First posting

Well this is my first posting to my first blog, let's hope I get it right. Going to use it to record my running and hopefully one day the biking I do.

I ran a little in school back in England but mainly cross country and the once a year track and field event that everyone in school was supposed to partake in. When I went to college my accounting professor, George, ran the first London Marathon which I watched on the TV, BBC I think. I didn't see George on TV during the live broadcast but later that evening on the BBC news poor George got his 15 seconds on fame on The Mall, around 1 mile from the finish, as he collapsed in front of the camera. George wasn't at college for a few days but when he returned and told the class his story I was inspired.

In 1990 I moved to Chicago. Proud to say I am married to my lovely Laura who grew up in Chicago and just two weekends ago we celebrate 17 years of marriage. We lived for 12 years a few blocks from the Chicago lakefront which includes an 18 mile stretch of running and biking paths (paved or limestone). This was more inspiration for me and I sort of followed in George's footsteps and did my first marathon in 1993. I also took up biking with the hope of doing a triathlon one day but realized swimming is not for me. I've done one triathlon, a super sprint but the swim was a struggle. Think I was last out of the water in my wave of 50 but powered by most on the bike and run. Duathlons worked for me so I've done a few of those in the past.

Not sure when but I found a copy of Ultra Running magazine in a store and became hooked on ultra running, at least reading about them. Of course I started to meet Ultra Runners and after oh 5 marathons I was "talked" into the Danville Howl at the Moon 8 hour ultra by my friend Nikki Seger. I completed my first Ultra distance event there then a few months later ran a 50k race on the trail of northern Wisconsin Kettle Moraine. I was hooked on trail running although trails on the Chicago Lakefront are hard to find.

Well after 8 marathons and 4 50ks I took a break from running and even biking.

Laura and I moved west 5 years ago to Naperville and after a few false starts and a medical issues and injuries I finally got back into running. Most of my running is done in the Du Page Forest Preserves which has an amazing trail system in most of their preserves. My only issue is close to 100% is limestone but I have also discovered a few jewels of dirt multi and single track trails in other Preserves such as Naperville's Knoch Knolls and the brilliant trial system of Palos.
Within a drive from home I've also ran trails at Rock Cut, Clinton Lake and some Wisconsin state parks plus recently attended a race on the trails of a park in Portage IN (allegies stopped me racing but I'll return).
I've done probably 8 races since September 2006 when I signed up for my first race in over 6 years -all but one has been on the trails in distances from 5k to 25k. OK I have to admit I am slow, very slow and even have finished last place male in a few of these trail races but I am enjoying myself out there and for me that is what it is all about. BUT as I get back into running I hope to get quicker but still enjoy myself.

I also own a great Gary Fischer mountain bike which I have to admit I have yet to use since purchasing it. Got it pre-winter a few years ago then came down with my medical issues (nerve issue in both legs - now cured). Now I have no excuses and as I enjoyed biking previously all road and love trail running and hiking it is time to get the MTB out there and enjoy the dirt on wheels (but only when trails are not wet)

So that is my brief running and biking story; nothing out of this world but I enjoy it.

Thanks for reading and come back for hopefully more postings down the road, hmmmmm trails.