Wrapping Up Summer

So much goings on since the Muncie trip. I figured I'd break it down into four segments:

*Racing
*Summer Book Report
*Pirates
*Other stuff

Part 1 - Racing (subtitle: There must have been something in the water in Muncie)

So, Beth had an awesome race in Muncie, establishing some PR's along the way. Since then, both of us have had some solid success. Beth set some more PR's at Steelhead. Along the way, I had some pretty awesome races.

On 7/20, I did the Plum Stampede in the Park at Boyce Park. While I hadn't really done much speed training, I was excited to end up with a 17:27 on a rolling course and scored 7th overall and 1st in my age group. One of the highlights of this race was being able to hang out with good friend and mentor when I was student teaching at Plum Jay Marston. Back then, I was a volunteer assistant coach to him on the girls softball team. Now, we are both involved with coaching running and he has run several marathons with the hope of qualifying for Boston.

That was a good warm up and then the next weekend (7/28) I did the hometown Junkyard Jaunt (only 1.2 miles from my front door!). Two years ago I did this race with the hope of going sub-17 (pancake flat course) but I went out too hard and it was hot and I ended up at 17:21 and 4th place with some speedy guys. This year, there was only one other speedy guy and he and I went out at the beginning. I got a little bit of a lead on him and was able to extend it and hold on for the win and a new PR of 16:48.

The next weekend (8/4) we were in Michigan for Beth's 5th place finish. The following Friday 8/9, I stepped to the line in downtown Pittsburgh for the Liberty Mile. I went into it thinking I could be around 5:00. The previous four weeks I was working on repeats (400's in the 70-75 range and 800's in the 2:27-2:30 range), so I went to the line confident in my training. 

Beth was out there cheering at the 1/4 mile mark and the 3/4 mile mark. I'm glad there was a crowd around me and I didn't see the 1/4 mile split clock because the 67 might have put some doubts in my head about being able to finish the race. I went through the half and did see the 2:21 on the clock and was excited to think that if I could hang on for a 2:35-2:40 for the second half I would have my sub-5. As we turned on to Liberty Avenue and headed for home, the guy in front of me slowed down a lot (hit the wall?) so I had to swing around him. I don't know if this other guy didn't like that or if I was just in his "line" and he brushed beside me hitting my arm. I thought, "We've got this whole street on a straightaway to the finish and you have to be this close to me?" Regardless, I focused on the task and hand. I missed the 3/4 clock but Beth said it was a 3:42. I then sighted the finish line and tried to do my best kick in. I couldn't feel my legs, but I ended up around a 71 for the finial 1/4 for a total time of 4:53.9. Awesome!

Look - I'm floating 3/4 mile into the race! Excited to say I outkicked all of these guys in the end (but couldn't feel my legs)

Then, last weekend, I subjected myself to the trail running course known as the Hempfield Alumni Meet. I didn't do it last year because we were out of town. The year before I got third place to an alumni who was a D2 Steeplechaser at CalU and a varsity kid who qualified for the state meet. This year, that high schooler graduated (and no one else on the high school team had a strong year last year) and the Steeplechaser had gotten married and bought a house over the summer (perhaps not as much time for training?). We got out and had a rabbit as a Norwin alum had come with a friend and, while he was not eligible for our alumni results, he won the race by a good minute or so. That left me and Eric leading the rest. At one switchback, I noticed that we had the top 3 (and actually top 4) so if things stayed as they were, the alumni would score their first dual meet victory over the varsity in 9 years.

That left the individual race the only thing left to worry about. Eric and I were running together, but I sensed he didn't want to push the pace up a hill as we were returning through the practice football field (about halfway) and I decided to go for it. I ran the rest of the race scared for this younger alum (by 10 years!) was going to catch me and blow by. But, I ended up winning by 50 seconds. The neat thing is that the winner of this alumni-varsity meet gets their name etched onto a plate that goes with the Stanley Cup-like trophy (you keep it for the year and bring it back the next year). So, while I am nowhere near the caliber of any other name on the plate of district and state champs that went on to successful division 1 careers, this year just happened to be the year where everything fell into place for me. It was mentioned that I was the "oldest first-time winner" of this race. I don't know if that is a compliment or a shot at my age. Either way, it was exciting to be the champ!

Ah, the coveted #1 stick!

Me and the trophies. Beth couldn't wait to find a spot for this to collect dust for the next 12 months!!!

Me and dad after the race

The trophies

So, back to my original theory, all of this occurred since Beth and I were in Muncie. Beth's PRs. My 2 wins, and 5k & mile PR.

My theory is that there must have been something in the water in Muncie (I did see Beth bottling some, I think!). In other words, look out Ironman Wisconsin for Beth to come flying through!

My Trip To See Altoona

No, not Al Tuna....

That loveable mascot of the Curve!

But rather the Altoona Curve, the Pittsburgh Pirates' AA minor league baseball team.

My first attempt got rained out in the third inning a few weeks back. But, it actually worked out for the better as Gregory Polanco was not in the lineup due to a sore shoulder from a play in the outfield and Casey Sadler was on the mound. On Thursday, top Pirates' position player prospect Gregory Polanco was in the lineup and top Pirates' pitching prospect Jameson Taillon was on the bump.

Jameson Taillon warming up before the first inning

Jameson Taillon beginning his night

I tried something new at the game and attempted to post to twitter my observations for every half inning of Taillon's outing, as well as any positives from Altoona's offense in the bottom half of each inning.

It looked something like this:

(First Inning) In Altoona seeing J Taillon for 1st time. After if single &SB, retired the next 3, striking out 1 & 2 GO 3-u. Hitting 94-95

It seemed like he was getting warmed up to full speed still in the first. The first batter hit a weak grounder up the middle that got past Taillon and second baseman Jarek Cunningham flagged down, but didn't have time to get the speedy runner, Jamie Johnson. Johnson then stole second on a close play, but he's a good base stealer (15 SB, 2 CS). The strikeout was an 8-pitch at-bat, the most pitches of any of his strikeouts again showing he was still getting ramped up. The next two batters helped out Taillon's pitch count by grounding weak rollers to first base.

Taillon 2nd: PopupSS, line 1B to RF, seeing eye 1B to RF, sawed off 96mph popup, sb, bloop1B scores2, BB, 4-3. tied 2-2

This was a frustrating inning that goes back to the box score doesn't tell the whole story. He didn't get hit hard, but ended up giving up two runs. Taillon's fastball was much more consistently 96 mph in the second inning.

J Taillon 3rd: 3-pitch K- 96fb, 85 change (swing), 81 curve (frozen looking); go 6-3; go 3-u;43 pitches totthru 3. tied 2-2

A good recovery inning after the second. He made the first batter look like a high schooler with the pitch sequence. Overall, a 7-pitch inning.

Taillon 4th: weak go 4-3,  K (95 fb, 95 fb, 96 fb ball, 81 curve looking), lazy inf popup. 3-2 Curve after 4. 

More weak contact, another statue of a batter on a curveball, and a weak pop up. 9 pitch inning.

Taillon 5th: ripped 3B to RC on 95fb, rbi 4-3 go, K (fb,fb,96fb,change,fb looking), K (fb,change,foul fb, 81curve swinging)

The triple was pretty much the only hard-hit ball on Taillon the whole night. I'm assuming the 1-2 fastball wasn't where Taillon wanted it. But, he managed the rest of the inning even though you would've like to have seen him strand the leadoff triple.The first strikeout off the inning you had to think the batter was looking off-speed and got locked up on the fastball. The second was probably the opposite and went flailing at what he thought was going to be a fastball.

Taillon 6th: 3-pitch easy f8, dicey 2-pitch go 4-1 (1st pretty 82 curve), K (fb,change, curve, ch, 96fb, 83curve swinging)

A lazy fly ball to lead off the inning. I described the second out as "dicey" because 1B Justin Howard came off the line to try to get it, but wasn't able to reach it. 2B Cunningham did get to it, and Taillon beat the runner to the bag and received the throw. It wasn't pretty but another out on weak contact. And the whiff on the curve again set up by premium fastball velocity.

Taillon 7th: 1 pitch 92fb sliding f8 (polanco), k (95 fb, fb, 81curve swinging), 3-2 BB, go 4-3 (96fb on pitch 95)

Gregory Polanco made a nice grab and covered a lot of ground to make it look like a "routine" sliding catch. The strikeout was again an overwhelmed batter with the speed and then curve. Only his second walk of the game (and first since the second inning). Then, a routine grounder finished his night with Taillon still putting 96 on Peoples Natural Gas Field's radar gun.

Taillon's final line: 7IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7K

My impressions of Taillon didn't change much since I saw him look like he belonged in the World Baseball Classic against Team USA back in March. That curve is devastating and his fastball is major-league caliber. He needs to work on his control more, especially of his 87-88 mph changeup/slider. It seemed like he was searching a little on that pitch and it was up and in the right hand hitter's batter's box.

As far as the offense, the leading role is played by Gregory Polanco. No other hitters are ranked in Pirates Prospects mid-season top 20. Players like Adalberto Santos, Alex Dickerson, and Jarek Cunninham have shown flashes but nothing to make you think they will be a standout player in the majors. The additional factor that made it difficult to look at the hitters was that Erie's pitcher, Patrick Cooper was only throwing in the 80's so was this night's 6-run outburst good hitting or poor pitching on Erie's part?

Gregory Polanco coming to bat in the first inning

Gregory Polanco just before hitting a sacrifice fly into foul territory in right field

Regardless, a few observations on Polanco. His first at-bat he struck out after working the count full. In the third inning, he put a bunt down the third base line. I didn't notice where the third baseman was playing before the pitch, but there was no chance of getting Polanco as he glided down the line. In the fourth inning, he lofted a 2-1 pitch into foul ground out in right field by the Altoona bullpen, deep enough to score Andy Vasquez. In the seventh inning, Polanco led off the inning by grounding a 2-2 pitch to the shortstop but made the play close with his hustle down the line.

Defensively, he didn't get many chances with Taillon's strikeouts and many weakly-hit ground balls. He had one ball hit to him, charged in three quick steps, but then glided back two lazy steps to catch the ball. Also, there was the previously mentioned sliding catch in left center.

All-in-all, a worthwhile trip to Altoona and I hope to make it out again before school starts. I'd like to see Nick Kingman and perhaps Alen Hanson will be up then.

Home of the Hoosiers

Beth and I didn't really know what to expect with our trip to Muncie. What was the area like? What was the race like? What were the people like? How would the homestay work out?

Well, things certainly couldn't have been better! Although, it started off with a rocky beginning on Wednesday trying to get out of the 'burgh.

I learned the definition of "flash flooding" on my way down to cross country practice in the morning. The roads I travelled on were becoming rivers. There were some areas that were impassible due to 2-3 feet of water. It was crazy! I finally made it to the 8:00 practice around 8:45 with all the detours and road closures. And, sure enough, there were our guys doing some "ball-toss" laps (similar to an indian run) on the non-flooded track with Coach A. #commitment

The return home wasn't as harrowing and I made it back in time to join Beth for a run. Then we packed up and got on the road around 3pm, dropped off the dog at my parents', and started heading west on I-70. We stopped for dinner near Wheeling and then round two of the major thunderstorm lines came through as we were crossing into Ohio. It slowed us down a little more and we were doing the calculations realizing we wouldn't make it to Muncie and our host's house until 11pm or so. 

This prompted us to search for a hotel along the way and finish the trip on Thursday. Thank goodness for the internet, and we settled on a spot outside of Dayton. It worked out well as there was a YMCA about a mile away to get our Thursday morning scheduled swim taken care of. It also didn't hurt that there was a Tim Hortons next door to the hotel (Hooray for Timbits!).

We finished our drive Thursday morning, stopping at the race site at the Prairie Creek Reservoir, about 20 minutes outside of Muncie. Beth did her usual ride and run and I did a run and run (without then with Beth). After driving the courses, we then got to our host James' place and got settled in. James was an amazing host! As we entered our room, we have souvenir shirts, local travel guide info, and the wifi password waiting. Very prepared!

We're now Ball State Fans! Go Cardinals! #ChirpChirp

We drove around Ball State's campus after dinner Thursday and it was really nice. Everything looked so new!

The Football Stadium

A large bell tower in the middle of campus

David Letterman's Communication Building. We found out he had the quote of
calling the cardinal the "fiercest of the robin-sized birds."

They are proud of their Cardinals!

Friday morning I ran as Beth had the day off from training. Then our day involved IHOP, the expo to check in, lunch at the Pita Pit (with great triathlon supporters Luke and Lisa), pro meeting, a movie (Despicable Me 2.....love those minions!), dinner at Noodles, and then final preparations for the race.

Going into the race, I knew I had an opportunity to see Beth on both the bike and the run, but it was going to take some work. Beth has outlined her day here, so here was my race day.

Getting things ready in transition before the race

Another 75-degree wetsuit day. #Boiling

And they're off! Beth was on the right

Once, she left on the swim, I went back to the car to drop off her swim stuff and get prepared for the day ahead. Beth came out of the water 9th and left on the bike.

Coming up out of the water with wetsuit in hand thanks to the wetsuit strippers

Leaving for the 56-mile journey on the bike

I proceeded to do a 2.2 mile tempo run south to a spot about 13 miles into the bike course to see her go out and back.

My tempo to get to the bike course

Beth flying by on the bike

I snapped a picture of her going out and then had some time to kill so I cheered on the other racers, helped unload a truck with 22 lb bags of ice, and helped keep fumbled bottles from the exchange off the road.

Then, Beth came back by in 7th and it was another tempo back to the car and then transition for her to start the run. I decided to leave the phone/camera at the car because it was getting really sweaty and I didn't want to have to carry it for part two of my tempo workout - a 4.2 mile jaunt before Beth covers 5.5 miles.

The even longer trek to get to see Beth on the run course!

Beth left transition in 6th place and I hustled to meet her out near the turnaround. I was starting to get that bonking feeling, but thank goodness I had packed a gel and felt a lot better. Beth was 6th still but closing in on 5th.

She ended up closing the deal and finished the race 5th, so a good day all around!

Climbing up the final hill to a 5th place finish!

After cleaning up and getting some Little Caesar's Hot-n-Ready pizza for lunch, we made our way back over for the awards ceremony. We then met James for dinner at Amazing Joe's (and it WAS amazing!) and some frozen yogurt at BerryWinkle's.

Saturday night, I fell asleep listening to the Pirate game (though they did end up winning). Sunday, we went to the Cardinal Greenway trail and Beth did an easy spin and I did an out & back run. Great paved trail with markers every half mile.

We made our trip back towards home, but of course we got delayed by an accident that closed I-70 east of Columbus. Eventually we picked up the dog and made it to the Heights. Back at it for me this week with training and morning cross country fun runs.

All in all, a great weekend and I hope we go back to Muncie for Beth to race next year. James was such a great host and I dubbed him the "Ambassador of Muncie and Ball State" with all of his knowledge and helpfulness to us.

Oh yeah - congrats to great friends Ben and Laura on the birth of little Matthew!

June's Recap

Things sure have been busy since school wrapped up. Here's a snapshot (get the pun!!!) of the goings on.

I started off running back-to-back 5k's the weekend Beth was in Raleigh. 

A couple of plaques for 5k's

The first one in Freeport was kind of sluggish (18:29 vs 17:56 last year), but it was hot and humid. And I still got 2nd. The Sunday race was the Greenfield Glide in Schenley Park. I've been wanting to run it for a couple of years now because it is essentially the same course as our high school runs for the Red, White, & Blue invitational. Now, I know what the kid go through during the race. The leader ended up cutting off a little chunk early in the race (and the rest of us followed), so my 17:02 comes with the disclaimer that it was more like 2.95-3.0 on mapmyrun.com. But, coming off a so-so race Saturday, it was a nice recovery. And, top 5 got overall plaques.

Beth went from Raleigh to Baltimore and hung out with my parents for a day in Frederick. I met her down there Thursday night and we made our way down to Eagleman. We met up with Ben and his dad the day before the race. 

Good stories from Mr. E over lunch!

Beth had a great race and then we came home the same day because the last day of school for teachers was that Monday. I had to pack up and say goodbye to my room because I'm moving to a newly renovated room with the construction project at the school.I'll miss my fellow Penn State alum English teaching neighbor!

The rule for packing: If you haven't used it in the last two years, throw it out!

Beth and I then did something we don't usually do, get away for a weekend that isn't related to some sort of race. We looked at the calendar earlier in the spring and saw that mid-June had an opportunity to take a trip. Of course, I suggested that it should involve baseball. What we ended up doing was taking a weekend to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater-Dunedin area.

Friday night was a Tampa Bay Rays game. I have probably mentioned in the past how I admire the way the Rays are run. The book "The Extra 2 Percent" was a great read. I had heard and read a lot of mediocre things about Tropicana Field, but still thought it would be neat to see the Rays and to see a baseball game inside a dome.

Is it me, or does the roof look crooked?

Indoor baseball!

In the bottom of the first inning, we had our first excitement and Matt Joyce led off the frame with a shot to right center field, just a row up and a few seats over from where we were sitting. So close!

Notice me reaching for the ball and Beth moving the other direction!

Oh so close!

There was also a live stingray tank in center field and you can go and tour it. Beth wanted to take one home, but I didn't know how well it would get along with Roxy.

Netting to protect them from home run balls to center field!

Can we keep one!

Then, we move around to check out a different angle and sat by the right field foul pole, near the Rays bullpen. In the 9th inning, a fly ball came our way. Since I was sitting on the aisle, I was able to go down a few steps and make an attempt to catch it. I had it in my hand, but then E-Shutt. I couldn't hold on. It bounced out (not soft enough bare hands I guess) rolled down a step, two kids checked me to the side and some lady ended up getting the ball. I wanted to say to her, "Hey, I did the hard work. Can I have the ball?" But, I left disappointed at not having a ball and, more importantly, not catching the ball.

Location of my "error." I should've brought the glove...

Saturday involved running along the St. Petersburg bayfront where the St. Anthony's triathlon is located. Beth did that race many years ago.

Then the afternoon involved a stop at a mini golf and more locale.

Keep the head down!

So close to being under par. Those crazy water trap holes!

A little driving range action!

Seeing if I could still put a sting on a fastball (notice the batting gloves - I wasn't messing around!)

After tiring ourselves out, we swung by Clearwater (another spot of Beth's triathlon lore) and went north up to Dunedin. We found out Dunedin didn't have any commercial restaurants (we like those because they're safe and you know what you'll get). So, we adventured and went to a little brick-oven pizza restaurant and it was great!

The main reason we ended up in Dunedin was part 2 of the baseball experience: The Florida State League (High A) All-Star game. Ideally, I would've like to have driven down to Bradenton and seen the Pirates' Spring Training facilities and McKechnie field, but they were on break with the ASG. Still, Gregory Polanco, Nick Kingham, and Alen Hanson were scheduled to play in the game. However, Polanco and Kingham were too good of All-Stars and got promoted to AA Altoona days before the game.

FSL All-Star game MVP Alen Hanson warming up in between innings

But, Hanson didn't disappoint as he hit a home run and looked smooth at short stop, earning him the All-Star game MVP.

We came back on Sunday, and Roxy proceeded to get sprayed by a skunk in our backyard when I let her out in the middle of the night Sunday night-Monday morning. That was an adventure to corral her back in and then to de-stink-ify her over the next couple of days.

Stinky dog!

I did my summer program "Math in Sports" with the elementary kids these past two weeks and it flew by.

The Pittsburgh Marathon sent me a gift the day after my birthday.

Thanks again to Jeremy Cornman for only being 34!

Tuesday, I went up to Altoona to try to catch the elusive Gregory Polanco, but he was out with a sore shoulder from a diving catch over the weekend. I did get to see top minor league prospect Miguel Sano and some of the Altoona gang.....for two innings when the skies opened up.

Imagine if the Pirates could have closed the deal and signed Miguel Sano as an IFA a few years ago!

First it was very windy and the field crew had a whale of a time trying to get the tarp in place. They were being blown all around!

Dark skies!

Hold on to that tarp!

So, the game got cancelled meaning I'll just have to go back up later this summer.

I'll have to hang out with my buddy Oscar again some time in July

Oh by the way, the Pirates are tied for the BEST RECORD IN BASEBALL! But, like I said last summer, the season is a marathon and we're only at mile 12. A lot of crazy things can happen between now and October.

Helloooooooo....and the Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend

So, after a brief three and a half month hiatus, here comes an entry.

The reason for the gap was a combination of wanting to wait to write a "perfect" blog, being busy with training & coaching, and/or being lazy but mostly the last one.

Many things have transpired since the beginning of February. The baseball season is underway and the Pirates are staying on the positive side of .500. Our church did an amazing Wednesday night series investigating how evolution and creation are taught in school, bringing in some heavy-hitting experts to get deep into the science (my head hurt a lot at the end of sessions). Track season somehow went by in a blur (after having the first three meets SNOWED OUT!!) and our district championships is on Thursday.

Since the Feb 1 entry, Beth and I did a bunch of races. We did a race on Valentine's weekend where I did the 5k and then we did the 10k together (how romantic!). We did the annual Spring Thaw. I raced the 10 mile and then did a 5-mile cool down and Beth did the 10 mile also. We both did the Athletic Trainer 5k where I went sub-17 for the first time (16:58!) and Beth went well under 19 after also racing a 5k on Saturday.

Then, Beth got busy with her tri's and did Oceanside, New Orleans, and St. George half ironmans over a 5 week span. I was able to go with her to Oceanside, but was a terrible spectathlete (perhaps just rusty) but only took a photo at the start and didn't do any updates for the run. I did get in two beautiful long runs in the warm San Diego weather after getting beat down all of February and March in the coldness of the 'burgh.

Also, there was the terrible tragedy of the bombings at the Boston Marathon in April. How sad and senseless. I am so glad they were able to find and apprehend the bombers.

The weekend Beth was in New Orleans, I did a Sunday double. I wanted to see how my legs would respond to a 10k and then a 5k that evening. At Burgh's Pizza & Wings 10k, I held a solid sub-6:00 pace and ended up with a 36:50 (5:56 pace). Then, I went home, cut the grass and then put my feet up until late afternoon. Then, I went to the Set, Spike, and Sprint 5k at South Park High School. It was a smaller race (33 finishers), but it was a fundraiser for a fellow Elizabethtown College alum's volleyball team so a few of us alums came out for it. It was fun because you had the usual teenagers sprinting the first quarter mile before tuckering out. I ended up leading it the rest of the way and was very pleased to bounce back from the morning 10k to run a 17:38 (5:41 pace) after already racing that morning. Hopefully this meant my legs were ready for the "A" race.....the Pittsburgh Half Marathon.

While Beth was out racing in Utah, my race that I've been working towards since January had arrived. My goal was to try to hang on to 6:00 pace for the entire 13.1 mile course.

The morning started cool & crisp as I met fellow teacher & runner Ben in a parking garage across the river from PNC Park.

Perfect weather for (half) marathon morning!

We warmed up and saw Beth's college teammate MB just before the start. With shooting for the fairly fast pace, I said good luck to Ben and then worked my way up to near the start of the group underneath the start banner. I see triathlete extraordinaire Jeremy Cornman and thought maybe I could pace off of him until he said he was shooting for 1:15 (and ran 1:13+!!!!). So, I tucked in behind some guys wearing Penn State Club Cross Country jerseys and paced off of them and let them break the wind.

Miles 1-3 in the strip went predictable - 5:55, 5:48, 5:50. I knew I would go out fast. But, I reigned it in and did a 5:57 as I crossed the 9th street bridge to downtown to go back over the 7th street bridge to the North Side. More settling in for miles 5 (6:05) & 6 (5:57) and I'm just about halfway with about 30 seconds in the bank on 6:00 pace. We head over the West End bridge, run through the West End for miles 7 (5:56) and 8 (6:00). We're then on Carson Street on the South Side and I felt a little tug in my hammy and I think it caused me to lose focus and be cautious, causing mile 9 to be 6:08 and miles 10 and 11 to be 6:20 and 6:22. 

Mile 11 was on the Birmingham Bridge and my overall time bumped over 6:00 pace. After I felt sorry for myself, I figured to just toughen up and see what kind of finish I could have and to not lose the two guys in front of me. I split my watch for mile 12 to be 5:36 but I wasn't moving THAT fast (especially since part was up hill). I did notice about 20-30 seconds up from the mile 12 banner was a painted "12" on the road and I was thinking that seemed a little more like it. 

Regardless, I ran down the hill from the bluff and tried to race the last mile with a guy I was right beside. I passed him as we got down to Grant Street. He passed me back around Smithfield St. I tried to put in one last surge but couldn't reel him in. My mile 13 (from the 12 banner) was 6:12 but no way coming off the downhill and racing with the guy beside me was it slower than mile 12. So, I figure you can almost flip those two splits. With a final 0.1 split of 39 seconds I finished in 1:18:45, or 6:01 pace...right around my goal. Good enough for 44th overall out of 14,000 runners and somehow 1st in the 35-39 age group (good thing Jeremy's still 34).

Couldn't quite reel him in! Thanks to Jocelyn Cornman for the action shot and the cheering out there!

After going through the finish area, I stopped by the Running for Laptops tent and then went to the car, talked to Beth, changed into some dry clothes and went out to cheer in the marathoners in the strip. That was fun and a much less stressful time for me in the Strip District than my last two years of death marches to finish the marathon. I picked out a spot around mile 24.5 and just cheered all who came by and especially all the friends I had running (back into spectathlete mode!) I had missed the top males but did see the top few females. 

Then, some familiar faces - Tim Wu (2:40), Doug Basinski and Brian Caskey (2:55), Tammy Slusser (still sub 3:10 at 48), Jo Rupp (3:12 after just running up at Boston), Lauren Henzler (3:13), MB Acker (I think she can roll out of bed and run 3:14), Ben Erdeljac (3:14 for his first ever open marathon....and a negative split half to boot!), Kati (Hughes) Alteri (3:20 - I blanked on her married name so called her 'Hughes'), Mike Yazvac (3:22 after running a 3:50 last year!!), Tara Fagan (Etowner who's 3:28 is her first under 3:30), (Mr.) Tim Hewitt (of running the Iditarod fame did a 3:29)....and then I figured I should head back to the Running for Laptops tent so I didn't miss our Elizabethtown College alumni festivities.

After the race, the Etown crew cleaned up and we went across the river for the Pirates game in the All You Can Eat Seats. The Pirates lost (of course), but I got my money's worth after working up a big appetite with the race: 4 hamburgers, 2 hot dogs, 1 nacho, 1 popcorn, 2 ice cream sandwiches, and 4 x 12 oz of pop. Yum!

Round 1 of 5....the Pirates lost money on me today!

Taking a break from eating to pose for a picture

Congrats again to all who ran, including the Etown crew:

Happy to be done, ready to eat cake, and then feast at PNC Park!

The Mt. Lebanon crew:

That's a lot of speedy teachers!  Lots of PR's
PS - Ben's not wearing his shirt because he wore it Saturday at our track meet because he was cold and didn't have anything else to wear. Major runner no-no to wear the race shirt before the race!

....and a whole bunch of others who did the full, half, and relay. It was fun to see so many people get involved and I was happy to help be a part of some "consulting" with a handful of the people pictured above.

Speaking of Boston, my 3:00:46 from Columbus in October meets the standard for my age group and is within the window for submitting times (September 2012). Perhaps that may be in my future. Stay tuned....

Pirates Batting Order 2013

It's finally February, so it's almost spring training, so I'm starting to get Pirates fever (especially with all this cold and snow). After reading some articles on the Pirates, I started thinking about their batting order. So, I opened up an excel sheet and starting tinkering with lineups.

The assumption was the following opening-day starters (2012 OBP/SLUG):

RF - Travis Snider (.324/.328)
CF - Andrew McCutchen (.400/.553)
LF - Starling Marte (.300/.437)
SS - Clint Barmes (.272/.321)
3B - Pedro Alvarez (.317/.467)
2B - Neil Walker (.324/.426)
1B - Garrett Jones (.317/.516)
C - Russell Martin (.311/.403)

Bench - Presley, Tabata, Harrison, Sanchez, McKenry

Just about all of my tinkering with lineups resulted in Neil Walker leading off. I'm concerned about putting inexperienced, low on-base percentage players at the top of the lineup (Marte, Snicer) with the most at-bats.

Here's the one I liked the most, taking into consideration on-base percentage and balancing left and right-handed batters.

1              Walker  S

2              Jones    L

3              McCutchen  R

4              Alvarez L

5              Martin  R

6              Snider   L

7              Marte   R

8              Barmes R

9              P             

From all that I've been gathering and reading, it seems like speed is overrated at the top of the order if the player doesn't get on base. I could see it changing if Marte, Snider, or any of the other outfielders (Tabata, Presley, Sands, etc.) start getting on a lot. If so, you could move them up. But, to start the year, it seems like you shouldn't be giving away outs and at-bats to lower-performing players.

If Marte hits like he has this winter in the Domincan Winter leagues, you could see a lineup like this:

1              Marte   R

2              McCutchen  R

3              Jones    L

4              Walker  S

5              Alvarez L

6              Snider   L

7              Martin  R

8              Barmes R

9              P  

The weather is going to get nicer one of these days and, before you know it, it will be opening day. Let's Go, Bucs!