Daily Archives: October 14, 2018

No Chucks for Moonlight Run

Things are finally humming here at LifeIntrigued.  With almost all of the stressors that were queued up for September and October finally behind me, the blog can get some badly needed love.  Just have a big speech coming up (will talk about that more when we get closer to the date) and a few other odds and ends to get cleaned up and I’ll finally be able to sit back, relax and breathe a huge sigh of relief.  One of those big stressors just got completed yesterday.  It also had a running theme and the reason I am pushing so hard to get current all my competed runs that have been sitting on my desk since July.  Sticking with the chronological order, going with a run that took place after the IVS Half from last post.

Moonlight Miles Half Marathon, Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield IL September 2018

Now this run holds a special place in my heart… err, make that my stomach.  It is also the race that gets my wife the most concerned – that may be rightfully so.  The race is held 6 days after the IVS half on a Saturday night.  The race started out as a prediction race in the same vein as the Screaming Pumpkin race (link here).  In fact, so similar in that it also started out as a Marathon distance with relay options and held ..wait for it .. in an old cemetery.  It was a natural fit for our seasoned Pumpkin relay team.  Unfortunately, they backed off the prediction element, but added a half and quarter marathon to accommodate the shorter distance runners so they wouldn’t have to partner up.  Last year Ryan and Sung were able participate with  me, much to the relief of my wife (link here).   She is responsible for a dog competition event that weekend and has been unable to travel down to the run.  This is also the reason this race brings the biggest concern.  Why? Well, for two years in a row I’ve left a bit of myself there.. and not talking about sweat.  Something about this race ends up getting to me around the 9 mile mark that ultimately causes me to be seriously sick after the race – like throwing up sick.

Moonlight Miles Half Marathon, Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield IL September 2018

Hit the jump to find out how the race turned out!

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Might As Well Do It for a Medal

For far too many Sundays over the course of a year, my running friends (Ryan, Sung) and I pound the pavement in Springdale Cemetery.  Non-runners always seem a bit shocked when they learn a portion of my weekends are spent with the dead.  Springdale has been a friend for runners for a long time.  Their crumbled roads provide the perfect terrain for those of us who prefer the hill races.  One loop is a quarter marathon and includes three massive hills that will  make your lungs burn and your legs scream uncle.  This all started when we discovered two races that call this course their home.  The Screaming Pumpkin is no longer held (link here), but the IVS Half Marathon is still running strong – and by strong I mean still being held.  The participation has always been light, but that is likely due to how tough this course is.

IVs Half Marathon 2018, Springdale Cemetery

The IVS Half is a two loop adventure through the cemetery.  That adds up to 6 … count them .. 6 impressive hill traversals and that doesn’t include the smaller rolling hills that make up the rest of the course.    After spending so much time there training, we consider the cemetery our home course.  There isn’t a turn, pothole or uneven surface we haven’t committed to memory.  Figured since we run it so often, why not get a medal for it!

IVs Half Marathon 2018, Springdale Cemetery

Hit the jump to see how the race turned out!

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Bix Cold Nixed

I cannot believe how far I’ve fallen behind on my running posts.  The Halloween event was all consuming for the last two months, but I’ve had run posts queued up since July!  There’s only one way to deal with this embarrassing output – hunker down and get’r done.  On the bright side of things, I should have zero problems with blog fodder this month (or next).  So let’s start at the front of the FIFO queue.

Bix 7 Race 2018, Davenport IA

Yep, it’s another BIX 7 in the books.  If you are counting, that should now be 16 consecutive Bix 7 runs and also marks the 16th anniversary of my decision to take up running.  I mentioned this in last year’s post, but as a quick reminder, this whole crazy running thing start with a realization that my martial arts devotion was coming to a close.  The time between injury and recovery was getting too thin for my highly physical dojo.  That is when Linda made me aware of this hilly bastard from her hometown in Davenport, IA.  Ever since then, Linda and I have been lining up to conquer Brady Street hill

Bix 7 Race 2018, Davenport IA

Hit the jump to see how the race turned out!

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