UGH!

I am sad.

Today, I got to run.  I was thinking it was a great day to race.  Thousands were, in Boston.  I knew when I got back from my run, results of the elites would be pouring in from the BAA app I downloaded last night.

I was happy to see how my favorites had done.  Though they hadn't won, the American ladies had done well.  Shalane and Kara had paced with each other for 30 km out of 42 total.  They worked as a team, which is pretty amazing.  I hope they keep training together.  I think they're great role-models for my girls.

Friends were watching.  Friends were running.  All their tweets and Facebook posts were positive.

Then this happened:



Everyone that I knew at the race has reported in, and is okay.  Yet, people lost their lives.  People were hurt.  People lost others they cared about.  People lost legs and arms.  People are panicking because they can't track their loved ones.  People can't contact their loved ones, because they're phones are in the baggage check, and that's the least concern right now.  People had their dreams stolen from them, and somebody robbed them of their reward for months and years of dedication and sacrifice.  None of that is okay.

Runners stopped at mile 21.

And then the images and sign I can't get over...

Each mile, dedicated to one of the Newtown victims

The final mile marker...

Many news agencies posted something similar to this: "Update 4:07 p.m.: Newtown families were reportedly seated in the VIP section right by where the explosions went off. There's no word whether they are among the 23 injured and two dead from the explosions. "

I've got no real words, and I've been trying to come to grips with everything.  I needed to get it all out, and have been trying to say or think of what to say for the last 3 hours.  I can't.  I'm livid, and sad, and what does that make me want to do?

It makes me want to run.  I always feel safe on my run.  I am free, and nothing can touch me, even on my worst day on the road.

For these people, I hope they get to experience that again.

Finally, there's this...

Go back to the video.  See all the helpers.  Look how fast the race volunteers and Boston police on duty responded to the scene.  See how fast Army reservists and National Guardsmen jumped in to clear out the barricade so other first responders could help clear the area.  The medical tent is always just past the finish line, as well.  That could have only helped, as doctors, nurses, EMTs, and ambulances were all there.

And then, take what comedian Patton Oswalt had to say.  Instead of looking at the hate, and getting more angry, remember these words: "the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil...'The good outnumber you, and we always will.'"

Tomorrow's run and track meet will be a little weird.

I'm glad the people I know are safe.

I hope that the ones you know and love are safe, too.

I'll pray for the victims, the first responders, and everyone touched by this.

It's a mad mad mad mad world.



Update: The man pictured above has been seen on numerous news outlets.  The good news is, though knocked down by the first explosion, he was uninjured.   He is the spirit of the marathon.  He is Bill Iffrig, of whom the Everett (WA) Herald had this to say: 

"Bill Iffrig of Lake Stevens was just short of the finish line in the 26-mile Boston Marathon when he heard a horrific noise and found himself on the ground. 
He didn't know what happened...A race official came to check on him and helped him up.
Then, accompanied by the official, Iffrig walked the last 12 feet or so across the finish line."I ended up second in my division," he said. "After you've run 26 miles you're not going to stop there." His timing chip marked his finish at 4 hours, 3 minutes, 47 seconds."

Update: Anby Burrfoot was running the Marathon in honnor of the 45th anniversary of his win.  Here's how he summed up his day, as he was stopped less than a mile from the finish.

Unclaimed baggage at the finish

November to remember...

November 2010 mileage: 46
November 2011 mileage: 60
November 2012 mileage: 46 (first time all year I was behind, I think)

YTD mileage 2010: 557
YTD mileage 2011: 746
YTD mileage 2012: 808 (WHOAH!)

Weight on October 31, 2012: 220
Weight on December 1, 2012: 218

My mileage went down, and honestly, it needed to. Something had to give.  Running was it. The that I lost weight last month, overall, is awesome.  Honestly, at one point I had gained 5 pounds (considering I only weigh myself on Saturday, that was not a fluke thing).

What was great was the Manchester Road Race.  For the first time ever, I earned a seed card.  Based on two different 5k times this year, I had been seeded in the "under 40 minutes" group for the 4.78 mile race.  As anyone that reads this knows, it's my favorite race of the year, but I rarely run it fast.  That's because there is a mass of humanity on the race course of residential streets.  Instead, I think of it as the best Thanksgiving Day Parade ever.

This year, with the seed card, things were slightly different.  For once, I wasn't competing with you-know-who.  But a woman at work was also seeded, and we run about the same paces.  She is younger, so I might have even accepted it if she beat me.  Besides, she waited so long to register that, despite earning a under 40 seed card, they only had an under 35 to give her.  So they did.

Anthony Famiglietti

So, the 2012 race was slightly different. For one, the great Amby Burfoot would be completing his 50th MRR*.  That would tie him for the most ever.  Secondly, there were some great runners in the field.  Actually, I should say, there were some Olympic caliber steeple-chase runners in the field. Anthony  Famiglietti, Donn Cabral, and Delilah DiCrescenzo (the girl from the song) ran.  DiCrescenzo won the women's race, in fact.  There were also some good, young American female runners, recent all-Americans Sarah Porter and Amy Van Alstine.

Sarah Porter

Donn Cabral

Third, I had no intentions of looking for bacon along the course (though if it was offered nearby, I wouldn't refuse).  Finally, with the seed card, I wasn't starting in the midst of the masses.  With nearly 15,000 registered runners, and numerous walkers and bandits, there were more people than the Hartford Marathon in a course that was a sixth of the size.

What did the seeding do for me? To start, it was the first MRR that I didn't walk during.  There are several bottle-necks that lead to complete stops/walks.  Also, the first tenth of a mile or so is a walk.  Not this year, I maintained a steady pace through the first mile, and only slowed a little on the killer hill of the next mile plus.  The entire time I was running, I was running with others from the starting corrall. The seeding system seemed to work.  In fact, as I passed the four mile mark, the woman that was right next to me at the start was nearby. We joked that we must've started in the right place, after all.

I wondered aloud if we would actually make the 40 minute cut off for another seed.  I don't know why. Last year, I ran a 45:00 even, for my best MRR ever.  Still, she reassured me that we had plenty of time.  Usually with a head full of doubt and a road full of promises, I don't quite get my goal.  Questions start to appear in my head.  This time, with her reassurance, I felt confident.  The pace felt hard, but not awful.

As I turned onto Main Street, and saw that big American flag, I knew I was there.  There's a few hundred meters between the corner and the finish.  Whatever was left, I gave.  When I crossed the finish, arms raised triumphantly, the gun-time clock read 39:49**.  I had earned a seed card for next year, and honestly couldn't believe.  Now, I had to just stay healthy.

Which is why, I immediately headed to the Army/Navy Club, to meet friends and family, and have a donut and an adult beverage.

Cabral finishes

Burfoot & Deena Kastor

Delilah DiCrescenzo winning

Men's winner, Aaron Braun

Stacey said this should win best costume

At the start...

Sarah Porter at the end of the race...Looks like she worked hard.

Mr. MRR, Amby Burfoot

*His book,  The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life was given to me by a former runner of mine at a time when I had barely started running. The way Burfoot described the MRR, and the fact that I was going to be at Thanksgiving at my in-laws that year meant that the MRR was certainly doable for me.  Despite the temps in the 20s, and the pounding rain, I fell in love with that race 7 years ago.  The people are great, and last year, even gave me bacon, as I ran a PR to the time.  Since that first race, the 70th, I've run each year.  If I can, I'll go for my own streak. Though 50 is QUITE a lot, I'm nearly 1/7 there.

**Official time-39:16!!!

NYC Marathon...maybe...

After Hurricane Sandy, Manhattan and the other 4 boroughs have some bad timing. It's marathon week in New York City.  Planning and preparation was going on and I'm sure the NYC Marathon will go off without a hitch...except mass transportation (Read: SUBWAYS, which are down currently).

Take a look at how things are looking the day after Sandy.  Still, people in Wisconsin are optimistic about how New York will handle the adversity.  Yes, you read correctly: Wisconsin.  Then again, the folks at the Wall Street Journal, are using the same AP article.  That is hopeful, I suppose.  Stay positive. As the AP article states, "...if flooding or other damage affects the course or logistics, NYRR has contingency plans every year to adjust to any potential problems."

Also, with the race ending in Central Park, it passes within a block of the now infamous 57th Street Crane. NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg said last night, 57th St. between 6th and 7th Ave. were evacuated. Miles 25-26 are within a block or so of that area (albeit, they're in the park).  Kind of scary!  Where is our friendly, neighborhood Spiderman on this one?

See the course map. And review the storm damage and its impact on the race courtesy of the New York Times.  Finally, here's the Times' coverage of all things marathon related.

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

As the race crosses the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, it crosses over Roosevelt Island. Here's what that looked like, yesterday. Here's how things were on the Queensboro Bridge (Courtesy of the WSJ): Here's the home stretch, leading from Harlem 116th into Central Park:

Best of luck to all that are running.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

*Update: 2:20 PM, 10/30/12-An astute colleague noted, without the airports up & running, much of the field won't be able to arrive. Unless flights are detoured/rerouted to Albany, Westchester, or Bradley (Hartford), which are all possibilities, the field could be slim.
*Sidenote-A friend is flying from Florida, and was set to return today. His flight was delayed to Friday as of this past weekend.
*Update: 6:46 AM, 10/31/12-Weather.com has an article posted entitled Crippled Subways Could Hamper NYC Recovery, covering the issue of mass transit. "Mayor Michael Bloomberg guessed it could take four days for train service to resume. And even then it was unclear how much of the nation's largest public transit system would be operational," according to the article.
*Update: 6:00 AM, 11/2/2012-The NY Post went after event organizers today. Not really sure how justified this article is, considering the resources were privately purchased by the NYRR, and that they'll pay for anything they need. The Post and Daily News are not what I would consider reputable. Meanwhile, NYRR president, Mary, "Wittenberg explained how the marathon course, itself, had been spared by the savage storm, how NYRR would use private security and transportation to release the strain on city services which would be needed for storm relief, and announced the institution of a marathon Race to Recovery Fund with an initial contribution by the NYRR, the Rudin Family, and sponsor ING to the tune of $2.6 million."

*Update: 5:32 PM, 11/2/2012-After declaring it would be good for New York to hold something that lifts the spirits like a marathon, Bloomberg has backed out of his previous statement that the race would happen. Instead, it is officially cancelled. 
"We would not want a cloud to hang over the race or its participants, and so we have decided to cancel it," the mayor said in a statement. "We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event — even one as meaningful as this — to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track."

Bloomberg called the marathon an "integral part of New York City's life for 40 years" and "an event tens of thousands of New Yorkers participate in and millions more watch."

He still insisted that holding the race would not require diverting resources from the recovery effort, but understood the level of friction."
*Sidenote-To me, this is just his way of saying that the vocal minority of people who called for the marathon will get their way.  Why? Because they had access to the media. Mike Francesa has made a big deal about this. Stephen A. Smith has made a big deal about this. Local news in CT has made a big deal about this. What none of them understood was, you can't POSTPONE the race, it had to be cancelled. The race could have been run, or it could not be run. Either way, I'm still not so sure this is the right choice, but ANY decision is going to be viewed as wrong. It was a lose, lose situation.  In this case, EVERYONE lost. The problem is, a marathon is not something that can just be postponed. They're lucky they can pull it off once a year in the 5 boroughs. I think if they pulled it off, it would have been a tremendous testament to the willpower of the city and all New Yorkers.

*Final Update: 8:28 PM, 11/3/2012-Things are settling down a little. There are sad stories on both sides. Again, it was a lose-lose situation, and everyone lost. That being said, I think that this article, by runner Toni Reavis, looks at all this whole unfortunate mess and puts into full perspective. It's the most complete telling of this debacle I have yet to read.  I encourage you to read it, as well. Reavis has done a MUCH better job following this whole situation over the past few days. Read the blog. Trust me. It's way better than this.

One of those days...

Ever get to the point where you just wanted to stop?  Running is the ultimate cartoon cliche sometimes, where my conscience splits into an angel and a devil, and argues the merits of continuing the run or stopping.  While the debate gets pretty intense at times, the good side always prevails, and I continue my run.

Today, inexplicably, less than a mile from home, the run turned into one of those self-examination runs.  I had barely  enough time to start debating when the issue was resolved.  The iPod provided some inspiration, as Bill Conti's arrangement of Gonna Fly Now began with that signature fanfare of trumpets.

Instantly, I was whisked into Rocky II.  Though they may not have been there I certainly had kids running with me. And though I didn't hurdle any park benches, I was pretty happy when I reached the top of Nob Hill.  And that, just like in the movie, is when the music stopped (though the actual song is nearly 6 minutes, and the movie only uses about 3).  

I still had a few hundred meters left, and thought "I can gut this out."  And then, adding to my 80's nostalgia, the theme to Knight Rider.  So, I turbo-boosted to the end of my run, satisfied, and suddenly feeling pretty strong.

Music...it's pretty powerful stuff.

Can't embed this version, but I love when Mickey asks, "What are we waitin' fer..."

Chicked, among other things...

Summer vacation is upon us, and with that, comes more training.  With that comes, easily, highest mileage week in 6 months.  Right on cue, we've topped the 21 miles in April, with a 23 mile week.  I mean, I've been really cranking out miles this week, and hope to continue with next.  Of course, yesterday, I was starting off my 2nd longer run for the week (5.6), and it happened again.

That's right, I got chicked again (if you couldn't tell by the title of the post).  This time, I wasn't even a mile into the run.  I was passing the local park, running up the hill on the state highway, past the correctional facility, and this woman (running on the wrong side of the street, mind you), goes by me on the opposite side of the street.  As always, my desire to keep up with a fast girl spurred up, and I raced up the hill in record time.

And, she kept pulling even further and further away from me.  THAT was one fast girl.

Now, I'm not so sure it makes me an asshole, because I'm not worried about getting chicked, it just works as some neanderthal-ish motivator.

That little up in my tempo carried me for the next 3 miles or so.  In fact, I was slightly ahead of the pace I ran earlier in the week, despite the fact that I was indeed more tired.  I'll attribute that to 1) the day off and 2) the trip to the chiropractor.  That usually helps my form and efficiency for a few days, at the very least.

Sadly, as I took the final hill, something got me.  Maybe it was the humidity (90% according to weather.com).  Maybe it was the lack of shade (I always hate that).  Maybe it was that the last mile or so is uphill.  Whatever it was, suddenly I was sapped.  My run suffered, as I bonked hard.

One thing I won't blame that on is the soundtrack*.  Sure, I was just coming off Fall Out Boy's rendition of Beat It (how good is the cameo by Donald Faison?) but the audio intensity was still there.  Still, for the last 10 minutes or so, I felt like I was slogging up the hill...which I was.

So, what am I training for?  To be honest, I'm not sure.  There are 18 weeks until the Hartford Marathon/Half-Marathon.  I've. gotten a little faster, and I'd like to continue that.  I also know that I'm upping my mileage.  I think I want to run the half, and see if I can lower my PR some more from last year.  However, I probably could be talked into the full, but would need to be by, say, mid-july, so that I can get the right training done.  Who knows what I'm doing?

Two hours of running sure seems a lot better right now than 5 hours of running.  Any suggestions?

*You can sample or download today's playlist by following the link below

Today's Playlist, available at iTunes: Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus, All for you, Sophia - Franz Ferdinand, Sleepwalker - Wallflowers,Read my Mind - the Killers, El Scorcho - Weezer, Crushcrushcrush - ParamoreSing - My Chemical Romance, Shake It - Metro Station, Rock & Roll Band - Boston, Good Girls (Gone Bad) - Cobra Starship, I'm Not Over - Carolina Liar, Beat It (Featuring John Mayer) - Fall Out Boy, Do the Panic - Phantom Planet, I Just Wanna Run - the Downtown Fiction, Misery Business - Paramore

8 Mile and July 2010 in a nutshell

No, not that 8 Mile!

The past two weeks, I've run 22 miles each, culminating with an 8 mike run on the Saturday.  These two weeks, and especially these two runs, could not have been any different.  We can start with the distances and finish times of each run: July 24-8.01 miles-103 minutes (1:43, or 12:51 miles) vs. July 31-8:36 miles-76 minutes (1:16, or 9:04 miles).

The two big factors were the weather and my body (aren't those what affects everyone?).  The past two weeks, something has been (not) seriously wrong with my left shin and calf.  My foot wouldn't flex when I pushed off the ground.  I kept running anyway.  Finally, I had enough last Monday (July 26), called my support crew (read: chiropractor), and made an appointment for the next afternoon.  I also tried running on the treadmill to see if it made a difference.  It did, but I hate the treadmill a lot more in the summer.  At the appointment, she told me something was up with my soleus   Additionally, I've been to the walk-in twice in the last four weeks.  The first time, 2 weeks ago, I went through a battery of tests, and was given weak antibiotics, because they couldn't find anything wrong with me (I had been coughing for 2 weeks at this point).  I went back this Friday, saw a different doctor, and was put on the nebulizer for a breathing treatment, as the cough and wheezing were worse.  She checked out my chest xray, and decided that I had had bronchitis for over a month.  Awesome, new meds: z-pack, a steroid, and an inhaler.  Freaking great!

As for the weather last week versus last week, it was diametrically opposed (I think).  July 24, at 7:30-9:30 it was 80-82, and the Real Feel was between 98 and 102, due to 80% humidity in the morning (got to 92%, no rain).  July 31, the climate was drastically different.  The temps from 7:30 to 9 ranged between 63 and 68, with a feel of 63-70 in the sun.  In the shade, I actually shivered on my first loop.

The courses were also a bit different.  I have a 4 mile (4.18) loop that I use regularly through some of the neighborhoods around mine.  On the first Saturday, it took me 44 minutes to complete the first loop of this.  I felt awful.  I was drenched in sweat by the end of the 2nd mile.  Soaked completely through my shirt and shorts.  My leg was in pain.  I did my usual water stop in my garage, and then proceeded to change the route. I could not mentally or physically do that loop again.  So, I ran up and down the side streets on my usual two mile loop, making it up to about 4 (3.83) for a grand total of 8.01.  The 3.83 took me an hour, and I had to walk several times due to pure exhaustion.

This week, I was able to do the 4.18 mile loop twice.  The first time through, I felt awesome.  It was like I was in a race.  The chiropractor visit combined with some serious aided stretching (thanks to the Wife), and I ran at a  pace that was, for me, gang busters (great vocabulary, Teach).  Keeping up a full head of steam, I completed the first loop in 36:36 (8:45 miles, which is pretty good for me).  I got my water, took my inhaler, and headed out again in under 2 minutes.  My stride hadn't changed much, and it was really good.  As I went up "the hill," I felt as though I was flying up it (this sucker rises 100ft in a little under a quarter mile, that's more than a 4% grade).  In fact, I felt so good at the top, that I considered doing another 2-4 miles after this loop, but then I decided not to push it,  based on my calf/shin.  It was probably a good idea, because, though I really felt good on this round of the loop, by the time I got to the last half mile, I was ready to be done.  On the entire run, I didn't sweat through my shirt, let alone my shorts.  Conditions were SO much better!

When I finished on the 24th, I felt enormous relief: it was over.  I hadn't felt that awful in a long time when I finished a run.  This week, when I finished, I felt enormous relief: I KILLED THAT RUN!  It gave me a lot o hope, because I again was contemplating at least 2 more miles when I came inside.  If I had about an hour more (S had to go to a baby shower in NY, and I'd feel guilty coming in from my run 20 minutes before she left), I absolutely would have.  Saturday made me feel as though I was back on track.  There are roughly 70 days until the ING Hartford Half-Marathon (this year, I'm taking it easy).  I promise not to wait 50 days for my next post, like I did last year.  I'll be ready on time, and feel a lot better.

July 2010 Update:
Total mileage 83 (July 2009, I did 92, not bad, considering I run 1 day a week less, and I'm not training for a marathon).
Total running workouts: 24 (2009: 18...hmmm maybe I skipped a few more days than I thought)
Extra workouts (x-training): 9 (2009: 1)
Blog posts: 3* (2009: 4)
Weight at Start of Month: 236 (2009: 239)
Weight at End of Month: 232 (2009: 235)

Back in the groove...

Should have blogged sooner.  The past 3 weeks have been the first of summer vacation.  With that in mind, it's also been the first 3 weeks of my summer training.  While I am not getting ready for another marathon, I've got some goals to achieve.
For starters, I'm still carrying around that extra weight that never seems to go away.  To put it plainly, I'm not going to be ready to run Supernaturally at Nike's Bear Butte Running Camp any time soon.
Okay, after seeing Nick Symmonds, I'm never going to be ready for that.  Can't believe how much play this video has gotten, though.
The past three weeks have been 15+ miles each.  It's been pretty good going, as well, with a pretty consistent schedule: M 2-3, Tu 3-4, W 4-4.5, Th 2-3, Sa-"Long."  The first week, I did a little over 4, the past two I did 5.6 or so (though I thought I was getting 6 miles in this past week)...iMixes for the 3 Saturday runs are below.  Training has been a bit more tame this year, as the weekly schedule seems.  I've been trying to be sure to do 100 ball crunches each day of July, and I'm working on the push-ups portion of my year now.
On Monday runs, I've been trying something different.  Since it's short, I'm out without my iPod and without my watch.  The only clock I use is the one in my car right before I leave and as soon as I'm back to know how long I was out.  The rest of the time, it's just me, my footsteps, and my breathing.  In this weather, the breathing has been loud.
Also, I've made a new friend on my 4+ mile runs.  Going up the hill on Rt. 10, there's an opossum carcass (that's the best word to describe it).  All that's really left to verify it's species are the position it's lying in (playing opossum), a tail, and a skull which is perpetually grinning/growling at you as you run by it.  It's pretty disgusting (imagine this, but all decayed).  But seriously, I've seen numerous species of wild life along my mileage thus far this summer.  Several bunnies of all colors, a red fox, a few awesome hawks, several deer, and a fisher cat (they're freaking hideous at this time of year, after shedding their thick coats).   The wild-life has been the highlight of the runs, so far (unless you can count when I get out really early, and people's sprinkler systems are on, and I get misted every few houses).
Finally, I turned 30 yesterday.  That meant...not so much.  But, this morning I did something I haven't tried to do in the 6 years since I got married. Today, I got up early, ran my two miles, showered, and then headed over to school to lift with the kids.  The fitness/agility/flexibility portion of the day was probably the most excruciating. Speed development, an ab-circuit, dot drill, agility ladders, and hurdle flexibility-nothing better to say "Hey, old fat-ass, you're even further out of shape than you thought."  Then we went into the weight room.  I had an A day, which meant it was squat driven (6x6...I chose to do mine with 135 as I've got nothing to prove), followed by a paired incline/bent row combo, pull-ups/shoulder press pair, and then y's and dips.  I did everything to success except the pull-ups (got nothing to prove there, either), and actually thought the pace was a little slow (kids still get a thousand water breaks, and lifting is so much more focused and short than the old days).  Then we went outside, ran 10 40s, and the football kids had football agility work to do (figure 8s, M and W drills (change of direction), and such).  That was my cue to start stretching.  I was really happy, mostly because I didn't feel awful at the end.  Of course, life hits on Wednesday, when we won't have daycare until 8 or 8:15, and lifting starts at 8.  Guess I'll miss the abs, dots, etc.  Friday is 30 mins of power stations, we'll see how I feel that day.
Wish that I was dedicated to blogging more...mostly addicted to DailyMile, though.

Done at 5:45-6:45 AM, this was the best of the bunch. Some seriously good tunes to get you going.

Best songs to run to this summer: Check Yes Juliet (We the Kings), Flathead (the Fratellis), This Too Shall Pass (OK Go [2 great videos for this song, btw]), Ramble On (Zeppelin), Handlebars (Flobots),  and my favorite to run to at any time, All These Things That I've Done (the Killers).

What a difference...

Certainly, what a difference a day can make.  Yesterday's humdrum attitude was washed away with today's run-3.03 miles after work and practice in the neighborhoods around school. Of course, to run around suburbia is a nice diversion from the hustle and bustle of every day.  However, the added bonus of a light drizzle really helped me to get out of the doldrums.  

I always like to run with this type of weather.  Everything smells clean and new, plus I know I'll never overheat.  While some smaller runners might cringe at 55 and rainy, I personally enjoy these runs much more.  While in the past, runs on days like today were usually faster, I did have some struggles.  My week of near inactivity reared its ugly head.   Though my hips were no longer sore, my left calf and quad were pesky.  My right psoas was back to it's old tricks of a year ago, and of course my lower back was in agony for the second mile (loosened up and felt fine on the home strecth).  Both my psoas and back were very tight, and this came as no surprise as they're connected.
Some new music along the run today: Muse's Uprising (see video below).  I started the run with this, and my first mile was my fastest (9:47).  I struggled mightily for a while, and though my back loosened up on my way back to school, the driveway's steep grade always proves a killer at the end.  
Upon my return, as I stretched, I got a nice surprise. A few of my runners had taken my advice and sought out a teammate who was taking a yoga class to teach them some easy poses.  These boys run stiffly, and I hoped it would help them loosen up a bit.  Looks like I should've taken my own advice.  OH WELL!
It was nice to be out on familiar roads.  It was good to run in the tranquility of the light rain.  It was nice to rock out on the first mile...These are the runs that make me love running.

Run a Marathon by age 30? CHECK!

I DID IT!!!

Couldn't have made it without the help, cheers, and support of my whole family. Incredible show of support, and ALWAYS there right when I needed you.

Feeling great two days later!

I cannot put into words everything that I experienced. Instead, I'll just throw down my highlights, and you can ask me about the stories.

1. Emile and his "One Goal Many Steps" shirt...GIANT dude...little did I know that his shirt was part of a Fleet Feet running group. Great guy. Had to check on him at the end.
2. The lady from church
3. The sign that said "Running a Marathon is easier than reforming Health Care"
4. The lady with the "This one's for you Patrick" t-shirt
5. The girl who threw up at the 10 mile mark, and beat me
6. Seeing a person from HS fly by me on her way back, as I was nearing the 10 mile mark...
7. Seeing a kid I taught my 2nd year...
8. Running past the guy dressed as Superman (he beat me, but I passed the guy who was faster than a speeding bullet, so that's saying something)
9. The lady from DC with 2 left shoes
10. Talking to my wife on a cell as I just finished 17 miles, and having 3 or 4 ladies yell "We love you too" as I got off the call
11. A band called Triple H playing Weezer as I entered the Riverfront park...big pick me up...
12. The cramp at 20, because I decided it was a good idea to power up a hill (the only one I really ran all day), because I had "All these things that I've done" on...But, I proved I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier
13. My daughter screaming "OOOOOH DADDY!!!" when she saw me at 21
14. The golden, and the guy in the Cheshire XC shirt showing up at mile 5, 18, and 24
15. Walking mile 22 in cramping agony to the Meadows and the CT Parrot Head Club (awesome!)
16. Jogging across a park, and off the course because I needed a portapotty so badly
17. The guy in the Red Shirt
18. Asking the cop how far it was after I was like half a mile from mile 25, and him saying "Oh, less than a mile" GEE THANKS
19. Hearts on Fire, and screaming Drago just before 26 miles
20. Dad running me in...
21. All the signs, support, and cheers

5:33...which wasn't my original goal of 4:30...or my modified goal of 5:15 (which I was on pace for before the cramps started)...

I don't care.

I made it.

It was fun in a completely agonizing way. I didn't feel any pain in my feet, back, or shins the entire way (quad cramp was my only complaint). Feel great.

Teared up a little at the finish...somewhere in the middle too...it was the gravity of the whole situation.

I DID IT!

Marathon Man from ST on Vimeo.

If you can't stand the heat, don't even think about the humidity

As a large person, humidity is the bane of my existence. Skinny folks think that humidity is bad for everyone, which it is, to a degree. However, when you're big like me, it's just that much worse. Skinny people will debate this with me, but I win that argument quickly. Why? Because when it's humid, skinny people will complain about how muggy it is, but STILL go outside and sit by a pool on a humid day, get sun, jump in, get more sun, jump back in, and they're fine. Me, I do my best to avoid going outside at all costs, even into my pool on humid days. By the way, don't get me going on the fallacy of "dry heat." To make a short story long, this week, with it's awful humidity (and clearly no rain, unlike wonderful last week), made for a tough work week.

To be honest, it was the worst week of training this summer. Everything seemed out of whack. Not to complain, but not only was it humid, but for some reason, my feet and left leg killed when I ran. It was pretty inexplicable, but I wasn't comfortable on any of my weekday runs. IT WAS INEXPLICABLE...until I went to the chiro for the first time in 2 weeks (she was on her honeymoon), and BAM! I felt better instantly, as the pain in my feet subsided, and my left leg was fine (she snapped by fibula back into place).

This morning, I did my 2nd longest run ever, 12.24 miles. It's been exactly 2 months since the half marathon, so it was a good indicator of my training. Again, I did the 2.04 mile loop near home and ran it 6 times. For the Gatorade tastes so much sweeter when you're tired, and you only allow yourself two sips (one Dixie cup full, like races). The running felt great, and I actually did the whole thing running sub-10 minute miles! That may not seem like the greatest to real runners, but when my goal is to run 9 minute miles for the marathon, that's a tremendous training pace. For the record, I ran 9:52/mile for the entire thing. What I'm more proud of is that the first ten mile, the same as last Saturday's run, was done at a pace of 9:32/mile for 10.20 miles (a total of 1 h 37 m 14 s). Last week, it took me an hour and 45 minutes for that same distance, and I ran 10:16/mile.

The weirdest thing of the entire run was feeling my fibula slip in and out a few times. In the past few weeks, I've realized I've become one of those people consumed by running. I won't say I'm a psycho runner, because 1) I don't enter every race I can, and always try for a PR and 2) I know I could just not run for like...ever if I truly felt like being a fat P.O.S. But, as a runner, I am obsessive. Feeling my leg do twitchy things is one of those examples of my obsession. They say, listen to what your body tells you in Runner's World. Well, even though I'm not hurt, since going to the new chiropractor, I'm much more aware of what my body is doing. Another example of my obsession is that this week I noticed I've been putting my shoes on the same way I did when I played football (right, then left). When I do put my shoes on the wrong foot first, I take them off and start over. I also love my watch, and like to beat the clock.

But the best example of my being consumed by running came when I was doing my 3rd lap today. I was about 1/2 mile into it (so around 4.5 miles in), when this lady comes up behind me. She's running a great pace, but based on her complete lack of sweat, I know she's just starting. Then, she passed me. I got pissed. I lengthened my stride, and really went at it, and kept on her shoulder for the next mile or so. She turned one way at a corner, I went the other, and it was over. But I was so pissed at her. Even now, writing this, I'm getting my blood pressure up.

Something else, completely unrelated, that I've been realizing over the past two weeks is pretty weird. I love running hills. Not great big ones, but slowly inclining, gradual hills are fun for me. My dad used to say he did, too, because when he ran XC, he could catch all the taller runners on the hills, due to his shorter stride. He always lost it on the flats. Maybe I'm nuts, but the hill is the only place I can open my stride (which is much larger than Dad's). I feel as though I eat up those gradual sloping hills...especially when the sun is at my back, and I can chase my shadow. Perhaps it's childish, but it works.

Finally, the music from today... One of the songs that came on while I ran always makes me feel better as I run. I'm sure many recreational runners have this experience. There are several songs that I can name that do this. However, this song is probably unique to me. That's because it's 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton. I'm not kidding. When I run, I love that song. The intro reminds me of feet on the pavement, and the brass is a nice change from the driving guitars of the alt/rock I'm usually running to. So thank you, Dolly...

Side note: this Tuesday, after I ran, I went to NYC to watch the taping of Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon. Great time! Free tickets. I recommend it to any and everyone to go get into a television studio audience of one of their favorite shows. Even if you don't think you'll enjoy the guests (I saw P. Diddy, and it turned out to be great), you'll most likely enjoy the experience. Here's Jimmy, Diddy, and the legendary Roots crew, slow jammin' the news on the President's approval ratings...

How I spent my summer vacation...

To some people I know, I've done nothing my summer vacation. It's been nothing but racking up scores on Facebook games and watching Saved by the Bell reruns on TBS. While these are both true, I've also been doing some work on the 5k planning, and other work related things this summer, as well. Plus, I've been to two weddings. However, the one advantage of being a teacher is the downtime created by having summer off. This has provided me with, as you may have guessed, the perfect opportunity to workout and hope to achieve my goal of running the Hartford Marathon this fall.

This week has been a momentous week. To start, the wife and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. Huge deal. Also, the baby will be a year and a half old tomorrow (18 months, really...78 weeks...really!).

But for many, this week would not have been a great week to train. You see, it rained all day Tuesday, was cloudy and cool on Wednesday, and Thursday it was cool...and wound up raining again. Last night, we had a full on thunder storm that spooked the dog. For many people, the rainy, cloudy days are not days they want to go running.

Personally, I cannot understand this logic. This was the perfect week to run. After my recovery run tomorrow (2-3 miles), I'll have covered more than a marathon this week (!!!!), having already ran 25.38 (remember, my week starts each Monday). So yes, I had a great week of training. I love to run in the rain. Like a Junior Mint, it's very refreshing. So, on Tuesday, I had a great run in the rain. Five and a half miles in the rain, and I booked it. After a run like that, you're going to be soaked, so why shouldn't it be with nice cool rain? Though they probably think I'm crazy, I'll never understand why people don't like to run in the rain.

The rest of the week went very well, too. The cool weather really helped. Yesterday, it got warm and muggy, however the thunderstorm last night helped to cool off this morning (though it's currently in the mid-80s). If only I had gotten a decent night's sleep (oh that dog!), today's run would've been even better.

You see, today I had to do ten miles. This would be my 2nd longest run ever (the half-marathon being the longest). To achieve success, I tried to stay close to home...really close. We have a very comfortable loop around our neighborhood that's 2.04 miles. It's got some good hills to train on, as well. So, to get ready for the marathon, I decided to do 5 laps of the loop. Each time I got back to the house, I stopped by, went in the garage and had a sip of Gatorade (Orange G2, of course). My thoughts were, this is something like the marathon course, as there will be water station every 2 miles or so. I just need to worry about where the port-o-potties are!

Strangely this run was not monotonous. I saw the neighborhood in various stages of the morning. Some people walked. I saw at least 6 different runners and a few bikers. As it got later, lawns started to get mowed and kids came out to play. The scenery was the same each time around, but at the same time it was quite different. That really helped. Plus, the short distance meant I would get a short break every so often.

Combined with the excellent workout weather, I had some excellent musical accompaniment on my training this week. Here are the playlists, along with the workouts...

Tuesday-5.53 miles

Wednesday-4.12 miles

Thursday-5.53 miles

Saturday-10.20 miles

Today, once again, the song that carried me over the hump on today's 10 miles (right around the 5 mile mark, too) was All These Things Things That I've Done by the Killers. It gets me every time I'm mid-run, and never fails. It's definitely got to do with that Nike commercial, Courage. Even though I'm running, I can always picture four things when it gets to the I've got soul portion: Pre shaking his head after a race, Lance Armstrong beating cancer, and busting up the mountain on his bike, Michael Jordan with the NBA championship on father's day, the year his father was murdered, and finally the quick snippet of Jon Lester right after he pitched the no-hitter after he beat lymphoma. These pictures just run through my head, and I find myself running faster. Courage has got to be the single most inspirational commercial to hit the airwaves.

Chuggin' along...

Nothing exciting has happened in my training. So much so, that I've got NOTHING interesting to write. Weeks pass, and I keep running. Some soreness, but the chiropractor and stretching has been really helpful in dealing with those issues. Also, I just got new shoes, which should help improve my overall feeling after running...just an upgrade from my old New Balance 768s to a pair of 769s. Are they different? Aside from the 600+ miles on the old pair, I'm not sure. You tell me...




If you don't care that much about sneakers, well, I don't know what to tell you. I'm fascinated by how the first pair really helped me deal with stability issues when I ran (like my feet caving in on each step [overpronation]). While this can't be completely healed by a pair of shoes, the chiropractor is shocked I've never had an ankle injury. I just knocked on wood.

Meanwhile, since the 4th, I've had some killer runs. Starting with July 4, I had my most difficult run ever. I was in New Hampshire, and ran about 6.4 miles. Over that time, I climbed and fell roughly 400 feet in elevation, while my usual runs around home have no more than a total difference around 50-100 feet. While it was my most difficult run I can remember (and I'm including the half marathon), it was also the most rewarding, and scenic. I ran around the north shore of a lake I know well, past some places I'd been to as a child (a marina, Audobon societies, a nature center), and it really hadn't changed. It was also cool, maybe 63 degrees, and fantastic for running. The hills, though challenging, really didn't phase me, so I knew that I was getting stronger. This work had been paying off. The next day, after coming home, I ran a 5k in the neighborhood. I ran by myself, and was right around 27 minutes, which was great for two reasons...being solo and having ran the mountain the day before then driving home for four hours.

Last week was off schedule, which is a good thing. Something felt bad on my first run of the week, and worse the following day. I didn't feel right. By this Tuesday, I hadn't run much at all. In fact, I waited until after the chiropractor to run then. I still felt bad as I ran, and worried a little.

However, Wednesday, I felt pretty good, and Thursday was fantastic. Today was really good for running, too. I did 8 miles, the most I've done since the half marathon. The best part was, I didn't really have issues until my form broke down around the 7 mile mark. That, to me, was huge. This week, I've already run 21+ miles, and have a recovery jog tomorrow to handle. Things really seem to be shaping up.

I've signed up to run the Brew Run, and can't wait. But I've also been busy organizing another run to help raise money for a new scholarship at work. In fact, registration is now open, and I'd love to see as many people there as possible. This is going to be a need based scholarship, and the more money we raise, the more kids we can help with their college education.

All-in-all the past few weeks have been great for running, even if it seemed to rain a little too much at the end of June and beginning of July.

Apparently, there are just 20 short days until the Brew Run. Every day when I run, I can almost taste the beer at the end. Can't wait for that race, it's pretty nice. I haven't updated my iPod since the last blog post, so most of the songs I ran to today have been running staples for the past three weeks. That being said, you may want to try some of the songs on this iMix, as they've been pretty good.

Miles so far this month: 48.85 (10 total runs) - Calories burned so far this month: 8,160

Miles since June 9 (the start of this new cycle): 101.71 (25 total runs) - Calories burned since June 9: 13,246

You can track my workout progress using the new feed on the right, too. Thanks, and keep checking up on me...

Superbowl, and a different kind of pregaming...

Superbowl Sunday means a few things. First and foremost, it means football. Secondly, commercials. And third, but not necessarily last, it means food. I do not count the half time show. It is a contrived act, used by musicians to promote themselves, the NFL to make more cash, and most importantly it usually has nothing to do with football. I think who sings the national anthem and how it's done are more important, and generally more impressive. Three halftime shows stand out...ever. First was Superbowl XXXV, when the Ravens beat the Giants. The halftime show included Aerosmith, NSync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and was produced by MTV (around the same time MTV stopped being relevant). The show was great, and it ended with all of them collaborating on a version of Walk this Way on par with the Aerosmith/Run DMC version from the 80s.

Then, the following year, U2 did halftime. I'm not really sure how the band from Dublin worked its way into a tribute to America following 9/11. But you know what? It worked. That halftime show took on its own significance in American culture, as the name of every person that lost their life that day was run over the scrim behind them. Very moving.
The last of the three, came two years later. That's the one with Janet Jackson. If you don't know what happened, call the FCC.

Back to the food, though. Food is important. You have to plan for the Superbowl like you would for Thanksgiving. There are sacrifices to be made. Plus, in my case, it doesn't hurt to get a good run in before, as well. Today, that's exactly what I did. With over 6 hours of pregame festivities, interviews, and other media lead up to the kickoff, I decided it was best to hit the gym.

A run was all I needed, and even though it was around 40 degrees out, I decided inside was better. It was a great choice. My runs lately have been great, and even though they're on the treadmill, these runs haven't been deceiving. Using the random button, or simply setting the incline really makes a difference, because it helps translate the workout to the road.

Today, I ran for 40 minutes, with 5 more walking. The first 35 minutes were done at speeds between 6.3 and 8.5 mph (minutes 32-35 were done at 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, and 8.5 mph respectively). I changed speeds when the song changed on the iPod. In the 45 minutes on the treadmill, i had gone 4.7 miles, and burned 869 calories. Right now, I feel great, and there's about 2 hours to kick off. Plus, the music during this run was mostly things I hadn't heard in a while.

Workout playlist:

1. Handlebars-Flobots (Doesn't this remind you of Eminem? Interesting video, too)
2. Of All the Gin Joints in All the World-Fall Out Boy (Probably my favorite Fall Out Boy song. In the words of Altieri "Great Tune!")
3. I'm Not Over-Carolina Liar (The best discovery of 2008)
4. You're the Reason I'm Leaving-Franz Ferdinand (Great song, bad fan video...I'm not into House. I think he's rude. Then again, I used to think that Michael Scott was just painful to watch. Things change, so this might)
5. Send Me on My Way-Rusted Root
6. Welcome to the Black Parade-My Chemical Romance (Great with the key change)
7. Denise-Fountains of Wayne
8. The Fallen-Franz Ferdinand
9. Teenagers-My Chemical Romance (Flippin scary)
10. Beat It-Michael Jackson (Eddie Van Halen's solo is still awesome, and the video is still pretty great, despite the dancing gangs)
11. God Gave Rock & Roll to You-KISS (Really, I prefer the Wyld Stallyns version, check out Keanu's sweet beard...oh and they didn't even bother to cover the fact that it was still the KISS version in the movie)
12. Shake It-Metro Station
13. Eleanor Rigby-David Cook cover