Day 31- Uecker - Are you gonna be in my dreams tonight?

Marcothon was pretty tame this year. No big snows. No injuries or major illnesses. Just running, running, running. Overall drama free.

Until today that is. Final run of Marco, and 2014 all in one. December decided to show up today. -6 windchill when we headed out the door and it felt like it. First mile my fingers were freezing. After two miles my energy was gone and I was just hanging on as Catherine ran away from me a bit. Just after mile 3, Priscilla, Gavin and Andrae came back to bring us home. That was a really nice touch considering I was about to start walking.

We were almost done and Catherine caught her foot on a root in the trail. It was a very nasty fall. Bruised knee and very sore shoulder are the early prognosis. Wine tonight for New Year's should help. (follow up - 1 week later, she's going for an MRI to see if it might be a torn rotator cuff...wine didn't help after all).

As for the wrap up. This was a goofy Marcothon for me. I started not sure how/if I was going to even finish the first week and after the second day I had found my motivations. Numbers. I decided I was going to post every day. I then dedicated myself to try to find the number of the run at some point in my route and take a picture of it for this blog. Lastly that I was going to try to come up with a title related to the number of that days run to put in my post. The first two I was successful with, the third was almost. Ruminating these things helped as I ran. Kept me from thinking all of the time, "I'm way to old for this shit." Just thought it some of the time.

I figure if you've been reading these I should give you the source of the titles (mostly song lyrics or movie quotes) so here we go:

1 - Just what I was feeling that day
2 - Led Zeppelin II, Side 2, Track 2
3 - song by Fun Boy Three
4 - the fourth Bond film and my favorite
5 - Henry V
6 - Big Hero 6
7 - Magnificent Seven
8 - 8 Mile
9 - Grade 9 / Barenaked Ladies
10 - Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
11 - Oceans 11
12 - Oceans 12
13 - Oceans 13
14 - Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now) / Cracker
15 - 15 Steps / Radiohead
16 - Sweet Little 16 / Chuck Berry
17 - Temptation / Heaven 17
18 - Smells Like Teen Spirit
19 - Nineteen Forever / Joe Jackson
20 - Matchbox 20...or not
21 - Freedom at 21 / Jack White
22 - Catch 22
23 - Here Comes the Sun
24 - 24
25 - 25 or 6 to 4 / Chicago
26 - I had nothing. Neither did the internet
27 - America / Simon & Garfunkle
28 - 28 Days
29 - 29 Years / The National
30 - Thirty Years of Tears / John Hiatt
31 - The End / The Beatles

Thank you to everyone that I ran with, made comments or just read my mindless posts. Without all of you, I don't finish this again this year. May you all have a blessed and healthy New Year.

Overall Marcothon was 96 miles for me this year. 5 less than last.

It's carved in stone! It's done.

And in the end, the love you take
Is equal to the love you make

Days 30-31-Cordero- My Top 10!

Wow. It's December 31st! Not only did I run at least 3 miles a day for 31 days in December, but I finished 2014 off with a bang by doing an 8 mile run (my longest this month) with Andrae and Gavin.   I thought it'd be appropriate to have a top 10 list for the month. Overall, the entire month was wonderful and other than Christmas Day and the day after Christmas-also known as Boxing Day, come to find out-I would have to say I enjoyed every run. So I will do my best to cover the highlights (and they aren't necessarily in order---so don't be offended please!)

10. Run through Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at GSU
9.  Fun run with Loni Elmore
8.  Post Intense Conditioning 3 mile run
7.  6.5 mile run with my good friend, Yvonne (2nd longest run this month)
6.  The couple runs Tabitha and I somehow managed to do together, especially the hung over one after Wine Time. :)
5.  4 mile fast push with Eric Bauer
4.  5 mile run through Izaac Walton with Gavin
3. In spite of my bitchin' about it-running while Alex biked and yelled through the neighborhood, "Do you like me, Mom?"
2. Marco Straddle midnight run with the HFCRC crew
1. Run through Izaac Walton with my awesome hubby, Keith <3

This month would not have been anywhere near as fun if it weren't for all these people and all my running friends. You guys make running and life fun and I am so grateful for all of you! I wish you all an amazing New Year filled with blessings and some awesome running. 'Til next year, Marco!

Day 30 - Uecker - Is this a place I can rest my poor head

One more day left. That's all there is. Today's run was more like a shuffle run, but it is done. Most of the runs this year have been solitary experiences, but in the spirit of those that haven't been I give you this:

Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me

I said "You're holding back"

She said "Shut up and run with me"

This road it is my destiny

She said "Oooooh, shut up and run with me"

We were runners of the night

A straddle run done with Miller Lites

Helpless to the cold and fading light

Oh we were born to run together

Born to run together

She took my feet I don't know how it happened

We took the road And she said

Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me

I said "You're holding back"

She said "Shut up and run with me"

This road it is my destiny

She said "Oooooh, shut up and run with me"

Some pull-on tights and some beat-up sneaks

My Marcothon, Juliet, running dream

I felt it in my chest since she looked at me

I knew we were born to run together

Born to run together

She took my feet I don't know how it happened

We took the road And she said

Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me

I said "You're holding back"

She said "Shut up and run with me"

This road it is my destiny

She said "Oooooh, shut up and run with me"

(Oh c'mon girl)

Deep in her eyes I think I see the future I realize

This is my last chance

She took my arm I don't know how it happened

We took the floor And she said

Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me

I said "You're holding back"

She said "Shut up and run with me"

This road it is my destiny

She said "Oooooh, shut up and run with me"

Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me

I said "You're holding back"

She said "Shut up and run with me"

This road it is my destiny

She said "Oooooh, shut up and run with me"

"Oooooh, shut up and run with me"

"Oooooh, shut up and run with me"

Day 30 is done and with it just one more.

Train station parking - Flossmoor

Day 29 - Jason - Is it possible to foam roll too much?

Well, it is?  Nothing hurts as good as a foam roller.  Tight calves and quads ... roll em out.  If you do not foam roll you now have a homework assignment to research the amazing benefits of this innocuous contraption.

Picked mine up on a random trip to TJ Max.  While perusing the randomness that is TJ Max I happened across a lonely roam roller still in original packaging for $10.  Yes, my wife gave crap stating I would never use it.   I showed her!

This nights 5k was to the gym again.  Met the wife and we swam for a 2nd day in a row.  I could get used to this.

Marcothon is coming to an end. Time to begin mentally preparing for my 7 mile trail race this weekend.  Looking forward to it!

How about that run?

Day 29 - Uecker - I run up to the rainbow girl, just to pass her by

Today was nuts! The virus I thought I was over seems to have mutated into something else, so now my sinuses feel crappy instead of my throat. Thought I would head out in the morning, but one thing led to another, led to another...

Finally got out at about 4:30. My first twilight run of this years Marco. I knew where my number for today was, I just had to try to get there before I lost all light. I did. Pretty straight forward out and back run today. Almost got hit by a car, that didn't signal, flying around a corner. That got my adrenaline pumping just a bit. But all's good. 

Day 29 is all comfy and cozy at home. 2 days left!!

Street address - Flossmoor

Days 27-29- Cordero- Negative Dump Splits!

Haha!!! Made you read! Do you really think I'd boast about a negative dump split? However, I did really have negative splits resulting in my fastest Marco run this month! 

Just 2 more runs to go! My other goal is to hit 110 miles this month, so I think if I do just over 3 miles both days, I'll hit that. I expect these 2 runs to be a piece of cake. Not much going on tomorrow (anyone want to run? message me) and already have an Izaac Walton run planned for New Year's Eve with Catherine, Rick and whoever else is coming out. 

It really has been a wonderful year for Marco. Very few rain, cold, snow runs if any. I will have to get on the next goal bandwagon in order to avoid the January post-Marco "down in the dumps" feeling.

I don't have any marathons or other races in the horizon, but my plan is to be marathon-ready and train for one just in case. We will see how that works out. For now, I am happy to be almost done with Marco. Til tomorrow.

Day 27-28 - Jason - Swim Cooldown

My mane is Jason ward.  I am doing this marcothon thing because I like challenges.  I completed this challenge last year but a few of my runs were on a treadmill.  My foal in 2014 was to run exclusively outdoors no matter the conditions and to run 5k.  Thus far I have been fortunate as the weather here in the midwest has been quite mild, only seeing a couple runs in sub 30F temps.

I have stayed true to my goals and have executed a 5k each day of December outdoors including Christmas day.  If I do this challenge in 2015 I will have to up it a notch.  Possibly increase the daily mileage to 4 miles or add a biking requirement of 10 miles per day.  Well, I have 11 months to figure it out.

My run tonight was a 1-way trip to the gym where I met my wife with my gym bag for a bit of a swim.  The run was cold but the water was a balmy 83F.  Might have to make this run more often although it is slightly less than 5k I resorted to a short detour.  In addition I lost about .25 miles due to the fact my Garmin was paused unknowingly.

Here is tonight's run: