Grand Rapids Marathon

At mile 4 I left my pace group to head out to unfamiliar waters. I thought I could out run the 4:14 group, I had never trained this fast nor ever expected to run this fast. At mile seven I realized what time I must finish in... "sub 4" I told myself. The bar had been set. I'm not one to back down from a challenge. At mile 13.1 I was at 2:02, I would have to shave 2 minutes off my next half. At mile 17 I felt it...I was starting to slow down and I couldn't do anything about it. I made a friend. Someone had just passes me and I determined to catch him and stay with him. At mile 19 he was slowing and I was pulling him. This is a mental game I told myself and I don't have the strength to play it for two people. At mile 21 I saw them, my little bro and my fellow marathoner Sarah..Waiting to run a few miles with me. A tear slipped as I heard the screatch of a willis and they joined my stride. "Push me" I blurted "I can't do this alone." I told them I needed to run sub nines the rest of the last 5 miles and I never run that fast. "I need you guys"
at mile 22 I wanted to quit, I hurt like hell and no amount of motivation was helping except for sarah's stride being one foot in front of mine. "Mell, just catch Sarah" I told myself. and as soon as I would she would push a little more...Brilliant! At mile 24 after a few sips of beer Sarah informed me I had just run an 8:10 mile. at mile 25 I realized how much I was focusing on myself. "selfishness never gets you anywhere and its not going to get you to the finish line" I began thanking people for volunteering, for cheering or just for watching. I couldn't breath but I forced out I love yous to Sarah and john watching from the road as she left me to finish on my own. after the worst 1/2 mile of my life I looked up to see a man in blue sweats and a woman in pink running my way. My dad and lynnel had come to run me in. "Push me" I forced out again. And then there was ethan, matching my stride. On the corner of fulton I had the finish line in sight, those two blocks seemed like an eternity away. I heard my name from the corner, it was beth and kate. they dropped their bikes and joined in with me. And then off to my right was my mother pacing me along on the side walk. "see those pants," lynell challenged me, referring to the girl in front of me, "take those pants." and I knew I could. Somehow a sprint burst our of me and heard that long beep as the electronic chip attached to my shoe hit the finish mat. This is what I was meant to do

3:58:48. 4/17 in my age/gender group, 65/245 for gender group, 327/734 overall, average velocity 9mins 7sec/mile
1 amazing sunday morning

Dear Runner

Hey, thanks for registering. 2006 should be a great year for
the Grand Rapids Marathon. Our whole marathon staff is excited
to have you run with us, and we're all working hard to give you
the best marathon experience ever.

So, keep training, and we'll see you in October.

and the adventure continues....
Don Kern
Race Director


I ran 18.5 yesterday. I had a runners high and I hit the wall in the same run. I vomited twice and cried from the pain when i got home. Then i drank alot of beer and felt much better.

I started the run alone and almost quit after only 3 miles. Then i saw lynell just ahead of me on the road. She ended up doing about 9 miles with me. What a difference it makes to have someone running next to me; someone in a different spot in her training yet still working for the same end.

This is what christianity is, when it hurts like hell and all i want it to give up someone is there running next to me, feeling my pain. When its all over and the tears dry up, someone is there ready to celebrate with me!

The alarm buzzed at 6:30 am. Yesterday at 6:30 am I had just passed out in a tent on a lake in paw paw from a game of tippy cup. All weekend long I drank beer and ate sugar. Today I was supposed to run 4 loops around reed's lake for a total of 17 miles. After 2 miles I felt sick to my stomach and board out of my mind.

I'm void of all motivation for anything right now. My life is absolutely insipid. I am jack's heart.

Two weeks ago I was in it, I was doing it. Something that seemed worth while unfolded in front of me every day. Kids with no caring adult in their life were tossed in front of me and I was given the opportunity to be pierced hands to them. Daily I took this opportunity. And now I sit in a classroom and work for something else, "invest in my future," and get myself horribly in debt. If this attitude is anything but enphermal my grades are going to take the blunt of it and that is the last thing I want.

Summer runs

This summer has been such a roller coaster. I got really fired up about x-country and began running 2 times a day, over 50 miles per week .I got burned out and ran 3 times a week, about 15 miles for the entire week. I've finally been motivate to make the marathon happen which involves plenty of long lonely runs. This morning I completed my long run for the week, 13 miles around reed's lake twice.

I guess I just keep comming back to running. I just can't get enough. I do it so much that I hate it so I quite for a while then I just toy with the idea then I go out and kill myself because I try to much all at once. I'm constantly overestimating myself.

This is the situation with pretty much everythign else in my life. Men, School, God. When will I get a grip, when can I engender some stability.

x-country

milage for the week: 42
coach Woj says if i just bring my pace up i will have a spot on the team. How badly do i want this is the question? running two seven mile runs a day takes an amazing commitment. Honestsly i'd rather be reading and writting clever essays. I could write until my fingures fall off.

Reading Rainbow

Two runs a day this week has been standard. I wake, I run. I write lots of papers, I go to over priced classes, I get coffee and Beers, I run. I write more paper and read more books, I sleep.

And why do I have time for this now when my class load is heavier than any other time in my life? I have given up friends. Who needs them anyway? When I run or when I study I am challenged. When I am with my friends I listen to sarcastic jokes while sitting on a couch in GR. It's like the PBS show "reading rainbow" - "Friends to know-a, ways to grow-a, take a look it's in a book, a reading rainbow. I can go anywhere, I can be anything..."

Books present the challenges and adventures that my friends and I cannot find on our own. Running is the ony challenge that I can enjoy compleatly on my own. I do not need to depend on anyone else to provid the nessisary means of adventure. When I run, I feel the wind. When I read or write I am no longer in a chair alone.

3 miles today just outside of LA with my favorite dog in the world, great run!
Wesco pooped at least 7 times and we passed a taco cart at 8am. i'm not sure who eats tacos at 8 in the morning but i'm deffinitly going to check it out before i return home. This town is beautiful.