First Post

Well, I have officially signed up for the 112th running of the Boston Marathon scheduled for Patriots Day 2008 (Monday April 21st). I have been running off and on since moving to California and need some motivation to get me out the door in the morning (the 110 dollar entry fee is now my motivation). The entry is not official yet as they need to verify my qualifying time from the Las Vegas Marathon 2006 (3:04:12). I will announce when it is made official.

I am also inspired to start a running blog from a new running partner and physical therapist in California (Clay Patten) who has been blogging on his running, and my wife (Andi Stutelberg) who keeps a blog on our growing family. I kept a pretty detailed running log when I was in high school but never since. This, hopefully, will keep me honest knowing that so many of you are reading and visiting this exciting journal daily.

It is also the start of the new year this week. A time for resolutions I guess. I have never needed a new year to get me running, but it was another good excuse. Also, I figured Jan. 1st is a good time to start a new blog, not that it matters at all. So I decided to start it on December 30th, 2007.

My last run of 2007 was actually yeterday December 29th, 2007. I ran a 10.5 mile loop from my house to 60th and Ave. N and back mostly in Quartz Hill. The route is mostly up hill for the first 5 miles and down hill on the way home with the steepest mile being Mile 5. The splits confirm this (7:35, 7:09, 7:18, 7:22, 7:46, 7:27, 6:55, 7:03, 7:10, 6:41, and the last .5mile cool down 3:40). Total time 1:16:08, average pace 7:15. My calves are sore.

My goal for Boston is to be under 3 hours again. I did it at Grandma's Marathon 2005 in 2:58:37 my marathon PR. Ultimately a PR would be nice and 2:55 would be icing on the cake.

I've got some work to do.

See you next year. Boston here I come!