3:44:20

the other big numbers.....

8:34 per mile pace

#375 overall out of 1292 finishers

#47 out of 111 in age/gender division

based upon my finishing time i was given an estimate of a 1:46:22 halfway point and that was dead on.

i'm thrilled with my time. i'm thrilled with the time i ended with.

i am 2/3rds of the way through 3 marathons in a 12 month period,.....and i love running a marathon more after the second one.

Lets do the quick(?) post race report narrative:

After not being able to sleep, i opted to post about the prerace jitters. Since the hotel was full of runners i was able to meet a few half marathoners who were leaving to get to one of the busses going to the half marathon starting point. i was a ble to watch the sun rise as our hotel sat on the east arm of the bay.

The slight reddish hue brought thoughts of "red skies at night...sailors delight, red skies in mornin', sailor take warning...." the possible rain. Forecast had rain getting there by late afternoon, the race itself was going to be incredible. As the sun rose, there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

After a cup of coffee, and the halfers left, it was nearly 5:30, so i cancelled my wakeup call and decided to shower before the race. Lisa was just getting up as i exited the shower and i went through my pre-race routine of double checking everything. Batteries in MP3 player, Garmin charged up, socks, shoes, bib hanging in a comfortable manner, pace bands.

Pace bands were new and thanks to Tange, i had a way to use them. i printed 3 and hung them upside down on my shirt. So i could look down and check my goal pace with actual pace. Why 3??? well, stacked on top of each other and safety pinned to my shirt i had my goal time 3:45, sandwiched between my dream time 3:40 and my worse case be happy with time of 3:55.

Fresh, dressed....like a million bucks....we headed out the hotel and made our way to the college. Fun Guv dropped me off, and i took in the sites. After a quick pee, i found Nitmos, and with his wonderful wife...made pleasant talk of BQing and other upcomming races.

Finally the national anthem... it was time to get ready, a horn sounded and we were off, in a cloud of shuffling feet slowly making their way to the start line mats.

ring, ring, ring, ring goes all the mats and with a quick start the timer on my Garmin, and we were off. All conversation ended as we were discussing the merits of the Mackinac Island races with another runner, but that was pre-starting mat. Now were are racing. i wished Nitmos luck and off he went....

Mile One was a bit conjested, but it did help me keep my pace down. Pace was 8:28, perfect i thought, but the crowd slowed me down, now we were spaced out (insert joke) what was going to happen now?

Mile 2 through 8, all in the low 8 minute pace range. This is a little nervous time for me. i am going much quicker than expected, and i am banking time in my dream pace. a little devil appears on a shoulder and says",you're going too fast, you'll never make it, slow down. That little twinge you feel in your hammy is going to snap, and that slight pain in ankle is a stress-fracture. slow down....slow down"

Then the little angel pops up on the other ",screw that guy!!! you're in the best condition of your life. Keep going this fast, and after a few more miles let's go faster. The hammy will loosen up as will the calf/ankle. Of course you're faster, this is the first long run you have done all year without a 5 lb weight on your back. Most important....enjoy the speed, embrace it...put out your best effort now"

So, i kept going, at a nice controlled clip, relying on the training and feeling natural at the 8 minute pace.

Mile 9 through 13, as i was passing some people an gentleman nodded and said "hi, nice pace." i thanked him and didn't think much about it until a few seconds later i realized he had fallen in, right behind me. Could it be???? A few more seconds and i have to ask.

"Am i being drafted?"

"hope you don't mind??" Is he kidding me? Mind? This is great!!!! "you moving real good and you have some broad shoulders to catch the wind"

"No problem, glad i can help...." i'm being drafted. Me....my second ever marathon. i've only been running a little over a year, i used to weigh almost 70 lbs more then at this moment, and i was being drafted.

So now, i'm rreally going and living off new adrenaline. 3 of these mile are under 8 minute pace. Alas, my new running partner, parasite, bails just passed the 12 mile mark. He couldn't keep up, but by this point i had seen a few returning marathoners.

Just past the mile12 marker, i realize i hadn't seen Nitmos yet. How fast was i going??? The i saw him and i waved as we approached each other. He looked real strong, and i guess i did too at this point. He hadn't expected to see me so soon.

Nimos.....red shirt

Halfway.....1:46: somechange, per the Garmin. Rock on!!!! do a 2 hr half and finish in target.

13 through 16....wow, i really am cruising. Heading back, i see the masses of runners behind me. And they're encouraging all the runners heading back to stay strong. you got a good pace going. Keep going. It's a very Zen feeling, to encourage runners miles behind you to keep moving and stay strong, while they are wishing you the best at the same time. The down and back, what a great way to run. Who needs spectators to cheer when the runners can all cheer each other?? More fast miles, mile 16 was my second fastest mile of the day at 7:49.

Spectators... every 4 miles was a viewing area along the route. Where traffic from a side street could meet the running route. The crowds were great. The enthusiasm more than made up for the size. My quickest recorded spurts were all through these little masses, usually bookending a water station.

At mile 16, just past the crowds i took my first walk break. I was just under 2:10 per the garming.

Mile 17 and 18, even with a short break, mile 17 was under 9 minutes and mile 18 was my last low 8 minute pace mile.

OK, maybe i went too fast too soon. The i begin the mantra "keep moving forward"

19 through 21, i'm under 3 hrs. first goal a success, and right about 5 miles to go. 3:55 is in the bag. 3:40....not so much, but 3:45 looks good.

Somewhere here this picture is taken by the local running shop. i must look dead, but as i walk the camara guy says "keep going, you have a great time going"

"thanks, i'm beat, the sun is really starting to hurt"

"want a salt tab?"

Thank god, salt and some water. This is going on my future marathon list of things to bring.

Mile 22 to 26 i met a guy named Tim, he looked a little beat and i thought about passing him for a second then opted to pace him. We ran the finals miles together. Keeping the mantra going. Nice and slow we made our way the final miles. A joke now and then and positive words for each other. Another fond memory. At the final mile, i wanted one more walk break, just to try to look my best for my friends and family. Garmin had time at 3:35, one mile to go a short break, recover a little and hit my target. Off Tim went.....he offered to stay, but i told him to keep going, he was looking strong.

.2, this is a partial lap, and the only negative to the Bayshore. You have to step up a curb to get off the road, run of some dirt/grass to get to the track. The only negative. The final lap is great. As i smiled, and enjoyed the cheers of numerous strangers, and scanned the sidelines looking for friends and fam....finally....

The race was awesome. I had a PR and can apply for a starting corral in Chicago.

Well that's the nuts and bolts of the Bayshore. It's a beaut.... Best Finishers Medal, best price, best shirt (technical tee). We lucked out on the weather.

i'll finish for now, but i have one more post race thoughts post in me, before saying "good-bye" to the Bayshore.





Thanks for reading

It's 4:53 am in Traverse City and what am i doing before the race.

Not sleeping.....

So, thank goodness for the biz center in the hotel.

At least i can let the family sleep, cause my tossing and turning couldn't have been helping.

On the plus i did get at least 5 hrs of sleep. More than enough and didn't sabotage of today's efforts with greasy food last night.

Maybe i should cancel the 5:30 wake up call???

i swear the entire hotel is just runners here. Everywhere you look....runners legs.

i think i'm really understanding how this is a marathoners marathon, and i'm getting that "i'm the most out of shape guy here" feeling, that i had waaaaaaay back April 1, 2006 at the first 1/2 Mary.

i was able to stroll through my high school gym. It was a nice walk through the past. Last time i was there, was 21 years ago, i won a car then. Yesterday, i received a nice technical shirt and carb bar. So not a car but less of a taxable burden.

Anyway, this is about as witty and thoughtful as a man can be at 5:02am.

It's the prequel.

thanks for reading

ok i lied

i received a call from my roommate Tange, all the way from the Orlando area.

We lived together a few years at Central and he was a sub 3 hr marathoner back then and occasional tri-athlete.

i smoked and drank too much, why were we roommates?????

funny how life works that way but Tange had(s) a heart of gold and he called just to wish me well, and check on my training. We haven't actually seen each other in almost 10 years...the magic of the internet.

So thanks Mr Gore for inventing it.....

Which brings me to another issue....after the marathon i can get back to political satire. Thank Gawd, like Barb and Mike, if mike looks at this once in a while, like to hear about bad Detroit news in their Chicago digs?????

Who are Barb and Mike, wellll, what blogs are you stalking then???? But thanks for the encouragement

Also, a shout out to the Hitman...Brett, who also wanted to call and wish me luck. Thanks buddy. If Nitmos and i can talk one more Steer into running again, we may have a relay team for some serious distance stuff.

Just think, ..... Canadian Death Race Relay Team named Steers, a castrated bovine....with Tange, King, Hitman, Nitmos and Luki, anyway back to reality......

Post race report to come soon.....

Thanks for reading

This may be the last post prior to the Big Run Saturday.

So, in case i forget, thanks to all the well wishers who have called or emailed or commented with support.

Taper, Smaker.....

i had a nice 3 mile taper run, slow easy.....not.....really....it was a good base/good weather/short run combo that led to an 7:09 average pace.....21:28, not bad eh????

Yep, dear friends, my warm-up mile was 7:20, followed by a 7:02, dammit almost a <7:00 mile, and a 7:08. This wasn't even difficult.

i promise to go slower at the start saturday.

Anyway on to the folks i will be missing:

Namely....Mark and Lisa....sorry you won't be there. i admit that while gknee is so far away, i will get a happy warm fuzzy wishing me well, and with the distance...that's great, i miss you lot's and love stalking your blog.

New work is going well, but things are a little hectic as i am trying to finish up a 45 hr week prior to leaving on Friday afternoon. 4 hrs to TC, check in to hotel, register to run, eat pasta and go to bed (but no sleep)

This week, finalize running gear, get GU, charge up batteries for various equipment, pack,

Don't Forget Shoes......

People to think about while running marathon

1. Fun Guv
2. Allison
3. Mackenzie
4. Jimmy
5. Animal
6. Tess
7. Roslyn
8. Tyler
9. Mark
10. Lisa
11. Gknee
12. Mom
13. Kim
14. Kim
15. Nitmos
16. King
17. Brett
18. Steve
19. Annette
20. Runner Girl
21. Russ
22. Miranda
23. Jim
24. Cheryl
25. Chris
26. Carey

.2 me

i don't mean to sound sappy, cause actually i am ready to get started. i am so excited to get this one over with.

Let's hope for good weather

Thanks for reading

Bib #580

There it is. The official Bib # 580, for the bayshore.

It's really here. This is a big moment when the marathon is now real in my mind. i have a bib#

Since i am midway through the taper a few reflections.

Since i am running my second marathon, i have my goals in mind, as far as finishing and time and with respect to what i can control.

But with respect to what i cannot:

-i consider myself fortunate to have not suffered through any running injury yet. As i have stalked other blogger/runners, i noticed that recurring theme, both bayshore and non-bayshore. Two of my fellow bayshore bloggers have had injuries that will prevent them from running/finishing or even starting the attempt to finish the full or half. To both Russ and Runner Girl, my deepest regrets you will not be able to run.

-i will be giving myself up to the elements next weekend. 7:00 am late May, can be chilly along the shores of Grand Traverse Bay, but it can be unbearably sticky quite quickly. Average temps be damned, i know to expect 40's at the start and up to 80's by the finish. That's just life in Traverse City and it could always rain.

-Phantom aches and pains of the taper are normal. i know to trust the healing of the taper as preparation for the long run, and with less miles i will not lose my current fitness level, but i'd be lying if i didn't desire to be running more.

-What do i do next? Three weeks is a 10k trail/adventure run. Y'know dirt/mud/river crossings/massive hills; do i give it a go? It's close to home. i have an inkling to give it a go.

-Since i have received all of my study materials and i start the new gig monday, how much running will a be able to do?

So in retrospect, mid-taper here's where my thoughts are:

i'm excited to get to another marathon
i'm excited to get to another race after the marathon
i'm excited to start a new career
i'm excited for Nitmos as he attempts a try for Boston
i'm excited to think i could give it a go, in a future marathon attempt
i'm ecstatic that i have not yet suffered through a nagging running injury

i'm in a good place right now. Piston's are still winning, Wings are in another great playoff series, Tigers still exciting in this early season, and the Lions are off-season.

Anybody else have any positive things to say???

Life is good, anything else i can jinx????

Thanks for reading

Happy Birthday Fun Guv'nor

Yep, today is a big day around the house and i always think Fun Guv gets a little pimped in the month of May. Our Anniversary, Mother's Day and Birthday are usually within 10 days of each other.

Anyway..... Happy Birthday.




Wha a ham.

Yesterday's 5 mile run was great. And at 38:54, it felt fast. Today is a crosstrain day and with Lisa's Birthday, i'll be eating lots soooooo a nice relaxing bike ride should be nice.

Brush with Pseudo-Celebrity......

Well, i thought a video with Velvet Revolver would be a hint.




He bellied up to the bar Saturday night after VR played a show in Royal Oak. Matt and, i think, the tour manager just had a couple glasses of wine and tried to get some food delivered for Scott, Slash and Duff.

Now, i've had a few brushes with folks at the hotel over the years. Kennedy, of Mtv Fame, was a doll and nothing like her old persona. Aaron Neville may be the largest man i have ever met. Neal Diamond requested all hotel employees turn and face the wall if he walks by because he didn't want to have eye-contact with anybody. Hank Williams, Jr may have been one of the coolest as he was in for the SuperBowl and just wanted to meet and greet and take pictures.

Matt was a drummer in one of my favorite bands, heck, two if you count The Cult.

i was extremely surprised that he was such a great guy to talk with. The bar was empty, and security had to keep some groupies away from the hotel just of the Scott and Slash factor but who wanted to see the drummer???

Well, he was cool, and i got a sense that he's asked about GnR a lot. So i didn't ask about Axel or Slash or any GnR stuff, but i did extend my appreciation of the groups he has been in and we left it at that.

Anyway, it was a fun night at the bar.

Thanks for reading, and happy birthday Lisa

.....And now batting for the Clinton Twp, Bronx Bombers, wearing number #8

Jimmy.





we opted to spare everyone but yes he did go on to score. Actually, at this level everybody scores as no outs are called and no score is kept, seven batters a side take turns and the lucky 7th batter gets to hit a home run regardless of power or lack thereof at the age of 5 & 6. Once and while a ball does trickle out of the infield.

At the end of the season, every kid gets a league champion trophy. AAaaaaah, what a wonderful world of peace and harmony......well, except for the parents.....or maybe just me.

As you may be able to see, there are no bleachers at these games. Basically parents sit up some summer folding chairs and watch the games. All the teams in the league play at local schools which happens to have two fields. At the first game, everybody gets pictures taken, teams and individual, and games are fairly tightly time monitered to stay on schedule, between t-ball, machine pitch, coach pitch, minors and majors about 20 game need to be played.

Anyway, Fun Guv sits down and i open up my chair next to hers and Macks and sit down to watch Jimmy play.

Then i hear....

"so that's the way it is then," right behind me.

So i turn and look and a guy is standing there, with 4 folding chairs and i guess i didn't see him as i walked up to where Fun Guv and Mack were sitting. i tend to get a little lost just looking at the surroundings and Fun Guv needs to rein me in to the smaller picture.

i guess i had sat my chair in front of where he was setting up chairs for his family.

Totally, my bad, So i apologize.

"y'know, i'm real sorry, i was just sitting here next to my wife and daughter, i didn't see you."

Now, Lisa had sat next to another Mom, with whom she had struck up a conversation, so she was fairly set, and i guess i could have moved, with the 10 -15 feet of room to my right, where nobody was sitting and be closer to the diamond.

If so, sitting on the third base line for this game. pecking order would have been...

homeplate, third base, a few parents, 10- 15 feet space, me, guy with four chairs, Mack, Fun Guv, Mom with said convesration, or

homeplate, third base, a few parents, guy with four chairs, me, Mack,Fun Guv, Mom with said conversation.

So the guy just won't let it go. He keeps on about how i wouldn't move, just talking to nobody really. He starts to move the chairs and just keeps on about how he can't believe how difficult i am being, and how he has to move to sit, and see the game.

Now, i assume he's got a kid on the same team as i do. And looking back, i should have handled things differently. i could have extended a hand in friendship, offered to help reposition his chairs, struck up a conversation, but.....

...and not to make an excuse, i had bartended the night before. It had been busy at the bar, so getting home after 2:00 am and back up at 7:30am to go to a t-ball game had left me tired. i basically sat, and opended up my new issue of Runner's World and sat to nod off in between Jimmy's T-ball action.

i really felt the honest, humble apology was enough, but it wasn't.

i know, at most it took him 30 seconds to move these few chairs, but after i apologized he first stood behind me and kept on me, the as he moved the chairs he just kept on me, and finally i snapped....

"Will you stop??!!!"

"huh??," the guy looked at me, as i snapped my head up, and turned to face him. i stayed sitting in my chair.

"Look, i tried to apologize, apparently that wasn't enough. You would rather keep on-and-on, if you want something ask. Get over it, this is the first game of the season and we may be seeing each other at every game. Thanks for helping to start the season great. If this is the way you will be at every game, i can't wait!!"

"well, you know, you sat right where i was opening up my chairs"

y'know, i got that. i understood. i had felt bad for doing it, not so much anymore. i didn't want to have a scene here, with the kids, and really, it's a stupid no-competitive t-ball game. i finally, just responded in the only way possible, without dropping a f-bomb or getting vile...

"will you just, SHUT YOUR HOLE!!!"

That seemed to do the trick, and he must have really wanted to pounce, but while still sitting down i had actually used my gutteral, scream at the rookies on the marching band practice field, or make MacKenzie cry, voice.

So he kinda got real quiet, real quick and slinked off, presumably to find back-up.

Now i had to apologize to ALL the parents, who were looking at me like i was born with 666 birthmarked into my scalp.

"i'm real sorry 'bout that. i swear, i'm not a jerk."

And y'know what? Everybody seemed to have heard the entire exchange and thought i was okay.

i think the funniest part, if there is a funny part, is that remember how i mentioned there were two fields at this school? Well, eventually the guy came back, with his entourage, in case things escalated, to collect his chairs cause.....

yep.....

he was at the wrong field. D'oh

anyway, no fun running stuff, except i had a wonderful 12 miler saturday. The taper is on!!!!

thanks for reading, next post preview....brush with semi-celebrity.oooooh the suspense, but i have left a clue

post 8 mile speed work, the ABC's of Mike, note the third person reference, and iced coffee.

Let me take a moment to defer any notion that this will be a long post on my dear friend, Animal, and since it takes extra time to link, feel free to hit the link on the side bar, after reading this post, cause he has tagged me and left me with the option for a post, that runs on and on...like this sentence.

Anyway, first things first, in my not so much thinking just running blog. Speed work!!!! A few things with me and speed work. first, contrary to some folks opinions, i'm not really fast, so me trying to identify if Speed-work is oxy-moronic or redundant, to me.

Second things second, or maybe a 1b category, training to run a first versus a second marathon. Actually this could be it's own subject but for the sake of not rambling on too much, short answer - it's different. For the marathon debut, training was just build a base, do enough miles to prepare for a long slow run. This second training session has had additions to just maintaining the base, it's added activities designed to prepare for the long run by doing better defined work: e.g. prepare to run through being tired by hitting real fast miles and then still run 1.5 miles slow, but run to get replicate the exhausted feeling.

i opted to attack the run, this was my last chance to really hit some fast speeds and maybe feel like an elite or perhaps nitmosic runner. All four speed miles were under 7:20, and i put my garmin to the test, and learned a way to improve this type of training in the future. Miles 1 & 3 were 7:01 and 7:06, miles 2 & 4 not so exact as my laps were set by the mile, but i had half mile recoveries between speed burst, but you can really tell by the graphs, so not exact but 2 & 4 werre around 7:05 -7:10.

Since the plan called for 7:22 miles, i can take a moment to savor the victory, cause this was a battle of will. Since it's basically 1.5 miles around my sub-division, i just did laps through the sub. And since it was noon, and all the neighbors working, i ran with no short on, ooops i mean, no shirt on. Holy naked mile, Batman

but on the plus side....i was able to put water and powerade out on my driveway and drink a little as needed. Since this was a work-like run, not an easy one...no mp3 player.

i do confess this run was a confidence booster. The times did surprise me, since i couldn't have hit them a few months ago.

Well, here we are a third of the way way through the title of the blog..... Movin' On

The ABC's of Mike

A- Available or Single: my heart has hopelessly belonged to the same person since 1990, really hopelessly, i've tried...even if my body was not completely committed; heart and body since we re-hooked up a few years later, thanks to Animal

B- Best Friend: i guess it would be Fun Guv. it's kinda like taking "friends-with-benefits" to a higher level. and keeps things a little spicy...wink, wink...nudge, nudge....know what i mean....

C- Cake or Pie: Pie, wasn't it Homer who said "MMMMM Pie?" Pecan, oooooh i love Pecan Pie, and will repeat a la "When Harry met Sally" to everyone's annoyance out of sheer excitement over PeCaaan PIIIee. Apple is a favorite too.

D- Drink of Choice: Warsteiner Beer, cause life is too short to drink cheap beer.



E- Essential Items: Not much really, the basics. Shelter, food, clothing, family and good friends

F- Favorite Color: Gunmetal Pearl, the color of my bike

G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Gummi Bears to eat, worms to fish

H- Hometown: Traverse City, Michigan. "when the lights go down in the city, and the moon shines on the bay" ok not San Fran, but it holds the same meaning.

I- Indulgence: Blogging, and movies by George Romero

J- January or February: May

K- Kids: 3, Allison, Mack and Jimmy

L- Life is incomplete without: not sure, nobody completes life with an empty "IN" box

M- Marriage Date: May 6, 1995, i think, has it been 12 yrs already????

N- Number of Siblings: 1, i grew up with, sister, Kim; a bunch of in-laws, some step-in-laws, some pseudo-steps i've never met, through my fathers second wife; and my tribal brothers and sisters

O- Oranges or Apples: apples, who ever heard of orange pie???

P- Phobias/Fears: i don't think i have any phobias, just fears, like drowning. i love being in the water but would hate to drown, hence no icefishing for me. When i was a kid i was afraid of Spontaneous Human Combustion, so static electricity freaked me out, y'know like flannel pjs and flannel sheets, i thought i would explode. i seem to have outgrown this fear. oh yeah and reanimated corpses

Q- Favorite Quote: "They're coming to get you, Barbara"

R- Reasons to smile: Tess belly dancing, really i can't think of this and not smile. Oh gawd, now everytime i look at Tess and smile she'll be thinking, that i'm thinking of her belly dancing, i think. Maybe the blog should be renamed "Mike has a thought of Tess Belly Dancing, and He's Smiling"

S- Season: Cheyenne pepper is nice, but carribean jerk works well too

T- Tag Three: Let's see if anyone will play along, Miranda, Russ, and Kim

U- Unknown Fact About Me: not really an answer but i get bothered by these type of questions. If it's unknown to me, then shouldn't some one else type, "mike doesn't know this but he tends to ..., or if i spill my unknown to others people here, well, then it's known fact, and not really appropriate in this ABC portion....for the sake of conformity.....if i fall asleep at night on top of the bedcovers, and get cold, i tend to have Zombie movie like dreams until i scare myself enough to wake up and get under the covers. Sometimes i fall asleep like this on purpose, cause i love zombie movies.

V– Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: i love to eat dead animal flesh, with cheyenne pepper, maybe a little carribean jerk. No worms though, just Gummi Bears

W- Worst Habits: Smoking, biting my fingernails, engaging mouth before brain, premature e.... wait too honest

X– X-rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds baby, i had one once cause i lifted incorrectly and felt a strain, so off i go to have my testicles ultrasounded for damage. SOoooo i'm laying down, naked, waist down, and an fairly attractive nurse comes in and puts that ultrasound lotion, y'know on the boys. Let me recount the number of sports stats running through my head that afternoon to avoid any bad habits from occurring

Y- Your Favorite Foods: Pizza, French Fries, Pecan Pie

Z- Zodiac: Born in a year of a monkey, Leo by month

Iced Coffee

i seem to have found a new favorite morning beverage, cause i can really drink a lot of coffee this way, and it seems to energize my long saturday morning runs.

Anyway, thanks for reading

It's a beautiful day for an 8 mile speed run.

Well, that's the goal today, and i will be putting the trusty garmin to the test as i can't go run on my local track as school is in session and since i have to bartend tonite, i have to get my run done prior to 2:00.

i must admit to not being great at being between jobs. i seem to be making my way through my honey-do's and the pool is almost open. The yard is in great shape. The garage is clean.

What else do i do with my time?

Well, good question. Jimmy is spending the most time with me that he ever has, and we are really having fun. Most of Jimmy's life, i have been working a full and part-time job. Ooops, not exactly father-of-the-year stuff but, he hasn't spent a lot of time in daycare.

Thanks to my friend Steve, who let me borrow his extra copy of Guitar Hero II. What guy hasn't danced around his bedroom as a young child, air guitaring with a tennis racket????? And while Fun Guv is tired of the click-click noise of the pseudo-guitar, she's had moments when she wants to play too.

And now Jimmy and Mack's favorite song list consist of "Shout at the Devil" "Surrender" and "Tattooed Love Boys" Rock On

Yesterday, my new laptop and printer arrived from the new employer. It is nice to see work stuff showing up but.....passwords and study materials still need to arrive. Soooo, right now it's just a big box in the middle of the family room.

Lastly, just a quick thanks to all the well wishers on the new job. Thanks Everyone.

Well not quite last, but as i typed this, UPS man shows up again with another packet from new employer. Yipppeeeeee!!! Now i just need my study material, schedule and first conference call info.....i almost feel like a working man again!!!!!!

Thanks for reading.

Over 400 miles and counting.....

Since i really went off on a tagent last post, i'll try to behave better this one and keep to running, mostly.

Today was a nice 7 mile run. Reminding me again that a body needs to recover somewhat after a 20 miler, i was a little sore for the first two miles. i did end the trip on a nice 7 miles 58:39, and after the first two, i went a little too fast, no Nitmos here, but i did take a 3 minute walk break in the middle and left the timer going as i walked.

So i have ran over 400 miles this year, i don't really have a goal in tracking mileage, it's more of a curiousity. The biggest shocker is that today is the 8th of May and i have already gone 43 miles.

About the taper. i really have a couple more hard training runs ahead. Technically, Thursday is my last speed day. 8 miles, 1 mile warmup, 4X1600m @ 7:22 pace w/ 800m recovery, 1 mile cooldown. Saturday is a 12 miler. So although 12 miles doesn't sound long in my head anymore, it is still going to take about 1:40 to run it, so it's not really "taper time" yet.

But with the taper starting on May 15, Fun Guv's birthday, i have 8 runs until the marathon.

2 this week, already in this post
6 during the taper, real short and less intense although some tempo work,.....finally
1 Marathon.....

On a happy side note, i am happy to report that while i do not train to lose weight, i am down to 195 and a smidge, per our bathroom scale.

More true rambling to follow

Thanks for reading

i made the final 20 mile run a fun one.

Yippeeeee!! one more tough we week of training and bring on the taper. i am sooooo ready for it. i give mucho thanks to the healing powers of the taper. And, laugh, in the face of temptation to run more miles in disbelief of THE PLAN, btw side bar here....my many college friends, i mean who actually, teach college.....D'y'know the greek word for the plan.....is.....Syllabus.

So next semester, please feel free to just put "THE PLAN" on top of your plans that you hand out to your wee little pupils, cause i'm starting to feel like,....well it's tough to put into words....i mean being an X generation guy, another sidenote to a sidenote, great band, rocking punk, Billy Idol and all. i'm hearing the college grads are now taking their parents to job interviews after college, and interviewing companies are letting them, and actually marketing to the parents to enlist their kids.

Hu'h How did this happen?

Can we just name this generation "our lamest generation" or maybe, "the guilt of the baby boomers"

Okay, i admit to being real far off the topic of my 20 mile run, which i didn't call my dad to ask him to for permission to cross some streets without holding his hand, i did it all by myself. Ain't i a big boy?????

But this is the kind of stupid crap that gets out, and then some yahoo in another country, that's being controlled by US interest, looks at the US and says "these friggin morons can't even raise their brats to think for themselves, yet they want control the, whatever i have that the US wants in hypothetical country, oil, bananas, oil, kiwi, oil, etc....pick one, maybe,.....Oil, well screw them!!!"

And so he gets a few buddies together and then a few more and then...Someone says ",hey, let's blow some stuff up", it's a Y chromosone thing, mostly we get out of it, with y'know bottlerockets or playing baseball with frogs from a local pond. Every neighborhood had one of those kids in it. Not me, mind you, but my neighborhood had one.

Anyway, i ran 20 miles, thought about moronic 20 something year-old teenagers and the idiot companies that see these idiots as leaders.

The was able to slippery slope myself into a rationale that this type of stupidity is a cause of terrorism.

And now a campaign issue, if i want to go to Canada and enjoy all the fruits of Windsor, i bet my canadian friends cuckle at that, i just want to have an ID and a Birth Cert.

Vote for Mike '08

We'll get homeland security, oxymoron alert..... cracking down on the real idiots who put our culture at risk.

Thanks for reading

A little self discovery is good for the sole.

i just need a moment here to do a virtual jump up and down in near ecstatic glee over a great 7 mile tempo run.

The plan called 3 miles at 7:49, and four miles of just running, no real pace indicated. No big deal, but i figured 3 miles at 7:49 would be a piece of cake, see previous post.

Does a 10k PR count if it's in a training run? Not intentionally, i hit some new speed record for me. i started with the goal of 2 miles easy run, 3 tempo, and 2 easy, to warm up, hit the hard stuff, and cool down.

Well, my warm up was right at 8 minutes, so i figured i'd just do the tempo workout begining mile 2. i know i always say stats are boring, but....miles 2, 3 & 4; 7:32,7:25 &7:35....

After 4 miles my time was 30:32, and the hard part was over so mile 5, 8:21. And i feel real strong, and it's requiring effort just to restrain my running from being fast. Don't misunderstand, i feel tired.... but strong. Plus i get new appreciation for those 7:11 paces that Nitmos seems to be hitting.

But, back to me, and my little tale. So 5 miles at 38:53, but mile 6, speeds back to the 8:01 a little faster and total time is now 46:54. Now i admit to being a little jazzed up looking at my distance for the .22, to complete the 10k. Per the trusty Garmin, i hit the 6.22 mileage at 48:24, beating out my time at the Turkey Trot.

Anyway, 7 miles, 54:58, the last mile was 8:04.

Let's bring on the last 20 miler for the training this weekend!!!!

Anyway, on to life stuff:

Thanks for all the support from everyone. i just received an email from my new employer that my new materials for studying will be arriving next week. There will also be a laptop, to log hours and provide online support.

So, i go back to school, it should be fun.

Since, Nitmos asked what he can do to help.... i'll be looking for some new clients, you may be on the list of prospects. We'll see how it goes.

Stepping away from lending has allowed me to compare the two fields, lending versus saving. In lending, i had to negotiate interest rates with my clients. The higher the rate, the higher my commission, so while i provided sound lending rates and advice, i financially benifitted by selling the highest rate. Which meant that i never made very much money per loan, ergo i'm out of lending.

i very much looking forward to see the difference with personal finance, with a savings emphasis.

oops sorry to be redundant there.

Anyway, mostly i wanted to update my running stuff with this post.

Thanks again for reading.

Where to Start????

Let's start at the beginning and go with a quick running/training update.

Last week was a great 27 miles. 3 runs of 9 miles, all easy pace. i'm still probably running too hard as my pace seems to be in the low 8 minute range, but the addition of some walk breaks after 7 miles, to hit a 7 mile hour seems to be working.

Again, i hope to train harder than the actual pace i plan to run in Traverse City. As always, the goal is to finish and enjoy doing so. But hey, the chance to maybe move into a starting corral for the Chicago Marathon is a great motivator. If not ready for a BQ attempt, how about a starting corral attempt, Babysteps baby.

Anyway, this week looks like a nice 8 miles yesterday, 7 miles with 3 tempo at 7:49 pace, piece of cake, and my last, final, 20 mile run until the big 26.2. That means Saturday will be my last run with the camel-pak for a while, as the following week has a long run of 12 and then the taper.

Now for the sake of my running blogging buddies, that's the running update, but how about real life?

Well, this is going to be a little while to get through so everyone, grab a soda, take a pee break or whatever you need to do. Cause, in breaking my rule about too long of a post, and for my great friends, who are also clients, i really need to go into detail regarding the complete break in my career path.

Last Wednesday, after a few months of interviewing and making some personal assessments of what i want to do, i have left the home financing business. This was a tough decision, since i have been involved in lending for about 8 years. But the time has come to move on, to advance, into an area that allows me to still develop new clients and business relationships, and in a way that further allows me to help provide financial advice.

Now this is a huge step. Not without some risks, but the rewards can be great, both financially and mental health wise.

From a mortgage lender standpoint, i really look to the great times of the refinance and housing booms as a negative. A few years ago let's see....i worked 70 + hours a week, and wrote more business than ever believed possible, and made more money than ever, but.....

i weighed 260 lbs. i never saw my wife or kids. walking up one, that's right one, flight of stairs left me winded.

i had decided that i was just going to be a fat guy for the rest of my shortened life-span. Adult diabetes was most likely a few short years, if not months away. i ate every meal at my desk and only left my desk to get more food, usually chinese take-out, and hit the bathroom.

Feeling like i only really had a few good years left before i started to truly fall apart, i began to give as much as i could to friends and family. If i was going to live unhealthily, i was going to enjoy it.

So, Pistons season tix's, yep....Concert tix's....yep, always spend big and take a loved one along to enjoy.

Life was good, and thankfully, the market shifted.....The refinance boom ended.....the housing market stalled and loans were harder to come by.....

As i sat in the office i began to take inventory of who i was. i actually had the time to consider some items....

Although my kids had a nice, comfortable life, i couldn't take time to play with them, or even have the energy anymore to do so.

My relationship with Fun Guv was miserable, and she'll agree to this one. We had contemplated splitting apart a few times, and never because of infidelity (at least, not me, who wants a 260+lb work-aholic??), but because of lack of real time together.

i missed....me. i had deteriorated so far from the person i had been, and the self image of myself, that i didn't recognize myself in a mirror any longer. i had been so busy being the mortgage guy, that i let everything important, everything that i had cared about, become second to writing loans.

The exact opposite of what led me to want to write mortgage loans in the first place.

So what happened....????

So today, 60 lbs lighter, significantly in love with my bride, involved in my kids lives, happy with my self and extremely, financially poorer,.....honestly feel the richest that i ever have.

This is the big thank you to my family and friends.... Although i owe so much to so many, and i am sure to leave people out, here goes.....

Mark....for being the friend, who has also struggled with diet issues and helping me see the difference between a low fat and low carb diet;
Mac and Gknee....for showing me 38 isn't too old to change careers
Tess...for actually telling me, and believing, i could get into better shape, by just running, even real slow
Brett...for our lunch discussions about family, and how the simple things are most important
Fun Guv....for not leaving me, or giving up
My ex-co-workers... who have shown me the real meaning of "friends are friends and business is business"

In a small way, mortgage lending is that last bit of old me.

This is one of those reflective post. i guess it really means to bridge the difference between a journal and my need to write. To have anominity and be honest and open.

For a few running bloggers out there, still reading this non-running so much post~ Thanks for sticking in all the way to the end of the post.

More to come on, i've gotten some free time as i am off work until May 21st. i need to use posting as a good excuse to get away from the ever increasing list of honey-do's.

Thanks for reading.