Carpe Diem 100 mile challenge

This year is definitely different. After completing my degree in February I was looking forward to getting some normality back into my life. COVID19 changed all that. I am still working and just got back into running but all the events I had hoped to attend are one by one being cancelled or postponed. Concerts and sports are doing likewise. Life really is strange

But in it's place running races have turned to virtual events and bands are performing online while the German Bundesliga just restarted the season even if it was without fans

My friend Colleen runs Carpe Diem events putting on a number of races in the Chicago North Shore area. I help her when I have time but especially at her popular Winnetka-Glencoe Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. Colleen is also an ultra runner and is currently doing a virtual run across Tennessee, an event put on by the legendary Laz of Barkley Marathons fame.

Colleen decided it would be fun to have a virtual event with an attainable goal for kids, family and other runners and reward their effort with a sweet T shirt, a medal and some mileage bonus prizes for the kids. She created the Carpe Diem 100 mile challenge to run and walk over 3 months. It all starts Monday June 1st. I am signed up and looking for the challenge to motivate me back to running regularly as my goal for 2020 is pacing my buddy Steve at the Javelina 100 in Arizona over Halloween. Will you join me?

 https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/YourTown/Amazing100MileChallengeRace


  

 

Graduated. Not much happened last year in running but so ready for this year

Graduated. 

As I told my friend and race director Michele Hartwig (Ornery Mule Racing) runners at the Kettle Moraine 100 trail race in Wisconsin ran almost as many miles in one day as I did in all of 2019.

I did work or volunteer at a number of events such as Shamrock Shuffle, Chicago Marathon, Wisconsin Marathon, Brydsong 10k/5k, Ice Age Trail 50, Kettle Moraine 100, DPRT races to name a few. I ran just one race and it was more of a hike at the Terra Sans Pave 5 mile put on by my good friends Bill and Michelle Thom (RunRace). I sadly did not go to Javelina Jundred 100 in 2019. My friend Steve who I normally crew and pace did the Arizona Ironman instead but he will be running Javelina in 2020 as will Matt Mundy and Jeni Goodwin.

So what did I do in 2019: In February I started the last year of a BA in Business Management at Benedictine University in Lisle IL along with 21 other students in a cohort for a full year finishing the last class at the end of February 2020. I am proud to say I am graduating with a 4.0 GPA and the highest honour they can give. I though will not be walking during the graduation ceremony as it is the same day as Ice Age Trail race and Hwy 12 aid station is calling again (year 8 I think)

This past weekend I did my first run in 3 months. It was short and slow but it was fun being out on the local bike trails (even if it was a paved path) and now I have a plan or goal to train for a trail half marathon and also to do one 20 mile pacing loop at Javelina this Halloween with Steve.

And as I have no college papers to write hopefully I have more time to write on this blog but please don't expect any scholarly research or APA style. Just Ian style.

Cheers