What... me run Grandma's again? And Finish?

In 1985, I set a goal, and last year, I made that goal, well, half the goal. I had a goal to run Grandma's and Twin Cities Marathon 25 years in a row. In my 13th year at TCM, my entry got chewed up by the postal service and returned to me weeks after the race. Never got entered and quite frankly, the cold and lack of understanding from the TCM staff really upsets me, even today, I always suggest people look at some other friendlier race! Anyway, last year I finished 25 Grandma's. (Click to see the post) I was not ever going to do that race again.

This, coupled with my knee surgery last July, my bike accident last July, stress at work, and then another surgery in mid-May 2010, I never envisioned I would run Grandma's, nor did I want to run it. Although I am a father first in life and would go to the end of the world for my son. He wanted to run the race and asked me to join him. I resisted feverishly. He continued to encourage me to consider it. Long story short, I entered.

Before I started the report, it was such a boost to see Wayne Nelson several times on the course. It really kept me positive. After seeing Lisa at Lake Street, I felt a wave of confidence. THANKS MUCH, YOU TWO!

As I said I would never do it again, I started my 26th consecutive Grandma's Marathon. Since last July, I have logged less than 20 running miles. I have over 1,200 miles on the bike and another large amount of walking miles, but so little running. I talked all week about there being no chance I would finish...

My son decided to run the first mile with me. A minimally impressive 12-minute mile with an HR of 130.  I was pleased with how I felt... Then, my son proceeded on his own to a 4:30 finish. On the other hand, a good goal would be the first 5 miles in 12:30 a mile or less, the next 5 miles in 13 minutes or less, and the same pattern to the end. This went well; for 16 miles, I started to feel blisters and cramps. I had been taking S-Caps and knew it was related to fatigue. So I decided to walk. Walk fast!!!

I was surprised to find I was clicking off 15:00 minutes of mile walking but could only muster just over 14 minutes of mile running. This was short-lived, as every mile I dropped 10-15 seconds. By mile 22, I was at a 16-mile mark, but a finish was within reach. I tried to jog but knew that was not a great idea. So I walked and walked and walked. The miles clipped one after another.

My son came back and met me at mile 24, and I had a full boost of confidence. He stayed with me to Lake Street, and then I got a second wind. The last two miles were in the 13-14 range, and I FINISHED #26. Coming across the finish line, I cried. I cried because I never, in my dreams, thought I would get past halfway. I cried because my own son encouraged me to do the seemingly impossible. I cried because it was over.

I feel almost like I did after 77 miles of the ST 100 in 2007. My feet look the same. I have a baseball-sized blister on the right foot and a smaller one on the left. But if that is the price I pay tonight, I am happy! I made my son proud less than five weeks after Surgery that put me out of work for a few weeks. It is a great feeling when you finish something that seems impossible.

Where does this take me? I do not know, as I will have to see what the next two days are like, but I have one big smile on my face tonight, even though my foot is pretty painful!

Carry on, my friends! Carry on!

Surf the Murph aid station report

I did not run Surf the Murph (with the excellent weather course I wish I had), but I had a blast at the horse aid station. Twelve hours went by very quickly. With great smiles and successes, I saw many friends complete their goals! (Where are the reports, guys and gals?)

The day started rough. Les had issues with the trailer, which resulted in getting me supplies until after 7 AM. Duke had reached the station before we even started unloading the equipment. Luckily, these lead runners have great support crews and rely little on an aid station, so it was not a major issue. That just proves even the absolute best planning and preparation can throw you a curve.

Then came another surprise. With this flu abound my two aid station volunteers did not make it. (There were three of us assigned for this location, which is actually two stops for the runners.) That in itself (being two aid stations in one place) was funny as when many were on the second (50K) or third loop (50 miles) at the first horse trailer aid station, and I said, "I will see you one more time" and many freaked out. They did not realize that the other side of the tree was the station they had visited earlier in the day... The expression was priceless... but I did not get a picture. The two volunteers who could not make it in the morning stopped by later in the day (husband and wife), and she looked like she needed to be home... I commend her dedication to trying, but at that time, the station was slow (all the marathon and 25 K runners had been through), and I encouraged them to go home and rest, and he took care of the wife. I hope she feels better soon!

I can not thank Kurt Neuburger and Caitlin enough for being there to see Carrie Neuburger in the 25K. Kurt was supposed to run but will have surgery soon and could not do so. They were a gift from God. Especially Caitlin, a veteran aid station expert at a young age (Early teens at best). Very mature and deserves many kudos. It was also great to see Caitlin do the last 4 miles with Carrie! I bet this was rewarding for both...

Kurt started a very nice fire, and we kept it going all day! It was so welcomed early in the cool hours and later as the sun started to set! I am not a Boy Scout and would have never got the fire going. I was told he used Vaseline to start the fire. That is a new one.

Mary Knutson finely ran the 25 K. As the workhorse, she immediately came to the Aid Station to help me. Her stomach did a nasty turn on her, and for over an hour, she was practically paralyzed in pain. I was so happy she worked through it, as the afternoon would have been really long without another person at the station to keep me sane! I just remembered that I had to tell her how much I appreciated the company!

Cindy was nice enough to deliver a large pizza to us mid-day. A few runners loved the idea of Pizza at the aid station. I may not have survived it, but I know they finished strong.

The costumes were cool. I've included a few below, but I missed one of the best (the outhouse!). I could only get the camera out when it was slow enough at the station.




Below is a slideshow of all the pictures I took. The link to download is http://picasaweb.google.com/peasemines/SurfTheMurph?feat=directlink. I'm Sorry I did not get photos of more of the runners! Running an aid station is demanding, and I know you understand!

Carry on...

Superior Blues

I had journeyed to the north shore for the past three years to run a looooonnnnngggg race. First, the 50 mile in 2006 was a success, and then 2 attempts at the 100 mile, where I failed. Although this year, sitting home watching the first football game of the season (a real bore), I can not help but think about the many friends and others who are about to venture out to finish a great race. It is a great race because of many factors, but in any event I have ever been involved in, the people make it great!

The core of compassionate, caring, and knowledgeable friends who put this on year after year is unmatched in any other armature event I have participated in. Larry, Don, Bonnie, Scott, Colleen, and others put that event on without pay. I want to maintain the great successes of all those who will finish, but with that core group and all the volunteers, they would start. They can never be thanked enough...

Good luck to all, and I am saddened that I will not be there with you running or volunteering. Life throws a curve ball, and I am smart enough not to swing.

Carry on...

Glad I am alive... REALLY

I was riding my bike Saturday when an unthinkable thing occurred. I still have yet to return to the scene of the crime (really no crime, just a phrase) to work out the entire details, but long story short, I had a significant bike crash. Not with a car or a truck, but I somersaulted over the handlebars and landed headfirst. The front wheel is totally crunched. A properly fitting helmet definitely saved my life. I wish I had a better memory of all the details?

My trail running experience also saved me big time. I quickly was in a tuck-and-roll position and hit the right front head first, the right shoulder, and then down the body. My face has a nice lump on the right temple and some minor scrapes. The right hand had the most blood, while the rest of the body was more of a scrapes and bruises issue. The most problematic result is a concussion. I was dizzy and lost sense of where I was after the accident. This had happened once before, so now two concussions in my life… I do not want another.


I cannot lift my right arm, but the ex-rays verified no breaks. I can not laugh without rib pain, but there are no breaks there, either. If I use my left arm to support the lifting, I can lift my right arm with less pain each day so far… I think if I could take Advil, I would not feel like I do, but as I have surgery soon, no anti-inflammatory… Bummer.


I can only think I would be dead without that properly fitting helmet. In a post over a year ago, I reported my friend Dana died from a bike accident and was wearing a helmet. I did not report whether the helmet was said not to be properly fitted. So, I guess in her death, I learned something that I believe saved my life? We can never tell the future, but the picture above makes the helmet look good. If you saw my helmet damaged and loose, you would agree.

So now I have more than one reason to rest after my surgery on Friday… I am lucky to only have a concussion...

Carry on...

25 down, none to go!

A POSTER I MADE FOR MY WALL IS ABOVE (Click to see larger view ... REPORT BELOW).  I need help finding it and wonder if there was a 1985 medal.

UPDATE: It was hot. 37 runners were hospitalized, and 7% of the starters required medical treatment.

NOTE (All pictures I reference in this post come after the post - Links to all photos I (or others) took is: http://picasaweb.google.com/runallday/Grandmas# )

Well, this is long… It could be boring. To summarize, I finished my 25th consecutive year at Grandma's. No clue how I did this year after year. This year was hot; well, that is an understatement. But I survived. I was emotional. I cried many times throughout the race and broke down in tears, coming into the finisher shoot. It must have looked strange to many, but it was so emotional for me! When I met Shelley at the finish, I bent over, covered my head, and cried… It was over! That is the short version. Much more later…

First, I want to start by looking back:

I recall things from 1985, as it was my first Grandma's, and I set a goal of 25 years…

I could not find a place to stay, so I stayed at the Best Western in Hinkley.
Michael Jordan (Basketball) was a rookie in the NBA!!!!
New Coke/Old Coke fiasco
We celebrated the Dow Jones breaking 1,500!
VH1 started
Wade Wilson replaced Tommy Kramer as Viking quarterback.
Dukes of Hazard was canceled. (Yes, I watched it…)
Billy Joel married Christy Brinkley (I had a crush on her!)
But Moonlighting started (I always liked Cybill Shepherd) – This is the first time I heard Al Jarau
This is also MacGyver's first year. (I loved that show as well)
I purchased my first computer – A Macintosh 512K – I PAID $2,100 OUCH!

In Between

I lived in 4 states (North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Illinois)
Went through 5 US Presidents (Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, William Clinton, George Walker Bush, Barack Obama)
Three so-called stock market crashes…
Nine Jobs (From a cook, waiter, and manufacturer to my current job as a City Planner)
Lived in 12 different homes
Went through 10 cars – Including ex-wife and Son's cars (Chevy Malibu, Ford Mustang, Honda 600 Sedan, Chevy Station Wagon, Dodge Daytona, Mitsubishi Expo, Ford Fiesta, Kia Sephia, Mazda Millennia, VW Passas)
Went through 5 girlfriends, one wife
Son was born, raised him, now 20…
Couple in the 3:20's finishes
A couple of 6-hour finishes, many in-between

Now for the report. I have been so obsessed with the race. I had worked hard for 24 years and did not want to lose the goal in the last race. I left Minneapolis, and it was an easy drive. We arrived at the expo at 8:30, and I picked up my number. Bittersweet, as it was my last time….

When we walked out of the expo, we saw the vendor who makes special racing bibs. See the picture (the one that says "25th Consecutive Grandma's, a Picture of Forrest Gump and run Londell run"). That's cool. I had to have it. We went for a little walk and then went into the expo to eat the food I brought and go through the bag to get set for the morning.

Everything looked good. We parked the car in the DECC parking lot and settled in for a nice nap. So many things were going my way.

Then I woke up. At 4:30 AM, the temperature was 62 degrees. As I slept in the car, I woke to the view of the moon over the adjacent building. It was cool! Then I got up.

I went to the bathroom three times! I was nervous. As I prepared, I remembered that I had to take my number. Then, at 5:15 AM, my biggest supporter asked, "What about your chip?" We had no clue! Two of us tore through everything looking, but it was not to be found. I quickly realized I might have left it on the table when we ate Friday night! What an idiot!

I ran all over trying to get into the DECC. No one could help me. At 5:40, I returned to the car, feeling just a bundle of nerves. I dumped my bag onto the asphalt parking lot and looked down, and there it was! Two of us went through that bag and missed it. I was about ready to have my first cry of the day. But all was saved, and I made it to the buses at 5:50 AM, 10 minutes to spare. This was the first time ever I did not have a school bus! A plush tour bus. Things were looking up!

The ride could have been more uneventful. I got to the start, went to the biffs, and my stomach was settled. I packed toilet paper in my bag anyway. But the sun was hot. The forecast was maybe 80 degrees for the day, and at 7 AM, the temperature was 72 degrees. I knew that I needed to run smart, not fast.

I went with the heart rate monitor as my guide. I was going along just fine and getting many comments about my streak. Then I heard a voice, "Are you Londell from Chippewa?" Carl Gammon's friend Janine Knutson was there. She was looking excellent. I was able to get a picture of her. (Thanks to Mike, I took a camera.) Shortly afterward, there was Greg Allen. Greg is on #26 consecutive Grandma's… SUPER. He knows what it is like to make it so many years, through thick and thin…

I kept the heart rate in the 120-135 range until about 15 miles. For example, a few years ago, it was elevated to over 155 at Afton, and I could not get it down. I knew the heat was taking its toll. I also knew 15-minute miles would get me in less than 6 hours. So I walked, ate ice, and rubbed my body with ice. After 20 minutes, I could start a walk/run pattern, walking for 3 minutes and running for 6 minutes. I met up with Katie Altrichter from Bloomington, IL. She was hurting, and I needed a friend. We helped each other the rest of the way. She is sure I helped her, but if she only knew, she would also be helping me so much. Good running buddies always make the run easier!

This walk/run plan and Katie kept me under the 15 minutes per mile I needed until mile 23.5. I started to feel cramps, and Katie was really worn. We decided to walk more as allowed and finish, which we did.

Shortly after 24, I got a big lift. Wayne was there and prepared to walk in with me. This was a lift I needed, and I decided that I was close enough to just keep running.

I saw so many people on the side of the road being treated for what I assumed were heat-related issues.; I saw more ambulances than I had ever seen in my 25 years, and people seemed to drop like flies! It was a war zone. It was not how I wanted to finish my last Grandma', but if you really think you can run 25 years in a row, you better be ready for anything.

I guess I was… This is an emotional time, and I cry as I write this… Now, it is time to rest and look for the next challenge… whatever that may be! But first, get the knee fixed and bask in the reward of accomplishing a goal I set so long ago! What a rewarding feeling!

Thanks to all who supported my effort. It meant more than you can imagine!

Carry on…

Pictures from Grandma's

Thought (or photos) of the day...

I saw these and had to post them, but I also need to write soon. My blood test was not good, and I am now taking pills and getting ready for a follow-up in February. More later, but here are pictures I found that made me laugh.

Carry on...

Carry on? All you quiet dreamers carry on

Training is nearing an end. I had a hard weekend with continuously moving the body 38 out of the possible 48 hours from Friday at 5 PM to Sunday at 5 PM. This was good as this is the second effort at keeping the mind focused as I continue to move in preparation for the 102 miles I want to run. This was after Thursday night doing 30 hill repeats at Hyland. Phil and Molly joined me. Phil completed 25, and Molly would go another 45 minutes after I left. She is a feather and just finished the hills like they were flat…

By Sunday, I was a little stiff and sore. It was hard to move quickly, but I made myself go as quickly as I could the whole day. Good training. In Alan's words, "keep moving" is what I practice!

I am a little concerned, as my knee has a funny pain again. It has been here for over a week. It is not deep pain like before, but just nagging. It is not internally, either. I think it is just tendons from working so hard the past weeks. I am going to have one more hill workout, then taper.

Been checking the weather. It changes every day. One thing for sure is that it was 35 degrees up north yesterday… Additionally, I see 61 entrants in the Superior 100, which is at least 20 more than in 2007. And I did not even notice some people who said they were running it on the list. So, could we almost double last year? COOL!

I read Adam's blog, and he finished the entry by stating, "Carry on," noting that it was as "Londell would say." People often write certain sayings or beliefs that may have more significant meaning. I use the "Carry On" end for personal reasons, which I will share.

I first heard of Pamela McNeill in 2006 when a friend, Dana, played me one of her CDs and said she had a song that should be dedicated to me. I had come to a point in my life where I had just healed from a "Jones" fracture in my left foot, was facing the challenges of raising a teenage boy alone (his mom 1,000 miles away), and had recently been told to no longer call a girl I had dated on and off for a few years.  Dana (a good friend) and I were training for the first 50-mile race. The song she had dedicated was called "You Will Love Again." She explained that it was not intended to be for the love of another person, as I had just come from a relationship and needed time to heal, but for a love of life. I once had that love of running and that zest for life, and I see others enjoy it.

This was a significant turning point in my life as I started to find things I enjoyed again after being so out of tune with life. Running was a joy. Walking was a joy. Reading was a joy. Dana and I would run 3 to 4 times a week together, and I had found one of the greatest friends one could imagine. We had a common goal, to finish the Superior 50 mile.

In the summer of 2006, Dana was killed in a tragic bike accident. She wore a helmet, which was insufficient to stop the fatal outcome. I was devastated and hurt. I recalled vividly thinking God was cruel. I had started to lose faith. I went one evening to see Pamela McNeill at Bunkers. She sang a song she wrote called "One Good Angel." She cried in the into, I cried during the song... A part of the song:

Many years have gone by
Since you went away
But sometimes I still cry
like it was yesterday

But through this pain and the sorrow
I found beauty strength and true
And I know there will be one good angel coming through

One good angel coming through
One good angel to hold onto
And when I am out in the moonlight I reach up to you
And I know there will be one good angel coming through

Never have I known
A braver soul
How come it’s the good ones
That have to go

And when I am down in the sorrow
Felling all messed up in blue
I know there will be one good angel coming through

Ironically, this song hit me hard within such a short period of Dana's death. I thought of her often over the months and still do today. At the 50 mile in 2006, at the top of Britton Peak (42 miles), I stopped and cried. I was done. I could not go on... I missed Dana. A hiker stopped and asked if I was OK. I had pulled notes of inspiration from my pocket that I had given to me before the race and was reading them. Then the clouds went away, and the sun hit me harder and brighter than I had ever experienced. I felt a surge of energy… I felt like it was Dana kicking me in the bottom. One good angel.  I went on to finish the 50-mile race we would do together.  I felt like I finished with her!

It is from a song by a local musician, Pamela McNeill, the third song that had meaning.  She wrote we need to carry on. The chorus of the song "The World Beyond" follows:

So carry on...

all you quiet dreamers, carry on

misbehaving sinners, have fun (but hurry up)

'cause the burned-out disbelievers got it wrong

so all you quiet dreamers carry on

anyone who feels they don't belong

raise your hand and listen to my song

'cause the burned-out disbelievers

whoa they got it wrong 'bout the world beyond!

I carried so much hate for Dana's fate. I carried so much anger. But those three songs had such an impact over time. They sum up life. We make life what we want it to be. We can choose to believe or not to believe in God or the world beyond.

As corny as it sounds, I was given messages from these songs. Messages with significant meaning… I finish many posts with Carry on because the end result is that is all we can do. If we decide to quit a 100-mile race at 77 miles, I need to carry on; if we lose a loved one, I need to carry on; and if we find and then lose true love, I need to carry on. That ability to carry on no matter what God throws at us will make us a better person. We need to believe because, in the words of Ms. McNeill, "Cause the burned-out disbelievers got it wrong about the world beyond."

You can learn about Pamela McNeill at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=98210968 and hear One Good Angel and the World Beyond…

That is the story... A little corny, but my heart still has jitters when I hear these songs. May Dana rest in peace and be with me during the 100 mile race and I will do my best to remember, all I can do is carry on.

So carry on, my friends, carry on...