Lake Wobegon 2018

My first marathon of the year and what a great day. I went into the race with some inconsistent training after being sick in January and dealing with a nasty cough through the spring but my faith in the Galloway method paid off but first some background.

Lake Wobegon is a runners race (it's been put on by St. Cloud River Runners), not a large field and only the marathon, not a lot of fan support but an extremely well organized and supported race. This was to be my 3rd time at Lake Wobegon. The first attempt was a DNF when I was trying to run through a meniscus tear. The second attempt went far better all things considered as I had had the knee surgery the year before and had ruptured my plantar the year before so I had some residual issues going on.

The race starts at Holdingford High School and it takes us about a mile to pick up the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail where we head southwest for about 10 miles or so to Albany, from there we hang a left, head over to Avon and then on to St. Joseph. The trail is mostly flat with some gradual grades as you might expect on an old railway bed. The trail is asphalt and we had plenty of aid stations and volunteers.

As to my race, well it started out with a problem. We stayed at a hotel in St. Cloud and I forgot my race number, thankfully they provided me a new number as we didn't have time to go back and make the start time. After that things went fairly well, I had planned on using the Galloway method using 30-30 increments. It worked well up until the last 4 or 5 miles where I slowed down by a minute per mile. Part of the reason was the shoes I wore (Hoka Clayton 2) had started cutting into a toe around mile 5 and I tried to ignore it but as time went on, well it become harder so my mental energy took a hit dealing with that, along with that I messed a bit on fueling and well I hard run 20+ miles. Overall though I was pleased. My internal goal coming into the race was to be under 5 1/2 hrs, ideally beat my time from the Pig from the year before of 5:25, realistically though I had trained better for the Pig as the year before our winter was more runner friendly and I had not been sick like this year. My time was 5:33 and I was quite happy that they got it right considering my bib mistake.

A couple of other things, for this years race for signing up early we got a pullover and they also provided gloves and a mini back pack at packet pickup and the finisher shirt and medal at the finish. Along with plenty of pizza, water and pop.

Next up MedCity.

2018 Goal

I was looking through my running log over the holidays and I was thinking about what states to do as I wanted to click off at least a couple more. I have run over 60+ marathons or beyond and have gotten through 14 states for my 50 state quest. I was also pondering what my overall goal should be for the year as well.

When the numbers side of my brain noticed something, I have also completed 44 marathons or beyond in Minnesota, so with just 6 more I could take claim to having run 50 marathons or beyond in one state. I had already signed up for 3 (Grandma's, Med City and TCM (Ultra Loony)) and was about to sign up for Lake Wobegon. So that would get me to 48, so I mentioned it to my wife and she said go or it.

I have been sick for the last week with a nasty cold so I have glanced at my options and on Monday I saw that it was the last day to enter the lottery for Moose Mountain. I debated it for awhile and thought about the fact that I still haven't been able to run trails but I have a theory that if I use running poles to take the load off the knee I would be able to do it. And I kept telling myself, what a great way to test the theory and finally run Moose Mountain. At the time, I had a fever of around 102 and I ended up deciding that entering the lottery with an unproven theory would be stupid and I did not sign up. The funny part to me in thinking about that today, in the past I would have signed up and then try to train for it and I would do it no matter what and at some point my wife would talk to me about why do you keep sabotaging yourself by doing something you know better than to do, so this tells me that I think more rationally or practically with a fever. Interesting for me to ponder.

So I am debating should I do Run for the Lakes and FANs or Afton 50k (again probably not a good choice based off my 25k race in 2016) and that way TCM would be my 50th (makes sense since it was my 50th marathon completed). Or the more logical option would be to go for Run for the Lakes or Walker and then do Mankato for the 50th. Walker would be the better choice as this would space out 3 in the spring and then 3 in the fall.

Things to continue to ponder but this is my primary running goal for 2018:

 5o Marathons or beyond completed in Minnesota

Then in 2019 I can run 4 more MN marathons and that will give me:

50 marathons completed in Minnesota

2017 in Review

How would I describe 2017, a mixed year for my running and life. I had many highs and a few lows and the lows help me keep and put my true priorities in life in sync.

Highlights:

1. Watching my granddaugher grow up
2. Enjoying the success of my daughters (they are doing great in their jobs but they are both outstanding young ladies and have been a joy to watch as the continue to grow and mature)
3. Time spent with the family
4. Surprising my nephew at the Flying Pig and running it.
5. Completed Grandma's again
6. Finished the Ultra Loony (charter member continues)
7. Won a pair of Brooks Leviate's at TCM (arriving in January)
8. Finished 4 marathons (add added a state)
9. Galloway method continues to work
10. Was able to run

Lowlights;

1. First marathon was the fastest (or is that a good thing)
2. Disruptive work life
3. Tore hip adductor 
4. Brother died in December

As I head into 2018, I am looking forward to getting and keeping all things in perspective and working to cherish the important things in life which are my family, my faith and my running which helps keep it all together both mentally and physically.