Winning Weekend

I'm just wrapping up an awesome weekend where three of my teams had big wins. That's right, the Cardinals became World Series Champs, Nebraska dominated Michigan State, and the Rams upset the Saints for their first win of the regular season.

First - the St. Louis Cardinals are 2011 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS! It was something even Cardinals fans never would have guessed would happen, considering we were 10.5 games back from even making the post-season. But it's been a great October for Cardinals baseball! I was lucky enough to make it to Game #1 and #2 in St. Louis and see the action firsthand at Busch Stadium, rally towel in hand. But the fact that Game #6 is already being called the best World Series game ever only made the Cardinal's victory in Game #7 that much sweeter.

Just where was I during this fateful moment? I was in the heart of downtown Lincoln, Nebraska, at an interesting bar called Sidetrack with my mom and dad. (Hence, why I opted for the professional photo rather than the one I took of the TV image on the projector screen at the bar.) Why was I celebrating 450 miles away? What were we doing in Nebraska, of all places? Getting ready for a Husker football game the next day, of course! Yes, this past weekend I also crossed off another item from my list:

#15. See a Nebraska football game at Lincoln Memorial Stadium - check!

It turned out to be a beautiful day for a game! The Huskers dominated the Spartans with a final score of 24-3, which was also a sweet victory as there were many who thought Michigan State would make it difficult. Wrong!

Many people ask me why I'm a Nebraska fan and why I chose to make this part of my Operation 30 list. I can only say that my dad is the biggest Husker fan I know and that I grew up watching Nebraska football and hearing him spout random Nebraska trivia constantly (which he also did on the drive up there...very true to form). Both of my parents were born and raised in Nebraska and I still have quite a bit of family up there, so I've always grown up with more than a little Husker pride. That's why I thought the fact that I had never been to a game in person was something that had to change before I turn the big 3-0. I also found out that it had been almost four decades...yes, since 1973 (*insert shocked smiley*) that my parents had been to a game in Lincoln. So I'm glad I was able to share my experience with them.

It was also great to share the experience with my cousin, Nick, and his wife, Tonya, who were at the game that day. We went to O Street after the game and had a few Bud Lights at Sandy's to catch up and celebrate the Husker's victory. I'm glad we remembered to take a picture so they're now officially a part of the blog. (Woohoo!)

And I have to mention that the win-less St. Louis Rams finally got a W today in an unexpected 31-21 win against the Saints. I can't say I'm a diligent follower, but it's been a good weekend to be a fan of St. Louis professional sports and Nebraska football!

Go Cardinals! Go Huskers! Go Rams!

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Rock 'n' Roll

Well, I did it! As of this morning I've officially checked another item off the list:

#5. Complete another marathon with a PR time - check!

This morning was the Saint Louis Rock 'n' Roll Marathon that I've been training for these past few months. I can't believe how quickly it came, but I'm extremely grateful that it's over. The last marathons I completed were in 2007 and 2008 in Kansas City and St. Louis. My times were 4:18:59 and 4:10:10, respectively. Although I've been competing in half-marathons since, it's been an uphill battle to start adding distance again. Over the past three years I've battled with shin splints and exertional compartment syndrome (where my left leg likes to fall asleep around mile 5). Unfortunately, the leg falling asleep thing hasn't gone away (pretty sure I'd need surgery to fix it for good) and I've developed a new left foot issue that causes me severe discomfort around mile 8 on. Is this what getting old feels like? :-) So training for this marathon has been every bit as much of a mental battle as a physical one.

The good news is that while I may have lost the mental battle once or twice during my training, I didn't let it beat me today. I started out with the 3:40 pace team...a little aggressive, yes. But considering I can easily knock out six miles at an 8:00-ish pace, I thought a little group support could help me to tough it out the rest of the way and average 8:23/minute miles. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The group support got me through about mile 9, but when the rolling hills started increasing in elevation, my foot and leg issues came to the forefront and I dropped back from the pack. "Oh well", I said. I've always been one to run my own race anyway, so that became my mantra the rest of the way.

While I didn't quite hit a 3:40 or even 3:50 finish time, I knew I'd be extremely disappointed with myself if I didn't at least break the 4 hour mark. Thank goodness I had enough in me to bust out a time just 30 seconds better. (Phew!) Here are my stats:

I guess I can't be too disappointed with finishing in the top 25% overall or top 15% of my division and gender. Still...maybe someday I'll score a time fast enough to qualify for Boston. (A potential Operation 40 Before 40, perhaps.)

I also can't complain at all about the event itself. The music along the route was great, it was well-supported, the route itself was awesome (in my opinion way better than the Go! St. Louis Marathon route), and the weather was perfect. In case you're curious about the details, here's a snapshot and link to my Garmin Connect details for today's event:

A big THANK YOU to my awesome mom who came down to support me and take pictures during the race. She's always been great at supporting my brothers and me, and it meant a lot to have her there today.

According to my Garmin, I burned almost 3000 calories running today. (And - ahem, ran 26.4 miles, not 26.2 miles...can someone please confirm the accuracy of the route?! Kidding. Kind of...) Anyway, now to implement the rest and recovery plan. My recovery nap earlier was very satisfying and so was the recovery blizzard from Dairy Queen. (Mmm...medium cookie dough blizzard - happiness in a cup.) Now if the four blisters on my toes will heal, then hopefully I'll be walking normally again by Wednesday. Hopefully.

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Rallying the Squirrels

In less than seven days I will have run 26.2 miles in the St. Louis Rock 'n Roll Marathon. Wait - that came across wrong...not truly reflecting my emotions at the moment. IN LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS I WILL HAVE RUN 26.2 MILES IN THE ST. LOUIS ROCK 'N ROLL MARATHON! Honestly, I'm excited. While I don't feel as prepared mentally or physically as perhaps I may have in my previous two, I had a great run in Forest Park yesterday and easily exceeded my goal pace. At this point, that's pretty much all I can ask for.

I'm going with a slightly different strategy this time, trying to move as fast as I'm comfortable moving (in cruise control, of course...not race pace) for as long as I can up front. That way when factors like my left leg falling asleep and my recent foot pain issue start to bother me and my pace might fall, I'll have "buffer time" if you will, to make sure I get the PR I set out to achieve. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still secretly hoping to bust my old time out of the water. Just not going to be unhappy if I don't.

Aside from marathon greatness on Sunday, there is one other thing I might hope for in the meantime...Cardinals victories in the World Series! I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that tonight the Cardinals beat the Brewers to clinch the NLCS title and earn their spot in the World Series playing the Rangers. For a team that wasn't even supposed to have a spot in the post-season, it's nothing short of amazing. I've also been lucky enough to see victories firsthand at Busch Stadium in the NLDS (versus the Phillies) and recent NLCS. Although I did laundry this weekend, I specifically did not wash the rally towel that I obtained at NLDS game #4. Anything to help! I figure I'll do my part if the Rally Squirrel does his...

Yes, the Rally Squirrel. What started as a poor squirrel darting across the field during two consecutive games at Busch Stadium during the NLDS has grown into a full-fledged Fredbird sidekick mascot and t-shirts and paraphernelia galore. Some may know that I have a specific aversion to squirrels, based mostly on my fear of them tripping me while running or sending me head over handlebars while biking. (Seriously, they're everywhere and they're not scared of anything! Especially city squirrels.) But for October I'm making a squirrel exception and am officially okay with any squirrel with the first name of "Rally"...just so long as his brothers don't trip me during the marathon. :-)

Getting close to my half birthday!

Setting Expectations

Alright, T-minus three weeks and counting until marathon time and my tapering has officially begun. I wish I could say that I felt more prepared than I do. Compared to my other two marathons, I can't say I'm 100% there yet - mentally or physically. It doesn't help that my long run of almost 21 miles last Saturday was not my strongest. I've also been struggling to maintain the pace that I hoped would blow my previous marathon times (4:18:59 and 4:10:10 in KC and StL, respectively) out of the water.

I'm almost to the point where I can smile as I reflect on my original, secret aspirations of potentially qualifying for Boston with a 3:30:00 time. Now I know that there's no way that will happen...this year, anyway. It's unfortunate that I haven't been able to translate my half-marathon pace from last year to this year's training. I know it's mostly due to not following my training plan as diligently as I should, coupled with the fact that I need to incorporate cross-training cardio (i.e. biking) into the mix to make sure my shin splints don't return. The end result is fewer miles on my Newton's to prepare me physically for the race. *Sigh. I'll forgive myself...eventually.

The good news is that I should still be able to achieve my goal of setting a Personal Record. I just won't be able to blow it out of the water as much as I'd hoped. My new goal is to do a sub 4:00:00 time, which I know I'm fully capable of doing. Even though my training to date hasn't materialized in the pace I'd like to end up with (particularly outdoors), these last few weeks will hopefully steer me back on course. How can I be sure? I'm going to make a conscious attitude shift. Instead of thinking, "stupid hills...always slow me down", I'm going to think, "Awesome - a hill! I wonder what's on the other side." I'm going to focus on getting in miles even when the Cardinals are in the play-offs and I have tickets to games, even if it means waking up earlier than usual. I'm going to do intervals and focus on pushing myself to speeds I didn't think I had in me. And if all else fails I'm going to count on adrenaline and my competitive nature increasing my MPH on race day. (That's in combination with my flashy neon yellow Newtons and Cliff blocks, off course.)

I know I'll get there, but it will take mental and physical discipline in the home stretch. First step - go to bed so that I can wake up and run through some miles. (It's already past 11:30 - yikes!)

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Little Green Balls

That's right - little green balls. That's what we shot when we went paintballing yesterday! I had a Groupon for the extravaganza at Pin Oak Creek RV Park, so Jeff, Shelley and I made the trek to Villa Ridge, Missouri. It was a good hour drive but well worth the journey.

When we got there, Paintball Bill and his buddy, Gus, showed us around. They were awesome characters and I'm still kicking myself for not getting a picture. Bill was a 60 year old ex-military guy who had an awesome dangling gold cross earring and Gus may be the name I made up for the other guy because it rhymes with bus. (He was not a small man.)

There were two other groups there when we arrived, which was good because we got to watch their tactics and see how the whole game went down before entering ourselves. It was admittedly a little nerve-racking getting onto the field and wait to get pelted by what was supposed to feel like a bee sting or quick snap of a wet towel. Luckily the weather was nice enough that a couple of layers weren't too hot and were successful in helping to cushion the blows we all got as a part of the fun. Only one of my three welts is still visible today, but the bruise on my leg from the paintball that didn't break (thanks, Jeff) is going to be around for a little while.

Once we learned the accuracy of our guns and got pelted a few times ourselves, it was game on. With face shields on and lots of bobbing, weaving and darting from post to post, we managed to work in quite a few matches in both of the fields to use up our 200 paintballs we had each. We even joined up with the other groups that were there which enhanced the fun.

Ready for battle

Overall it was surprisingly tiring after each match. We were definitely huffing and puffing after each game was over and needed a good 3-5 minutes to recover before even considering going in again. A small side note, I do not recommend running 18 miles in the morning and then going paintballing in the afternoon as I did. (Makes it a little difficult to be quick and nimble in battle. Good news - marathon training is in full effect and going pretty well so far!)

My best bad ass stance while resting my legs. Hopefully it conveys what I'm thinking, "Don't mess with me. You will be paintballed."

Bottom line, we had a great time. I learned that I probably shouldn't go paintballing on my long run days during marathon training. Shelley learned that wearing a bright orange sweatshirt makes for an easily spotted target in battle. And Jeff learned that if he's going to baseball slide like crazy while darting from one spot to another that he might want to wear gloves to avoid slicing his hand on a sharp metal object.

I'm so glad this was on my list. It was a great time. Thanks, Jeff and Shelley for being a part of it! And in case it wasn't already etched in our memories forever, we were able to immortalize the experience on the side of the trailer at Pin Oak:

#6: Go Paintballing - Check!

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Wicked Awesome

A short lapse in updates, but with good justification. I'm now a step closer to checking another item off the list. This time it was #1 and venturing to another stadium - Fenway Park! I'm three-quarters of the way to the four more (16 total) I set out to visit by the big 3-0! This past weekend I spent a great weekend touring around Boston with my friends Diane and Shelley. It was a great trip!

We got into town on Thursday and thanks to my favorite travel ally, Trip It, wasted no time in following our planned itinerary and taking a scenic walk to lunch at the Union Oyster House. A cup of clam chowder and a seafood platter later, and we made our way towards Fenway for a tour of the stadium before the game. Our tour guide, Morry, did a great job explaining the history and sharing tidbits of the field and the team. We even got to go up in the Green Monster! It was a great supplement to the Red Sox game that night where we had awesome seats only a few rows back on the first base side. Despite the rain and the fact that the Sox lost, it was a great time and I was glad my friend, Rob, was able to join to give us the inside scoop from a true Bostonian.

Friday was an unofficial brewery tour day. Thanks to some connections through the beer biz we were able to get a special tour of Harpoon Brewery and sample some of their delectable offerings. Great experience, particularly considering the seafood chowder for lunch at No Name Restaurant. Then it was off to Sam Adam's to experience what the Boston Beer Company had to offer. Overall, not bad! Afterwards a journey on the T took us back near our next stop at Faneuil Hall where we enjoyed beers at The Black Rose and then headed to a late dinner at Strega's in Little Italy on Hanover Street in the North End. It turned out to be good preparation for the long run I was proud of completing the following morning as a part of my marathon training - 16 miles along the Charles River on vacation! Thankfully, with the running I did there was no trouble justifying the cannoli or Boston Cream Pie from Mike's Pastries. (Mmmm...)

Highlights of the rest of the trip included a Duck Boat tour, drinks at the top of the Prudential Building, shopping, college and pro football game watching, drinks at both Cheers bars, and strolling through the Harvard campus. Overall, lots of beer sampling and more clam chowder in one weekend than I've eaten in my entire life!

Regardless, it was an experience worthy of some pictures for posterity, for sure. Since I won't be able to give due diligence by posting all, here are a few favorites with a link to the full album.

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Organized Chaos

This week I don't have any items to cross off my list or report major progress, except to say that I'm gaining momentum on several...

#5. Complete a marathon with a PR time - Despite a less than diligent start, I'm now back on track with my training plan. Now I just need to figure out how to balance my long runs with some pending weekend plans (i.e. riding 200 miles in the MS150 this weekend). Side note - if you're interested in helping to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research and support, please consider making a donation.

#8. Finish my t-shirt quilt - Mom emailed me a picture of the sewn together front of my t-shirt quilt which she finished this past weekend. It looks great! Now to finalize the border, pick a fabric for the back and find a quilter to put it all together. It seems the hard work is done!

#15. See a Nebraska football game at Lincoln Memorial Stadium - I already posted on Facebook and I'll say again here, I NEED TICKETS! So far I haven't been able to get any tickets through the University or work contacts, so before I spend a bunch of money on StubHub I'm seeing what other options might be available. November 25th - Nebraska vs Iowa is the goal. Go Huskers!

#22. Go zip-lining - Okay, so this one is an admitted error on my part. Until today this item said "Go zip gliding", which somewhat confused my original intention. My intention was to ride on an intense series of cables and pulleys mounted on an incline, ideally in a secluded, scenic rain forest of some kind. That's not to be confused with hang gliding, which may have somehow been in my brain when I originally wrote my list. Now that I at least have the item clarified officially, I can focus on the scenic rain forest part.

#26. Learn the Thriller dance - For MJ and fans of a random good time, I'll be sending more details soon on how and when this will come to fruition. Tentative plan at the moment is to learn and demonstrate by the end of October. This one is in the spirit of the attitude I'm taking with my entire list, "Go Big or Go Home". I just need to decide how big to go on this one.

All in all, it feels as if progress is being made slowly but surely. It's a little bit of organized chaos at the moment, but I'm sure it will all come together. :-)

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