7159...

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.