Mere Mortals

I seem to gravitate towards larger races with lots of participants.  One of the things that these large races have started to do is have running celebrities in attendance - it's really fun.  You can chat them up, get tips on training, and try to rub up on them to gain some speed via osmosis.

Anyway, here are a few of the notables that I've been able to meet over the years.

Andrew Lemoncello - Olympic steeplechaser at Boston 2013

Would have made the Brit Marathon team in 2012 if not for injury

Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan  at Boston 2013

Probably the two fastest USA female marathoners right now

Trust me, they think I'm hilarious - totally not for "show"

A very pregnant Lauren Fleshman and I at Boston 2013. (mostly a 5000m runner)

She was SUPER nice and has her own energy bar line - Picky Bars

Adam Goucher and I  at Boston 2013.

Also, I've heard he is/was a pretty good 5000m runner in his day

Editor in Chief of Runner's World: David Willey!  

As you can tell from the picture below, Dave sort of looks like Captain America.

Dave and I.  He even smelled good. 

Smelled like a mixture of sawdust, tender touches, and oh my god I miss him so much

Bart Yasso and I at the St George Marathon expo - Oct 2012

Josh Cox and I (Rock and Roll Providence August 2012)

Trisha Miller, 2012 RnR AZ winner

Alan Culpepper and I (RnR AZ Course Announcement 09.29.11)

2011 Boston Marathon Runner Up Desi Davila and I (6/3/11 - San Diego Marathon Expo)

London Marathon winner Dick Beardsley and I 

(Oklahoma City Marathon Expo - 5/1/2011)

4 time Boston marathon winner and 4 time NYC marathon winner Bill Rodgers and I 

(Oklahoma City Marathon Expo - 5/1/2011)

Olympic Silver Medalist and NYC Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi and I (RnR AZ Expo - 1/16/2011)

Olympic Silver Medalist and NYC Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi and I  (again)

(RnR Seattle Expo - 6/26/2010)

Ryan Hall and I (RnR AZ 1/17/2010)

Hal Higdon and I (Twin Cities Marathon Expo)

Favorite posts

Here are a few of my all time favorite blog posts in reverse chronological order. Some are about racing / running, others are about life or travel. Unfortunately, none are about butterscotch ripple - yet.

Motivational / Inspirational

My Boston Qualifying Marathon Race Report
Be Better Than YOU Were Yesterday
Qualifying for the Boston Marathon
Get your ass moving anyway - GYAMA

Triage my run.

My first long bike ride.
Stress fractures SUCK.
The Fargo marathon in two parts. My most perfectly executed race to date.

The Chicago Marathon - my worst race experience by far.
Why I run

Family

Trying to Take Kid Pictures
The Birth Of My Son


Funny

Bad Runner Fashion


ABCs about ME!!
Running is HARD - For Everyone
Hard CORE club
Bikram Yoga
My review of Fitness Magazine - in pictures
Thinking about swimming and then actually swimming
My first experience with a heart rate monitor.

Misc
My 1000th post

My first ever group run.

Enjoying the fruits of a cross country move.
My thoughts on living in hotelss.

Thinking about what to do during a MANcation that I had and the aftermath of the MANcation.

100 Things about me. Try it. It is a lot harder than it seems.
The entire Husband Manual 101 series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
My first summary of traveling nearly full time for work. It isn't a non stopped kegger afterall.

Race History

My PRs:
1M: 4:59 (June 2012)
5K: 17:59 (March 2012)
10K: 36:47 (Thanksgiving 2012)
Half Marathon: 1:29:17 (Feb 2011)
Marathon: 3:04:00 (April 2012)

Races that I've either done or am signed up for:

2012:
1/15: RnR AZ Marathon - Race Report (3:30:55)
1/28: Freeze Your Thorns Off - Race Report (Walked)
3/10: Nun Run 5K - Race Report (17:59)
4/21: Pat Tillman 4.2 Mile - Race Report (Walked)
4/29: Eugene Marathon - Race Report (3:04:00)
5/12: Jeff 1 mile fun run - Race Report (Walked)
6/17: Adam's Open Mile - Race Report (4:59)
8/19: Rock and Roll Providence Half Marathon - Race Report (2:14:33)

11/22: Mesa 10K Turkey Trot - Race Report (36:47)


2011:
1/8: Freeze Your Thorns Off 5K - Race Report  (18:32)
2/20: Lost Dutchman 1/2 Marathon - Race Report (1:29:17)
4/6: Move your PHI’t 5K - Race Report (Fun Run)
4/17: Pat Tillman 4.2 Mile - Race Report (Fun Run)
5/1: Oklahoma City Marathon - Race Report (3:34:25)
5/28: Arizona Road Racers Summer Series 5K #1 - Race Report (44:01)
6/5: Rock and Roll San Diego Half Marathon Race Report (2:34:26)
6/11: Marathon to Marathon - Race Report (3:32:21)
6/25: Sweat Your Thorns Off 5K - Race Report (20:00? - was the Race Director)
7/4: Arizona Road Racers Summer Series 4 Miler #3 - Race Report (24:58)
7/16: Arizona Road Racers Summer Series 5K #4 - No Race Report (43:18)
9/11: ARR I did a green run 10K - Race Report (1:26:26)
11/5: Rock and Roll Savannah Marathon - Race Report (3:19:40)

2010:

1/17: Rock and Roll Arizona - Race Report (3:44:34)

2/28: Rock and Roll Mardi Gras - Race Report (3:25:30)

4/17: Pat Tillman 4.2 Memorial Run - Race Report (1:09:14)

4/30: Tempe, AZ Arbor Day 5K - Race Report (21:35**)

6/6: RnR San Diego Marathon - Race Report 1 & Race Report 2 (3:25:37)

6/26: RnR Seattle Marathon - Race Report (3:43:54)

7/31: Sweat Your Thorns off 5K - Race Report (19:42)

8/7: That Dam Skunk 8K - Race Report (33:45)

8/27: Higley High 5K - Race Report (28:33)

9;12: Sept 11 Memorial 5K - Race Report (18:50)

10/17: Rock and Roll Denver Marathon - Race Report (3:23:53)

10/24: Rock and Roll LA Half Marathon - Race Report (1:39:16)

11/14: RnR San Antonio Marathon - Race Report (3:35:32)

11/27: Mi Amigo Turkey Trot - Race Report (39:44)

12/24: Adam's Open Mile - Race Report (5:22)

2009:

3/28: Olathe 5K (36:37)

4/5: Hogeye Marathon - Race Report (3:44:12)

5/9: Fargo, ND Marathon - Race Report 1 and Race Report 2 (3:29:29)

6/7: Run for Vania 5K - RaceReport (19:56)

7/18: Arizona Road Racers #4 5K - Race Report(19:37)

10/4: Twin Cities Marathon - DNS Report

11/26: Mesa Mi Amigo 10K - Race Report (1:24:01)

2008:

3/29: Olathe Marathon - Race Report (3:48:43)

10/12: Chicago Marathon - Race Report 1 & Race Report 2 (4:05:49)

11/27: Mesa Mi Amigo Turkey Trot - Race Report (45:45)

2007:

10/20: Kansas City Marathon (3:59:13)

**Course was long

About Me

I am boring. No, really. If you don’t believe me, check out my 100 things post. If that isn’t a bowl full of boring, I don’t know what is.

My name is Adam and I am a part time blogger, most of the time runner,  whose only goal is to stay in shape to keep up with my toddler son, is maybe slightly addicted to social media and good (enough) wine, works way too many hours to earn money for race entries, all the while having a third life crisis and praying that my hair doesn't fall out. I grew up on a small farm in northwest Iowa. I went to Iowa State for computer science and have been working hard for the money ever since.

Note my blog URL is adamrisu. That stands for Adam (my name) R (my last initial) ISU (Iowa State Univ). Confusing, yes. Will I ever change it? Maybe – I’m REALLY lazy.

I originally started this blog when one of my best friends, Nick, mentioned that he was going to start one as well. Since I am never one to come up with independent thoughts, I decided during an overnight telephony server migration (did I mention I’m a dork too?) that I’d start one up - lest the digital revolution pass me by. That was October 26th of 2007. The blog started out to be a collection of my thoughts on being a traveling management consultant, but it has morphed into what it is today:


So, as you can see, when I am not getting my butterscotch ripple drink on, I’m running. I started running in 2007 after my FIRST physical at age 25 said that I had high blood pressure. Bummer. Sense I like to dive in head first, I shortly there after started training for my first marathon and never looked back. In fact, my first ever road race was the Kansas City Marathon in 2007. 5 marathons later, I’m still chugging away – if not without some struggles to make things interesting.

So, that is it. Huh, I thought that it would take me longer to give my life’s story. I suppose that my True Hollywood Story will probably need to be shared with someone else who is a little more interesting – maybe Madonna. So, to pad this page a bit more and put in some filler, I leave you with this:

Remember, the funny thing about life is that if you worry too much about the destination, you will miss the journey. Remember, we all end up in the same place….Unless you are cremated, then you end up on the mantle in a Folgers coffee can.