running

PickyRacer.com Up and Running

I finally launched PickyRacer.com. PickyRacer is designed to help connect runners with great marathons, half-marathons, and other races. It is built with Drupal 5.3. In the next few months, I hope to add runner blogs, and groups. There are a bunch of other features that I would like to add as well, but I figure I should start small.

Here are some of the more useful modules I used when developing the site:
CCK
Views
Views Bookmarks
Google Analytics
XML Sitemap
Node Teaser
Link
Fivestar
Forward
Location
Node Comment
Path Auto

Post Marathon Report

After months of preparation, I ran the Memphis Marathon December 1st. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. Along the route, we got to interact with Elvis impersonators and list to a wide array of musicians. My parents came out for the race, and it was great to have them there.

Although I got really sick between miles 15 and 19, I felt fine from 20 on. Kitty was nice enough to give me a electrolyte (a.k.a. Magic) pill at mile 19.

Salem Lake 30K

Last weekend, I treked down to Winston-Salem with the rest of the fartlekers for the Salem Lake 30K. Together, we ran 18.6 miles, the furthest I have ever run. Our previous long run was 17 miles with many long, lingering water breaks.

17 Miles Down

WooHoo! I ran 17 miles this morning, which is the longest distance I have ever run. Although my legs started getting tired at the end, the run felt a lot easier than our 14 mile one. With 2 weeks to go until our 30K, I finally feed like I can do it. Yep, I'm going to be a real marathoner soon.

Being a Real Runner

Kay and I braved the 91 degree weather to go running with the nice folks at Omega Sports yesterday. Or, rather, to go running way behind them. Since I regularly run with a bunch of people at my pace, I am not used to feeling slow. Kay and I started off at our usual pace and within 5 minutes we couldn't even see the rest of the group. By the time we got back to the store, all of the other runners had gone home.

Kulla-Mader Award for Craziness

After running 14 miles at 5:30 a.m. yesterday with Crystal, I spent the rest of my day assured that I had won Friday's Kulla-Mader Award for Craziness. I was mistaken. My achievement is minor in comparison to that of my parents who finally made it off of the Inca Trail yesterday. Here is a brief excerpt of their email to announce to our friends and family that they are alive, but not necessarily well:

Running 11 Miles at 5 a.m.

Before most people hit the snooze button on their alarms, Crystal and I ran 11 miles yesterday. I woke up at 5 a.m. and met her at Rock Quarry Park. Except for some patches of running through the darkened woods, the run felt easy. We even discovered a fantastic new drinking fountain hidden by the tennis courts at Duke.