Westport St Patty's Day 4 Mile Run Race Report

Saturday March 10 was the Wesport St. Patty's Day 4 Mile Run, held in the famous Westport area of Kansas City.  The course started and finished in Westport, and was HEAVILY themed for St. Patty's Day!  There were tons of ladies dressed in tutus, leprechauns, and some people that were really hungover from the BIG XII Tournament in KC...

Due to some nagging IT band issues, I chose to run the race with my girlfriend Rachel, who was told to keep me under control!  Although she was incredibly hesitant, she ultimately agreed to me running with her.  But not that she really had a choice... :)

Pre-race:
For the 10:00am start, we got to sleep in a bit, which was a first for me on race day.  We were up at 7:30, had some oatmeal, coffee, and a banana (typical breakfast), and were out the door.

We arrived at the race site around 8:45am, which apparently was insanely early.  I had never done the race before, but knew that they were expecting close to 4,000 participants, so I figured getting there early would be a good idea.  We were there before they had the inflatable start and finish lines up... But our parking spot was the bomb dot com!

Hey, it's up!

The weather was amazing.  Temps were in the 50s to 60s for the morning, and not a cloud in the sky.  Rachel and I walked around a bit to warm up, and hit the portajohns, a race day must!

Portapotty Corner!!!

About 25 minutes before the start of the race, the line was crazy long.  Like 150 people deep.  But it went surprisingly quick, and we were in and out in about 10 minutes.  That's some pretty quick service!

As time was getting close to 10:00am, we found the 9:00/mile start area, and we settled in.  Rach's mom and Sis/Bro in law (my carbo-loading coach) found us right before the start and wished us luck!

At 10:00am, the gun went off, a bunch of quick guys took off, and we began moving 15 seconds later!

Race:
The course itself had a few rolling hills throughout.  We started in Westport, heading south for a bit, then headed back north.  During Mile 1, there was a decent incline stretch were people were breathing hard.  This was also about the time when we passed a herd of moms pushing their kids in strollers, who apparently started at the very front of the race.  WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS!?!  This was also the first time of the day where I saw someone throwing up.  Less than 1 mile into the race.  Yup, hungover...

Mile 2 was fairly uneventful.  As I typically do during races, I spaced out and don't remember much.  Other than my IT band was starting to tighten up.  Poop....

Mile 3 we started heading back to the start.  I was feeling okay at this point, just focusing on my running mechanics and not trying to drop Rach... haha.  We did see some paparrazi out on the course. I made sure to point them out to Rach!

Real candid shot, right?

Mile 4:  This was by far the best mile of the day!  It was all down hill, getting close to the finish, and there was an "unofficial" aid station handing out beers and jello shots!  I got down 1 beer and 2 green jello shots before seeing the finish line!  They were surprisingly easier to stomach then gels!

As we approached the finish, Rach turned on the jets and blew by me!  She's so great!!!

Just finished! We lost... :(

Results:
Mark Burghart, 25
Total Time:  38:30
Pace:  9:38/mile

Pics:

Oh so stoic...

AND there's this.  I think I had to pee...

Overall
After the race, we headed to grab some post-race grub.  The organizers had a good amount of rolls, bananas, yogurt, chocolate milk, and water (although there was a guy SCREAMING "ONLY ONE WATER EACH!!!) Afterwards, we skipped getting the race results (see the results section here for reasons why...) and headed out for some much deserved lunch!  BURGERS! Yes!

Overall, I had a great time, despite being really bummed about holding back.  I was hoping to shoot for a sub 30 minute race, but I guess I can settle for a sub 39 minute race without aggravating my leg!  I had a lot of fun running with Rachel, who didn't stop once despite zero training (She's studying for her boards exam coming up!!!).  Again, she never stops amazing me!

I also thought the organizers did a great job keeping the 4,000 runners happy!  It was a great event, one that I plan on doing again. Next time, though, I will find a little more GREEN to wear!

Thanks for reading!

Westport St Patty's Day 4 Mile Run Preview!

Nothing much to say, other than it's MY FIRST RACE IN 2012!!!!

That's right!  It's the first time I will be having some pre-race jitters since last October!  Ah, seems like it was such a long time ago... The 4 mile race will be the shortest race I've done! (yep, no 5k yet.  Still working on building my endurance! Maybe after the Half Ironman....)

The race will be tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:00am, by far the latest start time I have seen in my short endurance career!  I'm excited for that!  The run course will be taking runners through the Westport area of Kansas City, Missouri.  I have ran through most of the course already, but it should still be fun!

While I'm very excited to get the blood pumping in a race atmosphere, I'm kinda bummed.  My left IT Band is still giving me problems, even after a complete week off of running (but a super heavy bike week, and still swimming...).  Stretching, yoga, foam rolling, and consistently icing have made a HUGE difference in the pain, but I still have it.  So my 'race' will be a fun one, and I will be running with Rachel!

I definitely think I'm about a week away from being recovered, and I don't want to take a step back in my recovery. So I'm content with starting the year off with a fun run, as opposed to the sub 27:00 4 mile run I originally wanted.

Oh well!  In the big scheme of things this year, this race literally means nothing to me.  I'm more concerned with the Rock the Parkway Half Marathon in April, and the looming Triathlon Season!!! Time to get healthy!


Back with the race report this weekend!

Thanks for reading!

P.S. Go Jayhawks!

Mark's IT Band! Back again!

Throughout the winter, I've been dealing with a nagging iliotibial (aka IT) band issue that has randomly been flaring up. It started back in early December, and has gone through a random cycle of going away and reappearing for the last few months.  Last week, I put in a little more run volume than I originally intended, and began experiencing some pain midrun on my long run Sunday.  To make matters worse, the long run Sunday turned even longer due to a wrong turn, and tacked on an extra 3 miles.

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/itband.v2.html

Usually the pain from IT Band Syndrome, as it's called, is focused more around the knee in runners.  For me, it's strictly at my hip.  And I'm guessing it stems from 2 causes:  Increasing my run volume and intensity a bit too fast, and some biomechanical problems.

As I've noted before HERE, I've been more aware of my stride and foot placement while running. This winter, I focused more on a quicker turnover or cadence, and transitioned to more of a midfoot strike (as opposed to my previously massive heelstrike).  With the focus on my turnover and foot strike, I neglected some of the strengthening exercises this winter.  During runs, I've noticed more inward rotation of my leg.  I tend to also overpronate a bit, which only adds tension to my IT band.  I had a good set of exercises that were given to me by PT friends that really seemed to help, when I did them...  If my symptoms weren't present, I didn't do the exercises.

Presently, the pain has never been worse.  And it increased fairly quickly.  After Sunday's run, I have been icing it consistently, toning down the run volume and mile repeats, and increased my stretching.  But to no avail.

Honestly, I feel pretty stupid and wonder if this could have been avoided.  Had I kept up with the strength and stretching exercises, I'm sure I wouldn't be sitting here in pain.  I hope I now have learned a lesson, and will keep up with the strength exercises.

To make matters worse, my first race of 2012 is exactly a week from today, the Westport St Patty's Day 4 Mile Run.

Right now, I'm just hoping I can hobble through the 4 mile course, let alone race it.  Rach is also running, and it would be fun to run with her, but I would prefer to let it rip... I foresee lot's of foam rolling, stretching, and icing in my future. Sadly, I'm sure the running will drop off a bit.

So from the looks of it, the 2012 racing season is going to be off to a very slow start (literally).  But hopefully I can get this injury under control and make up for it in other races!

Thanks for reading!

First Annual KUMC OT Service Learning Fundraiser

This past week, a classmate of mine decided to organize a quick fundraiser for some programs at school.  For those of you that don't know, I currently am getting my Master Degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Kansas, along with 30+ classmates (so close to being done...).  As part of the curriculum, we are required to spend a year learning about Occupational Therapy as part of a service learning experience.  It's a win-win situation because organizations get some free labor, and we get some experience! This takes place in the first year of the program, which was 2 years ago for me.  Currently, the programs are running out of grant money, and needed something done to keep going strong in later years. Hence, the fundraiser!

4 classmates and myself picked a day to engage in our "occupations", or activities we do to add meaning and purpose to our lives.  Naturally, anything triathlon-related fit the bill for me!  I chose to run, while other classmates picked rock climbing, shooting free throws, jump roping, and bench press repetitions.  We each picked a goal we wanted to reach, and people would donate money for each mile/minute/repetition/free-throw/etc.  For me, I chose 8 miles in an hour.

The "fun"raisers

8 miles was easily doable, but I was a bit concerned about "in an hour".  That averages out to be a 7:30 mile. Normally, this isn't anything too crazy, but this is about my 10K pace.  8 miles > 10K.... but doing the run on a treadmill helped!  I was able to have a pacing strategy during the run by starting slower and building to 7:00 miles and holding on, and I had plenty of electrolytes and motivators handy!

Just getting started!

I stuck to my strategy during the run, and knocked out the 8 miles in 58:56, which averages to about a 7:22/mile pace!  I was really proud of myself. I felt okay throughout the majority of the run, but the last 10 minutes were killer.  I haven't hurt like that in a few months! With my training in February, I haven't been too concerned about speed, and but have been ramping up the distance instead.  It's nice to know that I can suffer through a run and still have a pretty decent pace (at least for me)!

Mid run, getting some creepy encouragement!

Post-run, reiterating that I don't normally dress like that to my classmates...

Overall, the fundraiser raised some serious ca$h monAAAY!  All the credit goes to my classmates, faculty, and planners for the events!  Most of my class stayed around to watch me run in spandex on a treadmill for an hour, which was embarrassing for me/ awesome(boring) for them (haha)! This was the first fundraising event I have done with training or racing, but I now hope to find some causes to support!  It was a fun way to spend a training run!

Thanks for reading!

K-Swiss Blade Light Run Shoe Review

Most runners/triathletes around these parts get sold on a particular brand of shoe.  Some are the more popular brands, like Nike, Adidas, New Balance, or Asics.  There are also some lesser known brands that have a strong following, like Mizuno, Puma, Brooks, Zoot, and Saucony. Most athletes will find a shoe that works for them and they like, and will stick with the brand.  In some cases, many people buy 6 pairs of the shoe when they find it on sale.

I don't really have an allegiance to a particular shoe or brand.  In fact, I mainly base my shoe buying decisions on the amount of ca$h money I have to hand over.  I tend to look for deals online, check out some photos and brief customer reviews on durability, and usually choose my shoe based on price.  I purchased my pair of K-Swiss Blade Light Runs back in late August/September, in preparation for my first half marathon.  I have worn them for 2 races, the Cerner 15k, and the KC Half Marathon. To date, I have logged just under 200 miles in them, and feel like I have a good feel for the shoe.

Unboxing

Immediately trying them on!

First race in them!

Purchasing:  I originally became interested in the shoes for a few reasons.  They were triathlon-specific, meaning they were equipped with loops to help slip them on, had holes in the soles to help with water drainage, and had plenty of vents and mesh to keep my feet cool.  I also liked the look of the shoes, which is kinda important to all of the fashionistos running around town....

Drainage holes inside the shoe

Larger holes on the bottom of the soles

I also wanted to try out a K-Swiss product.  Many of my favorite professional triathletes are sponsored by K-Swiss (Lietos and Raelerts), and I feel like the company is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of the sport.  I wanted to support them, and try out a pair of their shoes!  Lastly, I got a hell of a deal on the shoes online, something like $40 off the original price! Can't pass that up!


Feel:  Although my experience with running shoes is VERY limited, these shoes just feel different when compared to other running shoes.  Maybe it's the sock liner made for sockless runs during triathlons, maybe it's the cushioning.  Something is different.  When I wear these, I feel like my foot is completely secure in the shoe, as if my foot and shoe are one solid unit.  I have virtually zero foot slippage inside the shoe, which has led to a decrease in blisters for me! Yeah!

The only problem with the feel of the shoe for me is the plastic support that wraps around the midfoot.  The lateral aspect of the support tends to rub against the base of my pinkie toe on both feet.  I've found a solution, though.  I basically just skip the first row of lace loops, which allows a little more freedom in the toebox of the shoe.

An "aerial view" of the kickzzzz

My Genius lacing solution

The shoes are incredibly lightweight (8.8 ounces for a size 10, so maybe 9.5 ounces for my size 12s), and I use the shoes for any type of run.  Long runs, short runs, recovery runs, walk/runs. You name it.  Like I mentioned, I've used the shoes for the KC Half Marathon in October, and frequently use them for speedwork at the track.  They are very versatile, and I hope to break them out in a triathlon this summer.

The only problem I might foresee for people considering purchasing this shoe would involve running mechanics and foot striking.  While I won't get into the details here, I had some issues wearing these shoes late last year, when I was prone to heel striking.  See below:

Yup, right on the heel...

I actually dislocated a bone in my right foot after the KC HM, and I mistakenly attributed the dislocation to the shoes.  I didn't wear the shoes again for a few months.  In the between time, I worked pretty hard on improving my running mechanics and cadence, which has almost eliminated my heel strike.  Now, as a mid foot striker (well, mostly...), I've gone back to using the shoes with great success!


Durability:  The shoes have held up great.  After almost 200 miles, I can't see any noticeable changes in the cushioning, sock liner, supports, or mesh around the shoe.  In fact, they feel even better!  I really can't tell as of now how long they will last, but I'm hoping to get at least 400 miles in them before they are retired to my "hospital shoes" rotation. FYI that's one step ahead of yardwork shoes...

200 miles in and still looking fra fra fra FRESHHHH(ish)...

All in all, I really have loved these shoes, and would recommend them to any midfoot strikers that are looking for a solid lightweight training shoe, or a triathlon racing shoe that offers a good, supportive feel.  I hope to try out other K-Swiss products and shoes in the future, and believe and love their company commitment to triathlon!


Any questions about these shoes, leave a comment!


Thanks for reading!

Half Ironman Training Week 3

Time has been flying lately!  I can't believe another week has gone by already.  I feel like I am just running to the next thing, with either school, work, homework, or training needing to be done.  My apartment is a mess, but maybe I fit in some time to straighten up the place this weekend.  Hmm, maybe not...

This semester has already tested my time management skills, and I've really been making the most out of my available time.  I've managed to fit in just about everything in my life, and have also been getting to bed at a decent hour.  Although it's been helping that I'm completely beat by 9:00pm and often fall asleep on the couch...  Swims are happening at 6:00am before class, I've squeezed in some lunchtime runs during work, and am relying on the evenings to get homework done.

Training:
Monday:  1550 yard SWIM
Tuesday: 21 mile BIKE
Wednesday: 4.5 mile lunchtime RUN
Thursday: 16.7 mile BIKE/ 3 mile transition RUN/ 1 hour Volleyball
Friday:  Recovery day
Saturday: 7.25 mile RUN
Sunday: 21.5 mile BIKE

Overall, I got in every workout that was on the plan.  I wanted to get in an extra swim on Friday, but ended up staying on campus and helping with some lecture stuff.

Also, my school volleyball team has started playing again!  My class has had a team in the school league for the last 5 semesters, and we've taken 2nd place in the league 5 straight times.  I have a feeling that this is the year for a CHAMPIONSHIP!  Go Bumblebees!

Team Bumblebees!
 (I'm the AHole on the right with the nice socks)

Welp, gotta go! It's been real (as they say...).  I'm hoping to get a shoe review done this week, but hey. Not promising anything....

Thanks for reading.

Half Ironman Training Week 2

Week 2 of training for Ironman Kansas 70.3 brought with it some challenges, on the teeter-tottering personal front.  I should have known that when my first week of the Half Ironman training plan went smoothly, the second week would have some ups and downs.

This was the first week in quite a while where school and work took it's toll on me, and I really struggled to get the workouts in after the workday during the week.  By Friday, my brain was fried, and it showed in my workouts.

Monday: 1600 yards SWIM

Tuesday: 17.5 miles BIKE

Wednesday: Recovery: Foam Roller 

Thursday: 1750 yards SWIM/ 21 miles BIKE/ 3.75 mile RUN

Friday: 6 mile RUN/ 15 minutes Strength

Saturday: 20 minutes Strength

Sunday:  NADA 

I had a great day on Thursday, and managed to fit in a swim, bike, and a run!  The last time I did that was the Shawnee Mission Park Triathlon in August!

All I managed this weekend was 20 minutes of strength training on Saturday (and watching KU blow a 8 point lead with 2:00 left in the game...), and nothing on Sunday, due to work and a Super Bowl partA.  Yeah... I missed the 2 hour Brick on Saturday and the 1.5 hour run on Sunday.  Oops... But on the other hand, I ate A TON, had a few adult beverages, and got a lil bit of homework done.

Photos from the week!!!

Max the Dog found some peanut butter!

And the subsequent bath... Worth it...

My new delivery....

The boxes from Brooks are kinda creepy...

Thanks for reading!