Team World Vision

Last October I ran my first marathon. It was the most physically and mentally challenging feat I have ever completed. There were times where I wanted to call it quits, but I kept on moving. This April, I am running my 2nd marathon. This time, however, I wanted to take up a cause that is greater than myself. So, I decided to team up with Team World Vision. This is a Christian organization that helps children and families all across the world. My goal is to raise $500 for this cause. Here are some ways you can help. First, pray for World Vision and the children they help. Also, pray for me in my quest to complete the marathon. Four months of time consuming training can be taxing on a body. Pray that I will stay injury free. Another way is to read my blog at adamburton.net. I will post updates of my training and other thoughts as I go through my journey. Lastly, you can contribute to Team World Vision on my behalf. I am asking individuals to donate $26.20, or a dollar for every mile in a marathon. This money goes straight to World Vision. I do not receive a penny, nor do I want to. You can contribute on my site, adamburton.net.

Johnson City Turkey Trot

I awoke bright and early this morning, not to go do some pre-black Friday shopping but to go run a 5k. My sister was so excited to join me along with her boyfriend. We travelled over to Johnson City, TN before the sun rose in the freezing cold. It was a fun race. It was the first race I had run since my marathon in October. I ran it in 27:40 which isn't too bad considering I didn't do any training for it. It was fun to get out there with family before we sat around all day and ate. Here is a video to capture the morning.

Louisville City of Parks Marathon

I HAVE FINALLY DONE IT!!!

I have run a full marathon. That is 26.2 miles. Part of me is still in disbelief, but my legs keep bringing me back to reality. Having not run a marathon before, I wasn't exactly how to prepare for the intensity of the event. Sure, I've put in my long runs, but nothing compares to running 26.2 miles. I have to say it was by far the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. There were times when my body could have easily quit, but I had to press onward. Here is a recap of how the day went.

4:30 a.m.-After 3 hours of sleep, my alarm clock woke me. I hopped in the shower and proceeded to get ready.
5:30 a.m.-Jess (my girlfriend) piled into the car and made the trek to the Ramada Inn on Zorn Ave. in Louisville.
6:30 a.m.-I picked up my packet and Jess proceeded to pin my bib number on my shirt.
7:30 a.m.-We proceed over to the water tower for the start. It was quite cold outside.
8:00 a.m.-The horn went off and I began a rather long journey.

Mile 1 (10:16)
Mile 2 (11:54)-I stopped at the park restroom just off the course to take care of some business. This always seems to happen to me.
Mile 3 (8:51)
Mile 4 (10:01)-An older gentleman came upon me and we began chatting. He is from Winston-Salem and has been running a marathon a year since he was 35. I was impressed. He stopped in on his way in Frankfort to see the Capitol and Daniel Boone's grave. Yes Dad, I told him we were related to Danny boy. He was also an American Revolution history buff. His boss lives in the same house that Cornwallis inhabited. Then he slowed to a walk and I kept moving. I probably should have used his running philosophy since he passed me around mile 16.
Mile 5 (10:31)-These firefighters were handing out bananas. I quickly gobbled mine up and continued to run. A little later a fellow runner came up from behind me and said that I almost tripped on a banana peel. I'm glad I didn't for that is not how I want to remember my first marathon.
Mile 6 (10:34)-We are running right along the river in downtown and I see the Delta Queen docked in front of the Belle. Nevermore will we see these two steamboats race.
Mile 7 (10:11)
Mile 8 (10:16)
Mile 9 (10:32)-The half marathoners begin the turn around and head back.
Mile 10 (11:22)-The course began to get a little lonely. We begin running through trees and at times I am the only person around.
Mile 11 (11:06)
Mile 12 (10:57)-I came out of the forest and am now in Shawnee Park in the west side of Louisville. We started on the east side.
Mile 13 (10:37)
Half 13.1 (2:18:20)
Mile 14 (10:43)
Mile 15 (11:16)-Made the turn and am headed back.
Mile 16 (13:28)-Beginning to slow. Took stretch break.
Mile 17 (12:05)
Mile 18 (12:44)-I'm not sure exactly what hitting the wall feels like, but I think I'm getting close. Had to take a walk break every mile from now on.
Mile 19 (12:32)
Mile 20 (12:38)
Mile 21 (13:45)-Slammed into the wall. I wanted to die!
Mile 22 (13:48)
Mile 23 (15:02)-Extreme exhaustion.
Mile 24 (14:40)-I'm going to finish!
Mile 25 (13:06)-I figured it would be better to actually pick of my feet and run than shuffle. I should have done this a long time ago.
Mile 26 (11:55)-I see my beautiful girlfriend!
Finish (5:07:22)

My goal was to finish under five hours, but I will take what I can get. Now it is time for some White Castles. Never again will I eat 6 sliders after a marathon!

Ryder Cup

It's been a while since I have blogged. I apologize to the few who read this, but I have been fairly busy lately. I have kept up my marathon training by running 18 miles last week. I have been suffering from a cold, so I haven't run since my last long run. This was a recovery week, so hopefully I can jump back into it as soon as this cold passes.

My father came to visit last week and we made the trek to Louisville to attend the Ryder Cup. This is the olympics of golf. The United States picks is 12 best golfers to go up against Europe's best. For the past decade, Europe has dominated. With the USA's youngest a most inexperienced team playing this year, I thought it would be difficult to beat the Euros. I was pleasantly proved wrong with the two Kentucky boys (Kenny Perry & J.B. Holmes) stepping up. I am so grateful I was able to be a part of such history.

Dad and I went on the last practice day and the opening ceremony. I was a beautiful day and the golf was perfect. We got to see the Americans as well as the Euros. There was about an hour between golfing and the ceremony so my father decided to lay in the field and take a nap. Luckily he had me to protect him from all the European hulligans. To see the pagentry of the event made me proud to be a golf fan. Below are some pictures from Valhalla.

The Olympic Marathon

I am blogging tonight while watching the Men's Olympic Marathon. As a distance runner I love watching a marathon. It is so inspiring to see the best runners in the world run much faster than I could ever imagine. It inspired me so much to go out and run myself. Instead of sitting and watching the 2 hour marathon live, I decided to record it and go out and run. My long run this week was 15 miles. I have to say it has been the most difficult run thus far. I should know it is, because it is the longest I have ever run. At about mile 13 my legs began to tire and I could fatigue set in, however I kept on pushing. You can't stop when you feel a little discomfort. When you run a lot of miles, you are going to feel some pain. That is what makes distance running difficult, but rewarding. Now I'm sitting on my couch at 12:41 am watching my recorded marathon (not knowing who won yet) icing my knees.

Plenty of Room for Improvement

I read an article today in the Louisville Courier-Journal about the poor health of Kentuckians. The first line of the article says that "Kentucky is one of the fattest states in America. According to the article, "about 28 percent of Kentuckians are severely overweight." The results are found in a report released by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

This article is similar to a news release I read from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services saying that:

− Almost a third (30.3 percent) of Kentucky adults reported they did not participate in any physical activities or exercise such as running, golf, gardening or walking for exercise, other than their regular jobs.

− More than 80 percent of Kentuckians reported they did not consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

− Around 70 percent of Kentuckians are overweight or obese.

− Kentucky adults reported some of the highest prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease, in the nation.


I do have to say that I do not eat 5 or more fruits or vegetables a day, but I am getting better. There is a direct correlation between weight and chronic diseases. The articles go on to say that because of our "Hefty Sizes" our health care costs are higher as well. I am not a fan of going to the doctor and have not been in many years, however my health insurance rose a substantial sum last year. If we as a society could cut out some of our fried foods and get out there a do a little exercise, it would benefit everyone.

While these numbers are not good there is plenty of room for improvement. There is a great program started by former Governor Ernie Fletcher called Get Healthy Kentucky. There, you can take the Governor's Challenge to help improve your physical health. Another cool resource is NBC's The Biggest Loser Site. There you can follow the series that begins in September. They have a tool on there to calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index). This calculator uses your weight and height to see whether your a under/over weight, normal, or obese. I plugged my numbers in a found out that I am currently at a normal rate, however at the rate I was at the beginning of the year I was overweight. I knew I needed to lose a few pounds but didn't realize I was "Overweight". While using this calculator is not fun for many, it is necessary to determine your prognosis before you can come up with a solution. I have to tell you it is a great feeling to see the pounds coming off and the pants fitting better. Keep it up. Get Healthy Kentucky!

There is Hope

Check out this article. There is hope for a state who is known for it's fried chicken.

Our state fair is the greatest state fair in the world!

I've had a great week. Yesterday, I took my amazing girlfriend to the Kentucky State Fair. She has never been before! I couldn't believe it. I've been every year for a very long time. The Burton's used to take a day off from school to go the fair. I don't go to ride rides, but to walk through all the exhibits. Everything from the animals to the quilts, fruits, vegetables, and even tobacco. There is so much to see that makes be proud to be a Kentuckian.

I ran every scheduled run and am feeling amazing. Before I ran because I knew if I didn't run, then I would not be able to meet my goal. Now going out to run is something I have to do. It is becoming a part of who I am. I've heard more experienced runners say this, but I've been running off and on or a couple of years now and am just now feeling it. It is a great feeling and I'm beginning to feel the fruits of the hard work. You can take a look to the right of the page to see my recent runs.

What about the Olympics? I have always been a huge fan of the Olympics. I remember as a young child watching gymnastics in awe. Probably not so much how amazingly athletic they were, but how pretty I thought they were. Now it is illegal for me to have those thoughts! As I have matured in age, so has my respect for all the sports. I enjoy some sports more than others. I like the swimming, gymnastics, and track and field. I particularly like the marathon, because having experienced, distance running is one of the most difficult things a human being can do. Some sports I don't watch, like handball. What is up with that? It's like some kids couldn't kick around a soccer ball so they created a game with a little soccer ball that you throw instead of kick. I also don't watch basketball. Being from the bluegrass state, I get enough of basketball in the winter. I enjoy watching sports you don't always see. I have to say my favorite sport to watch is beach volleyball. For those of you who know me, probably aren't surprised. I've been a fan of beach volleyball for several years now going to several AVP tournaments. These men and women are such athletes. I'm glad Phil and Todd, and Kerri and Misty are still in the hunt for gold. I have no doubt that Kerri and Misty will win, because they are by far the best women on the sand. Phil and Todd, I believe, are the best, but there are many other great men out there. I think they will win the gold if they are playing their A game. We'll just have to see. This is enough of my Olympic rambling. I hope it is another great week of Olympics.

Midsummer Night's Run

It has been another good week of running. I logged in 25.1 miles including a 5k race. This is the second year I have run in the Midsummer Night's Run in Lexington. It is a fun 5k in the evening, hence the name. This year I ran with my amazing girlfriend, Jess. I ran the race in 25:41 (8:18 per mile) which is much faster than last year, 28:18. I'm in a whole lot better shape than I was at this time last year.

Tonight I got 13 miles in. It was a beautiful night to run. The sky was clear and I saw the sun go down and the moon rise. The stars looked like freckles. When I ran by the Middle School, the sign said the temp was 66 degrees. I could hear the crickets chirping and my feet hitting the pavement. My long run this week is down from 13 to 10 miles. It will be a recovery week from the long miles. I'm feeling the best I have ever felt and am looking forward to the Louisville Marathon in October.

Into the Wild Unknown

I ran 6 miles tonight and I am exhausted. This is the second longest run I have ever completed with the other being a mini-marathon. It was difficult but fun at the same time. From now on my long runs will become longer and longer with distances I have never attempted. I'm excited yet the uncertanity is a little unsettling.

I've had a great week of running finishing each scheduled run for the period. I have to say this is a first for me. Usually there is something that comes up a day here or there prohibiting me from run running. I'll post more later, but I'm asolutely worn out.

It's hard being lazy...

I really haven't been lazy, just undisciplined. I have had many things going on the past few weeks I haven't been able to get many runs in. Here's a rundown of what I've been up to.

I went to New York City for the fourth of July. That city is awesome! I love New York. I didn't start out loving it, but it definately grew on me. One of the main reasons why is because of Central Park. Every year I enjoy watching the New York City Marathon on television and I was finally able to experience some of the greatness. I went to New York with some amazing people (the Payton's) and got up before they woke one day and walked from our hotel in Times Square up to Central Park. I didn't really know exactly where I was, or where I was running. I've seen maps, but there weren't any markers so I just began running. Luckily, NYC is full of experienced runners and bikers, so I was in good company. It was like running a small 5k with all the people around. The amazing thing about Central Park is in the midst of humongous skyscrapers, I rarely saw any buildings. It was this oasis in a metropolis. It was a hilly course, but amazing. I ran 6 miles that morning. I was so proud of myself, but was really quesitoning my sanity as we spent the rest of the day on our feet. I was in pain.

I have so many great memories from NYC that it would take forever to pen them, but I have to mention Yankee Stadium. I love baseball. There is nothing better than spending a warm night out under the stars watching America's past time. There is no better place to experience the history of baseball than at Yankee Stadium. Kevin and Tammy had secured us some tickets to the Yankees/Red Sox game on July 4th for a pretty penny, but it was well worth it. We got there before the stadium opened and saw Jeter enter from the player's parking lot. We made a bee line to Monument Park. I'm glad we ran to get in line because it closed soon after we got there. It was one of the most amazing feelings walking through the tunnel into the open air and hear Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech given exactly 69 years on the same field. This is the last anniversary these words will be heard in Yankee Stadium because the Yanks are moving to their new stadium next Spring. I saw plaques of baseball's greats like Babe Ruth, Yogi Berra, Don Mattingly, and Jackie Robinson.

Once I got back from New York I have had to help my Grandparents move some furniture from their house because they are moving in with my parents. I am so fortunate to have such great grandparents. They have given many great things to furnish my hous and I am grateful. I'm also glad I have great friends like Andrew Hays to help me move. I wouldn't be able to do it without him. I am so excited because I am getting their pool table. I have moved out of my master bedroom to turn it into a game room. It is going to be so great.

I finally ran tonight. I was able to get 5 miles in after a nice talk with my neighbor. I love where I live mostly because of the people I live around. The Carlsons are the greatest neighbors ever!!! I could definately tell I hadn't run much over the past few weeks. I was able to make it through, however I am going to have to stick to my schedule in order to be prepared for the Louisville Marathon.

I've written too much in one post and I need to go to bed so I am calling it a night!

Fish Fry

Tonight I went to a good ol' Catholic Church fish fry benefiting the Anderson County Relay for Life. I'm not a big fish eater, but the Catholics sure know how to fry some good fish. It was great to sit around for a couple hours chatting with friends. It seemed like the whole town was there. I joked with a friend that there were as many Baptists there as Catholics.

After getting from eating some food I decided to go for a run. Probably not a smart move, but I haven't been able to run the past couple of days because I had a date with a great girl on Wednesday and it stormed last night. I thought I would make up for it by running 5 miles tonight. After about mile three I was wanting to throw up my fish. My stomach finally settled and I finished the run feeling good. Now I'm sitting on my deck icing my knees down enjoying the beautiful evening.

Speaking of last night...The Lawrenceburg Rotary Club had it's annual Officer Installation and Awards Dinner. I joined Rotary a little over a year ago and have greatly enjoyed my tenure there. I am with a great group of dedicated individuals and a great organization that does a lot of good around the world. I was honored to receive the perfect attendance award. This is no small feat in that we meet 50 times a year. Granted, I did miss a few meetings because of other obligations, however I did make those meetings up giving me perfect attendance. One year pales in comparison do the steadfast participation of individuals like John Allen Perry who has 15 years perfect attendance, Paul Hanks with 19 years, and Capp Turner with 42 years of perfect attendance! Talk about dedication. I hope to make it as long as Capp. Not only did I receive the perfect attendance award, but I was also selected to be a member of the board service as the club service director. I'm not exactly sure what duties it includes, but I received a book and a really cool lapel pin that goes with the job. I'm sure I'll figure it out pretty soon. I am humbled to serve such a great organization.

Stupid Ipod Nano

Not a whole lot to blog about tonight. I've been having trouble with my ipod nano that I bought on ebay to track my runs. It is having trouble syncing and tonight I go to get it to run and the battery is dead. So, I had to guess on my mileage. I believe it was just over 3 miles. It was different running without my ipod. I could hear every little noise outside. It was kind of nice, actually. I have been listening to a book on my ipod while I run. It is "Every Second Counts" by Lance Armstrong. It is a great book about an amazing athlete who has overcome great adversity and still is a champion. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

The weather was nice this evening. Actually, it was just about perfect. I'm not sure what the exact temp was but it was very pleasant. The running is getting easier. It is just like anything, the more you do it the easier it gets.

One Year Anniversary

About one year ago I made one of the scariest but best decisions that have ever come across my plate. I bought a house. I have been in the business of real estate since I was 15 years old and have helped countless individuals purchase houses, but it was completely different when it was me. I found the perfect house that I could put my own little touches in it. I am so blessed to be able to call this home on Hamlin Way mine. It was the best graduation present ever!

One of the many great things I love about my neighborhood are the sidewalks. There are many areas in Lawrenceburg that do not have sidewalks, but I am fortunate to be able to run around town without having to dodge cars. I can go from my house all the way down Main Street being on the road only a few feet. Every now and then I meet a fellow runner or pedestrian walking his or her dog, but most of the time it's just me out there with cars whizzing by me.

The fall marathon training has begun. I have set my goal to run the Louisville Marathon on October 19th. I have never run a full marathon before. I am excited and challenged to run 26.2 miles. It is said that the half way point in a marathon is at mile 20. This is because the last 6.2 miles seem like an eternity. It is usually when your body runs out of fuel and you have to dig deep within yourself to finish. There is something exhilarating about taking your body the brink of true exhaustion and conquering the "wall" to finish such an undertaking.

I am following a training plan designed by marathon legend Hal Higdon. It is an 18 week plan consisting of 5 days running, 1 day cross training, and 2 days of rest. This week was the start of the schedule. Every Saturday I have my long run that varies from 6 miles to 20 miles. I started with my 6 mile run yesterday. It was a fairly cool day around 80 degrees for the summer. So, I thought I would go out around 4:30 pm and get my six miles in. Once I got started, I realized 80 degrees is a whole lot warmer runner than just lounging outside. It didn't take long for the sweat to pour from my brow. I had to wipe my sunglasses every mile because the sweat had clouded them. I had my fuel belt on containing a bottle of water and a bottle of Powerade. By the time I completed the first mile, the refrigerated contents were luke warm. It didn't matter, I guzzled down some water trying to ration it for the rest of the trip. All in all, I ran a slower pace but did complete the 6 miles.

Today I went swimming. If you think running is tough, swimming is twice as hard. I haven't done a whole lot of swimming in my life and I now know why. After the first five laps I thought my arms were going to fall off! I ended up with 25 laps and I'm sure I'm going to feel it tomorrow. But with such a beautiful summer day outside, I couldn't resist the temptation.

Remembering a Dear Friend

I hope it's not a shock to anyone, but I am blogging two nights in a row. I have done well this week and have logged in 10 miles so far. I want to devote this post to a dear friend of mine who passed away recently, Mr. Harold Ritchey. Harold was the County Clerk in my county and had been at that post nearly as long as I have been alive. I remember went I went into his office to file to run for City Council a couple of years ago, he recalled that the council was his first race. He did better than I and won, but nonetheless I learned a great deal about public service from him.

People from Lawrenceburg mainly know Harold as the man who runs down the streets of the city. He waved to everyone and every car he saw and they waved back. Tonight I felt like Harold Ritchey. Running down main street I waved at every car I saw. Some people honked the horn, but everyone waved. This is a true testament to how friendly Lawrenceburg is. So if you see me running down Main Street Lawrenceburg, KY USA be prepared to wave, because I'm waving at you.

It's Not Spring Anymore

I sure haven't done a very good job keepin this blog up and running, but to tell you the truth I haven't done much running over the past month. Part of it is being busy and part of it is just being lazy. I finally got over the hump and went out and ran 5 miles tonight. The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold. The storm this morning cooled the rest of the day off and made it the perfect time to run. Plus, I didn't start until 9:00. It wasn't the easiest run, but I made it through it. I always say that anyone can run, no matter how old or how big. But, if it was easy everyone would do it. Now I am sitting on my deck under the stars with ice packs on my knees. Now all I have to do is fight with myself and go out there and do it again tomorrow. Until then...

Springtime

I began this blog at the beginning of the year and have not done a very good job of keeping it updated. Nevertheless, I have been running. You can track my progress on the right of the blog. I have logged just under 100 miles this year so far.

I spent most of my running training for the Kentucky Derby Festival MiniMarathon. I am pleased to say that I finished my first mini with a time of 2 hours 12 minutes and 53 seconds. For the the nonrunners out there a minimarathon is 13.1 miles. I ran it with a pace of 10:08 per mile. I have to say it was the hard physical feat I have ever attempted. There were times when I felt like quiting, but I pushed through the pain and finished.

I ran my second race of the year this past Saturday. I went down to Kingsport, TN to spend Mother's Day with the family and ran in a 5K at the state park down from my parents' house. It was a fun, small race through a hilly park. I was able to run this in my fastest time yet with a 8:39 mile pace.

My big goal for this year is to run the Louisville Marathon in October. A marathon is 26.2 miles. I will run in several shorter races of the summer in preparation for the fall. I am feeling good about my running and am excited to see myself progress as a runner.

I hope to keep this blog updated regularly with updates of my running, some of my thoughts, and good articles I find on the web.

P.S. Check out my lovely mom's blog at marileadreams.blogspot.com. You can see a neat photo montage of myself over the years leading up to my 25th birthday! It was so great to see my mother on Mother's Day. I do have to say I have the best mom in the whole world!