The Bix 7
I ran the Quad City Times Bix 7 for the 17th time.
I logged a chip time of 1:23:19.
Here are some of the reasons why I ran slower than past years.
It was hot. Very hot. I know the topping out at 90 degrees wasn't to take place until the afternoon. But when you start off with a low of 73, and the sun's out, it feels like 80 degrees by 9 am.
I thought of an episode of Quincy, where a college student runs too hard while training with his team, and ends up dying that night after having a cardiac event. He wakes up in the middle of the night heaving and sweaty, and his roommate observes that his heart is beating out of control. Everyone assumes it was the coach's fault for overworking him, but it turns out he had a pre-existing condition, like an arrythmia or something. Quincy's job is to disprove that the coach is guilty of wrongful death.
Anyhow, I remember how haunted I was by the moment when the classmate tried to save him, ran for help, but couldn't rescue him in time. And that did it. I slowed down big time. I won't need Jack Klugman as Dr. Quincy explaining to my parents why I died the night after running the Bix.
I have a moustache for Sister Act. It's actually rather hideous. This was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it was needless wind resistance. On the other hand, it did prevent sweat or sunscreen from dripping down into my mouth. You can't minimize that.
I got a Lime Flavorite popsicle while running down Brady Street hill. This was a great idea, having people hand out the push-up popsicles. I only took four of the water stops. So I was dehydrated. It's taken me seven days to get my bowel movement regular again after all the fluid I've lost.
At the race party, I managed to find Mason right away, thankfully. He was waiting by the Prairie Farms truck. I sent him on to the Chick Filet line while I went to seek out a Whitey's grape popsicle. Thankfully, the lime flavorite and the grape popsicle didn't clash too badly.
I also managed to find a couple of packages of Oreo cookies, some fig newtons, some Nabisco Nilla Wafers, Ritz Crackers (Ritz! Wow, upgrade, Walmart!), a Kellogg's Rice Crispy Treat, a couple of Great Value granola bars, and some grapes. Red, juicy ones. Had a can of Canada Dry Gingerale mixed with Orange Juice.
As far as music, I went traditional for 2019. I stuck with Steve Winwood Chronicles. The great thing about doing this was that it allowed me to have key songs help me through key parts of the race. For example, Wake Me Up on Judgment Day was the song I listened to during the first wind, going up Brady Street Hill. Right as I was getting exhausted, the first time I kind of wanted to give up, there was "While You See a Chance," starting right as I crested Brady. Then as I was getting to the Jersey Ridge Middle Road interchange, it switched from "My Love's Leaving" to "Valerie." As I was heading back up McClellan Boulevard, with the big Middle Road ridge, I got to "Higher Love." I got through most of the album a second time on the run back.
My nephew Mason got 1:07:18. So that was very close to his 1:05:41 from 2018.
As for me, 1:23:19 was a little off from the past two years, when I enjoyed 1:21 chip times. But that's fine. I didn't want to go home and collapse. I kind of liked getting home, feeling well enough to sit up and watch some TV with Sara (I believe she was watching an episode of Charmed), after getting home from having lunch wiht my family.
Lunch at the Pizza and Subs. I got a personal pan size sausage pizza. I also had a lemonade to drink.
Get this, in the evening, I had a wedding to go to! Sara and I made it to Callen and Andy Sederquist's wedding at the Church of Peace. I had been double dosing water all day, so once we got there, I had to use the bathroom. But I held it for the whole ceremony.
Reception followed at the Rogalski Center.
By evening, I was tired. I had to go to my parents', though, because my dad apparently had an episode where he nearly lost consciousness. Mom said his skin was clammy and his eyes glassy. We almost took him to the emergency room. My dad wound up refusing. I fell asleep on the couch, just to be on the safe side. And sure enough, Dad woke me up to go to the Iowa Cubs game the next morning. More on that later.
I logged a chip time of 1:23:19.
Here are some of the reasons why I ran slower than past years.
It was hot. Very hot. I know the topping out at 90 degrees wasn't to take place until the afternoon. But when you start off with a low of 73, and the sun's out, it feels like 80 degrees by 9 am.
I thought of an episode of Quincy, where a college student runs too hard while training with his team, and ends up dying that night after having a cardiac event. He wakes up in the middle of the night heaving and sweaty, and his roommate observes that his heart is beating out of control. Everyone assumes it was the coach's fault for overworking him, but it turns out he had a pre-existing condition, like an arrythmia or something. Quincy's job is to disprove that the coach is guilty of wrongful death.
Anyhow, I remember how haunted I was by the moment when the classmate tried to save him, ran for help, but couldn't rescue him in time. And that did it. I slowed down big time. I won't need Jack Klugman as Dr. Quincy explaining to my parents why I died the night after running the Bix.
I have a moustache for Sister Act. It's actually rather hideous. This was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it was needless wind resistance. On the other hand, it did prevent sweat or sunscreen from dripping down into my mouth. You can't minimize that.
I got a Lime Flavorite popsicle while running down Brady Street hill. This was a great idea, having people hand out the push-up popsicles. I only took four of the water stops. So I was dehydrated. It's taken me seven days to get my bowel movement regular again after all the fluid I've lost.
At the race party, I managed to find Mason right away, thankfully. He was waiting by the Prairie Farms truck. I sent him on to the Chick Filet line while I went to seek out a Whitey's grape popsicle. Thankfully, the lime flavorite and the grape popsicle didn't clash too badly.
I also managed to find a couple of packages of Oreo cookies, some fig newtons, some Nabisco Nilla Wafers, Ritz Crackers (Ritz! Wow, upgrade, Walmart!), a Kellogg's Rice Crispy Treat, a couple of Great Value granola bars, and some grapes. Red, juicy ones. Had a can of Canada Dry Gingerale mixed with Orange Juice.
As far as music, I went traditional for 2019. I stuck with Steve Winwood Chronicles. The great thing about doing this was that it allowed me to have key songs help me through key parts of the race. For example, Wake Me Up on Judgment Day was the song I listened to during the first wind, going up Brady Street Hill. Right as I was getting exhausted, the first time I kind of wanted to give up, there was "While You See a Chance," starting right as I crested Brady. Then as I was getting to the Jersey Ridge Middle Road interchange, it switched from "My Love's Leaving" to "Valerie." As I was heading back up McClellan Boulevard, with the big Middle Road ridge, I got to "Higher Love." I got through most of the album a second time on the run back.
My nephew Mason got 1:07:18. So that was very close to his 1:05:41 from 2018.
As for me, 1:23:19 was a little off from the past two years, when I enjoyed 1:21 chip times. But that's fine. I didn't want to go home and collapse. I kind of liked getting home, feeling well enough to sit up and watch some TV with Sara (I believe she was watching an episode of Charmed), after getting home from having lunch wiht my family.
Lunch at the Pizza and Subs. I got a personal pan size sausage pizza. I also had a lemonade to drink.
Get this, in the evening, I had a wedding to go to! Sara and I made it to Callen and Andy Sederquist's wedding at the Church of Peace. I had been double dosing water all day, so once we got there, I had to use the bathroom. But I held it for the whole ceremony.
Reception followed at the Rogalski Center.
By evening, I was tired. I had to go to my parents', though, because my dad apparently had an episode where he nearly lost consciousness. Mom said his skin was clammy and his eyes glassy. We almost took him to the emergency room. My dad wound up refusing. I fell asleep on the couch, just to be on the safe side. And sure enough, Dad woke me up to go to the Iowa Cubs game the next morning. More on that later.