Training Log Archive: ziggyr

MNOC--Tamarack Night O

Nice night for orienteering. First off, I am happy we finished the red course. We have had issues the last couple of years like going for the wrong point and getting to it before we realized our mistake. My favorite was getting completely turned around at Sunfish in the fog. The orienteering event saturday was really only plagued with getting to CP1 the first time. It seems a significant number of individuals struggle with it. So, I would say CP1 was a GREAT choice for a mass start. It spread us out. Keeping the flags low at night added some additional challenge. I walked within 5 feet of the CP up by 35. I was not using the compass just the contours. I had to come back to it. Nice little depression to hide it in. It was a good night and a good event.

C • Red CP1 8

Good retrieval. Did not get lost going to get the CPs.

Red A - Splits

Marathon Question:

I am curious as to what ya'll think. We all know that conditions for the Twin Cities Marathon made the run a bit more difficult. Some people did set PRs. A lot of people dropped and some were treated for heat exhaustion.

So I am watching the news especially when it comes to the most recent Marathons. The TCM rules state that if you do not cross the finish line in 6 hours that you will not receive a finishers shirt or a medal. I do not know if that is clock or elapsed (I know a couple of people that have had to fight over the difference. I would argue it should be elapsed (worst case that means a clock time of 6:10.

So, TCM kept the course open for one more runner to be an official finisher at a clock of 6:16. But the guy indicated he was over a 6 hour elapse time. Nice gesture by TCM maybe. An older lady ( a neighbors mother) that I took with to the train station was just hoping to finish. She finished at 6:19. Thus, no soup for you; no medal; no shirt. I talked to her that night and suprisingly she was okay with it. She knew the rules and was willing to live by the rules. After watching the news, was she robed. I was a little miffed but could justify it a bit.

Then this morning on the news I learn of a women that collapsed in the last .2 miles from heat exhaustion. She wants her finishers medal and shirt. TCM says that they are looking into what they can do. Sounds like they are going to give her the medal and shirt. Personally, I would not want it because I did not finish.

If TCM does give her the medal, what about the people that crossed at 6:19,6:20, 6:21 clock. Do they get a medal becuase they were smart enough to slow down and not collapse?

I personally would like to the individuals that attempted the marathon get a shirt and only the true finishers get a medal.

I think this erks me more because I manage 40-50 people in addition to doing some races. As a manager, rules need to be very well defined and executed. But there business needs to make exceptions. So what should TCM do? Will this bring on more appeals.

I feel for everybody that had to quit or did not make it across. It is tough to meet a goal. But is right to give you medal that says completed it just because you tried hard. I am okay with giving out you tried hard medals if that is what they are. The scientist and manager are getting the best of me on this.

C • Interesting thoughts 3

Why to be an outdoor sports example for your kids? The discussion in our goes as follows
Child 1: I finished my rookie book
Child 1:c7xd8=N#
Dad: OK (with a puzzle look)
Child 1: that was cool
Dad: Uh... Good Job
Child 2: Lets set it up on the board
Child 1: Cool

I want to raise Nerds that are active. And you what it means if you understand c7xd8=N#.... If not ask them at Nerstrand.

Started getting things to loosen.

Twin Cities Marathon
The day is here. It looks like the rain will hold off. Good luck to everyone running today. Thanks to all the people I have run with this year Kari, Steve, Molly, Justin, Jim, Arun, Darrell, and the many people on the road that either chased me or I chased them

C • bad break! 6

I knew by mile 3 that it was going to be tough becasuse I felt the first hill. By Mile 6, I was starting to worry about water and my core temperature was already to high. I knew there was no chance of a 4:00 marathon. Thus, I started pulling back even more figuring that I could hit 4:30 for an overall time. By the time I had reached mile 15, I was thinking only about finishing and not becoming a casuality. I watched runners literally fall over. At each water stop, I would walk through the stop drink one poweraid (Yuck!), drink one water and dump another one on my head. I ran through a lot of sprinklers, many thanks to all the spectators. I would rub ice on my head and neck several times after mile 17. The race for me became more about finishing not about time.

I was thankful for all the conditioning through the year and for number of extremly hot Adventure races including the MNOC practice race in 2006. Racing and training when it was hot/humid did give me the mental strength to focus on finishing--not time and to keep going while watching my body. I am thankful I packed my E-caps pharmacy. The endurolytes, race caps and anti-fatigue caps were life savers. I still hate gels.

The spectators were a real help this year and it was nice to see people I knew either running or supporting runners. Without the sprinklers and ice, I would have been even slower.

After all is said and done, I am happy that I finished. It was truly a mental accomplishment to have finished the marathon.

An intensity of 4 only because of the dew point.