Sucks. Not always, but a great majority of the time. Once you get going it's not bad, but going out when the icy cold air is blowing makes it tough.
With 14 weeks until destiny, I'm focused and just trying to get into a rhythm. It's been difficult. Not sure if it's age, work, the weather, overworking or a combination of everything that has made me much more tired than usual. Just when I think I'm getting into a groove, I can't seem to sleep.
Who knows. The only thing I'm certain of is that the future is in fact, uncertain.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Character Builder
What do you do when the temperature outside is 9 degrees with a negative 9 wind chill? If you live in Southwestern Pennsylvania and you're training for a marathon; you run.
And so that's what I did today. I ran. However, what I have found in my running life is that no matter the looks you might get from passers by, if you dress appropriately it doesn't have to feel all that cold at all.
Don't get me wrong, it is cold. But it doesn't have to "feel" that cold. No doubt layering up and colder weather do not produce the fastest times, but it does teach you how to remain tough in the toughest conditions. In the late stages of a marathon, when the body wants you to shut it down, it is a day like today that will benefit me. In what has become one of my favorite phrases, it is in fact, a character builder. Inevitably it was an answer to the question one morning when I returned home from a tough run. When Becky asked me how I went out and braved the elements, I simply replied, "character builder".
Like the great John Wooden said (and is my new quote of the day), sports reveal character. When I hit mile 20 or 21 in Frederick, or in any race and it seems like the only thing to do is stop, character will not begin at that point. It has been practiced over and over again under extreme duress and is build days, months, and years before it is needed.
Yes, today was a definite character builder. And I'm better for it now that I'm done.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Begins Real Again
With a crisp 7-miler today, I officially enter the 16 week period leading up to Frederick on May 4. I recall thinking while I was running today that it begins real again. I slowly and gradually took care of myself (and gained a couple pounds) since the week before Thanksgiving and the Philly Marathon. Now, with "official" training beginning on Tuesday morning I begin again.
I am not putting any added pressure on myself, yet I feel I have to qualify this time out. I've got a plan and a vision, and a self-proclaimed date with destiny. I am planning on the first weekend in May being a culmination of six years of hard work, sweat, education and tears. A Boston qualifier is what I'm after and rather than talking about it, I'm going out and earning it. Sixteen weeks from today I'll have completed the journey and will have plenty to look back upon.
I am not putting any added pressure on myself, yet I feel I have to qualify this time out. I've got a plan and a vision, and a self-proclaimed date with destiny. I am planning on the first weekend in May being a culmination of six years of hard work, sweat, education and tears. A Boston qualifier is what I'm after and rather than talking about it, I'm going out and earning it. Sixteen weeks from today I'll have completed the journey and will have plenty to look back upon.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Where Has Respect Gone?
I know this is supposed to be a running blog, and I'm nearly certain that I'm not getting regular visitors to this site. That is o.k., because this was never meant to be a forum other than me building a historical view at my running and something to look back on from time to time to see how perspectives have changed. Not to mention something else to do to help motivate me toward my ultimate goal of running the Boston Marathon.
I'm going to go a little off topic today, but not far. As I've mentioned on this blog before I officiate ice hockey. I've been doing it since 1996. I got involved because I love the game. I wanted to be around the game. As an athlete I played many sports and have been able to accel at most of them. Not great mind you. In some cases pretty good. Good enough at baseball and football to be honored as an all-star and win a few championships, etc.
By the time I got involved in ice hockey I was 25 years old and my "time" had all but passed. Like a lot of folks in our area I got into hockey as an adult and never really played until I was 25. I taught myself to skate. I always loved the game and have been an avid follower of the sport since I was 8 or 9. Officiating seemed like a good place to get involved. I started slowly, but learned a lot in those first few years. I was quickly doing higher level games and relied on my skating ability to get me by until I learned the intricacies of refereeing the sport. Make no mistake, it is probably one of the toughest sports to officiate because of all the little nuances and the 'unwritten' rules of the game.
In those 12+ years I have seen a lot with the sport of ice hockey. I have seen the game improved and I have done countless high level games that I could only have dreamed of doing, including state and national championships at the high school and amateur levels. I have worked over 1,400 hockey games from mites and squirts through the professional level. Bottom line: I've been around the game. I feel I've earned a level of respect that comes with that history and experience.
What I have also seen over the years is a decreasing level of respect, or in most cases, lack of respect from coaches, fans and worse yet; the players. As cliched as it may sound, when I was in my teenage years I would have never spoken to referees, umpires or officials of any kind in the manner that these kids speak to us these days. I don't even recall teammates of mine doing this. We lived in an era that was much different. Our fathers would have kicked the shit out of us if we acted in the manner these kids do today. It's really ashame to lump all kids into that type of basket because it is only a small faction and it gives all kids a bad name. But it is true.
In the past two years I have decided to simply enforce the rules of the game and attempted to regain a level of respect amongst these players. Speak with a tainted tongue, and you go to the box. Plain and simple. Problem is, kids today are empowered by the parents. Nobody seems to want to take responsibility for their own actions. Certainly I am not perfect and have done and said things I may not be proud of, but I always take responsibility and admit when I am wrong. Officiating is humbling because you cannot take away the human element. We will all make mistakes, bad judgments and errors. By admitting that it makes us better officials because we are aware and do all that we can to limit those mistakes.
It just seems to me that the respect factor has gotten much worse and I wonder if the game has gotten beyond where I am with it. I still love the sport. I enjoy being on the ice and part of the games. Especially the higher level games with high skill. There is truly nothing like it when the game is played at its purest level. But all the garbage has scarred me. It is becoming a battle that is grinding at me like a stone weathered over centuries of sitting in the elements. Eventually that stone becomes brittle. For now I stay involved because the balance still sways in favor of my love for the game. But that seesaw is tipping, and eventually I will walk away. But I will walk away on my own terms. I can still keep up with the play. I have a thorough knowledge of the rules and I still have a burning desire to be the best at what I do.
I've seen so many people come and go over the years and I take comfort in that fact. With so many changes and new people coming up through the ranks and involved with the sport there is hope. But there is also a new learning curve. Perhaps that is what is most frustrating. Who knows.
I'm going to go a little off topic today, but not far. As I've mentioned on this blog before I officiate ice hockey. I've been doing it since 1996. I got involved because I love the game. I wanted to be around the game. As an athlete I played many sports and have been able to accel at most of them. Not great mind you. In some cases pretty good. Good enough at baseball and football to be honored as an all-star and win a few championships, etc.
By the time I got involved in ice hockey I was 25 years old and my "time" had all but passed. Like a lot of folks in our area I got into hockey as an adult and never really played until I was 25. I taught myself to skate. I always loved the game and have been an avid follower of the sport since I was 8 or 9. Officiating seemed like a good place to get involved. I started slowly, but learned a lot in those first few years. I was quickly doing higher level games and relied on my skating ability to get me by until I learned the intricacies of refereeing the sport. Make no mistake, it is probably one of the toughest sports to officiate because of all the little nuances and the 'unwritten' rules of the game.
In those 12+ years I have seen a lot with the sport of ice hockey. I have seen the game improved and I have done countless high level games that I could only have dreamed of doing, including state and national championships at the high school and amateur levels. I have worked over 1,400 hockey games from mites and squirts through the professional level. Bottom line: I've been around the game. I feel I've earned a level of respect that comes with that history and experience.
What I have also seen over the years is a decreasing level of respect, or in most cases, lack of respect from coaches, fans and worse yet; the players. As cliched as it may sound, when I was in my teenage years I would have never spoken to referees, umpires or officials of any kind in the manner that these kids speak to us these days. I don't even recall teammates of mine doing this. We lived in an era that was much different. Our fathers would have kicked the shit out of us if we acted in the manner these kids do today. It's really ashame to lump all kids into that type of basket because it is only a small faction and it gives all kids a bad name. But it is true.
In the past two years I have decided to simply enforce the rules of the game and attempted to regain a level of respect amongst these players. Speak with a tainted tongue, and you go to the box. Plain and simple. Problem is, kids today are empowered by the parents. Nobody seems to want to take responsibility for their own actions. Certainly I am not perfect and have done and said things I may not be proud of, but I always take responsibility and admit when I am wrong. Officiating is humbling because you cannot take away the human element. We will all make mistakes, bad judgments and errors. By admitting that it makes us better officials because we are aware and do all that we can to limit those mistakes.
It just seems to me that the respect factor has gotten much worse and I wonder if the game has gotten beyond where I am with it. I still love the sport. I enjoy being on the ice and part of the games. Especially the higher level games with high skill. There is truly nothing like it when the game is played at its purest level. But all the garbage has scarred me. It is becoming a battle that is grinding at me like a stone weathered over centuries of sitting in the elements. Eventually that stone becomes brittle. For now I stay involved because the balance still sways in favor of my love for the game. But that seesaw is tipping, and eventually I will walk away. But I will walk away on my own terms. I can still keep up with the play. I have a thorough knowledge of the rules and I still have a burning desire to be the best at what I do.
I've seen so many people come and go over the years and I take comfort in that fact. With so many changes and new people coming up through the ranks and involved with the sport there is hope. But there is also a new learning curve. Perhaps that is what is most frustrating. Who knows.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008: Endless Possibilities
Happy New Year! Not feeling real well today, so despite planning on a new year run, I took the day off and hope that the rest will keep me from missing more time.
Missed the ball drop last night because I was on the internet. Not a big deal to me. I've never been much into the new year thing. This small sampling of my goals for 2008 are about the extent of it for me. Here's hoping for a great 2008.
Running goals as of right now:
Missed the ball drop last night because I was on the internet. Not a big deal to me. I've never been much into the new year thing. This small sampling of my goals for 2008 are about the extent of it for me. Here's hoping for a great 2008.
Running goals as of right now:
- Qualify for Boston; plain and simple.
- Run 1,000 miles or more in 2008.
- PR in at least two races this coming year (do #1 and this one is half done too)
That's about it for now. Trying to keep it simple and making sure I have my eye on the prize. It's going to be hard work. January 1, 2008. My current condition makes it seem even harder than it will be, but I'll rebound. Training for Frederick begins in just two weeks. I have a feeling that the possibilities are endless in the next twelve months.
Happy New Year all.
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