January 2017 update

So things are good here in Marty world. I am running 20-30 miles a week with some harder efforts in there. Had a solid run at the UGTB Grind'n 10 miler at Harris Lake County Park last weekend. This is a great trail if you are ever in the neighborhood. I don't have any pictures from the trail but here is a GPS map with pace and elevation.  OMG so cool are you super duper psyched to look at this?!?

I had a pretty good race and finished 15 or 16 overall.

Afterwards Bri came out with Junior Awesome. She ran the trail 1x while we did some fishing.

Junior caught a pine needle and I caught a big stick. It was a good time.

We also went to see monster trucks. These were lots of fun. Smash boom crash. 

The weekend prior we did the Occoneechee Speedway relay with our buds the Hughstons.  This is a ~22k broken into 20 x 1.1k laps. We took 2nd in the 4 person co-ed division and 5th or 6th overall.  This is a fun one if you like running and team-ish fun.

I am enjoying swimming 2-3 x a week, getting in more strength training than years past, and riding twice. Life is good. I don't care if I'm going to be a lot slower on the bike this season. Blah.

Here are a few pics and a couple videos from Dec 17 2016 to Feb 04 2017. Random order. 

Family!

Gigi!

 The Lowery clan

We're just two wild and crazy guys!

Ice skating. Random fun-ness

Junior and Chunior

We still like each other.

Crazy hair! No hair!

This kid is not ours, but we like him.

Snow angel, snow angels, the ones I adore.

Ta-dah!

A couple pretty pics on a snowday run.

Monster eyeball recipe.

Good work kid.

Adding the veins. Eyeballs need veins.

Who's gonna help me eat all these monster eyeballs?

Science museum. Shark. Get into nature.

Junior Awesomeicasso

 Monkeys jumping on a bed, onto an exercise ball, into a table.

After all this blogging, someone is worn out.

Chatham Reindeer Run 5k in Pittsboro

We have enrolled several of our athletes/friends/training buddies in the Chatham County Reindeer Run 5k in Pittsboro, NC for the past four seasons.  They have a team division with a slightly discounted entry fee and we get to have some team fun with the race. In 2015 we finished 2nd, and this year we finished 3rd. The top 3 times from your team count towards the team score. I haven't always been a scoring participant but was this season with a sub 21 5k.  I'll take it!

I overslept so instead of leaving my house at 650, I woke up then. Scrambled to get my outfit on while the coffee brewed, skipped breakfast and was out the door by 708.  I got there at 742, plenty of time for an 8 oclock start.  Got my stuff and headed out for a short warm up jog. As far as performance goes, doing a 9 minute warm up + 15 jumping jacks is not going to cut it. But, I made it.

The course is twisty, turny, and a bit hilly. It's not a fast course. It's a slow course. It's a slow course for slow people. And usually cold. The temps were in the low 30s for 2016. Fingers went a little bit numb. Mile splits about 6:30, 6:50, 6:15. Hilly in the middle.

Afterwards we headed to our buddies house nearby for a yummy french toast breakfast.  Good times.

I've been getting in about 20 miles a week and plan to bump up to the 25-30 mile range in Jan, 35-40 in Feb and then taper off for a shot at sub 1:30 half at Quintiles half-marathon in Wrightsville Beach. Haven't broken that barrier in several years.

The end.

Run at the Rock 7 miler

If you enjoy trail running, you should put the Run at the Rock at CedarRock Park in Burlington, NC on your list.

It is a pleasant, somewhat challenging trail race with 7 mile and 14 mile options. My Garmin has it at 6.5 miles which is probably closer to accurate.

The start. Duh.

Last year I opted to run very easy as I was getting over a calf strain.

 Me running sort of fast

Bri didn't try to beat me this time.

This year I was closer to 100% healthy so gave it a good effort. With about 200 people on the start line (combined race start), I lined up close to the front and pushed it from the gun. Entered the woods in 8th place or so. I eventually passed a couple people and then found myself running in the 4th or 5th position with a couple guys pacing with me.

Up a hill.

We had matching FS Series arm warmers on.

We had a nice chat and kept the pace going. They passed me in a long straightaway around the 5.5 mark, and I came across with a 4th place overall for the 7 mile.  My watch had me at 7:32 pace. Yay.

Check out the wiggle waggle form.

Bri has been dealing with a sore back but managed to come in 3rd place in her age group for the 7 miler as well.

Not a wiggle waggler.

Next up is the Chatham Pittsboro 5k Reindeer run tomorrow morning. We usually have a decent team in attendance and gather for a yummy breakfast at nearby bud's house after.

This is all so I can tell you something without months going by.

Happy Merry Christmas!