Happy Halloween!

Away Team

I just got back from my folk's place. I was there to watch the Denver Broncos game. For years I have championed the Broncos from away cities. It still feels odd to be cheering for the home team again. I appreciated the resolve it took to support a team from a different town. In a way it was a point of pride too. There was a certain underdog appeal to it. I am a little thrown to walk through the grocery store and now see plenty of Broncos, or odder yet for a fan from out of town, Rockies gear represented. I kinda miss the standing tall yet somewhat alone nature of cheering for my Mile High teams while not residing here. After all, I did recruit Sox fans (wearing purple and black) to see the season opener at Wrigley Field when it was a Rockies vs Cubs bout. Maybe its just a level of underdog support I miss.

Spare Room

I just finished making the bed in our guest bedroom for the first time. This home ownership thing is definitely taking some getting used to. I am very excited to bed able to have friends and family stay with us, but is still seems odd to have a bed in my home that isn't just for me. Perhaps its the many years of hand to mouth living with no room for extravagance that has me feeling unfamiliar with extra. I don't really know. I do know I am grateful for this. Just surprised at the adjustment curve.

Happy Picture Friday

Morning Coffee

Creature comforts are truly one of life's greatest gifts. To me they are things like the morning cup of coffee.The small things that make each day a shade more exciting or rewarding. What I love most is that they often now seem less tied to a value in money and more a feeling. The best part of that is that I don't need it to be gourmet coffee in the morning to enjoy the sense of ease. To me those are the best comforts.

Snow!

This morning I awoke to our first snowfall. It's amazing to me how much this helps my mood. It just seems to settle a restlessness inside. The entire world outside seems calmer and clean. It enables me to feel more creative. Glad it's here.

Pushed

Yesterday I was focused on the side of prudence as it applied to running. Tonight, I went out for a quick 2 miler against better judgement. I wanted to do it as I had the time, the energy, and the weather is turning quickly here in the Mile High City. Thus, I felt like pounding the pavement while getting freezing rain in the face. To some that makes sense. The point in this lengthy diatribe is that it also feels good to know better and still tell caution to piss off. 

Too Quick?

I got up before work and ran an easy 4 miles this morning. When all was finished, I noticed my foot was a little more sore than it should have been. It was the same spot as after the marathon. I also felt some  weariness in the knees. I am curious if I have jumped back into running daily too soon. Generally I wait a month before running after a marathon. I am wondering if I am doing myself any harm by not waiting.

Denver Marathon by the Mile

I've been holding off writing this one as I wasn't sure how to sum it up really. The Denver Rock n Roll Marathon was far and away one of the simpler races I have run. There were no carpools to catch outside a Starbucks at 4am nor ferry's to reach my starting line. It was through a town I knew best (out of the 4 I have run). It was all in all fairly easy, as marathons go. None the less, it has become tradition to recapture the run as well as possible, by the mile, to give insight on how it felt to run it. I know I read a friend's account to become less scared for my first. So here it is, my perspective to run 26.2 miles in the Mile High City.

Miles 1 - 4:

Mile 11 

After an adventure getting to the starting line in Civic Park. It felt good, and warmer, to get moving at last. The first few miles were beautiful, running through downtown just as the sun came up. It surprised me though to see how few people were out a the start of the race. I kept reminding myself to pass no one and to keep a steady pace. With the exception of one port-a-potty stop, that was achieved.

Miles 5 - 11:

This was when the real pace started to settle in. The first pangs of a chronic blister on my left instep began. Slight aches and training pains surfaced. All the while we we were serpenting  through City Park. While beautiful, it was somewhat disappointing to look over and see several paths of runners going back and forth. I am a loop fan myself, not so much an out and back so I would have preferred of stretch further into the city. That's me though. This stretch was capped by my first support team visit at mile 11. It was great to see them and truly bolstered my spirits.

Miles 12 - 21

Mile 14

This began with the departure of the half marathoners. The field was diminished greatly as it seemed 7 out of 10 runners pealed off to complete the 13.1 course. Without much for support on the streets, it became a quieter run very quickly. Another long out and back turn on 7th and the rest was a run to the southern turn around point. My family again boosted me up at mile 14. They were incredible. The runners were also beginning to support each other as we passed through Washington Park. For the first time in any marathon, I actually felt hungry. A few Honey Stinger chews helped there. It definitely felt good to turn north for the final stretch.

Miles 22 - 25

An easy straight stretch towards downtown. There was but one remaining jag to extend the distance and that wasn't too bad. I was hoping to beat my 4hr goal, but it was shaping up to be missed by a small margin. None the less I resisted the constant urge to walk during these miles as I knew it would be close to 4hrs if I didn't. My family once again rejuvenated me at mile 25. Honestly, I was starting to hurt by then.

Miles 25 - 26.2:

It seems a cruel joke that so often marathons end with hills. Denver, having been surprisingly flat most of the course, offered an incredible hill at 25.5 that all but stopped the few runners I was around. I opted to pump my arms like I was on fire and hope my legs could keep up. I succeeded in not walking, but damn near broke down when I got to the top of the hill and turned left only to descend as quickly the next block. Going down hill hurt worse by far. I was able to coast in to the finish line with a good stride, but no extra juice.

My final time, as I have posted, was 4:05:57. It was a new PR and I greatly thank my family and wife for all the support!

Denver Rock n Roll Results

OvrPlSexPlDivPlBibFirst NameLast NameCityStateChip Time8396181277132TroyColemanEnglewoodCO04:05:57

Happy Picture Friday

Finding a New Gear

One of the things I have missed most from Chicago has been riding the bike all the time. While I have weighed and considered several ways to add more riding to my life here in Colorado, one staggering fact has held me back further than all others. My bike, she is falling apart. It seems my last winter of riding in Chicago took its toll. The last attempt to ride her, I experienced 2 flats, a shifter that would not drop out of high gear, and as insult to injury a head light that was burned out.

I am excited to report that she is in the process of being brought back to life. The laundry list of repairs includes items such as truing the rear wheel, replacing both tubes and tires, new cables, etc. I am ecstatic though. While it remains impossible to ride to work daily, I have discovered how to get downtown from my distant neighborhood by trail. Additionally, there are enough things near me I can ride to that are just far enough to annoy me to walk to.

I am thrilled to be restoring my bike rather than replacing it. There is a bond here and I am glad to be able to gain a few more miles. Stay tuned for Colorado riding tales soon. Can't wait to ride through the snow here!

Low Days

I am not one to own up to this often, but yesyerday was just a low day for me, I could not pull out of it and desite all efforts I simly could not get it together. As the saying goes, weall have those kind of days. I find though that with gratitude, I tend to take notice as often. None the less,when they hit it takes a lot of focus to not assess any type of big picture and just move forward,fully aware I will be spilling my half full coffee as much as drinking it.

Happy Birthday Mom!

I love you!

Galt

Sometimes it feels good just to put in the effort, regardless of requirement or notice. It is disappointing so few do.

Little Boxes...

As I was walking the dogs this morning through my little developing neighborhood, I kept taking note of how my neighbor's yards were coming along. We all have moved into this area within the last year or so and thus are roughly all getting our yards installed at the same time. I am particularly proud of our yard. It is less about it being the next Versailles an more about the fact we have never managed a landscaping endeavor. Even the simple aspect of a drip line was new (and still a mystery to me).




 What struck me as an appeal to this all new world we have here is the idea we get to truly establish how it will look. Tiff and I look at trees that we are determining their size at age 20 now. That is an odd perspective for career apartment kids! I am terribly pleased with out few trees, grass, and rocks. Tiff has some brilliant ideas for down the road too. Who knows, the sprinkler system may actually make sense to me by then.

Couldn't Resist

Usually, I heed the recommendation to wait a month before running after a marathon. Oddly, since Tuesday I have dearly wanted to lace up again. With the exception of a minor issue on the sole of one foot, I was all healed up and even scaling things at work. Today Tiff wanted to go for a run and I said, "I'm in!" It felt good to get out and run. I must confess, the weight of the miles last Sunday caught up to an extent before mile 1 was finished, but I kept an easy pace. At times my new affinity for the run has me a shade concerned. When you know you should take a month off and you can not hack 7 days, it raises some red flags. On the other hand, compared to other compulsions, this one isn't registering as a big concern.

Happy Picture Friday

Good Deeds

Helped a dog find its way home tonight with Tiff. Honestly that lifted my whole day. The paradox of feeling better by focusing outside of myself is still elusive. None the less, I am always grateful that I don't have to understand these things to have them work.

Want less, do more.

Facebook Photo Trip

Memory lane can be fun. I have been organizing my photos on Facebook today. It has been easy to share photos on the road through Facebook. Ergo, there have been quite a few photos from many trips. It was a good time looking back. I miss actual photos sometimes, but digital allows for so many more shots.

Good to be Home

While there are several aspects of being a home owner that are still very new, what is rapidly becoming my favorite thing is getting home to play with the dogs a little. The yard is in and the dogs are so full of energy and excitement when we get home, it's impossible to not get a second wind. These two so often remind me how to smile when all logical reasoning say it's ok not to.

Tree

We bought a tree today for the backyard. I am a novice when it comes to actually planting trees as it appears. Until talking to the very nice woman at the nursery, I truly believed you chose well, dug a hole, inserted tree, and watered. No there's a lengthy process to remember and I still don't quite get the drip line thing either. I once was pretty stoked to get a yard to mess around with but any more it feels like the class I missed. Slowly but surely we seem to be getting there though.

26.2 & Mile High Gratitude

My 4th marathon is in the bag. Felt great to run on such familiar streets. A full report will come soon, but I wanted to thank all the volunteers that came out today! Most of all, I want to thank my Mom, Dad, & Tiff for the steller course support. I want to thank Adam & Jen for the support at the Expo & the rockin' Got Air sweatshirt! I also wanted to thank my niece and nephew, Sydney & Lincoln, for remindong me no matter how important I may think weels of marathon training may be, I still better be ready to talk like a pirate & dodge Angry Birds when I see them.

By the by, I set a new PR todayfinishing in 4:05:57!!

Night Before 26.2 Miles

I have all my gear laid out and a full belly of pasta. The final steps have been taken for a successful marathon run. It means a lot seeing all the support from friends and family. My dad even made some fantastic signs to hold up tomorrow! Very grateful for everyone's help and encouragement. Tomorrow I'll suit up and try running 26.2 miles in my home town, Denver. Can't wait!

Happy Moving Picture Friday

This is what I'll be doing this weekend!

Faith de Faith de Faith...

To me there has been a long appreciation for faith. I am not strictly speaking of the "Our Father" type, although I have come to see where it has its advantages. What I am talking about is the ability to believe. At times it can be as simple as being optimistic that I can make it all the way to the gas station. Other times it is much more significant. I have, my entire life, relied on alternate sources of strength, good and bad. What I was gently reminded of tonight was a simple passage fro a book I like that states, "faith without works is dead." It reminds me to put my faith into action and not just when the needle is literally on E.

That's me though...

Making Time from Scratch

Tonight I got to pause in the midst of a busy, busy schedule to grab coffee with some friends. It helped immensely, even just seeing them for an hour. I am stunned how time avails itself when you align priorities.

Five Days...

I am glad to be back in Denver and am now starting to focus on the big marathon this weekend. It seems unreal that it is coming up so soon. After weeks of training and countless miles, the big day is almost here. What's odd is that this will be my 4th one. It isn't new now, nor is it unknown. None the less, running 26.2 miles is not an easy feat. You gain no guarantees by having done this before. If anything it has deepened my respect for the task. I can recall vividly moments of true adversity on the courses I have run. I also remember having one hell of a good time too. That's why I lace up still. I have nothing to prove to anyone. I will as always adhere to my first two rules:

1. Have fun.
2. Finish

Homeward Happy

How sweet it is to be packing up to fly home, excited and content. With all my travels there are the 2 sides. How I feel about where I'm going and where I'm leaving. The best trips are the ones where both sides are pretty good. I am terribly excited to get home to my little family though. I can't put my finger on the moment when it happened, but my wife and our dogs became what home is. While spelling that out sounds logical, the feeling is still rather magical. It also impresses me when a place can be as facinating to keep me content away from home.

Again, I say how great it is to travel feeling both.

Midair Refueling

Running in Atlanta has proven to be quiye nice. I ran my fastest mile on Friday and today ran my fastest 5K. It feels good to feel the speed in my legs again. After several weeks of building, to run less and recover in prep for next weekends race feels pretty good. It seems that everyone should get a chance to recoop even when they are still in motion.

Finding the Time

There are days wen regardless of the work load, it seems easier to keep in step. I used to say it was being in rythmn with the city. Now I have a less distinct precussion section but still find the beat from time to time. When I do things feel smoother. I don't know if that is faith or just trust, but it always ceels better.