12 Angly Miles

This weekend, we celebrated Kinnier's 10-year college graduation by having a mini-reunion with some of our closest college friends in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Of course, we remained committed to our training schedule and ran our long run. Today's run had some unique challenges.

First, the distance was 12 miles, another all-time high for us. Last week's 10 was a milestone and jumping up to 12 miles seemed like a lot. During previous weeks, we would add just 1 mile each week.

Second, we were without our pace leader, Dave. (We'll devote more time to Dave in a later post.) Besides the fact that we look forward to talking to Dave every Sunday, we have never had to keep a steady pace on our own, much less our specific training pace. During the weekday runs, we can run as fast as we want, with variable distance, time and speed.

Third, we had to monitor the actual distance. The Lake Geneva Lakefront Path is 21 miles, and without dyslexia, that distance was not going to work for the 12 miles required of us. We rarely notice the mile markers in Chicago when we run along Lake Michigan. Even if there were mile markers along Lake Geneva, which there were not, they probably would not help. Also, because of the distance, we can't merely run the full circle.

Fourth, there was actual terrain here, unlike in Chicago. While most of it is generally flat, the Lakefront Path had a few very steep hills and some uneven ground. It was a bit more exhausting than we were used to. There were also some parts where the dirt path resembled a marsh with all of the recent rains. It did not take long for our shoes and socks to get saturated.

In the end, the run went pretty well. We had a lot of help from one of our college friends, Heather. As our team name indicates, we might be runners. She actually is a runner. She joined us on our run -- she's one of the friends at the reunion. She was equipped with a Garmin Forerunner, which monitors distance with the assistance of satellite communications. She also led us for most of the run. It was also nice to have some time to catch up some more and we talked while we ran.

The Lakefront Path is interesting because as a right-of-way, it follows the lake shore through private property. On the path, there were some of the most beautiful homes we had ever seen. Some of the mansions made us feel like we were running through a Merchant Ivory film. Kinnier tried drinking from his water bottle with his pinkie raised and hoped to run into Helena Bonham Carter. (She never appeared and might be busy filming the next Harry Potter film.) The change in scenery definitely made the run feel new and helped motivate us even on the hills. The actual marathon will be in totally new surroundings, so it's probably good that we get away from our crutch of Lake Michigan from time to time. We made it pretty close to our desired pace even though we started out at a pace 20 seconds per mile slower during the first half.

Statistics:
Distance: 12.0 miles
Start Time: 7:12 a.m.
Time: 2:20:11
Location: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Maximum HR: 159
Average HR: 141
Money Raised to Date: $1597
Days until Race: 107

Double Ds

Not Daredevil, Double Dare, or a reference to the size of apparel. We hit double-digit mileage. We ran 10 miles last Sunday morning. Like the big birthdays that end in zero, this run was more special as our first time into that realm of long distance.

Our pace group had some new additions last weekend. The three had switched from the Saturday group run for various reasons, but they immediately agreed that the Sunday runners seemed more casual and relaxed. From what we hear, the Saturday runners are hardcore and very strict. Fortunately, we have not had to experience their Gestapo (or Don'tstopo or some more clever pun) tactics. Kinnier tried to assure them that at least the rest of our pace group was full of nice, friendly people. He further agreed that it made sense that so many in our pace group were relaxed since it fit with the whole Amsterdam theme.

We ran along the lakefront from Foster Avenue (our weekly starting point) south, to just past the North Avenue bridge and then back up. It rained on us for a little while, but the precipitation was light and cooled us nicely. The temperature warmed up quickly once the sun broke through, and we had missed the drizzle.

Kinnier tried Clif Shot Blocs for only the second time and Jennifer tried them for the first. We had the Cran-Razz flavor. Unlike the salty flavor of the margarita ones Kinnier had last week, this one actually tasted like a gummi bear. Future purchases will definitely include those. http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks/1260 They wash down well with water and really gave us a boost during miles 6 through 9.

Statistics:
Distance: 10.0 miles
Start Time: 7:18 a.m.
Time: 1:51:16
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Maximum HR: 159
Average HR: 136
Money Raised to Date: $1385
Days until Race: 112
CKL Weight: 150.0 lbs

Friday Night Sights

Update from CKL:

After work, I stopped to get my haircut at Guise Chic, the most recent They Might Be Runners supporter (http://www.guisechic.com/). Afterwards, I came home and changed for my run as Jennifer's schedule required separate runs. It had been raining earlier so I had anticipated the treadmill at our gym, XSport Fitness. (By the way, for prospective members, XSport neither readies you for extreme sports nor does it offer anything beyond PG-13 visuals.) Fortunately, the sky had cleared and the temperature dropped to a cool temperature. I ran around the neighborhood in optimal conditions and enjoyed the people-watching as I ran.

No neighborhood run is complete without passage on Southport Avenue, one of Kinnier's favorite streets in all of Chicago. As it was Friday night, all the beautiful people were out and about, decked in smart outfits and dining al fresco. In contrast, I was sweating and hungry. As for my ensemble, I was wearing my bright yellow AIDS Marathon tech shirt (bright colors are good at night), a pair of navy athletic shorts (more than 10 years old and from Abercrombie & Fitch). In other words, I fit right in with them.

I also wore my Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 running shoes (http://www.rei.com/product/764060). A coincidental benefit last night was that the yellow tri-stripe matched the shirt perfectly. I have been wearing Adidas Supernovas (either the classic model or, more recently, the cushion model) for almost exactly 10 years. The Supernovas have a wider footbox and just fit me really well. I use them almost exclusively during my short weekday runs. (I wear a pair of Brooks running shoes during my long weekend runs.) My parents bought me my first pair on the night of my college graduation on June 19, 1998. I am concerned because I hear that Adidas might discontinue the classic model. Like with so many things, I have trouble saying goodbye. Maybe I should have had a party for my first pair, which sits in a box in our den ready to donate or recycle. We could have had a joint party for cousin Simon, whose birthday was that night. (Thanks, Simon, for being the first family member to join the team.)

Anyway, I ran by Wrigley Field, but because the afternoon 9th-inning win against the White Sox was over, people had migrated to the bars. One of my best friends from law school moved from Lincoln Park to Lakeview last weekend. I decided to run to his place and maybe say hello for a second. Unless I remembered his address incorrectly, his name was not the buzzer chart so I never found out if he was there. Instead, I ran back to Ashland and stopped by the gym to do a few stations of strength training.

Statistics:
Distance: 3.70 miles
Start Time: 8:14 p.m.
Time: 34:22
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Maximum HR: 167
Average HR: 146
Money Raised to Date: $1185
Days until Race: 114

Sauced

Update from CKL:

As background, my typical training schedule includes three runs a week.

Long runs on Sunday (this coming Sunday for 10 miles).
Short runs on Tuesday and Thursday (usually between 4.0 and 4.5 miles).
When time and energy allows, a separate workout on Friday.
On some, but not quite most, Mondays, I play softball on the Legal Aid Chicago team (as an officer of the Chicago Bar Foundation junior board).
Tuesday and Friday usually include some light strength training.
(During the week, Jennifer and I sometimes workout separately.)

My schedule has been extremely tight during the past couple of weeks, and this week, I was forced to postpone my Tuesday run to Wednesday. However, on Wednesday, I attended a work function. I had planned to stay until 8 p.m., but the reception lasted longer than I expected. I enjoyed the reception and had a couple of cocktails named Hot Sauce. The Hot Sauce is similar to a bloody mary and served right to the brim in a martini glass. The menu at the Fulton Lounge http://www.fultonlounge.com/ describes the drink:

Spicy and sassy is this potent blend of olive juice, tabasco, worchester, tomato juice, Guinness and Absolut Pepper. Served in a lemon, salt, pepper and celery salt rimmed glass and garnished with bleu cheese olives.

It also came with a lime wedge. It is salty (in a good way) and a little spicy. The olives are some of the best I have ever had. I had previously enjoyed the drink during my last visit in December 2007 so I stuck with it last night. In part I figured that it was almost like drinking a V-8, so it would actually be healthful and promote my training. I also drank water in addition to the few cocktails during the reception. Fortunately, I had eaten something at the office before the reception including a lot of blueberries courtesy of Nick.

Early in the evening, some had heard about my plans to run that night. Some were surprised/impressed by the apparent dedication. Some doubted that I would run, and as the minutes passed 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and so on, I began to have my doubts too. While I did not stay until the end, I left at 9:15 p.m. I took a cab home, enjoying a liter of water that I had packed in my Nalgene bottle in anticipation. After I got home, I had a few bites to eat, changed quickly, and ran out the door. While I did not run more than 4 miles, as I typically do, I am glad that I got the run in. After I got home, I stretched while I ate a bit more. Then I showered and went to bed early enough to comply with the 6 a.m. alarm. I felt good this morning and was glad to have gone.

Statistics:
Distance: 3.25 miles
Start Time: 9:42 p.m.
Time: 30:31
Maximum HR: 144
Average HR: 135
Money Raised to Date: $1085
Days until Race: 116
CKL Weight: 151.5 lbs

9 Mile

Today, our training schedule had us run nine (9) miles. Although we felt some fatigue after the eight-mile run last week, we were excited by the challenge to take the mic in Eminiem's absence for the sequel to 8 Mile. The temperature was milder than last week. On the positive side, the clouds along the lakeshore shadowed us. On the negative side, it rained on us during almost the entire run. At least the occasional lightning helped illuminate the running trail. Our shoes and clothes got soaked before too long, but we did not suffer any blisters. Just as our Smartwool hiking socks always have, our Smartwool PhD running socks performed for us. The merino wool blend socks are well cushioned and stay cool on hot days too.

During the run, Kinnier tried his Clif Shot Blocs for the first time. They are basically giant gummi bears (minus the animal shape), high in sugar and electrolytes to help sustain energy. The flavor of the day was margarita, and the bloc tasted surprisingly close, including the salt. With Lake Michigan beside us, the run was just like hanging out at a beach resort.

We finished on pace (our conversational, training pace) and felt pretty good afterwards. We'll see how the rest of the day goes, but we' re looking forward to a lot of protein today. We have already had our weekly three-egg omelet with a Mexican cheese blend and salsa verde. Our post-run snacks at the site included: cherries, half an orange, a handful of pretzels and a sesame bagel and plain bagel. Tonight, we will most likely cash in a gift certificate at Jury's, http://www.jurysrestaurant.com/, and share a large bowl of chili with cheddar cheese and onions, and each eat a half-pounder cheddar burger (medium with lettuce, tomato, and raw onions). Jennifer will have a pasta salad as her side. Kinnier will have french fries, with lots of yellow mustard.

Statistics:
Distance: 9.0 miles
Start Time: 7:18 a.m.
Time: 1:42:39
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Maximum HR: 151
Average HR: 129
Money Raised to Date: $920
Days until Race: 119