RUN this town

From work

Do you know this runner?

Runner #1: Wearing Adidas. Black pants. Black jacket. Listening to an iPod. Running on the sidewalk of a busy street. At night. Comes up to an intersection with either the assumption that cars have an automatic sensor that detects any jogger within 10 feet and alerts the driver, but, fails to realize that maybe not all cars—just the expensive new cars—are equipped with such a device and finds out that most decisions a car makes depends on the human who is behind the wheel OR that the runner could leap a moving car in a single bound in case the car pulls too fast into the intersection.

It’s a good thing Runner #1 did not get hit by the car. Runner #1 is just an idiot. I was shocked as I saw this unfold. Wear reflective gear. Think about your safety.

Runner #2: Running up-hill. Listening to an iPod. Blonde hair. Grunting really loud that as the runner got closer to me all I could think was “I really hope I don’t know this person.” Each yard that the runner got closer, and I heard the runner grunting from about 25 yards away, I didn’t know if I had to duck into a convenience store to hide from the runner.

Thankfully, Runner #2 was not a friend of mine who is also training for the Marathon. This makes our work, running, and friendship easier.

Runner #3: Takes a running route that crosses a busy intersection and T tracks. Wears reflective gear. Listens to an iPod. Plans for a bigger run but is exhausted 3 miles into the run. Thinks about a tempo run. Likes negative splits. Eats two lunches a day.

I could continue with the description of Runner #3, but it would just continue to describe my run tonight. Runner #3 wanted to do 6 miles tonight but only did 4. The workout did not go as planned, so I continued my run straight to the gym to do some cross-training, stretching, and crunches. The foam roller was needed.

Marathon training will feel real this week

Track work out Tuesday night. Crossroads Thursday night. 16 mile run Saturday. When this is all done, and when I can take a nap that Saturday afternoon, it will be my first week over 30 miles since the end of September.

I remember that this happens from January through April so I’m not worried about it. I just need to remind myself to stretch and cross-train over the next 12 weeks. Exactly three months to go.

I think a lot of things will be determined over the next couple of weeks. I think I’ll find out soon that I will be comfortable with an 8:30 pace over 14 and 16 miles. I’ll find a way to get myself in shape to also run at a 7:45 pace for a few miles.

Let’s hope the snow stays away from the northeast.

Framingham High School teacher’s in the news

This weekend I found out, well after watching the coverage of the 2012 US Olypmic Marathon Trials, that a math teacher from my high school qualified for the Marathon in Houston.

It has been 8 years since my days at Framingham High, but glad to see my hometown represented in Houston.

Here’s a recent interview with Jodie Conway.

Inspiring stories… (part 2)

I am continuing the reblog of Hilary’s cancer journey…

Monday (01.08.96) 

The Morning

It was early Monday.  My teachers, friends, and even my little brother were boarding buses and getting into cars to head into school.  Our neighbors warmed up their cars before embarking on their chilly Monday-morning commute.  The big news story from the weekend was a huge blizzard that paralyzed the East Coast from Washington to Boston.  My big news story- cancer. 

The Secret

Nothing seemed to have changed as everyone went about their normal routines. “I shouldn’t expect a change though- we haven’t told anyone.”  Aside from my doctors, the AML diagnosis was a secret that only my Dad, my Mom, and I shared.  My little brother knew that “Hil is sick,” but that was the extent of it.  At some point, my parents would have to make The Call to school but for right now, it was a secret.  To be honest, I’m not 100% sure why it was a secret but I didn’t challenge my parents.  Eventually, I would learn that a cancer diagnosis is in some ways like winning the lottery.  It’s so rare that no one ever expects their friends or family to ‘get picked.’  This ends up providing a certain window for the affected party to square away any logistics before letting the word spread (i.e. insurance policy, leave time, finances, etc). 

The Drive

As we drove from my house to Children’s Hospital, I wondered how my friends would respond to my absence.  “Oh, she must be sick today,” I figured they would say.  Being sick though, was something I never did.  In fact, I was ‘Miss Perfect Attendance’ every year (with the exception of the Jewish High Holidays).  Not one sick-day and then… Leukemia.  

“Will I still be able to play softball this summer?  Will they let me take accelerated classes next year?  Am I going to lose my hair?”  Somehow it was the hair thing that hit me the hardest at first.  Maybe it’s because I was 12 or maybe because a bald head is all too often a sign that someone is dying… “Dying?  Am I dying?  I feel sick but not dying sick.”    

Luckily for me and unluckily for my Dad, it was a normal Monday in Buffalo and people were driving into the city to go to work.  The other cars gave me an opportunity to suppress the scary thoughts and do a little daydreaming.  Unfortunately, they did not make the drive any less stressful for my Dad.  He had to prove his driving skills worthy yet again, but this time with the added challenge of dealing with angry Monday morning commuters.  Fortunately, my Dad is an all-star and we arrived at the hospital ready to start a challenging 10-day battle in what would prove to be a much longer war. 

Continue reading here: Runningbecausecancerstinks

Inspiring stories…

I say this every year, and I know it’s true…I am so lucky to run with an incredible group of people. Each runner brings a unique experience. Each runner has an inspiring story. And each Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge runner is doing some amazing work. Here’s part 1 of Hilary Hall’s ‘Why I Run’ story.

01.06.96

Exactly 16 years ago at this time, I sat in a patient room at the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.  No, I was not  in one of those huge open areas where you are granted privacy in the form of a curtain. I was in a full-blown private patient room complete with multiple chairs to accommodate my family and any visiting MDs.  The special room was actually the third red flag of the day, that clued me in to the fact that something was very, very wrong.

Earning a spot in the ER patient room…

Earlier in the morning, I found myself at my regular figure skating lessons with my coach, Paddy (one of the most caring and observant people I know).  We were working on two particular jumps without much progress.  I remember continuing to fall and with each progressive fall, it became increasingly harder to pull myself back up.  Consequently, we ended the lesson early and proceeded to chat with my family that was looking on.  “Maybe it’s jet-lag?” someone said.  This was somewhat plausible since we just flew back from seeing my grandmother and cousins.  Paddy recommended trying out Alka-Selzter’s new (at the time) cold medicine.  Whether it was denial or shock, no one really wanted to acknowledge that cold medicine may not be enough this time.

Red Flag #1

Fast forward to the early evening.  After a visit to my pediatrician’s office and the phlebotomist for a quick blood draw, we returned home.  Although it was only a couple hours, it felt like weeks had passed before my parents’ received a call from my pediatrician.  “Go to the Children’s ER.  I’ll let them know you’re coming.”  My parents emerged from the study where they had been scavenging for information on my potential ailment since we left the pediatrician’s office.  “Hil, Dr. Vaughan called.  He wants us to go to the hospital.”  Definite Red flag!

Red Flag #2

My father drove my mother and me to Children’s while my uncle watched my brother, who was only 9 at the time.  As we walked up to the desk in the ER, I remember looking around at the other kids waiting.  Some looked like they had been there for hours.  I had already spent the majority of the day sitting around, waiting.  “Sheesh,” I thought, “no more waiting!”  Anyone who has visited the ER knows that the problem with emergency rooms is that it is a giant catch 22- the longer your wait-time, the less sick you are, and vise versa.  You don’t want to be sick enough to be pumped to the front of the line without a wait.  In this case, we didn’t wait.  The woman at the check-in desk kindly said, “we’re expecting you.”  I was triaged before all of the kids that had been waiting for hours, before the kids with bloody wounds, and even before the kid that came in on a stretcher.  That’s when I said to myself, “Shit! I’m really sick.”  (Huge) Red Flag!

Read more on Hilary’s awesome blog http://runningbecausecancerstinks.blogspot.com/

Secrets to a sub 4-hour marathon

“Hey, Eric, how do I get mentioned in your top 10 runs of 2012?”

“Help me run a sub 4-hour marathon.”

So Mike Doherty and I discussed various strategies to run a 3:40 - 3:50 marathon which is what I’m aiming for—actually, 3:45 once I get serious about this. Once he started adding tempo runs to his training he was able to cut his PR from 4:10 to 3:36. And this was without the use of PED’s. But, man, that’s got to be crazy. My PR is a 4:05. OK. I’m listening. This sounds like something I can do. He recommended starting off with 3 mile runs at 10k pace. 

Start with a slow warm up for a mile, then do 3 miles at a 10k pace, then rest and stretch for 3 minutes and do another 3 miles at a 10k pace, and end with a slow cool down. He gradually worked up to 5 miles at a 5k pace—doing the same workout. 

The other strategy he said he thought about trying was just going balls to the wall on the first half. Yeah, I’ve done that. Chicago 2010. Not a fun result.

Blogging…

Katelin, there is a lot more I have posted about. I don’t get too intense about the running blog. Who has the time? What with working full-time, running 9 miles at night, and then having free pizza and drinking a couple beers…I can’t come up with much to write about.

Fundraising update **$5,175**

This used to mean I would get a pair of DFMC running gloves. But, now I have to raise $8,000. On my way there.

Runthistown - Boca Raton, FL

I’ve been here for a week and I finally get the running conditions I like. From the National Weather Service….

WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST TUESDAY…

* WIND CHILL VALUES… TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL FALL INTO THE MID 30S TO THE LOWER 40S BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT. NORTHWEST WINDS AROUND 10 MPH DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS IN COMBINATION WITH THE COLD TEMPERATURES WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILL READINGS IN THE UPPER 20S TO THE MID 30S FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND WIND WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS CAN LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS… MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

1,026 miles

With probably one run left for me in 2011—judging by how slow my body is recovering from a couple hours of tennis yesterday—I think I will be able to pass 1,031 miles in 2011. I’m tired.

I got the most out of the miles I ran in 2011, but I expect I may even be able to get to 1,100 or 1,200 miles in 2012. And not because I’m going to run three marathons instead of two. In fact, I will only run one marathon in 2012. But, with less pressure on long runs in the summer, I think I can run more, shorter distances during each week.

In 2012 I will get to add one, if not two more countries that I’ll run in. I want this list to keep growing, which, as of right now, is only at Australia, Ukraine, and Austria. In 2012 I will add Israel and hopefully either Croatia or Italy. 

Quotes from my grandparents

It’s a good thing I love my family.

She told me that she was there for her friend who was a prostitute.

…Sometimes some words get mixed up.

I’ll teach you about preferred stocks if you teach me Facebook.

…How many octogenarians do you know on Facebook?

Your priorities tomorrow are 1. tennis clinic 2. meeting up with that girl and 3. dinner with us.

…Family comes first.

I’m in Fundraising.

You are in Advertising?

No. I’m in Fundraising.

Mechanics and repairs?

No. Fundraising. Like donations.

Business Accounting?

No. Fundraising.

…I don’t know who got more out of the conversation.

I’m not ready to go until I have great grand kids.

…no pressure.

My grandparents are thankfully doing well. They were kids during the great depression. Raised a family in New York. And have retired to Florida—and, say what you will about old people in Florida, but this life has been very good to them over the last 20 years.

Certainly they don’t get that I run 1,000 miles a year, and wonder why my knees aren’t in terrible shape. My florida vacation continues.