Training Log Archive: Orunner

I was very happy with this run. It was a very nice day. The sun was out. The temperature was just about perfect. I got to the site a little late, nearing 1 PM. Sunday's are always difficult for me since it is our family day, and I have a large family. So I had to be quick in and quick out again.

I prepared adequately by taking my battery of anti -inflammatories. Two Aleve at 6 AM, some Diclofenac gel applied to the knees at 11 AM, two Excedrin at 12:30 PM.

The forest was open. I inadvertently found myself running a straight line to number one. It was wide open easy running. I am glad I found this out early. It made a difference on my later route choices.

Red - Splits

This is my 20th Thanksgiving Day race. I have not registered every year but I have run every year. My brother Tim and I have made the race a family Thanksgiving Day tradition. This year I made a small effort to get a group of family members to train and run this year. I sent emails to my three daughters, a niece, a nephew, my brother, and Mike Minium. Each indicated they were on board with the idea and intended to train and run the race.

Speed forward to this morning: Daughter number one is quite ill and stayed home in bed. Daughter number three did not train, spent the night out with the girls last night, and mumbled something about resting so she could work all day Black Friday. My niece has remained focused in Law School and sadly bailed on the idea several weeks ago. This morning at 4:45 AM my brother called saying he was just leaving work after an unscheduled event at work and was going home to sleep. That left just me, daughter number two Vickie, my nephew David, and Mike.

David met me at the house at 6:45. This was his 5th year in a row. We drove over to Vic's and picked her up, and then headed down to Paul Brown Stadium. Mike has traditionally met me at my house as well, but this year he had to be at the stadium at 7 to drive up on the deck and set up an Orienteering display.

It was lightly raining and had warmed greatly from yesterday. We arrived just before 8. Mike had overslept and arrived at about the same time. We helped set up the canopy and display but a thunder storm moved in and blew us up pretty good. We moved everything inside the stadium without authorization, but it was our only reasonable recourse aside from just taking everything down.

Vickie, David, and I spent the remaining 15 minutes stripping down to our running clothes, resting, and preparing. The walk to the start proved to be a problem; everyone was heading the same way at the same time. 10,000 of us arrived late. Thankfully the race uses chip starts so it did not matter. Or so we thought. In reality, we were behind all of the walkers, joggers, standing stills, and strollers. I crossed the start line at a fast walk. Eventually I spent the next 6 miles continuously passing people.

Vickie and I ran side by side. David was gone in just a tenth of a mile; did not see him until the finish. Vickie and I were together through the second mile, but then she faded a bit and that is all it took. I looked left and right and could not find her. So as I crossed the bridge into Kentucky I sped up to a more comfortable speed; being duly warmed up.

Although certainly not a banner time, I was pleased to have finished the race and having done so under an hour. I anticipate I will be quite sore and am looking forward to turkey dinner.