Monday, September 8, 2008

Crazy Ideas

      Oct. 4   "Underground" 50 Mile Run through Wisconsin.
 +  Oct. 5  Twin Cities Marathon
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76 miles

I figure that since I won't be running Twin Cities to break any time (fast time) records, the real issue is to cross the finish line before they stop giving out Finisher shirts.  Worst case scenario, I can walk the entire marathon and most likely make the deadline.  Therefore...

+ 24 miles (Stillwater to Minneapolis, Metrodome)
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100 Miles in 30-32 hours  (I've been inspired by all those Superior 100 runners!!)

Here's how it might work:

Saturday:
Awake at 4:30am and drive to Luck, WI.  Carpool to the Ice Age 50; start running at 7am.
Finish the 50 miler around 7pm in Luck, WI at the Wren, a very classy coffee shop.
(My son, Eli, will join us for the last 10 mile section.  Also, Erik from church may join us as well as Mitch from the Dead Runners.)  Eat and socialize until 8:30.  Drive home, plug in the Garmin and cell phone, and go to bed around 11pm.

Sunday:
Awake at 2:00am and drive a few miles to the Gateway Trail; start running at 2:30am.  Run to St. Paul, down Summit, over the Franklin Bridge, through the Univ. campus, and arrive at the Metrodome around 7:30.  Desperately search for as much food as I can find before the 8am Wave 1 start.  I'm sure I'll look like a pre-winter squirrel!

Start the official marathon at 8am.  Runners have until 2:15pm to finish in order to get a shirt and medal.  That's a 13:44 pace.

Charity Purpose:
Such a run must have more value than just a sore body.  My first ultra was a 50 mile, midnight to noon run.  I asked friends to donate for each mile to a Pro-Life group.  We raised about $900.  

I asked the kids what charity this run should support.  They suggested two that are much better than anything I would have thought of:
• Any organization whose purpose is to free modern-day slaves, as encouraged by Loose Change to Loosen Chains; an organization founded by teenager Zach Hunter.
Feed My Starving Children; Emma spent a Saturday packing meals for this organization.  17 cents sends a meal overseas.  
Each of these organizations is fueled by teenagers.  My children have been challenged lately by the Harris Brothers to rise above the typical teenage apathy of our culture and do hard things.



3 comments:

keith said...

If anyone can do it, you can do it, Joel!

Good luck on your Ultra, Marathon and 24 miler!

(The superior 100 is actually 102.6 miles, should you want to start a little farther out from stillwater...)

nwgdc said...

Wow, Joel, quite the undertaking! But with causes such as the charities listed (ESPECIALLY THE PRO-LIFE INSPIRATION--FAR LACKING IN OUR WORLD), just let me know where I donate!

New to your blog (from Grimes' blog),

Nic

Helen said...

Crazy isn't even the word. As Keith mentioned you have another 2.6 miles to go so I think you should go almost as far as the TCM finish line, turn around and do 10 hill repeats on that lovely Cathedral hill. That should see you right.

Helen