Well, That Happened

It's taken me a week to get around to try and wrap this up.  A week because I wasn't really sure what I wanted to say. A week in which a new abbreviation has entered into my running vocabulary.  A week in which I've been more tired than after any race I've ever done, including Ironman Canada. So, now I suppose it's time to come to terms with a day that will live on in running history books. After training so hard for so long, it came down to the day, and the day was a bear.
   Let me just say that running in 89 degree heat in April is tough, it's damn tough, especially if you come from the Pacific Northwest where the highest recorded temp in the past 6 months was close to 60 and that was a one time affair. It's not like we weren't warned because we were.  The Boston Athletic Association was practically begging people not to run. I think know there are people who wish they would have listened to that advice.  There were over 2,000 people treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration and I passed by a dozen or so people being wheeled off the course on stretchers with IV bags dangling.

My day started out well enough, I got a reasonable night's sleep, made it to the Boston Commons in time to catch the bus to Hopkington. I was the last one on the bus which I took as a good sign. I had read the article in the Bellingham Herald before leaving the apartment, but was pleasantly surprised to see on the bus ride, while checking my email, that two donations were made because of the article already. I had ridden on the same bus as Ray Leone, from Blaine, and talked with him a bit before heading to the church where the Dana-Farber people were set up only a block from the starting line.  It was nice to be in the shade relaxing and rolling out muscles with the stick. I lubed up every place I could find, made it to the starting line on time this year and started with thousands of other runners in mid 70 degree weather that just kept getting hotter and hotter as we ran.
    It took about a mile and a half for it to open up enough to get some running room. It was hot from the start but not too bad. At least it didn't seem so at first. My body had a hard time adjusting all day. I was thirsty and knew that I needed to drink and ended up hitting every station and then adding on with bystanders. On the other hand, I felt bloated, like the water wasn't going anywhere. The only time I felt halfway normal was either being hosed off or when I got ice. I stuck to my perpetuem and water but the perpetuem that I expected to last the whole race was disappearing at an alarming rate.
    By mile 6 or so I could tell it was going to be a long day.  I still felt good, but it was so hot.  You could just feel it sapping everything out.  Going in, I knew I wouldn't be able to run the race I had trained for so it was a matter of compromising as I went.  By mile 6 a 8:45 pace seemed reasonable and sustainable but it slowly started inching its way upward.  The girls of Wellesley were as loud as ever and were there before I remembered them from last year.
Diane and my sister, Cindi, were waiting for me at the halfway point with drinks and I was still feeling good by the time I saw them, but it was so damn hot.

By 14.5 miles, I took my first walking break through an aid station.  It was to be the first of many.  I started walking on any hills and then through most of the aid stations.  I started running all of the hills of Newton but ended up walking on all of them.  I did a lot of walking over the last 10 miles. It was very humbling but I was in a lot of company.  How embarrassing to be walking during the Boston Marathon. Every time I walked I was embarrassed, but it was what it was. Man that was hard.
The spectators and volunteers were absolutely fantastic all day. The people who brought out ice, the people with orange slices, the people with their garden hoses, and their spray bottles, and soaker guns.
Just like last year, the most enthusiastic cheering was at Boston College where they had a lot of time to drink a LOT of beer.  One girl was chasing me calling my name.  I walked by, she called my name, and then the next thing I know 20 yards down the road she was running by me telling me to get going. When I did she ran with me for a hundred yards or so calling my name.
Pretty funny.
    Highlight of the day - taking an orange slice from the first of 5 or 6 girls aged 8-10 along the road and then making an orange smile for the last two girls.  I thought I would surprise them and get a laugh. The last laugh was on me though after they calmly raised their soaker guns and hosed me down.
The orange smile was a hit wherever I did it.
The Dana Farber singlet was huge because there were so many many people cheering me on.  It seemed like over 100 thanked me.  Thanked ME.
It didn't get any easier but the miles kept rolling on by.  The Citgo sign was a welcome sign even though I knew it was still a mile and a half away.  I was determined not to walk during the last mile so I took a good long walk at the aid station by the Citgo sign and then ramped it up.  Knowing it was the last mile made it easier but the spectators really pulled us in. There were so many people walking the last part I think I reeled in a hundred or more, but it didn't matter at that point. I told myself as the mile started that this one was for John H and it passed by in a happy blur. 
       It was the end of a long process of training and fundraising coming to a successful conclusion and I was happy about it. As I walked the several blocks down to collect my bag it was one happy feeling. 
 When I retrieved my phone there were already quite a few congratulatory texts from friends. I guess news travels fast.  The Dana Farber recovery zone was quite a deal. There were changing rooms and some kind of wet/dry towels to wipe off with.  There were about 50 massage tables set up. I got a massage with two different people at the same time. That's a first. There was great chicken soup and a sandwich spread with great potato salad and lots of cookies and brownies and such. Plenty of other runners to sit and talk with and share stories of the heat.
     All in all quite an experience. A race for the ages. One made much more special by the circumstances- the fundraising, the heat, the setting, the newspaper article. Interesting to involve so many people in the endeavor. Until yesterday I didn't know what a PW was.  Runners always talk about their PR's. (Personal Records)  Come to find out that a PW is a Personal Worst and many people had them on April 16, 2012 including me.  This was 10 minutes slower than my first marathon and over a half hour slower than last year's Boston experience.  The good news is that I was able to finish and I managed to stay out of the medical tent; anything less would have been hard to take given the circumstances so I'll take it and move on.
     A huge thank you to all who have contributed to this cause.  You have inspired me with your generosity and your caring. It was quite an experience for me to have been part of something so much bigger than myself.  I will never forget it and take many great life lessons away.

Off to the Races

Some last thoughts as I head to catch my bus.
John H. Schick, and all other cancer patients and surviviors, but especially you dad;
this is for you.
It looks like the running gods have thrown us a curve ball today. Of course, that's nothing new for you. Your life has been full of curveballs since your diagnosis, right.
Today's temperatures are supposed to be close to 90 degrees. The Boston Athletic Association is almost begging runners not to run today. The words of Lisa Bentley, the 6 time, or whatever, Ironman champ who I met before doing Ironman Canada ring in my ears, "Finish what you start."
That along with the tunes of Sweet Caroline, from yesterday's Red Sox game ring in my ears as I leave and start the walk to the bus which will take me to Hopkington.
Today's "race" is about survival, just like your lives lately.
Michelle Nolans article in today's Herald is one I like except for one phrase, "He hopes Bellingham's running community will support him."
They have supported me like nobody's business and I'm very proud of that.
So,
it's off to the races, "Good times never felt so good." So good, So good!

Danger on the Horizon

Danger lurks at the Boston Marathon!  The weather forecast looks terrible with a high temperature of 84 degrees in Boston on Monday.  The start at Hopkington is slated to be around 80 degrees at 10am.
This does not bode well for anybody. All predictions of finishing times go out the window and it becomes a matter of survival.  There will be busloads of people who are unable to finish and many will be taken for medical care.  In 2007 the Chicago Marathon was stopped after 3 and a half hours when officials determined it was too dangerous.  They actually stopped the race and pulled people off of the course. The high temperature on that day was 88.
The Boston Marathon has been run the past 115 consecutive years and there have been days this hot or hotter in the past.  As I've read the history of the race, I've often wondered, "what would it be like to run on one of those days.?"  It looks like I'm about to find out.
So, danger lurks but so does adventure. This might be one for the history books.

What's it like to run the Boston Marathon?

Last year someone, actually his name is Ben Swee, ran with a camera during the Boston Marathon and took a LOT of pictures.  He posted 400 of them to Facebook.  I copied about half of them and have posted them at the link below.  There were so many things to see on the run and I forgot so many of them.  Looking at these photos was a great refresher.  So many times I said, "oh yeah I saw that, or oh, I forgot about that (I mean really, how can you forget Santa Clause?)."  From the kids handing out licorice, giving high 5s, handing out oranges and wet towels to the many families out on the lawn enjoying another Patriots Day - to the ramped up college kids at Wellsely and Boston College - what a special day.

So know that there are a lot of photos here and plan on going through them quickly, but you will truly get a sense of what it was like out there last year during the 115th Boston Marathon.

Enjoy,

John

https://picasaweb.google.com/johnschick55/BostonMarathonFacebookPhotos?authkey=Gv1sRgCN-rus2R68P_ngE#

Easy Squeezy

Well, the 12 miles pretty much flew by and I found myself holding myself back most of the way.  It was a gorgeous sunny day and a wonderful last medium-long run. It seemed so easy, it seems maybe I am ready.
Easter dinner with incredible friends and now it's off to bed and then off to work tomorrow.
Tuesday will be a 6 mile recovery run.
Wednesday 7 miles with 2 at Marathon pace.  ( a dress rehearsal)
Friday 4 recovery miles
Sunday 3 easy miles with some strides thrown in.
Monday - the big day.

A Celebratory Lap?

I'm off to run my last "long run."  Who would have thought 12 miles would be a big deal? It's a beautiful sunny day and I'm wearing my race day outfit.  It's sure to get some smiles with the wild green color scheme of the Dana Farber singlet.  My mantra (said only to myself) when I pass people who raise their eyebrows?  "See you in Boston next week."
Off we go!

What? Only 5 miles? Slow pace? What?

I tell you what, not being able to run, run, run, is not easy after so much training.  I went to Harrison Hot Springs yesterday in Canada and soaked for over 3 and a half hours.  Soak, sleep, soak, read, sleep, soak, rest, soak......  I was there for 6 and a half hours and left feeling like a noodle.
I was looking forward to an 8 mile run today only to discover that it was actually only supposed to be 5 miles at a recovery pace with 6 100 meter strides thrown in.
To change things up a bit, I decided to head to Lake Padden for a couple of laps.  What a joy it was to run there with the sun shining and the trails not too crowded at all.  At one point on the wooded side of the lake, after looking ahead and behind to make sure no one was watching, I was overcome with joy.
It was so much fun to be running on such a beautiful day in such a gorgeous place.  U2 was playing "It's a Beautiful Day" on the Ipod and I started waving my arms around and celebrating the day, the process, and the good things that lie ahead in the next 10 days.
No running tomorrow, but it's the first day of rowing and I'm planning on getting out on the water.
Sunday will be 12 miles at long run pace and then not much after.
Some runners will tell you that the taper is the hardest part of the training. Mysterious ailments pop up when you cut back on your running and they can really start to play with your head.  That's why it's so nice to able to savor the runs when they do occur.
So, it was only 5 miles, but they were great ones and I think I'll be ok for another day or two.

Time to Welcome the Newest Member of the Family

These are my race day shoes.  They are the newest members

of the stable.

The taper continues

Tuesday I was happy to run with Rick on the normal 4:15 waterfront run.  A nicely paced 5 miles with a good chance to catch up on things. Wednesday's track workout was interesting.

It was supposed to be a 8 mile run with 3 X 1600 meters at 5k pace.  Since we are on our Spring Break I had no idea when the local high schools would be working out on the tracks around town. I planned to run from home to the Squalicum track to warmup, run the repeats, and then run home. I had a fear that I would get there and the Squalicum team would be using the track but I couldn't think of a better alternative.  I crested the hill on Chandler Parkway and was happy to see that the track was empty. As I got on the track I was not so happy to see a coach walking down the stairs with some cones in his hand and notice all of the cars in the parking lot.  As I finished my first set of strides out came the team from their meeting ready to start their workout.  It looked like my timing couldn't have been worse but when I asked a coach if I could use the outside lane, he said, "Sure, you'll be OK." In the end, it worked out well.

This was really the last hard run of the program.  Now the nerves are starting to amp up a bit.

In the afternoon I met a journalist from the Bellingham Herald for an interview about the marathon and fundraising process.  The story should run either next Monday or on race day itself.

My current fundraising is at $7,150 which seems pretty remarkable to me.

Thursday is a rest day, so rest I will.  It's up to Harrison Hot Springs for a long, long soak.

16 Miles and What Do You Get?

Well, the last long run of the program is over and, I have to say, coming the day after a tough race effort, it was a hard run and I'm feeling a bit beat up.  My calves are quite tight and I'm tired.  But the true taper starts now.
After the many weeks of 50 plus miles, this next week will be 32.
After so many 12, 13, 14 mile mid-week runs, the longest this mid-week will be 8
After so many 18,19, 20 mile long Sunday runs, this one will be 12
After so many 5 day running weeks, this one will only be 4
My body knows it's time to rest and to heal.  I'm in as good a running shape as I've ever been - now it's time to take care of myself and truly savor the remaining 8 runs before Patriot's Day.

Well, That was Fun

Mr. Pfitzinger's plan calls for a third and final tune-up race of 8-10k two weeks out from the marathon.

I was in Seattle seeing out of town friends and had agreed to take them to the airport on Saturday so I registered for the 10k trail run at Dash Point State Park Saturday morning. Somehow it's not exactly the kind of race that I think Mr. Pfitzenger had in mind when he wrote the plan.

The run was advertised as single track non-technical trails.  The course was a lollipop shape with a 10k, which was one loop, a half-marathon which was 2 loops, and a full marathon which was 4 loops.  The marathon started at 9:00, the half at 9:15, and us short timers at 9:30.  

We've been deluged with rain the past week (Seattle set a one-day record for the date on Thursday) and Saturday was really no exception.  The ride to the airport was heavy downpour, the ride to the race was heavy downpour, and the warmup was light downpour. The trails were good and muddy. I knew that this good be a dangerous time only two weeks out from the marathon.  How easy it would be to slip in the mud and pull something, or to twist an ankle.  My main mantra for the day was, "don't get hurt."

Well, I have to say it was a blast.  The trail did get a bit crowded when we started passing some of the slower half-marathon runners because it definitely was single-track trail and it was tricky for passing.   I'm not sure I would call it non-technical at all really.  There were enough roots to keep you honest and there were a few places where a slip or fall could have taken you for quite a ride in the woods. The trail was quite cambered in places and also had many quick short turns.

After running in a straight line for so many miles while training this was a blast, bringing out the trail runner in me.  It really brought home the fact that I am a trail runner at heart blasting down the downhills and jumping over obstacles.  I felt like I ran really strong and it brought out the kid in me, especially some of the muddier places.  

I'm happy to say that there were no injuries although my left calf is quite tight and I'm working on rolling it out.

Tomorrow's 16 miler is really the last long run of the program.  It's pretty unbelievable to think that I've actually made it through the program and that I only have 9 more runs to go with all of them being pretty short after tomorrow.

The Bellingham Herald, in a story about the new trail running series in town described trail runners as explorers and road runners as warriors. For one day, at least, it was great to be both.