When I started this blog, I addressed the question, "Why Run?" There are lots of reasonable answers to that query. Answering the question, "Why race 26.2 miles?", proves a bit more challenging. Honestly, for me, it is simply about finding my physical limits. Call me a glutton for punishment, deranged, or just plain stupid, but I find it fascinating and challenging to train my body for a test of endurance.
I was able to finish the Derby Festival Marathon in 3hrs 6 mins 42 seconds, which was good for 38th of about 1,100 marathoners. This was safely under my needed time to qualify for Boston '08 (<3.11.00). The primary goal was achieved. Furthermore, it appears that I avoided any serious damage. I am still pretty sore today, especially my shins, calves, hips, and hamstrings, but it is a "good sore." My armpits were simply raw on Saturday night and Sunday, but the fire is dying down today. All of these issues will fade in a couple more days. A couple of easy weeks of running should have me ready to tackle the shorter 5k and 10k races this summer.
My race strategy was to run a pace that 1) ensured a Boston QT and 2) gave me a chance at breaking 3 hrs if I felt good late in the race. As stated above, number one was accomplished. Number two? Not so much. From the opening mile until Mile 18, my average pace was 6.52. That is exactly on 3-hr pace. But, miles 14 (7.01), 15 (7.12), 16 (7.02), and 17 (6.58) in the Cherokee Park area took a lot out of me. I had built a small cushion in the first half of the race that would allow me to run the second half a little slower, but those four hilly miles used up my time cushion and most of my energy reserves. From that point on, maintaining 6.52 pace was out of the question. My legs got tighter and tighter with each mile. It became a test of simply running each step to ensure my Boston time.
Thankfully, my wife, son, and parents were there at the end to help get me to the car drive me around for the first couple of hours. I could not have done this alone due to cramps every time I tried to squat or stretch. But, by the time I finished my grilled fish, veggies, and cornbread at lunch in Elizabethtown (the cultural vortex of America), I was feeling much better.
Louisville did a great job hosting the event. Especially nice touches were the "Call to Post" by the Churchill Downs bugler, who will also do the call to post this Saturday at the Kentucky Derby, and the 9th mile inside Churchill itself. As we ran, a PA system was playing old calls of past Derbies. When I ran my mile inside the Downs, the call was Affirmed's win over Alydar in the 1978 Kentucky Derby. Affirmed was the last horse to win the Triple Crown. Pretty cool.
Thanks be to God for safe travels, a safe run, and a fun time. Thanks again to all who called, emailed, prayed for, and thought about me on Saturday.
No more marathons until late next fall (probably December). Now, it is time to rest for a few days, then focus on getting faster for the summer's shorter distances (5k, 10k).
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Boston Qualifier: Accomplished!
Just a quick note to say that I now have Boston 2008 as a training goal! I needed a time under 3.11.00, and I got to the finish line in 3.06.50 (or something close to that).
No details today. I'll have a long post tomorrow chronicling the race. Thanks to all of you who called, emailed, commented, and tracked me. It certainly was a great motivator knowing that I had so many thinking about me and praying for me.
No details today. I'll have a long post tomorrow chronicling the race. Thanks to all of you who called, emailed, commented, and tracked me. It certainly was a great motivator knowing that I had so many thinking about me and praying for me.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Track Me at the Derby Marathon!
My training is complete, and the all the hay is in the barn. My bags are packed, and I'm heading to a friend's house in Louisville today. All that is left in my marathon preparation is mass consumption of carbo-licious foods and a 2 mile jog today just to stay loose and remind my body to store some water. Tonight, I will attend the race expo and get some sleep.
My wife, son, and my parents will be in Louisville to welcome (help?) me at the finish line of the Derby Marathon on Saturday. But, by the wonders of this newfangled Internet and "chip timing," you can track me from your home computer! The Derby Marathon site will let you see my split times at various points of the race. Simply search for "Cort Basham" and you should be able to track me or any other participants that you know.
I feel good and the weather forecast looks great (~50 degrees at start). Please pray for safe travel for all and a safe run. I'll post on Monday with more details than you will probably want to know about my marathon experience.
My wife, son, and my parents will be in Louisville to welcome (help?) me at the finish line of the Derby Marathon on Saturday. But, by the wonders of this newfangled Internet and "chip timing," you can track me from your home computer! The Derby Marathon site will let you see my split times at various points of the race. Simply search for "Cort Basham" and you should be able to track me or any other participants that you know.
I feel good and the weather forecast looks great (~50 degrees at start). Please pray for safe travel for all and a safe run. I'll post on Monday with more details than you will probably want to know about my marathon experience.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
"Pop" Culture
Where is "the South" in America? If we all drew a border about what is meant by "the South," there would likely be some considerable variation as to what states, cities, and counties were included. But, somehow, nearly everyone knows that when "the South" is referenced, it includes Birmingham but not Phoenix. Somehow, we know that Nashville is in it, but Miami is not. How?
"The South" is a cultural place not bound strictly by geography. Every semester, I have my students fill in a blank map of the Fifty States (sadly, I'd say maybe 5% of college freshmen can do this accurately), then draw a border around "the South." We then have a discussion about the edges of their borders. Some include Texas, some do not. West Virginia is often debated. At what point do you leave "the South" when traveling further south into Florida (let that sink in for minute)? Many students split Kentucky in half, as do I. The cultural South begins to fade out as one drives up I-65 through Elizabethtown, Fort Knox, Shepherdsville, and pushing toward Louisville. There are pockets here and there, but northern Hardin County certainly feels a lot different than Edmonson County.
There also exists a "Coke/Pop" line in this state. When generally referencing carbonated beverages, what is your term of choice? In western Kentucky, people generally say, "Coke." When I make a grocery list, I write "Cokes" on it. That means Dr. Pepper for me and Coca-Cola for my wife. Mountain Dew, Shasta, 7Up, Ski, Ale-8, Sprite--it does not matter. They are all "Cokes!" Now, somewhere just a few miles east of Elizabethtown (a strong "Coke" city), the general term is "Pop." The term "pop" starts to pop up (terrible pun absolutely intended) in Lincoln, Boyle, Mercer, and Washington Counties. While "Coke" is the term of choice in Lexington, one is steeped in "popness" when venturing into mountain counties like Menifee, Magoffin, and Rowan (pronounced "ROWN"). In Prestonsburg or Pikeville, "Coke" towns like Bowling Green or Glasgow seem a million miles away.
Add to that the convergence of dialects in the central Kentucky area, and what we have is a cultural hurricane with the eye somewhere near Elizabethtown.
So, Southerners, travelers, and students of cultural studies, where is the edge of "the South?" Can any good Southerner really say "pop?" If you did not click the in-text links above, please do visit PopvsSoda.com. It's as much fun as the sugary-sweet nectar that it researches. You can even participate in the Pop vs. Soda vs. Coke survey.
*For more, check out J.S. Reed's My Tears Spoiled My Aim. Reed has some GREAT stuff in there on how Americans define the South (the Sweet Tea Line, the "Hell, Yes!" Line, Kudzu, and more).
"The South" is a cultural place not bound strictly by geography. Every semester, I have my students fill in a blank map of the Fifty States (sadly, I'd say maybe 5% of college freshmen can do this accurately), then draw a border around "the South." We then have a discussion about the edges of their borders. Some include Texas, some do not. West Virginia is often debated. At what point do you leave "the South" when traveling further south into Florida (let that sink in for minute)? Many students split Kentucky in half, as do I. The cultural South begins to fade out as one drives up I-65 through Elizabethtown, Fort Knox, Shepherdsville, and pushing toward Louisville. There are pockets here and there, but northern Hardin County certainly feels a lot different than Edmonson County.
There also exists a "Coke/Pop" line in this state. When generally referencing carbonated beverages, what is your term of choice? In western Kentucky, people generally say, "Coke." When I make a grocery list, I write "Cokes" on it. That means Dr. Pepper for me and Coca-Cola for my wife. Mountain Dew, Shasta, 7Up, Ski, Ale-8, Sprite--it does not matter. They are all "Cokes!" Now, somewhere just a few miles east of Elizabethtown (a strong "Coke" city), the general term is "Pop." The term "pop" starts to pop up (terrible pun absolutely intended) in Lincoln, Boyle, Mercer, and Washington Counties. While "Coke" is the term of choice in Lexington, one is steeped in "popness" when venturing into mountain counties like Menifee, Magoffin, and Rowan (pronounced "ROWN"). In Prestonsburg or Pikeville, "Coke" towns like Bowling Green or Glasgow seem a million miles away.
Add to that the convergence of dialects in the central Kentucky area, and what we have is a cultural hurricane with the eye somewhere near Elizabethtown.
So, Southerners, travelers, and students of cultural studies, where is the edge of "the South?" Can any good Southerner really say "pop?" If you did not click the in-text links above, please do visit PopvsSoda.com. It's as much fun as the sugary-sweet nectar that it researches. You can even participate in the Pop vs. Soda vs. Coke survey.
*For more, check out J.S. Reed's My Tears Spoiled My Aim. Reed has some GREAT stuff in there on how Americans define the South (the Sweet Tea Line, the "Hell, Yes!" Line, Kudzu, and more).
Monday, April 23, 2007
Creeds as Flags
TODAY'S MILEAGE: 5 miles
Recently, a friend passed along a podcast of eminent historian Jaroslav Pelikan's 2003 interview with Krista Tippett on the radio program Speaking of Faith. Pelikan made lots of interesting insights into the importance of creeds in faith, but one statement has stuck with me for several days:
"Creeds act a bit like our flags. We look to them as representation of what we believe."
That quote may not be 100% precise, but that was the idea conveyed by Pelikan. Creeds may not capture or communicate all of the intricacies of our personal beliefs, but they do unify us to some degree. They are a bit of a rudder as we sail the seas of faith and life. They are a bit like flags. When Americans sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" or as hundreds of Mexican flags go up when Mexico scores a goal in the World Cup, the flag is a representation of history, present, and future. They represent where those countries have been in times of peace and war, joy and sorrow, unity and division. The creeds function in a similar way for Christians.
Unfamiliar with creeds? Two of the most recited creeds are the Nicene creed and the Apostle's creed. Millions of Christians around the globe affirm these creeds every day.
Get more podcasts from SpeakingofFaith.org. Read another Pelikan interview on Credo on Beliefnet.com.
Recently, a friend passed along a podcast of eminent historian Jaroslav Pelikan's 2003 interview with Krista Tippett on the radio program Speaking of Faith. Pelikan made lots of interesting insights into the importance of creeds in faith, but one statement has stuck with me for several days:
"Creeds act a bit like our flags. We look to them as representation of what we believe."
That quote may not be 100% precise, but that was the idea conveyed by Pelikan. Creeds may not capture or communicate all of the intricacies of our personal beliefs, but they do unify us to some degree. They are a bit of a rudder as we sail the seas of faith and life. They are a bit like flags. When Americans sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" or as hundreds of Mexican flags go up when Mexico scores a goal in the World Cup, the flag is a representation of history, present, and future. They represent where those countries have been in times of peace and war, joy and sorrow, unity and division. The creeds function in a similar way for Christians.
Unfamiliar with creeds? Two of the most recited creeds are the Nicene creed and the Apostle's creed. Millions of Christians around the globe affirm these creeds every day.
Get more podcasts from SpeakingofFaith.org. Read another Pelikan interview on Credo on Beliefnet.com.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Marathon Taper Update
WEEKLY MILEAGE
Monday: 14
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 5
Thursday: off
Friday: 3
Saturday: 10
Sunday: off
I have had a cold, felt bloated and slow, and my confidence is flagging.
This means that my taper is going EXACTLY as it should. These feelings are typical for lots of marathoners in taper.
I did not run last Saturday or Sunday due to my sore throat and 40-degree temperatures coupled with lashing winds and torrential rains. So, I had to get a semi-long run in on Monday. I have an easy 10 miles planned this Saturday. After that, it will be a couple of easy 5-milers next week before race day on April 28. It is just 8 days and 10 hours until race time.
Monday: 14
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 5
Thursday: off
Friday: 3
Saturday: 10
Sunday: off
I have had a cold, felt bloated and slow, and my confidence is flagging.
This means that my taper is going EXACTLY as it should. These feelings are typical for lots of marathoners in taper.
I did not run last Saturday or Sunday due to my sore throat and 40-degree temperatures coupled with lashing winds and torrential rains. So, I had to get a semi-long run in on Monday. I have an easy 10 miles planned this Saturday. After that, it will be a couple of easy 5-milers next week before race day on April 28. It is just 8 days and 10 hours until race time.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Gimme That Old-Time Religion(?)
"Gimme that old time religion
Gimme that old time religion
Gimme that old time religion
It's good enough for me!"
The old spiritual conjures up images of rural churches in early 20th century America, and that is precisely the issue. The "old-time" religion and the ideas and images connected to it are not that old. Many Christians long for the "old-time religion" that goes all the way back--eons and light years--to the late 19th century. The hymn, "Give Me That Old-Time Religion" was adapted from an African-American spiritual in 1889 and published in 1891 by Charlie Tillman. The old time religion is not so aged. There were about 1900 years of Christianity before it.
Similarly, Christian fundamentalists are often viewed as defenders of traditional Christian values and "conservers" of old ways of faith. In many ways, they were (and are) precisely the opposite. In 1925, fundamentalists were dealt a significant blow at the Scopes Monkey Trial in Dayton, Tennessee. People felt that Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan's exchange put fundamentalist Christianity in a bad light. So, during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, the Fightin' Fundies went underground. They did not rely on old methods; they used new methods to build their base. They created summer camps, meetings, and conferences. They separated from secular society and created their own colleges and other schools. They used mass-produced pamphlets and papers to spread their ideas. They turned to the newfangled radio and made use of the new airwaves. Charles Fuller's Old Fashioned Revival Hour converted thousands to fundamentalist Christianity by appealing to listeners with intimacy, family, conservatism, and "old-time" comfort during the Depression and WWII (1). The use of new technology has remained at the forefront of fundamentalism through the mass production of written material, television, movies, and the internet.
Despite their call for old-time comfort, their theology had a "new" feel as well. Dispensational premillennialism ("Rapture Theology" or "Antichrist Theology") was not popularized until the mid-1800's. This fit their world view well, because they were separating from the Godless society that they saw around them. Dispensational Premillennialists saw the world in decline and themselves as a persecuted group. World War II seemed to bring some fulfillment of biblical prophecy about the Antichrist, rampant war, world conquest, and the like, but the Second Coming did not occur.
We must go back much farther than American fundamentalism to understand "old" Christianity. "Old-time religion" is only old in the way that Def Leppard is an "ancient band." One can use the term as a descriptor and people will know what is meant, but it certainly is not literally true. There are nearly 1900 years of Christianity before "old-time religion."
(1) Joel Carpenter, Revive Us Again: the Reawakening of American Fundamentalism, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 31-34, 138-140.
Gimme that old time religion
Gimme that old time religion
It's good enough for me!"
The old spiritual conjures up images of rural churches in early 20th century America, and that is precisely the issue. The "old-time" religion and the ideas and images connected to it are not that old. Many Christians long for the "old-time religion" that goes all the way back--eons and light years--to the late 19th century. The hymn, "Give Me That Old-Time Religion" was adapted from an African-American spiritual in 1889 and published in 1891 by Charlie Tillman. The old time religion is not so aged. There were about 1900 years of Christianity before it.
Similarly, Christian fundamentalists are often viewed as defenders of traditional Christian values and "conservers" of old ways of faith. In many ways, they were (and are) precisely the opposite. In 1925, fundamentalists were dealt a significant blow at the Scopes Monkey Trial in Dayton, Tennessee. People felt that Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan's exchange put fundamentalist Christianity in a bad light. So, during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, the Fightin' Fundies went underground. They did not rely on old methods; they used new methods to build their base. They created summer camps, meetings, and conferences. They separated from secular society and created their own colleges and other schools. They used mass-produced pamphlets and papers to spread their ideas. They turned to the newfangled radio and made use of the new airwaves. Charles Fuller's Old Fashioned Revival Hour converted thousands to fundamentalist Christianity by appealing to listeners with intimacy, family, conservatism, and "old-time" comfort during the Depression and WWII (1). The use of new technology has remained at the forefront of fundamentalism through the mass production of written material, television, movies, and the internet.
Despite their call for old-time comfort, their theology had a "new" feel as well. Dispensational premillennialism ("Rapture Theology" or "Antichrist Theology") was not popularized until the mid-1800's. This fit their world view well, because they were separating from the Godless society that they saw around them. Dispensational Premillennialists saw the world in decline and themselves as a persecuted group. World War II seemed to bring some fulfillment of biblical prophecy about the Antichrist, rampant war, world conquest, and the like, but the Second Coming did not occur.
We must go back much farther than American fundamentalism to understand "old" Christianity. "Old-time religion" is only old in the way that Def Leppard is an "ancient band." One can use the term as a descriptor and people will know what is meant, but it certainly is not literally true. There are nearly 1900 years of Christianity before "old-time religion."
(1) Joel Carpenter, Revive Us Again: the Reawakening of American Fundamentalism, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 31-34, 138-140.
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