What A Feeling.

What a feeling
Being's believing
I can have it all
Now I'm dancing for my life

Well, in this case it would be running instead of dancing but same difference I guess.  Well, maybe not because I can certainly run but I cannot dance for anything!  Great lyrics to represent how I felt running the Boston Marathon last Monday and how I have felt since.  Thanks Irene Cara! 

I have run other marathons before but there is a special feeling that you get when running Boston which is like no other.  Maybe it's the challenging course with the rolling hills in Newton along with Heartbreak Hill?  Maybe it's participating in a race with a storied history and rich tradition?  Maybe it's the incredible spectator support from the starting line in Hopkinton all the way to the finish line in front of the Boston Public Library on Boylston street?  Maybe it's the pride of wearing the Boston Children's Hospital Miles for Miracles singlet and representing an organization that is saving lives and making differences for children and their families on a daily basis?  Maybe it's the joy of running for Patrick (my patient partner) and my son Simon who have both been touched and received care from Boston Children's Hospital?  Maybe it's being part of such an incredible team and training with them for five months (shout-out to my fellow Miles for Miracles teammates)?  Maybe it's the incredible sense of accomplishment every time that I put on my Adidas Night Flash (fancy name for purple!) 2015 Boston Marathon Anthem (don't ask because I have no clue!) jacket?  Just maybe it's all of these things and then some. 

This was the best marathon experience that I've ever had.  I came into the race last Monday with the most confidence and feeling the best physically that I've ever felt before, during and after a marathon.  I attribute it all to the great coaching that I received from the Miles for Miracles coaches Sarah Lucas and Jeff Hintlian.  With a well planned training regime, I was both mentally and physically prepared and was at the top of my game.  I ended up running a PR of 3 hours 53 minutes which was not something that I was trying to achieve.  My plan was to run the race comfortably with no time expectations.  I wanted to just run and take everything in.  Every single aspect that is Boston.  No checking my watch for pace and no music to distract me.  It turns out that, because of my training, I was able to run the race comfortably, take everything in without worrying about pace.  All without listening to music.  What a feeling.

There is a big sense of "what now?" now that Marathon Monday has come and gone.  Five months of training, commitment and countless time away from family.  All culminating in an event that was over in 3 hours and 53 minutes.  Completed.  Finished.  Done.  No more early Saturday morning team runs.  No more worrying about trying to juggle, fundraising, work and the training schedule.  There was anxiety and nervousness leading up to the marathon.  That all quickly faded and was replaced with jubilation and excitement during the race and in the days after.  Now, it almost feels like a sense of loss.  Something that is now missing.  A faded memory of sorts as life goes on. 

I will always cherish April 20th, 2015.  The memories of everything leading up to that day and the joy of crossing the finish line soaking wet, cold and enjoying every minute of it.  Thankful for being given the chance to be on the Boston Children's Hospital team.  Thankful for everyone who supported my fundraising efforts and those who supported me with well wishes.  Thankful for meeting and getting to know such a great patient partner and his family.  Most of all, I'm thankful for the unwavering support of my wife Jennifer and my son Simon throughout this journey.  Without their backing, love and support, I would not have been able to do this.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You will never know how much this all has meant to me and what a feeling I have experienced. 

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

The Numbers Behind The Run.

3 Days until 4/20/15.  2 training runs left.  Numbers.  Marathon training is full of numbers.  Numbers that most non 26.2 mile runners would not stop to think about. I have some extra time on my hands due to tapering and thought that I would put together some that show the other side of what it takes to train for a marathon.  The other side of "yeah, training is going great!".

19 weeks of training.
75 training runs in total.

16 of the 75 were team runs.

39 times at the gym cross training.

21 miles- longest run.

3 miles- shortest run.
34 packs of Jelly Belly Sports Beans used during training.
6 packs of Jelly Belly Sports Beans I'll use during the Marathon.

2 pair of sneakers.

65+ bottles of Gatorade/Powerade.

9 years- age of Patrick who is my Patient Partner.

593 miles run.

95 donors to my fundraiser.

$7,969.20 raised for Boston Children's Hospital.

 

It is hard to believe that this is all coming to an end in 3 days. As I look back on my training over the past 19 weeks, I find myself fighting back my emotions. There have been many highs and lows and I have met so many incredible people along the way including my coaches and fellow Miles For Miracles team members. I was able to be partnered with an inspiring patient partner.  My family and I experienced the life saving services that BCH provides first hand back in December when they saved my son's life after a traumatic head injury.  Would I have done it if I knew then what I know now?  Absolutely.  This is an experience that I will always hold near to my heart and will be ever grateful for.  Until Monday...

Until next time, keep on runnin'!
 

Taper.

No, I'm not talking about tapering drywall butt joints (don't ask) or reminiscing about the infamous pottery wheel scene in Ghost where Patrick Swayze is helping Demi Moore taper the clay after he totally ruined her vase in the making while "Unchained Melody" is playing in the background.

"Tapering is a special training period immediately preceding the major competition during which the training stimulus is reduced in a systematic non-linear fashion to achieve a peak in performance. Optimal physiology, technique and psychology are all outcomes of tapering. " (Thanks to the Australian Sports Commission for this definition-  I don't know.  It was one of the first Google results!).

It is the final stage of training. The culmination of 5 months of training. You would think that a runner would love the opportunity that tapering affords them. Reduced weekly mileage which means more downtime and a chance to rest. What's not to love about that?  

I've always looked at tapering as a love hate relationship. On the one hand, you reduce the miles that you run after plateauing at the 21 mile long run. This gives you a bit more free time and a little less pressure of trying to fit all the training into an already hectic daily schedule. 

It gives your body time to repair and prepare (oh, I like that one!  It even rhymes!) itself for the big day. Kind of like a car front end alignment. Much needed after hitting all those potholes this spring. It is also a time to reflect and prepare mentally. All good things you would think right?

I liken tapering to the theme song of that 80's classic "The Facts of Life":

You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The facts of life, the facts of life.

We've talked about the good.  Now we talk about the bad.  It is a challenge to train for so long with the goal to steadily increase mileage week after week and then all of a sudden wind it down to what seems like almost nothing over a couple of weeks.  It goes against everything that you have been doing.  Your body and mind wants to run more to keep up with the regime that it was used to. 

There are those great mind games that kick in during taper.  What else would your brain and body do with the extra time that it has now?  You know that you have done everything possible to train and be ready for the big day.  However, there is that certain moment when you start second guessing everything.  I mean everything.  Did I train enough?  Did I do enough hill workouts?  Should I have done a few more tempo runs? Is my refueling plan solid?  It takes mental toughness to put that all aside and not listen to your head.  I look at it and say that everything that I have done and my plan is what it is.  I'm not going to change it now even though part of me wants to.  Why?  Because I did it all when I wasn't worrying about things and had a more clear head. 

How about even more head game action?  "Please sir, may I have another?"  Why not!  It is crazy the things that my mind comes up with during taper.  The paranoia sets in and takes a death grip on all logical thinking.  Did that person two offices down from me just sneeze?  Did you just seriously cough in the same room that I am?  Now I have to hold my breath for as long as I can hoping that the contaminated air sinks to the floor before it makes its way over to me.  What was that twitch I just felt?  Why do I have that pain in my knee all of a sudden (both of these are things we runners like to refer to as "phantom pains")?  The desire to want to wipe everything down with Purell.  Then spray it with Lysol just for old times sake.  Why is it that there are so many people on crutches a couple of weeks leading up to Patriot's Day?  Stay away!  Heaven forbid if somebody with them walks in front of me.  Sorry everyone, I'm not in my right mind right now so please forgive me for how I may treat you.  It is as if every person on the face of the earth has the plague.  Is it normal to take a paper towel with you after washing your hands in a public bathroom and then use it to open the door when leaving to protect your pristine hand from the germ laden handle?  No?  Oh... 

I guess that I should probably just go wrap myself in bubble wrap and then climb into an inflatable bubble for the rest of this week.  That sounds pretty logical and a very sane option to me right now! Go Taper Town!

Until next time, keep on runnin'!
 

And The Winners Are...

Thank you to everyone who participated in my "Chance to Win" benefiting my Boston Children's Hospital Miles for Miracles Boston Marathon fundraiser.  Through the generosity of those who participated, an additional $851 was raised for my fundraiser.  THANK YOU!

Now, the winners are:

1. iPod Shuffle- Lindsey Baumgardner
2. iPod Shuffle- Jeannie Mendez
3. Texas Roadhouse Gift Basket- Jodi Mark
4. $50 Trader Joe's Gift Card- Brian Bean
5. Instagram Print- Lauren Addesa

The video below shows the selection of each of the winners.  Thanks to my wife Jen for filming it and to my son Simon for his guitar "drum roll" along with the music at the end.



Thank you to Matt Labkon for the two iPod Shuffles and Matt Frohne, Managing Partner at the Brockton, MA Texas Roadhouse for the Texas Roadhouse gift basket.

There is still time to make a 100% tax deductible donation before Marathon Monday if you haven't had a chance yet.  Heck, there is still time even if you have already donated and want to donate again.  You won't be able to win a prize since the contest is over but you will get a tax deduction and, more importantly, the good feeling that you are helping Boston Children's Hospital in their mission of helping children and their families: "Until every child is well".

http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/runner716

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

 

Farts, Burps, Chaffing, Snots and Blisters.

What a combination?  Nobody said that distance running was a glorious sport.  It is mentally/physically challenging and comes along with the aforementioned "things".  But you know what?  I love it.  I love it because it also gives such a sense of accomplishment and allows me to push and challenge myself all the while becoming a better and more skilled athlete.  Oh yeah, if you're lucky, you get the infamous "runner's high" too.  All these positives completely out way the negatives and helps to fuel my desire to run.  What's a blister here or chaffing there anyway?  Well, I guess it depends on where the chaffing occurs right?  Nah. 

Our longest team training run of 21 miles from the starting line in Hopkinton to the top of Heartbreak Hill took place yesterday.  The bus ride out to Hopkinton along the Mass Pike kind of put everything into perspective.  How?  Well, as the miles kept passing by and we were getting farther and farther away from our meeting place at Boston College, I realized how far we had to run.  A lot different than the out and back runs that we typically do on Saturday mornings.

OK, yes, I'll admit it.  I farted, burped, had a bit of chaffing, blew snots and got a blister or two throughout the run yesterday.  I'm human, and I'm a runner so who cares in the end?  But, even with all of that, it was an absolutely amazing and awesome run.  Nothing about it was glorious.  Nothing at all.  It was snowing, sleeting, cold, windy and wet.  A gritty run to say the least.  To be honest, that was all perfectly fine with me.  I think that this was one of my best runs at that distance.  It kept me on my toes and helped to keep my mind in the game.  Making slight adjustments to my overall plan as I the miles increased along the rolling hills on the course.  It was a great opportunity to, as our coaches put it, make this run a "dress rehearsal".  Which it truly was. 

I have tweaked and finalized my running plan based on yesterday's run.  I think that biggest thing that I'm going to do differently than in previous runs is to ditch the music.  Yes, I cannot believe that I am even saying that but I am.  The second thing is to not look at my GPS watch that often during the run.  Both of these changes are going to allow me to just enjoy and take in everything that is the Boston Marathon.  I have nothing to prove to anyone and everything to gain from the experience.  I want to take it all in and not be caught zoning out in la la land with my music.  Did I just say "la la land"?  Crap, I guess that I did.  I'm going to let my body and how it is feeling dictate my pace.  Not some arbitrary number that I just came up with when someone asked "What time are you shooting for?" or some number that I want to beat myself up to obtain.  Just enjoy all 26.2 glorious fart, burp, chaffed, snotty and blistered filled mile.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Emotions "Running" High.

15 weeks of training in the rear view mirror and the emotional rollercoaster has started to leave the station.  The attendant already checked my lap belt and restraint bar.  I've listened to the pre-recorded safety message about keeping my hands in the ride at all times, not to stand up during the ride and to wait until the car has come to a complete stop before I exit the ride upon returning to the station.   It really is starting to all sink in now as to what I'm doing and how much of an impact it has on me.  There was a bit of carefree excitement at the beginning of training way back in early December.  At that time there was 20 weeks to go.  Plenty of time to focus on other things going on in my life which were a distraction of sorts.  As the weeks have gone by, the juggling act of training, family life, fundraising and work have all increased in step with the weekly miles.  I think that it really struck me while driving to the team long run last week.  An energetic song with a high BPM (beat per minute)came on the radio.  It is one that I also have on my running playlist so it already had the potential to invoke some kind of response.  Boy, did it ever.  I lost it.  Tears were flowing like Niagara Falls.  I just needed to flash some colored lights in my eyes and it would have been like the illumination that happens every night at the Falls.  It is quite something to see.  The real Falls at night that is.  Luckily I was going 70 (yes, I was speeding) so people couldn't really see me carrying on with my box of Kleenex. 

I think that most non-runners, understandably, don't fully know the extent of the commitment (physical and emotional) that it takes to take on something like this.  Yes, people know that it is a lot of hard work and training.  But they really don't know how much it takes and how much day to day pressure there is along with the swings of highs and lows.  To me, that is OK because they didn't sign up to do this.  I did and I have to say that I kind of really like it.  It helps me to be a better, more focused person and a stronger and smarter athlete.  Kleenex and all.

Speaking of emotions, Boston Children's Hospital held a special event for us team runners and our guests recently at their main campus in Boston.  Queue the Kleenex please.  What an emotional and inspirational event.  Executives from the hospital spoke about how the funds that we are raising will be used and one of our fellow teammates spoke about his experiences with the marathon.  We were also able to take a tour of the newer sections of the hospital that were recently renovated so that we could see how previous funds were spent that directly impact patients and their families.  An absolutely fantastic event put on by BCH for us and something that I will never forget.

Until next time, keep on runnin'!

Lucky Ones.

It's so easy, don't even have to try
You're the winner, you can take the prize
It's a dream come true, which one will it be
It's a dream come true, we'll just wait and see

Only the lucky ones, get to steal the show
Only the lucky ones, really get to know
Only the lucky
Only the lucky ones, get lucky

I certainly could not have put it any better.  Thank you Loverboy for that 1981 classic hit.  Haven't you always wanted to be a "Lucky One"?  Well now is your chance!  I'm holding a "Chance to Win" starting today Sunday, March 15th through Sunday, April 5th.  If you would like a chance to win one of five prizes just make a donation to my Boston Marathon fundraiser benefiting Boston Children's Hospital.  You will receive an entry for each $5 that you donate (ex. For a $50 donation you will receive 10 chances).

 Now for the prizes: 

Prize 1: 2GB iPod Shuffle*:

Prize 2: 2GB iPod Shuffle*:

Prize 3: Texas Roadhouse Gift Basket* (Contains 1 $30 dinner for two certificate, 1 6.88 oz. rib seasoning, 1 7.20 oz. sirloin seasoning, 1 glass boot drinking glass, 1 7 oz. package of peanuts and 1 Texas shaped basket)

Prize 4: $50 Trader Joe's Gift Certificate:

Prize 5: 12" X 12" Instagram Canvas Print (your choice of a picture from my personal Instagram gallery: https://instagram.com/runner716/):

How to enter:

1. Go to my Boston Children's Hospital fundraising page: http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/runner716
2. Click on the big green "Give Now" button located in the gray "Please Support Me" section on the right side of my fundraising page.
3. Enter a donation amount for the number of chances that you would like to receive (I will send you an e-mail once I assign a ticket number for each $5 of your donation).
4. Fill in the rest of the form and be sure to include in the "Personal Note" field which prize you would like a chance at winning.  If no designation is made, one will be randomly selected for you.  If you would like to try and win multiple prizes note which ones and the number of tickets for each.
5. Click "Next" and fill out the "Billing and Payment Information" sections and then click "Next".
6. Review your information and then submit the form.

Winners will be announced Monday, April 6th on this blog as well as being personally notified via e-mail.  Good luck and thank you for your support.

 

*A special thank you to both Matt Labkon, who provided the 2 iPod Shuffles and Matt Frohne (managing partner of Texas Roadhouse in Brockton, MA), who provided the Texas Roadhouse gift basket.  I greatly appreciate their generosity in providing these items which will help to raise money for my fundraiser. 

Only the lucky ones, really get to know
Only the lucky
Only the lucky ones, ahh
 

Until next time, keep on runnin'!