366 Podcast-Episode 19 "Merry Christmas"

   Christmas morning! Beautiful short mile run today out on freshly snow covered roads. Hardly a person on the road. Over the years I've come to cherish running on Christmas morning. It's something that you should try at least once in your life. It's an amazing experience where the world seems to be something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Peaceful, quiet, serene. No headphones required. Got some strange looks from the few people that I did see. Obviously they don't know that I've got just six days left! Anyways, I hope that the holiday finds you happy, hopeful and content. Thank you for giving me the present of your free time watching my videos and reading my posts all year. Have a wonderful day, run for your lives and Merry Christmas! 

Holiday Stress

   

   Well, to say that I've been busy is a bit of an understatement. I really was hoping to keep the momentum going with shooting out a blog once a day for the last month. But, it's holiday time and that just isn't going to happen. I apologize for falling short. I'm actually not a cyborg running machine. Just a human! 

   So, what has been going on in 366 land? Lots of stuff actually. I worked a nasty long stretch to make sure that the little man gets what he wants from the man in the big red suit. We still believe in good old Santa in this household. We do all kinds of crazy stuff to ensure that it stays that way. Emails from the man himself, a trio of scout elves that have a knack for getting into all sorts of trouble around the house and lots of of Christmas magic. That means that free time has gone out the window! That stuff doesn't happen without a little help!

   Winter may have been mild last year for us here in upstate NY. But, Mother Nature is making up for it this year! Lots of snow last week! Of course my snow blower was in the shop being repaired as the flakes fell. Oh well, what can you do? I didn't mind all the shoveling. It's just added strength work right? Apparently, we're under a flood watch tonight? The weather has oddly shifted back to the warmer side. Just in time for the snow blower to sit quietly in the garage! Hopefully some of the white stuff will still be there come Christmas morning!

   All the snow has presented some unique challenges for getting my miles in. The main road that I run on near my home doesn't have much of a shoulder to begin with. When you add all of that snow, you have even less. Which means I'm practically running in the road. Even with a reflective vest, headlamp and four flashers drivers still seem to not see me. Sometimes they're nice and move over. Sometimes they play chicken. Very dangerous and frustrating. I think that I'm just going to have to breakdown and start doing some of my runs inside at the gym again. Treadmill of Death...

   My motivation just hasn't been there too much ever since Thanksgiving. But, after being on vacation for the last four days I'm happy to report that I've managed to jump start my self somewhat! Really sore from all the activity. But, feeling elated to be doing something to combat the onslaught of holiday food and adult drinks that are coming soon. 

   I'm also happy to report that the Project is 13 days away from being completed! Had a super interview with Coach Jeff yesterday about the whole experience. He's a friend of mine in Australia who has an amazing podcast simply called, The Running Podcast. This guys amazing and knows his stuff. Such a motivation! Weird to think that people actually are still interested in this crazy little 366 thing! 

   As with most people, the holidays can be a really stressful time of year. Presents to buy. Money can be tight. Hosting Christmas dinner a challenge. Some family who you'd rather not spend time with. All that crazy stuff! I've been stuck right there in the middle of that for most of my vacation. Not very positive. But, each day I threw myself into my workouts with gusto. You know what? All that physical activity did exactly what I wanted it to, channel the stress away and leave me with a feeling of hope and peace. Yes, presents need to be bought. Be thankful you can give them to those that matter. Yes, money's tight. But, when isn't it? We always seem to survive in the long run. I'm not homeless thank God. Whom I kidding? I love hosting Christmas dinner even if it's a pain in the ass. At least I don't have to go anywhere but my own recliner! Yes, some family members should stay home. But, sometimes it's more fun to laugh to yourself at their ridiculousness behind their back. You can't pick your family. So, enjoy them! It's not that bad. 

   So, keep doing whatever you enjoy doing and use it as a tool to get you through these enjoyable but stressful holiday times. One foot in front of the other as they say!

    353 days down and still going strong! Run for your lives my friends. Interesting things coming in 2014...

What Was I Thinking?

    So, there I was running my mile today in almost sub zero weather mentally chastising myself for not running farther and it hit me. Why was I being so hard on myself? I've had the most phenomenal year. I've set two PR's in the half-marathon and full marathon distances. Even with gaining more weight when compared to last year, contracting extreme bronchitis and fighting off peroneal tendonitis I managed to overcome all of that and still have one hell of an amazing year! 

   I didn't see any other runners out there tonight. So, I was once again reminded of why I started this Project in the first place, because being a runner doesn't mean running short, far or racing. It just means getting out there for a run.

   There will be time for running short, fast, far, slow and racing. In 18 days I will have accomplished everything that I set out to do and then some this year. I'm not training for anything right now. It's time to rejoice in the achievements of the year and give back to my family and friends who put up with my training nonsense. After all, I wouldn't be who I was today if it wasn't for them. Running a mile still means I'm a runner.

   Run for your lives my friends!  

Blah, Blah, Blah...

   Well, my friends, it's official. Winter is finally here in upstate NY and I've lost my running mojo. I really thought that I could keep this motivation rolling. But, all this week it just hasn't been there. Getting ready for the holidays is proving to be a challenge and leaving not a whole lot of time left for getting out there. I really don't have any good excuses. The Project is still alive. But, I just don't feel like running more than a mile lately. Hopefully tomorrow will be better! Have a great night and run for your lives...

Why Superheros Are Important...

I came across this article and thought it would be worth reposting here. While, it doesn't have much to do with running on face value. It does talk about a quality that I've found universal in runners of every kind, empathy. I've never seen a thin runner snicker at a larger one at the start line, never heard a disparaging remark from Olympic elites about the rest of the field when I ran NYC or met a fellow runner who isn't willing to give advice to a novice. We accept, we enjoy the companionship, we empathize because we were a heavier runner, an average joe, a novice once too. But, my friends deep inside, we ALL have the power to be our own superhero. Run for your lives, just don't forget the cape... The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories How does following the adventures of Spider-Man and Batman inspire us to cope with adversity? By Robin Rosenberg

“Why is every superhero movie an origin story?” complained Entertainment Weekly film critic Adam Markovitz after seeing a trailer for this summer’s Man of Steel—yet another version of the 75-year-old Superman saga. Perhaps we love origin stories, Markovitz suggested, because they “show the exact moment when a normal guy goes from being Just Like Us to being somehow better, faster, stronger.”

I’m inclined to disagree. As a clinical psychologist who has written books about the psychology of superheroes, I think origin stories show us not how to become super but how to be heroes, choosing altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power. I’ve learned this through hundreds of conversations at comic book conventions, where fans have been remarkably candid about their lives and the inspiration they draw from superhero stories.

In one form or another the superhero origin story has been around for millennia: A hero battles “supernatural” forces and returns home “from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man,” as the mythologist Joseph Campbell wrote.

In my surveys of the genre, I’ve found that superheroes undergo three types of life-altering experiences that we can relate to.

The first is trauma, which lies at the heart of Batman’s origin story, in which Bruce Wayne dedicates himself to fighting crime after seeing his parents murdered. In real life, many people experience “stress-induced growth” after a trauma and resolve to help others, even becoming social activists.

The second life-altering force is destiny. Consider Buffy the Vampire Slayer, about a normal teenager who discovers she’s the “Chosen One”—endowed with supernatural powers to fight demons. Buffy is reluctant to accept her destiny, yet she throws herself into her new job. Many of us identify with Buffy’s challenge (minus the vampires) of assuming a great responsibility that compels her to grow up sooner than she wants to.

Lastly, there’s sheer chance, which transformed a young Spider-Man, who was using his power for selfish purposes until his beloved uncle was murdered by a street thug. Spider-Man’s heroism is an example of how random adverse events cause many of us to take stock of our lives and choose a different path.

At their best, superhero origin stories inspire us and provide models of coping with adversity, finding meaning in loss and trauma, discovering our strengths and using them for good purpose. (Wearing a cape or tights is optional.)

Comic book writers could have chosen not to endow their characters with origin stories. (In fact, Batman’s back story wasn’t published until the comic’s seventh installment.) But those writers were keen observers of human nature. And they were able to translate those observations into captivating stories reflecting aspects of psychology that were confirmed by researchers decades later. In doing so, they tap into our capacity for empathy, one of the greatest powers of all.

Find Your Song...

   So, there I was today sitting for eight hours watching a bad guy at the hospital. This particular bad guy had shoplifted, ran from the store, caused a high speed chase resulting in a crash with a another car which, oddly enough had a fireman inside. The fireman had to be cut out of the vehicle and the bad guy broke both legs. Not a very positive member of our society. If I'd taken the time to count how many times he swore today because he was in pain, I'd be in the 300's by the time I left. Frankly he reminded me of Jabba the Hutt. 

   Anyways, there I was looking at his broken legs and I thought to myself, thank God I never broke both of my legs like that doing something that stupid. He wasn't going for a run anytime soon. It made me appreciate my choices, my passion and my health. It also made me realize that while these types of details are easier for some of my fellow co-workers, they really suck for me. I've come to enjoy the three to four miles I put on my legs daily at work. Sitting at Jabba's bedside all day netted me a little over a quarter of a mile. Not my most active day. 

   By the time that I made it to the gym I was practically jumping out of my uniform to get some form of exercise into my day. One things for sure, I'm not cut out to have a desk job! My workout today was great! The less activity gave me a little more strength and energy. But, the one thing that struck me today was how much I love my music. I've said it before. Music can motivate you beyond belief. Mine sure does. So, tonight I'd like to leave you with one of my favorite. I've run more PR's to this song than any other. It's old, it's a classic, it's something that you probably won't find entertaining at all. But, that's not the point here. The point is, whatever your music, classical, pop, hip hop, metal, country, etc. Find it, use it. There is power and motivation there! Five days left of work until a little four day vacation. Can't wait. Hope your week's going good my friends! Run for your lives and find your song...

Still Raging...

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 

   This poem by Dylan Thomas is one of my favorites. It's actually about dying. But, every time that I read it I'm reminded of how much it relates to running too. Tonight's run was something that I can't put into words. It was something that only other runners would know. The complete darkness that came too early, the silence of the night only to be shattered by a passing car, the rhythmic pulsing of the strobe lights on my body, the sheer surprise when a deer sprang out of the woods to cut me off, the power that I felt when an old favorite song came on, the clarity of mind that overtook me, the aggravation at drivers that swerved too close, the feeling that I was doing what I should be doing and going where I should be going, the feeling that I was running for my life. I may not be fast. I may not win races. Hell, I can't even win my age group. But, tonight I beat the worst foe anyone will ever face, self doubt. 23 days left and counting. Bring it...  

Fitbit Force Review

   When I first saw the Fitbit Flex arrive on the market I drooled like a little kid at Christmas. But, after reading some of the online reviews, I was disappointed to find out that it only tracked wrist movement versus all of the the other Fitbit products which are dedicated steps counters. So, I shelved that idea, kept my Fitbit One and waited for them to get it right. 

   After release of the Fitbit Force I was happy to discover that the company had made good changes to the new model changing it to a dedicated step counter and giving it an altimeter to track stairs climbed. The accompanying online reviews that I read were also very positive. 

   After owning one now for a few days I think that I'm going to return it and here's the reasons why. First, I hate having it on my wrist. I initially thought that I could get over the bulkiness. But, when I wore it on my watch wrist, it bothered me. I suppose that I could've taken my watch off and used it as one instead. But, the display doesn't stay lit all day. Personally I don't like having to push a button every time I look at my watch. When I wore it on my other wrist it didn't fit well with my Livestrong and Road ID bracelets. Made me feel like I was wearing a plastic gauntlet.

   Second, I hated the clasping mechanism. It wasn't very secure and popped off several times even though it was properly secured. I don't need something that can come off that easily at my job. Like I've mentioned before, it would quickly get stripped off when in a fight with a bad guy. 

   Third, I wanted something that I didn't have to take off when I showered. It's marketed as water resistant. But, the company advises not showering with it. I want something that I can put on and forget. At least until it needs to be charged.   

   Fourth, after extensive testing today I was saddened to discover that it wasn't quite as accurate as my One. I wore both throughout my eight hour shift. At a normal 10 pace walk, both counters worked as designed. But, anything over that distance the Force continually shorted me by about 25%. I did some research online. When this type of thing happens when wearing one of their counters, the company advises figuring out what you're walking stride length and running stride length are over a known measured distance. I did that tonight and entered the data into their website. 

   I suppose that if it was just the being 25% off I would keep it. After all, nothing is going to be perfect with regards to step counting. Hopefully the stride calibration will help. But, all of the other negatives are just too much. That being said. I think that it does a decent job. As a runner, I'm using my Garmin to track mileage anyways. Not a step counter. 

   So, for now I'll stick with my One. I'll save the $130 and get a new pair of shoes instead. Feeling a little sick today. But, the mile was pretty easy today. Going to go to bed early and get some rest. Have a great night and run for your lives my friends!  

Double Digits

   Hi there friends! Today was a good day. But, man am I ever tired! I managed to do my first run today in the double digits since the Empire State Marathon. The cold of winter has snapped upstate NY back into reality. I think with the wind chill it felt like it was something like 19 degrees today. Nonetheless, the run came off without a hitch. I got some tightness the last three  miles and had to push it. I was pleased to see that I stayed on pace through the whole distance. Wore my brand new neon running vest. You'd think in the middle of the afternoon wearing one of those things would make you more visible to drivers. Unfortunately I really didn't notice too much of a difference. I always like the drivers more who swerve in the other direction rather than towards me. I also got a chance to compare my Fitbit One to the Force. I was a little surprised by the results. The One said that I only traveled a little over six miles. While the Force shortchanged me about half a mile. I'll do some more testing the next few days at work wearing both units. It'll be interesting to see if I've been getting shortchanged all this time. I guess nothing's perfect. The Force recorded my sleep perfectly last night. Not too crazy about the wristband though. I'm wearing it on my watch wrist and it seems to get in the way. The clasping mechanism isn't the strongest either. If I have to roll around with a bad guy at work, it'll pop off easily. I'm not giving up yet. Hope everyone had a great day. Run for your lives and goodnight my friends...

May The Fitbit Force Be With You

   When you become a runner you quickly come to both hate and love numbers. They seem to weave their way into every aspect of your passion. How much time did that run take? I missed my PR in that race by 3 seconds! How far is five miles from my house? What was that mile split? Then, if you are lucky enough to have OCD, you start recording all those silly numbers in a running log. It's a disease, it really is. My running log is more valuable than my social security number! I mean, that's got 12 years of my life in it! 

   So, what to do when you're a runner with OCD issues who loves recording and categorizing all of those numbers? You do what I did in 2012 and go and buy a fitness tracker. One of my friends, Steve Walker AKA Steve Runner did an episode about this marvelous little gizmo called a Fitbit. Check out his incredible podcasts Phedippidations and Intervals. Really good stuff! He's a down to Earth guy who puts out some amazing material!

   Anyways, back to the Fitbit. I'd never been much into pedometers before. I experimented with them. But, I discovered that the majority of them were highly inaccurate, even when calibrated. But, Steve kept going on and on about how accurate his Fitbit seemed to be and about all the cool data that it collected. It's actually much more than a simple pedometer. It tracks steps taken, floors climbed, calories spent, active minutes and even has the ability to track your sleep quality. The price wasn't too steep at about $100 and it had a rechargeable battery. 

   I spent the money and bought the Fitbit Ultra. I quickly realized that Steve was absolutely right! The thing was extremely accurate. To say that I reveled in all that data it showed is an understatement. I was totally hooked! It uploaded all of your data wirelessly to their online site. Which has the nicest graphs. You could even compete with other Fitbit friends for steps. They came out with better and better models and even developed a smart phone app. 

   I had minor problems with some of their units. I even accidentally washed one or two of them. But, the company is one of the few left in the world who put the customer first. All of my minor problems were quickly resolved and I've been sent not one, but two units free of charge. Even after it was my fault that I washed the damn things! They're outrageously great. I was so impressed that I even bought their Aria wifi scale. Which, you guessed it, integrates with your tracker and uploads your weight and body fat to the app and online site. 

   The Fitbit isn't the fitness or weight loss silver bullet. It doesn't lose the weight for you. You still have to do the work and eat better. But, the site rewards your hard work with lots and lots of motivation and what they call "badges". Which are accrued when you reach so many steps, floor, etc. You can also taunt and encourage fellow friends. The site also integrates with other popular fitness apps. One of my only complaints is that their food tracking database is a little weak. So, I've synced it with my My Fitness Pal account. They work seamlessly together. By using both I was able to lose 27 pounds. I'd call that a huge win! 

   Over time I've gotten pretty used to not washing my Fitbit and remember it 99% of the time when I'm doing active. But, it's still somewhat of a pain in the ass. So, today Santa came early. I bought their next generation tracker called the Force. It breaks from their traditional clip on style and has now been modified into a wrist band. It now has the ability to tell time and has a vibration alarm which can be set for any time you like. According to the website, the Force will eventually display your smart phone caller id when you receive an incoming call. Pretty handy when you're out on a run. I'll call the dentist back when I'm done! No more stopping, pulling out the phone and looking! I dig it. 

   I've read some negative reviews online about their previous wristband model, the Flex. I'm not sure If I like it being on my wrist either. So, it'll be interesting to see what the deal is over the next 30 days. I'll keep you all well informed on it's performance.

   If you're interested in getting some motivation, cool data and becoming healthier may I suggest that you try Fitbit. They've gotten this fitness tracker thing right in so many ways! They sell models from $50 to $130 depending on features. Try it and you may be surprised how active you really are or how much of a slug you can be. 

   The Project and the running are continuing on. Notice I didn't say nicely. This week has been really hard due to sleep issues. The puppy has found his bark and I've been staying up too late doing computer stuff. I yet again verified today that my lower back still hates doing hyper extensions on the anything other than a fitness ball. Earlier this week I learned this AGAIN for about the hundredth time and now have a back strain. Yeah, I'm a stubborn old runner. I happily discovered that for some reason that after switching to a chocolate protein shake that the mixture doesn't get clogged in the mixer ball thingy like the vanilla flavor. Weird. I've tried googling it without any success. Does anyone know? After tomorrow I'll be working 10 days in a row to cover Christmas for Santa. So, time will be at a premium in the near future. But, fear not my fellow runners. The Project will be completed to it's 366th day and the daily blog posts will continue. Have a great night and run for your lives!

   

Coffee & A Computer

   Well, I had every intention of writing a good piece tonight about coffee. It's been a long rough day. Santa stayed up entirely too late last night to get a certain little boy's brand new iPod touch programmed before the big day. As a result, this morning hurt! So the substance of the day at work was COFFEE! Something that I only drink in moderation. I've had enough to power a nuclear sub today. 

   I had an absolutely great run with the extra power tonight. I even restarted one of my speed workouts. The weather was amazing with temps almost in the 60's! The only bad point was that my head lamp died mid run. It was dark at 4:15 EST. So this wasn't a great thing weaing mostly black. It's thoroughly convinced me to get a new reflective vest these next two days off. Very dangerous. 

   Like I said I was going to do something about coffee. But, I decided to update my laptop to windows 8 & it's either locked up the system or going super slow. So, the iPhone was the only thing I had. So, no big story about coffee. I'll save it for another time. Hope everyone's doing well! Gonna go to try to figure this out. 

   Run for your lives...

My Partner, My Success Story...

   So, today I'd like to talk to you about my friend and co-worker Vinny. We've been assigned together for almost a year now. Back when we first started working together we hardly knew each other. That being said, almost everyone in the department knew how big I am into running. He asked about it. So, naturally our conversations drifted towards fitness and weight loss. 

   Vinny wasn't overweight by any means. But, like everyone else, he could stand to lose a few pounds here and there. I mean, who wouldn't want to be a little trimmer? The year before we started working together I lost about 27 pounds through my running, using a Fitbit and the iPhone app My Fitness Pal. I became lighter than I was when I started high school so many years ago. It was one of the biggest changes in my life in a long time. 

   Over our months together, I convinced him to begin running and start using the app. He convinced his wife and other friends and family to start using the app and begin exercising too. Lo and behold here we are and I'm very proud to say that he's even surpassed me by managing to lose over 32 pounds. His friends and family have lost also. 

   He taken a good amount of grief from our other co-workers, his family and friends over his weight loss. I remember that I got it too. But, I keep supporting him in the background. Why is it a bad thing to be the weight that you are supposed be? Are we that out of touch?

   The one thing that we discuss on a regular basis is how easy this process was for him. The running has gone from something abhorred to something that he looks forward to. He comes back from the road energized and satisfied. His diet got a major overhaul when he realized that you can eat even more of the good stuff for less calories than the unhealthy. I swear, the guy eats more than I do everyday! Funny how someone can lose all that weight without the typical diet minded calorie restriction. He's even rambling now everyday about joining a gym near his house. Just join it will you already!

   He doesn't know it, but the success he, his family and friends have had was a big deal for me. Sometimes, standing out there on the island of health can be a lonely place. People make fun of your food choices, portion control, body changes and exercise routine. I try to tell myself that they're just teasing me or jealous because they can't do the things I do or look the way I do. But, it still gets old really quick to get the ribbing day in and day out. It makes you feel like an outcast sometimes. 

   When I started this running journey, this project, this blog I didn't want to change the world, quit my job and become a writer or win any medals. I just wanted to make myself healthier and hopefully inspire at least one person to change how they live, challenge the current norms about health, food and fitness and make themselves better than they were. Small healthy changes equal big rewards and are within anyone's grasp. There's no magic here. Just healthy life changes and dedication. Well, I think I got what I wanted and then some. Congratulations buddy! Keep running for your life...  

Guilty Or Not Guilty?

   Man, getting old sure isn't an easy thing! Today was a long day at work. My legs were feeling the effects of yesterday's speed workout minus a warm up. Yesterday it seemed like such an awesome idea to do the speed interval sections of my run much faster than I needed to. Today, not so much. Funny how after taking a slight reduction in mileage last week that I'm so sore today. The old body just doesn't bounce back like it used to. 

   But, today I was determined to keep the good momentum of yesterday's workout moving right along. So, it was off to the gym for some cross-training and an easy three miles. Today was also the second test run of the little man getting off the bus, walking by three houses to our home, letting himself inside and calling me to let me know that he got there safe and sound. My wife will be home. But, she works the awful midnight shift and will be fast asleep. 

   I think that every parent has the opinion that when they grew up things were a little better off than they are now for their kids. The violence wasn't as bad, the streets were safer, you could leave your house unlocked kind of thing. At my son's age I was walking about two miles from school to my grandmother's house, rode my bike all over the city and didn't come home until dinner time. So, I guess I have that opinion too. But, as an adult, especially an adult who works in the field of law enforcement who sees all the terrible things humanity is capable of, I was really nervous about today. 

   We did it once before without a problem. My wife was just as nervous as me. It seemed like every shadow held a pedophile, every big van a kidnapper and every car with blacked out windows a bad guy who had an axe to grind with me for some unbeknownst wrong that I did to them. Scary thoughts. My motto at work is always walk around every corner like death is waiting on the other side. It saved my life once.

   My little man is eight. He still thinks everyone's still good at heart, that Santa is legit and that elves move throughout the house when he sleeps. I don't want to take that away. He needs to hold onto that for as long as he can. It's like switching from a flip phone to an iPhone. Once it's done, you can never go back. 

   That being said, we've warned him as innocently as we could about the bad things of the world and have developed a good safety plan. My fears are hopefully just that.

   As I got into my workout this afternoon I eagerly watched the clock on my iPhone tick away until his call. While the minutes came and went my inner guilt increased exponentially. Am I being to selfish asking him to do this? Is he too young? Is he ok? He eventually called on time and the sound of his voice soothed my ears and fears. But, damn his little voice sounded like he was three all over again. 

   I finished my workout after a promise was made for him to call me or wake mom if anything hokey was going down. So, what do I think? I think we'll continue with this experiment. I'm definitely not comfortable doing this every day. But, maybe once or twice a week will work for now. I think that the guilty feeling will never go away. But, the fact that I care about keeping myself fit for duty and healthy enough to last well into my retirement pushing my great grandkids in running strollers during our local 5K is a tremendously great thing. Would my dad still be here if he valued fitness like I did? I don't know. But, if a couple of hours twice a week at the gym and some miles through the snow can by me a lifetime with my family, I'll more than take it. 

   Don't feel guilty about the time away for your loved ones while you work on making yourself a happier, healthier and fitter person. They will thank you. Maybe you'll even rub off on them and even get them to exercise with you! That's a double bonus! 

   Have a great night my friends and run for your lives! 

Warm Ups...

   So, while out on my short speed workout tonight something became crystal clear in the crisp, cold winter air, I need to stop skipping my warm up before this workout. Like most people, I'm short on time like almost everyday. It's amazing that I find the time to train at all. But, my nagging right hamstring strain that began to scream at me around a mile and a half into the workout let me know that it's time to stop shortchanging myself. 

   I've always been a firm believer in doing some sort of a warm up before my training sessions. Somehow though, when it's my turn to make dinner, adjust the the outdoor christmas lights and go on a seek and destroy mission on the front lawn for that nasty smelling dog stuff before dark and the next snowfall, that concept seems like a waste of time. 

   Well, it isn't. After turning 40 this year I've noticed that when the weather's colder out that I need to warm up before anything or my legs feel stiff and sluggish. It only makes sense that your muscles, tendons and ligaments will be more flexible and take more of a pounding after they're warmed. It doesn't have to be anything super long in time. For me, a single slow mile seems to fit the bill. But, everyone's different. You may need a longer or short time depending on various criteria like age, physical ability and age. 

   My friend Chris Russell spoke more about this on his latest episode of his amazing podcast, Run, Run, Live. Us old guys stick together and he offered more evidence how important warming up is before running. He even goes on to point out that warming up can benefit you in race distances from 5K to marathon in length. He threw in a bit about using Bengay type products to help aid you in warming up your muscles too. I've never been a big fan of the awful smelling stuff. But, I may get a canister of Tiger Balm and try it out. 

   Anyways, I came back from the run injury free thank goodness. Hopefully I'll be a little more diligent in my future cold weather runs. After all, I still have until New Year's day to get this thing done. No injures until 2014! Thanks to Kevin Gwin for renewing my love of my Fitbit! After you reach most of the first year milestones and get the according trophies, there's not a lot motivating going on. But, I've found a worthy adversary in Kevin. I've never known someone who does as much as me. Well, I do now. But, watch out dude! I'm licking your heels!   

   Run for your lives my friends...

Day 335...

   Well, here we are. The first day of the last month of the 366 Project. As promised, this is the first installment of one blog post or video podcast every day this month. 

   For the past month I've been working hard at getting myself slowly back into gear to start winter training after the my amazing Fall marathon. Everything's going very well. But, this last week things got really crazy with the holiday and all. Both my wife and I had to work and that meant sacrificing some of my training time this week to get prepared. I also felt a little cheated about not getting Thanksgiving or the day after off. Gotta love public service! But, I did have this weekend off. To sum it up, lots of deliciously bad food, gallons of adult beverage and not much training left me feeling a little fat and lazy. The project continued. But, only with single mile runs. 

   But, the message that I want to give to you today is, that it's ok to take time off and enjoy life sometimes. When you're not actively training for anything it's ok to cut back and hit that big reset button. It's not always about going hard all of the time. In fact, if you do that you'll burn out really quick. You're not going to loose anything during a short break. Your body may even benefit from some brief extended rest time.

   So, my friends put your feet up, have a slice of pumpkin pie, sip a warm glass of cabernet and spend some time with your loved ones who miss you when you're out there on those roads. 

   There's always tomorrow to get back at it. That's exactly what I'll be doing come Monday afternoon! Run and relax for your lives my friends...     

Happy Thanksgiving...

  Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I hope that all of you got to eat some turkey, spend some time with your loved ones and pondered what it is that you're thankful for this year. I know that I sure did! While sitting there on the couch after stuffing myself with all of that delicious food surrounded by family, I thought about what I'm thankful for. There's been much this year. 

   For starters, I began this crazy little running for 366 days thingy. It was something that scared me just enough to make me doubt if I had what it took to get through it all. I didn't know if I could do something this challenging. But, here today, 333 days into it. I think that I'm doing pretty damn good. This journey's been something that I'll never forget. I even finally got enough courage to start my first running blog and video podcast. The wonders never cease. 

   I wasn't blogging this time last year so, most of you don't realize how incredibly stressful this time was just a year ago. My wife had lost her job, we'd just bought a new house and the holidays were looming with practically nothing in the bank. I remember thinking it was such a dark time. Didn't really see the light at the end of the tunnel if you know what I mean. But, as of today I'm happy to report that my wife just loves her new job. Her midnight hours are less than to be desired. But, for the first time since I've known her, she's earning the kind of money she deserves helping a segment of society that most deserves it. Every hour of every day a US veteran kills themselves and she's one of the few, the proud, who stand between a statistic and a life. I could never do what she does. The house is doing well. I'm still married to the former mentioned hero. The bills are still there. Credit cards are an evil thing. But, this Christmas the little man will get everything on his list! Santa's still alive in the Sands home.

   Speaking of the little man, I was given another blessed year of watching him grow into the man that he will become. Time goes by so quickly. I still feel like he was just born yesterday. Now he's in third grade, eight and wears 12 year old clothing! What happened to my baby boy? He's such a sweet little guy. So eager to please everyone. So eager to do well in the world. So good most of the time. My wife and I are unbelievably lucky to have someone like him for a son. He's still got a that innocence, that glass is half full attitude that I think is so vital to a happy life. I'm going to do my best to make sure he holds onto that as long as he can. Even if it means ramming Tooth Fairy letters, Santa's scout elves and Irish leprechauns down his throat on a yearly basis.

   We discovered how crazy our neighbors can be and almost had to put a beautiful dog down because of it. Sam the Wonder Dog has sadly left our lives. Thankfully adopted by someone in NYC. With his departure there was much stress and sadness. But, now we've found the most amazing dog in Samuel, our new lab puppy. It's not easy having a toddler in the house again. But, he's got the most amazing personality and I'll personally put the neighbors down if they cause any more problems. 

   I continue to have an amazing career in a very difficult field. I even managed to get my instructor certification and became a physical fitness instructor. Something that I've wanted for a very long time. But, was afraid too much of failure to attempt doing. I was so proud to get that this year! It may be a stressful job. But, the people that I work with are some of the finest individuals that I've ever known who tirelessly do there job day in and day out, out of the public's eye dealing with the monsters that prey upon society. It's an honor to serve. Few can. 

       My family got a little larger with the birth of my cousin's daughter Isabelle. Amazing how that happens as you get older. I'm so happy that she invited me to her baptism! It meant so much to me. I hope they have a safe trip back to Great Britain. I even learned a little more about my father's side of the family through the miraculous science of DNA testing and mapping. What do you know? I'm actually Irish even if I never knew my grandfather! 

   I've made so many new friends this year! I got to Skype with a friend in Australia, have someone to talk to in Africa and drove all the way to Boston to have the pleasure of running with some great people! A lot of people slam social media. But, dude, you're using it in the wrong way if that's your experience. It's enriched my life in so many ways. Thank you! 

   I turned the big 40 and it seemed like my body broke down all at once. So many injuries. My peroneal tendon freaked out, my IT band tightened up like steel, my hamstring continues to be wicked and my lungs went all kinds of crazy. Even thought I may have had lung cancer for three months! Good lord that sucked! What more can breakdown in the single month left in 2013? Hopefully nothing else! Despite all of that, I still managed to set another PR in my half and full marathon races. Just when you're at your lowest, sometimes amazing things happen that give you an affirmation that you're on your path, that there's still hope and that the future is what you want it to be, not what it will be.  

   Crazy year with lots of ups and downs. I apologize that things have been quiet here for the last month. Exciting things will be happening the month of December. Not only will Christmas magic be flowing through the air. But, I'll be blogging or video podcasting everyday to celebrate the wrap up of the 366 Project. Thank you for taking the time to honor me with reading this. I hope you'll join me for the month of December! 

    Run for your lives my friends...  

NYC For Boston

   Well hi there everybody. I feel terrible! Somewhere along my journeys I've managed to catch a wicked cold. My throat's sore, my body aches and I can't breathe out of my nose. Blah, blah, blah. I remember reading somewhere that after running a marathon that you're immune system goes into the tank. Over the years I've found this to be pretty damn accurate. I've also got some weird thing going on with my left index finger. It's excruciatingly sore right at the knuckle. I don't remember hitting it on anything or having to go all Rocky at work lately. So, I have no clue where that's from. With my apparent overall collapse I decided that it would be better for me to stay home from work today. I'm doing something today that I NEVER take the time to do, relax and do nothing. Lots of fluids, rest and couch time with a certain little puppy is in order. 

   Tomorrow is the running of the NYC Marathon. I've had the pleasure of running this race twice. Both times I was honored to run with the NYPD Running Club. It's really hard to put either of the two experiences into words. I love the city, the food, the hustle and bustle. Even the people aren't as bad as they get typically depicted. The race itself is just epic. Each time I ran it the course thoroughly destroyed me. Both times it felt like that all there were was hills and bridges. The city is beautiful and there isn't a better way to see all the boroughs than to run through them. The crowd support is like no other I've experienced. You throw a NYPD Running Club jersey on me and it's like I'm some kind of superstar. At the finish line it's like you just won the Superbowl. It's my home state's race and will always be my favorite.

   Today I saw a lot of press being devoted to the NYPD and security for the upcoming race. This of course is due to the tragic bombings at Boston. I hope that nothing happens tomorrow. Each time I ran it seemed like there was a cop every 100 feet or so. I also had the pleasure of meeting a sergeant who works for the NYC Bridge and Tunnel Police at a recent training. Their department has got their stuff together, like crazy together. I know the runners and the city will be in safe hands. 

   I'm a dichotomy of sorts. I love NYC and Boston. I love the Yankees and the Red Sox. For two cities that are supposed to be sworn adversaries, I think that they're more similar than not. Both have amazing history. Amazing places to visit. Amazing food. Amazing people and runners. Unfortunately, they also now have terrorist attacks in common as well. Many of my friends are going to be there tomorrow and I wish them the best. I wish I was with them! There have been other marathons run since Boston. But, if you were to ask any fellow runner to name the two biggest and best, NYC and Boston stand alone as they only answer. Tomorrow will be a big deal for us marathoners.

   So, tomorrow if you have the opportunity to catch some of the race, enjoy it. Watching it on TV doesn't do it justice like being there. But, like I said, tomorrow will be important for us runners. No matter which city you root for, tomorrow NYC and Boston will be sisters. It's important for us as community to race tomorrow regardless of shitty people who decide to do shitty things at marathons. We can't be stopped. We will not fear. We will run tomorrow. Tomorrow, NYC will be Boston Fucking Strong! Shortly after the Boston Bombings Stephen Colbert said it best... 

   Good luck tomorrow for those of you running NYC. Enjoy the city, the people, the food, the race and enjoy throwing a proverbial gigantic middle finger up to those in the world who would work to spread hatred and fear. Run for your lives my friends. Run BOSTON STRONG...

Happy Halloween...

   Happy Halloween fellow runners! I hope that you're getting your miles in and doing your best to avoid the monsters out there on the trails and roads. Things are going well here in marathon PR bliss! I continue to recover amazingly well. I'm still amazed at how quickly I felt back to normal and how fast my legs have bounced back. Unfortunately, the hamstring strain has come back to life as well, just like a zombie. So, I'm doing my traditional marathon recovery program for now. After easing back into faster, longer runs and some cross-training I should be back to full training in about another month. 

   Forgot to mention in last weeks blog that I recently had a great conversation about the Project with my friend and fellow podcaster, Chris Russell for his podcast Run, Run, Live. I was totally honored to be on the show. Chris always has interesting, talented, knowledgeable runners on the show. So, I felt a little out of place in that forum. But, the talk was great regardless. Chris is one of those guys who makes you feel like a Jedi padawan talking to Yoda! Good guy, good runner!

   All week I've been getting myself revved up for one of my most favorite holidays, Halloween. I didn't go as nuts this year with decorations as I have in the past. not enough free time to get my Halloween Clark Griswold on! But, we got all our inside decorations out in full force. I always have loved this time of year with the leaves changing and crisp air. As I said before, growing up a fat kid made Halloween a lot of fun simply just because of the candy. I don't have the fat anymore and the sweet tooth is usually not there. But, I can't help myself at Halloween. Too much chocolatey goodness! Can't wait to take Ry out tonight for some tricker treating! The weather is going to be warm in the 60's and the rain will hopefully hold off until the candy bags are too full to carry anymore. He's decided to go as Finn from the cartoon show Adventure Time. Hilariously entertaining show. Kudos to the wife for knitting him his costume hat! I always loved dressing up myself as a kid, well, when I could find a costume that would fit! Still contemplating scaring the hell out of Ry and his friend with my werewolf costume or going around dressed as Elvis. Alas, Target didn't have an adult Flash costume.

   Last weekend a new member to the family arrived! His name is Samuel Shammus Sands! He's three month old black lab puppy that we proudly adopted from one of our local shelters, Lollipop Farm. So freaking adorable I can't resist him. He's fairly well behaved. But, today it seems like his Halloween monster side has come out in full force! The old beagle, Finnley tolerates him so far. All the little guy wants to do is play and Finnley is like, get lost, I'm too old for that stuff! Every now and then though, the old man gets his spunk back and they romp through the house. Hopefully, this one will work out much better than the last dog. Ry is in love and I have to admit, it's nice to have another youngster in the house! Just please, stop chewing everything in sight!

   Well, just a short one today my friends. Have to prepare to hand out candy and make some "special" hot cider to keep the adult escorts warm tonight during our tricker treating rounds! I hope that your night is safely filled with candy, fun and laughs! This is the one night when you can act ridiculous as an adult and nobody will think less of you for it! Oh yeah, remember, in the event of a zombie outbreak, the long distance runners are the only ones who survive! 

   Happy Halloween and run for your lives my friends...

366 Podcast-Episode 18 "300 Days!"

2013 Empire State 26.2 Race Report

"Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things that you once thought you couldn't."-Rikki Rogers 

 

   Hi everybody. Just when I thought that I had this whole thing figured out that's called "long distance running" I have a day like I did last Sunday. It was different. It was familiar. It was scary. It was comforting. It was a day that's difficult for me to comprehend, lest put into words. But, if there ever was an event to solidify my belief that everyday people can accomplish the impossible, it was that day. So it's worth trying to put into words.

   As most of you who read this blog know, I was extremely disappointed to have to drop out of this year's running of my hometown marathon in Rochester, NY due to a nasty case of peroneal tendonitis in my right foot. The race that's become Rochester was my very first marathon and I've proudly run in every year's race for the last seven years. Through the years I've learned much about myself as well as that course. It's like an old friend that I visit every summer. I could run the route blindfolded if I had to. I know every turn, hill and water stop. After officially dropping out I remember feeling utterly defeated. I was a distance runner. I ran a marathon every year for the last 10. Sometimes even two a year! It was who I was. The prospect of not racing 26.2 miles at all this year sat atop my shoulders like a 2600.2 pound elephant wearing snug running shorts.
   Thankfully, through smart rehab, a good podiatrist and an amazing chiropractor I was able to resurrect what was left of my shot at running a marathon later this year. Unfortunately, Rochester was still out of the question after missing out on two solid months of regular marathon training. I scoured the internet and discovered the Empire State Marathon in Syracuse, NY. Lots of pluses about that race. It was only a little over an hour away from home, cost around the same as Rochester and held during a time frame that I thought I could theoretically train up to.
   But, the mind is a terrible thing when you're coming off a running injury. Lots of doubts. When talking to an older friend last year about my 40th birthday this year, they adamantly told me that my running days were coming to an brisk end and that in their experience, EVERYTHING started to go downhill after the big 40. I laughed in their face. I was a runner for God's sake! I wasn't going to break that easy just because of two measly little numbers. Sitting there staring at the register button on Empire's website, I ate every last one of those laughs from that conversation. Things were definitely looking like I was on the downhill slope of old age running decline. To date, I've never been injured so much in one year of running! What the hell?
   Like most people, I don't like change. And I certainly didn't want to change to a race and course that I was completely unfamiliar with. After all, I managed to finally break the four hour mark last year in Rochester and this year I was looking forward to trying to do it again. But, it looked like at the time that a sub four hour time just wasn't going to happen this year. Besides, the 366 Project meant emphasis on falling in love with the act, not the race this year. And with the injury's little speed bump, my training was sporadic at best when compared to last year's perfect training season. I even managed to gain seven of the 27 pounds I'd shed back. "Click" Empire it was. I thought to myself, I'll just be happy to get to the starting line healthy and injury free. I did the sub four hour time. I kept telling myself that I didn't need to do it again. It took so much dedication and sacrifice last summer. It was probably not something I could ever do again.
   Time to reorganize and get back to business. I threw myself back into a modified training plan at what was left of my season. It was ambitious. It was dirty. It was ugly. Like I said, work commitments and yet another injury, stupid hamstring, made it sporadic. My marathon pace that I so easily clocked every mile training last year left me breathless and exhausted now. The three 20 mile long distance runs noted in last year's running log became just one 16 miler with walk breaks in this year's log. Things were not looking very good. In my experience, running is a lot like life. What you put into it, you get out. All of my lackluster training was going to directly affect the race. In past years with similar shitty training, it turned my marathon into Mark's death shuffle instead of a race. Much suffering.
   I refocused and managed to somehow nail the last three weeks of my training plan verbatim. The hamstring strain though, was still there. My chiropractor flat out told me that I shouldn't run Empire. I managed to get my primary doctor to give me a prescription for Prednisone. It helped a little. But, didn't give me the relief that I really needed. Dammit, I was doing this race, injury or not!
   As I covered in my pre race report, the trip over to Syracuse was beautiful with Fall foliage in full bloom and more importantly, quick. The expo was fairly decent. And the hotel was better than I expected. I ate a nice dinner with my family who tagged along to watch me suffer the next day for 26.2 miles. Went to bed early. There was nothing else to be done to make this any better than it could be.
   After running Rochester for so long, I've taken for granted how nice is it to sleep in your own bed, wake up race morning, eat your own pre long run breakfast and drive 20 minutes to the start line. Man, that's a really nice convenience! I didn't sleep as good as I would've liked. Don't get me wrong, the bed was comfortable. But, I kept worrying that my iPhone alarm and the hotel room alarm weren't going to go off on time. I woke up around 2 AM and even moved my wake up time up by a half an hour to make sure I had enough time to get ready. Only I can make something as simple as sleeping stressful before a race!
   I showered, shaved and drove over to a Dunkin Doughnuts across the street for a coffee and wheat bagel with peanut butter. I know. They say not to drink coffee before marathons. I do. I'll even take D & D instead of Starbucks if the situation is drastic enough. There wasn't a Starbucks around. It was a drastic morning. So, D & D it was.
   I was happy to see that the cold rain of the night before and 80% chance of rain showers forecasted for the day were gone. It was going to be the coldest marathon I've ever run with clear skies and mid 40's. But, I felt decent and had packed just the right type of running clothing for warm and cold running.
   The hotel had a courtesy shuttle running to get runners to the start line. Running two previous NYC marathons has taught me that anytime you can take the stress of getting to the start line off your back, it makes for a much more relaxed experience. It was the last shuttle before the official full marathon start time at 7:30 AM. The driver was prompt and I was amazed to hear him talk about how some runners scheduled for earlier shuttle runs who got down to the lobby five minutes late complained that he left without them. Really? You're five minutes late? How hard is it to get down from the third floor to the lobby?
   On the way I chatted with the only other runner on the shuttle. She was an older marathoner who'd originally registered to run the full. But, dropped to the half because of a hamstring injury. Hearing that sent me into a little panic. Christ! I've had the same injury and was still stubbornly planning on limping through the full. I tried to push those self doubts away. But, they stuck with me through the entire race.
   We got to the start line with lots of time to spare. It was right outside of some stadium. Lots of great parking if you were lucky enough to drive there. There was little to no wind cover in the parking lot. The winds had picked up overnight as the rain disappeared. Oh, how I longed for a nice warm car! I huddled with some of the other poor saps inside the medical tent. Amazing how close you'll stand next to a complete stranger just to steal their body heat. As usual, lots of different types of runners milling around. Some looking very fit. Others looking like they couldn't run a mile. That's the big secret of the marathon. It doesn't care who you are. You put the training time in, and you'll finish regardless if you have 2% body fat!
   For some reason, I got a lot of weird looks at my Amphipod fueling belt. Every marathon I almost scratch wearing the damn thing. It's bulky, heavy and uncomfortable. But, I yet again opted to race with it. I guess the experience of running my first marathon without anything other than water and a lone cherry popsicle ingrained in me that it's better to trust your own gear instead of betting there'll be stuff left at the aid stations when you get to them.
   My breath was taken away as the sun came up. Just beautiful to watch. Something out of a Fall postcard. I was thankful for my racing sunglasses when the national anthem was being sung. It'd been a long year. Lots of tough stuff. Lots of injuries. Lots of doubts if I'd even make it to a start line somewhere to run a race. The tears felt warmer than they should've as I wiped them back.
   I got the iPod fired up, turned on the app on my iPhone that I was going to use to let my family and friends track my progress and looked up to throw a high five to dad somewhere way up there in the clouds where the good seats are. Yes, it was time to do this! The gun went off and the group was off. Much smaller field than I was used to at Rochester.
   First things first. This was my race. So, all of you sprinters are not going to fool me into keeping up with you. I settled into my warm up mile. The wind was even colder outside of the packs of stranger warmth from the start line. But, I knew from experience that I'd warm up quickly enough. It was decision time. I had two choices. Run according to how I felt regardless of any pace? Or, since I was probably going to suffer anyways because of my less than stellar training, try to hold onto that magical pace that gave me last year's triumphant 3:57 finish time? I decided that I was going to enjoy the suffering. They'll be no running according to how I felt. This wasn't a 26.2 mile long distance training run. It was a race. Like they say, to give anything other than your best, is a waste of the gift! Right?
    Empire is advertised as being a flat marathon course. But, when compared to Rochester, the elevation change is very similar. Rochester isn't a flat course. After the first few miles, I knew that the website lied. Flat! If this was flat, then I'd hate to see what the race directors thought was hilly! But, it wasn't all that bad.
   Right from the beginning my legs weren't doing very good. They felt dead, sore and tired. I shook my head and wondered why the hell I decided to do this stupid thing! One of the funny things about me and my distance running is, that now a days, it takes me between four to six miles to truly warm up. Yeah that sounds weird to shorter distance runners. Even stupid me fell prey to my irrational fears and forgot this important fact.
   Mile five is right around the time that I remembered the warm up thing. My dead legs came suddenly on line and the soreness disappeared. I started clocking miles in the 8:40ish range and inwardly screamed at myself to slow the hell down and save it for the last six miles where the real race is! Stop racing like a new marathoner!
   But, they just kept on coming regardless of my efforts to calm down. As I approached mile eight, I knew that this was where the steeper hills were advertised to be in the race. These would most definitely slow me down. My friend Chris recently told me about a hill racing technique and over the last three weeks I gave it a try. It worked beautifully during training and I began to use it now. My pace slowed a little. But, I felt great as I crested the hills to the dismay of other runners. I was surprised to be challenged quite a bit on hills through miles eight, 10 and 13. Each time though, I used the technique and blew my challengers away! Man there's nothing more defeating than to have someone blow your socks off up an incline! It was awesome to be that guy for once! Halfway through the race the official clock read 1:55! Ten to fifteen minutes ahead of where I thought I would be? I felt freaking amazing! Still had another half marathon to go though. Focus.
   The next several miles proved to me that racing with my fuel belt that day was the right choice. Sports drink was supposed to be at every water station. But, all I kept seeing was clear water. The gel packs advertised to be at mile seven and 14 were also a no show. Not even a cherry popsicle to be found! It may be heavy bulky and funny looking. But, I had my stuff and I was fueled! Funny looking or not!
   As I approached mile 16 I thought to myself, this is it. This is the longest distance that I ran in training. All those sub 9:00 miles are going to go out the window and I'm going to hit the wall.
   Mile, 17, 18, 19, 20. They came and went without any fatigue and without any walls. What the hell was going on? I've never felt like this? I felt calm, controlled and most importantly was RACING! Out of 10 marathons, even my magical race last year, every one of them always felt like a battle against how much tightness, cramping and fatigue I could take. It always was a war of attrition with my body. Not this time. I was consistently passing people on the flats, on the hills, even the dudes with the Ironman tattoos and racing club jerseys got good views of my backside!
   They say that a marathon is a 20 mile run followed up with a 6.2 race. It's typically a lot like that. The toughest part for me, when the battle was decided in past races, was always in those last grueling miles. It was then, at that moment that I made the decision to honor what I was given that morning. My Garmin's mile splits were all over the place when I passed the official race mile markers. They Garmin's miles were either registering a quarter mile too early or a quarter mile too late. But, I'd been watching my average pace times closely. If I held on for the remainder of the race, I may be able to actually come close to another sub four hour race time. Just unbelievable!
   The rest of the race, was my friends as they say, history. I never let my pace fall below 9:00 again. As I rounded that last turn, saw that crowd, heard the roar I knew this was the best race of my life. I ran by my family quickly slapping some high fives. I glanced at the clock as I approached the finish line 3:52? That can't be right? My weight gain? My injuries? All the stress? All the shitty training?
   As I crossed that line and had that medal placed around my neck there wasn't the emotion of last year's experience. Honestly, think that I was in shock. I felt amazing! I felt like I could've run even more miles. Did I just really run a marathon? Or was this some kind of weird dream in the hotel room? No friends, it was quite real. 3:52:26 real! I basked in that reality for the rest of the day.
   Sometimes, we beat ourselves up. We need to eat less garbage. We need to drink less. We need to make more money or work less. We need to stop watching too much TV or spending hours living virtually online instead of in the real world. We need to work out more. We need to run farther, faster and more often. The list is endless. Sometimes though, victories are won not by drastic changes. But, by dedication and determination of everyday people who put the work in regardless of how challenging their circumstances are.
   There was a time in my life when I thought that a sub four hour marathon was something that I'd never be able to do. As I crossed that finish line on Sunday I was a changed man. It was a new world. Impossible things can happen if you put the work in. Life and distance running are the same. Yes, there are good days. Yes, there are bad days. But, as long as you believe in the path that you've chosen and continually work towards your goals, you will succeed. Some of the most successful people and athletes in the world have done one thing more often than win, they've failed. Yes, that's right. Most people don't realize that because failures are not glamorous, won't make you tons of money or give you an Olympic medal. But, they do serve a purpose. They teach you to get up and try again. Eventually persistence pays off.
   As always friends, thank you for reading my words. You honor me. Run for your lives. Be hopeful. Be persistent. Believe you can do anything. Dreams can some true. Sometimes even when you least expect it. Sometimes even twice...

Empire State 26.2 Pre-Race Report

   Well, here we are! Hello everybody! Finally, it's marathon eve. After all the cray injuries and health scares I thought that my marathon streak might just fall this year. But, for better or worse, tomorrow at 7:30 AM I'll be towing the start line of the Empire State Marathon in Syracuse, NY.

   I tried to ignore the fact that my ankle tendonitis ruined my chances to run my beloved Rochester, NY marathon this year. But, it really sucked to not run after making it every year for the last seven. It worked out in the end though. There wasn't an upstate NY snowball's chance in hell that I could've passed my department's physical fitness instructor agility test scheduled the day after if I had ran the race. Besides, sometimes going out of your comfort zone can be a good thing. New race tomorrow with lots of new things to look forward to. 

   Physically I'm still not anywhere near the shape that I was last year. I didn't watch what I ate this summer and accordingly put on an additional seven pounds. The injuries and work related schools put a huge dent in the quality of my training too. Only letting me complete one true long run of 16 miles in which I had to walk portions.  I don't think that they'll be any surprises tomorrow. I doubt that I'll be able to finish the race in under four hours. Part of me is sad to see that progress fall away this year. I worked so hard last year and set amazing PR's in two other races distances besides the marathon. It's so addicting! 

   But, it's about the journey, the "long" view. Not the numbers. With the focus on the Project this year I really wanted to bring it all back home. Honestly, at the end of last year I was incredibly burnt out. All that hard work came with a price. So, tomorrow I'll just be thrilled to be healthy enough to be there, let alone hopefully finish. It's always better to get to the starting line under trained and healthy instead of injured and exhausted. 

   The drive over from Rochester was a straight shot on the highway and only took little over an hour to get to the expo. It was a perfect time of year for a road trip. All the Fall foliage is at almost at peak right now. Just beautiful! I was the only one who got to enjoy it though. Sara worked 12 hours through her midnight shift so we could leave on time and Ryan fell asleep after a power reading session in his chapter book. I really liked that fact that they decided to have the expo inside a local mall. With over 2,500 runners registered for the race, extra parking is always appreciated. The expo itself was small. This is only the third running. So, they have room to grow in the future. The local Fleet Feet store was there. That company is the freakin best! I love the colors and logo for this years race! 

   I usually try to not get suckered into all the bling for sale at these things. But, Fall is my favorite time of year and I had to have their overpriced sweatshirt. Didn't see anything else all that spectacular or that I needed to have. After running for so long, I've accumulated everything that I need. There was a company there promoting eco friendly race practices and athletes. I really like the fact that the race organizers incorporated a third of the company's "eco friendly" practices into this year's race. Very responsible. I bought one of their shirts. If we don't take care of the planet that we love so much to run on, then we'll be forced to slave away our miles on boring treadmills of death! I asked about drop bags since the weather's going to be on the chilly side tomorrow. The The race organizer didn't know what I was talking about. Yikes! Like I said, room to grow, third race. They were super friendly and when I explained to them what a drop bag was they offered to hold onto my stuff for me personally while I raced. Nice, nice people! Picked up my race bib. Which verified two things: 1. That yes, it'll be my first race being 40 years old 2. That I'm actually registered to run the full tomorrow. Both very good things! Funny thing happened, there I was walking around the expo and lo and behold I run into an investigator who works for my department! He's running the half tomorrow! What a small world!

   After some minor snafus using GPS we finally found our hotel. Apparently there's a house with the same address as our hotel in the next town over as well as our home address! Weird?! The hotel's fairly decent and has a attached spa. It's been a long time since I've had a full body massage. After the race would be a perfect opportunity to relieve some of that soreness that's going to be coming with a vengeance!

   We unpacked a little and headed off for an early dinner. I originally picked Dinosaur BBQ. But, just like home, the line to get in was out the door. So, we scratched that in favor of a tapas style restaurant. What a great atmosphere! The food was amazing and the owner even took Ryan into the kitchen for a tour! Much better than I expected. Couple glasses of wine helped ease some of the pre race jitters. 

   After 10 marathons you'd think I'd have this shit down man. But, there's something special about pinning on that race number and toeing that 26.2 mile starting line. So much can go wrong. So much can go right. There's nothing more that I can do tonight to help me tomorrow. Well, other than not staying up all night. I just have to trust in my experience and training that I could do over the summer. 

   I'm going to be using my iPhone's Runmeter app to post my progress on Facebook as I run the race tomorrow. Did a test run with it today and it sort of worked. I liked the Glympse app much better. But, it only broadcasts for four hours. No good for my expected finish time. I'm also going to try to take lots of pictures and video. Hopefully my overpriced, super heavy Iphone extra battery case will be worth lugging. 

   The little man is enjoying the hell out of the hotel's pool with a gang of other kids his age as I blog. Listening to him scream like a banshee and and watching him do "his" version of a cannonball brings a big smile to my face. To think that four months ago I was broken with my marathon hopes dashed and two months ago facing a very scary spot on my lung. Tomorrow may not be my best race, it may not be my worst race. But, it'll be my race. One of my favorite authors, George Sheehan sums up what I'm feeling with this quote, "It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit." There's no quitting here. Tomorrow I run for my life...