Today the world lost another

Watching SportsCenter this morning, and how broken up the anchors are...it's almost devistating. The emotion they're carrying with them this morning is so great. All of us who watch sports know Stuart Scott, not personally, but we let him into our homes. Another hero in the battle against cancer, but sadly, lost that battle.

It's up to us to fight the battle that he couldn't finish. Please consider a donation to an organization dedicated to fighting all forms of cancer. You can go through my Stand Up To Cancer page by visiting www.teammunky.com, or you can donate to one of your choosing. It's never about one form of cancer, it's about all.

Thanks Stuart for showing your fight, for being in the fight, and for not giving up. “As cool as the other side of the pillow.”

I wasn't going to run today because of the snow and wind, but that would be giving up, giving in. Those in the fight don't give up, they don't give in. I'm going out today.

https://atransplantedlifeblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow/

2014 Year in review

Wow. 2014 is almost over. Just a couple more hours, and there will new goals to set. Records to be broken. So what did I accomplish in the last year? Well, I ran my first 10k, and did it in the very difficult setting of Boulder Colorado when I ran the BolderBoulder 10k. I did amazingly well considering it was my first time running that distance, and running at an altitude of over 5,000 feet with over 40,000 other crazy people. When it was all said and done, 404.59 miles were run over the course of 57.44 hours. I would never imagine doing something like that before. There's been a lot of people who have supported me all this year, and even leading up to this year. There's people I know, and people I barely know, but they've all made a difference. Between the daily support I need, and just the motivation to keep going when things seem impossible. People who know that they've helped me, and those that don't. Anyone who's taken the time to read this, help out with donations for some of my races, thank you so much. We're all in this together. Team Munky will continue to grow in 2015. I see good things happening.

Starting off the new year right with a 5 mile run. An odd distance, but a race none the less. My friend Doug, who helped me get back into shape, lost his father this week due to cancer. From talking with him and seeing Facebook posts, his dad was a real fighter. He was also a runner. Having someone like Doug who helped motivate me and get me to where I am now is incredible. They guy will not give up on you. It might be small, and can't fully repay what he as put into me, but tomorrow I'm running for him and his dad. Ever race I run, I try to raise cancer awareness with the shirt I wear. Tomorrow is no exception. So if you read this, thank you Doug. Thank you for all you have given. Thank you for not giving up on me, even when I was stubborn (and still am), and pushed me to keep going. I may have not had the good fortune to meet your dad, but the little you've shared in the last few months, what a man. Know that tomorrow, you and your family will be running with me. You will once again be pushing me though that last, cold mile when I think I can't go any further. Thank you.

On a happy note.....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

The end of the year

Well, the end of 2014 is almost here. Unless there's something that really perks my interest, I've run my last race for the year. And that might be a good thing. A few weeks ago, before my last 10k, I developed what I think is plantar facitis. It was pretty tender, and I thought I had done a good job of rehabbing my foot in time for my Thanksgiving 10k run. Not so much. I did good up until about mile 4 when things started to hurt a bit. The last mile was mind over matter, doing what ever I could to not think about the pain in my foot and finish strong. I still ended up with a very respectable time of 52:06, with an average of 8:24/mi (according the the official results, my watch had me a bit faster average). I'm very pleased with that, and will most likely submit that for my BolderBoulder qualify time and that should put me in an early D wave (of which there are 5). That's about 5 and a half minutes quicker than my first 10k in Boulder this past May.

So anyway, had a run yesterday. It wasn't a timed race. I was a little disappointed in that, cosidering that it was a route though downtown Madison, around the capital square, a really good goody bag and a race fee that I'd expect to have timing involved with. But what ever. It was fun. It really just made me focus on me, which was good. Timed myself at a 23:58, 7:54/mi average. So not too bad. And having not run since Tuesday, and the race on Saturday, I'm ok with it. Felt a little funny in the beginning, but really started to feel good going up the hill with a little over a half mile to go.

But what a year this has been. My first 10k, about a race a month, the goal of running a full marathon in 2016 in Hawaii with a high school friend set, times going down, and just getting out more than I have. I've returned to raced I did in my first year, entered into new ones. Bettered my times, and pushed myself to just get better. It's really amazing.

Working my way up the final hill with about a half mile to go

Finishing strong

No matter how bad a race might feel, or how much I hurt, I always finish strong

2014 was a big year! 12 races (I lost one of my bibs I think). Kicked some butt!

Baby it's cold outside

Did I miss something? Did I got get the memo? When did it suddenly become mid-January? Just a couple of weeks ago it was still warm out, nice days. Then the bottom fell out. The last few mornings have been in the single digets. Last Sunday I went for a morning 10k run and it was barely in the 20's. This morning I look out my window and see fog, freezing drizzle and 34 degrees. What's going on? Hasn't been the greatest running weather lately, and much of my running has been on the treadmill during my lunch breaks. 

After my run last week, I developed some foot pain. Not as bad as what happened when first started running, but still pretty bad. Some poking around on the internet, and I self diagnosed as plantar fasciitis. Wonderful. Just what a runner wants a week before a race. But, I've been using my foot roller, soaking my foot in our foot spa with some epsom salts, wrapping with KT Tape, and just taking it easy. Things seem much better this morning. The pain is almost all gone, just feels like there's a bump in my foot right now. I should be ready for a short run on Wednesday and the 10k on Thursday.  Once again, a reminder that I'm human and not a machine, as much as I'd like to think otherwise. 

So what's in store for TeamMunky? Right now I've got the Berbee Derby 10k on Thanksgiving. I just signed up for the "Run, Santa, Run!" race in December. I also have my eye on a New Years Day run in Madison.  Still waiting to see what February brings (as I type this, I'm looking to see what there is). Oh look! The Frosty 5k that I ran last year! March, who knows. But April will once again be the Crazylegs Classic in Madison, then off to Colorado at the end of May for another great run in the BolderBoulder. This next year is really shaping up to set some high personal goals, and shatter old personal records. Also looking at doing my first half marathon sometime in 2015 in preperation for my first full marathon in 2016. 

The holidays are coming, and so is the end of the year. I'd like to take a moment and remind you all that I still have my ongoing fundraising through StandUpToCancer (I know, I really need to update my page since they changed formats). If you're looking for a great cause to help support and fund some amazing cancer research, please keep this one in mind. 

2014 Haunted Hustle 5k

It's too quiet

Oh man, it's been over a month since I've written anything? What happened.

Well, I met my 12 mile goal. Ran my big run on September 25th. It turned into a 12.5 mile run. Finished in the dark, but I did it.1 hour, 51 minutes and 8 seconds, with an 8:49 average pace.That was really an amazing run. I'm glad I pushed myself to do this run. Almost 2 hours of running was a lot, but I didn't stop. Even when it was uncomfortable, I kept going. I had to finish. And I did.

So since that, I've run a couple of 5k races. This last weekend, I repeated the Haunted Hustle 5k. Funny thing was, I finished in the exact same place as last year, just a minute and a half faster. I also finished at the top of my age group for the second year in a row. I was very surprised with the age group win. Very happy overall.

So what's next? Nothing scheduled until Thanksgiving when I have a 10k. After that, not sure yet. I would really like to find something for each month. I know races are out there, just have to find them.

A year gone and double digits

Hard to believe that this Saturday will the the anniversary of my first 5k race. Has is been a year already? It just doesn't seem possible. It's going to be nice returning to the event that got all of this started. And it carries just as much meaning now as it did then. I've come a long way in the last year. My times are picking up. 3 miles doesn't seem like such a chore. I'm always looking for new and bigger challenges.

Speaking of bigger challenges, today I have crossed in to the land of double digits. Because this week has been a little nuts, either the weather or our water heater dying, I was worried I wouldn't get my week 10 run in. Well, as luck would have it, I could shower at work, so I got up extra early this morning. 4:15 early. Got to my starting place a little after 5:30 and took off. The sun wasn't even up yet. The mornings are getting cool too, it was only in the low 40's when I started. Just me, the road, a few cars and the geese. I was mentally prepared today. I went to bed early. Had an energy filled breakfast. The first mile was a little quick at 7:55, but soon got into a steady rhythm. Not once, did a mile go longer than 8:30. In fact, my "slowest" was an 8:21 at mile 4. And mile 10? I was really moving at 8:01. My BolderBoulder 10k time was smashed today. And this run, at 1:22:18, was hardly a minute slower than my 9 mile run last weekend. Things were solid!

After today's run, I'm feeling very good about Saturday. I honestly think I can do this 5k in 22 minutes or less. It's going to be a bit on the cool side, but that's when I seem to do my best. We'll just have to wait and see!

Today's split times

New miles and a new goal

Well, today I got my week 9 run in. 9.44 miles total. 1 hour, 21 minutes, with an 8:35 pace. Kicked some major butt. I even beat my BolderBoulder time by a few minutes at the 10k mark. This felt really good, and looking at the graph, my pace was pretty steady. I took known 5 and 10k routes and combined them. I knew I'd be a little more than 9 miles, but that's ok. It was was a beautiful morning for a run. Temperature was right around 60, clear sky, light breeze if any. And where the route was, I was able to use the street more than the sidewalk as there was hardly any traffic that early in the day.

It's going to be a tough week, with getting this run done on a Sunday. I still have to get a 10 mile run in. I was thinking Wednesday, but it looks like rain that day. We're putting in overtime at work lately, and staying until 5:30 or later is going to be cutting into the daylight with these longer runs. So I've got the 10 miles to do this week, and I also have a 5k race on Saturday. And as much as I'd love to hang out at the end of the race Saturday, I'm actually coming from another event, so I may just wait for results to post and split.

So Saturday's race is the Carbone Race for Research. The one that was my first 5k. It's a special race for many reasons. And this year, I think more than last, it holds a little more meaning. My friend, who kind of gave me the idea to run this last year, isn't doing so hot at the moment. I guess the leukemia has kind of reared it's ugly head and is really taking it's toll. Between some significant weight loss and weakness. Not to say that there isn't a chance that things could improve, right now is pretty tough. It just shows how important cancer research is. If you can help out with either my StandUp2Cancer fundraising or my Carbone fundraising, that would be really cool, especially right now.

Ok,so for some good news. I have a new goal set. I never really thought I would do a marathon. Well, I was proven wrong. Can't enter yet, but I have given my "verbal commitment" to run in the 2016 Honolulu Marathon. Plenty of time to get ready. And even thought it's long distance, I've got a training buddy. One of my friends going all the way back to grade school, kind of  gave me the idea and we're going to work together on this. How cool is that?! What a perfect location for my first race at that distance. And in December, who wouldn't want to go to Hawaii. I've never missed a goal that I have set in the last 2 years, I don't see why this won't be any different.

So lots going on for Team Munky this week, and in the future.

Those links again for my fundraising efforts again are:

Stand Up 2 Cancer
Carbone's Race for Research

Thanks for all the support that you give me. You have no idea what it means to me.