Cancer's Beantown Beatdown: 2012 Boston Marathon

My Body

2012-01-08T06:48:00.001-06:00

While I'm not exactly blessed with the "gift of gab", it's hard to believe I haven't blogged in over a year. So much has happened since then. Let me catch you up on what has been a wild ride.

DFMC 2011

My involvement with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) 2011 charity team began with the chaotic madness of race registration on October 18, 2010, when I was fortunate to circumnavigate a technical glitch in BAA's system to successfully sign up as a qualifier. The resulting backlash from this glitch turned ugly, with so many of the qualifiers shut out of registration misguidedly attacking the BAA Charity Program as one of the main reasons they were left on the sidelines. I found it rather unfortunate these people couldn't comprehend the importance of the program or even see it as a means to gain entry into a race they felt they were entitled to be a part of, instead standing on "principle" they would never run Boston if they couldn't gain entry as a qualifier but, despite trying, I soon learned it was pointless to attempt to sway opinion on such a polarized issue. I quickly moved on.

A few days later, October 22 to be exact, I received confirmation of my acceptance to the 2011 DFMC team. I looked forward to being a part of this group for the second straight year and running in memory or honor of family members and friends who had previously battled cancer or were still in the fight. Unfortunately, the list had grown from the prior year by virtue of my mom being diagnosed with endometrial cancer in July.

Having just run the Columbus Marathon on October 17, I was already in race shape but, as I was working my way back from hernia surgery in early May and wanted to perform at Boston to the best of my ability, I continued in earnest to pound my body into better shape. I completed two more long-distance races before year-end, the inaugural Taterbug 30 Ultramarathon (a 30-mile race, as its name implies) in early November and the St. Jude Memphis Marathon (running as a St. Jude Hero) in early December, before embarking on my official training for Boston.

As my training progressed, so too did my mom's regimen of chemo and radiation. Her battle only provided me with further resolve to train hard and run the best Boston possible. I upped the intensity of my workouts, as well as my running mileage, as January drew to a close. I was feeling good and gaining confidence that a personal best was in store come April 18.

My mom finally completed her treatment on February 15, a cause for major celebration! Unfortunately, the celebration was extremely short-lived, as we learned that same day that my brother's brain cancer had recurred. (He had his first tumor removed in July of 2008.) With a heavy heart, I became further resolved to run my best race ever in honor of what my mom had just been through and what was soon to be in store for my brother, i.e., another surgery.

Somewhere along the way, I pushed my body too far. I had trained for a few weeks with pain in my lower right leg, assuming it was just one of those nagging little injuries that goes with the territory in training for a marathon. I would be in pain for the first few miles of a training run, and then the pain would gradually diminish, so I didn't think it was anything serious; however, as the pain continued to linger, I grew increasingly concerned and sought medical attention.

As it turned out, the news was not good. Roughly five weeks before race day, I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my right shin and advised by an orthopaedic specialist to cease all forms of weight-bearing activity. No running. No cycling. No fun. I was heartbroken, not because I couldn't run Boston -- that had been accomplished the year before -- but because I wanted to run in recognition of what my mom and brother had been through in their respective battles with cancer.

I moped around in the weeks that followed, struggling unsuccessfully to find an outlet for my running, anything to distract me from thinking about my lost opportunity. I just couldn't let go of the thought of running the marathon, no matter how much I tried. Ultimately, I made the decision to run and, while on a business trip to Thailand, roughly two weeks before race day, I resumed non-impact cardio workouts on the elliptical machine to at least maintain what cardiovascular fitness I had retained at that point. I knew there was no chance of my performing anywhere near my full capabilities, but that wasn't what it was about. I needed to be there for my mom, my brother and all the family members and friends whose battles/sacrifices I wanted to honor.

On race day, despite having a bib number that would allow me to start in the second of three waves of runners, I lined up alongside several of my fellow DFMC teammates in the third wave and had the honor of running the first several miles with them. As expected, the race was a struggle -- I got to roughly mile 19 before I had to resort to a mix of walking and running -- but what matters is that I crossed the finish line. My time was of absolutely no consequence. I had accomplished what I'd set out to do and, in the process, hopefully succeeded in honoring my loved ones.

My doctor never knew I had run the race -- it wasn't something I was willingly going to volunteer -- and eventually cleared me to resume weight-bearing activities in early June. I waited another three weeks before resuming, first starting with some spinning classes and then, in early July, getting back to running. The ramp-up was very slow but, ultimately, I got my weekly mileage to the point where I could train adequately enough to at least finish the Tupelo Marathon on Labor Day weekend. I was on the comeback trail and on my way to continuing pursuit of running a marathon in every state.

DFMC 2012

The application process for the DFMC 2012 team began the Friday before Labor Day, and I submitted my application just a few days later. I was very excited at the prospect of being selected to the team for the third straight year and, for the first time ever, hopefully running Boston at 100 percent. (I ran 2010 with a mild inguinal hernia.) Because of my injuries, I was not confident my Boston-qualifying time from the 2010 Columbus Marathon would allow me to gain entry as a qualified runner, given the BAA's new registration process that was enacted in response to the 2011 registration fiasco, but I had no hesitation about paying the higher entry fee to gain entry through the charity program. In my mind, the battle against cancer had to continue.

Fate took another negative twist just a few days later, when I saw the orthopaedic specialist concerning pain I was experiencing in my right hip. X-rays showed a significant loss of cartilage in the hip, and I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The doctor broke the bad news that, for all intents and purposes, I had no business running marathons. I was, needless to say, crushed ... but I took his advice, despite his cautioning that the prognosis wouldn't change, and sought a second opinion from a hip specialist in Indy. About two weeks prior to that visit, I received the expected news from the BAA that I didn't gain entry into the 2012 race as a qualifier, having missed the cut-off for my gender/age by a mere 21 seconds; however, three days later, I was accepted to the DFMC team. I held off on finalizing my commitment, pending what the specialist had to say.

As expected, the second opinion from the specialist confirmed the outlook/prognosis I received from the generalist just a few weeks earlier. I was told surgery could be performed to smooth out the rough parts of the bone and remove the torn cartilage, and that might buy me another year or two, but the doctor didn't recommend it, and I agreed it seemed rather iffy to go under the knife for a "might" and to forgo my plans for Boston 2012. I was not specifically instructed that I couldn't run, but it was made clear that continuing to do so would hasten the need for hip replacement surgery. I had some decisions to make.

In actuality, the decision was not a difficult one. I chose to move forward with plans to run with DFMC for one final year. It will be my "farewell tour", of sorts ... one last chance to run the race I love for the people I love ... to run again with my fellow teammates, some of the most dedicated, compassionate and hard-working people I know and love ... to close out my long-distance-running career (and perhaps my any-distance running career) on a positive note by dealing cancer one final blow.

... so here I am, coming to grips with the finality of what has been a tumultuous ride but one considered well worth it through my involvement with DFMC and the work they do to improve outcomes for cancer patients. Realistically, I know there will be no (Brett) Favre-like comeback for me. 2012 will be my swan song, at least from a running perspective. Thereafter, I will have to pursue other avenues of continuing my "mission" in the fight against cancer. I will succeed, of that I am confident.

Training will be a challenge. I won't be able to train according to traditional practice. Every run will be painful, and the lingering soreness and discomfort in my hip and groin will not only prevent me from running on back-to-back days in most cases but also result in many nights of restless sleep ... but, again, the end justifies the means. I am blessed to have this final opportunity, and I intend to relish every day in this journey, including even the worst of them. As the phrase in the title track of this post goes, "My body tells me 'no', but I won't quit 'cause I want more." I want more cancer patients to have happy outcomes and, for that, I will endure whatever I have to and run another "slow" marathon, if that's how things turn out because, in the long run, it's not important where you finish but that ultimately do finish.

If you're reading this, I greatly appreciate the investment in time you've made in getting to the end of what is, admittedly, a lengthy post. I ask you to make one more investment by supporting my final run at cancer by visiting http://rundfmc.org/2012/tonyb to make a financial donation, 100 percent of which goes to fund vital research that will save many lives.

Thanks!
Tony

"Title Track"

Runnin' Down a Dream ... Still

2010-12-29T08:56:00.001-06:00

I've used this track before in one of my blog posts, but it so appropriately captures what the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge is all about: imagining a world without cancer and taking action to make that dream a reality. I emphasize the phrase "taking action" because that's what's needed. We all have experienced the devastating effects of cancer, whether it be personally, through a family member, or among friends or co-workers. It's not enough to know this disease. It's not enough to hate it, even passionately so. We must band together to combat it head on, or it will continue to wreak havoc on far too many lives for decades to come. I've embraced this challenge and the very real personal financial commitment it entails (in the form of a mandatory fundraising minimum), and I hope you'll do the same. Please give today by visiting http://www.rundfmc.org/2011/tonyb and donating whatever amount you can. If you need to be convinced about the wonderful work the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute does through its Claudia Adams Barr Program (or if you simply want to learn more), I invite you to read about several program initiatives here. Personally, I find it very impressive, and it underscores my belief that Dana-Farber and its supporters are making a huge difference in the lives of millions of people.

This year, I won't be boring my readers with detailed accounts of my training. That's not to say I won't mention a particularly successful or challenging run on occasion, but I doubt my readers (most of them, anyway) are concerned about the miles I've run, the cross-training sessions I've done, or the calories I've burned in the process. That's not what this journey is all about. Suffice it to say I've been working very hard -- and I'll continue to do so -- through challenging circumstances that involve not only winter weather conditions but also a physical ailment that, if my suspicions are correct, will persist from now through race day on April 18. Regarding the latter, I'm not going to say much more until I have confirmation, but it's not remotely life-threatening.

I'll close by following through on a commitment I made in my last post. On April 18, 2011, I'll be running:

in memory of my late father-in-law who lost his battle with advanced brain cancer in April 2008;
in honor of my mom, diagnosed with endometreal cancer this past July and currently undergoing treatment;
in honor of my brother, a brain cancer survivor who has remained cancer-free since undergoing surgery in July 2008;
in honor of an aunt who is a breast cancer survivor;
in honor of a cousin who is a Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor;
in honor of a little boy named Jack who, at only four years of age, has battled and beaten Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) not only once but, incredibly, twice ... though he will continue to face challenges ahead.

I'll be wearing the photos and/or names of these loved ones on my race singlet, and I'll draw incredible inspiration from the courage and determination they've shown in their respective experiences with cancer. In every marathon I've ever run, there's been a point where I've hit "the wall" and found it difficult to push through the fatigue and pain that have built up over the distance run to that point. When that time comes -- and, inevitably, it will -- I'll need only consider what these people have endured to put things in perspective; if they can endure the extreme physical and mental consequences of chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery over extended periods of time in dealing with a life-threatening condition, I can certainly handle what, in comparison, amounts to mild discomfort for an hour or so.

Please "take up arms" and join me in the war on cancer. It's a cause well worth fighting for!

"Title Track"

Give a Little Bit

2010-11-25T07:26:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you're enjoying time with family and friends and giving thanks for the many rich blessings in your respective lives. It's early in the morning here and, per usual, I'm the only one up. Having much to do before the Thanksgiving festivities begin, I'll keep this brief.

I wanted to share a way we all, especially those of us who lead active lifestyles, can give back to charity. I'd like to introduce you all to the Plus 3 Network, a web site I've been using since late April. By registering with this site and recording your "workouts" -- more on that in a second -- you can earn "free money" for the charity of your choosing. There are many worthy causes from which to choose, including (but not limited to):

The Alzheimer's Association
The American Heart Association
The American Red Cross
The Conservation Alliance
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (via Team in Training)

It's not difficult to peruse the list and find at least one cause that resonates with you.

... so what constitutes a workout? Just about anything, really ... and it doesn't necessarily have to be what most would consider an "athletic" activity, such as cycling, running, etc. The list includes the likes of badminton, horseback riding, table tennis, walking, etc. There's even a catch-alls for "chores", which could mean just about anything ... and if you volunteer your time, there's even a category for that. In short, anyone can participate and make a difference!

Since I've been a member, I've raised over $200 for my charity. Granted, I'm more active than most people, but that's not the point. This is free money that generous companies have offered to give on your behalf. It costs you nothing but a few seconds per day to record your activity ... and if you use a GPS sports watch for your outdoor activities, such as walking, running or cycling, the data entry process is further simplified.

I have no idea how many people read this blog, but if you're out there, I hope you'll consider joining this site ... and, if you do, I'd love to hear from you there (or here, for that matter). You can find me on the Plus3 site here.

... and I'd be remiss if I didn't make an appeal for donations to Dana-Farber. If you're able to support my efforts in any way, even if you perceive it to be "a little", I'd greatly appreciate it ... and, through the end of this year, I'm matching 25 cents on the dollar (for the first $2000 in contributions), so that's further incentive to give now. Just click here to donate, and thanks in advance!

"Title Track"

Since I couldn't find what I felt was a good version of Supertramp's original, here's a decent cover version by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Thank You

2010-04-18T04:11:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that, in just over 24 hours, I'll be heading toward downtown Boston to catch a bus to the start of the 114th Boston Marathon in Hopkinton. It's all VERY real now ... so much so that I awoke at 2:30 AM (Eastern) today and have been awake ever since. I'm looking forward (with great anticipation, obviously) to meeting my fellow DFMC teammates later today and, of course, to the race tomorrow. I'm hoping to have a very successful run, improving on my 3:30:51.50 PR (in my only other marathon) by as much as 15 minutes.

I've trained very hard, harder than I've ever trained for anything in my life, to enhance the chances of success and, while I'm still a good 32 1/2 hours from crossing the finish line and finally being able to reflect on the entirety of my first "Boston experience", I want to pause now to give thanks. (Actually, I've been doing it all week on Facebook, so this is somewhat of a repeat for those who follow me there.)

I give thanks to God for blessing me with just enough running ability to have this opportunity and for keeping me healthy and relatively injury-free during my 21+ weeks of training. I would not be where I'm at without Him.
I thank my family for their love and support and, in the case of my immediate family, making sacrifices on the weekends (in the form of forgone family activities) to accommodate my Saturday long runs and Sunday recoveries.
I'm thankful for Hal Higdon, my virtual coach, and for Jack Fultz, DFMC training advisor. I'm grateful to these "trailblazers" for sharing their training programs, insights and advice, so novice (and late-blooming) runners like me have the opportunity to experience something as grand as The Boston Marathon.
I thank my awesome personal trainer, Diana Holland, for making me a little leaner and a whole lot meaner (and for making me do those darned chin-ups) and Drew Figas for his great advice and selfless and unwavering support. You've both played HUGE roles in making me better for Boston!!!
Thanks to everyone who has supported me (or will) along this journey. Whether it has been an occasional word or two of encouragement, just asking how things are going, or donating to my cause for cancer research, it's all VERY MUCH appreciated. I'm so grateful and blessed to have an overabundance of incredibly wonderful friends!
I thank my DFMC teammates, who embraced me as a friend without yet knowing me. Thanks also to the members of "DFMC West" (Southern Indiana Chapter): Drew Figas, Jeff Anderson, Joe Zhou, and Mike Galvin, for making those long Saturday morning runs the highlight of my running week. (Yes, Jeff, even with your jokes!)
Last, though certainly not least, I give thanks for all who have fought or are currently battling cancer. Their strength/courage is truly inspirational and the stuff REAL heroes are made of. Tomorrow, I run in memory of my father-in-law, Marvin, and in honor of my brother, Tim, my aunt, Shirley, my cousin, Lesa, and one very special little boy, Jack Bruce ... and I'm privileged to have the opportunity.

That's all for now. I need to head out shortly for my last pre-race run and then start loading up on carbs before heading downtown for an eventful day. Fundraising is going fairly well, and I have a few new donors to thank, but I'll save that for a little later in the week.

"Title Track"

I couldn't find a good version of Led Zeppelin's original take on this song, but Tesla does a pretty good cover of it. Enjoy!

Amazing

2010-04-16T06:08:00.000-05:00

Just three days until Marathon Monday, and the significance of what is about to transpire is finally beginning to sink in. I awoke at 3:30 AM today, and the wheels in my brain immediately began turning to the point where there was no hope in getting back to sleep. Hopefully, I'll be able to grab a nap this afternoon. (I'm taking half a day to finish packing for my flight tomorrow morning.)

It's not so much the marathon itself that is dominating my thoughts. It's the DFMC Pasta Party on Sunday evening, where I'll finally have my first big opportunity (on a large scale, at least) to finally meet my teammates, many of whom I've corresponded with on Facebook and/or dailymile, that has my heart pounding. While we obviously have a lot in common, my heart is touched by how so many of my fellow runners/fundraisers have embraced me as a friend without ever having met me. It's one more reason I know I've aligned myself with a great group of people!

I don't need to wait to post this until after Sunday's festivities. I know they are going to be "amazing" ... and, quite possibly, a little tearful (in a good way)! Like Steven Tyler says, "Life's a journey, not a destination.", and this has been, and will forever be, an incredible thrill ride!

"Title Track"

Look Where We Are

2010-04-12T19:22:00.000-05:00

I'll keep this post brief, mainly because I'm embracing the taper and am enjoying the additional time for other pursuits. It's hard to believe that Boston is only one week away! I'm virtually there already ... well, at least in terms of my running mileage. :) I ended yesterday at 921.9 accumulated training miles, which is enough to cover the 921.5 miles from Evansville to Boston.

Training Recap

While this past week's training mileage was slightly higher than last week's, it was at lower intensity. Here's a quick recap:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a long run of 8 miles -- it seems strange to refer to it as a "long run" -- one 6-mile run, one 4.4-mile recovery run, two 4-mile runs, and one set of five 0.45-mile hill repeats that, with warm-up, recoveries, and cool-down, totaled 7 miles	33.40	2,738
Other N/A	N/A	N/A
TOTALS:	33.40	2,738

I went to my doctor last Tuesday to have my lower abdominal issue checked out. The doctor's prognosis was that it's either "abdominal weakness" (whatever that is) or a mild hernia. Thankfully, I was not put on any restrictions from running. I am not scheduled to see a general surgeon for further evaluation until April 26. I don't know how this will affect my race next week but, first and foremost, I'm very thankful I'm still going to be running it. The injured area has been feeling a little better of late, likely due to the reduction in training duration and intensity, but I don't know how it will react to 26.2 miles of pounding. What I do know, however, is that any pain it causes me will have to ultimately compete with sore knees and/or sore hips, so I'll just deal with whatever may come my way. The way I figure it, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Fundraising Update

My fundraising total has climbed to $3,075, thanks to contributions from Sarah Dalp, Karen Daniel (her second), Pat Stofleth, and Janet Sisson. Thank you all very much for your wonderful support!!! In addition to these fine folks, I made my second of four planned contributions, this one in honor of my brother Tim, who is kicking brain cancer's butt! I'm only $175 away from the fundraising minimum, hoping to get there before race day, and $5,000 is looking more and more achievable by the day, although it will likely be a stretch. If you can help this great cause, please click here!

That's all for now! I'm off to watch Without Limits on DVD before an early bedtime.

This Week's "Title Track"

Look Where We Are
A track by Hoobastank from the release Every Man for Himself

I still remember the time,
When this all felt like a dream. (Author's note: It still does!!!)
So completely out of reach.
Frustrating.

We kept our nose to the grind,
To make the days turn into weeks.
Hoping time will heal the pain,
Of waiting.

Now it seems so long ago.

Just look back on,
How far we've come.
We made it somehow.
Look where we are now.

All we've done,
Our battles won.
We made it somehow.
Look where we are now.

...

And the best is yet to come.
'cause our story isn't done.
No! No! No! No! No!

Break

2010-04-04T20:31:00.001-05:00

It's been two full weeks since I last posted, and I have a lot to report. For starters, I've logged another 93+ miles, bringing my mileage total to 888+. On my virtual as-the-crow-flies run to Boston, that puts me in North Grafton, Massachusetts (point "B" on the map to the right). If my training goes according to plan this week, I should be at or near the 921.5 miles needed to reach Boston.

The most exciting piece of news to report is that I've reached the taper period. There are only two weeks left to go, and it's time to cut back on the mileage and let my body heal and build strength. As you will read a little later, it couldn't come at a better time.

Training Recap

The week before last, Week 19, I executed my first-ever 22-mile training run, the longest non-competition run I've ever done. If you've been following my blog for a while, you may recall I had attempted this distance a couple weeks prior and bonked (i.e., ran out of energy) well before completing the distance. It felt good to be able to get that run under my belt. That week was also significant in that I logged 60 miles, making it my biggest week ever. Here's the full recap:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a long run of 22 miles, two 10-mile runs, one 5-mile Arc Trainer recovery, one 4-mile treadmill recovery, and seven 0.45-mile hill repeats that, with warm-up, recoveries, and cool-down, totaled 9 miles	60.00	4,888
Other one spinning class for 50 minutes	N/A	319
TOTALS:	60.00	5,207

This past week was officially the beginning of the taper period, but it didn't seem much like it. The week began just like any other "step back" week, with similar mileages and ended with an actual half-marathon race on Saturday. I made a few adjustments to get myself rested for the race, swapping the hill repeats that were on the agenda for Wednesday with next week's tempo run and then essentially taking two consecutive rest days, my normal Thursday off-day as well as Friday.

On Saturday, I participated in the IU Mini Marathon in Bloomington, Indiana. The main objective of this race was to gauge my running fitness to get an idea of what marathon pace I may be capable of running in a couple weeks. A couple weeks ago, I had done Yasso repeats in order to get a preliminary read, and they suggested that I could run a 3:10 marathon. At the time I wrote about this, I expressed skepticism that I could run an average 7:15 pace over 26.2 miles, given I had done an 8:03 on my last marathon. The equivalent half-marathon pace (95 percent of marathon pace) to a 7:15 marathon pace is 6:53. By contrast, my best (and only) half marathon pace was 7:38.

Going into Saturday's race, I was confident the increased intensity of my training had positioned me to run faster than before, but I was not ready to believe I could run 45 seconds faster per mile than I had done before. I set my sights on a more conservative 7:15, though hoping I could do closer to 7:10, thinking (correctly, it turns out) that it would put me in the top three in my age group. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. For starters, I did not sleep well at all the night before, which is what I get for being a tightwad and booking a cheap hotel. Secondly, the course was much more challenging terrain-wise than my prior half marathon, featuring a lot of hills. Thirdly, I had been experiencing some pain in my lower abdomen earlier in the week, and it continued into the race, worsening as time went on. Finally, at around the eight-mile mark, it started raining and the wind picked up, further increasing the degree of difficulty. Despite all that, I finished with a time of 1:35:45 for a 7:18 pace, finishing 67th out of a field of 791 finishers and 5th in my age group. All things considered, I'm pretty pleased with my performance.

A 7:18 half marathon pace translates to a 7:41 marathon pace, which is a far cry from the 7:15 the Yassos predicted. Given the circumstances on Saturday, I suspect my true ability lies somewhere in between the two extremes. Right now, I'm leaning toward targeting a 7:30 pace at Boston, which would translate to a time of 3:16:30, over 14 minutes faster than my last marathon. This target will be subject to adjustment, depending upon how well rested I am, weather conditions, and whether my abdominal issues clear up.

Below is the summary of the full week's activities: (NOTE: Calorie burn totals from the half marathon are not included, as I did not wear my heart rate monitor.)

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running five runs, including a half marathon (13.1 miles), one 8-mile run, one 5-mile Arc Trainer recovery, a 45-minute tempo run on the treadmill totaling 5.5 miles, and a 10-minute blast on the treadmill the day before the race to support a carbo-loading technique a friend shared with me. (Not included in the mileage total: a 3-mile recovery walk the day after the race.)	32.90	3,911+
Other not applicable	N/A	N/A
TOTALS:	32.90	3,911+

Now, I really feel like I'm at the taper! I'll log roughly the same number of miles this week as last, but they will be spread over six runs (as opposed to 4+) and at a somewhat lower intensity. The final week, the mileage from the prior week will be cut by more than half to 15(ish). I'm hoping this will allow my abdomen to heal up.

Fundraising Update
On the fundraising front, the intensity of the past two weeks has rivaled that of my training. I have a lot of people to thank for taking my total from $1,998.00 to $2,722.42, just $527.58 from the minimum fundraising requirement! A BIG THANKS to Paul Ferguson, Kellie Robbins, John Simms, Audra Brake, Becky Brake, Kim Kasenow, Vasanth Murugan, Jerri Ballard, and Brian Hunt!!! In addition to these folks, I made the first of four planned contributions, this one in memory of my late father-in-law, Marvin Lomas, who lost his battle with brain cancer two years ago yesterday.

I'm very pleased with how well things have gone recently, but I have a LONG way go to reach my goal of $5,000. I have a fundraising event idea in mind that I hope to finalize this week, but I'm still going to be heavily reliant upon individual contributions to get me where I want to be ... so if you haven't donated yet, please click here to take a stand against cancer!

This Week's "Title Track"

Break
A track by Three Days Grace from the release Life Starts Now

Back on the Road Again

2010-03-21T19:39:00.000-05:00

Another week of training is in the books, and only four weeks remain! I've logged just a little over 795 miles. On my "as the crow flies" virtual run to Boston, that puts me in Lakeville, Connecticut. (See point "B" on the map to the right.) I won't linger in "The Constitution State" for long. In fact, by this time next week, I'll be well East of Springfield, Massachusetts and preparing for a nice, steady push into Beantown the week before THE marathon.

Training Recap

After a difficult week of training last week, which necessitated some extra downtime in the form of cutting out cross-training this week, I feel like I'm back to full strength. If the past few non-recovery runs are any indication, I may be stronger than ever. Here are a few highlights from the past week:

Wednesday evening, my friend and running mate, Drew, and I took to the track for some 800-meter (1/2-mile) repeats. I hadn't previously taken my speed work to the track -- I'd done 800 repeats before but out on the open road -- so this was a new experience for me. Drew had previously suggested my doing Yasso repeats, which is ten 800-meter repeats, to provide a guide in estimating my marathon pace. I ended up doing eight repetitions, averaging 3:03 per 800. My "newbness" showed on the first two, which I did entirely too fast (2:50 and 2:55, respectively), but Drew got me straightened out by pacing me on the next four before letting me do the last two on my own. Had I started at the more measured pace of the last six, I am confident I could have done the full ten at an average of somewhere between 3:05 and 3:10 per 800. Assuming the pessimistic end of that range, that suggests a marathon time of 3 hours and 10 minutes, which would be 20-plus minutes faster than my time from last October.
Armed with the new data from Wednesday's speed work, I took to the road for an eight-mile pace run. Not fully ready to accept that I have improved to the point where I'll run a 7:15 pace, as opposed to the 8:03 pace I ran in October, I set a more conservative pace goal of 7:40, roughly splitting the difference. After running the first mile at 7:30 and feeling pretty strong, I adjusted my target pace to 7:30. I ended up with a 7:24 pace, running none of the remaining seven miles any slower than 7:26.
Saturday, I posted one of my strongest-ever long runs of any meaningful distance when I ran 16 miles at an average pace of 8:06/mile. (NOTE: By design, long runs are generally done at much slower, 45 to 90 seconds, than targeted marathon pace.) This was done on a fairly hilly course, and I ended up with plenty of fuel in the tank, running the last split in 6:55.

I remain skeptical that I'll be able to manage a 7:15 pace over 26.2 miles, as Wednesday's quasi-Yasso workout would suggest, but it's the best gauge I have at this point. After the two strong runs Friday and Saturday, I'm more of a believer than before, especially knowing those results were achieved without benefit of a taper, which would only make me stronger ... but am I really 48 seconds per mile better than I was in October? I'm not sure yet. I'll have a better idea in a couple weeks after I've raced the IU Mini half marathon. That will give me another point of reference to estimate the marathon time I should realistically target.

Here's my customary summary of the full week's activities:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a long run of 16 miles, two 8-mile runs, two 5-mile treadmill recoveries, and eight 800-meter track repeats that, with warm-up, recoveries, and cool-down, totaled 8.15 miles	50.15	4,300
Other not applicable	N/A	N/A
TOTALS:	50.15	4,300

The coming week, which is week 19 of 22, will be my final high-mileage week and will feature the last 20-plus mile long run in my training plan. I expect to log 59 miles for the week, and then the three-week taper period begins. I'll drop down to 39 miles, my first sub-40-mile week since late December, in the first week of the taper, though I will be running a hard half marathon at the end of it. Feeling as strong as I ever have, both physically and mentally, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm fully energized and ready to push hard for one more week. Then I can finally allow the significance of what I'm about to experience to hit me!

That's a Fact, Jack!

I'm back, baby, and clicking on all cylinders ... but the best news of this past week was that Jack Bruce, the three-year-old I've mentioned previously, who is battling cancer (for the second time), got great news on his latest MRI: No signs of any tumors!!! This little guy has had a rough go of things, far surpassing even my worst day of training, with chemo and radiation. When I heard the news from Katie, Jack's mom, I was moved to the point of tears. Jack's fight isn't over -- he still has a couple months of chemo remaining -- but this is wonderful news! Please keep him, his family, and his physicians/nurses at St. Jude in your prayers. It's unfortunate that Jack has been fighting this beast for more than half of his young life. He deserves a normal childhood. Many of my DFMC teammates in the Northeast participate in the DFMC Partner Program, where they are matched with a pediatric patient at the Dana-Institute's Jimmy Fund Clinic. Jack is sort of my adopted partner and, though I've never met him, I hope to someday soon. He's worthy of the label "hero", and he's one of mine!

Fundraising Update

With contributions from Kim Fink, Katie Bruce and Tonya Bender, my fundraising total has climbed to $1,998 (including $120 of check/cash contributions, which haven't posted yet). Thank you for your support, ladies!!! I'm still well short of the $3,250 minimum, however, so if you're out there and have been waiting to make your donation, now's the time. Please click here to give, and join a team that is thousands strong in its support of finding a cure for cancer. Together, we will succeed!

This Week's "Title Track"

Back on the Road Again
A track by REO Speedwagon from the release The Hits

Dragu(b)la(h)

2010-03-14T10:13:00.001-05:00

I've exercised poetic license in the title of this post to describe, as accurately and succinctly as possible, how my past week of training has gone. I struggled through nearly every run, feeling good (and performing well) on only one of them. I blame myself for an ill-advised 34-mile cycling excursion last Sunday afternoon and then forcing myself to stick to my planned 10-miler the following morning when a shorter recovery run would've been better advised. I never really recovered from that, ending my week with a botched 22-mile long run that ended up being more like 21.25 miles, where I bonked shortly after mile 16 and ended up walking large portions at the end. As a result, I've scrapped today's 5-mile recovery. Lesson learned. Moving on.

Training Recap

Here's the obligatory summary of the week's activities:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running four runs and one simulated run, including a long run of 21.25 miles (estimated, due to my Garmin messing up), two 10-mile runs, one 5-mile recovery (on the Arc Trainer), and seven 0.45-mile hill repeats (four uphills and three downhills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 9 miles	55.25	4,764
Other one spinning class for 46 minutes	N/A	482
TOTALS:	55.25	5,246

I've now logged just over 745 miles of running since I started training for Boston. (That's a lot of mileage, so maybe I was due for a bad week anyway.) Interestingly enough, my estimated total training mileage closely approximates the 920-mile distance, as the crow flies, between my home city (Evansville, Indiana) and Boston. I've started tracking where I am on this "virtual run", and I would currently be about four miles Northeast of Ellenville, New York. (See point "B" on the map above.) Barring the unforseen, I should roll into Boston in my final week of training. Pretty cool!

Fundraising Update

Thanks to contributions from Brandy Houchin, Nick Braun, and Evelyn Brady, my fundraising total has risen to $1,828. This puts me at 56 percent of the fundraising minimum that I must come up with. Put in the context of my virtual journey from Evansville to Boston, my fundraising progress would put me over 225 miles behind my running progress. (The money's in Coalport, Pennsylvania.) With only five weeks left, there's some serious catching up to do!

This Week's "Title Track"

Dragula
A track by Rob Zombie from the release Hellbilly Deluxe

Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

2010-03-08T19:41:00.003-06:00

The Boston Marathon is just six weeks away! My training has been going very well. I crossed the 700-mile mark this morning and estimate that I have roughly another 225 miles to go, including a half-marathon race a little less than four weeks away, which I hope will be a good indicator of how well I've prepared and a good predictor of what my marathon time on April 19 may be.

The title of this post -- and, let me say for the record that (1) I never really liked the song; and (2) I really don't want a response to the question! -- gives me an excuse to post a photo of myself in my snazzy Dana-Farber singlet I'll be wearing on race day. It shouldn't be a problem for anyone to pick me, or any of my 500-plus teammates, out in the crowd. (I haven't yet tested the theory, but I suspect these babies glow in the dark.)

As race day approaches, things seem to get more and more "real". In just a few weeks, I'll receive my bib number for the big day. I'll pass that info along to those who may be interested in following my progress on race day via the Boston Athletic Association's web site. (Unless I am channeling my "inner Kenyan", you won't be seeing me on TV.)

Training Recap

Okay ... a brief intermission for the mostly-boring stuff. Here are the recaps for the past two weeks (weeks 15 and 16) of training:

Week 15 (week of February 22):

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running four runs and two simulated runs, including a long run of 20 miles, two 10-mile runs, two 5-mile recoveries (both on the Arc Trainer), and a 45-minute tempo run that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 5.5 miles	55.5	4,421
Other three spinning classes totaling 2 hours and 9 minutes	N/A	1,105
TOTALS:	55.5	5,526

Week 16 (week of March 1):

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a long run of 16 miles, two 6-mile runs, two 5-mile recoveries (one on the treadmill), and a 7 0.45-mile hill repeats (5 uphills and 2 downhills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 9 miles	47.0	4,026
Other one spinning class for 39 minutes and one road cycling ride for 33.8 miles	N/A	1,172
TOTALS:	47.0	5,198

The above doesn't include my regular strength training sessions (generally three a week) or the latest addition to my training regimen: yoga! I've been to a couple classes and have seen immediate results in terms of how much more relaxed my running is. I've known for a while how important stretching is, but it's been difficult to find the time to fit it in. Actually, it's really more an issue of discipline (which I generally don't have a problem with), and carving out a set time of the week to do it seems to help.

This week will be the most demanding in my training plan, as I'll accumulate around 60 miles for the first time ever. I also have a 22-mile long run planned, which will be my longest training run ever (my longest to date having been 20 miles). I'll then step back to a total of around 45 miles the following week (with a 16-mile long run) and then 58 the next week (with a 20-mile long run). Then, with the exception of the half-marathon race, the intensity and duration of my runs will begin to decrease. So I've got about three and a half more weeks of hard training before the taper begins, and I can let my body rest and build strength. I suspect those last couple weeks before Boston will drag, as the time devoted to training will dramatically decline, and I'll have all sorts of free time on my hands. :)

Fund-raising Update

On the fund-raising front, things have gone fairly well, though I'm still a LONG way from the $3,250 I am required to raise. Since last time, I've received contributions from Malathy Dwaraknath, Chris Shouse, Shirley Holt, Jeff Ingram, Adrienne Johnson, and Abbi Cook. Thank you all!!! Due to your kind generosity, my total has risen to $1,728 (which includes $70 of check/cash contributions I have yet to send in). I continue to hope there are many more out there who will be donating and are just waiting for April to do so.

This Week's "Title Track"

Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?
A track by Rod Stewart from the release Greatest Hits

Do YOU Feel Like We Do?

2010-02-21T12:30:00.002-06:00

Training Recap

I have other, more important, things to discuss this week so, very quickly, here's the training recap for Week 14: (If this bores you, please skip to the next section.)

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running five runs and one simulated run, including a long run of 14 miles, two 6-mile runs (one done partially on the treadmill, when drifting snow forced me inside), two 5-mile recoveries (one on the Arc Trainer), and a 45-minute tempo run that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 5.5 miles	41.5	3,461
Other one spinning class for 42 minutes	N/A	416
TOTALS:	41.5	3,877

This was a "step-back" week, which means the distances of each run were generally shorter than what they were the week before. As a result, I'm feeling strong and well rested for the week ahead, when I'll run approximately 55 miles, including my third 20-mile long run on Saturday.

Now, moving on to the important stuff ...

The Cause

I know many of my readers have a thorough understanding of why I'm running, but it bears repeating: Cancer is one mean S.O.B., and it's still winning too many battles. The statistics I cited in my February 7 post, bear this out. The five-year relative survival rate for all cancers diagnosed between 1996 and 2004 was 66 percent. That means one in three is still dying from this dreaded disease. That's too many! Sure, 66 percent is better than the 50 percent survival rate from the period of 1975 to 1977, but it took 20 to 25 years for us to realize that improvement. That represents a little over a one percent improvement compounded per year. Not good enough!

Yes, the government, specifically, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends a boatload of money every year to fund cancer research but, like most government agencies, the NIH is conservative and only dispenses its money to sure-fire projects or to experienced investigators with good track records in their fields. This is not a formula that will likely lead to dramatic improvements in cancer survival rates ... and that's where Dana-Farber's Claudia Adams Barr Program comes in and why your financial support to the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) is so vital.

When you donate to the Barr Program via DFMC, those funds get a brilliant young investigator started on their career or provide an accomplished investigator the opportunity to lend their intellect to another field or gain access to an enabling technology. The output of this process is new basic science discoveries that can lead to new cancer treatments. Further, those discoveries give investigators a chance to request NIH funding based on a real track record! Nearly all Barr Investigators have been able to turn their early support into ongoing NIH support. This is tremendous leverage! Barr supporters should always remember that every dollar they give for cancer research will turn into many more dollars for cancer research from NIH or other sources. These funds allow even bigger projects to be performed and the result is an ever shorter time to cancer cures. This is precisely what is needed!

I'm part of a team of roughly 550 runners who believe in and are completely invested in this cause, so much so that we put our bodies through a grueling training program spanning months for the honor of representing it. Many are running their first marathon ... and some are actual cancer survivors. We're battling harsh Winter conditions and fighting injury/illness to don the Dana-Farber singlet on race day to run in memory and/or honor of those whose lives have been impacted by cancer and to make a statement that cancer's days of winning are numbered ... but we can't make that statement merely on the basis of our physical ability; we need fiscal ability, and this is where we need you to step up and join our team. You don't have to run 26.2 miles. In fact, you don't even have to break a sweat.

These are trying financial times for some. Of that, there is absolutely no doubt ... but what price human life? You may think you have little to give, but every single dollar given will get us one step closer to a world without cancer. Don't think you have the money to donate? Let me challenge that. Boston is only nine weeks away. If you were to set aside $2 to $3 per week between now and then, you'd have around $25, give or take. Will you really miss that money? Seriously, I throw away more than that every week on useless junk (e.g., soft drinks, candy, etc.) that I don't need and, frankly, isn't good for me. It's a sacrifice worth making, not only for the greater good (i.e., impacting the lives of millions) but also for your own benefit. Think about it. Do you feel like we (i.e., I and my DFMC teammates) do? If so, please join us by donating.

Fund-raising Update

No new donations were received in the past week, so I'm still stuck on $1,408, a far cry from the $3,250 I'm required to raise and the $5,000 goal I set. Obviously, I'm not pleased with how things are going.

This Week's "Title Track"

Do You Feel Like We Do
A track by Peter Frampton from the release Frampton Comes Alive
(not the version I was hoping for but the only one available)

Moving Forward

2010-02-14T16:41:00.002-06:00

Training Recap:

Week 13, featuring the second of five 20+ mile long runs, is now behind me. My total training mileage is approaching the 550-mile mark, and the only negative consequence I have to show for it is a little nagging knee soreness. All things considered, I'm in good health and am setting myself up for what should be a strong performance in April.

Here's a quick recap of my cardio activities for the week:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running five runs and one simulated run, including a long run of 20 miles, two 10-mile runs, two 5-mile recoveries (one split between the elliptical and Arc Trainer and the other on the treadmill), and a 45-minute tempo run that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 5.5 miles	55.5	4,647
Other one spinning class for 42 minutes	N/A	333
TOTALS:	55.5	4,980

I haven't previously mentioned my goals for Boston, but here they are, in descending order of importance:

HAVE FUN! First and foremost, I plan to enjoy the experience, knowing it was because of my own personal accomplishment (finishing with a qualifying time at Louisville in October) that got me there. I continually need to remind myself that I'm very fortunate to have the opportunity to run "THE MARATHON". On top of that, I'm looking forward to meeting many of the DFMC teammates that I've become somewhat acquainted with in the virtual realm and further solidifying those relationships.
REMEMBER/HONOR CANCER VICTIMS/SURVIVORS. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be part of the DFMC team. The chance to run in memory of cancer victims and in honor of those who are survivors, while at the same time helping raise money to support further advances in cancer treatment, is quite humbling. I'm honored to be able to extend the goodwill of this experience well beyond the lifetime of memories it will bring for me.
SET A NEW MARATHON P.R. "P.R." is runnerspeak for "personal record". I'm not setting any goals for my finish time, other than to come in faster than the 3:30:51.50 that I did in my first marathon last October. Having cranked up the intensity of my training, I feel like I'm well positioned to do that, but I won't be at all disappointed if it doesn't happen. That's not really what this first Boston experience is all about.

Fund-raising Update:

Unfortunately, my fund-raising isn't going as well as my training. No new contributions were received this past week. I hope it's just a function of people knowing they have a little time yet to get their donations in but, at the same time, I would rather not be obsessing/worrying about whether I'm going to make the minimum fund-raising commitment, which I'm not even halfway to yet, let alone my $5000 goal. If you're reading this and planning to contribute, please do so as soon as you possibly can, remembering there are few causes as far-reaching and impactful as this one! http://www.rundfmc.org/2010/tonyb

This Week's "Title Track":

Moving Forward
A track by Hoobastank from the release Every Man For Himself

I wonder if the journey will be,
Short as I hope or much longer than it seems.
But either way, I've made up my mind.
I'm through feeling scared. I'm leaving that behind.

So, now it's time to go.

And I take the first step of a million more.
And I'll make mistakes I've never made before.
But at least I'm moving forward, at least I'm moving forward,
At least I'm moving forward.

The Distance

2010-02-07T11:45:00.000-06:00

Before I recap my latest week of training, I'd like to share a few facts about cancer, taken directly from The American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts & Figures 2009, which illustrate clearly why I and over five hundred others are running for Dana-Farber and why your financial support is so vital:

How Many People Alive Today Have Ever Had Cancer? The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 11.1 million Americans with a history of cancer were alive in January 2005. Some of these individuals were cancer-free, while others still had evidence of cancer and may have been undergoing treatment.
How Many New Cases Are Expected to Occur This Year (2009)? About 1,479,350 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2009.
What Percentage of People Survive Cancer? The 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers diagnosed between 1996-2004 is 66%, up from 50% in 1975-1977. The improvement in survival reflects progress in diagnosing certain cancers at an earlier stage and improvements in treatment.
How Many People Are Expected to Die of Cancer This Year (2009)? This year, about 562,340 Americans are expected to die of cancer, more than 1,500 people a day. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S., exceeded only by heart disease. In the U.S., cancer accounts for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths.

The one nugget of good news? Cancer research is making a difference, with the survival rate up to nearly two-to-one from fifty-fifty roughly 35 years ago. But the death toll is still staggering, too staggering, with nearly 1.5 million new diagnoses of cancer annually and well over half a million deaths in the U.S. alone! While survival rates have improved, 66 percent still leaves much room for improvement. That's why it's important to step up our cancer research efforts.

Please, if you haven't yet provided your support, go to my page by clicking HERE. This is one of the world's worst "natural disasters", and it's occurring EVERY DAY! When you provide your support -- and every dollar helps! -- you may do so in memory or honor of a loved one, and be assured that 100 percent of your contribution will be used by the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research toward finding more effective solutions for treating cancer. (NOTE: If you prefer to contribute by check, click HERE to download a form with the relevant instructions.)

Training Recap:

After last week's 57+ mile effort (my highest weekly running total ever), culminating in the first of five planned 20+ mile long runs (and in the snow, no less), I've had benefit of a "step back" week to recharge my body. Here's the traditional recap of my cardio activities for what was Week 12 of 22:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running five runs and one simulated run on the Arc Trainer, including a long run of 14 miles, two 6-mile runs, one 5-mile recovery run (done on the treadmill), one 4-mile recovery (done on the Arc Trainer) and seven 0.45-mile hill repeats (5 uphills and 2 downhills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 8.8 miles	43.8	3,446
Other three spinning classes (two of which I led) totaling 2 hours and 24 minutes	N/A	1,335
TOTALS:	43.8	4,781

Since beginning my training for Boston, I've logged just over 490 miles. (I'll hit 500 tomorrow, with a 10-miler on the agenda.) Week 13 will be another 50+ mile effort, as will every other week from here on out until the taper period begins the first week of April, immediately following my participation in the IU Mini Marathon. I estimate I'll log roughly 900 miles total in preparation for April 19!

Fund-raising Update:

In the past week, I've added $70 to my total, taking it to $1,478, thanks to contributions from Chris and Craig Lathrop and Roli Lall (her second). Thanks to all of you! I'm still well away from my $5,000 goal, so I'm hoping some of you reading this will seriously consider donating. I need your support, as do millions of current and future cancer patients and their families around the world!

This Week's "Title Track":

The Distance
A track by CAKE from the release Fashion Nugget

The arena is empty except for one man,
still driving and striving as fast as he can.
The sun has gone down, and the moon has come up,
and long ago somebody left with the cup.
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns
and thinking of someone for whom he still burns.

Snow (Hey Oh)

2010-01-31T14:03:00.002-06:00

Please join me in supporting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Claudia Adams Barr Program for innovative cancer research. Your financial support funds research and discovery that would not otherwise be possible through government-funded initiatives. 100 percent of your tax-deductible contribution goes directly toward this vital research! Please click HERE to contribute, and thanks for your help!

I've reached the halfway mark, time-wise anyway, of my 22-week training program, having logged nearly 450 miles of running to date. I ran the first of five planned 20-plus-mile runs yesterday in the aftermath of a seven- to eight-inch snowfall that hit Friday evening and early Saturday morning. It was the first opportunity to use my YakTrax, and I didn't miss a beat. Of course, having opened my big mouth last week and mentioned how healthy and injury-free I've been, I'm now battling a mild head cold and nursing a sore left knee. I logged over 57 miles this week, easily my highest weekly total thus far, and it couldn't be a better time for a step-back week; I'll drop down to about 45 miles this week before cranking it back up to 50-plus territory (and doing another 20-miler) the following week.

Here's a summary of Week 11's cardio activities:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running five runs and one simulated run on the Arc Trainer, including a long run of 20 miles, two 10-mile runs, one 5-mile recovery run, one 4-mile recovery (done on the Arc Trainer) and six 0.45-mile hill repeats (4 uphills and 2 downhills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 8.4 miles	57.4	4,387
Other one spinning class totaling 47 minutes	N/A	309
TOTALS:	57.4	4,696

I've been struggling with determining my marathon pace. I've been training more intensely than I ever have and running a lot hillier terrain than I did with my first marathon. It's showing in my long runs, which I've been able to comfortably run at a pace of 8:30 or faster, which suggests that I've gotten faster. In discussing this issue with DFMC training advisor (and former Boston Marathon champ) Jack Fultz, he gave some great advice:

If a runner whose training is well rounded with a good balance of quality and quantity can run an 8:00 pace for a marathon, she/he should be able to run a half marathon at 95% of that pace (a faster time) or about 7:35. This runner’s 10K race pace should be about 90% of the 8:00 marathon pace or about 7:10 pace. So running shorter training races will not only give you a good workout and a shorter term goal on which to focus, it will also provide you with a good indicator of what pace might be appropriate for your marathon.

I went back and ran the calculations for my most recent (and only) races at the half marathon and 10K distances. My pace in the Louisville Marathon last October was 8:03. My predicted half-marathon pace would be 95 percent of 8:03, or 7:38.85. My predicted 10K pace would be 95 percent of 7:38.85 or 7:15.91. Now, get this:

My pace in the Evansville Half Marathon in October 2008 was 7:37.40.
My pace in the Evansville YMCA 10K in September 2008 was 7:15.81.

That's scary close! Needless to say, I'm hoping to find either a half marathon or 10K race within the next few weeks to get a good read on what benefit, if any, I've realized by ratcheting up my training intensity. In the meantime, I'm giving consideration to running Yasso Repeats for an upcoming speed workout to get a ballpark estimate. This will help me better determine the paces at which I should be training, particularly for my pace and long runs.

On the fund-raising front, I received no new donations, and my total remains at $1,408. It's rather discouraging to see things at a standstill, especially since I'm still a considerable distance from the minimum I'm required to raise. Time to step up my game. Hopefully, I'll have better news to report next week.

Take It to the Limit

2010-01-24T18:07:00.006-06:00

I've had another good week of training. I'm feeling great, both physically and mentally, and continuing to train hard for April 19. As Don Henley and the Eagles might say, I'm taking it to the limit.

You know I've always been a dreamer. (Spent my life running 'round.)
And it's so hard to change. (Can't seem to settle down.)
But the dreams I've seen lately
Keep on turning out and burning out
And turning out the same.

So put me on a highway
And show me a sign
And take it to the limit one more time.

It truly does feel like I'm spending my life running around. I eclipsed the 50-mile mark this week for the first of what will be quite a few times before all is said and done. Yesterday's long run of 19 miles was my longest yet for this training cycle, and I'll step up to the first of five planned 20-plus milers next weekend. Through 10 weeks, I've logged nearly 400 miles on the road. (I'll cross that mark on Tuesday.) I am continually thankful that I've managed to stay healthy and injury-free through it all when several of my DFMC teammates have been battling various ailments.

Here's my customary summary of the week's cardio activities:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a long run of 19 miles, two 9-mile runs, two 4-mile recovery runs, and a 45-minute tempo run on the treadmill that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 5.4 miles	50.4	4,106
Other two spinning classes totaling 2 hours and 15 minutes	N/A	1,159
TOTALS:	50.4	5,265

On the fund-raising front, it was a very slow week. With a contribution from Patricia Van Cleve, my total now stands at $1,408. I know there are a couple people out there who have told me they plan to contribute; I just hope there are a bunch more like them that I don't yet know about.

I'll keep it short and sweet this week. Thanks again to all of you for support -- past, present and future -- and, until next time: Endeavor to endure!

Runnin' Down a Dream

2010-01-17T13:45:00.000-06:00

Week 9 of 22 is in the books, and it ended on a high note with weather conditions improving significantly. I'm in great health, feeling strong, and thankful that I've been able to avoid illness and remain injury-free. Some great runs this week, along with a lot of great news from several DFMC teammates who are back to full strength (or close to it) from lingering injuries, has me in good spirits.

Here's the summary of my activities (excluding strength training and stretching) for the week:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a "long" run of 12 miles, two 9-mile runs, one 4-mile run (a recovery run, done on the treadmill), one 3-mile run (my post-long recovery), and one set of 6 x 0.45-mile hill repeats (four uphills and two downhills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 8.5 miles	45.5	3,942
Other two spinning classes totaling 1 hour and 30 minutes	N/A	844
TOTALS:	45.5	4,786

I had company on my long run again this week, running with Drew and two others, Jeff and Joe, from work. It made the run considerably more enjoyable and the time seem to pass much more quickly than a solo run. If you guys are reading this, a big THANKS to all of you!

Week 10 will likely be my first 50-plus mile week, with my long run ratcheting up to 19 miles, bringing my total mileage for this training cycle very close to the 400-mile mark. I'm amazed, given how miserable my knees felt during the first couple weeks of training, that they've held up to all the pavement-pounding I've subjected them to thus far. I can't say enough about the importance of regular strength training and stretching; I have absolutely no doubt it's responsible for my dramatically improved physical condition.

From a fund-raising standpoint, things continued to be "slow and steady". My total now stands at $1,383, thanks to yet another donation from my parents. Thank you, guys!

In recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day tomorrow, I went with a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers song for the title of this week's post. I and my DFMC teammates have a dream, too: That, through our efforts and those who support us, we can raise vital funds for cancer research that will ultimately lead to better, more effective, treatments for cancer patients. Your support is vital and greatly appreciated. If you haven't done so already, please give to the best of your ability by clicking here. Thanks!

My Friends

2010-01-13T06:12:00.005-06:00

Just a quick shout-out to my fellow endurance athletes who read this blog. Many of you may use one web site or another that allows you to post and track your workouts. I've tried many of them, but my favorite is dailymile. While it doesn't automatically integrate with my Garmin 405CX sports watch -- I have to enter my data manually -- entering new runs, cross-training workouts, etc. is a breeze, and it tracks the miles I'm putting on each pair of running shoes I'm rotating through, which will allow me to see when it's time to pick up a new pair.

The coolest feature of the site, to me at least, is its "social networking" aspect. Just like other sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.), you can build a network of friends, track and comment on their workouts, motivate them, etc. I'm finding the site to be one of the best ways of interacting with my fellow DFMC teammates, who mainly hail from the Northeastern U.S. (As of now, I have eleven friends on the site, nine of them being teammates and two hailing from my area of the country.) It's really helping me cope with the feelings of isolation I'm experiencing as the only DFMC team member within a 250-mile radius. dailymile also integrates with Facebook and Twitter, allowing you to publish your workouts to your non-dailymile friends.

If you're not currently using a web site to track your miles, and even if you are, dailymile is worth a serious look. You really have to see it to appreciate its many great features.

Weathered

2010-01-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

The title track from Creed's third album accurately describes, as succinctly as possible, how I've been feeling of late. Over the past week, Southwestern Indiana (like much of the country) has been in the deep freeze, and I've been doing nearly all of my running in "feels like" temperatures ranging from the low single digits to low double digits. Thankfully, a warm-up is on the way, and the remnants of last week's snowfall will soon be a distant memory.

Here's the summary of my training activities for Week 8:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a "long" run of 17 miles, two 8-mile runs (one on the treadmill, due to road conditions), one 4-mile run, one 3-mile run (my post-long recovery, done on the treadmill), and one set of 4 x 0.45-mile hill repeats (alternating between uphills and downhills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 6.6 miles	46.6	3,684
Other two spinning classes totaling 1 hour and 32 minutes	N/A	751
TOTALS:	46.6	4,435

Highlight of the Week: For the first time ever, I ran my weekly long run with a partner. It's amazing how much more quickly the miles fly by when you have someone to share them with! Thanks to Drew Figas for running with me and for biting off a hilly 17-miler despite his longest run since the Dallas White Rock Marathon in December being "just" 8 miles. He's currently training for a half marathon here in April (before tackling a half Ironman), so he won't be able to join me every weekend, but I'm grateful for whatever company I can get.

Lowlight of the Week: I had to cut my hill repeats a little short on Wednesday. I turned my ankle three-quarters-of-a-mile into my warm-up moving to the shoulder to avoid the path of an oncoming vehicle, which is just one of the hazards of road running. While the sensation of pain was immediate, I kept running and the pain subsided fairly quickly, but the ankle, along with knee pain I was feeling before I ever started and then the onset of stomach issues during the run, ultimately conspired to do me in. Still, I managed to do four of the five repeats I was scheduled to run and, most importantly, my ankle was not seriously injured.

In other news, I crossed the 300-mile mark on yesterday's run. I haven't done the math on how many miles I'll log in the course of my training, but it will easily exceed 800 miles. I have many, many more miles to log the big day in Boston! Hopefully, I'll be able to remain healthy and injury-free.

On the fund-raising front:

With donations from my Pat Lomas (my wonderful mother-in-law), Anand Vedapuri, and an anonymous donor, my total has risen to $1,183. Thanks to all of you! I still have a long way to go toward my goal of $5,000, but I'm getting there.
I finally wrote my initial fund-raising letter and sent it out to my friends on Facebook. I'll be tweaking it slightly and mailing it out to family and friends in the coming days. Then, it's on to determining a plan for reaching out to local businesses and community organizations, as well as attempting to obtain some P.R. in the local press.

Let me close this post by briefly discussing who I'll be running for on April 19:

in memory of my father-in-law, Marvin Lomas, who passed away in April 2008 after a brief battle with brain cancer which, by the time it was discovered, was well in its advanced stages
in honor of my brother, Tim, who was diagnosed with brain cancer. Fortunately, his cancer was caught early, and he has remained cancer-free since undergoing successful surgery in July 2008.
in honor of an aunt, who is a breast cancer survivor, and a cousin, who has been in remission from Hodgkin’s Disease for several years.

In addition to these beloved family members, there is another person whose ongoing battle with cancer has captured my heart. It is my honor to also be running in honor of Jack Bruce, the three-year-old great nephew of a high school classmate. I have never met this incredible young man (though I hope to someday) but, through the power of the Internet, I have been able to follow his story. After completing chemotherapy in July of last year, Jack was declared N.E.D. (no evidence of disease). Unfortunately, he relapsed in November and has since been undergoing further chemo. I'm very happy to report that the chemo has been very effective and that Jack's prognosis looks very promising. Still, the thought of what this little guy has had to endure for most of his life/childhood is overwhelming, and I am in awe of the strength and courage that he and his family have shown in facing such a horrifying monster.

If you haven't done so already, please give to Dana-Farber, and take part in authoring many more happy endings for cancer patients. Cancer is a formidable foe that doesn't fight fair; it delivers rabbit punches and low blows on a regular basis. Let's collectively focus our power, and deliver a knockout blow! To be part of a great victory, punch (or click, if you're not the violent type) here.

Keep Pushin'

2010-01-03T17:51:00.009-06:00

Week 7 of training is in the books, as the push for the Big Day on April 19 continues. Old Man Winter has started the new year off on a rampage, bringing cold temps and winds in the mid- to upper-teens, resulting in a "feels like" in the single digits ... but I'm not complaining: My DFMC brethren in the Northeast have been enduring snow storms and heavy winds. I've been fortunate to have the ability to get outside rather than being relegated to the indoors.

Here's the obligatory summary of the week's training activities:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a "long" run of 16 miles, two 8-mile runs, one 4-mile run, one 3-mile run (on the treadmill, by choice), and one set of 5 x 0.45-mile hill repeats (two uphills, followed by a downhill, followed by two more uphills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 6.9 miles	45.9	3,819
Other two spinning classes totaling 1 hour and 43 minutes	N/A	878
TOTALS:	45.9	4,697

I learned an important lesson (the hard way, unfortunately) on my 16-miler Saturday: Sweats layered over Cold Gear may be fine for runs approaching an hour or slightly longer, but they don't work well on longer runs. My sweatshirt soaked up all the moisture the Cold Gear was wicking away and, about 90 minutes into my run, while I was still facing a bit of a headwind and was miles from home, I started feeling rather cold and uncomfortable. Luckily, I was able to get through my run, though I had a nice ring of frozen sweat around the neckline of my sweatshirt by the time I was done. Needless to say, I'll be paying a visit to my local running store tomorrow to pick up something more appropriate for cold-weather running ... and I'll need it, as the week ahead looks just as harsh, if not more so, as this past week was.

The DFMC team roster -- there are some 500+ plus of us -- has been out for a few weeks. I recently looked it over to see if there was anyone nearby that I could arrange the occasional training run with. No dice. As you might expect, there's a very high concentration among the Northeastern states. My closest teammates are in Chicago, over 250 miles away -- I'm the sole Indiana resident on the roster -- so unless my job takes me to a major metropolitan area between now and early April, it's not likely I'll be meeting any of my teammates until marathon weekend. That said, I've been very fortunate to have connected with many of them on Facebook, and those that I interact with on at least a quasi-regular basis are a great group of people. I can't wait to meet and speak with them in person (though I fear race weekend will go way too fast).

While I don't have any DFMC teammates to run with, I was recently contacted by a co-worker who, along with a couple other people, may begin accompanying me on my weekly long runs, possibly as soon as next weekend. I'm not sure how we all compare pace-wise, but I'm hoping that, if they're faster than me, they won't feel like I'm hindering them by running a little slower than they would like. It will be great if things work out because I've found the long runs to get very monotonous as the distances increase and my iPod provides little comfort. Regardless, I'm prepared to run with or without company.

Finally, from a running standpoint, at least, I've been looking for a half marathon to run as a preparatory "tune-up" for Boston. I was looking for one that was within reasonable driving distance and fell on a step-back week during the peak of my training. Ultimately, I selected the IU Mini Marathon, to be held in Bloomington on April 3. This coincides with the final 12-mile long run that immediately precedes the beginning of the taper period. It should be an excellent gauge of how well my training has prepared me, as the course has its fair share of challenging hills. The other great thing about this race: All proceeds benefit the Bill Z. Littlefield Scholarship for Survivors at the Indiana University Foundation. The scholarship is to be dedicated to a cancer survivor to attend any one of the eight Indiana University campuses for a full ride.

In closing, I'd like to thank Aaron and Laura Briner and Drew Figas for their generous financial contributions the Dana-Farber cause this past week. I'm closing in on the $1000 mark, which I'm quite happy with, given I have yet to really kick off my fundraising efforts. That will be changing in the very near future.

Until next time, and in the true REO Speedwagon spirit of this post, remember: You can tune an athlete, but you can't tuna fish. (I know: Booooo!) HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Correction (1/6/2010): My math was off on my fundraising total. It actually now stands at $1,058! Thanks again to all who have contributed so far!

Higher

2009-12-27T16:30:00.001-06:00

It's been roughly three weeks since I posted, but the lack of activity here hasn't carried over into my training. I've stuck religiously to the training plan I designed a few weeks ago. Here are the summaries from weeks 4 through 6 of my 22-week program.

Week 4 (12/7/09 - 12/13/09):

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a "long" run of 13 miles, two 6-mile runs, two 3-mile runs, and one set of 4 x 0.45-mile hill repeats (all uphills) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 6 miles	37.0	3,136
Other three spinning classes totaling 2 hours and 13 minutes	N/A	1,260
TOTALS:	37.0	4,396

Week 5 (12/14/09 - 12/20/09):

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a "long" run of 14 miles, two 7-mile runs, two 3-mile runs (one of them on the treadmill), and one set of 4 x 0.44-mile hill repeats (3 uphill, 1 downhill) that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 5.4 miles	39.4	3,458
Other two spinning classes totaling 2 hours and 12 minutes	N/A	1,008
TOTALS:	39.4	4,466

Week 6 (12/21/09 - 12/27/09):

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a "long" run of 10 miles (shorter than the prior two weeks, due to it being a "step back" week), two 7-mile runs, two 3-mile runs (one on the treadmill), and one set of 5 x 0.50-mile repeats that, with warm-up, recovery, and cool-down, totaled 5.7 miles	35.7	3,111
Other two spinning classes totaling 1 hour and 27 minutes	N/A	956
TOTALS:	35.7	4,067

The strength training and stretching sessions have continued as well, and I think they have helped prevent, or at least mitigate, the knee issues I was experiencing the first couple weeks of my training. I'm very thankful to my personal trainer for showing me a myriad of great strengthening/stretching exercises that have me feeling much, much better than I was just a little over a month ago ... and what's particularly amazing (to me, anyway) is that the degree of difficulty in my training has increased. (I'm running a lot more hillier routes than I did when training for my first marathon.) Thanks, Diana!

The mileage build-up will continue over the next three weeks as my estimated mileage rises to 45 miles this coming week (with a long run of 16 miles), climbs slightly to 46 miles the following week (with a long run of 17 miles), and then steps back to 43 miles (with a long run of 12 miles) the next week. I will then be just a couple weeks away from the first of five 20-mile long runs on alternating weekends that, combined with gradual increases in the distance of my other runs for each week, will ultimately have me at a peak of approximately 55 to 57 miles the last week of February, where I'll stay (on alternating weeks) for roughly a month before the taper period begins. If I can get through that (realizing I'll have to cut back on some of my cross-training activities), along with whatever Mother Nature holds in store, I should be ready for just about anything Boston might throw at me.

On the fundraising front, the total raised has risen to $958, thanks to contributions from my friends Sandra Russell and Craig Valier, the Carrier Mills Pack 17 Cub Scouts (who raised $313 versus their goal of $200), and my parents (who complied with my wishes to give me cash in lieu of gifts this Christmas). I am thankful for the generosity of all donors to date and, while it's a far cry from the minimum I must raise, and even more so from my goal of $5,000, it's a wonderful start. This week, I'll be getting more serious with this aspect of the marathon experience, as I will draft (and, hopefully, finalize) my fundraising letter to family, friends and co-workers and identify a plan of action for reaching out to local media, businesses and community organizations for assistance. April seems a long way off, but I'm sure it will be here before I know it, and I would rather not be running things down to the wire from the standpoint of hitting my financial goal. (With all the physical stresses training will exert on me, I don't want the added burden of mental stress.)

With that, I think it's time to close. I hope everyone had a wonderful and rewarding time with their families and friends this Christmas. I wish you all an equally-wonderful Happy New Year! Until sometime in 2010 ...

Endeavor to endure.

Wipe Out

2009-12-08T17:20:00.003-06:00

The title of this post (taken from and oldie by The Surfaris) is most fitting. I was informed last night that the Pack 17 Carrier Mills Cub Scout troop successfully raised in excess of their $200 goal for cancer research ... so, very soon, I'll be submitting my application to appear on the ABC television show, Wipeout. Great job by the boys, their leaders and all their supporters! I'm very thankful for their efforts ... and, while I'm on the subject, I'd like to thank all of those who have contributed thus far to my cause, specifically:

Bruce Barnett and Bill & Cathy Stevens, former high-school classmates
Karen Daniel, Roli Lall and Diane LaRue, my co-workers
Dave & Pat Rigg, my parents

I look forward to listing off many more names between now and next April, but I'm very appreciative of these folks for their early financial support, 100 percent of which goes directly toward cancer research.

I'm feeling a little "wiped out" today, running a bit of a low-grade fever, so I'll just provide a recap of Week 3 of my marathon training, a few closing remarks, and then call it a night. Here's the training summary:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including a "long" run of 8 miles (shorter than the past two weeks, due to it being a "step back" week), two 6-mile runs, two 3-mile runs, and one set of 3 x 0.50-mile repeats (5 miles, including warm-up and cool-down, done on the treadmill due to weather conditions)	31	2,623
Other three spinning classes totaling 2 hours and 20 minutes	N/A	1,268
TOTALS:	31	3,891

My knees have been feeling much better of late. I'm not sure if that's attributable to the increased emphasis I've been placing on legs in my strength program, the additional stretching I've recently incorporated into my routine, or if it's more a function of my not having participated in any 3+ hour road cycling rides for a while. Regardless, it couldn't come at a better time. Long runs for Weeks 4 and 5 are scheduled to be 13 and 14 miles, respectively, before I step back to a 10-miler in Week 6. I've posted my training plan here -- see the "Running/Training Links" section at the right -- for anyone interested in following along. (I'll likely be making a few adjustments to incorporate elements of the official DFMC training program.) All-in-all, I'm planning to run five 20-mile long runs at the peak of my training, though I may substitute an actual half-marathon race for one of them, provided I can find one that is reasonably close.

Time for me to resume recovering from my illness. Assuming I'm feeling up to snuff, I have four sets of hill repeats facing me in the morning ... in 20+ mph winds! At least the wind will be at my back on the uphill portion, and temps are projected to be in the mid-40s by then. Bonus!

Run With the Pack

2009-12-01T09:27:00.008-06:00

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that the Pack 17 Carrier Mills (Illinois) Cub Scout troop would be doing a fundraiser on my behalf, with a goal of raising $200 for cancer research. I heard from one of their leaders last night that they've begun their efforts and, before they had left their "kickoff" meeting, had already made it halfway to their goal! What an incredible job!

The title of this post is taken from a Bad Company song, but I have to say I couldn't be in better company than to have these fine young men (and their leaders, obviously) on my team! They're learning a valuable lesson about helping others, something that will serve them and their communities well as they get older ... and it doesn't hurt to have a little added incentive: If they reach their goal -- and it appears they could not only reach it but obliterate it -- I will apply to appear on the ABC show, Wipeout. I'm sure the image of me doing a header into the infamous "Big Balls" is an excellent motivator for these young men and, perhaps more so, for a certain leader of theirs! ;)

Thanks, Pack 17 Cubs, for your hard work and determination in furthering cancer research! I and the whole DFMC team really appreciate it. As far as the whole Wipeout thing goes, there are no guarantees that I'd be selected to appear on the show -- I'm sure there's a long line of people vying for the opportunity to make complete fools of themselves -- but I can guarantee you this: On April 19, 2010, when I run the Boston Marathon, my racing singlet (shirt) will be adorned with the number "17" in recognition of your outstanding efforts.

Takin' Care of Business

2009-11-29T12:07:00.000-06:00

With the completion of my long run yesterday, I closed the book on Week Two of my Boston training. The Bachman-Turner Overdrive song I've chosen for the title of this post is an appropriate characterization of how the week unfolded. There weren't a lot of extracurricular activities, i.e., cross-training ... just mainly a bunch of good hard running. Here's a summary:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running six runs, including long runs of 10 and 11 miles, two 5-mile runs, one 3-mile run, and one set of 3 x 0.44-mile hill repeats (5.2 miles, including warm-up and cool-down)	39.2	3,450
Other one spinning class of 80+ minutes	N/A	753
TOTALS:	39.2	4,203

My knee pain flared up earlier in the week (just when I thought I'd turned the corner), so I decided to skip my normal Monday midday spinning session. (I went but didn't participate in the class, only pedaling lightly througout.) I also had to push my weekly session with my personal trainer from Thursday to Wednesday, missing another midday spin session. Finally, due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to work in a ride with my cycling partner this weekend. While I made up somewhat for the missed spinning sessions, doing a double session on Friday, the overall training intensity level was lower this week, and I'm going into Week 3 feeling pretty good. On top of that, it's a "step back" week, which translates to "only" an 8-mile long run next weekend.

The NFL games beckon, so I'll keep this post brief. Have a great week, everyone!

Magic Power

2009-11-21T15:44:00.003-06:00

My first full week of "official" marathon training is in the books. I'll spare everyone the day-by-day play-by-play and instead offer this summary:

EXERCISE	TOTAL MILES	TOTAL CALORIE BURN
Running four runs, including a 90-minute timed "long run" (11.2 miles), two 5-mile runs (one on the treadmill), and 3 x 0.44-mile hill repeats (5.8 miles, including warm-up and cool-down)	27	2,443
Cycling one outdoor road cylcling ride	50	1,135
Other three spinning classes totaling 2 hours and 18 minutes and one 30-minute elliptical workout	N/A	1,554
TOTALS:	77	5,132

As with last week, I was scheduled to do my long run today, but I swapped it with tomorrow's cross-training day at the request of my riding partner. The week ahead should be fairly similar to this past week, though the running mileage should be slightly higher, as the elliptical workout I did this past week was a substitution for a 3-mile run in order to rest my ailing knees. By the way, the knees are feeling much better!

A brief timeout for a little nerdy runner talk: I purchased a pair of the new Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10 shoes last week and used them on a couple of my shorter runs. Up until now, I had been alternating between a couple pair of the Asics Gel Kayano 15, but I had recently read somewhere that you should use two different models (not necessarily two different brands). I've also just acquired a pair of the new Asics Gel Kayono 16 shoes, which are roughly an ounce lighter than the 15s. I look forward to giving these a try. Oh ... and, if my wife is reading this: Yes dear, I'm done buying shoes for a while! ;)

This post takes its title from another Triumph song, the second one I've referenced in as many weeks. I used this song as the finale in a spinning class I led yesterday. It's a great workout song. I love how the tempo ebbs from slow/calm (great for a "hill") and fast-paced/high-energy (great for a "sprint"). I find the lyrics to be pretty inspiring, too. Here's an excerpt from near the end of the song:

You're thinkin' it over, but you just can't sort it out.
Do you want someone to tell you what they think it's all about?
Are you the one and only who's sad and lonely? You're reachin' for the top.
Well the music keeps you goin', and it's never gonna stop.
It's never gonna stop.
It's never gonna, never gonna, never gonna, never gonna stop!

The world is full of compromise and infinite red tape.
But the music's got the magic; it's your one chance for escape.
Turn me on. Turn me up. It's your turn to dream.
A little magic power makes it better than it seems.

Music is great workout fuel. I find I run faster and stronger with it. The right song at the right time can be a great pick-me-up ... and that applies not only to running but also to life. No matter what you're going through physically, mentally or spiritually, there's a song out there to lift your spirits and help get you through the difficult times. Of course, it's no substitute for one's faith and the support of family and friends.

Incidentally, the name of the album this song first appeared on is "Allied Forces". That describes the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) team to a tee. Regardless of our reasons for joining the DFMC team, all 500+ of us are united in the common purpose of furthering cancer research. Like me, many have experiences with cancer either personally or among family/friends; others just want to make the world a better place. Regardless, I hope all of you will keep us and Dana-Farber in your thoughts and prayers as we work collectively to further the field of cancer research in search of more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

I close this post with another request for prayers for "Little Jack". This three-year-old and his family have just returned from St. Jude after a difficult week there in the wake of the return of his cancer (Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma). They return to St. Jude early next week, where Jack could begin the first of six three-week cycles of chemotherapy as early as Tuesday. It will be very hard on him and his family. It's awful to see anyone afflicted with this horrible disease, but I find it especially saddening when it strikes little children. I can't think about Jack's situation without my eyes tearing up, yet the courage and strength he and his family have shown in the face of this situation are truly inspirational. The aches and pains and other woes I encounter in my training are trivial compared to what they're going through, and it just further strengthens my resolve to make a difference in my fundraising campaign. I very much need your support in this regard!

Until next time, endeavor to endure!

Don't Look Back

2009-11-16T19:19:00.005-06:00

I received my official Boston Marathon entry confirmation (pictured below) in today's mail. I had previously received the e-mail version last Wednesday. While it doesn't make things any more "official" then they already were, it's a nice capper to a day that started off on a low note.

I had to bag my run this morning about one minute in, due to knee pain ... in the opposite knee from where I have been experiencing difficulty the past couple weeks! I ended up substituting a 30-minute elliptical session at mid-day, which I followed immediately with my regularly-scheduled spinning class. The knee feels pretty good as I write this, so I'm hoping it was just a matter of not having fully recovered from yesterday's 11+ mile run. I'll give it another go in the morning, attempting to go five miles.

On the fund-raising front, I've raised $275 toward my $5000 goal, so there's still a long way to go. Lots of time to shift things into high gear on that front, but I learned today that the Pack 17 Carrier Mills (Illinois) Cub Scout troop will be conducting a fund-raiser on behalf of my cause, with a goal of raising $200. I hope to share more about these young men and their efforts in a subsequent post but, for now, I simply want to convey my thanks to them and their leaders. It's great that, at such a young age, they're learning the importance of helping those who are in need.

In the absence of "Earth shattering" news, I won't post again until the weekend. Have a great week, everyone!

Fight the Good Fight

2009-11-15T13:47:00.002-06:00

Before I recap the past week of training and highlight what's ahead, I need to start this post on a sour note: A young man, who is the great nephew of a friend and high school classmate of mine, has had a setback in his battle against cancer. "Little Jack", who completed chemo treatments for his Stage 3 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma a few months ago, has recently had his cancer return. Please keep this little boy and his family in your prayers. They return to St. Jude in Memphis tomorrow for further evaluation/testing. While it's awful for anyone to be afflicted with cancer, I find it especially saddening when it strikes small children.

The knee pain I've been struggling with over the past couple weeks seems rather trivial in the context of the above. Still, I'm happy to report that I'm feeling much, much better. It's very heartening to walk down stairs again without feeling any pain! I think substituting the elliptical for my two "easy" runs and the treadmill for my "tempo" run this past week are largely responsible for my improved physical state. While I'm not yet completely pain free, thing are pretty much back to the normal level of pain one would expect from training hard.

Here's a quick recap of the past week's training activity:

Sunday: strength training
Monday: 45 minutes of elliptical (early morning) and 50+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Tuesday: 3 one-mile repeats at a 6:39 average and strength training
Wednesday: 45 minutes of elliptical (early morning) and 40+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Thursday: strength training
Friday: a 40-minute tempo run (10-minute warm-up, 20 minutes at marathon pace, 10-minute cool-down) on the treadmill (early morning) and 40+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Saturday: 50 miles of road cycling at an 18.5 mph pace. (I was to have done my long run on this day but swapped it with Sunday at the request of my riding partner.)

Given the improvement in my knee, and assuming I feel good come tomorrow morning, I'm ready to break out of my post-marathon recovery training and start my 22-week training program for Boston. As mentioned in my last post, I'll be combining elements of Hal Higdon's "Intermediate II" and "Advanced I" training programs, at least until I get further guidance from DFMC training advisor, Jack Fultz. The official DFMC training schedule doesn't start until December, and I hope to be well ahead of the game by then.

I've also decided to engage the services of a friend and personal trainer for the next several weeks. She will be helping me strengthen my core and my legs as well as improve my flexibility. I'm confident these butt-kicking workouts will make me a better runner and help me avoid serious injury.

Here's how the training plan shapes up for the week ahead:

Sunday: 90-minute long run (This is already in the books; more below.)
Monday: 5 miles of running (early morning) and 40+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Tuesday: 3 miles of "easy" running and strength training
Wednesday: 3 uphill repeats plus 3 to 4 miles of warm-up/cool-down (early morning) and 40+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Thursday: 30-minute butt-kicking ab and lower body conditioning/strengthening workout
Friday: 5 miles at marathon pace (~ 8:00/mile)
Saturday: 10-mile long run and, potentially, strength training

I had a very strong 90-minute run this morning, despite feeling a fair amount of fatigue from yesterday's 50-mile cycling excursion. I ended up running 11.2 miles at an 8:02 pace, which is right at my targeted marathon pace. That I was able to register a performance like that is evidence that I'm almost back to full strength. I typically train very hard, so the challenge for me going forward will be to not push too hard ... and to find opportunities in my training to take a day of total rest at regular intervals.

Thanks to everyone for the financial support you either have provided or will provide and the encouragement you're providing me in my training! While I want to perform well in the race next April, it's much more important and far-reaching to help fight the battle against cancer. Let's continue to fight the good fight ... and may we emerge Triumph-ant!

Change Your Mind

2009-11-08T20:18:00.002-06:00

My first full week of training since being selected to the DFMC is behind me. It consisted of:

Sunday: 50+ miles of outdoor cycling on my road bike
Monday: 4 miles of "easy" running (early morning) and 45 minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Tuesday: strength training
Wednesday: 3 one-mile repeats at a 7:06 average (early morning) and 42 minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Thursday: strength training
Friday: a 35-minute tempo run (10-minute warm-up, 15 minutes at marathon pace, 10-minute cool-down) of just over 4 miles (early morning) and 49 minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Saturday: a "long" run of 9 miles at a 7:53 average pace

I was scheduled to run on Tuesday, but my knees were hurting, and I decided to take an unscheduled day off. (The strength training was just upper body and core work.) The pain has persisted, off and on, for about two weeks now, and I suspect a few consecutive days of rest would cure it, but I remain hopeful I can fight my way through it. After reading the blog of a fellow DFMC teammate going through similar issues, I came to the conclusion I've been neglecting my legs from a strength training standpoint. I have long assumed all the running, cycling and spinning were enough wear-and-tear on my legs but now feel that was a mistake, so I'll gradually be working legs back into my strength training.

The training plan for this week looks like this:

Sunday: strength training (I bagged the cross-training that was called for.)
Monday: 5 miles of "easy" running (early morning) and 40+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Tuesday: 3 one-mile repeats at "5K pace" (sub-6:45ish) and strength training
Wednesday: 5 miles of "easy" running (early morning) and 40+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Thursday: strength training
Friday: a 40-minute tempo run (10-minute warm-up, 20 minutes at marathon pace, 10-minute cool-down) (early morning) and 40+ minutes of spinning (mid-day)
Saturday: a "long" run of 90 minutes or approximately 10 to 11 miles, depending on pace

This week, I'm going to experiment with substituting the Arc Trainer or elliptical for the two easy runs to cut down on the pounding my knees are taking ... and I probably won't push the pace on my long run next Saturday. If I can come out of this week feeling better, I plan to break out of post-marathon recovery mode and officially start a 22-week training program for Boston that will employ a customized combination of Hal Higdon's "Intermediate II" and "Advanced I" programs, possibly with additional tweaks suggested by DFMC's training advisor and 1976 Boston Marathon winner, Jack Fultz. I followed the Intermediate II program, pretty much to the letter, for my first marathon, but I want to incorporate additional training techniques, such as hill training, repeats and tempo runs (which I've been getting a small taste of in my recovery period) to make me a better/stronger runner.

Now, as for the title of this post ...

As a regular leader of spin classes at my company's fitness center for the past three years or so, I routinely find myself creating new music mixes. I have a pretty comprehensive library of music (rock and alternative, mainly) to choose from, but I occasionally feel like I'm falling into a rut and find myself using one or more of the free sites on the Web to do a little "discovery". While listening to last.fm this morning, I heard a song by a band called Sister Hazel entitled "Change Your Mind" and, for whatever reason, the lyrics really spoke to me. Here's an excerpt:

If you've had enough of all your tryin',
Just give up the state of mind you're in.

If you wanna be somebody else,
If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself,
If you wanna be somebody else,
Change your mind. Change your mind.

Attitude is a huge factor in training for a marathon. When the hard training takes is toll on your body and you wake up in the morning feeling like you're barely able to move, it can be the difference between jumping out of bed and meeting the challenges you'll face head on versus hitting the snooze button and going back to sleep. The same is true with life, in general, when it throws us an unexpected curve.

... so the next time you find a little "negativity" creeping into your life, change your mind. It can make all the difference!

(c)Old Days ... Good Times ...

2009-11-02T07:20:00.003-06:00

The mild Summer and early Fall that provided wonderfully cool and bright mornings in which to run have quietly faded. They're replaced by cold and dark and the realization that, for the next several weeks, they will only get colder and darker and that snow and ice will soon be on their way. This is not the stuff that motivates most runners to get out and train!

Yet there is a greater purpose in what I'm doing this time, far greater than accomplishing a physical feat I've never attempted before ... and so, after employing a few of the stall tactics from the arsenal I've built up in my 45 years of life, I throw on my sweats, lace up my running shoes, and walk out the back door into the cold morning air ... thankful for choices ... grateful for the support of family and friends ... hopeful in the knowledge that, no matter how fatigued or sore I may be, there is a known end point upon which the suffering will end ... and strengthened and inspired by the heroism of those who wake up each morning and face obstacles far greater than I've ever known or could even imagine.

Endeavor to endure!

Please Come to Boston for the Springtime ...

2009-10-30T06:17:00.001-05:00

I never thought I'd be uttering those words, at least not in the context they are intended here. (I often randomly break out into song, though, so consider yourselves warned!) A couple weekends ago, I ran my first marathon. Much like the sprint triathlon I did last Fall, I decided to run a marathon strictly for the challenge aspect. I don't consider myself an avid runner. In fact, I don't enjoy running nearly as much as other activities, such as cycling or spinning ... and you can count the number of races I've run on your fingers, with only one 10K (6.2 miles) and one half marathon (13.1 miles) on my "resume". Yet, I spent the better part of this Summer and early Fall putting myself through a torturous 18-week training program to prepare myself to run 26.2 miles.

On Sunday, October 18th, 2009, in Louisville, Kentucky, as I made my way to the starting line for the race, my stomach was filled with butterflies. I wouldn't say I was nervous, per se -- I knew I'd trained hard and well and was generally confident in my ability to go the distance -- but my longest training runs were 20 miles, and I really didn't know what uncertainties lie ahead once I'd gone beyond that point. Would I hit that dreaded wall I'd heard about? Would my creaky 45-year-old knees be crying out for mercy? Just how much difficulty would I face in achieving my primary goal of finishing the race?

To further motivate myself during training, I set a "stretch goal" of qualifying for the Boston Marathon, implying an average pace of 8:03 per mile. By design, I never did any of my weekly "long runs" during training anywhere near that pace, and I regularly struggled with establishing a steady, controlled pace at the outset of my runs. (It usually took me three to five miles of faster running before I settled in.) As a result, I had no idea how realistic an 8:03 pace was ... but I suppose that's why they call it a stretch goal.

As the race got underway, and for the first several miles, I did surprisingly well with pacing; however, a few miles from the finish, it became clear the GPS measurement error in my sports watch was working against me. Still, I was holding to a fairly steady pace and feeling generally good, so I was not about to panic and risk not finishing the race. I started having some stomach problems around Mile 18, as the sweetness of the energy gels and sports drink I was consuming because nauseating. Still, I pressed on.

The proverbial wall hit during Mile 24, which I ended up running at roughly an 8:20 pace. It was at this point that I could sense a Boston-qualifying time rapidly slipping from my grasp. I debated for at least half a mile whether I should slow my pace and settle for finishing the race as comfortably as possible, but I stubbornly reached back for what very little I had left and pushed onward. I found inspiration as the finish line came into view and, as I passed the 26-mile marker, I realized I still had a slim chance of making my time target. I broke into a "sprint" in the final 100 yards or so, and crossed the finish line with a time of 3:30:51.50, qualifying for Boston by a mere 7.5 seconds!

Upon confirmation of my official time the following morning, I immediately registered for the Boston Marathon, which will be held on Monday, April 19, 2010. Over the next couple days, as I thought about what a wonderful experience running the world's oldest and most prestigious long-distance running event is going to be, even for a casual runner like me, I realized I could make it even more impactful by raising funds to help others. As I browsed through the list of official charities, it was immediately evident which one I wanted to throw my support behind: the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) is a global leader in its comprehensive approach to cancer research, training and care. The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) is a dedicated team of over 500 runners united by their personal commitment to fighting cancer. DFMC directs all funds raised to the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research, a unique program at the leading edge of science.

As someone with a history of cancer in my family -- my late father-in-law who suffered from brain cancer, a younger brother also afflicted with brain cancer (though, thankfully, still cancer-free after surgery in July 2008), an aunt who is a breast cancer survivor, and a cousin who has been in remission from Hodgkin's for several years -- I know full well the effects it has on those it touches directly as well as those who care for and love them. If any of you have not been affected by cancer, either personally or through a family member, friend or co-worker, you are either very fortunate or lead a very sheltered life. It's a devastating and destructive disease that we need to continue to find ways to treat and even prevent ... and this is only possible through research.

I am asking all of you for your support in helping me raise money for this important cause. I have personally set a goal of raising $5000, but I would absolutely love to be in a position to raise that goal even higher. You can help in a number of ways:

contributing financially here: http://www.rundfmc.org/2010/tonyb. I realize these are trying financial times for many, but please understand that no amount is too small. Every dollar you contribute will further the efforts of this important cause.
sharing the link above with your family and friends. How many of you are on social networking sites, such as Facebook or MySpace? Imagine leveraging the power of the Internet by sharing the link with your friends/contacts who, in turn, share with their friends/contacts and so on and so forth. That could result in thousands of people seeing and responding to this message.
praying for both the training and fundraising efforts of the DFMC team. More importantly, pray for all those who suffer from cancer; they're the real heroes, and they're in a race with far more critical stakes than I and my fellow teammates are.

Thanks in advance for your support! Together, we can form a formidable team in the fight against a dreaded disease. Let's leave cancer in the dust!

First Post Coming Soon!

2009-10-29T05:14:00.000-05:00

Hi! I'm just establishing my blog. I'll be back with my inaugural post -- this one doesn't count -- within another day or two!