Vinsanity's Running Blog

A Good Rebound

2011-05-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

I went to Pittsburgh this morning to run in the Komen Race for the Cure 5k. Even though I have been mostly disappointed in my racing lately I felt as though I was ready to improve upon previous outings and wanted to push myself in this race. It is a challenging course with nearly 2 miles of hills from the start in the Schenley Park area of Pittsburgh with a downhill finish.

I did struggle early on but as the race progressed I was able to push aside the urge to slow down and fought through the negative thoughts and by the time I raced across the finish line in 21:16 I felt as though I really rebouned from mostly disappointing performances.

The actual finish time itself is not all that impressive as a whole. After all I've broken 20:00 fourteen times and this time was only good for 34th place all time on my 5k race list (out of 53 races), but it is a very challenging course. In addition I have become more interested in seeing how I fared compared to the field and within my age group.

When I look at the overall race, I finished 72nd out of 2,211 participants. That is in the top 3.3% of all finishers. When I look at the 40-49 age group I finished 6th out of 175 participants. That is within the top 3.4% of finishers in my age group.

I cannot be anything but pleased with today's performance and my plan is to build upon it as I now enter the summer racing season.

Right Back Where I Started From

2011-04-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

It's been five days since I ran the fabled course in Boston, Massachusetts and I've even started exercising again. Yesterday I ran a slow recovery 3 miles (legs were still sore) and today I got back at my lifting routine.

Although I have spent pretty much all of the past five days reflecting on the experience that was Boston I must admit to having mixed feelings. On one hand I am very satisfied and happy to have etched my name into the history of the Boston Marathon. I am content with the effort I put forth toward the race. I wasn't so happy with my training; which I've discussed in this very blog, which came back to haunt me just past 21 miles. Which brings me to the feeling of contentment I have with those first 21 miles. After reviewing the race and my time splits and hashing over how I ran this race I cannot be more happy that I was able to hold the pace I did for so long. The fact that I was running on a 3:30 pace through 21 miles is nothing short of astonishing considering the amount of treadmill running I did this past winter. And yet I still feel far short of any of my expectations. I had set a 3:30 goal in my mind with a secondary goal of no more than 3:39:59 for obvious reasons. But I didn't reach either of those. No, not even close.

Posting a 3:52:42 (and I hesitated to even bold that) was and is a huge disappointment. It stands as my second slowest time in a marathon (besides my very first one). It was 7:00 slower than Frederick (which was awful). It was 19:00 slower than Johnstown (which was awful past mile 18), and 23:00 slower than Pittsburgh (which was challenging to say the least).

And so I am left to wonder what might have been. Satisfied and yet vastly dissatisfied. I've reached my goal of getting to Boston. I reached my goal of finishing Boston. But like so many races before, I am not happy with the complete picture. Before heading north last Saturday my mind was set to finish this off and then maybe step away from marathoning for awhile. Run shorter races. Run but not on such a regimented schedule. Now, I feel like I'm still unfulfilled. The question I keep asking myself is what would make me happy? How can I make this go away? The answer is actually a simple one. Although the solution is hard. Much harder than it was a year ago. I feel like I must get myself back there and simply train for it and run it better. Go and get that 3:30. But in order to do that, I need to run a sub-3:15. Something I have not yet done.

In a lot of ways I feel as though I'm right back to where I started from...

Speaks for Itself....I'm honored.

2011-04-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.wjactv.com/video/27538200/index.html

Three Unique Runs

2011-04-03T17:04:00.001-07:00

March, 2011 certainly went out like a lion, but April didn't come in like a lamb. And now with just a smidge over 14 days left before I run in the 115th edition of the Boston Marathon I am left to wonder if I've done enough. As I mentioned in my previous post, there isn't a whole lot I'm going to be able to do about it now if I haven't but still I wonder. And then, I have days like I've had on each of my last three runs. It's days like those when I am reminded that although it's all about the training and the running and the preparation, it's NOT about any of those things. (Run #1 Wednesday, March 30, 2011) All of my runs used to be in the early mornings when the world was waking up around me. When the dark moved toward the light. There is a peace about running in the morning and there is no better way to get a day off to its start than with the early morning run. Lately, as it has been well-documented, I have struggled to drag myself out of bed. So more often than I'd like to admit or give into, I have run after work or in the evenings. This day was no different. I slept in with the intention of running after work. The cold winter that we have just endured has somehow continued into the month of March and doesn't appear to be subsiding as April quickly approaches. With morning temperatures near record lows part of my reason to run later is to run in warmer temperatures. Sounds like a plan but sometimes it doesn't quite work out, like today. The snow started to fall lightly on my drive home from work and steadily intensified as I got closer to home. By the time I reached the house, it was beginning to lay on the roads. I thought briefly about hitting the treadmill but there was something about the look and feel of this late season snow. I've often felt that the first few snows of the year and the last few snows of the year make for the prettiest snows of the year. On this day, that would be confirmed as I went out for my 5-miler. As the snow fluctuated in intensity and alternated on occasion between a fine light snow and a crispy sleet I pounded on the roads with a focus and an energy I have shown far too little these past few months. The high occasional wind made it seem miserable but when the wind would subside the real beauty of this run was exposed. A few weeks ago we saw a few days of temperatures in the 60's and lots of people were out and about, raking their lawns, walking their dogs or preparing for what seemed to be an inevitable spring warmup. But mother nature threw a curveball at us all and as a result for a late March day as the grey skies hovered over us and mixed and alternating precipitation fell upon us it felt more like an early morning winter run. But there were discernable differences. Robins chirped and scurried on the ground searching for late afternoon meals. On the main roads traffic was moving about at a normal rate. But as I approached the final mile of my run in the residential area that I live it was noticeable to me that activity was at a minimum and I seemed to plod along all by myself. As I ran the final hundred yards back to my house the night sky was beginning to engulf the horizon and the only sounds I heard were the steady footfalls in front of me, the cadence of my breathing and the crackling of the tiny ice pellets of snow that attacked the material of my running jacket. As I came to a stop and stood behind my house I looked around and heard the unbridled beauty of nature that surrounded me. I stood in amazement as it fell deeper into darkness and I hastily grabbed my camera phone to capture the moment. Although you cannot hear it, you can see it in the photo above. What I find to be so mesmerizing about this picture is how it captures the feeling that I had of not being able to tell whether it was morning with the darkness fading or late afternoon with the darkness forthcoming. Within 10 minutes of that photo being taken, it was clear which side of the clock we were on. But for that small window of time I could have fooled myself into thinking it was early morning. (Run #2 Friday, April 1, 2011) Similar set of circumstances as run #1 but oh, so different. I drove home from work in bountiful sunshine and looked forward to a run in the sun. Despite temperatures in the upper 30's I find it to be equally important to run with a sunsoaked sky every now and then. It's good for the mind. I arrived at home and wasted no time getting back out on the run, also a 5-miler. Shortly after I departed I noticed cloudy skies were beginning to descend upon us and although the forecast called for possibly rain showers with the chance for more snow I figured it was coming later on in the evening. But halfway through my run light snow began to fall and as I got through 3 miles it began falling harder. Shortly after I hit the 4-mile mark I noticed that the clouds were beginning to break up a bit and even though some blue skies were visible the snow continued to fall. Then as I turned the corner and headed for home (about a 1/2 mile to go), the sun came out. However, the snow continued to fall. Not only did it continue to fall, it intensified. It intensified so quickly and came down so harshly I recall thinking that if it continued it would fall at about an inch an hour rate. It felt like a middle of the winter snowstorm snow. As I stared at this wall of snow falling through a bright sunshine I remarked outloud....."that.....is......awesome". And I immediately thought how lucky I was to see it. It lasted only about 30 seconds and then it was gone. As I climbed the hill back to my house it was sunny just like it was when I left. In that 38-39 minutes it went from total sunshine to a snowstorm back to total sunshine. One of the more unique runs I've been on in a long long time. I wish I had a picture of it to post, but I don't have one. It lives in my mind. (Run #3 Sunday, April 3, 2011) Call it a bad habit. I didn't even run in the morning today. And although you could call it excuse making, I had good reason(s). Yesterday afternoon I experienced very slight pain in the quadriceps that gave me so many problems last fall. It was vague discomfort and it gave me pause waking this morning. Since I also had plans to attend an open house I decided to wait until the afternoon again to run. More specifically I decided to run after watching the Pirates game that was on at 2:00 p.m. Despite planning on doing a 10-12 miler I convinced myself that perhaps half of that was more appropriate since not doing a few miles wouldn't really hurt me at this point. After all, with two weeks to go, I'm either ready or I'm not. So I decided to play it safe and bargained myself into doing a 6-miler. Further, since today was supposed to be long-slow run day I planned on doing an 8:00 minute pace. Originally I set my watch to 48:00 and was just going to run and time it right but decided to run my usual route so I knew how my pacing was going. After hitting the 1-mile mark at 7:57 I knew I was off to a good start. It felt comfortable and easy. At mile-2 I was so relaxed I forgot to hit my watch and when I crossed mile-3 at 23:56 I felt good about my pacing ability. It still felt effortless and I concentrated on my quads and knees to make sure I wasn't doing further damage. At mile-4 I clicked my split at 31:59 and when I crossed the 5- mile mark at 39:59 I remember thinking how perfect I was making this run. Literally running at even splits. When I got back to where I started at the house and hit my watch button I looked in amazement at the face of my watch reading 48:00. Even though it's not my normal marathon pace or one I want to run, I can't help but wonder if today was the perfect run? Who knows? But it was a perfect way to wrap up the week after two unique runs in a row. Today was the hat trick and the better news is that my knee responded well. I'm down to 14 days and 7 runs remaining before toeing the line in Hopkinton. I can only hope that the memories of the past few days will help me keep things in perspective as I run into difficulty on April 18. At the very least I've got three unique runs in a row at a time when I really needed it.

Still Looking for ME

2011-03-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

Helluva time to pick to go disappearing. Try the entire winter and spring (so far) prior to the 2011 Boston Marathon. I went out for my 10-mile run today after work. One of my final two double-digit runs prior to the big day and like always, I did a lot of thinking on that run. I thought of lots of things but two themes stand out to me.

First, I kept thinking about what's wrong with me. Where am I? Which leads me to the second thought. And invariably the two are tied together. This is the biggest sporting event I've participated in in my entire life (debatable, but I don't think I've been involved in any bigger. The sheer history of the Boston Marathon and the fact that one must qualify to get into it leaves me thinking that yes, it is THE BIGGEST event of my life.) Where am I? Why can't I run fast like I did just a year ago at this time? Am I burnt out? Did the broken foot and then the tendinitis last year finally catch up to me? Is it the bad winter? (<-- frankly, this one is an excuse). Is my commitment level not where it should be? Did I spend too much time on the treadmill this past winter? Did the fact that I worked only half my normal complement of hockey games affect my cross-training? (<-- catch/22 of this is that I purposedly backed off so as to not get injured and cost myself Boston). Do others who qualify for this race experience the same kind of "drop off" I have?

With three weeks to go, obviously I have lots of questions. And I think the answer is it's all those things and more. I'm trying to stay positive about it and take positive energy with me to Boston but the fact is I feel less prepared for this marathon than any preceding it. The only thought that keeps me going is that I felt similar before I went to Philadelphia four years ago. I went there with next to no expectations and I missed qualifying for Boston by 4 seconds.

With three weeks to go there isn't a whole lot I'm going to be able to do about it at this point, so I try to keep my mind off of it. But it's hard to do that when you're out on the roads with nothing but your iPod and your mind. The thoughts dart in without thinking of them. The reality stares me down and although I'm concerned I just keep searching. One additional thought pops into my head and it gives me some solace. I won't stop searching for ME. Perhaps I'll find him in Boston?

A Final Tune-Up

2011-03-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

Although next Saturday would have been a better race in Meyersdale (Maple Festival 5-miler), I decided to run the Pennsylvania Highlands Sprint to Success 5k today as my final tune-up race before Boston. Despite running a 21:28 (unofficial), a time that most of my friends and loved ones say is very good, I find myself disappointed and struggling to understand why I am not as fast as I was just a year ago.

My weight has been fairly consistent and the only explanation I can come up with is that I spent more than my fair amount of time on the treadmill this past winter. I became much less of a die-hard going outside when the weather turned bad and the weather was bad more often than it wasn't this past winter.

After struggling with quadriceps tendinitis last fall and not racing as much I guess that not actually racing is a secondary reason why my speed isn't there. With just over three weeks remaining before my bid day there isn't much I can do about it at this point. I must focus my energies on Boston and running my best possible time there. However, I think that it is important for me to make sure that I enjoy the moment there and take it all in. Even if that means I have to stop on occasion to enjoy the revelry of the race and not worry so much about time. That will be fairly difficult for me to do but perhaps my lack of speed right now will have me balanced enough to realize that speed is not of the essence. At least not right now.

Above is my race shirt and 2nd place medal in the 40-49 age group (my friend Paul Straka took first. Despite my snails pace, I still managed to finish 5th overall. Perhaps that is why people think I'm crazy for being disappointed.

7159...

2011-03-14T18:57:00.001-07:00

No, it's not some weirdo hidden code to explain the Mayan calendar or the impending end of the earth and life as we know it. Today is kind of a landmark day in that I logged into my profile for the Boston Marathon and I have been assigned Bib # 7159. This continues a string of odd bib numbers for every marathon except for my first (Cleveland; Bib #376). Every marathon since has been an odd number which is good luck. Hey, I'll take what I can get.

The other significance of my bib is that I will be taking off from the start with runners in the First Wave. This year Boston will be using a Three Wave Start format with approximately 9,000 people starting in each wave. Obviously, it's somewhat advantageous to start out front as I found out in Chicago.

I'm getting pretty excited about this thing. As I should. I've got a 20-miler to get through this Saturday and then it's taper-time. If I can string together another good week this week I think I'll be well on my way to respectability. Which is a long hnaul from where I thought I'd be 3 months ago. Two months ago. Hell, even a month ago...

The Final Push

2011-03-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did my 18-miler and passed the test with somewhat flying colors. It was yet another example of how I am totally affected by weather. The temperature hovered just below and just above 40 degrees and with the sun shining brightly it was an enjoyable experience for the most part. I did want to stop around mile 16 but pushed through my negative thoughts and completed the run and felt good about it when it was over. I could only keep thinking how miserable I might have been if it had been raining or snowing or much colder. Anyway, next weekend will be my 20-miler and then the four week taper. I'm "cramming" for the Boston Marathon. Not what I had hoped to do but it is where I am at the moment.

Even though I love Wedding Crashers because I think it is one of the funnier films of all-time I can't help but recall the line from Senator Cleary (Christopher Walken) to his daughter Claire Cleary (Rachel McAdams) that seems to fit right now:

"We have no way of knowing what lays ahead for us in the future. All we can do is use the information at hand to make the best decision possible."

Terrible Struggles

2011-02-17T10:35:00.000-08:00

Not sure why but in addition to not being very active at keeping my blog alive (it is on life support), I have struggled with my training. A glimmer of hope exists as my last two training runs have been the best two training runs I've had in months.

In addition to my running, I've struggled in other areas of life as well. Not coincidentally my attitude has been as bad as it has in years. I haven't felt like myself and as my running struggles began everything else fell with it. Here's hoping that things turn around. I'm fighting the fight but it's been difficult.

It's one thing to struggle with exercise but yet another at life. And when you're not happy you're not happy. Running has always been my great equalizer but lately it hasn't helped as much. I suppose it may be one of those "chicken and egg" deals. Which caused which? I can't say for sure.

Some other random thoughts to ponder:

Why is it that people are always looking for someone else, be it an individual or an organization, to solve their problems? Why is it that the blame always seems to be placed in the direction of someone else? Why is it that people can’t take responsibility for themselves, their problems and their actions? Our society has somehow lost its mirror. There is far too much finger-pointing, lack of respect and playing the blame game. There is not enough inward reflection or accepting of responsibility. We have also become a society of enablers. It’s a shame but we are losing the battle. And there aren’t enough of us willing to take on this fight. Our scruples have gone by the wayside and along with it our conscience and our souls. I fear for our future.

Awful...

2011-01-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

I have no idea where the time has gone, but I guess 'awful' is the way to describe my lack of commitment to my own blog. I need to get myself back on track. I'll start with an ode and farewell to 2010; an overall very good year and a look at the upcoming year of 2011 (even though we are already 9 days in). I'll do that later today. If anyone is still reading; that's a promise. If nobody is still reading, then it's a promise to myself.

Happy New Year and a better blogging year to come....

She Won't Let This Beat Her

2010-09-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

A very dear friend of mine, Darcel Fahy was recently diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. She is 25 years old and faces a tough uphill battle. I have teamed with her to try and raise money for ovarian cancer research. I have dedicated the running of the Boston Marathon to this cause and in Darcel's honor. We are selling "runner's packs" through her website that is dedicated to her cause (www.wontletthisbeatme.com). You can read her story there as well as purchase a runner's pack that consists of a moisture wicking shirt and runner's bag. The cost is $26.20.

It truly is a worthwhile cause and you have an opportunity to be entered into a special prize drawing for each runner's pack purchased. Join me and Darcel in this fight and be a part of Boston.

www.wontletthisbeatme.com

Click on the 26.2 for Cancer link to the left of the page.

Thanks in advance for your support.

Taking the Plunge; An Announcement Forthcoming

2010-08-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

I decided last week that my knee/quad pain was enough. I took the plunge and began physical therapy. Although it hurt, it helped. And yesterday I was able to bike and get back on the treadmill for a 2-miler. I'm starting back to baby steps, but with just under eight months to go, I've got plenty of time. I need to be smart and take it slow and be careful. Tomorrow marks my second PT appointment and I am actually looking forward to it.

On another note, I am going to be making an announcement here and on my facebook page in the next few weeks concerning my Boston Marathon experience. I will pass along that information by Labor Day or the week after. I am awaiting some information regarding this announcement that is out of my control. It's a rather exciting adventure that will only enhance the Boston experience so stay tuned.

A Runner's Life

2010-08-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

I am convinced that the runner's life consists of moving from one injury to the next. Often the injury bug comes at us out of nowhere. We can go a year or more with very little issues. And sometimes we can get caught into a pattern of overcoming one pain and falling right into another.

The way my year was going (pretty much for the past YEAR), things seemed to be in rhythm. I was racing more than I ever had and I was not experiencing any pain or issues. The only thing I noticed since late spring was that my training run times were slipping a bit. I found it harder to run at the faster paces that I was seeing just prior to and after the Chicago Marathon in October. Perhaps that was the sign I ignored that my body was breaking down.

Granted, it could have been worse and I'm not out of the woods yet but for 24 days (July 17 - August 10) I battled what I though initially was runner's knee. Turns out I have had a case of quadriceps tendinitis. Possibly one of the more irritating injuries I've sustained because it really didn't limit my walking much. Actually, I could also run pain free. But the day after the runs is when I would pay.

Finally, after completing the Citizen's Helping Citizen's 5k in Indiana, PA on July 17 I had reached the breaking point (figuratively). I knew that the time had come to shut it down. As always, I struggled with staying active. Even the more simple weightlifting moves and core exercise moves engaged the quads and the knee. By far it has been one of my more frustrating injuries. I simply had to wait.

Finally, last Monday I was pain free and had freedom of movement for the first time in awhile. I decided to start slowly with a 2 mile treadmill jog and then followed that up with a 2.5 mile treadmill jog on Thursday. Last night I couldn't help myself and went to run the Richland Community Days 5k where I placed first in my age group and 13th overall with a time of 21:15. A slow time for me, but the injury and a very hilly difficult course explain that.

Still, the pain is back (although not debilitating) and I will trudge forward carefully over the next few weeks. I feel I'm going to have to back off of racing a bit through the fall and make sure that I am fully overcoming this injury before proceeding. With Boston just a few days over EIGHT months away, it's not crunch time yet.....but it's getting closer. i

Ahhhh, the life of the runner.

Two Sub Twenty's

2010-07-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

Today I ran the 2nd leg of the Indiana Road Runners Clubs' Triple Crown Series. I needed another good showing after a great run in the April Fool's Run 10k. Traditionally the Hoodlebug 5k (held in Homer City, PA as part of Summerfest) is a hot and humid evening run that starts at 6:00 p.m.

Tonight did not disappoint with the race time temperatures reaching 88 degrees with high humidity.

Despite the tough conditions I was able to put together at 19:30 which was good for 1st in my age group and 18th overall. That will score me big points but won't be nearly enough in the race series.

Yesterday I ran the Rockwood Rotary 5k race on the Allegheny Highlands Bike Trail in Rockwood, PA. For the fifth time in my racing career I ran on back to back days. Each time I have gotten faster on the second day. This weekend was no different as I ran a 19:49 yesterday shaving the 19 seconds off today.

All in all a fairly successful running weekend as I was able to break the 20:00 barrier for the 14th time in my, now forty-six 5k races. Half of those sub-20:00's (7) have come in the calendar year 2010.

The Long Slow Road

2010-06-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

Nine months and 27 days. That's how long it is until Boston. As I hit the road today for a ten miler (the one I should have done yesterday), I realized just how far off in the distance that seems. Even though I have a very busy summer and fall racing schedule of varying distances it still seems such a long way off.

As I struggled in the heat and humidity today and thought about the future so much is uncertain. I am not guaranteed of anything except being qualified for the 115th Boston Marathon. I still need to register, get accepted and then make it to race day. Lately I've struggled with my motivation, my energy levels and my overall running. Despite those struggles I continue to put up great race times. But it's all the days in between that feel like a very heavy burden.

No workout, no run seems to come easy to me anymore. It's almost the complete opposite of last summer and early fall as I prepared to run Chicago. And then I was overcoming a broken navicular bone and dealing with coming back into form. Oh, how I long for the feelings I had back then. I'm pretty sure I can get it back but for now it's a massive struggle to get myself out the door and running. It's an intense debate with myself to get moving on my lifting workouts. It's an overall struggle to deal with the heat of summer.

Like I learned last year, I truly hate the heat and humidity. I love summer, but for other reasons. I cannot stand it for running. Everything seems to be 1,000 pounds heavier this time of year. The long haul continues and I honestly look forward to those cool September and mornings to return.

Hectic Week of Racing

2010-06-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

The past week I ran two races that could not have been at further points opposite each other on the spectrum. On May 29 I was in Chicago to run the Soldier Field 10-miler. A stirring ceremony celebrating the sacrifice of so many outside of Chicago's Soldier Field had me on the verge of tears. We then took off on a 5 mile out and back trek that came back along Lake Michigan. With race temperatures in the middle to upper 70's and high humidity I was amazed how well I was able to do. I wiped myself out physically but the effort paid off in the form of a

finish time of 1:12:37. That was good for 364th overall out of over 8,300 participants. I never feel as though I am a very fast runner. I simply do the best I can, but when you see figures like that....even I have to be impressed with what I have been able to accomplish in terms of running.

The finish to the Soldier Field 10-miler is perhaps the most stunning of all the finish lines I've ever come across. After running back along the bike path next to the Lake, you loop to the backside of Soldier Field and enter the stadium underbelly coming out of the runway tunnel and onto the field. The finish line itself rests at the 50 yard line in the center of the field. My only regret was not heeding the advice of my dear friends John and Linda Flanagan who warned me that it is easy to forget to watch yourselfr cross the finish line on the jumbotron. Despite several hundred self-reminders in the final mile, guess what dear ol' Vin forgot to do? Yep, but it was still amazing to run on the field. I will watch my NFL Sunday Ticket this fall with a different perspective.

Yesterday after returning home from the Windy City earlier in the week I went down to Roxbury Park for the Grand Old Lady 5k. It was an event put on by the Johnstown YWCA. Even though it was on my race schedule all along, it still was weird because I hadn't registered for it. Normally I am a pre-registered runner. I like to plan. However, finding the registration form for this particular race was not very easy. As a result, I drove down and registered just before the race start. Being on familiar ground is always a bonus and after running a race with 8,300+ the week before in sunny and humid weather it was quite a change to be running with 33 other runners in what seemed to be a torrential downpour. But just before the race start the rains cleared and the sun came out. It was bright and also humid. This time, I came across the line in 2nd overall with a time of 20:02. A relatively tough course with a few challenging hills made it harder than it should be. I've also felt as though I may be running too much, so the next few weeks I will monitor my running and try to sneak in some more rest where I can.

Pictured (as has become a regular thing for me on this blog) are the race shirts, bibs and corresponding medals for each of the races.

First and Foremost

2010-05-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Had been having some calf issues since the Pittsburgh Marathon and on Friday morning those issues returned again. I battled through it and took some ibuprofen and decided to go to Camp Harmony for the Race Along the Lake 5k. With Chicago and the Soldier Field 10-miler squarely in my sights, I decided to "take it easy" on this one and if my calf screamed stop, that's what I'd do. But as I have become accustomed to doing, I couldn't help myself. I found myself right out front with Jesse, who I met in the first mile of this race. He was doing the 10k and offered to pace me for the first half of my race which was largely downhill. This "out and back" run meant that all of that downhill would suddenly become an "uphill" at the turnaround.

Hard to tell who was pacing who but I decided to just enjoy the first 9:00 minutes or so at a brisk yet comfortable pace. At the turnaround I began the trudge back up the long hill I just descended and quickly realized that I was alone. Halfway back up the hill I realized that I would be a winner of a race for the second time this year. Despite the low turnout and the lack of someone to push me, I used "the hill" as my motivation. As a runner I have learned that I thrive on hills. Despite saying I don't like them.....truth is, I'm made for the hills.

Finished in 19:27 and brought home my second victory of the season. Even better? I decided to purchase my first motorcycle yesterday as well. Although I don't have it in my possession as of yet, I hope to very soon. It is pictured below along with the race shirt, bib and medal from yesterday's race along the Lake (which is actually the Quemahoning Reservoir in Hollsopple, PA).

7G

2010-05-21T06:19:00.000-07:00

No, I am not inventing the newest generation of iPhone. I surpassed another milestone with my Wednesday morning run crossing over the 7,000 mile mark all time. Normally I celebrate these minor milestones but for some reason I was asleep at the switch and missed the fact that I had surpassed the mark until I was logging my workout into my log yesterday.

I looked back to see when I had crossed the 6,000 mile mark and to my surprise I had hit that number on June 23, 2009. As a result I am encouraged that I have done 1,000 miles in just under 11 months time. Since I began running seven plus years ago I have always strived to run 1,000 miles in a year but had yet to do it (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31). This lets me know that barring any unforseen circumstances I should be able to cross 1,000 miles sometime around Thanksgiving week.

But as we runners know, unforeseen circumstances have a way of cropping up from time to time. Still, I am encouraged to have done 1,000 miles in less than a calendar year and proud of my latest accomplishment that I will now refer to as crossing the 7G.

A Crazy Week

2010-05-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

I have got to be out of my mind! Despite running a marathon in humid conditions and pushing through to a 3:30:08 in Pittsburgh last Sunday I decided that some well earned time off was in order. Chalk up two days. Wednesday morning I hit the roads again. I figured a light 3 miles wouldn't be too far out of line and so I awoke and hit the streets of Southmont. Just past one mile my right calf felt as if it had been hit with a bullet from sniper fire. A little light stretching and jogging worked it out and a daily regiment of ibuprofen ensued.

The next race on my 2010 schedule included a possible run at the Johnstown Christian School on Saturday and after my calf incident I wasn't sure I would do it. But lo and behold, Vinsanity decided that it was a possibility and so to make sure I had a day rest before the race I went back out Thursday evening to squeeze in another three miler.

Friday was a rest day and on Saturday morning I make the trip over to JCS where one of the toughest 5k courses lay ahead. The course consists of a STEEP climb right out of the gate for about 1.2 miles. That is followed by relative flat road for about a half-mile and then just over one mile of steep downhill running. Not the greatest of conditions for runners NOT having run a marathon six days earlier.

I decided that I would simply run the race and not worry about time or chasing anybody (LOL). Of course, that strategy backfired once again, for I am a highly competitive person. And I could not listen to myself yet again. Right out of the gate I found myself on the heels of the lead runner who is also a member of the Indiana Road Runner's Club. Only once had I ever challenged him finishing just 5 seconds behind him last October at the Red Cross Vampire 5k. That was two weeks after returning from Chicago. This was only six days and I knew immediately I would not challenge him. And yet I could not stop myself from wanting to finish second. As we mad the steep climb up that mile long hill, I heard the footsteps and breathing of someone directly behind me. But as we crested higher and higher those steps and breaths seemed to fall further and further behind. By the time we crested the hill, there was no way I was relinquishing second place. And so it was, on the 8th of May, 2010 that I finished in 2nd place overall in the Johnstown Christian School 5k in a time of 21:08 (almost 3:00 slower than my PR just to give you an indication of how difficult the course is)

Despite a pretty thorough week, it also ends one of the crazier ones I've encountered in my 8 years of running. It also ended with a nice trophy for the effort yesterday to add to my collection.

One To Grow On

2010-05-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

PITTSBURGH MARATHON: MAY 2, 2010
Finish Time: 3:30:08

Above: My 8th completed marathon

Above: Inside of PNC Park just outside the bullpens.

Above: Make me a milkshake Malkin! I did another one!

Above: The Wall (at the expo; contained all runner's names)

Above: Somewhere just before Mile 6

Above: Minutes before the start

Above: Me taking the photo of "The Wall" shown above.

Running a marathon can be quite a humbling experience. Running multiple marathons brings experience. Yesterday it was that experience that gave me the ability to know where my limits stand and know when to back off and live to run another day. At the 10 1/2 mile mark of the Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon I knew I had become an experienced marathoner. Running in my eighth such event it was at this point in the race yesterday that I decided that pushing the envelope was something I really didn't need to do. As I had learned in Chicago, I am a cold weather runner. Race time temperatures were only in the upper-60's but the high dew point created a humid morning with a near steady rain.

Just past mile 10 I got the slightest bit light-headed. This, despite making sure I was careful to take on my gels and drink plenty of fluids at each of the aid stations I passed. It wasn't the scariest of moments, but for a split second I did think I was pushing far too hard for the conditions.

Despite my competitive fire, I knew that the "hills" were yet to come and I decided that backing off would not be the worst thing in the world. Besides, I had already gotten my Boston qualifying time in Chicago in October and a PR was not in the cards either. So I readjusted my expectations mid-stream and backed off the gas pedal. I had figured I would finish somewhere between 3:20 and 3:30 before I even arrived in the Steel City. All this meant was I would be looking at a 3:30.

Having crossed the halfway point on pace for a 3:20 I knew I had ten minutes banked to "give back". With the hills of Oakland and beyond still ahead I re-adjusted my thinking and stuck to my plan. I even took two "planned" walk breaks ranging from 0:30-1:00 each to save myself a little. Rewards for keeping my mile splits in the single digits. Despite the negatives and the fact that I wasn't completely happy with the end result immediately upon finishing I still came through the finish chute in 3:30:08. The positives that I learned today. My time was good for 360th of 4,022 runners. I also finished 35th in my age group out of 364 runners. My finish time was also almost an hour faster than the average finish time of 4:27:52. Finishing in the top 10% isn't bad no matter how you slice it. All in all, a good day and one for me to grow on.

Above: The course map at the Expo on Saturday

Above: It was a giveaway towel and yet another White Out at Mellon Arena for Game 2 vs. Montreal. Unfortunately, the good guys lose, 2-1. The end of one memorable day, however

A Quirky Thing

2010-04-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

Too lazy to confirm this one, but I'm about 99% sure. Today I went to the Fool's Run 10k in Indiana. Picked up my race packet and noticed that I had a strikingly familiar number. For the second time in three races I got the same race bib number. It made me wonder if I had ever had it before and that's the part I'm about 99% sure of. I plan on going back through all of my bibs to confirm but for now, near certainty is gonna have to do.

Today my bib number was "7". I remembered it because at the Maple Fest 5 miler two weeks ago I remarked that it was just my luck that I had been given Ben Roethlisberger's number. As a Steeler-hater, it bothered me. Imagine my surprise and disgust when I saw it again today. But perhaps I'm onto something. After setting a PR in the 5-miler two weeks ago, I went on to run the very difficult 10k course with lots of steep uphills in a PR time of 41:04. Breaking my prior PR of June, 2007 by :34 seconds.

Four weeks until Pittsburgh. I have to say, my running is going quite well right now.

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

2010-03-27T16:51:00.001-07:00

A pair of shoes. The staple in the runner's arsenal. The difference that a good pair of shoes can make is unmeasurable. For me, it's the insoles that make the difference. You can pretty much put my insole combination into any shoe and I'll make it work. But at the end of the day, it's the shoe that leaves it's mark. I won't be saving any insoles or planning my marathon clothing around the color of my insoles. The shoes, however. Well, that's a different story altogether. I have saved every pair of shoes I've worn in the nearly 7,000 miles I've run. Some have been moved into the role of grass-cutting yard shoes. Others have simply been tossed into the plastic bin that graces the top of the dresser in my basement. None have ever been thrown out. The runner and his shoes form a kind of connection and a bond that is hard to explain. And like bonds made between friends or the bonds between men and women; runner's shoes and their owners can form bonds as well. Until this week only one pair of my former running shoes made it into my personal "hall of fame". Those were the pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7's. My "hall of fame" of course is in my attic with the countless awards and medals and racing bibs I've won and run in over the years. The Brooks made it up there along with my former football jerseys, trophies, photo albums and newspaper articles clipped from the various editions in which my names has graced the pages. This week, I added a second pair of shoes. The ones you see above. The Asics Gel 2140's. I ran 496 miles in them. But it was the 26.2 last October that put them in the "hall of fame". Those will be the shoes I will always look back on as the ones that ran me to Boston. Part of me thought about saving them for the actual Boston race, and I might be able to be convinced of doing so. But a part of me feels as though they should stand alone. I'll add another pair of them after I run Boston. I bought an identical pair for that very reason. Still, I am torn. But I do know that these shoes have a history that got them to the attic. Whether they stay there or make the trip to Massachusetts is unknown. But one thing is for certain. They hold a special place in my heart and always will no matter what happens.

A Record, A Milestone and Another First

2010-03-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Today I ran my fifth race of the year in Meyersdale, PA. With springlike temperatures and a flat and fast course I knew that I would PR in the race today. First, it was a 5-mile race which is not a common distance I've run and actually hadn't run in nearly four years. Second, because my normal training runs during the week are typically 5 miles and I have beaten that 4-year old PR almost every time out for the past year or two. So I was fairly confident that today would be a PR day. I just didn't know by how much.

To my surprise, I felt great and was able to absolutely obliterate my old PR (35:45) by over four minutes (31:22). It was good for a fifth place finish overall out of 129 runners and first in my age group for the fourth time in five races this year. Below is the picture of the race shirt, medal, bib and a pint of maple syrup. The race was part of the Meyersdale Maple Festival where maple syrup and maple candies could be bought on every street corner. After the race, I had hot pancakes with Somerset County maple syrup. A delicious way to end today's race event!

Also, I have been caught up in my running so much that I forgot to post a relatively big milestone in my hockey officiating career. Two Thursday's ago I worked my 1,600th hockey game of my career in the Laurel Mountain Hockey League Championship Game. Although the game itself left much to be desired it still is a pretyt big accomplishment that I should have celebrated.

A FIRST!!!

2010-03-13T13:17:00.000-08:00

I have been running road races since 2002. I have finished in 2nd place overall once but have never come close to finishing first overall. Today that changed in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Today I ran the Knights of Columbus 5k run and despite the fact that race time temperatures were near 40 degrees with a driving rain and the fact that there were only 29 runners the bottom line is I WON! I beat out 28 other runners and crossed the finish line first. My time of 19:07 was good for my 5th fastest 5k time of all-time, but today it was good enough to win me the plaque to the left and come home with the title of "champion". I was out front almost from the very start and spent the first mile running with the eventual 3rd place winner but like I always do, I thrived on the hills and hung in for a frantic final half-mile with someone on my tail. Fellow IRRC runner Mike Hudac came in behind me but helped push me for the final 1/2 mile or so.

Even though I've been battling chest cold issues all week long and not really wanting to run this morning I perservered and ran a fairly fast time. When doing road races the winners are usually coming in between 15-18 minutes but when the numbers get down like they did today, it opens the door for someone like me who is in that next layer of speed.

It wasn't a victory in a 1,000 participant event. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't done in front of large crowds and not a lot of fanfare came along with it. But I did add a plaque to my collection of medals and I won a race. It may never happen again, but I can now say I won one. How many people really ever get the chance to say that?

A Crazy Weekend

2010-03-08T18:27:00.001-08:00

Let's start with Saturday morning. The Penn State Altoona Snowflake Run that was sponsored by the PSU-Altoona Lady Lions Soccer team. Originally scheduled for LAST Saturday it was canceled due to the horrendous weather we've been experiencing here in Central Pennsylvania. What that created was my fourth 'back to back' situation. Meaning that I had a 5k on Saturday and a 10k on Sunday.

The Snowflake Run was held on the PSU Altoona campus and a prettier course you would have a hard time finding. Despite the double-loop course and a few near "switchbacks" that slowed my time a bit, I still crossed the line in 6th place overall with a time of 19:27. With 26 degree temperatures at the start, it was sunny and overall was a pretty good day for it all. I also got one of the more unique place awards (1st in my age group) that came in the form of a tree ornament. A great idea! Pictures from Saturday follow:

Onto Sunday. Despite a chest cold and coughing that came on in the middle of the night, I went to Shanksville for the Shanksville 10k. A fairly tough course with windy conditions were offset by the fact that it started at 1:00 p.m. Temperatures were in the upper 30's and lower 40's and bright plentiful sunshine made it seem much nicer. I decided not to "race" this one, but just go comfortably fast. The idea worked as I was able to post some pretty good miles despite my physical condition and the fact that I had raced the day before. My 43:44 finish time was good for 4th place overall and 1st in my age group. Another unique award that I did not and could never keep. A peach pie! It along with the race bib is pictured below.

NOTE: I decided to let my last post stand for an extra day or so to give it the time that it deserved. Because I was in a hurry (as I usually am of late) on Saturday I failed to write a bit more about the artist of that amazing painting. Linda Flanagan is a fellow Saint Francis alumni who hails from the Northern Cambria County area. She now calls Chicago home and is a very good friend of mine. She is a fellow runner and is married to John who is a successful podiatrist in the Windy City. She is like a big sister to me. The sister I never had.

Look Familiar?

2010-03-06T14:36:00.001-08:00

Burning Bright. My friend and fellow Saint Francis alum Linda Flanagan who hails from Chicago completed a painting of the photo you see to the right along the edge of this blog.

She did so as part of an art class she is taking and if I do say so myself she is a very talented and amazing painter.

I have always wanted to have a portrait painted of myself but this is above and beyond anything I ever expected to happen to me.

My last blog post called for the year in photos from last year. Instead, I give you "Burning Bright". The photo is from the Hollidaysburg YMCA 4th of July race held on July 4, 2009 in Altoona.

I am mesmerized looking at it. I think I will let this stand alone for a day or so. Tomorrow a race update from today that I ran on the campus of Penn State Altoona.

2009 In Review

2010-01-06T17:27:00.001-08:00

2009 will forever live in my mind as the year I qualified for Boston. It was a challenging year to say the least. I began 2009 by jogging a mile and walking a mile on New Year's Day. It felt like I had just qualified for the Boston Marathon that day. Considering I was coming off a broken foot that I suffered on October 27 I felt like I was going to turn the corner on a new year and things would quickly get back to normal. Boy was I wrong.

After that New Year's Day jaunt I would not run again until January 15. Then it would be February 1 before I ran again but February 5 before I would complete a mile running. My struggles continued and after another doctor's appointment and a CT Scan in late February it was painfully evident that it would be a long haul back.

On March 4 while working out at lunch time I decided to take this comeback one tiny step at a time. A mile was out and 1/4 miles were in. I was able to string together a week of quarter mile runs. Then half mile runs, followed by 3/4 mile runs and eventually back to back 1-mile runs on March 19 and 21. And even though I wasn't ready to compete in a 5k I did so on March 28 completing the Pennsylvania Highlands Sprint to Success in 21:44. My foot would continue to cause me issues through my summer vacation in June but by mid-summer things were beginning to fall into place for me. Even though my timetable for Chicago seemed a bit on the aggressive side I maintained hope that I would be ready to go by October.

On April 25 I was shocked when I set a 5k PR by running a 19:30 at the Wings of Hope race. I smashed my previous PR by 19 seconds. And despite dealing with ongoing pain issues I dropped back to the half-marathon in Pittsburgh and forced myself to "just finish" and found a way to do so in 2:01:35 on May 3.

I focused on simply running races and getting stronger throughout the summer and tried to maintain a consistent running schedule. Even though my times were not as fast as I wanted them to be and the adrenaline of simply running was now long gone I was accomplishing much by simply running. On August 29 I once again finished with a disappointing time in the Rockwood Rotary Half-Marathon. This time I completed the run in 1:38:51 and wondered if a Boston Qualifier was even close to being in the cards. I despite running I simply did not feel strong.

In September, however, something funny happened. On September 6 while doing a 20-mile training run I felt strong and followed that up with some additional strong runs the closer I got to October. Pain was seeping away from me and I hadn't really experienced many issues with the foot in weeks. On September 20 I declared myself ready after putting in a 10-mile training run in just over 1:11. All of my training runs were coming in under BQ times. Still, there was much uncertainty.

On October 11, 2009 I qualified for the Boston Marathon. I had perfect weather conditions and despite hitting a bit of a wall at mile 23 I overcame it. Then I followed that up by setting my second 5k PR of the year at the Red Cross Vampire run thirteen days later. This time I did it in 18:51, cutting another amazing 39 seconds off my previous PR. Not to be outdone, I finished 2009 by cutting another 32 seconds off that PR and set my 3rd 5k PR of the year on New Year's Eve at the Hollidaysburg YMCA Twilight race at Lakemont Park.

All told, I set a new record for races run in a year in 2009 by completing 15 races. I ran my five fastest 5k times of all time in 2009, setting 3 PR's along the way. I qualified for Boston. I overcame a slow start and recorded my third highest yearly running total (753.8 miles), while recording my fourth and fifth highest monthly running totals of all time (August - 110.8 miles and September - 105 miles).

Next week: 2009 The Year in Photos.

Getting Back

2009-12-11T12:13:00.001-08:00

Ok, so perhaps it's been long enough since my last post. In a weird sort of way I almost didn't want to let go of Chicago. So keeping that post as the forefront post of my blog seemed like it might be a way to hang onto the day. But lo and behold we all must move on. And despite being a Boston Qualifier for the first time in my life it seems so surreal. I don't feel any different. I feel like the same old Vince. But I've also not felt like the same old Vince in a lot of ways.

I have experienced post-marathon depression before. Certainly after Philadelphia when I missed qualifying by 0:04 seconds, that was understandable. After my first marathon in Cleveland in 2006 I experienced the feeling of "now what?" And now you can add Chicago to that list. This last about as long as the previous two (10-14 days), but in some ways this has been completely different.

I know I have Boston to look forward to. I am also as fast as I've ever been. My training pace miles are consistently under or around 7:00 miles. I should feel great! But for some reason I don't. I plug away almost machine-like and feel that perhaps a rest is in order. One that I never took. I have not missed one day of running since well before Chicago. And yet, I cannot bring myself to stop and take a day for me. Maybe over the holidays.....

Lucky Seven, A Boston Qualifier and a PR

2009-10-24T10:11:00.001-07:00

It may not look like it, but you are looking at a very happy man to the left. After years of attempts at trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I FINALLY DID IT!! It took seven marathons. Lucky 7 as it turns out. That and a fast course like Chicago with temperatures that were nearly perfect. When I nearly missed in Philadelphia in 2007 I remember thinking that the stars had aligned that day. I was at peak physical fitness and the weather completely cooperated. My biggest fear leaving the City of Brotherly Love that day was that I might never have the stars align for me again quite like they did that day. But align they did. With a starting line temperature of 29 degrees, it might have been just a tiny bit too cold, but I'm a cold weather runner. Whether I like to admit that or not it is true. And so for one fateful morning in the midwest along the streets of the Windy City, the stars once again aligned for me.

Setting a blistering pace from the get-go (6:10 first mile), I felt pretty good despite going out too fast and knowing that's not how to run a marathon. Still, as the miles clicked by and I kept having sub-BQ paces mile after fateful mile, I sensed that this might be the day. When I crossed the halfway point in 1:32 and some change I quickly determined that it would take a monumental collapse to lose my first ever BQ. I needed a 3:20 to qualify for the 2011 Boston Marathon (since I will be 4o that day). I could have qualified in my current age group with a 3:15 but qualifying has always been the goal. Some might think it's "backing in", but Boston sets the standards. I simply follow them. Anyone who feels as though that's "backing in" should go run a marathon and see for themselves that it's simply not true.

As the BQ miles continued through the first 21 miles I was feeling pretty good. My legs did get weary and just past mile 23 I felt sluggish to the point of stopping. I did stop and walk for a short time (about 25 seconds). During that fateful 25 seconds I spoke to myself. I asked myself why I was walking. I asked myself if I was blowing it. I determined that I was so close in Philadelphia and all I could think was, "don't let that happen again". I remarked outloud (to myself, although I'm sure others heard me), "You either want this or you don't. Make your decision and get moving." So I did. I started to jog again. I figured at a minimum I just needed to keep moving forward. I was watching the sands flow through the hourglass before my eyes and I decided that today was going to be the day. There were too many people following my progress. Too many people to disappoint. And yet, I only cared about one person. Me. I did not want to have to live with myself if I let this slip away.

With one mile to go I looked at the watch and saw that I had just under 12:00 to get it in. I can walk a 12:00 mile. I knew I had it. I tried to enjoy that final mile, soaking in the crowd and the moment I was about to experience. For a brief moment I completely enjoyed knowing what I accomplished. So many things ran through my head. One thing I could not forget was the pain and suffering and mental anguish I experienced last year when I broke my foot. The uncertainty of whether running this far again was even going to be remotely possible. And here I was, just under a year later, not only running the distance pain free but qualifying for the Boston Marathon. In the days leading up to this race I remarked often that so few people ever get this close to a dream. I was living it and appreciating it. I worked hard. I suffered and deprived myself all summer and it paid off on October 11, 2009. Chicago, Illinois will forever live in my heart as the place I reached out and grabbed a dream. I will definitely go back someday.

My mind quickly shifted to my next race. When will it be. I'm certainly not waiting for April 18, 2011 (my Boston Marathon). So yesterday I officially signed up for the Pittsburgh Marathon. The disappointment I endured not being able to run it this past May needs to be put to rest. I will run Pittsburgh with a relaxed mindset that I don't know that I've felt since my first marathon in Cleveland. I don't have the pressure of having to qualify for Boston. I'm sure I'll set a time goal, but it won't be a BQ pace. And yet, I feel as though I can do it again. I feel as though a 3:00 marathon is a possibility.

Upon returning from Chicago I took no time off. I have not missed a run in months. I have maintained the speed I had and took to Chicago with me. Faster in a lot of ways. Today I ran the Red Cross Vampire 5k and the benefits of my marathon training and fitness level paid off big time. Today I set a 5k PR by 39 seconds. It was my first sub-19:00 run as I crossed the finish line in 18:51. Once again I can only think that my running can still improve. I believe I can and will get faster. My body continues to adjust and improve and become more efficient. I am amazed at how far I have progressed in a year.

Below is a short photo journal of my trip to Chicago:

A Date With Destiny?

2009-10-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning is the Chicago Marathon. I have trained hard all summer. I have not had a drop of alcohol since June 20. I have suffered. But has it been enough? I will begin to find out in about 8 1/2 hours when the race begins in Grant Park in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

I am quietly confident, but one never knows what is in store for you across 26 miles. I pray I've done enough. I pray that my body cooperates and I pray that the dreaded wall never appears.

Update to come with photos in about 15 hours.

Good night Chicago....

Perfection

2009-09-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

I'm a perfectionist. Always have been and most likely always will be. That's why it's so difficult for me to learn that I'm not perfect in so many ways. Running will teach you over and over again that you can always improve in a variety of ways. Just like life. Sometimes it throws you a curveball and you can't seem to make contact. The mental struggle continues.

25 more days...

Ready for the Truth

2009-09-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite motivational quotes of all time I found on a blog somewhere else on the internet. It said, "20 miles of hope, 6 miles of truth". Today I ran 20 miles. I awoke at 5:58 a.m. and did what I normally do now that I've got an iPhone. I checked my email, looked at Facebook to see what friends are up to and then rolled off the side of the bed into the darkness of the morning.

I put my contacts in and headed down the stairs to the basement where I got myself ready for what I knew would be a very long run. It's the run that I normally dread. But this one I looked forward to all week. I wanted to run this 20-miler as if I was trying to qualify for Boston today. Why? I wanted to see where I stood on the brink of heading to Chicago. In just over 34 more days I'd be doing it for real. Each rung on the ladder of climbing this summer has been another hurdle cleared on my way back from one of the most awful injuries I'd ever sustained. Today was another hurdle. Another opportunity to do what I think most would say is not possible. Not after running just 2 1/4 miles in January and February. Not when in June and early July I was still struggling with some residual foot pain that cropped up from time to time and forced me to take days off from my schedule.

But I've never been one to submit to that which people say cannot be done. No; I'm motivated by that. I enjoy looking back on an accomplishment and saying, 'wow, I can't believe I just did that'. And so this morning I stepped outside into the foggy morning mist of a beautiful Labor Day Sunday and headed off on my path to self-discovery once again.

When I climbed the hill into Westmont and closed in on mile 3 and my legs began to get heavy I questioned whether or not it was wise to run this thing quickly. After all, the long slow run is to be done slowly. The purpose is not to qualify for Boston today. Yet, I somehow didn't listen to my body and looked at it as an opportunity. When I hit mile 6 and regretted having Mexican food at Don Pablo's yesterday on the way to the Pitt game I could have easily listened to my gut and my instinct that said, 'do 10 and then do the other 10 later this evening'. I thought about it, but only for a second.

As I hit my house and finished the first 'lap' of 10 miles, the fog had only begun to dissipate in patches. I grabbed my gel and drink and decided that the split run was not happening today. When the gel kicked in and I got a short burst of energy a few miles later I knew I had made the right decision. When I hit mile 15 and Becky was there waiting with my final gel and water for the day I knew it would be a tough 5 miles, but I looked at it as an opportunity to test my limits and push myself. After all, it WILL be required in 5 weeks on the streets of Chicago. There is no doubt that it WILL be needed. "Don't cave to your instincts" I kept repeating in my head. "This is part of the process. This will carry you when you're there. You'll remember this run."

When I hit mile 18 and knew that each step beyond it was the furthest I had run since the Johnstown Marathon last October I gained a growing sense of purpose. I pushed on. I knew that 1 3/4 of the final 2 miles would be mostly flat and downhill. Peering at my watch I knew I was having a good run; timewise. I knew I was struggling. And when I hit mile 19 and kept repeating that my legs "felt like 20 pounds of ground hamburger meat hanging from my hips" I knew I was growing. This is what the marathon is all about. I didn't have anybody pushing me today. I didn't have crowds lining the streets for each and every step. I only had me. And that's who is largely responsible come race day. Those other things help and surely they will. But not today.

Crossing my finish line behind my garage I clicked the stopwatch. 2:36:14. On race day I'll need to be at 2:32:40. But all things considered, today was a good day. My legs are still heavy but I've had worse. My body is cooperating. Even though I hesitate to say it, I feel I'm ready right now. I've got 5 weeks to go and I'll use each day to fine tune where I'm at. But the hard stuff is almost over. One more very long run next weekend that is yet to be determined distance-wise. I've got my 20-miler in. If I don't want to, I don't need to do another. There is comfort in that but I'll probably still do another. But it won't be fast. I'll save that one for race day.

I hope that the weather cooperates and I hope that today goes a long way toward getting me to that finish line in under 3:20. In 35 days, I'll be ready for the truth...

Community Disappointment

2009-08-29T18:27:00.001-07:00

Today I ran the Rockwood Rotary Half Marathon. I finished the 13.1 mile course along the Allegheny Trail in 1:38:51. Missed a PR by 1:05; run on this very same course a year ago. Might have been the humidity or the fact that I ran the first six miles far too fast. I didn't leave enough in the tank. Even though I finished with a decent time, I was still disappointed. Not so much in the finish time. Well, that's not entirely true. I'm always disappointed in my finish time. No, this disappointment was more in the running community. The running community is one which I have come to know as one of the best. Runners traditionally are the nicest people you can come across. A quick trip to the message boards on runnersworld.com or a discussion with a running mate at a marathon or local race and you'd see what I see. Unlike other sports, where competition is fierce, the running community is one of encouragement and support and camraderie. It took me awhile to get used to it. A lifelong sports addict, I would rather lose a limb than lose a game. But I have come to appreciate the community of runners. It is something I enjoy.

Not today. Finishing fourth overall in the race, I milled around the refreshment area with the top three finishers who, along with two Rotary Club members that weren't really close enough to be involved in any conversation, made up the finish line area for about 6-10 minutes (roughly the time others started to trickle in). While the three 'friends' chatted I attempted to ingratiate myself into the conversation. First by telling each "good race". A "cold" congratulatory handshake was my first indication that I wasn't accepted in this threesome. Then, when I overheard two of them talking about the 3rd place guy running a marathon in six weeks, I thought, "me too" and decided to ask him "where is your marathon?" A simple answer of "Columbus" followed by my reply of "oh, I'll be running Chicago the same day". Then nothing. Not an acknowledgement. Not an "oh, I've always wanted to run that one" or "I did that one two years ago". Nothing.

Feeling as if I was involving myself in a conversation I wasn't accepted into I asked the overall winner, who was sitting on the same bench as me, "what was your winning time?", curious as to where my time rated. A somewhat disgusted, "ehh, like 1:32 something like that" and then he turned to tell the other two gents "I wanted to run a 1:29. Then the three of them began speaking again.

Feeling as though I was somehow "subpar" or not worthy to be in the company of these three running gods I decided, 'to hell with you' and grabbed two pieces of watermelon and walked back to my car. Disappointed in the running community. I guess once in six years isn't so bad.

One Very Long Weekend

2009-08-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

Decided to do all of the outstanding work I've been putting off all summer long this weekend. Sandwiched around back to back races yesterday and today.

For the third time since I started doing races, I ran a race on back to back days. I hadn't done it in over two years but this weekend I pulled off the double. Ran the Somerset Cross Country 5k (on their actual cross country course) which was very tough. Then did the Run for the Trail 7k this evening in 84 degree heat and humidity.

In and of itself that's not all that bad, but considering that I came home Friday from work, cut my grass and cleaned out my garage, then prepared my driveway for sealing.

Woke up yesterday morning, ran that race and then came home to begin staining the deck. Then midway I sealed my driveway. All told, I worked over 8 hours yesterday and then got up this morning for about 2 more hours of staining.

Got all the work done and ran two 'fairly' successful races, all things considered. Yesterday's 5k time was 20:48 on a very tough track and despite losing almost a minute and a half off of lastyear's time in the trail 7k, dropping from 27:48 to tonight's 29:15, I blame it on the hectic schedule and the heat and humidity (84 degrees at race time). That, and I had nobody pushing me from behind. I ran fairly hard and took 2nd in my age group. Pretty successful but long weekend.

Climbing the Horrible Mountain

2009-08-09T08:52:00.001-07:00

Heat. Humidity. Two enemies of the runner. Today I awoke to only one of them and unfortunately it was the worse of the pair; humidity. Today was the day I needed to run 16 miles. After doing a 5k yesterday (19:46), and finishing with my second fastest 5k time of all time, it was as if the planets aligned in the wrong order for me today.

Couple that with awaking at 2:00 a.m. with vicious stomach pain and today was not fun. A little Pepto-Bismol put my stomach issues at bay temporarily last night, but made for horrible sleeping. When the alarm went off at 7:00 a.m. I struggled to the basement, tried to hydrate as much as I could and was off. Within the first mile I could feel the weight of the humidity that would haunt me for a couple of hours.

The first 8 miles went by fairly decent, but when I looped back by the house for a drink and stopped briefly to ingest some Gatorade and water, the first few steps into the second half gave me every indication that it would be a second half struggle. My stomach felt "pukey" again and I took about 1/2 bottle of warm water with me that was gone by the time I hit mile 9 1/2. Eight laps around the track and approaching mile 12 on Luzerne Street I knew I would struggle over the final four awful miles. I equated it to the feelings I had over the final 4 miles in Cincinnati, or the final 11 miles in Frederick. Awful.

But when all was said and done, a cold shower and some water and a small meal and I felt better. But now my stomach continues to give me issues. Price to pay for it I guess.

Still, I've taken the next step to getting back to the mountain top. Today gives me one real strong thought. Please let it be low humidity nine weeks from today in Chicago. Low temperatures would be a bonus, but I'll take the low humidity. If it's anything close to today, forget Boston. It will be another exercise in survival and simply getting it done. Like today.

Ten-4-teen

2009-08-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Fourteen miles. That's what I did today. In the heat and at a very productive pace of 8:14/mile. Right in the wheelhouse of where I need to be running my long slow weekly runs. The fact that I felt pretty good afterward; enough so that I was not only able to cut my grass but also wash and clean my car inside and out was very telling for me.

As I came down the homestretch of my final mile today, and passed what would have been the half-marathon distance I became very emotional. I knew that I had just passed into my longest run in nearly ten months. Ten months. It was the furthest I had run since completing the Johnstown Marathon. It made me aware that I'm on pace. I'm in the park. I'm zoned in for what I hope will be a most memorable event in just over two months.

I was able to visualize over the final half-mile what it might be like coming home for the finish and I couldn't help but visualize having plenty of time to spare for a Boston qualifying run. It felt good. I crossed another barrier in my bid to comeback to where I was in 2007. I am happy how I felt today, but realize that I've got a very tough two months ahead. I am ready for that challenge and feel that I am not only running smart, but efficiently. At least that's the way it felt today. I focused on maintaining an efficient stride and getting in a productive run. Despite running at nearly 35 seconds slower than my goal marathon pace, it is very difficult to do. Holding back for the sake of efficiency and with an eye on a greater good yet to come.

Another barrier hurdled today. Today was a good day.

Still Here and Still Runnin'

2009-07-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

I didn't go back and look to confirm this, but since I started this blog over two years ago I believe this is the longest I've gone without a post. Summer is definitely a time when I do slack a bit on putting updates on here. I'm not sure why that is, but possibly because there is so much more outdoor activity available and I find that I'm not in front of the computer as much. Who knows for sure?

For those that follow along with this blog (and I have no idea how many regular readers I have), I probably should do better. I will.

For the most up to date of updates, today I did a 12-miler. Besides the "jogged" half-marathon in Pittsburgh today was another banner day for me. It's getting over one more hurdle. My feet and legs are sore from time to time and I still deal with some minor pain but nothing out of the ordinary and nothing to be concerned with at the moment. In fact, my racing has been going very well and my training overall has been going well. I decided to give up alcohol upon returning from the beach (5 weeks ago today), until the marathon. I am happy to report that despite playing in some golf outings, going to several graduation parties and last night going to a wedding, I have kept my hands off of the stuff. I am feeling stronger running. Correlation? Not sure, but mentally it's helping me. I cannot wait, however, for a beer after the Chicago Marathon. I might not even make it back to the hotel before downing one.

I've got several races planned in the coming weeks and next weekend I go out for a 14-miler. I'm ahead of schedule from where I thought I would be, and that's a big plus.

Thanks for reading...

Getting My 30 Seconds...

2009-07-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

At the end of July it would have been twelve years since I last saw the Stanley Cup in person. But I never made it to that twelve year anniversary. The Cup came to my neighborhood tonight. Pittsburgh Penguins Equipment Manager Dana Heinze got his day with the Cup and decided to share it with the neighborhood. As a runner, my "hood" is typically larger than most people think. Still, the Heinze's live about 1 1/4 miles away and when I heard that the Cup was that close I couldn't resist. So I drove up the street after I finished installing my exterior lighting and was lucky enough to have someone snap the shot you see here. In 1997 I went to Toronto a few months before I married Becky on sort of a "honeymoon" before the wedding. In reality, we went to London, Ontario for a hockey camp and on the way home decided to detour to Toronto. It was well worth the trip to be able to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame and to get our picture taken with the Stanley Cup. This time, however, it just felt different. Being that close to home with an employee of the team I live and die for and the fact that they won it less than a month ago made this experience all the more worth it. In a way, it kind of puts closure on the season for me. I had been in a state of withdrawal since the season ended on June 12, but now I feel complete. Team employees, players and executives each get a day with the Cup. As a die-hard fan, I got my 30 seconds with the Cup. I am thankful to Dana for sharing it with the neighborhood, just as he did several years ago when he won a Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. I didn't get to see it then. I really wasn't sure I wanted to see it then. But this time it was a no-brainer. The chalice that travels the world was literally right in my backyard. What a season and what a feeling. My only regret? When I went up there, I had every intention of kissing the holy grail. But because I was only able to get one shot and the line moving along so quickly, I forgot. Oh, well. There's always next year...

Happy Birthday America; Farewell Hollidaysburg YMCA

2009-07-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure I wanted to muddy the Independence Day celebration with a complaint about a local race organizer, but since both took place today I figured, why not?

First, lest we forget the sacrifice of many Americans in the fight for our independence as a country. For over 200 years we have since become the greatest nation in the world. Faults? Sure. Issues? Sure. But We The People will stand the test of time. A solemn remembrance, a hearty thank you and another birthday for the grand ol' gal, America. Happy Birthday.

Now onto number two. I ran the Hollidaysburg YMCA race (15k) again today for the third consecutive year and with each passing year it seems as though the organization suffers more and more. You may recall last year I posted about this race complete with pictures of the race shirt, award and bib. Well, today I cannot do that. Despite a 1:07:00 finish time (fairly impressive by normal standards), I walked away after paying $21 (a high race fee if you ask me) for nothing more than the privilege of running the streets of Altoona. I was finally able to secure a race bib afterward to put among my collection but no t-shirt and despite my time I only placed 5th in my age group. Still, to run out of water is inexcusable. To not have a packet together for someone who "pre-registered" is inexcusable. Either way, my days of running the Hollidaysburg YMCA 15k on the 4th of July have come to an end. I still don't know why I ever stopped running the Rolling Rock 5-mile run in Latrobe over the 4th of July weekend. It seems as though that's where I'm heading back to next year. Farewell Hollidaysburg Y. You've joined the ranks of the Johnstown YMCA in my heart.

Ocean City to Sacramento and Back

2009-06-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I hit another milestone. One that I expected to hit over six months ago, but thanks to my little hiccup with a broken foot it took a lot longer than expected. This time it was hitting my 6,000th mile running (since I started running for the sake of running back in 2003). It was a quiet milestone that I forgot I was hitting until I came home and went to log it into my log. I actually got this one about 1/4 of a mile into the run so I was basically just warming up.

Having just gotten back from my summer vacation in Ocean City, Md. it reminded me of a sign as you are leaving Ocean City on Route 50. I don't remember seeing it last year or this year, but there used to be a sign that read, Sacramento, CA 3,073. If that mileage is accurate I could have trekked from Ocean City to Sacramento and "almost" back by going over mile number 6,000.

Tomorrow: More steps toward 7,000....

D-E-E-N-A

2009-06-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

Today I received an update from the Chicago Marathon organizers with very good news. Deena Kastor, an American running icon and women's record holder, will be making her return to marathon running at the 2009 Chicago Marathon. Why is this a big deal to me? Several reasons. I recall watching the women's marathon during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and it was that day that I became a huge fan of Deena Kastor. She worked her way up through a very tough field in 90 degree heat and finished in 3rd place capturing the bronze medal.

She then went on to win the Chicago Marathon the following year, setting a women's marathon record. I have followed her running since then and occasionally check into her blog site to see what is up with her. I decided to send her an email after watching the movie Spirit of the Marathon. She is one of the runners in the movie that directors followed and profiled as they prepared for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. Amazingly, Deena responded to my email and then again several months later after I emailed her again.

When I was injured last winter, I sent her another email as we both shared the pain and suffering of not being able to run (she broke a bone in her foot and was unable to finish the Olympic Marathon in Beijing last year). I connected with her on that level and when she responded to me with words of encouragement I realized that runners are unlike any other athlete. For those that don't know (if you're not into running, you probably don't), she is a running icon in American women's marathoning. For her to respond is like having Alex Rodriquez or Albert Pujols respond to an email. To me that was amazing.

Knowing that she will be in Chicago and I may have a chance to meet her and shake her hand and let her know how much she helped me get through a mentally tough period will be priceless. It is another reason to motivate me as well this summer as my Chicago training is now underway.

What a Beautiful Day for a Run...Let's Do Two!

2009-06-07T18:52:00.001-07:00

It had been since September of 2008 until today. Today was the day I decided to go for a run for the second day in a row. Most impressive was that yesterday I did 6 miles in the afternoon and then turned around with 4 today in the late morning. That's 10 miles in less than 24 hours and two consecutive days. People do it all the time, but for me today was a major milestone in my comeback from a broken navicular bone. It's almost as if the stars are aligning since my official Chicago Marathon training begins next Monday. I felt that I needed to be doing at least 8 mile long runs by the time that training started and although I have only done 6, I feel as though I could easily do 10 right now. As a result, my confidence grows and I am on track. Pain is always right around the next corner, but for now I have put it behind me and am feeling fairly healthy as I get ready for the next 17 weeks of training that I hope culminates in a Boston qualifier. Hey, I'll take finishing, but as I continue to find out in life and sports in general, never say never and never put anything out of reach. Anything is possible if you work hard and that's what I intend to do.

10/25/08 A Great Day

2009-05-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

The last "great" running day I had was on October 25, 2008. It was the day of my 11th wedding anniversary. I awoke and decided to run the Red Cross Vampire 5k. Even though it rained torrentially at times I still went out and had a great run. Now "great" is a relative term. Sometimes you feel great, but you can feel worse than other days when you wouldn't have said you feel great. My point being that like most of the English language we describe things in ways that can usually make no sense.

Not today. Today was what I would deem my first "great" running day since October 25, 2008. Seven months and one week to the day (put together you've got 71 so I expect Evgeni Malkin to have a GREAT night tonight drawing the Penguins even with the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals).

I went out with the intentions of going nice and easy and continuing to build a base that I can draw upon in a few weeks when Chicago training begins. By the time I finished I hit the stopwatch and continued to walk down the alley behind my house. I immediately said, "I feel great". No pain in any part of my body for the first time in awhile and I went fairly hard for a Sunday long run of 5 miles (37:37).

I may have another setback. In fact, I expect one at some point. But for today I can say that I feel great. It really gives you the perspective and the necessary mindset to not take any day for granted.

Let's hope today is also a Great Day for Hockey in the city of Pittsburgh.

Finding My Way

2009-05-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hope I'm not jinxing myself again but it seems that I've been able to settle into a tiny bit of a rhythm the past few weeks after getting going a bit prior to the Pittsburgh Half. After taking four days off to recover from the aforementioned half, I've been able to settle in and up my daily mileage to four miles. Seems like small potatoes in the larger picture, but in looking back I am absolutely ecstatic.

No racing until the Daily American 10k on June 13 so for the next three weeks I will continue to try and settle into that elusive rhythm. My body is not 100% but it's as close as it's been in seven months.

Kids

2009-05-16T18:11:00.000-07:00

And so here I sit, typing away on my blog wondering what happened in my neighborhood. When we moved in ten years ago this July I recall a comment I made to my wife; "this neighborhood needs more kids". In probably one of the worst examples of "be careful what you wish for", we're now overflowing with plenty of youth. And I can't be more unhappy about it.

Make no mistake, I am not much of a kid guy. I think it had something to do with the way I was brought up, although I cannot be 100% certain. Let's just say that I don't particularly want kids of my own and leave it at that. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind kids, most of the time. I've dealt with kids my whole life. As a football coach, an ice hockey official, and umpire and a teacher I am fairly comfortable in dealing with kids. But perhaps it's those experiences that have given me insight into why I wouldn't choose to have my own.

With the weather turning nicer, our neighborhood has turned into an all-out playground screamfest. The high pitched shrilly screaming that sounds like blood-curdling murder is happening. And we're not talking about "every so often". This weekend it's been constant for like 9 or 10 hours. It has made living here difficult to say the least.

But it also got me thinking; again. What is wrong with kids (in general)? I truly believe it has a lot to do with the parents and/or adults that interact with these kids. And just in case you're a parent, I am speaking in general terms here. There are definitely good parents, good kids and good families. I'm not even saying that these local kids are 'bad' kids. All I'm saying is that if we screamed and yelled and hollered ALL DAY LONG like that when we were kids; well, it wouldn't have happened. Our dad, if not our neighbors first would have put a stop to it after a little while. But nowadays you deal with it because it's not your place to yell at your neighbors kids. And from what I can tell, you don't yell at your own kids. You let them do what they want to do for as long as they want to do it. And that, my friends is the symptom of the greater problem with what I believe is a societal issue. What's all this have to do with running? Absolutely nothing. It's just one of my rare rants on here.

Let me go back to half-marathon weekend two weeks ago in Pittsburgh. Saturday evening we're sitting at PNC Park enjoying a Pirates game. A foul ball is hit back behind the visitors dugout and a fan makes a beautiful catch to the point where he receives a round of applause. Some guy who is sitting about 15 rows in front of him and in the next section over goes up the steps a way and yells to the guy, pointing at a kid who was sitting with him. Now, even though I was sitting too far away to hear what was being said the message was clear. "How about tossing that ball down here for the kid?" The guy who made the outstanding catch flipped the ball to the other guy who then gave it to the kid and he received another round of applause. My point? When I was a kid, it was every man and child for themselves. No adult within 15 feet of me ever caught a foul ball and said, "here you go". Generally speaking I wouldn't have had much of an issue if the kid was sitting within a few feet of this guy, but a section over and that many rows away? What was the message given to that kid? Personally, I think it was, "here you go...people will give you things for no reason at all". It's a symptom. And around here I'm in the midst of an epidemic. Gonna be a long summer....

The Event

2009-05-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

With the passing of the Pittsburgh "Half" Marathon for me, I have had a week to reflect back on not only that event, but the past 6+ years. And after thinking about all that I've done thus far with my running I have realized something. Running and all things associated with it are things that I crave. The better health, the ability to control my weight, the overall general good feeling that it brings. But it also brings with it collateral damage from time to time. And althought those times bring struggles with it, I still cannot help but feel that it is well worth it. Nowhere is that more evident than at a large race. I hadn't been to a "large" race since I ran the Philadelphia Marathon in November of 2007. I've done some "larger" races, but there truly is nothing like the big city events. Going into the expo and seeing all of the people who have this commonality among them. There really is nothing like it. Seeing thousands of runners converging on one place for an annual event brings out all of those feelings felt throughout the year as to why you do this. It's an air, a feeling that I have a hard time describing. The race is the event, but all of the outlying associated events are what makes it special. It's a 2-3 day event that celebrates the city in which the race is held. I felt that feeling last weekend in Pittsburgh again. The same feeling that I've felt getting ready to run 26.2 miles is the same feeling that had me toeing the line last week with disappointment and feelings of sadness. My nightmare issue(s) continued that began over 6 months ago. I re-lived the feelings of hopelessness and an inability to do something I love to do. But to be at the event once again and fight my way through the half is rewarding in its own way and gave me the motivation I need to press forward. In five months I will hopefully toe the starting line once again. But it's the few days leading up to it and the feeling you get afterward that I crave so badly. It is what carries me through these troubled times. An eye on the prize, so to speak. A vision of a greater day that lies ahead in the not too distant future. Hope. It is alive and well. I only hope that my body follows along soon. I'm sure it will, but it's been a long road back and the twists and turns continue. Fortunately, I've got an event to look forward to that will help carry me through the tough times this summer.

Stupidity Has A Name

2009-05-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

And his name is me. Despite all the common sense in the world telling me not to even attempt a half-marathon today (I had only run the 5k distance in the past six months and only 40 miles since January 1), I decided to head out onto the streets of Pittsburgh to prove......who really knows? My knee issues had subsided for the most part after getting treatment for a week or so, but Friday afternoon issues with my broken foot came out of nowhere. It was the stabbing shooting pain that comes when twisting or turning a certain way. Not constant, but enough that common sense should have taken over. But like always, it didn't.

Survival is how I describe today. I went into this half with the same thought process and intention that I had in my first marathon in Cleveland back in 2006. Just get through it. Run it and know that I can still do it. Risky? You bet. But I had help. We met up with a high school friend at the spaghetti dinner on Saturday night and his wife Kris was doing the full marathon. Her intended pace was going to be around 9:30. Almost a full 2:00 slower than my normal marathon pace, but I decided that perhaps we could help each other out. I offered to pace her for nearly a half and so that's what we did. I met up with her and two of her friends and I was their pacer and distraction.

I decided that if I could get through 10 miles, I would "run", no "race" the final 5k. It worked like a charm. We paced out to about an hour and 36 minutes (just slightly slower than their 9:30 intentions) for just over 10 miles. It was there that I said good bye, good luck and I was off to make up some time. Despite some discomfort in my foot and knee(s) I wanted to break 2:00. I got close, and made up enough time to cross in 2:01:35. The crazy thing about that time is that it is just a few seconds slower than half of my time from Cleveland (4:02:02). I suppose mission accomplished, but if stupidity had a name today, it would have shared it with me.

Finish line is across the river in front of the convention center. The Pens playoff beard is in full swing.

Amazing Business

2009-04-25T08:52:00.001-07:00

Despite all common sense telling me to do otherwise, I awoke this morning and decided to go run a 5k. The Wings of Hope 5k race was taking place about 2 1/2 miles from my house. Since road races that close don't come up that often and because the weather was nice and because I figured the course would be flat, and because I ran 3 miles in training on Thursday morning I figured I'd ignore common sense.

I planned on holding myself back so I didn't aggravate an "achy" knee (hey, achy is a step up). But lo and behold there I sat amongst a group of four runners near the 1-mile mark. I even led for a few seconds. By the time we hit the turnaround I was still sitting in 3rd place. How could I not push it?

In the final mile, my lack of training caught up with me and I became winded and slowed. I was passed but finished as strong as I could coming in 4th place overall. Amazing as it was to me approaching the finish line I saw that I was going to PR (personal record) for the second time in less than a year at the 5k distance. This, after going 4 years trying to beat my previous best.

I wonder if the course was short since I shattered my previous best by a whopping 0:19. I wonder if all the rest I've had helped keep me strong enough throughout to make it possible. I won't question it. I've added it to the wall of PR's on this site and my log book. I am happy. Seeing where I came from just 2 months ago I have no choice but to celebrate it.

19:30 finish time! Today, I'm in the amazing business.

Good 'Ol ART

2009-04-22T19:00:00.001-07:00

Finally decided to go see my chiropractor tonight for some ART Therapy (Active Release Therapy). He has never NOT been able to fix any ailment I've gone to him with. I am encouraged because he feels that my knee issues can be taken care of quickly and that it's most likely from my favoring my foot (go figure).

So tomorrow morning I am back at it. I ran Sunday, but it was the only day I've run in the past two weeks after going several weeks without missing a day. I'm still pretty sure I shouldn't do the half-marathon next Sunday, but I haven't decided yet.

My entire focus right now needs to be on getting ready for Chicago and that's how I'm proceeding. I'm also nearing a decision on whether or not to return to officiating in the fall, but I'm holding off for a little while yet before making it an official (oh, yea, pun intended) decision. I want to make sure I'm not reacting.

For now, the return to normal continues. I can't help but think that the last time I truly felt good was in October. But tomorrow is another day and another opportunity for me to work my way back. The long and winding road.....

Age? Background?

2009-04-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

I haven't decided yet if I like this new background or not. I do like changing things up, but I have to give it a little more time to decide if this is the background I'm choosing for the next several months. Any readers' thoughts are greatly appreciated.

In November I'll turn 39. In the last year or so I have had a number of people tell me that I'm not getting younger (or some variation of that). And so lately as I continue to struggle with my bum knee and trying to get back to some kind of rhythm I wonder at what point can you truly say that you are getting older? I suppose some of the other things that people say can be equally true. Things like, "you're only as old as you feel" and "age is just a number", but now more than ever I wonder if 40 is that magic number that so many have told me about. Even though I'm still a year and a half away I am going through some changes that I know have affected my ability to overcome injuries (even slight ones) quickly; like I used to.

I still look back and know that my foot break was a very serious issue and I'm now dealing with the "comeback" issues that I knew would come along with it. My knee has reached a new level of frustration as I have yet to try and get back to some light running. I thought that day might be tomorrow. I'm tempted to do it today. With 15 days until the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon I'm realizing that I probably should take the high road and back out altogether. Will I? Stay tuned...

Opening Day

2009-04-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

As has been our tradition for the past nine years, Becky and I went to PNC Park today for the Pirates home opener. As I continue to recover from runner's knee I've taken to walking on the lighter surface of the treadmill and this morning was no different.

As we walked across the Clemente Bridge today and saw the banner draped over the bridge with the Pittsburgh Marathon on it, I questioned how stupid it will be for me to attempt to run a half-marathon in just under three weeks. I know I shouldn't, but something tells me that I can hold myself back from running it competitively and simply move myself over the 13.1 miles at an easy and relaxing pace. I question deep within whether or not I can do that. I always have the best of intentions, but my competitive fires burn very hot.

Part of me feels like the best thing to do would be to simply back out altogether. But part of me wants to experience Pittsburgh so badly. I waited for years for the marathon to come back. It kills me that I can't do the full marathon this year, and I at least want to do the half. Having only run just over 24 miles this year so far, the wise thing to do would be to back out. I have no idea when I might try running again; although this Thursday is my plan. The knee is feeling better but there is still some pain in there going down steps. I can squat a little further which is a good gauge. My issue is time. But then again....I'm a runner. Time is always an issue for me.

Surprised? No.

2009-04-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

After struggling through what might have been the longest winter of my life waiting for a broken foot to heal, I was waiting for the time when I could get back to "normal" activity. For me, that meant getting back on the ice to officiate hockey and back on the roads running.

Slowly but surely nature took its course. My foot improved enough for me to begin skating on the final day of January and over the next two months I was able to gradually put the pain behind me and build up to running again. Slow and short at first, but then back outside in the elements and faster and longer.

But like the rest of this dark period that has now stretched on into a sixth month, it has become anything but easy. I suppose I should have expected it. A case of runner's knee has left me waiting once again for the healing to take place. This won't take months for sure, but the fact that my foot is 100% and I was beginning to get back into a nice rhythm has me frustrated once again. Only this time, using the stationary bike is not an option. So I wait; again. Am I surprised? No. Not at all. I can only hope that a week of rest will knock it out and I can finally get myself on a path of building instead of recovering. I've had enough of the latter to last me a lifetime.

Words I Used at Work This Week

2009-04-02T09:08:00.001-07:00

In no particular order and with no particular attachments (to protect the innocent)....

Hilarious, ridiculous, dumb, stupid, funny, vindictive, nice, terminated, unbelievable, snobby, nasty, tired, flabbergasted, primed, fortunate, laughable, fatigued, dumbfounded, frank, forward, staple, paper, email, virus, sick day, pencil, tissue, crying, flippant, snoring, stylish, strict, retirement, stinks, prank, salary, files, call, voicemail, cellphone, protection, stock market, employee, people, painted, rent, check, car, radio, coffee, water, filter, desk, chair, meeting, forum, time, tripped, hurt, flat, tank, rug, back, arm, safety, mug, past, future, present, ignorant, vegetable, blood, cranky, lunch, dinner, class, harassment, innuendo, party, political, judgment, courthouse, parking space, health, wellness, television, speak, talk, quickly, life.

I'm sure there were 1,000's more I used at one point or another but this is all I can remember. What a week.

Better Than I Could Have Imagined

2009-03-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

Today was a day that I questioned was even possible just a few weeks ago. Today I ran a 5k race (Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Sprint to Success) for the first time since October 25. It was the first time since November 5 that I ran a distance that long. It was the first time I've run longer than 2 miles since returning to running in January. I knew when I departed the house this morning that it might not have been the smartest idea, and yet I went anyway.

I went with intentions of "going slow" and taking it easy. The last thing I want to do is injure myself or take a step backward. But shortly after the starting gun I headed out on the course and felt good. Since it was a loop course I had several opportunities to drop out if I decided to.

As I got closer to the halfway mark and then into the second half of the race I knew I was feeling pretty good. I had very few issues with my wind and despite some rubbery feeling in my legs I pushed on. When it became clear that I would have a good time I was feeling good about my decision to run today.

Crossing the finish line in 21:44 was better than I could have imagined. I expect to deal with some possible pain and discomfort come tomorrow or Monday, but I think I've cleared one of my hurdles on this long road to recovery. Still, there is work to do, but for today I will enjoy this.

Holy Shit!

2009-03-21T18:34:00.001-07:00

First day of running outdoors "for real" since my stupid attempt to do so on January 1. Despite my sense that by writing about my recovery and attempts at running is also somehow connected to my backslides (because I'm superstitious), I decided to write about today since it's ridiculous to think the two are connected.

Truth be told I've been running for three weeks. I started by doing 1/4 miles the first week, then 1/2 miles for the second week. I did 3/4 mile earlier this week and then upped to 1 mile on Thursday. Today was not only the second 1-miler this week, but it was also my first time outside in nearly two months.

What a shocker! Unlike the security and sponginess of the treadmill; not to mention the flatness, outdoors has changed so much. I realized that the cement is quite a bit different. I realized just how hilly my training grounds really are. It was a simple half-mile out and back, but it was probably my most challenging run since my most memorable race last October 25, 2008. It was the last day I really truly ran pain-free and without trepidation. I wouldn't call today being totally back. Despite my growing confidence I realized that my legs and my wind are both far from getting back.

In reality and truth, my mountain is just beginning. After five months, I am still standing at the base of a very steep mountain with lots of work to do. I must be careful and calculated, but I also know that the road will be long, tough and mentally tougher than the first time I took this path. Really? Yes. This time I know what to expect. Last time it was all new to me. Perhaps it is insanity to go through with this knowing what is expected, but then again I've been here before. It was the second time I toed the line at a marathon in Baltimore. I'm feeling up for the challenge and know it won't be easy. I've forked off into the known and after going through this past winter, I'm excited to take on this challenge. I expect to face some difficulties, but that's all part of this insanity.

So what's with the title of this post? Sometimes I struggle with what to titles posts. Other times it comes easy. This one was easy. I repeated it about a thousand times during today's 8 or 9 minute mile. Let the game begin.

A Post For Posting

2009-03-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

Not much to report at this point. Foot is still in improvement mode, and although I'm getting more active and used to being on my feet all day, I'm clearly still not 100%.

Running? Yes, a little. More like light jogging and not for much in terms of mileage. I feel as close as I've been in a long time. It's been a horrible winter and as the weather is improving, my spirits, my foot and my hope for the near future improves with it.

The Age Old Question

2009-03-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

It's not another post about "whoa is me, and look at me, I still can't run". It's not a question really that I intend to answer. It's a question that has been asked and has been around longer than I've been around. Probably been around a lot longer than anybody reading this post. It's the question of life. What does it mean? What is the secret? Or any other variation of why we are here and what our purpose is.

Now I don't claim to have any answers, but I think often about this subject and there are times that I feel like I can really go deep into my consciousness and pose possible answers. But any answers I come up with are simply my answers. It's hard enough to worry about oneself without worrying about answering life's questions for anybody else. My outlet is writing; among other things. When I write and post on this blog I generally don't give it much thought. It's usually the topic of the day. The subject matter comes at me for wierd reasons. Sometimes the topics fly into my head. Other times the topics are hard to find.

So what is the secret to life? Well, the world according to me is about doing that which makes you happy. It's about doing the right things. It's enjoying moments and soaking in what it is that you are doing. I've written in the past about passion, but I also believe that life is being passionate about what it is that you are doing. When you lose the inner fire for what it is that you're doing or are involved in, then I believe you should consider not doing that thing anymore.

Today I refereed a couple of peewee games. Certainly not the highest level or fastest skating games I've worked among the over 1,500 games I've worked in the 13+ years I've skated. But working those games today reminded me how much I love doing it. For no particular reason. Just one of those days in which I "felt" how much I enjoyed being a part of the game. That's why it's been so difficult to ride the wave of emotions I've felt in the past 4+ months. I feel as though I'm still very passionate about refereeing, but so many things make me believe that it may be time to let it go. Besides realizing how insane people can be, not to mention the stupidity that comes with it, I still feel a little humbled by my injury and realize how quickly that which one loves can be taken away. I've had nothing but positive feedback from people since I returned on January 31. I've been overwhelmed with how people from many different areas have either told me how glad they are to see me, or that they don't want to see me hang 'em up. I've obviously got some thinking to do. The season is winding down and I expect that I'll wrap up this very memorable season very soon, if not this coming Monday. I've gotten so close to getting back to running again and I don't want to lose it again. That's made me tentative on the ice. But today I didn't feel that way. I was just skating and working hard and doing my job. It's been a job I've loved for over a decade. I suppose it is possible to give up something you're still passionate about if there are other reasons.

Life can also be about making difficult decisions.

Three to Six Months

2009-02-28T08:19:00.001-08:00

I followed up with a second doctor this past week. This time I went to an orthopedic physician. I wanted to know more about what might be going on with my foot. I found it odd that I can skate several hockey games and actually feel better, but when I walk long distances, attempt to run or spend long days on my feet I have residual issues.

What I found out was a catch-22. A CT scan confirmed what the MRI showed and that was that I have a bone that was previously broken that is healed and strengthening. What I also found out was just how serious breaking the navicular bone can be. It is a long process of healing that takes even longer to have all of the surrounding tissue and tendons get back to normal.

According to Doc #2, I have a long process ahead of me and when I pushed him to tell me how much longer it could be for me to get back to what I was doing before, he said it could be three to six more months. I was told to listen to my body. It wasn't great news, but it was news that I needed to hear.

Today I know I am not ready to begin training for a marathon yet, and have written off the Pittsburgh Marathon. My goal becomes getting prepared to run the Chicago Marathon in October. First, I will get through hockey season. That could be another week, two and maybe three at best. Once that has ended (in disappointing fashion due to my limitations), I will focus on getting some rehab for the ankle and foot and perhaps begin jogging a bit to test it out and try to get myself back to normal running. According to the timeline I heard yesterday I will be ecstatic if I can get in a normal training run sometime around the first week of May. And so, on and on it goes.

If I Had Known

2009-02-24T10:50:00.000-08:00

If I had known that 111 days after running that 4-miler on my treadmill that I would only run (jog) a handful more times and the calendar would be making a serious push toward March 1, I wouldn't have believed it. Thinking back on what has happened since that evening on October 27, 2008 it is hard for me to believe a lot of it. The mind has a funny way of putting things into perspective and recalling certain things. I'm not a brain expert, but I do know that I recall some things very vividly and other things have found their way out of my psyche.

I remember the day I went to get my x-ray and how I could hardly walk. When I received the phone call that there were no breaks, I had a rush of relief and figured I'd be back to my old self in a couple weeks max.

When a couple more weeks went by and I saw very little improvement I got concerned. Had I not pushed for another appointment it could have gone on a lot longer than it has. When I saw my podiatrist and he said, "10% chance there is a break in there", the relief came back. When I got the results of my MRI and I was told, "you have a non-displaced navicular fracture", I was (oddly enough) relieved again. My pain had a name and a diagnosis.

When four weeks of my life seemed like an eternity I tried to stabilize my mind by getting into a new routine. The stationary bike became my friend and biggest adversary. At least I was doing something. I controlled what I could control. I bordered on madness with the thought of 'when?'

When I had my boot removed on December 22, I was relieved again. Could this be the final relief? Despite ongoing pain I was told that it was all good. Do what I could do. I could even skate. In my mind and especially in my foot, I knew that wasn't true, but at least I was walking again; if you could call it that.

When two more weeks went by and I had no noticeable improvement, I pushed my way back in for another MRI. The results came back a few days later and you guessed it. Relief. The bone was healing. Things were on track. As far as my podiatrist was concerned, "you're healed". Hip hip hooray. Total relief. But then a couple more weeks went by and I realized I wasn't totally healed. At least not to the point that I could return to my pre-injury activities. Pain was still there.

I scheduled an appointment for a second look. A second opinion if you want to call it that. I self-prescribed no running. I am healing. Am I totally healed? No. It's a self-diagnosis. Tomorrow I get another opinion. The past week or so, after skating for the third week in a row (skating actually makes it feel better), I feel relief. But do I really? No. History has taught me to be skeptical. Tomorrow, no matter what they tell me I'll be skeptical. I have learned that your health and most of your treatment and even to a degree your diagnosis is left up to you. It's taught me to be skeptical. I'm sure that I'll be relieved again tomorrow when I'm told that I am healing and that this is normal and that not running is a good idea and that I should wait a few more weeks, then try to do what I can tolerate.

A waste of $25 co-pay if you ask me. But I'm paying for another slither of relief I suppose. If you had told me in October that I'd still be screwing around with this on February 25, I wouldn't have believed you. I'd have bet just about anything on it. Still no running for now. Boy, if I had known...

Big Games

2009-02-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

I've been involved in some big games before. As a player, a coach, a color analyst, an umpire and as a hockey official. Some of my most memorable include:

1981: East Conemaugh Little League. I played rightfield on an All-Star team loaded with talent. I was so disappointed and angry that I was relegated to rightfield and yet on a fateful Saturday afternoon I made several putouts and had a memorable assist in a 17-11 win over an all star team from Boswell. Coach Ron Reynolds honored me with the gameball afterward. I still have it today.
1988: I played linebacker in the Ken Lantzy All Star game at the "old" Point Stadium. I wasn't there to play an "exhibition" game and treated it like a real football game. I was rewarded for my 8 tackle performance and blocked extra point on special teams as one of the defensive MVP's.
1991: Playing strong safety for the St. Francis College football team at St. John Fisher University in upstate New York, we needed a win to secure the championship of the Atlantic Collegiate Football Conference. Thanks to a wonderful individual effort by my friend and wide receiver Dan Mathis, we took home a 14-7 win that afternoon and secured championship rings that remains one of my most prized possessions.
1999: Kind of a silly one here, but playing in the Adult League Championship game of the Somerset Adult Hockey League, I score a hat trick to help lead our team, Georg Trucking to a 4-1 win over Stoystown Auto Wreckers. Hey, it's a championship.
2004: I am honored by earning a spot as a linesman in the Bantam U14 Tier I National Championship game between Honeybaked and the California Wave.
2006: I line up at the starting line of the Cleveland Marathon embarking on my first. I didn't know if I could do it, but it remains one of the most memorable days of my life.
2008: I get to umpire homeplate of a AAABA matchup between perennial powers New Orleans and Baltimore. It is an honore to call balls and strikes for a guy drafted by the Red Sox and throwing 95 mph cheese.
2008: As a new color analyst for Johnstown High Football, I get to call the District 6AAA Championship game at Mansion Park. Despite a Trojan loss, it is a cool experience to toss on the resume.
Toss in a few Penguin Cup championships at Mellon Arena (5 of them) and last year's State Championship hockey game and I've built a pretty nice officiating resume.

I bring this up today because last evening as I continue my "comeback" to running, I am still relegated to refereeing. I had to concentrate on where I was a month ago, two months ago and three months ago to fully appreciate the progress I have made. It made me realize how lucky I've been and how fortunate I was to be standing at center ice last night ready to drop the puck on a varsity hockey game. Having been back at reffing for three weeks, I had worked 10 games prior to this one; a regular season matchup between State College and Altoona. Not one of the biggest games of anyone's lifetime, but considering where I was, I had a few seconds while the teams were getting ready to hit the ice to realize where I was and what I was doing. It would be the fastest game I'd worked since early October, 2008. I have to admit I thought about the possiblity that it might be one of the final "big" games I'll officiate. I have no idea where I'll end up this year in terms of playoffs and not really sure I want to advance real far. My focus is on my running and getting back to it. But standing at center ice for those few seconds and pondering my future; both immediate and long term, I realized it might be one of those "moments". Probably not, but the possiblity froze me for those few ticks. It made me realize a lot of things, including where I was a long time ago, and where I was at that moment. Big game? Not really, but in some ways, they're all big.

Reluctant Acceptance

2009-02-17T07:28:00.000-08:00

This is where I am. Reluctantly, I am accepting the fact that I am not a runner. At the moment. Due to ongoing issues with my broken foot, I have been slowly recovering, but not to the point where running is even an option. I have gradually come back to skating, but even long periods of skating hockey games causes me discomfort and small setbacks. With the Pittsburgh Marathon now just over ten weeks away I am reluctantly accepting that running in the full marathon is not going to be possible. I am hanging onto slim hopes that perhaps I may be able to do the half-marathon as sort of a consolation, but even that hope grows dimmer by the day.

I plan to stay off the roads, treadmill and other forms of running through at least the next month and take it one month at a time. I have found that when I don't run, my foot improves. Skating does damage, but not like running.

As I pondered for the millionth time why this happened, I have also reluctantly come to the conclusion that as an athlete and someone who puts himself in positions of relative danger (let's face it; even running poses risks), this has always been a possibility. Hockey is such a fast paced sport and only now do I fully understand the risks involved and how dangerous it can be even at the lowest levels. What this means for me moving forward I cannot say. What I know is that I have a healthier respect for it and have to be content with the fact that for 13 years, and over 1,400 games I went mostly unscathed. But for one fateful night in October, 2008 I was caught in the wrong position and now the battle is not to get back to marathoning. It's simply to get back to running. I have to concede that I can't put a timeline on this. The body heals in its own way and for now, that has to be enough.

The Me I Want To Be

2009-02-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

As I continue to struggle with the worst injury of my life (that's no lie, and I suppose I should consider myself lucky), one thought has consistently come to mind. Actually I've had many thousands of thoughts, but one I keep thinking is that I didn't expect running to be the thing that defines or defined me. What I've learned is that despite what I want, there is no doubt that running has consumed me and the better part of my life over the past five years. When people saw me, they saw a runner. It's what I was. Just like when I was on t.v., they saw the television personality. When people see me at work, they see an HR Director; for whatever that is worth.

I want to believe that this is a temporary thing. I try to stay positive through the ups and downs. I have struggled with the fact that despite my efforts of not allowing it to define me, it has. Running has defined me. And without running, my definition of my being has been lost. It wouldn't be bad if the other thing that defines me; officiating, was not the reason that I've been unable to run. And that I've been unable to officiate.

As the struggle continues I have bordered on the insanity at times. Trying to figure it out. Trying to understand it. Trying to get through it and past it. I've had up times and down times. My mind has ranged the emotions. I've been angered. I've been saddened. I've been happy. I've been enthusiastic. I've been humbled. I've been confused. I've been giddy. I've been scared. I've been anticipating the ebbs and flows. I struggle in looking back. Every time I progress, I want more. Sometimes I can't have more. And the emotional roller-coaster makes a hard left turn. I sink into the abyss quickly and then rise up the other side. It's my life and yet it doesn't feel like me. I wonder if I'm dreaming. I know I'm not. I wonder alot. I wonder when I'll be able to return to normal and what that is. It won't be the normal I once knew and I'm prepared for that. But not knowing what normal will look like causes me to experience more of the fear of the unknown.

Truth of the moment. You're reading a running blog of someone who is currently not a runner. I am not a runner. And I don't know when and if I will ever be again. I want to believe I will. I'm having a hard time right now picturing it. I suppose I'm in a hole right now. On the downswing of this endless roller coaster ride. I love roller coasters. But I'm starting to grow tired of this one, and a little bit sick. Patience of Job? Not even close. I beg for more patience. It must be what now defines me, and for most, including me, that's hard to believe.

Another Week, More Frustration, Another Decision

2009-02-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

I ran three days this past week. For a total of 1.75 miles. I also skated three more hockey games. And I also struggled with pain in my foot. The frustration that I am dealing with is beyond anything I have dealt with in a very long time. I am not sure what is in pain. Is it the tendons? Muscles? Or is it the bone?

All I know is that since January 12 (now going on a month later) I have been in charge of my treatment, my ongoing diagnosis and my own determination of what I should and should not do.

There are days when I feel as if I'm simply being impatient. There are days when I believe I'm getting better. There are days I wonder if I'll every run again. The waves of emotion and of feeling good and bad are unbelievable.

I find that when I don't do too much I see noticeable improvement in a matter of days. As a result, I've made a decision. I will not run until at least March 1. If it takes longer, it takes longer. I have committed to working a number of hockey games the remainder of the month and I will attempt to keep those and fulfill my commitments, but as far as high level games and working much past the first week or two of March I'm finished. I will give up games if I continue to struggle with my foot without running and will seek medical advice again.

One word keeps coming to mind. Unbelievable.

Back on the Ice

2009-02-01T08:09:00.001-08:00

Truth be told, I've been on the ice for the better part of a couple of weeks. Only then did I have a shovel or broom or salt bucket in my hands. Not a whistle. But against my better judgment I decided that yesterday was the day to go back to officiating. As late as Friday morning I wasn't sure if it was a good idea (see previous post). But as the day wore on my foot felt a bit better. I decided that perhaps skating is what I need.

I stayed out of trouble and away from flying pucks. I was nervous and at times a little timid in the corners, but got through it unscathed. The foot did get a little sore during the game and this morning it is a bit sore again, but I have jumped one of the hurdles to recovery. I'm not totally back in action. That won't happen in my mind until I can get a normal training run in of 3 miles. I'm a bit closer to possibly attempting a run again, but I have no idea when. I suppose I'll know in my mind.

For now, I'll work a few games. My next one will be 1,500. A milestone that I thought I was eclipsing back in November. But 86 days went by before I could get in 1,499. Now that it's in the books I'm confident that game will happen Monday night. Despite a slew of available games, I'm going to be selective the rest of the season and have not considered myself back to form by any stretch.

If anything, yesterday gives me a tiny slither of hope that possibly the Pittsburgh Marathon or Half-Marathon is still within reach. Today is the opening of registration for Chicago. I think I'll hold off on that one for now, but my focus is on October and Chicago more than it is Pittsburgh right now. And for good reason.

What Really Grinds My Gears

2009-01-28T16:19:00.000-08:00

I got the idea for this topic from a Family Guy episode. Peter did a regular spot on the evening news called, "What Really Grinds My Gears". It was a ranting spot and if you've seen it, is hilarious.

As I read today's Tribune-Democrat it got me thinking of something that grinds my gears. A few years ago when Pittsburgh hosted the MLB All Star Game my wife and I bought season tickets to the Pirates. It was a 2-year commitment that allowed us the 'opportunity' to purchase All Star Game tickets. That season, I paid close attention to the "local" coverage of the Pirates. Of course, the Tribune sent their Sports Editor Eric Knopsnyder to Opening Day and then he never went to another game that season as a reporter (I say that because 'maybe' he went as a fan; but I would doubt it) until; you guessed it...the All Star Game.

I wrote a letter to the editor that year and got a response from them saying that they don't publish letters that talked "about" or was "directed at" another individual. My letter referred to the Tribune's Sports Editor. I never named names. But the funny part is that if you read the Letters to the Editor, nearly 4 times a week letters about or toward other people are published. It makes me laugh.

Now, in this economic downturn, the Tribune-Democrat has once again outdone themselves and I can't say I'm surprised. Mr. Knopsnyder is in Tampa to cover the Super Bowl. It's hilarious that this podunk town has sent a live reporter to cover the game. With 24/7 media options available and with no less than two Pittsburgh papers (all of which have excellent websites) having representatives there, I see no reason why anyone would want to read the junk that is coming out of Tampa in the form of our very own reporter. Whoopie whoop. The same Tribune-Democrat that recently laid off employees is paying to send someone to the game. All season long, their coverage of all major sports teams relies heavily on AP stories.

The time for newspapers is running out. But in Johnstown, PA, that time is a lot closer than some think. Soon, only major metropolitan areas will have a full-time newspaper and the last I checked Johnstown doesn't qualify. And worse yet, they are their own worst enemy.

That's what grinds my gears.

The Return

2009-01-23T18:01:00.001-08:00

To running? No. To pain. Even though I had a great week, I have returned to sporadic pain in and around the break area of my foot. Once again, the superstitious part of me wonders if I jinxed my rehab by writing about it here. Common sense will tell me that one has absolutely nothing to do with the other, but I can tell you from experience that the mental side of an injury or anything for that matter, is very powerful.

I have been able to walk but running is still not an option. Skating is probably not an option at the moment and I am really fearful about how much longer this is going to drag on. This past Wednesday was 9 weeks since my diagnosis. Has it improved? Yes. I can say that with 100% certainty. But the fact that I still have issues frustrates me like absolutely nothing else I have ever been frustrated by in my entire life.

Everything is questioned. Everything is an issue. I should be glad I'm moving around. I know I should be happy I'm not bound to a walking boot and fortunately not in "constant" pain. For now, I am limited and unable to do either of my favorite activities (running and skating). I am in dire need of the running and it is probably going to be the last thing that comes back. Even though I have run on 3 occasions since the new year started, none of those events was for very long and none gave me any sort of satisfaction. It wasn't the running I knew. Much like the start of this injury, I sit and wonder a lot. When will I get back to the way it was? Harder yet to wonder; will I get back to the way it was? Perhaps my return is imminent. A return to a doctor's office?

No Celebration Here; Well Maybe a Little

2009-01-19T16:11:00.001-08:00

With the Pittsburgh Steelers winning yesterday and getting another trip to the Super Bowl one thing is for certain; there is no celebration in my house. Without going into great detail, the hatred that I hold deep in my sould for this franchise runs so deep I can barely determine whether I love my team more than I hate them. But I digress.

Today was a bit of a day of celebration, but I'm keeping my growing confidence in check. I am simply building up my strength and testing my foot out a little more each day. Today I walked two miles. Amazing to me that a 2-mile walk causes me such excitement. Contained excitement, but I do feel good about it. With each workout, I deal with a bit of pain and discomfort but nothing horrific. I have even secretly run a few times since my New Year's Day debacle. I have learned how to remain patient. My runs are done at or around the 10:00/mile pace (I'm used to 7:30-8:00 paces) and I have only run two more times since. Once I ran 1/4 of a mile and the next time I ran 1/2 mile. I will gradually build upon that as my foot allows me.

In regards to returning to the ice, I am also being patient. Perhaps too patient for my liking, but I have visions of working a few games throughout the month of February. Normally a time that I am preparing for a playoff run, I am not sure where I am this season. Perhaps I will not work the playoffs. Perhaps I will make a deep run into the playoffs. Who knows. What I am doing is literally taking it one step at a time. I have a greater good to be concerned about and have been very proud of myself for remaining patient and doing this correctly.

As for football season. I think I will make plans to do something else on Super Bowl Sunday. It eats at me like cancer to see all of the bandwagon fans surrounding me like flies on a carcass. Watching might be too much to bear. Go Cardinals.

The Long(est) Road to Recovery

2009-01-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

Today is the ten week anniversary of my last official activity. I refereed a hockey game in Altoona that night. Over the past ten weeks I have learned quite a bit about what I am capable of mentally. It's ironic, but I thought that the toughest mental challenge I ever faced was running a marathon. Going through this injury has been far and away much tougher.

How I got through this and continue to get through it was and is simply changing my perspective. I've changed my routine. A new saying that I catch myself saying all the time at work is that "this is my reality". My reality for the past 10+ weeks, and actually longer than 13 weeks when you consider that I was very hobbled for three weeks, has been that I have not been able to skate or run.

I'm getting closer. I'm getting healthier. I'm getting stronger. Both mentally and physically. It's been a process, no doubt about that. I have learned to adapt to a situation I hadn't been faced with before. When I come out of this, I'll be better for having gone through it. I'll be as mentally tough as I've ever been, and that's saying something. I am ready for my next challenge. And right now, that challenge is getting to the end of this, the longest road to recovery.

The day I remove those counters to the left (days since I ran, days since I last officiated) is coming soon. When exactly? I cannot say for sure, but soon.

Something Old and New

2009-01-10T10:31:00.001-08:00

Well, so much for the road to recovery. Once again I feel as though I've jinxed myself. Despite getting better, the foot continues to give me issues. I called the doctor on Monday and complained a little, which prompted another scheduled MRI, which took place on Thursday. Now I try to relax the weekend with my follow-up appointment scheduled for Monday. I'm beginning to think that perhaps a trip to Pittsburgh is in order for some real medical advice. I hate to be that way, but I'm just not sure what's going on and I feel a second opinion could be in order. I'll wait to hear what I'm going to hear Monday before deciding, but it looks like my near future includes more rest and time. Not what I want, but this thing has a mind all of its own.

I'm also facing a grim reality that perhaps hockey season should be over for me. I mean, what am I rushing back to? Screaming parents, coaches and kids who have no respect for authority? On the surface, this is an easy decision to make. Unfortunately for me, I still love the game and love being on the ice. I'm leaning toward bagging the rest of the season, but I'll wait and see what Monday provides me in terms of insight.

I'm also leaning toward not talking about this injury on this blog anymore. I'm a superstitious person and every time I've written that things seem to be going better, things take another turn. But then what do I write about? A running blog without running is like a cooking blog without food, a pet blog with no animals. Perhaps I can come up with random thoughts. Perhaps I can temporarily change this "running" blog into a "ranting" blog. I think I'd like to try something different, but I guess I need to figure out what that is. For now, I'm going silent. When there is anything to report, I'll report it. I'll return to running, but I sense it's not gonna be anytime soon. I'm beginning to think that the Pittsburgh Marathon is in serious jeaopardy. I mean, training should start on Tuesday. That ain't happenin'. The final last day I can start and be ready will be mid-February. I suppose there's a chance, but I'm not banking on it.

One Day and One Step at a Time

2009-01-04T12:24:00.000-08:00

Although I'm walking and was dumb enough to run a little on Thursday, this weekend has given me the reminder that I've had a broken bone in possibly the worst place possible; especially for runners. I dealt with swelling and some residual pain in my foot after trying that little stunt on Thursday.

Walking is not what I would describe as 100% comfortable, but thinking back I am not limping as I was when I didn't know I had a broken bone. After long walks I still have some pain and today was no exception. I walked a mile and a half and have some discomfort over the break area. I continue to question the medical profession and with my next follow-up appointment now eight days away I wonder when and if this thing will ever allow me to run to the levels I've run before. It angers me, but I am happy that I am able to walk, able to get around and am confident that perhaps at some point I will be able to push my envelope once again.

Perhaps I have pushed it too far for the type of injury I have. Who knows. I've got questions, and far too few answers.

An Incredible Feet

2009-01-01T14:17:00.000-08:00

Or what about one foot? Today is January 1 and begins 2009. Normally I don't have many plans for New Year's Day and this year was no different. I watch the Winter Classic and a little football and have the traditional hot dogs, saurkraut and kielbasa. Today I awoke to a big breakfast and a nice hot cup of coffee. Then I decided to take my 1-mile walk.

When I reached the 1/2 mile turnaround point, I felt so good I decided I might try a little light jogging. And for fear of sounding like Forrest Gump, that's what I did. I jogged to the normal 1-mile mark of my running course and turned back running back to the place where I started. Then I walked the 1/2 mile back home. It was only a mile, and it wasn't very fast but my foot passed a fairly important test today. Yes, it was a little bit sore but I ran with a normal gait and plan on continuing to work at it. The fact that it was unexpected makes it a glorious day for me and what I hope is the start of a great year ahead.

2008:The Year in Photos

2008-12-31T20:05:00.000-08:00

Tera's final Xmas with us in 2007.

A March snowstorm. Winter is hanging on.

An icy cold January run.

Some downtime in Indy; checkin' out the RCA Dome before they tear it down.

My crew for the PA State Class AA Final. Todd and Chet are my linesmen.

Opening Day tradition for me and Becky.

Frederick Marathon with Tera and Vee. If only I had their speed.

Goodbye Vee.

Mike and me at Game 6. Detroit hoists the Cup in a few hours, but we had hope, and I had my playoff beard.

In action at Frederick.

Summer in Ocean City, Md.

Sam Adams...the dog.

One of the coolest awards at the Run for the Trail 7k. It's a real railroad spike.

Johnstown Marathon becomes #6.

Back to the beach. This time with the greyhounds.

2008: A Year in Review

2008-12-30T19:06:00.000-08:00

Despite it's ending, the year that was 2008 brought me some very good fortune and will be a year to remember. Here are some of the highlights, lowlights and recalls:

January 3. First run of the year. A four-miler with 12 degree/-6 wind chill.
February 14 through February 19. I complete an amazing run of refereeing 13 games in six nights. I don't run at all during this stretch and battle through it all while I have a chest cold.
February 29. I drive to Pittsburgh to referee Game 1 of the College Hockey East Championship, but the game is canceled while I am driving in on the parkway. I stay in Pittsburgh for a one night personal vacation.
March 2. I referee the High School Open Division Championship Game at the War Memorial Arena.
March 14 through March 16. I get to go to Indianapolis to referee in the Mid-American District Championships. I see the RCA Dome and construction on the new Lucas Oil Stadium.
March 18. I referee the Penguin Cup Class AA Final at Mellon Arena. It is the eighth time in my officiating career I am blessed with the opportunity to work in the old barn.
March 29. I run my first road race of the year (PHCC Sprint to Success 5k). I come across in second place with a time of 20:52. A great start to the racing season.
April 7. Opening Day for the Pirates! The start of another losing season.
April 11. I attend Game 2 of round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Pens beat the Senators on this night to go up 2-0 in the series.
May 5. Frederick Marathon. Not a good day as I finish in 3:45:13 and am humbled by the difficult course. Becky and our two dogs (Tera and Vee) make the trip with me.
May 11. One week after a marathon I run the Komen Race for the Cure in Pittsburgh. I finish in 20:41. Great performance. I finish 102nd overall out of 2,222 runners.
May 20. The day I pick up my new car, and also the day we lose Tera. She is put to rest and I lose the best friend a guy could have.
May 30. I kick off my umpiring season.
May 31. I attend Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Pens lose this one to Detroit, 2-1 and go down 3-1 in the series. Looks like it's over in five.
June 4. Hold the phone. Pens win a thriller in Detroit to get it to game six. I'm in the building again and again I see them lose. This time it's for all the marbles and I see the Stanley Cup being awarded live. This may never be possible again in my lifetime.
June 14. Daily American 10k; a staple in my running season. I do a 42:19 and finish first in my age group, 8th place overall.
June 15 through June 20. Vacation in Ocean City, Md. Great time of year!
June 27-28. I attend the Mid-American District meetings of USA Hockey as a supervisor for the first time. First time in Columbus, OH for me as well. Second new city this year.
July 4. Hollidaysburg YMCA 15k. Slower this year at 1:07:41, but good for third in my age group this time. Another award to add to my collection.
July 14. Hoodlebug 5k in Homer City, PA. Despite temperatures near 80 for this 6:00 p.m. race, I break 20:00 for the first time ever with a 19:49. A day to remember! New PR and 2nd in my age group.
July 28. Got to golf at Fox Chapel Country Club in our health insurance outing. Most beautiful course I've ever played.
August 9. I umpire third base in a AAABA Regional Tournament game.
August 11. I umpire homeplate in a AAABA National Tournament game for the first time ever. Brooklyn defeats New York.
August 13. I umpire homeplate in a AAABA National Tournament elimination game between perennial powers Baltimore and New Orleans. Baltimore wins behind the pitching of Kevin Brady, a future MLB pitcher who throws 90-95 mph.
August 30. I run the Rockwood Half Marathon in preparation for my fall marathon. I PR with a 1:37:46, but I'm disappointed.
September 14. I attend a level 4 seminar in Youngstown, OH in anticipationo of working in the Midget National Tournament in Pittsburgh next April.
September 26. I take over as the color analyst for Johnstown High School Football games on WCRO-AM, and work my first game. (like I need more extracurricular activities).
October 5. Run the Johnstown Marathon. My intention is to use it as training for the Richmond Marathon in November and gauge my progress. I do a decent 3:33:05, and as usual I am disappointed.
October 10-13. We go to Dewey Beach, DE for the Greyhounds Reach the Beach event.
October 21. We lose our second greyhound this year when Vee suffers a cardiac condition and dies in our home. It's another sad day.
October 25. I celebrate my 11th wedding anniversary by starting the day at the Red Cross Vampire 5k. In a downpour, I come across in 20:52, finishing second overall. Despite the slow time, the course was difficult and hilly and I feel great. Possibly the peak of my running this year.
October 27. While working a high school hockey game I am hit on the left foot. I don't know it yet, but I've broken a bone and my running is all but over for awhile.
November 4. I turn 38 years old today amid the cloud of an injury that appears to be serious. Like Becky said, "you're not getting any younger." So true.
November 5. I don't know it yet, but I have my last run of the year. Four miles on the treadmill on a broken foot. My foot is in pain, but I block it out. I have a marathon to run in ten days.
November 6. I don't know it yet, but I work my last hockey game of 2008 in Altoona.
November 15. The day I was supposed to run the Richmond Marathon. Wisely, I decide a week earlier that I can't do it. I bike 26.2 miles on the stationary bike in honor of it. I still don't know my foot is broken.
November 19. After an MRI the day before, I am diagnosed with a non-displaced navicular fracture. I now have more time on my hands than I've had since high school and running and reffing are officially done for the year.
December 22. After 4 1/2 weeks in a walking boot, I am finally out of it. The bone is healing, but the rehab is just beginning.
December 29. I have a treatment of Active Release Therapy and within 24 hours I notice that the overall feeling of my foot is better. It continues to heal and I look forward to 2009.

What lies ahead? Who knows. But what I can say is that looking back at 2008 collectively, I had a pretty good year. Sure, there were some ups and downs but isn't that what life is all about? How we react in the face of adversity, how we handle success. It's all relevant and helps build us into the person that we are. This is what I believe, and although I have no idea what the new year ahead will have in store for me, I'm ready for whatever it throws at me. The only thing I can safely predict is that like 2008 and many many years before it, 2009 will bring with it hope, happiness, and no doubt new challenges. It will bring good, bad and indifferent. It will bring with it new opportunities and I'm sure will also remind me of the past. It brings the hope of once again lacing up my running shoes and preparing for and running another marathon. The opportunity to once again get to the top of the mountain and qualify for the Boston Marathon. How can I not look forward to that? Happy New Year everybody.

Walk A Mile In My Shoes

2008-12-27T18:51:00.001-08:00

On Christmas morning, just as I had planned, I took a walk. My thought process was to walk one mile. It was going to be a banner morning for me. My first "real" activity besides riding a stationary bike and lifting weights since November 6. That night I skated a varsity game in Altoona and was the beginning of a long slow road. After the surprising loss of my walking boot on Monday I had planned a nice walk on our local middle school track for a mile.

As is typical with me, things didn't go exactly as I had planned. Due to some family circumstances that pushed our normal lunch gathering of family at our house back to dinnertime I was able to go on a walk with Becky and Sam. We headed out just before lunch and instead of walking on a track I was on my streets. The same streets that I have trained on for marathons for years.

It was weird walking at first and despite my enthusiasm I noticed that my calf muscle was not totally up to par. In addition, despite my miles and miles of pedaling that horrible contraption known as the stationary bike, my legs were weak as well on the downhill portion of the walk. Still, it felt great to be outside on a partly sunny but brisk morning.

By the time we reached our half-mile mark I began to get sharp stabbing pain in my heel just under the break area. I panicked at first and wondered if the bone was still broken. I sat on the curb and shifted my insoles around. We turned and headed for home. I was miserable and concerned. I couldn't even walk a mile without an issue. And it's not like I was even walking fast. My wife and my dog had to wait for me. I felt helpless and frustrated. But I knew this wouldn't be easy from the get-go. I would push on and do it again. That day was today.

With temperatures in the low 60's it was a great day to head out the door. While Becky went shopping with her mom I headed out with Sam and we decided to make it a boys day walk. Sam did a great job waiting for me and followed my slow pace. The stabbing pains showed up again and this time within the first two-tenths of a mile. They weren't as bad and I pushed through them noticing that my calf was really sore and weak. No doubt this is a bout of plantar fasciitis. I'm convinced it's not the bone. I'm convinced that is healed. This is about building strength in my legs, and specifically my calves which will strengthen the feet. Today was a better day but was another sign of just how far away I am from running without worry and reaching my goals. Funny how those change with your circumstances. A year ago, the talk was all about Boston. Now I'm talking about walking a mile. Truth be told, I'm ahead of my own schedule of where I thought I might be by now. Boston will reappear soon enough. For now, I celebrate each mile of walkin' in these shoes.

Merry Christmas Everyone

2008-12-24T12:13:00.001-08:00

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in THE SUN it's so." Please tell me the truth; is there as Santa Claus?"

Virginia 0'Hanlon.115 West Ninety-Fifth Street.

"VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except (what) they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole truth and knowledge.Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus? It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existance. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus? You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love,romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world, there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, VIRGINIA, ney, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Walkin'

2008-12-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

Like the great Jerry Lewis once penned...."I'm walkin', yes indeed..."

My appointment resulted in the loss of my walking boot which was a bit of relief, but also a bit of terror. How could I possibly begin walking on this thing? That was my thought after Doc nearly put his thumb through the bone that was broken. He was confident enough to let me out of the cursed boot and told me to start walkin'. So that's what I've been doing. Walking. Or some version of it anyway. I still get some sensitivity and pain in the foot, but I'm trusting that he knows more than me and have begun walking. I'm guessing I've got some strength building that needs to take place and even though I have no immediate plans to skate or run, I am walkin'.

So far, it's one of the best presents I've gotten for Xmas. I'm tentative and scared, but in the first 24 hours or so I am gaining millimeters of confidence. It took awhile to heal the bone, and I'm guessing my psyche will also need some time.

My only plans so far include finding a comfortable pair of shoes and the right insoles to wear and to take a walk outside on Christmas Day.

Follow-Up Appointment

2008-12-21T08:24:00.000-08:00

Four weeks and four days in the boot. Tomorrow morning I head back to the doctor to find out what happens next.

I have hesitated to post on the blog for fear of jinxing myself as I had read back over several posts and information I shared turned out to be incorrect or false in regards to how I was feeling and what was actually wrong. So I have done nothing but follow doctor orders and tried to stay upbeat, positive and realistic. Of the three, I believe realistic has been the hardest. It's hard to know what is going on with my foot from day to day.

I do know I'm tired of being this way and I hope for at least a sliver of good news tomorrow. However, without an MRI to get a picture of what is going on, I doubt that good news is really possible just yet. In fact, I wonder what tomorrow will really accomplish besides paying another $20 co-pay. The wonders of modern medicine. Stay tuned...

A Game of Wait

2008-12-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

To someone with as little patience as me, going through this type of injury is murder. But I have gained some fresh perspectives on running, hockey, and my life in general.

I'm in no way out of the woods, and have hesitated to even write on my blog being the superstitious person that I am. So all I will say is that I definitely feel as though my foot is improving. Is it healing? I won't know for a few weeks yet. But for now, it's something to hang the hat on.

I want to get back to running. I want to get back to skating. But I will not rush back on any kind of timeline. I want to do this right and let nature take its course.

But man, is this brutal....

A See-Saw Recovery

2008-12-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

One day I'm up. One day I'm down. It is the reality of where I am right now. It's all about numbers for me at this point:

16 days until my follow-up appointment
17 days since I was put in a boot
40 days since the injury happened
1 maddening day after another

I get encouraged by the smallest signs of healing, but at the same time I get discouraged easily by the smallest signs of not recovering fast enough. I don't know what the future holds. None of us do. But it is all of that uncertainty that I cannot handle the most. So I try to take it day by day and do the right things. It's hard to know what that is though.

I am severely disappointed in the medical community. They didn't do this to me, but with all I've learned since being properly diagnosed it is hard for me to believe what any of these doctors actually knows around here.

The frustration will continue and every day is a day closer to an unknown day in the future when hopefully I can be normal again. Five simple words grace my thoughts so much lately. I want my life back.

A Broken Foot, But My Spirit is Fine

2008-12-01T16:45:00.000-08:00

It took me nearly two weeks, but I have come to grips with my situation. That situation came as a result of an innocent hockey play that happens hundreds of times a season. A puck that would have done no or little damage had it gone 3 inches to the right or left of where it was. But as it is, it hit me directly in a spot that was perfectly placed and broke a bone in my foot.

My life has been quite different these past five weeks. Looking back I've been through a lot. A lot of it mental. A lot more of it physical. But as I near the two week mark of my rehabilitation I realize how lucky I am and how quickly life can change.

I broke a bone in my foot. I'm not permanently crippled. I didn't lose a limb. I haven't been financially affected so badly that it will cause me irreparable harm. Obviously, those things could have made it much much worse.

As I rode the stationary bike today I thought about some of those aforementioned scenarios and others. What happens to a runner who suddenly loses their eyesight? A runner who loses a limb? An athlete that suffers a career ending injury? It happens all the time. As an athlete I realize that you certainly can't be careful. If you go out fearing all the bad things that can go wrong, you won't be at your best.

After coming to grips with this situation I look forward to getting back to running. I look forward to getting back on the ice and back to normal. But this injury has given me the respect that I know I must give to the fact that things can change so quick. And if and when I get back to some semblence of normalcy I will probably appreciate all that I can do just a little more. We're all getting older. But we can stay young at heart. But we also must stay diligent and realize what we are and are not capable of. I'm certainly not ready to give up officiating. But I do look at my abilities a little more honestly. This incident was not caused by my lack of ability. To the contrary. But I will return with a sense of honesty knowing that I cannot and will not be able to maintain the same level of skating and running forever. And that is why the here and now is something to be more appreciated everyday. Time stops for no one or nothing. Amazing how time gives you more respect for that very thing. Tick tock tick tock...

Giving Thanks

2008-11-27T14:25:00.000-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving and in keeping with the spirit of the holidays I am giving thanks today. Despite not being able to run and being nowhere close and not being able to skate, and being nowhere close I am still able to be thankful.

I am thankful for:

Being alive. It may be cliched, but although some things I am unable to do right now, I am upright and breathing. Sure beats the alternative.
My wife Becky. She is the greatest thing to ever happen to me. And despite this little road bumps that affect her as much as me, she remains supportive of me no matter how idiotic I can be.
Our dog Sam. Despite the fact that we've lost 3 dogs in just over a year, Sam is a miracle of sorts. He had a urinary infection that if we hadn't found it, he would be joining the list of "former" dogs. We saved his life twice.
Employment. In light of what is going on in the world today, I am lucky to have a good job that pays me fairly and I am able to support myself and my family.
Friends. It's a select group, but like they say at the end of It's a Wonderful Life. "No man is a failure who has friends".
A future. One which I hope sees me run the Boston Marathon. But if I never get there, I'll sure have had fun trying.

No sense in talking much about anything else today. Be thankful and happy. Happy Thanksgiving all.

A Year of Change

2008-11-24T07:53:00.000-08:00

One year ago today I was in a rental car on the Pennsylvania Turnpike heading back home from Philadelphia. It was a bittersweet trip that had me thinking about how close I had come to qualifying for the Boston Marathon. A day earlier I had run the marathon of my life. Perfect weather conditions coupled with a perfect course for my style and an alignment of all the stars put me in position to run a BQ. But in the final mile or two my body relented and I narrowly missed. Four seconds. That's all that stood between me and my ultimate running goal.

I struggled for several days to make sense of it and invariably I asked many questions. Many "what ifs" that I couldn't answer. One 'what if' question that still haunts me is, "what if I never get that close again?"

I drove home on that rainy and snowy day with a drive and desire to overcome those four seconds. I couldn't get two words out of my mind. SO CLOSE.

Fast forward one year. So much has happened. I have so much to be proud of. I set new PR's in several race distances, including one I thought I'd never break (5k). I put together one of my best "overall" years of running despite falling back in the marathon distance. A disappointing run in Frederick in May followed by a so-so showing in Johnstown just seven weeks ago had me looking at a run toward Boston in Richmond last weekend.

But the stars of fate worked against me once again. A cruel test of will and a hockey puck hit me and has put me in a predicament I have not had to deal with recently. I recall the broken bone in my right ankle in college that kept me from my teammates on the football team. It changed my life for a short while. But at the time it seemed an eternity. My recollection gets more vivid everyday. I am thankful I'm not in a hard cast as I was then. I am thankful to still be upright and breathing. But like a year ago, two words cross my mind often. THIS SUCKS.

A year ago I was so close. This year I am so far away. Far away from normalcy. Far away from the game of ice hockey. Far away from running and the health and feeling of well being it gives me. Things have changed. I eat less. I sleep less. I think more. It's a horrible combination. Will this pass? Sure. I am certain of that. But when? And how? Those are the questions of life I suppose. They're always there. But it takes something like this to bring them to the forefront. That and, "what happened to you?" I cannot wait for this to pass and for normalcy to show it's beautiful face again.

A New Fight

2008-11-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

With running in 2008 in the books, my focus has shifted to what I can do to make sure that 2009 is all that I expected it to be before this unfortunate turn of events.

I have spent the past 48 hours or so looking at what I know and what I can do for right now. Here is what I know.

I'm not running a step until at least January 2009 TBD.
I'm not skating a hockey game until at least January 2009 TBD.
I have a broken bone in my left navicular bone of my foot.
I am in a walking boot and using my own crutches for a week or so to try and give the foot as much rest as possible.
I am using a bone healing system with electrical stimulation to promote bone healing.
I have a follow-up appointment on December 22, 2008. Around that same time I will have a follow-up MRI to determine if this bone is healing.
Everything takes me longer and is much harder including simply taking a shower.
I cannot change the past, I can only control what I do now and in the future.
I will finish 2008 having run 808 miles.
I will finish 2008 having worked 1,498 hockey games in my officiating career.

Here are a few other things that I am 100% sure of:

I want to run again and Boston continues to be my ultimate running goal.
I want to work two more hockey games to get to 1,500 career games.
I am currently doing all I can to get my foot well and stay in as good a shape as I can. This includes lifting weights and riding my stationary bike; which sucks by the way.

Far worse than anything else at this point is the mental difficulty I am struggling with. I have always been an active person that moved quickly when deciding to do anything. The only major injuries I have had in my athletic career included a cracked sternum in high school that didn't really keep me out of action. I broke my right pinkie in college and played the eight remaining games with a brace and wrap on it. I broke my right ankle my freshman year of college and missed the final six games of that season. That has been it. Not a bad run. At the age of 38 I have not been limited all that much by injury, so this is very new to me. Each day I feel like a slug and struggle with what will happen in the coming weeks. Will it get better? I'm pretty sure it will, but when? Will it give me problems in the future? Maybe, but to what degree I don't know. Perhaps the toughest question is whether or not surgery is going to be needed on this thing. That will more than likely be the first question answered and it will be answered around Christmastime. Until then the only things I control are my mind and my rehab. And for now, it's not much, but it's all I've got. Reluctantly I've accepted that.

Relief and Then Worry

2008-11-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

What is a running blog without running? I suppose we're going to find out, but for now it's an injury blog. Today I got what I thought might be good news that gave me some relief. I went to my foot doctor on Monday and was able to get in for an MRI on Tuesday. The results of which showed that I have a fracture of my navicular bone. I was relieved to finally know what was wrong, but obviously no running or any activity for 4-6 weeks is not something I'm looking forward to. It's a new chapter, and one I'm not really excited about. But it is what it is.

What I've read about navicular fractures are not pleasant, but I can at least take solace in the fact that it's a 'non-displaced' fracture and that gives it probably my best chance at healing correctly.

All I can do now is the next best thing which is to follow his instructions, use this walking boot and try to stay off of it as much as possible. That, and read and hope and pray.

There won't be any running for awhile and I'm almost assured of closing the book on the 2008 running calendar. But with a little luck, good graces and some good old fashioned rest, we'll see what happens. I'll keep you posted along the way. I've got little else to do.

Getting Ahead of Myself

2008-11-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

That's what I get for posting that things were going well. The next day after my last post I got back to frustration. This injury has been by far, the worst I've had in years. It just doesn't want to seem to get better. Even though I've been staying off of it and doing the right thing it kind of has a mind of its own.

Still, without getting too encouraged, today is a good day. The pain is still there, but I know I'm not near getting back to running or skating. But we'll see.

I've scheduled an appointment with the foot specialist tomorrow and will know more (I hope) upon returning. If I can't damage it any further I'm tempted to skate this week. I hate to give up too many games, but I also need to be smart. Asking myself which is more important to me, I'd have to say my running is more important to me than refereeing. That was an eye opener.

And speaking of eye opener, this injury has taught me how quickly things can change and so I have decided to invest in a face shield. I couldn't help but think how horrible it had been if this same puck had hit me in the eye. I suppose I'm getting a little older and wiser. The shield will be here tomorrow, so I've worked my last game without one (game #1,498).

And finally, yesterday was the day I was supposed to run Richmond. I thought about it throughout the day and while riding the bike yesterday I decided after getting in the hour I had planned on riding it that I would go an extra 1.2 miles since I was close and did 26.2 miles on the bike in an hour and four minutes. Still, I hate the bike and hope I can say goodbye to it very soon.

A Ray of Hope

2008-11-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

While sitting in my living room on Veteran's Day wondering when I could stop taking ibuprofen and having to ice this thing and why the world is being so unfair to me I struggled with thoughts on how to get this thing better. Do I get an MRI? Do I continue doing what I'm doing? Chiropractor? Active Release Therapy? Then I came to an easy conclusion. If I could just stop walking around on this thing for a few days it could get a lot better a lot quicker. Seems easy enough. Why didn't the P.A. who had me x-rayed even suggest a brace, a walking cast, crutches? Who knows. But I do know that every day has been like re-injuring the foot to a varying degree. Each night the swelling returns and the icing process begins.

Then it hits me. I can stay off of it for a few days. I just needed a pair of crutches. So I made some calls and lo and behold I've got a pair of used crutches. Perhaps it was the anticipation of relief. Perhaps it was just time taking it's natural course. Whatever the reason, the foot was actually better last night. Not 100% and not near 100% but certainly noticeable improvement for the first time in over two weeks.

I'm not close to getting back on the roads, but I feel closer than yesterday and that is a step in the right direction.

A Long Slow Road

2008-11-09T17:19:00.001-08:00

The road to recovery. What is being termed most likely a "soft-tissue" injury for me in possibly the worst spot, this road is windy, long and as difficult as any I've traveled.

Although it feels as if the foot is getting better, I still struggle with the fact that by simply walking I am hurting the foot. Each day I ice, I elevate and I medicate. I also am getting impatient as to when I might be able to run again. I am struggling and mightily. This is probably the worst injury I've suffered in a long time.

And despite the positives (they are few and far), I am still struggling knowing that I cannot do what I used to do. I want to get back on the roads and I don't know when that will be possible. Tomorrow evening will be two weeks since I took the puck in my foot and although I would say it is better it is still not near to being good enough.

I am angry with the player that hit me. Especially when I think about the fact that he was in the process of "reversing the play", which means that he purposely threw the puck backwards instead of moving it forward. As I remember the play he had no reason to reverse the play. He had room to get it out or chip it out off the glass. But because of a stupid choice by him, I am hobbled. And I am angry. Fortunately I don't know who it was and don't care. I would never retribute anyway. But the fact of the matter is I am not running, I am frustrated and I am badly in need of getting right and back out on the roads. And so for now; I wait...

Everything Happens for a Reason

2008-11-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

Oh, it's the oldest; well, one of the oldest cliches in the book. You hear people say it all the time. Most of the time you wonder if they believe themselves or if it's just to comfort a bad situation. Who knows. But if everything happens for a reason, I for one am here to tell you that it's a straight 50/50 and possibly less that you immediately know what that reason is right away.

And so today, I came to the grim reality that it makes no sense, common or otherwise, to take a trip five hours from home to run in a marathon that will take place in just over a week. Not when my foot is still bothering me badly. Not when I have run 4 miles since October 26 and the first two of those miles were run at a pace slower than eight and half minutes. Not when I've got thirteen days in front of me to recuperate before I have to get back on the ice to officiate my next hockey game.

I could be a hero and go and do the marathon. Of that I am sure. It seemed the longer I ran on the treadmill the other night the more my foot seemed to loosen up. But what damage would I do and how much further would I set myself back upon finishing?

No, the reality of the situation; which I have known for about a week, is that the wise thing to do is take my losses in stride and get this foot well. There are other races to be run. There are many more miles to be run. Frustrating as it is, I'm sure this is happening for a reason. But I have no idea what the hell that reason is right now. And that, perhaps, is one of the most frustrating things about this. That and not running.

X-Rays Negative

2008-11-05T06:47:00.001-08:00

After messing around with a severely bruised foot for a week, I decided it was time to put my mind at ease one way or the other. I headed to the doctor and got my foot x-rayed. They came back negative and I was told that rest is what I need. It was suggested that I take it easy for two more weeks. Being the impatient person that I am I'm still holding out hope that I can have myself rested, healed and ready for the Richmond Marathon which now looms just a touch over nine days away.

I can't help but think of all the weeks of training and miles that went into preparing for this race and now it seems as though I'm lying to myself that it's even a possibility. This morning I asked aloud if I was in fact lying to myself. Are all the signs pointing to backing out? Probably. But I've pushed my official decision off until this Saturday. Why? I have no idea. I suppose putting off the inevitable. It also gives me a few more days to maybe try and get out on the road and run a little bit.

My plan was to do that after work on Wednesday. We'll see how that goes. Even though I kind of know what the answer is. I should probably listen to the medical professionals. But I'm not built that way. The x-rays were negative. But negative in more ways than one.

Continued Struggles

2008-11-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

I suppose perhaps you could call me impatient. I suppose. But six days after getting hit in the foot with a puck and one week since I ran at all, and frustration is beginning to set in.

I was able to skate today. In pain, but nonetheless, skated a game. I'm not sure it was the smart thing to do and I doubt that I helped my foot, but in a skate boot and with some added padding, I was able to get by.

I have one more game to work this Thursday and then I have an amazing 13 days off before I have to officiate again. That is unheard of in the middle of November, but it's a quirk in my schedule.

After today I feel as though my foot took two steps back and I'm seriously doubting going to Richmond. Still, I'll wait to see how I feel come Friday morning before making my "final" decision.

Ask me today, and I'll tell you that the chances are 90-10 against going.

Hold on a Minute...

2008-10-29T17:07:00.001-07:00

With Richmond coming up in sixteen days, I am all of a sudden uncertain whether or not this will be #7 or if that honor will go to Pittsburgh in May. A few things have happened that put this five hour drive south into jeopardy.

As you have already read, our greyhound Vee passed away last Tuesday. The very next day we found out our other greyhound Sam still had a very highly contagious infection that made us question whether or not we wanted to board him with other dogs. It wouldn't be fair. So discussion surrounding a possible cancellation ensued. Not to mention our fear that we had another dog who had an infection that given the worst possible scenario, could kill him.

Fast forward to Friday, we got a bit of good news. Sam's infection is improving, and although he still has it he's not as contagious and shouldn't be a problem boarding with other dogs. Relief settled over us that he's getting better and Richmond was back on.

Until Monday night. That's when I was working my 1,496th career hockey game and was hit on the inside of my left foot. Normally, when you get hit on the foot it's a glancing blow and the stun goes away in a few minutes. This was more solid. It buckled me. And the pain didn't go away. I struggled to skate through 2 1/2 more periods and by the time I hit the locker room and took my skate off, the swelling was there. And yesterday the pain continued with a noticeable limp.

Although I feel better today, my running is "on hold". I want to make sure I don't run on the foot until it's absolutely healed and I have no idea how long that will take. I pray I'll know by Sunday when I'm scheduled to skate again. I pray I can run again by Sunday but I have to establish a drop dead date of next Wednesday to decide whether or not I'm going to Virginia. I hate to cancel, but I also don't want to run a marathon after not running for two weeks. I've got to be able to run at least 3 or 4 more times (lightly). If I can't hit the roads and do it comfortably by next Wednesday (one week from today), I'm out.

In the back of my mind, I feel like someone is trying to tell me something.

So Long Sweet Vee

2008-10-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

Just five months ago I was writing about losing Tera, our longest tenured greyhound in our house. She spent seven and a half years with us. One year before losing Tera we got Ventura, affectionately known as Vee. It would be the first time since we started rescuing these spectacular animals that we had two females. It was risky but it ended up being a great arrangement. They loved each other and got along so well. A year together was hardly enough. When Tera passed away in May we never imagined that Vee would go so soon, but yesterday she died in our living room. Becky was home with her when it happened and it is believed she had a heart attack or an aneurysm that killed her in less than 30 minutes. Fortunately she didn't suffer and went quickly. At six years of age, she went far too quickly for us. It is never easy saying goodbye to these dogs. This was no exception. Vee was special in her own way and will be sorely missed. There is another void in our house that won't go away anytime soon. It is the way it is. It is the catch-22 of rescuing greyhounds. You save their life, and in our case each time it was for so little time. But we take solace in the fact that we are saving these animals even if it is for a little while. And today I can't help but think that Vee has reunited with Tera and the two of them are together once again. Godspeed ladies....you were both very special girls. We miss you dearly.

I Must Be Crazy

2008-10-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

After refereeing a college hockey game last night and having some pizza and wings with the boys, I got to bed around 11:30, falling asleep watching the Red Sox game. With a 12:15 p.m. youth game to work today I had to be out on the road no later than 8:00 a.m. or so to get my 20-miler in today. Even though I woke up feeling a bit groggy and sore, I managed to push myself out the door and did my 10-mile loop twice to squeeze in my twent-miler. That left me just enough time to shower up and head to my game.

Despite this absolute craziness, I feel pretty good and am amazed with the ability my body has shown recovering from running a marathon (and a tough one for me) just two weeks ago. With 26 days to go until my next marathon I am feeling pretty confident and will taper now, taking an extra week to prepare my body for the damage I will inflict upon it in Richmond.

I suffered today and finished off a pretty good week. Although I'm sore, I'm in fairly good shape. I've got two hockey games to work tomorrow night and found that today's hockey after the run actually helped loosen me up a bit. I can only hope that tomorrow night does more of the same.

More Suffering

2008-10-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Got my copy of Spirit of the Marathon and watched it over the weekend. It got me thinking a lot about where I am, where I've been and where I'm going. Got me thinking about a lot of things. What I have come up with is pretty simple, and I can't say for sure that the movie had anything to do with anything other than getting me thinking.

This is what I've come up with. I'm not suffering enough. Oh, I've suffered each of the past two marathons. And what I believe is although my training is going well it's almost going too well. Perhaps I'm not suffering like I used to when I first got started. My training runs are sometimes tough, but perhaps they could be tougher. Maybe I've become stagnant and forgotten what it took to get to where I was just before I ran in Philadelphia.

With just under 5 weeks remaining before I go to Richmond to run I've got a little time left to prepare myself properly both physically and mentally. Of that I have no doubt. But one thing is also for certain. I can do better. I can suffer more during training so that my suffering on the day of these events and days after are not as bad. You pay one way or another. It's best to pay up front and that's the approach I'll take. I went hard this morning and gave myself a good start toward what it's going to take to get back to where I need to be. Obviously, I haven't paid enough of a price for Boston. As the mornings get darker and fall slowly creeps up on winter, I'll pay that price. On the roads, in the gym and wherever else I need to pay. Boston is earned and earned hard. Perhaps after Philly I thought it would be easy. Well, it's not. It's the furthest thing from easy in the world. And that's what's going to make it so sweet when I finally get there.

Some Post-Johnstown Wrap Up

2008-10-07T08:14:00.001-07:00

Figured I'd post some Johnstown photos as I wait for the pain in my legs to subside enough to start running again. And posting...

This was the "group" photo taken prior to the start at the top of the Inclined Plane. Judging from the finishers I don't think everyone was present for said photo.

One of my marathon traditions. A quick pre-race photo. It wasn't raining, it was just awful foggy and chilly with temperatures hovering around 39 degrees.
And we're off!
26.199 miles later, I barely had enough energy to raise my arms. About a second later I cross in 3:33:05. The fog had burned off and to my dismay, the sun had obviously come out; around mile 17.

A final photo before heading home for the day. Small irony in that I finished in Point Stadium and although the home run record stands at 73, it stood forever at 61.....my race bib.

Pictured are my race finisher's medal, race bib and my 3rd place age group award. The age group award totally shocked me. I still don't look at 3 1/2 hours as being anywhere near fast. BUt I suppose on this day it was.

Behind Every Man...

2008-10-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Of course, the saying I'm talking about is "behind every great man is an even better woman". I hesitated to title this post "Behind Every Great Man" because although I'm am attempting to be a great person I've still got a long way to go and do not think I'm great. But what I can say for sure is that the second part of that saying cannot be more true.

My wife is someone I don't often give enough credit to. With all of my extracurricular activies and the small amount of time I spend at home (mostly in the winter because of school and hockey), it is a wonder she still puts up with me.

And even better yet, she supports me in no matter what adventure or crazy idea I might come home with. I truly don't feel as though I deserve someone as good as her. But I sure am glad that she is my wife.

Today I ran the Johnstown Marathon. I didn't have a countdown clock, I didn't broadcast it very loudly, telling very few people. My concept behind doing it was to see if I could somehow qualify for Boston on my home course. Being that I'm scheduled to run Richmond, VA in six weeks this was intended to be a test more than anything. I figured I'd go out and see how I felt. Since I needed a long training run anyway, I would go as far as I could holding a BQ time and if it fell apart, I'd pull back and simply use it as a training run.

My uncertified time is 3:33:05. I still await the official results, but it won't be that far off of that time. Today was my sixth marathon. Today was my third worst time, but my third best time. I held onto BQ for about 17 1/2 miles and despite doing so, I felt as though I had some heavy legs last night and that haunted me all day.

But this post is more about my wife than about me. Today she got up with me around 6:45 and made me my normal marathon day breakfast of one and a half bagels with peanut butter and jelly (if available). Since I was at home, it was nice having a toasted bagel and yes, we had jelly. Despite having her own things to do today it didn't stop there. She rode to the starting line with me and took my traditional pre-race picture. But she also went out ahead of me, meeting me at mile 5, mile 10, shortly after mile 16 and again at mile 22. She provided me with opened Powergels, and had water and Gatorade ready for me. She was there for me, helping me do what I wanted to do. Running a marathon and trying to qualify for Boston. She supported me; just like she always supports me and for that I love her dearly. We're definitely an odd couple. We have lots in common, but we also are different in so many ways. She goes far beyond what she should for me.

I should have called this post, and Ode to a Great Woman.

700

2008-09-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Every year I set out with the intention of running 1,000 miles. To some runners, that may not seem like a lot, but I have always been a lower-mileage guy. To some runners, 1,000 might seem like a lot. To each their own.

This morning I crossed the 700 mile mark for the year with 13 1/2 weeks remaining in the year. I'm confident that I will be able to reach my mark this year barring unforeseen injury.

I always think I could and should run more, but I suppose that's what 2009 is for.

My Weekly

2008-09-21T15:47:00.001-07:00

Still in limbo on topics, but in keeping with at least a weekly post, decided to write about my 10-miler today. Wish I had this type of day when the marathon comes around. I have been struggling lately with some fatigue and haven't felt the greatest on my runs. Forgive me for being skeptical as I headed out the door today, but after officiating some Tier I midget games on Friday and Saturday (real leg burners) I wasn't very confident that today would be all that productive.

As I headed out in the low 50's temperatures it was evident that my legs were kind of dead, but I was very happy with the cool day. Fortunately, after a few miles I felt as though my legs got under me a bit. As it turned out I got stronger as the run went on and when I had finished I did a BQ run and had perhaps my best run in weeks.

Just goes to show you...you can't predict a run, no matter how much you think you can.

I Got Nothin'

2008-09-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

I think I might have had this title before. It's been one of those periods where I'm extremely busy at work and with school and have had little time for writing. I enjoy writing and keeping up with this blog, but I'm just in one of those periods. So rather than have weeks go by without writing anything I thought I'd better write something. And like my weekend of running, I got nothin'.

Friday night I came home from work and continued to put in some hours on a major project I'm proposing at work. Ended up working until close to midnight. With a pair of hockey games on Saturday and then a trip to Youngstown, OH for my level 4 officiating certification seminar yesterday I almost forced myself into some rest. I've been sluggish on the roads lately so it was a bit of a blessing in disguise. Even though I had planned on doing a 20 miler this past weekend I was uncertain as late as Thursday whether or not I would actually do it. With my type-A personality, turns out that sometimes these things take care of themselves. I got back on track today with my normal 5-miler and I'm still sluggish. But then again, I am skating again so it happens.

Uncertainty

2008-09-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

I suppose I could write it off as being humid again yesterday. But my 16-miler that was indeed run in fairly high humidity was another test of character. I did it in an average mile time of about 8:11, and that is in the range I'm supposed to be, but it's how I feel at the conclusion of these long runs that has me concerned.

I keep thinking that perhaps some time off would do me good, but for fear of jinxing myself, I have a hard time remembering when I was in such a good running groove in terms of not missing days and getting the miles in.

I suppose in a few weeks I could look back and feel as though I was overreacting. I suppose, like most of the rest of my running life; only time will tell.