CaRunBi Triathlon

The third annual CaRunBi triathlon was quite an event. It was a fun race although I was expecting a bigger turnout than what we had received. Supposedly there were three flat tires during the race. One guy yelled at me to let some volunteers know he needed a pump because he had dropped his pump near some railroad tracks. I would have kept the pump with me until I was done before trying to drop some weight. They warned everyone about not crossing the railroad tracks too fast, but some people apparently raised a big stink about this to the race directors. It was a great race as always. I finished in 1:06:39, which was 4 seconds slower than last year (still pretty consistent if you ask me). I was the second paddler back after the paddling portion and the second biker back after the biking portion. I finished first overall (third straight year) in the solo division and second overall if you include the teams. The team with Paul Hetke ("Paul's Angels") beat me. He's such a fast guy. My wife also participated and finished first overall out of the females. Congrats to Angela. It sounds like they may change the route a bit next year. Afterwards, my wife and I had a nice brunch with Sharon and Gary Mikolon and Steve Schultz. I tried some wonderful banana pecan pancakes. I would have posted a picture had I had my camera with me. They were that good!

Tofte Trek

My whole goal this year was to improve on last year's performance. Last year I actually had to walk at one point in the run. My biggest thing last year is I think I talked myself into taking it easy. Not this year. I broke out to a comfortable pace and then just plugged away the miles. This 10K run is up a mountain and back on the Sugarbrush trail. It was a competitive field. Many fast runners from the Duluth area attended the race. Duluthian Greg Hexum was back from a back injury and easily took first in the race for the ninth year in a row. I talked with him for a while after the race and he had hurt himself snowshoeing earlier in the year. It is good to see him back. I kept my pace as fast as I could and passed the 5K marker at 25:06. Then it was running over boards and mudpiles as I tackled the downhill section. The last 5K I did in 19:06, for a total time of 44:11.5, which is almost 2 minutes faster than last year. As a result of the more competitive field, my better time did not improve my overall standings this year as I finished 18th overall (13th last year) and was 9th in my age group (6th last year). I keep thinking it will be easier when I get older, but the same runners will age the same as I do. Angela cut tons of time of her 1:03:57.7 time (1:40 last year. . .nice job, Angela). She finished 124th overall and was 13th in her age group. 244 people participated in the 10K event. Afterwards, Angela and I went back up to the muddy sections of the trail for some additional mud running (well, at least I went in the mud again). Both Angela and I edged out a couple runners right before the finish. You can see how muddy we got in the picture where I am cleaning myself off with the firehose after the race.

RCU Charity Classic

I learned something today. Tying a key for your car to your shoe is a terrible way to secure a key prior to running a race. This race started off great. Wonderfully cool weather. A slight mist in the air. A perfect day for a PR. I started the race off at a great pace. I felt wonderful. All until mile two in the race. The key that was attached to my shoelaces loosened and flew off into the grass. As if that wasn't enough, I then had to find my key which proved no short task. I lost at least 45 seconds to a minute searching for the key and quickly tying my shoe. That time lost allowed several runners to pass me. My time for the remainder of the race was great. I finished in 39:45, which was just 26 seconds from my PR (that's the importance of the lost 45-60 seconds). I gave up an opportunity for a personal record. Still, my time beat last years time of 40:55 and my overall placing improved as well. I finished 15th overall out of 277. My wife cruised to a personal record time of 53:14 (Congrats, Angela!). I then did the same crazy thing I did last year and ran the two mile race afterwards. I started front of the pack to start and held the lead for about 1/3 mile before finally being caught. I ran a strong 2 mile race, but also not a PR. My time was 11:57, which was good enough for 10th overall out of 245 (2nd in my age group). My wife was there to cheer me on. Afterwards, I talked with Albert Omhasa who finished 2nd in the 2 mile and 3rd in the 10K. He was fun to chat with. He told me I "have good speed, but no endurance." He told me I need to add more miles to my training. I told him I would try to see what I could do. Maybe next year will be a better year for the event. Today would have been an ideal time for a PR in the 10K. We had a blast at the race. Monte Stewart (who won this year's Aquafest run) finished strong with a 10th place finish in the 10K run with a time of 38:23.

Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon

This was one of the highlights of my running experience. A wonderfully run race which was done on a warm, hilly course. 13.1 miles running mostly along Duluth's ever-popular Lake Superior and also finishing within the beautiful downtown area of Duluth. I finished in 1:28:21, which is a little over a minute off of my PR, but I was happy to place 146th out of 5,604, which was in the top 2.6% of runners in the race. I definitely would have liked to have finished a couple of minutes faster, but my overall placing in the event was right where I had hoped it would be. The best part of running the half marathon was that I was able to watch the finishers in the full marathon. An American won this year. What's better is that it was someone who was a Minnesota native. We must be proud of local talent finishing so well and beating all the favorites who were expected to do much better. Temperatures reached a high of 90 by 1:00 pm. Even at 5:00 am in the morning as we were waiting to load into buses, the temps were 69 degrees. That's hot.

Rice Lake Aquafest Run

The Tuesday night biking group fragmented tonight as five of the bikers showed up at Rice Lake's Aquafest run and only two bikers showed up at our normal ride location. Those two bikers then headed north to the Tuscobia trail to watch the run. It was a good group. The picture of the bikers shows Brian Arnold, Ron Kay (he didn't run in khakis), Mark Bittner, Gary Crisler, and myself. Even some of the cross country students I have coached showed up. With rain hitting during the early stages of the run and the humidity very high, it made for a warm evening run. Last year's race winner (Monty from Flambeau. . .sorry I don't remember his last name) took an early lead and held it to the finish in 39:08. I finished second overall with a time of 40:14. My wife finished around 55 minutes in what she thinks was a PR for her, so congrats, Angela. The overall award for this race is pretty cool. It is an old railroad spike with the winners information painted on it. I think the railroad spike might actually be from this trail when it was previously a railroad track. Pictures were taken by Valerie Leair of the Chronotype.

See Dick Run Race

Seriously, the prizes for this race were the most unusual of any race in Wisconsin. Mark Bittner and I travelled to Bloomer, Wisconsin, for the See Dick Run Race which had options of 2, 4, or 7 miles. Runners crazy enough could also opt to participate in the Bloomin' Idiot Endless Miles Run, which is essentially a marathon distance (or however far you run before you decide to turn around). This year there were 5 people who did this (I wonder if the support staff on the route outnumbered the number of racers?). Mark did the 7 mile run and I did the 2 mile run. I finished 1st with a time of 11:57 (this is a surprisingly hilly course and the hill near the first mile of the course takes it out of you). The award for finishing first. I received an Energizer battery and a loaf of bread. I know in the picture of me holding the prizes that there are 3 kids looking on in admiration, hoping that they one day would win these awards, but to be honest, I don't get the battery idea. I will say the loaf of cranberry walnut bread was very good. I would have rather had a couple loaves of that instead.

Baldwin-Woodville Uff Da Run

This was the 3rd time my wife and I travelled to Woodville, Wisconsin for the Uff Da Run. I love the half marathon. Being completely on trail, it is easier on the feet. It was an atypical year for the 5K race. I have been used to having several 5K runners at the front of the pack running with the faster half marathoners, but this didn't happen. The 5K race was much slower this year. The speedy runners must have all done the half marathon. The race was won by a younger guy who finished around 1:12 something. I was near the front of the pack and since the course is out-and-back, I was at mile 6 when I crossed paths with the eventual leader (who was at 7.2 miles). My time was 1:26:59, which was three seconds slower than my record time for that distance. Had I known I was that close, I would like to think I could have increased the pace. I finished 6th overall and 2nd in my age group. I also am probably ready to retire the Injinji socks my brother gave me. They have been well used. I must say they are wonderful for long races. My wife also ran the half with a friend of hers. We are both in training for Grandma's Half Marathon next month.