The simple answer is YES. Many of us already know that...we can see the physical changes, feel the emotional changes and those around us know that without our running fix we are not fun to be around. I may not be that fun to be around WHEN I am running consistently can you imagine what it would be like if I wasn't?
So we all can feel the differences in our lives that running has made but NOW there is empirical rock solid proof that running has a positive effect on our lives. Stanford University researchers began to study 538 middle aged runners back in the 80's. It was the height of the first American running craze and many critics were sure that the runners were destined to suffer serious knee injuries and other injuries as a result of running too much. DID IT HAPPEN??? No, in fact the Stanford study showed just the opposite. It showed that runners do not have higher rates of osteoarthritis and total knee replacements. AND the onset of normal aging disabilities appeared 12 to 16 years later in life within the runners studied than among non runners.
THINK ABOUT THAT.....being able to move more freely maybe without using a cane, walker or wheelchair for an extra 10 years or more...
The study also showed that there were half as many deaths in the group of runners than in the non runners studied. The co author of the Study Dr. James Fries, said "the longevity effect was big. It surprised us. But the even bigger difference was morbidity rate - your overall quality of life."
Running and other weight bearing exercise like vigorous walking or using an elliptical machine work to strengthen your bones, tendons and muscles. they also help you reduce your risk of America's biggest killer...Heart Disease.
One of the keys to avoiding injuries while running is the investment in a good pair of properly fit running shoes. Also confirmed was that the best time to stretch is after you run, ideally for 15-20 minutes. The muscles respond better after they are warm.
Dr. Amadeus Mason, an orthopedist at Emory University's Sports Medicine Center says "Studies show running itself is not bad on the joints. the issue is if you get an injury and keep running on it."
So what we intuitively knew all along is true...Running is good for you. What are you waiting for get out there and start running and don't stop.
Happy Trails
Friday, November 21, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
NYC Marathon
I believe its important to write something today about the NYCM and marathons in general. I was lucky enough to be able to travel across the Hudson and watch the NYCM on Sunday. Andrea went with me and was whooping it up for all of the runners but especially those we knew or any TNT runner that passed by. It was a beautiful running day and I was a bit jealous of the runners as it was the best day at NYCM weather wise that I ever remember. A friend, Drew M, owner of Ridgewood Cycle and a Friend of TNT, commented to me that it was the best weather day he ever experienced and he has run NYC 7 straight years now. For the spectators it was equally as beautiful although when not moving it got a bit chilly at times. It is an incredible experience to watch as the number of runners making the turn from Fifth Ave onto Central park South by the Plaza Hotel increases dramatically...at that point they have about .7 of a mile to go and I know from personal experience that the crowds cheering make all the difference in the world...your body is about done but the crowd will not LET you walk...and when you pick out a runner whether by the name on their shirt or by their organization or color of their shirt and encourage them individually and then they pick up their pace or start to run again...you know that you made a little bit of difference.....seeing Andy and my sometime running partner Rob I, run by on their way to a sub 3 hour finish and then Drew, Andy V, Kevin M, Kathy B, Carrie, Varda, Kevin H, Carlos P, Beth O'C, Beth M, Joann B (I did not see her), Jenn M, Megan M...the list goes on and on everyone running their own race against their watch and their mind and body...its inspiring....
Then this morning I mentioned that a second runner had died and Andrea asked whether that people dying was a usual or unusual circumstance...and that made me realize that many people may be asking the same question ....do people die in every marathon? is marathoning safe??? NO, people do NOT die in every marathon, the two deaths this year were the first since 1994 at NYC....so in 14 years approximately 500,000- 550,000 runners had finished NYC without a death....in Chicago last year one young man died in the terrible heat but he had a pre-existing heart condition....did these men die because of the marathon? who knows..only the Doctors can say...were these men in good health? did they train properly? did they take something which contributed to their deaths? we may never know ....BUT marathoning is safe..you have to prepare but its safe...in fact a study by Stanford University was just completed that studied long distance runners over a 21 year period and found that LD running reduced the risk of all major diseases by 40% AND there was a reduction in knee damage in comparison to non long distance runners so running actually improves the health of your knees.....HOWEVER, it is important to check with your doctor at least yearly and especially before starting a long distance training program to determine whether you have any condition which would prevent you from running long distances safely...even the most fit athletes in the world...elite marathoners are not immune...Ryan Reed Shay, one the USA's most promising marathoners died during the US Men's Olympic Marathon Trials in Central Park in November 2007....he had a pre-existing condition which resulted in his death...his brother flew in from Korea and ran with some of Ryan's Notre Dame teammates on Sunday...his family including his widow Alicia, a world class runner in her own right spectated from the spot in Central park where Ryan died last year...as I watched the runners in the ND singlets pass by I smiled and got emotional at the same time and then read how several of the ND runners and Ryan's brother had a rough patch but Ryan pulled them through...know that in each run that you do (race or training) that there are Ryan Shay's out there helping push you through as you raise money to wipe out blood related cancers...so RUN Safely and be proud of your accomplishments.
Run well!!!
Then this morning I mentioned that a second runner had died and Andrea asked whether that people dying was a usual or unusual circumstance...and that made me realize that many people may be asking the same question ....do people die in every marathon? is marathoning safe??? NO, people do NOT die in every marathon, the two deaths this year were the first since 1994 at NYC....so in 14 years approximately 500,000- 550,000 runners had finished NYC without a death....in Chicago last year one young man died in the terrible heat but he had a pre-existing heart condition....did these men die because of the marathon? who knows..only the Doctors can say...were these men in good health? did they train properly? did they take something which contributed to their deaths? we may never know ....BUT marathoning is safe..you have to prepare but its safe...in fact a study by Stanford University was just completed that studied long distance runners over a 21 year period and found that LD running reduced the risk of all major diseases by 40% AND there was a reduction in knee damage in comparison to non long distance runners so running actually improves the health of your knees.....HOWEVER, it is important to check with your doctor at least yearly and especially before starting a long distance training program to determine whether you have any condition which would prevent you from running long distances safely...even the most fit athletes in the world...elite marathoners are not immune...Ryan Reed Shay, one the USA's most promising marathoners died during the US Men's Olympic Marathon Trials in Central Park in November 2007....he had a pre-existing condition which resulted in his death...his brother flew in from Korea and ran with some of Ryan's Notre Dame teammates on Sunday...his family including his widow Alicia, a world class runner in her own right spectated from the spot in Central park where Ryan died last year...as I watched the runners in the ND singlets pass by I smiled and got emotional at the same time and then read how several of the ND runners and Ryan's brother had a rough patch but Ryan pulled them through...know that in each run that you do (race or training) that there are Ryan Shay's out there helping push you through as you raise money to wipe out blood related cancers...so RUN Safely and be proud of your accomplishments.
Run well!!!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Nike After Thoughts
I returned from spectating at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco on late Monday night. I had some catching up to do at work yesterday and i am now finally able to post my thoughts about the weekend. I have spectated at the NYCM previously but this was different...I had actually run with many of the participants during their training so I had a personal rooting interest at this race. I was hoping that everyone from NNJ would set a huge PR. of course all of the first timers were going to PR but I silently hoped that tehy would achieve the time goal that they had in mind.
It was much more difficult to watch a race when you have run with so many of the runners. What made it even more difficult was the fact that I have coached (last year was Melissa's back up so was just in a support role) at this event 3 times and when I saw one of the NNJ runners I felt bad that I was not in a position to do anything except shout words of encouragement to the runners as they passed. I tried and I hope I succeeded in staying out of Melissa and Lynne's way throughout the weekend and not step on THEIR team. The coaches work as a team during training but the Nike Team was Melissa and Lynne's team.
Also I found it difficult to watch as other coaches from other chapters passed me on the sidelines, wishing i was out there making a difference like you all were. I felt sort of helpless and inferior to all of the runners, walkers and coaches and especially to the real spectators who were cheering loudly for EVERYONE who passed...I was the third wheel on a speedy bike and was slowing down the forward progress...for that I apologize to everyone...
It was a fantastic weekend and the entire team did a great job...I believe that almost everyone set a new PR and we all had a great weekend together...looking forward to the next event with each of you ....
It was much more difficult to watch a race when you have run with so many of the runners. What made it even more difficult was the fact that I have coached (last year was Melissa's back up so was just in a support role) at this event 3 times and when I saw one of the NNJ runners I felt bad that I was not in a position to do anything except shout words of encouragement to the runners as they passed. I tried and I hope I succeeded in staying out of Melissa and Lynne's way throughout the weekend and not step on THEIR team. The coaches work as a team during training but the Nike Team was Melissa and Lynne's team.
Also I found it difficult to watch as other coaches from other chapters passed me on the sidelines, wishing i was out there making a difference like you all were. I felt sort of helpless and inferior to all of the runners, walkers and coaches and especially to the real spectators who were cheering loudly for EVERYONE who passed...I was the third wheel on a speedy bike and was slowing down the forward progress...for that I apologize to everyone...
It was a fantastic weekend and the entire team did a great job...I believe that almost everyone set a new PR and we all had a great weekend together...looking forward to the next event with each of you ....
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Terrible Thursday- Remembering a Friend
I am posting this a little early because I have a meeting in the morning....I have been thinking of Thursday now for several days...hard to believe its been 7 years since the WTC attacks...I will remember that day detail by detail vividly for the rest of my life...I was driving to the dentist's office on Rte 208 and heard a report on the radio that a small plane had crashed into the WTC, when I arrirved at the dentist they were in an office meeting I asked them to put the TV on and well you know the rest....
I wrote the following two years ago when I was coaching the Nike Team, you will see some familiar names including Coach Melissa's ( she was running her first TNT event)...rather than trying to express my thoughts and emotions I think this sums up how I still feel today...its almost a bit weird that two years ago we had run in Mahwah as we did this past Saturday...I don't have the attendance sheet from this past week but that doesn't matter you can all add your names to the list of HEROES...amazing that my contacts don't work they are a new pair ...but everything is very blurry as I try to type...thanks for doing what you do
Hi team,
It's exactly 8:45 AM and in one minute I am sure I will at least be teary eyed if not shedding a tear.
I am having a truly bittersweet day (its now 8:47 am) I could not be prouder and more honored to know a group like you. Many of you started as beginners and now are runners...watching you achieve new heights every week and listening to you as we run has been a pleasure...You all can be described in two words...HERO and RUNNER.
Eighteen of you ran up and down some tough hills yesterday in Mahwah for between 15 and 18 miles...you are incredibly strong be people and are doing this so others may nopt have to suffer in the future...Thank You!!! Thank you for making a diffrence in my life and even more so in the lives of many who will never see you faces.
And then as I drove into the office this morning and listened to Ray Charles sing " America the Beautiful" with tears running down my face, as they are right now...remembering the 2949 people who died, several who I knew casually and one who was a good friend...for those of you who have bar hopped in Hoboken may have met him too...formally Robert Wayne Hobson III (Wayne) who opened "Hobson's Choice" It's now 9:03 and the second plane just hit the South Tower.
Sunday's Heros:
MCM:
Jenn McKenny
Patrick O'Callaghan
Andrea Matz
Gerry Ferraro
Amanda Sabatos
Jenn Rygiel Boyd
Jack Myers
PF Changs Alumni:
JoAnn Beneat
Pam Conlon
Tamara Lynch - TNT Illinois Chapter
Nike:
Jose Amaya
Clare Talarico
Barbara Gilmartin
Melissa Muilenburg
Marsha Anderson
Marie San Pietro
Shannon Ferguson
Varda Carbley
Sorry if this was a bit of a downer but it helped me just to express what I am feeling right now.
You are the definition of Heros..."Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things"
If nothing else, hug your kids today just a little tighter, be a little more tolerant of dopey things that others do...continue to do so much good for other people....you are very special people and thinking of you makes the bad things in life seem insignificant and tolerable.
Thanks for listening,
Bill
I wrote the following two years ago when I was coaching the Nike Team, you will see some familiar names including Coach Melissa's ( she was running her first TNT event)...rather than trying to express my thoughts and emotions I think this sums up how I still feel today...its almost a bit weird that two years ago we had run in Mahwah as we did this past Saturday...I don't have the attendance sheet from this past week but that doesn't matter you can all add your names to the list of HEROES...amazing that my contacts don't work they are a new pair ...but everything is very blurry as I try to type...thanks for doing what you do
Hi team,
It's exactly 8:45 AM and in one minute I am sure I will at least be teary eyed if not shedding a tear.
I am having a truly bittersweet day (its now 8:47 am) I could not be prouder and more honored to know a group like you. Many of you started as beginners and now are runners...watching you achieve new heights every week and listening to you as we run has been a pleasure...You all can be described in two words...HERO and RUNNER.
Eighteen of you ran up and down some tough hills yesterday in Mahwah for between 15 and 18 miles...you are incredibly strong be people and are doing this so others may nopt have to suffer in the future...Thank You!!! Thank you for making a diffrence in my life and even more so in the lives of many who will never see you faces.
And then as I drove into the office this morning and listened to Ray Charles sing " America the Beautiful" with tears running down my face, as they are right now...remembering the 2949 people who died, several who I knew casually and one who was a good friend...for those of you who have bar hopped in Hoboken may have met him too...formally Robert Wayne Hobson III (Wayne) who opened "Hobson's Choice" It's now 9:03 and the second plane just hit the South Tower.
Sunday's Heros:
MCM:
Jenn McKenny
Patrick O'Callaghan
Andrea Matz
Gerry Ferraro
Amanda Sabatos
Jenn Rygiel Boyd
Jack Myers
PF Changs Alumni:
JoAnn Beneat
Pam Conlon
Tamara Lynch - TNT Illinois Chapter
Nike:
Jose Amaya
Clare Talarico
Barbara Gilmartin
Melissa Muilenburg
Marsha Anderson
Marie San Pietro
Shannon Ferguson
Varda Carbley
Sorry if this was a bit of a downer but it helped me just to express what I am feeling right now.
You are the definition of Heros..."Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things"
If nothing else, hug your kids today just a little tighter, be a little more tolerant of dopey things that others do...continue to do so much good for other people....you are very special people and thinking of you makes the bad things in life seem insignificant and tolerable.
Thanks for listening,
Bill
Running with a Purpose
I wish I could take credit for the title but it is actually the title of an article I read last night that touched me and prompted me to write here today although I have something else in the works for tomorrow...It was article in Runners World by Richard Murphy ( read it if you get the chance Oct 2008 Issue). The article hit me for several reasons. Its the story of a son who while waiting for his father as he had a malignant tumor, one the doctors compared to the size of a football or a small watermelon, removed at Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer Center in NY. notices a brochure for Fred's Team. For those that do not know Fred's Team is named for Fred Lebow, the father of the NYCM, he and a few others had a vision of a marathon in NY which started as a run completely in Central park and grew under his leadership to what it is today...traveling all 5 boroughs with 40,000 of your closest running friends....if you ever run another (or only doing one) run NYCM...its a tough course to run fast, its a tough course period but there is nothing else in the world like it...it is an experience that no one should miss...I digress....
So Mr. Murphy decides if his father beats the odds and survives , he will beat the odds and run a marathon....training is going ok until his 18 miler which he is going to run while visiting his dad, he has to limp home 13 miles in with aching knees. Mr Murphy recounts the look on his father's face when he saw him hobbling in the driveway which he describes as "his silent fear about his own health unmasked by the realization that maybe everything wasn't going to turn out ok after all." The Doctor tell Mr. Murphy that he has patellar tendinitis and he is done running for now. His father pled his case and explained why he was running the marathon..the doctor said there were other ways to raise money for cancer.
Mr. Murphy finds out a week later that his father's cancer has returned. This inspires him. "If my father could take on chemotherapy, I could take on the marathon.
Mr. Murphy finished the Dublin Marathon, although he never learned about Body Glide and suffered some chafing distress...he called his father and told him he had finished...his after lost his battle six months later....so you see some of what touched me in the story but here is the clincher....
Mr. Murphy taught me a lesson...when he wrote..." I would not feel cheated. I learned something on the streets of Dublin. In a marathon, success is all about shaving seconds off the time it takes to complete your journey. In life, its all about stretching time and appreciating the distance between each breath, something I did not appreciate until I struggled to breathe. To only have six months with someone you love may seem unfair.BUT IF YOU CAN VIEW THAT DISTANCE IN HOURS, SECONDS EVEN, IT SEEMS LIKE A GIFT."
I like many other seem focused on running from one task to another worried about getting everything done as quick as possible....I can say that I will slow down every day but I will try and remember Mr. Murphy's words more and more often and try and stretch that distance as far as I can as often as I can...and remember what the Penguin says "take your time during the race and get your moneys worth" At least in your first one and then worry about your time in the next one...no one can ever take away the title of MARATHONER OR HALF MARATHONER regardless of how long it took you or how many years ago you ran it....and if you are ever disappointed by your time remember what Richard Murphy wrote and then get in your car and go drive 13.1 or 26.2 miles away from your house and see what you accomplished.
So Mr. Murphy decides if his father beats the odds and survives , he will beat the odds and run a marathon....training is going ok until his 18 miler which he is going to run while visiting his dad, he has to limp home 13 miles in with aching knees. Mr Murphy recounts the look on his father's face when he saw him hobbling in the driveway which he describes as "his silent fear about his own health unmasked by the realization that maybe everything wasn't going to turn out ok after all." The Doctor tell Mr. Murphy that he has patellar tendinitis and he is done running for now. His father pled his case and explained why he was running the marathon..the doctor said there were other ways to raise money for cancer.
Mr. Murphy finds out a week later that his father's cancer has returned. This inspires him. "If my father could take on chemotherapy, I could take on the marathon.
Mr. Murphy finished the Dublin Marathon, although he never learned about Body Glide and suffered some chafing distress...he called his father and told him he had finished...his after lost his battle six months later....so you see some of what touched me in the story but here is the clincher....
Mr. Murphy taught me a lesson...when he wrote..." I would not feel cheated. I learned something on the streets of Dublin. In a marathon, success is all about shaving seconds off the time it takes to complete your journey. In life, its all about stretching time and appreciating the distance between each breath, something I did not appreciate until I struggled to breathe. To only have six months with someone you love may seem unfair.BUT IF YOU CAN VIEW THAT DISTANCE IN HOURS, SECONDS EVEN, IT SEEMS LIKE A GIFT."
I like many other seem focused on running from one task to another worried about getting everything done as quick as possible....I can say that I will slow down every day but I will try and remember Mr. Murphy's words more and more often and try and stretch that distance as far as I can as often as I can...and remember what the Penguin says "take your time during the race and get your moneys worth" At least in your first one and then worry about your time in the next one...no one can ever take away the title of MARATHONER OR HALF MARATHONER regardless of how long it took you or how many years ago you ran it....and if you are ever disappointed by your time remember what Richard Murphy wrote and then get in your car and go drive 13.1 or 26.2 miles away from your house and see what you accomplished.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Does anyone read this blog??
Even if no one reads this blog I enjoy occassionally writing random thoughts here...it can be therapeautic....if you read the blog please leave a comment good bad or indifferent just so I know whether i am writing to myself or not...I will try and post more frequently
Monday, July 21, 2008
Non Running Related - Life is Fragile
Its been a long time since I posted anything here.
Very busy at work and trying to get things done around the house etc always thinking I never have enough time to get all I NEED to get done...do I really NEED to get some of these things done??? Yes and No...
Then a dose of reality hits and then hits again....I am sitting here knowing where I am going with this and as a result I somewhat down ...but I really have it pretty good overall..especially compared to what others are going through everyday and for some an especially difficult time. Some of you may have heard the news or read the paper today and saw that an Ar gentian man ...32 years old died while doing the swim leg of the NYC Triathlon on Sunday...some swimmers said it may have been due to jellyfish stings...leading to cardiac arrest.. an apparently healthy man dying while exercising....I am not writing this to scare anyone or discourage you from doing a tri...they are alot of fun and I really encourage everyone to try them out.....just pointing out the fragility of life......
Then my main focus here...it is coming up on the one year anniversary of the death of Christopher Barron....some of you know that name immediately ...some may recognize it but can't place it immediately... others have never heard that name...Christopher was a 9 year old boy from Glen Rock, NJ who battled ALL from the age of 3 and eventually lost his battle to AML last July 23rd...he was an eldest son to Richard and Suzanne Barron...an older brother to Ryan...a grandson to Anthony and Colleen and to his paternal grandparents...a great friend to countless kids...a cousin to at least 7 people including his best buddy Jake....a nephew to many aunts and uncles including our coach Melissa Muilenburg...a Mets fan through thick and thin and an inspiration and hero to alot of people...including me...I unfortunately never met Christopher before he was taken from us way too soon...but I feel like I knew him just a little...I heard the many stories both good and bad....heartbreaking and some of hope from Melissa, on the run and while sitting down just talking about Christopher...I worked for his grandfather while in law school so I had a connection there.....
Christopher was a hero to the end...he was a young boy who had a very special spirituality and inner peace...he apparently never complained or asked "why me?"...he was concerned with how his family members were doing as they watched him battle everyday...he was concerned that they were going to be ok....I have heard the stories of how he had a very special bond with his Mom......I remember last year when Melissa was setting up a Bone marrow Drive to help find a match for Christopher and she was hoping for a few hundred people to show up and get tested....as I pulled into the parking lot at the Glen Rock Ambulance Corps I saw the line of people out the door and down the steps...and the banner that Christopher's classmates made with their hand prints all over it asking people ..."To Help Their Friend Christopher"....seeing TNT alumni including Christopher's teacher who I had coached at RNR Virgina Beach..its a very small world....friends of Christopher's parents...people from Glen Rock...strangers who just saw the request of the signs and showed up to help a fellow human being...I may be off in my number but my recollection is that over 1200 people signed up to be tested at that drive and a couple of others as a direct result of Christopher and his Aunt Melissa...Christopher was working his magic already!
At the Chicago marathon last October it was unusually hot...93 degrees give or take a degree during the race...hundreds of people passing out ...sub 3 hour runners...4..5 hour runners it did not matter...Christopher's Aunt Melissa was there and called on his magic to get her through and he got her through...her strength had a lot to do with it too!!! I flew down to Houston last January because of Chicago's heat my attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon did not go as planned....no one but Melissa knew i was down there and she only knew just in case I needed some help back in NJ for something....as i was running and passed the halfway mark....I was on pace feeling good....I took a hammergel and it immediately came back up...this had never happened before...I was in a panic..was my race over??? I had Christopher's picture on the back of my race bib...and I had a St Christopher's medal that his Aunt Melissa had given me pinned to my shirt...I rubbed them both and asked Christopher for his help...I calmed down and realized that I was on pace...I was going to be ok and with an angel on my shoulder I was able to get back to race pace and crossed that finish line and was headed to Boston....yes I had put in the miles and the hard work but running is at least 50 % mental and Christopher was with me every step of the way...not to get preachy or religious (and I am far from that) but I talk to him at least once during every race ...thanks Christopher!
And this past weekend...we were running in Mountain Lakes..Aunt Melissa's hometown...she did a wonderful heartfelt Mission Moment and as she was speaking (and I thought I was the only one that noticed) a tiny rabbit (bigger than a baby but not yet an adult) hopped into the group and stopped..he/she hopped away when Melissa was done...I saw that as a sign and then later Jill Hague asked me if I had seen the rabbit...I am reading into things???? Maybe.....I am a big Tigger fan (because he's the only one!!!) and for those of you that know Winnie the Pooh...remember his friend's name...Yes that's right...CHRISTOPHER RABBIT...coincidence??? I think not....
And when you are faced with a tough moment in your life or during a run ask for Christopher's help and I am sure he will be there on your shoulder to guide you along
I know how I have been affected by this special young man and I know for a fact that others have been also....I know I could not hope to convey how special he is to me and I can tell you this was both one of the easiest things I have ever written and at the same time the most difficult....I hope those that read this can gain some insight into this special boy and take something positive and also please keep the Barron, Andora, Muilenburg etc families in your thought and prayers especially this week...it is a very tough time for them and I can not imagine how they have coped so well in the face of such a terrible loss...I know they all miss him terribly ..... Thank you for reading .............
Very busy at work and trying to get things done around the house etc always thinking I never have enough time to get all I NEED to get done...do I really NEED to get some of these things done??? Yes and No...
Then a dose of reality hits and then hits again....I am sitting here knowing where I am going with this and as a result I somewhat down ...but I really have it pretty good overall..especially compared to what others are going through everyday and for some an especially difficult time. Some of you may have heard the news or read the paper today and saw that an Ar gentian man ...32 years old died while doing the swim leg of the NYC Triathlon on Sunday...some swimmers said it may have been due to jellyfish stings...leading to cardiac arrest.. an apparently healthy man dying while exercising....I am not writing this to scare anyone or discourage you from doing a tri...they are alot of fun and I really encourage everyone to try them out.....just pointing out the fragility of life......
Then my main focus here...it is coming up on the one year anniversary of the death of Christopher Barron....some of you know that name immediately ...some may recognize it but can't place it immediately... others have never heard that name...Christopher was a 9 year old boy from Glen Rock, NJ who battled ALL from the age of 3 and eventually lost his battle to AML last July 23rd...he was an eldest son to Richard and Suzanne Barron...an older brother to Ryan...a grandson to Anthony and Colleen and to his paternal grandparents...a great friend to countless kids...a cousin to at least 7 people including his best buddy Jake....a nephew to many aunts and uncles including our coach Melissa Muilenburg...a Mets fan through thick and thin and an inspiration and hero to alot of people...including me...I unfortunately never met Christopher before he was taken from us way too soon...but I feel like I knew him just a little...I heard the many stories both good and bad....heartbreaking and some of hope from Melissa, on the run and while sitting down just talking about Christopher...I worked for his grandfather while in law school so I had a connection there.....
Christopher was a hero to the end...he was a young boy who had a very special spirituality and inner peace...he apparently never complained or asked "why me?"...he was concerned with how his family members were doing as they watched him battle everyday...he was concerned that they were going to be ok....I have heard the stories of how he had a very special bond with his Mom......I remember last year when Melissa was setting up a Bone marrow Drive to help find a match for Christopher and she was hoping for a few hundred people to show up and get tested....as I pulled into the parking lot at the Glen Rock Ambulance Corps I saw the line of people out the door and down the steps...and the banner that Christopher's classmates made with their hand prints all over it asking people ..."To Help Their Friend Christopher"....seeing TNT alumni including Christopher's teacher who I had coached at RNR Virgina Beach..its a very small world....friends of Christopher's parents...people from Glen Rock...strangers who just saw the request of the signs and showed up to help a fellow human being...I may be off in my number but my recollection is that over 1200 people signed up to be tested at that drive and a couple of others as a direct result of Christopher and his Aunt Melissa...Christopher was working his magic already!
At the Chicago marathon last October it was unusually hot...93 degrees give or take a degree during the race...hundreds of people passing out ...sub 3 hour runners...4..5 hour runners it did not matter...Christopher's Aunt Melissa was there and called on his magic to get her through and he got her through...her strength had a lot to do with it too!!! I flew down to Houston last January because of Chicago's heat my attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon did not go as planned....no one but Melissa knew i was down there and she only knew just in case I needed some help back in NJ for something....as i was running and passed the halfway mark....I was on pace feeling good....I took a hammergel and it immediately came back up...this had never happened before...I was in a panic..was my race over??? I had Christopher's picture on the back of my race bib...and I had a St Christopher's medal that his Aunt Melissa had given me pinned to my shirt...I rubbed them both and asked Christopher for his help...I calmed down and realized that I was on pace...I was going to be ok and with an angel on my shoulder I was able to get back to race pace and crossed that finish line and was headed to Boston....yes I had put in the miles and the hard work but running is at least 50 % mental and Christopher was with me every step of the way...not to get preachy or religious (and I am far from that) but I talk to him at least once during every race ...thanks Christopher!
And this past weekend...we were running in Mountain Lakes..Aunt Melissa's hometown...she did a wonderful heartfelt Mission Moment and as she was speaking (and I thought I was the only one that noticed) a tiny rabbit (bigger than a baby but not yet an adult) hopped into the group and stopped..he/she hopped away when Melissa was done...I saw that as a sign and then later Jill Hague asked me if I had seen the rabbit...I am reading into things???? Maybe.....I am a big Tigger fan (because he's the only one!!!) and for those of you that know Winnie the Pooh...remember his friend's name...Yes that's right...CHRISTOPHER RABBIT...coincidence??? I think not....
And when you are faced with a tough moment in your life or during a run ask for Christopher's help and I am sure he will be there on your shoulder to guide you along
I know how I have been affected by this special young man and I know for a fact that others have been also....I know I could not hope to convey how special he is to me and I can tell you this was both one of the easiest things I have ever written and at the same time the most difficult....I hope those that read this can gain some insight into this special boy and take something positive and also please keep the Barron, Andora, Muilenburg etc families in your thought and prayers especially this week...it is a very tough time for them and I can not imagine how they have coped so well in the face of such a terrible loss...I know they all miss him terribly ..... Thank you for reading .............
Thursday, June 19, 2008
More Lessons Learned
Well, they say that you are never too old to learn and i am living proof of that since I am older than dirt and still learning something almost every day.
Last night I thought I was running in Montclair with a few other people I was wrong....MISTAKE #1...I was informed that one friend was doing the corporate Challenge tonight in NYC and had to pack for a weekend away in California so she could not run and the others apparently just bailed.
So what should I do...run alone in Montclair?...run alone somewhere else? try and find someone to join me at the 11th hour?? I decided I would run alone but in Ridgewood at the Duck Pond so when I finished I would be closer to home and in the words of a great philosopher...would create less stink in the car which can at times smell ? dirt dirty? So I changed in my office and away I went to Ridgewood...
Jumped out of the car with absolutely no motivation to run 9 miles by myself although that is usually something I enjoy tremendously....two gels in my pocket...hit the car alarm, stuff the car key in my shorts pocket and I am off...for those that know the Duck Pond...I went under the first bridge and headed towards the .2 mile marker when it hit me...go to the bathroom Bill and just get it over with...so I went into the office building to the side of the running path...real bathrooms...soap...toilet paper ...the works...and off again....the sky was dark and it looked like rain but that's OK I love to run in the rain...it made some of the path eerily dark almost like it was night and I was not seeing anyone else out there which is very unusual for the Duck Pond... jumping some puddles on the path from the previous nights storm...trying to get into a rhythm...passing the 1.5 mark and thinking 1/6 of the way done...finally see a couple bikers who must be fantasizing that they are leading a stage of the Tour de France and they are barreling down the path pedaling as quick as they can without regard for the fact that I am on the same path...no harm no foul and they are gone....turn right after the bridge and head towards Glen Rock...still seeing very few people...a guy on a bike passes me and says "almost done!!!" I am thinking yeah right I'm already 2 miles into my run WOW!!! only 7 or so to go...or was he talking about himself..still not sure...around the pond and back towards the bridge...pass the bridge heading into Dunkerhook park and I feel the urge to hit the bathroom again (big surprise huh?)...so head to the bathrooms and in and out quickly...pull a gel from my pocket and back onto the running path and up and over the bridge...3.8 miles down...start my calculating and realize that I have to go to the 3.8 mile marker so i can avoid going back around the Glen rock pond again so I can get my full 9 miles.....down the only hill and starting to feel a few raindrops...out into the open and see two guys kicking a soccer ball...boy i was more accurate than them when I used to play and I was not great by any stretch of the imagination but at who knows how well or if I could even kick a soccer ball anymore...it is now pouring and thunder and lightening ... pass the Keyhole (as David Leech used to refere to the loop just before the wobbly bridge)..over the wobbly bridge and I am totally soaked...3.6 mile marker almost there...finally...3.8 mile marker and now just 3.8 to go back to the car...it sis really thundering and i am counting in between the bolts of lightening and the claps of thunder...one! two! BOOM....one! BOOM!!...only 3.7 to go and now I am hoping that I am not struck by the almost continuous lightening...it is really poring and I am thankful for the trees to break it up a bit....did I say i love to run in the rain??? yes...I still do but concerned about the lightening..shut up Bill and keep running....Was it supposed to thundershower? I remember hearing something in the morning about that...MISTAKE #2...run in the rain NOT in Thunder and Lightening...I should know better...oh well...what are my are my choices stand still or keep running...Easy decision....still concerned but now 2.7 to go...2.3 and no one around not even the park guys who I thought would be driving the paths to close the bathrooms...they are obviously brighter than me and have gone home...Dunkerhook and turning for the bridge...up and over and decide at the 1.5 mile mark i am going to pick up the pace ...this was not supposed to be a hard timed run but since I ma picking up the pace might as well see how I am running..hit the watch and I speed up...the mile markers are not passing quickly that is of sure...can I run faster...yeah probably but do not want to just trying to run steady...1.2 and almost to the second to last bridge...huge puddles now and really running through some puddle almost continuously now...under the bridge and 1.0 to go ...see the blue house and remember that a guy was redoing the roof yesterday..boy just in time or they would be seeing the rain inside....3 tenths to go and under the bridge...AHHH finished and no lightening strikes...reach for my car key to unlock the doors and WTH!!! Where is my key???? must have just gotten stuck in my shorts pocket...search both pockets...NOTHING!!! Dang ( for the innocents that may read this)...no one around my cell inside the car and 3.6 miles from home (I ran home on Sunday from our run so yes I know how far it is now) MISTAKE #3 pulling a gel out of my pocket and probably the car key with it..OH one car...run over to the other side of the lot and I scare the daylights out of a young woman..i think she was changing and I startled her...she then pokes her head out and asks how she can help..she lends me her cell and I have a spare key on the way ..she leaves and I am all alone in the pouring rain standing in the parking lot with absolutely nothing to do but wait for Andrea to bring my spare key...she arrives ...I am in the care and decide to go look for the key...no luck...head home and into dry clothes...so boys and girls...in a matter of an hour and 15-20 minutes I made at least three mistakes on what should have been an enjoyable run....I survived and feel good today...longest run since Eagleman...I love running in the rain....
Last night I thought I was running in Montclair with a few other people I was wrong....MISTAKE #1...I was informed that one friend was doing the corporate Challenge tonight in NYC and had to pack for a weekend away in California so she could not run and the others apparently just bailed.
So what should I do...run alone in Montclair?...run alone somewhere else? try and find someone to join me at the 11th hour?? I decided I would run alone but in Ridgewood at the Duck Pond so when I finished I would be closer to home and in the words of a great philosopher...would create less stink in the car which can at times smell ? dirt dirty? So I changed in my office and away I went to Ridgewood...
Jumped out of the car with absolutely no motivation to run 9 miles by myself although that is usually something I enjoy tremendously....two gels in my pocket...hit the car alarm, stuff the car key in my shorts pocket and I am off...for those that know the Duck Pond...I went under the first bridge and headed towards the .2 mile marker when it hit me...go to the bathroom Bill and just get it over with...so I went into the office building to the side of the running path...real bathrooms...soap...toilet paper ...the works...and off again....the sky was dark and it looked like rain but that's OK I love to run in the rain...it made some of the path eerily dark almost like it was night and I was not seeing anyone else out there which is very unusual for the Duck Pond... jumping some puddles on the path from the previous nights storm...trying to get into a rhythm...passing the 1.5 mark and thinking 1/6 of the way done...finally see a couple bikers who must be fantasizing that they are leading a stage of the Tour de France and they are barreling down the path pedaling as quick as they can without regard for the fact that I am on the same path...no harm no foul and they are gone....turn right after the bridge and head towards Glen Rock...still seeing very few people...a guy on a bike passes me and says "almost done!!!" I am thinking yeah right I'm already 2 miles into my run WOW!!! only 7 or so to go...or was he talking about himself..still not sure...around the pond and back towards the bridge...pass the bridge heading into Dunkerhook park and I feel the urge to hit the bathroom again (big surprise huh?)...so head to the bathrooms and in and out quickly...pull a gel from my pocket and back onto the running path and up and over the bridge...3.8 miles down...start my calculating and realize that I have to go to the 3.8 mile marker so i can avoid going back around the Glen rock pond again so I can get my full 9 miles.....down the only hill and starting to feel a few raindrops...out into the open and see two guys kicking a soccer ball...boy i was more accurate than them when I used to play and I was not great by any stretch of the imagination but at who knows how well or if I could even kick a soccer ball anymore...it is now pouring and thunder and lightening ... pass the Keyhole (as David Leech used to refere to the loop just before the wobbly bridge)..over the wobbly bridge and I am totally soaked...3.6 mile marker almost there...finally...3.8 mile marker and now just 3.8 to go back to the car...it sis really thundering and i am counting in between the bolts of lightening and the claps of thunder...one! two! BOOM....one! BOOM!!...only 3.7 to go and now I am hoping that I am not struck by the almost continuous lightening...it is really poring and I am thankful for the trees to break it up a bit....did I say i love to run in the rain??? yes...I still do but concerned about the lightening..shut up Bill and keep running....Was it supposed to thundershower? I remember hearing something in the morning about that...MISTAKE #2...run in the rain NOT in Thunder and Lightening...I should know better...oh well...what are my are my choices stand still or keep running...Easy decision....still concerned but now 2.7 to go...2.3 and no one around not even the park guys who I thought would be driving the paths to close the bathrooms...they are obviously brighter than me and have gone home...Dunkerhook and turning for the bridge...up and over and decide at the 1.5 mile mark i am going to pick up the pace ...this was not supposed to be a hard timed run but since I ma picking up the pace might as well see how I am running..hit the watch and I speed up...the mile markers are not passing quickly that is of sure...can I run faster...yeah probably but do not want to just trying to run steady...1.2 and almost to the second to last bridge...huge puddles now and really running through some puddle almost continuously now...under the bridge and 1.0 to go ...see the blue house and remember that a guy was redoing the roof yesterday..boy just in time or they would be seeing the rain inside....3 tenths to go and under the bridge...AHHH finished and no lightening strikes...reach for my car key to unlock the doors and WTH!!! Where is my key???? must have just gotten stuck in my shorts pocket...search both pockets...NOTHING!!! Dang ( for the innocents that may read this)...no one around my cell inside the car and 3.6 miles from home (I ran home on Sunday from our run so yes I know how far it is now) MISTAKE #3 pulling a gel out of my pocket and probably the car key with it..OH one car...run over to the other side of the lot and I scare the daylights out of a young woman..i think she was changing and I startled her...she then pokes her head out and asks how she can help..she lends me her cell and I have a spare key on the way ..she leaves and I am all alone in the pouring rain standing in the parking lot with absolutely nothing to do but wait for Andrea to bring my spare key...she arrives ...I am in the care and decide to go look for the key...no luck...head home and into dry clothes...so boys and girls...in a matter of an hour and 15-20 minutes I made at least three mistakes on what should have been an enjoyable run....I survived and feel good today...longest run since Eagleman...I love running in the rain....
Monday, June 16, 2008
Second Triathlon of my career
Not much to report...weather was hot and humid BUT there was shade and the race was only a sprint tri so I knew I would be on the course less than 2 hours (or I hoped). A bit nervous Friday afternoon, kept thinking I was forgetting something...never remembered what it was so it could not have been that important....went to a friend's son's 1st Bday party Friday evening..it was fun and it took some of the tension away...no alcohol but plenty of water and gatorade....left the party about 9:45....home at about 11PM...ran around for at least a 1/2 hour checking my stuff for the morning and making up my water bottles...off to bed...finally feel asleep at about 12:30 or so...alarm off at 4:25 AM...begin my prep..out the door at 5:15 and arrive at the race site at about 5:30...I love local races!!!...unpack the bike...pump up the tires and off to transition...rack my bike...lay my towel down and set up the cycle and run shoes. etc...see some friends and BS a bit...its time to put the wetsuit on and get down to the water ...waiting for the start...elite wave is off...I am wave three ( last week I was wave 6 so I like this better)...a bit nervous due to lack of swim training but hey its seven tenths less than last week..we're off.... try to get into a rhythm quickly...doing ok but its so crowded can't get a good flow...hit the first buoy and a couple guys cut to the left of the buoy...not much distance but they saved time because it was so bottle necked...same at the next buoy and I am headed for shore...feeling the lack of swim training but feel much better than last week...actually not last in my wave and passing a few of the prior wave swimmers....out of the water and off to the bikes....long run to transition and trying shake off the swim...SWIM SPLIT 18:06 for 1/2 mile (278th out of 754)...very slow out of transition 3:25 but now on the bike and trying to get rolling....1 mile and turn right ...starting to work the gears and feeling ok....first big downhill and hitting over 30 mph ...then have to jam on the brakes for a 90 degree right turn that in the past has been the scene of many pileups (according to friends some of whom have done this race 20+ times)...now heading uphill but doing ok....hit the flats and going past transition area.....moving well and have a sharp left coming up...one guy just in front and one to my left...guy in front turns and I hear BAMMMM!!!!!..his back tire blows out..he goes straight into a guardrail and falls back into some grass but his arm falls into the road and I just miss running it over....working up hill again knowing that the downhill is at the top...flying again ...passing more people than are passing me..one guy on a Cervelo P2C keeps flying my me and then without any increased effort I blow by him again and again (he was annoying me..I know that's a petty annoyance )....make a left and now heading up the final long stretch...flat and then two steeps climbs...out of the saddle and the first hill is done...the second is right after it and is longer and steeper..tougher time..legs burning...hit the top and heading downhill...want to fly but remember some advice.....ease up in that last two miles to rest the legs for the run...final left coming BUT the cars are still driving thru the intersection!!! Just several of us hit the turn traffic is stopped....1 mile to go!! (did not worry about that turn but it turns out that a friend and the guy who would have won my AG...was about to make that turn earlier but a cop pulled out in front of him and he ended up in an ambulance...bruised shoulder but otherwise ok...turn into transition and run(???) my bike back to my area..BIKE SPLIT 46:00...19.6 MPH....#168/754....could not get my laces tight but I am off ...feeling ok...one runner comes flying by me maybe 1/2 mile into the run ...probably on 6 min pace....one woman passes me but no one else until a 1/2 mile to go...passing people although not pushing with the big hills coming up..no mile markers made it tough to pace myself .....up the longest steepest hill and feeling ok.....up a cul de sac...two of these kind of kill your momentum but its the same for everyone...make the turn for home and realize its shorter than I thought so kick it in and pass one guy just miss the other...would have kicked earlier knowing I was so close...apparently alot of people were surprised by the shortness of the last stretch...DONE.....finish time 1:45 ...finished 157 out of 754 ...ok but know I can do better...RUN SPLIT 36:09...7:14 pace...only split that really disappointed me...maybe the heat and the distance of the previous week took more out of me than I thought...not sure..enjoyed the race and looking forward to more tris in the future...definitely need swim and transition practice...very slow in transition....it was great to see so many TNT triathletes out on the course...87 participants I beleieve.....and thanks to Andrea for getting up early and cheering her lungs out for me and everyone else before running off to a supermarket fundraiser in the hot sun and to the TNT Staff out there...Jessica, Sandra, Melissa B and Gail and CONGRATS TO LYNN B FOR A GREAT FINISH IN HER FIRST TRIATHLON....so thats a wrap!!!!!
Monday, June 9, 2008
First Triathlon...Lessons Learned
Well here it is......
First: I FINISHED!!!
Second: NO Results for me...apparently my chip malfunctioned so I have no finishing time or splits
Third: IT WAS HOT!!!!!!!! Over 100 degrees and no shade whatsoever or any breeze
Very nervous Saturday ...went over to the Choptank River to do a short swim with a friend ...water was perfect although we could not practice sighting at all since the fog was so thick you couldn't see more than 100 yards...nice swim maybe .4-.6 of a mile...then went back to the house (my friend has done Eagleman 10 years and rents a guest room next to a garage...set of bunks (got the top as the rookie) and a full for 4 guys...$80 total for the weekend..thats split 4 ways..how great is that?? especially since it is one block from the transition area.....then went out a rode the run course....went to Expo and then hung out and went to meet a bunch of other friends for a pasta dinner...could not sleep and laid in bed listening to the thunder and seeing the lightening....that ended by morning...up at 5AM and head to transition area to set up...sweating just walking one block....my wave went off at 7:32....sweating even worse in my wetsuit...we're off...my lack of swim training was evident (this should not happen since I was a competitive swimmer most of my life)...got through it, lost my cookies slightly about 1/2 way and actually beat a few of my wave out of the water and thank god that the river did not live up to its name it was almost mirror like although the first leg was into a current, the second a lsight or so they said tailcurrent and the final leg to land had a cross current that was pushing swimmers to the side...wobbled to my bike and took my time...so hot, all bets are off for a time goal...made sure I put a refresher layer of sunscreen on (of course missed a few spots) and I head out get on the bike and here we go...legs feel ok not great ...but starting rolling as best as I could...VERY NAUSEOUS ......well, mile 25 passes and I am riding alone...all of a sudden a brown blast flies from my mouth to the right (thank god I was alone and it was to the right...pull over and proceed to puke two more times......start riding again and feel better...WORD OF ADVICE...DO NOT drink Ensure between swim and bike in 100 degree temps UNLESS IT IS STORED ON ICE...very stupid on my part, was obviously was not thinking straight.....keep rolling through the blast furnace...kept drinking water and gatorade...because any thoughts of taking a gel were not pleasant ...did not eat anything the entire race just took fluids ......heading towards the bike finish, I am passing more people than were passing me...into transition and off the bike....again took some extra time to up the sunscreen and off to the run...legs feel good, moving steadily, not sure of pace but moving quicker than most......at mile 4 caught one of the Team in Training Tri coaches and she was really hurting so starting run/walking with her since time was not an issue today.....did so and picked up another woman who we encouraged to join us...felt good enough to run more than they were able to but since Sarah (Tri coach ) was hurting I stayed with them...a bit frustrating but could not just abandon her.....the blast furnace continued but the aid stations were awesome...cups of ice...ice water and gatorade with ice...and later cups of flat coke with ice...the volunteers were fantastic...and EAGLEMAN'S RACE DIRECTOR should call Carey Pinakowski and offer to do a seminar on preparing for an abnormally hot raceday.....they had those ice coolers that you see in the supermarkets for the bags of ice......finally could wait no longer needed to finish this race...so asked Sarah and the other woman (from Bethesda) if they were ok..they said yes...so I took off at mile 10...started my watch just to see what I could do the final 5k in.....passed 51 people over the final 5k......including two woman within the final 5 yards....I was done!!!!!! grabbed my medal and walked through the finish...spotted two friends, one took 3rd place in his AG..22 yo...great triathlete..turned down a KONA slot and then remembered to stop my watch...watch time 26:15...(8:27 pace without factoring in time from finish to stopping watch)...very happy with that pace.....back to the house...showered...hydrate, a banana... chilled out literally and figuratively in the AC....packed up...in the truck off to dinner..had some great crabcakes sandwiches which were devoured in short order and then on the road back to NJ..arrived home at about 12:30 am......feel great this AM except for the fact that I have no splits or finishing time...but I finished .......I can only estimate that I finished between 6:25 and 6:40...again very happy and I believe I will be back....now this weekend do a sprint tri.....Do I have this backwards??? First Tri = 1/2 IRONMAN ....second =Sprint....thanks everyone for your encouragement and thanks Lance for the tips....I was thinking of your race when I passed a guy from the prior wave hanging on one of the buoys and hoping he was alright!
Thanks to all of the TNT folks and all my friends and family that offered words of encouragement or had periods of concern because I was not coming up in the athlete tracking online...
Bill
REPEAT LESSON LEARNED....No warm Ensure!!!!!!! This prevents vomiting
First: I FINISHED!!!
Second: NO Results for me...apparently my chip malfunctioned so I have no finishing time or splits
Third: IT WAS HOT!!!!!!!! Over 100 degrees and no shade whatsoever or any breeze
Very nervous Saturday ...went over to the Choptank River to do a short swim with a friend ...water was perfect although we could not practice sighting at all since the fog was so thick you couldn't see more than 100 yards...nice swim maybe .4-.6 of a mile...then went back to the house (my friend has done Eagleman 10 years and rents a guest room next to a garage...set of bunks (got the top as the rookie) and a full for 4 guys...$80 total for the weekend..thats split 4 ways..how great is that?? especially since it is one block from the transition area.....then went out a rode the run course....went to Expo and then hung out and went to meet a bunch of other friends for a pasta dinner...could not sleep and laid in bed listening to the thunder and seeing the lightening....that ended by morning...up at 5AM and head to transition area to set up...sweating just walking one block....my wave went off at 7:32....sweating even worse in my wetsuit...we're off...my lack of swim training was evident (this should not happen since I was a competitive swimmer most of my life)...got through it, lost my cookies slightly about 1/2 way and actually beat a few of my wave out of the water and thank god that the river did not live up to its name it was almost mirror like although the first leg was into a current, the second a lsight or so they said tailcurrent and the final leg to land had a cross current that was pushing swimmers to the side...wobbled to my bike and took my time...so hot, all bets are off for a time goal...made sure I put a refresher layer of sunscreen on (of course missed a few spots) and I head out get on the bike and here we go...legs feel ok not great ...but starting rolling as best as I could...VERY NAUSEOUS ......well, mile 25 passes and I am riding alone...all of a sudden a brown blast flies from my mouth to the right (thank god I was alone and it was to the right...pull over and proceed to puke two more times......start riding again and feel better...WORD OF ADVICE...DO NOT drink Ensure between swim and bike in 100 degree temps UNLESS IT IS STORED ON ICE...very stupid on my part, was obviously was not thinking straight.....keep rolling through the blast furnace...kept drinking water and gatorade...because any thoughts of taking a gel were not pleasant ...did not eat anything the entire race just took fluids ......heading towards the bike finish, I am passing more people than were passing me...into transition and off the bike....again took some extra time to up the sunscreen and off to the run...legs feel good, moving steadily, not sure of pace but moving quicker than most......at mile 4 caught one of the Team in Training Tri coaches and she was really hurting so starting run/walking with her since time was not an issue today.....did so and picked up another woman who we encouraged to join us...felt good enough to run more than they were able to but since Sarah (Tri coach ) was hurting I stayed with them...a bit frustrating but could not just abandon her.....the blast furnace continued but the aid stations were awesome...cups of ice...ice water and gatorade with ice...and later cups of flat coke with ice...the volunteers were fantastic...and EAGLEMAN'S RACE DIRECTOR should call Carey Pinakowski and offer to do a seminar on preparing for an abnormally hot raceday.....they had those ice coolers that you see in the supermarkets for the bags of ice......finally could wait no longer needed to finish this race...so asked Sarah and the other woman (from Bethesda) if they were ok..they said yes...so I took off at mile 10...started my watch just to see what I could do the final 5k in.....passed 51 people over the final 5k......including two woman within the final 5 yards....I was done!!!!!! grabbed my medal and walked through the finish...spotted two friends, one took 3rd place in his AG..22 yo...great triathlete..turned down a KONA slot and then remembered to stop my watch...watch time 26:15...(8:27 pace without factoring in time from finish to stopping watch)...very happy with that pace.....back to the house...showered...hydrate, a banana... chilled out literally and figuratively in the AC....packed up...in the truck off to dinner..had some great crabcakes sandwiches which were devoured in short order and then on the road back to NJ..arrived home at about 12:30 am......feel great this AM except for the fact that I have no splits or finishing time...but I finished .......I can only estimate that I finished between 6:25 and 6:40...again very happy and I believe I will be back....now this weekend do a sprint tri.....Do I have this backwards??? First Tri = 1/2 IRONMAN ....second =Sprint....thanks everyone for your encouragement and thanks Lance for the tips....I was thinking of your race when I passed a guy from the prior wave hanging on one of the buoys and hoping he was alright!
Thanks to all of the TNT folks and all my friends and family that offered words of encouragement or had periods of concern because I was not coming up in the athlete tracking online...
Bill
REPEAT LESSON LEARNED....No warm Ensure!!!!!!! This prevents vomiting
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
This past weekend they ran the Indy 500 ( the biggest and best open wheel race in the world) and the Ridgewood Run....obviously these events are on much different scales but both present an opportunity to shine....most of us will never drive an Indy car let alone qualify for one of the 33 spots in the 500 but all of us ( with few exceptions) can have the spotlight for a few moments. I watched the 5k and the men's and women's mile races on Memorial Day in Ridgewood....I have run the 5k and 10 k several times over the years but was just a spectator this year. Thinking back on the day...it was a great scene...people were lined up along Linwood Avenue coming up to the finish line...I saw people I knew and who had obviously run the 10k or just had finished the 5k and stayed to watch and cheer for the other runners, there were family members looking for their favorite runner and probably people who did not have a family member running but came out to watch on a beautiful day...how cool is that????
When you're running, and you pass trees or bushes that hang over into the road, do you high-five them and imagine the branches are really fans' arms hanging over the barricades cheering you on? I do sometimes.....Do you envision yourself running hard to the finish line of the Nike marathon? the NYC Marathon...making that final right turn by Columbus Circle and heading back into Central Park and up to the finish line? Or seeing the finish line and the race clock and knowing that you are about to set a new PR...or qualify for Boston....or break 5 hours or 4 hours for the first time or YOU ARE ABOUT TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE AWAY......FINISHING A MARATHON!!!!!! I have and still do
Running is possibly the only sport (and more specifically road racing as opposed to track running) and maybe the only event that people like you and me can perform on the same stage and hear the encouragement of the same people along the course as the best in the world. I can tell people with total honesty that I have run the same races on the same courses as Haile Geberlaisse ( has set about 17 world records in distances from 10k to the marathon), Deena Kastor, Meb, Paul Tergat, Paula Radcliffe and even Lance Armstrong....so I did not beat any of them but I ran the same distance they did and my medal is the same as theirs. So fill out those entry forms and come out and hear the cheers as you run by. Come out and feel just like that...the star of the show. Few people will ever get to feel that feeling. Some of us can feel it a few times a year. I wonder if those that are cheering realize how special they make us feel....whether they do or not...I want to say thank you to them and to the volunteers that give their free time to allow us to hear the cheers.
BTW, try volunteering at a race...a local one or for a NY Road runners race...its a great feeling and you will understand what it takes to put on a race and will appreciate it the next time you run a race.
When you're running, and you pass trees or bushes that hang over into the road, do you high-five them and imagine the branches are really fans' arms hanging over the barricades cheering you on? I do sometimes.....Do you envision yourself running hard to the finish line of the Nike marathon? the NYC Marathon...making that final right turn by Columbus Circle and heading back into Central Park and up to the finish line? Or seeing the finish line and the race clock and knowing that you are about to set a new PR...or qualify for Boston....or break 5 hours or 4 hours for the first time or YOU ARE ABOUT TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE AWAY......FINISHING A MARATHON!!!!!! I have and still do
Running is possibly the only sport (and more specifically road racing as opposed to track running) and maybe the only event that people like you and me can perform on the same stage and hear the encouragement of the same people along the course as the best in the world. I can tell people with total honesty that I have run the same races on the same courses as Haile Geberlaisse ( has set about 17 world records in distances from 10k to the marathon), Deena Kastor, Meb, Paul Tergat, Paula Radcliffe and even Lance Armstrong....so I did not beat any of them but I ran the same distance they did and my medal is the same as theirs. So fill out those entry forms and come out and hear the cheers as you run by. Come out and feel just like that...the star of the show. Few people will ever get to feel that feeling. Some of us can feel it a few times a year. I wonder if those that are cheering realize how special they make us feel....whether they do or not...I want to say thank you to them and to the volunteers that give their free time to allow us to hear the cheers.
BTW, try volunteering at a race...a local one or for a NY Road runners race...its a great feeling and you will understand what it takes to put on a race and will appreciate it the next time you run a race.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
New Adventures
I have been running for so many years it is really second nature to me and I don't put alot of thought into getting dressed and going out for a run...that may be why I love working with newer runners and seeing them catch the bug and be excited as they hit each new running milestone...whether that be an enjoyable run in the rain or snow...hitting double digit miles for the first time..completing their first race...1/2 marathon...full marathon.
Now that I have started training to do my first triathlon...I am back on the other side of the road....I am the newbie...I am enjoying hitting those new milestones....learning something new witrh every workout...I did not know that they hand you water bottles at the bike aid stations..I thought i would have to stop and grab a cup of water or sports drink...water bottles sounds much better...riding my bike more and more miles...doing my first 20 miler...30 miler ....and this weekend a 60 miler followed immediately by a 45 minute run...after doing each of these combo workouts...they are aptly named "bricks"... that is exactly how your legs feel for the first couple miles....they hit but they hurt so good!!!! You know that you have been working hard during and especially after you finish...my quads have NEVER hurt they way they did this weekend....but I kept walking and did an intense workout on the muscles with "the Stick" and felt much better.....
Then yesterday another awakening moment for me....riding back from the Ridgewood Run (just watched did not run)...we ( I rode down with Andrea) reached the final hill and I had to clip out of my pedals because of the traffic light...two failed attempts to clip back in and two falls...the second worse than the first...a skinned and sore knee and elbow together with total embarrassment created a new adventure on the bike...some of the adventures and milestones are positive some negative...some embarrassing...but all are lessons learned...and then being a former competitive swimmer I thought the swimming would be a piece of cake...WRONG...a 1/2 mile swim in my new wetsuit was a learning experience and a wake up call...I will be slower than I thought in the swim leg....
What is the new lesson and adventure...only time will tell and that may be today..may be next week...who knows???
Now that I have started training to do my first triathlon...I am back on the other side of the road....I am the newbie...I am enjoying hitting those new milestones....learning something new witrh every workout...I did not know that they hand you water bottles at the bike aid stations..I thought i would have to stop and grab a cup of water or sports drink...water bottles sounds much better...riding my bike more and more miles...doing my first 20 miler...30 miler ....and this weekend a 60 miler followed immediately by a 45 minute run...after doing each of these combo workouts...they are aptly named "bricks"... that is exactly how your legs feel for the first couple miles....they hit but they hurt so good!!!! You know that you have been working hard during and especially after you finish...my quads have NEVER hurt they way they did this weekend....but I kept walking and did an intense workout on the muscles with "the Stick" and felt much better.....
Then yesterday another awakening moment for me....riding back from the Ridgewood Run (just watched did not run)...we ( I rode down with Andrea) reached the final hill and I had to clip out of my pedals because of the traffic light...two failed attempts to clip back in and two falls...the second worse than the first...a skinned and sore knee and elbow together with total embarrassment created a new adventure on the bike...some of the adventures and milestones are positive some negative...some embarrassing...but all are lessons learned...and then being a former competitive swimmer I thought the swimming would be a piece of cake...WRONG...a 1/2 mile swim in my new wetsuit was a learning experience and a wake up call...I will be slower than I thought in the swim leg....
What is the new lesson and adventure...only time will tell and that may be today..may be next week...who knows???
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
New Season !!!!
Last weekend we had the Fall Season Kickoff in Parsippany...always one of my favorite days involving TNT...alot of excitement, nervous energy from the new participants and of course the motivatation and emotion of the Honored Teammate speeches...Jake and Doug did an incredible job and I know caused alot of tears to flow...I was stopped later that day by an employee of one of our Friends of Team in Training and his words were "Great event and the best way to start off a saturday morning crying my eyes out!" If that does not say it all nothing does. I know I am not strong enough to stand up there and tell a story like theirs having lived through the ordeal that they did and get through it without breaking down.
Now, we are preparing for another great event...the FIRST GROUP RUN of the Season...alot of fun for everyone and will help alieviate many of teh fears that the newer runners have that they are not fast enough or can't run far enough or that they will be running all alone or that they are the only ones who do not know anyone.....
Every season brings something new to the table and I am wondering what it will be this season.....
See you on the roads,
Bill
Now, we are preparing for another great event...the FIRST GROUP RUN of the Season...alot of fun for everyone and will help alieviate many of teh fears that the newer runners have that they are not fast enough or can't run far enough or that they will be running all alone or that they are the only ones who do not know anyone.....
Every season brings something new to the table and I am wondering what it will be this season.....
See you on the roads,
Bill
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
I am still alive
Its been a very long time since I have jumped on here and rambled. I have been both busy and neglectful of this blog. The Spring Season is winding down....Country Music Marathon and New Jersey are over and everyone did a great job. Country Music was a new event for TNT and in my opinion was very successful...the team was not huge but they were truly a team....even those runners we had not seen much or at all during the training season blended right in... in addition we had some honorary teammates crowned in Nashville...Brian, (Tara's husband), Charlie (Jill's fabulous 10month old), Nick (Jill's 11 yo) and Lila (Jill's SO)...they all helped to make the entire weekend a sucess and fun. Charlie had a team babysitter all weekend. Nashville is a great and fun city. Thursday night Christina met her future husband Paul ( sorry Christina but I had to write that) and we had a great time led by Carrie and Beth ( I believe it was Beth's Nashville singing debut)....raceday started with torrential rain, thunder and lightening but by the race started it was a light rain at most....everyone finished and had a great time at the Victory party and beyond. The following weekend we were down at the New Jersey marathon in Long Branch....another fun filled day at the shore...not the most exciting or beautiful course I have ever run but you can't get lost or complain about hills. A couple alumni qualified for Boston 2009..Amanda Sabatos and Christine Pierce...CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! The Rock N Roll San Diego Team is facing their 20 miler this coming weekend and then they are off to sunny SoCal for the race...Good Luck Team.
This coming Saturday the Fall Season Kick Off in Parsippany...we have three great events for the runners...Rock N Roll VB on Labor Day Weekend....always a good race and fun time on the beach..I will be heading down to run on my own....then Nike in San Fran and rounded out with Marine Corps in Washington DC
A special shout out and congraulations to David Leech, the best coach ever, who ran the Eugene Marathon on May 4th and set a new PR of 3:05...that British guy can fly!!!!!
Hope to be rambling again soon....
This coming Saturday the Fall Season Kick Off in Parsippany...we have three great events for the runners...Rock N Roll VB on Labor Day Weekend....always a good race and fun time on the beach..I will be heading down to run on my own....then Nike in San Fran and rounded out with Marine Corps in Washington DC
A special shout out and congraulations to David Leech, the best coach ever, who ran the Eugene Marathon on May 4th and set a new PR of 3:05...that British guy can fly!!!!!
Hope to be rambling again soon....
Monday, March 31, 2008
Reminder
I was reminded this past week why I love running and coaching with Team in Training. I was minding my own business and trying to get through my food shopping at Shop Rite in Oakland...for those of you that have been there...the floor plan was laid out by a blind man...sorry that is an insult to blind people...a blind person would have laid it out much better....there are a series of horizontal and vertical aisles that run into each other and one wrong turn and it can take me 10 minutes to find my way back....I have a full shopping cart loaded heavy and high....on a side not when I preach that you must hydrate I practice what I preach...the 40 or so bottles of gatoraade that were in the cart will back that up....I was focused on getting the last few items that I needed and was hoping for a short cehckout line and then a mad dash for the car...it was not to be...I was stopped dead in my tracks and asked whether I ran with Team in Training...some total stranger had apparently seen me many times running with the Team ( Duck Pond I guess) and had all sorts of questions for me and then finished by saying that it had to be very rewarding....and although I always have it in my head that it really is ....this kind lady reminded me that there is nothing better than the feeling I get over and over seeing the smile or the tears of joy when someone crosses their first half or full marathon finishline....the running stories I tell most (other than those where I have done something dopey) are about those finishline experiences....do I enjoy remembering my own races and adventures .... sure .....do I get excited to meet an elite athlete, like Tegla Laroupe ( 2 or3 time NYCM winner), Frank Shorter (Olympic Gold and Silver medalist), Matt Downin (worked for my friend at Ridgewood Cycle), Bill Rodgers (Millrose games 2005)....absolutely....do i remember the good and bad in many of my races...yes.....BUT there is nothing like the memories of running with Claire Talarico and Noelle at the Nike Marathon 2 x's; Melissa and her running buddy Doreen at Nike; Eric D at Va Beach; Tamara Lynch at PF Changs with tears streaming down both of our faces for the last 1.2 miles and it goes on and on....I won't lie and say that I would not give up those memories for any amount of money in the world because I want to make a living someday as a running coach but it would not be a cheap sale to give up those memories....Here's to hundreds more memories .....
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Jenny's Mileage Report
This is the link to the entire thread in the discussion group http://forums.runnersworld.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/608106477/m/8691041244
This is Jenny's Report:
For those asking how do you run 200 miles in a week. The answer: very carefully.
The 200 mile week: Not recommended for beginners or for even veterans who value their sanity. But yes it is possible, and no I'm not even the first person to do it. Many have done them before me, I'm sure. (But maybe I'm the first person with Hodgkin's Disease to do it?)
Cliff's Notes Version: I ran 214.0 miles in 7 days.
They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, not faint.
Really long version:
This is not your usual "race" report as I didn't wear a number and didn't compete with anyone (except myself, if that counts)! I came up with the idea of trying to run 200 miles in a week back in November. 200 miles is 28.57 miles per day. I picked out this week back when I hatched the idea in my head because it was the week I turn 28 years old.
This idea also partly came out of my competitive streak. I remain frustrated with my right lung's inability to let me train hard. So I figured if I couldn't run fast, I could see how long I could go. So this became a personal race, a personal distance and endurance test with my self.
Unfortunately, last week I had some problems with my lungs and chest, so I had no idea whether my idea was still plausible. I debated pushing it back (especially when I saw the weather forecast), but when my doctor ok'd the attempt, I decided to give it a try.
By the way, I did work 20 hours this week (I'm working part-time as an attorney).
Monday 3/3
1. 28.80 miles in 4:35 @ 7:00 AM. 50 degrees, sunny, beautiful.
2. 12.80 miles in 1:55 @ 1:00 PM. 60 degrees, sunny, gorgeous.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: It was nice of God to give me such a splendid day for my birthday, even if it was a tad windy. Honestly, even if I wasn't attempting this crazy stunt, it would have been a shame not to spend most of the day outside.
Daily Miles: 41.60
Weekly Total: 41.60
Miles to Run: 158.40
Tuesday 3/4
1. 21.25 miles in 3:15 @ 6:30 AM. 30 degrees, cold, windy, wet.
2. 13.00 miles in 2:05 @ 12:00 PM. 25 degrees, bitter cold, windy, slippery.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: Not such a great day. I feel like I ran 41 miles yesterday. The weather turned terrible and even dangerous due to all the ice. Running down by Lake Erie, the wind formed a wall. Moreover, it's hard to eat enough to support this much running. This is turning out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm trying to bank some miles to build up a cushion. But man oh man is this turning out to be hard.
Daily Miles: 34.25
Weekly Total: 75.85
Miles to Run: 124.15
Wednesday 3/5
1. 16.30 miles in 2:35 @ 7:00 AM. 28 degrees, cold, less wind, lots of slippery snow and ice.
2. 12.50 miles in 1:45 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
3. 03.00 miles in 0:28 @ 7:30 PM. 29 degrees, dark, cold.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: The schools are all closed locally and Jenny's out running sixteen miles. I pass the halfway point today. Just under 100 miles to go. It's the end of the world as I know it, and I feel f-i-n-e.
Daily Miles: 31.80
Weekly Total: 107.65
Miles to Run: 92.35
Thursday 3/6
1. 15.40 miles in 2:10 @ 7:00 AM. 30 degrees, cold, some sun, much less wind. Dodging snow piles.
2. 12.00 miles in 1:40 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
3. 08.60 miles in 1:20 @ 3:30 PM. 39 degrees, snow is starting to melt.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: Decent running day. Have to go get my port flushed. I find Dr. Spit Take and cheerily yell in his direction in my VERY BEST Aussie accent "G'DAY MATE!" If looks could kill, I would be dead. I tell him my chest still kind of hurts. Dr. Spit Take says he thinks I still may have pleurisy. He begins to drone ... "Pleurisy is inflammation of the pleura. The pleura is the double-layered membrane that surrounds the lungs ..." Jenny stops listening. He thinks I have a plesiosaur in my chest? Isn't that what the Loch Ness monster is/was? Has he been drinking? Have I been drinking? I think all this running is making me delirious.
Daily Miles: 36.00
Weekly Total: 143.65
Miles to Run: 60.65
Friday 3/7
1. 24.40 miles in 3:55 @ 6:00 AM. 27 degrees, cloudy, winter storm begins .... 7 to 14 inches predicted.
2. 08.25 miles in 1:20 @ 11:00 AM. Treadmill.
3. 08.60 miles in 1:25 @ 2:00 PM. 30 degrees, practical blizzard conditions.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: Yet another Cleveland snow storm. I am getting really tired of all this snow. Ask Mom and Dad why I couldn't be born in May rather than March. I'm coaxing my legs through the runs by a promise of Monday off. Starting to believe that if you put your mind to something you can do just about anything you want.
Daily Miles: 41.25
Weekly Total: 184.90
Miles to Run: 15.10
Saturday 3/8
1. 12.20 miles in 1:50 @ 7:00 AM. My dad's old treadmill.
2. 09.70 miles in 1:35 @ 12:00 PM. My dad's old treadmill again.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: A record setting snow storm for the ages. Seven to fourteen? Try more like twenty inches. Maybe it really is the end of the world!
Daily Miles: 21.90
Weekly Total: 206.80
Miles to Run: ZERO
Sunday 3/9
1. 7.20 miles in 0:59 @ 10:00 AM. On the treadmill.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I can take the day off tomorrow.
Daily Miles: 7.20 miles
Weekly Total: 214.00
Miles to Run: ZERO
Why did I settle on 214? I decided once I was going to finish the 200 that I'd tack on the additional 14 because I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease on February 14 ... 2/14.
The best part? Finishing and telling the people who sponsored me with a promise of x amount per mile for blood cancer research that I ran 214. I didn't get hurt, but I did get pretty tired.
The worst part? It was really difficult from a psychological standpoint to face having to run 28.8 miles every day. It's really intimidating to think in those terms. I had to take it one day and one run at a time, but I got really obsessed with trying to "get ahead" by running big miles in the beginning of the week rather than an even effort. Not sure I would do that again.
The weather was also bad for parts of the week. I should have been born in May.
Would I do it again? Probably not without a really good reason. That's one reason why I kept running past the 200 point -- I figure this will be my lifetime highest mileage week ever.
Final stats:
Highest Mileage Day: Monday, 41.60 miles.
Lowest Mileage Day: Sunday, 7.20 miles.
Fastest Pace: 7.20 miles at 8:12 pace on Sunday.
Slowest Pace: 8.60 miles at 9:54 pace on Friday.
Longest Single Run: 28.80 miles on Monday morning.
Shortest Single Run: 3.00 miles on Wednesday night.
Total Miles Run: 214.00
Total Time Run: 32 hours, 52 minutes
Average Pace: 9:13/mile
My runs summarized:
1. 28.80 miles in 4:35 @ 7:00 AM. 50 degrees, sunny, beautiful.
2. 12.80 miles in 1:55 @ 1:00 PM. 60 degrees, sunny, gorgeous.
3. 21.25 miles in 3:15 @ 6:30 AM. 30 degrees, cold, windy, wet.
4. 13.00 miles in 2:05 @ 12:00 PM. 25 degrees, bitter cold, windy, slippery.
5. 16.30 miles in 2:35 @ 7:00 AM. 28 degrees, cold, less wind, lots of slippery snow and ice.
6. 12.50 miles in 1:45 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
7. 03.00 miles in 0:28 @ 7:30 PM. 29 degrees, dark, cold.
8. 15.40 miles in 2:10 @ 7:00 AM. 30 degrees, cold, some sun, much less wind. Dodging snow piles.
9. 12.00 miles in 1:40 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
10. 08.60 miles in 1:20 @ 3:30 PM. 39 degrees, snow is starting to melt.
11. 24.40 miles in 3:55 @ 6:00 AM. 27 degrees, cloudy, winter storm begins .... 7 to 14 inches predicted.
12. 08.25 miles in 1:20 @ 11:00 AM. Treadmill.
13. 08.60 miles in 1:25 @ 2:00 PM. 30 degrees, practical blizzard conditions.
14. 12.20 miles in 1:50 @ 7:00 AM. My dad's old treadmill.
15. 09.70 miles in 1:35 @ 12:00 PM. My dad's old treadmill again.
16. 07.20 miles in 0:59 @ 10:00 AM. Treadmill.
_______________
Jenny loves to run.
My oncologist did a spit-take when he heard how much I ran.
reflections on running with cancer | My Photo 365 Project
This is Jenny's Report:
For those asking how do you run 200 miles in a week. The answer: very carefully.
The 200 mile week: Not recommended for beginners or for even veterans who value their sanity. But yes it is possible, and no I'm not even the first person to do it. Many have done them before me, I'm sure. (But maybe I'm the first person with Hodgkin's Disease to do it?)
Cliff's Notes Version: I ran 214.0 miles in 7 days.
They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, not faint.
Really long version:
This is not your usual "race" report as I didn't wear a number and didn't compete with anyone (except myself, if that counts)! I came up with the idea of trying to run 200 miles in a week back in November. 200 miles is 28.57 miles per day. I picked out this week back when I hatched the idea in my head because it was the week I turn 28 years old.
This idea also partly came out of my competitive streak. I remain frustrated with my right lung's inability to let me train hard. So I figured if I couldn't run fast, I could see how long I could go. So this became a personal race, a personal distance and endurance test with my self.
Unfortunately, last week I had some problems with my lungs and chest, so I had no idea whether my idea was still plausible. I debated pushing it back (especially when I saw the weather forecast), but when my doctor ok'd the attempt, I decided to give it a try.
By the way, I did work 20 hours this week (I'm working part-time as an attorney).
Monday 3/3
1. 28.80 miles in 4:35 @ 7:00 AM. 50 degrees, sunny, beautiful.
2. 12.80 miles in 1:55 @ 1:00 PM. 60 degrees, sunny, gorgeous.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: It was nice of God to give me such a splendid day for my birthday, even if it was a tad windy. Honestly, even if I wasn't attempting this crazy stunt, it would have been a shame not to spend most of the day outside.
Daily Miles: 41.60
Weekly Total: 41.60
Miles to Run: 158.40
Tuesday 3/4
1. 21.25 miles in 3:15 @ 6:30 AM. 30 degrees, cold, windy, wet.
2. 13.00 miles in 2:05 @ 12:00 PM. 25 degrees, bitter cold, windy, slippery.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: Not such a great day. I feel like I ran 41 miles yesterday. The weather turned terrible and even dangerous due to all the ice. Running down by Lake Erie, the wind formed a wall. Moreover, it's hard to eat enough to support this much running. This is turning out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm trying to bank some miles to build up a cushion. But man oh man is this turning out to be hard.
Daily Miles: 34.25
Weekly Total: 75.85
Miles to Run: 124.15
Wednesday 3/5
1. 16.30 miles in 2:35 @ 7:00 AM. 28 degrees, cold, less wind, lots of slippery snow and ice.
2. 12.50 miles in 1:45 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
3. 03.00 miles in 0:28 @ 7:30 PM. 29 degrees, dark, cold.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: The schools are all closed locally and Jenny's out running sixteen miles. I pass the halfway point today. Just under 100 miles to go. It's the end of the world as I know it, and I feel f-i-n-e.
Daily Miles: 31.80
Weekly Total: 107.65
Miles to Run: 92.35
Thursday 3/6
1. 15.40 miles in 2:10 @ 7:00 AM. 30 degrees, cold, some sun, much less wind. Dodging snow piles.
2. 12.00 miles in 1:40 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
3. 08.60 miles in 1:20 @ 3:30 PM. 39 degrees, snow is starting to melt.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: Decent running day. Have to go get my port flushed. I find Dr. Spit Take and cheerily yell in his direction in my VERY BEST Aussie accent "G'DAY MATE!" If looks could kill, I would be dead. I tell him my chest still kind of hurts. Dr. Spit Take says he thinks I still may have pleurisy. He begins to drone ... "Pleurisy is inflammation of the pleura. The pleura is the double-layered membrane that surrounds the lungs ..." Jenny stops listening. He thinks I have a plesiosaur in my chest? Isn't that what the Loch Ness monster is/was? Has he been drinking? Have I been drinking? I think all this running is making me delirious.
Daily Miles: 36.00
Weekly Total: 143.65
Miles to Run: 60.65
Friday 3/7
1. 24.40 miles in 3:55 @ 6:00 AM. 27 degrees, cloudy, winter storm begins .... 7 to 14 inches predicted.
2. 08.25 miles in 1:20 @ 11:00 AM. Treadmill.
3. 08.60 miles in 1:25 @ 2:00 PM. 30 degrees, practical blizzard conditions.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: Yet another Cleveland snow storm. I am getting really tired of all this snow. Ask Mom and Dad why I couldn't be born in May rather than March. I'm coaxing my legs through the runs by a promise of Monday off. Starting to believe that if you put your mind to something you can do just about anything you want.
Daily Miles: 41.25
Weekly Total: 184.90
Miles to Run: 15.10
Saturday 3/8
1. 12.20 miles in 1:50 @ 7:00 AM. My dad's old treadmill.
2. 09.70 miles in 1:35 @ 12:00 PM. My dad's old treadmill again.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: A record setting snow storm for the ages. Seven to fourteen? Try more like twenty inches. Maybe it really is the end of the world!
Daily Miles: 21.90
Weekly Total: 206.80
Miles to Run: ZERO
Sunday 3/9
1. 7.20 miles in 0:59 @ 10:00 AM. On the treadmill.
Highlight (lowlight?) of the day: I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I can take the day off tomorrow.
Daily Miles: 7.20 miles
Weekly Total: 214.00
Miles to Run: ZERO
Why did I settle on 214? I decided once I was going to finish the 200 that I'd tack on the additional 14 because I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease on February 14 ... 2/14.
The best part? Finishing and telling the people who sponsored me with a promise of x amount per mile for blood cancer research that I ran 214. I didn't get hurt, but I did get pretty tired.
The worst part? It was really difficult from a psychological standpoint to face having to run 28.8 miles every day. It's really intimidating to think in those terms. I had to take it one day and one run at a time, but I got really obsessed with trying to "get ahead" by running big miles in the beginning of the week rather than an even effort. Not sure I would do that again.
The weather was also bad for parts of the week. I should have been born in May.
Would I do it again? Probably not without a really good reason. That's one reason why I kept running past the 200 point -- I figure this will be my lifetime highest mileage week ever.
Final stats:
Highest Mileage Day: Monday, 41.60 miles.
Lowest Mileage Day: Sunday, 7.20 miles.
Fastest Pace: 7.20 miles at 8:12 pace on Sunday.
Slowest Pace: 8.60 miles at 9:54 pace on Friday.
Longest Single Run: 28.80 miles on Monday morning.
Shortest Single Run: 3.00 miles on Wednesday night.
Total Miles Run: 214.00
Total Time Run: 32 hours, 52 minutes
Average Pace: 9:13/mile
My runs summarized:
1. 28.80 miles in 4:35 @ 7:00 AM. 50 degrees, sunny, beautiful.
2. 12.80 miles in 1:55 @ 1:00 PM. 60 degrees, sunny, gorgeous.
3. 21.25 miles in 3:15 @ 6:30 AM. 30 degrees, cold, windy, wet.
4. 13.00 miles in 2:05 @ 12:00 PM. 25 degrees, bitter cold, windy, slippery.
5. 16.30 miles in 2:35 @ 7:00 AM. 28 degrees, cold, less wind, lots of slippery snow and ice.
6. 12.50 miles in 1:45 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
7. 03.00 miles in 0:28 @ 7:30 PM. 29 degrees, dark, cold.
8. 15.40 miles in 2:10 @ 7:00 AM. 30 degrees, cold, some sun, much less wind. Dodging snow piles.
9. 12.00 miles in 1:40 @ 10:30 AM. Treadmill.
10. 08.60 miles in 1:20 @ 3:30 PM. 39 degrees, snow is starting to melt.
11. 24.40 miles in 3:55 @ 6:00 AM. 27 degrees, cloudy, winter storm begins .... 7 to 14 inches predicted.
12. 08.25 miles in 1:20 @ 11:00 AM. Treadmill.
13. 08.60 miles in 1:25 @ 2:00 PM. 30 degrees, practical blizzard conditions.
14. 12.20 miles in 1:50 @ 7:00 AM. My dad's old treadmill.
15. 09.70 miles in 1:35 @ 12:00 PM. My dad's old treadmill again.
16. 07.20 miles in 0:59 @ 10:00 AM. Treadmill.
_______________
Jenny loves to run.
My oncologist did a spit-take when he heard how much I ran.
reflections on running with cancer | My Photo 365 Project
Incredible...Insane...Inspirational...You Choose
I found this short article with a link to the discussion group on RW where it was posted...I am in complete awe of her...my left foot is nagging me over the past two days but after reading this there is no way I am not doing ALL of my training this week....must admit I was slightly emotional reading this given Jenny's battle with Hodgkin's ...hope you have the chance to read this
Bill
March 11, 2008
Holy Cow: the 214-Mile Week
How many miles did you run last week? Because a RW.com reader named Jenny racked up 214.
No fooling.
Jenny (pictured here) wrote about her mega-mileage week in a thread on our Discussions board. You can read the details -- including a daily mileage breakdown, highlights/lowlights, and notes on the weather -- in Jenny's thread, here. You may want to print this out and tack it up somewhere prominent; next time you consider skipping an after-work five-miler, just glance at it. Then put your damn shoes on.
Reactions to Jenny's feat, in a separate Discussions thread, include the following, and we quote:
"Holy mackerel!"
"Holy Crap"
"Whoa"
"I was wondering who took all my miles. Wowzers."
"GUH!..........."
"I ran 11 miles this week"
"Son of a...whoa ..."
"Good gravy!"
What else is there to say, really? (Oh, did we mention that Jenny is a cancer survivor?)
Congrats, Jenny. Way to go.
Bill
March 11, 2008
Holy Cow: the 214-Mile Week
How many miles did you run last week? Because a RW.com reader named Jenny racked up 214.
No fooling.
Jenny (pictured here) wrote about her mega-mileage week in a thread on our Discussions board. You can read the details -- including a daily mileage breakdown, highlights/lowlights, and notes on the weather -- in Jenny's thread, here. You may want to print this out and tack it up somewhere prominent; next time you consider skipping an after-work five-miler, just glance at it. Then put your damn shoes on.
Reactions to Jenny's feat, in a separate Discussions thread, include the following, and we quote:
"Holy mackerel!"
"Holy Crap"
"Whoa"
"I was wondering who took all my miles. Wowzers."
"GUH!..........."
"I ran 11 miles this week"
"Son of a...whoa ..."
"Good gravy!"
What else is there to say, really? (Oh, did we mention that Jenny is a cancer survivor?)
Congrats, Jenny. Way to go.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
I'm back
Sorry for the lapse in posting here....being a techno phobe I can never remember how to sign in and post...sometimes I get lucky and remember.....unlucky for all of you.
Life is about the same...would much rather be running, cycling.....just about anything but work...don't get me wrong although there are many aspects of what I do that I dislike....when i get to help other people either resolve an issue or do something positive...like buy or sell or refinance a house or write their will and/or set up an estate plan and therefore but one of life's worries behind them...its a real good day...the minutia that is in between is the part that I don't enjoy.
Over the past week I had a few of those reminder moments of why I love runing and especially running and coaching with Team in Training...at our midweek run last Thursday there were two runners...one who is on the Country Music Team so I knew what that runner was capable of even if s/he does not realize it yet and then a brand new runner....s/he ran 4.2 miles which was a new mileage high and I had to advise this runner NOT to run Friday as s/he had run a previous mileage high the day before so s/he needed a REST day...YES we do encourage them!!!! And this runner was so happy upon finishing...it was one of those AH HA moments that reminds you just why we are here doing what we are doing to help in our own small ways...Then this runner spent their Sunday afternoon at a grocery store fundraiser....Thank you!!!
And on Saturday....I saw some real tenacity among thsoe that ran at Mountain Lakes...there was still a layer of light crunchy snow on the path along the Boulevard and some ice patches along the 6.4 (6.5) mile loop that Melissa has planned....great job by all the runners.....and again on Sunday in Mahwah...many runners hit a new all time high in their mileage over what is a pretty challenging course...and one runner has the pleasure??? of running with one of my running buddies....a runner who runs a sub 3:20 marathon and has completed several Ironman Triathlons...so in other words a pretty serious endurance athlete....congratulations to all of those runners who brave the elements or the boredom of the dreadmill to get those scheduled miles in every week....
I know that there is a personal reason for everyone that is out there and some of you are looking to achieve a personal goal BUT you are also doing it to unselfish reasons.
So many thoughts in my head I could ramble on for hours but you would stop and be bored to death (if you aren't yet) and the work that is sitting in a large pile on my desk would feel neglected and the clients would be very upset that I am not doing it.....my therapy break is over and its back to work for me.... enjoy the day ...Spring is coming.....
Happy trails,
Bill
Life is about the same...would much rather be running, cycling.....just about anything but work...don't get me wrong although there are many aspects of what I do that I dislike....when i get to help other people either resolve an issue or do something positive...like buy or sell or refinance a house or write their will and/or set up an estate plan and therefore but one of life's worries behind them...its a real good day...the minutia that is in between is the part that I don't enjoy.
Over the past week I had a few of those reminder moments of why I love runing and especially running and coaching with Team in Training...at our midweek run last Thursday there were two runners...one who is on the Country Music Team so I knew what that runner was capable of even if s/he does not realize it yet and then a brand new runner....s/he ran 4.2 miles which was a new mileage high and I had to advise this runner NOT to run Friday as s/he had run a previous mileage high the day before so s/he needed a REST day...YES we do encourage them!!!! And this runner was so happy upon finishing...it was one of those AH HA moments that reminds you just why we are here doing what we are doing to help in our own small ways...Then this runner spent their Sunday afternoon at a grocery store fundraiser....Thank you!!!
And on Saturday....I saw some real tenacity among thsoe that ran at Mountain Lakes...there was still a layer of light crunchy snow on the path along the Boulevard and some ice patches along the 6.4 (6.5) mile loop that Melissa has planned....great job by all the runners.....and again on Sunday in Mahwah...many runners hit a new all time high in their mileage over what is a pretty challenging course...and one runner has the pleasure??? of running with one of my running buddies....a runner who runs a sub 3:20 marathon and has completed several Ironman Triathlons...so in other words a pretty serious endurance athlete....congratulations to all of those runners who brave the elements or the boredom of the dreadmill to get those scheduled miles in every week....
I know that there is a personal reason for everyone that is out there and some of you are looking to achieve a personal goal BUT you are also doing it to unselfish reasons.
So many thoughts in my head I could ramble on for hours but you would stop and be bored to death (if you aren't yet) and the work that is sitting in a large pile on my desk would feel neglected and the clients would be very upset that I am not doing it.....my therapy break is over and its back to work for me.... enjoy the day ...Spring is coming.....
Happy trails,
Bill
Friday, February 8, 2008
It's Finally Friday
So its finally Friday....its been a bit of a frustrating week...could not seem to get out of my own way....did not get everything I had set out in my mind done in the office....but it WILL get done...However, on a positive note...I received my email confirmation for my entry into Boston!!! Its a bit of a relief as I was concerned that my entry was somehow missed and I was watching the entry numbers rise....almost a thousand ahead of last years pace and you are never sure when the Boston Athletic Assn will close the entries...so that concern is out of the way.
Now, my concerns turn to being ready... have been fighting a slight cold but am finally back on the roads...nice 7 miles last night...2 on my own and then 5 with three NJM Half Team members...great job by Marie, Meghan and Jacky...all are running well. Keep up the good work and the 4 or 5 you did yesterday will seem like a short run in a few weeks as your long run distances increase.
This weekend I will head to Palisades on Saturday morning...love to run across the GWB especially on a cold crisp clear morning when it seems like you can see forever...but with the sweet there always seems that you get some bitter and when I look South off the Bridge and look to the end of Manhattan....its never fails that my mind always rushes right to September 11th and the day over 3000 people lost their lives including my friend Wayne Hobson...if you live in Hoboken you may have enjoyed a beer or two at his bar "Hobson's Choice"....and that reminds me once again how lucky so many of us are...despite not getting all of the work or errands tahtwe intended to accomplish done or a little nagging cough that its good to be alive and healthy and to be able to brave a cold windy day on the GWB or a run through the woods in High Bridge or 13 miles through the Bronx....remember on those tough days when its easy to slide back into bed or grab that extra cup of coffee that you are all incredibly selfLESS people who are running, biking, swimming or walking fo rthose who can't in the hope that one day we all can run without having to raise money to find a cure for cancer and that we have finally won the battle...and we can all move on to winning that next fight whatever that may be....we all have our own reasons for being out there but regardless of why remember that you always have many people pulling for you during every mile...me, the other coaches, your mentors, the Staff, your friends and family AND those who's faces you may never see but to whom YOU ARE A HERO...accept that title and wear it with honor because you have earned it and you earn it again everyday that you tie your running shoes and step outside your comfort zone and run further that you ever imagined two months or two years ago
THANK YOU
Now, my concerns turn to being ready... have been fighting a slight cold but am finally back on the roads...nice 7 miles last night...2 on my own and then 5 with three NJM Half Team members...great job by Marie, Meghan and Jacky...all are running well. Keep up the good work and the 4 or 5 you did yesterday will seem like a short run in a few weeks as your long run distances increase.
This weekend I will head to Palisades on Saturday morning...love to run across the GWB especially on a cold crisp clear morning when it seems like you can see forever...but with the sweet there always seems that you get some bitter and when I look South off the Bridge and look to the end of Manhattan....its never fails that my mind always rushes right to September 11th and the day over 3000 people lost their lives including my friend Wayne Hobson...if you live in Hoboken you may have enjoyed a beer or two at his bar "Hobson's Choice"....and that reminds me once again how lucky so many of us are...despite not getting all of the work or errands tahtwe intended to accomplish done or a little nagging cough that its good to be alive and healthy and to be able to brave a cold windy day on the GWB or a run through the woods in High Bridge or 13 miles through the Bronx....remember on those tough days when its easy to slide back into bed or grab that extra cup of coffee that you are all incredibly selfLESS people who are running, biking, swimming or walking fo rthose who can't in the hope that one day we all can run without having to raise money to find a cure for cancer and that we have finally won the battle...and we can all move on to winning that next fight whatever that may be....we all have our own reasons for being out there but regardless of why remember that you always have many people pulling for you during every mile...me, the other coaches, your mentors, the Staff, your friends and family AND those who's faces you may never see but to whom YOU ARE A HERO...accept that title and wear it with honor because you have earned it and you earn it again everyday that you tie your running shoes and step outside your comfort zone and run further that you ever imagined two months or two years ago
THANK YOU
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Two Mistakes Not To Make
Hi all,
I found this blog entry online written by "The Squirrel" and rather than re-invent the wheel I am posting this for your reading pleasure....I could not come close to writing anything this good and it sums up what the coaches try and ingrain into your heads....running too much AND/OR too fast doe not help BUT ACTUALLY HURTS YOU RACEDAY....Enjoy!
"Two mistakes not to make
Two weeks ago I talked about the importance of the long run for successful marathon training. I don't know if I would say it is the most important aspect of a training plan, but it is definitely up there. One thing that I have done in the past which I will probably be reluctant to do going forward is to somehow rank by importance, different aspects of a marathon training plan. I really think that every plan has to be (as corny as it may sound) a recipe. In other words, when you bake a loaf of bread, for example, even though the amount of yeast that goes in is far less than many of the other ingredients, one cannot say it is somehow less important. Every single thing that goes into either your mixing bowl (your training program) needs to have a reason for being there. I may not be able to physiologically explain every single run and its overall or specific benefit, but I have a basic understanding of why I'm doing it. And I know that whether you're baking bread or training for a marathon, you cannot cut corners or haphazardly rearrange the measurements without getting something utterly disgusting when you open the oven. You can try, I certainly have, it isn't pretty. But it does teach you a lesson.
There are, like it or not, those runners among us that are just naturally gifted. They have that "recipe" already made for them. I have a good friend that recently ran a 2:42 marathon who, in his own words "rarely hit 60 miles a week". Bastard. My usual a-hole reply to him would be, "Yeah, but imagine what you'd run if you really trained." Of course, he has plenty of other priorities in his life, and honestly, who can argue with a 2:42 race. Not me. But a lot of folks don't run those kind of times and they don't even come close to what our Lord God McMillan says they should run and they can't figure it out. Most likely, it is through their own faulty training.
There are too huge mistakes I see when people train for marathons. A marathon is not a mile. It's not a 5 or 10K. It's not a half, obviously. It is twenty six miles three hundred eighty five yards. In my opinion much further than any sane human should attempt to run. But we do attempt it, sane or otherwise. Some attempt it with the goal to finish the race. Look, anyone who can complete a race like that gets a big "Bravo" from me. I don't care if you do it in 2 hour or 5 hours, that's a long way. If you are looking to finish the race, that is a different story, you can go about things differently and still accomplish your goal. For now though, I'm discussing people that are looking to run their best time and maximize their performance. The first of these mistakes is simply not running enough miles. I don't know that there is any rule of thumb or formula for figuring out how many miles you should have in your legs before toeing that line, or any magical miles per week number that will get you to your goal, but most likely if you were disappointed in your last race, it's more than what you are running.
I didn't keep a log during my training for my first two marathons, but I could guess that I probably averaged somewhere around 40 miles a week during both of them. Considering I had normally been running 25-30 miles a week, that increase seemed quite significant. But considering I was attempting to run 3:10 or better, that mileage was far less than what I needed. Running, whether you choose to accept it or not, is a movement specific activity. What does that mean? It means that in order to become a better runner, the best approach is to run. That doesn't mean that cycling or swimming or rowing isn't going to help, but the less running you do, the less likely you are to succeed. I know, I know, plenty of folks out there have run very well while utilizing cross training like I have mentioned. I understand that. If that works for you and if you truly believe that this is the best way for you to train to meet your goals, I'm not gonna argue. But, for most of us, running is the way to the means.
During my training for my fall races, I averaged over 65 miles per week for about 22 weeks. I was able to drop my marathon PR by 18 minutes. Not convinced? Okay, maybe there's more to it.
The second biggest mistake goes hand in hand with the first. It is running too fast, too often. Again, personal experience here. I don't know of a single run under 10 miles during my first two marathon training periods when I ran slower than 7:30/mile. If I wasn't running long, I was running hard. Then on weekends, I'd go out on my long run and slog home barely making it to the door. I see tons of runners that have slower times than me in all race distances that are training faster than me almost every day of the week. I just don't get it. What are you trying to prove? I guess if you don't get the feeling from a race that you're fast, you're gonna try to get it in training. As I said, I was like that. I used to hammer all my shorter runs. Start fast, finish faster. But why? What purpose did this serve other than to wear me out, prevent me from running my important runs effectively, and above all, prevent me from running the mileage I needed to meet my goal.
During my training for any of my most recent races (fall 2007-current) I run five out of seven days at an easy, recovery pace. For me that means anywhere from 90 seconds to two and a half minutes slower than my current marathon pace. That's a big difference.
What has this done? Well, first off it has allowed me to run more miles than ever before. You saw what I ran last fall, and this winter has started out even higher. I have been above 70 miles a week for the past 6 weeks to start off my current training period. Second, it has allowed me, despite this new higher mileage, to race well, earning PR's this winter in the 4 mile and half marathon. Finally, it has allowed me to run hard when I'm supposed to. That is either once during the week and once on the weekend, or twice during the week. No more.
Being a successful marathoner is not about running the most miles you can. It's not about running the fastest you can. It's about mixing the proper combinations of everything. I'm not an expert, but I'm learning. I was pretty happy with the result last November, but I'd like to tweak it even more this May and October. Time will tell.
My Run Today: 20 miles. In Jersey. Awesome. Didn't get lost, but I kinda got to a point where I had to make a decision between continuing to run and possibly extend my run by a few miles or doubling back and make it home in 20. I chose correctly thankfully. I headed out my door at 6:30a. I wanted to try to increase my pace throughout the run and hopefully average around 7:30 or so. My first mile was 8:32. Ouch. It turned out just fine though. Following are my 4 mile splits:
32:52 (8:13 average pace)
30:43 (7:41 average pace)
29:53 (7:28 average pace)
28:57 (7:14 average pace)
26:47 (6:42 average pace)
2:29:29 (7:28 pace) Very happy with this. I wanted to get it in strong at the end and I was able to despite heading home into a headwind. This is a very good run for me and a great indicator of the shape I'm getting myself into. Sorry, no pictures this time. It was too dark when I left, and there wasn't much to look at anyway. But I did see 4 deer. That's not something you see in NYC, ya know." Blogged by The Squirrel
I found this blog entry online written by "The Squirrel" and rather than re-invent the wheel I am posting this for your reading pleasure....I could not come close to writing anything this good and it sums up what the coaches try and ingrain into your heads....running too much AND/OR too fast doe not help BUT ACTUALLY HURTS YOU RACEDAY....Enjoy!
"Two mistakes not to make
Two weeks ago I talked about the importance of the long run for successful marathon training. I don't know if I would say it is the most important aspect of a training plan, but it is definitely up there. One thing that I have done in the past which I will probably be reluctant to do going forward is to somehow rank by importance, different aspects of a marathon training plan. I really think that every plan has to be (as corny as it may sound) a recipe. In other words, when you bake a loaf of bread, for example, even though the amount of yeast that goes in is far less than many of the other ingredients, one cannot say it is somehow less important. Every single thing that goes into either your mixing bowl (your training program) needs to have a reason for being there. I may not be able to physiologically explain every single run and its overall or specific benefit, but I have a basic understanding of why I'm doing it. And I know that whether you're baking bread or training for a marathon, you cannot cut corners or haphazardly rearrange the measurements without getting something utterly disgusting when you open the oven. You can try, I certainly have, it isn't pretty. But it does teach you a lesson.
There are, like it or not, those runners among us that are just naturally gifted. They have that "recipe" already made for them. I have a good friend that recently ran a 2:42 marathon who, in his own words "rarely hit 60 miles a week". Bastard. My usual a-hole reply to him would be, "Yeah, but imagine what you'd run if you really trained." Of course, he has plenty of other priorities in his life, and honestly, who can argue with a 2:42 race. Not me. But a lot of folks don't run those kind of times and they don't even come close to what our Lord God McMillan says they should run and they can't figure it out. Most likely, it is through their own faulty training.
There are too huge mistakes I see when people train for marathons. A marathon is not a mile. It's not a 5 or 10K. It's not a half, obviously. It is twenty six miles three hundred eighty five yards. In my opinion much further than any sane human should attempt to run. But we do attempt it, sane or otherwise. Some attempt it with the goal to finish the race. Look, anyone who can complete a race like that gets a big "Bravo" from me. I don't care if you do it in 2 hour or 5 hours, that's a long way. If you are looking to finish the race, that is a different story, you can go about things differently and still accomplish your goal. For now though, I'm discussing people that are looking to run their best time and maximize their performance. The first of these mistakes is simply not running enough miles. I don't know that there is any rule of thumb or formula for figuring out how many miles you should have in your legs before toeing that line, or any magical miles per week number that will get you to your goal, but most likely if you were disappointed in your last race, it's more than what you are running.
I didn't keep a log during my training for my first two marathons, but I could guess that I probably averaged somewhere around 40 miles a week during both of them. Considering I had normally been running 25-30 miles a week, that increase seemed quite significant. But considering I was attempting to run 3:10 or better, that mileage was far less than what I needed. Running, whether you choose to accept it or not, is a movement specific activity. What does that mean? It means that in order to become a better runner, the best approach is to run. That doesn't mean that cycling or swimming or rowing isn't going to help, but the less running you do, the less likely you are to succeed. I know, I know, plenty of folks out there have run very well while utilizing cross training like I have mentioned. I understand that. If that works for you and if you truly believe that this is the best way for you to train to meet your goals, I'm not gonna argue. But, for most of us, running is the way to the means.
During my training for my fall races, I averaged over 65 miles per week for about 22 weeks. I was able to drop my marathon PR by 18 minutes. Not convinced? Okay, maybe there's more to it.
The second biggest mistake goes hand in hand with the first. It is running too fast, too often. Again, personal experience here. I don't know of a single run under 10 miles during my first two marathon training periods when I ran slower than 7:30/mile. If I wasn't running long, I was running hard. Then on weekends, I'd go out on my long run and slog home barely making it to the door. I see tons of runners that have slower times than me in all race distances that are training faster than me almost every day of the week. I just don't get it. What are you trying to prove? I guess if you don't get the feeling from a race that you're fast, you're gonna try to get it in training. As I said, I was like that. I used to hammer all my shorter runs. Start fast, finish faster. But why? What purpose did this serve other than to wear me out, prevent me from running my important runs effectively, and above all, prevent me from running the mileage I needed to meet my goal.
During my training for any of my most recent races (fall 2007-current) I run five out of seven days at an easy, recovery pace. For me that means anywhere from 90 seconds to two and a half minutes slower than my current marathon pace. That's a big difference.
What has this done? Well, first off it has allowed me to run more miles than ever before. You saw what I ran last fall, and this winter has started out even higher. I have been above 70 miles a week for the past 6 weeks to start off my current training period. Second, it has allowed me, despite this new higher mileage, to race well, earning PR's this winter in the 4 mile and half marathon. Finally, it has allowed me to run hard when I'm supposed to. That is either once during the week and once on the weekend, or twice during the week. No more.
Being a successful marathoner is not about running the most miles you can. It's not about running the fastest you can. It's about mixing the proper combinations of everything. I'm not an expert, but I'm learning. I was pretty happy with the result last November, but I'd like to tweak it even more this May and October. Time will tell.
My Run Today: 20 miles. In Jersey. Awesome. Didn't get lost, but I kinda got to a point where I had to make a decision between continuing to run and possibly extend my run by a few miles or doubling back and make it home in 20. I chose correctly thankfully. I headed out my door at 6:30a. I wanted to try to increase my pace throughout the run and hopefully average around 7:30 or so. My first mile was 8:32. Ouch. It turned out just fine though. Following are my 4 mile splits:
32:52 (8:13 average pace)
30:43 (7:41 average pace)
29:53 (7:28 average pace)
28:57 (7:14 average pace)
26:47 (6:42 average pace)
2:29:29 (7:28 pace) Very happy with this. I wanted to get it in strong at the end and I was able to despite heading home into a headwind. This is a very good run for me and a great indicator of the shape I'm getting myself into. Sorry, no pictures this time. It was too dark when I left, and there wasn't much to look at anyway. But I did see 4 deer. That's not something you see in NYC, ya know." Blogged by The Squirrel
Monday, February 4, 2008
Feb 4th Lessons Learned
It does not matter how long you have been running, how fast or slow you run, where or when you train....you (and that includes me) can learn something every day about running and yourself. I have been dealing with a cold since last weekend, I ran 6 Tuesday, and felt pretty good...Thursday I did not feel great but had the mid week run scheduled so I ran 4 and that was ok....Saturday I ran 12 miles through Mahwah up and down the hills and struggled a bit....but no cold was going to hold me down...it was only a cold so no need to slow down...WRONG!!! I finally listened to those who were telling not to run in Mahwah again on Sunday with a group of friends...I stayed home ... rested...did not run...drank plenty of fluids and felt alot better....however my neighbor came home from work and I was walking the dog and he came out his front door and came over to me. He asked whether I had already run for the day...I said no and he asked me to join him on a 5 mile "jog"...he is training for a 5k and wants to beat his brother in law who beat him last year by 30 seconds...he has lost 38 pounds...and is running well...I said no but he sort of begged saying that it was his only chance of staying with me if I was not 100% so I relented and we did 4.6 miles in 36 minutes...which is 7.49.56521739130437 mile pace or in English 7:50 per mile ...sorry folks thats not a jog!!!!!! I felt fine afterwards and am still ok BUT I have learned my lesson......get rid of the chest cold first THEN start training again.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Friday Feelings
On a nasty day I am feeling surprisingly good.....I feel refreshed today and really looking forward to getting out on the roads over the next couple of days....WHY DO I FEEL SO REFRESHED? Because of you.....last night Coach Melissa, Carrie Ginetto and I were joined at Montclair State for an evening run by a new runner.....we did 4 miles together and although this runner was apologizing to us for running so slow ....it was a great run and made me remember why I love running and especially running with newer runners so much. If you are feeling the way this newer runner was last night..."I don't want to go to the group runs, because 1) I am too slow 2) I will hold everyone including the coaches back 3) I am not running far enough yet....what ever the excuse.....DON'T !!!! Like I said I had a great run and it was because I saw a newer runner achieving a new plateau of 4 miles over a hilly route in the dark on a cold night...this newer runner was very happy with the run and will be attending their first group training this weekend.....
AND we have a group of new teammates on the RNR SD Team....a group of Lehman Brothers employees and as of 4 pm today 5 of them had already RSVP'd to me for Saturdays Mahwah Run...not sure if Glenn has received any RSVP's for Sunday at High Bridge and this is from a group who signed up Wednesday afternoon and from a group of 18 people...over 25% of the group attending a run 2 days after sign-up.....that is great!!!!
Stay safe if you are driving today and I will see you on the roads
AND we have a group of new teammates on the RNR SD Team....a group of Lehman Brothers employees and as of 4 pm today 5 of them had already RSVP'd to me for Saturdays Mahwah Run...not sure if Glenn has received any RSVP's for Sunday at High Bridge and this is from a group who signed up Wednesday afternoon and from a group of 18 people...over 25% of the group attending a run 2 days after sign-up.....that is great!!!!
Stay safe if you are driving today and I will see you on the roads
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Good bye to January
Well, its hard to believe that January is here and gone. The Spring Teams for the Northern NJ Chapter of Team in Training have now been training for two full months and everyone is doing great. Every week new mileage milestones are being achieved and its easy to remember back to the days when I was the one hitting those new levels.
That is one of the reasons I love running and try and encourage as many people as I can to give it a try...in what other sport can you enter a race as a new participant and run the same course as world class athletes? We all want to run as fast as we can and get better with each run and race....but in reality we are only out there running against ourselves...face it none of us is likely to win an Olympic Gold medal or the $130,000.00 first prize in NYC or Boston....its all about reaching that new goal...a new PR in a 5K.....running a double digit training run...finishing a half or full marathon.
Happy Trails...its a beautiful day for a run
That is one of the reasons I love running and try and encourage as many people as I can to give it a try...in what other sport can you enter a race as a new participant and run the same course as world class athletes? We all want to run as fast as we can and get better with each run and race....but in reality we are only out there running against ourselves...face it none of us is likely to win an Olympic Gold medal or the $130,000.00 first prize in NYC or Boston....its all about reaching that new goal...a new PR in a 5K.....running a double digit training run...finishing a half or full marathon.
Happy Trails...its a beautiful day for a run
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday Wanderings
Fighting a cold off since Saturday night, it seems to be moving around...sore throat, runny nose and now head full of congestion. Ran 6 miles last night and made it through without too much trouble. Testing the conventional wisdom that says you can run as long as the illness is "above the shoulders". Certainly agree that it is much tougher to run when you chest is tight or you can't breathe but a nose full of congestion does not help your breathing either. It does feel good to breathe the fresh air so I guess the positives outweigh the negatives ...at least for me.
Happy running today but watch those 50 mph winds!!!
Happy running today but watch those 50 mph winds!!!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Running Safety
Hi all,
I hate the fact that I am writing this at all but it is unfortunately necessary. I am writing to everyone but this message is directed more specifically to all the women. I just read a thread on a website about a woman being assaulted while running. It would be very easy to just ignore it and quietly hope that nothing ever happens to anyone I know.....BUT the Ostrich Defense does not work in any area of life.
So what can you do to make your runs as safe as possible??? And be forwarned I am NOT an expert and please feel free to add your own tips and pass them on.
1. Tell someone when and where you are going...how long should you be gone (and explain that they must give you some leeway and not call the police, 45 seconds after you exceed the anticipated time), what route are you taking, what you are wearing (if you are letting someone know that is not visible to you). Write down or leave word of the direction of your run. Tell friends and family of your favorite running routes.
2. Cell phone - in Winter it is alot easier to carry a phone than in summer when you are just wearing a pair of shorts and a short sleeve shirt but when running alone it can be invaluable. Since you will likely need to use it quickly, enter 911 into your address book and label it as "AAAA" so its the first number in your phone and add "ICE " ( In Case of Emergency) numbers so if something happens emergency personnel have contact numbers (Tom, can probably expand on this)
3. Get a ROAD ID, there are ads for them in all of the running/cycling etc magazines...provides emergency info in case you can not respond to emergency personnel, also can go online at www.roadid.com
4. No Headphones - many of you enjoy running to your IPod music and it certainly makes the miels float away faster sometimes....But when running alone you MUST have ALL SENSES fully aware...too easy for someone to run up behind you if you are focused on the music
5. Carry keys- carry them in you hand with the business end between your fingers so if someone attacks you you can stab at their face and/or eyes and possibly stun them enough that you can get away.....mace is another possibility but I will leave that discussion for Tom to add his thoughts. In case you do not know Coach Tom, is a Police Officer and a US Marine ( not former because once a Marine always a Marine)
6. Be Aware!!!! Be aware of your surroundings, if someone seems to be acting strangely better to be safe than sorry....if a situation escalates run into a store, to someone's front door, YELL, scream, make a commotion so you attract other people's attention. Carry a whistle and blow it loud!!!!!
Trust your intuition about a person or an area. React on your intuition and avoid a person or situation if you're unsure. If something tells you a situation is not "right", it isn't.
7. Change Your Routine. We all have our favorite running routes and many of us run at the same time of day every day week in and week out. Change up routes don't run the same 5 mile loop every morning at 6am. Do not be predictable so that someone can target you based on your routine. Besides being safer, you will add some variety to your running by exploring new routes and that will add a little spice to your running...we all get stagnant and a new run can refresh your running!!
8. Run with a partner. Run with a dog.
9. Avoid unpopulated areas, deserted streets, and overgrown trails. Especially avoid unlit areas, especially at night. Run clear of parked cars or bushes.
10. Ignore verbal harassment. Use discretion in acknowledging strangers. Look directly at others and be observant, but keep your distance and keep moving.
11 - Run against traffic so you can observe approaching automobiles.
12 - Wear reflective material if you must run before dawn or after dark.
13 - Practice memorizing license tags or identifying characteristics of strangers.14 - CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY if something happens to you or someone else, or you notice anyone out of the ordinary. It is important to report incidents immediately.
I hate the fact that I am writing this at all but it is unfortunately necessary. I am writing to everyone but this message is directed more specifically to all the women. I just read a thread on a website about a woman being assaulted while running. It would be very easy to just ignore it and quietly hope that nothing ever happens to anyone I know.....BUT the Ostrich Defense does not work in any area of life.
So what can you do to make your runs as safe as possible??? And be forwarned I am NOT an expert and please feel free to add your own tips and pass them on.
1. Tell someone when and where you are going...how long should you be gone (and explain that they must give you some leeway and not call the police, 45 seconds after you exceed the anticipated time), what route are you taking, what you are wearing (if you are letting someone know that is not visible to you). Write down or leave word of the direction of your run. Tell friends and family of your favorite running routes.
2. Cell phone - in Winter it is alot easier to carry a phone than in summer when you are just wearing a pair of shorts and a short sleeve shirt but when running alone it can be invaluable. Since you will likely need to use it quickly, enter 911 into your address book and label it as "AAAA" so its the first number in your phone and add "ICE " ( In Case of Emergency) numbers so if something happens emergency personnel have contact numbers (Tom, can probably expand on this)
3. Get a ROAD ID, there are ads for them in all of the running/cycling etc magazines...provides emergency info in case you can not respond to emergency personnel, also can go online at www.roadid.com
4. No Headphones - many of you enjoy running to your IPod music and it certainly makes the miels float away faster sometimes....But when running alone you MUST have ALL SENSES fully aware...too easy for someone to run up behind you if you are focused on the music
5. Carry keys- carry them in you hand with the business end between your fingers so if someone attacks you you can stab at their face and/or eyes and possibly stun them enough that you can get away.....mace is another possibility but I will leave that discussion for Tom to add his thoughts. In case you do not know Coach Tom, is a Police Officer and a US Marine ( not former because once a Marine always a Marine)
6. Be Aware!!!! Be aware of your surroundings, if someone seems to be acting strangely better to be safe than sorry....if a situation escalates run into a store, to someone's front door, YELL, scream, make a commotion so you attract other people's attention. Carry a whistle and blow it loud!!!!!
Trust your intuition about a person or an area. React on your intuition and avoid a person or situation if you're unsure. If something tells you a situation is not "right", it isn't.
7. Change Your Routine. We all have our favorite running routes and many of us run at the same time of day every day week in and week out. Change up routes don't run the same 5 mile loop every morning at 6am. Do not be predictable so that someone can target you based on your routine. Besides being safer, you will add some variety to your running by exploring new routes and that will add a little spice to your running...we all get stagnant and a new run can refresh your running!!
8. Run with a partner. Run with a dog.
9. Avoid unpopulated areas, deserted streets, and overgrown trails. Especially avoid unlit areas, especially at night. Run clear of parked cars or bushes.
10. Ignore verbal harassment. Use discretion in acknowledging strangers. Look directly at others and be observant, but keep your distance and keep moving.
11 - Run against traffic so you can observe approaching automobiles.
12 - Wear reflective material if you must run before dawn or after dark.
13 - Practice memorizing license tags or identifying characteristics of strangers.14 - CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY if something happens to you or someone else, or you notice anyone out of the ordinary. It is important to report incidents immediately.
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