me some advice before I make an expensive mistake?

Monday Weigh-in: Great Plains Strider (GPS)

I apologize for not weighing in on Monday as planned - I weighed myself this morning (w/clothes on) at...

217 lb.'s

I probably lost three pounds this past week (since last week I was w/o clothes), so it was a good week for me. I continue to drink lots of water and pound the fruits and vegetables. I'm sure my 11 mile run this weekend helped too.

June Roll Call (Rich)

For the month of June, I did the majority of my running indoors on my treadmill. I have been trying to maintain race pace for all of my mid-week runs (7:13, 8.3 mph). My goal is to try to speed up my long runs to race pace. Today I have a 12 mile run ahead of me and there is a torrential downpour outside, so it looks like I will be on the treadmill yet again. I find that the treadmill is too noisy to listen to TV so I just listen to my IPOD shuffle. It is too bad that we are not allowed to run with IPODs for the Chicago marathon. I find that listening to music helps me maintain a steady pace and makes the time go by faster. I have been keeping a running log on Excel. I tried to screen capture the spreadsheet for this blog, but the text showed up too small to read, so you'll just have to trust me on this one. I have been trying to find creative activities to do on my cross training days, and I recently bought a Nintendo Wii. I have found the boxing pretty aerobic. It is easy to get the hard pumping while dodging virtual punches.

June Roll Call (Scott)

June was a month of ups and downs for me. It started with a pretty good race. I also had some good long runs. However, my weekday runs suffered a bit for a variety of reasons. I have been learning some lessons about factors that can kill a run, including hydration, sleep, and temperature. I started running with a heart rate monitor. It's pretty interesting as both a logging tool and an aide in listening to my body. It lets me know when I'm having to work harder due to some of those factors I mentioned above.

One of the things I struggled with in June was downhill running. I really need to find a happy medium between walking (too slow) and running fast (too damaging). I know the answer is to spend more energy keeping the brakes on my running pace, but I tend to let things go too much. This leads to injury. After extended downhill trail runs, I've had tender knees for at least a week. This tends to take the wind out of my sails to say the least.

Looking forward, I plan to do a hill race this Sunday (where I can practice my new downhill approach). Then, I'll be doing some "cross training" the week of 13-July in Alabama. It should be hot, humid, and flat, none of which I'm used to.

A New Clydesdale Recruit

Shane has decided to join Doug and I in our marathon-style "Biggest Loser". I learned that Shane and I share an ice cream addiction, so we know each others weak spots. Shane had this to say...

Hey Steve. Thanks for the invite and please count me in. My last weigh-in was
on Friday where I was around the 202 mark ... my personal "ideal" weight is in
the 175-185 range. I'll take an "official" weigh-in on Monday, and perhaps, I'll
have yet another reason to cut back on my ice cream addiction.

Welcome aboard, Shane!

I should also note that all are free to join in on our contest who feel they need the extra accountability and support.

May-June-July Roll Call (Tracy)

Since I missed May and it's now July...I guess I'll cover 3 months at once :)

May was rough for me. I started a new position at work (executive officer for all the military types) and it pretty much kicked my butt. I basically missed the entire month of pre-training which set me back quite a bit.

Regardless, I started the marathon training according to Hal Higdon's plan in June, however, because I missed so much time, I had to start with the novice plan. All has been going well so far. My longest run so far has been only 9 miles, but I am injury-free. Even the annoying shin pain I had back in April is gone (I guess the time off in May helped in some ways). I have adjusted my training plan to include speedwork as well and it is definitly helping with my pace (another downfall to the time off in May - I'm not running nearly as fast as I'd like to be right now.) I plan to run a half-marathon in early September to get a better feel for my expected marathon pace. I know things will get much more difficult in August with the schoolyear starting, so I'll hopefully have figured out the tricks of my new position to leave time for my runs. It certainly will be a challenge. Any past execs out there (I know there are a few), feel free to lend advice :).

I'm one of the few not running the Peak, so I've been keeping my runs as flat as possible. The Santa Fe trail works great! I've even convinced Demi (my husband) to come along on his bike for my long runs as my "waterboy". Regarding nicknames...TC will work...that's my latest one. I've had others like "lil' cash" "trd", but that's b/c of my maiden name, Denaro, which means "money in Italian. A few of my coworkers have tried the President-related nicknames due to my married name (Clinton), but I can promise you I won't respond to those! :)

At any rate, best of luck with everyone's training and I look forward to meeting many of you soon. Demi and I plan to be at the top of the Peak to cheer everyone on in August.

June Roll Call (Angi)

Hi all,
Pat just had to take this picture-yes, I biffed going down Barr
Trail on the Peak this past weekend. I was just below Barr Camp (over half way up Pikes Peak) and unfortunately ate it. I was just tickled to still be able to
move my limbs to get to the bottom-no permanent damage-
just some embarrassment and bruises. My running buddy
Courtney and I have been on the Peak the past 3 weekends-familiarity defiinitely helps-we made it one mile past Barr Camp this past Saturday feeling pretty good. Gearing up for the 12K Summer Roundup race this weekend with the steep incline that goes on and on-not really. Hope you all are doing well with training and staying injury free, and like the signs on the Pikes Peak highway say "Hot brakes (or in this case shoes) do fail" when descending!

Run for Life,
Angi

Monday Clydesdale Weigh-in

Big Brown has challenged me to a friendly wager - he who loses the least will pay the most at the "poop" meal in Chicago. As part of this accountability, we will be weighing in and posting our weight each Monday. As fellow large human beings with hefty girth a plenty this is truly a noble endeavor. I was looking back to last September when I was 20lb's trimmer and my pace times were nearly a 1:30 faster! Needless to say this will be a good thing for both of us in meeting our race goals. I've already begun trimming the portions, and eating more healthy (lots of fruits/veggies).

OK, I weighed myself this morning at...

218lb's.

That is down from 224 nearly one week ago. I'm sure my 10 mile run yesterday had nothing to do with this...

June Roll Call - The Great Plains Strider a.k.a Clydesdale or Big Poppy

OK, I am pleased to say that I have been running the past three weeks consistently for the first time in months. The knee is holding up well. I guess the best thing I could do was rest it. I am not experiencing any pain during or after my runs, but I am being over cautious with mileage and stretching. I am determined to make it to the starting line first and foremost. My biggest challenge at this point is my weight - I'm at a whopping 220lb's at this point - true Clydesdale fashion. My goal is to get around 200lb's by October. Ideally I would like to be under 200lb's but we'll see how well I can manage my diet alongside the running. This is always a challenge with the amount of travel I do, but things are slowing down at work now.

Pat, gave me a good pep talk on not over training (he knows my competitive nature). Needless to say, my lungs feel great - they can handle much more than my legs at this point. I'll get my legs back soon enough, so I see this as a positive. I recently did a 10 miler and it was uneventful. I finished and that is all that matters. It was arduous at best.

My wife Tina (no given nickname - you can call us the "Long couple" though) is also training alongside me for a half marathon in September. It will be her first so I'm getting an opportunity to "mold" her a bit. We've had some nice runs together. She's really getting into it and playing it safe (focused on stretching and following her program). Tina was a very competitive 800 runner in high school, so this is totally different mindset for her. She's doing awesome though - I'm very proud of her.

Thank you to all that participated in the bashing I called upon myself. It was truly memorable and motivating. I am no longer a lolly pop sucking wannabe drowning myself in Doritos's, sour cream and chocolate/peanut butter shakes at midnight.

Can't wait until July when I'll be struggling to complete my runs battling wicked heat and humidity (usually mid to upper 70's and humid at 6am)...I'm sure you'll hear me whining about that next month...

June Roll Call (Mountain Antelope)

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's) Chicago Marathon Team
* Shane, John, Tracy, Steve, Chad, Bill, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug, Kevin
* Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.
------------------------
Hi, LIFER's Team!

Please do a June Roll Call post with any updates on goals, inspirations, training, injuries, faith and ProLife fundraising. The Roll Calls help us build team spirit, collaborate on running issues, share our faith, and encourage each other. Please label your post "Roll Calls" (bottom open box). Last month we only heard from Angi, Rich, Chad, Kevin, Scott and myself...let's try to get a Roll Call from everyone this month...thanks!

Training: The 18 wk marathon training schedule began 8 Jun...be sure to use it! Run a local race each month leading up to the marathon to help maintain your training focus. LIFER's from C. Springs plan to run the Bear Creek Park 12K (6 Jul) and the Pikes Peak Ascent/Marathon (16/17 Aug). It was fun having Rich (aka Moby) in town for the Garden 10 miler...he ran with Angi and helped her get a personal best. Looking forward to having Steve (aka Big Poppy) and his family in town for the Ascent. Angi (aka Anginator), Scott (aka Skippy), Doug (aka Big Brown because he is a true clydesdale) and Courtney (aka Fleece because she loves to run in it) all trained on Pikes Peak this weekend.

Nicknames: If you have a nickname, please include it in the June Roll Call and explain the origin. If you don't have a nickname, I'm sure Skippy would be happy to give you one :)!


ProLife Ministry: Angi and I are running to support the new local Pregnancy Center in Old Colorado City. The building lease was recently signed. Now begins renovation of the building...

Run for ProLife,
Mountain Antelope
Phil 4:13


* Team mission: God first, ProLife, encouragement, fitness!
* ProLife support: I have ProLife wristbands for everyone. Ask friends and family to sponsor you ($/mile) to raise money for a ProLife ministry of your choice.

Sure footed downhill flight

Hi Lifers

Ben and I had a great time running the GOG 10 miler. One thing I noticed is our ability to really fly on the downhills. This was great during the race, but difficult to reproduce during my training. I'm probably concentrating too much, but my downhill footing seems a little unstable and my knees seem to take a good beating.

I guess bear creek is a pretty good incline at the beginning, but I'm not sure if there are any downhill parts?

Any suggestions on tackling the down-hill with sure footing and knees?

- Chad
Thank God for the down hill

May Roll Call (Kevin)

Hi all,

I am a new entry in this running group and am answering the request for a roll call.

So far this season I am training a few days per week with Scott C., over the last two weeks we essentially focused on leg strength development training, a few interval/tempo workouts and overall endurance training.

We completed a Barr Camp round trip (12 miles) on Monday, which was a spectacular run but a painful one (key attributes are leg strength on the uphill, acclimation to altitude, and conditioning the quads for downhill running on trail in rock and loose scree. Thankfully no permanent injuries were sustained by anyone and Scott demonstrated the steep "downhill-use-of-the-tree-as-a-stopping-mechanism" technique when stopping was nearly impossible. This run also gave us our first serious 'bonking' session at just under 3 hours for the round trip.

Also last week we completed his introduction to the Colorado Springs "Incline" (formerly the old cog railway), and it essentially a 30-40 minute interval workout (2000' elevation gain over 1.2 miles) that develops leg strength while keeping your heart rate near its anaerobic threshold (or lactate threshold), so it is a great workout for those attributes, highly recommended for those who are local.

The previous weekend we ran a practice run of the GoG 10 mile race course (June 8th), and thanks to the new race director, Matt Carpenter, the difficulty rating of the race has gone from a 5.0 to a 9.0, it should be a fun and punishing event on June 8th.
Best of luck to all and enjoy the late Spring training and cooler temps!

Kevin Silsby

NIPPLES! (uncomfortable topic #1)

No, you haven't been spammed. I figured I'd start the conversation on uncomfortable running topics. This one's for the boys, but not for the reasons you might guess. This has to do with an issue men face. I'm sure women have other issues.

As I did my May update yesterday, I forgot to mention an important lesson I re-learned Monday on my long run. When I got home, I looked in the mirror. I had about a 2" red circle on my white shirt. Then, I realized I should have taped up before I started running. If you haven't done this before, it's a bit awkward. I typically bring along a couple band-aids and apply them to my nipples right before starting. This helps a lot. It's a lot better than hurting the rest of the week, like I am.

If you should happen to forget taping or get bloody some other way (i.e. falling or excessive shoe rubbing), hydrogen peroxide gets it right out.

Happy running! I bet you can't wait for uncomfortable topic #2.

May Roll Call - Scott

This month has been mostly one of settling into the longer distances I reached in April. However, this past week also marked my transition from mostly flats to hill work. I did "The Incline," which is a 1-mile hill that gains 2000 feet (40% grade)... ugh! Then, yesterday I did my first Barr Camp run. This is about 13 miles round trip to a point about half way up Pikes Peak. In case you're wondering, I'm hurting this morning. That was a pretty big jump. I'm pumped for the Garden 10 on June 8. My only goal is to find my race face.

Pat nuggets #8

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's) Chicago Marathon Team
* Shane, John, Tracy, Steve, Chad, Bill, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug, Kevin
--------------------

Hi, LIFER's Team:

Hope everyone did some training over the Memorial Day weekend. Angi and I did 10 miles in the Garden of the Gods followed by 1.5 hrs on the Peak. Angi saw a guy coming down the Peak on a unicycle! Apparently, he is not the only person crazy enough to try mountain unicycling ("MUni") http://www.unicycling.com/muni/.

May Roll Call: Glad to hear from Angi, Rich, and Chad. Hope to hear from the rest of our team this week. Please title your post "May Roll Call (name)" and label the post "Roll Calls" (bottom open box). The Roll Calls help us build team spirit, collaborate on running issues, share our faith, and encourage each other.
* Rich is helping me design a trophy for the best Roll Call. We will all vote on the best one soon before the Chicago Marathon and present the award the night before the marathon.

Nicknames: If you have a nickname, please include it in the May Roll Call and explain the origin. If you don't have a nickname, we will find you one :)! Here are a few that I know...feel free to change them for our group.

* Steve (Big Poppy), John (Duke), Angi (Anginator), Pat (Mountain Antelope), Rich (Moby), Bill (Willy), Doug (Dougy Fresh), Scott (Skippy), Chad (Dr. Music)

* Paige told me that I have "antelope eyes." This motivated me to visualize myself as a wild "mountain antelope" while training for the Pikes Peak Marathon...also helps me slide under fences (or gates) while running (an antelope trait). Rich will have to share the story of when I talked him into going under a gated no trespassing utilities road up in the mountains (for a new running route)...I regretted it! Rich calls me P. Diddy because I mistakenly thought he called me that over the phone. In high school, my best pals called me Casman. Feel free to use these nicknames or give me a new one :).

Training: The 18 wk marathon training schedule begins on 8 Jun...be sure to use it!

Run for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* Team mission: God first, ProLife, encouragement, fitness!

* Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.
* ProLife support: I have ProLife wristbands for everyone. Start asking friends and family to sponsor you ($/mile) to raise money for a ProLife ministry of your choice.

May Roll Call - Rich

After months of research, I have finally decided to use my Chicago Marathon run to raise money for the Arbor House of Gainesville, Florida. The Arbor House is a home that offers programs for expectant and single mothers as they search for successful plans for their lives and the lives of their children. For more information, visit the following site: http://www.arborhouse.org/.

I have worked up to a 10 mile run on my treadmill with a 5% incline in preparation to run the Garden of Gods 10 miler with Angi. I am sorry to say that I did not have any duct tape available for my training.

duct tape (dukt tap) n. 1. strong, versatile tape used to cover all breathing passages to simulate high altitude conditions during training. 2. adhesive used to adhere Twinkies to the surface of the body as a remedy for "poor me syndrome."

See you soon.

May Roll Call - Chad

We visited Kansas City over this past weekend and I was able to get in a few miles there. The air felt 'heavy' with the added humidity and o2 levels. It was an enjoyable run looking at new scenery and the trail had many people which was also fun.

I've been experiencing some tough leg trouble that I hope to remedy with a new pair of shoes today or tomorrow. Ice seems to help too.

The garden 10 miler snuck up on me. Ben and I have been doing Hal Higgdon's novice supreme training and the farthest we've done is 5 miles with relatively flat terrain; so I'm a little nervous to do 10 at the garden.

May Roll Call (Angi)

Howdy All,

It's hard to believe it is the middle of May, but it is, and training is moving along. My friend Courtney and I have been running in the Garden of the Gods for the last 3 weeks for our long run on the weekend. This weekend we ran 11.5 miles in the Garden and then headed up the peak for a little ways-wow, my legs were feeling the burn after a 2 1/2 hour workout. I really feel that the extra core stengthening and speed and tempo workouts are helping to get me stronger. It also helps to have a running partner-something I've been without for a while-thanks Courtney. Keep pressing forward everyone-Steve avoid the Doritos and sour cream dude!!!!

Take care and God Bless,
Angi

May Roll Call (Pat)

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's) Chicago Marathon Team

* Shane, John, Tracy, Steve, Chad, Bill, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug, Kevin

------------------
Hi, LIFER's Team:

Please do a May Roll Call blog post with any updates on goals, inspirations, training, injuries, and ProLife fundraising by Wed, 21 May. This is to help us build team spirit, collaborate on running issues, share our faith, and encourage each other.

* Encouragement (aka "smack talk"): Steve wrote: "I need everyone to bombard me with emails insulting my pudgy behind; my wanna-be running shoes sitting by my front door; just whatever it takes to make this top of mind. I respond well to insults, rants, and belittling. So, let's bring it on! Big Poppy"

* Training: The 18 wk marathon training schedule begins on 8 Jun...be sure to use it! Run a local race each month leading up to the marathon to help maintain your training focus. The LIFER's from C. Springs plan to run the Garden of the Gods 10 miler (8 Jun) and the Bear Creek Park 12K (6 Jul), and the Pikes Peak Ascent/Marathon (16/17 Aug). Rich will be here for the Garden 10 miler, and Steve will be here for the Ascent.

* Inspiration (wow!): This short video clip will definitely help prevent the poor me syndrome http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513.

I am very proud of our team's mission and priorities (God first, ProLife, encouragement, fitness)!

Run for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* LIFER's Chicago Marathon Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.

* ProLife Ministry Support: I have ProLife wristbands for everyone. Start asking friends and family to sponsor you ($/mile) to raise money for a ProLife ministry of your choice. Angi and I plan to donate to the local crisis pregnancy center.

April Roll Call (Clydesdale)

Ok, first off, I know this is extremely late (it's May for goodness sake - I'm a loser for even posting this). Second off, I'm a large human being (6'4" and 215lb's). I'm gravity challenged. I have to say that I have gotten extremely soft since last December (last real running routine). The right knee (bursitis) has been coming around the last 10 days and I have run a couple of times with encouraging results (no dry heaves or vomiting). This coming week is my make or break week to begin my official training-to-start-training in June. I've also been battling some wicked fatigue (most likely related to an autoimmune disorder that rises up to spank me every now and then). Nothing like sleeping for 10 hours and feeling exhausted upon waking.

Here's the deal - I need everyone to bombard me over the next week with emails insulting my manhood; my fat, pudgy behind; my wanna-be running shoes sitting by my front door; just whatever it takes to make this top of mind. I respond well to insults, rants, and belittling. Sometimes, I just need a 2x4 upside the skull. So, let's bring it on!

Big Poppy (ok, just Steve)

April Roll Call (Tracy)

Hey LIFERS,

There's nothing like procrastination, right? Okay, sorry it's taken me so long to "report in". But better late than never!

So, my training has been going OK. I've been a runner my whole life it seems, but since college when I struggled with a few injuries (IT band primarily), I have never truly been back at 100%. As soon as I started increasing my mileage, the IT band came back and I developed another annoying pain in my shin (still not sure if it's shin splints or not). At any rate the last month has involved quite a bit of cross training and as much running as my body can handle. In the last 2 weeks or so, I've seen significant improvement and have been encouraged. A few things I realized:
1. I have to stick to alternating running with cross-training for now. That gives me between 3-4 days of running per week with the rest cross-training.
2. Ice seems to aggravate the injuries more
3. Lots and lots of stretching!
So although I've been struggling through some aches and pains here and there, I'm still hopeful. My runs are becoming much more enjoyable as I start to feel my fitness level increase and I think I've hopefully figured out the right system for my particular aches and pains to prevent serious injury. Hopefully the May "Roll Call" will be filled with all sorts of positive news.

In regards to my goals, my main focus at this point is to get to the marathon injury free. Being an ex-athlete, I tend to get competitive with myself and push myself harder than I should, but as long as I keep my eye on the goal, that should keep me in check. At this point, I'll decide on a "time" goal once I'm deeper into the training and can more realistically gage what I'm capable of.

In regards to ProLife fundraising, I'm thinking about supporting the Elizabeth New Life Center in Dayton, OH. When I was stationed there I got involved with the organization and I'd love to do my part in supporting it from afar.

As far as the whole experience goes, I just hope I can get to the end. I've always loved running and it has been a huge enabler to my faith. There's just nothing that brings me closer to my creator than running through his artwork!

Happy running to all! I look forward to meeting those of you I don't know.

April Roll Call (Doug)

Greetings....glad to join this group. Thanks to Pat for the encouragement.

Goal: Sub 4 hr and no injuries.

Training: I am tracking my minutes of aerobic activity. Right now I am at 4 hrs per week. Looking to increase that to 5 during the next 3 weeks. My longest run recently was an 8 miler last weekend. Looking to build up to 21 miles about 3 weeks out. I will mostly get Pat's advise.
I am signed up for the Pikes Peak marathon as well (like Pat), so I'll pick his brain later for a good strategy/training plan.

Fundraising: I already have one person who said they would sponsor me :-) Will look for more.

No plane/hotel reservations yet.

Thanks for being part of this group and living your faith.

Peace, Doug

Apr Roll Call (Courtney)

hey kids!! Sorry it has taken me so long to post..Ive been crazy (thats just in short)..

First of all, this is my current actions: I am flying out with Pat and Angi on that friday before the race (Oct? haha - i forget)...Staying with Pat and Angi in Chicago..Signed up for the Triple Crown Series: Garden 10 miler, summer 12K, and the America's Ultimate Challenge (pp marathon)..Yikes!! Signed up for the Chicago as well - Did you guys know that the race is already almost at the capacity?? wow!! :)

Currently my training is going great!! Ive been told by tons of friends, people at work, people at the gym..A guy at the gym calls me the energizer bunny!! haha..perfect!! I started doing the incline (a huge flight of big stairs up Pikes Peak - 1 mile..The longest mile in ur life!!) I did it for the first time this season with Angi this last sunday..Good start.. Been doing it ever since..trying to get on it at least 3 times a week..Im working out with my personal trainer about 4-5 times a week - gettin' by butt kicked with weights and agility drills.. My running is going great!! Im already up to about 18-19 miles..About 50 to sometimes 60 miles per week..need to a little higher though..Also on the side of many miles of running, trainer, incline, I do go to the gym after work at 10pm and do the stairmaster or the elliptical for alittle over an hour. AKA - I am always tired.......hahaha..

But good to know, my trainer has me on a nutrition plan for me to follow so I dont go down to low with the calories..He keeps me on track.. :) But its pretty easy for me because I do work at Whole Foods Bakery!! Bread bread and more bread!! haha..its great!!

Again, sorry i havent been posting much!! Now as you all can tell, my life is a little hectic..
I try and find as much time as I can to get in a run with my other parents (Pat and Angi ;) ) my best friends!!!

Anyways, have a good time training!! Keep running!! Run hard, train hard!!
Peace, love:
Courtney

April Roll Call (Bill)

Hello friends and soon to be friends!

Just checking in. I'm excited to run my first marathon! My goal is to finish in 4:30 and to build a stronger relationship with the Lord through running. I pray He continues to give me courage to train my mind and body throughout this journey.

I just found out last week that my beautiful daughter Lindsay can't join me. She is a sophmore at CU and very involved in church on campus. She is a team member for 'Buffalo Awakening' Catholic college student retreat and their retreat just got changed to the same weekend as the marathon. I'm sad for the team but happy and proud of Lindsay for sharing her gift of faith and helping other college kids find theirs. I'm waiting on an answer back on how to transfer her registration on to my brother Joe. Hopefully he can join us.

I'm excited to meet you teammates I don't know and always thrilled to be with the friends God has blessed me with. Suggestion: Lets get together as a group and run once a week and fellowship afterwards (breakfast at a different house each week) Run early Sat morn and eat afterward?

Your Brother in Christ,
Bill

April Roll Call (Shane)

Greetings Team Lifer's from Ohio. Sorry for my slow response ... better late than never. As of now (being that I've yet to run a 20 mile training run), I'm still planning to run the marathon. :)

Training:
- I'm maintaining my regular routine of weights and cardio, which typically entails 1-hr of strength trainining and stretching and 1-hr of cardio (treadmill, bike, eliptical, etc.) 5 to 6 days/week.
- I'll replace my cardio training with Hal Higdon's 18 week training program in mid-June. I still haven't decided between the Novice or Intermediate schedule, but leaning toward Intermediate.

Injuries:
- Nothing serious ... some tender joints at times especially in the knees. I'm a heavy boy (currently weighing in at about 205 lbs), so my knees get a little tired of carrying me around after 5 or 6 miles of running.

Goals:
- FINISH THE RACE!!! This is my first marathon, and perhaps my last ... I still maintain that individuals that purposely set out to run 26.2 consecutive miles are somewhat mentally ill, so I'm trying to limit the progression of this mental illness by stopping after one. :)
- I haven't established a time goal quite yet ... my best half time was 1:48, but that's when I was a slender 185lbs and had two maniacs to train with (i.e., Pat and Duke!). Right now I'm thinking under 5 hours, but I need to see how the training goes.
- Lose some weight. I'd like to get back down to 170-180lbs, which is where I was the last time Pat first roped me into a running event, but then we ran 4 or 5 races that next year (including tw0 half marathons) and I gained 15 lbs in the process. I always hear runners talk about all the weight loss, so I'm hoping to see some of that this time around.
- Experience the Windy City with some very good friends that I love and respect (Pat, Angi, and Duke) and enjoy the fellowship of new friends (the rest of the gang!) ... even if you all are mentally ill to some degree (see goal 1 above).

I look forward to meeting you all in Chicago!

April Roll Call (Rich)

It has been a busy month with many distractions (i.e. final exams, preparing two conference presentations, and doing research while the instrument is still working). I have resorted to running in the evening either on the tredmill or on the 400 meter track at the middle school across the street from my house. I am in speed work mode right now preparing for my 1.5 mile Physcial Fitness Test this Friday (25 Apr). I am hoping to finish under 8:30. Then I will switch gears to longer distance training. I have done a few 5 mile runs at race pace 7:26 pace. I feel a little winded after these runs, but I know that with training I will be able to set into this pace comfortably. No injuries. I am a little sore from line dancing at my church last Friday night.

April Roll Call (John - AKA "Duke")

Hi fellow Lifer's- I am finally checking in. New to the blogging scene.....


Training:

• After many months of resting my lower back & body it's time to get my butt in gear & hit the pavement again! It's been too long....
  
• I have been working out on an elliptical trainer for a few weeks now, 3-5 days per week. My plan is to move training outside and start running. I feel as though I have become a fair weather runner this year.
• Will start slow with 3-4 milers x 3-5days per week until I am happy with my lower back & have built a base to work from.
• I will also add some cross training to the mix : Bike riding / Elliptical training

Goals:

• Have fun & enjoy the ride!
• Become stronger - Mentally, Spiritually, & Physically
• Overcome the lower Back problems in 08' -Bulging disc problem is still not resolved. Right leg is not functioning properly as a result...
• Fit some local trail races in this year. Mingo trail race in June would be a great starter...
• Stay healthy & complete the Chicago marathon in 3:30.....
• Get to know my fellow Lifer's better & support overall goals of our team!
• Train on absolutely flat land this year! No Hills.... Ok maybe a few overpasses.

Duke

April Roll Call (Chad)

Training is going well. As Ben said below, we are entering our sixth week of Hal Higdon's 'novice supreme' training. Ben and I found a weekly 5K fun run that we are enjoying. This typically replaces our Thursday 3 mile run.

I am in the thought stages of what my 'pro-life' support will look like. I am attempting to come up with something a little un-orthodox. More to come.

Goals-
- I'm still looking to finish in under 5 hours.
- I would like to run a consistent 10 min/mile pace - so far, I'm only achieving this around 3 miles and end up much greater when I run four.
- Begin 'enjoying' the run more - I'm starting to see this as my body is taking to the distance running well - My wife is happy to see my stomach getting flatter. = )
- Ben and I notice that our lungs get tired a lot faster than our legs. Perhaps some herbal remedy could be suggested: = )

April Roll Call (Ben)

Hey guys this is Ben Fisk just checking in. I'm now officially registered as of this past week! I'll be booking a flight this week.

The training program Chad and I are on is just starting its sixth week, which means we have already completed 5 weeks! Training is going well and I feel great. One of my goals is to run approx 10 minute miles and so far I'm ahead of this pace. More goals to come soon.

I'm also doing some cross training in the terms of sports. I play indoor soccer and church softball once-a-week. I've found that this provides a "fun" aspect to my training.

Run for Life. Run for Christ. Run for the King.

Apr Roll Call (Scott)

All right, I'm checking in.

Logistics:
* I have a flight that lands Saturday at 11:56am at O'Hare.
* I have a Saturday night reservation at the same hotel as the group.
* I leave Sunday at 7:55pm from O'Hare.

Training:
* I have a hybrid approach to my training, since I'm doing the Ascent in August. This training is unusual in that it focuses on minutes of running instead of distance.
* As of this weekend, I hit 102 minutes, which turned out to be about 11 miles.
* I'm running 2-3 times during the week for 50-60 minutes (~5.5-6.5 miles).
* I will switch over to the Higdon schedule after the Ascent in August.

Goals:
* It's all about finishing without injury.
* I registered for 3:45, but I'm clueless what it means to go that distance. The only 1/2 marathon length race I've done is the Ascent, which is mostly speed hiking. I've never done a marathon.
* Improving my health (mind, body, spirit)
* Fellowship

Go Clydesdales!!! (runners over about 170 pounds)

Apr Roll Call (Angi)

Hi, LIFER's Team:

Well, I will go ahead and check in, so I don't have to deal with Pat checking in on me-I mean hey, I live with the guy :)!

Goals: also adding in a tempo run once per week (80-90 percent of race pace)

Training: found some new routes using mapmyrun.com-nice to have a change of pace and to find more hills

My friend Courtney and I have been trying to get more runs in together; it sure is nice having someone encourage you on those days you feel tired-thanks Courtney
Also-gotta love these spring runs in Colorado-sun to rain to sleet to snow-all part of the experience

Only 25 weeks or so until the marathon :)

Run for ProLife,
Angi

April Roll Call (everyone please)

Living In Faith Exchange Runners (LIFER's) Chicago Marathon Team
* Shane, John, Tracy, Steve, Chad, Bill, Lindsay, Rich, Courtney, Angi, Pat, Scott, Ben, Doug
-------------------

Hi, LIFER's Team:

To keep us all connected as a team, let's do a monthly team "roll call" where everyone on the team checks in. Please login into our blog at http://www.blogger.com/ and add a new "post" titled "Apr Roll Call (your name)" which includes info like updates on goals, training, injuries, hotel/flight reservations, ProLife fund raising, running/faith experiences, etc. If you haven't yet registered for the blog, I will send you another invite. To accept the invite, click on the link in the email and then click on the create Google account link (above login), which simply creates a login name (your email) and password. Use your Google account info to log into the blog, post your "roll call" and update your blogger profile.

If you don't check in on this "roll call" by Mon, 21 Apr, I will check in with you to ensure everything is going well J. Thanks for being part of our team effort and our cause (faith, ProLife, friendship, and fitness)!

Run for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* LIFER's Chicago Marathon Team blog at marathon-for-life.blogspot.com.
* ProLife Ministry Support: We have ProLife wristbands. Start asking friends and family to sponsor you ($/mile). Pick your own ProLife ministry to support. Angi and I plan to donate to the local crisis pregnancy center.