I should have posted this sooner, but for those curious...
I finished 26.2 miles in 4:11:38!
A chronology of the race weekend will be uploaded here in the next day or so. It was a truly amazing experience!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A Couple Tests and One Big Light Bulb
I'm getting crazy excited and nervous about the race. Dare I say it's starting to consume my thoughts.
And the saga with my hamstring tendon continues to the point where I am sure I am being overly obsessive about it. A quick update: I have opted not to seek a doctor's help. The tapering, stretching, icing, Traumeel applications, and ibuprofen might just be doing the trick.
I had two tests this week. Yesterday I had an easy 3-mile run in the gym. I ran at about an 8:55 pace, which is ahead of my marathon goal pace and my legs felt pretty good. Then today I followed up yesterday's run with a 4-miler at the gym. Same result: I felt pretty good. Today I took it a bit easier pacing at about 9:15, but still I didn't feel the discomfort I had been experiencing.
Now the catch is that I ran less than 20% of the distance I'll be attempting come Sunday, so all bets are off as I push the distance on Sunday in what will ultimately be my final exam. But I have a feeling I'm not the only one who is a bit curious about how their body is going to handle the run through the streets of Chicago.
I get to rest the next two days, which I think will be key to having a good race. Plus tomorrow I have my last appointment with my massage therapist. Hopefully he'll work some of his magic on my legs, and I'll feel like a new man come Saturday/Sunday.
I do have to share that today I got one huge boost of motivation, which will most certainly help carry me through on Sunday. Last night I sent out one final email blast to all my family and friends giving them a status update on my training progress and to ask anyone who hasn't yet donated to St. Jude to consider doing so one more time. A number of very generous donations came in throughout the day, and I powered through the $2,000 mark for total funds raised on behalf o St. Jude. That's twice my original goal!!! I am humbled and honored by the outpouring of support for this cause. Every little bit helps!
I know many people also have strong personal interest in my success come Sunday. A dear friend of mine informed me of a little boy named she knows who is actually being treated at St. Jude for leukemia. His name is Zachary, and he is just one of several amazing stories that make me realize I should never take my own health, nor that of my loved ones for granted. Hearing his story set off the light bulb in my head.
As I run 26.2 miles Sunday, I want to take with me the names of the people like Zachary. So, over the next few days, I will be compiling a list of names from my supporters of people they want to remember, who are currently fighting cancer, who may have unfortunately lost the courageous fight, or who have fought the big C and kicked its ass. I'm not sure if I'll put the list on paper and carry it in my pocket or if I'll go so far as to write the names on my body somehow. It is the least I can do to give this race even more meaning and to show my supporters my appreciation for their role in my life and in this journey. So if you are reading this and you have a name, post it here or email it to me!
More to come in the days ahead. God bless you all!
And the saga with my hamstring tendon continues to the point where I am sure I am being overly obsessive about it. A quick update: I have opted not to seek a doctor's help. The tapering, stretching, icing, Traumeel applications, and ibuprofen might just be doing the trick.
I had two tests this week. Yesterday I had an easy 3-mile run in the gym. I ran at about an 8:55 pace, which is ahead of my marathon goal pace and my legs felt pretty good. Then today I followed up yesterday's run with a 4-miler at the gym. Same result: I felt pretty good. Today I took it a bit easier pacing at about 9:15, but still I didn't feel the discomfort I had been experiencing.
Now the catch is that I ran less than 20% of the distance I'll be attempting come Sunday, so all bets are off as I push the distance on Sunday in what will ultimately be my final exam. But I have a feeling I'm not the only one who is a bit curious about how their body is going to handle the run through the streets of Chicago.
I get to rest the next two days, which I think will be key to having a good race. Plus tomorrow I have my last appointment with my massage therapist. Hopefully he'll work some of his magic on my legs, and I'll feel like a new man come Saturday/Sunday.
I do have to share that today I got one huge boost of motivation, which will most certainly help carry me through on Sunday. Last night I sent out one final email blast to all my family and friends giving them a status update on my training progress and to ask anyone who hasn't yet donated to St. Jude to consider doing so one more time. A number of very generous donations came in throughout the day, and I powered through the $2,000 mark for total funds raised on behalf o St. Jude. That's twice my original goal!!! I am humbled and honored by the outpouring of support for this cause. Every little bit helps!
I know many people also have strong personal interest in my success come Sunday. A dear friend of mine informed me of a little boy named she knows who is actually being treated at St. Jude for leukemia. His name is Zachary, and he is just one of several amazing stories that make me realize I should never take my own health, nor that of my loved ones for granted. Hearing his story set off the light bulb in my head.
As I run 26.2 miles Sunday, I want to take with me the names of the people like Zachary. So, over the next few days, I will be compiling a list of names from my supporters of people they want to remember, who are currently fighting cancer, who may have unfortunately lost the courageous fight, or who have fought the big C and kicked its ass. I'm not sure if I'll put the list on paper and carry it in my pocket or if I'll go so far as to write the names on my body somehow. It is the least I can do to give this race even more meaning and to show my supporters my appreciation for their role in my life and in this journey. So if you are reading this and you have a name, post it here or email it to me!
More to come in the days ahead. God bless you all!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Pain Pain Go Away
With now less than one week to go until Race Day, I'm starting to get a bit nervous. Actually, yesterday I got really nervous, if not downright discouraged.
On Friday I had to get an easy 3-miler in. I did so at the gym before heading to work. No big deal. I felt good, though I still had that discomfort in my left hamstring/calf. I use that slash because the discomfort is literally right behind my knee, and I'm just not 100% sure of the source. It appears to be my hammy, but I could be wrong.
Well, on Saturday, I woke up to 45 degree temps. Even though I only had 8 miles to do for my last long run before the race, I still had to get to the lake by 6am. Lori was standing up in a wedding Saturday afternoon, and I had to leave to drive her to the start of the day's festivities at 8:00am. So that meant an early start.
I didn't mind getting to Creve Coeur Lake that early. Still dark as hell, but lit up with a ginormous moon hovering overhead. I actually got to watch the "moonset" during the first mile of the run. The giant ball in the sky slowly lowered onto the horizon before disappearing. It was pretty badass.
I ran the first 6 miles quite comfortably, taking my time and just enjoying the cooler weather. It was actually kinda cold the first mile or so. At about the 6-mile mark, I decided I was going to try to run a little faster to bring home the final long run. I didn't get more than a quarter mile into that trot and my left hamstring started to bother me. And about a mile later it was downright annoying me to no end. I had to compensate for the discomfort, and mentally I just shut down. I had race day visions of my leg just shutting down on me and having to walk the majority of it. Or trying to do a walk run as I fight through the pain and discomfort.
This all started on my last 20-mile run a couple weeks ago, when I felt the discomfort start about half-way through that run, and just powered through it. It's been with me ever since in varying levels of discomfort, not necessarily pain. And when I was in Vegas last week, it didn't really bother me much at all.
With the level of discomfort where it was Saturday, and my feeling of urgency, I finished my run and quickly headed to Whole Foods (or Whole Paycheck as the good folks on Fast Money on CNBC like to call it). My massage therapist recommended a homeopathic anti-inflammatory gel called Traumeel for some inflammation I was having on my right achilles. That has gone away, but the inflammation in my left leg hasn't. I was hoping the taper would help make it go away, but not so much. Now I'm worried. I'm two days into using the Traumeel. I feel good right now, but there is definitely still discomfort there.
Lori showed me some stretches to do, and I'll be icing on and off all week. The question is, do I head to a doc and is there anything they can do at this point. Do I want to try a cortisone shot? Is it even that bad that I could need that. Or would another week of tapering, a few extra days off, the Traumeel, and some good stretching be all that I need to be on my game come 10/11. Ugh! Decisions, decisions.
This sucks. Stay tuned!
On Friday I had to get an easy 3-miler in. I did so at the gym before heading to work. No big deal. I felt good, though I still had that discomfort in my left hamstring/calf. I use that slash because the discomfort is literally right behind my knee, and I'm just not 100% sure of the source. It appears to be my hammy, but I could be wrong.
Well, on Saturday, I woke up to 45 degree temps. Even though I only had 8 miles to do for my last long run before the race, I still had to get to the lake by 6am. Lori was standing up in a wedding Saturday afternoon, and I had to leave to drive her to the start of the day's festivities at 8:00am. So that meant an early start.
I didn't mind getting to Creve Coeur Lake that early. Still dark as hell, but lit up with a ginormous moon hovering overhead. I actually got to watch the "moonset" during the first mile of the run. The giant ball in the sky slowly lowered onto the horizon before disappearing. It was pretty badass.
I ran the first 6 miles quite comfortably, taking my time and just enjoying the cooler weather. It was actually kinda cold the first mile or so. At about the 6-mile mark, I decided I was going to try to run a little faster to bring home the final long run. I didn't get more than a quarter mile into that trot and my left hamstring started to bother me. And about a mile later it was downright annoying me to no end. I had to compensate for the discomfort, and mentally I just shut down. I had race day visions of my leg just shutting down on me and having to walk the majority of it. Or trying to do a walk run as I fight through the pain and discomfort.
This all started on my last 20-mile run a couple weeks ago, when I felt the discomfort start about half-way through that run, and just powered through it. It's been with me ever since in varying levels of discomfort, not necessarily pain. And when I was in Vegas last week, it didn't really bother me much at all.
With the level of discomfort where it was Saturday, and my feeling of urgency, I finished my run and quickly headed to Whole Foods (or Whole Paycheck as the good folks on Fast Money on CNBC like to call it). My massage therapist recommended a homeopathic anti-inflammatory gel called Traumeel for some inflammation I was having on my right achilles. That has gone away, but the inflammation in my left leg hasn't. I was hoping the taper would help make it go away, but not so much. Now I'm worried. I'm two days into using the Traumeel. I feel good right now, but there is definitely still discomfort there.
Lori showed me some stretches to do, and I'll be icing on and off all week. The question is, do I head to a doc and is there anything they can do at this point. Do I want to try a cortisone shot? Is it even that bad that I could need that. Or would another week of tapering, a few extra days off, the Traumeel, and some good stretching be all that I need to be on my game come 10/11. Ugh! Decisions, decisions.
This sucks. Stay tuned!
Friday, October 2, 2009
10 Days til Chicago - The Past 40 Days
OK, so I didn't follow through with the promise from my last post. I haven't been updating my blog. In typical Pete Khazen fashion, I started something and haven't really followed through on finishing it. The one great thing about this is that while I haven't maintained my dedication to formally posting my blog entries, I have still been keeping my diary. And most importantly, I have stuck to my program like stink on a monkey (I think that's the phrase).
The race is just 10 days away. I'm psyched. I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm humbled. I'm honored. And most importantly I'm so very thankful for the blessings I have: my wife, my children, my family, my health, my job, my friends, and my most amazing support network that has gotten me this far. Thank you all!
All that being said, I'll say one last thing: I'm ready!
If you are curious about the past 40 days, here's a day-by-day chronology from where my last post left off. It's long and winded, but like my race, this blog isn't meant to be a sprint. Read on if you're interested in the ups and downs involved in the craziness of a first-time marathoner, who is trying to raise money for a phenomenal cause.
Week 12 - Tapering to a Size Medium
Monday, 8/24 - Overslept a bit. Damn! Got to the gym late, but I still got in my 5 miles. A late arrival, though means, no strength training. So, I snuck in an extra 5 minutes of stretching (I needed it.)
Tuesday, 8/25 - Was up late working the night before. That means no morning run... again! Frustrated and annoyed with just running laps around my subdivision, I decided to change it up a bit. I fired up the GPS on my iPhone and went on a venture outside the subdivision. I ran up the road and around a different neighborhood. I was forced with the challenge of poor street lighting, a tough/steep hill, and a dangerous stretch without a sidewalk. It was good though to do something different. When it was all done, I checked the route on Google Pedometer, and it turns out I ran 5.25 miles... GPS was a bit off. Oh well.
Wedensday, 8/26 - Too darn tired from last night's run to come right back in the morning, so I had another evening run - 5 miles again. That's three days in a row. Thanks to this being a taper week after the 18-miler, my Tuesday run was shorter than usual. I ran my laps through the subdivision once again and finished up with some pushups, sidesquats, splitsquats, and core training in the driveway. I did a lot of thinking on this particular day, and during the run. Ted Kennedy just passed away after his brave fight with cancer. Regardless of your political views, he was one of the most powerful and influential men in the world, a true patriot at heart, and he was taken from us by this terrible sickness. Teddy was lucky enough to live a relatively long and productive life before the cancer struck, something many St. Jude patients don't even get to dream about. R.I.P. Teddy!
Thursday, 8/27 - Thou shall not train on Thursdays! A day of rest (ahhhhh). And what a better way to take in a day of rest, but to get a massage. I visited Mark Frank again, and he worked his magic on my legs. We booked another session in about 3 weeks and then one just before the race.
Friday, 8/28 - With it staying so dark so late in the morning now, and needing to get the work early to TCB (Take Care of Business), I had to do my 8-miler at the gym. Brutal. Yes, 120 laps around the short track at my goal marathon pace... 1, 2, 3...
Saturday, 8/29 - I had an "easy" 13-miler scheduled. I met up with my new Saturday running partner, Joe, and we rocked out the run. I screwed up in my calculation and we ended up running 13.5 miles. Not that it really matters, but it made sense when the finishing time seemed a little slow. After the run, it was off to Q-town for my Godson's birthday party and my neice's baptism. My nieces and nephews are a huge reason why I do this. Their health and happiness is so important to me, as is the responsibility I have in being a good uncle and role model for them.
Sunday, 8/30 - Today was essentially a day of rest for me. No cross-training. On the way back from Q-town, I stopped off at Fleet Feet in Chesterfield. They were the one store in the St. Louis area carrying the Nike marathon training shirts. Rather than pay the hefty shipping fees from the Nike store online, I opted to pick up a shirt at a local store. I was on the fence between two of them and opted for the blue shirt that has the map of the run on it, along with all mile markers represented. The map is a backdrop for the bold words that say "YOU DON'T NEED A REASON. YOU NEED A ROAD." I'm not into the cheesy sayings like this, and in fact, I do like having reasons to run, but I liked the map and the color of the shirt. Tiger Woods has his "Sunday red"; I have my "Racing Blue". Funny thing, as I was trying on shirts, the size Large was just a bit too baggy on my. Ugh, so size Medium it was. I have withered away from an XL just a few years back to a little pip-squeak size Medium.
Today was also a big day for a good friend. Cortney was competing in her first triathlon. The Chicago triathlon. She was going big or going home. And she rocked it out. She trained with Team In Training (TNT) to help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Cortney is a rock star. She ran a marathon before with TNT. Cort is, without a doubt, one of those people that inspires me to get out there and train and help raise money for St. Jude. You're awesome, Cort! The people at St. Jude and I thank you!
Week #13 - The Big 2-0
Monday, 8/31 - Last week I had ordered up some new shoes from Kelly's Running Warehouse online. I saved a good $30 from the going retail price. They arrived on Friday, and I broke them in today. Had an easy 5 miles at the gym. I slept in again, so I didn't get a strength program in, but I completed my 5 miles. And the shoes felt great. I was worried a new set of kicks would give me blisters, but they felt perfect.
Tuesday, 9/1 - Oh man, what a rough night last night! Emmy hurt her elbow while I was walking her to bed. She decided to be funny and go limp on me while I was holding her hand, and something didn't sound right as she dropped down. Her elbow was hurting her, and I just felt terrible. She didn't need to go to the hospital, but I had a rough night sleeping with it weighing on my mind. She ended up being fine when she woke up, but we were worried it might have temporarily dislocated. I opted to run around the neighborhood that morning and wait for her to wake up in case we did need to take her in. I ran 8 miles around the subdivision. It was the first cool morning of the year, and I actually broke out the long sleeve Under Armour for the run. But talk about a heavy mind during my run. The weather felt great, but I was still so worried. I thought a lot about how bad I felt. How helpless I felt. How much I wanted to take away any pain she had. And the thing was, it was really something little. I thought about the parents of the kids at St. Jude. And I welled up thinking about how much pain and how helpless they must feel. Here I was, a basket-case because Emary hurt her elbow... and this perspective is part of the reason why I'm running for St. Jude.
Wednesday, 9/2 - Emary is doing fine. In fact, she woke up Tuesday morning like nothing happened the night before. My sweet girl! I ended up running my 5 miles during the evening. It was a cool, crisp night. Here we were thinking that we were going to get a warm September after a mild summer, and it was like October already.
You could smell fireplaces burning in the neighborhood. Inspired I ventured out of the subdivision and went in search of a new route. 
I ended up running some intense hills to the QuickTrip on Dorsett and up to Ranken Jordan hospital (more on this amazing place later). I was further inspired by the intense red glow of Jupiter, which was right next to the moon. They both were so prominent, it felt like you could really touch them. Check out the picture to the left of the three of us... awesome!
Thursday, 9/3 - Today is a day of rest. On top of that, it is also the first day I'm going without my blood pressure medication. I've had borderline hypertension for a couple years now, and my doc has controlled it with a low dose (25 mg) of hydrochlorothiazide (aka HCTZ). Well, I had a checkup with him yesterday, and after getting a clean bill of health, he gave me the go-ahead to yank my BP meds. HCTZ is known as a "water pill". It makes your kidneys work a little extra, which helps bring your BP down. Well, most marathon runners aren't high blood pressure patients and don't have to worry about taking a medication that is a diuretic. My good doctor (who also generously sponsored me with a donation to St. Jude) took me off my meds so I don't have the diuretic working against my system on race day. The catch is that I have to monitor my BP and report back to him.
Today I also got an update from a gentleman that works in my building. He was recently diagnosed with cancer. I saw him give an interview last year on a local news station. I noticed the face on TV and tuned in. I heard his story and found out he was running hist first half marathon in Phoenix with Team in Training (TNT - the same group Cortney did her tri for). Dan is his name, and he is without a doubt an inspiration to many in his own right. Though I didn't know Dan before I saw that interview, I felt compelled to donate to his cause and support him as a fellow runner and employee at AT&T. I learned from Dan's latest update that he is running his second half marathon - Disney later this year. I decided to donate again to the Luekemia and Lymphoma Society, and I sent Dan a note telling him about my efforts to help fight the good fight against cancer through the St. Jude Heroes program. His work with TNT, as well as Cortney's and some other friends who have also competed as part of TNT in races over the years, have given me inspiration to run Chicago for St. Jude. Isn't the domino effect awesome!
Friday, 9/4 - This morning I woke up with a cold and sore throat. I got in my 5-mile run at Bally's but I forgot to run it at my goal pace. Instead I was about 10 seconds slower. Oh well. I've got my first 20-miler looming tomorrow, and now I'm sick. To top it all off, they're talking storms all day tomorrow. The anxiety of my first 20-miler is building. I don't like running in the rain and avoid it at all costs. Funny, because I always LOVED playing football in the rain.
Saturday, 9/5 - I woke up at 5:00am to the crash of thunder and the repetitive flash of intense lightning. Ummm, this isn't good for my 20-miler. I checked the forecast, and it was supposed to rain all day long and even tomorrow. There was no option to delay my run. Plus I had two people meeting me. Joe was going to meet me for the first 10 miles, and then my friend, Mike, who kinda started this running thing for me, he was going to be in town and wanted to run the last 10 with me. So out to the lake I went.
It was dark and stormy (sounds like the intro to a bad novel). Sure enough, Joe pulled up, and off we went in the rain, with lightning brightening up the sky on occasion. I'm dumb, but Joe must just be crazy to join me out in this weather. The lightning subsided, but the rain was steady the entire morning and heavy at times. It kept the fishermen away and the recreational walkers/joggers/bikers off the path. The path only had those few, faithful, crazy runners like myself out there. I was drenched from head to toe within the first mile. I finished my first 10 and said farewell and thanks to Joe for joining me. It's so nice to have someone to talk to on those long runs.
Mike joined up with me just as planned, and off we went. The rain definitely weighed on me. Not psychologically so much, but literally. My shoes, my shirt, my shorts, all felt heavy. I guess I screwed up by wearing the new shoes and not an old pair. I felt good most of the run, though it got tough in a couple spots. After 18 miles I joked with Mike that I was going to be like Stewie on Family Guy every few steps: "This is the longest I've ever run. No this is the longest I've ever run. Hey, did I tell you that this was the longest I've ever run." And it was, but as I sloshed through all 20 miles and finished the last mile as strong as mile 10, I felt damn proud of myself. I opted to run in the rain for 3 hours and 15 minutes. It sucked, but I did it. 20 miles done. That wasn't so bad. And now, even if it pours on race day, I'm ready for it. I will finish no matter what. Thanks, Mike and Joe, for getting me out there and helping me finish all 20 miles.
After completing my run, I brought a change of clothes. It was a good thing the papparazzi wasn't around as they might have caught a pic of my backside, changing into the dry clothes. They must have been scared off by the rain too. Then it was off to Bread Company for some grub and a nice, hot coffee.
Sunday, 9/6 - Last night I was debating on signing up to run the Lewis & Clark Half Marathon next Sunday morning. Lori ended up having a conflict with work where I had to watch the kids, and there was no way I was going to be able to pull off the race, so I opted not to. I was a little disappointed as I wanted to get in a road race before the big day, and the timing worked out where it fell on a taper week where I was supposed to run 12 miles. Oh well, no biggie. Today, though I felt like crap. The cold I was getting at the end of the work week got blown up by spending 3+ hours in the rain yesterday. Damn! Not good! To top it all off, this evening my back started hurting me. Not sure if it's from the run yesterday or from lugging the kids around and holding them at Mass today. It seems I get really anxious about any little thing that crops up in fear of it getting worse. Here's to hoping for the best.
Week #14 - Bad Cold, Sore Back
Monday, 9/7 - It's Labor Day. A day off from work, but I've been working all weekend due to a deadline looming tomorrow. Not fun. My back is still sore as hell. It feels like someone is sticking a dagger in under my lats on both sides and twisting it. To top it all off, my cold is probably at its peak right now. Miserable, I decided to see if I could sweat my cold out of my system. Running tends to help me exorcise the cold virus demons. In my program, it says that a 5-mile run should be automatic right now. It doesn't get more automatic than the mindless, dilapidated 5-miler I rocked out with a sore back and bad cold this evening.
Tuesday, 9/8 - Still not feeling well, but getting better, I needed some extra motivation for my 5-miler this evening. Before I went running, I actually curled up on the couch with Lori and pleaded, "Tell me I don't need to run tonight." She gave me this surprised look and said, "Don't you put that on me." She was right. And so I got up and was on my way. It's another taper week, so my Tuesday run isn't as long again. I ditched my normal MP3 player, fired up Pandora on my iPhone and tuned in to White Zombie Radio. I knocked out my 5-miler to the heavy sounds of Nine Inch Nails, Marylin Manson, Tool, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine, and naturally, White Zombie. Let's just say I felt "more human than human".
Wednesday, 9/9 - I ran the same route as last night. My "Ranken Jordan" route, where I touch the sign at the entrance to the parking lot and then return home. It was a slow run. The hills have been tough, and I've been sick. And to top it all off, my legs have been sluuuuugggggiiiiiiish.
Thursday, 9/10 - Today was another day of rest. Thou shall not train on Thursdays, right? But it was a tough day. Work has been weighing on my mind, and with the aggravation of being sick and having a sore back, I've just been down in the dumps all day long. I think part of it is the anniversary of 9/11 which is looming tomorrow. Though I didn't lose anyone I knew that day, it's a day heavy on the hearts for most Americans, I think.
Friday, 9/11 - I got up early and ran my 8 miles at the lake. My back was still sore, but my cold was disappearing. Still my legs felt sluggish. I guess this is what happens when you hit the peak of your training program.
Saturday, 9/12 - I woke up and got to the lake for my 12-miler. It was a solo 12-miler at that. I felt pretty good, though still sluggish, through the first 9 miles. But the last 3 miles were a little tough on the back. Yeah, I don't think this was due to lugging the kids around. This back soreness must be from running.
Sunday, 9/13 - Realizing I haven't done much strength training lately and that it could be contributing to my back pain, I hit the gym in the morning. 20 minutes on the bike and then a good full body workout, with particular concentration on core and back exercises. Man, I needed that. So then it was off to Buffalo Wild Winds with the kids. I was solo all afternoon with them, and, well, it was Opening Day for the NFL. Football, football, football!
I also was thrilled to see that my a couple friends I knew ran the Lewis & Clark and Chicago Half Marathons in the morning. It was perfect weather both in St. Louis and Chicago, and they both rocked their races out. One ran 1:42. The other ran 1:46. I'm nowhere near their league. Congrats to them!
Week #15 - The Big 2-0, Part Deux
Monday, 9/14 - I overslept this morning. I guess too much football over the weekend. I ended up running late at night. It was a tough, emotional 5-mile run. A lot of things were weighing on my mind. Some things at work have been difficult, and a co-worker lost a loved one to cancer today. Then I was just overwhelmed by all the emotion of running a race to help raise money for a place like St. Jude. And just when I thought I was feeling better, I realized my back was still sore. So frustrating. To help me push on, I turned to YouTube. My buddy, Ryan, who is an Iron Man triathlete sent me a YouTube video that helps motivate him on tough days. So I turned to YouTube. A quick search on "St. Jude" and "Marathon" brought up a couple awesome videos on the Heroes program. And that was all the inspiration I needed to press on.
Tuesday, 9/15 - Another late-night run. Tonight I had 8 miles to do. Obviously, I have not been running in the mornings like I had intended to. The new position at work has resulted in some late nights, which in turn has caused me to abandone early morning running mid-week. Lori hates this. In part because I have to leave her for a bit in the evening after putting the kids to sleep. And largely because she worries about some nitwit plowing me over on the road because they weren't paying attention. Mind you, I play it safe. I were reflective shorts and shirts and I always run against traffic, including when I'm on sidewalks. Still, some idiots don't care or are consumed on cell phones or with their thousand-dollar stereo rattling the trunk of their $500 car.
Tonight I watched the season premier of the Biggest Loser. I love that show and think it has the most impressive finale of all reality television (at least of the non-sleeze related shows). The show got me plenty motivated to get out and do my part to keep the pounds off my body, and hopefully, yes hopefully, inspire some others to shed their own extra weight. I mapped out my 8-mile course in and around Maryland Heights, including a run by WestPort Plaza. It ended up being a great run, and a lot of fun to explore a new route.
After finishing my run, I learned that there was a terrible accident on Dorsett over by I-270, where a driver peeled out of a parking lot, hit another vehicle driving it into a ditch, and then sped away from the scene of the accident. My friend (we'll call him Batman) witnessed it and chased down the perpetrator to get a plate for the cops. I'm glad I was nowhere near the accident, but it just goes to show you that no matter how safe you can be, there can always be some idiots out there. Thanks for keeping me safe on my runs, Caped Crusader!
Wednesday, 9/16 - I only got 4.5 hours of sleep last night. I was up late working again. That means I had another run in the evening to do. Just 5 miles this time.
Hoping that this might be the last of the evening runs, I decided to run up to Ranken Jordan again. I stopped to take a pic next to the sign I always touch before I turn around to head home. Ranken Jordan is about as fine an institution as you can come across in the St. Louis area. The care they provide to children is amazing. To find out more about Ranken Jordan, check out this their website. I like making this run up to their little hospital. Knowing I'm running for the kids at St. Jude, Ranken Jordan represents a place where kids in need get help in St. Louis. It's not a cancer research hospital, but they provide awesome care. Their patients and their staff are an inspiration to me.
Thursday, 9/17 - Today is a day or rest. I got 6 hours of sleep last night. More notably, I rated it a quality of 6. Usually anything greater than 5 hours if perfect for me. 6 hours is great! While training, I've been tracking my sleep and giving a rating quality of 1-10 (10 being the best). Last night was the first time in 6 weeks (since 8/3) that I rated my sleep higher than a 5 in quality.
Friday, 9/18 - Damn, Damn, Damn! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid Man! Last night as I was performing my manly duties and taking out the trash and recyclables I made a big mistake. For whatever dumb reason I always do this on Thursday nights barefoot. Currently, thanks to the monster oaks in the front yard, my driveway is peppered in acorn shrapnel. But stupid man I am, I still try to roll two trash cans down the driveway, stepping carefully to avoid hitting a nutty landmine. Well, I succeeded until last night. And as all runners know, even the smallest of foot injuries, cuts, scrapes are no good. I got walloped, and it wasn't by an acorn shell. I was pulling the recyclable bin behind me and I clipped my heel with the bin. F*#@! It was a nice cut too. Dug in deep, but not requiring stitches. Right on the achilles above the heel bone. Coincidentally right where my shoe will rub when I go running. Stupid, stupid, stupid man! Is this going to define my marathon training?
Luckily, I have a badass athletic trainer of a wife. Lori hooked me up with a set of bandages and pads to cover it up with so my shoe doesn't rub on it. So we're going with it, along with a load of Neosporin. Let's hope fo the best.
Got to Bally's in the morning, bandaged up the heel, and put the protective pad on. I ran 5 miles faster than my marathon pace. No pain. No friction. Rocked it out at 44:44! I felt great, and I'm gearing up for my second 20-miler tomorrow.
Saturday, 9/19 - I got to the lake at 6:00am with my heel still bandaged and protected. My friends Mike and Chris met me up there. Chris planned to run the first 7-10 miles with us, and Mike the full 20. Mike has been training for New York and is about 3 weeks behind me in timing, but is a much stronger runner than I am. The weather was perfect (much better than the slop from two weeks ago). We said our farewell to Chris around the 6-mile mark, and then Mike and I rocked out the rest of the run. I was planning on doing a 3/1 run - running the first 15 miles at about a 9:30 pace and then turning it up to sub-9:00 for the final 5. Instead, Mike and I pushed a bit harder after Chris left, really for no good reason other than we felt like it. We ended up running the last 14 miles at about a 9:10 pace and finished the entire 20-miler at a 9:17 clip - that's just 8-seconds slower than my goal pace of 9:09. I did get some pain in my left calf beind my knee and in my right achilles. I shouldn't call it pain... soreness. And it kicked in around mile 10. I powered through it. I don't think I should have stopped as it wasn't that bad, and I was keeping my form. All in all, I felt strong. And now I know I'm ready for Chicago. Bring it on!
Sunday, 9/20 - No arguments from me. I'm taking a day of rest.
Week #16 - What Better Way to Taper Other Than... Vegas, Baby?
Monday, 9/21 - The hard part of my program is essentially over. The past 15 weeks are in the books, and I didn't cheat. I didn't skip. I got the job done. And now I can taper until Race Day. I get why this program works. I don't have to worry about making up for runs I skipped. There is no making up, and well, I know that strategy doesn't work anyway. The work I needed to put in to make sure I have a successful Race Day is complete. I know this now. I'm ready, and I'm going to enjoy this taper. It starts today with an easy 5 miles. I ran it at the gym in the morning. My achilles and calf muscle were still sore from Satuday, but I still felt strong. Maybe it's the confidence of knowing the long runs are over... until Race Day that is.
Tuesday, 9/22 - I was really sore last night and stayed up late working. And I woke up exhausted and still really sore. I opted not to run in the morning. I debated all day on whether or not to run at night. I didn't want to skip my workout. But then I rationalized: Skipping one day won't hurt me. But foolishly running while as sore as I am could injure me. That being said, I'm skipping.
Wednesday, 9/23 - I ran 6 miles at Bally's this morning. I was a little sore still, but still felt good. The 6 miles was what I was supposed to do yesterday. I figured, I'd just skip the easier 5-mile workout on the schedule for today and then rest as usual tomorrow.
Today I had a conference call with the St. Jude folks. They gave us a wealth of information about the entire weekend from the Pasta Party, to the Charity Village, to what to wear and eat, and how to get around town. Now I just need to absorb it all and figure out a game plan with Lori and the family.
I also was hard at work today trying to map a 12-mile run in Las Vegas for Saturday morning. The big question loomed: Do I run on the Strip or not? With much solid advice from some fellow runners, I opted to run the strip. I figured out a route, and now I'm set. I'll go from the Rio, to the Strip, to the Stratosphere, down to Tropicana Blvd, off the strip to the Terribles Casino, down to the Four Seasons, and then back up to the Rio... just over 12 miles. Vegas here I come.
Thursday, 9/24 - Today should be a day of rest. But I'm going to break the commandment... just a little. I have 4 miles to run tomorrow, so I opted to run my 4 miles tonight through the neighborhood. With the weekend trip to Vegas kicking off tomorrow, I don't have to worry about running in the morning tomorrow before my flight or out in the 100-degree desert heat. And so, 4 easy miles it was.
Friday, 9/25 - Vegas, Baby! My brother turned 40 earlier in the month, and my other brother and I are celebrating with him and a few friends out in Sin City. No running today. Just some quality R&R poolside. With 12 miles looming in the morning, I only had a handful of drinks. However, I did stay up til 2:30 in the morning. That's 4:30am on my St. Louis clock. Not the best of moves, but it's Vegas, right? But with the lack of sleep, will I really get up a 7am tomorrow?
Saturday, 9/26 - 6:30am came and I woke up. Just 4 hours of sleep in the hotel. I guess I'm still on St. Louis time. I just woke up. No alarm. I got dressed, grabbed my Gu (2 packs for this trip) and hit the road. I could tell I was already dehydrated from the drinking and lack of sleep. Still I was on too big a high. I get to run 12 miles up, down, and around the Strip. And so I did.
It's an interesting crowd on the Strip at 7am. Those that haven't slept. A guy abandoned by his buddies and passed out at a bus stop. Any number of crazies talking to whoever is willing to listen. One guy literally vomiting in front of me. Working girls on their way back from... well, a night of work. Lonely folks who probably just lost their paycheck. Countless people with uber-venti sized cups of java. And well, a bunch of guys still loading the paper dispensers with inappropriate fliers for local companionship (apparently people weren't paying attention to all the ones on the ground). I took my time running the Strip.
In part because every couple miles I couldn't cross the street; rather I had to climb a long flight of stairs to use the overpass and then go back down another long flight to street level. I did this at least 6 times I think. So 12 flights of stairs in the mix of 12 miles... just a tad different. I also stopped to grab some pics: In front of the Rio, Paris, the Mirage, the Stratosphere, NewYork New York, the Luxor, the Bellagio, and back at the Rio. All in all, it wasn't bad, and I was glad I got to take in the sights, including the sheer impressiveness of the architecture of those buildings and the technology behind the jumbotrons.
I felt great the rest of the day, and somehow I managed to make it til 4am Sunday morning without taking a nap. Vegas, baby!
Sunday, 9/27 - A day of rest. No need to push the limits anymore. I'm taking it easy today. Some coffee. A LOT of water. ESPN Zone and a lot of NFL football. Then back on a plane to the real world known as St. Louis. Home sweet home!
Week #17 - The Poisonous Aftermath from Vegas
Monday, 9/28 - Got in after midnight last night from Vegas. No morning run for me. I had just 4 miles today, and I did it in the cool evening breeze around the neighborhood. I even donned a long sleeved shirt. It was actually kinda chilly. A bit different from the 100-degree temps in the desert. Still, I was digging the cooler temps, and my body was digging the taper.
Tuesday, 9/29 - Ever since hanging out at the VooDoo Lounge at the Rio Saturday night, I've had the old school Bel Biv Devoe song "Poison" in my head. "It's driving me out of my mind. That's why it's hard for me to find. Can't get it outta my head. Miss her, kiss her, love her... "
And so, as I got ready to run my 5-miler in the evening, I found a video on YouTube of a live performance on the old Arsenio Hall Show... priceless! That kicked off 5 miles, again in the chilly Fall air of my neighborhood. I knocked it out and tried to get some work done at home, but the weekend effect was finally catching up with me (not to mention the 2am bedtime last night). And, well, I fell asleep with my head on my laptop.
Wednesday, 9/30 - Another 4 miles today. I still can't get that song out of my head... "She's so fly. She'll drive you right out of your mind. Steal your heart when you're blind."
My left calf is still nagging me a bit, so I'm trying to stretch more. I'm really hoping the stretching, an ibuprofen regimen, and the taper will make the soreness go away just in time for the race. I know what is causing it - the damn hills in the neighborhood. But hopefully they will only make me stronger for the flat Chicago course.
Thursday, 10/1 - October is here! The race is just 10 training days away. Today is a day of rest. And rest I will.
The race is just 10 days away. I'm psyched. I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm humbled. I'm honored. And most importantly I'm so very thankful for the blessings I have: my wife, my children, my family, my health, my job, my friends, and my most amazing support network that has gotten me this far. Thank you all!
All that being said, I'll say one last thing: I'm ready!
If you are curious about the past 40 days, here's a day-by-day chronology from where my last post left off. It's long and winded, but like my race, this blog isn't meant to be a sprint. Read on if you're interested in the ups and downs involved in the craziness of a first-time marathoner, who is trying to raise money for a phenomenal cause.
Week 12 - Tapering to a Size Medium
Monday, 8/24 - Overslept a bit. Damn! Got to the gym late, but I still got in my 5 miles. A late arrival, though means, no strength training. So, I snuck in an extra 5 minutes of stretching (I needed it.)
Tuesday, 8/25 - Was up late working the night before. That means no morning run... again! Frustrated and annoyed with just running laps around my subdivision, I decided to change it up a bit. I fired up the GPS on my iPhone and went on a venture outside the subdivision. I ran up the road and around a different neighborhood. I was forced with the challenge of poor street lighting, a tough/steep hill, and a dangerous stretch without a sidewalk. It was good though to do something different. When it was all done, I checked the route on Google Pedometer, and it turns out I ran 5.25 miles... GPS was a bit off. Oh well.
Wedensday, 8/26 - Too darn tired from last night's run to come right back in the morning, so I had another evening run - 5 miles again. That's three days in a row. Thanks to this being a taper week after the 18-miler, my Tuesday run was shorter than usual. I ran my laps through the subdivision once again and finished up with some pushups, sidesquats, splitsquats, and core training in the driveway. I did a lot of thinking on this particular day, and during the run. Ted Kennedy just passed away after his brave fight with cancer. Regardless of your political views, he was one of the most powerful and influential men in the world, a true patriot at heart, and he was taken from us by this terrible sickness. Teddy was lucky enough to live a relatively long and productive life before the cancer struck, something many St. Jude patients don't even get to dream about. R.I.P. Teddy!
Thursday, 8/27 - Thou shall not train on Thursdays! A day of rest (ahhhhh). And what a better way to take in a day of rest, but to get a massage. I visited Mark Frank again, and he worked his magic on my legs. We booked another session in about 3 weeks and then one just before the race.
Friday, 8/28 - With it staying so dark so late in the morning now, and needing to get the work early to TCB (Take Care of Business), I had to do my 8-miler at the gym. Brutal. Yes, 120 laps around the short track at my goal marathon pace... 1, 2, 3...
Saturday, 8/29 - I had an "easy" 13-miler scheduled. I met up with my new Saturday running partner, Joe, and we rocked out the run. I screwed up in my calculation and we ended up running 13.5 miles. Not that it really matters, but it made sense when the finishing time seemed a little slow. After the run, it was off to Q-town for my Godson's birthday party and my neice's baptism. My nieces and nephews are a huge reason why I do this. Their health and happiness is so important to me, as is the responsibility I have in being a good uncle and role model for them.
Sunday, 8/30 - Today was essentially a day of rest for me. No cross-training. On the way back from Q-town, I stopped off at Fleet Feet in Chesterfield. They were the one store in the St. Louis area carrying the Nike marathon training shirts. Rather than pay the hefty shipping fees from the Nike store online, I opted to pick up a shirt at a local store. I was on the fence between two of them and opted for the blue shirt that has the map of the run on it, along with all mile markers represented. The map is a backdrop for the bold words that say "YOU DON'T NEED A REASON. YOU NEED A ROAD." I'm not into the cheesy sayings like this, and in fact, I do like having reasons to run, but I liked the map and the color of the shirt. Tiger Woods has his "Sunday red"; I have my "Racing Blue". Funny thing, as I was trying on shirts, the size Large was just a bit too baggy on my. Ugh, so size Medium it was. I have withered away from an XL just a few years back to a little pip-squeak size Medium.
Today was also a big day for a good friend. Cortney was competing in her first triathlon. The Chicago triathlon. She was going big or going home. And she rocked it out. She trained with Team In Training (TNT) to help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Cortney is a rock star. She ran a marathon before with TNT. Cort is, without a doubt, one of those people that inspires me to get out there and train and help raise money for St. Jude. You're awesome, Cort! The people at St. Jude and I thank you!
Week #13 - The Big 2-0
Monday, 8/31 - Last week I had ordered up some new shoes from Kelly's Running Warehouse online. I saved a good $30 from the going retail price. They arrived on Friday, and I broke them in today. Had an easy 5 miles at the gym. I slept in again, so I didn't get a strength program in, but I completed my 5 miles. And the shoes felt great. I was worried a new set of kicks would give me blisters, but they felt perfect.
Tuesday, 9/1 - Oh man, what a rough night last night! Emmy hurt her elbow while I was walking her to bed. She decided to be funny and go limp on me while I was holding her hand, and something didn't sound right as she dropped down. Her elbow was hurting her, and I just felt terrible. She didn't need to go to the hospital, but I had a rough night sleeping with it weighing on my mind. She ended up being fine when she woke up, but we were worried it might have temporarily dislocated. I opted to run around the neighborhood that morning and wait for her to wake up in case we did need to take her in. I ran 8 miles around the subdivision. It was the first cool morning of the year, and I actually broke out the long sleeve Under Armour for the run. But talk about a heavy mind during my run. The weather felt great, but I was still so worried. I thought a lot about how bad I felt. How helpless I felt. How much I wanted to take away any pain she had. And the thing was, it was really something little. I thought about the parents of the kids at St. Jude. And I welled up thinking about how much pain and how helpless they must feel. Here I was, a basket-case because Emary hurt her elbow... and this perspective is part of the reason why I'm running for St. Jude.
Wednesday, 9/2 - Emary is doing fine. In fact, she woke up Tuesday morning like nothing happened the night before. My sweet girl! I ended up running my 5 miles during the evening. It was a cool, crisp night. Here we were thinking that we were going to get a warm September after a mild summer, and it was like October already.
You could smell fireplaces burning in the neighborhood. Inspired I ventured out of the subdivision and went in search of a new route. 
I ended up running some intense hills to the QuickTrip on Dorsett and up to Ranken Jordan hospital (more on this amazing place later). I was further inspired by the intense red glow of Jupiter, which was right next to the moon. They both were so prominent, it felt like you could really touch them. Check out the picture to the left of the three of us... awesome!Thursday, 9/3 - Today is a day of rest. On top of that, it is also the first day I'm going without my blood pressure medication. I've had borderline hypertension for a couple years now, and my doc has controlled it with a low dose (25 mg) of hydrochlorothiazide (aka HCTZ). Well, I had a checkup with him yesterday, and after getting a clean bill of health, he gave me the go-ahead to yank my BP meds. HCTZ is known as a "water pill". It makes your kidneys work a little extra, which helps bring your BP down. Well, most marathon runners aren't high blood pressure patients and don't have to worry about taking a medication that is a diuretic. My good doctor (who also generously sponsored me with a donation to St. Jude) took me off my meds so I don't have the diuretic working against my system on race day. The catch is that I have to monitor my BP and report back to him.
Today I also got an update from a gentleman that works in my building. He was recently diagnosed with cancer. I saw him give an interview last year on a local news station. I noticed the face on TV and tuned in. I heard his story and found out he was running hist first half marathon in Phoenix with Team in Training (TNT - the same group Cortney did her tri for). Dan is his name, and he is without a doubt an inspiration to many in his own right. Though I didn't know Dan before I saw that interview, I felt compelled to donate to his cause and support him as a fellow runner and employee at AT&T. I learned from Dan's latest update that he is running his second half marathon - Disney later this year. I decided to donate again to the Luekemia and Lymphoma Society, and I sent Dan a note telling him about my efforts to help fight the good fight against cancer through the St. Jude Heroes program. His work with TNT, as well as Cortney's and some other friends who have also competed as part of TNT in races over the years, have given me inspiration to run Chicago for St. Jude. Isn't the domino effect awesome!
Friday, 9/4 - This morning I woke up with a cold and sore throat. I got in my 5-mile run at Bally's but I forgot to run it at my goal pace. Instead I was about 10 seconds slower. Oh well. I've got my first 20-miler looming tomorrow, and now I'm sick. To top it all off, they're talking storms all day tomorrow. The anxiety of my first 20-miler is building. I don't like running in the rain and avoid it at all costs. Funny, because I always LOVED playing football in the rain.
Saturday, 9/5 - I woke up at 5:00am to the crash of thunder and the repetitive flash of intense lightning. Ummm, this isn't good for my 20-miler. I checked the forecast, and it was supposed to rain all day long and even tomorrow. There was no option to delay my run. Plus I had two people meeting me. Joe was going to meet me for the first 10 miles, and then my friend, Mike, who kinda started this running thing for me, he was going to be in town and wanted to run the last 10 with me. So out to the lake I went.
It was dark and stormy (sounds like the intro to a bad novel). Sure enough, Joe pulled up, and off we went in the rain, with lightning brightening up the sky on occasion. I'm dumb, but Joe must just be crazy to join me out in this weather. The lightning subsided, but the rain was steady the entire morning and heavy at times. It kept the fishermen away and the recreational walkers/joggers/bikers off the path. The path only had those few, faithful, crazy runners like myself out there. I was drenched from head to toe within the first mile. I finished my first 10 and said farewell and thanks to Joe for joining me. It's so nice to have someone to talk to on those long runs.
Mike joined up with me just as planned, and off we went. The rain definitely weighed on me. Not psychologically so much, but literally. My shoes, my shirt, my shorts, all felt heavy. I guess I screwed up by wearing the new shoes and not an old pair. I felt good most of the run, though it got tough in a couple spots. After 18 miles I joked with Mike that I was going to be like Stewie on Family Guy every few steps: "This is the longest I've ever run. No this is the longest I've ever run. Hey, did I tell you that this was the longest I've ever run." And it was, but as I sloshed through all 20 miles and finished the last mile as strong as mile 10, I felt damn proud of myself. I opted to run in the rain for 3 hours and 15 minutes. It sucked, but I did it. 20 miles done. That wasn't so bad. And now, even if it pours on race day, I'm ready for it. I will finish no matter what. Thanks, Mike and Joe, for getting me out there and helping me finish all 20 miles.
After completing my run, I brought a change of clothes. It was a good thing the papparazzi wasn't around as they might have caught a pic of my backside, changing into the dry clothes. They must have been scared off by the rain too. Then it was off to Bread Company for some grub and a nice, hot coffee.
Sunday, 9/6 - Last night I was debating on signing up to run the Lewis & Clark Half Marathon next Sunday morning. Lori ended up having a conflict with work where I had to watch the kids, and there was no way I was going to be able to pull off the race, so I opted not to. I was a little disappointed as I wanted to get in a road race before the big day, and the timing worked out where it fell on a taper week where I was supposed to run 12 miles. Oh well, no biggie. Today, though I felt like crap. The cold I was getting at the end of the work week got blown up by spending 3+ hours in the rain yesterday. Damn! Not good! To top it all off, this evening my back started hurting me. Not sure if it's from the run yesterday or from lugging the kids around and holding them at Mass today. It seems I get really anxious about any little thing that crops up in fear of it getting worse. Here's to hoping for the best.
Week #14 - Bad Cold, Sore Back
Monday, 9/7 - It's Labor Day. A day off from work, but I've been working all weekend due to a deadline looming tomorrow. Not fun. My back is still sore as hell. It feels like someone is sticking a dagger in under my lats on both sides and twisting it. To top it all off, my cold is probably at its peak right now. Miserable, I decided to see if I could sweat my cold out of my system. Running tends to help me exorcise the cold virus demons. In my program, it says that a 5-mile run should be automatic right now. It doesn't get more automatic than the mindless, dilapidated 5-miler I rocked out with a sore back and bad cold this evening.
Tuesday, 9/8 - Still not feeling well, but getting better, I needed some extra motivation for my 5-miler this evening. Before I went running, I actually curled up on the couch with Lori and pleaded, "Tell me I don't need to run tonight." She gave me this surprised look and said, "Don't you put that on me." She was right. And so I got up and was on my way. It's another taper week, so my Tuesday run isn't as long again. I ditched my normal MP3 player, fired up Pandora on my iPhone and tuned in to White Zombie Radio. I knocked out my 5-miler to the heavy sounds of Nine Inch Nails, Marylin Manson, Tool, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine, and naturally, White Zombie. Let's just say I felt "more human than human".
Wednesday, 9/9 - I ran the same route as last night. My "Ranken Jordan" route, where I touch the sign at the entrance to the parking lot and then return home. It was a slow run. The hills have been tough, and I've been sick. And to top it all off, my legs have been sluuuuugggggiiiiiiish.
Thursday, 9/10 - Today was another day of rest. Thou shall not train on Thursdays, right? But it was a tough day. Work has been weighing on my mind, and with the aggravation of being sick and having a sore back, I've just been down in the dumps all day long. I think part of it is the anniversary of 9/11 which is looming tomorrow. Though I didn't lose anyone I knew that day, it's a day heavy on the hearts for most Americans, I think.
Friday, 9/11 - I got up early and ran my 8 miles at the lake. My back was still sore, but my cold was disappearing. Still my legs felt sluggish. I guess this is what happens when you hit the peak of your training program.
Saturday, 9/12 - I woke up and got to the lake for my 12-miler. It was a solo 12-miler at that. I felt pretty good, though still sluggish, through the first 9 miles. But the last 3 miles were a little tough on the back. Yeah, I don't think this was due to lugging the kids around. This back soreness must be from running.
Sunday, 9/13 - Realizing I haven't done much strength training lately and that it could be contributing to my back pain, I hit the gym in the morning. 20 minutes on the bike and then a good full body workout, with particular concentration on core and back exercises. Man, I needed that. So then it was off to Buffalo Wild Winds with the kids. I was solo all afternoon with them, and, well, it was Opening Day for the NFL. Football, football, football!
I also was thrilled to see that my a couple friends I knew ran the Lewis & Clark and Chicago Half Marathons in the morning. It was perfect weather both in St. Louis and Chicago, and they both rocked their races out. One ran 1:42. The other ran 1:46. I'm nowhere near their league. Congrats to them!
Week #15 - The Big 2-0, Part Deux
Monday, 9/14 - I overslept this morning. I guess too much football over the weekend. I ended up running late at night. It was a tough, emotional 5-mile run. A lot of things were weighing on my mind. Some things at work have been difficult, and a co-worker lost a loved one to cancer today. Then I was just overwhelmed by all the emotion of running a race to help raise money for a place like St. Jude. And just when I thought I was feeling better, I realized my back was still sore. So frustrating. To help me push on, I turned to YouTube. My buddy, Ryan, who is an Iron Man triathlete sent me a YouTube video that helps motivate him on tough days. So I turned to YouTube. A quick search on "St. Jude" and "Marathon" brought up a couple awesome videos on the Heroes program. And that was all the inspiration I needed to press on.
Tuesday, 9/15 - Another late-night run. Tonight I had 8 miles to do. Obviously, I have not been running in the mornings like I had intended to. The new position at work has resulted in some late nights, which in turn has caused me to abandone early morning running mid-week. Lori hates this. In part because I have to leave her for a bit in the evening after putting the kids to sleep. And largely because she worries about some nitwit plowing me over on the road because they weren't paying attention. Mind you, I play it safe. I were reflective shorts and shirts and I always run against traffic, including when I'm on sidewalks. Still, some idiots don't care or are consumed on cell phones or with their thousand-dollar stereo rattling the trunk of their $500 car.
Tonight I watched the season premier of the Biggest Loser. I love that show and think it has the most impressive finale of all reality television (at least of the non-sleeze related shows). The show got me plenty motivated to get out and do my part to keep the pounds off my body, and hopefully, yes hopefully, inspire some others to shed their own extra weight. I mapped out my 8-mile course in and around Maryland Heights, including a run by WestPort Plaza. It ended up being a great run, and a lot of fun to explore a new route.
After finishing my run, I learned that there was a terrible accident on Dorsett over by I-270, where a driver peeled out of a parking lot, hit another vehicle driving it into a ditch, and then sped away from the scene of the accident. My friend (we'll call him Batman) witnessed it and chased down the perpetrator to get a plate for the cops. I'm glad I was nowhere near the accident, but it just goes to show you that no matter how safe you can be, there can always be some idiots out there. Thanks for keeping me safe on my runs, Caped Crusader!
Wednesday, 9/16 - I only got 4.5 hours of sleep last night. I was up late working again. That means I had another run in the evening to do. Just 5 miles this time.
Hoping that this might be the last of the evening runs, I decided to run up to Ranken Jordan again. I stopped to take a pic next to the sign I always touch before I turn around to head home. Ranken Jordan is about as fine an institution as you can come across in the St. Louis area. The care they provide to children is amazing. To find out more about Ranken Jordan, check out this their website. I like making this run up to their little hospital. Knowing I'm running for the kids at St. Jude, Ranken Jordan represents a place where kids in need get help in St. Louis. It's not a cancer research hospital, but they provide awesome care. Their patients and their staff are an inspiration to me.Thursday, 9/17 - Today is a day or rest. I got 6 hours of sleep last night. More notably, I rated it a quality of 6. Usually anything greater than 5 hours if perfect for me. 6 hours is great! While training, I've been tracking my sleep and giving a rating quality of 1-10 (10 being the best). Last night was the first time in 6 weeks (since 8/3) that I rated my sleep higher than a 5 in quality.
Friday, 9/18 - Damn, Damn, Damn! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid Man! Last night as I was performing my manly duties and taking out the trash and recyclables I made a big mistake. For whatever dumb reason I always do this on Thursday nights barefoot. Currently, thanks to the monster oaks in the front yard, my driveway is peppered in acorn shrapnel. But stupid man I am, I still try to roll two trash cans down the driveway, stepping carefully to avoid hitting a nutty landmine. Well, I succeeded until last night. And as all runners know, even the smallest of foot injuries, cuts, scrapes are no good. I got walloped, and it wasn't by an acorn shell. I was pulling the recyclable bin behind me and I clipped my heel with the bin. F*#@! It was a nice cut too. Dug in deep, but not requiring stitches. Right on the achilles above the heel bone. Coincidentally right where my shoe will rub when I go running. Stupid, stupid, stupid man! Is this going to define my marathon training?
Luckily, I have a badass athletic trainer of a wife. Lori hooked me up with a set of bandages and pads to cover it up with so my shoe doesn't rub on it. So we're going with it, along with a load of Neosporin. Let's hope fo the best.
Got to Bally's in the morning, bandaged up the heel, and put the protective pad on. I ran 5 miles faster than my marathon pace. No pain. No friction. Rocked it out at 44:44! I felt great, and I'm gearing up for my second 20-miler tomorrow.
Saturday, 9/19 - I got to the lake at 6:00am with my heel still bandaged and protected. My friends Mike and Chris met me up there. Chris planned to run the first 7-10 miles with us, and Mike the full 20. Mike has been training for New York and is about 3 weeks behind me in timing, but is a much stronger runner than I am. The weather was perfect (much better than the slop from two weeks ago). We said our farewell to Chris around the 6-mile mark, and then Mike and I rocked out the rest of the run. I was planning on doing a 3/1 run - running the first 15 miles at about a 9:30 pace and then turning it up to sub-9:00 for the final 5. Instead, Mike and I pushed a bit harder after Chris left, really for no good reason other than we felt like it. We ended up running the last 14 miles at about a 9:10 pace and finished the entire 20-miler at a 9:17 clip - that's just 8-seconds slower than my goal pace of 9:09. I did get some pain in my left calf beind my knee and in my right achilles. I shouldn't call it pain... soreness. And it kicked in around mile 10. I powered through it. I don't think I should have stopped as it wasn't that bad, and I was keeping my form. All in all, I felt strong. And now I know I'm ready for Chicago. Bring it on!
Sunday, 9/20 - No arguments from me. I'm taking a day of rest.
Week #16 - What Better Way to Taper Other Than... Vegas, Baby?
Monday, 9/21 - The hard part of my program is essentially over. The past 15 weeks are in the books, and I didn't cheat. I didn't skip. I got the job done. And now I can taper until Race Day. I get why this program works. I don't have to worry about making up for runs I skipped. There is no making up, and well, I know that strategy doesn't work anyway. The work I needed to put in to make sure I have a successful Race Day is complete. I know this now. I'm ready, and I'm going to enjoy this taper. It starts today with an easy 5 miles. I ran it at the gym in the morning. My achilles and calf muscle were still sore from Satuday, but I still felt strong. Maybe it's the confidence of knowing the long runs are over... until Race Day that is.
Tuesday, 9/22 - I was really sore last night and stayed up late working. And I woke up exhausted and still really sore. I opted not to run in the morning. I debated all day on whether or not to run at night. I didn't want to skip my workout. But then I rationalized: Skipping one day won't hurt me. But foolishly running while as sore as I am could injure me. That being said, I'm skipping.
Wednesday, 9/23 - I ran 6 miles at Bally's this morning. I was a little sore still, but still felt good. The 6 miles was what I was supposed to do yesterday. I figured, I'd just skip the easier 5-mile workout on the schedule for today and then rest as usual tomorrow.
Today I had a conference call with the St. Jude folks. They gave us a wealth of information about the entire weekend from the Pasta Party, to the Charity Village, to what to wear and eat, and how to get around town. Now I just need to absorb it all and figure out a game plan with Lori and the family.
I also was hard at work today trying to map a 12-mile run in Las Vegas for Saturday morning. The big question loomed: Do I run on the Strip or not? With much solid advice from some fellow runners, I opted to run the strip. I figured out a route, and now I'm set. I'll go from the Rio, to the Strip, to the Stratosphere, down to Tropicana Blvd, off the strip to the Terribles Casino, down to the Four Seasons, and then back up to the Rio... just over 12 miles. Vegas here I come.
Thursday, 9/24 - Today should be a day of rest. But I'm going to break the commandment... just a little. I have 4 miles to run tomorrow, so I opted to run my 4 miles tonight through the neighborhood. With the weekend trip to Vegas kicking off tomorrow, I don't have to worry about running in the morning tomorrow before my flight or out in the 100-degree desert heat. And so, 4 easy miles it was.
Friday, 9/25 - Vegas, Baby! My brother turned 40 earlier in the month, and my other brother and I are celebrating with him and a few friends out in Sin City. No running today. Just some quality R&R poolside. With 12 miles looming in the morning, I only had a handful of drinks. However, I did stay up til 2:30 in the morning. That's 4:30am on my St. Louis clock. Not the best of moves, but it's Vegas, right? But with the lack of sleep, will I really get up a 7am tomorrow?
Saturday, 9/26 - 6:30am came and I woke up. Just 4 hours of sleep in the hotel. I guess I'm still on St. Louis time. I just woke up. No alarm. I got dressed, grabbed my Gu (2 packs for this trip) and hit the road. I could tell I was already dehydrated from the drinking and lack of sleep. Still I was on too big a high. I get to run 12 miles up, down, and around the Strip. And so I did.
It's an interesting crowd on the Strip at 7am. Those that haven't slept. A guy abandoned by his buddies and passed out at a bus stop. Any number of crazies talking to whoever is willing to listen. One guy literally vomiting in front of me. Working girls on their way back from... well, a night of work. Lonely folks who probably just lost their paycheck. Countless people with uber-venti sized cups of java. And well, a bunch of guys still loading the paper dispensers with inappropriate fliers for local companionship (apparently people weren't paying attention to all the ones on the ground). I took my time running the Strip.
In part because every couple miles I couldn't cross the street; rather I had to climb a long flight of stairs to use the overpass and then go back down another long flight to street level. I did this at least 6 times I think. So 12 flights of stairs in the mix of 12 miles... just a tad different. I also stopped to grab some pics: In front of the Rio, Paris, the Mirage, the Stratosphere, NewYork New York, the Luxor, the Bellagio, and back at the Rio. All in all, it wasn't bad, and I was glad I got to take in the sights, including the sheer impressiveness of the architecture of those buildings and the technology behind the jumbotrons.I felt great the rest of the day, and somehow I managed to make it til 4am Sunday morning without taking a nap. Vegas, baby!
Sunday, 9/27 - A day of rest. No need to push the limits anymore. I'm taking it easy today. Some coffee. A LOT of water. ESPN Zone and a lot of NFL football. Then back on a plane to the real world known as St. Louis. Home sweet home!
Week #17 - The Poisonous Aftermath from Vegas
Monday, 9/28 - Got in after midnight last night from Vegas. No morning run for me. I had just 4 miles today, and I did it in the cool evening breeze around the neighborhood. I even donned a long sleeved shirt. It was actually kinda chilly. A bit different from the 100-degree temps in the desert. Still, I was digging the cooler temps, and my body was digging the taper.
Tuesday, 9/29 - Ever since hanging out at the VooDoo Lounge at the Rio Saturday night, I've had the old school Bel Biv Devoe song "Poison" in my head. "It's driving me out of my mind. That's why it's hard for me to find. Can't get it outta my head. Miss her, kiss her, love her... "
And so, as I got ready to run my 5-miler in the evening, I found a video on YouTube of a live performance on the old Arsenio Hall Show... priceless! That kicked off 5 miles, again in the chilly Fall air of my neighborhood. I knocked it out and tried to get some work done at home, but the weekend effect was finally catching up with me (not to mention the 2am bedtime last night). And, well, I fell asleep with my head on my laptop.
Wednesday, 9/30 - Another 4 miles today. I still can't get that song out of my head... "She's so fly. She'll drive you right out of your mind. Steal your heart when you're blind."
My left calf is still nagging me a bit, so I'm trying to stretch more. I'm really hoping the stretching, an ibuprofen regimen, and the taper will make the soreness go away just in time for the race. I know what is causing it - the damn hills in the neighborhood. But hopefully they will only make me stronger for the flat Chicago course.
Thursday, 10/1 - October is here! The race is just 10 training days away. Today is a day of rest. And rest I will.
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