Running for St. Jude

Contemplating 2011

2011-05-18T09:11:00.001-07:00

3 years of running has taken its toll on me. I have had 6 months of inactivity due to tendinitis. Today, much weaker and 10 pounds heavier, I ran 5 miles for the first time since the Memphis St. Jude Marathon and I felt pretty good. Thoughts kept going through my head wondering if I could really do this again. Could my body really hold up? Could I possibly find the time? Could I find a way not to collapse in the middle of the stupid road this time? I really want to run this again but I don't know if my body will let me. I am open to the possibility which is more than I could say a few months ago. It makes it equally hard to turn down given the fact that my sponsors have donated over $5000 to St. Jude over the last three years. So today I ran looking for validation that I should subject myself to this glorious affliction once again. After the run, I checked the Memphis St. Jude Marathon website for prices and I saw this bald man staring back at me.

I had two split second reactions to this picture. One, that is one handsome fellow and two, that was me! Yeah.. that's my picture on the front of the website. I am equally as excited that they didn't take a picture of me lying in the road at mile 21.

So here I am counting the cost once again. Very few things in my life have been more rewarding than this race and the benefits it brings to the children of St. Jude. I am going to "try" for a long run on Friday. If I make it, I may be throwing in my chips once again.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

2010 Memphis St. Jude Marathon

2010-12-05T06:26:00.000-08:00

The last 36 hours leading up to the marathon could not have been any worse. I went from feeling great to coming up with a horrible head cold. The night before the marathon I got a solid 2 hours of sleep thanks to the anxiety and sickness. On the way to the race, I had an overwhelming since of nausea likely due to the congestion and cold medicine I had been pumping into my body. The 26.2 mile marathon is excruciatingly difficult. I personally didn't need any additional challenges. I was determined however to run no matter my conditions. After 4 months of training and generous support from my sponsors, running the race was my own option.

My Race Summary

Miles 1-3

So I decided to shave my head this week for the race. In honor of the children of St. Jude fighting for a cancer, I thought this would be a neat gesture. Given the temperature was to be in the mid 50's, I thought this was a safe gamble. I did not take into consideration that high winds would make their presence known. So with a bald head and teeth chattering, I began the run. My goal was to try to run a 9:45 per mile pace and see if I could hold it the entire marathon. I thought this to be highly optimistic but perhaps attainable. After three miles my pace was at 9:11 seconds pace per mile. We turned up Beale Street where thousands of people were cheering. I passed my wife but didn't know it. I found out later she took off on a sprint and collided with several people to get in shouting distance. I stopped and got a quick good luck kiss.

Miles 4-6

This is one of the best parts of the race. The race takes the runners through the St. Jude campus. Many of the runners including myself are called St. Jude Heroes and wear identifying singlets to show they raised money for. St. Jude. As we entered the campus a large band played to a song called "Run Heroes Run." Inside the campus were the patients of St. Jude cheering us on. One day I'll make it through campus without choking up. This was not that day. What a great experience.

Miles 7-13

On mile 7 I came up on the 4:05 pace group. I couldn't believe I was running with them. Basically this meant I was running 35 - 40 seconds per mile faster than my race goal. I knew I should have slowed down but I didn't want to so I kept going. I finally realized at mile 11 that it would be suicide to try to keep up with them for another 15 miles so I told myself I had to slow down.

Miles 13-16

At the halfway point I saw my wife again. I can't tell you how awesome it was to see her. My parents and sister were there cheering me on too. My wife asked me how I was doing and I told her my cold was starting to get to me and my legs felt heavy which was not a good sign given that I had half of a marathon left to run. My legs hurt and I had a very bad feeling but I had enough energy to keep running. I made it to mile 17 with my legs feeling heavier than ever.

Mile 17-20

It started happening again. Just like my first 2 marathons, my calves started twitching. I knew I was dehydrated because of my cold. I knew the twitching were a preliminary sign of a much bigger problem. Almost as soon as I started, I passed a lady holding up a picture of her son with cancer. It said, "thank you for running for my son." After running for three hours, it doesn't take much to impact you emotionally. I was certainly no exception. Though my calves were twitching and were very uncomfortable, I decided I was going to keep running. I couldn't believe what I was doing. I crossed mile 20 without any significant stops the whole time. I only had 6.2 miles to go. The twitching was becoming more frequent but I continued to run while others were walking. I crossed mile 20 at a 9:30 pace and I started thinking that I was going to shatter my best marathon time. I was staring a sub 4 hours and 10 minutes in the face. I remember distinctly thinking about my calves and thinking to myself, "do your worst!"

It did.

Mile 21-26.2

It could not have been more blatant if a bullet went straight through my leg. An all out cramp shot through my leg. I collapsed in the middle of the street. Some spectators ran out too me. I looked at my right calve and there was a massive hole right where my calve muscle used to be. It was contracting uncontrollably and with indescribable intensity. It took a few minutes for it to subside as I laid in the middle of the street. I stood up finally and tried to run again. 10 seconds after I started running it started coming on again. I let it subside and tried again. Same result. I had not given up but my body had. The runners, and my personal record setting time, were passing me by.

I was 5 miles out. One thing I have learned about the marathon and training is that quitting has to be the last option. My mindset quickly changed from "how fast do I finish the marathon" to "somehow find a way to finish" I started walking slowly and my legs and hips burned. It hurt almost as bad to walk as it did to run. I just continued to breath heavy and try to forget about the pain. I watched my garmin runner's watch pace slowly climb from a 9:31 pace to unimaginable numbers a few miles before. I passed my friend's house at mile 22 and told him to call my family and tell them I was fine but I was in trouble. I told him to tell them they would have to wait a lot longer but I was going to finish. I continued to walk / wobble gingerly. At mile 23 (after 2 miles of walking), I tried to run again and my muscles started twitching instantly. So I walked some more. At mile 25 1/2 I could see the stadium and tried to jog. I was able to fight through the twitching and finish at 4 hours and 46 minutes and 45 seconds. Somehow I still finished in the top 50% of registered runners but I am not sure how.

The car was 2 blocks away but I couldn't make it. Halfway there I stopped unable to walk. My wife went the rest of the way to the car and picked me up. It sure was a good thing the marathon was not 27.2 miles.

To my sponsors, I humbly submit to you that I did every thing I could to earn your support. I do not take your sponsorship lightly and I believe we did a wonderful thing. This year we raised $2,010 and a three year total of $5,110! To the lady with the sign that said, "thank you for running for my son.." It was an honor.

I think my sponsors would agree.

24 Hours to Go!

2010-12-03T05:23:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how excited I am for my third marathon. Given my first 2 experiences with the marathon, I am not sure why I get excited for such self imposed torture. However this year I have felt stronger than ever. I have trained exclusive on hills for the first time and been very encouraged with both my strategy and training.

And then last night hit.

In a matter of moments, I went to feeling fine to having a horrible head cold. I can barely breathe, I have sinus pressure that is unbearable and I am fighting to keep a cough out of my chest. Well the marathon is about persevering so I will lace them up regardless and sprint, run, walk, waddle or crawl for 26.2 miles. Oh and the low temperature went from 40 degrees to 31 degrees over an hours time last night (yes, I check the weather regularly). Perhaps I am now second guessing the whole shaving my head bald thing.

With that said, I am still thrilled to be doing this again. I can't wait until mile 6 when I run through the campus of St. Jude and see all the children for whom this cause is for. 26.2 miles is waiting. Let's just hope I do better than this person.

Training Complete

2010-12-01T16:29:00.000-08:00

Since August 1

69 Training Runs
426 Miles Run
68 Hours, 25 Minutes and 20 Seconds on the Road

And one new haircut for the marathon on Saturday

Marathon Week

2010-11-28T07:06:00.000-08:00

6 days until marathon day.

26.2 miles awaits on Saturday. Three runs in the last few weeks have all be in the rain. I don't know why, but I have always been scared of the rain. I have avoided it at all costs. A few weeks ago, I had to no choice. It was run in the rain or miss my 20 mile run. While it was not ideal, it didn't rain hard enough to significantly affect my run.

My second one was last Wednesday. It was a beautiful day for a run with no signs of rain. It was overcast but nothing led me to believe it would be a problem. I reached the farthest point of the run before I had to turn back and I felt a sprinkle on my face. I remember think, "that was odd." A minute later I felt another one.

All of a sudden the sky opened up. It rained so hard it hurt. It is the kind of rain where driver's pull over because the windshield wipers are inadequate for its fury. I remember squinting and barely having one eye open so I would not accidentally run into someone's house. I got to a point where I had a mile left in my run but I was right by my house. A quick turn to the left and I would be done in seconds, a quick turn to the right and I would finish my run. I came to the literal crossroads and turned right.

What a liberating decision this was! Out of my squinty eye, I could see driver's looking at me thinking ~~how amazing I was~~ how stupid I was. My feet were splashing as I spent the next 9 minutes fighting through the monsoon that descended on middle Tennessee.

My third run was on Thanksgiving day when again it rained at the farthest point leaving me to finish a 6 mile run completely soaked.

Training for this marathon and the children of St. Jude gives a runner an incredible sense of purpose. One thought that constantly goes through my mind when it is raining is a sense that nothing should stop me from training when there are children fighting for their lives. I have made a promise to my sponsors and to these kids to run this marathon one more time.

Also, I have really started to enjoy the rain and that's a good thing.

Forecast for the Memphis Marathon this Saturday... rain.

20 Miles

2010-11-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

The end of the 40 mile "Week of Death" arrived yesterday. I decided to do my longest 20 mile training run in Memphis as I was in town to celebrate my son's birthday with family. I decided to run the new Memphis Greenline which is a beautiful new 7+ mile running and cycling trail.

I woke up on Saturday morning ready to head out for a run I quite honestly didn't feel prepared for when I looked at the weather map. A long line of rain showers was an hour away approaching with great fury. Its one goal was to make my run as miserable as possible. I drove to the start of the trail and saw some bicyclers heading back. They said it was raining heavily up ahead and they were calling it a day. I had never run in the rain before. I have always avoided it at all costs. Certainly attempting to run in 20 miles would be completely insane. So I did what any sensible person would do.

3 hours, 18 minutes and 2 seconds later I finished the 20 mile run. Soaking wet I had accomplished the hardest run this side of the marathon with "relative" ease. Of course relative ease doesn't mean I wasn't wobbling around the rest of the day eating ibuprofin like it was chocolate candy.

So the 20 mile run is over. I have three weeks left until the marathon where my mileage significantly decreases. (My 20 mile run this Saturday becomes 12 miles next Saturday.) To date my sponsors have been so generous to have given $1,342 for this year. This is not something I take lightly. When I started this craziness three years ago, I never would have imagined so many people would have been so generous. After three years, the total amount raised has been $4,442 for St. Jude.

So 20 miles is in the books. This year my goal is to do what I did on Saturday. Make it to mile 20 without stopping and be ready to do whatever I can to finish the last 6.2 miles. Experts say the marathon starts after mile 20.

I sure wish they were right.

The Week of Death

2010-11-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

There is no harder week in marathon training than this week for me. It is the week I circle before I take one step in training. This week I run a total of 40 miles. This week involves the following runs:

Monday - 5 miles
Tuesday - 10 miles
Wednesday - 5 miles
Friday - 20 miles

The 20 mile run will likely last 3 hours and 20 minutes. It is my longest run of training. Most runners hit what is known as "the wall" at around mile 18 although I tend to run face first into this wall much sooner. This is a very important run to remind me what the wall feels like and hopefully give me a little practice at running through it. A successful run will give me great confidence that a 3rd marathon finish is possible. Anything less than completing the run will leave me with unanswered questions and discouragement up until the marathon.

To date I have run 332 miles and spent over 53 hours on the road since August 1. I just purchased some new marathon shoes as the miles have taken a toll. Can you tell which ones are the new ones?

Thanks to all of my generous sponsors, we have raised almost $1,100 for St. Jude with almost a month left to go. Thanks for following along during this process and helping be a part of a great cause.

The Middle Half

2010-10-17T07:32:00.001-07:00

Nothing tests the progress of training runs like participating in a half marathon. I am 7 weeks out until the full Memphis St. Jude Marathon and this half was going to answer a lot of questions for me an my perceived ability to run the full marathon again. I came in with what I thought was a lofty but achievable goal of breaking 2 hours. This would have required me to run 13.1 miles with a pace of 9:09 per mile.

The race started out extremely cold. I spent the 45 minutes before the opening gun hovering around a charcoal grill that Jim's BBQ had started up. I have no idea if the BBQ was good but I highly endorse their charcoal grills in 30 degree temperatures.

I have yet to start a race where I felt good starting out. My first mile was an 8:56 pace. To make a long story short, I kept trying to slow down thinking I was going out too fast but I realized it is almost impossible to slow a pace down once you have started it. Every mile my watch kept telling me I was going faster and faster. I continued to feel tired but new I had a little energy left. This feeling stayed with me the whole race and helped me have possibly my best race in my 2 + years of running.

I made it to the half way point (6.55 miles) and realized that while it was a long shot, I had a chance to beat my personal best for a marathon of 1 hour, 49 minutes and 14 seconds which I previously never thought would be possible. I continued to push myself and watch as my watch dropped down to a pace in the mid 8:20's. I entered the track where the finish line was and all I could think about was hitting my best marathon. I finished on a dead sprint and knew I was close. I crossed the finish line and looked at my watch.

1:49.52.

I ran for an eternity and missed by personal best by 30 seconds. If i could have seen my virtual self in front of me that set that pr 2 years ago, I probably could have hit him in the head with a rock before he crossed the finish line.

I took away a lot from this race, most importantly increased confidence. This will provide a great boost as I start picking up runs in the mid teens which will eventually top out at 20 before the marathon.

My fundraising support has almost reached $1000 with several verbal commitments that have not yet been received. I am praying things will go well the last 7 weeks with my training as my knee continues to hold up. I have one more finish line I am planning to cross.

Total 2010 Training Miles: 231.77 miles
Total Time Running: 36 hours, 41 minutes, 57 seconds.

Activity

Route:	--	Elev. Avg:	618 ft
Location:	--	Elev. Gain:	+3 ft
Date:	10/16/10	Up/Downhill:	[+252/-249]
Time:	07:04 AM	Difficulty:	3.0 / 5.0

Map

Elevation (ft)

Pace (min/mile)

Splits

Mile	Pace (min/mile)		Speed (mph)		Elevation Gain
Mile	actual	+/- avg	actual	+/- avg	Elevation Gain
1	8' 56	+0' 36	6.7	-0.5	-7 ft
2	8' 40	+0' 20	6.9	-0.3	0 ft
3	8' 32	+0' 12	7.0	-0.2	-3 ft
4	8' 32	+0' 12	7.0	-0.2	+3 ft
5	8' 17	-0' 03	7.2	+0.0	-10 ft
6	8' 31	+0' 11	7.0	-0.2	+16 ft
7	8' 22	+0' 02	7.2	-0.0	-3 ft
8	8' 24	+0' 04	7.1	-0.1	+6 ft
9	8' 15	-0' 05	7.3	+0.1	0 ft
10	8' 06	-0' 14	7.4	+0.2	-6 ft
11	7' 54	-0' 26	7.6	+0.4	-26 ft
12	8' 06	-0' 14	7.4	+0.2	+10 ft
13	7' 56	-0' 24	7.6	+0.4	+19 ft
end	6' 13	-2' 07	9.6	+2.4	+3 ft
Versus average of 8' 20 min/mile

Posted from www.bimactive.com

Eat at Chili's, Support St. Jude!

2010-09-26T14:38:00.001-07:00

For those of you who like to eat out, Chili's Restaurant gives 100% of their profits to St. Jude's Children's Hospital 1 day a year. This years selected day is tomorrow (Monday, September 27).

So if you like to eat out and want to do it for a great cause, head on out to Chili's! Probably not a bad time to go for the dessert as well.

Charlie's First Race

2010-09-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

So my boy took on his first race of 1k which is .62 miles. My main goal as a father to a 3 year old boy was for him to finish his race. The race took place in downtown Franklin which has a beautiful town square. He started off the race holding his ears as the air horn was quite traumatic for his little ears. His grandmother and aunt drove to Memphis to watch his first race. Surprisingly Charlie did very well and didn't stop the whole way. He needed plenty ofencouragement as his mother and I ran with him. I ran to encourage his run while Shannon ran along the curb videoing and taking some pictures. For the last 1/4 of the race as we headed toward the finish line, Charlie was giving high fives to the fans and a giant hotdog mascot.

I could not believe the little man ran for .62 miles without stopping. He seemed amazed by the police officers that were blocking off traffic and never once said he wanted to stop. At the end of the race he got a ribbon and a nice medal his grandmother purchased for him for his first race. As a dad, it meant more to me than I thought it would as we were approaching the finish line. I was overwhelmed with pride for my little man. While it might not have been a big deal to Charlie, .62 miles was a long way. As soon as we crossed the

finish line I asked Charlie if he would like to run another kid's race one day and he emphatically said, "yes!"

I wonder how long it will be until he starts beating his old man.

Franklin Classic 10K

2010-09-06T12:46:00.001-07:00

I'll make this quick because I really want to write about my little boys kid's race in the next post. Never would I have thought this 10k would have turned out like it did today. My lofty goal was to finish in 56 minutes which would be just under 9 minute per mile pace. I was afraid I wouldn't hit this goal and couldn't really imagine going any faster given my training runs. The weather was 49 degrees when I showed up according the race director. No that is not a typo. At mile 2 I was still seeing my breath as I ran this summer morning. I went out way too fast to start the race. After the first mile I was at 8:30 per mile pace and way faster than planned. Mile 2 passed and I was at 8:20. I kept wondering if I could just hang on to this pace, I would be thrilled with my time. I made it to the half way point and still was around 8:20 and felt I still had a lot left in the tank. The last three miles I tried to go a little faster and finish the race stronger than I started. I finished the race on a dead sprint. By looking at the last .2 miles, my pace was under a 6:30 minute mile pace as I sprinted through the large crowd of spectators to the finish line.

3 months ago I finished a 10 mile race at around a 11 minute mile pace after crashing and burning and laying in the street before the finish line. Today I finished at 50 minutes and 12 seconds for an 8:06 per mile pace for the 6.2 mile race. My Garmin watch said it was a little longer since I forgot to stop my watch. I can't tell you how excited I am that, for the first time in over 2 years, I am running at some of my fastest speeds. I had given up on competing like I did my first year until this race ended and all of a sudden I feel I have a renewed since of confidence. I finished the day 223 out of approximately 900 runners. As fun as this was, it was just a small step towards the ultimate goal of 26.2 miles on December 4 for the children of St. Jude. Forget the time for that race. The finish line is all that matters.

1 week of fundraising has resulted in $755 in donations. I am completely overwhelmed by everyone's generosity.

Activity

Route:	--	Elev. Avg:	669 ft
Location:	--	Elev. Gain:	+0 ft
Date:	09/06/10	Up/Downhill:	[+337/-337]
Time:	07:30 AM	Difficulty:	2.7 / 5.0

Performance

Distance:	6.27 miles
Time:	0:50:18
Speed:	7.5 mph
Pace:	8' 01 /mi
Calories:	768

Map

Elevation (ft)

Pace (min/mile)

Splits

Mile	Pace (min/mile)		Speed (mph)		Elevation Gain
Mile	actual	+/- avg	actual	+/- avg	Elevation Gain
1	8' 31	+0' 30	7.0	-0.4	+13 ft
2	8' 09	+0' 08	7.4	-0.1	-13 ft
3	8' 17	+0' 16	7.2	-0.2	+46 ft
4	8' 07	+0' 06	7.4	-0.1	+10 ft
5	7' 53	-0' 08	7.6	+0.1	-26 ft
6	7' 35	-0' 26	7.9	+0.4	-33 ft
end	6' 28	-1' 33	9.3	+1.8	+3 ft
Versus average of 8' 01 min/mile

Posted from www.bimactive.com

Long Run and a New Runner

2010-09-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

Well I hit my first double digit run of training. I ran 10 miles yesterday and it was much easier than expected. I would like to attribute this to my amazingly ripped runner's body (note sarcasm) but likely it was due to a beautiful morning run that was in the mid 60's. My right knee has been a little sore but hopefully it won't get any worse. It has been bothering me since my first marathon back in 2008.

Tomorrow I run the Franklin Classic 10k which is my first race in a while. While I am excited to see if I can run a sub 9 minute mile pace, I more excited about my little man's first race. I honestly don't think he is

going to do very well since he has never run before, but man does he look good! And looking good is the most important thing for a young single guy such as my 3 year old. Charlie will be running a 1k (.6 miles) kid's race after mine. His grandmother and aunt drove in from Memphis just to cheer him on. They even bought him a medal for the finish line. Charlie will get his first post race report tomorrow after his race.

89 Days, 8 Hours and 33 Minutes Until St. Jude Marathon
Total Training Miles (since August 1): 84.10 miles
Total Time Running (since August 1): 13 hours, 41 minutes and 48 seconds

Armed and Dangerous

2010-08-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

After 2 dog encounters over the last 2 weeks, one which was too friendly and one which was the complete opposite, I decided it was time to be prepared. I recently purchased pepper spray. I think I broke a young girl's heart at Pet Smart asking if they sold pepper spray for dogs. They actually did but it was too big to run with, so I got my spray at Fleet Feet. Don't worry dog lovers, I will not use it unless I am 100% certain I am being attacked.

I am now in the beginning of week 4 of my training and things are going well. I am starting to get some confidence and I haven't had to stop in the middle of a run since week 1. I ran 9 miles last Saturday and next Saturday will be my first double digit run since I was laying in the middle of the road in early June during my 10 mile race. I feel myself getting stronger but still can't imagine feeling confident enough to finish a whole marathon.

Next Monday (Labor Day) is my first race in a while. It is the Franklin Classic 10k (6.2 miles) and afterwards, my almost 4 year old Charlie will run in his first kid's race of 1k which is 6/10 of a mile. My parents bought him a medal to give him at the finish. Hopefully he doesn't quit. I can't imagine him not having enough energy to finish anything. It should be a lot of fun to cheer him on.

95 Days, 13 hours, 32 minutes and 2 seconds to race day.
Total training miles (Since August 1): 63.1 miles
Total time running (Since August 1): 10 hours, 26 minutes

Year 3

2010-08-15T05:42:00.000-07:00

8 months ago was my 2nd year running the Memphis St. Jude Marathon. It was my best marathon running 26.2 miles in 4 hours and 24 minutes which was 10 minutes faster than the first year. It wasn't long after the marathon where I started focusing towards this year and wondering if I could be better in this year's marathon.

Fast forward to June of this year and you will find me lying in the middle of the road at mile 9 of a 10 mile race. Completely exhausted and dehydrated, I realized I have a very long way to go if I want to run this marathon in December.

So it's now week 2 of 16 weeks of marathon training. This is my third time I am running to raise support for the children of St. Jude. My long run for the week was today of 7 miles. I finished before the sun came up. I think it's going to be a long 3 1/2 months of training. Here's to hoping in December, if you find me on the 26.2 mile course, I won't be sprawled out in the middle of the street. At this point, I am making no guarantees.

Memphis 2009 Marathon Photos

2009-12-09T15:40:00.001-08:00

2009 Memphis St. Jude Marathon Photos

Beale Street

FINISH

Medal

ELVIS'

My Dad and Me After the Race

Memphis St. Jude Marathon Breakdown and Splits

2009-12-08T14:17:00.001-08:00

Here is my 2nd marathon run and my PR of 4:24.19. The actual time shows I ran a little bit longer as I was busy wandering around for a minute before I turned off my watch.

Activity

Route:	--	Elev. Avg:	263 ft
Location:	Memphis, TN	Elev. Gain:	-14 ft
Date:	12/05/09	Up/Downhill:	[+839/-853]
Time:	08:16 AM	Difficulty:	4.2 / 5.0

Weather:	Fair
	40 F temp; 32% humidity
	40 F heat index; winds NE 5

Performance

Distance:	26.43 miles
Time:	4:25:08
Speed:	6.0 mph
Pace:	10' 02 /mi
Calories:	3198

Map
Pace (min/mile)
Splits

Mile	Pace (min/mile)		Speed (mph)		Elevation Gain
Mile	actual	+/- avg	actual	+/- avg	Elevation Gain
1	9' 40	-0' 22	6.2	+0.2	+16 ft
2	9' 23	-0' 39	6.4	+0.4	-33 ft
3	9' 13	-0' 49	6.5	+0.5	+17 ft
4	8' 21	-1' 41	7.2	+1.2	+7 ft
5	8' 25	-1' 37	7.1	+1.1	-29 ft
6	9' 28	-0' 34	6.3	+0.3	+32 ft
7	9' 21	-0' 41	6.4	+0.4	-6 ft
8	9' 23	-0' 39	6.4	+0.4	+3 ft
9	9' 30	-0' 32	6.3	+0.3	+10 ft
10	9' 43	-0' 19	6.2	+0.2	+33 ft
11	9' 26	-0' 36	6.4	+0.4	-49 ft
12	9' 36	-0' 26	6.2	+0.3	+13 ft
13	9' 30	-0' 32	6.3	+0.3	-13 ft
14	9' 42	-0' 20	6.2	+0.2	0 ft
15	10' 05	+0' 03	6.0	-0.0	+10 ft
16	10' 19	+0' 17	5.8	-0.2	+36 ft
17	10' 00	-0' 02	6.0	+0.0	+3 ft
18	10' 25	+0' 23	5.8	-0.2	-3 ft
19	11' 40	+1' 38	5.1	-0.8	+20 ft
20	11' 55	+1' 53	5.0	-1.0	-36 ft
21	10' 22	+0' 20	5.8	-0.2	0 ft
22	11' 34	+1' 32	5.2	-0.8	-26 ft
23	10' 49	+0' 47	5.5	-0.4	-10 ft
24	10' 44	+0' 42	5.6	-0.4	+6 ft
25	10' 34	+0' 32	5.7	-0.3	-23 ft
26	10' 08	+0' 06	5.9	-0.1	+19 ft
end	9' 34	-0' 28	6.3	+0.3	-9 ft
Versus average of 10' 02 min/mile

Posted from http://www.bimactive.com/

Memphis St. Jude Marathon Race Report

2009-12-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

And to think I thought this thing would be easier than my first marathon.

The temperature indicator on the car said 24 degrees. The day was not off to a good start. My goal this year was to make it to mile 20 before experiencing much pain. Last year my calves inexplicably starting hurting before mile 14. I had to fight the last 12 1/2 miles by stopping every 1/4 mile and hugging street lights and praying for the energy to make it to the finish.

I was determined that this year was going to be different. While I had not trained as much for this marathon, I felt I had trained smarter. My goal was not to go out as fast and try to make this as enjoyable as possible.

Like most of my runs, the first 2 miles were difficult trying to find a rhythm. However I got in a groove and comfortably went out at a pretty good pace. The best part of the marathon was a new route that took us through the St. Jude campus. As we entered the campus there was a large balloon entrance with a large band playing as we entered in. As we entered in there were patients from St. Jude and their parents cheering us on and specifically the St. Jude Fundraising Hereos who were identified by their maroon singlets. It was a very emotional 1/2 mile. I kind of wanted to turn around and do it again.

I continued to run in the cold and was optimistic that I was doing better than last year. I reached the half marathon point feeling that I still had "some" gas left in the tank. At around mile 14 my parents were standing on the side of the street. Although they didn't know it, this was almost the exact spot that I broke down last year. Although tired I pushed onward as I was very enouraged that I had passed the beginning of last years disaster.

At around mile 17 my right calf starting twitching and contracting uncontrollably. I knew if I had an all out cramp I would be done. A couple of minutes later the left calf starting contracting also. I started calculating the cost. Could I walk the last 9 miles? It would take me 3 hours but at least I would get a medal. I stopped and walked for about a minute as I felt the lactic acid build up in my legs. It was almost more painful to walk as my body was starting to stiffin up.

I started to make small goals for myself. I told myself I was going to run to the street light 200 yards away and then I would walk for 20 seconds. I did this for about 2 miles or so and then I decided I could make longer goals. At mile 19 I said I was going to try to run a mile to the 20 mile mark and then stop at the water station and walk for about 30 seconds and then try to make it to the next mile. At this time everything in me was starting to hurt. My left knee which had never given me problems was hurting. Both of my hamstrings were hurting and my calf muscles were both sporadically contrating and I was afraid at any moment I was going to collapse in the street with an all out cramp. My strategy was working however and somehow I was able to fight through the pain without stopping too much. I gave myself permission to stop one more time at mile 24.5 and then I challenged myself not to stop again. I was so close to the finish line and at this point there was no doubt that again I had fought through so many obstacles and I was going to finish my second marathon.

I ran the last mile and a half probably quicker than any mile since mile 13. Fighting through the pain I passed several people who were walking. Then I saw the stadium in the distance and I immediately imagined the feeling of collapsing in the infield after finishing. This gave me the motivation to make it without stopping.

The enterance of the stadium had lines of people on both sides cheering. I started in with a very good stride which turned into a near sprint. I gave a guy a homeless guy a high five as i entered into the crowd. I could hear people yelling good job hero (reminding me of the real reason of the marathon) as I entered the stadium. As I entered the stadium I couldn't help but sprint as hard as I could. I heard many cheers as I rounded the corner of the outfield and headed towards the finish line.

Nothing feels better than raising your hands after 26.2 miles and proclaiming "I have finished the race."

I finished the race at 4:24.19 which was a marathon personal best for me and 10 minutes better than my only other marathon of last year. This is a good thing too. I am still trying to think of which hospital I would have been taken to if I had run an extra 10 minutes.

After getting a picture with the two Elvis' I started to leave the stadium and I started shaking uncontrollably due to the cold. As my dad was getting in the car I walked into the Peabody Hotel and laid in the lobby and was shivering and shaking uncontrollably. I had many people come up to me and ask if I was ok and I promised them I was getting better every second. Finally after about 20 minutes I stopped shaking. It didn't matter though. It was a small price to pay for crossing the finish line and fulfilling my promise to my sponsors. It was a small price to pay for the children of St. Jude.

Today I get to rest. I get several days off from this physically exhausting endeavor. The children of St. Jude get no days off. They fight every day.

That is why I plan on doing this again next year. My sponsors have donated almost $1900 and over $3,000 for the 2 years I have been doing this. I am so proud and thankful for all of you who sponsored me and encouraged me along the way. This was in no way easy and your support was instrumental in me crossing this finish line for a second time.

In honor of the children of St. Jude, would you consider joining me again in 2010?

Sometimes The Moments That Challenge Us The Most, Define Us.

2009-12-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

“Sometimes the moments that challenge us the most, define us.” - Deena Kastor in Spirit of the Marathon.
This quote is a fantastic motivator. As a Christian I believe the quote is off. I believe what truly defines us is our position in Jesus Christ. I believe our relationship with Him, or lack of one, is what truly defines us and what matters more than anything. However I understand the spirit behind this quote by Deena Kastor.

It is the great challenges in our lives and our subsequent responses that everyone remembers. It is the responses to our greatest adversities that will shape us. They can shape us for the good or for the worse. No one is inspired by the ordinary.

Physically there is no greater challenge I have ever attempted than a marathon. On Saturday I will cross the starting line for my second one. The challenge is compelling as the task is very great. While some 15,000 people will run in the half or full marathon on Saturday, over 100,000 people will line up to watch and cheer. There is something fascinating about someone who embraces a challenge and overcomes it. I do not write this to exhault myself but point out the parallels that truly are important.

On Saturday I will run both for myself but more importantly, I will run for the children of St. Jude. Can you imagine the challenges they face? For many it was the first time they were told they were really sick and would have to travel to Memphis for treatment. While most children are terrified of getting a shot, these children were introduced to chemotherapy. I remember a poem that was written on the wall of St. Jude last year that was titled "Cancer Will Not Defeat Me." A little kid had to write those words. While many kids were writing letters to Santa Claus, this kid called out cancer and proclaimed he would win! I am going back to St. Jude tomorrow with a camera. I am seeking out this poem.

These children have faced great challenges. Every one of them has no choice but to fight this terrible disease head on. I think of them and I think of the children I have already followed. I think of Joseph, Hoover and Josiah. I think of their parents and all of the parents who have fought this disease with their child and had to tell their child goodbye. I am inspired beyond words. These people are truly my inspiration. Their challenges have shaped my life and convict me to make something more of my life.

So Saturday I will run for something far more significant than myself. Through my friends and supporters we have raised over $1,800 and more than $3,000 over the last two years for St. Jude. So far the runners in the race have raised over $1,500,000 this year.

Thanks to you all for helping make this race so significant for me and for the children who continue to inspire me. In honor of all these children who refuse to quit and continue to fight, I will do everything I can on Saturday to honor them by finishing the 26.2 mile race... no matter how difficult the challenge may be.

Marathon Week

2009-11-29T07:30:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is here. The week of the marathon has arrived. A month ago I never would have thought I would have made it to this point without much pain. The last year has been one of great difficulty for me. Here is a quick summary of my year.

2 weeks after the Memphis St. Jude Marathon last year, I got out to do a 4 mile run. After less than a mile I had to stop. My knee was in so much pain, I couldn't run another step. After a couple of months my knee did not get better so I went to several weeks of physical therapy. While this helped, I was still unable to run farther than 5 miles without pain. I had a couple of cortizone injections in my knee which freed me up to run a half marathon in April. However in June I ran a 10 mile race and the next day was unable to walk due to the pain. I began wondering if I would ever be able to run a marathon again.

I had not run more than 13 miles in almost a year and then during the end of October I decided I was going to try to run 18 miles. I had a new knee brace and was going to run as long as I could. I never really thought I could have done the full 18. However mile after mile I got more confidence. While my knee ached, it never really got any worse. After almost 3 hours, I finished my run and knew my hopes for running the Memphis St. Jude Marathon were alive once again. Since then I have run 20 miles and several other long runs to help me gain the confidence for this great marathon. As this month ends, I will have run almost 130 miles for the month.

So here I am the week of the marathon, feeling so blessed and so inspired. Pending some unforseable event, I am 6 days away from standing at the starting line for the children of St. Jude. Unlike the last marathon, I feel like this one is a complete gift. One God has enabled me to attempt as I really have no reason as to why my knee has strengthened enough to allow this great run. But I do know on December 5th I will run down the streets of Memphis once again for more than 4 hours. I will again be inspired by the famlies of the children of St. Jude who come out to encourage us as we "run with endurance a race that has been marked out before us." While this race is nothing compared to the great race we run as mentioned in Hebrews 12, the race on Saturday is so much more than a race.

To date 30 people have sponsored me this year as we have raised almost $1700 for St. Jude. We have raised $2,900 for a two year total. I am so thankful to everyone who has sponsored me and encouraged me. I will be blogging a good bit for the next week. Thanks for following along.

Last Double Digit Training Run and A Nice Video

2009-11-23T10:07:00.001-08:00

No more double digit runs until the marathon. Over the next couple of weeks I should be able to take my focus off of training and more on what I am running for.

Activity

Route:	--	Elev. Avg:	0 ft
Location:	Spring Hill, TN	Elev. Gain:	+0 ft
Date:	11/22/09	Up/Downhill:	[+0/-0]
Time:	09:21 AM	Difficulty:	0 / 5.0

Weather:	Overcast
	52 F temp; 68% humidity
	52 F heat index; winds Calm

Performance

Distance:	12.00 miles
Time:	1:47:21
Speed:	6.7 mph
Pace:	8' 57 /mi
Calories:	1450

Map

Elevation (ft)

Pace (min/mile)

Splits

Mile	Pace (min/mile)		Speed (mph)		Elevation Gain
Mile	actual	+/- avg	actual	+/- avg	Elevation Gain
1	9' 05	+0' 08	6.6	-0.1	-- ft
2	9' 07	+0' 10	6.6	-0.1	-- ft
3	9' 02	+0' 05	6.6	-0.1	-- ft
4	8' 59	+0' 02	6.7	-0.0	-- ft
5	8' 56	-0' 01	6.7	+0.0	-- ft
6	8' 59	+0' 02	6.7	-0.0	-- ft
7	9' 00	+0' 03	6.7	-0.0	-- ft
8	8' 55	-0' 02	6.7	+0.0	-- ft
9	9' 02	+0' 05	6.6	-0.1	-- ft
10	9' 12	+0' 15	6.5	-0.2	-- ft
11	8' 46	-0' 11	6.8	+0.1	-- ft
end	8' 22	-0' 35	7.2	+0.5	-- ft
Versus average of 8' 57 min/mile

Posted from www.bimactive.com

20 Miles

2009-11-15T06:52:00.000-08:00

Dear 20 mile run,

It has been a year since we last met.

You are as annoying and ugly as I remember you.

It is no wonder you have no friends.

Frankly, I hate you.

After multiple injuries and setbacks, I wasn't confident that I would be physically able to meet you at all this week. However Friday morning I laced up my shoes and decided to meet you head on. I ignored my knee soreness and my hamstring tightness and decided if I was not going to run 20 miles, it would not be because I didn't try. I almost threw up a couple of times during the run. But 3 hours, 21 minutes, and 9 seconds later, I overcame you again. Not only did I overcome you but this time, although undertrained, I met your challenege without stopping.

Last year I had to stop at mile 18 during my training on a flat course. This time I took on you and your ugly, repgunant self with hills. During the marathon last year I had to stop at mile 14. This year I finished your challenge without relenting.

I'll see you again in three weeks for my second marathon.

I'll remember to wave as I pass by.

Noah Biorkman

2009-11-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine brought my attention to a story of a 5 year old boy who is dying of cancer. The story is very sweet and very sad. His name is Noah Biorkman. It appears the doctor's have told his family he won't make it until Christmas. His family went out and bought Christmas presents and are celebrating Christmas this weekend. Can you imagine being this family and how difficult this must be for them? I know I can't.

Noah was asked what he wanted for Christmas and he said he wanted a bunch of Christmas cards. That is all the kid wants for what is likely his last Christmas. I am copying a link of a website below that gives a little more detail. Please make sure you click on the link for the video too.

You can mail the card to him at 1141 Fountain View Circle, South Lyon, MI 48178. I bought my card today. If you decide to send him a card, please shoot me an email and let me know. I am just curious how many people might do this.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/11/thousands_send_early_christmas.html

Also thanks again for all of your support. We have raised over $1,500 for St. Jude. This is truly remarkable and makes more of a difference than probably any of us will know.

That Just Happened!

2009-11-01T13:11:00.001-08:00

Since the Memphis Marathon last December, I have run just 1 run of 13.1 miles. All the rest have been lesser runs and many filled with pain and disappointment. Due to other setbacks, some running related and some not, I have missed the following long runs over the past several weeks:

13 miles
10 miles
15 miles
16 miles
12 miles

This was not something I planned and certainly nothing I wanted. I never could have anticipated the struggle I would have after last year's marathon. Today I was faced with the realization that I had to try to ignore several missed training weeks and long runs if I was going to catch up in this training. My longest training run has been 12 miles and I have not run longer than this distance since April. Today I had no choice. I had to try an 18 mile run.

2 hours, 55 minutes and 49 seconds later, I finished. No stops, no pain (other than pain associated with running 18 miles!) My watch counts down from 18 miles to 0. Once I got down to 4.90 I started getting really excited. I watched it tick down to 4.89 which meant I had just passed the distance of a half marathon which was the longest I had run in 11 months! As my watch finally hit 0, I was speechless. Not only was I able to run the second longest run of my training plan (only 1 20 mile run is left in 2 weeks) but I did it with relative ease. It was also the longest run I have EVER run without having to stop and walk during the process.

So for the first time since this training started, I feel the marathon is within reach. I have confidence that maybe.. just maybe.. I can do this again. More important than my ability to cross a finish line is the money raised for St. Jude. At $1,260 I have already had more people and more money donated in my name than all of last year. Not only do I want to do this for myself but more importantly for the children of St. Jude. I want to do this for the hope that one day I'll have to find another cause because this one has ended due to a cure. I also want to find the finish line for the people who have given sacrificially for this cause and placed their trust in me to be able to finish this race.

While I don't know what the next month will bring, my plan is to again stand at the starting line and look back over the course of my training. No one knows what might happen during a marathon but it is a wonderful feeling to stand at the starting line and know you have prepared for this race. I anticipate standing at this line and thinking back to today. After 10 months of disappointments and injury, today may be the day I got my confidence back and perhaps my sense of excitement.

As I was in the middle of my near 3 hour run today, I remember thinking that the marathon doesn't start the day of the race. The marathon starts several weeks before when the training gets hard and the runner gains the confidence that running 26.2 miles is fading out as a dream and fading in as a possible reality.

For me I think it started today.

Joe P. Rally Run

2009-10-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

I've been looking forward to this race the first moment it was announced. It was the Joe P. Rally Run in memory of Joseph Peabody who died of cancer last year at 4 years old. You can see my prior post for more details about his story. It is always fun to run for a cause, especially one that seems so personal. The race had a great turnout of about 160 runners which is amazing for an inaugural race. It was windy, cold and wet but it didn't matter to any of us there. Ok that's a lie. The weather did matter to us a lot but it wasn't going to stop us from running for little Joseph.

On a personal level, I have not run a 5k in about 1/2 a year and I was battling a hamstring issue I stupidly picked up earlier this week. As always in 5k's, I went out way too fast. I do this every time. Inevitably I let the adrenaline get the best of me and I run like crazy the first 3/4 mile and then try not to throw up the last 2+ miles. A friend of mine told me he was going to try to run with me for a while if I was going to be running about 7:30 per mile pace. I told him that was my goal. Near the first mile I was around a 6:50 mile pace and my friend was nowhere to be found.

During the run I had to run through many pot holes that I didn't know were pot holes until my foot found them. I kept pushing with all my ability in the cold, wet and windy weather. I believe I was in about 7th place the whole race. I kept looking behind me and no one was near me. I was really excited to be competing in the top 10 (even if a lot of the runners were walking).

I successfully finished the race without throwing up which may have been my greatest accomplishment of this morning. Although the results aren't out yet, I believe I finished in 7th place out of 160 with a 23:09 time (7:25 pace I think). Although I always hate 5k's while I am running in them, this day reminded me how much I enjoy the whole experience. There is something fun about laying on the ground after a finish knowing you gave your all.

This race, I ran for Joe P and his parents. They are truly an inspiration to so many. $23,400 was raised this year in Joseph's honor. This was a remarkable amount... one Joseph truly deserves.

Running for Joe P.

2009-10-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I'd be running now if it weren't for Joseph Peabody.

I started following Joe over a year ago through the blog of his parents at http://prayforjoseph.com.blogspot.com. Joseph was diagnosed with cancer around his third birthday. I followed his amazing story as told by his parents. Through the duration of his struggle, he had good days and bad days. His life encouraged me to start raising money for St. Jude as I trained for my first marathon in Memphis. Over the past 2 years I have raised $2,190 for St. Jude.

Without Joseph I would not have raised a dime.

Before Joseph, the Memphis St. Jude Marathon was just a marathon. After following him it became a passion much greater than 26.2 miles. I have long term goals for my "running career" as well as for fundraising. One day I hope I can see the time where I have raised a total of $10,000 for St. Jude. If that day comes it will all be because of him.

The scope of people he has impacted is truly immeasurable. I noticed just how far his influence had spread when someone from another city told me they knew of his story too. His story came to a tragic end on August 21 of last year. It was the day after his fourth birthday.

This Saturday is the inaugural Joe P. Ralley Run 5K. I am so excited to be able to participate in this event. I consider it such a privilege to run in this kid's honor. In his memory, the race has already raised $16,474 for childhood cancer research.

The weather is calling for heavy rain on Saturday morning. Something tells me that won't deter one person that signed up for this race. This will be the first 5k I have run in several months. I still have nagging injuries and many excuses to take it easy in a 3.1 mile race.. if run it at all. However Joseph has taught a lot of people about what it means to fight and to give your all.

In honor of Joseph I plan to do just that.

Putting a Face with the Cause

2009-10-14T13:49:00.001-07:00

I guess one of the things that helped me become so passionate about St. Jude was following the life of a little boy named Joseph. His parent's blogged and continue to blog about his life and unfortunate death to childhood cancer. His story inspired me immeasurably. Once you can place a face with a cause it makes it so much more real. In many ways Joseph's story is similar to Ben's that is in the video below.

There are two things that strike me from this video. One is the tremendous effort by St. Jude and how important they are in this fight against cancer. The other thing that strikes me is still how far we have to go to cure childhood cancer.

This video also inspires and encourages me in knowing that my efforts are so much more than trying to run some stupid race for some stupid medal that I will inevitably lose before I get home. With my efforts and the efforts of my sponsors, very real strides are being made to make this world a better place for so many children. So every day I run, I lace up my shoes and think of these children. I hope that more parents will be able to hold on to their children, more smiles like Ben's will not fade, and more beautiful little lives are not cut short. I believe when I start running distances up to 20 miles in training, it is the thought of who I am running for that tells me not to quit.

In the last half century the most common form of childhood cancer has gone from a survival rate of 4% to 94%. Can you imagine what another 50 years can bring? With the effort of so many who give to St. Jude, there are no limits to what might be achieved.

Hopefully more and more stories like Ben can actually have happy endings.

I am running for such dreams.

First Long Training Run of 2009

2009-10-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Today I had surgery. Nothing serious but something that will not allow me to run for two weeks. As a result I chose to make yesterday my long run so I would only miss one long run. Last week was great. It was my first serious attempt to test my weak right knee and I finished 12 miles feeling like I could have run more. I was so elated. Yesterday however, was a different story completely.

It didn't help the temperature was 84 degrees. I felt good at first and ran my first two miles way too fast. Then the heat started to get to me. At miles 6, I quit. My heart was racing and I couldn't find the strength to go any farther so I quit. I saw no benefit continuing given my physical exhaustion. Regards to my goals for the day I failed greatly.

This is part of a much bigger story. All of my great days and substantial failures make up my path to the starting line. I try to sit back and put this into perspective. Yesterday I couldn't run even 1/4 of a marathon!! Once I am cleared to run again I will be only 6 weeks away from this 26.2 mile run. However I know on December 5, somehow I will push my body and "finish the course."

Somehow I will shake off all of my doubts and tears and tell myself I can do something truly amazing. In 8 weeks I will look back on my run yesterday with a medal in hand and smile. I will be a marathon finisher one more time. Frankly I have to. I cannot allow myself to quit.

If the children at St Jude don't quit that neither can I.

57 days left until the starting line.

Livestrong

2009-10-07T14:50:00.001-07:00

This is a great song I heard from the band Wide Awake that is now on my training playlist. Pretty good song for training for the Memphis St. Jude Marathon. If this doesn't inspire me I am not sure what will.

Livestrong

I heard the news today.
It came out of nowhere.
I wish I could run away,
but where would I go?
Is this my destiny?
Something so unfair...
What will become of me?
God only knows.

And they say the road to heaven might lead us back through hell.
Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow,
we will win this fight and bury this sorrow.
We're so alive, still holding on, not ready to die,
so we LIVESTRONG.

My pride is left for dead,
as my world gets shaken.
The thoughts inside my head
are so hard to control.
I am staring down the unknown,
but one thing is certain.
You could break my body,
but you will never break my soul.

And they say the road to heaven might leads us back through hell,
but we're holding on for more than stories to tell.
Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow,
we will win this fight and bury this sorrow.
We're so alive, still holding on, not ready to die,
so we LIVESTRONG.

First Long Training Run of 2009

2009-10-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

So I woke up on Saturday trying to do my longest run in half a year. I was 100% positive my knee was going to give me pain as it has been bothering me in some form since the Memphis Marathon last December. The longest I have been able to run without pain over the last year had been 8 miles. It has been a frustrating year to say the least however my goal was to get well by the Memphis Marathon this year and that is what has driven me and helped me not to lose hope.

So I started running and instantly I felt the very mild ache in my right knee but after mile one it went away. I kept waiting for it to come back and haunt me especially in the later miles. 12 miles, 1 hour, 53 minutes and 40 seconds later, I had finished with no knee pain. No one was around so I raised my hands pretending to be somewhat awesome. I was so encouraged as this was almost half a marathon with no pain.

What I remembered on Saturday was how much I missed training. There is something about long distance training that is so dreadful and so desiring all at the same time. I remembered how much I missed this process of giving my all for this marathon and the children of St. Jude. I remember running down the streets and wearing my St. Jude singlet and knowing I was not there by accident.

So I am cautiously optimistic that my knee will hold up. The road of training is long. The 4 hour marathon is a blink of an eye. I train for months in order, for one moment, to fulfill my fundraising promise by running and fighting for the children of St. Jude. Those 4 hours and 34 minutes last year including me stopping and grabbing light post to stretch. It included me stopping in a port a potty just to rest and not let others see my pain. However it resulted in me doing something I am not always the best at doing.. being selfless and fighting for something worth fighting for.

Thanks to everyone who has already sponsored me for this cause. I am overwhelmed by the generosity and sacrifice of so many. I am getting ready to go run 5 miles. Apparently for the first time in a long time, my courtship with training has begun. I hope she'll treat me well.

Starting My Fundraising Campaign

2009-09-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

I feel guilty.

I hate asking people to give money. I know what is it like sitting on the other end of a fund raising campaign and wishing I had money to give but knowing there is no way I could give a substantial amount of money for several different people. I would certainly give less but I don't want the donation to appear insulting so I don't give. Well I am trying something a little different this year and I am excited to see how this might work.

My goal is to ask over 200 people if they would be willing to give $5 each to support me as I run the Memphis St. Jude Marathon on December 5. My goal is to raise $1,000 for the St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. I tried to think of an amount that would not be perceived as being burdensome and had the potential to be quite substantial if enough people felt compelled to give $5.

My prayer is that an amount, equivalent to sacrificing two soft drinks at a restaurant, would help make a substantial difference in the lives of children who are fighting for their lives. In a world where we are constantly reminded of the rising burden of health care costs, St. Jude refuses to ever turn away a child based on their inability to pay. Because of this the hospital relies on donations from people all over the world. The donations come in many forms including giving money to a short fat guy trying to run a marathon.

I know there are some that don't feel like they can give or have other causes they are giving to and that is fine. Please follow my blog and pray for my training and fund raising campaign. My goal is not to make anyone feel "obligated" to give. I am sure there are some that will give more than $5 and some that can't give at all. However my desire is to raise awareness and hopefully find enough people who have similar convictions and resources to contribute to this great cause.

If you have $5 and would like to sponsor me as I raise awareness for St. Jude, I would be honored for you to donate in my name. You can click on the banner near the top of this page to give your donation.

Time to go. Fat man needs to start training.

Continuing On

2009-08-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

It's kind of hard to train for a marathon, not to mention making time for blog post, with a 1 month old baby. Fortunately I am able to take my 2 1/2 year old to the gym's day care while I train almost completely for a marathon on a treadmill. I have run approximately 40 miles over the last few weeks and I haven't had much knee pain. I have been told by an orthopedic that to prevent any future inflammation in my knee (see previous posts to see my year long struggle), I will need to do strength training. So along with my marathon training, I will be doing lower body strength training for the next several weeks. Evidently I find that my quads are weaker than they should be and that may be contributing to the muscle imbalance that is causing my pain. I discovered my weakness after discussing the ratio of weight I can lift with my quads vs. my hamstrings. Although it should have been a sign after sitting down on the quad machine after teenage girls and having to reduce the weight. (This actually is not a joke. However After running 6 miles and doing squats I guess I earned the right to get out lifted by a girl. At least I can justify it this way).

I have also put on about 7 pounds over the last year due to my forced inactivity and love for ice cream. I hope to be lighter by this next marathon and hopefully that will reduce some stress on my joints and make me faster. I have decided to substitute a lot of my fattening meals with smoothies. I bought a book called "The Ultimate Smoothie Book" that has a lot of good recipes and unlike most books, it has all of the specifications i.e calories, fat, protein which most books don't have. I think for running long distances these may be great drinks as they have plenty of carbs and aren't too fattening.

I am holding off raising support for the next month or so. I figure when I start running in double digit mile territory, I will have a better grasp on whether or not my right knee will be able endure the marathon. The last thing I want to do is raise support and then be a no show for the race.

Go Time

2009-08-14T15:01:00.001-07:00

I sit here typing and I am so excited. After 1/2 year of injuries and setbacks I am back to attempt my second marathon in relatively good health. I think I may be more excited than my first marathon as now I know the challenge that lies before me. I know the challenge is great. I know that no matter how hard I try, my body will likely break down both during training and most definitely during the marathon. However I look forward to the moment again where I know I can't go any farther and I find a way to dig deep and I embrace the self-discovery that I, with God's strength, can conquer something so physically remarkable.

For the last 8 months I have sat in my office and stared and the only medal that means anything to me. It is simple in its design but it symbolizes 26.2 horrific miles. It not only symbolizes the journey but it is a representation of the miles I was able to conquer. It represents the over $1000 that was donated by people inspired and motivated enough to sacrifice financially for St. Jude. To say I am excited about the Memphis St Jude Marathon on December 5 would be a gross understatement. I am excited to see who might be willing to give support, both financial and / or emotional. I am excited about the person I feel this training enables me to become. As I run for the children of St. Jude who are fighting for their lives, my pain and struggle in training invites me to be a part of their lives which are so much more significant and inspiring than mine.

I remember the tour I received of St. Jude the day before my race last year. A child wrote a poem that was placed on the wall for all to see. The title was "Cancer Will Not Defeat Me." If only I can have a portion of this courage as I begin both physical training and financial support for these young children.

I'll need it starting Monday when my training begins. I am excited about blogging again. Thanks for following along.

RC Cola / Moon PIe 10 Mile Race

2009-06-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

I quit football in junior high because it was too hot. I thought I had properly sheltered myself from overexerting myself in overwhelming heat. For the last 16 years this has been successful.

Then today happened.

The RC Cola Moon Pie 10 Mile race is held in Bell Buckle, TN. It is a little country town with one restaurant that celebrates the heritage of the RC Cola and Moon Pie. I woke up this morning at 5am and headed out to this country town trying to beat my time of 1:27 (8:48) pace from last year. However I knew this was not likely due to the heat and due to still being a little sluggish after an injury that sidelined me the first 4 months of the year.

The race started at 80 degrees (according to my car temperature gauge) and the first 2 miles were directly into the sun with no breeze. At mile one I was already seeing people turn around and heading back to the start. I have never seen a race where so many people were aborting a race especially at mile one! At mile 2 I felt ok but I knew it was about to get bad. I started seeing runners that were wearing previous marathon running shirts starting to walk. I was already getting exhausted due to the heat but I was able to force myself on.

After running by some cows that kindly mooed at me (I assume it was an encouraging moo but I don't speak cow), I came to mile 4. Mile 4 has the biggest hill I have ever seen on a race course. It is a 200 foot ascent in 1/4 mile. I guess that is like 15 - 20 stories? I remember last year being one of the only people around that didn't walk this and while I remember being way more exhausted for this race, I wanted to try it again. This time I looked ahead and counted. There were probably 75 people in front of me and only one was running it other than me. I am not sure how I made it but somehow my ascent up Bell Buckle's Everest was successful. I was completely exhausted and now only had 6 miles to go.

People continued to stop and walk all around me. At mile 7 it was my turn to stop. I was frustrated because I have never stopped in a race shorter than a half marathon. I tried to not be too frustrated. I had never run this long in this type of heat and my goal was simply to finish this race. I felt myself getting dehydrated and nauseous. I gave myself one minute to walk and then I started running again. I told myself I couldn't stop again until I ran 3/4 a mile. However once I got there I was finally in some shade and decided I could go a little farther and then a little farther and then a little farther. I kept thinking of that finish line and how wonderful it would be to cross. I never thought about stopping again.

Finishing on a dead sprint I raised my hands in relief that I had finished this horrific challenge. I finished approximately 8 minutes slower than the same race last year. However I didn't care. It took much more inward strength to finish this race and the accomplishment was so much greater.

I have never run in a race where I have not thought in the middle of my run how stupid I was for signing up. There has always been a time in every race where the pain has been too great and a battle has been waged in my mind whether it is really worth the fight. If you are a runner, isn't this the greatest part of the race? It's the part where you silence all inward critics and you tell yourself you are going to finish the race no matter what it takes. If you have to crawl the last mile, you will be a finisher. I cried at the end of my first an only marathon as this feeling was only multiplied.

Well I crossed the finish line unofficially at 1:35.36. After a bottle of Gatorade and a chicken sandwich I went straight to the car. The car said it was 93 degrees.

And to think I quit football.

Memphis St. Jude Marathon Year 2

2009-05-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

Well it's official. I paid my entry free a couple of weeks ago for the Memphis St. Jude Marathon which means marathon training starts on August 1. Conveniently (note sarcasm) this is the week my second child is supposed to be born. Perhaps my toughest obstacle may not be the marathon. I think I see a lot more 5 am runs in my future.

Over the last 5 months I have continued to reflect on the amazing experience of the Memphis St. Jude Marathon. You can read my prior post for examples but it was a life changing experience for me. As if I wasn't motivated enough to run my first marathon, I was able to see the hospital and the children fighting for their lives the day before the race. Perhaps I was a little too motivated as I did not sleep the night before the marathon.

While I started the marathon training simply to get in shape and take control over my life, I soon began following the story of a boy named Joseph who was the nephew of one of my friends. His story and his fight was so inspiring. He lost his battle with cancer before the marathon. His story convinced me I needed to do more than just run a race for myself so I decided to raise support. I was overwhelmed that so many people wanted to sponsor me and contribute to this cause. I crossed the finish line completely exhausted, injured and having raised $1,200.

For the subsequent 4 1/2 months I had an it-band injury as a result of the marathon that required visits to my medical doctor, physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon for injections. I have learned some valuable lessons about stretching and injury prevention and I have been injury free for the last 1 1/2 months and started racing again.

The purpose of my blog is simple. My goal is to raise awareness for St. Jude and the children and families that face the horror of fighting cancer. For the next 6 months I will share with you my training, my goals, my thoughts and my races. Everything I do running, while enjoyable, is for a greater cause as it is to get me prepared for the Memphis Marathon. Even the RC Cola / Moon Pie 10 mile race next month will be relevant. The free moon pies after the race will just be an added bonus.

So I welcome all of you to year 2 of my blog. I pray, with God's grace, that this will be another journey that will be exciting, injury free and full of purpose. Whether or not you will be sponsoring me financially, praying for me or just enjoying the ride, I hope it will be a fun couple of months.

3 1/2 weeks to the moon pies. I think I am going for a run.

My First Marathon

2009-01-26T17:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog. The purpose of this blog is to update my progress each fall as I train for the Memphis St. Jude Marathon. My first marathon was December 6, 2008. This was the Memphis St. Jude Marathon which benefited St. Jude children's hospital. I was blessed to be able to have raised $1,200 to fight childhood cancer. Below is an account of the race that changed my life.

Physically I felt like my first marathon was a disaster. I was so excited I did not sleep the entire night before. I posted on my blog at around 3am because I had nothing better to do. So I showed up to the race completely exhausted and I had 26.2 miles to go before I could even think about sleeping.

My goal time was to break 4 hours. Given the fact I had run a sub 1:50 half marathon before, I thought this to be an attainable goal. They say pride comes before I fall. Well I fell.

I started out with the pace group of 8:50 per mile. Their goal was to get me to the finish line at this pace. If I stayed with them my finishing time would have been 3 hours and 50 minutes. After 4 miles I was with this group and we were at an 8:33 pace. I could not believe what they were doing. "Is this that difficult, I asked?" Watches have been around for several centuries. Certainly they could read their pace times on the sign they were holding up. Whatever the case, my relationship with 8:50 pace group faded over the horizon.

At mile 6.2 I crossed the timing mat at 54:56 at an 8:50 pace. I felt pretty good especially given the physical exhaustion. All of my friends and family were texted this time with a projected finish time of 3:51.56.

At mile 7 I passed my friends house where my lovely wife was holding up a sign saying, "Run Dando Run" which is the title of this blog. It was so great to see her, my mom and some friends. The race day temperature had "warmed up" to about 34 degrees and I was feeling good so I took off my gloves and fleece and threw them in the yard. Boy do I wish I could have a do-over on that decision.

At around mile 8 we turned around and headed back towards downtown Memphis through the Elvis impersonators and rock bands. What I didn't realize was that once we headed back towards downtown there was a heavy wind blowing right in my face. I was freezing. I was afraid I was going to get hypothermia.

At mile 13 there was a fork in the road. The half marathoners went to the right for their finish and the full marathoners stayed to the left for another happy 13+ miles. As soon as we got through the fork I felt an overwhelming since of pride. The heavy crowd was gone and there was about 20% of the traffic there was before the half marathoners left. I said to myself, "the marathon is now starting." At this point I was already exhausted and my time had faded to a 2:01 13.1 mile pace. My sub 4 dream was gone. There was no way I could muster the energy to have a negative split at this point.

We ran up the famous Beale street with cobblestones and again I saw my family. At mile 14 the unthinkable happened in my world...

I stopped.

Never in my training had I stopped except for my longest run of 20 miles and that was just for a couple of seconds to regather myself. I stopped and put my hands on my head and wanted this to be over so badly. My leg muscles were tightening and in pain and I was exhausted. I kept thinking that it was freezing cold and I was starting to cramp and I had 11.2 miles left to go. How was this going to be possible? Well I started running again and before mile 15 I had to grab a light pole to stretch my calves. I was in too much pain. I knew I was running for more than just myself. I was running for sponsors who had sponsored me for St. Jude Children's Hospital and we raised over $1100. I was running for the children of St. Jude who had a fight much greater than mine. I continued onward knowing if I were to finish this would be the greatest physical accomplishment of my life. About 4 times a mile I would have grab a pole and stretch my calves. I had to run for around .3 miles and then walk for .1 miles a lot of the rest of the way.

At mile 20 I came across at 3:22 (20 minutes slower than my 20 miler 2 weeks ago). Continuing to fight cramps the entire way I kept pressing onward. My goal of beating 4 hours was gone but more importantly I had a new goal and this one was much more special. I learned at this moment that I had not respected the demands of a marathon. I was thrown into an environment that was pure torture and I was going to finish the race. In my previous post I talked about the fight the children of St. Jude go through and this was my turn to fight for them.

It wouldn't have been more real to me if music, as in a movie, started as a warrior obtains his identity in a defining moment. This was my fight. I came to the conclusion If I had to crawl the last 6.2 miles with blood all over my legs, I was going to finish this marathon. I believed in these children, I believed in St. Jude and I believed in myself. I had been so inspired by the child who wrote "Cancer will not defeat me," I took this as inspiration knowing I would not be defeated by this marathon. I would not quit. I would be a marathoner.

By raising a certain amount of money I was able to wear a purple singlet that said "St Jude Hero." All along the race and especially near the end people would yell at me and say "Great Job hero, keep it up." Throughout the course people held pictures up of their children who were fighting cancer and who had already died. As I struggled desperately to finish I got to mile 25 and a lady was holding up a picture of her son Jake that had died. I was stumbling and probably running a 12 minute per mile pace or worse. She was crying and said, "thank you so much for what you are doing." After all the physical and emotional pain, I could not say anything. I just cried back at her and gave her a thumbs up. I was almost there.. and "WE" were winning.

The people who supported me were winning!

The spectators were winning!

The children with cancer were winning!

Their families were winning!

I was winning!

Somewhere near the end there was a guy who might have been homeless standing on the side of the road. As I slowly ran by he yelled, "we are one step closer to a cure."

Could any words have been more true?

We exited Danny Thomas Blvd by running up a steep incline and then I saw it. The stadium was there. It was at the end of a very nice downward hill. I was about 1/3 mile to the finish and there was no way I was stopping. My race was going to be over. I gave everything I had going downhill. I entered the stadium and the finish line was about 100 yards way. I took off on a sprint that I didn't know I had left. I probably ran a 7 minute mile pace once entering the stadium. As I ran in the stadium, I passed the only 2 people that were running in the stadium at that time, I could hear the crowd cheer. I heard one person yell, "look at that kick" and another one yell "finish strong." It was amazing.

I finished in 4:34.18.

There were a lot of winners on this day. For those of you who sponsored me financially or encouraged me along the way it has been an experience I will treasure for a lifetime. I appreciate everyone who has been involved in this amazing journey. My marathon was complete torture.. and also a perfect dream. So much was accomplished for me personally as well as for the children of St. Jude.

For those of you who were involved on my team, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is because of you my run was so much more than just a marathon. I have my calendar marked for December 5, 2009. Maybe we could do this again next year?

I'd like to take one more step towards that cure.