Operation Jack

Fighting autism, one mile at a time.

Race Report: Pocatello Marathon

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Saturday’s Pocatello Marathon was a big disappointment due to my individual performance, and while I know my approach should focus on the cause and not myself, sometimes it’s nearly impossible not to dwell on a lousy race.

Mentally, I was all-in for this one. The course profile is favorable for the way I run and I was really eyeing this one as a PR (personal record, fastest time ever) course. I still feel that way about the course. I do various things with my training and recovery to get myself in the best position to race, and I really thought this had a chance at being a great day.

As a lot of you know, my PR is 3:00:05. Sub-3 means finishing a marathon quicker than three hours, no slower than 2:59:59. I was six seconds off of that and I’ve been chasing it for nearly three years. In fact, chasing those six seconds was part of what drove me towards Operation Jack. I thought it was a waste of my efforts for my running to revolve such a small margin. Maybe it’s meant to be that I live with a 3:00:05 PR for a while?

Anyways, I’ve had a few races over the years where I thought I had a good shot at that PR, and today was one of them. I felt light, I felt ready, I felt quick, and most important, I was fired up. I had been excited all week. I was talking up a storm about it, putting pressure on myself to go out and get it done. Saturday was my day.

I got up this morning and while getting ready, I looked at myself in the mirror, thinking about the race. Someday I’m going to go sub-3. It might not be this year, it might not be next year. But someday I’ll get it. I’m not a gifted athlete, but I’ve worked very hard over the years and I want it and I’m going to get it. So I thought, while I looked at myself, that one day is going to be the day that I finally go to bed with that goal accomplished and Saturday was as good a day as any.

Up at the start line, I was completely nervous, a feeling I hadn’t had in years. I wanted to throw up from the nerves. It was an amazing. I was so excited to go run and get this done. I took off at the start and I was moving well, staying under control by heart rate and flying down the course.

The wheels were turning, and while it was a downhill course, I wasn’t feeling any of the pain I expected to feel. The miles were flying by, my stride was good, my turnover was good — it was an awesome run. I crossed the halfway point in 1:29 flat, pretty much right where I wanted to be. There were points between miles 8 and 14 where I thought I was slowing down, but I’d turn a 6:45 and know I could do that all the way home and join Club 2 (that’s what I like to call the group of people who have run sub-3).

I was on pace at mile 15.5, and then I don’t know what happened. I started to slow and people started running right by me like I was standing still. I could tell by 16 that I was toast. I had no idea, and I don’t and I’m not even going to try to analyze it. But the day was done and I knew it. The legs weren’t turning and the miles were instantly in the mid-8s. I ran 9 miles the first hour and only 8.2 the second hour. I knew those last miles were going to be incredibly difficult on me mentally.

I kept running (and I use the term loosely, because I was so incredibly slow), trying to salvage anything I could out of the day. Sub-3:10? BQ with a 3:15? All I could keep thinking about was how my day was unraveling so quickly and so incredibly. Like I said, I know this can’t be my attitude every week, but every here and there, I’m going to go after a race and expect a lot. That’s the competitiveness in me and that’s what today was for me.

Well, long story short, I finished in 3:16:40 according to my Garmin, probably a few seconds quicker wen I check the official results. I didn’t even BQ. I took 3rd in my age group, but that’s probably a result of a not-very-big field. I don’t even know what I won — I had to jet out of town in a hurry to catch a flight.

I was pretty upset about this one at the finish. I was so all-in for this one and it blew up on me. I texted my wife and told her I was pretty upset. She told me not to worry, that the race that matters for the weekend is Sunday’s 7-hour race in Portland, because that’s the one that’s raising all the money.

I got in the car and the first song that was on the CD was All I Ask For Any More by Trace Adkins. The chorus to that song is, “When I bow my head tonight … there will be no me, myself and I … just watch my wife and kids, please Lord … that’s all I ask for any more.” I’ll admit it — it made me cry. I was kind of an emotional overload and some kind of nuclear explosion happened in my head. Tiff was right about Sunday’s race and as hard as it is, I need to keep things in perspective. But every here and there, I’m going to have days like these. You guys read about them, but I have to live them.

So I guess now I need to move the focus on to Portland. I need to get myself fired up to run the heck out of that race. It’s pretty simple — the more miles I run, the more money I raise. I can turn things around in that one, but I really hope I run well because if I don’t, I’ll have seven hours to think about it! By the way, if you haven’t seen what we’re doing, please click here to read my blog from Thursday, especially if it’s before Sunday!

That’s all, I guess. 41 down, 20 to go. Plus seven hours on Sunday, of course.


This is what I look like when I’m really bummed after running a marathon.

Weekend Preview: 71 miles?

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OK, here we go. Weekend preview time and while I’ve already run 40 marathons since January 1, this is definitely going to be my toughest one so far this year. I have a variation of my contest for this week, but it’s still an opportunity for you to get some Operation Jack gear.

Real quick, just in case you’ve never been before, click here to see why I’m running 61 marathons this year for Train 4 Autism!

I have two races this weekend — a marathon and an ultra in back-to-back days. Thank goodness I have Monday off of work for Labor Day!

First things first, though — news concerning my grandpa!

This Is Wonderful News!
I’ve been talking a lot about my grandma lately and she’s doing very well with her new pacemaker. But today, I have GREAT news to share about my grandpa!

He had In-N-Out Burger yesterday for the first time ever! It’s never too late, even if you’re 87 years old! Awesome!

Speaking of In-N-Out, I dug out this picture of me and Jack right after he was born. You see that Hawaiian shirt I’m wearing? Yeah, it’s an In-N-Out shirt with flying burgers and fries!


That morning, I looked in the mirror, did my hair, and thought, “Man, I look GOOD!”

Marathon 41: Pocatello Marathon
I’m REALLY starting to get excited about this race. I’m feeling good and mentally ready to run hard. For those of you who have been following along, you know I’m chasing sub-3, which is running a marathon quicker than three hours. My fastest ever is 3:00:05, just six seconds too slow! I’m going to try to get that monkey off my back on Saturday.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I always try to run my fastest. But I know going in what I’m capable of this time, I think I have a legitimate shot at it. The course is a downhill course, which can be fast, but it can also wreck you if you run it wrong. No matter what I do on it, I’ll be in a world of pain. Downhill courses pound the heck out of your quads, especially if you’re heavy. I’m 200 pounds, which is a lot of weight slamming down on those hills.

I’ll be walking funny afterwards, no question. But I think I can run it quick. I feel like I’m in good shape, I’ve had good speed workouts lately, I’ve been happy with my paces at key points during recent races and I know I can do this. More importantly, I’m in this mentally. I want this and I’m feeling good physically right now. I’m ready to go out and give it absolutely everything I have, and I think that might well be enough. I might come back with a 3:20 with my luck, but I’m not holding back at all. Check back Saturday for a race report!

Contest (more like, promotion) details are coming up right after I talk about my race on Sunday.

Sunday’s Race: Operation Jack 7-Hour Challenge
This is a race that was put together by Operation Jack supporter Deb Bosilevac and it should be fun. I’m not exactly sure how many folks will be running in this race — I think somewhere between 10 and 20 — but we’ll be running loops around a one-mile course for seven hours. That’s exactly what I want to do the day after thrashing myself on a downhill course! Well, not really.

But it’s for a great cause (Operation Jack!) so I’ll be there. I’m aiming for 45 miles. I think I can go out and hold 30 miles at a pace somewhere between 8:30 and 9:00 a mile. I’ll keep going as long as I can, but at that point, I’ll probably incorporate a run/walk mix. If I can average 9:00/mile for the first 30, which I really think I can do, I’d need 15 miles over the last 2 1/2 hours (10:00/mile) to hit 45. So that’s my goal, although talk to me 5 hours into this thing!

Now, one thing about Deb … she’s a marathon runner, but she’s a graduate of the University of Kansas. And I’m a proud graduate of Kansas State University. I’m supposed to hate her. I don’t, but I’m going to beat her and probably sing the K-State fight song every time I pass her. She’s expecting to run about 35 miles, so I’m thinking I’ll sing 10 times.

And that leads me into what I’m doing in lieu of this week’s contest …

Who Wants To Give me Motivation To Run Myself Into The Ground?
First, last week’s contest winners were Sarah Reade and Tracy Ricker. I did a random drawing of everybody who contributed in honor of my grandma. OK, moving along …

I’m trying to collect pledges for every mile I beat Deb by. It’s a K-State/KU thing, and this Wildcat is ready to stick it to a Jayhawk! So, here’s the deal: If you pledge at least $1/mile that I beat her by, I’ll send you an Operation Jack t-shirt. If you pledge at least $1.75/mile that I beat her by, I’ll send you an Operation Jack tech shirt. And if you pledge at least $2/mile that I beat her by, I’ll send you one of each.

I might only beat her by three miles, and in that case, you’ll be getting off cheap. But I might find some special gear and beat her by 15 miles. A bet’s a bet, though, so either way, I’ll send you the stuff. I’m just looking for some motivation. I’m running for seven hours the day after running a pounding marathon to support Operation Jack and Train 4 Autism. Can you pledge $1 for every mile I beat Deb by?

If you want to participate, just send me an email and let me know your pledge! Thank you so much for your participation!

EDIT: Deb and I created a side bet as to whether a Wildcat or a Jayhawk can do a better job raising money. The loser has to donate $20 to the other school’s alumni association. K-STATERS: PLEASE don’t make me send any of my hard-earned Wildcat money to Lawrence!!!

OK, that’s all I have for today. Have a great weekend and take it easy! I should practice what I preach, huh?

OK, It's Semptember … Wish Me Luck!

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Well here we are, September. Another month is in the books and I’m another month closer to the end of the year! But you know what I’m looking forward to even more than 2011? October.

Real quick, just in case you’ve never been before, click here to see why I’m running 61 marathons this year for Train 4 Autism!

Anyways, I had a tough schedule in April with seven races, but September takes the cake — seven races, all of them probably very painful. Here’s a rundown of how my month is going to be a long 30 days.

Race 1: Pocatello Marathon, September 4
My first marathon of the month, this Saturday in Pocatello, Idaho. It’s a fast, downhill course, but those types of courses are crazy tough. They do a number on your quads, especially if you’re a heavier runner. At 200 pounds, I certainly qualify. I paced the 3:40 group at the Utah Valley Marathon in June on a downhill course. That speed was easy for me, but my legs hurt worse after that race than they did for any other race this year. I was still in pain at the start line the next weekend, and that doesn’t normally happen for me. So, this race figures to be fast, but it’s going to hurt and it’s going to hurt pretty bad while I’m still running.

Race 2: Operation Jack 7-Hour Challenge, September 5
This race was a late add to the schedule. A group of Operation Jack supporters, about 20, are participating in a seven-hour timed race in Portland on Sunday. So, a day after I run that quad-crushing downhill marathon, I’ll be running for seven hours. I have to run this one as well as possible, because I have pledges impacted by how many miles I run. So, I have to run as many miles as possible, no slacking! I’m estimating about 45. We’ll see how it goes.

Race 3: Patriots Run, September 11
This is in Olathe, Kan. on September 11. It’s a marathon and a 9:11 timed race. So, I’m going to complete the marathon, then continue to run for about another six hours. I suspect I’ll push well past 50 miles, hopefully closer to 60. I fly home the next morning, just in time for Jack’s birthday party. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to sleep on the plane.

Race 4: Boulder Marathon, September 19
This is my easiest weekend of the year, no question. One race, 26.2 miles, that’s it. The Boulder Marathon is up in Boulder, Colo. I have no idea at this point what the footing is — dirt trail, single track, road, etc. All I know is that there’s a lot of hills and the entire race is above mile-high. So that’s all. Easy stuff. And I’ll have eight days between the Patriots Run and this one, about as long as I’ve gone in between races this year. Nothing to it, right?

Race 5: Tahoe Triple, Race #1, September 24
I only get four days off after the Boulder Marathon. From an eating perspective, that’s one day to recover, then three days to carb load. I don’t think I’ll be all that solid for this one. It’s up in Tahoe on Friday, the first of three consecutive days running marathons. And of course, it’s at elevation. I’m not exactly sure how high, but I know it’s somewhere in the 6,000 — 7,000 feet above sea level range. Should be challenging.

Race 6: Tahoe Triple, Race #2, September 25
This is the day after that race at elevation in Tahoe. This one is up at elevation (6,000-7,000 feet above sea level) in Tahoe. I’m not expecting this one to be particularly easy. Or fun. But it’ll be scenic.

Race 7: Tahoe Triple, Race #3, September 26
This is the day after that second race at elevation in Tahoe. This one is up at elevation in Tahoe. I’m not expecting this one to be particularly easy. Or fun. But it’ll be scenic.

So, that’s my September. In the middle, Jack is turning 7! And at the end (or maybe at the beginning of October), the November issue of Runner’s World featuring me and Jack is coming out.

It’s a big month coming up, but I sure can’t wait until October!

Family Updates: Grandma's Groovin' and Jack's Jumpin'!

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Happy Tuesday everybody! I have a couple of quick things to go over, including an update on my grandma and some cool things about Jack’s progress.

Real quick, just in case you’ve never been before, click here to see why I’m running 61 marathons this year for Train 4 Autism!

Grandma Bea Update
If you’ve been following along, you know my Grandma Bea had a major heart problem last week. Like, it stopped and she needed CPR from a stranger while she was lying on the ground in her own blood outside a Target. And if that stranger wasn’t there, my grandpa is a widower right now. But all’s well that ends well, and she got a pacemaker put in yesterday.

Today, she should be going home. Yesterday, I left work a little after noon to make sure I could be there to keep my grandpa company. That was a good call. We chatted, I got a little bit of work done on my laptop. His niece was also there and they were chatting. Everything seemed fine while we waited. The procedure went fine and the cardiologist came in and let us know she was fine. It was weird — I swear the doctor was younger than me. It was a trip — for the first time ever, I got the feeling my generation is taking care of the world!

Side note on hanging out with my grandpa: He’s the nicest man you’ve ever met, and a lot of you have met him. Last week, he asked me where I was running and I told him Santa Rosa. He told me about he got drunk up there and chased a truck and darn near killed himself back when he was young.

Yesterday, he asked me where I’m running this weekend. Pocatello, Idaho.

“I got drunk one time in Boise,” he told me. 87 years old and he gets cooler by the day!

Anyways, we went back up to the room and my dad and one of his childhood friends who is in town visiting (and has known my grandparents for more than 50 years). I think that at about that point, my grandpa said that he was glad I showed up, because he would have been a complete mess without me there. That made me pretty glad I made the choice to go there.

I left and everything seemed pretty under control, putting a good cap on a week that could have been really bad.

One More Thing About Her And Operation Jack
Last week, I asked you guys to contribute $5 (or more) to Operation Jack in her honor, and we raised $235. I told her yesterday about 30 minutes before she went in for her procedure and she was absolutely floored. She was really happy about that and I could tell she was touched.

So to those of you who donated, thank you so much! Not only for donating to a great cause, but for stepping up when I asked you to support me and my family. It really was wonderful to tell this to my grandma.

Quick Jack Update
So, have a couple of quick tidbits about Jack that make me smile just thinking about them while I write them.

First, when he wakes up in the morning, he typically wakes up and turns on the lights, turns on a noisy toy, turns on the TV … basically, he gets going with all of his sensory stimulation as his way of starting the day. But a few times in the past week or so, most recently yesterday, when he woke up he came straight to our bed and crawled in. He just wanted to lay down next to us and chill. As a parent, when you can remember when your child didn’t think you were anything more than moving trees in his intoxicating world, it sure is wonderful to get that show of affection.

As a parent, one of the greatest gifts is the unconditional love you get from your children. Jack’s always been behind, and it’s very tough to read him. So when we get something like this from him, it’s pretty cool. Just like any little kid, Jack wants to be near his mom and dad! That might be the first time I’ve ever used “just like any little kid” and “Jack” in the same sentence and I love it!

Also, our dinner table is rectangular and seats six. He sits at one end and I sit at the other. He’s had that same seat for years. For whatever reason, he wanted to sit in my seat last night. So we let him. I was sitting in the chair next to him hanging out with the kids and at one point, he stood up out of the chair, put the side of his face up near mine and just stood there. After a few seconds, when I could tell that he was just waiting, I gave him a kiss on his cheek and he promptly sat back down. I loved knowing that he wanted that from me and got out of his chair specifically for that purpose!

He’s been on his DAN protocol for a little bit and it seems like he’s really starting to get a little better!

Race 4 Free
I need to plug this more often. We’ll pay for a race entry for you any race you’re running. It’s not too tough to earn it, and you’re helping a great cause! Click here for details!

OK, that’s all for today. Have a great Tuesday everybody!

Stuff For Monday

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Well here we go, another Monday. I have a few things I want to share with you. I guess this is somewhat of a cross between one of my weekend recaps, a 10 random things blog and a “What’s up with Operation Jack” posting. I guess it’s 6 random things from the weekend that are up with Operation Jack. Or something like that.

Real quick, just in case you’ve never been here before, click here to see why I’m running 61 marathons for Train 4 Autism this year.

Speaking of which, I ran No. 40 of the year yesterday in Santa Rosa, Calif. Read the recap here.


My medal hanger for the year. 21 more and it’s full!

Grandma Bea Update
As I mentioned in my blog here on Thursday, my grandma had a serious health scare last Wednesday. She needed CPR to save her life after having heart failure, but she had a temporary pacemaker put in and she stabilized.

She’s having a permanent pacemaker put in today, and while it’s a fairly routine surgery, let’s be realistic — it’s a pretty scary thing. So for those of you who pray, please say a prayer for her!

By the way, that fundraising push I made in her honor in last Thursday’s blog raised $235. She’s going to be so excited — I’ll probably go visit her today or tomorrow and tell her. Thank you all so much!

Honey-Do List
I’ve barely had any honey-do lists this year, because I’m always out of town on the weekends. This weekend, though, I didn’t fly out until 2 p.m. on Saturday, so I had a little bit of time before I left. Tiff was hesitant to give me a list of things to do, because she I was traveling in the afternoon, but I was pretty excited. I got to be a normal dad with a list for once!

I took Ben to taekwondo, plunged the heck out of a toilet, fixed a printer, picked Ben up, went to the store to buy toner, fixed the garbage disposal, brought in the trash cans, created a chart to help Tiff track Jack’s supplements, I was going to fix the sprinklers but I told Tiff what the issue was and she got them easily taken care of … heck, I don’t remember what else. It was awesome, though! And then I packed, ate lunch and went to the airport.

Operation Jack 7-Hour Challenge
If you’re in the Portland area this weekend, we’re having a 7-hour timed race to benefit Operation Jack on Sunday. We’re looking for more runners and volunteers. If you run, you don’t have to run the whole thing. You can just run for an hour or however long you want to.

It’s going to be a fun event and we’re also going to have a barbecue on Saturday night. If you have any interest, e-mail me and let me know! All participants and volunteers will get free Operation Jack gear! < a href="http://www.dailymile.com/events/26069-operation-jack-7-hour-challenge" target="_blank">Here’s the info on the race.

Cool Idea From A Friend Of Mine
A college friend of mine named Stacy is going to an amusement park with her family this weekend. She asked me to send her Operation Jack shirts for them to wear to the park, and she had two great reasons. First, they’re all going to wear them, which will make it easier for them to spot each other and stay together.

Also, with a group of four people all walking around with shirts with the web address on it, surely it will prompt somebody to ask about Operation Jack or go check out the site! So, good idea, Stacy. If anybody ever wants to do something like this, let me know and I’ll some shirts out to you.

NFL Pick-Em Contest
Just throwing out a reminder that I’m going to have a pick-em contest this year as a fundraiser. Hopefully, a lot of you participate. It’s gonna be $20 for the entire season. You’ll pick weekly winners — no spread, no weighted games. Just pick each game and who you think will win. You’ll get a point for each game you pick correctly and the winner will be the person who does the best over the course of the season.

First place will pay 40% of the pool, second place will pay 20% and the remaining 40% will go to Operation Jack. So easy, fun, a chance to win something, NFL and only $20. Who’s in?

Here’s the link: http://operationjack.football.cbssports.com/.

The password to join the league is sixtyone

Enter the league and then click on the “Donate Now!” link at the top of any page on this site and donate $20. I’ll see it come through, I’ll check the site with the pool and I’ll confirm that I’ve got you as paid.

Lesson About Diet Coke
I learned a lesson about Diet Coke yesterday. If you’re ever 65 miles from the airport in Oakland, and you buy an extra large soft drink at In-N-Out, and you drink 2 1/2 of those before filling it up for the drive, and you get stuck in traffic, and you drive over bumpy roads 90 minutes later, and you don’t want to get off the highway in a bad part of Oakland … you’re not going to be happy. Now you know.

OK, that’s all for today. Have a great Monday everybody!