Run aftermath

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One of my coach's back in college said, "You can play hurt, but you can't play injured…so 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 down…but 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

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

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?

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!

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

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.