UnaRunner... The Last Saturday!

8 Miles 30 Degrees / 23 Real Feel 57% Humidity 1:09:58 8:44 Pace

The last Saturday training run and it was a cold one. I had to break out my winter gear this morning. There wasn't much wind though so I was pretty lucky. That won't be the case in Chicago next Sunday. Fortunately, the forecast calls for things to start warming up a bit this week and the long term outlook is calling for a high of 63 in Chicago October 22nd. That should be a perfect day to run a marathon. I hope the weather dudes are right on this one.

Overall I'm feeling pretty well. I put on a few pounds this week now that my miles have dropped off, but that will probably help during the race. My left ankle and right shin are acting up a little, but nothing that Aleve can't handle and that is to be expected at this point. The main thing now is to stay healthy by getting plenty of sleep, avoiding crowds, and wash, wash washing hands.

The next entry will most likely be pre-race from Chicago!

Coasting

13.1 Miles 1:54:35 8:44 Pace 50 Degrees ??% Humidity

Not much to say at this point. What's done is done and what is left undone shall remain that way. The clock is ticking... It's six minutes until midnight...

Thanks, I Needed That!

20 Miles 3:08:24 9:25 Pace 50 Degrees 82% Humidity

I'm ready. Today's run worried me all week and it went just fine. I took it easy. I started with and nice slow shuffle and just kept it up the entire run. It helped that the weather was ideal for me. I hardly perspired and didn't even take any hydration until mile 18 or so. I covered some new territory and the leaves are turning and starting to fall here so the trail was prettier than usual. I came across three guys at about mile 7 who were doing their 20-miler in preparation for Chicago. We talked for a while, but they were running about an 8:30 pace so I didn't stay with them very long. Yup, everything lined up perfectly today. I wish I had been running the marathon instead of training. I could have easily done 26.2. So, I think if I just do what I did today come race day I'll be fine.

I plugged today's numbers into several of the marathon predictor models and, according to them, I should finish between 4:06 and 4:13. We'll see about that!

Sleep Running

10 Miles 1:31:50 9:11 Pace 61 Degrees 66% Humidity

Again, perfect conditions with mediocre results. At least things are moving in the right direction albeit minimally so. This is the toughest of the 18 training weeks and I wish that things were going better for me. Physically, I think I was fine this morning, but mentally I'm struggling with my confidence. The 20-mile run this coming Saturday has me really worried. I just don't have the right mind-set. I need a gimmick like a new route to run or something to get my interest. I'm bored and I think I actually drifted off a couple times during my run - not hard to do since it was pitch dark.

I'm also losing weight and maybe that has something to do with it along with my recent illness. The doctor put me on a stronger antibiotic Monday and that seems to be clearing things up so, maybe by this weekend, everything will come together.

I sure hope so!

Definitely Not A Fun Run

14 Miles 2:12:51 9:29 Pace 53 Degrees 86% Humidity

Today didn't go well at all. I barely finished and I don't know why. As the day wore on, I felt worse and worse. Monday I ran really well, but every other run this week was worse than the one before. Next weekend is supposed to be 20 miles. I'm worried.

I'll Take It!

18 Miles 2:53:38 9:38 Pace 67 Degrees 81% Humidity

I worried about this run all week because I've been sick. I finally broke down and went to the doctor yesterday morning. My cold had developed into Sinusitis and Bronchitis so he put me on an antibiotic and a decongestant/expectorant. I really wasn't sure what would happen when I headed out today so I took it slow and easy which is probably what I should always do. I just "shuffled along" and I felt great for the first 12 miles. I watched as the sky turned dark and the wind picked up so I headed for home. We had some pretty high winds and thunder storms overnight and I didn't want to get caught. Consequently, the last six miles were done on the treadmill and I absolutely hated every one of them. I struggle with my motivation on the treadmill. I guess that's why I put off buying one for so many years. To give you an idea, I did the first 12 miles outside at a 9:14 pace and the last 6 at a 10:28 pace. It was a bit of a struggle, but I felt OK. I think I could have gone another two miles today, but certainly not another 8.2!!! I'm not ready yet and I'm not sure that I will be ready by October 22nd. The last 10K may be pretty ugly for me, but what else is new?

Outrunning A Cold

9 Miles 1:19:36 8:50 Pace 57 Degrees 80% Humidity

By Sunday night I was sure that I was sick and wondering if that hadn't been my problem during my Saturday run. I went to work Monday, but things only got worse. And, as I thought about my 18-mile run scheduled for Saturday, I got worried and started taking Zicam. I took a half-day off Tuesday morning because I felt even more lousy and my temperature had past 100. Still, I had to run and so I trudged through 5 miles on the treadmill. I Pushed my mid-week run back and did a slow 4 miles Wednesday, but today was the test. I had to do nine miles and somehow I pulled it off with a halfway decent pace considering everything. I've still got a cold and I can't say if the Zicam is helping or not. This seems to be a typical fall cold and everyone has it now that the temperatures are starting to drop and the kids are back in school sharing their germs. I'm still planning on running 18 miles Saturday morning, but it's nice to know that I have the option of pushing that back to Sunday if I need to. This is a mental thing more than anything else. I seem to be really good at psyching myself out these days. I think I'll try and come up with a new, more creative route for this one.

Saturday's Run (Sept. 6th)

14 Miles 2:11:22 9:23 Pace 60 Degrees 85% Humidity

Weird run today. I was only scheduled to do 12 miles, but I decided to do an extra couple just for the heck of it. About three miles into the run, I knew instinctively that I was in trouble because things were going "too well". Over the years I've noticed that when my run starts out well, it almost always finishes badly and that's sort of what happened. No problems the first 7 miles, the next 5 were a struggle with several walking/hydration breaks. At 12 miles things came back together and I flew through the last two miles with no problems. In fact, miles 13 and 14 were probably the best. As I said, a weird run. Maybe I psyched myself out in the beginning or maybe I shouldn't have added the extra miles. Who knows? It's done.

Negative Results

5 Miles 42:00 8:24 Pace 82 Degrees

The mornings have really cooled down here and I am thankful for that. Yesterday morning it must have been in the mid to upper 50's tops! I, however, couldn't drag myself out of bed to run so I ended up doing my five miles around 6:30 PM. It wasn't too bad, but I would have preferred the cooler temperatures.

Blair had a XC meet yesterday so I was motivated to push myself a bit. A year ago my time would have been considered average, but now I've gotten so slow that I'm pretty happy with it. I hit the halfway mark (2.5 miles) at 21:11 and did the second half in 20:50. I think that's the first negative split I've had in a very, very long time. I'll take it!

I'm scheduled for 12 tomorrow, but I think I'll try to do more, at least 14 anyway. My right knee has been acting up again so I don't want to push it too hard since I've got an 18-miler scheduled for next Saturday. I'm also trying to drop a few pounds. I'm at the heaviest I've been in at least 10 years (184-187) and I'd like to get down t0 175-178 by race day in six weeks. We'll see. I'm not having much luck dropping weight, but maybe that will work for me.

An UnEvent...

16 Miles 2:27:58 9:14 Pace 67 Degrees, 85% Humidity

Not much to say about today's run. Not quite as fast as the last couple of weeks, but I was runnin'! And that's all I have to say about that!

Back In The Groove...

15 Miles 2:16:40 9:06 Pace 68 Degrees & 88% Humidity

Less Heat + Less Humidity = Better Running ...for me. Today wasn't my fastest pace, but it was my longest run in over a year and the most enjoyable run I've had for at least that long. It was a little warmer and a little more humid than I normally like, but it didn't seem to affect me as much today. Perhaps I'm getting used to it.

Brooke met me at the 13-mile mark and we ran the last two miles together. Will rode along on his bike. That may have had a lot to do with today since I had something to look forward to for the first couple of hours. Not too many water/walk breaks today either - only two very short ones (less than 100 yards total) at 10+ miles and 13 miles.

This was a weird week. I got hit with a migraine Tuesday afternoon so I couldn't run. Then another on Wednesday morning, but by the afternoon I was able to get four miles in and Thursday I did 7 in the morning and 3 more in the afternoon to get caught up on my training miles. I've never run twice in one day like that. It wasn't bad which surprised me.

I'm encouraged that things are going better over the last few weeks. We're now only eight weeks out from Chicago and I was having doubts not too long ago. I'm still not fast and I don't expect to set any records, but I'm getting more confident that I'll finish and do it in under five hours. That's pretty much all I care about at this point.

Two Steps Forward & One Step Back...

11 Miles, 1:46:04 9:38 Pace 75 Degrees, 97% Humidity

Just a few lines about Saturday's long run... It was awful!!! I'm writing it off to the humidity given that I ran two miles less than last week in about the same time. The first half went alright (5.5 Miles - 8:29 Pace) except that I ran it holding my breath. There was just no air. Lot of folks along the trail we're succumbing so I don't feel too bad.

Better luck next week I hope. 15 Miles coming up!

Modern Chemistry

There have been some weird things going on with me physically and mentally the last couple of weeks. The most notable is rapid weight gain. Even though my miles are increasing, and my eating hasn’t, my weight is going up. In one 48-hour period the weekend before last, I gained 8 pounds! I considered muscle gain, but it’s way too high. I’m already taking a diuretic so it couldn’t be water. I was at a loss for an explanation until last night.

I tried to think of what has changed in the last two weeks and the only thing I could come up with was that my doctor put me on “Singulair” August 2nd. So I Googled Singulair and weight-gain and Whoa! Hundreds and hundreds of people have reported the same experience along with other side-effects such as very weird dreams, confusion, fatigue, etc.
(See http://www.medications.com/go/se/Singulair?&page=9)

This all fits! I’ve been having the most vivid, absurd dreams of my life every night. And I even remember them! I’ve also been falling asleep on the couch about 8 o’clock every night and waking up more disoriented than usual.

For now, I’ve stopped taking Singulair. I’ll let you know what happens.

A Mental Milestone

13.1 Miles 1:58:14 9:02 Pace

A Good Day! I'm halfway there! Sure, it's the easy half, the first 13.1 miles, but still... I'm getting there!

I wanted to try and maintain a 9-minute pace today and I succeeded. I took walking water breaks at 10K, 8.25 miles, and 11.25 miles and still finished where I wanted to finish so I'm very happy this morning. I also broke down and bought a Fuel Belt. I like it! Much better than running with bottles of water and Gatorade in your hands, dropping them along the way and wondering if someone's dog has marked them as his when you pick them up for a drink on the return trip. Yeah, the Fuel Belt was nice!

To be fair, it was 66 degrees and there was an occasional breeze and that always helps me. It was overcast and the humidity was up slightly at 83%, but overall, pretty decent for Iowa in August. I got lucky today.

The first half has had its ups and downs, but I made it. For me, the second 13.1 has always been a mental exercise more than a physical one anyway. Now that I'm to "The Point of No Return", I don't have any choice except to go forward and finish.

Yeah, it's a good day!

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

12 Miles - 1:52:50 - 9:24 Pace
Things went better yesterday. It was 68 degrees at 5:30 AM and there was a light breeze. Humidity was low when I started off, but I could tell from the rising Sun and the red sky that things would soon change. About mile 10 it started to drizzle then the lightning sent me towards home. I ended up running the last .82 mile on the treadmill.

I was glad to have a decent run even if it wasn't a fast one. At least I know that things are moving in the right direction again instead of backwards.

I also finally broke down and bought myself a Fuel Belt. I got it off eBay (new) and it arrived in the mail yesterday after my run - of course!

Next Saturday, 13 miles...

Fun With Treadmills!!!

I've found a way to combat boredom on the treadmill during this hot, summer weather!

Running On Empty

Maybe it's the heat, maybe it's the humidity, or maybe it's the events of the last week, but I am finding myself empty. My runs have turned to Run/Walks and it takes everything I have to drag myself out the door. I'm just not into it and I'm concerned about my ability to continue training.

This morning was a perfect example. I got up at 4:00am and hit the trail at 5:30. I was only scheduled to run 7 miles today, but that seemed like a waste since I'd done 10 last Saturday. The temperature was 77 degrees and the humidity was 90%. Not the worst conditions, but not the best either. I ended up doing 8 miles, but I didn't enjoy any of them. I probably walked half a mile out of the 8. I had to keep stopping to walk and cool down and the truly hot Iowa weather and long training runs haven't even started yet. These are the hardest training conditions I've ever had to endure. Coupled with everything else, the voice in my head keeps asking, "Why bother?"

I hope next week goes better...

Without A Trace!

People are wondering whatever happened to that other guy who used to blog on Denny.com. He was fairly prolific in the beginning, but recently he has disappeared from the face of the Earth. I was sure that after the recent trip to Disney that there would be a new entry or two, but nooooooooo!

So, Jim, if you're reading this, get back on the blog and bring us up to date or I'll be forced to taunt you a second time you Kinnigit!

Like A Fine Wine???

It's hard to believe that my running would get better with age, but I had a nice surprise last Saturday running the Taste of Hope 5K. I actually finished 30 seconds faster than last year AND I placed 3rd in my class! I've never placed before. Of course, turning 45 this year put me in a new class so instead of being the oldest, I'm one of the youngest. :-)

Age... the great equalizer!

A Family Affair

It's been almost two weeks since my last post... Amazing how time flies! Oh well, here we go!

Last Saturday was the annual Clive Running Festival. Originally, I was going to run the 10K, Blair & Brooke - the 5K, and Will the 1 Mile race. Last minute change. It was Brooke's first 5K and I wanted to be there for the whole thing so that's what we did. Blair, Booke and I all ran the 5K together. It was warm and muggy, but Brooke was a trooper and she finished it well. I don't know if she enjoyed it. There's another 5K at our church tomorrow and she didn't really respond when I asked her if she wanted to do that on too. The main thing is we did this one all together. It was fun.

After that, Will and I ran the 1-mile race together. Will did great! He took off so fast that he left me behind. Quite the sprinter at the start. It was a fun run and a great way to spend a Saturday morning. The folks who organize the Clive Running Festival do a super job!

Congratulations Brooke and Will! I love you!

Dad

Happy Camper & Props To Garmin!

Just a quick hit and run post...

A few weeks ago, my Garmin Forerunner 101 GPS went wacko. (see earlier post) I checked the website, but since I had foolishly bought the cheapest model, I couldn't connect to a computer to update the firmware. Lesson learned...

I checked the warranty and it had expired three weeks earlier. Just my luck! But I decided to email Garmin anayway and see if they had any suggestions. Guess what...they wrote back with an RMA number and told me to ship the unit back to them. I did, they replaced it in less than a week with a brand new Forerunner 101! They knew the warranty had expired, but they did it anyway! I can't believe it! What a company!

If you're looking for a GPS, go with Garmin. It's a nice unit and a standup company. But, go with the 201 or higher so you can connect to your computer. Among other functionality, you will be able to download software and firmware updates.

Thanks Garmin, great job!

2 Dam Hot & 2 Dam Far!

Now I know why they call it "Dam to Dam". It has nothing to do with the fact that it starts at a dam and ends at, or, actually, nearly ends at a dam. They should rename the damn race just plain "The DAMN Race!!!"

Truthfully, it wasn't all that bad. I wasn't as ready as I hoped I would be due to the events of the preceding two weeks, but, overall, I finished okay and feeling well even though I had my worst time ever (7 minutes slower than last year).

It started out warmer than I like, 66 degrees, and was around 80 when I finally finished. The higher than normal starting temperature caused me doubt and I psyched myself out. I started hydrating at 4 miles, which I never do, and kept it up at pretty much every water station thereafter. I also walked up the 2 or 3 small hills that exist on the course.

All I could think of was four years ago when very high temperatures, extreme humidity, no wind and no cloud cover created a running experience that caused many able-bodied runners to literally drop to the ground. I'll never forget the young man who went down right in front of me when we were only 100 feet or so from the finish line. I felt so sorry for him as I jumped over his motionless body!

Dam to Dam is always one of my favorite annual events, but I do have some gripes this year. First, they have ALWAYS had people at the mile markers calling out times and race clocks at the splits - Nothing this year until mile 10! What's up with that??? Who cares at that point??? There's only 2.4 miles left! Either you've got it in the bag or you don't at that point!!!

No sport drink on the course this year until well after the 11 mile mark. Who thought of that great idea??? All we had was water and it was warm from sitting out in the Sun. Yummy when you're running 20K. I haven't belched so much since I drank a 2 liter bottle of Coke, ate a roll of Mentos, and got on the neighbors trampoline. The 11 mile mark, jeez Einstein!

Where were the spectators, bands, cheerleaders of years past? Sure, some folks came out, but they were few and far between. Interest seems to have waned even though it was the largest group of participants ever. 3,700 runners this year! I heard one person say that no one probably knew the race was going on since there was no publicity this year. Sure, runners know to look for it, but not the spectators I guess. Watching from a lawn chair, while enjoying a nice Marlboro, is apparently a more passive sport.

And then there is the finish line experience. Two chutes funneling down to one line where you, 1) Get your finishers medal, 2) get some water, and, 3) finally, get some Gatorade. You may also have to kill a few non-runners along the way since there is no barricade to keep the public from walking in front of you, cutting in line, getting a finisher's medal, water, Gatorade etc. My favorite, the sudden "baby stroller in your path" is a classic maneuver. I guess folks don't realize that since you just ran for 2 hours your legs may be a little fatigued and it may be difficult for you to stop quickly. I felt bad about what happened, but explained to the clueless mother that the new tattoo on her toddler's forehead might win her some sponsorship “moola” from Adidas! I thought it was a clever comment, she didn't.

The other thing about the finish is they put the Gatorade last in line! Last!!!??? Why not first??? We've already had all the lukewarm vomit-water we can handle. Some lukewarm, sweat-based sport drink would be much preferred!!! I guess that stuff is gold or something. The race organizers really don't seem to want any of us runners drinking it.

Bottom line, fun! And I'll do it again next year. I think it's time for the race organizers to realize that the Dam race has grown up. It’s time for, Chip Timing (4+ minutes to get up to the STARTING line). Timing along the course. Sport drink for all and often!... And don't have the chutes go into 1 exit lane, have it branch out to 4 or 6 or 8 like the “real” races do!!!

Lastly, and most importantly... Lose the slogan, "The biggest 20K in America". Excuse me, but has anyone ever heard of another 20K anywhere? 20K? 12.4 miles??? Hey, let's knock ourselves out, add another 0.7 mile and call it "The Dam Half-Marathon, the Damndest Race in America"!!!

A Race Well Run...

This is the blog that I keep putting off. It's been in my head for over two weeks, but I keep finding excuses not to publish. I've run out of excuses so I guess it's time...

Kaye Frances Kepley crossed The Finish Line May 22, 2006. She was 38 years old and she ran an exceptional race. She didn't run it fast, but she ran it, and, most admirably, she finished it.

Now, before you think to yourself, "Jeez, does everything Bill writes have to relate back to running somehow?" please let me explain. When I think about running, when I talk about running, when I write about running, what I'm really thinking and talking and writing about is LIFE. Running is the most perfect metaphor for life. Some days it's hard, some days it's easy, some days you love it, others you hate it. Some days you can go forever, others, well, you just wish it would end. It's a gift you're given, not a requirement. You don't have to do it. You could, instead, sit down and watch the rest of the pack run past. It's a decision, a choice, a committment. Something that you do for, with, and in spite of others, but, primarily, you should only do it for yourself. You have certain beliefs and values that you use to plan and execute your run. You know when you're going to start and you should at least have a general idea of where you're headed and where you want to end. Many times unexpected obstacles find their way into your path and you have to deal with them, or decide to quit.

Kaye never quit. Never...

When I think back on all the obstacles that presented themselves in Kaye's life I am in awe of her. I can't comprehend how she did it. And, so you know, she did do it, every single day... And always with a smile for the rest of us "runners" as we ran past. Yeah, Kaye was awesome!

And even though she was as fragile as a china doll, and walked slowly and with a cane for support, Kaye was an elite runner. Top of her class and, I see now, set an incredible pace.

We will all miss Kaye, her loving heart and her ever-present smile, for the rest of our lives. She loved us too. That is obvious and I think that is the secret to how Kaye was able to become such an exceptional runner, she loved completely...

I've run dozens of races, 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, marathons, and I'll run many more. Thousands of miles, but I hope that before I cross The Finish Line I can become at least half the runner Kaye Frances Kepley was.

Yeah, Kaye was awsome!!!

God Bless.

Deliciously Delirious!!!

Cirque Du Soliel visited Des Moines this weekend with their new road show designed especially for large arenas. “Delirium” is a music-based program that contains all the visual artistry and oddity of other Cirque productions, but plays exclusively in large venues. http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/delirium The show was excellent and Carolyn and I both enjoyed it, but it differed from the others I’ve seen (“Mystere” and “O”) in that the music and musicians were an integral players in the show. The performers sang to rhythm-filled, live music as they acted out their parts and there wasn’t quite as much reliance on acrobatic activity, though there certainly was plenty of that! The woman who managed to keep what seemed like dozens of hoola-hoops in motion was my personal favorite. Carolyn seemed more drawn to the very muscular young men with shaved heads who effortlessly managed to balance themselves on one another. Go figure…

We had great seats, fourth row center, and we were literally just a few feet from the stage. This was Carolyn’s first Cirque experience and although she had no idea what to expect, she ended up loving the show.

The only criticism I have is that there was a 25-minute lull between the warm-up and the actual start of the show. The musicians came on right at 8:00pm and did five songs (three would have been perfect) for about 20 minutes. Then the crew had to reset the stage and that seemed to take forever. Perhaps there was a technical problem. I can’t believe that the troop would “lose” the audience intentionally. The opening music got everyone in their seats and ready to go, but the extended and unexpected “intermission” allowed most to get up and drift out into the lobby for adult beverages and popcorn.

Once the main act began in earnest however, it was two hours of non-stop sensorial overload, continuous beauty and excitement both visually and aurally. My neck was getting sore just trying to keep up with all the activity on the 100+ foot long stage. It was an extravaganza to say the least!

So, if you’re wondering if it’s worth plunking down relatively big bucks for tickets, the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” But please, don’t take the kids! There were some obvious “uninitiated” who didn’t know what they were getting into and who brought their very young children. I felt sorry for them as I watched their kids fidget, whine, and fall asleep as I did the math. At $125 a ticket (including various and ridiculous venue fees) and not one single elephant, you’d be better off taking them to Ringling Bros!

Houston, We Have A Problem!

38.12 Miles, 1:46:58, 2:48 Pace
Yes, you read that right! Looks like I'm ready for "Dam to Dam" in a couple of weeks. I rock!

Or, there could be something wrong with my Garmin GPS. I did run one of my "certified" 12-mile routes today so it's hard to figure out where the extra 26.12 miles came from unless I blacked out from the intense wind pressure against my body caused by my incredible speed! Sort of like what happens to the astronauts during takeoff.

Hmm, that's a hard one to call. I guess we'll never know. If there was, and I emphasize IF, something wrong with my GPS, then I ran 12 miles in 1:46:58 which translates to an 8:55 pace. That's a hypothetical of course. You really have to suspend disbelief to go there. Sort of like "The DaVinci Code" movie and believing that Tom Cruise could really father a child!

Oh well, I felt pretty good and it was a beautiful morning to run. Just for fun though I might visit the Garmin website and see if there is a firmware update available. ;-)

The Heat Is On

6 Miles, 50:18, 8:23 Pace
Yesterday was my first run in warmer weather. It was by no means hot (76 degrees), but that's about 40 degrees warmer than my last outdoors run this past Saturday. Quite a shift and it's going to take some getting used to again. My time wasn't too bad. I've been averaging a little over 9-minute miles the last couple of months and yesterday was closer to my old pace. Still, it was an ugly run. I had to adjust my posture and stride a few times. I think the treadmill has gotten me into some bad habits.

No running today. I'll do some core training and rest my legs for tomorrow. I want - NEED - to do 12 miles. Dam to Dam is two weeks away. www.damtodam.com

The First Step

Welcome!

I've been threatening to start a blog, and a website, and a Podcast for a while now. I've got all the "technology" and desire, but I'm clueless as to the format and the subject matter. I thought I'd start with a "free" option on OurMedia.com to see how things develop but that didn't work out so well. I guess you get what you pay for. Who knows, if this does go well, maybe I'll send it to a hosting company. My guess though is that I'll fizzle out after a few weeks. Sort of like the rest of the great ideas I've had.

My only true hope is Brooke. She seems genuinely interested in learning what Dad does with all that crazy looking equipment in the basement. She might just be a budding "Geek" like her old man. We'll see!

Running might help as well. I may set up a podcast to journal my training for the Chicago Marathon in October 2006. With an RSS feed it could be interesting, or not... At least I won't have to worry about typos!

Speaking of running, Brooke and I ran 1.25 miles together yesterday evening. Brooke is a natural runner. I love the way she just glides over the Earth. I'm hoping that she develops a love for the sport like her older sister Blair. Nothing would make me happier than to run with my kids on a regular basis. To that end, we're all doing the upcoming Clive Running Festiaval together next month. http://www.fitnesssports.com/juneraces/Clive_Fest/Cliveinfo.html Blair and Brooke are running the 5K. The route is the same as the first half of the 10K so I'll be there with them. Afterwards, Will is doing the 1-Mile run and I'll tag along with him for that. Pretty cool, pretty cool!