Final Day of Dane to Davenport

The third day of my Dane to Davenport is going to be very refreshing. Well, it is going to be as refreshing as running my 3rd day of 50+ miles can be, that is.

Why will I think it will even be remotely refreshing? Because it will be the end of 150+ miles of running, for one. Three days of seeing a beautiful part of this country which sometimes gets overshadowed by the wonderful mountains ranges of the West, the beaches of the coasts and the forests all over, is going to be a treat. Then, I get to rest. Until Sunday. When I run the Quad Cities Marathon.

As I travel through Illinois for all but the last mile or so of this run, I will be passing alongside the mighty Mississip. Iowa will be on my right and my feet will be on the Great River Trail.  The weather seems to be at least moderately cooperating with no tornadoes and no heat waves. Let's just hope it keeps that way.

In addition, I will have completed something which is not necessarily the most physically challenging event  I have completed but since, as of today, I have spent three of the past five days almost exclusively on planes, I am hardly in the best physical or mental shape to tackle it.

But when I cross the finish in front of the Modern Woodman Park, I will breather a big sigh of relief.  Until about 36 hours later when I run the marathon.  My goal for that race? Well, if I can beat my time from 2006 (3:12:25) I would be elated. However, toeing the line in one piece will be the main goal. Enjoying the wonderful race that Joe Moreno and his fantastic group of people put on for the people here in the area will be the icing in the cake.

Besides, no one who likes me cares what my time will be and no one who doesn't will be impressed by anything I do. Once you learn the simple truth of that sort of thing in life, you really do have a mastery of the world.

Day Two Proposed Route

The Second Day of Dane to Davenport has me running from just south of Monroe, WI to just north of Clinton, IA via the Land of Lincoln. While I have been planning this run for quite some time, like many of my other trips they are usually just skeletal ideas until I am fairly certain they are a go.  Then, I get intimate with the details.  Often, my plans are shaped by fortuitous meetings with others. The second day of this run was shaped by just such circumstances.

Last year, mentioning my plans to potential run through the heartland some running compatriots mentioned that my proposed route went fairly close to their own stomping grounds. They suggested some trails I could run on which fit one of my main needs: safe passage. Even more so, one of their friends just so happened to work at a school which met another need: reaching out to youth to hopefully inspire then to chase their own dreams.

And just like that I had half of my route planned for the day, a mid-day stopping point, and some running partners. Joining me for some of the day are Brian and Steve, who will both be tackling their first marathon the same weekend I will be ending my journey at the Quad Cities Marathon.   Furthermore, once I finish talking to the children in Freeport, IL, my endeavor will be halfway done.

Well, not counting the marathon I am going to run at the end, but one thing at a time.

BodyGlide OnBoard

As anyone who knows me as as runner can attest, I sweat a lot.  Not like "Wow. you are sweaty!" but more like "Are you currently standing under a shower head I cannot see?"  It is a source of consternation for a variety of things such as proper hydration, clothing that needs to be chosen to properly wick away as best as possible the rivulets of sweats running on me, and, of course, chafing.

I have been working with BodyGlide because of this problem for many years.  When I forget to put the BodyGlide on our in enough amounts I have disastrous results. Case in point was the Boise 70.3 two years ago.  I had chafing that was the equivalent to 2nd degree burns or worse.  It went from painful to actually dangerous. 

When I do long distance runs like my 350 miler or this Dane to Davenport, being properly protected is essential to the race. Because of the stage racing over several days it is not as if I can just power through abrasions for one day and rest up in pain from there on out.  I have to be ready to go each day, with as little problems from chafing as possible.

As such, it is with great pleasure that I note that BodyGlide is fully behind my Dane to Davenport and keeping my skin as fresh and dry as a Daisy. Well, as dry as possible consider I am the Sweatanator. 

I am currently in Ecuador this very minute working on a speech regarding hydration and proper fueling for a race, I was put through a sweat test.  In 45 minutes of running at a 7 minute pace on a treadmill, those testing me were astounded to see that I had lost, at least, 7 pounds through sweat. I tried to tell them but they didn't believe it.  I think they will now.

Thanks, BodyGlide, for joining the journey.

Day One: Dane to Monroe

The proposed route for my first day of Dane to Davenport will have me running just shy of 52 straight miles.  Because of logistics (and for some reason a completely booked downtown Madison, WI) I will have to finish my 52 miles of running, then drive half an hour north of Madison to grab a shower before I can drive back to Madison to go to my speech at Dream Bank.

The best part about this first day is that I get to run straight for 52 miles. I do not have to break it up with a speech in between or an obligation other than running.  The worst part is that I will be up at dawn to drive from my hotel to Dane (that never gets less weird to say or type) to start the running.

Unlike my 350 miler last year, a few more navigational problems could present themselves.  For virtually all of the Pacific Coast 350 I was on one road heading due north.  Here, I will be make a few turns, a couple of jaunts through parks and then some trail running next to the roads. As was the same with my 52 Marathons in 52 weekends, my 202 solo running of the American Odyssey Relay and last year's 350 miler, the actual physical endeavor is tough but not nearly as tough as the logistics.

The extended  forecast calls for decent temperatures (60s and 70s) but scattered thunderstorms.  I could do without the light show but one must make do with what they are given. I am sure, whatever the weather condition, I have run in it.

One week from today I will be done with the first leg.

One Week to Go

Give or take.

After taking on and setting a new personal best at the Mt. Nebo Half Marathon this past weekend, I have quite a doozy of a schedule coming up before I even get to set foot in Dane, Wisconsin to start my journey.

On Thursday I have to be at the Portland Airport for an entire day of flying to Guayaquil, Ecuador to take part in a seminar on health and wellness. Then I will fly back on Sunday arriving home around 11 p.m.  That is just a mere seven hours before I have to be back at the same airport to fly to Moline, IL.  After one day in the Quad Cities, it is off to the greater Madison area before I start my journey.  A journey that is now longer than I originally thought.

What was supposed to be around 150 miles is now going to be closer to 165 miles once all things are said and done.  Some route changes to avoid congestion and to alleviate the need to run through semi-dangerous traffic areas has added a few miles to the overall trip. I guess that just adds to the adventure, huh?

Fortunately, I should be accompanied for most of the run by runners from the three states I will be visiting for a vast majority of the run.  Nothing makes a run go faster than sharing it with fellow runners. Knowing I will be given the opportunity to reach out to young minds along the way, as well as others who might be a bit more set in their ways, makes it all the better.

The long-term forecast looks like it could call for a touch of rain along the way but I doubt it will be as bad as the sideways 40 mph stuff that hit me during my 350 miler last year! Regardless, there is a run to be done and a goal to accomplish.  It is so close now I can just taste it!

Fortunately, no matter what happens, the same wonderful crew I had for my 350 miler will be with me for this run.  That crew consists of my best friend- Shannon. I am not worried at all about anything that doesn't involve running because I know she will see to it I make it all the way to the Quad Cities.  She has to - she is running the marathon as well!