(update of original September 2007 post)
I always said I’d quit running when my body told me to stop, not a doctor or my Mother or anyone else. But with a nagging pain in my lower back for several years now, it makes me wonder if my body is now talking, and loudly. Frankly, I had planned to run for a couple more decades and be one of those really old and greyed guys slogging down the road. So just a few months shy of fifty-five, contemplating the end of the road hurts more than my back does.
**
I started running during the First Running Boom, in the mid-70s, after college. I ran in some 10Ks, and then on a lark, my buddy Roy and I ran the Miami Orange Bowl Marathon. Being young and springy, we decided we would run at least one marathon every decade thereafter.
I ran 13 marathons, collecting New York, Boston and Chicago runs like prized trinkets, posting a PR of 3:38 early, and crossed a marathon finish line in my 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s.
Once I ran a 10K in 40:40, but I was never very fast. I just kept at it, year after year, logging my miles and goals and chronicling injuries in black-and-white Composition notebooks. I have a shelf full of them.
The running logs gave me a history of where I’d been and where I wanted to go.
**
Like a good coach, running made me eat better and forced me out the door to sweat regularly. It kept my triglycerides in check and my heart strong, resting at 54-55 beats per minute.
Before I stopped smoking and drinking for good in my late 30s, running reminded me how these things were killing me.
**
Of course, the Antirunning People insisted that running was a harmful excess and would eventually get me. It would ruin my knees, they said. Running marathons in particular was very unhealthy and, inferred, stupid of me. They always talked like they knew something, which no one did.
My argument was simple: Whatever, I like it, I’ll stop when my body tells me to.
So now in my current state, were the Anti’s right? I don’t know, but I’d do it all again. If I could get rid of the back pain, I’d go out for a run today.
**
I ran with epilepsy. To protect against breakthrough seizures, I took extra meds before long races and long training runs. Still, I had seizures on the road, once in a race. Another time I woke up in a ditch in the dark, slightly bloodied, and walked the wrong way home until the fog lifted. Another time I dropped on A1A as a car skidded to a stop inches from my head. I don’t remember any of it. The worse part was starting up again; running made me face deep fears.
**
My favorite run ever was Boston, the 100th, in 1996. Everything clicked that day. I missed breaking 4 hours by 5 minutes, but otherwise, the endorphins poured into my blood from an open faucet for 26 miles.
My toughest marathon run ever – the second New York, 2003. The first was run in a 50-degree Nor’easter monsoon, bad enough. But the second was a hot, dehydrated, cramped event that just whacked me to the Far Side. In my last Chicago, I ran ill-prepared with a respiratory infection and that one took longer to recover from – six months – but nothing hurt more than the last NY run, when instead of gorging on a big steak to celebrate, I ate chicken gumbo soup in my hotel bed and passed out.
**
Another unforgettable run was a 20-miler on the morning that Hurricane Francis blew into South Florida. In the dark, I snuck past the cops who had closed the Atlantic bridge. I headed to the beaches, which had been evacuated, and ran a deserted AIA as dawn broke. As a Francis crept closer to the coast, she cooled me down with a series of weirdly cold and violent feeder bands.
**
One year in my 40s, I ran just over a thousand miles, with time off to go skiing. 20 miles/week average. Pretty good.
**
Back in 1981, it was a low-mileage marathon plan by Jeff Galloway in RW that got me to thinking about running a marathon. Roy, like so many other over-indulgences since we were teenagers, was quick to jump all over it.
Years later, I convinced my friend Andy to quit smoking and run Disney with me, and my brother Kurt to run Chicago. Kurt went on to run several others and Andy went back to smoking. Roy wore down all the cartilage in his right knee. But it was a bum knee to begin with. The 15,000 miles or so he added after that first marathon probably didn’t help.
**
Roy and I ran that first Orange Bowl Marathon side by side and though we started many, many races together; we only finished one other together – 18 years later – at Disney. After that first year, we discovered he was fast and I wasn’t. So it went.
**
I’ve had my share of injuries, which has been central to my running experience. IT Band Syndrome, my longest running pain. I’ve worked through bouts with plantar faciitis, a groin pull, meniscus tears, hematuria, stress fractures, shin splints, tears in my calves and ankles, and the spasming lower back.
How many times have injuries become obstacles to running a marathon? Most, if not all. It’s why I’ve always said the toughest part of marathoning is getting to the start line. I wasn’t talking about completing the mileage – but avoiding injuries.
Still, injuries have been great teachers. I’ve freely passed along everything I know about inflammation and muscle knots and trigger points, et al, to anyone who will listen.
Injuries have also taught me persistence, otherwise I would not have made it to many start lines.
**
I also ran up to and through my 2008 treatment for prostate cancer. My oncologist was amazed at how I seemed to glide through the nine and a half weeks of radiation, with few complaints about fatigue. He could only explain it away by my fitness level for a typical fifty-six year old patient. That would because of the running.
**
So why can’t I run now? What’s different?
The back problem won’t clear up. I struggle to run a half mile, or even sit in a chair for long. Not running like I once did, I feel like I’m aging fast.
End of road – or another injury to persist through? Is my body screaming to stop?
I’m not sure yet, but I don’t like what I’m hearing.
**
Update November 2009:
Since I first published this post in September 2007, I've gone through severe and mild bouts with my lower back. I've tried a Medpak of super-anti-inflammatories. Extended chiropractic and massage treatments. Ab work. Treadmill-only workouts. Nothing works.
An MRI revealed a couple narrowed disk spaces, probably pinching nerves in my spine during the pounding, and a couple bulging disks; nothing operable. The result of years of running? Or just genetics?
No one can say.
My marathon days are finished, halfs are questionable. But I've adapted. I've given up the longer distances for shorter, slower runs, and conceded miles to the MRI in that I don't push the back when it acts up.
So far, so good. Back on the road again ...
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Friday, April 20, 2007
Aging Runner Manages Herniated Disk with Chiropractic Care
(Ed. note: Interviewed myself for Suite101 story about a comeback from painful half-mile on treadmill to 20-mile weeks -- over three months. Back issues returned, but Dr. Nate's chiropractic care helped me get back on my feet. I continue to run with a herniated disk. Written Novmeber 2007. SCV)
Like most aging runners, Steven Curtis, 54, has dealt with his share of injuries -- IT band syndrome, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, assorted muscle tears. But none threatened his running like a chronic bout with low back pain.
"It shut me down," said Curtis, who began running during the first Running Boom back in the late 1970s. "I went from a steady diet of 20-mile weeks for years and years, down to a half-mile on a treadmill before I had to quit. The pain was just too much. And I couldn't shake it."
Self Therapy Didn't Help
During a 15-month period, Curtis tried to add more stretching and strengthening to his daily routine, iced constantly, and took anti-inflammatory medications. But every time he began to feel better and begin running again, the low back went into spasms and the pain returned.
"After 30 years, I started thinking that this might be the end of the road," he recalled, in an interview with Suite101 on November 13, 2007. But a visit to a chiropractor, Dr. Nathan Kraner in Delray Beach, Florida, finally began to turn things around.
"Had Doubts" at First
An x-ray of Curtis' spine showed minor degenerative spondylosis -- regarded as normal "wear and tear" for someone in their fifties, Curtis said. But the x-ray also revealed narrowing spaces between two sets of vertebrae and a "seriously bowed" spinal column. Either situation may have produced a bulging or herniated disk, which could impinge on a nerve root in the spine and cause persistent lower back pain.
Although only an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test could definitely identify a herniated disk and a nerve impingement, Dr. Kraner assured Curtis a conservative chiropractic approach could solve the problem, he said. "Frankly, I had my doubts, but nothing to lose."
Back Pain Common in Runners
Low-back pain is common in runners--running stance, pronation problems and weak abs can trigger episodes. Traditional Western medicine, however, has a poor reputation for dealing with it, according to Joe Ellis in his book Running Injury Free (Rodale Press, Inc., 1994).
"Treatments...range from heat to ice, medication and taking up another sport....all too often, little relief is provided. These failures send runners looking for answers outside traditional medicine," Ellis wrote.
Chose Conservative Chiropractic Care
Changing sports was not appealing, nor was surgery or more NSAIDS, already bleeding his stomach. So Curtis went ahead with twice-a-week conservative chiropractic adjustments, along with heat/cold and electrical stimulation therapy on his lower back. The $35 sessions lasted 45 minutes to an hour. "I figured if this didn't work, my next stop was an orthopedic surgeon," Curtis said.
For the first month, the progress was slow and uneven; although every "session" provided relief from any back discomfort -- relief that lasted for increasing periods of time. After six weeks, the visits were reduced to once a week, and after nine weeks, to every other week.
All the while, Curtis added specific daily abdominal and lower back strengthening and stretching exercises, and began running on a treadmill to lesson impact on his back. Over two months, Curtis worked up to 20-mile weeks again on the treadmill, and gradually began transitioning back to the road.
Planning to Run Half Marathon
"I would have opted for surgery to run again and be out of pain," said Curtis, a marketing executive. "But taking the conservative chiropractic approach worked."
Curtis, who has run 13 marathons including Boston, Chicago and New York, continues to visit Dr. Kraner twice a month -- for general maintenance, he says -- and plans to run in an upcoming local half marathon.
"I'm running again and pain free," said Curtis. "I wasn't a believer in chiropractic care when I started, but I am now."
(Postscript: Ran Palm Beach half marathon pain-free, but two months later ran Miami Half in considerable discomfort.)
Monday, September 18, 2006
Ed's Air Force Marathon recap
WALK THE WALK
The Place: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton Ohio, September 15, 2007
Start Time: 7:35 AM
By Ed Smith
Arrived early at the parking area on Saturday morning and spent about an hour sitting in the rental going through the check list. As it turned out the hotel I stayed at was outside the base main gate and only 12-15 minutes from the start line. I arrived early… I was happy that I had dressed warmly as the predicted 48 degree start was right on. Throw in a little wind for good measure and I shivered right up to race time (cold arms). The pre-race had the usual fanfare – presentation of colors, singing of God Bless America, and various base senior staff thanking everyone… As the wheel chair racers kicked off at 7:30 two of the Air Forces finest fighters blasted overhead and just after they passed a large flight of Canadian Geese in perfect “V” formation passed thorough the rising sun. How did they ever stage that?
At 7:35 a neat and orderly start of approximately 1800 marathoner began the quest. This race has split starting times in that the half-marathoners (2000+) started half an hour after the full marathoners. At my pace I expected to see some of them around mile five.
The first 1.5 miles was flat as we headed across the base tarmac and then turned left up a gradual incline (about 5 degree) for the next 2 miles. The weather was clear and cool, muscles getting lubricated, still observing my breath and aircraft over head. Does it get any better? Had some thoughts about the possible stress on legs as I reached the crest but was relieved when I saw the next half mile was level. Then a second kicker as the course once again shot up (about 10 degree this time) for another quarter mile. As this upgrade crested it leveled off for a half mile and then headed sharply downward for less than a mile. For me it was very hard to hold back and I’m sure this had an impact on my legs but finally down to a relatively level roadbed.
Miles 5-10 meandered thorough the base with very few spectators (restricted area) but had much encouragement from volunteers at the water stations. They did make a small adjustment this year by ushering us out a base gate and looping us through a local town for the pleasure of a few hundred hardy fans (terrible street pavement). At the 10 mark I was somehow well ahead of pace (good to bank a few) and was feeling excellent. Also between 5 and 6 I did see several “halfers” as they turned around at 6+.
Miles 11-14 were uneventful. This portion reached the outer extremities of the duty runway and, being open, added a stronger wind to the now low fifties temperature.
But the sun was up and we’re half way.
As I crossed the timing mat I saw several of the busses that brought over the relay participants as this was a baton passing point. There where at least a dozen relay teams (mostly military) that participated for bragging rites. At mile 14 I felt a slight twinge in my left calf followed by the feeling of a small foreign particle in my left heal area. This particle, sometimes feeling the size of a rock, stayed with me the remainder of the race and it’s interesting how many different ways one can contort ones foot trying to dislodge an annoyance… I’ve preserved this adversary for future testing.
Miles 15-20 went very well as a respectable pace was maintained and I marveled at the fact that I was still wearing the cheap throwaway gloves I’d gotten in Chicago. Mile marker 21 passes by and that good feeling you get knowing only 5 to go moves you forward.. Nutritionally I’ve started taking mostly Gatorade at the tables at the half way mark. The first half it was water only and a few raisins. I took a kick of “GOO” at 16 and another at 20. Just slurped on a little water and ate half a banana after 20.
As a corner is turned at 21 a slight twinge is felt in the right hamstring, nothing severe but worth noting. In front of me I see a severe incline, probably 20 degrees and looking lot more. This is the backside (down slope from mile 3) that climbs for nearly a mile, levels for a bit and then continues up. This was a killer for me (and many others), sharp pains up right side of left calf and occasional pulling on right hamstring. Slowed to a snails pace
(had a 15 min. mile) I found ways of altering pace to accommodate the pain. Plod on the crest is in sight. I had figured in my mind that there was another leveling and then one final crest to conquer. I had already done the mental preparation for that when reaching the crest I saw nothing but a long downhill into the base and the finish… I erred for the good… Going down hill the leg issues disappeared and the pace got respectable for the last 2 miles. I’m always amazed at the number of folks you can pass in the last few miles even if you’re walking…
The last .1 of this race is unique and really cool. Headed towards the finish line you pass through a row of vintage aircraft and still have the flyovers six hours after the start. Each medal is presented by a senior air force officer (something reserved for the Kenyans) a salute and a hand shake. I managed to at least remember to take off my hat, hey 5:44:30(13.09pace) by their count. Not my best, but respectable.
Ending temperature 54 degrees, another lovely northern day…
The Place: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton Ohio, September 15, 2007
Start Time: 7:35 AM
By Ed Smith
Arrived early at the parking area on Saturday morning and spent about an hour sitting in the rental going through the check list. As it turned out the hotel I stayed at was outside the base main gate and only 12-15 minutes from the start line. I arrived early… I was happy that I had dressed warmly as the predicted 48 degree start was right on. Throw in a little wind for good measure and I shivered right up to race time (cold arms). The pre-race had the usual fanfare – presentation of colors, singing of God Bless America, and various base senior staff thanking everyone… As the wheel chair racers kicked off at 7:30 two of the Air Forces finest fighters blasted overhead and just after they passed a large flight of Canadian Geese in perfect “V” formation passed thorough the rising sun. How did they ever stage that?
At 7:35 a neat and orderly start of approximately 1800 marathoner began the quest. This race has split starting times in that the half-marathoners (2000+) started half an hour after the full marathoners. At my pace I expected to see some of them around mile five.
The first 1.5 miles was flat as we headed across the base tarmac and then turned left up a gradual incline (about 5 degree) for the next 2 miles. The weather was clear and cool, muscles getting lubricated, still observing my breath and aircraft over head. Does it get any better? Had some thoughts about the possible stress on legs as I reached the crest but was relieved when I saw the next half mile was level. Then a second kicker as the course once again shot up (about 10 degree this time) for another quarter mile. As this upgrade crested it leveled off for a half mile and then headed sharply downward for less than a mile. For me it was very hard to hold back and I’m sure this had an impact on my legs but finally down to a relatively level roadbed.
Miles 5-10 meandered thorough the base with very few spectators (restricted area) but had much encouragement from volunteers at the water stations. They did make a small adjustment this year by ushering us out a base gate and looping us through a local town for the pleasure of a few hundred hardy fans (terrible street pavement). At the 10 mark I was somehow well ahead of pace (good to bank a few) and was feeling excellent. Also between 5 and 6 I did see several “halfers” as they turned around at 6+.
Miles 11-14 were uneventful. This portion reached the outer extremities of the duty runway and, being open, added a stronger wind to the now low fifties temperature.
But the sun was up and we’re half way.
As I crossed the timing mat I saw several of the busses that brought over the relay participants as this was a baton passing point. There where at least a dozen relay teams (mostly military) that participated for bragging rites. At mile 14 I felt a slight twinge in my left calf followed by the feeling of a small foreign particle in my left heal area. This particle, sometimes feeling the size of a rock, stayed with me the remainder of the race and it’s interesting how many different ways one can contort ones foot trying to dislodge an annoyance… I’ve preserved this adversary for future testing.
Miles 15-20 went very well as a respectable pace was maintained and I marveled at the fact that I was still wearing the cheap throwaway gloves I’d gotten in Chicago. Mile marker 21 passes by and that good feeling you get knowing only 5 to go moves you forward.. Nutritionally I’ve started taking mostly Gatorade at the tables at the half way mark. The first half it was water only and a few raisins. I took a kick of “GOO” at 16 and another at 20. Just slurped on a little water and ate half a banana after 20.
As a corner is turned at 21 a slight twinge is felt in the right hamstring, nothing severe but worth noting. In front of me I see a severe incline, probably 20 degrees and looking lot more. This is the backside (down slope from mile 3) that climbs for nearly a mile, levels for a bit and then continues up. This was a killer for me (and many others), sharp pains up right side of left calf and occasional pulling on right hamstring. Slowed to a snails pace
(had a 15 min. mile) I found ways of altering pace to accommodate the pain. Plod on the crest is in sight. I had figured in my mind that there was another leveling and then one final crest to conquer. I had already done the mental preparation for that when reaching the crest I saw nothing but a long downhill into the base and the finish… I erred for the good… Going down hill the leg issues disappeared and the pace got respectable for the last 2 miles. I’m always amazed at the number of folks you can pass in the last few miles even if you’re walking…
The last .1 of this race is unique and really cool. Headed towards the finish line you pass through a row of vintage aircraft and still have the flyovers six hours after the start. Each medal is presented by a senior air force officer (something reserved for the Kenyans) a salute and a hand shake. I managed to at least remember to take off my hat, hey 5:44:30(13.09pace) by their count. Not my best, but respectable.
Ending temperature 54 degrees, another lovely northern day…
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Chiropractic BS
Yesterday a chiropractor told me I didn't have much long-distance running in front of me because of my age. "Fifty-three? I didn't know," he says. "Your knees, your back...people weren't built to run marathons." Maybe, but that's still the last time that guy gets my business. Not because he's telling me something I don't want to hear, but because I simply asked him what I needed to do to get back on my feet.
The guy's got $150 of my money for three adjustments and two massages, trying to get my hip back in alignment. At least he could've advised me to let the injury heal, then add more stretching and strengthening. Instead, he's telling me I'm done. Then adds: "Of course, you could come in here three times a week for adjustments and keep running."
Now here's a guy advising me that it's okay to run on an injury as long as I pay him 90 bucks a week to push my hip back into place. It's no wonder his patients can't run longer as they age -- or for that matter, walk the mall.
"As we get older, our muscles get tighter and our bodies get thrown out of balance. The key is stretching and lengthening and balancing." --65-year-old masters runner Shirley Matson (Runner's World, August '06)
Stretch, strengthen, lengthen. I guess I already knew what to do. I got into this mess with my hip because I jumped back into running after a long layoff, and my hammies and abductors and calves and IT band tightened up like a snare drum. I continued to run on the tightness. After one week, the drawn up muscles simply pulled my hip out. Over the last 10 days, as soon as any mobility returns, I try to run and re-injury the area deep in my hip. Spasms. Inflammation. Pain. More downtime. Back to the chiropractor.
"You're at a point where you'll always be injured," says the chiropractor, again implying the only solution at my advanced age is regular and frequent adjustments.
I've been hearing about the crippling effect of LDR since I was 25 years old. About how it would wreck my body. And it surely will if I get hurt and don't let the injuries heal and don't do the things I need to do to strengthen and lengthen muscles, especially at my age.
That guy's history. I've had some good luck in the past with a chiropractor. Certainly massage has gotten me through numerous injuries. But bodies at any age need time to heal. Add strength and length and there's no telling how far you can go -- on individual runs or through the years. Unless you listen to self-serving doctors like my ex-chiropractor.
The guy's got $150 of my money for three adjustments and two massages, trying to get my hip back in alignment. At least he could've advised me to let the injury heal, then add more stretching and strengthening. Instead, he's telling me I'm done. Then adds: "Of course, you could come in here three times a week for adjustments and keep running."
Now here's a guy advising me that it's okay to run on an injury as long as I pay him 90 bucks a week to push my hip back into place. It's no wonder his patients can't run longer as they age -- or for that matter, walk the mall.
"As we get older, our muscles get tighter and our bodies get thrown out of balance. The key is stretching and lengthening and balancing." --65-year-old masters runner Shirley Matson (Runner's World, August '06)
Stretch, strengthen, lengthen. I guess I already knew what to do. I got into this mess with my hip because I jumped back into running after a long layoff, and my hammies and abductors and calves and IT band tightened up like a snare drum. I continued to run on the tightness. After one week, the drawn up muscles simply pulled my hip out. Over the last 10 days, as soon as any mobility returns, I try to run and re-injury the area deep in my hip. Spasms. Inflammation. Pain. More downtime. Back to the chiropractor.
"You're at a point where you'll always be injured," says the chiropractor, again implying the only solution at my advanced age is regular and frequent adjustments.
I've been hearing about the crippling effect of LDR since I was 25 years old. About how it would wreck my body. And it surely will if I get hurt and don't let the injuries heal and don't do the things I need to do to strengthen and lengthen muscles, especially at my age.
That guy's history. I've had some good luck in the past with a chiropractor. Certainly massage has gotten me through numerous injuries. But bodies at any age need time to heal. Add strength and length and there's no telling how far you can go -- on individual runs or through the years. Unless you listen to self-serving doctors like my ex-chiropractor.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Back on the road
Midsummer update: 14 weeks to Chicago....16 weeks to NY.
Roy & Marabelle: Looks like they're headed to NY the first weekend of November. Roy's knee is holding up as he puts in 10-milers-plus and he reports the half-dollar size chunk of floating cartlege has recessed back inside the knee. This is a good thing? Marabelle just blazes ahead....
Kurt: The quest continues for sub-4, although in South Florida where he's now a resident of Coral Springs. Targeting the flatness of Chicago. As suspected, Kurt says the humidity down here is worse to train in than the summer heat in St. Louis. More threatening is the chronic ankle injury that has kept him off the roads for the past week...
Nick: Retired. One track season and a 5:17 mile with no training was enough. Although he does run an occasional 3 miler with me.
Ed: Have no clue what the intrepid walker is up to. I believe he's targeting the Goofy (half, full, back to back) at Disney in January....
Me: My right arm is strong as steel rebar from another 20,000 batting practice pitches since February, but the rest of me is a mess. Baseball is over, so I'm back on the road this week. Not sure where I'm headed, if anywhere: NY (paid to roll it over last year) if I can run a full marathon, or Chicago's back half to pace Kurt if that's all I can do. After three afternoon runs to start Week #1, I'm exhausted after 3-4 miles @ 9s in the heat....not good. Although two years ago, I ran a 4:29 in Chicago with Kurt after running 14-week program with no base. More to the point is if I want to put in the long runs. After one week of running, hip outage. Already in the chiropractor's office...
Roy & Marabelle: Looks like they're headed to NY the first weekend of November. Roy's knee is holding up as he puts in 10-milers-plus and he reports the half-dollar size chunk of floating cartlege has recessed back inside the knee. This is a good thing? Marabelle just blazes ahead....
Kurt: The quest continues for sub-4, although in South Florida where he's now a resident of Coral Springs. Targeting the flatness of Chicago. As suspected, Kurt says the humidity down here is worse to train in than the summer heat in St. Louis. More threatening is the chronic ankle injury that has kept him off the roads for the past week...
Nick: Retired. One track season and a 5:17 mile with no training was enough. Although he does run an occasional 3 miler with me.
Ed: Have no clue what the intrepid walker is up to. I believe he's targeting the Goofy (half, full, back to back) at Disney in January....
Me: My right arm is strong as steel rebar from another 20,000 batting practice pitches since February, but the rest of me is a mess. Baseball is over, so I'm back on the road this week. Not sure where I'm headed, if anywhere: NY (paid to roll it over last year) if I can run a full marathon, or Chicago's back half to pace Kurt if that's all I can do. After three afternoon runs to start Week #1, I'm exhausted after 3-4 miles @ 9s in the heat....not good. Although two years ago, I ran a 4:29 in Chicago with Kurt after running 14-week program with no base. More to the point is if I want to put in the long runs. After one week of running, hip outage. Already in the chiropractor's office...
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Kenyan bests Nick (5:17 PB) in County championship
A Kenyan? Well, it’s mostly true, if profiling is allowed in a Palm Beach County middle-school track meet. I mean, the kid with the #1 seed and a 5:13 qualifying time had the look and long leggy stride of every winner wearing the wreath after Boston
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Boston 07.... New York 07?
Swansong.....
NEW YORK:
This week I paid for my guaranteed entry into NY -- about 80 bucks -- with the intent of rolling it over into another guaranteed entry and another 80 bucks next year, when we may run it. May not. But it's tough giving up the entry. Roy's flipping his as well, and entering Marabelle into the lottery. Hopefully Kurt is paying his money for the lottery. 2007...08? Hard to say, right now training through the summer seems beyond the pale, a task my body no longer wants and is having a horrible time handling. Whatever the training, it will be rather brief (14 weeks) and fewer days per week. Heavy gym going in -- and religious IT build up front. The goal would be my first comfortable finish in the Big Apple. What a novel idea. It's possible Marabelle, Roy and Kurt could all come, which is why we're even considering this. I mentioned to Kurt a weekend with Lorraine and TJ in NY...at the Hyatt???
BOSTON:
Eight months prior to NY is Boston 07 -- a target for Marabelle and Roy, and if we want to run as bandits, for me and possibly Kurt. I'm conflicted about the bandit thing, but I'll never qualify at 3:40. It's 4:00 at 60. But let's be real. If I want to chug up Heartbreak Hill again, it's have to be as a bandit....so: Hyatt????
Hopefully Doug stays employeed with my favorite hotel chain.
NEW YORK:
This week I paid for my guaranteed entry into NY -- about 80 bucks -- with the intent of rolling it over into another guaranteed entry and another 80 bucks next year, when we may run it. May not. But it's tough giving up the entry. Roy's flipping his as well, and entering Marabelle into the lottery. Hopefully Kurt is paying his money for the lottery. 2007...08? Hard to say, right now training through the summer seems beyond the pale, a task my body no longer wants and is having a horrible time handling. Whatever the training, it will be rather brief (14 weeks) and fewer days per week. Heavy gym going in -- and religious IT build up front. The goal would be my first comfortable finish in the Big Apple. What a novel idea. It's possible Marabelle, Roy and Kurt could all come, which is why we're even considering this. I mentioned to Kurt a weekend with Lorraine and TJ in NY...at the Hyatt???
BOSTON:
Eight months prior to NY is Boston 07 -- a target for Marabelle and Roy, and if we want to run as bandits, for me and possibly Kurt. I'm conflicted about the bandit thing, but I'll never qualify at 3:40. It's 4:00 at 60. But let's be real. If I want to chug up Heartbreak Hill again, it's have to be as a bandit....so: Hyatt????
Hopefully Doug stays employeed with my favorite hotel chain.
Nick's 5:36
Who knew? Nick’s first track meet – three middle schools, including high-powered Odyssey. He’d blown away everyone on his team at the mile and half-mile distances, but how would he do against real competition? His coach gave him the mile to run. At the gun, he tucked in behind another willowy kid from Odyssey who looked pretty fast and Nick stayed on his shoulder for the first lap. Then he makes a move, and I’m thinking, Oh no too fast too soon – but immediately puts some space between him and Odyssey kid. Halfway through the second quarter, he’s on his own and I keep looking for that spacing to shrink. But nope, second lap stays smooth. His strategy on the third lap was to run easy, and he did, and actually adds spacing, now the gap is about 75 yards and holding steady. The fourth quarter he starts to push again and opens up an even bigger gap and the Odessey kid is now fighting for second and cramping. This race is all Nick’s…unless….unless….those stupid little Omni shorts he’s wearing halfway down his underwear suddenly slip to his ankles, trip him like a potato sack and we end up with dental bills. But the pants stay up and he shifts into another gear over the last straight-away….yes, there was sprint left….and he wins by 100 yards. 5:36 mile. Of course he said he had more if he’d had anyone to race against.
Now I've tried to find the significance of the 5:35 in Florida. They don't seem to keep all-time middle school records. But you can find major meets and championships in the 1600 meter, just slightly shorter than the mile. Basically, Nick's 5:36 is within 15-20 of being a top 10 in the state of Florida at last year's Middle School Championships. The best time seem to run around 5:00 to 5:15.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
A Little Off
Miami Tropical Marathon 06. Kurt's 4:05 left him no worse for wear on a warm day and Ed racked up a personal best 5:31 -- weather means nothing to the intrepid walker. I did the half in an unremarkable 2:03, after running the last mile in 13:30 after missreading my GPS.
The Quest Continues
One year ago, Kurt and I began to train for a sub-4 marathon in Chicago this past October. A bout with asthma/allergies in late summer hurt my training. Kurt, on the other hand, had rebounded nicely from stress fractures. By the time the race rolled around, he was ready. He'd put in the time and training -- but came up a four minutes short.
Rather than packing it in, Kurt tweeked his program and trained through the dregs of the St. Louis winter to run the Miami Tropical Marathon on January 30th, where he ran an almost identical race. The weather that day was the warmest in the month. If it had been cool in the 40s and 50s, the sub-4 would've been a done deal. Does he try again? He trained in earnest for one year, and now he's distracted with selling his house and moving to Florida, so time will tell.
Ed is most impressive, I can't even count all his walking marathons and halfs. He clocks them off in 5:35s, which is an amazingly fast time. Nashville, Chicago, Arizona, Miami, plus halfs in Palm Beach, Tampa -- did I miss any? All within one year. I think he's taking a break from devout, monk-like training because my Mother (his wife) is insistent on Ed completing household projects he's skipped during his year-long training blitz.
I got more sick of running this year than any time since my 10-year retirement from racing in 1984. I've run 1000 miles a year for each of the past 2 years, and I'm just tired. Right now, I'm on a mental break but I'm sure I'll eventually find my way back.
I do have a guaranteed entry to New York to renew this spring. It's like throwing 80 bucks to the wind to keep it alive. Otherwise, I have to put myself back in the lottery pool if I want to run NY again. I'll probably waste the money in the hope that I feel like running it in 2007. But I don't see any marathons this year, although the Goofy thing at Disney (half and full on consecutive days) has crossed my mind. Kurt?
Rather than packing it in, Kurt tweeked his program and trained through the dregs of the St. Louis winter to run the Miami Tropical Marathon on January 30th, where he ran an almost identical race. The weather that day was the warmest in the month. If it had been cool in the 40s and 50s, the sub-4 would've been a done deal. Does he try again? He trained in earnest for one year, and now he's distracted with selling his house and moving to Florida, so time will tell.
Ed is most impressive, I can't even count all his walking marathons and halfs. He clocks them off in 5:35s, which is an amazingly fast time. Nashville, Chicago, Arizona, Miami, plus halfs in Palm Beach, Tampa -- did I miss any? All within one year. I think he's taking a break from devout, monk-like training because my Mother (his wife) is insistent on Ed completing household projects he's skipped during his year-long training blitz.
I got more sick of running this year than any time since my 10-year retirement from racing in 1984. I've run 1000 miles a year for each of the past 2 years, and I'm just tired. Right now, I'm on a mental break but I'm sure I'll eventually find my way back.
I do have a guaranteed entry to New York to renew this spring. It's like throwing 80 bucks to the wind to keep it alive. Otherwise, I have to put myself back in the lottery pool if I want to run NY again. I'll probably waste the money in the hope that I feel like running it in 2007. But I don't see any marathons this year, although the Goofy thing at Disney (half and full on consecutive days) has crossed my mind. Kurt?
Friday, October 21, 2005
Chicago Marathon '05
Finishers Chicag05. It wasn't pretty for the bookends, but we all got there. Run onward....
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Finish Line -- Chicag05
26.2 is a wicked distance that can't be cheated. At the 24M mark, Kurt had the 4:00 Pace Team in sight 100 yards ahead, but his legs wouldn't go. He came up 4 minutes short on a terrific run on a cool, sunny day in Chicago. Me, at 4 hours, the original time goal, I was shuffling along with two inflamed IT bands, a twitching back, legs caked in lactic acid in Chinatown and another hour of running to go. Nothing went right. Since mid-August, I'd spent nearly all my miles on a treadmill, trying to stay out of the heat and minimize the fatigue, but my legs weren't ready for more than 16 miles of real road pounding and my repiratory problems never went away. I never felt so horrible for a start. I thought the cold temps might help but.....You can't cheat the distance. For me, #13 was cursed for the last 6-7 weeks. Kurt, on the other hand, had a great race but, for whatever reason, his legs lacked a final drive. So he takes his summer training, punches it up with more tempos and drives down his 10K times another few minutes, maybe he makes it next time -- all other conditions being equal. Ed walked the distance as well, around 5:50, but not satisfied with his time either. He didn't care for the crowds and packed waterstops of the bigger marathon. Over 26 miles of Chicag05, there were all sorts of harzards....
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