Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt
Sunday, July 19, 2009
racine tri - yeah!
Congrats to Tina Beert, Lisa Wells and Laurie Saunders on finishing the Spirit of Racine Women's Triathlon this weekend! Half Ironman distance. There's nothing these ladies can't do.
run with Katie Visco
Met Katie Visco- the young lady running across country to promote girls' running - at the fire station in Montpelier, Iowa, early Friday morning. Montpelier is somehow missing from the list of "Major Locations En Route" on Katie's Blog - http://www.paveyourlane.com/. Surely an oversight soon corrected.
Was joined by my friend Danelle and a recent graduate of Davenport North High School Kelsie - all state track athlete, starting Iowa State in the fall in engineering. Just these small facts warmed the heart of this tired old masters runner.
We ran for 12 miles down the shoulder of westbound IA22 to Weed Park on on the outskirts of Muscatine. Katie seemed glad to get out of the Cities, but busy highway 22 is not most people's idea of a relaxiing country jaunt. A trucker honked is air horn for us. Tried to run on the gravel shoulder mostly, but it will be much nicer when the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) is completed. Here's a map of predicted route of the MRT in Iowa. The MRT will eventually stretch most of the length of the Mississippi River - widened shoulder and off road path.
Trails don't just happen. People make them happen. Those who use trail amenities owe a debt to the past. Special thanks to the trail advocacy from River Action and the Quad Cities Transportation Advocacy Group for looking to the future. Along with a little help from designers such as a large engineering firm located in a small Iowa river town...
Katie wanted to hear our stories, the three people who ran with her. I kinda felt she had to explain her story so often, that she just needed the rest to hear others. I told her about my crazy mountain run quest, about some of the local runners I know with amazing stories. Danelle explained the challenges of motivating people as a personal trainer, and Kelsie told of her rise in high school track, with big plans and dreams as she moves on to college and running at the next level. I was amazed to learn the Kelsie won - not age group, but overall - her first ever 5k a few years ago.
Katie says she's got big plans. Eventually finishing her run across America, she wants to run across Australia and then around the world. She's going to write a book. I told her I would gladly buy it.
Also found it interesting that Katie had never run more than 1/2 marathon distance prior to trying the run across USA quest. Katie, you can wear the title of ultra marathoner, now, I think.
Left Katie at the edge of Muscatine, with a recommendation to stop at my favorite eatery in downtown Muscatine, Elly's Coffee and Tea. Also left her in the capable hands of the Muscatine Running Friends, staying overnight at Nancy Shell's house.
Someone at work later asked me if he saw me running down IA22 Friday morning. I told him, yeah, I was in good company.
Run long, and be well Katie. And everyone else - click the link at right and consider a donation to promote running and fitness among young girls.
Local Media Coverage of Katie's Run:
KWQC TV news Skip ahead to 1 hr 17 min for the interview.
Rock Island Argus
Muscatine Radio KWPC here and here
-Larry
Was joined by my friend Danelle and a recent graduate of Davenport North High School Kelsie - all state track athlete, starting Iowa State in the fall in engineering. Just these small facts warmed the heart of this tired old masters runner.
We ran for 12 miles down the shoulder of westbound IA22 to Weed Park on on the outskirts of Muscatine. Katie seemed glad to get out of the Cities, but busy highway 22 is not most people's idea of a relaxiing country jaunt. A trucker honked is air horn for us. Tried to run on the gravel shoulder mostly, but it will be much nicer when the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) is completed. Here's a map of predicted route of the MRT in Iowa. The MRT will eventually stretch most of the length of the Mississippi River - widened shoulder and off road path.
Trails don't just happen. People make them happen. Those who use trail amenities owe a debt to the past. Special thanks to the trail advocacy from River Action and the Quad Cities Transportation Advocacy Group for looking to the future. Along with a little help from designers such as a large engineering firm located in a small Iowa river town...
Katie wanted to hear our stories, the three people who ran with her. I kinda felt she had to explain her story so often, that she just needed the rest to hear others. I told her about my crazy mountain run quest, about some of the local runners I know with amazing stories. Danelle explained the challenges of motivating people as a personal trainer, and Kelsie told of her rise in high school track, with big plans and dreams as she moves on to college and running at the next level. I was amazed to learn the Kelsie won - not age group, but overall - her first ever 5k a few years ago.
Katie says she's got big plans. Eventually finishing her run across America, she wants to run across Australia and then around the world. She's going to write a book. I told her I would gladly buy it.
Also found it interesting that Katie had never run more than 1/2 marathon distance prior to trying the run across USA quest. Katie, you can wear the title of ultra marathoner, now, I think.
Left Katie at the edge of Muscatine, with a recommendation to stop at my favorite eatery in downtown Muscatine, Elly's Coffee and Tea. Also left her in the capable hands of the Muscatine Running Friends, staying overnight at Nancy Shell's house.
Someone at work later asked me if he saw me running down IA22 Friday morning. I told him, yeah, I was in good company.
Run long, and be well Katie. And everyone else - click the link at right and consider a donation to promote running and fitness among young girls.
Local Media Coverage of Katie's Run:
KWQC TV news Skip ahead to 1 hr 17 min for the interview.
Rock Island Argus
Muscatine Radio KWPC here and here
-Larry
Sunday, July 12, 2009
weekend 7/12/09
I liked this little quote below from the Dances with Dirt website. Congrats to Bob and Dave for going after this "little Leadville". Places like Hell, Michigan, Devils Lake, Wisconsin, Gnaw Bone, Indiana, Green Swamp, Florida. Relatively new, evil inspired trail running series.
Welcome to the dark side of running.
A message from Goat Quarters, Hell, Michigan:
Weak, wimpy, treadmill running pansies who are afraid to get some dirt in their shorts need not apply.
Expect to be scratched, muddied and bruised by the beauty of this unpolished gem.
Expect to get out near the edge where life is full color.
Expect a day that leaves you knowing you are fully alive, awake and crankin' on all cylinders.
Expect insanity, stupidity and nirvana.
My excursion not so far. Some pics from Mississippi Palisades, Savanna, IL. Cause this is the closest thing to mountains I could come up with at a reasonable distance.
Welcome to the dark side of running.
A message from Goat Quarters, Hell, Michigan:
Weak, wimpy, treadmill running pansies who are afraid to get some dirt in their shorts need not apply.
Expect to be scratched, muddied and bruised by the beauty of this unpolished gem.
Expect to get out near the edge where life is full color.
Expect a day that leaves you knowing you are fully alive, awake and crankin' on all cylinders.
Expect insanity, stupidity and nirvana.
My excursion not so far. Some pics from Mississippi Palisades, Savanna, IL. Cause this is the closest thing to mountains I could come up with at a reasonable distance.
running across America for girls
Got an email from Paul Schmidt at CBRC looking for people interested in helping out this young lady. Katie Visco is running across the United States to benefit a charity Girls on the Run International, promoting fitness and activity in girls across the world.Katie will be passing through the Quad Cities on onward through Muscatine in upcoming days. Her schedule includes.
-Tuesday, July 14th - Meet at 6:30am at intersection of 80th Ave N & 256th St N, Port Byron, IL 61275.
-Wed, July 15th - Meet at 6:30am at intersection of River Dr. and 6th Street, Moline, IL
-Friday, July 17th - Meet at 6:30am at intersection of IA-22 & Zachary Ave, Muscatine, 52761
-Sat, July 18th - Meet at 7am at intersection of 33rd St S & Grandview Ave, Muscatine, 52761
If you have a chance, come out to run with Katie. You can support her financially at her website - http://www.paveyourlane.com/profile/PaveYourLane
I am going to try to run with her on Friday or Sat.
-Larry
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Dance with Dirt Ultra
Good luck to Super Dave Jessen and Super Bob Nelson at Dances with Dirt 50 mi ultra in Baraboo, WI this weekend!
Brain Surgery Frees Runner, but Raises Barriers
Story from NY Times - Link.
SEDALIA, Colo. — In the middle of the night, Diane Van Deren will leave her house against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. She will cut west through the dark canyons with her running shoes and a headlamp, but without a kiwi-sized part of her right temporal lobe.
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She used to run away from epileptic seizures. Since brain surgery, she just runs, uninhibited by the drudgery of time and distance, undeterred by an inability to remember exactly where she is going or how to get back.
“It used to be, call for help if Mom’s not back in five hours,” Van Deren said. She laughed. “That rule has been stretched. I’ve got a 24-hour window now. Isn’t that sad?”
Van Deren, 49, had a lobectomy in 1997. She has become one of the world’s great ultra-runners, competing in races of attrition measuring 100 miles or more. She won last year’s Yukon Arctic Ultra 300, a trek against frigid cold, deep snow and loneliness, and was the first woman to complete the 430-mile version this year.
This weekend she will run in the Hardrock 100 in Silverton, Colo. It has a total elevation gain of 33,000 feet and crosses the top of 14,048-foot Handies Peak. About 150 people will enter. About half will not finish the 100 miles within the allotted 48 hours.....
SEDALIA, Colo. — In the middle of the night, Diane Van Deren will leave her house against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. She will cut west through the dark canyons with her running shoes and a headlamp, but without a kiwi-sized part of her right temporal lobe.
Skip to next paragraph
Related
Comment Post a Comment on the Well Blog
She used to run away from epileptic seizures. Since brain surgery, she just runs, uninhibited by the drudgery of time and distance, undeterred by an inability to remember exactly where she is going or how to get back.
“It used to be, call for help if Mom’s not back in five hours,” Van Deren said. She laughed. “That rule has been stretched. I’ve got a 24-hour window now. Isn’t that sad?”
Van Deren, 49, had a lobectomy in 1997. She has become one of the world’s great ultra-runners, competing in races of attrition measuring 100 miles or more. She won last year’s Yukon Arctic Ultra 300, a trek against frigid cold, deep snow and loneliness, and was the first woman to complete the 430-mile version this year.
This weekend she will run in the Hardrock 100 in Silverton, Colo. It has a total elevation gain of 33,000 feet and crosses the top of 14,048-foot Handies Peak. About 150 people will enter. About half will not finish the 100 miles within the allotted 48 hours.....
Leadville Class of 2009
Tuesday night after track, the Leadville Trail 100 Class of 2009 met with pacers and crew for dinner. Pictured below from left to right- Tom Waterman, Dennis Hall, Dave Jessen (sporting a fine looking QCRunner T-shirt), Lynn Hawbaker and the humble blogger. Not pictured - John DeDoncker.
Great thanks to 2007 Leadville finisher Paul Schmidt for organizing the dinner. Pacers and crew have volunteered. Russ Hart, Jo hart, Mike Feldpausch, Lori Bates, Debbie Jessen, Maria Waterman, Suzanne Hoke, Scott Hoffman, Jean Roeder, Janelle Swanberg, Jon Fish, Judie Gulley have the deepest thanks from all the runners.
Six weeks to go with nervous anticipation settling deep. Close with quotes from two wise men.
"I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel.
I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real..."
Johnny Cash - Hurt - cover of NIN song
"The one thing I can promise you is that if you stay with it, it will hurt for only 30 hours. If you quit, it will hurt for 365 days."
Ken Chlouber - Race Director Leadville Trail 100
-Larry
Great thanks to 2007 Leadville finisher Paul Schmidt for organizing the dinner. Pacers and crew have volunteered. Russ Hart, Jo hart, Mike Feldpausch, Lori Bates, Debbie Jessen, Maria Waterman, Suzanne Hoke, Scott Hoffman, Jean Roeder, Janelle Swanberg, Jon Fish, Judie Gulley have the deepest thanks from all the runners.
Six weeks to go with nervous anticipation settling deep. Close with quotes from two wise men.
"I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel.
I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real..."
Johnny Cash - Hurt - cover of NIN song
"The one thing I can promise you is that if you stay with it, it will hurt for only 30 hours. If you quit, it will hurt for 365 days."
Ken Chlouber - Race Director Leadville Trail 100
-Larry
Saturday, July 4, 2009
rainy 4th of july firecracker
Made up my mind on game day "weather" or not to run Firecracker. Thought better of going for PR attempt, under the counsel of a wise woman. Have gotten slower, with slow plodding long distance miles, at the end of one of my highest mileage weeks. Others seemed to do well, despite the weather. Legs are very tired, in need of rest. Rest of day indoors, watching classics such as Battle for the Planet of the Apes - "Ape shall not kill ape" - and Apocalypse Now - "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like victory." Netflix is good.
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