Beer on the deck

Well, we sure are thinking of our comrades on the road. We had showers back at the house Scott and the others rented in Grand Bend. Went to get beer and food, and now enjoying both! It is 11:25 and the weather is very pleasant on the back deck.
While we were at the beer store Nic called to say he had a great run and had put over 3 min on the Mud Sharks. And Art was running really well at that point too. So we are thinking of the - and raise a glass of beer to them.
But we will be heading out on the course as we have to deliver 3 runners for the last 3 legs. Stephen, Warren, and Andrew need to run their last legs which will make number 4 for them!
Having fun!!!

Chris Duke

End of stage 4 stats

After 256 km, we are 4th overall and 2nd in the 40+ category.
Cumulative time 18:19:30 with an average pace of 4:17/km.
We just finished the 4th stage and there are 2 more. The Mud Sharks are 30min on us, they are a young team, but fast. However they only have 6 members so they have to run 6 legs each, and they would be getting very little or no sleep. Now we have some fast runners heading out too.
But now I'm done, as are several others on the team.
The breakfast of pancakes and sausage was excellent but the coffee was gross. Now we are heading to the finish to shower and get bevvies for the team.
Then we'll head to the finishline to meet our team and run in together.
The sun came up during my run - morning broke with sun shining through low clouds that were breaking up quickly. But is us starting to warm up and the humidity was very high after the rainstorm last night.
Over breakfast we all got together (except for the few guys who were asleep in the tent) and told stories about running in the rain and how little sleep we got. A great bunch of guys.

Chris Duke

My morning run (last leg)

stephen had a great run, as did andrew. Warren also ran well but for his 11k leg said his legs felt like jello. Scott is out running now, at 8k. Working hard. No doubt will be cussing when he hands off to me though.
I've been warming up every 2k when we give water to Scott, but my diaphram muscles are cramping each time. I'll have to start off slower and ramp up the pace so I get my gut into shape.
I'm up in about 2km!

Chris Duke

Start of stage 4

Thand goodness that we got some shut eye. We got to the St Clair river park after midnight while van 1 was still out on the course. They were running throght the wee hours of the morning. In the pouring rain.
We got 'comfortable' in our van chairs and actually slept for about 3 hours.
We woke up at 3:10. The storm has passed. Nicer than last year when we got 5min sleep.
We had stopped in the park and it had a washroom. It was so nice to wash my face and brush my teeth. Almost makes up 1/3 of a night of sleeping.
Luke started off the wave 4 and we are driving to the next leg for Stephen to get ready.
The fog is coming off the St. Claire river. The american side looks just as dark and sleepy as the Canadian side.
Luke is 3k from his finish and we see many runners from wave 2... OUR NEXT ROAD KILL!

Chris Duke

Just finished my night leg in rain

It is pouring rain and lots of thunder and lightning! Big big rain and a strong wind out of the southwest. We are now heading west to the St Clair river south of Sarnia, just north of Chatham.

The lightning is pretty close and lights up the whole sky and the landscape. The thunder fills the land and the van rumbles.
During my 10k run had stomach cramps just like this morning, except it was from my dinner that was still with me. It was a little bit of a hard run. I think I should incorporate a little speed training into my plan so my body is used to the fast but long runs of 5 to 10 k.
Christoph, a work colleague too, has taken over for the next leg. Lots of fun now as we huddle in the van and peer out the back window trying to see our runner. He just ran up to us and had to stop in front of the van to tie his blasted shoelaces.
Lightning just lit the sky and siloetted another team's runner as he passes our parked van.
After Christoph's leg our van is done for several hours.
Then time for a good rest.

Chris Duke

Rest and dinner at Westover Centre

I was finally picked up by van 2 as my van 1 was out on the course. Luke H apparently ran a very fast 6+ km and then they came to get me. We came to the Westover who is organizing this event. They have a 19 day treatment that uses the '12 step' process. The centre is a beautiful huge Victorian mansion. The kitchen staff made a great pasta dinner. I didn't want to eat too much as I run around 10:20pm (1hr from now - I ate 1.5 hrs ago when I first got here).

Waves 1 started out about 45 min ago and wave 2 left about 10 min ago.

Must not forget to pay Art back his $5 he lent me for dinner. I need an bank machine.

The rain is holding off so far but the clouds are looking darker and lower. It is starting to get pretty dark, street lights are on.

Stats: we are 4th overall and 2nd in the age 40+ category.

Cumulative time for 132.4 km is 9:09:28 with average pace of 4:10/km. We are 1:08 behind the (very fast) lead team.
So
Chris Duke

Food

Oh good, the hamburger came at 5:15. Not much carbs though.

Chris Duke

Now I volunteer

So, since 4pm I've volunteering at the corner of Ridge Line and Mull Rd, just south of the village of Mull. This is the start of leg 10. The 1st wave teams were just leaving when I got here. I guess in a while wave 2 teams will come through in a bit.

No rain yet but a policeman at the intersection said Doppler radar shows a blob in Michigan. Maybe rain and thunder in a while.

I wonder where my food is?? Hope van 2 comes soon!!

Miss my family!

Chris Duke

Wrong distance and Blackberry adventure

Warren was running his 7.9 k run and we stopped at 6k to give water. He took off but WHAT WAS THAT 0.5k down the road?? An exchange point and he was waiting for us! Error in race maps, it was only 6.9k!! Scott slams on the breaks and jumps out because he was next runner! He tags Warren and off goes Scott. Warren said he was waiting just down the road very supprised himself he only ran 1 minute after we gave him water. Lesson learnt : don't trust instructions.

So while Warren was running I sent a text msg to Art in van 2. No coverage area. So I put the blackberry (BB) on the van roof to see if it would get a signal. In our rusk to follow Warren we forgot about the BB - opps!!!! I realize this about 3 k down the road.

We leave Warren on the road ahead of Scott and go back to where we last stopped for Warren. Could not find BB after a hard search. But we had to follow Scott so we leave and catch up with Scott, give water, then go ahead to drop me off at the next exchange point for me to run.

I run my 10 k in about 40 min (with gut cramps) fretting about the BB. Nice run though and very pretty area (just south of Ridgetown. I tag Christoph who is with van 2. Then our van starts to look for my BB. Andrew's friend works for Bell Mobility and his friend seaches for my BB using Search and Find feature (a must have). But Bell couldn't find it but he did say the BB was last registered on a cell tower at West Lorne. We head back to the 6.0 k spot for Warren. We searched the grass very very thoroughly. No BB. Scott and Andrew take the van and drive ahead 5 km to see if it was on the gravel on Talbot Line. Stephen, Warren and I look so hard for about 2km of grass.

We give up and I'll just buy a new BB.

Scott and Andrew return as I get in the van they throw me the missing BB!!! -t was on the edge of the road and the battery had fallen out - this is why Seek and Find didn't work. I was so happy!! And now we can contine on the relay.

Van 2 is out with their runners. We are currently heading to end of legs 7 and 10 where we have to volunteer. Scott and I volunteer at an exchange zone and the other guys will get us food.

Stay tuned!

Chris Duke

Stephen in 5th place

We started sharp at 10am and Stephen Kilburn running well. Weather is fresh, overcast and no breeze.

We took our group picture at the Port Stanley beach.

Next up is Andrew Tersigni!

Chris Duke

Chariots for Hire off and driving

First entry for the Chariots for Hire! We arrived at captain Scott Cameron's for the 5:45am designated time, but at 6::00 - a little late. Thanks to Elise for driving Warren and me. All the team was there. Packed the vans and the roof carriers, packed the two huge thermos with water for the Gatoraide, then distributed the team shirts. Many thanks to Sue W and her store The Running Works for sponsoring us.

Elise took our team picture and now we are off down the 401 hwy to Port Stanley for the 10am start.

Chris Duke

Shore to Shore Relay - Fund raising

Our Chariots for Hire team is fund raising for the Shore to Shore relay. Please consider donating towards the Westover Treatment Centre in Thamesville, Ontario - one of the few rehab centres in Ontario for alcohol and drug additions. The 334km course will be very beautiful, but I am fearful we may be a bunch of wet guys in a minivan for 22 hours or so! Last year we finished 4th in 21:39 hr:min.
Stay tuned! chris

32483-184-019f.jpg (JPEG Image, 384x255 pixels)

32483-184-019f.jpg (JPEG Image, 384x255 pixels)
Start of the Around The Bay 2008 road race. Nice, cool, slightly windy day, finished in 2:22 for 30km course, with pretty sporadic training.

Boston Marathon 2008

I was lucky enough to be able to go to the Boston Marathon again, 2nd year in a row. I went with my Dad and some other friends and we stayed at the youth hostel in Boston. The hostel idea was great. We met many nice runners there, and the location was excellent. We had a great social time, Dad and I also took in the sights of Boston on one of the National Parks guided walks. Very interesting. A little more spartan than the private company walks, but free!

We saw some familiar faces in Boston, including my friend Ginny from Guelph. Saw some other Guelphites too. I saw some familiar ENDURrun runners too!. It was so great to see Bob, Brad, and Jackie again. I saw Jackie during the race, but mainly just her pony tail as she blew past me around 15 km point.

It was really nice running conditions, but it was a little hard to anticipate what it would be since the day dawned overcast, but with no significant breeze. Brad and I were under the tent at the high school in Hopkington wondering what to wear. I dressed lightly and that was fortunate since 5 min before the race started the sun broke through the clouds and was beautiful for the rest of the day. This brought out so many spectators, many more than last year [though last year they were great too]. I heard an estimate of 1M spectators. I only cared about my Dad at the finish line and all the Wellesley girls with the "kiss me" signs [had to oblige, but there was a really beautiful one I passed too quickly to go back - i still regret it...].

So my training the past 1.5 months has been really sporadic with travel, family, etc. And i wasn't even really doing much mileage by early March either. But I did have a base so I went to Boston to just run a steady pace and to have fun, hopefully finish in 3:30 or shortly thereafter.

My friend in Guelph suggested to me one time to forget a goal time and pace, just run at a pace that works for you that day, and I've done that ever since and not looked at the watch until i settle in to a stiff pace that i think i could do for 40 km. So, the immediate downhills helped me get going, but I didn't get carried away. I just ran and around 5 km I looked at my watch and noticed i was doing 7:15/mile. That scared me because last year we did 8:00/mile for a goal time of 3:30, so i was running 45 sec too fast/mile. Well, i trusted my initial gut feeling for a pace and just ran it.

The crowds were amazing and I had fun. I made sure I got my Gatoraide, and i took a swig of my gel once in a while. Jackie ran with me for 15 seconds but quickly disappeared ahead of me. She looked really strong. I enjoyed the run and the great spectators [hats off to them]. I enjoyed that 400m by Wellesley, but I already said that. Through Newton the hills were noticeable, but they passed if you kept running.

I was feeling quite comfortable and strong [given that I have just run for a rather long time]. As I got closer to Boston I started to feel more tired, but not at the point where you feel less coordinated or loosing running form. The crowds really propelled me along, propelled everyone around me on, some of the runners would raise up their arms to get the crowd going - fun.

Finally I saw the Citigo sign and I was rather glad since the end was near. I figured the winners were either finishing their Champagne, getting a massage, or they were totally recovered and out for a recover run already! I wondered if it was 1.5 miles left to run when you see the Citigo sign, or 1.5 miles to go when you pass that sign. Must be 1.5 once you pass it as there was still a ways to go. I saw all the tall buildings that near Boyleston Str. Getting close, and now I noticed sensations in the tendons of the lower quads and ankles. The crowds were amazing - more than I could imagine. There is this last stretch that goes parallel to the Charles River, and you have to go down a dip and under a bridge then up again - this is the hill I disliked, even though it was likely no more than 4m over 50m! But then people were turning right! Then end was near and my time was about 3:13. I was rather surprised and pleased. The finish down Boyleston Str really is a blast. But is actually pretty bloody long too! It takes about 45seconds, maybe a minute, but it really is great to approach the finish line with supportive crowd's cheers echoing through the canyon of buildings. And then I crossed the line in 3:17:56, and it wasn't until afterwards I discovered the chip time was 3:15:21. Dad got some pictures of the finish. I was a little wobbly, but after some water and Gatoraide, i started feeling pretty good - all things considering. That is, considering the Wellesley girls.