Mixed Bag

So this weekends runs where the ultimate mixed bag. I was feeling pretty run down all around in Friday's run so I was not going into the weekend on a high note.

When I woke on Saturday for the run ( after hitting snooze for 1 hour ) I set off for Elm Creek park in Maple Grove. I have loved running there in the past but it had been like a year since I last ran there. I figured with Summer having a soccer tournament not to far away in Rogers this would make the most sense. Well the park did not disappoint that was for sure. The weather was great, the trail where very nice, and I felt pretty good the whole run. I was rocking the ipod which was a great way to roll on the trails. I got in a solid 20 mile trail run ( 1 big loop ) in 2:38 !! I was very pleased with how things went considering how I felt before the run. I love the fact you can do a big outer loop there and not have to double back. Someday I would like to put a race on there.

Sundays run was lets say the complete opposite from the day before. I felt crappy the same as I woke up but when I got to the trail my mind and body where having none on it. I think things would have worked out a bit better if I had my trail buddy Paul to run with but in the end I think my body was just saying it was done. Now I do not know if this has anything to also do with it but I am at my last few days of the AltoLab altitude simulator. When I have been using it the last week or so I have been feeling so so tired. I guess you are supposed to feels this way but I will be happy when I get a break from it in the next day or so. Maybe I will feel better on the Monday night run with the guys ?

I love this photo of Sonya and Adam running at Fans 12 hour !!! Thanks Adam for sending it to me.

My picks to make the Olympic team

With the Olympic track trials strating tonight it is time to put out my picks to make the team.
Womens
800 meters: Alysia Johnson, Heather Dorniden, Nicole Teter
1500 meters: Shannon Rowbury, Christin Wurth, Jenelle Deatherage
Steepleshase: Jennifer Barringer, Anna Willard, Lisa Galaviz
5000 meters: Lauren Fleshman, Shalane Flanagan, Jennifer Rhines
10000 meters: Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher, Katie McGregor

Mens
800 meters: Khadevis Robinson, Andrew Wheating, Nicholas Symmonds
1500 meters: Bernard Lagat, Leonel Manzano, Lopez Lomong
Steeplechase: Anthony Famiglietti, Brian Olinger, Steve Slattery
5000 meters: Bernard Lagat, Matt Tegenkamp, Chris Solinsky
10000 meters: Abdi Abdirahman, Galen Rupp, Scott Bauhs

You can watch the races on T.V. on USA and NBC.
TV Schedule

All times are Eastern; subject to change; check local listings

Date Times Network
June 28 12:00-1:00 a.m. USA
June 28 8:00-9:00 p.m. NBC
June 29 7:00-8:00 p.m. NBC
June 30 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. USA
July 3 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. USA
July 4 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. USA
July 5 5:00-6:00 p.m. NBC
July 6 7:00-9:00 p.m. NBC

Western States Canceled

I am very sad today seeing that the great Western States 100 mile run is canceled for the first time in 35 years. I guess with all the wild fires and bad air because of the fires they pulled the plug. I feel so bad for all the runners who have worked so hard to get ready for this one day. Heck I also feel for the workers of the race who also saw a years worth of planning go out the window. A sad day for me and many other ultra runners. There is more info at the Western Sates 100 web site.

Monday Night Magic and beyond

I met Joe and the guys this Monday night once more for the Monday night hills run. I think this is like the 4th time I have gone with them to do this workout. Now with me also doing hills every Sunday this makes for a crazy back to back hill session. That being said I also think it is one of the reason I feel like I am getting much stronger week by week. This week after my great weekend of running I was not going to go. I was so so tired and a bit sore. But I talked myself into it and was so happy I did so. There is such a great group of guys running this. I figure any time I can get in a great run/workout with such a group of first class people I should do it. In the end I think I was at like 10 miles or so. Solid run !!!!

The next morning I drug myself out of bed and down to the MN river bottoms. I was very happy I did so and was very happy with how I ran. I ended up with another 10 mile day which was great. I was feeling more like the " old Kurt " and just slugging it out mile after mile. I think Wednesday will be a rest day. Hell In the last 5 days I have run like 78 miles I think !!!

Great Weekend of running

Man what a weekend. I have been oh so happy with how things have been going and after this weekend I am happy to report it is still going this way.

The weekend started with a super nice run on Friday morning with Evan and Sonya. We got in a great 11 mile run down by the lakes. I think we all where feeling good and happy to be out there. Evan loved all the fish we could see in the lake and all baby ducks we saw. It was a good city wildlife day.

On Saturday morning my Mom helped us out with the kids so Sonya was able to come running with Paul and I on the MN river bottoms. It had been awhile since all three of us had been able to run together so it was fun. The weather was OK for the most part since we where in the shade of the trees. I remember saying I was glad to be not running Grandma's Marathon that day since there is little to no shade on that course. As much as I like that event it is hard to get to excited since the weather has been shitty for more than a few years in a row. We ended up running like 19 miles in all. I felt super good !! I love the bottoms.

Sunday was hill day. Paul and I have been hitting the hill pretty hard the last few weeks and this week we were looking at 40 hills. We started at 6am to try and miss the heat for a bunch of it, thank God we did as it was pretty hot by the time we got done. We kept all the 1/2 mile round trip hills at a solid 4:35-4:41 mins. That was a great pace for 40 let me tell you. Even though I was cashed out at the end I was super happy with how it went. All in all it was a 22 mile day and I got in just over 6000 feet of climbing. This weekend gave me much confidence !!

It all starts with Fathers Day

This past Sunday was a great day for me. First off it was Fathers Day which is a special one for me. Not only do I love my Dad so much, but I LOVE being a daddy to my kids. I am the one who says thanks to them each day for letting me be apart of there world. Thanks kids !!!!

Fathers day morning I met Paul for a great run on the ski hill. I will have to say it was the best I have felt in some time now on the hill. Maybe the AltoLab altitude simulator is working ? I guess I will see as time goes by. I just can only hope to feel that way every weekend for the next 8 weeks. Paul and I got in 30 hills in a average time of 4 min 30 sec. That was solid !!!

Following Sunday I met up with the guys Monday night alot at the Hyland ski hill for a great 11 mile hill workout. It was better than the two weeks before that is for sure. It is much fun to roll with those guys up and down the ski hill. I look to keep this up for a few more weeks.

Other than that I have also had a good run on the MN river bottoms and some nice runs from home down at the Lakes. If this keeps up I will have a solid week !!! Fingers crossed.

FANS 12 HR

So I guess I never did write much on Sonya's race at last weekends FANS 12 hour. Reading Steve Quick's blog made me realize this, bad husband.

I feel like I need to start this by giving people who do not know Sonya or her history with ultra's a bit of background on her. Well if I do not say so myself she is one heck of a runner. She has run 2:51 for the marathon a few times. Run many fast times at shorter distance races over the years. Heck last year just the summer after having our son Evan she set 1 MN age record at the Lumberjack 10 miler and was 5th masters runner at TCM and won the MN master runner of the year award !! I was super proud to say the least. Last year was also the year she decided after watch me many times over the years run ultra's to give it a try for herself. I would say all in all she did very good but was a bit snake bitten at times with her stomach. At the 2007 MadCity 100k she was doing great splitting a 50 mile time of 6:58 when at 57 miles the 18 degree weather got the best of her and she had to drop out. Then 2 weeks after TCM she ran the Fall 50 miler in a solid 7:20ish ?? after having the craps and being sick to her stomach for the last 8-10 miles. Then at this years MadCity 100k had the same darn thing happen !!! Well after that race she got hurt and had to take off 6 weeks of running and then got to run 2 weeks.

This brings us to FANS. She for some reason wanted to give it a shot just to be apart of the day with everyone. I was not super pumped at first but felt like she knows herself and I will be there to try and help. When you love someone you do what ever you can to help them you know. But I will say it would not be the build up I would have liked.

As the race got started it was so nice to see her so happy out there. She was running great. She said all felt good and I was happy. As I chased our kids around I could see she was running smooth and strong. After a few hours I decided to take the kids to my parents so I could be of as much help as possible. When I got back it was like 7 1/2 hours into the run. She was at like 45 miles but that's when her stomach started in full force to cause some problems. We walked and she puked. That became the theme for the next 4 to 5 hours !!! I felt real bad for her, because she has all the ability in those legs but that darn tummy keeps getting her in some way. But like the trooper she is she did not give up and stuck it out till the end of 12 hours. I think she had like 55 miles or so at the end ? Either way I am very proud of her and wish I could have just a slice of her toughness.

One thing she did say was she loved to run with and meet all the nice people I talk about. Thanks people !!!

Running with my Buddies

So I went running with my buddies today. I got out with Sonya and Evan. We have so much fun when we go running !!!!

What's Going on

Yes I do know it has been sometime since I last posted anything. Let me tell you lot's has been going on in the week and a half since the last post. Where to start ?

Well Little Evan has made it through two weeks of day care. Let's just say he is not super happy with being dropped off but I think it will get better and better. The pictures up above are from his first day.

Sonya and I went two two shows last week. On Wednesday night saw the Old 97's at First Ave. They put on a great concert as well as the two opening bands I love Math and Hayes Clark. The next night we saw R.E.M. and Modest Mouse and The National play at the Xcel center in St. Paul. What a great show as well !!! I have seen every R.E.M. show in MN since 1988 so I have lots of love for them. This might be the best show I have ever seen by them. They played lots of songs from older albums as well. Plus they just sounded tight and rocking. I will say both Sonya and I where very tired after these two nights. I think we are showing are age ?

Running has been pretty good. My knee has been hanging in there. It only bothers me sometimes and as long as I have on my brace I am pretty good. I believe I ended up with like 68+ miles last week. Not as good as I hoped but not bad. I am hoping to be up closer to 75 miles or so this next week.

Epic night of running

After a sub par morning run which left me feeling crappy my lovely wife Sonya suggested to me that I bring my running stuff and go meet the guys for there Monday night hill workout at Hyland ski hill. Lets just say I was so so happy I did so. Not only did I feel OK running, with my knee was staying put overall as long as I did not push to much up some of the crazy climbs. But it just felt good running with Tony, Joe, Brian, Erik, and Arlee and the others. It was fun running with my head lamp on for a night run !!! Plus on top of it all I think I might have found my Leadville shoe. The Nike zoom trail s rocks !!! This run was just what the doctor ordered. All in all I had a good day of running miles wise with the two runs. Lets keep it going baby.

A amazing H.S. runner !!!

So after a great week of MN state high school track section action which saw great time run by many MN kids on there way to state. They where all out done by a kid from California named German Fernandez. He has run great times all year but at his state meet he out did everything else. In the span of like 2 hours or so he ran a 4:00 1600 then two hours later set the national H.S. record of 8:34 for 3200 meters !!! If you want to watch the races you can on Flocast here. There is also a artice on it here.

Playing it safe

So this was one of those weeks where I needed to be smart. After a great week/weekend last week I was very happy with how things started out. I had a very solid beginning of the week. Then on a simple easy Wednesday morning run no less than 1/2 mile from home my right knee went snap funny on a downhill. I became very aware after 10-15 more min's that this was the time to loop back home. I took it easy the next few days just testing it. Each day got better but I could still feel it. I just ran what I could each day and stopping after it started the hurt.

As you might expect I was a bit disappointed but took the attitude that I need to do what I can and not try to do to much. I would say the weekend was OK. I got in a hour plus run with Sonya and Evan on one day and two hours on the ski hill with Paul. All in all I was most happy with the hill workout. We kept the pace solid and got in many repeats. I did cut this workout short from my original plan but I will deal with it and look forward to the start of the next week. I figure this training for Leadville is much like the race itself, I need to be smart and pace your self.