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I suppose I’ve been a little slow in updating this page. Holiday season took priority over updating this. I did quite a bit of training, even during the holidays. We got a 12 mile run in on Christmas weekend. The nice thing about that was I could actually enjoy some holiday treats without it affecting my blood sugar too much. After it was all said and done, it was time for the big day.
January 14th was the PF Chang’s Rock & Roll Marathon. It was a huge event for the Phoenix area. Over 37,000 runners participated. Unfortunately it was one of the coldest days since 1990. The morning temperature was in the 20’s. Yes, in the 20’s for those from outside the Phoenix area. Fortunately we all dressed pretty warmly and it wasn’t too bad.
For me the day started at 3:45am. I needed to get to the finish line area to catch a shuttle bus. The idea was that you park near the finish, get shuttled to the start and run back to your car. The lines for the shuttles can be pretty crazy with 37,000 people all trying to get to the same place, so I got up early. I left my house at 4:50am and got down to Tempe around 5:15. The shuttle took us to the state capitol where the race was starting at 6am. My race didn’t start until almost 9am, but we needed to be there early to support our teammates doing the full marathon and to get some team photos taken. It was well worth it. The atmosphere around the starting line was incredible to soak in. There were runners of all ages and skill levels around. All 50 states were represented along with 36 other countries.
Once we saw the full marathoners off there was some time to kill. Did some stretching, walking around and more soaking in the atmosphere. About 8:15 it was time to drop off the outer clothing. Each runner gets a numbered bag to put our stuff in. UPS donated trucks, drivers and time to get our gear back to the finish line. All you had to do was put your accessories, like sweat clothes into the bag and pick it up at the finish line. So there I was walking around in t-shirt and shorts with the temp in the low 30’s. It actually wasn’t that bad. I was running a little behind so I had to jog about ¼ of a mile to the starting area, which warmed me up. The starting line had several thousand of us grouped into corrals. That many people that close together kept us warm until the start.
Once we started running it was easy to warm up. After the first mile I was completely comfortable. The running was good, the course was good and the way they had us start eliminated the overcrowding I’ve seen on other races. It was a glorious day. My pace was good and steady. At each mile marker and milestone my pace was right in the 10:30 per mile pace. I managed to maintain that pace throughout the race.
As we went along there were bands on the route. Each time you came up to a band, it really managed to pump you up. I had heard that from other people, but really had to experience it for myself. I think hearing live music has to be better than running with an iPod. Between the bands and the water stations, I was able to stay pretty fresh for the entire race.
By the time we hit mile 12 I was still feeling pretty good. Yes, I was a little worn down, but still felt good about it all. When we hit mile 12 it was just before the Mill Ave bridge. I decided to start pushing myself and pretty much flew the rest of the way to Sun Devil Stadium. Crossing that finish line was the most wonderful feeling. I really felt a huge sense of accomplishment. I have no doubt that I will do this again. Of course I’ve already signed up and paid the $50 fee for the Lost Dutchman race, so I’m kind of stuck. I’m too cheap to let $50 go.
The best part about the race was the next day when I looked up my time on the official website. During practice I ran 12 miles in about 2 hours 30 minutes. I figured I would do the half-marathon in about 2:40 to 2:45. I was absolutely shocked when the time showed 2 hours 17 minutes 28 seconds. That was almost half an hour quicker than I had expected.
It was such a wonderful experience for me and it was even better knowing that I was able to help out with fundraising for the American Diabetes Association. It all worked out great. I plan on doing this again next year, with one major difference. I plan on running a full marathon next year. 13 miles was great but I want to challenge myself and go for 26 miles.
Well I am happy to report that I am definitely back on track. I've been doing some running since the last update. I did a few 5 mile runs, then swung for the fences. I got 10 miles in last weekend. I was only moderately sore in the injured leg. Nothing that a little Tylenol and ice didn't cure. Yesterday I did 7 miles with no ill effects. The leg is barely sore at all. In fact the only soreness(very minor) is in the problem area. I have no pain in any of the other joints. I have no muscle pain, soreness, stiffness, nothing! You've got to figure even in perfect shape, a 7 mile run on mostly sidewalks should leave you a little sore. Nope, I feel 100% fine. I can't wait for the half-marathon!
My only disappointment is that my training took a hit last month and I can't do the full marathon until next year. I will definitely do a full marathon or two in the next year. There is something very exhilarating about taking on a challenge like that. After I am done with this year's run, I will take some time off of running, do a little strength work on the legs and start back up again. I can't wait!
Or more aptly titled 'The Benefits of Pumping Iron'. It seems I stumbled onto a solution to this IT Band problem. But first a little background on my progress.
I went to physical therapy after this thing wouldn't get any better. The therapist, my doctor, my coaches, the personal trainers at the gym and every website said I need to take it easy. Well, I did take it easy, but it didn't get any better. I shut things down, no exercise of any kind on my leg for 2 weeks. I tried to run and it still hurt. I shut it down for another 2 weeks, and tried again this past weekend. I went for about half a mile and felt okay. Once I crossed the half mile mark, it started to hurt - BAD! Needless to say I was not happy about that. I went home thinking I should rest. Only problem is it was the weekend after Thanksgiving. This is the time when everybody puts up Christmas lights. I am a fanatic about lights, so of course I got busy with that too. I have a 2 story house so I was up and down the ladder all weekend. Not exactly taking it easy. I took a few Tylenol for the weekend and dealt with it.
On Monday I went to the gym, with kind of a bad attitude. I decided to do some leg exercises to see how I felt. I was kind of irritated and ended up cranking up the weight. I figured that since nothing else worked, I may as well get a hard workout in. I did leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses and hip abductors. Then I spent about 20 minutes on the elliptical machine. After I was done, my leg stopped hurting! I was thrilled out of my mind. I stumbled onto something. Instead of taking it easy, it seems for my circumstances, I need to build some strength in the leg. I'm not sure exactly how it worked, but it worked.
On Wednesday I decided to put it to the test and ran outdoors, not on a treadmill. I was able to go for 20 minutes, probably about 2 and 1/2 miles. The leg started to get a little sore and I had to stop. However, I was able to stretch things a little and by flexing my leg muscle I was able to make the pain stop. Once the pain stopped I was able to run another 1/2 a mile or so. Now that I know that strength training can help me, I will continue to do that from now until January. I will also pick up my running again. It looks like I will be able to do the half-marathon as a RUN(yay), not a walk. I would have done it as a walk if I couldn't go. I figure that would have been better than nothing. It does feel good to be back on track!
On another note, the fund raising has been going pretty well, but I have to thank my daughter's boyfriend Tony for giving us a big boost. Tony is in a punk/metal band called Salem+Isobel in Flagstaff. He also does concert promotions for bands on the local club scene. That is impressive to me, as it takes a lot of organizational and management skills to get a show of any kind up and running. I had met him while I was up in Flagstaff doing the run for Toys For Tots. Scroll down to 09/19 news for that one. I told him that I was doing a marathon to raise money for diabetes research. Turns out that part of his concert promotion gig is doing benefit concerts. He decided to put together a benefit concert for our team, Team Diabetes. The concert involved about 4 or 5 local bands and happened 11/19. It went pretty well and they were able to raise quite a bit of money for the cause. Needless to say he earned some serious 'Dad' points with me, regarding dating my daughter.
I just wanted to give a "Thank You" to the Mesa Thunderbird Lions Club, particulary President Margie Kelly and Lion Ron. They invited me to speak at their weekly breakfast meeting to discuss Team Diabetes and our fund raising efforts. For those that don't know, the Lions Club supports several different causes, one of them being help for the blind. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults in the United States. Part of their mission is to support charities that work with Diabetes. If we can cure or prevent Diabetes, we will go a long way towards minimizing blindness.
This all came about when I met Margie and Ron a few months ago while they were accepting donations at my local grocery store. I gave them a donation and struck up a conversation. It just so happened that I was going to the store to pick up insulin for my blind, diabetic dog. I was also wearing my Team Diabetes t-shirt. It was natural that we would start talking. We exchanged contact information and set up a time for me to come and speak at their meeting.
I told them about my bout with Diabetes, the American Diabetes Association and my fund raising efforts. I had also invited Cydne Fuller from the American Diabetes Association to come speak. She provided some nice handouts, and gave a little more information about the overall mission of the ADA. It went particulary well. Cydne and I answered questions about Diabetes and just gave everybody a better understanding of the disease. They provided the ADA with a generous donation. All in all, it was a great experience.
Well, the injury problem just won't go away. This IT Band problem has been interfering with my training. I'm supposed to rest, but at the same time I also have to get miles in so I can complete a full marathon(26 miles). Each time I try to do something too soon I end up setting myself back. In order for this minor, but very annoying injury to go away I need to completely shut it down for 2 weeks straight. However, if I do that barely 2 months before the marathon, I won't get the required miles in. Therefore I have made the decision that I will only run the half-marathon(13 miles).
I'm not making this decision lightly. I really wanted to run the marathon. I know that if I had not injured myself, I would have been able to do it. My training was going very well up to that point. Part of the problem is I am feeling pressured to get back on track quickly so I can get my miles in for the marathon. I end up rushing myself and doing more than I should be doing. That ends up setting me back another week. If I'm only doing a half- marathon, I don't feel as much pressure. I've already run over 10 miles recently. Getting up to 13 miles won't be all that difficult in the next 2 months.
Also, I've kind of been prodded into this decision by my doctor, my physical therapist, my coach, several runner friends and just about anybody else with a lick of sense. It seems like I'm the only one that doesn't have any sense during all of this. Oh well, being stubborn has to have some advantages :) What those advantages are, I don't know. However, I do plan on completing a full marathon in the year 2007. Once this injury gets under control, I don't see any reason why I can't. I was halfway there before things went south. It will happen!
Just hit a major fundraising milestone. We are a little more than halfway to the goal of $1000. We just hit $505 today. There are more donations that have been verbally promised as well. I do appreciate the generous support. Knowing what a scourge Diabetes really is, you should all feel good about your efforts. I think one of the lesser known complications is the wild mood swings that an out-of-control diabetic can feel. People that have not been diagnosed yet can experience severe mood swings. These swings have destroyed marriages, families and frienships. The sad part is that the person doesn't even know what is really causing the outbursts. A successful diagnosis and treatment plan can go a long way. Hopefully your generous donations can help with this hidden aspect of Diabetes.
On a lighter note, my injury is starting to heal. I have started with some light exercise and so far, so good. Yesterday I used some of the machines that work the legs at the gym. No pain!!! Then I spent about 15 minutes on an elliptical machine. No noticeable discomfort or pain. Today I did my upper body workout, then spent 15 minutes on a recumbent exercise bike. The leg felt fine. As a precaution I did ice myself down afterwards, since the injury I suffered is related to inflammation. I am looking forward to Saturday. We have a 14 mile run scheduled. I probably won't be able to do the full 14 miles. My coach suggested that I do a light run, go as far as I can until I start to feel any problems. If I can get to about 6 or 7 miles, I will feel good about that. At least I feel like I am back on track. I do want to do more than just finish my first marathon. I'd like to be able to run it at a respectable pace. Well, at least as respectable as a 46 year old former couch potato can expect :)
Well, it finally happened. I experienced my first injury while running. I have an inflamed IT Band. The technical name is Iliotibial Band. The IT band is a fiber that runs from your hip down most of your leg. It helps connect and stabilize your knee. When it gets inflamed it rubs against the bone around the knees, causing pain and discomfort. It was serious pain the first day, but it has settled down. Regardless it has put me on the shelf for awhile. I’m supposed to avoid running for about 1-2 weeks until it heals. Ice packs, ibuprofen and rest are in order. Once I do start running again, I'm supposed to take it easy.
It happened this past Saturday morning. I was in the middle of a 12 mile run and was doing quite well. When I got to the 9th mile I started getting a little tired and slowed down to get some water and catch my breath. When I started back running again, I had the worst pain in my left knee and thigh. It was odd feeling what I thought was muscle pain to go with the joint pain. This illustration from Rice University shows what it looks like. Now I understand why it hurt where it did.
I’m not sure what caused the problem. Some websites I’ve looked at suggest that poor running form or overly aggressive training can cause it. I’ve been pushing my training a little hard lately, so that could be it. On all of my previous runs I always felt good and felt like I could go farther and faster. So on subsequent runs I did. I guess I need to slow down and focus on finishing instead of setting records.
This injury is going to set my training back. In fact when it first happened I was a more than a little upset. I felt a little angry and depressed. I feel like I've come so far only to hit a proverbial roadblock. However, I still plan on completing the full marathon (26.2 miles). That is my goal and I’m not going to back down because of an injury. Of course reality says I probably won't be able to go as fast. I might even have to walk a mile here and there. If that’s what it takes, well that’s what I will do. I pledged to a lot of people that I am going to finish, so I will finish.
This has been quite the running weekend. The team did our first double-digit run. We ran 10 miles through the Dreamy Draw in North Phoenix. We started close to 32nd St & Shea and went to 16th St & Glendale. That was a 5 mile run. We turned around and came back. This is the first time I've done double-digits. The most I ever did in high school was 7 miles so this was a challenge. The hard part was we did a lot of hills. The hills all came at the end of the run when you were already tired.
After I had a chance to cool down it was back to the street. Sunday was the Susan G Komen Race For The Cure. I ran the 5K(3 mile) run and my wife Suzie and my daughter Kim both did the 5K walk. It was a beautiful morning, not a cloud in the sky. There were over 14,000 people there to support finding a cure for breast cancer. There was considerable media coverage. A recap with photos can be found here: Channel 12 recap
I was very happy to be a part of this. I think my wife and daughter were happy too! It was special seeing the survivors that ran and walked. I can only hope that in the future we have more and more survivors.
We did our latest run at the new Rawhide over in the East Valley. It is in this complex that includes the Wild Horse Pass Casino. It was absolutely beautiful. The run took us through the surrounding desert, around a Sheraton resort and a golf course. It was so peaceful. I definitely plan on returning to the area with my wife, Suzie to see some of the sites. We ran past a water-way that looked like they give gondola rides, kind of like what they have at Gainey Ranch. It is definitely worth going back for that.
We are ready to participate in a kick-off event for the Rock & Roll Marathon. It is located at G.R. Herberger Park on 56th and Indian School. (See Map) I'm looking forward to the event. It is being sponsored by SRP. Check here for details. For those of you that went to Gerard High School, this is the same canal bank that we used to do our distance runs for track practice. We will be doing a short run, around 3.5 miles as part of the event.
Have been continuing to run, per the coaches game plan. After my Flagstaff run last weekend the runs I've been on this week have been a breeze. I did some speed training on the treadmill during the week, then an 8 mile run on Saturday. I had been doing some 6 mile runs both with the group and on my own. This was my first 8 mile run. It went very, very well. I ran at a 9:45 minute pace for 8 miles. Between the lung capacity I gained from doing Flagstaff and the change in the weather it felt like a stroll in the park. I couldn't believe how easy it was. We ran at Thunderbird Paseo Park in Glendale. It is a very nice place to run. The park goes through a flood plain area and goes under all the major roads. No stopping to cross streets, which is always nice.
Fund raising has been going pretty well. I've raised over $200 in about a week. Still a little short of the goal of $1000, but I have some irons in the fire. We shall see how it all pans out. I do want to give mention to Carlyn's Mill Avenue Barber Shop. Carlyn let me leave some cards with my contact info and the note "Let's run Diabetes out of town". Hopefully with her shop being on Mill Ave I will get some feedback.
Well I managed to finish the High Country Challenge without a trip to the hospital. It was quite the challenge for a low-lander like me. We started out at an altitude of 7000 feet in Flagstaff. We ran the first 5K (3.1 miles) up Mars Hill through the forest. I'm still trying to confirm, but I overheard somebody say that we had climbed almost 2000 feet. Needless to say it was tough. Between the thin air and all the climbing I was pretty well beat by the end. However, now that I've done this I know any future runs down in the Phoenix area will be a piece of cake compared to this.
This was my first competitive run ever. I don't know why I decided to do one of the hardest runs in the state for my first, but I guess I'm just a little crazy. I don't always plan these things out. I definitely plan on doing this again next year. I want to see how much progress I've made after a full year of running. The race results are here. I did okay all things considered. You'll have to scroll down pretty far to see my name, but it's there.
Am still running with Team D on Saturdays. Our team has really grown. We signed up 8 more people in the past week, for a total of 93 runners and walkers. I'm sure when I meet with the team this weekend we will have even more people. The amount of money we should be able to raise for Diabetes Research should be phenomenal. We have been training for a month now and it is quite amazing to have that many people. Next week we should be on TV, too. There is a media day for the PF Chang's marathon scheduled for September 28th at SRP Arizona Falls. This is located at 56th St and Indian School Rd along the canals. For those that used to run track with me at Gerard High School, this should be a familiar location. That is where our practice route used to end. As soon as I know more about what kind of TV coverage is expected I will post something here.
I've been continuing to run 6 miles on the weekends and 4 or so during the week. My speed has picked up on the weekend runs. The soreness and stiffness that I first experienced is slowly going away. I think I'm getting used to this crazy lifestyle. Last week we ran the Bridle Path along Central Ave and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix. Quite a nice run, great weather and beautiful homes to look at.
On Sunday, September 17th I will be in Flagstaff running in the Perot Systems High Country Challenge to benefit Toys for Tots. I plan on doing the 10K run. This will be the first race I have ever entered, not counting high school track. I'm doing this partly for the experience of entering a race, partly for practice for the marathon and mostly for an excuse to get out of town and visit my 2 oldest daughters. I have no idea what it will be like to run in the high altitude. I don't plan on overdoing it as I don't spend enough time at that altitude. The important thing is to participate, get some practice and finish the race in one piece.
On Sunday October 8th my wife Suzie, youngest daughter Kim and I will be participating in the Susan G Komen Race For The Cure. For those that don't know, this is an event to help find a cure for breast cancer. I will be running in the 5K, while my wife and daughter will be walking a 5K. With a wife and 3 daughters I think it is important that we find a cure for this disease.
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