Sunday, July 26, 2009

Childrens Marathon A Go leaving Auburn August 22nd

Memo To Friends and Family

A couple years ago we had the idea of running to the Childrens hospital in Syracuse, 26.23 miles to raise awareness. For me it was a tribute to my children and all of those children that fought so hard. We organized and ran 3 of them. I had canceled the idea this year because of we decided to put our efforts into the 5k at Majorpalooza.

However I have decided I am going to try and do the run again this year. There wont be a ton of support, no fundraisers, no nothing really. I just decided I want to keep it going for my myself and my kids. It will be very lo-key...no flashy lights no newspapers, just doing it for the sake of keeping the dream alive and leading by example.

If anyone of you know of anyone who wants to set up a water stop on the day get ahold of me but I want to keep it small. Like before a couple people running for the cause to the hospital. Basically anyone who wants to run can carry their own supplies.

I want to attempt this on August 22nd, a Saturday as my sons birthday is 2 days before that. When we ran this event I was constantly reminded not only what good people were out there but how special my kids are to me. I think also reminds me of the first time we did it where we created it, organized it and ran the marathon within 2.5 weeks to look like an illness we were overcoming. Due to everyones busy schedules I may set out to do this alone. I want to keep it going annually as maybe some year it can build into something better for the community.

Anyone has any ideas let me know. As of right now I would like to leave CCC at 7am on August 22nd. If anyone needs an idea of the previous 2 years you can see the course map on the previous events page.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Will Be Back Soon

I want to thank everyone that has supported Therun4life.org. We have some new designs to the site that are in place and more coming soon. Due to lack of funds we will be cutting some of our ideas and programs we have done over the years and look to restructure. I will be away for a little while trying to get some pieces of the puzzle back together. This is a trying time for me and my kids and I need some rest. I am looking to get registration for the 50 mile relay up soon and I will keep you posted. See you soon!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

A Great Day To Race

A Great Day To Race

I started this morning with expectations of finishing the certified 5k in around 22-24 minutes. I have been battling tired legs and the knee was stronger but I would say at around 65-70%. I did my morning routine of getting up 3.5 hours before the race. Having my waffles with syrup and my Gatorade. I had my Heed Electrolyte cap about an hour before the run. I went to the starting line with wobbly legs. It was an interesting start with a parked car on the left side of the road. Stupid me lineup up on that side so there was some foot fumbling at the start and dodging around the car for a bit. Once I got out I just told myself, "keep this pace" and "stay easy, you don't need to win a medal today." I got to the mile in 5:59 according to the timer. I was a bit surprised because my legs haven't run that fast in the last year because of injury. I didn't wear a watch because it just puts too much emphasis on time. My only goal for the day was to be in the top 40. No pressure on time. The first 2 miles the pace seemed easy for me somehow. I didn't even push it. Then the third mile I felt myself falling back a little and my legs losing steam. I made a huge sprint with .10 a mile to go which let me realize I left a lot in the tank and that I am feeling much better. It was literally the first race I ran in a long time for fun. I realized that if you fight for a PR every race you just lose the beauty of the race itself. So I never looked at the results board but someone told me I came in 15th and someone told me I came in 16th so it's one of the two. Either way I ran roughly a 20:15 which I am very happy to have run on my first race back from injury.

Nice Job to Jason

A long time friend Jason Kufs ran his first 5k back today in 11 years. He has been on a fun adventure to lose weight and beat a time he had in mind. He has been running well and broke the PR time he had in mind today! Nice job Jay! Way to go!

Midsummer Night Run

I think now I am going to do the Midsummer Night Dream Run at Long Branch Park on July 29th. It is a Wednesday night I believe. It is an evening run. I will pass along more info as I find it. Thanks everyone for all the kind words. It was fun out there today.

Fillmore 5k This Morning

Fillmore 5k This Morning

Good luck to all the racers in the Fillmore 5k this morning! Looks to be a great day for a race! I've dug out the old racing flats for one more run. Modified with some packaging tape so it won't rip my ankle bone again. This old pair will get one more run today wether it likes it or not!

Good Luck everyone and see you at the finish!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Fillmore 5k Tomorrow

"When people ask me why I run, I tell them, there's not really a reason, it's just the adrenalin when you start, and the feeling when you cross that finish line, and know that you are a winner no matter what place you got." Courtney Parsons

Fillmore 5k Tomorrow

Well tomorrow is race day. It's my first race since the injury in the Boston Marathon. I have been training good up until 2 weeks ago. Got a ton of leg fatigue but I am gonna give it a run. I didn't set the bar overly high for this race I don't feel. My goal is to just be in the top 40 of the race. That's it. No worries about time. Just gonna relax, position myself and execute. The bottom line is to have fun!

TheRun4Life.org Site Changing

There are many new changes coming at Therun4life. Jeremy West is designing a new flash website. The under construction version can be found at the bottom of the html site. I stayed up late into the 3am time to develop a new html site. It has a new crisp look and it accompanies the music player that everyone likes. I hope to soon have a R4L store and sell our charity merchandise to raise money to become a 501c3 venture.

I want to thank you all for your support over the years!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Race Week: Time To Taper?

Race Week: Why Taper?

I used to be one of those people who would just run all the time. About 2 years ago I realized the effects an effective taper can have on your body and your race. Tapering is cutting your running back the week before a major race. Many have different methods of tapering. Many don't do it at all. It is a thing you have to see what works for you. Tapering for me this week is important. I am cutting my running down while maintaining intensity in the workouts that I do. The swelling and pain are slowing me down a bit but it doesn't mean I cant scale back race week and pull something out of the magic back. Lol!

Tapering for Optimal Race Performance

There is a great link about tapering for race performance you can check out. Go to http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=5304

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Week 6 of Training: Pain is Temporary

"Pain is temporary, pride is forever!" Annonymous Quote

Week 6 of Training: Pain is Temporary

This week was a very tough week on me. Everything starting to stiffen and I feel like I am running slower than ever. The knee is swelling again and personally I told it listen, "Mr. Knee enough of your crap, just do your job or your fired!" haahahaha

I am thinking for the first time in my life maybe I came back a bit early. Maybe, just maybe. Though I am not gonna let my knees stop me. If all else fails, God invented duct tape! Lol! I also realized that this is the earliest I have ever come back from injury. Normally 8-10 weeks. Initially I thought it was going to be but my math skills are very sub-par!

Week 6 training Log

Monday

5 Miles Nothing exciting to report about it. Can't be if I don't remember it!


Tuesday

Speedwork 16 mins running hard no rest intervals. Proved to be my mistake. Ended up being a 6.3 mile run total for the day. A nice 5 am morning run with the YMCA gang!


Wednesday

A nice 7 mile run with Rick. Soreness peaked after this workout. I told it to be quiet and kept pushing.


Thursday

Double session. 4:30am morning run for 6 miles and then a night run of 3.12 miles. My legs called 911 after this day. They were not happy with me.


Sunday

5 mile run. This was supposed to be 6 miles but the pain and joint stiffness cut a mile off. Not happy with the results but I will rest up and get ready for race day.


Saturday is the Fillmore 5k

It is nice to hear some of my facebook friends doing the race. It will give me some people to talk to. I don't plan on running my 07 time of 18:56, if anything I am hoping to be around 22:00. If all goes well it will be a stepping stone for another race 2 weeks later. Time will tell! All I want to do is get out there and race again and have fun! That is what it's all about!


Congrats to all my friends and training buddies for their great runs in the Boilermaker! Nice job gang! Special Kudos to Chris Mason for taking a minute off his time and finishing 24th overall. You make Auburn proud!

Friday, July 10, 2009

StrongHearts create Strong Bodies

Our Visit to Strong Hearts Cafe

I had heard about Strong Hearts cafe about 6 months ago. I found out that a guy I know named Joel Capalongo was part owner of it. Joel was very heavy into causes when I met him back in 1994 and I knew that any place run by him would have to be passionate about what it does.

A Warm Entrance

It was hot outside and when you walk in it was a nice and cool atmosphere. The set up was delightful and was exactly how I pictured it. After that my sister and I moved onto the menu. The menu was much larger than I thought it would be. I ordered a nice pasta salad and a chicken salad sandwich. The pasta salad was very, very good. The chicken salad was so filling that I couldn't eat the whole thing. Half was enough for me. While I was eating I was watching people order these giant chocolate shakes and it was crying my name, but after being so full I decided I would save some mystery until my next visit. Which I hope is very soon!

Any of my friends/runners want to stop out, I encourage you to do so! Stop in and tell Joel and the crew I said, "Hello!" For more information go to:

http://www.strongheartscafe.com/

For a full menu go to: http://www.strongheartscafe.com/menu.html

Thanks Strong Hearts for a delightful visit from Auburn, NY!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Your Training Partners Name is Pain...

"Your training partner's name is pain. You start out trying to ignore him. Can't do it. You attempt to reason with him. No way. You try to strike a bargain. Hah. You plead. You say "Please stop, please go away. I promise never ever to do this again if you just leave me alone." But he won't. Pain only climbs off if you do. Then you're beaten. " - Scott Martin

My Training Partner

I will say as of today my training partners name is pain. I know many of my friends are suffering shin splint issues now. Mine are kinda like knee splints. My knees are on fire. I will not let them beat me. They have tried so many times. I've run through wind, sleet, snow and rain. Go away I keep telling the pain. Today though showed me my body is tired and needs a break. So I'll give the body about 3-4 hours and then hit it with a double session. Sorry Pain...not today...

Good Luck to All My Friends in the Boilermaker

Good Luck to all of you in the Boilermaker. May the wind be at your back!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Week 5 of Comeback Training

"Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable." ~Wendy Wasserstein

Week 5 of Comeback Training

Another good week in the books. Many have been asking me to post exactly what type of training I am doing. I think in the future I will post the daily workouts instead of a weekly recap. With everything going on I haven't felt much like writing a lot but it is coming back.

Monday

A nice run to the MP Run4life 5k course, completion and run home. 4.5 mile run easy.

Tuesday

This is the day the work is put in. 5am morning run with Anna and Jen. Speed work day. 15 min run easy and then 3 x 4 min sprint repeats. 1 min rest intervals. I then rejoined the ladies for the rest of the run and then a couple quick bursts of speed work with Anna at the end of the run. I then did a nice easy night session with Meg. The days total mileage was 10. In an average mile of 8:30.

Wednesday

6.5 mile run from college through Fort Hill Cemetery with Rick. A good hill run. Done in around 56:00 for an 8:36 min mile pace.

Thursday

4 mile tempo run. Roughly 8 min mile pace in intervals.

Friday

My legs were on fire at this time. Hadn't run 6 days in a row in many months. 5 mile run in 43:20. Roughly 8:30 pace. Resting for the weekend.

It was a good week in all. Fatigue is settling in quickly in the muscles so I am trying to up my protein intake after runs. I am also a big fan of Heed Electrolyte caplets.

Dare To Be Great

I want to thank the many of you that keep me going on a weekly basis. Not a week goes by where I don't think of many of you out there. Life is too short people. I dare you to be great this week! I just Dare you!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

The Man/Woman Who Has Done Their Best

"The man who has done his best has done everything." ~Charles M. Schwab

The Man/Woman Who Has Done Their Best

I hear many runners say to me, "well I am doing my best!" I agree with all of you many of times that you are. I hear many on a weekly basis worry about Pr's or times. Many have forgotten the true essence of why they started running/walking. I am a firm believer that when we run we give our best each day. Some days that best is on a different level. Some days your body is much more tired than that day before, so that level needs to adjust. Don't get down if you don't hit a time frame that you have in mind in a race. Use it as a stepping stone to working harder or driving towards a goal in the next one. I spent much time in that rut myself. I know that I have a goal to run in the Fillmore 5k in two weeks, but if I don't hit it, I won't be upset. I am truly happy to just be back out there.

What I learned

In Boston I learned a lot. I had originally set my goal to run the marathon in 3:30-3:40 time. In January I was training at a 3:20 pace. In February when I fell I had to figure out how to rehab the fastest and let my PR brain go and change gears. On race day I was shaken but when the race started I had some how convinced my self that it was all still in the realm of possibility. Even though physically it was no where close. Around mile 18 is when I learned the most. I learned "TO HELL" with Pr's. I learned that being in the event is something that is cherishable for a lifetime injured or not. It hit me then, that I had become like many driven by an obsession to hit faster and faster times in order to feel self worth with running. That moment on I said, "forget it!" The last 8.23 miles were the most pain I have ever felt but the most enjoyment at the same time. Seeing the faces of the people that you make a difference to. Seeing the faces of the children out there that want to be like you when they grow up. That was the day that I realized finishing was worth just as much as any record. You can put 100's of medals on your wall from a race but you can never place them in your heart if you are always obsessed with beating yourself.

Fun- This Time Around

This time around it has been a true blessing. I will say that of late I truly don't have much. Things in life are falling apart financially but I have the true joy of running. I am having the best time. Doctors aren't allowing me to run marathons anymore but I can run shorter one's. I have accepted the fact that I won't be as fast or run as far, but I can have fun along the way. That's what its all about. The great thing about running is that you don't need to take out a loan. I know many get into the fancy gadgets but all you really need are your shirts, shorts and shoes. Invest in a good pair of running shoes and they'll go a long way.

Kudos To Kufs

I want to give kudos to Jason Kufs and his new found running adventure. He started out on a running quest on the same day Majorpalooza Run4life 5k kicked off. I find that a cool coincidence. I wish him the best in his adventure. Anyone interested in his story go to:

http://kufsrunning.blogspot.com/

..M..O..T..I..V..A..T..E.......Y..O..U..R..S..E..L..F..


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