Past, Present and Future

Past:
Here's a summary of the results from Eugene as posted at onlineraceresults.com

Summary
number of finishers: 1497
number of females: 660
number of males: 835
average time: 04:21:43

Darrell James
bib number: M509
age: 45
gender: M
location: Covina, CA
overall place: 444 out of 1497
division place: 44 out of 113
gender place: 344 out of 835
time: 3:44:39
pace: 8:35
half: 1:46:15
20mile: 2:45:42
last10k: 58:57

I'm amazed at all the number 44's in my placing and that I wasn't very far off the mark when I hit the half way point. The photos are up at ASI. Check me out on the way to the finish. Lisa said I was leaning way to the left and looked like I was about to fall over. This picture (-035) shows that pretty clearly. This is the picture she took of me on the way to the finish line, not looking too bad there.

Another interesting story about the marathon that I forgot to relate. Just as we were about to board the flight home I notice a guy sitting across and down in the waiting room wearing the fluorescent yellow Maniac jacket. I approached him and asked him the obvious question and yes he had. He was Maniac #184, Eddie Hahn. It turns out his seat on the plane was just across the aisle from mine and he regaled me with marathon stories the whole way home. It sure made the trip home go really quickly. Eddie has run a lot of marathons all over the world, thanks to his 20 years in the Army, including 27 states.

Past (Part 2):
I can't let a month go by without updating the mileage stats. I ran 146.6 miles in April, my lowest total so far in 2007. April would have been the lowest mileage month accounting for the taper but the cold just made it a little bit lower. The week of the marathon the only miles I ran was the marathon itself. I've still got some miles in the bank if I want to complete the 2007 in 2007.

Present:
This week was a recovery week. I almost always take off after a marathon until the following Saturday. This time I really didn't have much choice, the cold had me pretty wiped out all week. I was able to get over to Bonelli on Saturday morning. The weather was very much like the weather the prior weekend in Eugene, partly sunny in the 50-60 degree range. I ran the trails around the perimeter of the park for 9 miles. I took it nice and easy. Right from the get go my right foot hurt. It hurts across the top on the inside below my ankle, the navicular bone, based on my web search. It has hurt off and on for awhile now. It hurt from the get go at Eugene as well. I was hoping that after a week off it would feel better. It is especially sore on the down hills. My calves were also in knots most of this run. Later in the day I was pretty spent.

Miles for the week: 9

M: 0

T: 0

W:0

H:0

F:0

S: 9 miles, 1:35:17 (10:35 pace)

S: 0

This weeks numbers make last week look like a high mileage week!

Future:

Earlier in the week I firmed up some plans for a couple of local races. I signed up for the Malibu Creek Trail Challenge. I ran this race in 2005. I missed it last year because it fell on the same day as race #2 in the 5k series. My original goal was to surpass my 2005 time. Now I'm a little worried about the foot instead.

I also signed up for the Fontana Days Half Marathon. This will be my third running of this event on June 2.

Our family usually goes camping over Memorial Day weekend with a group from church. This year they way things fell together we didn't get a spot, which turns out to be a good thing because we are invited to a wedding on Sunday the day before Memorial Day. We may spend a couple of days sharing a site with some other families. All this means I will be home on Memorial Day for the first time since I began running. The Saddleback Memorial Half Marathon is run on Monday. I've wanted to do this race and now I have a chance. The cool thing is the two races, Fontana and Saddleback are only 5 days apart. Many people run both. I think it will be fun.

Tyler wants me to find another 5k for us to do. That's a request I will be happy to take care of.

Still no definitive marathon plans, but I will be looking. Wherever I go will likely be without Lisa, so all I have to do is find a state she has no interest in. How hard could that be? Marine Corps registration opens this coming week and Rocket City with Joe and Wes seems darn inviting. I've doubled my number of states in the year and a half that this blog has been on-line, so I've got to keep the momentum rolling. With 40 more to go, I'm looking at a good 10-15 years before I'm done.