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Some pictures from the KC Marathon

So the race came and went and I finally got notice of the pictures...
Since I tackled the event on my own while Em was on kid duty, I had no photogs and paparazzi after me.  So, I had to rely on Action Sports Images for a few shots.

Check it out.

Wheaties Gear
BRD Achilles Brace
Skin Strong (in places that shouldn't be photographed)
Fluid Nutrition
Simple Hydration Water Bottle

That's the run down of the products that I used from past reviews and sponsorships.  Later on this week I'll post a long term review of these products to let you know how that have fared beyond the week or month I tested them.

But, for now, enjoy these great pictures...

Bringing it home, managing groin cramps and calf cramps.

One of the better pictures that showed up.

I had never posed at the finisher backdrop until now... I need to work on my pose.

One legged pirate pose while hitting the stop button on the GPS.

Take a look at North by Northwest

What is North by Northwest?

Operating in Southwestern Ontario since 1985, at North by Northwest, we sell adventure. With a product mix that is a blend of both function and fashion, North by Northwest is committed to providing quality travel and outdoor clothing, outerwear, footwear, and accessories. North by Northwest offers consumers an extensive selection of products that enhance the enjoyment of travel and outdoor activities

October 2012 Kansas City Running Events from KC Running Co

Featured Race   Monster Dash 5K Run/Walk Saturday, October 27 @ 7pm City Market in Downtown Kansas City, MO The Monster Dash is a fun 5K run/walk at the spooky City Market in Kansas City. Benefiting the Friends of the City Market, this event gives participants the chance to win age group awards and costume contest prizes! The Mustache Dash 5K course starts at the Northwest corner of the City Market, near 3rd and Walnut Street, goes across the Grand Avenue Viaduct and winds through Richard Berkley Park.  In addition to a spooky course, participants in the chip timed Monster Dash 5K will receive a great shirt, enjoy great Halloween treats and medals will be awarded to top overall, masters and age group awards!  There will also be a Lil' Monsters Fun Run before the race and a costume contest for kids and adults alike! Click here for more information or to sign up. Other Upcoming Races Run With a Mission 5K Run/Walk Saturday, November 3 @ 8am Colonial Presbyterian Church South - Olathe, KS The inaugural "Run with a Mission" 5K run/walk is a flat, fast course in South Overland Park that features a combination of roads and paved trail running. Participants will receive a free t-shirt and will compete for age group medals. Proceeds will benefit student scholarships for summer mission trips including a trip to Haiti through the Global Orphan Project.  Click here for more information or to sign up Wilderness Run 5 Mile and 2 Mile  Saturday, November 3 @ 9am Shoal Creek Living History Museum - Kansas City, MO This 11th annual event presents a challenging cross-country run/walk in beautiful Hodge Park that will have you running through the museum's village, up and down hills, over logs, through the woods, crossing creeks and more!   Click here for more information or to sign up    Glow Run 5K - Lawrence  Saturday, November 3 @ 7pm Lied Center - Lawrence, KS The Glow Run has gone national since its summer kickoff in Kansas City with more than 35 cities scheduled for the next 12 months!  The college campus tour is now kicking off in Lawrence, Kansas on the University of Kansas campus, and those of you who missed out on the Kansas City event or who want to do it again can get your Glow on for this event.  Get your best glow outfits ready and stick around afterwards for the After Glow party at the Lied Center. Click here for more information or to sign up Lung Hill Run 5K Run/Walk Sunday, November 4 @ 8am Liberty Memorial - Kansas City, MO The Lung Hill Run hopes to not only raise funds for LUNGevity, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing funds for lung cancer research, but to reduce the stigma of lung cancer.  Be a part of this event, held at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, and enjoy a great race shirt, food, age group and overall awards and a beautiful view of downtown KC! Click here for more information or to sign up Overrun Ovarian Cancer 5K Run/Walk and One Mile Teal Ribbon Run/Walk Sunday, November 4 @ 8am  Blue Valley Recreation Complex - Overland Park, KS The inaugural event is being held at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex and the course is a flat and fast course along Antioch, Switzer and 143rd Streets. Participants will enjoy a beautiful course that is flat and fast, age group awards, long sleeve t-shirts and great post-race food and beverage.  You won't want to miss this family friendly event that will benefit the ovarian cancer research efforts at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Click here for more information or to sign up Girls on the Run 5K Saturday, November 17 @ 9am Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City, MO Help the Fall Girls on the Run program graduates celebrate the completion of their training and empowerment program while enjoying running a 5K course around the stadiums at the Truman Sports Complex!  Participants will all get race shirts and food and beverages after the event.  Sign up today and help fund program scholarships for girls in need. Click here for more information or to sign up 16th Annual Gobbler Grind Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K Sunday, November 18 at 8am Corporate Woods - Overland Park, KS This annual holiday favorite benefits the Patriot Run Club and The Salvation Army and takes participants on the streets and trails throughout southern Johnson County.  There will be lots of aid stations along the course, and food and beverages at the end for participants in each event! Click here for more information or to sign up  Pilgrim Run 5K Run/Walk Thanksgiving Day, November 22 @ 9am Hyde Park - Kansas City, MO This second annual family friendly event drew a great crowd in its inaugural year and the beautiful course and great support made this one of 2011's best new events!  Benefiting the children's programs of the Pilgrim Center, this event will be even bigger and better in 2012. Click here for more information or to sign up

The weather this fall has been kind to runners and recent races in the area have been bigger than ever!  Thank you for your participation in these events and for your support of the causes they support.  We enjoy working with area organizations to provide the best running experience that they can provide to area runners and we look forward to making those events and other new events even bigger and better in 2013!

End of October races around Kansas City

10/27/2012                                                                                        8:00 AM  

Run, walk or Zombie crawl your way through this years Halloween Hustle 5K/10K, part of the Healthy Holiday Fun Run Series! Tech shirts, finisher's medals, costume contests and more! Stick around for the post race party for pancakes, live music, awards, and several kids activities!

 

Location: Unity Village, Lee's Summit, MO

Entry Fee: $35 general registration, $20 (Kids 14 & under)

10/27/2012                                                                                          8:00 AM   Get ready to have a "spook"tacular time for a "spook"tacular cause! The Newman Regional Health Foundation (supporting resources for medical services and needs) is putting on a festive 5K to promote health and fitness in Emporia.   Location: Emporia, KS         Entry Fee: $25

10/27/2012                                                                                        9:00 AM   Clean Air St Joe (supporting smoke-free air, cessation resources, and youth tobacco prevention) is putting on their 3rd Monster Dash!  The Monster Dash 5K is a family friendly race.Costumes are encouraged and prizes will be given out to the most creative individual and group costume designs.    Location: St. Joseph, MO Entry Fee: $20, Kids 14 & under are FREE

10/27/2012                                                                                          6:30 PM   Get ready for an eerie run through the woods as the Trail Nerds put on a Trail 5K Run on the brink of Halloween. Flashlights/headlamps required. Participants receive a winter hat, chip timing, and mug! Spooky suprises await!   Location: Wyandotte County Lake Park, KC, KS        Entry Fee: $25 Adult, $20 Kids 14 & under

10/28/2012                                                                                          7:00 AM    Have you registered your herd for the hottest new relay event? This relay from Topeka to Lawrence covers 50 miles and is broken up into 10 legs (teams can range anywhere from 2 to 10 people, solos accepted). All participants receive: post race bbq dinner, beer, long sleeve tech shirts, finishers medals or belt buckles, free photos, great aid stations, cool raffle prizes, chip timing, and more! If you enjoy running/walking (or partying) we made this race for you! Benefits Shriner's Hospitals for Children.   Location: Topeka, KS to Lawrence, KS Entry Fee: $100 -Solo, $150 -2 Person Team,  $250 -Ultra Team (up to 5 people), $450 -Regular Teams (up to 10 people)

10/28/2012                                                                                          8:00 AM

 

A Chance for Children 5K/10K and Kids Fun Run benefits our community's youngest members who live daily with the life-changing effects of cancer or serious illness. The KU Kids Healing Place helps both patients and their loved ones cope with the child's illness. T-shirts, mascots, raffles, a post-race lunch, and more should help make this a great event for a wonderful cause.

 

Location: Corporate Woods, Overland Park, KS    

Entry Fee: $30 -5K, $35 -10K, $10 -Kids Fun Run

 

           

2012 Kansas City Marathon recap - 10/20/12

Well, I did it...
I ran the full 26.2 miles this past Saturday at the Kansas City Marathon.

I was wondering if it really was going to happen with the achilles injury and lack of quality run miles.  I knew I would have enough base endurance to get to the end, but I didn't want to hurt the achilles further or have a wretched day.

Happy to report that neither was the case.  I met up with a past co-worker at mile 3 and at the half split around mile 7, he went left to the half turn around and I went right to the full marathon course.  I was happy to make it through with no issues from the achilles, but around mile 13 I was thinking how nice it would have been to be done running for the day.

Mile 17 marked the longest run to date in 2012.  Lets just say that Sunday I could definitely tell this was the least prepared I had been to run a marathon.  Sore sore sore, but got out for a quick bike ride, mowing of the lawn, installation of a kiddie sand box and installation of patio pavers.  Not rest for the wicked or weary.

With that, I'll hit you with the highlights in sort of particular order.

You have to love the creative signs:

• If a marathon was easy, it would be called your mom
• Where are you running off to?
• Run like you stole something
• You have great endurance, call me
• Anyone that says you're almost there at mile 20 obviously never ran a marathon
• You're almost there, don't poop out
• You're doing a great job even though I don't know you

If your high school cross country team is going to crash the race, don't run through the runners that paid and trained for the race and shoulder the runners as you pass them. Pembroke Hill Cross Country, I'm talking to you.

Nothing is better at mile 23 than a lung full of second hand smoke. Smoking spectators, take your butts someplace else.

I should have taken sun glasses.  Sunny and perfect running weather ending in the high 60's with no clouds.

Ran into Corey at 1 mile port-a-potty stop.  Out of around 10,000 people, who would have guessed we would need to take a number 1 at mile 1 of the race at the same time...

I ran into a past coworker at mike 3 to 7. It made miles go by quicker to chat it up until the turn off for the half.

Spectators are great, but don't yell into runners' ears to get your friends attention across the road. Abrupt surprise.

Pacer groups, share the road and pick a side.

Longest run was 16 miles around 6 weeks before the marathon.  Most miles ran in a week was 22 miles and that was almost 2 months ago including a triathlon mixed in.  Not bad for a 3:52:57 marathon, only 52 seconds slower than my current PR.  That sort of lackluster training plan isn't for everyone...

Post race ice bath, good idea.  Turning both hot and cold facets on at once to fill the tub, bad idea.

I need better comebacks for "did you eat your Wheaties?" besides, ya.  Flying the Wheaties colors will get you attention, I need to be better prepared.  ;)

Nothing better than Wheaties post race.

I cramped at 25.5 in left groin and left calf. I was running it home to the finish with people lining the streets.  The last thing I was interested in was pulling up and grabbing my crotch in front of little kids, so I ran it out to finish line and walked it off afterwards.

With that, a few thoughts about the race.
Half and full get tech tees instead of cotton at expo, and marathon finishers have to buy shirts.  Race lost money on the deal, and the tech tees were pretty good.  I can live with it.

I heard the free BBQ was a shot glass of BBQ, and if you wanted more, you had to buy it.  I didn't partake, just what I heard.

Post race had plenty of what I wanted.  Water, chocolate milk and bananas.  Check.

The course was great minus street work at miles 16 and 17.  The RD was told at the last minute that they grinded the roads the day before, so it was bad communication by the city.  Luckily the sidewalks were open, so I just ran on those.

Aid stations were stocked with people, sports gels, Gatorade and water.  You can't ask for much more other than overzealous spectators offering runners a beer at mile 23.  Um, no thanks.

The course is no joke.  There are some serious climbs in the first 7 and miles 22ish to 24ish.  Don't lay down on the training and respect the KC 26.2.  But, it's doable and a great KC tradition.

You can't go wrong with the largest medal in my collection to date...

@ruckussports putting on Ruckus Kansas City 2013, get free parking!

Free Parking October!

Sign up for the Ruckus Kansas City this
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Hit the Kansas City Marathon expo

It's that time!
Fall marathon time!

Hit up the expo for my bib, timing chip and tech t shirt for the KC Marathon.

The expo was hopping as usual with great vendors and some interesting "why are they here" vendors.

I also admit I was disappointed when the race announced that finisher shirts were no longer a part of the registration, but you would have to pay for one if you wanted it.  That was until the RD saw me lamenting the fact on facebook and saw me at the expo.

After chatting with him, he explained that the full AND half marathon people get tech tee's for registration and that cost was mitigated by no free finisher shirts for the marathon peeps.

2011 half and full runners got a nice cotton tee at expo, and marathon finishers got a long sleeve tech tee.  No finisher short for the half runners.

For 2012 half and full, runners get a nice tech tee (different shirts for each distance) and no finisher shirt for free.

After it's all said and done, the event incurred more cost to print up tech tee's for both distances for expo and scrap the finisher shirt for the marathon.

The shirts are pretty sharp, so I don't have a huge issue with that.

Wish me luck on my 26.2 mile adventure Saturday!

Kansas City marathon taper.... and decisions

So my last PT appointment before the race was yesterday...
And they didn't see an issue with running the full marathon. As far as my achilles goes, through the adjustments they have done and the work in PT and on my own time and using my truer stability shoes, they don't see a real issue with running the full 26.2 Saturday.

I've been out for a 1:25 hour run and a handful of tempo runs and bike rides, and it's at 95-97% back to normal.

This wouldn't be the first time I came into the KC Marathon less trained up than I would have liked.  I've never ran it with a true marathon training plan.  I've usually just relied on my triathlon training as a solid base and then upped the long runs leading up to the race.  I usually aim for 2 16 milers and an 18 or 20 miler 2 to 3 weeks before the race.

I've completed some 2:30 hour pool runs, so I have the time, but not the distance.  Plus, pool running just isn't the same.  It should be interesting.

My plan...
I will go ahead and stay in the marathon distance at packet pickup.  There's no shame in DNF to avoid further injuring myself.  There is also the option to turn off at the half marathon turn.  I figure I can cut it short and take it in and try to change my results to go into the half marathon group.  Hope that works, but no big deal if it doesn't.

I'm also going to wear my BRD achilles brace. If I'm having a real issue like I had the last 4 weeks, it wouldn't support me enough to run 26.2 miles.  But, while I'm on the recovery side at 97%, it works like a champ.  Keeps the ankle lined up, warm and supported.  I don't want to use the brace indefinitely, but it's a good option for these types of moments where backup couldn't hurt.

I have no expectations on time.  Sub 4 hour would be cool, but with the injury and down time, I'm not sure what my fitness will produce.  My goal is to stay in the 160-165 BPM range and ride that to the finish line.  Wish me luck!

My @wheaties made the move!

So I have found just about everything I moved...
There was some frantic searches for bike helmets, DVD's and assorted items for reviews for the old blog.  But, I'm happy to report that my Wheaties from being on Team Wheaties made the move without injury!

If you have moved a household, then you are in the same boat where your nice furniture will get dinged.  85% of our gear got some sort of mark from moving and you can's avoid it unless you pack it all yourself, or pay someone twice the amount to move it to wrap every piece in 2 blankets.

But, the box carrying the precious Wheaties cargo made it without a scratch.  All boxes of cereal came through the other side none the worse for wear.  It's now unpacked and safely resides in the Tri Gear area in the basement.

And, just to be safe, I had to try a bowl last night for dessert.  Mmmm...

If you are running the KC Marathon (or half like I am due to injury), keep an eye out for me in my Wheaties gear.  I'll have on either an orange tech tee or the Wheaties running kit.  I'll also bring coupons so you can get some Wheaties down your gullet at a discount!