For Seth!

Today's run is for Seth! Not only did he donate, but he joined us on Monday for the US defeat of Ghana in Duluth! It was great to see him and catch up. He's not running this year, but for the past two years, he's run the Garry Bjorklund with me. We also ran the auspicious Gordon Good Neighbor Days 5K last year, and finished 1 and 2 in our age division. Just sayin.

Be like Seth. Donate here.  Thanks for the donation Seth, there's aren't too many days of donating left.

Seth's dedicated run was a family affair. Being home for the summer, we have a firm motto at The Crip Side - "We work hard at leisure." The current hard work involved the purchase of a bike and a trailer so we can all hit the road together!

Pictured: Enthused wife and chilled out baby.

The route was yet again the Murphy Cuatro. It seems to be the distance of choice these days. Only two more runs after this one until the marathon. During today's run, I kept telling myself that the race will not be a problem. I tried running my expected race day pace today, I hope I can keep it up for 26.2 miles. I usually start pretty hot, so that will be a big challenge for me on Saturday. I think it has been a major problem for me in the past. I wish I had Jess's (Team Tinto Shout Out!) negative split discipline.

The run was fun. It was so great to be out for a run with Kate. She's been my biggest supporter over the years and to have her along for a run instead of retelling it when I got home was really cool. The boy loves his trailer. I expect we'll go for lots of runs this summer.

We saw a deer and checked the mail on this run too. Getting it done!

This run belongs to Seth!

I'm dedicating runs to raise money for a campship in memory of our friend Ty Taylor at YMCA Camp Miller. Click here or here to donate. Please make sure you choose the Ty Taylor Campship option. And please let me know if you've made a donation so I can thank you!

RUN STATS:

Distance - 4.02 miles

Time - 33:49

Soundtrack - No headphones needed, I had my family!

For Michael!

Saturday's run was a "get my house in order" kind of run. Discouraged by the Racer X Syndrome Run and the I'm a Quitter Run, I decided that it was time to refocus my energy. I needed to prove to myself that I am in fact, fit and that I can in fact, run a marathon because I am mentally strong.

This Rocky (the boxer, not the feeling of uneasiness)-moment run is dedicated to Michael. Thanks for the donation. It serves to keep me going, even when the going gets tough.

Yeah! Billy Ocean!

I set out Saturday morning determined to offset my lousy hangover from the busted 22 miler. I planned a four miler, the same out-and-back that I've run many a time before. Out the door, turn right out of the driveway, turn around at 2 miles and come back. Nothing glorious, but as they say in India, "I have to do the needful."

I knew it was going to be a good run when I turned a corner and saw a deer. I actually yelled out loud, "YES!" and did a little fist pump when I saw it. A fist pump. By myself. In the woods. What can I say? It geeks me out to see the animals here at the lake. We've seen deer, pine martins, weasels, raccoons, loons, herons, woodpeckers...it's awesome. And it adds some variety to well-plied dead end road runs.

Because this wasn't about proving my distance, it was about proving my mental toughness, there would be no stopping and chatting with neighbors, no checking the mail or no stopping to snap photos on this run. I just needed to get out and do it.

The first mile was all about getting the day before's kinks out. Like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, my knees screamed "Oil me!" as I ran the first mile in 7:27. That's a normal pace for me on shorter to mid-distance runs. Feeling good, I stepped it up for the second mile.

7:00. Now I was inspired. "You're going to kick this run in the buns," I said to myself, ignoring my screaming calves and thighs. Mile three was 7:15, slightly slower, so as Ms. MapMyRun mocked my decreased pace (so it seemed to me), I made up my mind to answer her challenge. Mile four found me turning it up and as I crossed the edge of the driveway, she was telling me that I had finished the last mile in 7:01. This isn't my fastest Murphy Lake 4 Miler, but it was the third best. Knowing that now, it's time to break the record for this route.

I don't intend on running the marathon that fast, but reminding myself that I'm strong, capable and mentally tough is helping me overcome the slump of the last few runs.

I've got this.

There aren't too many more runs to dedicate before the race, so get on it if you're donating!

This run belongs to Michael.

I'm dedicating runs to raise money for a campship in memory of our friend Ty Taylor at YMCA Camp Miller. Click here or here to donate. Please make sure you choose the Ty Taylor Campship option. And please let me know if you've made a donation so I can thank you!

RUN STATS:

Distance - 4 miles

Time - 28:53

Soundtrack - Beastie Boys, Hello Nasty