tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215425042024-03-13T05:36:09.186-07:00RunbayouStuff in my life. Usually about running. But sometimes...other stuff goes on.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-74387914771262082822009-02-21T10:30:00.000-08:002009-02-22T07:20:52.346-08:00It was a good day to race: Park To Park race reportThe weather held out and there was only a slight headwind. No complaints from me.<br /><br />Park To Park is a good, flat, mostly straight 5 miler from downtown Houston to Hermann Park. It's a great race to gauge how your spring training is going.<br /><br />The plan was to run somewhere between 6:05 and 6:10 per mile. Turns out, my buddy Ed had the same plan. He and I have the same negative split racing philosophy (start out slow & run the 2nd half of the race faster than the 1st half), so we decided to work together to deal with the headwind and maintain a proper pace. Ed is much better at this than I am so it was an opportunity for me to work on pacing. I wasn't sure I could hang with Ed the whole race but was ready to give it a shot.<br /><br />About that whole pace thing. The problem with running with a Garmin watch is that the miles on the watch and the miles on the course may be different. So when you pass the first mile marker *AFTER* the Garmin says you've run a mile....who/what do you believe?<br /><br />This was the case today. The watch was telling us we were running ~6:05p during the first mile, but we hit the first mile marker ~6:15. Although we didn't discuss it, Ed and I decided to believe the Garmin. Both of us have run too many races to believe the first mile marker. And, to be honest here, I was not ready to pick up the pace by 10 seconds per mile ;)<br /><br />By the time we hit 3 miles, we were zoning pretty well but the discomfort of the race was setting in. I mean discomfort in the same way a dentist says, "...you may feel some discomfort..." Ed and I had taken turns blocking the headwind but, as I felt like the wind was actually cooling more than slowing us down, I decided to lead vs tuck in. Somewhere during mile 4, Ed faded back a bit and I was left to my own devices.<br /><br />Just after mile 4, I passed two very tough competitors. About 300 meters later, one of them passed me back and left me in the dust. Note to self...making a move with a mile to go in a 5 mile race may not be the best tactic. Okay, it worked on one of the guys; but he's coming back from several broken ribs...I don't think it will work later in the season.<br /><br />I finished with 5.05 miles on the Garmin (likely due to a long 1st mile). Several folks, who also had Garmins, indicated the course was a bit long as well. I measured it later on GMaps and found it to be ~5.08 miles.<br /><br />We all had to run the same distance so it's probably not that big of a deal...unless the course record was under assault. As for me, I'm really happy with my race and even managed to acquire some 3rd place age group hardware. Ahhhh, no...3rd place in your age group is not quite good enough to turn pro...<br /><br />Yep, a good day to race<br /><br /><strong>UPDATE</strong>: Forgot to mention my time of 30:48.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-254897557460120982009-01-13T15:14:00.000-08:002009-01-13T15:18:26.046-08:002009 Chevron Houston MarathonThis year, I’m pacing the 3:20 group. For non-runners and newbies, that means I’ll lead a group of folks who want to run the marathon in 3 hours and 20 minutes. Actually, there will be two of us leading the 3:20 group. Marathons are funny and things happen. So, with two of us doing the pacing, we can be reasonably assured that at least one of us will be able to get to the finish line.<br /><br /><strong>Cool thing about being Pace Leader<br /></strong>You get to run the marathon for free. Yep, I get a bib number and everything and I don’t have to pay a dime. This satisfies my inner graduate student immensely.<br /><br />You get free clothes. This year Under Armour is providing us with a singlet, socks, shorts, and a very nice running jacket sort of thing. Very cool. Oh yea, and we get shoes too. What, you say you didn’t know that Under Armour makes running shoes? Well, they go on sale at the end of January. So, I’ll be styling in shoes that only a few other lucky runners will have. This satisfies my inner fashion junkie.<br /><br />I get to make a speech at the Marathon Expo on Saturday. Okay, it’s not exactly a speech. But I do get introduced and get to say a few words to anyone who might be listening. I haven’t worked out exactly what I’ll say but it’s probably going to be about taking it easy in the first few miles, running at a steady pace, blah, blah, blah. Of course, all of the pacers will be there and we’ll be around to answer questions. This will satisfy my inner public speaker.<br /><br />And, I get to help a bunch of folks reach their goal of running 3:20 in a marathon. This is good as, over the years, many folks have helped me reach some of my running goals. Now I get to do the same. This satisfies my inner do gooder.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-39421708537048473622008-11-12T12:14:00.000-08:002008-11-12T12:20:02.432-08:00The economic crisis: Breaking up is hard to doI know this is basically a running blog but when you believe you have the solution to a problem as big as this, you have to speak up.<br /><br />I think I have a solution to our economic crisis.<br /><br /><strong>The solution in 25 words or less</strong>.<br />Require companies that are receiving government bailouts to break up into smaller companies. That’s it.<br /><br /><strong>The reasoning<br /></strong>It’s quite simple really. Breaking up a company into smaller pieces may not prevent every single one of them from failing…but if they do fail, it won’t be all at once and the economy can (hopefully) absorb the losses. And, if some of the pieces survive, it’ll be because they provide a needed product or service at a competitive price; which is what we all want…isn’t it?<br /><br />What we don’t want is large companies (who are about to fail) getting government bailout money to use to buy up their competitors. Maybe I’m too simple minded but helping to increase the size of a failing company just doesn’t sound right.<br /><br /><strong>Expectations</strong><br />I don't think this will prevent our economy from a recession but I do believe it will minimize the possibility that the next crisis will be even bigger.<br /><br /><strong>Implementation</strong><br />This solution will be difficult to execute. Not all companies are equal; time frames will have to be set, criteria for bailouts, etc. So, yes, this will be hard. But breaking up is hard to do.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-89524286153258838112008-10-22T09:43:00.000-07:002008-10-22T10:22:05.016-07:00Nike Women's MarathonIt's been a while since I last posted.<br /><br />I guess I didn't take the time to write...or maybe I just didn't have anything important to say. Now I do.<br /><br />It's about the Nike Women's Marathon, held in San Francisco last Sunday. I've had a few days to read and think about it and, quite frankly, I'm not happy with Nike's handling of the situation.<br /><br />It seems that Arien O'Connell set a PR <em>and</em> ran the fastest women's time in 2:55:11. However, the "winner" of the race ran a 3:06 something. It turns out that Arien thought of herself as a, "good solid runner" but didn't think of herself as an elite runner. So she did not line up with the so-called elite runners who started the race 20 minutes earlier.<br /><br />Hmmm, I'd consider an open runner who could clock a 3 hour marathon as a good solid runner too. But I have to agree with Arien that that doesn't make you an elite runner. And by the way, only a few of the "elite" runners in the Nike Marathon even broke 3:20. In fact, more non-elite runners broke 3:20 than elite runners...go figure.<br /><br />Anyway, I'm disappointed, to say the least, in Nike's current stance that they have, "...declared our winner" (per Nike media relations manager Tanya Lopez). Evidently, their primary argument is that it was two different races on the same course (I wonder if the race applications clearly indicated that).<br /><br />Personally, I'm not buying their argument and until/unless Nike reverses their stance on this race, I'm not buying their products either.<br /><br />There is a lot of press regarding this race and I encourage you to check it out for yourself.<br /><br />Comments????Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-89579545842817405832008-01-17T18:20:00.000-08:002008-01-17T19:23:14.244-08:00The marathon is not an easy event..."...The marathon is not an easy event. You cannot predict..." Haile Gebrselassie<br /><br />So says, "Da Man" and so it is.<br /><br />For the Houston Marathon, I was an official pacer. Yep, I was supposed to pace the 3:10 folks. You know, keep them running steady in the early miles, hold 'em back in the middle, and encourage 'em in the last 3-4 miles when it's really tough. Basically, try to keep the group running at an average of 7:15 per mile. I was really excited to be a pacer. And I was looking forward to a good, tough, workout.<br /><br />On Thursday evening, before the marathon, I felt a "tickle" in my throat. By Saturday I was sick with the crud. On Sunday morning...well, let's just say that had I not been a pacer, I may not have run at all. Certainly not as a hard workout.<br /><br />But, I took a hot bath, felt a little better, and thought, "maybe I can get the pace group through 20 miles." In hindsight, it's just amazing how one can rationalize ridiculous decisions. I mean, 26.2 miles is tough if you have both lungs working perfectly. And when they are not...things get ugly.<br /><br />Anyway, things got ugly.<br /><br />The plan was to start out slow, and pick up the pace gradually. We did; and hit the half at 1:34:38. Just a hair early but certainly not a bad pace for a 3:10 marathon. As we continued toward the 14 mile mark, it was a struggle. I couldn't seem to get enough air. At first I thought that maybe I had picked up the pace too much. At mile 14, I looked at my watch. 7:33. I knew it was over...I had been slowing down.<br /><br />After that, every single water stop was a slow walk, then a jog, then stop for coughing, then jog...well, you get the picture. And that 7:33 for mile 14....it was my fastest mile of the 2nd half. I finished in 3:33:44. Over 23 minutes late to the party....<br /><br />Oh, the pace group? Fortunately, the Marathon Veteran's group understands the need for two (2) pacers. Peter took the group in just under 3:10 on a very steady pace. Nice work Peter!<br /><br />I love this sport. Especially the marathon. But it is truely humbling.<br /><br />Everything has to be perfect.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-32476370894665237412008-01-09T07:48:00.000-08:002008-01-09T08:04:30.973-08:00Pacing in the 2008 Houston MarathonThis year I have the honor of pacing folks who want to run a 3:10 marathon in the 2008 Chevron Houston Marathon.<br /><br />If you are interested in running a 3:10 marathon, please join Peter Prescott and me for at 11:30am on Saturday morning (1/12/08) at the Marathon Expo (George R. Brown Convention Center). We’ll give you the details.<br /><br />If you miss us on Saturday, we’ll be at the starting line on Sunday morning with a 3:10 sign and balloons.<br /><br />Here’s a graph of my pacing plan. Yea, I know I’m overly detailed…<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JlQxhn_r3x4/R4TwCeCdMZI/AAAAAAAAACU/kUZW_IzxfRc/s1600-h/2008PaceGraph.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153507798832460178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 387px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px" height="235" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JlQxhn_r3x4/R4TwCeCdMZI/AAAAAAAAACU/kUZW_IzxfRc/s320/2008PaceGraph.JPG" width="338" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JlQxhn_r3x4/R4TvFOCdMYI/AAAAAAAAACM/W8GR98j8t5U/s1600-h/2008PaceGraph.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div></div>Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-18374523503219394972007-10-31T08:19:00.000-07:002007-10-31T08:25:02.586-07:00Bib scalping: A suggestionSee my earlier post to get what's going on re: the Houston Marathon.<br /><br />No doubt, there are folks on the Houston Marathon Committee getting more emails, phone calls, and advice about this than they care to…<br /><br />I understand capping a race. It happens all the time in several marathons. The logistics and resources necessary to put on a marathon are immense and health and safety issues are critical. One only needs to look at the 2007 Chicago Marathon to realize that there is a limit to how big a race a city can handle.<br /><br />That said; it seems like there could be a better plan in place to get folks in the marathon who did not register prior to the cap.<br /><br />The current plan is to help provide an open market for the buying and selling of bibs. In addition to the bib scalping, there’s another downside. Suppose that later in December, lot’s of folks are willing to sell there bibs at face value. And suppose that many runners hook up with these folks and get bibs. Well, that’s just great…but it sure is a hassle for everyone involved.<br /><br /><strong>Here’s my suggestion…</strong><br /><br />If a registered runner finds out that they won’t be running, they let the marathon folks know asap. At that point, they get either a partial refund OR a guaranteed deferral to next year’s marathon. Bingo, there is now one more person who could sign up for the marathon.<br /><br />If you’re one of the unlucky folks who missed the cap, you get on an alternate list. If you’re first on the list, you just got the spot from the runner listed above. Simple huh?<br /><strong><br />What about no-shows and last minute cancellations?<br /></strong>On the day before the marathon (Saturday in the case of Houston), a few of hours before the Expo closes, the marathon folks count up the number of race packets that have not been picked up.<br />For the sake of argument, let's say it's 500 race packets<br />Take some percentage of that...spose ~80% or 400 (gotta save some packets for those last minute pickups)<br />Then, start issuing RESERVED bib numbers to folks on the alternate list.<br /><br />For folks in town, this should be pretty easy as they can hang out at the Expo. For folks out of town, they would need to know where in the alternate line they were to help them decide if they should come to Houston. If you're number 10 on the alternate list, you are 99% sure you're in (if, as Steve Karpas indicated earlier, ~10% of runners are no-shows).<br /><br />Bingo, you just got up to 400 runners in the marathon.<br /><br />Yes, there are logistics and details to printing out alternate bib numbers, keeping track of the alternate list, setting deadlines for refunds, etc.<br /><br />However, you do eliminate (or minimize) the bib scalping that is making quite a few folks unhappy. You also eliminate the head-ache of either banning, or attempting to ban, someone because they sold their bib number on eBay for $201.<br /><br />And most importantly, you provide a real service to the runners.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-28814911855635491872007-10-25T12:39:00.000-07:002007-10-25T14:11:18.505-07:00Houston Marathon: Setting bib prices in the 21st CenturyYou may have heard that registration for the Houston Marathon is closed. Yep, the darn thing capped out at 17,000, about a month ago…and it’s still 11 weeks away!<br /><br />Now, don’t get me wrong here. I like the fact that it’s a relatively small marathon. But what’s a runner to do if they missed out on a bib number for Houston? Well, the Houston Marathon Committee has set up a forum on the Houston Marathon web site where folks can go to buy and sell bib numbers. The idea is that some folks may have signed up to run but may not run for various reasons. Typical reasons include injury, family plan changes, and/or training program interruptions.<br /><br />I applaud the fact that the marathon committee has made an attempt to resolve the bib supply and demand issue. Unfortunately, one of the results of the bib forum is to create yet another reason to sell one’s bib number….profit. Yep, there are folks out there buying and selling bib numbers for *more* than the approximately $100 price paid…a lot more.<br /><br />Capitalism is alive and well in the running community.<br /><br />However, the latest news on the Houston Marathon web site is that if you attempt to sell your marathon bib for more that $200 (or half-marathon bib for more than $140), you could risk being banned from the 2009 event.<br /><br />Evidently, the marathon committee has decided that 100% profit on a marathon bib is okay but any more than that is out of line. So, capitalism may be alive and well…but so is Keynesian economics.<br /><br />I wonder if this has really been thought through. One can only wonder what will happen if/when someone is “caught” selling a bib number for more than $200. Is the “risk of being banned” an idle threat? If banned, will the banee protest? And then what?<br /><br />It’s gonna be interesting.<br /><br />Me. Well, I plan on running the Houston Marathon and I have a bib. No, it’s not for sale at any price. Ah, well, it could be if you can cover my 2009 registration and travel costs to Austin ;)Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-76308130895248863162007-07-03T12:34:00.001-07:002007-07-03T12:34:57.444-07:00Runbayou - Survey for the 2008 Houston Marathon training programLadies and Gentlemen:<BR><BR>It's getting close to that time again. If you are interested in marathons and/or marathon training programs, please take a moment to respond to these four (4) questions. If you know of others who may be interested, please forward this to them.<BR><BR>Are you planning to run the Houston Marathon in January 2008 and/or another marathon from November 2007 to March 2008?<BR><BR>Would you be interested in the Runbayou marathon training program?<BR><BR>If yes, please answer the following questions.<BR><BR>The speedwork sessions would be held at Memorial Park at 5:00am on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Tuesday August 28, 2007. Would you attend these sessions?<BR><BR>If there is interest, and if there is a Runbayou marathon training program, would you like to have your name added to the 2008 Houston Marathon Runbayou distribution list?<BR><BR>That was easy......<BR><BR>Info....<BR><BR><STRONG>The Runbayou marathon training program in a nutshell.</STRONG><BR>Phase 1 - base building (easy runs; build up your weekly mileage at ~10% increase per week)<BR>Phase 2 - Primary speed sessions are repetition running (200s, 400s, & some hills)<BR>Phase 3 - Primary speed sessions are interval pace training (800s & 1200s) plus tempos and thresholds<BR>Phase 4 - Primary speed sessions are marathon pace runs plus tempos and thresholds<BR><BR>More information on runbayou can be found at: <A href="http://www.runbayou.com/">www.runbayou.com</A><BR><STRONG>Note</STRONG>: The specific speedwork sessions for the 2008 program are not available yet.<BR><BR>If you have questions, feel free to contact me.<BR><BR>Cheers,<BR><BR>-j<BR>"all my times are Chip Tymes"<BR><A href="http://www.runbayou.com/">www.runbayou.com</A> Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-36118250308449582282007-05-11T11:48:00.000-07:002007-05-11T12:14:19.672-07:00A new champion!Anyone out there a tennis fan?<br /><br />Earlier this week, the UIL Texas High School State Tennis championships were held in Austin/Lakeway.<br /><br />Here are a couple of pics of the 2007 UIL Division 1A Texas High School Tennis Champion in action<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JlQxhn_r3x4/RkS-omlfb7I/AAAAAAAAAAs/cVRxpUvsHq8/s1600-h/0427RegionalTennis.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5063381485833121714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JlQxhn_r3x4/RkS-omlfb7I/AAAAAAAAAAs/cVRxpUvsHq8/s320/0427RegionalTennis.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>Just look at the focus...eyes on the ball and ready.</p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JlQxhn_r3x4/RkS-LWlfb6I/AAAAAAAAAAk/91EagACxuG0/s1600-h/EricatLakeway.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5063380983321948066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JlQxhn_r3x4/RkS-LWlfb6I/AAAAAAAAAAk/91EagACxuG0/s320/EricatLakeway.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And check out the intensity on that kid's face!<br /><br />Did I mention his name? Eric Hendrickson.<br /><br />Yep, that's my son.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-91477394247684638172007-04-30T18:59:00.000-07:002007-04-30T20:22:01.009-07:00Top 10 things to remember in amateur racing<span style="color:#000000;">I recently had an occasion to ponder amateur racing.</span><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Here are my TOP 10 things to remember.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">10.</span></strong> Show up on time. If the race is supposed to start at 8am and you arrive at 8:01...believe me, folks have been racing for a minute. If being fashionably late is more your style, take up bicycle racing.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">9.</span></strong> Your race packet will hopefully contain your race number and instructions. It will also invariably contain discount coupons (e.g., local running store, Chick-fil-A), some sort of kitchen magnet, tiny first aid kit containing 2 band-aids and a Q-tip, and a t-shirt that is 2 sizes too large.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">8.</span></strong> Line up for the race according to your pace. Look, if you know you're not a contender, please don't to line up <em><strong>on</strong></em> the starting line. No, you're not going to get run over. You will however be a hinderance to folks who run much faster than you and that's just plain inconsiderate.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">7.</span></strong> If you have a complaint about a race, file a protest...that's what they're for.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>6.</strong></span> Do not demand appearance fees: Consistant 3rd place age group finishes does NOT make you a professional runner in demand.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">5.</span></strong> After the race, don't jump up on stage during the awards ceremony and gripe about it. You make an ass of yourself and it embarasses your friends.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">4.</span></strong> Running is a sport. You'll have good days and not so good days. But all the days should be fun. After the race, smile and remember that not everyone can run. Oh yea, get to a towel as soon as possible after the race. No one likes to stand next to a sweaty, dripping wet, smelly runner...especially at the results wall.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">3.</span></strong> Don't cheat. If you really need that, "hardware" (typically a plastic trophy, medal, or ceramic tile painted by 3 year olds) go rob a bank and buy a case of 'em...they cost about $2.99 each.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">2.</span></strong> Remember the folks working the water stands, post-race food tables, starting and finishing lines? Well, they're volunteers. Try it sometime...<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">1.</span></strong> If you have an aversion to port-o-cans, racing is not for you. But if you join the Bayou City Road Runners (BCRR.org), your worries are over. We have two private privies!!!Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-84850340293847430402007-04-23T12:43:00.000-07:002007-04-23T12:55:37.015-07:00Boston Marathon - race report<strong>Short story</strong><br />For those folks just surfing the blog waves for the number of Boston Marathon stories.<br /><br />The weather was the story. Rainy & wet, cold, strong headwind with occasional gusts of close to 50mph. That said, it was Boston so it was fun <em>and</em> I managed to qualify for Boston next year too!<br /><br /><strong>Longer story</strong><br />For those of you with too much time or just wanting to hear a, “Boston story.”<br /><br /><strong>Friday night</strong><br />The Boston Athletic Association (baa) sent out a weather warning Friday night. Hey, once the baa has your money, you NEVER get a weather warning email. Anyway, the first paragraph provided a forecast for Monday. A Nor’easter with rain & sleet, possible snow, headwinds gusting to 50mph, and temperatures in the low 40s. The next several pages of the email talked about how to recognize and treat hypothermia. This is just great. I’ve got non-refundable plane tickets, expensive hotel reservations, and my girlfriend already has plans to party in Houston without me. Am I really going to get on a plane to Boston on Saturday morning?<br /><br /><strong>Saturday</strong><br />The early morning flight was on time, and naturally arrived in Boston early…about 45 minutes early…lots of ultra-light runners on board. Normally, I go to the Expo and buy a patch for my jacket. This was my eighth Boston and a $6 patch is a lot better than a $90 jacket that I’d hardly wear (We have about 7 days of winter in Houston). This time however, I bought a hoody (sweatshirt with a hood) to commemorate what was expected to be a very cold & wet day on Monday.<br /><br />Saturday night at the Union Oyster House is an annual tradition. Spent an hour or so at the oyster bar running smack with the shuckers (Sox & Astros always come up), ate some cold water oyster, chowda, & beer. Then lobster for dinner. I really do love Boston on the Saturday before the marathon.<br /><strong><br />Sunday</strong><br />The Sunday weather reports were scary…Nor’easter blowing trees down and beach houses inland. Talk of canceling the race was heard but only as a matter of conversation. After all, it is the 111th Boston. No doubt that the ballgame at Fenway would be cancelled.<br /><br />The pre-race pasta party at Government Plaza on Sunday evening was another indication that Monday’s race was going to be….err, ah, exciting. To get to the food, we were shuttled through a huge circus tent to protect us from the rain, wind, and cold. Did I say windy? Forget carrying an umbrella…unless you wanted to fly to Hopkinton via Mary Poppins Airways. Once inside though, it was typical Boston Marathon fanfare; jugglers, music, noise, pasta of course, and beer. Dessert? Oh, that was outside. Yep, there’s nothing like finishing a nice pasta dinner, bundling back up, and then heading out into the cold, windy night for some ice cream.<br /><br />Got back to the hotel and spent at least an hour laying out all the possible combinations of clothing to wear during the marathon. I settled on long sleeve tights, leggings, two pair of gloves with chemical hand warmers, knit cap.<br /><br /><strong>Monday</strong><br />The walk to the Park Plaza Hotel to catch the bus was not too bad. A bit of rain, lots of wind, and of course, cold. My company provides two coach busses that take us to Hopkinton so we get a huge break on transportation and comfort. Not only is the ride better than a big yellow school bus, but there is a bathroom on board. Oh yea! A bathroom on a bus that takes over an hour to get to Hopkinton is priceless. Did I mention that I was rooming with my running buddy Fred? Although the busses were filled up with company employees, I managed to get Fred on the bus. I think he appreciated the above amenities.<br /><br />Last minute changes to the wardrobe selection. The weather was probably not going to be as bad as everyone thought. I settled on a LS tight shirt, hat, one pair of gloves (with chemical warmers), and some thigh length shorts. Got lucky as that was about the perfect attire for me.<br /><br /><strong>The marathon</strong><br />As is my custom for the Boston Marathon, I brought my cell phone. Several of my running buddies in Houston take a half day off work to watch the marathon. It’s always a lot of fun to call them and provide real-time race reports along the course. After the first call while in the corral, I made 3-4 other calls. Also, this year, I took a few pictures…a few at Wellesley of course.<br /><br />The marathon went very well with no back pain at all. Amazing what anti-inflammatories and pain medication can do ;) I ran at a fairly steady pace throughout the race and finished with a 3 minute positive split (ran the second half of the marathon 3 minutes slower than the first half). Given that the Newton Hills (including Heartbreak Hill) are in the second half, I consider that an accomplishment.<br /><br />Oh yea, the BoSox game was delayed...not cancelled.<br /><br /><strong>Post –marathon<br /></strong>After the company party at the Park Plaza hotel (where I was forced to give away over 30 beers…but that’s another story), Fred and I met a bunch of other Houston runners at Grill 23. Any steak after a marathon is excellent but Grill 23 steak is absolutely the best! Thanks Wayne for making those reservations.<br /><br />Am already thinking about next year.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-80932728372284379432007-04-13T07:11:00.000-07:002007-04-13T07:15:27.405-07:00Boston - Preparations and expectationsThe training for Boston is over. The last speed workout was on Wednesday evening…during the 40th anniversary of the LP run. The workout went well and I’m about as ready as can be. The plan is to run a few easy miles today, rest on Saturday, do a few easy miles on the Charles River on Sunday and then do the 26.2 on Monday with 25,000 of my closest friends.<br /><br />I leave for Boston tomorrow morning. Will start medicating this evening and should be completely numb by Monday morning. Hopefully, with the predicted heavy rain, high wind, and 39 degree temperature, I'll be so worried about staying alive that my back will not be an issue. That said, I fully expect to feel spasms somewhere around to the Newton Hills around noon. By then, I’ll have an hour and a half to finish and re-qualify for Boston next year….or four hours to finish in time for a medal ;)<br /><br />Normally, I’d plan to go to Fenway park on Sunday to watch the BoSox and relax. However, current weather predictions indicate possible snow so maybe that’s out. Heck, that free pasta dinner on Sunday night may be out too if it means dealing with snow.<br /><br />A couple of years ago, the temperature for the Boston Marathon was 85 degrees at the start. When you’re putting suntan lotion on before a marathon, you know it’s gonna be a long day. I’ll always remember that Boston as the “hosed” marathon as the strategy was to run through every hose and/or sprinkler on the route. I swear, I must’ve run 28 miles zig-zagging from one side of the street to the other…anything to keep cool.<br /><br />Time will tell on how this year’s Boston will be remembered….Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-27624614633762387752007-04-03T13:37:00.000-07:002007-04-05T14:43:31.740-07:00Feeling better: racing and taperingYep, am feeling pretty good and getting anxious.<br /><br /><strong>The Bellaire Trolley Run</strong> <strong>on Saturday March 31st</strong><br />There's nothing like a thunder filled (and rainy) morning to start a race. Although my back is still giving me fits, the race went fine and I am happy with the results. However, when you've run 44 5K races in your life and the most recent race ranks 43rd....well, you get the idea. Did I mention #44 was on a trail...in the rain...and part of the course was on a wet, slippery boardwalk...<strong><em>6 years ago</em></strong>!!! Oh, and to top it off, the Bellaire Trolley Run was 238 feet <em>short?</em> Ouch...salt in the wound. But, I'm quite happy to be running again!<br /><br /><strong>Taper begins</strong><br />Tapering for the Boston Marathon officially began last Monday. A few more hard workouts but this week's mileage will drop ~30% and next week will drop even more. It feels so good!<br /><br /><strong>The LP run is next Wednesday evening (4/11) at the St. Thomas High School track</strong><br />Instead of a fixed distance that you run as fast as you can, it's a fixed time where you run as far as you can. A cool concept. In other words, you run around a track for 33 1/3 minutes to see how far you can run. For the kids in the crowd, LP refers to a Long Play vinyl album/record that spins at 33 1/3 revolutions per minute.<br /><br />Don't blow it off if you've never tried it. It is a <em>LOT</em> of fun and you get to run along side some of the fastest folks in Houston...as they lap you over and over...;) Anyway, if you want more info, Google it and come on out. The LP run will be my last hard workout before heading to Boston for the marathon. Speaking of Boston...<br /><br /><strong>Saturday April 14th is the Houston to Boston flight</strong><br />The morning Continental flight will be completely full of excited runners. It's very much like a chartered flight as everyone knows everone on the plane. Every year, we arrive in Boston ahead of schedule....after all, the plane is full of emaciated runners and is super light.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-5681676107545768952007-03-26T07:54:00.000-07:002007-03-26T11:50:16.218-07:00Ozzie, Harriott and BFEGot the 3rd (and final) BGN last Thursday morning. Didn't run until Sunday and then did a 21 miler. Bottom line: I was able to run the 21 miles but my back hurt during the run and most of the rest of the day.<br /><br />It's 3 weeks to Boston and this week will be the last week of relatively high mileage. Although Boston will be treated like a long run this year, I can't wait to start the taper. Okay, enough about running and pain.<br /><br /><strong>Neighborhood news.</strong><br />There are two raptors (Red-tailed Hawks) living in my neigborhood. I'm guessing it's a male and female but haven't actually checked. Matt says that he's seen them in his back yard.<br /><br />Anyway, several folks in the community have made comments about the raptors eating some of the song birds that live here. Well duh!!!! If you put up bird feeders, in your yard, it's like putting up an all you can eat for free sign.<br /><br />Well, it turns out, the song birds are not the only thing on the raptors' menu. Just down the street is the Waugh Street bridge. This is home to the largest year-round urban bat colony in Texas (yea, I know Austin's is larger but those bats migrate). See where I'm going with this?<br /><br />Friday evening, we went over to the bridge to watch the bat flight. At about 7:30pm, the raptors were circling over the bridge. Soon after the bat flight started, and the hawks would swoop down, take a bat, perch in a nearby tree, and eat the bat. Then, they'd fly back into the bat swarm and take another bat. This went on for a while until it got too dark. Then, Ozzie & Harriett (my names for the hawks) flew off.<br /><br />So...if you're a raptor, come on down to the Bat Flight Eatery (BFE) from 7:30pm to 8:00pm for some good bat.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-80435217300545610762007-03-12T19:09:00.000-07:002007-03-12T19:47:35.474-07:00BGN - Prognosis looks goodWhat a fun weekend.<br />Saturday morning was up at 4:15am...on purpose. Got up to volunteer for the Bayou City Classic 10K. The Bayou City Classic is the Houston Area Road Runner Association's (<a href="http://www.harra.org">www.harra.org</a>) biggest race. Normally, I'd race this one but am in no shape to be competitive and, the BGN <em>was</em> last Thursday. Resting is the better part of valor...or something like that.<br /><br />Elle and I worked together helping a bunch of fellow BCRR'ers set up the start of the race. We put up a couple of tents, set up some chip tables, and...by far the most memorable, managed the starting line water table. You really do have no idea just how much water is consumed before a race. Pouring water into paper cups for almost 2 hours non-stop scars you. Since Saturday, I've had nightmares of an infinite number of tables, covered with an infinite number of paper cups, that have to be filled with an infinite number of water jugs. Off in the distance is an infinite number of port-o-cans with an infinite number of people waiting in line to use them. And then I have to use the bathroom. If there is a hell, that's it.<br /><br />Later, near the end of the race, Elle and I were cornered by Eddie (Volunteer extraordinaire) and assigned to the <em>chip detection area of last resort</em>. Basically, it was our job to stand at the exit gate of the finishing area and watch the feet of finishing runners to determine if their timing chip had been removed at the finish line. Yep, we were the chip police. After watching several thousand feet and not catching a single chip, Elle and I abandoned our post. It was over one hour and 45 minutes into the race and the only folks coming in to the finish were walkers. I reasoned that, statistically, we weren't going nab any chips so I suggested to Elle that we leave. Whoops. Didn't think it through and forgot to notify our volunteer supervisor...poor Eddie got reamed for us being AWOL. Sorry Eddie.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday morning long run</strong><br />The cortizone BGN last Thursday has worked wonders. Sunday morning was the first pain free run in so long I can barely remember it. I really do think it was last April. Anyway, I managed to bribe a few running buddies (they'll do almost anything for free Gatorade) to run a bit further than the normal 12 mile run. We did over 18 miles and it was wonderful! Thanks guys!<br /><br />In another week, I get the last of the series of cortizone BGNs! Am almost looking forward to it.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-20692917482449124382007-03-08T12:37:00.000-08:002007-03-08T13:18:19.107-08:00Brick cleaningI've discovered another 'talent' to fall back on if my career in the computer technology industry doesn't pan out...brick cleaning.<br /><br /><strong>Here's the story of my new found talent.</strong><br />I'm walking the neighborhood with my girlfriend, Elle (what a great woman but that's another story). A couple of blocks down the street from my little bungalow, we walk by a demolition site. Seems another old bungalow bit the dust in order to make way for yet another high density townhome development. All together now, everybody say, awwwwwwwwww....<br /><br />Well, my bunglow was built in 1915 and has an orangish colored brick facade. I have no idea when the facade was constructed but the bricks appear old and faded and certainly are not something you can pick up at Home Depot. Anyway, the deceased bungalow just happened to have had a similarly constructed brick facade...orangish colored bricks with three holes in each brick.<br /><br />So, after chatting with the nice gentlemen with the huge dump truck and earth moving machine, I learned that these bricks were destined for the land fill...along with the rest of the walls, roof, floor, and...Tweety bird (yea, a big giant Tweety Bird was slumped over in the front yard...go figure. Anyway, I was given permission to haul off as many bricks as I wanted. Oh boy, yet another use for my little truck (have lived in Texas for over 30 years and less than two years ago, I bought my first pickup...another story for another time).<br /><br />Elle helped me with the first load and we subsequently built a nice little flower holding thingy in the front yard. You know, that box, or wall, or whatever you call that little wall of bricks that go around a bunch of good dirt that's used to plant stuff in.<br /><br />Anyway, before we could actually use the bricks, we....I mean I, had to clean the bricks as they had lots of old mortar on them. That's one of the downsides of <em>free</em>, used, bricks. But, after a few bricks, I figured out what needs to be done to clean bricks...which I am now passing on to you.<br /><br /><strong>Here's the stuff needed</strong><br /><ul><li>Dirty bricks...not just dirt but bricks with old mortar attached</li><li>work gloves</li><li>claw hammer</li><li>large screwdriver or pick</li><li>safety goggles</li><li>safety mask</li><li>outdoor garbage can</li></ul><strong>Here's what you do</strong><br /><ul><li>Put on work gloves, safety goggles, and safety mask (there's gonna be a lot of mortar chips and dust flying everywhere)</li><li>hold one brick over the garbage can and use the claw of the hammer to shear off the mortar...after a while, you can get pretty good at it</li><li>After mortar is off brick, use screw driver to poke out the mortar in the holes of the brick</li><li>Stack your nice clean bricks</li><li>Periodically, take a break as bricks get heavy after pounding on them with a hammer.</li></ul>After building the little flower bed thingy, I still have over 100 clean bricks. Although I have no idea what to do with them yet; when I need 'em, I'll have 'em!Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-12556645554294413202007-03-08T12:27:00.000-08:002007-03-08T12:33:47.381-08:00The 2nd BGN this morningGot the 2nd BGN this morning.<br /><br />But first. Tuesday I ran with Simon and Scott from Memorial Park to Mt. Bacon. Mt. Bacon is actually one of the two parking garages that a lot of Houston runners utilize for hill training. Am still not able to keep up with Simon and Scott but my fitness is slowly coming back.<br /><br />Wednesday I did a workout with Matt on the bayou. 6x1 minute thresholds with 2 minute recoveries. At the end, my lower back was killing me.<br /><br />This morning, I went in for the 2nd epidural coritco-steroid injection. I told the doc that the first shot didn't seem to do much. His response was ver practical..."well, I don't want to do the same thing that didn't work." So, he changed the cortizone type and also gave me the epidural between L5 and S1 (the first injection was between L4 and L5).<br /><br />Although my back is a bit sore, I can bend over quite easily right now...should be even better in a few days. Maybe...just maybe, there is light at the end of the tunnel.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-13079992734974084482007-02-27T15:02:00.000-08:002007-02-27T15:20:28.046-08:00Running...post BGN #1It's been 8 days since the BGN (big giant needle of cortizone in the lower back between L4 & L5). It now seems the lower back pain is laterally...and not getting better. 2nd BGN in 9 days...I hope it works.<br /><br />Ran the Conoco Rodeo 10K last Saturday. Amazing what can happen in one year of little to no running! One minute <em>per mile</em> slower than last year! It's a long way back ;)<br /><br />Some running observations this past 11 months. <strong>NOTE</strong>: This is in addition to all that silly scientific stuff on runbayou.com.<br /><ul><li>If you run 50-60 miles per week for several years, you're likely to be faster than those that run 0-30 miles per week for the last 11 months</li><li>If you do speedwork twice a week for several years, you're likely to be faster than those that have not done speedwork for 11 months</li><li>You're likely to be more motivated to run if you're NOT in pain...vs if you are in pain</li><li>If you eat a bizzillion calories per day and run 50-60 miles per week, you'll burn 'em right off. If you eat a bizzillion calories per day and run 0-30 miles per week, you'll store 'em just above your belt</li><li>You're likely to run faster if you haven't stored a bizzillion calories just above your belt</li><li>Actually, some of the bizzillion calories are at the belt...forcing the use of fresh belt holes</li></ul><p>More later.....</p>Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-9764211123583928932007-02-19T15:54:00.000-08:002007-02-19T15:59:26.582-08:00BGN!Got the infamous BGN in the lower back today. BGN is short for big giant needle. In this case, an epi-dural cortizone shot. It's supposed to take a few days to produce the full effect. In two weeks, another BGN in the back.<br /><br />That said, I do get to run tomorrow afternoon so my spirits are high.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-1171823433487888962007-02-18T08:31:00.000-08:002007-02-18T10:30:33.513-08:00Back again....I'm back again. Literally. Have tried just about everything (and I do mean everything) to heal my lower back injury (slight disk bulge between L4 and L5) but so far...nothing's worked. Tomorrow though. Tomorrow is the day for the epidural cortizone. Supposed to be a magic fix. We'll see.<br /><br />Am making another attempt at training for a marathon. This time for the 2007 Boston Marathon. Am not training to race it...just to finish it. If the cortizone works, if my training goes well (read: no pain while training); then I'll run my 8th Boston in April.<br /><br />Getting kind of excited and motivated. Updated the web site yesterday and may even keep it updated for a while ;)<br />Have you heard of it? It's at: <a href="http://www.runbayou.com">www.runbayou.com</a>. There's a lot of endurance training information there although it may take a while for you find everything. It is my first web site so the design has been, shall we say, somewhat flakey. Anyway, if you're patient, there is some good info...<br /><br />More later...after the cortizone ;)Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-1166800612537141092006-12-22T07:05:00.000-08:002006-12-22T07:16:52.550-08:00Continuing saga of sore back runningI ran 6.6 miles on Wednesday. It's the longest distance in over 8 weeks. Started slow and basically stayed slow. Okay, we did get up to cruising speed for about a mile but....<br /><br />The run felt pretty good but after.....ahhhh, the back was barking!<br /><br />That said, I can feel the back getting better day by day. Will attempt a longer run on Sunday...maybe 10-12 miles with lots of stretching breaks.<br /><br />My physical therapist watches me run for about 10 minutes every visit. This morning she said that my back is pulled in too far when running. I recall my good friend Anna telling me once that I ran with a, "sway back." I used the same term with my therapist and she agreed. This has contributed to the irritation and pain. I'm now working on exercises to help correct this.<br /><br />Moral of the story: Listen to your friends...they can save you money!Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-1166547813301943972006-12-19T08:42:00.000-08:002006-12-19T09:03:36.093-08:0026 days to the Houston MarathonOkay...so I missed the annual JP long run. For those of you not BCRR members, the JP long run is ~21 miles, a great breakfast, and lots of comraderie every year about 3-4 weeks before the Houston Marathon.<br /><br />The good news is that I plan on running long next Saturday or Sunday (22 or 21 days to the marathon). Maybe only ~15 miles but hey...if Lance can run a marathon on a short long run.<br /><br />Physical therapy (PT) seems to be going well. Although the exercises make my back sore, I am increasing my range of motion...at least that's what Barbara, my physical therapist, says. Of course, Barbara wants to believe she's helping me as much as I want to believe it. The fact that we/she has identified specific weak muscles in my back is enough evidence for me to continue the PT visits. I've upped my visits this week to 3. Hopefully, there will be more improvement by Friday!<br /><br />Other good news is that I'm learning more and more about, "proper" running technique. Something I thought I understood. What's really interesting is that the proper technique is the <em>result</em> of appropriately strong back muscles. So...I have to strengthen these muscles so that the "proper" technique occurs. In other words, one should not attempt to fix the technique...the technique becomes evident as the back muscles strengthen.<br /><br />What does this mean? Well, when I suggested to Barbara that I was going to run on a treadmill, in front of a mirror, to monitor my running style; she said, "that is fine...just don't try to fix it." If I were to try to fix it, I would likely create some other problem.<br /><br />More laterChip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-1165591332334118122006-12-08T07:09:00.000-08:002006-12-08T07:22:12.366-08:00A new beginningOkay, I'm back to the blog...who knows, maybe I'll get motivated enough to update runbayou.com.<br /><br />Today was my second physical therapy session. So far, my take on physical therapists (at least the one I'm seeing) is that they induce less pain than massage therapists. Don't know if this is a good thing or not. That said, my back feels sore but better today.<br /><br />Wednesday, I did some light upper body weight training and ran for ~24 minutes. My first run in seven, count 'em, 7 weeks. You know you've been away from running when the times are approximate and there is no mention of seconds...<br /><br />Today will be ~40 minutes of running. Very slow with some walking involved if necessary.<br /><br />With only 5 weeks to the Houston Marathon, the plan now is to be able to complete it within the 6 hour cutoff time. I know my running club friends (go BCRR!) will probably be gone by the time I finish. All I ask is that someone leave me a cold beer in my running bag. A Shiner Bock would be great but no doubt, anything that can wash down 800mg of Ibuprophen is gonna be welcomed!Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21542504.post-1154622585213729062006-08-03T09:19:00.000-07:002006-08-03T09:29:45.226-07:002007 Houston Marathon trainingTraining for the Houston Marathon in January 2007 has begun in earnest.<br /><br />This is a 26 week program I've developed that utilizes theories and workouts from Coach Daniels' and the late Arthur Lydiard's programs. This year, we'll be doing a few things differently than last year. Notably, the 200s and 400s workouts will not be included. It's not that they're not beneficial but, for the marathon, you just don't need that kind of speed. I also feel you can get strength and technique in other workouts that are more suited to the marathon distance.<br /><br />The program is a four (4) phase program (each phase lasting 6 weeks) with a two (2) week taper. Details of the program can be found at <a href="http://www.runbayou.com">www.runbayou.com</a>. I've got the workouts for the first two phases up on the site.Chip Tymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17226294530404458578noreply@blogger.com3