No, I am your father.

It is a dark knight (as in Jedi Knight- ha, love that one!) and I'm getting in a training run along the Charles River.  It is difficult to see the path in front of me.  Time to turn on my lightsaber.  BB-ZSHOOOO.

Picture the big battle scene between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back as you read this.  You know, the scene where Darth Vader chops Luke's hand off and then Luke finds out the big news.  Kind of like a precursor to a bad Jerry Springer or Maury Povich episode where the results of the paternity test are revealed.  "Mr. Vader, you... are the father".  Bleep!



From my run last night using the Zephyr Fire

Sorry, back to the story.  "You are beaten.  It is useless to resist".  KSCHHHHHHHHHH (sound of lightsabers clashing together).  "Join me and I will complete your training".  "If you only knew the power of the darkside."  "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father?"

"He told me enough! He told me you killed him!"

"No, I am your father."

 "No, that's not true, that's impossible. Noooooooo!"

OK, let me clarify two things so that there is no confusion.  No, I'm not a Jedi who has fallen to the dark side of the force serving the evil Galactic Empire.  But boy, I sure do feel like it!  And more importantly the second thing.  I did not have those quotes memorized by heart!  I had to Google everyone one of them. 

I decided that I should get a lightsaber, sorry, I mean a flashlight, for my night runs.  With the sun setting before 4:30 PM now, it can get pretty dark for those night training runs.  I wanted to see what was available specifically for running instead of just a plain old LED flashlight.  I was surprised to find that there was really only one that is targeted for runners.  It is the "Zephyr Fire" by Nathan.  There are two models of this "runner's hand torch" (as Nathan markets it).  The Zephyr Fire 100 and the Zephyr Fire 300. 

I ended up purchasing the 300 model as it comes with an emergency siren.  I have to say that this is a pretty cool flashlight (as cool as a flashlight can be I guess).  It has 4 light modes (strobe, low, high and sprint).  Recharges via a mini-USB port.  Has great burn time (+6 hrs on low).  Is weather resistant.  Equipped with a rear facing red LED flashing light.  Has an adjustable hand strap that allows for a totally grip-free and effortless carry in either hand.  Finally, the light features an integrated 24-degree downward projection angle to focus light on the path in front of you. 

 

This really is a great flashlight for runners.  It is very lightweight and feature rich.  The different light modes are a plus as I find myself using the low mode when running on the path's along the Charles and the high mode when running on the street.  It is a bit pricey with the list at $55 USD but I was able to pick it up with a 25% off coupon at a local running store so it made it a bit more reasonable.  I would definitely recommend this "hand torch" to any runner who runs outdoor at night and who wants to do it more safely.  Oh yeah, the other cool thing about this flashlight?  You can pretend that it is a lightsaber and you are battling Luke.  It really does resemble one when you turn it on.  You can see the light beam pretty well and it makes a humming noise (especially on high).  No more pretending with the cardboard paper towel rolls or the Christmas wrapping tubes (you know that you have all done it).  Nope.  You can pretend with something a bit more high tech! 

"May the force be with you."

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Partner.

Patient Partner- "The patient partner program pairs up kids who are current or former patients with runners to help inspire them". 

When I signed-up to be part of the Miles for Miracles Boston Children's Hospital Boston Marathon  team I had the choice to also join their "Patient Partner" program if I wanted.  I signed up for this program without hesitation.  It was the opportunity to be able to get more directly involved that I was looking for.  The chance to get, as BCH puts it, "inspired".  That has been fulfilled and then some.

I was sent an e-mail with the name of my Patient Partner a couple of weeks prior to the team kickoff event that was held a couple of weeks ago at Kings in Dedham, MA.  Just a name in an e-mail.  Patrick.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  It left me wanting to know more.  Wanting to know Patrick's story about how Children's has helped him and his family.  To find out more about him personally.  To put a face to the name.  To find out who Patrick is.

I wrote to his mom and she filled-in all the details.  Patrick is a very active and involved nine year old who is currently in the third grade.  He lives with his mom Karen, father John, twin brother Connor, brother Nicholas, a German Shepherd named Helga and a cat named Mr. Mustachio.  His mom told me that he loves to sing and dance and that he has "the most infectious laugh and smile".  After getting a chance to meet him in person, I have to completely agree by her accurate description!

He keeps himself very busy with multiple activities throughout the year including being a member of the Special Olympics soccer, basketball and swim teams.  He also plays adaptive lacrosse and challenger hockey.  He loves going to the beach and going out on the family boat in the summer.

How has Boston Children's Hospital helped Patrick and his family?  Patrick has Down Syndrome.  It is a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in extra genetic material from chromosome 21.  This genetic disorder, which varies in severity, causes lifelong intellectual disability and developmental delays. Patrick and his family have been going to BCH since he was born and are participating in the Down Syndrome program at the hospital. 

I look forward to this opportunity of my family being able to get to know Patrick and his family more and more as the days and weeks go on.  Patrick's story is only one out of countless many that demonstrate the impact that Boston Children's Hospital has on patients and their families.  Oh yeah, and runners by providing us with this great partnering opportunity.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Ironic.

Some things in life can be so ironic. As I compose this post, I'm sitting in room 904 next to my son waiting for him to be discharged.  Discharged from Boston Children's Hospital.  Who would have thought when I signed up to run on the Miles for Miracles team back in September that I would find myself with my son being a patient again.  I thought that the time had past that he would have to use the services of BCH again. Especially since he seems like a grown man to me. He is taller than me and has a size 13 shoe for goodness sake.  An adult who knows better than engaging in risky behavior which can result in injury. I forget sometimes though that he is still a kid. Still young and learning by his mistakes.

My son receiving emergency care here quickly reminds me of all the reasons why I'm running for such an outstanding organization like BCH. Front and center.  I am so grateful to everyone who works here. Everyone from the maintenance staff, people who deliver the meals to the rooms, the cleaning staff,  the nurses and doctors and everyone in between.  It really makes you feel incredibly fortunate and appreciative to know that such a high caliber facility is here and waiting to help when people are sick and in need.  I learned during my son's stay that Boston Children's Hospital was ranked #1 Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report.  A well deserved honor.  I was also reminded that this hospital is not just for those with chronic illnesses but also for those who need emergency services.  Something that I had never really thought about until this past Thursday.  

I had another bit of irony today.  What's that you say?  Well, let me tell you.  Today was the first weekly run (5 miles) of the Miles for Miracles team which also included a pre-run clinic (proper stretching and warm-up).  What's so ironic about that?  It just happened to be at the Boston Children's Hospital Waltham campus.  Who knew!  It was a great clinic and first of many team runs. 

As I close this post, I think about the conversation that we just had with our son's surgeon and his resident regarding going home today.  The events of the past couple of days are finally coming to an end. We can try and get back to some sense of normalcy.  All the while feeling such gratitude for everyone who helped us out at Boston Children's Hospital. Thank you to those who we had the opportunity to interact with and to those who we did not but who helped out indirectly.  Being a member of the Miles for Miracles team running to support this hospital has a whole new meaning for my family and I.  A small way to give back and say "Thank You".

And isn't it ironic... don't you think?
Who would've thought... it figures
Thank you Alanis.  Hey, I had to get some lyrics in here somewhere!

Until next time, keep on runnin'!
 

Jack Frost.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

OK.  There were no chestnuts and no fire.  Jack Frost was certainly nipping at my nose though.  My cheeks.  And my forehead.  Carols were being sung but not by a choir.  Just by me and it was only in my head as I didn't want to scare anyone with singing out loud.  Most folks did look like they were from Alaska, but not me.  No fur.  No big warm clunky boots.  A zipped sweatshirt, sneakers and a hat.  Kind of boring.

Day one of week one training completed yesterday. Boy, that was a cold one!  6.5 easy miles.  Very easy!  It was a bit hard to not go at my normal pace.  I kept finding myself running faster and then having to slow down to get back to the slower pace.  It is something that I need to work on and remember that training is not competitive.  I don't always have to go out full force every run like I have been doing lately.  Follow the plan my friend.  Follow the plan.

It was kind of neat running in the city as all the Christmas lights were on in the Common and the Public Garden.  The lights and light snow coupled with the cold winds made it a festive run indeed.  Cannot wait for tomorrow's run to take in more of the lights around the city.

They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
 
Run Weather:

22 degrees | Windchill 13 degrees

Winds 9 MPH | Gusting to 18 MPH

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

All In Perspective.

What a fantastic morning today.  My wife, son and I attended the Boston Children's Hospital Miles for Miracles Boston Marathon kick-off event this morning at Kings.  Bowling, brunch and my family and I meeting Patrick, my patient partner, and his family in person.  What could be better?!  This was such a well-orchestrated event that allowed us all to officially introduce ourselves and begin to get to know each other better.  It was a great start to a long relationship. sdfsdf

I was really looking forward to today's festivities for different reasons.  A sense of reality as to what I am doing and getting myself into.  Something tangible.  I found out that I made it on team Miles for Miracles back in September but there hasn't been a lot of actionable items since then.  That is, until today.  It all starts in full gear now.  There are key tasks and deadlines.  Training, training and more training.  Well, that actually starts tomorrow but we'll go with it as it is almost Monday now anyway.  It's here.  It's now.  You could say it is where the rubber meets the road.  Rubber.  Shoes.  Get it?  Rubber soles pounding the pavement?  Love that one.  Seriously though.  This is it.  Time to be serious and get to the task at hand.

I have to say that it struck me today at one point while standing by the air-hockey tables watching my son, Patrick and another little girl as they all gleefully played a back and forth game of air-hockey.  The smiles on their faces as the puck glided across the thin layer of air above the surface of the table.  Ker-plunk as the puck landed in the goal.  The three of them were all patients of Boston Children's at some point in their young lives.  I then panned around at all the kids who attended today's kick-off.  The majority of them are/were patients.  They are the reason that I'm doing this.  They are the faces of those being helped by such an outstanding health care facility.  The beneficiaries of the great work being done by all of the professionals at the hospital.  That moment really did put it all into perspective for me.  I received the tangible piece that I was looking for and then some. 

I start my official training tomorrow.  20 weeks of highs and lows.  Cold night runs and cold early morning runs.  Snow, rain and wind.  Ups and downs.  But, after today, I have the perspective that I need to know that it is all worth it in the end.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Barry White.

OK, I'm not the 3-time Grammy award winning composer and crooner with that distinctive bass-baritone voice.  However, someone did describe my voice as a very hoarse version of his.  "Thanks", I guess?  I'll take any semi-compliment that I can get related to my voice though. 

For those of you who have talked with me over the past year and a half or so know what I'm talking about.  Hoarse and low volume.  It started out with minor hoarseness and then steadily increased to where it is today.  I went to a local ENT doctor and found out that it is caused by vocal cord paralysis.  Yep, one of my vocal cords doesn't work.  Kaput.  Inoperative.  Done for.  Goner.  Finished.  Non-functioning.  Out of commission.  Down for the count, and wait for it..., Down the tubes.  "Down the tubes"?  Get it?  Larynx.  Tube.  A bit of a stretch.  Stretch?  The vocal cords are stretched from back to front over the larynx.  Boy, this is getting really cheesy now!

 The initial course of treatment was voice therapy to learn how to talk better with one vocal cord.  Six weeks of daily facial and neck massage techniques including "laryngeal massage" (don't ask- it causes clicking noises due to pieces and parts rubbing together- freaky stuff!), and pages and pages of phrases to speak out loud.  Did it work?  Not to the extent that I had wanted.  I did learn how to increase my volume a bit and how to be more aware of opportunities to help others hear me better. 

You're probably asking yourself right about now, "what does this have to do with running?"  Here's how.  I ended up going for a second opinion a couple of weeks ago to find a more permanent solution that would hopefully get my voice a bit closer to what it used to be (it will never be the same again though).  The good news is that there is an implant that I can get.  No, not that kind of implant!  An implant made of Gortex which is surgically inserted into the paralysed vocal cord.  The bad news.  I have to be awake during the procedure so that they can hear me speak with it in place and tweak it as needed.  The even worse news.  It will require 6 weeks of downtime from running.  Decisions.  Do I focus on getting my voice better now and pass on this great opportunity to run the Boston Marathon as part of the Miles For Miracles team since the downtime would cut right into my training?  Do I go all in and fulfill my commitment to Boston Children's Hospital?  In the end, I have to finish what I started.  The marathon it is.  I've put way too much into this already and am committed to the cause to let any personal gain get in the way.  What is another 5 months of this raspy voice belting out Barry White classics in a dive bar on Wednesday karaoke night?

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

#GivingTuesday - Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who donated to my Boston Children's Hospital Miles For Miracles fundraiser yesterday as part of #GivingTuesday.  Your very generous donations totalled $905 and were applied towards my goal.  The 2 for 1 match of these donations raised an additional $1,810 that went directly to Boston Children's Hospital.  What a tremendous outpouring of generosity!  Thank you also to all of the other generous donors who have donated to my fundraiser to date.  I really appreciate everyone's support. 

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

#GivingTuesday

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are for shopping, Giving Tuesday is all about giving back to a cause you care about.  Please consider making a 100% tax free donation to Boston Children's Hospital as part of my Miles for Miracles 2015 Boston Marathon fundraiser.  All donations made online through this link http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/runner716 on Tuesday, December 2 will be matched 2 to 1 by a generous donor and New England Acura Dealers.  Please note that only your donation will count towards my fundraising goal but the match will greatly help the hospital with its mission. 

My fundraising goal as part of Boston Children’s Hospital  Miles for Miracles team is $7,000.  Please consider supporting my run, and supporting the Boston Children's Hospital! It is fast and easy to make a 100% tax deductible donation, whether small, large or somewhere in between.

Donations by Credit Card:
Please visit my Children’s Hospital fundraising page: http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/runner716

I am currently at 22% of my fundraising goal due to all  of the generous donors (listed on the right)who have already made a contribution to my fundraiser.  Thank you all!

 

Thank you in advance for any support that you can provide.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!