James' Marathon Mission

Run aftermath

2010-04-21T22:48:00.001-04:00

I'm posting something now and will catch up on the race day itself soon...

Okay. I'm here. And I'm still beat tired. In short, it was a very inspirational race, practically out of body. I am starting to type some of it down now, and I'll share more details soon.

I can say I did not leave very much out there; I spent just about all I had, without puting my life itself at risk. My legs really took a beating because they weren't working right for the last half of the race. So I was too exhausted to do much more than eat, shower and sleep Monday night (didn't get back home until 8).

Tuesday, I worked the am from home and then got on a plane for Syracuse for business in the afternoon.

Wednesday morning, I managed to sit up in my hotel bed, but then was stuck there for the better part of an hour. I anticipated trouble the night before, because I left water, ibuprofen, and Biofreeze (like liquid Ben-Gay) on the nightstand. I hobbled to the office 2.5 hours later.

I was able to walk about 30-45 minutes tonight, which is the first step for post-race recovery. I hope to get a good night's sleep tonight, and keep recovering tomorrow.

Marathon Day is here!

2010-04-19T00:01:00.000-04:00

Marathon Day, April 19 is here.

By the numbers-
Since New Year’s,

Almost 300 miles running, another 20 or so in warm-ups and cool-downs;
Over 100 running-equivalent miles on cycles or elliptical trainers
10+ runs in sub-freezing temps;
And multiple sports massages, acupuncture treatments, chiropractor adjustments, an orthopedic consult, x-rays, and an MRI, to assess and treat over-exerted body parts.
At least 150 ibuprofen tabs
And one very cold icewater bath

Balanced with at least 100 emails of support, numerous words of inspiration, a team of 550 runners, at least 200 of which I’ve been with on several group runs; plus a sister-in-law sending me several words of encouragement, diet tips, and fitness articles.

Boston Marathon Monday is here.

My aching body has loosened up except for 1 very achy right hip that has plagued me for over a month.

While I am trying not to think too much about it, I like statistics and I can’t help it:

At my average cadence, I’ll take around 35,000 steps over the marathon, so about 17,500 on my right leg, pounding that poor hip.

I’m looking at that being offset by all the inspiration I have received and the estimated 500,000 spectators that will line the course, cheering us on. The weather should be great, (or at least better than all my January runs), and if you can be one of the cheering throng…fantastic.

And if you scream, "JAMES!!!" at the top of your lungs, Thank You. And please excuse me if I don’t hear you. (I get focused sometimes).

If you can’t be there, please feel free to follow along with me on the Boston Marathon website during the race. http://baa.org/
You can look me up by last name or bib number 22963
The elite runners start at 10:00am eastern. My wave starts at approximately 10:30am (like the elite runners need a head start on me), and as I cross the start line and each 5k of the course (8 checkpoints), and finish line, my time will be automatically posted to the BAA’s website. You can also sign-up to have text alerts sent to your phone automatically through the AT&T Athlete Alert program. All these details are on the BAA’s site, which I understand will become very user-friendly on Monday.

So please run along with me and I hope give you a success story soon after the finish.

Good News! Only Painful tendonitis!

2010-04-11T15:34:00.001-04:00

Recapping the last week:

Monday: MRI

Tuesday:

I went to a track speed workout at Tufts Tuesday night. Well, the workout was there, but I was not there to work out. I was there to get a pep talk from our coach, the legendary Jack Fultz. Legendary not just because he won the Boston Marathon in 1976, but because he is very giving of his time, ear, and advice to the Dana-Farber runners. I needed both the pep-talk, the common sense without the fear mongering of the medical fractioned, that also imparts the wisdom and realism of the athletic sports body and the athlete's mind. In short, I can feel ok about not running again before the marathon and can use ibuprofen or naproxen to attack inflammation and pain as I workout in the last days before the race.

Wednesday:

I experienced acupuncture for the first time. I never would have thought I could relax and fall asleep with a dozen or so needles sticking in me. I could feel a shell of energy sort of flow on top of me like a blanket. Very interesting.

Thursday:

I received the preliminary results that no stress fracture, no ligament or tendon tear, no joint issue could be seen on the MRI.

Friday:

I saw the sports medicine orthopod to give me the results. The likely issue is just microscopic strains in the tendons that are extra painful. Rest is the best healer. Don't worry about my fitness, I can't increase it now anyway. I won't forget how to run. Use pain as my guide, if I'm working out and something is painful...avoid it because it is stalling healing.

And I saw the acupuncturist again. This time using thicker needles and a device that sends tiny electric shocks into 4 of the needles every 3 seconds. Now that was kind of trippy.

Saturday:

I stopped having to walk with a limp today. I did my first cardio workout in a week on my elliptical trainer at home. I took it very easy for me. And after the hour workout strapped ice to 2 places on my hip a couple times.

Sunday:

The Dana-Farber runner's group met at the Mount Auburn club for the last tuning run (10-12 miles). I took a few strides before I left and a few more on a treadmill at the club. Just not quite ready to run yet.

I found out a fellow runner who seemed like she was fully fit and very fast just a few weeks ago, has a stress fracture in her ankle and won't race in the marathon, deferring medically until next year. This is a traumatic step for any runner, but a wise choice given the alternative of having a bad race and potentially an unhealthy summer.

For me, it was the first time I allowed myself to be confronted by that option. I thought about it while doing a 1:45 long elliptical at the club.

Result: I feel strong. I feel healthy. I will be ready to have a good and healthy race next Monday.

X-Ray...Orthopod...MRI...tick-tock

2010-04-06T16:36:00.001-04:00

A work colleague scared me enough based on his own experience...

So on the off chance I might have a stress fracture in the femoral neck (the leg bone is connected to the hip joint at the top with a ball...if the ball breaks off, well, you are in a world of hurt with a "broken hip"),

I went to a sports orthopedic doctor yesterday, started with x-rays, which were inconclusive. The doctor said if it feels better to rest...then rest, don't run. But since I was determined to run the marathon against his recommendation, he sent me for an MRI. I should get the results in a couple days.

So I will rest while I wait. (Trying to be) Confident that the 292.8 miles I ran over the last 3 months will carry me the next 26.2.

Still on the mend; Shifter's 5K

2010-04-03T22:32:00.001-04:00

I have been slow to post new items on this blog, because I don't have a lot glowing to report. My hip is still sore. I'm stretching and still taking pain meds. My fitness regime has been limited to spinning classes and cycling. These are much lower impact, but still involve alot of motion through the upper legs and hips. We'll just keep an eye on things and try to get as much rest time as possible.

I did spend a couple hours on my feet in running shoes Saturday, but not running. The day was gorgeous for a nice fun run called Shifter's 5k. "Shifter" is the Rich Horgan who wrote the Boston Globe Marathon blog last weekend (http://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/blog/2010/03/long_may_you_run.html) who is also a Dana-Farber board member. One of his main fundraising efforts is organizing this run. The run starts and finishes at the Waverly Oaks Athletic Club in Waltham...well, not the athletic club, but the sports pub inside the athletic club. I guess patron's here maybe guilted somewhat while they swig beer and eat buffalo wings while watching people workout downstairs.

I digress.

I showed up to support Rich, who is a Holy Cross alum, as am I, and lend a hand as best I could without actually running. My post was in the parking lot on the last leg of the course. The parking lot is host to a variety of businesses, Chinese restaurant, liquor store, salon..all open and receiving patrons throughout the race. So for 25 minutes, my job was directing traffic and runners to safely cross paths. I must say that after flagging cars to slow down and move over, or asking people to wait to pull out, almost all were very understanding...especially when I had the opportunity to tell them that just by being patient, they were helping cure cancer!

Result of the 22 Miles of pounding

2010-03-28T23:43:00.003-04:00

Saturday was Aunt Ginny's Birthday. And even though my body was saying "NO...your bum hip needs more rest"...I felt inspired to celebrate her memory and birthday with a 22 mile run.

The running group met at Boston College, which sits right at the foot of the legendary "Heartbreak Hill" in Chestnut Hill @ about mile 21-22 on the marathon course. The idea was to run from mile 22 to mile 11 and turn around, thus experiencing the heart of the course (miles 11-22) on the way back, with the same exhaustion you will on race day, especially the Newton hills.

There was a festive atmosphere along the marathon course, with thousands of runners getting their long runs in. Several charities and running clubs had water stops and cheering sections. Some media, lots of colors. And most importantly, most Newton drivers seemed to expect and give ample space to the runners.

The right hip was screaming at me at the start, but I chose to run with other runners, principally Marc, who was nursing a shin injury. For most of the run, Marc's GPS watch kept our pace and the occasional conversation kept the time moving and discomfort at bay. The last 8 miles was a bit chaotic however. I took a bathroom break. I tried to make up the distance, but my legs were like rocks. I think I didn't have enough glycogen stores, lack of sleep, and I was compensating for my hip with other muscles that weren't used to the pounding. I caught up with Marc later because he was having hamstring cramping, and the 2 of us basically limped back to BC.

Strangely though, I felt I did alright given the circumstances, good spirits kept me going. I hope and I don't think I injured myself more.

But I knew there had to be serious inflammations all over my legs, and deep in the hip.

When I got home, Alicia discovered I was filling up the bathtub with cold water...and then I dumped in all the ice we had in the fridge, and jumped in.

I hate cold water...but there is a certain mental toughness...or perhaps numbness...or perhaps stupidity that comes after a long run, that a little ice is not going to bother you.

I hope the 20 minutes I spent in there stopped excess swelling...or else I turned blue for no good reason.

I then later Saturday had the fortune of being invited to a colleague's daughter's 16th birthday party, and although we arrived late, there was still loads of delicious Indian food, and I was able to replenish my stores with rice, biryani, and some wonderful vegetarian dishes and desserts. And there was much rejoicing in this birthday milestone in a young girl's life, reminding me of the full circle of life and renewals we all should be grateful for.

Aunt Ginny's Birthday...summoning her spirit

2010-03-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today would have been celebrating Aunt Ginny's birthday. I am inspired to go out and do my longest training run (~22 miles) before the marathon. It's been a frustrating week since having success in New Bedford last weekend. My hip has really been painful, walking, climbing stairs. I've taken loads of ibuprofen, stretched, taken yoga, had a sports massage exclusively on my legs...and stayed away from running for the last 5 days.

There is some rationale for not running on it yet, but this is the ideal time from a training standpoint to do the last run and taper for 3 weeks. I am relying a bit on spirit: that this is Aunt Ginny's birthday, and she had a strong spirit, and a fun-loving spirit that I hope to draw on for this penultimate challenge before the marathon on April 19.

New Bedford Half Marathon Pix

2010-03-26T06:56:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned before, the New Bedford race was on a beautiful day with nice scenery. You can see Buzzard's Bay over my shoulder in one of the shots.

I feel a little bad about the other runner you see in the picture behind me. I noticed him early on, always about 30 seconds to a minute ahead of me for the entire race.
The red jersey is our Dana-Farber training jersey. When I fired it up for the last few miles, I managed to catch him in the final straight away...I pointed to my jersey. He gave me a thumbs up. For a second I thought maybe we should cross the finish line together as a show of unity. I think he said something like, "See you in Boston." I looked at my watch at that moment and saw I might break 1:50:00, and a burst of selfish adrenaline overtook me and I darted ahead for the last 15 seconds.

The brain is very tired by that point, and if your original race plan is to sprint to the finish (mine always is), it is easy to get carried away like that.

But don't worry, I didn't block his finish photo shots, and for both of us, this was a tune-up race for the big one April 19.

Half in New Bedford gives a whole race experience

2010-03-21T22:30:00.000-04:00

This was a beautiful day.

Mid-50's with a light breeze off the ocean. Sunny...well maybe a bit too sunny to be ideal for long-distance running. I could kind of feel the sun sapping some of my energy. I wish you could put on a solar panel outfit to catch the rays and transfer the energy to your muscles, instead of it being drained. But I wore a brimmed hat and donned the first sunblock of the year and made the most of it.

The day was perfect for spectators too and they lined various parts of this easy to view event.

Over 2800 runners registered, this gave a good big race feel.

The course is predominantly flat, with 2 gradual hills, the second of which is at 11.5-12.5 miles, less than a mile to the finish.

Alicia and Ellis came down with me to cheer me on, seeing me off at the start, cutting across the center of the "looped" course to see me again at 5 miles (where they then enjoyed a mini-picnic in Buttonwood Park and visited the zoo there for a bit).

Running down to the point, I could smell the fresh salty sea brine air washing up to greet me. I found it renewing. Another runner at that point handed me Jelly Belly, energizing Sport Beans, Jelly Belly's with vitamins and electrolyzes. Who would have thought?

So the steady breeze for the next couple miles kept me cool, and that pesky sun at bay. Up the hill to the finish. I noticed another Dana-Farber runner just before the finish and gave him a thumbs up.

Most importantly, this was a tune-up race. I kept my pace a bit aggressive (similar to last weekend's run of a similar length), and held it consistently, and then kicked it in to a higher gear to finish strong. Goal achieved; just a few more milestones to cover until the big day.

Alicia and Ellis met me near the finish line and then we had lunch compliments of the race...get this...fried fish sandwiches and clam chowder. Really surprising at first, because I typically wouldn't think of reviving my self with fried anything and cream-based soup. But in this old New England town that inspired the tale of Moby Dick and still remains a major fishing port, it makes sense. And the saltiness, was pretty welcome as it turns out...delicious finish.

Playing Hurt

2010-03-20T15:26:00.001-04:00

One of my coach's back in college said, "You can play hurt, but you can't play injuredso which is it?"

I have started experiencing a new pain in my right hip flexor (right leg, front, just below the waist), that has started to radiate into the joint itself, every footfall causes a shock of pain. This one is new to me, so it's a bit disconcerting. It's a jarring pain when starting to run, causing me to compensate a little by shifting my weight...not symmetrical, not the healthiest thing. Once it loosens up, it doesn't appear to slow me downbut after running, tightens up more, I get a bit of a limp after sitting. I'm trying different stretches, ice therapy, ibuprofen to get over the nagging pain, and I'll try to switch at least 1 or 2 runs per week into cycling or elliptical.

We'll see how it reacts to pounding it out in a Half Marathon tomorrow.

A Challenging Week and successful result

2010-03-13T13:57:00.001-05:00

I had to travel back to Syracuse on business this week and made a concerted effort to get to the gym twice to workout. I ran on treadmills, lifted weights, took a yoga class and a cycle spinning class. A marked contrast to last week where the workout I got was rolling in a hotel bed and running to the bathroom.

On Wednesday, I got a deep tissue massage on my upper back and legs and I think it did wonders. Now don't think of this as a relaxing back massage. This was a workout. Think Elbows kneading knots out of quads, hamstrings and calves, against the grain, and at times, quite excruciating. But I think it releases a lot of toxins and tension out of the muscles.

The result was on the fourth time I ran in Lexington on Saturday, the legs just seemed to have the energy to keep pumping. I ran the approximate 1/2 marathon distance in under 1hour, 50minutes; 5 minutes better than my previous time. The weather really cooperated too: It was 39 degrees, raw, windy and rainy...no, really this is an improvement to low 30's, snow, slush and puddles.

Next Sunday I'll be in New Bedford, MA doing an actual half marathon as a tune-up for Boston, and build a pre-race routine.

Honest to Goodness 20 Miles

2010-03-06T15:21:00.001-05:00

After writhing around a hotel room all of Wednesday. And spending half of Thursday in bed. And not really eating much solid food until Friday. I was a bit apprehensive at going out and running 20 miles on Saturday. I tried to make sure I was plenty hydrated and had enough easy to digest food (PowerBars and PowerGel) on me to keep my calories/energy up for the run. I also knew that my last 2 runs over 17 miles ended with me completely spent and seeing blue flashes and star out of the corners of my eyes.

But the day was beautiful, and over a hundred DFMC runners came to Waltham to run. I took it bit slower than what I would normally try, and the results were good.

This run winding mostly through roads in Lincoln, has 5 major hills, 4 minor ones and about 10 miles of rolling hills. It is easily a tougher course than most marathons.

So after 3 hours and 15 minutes of work I arrived safely back at the BSC in Waltham, tired but no blue flashes, and gratified that the second to last really long training run is over.

So, therefore, I think my illness must have been food poisoning to pass that quickly...or perhaps more likely...I'm allergic to Syracuse in the Winter.

Now I think I'll crash...no wait, we're taking my daughter Ellis to the playground now. Rest will come eventually.

Minor Setback?

2010-03-05T22:44:00.000-05:00

I took this past Monday off, then travelled to Syracuse on business with the best of intentions to workout. Took a 3 mile jog Tuesday evening, then after eating a big meal that night I awoke in the middle of the night to food poisoning or a stomach bug and writhed in my hotel room for a day. Wednesday and Thursday were a waste. Friday, I felt a bit unsure but wanted to test it out.
Went out for a short jog, and felt fine so I then managed to get in the familiar 5K out my front door, and at 80% effort logged my own personal best...I hope I'm back 100% tomorrow for a 18-20 miler with the group.

Another Half - Snow, Puddles, Splash!

2010-02-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

I took a bit more rest this week after last weekend's long runs. I was beat tired for a couple days. But now with the weekend it's time for a longer group run (I've decided to make every other week a "short" run to ensure recovery time)

Ran with the Dana-Farber group on the Lexington run again. I ran the same distance I did 2 weeks ago, 13.2 miles...in the hopes I might see (make) some improvements. It was not meant to be: Although the temperature was kinder in the 30's, it snowed, sleeted, and snowed again before the sun came out. Almost the entire run was on about a half inch of snow that turned to slush (no traction). And there were a few areas covered in water to go around. I stepped my left foot in to a deeper puddle getting my foot wet in the first 30 minutes, leaving me a bit more weight to lug around.

All that said, I was only 27 seconds off my time from 2 weeks ago (1:55:33).

After the run, Dana-Farber had a video camera set up and were taking 10-second bites of runners, still winded and sweaty from theirs runs. I don't remember exactly what I said...but I'll send the link if they post it somewhere.

Back to Basics

2010-02-23T22:19:00.001-05:00

When long-distance running, I try to focus on the present step, and the first step that gets me out the door, and not care about the 35,000th. (That's right, at my average cadence, I'll take about 35,000 steps over the course of the marathon.)

Perhaps it's an analogy for life itself.

Live.

One Step, One Breath, One Moment, at a time.

Starting to run? Try not to worry about the 5th, 10th, 15th mile...they will come.

Just feel comfortable knowing that the path you're on is the right one.

The same goes for cancer research.

A recent supporter reminded me of the basic good of the basic cancer research performed at Dana-Farber.

The cures for cancer will come through basic research.

Several recent articles that can be explored at Dana-Farber extol the single steps along the path to a cure, such as these regarding prostate, breast, and lung cancer breakthroughs and findings:

http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/news/press/2010/vaccine-approach-extends-life-of-metastatic-prostate-cancer-patients.html

http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/news/press/2010/genes-found-linked-to-breast-cancer-drug-resistance-could-guide-future-treatment-choices.html

http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/news/press/2010/combination-therapy-may-benefit-patients-with-specific-genetic-subtype-of-non-small-cell-lung-cancer.html

Therefore, we can take great comfort knowing the single steps we take, all make a difference.

A 2-Day Marathon

2010-02-21T22:46:00.001-05:00

My combined mileage running on Saturday and Sunday was a bit greater than the marathon. It took therefore about 26-1/2 hours to run the 26.2 miles. Unfortunately on Marathon Monday, they stop the Marathon officially after 6 hours...so 2 days doesn't quite work.

I ran Saturday due to a schedule glitch on my part, showing up for my group run Saturday, which was scheduled for Sunday this week...oops. But I was near Boston on one of the warmest days of the year so far...why waste it. So I took the flat course by the river I used to run all the time I lived in Cambridge...10.3 miles. I only hope I didn't deplete my reserves, knowing I had a much longer run the next day.

Sunday

Same starting point different direction: run the 2+ miles to get to the actual Marathon course, and head in reverse for 8 miles, then turn around and run back through the toughest part of the course: the Newton Hills, around 4 miles where 3+ hills await, once you've spent your energy reserves.

I was running with a small group on the way out. Talking and keeping about a 9 min pace on the way out, both of which probably were spending my energy greater than my usual loner running. I paid for it when returning through the Newton Hills, where I slowed to a crawl, especially finishing up the final heartbreak hill.

About 18.5 miles in I started seeing the spots/aura I had 2 weeks earlier. I stopped running at 3 hours and about 19 miles, even though I hadn't completed the return. This was a pre-run plan because of the "spot-seeing" 2 weeks earlier. I did run/walk back to the starting point at the Mount Auburn club. Where I replenished with bagels, fruit, yogurt and juice. But there was no doubt I was wiped out. On top of that there were a couple places on me where my own clothes rubbed my skin off. Very painful in the shower...think sunburn.

Our trainer thinks I have to keep an eye on my fluid, electrolytes/salts, and glucose/sugar levels. Perhaps I'm hitting a wall of sorts as I get up into these mileages. The total number of miles seem close to being able to complete a marathon...but there is so far to go.

Our joke is that the spots is a pre-historic human defense mechanism: Your body telling you, "Hey, if you've been running for 17-18 miles, and if you haven't gotten away from whatever it is that is chasing you, perhaps it's a better idea if you stop and go hide instead."

Alright, I should be sleeping; not typing this blog....Goodnight.

Skiing...no, the kind you have to do work

2010-02-17T23:30:00.000-05:00

We went cross-country skiing Sunday.
We haven't had the chance to go in 3 years so there was a bit of rust there.
Add to that a sled called a pulk, so little Ellis could ride along.
After some testing we were off. I didn't realize how choppy my skiing style is...think someone learning a stickshift the first time. Ellis was getting banged into her seat a bit, and I think she didn't like it. "All Done!"

Then she battened down the hatches and fell asleep, allowing us to ski and me to pull for a total of about 1-1/2 hours. Then I went out unfettered for 45 minutes later after lunch. Still, my novice form makes me have to work very hard.

My legs (quads) are still sore 2 days later.

By the way, XC skiing is great cross-training exercise. Cheaper, no lines, lots of time alone...and you get warm, not cold!

In love with…a burrito?

2010-02-14T22:14:00.000-05:00

A different slant on love on Valentine’s Day.

Long-Distance running requires at least one non-athletic activity to sustain performance:
Eating! Eating lots of carbohydrates.

What’s a good inexpensive way to eat lots of carbs? Well, make yourself a lot of rice, beans, and pasta. But if you’re out and need a quick fix: Burritos at Chipotle.

I sincerely hope that the Food, Inc. and other works that depict Chipotle as a buyer and supporter of sustainable agriculture are truthful, because a lot of food is served there.

Yesterday, after my long-run, I found myself ordering a burrito, stuffed to the gills…in fact, upon rolling it, the tortilla broke. I said they could just wrap the entire thing in another tortilla. I wish I had a picture of this thing…if you were to take a standard bottle of wine and knock the neck off…that was the size of this behemoth. I thought for sure I’d take half home, then reminiscent of Coney Island hot dog eating phenom “Kobayashi” I polished this thing off.

So to those who love…love to eat…running does have a desired side effect.

About a Half

2010-02-13T15:43:00.000-05:00

I'm having a hard time finding time to workout balancing work/commute/family, but I managed to get in a decent 8.5 mile run on Thursday. It seemed like I was going slow, but I have to remember that the runs that start and end at my house have steep hills. I'm sure there are studies on this, but to me it seems like going up a steep hill taks about 30% more effort and going down only gives you back about 15%.

This might be paying dividends, for the run today, I chose to run about a half-marathon (13.1 miles).
A typical training plan varies long run lengths each week, building toward the race. (for example, my weekly long runs have been about 10.5, 10.5, 7, 12, 15, 10, 18, 13)

Lexington on the rail trail bikeway has long steady, only slightly up and downgrades. (There were however several ice patches that required careful stepping) Overall, the run felt good, with the ability to take longer strides when I felt the need to change it up.

And that's the idea: Run 15, so the next week's 10 miles seems easy; run 18, so the next week's 13 seems easy.

Boston Marathon: Line

2010-02-10T18:20:00.001-05:00

The sleepy rural town of Hopkinton. No Starbucks, no McDonald's, no Dunkin' Donuts, no chain of any kind.

All year long, the start and finish lines of the Boston Marathon remain on the street; repainted freshly each year. You can see them from space here.

In Hopkinton, the Start is across the street from the town green, where there's a gazebo where a band sometimes plays and Santa comes to visit children at Christmastime.

In Boston, the Finish is on the long stretch of Boyston St., amongst the shadows of the Prudential Center and John Hancock towers, a block from the Back Back shopping district of Newbury Street, and feeling about a million miles (26.2 to be exact) from the Hopkinton town center.

Almost 18 Miles - Complete Exhaustion

2010-02-07T11:14:00.000-05:00

I was too exhausted yesterday to think about and write this passage.

Saturday, the DFMC group met in Waltham at the Boston Sports Club, where the Celtics have their training facilities. Another good turnout, about 100 runners. About 19 degrees, with a light breeze. I dressed adequately for the cold, except I didn't cover my face or smear it with vaseline and the windchill caused my face to go numb. When talking to others, I was slurring all my words. The course wound through some great scenic roads in Lincoln with lakes, historic homes. There were also some killer hills, the steepest of which always went down first, and you knew that you would just have to climb back up them upon return.

It felt kind of natural to run a bit faster than the 15 miles I ran last week, except that at about 17 miles, I started seeing "blue spots" around the corners of my eyes. I knew I was reaching my limit with just 1 long hill left to climb. I made it up the hill almost back to the start and walk it off to the finish, running a total of 17.9 miles in 2hours, 47minutes.

The bad news is that I felt completely spent, kind of ill when done; the good news is that after about 15 minutes of cooling down and stretching I felt half back to normal.

And within a couple hours the appetite returned, eating muffin, pasta, juice, then burger, fries, potato chips, fries, onion rings, salad, and finally ice cream. If you like eating, which I do, then running does enable a bit of splurging...but I'm looking to eat plenty of the right foods to re-fuel.

Embracing the Cold

2010-02-03T20:59:00.018-05:00

My training plan is starting to call for 7-8 mile runs mid-week (which was scripted for novice marathoners by 1976 Boston Marathon winner, our coach, Jack Fultz). So I have to figure out how to get these in, especially with limited daylight. Working from home tends to give me the ability to start work early and finish with enough daylight to get out there for a long run.
Today's run started at 4:15 and I went through the nearby state park and back.
A really tough course. 7-2/3 miles; this descends 250 feet from my house with lots of hills, and then return, making up the 250 feet. The goal wasn't to get faster, it was to get in miles, and enjoy it as much as possible. 31 degrees, light wind, wearing enough layers to be warm, but not overheat. The lake at the park is frozen over and the ice fishermen are coming in from the day. One of the areas was still snow covered so I could feel the crunch of snow underfoot. There were no cars, and the silence, except for the wind through the trees. This is what winter running is all about. Cold, but clean.

Reflections on icicles

2010-02-02T23:59:00.000-05:00

Pictured here you can see the icicles I referred to in the previous entry from my run in the low teens last Sunday. The tewk is a great hat to keep ears warm and cultivate icicles.

Cold Chicken...then strengthened resolve

2010-01-31T14:43:00.001-05:00

The forecast for Saturday at 8am was 5-10deg, wind chill -10. Well, I have all this cold-weather gear. I thought, hey, I could write about what it's like to run in the cold. I don't care if I'm miserable. At the same time I thought, but if I'm writing that I pulled something because I couldn't effectively warm-up...that wouldn't be good.

At 7 sure enough, weather.com said that Lexington (the group-run meeting place) was 7 & -10.
So whatever I have that passes for wisdom, led me to go to the gym for a long indoor workout.
As I got out of the car and was about to cross the street to the gym, I noticed, hey, it's cold...but where is that 10-15 mph with gusts wind they were talking about. Calm and still. And just then a runner passed in front of me.
The hair stood on the back of my neck and I think I could hear the distant sounds of chickens clucking at me.
The workout in the gym was good, 7miles on a treadmill, 30minutes elliptical cross-training, then 75minutes in a yoga class. I thought the yoga would be a good stretching motivator...but it was half strength poses...and besides my muscles shaking...my brain was actually getting tired. If anyone ever tells you that yoga isn't tough, tell them to go workout an hour and a half and then take a class.

But Sunday is usually a rest day...but I got 3 rest days this week already, so I resolved to run outside regardless how cold.
At 8:30am Hopkinton temperature was 11, 3windchill when I went out. I wanted to do about 8 miles, with lots of hills, mostly downhills. Downhills are "easier" than uphills from a cardio perspective but they work different muscles: the front of the leg (quads), more than the back of the leg (hamstrings). And the Boston Marathon is a net -460 vertical feet, so downhill training is recommended becuase the quads take a beating.

So for the cold, I warmed up on the elliptical before going out. The run starts at my house and goes down 200 vertical feet and then climbs back up 175 feet to the starting line 3 miles later. Then down the marathon course for the the first 3.8 miles which drops 300 feet to the center of Ashland where I finished. Rolling hills but plenty of downhill to punish the quads. The cold felt good and icicles formed on me. I love the icicles. There's nothing better to feel than your 100 degree sweat freeze solid within an hour.

Running meeting; Some Interesting Links re: Dana-Farber

2010-01-31T12:21:00.000-05:00

Last Tuesday, I attended a runner's meeting at Dana-Farber. There were about 200 of the runners in attendance and the main focus was injury prevention, training, and stretching. They also had a poster signing for about a dozen children with cancer at Dana-Farber. I haven't met any of our "running partners" yet, but I expect to meet them at a future meeting, and Dana-Farber has a stand at the 25th mile of the race where some patients, big and small, will be watching the race and cheer us on to the finish.

I have noted a couple stories regarding Dana-Farber:

"CBS Evening News with Katie Couric"
On Jan. 28, anchor Katie Couric interviewed Ronald DePinho, MD, director of Dana-Farber’s Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science, for an in-depth report on where the U.S. stands in terms of cancer care today and the progress toward personalized medicine. See the cbsnews Video clip

Valerie Bertinelli on the Team
In January, actress Valerie Bertinelli sat down with Meredith Vieira of the “Today” show and Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa of “Live!” to announce her plans to run the Boston Marathon® as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team.
Dana-Farber research yields new agent for some drug-resistant, non-small cell lung cancers
A team of Dana-Farber scientists has halted non-small cell lung tumors resistant to the drugs Iressa and Tarceva with a newly constructed compound that was designed and formulated in an Institute lab. Read More Here

Charlie Horse

2010-01-26T23:12:00.000-05:00

I woke up in the middle of the night Saturday from pain in the legs. It was a bit scary at first, but once I realized what was happening, I just knew the muscles were trying to tell me they were repairing...or maybe I was running in a dream. haha. Later I woke up because it was just uncomfortable to lay with my own body weight.
Is it sick, that I'm starting to find these sensations kind of cool?

A lot of running

2010-01-23T22:26:00.000-05:00

I am exhausted. Perhaps the 2 workouts on Friday before running 15 miles on Saturday took its toll.
I'm aching in several joints, knees, hip, back. 400mg/ibuprofen a couple times after (and a couple before the long run).

So the run this morning was a good, but lengthy experience. The group run was at the Longfellow Club in Wayland, MA, and again a good turnout. The wether couldn't have been better for a January run - low 20's, Sunny, zero wind. The course wound through several scenic roads behind the club. Gentle hills ensure that plenty ups and downs are just commonplace.

My pace was slower than I expected, but it very much felt like my body was setting its own pace so that's a good thing.

At the end, I met a guy who was running at about my pace. He said he wanted to run the marathon because he wasn't a runner, and therefore a challenge. He got interested in Dana-Farber when a former colleauge died of cancer, and participated in the Dana-Farber's Jimmy Fund Walk in support of a child with Leukemia.
Too tired, I have to go to bed and get some rest.

12 Miler: First Group Run

2010-01-16T20:35:00.000-05:00

This is the level and timing of workouts where it seems to count for marathons. 12 miles in the relative cold (although 30-35 is above normal for this time of year), running in Boston, and running in a group. Running in a group has some challenges and some benefits. You get "inspired" to push yourself, but you have to be true to your own abilities and not accidentally over do it.
This run started/finished at the Boston Running Company apparel store in downtown Lexington, a few steps from the historic Battle Green site of 1775. There were at least 50 -75 runners crmmed into this little shop.
There is a great "rail trail" bikeway a few paces from the shop. I've been on this 11 mile railroad-turned-into-bikepath several times when I used to live in Cambridge, but only on bike and never in Winter. Certain sections are plowed in winter and some diehards pedal to work all year long. For running, a good portion is unfortunately covered in packed snow and even worse, black ice.
I wonder how many footfalls I wasted "spinning my wheels" over ice. Regardless, it is refreshing to be able to run a long distance without having to think about cars all the time.
The path is mostly downhill from Lexington 6 miles almost to the end at the Alewife T stop. Dana-Farber had water and gatorade stops at 3,6,9 miles. I chose the red gatorade, and I intend on drinking it during the marathon (they have stops every mile during the race, and they serve orange, red and green gatorade). I don't even bother trying to name the actual flavors, because its just chemicals, but for some reason I get sick to my stomach when drinking the green Gatorade...but not the others. I need the sugar calories when running and it is essential to train with the same sustenance you'll use in the race.
For the run, kept pace with some folks that were running a bit faster than my normal pace, and felt fine. I was thinking to myself, this running path was great, ice aside, except it had no hills, which the marathon course has about 5 notorious hills...then when it was time to turn around, I realized that the path had been gradually decending this whole time and that it was going to be a gradual climb the whole way back. A very good course because normally I'd have more gas in the tank to pick up the pace the last mile, this way I was pushed to the very end and used most reserves trying to keep a steady pace.
Back at the store, I took the time to stretch and cool and warm up. A woman introduced herself, and told me that for her, running for Dana-Farber provided a support network that she didn't have when her father had cancer a few years earlier.
I hope to meet more people and hear stories of how having a cause, fundraising, running, and marathoning help transform people's lives.

Chickened out of the cold

2010-01-10T12:31:00.000-05:00

When I woke up it was 1deg out; Watertown was 7deg at 7am; and dropped to 2deg by 7:30am. Not worth it.
So I went to the gym for over 2-1/2 hours to make it up. 3 miles on the treadmill, followed by a full hour in a spinning class (for the uninitiated, Spinning is a bunch of people on stationary bikes, being motivated by an instructor and blasting loud music.), then another 3 miles on the treadmill. Not as good as getting out there and running 2 hours straight, but much wiser, I believe. Definitely lower impact on the joints, too.

Preparation for cold weather running

2010-01-09T22:51:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow (Sun, 1/10) forecast for 8am is in the mid teens with wind chills around 0.
I plan to be running with the DFMC team in Watertown starting from the Mt. Auburn Athletic Club.
The run is planned for 14-16 miles but where I am, it's prudent to stick with my plan and run between 12-13 miles.
I hope to combat the cold with some new gear Santa (Alicia) got for me. My concerns are for head and hand warmth, with just the right amount of arm and leg coverage to protect the skin, but not overheat, and allow wicking. My core burns hot, so I have no concerns there.
In 2000, I had several runs where I grew icicles off of me...I'll share if that happens again.

In my shoes, I have padded long-distance running socks, which should be fine.
The legs will be covered in 2 layers. Skin-tight "Pepper Skins" and a lightweight running pant for a little wind protection. 3 layers for the top: Skin-tight, hand covering layer, a fleecier thermal layer shirt, and my old trusty Gore-Tex Holy Cross Crew shell for wind protection (and convenient pockets). The hands with have skin-tight cross-country skiing gloves and light-weight mittens for wind protection, that I can easily remove one to drink water, adjust clothing, etc.

I will start training with Gatorade and PowerBars. The Marathon serves Gatorade and PowerBar Gel. It's essential to train with the same sustenance as race day. The body can be unforgiving to changes when under stress.

Leaving Florida today

2010-01-07T10:39:00.000-05:00

I got in some good runs. Now I'm leaving the relative warmth of Florida for the bitter cold of New England. Training outdoors will be more challenging, but I have lots of cross-training alternatives that will be much kinder to the body than pounding the pavement.

Day of Rest

2010-01-03T15:33:00.000-05:00

It will typically be my plan to spend the day after long runs resting. It is especially important today. So sore and tight. The in-laws let me use some of their "Biofreeze" methol rub. Stuff really works and doesn't leave me smelling like Ben-Gay. I can do stretching and yoga sun salutations pain free.

I look forward to running again and hope the pain and soreness will be gone when I wake up tomorrow...or at least by the time I take my first stride.

01/02/10-1st Long run

2010-01-03T15:28:00.000-05:00

Whn I ran Boston in 2000, 10.5 miles was my baseline long run. And I'd run it every other weekend. But I'd run it from Newton-Wellesley hospital to Boston, along the race course, tackling the infamous Newton hills, every time, and most days it was near or below freezing.

Here in Florida, we hit a cold spell...but clear, 55, a light breeze and flat...it hardly hardship, nor an accurate comparison to training in Boston in winter. And the run was beautiful. The intercoastal between Delray Beach and Boca Raton has miles and miles of mostly asphalt sidewalks with few road crossings, water views, and manicured real estate. A very other runners are present and several walkers to weave a bit. All and all a great run.

Afterwards tightness came on quickly, but stretching throughout the day helped alot.

01/01/10-New Year's Resolution

2010-01-03T14:59:00.000-05:00

I'm running the Boston Marathon and there's no better way to resolve to do so but with a New Year's Day morning run. And no better motivation than to do so in Florida. Except it was a bit hot and humid here and I didn't get out until 8am. I'm not used to the heat now and people underestimate how much the sun will take out of you.

Regardless, I had a good 5 mile run, at what I hope will eventually be my marathon pace (just under 9min/mi). There aren't many easy to get to places here where you run on something softer than concrete, which is really hard and tough on the knees. I took care to ice the knees afterwards and took a couple ibuprofen.

Planning my first long run on Tuesday the 2nd.