Posted on

LTCOR – Rodes City 10K

by

The 2014 Rodes City 10K is the second leg of the Louisville Triple Crown of Running. Aimed at preparing the runner for the 10 miler and eventually the Kentucky Derby Festival’s mini or full marathon, the 10K is the perfect step between 5ks and longer distances. This year, the 10K was perfect weather, even amid a winter of sheer cold and snow, the run went off with a cool 40-50 degree day that made it more than a great day for a run. This run went around Cave Hill Cemetery, Cherokee Park, and near the Seminaries to return to the start/finish line on Broadway in Downtown Louisville. My 1:02:48 was over the 2 hour mark that I was shooting for, but again, for not running the majority of the winter, I was happy. I finished, and I finished STRONG!

rodes

It was just as fun to run with my dad and cousin for the second time (forgot to include that in my Anthem 5K post). The younger cousin @jball_13 is no competition, he will out run me EVERY time. Again, I pushed and finished, including enough left at the end to sprint the finish line.

This race was definitely more organized over the Anthem 5K. The wider roads and a definite path of experience made it much easier to proceed through the course.

My #bibrave review of the race can be found here.

Posted on

LTCOR – Anthem 5K

by

The 2014 Louisville Triple Crown of Running’s Anthem 5K was an interesting event. This was my first attempt at a LTCOR event but was not impressed about the experience. First, let me preface the remaining of this post with, due to major road construction in Downtown Louisville (The Ohio River Bridges Project), the location and course for this event had to be changed. The location was in the business park that hosts Anthem’s Louisville headquarters. The area was nice, in a nicer part of town, but it was not designed for that many people. There was over an hour wait from the beginning of the off ramp to the nearest parking lot less than 1 mile in total distance (even I run faster than that), then the parking was inadequate. The race was postponed for 40 minutes and people were still walking to the starting line when I was nearing the one mile mark.

Louisville's Anthem 5K

The course was tough to navigate due to the limitation of two lanes for runners. 6,000 runners on a two lane road means there is absolutely no where for anyone to go. They did their best for what they had to deal with in my opinion. However, the drive out was worse than the one in. No traffic control, just a free for all that resulted in almost two hours in traffic.

My time was no wear near my PR, but I settled for my 30:10 completion after two months of zero running recovering from my November 2013 knee injury in the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon (read about that here).

Overall, this was most likely a fluke and I will run this event again…if it is in a new location.

To see my #bibrave review of this race, click here.

Posted on

New Years 2014: Day 1

by

Happy New Year! It’s 2014 and I cannot believe how fast 2013 went. I am proud of 2013 and sad to see it go but I am also looking forward to the opportunities and goals that 2014 will present. My first triathlon is less than a month away along with the packed winter and spring of the Shelbyville Triathlon Series, Louisville Triple Crown of Running, Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon, and the Derby Festivals’s Inaugural Tour de Lou, a 35 mile bike ride through the home city of the world famous Kentucky Derby.

20140101-195434.jpg

2013 brought more miles my way than any other in my life, but that was cut drastically short after a debilitating knee injury in November that reduced my mileage to near zero from Nov 10 through the end of the year. The worst part was the lost opportunity to be coached by Scott Fishman due to the injury, one that has me bummed still to this day.

So 2014 has a lot of big plans and goals, first Tri, first race series, my 3rd half marathon and the plan for my first half Ironman in Muncie, IN in June. Here’s to 2014 and the memories she will bring. I hope everyone exceeds their goals and makes the best of 2014. I look forward to reading and interacting with each of you this year.

Josh

Posted on

Merry Christmas

by

Merry Christmas!!!
Another Christmas has come and gone. Man they fly by faster each year. I first must apologize for the lack of tweets and blogs, the crazy holiday schedule mixed with the flu and bronchitis, and knee pain has been killer on my free time.

I came out smelling great from Christmas. Under Armour shirts and running jackets, Swags (Louisville running store) gift card, and cash to out towards a Garmin 910XT. I can’t wait to try everything out.

Hope all of you had a great Christmas.

Posted on

Quick Run

by

Well, I went for a quick run this am, and by quick, I mean a half mile. I haven’t ran since the LSC Half Marathon on November 10 due to pain in my right knee. It felt ok but not great, but moving forward. We’ll see what the rest of the day holds in terms of the knee.

20131201-121909.jpg

I did get part of my #runchathunt taken care of. 20131201-121909.jpg

Posted on

Pain free

by

Well, I don’t want to jinx it but I’m two days pain free in my knee. I bought a patella tendon brace and wore it for 3 days. The difference it made is remarkable. It cost $19.99 at Dick’s Sporting Goods and was well worth the $20 invested.

It has been 17 days since my knee was pain free. There were days that any weight on my right leg was unbearable and felt like my leg was going to go out at anytime. Now the question is , how do I entering training into the mix so not to aggravate it all over again?

20131130-220008.jpg

Posted on

Thanksgiving

by

Wow, another Thanksgiving in the books. Every year the speed increases. As for me, I dreaded this year due to lack of recoup available due to my knee. I ate lunch and dinner but took it easy overall. Hate to admit it but I’m +2 pounds today over yesterday morning.

Now on to burn off some calories… Somehow. Maybe bike trainer if knee feels ok

Posted on

Why train properly

by

I’ve been “running” for years. I had to run in the police academy and semi-annually for PT tests at work. Why do I say I’m new to running then? I hated, loathed, despised running. It was only as a requirement until this year. I made a conscious decision to get in better shape. I weighed in at over 210 on Feb 1, 2013 and was down to 195 by March 15. Come May my weight was down to 185 and since I have fluctuated between 183-188 on a weekly basis.

Over the summer I ran but not with any formal training plan or goal, I ran just to run and slowly started to love it. In August I took a physical test for a potential new job and began thinking about doing an Ironman. At that point I had a goal and quickly fell in love with it.
Sadly, I ran a lot, just in small amounts. Then I got the bright idea to run in a Half marathon at the end of October. On Oct 15, I ran my first 10k distance run in my life and on Oct 26 completed my first half marathon, in a time I was ok with, 2:12:16. Now as stupid as that was, I got even more stupid by running just 15 days later in another half marathon while complaining of knee pain from the first one.
It has been more than two weeks since the HM and I’ve been on “light duty ” by my Doc. It’s driving me crazy and quite honestly getting worse. So what does all this add up to? Follow the guidance of a training plan, ramp up distance and pace slowly, eat right, and ask questions to those who actually know. At least research some before doing what you think is ok. The body is an amazing thing that will do more than you think, however, the joints, ligaments, and tendons cannot produce and repair with the same tenacity of muscle. Do it right. Trust me.
Posted on

How long????

by

Well, it’s been nearly two weeks since my sports medicine physician put me on “light duty” workouts aka cross training only. My knee is still bothering me and I feel like I’m losing all of this progress. I’ve been focusing on building my core strength and elliptical/bike trainer. Taking it easy but trying to maintain fitness and muscle tone.

This is killing me, mix in the 26 degree weather and it makes anything normal seem out of touch. I can’t even go on a bike ride outside and enjoy it. Yes, yes call me a fair weather runner/biker, I need a little more fitness level to “love” doing it in these temps, not that I haven’t before.
Anyways, looking at a 5k in mid December through Downtown Louisville and then the a Shelbyville Tri Series in Jan/Feb. The Louisville Triple Crown of Running starts Feb 22 with a 5k, 10k, then 10 miler followed by a KY Derby Festival Marathon/”mini”marathon. I’m shooting for the Half this year.
I’d really like to do the Ironman 70.3 in Muncie, IN in July to get focused on the longer endurance tris. In 2015, my goal is to do the full Ironman Louisville, all 140.6 miles. I’m also eyeing the Rev3 series as a cheaper alternative, but it just doesn’t have the name of Ironman…yet.
Anyways, any advice, comments, or suggestions are welcome.
Josh