Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Health

Running in the snow

2012-01-20T07:14:00.000-05:00

It snowed last night and accumulation was about 3". The roads were plowed but still had that packed snow coating therefore it was a perfect time to try my new Due North running aids. These are studs that slip on over running shoes and provide traction on ice and snow. Pic below:

With a sore leg and studs on I headed out. They really work well. I tried sliding to test them and couldn't. They gripped perfectly. Without my tunes it was a nice quiet run although my studs produced a "click" with each stride. A few people were out shoveling at 5am and watched as I clicked by....probably thinking I was a nut for running after a snowstorm. Because of my continued rehabilitation of my achilles I only did 3 miles at an easy pace. First time in weeks I did two days in a row. Yesterday was 6+ miles. All good. In the next few weeks I will slowly increase mileage until the marathon. I will do long runs up to a week before and will not do much of a taper. Snowstorm tomorrow so Saturday may be a day off from running. Now I have to shovel the driveway.

Baby Steps

2012-01-17T06:58:00.001-05:00

The achilles problem is getting better. So much better that I decided to give the leg a little workout and/or test. Yesterday the pain was gone in the morning and felt like it was never there so a little run was just too tempting. I went out and started to walk with small "jogs" in between. Cover two miles although I hobbled like a really old man. Not bad. Came home and cautiously waited for pain that never materialized. The whole day was good. Today, on a business trip, I was tempted again. This time I would venture out a bit farther but kept telling myself "not too much". I began with slow and soft stretches of my achilles. No trauma or sudden movement but gentle wall push ups. I was near Laguardia Airport and started a very slow run. The pace was @11:30/mi. Just right and I felt good but was careful about some patches of ice I was feeling. Finished one then two miles. My inner thoughts were to stop at two because that is what I did the day before. No pain yet just a little "tight". Of course stupidity and male stubbornness took over and I said what the heck....keep going! Realizing that going past two miles was a dangerous move I slowed my pace back down and focused on not stressing my right achilles. Finally turned back and ended with 3.2 miles. Walked a bit with little pain but nothing like I had. Once back at the hotel I quickly grabbed some ice and wrapped the ankle. Sitting at my hotel desk wondering if it was OK or did I do some damage. As I write this its been an hour since the end of the run and just a little soreness. Maybe its OK but the true test will be at the end of the day.

Waiting for some healing to take place

2012-01-12T07:57:00.001-05:00

What a pain! I don't mean literally but having to halt my daily runs while my achilles heals is boring, irritating, concerning, etc. It's getting better and today the soreness is virtually gone. Best its been in 2 weeks. The auto updates and feeds from runners on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc wears on me and makes me want to hit the streets. But I know I must wait. So I have been correcting my inner thoughts to focus on how I will come back after I'm 100% healed. Better to wait now and have a healthy spring/summer of running than to cause repeat injury.

I received some pictures from the Joe Vialonis 2012 run on New Years Day. It was one of the winter series by Hartford Track Club. Good run in a nice setting but that was with my injury and prolonged my recovery.

Joe Vailonis 2012 Run-New Years Day

Small group but still a good day. The weather was fantastic with temps around 40f and sunny. The road was a bit muddy. Running through farmers fields along the Connecticut River provided great scenery in a peaceful setting.

This was the last real run because of my injury and if I had skipped it I probably would be back to training today. Lesson learned that when the body says "I hurt" one should instantly stop. A few more days and I may try a little tester run but I will definitely do it with caution. Now....back to sitting around!

And they say I'm nuts......

2012-01-05T21:36:00.000-05:00

This article popped up today about a man who ran 113 marathons in one year. If you do the math its about 1 every three days. What is even more amazing is he is 67 years old and still working. Read the article at this link.

I run a lot. People think I'm nuts but I enjoy it. Until this achilles injury I ran daily usually around 5 miles with occasional long runs on weekends. My leg is sore and I'm taking it easy right now. Do I miss it? Yes....Do I still intend to run the Hyannis Marathon in February? Yes.

Since the leg has not improved in a week I am evaluating each morning and skipping runs if necessary. I need to be whole again and able to run as I wish. The injury has caused me to run slower and more cautiously which is basically a waste of time. I need to be back to 100%. So...I'll give it as much rest as possible.

2012 .....Looking Forward To It

2012-01-01T06:52:00.001-05:00

2012 has a lot of potential to be a very good year. Why? First of all is the fact that our 3rd grandchild, Adilyn, will be born on January 20th to Jason and Meghan. Our little troop of grandkids is growing and she will be the first grand daughter. Secondly there is a good chance some family issues may finally be resolved which can relieve a bunch of tension for a lot of people. Now that my achilles appears to be healed I could have a great year running because I'm past the "beginner" stage of running and can fine tune my abilities. There are many road races on the horizon and I've signed up for four already. The first is later today.

Running Goals for 2012:

Run 2 Marathons at a pace of 4 hours or less.
Run 3-4 Half Marathons...all under 2 hours
Do at least one real cross country run
Do multiple sub-4 min 5K races
Do one ultra of 30 miles.

All of the above goals are easily within reach. Just slight improvements will get me there. Running in many races is a goal as well. If I can run 1-2 races a month it will provide the motivation to train hard. I can't slack off.
Other goals is to have a solid profitable year at work. Our management has changed and the company is in a "good place" right now. There is a lot of potential for work to become fun again.

So the year begins now. Off to prep for my first race of 2012.

2011 Is Over

2011-12-30T07:58:00.001-05:00

2011 was my first full year "running". I developed a passion for running which continues to grow. I ran nine races this year with my major being the Hartford ING Marathon in October. Two races that I consider my best were the Iron Horse Half Marathon in June and the Malibu Fitness 5k on Thanksgiving day. Both were personal record runs and couldn't have gone better. I have signed up for races in 2012 and hope to do much more than 2011. Right now I expect to run in two marathons, four half marathons, and a ton of short races. Depending on how the Hyannis Marathon goes I may even try a 30 mile Ultra in April.

If I had to pick a running goal in 2012 it would be to improve time. I don't expect to get significantly faster but should be able to shorten average running times by 5-10%. It all depends on this nagging achilles issue. As long as that clears up during January the rest of the year should be a breeze.

Holiday Notes and Big Run

2011-12-26T21:22:00.001-05:00

Christmas is basically over and its time to get back to a normal routine. We had a great Christmas with Kate and Aiden living here with us. Aiden had a ball waiting for Santa Claus and enjoying all the mystique around that tradition. During December Chris always played Christmas Carols in her car so Aiden learned many of the lyrics. When we drive around he is especially good at "The 12 Days of Christmas" but also can sing along with the Muppets and Polar Express. Fun to hear and it makes you feel good to listen in. Its great that he is really enjoying a stable life and even greater to see Katelyn enjoying her son as he grows. Christmas morning was typical with everyone over for a big breakfast and opening gifts. Chris and I cooked which everyone enjoyed.

The Big Breakfast-2011

The kids had fun playing with all the new treasures they received from Santa and us. A bit noisy but great to watch as proud grandparents.

Aiden and Britton attacking the stockings!

In the afternoon we all went to Pat & Dons for the family luncheon and party. We played games, ate a big late lunch, and generally enjoyed the day. By nighttime all were very tired and ready to kick back and relax.

On Christmas Eve day I planned a long run. My right lower leg was a little sore but figured I could still do my run. I needed a 20+ miler at this time as part of my training for the Hyannis Marathon in February. I planned my meals as if I were actually running the marathon. I started slow and made sure I kept the pace slower than my race pace. It felt good especially through 10 miles. I noticed when I did stop the lower leg pain was a bit worse. Something told me I was doing some harm. But I had to get back home so on I went. Running was good. No difficulties. I kept reciting words from the motivational videos I watched the night before. That made it easy when the running was getting tougher. In the end I did 21 miles at an average pace of 10:14. Really good. But later in the day my Achilles swelled up and the pain became worse. After some easy research it was apparent I had Achilles Tendinitis. Not good and my fear was that I was close to tearing the Achilles. Therefore I went into leg "shutdown" and did as much as possible to stop using/flexing my lower leg. Iced it and kept it elevated when possible. As I write this it is day 2 and now I have Ibuprofen, Vitamin E, and Lysine...all recommended to help recovery. Two days off is normal after a long run but I have accepted the fact I will not run until completely healed. Days or weeks....whatever is needed because I can't afford to do more damage. I do feel it is getting better with less burning pain and the swelling seems a bit less.

My run record for the long one.......

Thats all for now and hopefully I'll be able to run in 5 days for the January 1st Joe Vailonis Memorial 8 miles.

New York City-Annual Holiday Trip

2011-12-17T21:51:00.001-05:00

Once again we traveled to New York City for some sightseeing and holiday fun. The first stop was the 9/11 Memorial to see the new waterfalls and the progress on the new buildings. Even though 10 years past that terrible day I am still moved when I think of the poor people in the towers and on all the planes who were unknowing victims of a very sick group of radical Muslims. This country must never forget and always be on guard so it cannot happen again.

Quite a dramatic memorial. It was a cold day and the trees had lost their leaves. It will be a beautiful yet somber place to visit in warmer weather. There are two huge waterfall/pools each at the site of the original two towers. They are the size and shape of the original North and South towers.

South Tower Waterfall. Chris, Katelyn,Aiden

It was a dramatic display and really hit home when you realize there were two towering structures ten years ago. In between the waterfalls was the actual museum which is still under construction. Inside you can see the famous steel frame left standing after the collapse. That will be the focal point because those beams are basically the signature image after the collapse. Security was high and we noted the large number of police and security roaming around the memorial. It was crowded with Americans and foreigners just observing, commenting, and remembering that terrible day.

The new towers are going up. I believe five in all. Tower #1, the highest, is completed up to the 90th floor. Impressive structure that will top off at 1776 feet and be the tallest building in America. It can be seen in the photos above in the background.

While in the city we ventured over to the American Museum of Natural History on the upper west side. Aiden had fun seeing dinosaurs and sitting through a Hayden Planetarium show.

One of the dinosaurs at the museum.

In the evening we went down to Times Square. Aiden was amazed at the lights and large screens. The 2012 New Years Eve ball was in place and lit in preparation for the big night just two weeks away. The Naked Cowboy and many other street performers were there to entertain. Aiden loved it all.

Times Square

We all had a good time and saw many sites. Always good to get away and do something fun and educational. I'm sure we'll be back down to NYC soon.

RSNA is over...Christmas can begin

2011-12-02T20:53:00.001-05:00

The RSNA(Radiologic Society of North America) meeting is finally over. The annual trek to Chicago was a success and many new possibilities for our business were identified. This morning I woke up with a cold and slight laryngitis. One of the pitfalls of meeting and shaking hands with hundreds of people.

Our booth

Main hall at McCormick Place

Each year after the meeting I come home to finish decorations and setup the tree. We did that tonight. Meg and jason took a night off to go to the casino therefore we have Britton overnight for the first time. Aiden is here as well. All of us, Kate, Britton, Aiden, Chris and I had fun setting up the tree. Aiden actually managed to hang ornaments this year. It was great to share this tradition with the grand kids. I hope it remains in their memories. Britton was funny because he knows a few basic words but does not know how fragile ornaments are. He protested when pulled away from the tree but still had a good time.

After we setup the tree I took this picture(on left) of Chris and the boys. We are glad to be able to share these times, have some laughs, and hopefully teach them what families are all about. Next year we'll have our third with the addition of Adylin in January. But for 2011 its all about the boys.

Thanksgiving 2011-Racing and Family

2011-11-24T19:46:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving 2011 is coming to a close. It was a busy day starting with a 5K road race at 6:45am and the big family gathering in the afternoon. It was a great day.

The Race....I ran the Malibu Fitness 5K road race in Farmington. I had recently learned of this race which fit perfectly into my Thanksgiving schedule. I cook the turkeys each year and that process starts at 8am so any race had to be very early. This 5K was perfect for me because I needed to test myself on a short course and I have been running well in the 3-5 mile distances. It was cold with the temperature hovering around 30f. This also meant there were ice patches out there. Everything worked.....I felt good, I ran well and at a good pace, and the roads were not crowed even though 700+ entered. Results are at this link. My time was 24m 34s which is a personal record for me. I came in 155th place out of 713 finishers. Also was 18th of 71 in my age group. Those stats are goof because typically I place in the 50 percentile. A good race. Rose, from our running group, came in 1st in her age group of 60-69 year old.

The rest of the day went well with the family coming over for the big Thanksgiving dinner.

The Thanksgiving dinner

We all had a great day. Its great to have our daughters and grandkids together with the other relatives. The kids played and we all had lots of laughs. I did the turkeys and mashed potatoes as usual and both came out better than ever. Chris did everything else from side dishes, deserts, managing the long table, etc. Getting that table setup was a big goal since we never sit together at family functions. She squeezed it into our sun room with little free space around it. I planned the photo but screwed up the flash. But thankfully we edited and shaded the picture for the result above.

This shot was random and I hammed it up. The potatoes are always the focus of the meal because of the large amount I make each year. This year was 14lbs. Meghan couldn't resist the photo-op.

14lbs of potatoes with 3 1/2 lbs of butter!

It was a great "family" day which makes great memories and reminds us to be thankful for what we have.

Back On Track

2011-11-16T20:14:00.001-05:00

This is a good "run" week with solid morning runs. It feels good again as it did just prior to the marathon. My pace is 9/mi or better without much effort. I've adjusted my diet because it was becoming apparent some old bad habits had creeped in. Such as devouring massive amounts of peanuts, having more bad snacks(donuts, cookies), and generally being lax. I started measuring food content for vitamins and other key nutrients to make sure the daily intake is balanced and matching my caloric output.

Today I did the following route (Bristol/St Paul 6 miles) easily. I think this will become my most common morning run because of its length and the fact it has two medium hills at 2 and 4 miles. Good practice run.

This winter I will enter a variety of races to stay fresh but now I'm starting to review the spring/summer races. I want to do more half marathons and 10ks. There are plenty to choose from. The Brickyarders are going strong and will be a helpful part of my training going forward. Fun as well.

Last I am including this screen shot of my official time at the Hartford Marathon. Nice summary of key stats.

Brickyarders

2011-11-12T18:53:00.001-05:00

My Saturday long run was a bit different than usual today. I hooked up with the "Brickyarders" and ran 10+ miles. Lee Bradley, Rose Famiglietti, and Leah Crown were the regular runners that invited me in. This group has run together here and in races for a long time. I'm glad I was able to join them. The recent storm created a mess in Farmington, where they usually run, so they ran through neighborhoods in Wethersfield. Around 40F and sunny it was a great run with wide open roads and nice mix of small hills, a park, and casual conversation. Lee and I shared stories of our similar pasts in regards to running and computers. I like the group and hope to run in future Brickyarder outings.

I signed up for the HTC 8K Cross Country Challenge next week. I have minimal trail running experience except for approximately 1 mile during a partial trail run last year. This race will be interesting and a test of my ability. I don't expect anything too dramatic and should do OK. That race is one of many I plan on doing trough the winter as part of my training for the Hyannis Marathon which I signed up for last night.

February 26 which gives me about 15 weeks to prepare. I have to shoot for a sub 4 hour time. Lee sent me this link to a sub 4 marathon plan. I will follow it closely although I expect to run a few additional miles than the plan calls for. All in all a good day and now I'm off to plan my marathon training.

The Surprise Snow Storm of 2011

2011-11-10T19:00:00.001-05:00

On October 29, 2011 we had snow.....not just any snow but a big, wet, blowing storm that wreaked havoc across Connecticut. It was a Saturday and we were having a family get together for Chris's parents. The predictions were bad but because often storms are way over blown I assumed it would be "no big thing". Boy was I wrong. It came fast and stuck to the trees like super glue. By 5pm things were already breaking.

Rt 6 in Bristol around 4PM.

Besides downed trees the roads were slick

Before the party ended around 8pm our maple in front had split and fallen into the road. As people left the final large branch fell as well. About 20" total snowfall.

The maple Meghan and I planted 20 years ago.

Throughout the night, without power, we listened to creaking trees and then falling trees. Scary time because as you listened to a large falling tree in the dark, you had no idea if it was heading for the house. In the morning the devastation was widespread. Our neighbors had much more damage than us. Our ornamental trees took the biggest hit.

Our neighbors driveway completely blocked.

We spent 9 days without real power but provided heat and lights with a generator. No cable or phone for 12 days. Regardless of the mess I went out running everyday. Surreal to run in complete darkness with the sound of generators everywhere.

Really awkward time for all. Today final cleanup is underway and the highway crew is picking up piles of branches. The town is back in business although a little messy.

What next?

2011-10-23T16:25:00.000-04:00

Its been a week since I finished the Hartford Marathon. Sunday and Monday were recovery days. Tuesday was my first time back on the street which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I figured two miles because my legs would be weak or sore. I started the run at a slow pace and noticed my legs felt great. At the end of two I decided to do three....then four....then ended after five miles. My body and legs felt fantastic. On Wednesday my run was six miles and normal as ever.....like I hadn't run a marathon just days before. In other words...I was back to normal. Since then I have run normal morning distances with a ten miler on Saturday. Feeling this good just raised my confidence way up so the search for new races began. My running club is sponsoring a 8K trail run in two weeks. I am already scheduled at the Burlington 5K road/trail run next Sunday.

After the Burlington race I need definitely scheduled races throughout the winter so I stay motivated. I will run the Hartford Marathon next year and will break four hours. Just have to train smarter and harder next summer.

Another "What's next" will be new shoes. I am using the Saucony minimalist shoes for basic road running but need a regular shoe that works well on trails. I'm researching that now.

Did more "door-to-door" campaigning this weekend. Great to meet and speak with residents. Most are very happy with how the town runs. All republicans seem to have broad base support even with Democrats. Two more weeks until the election. Its been a busy fall but beats sitting around doing nothing.

The 2011 Hartford Marathon

2011-10-16T07:52:00.000-04:00

I did it! Yesterday I completed the 2011 Hartford Marathon which is my second and I'm happy with the results. I missed my goal of finishing in four hours but not by much.

Finish!
Actual time was 4h 13m.

The weather was perfect and the entire race from registration to caring for finishers at the end was well done. My time was 4h 13m. Not bad considering that is 8 minutes faster than my first marathon 28 years ago(Ocean State Marathon). Mike and Mollie came in at 4h 2m which was on plan for them.

Aiden with me after the finish

I prepared well by loosely following several marathon training guides. I had been in "taper mode" the past two weeks and adjusted my nutrition as well. Friday night I could not stop thinking of the race, how I would do things, and how I could push myself at the end. Therefore I wasn't well rested. Good thing I was sleeping more in the days prior to the race. Saturday I woke at 4am and had a light breakfast of whole grain toast, coffee, a banana, and two egg whites. I wanted some energy but didn't want to over do the food volume. I headed out at 5am for Hartford. Got to a close by parking lot as did many other runners. To kill time I went over to the park to watch the setup and then up to the XL center. Grabbed another coffee at the Starbucks then back to the car for final preparations. Once all organized I headed to meet Mike, Mollie, and Denise.

The race was crowded with @10,000 runners lined up because the half and full marathon runners started together. It was exciting. Between the heightened anticipation and the extra coffee I was jittery and ready to go. We started at 8:00am. The first few miles were through downtown and easy. My pace kept getting faster and I had to force myself to slow down. When I looked at my Garmin it was near 8/mile which was way too fast. I would slow down then creep back to the fast pace. After about 7 miles I settled down to an 8:50ish pace. The course twists and turns through Hartford and along the Connecticut river. Great park down by the river. Once we crossed into East Hartford I realized it was time to get focused for now we had a long out and back route to South Windsor. I was doing great staying close to a 9/mile pace. That was the game plan all along. As I headed north on the main course the professional runners were already coming back towards Hartford. I didn't see Solomon Too the first place male at 2:21 but I did see Erica Jessman, the first female who finished at 2:45. The final turn back to Hartford was around 17 miles which was a welcome sight but also a motivator because that's what I considered the final stretch. I was good and passed Mike and Mollie who were still going north towards the turn. But at 19 miles my foot started hurting. Inside sole was sore. Not a twist or sprain but just sore. I was slowing down and getting tired. Eventually Mike and Mollie caught me and went on ahead. I was OK though but too focused on my foot and legs. As I was passing 22 miles I started short breaks of walking......just couldn't keep it going. But started up running again with occasional walking breaks mostly around the water tables. Then I turned after 23 miles towards Hartford. Looking at the office buildings I realized the end was near. It motivated me to work at finishing strong. I was beat and it became clear that in the future I must incorporate a 23-24 mile training run. But I crossed the river and was in downtown now within a mile of the finish. I struggled to pick up speed so I could make up and seconds/minutes lost from my walking. I came around the corner and saw the finish line and the timer was at 4h 12m which was great to see. That meant I beat my 1983 time at Ocean State yet at 57 years old. That was the best part of the day. I was glancing left and right down the finish shhot trying to find Chris, Kate, and Aiden. I ran across the finish line overcome with emotion that had built up over the prior 13 months of training....I did it!

They handed me the foil warmth wrapper....I went over for a long drink from the water fountain.....received my metal and then stood there in a daze. Relishing the fact I accomplished an significant task of running 26.2 miles after years for poor physical condition. It felt good.

Soon Chris and the kids found me. Aiden had his little sign and was running around excited. I was thrilled. Then disaster started to set in.....I was very weak and extremely light headed. I didn't tell Chris at that moment but felt something serious was wrong. I laid down. I was very dizzy and disorientated. I couldn't even sit up. I laid there for about 20 minutes while Kate found some food. I believe two things happened(which I need to remember for my next marathon). First, even though I drank at the water stops, I was severely dehydrated. Second, I only consumed two "gels" and not Gatorade during the race. The last gel was around 14 miles and only half at that. I believe my energy stores were gone. I should have had a gel or two more between 14 miles and 24 miles. Stupid. Or at least drank more Gatorade. Live and learn or should I say almost die and learn!

I recovered within the hour to feeling good with just sore legs and back. The cheeseburger Kate found for me was great.

Link to results:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/bazu-static/iframe/hart2011-txt-results.html

I'm thrilled with my overall performance. For my age and training I am satisfied with this marathon and now am ready to move on to another. I know I can be sub 4 hours with a bit more training.

My final stats:
1168 place of 2308 finishers. Official time is 4h 13m 22s. My half time was 1h54m. My 20 mile time was 3h 2m. My overall pace was 9:40/mile. I also came in 45th of 85 in my 55-59yo age group.

Today's run is what I need on October 15th

2011-10-04T07:37:00.001-04:00

Great run this morning. Just a good feeling 7.4 mile run that was random, unplanned, and surprisingly good. This was needed at a time of big stress in my life and the past few runs were not great. I actually started to worry about the marathon and how I would perform. But today was a pace that I expect and was doing in the past month. Not sure what made the difference so I will be re-tracing what I did and ate yesterday to find a clue.

Between the election, family stress, job stress, and just plain busy it will be a miracle if I can muster the energy and self confidence to have a four hour marathon. I must reach that goal after the time I put into training.

I'm officially a member of the Hartford Track Club. I want to get involved but this is not a good week. They hold many fun runs in the area so I should join them.

"Occupy Wall Street"...is misguided.

2011-10-03T15:00:00.002-04:00

This impromptu "world protest" is an odd distraction from real issues of the day like the economy, politics, and terrorism. I'm trying to understand what the goal is here. Misguided beliefs about what is good and bad for this country. Mostly young college students protesting against capitalism even though most are there because of capitalism. They have ipads, cell phones, college educations, etc. I'm sure the vast majority drive cars and use most forms of entertainment. If they were funded by their parents it was because of capitalism.

All the outrage is against large companies, banks, Wall Street, and wealthy Americans. They tout being the "99%" which represent the non-wealthy. Do they realize that the wealthy pay the majority of taxes to support the entitlement programs, public services, and national security? Do they realize that those taxes fund the majority of educational grants, scientific research, "green" programs, etc?

Its comical to watch the interviews. These protesters sound delusional, uninformed, or even high on something. They talk of starting small cities and governments within their protest camps. Huh? Now it appears the liberals that support President Obama are equating this to the Tea Party movement because its "protesting". There is no comparison in my view. The Tea Party incarnation was a reaction to larger government, a movement away from the principles set out by our founding fathers, and increased taxes being wasted. The Tea Party is not a major political party but people have come together to influence other Americans. They understand how our society and political process works. They are exercising their rights with peaceful protest and demonstrations. They are not blocking streets or businesses and they are coherent in the process. The Obama supporters should be cautious to claim the Occupy Wall Street movement is equal, because it has all the signs of burning out rapidly and actually developing a very negative image. If the Obama supporters claim ownership it will increase the disgust with the administration.

People in this country must stop attacking capitalism and instead embrace it. Capitalism is a reflection of a very free society and is the reason America remains the most successful country in history. Basically "don't bite the hand that feeds you".

Hogsback Half Marathon.....OK but not my best

2011-09-24T15:16:00.001-04:00

Just finished the Hogsback Half Marathon in Colebrook, CT. I completed the race in 1h 59m 55s. Just inder 2 hours. I found a burst of energy as I approached the finish line and saw the timer at 1h 59m. I was determined to stay under two hours. Its a great race through state forests and it finishes right on top of the Goodwin Dam. All country roads with little traffic. The roads followed the Farmington River. Today was a very humid and somewhat hot day which slowed me down. I prepared well with training, nutrition, etc and I stayed hydrated throughout the race but didn't set a personal record. The good news is that the sub 2 hour time is good considering the hill at the end, the humidity, and the fact I walked through each water station to drink. So 1:59:55 isn't bad with all those issues impacting the run.

Cool Running Results for Hogsback Half

There were about 200 runners in all which apparently was their best turnout in the 11 years. Some dropped out. I came in 70th place which isn't bad. One amazing runner was a woman who is 7 months pregnant! And her time was just over 2 hours. Even though a small race it was well run. Plenty of food after as well. The Hartford Track Club people made it a fun day. I joined the club this week and will soon be participating in many of their runs.

Hogsback Half Marathon start. 9/24/2011

View from top of the dam where the finish line was located.

Overall a good prep before the Hartford Marathon in Oct. I did have a pasta dinner last night and planned my breakfast so I had the right amount of carbs in me. My preparation today showed me how to prep for the marathon. Looking forward to it.

2011-09-18T22:17:00.003-04:00

Four weeks until the Hartford Marathon. Saturday I ran 18 miles in an unorganized random way. I just started running not sure what distance I would cover or where I would go. I started down towards ESPN as usual at a slow pace. I averaged 9min/mile but not intentionally. So I felt good after 5 miles and decided to turn left towards Forestville and Plainville. At that point I listened to my music and just ran. As I left Plainville I headed to Farmington again without a plan....just running. Overall a good long run that too 2h 44m. As usual I struggled around mile 17 which I've accepted as my "wall".

Hogsback Half Marathon Sept 24th

The Hogsback Half Marathon next Saturday is my next race and a good distance. No longs runs until the marathon so that half will be perfect. Then just normal 4-6 mile daily runs until Oct 15th. I know my pace, nutrition, etc so I'm ready.

Today I rested the legs. No run. But Chris, Kate, and I took Aiden to the Big E in Springfield MA. The northeast's premier fall fair. We spent the whole day eating, checking out the sites, going on rides, etc. Great day in great weather. It's wonderful to spend quality time with Kate and Aiden. No issues or stress...just good fun.

Running for Selectman begins this week

2011-09-15T19:03:00.000-04:00

My two year term as a selectman for Burlington flew by. This week is sort of the start of the election season now that Tavern Day is over. Signs are being printed and starting to pop up around town. Meetings are underway, door-to-door visits are being planned and we are all fine tuning our talking points. I enjoyed serving the town and having a say on issues, planning, and celebrations. Taxes have been kept at a minimum while at the same time we accomplishing things like aquiring a new fire truck, pushed through the water line for businesses, repaired senior housing and the library, improved recreational facilities. When the details are reviewed its clear we improved the town.

As this election season begins we are already seeing the vandals attack only republican signage. Sad. But those vandals cannot change our record. Even though the labor union and a handful of others are trying to tarnish our accomplisments we are not concerned. The public sees that we had no real controversies.

The current state of the Obama administration will likely help our efforts. People are more in tune with issues, doing homework on the web, and making decisions on records not fluff. The fact that jobs are scarce, money tight, taxes are going up, and the world losing respect for the US after three years of President Obama will have people seeking new ways to govern with new people. Conservatives are working to bring back tried and true principles both fiscally and morally. Time for the country to make some tough but smart decisions and return us to the great society we once were.

First 20 miler

2011-09-03T13:33:00.000-04:00

Today I got the first long training run in before the marathon. I had been thinking of this one for a long time and just couldn't get it scheduled. I prepared for this by watching the diet, getting rest, and a different pre-run breakfast. Still experimenting so that I have a solid plan for the actual marathon in October.

Rested yesterday and cut back on the "sweets". Nothing in the evening except for some Cheerios. This morning I got up at 4am and immediately ate a banana with my one coffee. Recently I've noticed my runs were tougher and other running blogs mentioned bananas, etc pre-run. Just before leaving the house I downed about 12oz of water. A change this week was I didn't take my running belt and water bottle. The belt bothered me and I could stop for Gatorade on the run.

When the run began I had no idea where I was going. Might seem odd but I decided to play it by ear as I ran. In the end I made a big loop that touched five towns before heading home. Mostly flat and at 5:20am the traffic was light. Surprisingly I felt great most of the way. The last two miles were not pretty. I was running out of steam even though I downed a Gel at mile 13 and had drank plenty of fluids. And at 19.66 miles my right knee gave out and hurt. Almost dropped to the ground but I limped a while and worked through it. I have no idea what that was. As I got closer to home it was fine.

Had to take a shot of my Garmin since I feel its a big milestone in my training. Don't be fooled by the 8:30 pace. That was a quick run in that final .1 mile. Average pace overall was 9:34 during the 3h 12m run. I'm OK with that although I want to be closer to 9:00.

I can check off a significant training run that has given me confidence I can do a decent job with the full Hartford Marathon. Only 6 more weeks of training until the big day.

Good run resulted in sore legs

2011-08-27T10:52:00.000-04:00

I completed my first run with my new Saucony Kinvara shoes. Nice feel to them and definitely different.

During the run I noticed a few small pains and changes in how I placed my feet. Near the end during mile 12 I developed some severe pain in my left foot where the toes join the metatarsals. First thought was I fractured something because I couldn't run. Terrible thoughts being so close to the marathon. But I gingerly kept going although slower and within a quarter mile the pain dissipated. Another development was that my calve muscles definitely got a workout because they are sore. So I was running more on the ball of my foot. Soreness is worth it because it means I am running better. Since only August I'll have time to strengthen those muscles on subsequent runs.

Today's total was 13.2 miles with a time of 1:56 and average pace of 8:57. That is very good for me considering my first half marathon in the spring was 2:15. I must get my average pace down to 8:30 but that may be nearly impossible with 7 weeks until the marathon.

New running shoes, hurricane, and my 13.1 mile challenge

2011-08-26T20:14:00.002-04:00

I needed new running shoes before the marathon and the tax free week in Connecticut was all the incentive I needed to buy them now. So I headed down to Fleet Feet in West Hartford to let the experts help me out. After reading "Born To Run" and other articles I knew the "minimalist" style was worth trying. It made sense that all the technology and cushioning in standard running shoes wasn't as advantageous as it appeared. After discussing my running style and history with the sales person I looked at a Brooks shoe and a Saucony shoe. She let me try both on and even go outside for a run. At first I thought that was an odd request until I went outside and saw three others testing shoes. I was inundated with information regarding stride type, plastic used in the shoes, the fabric, when to use them and when not. After all that and some thought I went with the Saucony Kinvara. I will break them slowly on some 3-6 mile runs and then save them for races. Very light and thin soled. Good start in the minimalist realm.

Saucony Kinvara shoes I purchased

The hype over Hurricane Irene is out of control. Yes its big and yes it has winds of 100mph. But that is two days away. It has to go over land and colder water before getting to us. I suspect it will be a tropical storm before long.

Thankfully Saturday will be clear and I can get in my long run of the week. The past two weeks I've done 18+mile runs. Time to shorten that for a while. I plan on a 13.1(half marathon) to test myself. In recent weeks my pace/mile has improved and for many miles. I would like to do a half marathon time of 1:50. I think I can do it. Tonight I'm eating lightly and no snacks. Tomorrow hopefully I'll wake up energized and ready to beat my old time. Even if I don't it will be a perfect long, but not too long, workout.

Good long run this week.

2011-08-14T20:32:00.007-04:00

Saturdays are always my "long" day. That is the weekly run for endurance. Typically its 12-14 miles and I do OK. The weather yesterday was great and I had lots of time. It was in the high 50's when I started out at 5:00am. Had my Gatorade on the belt and a target in the next town that if achieved would be a round trip close to 20 miles. I focused on trying to maintain a 9:00min/min pace. A goal I have for the upcoming Hartford Marathon in October. The run couldn't have gone better. I was maintaining the pace with some splits sub-9 min. No issues and light traffic. At 9 miles I felt some thing sticking to my shoe. I ignored it. after another mile I took the earphones out and heard a "clicking". I had to stop. Sticking in my shoe was a screw bit adapter for a drill. About 1" long and a straight puncture in the middle of my shoe. It didn't reach my foot thank God. I pulled it out and went on my way. No big deal but it killed any interest in running barefoot!!

I got back up to my target pace and went all the way to 18.25 miles. Good training run that could have been longer. Regardless of my recent claim to drop the iPod and run silent, I have started using music again because I find it keeps me focused on the beat of the music instead of evaluating my every move and ache. I have fine tuned the playlist to be all hard rock and industrial. A strong beat and "metal" genre keep me revved up. After this run I'm encouraged and feel confident the next 9 weeks of training will go well.

Map and stats of the run from Garmin:
Saturday 18+ mile run

Today I skipped running to rest the legs. I had gotten away from "rest" days and felt my times and endurance was decreasing. Now that I returned to a resting day I feel much better each Monday/Tuesday.

We are almost done with my new office in the basement. That will be much better for cooling down after a run. No need to move around the upstairs with sweat dripping off me. Also can ditch the running clothes without stinking up the house. Chris, Don, and I have put a lot of work into changing the old room into a really nice office and storage room for Chris. Pics to follow once done.

Training showing results

2011-08-12T07:55:00.000-04:00

Even though its been extremely hot and humid in August I've tried to train hard prior to the October marathon. My Garmin site shows that my average pace/mile is falling. Each run usually has at least one sub 9:00/mi split and sometimes two. Those splits above 9:00/mi are usually in the low "9s". To reach my goal of a 4 hour marathon I must maintain a 9ish/mi pace. I went back to using my iPod because it does help me keep my pace up. Running in the morning quiet was great but the music does help. Will I continue using music? Don't know.

Back on track with running....but tired of Budgetgate

2011-07-30T09:06:00.000-04:00

I headed out a little after 5 am for a long run without a definite distance, course, or plan. Just my Gatorade on the belt, one gel pack, and a positive attitude. The weather was great because the humidity was down. My attitude was "take advantage of this to start longer runs". I did. After a random course out towards ESPN and back I completed 14 miles. I was temped to go farther but decided not to push it. Taking it slow with a steady increase as the Hartford Marathon gets closer. If I can do a 20 miler by end of August I will be happy.

Posting more on Twitter now because so many runners and people training are there. I'm following some in Europe who post their run maps. Fascinating to see the routes in other countries. Plenty of funny tweets as well so it an entertaining few minutes when reviewing what has been posted.

The budget news is getting to everyone. Unreal politics in play with the back and forth between the House and Senate. Its simple.....cut back spending and have a balanced budget. Who can argue with that? Regardless of what is said there are plenty of goofy programs we don't need. Another reality that we need to face is some "OK" programs may have to be cutback. Taxpayors can't be expected to foot the bill for everything and relying on the rich isn't fair nor is it the best answer. The "rich" are actually small businesses. Penalize them and the economy suffers.

Politicians need to do whats right for the country and stop playing the game.

Hot-Hot-Hot

2011-07-21T21:08:00.000-04:00

Last couple of days have been very hot for running. The temp is only in the high '60s but the still humid air in the mornings have been rough. I'm drinking plenty of water and being very cautious as I run. Even though the conditions are bad I still get 5-6 miles in each day. Tomorrow will be a light day around 4-5miles. Saturday will be another long run in the 12 mile range.

I've been running without music for two weeks. Love it. Especially on the quiet back roads. One thing I've noticed is amy times are faster. Can this be because I'm focused on pace and not the beat of the music? On Tuesday I ran 6 miles with splits all well under 10 min/mi and one even under 9 min/mi. If I can get the majority of my miles around 9 minutes I will do well in the marathon.

I've also started to run "lighter" meaning I don't have the iPod, phone, etc with me. Heading in the minimalist direction. In preparation for the upcoming marathon I have backed off on the excess food and the evening snacks. This could result in losing a few pounds so I'm eating more fruit as snacks during the day.

Staying on track with the training.....only about 11 weeks to go until the big day!

Vacation update

2011-07-13T20:35:00.000-04:00

More than halfway through the vacation and enjoying every aspect. Running every day and doing activities with the grandsons. I've run each morning averaging 6+ miles each time. Key development is...no music!! I have not used my iPod once yet and really enjoying it. Might be through forever with music especially if I continue on country/wood runs. Now that my summer activities are settling I have to get more serious about training for the marathon in October. Another development this week is I tried barefoot running. Interesting to say the least and enticing. But the reality of my town is that winter running will prevent me from being barefoot 365 days a year. So its onto minimalist shoes.

Cape Cod has been great. Went on a whale watch and saw many in the feeding area off Provincetown MA.

The pictures came out better than expected and I might have a few choice examples for my office wall. Also had a great day with just Chris in Wellfleet. Had a nice lunch and some easy going shopping.

The last two days of the vacation will be beach days and maybe a Nantucket trip. Just taking it day by day. Just have to squeeze in one long run.

Vacation time

2011-07-09T21:54:00.000-04:00

I'm relaxing on the bed in our rented house in Orleans Mass. On vacation with our kids and grandchildren. Long day that started with a great 13.1 mile run through the hills in Burlington. Garmin map/info here. I decided to run the hills at 5am where it was very quiet and peaceful. No iPod. Just running and thinking. It was a great 2 hour run...one of my better ones. After Chris and I packed up and headed out for Orleans. We had a nice dinner at Arnold's in Eastham and just sat around on the deck after enjoying a wonderful summer evening. Aiden and Britton were great entertainment. Chris and I are very happy our whole family will be here on vacation again. Just like two years ago.

Tomorrow I'll go for another run but not a long one. Maybe Monday I'll shoot for 8 miles. This week off will be a great training week.

Its been a few weeks.....

2011-06-25T09:40:00.000-04:00

It's been a few weeks since I've posted anything. Been busy but running non-stop.

In recent weeks I've done long runs on Saturdays. Last week 16.8mi and today 16.2. Last weeks run was OK but became a mess at mile 14 where I had huge hills to run up. Something wasn't right and I think it was diet combined with downing a gel during the run. I'm reading up on how I can eat better before and during long runs. The final downer last week was that my iPod Nano died at mile 15. But the next day Chris gave me a Garmin 110 for Father's Day.

The Garmin.....very happy to finally have one and perfect for my needs.

Tracks everything and produces some very nice data about each run. Better quality info than what Nike+ provided. Here is a sample data set from a run. I also bought an iPod Shuffle. Simple, small, lightweight. I realized that I only listen to one playlist and never watched video or pictures so why spend the money. Works great but today it ran out of power fast. Last night it was plugged in to charge but the switch was "on" and the laptop timed out preventing charging. Therefore 10+ miles was without music. I rarely run without it. Very enjoyable run being so quiet and peacful. I may try more runs without it.

I'm at the point where Ihave to get serious about my marathon training. The Hartford Marathon is 14 weeks away. I'm OK but to achieve my goal of 4 hours I've got some serious training to do.

Long Week that is finally over

2011-06-03T20:11:00.003-04:00

What a week. A short one after the holiday but with many headaches. I started by driving to Philadelphia Monday night(a holiday) for a Tuesday morning meeting with Einstein Medical Center. We presented the plan for replacing the trauma room x-ray equipment. The medical staff was not happy to hear of a 3-4 week shut down. They finally understood the need for the badly needed upgrade. From there we went down to Temple University Hospital where our x-ray room installation was stalled due to problems. Some were electronic and one was because we installed the tube crane so that anyone walking in would hit the x-ray tube with the door. Not good and potentially costly to us. Easy human mistake that we need prevent in the future.
Wednesday I flew to Washington DC for the SIIM show. Two of my new salespeople lived in the area and could also attend. They met their colleagues and learned about our products. Very positive interaction between them and some customers they knew stopped by to find out what was new at Fuji. While there I found another tea store. Capital Teas. Nice selection of teas and I purchased some Dragonwell. Am I obsessed with green tea? Probably? But it's healthy.
Now I can kick back, relax, and spend time focusing on the half marathon this Sunday. Reading up on how best to prep for the race. Planning meals, finding best ways to rest my legs, and everything else needed to have a successful run. I had a good 6.2 mile run this morning.
Planning for a big race is worse that planning a vacation.
What I need for Sunday.....
-ID bands
-Carb Gels
-Nipguards(embarrassing but necessary)
-iPOD review for a proper music list
-Washed all my running shorts/shirts so I have options
-Meals must be planned
-Checking sites for race number pick up, rules,checking the maps for the route
-etc, etc, etc

After all that....I'm stocked up, feel good, and running with confidence....I think I'm ready.

One week until the next half marathon

2011-05-27T20:54:00.000-04:00

One week away from the Iron Horse Half Marathon. This one is a real test of my training and general condition. It will also be my way to determine the training needed before my marathon in the fall. There probably will be more races through the summer but this one will be my baseline. The New Bedford Half was my first and I came in a few seconds over 2 hours. My goal in the Iron Horse is to make it in 1h:50m. Shouldn't be a problem. But tomorrow will be my last long training run over 10 miles. If all works out I hope to do at least a 12 miler and maybe a full 13.1. Flat and along the river in Simsbury this course is perfect for me to set a PR of under 2 hours. Some of this course is actually the same as the 5K I ran last month. Plus this race is at 7:00am which is better for me since I train with only morning runs.

I am prepared with better gear. First I finally found the right pack for carrying music, keys, etc at Amphipod. This looks perfect for size and is soft for comfort. Doesn't look as bulky as others.
These products are carried by Fleet Feet in West Hartford. I went there for the first time and was pleasently surprised. All running and staffed by runners. Very busy place and when you see the products on display one understands why. Everything a runner could want. They even carry nipple protectors. Two weeks ago after a 12 miler my shirt had blood down the front. I guess I'm a real runner because my nipples were bleeding which I had read about but never experienced. They carry NipGuards.

Apparently they work well based on reviews. I'll find out on Saturday morning. I also bought a new set of ear phones that wrap on my ears. Should be more durable and wind resistant.

I've had some good runs this week even though its been warm and humid. The amount of perspiration is amazing. I'm drenched when finished each day. This week will be all work in preparation for the Iron Horse next Sunday.

Shine On 5K race in Burlington

2011-05-22T20:24:00.003-04:00

Today was the 1st annual Shine On 5K Road Race in memory of Karen DuCotey. Karen was a young school teacher in Burlington who lost her life in 2010. She was a popular teacher who at 30 years old died way too soon and shocked those who knew her. Her family and friends started this race to raise donations for the Karen DuCotey Memorial Award.

Flickr Photostream of the race by Jessica Rinaldi.

For a new race with little publicity there was a good turnout. About 270 people entered the 5K race. There was a 1 mile fun run and a "Dolphin Run" for young people. Many sponsors also pitched in to help make it a success.

The course was a loop through the neighborhood just north of the Lewis Mills High School. Relatively easy with just two hills that provided a little challenge. We were warned that traffic control was not ideal and we learned first hand as several times we had to move over for cars. But with temps in the 60's and overcast the conditions were ideal to crank it up. I started off at a 9min/mi pace with a few big bursts as hills permitted. I was determined to make this my best 5K to date. There was a guy next to me most of the race who appeared to be about my age. I shadowed him and occasionally passed him throughout the 3.1 miles. At the 4K mark I moved ahead comfortably and figured I would beat him. But, as we rounded the last 100 meters he exploded, caught me, then blew by me to come in 3 seconds faster. Live and learn. My final stats were 25:33min at an 8:14/mile pace. Finished 63 out of the 270 and about 5th of about 18 in the 50-59 age group. A new PR for me and a great race.

I'll run it again next year and hopefully have my 5K time sub-24min by then.

Quality Time

2011-05-15T20:15:00.000-04:00

Today was a day off from running so nothing to say about that. But we had fun tonight with an enjoyable night out with one of our grandsons. We took Aiden out to dinner at Chili's and then out for an ice cream cone. He was great. Well behaved and just making us laugh. At Chili's he could see the large flat screen TV that was showing a NASCAR race. Cars are his passion right now and he watched as they zoomed around the track. Then later the show switched to one about race crashes, general crash videos, etc. Made him laugh.

He had some macaroni and cheese with oranges and of course some chocolate milk. He really does well when out but had a few silly moments as any 3 year old should. The picture below was when he decided to wear a food basket as a hat. One an a million picture that I just happened to catch.

Not sure why he struck such a pose but it will make us laugh for years. Next was a trip to Dunfrey's Ice Cream. He picked his flavor and then sat nicely to enjoy the cone. Handled it like a pro but hit a snag when he accidentally poked a hole in the base of the cone. When I tried to help he decided to take a short cut and he bit off the base of the cone. That released a flood of melted ice cream on his hands then mine. Very sticky and messy. He learned a lesson on how to handle a cone with that move. But we all kept smiling and let him savor the treat.

The best part of this evening was when we got home and he wanted to hide to see if I could find him. We took that opportunity to teach him "hide and seek". He learned the basics and for a while we had fun finding each other. He laughed like never before.

All a good night and moments we will treasure. He's a good kid and we're lucky to have him around.

Ultra runners....determination....self motivation

2011-05-13T20:48:00.000-04:00

This is a short video about an amazing runner with an inspiring story. David Goggins is an ultra runner from the Navy Seals who doesn't just run, but runs distances far greater than a marathon . Frequently 50-100 miles. The video is shot out in the desert which makes it more impressive. This type of running is not for me but his determination and accomplishments are fascinating.
http://youtu.be/0kidOBV7yxY
There is a little bit of his drive in many runners because running requires self motivation and the need to constantly push farther and faster. There is no team....there is no score to compete against. Runners compete against their own limitations.

How true is this.....

2011-05-10T22:25:00.003-04:00

Funny video about "us" runners. These characters are used in a series of cartoon videos that are mostly political. Very funny. How many of us sound like this guy?

What's 1 mile?

2011-05-07T09:29:00.002-04:00

Farmington Flats at sunrise

My long run today was one of the best I've done and is the longest to date.

15.8 miles at a 9:37 pace. 2:28:45 which for me is fantastic.

Initially I set out to do more than a half marathon as usual but as the run reached that point I felt good and kept going. At 14 miles, nearing my street, I decided what the heck "what's 1 more mile?". Funny how last year there were mornings where I wondered if completing a single mile was possible. Guess the training worked!

I tried a new route that was long enough and easy enough to test my abilities. The link to the map is here. My run took me through Burlington, Bristol, Plainville, and Farmington. This was the first time I ran through the Farmington Flats which looked dramatic early in the morning. The pictures were taken with my cell and I stopped running for about 30 seconds. No cars and no people with the sun and fog made for a surreal setting to run through. Great place to run as well with the wide path and long flat areas.

Overall I felt good with no major problems. Had some left thigh pain around 11 miles but it went away. After reading an article about Ryan Hall and his running technique I worked on my strides. (Video below)Trying to land my feet and lift my legs properly. It definitely feels better when running properly. During the run I consumed one 8 oz Gatorade, 12 oz of water, and one Gel. As I work towards the marathon I must determine what the best mix of fluids and carbs are to get me through the race.

I'm definitely taking Sunday off because I've pushed really hard lately. Need to rest the legs.

Interesting video on running technique

2011-05-07T09:28:00.001-04:00

Running Weekend

2011-05-01T21:02:00.003-04:00

Good running weekend with a long 13.2 mile run on Saturday and a 5K race on Sunday. Yesterday I started out on one of my long runs that had to be at least 10 miles. Felt good all through it which helped extend into a +13 miler. Decent time on a beautiful day. Need more of these.

Sunday was also beautiful. There was a 5K in Simsbury so I decided to skip my day off (against my normal routine) and get entered. The River Run. I wanted an official time from a competitive 5k before the Shine On race in Burlington on May 22nd. About 300 people enetered the 5K run. I was very pleased with my result since I finished at 26:35. That's a huge improvement from the fall. I also placed well in my age group with 7th out of 21 in the 50-59 class. In my age group most were in their younger 50's. But in the 60+ class there were many at or below my time. I really need to work on my overall speed. Endurance is not a problem...its my average pace! Have to get in the low 8/minute/mile pace.

Found this at the "Patch" website.
They took this as I ran towards the finish.

With todays results and three weeks to train I think I can show well on the day of the next 5K.

New York City Marathon-NOT Hartford Marathon-I'm In

2011-04-27T20:37:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately my number didn't make it.

Today was the start of the New York City Marathon which means they announced who was picked in the lottery. Unfortunately I didn't make the cut. Although a premier race with a great course I'll have to try again next year.

My goal was to run a marathon in the fall so my other choice was the ING Hartford Marathon which I entered tonight.

This marathon is supposed to be one of the better ones for course, entertainment, timing mats throughout the course, etc. Plus its right up the road so easy to get to and easy to get home. The course goes across the Connecticut River through East Hartford, up into South Windsor and back. There are 35 live bands spread throughout the course which will be interesting. I'm looking forward to it and begin a 20 week training period.

2011-04-24T08:09:00.000-04:00

Funny video about what goes through the mind of a long distant runner. Some of his thoughts are not far from reality!!

Republicans Who Might Run in 2012

2011-04-22T20:05:00.002-04:00

The Republicans have many people toying with the idea of running for president in 2012. Some have already committed. The news this week is that no one person stands out and polls indicate the general population can't really identify most. The good news in that is there are many who could become the best candidate and it allows for a healthy exchange of ideas between conservatives. Conservatism has many variations that will appeal to different factions within the party and conservatism is what this country needs. Just about all republicans agree the Obama administration policies and actions of the past two years are not good for the economy and the image of America on the world stage. Half way through his term yet Obama has not shown real action or ideas that have proven results. Many of those ideas either come too late or have not been well thought out. Mid East policy and reactions to aggression are not effective and confuse our position on issues. Spending wildly and increasing the deficit while trying to stir up a class war by demonizing the rich shows a political motive for everything instead of real results that improve peoples lives.

Therefore, as in the 2010 congressional races, the Republicans have a chance to win the presidency back. The potential candidates are making themselves heard through appearances, blogs, Twitter, TV interviews, etc. TMI(too much information) for most and way too early. Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post reviewed the candidates and offered his quick odds that each have to win. I like Krauthammer because he has a keen political mind and is usually on target with identifying facts that impact the issues of the day. In his review he basically says Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney have the best chance at winning the election. Based on their records and positions on issues I agree. Trump and Palin are entertaining and actually bring big issues to the forefront but the circus atmosphere that surrounds them will hold back many from voting for them. They should stay on message and be a lightening rod for criticism allowing for national debates without harming the key candidates. They will be motivating forces for the next two years. Newcomers like Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, and Nikki Haley look like very formidable candidates but need time to develop their names and reputations more fully. Their time will come in the future. For now the conservative options are clear and have a chance. I'm looking forward to this race which should be very entertaining.

Tested my speed

2011-04-21T23:01:00.000-04:00

On my run today I decided to experiment a bit with speed. I have the Shine On 5k race coming up in May. It's in honor Karen DuCotey who was a teacher in Burlington but passed away last year at a young age last year. I want to do well there so it is imperative I put more effort into speed on short runs. Today, instead of a typical 5 mile run I decided to run 4 miles and see how I might do in the 5K. I ran 4.01 mi in 36min 45sec. That is an average pace of 9.09. Good for me and I figure I can do that 5K in about 30 min. Now I have a milestone to beat. Each week I'll do a few "speed" days in order to improve that time/pace. If I do these well and increase their frequency and distance it should really help my marathon efforts in the fall. Of course during actual races I tend to run faster so I'm hoping a 8:30 pace in within site.

Vegas for Meeting and Golf

2011-04-16T20:04:00.001-04:00

Our company national sales meeting was held in Las Vegas this week. We flew in a day early to play some golf. Unfortunately the first day was in the 40s and drizzling, the second was nice and sunny but still a bit cold around 60F with wind. Notice the snow on the mountains in the background. But we had a great time golfing. A lot of kidding around and good laughs. Great to get out. Shot a 94 at Paiute Golf Course outside Las Vegas on the way to Hoover Dam.

l to r: Randy Nagel, Evan Shepard, Barry Muradian, me

Each day I ran 5 miles up and down the strip. was easy and very entertaining. During the meeting I stuck to my diet as well with just a little cheating on desserts. At 5AM on the strip all the dregs and drunks are still out. Singing, yelling, etc as they stumbled around. Pathetic.

I was disappointed in the strip of Las Vegas. Seems like the quality of tourists has gone down since my last visit. People were on the street drinking and generally acting badly. Lots of sex ads, etc as well. I saw many people drinking and being very drunk. I don't mean a beer or drink...I mean chugging out pof whisky and wine bottles even though all dressed up and looking respectable.

Is it me or is the generally population becoming a little more white trash like? Sloppy, obnoxious, ignorant, etc is the way I describe people I meet. Its annoying and almost unbearable. I hope people begin to clean up their acts and society gets back to normal.

OR----is this me just being old??

Stress and a Bad Day

2011-04-04T21:17:00.000-04:00

Bad day.....lots of stress coming from all directions. Where's this stress coming from?.... I am redoing all the sales territories in the Northeast Zone at work. The sales people are growling about what they are losing and what they are getting. Lots of maps, Excel spreadsheets, and account website lookups. I am also preparing two presentations for upcoming sales meetings that must be done this week. Home stress. Bad weather. Obama announces his run for a 2nd term. Lots of t-cons for work. My first dinner at Checkers was a flop when the water I ordered turned out to be seltzer and the burger was basically a typical fast food burger. Not sure why I expected it to be good.

Hopefully to morrow will be better but I see challenges already. I have to drive to Stamford, have a few meetings, get on a bunch of t-cons, etc. My daily run may have to be on a treadmill because of rain....I despise running on a treadmill!

The only thing I am looking forward to is finishing this post and then collapsing on a couch to space out watching nature shows on cable. Boring?Yes...but it allows my head to decompress. In the morning I'll start up again and hopefully have a better day.

Long Run?

2011-04-01T19:56:00.000-04:00

My finish time at the New Bedford Half Marathon has done wonders for my self confidence. I run better than ever now knowing that good results are achievable. As I consider my options for my future running endeavors the obvious is a full marathon. I have applied for the New York City marathon which will be a long shot to get in. Regardless I'll run in one somewhere this fall. But I've been thinking that instead of waiting until summer to step up the training regiment, I could start now in order to not only finish a fall marathon but finish it with a great time.

Tomorrow is my long run day. Saturday mornings. I look forward to them because I usually reach a new milestone. I'm thinking to use one of my flat training routes, add a few miles, and go more than 13 miles.....maybe even 15! I feel good, bought some new gels, and did a short 3 miler today. I'm ready. At this pace I'll be at 20 miles by May. Can I do it? Who knows but I have to try. If I can do 15+ milers on a regular basis by late summer I can use the fall time for improving speed. Then come fall a marathon will be less of a challenge(not easy!!) that if I waited to start the long runs late in the summer.

Trying Too Hard To Be Green

2011-04-01T19:24:00.002-04:00

People are trying way too hard to go green and they're making dumb moves without thinking through the impact. In New Jersey solar panels started appearing on lightpoles in various towns. Large ugly solar panels about 15 feet off the ground. Right infront of houses. According to this video story, each panel produces enough power for one(1) light bulb. Is it really worth the cost and visual impact for the small savings? If they only power a single light bulb do people understand the unattainable task of lighting towns and cities with panels?

There are also problems not related to power. First these can gather snow which would slide off onto sidewalks and people. Then they will be a gathering spot for bird nests. Obviously no thought wnet into this plan. In fact the towns are saying they were never consulted about the installations therefore no one had a say about the project. The really sad part is that the cost of these will be passed to consumers, who had no say, and jack up the monthly utility bills.

This is one of the streets in New Jersey. Would you like to be staring at these all day?

It's a great example how people rush to look like their doing something for the environment but do not consider the impact to surrounding landscapes or people.

NYC Quilt Exhibition was amazing

2011-03-28T08:18:00.000-04:00

We went to NYC to see the Red & White antique quilt exhibition on Sunday. The photos speak for themselves. There were 650 quilts from three centuries on display. The way they were hung in circles and different levels was unbelievable. Very impressive in the dark armory. Chris had heard about large crowds so we went early. Luckily we were the first in line. Everyone there was spellbound with the dramatic layout in the hall. The quilts themselves were in great shape even though some were more than 200 years old.

Bad Travel Day

2011-03-25T22:57:00.000-04:00

Today was the type of day most of fear when traveling by plane. It started out OK with sales calls in Pittsburgh. Great weather, good calls, no issues and I headed to the airport for the flight back. That's when the travel nightmare began.
My sales rep and I were making good time so I called to see if I could get on the 1:35pm USAir flight back to New York. I had a 3:00pm but could make an earlier flight. Just when I called our agent my text alert went off......Flight was delayed until 4:20pm. More reason to get on something early. My agent informed me that the 1:35 would have to be on standby and that all other flights, even with connections, back to New York were either late or cancelled. Therefore 4:20 was looking good but standby works about 50% of the time. Being an experienced flier the reality started to set in.....one can sense when it is all starting to go down hill.
I check in and go through security. Grab a salad and head to gate B30 to go on standby for the 1:35. Unfortunately it was full and at least 5 others were also on standby. Then I saw another New York bound flight at 2:45pm. So I went on standby there. The gate agent was clearly annoyed that I could be so bold to ask to be on standby. She informed me in a very negative way it was almost hopeless and if any "Chairman" level fliers came by they would automatically be taken over me. Great. And I think she can tell when a sales person is experienced enough to already know such facts. Why rub it in? Well that flight filled and again I was tossed aside to wait for my original delayed flight. Good time to crack open the laptop to check emails and surf the web. As I booted up the laptop my text alarm goes off again. This time an apology(computer generated) that my 3:00pm that became a 4:20pm has now evolved into a 5:30pm. Lovely. Across the terminal I spotted yet another New York bound flight at 5:45pm. I wondered...should I actually go on standby on a flight later than my own just to ensure I'm high on the list? I just smelled trouble with that move like I'd lose my seat on the scheduled flight and then the 5:45 would be cancelled. Listening to internal reasoning I decided to have faith that the 5:30 would go off on time.
Suddenly all of us waiting noticed a jet come around the corner and head for our gate. Finally our plane had arrived. I boarded and made myself comfortable because the end of this nightmare was in finally in sight. A gentleman about my age came on and sat next to me. There was a terrible odor as soon as he sat down. Very disgusting. I soon realized it was his breath! As he spoke on the phone with a tilt towards me the smell was overpowering. This was a with it, educated, and well spoken man but apparently he nor anyone he dealt with ever noticed this repugnant scent coming from him. He loudly complained about the airline and how they ruined his day. It was one of those calls where one makes their volume and comments come out so everyone can hear. Now the door was closed and we started out to taxi. Of course Murphy's Law kicked in and at the end of the runway Traffic Control told us there was a 24 minute delay. Why was I not surprised. Eventually we took off and made it to Laguardia in New York.

At 7:00pm we were finally on the ground in New York and the wacky travel day was nearly over. Baggage was the final issue that could have broke the camels back. But the bag came down the shoot and I was able to hit the highways.

Its happened before and will happen again.....but one never gets used to these dreadful travel experiences.

Great Race in New Bedford

2011-03-20T22:25:00.003-04:00

Today was a personal best......In the New Bedford Half Marathon my official time was 2:00:42...9:13 pace. Just a hair over 2 hours which was my goal. Still the best I've ever run. I pushed hard and it resulted in my best consistent pace to date. Great weather with temps in the upper 40's and all sunshine. 2700+ runners in all. The winners were Reuben Senca-1:05:25 for the men and Kim Smith for the women1:09:50(she won in 2010 as well). It was managed well with an organized number pickup and plenty of facilities on the course. New Bedford citizens were great as well. My brother-in-law finished in 1:38 which amazed me since I had not seen him run before. He took up running just about a year ago and has obviously trained effectively.

I would definitely recommend this race and will be running it again next year.

9th Annual Shamrock Run

2011-03-19T19:47:00.000-04:00

I needed a short run today since it was the day before the New Bedford Half. I was going to go out for a few miles but instead headed over to Bristol where they were holding the annual Shamrock Run. The main attraction is the 5 mile run midday but there was a 2 miler in the morning that is USATF certified and sanctioned. So to get in the crowd running spirit and have a test run for the old body I signed up. Glad I did because it gave me a chance to plan for the big race tomorrow. Where to start, how to navigate the early running crowd, handling the iPOD, etc.
Glad I have the Nike+ system because it was a big help to manage my pace. I started off like a rocket even though I tried to run slow. Nike+ kept me in check. Even though short it was exactly what I needed and was fun.

My time for the 2 miles was officially 17:11 (8:35pace) which is great for me. In my age group(50-59) I placed 13/30 and 166 overall of 472 runners. I'm good with that result.

Next stop...New Bedford.

Prepping for Sunday

2011-03-18T20:47:00.000-04:00

OK...I'm psyched since I'm within two days of my first race since 1983. This half marathon has been a goal since I began running again last October. I've followed a well planned training schedule to get to long distances. Over the past few months the challenge of a 10+ mile run was met and now I run 10-13 miles comfortably and shorter runs almost daily. With that behind me I'm ready to "fine tune" my old body as best as I can.
I bought my first "gels" tonight. GU Energy gels. A fellow runner recommended I give them a try on long runs. He actually recommended Hammer gels but I couldn't find those.

Initially at the end of a long run my legs and body were drained. It came on fast after 11 miles. The "Wall"? Maybe or at least something similar. Last week I tried a Powerbar at my 1 hour point in the 2 hour run. As I passed the 10-11 mile mark I was OK. A little tied but fine to go on to 13.2 miles. Apparently it works. But the Powerbar was cumbersome to eat while running and maybe not the best choise of foods for that purpose. Not sure about the gels for my half marathon though. I might find them repulsive and kill the run. Therefore tomorrow I'll open at least one to get a taste and a technique down just in case there is a problem.

I'm also busy tonight working on a dedicated music playlist for the iPod that will motivate me. I've listened to hundreds of songs this winter when training so now I'll pick the best for the race.

Good or bad results...I'll be posting about my experiences by Monday morning.

Expectations of A US President

2011-03-16T21:52:00.000-04:00

Japan is a catastrophe, Lybian rebels are being slaughtered, the US economy is the major concern with Americans......so where is our leader? US Presidents have shown to be true leaders at times when the future becomes questionable. We expect that. Regardless of political affiliation there are moments in history when ideology takes a back seat to when human lives are impacted. People and the press are noticing President Obama is aloof at best but basically a non-player. He not only is a non-player but is doing strange things such as addressing gun control and making a big deal out of picking basketball teams. No major speeches, press conferences, or statements. Words of wisdom are not being heard. His cabinet and staff are no better. For instance, Hillary acknowledges there may be a need to establish a "no-fly" zone over Lybia but just can't decide. Indecisiveness like that, especially as a positive rebellion is beaten down, will no help gain respect around the world. It also is standing by as a positive change is stopped.

Does anyone in this administration realize what message is being received around the world? America looks weak and uncaring. Many criticized George Bush for hurting our image around the world. At least he was involved and responding as a leader should. He tried to take action or offer words to inspire. President Obama is missing opportunities to show the world he can lead, inspire, or comfort. He has always been challenged for never having managed a business or complex operation of any kind. Now is his chance to turn that around yet he is letting it slip away. At this point the jokes and commentary that paints him in the image of Nero as Rome burns are tough to deflect.

The country and the world needs a leader. It appears they will have to wait until 2012 for that leader to show up.

Ready for New Bedford

2011-03-12T19:05:00.000-05:00

I finally ran at half marathon distance by doing 13.2 miles around Farmington/Bristol. Good run and I followed my plan. That plan was a light dinner on Friday as well as a light breakfast. I brought Gatorade and a Power Bar with me on the run for energy replenishment. At the half way mark I ate the Power Bar and downed the Gatorade. Not an easy feat while continuing to run. This run was also a new route by heading down to Tunxis Community College and running up Route 6. Nice course. As I was heading up Jerome Avenue at 10 miles I could notice the difference in my condition because of the nourishment. Definitely felt better and had some energy left to continue on. As a matter of fact at 12-13 miles I felt really good. That is encouraging for next week at the race. That big hill at 12 miles will be manageable with the added nutrients.

The New Bedford race will be a milestone I need to make if a marathon is in my future. If I can come in around 2 hours it will indicate I can run a marathon by fall. I've really been bitten by the running bug. As I head toward 58 years old the running is becoming a hobby as well as my way to stay fit. As long as I am able to run I will. Can't afford not to if I want to see the grand kids grow up. Plus Chris and I have so much we want to do with travel and her quilting. One step at a time though.....next week.....my first big race.

Great day for a run...and rabbits

2011-03-09T08:15:00.000-05:00

Finally had a great morning run. No rain and a decent temperature. I did 4.5 miles as usual and with little effort. One odd development is the sudden apppearance of....rabbits! I saw several this morning and some yesterday outside Boston. I haven't seen a rabbit since last year. Must be an Easter thing.
I remember when running 2 miles was a struggle and walking was the norm. Unless I develop a problem I don't see myself going back to walking. Hopefully I can continue this for years and stay healthy. The training for next week's New Bedford Half Marathon is going well. This week on my long run I will experiment with better hydration and consuming some carbs half way through a 12 miler to see if I have more energy near the end of the run. Based on some articles these changes in my run should result with more energy and allow me to keep a good pace until the end of the half marathon. My ultimate great result will be to be at or under 2 hours for the 13.1 miles. If I can achieve that my confidence will skyrocket as I start training for a fall marathon.

Taxing is an addiction

2011-03-07T23:20:00.000-05:00

This story in the Chicago Tribune "Illinois Senate president wants to look at taxing retirement income" makes one wonder if politicians are listening. They must have missed the fact that public opinion since November has had a common theme....to cut spending. Just about everyone agrees that fiscal spending needs to be brought under control because it requires more and more taxes. Citizens cannot fund endless programs. Just as you and I cannot spend or charge forever before we're broke. How does anyone think they can propose new taxes without consequence? If new taxes are imposed they address a shortage of funds but do not solve the core problem which is out of control spending. Instead the spending will continue and the pain continues for the local and national economy.
People work hard for their money and smart people have planned well for their retirement. Why punish those plans by taxing the money they worked so hard to put aside? It's common sense and very easy to understand. The simple solution to end the debate of "to tax or not to tax".....cut back on spending.

Sense of Entitlement?

2011-03-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

My wife and I have some interesting challenges with the younger members in our family. I won't name who, but they are young adults that need to get their lives heading in a new direction. Here's the problem...we've noticed that many young people in their 20s in and outside our family have little motivation to improve themselves or even have goals in mind to strive for. It appears the concept of the future is not very important. Instead of having goals like a home, career, raising children, etc there is little thought about needs for the future. Therefore no drive exists to better themselves. Now I don't mean they are hopeless or feel its not possible, instead they just don't think about "the future". The concept of having a dream or plan doesn't exist.

It used to be that everyone had some sort of goal in life. Some grand plans and some not so grand...regardless there was a plan. How could this have changed so dramatically from just 20 years ago? What changed? One would think because of our generation(Hippies, Yuppies,etc) the opportunities we experienced would encourage our children to have lofty goals. Yet nothing even close is in young people's minds. They appear to worry about one thing.......tomorrow. Not next week or next month but just tomorrow. The only reason I can see is that most kids had everything growing up in the 80s and 90s. That's not saying they were rich but everything was handed to them. Video games, trips to Disney, school activities, phones, computers...the list goes on. Our society also decided everyone gets rewarded regardless of the quality of effort. I became necessary to give all kids a prize or award for participating. A losing team still resulted in all team members getting some reward for effort. Recently it became wrong to let a team achieve a high score in school sports so as not to offend the losing team. Does this teach kids the need to work hard and be successful? No it does not.
The mistake we all made was related to political correctness. Society is always trying to avoid hurting feelings or insulting someone by accident. Concerns developed about kids on a losing team especially when the score was lopsided. Parents (and I'm one unfortunately) always tried to provide the latest toys, games, and computers so kids could keep up with the others. The result was that kids didn't have to worry about achieving anything. Everything would always be alright.
Now the dilemma is that we have many 20 somethings not doing much in the way of career planning, education, looking for jobs, etc. No urgency in their minds. Example...If they don't own a car they don't think about the need for one or if they should plan to get one.
We can turn around the young children today and prevent this from happening again but how do we fix the 20 somethings? Not sure and I don't know if we can get them to care about it. Without some change in their attitude we may be in for a long haul of hardships and low self esteem as they try to leave home, start families, and look for work. They will not enjoy the same standrad of living they were accustomed to and that will be hard to swallow.

Day off was needed

2011-03-03T06:46:00.000-05:00

I'm in Raleigh NC on business and staying near Raleigh-Durham airport. Yesterday I stopped my run short when my Nike device fell off so I only ran 1 mile. Today at 5:00am I was ready to go for my usual 4 miles. The temperature here was 42f. Heat wave compared to what I run in back in Connecticut. So I started out up the main drag where the hotels are located. Feeling great I was able to step up my pace. The sky was clear and virtually no traffic. I felt so good I could have done 8 or more. In the end I was able to end with 5.6 miles when passing my hotel. The unscheduled day off really paid off for me. The run was very easy and effortless. I need to plan such rest days before major races.

Mihow

2011-02-27T10:39:00.000-05:00

Mihow....odd word but it is a blogger/site with great commentary and observations about daily life. On Twitter the Mihow tweets are great with frequent messages throughout most days. From kids to politics one can always expect an interesting opinion from Mihow. I stumbled across her blog today and there's plenty of content to choose from. I'll be spending some of this snowy Connecticut Sunday perusing through the topics. Mihow tweets and blog are great examples of how the social media should be used. Millions are participating with their own blogs, tweets, websites, etc but all to often messages are negative and accusatory. Anger permeates from many sites because of a need to make a point with extremism and outrageous comments. Mihow gets a point across with a sense of humor. One can relate to her everyday experiences because they mirror what goes on in most people's lives.

Keep up the good work Mihow......Twitter is open and live so I can catch the next gem.

Half Marathon Prep--Great Run

2011-02-26T15:06:00.000-05:00

12 miles today. Big accomplishment. The map below is the route from the run this morning. I ran for 2h 03 min. I now know I can run the half marathon. With a little more push I could have done the 13.1 miles today. By chance this route can be exactly a half marathon so I'll keep it as a routine run in the summer. Hard to imagine that by June/July this will be a "short run" once I start serious training for NYC.

I downloaded new running music from Ektoplazm. A running site recommended it. Free and allowed to copy to the iPod. This "Hysteria" group was great with techno music that is perfect for running.

I was very comfortable throughout the run with struggles on the big Steven's Street hill and when I was running out of control. What I mean by that is if I let my legs and arms flail randomly it becomes a chore to run. Great form with arms bent and steady running helps to keep me going for longer distances.

12 mile run

Increased Training

2011-02-25T21:01:00.000-05:00

The New Bedford Half Marathon is a month away. I've had good runs in recent weeks but still struggle at the 10 mile mark. I'm not improving. Therefore I decided to step up the training routine and really push myself. I ran 3-4 miles every day this week. Big change from 2-4 times a week. Legs and body are OK. Tomorrow when I do my big weekly run the appearance or absence of aches and pains will determine if my training program is OK. I'm hoping for great results, easy running, and maybe a personal best 11+ miles.

Found old running results

2011-02-21T20:00:00.008-05:00

We were cleaning the basement and came across my old number tags worn at various races in 1983-84. Back then I would write down my times and conditions on the back of each tag. Interesting to see how I did 28 years ago. Surprisingly almost the same running pace I have today. My wife points out that I should feel great that at 57 I'm able to run the same. Not great speed then or now. The difference is now I'm training harder and eating better. Back then my training was sporadic while eating and drinking mostly bad stuff. There was a Middletown CT race in June 1983 that had no time but I have a note that Amby Burfoot ran in it. Also the Manchester RR in Connecticut on Thanksgiving day is famous and I was happy to have run in one of them.

A few notable race tags from 1983-->

Here are a few results:
8/28/1983 Farmington Savings Bank 10K 50m 38s
July 1983 Courthouse One(Vernon) 10K 52m
9/5/1983 New Haven 20k Labor Day 1h 45m 20s
10/9/1983 Apple Festival 5k 37m
10/16/1983 Little Apple Half Marathon 1h 44m
11/6/1983 Ocean State Marathon 4h 21m 21s
11/24/1983 Manchester Road Race --NO Time--

Also found an old photo from the 1983 Manchester Road Race. Note my Ocean State t-shirt! That's my daughter Meghan in my arms. The people on each side of me are employees from Mt Sinai Hospital in Hartford.

Not bad for an old guy!

2011-02-19T18:02:00.000-05:00

I had my annual physical this past week. Everything worked out fine...

BP is 130/80
Pulse 66 Resting is 50
EKG 12 lead was completely normal
Prostate OK

My blood work below shows where I was two years ago and now:

2011
Total Cholesterol = 208
HDL = 59
LDL = 140
Triglycerides = 47

2009
Total Cholesterol = 252
HDL = 53
LDL = 179
Triglycerides = 100

Normal Ranges:
Total Cholesterol = 120-200
HDL = 40-80
LDL = 0-100
Triglycerides = 35-150

Rough run today

2011-02-19T12:43:00.000-05:00

As I headed out for my weekly long run the weather looked great and I felt great. Temp was 38F and the sun was coming up with a little wind.....what could go wrong? As usual I began my run on a newly mapped out route which was much more open this week after warm temperatures melted much of the snow. After and 4 miles...still feeling good....the wind started to pick up. I hate running into strong winds but I was ready to tough it out. At about 6 miles it began to get dark, the wind became very strong, and a sudden snow squall hit. Anyone in the north who has experienced one of these knows how bad they can get. Blowing wind over 30 mph with large driving snowflakes in your face. The front of me was plastered with wet snow. But my inner voice was saying "keep going....be tough....ignore it". I was feeling powerful( regardless how silly I looked with snow covering me)...and made past 8 miles. At 9 miles I hopped up on some grass with snow on it and my foot sunk above the ankle in mud. Not hurt but my relatively new Asics GT 2150s were black with mud. Still I was determined to keep running. Back on my pace I was heading to the 10 mile mark when I slipped on an ice patch and went down! Protected my face by using my arms to break the fall but my left knee hit hard. Tore my pants and cut my knee. Still determined I got up and started running again...wet, mud on my shoes, bleeding but determined. The wind was slowing down and the snow squall stopped. At 10 miles I couldn't concentrate and was frustrated so I stopped but was planning all week for 11 or 12 miles. Cold and in pain I was ticked off. But at least I got another long one completed.

I guess they all can't be great runs. Hopefully my next +10miler has a better result and a whole lot more enjoyable.

Signed up for New Bedford Half Marathon

2011-02-18T14:14:00.000-05:00

After easily completing my 10 mile run last Saturday combined with a clean physical on Monday, I decided that I will run the New Bedford Half Marathon in March. This is a big step on my way to a full marathon. I have to test myself on endurance. If I do well at this race my summer will be dedicated to improving speed. A full marathon should be within reach if I can do a half. Training will become easier and more enjoyable as the snow melts. With the high temps of the past few days many snow banks and icy spots are shrinking. Running is enjoyable again. My brother-in-law, Mike, is also running in New Bedford. Should be interesting to see who has the best time.

George Bush Autobiography

2011-02-13T08:56:00.000-05:00

I recently finished George Bush's autobiography, "Decision Points". Great book and very enlightening. He details the major events throughout his presidency especially those that made constant headlines and were controversial. There is some early childhood history and his progression through the political world leading up to him being elected president. I found it interesting that he backs up everything with facts and records not just his recollection. He clarifies many misconceptions about what really went on regardless of what we heard in the news. He does admit where he made mistakes and could have done better.
His unwavering love for the country and our founding fathers principles came through and most decisions were based on them or based on his strong religious beliefs. He cared about this country and ignored the liberal attacks on him. His beating alcoholism was also discussed and is actually the first chapter of the book. He didn't try to hide or gloss over anything.
Whether or not one liked GWB or his policies this would be a good book to understand why decisions were made and also facts surrounding them. Espcially dramatic was the behind the scenes meetings with Louisiana politicians in the buildup and aftermath of Katrina. Very different that what we all heard through our news outlets.
I have a new appreciation of GWB and the office of the president after reading this book.

Major milestone today

2011-02-12T09:37:00.000-05:00

Great workout today. I decided to make it a long one so I took a turn where normally I would head home and added almost two miles. This was my longest yet at 10.3 miles. Felt great and now ready for the half marathon in March. Now that I have achieved this the next few weeks will be to improve stamina and speed. I learned alot today. I concentrated on my technique of running. Keeping a steady pace with long straight strides as if I was floating along seemed to be the most efficient way to run. No strain to breath and almost effortlessly. If I vary the pace too much or run "sloppy" I get small twitches and pains. My focus on the goal is lost as well. This was a good learning run that provides info on how to run long without effort. When that voice in the Nike+ system told me I crossed the 10 mile mark it was like winning a race. Exciting and encouraging for future runs.

All in all....I'm ready to expand my running horizons.

The route I took is below. This is a great route with just the right amount of hills, wide open streets, etc.

8.6 miler.....training is progressing

2011-02-05T09:15:00.000-05:00

Just finished a 8.6 mile run. Time=1:28:31 Personal best since starting last fall. It felt good to reach a new milestone. When I went out this morning I wasn't sure where I'd go or what distance. I decided to take a new route and headed into Farmington. As usual after 3 miles running was almost easy and effortless. My training my be paying off because I've never experienced such a feeling in the past. No effort...no concern of stopping. As I came to hills my pace stayed steady allowing me to sail up and down like running on a flat road. At about 5 miles my right knee was in pain which led to thoughts of "I'm too old". But as I continued I realized my pace was faster than normal and could be contributing to the pain. I was right. After slowing a bit the pain disappeared within a half mile. After 7 miles thoughts of stopping started. I fought the urge so much I think I was talking out loud to myself to keep going. As my Nike+ system told be I crossed 8 miles there was a sense of relief. I had reached a new personal best. Felt great.

I'm encouraged by today's run and overall progress. I might consider the New Bedfor half marathon in March with my brother--in-law. If I can do 10 miles by mid February that will indicate I can a half marathon.....I need to keep at it and I need the weather to cooperate for training.

My Runner's World map of the route is below.

Like Running in Molasses

2011-02-03T19:05:00.000-05:00

One day after an ice/snow storm...and two days after a large snow storm so I had to get out for a run. I figured no big deal just a bit slippery. Well I was not ready for running in frozen slush. Slippery, yes...but that was the least of my problems. My feet would sink in about an inch and then be tough to lift again. I ran very slow and with caution. Feet twisted, dodging cars, and noticing the air getting closer. As I proceeded to struggle on Jerome Ave my Nike+ was telling me I was running farther than usual. My pace was much improved from recent runs. I was thinking the device failing? I determined the frozen slush was making me run in shorter strides and faster. My pace improved accordingly. As fas as the actual distance of 2.4 miles...I was on target based on know landmarks.

Running today was tough but I enjoyed a tough workout. Worked up quite a sweat in 19f weather. I hope the snow melts a bit and the roads widen so I can really start marathon training for the fall.

Land of Confusion

2011-02-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

With yet another storm hampering any effort to get out, I find more time to scan the web for news and interesting blogs. Issues of the day like Obamacare found unconstitutional, Egyt in turmoil, horrible winter storms apparently caused by global warming have made for interesting reading. The post below is particularly entertaining......

Harry Reid confronted: This post on the Berkshire Blog is about Harry Reid being questioned by a republican in a grocery store. This citizen wanted Harry to explain why he wouldn't allow the Obamacare repeal to come up for a vote in the senate. The resulting verbal flogging must have been amusing to watch. But it did show how those in power assume they don't have to answer to "little people".

Interesting video

2011-01-28T21:27:00.000-05:00

I came across this on the NYCRR site. Video titled A Runner's High representation of a runner seeking to experience the "runners high". Fascinating stuff.

Snow, snow, and more snow

2011-01-28T20:10:00.000-05:00

The weather this week has been unbelievable. Once again today its snowing. It was snowing in State College PA, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and now back home. What's disturbing is I was just getting into running and looking for more "road time". Instead I've been challenged to find good road conditions or a precipitation free day. The result is shorter and less productive runs. My plan to run a half marathon is now in jeopardy because of little training. I've even resorted to the treadmill twice which I totally dislike.

The good news I'm getting consistent running during the week and staying in shape. Hopefully the coming weeks will be better with higher temps and ice free roads.

Another 7 mile run and building confidence

2011-01-22T15:09:00.000-05:00

It was another cold(9F) run this morning. Ran the usual route around Burlington -Bristol with an actual run distance of 7 miles. Felt good. That makes three long runs in as many weeks. I'm confident I can run the New Bedford Half Marathon in March. If I can do 7 miles now I should be able to work up to 10 miles easily. I need to track my progress effectively. What I need is a GPS monitor for accurate tracking of my distances, pace, and times. Kind of pricey buit will look around for a deal. Sure would help the training efforts as I work towards the NYC Marathon in November.

The arrival of spring couldn't come too soon as running in the snow covered streets has become very difficult. The sidewalks are partially cleared or if plowed they have a layer of crusty snow. Running on them creates problems with slipping or twisting ankles. It also slows down my pace when dodging ice balls and snow ruts. Springtime will allow me to focus more on running technique and distance. The streets should become clearer in February when the sun gains strength and the days become longer. Until then I'm just continuing a routine where I do a 2-3 miler every other day and a long run on the weekend.
Note the photo on the right.....that's at the end of a run when the temp is in single digits. If you look closely there are ice crystals on my shoulders and hat. Underneath I'm sweating like crazy. Makes it more cold but still signs pof a good workout.

Repeal of the Healthcare Bill

2011-01-20T22:52:00.001-05:00

The vote was important. Even though repeal will be difficult, it is important to show Americans there is truth in their words. That vote provided republicans an opportunity to show that can deliver on promises. Americans are watching to see if it's "business as usual" or is this new congress different. Republicans need to turn the country around and build support for future elections. They have heard from the voters about smaller government and more freedom. The news media and people on the left are characterizing this vote as purely symbolic. Credibility was at stake and they had to act quick and exactly as their supporters wished. They did and it had an impact regardless of what pundits and news media are saying. I'm encouraged with this vote because it shows the republicans "get it". Time will tell if they stay true to the voters. I'm optomistic they will.

Understanding my running technique

2011-01-13T20:47:00.003-05:00

The big storm threw off my exercise routine this week. I skipped a day because of the weather conditions but last night I had to drive to Philadelphia. This morning I took advantage of the favorable conditions around the hotel for a run. At 5:11AM I took to the streets. As usual I had dressed in multiple layers of clothing to be warm in the 19 degree weather. I started my run which is always a challenge at first. My legs are sluggish for a while until loosened up even though I stretch. Its now apparent that for the first two miles my body fights to quit. I have to motivate myself to go on because after two miles it becomes easy and comfortable. Today was no different. As I neared the two mile point the body started to synchronize. Breathing became easier and my legs worked flawlessly. Not sure what the biological reason is for this but it is noticeable. Now I know that if I push and remain focused on those first two miles any distance is possible. My seven miler last week was the same. At seven miles I could have easily gone farther.

Still running at a ten minute pace which is OK but I must work towards a steady sub-ten pace. If I expect to do well in a marathon I have to get to sub 9:30. When the warm weather starts I can work harder on fine tuning my runs.

Crazy Talk and using tragedy to advance an agenda

2011-01-11T23:08:00.005-05:00

It's amazing to watch the frenzied left continue to try to blame Loughner's rampage of conservative talk or TV. More information comes out daily to demonstrate the shooter was a sick individual who needed professional help. In fact there is virtually no information indicating any political leanings at all.

Liberals pointing at Limbaugh, Hannity, Palin, etc need to examine their own. Many of the left have used very strong words and incendiary speech when criticizing Republicans and conservatives. The fact that news media has focused on blaming conservatives shows they want to score ratings points and please other Liberals more than be honest journalists. Americans can clearly see this and do not buy in to the rhetoric. In some ways this will backfire on liberals by showing their true colors. Rational Americans know that sane people don't kill others based on words from a talk show host or political figure. If they do there are far more serious psychological issues to be dealt with.

I hope the ugly blame game ends and people learn that it is important to identify those who need help....and get them the help before they act out. Jared Loughner was a time bomb waiting to explode and everyone stood by and watched.

Great run this morning

2011-01-09T09:48:00.003-05:00

I was planning on doing at least 5 miles. Even though a fresh snow coated the road and it was 20F outside I was determined to have a good run. As I got to the two mile point everything felt good so I kept going on my long route down Stafford Avenue. Each mile was more encouraging as I continued to feel great with no desire to stop. Eventually I ended at 7 miles even though I could have gone longer. My three layers of shirts and sweat shirts was soaked through with sweat. I felt encouraged I can do the NYC Marathon. It certainly encourages me to keep going with a regular training program.

I'll get real serious about the Marathon once the summer is near. Until March I want to keep with 2-3 miles a few times a week and long runs on the weekend. If I can do 7 miles in snow and cold I should easily be doing 8 miles by June in the nice weather.

Rep Giffords Shooting

2011-01-08T19:37:00.002-05:00

Arizona Congresswoman Giffords......
Another disturbed person has unleashed their fury on innocent people. U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and many bystanders have been shot. And for what? Apparently a person with a deranged mind who needed to act on strange beliefs. Too early to tell but the person caught and charged as the attacker has Myspace and Youtube postings indicating that their mind was in a different world than ours. Unfortunately its bound to happen in a free society and is the price we all risk to enjoy that freedom.

The blogosphere is out of control. Many posts are people offering condolences and prayer. But many political bloggers have taken advantage of this to promote their sick agendas. Bloggers have blamed "the left". "the right", "conservative radio", "Palin", "racists", and "illegal aliens". People need to calm down and think before they post. In three weeks if they re-read their posts they will be embarrassed.

I don't agree with liberals but will not use a tragedy to promote my beliefs. And to try to blame either side so early after the events is inappropriate because we don'tr know the motives and it fuels more anger. I hope the motives do come out soon and we all learn. Could this have been prevented? Is it possible to set a rule or policy in place for saftey after learning the facts? Maybe so....but now is the time all must keep a level head and not start throwing the blame around.

November 6, 2011

2011-01-08T18:35:00.004-05:00

11/6/2011...The New York City Marathon. Since I have started running again, I'm seriously thinking of entering. That will be my second marathon as I ran the 1983 Ocean State Marathon in Rhode Island. Can I do it again? Currently I'm running every other day, usually 2-3 miles comfortably. On weekends I do a 5 mile run easily. It's tough in the winter with icy roads and snow so right now its to keep in basic shape. As spring approaches and the weather improves I will begin a formal training program to get in shape for the marathon. There are good half marathons, 5ks, etc all through the summer so I can test my endurance. Finishing a marathon in a respectable time(4-5 hours) at 57 years old will be a significant accomplishment. I'm in better shape and have a better attitude than when I trained for the Ocean State. I feel very confident I can do it.

Time will tell and if I'm not doing an 8 miler by June then I'll give up.

It's snowing again

2011-01-07T20:26:00.003-05:00

The second big snowstorm of the year is upon us. I flew back early from DC today in order to beat it in. As my plane descended through the clouds I was pleasantly surprised to see the snow hadn't started. This evening it did come down and as of 8PM we had about 4".

I'm getting caught up on the news of the day. The republican majority in the house continues to thrill me. I hope they take advantage of that majority and turn around some bad policies/laws that have been put into place in recent years. Time will tell. It certainly is entertaining to watch.