Six Things You Didn't Know

On October 13, 2008, I was tagged. Tagged by Karen, of the fantastic blog, Mom on the Run (http://momrun.blogspot.com/. Hey, how come I was only number 3? :-) By the way, Karen, congratulations on finishing the Grand Rapids marathon this past weekend. Can't wait to read the full report.)

So, I'm suppose to write six facts about myself. I was tagged previously and thought I had to answer specific questions. (Are there 'tag' rules out there in cyberspace?) I can't say I'm the most interesting person out there (ok, that doesn't count as a fact. Merely an opinion of myself.) Here goes:

1. I have a slight allergy to dogs and cats. I have four dogs and 1 cat. As far as I know, I don't have any allergies to kids. I don't have any of those. My four dogs' names are Einstein, Dillon, Emmett, and Ellie Mae. My cat's name is Fiona. Einstein is a bichon frise whom we got from the local SPCA. Dillon is our Hurricane Katrina rescue. There were groups that went down to the animal shelters in Louisiana after the hurricane to take as many dogs as possible off their hands. We picked Dillon up in West Virginia from one of these groups. When we took him home, he didn't wimper. Didn't make a noise. We thought there was something wrong with him. Turns out, that's his personality. The most laid-back dog you will ever see. Emmett and Ellie Mae are Havanese and are our show dogs. Emmett is a retired champion (even has the little potbelly going to 'prove' he's retired.) Ellie Mae is our up-and-comer. Fiona is a Snowshoe whom we had since 1993. Since we are not parents, we try to focus our attention to animal rescue groups and donate our hearts and time to those causes.

2. I had dinner with Larry Bird. I can't remember what year it was (1986?), I was the backup radio engineer for Boston Celtics broadcasts when Steve (Runner) and I worked in radio. I did this in case anything happened to the regular engineer and he couldn't make it. So, I was sent on the road to Washington, DC. (There is a separate story, that I will tell someday, about what happened during the game and the 'life lesson' I learned). After the game and back at the hotel, I was invited by Coach K.C. Jones to have dinner with the entire Celtics team. I couldn't believe it! The team was already there as I walked into the room. They sat me down right across from Larry Bird! Larry was there with a friend of his who was a WWF wrestler (whose name I can't recall). Larry did talk to me occassionally but I was speechless. I didn't know what to say to him. Unfortunately, my backup engineer gig didn't last long and I never had that opportunity again. (There is also a Danny Ainge story here as well that I will have to tell later.)

3. I can't point my toes. Doctors are always surprised when I point (pardon the pun) this out. As near as anyone can tell, I am missing something in my ankles that allows people to point their toes. The best way to describe how I run is, imagine someone running with flippers on. That's the extent of my flexibility. Considering I have size 12 shoes, it is not a far off comparison.

4. I am a shy person. Some may dispute this, but, I consider myself a shy person. I like to fade in the background in gatherings. I don't like to speak in front of groups even though my job requires it. When I go on business trips, I have no problems eating alone. I don't take compliments well and am very embarrassed when someone does compliment me. I grew up where 'good-natured ribbing' was how we communicated.

5. I LOVE to laugh. I sometimes come across as not a serious-minded person. That's because I try to find laughter in most situations. I have been described as having a 'dry' sense of humor. I had a boss from the UK who once told me he was impressed that I was able to make British people laugh. He said it wasn't always easy for Americans to do that. I am the wise-guy in the room with the quip. It's how I try to break up the tension in the room sometimes. But, I have to be REALLY comfortable in order for people to see that side of me.

6. I went through 'Checkpoint Charlie.' After I graduated college, I saved up enough money to take a bus tour through Europe. I went to many of the capitals in Western Europe including Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Berlin. Back then, it was West Berlin and East Berlin. Part of the tour was going into East Berlin. We stopped at a park to see a Russian monument dedicated to those who lost their lives in World War II. When we got back to the bus, our bus driver was screaming and yelling as someone had just pointed a rifle at the bus drivers lined up in the park while we were gone. From everywhere, the Eastern German secret police (Stasi) showed up. They detained us for about an hour. We had no idea what was going on at the time and were thankful that we got back through 'Checkpoint Charlie' without any further incidents.

OK, except for the 'pointing of toes' one, that had little to do with running. Oh, well.

(Notes: THE PHILLIES ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!!!! I am scheduled to do a 20 miler this weekend in preparation for the Harrisburg marathon. I ran a 10 miler this past weekend and felt great. It was suppose to be a long slow run but wound up doing a 9:30/mile pace, which is flying for me. Must have been the weather. Congratulations to Steve (Runner) for his efforts in the Bay State marathon this weekend. I know he was hurting a bit. (from the marathon and I guess from the Sox loss). Rest up a bit, Steve.

I'm adding this article I read that was posted on sfgate.com. This past weekend, San Francisco hosted the Nike Women's marathon. The 'elite' runners had a 20 minute headstart. But, a woman from the 'non-elite' pack had the fastest time for the race. And, didn't win. Because she didn't think she was an 'elite' runner. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL

I always wondered what would happen if someone had a faster chip time than the first person who crossed the finish line. Answer: Tough luck.

October 22, 2008 Update from story mentioned above: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/22/BACI13MAIT.DTL&tsp=1

It's an interesting debate on whether we need to start recognizing chip time as the official time or at least have separate awards for gun and chip times )

The three quarters of the year 2008 Status Report

I want to thank those that have sent me suggestions on what to do about woodpeckers. As you can see by the picture on the right, I am under attack. I have lived in this house for over two years and this is the second year in a row that I have problems with woodpeckers. I have since found out that woodpeckers are migratory birds and, apparently, my house is nice and tasty. Sort of like a Shoney's Big Boy. For woodpeckers. I need to patch it for the winter as the holes in the house go all the way through.

Did you ever have the dream of partying all night and waking up the next day only to realize you have to take your mid-term that day? (Actually, that sort of happened to me once when I was going for my MBA. I miscalculated the number of weeks in a class and showed up not studying for one minute of a mid-term we were having that night!) Anyway, that's the way I am feeling as I will embark on coming up with excuses of a lifetime and explanations of why I didn't keep my 2008 New Year's resolutions. Maybe it isn't all that bad. Tell me when I can open my eyes again!

Eat healthier--I made steps toward this. In my January 8th blog, I mentioned that I discovered Quaker Oats Whole Grain Cereal and that I would try eating that a few times a week to start. I am happy to say that I have kept up with that and continue to eat this cereal about two or three times each week. I wrote this in May and, surprisingly, have kept this up for the most part. I am more likely to do this when I work from home, though. I don't think I will ever eat 'healthy'. But I've been able to maintain my weight all year. As a matter of fact, I'm proud to say that I am the same weight as I was 20 years ago.

Now my next big thing to tackle is to start making home-made smoothies. I've read that, as long as you don't add protein, this is a great subsitute for a snack. Looking for some good recipes if anyone has ideas. This idea didn't last long as I was finding out that smoothies don't last long in the refrigerator. And, yes, I have fall victim to the 100-calorie packs of stuff. Currently, it's the 100-calorie popcorn and the 100-calorie caramel which I use when I eat apples in the fall. I do find that it's 'just enough'.

Smarter exercise--...when I was doing the core training, results were pretty fast. So, realistically, maybe I can do core training for specific events and not all year round? This is what I wrote back in May. And, I have thought about this all summer. I have started to do the core training for the Harrisburg marathon and hope it will be enough so I can beat 5 hours this time out.

Beat my 5k PR--Realistically, I'm running out of chances for this spring. I plan on doing the Doylestown 'Red, White and Blue' 5k this Saturday, which will be my last 5k this spring. But, I've never run this course. I need to find a flat, fast course in the fall to get this monkey off my back. If only I knew then what I know now. As the Doylestown RWB 5k was as close as I ever got to beat my 5k PR. Ever. I missed it by 1 second. On a hilly course. I ran a 5k this past Saturday but it was to pace my wife in the race and it was 'warm up' for the 18 miles I had to run that day for my long run. Right now, I don't have plans on any races after Harrisburg, But, find me a flat, fast 5k and you might, maybe, be able to talk me into it.

Concentrate on Falmouth--Broad Street is over. This is what I'll be thinking about all summer. Steve better be ready this year. Steve didn't run it this year. Because of it, I lost my motivating factor to concentrate on Falmouth. And, it was a bad week leading up to the race. On the positive side, I did better than I did last year. (By the way, if you are a baseball fan and were watching the Red Sox-Rays baseball game yesterday, you probably saw Steve at the game about 10 rows up to the right of home plate. I was watching the game and saw someone who looked exactly like Steve and his son. So, of course, I called him. And, yes, it was him. I won't call him again if I see him. Because the Sox lost. Obviously, I'm a jinx.)

A better blog--I played a little with the poll. It's a fun thing to do from time to time. I can do a little more on the right side of the blog. I like to see what others do in their running blogs and try to get ideas to incorporate into mine. I don't do as much as the polling thing as I had done earlier in the year. And, I try to be 'competitive' on my blog. I will look at a blog and ask myself, 'how did they do that? 'I want that for my blog!' I am very jealous of the 'more creative than me' people that are out there. But, it keeps me thinking on ways I want to improve what I have to stay 'competitive'.

Continue to have fun with running--I'm hoping to be able to take my gear into work and stop and do some 3 mile runs on my way home from time to time. I'm happy to say this is part of my regular routine. On Tuesdays, I will bring my gear into work and run a 3+ mile route next to Lincoln Drive, which is right next to the Wissahickon Creek. It is a lovely part of Philadelphia and serene even though you can see the traffic on the Drive. I am also running, about once a week, with my wife. She is starting to get into 5ks and I want to encourage her to keep doing it.

Get new running shoes--(TZ Sports) had a pair of Brooks GTS 7s that I bought, and, so far, seem to be the replacement I've been looking for. I'll run in them for the next few weeks. If they still feel comfortable, then I might have to look in stocking up for the next few years. I am still not 100% convinced the GTS 7s will be my running shoes for years and I should stock them up now. They are good. I like the ones I have. But, they are not my GTS 5s. Nothing ever fit me better.

Follow through--I still need a lot of work on this. My journal entries in my running diary have been inconsistent. I don't put things a way at home that I should. I try to make sure I follow up with people after they've contacted me. I'm trying to get better at this. Just to need to keep reminding myself about this one. . As this recap was suppose to be done in September, I guess I'm keeping this one as a 2009 New Year's resolution.

Is it really just 2 1/2 months until the end of the year?

(Notes: I just discovered this coincidence recently. I am not affiliated nor have taken my blog name from 'Blue Dawg Blog', http://bluedawgblog.wordpress.com/ which is a political blog. Again, my blog name is derived from a restaurant where our group meets, on occasion, after a long, tough run to quench our thirst.)

Travails of a Traveler

Just for the record: In my last blog entry, some people (Eric T) made the suggestion (Eric T)that I was whining (Eric T) about my schedule (Eric T). On the contrary, I just wanted people to know that I was going to be busy. Oh sure, I may have SAID something about 'a marathon in a month' and me beginning to panic. But, if you don't run for awhile, you swear that the next time you run, you'll be out of breath before a half mile goes by. Luckily, that didn't happen. You see, I don't whine. I leave that job for Kelly. She's much better at it than me. :-)

I don't travel for business that often. When I do, it usually comes in clusters like it did last week. I also had two personal functions (one in Long Island, NY and the other in Boston, MA) bookending my business travel to North Carolina.

Actually, I don't mind travelling for business once in awhile. It gives me a chance to get 'out of the office' for a time. See new things. See different people. And, in a lot of cases, face-to-face meetings are more effective than teleconference calls. Believe me, there have been times that we were able to accomplish in two days something we couldn't in two months because we were all in the same room.

The other nice thing is getting out and running some place different. Doesn't always happen like the beginning of last week when I had my first trip to North Carolina. But, my schedule was a little more flexible the second trip down, so had a chance to get some miles in. I have given up the thought of doing a scheduled training run for marathon prep. I get in what I can and just have fun(?) running the race.

Below is a breakdown of my week on the road:

Sunday--Scheduled to fly down to Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina at 5:30p. Because of stormy weather, actually didn't take off until 8p. Landed around 9:15p and got to the hotel around 9:45p. I was suppose meet up with my boss to get something to eat when I got there. But, instead, ate at Philadelphia airport before getting on the plane. I paid for the dinner with my business credit card. Waitress gave me the card back with the top corner (where the metal strip is) torn. Great. All transactions, for the trip, will need to be entered manually.

Monday--Early morning rise with meeting after meeting. Went out, that night, with people from work. Probably the most normal day of the week.

Tuesday--Busy all day with meetings once again. Scheduled to fly home on the 6p flight to Philadelphia. My boss is to fly back to Philadelphia on a different airline but we meet up in the same terminal. I get there around 4p and check my flight. There is a 4:30p flight to Philadelphia boarding. Wow!! I ask the person behind the ticket counter if there are any more seats available for the flight. She said, 'yes, would I like to change my flight?.' I promptly do so and run back to my boss to say good-bye. After telling him the news about my luck, he asks, 'what about your luggage?' Oh. I didn't think of that. I go back to the ticket counter and ask will my luggage follow? No. Damn. Ok, can you change me back to the 6p? Which she does. I have dinner with my boss and we part ways. I get off my flight and wait for my bags at the luggage carousel. And wait. And wait. No bags. Frustrated and tired, I go to the luggage counter and am ready to lay into them when, I see my bag. Just sitting there. Off to the side. Seems my luggage made the 4:30p afterall.

Wednesday--First time I had a chance to run since PDR. I have to go to pick up some meds for one of my dogs so decided, instead of Lake Galena, I would do the 7 mile loop up on the Delaware River. When I get there, it starts to rain. Usually, I don't like running in the rain but I didn't care. I HAD to get out there because I don't think my legs know how to run anymore. I had a lot of energy so probably pushed harder than I should have. No matter. It felt great and the rain held off through most of the run.

Thursday--Back to Raleigh/Durham, NC again. Got a 3:50p flight and everything was on time. I got to the hotel around 6p and ran in Research Triangle Park. I've been told that RTP is a town in North Carolina. Many businesses have campuses there. And, they have a nice jogging trail throughout the area. It's close to the hotel so I venture out there. I park off Cornwallis Road and do most of the run on Alexander Parkway. Running this path was like running on solid waves. There were no hills just constantly 'bumps' on the path that you can feel in the legs after awhile. I was planning on doing 5 miles but, got back to where I parked my car and decided to do one more. So, totaled six for the run.

Friday--Rather than going back to Philadelphia, I decided to stay an extra day in North Carolina and fly up to New England for a reunion with people from a radio station I worked at (about 20 years ago) that was being held on Saturday. Work was done so went out to find another place to run. I went back to the hotel and they suggested 'Al Buehler Cross Country Trail' on the Duke University campus in Duke Forest. (see plaque below)

This trail was an approximate 3 mile loop. This looked different. I want to do 8 miles so decided to stick with the 8 and walk/light jog the last mile for a cool down. My first clue should have been the name 'cross country trail'. The trail was a mix of dirt and sand with pine needles thrown about. It reminded me of male pattern baldness with pine needles here and there on the path but mostly to sides. I have to say I wasn't ready for the terrain. If there was flat on this path, I want to know where. It was a series of small hills and big hills, tough hills and not-so-tough hills, just going up and down in a forested setting. I didn't get winded but my legs were screaming. By the third lap, I knew what I was in store for so adjusted the mental aspect of the run. I saved myself knowing there was a tough hill coming up and 'let it out' on the downhills. All in all, it was a far different run than what I was used to doing and fun.

After the run, I had a chance to walk around the campus of Duke University. I went to the athletic fields and found one of the meccas of college basketball, Cameron Indoor Stadium. (pictured below is an outside shot of the arena and an indoor shot). I snuck in and found that the stadium was set up for a women's volleyball game between North Carolina and Duke. I stuck around for awhile to watch them practice and to just drink in the setting of where I was. This is one of the places you want to visit if you are fan of college basketball.

I went outside of the arena and walked around the Duke University stadium where they hold their football games and track meets. (see below)

I am glad I went to school in Boston but, if I ever had a second life, Duke would be a place to consider. Just a beautiful campus.

I went back to the hotel and cleaned up a bit before heading out to eat. I got on the elevator and got off the first floor. Doors opened and there, staring at me, were about 40 large guys in Carolina sweatsuits. Now, I'm 6 foot 3 inches and, I have to say, I felt small in comparison. I made my way through the crowd of polite young men. I went to the front desk to print out my boarding pass for the next day's flight and asked, 'who are they?' The person behind the front desk said, 'they are the University of North Carolina football team. They stay with us before every home game.' Now, I was thinking, 'don't they have dorm rooms?' Going to a school that didn't have big time athletics, I guess I didn't understand.

Saturday--Got up early to go to breakfast and fill up my car before heading to the airport. When I pulled into the gas station, I couldn't figure out how to open the fuel tank door. So, there I was, kneeling, walking around, checking every nook and cranny of my rental car, to figure out how to open the fuel door. There was no book in the car to tell me how. Frustrated, I left the station to have breakfast. I sat through breakfast just irked I was defeated. It can't be that difficult. After breakfast, I did the same fuel door dance in the lot of the Waffle House. I pushed the fuel door. Nothing. Then it dawned on me. Push the other side of the door. Viola! Problem solved.

I had to change planes in Baltimore. The guy on the plane next to me was in a hurry. He asked if I could let him off ahead of me. This threw my 'getting off my plane routine' but I let him go. Getting off the plane myself, I went to get a newspaper before sitting down for lunch. As I sat down, I realized I didn't have my glasses. Damn. I didn't take them out of the pocket in front of me on the plane. I had to run back to the plane. I waited for someone to come up from the plane and explained my situation. He motioned me to follow him. So, I did. And, started to explain where I thought the glasses were. He interrupted me and yelled back, 'hey, Ruth, I think I found the guy who left his glasses on board the plane.' I thanked him and slithered away.

Arrived into Providence, RI airport and went to my sister's house for the afternoon. As mentioned before, I was going to a reunion of old friends from a radio station I used to work at. Actually, it's where Steve(Runner) and I met and worked together. Steve(Runner) picked up and went into Boston, MA in the seaport district. I hadn't been there in years and it has completely changed. It is a funny thing of how areas that you know so well when living there can change so much to confuse you. It was good to see Steve and talk about his running, my running, his podcast and how our lives are doing. And, it was good to catch up with people that I haven't seen for awhile. It was a good group to work with.

Sunday--Finally, going home! I had brunch with my sister, brother-in-law and niece in Rhode Island before heading to the airport. I get home around 3:30p. The dogs are running around playing with each other. My wife tells me about the things they've gotten into since I left. The lawn needs cut. The leaves need to be raked. It was good to be home.

(Notes: Congratuations to the Philadelphia Phillies for winning their series against the Milwaukee Brewers and advancing the National League finals against the Los Angeles Dodgers. If you know Phillies history, the Dodgers prevented us from going to the World Series in the 1970s. Should be a great series.

If you haven't signed up, please consider doing the World Wide Festival of Races this weekend. http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.com/cgi-bin/home. It's an effort to bring the world to run one big race together. I'll be wearing number 1000 for the Half marathon challenge.

Also, does anybody have a solution on how to get rid of woodpeckers?)

Where Am I Today?

Nothing too profound this week. Just a bit of a life update.

Since PDR, I have not run one day. Nothing. Maybe a brisk walk to the car in the driveway. But, that's about it. You see, my boss at work doesn't work in the same location as me. As a matter of fact, isn't even in the same country as me. Last week, he was in town. And, we had to catch up on projects that I am doing. When that happens, my schedule gets thrown out the window.

So, you are saying, that was last week. Your excuse this week?

Here is my schedule since last Saturday:

Saturday--started in PA, went to Long Island, NY all day, back to PA by 12:30a
Sunday--started in PA, flew (with 2 hour delay) to NC
Monday--all day in North Carolina
Tuesday--started in NC, flew back to PA
Wednesday (today)--all day in PA
Thursday--starting in PA, flying to NC
Friday--all day in NC
Saturday--starting in NC, flying to Massachusetts (Providence, RI to be exact)
Sunday--starting in MA, flying to PA

(And, I'm not even in sales!)

Somewhere, somewhere, I need to get some running in. Afterall, I have a marathon in, oh, 1 MONTH!!!!!!

Here is my plan this week (I'm not saying it's a good one, it's just a plan). I'll be running today and then the next two days in North Carolina. That's it. The whole plan. If we invaded Iraq with that plan, we might be stuck there for a few years (Wait a minute? Aren't we stuck...?).

I'm hoping to get back to a better work/life balance by next week. I have as much chance of doing that as the Dow falling 700 points in a single day. (Wait a minute? Didn't the Dow fall...?)

Philadelphia Distance Run 2008 Report

My goal was to finish under 2 hours. I wanted to prove to myself that last year's race was no fluke. Because I did it once doesn't mean I could do it again. My strategy? Run the first 10 miles between 1:25-1:27. I would feel pretty confident that, whatever happens the next 3 miles, I could pull myself in doing 10 minute miles.

The forecast for the day was warm temps. But, that was more in the afternoon. During the race, it was predicted to be in the 60s. When I was driving down, the thermometer in my car was reading in the upper 40s (F) for an outside temperature. I knew I would regret it but I abandoned my singlet for a short-sleeve shirt. I also abandoned wearing a baseball cap I got from the Falmouth Road Race. It's a great cap with a sweatband built inside but, when I went to put it on, it was giving me a headache.

When I got to the Art Museum, I had planned to meet up with people who I knew. But, with 35 minutes to race time, I decided I really needed to get in the potty line as they were starting to get longer. As it turned out, good decision on my part as I had 5 minutes to spare before the start of the race. As I stood in my corral, waiting for the start, I felt as comfortable as I ever have been at a start of a race like this.

The first mile of the race takes you down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from the Art Museum into Center City Philadelphia (the picture directly below is a shot of BFP but looking at the Art Museum. The one below that is from Corral 7 at the start of the race).

As I ran the first mile, I didn't feel well. I still had a headache, a bit of a sore throat, my legs were heavy, and I was thirsty. I was really surprised in being thirsty as I'm usually never thirsty during a race. I might be dehydrated in a race but I usually only see signs from other means (cramping, etc.) But, I keep moving.

The next 4 miles is through the urban jungle that is Center City. When you head east on Market Street, you are heading right into a rising sun that fills the street with little shade to hide in. It's at this point that I start to regret not wearing the singlet. You make a right off Market Street and you go past truly one of the treasures of this course, and that is, Independence Hall. (see picture below) People in this area take it for granted. But, I love being in this area of the city and what it represents to America.

Usually at the three mile mark, I can tell how my day is going to be. Last year, I settled in a comfortable pace. This year was different. I was struggling. I was still fighting my headache and my rhythm was off. I don't take fluids at the first water stop (my feeling is it will just make me want to go to the bathroom) but make sure I drink the Cytomax at the next stop. Still, I'm thirsty. But, I keep moving.

The route takes you up BFP again towards the Art Museum. From there, you make a left and head down Martin Luther King Drive. Mile 5 is mismarked as suddenly I'm doing 6 minute miles! (I have to say I wasn't sure at the time but talked to others after the race to confirm this). At mile 7, I'm at the 1 hour mark. My head is pounding even more. I know start telling myself, which becomes my mantra, 'As long as I keep my legs moving, good things will happen.' I think about how TV announcers will say that about running backs playing American football. As long as they keep their legs moving, they will be able to make the plays. So, I keep moving.

Between miles 8 and 9, you go across the Falls Bridge in the East Falls section of the city. From there you make a right down Kelly Drive heading back again to the Art Museum. There is a slight hill to get to the bridge and a slight hill down from the bridge. After the slight hill from the bridge is the mile 9 marker. Every year, I don't know why, my legs will cramp up here. This year being no exception. I slow down to gather myself and try to let the cramps subside. I've come to the conclusion that the headache and sore throat won't be going away anytime soon so I have to deal with it. But, something else happens. At this point of the race, I dread the last 4 miles. This year, I don't think about it. I'm taking it one step at a time. I keep on moving.

I hit the mile 10 marker at a little over 1:27. I downshift. There is no reason to push myself any harder than I have to now. If I do, there is a chance I won't reach my goal of a sub-2 hour time. I just keep moving.

Mile 12 is the last opportunity for water. It's also the toughest part of the course. Where Boathouse Row starts coming into the city is where the sun is at its strongest and the slight but longish hill brings you to the finish. I get past Boathouse Row but the hill continues. The sun is beating down on me. Now, I'm feeling faint. I start to walk but I know I have about a half mile to go to the end. Still, I keep moving.

I get to the crest. Someone in the crowd spots my shirt with my company name and yells encouragement to me. 50 yards from that, someone else from the crowd does the same. I'm energized at mile 13 with only .1 mile to go. I start to sprint to the end.

The last tenth of a mile is a U-turn that heads up towards the Art Museum steps (made famous in the Rockey movies. See the picture at the far bottom.) I notice that the gun time is ticking towards the 2 hour mark. I know its not the chip time but I think about the Doylestown race and want to give everything I have at the end. I keep moving but, this time, as fast as I could. I cross the finish line and look down at my watch. I finished at 1:56:33, a new PR by 17 seconds.

I'm not elated. I'm not anything. Except I am proud of myself. Not because of the PR. But, I achieved my goal of a sub-2 hour half. When I wasn't feeling so good. I did my best when I wasn't feeling my best. I think about my last blog entry that discussed the mind games you play in a race. And, how I didn't give up when I had every reason to do so. I think about a family member who is going through cancer treatments and not giving up. I'm glad I PRed. But, I'm glad more that I kept on moving.

(Picture directly below is the crowd of runners after the finish of the race)

(Notes: After the race, I did complete an additional 3 miles to finish up my scheduled 16 miler for my marathon training. It wasn't pretty and it was about a hour later but I did it. As far as not feeling well during the race, I think my allergies kicked in. I'm not sure why I was so thirsty, as I didn't take any medication for my allergies which can make me thirsty. The only thing I could think of was I ordered pasta from Outback takeout the night before butwound up with some rice dish. It was too late at night to take it back so I ate it figuring it was still carbs. Maybe too much salt in the dish? )

Mind Games

Note: Good luck to anyone running the Philadelphia Distance Run on Sunday. I'll be wearing an orange and white shirt (singlet, probably) with number 7808 starting in Corral 7. I'll be hanging out before and/or after the race by the fountain on the right hand side if you are looking at the Art Museum. If you happen to see me, please say hello!!!!

There is an interesting article in the October 2008 edition of Runner's World. (see link below)


http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--12848-0,00.html

The article talks about the 'science of pacing'. and the fact that, you can train your legs and respitory system, but, with apologies to Bruce Springsteen, 'it's not your lungs this time, it's your heart that holds your fate'.

As I say in the 'About Me' section of this blog, I was a sprinter growing up. 100 and 220 yards. Everything beyond that, was long distance. You gave everything you got in those races. You don't have time to internally check 'how you feel'. You did that after it was over and you were gasping for breath. You didn't have time to think, just do.

Then, in high school, they threw me in a 440. I didn't know how to run it so went out as fast as I could. And died at the end. That was it. I didn't want to do it anymore. So, I walked away from it. It was because, suddenly, I was put in a position that I had to 'think' out there on the track, something I wasn't accustomed to doing.

Fast-forward some 25+ years later, and my first 5k. Now, remember, I have a sprinter's mentality. And, off I went going as fast as I could. I still maintain that most people's best times are one of their FIRST 5ks. Because, most people probably do what I did and go all out. And, experience the pain in doing so. But, your mind remembers all those horrible details and what it feels like. So, you wind up racing and training in 'comfort zones'.

As the article states: 'Perfecting your pacing--trying to run a certain distance in the shortest amount of time possible without falling apart--is a tricky art. That's because even when we watch the clock, we run largely by feel: We decide whether to speed up, slow down, or hold steady based on how much discomfort we think we can handle.' (Fellow Lake Galena runners: how many times have you eased up to save your energy going up the hill past the Nature Center? C'mon. Admit it. We anticipate we need to save that energy.)

I have yet to master this tricky art. There have been many races that I have run based on the splits on my watch and not on how I feel. I should be running this first mile at this time. And, I panic when I'm out too fast and slow down. Because, I'm afraid, I will have my own personal 'energy crisis' at the end of the race. So, I find a comfort zone that I stay in because I'm safe in this place. I will be the first to admit that I am not a confident runner.

But, it has gotten better over the years. I have learn from my mistakes. I have gotten more confident in the longer distances. I have learned that, if I'm ever going to set a new PR in the 5k, I will have to take a leap of faith and step out from that comfort zone and push myself just a little bit harder. I know physically I could do it, but convincing my mind that is a whole different challenge.

The best example, for me, is the Doylestown 5k I did over Memorial Day weekend. I remember, running the last mile in a comfort zone and telling myself that there was no reason not to push harder. So, I did. Only to convince myself that I was foolish in doing so. So, I let up a bit. Only to convince myself again that a PR was in grasp if I finished strong. And, missed it by 1 second. (Note: Yes, arguing with myself during a race may seem peculiar but, safe to say, it was only with myself. Better to do that then with, say, a dog standing on the sideline!)

So, I encourage you to read this article. And, join me coming out of the comfort zone closet. Mind over matter. Stay focus. It's a matter of trust. We can do it!!!! Can't we?

(Notes: This Sunday, September 21, 2008, I will be running the Philadelphia Distance Run (half-marathon). Forecast is for the day to be in the 70s (F) with partly cloudy skies. I intend to make PDR as part of my scheduled 16 miler for that day. Problem is I have committments for the two weekends after that so I would be behind training if I don't do it this way. Maybe not the smartest idea but why waste 13 miles if I don't have to?
I did 8 miles yesterday around Lake Galena as part of my tapering efforts and felt good despite the hot and humid weather around here. It was 1 degree shy of beating the record for high temps for that day.
Congratulations to my Hawaiian running buddy and fellow blogger, Frayed Laces, http://frayedlaces.blogspot.com/, as she finished third in her division at the Maui marathon.

RIP--Jerry Reed, who, along with the Flip Wilson, made the phrase, 'When you're hot, you're hot!' so popular in the early 1970's.

The Day That Changed The World

I was sitting in my office waiting on a teleconference call. There were three of us to talk but only two had joined so far. I just started with the company only a few months ago. I was eager to show them my skills. I had just gone through months of unemployment and I knew I was lucky to have a job I liked.

When you are sitting there waiting to start a teleconference, you start to engage in small talk. The woman waiting on the call with me said, 'Did you hear a plane crashed into the World Trade Center?' Thinking that it was a just a small plane, I said, 'No, that's too bad' and continued to wait for the other to join the call. Neither one of us, at the moment, understood how the world's day was unfolding.

The third person got on the call. 'Did you hear about the World Trade Center?' 'Yes,' I replied, 'a plane hit it.' 'No', he said, 'two planes hit them!' What? We immediately ended the call to try to find out more.

Someone came in my office afterwards. 'Did you hear a plane hit the Pentagon?' 'No', I said, 'it was the World Trade Center'. 'A plane hit the World Trade Center, too?!!' None of it made sense. What was going on? We turned on the television and saw visions of the World Trade Center going up in smoke. The person next to me said, 'My God, my parents were going to go up to the skydeck there this afternoon.'

I called my wife. She worked near Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Speculation was that would be one of the targets. I told her to get out but she said she couldn't as they were closing public transportation down. Someone came into my office. 'A plane just crashed near Pittsburgh!' Pittsburgh? Why Pittsburgh? Rumors were swirling that they were going to hit major cities in the US in different time zones when people were starting their day. We were all stunned. We couldn't stop watching the coverage on television. We thought we were watching a movie as we saw the World Trade Center crumble. It can't be? How was this possible?

It wasn't until days later did we find out what happened near Pittsburgh. I worried as I have family out there. You began to hear the stories about United Flight 93. The cell phone calls made during the flight. The people in the plane finding out what happened in Manhattan. The calls to say good-bye to loved ones as they became aware of their fate. And, how the passengers took on the terrorists themselves with the words, 'Let's Roll!'. How many lives did they save that day with their brave act? How many of us could have done that without freezing in our tracks?

When I went out to my uncle's funeral, about a month ago, I stopped by the Flight 93 memorial to pay my respects. Below are some pictures I took while I was there. It is already a national park site. There is a temporary memorial until the permanent one can be built. (Here is a link to find out more about the park and how to donate to build a more permanent memorial. http://www.nps.gov/flni.) When I spoke with the park ranger there, he said the memorial will be similar to the Vietnam memorial in Washington DC. There will be a path, to the memorial, which was the original flight path leading up to the crash. (Please don't listen to the people that talk about how the crescent shape is a symbol of Islam. If you ever visited the area, it would never occur to you. It is only certain people stirring up something that's not there.) They hope to have the first phase completed in time to dedicate it in September, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the event.

The best way to describe the area around the park is, if you ever visited a Civil War battlefield, it has the same feel. There are only a few houses surrounding the area. The crash site is in the middle of a field surrounded by rolling hills. You can't believe it crashed at the spot that it did. How was it possible that it crashed at such a remote site? And the countless lives that were saved because of it?

Running in Bucks County, you will see park benches and small memorials dedicated to people who lost their lives that day. You see, Bucks County, PA is close enough to New York City to commute. When I run past a memorial that I hadn't seen before, I stop and think about the events that day. And, yet, I find it hard to watch movies about September 11th. My wife has seen the movie Flight 93 but I can't. I don't want to relive that day. And, yet, I want to honor the people that lost their lives. I will never forget.


(The pictures below are of the temporary memorial and the field of the crash. The dot in the middle of the field is an American flag where the crash occurred.)