Race Report: Crazylegs Classic 2008

From a sprained ankle, to increased time at work and a squirrel in the house, the spring base-building season has been trying to say the least. Normally, the Crazylegs Classic 8K run is a good indicator of my fitness level. With all of this, I didn't think I'd even be able to run. But, with good fortune and some good advice from a good physical therapist, I was able to run/walk it. Better yet, I convinced my buddy Paul to do it with me. Paul helped with the wave start so we got to go in the 36th and very last wave, "jj."

We decided on intervals of 4 minutes of running, and one minute walking. As is the norm, we went out really fast on downhill start. Using better judgment, we held back as best we could. A couple of well-placed intervals and we were through the first mile in one piece. The next rest interval ended just as Observatory Hill tipped skyward. Paul walked a bit, but we forged ahead. A couple of more well-timed rests and we cruised through miles two and three. We walked through the water stop, slammed a few cups down and kept running. The pace reduced from this point forward, but we kept things at a sub 11-min/mi pace, and I stayed ahead of Paul to give him something to chase. A quick check of the watch and we were set for a sub one-hour finish, a PR for Paul. I let him know and make a deal to run to the last hill, walk it, and then sprint to the finish. Paul agrees, but doesn't think he can sprint it in. But nonetheless, he sees the end in sight and picks the pace up for a strong finish. We crossed the line at 55:41 for about a five-minute PR for Paul.

I had no issues with my ankle throughout the race, despite spending 10+ hours on a plane and an additional 3 on a bus the day before. (It was supposed to be five total on a plane, but storms in Chicago changed all that.) Paul's shin splits held up well as well. All in all, a good day.

Couple of things that I forgot about. 1) It was wicked windy with quite a chill. 2) Just after the three mile mark at the turnaround, we noticed a member of the band running along. But it just wasn't any band member, it was a tuba player. And he was carrying his tuba! I turned to Paul and asked if he was going to be beat by the guy running with his tuba. He decidedly said no.

04/27/2008 on 10:20 PM in Race Report :: Comment? (4)
Marathon!

I was excited to see this in my Inbox this morning:

Dear Rob Beuthling:

Congratulations! You are officially registered for the 27th annual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on October 5, 2008. We are looking forward to another spectacular day in the Twin Cities.

Now I have focus and a goal to rehab my ankle and keep up with the training. It should be fun! Plus I get to run it with Pharmie, see Steve In a Speedo Chicken Suit and bunch of other friends. I'm psyched just thinking about it.

04/23/2008 on 9:43 AM in :: Comment? (3)
Presenting WIBA 2008

I'm pleased to present, along with Team EvoTri and IronWil, the Wisconsin Brick Adventure on June 27 to June 29, 2008. Don't forget support from BMC, CycleOps, VisionQuest, Sram, and Zipp.

The year promises to be as exciting and fun as ever, with a reduced, but action-packed schedule with clinics, training and camaraderie. What started in 2006 with about 15 people has grown to have its own domain name: wisconsinbrickadventure.com. Go there for all the necessary information about the weekend. It includes the tentative schedule, map of even locations, and lodging suggestions (which is extremely limited). NEW this year: We're requiring free, on-line registration via EventBrite. It's a necessary step for us to assist in planning dinners and the clinics for the weekend. If you don't register, we can't promise you'll be included in the events.

Check out the site, and let us know if you're coming.

04/21/2008 on 9:32 AM in WIBA :: Comment? (0)
I'm Loving the Training Again

Although work has been crazy busy (in Florida last week, going to Cali this week), I'm liking the ability to train. Saturday, I covered 5.6 miles in 57 minutes on a 4:1 minute run:walk ratio. And then this afternoon, I went OUTSIDE for a ride. At 35 minutes in, I paused contemplating whether to continue and find a extended loop, which would push me beyond current comfort levels. Or, return home safely and comfortably on the route I took out. Like Robert Frost, I continued on, letting myself discover my own path. I found a Rustic Road with a few bumps to keep me honest and lots of open fields and fresh air. When I got home, I was surprised with the results: 30 miles covered in about 1 hour, 45 minutes. Nice! I knew there was a good reason I keep doing this.

04/20/2008 on 10:17 PM in Bike :: Comment? (1)
Physical Therapists are Cool

Did you know that the ankle joint has the most ligaments in the body? That's what Jenny told me today. Jenny's my new physical therapist. She came highly recommended, and she lives up to the hype.

She diagnosed me with a high ankle sprain. Turns out, I sprained a couple of big ones and bothered a lot of the rest. Not only did I injure the syndesmotic ligaments that connect the tibia and fibula on the lower leg, I also damaged my anterior talofibular ligament. As a result, things are stiff and sore. But Jenny gave me a bunch of new exercises that I'd never seen, and told me to come back in two weeks to monitor my progress. She'll also let me know if I'm able to race Crazylegs, or maybe just run/walk it and forget any time goals. In the mean time, I get to continue to run/walk, bike, and swim. Maybe even some time on the elliptical machine, too. Looks like a fall marathon may be in play.

04/09/2008 on 9:28 PM in :: Comment? (2)
So Far So Good

Three days of running and no worries. The ankle has held up well. I'm starting slowly, combining short run intervals with bits of walking.

Saturday I did one-minute intervals of running and walking for twenty minutes total. Sunday, I upped it to 1:30/:30 for thirty minutes total. And then today, I extended it to 2:00/:30 for 37.5 minutes total. To my surprise, towards the end of the run, I was more worried about my legs and how out of shape they are than I was about the ankle. At the end, I looked at my watch to see that I covered 4 miles in 40:00, which is a big surprise.

Crazylegs is in two-plus weeks. I thought running it was completely out of the question. Now, my mind is going through different race strategies.

04/07/2008 on 10:39 PM in Run, Forrest, Run! :: Comment? (0)
Screw It

I'm being a wimp about the whole ankle. I'm going to work out. Even if it does hurt. "No pain, no gain," right? "What does not kill you makes you stronger," no? "Where there's a will, there's a way," correct?

It's time to run, or this whole year is going to flash before my eyes and I'll still be whining that my ankle hurts. I did the one minute run/walk interval again yesterday and it felt fine. I'm going to do more today. And I'm going to do more tomorrow. Wednesday, I will see another physical therapist and plan to get some guidance on how much training I'm capable of, how to treat myself as I recover, and how to train properly for a fall marathon (if possible.)

This all happens after I can get that damn squirrel out of my attic and walls.

04/06/2008 on 2:09 PM in injury :: Comment? (0)