In 2003, I started caring about my race times and set a goal to break the world marathon joggling record.  At the time it was 3:20 and my best marathon time was 3:55, so I thought it was possible.  I trained more than ever before and managed to run a 3:25.  This was a full 30 minutes faster than ever but still missed the world record.  I missed it again the next year with a 3:24 and the year after that with a 3:22.  The time has since been lowered to 2:50 so it’s not likely I’ll ever break it.

It’s just a truism of running or juggling.  At some point you will fail to reach your goal.  You will feel awful about yourself and may even doubt your abilities.  So what do you do when this happens?  Here is what has worked for me.

Talk about your race

Figure out what went wrong by talking with a friend who might care.  Did you go out too fast?  Did you run out of energy?  Did someone get in your way?  Or maybe you just didn’t train well enough to reach the goal.  No matter what the answer, you should be able to identify something that prevented you from reaching your goal.  But remember to analyze your performance in a positive light.  This will help you develop a plan to achieve your next goal.  When I didn’t break the world record in 2003, I could have been disappointed but I did break my best time by 30 minutes so there was reason to celebrate.

Plan your next goal

While it’s good to take some time off from training, you should set your next goal soon after your less-than-stellar race.  This will help you forget about your disappointment and let you focus on the next thing.  You might consider a shorter distance for a race goal.  Although longer can work too.  When I failed to break the world record for the marathon distance, I decided to try the 50 miler distance instead.  That world record I broke.

Reward yourself

Alright, you didn’t reach your goal.  But you made a great effort so reward yourself anyway.  Buy some new running shoes, juggling bean bags, or other equipment you might like.  Just because you didn’t get the reward of a goal accomplished doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be rewarded for the hard work to attempt the goal.

Don’t stop

When you don’t achieve a goal, one inclination is to stop trying or to take an extended break.  This is not a good idea.  The longer you take time off, the harder it will be to get started again.  Remember, goals are just temporary challenges which will be either met or not.  If you don’t achieve your targets, forgive yourself, move on, and try a new target.  Stay motivated and eventually you’ll achieve the most important fitness goal there is.  Living a healthy life.

Joggle on

Today was the Race for the Cure 5K.  I stayed out a bit too late last night so I was super tired this morning.  I had to do race day registration (not recommended) which meant taking the el downtown at 6 am.  With travel and completing the registration process, I was ready to race by 6:45 am.  Unfortunately, the 5K didn’t start until 8:30 am.  Ugh.

But being early to a race is certainly better than being late to one.  I walked around the various booths, took some of the free food, did a little juggling, and generally wasted time until the race started.

With no intentions of racing hard, I lined up in the back and turned on my latest audio book (Sister Carrie).  You could tell there were a lot of first timers or non-runners at the race.  It was nice though.  Non-runners are always very supportive of joggling.  There cheers I received made me smile.  It’s always one of the best things about joggling.

Mile by Mile

The first mile was fairly slow.  Exactly what you would expect if you are starting in the back and doing a race with a lot of non-regular runners.  As a joggler these races can give you an extra challenge; maneuvering around other runners.  I was weaving in and out of traffic and just having  a blast.  When I got past the first clock the time read 12:30.  However, I think the clock was keeping track of the 10K runners who went off a few minutes before the 5 K race.

In mile 2, it started to drizzle.  Since the air was relatively warm I didn’t mind the rain.  The only downside was that I was wearing light running jacket and two shirts so I started to get hot and drenched.  This is not a good combination for running a race.  One note to all you would-be jogglers out there.  Start with less clothes than you think you need.  Beginning a race colder is better than getting too hot during the race.

Mile 3 was my fastest.  The crowd thinned out pretty well and I didn’t have to spend time navigating around other runners.  I could feel a lot of extra energy in my legs so I pressed harder.  As I came up to the finish I through a bean bag over the finish line banner, listened to the gasps of the crowd and devoured their applause when I caught it on the other side.  I love that trick!  Especially when it works.

My final time was a modest 24:46.  This is certainly the slowest 5K I’ve done in a long time.  I have to say, a 5K really seems short to me now, maybe too short.  I guess that’s good considering two weeks from now I’ll be doing 26.2 miles.

Finale

Overall, it was a fun race and very well organized.  I appreciated all the booths and support staff that made the race an enjoyable event.  They announced that the race had generated over $1.2 million for research so it sounds like it was a success.

I’m happy the folks at Catch it Early suggested I do the race.  You can see in the race photo that I was wearing the shirt they sent me.

Great job guys!  Joggle on.

Do you have questions about various marathons in the United States? Well, this cool compilation (Best marathons) has a listing of all the most significant marathons and even lets you compare the races in terms of the following categories…

1. Number of racers
2. Elevation
3. Average temperatures

They have a listing of 171 different marathons. They even list which ones have a half marathon, 5K and other races associated with them.

US Marathon facts

Here are some interesting things I discovered.

Most racers = New York marathon at 37,000. Although the Chicago marathon is larger than the claimed 30,000.

Smallest race = Ohio River Marathon. Only 150 people ran it in 2010.

Biggest elevation change = Pike’s Peak marathon, Colorado. Elevation change 7815 ft.

Highest peak elevation = Pike’s Peak marathon, Colorado. Elevation maxes out at 14,115 ft.

Hottest marathon = Steamboat marathon, Colorado. With an average temperature of 88F. My friend John Kelly would never run it.

Coldest marathon = Grand Canyon marathon, Arizona. Average temperatures 22F. Yikes!

State with the most marathons = California. Over 20 marathons to choose from!

My only complaint about the site is that the information is a little dated. For example, the participation information for the Chicago marathon is wrong and they don’t list the 2011 and 2012 dates for races. It would be much better if things got updated.

But if you’re looking for marathon information check out the Best Marathon listing.

It’s a great list.

PS.  If you are wondering what marathon is the best for joggling, you won’t get the answer in this database.  However, from my experience running marathons in 20 different places, I would have to say…

Best marathon for jogglers = Chicago marathon!  Great crowds, start and end at the same place, easy to get to the start line.  Hasn’t been beat yet.

Yesterday, I joggled the Waterfall Glen 10 mile trail race. It was the first trail race I’ve ever joggled and it was lots of fun. I particularly enjoyed looking at the trees and nature, running on a soft trail and throwing the bean bags over hanging tree branches.

But truth be told, it was my toughest race since the 32 mile ultra marathon I did in January of 2010. The heat and humidity were just brutal. For some reason I just felt so slow and non-energetic.

Also, we had some incredible rains last night. At 1 am, water was hitting the windows so hard I thought the windows might break. Fortunately, they didn’t. But they did leave lots of water on the running trails. Take a look at the picture of the stream that we had to run through. That was a challenge. I didn’t continue to juggle while going across it though as I worried I might have a drop and never see my Gballz again.

I knew I was not going to be setting any PRs but became really concerned when I felt like walking around the third mile. I didn’t actually walk until mile 8. This was a little disappointing. I thought my walking days were behind me. But that’s running. Some days you can run 50 miles, others you can’t run 4.

My final time was 1:28, significantly slower than the 1:16 I ran in the Quarryman last month. Unfortunately, the Quarryman course was much tougher. I don’t exactly understand why I’m so much slower but it must have been the heat, the trail, and my light training. If I’m going to get back in marathon form, I’m going to have to start running faster. To get faster, you must run faster.

The Waterfall Glen 10 miler was a fun race and if you like trail races, it’s worth doing. They didn’t have any timing chips so the official times will be off a bit. But in these days of watches and GPS devices, it’s pretty easy to figure out your own time. If you’re not going to win the race, your official time doesn’t matter much right?

Anyway, time for me to start getting serious about training. If I’m going to get a PR in this fall’s Chicago Marathon, I’ll need to get better.

I got this interesting email from the people who organize the Chicago Half Marathon and 5K. I’ve run this race nearly every year it has been held and have always had a great time.

Here are some of the interesting stats (according to organizers).

The race generated about $10 million to the local economy.

This breaks down as follows…

a. $5.9 million in direct spending.
b. $1.8 million in inter-industry spending
c. $2.1 million in expenditures by non-local participants

The race was sold out last year and topped out at 20,000 runners.

That sure is a lot of money for a single race. You can understand why race directors keep having them. And the fact that they keep selling you explains why the prices keep going up.

I guess it’s good for running that more and more people do these races. It’s also good for jogglers. More people mean more spectators to cheer for you!

Joggle on.

I was sent the information for a 5K in my neighborhood and since it was for a good cause, I thought I’d pass it along to the joggling community.  Let me know if you are going to do it.  I’m not sure if I’ll be joggling it but if I’m in town, I will.

On Your Mark. Get Set: Go Go Green!

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum hosts third annual 5k Run/Walk October 23

CHICAGO – October 4, 2010 – The lakeshore promises to be a sea of green October 23, when the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum hosts its third annual Go Go Green 5k Run/Walk presented by Doubletree Hotels. Runners are encouraged to wear green to show their support for Chicago’s urban ecosystem and the Nature Museum.

As the urban gateway to nature and science, the Nature Museum is proud to integrate various earth-friendly components into the race – so it’s not just “green” in name. Participants can bring their household recyclables, including old batteries and worn gym shoes to the race grounds, where the Museum will offer recycling opportunities. In addition, all participants will receive a goody bag with various eco-friendly freebies and gifts.

Best of all, when the race is over, the Museum will open its doors to race participants free of charge. Visitors will be the first to experience the Museum’s brand new exhibition, Exploring Trees Inside and Out presented by Doubletree Hotels and the Arbor Day Foundation, which opens to the public that morning. In addition, guests can munch on snacks in Nature’s LunchBox sponsored by Dominick’s while they learn about the life cycle of food and check out live animals on display with Nature Museum scientists.

Each runner will receive a green long-sleeved performance shirt, green shoelaces, a Doubletree signature chocolate-chip cookie, a tree sapling from the Arbor Day Foundation, and will be entered to win a pair of United Airlines plane tickets as well as other fabulous prizes. In addition, the Go Go Green 5k Run/Walk winner will receive a certificate for a 2-night stay valid at any Doubletree location worldwide.

WHAT: Go Go Green 5k Run/Walk

WHEN:                 Saturday, October 23

7 a.m.                    Registration opens

8:45 a.m.              Bally Total Fitness Race warm-up

9 a.m.                    Race begins

10 a.m.                 Post-race festival

WHERE: Diversey Harbor, across from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum at

2430 North Cannon Drive, just off Lake Shore Drive at Fullerton in Lincoln Park

COST: $35 for adults, $10 for children 6-18, children under 6 are free! Admission to the Museum on race day is included.

REGISTER: To register, for the race route, or for more information, go to the Go Go Green webpage at www.naturemuseum.org/ggg. The race is limited to 1,000 participants.

The Bucktown 5K is a race in my neighborhood that I’ve always enjoyed. Things I like about it include…

In this year’s Bucktown 5K, each was true except #3, I didn’t run with anyone I knew. My wife was going to run but we stayed out late the night before and she wasn’t up for it.

Getting to the start

A cool wind hit me in the face as I crossed the threshold out my condo building. My brisk walk turned into a slow jog when I noticed the start time was only 25 minutes away. In most races you need to line up a half hour before the start but this race was more casual. I opted not to wear headphones. When you’re joggling for speed, headphones can get in the way.

As I joggled along the sidewalk to the start, I pondered how fast I might go. Sub 21? Sub 20? Set a PR? Anything could happen.

When I arrived there were already hundreds of people milling around waiting for the start. I grabbed a bottle of water and steadily drank it down. The announcer told runners to line up and we did. Last year I started in the back so I snaked around the crowd to ensure I get a close starting space.

In the corral, I began juggling just to pass the time. There was about 10 minutes before the start and juggling helps soothe my nerves. It’s amusing that after all these years and all these races, I still get nervous before a race.

…after all these years and all these races, I still get nervous before a race.

Two kids looked on as I threw my bean bags up in the air. They smiled brightly. After a few tricks they started clapping and urging their mom to “look at the juggler, look at the juggler!” I smiled. I love to see the reactions of kids when they are impressed with juggling. They get so unabashedly enthusiastic. I wondered for a moment why I didn’t have kids.

I was distracted from my audience when I heard the announcer say over the loudspeaker, “Hey, we have a juggler in the race. Are you going to do that the whole way?” I nodded affirmatively.

And we’re off

The race was unceremoniously started by the announcer after the horn malfunctioned. “Alright runners, GO!”

I began passing a number of runners right away. One of the advantages of starting a little farther back is that you get to pass people along the way. It makes it feel like you are flying! As I joggled by I heard lots of applause and people saying things like, “Look, he’s juggling!” or “Hey there’s the joggler.” I’m impressed that people know to use the term ‘joggler’. Perhaps this sport is catching on.

Joggling along the neighborhood streets felt great. I thought the hundreds, maybe thousands of times I’d run that path. It helps in a race when you can imagine yourself ahead of where you are.

For this race I was originally going to try to set a PR. But then the announcer advised that runners doing the marathon shouldn’t go all out because he thought you shouldn’t burn yourself out. While I didn’t think much of this, it got in my head and slowed me down. Then I reserved myself to just doing a rapid 5K. I really wish I didn’t get that in my head. I was feeling great! The time clock at mile 1 said 7:10. Not bad, but I thought I was going faster.

Just after the mile marker, I heard a girl say “Hi Perry.” I briefly glanced at her, but couldn’t tell who she was because of my rapid pace and focused juggling. I said hello and we chatted briefly. But there’s not much time to spare in a 5K so I wished her a good race and sped off ahead.

…there’s not much spare time in a 5K…

At mile 2, the clock read 13:30 which meant I had just done a 6:20 pace. That’s more like it! I started to feel a cool soreness in my chest that is common when you deeply breath cold air. Then the pounding of my feet on the asphalt started to make my calves and thighs shake. The pains reminded me of why I once stated that “running a 5K is almost as hard as running a marathon.” Running fast for a short time hurts more than running slow for a long time.

In the final stretch, I focused on keeping my speed up to run at least in the 20′s. I found runners to pass and still made time to smile at the crowd and do high-throw juggling tricks. There is no point being a joggler if you can’t entertain the audience.

The 3 mile marker was just a sign which didn’t have a clock with it so I didn’t know how close I was to running in the 20′s. I knew it would be close based on my 2 mile time. In the final stretch I gave it my all and passed a half dozen people. That was hard.

But as I came to the finish line, I heard the announcer say “And our juggler, Perry Romanowski, is finishing strong.” The crowd started clapping and then I threw a bean bag high over the finishing banner. There was a gasp. I quickly moved across the finish line, looked up and caught my Gballz on the other side. The crowd roared.

My final time was 20:47. Not bad.

After the race

As I walked through the finishing corral, another runner patted me on the shoulder and said, “great race.”
“Thanks,” I said, “You too.”

I looked over to the sidelines and I saw one of the little girls who was watching me juggle in the beginning. Her face lit up when she saw me. She tugged on her mother’s sleeve and said “there he is!” I smiled, did a little juggling trick, and bowed. She grinned widely and buried her face in her mom’s coat.

The race finished right next to a large field where I walked through and picked up some water, fruit and cookies. I would’ve stayed around longer but it was a little cool and I wasn’t waiting for anyone. I walked home slowly smiling and feeling good about my sub 21 finish. True, it wasn’t a PR, but it was a drop-free 5K and the fastest I’d run in over a year.

5K’s are quick races (I was home less than an hour after I left) and they can hurt if you’re trying for a quick time. But I enjoy the distance. I enjoy the Bucktown 5K. And if they didn’t charge a whopping $40 to participate, I might even say it’s my favorite 5K. No matter. I’ll remember this race long after I’ve forgotten the $40. You’ve gotta spend your money on something, right?

Joggle on.

Did you ever wonder what it will be like joggling in a crowd? Juggling while running in a crowd can be challenging. Here’s what it looks like at the beginning of a 5K in which there were 4000+ racers. Stay off to the side and concentrate on not dropping.

I make an appearance between the 0:40 – 0:46 point in this video. I’m wearing a Yellow, long-sleeve shirt and a white hat. It’s at the top of the video.

I’m working on my race report for the Bucktown 5K. The short version is that I finished the race with no drops and did it in 20:47.

I had a fun race today doing the Chicago Half Marathon.  Unfortunately, I was 9 seconds slower than last year so there was no PR for me today.  Oh well, it was an excellent day for running, the weather was beautiful, the crowd was fabulous, and the race was lots of fun.

Here’s a video…

Hey Joggling fans!

Look what we have here.  You can win a chance to run the Chicago Half Marathon for free ($80 value).

Sure it’s less than 3 weeks away but if you haven’t signed up and you want to do it, here is your chance. It is a beautiful course which features a tour of Chicago’s south side around the Museum of Science and Industry. If you ever read that book Devil in the White City, you run through the areas described in that book. You and 20,000 of your newest running friends also get to run on the famous Lake Shore Drive.

So, if you want a chance to run the race on September 12, 2010 for free, participate in our contest here.

How do you participate?

I’m going to keep this simple. If you want to enter the contest, just leave a comment below and say so or if you are following me on Twitter, just tweet me a message with the tag @thejoggler. On September 3, 2010 I’ll pick the winner randomly.

Good luck and I look forward to racing with you.