Madtown Half Marathon Recap

This past Sunday I ran the Madtown Half Marathon.  It was a tune-up run, in preparation for Grandma’s Marathon, now four weeks out.  The run went pretty well.  I finished in 1:18:50.  The course was rather hilly and there were a lot of turns.  I ran the first few miles with fellow pastry clubber Alex.  My favorite part of the run came about two miles in.  While Alex and I were running, we passed by a group of quiet onlookers.  In an attempt to create some energy, Alex threw up his arms and shouted, “Come on!  What is this, a fuckin’ Sunday school outing?!”  That really got the crowd fired up and I got a good chuckle out of Alex’s animated exuberance.  Alex was doing the 10k, so he diverted off early.  From three miles to the finish, I was in no-man’s land— I couldn’t hear anybody behind me and the four runners ahead of me were out of sight.  The 10k course followed the same route as the half marathon for the last couple miles so I did, however, have to do a little weaving around the 10k joggers near the end.  The race was not very well organized and at every other intersection, I had to ask bystanders which way to go.  At one of the intersections, the road went only left or right.  After asking which way to turn, the guy at the intersection responded, “You can go either way.”  “This guy’s full of shit,” I thought to myself.  I decided to turn right.  “No!” The guy hollered after me, “You were supposed to turn around at the cone!  I thought you meant which way to go around the cone!”  There were no arrows or signs at the cone that would indicate to turn around and head back the other way.  Eventually, I found my way through the maze to the finish line, still feeling very strong— I think I had a good number of six minute miles left in me.  The weather was beautiful.  Cloudy early, with light rain starting about half way through and a temp around 60°.

Here are some pictures.  Because a picture is worth a thousand words.

Sun, May 19-Sat, May 26

Sun May 19: AM. A 78 min run with MSRC on the Mendota Lakeshore Path to Picnic Pt and over various streets and paths.  It was sunny and in the 60s.

Mon May 20: AM. A 30 min run on the Capital City Trail.  It was cloudy and 60°.

Tues May 21: AM. A 45 min run on the Capital City Trail and around Monona Bay.  It was cloudy and 60°.  PM. In Deerfield, A 30 min on-shift run— ambulance stations loops.  It was partly cloudy, windy and 81°.

Wed May 22: AM. Ran ~6 miles with the pastry club over city and residential streets.  It was partly cloudy and around 60°.  PM. On the track, did 5x400m (74, 72, 73, 72, 73).  It was partly sunny and in the 60s.

Thurs May 23: AM. A 60 min run on the Mendota Lakeshore Path to Picnic Pt.  It was sunny and in the 50s.  PM. In Deerfield, a 30 min on-shift run— ambulance stations loops.  Ate too much junk food from the EMS lounge before run.  It was sunny and 75°.

Fri May 24: AM. A 45 min run on the Capital City Trail and around Monona Bay.  It was mostly cloudy and 57°.

Sat May 25: AM. A 33 min run on the Capital City Trail.  It was sunny and 33°.

No matter what the weather

Friday is heaven… Friday is HEAVEN!!

A few days ago, the weather channel on my television stopped coming thru.  Of the fifty or so channels my antenna TV picks up, the weather channel is probably the one I’d watch the most.  I’ll admit I am somewhat of a weather channel addict.  Every morning before heading out for a run, I would check the weather channel to see what the temperature is.  During this time of year, the weather is usually pretty nice.  This past week however, there has been everything from sun, to clouds, to rain, and even a tornado in the area on Tuesday evening.  All of this crazy weather has taken me by surprise, as I haven’t been able to tune into the weather channel.  And I don’t have internet access at my home, so I can’t look up the forecast online.  

Thankfully, I have found a solution.  If I dial the number “262-965-2074” into my Punkt MP02 dumbphone, a friendly robot weatherman will tell me the current weather conditions in Madison, including the wind speed and direction, relative humidity, dew point, and pressure.  It’s quite nifty.

I’m not sure if it’s the weather, or the fact that I will be running a half marathon this Sunday and my mind is telling me to “fuel up”, but my appetite has been in the clouds.  This week is National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) week.  Each of the hospitals that I drop patients off at have loaded up their EMS lounges with all sorts of wonderful healthy foods- cakes, cookies, doughnuts, etc…  And I have been taking full advantage.  Every day this week, I have had two doughnuts.  Even on Wednesday, my day off, I had two doughnuts during the pastry club run.  Fortunately, I am a runner and can afford to pig out like this every now and then.

I have also been on a major XTC binge lately.  This is something that I can recommend to anyone—you can get as high as a kite without getting a hangover or gaining a pound.  Of all the XTC songs about “weather”—and there are several great ones—(Deliver Us From The Elements, Heatwave, Ballet For A Rainy Day, 1000 Umbrellas, Season Cycle, Blame The Weather, Snowman)—I think this might be my favorite:

You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful:

And every morning before I’m awake

I walk around the world

To make sure she’s alright

And every evening, ‘fore I bolt the door

I give the stars a stir

To make sure they will spin all night

For I see people who will scratch

And spit and kick and fight

And I see nations war about whether

Right is left and whether wrong is right

And I know storms inside your head

Can amplify the plight

But no matter what the weather

You and the clouds will still be beautiful

No matter what the weather

You and the clouds will still be beautiful

Sun, May 12-Sat, May 18

Sun May 12: AM. A 2 hour run with MSRC on city and residential streets and various paths.  It was mostly sunny and in the 60s.

Mon May 13: AM. A 60 min run on the Mendota Lakeshore Path to Picnic Pt.  It was partly cloudy and 64.°

Tues May 14: AM. A 45 min run on the Capital City Trail and around Monona Bay.  It was cloudy and 50.°  PM. A 30 min run on the Glacial-Drumlin Trail.  It was partly cloudy and around 60.°

Wed May 15: AM. Ran ~6 miles with the pastry club over city and residential streets.  It was mostly sunny and in the upper 40s.  AM2 On the track, ran 10,000m in 38:54 (6:13, 6:14, 6:17, 6:10, 6:13, 6:12, 94), ran a loop around Lake Wingra in 45 mins, then ran another 10,000m on the track in 38:02 (6:14, 6:03, 5:59, 6:12, 6:03, 6:02, 87).  Running total ~30k in ~2 hours 2 mins.  It was sunny and in the 50s-60s.

Thurs May 16: AM. A 45 min run on the Capital City Trail and around Monona Bay.  It was mostly cloudy and 53.°  PM. In Middleton, A 30 min on-shift run up and down Market St and the South Fork Trail.  It was sunny and 73.°

Fri May 17: AM. A 60 min run on the Mendota Lakeshore Path to Picnic Pt.  It was sunny and in the 50s.

Sat May 18: AM. Ran the Kent Kretchmar Klassic 5k course twice, the first time in 20:52 (7:23, 7:05, 5:47, 0:35), the second time in 19:52 (6:58, 6:50, 5:32, 0:32).  It was sunny and around 60°.  PM. A 45 min run on the Capital City Trail and around Monona Bay.  It was mostly sunny and 82.°

I'm feeling terrific. Things are really starting to click.  I'm lucky.  I'm winning.  I'm soaring with confidence.  Right now, I've got everything in the world going for me.  I don't think anyone can beat me.  Just by thinking that, I might be right.

I’ve had this stuck in my head for the past week— 

XTC - Burning with Optimism’s Flames:

☺

I can’t stop this grinning

So assume I’m winning

Sun, May 5-Sat, May 11

Sun May 5: AM. At Dawson’s Cabin (somewhere between Phillips and Manitowish Waters), A 2 hour 30 min run on country roads and trails around the Pike Lake Chain— same route as yesterday.  It was sunny and in the 30s-40s.

Mon May 6: AM. A 32 min run on the Capital City Trail.  It was sunny and in the mid 40s.  PM. A 30 min run on the Capital City Trail.  It was sunny and in the 60s.

Tues May 7: AM. A 52 min run on the Capital City Trail and on trails in Olin Park.  It was cloudy and 58.°

Wed May 8: AM. A 45ish min pastry club run on residential streets and paths.  It was sunny and in the 50s.  AM2 On the track, did 2x2000m (7:20, 7:18).  It was sunny and in the 60s.  PM. A 40ish min run with the Beers for Miles group on the Capital City Trail and residential streets.  It was mostly sunny and in the 70s.

Thurs May 9: AM. A 45 min run on the Capital City Trail and around Monona Bay.  It was lightly raining and 54.°  PM. In Deerfield, A 33 min run on the Glacial-Drumlin Trail.  It was cloudy and 58.°

Fri May 10: AM. A 45 min run on the Capital City Trail and on residential streets.  It was mostly sunny and 47.°  PM. In Middleton, A 20 min on-shift run up and down Market St and the South Fork Trail.  It was mostly sunny and 67.°

Sat May 11: AM. Ran the Kent Kretchmar Klassic 5k course in 17:59.  It was sunny, a little windy and around 50.°

Night Thoughts

The night is black.  So black that I can’t even see my hand when I put it directly in front of my face.  I hope I'm not going blind.  

I went for a run earlier this evening with some friends while it was still light out.  The sky was blue with only a few wispy clouds.  The temperature was in the mid 70s.  It has been a gorgeous day.  After running, my friends and I sat outside and drank some beers.  

That was about four hours ago.  Now I am relaxing in my comfy eames chair, staring out the window into the darkness.  My old friend, Mr. Jack Daniels, is here to keep me company.  He is a good companion on dark, lonely nights like tonight.  

I feel like doing something but I’m not sure what.  It is late, though I’m not tired enough to go to bed.  What shall I do?  

Let me think…

I got all my running in for today.  

I spent a few hours this morning banging on the piano keys and I’m all pianoed out.  

I have already read all the books on my shelf.  

The Brewers played earlier today (they blew it).

Maybe I’ll watch some television.  I turn on the idiot box.  

Bob Ross is painting a picture— Nah.  *Change the channel*  

A documentary about planets— No.  *Change the channel*  

The Giants are beating the Rockies 8-4.  Nope.  *Change the channel* 

A commercial about life insurance.  I’d rather die than watch that shit.  *Change the channel*  

Green Acres *Change the channel* 

The X-Files *Change the channel* 

“Gruber Law Offices— One Call, that’s…*Change the channel*

The weather man is talking about how lovely it is in Southern California.  The weather is always lovely in Southern California.  *Change the channel*

*Change the channel*

*Change the channel*

*Change the channel*

... I get about 50 channels and every one of them is garbage.  Junk.  Filth.  Nothing’s any good.  I turn off the TV.                      

Suddenly it hits me.  I know what to do!  I’ll do some writing.  I like to write.  I feel like I write best when I use a pencil and paper.  Call me old fashioned, I don’t mind.  That’s how I want to be.

Okay, I have my Dixon No. 2 and a clean white sheet of paper, college ruled.  Now all I need is the soft tone of musik.  And a candle, so I can see what I'm writing.  Here I go…

"Words are pouring from my pencil like cold beer going down my dry throat on a hot summer's day.  I am thirsty and it tastes good.  The thirst to write is keeping me up.  The clock just struck ten, Sonny Rollins & the Contemporary Leaders are gently swinging, and the candle on my desk is burning dimly.  The atmosphere couldn't be more perfect. My mind is as sharp as the point of my Dixon No. 2..."

*crumbles up paper, throws it into wastebasket.  (A three-pointer)*

It sucks.  I'm no good.  It was all a lie.  I am not thirsty and my mind is not sharp.  In fact, it is duller than ( ).  So dull that I cannot even think of a metaphor for a dull object.  That dull.

At least my shots are falling for me.  I think I'll just spend the rest of the night hanging with Sonny and Jack and shooting paper balls into the wastebasket.

Good night.

Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders - I've Told Ev'ry Little Star:

Sun, Apr 28-Sat, May 4

Sun Apr 28: AM. A 95 min run with MSRC on residential streets in Madison and Maple Bluff.  It was cloudy then it started raining about half way thru.  Temp around 60°.

Mon Apr 29: AM. A 60 min run on the Capital City Trail and on the SW Path.  It was cloudy and 50°.  PM. In Middleton, A 40 min on-shift run up and down Market St and the South Fork Trail.  It was mostly cloudy and 58°.

Tues Apr 30: AM. A 60 min run on the Mendota Lakeshore Path to Picnic Pt.  It was sunny and around 50°.  PM. A 45 min run around Lake Wingra.  It was cloudy with a few sprinkles.  Temp in the upper 60s.

Wed May 1: AM. A 78 min run on the Capital City Trail and on the SW Path.  It was sunny and 62.°

Thurs May 2: AM. A 60 min run on the Mendota Lakeshore Path to Picnic Pt.  It was cloudy and 56°.

Fri May 3: AM. On the track, ran 10,000m in 36:52 (6:04, 6:03, 5:35, 6:03, 6:02, 5:37, 84).  It was sunny and in the mid 50s.

Sat May 4: AM. At Dawson’s Cabin (somewhere between Phillips and Manitowish Waters), A 2 hour 30 min run on country roads and trails around the Pike Lake Chain.  It was cloudy and in the 40s.