The Lastest Blog By mikewardian

San Francisco Marathon-Bay City News

8/19/2011

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San Francisco Marathon-SF Chronicle

8/19/2011

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Washington Post-Badwater

8/19/2011

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Michael Wardian-Update-4 miler with kids...

6/28/2010

Just wanted to let know that I ran a 4 mile race with the boys in the jog stroller and did well, 2nd overall +++
National Center for Children & Families Run 4 Children 4-Mile
C&O Canal Towpath, Carderock MD
Saturday, June 26, 2010 Jack Kammerer may henceforth be known as Jack The Giant Killer -- he finished ahead of megamarathoner Michael Wardian, a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier. Wardian was, however, pushing his two sons Grant and Pierce in a double baby stroller -- with a flat tire.
Anna Marie Nicholson took first place among women, with Heather France second.
Elizabeth Row and Jessica Gurney won their age groups.
Race director Elizabeth McClure thanks her many volunteers and sponsors, including Pirate's Booty and Whole Foods Market of Bethesda.

Visit NCCF's website and the race website for more information

Results by Jay Jacob Wind of Marathon Charity Cooperation. Send additions or corrections

National Center for Children & Families Run 4 Children 4-Mile C&O Canal Towpath, Carderock MD Saturday, June 26, 2010 Bib ## Name G Age City State Time M F Award --- -- -------------------------- - --- ---------------- ------ - - ------ 162 1 Jack Kammerer M 47 Washington DC 26:29 1 M 1 147 2 Michael Wardian M 36 Arlington VA 27:14 2 M 2 101 3 Greg Barnhart M 28 Washington DC 27:24 3 M 3 141 4 David Royle M 55 Washington DC 28:18 4 M50-59 1 159 5 Jeff Shockey M 44 Bethesda MD 28:36 5 M40-49 1 122 6 John C. Lightcap M 34 Falls Church VA 29:25 6 M30-39 1 144 7 Stephen Michael Schaeffer M 49 Bowie MD 29:47 7 M40-49 2 111 8 Jonathan R. DeFosse M 33 Laurel MD 30:46 8 M30-39 2 134 9 Anna Marie Nicholson F 38 Gaithersburg MD 31:08 1 F 1 128 10 Scott McCall M 29 Falls Church VA 32:36 9 M20-29 1 157 11 Heather France F 39 Gaithersburg MD 33:09 2 F 2 163 12 Jennifer Hollenbeck F 36 Bethesda MD 33:40 3 F 3 160 13 Justin Shockey M 11 Bethesda MD 34:14 10 M19&under 1 143 14 Caleb Seth Schaeffer M 12 Bowie MD 35:14 11 M19&under 2 121 15 Elizabeth Leet F 23 Falls Church VA 36:36 4 F20-29 1 86 16 Elizabeth J. Row F 55 Arlington VA 37:06 5 F50-59 1 137 17 Allen Amir R. Parvizian M 34 Sterling VA 37:25 12 M30-39 3 115 18 Jessica Gurney F 31 Alexandria VA 37:28 6 F30-39 1 117 19 Brendan Hooke M 28 Arlington VA 37:52 13 M20-29 2 107 20 Daniel S. Craven M 39 Laurel MD 38:15 14 131 21 Belinda Morrissette F 27 Vienna VA 39:36 7 F20-29 2 164 22 Joie Marheska F 32 Washington DC 39:38 8 F30-39 2 154 23 Peta Aspden F 38 McLean VA 40:00 9 F30-39 3 153 24 Vicky Cloete F 37 McLean VA 40:01 10 158 25 Jessica Susan Pearson F 27 Bethesda MD 40:22 11 F20-29 3 102 26 Jen Bildman F 41 Bethesda MD 42:47 12 F40-49 1 130 27 Shayntelle Kiyoko Moore F 28 Bowie MD 42:47 13 145 28 Joanna Sherry F 26 Arlington VA 42:49 14 133 29 Nick Murshed M 40 Rockville MD 42:52 15 M40-49 3 156 30 Roni Murshed M 36 Clarksburg MD 42:56 16 148 31 Nora Weiss F 28 Bethesda MD 43:03 15 120 32 Sara Keleher F 29 Chevy Chase MD 43:04 16 161 33 Cyndi Yoder F 33 Norfolk VA 43:09 17 165 34 Melissa Dutcher F 24 Bethesda MD 43:52 18 110 35 Kristin DeCarmine F 27 Chevy Chase MD 44:00 19 118 36 Abbey Nouel Jacobson F 26 Chevy Chase MD 44:01 20 150 37 Robert Weiss M 64 Bethesda MD 44:11 17 M60-69 1 nc 38 Unknown Runner 44:12 105 39 Leoia Braun F 7 Bethesda MD 44:15 21 F19&under 1 106 40 Philippe Braun M 49 Bethesda MD 44:16 18 155 41 George Papakostas M 37 Silver Spring MD 48:12 19 112 42 Jean Donaldson F 38 Falls Church VA 48:51 22 149 43 Philana Weiss F 39 McLean VA 48:53 23 126 44 Phaneendra Maruwada M 40 Gaithersburg MD 52:14 20 124 45 Kathy Lofberg F 50 Kensington MD 53:16 24 F50-59 2 129 46 Vicky Miller F 50 Fairfax VA 53:18 25 F50-59 3 142 47 Vedula S. Sastry M 49 Gaithersburg MD 54:03 21 125 48 Rajarajeshwari Mamidanna F 38 Bristow VA 54:07 26 127 49 Lata Maruwada F 34 Gaithersburg MD 54:08 27 132 50 Shahgol Mostashari F 34 Bethesda MD 57:31 28 113 51 Karen Maureen Geier-Smith F 52 Fairfax VA 57:52 29 123 52 Fred Lofberg M 53 Kensington MD 1:00:46 22 M50-59 2 109 53 Anthony T. Dean M 36 Lorton VA 1:00:59 23 140 54 Jill Robinson F 33 Laurel MD 1:13:31 30

+++ Thank you so much for your support. Best Regards,
Michael Wardian

World Record Attempt-July 1, 2010

6/23/2010

Announcing the inaugural Grant-Pierce Indoor Marathon
Thursday, July 1, 2010, 6:00 PM Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 2nd Street South, Arlington VA (703-228-5920 for directions)
Air-Conditioned! Aid station every 200 meters!

Limited to the first 10 entrants

Time limit: 3 hours 30 minutes (9:30 PM) since TJ closes at 9:45 PM

Course is 211 laps around an indoor 200-meter track = 42,200 meters

Track and course will be USATF-certified. Surface is soft urethane. No spikes

Though running takes him as far away as Africa,
Michael Wardian trains before working in D.C.,
often with sons Grant and Pierce by his side.
Photo Credit: James A. Parcell For The Washington Post Photo

Michael Wardian will attempt to break the very old world indoor marathon record, held by Joie Ray, who ran 2:34:54 in Boston back in 1928

We need three currently-USATF-certified officials who can certify American and world Records

We also need one registration official, at least one lap counter, and one aid station volunteer

Volunteer for this event

Pre-register for $10 by Wednesday, June 30, at 6:00 PM EST

On-site registration for $20 is open 5:30-5:45 PM at Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 2nd Street South, Arlington, VA 22204

To enter Thomas Jefferson Community Center, you must be either a member of TJCC or pay the daily guest fee

fee is not included in your entry fee for Grant-Pierce Indoor Marathon.

About Thomas Jefferson Community Center

Benefits Starfish International

For more information, please contact Michael Wardian (202-641-6633)

Timing by Marathon Charity Cooperation

History:

"While several indoor marathons have popped up in the U.S. recently, the concept dates back more than a century to long-distance running spectacles held in front of huge crowds in Boston, New York and Chicago. The American and world record for the indoor marathon, according to international records kept by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, is held by Joie Ray, who ran 2:34:54 in Boston back in 1928. -- Running Times Magazine

January 23, 2009 -- "Indoor marathon follow-up: no record for you" -- in Milwaukee WI Journal Sentinel

GRANT-PIERCE INDOOR MARATHON
Mail-In Entry Form Mail to MCC • 2776 South Arlington Mill Drive #246 • Arlington VA 22206
Registrations by mail must be received before June 29, 2010 Enclosed is:
[_] $10 by June 30
[_] $20 on July 1
Please make checks payable to MCC By entering this event, I agree, warrant and covenant as follows: I know that running is a potentially hazardous activity. I should not enter or run in competitive runs unless I am medically able and properly trained. I agree to abide by any decision of a race official relative to my ability to safely complete the run. I assume all risks associated with running in this race including, but not limited to, falls, contact with other participants, the effects of weather, including high heat and/or humidity, the conditions of the road and traffic on the course, all such risks being known and appreciated by me. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts, and in consideration of your acceptance of my application, I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release Arlington County Virginia, Arlington Public Schools, Marathon Charity Cooperation, RRCA, USATF, Starfish International, and all sponsors, their directors, officers, employees, agents; representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this event even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons named in this waiver. I acknowledge that the application fee shall be non-refundable. I agree that race sponsors may use my name and likeness for publicity purposes. <<** align=right> Signature (parent or guardian if under 18) ________________________________________________________ Name ________________________________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________ City ST ZIP ________________________________________________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Phone ____ ____ ____-____ ____ ____-____ ____ ____ ____ E-mail ______________________________________________________________________________ Gender [__] (M | F) Age on 7/01/2010 [__ __] Birthdate ___ ___-___ ___-___ ___ ___ ___ (mm-dd-yyyy) Enclosed is an additional donation to Starfish International of $________

Wardian-Weekend Results-The North Face Endurance Challenge-Washington,DC

6/7/2010

6/7/10

Reference:

Michael Wardian-Update-June 7, 2010-The North Face Endurance Challenge-50 Miler & 1/2 Marathon

Satuday-June 5, 2010
50 Miler: 2nd place in 6:35:35-(6 Days after the Comrades Marathon-56 Miles-Durban, SA)

Sunday-June 6, 2010
1/2 Marathon: 2nd place in 1:30:43

PowerBar Team Elite,
Hope all is well and you had a nice wekend.

Just wanted to get you my normal recap of how things went this weekend. I was really happy with how I was able to run and to be able to compete given such a short turn around. People jaws were dropping, it was awesome and think really inspired some people to try and do even more.

Also, attached are some photos of Pierce and I crossing the finish line. Grant was with Jennifer, so they didn't run in with me.

I am feeling good and looking foward to working on my speed to get that Olympic Trials Qualifier (sub 2:19 Marathon) and to bring home the Gold from 50K Worlds at the end of August and then 100K Worlds in November.

Thank you so much for the support and I can't do it without you.

Best Regards,
Michael Wardian

Comrades Marathon

6/4/2010

PowerBar Team Elite,

Hope all is well on your end.

I just wanted to let you how I did at the Comrades Marathon (89K-56 miles) in Durban, South African on May 30, 2010.

I went through 50 Miles in 5:21, which was 30 min PR for me at 50 Miles, which was good but I was hoping to finish the race, 56 miles in around 5:30 (winner was 5:29) so I need to work on some things but all in all it was a great event and I learned ton.

I was the first American and also 26th overall out of appx. 22,000 runners so a pretty good showing.

It was crazy, I was passing 50 people per a mile after 30K, I have never been in that position before during an ultra, crazy how fast those guys went out.

Anyhow, I plan to try and go back the next few years and think I can be in contention to win it with some more experience.

Thank you for the support.

Cheers,
Mike

Thank You, Excited for The North Face 50 Mile Challenge and Why Not.

12/1/2009

Hope all is well with you guys and that you had a terrific Thanksgiving. What a great holiday. It is always a nice chance to be with family and friends and enjoy good food and company without all the other stuff that comes with various other holidays.

It is also enjoyable to take a moment and reflect on all the incredible things that we have and just how lucky we are. I am so thankful that everyone I know is relatively healthy and that they are all for the most part doing well. I am also thankful for all the support I have received from my family, friends, work and sponsors.

I do not know if you have been following what I have been up to but I have had a busy couple weeks running a few Turkey Trots (even won a Turkey, that was really neat) and did a few marathons.

I ran the Richmond Marathon (http://www.richmondmarathon.com/index.htm) on November 14, 2009 and ended up 2nd in 2:25:13, passing another guy in the last 0.2 miles, it was very close between us and I was lucky to be able to come out ahead.

The following weekend, November 22, 2009, I was not so lucky. I attempted with our son, Grant Fletcher to break the Guinness World Record for fastest marathon while pushing a Pram (previous record was held my other son, Pierce Miler Wardian in 2:42:21). Grant and I did better Pierce’s World Record but it was not good enough to earn the new World Record as we ended up finishing in 2:34:37 for 2nd place overall to another guy and his son pushing a stroller in 2:32:09 (Congratulations to Zac & Liam on their fine race, by the way) in the Route 66 Marathon (http://www.route66marathon.com/<http://www.route66marathon.com/> ).

Besides that I have been getting ready for “The North Face 50 Mile-Endurance Challenge(http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/)” in San Francisco which is being held on December 5, 2009. I am really excited for this event as it brings out some of the best Ultra Runners in the country on a stunningly beautiful course (right across the Bay Bridge outside of San Francisco) and I am just thankful to be a part of the race and look forward to mixing it up with them and seeing who comes out on top.

The last item, I was thinking about was “Why Not” and this is just something I put out there as I want to try to be this way and wanted to share it with you and see what you thought (kind of dorky, I readily admit).

“Why Not” say “Hi” on the road/trails to someone you don’t know (even if they don’t say “Hi” back, which happens a lot)

“Why Not” move over so the cyclist or fellow runner doesn’t have to get w** and you are muddy anyhow (since a car just dunked you with water during your run from a huge puddle, that was really fun actually).

“Why Not” just go out of your way to make someone else’s day better.

I am sure I don’t always reach my goal every day but I try to do something like that as much as I can and I am definitely not perfect and don’t mean to preach but think it could just make things a little nicer for everyone and perhaps each of us can have one more thing to be “Thankful” for.

Anyhow, hope all is well with your running and look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,
Michael Wardian

50K Worlds-Bronze Medal-

11/8/2009

11/8/09 Hello Everyone, Hope all is well and your lives are going well. I am just getting back into things after the 50K World Championships which were held on Halloween (10/31/09) in Gibraltar. I was able to to run pretty well, 3:00:56 for a Bronze medal. Lead the race for most of it but got passed by a really solid guy from South Africa around 43.5K and then a Englishman about 47K, so while I am happy with a Bronze I am disappointed I didn't achieve my goal of coming home with a Gold medal for the USA. That being said, Kami Semick (http://www2.thenorthface.com/na/athletes/athletes-KS.html) that was also running for the USA won decisively for the woman so we had a great showing overall all for the USA with a Gold medal for the woman and a Bronze for the men. The rest of the USA team did well too, Justin Fyffe (http://jfyffe.blogspot.com/), ran well finishing 9th overall and in the top 10 for his first international race and Amanda Stickel (http://runamanda.blogspot.com/) was the 5th woman and ran strong in her first race for the USA. Another runner, who is just an awesome person and a super solid runner had a tough day and didn't do as well as she could off, Jill Perry (http://jillperry5.blogspot.com/) but I know that she will come back strong and run really wehttp://www.route66marathon.com/ll at one of my favorite race the JFK 50 Miler (http://www.jfk50mile.org/) in a few weeks. I was so proud to be a part of the team and can't wait for my next major challenge which is coming up soon. I am running the Richmond Marathon (http://www.richmondmarathon.com/) on 11/14/09 and then I get to do something really fun and with my family so I can not wait go for another Guinness World Record with one of our sons, Grant on 11/22/09 at the "Route 66 Marathon" (http://www.route66marathon.com/). I heard from one of my friends (marathonguide.com) that someone was trying to break my son Pierce's Guiness World Record at the "Route 66 Marathon" so we are going too and it is going to be "pram pushing duel" for the Guiness World Record. I am really excited and looking forward to using a new "BOB" stroller to go after a new World Record. We haven't decided with model to use yet, so if you have suggestions let us know. We still have the "BOB" Revolution that we used for the last World Record so might consider using that again as it was "good luck" the first time but understand some of the newer models might be lighter, so need to research that the next few weeks. Besides that all is well and starting to feel my legs coming back after the hard effort and travel last weekend. Really enjoying training at the moment and can't wait to get back to it. Hope things are going well on your ends and look forward to hearing your thoughts on which stroller/model to use for the Guiness World Record attempt in a couple weekends. Cheers, Mike Ps. Herewith a video that Arlington County did about our family being a huge part of my running and it is timely with the World Record Attempt coming up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aZe1YNSrgs

Ugali and other fun things the last few weeks.

10/16/2009

Ugali and other fun things the last few weeks. Hope all is well on your ends. I have been unable to work on a proper blog for a few weeks so wanted to update you all on what I have been doing. I have been training and racing a lot. I have done the following races the last few weekends: The North Endurance Challenge 50 Miler and ended up 3rd overall all in 6:31, September 19, 2009 Clarendon Day 10K-30:59 (within 4 seconds of my PR), September 26, 2009 The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon-2:23:13 / October 4, 2009 The BAA ½ marathon-1:09:15 / October 11, 2009 I was pleased with some of the races such as the 10K and 50 Miler and disappointed with others such as the Twin Cities Marathon and the BAA ½ Marathon but so is the way it goes with running. I was on pace at Twin Cities (went through 20 miles right where I should have been) to achieve my goal being sub 2:19 but failed to hold that pace till the end of the race, so clique but exactly what happened to me. I am presently excited for the 50K World Championships on October 31, 2009 in Gibraltar and I am focusing my training the next few weeks on making a very good showing there. I think I can do well for the USA and would like to come home with a Gold Medal for us. Apart from the running, my family and I are doing well, trying to get ready for fall and battling some n**** illnesses but we are recovering and should be 100% soon. One of the most exciting things that happened the last few weeks is that we had a Kenyan house guest, Joseph Chirlee, who came to the Washington, DC area to run the Baltimore Marathon on October 10, 2009 and he ended 4th overall in 2:18 or so. Joseph, taught us a lot of interesting things about “being a professional runner” and best of all, he loved our children, Pierce (3 years) and Grant (almost 10 months) and we got to “race” around the house with him, learn to make Ugali (pretty tasty actually) and see how he views the world. We learned that he is supporting his extended family back in Kenya, which was very inspiring and made us appreciate all we have living in the United States of America. Another interesting and exciting thing that is going on is that our son Pierce has discovered “Star Wars” and we are in full discovery mode. Pierce is quizzing us daily on why Darth Vader is “bad” and Luke Skywalker is “good”, what is a “Wookie” and does R2D2 have feet. Where does “Darth Vader” sleep, how does he get out of his mask, does R2D2 help undress him, etc… This morning, I did a 10 Mile treadmill run while Pierce watched scenes from “Return of the Jedi” and asked questions, great training. All in all things are good and life is going well, need to stay after training for the 50K Worlds and can’t wait to compete again for the USA. Hope that all is well on your ends too. Talk to you soon. Sincerely, Michael Wardian

Daddy Memory and Running in someone else's shoes

9/16/2009

9/16/09 Daddy Memory and Running in someone else's shoes Everyone, Hope all is well and your running is going well. I have been doing well, really busy with work and the kids but still finding time to train and I am excited to get some big races in this fall. My next big race is this weekend at "The North Endurance Challenge 50 Miler" in Washington, DC ( http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/) and I am even a panel member for the pre-race talk the night before so that should be neat to be on the same panel as Dean Karnazas & Sam Thompson (http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/runclub/index.html) It should be a big challenge and fun as I have some friends also running including my boss and his son so really really cool to be a part of it and have the support of work, family and friends. In view of the 50 miler and also getting ready for the "Twin Cities Marathon" and I am planning to run 2:16-2:17 so I need to be ready, I have been working on my speed and endurance and wanted to see where I stood this past weekend. So I signed up for the Parks 1/2 marathon a terrific local 1/2 marathon that I have run for a few years now. I love the course and the running club (MCRR) that puts on the race and know if you run well on this course you are doing something right as it is on bike trail and is definitely challenging with little rolling hills and lots of tight turns. I am feeling fit and ready to go. Sunday comes around and Jennifer and I wake up early as the race starts at 7:00am and is about 30-40 mins away so the plan was to be on the road by 5:30am. Well, I was in charge of the children. I got everyone up, made some coffee and put the boys (Pierce & Grant) in the car. We leave right on time and make the race by 6:20am, plenty of time to get my number warm up and be ready to run. I go to get my race bag out of the trunk of the car and realize, oops, I don't have it. I have snacks for the kids, hats, gloves, jackets, boots, sippy cups, diapers, wipes, toys, but nothing that I need for the race (no shoes, no singlet, no socks, no hat, nothing). Well, we don't have time to go home and get my bag and of course, I am wearing my cozy The North Face Base Camp sandals but they are not going to be too fun to run 13.1 miles in. I start asking anyone that will listen, hey do you have size 11 men's shoes that you are not going to wear for the race. Everyone is looking at me like I am crazy; however, I am in luck after about 10 mins, I see a buddy from Baltimore and he has some extra Nike flats but they are men's 12, that he is deciding if he is going to wear of not. We chat and he says here use these, I will just wear the flats I have on, I say thank you and strap them on, without socks as I couldn't find an extra pair of socks. So I head to the start thinking this is going to be interesting "running in someone else's shoes". The race goes well, I run 1:08:13 for 2nd place and I felt really strong the whole race but I lost the race in the last 200-300 meters, which was disappointing. The nice thing is I only get three big blisters due to the bigger shoes and no socks. I take off my friend's shoes, feeling a little like I just went bowling and wait for my friend from Baltimore to finish. He is a tough masters runner so I don't have to wait long, I hand him back his shoes and head home with the family thinking that was cool, I know what it is like to run in someone else's shoes. Sometimes things don't go as planned but I hope that I make things work when that happens in the future like I did this past weekend. Have you ever gotten to a race without something that you needed, interested to hear your "funny stories". All the best and look forward to hearing from you. Cheers, Mike

Staying Local and Still Getting to Race with the best of the best

8/21/2009

The last couple weeks I have been staying close to home and been having a great time enjoying the local racing scene. I ran the Bluemont 5K on a Tuesday night after work and Jennifer and the boys came to run too it was terrific. We all got to participate and race less than a mile from our home and we couldn’t have had more fun as it was a really low key but well run event. One of those no frills types of things that just makes me happy all over as a runner. Someone draws a line on the ground, sets up a cone, and says “go”. I love these type of events, they really connect you with the community and allow you to interact with all different kinds of people. The next race I did was the Health Focus of Southwest Virginia Salem Distance Classic 10K in Salem, VA. I have been involved in the Health Focus of Southwest Virginia Salem Distance Classic for more than four (4) years and each year I enjoy the experience more than the year before. It is such an honor and privilege to have the Salem community accept me into the fold and support me the way the do. I am so blessed and lucky to get to compete all over the country and world the last few years and each time I go back to Salem the people there tell me how they followed me in such and such a race and how it was interesting to them and I just love that sense of belonging that they embrace me with and I hope to be a part of their lives for years to come. After the race in Salem, I ran the Leesburg 20K another home grown and feel good race. One of those races where everyone brings their dogs and kids and it is simple course you run out, turn around and run back. I enjoyed seeing all the local Metro DC runners on the W&OD trail where the race was held and it made me so happy to be a part of the event as I was able to cheer for them and they were able to cheer for me on the way back. Finally, this past weekend I ran the NYC ½ marathon and the New York Road Runners did a fantastic job to bring in some big names like Ryan Hall, Paula Radcliff, Deena Kastor and other to mix it up in NYC. I ended up 25th overall and had the distinct pleasure of being the first guy to get passed by a woman as Paula Radcliffe passed me in the last 400 meters, you can watch her catch and pass me here at around 1:07:20 if you like: +++ http://www.nyrr.org/nychalf_live/ +++ It was super cool to get to compete with all those big name athletes and made me super hungry to keep pushing to get faster and stronger. All is well here and my next longer race is the local “Endurance Challenge” by “The North Face” (http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/). Hope all is well on your ends and you have been enjoying the World Championships. I thought I was going to get to see the 10K last night but they (Versus) tricked me as they only were showing the shorter events, which were still exciting but I like the longer stuff a little more; however, the steeplechase was really interesting, seems like a fun event. Take care and hope your running is going well. Best Regards, Michael Wardian

Doing what I love

8/3/2009

Last Saturday-June 25, 2009, I was racing the White River 50 Miler which was serving as the USATF 50 Mile Trail Championships at Crystal Mountain, Washington about 1.5 hours outside of Seattle, Washington. [Click here for photo of Mike during the race.] It was a race that I was familiar with as last year, I won the race and was planning to c*** back to defend. I knew that this year’s race was going to be tough as the field was loaded with talented athletes and each of them was gunning for a victory and the chance to be National Champion. I arrived at the race site on Friday evening and was able to get a feel for who was running and what type of shape everyone was in. My first surprise was that the runner up from 2008, Adam Lint was not running. He was still recovering from some injury or other and a huge trip cross-country from Pennsylvania to Washington State. I was also advised that Scott Jurek was running which was cool, as I know Scott and had just read “Born To Run” and he was one of the main characters in the book and I was hoping to get a chance to test my fitness against him. In addition, I heard that Anton Krupicka was in the field and that he either runs well or is hurt, not much in between with him and his running. I was very interested to see where I stood against Anton, so this we going to be fun. There were some other great runners there too such as: Greg Crowther, who was on the same USATF 100K World team with me, William Emerson, a great runner and all around super guy, Hal Koerner, 2007 & 2009 Western States 100 miler winner and I knew I had my hands full but that is fine with me and I love the challenge. I want to race these people and I love that anyone in the race and the above guys had a chance to win the race, that is what it is all about and why I like to race. I then saw some of the legends of the Ultra World such as David Horton and Howard Nippert and got to chat with them for a few minutes before the pasta dinner put on by the Seattle Running Company who were terrific hosts. Scott McCoubrey and Leslie Bray are the best and treat all the runners with such care it is ridiculous. I had a few plates of pasta, some salad and bread and then waited for the pre-race briefing. Scott McCoubrey does a first class job with the entire race and the pre-race briefing was no exception. He detailed all the issues that might arise and then let us all get to bed. I was staying near the race start so I got to bed and was ready to go by 6:30am the next day. The race weather was better than expected and my thoughts were to see how I felt and race accordingly. Well, the race started moving pretty fast from the gun and I decided that if I wanted to be in contention to win that I needed to go with the leaders after about 4 miles and at the beginning of the first major climb. I have been working on my climbing but I am definitely not the best climber around so I started slow and worked my way up until the only guy ahead of me was Anton. We ran together for the next 16 or so miles, passing some crazy views, saw Mt. Rainier, and that made my day, but as we hit the first turn around I got some water, PowerGels, and had to go to the bathroom and Anton bolted out of the aid station ahead of me and I didn’t see him again the rest of the race. I was still close to Anton though, within 3 minutes as we went back down the mountain and then started up the 2nd big climb but by the top of the climb Anton had 17-18 mins on me with only 12 miles to go. It was going to be hard to win and that is when I started to think about what someone had told me the night before. They said there are different definitions of winning and I knew that I was probably not going to win the race and we still had a few hours of running to go but I just took the news in stride and figured that I was going to hammer the rest of the course to run better than I did the year before and to ensure that I did my best. I ended up 2nd overall in 6:51:49 and was about 1 minute faster than 2008. I know that there can only be one National Champion and this year it was not me. I ran into someone that was better than me that day and that is fine and he deserved to win the race and I am glad that I had the experience and that I know that I can improve various aspects of my running. I am always trying to get better and this is just more motivation for me to keep pushing myself beyond what I have done in the past. Each run is an experience and I am so glad I had the opportunity to compete and can’t wait to race again. Hope all is well with your training and that you have had some good experiences lately. I like that everyone has been putting quotes up, so I found this one that I thought was applicable: “Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will c*** naturally.” – David Frost Herewith some photos from the race by Glenn Tachiyama: http://www.pbase.com/gtach/weissfluss09 http://www.pbase.com/gtach/image/115420272

Mike: Where My Daddy Is?

8/3/2009

10/11/08 Good Day Readers, Hope all is well on your ends and you are enjoying a long weekend. I have been doing well and got some good runs in leading up to last weekend�??s, 2008 USA Men�??s Marathon Championships at the Twin Cities Marathon (October 5, 2008). I ended running 2:24:02 for 18th place. I was shooting for sub [...]

A Proper Gentleman

8/3/2009

I have become accustomed to encountering new rituals and cultural traditions over the past month. I attempt to take all things in stride, and not show any hint of surprise. Yesterday though I was caught off guard. I had decided to run a 20min tempo run, in the middle of [...]

HMMGRRLUH

8/3/2009

That is the best phonetic spelling I can make of the noise I emit as 7 lean Kenyans blast by me on #13 (or any other) out of 20 hill repeats. I am beyond tired after workouts, and often later into the day that I often forget where I am when [...]

No Comprendo?

8/3/2009

Kiswahili is not that hard of a language to pull from, but Kenya is a tribal republic. There are 42 or 47 different tribes here, and they all have there own dialect. It is most common to find people speaking those dialects out in the rural areas. Some people who are travelled [...]

Scrub-a-Dub

8/3/2009

We have been slogging through daily rains here in Kapsabet. When it rains the roads become absolute muck for the next 12 hours. Which seems to cancel many evening run opportunities and just long enough to turn your shoes into earth encrusted m*** boots. I literally almost slide down hills [...]

Plugging Away

8/3/2009

Alright I have had a few comments and emails now about the food over here. Well pretty much everything is fresh produce, that ends up getting stewed in a single pot over a kerosene camp stove. Pretty much every evening we have Ugali with our meals. Ugali consists of maize flour mixed with water, and [...]

Not So Fast

8/3/2009

August 21, 2009 Well I am back on the mend already. Got some antibiotics in town and I have shook all but the last remnants of the cold, that had knocked me back over the weekend. I was even able to run the past two days. Yesterday I ran for 45 minutes but [...]

The English Patient 2

8/3/2009

August 19, 2009 If anyone has questions about training, life or anything concerning running in Kenya, I would love to try and answer them for you. Well since my last post I have c*** down with what appears to be a common cold. Started to get a fever on Saturday night, and it returns every afternoon, along [...]

What Makes Them So Good?

8/3/2009

August 16, 2009 I have been getting by pretty well so far training. But today I was served of piping hot plate of Kenyan s**** training. I am not sure if I have run harder before, but I can guarantee that I have never been so tired. My travelling buddy was out visiting relatives, and I was [...]

Neil: Africa Time

8/3/2009

Ed. Note: Neil has been in Kenya for 2 months already. He is bringing us up-to-date on his experience by posting entries from when he first arrived in Kenya. Follow along with us. Alright! I have now landed in my final destination of Kapsabet, Kenya. I would have posted earlier, but Internet was running at [...]

Western States 2009----Now that was Hard…

7/7/2009

Western States 2009----Now that was Hard…

I got back from Western States Endurance Run (ws100.com) on Sunday evening-June 28, 2009. The race finished for me a few hours earlier on Sunday morning at around 12:32:08 am.

We started running on Saturday-June 27, 2009 @ 5:00am so it took me 19:32:08 and I was 15th overall (thirteen men as two women beat me) and the entire flight back (I was able to catch an earlier flight so I could see Jennifer and the boys before bedtime) I was trying to think about what I was going to say about the race to everyone.

Talking to my family, co-workers, friend, and sponsors I heard myself use the word “hard” to describe the race more than any other word.

"The beginning climb of 2,550 vertical feet was hard"
"The two deep humid verdant canyons were hard"
"The easy part of the race, when you can have another runner with you called a pacer after 62 miles was still hard, it was just less hard"

And on and on.

Hard, was the word most often associated by my brain with the Western States Endurance Run. I don’t know why because I know a lot of other words but that word “hard” just described my experience.

Yes, the race was beautiful and I saw some of most incredible views that I have ever seen (I mean the stuff that makes you just stop and stare and thank whom ever, that you just got to see that and wish that you could show your family and friends what you just saw) and the trails were some of the most challenging and fun that I have ever run on and the people on the course and at the aid station were just fantastic, really genuine and nice but the overall impression I was left with was that race was “hard”.

Why do I say that, because we ran up and down mountains, not hills, mountains.

We waded across rivers (with a rope but still really cool with water up to my armpits).

We ran before the sun came up on single track trails and I was still running when the sun went down with a flashlight (thank you Terry Lee, my pacer, for being smarter than me and knowing that we would need flashlights).

I got to love the taste of watermelon, bananas, PowerGel, popsicles and the cool spray of icy water on my head, back and wrists to help me regulate my core body temp as the day was hot, over 107 degrees I was told.

I “knew” the course from the materials provided and the website and I had studied the course ahead of time but I was still surprised by the difficulty of the race.

I had read this:

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The Run is conducted along the Western States Trail starting at Squaw Valley, California, and ending in Auburn, California, a total of 100 miles. The trail ascends from the Squaw Valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) to Emigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet), a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4½ miles. From the pass, following the original trails used by the gold and silver miners of the 1850’s, runners travel west, climbing another 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn.

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And, I was told that we would have appx. 38,510 feet of elevation change but to experience it is a different story.

I had done tough races in the past, Marathon Des Sables, Mt. Washington Road Race, Vermont 100 Miler, Himalayan 100 Mile, Deadwood Marathon, races in snow, races in rain, races in snow and rain, races in snow and rain and wind, races in hot weather, etc… but Western States was different and not in a bad way it just was.

The combination of heat, altitude, trails, distance and changes in elevation make Western States a tough, tough event.

That being said, I know that I can do better and with some more specific training I would like to see how I do next year at Western States knowing the course and what is expected.

I know that some people consider other races out there to be “harder” and I think some of the races I have done in the past might be harder but last weekend I thought Western States were pretty darn hard but that being said Western States got me curious and now I know I want more of these type of experiences and I am interested in seeing how I can do at some of the “toughest” races on the planet.

So, that makes me very curious about the following races:

The Hardrock 100 Endurance Run
The Leadville Trail 100 Miler
The Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile
Pike’s Peak Assent &Marathon
The North Face Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc

Do you guys know of others or how these stack up to races you have heard about? I am sure that I missed some and I would welcome your thoughts.

I am excited to get back to real training as last week I took it “easy” and only did some minor runs and a few low key races at Rehobeth Beach this past weekend. One of the races was a really fun a biathlon where we swam a ½ mile in jellyfish infested waters (yep, I got stung a bunch and so did everyone else) and then a 5K run, I caught up to the Mayor of the District of Columbia (DC) Adrian Fenty, during the run (not at the beginning of the run either but near the end of the run, almost didn’t catch him, that dude is fit) and we exchanged a few words at the end of the race so that was neat.

Anyhow, I know that I have a lot of work to do to be more competitive at these longer, more mountainous events and I am excited to do the work and also try and build my speed for the shorter stuff.

Hope all is well with your running and look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards, Michael Wardian

100K Worlds-Torhout, Belgium-June 19, 2009 & Western States-Wardian

6/25/2009

6/25/09 Hello Everyone, Hope all is well, my family (Jennifer, Pierce-almost 3 years old, Grant 6 months old) and I got back on Sunday-June 21, 2009 from representing the USA as part of the 100K World Team. Have attached some pictures of the USA 100K World Team the day of the race in Belgium. As mentioned previously the 100K World Championships was in Torhout, Belgium on June 19, 2009 @ 8:00pm (Belgium Time). Torhout is very near to the lovely city of Brugge and about 1.5 hours west from Brussels the capital of Belgium. The 100K World Championship was part of the "Night of Flanders" road races which included a 10K, Marathon, 100K run and 100K walk. The "Night of Flanders" is a summer tradition in Belgium and a local fixture in Torhout. The races starts at 8:00pm and all the races run concurently all night and you could tell that people planned on meeting each other every year much like we do with the 4th of July or another of our holidays. Families went to each others house and set up tables along the course and had their dinners and drank beer and wine while the race progressed and the younger people went to the cities and danced the night away getting more and more excited to see us run by as the race progressed. The also had rides for the and food for the kids and people to make sure that everyone of all ages was covered and my son Pierce's favorite part was riding the "helicopter" and watching us run by (well probably just riding the helicopter but my wife said he was interested to see us c*** by every hour or so). It was probably one of the largest crowds that I have run in front of during an Ultra and the people really knew and had a feel for the distance and what we were doing. It was definitely a terrific experience and I can't begin to describe how proud I was to be there and representing the USA. Concerning the race itself, I and my fellow male teammates from the USA-Howard Nippert, Adam Lint, Todd Braje, and Chad Ricklefs all started the race very slowly and our intention was to run "harder" the last 50K. By slowly I mean 40-41 min 10K, which doesn't seem hard until you string 10 of them together and then it gets to be a tad more challenging. We were not the only team that had this strategy, so there a large group composed of many different nations. We ran with probably 20 guys from Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenia, Japan, Mexico, Australia, and that is saying something because in a US Ultra if you are running this type of pace you are most likely going to be alone, so it was really exciting and cool to be hammering with a large group of guys and knowing that everyone was there to win and represent their country to their utmost. Around 30K the pack was still running together but by 50K the pack had splintered and I found out that the leaders at guy from Japan had an 11 min lead on me. Well, I had probably run too easy the first 50K, I think I was around 3:25 or so for 50K which would put me around 6:50 for 100K but I was planning to go 3:05-3:10 for the last 50K and that would give me 6:30-6:40 pace and probably allow me to win the race. The thing I am learning about the 100K is that things don't always go accordingly to plan and while I was able to cut the lead to 6:30 mins by 75K, over the last 25K the lead crept back up to around 13 mins. I didn't think I was fading and I actually ran one of the fastest laps of the day but the last 20K I was not as strong as I could have been. I ended up 6th overall in a Personal Best of 6:53:17 and my teammates each had issues also and we didn't win a medal. The team race was won by Japan and a Japanese runner Yasukazu Miyazato (JPN), 6:40:44 also won the individual race. It was actually a close finish as the Swedish guy in 2nd was charging at the end and finish less than 1 min back. Our ladies didn't need any help as they finished 1st (Kami Semick), 4th (Devon Crosby-Helms), 5th (Meghan Arbogast), 7th (Carolyn Smith), and 19th (Connie Gardner) and won the team Gold Medal on the women's side. It was incredible to see them getting their medals and inspired to me to work even harder to be up on the podium next year. I am still learning and think with some more solid races and training I can win the 100K Worlds next year in Gibraltar and I can't wait to get out there and mix it up. I now know the guys racing and think that the last two (2) years have prepared me to be very successful in 2010. Another race that I am planning to try and excel in is being run this weekend and I am lucky enough to be a part of it and head to Lake Tahoe, CA to compete today. That race is the "Western States 100 Miler" (ws100.com) and it is fully of great athletes from all over the globe and is considered by some the premier trail 100 Miler in the country and World. I am number #27 and the race starts on Saturday-June 27,2009 @ 5:00am (PST). Herewith a way to track all the runners and me if you like "live" during the day on Saturday: http://webcast.ws100.com/webcast.php I think it will be an incredible challenge and I can't wait to get out there and see how it shakes out. Hope you all are running well and look forward to keeping you posted on how things are going. Cheers, Michael Wardian

Michael Wardian: Too Old to PR?!?

6/10/2009

Hello Everyone, Hope all is well with your running and you are trying new things and also setting personal records. I ran the Vermont City Marathon (really nice race) over Memorial Day and I had a terrific race and set a personal best by coming through in 2:21:09 for 2nd place. I didn’t get my Olympic Trials qualifier, but I feel it is very much in reach and without a little issue with my left hamstring (all better now), I think I could have pushed to make the time (sub 2:19:00). The guy that beat me, John Crews, was running only his 2nd marathon and ran a great race and he even had to stop to go to the bathroom. How demoralizing is that to lose to someone that has to stop and go into the woods, but that is what happened and he earned the victory. I think the funniest part about this whole experience is that after I am done and hanging out with my wife, Jennifer, our boys, Pierce & Grant, and the some of other athletes, someone comes up to me and says, “You are not supposed to PR at your age.” I was a little taken back as I don’t consider myself “old.” I just turned 35 in April and feel that I am the fittest I have ever been. I didn’t run competitively in high school or college (I played lacrosse and only ran as much as I had to) and only took up running during the end of college, but just for fun, so I had a late start compared to most of the guys that I am competing against. I just think it is curious that people take their age so seriously. I have only cared about a few birthdays (18 years old & 21 years old) and don’t get hung up on my age, and it made me wonder if other people do. I know that there are guys (Matt Carpenter & this guy from Italy that runs Marathon Des Sables c*** to mind) and girls out there that are older still competing at an elite level and I bet they don’t worry that they are running against younger guys. I always try and go to a race as fit as possible and see what happens. The nice thing about running is that the results are concrete–either you ran fast or you didn’t. You might have had a tough day or an easy day, but the clock doesn’t care; it is or isn’t and that is what makes running so compelling to me. Anyhow, I just thought it was interesting and wanted to relay it. I also should mention our family is getting ready to head over to Europe for the 100K World Championships in Belgium on June 19. We are all going and it will be the first big international trip for all four of us. It should be an incredible experience and I am so proud to be representing the USA and would like to c*** home with some medals. I just got my USA gear in the mail this week and did my first run in the singlet to make sure it doesn’t rub and works (it does), it was incredible, what an exciting feeling. I should also relay that the following weekend I am running the Western States 100 Miler, June 27-28. It is going to be a difficult double but I am looking forward to it. Again, hope all is well with you all and look forward to hearing from you. Best Regards, Michael Wardian

First Training Run with Kids and Training Partners

5/12/2009

Hey Everyone - Hope all is well with you and you had a nice weekend. I had an incredible weekend and got to have a nice family outing with my two little guys and my B.O.B. Revolution Duallie (http://www.bobgear.com/).

For Mother’s Day (well the Saturday for Mother’s Day weekend, Sunday, I raced a ½ marathon so that was fun), I took the boys to a training run with four of my training partners starting at the Iwo Jima Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/archive/gwmp/usmc.htm) in Arlington, VA.

We all arrived at 7:30am on Saturday morning (I was tad late as getting both the boys ready, changed, diapers loaded, food loaded, shoes, on, hats on, etc…took longer than I thought, I have to give my wife major kudos for always being so efficient with them & me) with me not sure exactly how far I could go with the guys in the B.O.B. before they got bored, cried or just decided this was not fun anymore.

Pierce my oldest at almost three (3) years old has a lot of experience in the jog stroller but Grant our youngest (almost 5 months & strong like an ox) does not, so I was hoping for 1 hour of solid running with some friends, my kids and the best of all my wife gets (Jennifer) gets the morning to herself to relax, sleep, have some coffee, take a shower, whatever.

Well, the run was terrific and the kids were great. Pierce was shy at first but by the end he was handing out snacks (cereal) to everyone and giving a running commentary of the sights we were seeing (Washington Monument, White House “That is where Barack lives”, Air & Space, What is that guy? If you haven’t run on the National Mall before you would be surprised how many statues there are). Grant fell asleep and stayed asleep for the majority of the run, so that was fantastic.

My friends and I had to figure out how to run together as I had a bit of “baggage” with the stroller and I didn’t want to clip anyone but eventually we figured it out (it is kind of like at the track when you are running with guys and you have to figure out the other persons stride so you don’t clip their feet in the pack) and the run was most enjoyable.

I have to thank those guys for letting me tag along and being good enough friends to be ok with a guy running with them with a jog stroller (We did get some funny looks).

I am so lucky to have such a great group of guys and girls to train with and I hope to include my little ones on future runs as this one was a huge success.

Anyhow, it was a really nice experience and I hope it might consider trying something similar.

Have a great day and talk to you soon.

Best Regards,
Michael Wardian

Feeling Good and looking forward to 100K Worlds

5/8/2009

Hey Everyone - Hope all is well with you and your running is progressing. I am starting to feel good again after the Marathon des Sables and Boston Marathon and have had some solid runs including a nice 10 Miler this morning.

Last weekend, I was planning to run a ½ marathon (Potomac River ½ Marathon) followed by a full marathon (Potomac River Marathon) but the race got shut down due to an issue with the park service so I had to settle for the ½ marathon and a run at home on the treadmill, which was fine but not the same as what I was intending.

I am starting to really focus on the 100K World Championships on June 19, 2009 in Torhout, Belgium and look forward to being able to represent the USA there along with my teammates.

Herewith the website for the event if you are interested:

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http://www.iau.org.tw/competition_detail.php?Id=21

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Also, herewith the website for the USA 100K Team:

http://www.usa100kteam.com/

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Herewith the team as I understand it:

Athletes:

Men
* Todd Braje
* Adam Lint
* Howard Nippert
* Chad Ricklefs
* Steve Stowers
* Michael Wardian

Women
* Meghan Arbogast
* Annette Bednosky
* Devon Crosby-Helms
* Connie Gardner
* Kami Semick
* Carolyn Smith

Team Management

Lin Gentling, Team Leader,
Mike Spinnler, Assistant Team Leader
Lion Caldwell, Team Physician

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Hope you all will follow along (and any ideas on assistance for the team would be greatly appreciated) and I will update you about same as it gets closer.

Have a great weekend and speak with you all soon.

Best Regards,
Michael Wardian

Boston Marathon 2009-Michael Wardian

4/23/2009

4/23/09

Hey Everyone,

I wanted to get you a blog up about my race at the 2009 Boston Marathon.

I had a rough one, but I finished in 2:30/2:31 ish for 55th place and know that I will will bounce back from it even stronger.

I was going for my Olympic Trials Qualifer and I went out on pace to achieve that time(sub 2:19) but I slowed as happens during some races and was a little b***** by 1/2 way, around 1:10 or so and then I entered the "black hole" of Newton and the hills there destroyed my chances of making the time.

I learned a ton and having run Boston numerous times before I don't know why I didn't expect it to be as challenging as it was in the 2nd half but I am just excited to have been a part of the race (we had both Ryan Hall & Kara Goucher finish in the top 3) and know that my failure to achieve my desired outcome will push me to work even harder over the next year to c*** back to Boston and do much better in 2010.

I am also happy to report that things went well at "Marathon des Sables" and I was 8th overall and the 1st American and had the best finish ever by anyone from the USA.

My next international is the 100K World Championships in Italy on June 19, 2009 and I would like to win the race so I have a lot of work to do between now and then.

Hope all is well on your ends and look forward to letting you know what I am up to.

Best Regards,

Michael Wardian

Welcome

10/14/2008

10/13/08 Hope all is well with everyone, I am excited to be a part for Team Elite and this new community and I hope we can continue to push each other to improve and really test our limits. Have a great day and look forward to keeping in touch with everyone. Best Regards, Michael Wardian