BQ!!!!!

Boston Marathon, here we come!

So, 4 weeks ago I decided to run the inaugural Minneapolis Marathon. I had a pretty huge base (50-60 miles per week for the past 18 months), so all I needed was a 1 week training program :-) Since there was no time for speed work, a couple of long runs would have to suffice. I did a 16 miler the weekend I signed up for the race, and a 21 miler the next weekend - three weeks out from the race. Then it was taper to race day.

Everything was going according to plan until 6 days ago. I had a slight accident putting our kayaks on the Navigator. I was standing on the rear tire to cinch the tie-downs when I suddenly slipped off the top of the tire. The problem was that I landed squarely on my heels, with completely straight legs and locked knees. With nothing to absorb the impact, I could feel all of my weight compress my hips... oh,oh! Throughout the week, I was a little sore, but it seemed OK, so the race was on.

For race weather, the day was perfect. Sunny. Low 50's at the start, 70-ish at the finish, with a tail wind for the last 9 miles. The course had a few hills - a few of them on the big side - but otherwise it was a very nice course.

Oh, one other little fact: Since I will be 55 on the date of the next Boston Marathon, my qualifying time was relaxed to 3:45.

My plan for the race was to start slow and ease into the race... After a 3 week taper, that wasn't too likely. I wanted to run close to 7:50-8:00 miles, and went out at 8:10. Oh, well. I settled into a comfortable 7:50 pace.

Within the first 4 miles, I noticed that my hips were tight and a bit sore. It was weird. It felt very similar to how your hips feels when you come off a long, hard bike leg of a triathlon. Except, they didn't loosen up after the first mile. I figured if I could go through 13 without issues, I could cruise to the finish.

At mile 12 I saw Sheila! The course went within 2 blocks of our house, near Minnehaha Falls and the Mississippi River. As always, it was great to she her. After I passed, Sheila hopped the train to the finish line along the Mississippi in downtown Minneapolis. I continued on to a difficult stretch of the course. It dropped down to the river bottoms, with a lap around an island before starting a long 1-1/2 mile climb out of the river bottom.

At the top of the long hill, I crossed through mile 20. The bad news was that there would not be a sub-3:30 today. The good news was that I felt good, and running under the 3:45 BQ wouldn't be a problem. So I stopped for a looonnngggg pee! I continued on at a 8:20-8:40 pace, happy with the race.

And then there was the finishing hill. Over a half mile long, and very steep. I heard lot's of grumbling and one loud "F-Bomb". But the top was the finish and a time of 3:38!

So Sheila and I will be off to Boston next Patriots Day!

But before we go... Originally, I had thought Grandma's Marathon in Duluth had sold out. Apparently, it didn't! Grandma's is an absolutely beautiful race. It starts in Two Harbors, MN, and follows scenic highway 61 (two lane road) along the shoreline of Lake Superior to the finish in a lake-side park in downtown Duluth. The race is in three weeks, but at this late date, finding a place to stay is almost impossible. Except that Sheila is staying at "our" favorite place on the Lake Superior with her sister through Friday of race week. Just by chance, the cabin was open the Friday night before the race on Saturday. And even better, the cabin is only 7 or 8 miles north of the starting line.

SO I SIGNED UP!!!!!

Until today, my last stand alone marathon was 24 years ago: Grandma's. I have a score to settle with Grandma's. 24 years ago I attempted a BQ on the that course. I held a 6:40 pace through mile 21, and then crashed badly (temps went from mid-70's at the start to low 50's in Duluth). Well, this time my BQ is now in the bank. I can go back to one of the most beautiful courses in the country and just enjoy the run.

See you out there.

Doug

“Do you have an email address…”

Two years ago today, those words changed my life. At the time, I was in the process of finalizing a long overdue divorce, I was at the end of a horrendous 6-month training block, and I was about to begin an even more horrendous Tri racing season.

On this day two years ago, I was sitting in my office, answering emails and doing general work, when a pop-up appeared in the lower right corner of my screen announcing an incoming email. The only thing I saw in the notification was the name of the sender: “Sheila Farrell”. My heart stopped. My world stopped. Sheila had been my very first girl friend at age 15. Even though we drifted apart in high school, deep down I guess I always knew that she had been “the one”. Over the years I had heard about what she was up to. I would run into her older sister occasionally, and her dad had been a very good friend of mine over the years.

I opened the email. It had been sent to our web master and was automatically (immediately) forwarded to me. All it said was “Do you have an email address for Doug Johnston… “ signed by Sheila Farrell. I clicked reply and typed (in CAPS) “OH MY GOD!” and hit send. I sat there stunned… Then I thought “that wasn’t much of a reply after 36 years". So, I immediately sent another email saying hello, how are you and how did you find me (I was living in Chicago and she was in Minneapolis).

I remember the looks on the faces of Laura, Michelle and Scott a few days later in Galena when I excitedly told them about the email. I must have looked like an school boy, and they surely thought I had completely lost it. Inside, I smiled. Already, I knew.

Over the course of the next few weeks we emailed and talked almost every day. Two weeks later, I went to Minneapolis (for a triathlon of course). Within 48 hours we were engaged to be married, and by August we were married. During the past two years, there hasn’t been a single day where I didn't absolutely know this was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I love Sheila more and more every day, and each night when we lay together in bed I am completely and totally content.

So, to answer the original question, “Yes” the company did have my email address – Thank God! And thank you Sheila for reaching out to me - again!

See you out there.

Doug

The 1 Week Marathon Training Program

I've been going back and forth on doing a Spring marathon. My first
pick was too early and too cold. My second pick (Grandma's) has been
closed almost since the day they opened registration (the half-
marathon is so popular they only register via lottery).

Then I saw the Minneapolis Marathon... Inaugural Event!!! Not only
that, I can take the train to a block or two from the start on race
morning, and the route is along River Rd where Sheila and I run.

So, last weekend I decided it was time to put together a training plan for
the May 31st event. Last Sunday I did a 16.5 miler. This weekend I'll
do a 20+ miler. Then it's time to begin the taper. Whew... It makes me
tired just to look at the schedule - grueling ;-)

See you out there.

Doug