One Small Step

Fat Ass 50

2008-12-27T13:13:00.001-05:00

Send me your times so I can get the results in ultrarunning

Run Fast, Slow Food 5K Run/Walk Preliminary Results

2008-09-14T16:41:00.002-04:00

Let me know if there are any corrections. I'll sort by age group/gender tomorrow.

First name Last name Bib # Finish time Sex Age
Mark Leo 148 19:34 M 21
Gregory Buzzell 121 19:56 M 26
gregory lauter* 169 20:38 M 29
Nate Ernst* 175 20:42 M 24
William Olinek 137 21:05 M 23
Adam Liberatore* 176 21:06 M 29
Stephen Spiess* 183 21:38 M 29
William Cederquist 106 21:47 M 27
Rob Peters* 182 21:47 M 25
Tom Wateri* 174 21:52 M 23
Philip Sands 130 22:10 M 29
Karla Knudson 138 22:14 F 25
Alison Duvall 132 22:16 F 30
Michael Glynn 149 22:42 M 30
Stockton Reece 122 23:14 M 29
Jason Bugent* 171 23:18 M 35
Gretchen Gehrke 155 23:23 F 25
Linda Ewing 112 23:25 F 47
Steve Hinzmann 113 23:48 M 43
Fiona Ruddy 153 23:55 F 20
Eric Tinkerhess* 178 24:09 M 17
Sam Gibbes* 179 24:33 F 22
Lynn fuller 129 24:40 M 25
Hanns Anders 140 24:41 M 27
Brian Van Adl* 109 24:48
Rebecca Taylor* 170 24:50 F 27
Emily Reyna 120 24:54 F 27
Catherine Anderson 133 25:11 F 28
Ann Racek 117 25:12 F 27
Carlos Thiago Jeker Marchi 111 25:16 M 30
Robyn Katzman 145 25:18 F 28
Courtney Johnson 144 25:19 F 28
Melisa Rodriguez* 173 25:22 F 27
C A Coultrap Bagg 126 26:02 F 27
Damien Taylor* 108 26:11
Carlos Carranza* 167 26:23:04 M 29
Asynith Palmer* 181 26:23:98 F 24
Laura Hines* 168 26:25 F 29
Jenny Alkema 107 26:38 F 35
Sonal Patel 114 26:40 F 25
Jason ? 166 26:45 M 29
Graham Gerdes 136 26:52 M 12
Nicholas Gulen* 127 27:03 M 27
Katie Bush 135 27:10 F 24
Alanya Schofield 116 27:11 F 26
Tina Tam 134 27:12 F 27
Andrea Liberatore* 177 27:15 F 27
Tina Thumm 125 27:17 F 33
kezia depuy 115 27:40 F 30
Marco Salceno* 165 27:55 M 26
Bryan Rayo 131 28:12 M 30
Doug Gordon 110 28:33 M
Jessica Henck 142 29:07 F 27
Jonathan Lippincott 128 30:04 M 28
Rebecca Brooke 150 30:06 F 27
Ted Speyer* 141 30:09 M 29
Rachel Chadderdon 159 30:17 F 25
Nicole Lindner 119 30:25 F 27
Erin Carey* 184 30:29 F 30
Brian Wahlgren 143 30:35 M 28
Joanie Rogucki 105 31:19 F 55
Julia Labor* 158 31:49 F 32
Bill Hill 104 38:11 M 65
Dawn Needham 156 38:16 F 43
Bob Needham 157 38:17 M 43
Blair Gerdes 147 40:22 F 44
Dora Lam 118 41:00* F 26
Becky Jensen* 180 41:19 F 23
Tye Reeder 139 41:20 F 27
Kimya Kamouneh* 172 47:41 F 11
Dorit Hammerling 124 47:42 F 34
Margaret Carollo* 152 49:41 F 22
Ashley Icard 154 49:42 F 20 W
Kathryn Beene 151 49:43 F 20 W
Paul Gerdes 146 49:57 M 14 W
Elizabeth B Abbett DNS
David Anderson DNS W
Anne Barton DNS
John Cooper DNS
Nicholas Emlen DNS
Ashish Gupta DNS
Oswaldo Maxwell DNS
Jessica Neafsey DNS
Edward Speyer DNS
sandy weimert DNS

Fat Ass 50 time fast approaching

2008-09-01T13:06:00.002-04:00

Before we know it winter will be upon us and it will be time once again for the Fat Ass 50 on the outskirts of Hell, MI. Hopefully we will get a big crowd once again. Details below. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

14th Annual Fat Ass 50

EVENT: a 50 km or 50 mile trail run or whatever you want to run!

LOCATION: Potawatomi Trail at the Pinckney Recreation Area starting at the trailhead at Silver Lake Beach on the outskirts of Hell, Michigan.

DATE: Saturday, December 27th, 2008

TIME: 0900 (that’s 9:00 am)

NO AWARDS, NO ENTRY FEE, NO AID & NO WIMPS

COURSE: 50 km – 1 loop (18 miles) of the Poto and 1 loop (13 miles) taking the shortcut. 50 miles – 2 loops of the Poto with 1 loop of the shortcut.

INFO: call Tim at 734 255 3594

RELAY OPTIONS: five person relay and the leapfrog (2 runners) relay – exchanges at your discretion (wherever you can get the car to).

REASON: to run your buns off and get rid of some of those holiday treats (or to make room for more).

CHARITY: the John Rogucki Memorial Fund, if you care to donate.

WEATHER: the run will be held even if the weather’s nice!

HISTORY: http://www.coolrunning.com.au/fatass/history.shtml

WAIVER: I hold no one responsible for my stupidity in running this event. That includes the Race Director (if there were one) or any sponsor (if there were any, the Michigan DNR or the Pinckney Recreation Area. I promise not to be upset, if my hair gets messed up. I promise not to get angry with anyone if I trip and fall down, get lost or get mauled by a bear.

Vote for me

2008-08-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

4 x 400 meter relay

2008-08-16T16:59:00.002-04:00

It's not often you will find me on a track. It's not unheard of but it's definitely a rare sight. It happens less often than bear sightings in Washtewnaw County. An even more unusual sighting is to see me on a track taking place in an event but that's exactly what happened last night. For the second year in a row I participated in one of the Tortoise and Hare's track series events. Both times it was the 4 x 400. Both times it was ugly. This year was a bit less ugly than last.

Any way, the team consists of some guys I know through online running forums. Two of these guys live in Ann Arbor. The interesting thing is that our paths may not have crossed had it not been for Al Gore and his lovely little invention we know as the worldwide interweb. The number 3 guy is from Rochester but was unable to run with us due to injury. He did come out to watch the more important event of the night - our friend Dave breaking 5 minutes in the mile. (read about that here)

I don't even know how to write a race report on such an event so I am not going to try. It was certainly a strange feeling to be standing on a track with people much faster than I. Next year I may try some of the other events (not the mile - no way).

Here's a picture in case any of you need proof that I was on a track and it wasn't at mile 100 of a 100.2 mile race. There are more pics in the link I posted about Dave's race.

Afterwards we headed over to Arbor Brewing to celebrate Dave's achievement and Doug's retirement.

Run Fast, Slow Food

2008-08-05T14:08:00.004-04:00

(I will try to get my blog up to date over the next few days. I still have to report back from Strides for Life and the Grand Island Trail Marathon). Be patient.

I do want everyone to know about this new event that I am excited about. In most cases the idea of a 5K run is not appealing to me. I prefer longer distances where pacing and endurance are more important than speed (which I don't have a whole lot of). But this event is exciting not only because I am helping to organize it but because it coincides with the first Homegrown Festival and benefits Slow Food Huron Valley an organization which promotes local food producers through education and public events.

The reason why I think this event excites me is that we can start our morning with a fun run through Bandemer and Argo Parks. Stick around afterwards for some local treats and a beverage. Hand out some great local prizes/awards and then head to Kerrytown for the Homegrown Festival and the Farmer's Market. Each participant will receive tickets which they can exchange for food items at the festival.

We are still working on getting donations for awards/prizes from local businesses. Our goal is to have a fun "green" event followed by a festival which gives us the opportunity to meet and talk with the folks who provide us with delicious local food items. I am really looking forward to this event. I really hope that all of you come out and participate in all the race and the festival.

Online registration and more details here: http://runfastslowfood.eventbrite.com/

Run Fast, Slow Food 5K Run/Walk

Kids, seniors, and everyone in between are encouraged to join us for the first Run Fast, Slow Food 5K Run/Walk on September 13, 2008 at 9am. This fun-filled event will promote local food producers and the restaurants and retailers that help bring local food to local eaters. The race will take participants through Bandemer and Argo Parks and will end with fun, unique-- and you guessed it! locally-produced refreshments and prizes.

This is a “green” event designed to minimize waste created during event promotion as well as during the event. We encourage participants to:

• Carry a water bottle, refillable at the start finish area
• Use your own mugs/containers for post race refreshments
• Bagasse cups will be available. These cups are made from sugar cane rather than paper and are 100% biodegradable
• We hope to learn from other “green” events as well as provide an example to other local races on ways to reduce or eliminate waste from our recreational activities. Suggestions welcomed!

Saturday September 13 @ 9:00 am
Bandemer Park
1352 Lakeshore Drive

Run Fast, Slow Food 5K Run/Walk (3.1 miles) takes participants through Bandemer and Argo Parks in Ann Arbor on dirt trails, boardwalk and bike path and crosses the dam near the Argo canoe livery. We encourage you to use the parking area off of the Main Street entrance to the park, which has ample parking and access to restrooms. You can also enter the park off of Barton Drive where it meets up with Whitmore Lake Rd. There will be signs guiding you to the race start, a short walk from either entrance.
Please be advised that our goals are FUN for volunteers and participants alike, to support local Slow Food, and to be kind to the environment. The course is not certified. We appreciate your support and understanding in making this event the beginning of a day filled with local foods and, local music.

Online registration: http://runfastslowfood.eventbrite.com/

Strides for Life

2008-05-26T20:30:00.003-04:00

Back in 2003 when I was just starting to run I learned about this event in which people ran 100 miles over 4 days. To me that sounded crazy. I saw how much training people were doing to prepare for the marathon distance and could not conceive how anyone could run close to the marathon distance 4 days in a row. The problem was that I was also intrigued. Even though I had just started running in September of 2002 I wanted to see if I could train for and complete this event. Not only was the challenge attractive it was also for a good cause. My friends Steve Wilcox and Dave Minier helped convince me that I could do it so I signed up, raised some money and prepared for the event by focusing on building my base to 40+ miles per week in the months leading up to my first Strides for Life event.

The first thing I notice as I boarded the vehicle that would take me to Hope College, which would be home for the next for days was that the characters who participate in this event were all ordinary runners who set out to achieve the extraordinary in order to do their part in the fight against cancer. Runners of all different abilities and paces take part - some for 1, 2 or 3 days and many for all 4 days. There were young people in their 20's and 30's and young people in their 50's and 60's. Most of them have been involved with Strides for many years. I would get to know them well over the next 4 days.

Even more incredible than the runners were the many volunteers who give their time to this event. If you think the runners are doing something incredible you should see these volunteers putting in long hours preparing food and supplies so that the runners only have to focus on the simple act of running (left foot, right foot, repeat as necessary) while they set up water stations during the run as well as food and beverages for our breaks between each of the days legs (the run is broken into 5 legs or stages each day averaging to around 5 miles per leg). Between legs there are plenty of snacks and beverages as well as one of the breaks where we are fed a nice lunch. Believe me I would much rather run this thing than to try to carry the workload that these wonderful volunteers put in each day.

After the 4 days are over and all of us runners and volunteers have experienced all of the highs and lows anyone would experience with all of the challenges an event like this provides all of us have a strong connection with each other and we actually walk away from this experience as family. The experience is something one will never forget and that's what draws us back year after year.

I went back in 2004 and had another incredible experience. I missed 2005 because I was working so many hours my training had suffered and we had also moved from Grand Rapids to Ann Arbor. I don't remember my excuse for 2006 but once again I didn't make it. Last year I decided to see what it was like to run 100 miles continuously rather than stretch it out over 4 days. That was for my own glory and I have a nice belt buckle as my reward. This year I am going back to join my Strides family to participate in the 30th Annual Strides for Life Run Against Cancer. This is where you come in. As I said this is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society - all this crazy running is just a devise we use to get you to part with your hard earned money to help fight a disease that has brought so much pain and sorrow into each of our lives. Cancer really does suck and we need you to help us find a cure.

Thanks for taking the time to read my plea and if you are compelled to make a contribution you can do so here: http://www.active.com/donate/stridesforlife08/timlooney

I should add that if you prefer to use mail rather than donate online you can do so. Let me know if you prefer snail mail and I will give you my address. Checks need to be made out to the American Cancer Society. I will provide you with the mailing address.

Thanks again!

How does it feel to "get chicked"?

2008-04-28T11:20:00.004-04:00

Just ask any of the 161 men who finished the Trail Marathon at Pinckney Recreation Area this past Sunday. "Getting chicked" for those who don't know is what some of the fast men call it when they get beat by one of the fast women runners. These men will tease each other if they are the one who got chicked at some event. Well it turns out that on Sunday Gretchen Gehrke chicked every dude who ran the marathon - yes, that's right all 161 of them.

Gretchen Gehrke won the marathon overall with a time of 3:19:22 which as far as i can tell is a course record for women (I checked back to 2000).

Now next time someone tells me that I run like a girl I'm going to think "In my dreams baby. Only in my dreams." :-)

Full results here.

Congrats to Gretchen for an outstanding race!!

And thanks to Randy and all the volunteers for putting on another excellent event.

Some trail running tips from Scott Jurek

2008-04-21T00:20:00.000-04:00

Sunday 4/20

2008-04-20T16:00:00.002-04:00

Well yesterday ended up being a rest day. This weeks runs got the best of me and I just didn't have the energy to get out there and run. I suppose I could have gotten in a short recovery run but somehow rest seemed more appealing.

Today I ran the 11 mile loop on the poto. It felt pretty good and was faster than last week. It wasn't exactly the run I had planned but it was a good run. The weather was almost perfect - average temp was 56.9 F, average humidity was 71.3. Yikes. I guess I'd rather have that than the snow and ice I spent a lot of time with all winter long.

Total distance = 11.37 bringing the total for the week to 40.57.

Pinckney Recreation Area is one of my favorite places to run.

View Larger Map

Friday 4/18

2008-04-18T23:03:00.002-04:00

Today was cruise interval day and it kicked my butt. 25 minute warm up followed by 3 x's 15 minutes at T pace with a 3 minute recovery. I had a real hard time maintaining T-pace during the intervals. I was supposed to run them at an 8:12 pace and the best I could do was an 8:26 for the first 2 and then 8:29 for the last one. I am not sure if I was just tired from the increased mileage I have been running or if I am just more out of shape than I realized. I need to run a 10k to make sure I am working in the right zones. Any way I made it through the run the best I could and need to try again next week to see if today was just a bad day or whether I need to change my training zones.

Totals for today: 9.7 miles, average pace 9:10.

Let's hope the rain holds off until I get my long run in tomorrow.

Time to throw away your Nalgene bottles?

2008-04-18T13:19:00.003-04:00

A recent report on MSNBC indicates that plastic bottles/containers may pose health risks. How do you know if your bottle or container is safe? Turn it over and look at the number inside the little triangle. The number will be between 1 and 7. The numbers that pose the most risk are 3, 6 and 7. The risk is due to exposure to a chemical called Bisphenal A which affects hormones and therefore fertility and reproduction. Nalgene plans to phase out bottles containing this chemical over the next several months. What are the alternatives? Klean Kanteen makes a stainless steel water bottle that is available from REI. I know there are a couple of models available from the People's Food Coop in Ann Arbor - sorry I don't remember the brand names.

If you already have a Nalgene water bottle and don't want it to end up in a landfill you can find some tips here to minimize the dangers posed by Bisphenal A.

More good information can be found on National Geographics Green Guide.

Nova: Marathon Challenge

2008-04-18T12:51:00.002-04:00

Just in time for the Boston Marathon PBS is rebroadcasting Nova's Marathon Challenge. The program follows 13 people who go from sedentary to marathon ready over a 10 month period. People were given a training program, coaching both on exercise and nutrition, had their VO2Max tested a couple of times as well as weekly group runs. The program is quite interesting and inspirational. Check your local listings to find out when this is being aired in your area or watch online.

Visit the Nova website for more information including tips for rookie runners, a copy of the training schedule they followed, tips and advise as well as four of the team members training diaries.

To those of you running Boston good luck. Hopefully the weather will be perfect.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention to mention that Uta Pippig offered words of wisdom and cheered the runners on throughout their training as well as on race day. How cool is that?

Athlinks.com

2008-04-18T00:21:00.002-04:00

I stumbled upon this great website where you can find old race results for you and your friends. Athlinks.com is a comprehensive database of race results for endurance athletes as well a a social networking site similar to Facebook or Myspace. I haven't really tried to use the social networking function but I have been fairly impressed with the number of results I was able to find for races I have run during my short running career. View my profile here.

Let me know how the site worked for you if you end up checking it out.

Thursday 4/17

2008-04-18T00:04:00.003-04:00

Today was another recovery day and I felt like my body really needed an easy day. Once again the weather was perfect, even a little warm - right around 73 F with 33% humidity. I decided to run through Bird Hills once again just because it's such a pleasant place to run through. There was a proscribed burn going on and one area I ran through was quite smokey and I could feel the heat from the nearby flames. It was only a small area that was affected, maybe about 50 to 100 yards. Other than that it was a great run. I kept it short (45 minutes) and had to walk up a couple of the hills because my heart rate got too high. Other than that another beautiful day to be out on the trails. Tomorrow is supposed to be a little warmer with a high around 74 to 77 F. I need to get in a tempo type workout so I'll be back on the roads and might hit the track for the cruise interval portion of the run.

Here is a map of todays run. It ended up being a 4.19 mile run. So far that makes 19.5 miles for the week. I am slowly ramping my mileage to the 40 miles per week range where I seem to see the most benefit.

Todays run:

View Larger Map

Wednesday 4/16/08

2008-04-16T19:37:00.002-04:00

So today was another beautiful spring day here in SE Michigan. 68F, 28% humidity with a nice breeze blowing. As a matter of fact I need to hurry up and post so I can get back out there and enjoy this weather. It won't be long until I am complaining about the heat. If only I could find a way to eliminate winters and summers Michigan would be a perfect place to live. Of course I dream about living in or near Auburn so that I can train on the Western States trail and run all of those wonderful trail races they have out there. Of course we have some great trails here in Michigan that I am lucky enough to get to run on often.

Any way, today was a medium long run with strides. I warmed up for 20 minutes and then picked up the pace a little for another 25 minutes. This was followed by ten 30 second strides with a 2 minute recovery between. I ran in to Randy Step and Rick Leedy who were soaking their legs in the river and stopped to chat with them after stride number 8. After that short break I finished up my final 2 strides and then cooled down for another 20 minutes. Total distance 9.72 miles. All this in my new Asics 2130s. It's been a long time since I bought road shoes and this Asics 2000 series still have a comfortable fit and just the right amount of cushioning. They weigh in at 11.9 oz so they are comparable with my Brooks Cascadia trail shoes which I also love.

Any way, beautiful weather for getting out there and running. Here is a map of my run which was all on roads, sidewalks and dirt roads.

View Larger Map

Here is a video for Tom Waits song Come On Up To The House. No connection to anything I posted here other than like spring days this song just makes me feel good.

The world is not my home
I'm just passing through

Tuesday 4/15/08

2008-04-16T18:53:00.002-04:00

I usually schedule Mondays as a rest day. This week Monday was no exception. I tend to run a little harder on the weekends so by Monday I need to allow my body time to recover. For that reason I like Mondays, unlike the Boomtown Rats*.

Despite having rested on Monday, Tuesdays I usually do a recovery run. Nice easy pace usually on trails. I try to keep my heart rate fairly low so I take it easy on the uphills sometimes slowing to a fast walk if the hill is steep or long.

This weeks Tuesday run I ran through the trails near Argo Pond, along the boardwalk, into Bandemer Park, across the railroad tracks and over the bridge into the Barton Nature Area, a quick run through Bird Hills and back through Kubler-Langford Park, back across the rail road tracks and then along the bike path around Argo Pond finishing at the Canoe Livery. All those words to describe a 5.59 mile recovery run. Usually I just say I ran through Bird Hills. I think I'll stick with that from now on. :-)

I'm not sure how much you can tell from looking at a map but here's a map of my run.

View Larger Map

*In case you are not familiar with the Boomtown Rats and their song "I Don't Like Mondays" you can watch the video here:

The song tells the story of Brenda Ann Spencer who went on a shooting rampage at an elementary school in Cleveland back in 1979. As an explanation for the shootings which killed the principal and the custodian and wounded 8 students and a police officer she simply said "I don't like Mondays". Knowing that this song is actually quite chilling. And this was from an era where school shootings were unheard of and such events still shocked a nation.

Training Week of 4/7/08

2008-04-14T12:21:00.008-04:00

I'm not sure how interesting people will find this but I plan to start posting a weekly summary of my training. I'm not sure how much detail I will go into but I'll try to a least give a brief rundown of the previous weeks workouts. Here is what last week looked like:

M - 5.44 miles - recovery pace on the trails at Pinckney Recreation Area. Great day to run trails - temp near 70, relatively low humidity - I love spring

T - 4.83 miles - another easy run on the trails near home - quick run through Bird Hills

W - rest day

T - 9.52 miles - medium long run with strides - I forgot to program my watch and I wasn't near a track so I estimated 7 x 20 second strides - all road running

F - another rest day

S - 7.15 tempo run through Gallup Park. 25 min warm up followed by 35 minutes at T-pace, short 5 minute cool down.

S - 11.34 mile long run on the trials at Pinckney.

total weekly mileage = 38.28

Do you want to know how to determine the proper pace to run for your tempo runs? Pick up a copy of Daniels' Running Formula. Jack Daniels is one of the best running coaches in the United States and the book is full of useful information if you are looking to improve your running. Many of us tend to run our easy runs too hard and our hard runs too easy. Jack Daniels can help you take some of the guesswork out of it so that you get better results from all the effort you put into training. I highly recommend adding this book to your running library.

Spring is back. Get out there and run.

Spring has arrived in SE Michigan!

2008-04-08T11:55:00.002-04:00

It's finally starting to warm up and I am excited to run some trails. My last few runs on the Poto have been great - I can actually feel earth beneath my feet rather than snow and ice. The past few days have been warm and it looks like we have some more warm weather in store. I think my slump is over.

So I made a couple of adjustments to the plan - River Bank is out, Dexter-Ann Arbor is in. I have the trail half coming up at the end of April which I will treat as a hard training run. The plan from there is to focus on Grand Island and then the 50 miler at North Country.

These past 2 weeks have been good for me. I have run consistently, not necessarily logging a lot of miles but I am back out there.

Thanks to all who have left messages. It's good to hear from all of you.

Sorry I've been so quiet lately

2008-03-21T00:05:00.002-04:00

I haven't had much to report on. And as it turns out there won't be much ultra running for me this year. I have decided to change things up a bit and spend the first half of the year focusing on trying to get some speed back. I want to see how close I can get to my 2004 where I ran the River Bank 25K in 1:58 and some change. That's not real fast but it's fast for me. And it's faster than I have been in quite a while. 2004 to be exact. So from now through June I'll keep my focus on events like half marathons - some of them road. Then I will run the Grand Island Trail Marathon in July. From there I'll focus on the North Country Trail Run in September where I plan to run the 50 miler. We'll see how the year goes. For 2009 I'll go back in ultra runner mode and hope to run a 100 miler. Maybe two.

If anyone is still reading - what are you focusing on? How is training? What goal races for 2008?

I'll try to be better about keeping this thing up. Does anyone care to read about me trying to get a little faster?

Winter Wolf 15 Mile Run

2008-01-21T10:05:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Omer, MI home to 313 human beings the Winter Wolf 15 Mile Run and Relay and at least one Witchy Wolf.

The Witchy Wolf or Wolves wander the Omer Plains defending the graves of ancient Chippewa warriors and attacking anyone foolish enough to venture out into these woods at night. Since no one has ever seen one of these spirit animals, race director Chuck Hilyards decided to hold an event at night on these trails to see if we could coax one of the wolves out into the open. I didn't see any of the wolves this year. Maybe they aren't as tough as legend would have us believe? Or maybe they thought the frigid temperatures would do enough damage? Or maybe it was simply that the ground was frozen and we posed no threat to the spirits of the ancient warriors?

This was my second year running this race and both years have been extremely cold. The temperature during the run was 5 F without factoring in the wind chill. It was cold. It took about 30 minutes for me to warm up and that only lasted for an hour. After that my fingers started to go numb under my gloves. My water bottle froze somewhere around the 2nd mile. All I could think about during the run is seeking warmth (and a cold beer).

ktea and Charlie ran the relay and came home with some of the unique hardware this race gives out to people faster than me.

I was about 20 minutes slower than last year. That might be due to my bout of laziness that has lasted for more than 6 months now. Elisa maintained the honor of finishing DFL. She is getting to know the course sweepers on their ATV's quite well.

If you are looking for a fun winter race put this one on your list for 2009. The wolves await your arrival.

Oh, I forgot to mention - if you do decide to go to Omer keep in mind that Omer is also home to the case of the cussing canoeist. In August 1998 Timothy Joseph Boomer and some friends were canoeing along the Rifle River. Timothy fell into the water and let flow a stream of expletives. He did so in the presence of women and children which was a crime in Omer Michigan at the time. Boomer was fined $75.00 and ordered to work 4 days in a childcare program. He appealed and the case was taken up by the ACLU. The ruling was overturned and the 105 year old law thrown out. Still, I would watch myself if I were you. It is better to say things like "It's freaking cold out here" or "I'm freezing my behind off" than it is to risk spending the night in the slammer. Better safe than sorry. :-)

A cold day in Hell - 13th Annual Fat Ass 50

2008-01-02T09:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday December 29th was the 13th running of the Fat Ass 50 held at the Pinckney Recreation Area on the outskirts of Hell, Michigan. 59 people showed up and ran anywhere from 5 to 50 miles. The temperatures were in the lower 30s, the trails were icy - in other words the conditions were perfect for a fat ass run along the Potawatomi trail. Runners were treated at the finish line to hot coffee and baked goodies.

First place male and female 50k finishers each won a "lunch is on us" gift certificate from the Ann Arbor Brewing Co.

First place 50 mile finisher received a pound of Fat Ass Roast Coffee.

John Nichols who drove in from Ohio was the only person brave/crazy enough to run the 50 miler. Fifteen people completed the 50k in times ranging from 5:46 to 8:15. The rest of the folks (including me) ignored the no wimps rule and ran anywhere from 5 to 22 miles.

We collected $70.00 for the John Rogucki Memorial Fund.

Your donations support several youth running programs in SE Michigan. If you want to make a donation but did not have an opportunity at the Fat Ass you can mail a check payable to: The Ann Arbor Track Club, Memo - JRMF. Send to:

JRMF
Joanie Rogucki
8150 Kimble Drive
Pinckney, MI 48169

Here are the results (please contact me with any corrections, additions):

John Nichols 50M 10:30

Harold Curley 50K 5:46
Jim Ulrey 50K 6:04
Dillon McCormick 50K 6:17
Rick Abbott 50K 6:20
Rob French 50K 6:29
Scott Goldstein 50K 6:34
JR Yost 50K 6:34
Rachel Post 50K 6:41
Jeff Leigh 50K 6:48
Al Durham 50K 7:05
Phil Stapert 50K 7:05
Tony Mazur 50K 7:50
Dave Ostafinski 50K 7:50
Mike Ward 50K 7:59
Tony Hanks 50K 8:15

And the wimps:

Brian Barr 5 1:30
Tyler Barr 5 1:30

Tim Griesbach 9.8 1:34

Tim Looney 11 2:22
Ktea 11 2:25
Vicki Norfleet 11 2:25
Carol Swaney 11 2:40
Nancy Y 11 2:40
Elisa Torres 11 2:42

Rich Bazzy 13 2:04
Gail Bazzy 13 2:04
Matt Bedford 13 2:04
Paul Hoke 13 2:19
Roman Krzyzanowski 13 2:19
Ken Castle 13 2:45
John Swanson 13 3:21
Donna Swanson 13 3:21
Roseann Marsh 13 3:28

Doug Goodhue 13.1 2:04
Dean Johnson 13.1 2:40

Ron Dober 14 3:30

Julie Bedford 15 3:00
Terese Grondn 15 3:00
Mark Norfleet 15 ?

Kathy Amerman 17.5 3:50

Dave Dysert 18 2:45
Ken Siersma 18 2:45
Anna Weisbrodt 18 2:45
Renee Jackson 18 3:05
Peter Healey 18 3:05
Chris Cregner 18 3:05
Aaron Cregner 18 3:05
Chris Holzer 18 3:24
Jaime Michelson 18 3:29
Steven Campbell 18 3:43
Paul Mingo 18 3:50
John Sotin 18 4:20
Dick West 18 4:42
Carol Wyson 18 7:15
Anthony Paluch 18 ?

Connie Fellman 18.5 5:20
Shawn Jyawook 18.6 5:19

Beth Gilday 22 5:15

I am resurrecting the blog

2007-12-14T13:56:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if anyone will notice but it's time for me to start the blog back up.

No Western States for me in 2008. The lottery gods were not kind to me. It's interesting to see that the chances of getting picked in the lottery went from 26% for 2007 to 16% for 2008. As the race and the sport keep getting more popular either the qualifying standards or the 2 time loser rule will probably have to change.

I haven't signed up yet but my goal race for 2008 will more than likely be the Kettle Moraine 100 Miler. I think that will be a better fit since the terrain is similar to that of the poto.

I'll talk more about other goals for 2008 in the next couple of days.

Enjoy the weekend. Hit the trails.

September 29

2007-09-28T13:54:00.000-04:00

For those of you who do not know me or my story (at least my running story) this Saturday, September 29 is an important day in that history. On September 29, 2002 I joined the Grand Rapids Running Club at John Ball Park in Grand Rapids, MI for my return to running. I had run years before while serving in the Marine Corps. That was 1982-1986. I ran a few times after getting out but not very regularly and not all all in recent years. Since those days I had managed to put on quite a few pounds and was way out of shape. Elisa started running while we were living in Chicago and continued to run when we moved to Michigan. I used to drive with her to the park occasionally but didn't run. I would bring a book and wait for her to finish. That changed on September 29, 2002. That morning I put on my running shoes and headed to the park. I was ready to run 3 miles or so (or so I thought). I ended up running out to the one mile mark. At that point I was exhausted. I turned around and walked back to the parking lot. That's where the journey began 5 years ago. Since then I have continued the journey into ultra territory. I kind of like it here. I plan to stay a while.

Thanks to all of you who have shared a mile or two with me on this trek through life. The journey continues....

North Country Trail Run (Marathon and 50 Mile Ultra)

2007-09-19T21:22:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday, September 15th, marked another running of the North Country Trail Run in Manistee Michigan. The run takes place on the Big M trail and consists of a marathon and a 50 mile run. This is the race where I ran my first 50 mile race last year. It was also the place where I qualified for Western States. This year I volunteered to work at the aid station at mile 24.1, the same aid station I worked back in 2005. I really enjoy working this aid station because at this point most people are happy to see you, especially the 50 milers on their second loop. That means they have only .9 miles left before the finish line. My job is to congratulate them and remind them that they just have one more hill to climb and a short distance to the finish line.

OK, enough about me. :)

I knew a lot of people who were running in both races but I'll start by talking about the love of my life. Elisa also ran her first 50 miler last year at this race and learned some valuable lessons about fueling and taking in electrolytes. Although she ran a respectable race last year she was disappointed that she bonked and had to struggle through the last portion of the race. This year she was having none of that.

Redemption Time at the Big M trail

This year Elisa came prepared. She trained well following the ultraladies training schedule found on the Santa Clarita Runners web-page. She had Succeed Ultra for fuel and S! Caps to keep her electrolyte levels up to prevent cramping. She had her Joe TrailMan gaiters and her Injinji toe socks to prevent blisters - a little trick she learned from reading Fixing Your Feet, a must for any trail runners library. Her hard work training and learning from the lessons from last years race paid off. She crossed the finish line in 10:32:03 looking strong. I had the pleasure of running with her for a few miles before she crossed the finish line. (I use the term pleasure loosely. I actually got to listen to her cuss about the pain in her feet the whole time. Her feet swelled up a bit in her shoes and this was touching a nerve with her, literally.) :) Her time this year was about 41 minutes faster than last year! Congrats go to Elisa on a huge 50 mile PR!!

# 200

The next star of the show is Bruce Purdy who ran his 200th ultra-marathon at the North Country Trail Run. It's hard to find an ultra that Bruce has not run including the Western States Endurance Run and the Leadville Trail 100. Bruce ran the whole race with Bruce Geffen who ran his first 50 miler! Congrats to both Bruce's on this monumental achievement.

There were so many amazing stories to be told on this day from the Big M trail. So many of my running friends from the Grand Rapids area and the Ann Arbor area either ran or volunteered at this race. Thanks goes out to Renee Jackson for volunteering to work with me at the 24.1 mile aid station. She also ran my tired butt into the ground. I could only hang with her for an hour which is pretty wimpy considering what all the other runners around us were facing that day.

Hopefully I won't miss anyone but here's a start.

Southeast Michigan runners (that I know or have met)

For the marathon:

Carol Swaney (Western States finisher), Amy Berger, Jim Debrincat (better known as JD), Linda Doll and Tim Collins.

For the 50 miler:

Elisa Torres, Rick Leedy, Jim Chiado, Bruce Geffen, Ken Arble and Bruce Purdy. I hear Zach Miller who won the race in a time of 6:26:11 (yes, the 50 miler) lives in the Ann Arbor area now but I haven't had the opportunity to meet him. It doesn't appear that I would be able to run with him even if I had. What blazing speed on the trails! I believe that was a course record. Congrats Zach.

The Grand Rapids crew was out in full force.

Marathoners:

Shawn Halloran, Ken Burns, Phil Cutrara, Ron Merizon, Dave Minier, Ken Deback, Don Yeager, Ken Lusk, Pat Deyoung, Steve Wilcox, Tom Wilcox (another Michigan WS100 finisher!), Bill Fix and Tamara Trevino.

50 milers:

Jason Robillard (who I haven't met but know through the ultra forum on coolrunning), Dan Schroeder, Ellie Herrick (Dan and Ellie first 50 miler!!) and Tom Henson.

I'll send thanks to all of the volunteers who make this race possible and to the RD for putting on another top notch event. If you live in the Grand Rapids area support the store that supports the running community and puts on 2 great races every year - Striders in Grandville.

Last but not least thanks to Mike Swaney who shows up to support his lovely wife Carol and provide support for the Ann Arbor Area Trail/Ultra running community. He provided the pictures as he does at every race. My hat's off to St. Mike.