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Add comment June 29th, 2009
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Add comment June 26th, 2009
Marathon: Race day
The race started at 7AM and it was cold and windy. About 40 degrees with about a 15 mph wind in our face. There were apparently 11,000 runners at the starting line and the mayor of Cleveland (liberal) headed us out. Now get this, at about the half mile mark, Bartley goes, “I’ll catch up to you” and runs to the portapotty’s. I literally thought he had to be kidding, but nope. There he went.
So, I’m by myself, no Ipod, no friends, cold, and thinking, I’m in for a very long day. And I was.
The first walker I saw was at mile 3. At mile 10 I was still feeling pretty good, but quickly coming to the realization that I wasn’t even close to being done. At mile 6 heard someone gleefully singing “Ohhhhhh we’re half way there, OHHHHH living on a prayer” and thought, “you will pay for your sins”.
Funniest sign: “Go Cavs, Not Browns.” First, nobody from either team was running the marathon, second, why make a sign cheering on your favorite sports team and then think, well, I have more room so….let’s put down the other home team! Why?
“Nobody ever drowned in sweat”
“Go Morlo” “Go Brian” I saw both of those signs at least 10 times.
Craziest thing I saw: Some dude jumping out of the pack to piss on a building. Two marching bands. A butcher coming out of his store yelling, “Don’t make anybody mad” Wtf? An angry bus driver stopped for us runners yelling at us, “COME ON!!!!” because he was pissed he had to wait in traffic.
So, at mile 25 the first person talked to me since Bartley and I took off. “First marathon?” “yes” “How you feeling?” “Just trying not to die” “Feeling nauseated?” “No. I learned from my 17 mile run you should take gels or guu’s to help” “That doesn’t work, you need ginger for nausea, here” and he handed me a piece of candy. He said there was ginger in it and it’d help. 1. I told him I wasn’t nauseated and 2. It went against everything my parents tried to teach me about candy from strangers. Then things got awkward because 1. He told me to put it in my mouth and suck on it and 2. he got in a fight with pace runner. Background info on #2: A pace runner is someone who so consistently runs marathons they know within a minute or so what they’ll finish a marathon at. So, they carry balloons with that time written on them and also have stickers saying the time on their shirts. So, while running you can try and pace yourself accordingly. The old guy next to me, aside from telling me he was fat because he liked ice cream and that his legs are like machines, felt the pace runner was a bit behind schedule. The convo went like this:
Pace Runner:You’re doing good, you should finish at 3:50
Old Guy:I don’t think so
Pace Runner:Yeah, should be right there
Old Guy:I think you’re a bit off
Pace Runner:I’m the pace runner, so I think we’re good
Old Guy:I think you’re a bit slow
Pace Runner:Well, I guess we’ll see
This is at mile 25. I’m in between these two guys and all the jokes and comments I usually wouldn’t hesitate in saying seemed a million miles from leaving my mouth, one because of the ginger, and two because i was thinking of just dying.
So, finally make the last turn which is the last .3 of the race and more and more people are walking and I hadn’t walked yet. At this point my neck, biceps, shoulders, middle of my feet, hamstrings, quads, and my tibialis anterior are throbbing! I was thinking, dad always told us that we should sprint to the finish of every race. I had always been a good sprinter at the end no matter how tired I felt. And this time, I didn’t. I picked it up a little, but we’re talking 2 decimals faster, not a sprint. I literally felt like I would collapse if I sprinted. I crossed the finish line at 03:51:39, Overall Place 694 / 9526. For more results go here.
Immediately my legs started feeling like someone was drilling into the bone and starting the muscles on fire. I was given my medal, grabbed a water, literally swaying at this point and heard a faint voice get louder and louder, finally I hear “BRYCE!” and it was Lindsey. She grabbed me a banana and I kept pleading with her to let me sit down like Dr House begging for a Vicodin (Spoiler: Or Charlie begging for heroine, ok a spoiler for season 1, but a spoiler nonetheless), and she wouldn’t let me. She finally made me take one bite of the banana before moving along. We still have no idea where Bartley is. So, we start looking around with no luck.
Finally about 30 minutes later, my lips are just finally back to normal after I shivered and turned blue for about 20 minutes, I spoke to dad who looked online and found Bartley hadn’t finished yet. About 20 minutes later Bartley finished with a limp. He seemed in good spirits but we found out he had a knee injury at mile 3 and started walking/limping. He literally limped for 23 miles, he said a lot of people really cheered him on thinking he was a cripple. Tiny Tim without the crutch. He knee was about the size of a softball, but 13 ibuprofen, several beers, and resting it finally seemed to heal it.
Overall, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I was so relieved, proud, pained when I finished that I held back tears since I knew I would be bawling. This part is difficult to explain, the emotion of completing something like this. I am not going to say I can’t wait for the next one, because you kill your body preparing and running these, but I know once I rest up and heal up a little, I’ll be ready to train, 13 miles is such an easy run at this point that training for time will be my next goal and I’d love to break 3:40 with my ultimate goal of 3:30, but we’ll see.
Thanks for reading, the last 2 posts were books, I know.
8 comments May 18th, 2009
Marathon: Training
The idea to run the Cleveland Marathon started as an idea to run the Cincinnati Marathon.
I was in Cincinnati, OH for training when I first started my current job. After training was done for the day, I get a phone call from Matty B (of B&B Brew) who wants advice on what kind of sales job he should try for and what I think of my current industry. This leads me to brag about my company’s CEO restoring the Cinci Marathon, which is actually a cool story. Bartley says something to the effect that we should run it and I say that’s a great idea. We end the conversation with me promising to try and get him an interview which never materializes.
Around 5 months later after several conversations about career moves, what we think about MBA’s, and what SMSU alumns are up to, Bartley brings up the topic again. This time he says, “Cleveland’s got a marathon, right?” I’m sure they do, but look it up anyway and find it’s in May, “Do you want to run that one instead? My friend Owen might run it, too.” I respond sure.
That next day I went to run and ran about 2 miles and was hurting. I remember having to walk…while on the treadmill. I’ve read that treadmill running uses about 75% the effort as road running. That means I’m a bit behind…it’s March at this point.
So, I ran a few more times and made it up to 4 miles without stopping, however, I’ve run all of these on an indoor track which is 16 laps to a mile! I hated it, but knew if I was serious I’d have to keep it up. I spoke to Bartley every once in a while and he was telling me how his training was going and that Owen was out. At this point I email dad about it. I’m 24 and after this long dad knows when I have an idea and ask him advice to cautiously give it, but realize I’m obsessed with something new every 6 months, “Dad, I’m thinking of running my own business” “Dad, I’m thinking of getting my MBA” “Dad I’m thinking of setting up Alpha Lettering” It’s always been something and he always says, “well, ok, so, what are you thinking” and then he soon realizes I’m almost completely full of useful fragments of thought and to let me down gently. This wasn’t much different. Dad basically says, “well, you’re starting pretty late aren’t you? You’re gonna have to start running probably 4 or 5 days a week with a long run on the weekends.” So, I kept running 2-4 miles about 3 times a week and the next week asked him if he’d make me a schedule to run. Dad did and at this point I still hadn’t registered. I knew I needed that out. When dad gave me the schedule I noticed the shortest run was 4 miles…he asked, “so, you’ve already been running, right, so we’ll start you low and have you run 4 miles every other day, you’ve been running at least 4 so far, right?” “Yeah” “Good.” He didn’t know at this point 4 made my heart start of fire and crippling me the next day.
As the mile amounts went up I run only outside with the logic that anything could happen on race day and I’d better be training outdoors. I ran in snow, freezing rain, rain, extreme heat, and wind.
Notable Training tidbits:
Had my Newsbleep shirt stolen along with 2 bandannas and half a protein bar
Ran 17 miles with a hangover and only drank about 16 ounces of water and no food while running and threw up for the rest of the night and nearly passed out/died
Ran 11 miles without a shirt and had 2nd degree burns on my shoulders, back, and chest. Linds says I have sun damage. Ran 3 days later resulting in the burns blistering on my shoulders and back.
Saw two ducks going at it, verted my eyes because it was too intense
Saw a raccoon
Ran about 10 feet from 3 deer feeding
Listened to almost the entire Miles Rausch CD Collection, This American Life podcast series, and NPR’s Planet Money podcast Series
So, that was training. Next post, the race.
2 comments May 18th, 2009
Miles…er, god no, Tony??
2 comments May 11th, 2009
Random
I’ve had a cocktail (one, but strong), a busy week, and a keyboard at my fingertips = New Blog Post
1. House
We are seriously considering owning a house. With the $8k you get for free, Cleveland being recognized as the 2nd best housing market in the US, and over half a dozen bank managers with access to the best mortgage rates in the industry right now, it appears the time is right. We have a few things that make it tough though:
1. Student Loan debt. Mine is about $25,000, Lindsey’s is around $90,000. That’s not good.
2. Duration of Ohio stay: As of right now I think we’re both rather committed to staying here for about 5-7 years. Does that short staying time mean buying a house will pay off? We think so, but it’s difficult to read the future.
Definitely a tough decision, but I would like to get pre-approved for a loan this week and begin the process ASAP so we know what we’re approved for and can begin what will likely be a long process.
2. Easter.
Easter was fine, but honestly didn’t really feel like Easter, except I could drink soda. During the holidays Linds and I find ourselves randomly going through our phones either texting or calling relatives to say “Hi” and that we miss them. It dawned on me today that we’re very near a full year since we’ve been home last. I was talking to one of my banking partners and he asked when the last time I saw my parents, and I thought it’s been very long since I’ve seen most of them. Sad. We are checking what we can get away with as far as a trip home in the somewhat near future. We are thrilled to be hosting some friends over the summer: Sue and kids (Brenna??), Rick/Missile and spouses, and of course Tony we hope for either the full summer or at least a few weeks. I don’t believe anyone else is planning on coming out at this time, but let us know when so we can plan accordingly.
3. Work
Work for Feb and March went amazing. I was corporately recognized as the top rookie (first year) performer in the company for being 190 and 210% over quota. Unfortunately, this month I’m slacking and momentum is huge in sales, so I’m eagerly awaiting the next wave to get back to where I belong. With tax season over, I’m look forward to meeting with new CPA’s and buying them breakfasts/lunches/random food since they love that kind of stuff. My job so far has been very challenging, scary, and yet rewarding.
4. Lindsey
Lindsey has some crazy ass stories from work. Honestly, if you’re sensitive, you’ll cry listening to just about all of them, but for me hearing them I’m glad Linds is making a difference in these families lives by helping solve these awful crimes and putting these horrible people behind bars forever. I have gotten to know many of her colleagues and even been joining one or two of them for some pick-up basketball games.
5. Marathon
This weekend I run 17 miles. I have been running 4 miles every other day and racing against a clock. I regretfully haven’t beaten the 30:00 mark yet, but my goal is to break 28:00 at this time (before training my goal was 24:00 but that ain’t happening). I have heard rumors of several family members who happen to be training at the same time. My plan is to run the Cleveland, keep training, and then run the Twin Cities Marathon with I believe: Dad, Molly, Britty, Erin, and Jon Faletti. I think that would be awesome, Dirk just told me about Erin, Jon and Britty, so I haven’t had that confirmed by them yet. Miles, are you in?
6. The End
9 comments April 17th, 2009
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3 comments April 12th, 2009
