Sunday with my honey

After the great Afton Fat Ass yesterday I got out today for a run with Sonya. I figured it might be my last chance to run with her for a few weeks so I jumped on the chance.

I was not sure how I would feel, but all in all I was good. Toward the end of our 1:35 / 12+ mile run I was a little stiff but nothing to much. It was funny to run on some snow after the nice dry trail run yesterday.

After the run I had the pleasure of setting up Evan's first BIG BOY bed !!! He loved it which was cool. It was a little sad taking down the crib though.

My week of running ended up something around 40-45 miles ? on 4 days of running.

I want to run free !!!

So as I sit here and think about why I run and what I hope to do in the future all I can think about is how free I can feel running. It is a great feeling and one where I feel one with the world around me. I am hopeful to be free once more after I heel up after the surgery. I thought I would share these video's of Karl Meltzer. They make me want to go run this very moment as I see them. Enjoy !!

Afton Fat Ass trail run

This morning I went out to Afton State Park for a little Fat Ass trail run with a few people. It was a great day weather wise outside for this late in November. What was nice also was that I got to meet a few new people as well as meet a few people I have talked to via blog land. As I ran/ hiked the crazy deer trails not the normal running ones I was happy to be feeling good. I was also reminded one of the biggest reason I run these things. It is for the relationships you can have with your fellow runners. It is truly a great thing !!! All in all it was a great 3 1/2 hours of running for the day. I am looking forward to next Friday and getting this sports hernia done with and get on the road to recovery.

P.S. the topper to the day was Sonya and I taking Evan to the Madagascar 2 movie. It was his first movie ever. Fun Fun !!!

Much to give thanks about

Well I do not know about you all but I am stuffed full of LOTS of food !!! Man I think I ate enough for like 3 people over the last few days. Did anyone say more pie ?

On a different note Sonya and I ran with all the kids down at the big downtown Turkey Trot 5k. I would say we all had fun with like 10,000+ of our fellow Minnesota folks. It was Summer's first 5k ever !! I was very proud of her given she runs like 1-2 days a week at most. She never goes more than like 1 1/2 miles at a time as well. Kyra who has done two other 5k run this fall decided to run with Summer which I thought was cool of her. Evan as well rode along for his first 5k. I think we got in just under 40 min's in like 39:40. Not bad with a few walk breaks mixed in.

I am very luck to have my family and I know it !!!

Minnesota music #2 "The Replacements "

So this weeks band is the Replacements. I know the last weeks band was just put up yesterday but heck it is Monday the start of a new week !!

Just like Husker Du, The Replacements are a band that broke ground for many future rock bands all around the country not just in MN. Paul Westerburg has gone on to have many good solo albums and Tommy Stinston believe it or not is in the "new" Guns and Roses. Chris Mars put out a few good albums as well. Bob died many many years ago. I have heard rumors that there could be a reunion tour sometime ? I will not hold my breath. I try to think about a time when both these guys and the Huskers where playing live every week in town. That must have been great.

Minnesota music part 1 " Husker Du "

So I wanted to start a weekly post on great bands from MN. I feel really lucky to live in a city that has such a great music seane. This weeks band is one of my all time favorites, Husker Du !! I would bet more people know of Bob Mould's solo stuff or his band Sugar from back in the 90's. But durning the 80's these guys laid the ground work for many of today's great rock bands.

Fun morning of trails

Got out this morning down on the MN river bottoms with Adam, Paul ( on bike ) and the dogs for a little time on the trails. So with deer hunting season still going on in the city for a week or so more we figured we would be safe down there. Paul who has been biking allot on his cycle cross bike since he is resting with a stress fractor in his foot has been on the river bottoms down in Shakapee towards Jordan and seen lots of hunters. Yikes !! I was not up for there.

Adam and I had on our great bright orange New Balance winter wind tops. I guess we both where thinking if we get shot in this they where trying to hit us. It was great to have Paul with us even though I new he was not going to be getting a killer workout biking with us running. It just feels good to have your friends out there with you.

As for the run itself I was really feeling the sports hernia today. Man it was sore from the get go. I am sure part of it was because I ran with Adam last night after work. It tends to hurt more when I put in back to back days. Exspecialy when I keep up a solid pace, which is what we did. I do like days like that so I will take the pain. Just 12 days till surgery !! I am looking forward to turning the page.

The week on a whole was much like the past 2 weeks. I got in like 35 miles in 5 days of running. Nothing big but something to keep me going. I think I am going to start getting back to my weights today and hope to keep them up all year long.

Races for 2009 ?

So I figure with this down time before my sports hernia surgery on Dec 5th I should start thinking about what I would like to do race wise in 2009. Maybe that would give me something to look forward to while I heel up for a few weeks. I hope things go like last time I had this done and I should be back at full strengh by Feb 1st 2009. That being said there was a few early races that are now gone off the list and I am going to lay off anything longer than 50k till like May or so.

This is a few of the races I am kicking around. Let me know what you think I should do. I know I can not do them all but I am looking at what to connect up for a good season of races. I plan to go back to my old training with much more speed work mixed in every week with some great LONG LONG runs !!!

One thing is certain. With the girls starting to run more and with Evan's skill with the headlap. I will have some good pacers out there with me.

March- Human Race 8k

April- The Chip 50k, Get in Gear 10k

May- Ice Age 50 mile, New Prague 1/2 marathon, Brian Kraft 5k

June- Kettle Moraine 100k, Fans 12 or 24 hour run, Grandma's marathon

July- Afton 50k, Half Voyageur marathon, Lumberjack Days 10 mile, Voyageur 50 miler

August- Leadville 100 mile, Mdra 15k, Trans Rockies stage race

September- City of lakes 25k, Victory 10k

October- Twin Cities marathon, Fall 50 miler

November- Surf the murph 50k, JFK 50 miler, New York City marathon

December- Sunmart 50 miler

Lawn fun with Evan

So looking at my blog today I can see I was asleep writing it. Sorry !! Not that I am the best writer to start with but man that was bad.

Yesterday was leaf pick up day at the Deckers. Evan was great. Man that kid loves to help out. It was lot's of fun with him out there. But as you will also see all that work made him very sleepy. He slept while I got his coat etc on and all 10 miles of our run plus 30 more min's after in side. The boy sleeps like me also. He sleeps hard !!

Edge Beer cup / take #2

** Take two. You could tell looking at my first post on this I was half asleep. Sorry !! I think this should read better. Also for those wanting to know what my Edge beer cup is it is a relay with two runners. Each person alternates drinking a beer then running a 1/4 mile till each person has done 4 beers and run 1 mile. It is crazy fun.

So this weekend was a good one. On Saturday morning Sonya and Evan went out to the Chaska Cross Country Turkey Day 5k race with Kyra. Paul sat with Evan while Sonya and Paul's daughter Amy ran with Kyra. She did it in like 30:30 for her second 5k race ever. I meant so much to Kyra to have Amy run with her !!!

Saturday was also the 4th Edge Beer cup relays at our house. Dave Help was by numbers sake the first runner done, but many of us thought of Sonya and Josh Moen of team usa MN won. Sonya's team was second overall ( Dave ran as a solo with Liz doing the drinking of the partner and Sean doing the running ) but the first real team with two runners. My hat's off to Dave and Liz/Sean but it is still not the same. Nick and I where next,which was great with us !!! Here are a few pictures and the results.

( A total of 8 beers and two miles run for each team )
1st A. Dave and Liz/Sean 17:54
1st B. Sonya and Josh 18:04
2nd Nick and Me 18:35
3rd Karl and Ward 31:42
4th Kevin and Jeff 31:54

So since I last wrote on here I have found out that yes indeed I have to have sports hernia surgery. This time on my left side. Last Thursday I was given the good news. So Dec 5th I get to get cut up once more. I can only hope it goes as well as last year. At first I was a bit pissed off as I new my year was done for the most part. But in the last day or so I have gotten back to my know that this is going to be the best option. That option being this will help me move forward in my running. I have had a ok week since. I belive I got in like 35- 40 miles for the week. I hope to keep it easy over all till the surgery, but continue to run 5 or 6 days a week. So wish me luck !!!

2008 ING New York City Marathon

So last weekend was the NYC marathon. My buddy and boss Adam Lindahl ran a 2:50 marathon PR off just 8 weeks of running coming from 0 miles per week before !! Also our friends Katie McGreggor and Jason Lehmkuhle ran good as well. Jason was 6th place and Katie was 10 place woman. You can watch the entire race on Universal Sports here. Enjoy !!!

Monday I was able to get into my doctor to look more into what I am thinking it the starting of a sports hernia. Dr. Lang checked me out and going along with what I thought would happen he said I should make a appointment with the doctor who did my other sports hernia surgery last year Dr. Pierce. Go figure I knew this. But the best part is I have to take off some time from work pay the $20 co-pay just to now know I need to do what I wanted to do in the first place. This is one way we all could save on medical cost that is for sure. So Monday I will be calling Dr Pierce and see when I can get in.

I am happy to report that I have been feeling better down there as of late. Now I have not pushed it real hard which is when it flairs up the worst. I guess I will just have to wait and see.

I have gotten out each day so far this week. Getting in some runs with Sonya and with Nick as well. We are heading down to Chicago with the family tomorrow to meet up with Family from Pittsburgh. Should be fun.

Where to start

So it has been a few weeks since my last blog post. There has been much going on in my life. For one life is always crazy and changing for all the parents out there. That is for sure the case for Sonya and I with the 3 kids. Sonya and I like to think of it " organize cahoas ". My running has been pretty good overall with a few days in there where I really felt like I was making a nice jump in fitness, but more on that later. We also had a great Halloween and Sonya had a good time at the Surf the Murph 50k. She was the second woman in I think like 5:25 ?? Not to bad I thought since she does not like running downhills, ex specially ones with all the fallen leaves on them to hide the rocks, etc. I actually thought it was a big steep forward for her to want to try something like this that was going to take her out of her comfort zone so much. Nice job Sonya !!! Also nice job to the people who put on the race as it was first class and one I hope is around for a long time to come.

Now back to fill you in on my running. Like I said it has been pretty good overall. I have had many more good days than bad. I have felt pretty good running between 60 and 70 miles per week the last 2 weeks. I have had a few good 20 mile runs in that time and a few great hilly tempo runs. One thing that has been a problem as of late has been that I feel like might be getting a sports hernia now on my left side. One year ago this week I had the surgery on my right side and that worked great. At the time they felt like my left side was pretty good so we left it alone. Well now I sit here 1 year later maybe in the same boat. Man I am upset about this !! I am going to make a appointment with my doctor this week to see what they think. In the mean time I will continue to do what I have been doing till I know what I will next be doing.

I hope to get better at blogging more often but life on the computer has been a slow going as of late. When I only have a short window each night I seem to rather look up what everyone else is doing that write about me. Keep enjoying the great weather people !!! I love the fall.