Livestock Expo is Natural Fit for Kentucky

Posted on November 6, 2015 by theurbanllama

IMG_1153You’ve probably been seeing an uptick in visitors to Louisville and throughout Kentucky from the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE), which returned for its 42nd year to the Kentucky Exposition Center and runs through Nov. 20.

Exhibitors from 48 states and scores of international visitors from six countries are drawn to the world’s largest purebred livestock exposition. Along with the Kentucky State Fair and the National Farm Machinery Show, the livestock expo is owned and produced by the Kentucky State Fair Board in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

This premier agricultural event is a natural fit for our Commonwealth, where residents continue to honor our agricultural heritage and where agribusiness remains a staple of our ever-changing economy. Unknown to many, Kentucky is the top producer of beef cattle east of the Mississippi River, ranks near the top nationally for its number of farms – the majority of them being small, family-run operations, and is also recognized as the Horse Capital of the World.

IMG_1142Started in 1974 at the behest of then-Gov. Wendell H. Ford as a beef-only show, NAILE has grown to include 10 divisions of livestock, all competing for nearly $750,000 in premiums and awards. Upward of 30,000 entries were registered at the 2014 expo across the categories of alpacas, beef cattle, boer goats, dairy cattle, dairy goats, draft horses, llamas, market swine, quarter horses and sheep. Some 200,000 competitors and attendees are again expected to contribute an estimated $16.1 million to the area’s economy.

The competition will attract agricultural professionals and livestock breeders from around the world. It also hosts the National Collegiate and 4-H/FFA Livestock Judging Contests. Particular interest is given to the industry’s future as 10 major youth judging contests are held during the show to prepare the next generation for tomorrow’s industry challenges.

IMG_1173Sharing the spotlight at NAILE is the North American Quarter Horse Show and the North American Championship Rodeo, where the finals for the Great Lakes Circuit of the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association will take place, with $80,000 in prize money and the title of Regional Champion on the line.

NAILE is a welcomed addition to such Kentucky institutions as the Kentucky Derby, World’s Championship Horse Show and the Kentucky Horse Park. For more information, admission prices and show schedule please visit the NAILE website at livestockexpo.org. Better yet, come out to see this prestigious uniquely Kentucky event.

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* Written for the Kentucky State Fair Board

Published by:  The Courier-Journal | 10-28-15 (Online) | 11-06-15 (Print)

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Running & Bourbon Pair Up In 13-Mile Race

Posted on November 2, 2015 by theurbanllama

IMG_0963Mercifully, the 2015 half marathon season has come to a close. With the completion of the Urban Bourbon in Louisville on Oct. 24, the longer runs are done and I can ease off the distance accelerator.

As with the KY History Half Marathon on Oct. 3, my mantra in the Urban Bourbon was, “there is beer in the car,” for once the torture was completed. But this time around there was bourbon available at the finish for those with the stomachs for it.

Sponsored by Evan Williams, among others, all the usual suspects were at the post race party including Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Four Roses and Woodford Reserve. Just tear a drink ticket from the race wristband and there were free shots. Falls City provided beer. There was burgoo and Bearno’s Pizza as well, all of which were represented on entrants’ wristbands.

This is a fine idea in theory – offering free whiskey on Whiskey Row at a race in Kentucky. It distinguishes the Urban Bourbon from other half marathons and raises its profile, but after 13-miles I must say bourbon is about the last thing I wanted, especially once more people finished the race and the lines grew.

The race itself was easier than the one in Frankfort – far less hilly. The weather was overcast, but the rain mostly held off. Temps were in the low 70s with heavy humidity. That meant we all sweated a lot. That’s not so good for hydration and cramping.

What made a big difference was having those extra couple weeks to train between Oct. 3 and Oct. 24. I did a hard 10-mile run that included the S-127 hill in Frankfort, which goes from the river valley by the Capital Plaza Hotel up past the National Guard and intersects topside with Hwy 60. Plus I did a 5-miler and a hard 8-miler. Those runs helped immensely during my running of the Urban Bourbon.

The first five miles of the race were flat, then after entering Cherokee Park there were three hills. I was expecting them to be worse, but compared to what I train on in Frankfort these were not such a problem.

I still didn’t have enough training under my belt overall and weighed too much, but this race was better. Once the Cherokee Park portion of the Urban Bourbon was done, the final five miles were relatively flat as well.

There is no getting around having to run 13 miles and that is painful. I had the conditioning to get it done, but it still required pain management.

Myself and Laura hitting the finish line at the 2015 Urban Bourbon.

Myself and Laura hitting the finish line at the 2015 Urban Bourbon.

Something that helped pass the last three most grueling miles was meeting a fellow Iowan on the course, which is the state where I attended college twice.

Laura and her friend had driven over from Iowa to run the Urban Bourbon. She and I had been running near the same pace for the back half of the race. She would get ahead of me and then have to stop and walk, at which point I would surge past her.

At about the 11-mile mark she said she wanted to try and stick with me and see if together we could get this race finished.

It definitely helped to stammer out conversation, even through hyperventilating phrases, to pass some time without thinking about the pain, where we were on the course and how much distance was left. The 13th mile always seems long, and the final .1 to the finish line looked forever away, but we got it done.

I ran the Urban Bourbon in 2 hours, 12 minutes and 18 seconds. That extra training and the flatter course shaved 14 minutes off my time from the KY History Half Marathon.

My training partner, Matt, finished below his goal of 2:10, but it was painful for him as well. If the temps had been a tad crisper he likely would have run closer to two hours flat.

IMG_0944As promised there was beer in the car. Michelob Ultra to be specific. I wanted out of my drenched clothes. We changed up and went back to the post race party, but it was thick with people by then. I did get some Maker’s 46. That stuff is like bourbon crack. I ended up pouring a couple shots of bourbon in my beer to make a combination boilermaker and that worked better for me than trying to sip straight bourbon.

As we exited the party with our Urban Bourbon race wristbands still full of drink and food tickets, a group of 20-something college guys asked if they could have our tickets. Matt and I looked at each other and were like absolutely, go have a good time!

I do remember that college mindset of no matter where you are drink as much as possible. Those boys were ready to get their drink on and chat up some of the many physically fit lovelies in attendance. Rumble young man rumble!

Matt and I rolled off to hit some music stores and replenish our lost strength with mountains of cheesy goodness from the folks at Skyline Chili. Now that did my body good.

IMG_0979As a post race follow-up, I ran the Black Cat 5K in Frankfort on Oct. 30. Due to rainy weather and a lot of work stuff going on, I hadn’t been able to get a run in since the Urban Bourbon. The Black Cat was more an excuse to force myself back out on the road.

This is an annual evening run that started at 7PM, so by the first mile it was seriously dark on the course. I quickly learned my legs were still dead from the half marathon.

I ran the first mile in 8:45, hit the second at 18:30 and finished in an oxygen deprived 28:38 for 3-miles.

I continue to have plenty of work yet to be done, but I’m gaining some form back. The plan is to do a Thanksgiving turkey trot and a Jingle Bells run in December. Then depending on the temp and snow, it may be time to renew my gym membership and head indoors till the weather improves.

Persistence, determination and a refusal to buy bigger clothes to accommodate weight gain are my motivators to keep me running in the right direction.

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Long Training Runs Pay Dividends on Race Day

Posted on October 12, 2015 by theurbanllama

IMG_0930I had to question my own sanity as I found myself up stretching at 6:00AM the Saturday before last, chowing down a Clif Shot Energy Gel and chasing it with coffee and Gatorade, as I stuffed gear into my gym bag. Here I was about to go outside, where the temps had dropped to the low 40s, and  run a 13.1 mile race. In fact I paid $84 to force myself out the door, which was a major motivating factor, as this was the inaugural running of the KY History Half Marathon.

I had no doubt I could complete the distance, the question was did I have the base training to actually race the event or would I simply survive it. It ended up being a little of both, but definitely slanted to the survival side.

The four weeks leading up to the race I completed long runs of 9.5 miles, 11 miles, 12 miles and 8 miles. The final 8 mile run the Saturday before was certainly no thing of beauty. I allowed my legs six days off between running 12 and going out for the 8, but dead legs was all I had. It was a shorter distance, and no problem to complete, but I had no impulse power and was huffing wind most of the way.

I’m guessing much of this had to do with the excess weight I was carrying around. I had only seriously been training for one month. I started at 210 pounds and was down to 204. That still is a lot of weight to drag about for 13 miles.

I also noticed my right knee was dinged going into the 8 mile run. It was typical runner’s knee. Most likely my patella ligament was stressed from running between 9.5 – 12 miles over the last three weeks. It didn’t hurt during the run much but it got nice and tight afterwards.

Between finishing the 8 mile run and getting to the race starting line that Saturday was filled with taking prescription strength anti-inflammatories (Naproxen), icing my knee, wearing a compression sleeve over it during work, and walking and stretching daily to help loosen it up. It was the best it could be when Saturday arrived.

The race began at 8:00AM at the History Center in downtown Frankfort. As I stepped into the starting area I was happy about one thing, the rain had held off. It had rained most of the week, and that morning was gray and overcast with an 80 percent chance of rain.

I put my trust in the weatherman that the rain would hold off till later. With a cannon shot we were off and running.

I staked out a spot between the place runners advertising finish times of 2 hours 15 minutes and 2:30. Besides just finishing, my overall goal was to be under 150 minutes.

By the half mile mark I already knew this wasn’t my day. My training had been too condensed. I covered the necessary distances, but needed more smaller runs connecting to the long runs over a greater length of time in order for all the work I had done to assimilate into my body so I could actually recover and race this distance.

I was wheezing, huffing & puffing and cursing under my breath from the start, enough that my training partner asked if I was going to make it.

“I’m fat and I’m old – that’s all I got today,” was my reply. “There’s beer in the car – I’ll see you there.”

This was a very hilly course, almost 1,300 feet of elevation. It would be tough to run a personal best in this race regardless, so I opted to minimize the pounding, and simply shoot for a finish under 2:30.

Right at Mile-2 there was a water stop offering S.W.O.R.D. Performance Hydration drinks in little cups. I stopped and walked as I drank it, and elected to not try and catch back up with Matt. He was going to run faster than I had that day. No need to suffer just to catch up when I knew I couldn’t stay with him.

We ran around the back of the Capitol and back down Cap Ave, across the concrete bridge and up the hill on E. Main Street. I trained on this hill but it hadn’t gotten much easier.

Instead for running all the way up to MLK Blvd., the course took us into the Frankfort Cemetery. This had a decidedly somber feel with the overcast morning, and hushed heavy breathing of the runners. Adding to that atmosphere was the playing of “Taps” that echoed through the hills from two pairs of musicians dressed in Civil War-era military garb, playing drums and bugles.

As I ascended the steep hill leading past the grave of Daniel Boone, with “Taps” ringing out, I thought to myself “Let’s not die today.”

There ended up being two significant hills in the cemetery loop. Those are on top of the Cap Ave incline, Capital Hill and E. Main. Then we came back down the E. Main hill to hit the 6 mile mark.

The remaining 7 miles involved running the Riverview Bike Trail and going out Wilkinson Blvd., past the Buffalo Trace Distillery, until turning onto Old Lewis Ferry Road. We did miles 9-11 on an out and back, they offered dense foliage and a few deers to observe.

Thankfully there was a water station at the rear entrance to Buffalo Trace, that was staffed with some fun, energetic folks. The turnaround was about a half-mile from the water station, but I must say it seemed like it took forever to find that sucker. We just kept running further away from my car. I just wanted to turn around and start heading home.

As folks yelled encouragement I kept repeating my mantra through staggered breathing, “There’s Beer In The CAR!”

Back out on Wilkinson felt a little like we were near civilization, but that is a barren stretch of four-lane road. On the positive – I was taking miles off the board: 8-9-10-11 were done. I was running for 12, and hit that near the conclusion of the bike trail.

Back in the downtown area gave a jolt of adrenaline, as shops were open and my car was nearby. BEER, BEER, BEER!

A right onto Broadway and there was Mile-13.

“Around the corner – 100 yards to go,” a guy screamed out from the street as I approached the History Center.

I crossed the finish line at 2:26:22. Thank the baby Jesus that is over. Matt finished a minute a mile faster than I did, but I didn’t have that gear on this day. Once I quickly realized my taper over the previous two weeks was not going to miraculously make me lighter and faster, I simply settled into a comfortable pace. I just wanted to get done in under 2:30 – no need to push ourself beyond that goal on this day.

I felt pretty decent once I crossed the finish line and could quit running. My mom and dad were there, Maia and Isabella, Matt and his parents and sister. (Many thanks to those who came out to cheer us all on – especially my family and friends)!

There were bananas, bagels, granola bars, mini-candy bars and water available inside the History Center.

I grabbed a few snacks and we headed for the car. You know what – there was cold beer in the car. Michelob Ultra in particular. I really didn’t like this stuff much before, but now I have a taste for it. With low carbs and only 95 calories. These suckers go down smooth and easy.

Time on feet is what got me through this race. Due to weight, age and an abbreviated training schedule, I was only capable of performing at a certain level. But by going out slowly, plodding through 9.5, 11 and 12 mile runs, my body built up the necessary tolerance required to endure the pounding that a half marathon puts on a body.

With this level of fitness conditioning having been achieved I see no reason not to go run another race or two this season. Next up will be the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon in Louisville on Oct. 24. This is a much flatter course than the KY History in Frankfort, and should allow me to finish a few minutes quicker. If all goes smoothly then I’m planning to follow that up quickly with the Black Cat 5K in Frankfort on Oct. 30.

A little more pounding and then I will see what to plan for the winter months to keep my fitness level at an operational point and continue my weight loss strategies. In the meantime I just keep running and repeating, “There is beer in the car.”

*    *     *     *     *

(Many thanks to the organizers and volunteers of the KY History Half Marathon! This race was a wonderfully run event, especially considering it was the first year. This race went smoothly, with no major missteps. I think if organizers can continue to work to further build the post-race festivities into more of a street party – where Broadway is blocked off and visitors can consume alcoholic drinks and food is being grilled out, this could become a destination race like the Iron Horse in Midway or Urban Bourbon in Louisville.)

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Grit and Determination Get 12-mile Training Run Completed

Posted on September 21, 2015 by theurbanllama

It was well within my consciousness that I had a 12 mile training run scheduled for Saturday morning, but Friday evening I was going with Maia to a fundraising dinner in downtown Louisville.

There are two ways to approach this. One would be the play it safe, have a cocktail perhaps, eat and get out early. That certainly would be beneficial to my legs the next morning, but misses the point of option two, which is to actually hang out and enjoy all the event has to offer.

The Jefferson Jubilee is a fundraising gala to develop scholarships and programming support for students at Jefferson Community and Technical College. For the administration, which Maia is a part of, this was a chance to celebrate with colleagues, other civic leaders, politicians and business people, what JCTCS has achieved and help in securing its future.

Bourbon tasting was the theme of the evening, but no way I could go there and run the next day. I instead went with the cleaner flavor of Bombay Sapphire and tonic. This was an elegant affair, held in the Grand Ballroom of the Henry Clay building in downtown Louisville. There was a meet & greet, dinner, several speeches, including one from Mayor Fischer, a silent and public auction, followed by entertainment from a live band and dancing.

I had a lovely time with Maia and her crew and made it back to her sister’s place around midnight, where we stayed the night.

I woke up and texted my running partner around 8AM. I didn’t feel hungover so much as generally damaged. I told him I would be there but we would have to push the 9AM start to more like 10:30AM.

I drove from Louisville back to Frankfort. Let the dog out, changed into my running gear and stretched. I was still buzzed from the night before.

This entire concept of exercise seemed poorly conceived. I suggested we revisit this adventure on Sunday, but we had agreed upon Saturday.

Matt was laughing when he saw me. I was not well. There is always something needing to be accomplished when you are hungover. It could be chores, exercise or taking the kids to the park to play. Whatever it may be guaranteed it’s infinitely more painful than remaining crashed on the couch for 12 hours watching football. Then there is having to go out and run 12 miles.

I just wanted to get this done. I hit “start” on my watch and away I trudged. I told Matt to just run and that maybe I would catch up, but I didn’t have much to offer.

The first mile was around downtown, the second took us around the back of the Capitol, and the third launched us up the hill on E. Main.

That about killed me. The sweat stung my eyes as it still smelled of gin.

Having waited until 10:30 to depart, it let what was already a warm day get outright hot.

I wasn’t sure I had this at three miles. There remained MLK Blvd., the East-West Connector and Old Lawrenceburg Road, before getting back into civilization.

Matt jogged down E. Main to check on me, but I just needed to run this out.

I had no conversation to offer other than I had left my boogie out on the dance floor last night.

I cussed and bitched under my breath most of the way like I had Tourette’s. I was trying to find an edge, something to grab hold of and keep me going.

This was going to be a two plus hour run no matter what. It got down to stamina, willpower, and keeping that little voice in the back of my head quiet that kept saying, “Go ahead and walk. We can go back to the house, fix something cold to drink and sit on the couch.”

Let me tell you that little voice sounded pretty good at the time, but perseverance was key.

I would be running near my house on mile 8, and past my car at mile 9. Two excellent opportunities to stop.

Mentally, I knew that if I stopped that would be in my head on race day when things got rough.

This already sucked, but I was out there running it. My thought was to make this count and finish the run. At least then I could collapse for the rest of the day knowing I hit my distance.

Matt kept asking if I was going to cut the route short and all I could say was, “I’m running 12 today.”

We just kept going – past our cars parked at the YMCA, took a right on Wilkinson Blvd., out 1.5 miles and back 1.5 miles.

Both of us were having issues, but we kept chugging for 12 miles. I finished in two-hours, twenty-six minutes.

After getting some food and a shower, I slept much of the rest of the day. That took a lot out of me. I woke up in time to switch from the couch to bed.

That was a run, no doubt. But I know right now that I’m ready for my race on Oct. 3. I’ll be even better prepared after tapering for the next two weeks.

Through perseverance comes achievement. It may be painful, but there is a level of enjoyment that comes with knowing I’ve reached a level of fitness to complete a distance goal that I could not have run when I started training this spring.

At 48 years old, this was a hard climb to 12 miles. There is still work to do, but slow and steady has paid dividends. I’ll run some middle distance runs between now and the race, with like an 8-miler on Saturday.

Twelve days to go.

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11-Mile Training Run Completed But Age Impossible To Escape

Posted on September 17, 2015 by theurbanllama

The weather gods were kind this past Saturday and delivered an overcast morning with temperatures in the low 70s. It wasn’t much to look at but as my training partner and I left the parking lot at 9AM we were both nodding approvingly as compared to the shining skies and elevated heat offered the previous weekend.

We needed 11 miles of running. That is no small request. Our strategy was to set out at 11 minute miles, which is slow, and keep that pace for each mile. That way instead of surging to a faster time in the first half of the run and then fading, hopefully we could maintain a consistent pace throughout and minimize the carnage towards the end.

It’s funny but keeping a steady pace can be difficult. Matt has a GPS watch, and it’s very helpful in checking specifically how far you’ve run and at what pace. Our goal was to maintain an effort level that would allow us to hold a conversation without going into oxygen deprivation.

That was a little tough to do going up the steep hill on E. Main at mile 2. All I could do was duck my head and keep going up – slow and steady.

Our pace strategy worked beautifully until around the 8.5 mile mark. During the week I did a 5 mile run on Monday, and a hard 7 miles on Wednesday. I took the next two days off to rest going into the 11 mile run Saturday.

My legs were beat up, mainly from the long run the previous week. I don’t have enough overall miles logged for my body to absorb and adapt to training runs above 10 miles – yet.

We both showed up Saturday still feeling depleted. When I stood still I could feel this low hum or buzzing all around my legs, from my hips to the bottom of my feet. It was my body working to repair the wear and tear I put on my legs.

At 8.5 miles warning lights started flashing on my mental dashboard. First it was my right hamstring. It twinged deep inside and gave me that mental awareness that if I wasn’t careful the muscle could seize. Then the tendon over my right knee became very noticeable. This was followed by the tendon above my left knee getting tight.

Matt and I both hit the wall at the same time. So we did something epically smart, which is rare for the two of us. We stopped running.

We had been running right at 90 minutes straight. That is a solid beat down. As we walked a couple blocks I ate a Clif Shot to regain some energy. Part of my issue was the pair of Saucony shoes I wore this day were not responding as well as my New Balance to the 200-ish pounds I weigh.

They seemed to ever so slightly pronate inward, so my heels were not getting fully supported, which really pissed off my right hamstring. We walked about a half mile, until we hit the 9 mile mark and then took back off.

I felt better but not great. I told Matt to continue at his pace and backed off mine. It took about 10 minutes for the Clif Shot to hit my body then I improved. I started putting a longer stride on my run, instead of shuffling. That helped surprisingly. It lightened my foot strike some and dispersed my weight better.

Matt was probably 200 yards up on me and I caught him eventually with a mile to go. Misery loves company.

Our course was slightly short on distance so we kept running through downtown until we hit our desired 11 mile mark at 2:02:02.

Age is a bitch. You can’t outrun it, and this training regimen is teaching me to respect my body’s limits at the age of 48. It needs time to acclimate to the pounding that two hours of running puts on a frame.

In another life I raced full marathons. This was back in the 1990s. I would finish a half marathon and keep on running for another 10-plus miles in training, so I know how this conditioning should manifest itself, but the age factor is skewing everything. Regardless of miles run, I’m beginning to think my body is going to remain challenged by the 13.1 mile distance.

I can’t get this weight off fast enough, and that is going to take an additional level of discipline to eat cleaner yet, and probably not eat what the rest of my family is consuming. Not that they are eating unhealthy, but with three kids in the house there is thicker stuff, like Mac n’ Cheese, pastas, rice, breads – all the yummy options, but with my slower metabolism it’s harder to burn those calories. It tastes great but weighs me down.

I’ve already made a huge sacrifice switching from German lager beers to Michelob Ultra. For the love of humanity what does a man have to do to stay trim!

It’s cool – I’m going to thin out my diet more, go look at buying one more pair of running shoes to help support and control my frame, along with giving my body some extra time to rest. The only residual pain I have now from Saturday’s run is a tight right achilles tendon. I’m just giving it the whole week off to maximize its recovery and hopefully have fresh legs.

With 16 days till the race, getting hurt is not an option. I need one more long run with two-plus hours on my feet, probably a 12-miler this weekend, where I maintain a slow, even pace, and come home uninjured. If my legs get squirrelly at all I’ll back off the distance and save it for the race.

I get a full week to taper regardless before the KY History Half Marathon on Oct. 3. My body has the endurance necessary already, it’s age, weight and the physical pounding that are giving me some issues. I’m adjusting and hopefully I can persuade my tendons and muscles to come along for another ride or two without bucking the system.

Fight the power baby, fight the power.

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Importance Still Resonates 14 Years After 9/11

Posted on September 11, 2015 by theurbanllama

9-11-01-logo12Having lived in Washington, DC on September 11, 2001, and seen the smoke rise from the Pentagon after it was attacked ensures I will never forget the significance this day holds. It serves as an excellent reminder to appreciate those around you who you love because you never know when they might be gone. It’s also a great opportunity to thank all who serve in the armed forces and those working as first responders for the sacrifices and danger they endure in protecting others.

With 14 years having passed since this fateful day, what gives me pause is the lack of attention the general public continues to give our political process, the endless infighting between political parties, and the polarization special interest brings to every issue and every campaign. You see public attitudes slipping again into a pre-9/11 mindset. There is a lack of focus on what truly is important, and that once again makes our country vulnerable to attack.

The idea behind the mantra of “Never Forget” is two-fold. For those who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks, it’s about not allowing the memory of those who are no longer with us to fade. That’s a lesson we all should practice, whether you knew anyone impacted or not. Secondly, “Never Forget” has to do with keeping a sharp eye, and not letting a similar tragedy be perpetrated again on U.S. soil.

That is a responsibility bestowed upon all American citizens, and one that requires work, courage and sacrifice. Our political process is far from perfect, but not participating weakens the country and allows the very few to govern the many, and when that happens mistakes get made.

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New Course Plotted for Weekday Run

Posted on September 10, 2015 by theurbanllama

IMG_0708Coming out of two runs over the long weekend I had serious body fatigue, but needed to get back out to plug in a weekly maintenance run in preparation for a 10-plus mile jaunt scheduled for Saturday. Last night I opted to run for the first time from my new office at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. There is always traffic when I leave work anyway, so if I change clothes and run from work, the traffic can bleed off and I get a smooth ride back to Frankfort.

The perimeter of the fairgrounds is about 3 miles, but a bit lonely. I put together a nice rolling 6 mile course that exits out Gate 4 and heads into the University of Louisville campus one block over.

There are several arching overpasses that allow car and foot traffic to swoop above the campus, taking you past Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, where the U of L football team plays.

Going down Central Avenue there is a nice hill going up, with profiles of the football and baseball stadiums to observe, and Churchill Downs off to the left. Then I hooked a right on S. 3rd Street and over to Iowa Avenue, ironically, being I’m a University of Iowa grad two times over, where I picked up another bypass that takes you over and around the back side of Cardinal Stadium and dropped me in the middle of all the athletic structures for U of L. This offered another fat hill to climb.

IMG_0713There was a lot of energy on this course, which I appreciated. I had runners coming at me from U of L’s cross-country team, sprinting up the bypass hill, exhibiting huge leg strides and high knee lifts, as they tried to out-duel one another. They had the audacity to be smiling at the effort they were expending. As I was coming up the same hill from the other direction, I knew how much it was hurting me. They should stop showing off like that.

At the bottom of the hill, the Louisville marching band was practicing for their game this weekend. Around the corner the women’s swim team was out chanting and stretching before they began practice, and on the next block the goalie for the women’s soccer team was making a stand in-goal as one of her coaches smoked shots her way to block.

Even though I was training solo, coming through this neighborhood it was like I had a bunch of folks along with me on my run, and that made for an excellent distraction from my leg pain. For four miles I wasn’t thinking about my sluggish performance.

I came down S. Brook Street and hooked a right on Warnock and then a right on Crittenden, which brought me right back to Gate 4.

Sadly it was very quiet once back at the fairgrounds and all I had was my fatigued legs to ponder. It’s a deceptively long run around the back of the fair and exposition center, and it feels particularly empty. At one junction I was on an eight lane road with just me running down the middle. Airplanes were flying overhead left and right, as the airport also is just down the way, and a clogged expressway was to my right, yet there I was on eight lanes by myself.

I wrapped around the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park, trudging step by step. I sucked so bad I gave myself a parking lot penalty, and forced my ass to run around the perimeter of the huge main lot out in front of Freedom Hall. I have got to get my groove and stride back so I can move more efficiently, and I’m all about some pain if my body isn’t going to cooperate nicely.

Thankfully my mind stumbled upon a new distraction, finding ways to get my graduate school student loans paid off – which made me forget how slow I was going.

IMG_0715In total I ran 6.8 miles in 1 hour, 13 minutes. I stopped on the way home and bought Epsom salt. Once home I turned all the lights off in the bathroom, lit a candle and soaked in a hot bath for over 30 minutes, with 1 and 1/2 cups of the Epsom salt added. That felt amazing.

I need to get out there again tonight for at least a few miles, but that will have to be in Frankfort after work, if this wreck slowing the commute down will clear. There’s also rain in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.

With only 23 days remaining, rain can’t be an excuse for not hitting my runs, aside from torrential downpours and lightning. I need the pounding and long weekend runs till I get to taper the week of the race.

Every mile counts from now till October 3.

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Weekend Runs Keep Goal In Sight

Posted on September 8, 2015 by theurbanllama

A new job, new commute and covering the 11-day span of the Kentucky State Fair had me working 19 straight days through this past Friday.

I had caught up on lost sleep during the week. With the fair over, I was back to getting off at a normal hour, but feeling too fried mentally to get back into much constructive behavior at home other than going to bed at a decent hour.

This had me extremely psyched about the prospect of a 3-day weekend. It would be a relief just to be able to sit and finish reading something without worrying about what time it was and how many minutes left before I either needed to be in bed or out the door to Louisville.

Saturday was going to be a gratuitous day of relaxation, with one exception, first I had to get up and run 8 miles.

I’m scheduled to participate in the Kentucky History Half Marathon on October 3 in Frankfort, which is a mere 25 days away, so my wiggle room for getting runs logged is gone. Saturday was time to take that step past 6 miles and go long.

Any run 8 miles or up is significant in my book, but factor in that I had not covered that distance in more than a couple years, and it became a real attention getter. For anyone training to complete a marathon or half marathon, runs of 3 miles, 5 miles, and even 6 miles, become routine. It’s running past those distances that makes the difference.

There is nothing natural about running 8, 10 or 15 miles, but it’s necessary to get you’re body ready.  Folks can show up at a 5K, or even a 10K if young and in some level of condition, and cover those distances. There aren’t too many people walking in off the street who can just nut up a half marathon – or at least I can’t.

I straight up don’t have 13.1 miles in my tank right now. I’m having to slowly acclimate my body to the pounding and physical exertion. At 48, no longer can I simply run out there, start covering some distances easily and have my body snap back into shape. The weight isn’t coming off easily either, but I grunted through 6 miles and I was ready to step it up.

I was running Saturday with my training partner, so there was no getting out of it. We both experienced nervous anticipation Friday. We don’t have time for our bodies to react poorly to this distance – they only go up from here. We needed to cover it, slowly, because right now it’s all about “time on feet.” The slower the better. Run the miles, and worry about pace later.

Scheduling this for 9:00 AM ensured Friday didn’t get too wild, and we left right on time from downtown in the morning. We should have run earlier because the temp was already rising. The first mile was a warm up that we concocted to add distance to an already established 6 mile course, then we would cover that first mile again at the end to get to the desired 8 miles.

Mile two took us up E. Main Street, which starts in the river valley of South Frankfort and goes up a dedicated incline to Kentucky State University. It’s like .6 or so of a mile with no break. That was rough, but this hill is included on the course of the half marathon, so we’re working it into our training to get used to it.

She was not nice to us Saturday. I huffed and puffed to the top, but a hill like that is equivalent to a body blow. It hits your wind and challenges your overall fitness level. It may not get you right then, but like a body blow in a fight, it can be sneaky and torment your muscles later in a long run by causing cramps or muscle seizures.

We turned right on MLK, then right onto the East-West Connector, which also has a nice steady incline, not a hill, but on foot it’s definitely upward, and right once more onto Old Lawrenceburg Road. We were running between 10-11 minute miles, not fast in any way, but enough that we were unable to hold much of a conversation. Both of us were concentrating on pain management, listening to our bodies, and were short of wind.

My buddy stopped and walked briefly a couple times. He doesn’t respond well to heat, and the temp and humidity were very present. He survives these runs. Regardless, it’s all about getting the work in, then when the temps cool we get stronger.

Once I hit downtown I definitely was fatigued. I had no running stride to speak of, but my marathon shuffle was looking fly. One foot in front of the other.

Between Gatorade throughout and a Cliff Shot energy packet at 5 miles, I was damaged but decent. Interestingly, when I hit the 8 mile mark, I didn’t feel like stopping so on I went.

“Run Forrest, Run!”

It wasn’t pretty. I trudged a big rectangle around the downtown area and added 1.5 miles, to finish with a total of 9.5 miles in 1 hour, 45 minutes.

I hit that 8 mile mark and knew it had been like four years since I had run that far, basically before my daughter was born. I thought, “you never know when you will be back at this distance again, but it will take running 8 miles to get there, so keep going and add to it.”

I went home and soaked in the tub for 30 minutes, chased that with a couple Aleve gel caps and some Michelob Ultras. I took Sunday all the way off, aside from playing in the pool with the kids most of the afternoon.

Thankfully this was a three-day weekend, so I could recover and get another run in Monday. I chose to wait until the evening to maximize my recovery, and went out for 5 miles and change in 58 minutes.

Again not pretty, but lots-o-sweat, and a solid follow-up run to 9.5 miles. With race day 25 days off, I’m guessing I will not be running much of anything shorter than 5 miles going forward. There really is little point in it unfortunately.

This Saturday I need like a 10 or 11 mile run. I’m not sure about the course yet, but I’m toying with adding in that awful hill on the bypass that starts at the Capital Plaza Hotel, and goes up past the National Guard. According to the odometer in my car this morning that is a solid 1.2 mile hill.

At 48 I don’t know that running pretty will come back to me, but I should drop this weight if I keep nutting runs of between 5-15 miles. I’m keeping the faith and driving that train – right up the hill to 13.1 miles.

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Pigs, Goats and Lots of Barnyard Fun at Cuzzin’ Grumpy’s Pork Chop Review

Posted on September 4, 2015 by theurbanllama

img_6891With the fair now over, and all those who worked in its production beginning to recover, there is an obvious silence out my office window. Previously, three times daily, Cuzzin’ Grumpy’s Pork Chop Revue entertained fairgoers with a farmyard song and dance show, featuring giant swine, baby potbellies, and two graceful goats named Fred & Ethel.

As the music came up and the master of ceremonies, Les Kimes, ran out onto his makeshift barn setting, he would greet the assembled crowd enthusiastically and welcome all to the “Pork-Chop-Revue!” This was a show Kimes’ father, Boyd “Uncle Heavy” Kimes, first began putting together in the 1950’s.

After World War II ended, Boyd worked as a merchant marine, but ended up joining a circus in the late 1940s. It was in this setting that he discovered a natural rapport he had with animals. In 1956, after successfully training dogs, Kimes came upon the idea of training pigs to perform.

img_6867At the show’s peak of popularity, the Pork Chop Revue was featured on The Tonight Show, Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Laugh-in, and many others. In 1966, Les began performing alongside his father, and after his dad passed in 1979, Les took over full-time. He has since continued the show’s run of success with appearances on Good Morning America, Animal Planet and Entertainment Tonight, along with the pigs making several appearances in feature films.

Kimes selects his pigs from three or four farms around the country when they are only a few weeks old. They are raised in his house, milked on a bottle and grow up around the family’s dogs and other animals.

“Often I’ll choose the runt in a litter, and the animal sees that and appreciates it,” said Kimes.

dsc_0159Within three months his pigs are beginning to perform in the Revue. A Milk-Bone dog biscuit goes a long way to convincing a pig to push a baby carriage. Kimes compared the intelligence level of pigs to that of a dog, and goats are often smarter.

“It’s like being the parent of kids about the age of toddlers, 18-months to 2-years,” said Kimes. “The animals need to feel the same level of trust and love a child does.”

These things may start out small, like Betty, who is a mini-potbelly and runs the obstacle course. She is not a year old yet and weighs around 50 pounds. Her counterpart, Marilyn, is a 3-year old full potbelly and weighs in at 100 pounds. Still not so bad. Then there is Rico who tips the scales at over 700 pounds. He cuts quite the figure when wearing his ruffles, sunglasses and is oinking along to “Old McDonald.”

Make no mistake, these critters know when it’s showtime.

“We have an exercise routine before performances,” said Kimes. “I hose them down real good because it gets hot at these outdoor shows, and their skin burns just like ours, so we lather them up with sunscreen, put their ruffles on, and when they hear the music they’ll line up at the door ready to perform – they’re pros and know their stuff.”

Within the last year goats and llamas have begun making appearances in the Pork Chop Revue, to shake up the routine some. Kimes says, “The goats are easy to train and are natural athletes – they come out here and jump on all the stuff anyway.”

img_0426This is the third time the Pork Chop Revue has made an appearance at the Kentucky State Fair, and Kimes reports he is really impressed with the fair’s cleanliness, organization and the friendly nature of all the crowds. Originally from Ohio, but now a Florida resident, Kimes has a special transportation vehicle to get his animals and the set equipment around from place-to-place.

Along with his wife, Nina Meluzzi, who has been performing alongside her husband in the Revue for the last five years, they balance their time on the road between fairs, festivals, theme park appearances and jumping on with touring circuses.

The Pork Chop Revue has played in 49 states thus far, including a trip to Hawaii, with only Alaska missing – but there is still plenty of time yet for Kimes and his bodacious barnyard buddies to get there as well.

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Published by:  Kentucky State Fair blog | 09-04-15

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Bourbon, Bites & Brews Feed a Thirsty Spirit

Posted on August 30, 2015 by theurbanllama
The Bourbon, Bites & Brews tent by Six Row Events at the KY State Fair.

The Bourbon, Bites & Brews tent by Six Row Events at the KY State Fair.

After traveling the Midway and riding the thrill rides for hours on end, many fairgoers are ready to sit for a spell, sample a refreshing cocktail and perhaps get a bite to eat. That all can be accomplished in style by stopping past any of the tents operated by Six Row Events that line the West Lawn.

The centerpiece is the Bourbon, Bites & Brews tent that features cocktails mixed with Jim Beam bourbon, and craft beer offerings from Falls City Beer, Kentucky Ale, West Sixth Brewing and Goodwood Brewing. Live bands are playing daily and giant burgers and chicken sandwiches are being cooked to order at the trailer next door.

A local mixologist composed some especially thirst quenching bourbon-based recipes that are sure to calm any parched tilt-a-whirl rider, such as “The Kentuckian,” made with Jim Beam White, ginger ale and bitters, or try the Devil’s Cut Old Fashioned.

This is the second year Sixth Row Events has been at the Kentucky State Fair, and they are partnering with Budweiser to have two other Bud-inspired lounges.

Inside the bourbon tent has a lodge feel, with plenty of seating and live music.

Inside the bourbon tent has a lodge feel, with plenty of seating and live music.

“It can take 3-years for folks to change their visitation patterns, so we expect to keep growing,” said Lacie Monno, with Six Row Events. “We’re looking to have something to offer to all the different folks attending and engage them with a welcomed attitude and rustic appeal that represents Kentucky.”

After 11 days of serving crowds at this year’s fair, Monno considers a couple tweaks that come to mind for next year; such as a more welcoming overall atmosphere; additional lighting in the bourbon tent; a better seating area, with heavier tables so folks can’t pick them up and move them around; and perhaps getting the burgers and fries out of the adjacent trailer so they are available right inside the Bourbon, Bites & Brews tent.

Six Row Events is also responsible for the hickory smoked barbecue that is being produced by The “Q” at the fairgrounds. Every aspect of this operation is cared for by a “hands-on” approach. The spice rub is an original recipe applied by Chef Alan Hall and his crew. The pork is smoked for 15 hours and coated with a made-from-scratch barbecue sauce. Once it cools the pork is hand-pulled.

The creative forces behind Bourbon, Bites & Brews - Chris Brian and Lacie Monno.

The creative forces behind Bourbon, Bites & Brews – Chris Brian and Lacie Monno.

Monno says the pulled pork sandwich is by far the biggest selling food item offered in their tents. Though there is no shortage of unique and popular offerings inside the other tents operated by Six Row Events. In particular, the Tacos Locos Cantina, inside the Bud Tent, has done better than expected.

Keeping all of these options humming along has Monno and her staff working 16-hour days during the fair. They’ve been on-site 21 days total, including load-in and working the 11-day fair. Tear down is expected to take an additional two days.

While Monno has only been at the fair for two years, her business partner, Chris Brian, has 41 years of service experience in food & beverage at the fair. He started out as a “corndogger” here, and was known as the “King of Corn.” Not surprisingly Six Row Events operates two corn dog trailers right across the street from the bourbon tent.

“We’re really going to dress this up next year,” said Monno. “This year was our coming out party, and we want to provide an environment that is the best the fair can offer and something Kentuckians are proud of as well.

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Published by:  Kentucky State Fair blog | 08-30-15

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