tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45865458912302772192024-03-05T06:27:13.956-05:00A Running ListSome thoughts and stories about my running experiencesBillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-34255024511031114442020-12-28T10:45:00.001-05:002021-02-12T15:20:34.560-05:00Running a marathon with my son <p> </p><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Running a marathon with my son, great success!</h1><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What a gift!</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2020 presented us all with some real disruptions and challenges.
Who knew the full extent they would take. When we were still in the early
stages of the pandemic, we all still thought there was a chance things would
return to normal quickly. In June, my fathers’ day gift from my son was an offer to run
a full marathon with me and to do it at the Marine Corps Marathon in October.
Wow! I was already registered for the event and this was to be my 9<sup>th</sup>
full marathon; 7<sup>th</sup> MCM. This was to be Jim’s first full marathon –
and he was not even registered yet!<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Some quick maneuvering and a whole lot of uncertainty</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First things first, whether or not live events were going to
happen in 2020, we needed to investigate ways to get Jim registered into the
already sold-out event. The entry lottery for the Marine Corps Marathon had
already happened in March and all of those slots were filled. The only
remaining option would be to get into a sponsored/fund-raising slot or, to wait
until later in the summer when the event allows for slots to be transferred from
folks who decide they will not run. And considering the growing complications of the pandemic, indications were that transfers would not happen this year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV44AGL2diSYHKc4wVwHBe3uzfArLFEYrpDSgPQzMnZyvO0LbdRdrVfXMeZ1P2__BpDqkJN0aCIl2AgR6QIKSGCCco5Yxg26Lp0eCfoTF0qV9Kpq7O1w6GUASwn_cHslx2OpDYaJu4tU4/s652/TMF1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="652" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV44AGL2diSYHKc4wVwHBe3uzfArLFEYrpDSgPQzMnZyvO0LbdRdrVfXMeZ1P2__BpDqkJN0aCIl2AgR6QIKSGCCco5Yxg26Lp0eCfoTF0qV9Kpq7O1w6GUASwn_cHslx2OpDYaJu4tU4/w200-h194/TMF1.PNG" width="200" /></a></div>There are many groups and organizations that hold blocks of
registration slots to be used by folks who commit to fund-raising to support
these organizations’ causes. I began to investigate some of the groups that I knew
about and I quickly focused on The <a href="https://www.travismanion.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Travis Manion Foundation</span></a>. <br /> I was already a
member of their group having run in their 9/11 Heroes Run a few times with a
local NJ chapter. Their process for MCM fund-raising application was very
straightforward and Jim and I discussed it, and he agreed with the spirit of their fund-raising cause. Through many of his great friends and colleagues and some support from his employer he was able to raise the funding and we were off and running.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What exactly is a virtual marathon?</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBfGyo6VzENwXocXawnRvRYea0JfdXn3SSZg1gHlEfkm4RbYaYWmW6QwGMy0M5uQ6OOdFQzXEzZuAfgq3ioWH9VN3nEfDJhM6YyK3xRZZCPg1bw0vy-zzpl6nTbgU0QSSOrt2zit0y7k/s747/MCM+mail+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="747" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBfGyo6VzENwXocXawnRvRYea0JfdXn3SSZg1gHlEfkm4RbYaYWmW6QwGMy0M5uQ6OOdFQzXEzZuAfgq3ioWH9VN3nEfDJhM6YyK3xRZZCPg1bw0vy-zzpl6nTbgU0QSSOrt2zit0y7k/s320/MCM+mail+2.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">As the pandemic continued to unfold we all experienced
changes and modifications to the order of things. Public events were beginning
to be threatened or cancelled as the summertime took on a completely different
form. Summer events soon became cancelled. With so many running events scheduled
for the autumn season, we saw daily updates and guesses and projections for
whether events would be held or not. To their credit, the Marine Corps Marathon
organization was very straightforward and transparent in their communication and
we soon began to give serious consideration to running the race virtually.
Simply put, you maintain your registration for the event, you wear your race
bib and run the full 26.2 miles anywhere, log your time and get your finisher swag.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Of course this removes the real excitement and experience of
running the event – and that was enough to drive many runners to defer
their registration to 2021. For those of us who chose the virtual option for 2020, we
also had the option to reserve our registration for the live event in 2021. This
is the option that Jim and I chose so bottom line, I would actually get to run
two marathons with Jim; the virtual 2020 race and then the live 2021 event in
Washington DC. Great success!</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Training together, now this is getting good!</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyjykaE-20HSmZL6UgQkSvvyRLXR6nUwsKWd1kF9iG7j-JFmMF6NCvLXYKvcHjKQmVTxBaXeq1ba5PaSNbv1i-m07oD_GFHEgK1fcNr6LXKz7lOcTDZJIq6E6QTQ0qIqapkoBuBtGXX8/s600/Jim+XC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyjykaE-20HSmZL6UgQkSvvyRLXR6nUwsKWd1kF9iG7j-JFmMF6NCvLXYKvcHjKQmVTxBaXeq1ba5PaSNbv1i-m07oD_GFHEgK1fcNr6LXKz7lOcTDZJIq6E6QTQ0qIqapkoBuBtGXX8/w150-h200/Jim+XC.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cross country<br />league champs</td></tr></tbody></table>This was going to be Jim’s first full marathon. He had run a
few half marathons very successfully and he maintains pretty active mileage
throughout the year in his own running and as coach to his middle school cross
country and track teams. But stepping up to a full marathon is serious business
and he was open to the number one rule; pick a plan and commit to it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Aligning our training became the next challenge. Ultimately
we agreed to run our weekly long runs together at a common pace. I already knew
my marathon pace time and it was a bit slower than Jim’s half marathon pace but
that worked out OK. He needed to slow his pace down to adjust for the double
distance of a full marathon - increasing from 13.1 miles to 26.2 miles is a substantial jump -- and matching my training pace on our long runs worked.<o:p></o:p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Spending time together</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Part of Jim’s original plan to run a marathon with me was to
share the experience together. And of course, that ultimately means the race
day event itself. But that is just the tip of the marathon iceberg. The time
spent training and especially the weekend long runs amount to a lot more time
than the race event itself. For example, for this race, we each ran approximately 575 miles from June through October and over 300 of those miles were on our weekly long runs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrvpyy7KwbNWbJr-EGk1JQeH7ZP0YNPyzNgRS75aqUpSNmmBgDGE3hynQkj5k-7F-SudLabZAdsGmyNMtgSop9uhaPed8k5eB5-1ppsq1dv79zw3kTRz1nyyoeOfIUUjpf5GuZEJ2614/s1065/Table+3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="1065" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrvpyy7KwbNWbJr-EGk1JQeH7ZP0YNPyzNgRS75aqUpSNmmBgDGE3hynQkj5k-7F-SudLabZAdsGmyNMtgSop9uhaPed8k5eB5-1ppsq1dv79zw3kTRz1nyyoeOfIUUjpf5GuZEJ2614/w470-h164/Table+3.PNG" width="470" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Having done most of my previous marathon training alone, I have
developed a comfortable cadence of audio options like podcasts, audio books and
music but this year would be different. They say that most of the miles on the
weekly long run should be run at “conversational pace” meaning you are not
huffing and puffing along. We would each play our audio but I soon noticed that
I kept my earbud out of 1 ear and playing very low in the other. We had long
conversations that ranged from history to family to comedy to cooking to politics -- it is an election year after all -- and
everything in between. Made the time go by. I won’t say “quickly” because these
runs still get longer and longer. Certainly more enjoyable though.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFgMGHziJzkonmf9zlclhITl4DcxP_heqmmYwSMLZOxu6O9AfwPg1hLbfHf1lvyw6ViPLJp1ARY4rNvLHkqn9TLDFzPRKt7Jl6dBc-MDFxbrrPMF4vq_o79QDWFieRxoqc5vNsDkURRg/s1080/Heat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFgMGHziJzkonmf9zlclhITl4DcxP_heqmmYwSMLZOxu6O9AfwPg1hLbfHf1lvyw6ViPLJp1ARY4rNvLHkqn9TLDFzPRKt7Jl6dBc-MDFxbrrPMF4vq_o79QDWFieRxoqc5vNsDkURRg/w150-h200/Heat1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would use a few hats<br />on our long runs</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Hot fun in the summertime</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I have written about before, training for an autumn race
in the US east coast means the majority of the 20-week training program is
during July, August and September. We began to set our start time for our
Saturday long runs earlier and earlier in order to get a jump on the heat and
humidity. Nutrition, fueling and hydration play a significant role in the
training program and to start an early morning run requires an even earlier
start on breakfast fueling and other assorted bodily functions. <br /><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Where shall we run this virtual race?</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We had lots of talks about this and we considered things
like family support, folks cheering us on, stretches of road in somewhat safe
places, etc. On one of our Saturday training runs we bumped into some folks who
run with Team RWB; Red White and Blue (<a href="http://teamrwb.org">teamrwb.org</a>). This is a great
organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by
connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. I was
very familiar with Team RWB as I always run events in affiliation with the Wear
Blue, Run to Remember organization (<a href="http://wearblueruntoremember.org">wearblueruntoremember.org</a>). These
organizations are philosophically aligned to similar purposes We mentioned to
these folks that we were training to run MCM virtual and they said they were
doing same and that they already had a course plan – would we like to join
them! From there, it all fell into place. We coordinated with the great Central
Jersey chapter of Team RWB and their race course along the NJ shore line.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwH5ncr5AzW0p4B62slINFsiIQO1MTs9xGXXFlxWMjbo5cqCVEz4wOad3kVrJa-OIa8-xZ4fxOl19bNpw0HLPjACggnXplhjKcY3zLPAoes3xA5R-9pSTYkztvUseeNmtzCzUzTCXCuQ/s624/course+1.PNG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwH5ncr5AzW0p4B62slINFsiIQO1MTs9xGXXFlxWMjbo5cqCVEz4wOad3kVrJa-OIa8-xZ4fxOl19bNpw0HLPjACggnXplhjKcY3zLPAoes3xA5R-9pSTYkztvUseeNmtzCzUzTCXCuQ/s320/course+1.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Logistics and family support, how about a motorcade!</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This virtual event did not have the usual crowd support and
fanfare in Washington DC but hey, much easier for family and friends to attend
and support us since we are local in NJ. Call it serendipity, Jess and Joe were
already planning their relocation back to NJ and they had located an AirBnB
house to rent while they went house-hunting. The AirBnB in Highlands NJ was
a stone’s throw away from the start point of the Team RWB course on Sandy Hook.
So, Jim and Alyse (and Wednesday) and I stayed there overnight on Saturday
October 24 to make an early start on Sandy Hook at 06:00 Sunday morning the 25<sup>th</sup>. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRfsQDwhZX63Y414_Ukqu52lgKtxgpUY6dv2hZGFFPrKrWhr1i0JbleMpFvOW-LJvi6pbn8HrG8nngR_fzL5Z2rWbhgulaq6Qr-AMYp9sd8B8Jscd61pJIv-3Y3Hx6K0P6pop1GJ1b_M/s1674/123617922_774100499805362_5170270298302279402_n.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1674" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRfsQDwhZX63Y414_Ukqu52lgKtxgpUY6dv2hZGFFPrKrWhr1i0JbleMpFvOW-LJvi6pbn8HrG8nngR_fzL5Z2rWbhgulaq6Qr-AMYp9sd8B8Jscd61pJIv-3Y3Hx6K0P6pop1GJ1b_M/w400-h266/123617922_774100499805362_5170270298302279402_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">06:00 on race day</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Team RWB folks have some members who affiliate with the
NJ chapter of the Rolling Thunder organization. Rolling Thunder’s mission supports
the POW-MIA issue. They are not a motorcycle club – although they do have an
active group of their members who ride. A few of their members graciously agreed
to provide us with some road support for the event and what a treat and benefit
that was. Of the 8 runners that morning, we broke into 3 separate pace groups
and one rider stayed with each of the groups for the entire 26.2 miles. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEbfjcTvmdQTCvuANFv60_su7Yble3pi7oeIr3oQWm0xQp4u3rIBmxdn9bXVeC0OPTVSlRDiY6QKnVkxWnoIQoiSRSqkbI2NlYxHLlVrBzt29K3FCVADewjjebdwhrmzfEViRbFU8H0E/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2020-10-25+at+12.59.58+PM.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEbfjcTvmdQTCvuANFv60_su7Yble3pi7oeIr3oQWm0xQp4u3rIBmxdn9bXVeC0OPTVSlRDiY6QKnVkxWnoIQoiSRSqkbI2NlYxHLlVrBzt29K3FCVADewjjebdwhrmzfEViRbFU8H0E/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2020-10-25+at+12.59.58+PM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Since Alyse stayed with us in Highlands, she took the first water support at mile 8 while Jess and Joe and Bonnie (and Nala) would be driving down from our house so they took the mile 16 water stop. <p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The run itself</span></h3><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I won’t go through a full recap but I will point out a few
highlights. The weather we really great for the run. We started out in the dark
at 06:25 with temperatures a chilly 45 degrees and breezy. We had trained a bit
on this course and we expected the onshore breezes to be at our back most of
the way. It was a beautiful morning vista running south on Sandy Hook as the sun rose in the East over New York City. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Jim and I had trained with and carried hand-held water and our Tailwind nutrition powder and we had
coordinated with family to provide water support every 8 miles. Right on
schedule, we promptly found Alyse at the mile 8 marker at 08:00. We were
warmed up but Alyse was freezing and kept Wednesday in the car – it was a bit
chilly for her. We thanked Alyse and continued along expecting to see Jess and
Joe and Bonnie for the next water support stop at mile 16. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The course came off the Sandy Hook peninsula and along the towns
of Sea Bright, Monmouth Beach and Long Branch along Route 36. We were able to
bounce out to the boardwalk from Long Branch to Deal and Asbury Park and then our motorcade support would meet us back along Route 36. At mile 16, right on schedule, Jess and Joe and Bonnie and Nala were there with water, a hug and a cheer. Alyse had also caught up to them so
we had the whole group to pump us up for a couple of minutes as we refilled our bottles and then we went back on our way. We
headed back to the boardwalk and stayed there along the coast toward Spring
Lake.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">More evidence of the great running community</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We saw other runners doing a virtual New York City Marathon that day – lots of high-fives along the way. At one point as we were beginning mile 19
along the boardwalk near Belmar a woman was running toward us and asked about
our bibs. We said we were at mile 19 for MCM and she promptly turned around and
offered to do a mile with us. What a nice gesture and a motivation boost. She
told us that she had been registered to run the Berlin Marathon and it was
cancelled. Lots of good runner geek talk between us and that mile went by quickly
and she left us at mile 20 and she said; “… just 10k left.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We got a bit turned around with the race course mapping at
mile 23 but we did sync with family, told them we were OK for water (thanks to
the Rolling Thunder guys who had some bottles) and we would meet them at the
finish line.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">He is a bit younger after all</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we straightened out our course confusion and got back on
track I told Jim – “if you have it in you, go ahead at your own pace to finish”.
We had discussed this throughout our training and although we agreed it made
sense to run together – we always considered that one of us may lag behind or
go out ahead. For those final 2 miles Jim gained a few hundred yards on me and
crossed the finish line where family and friends were all lined up and cheering
and placing the MCM medal around his neck. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxOK5NSAdZS7cYUk2BbWF2wEr8Db2MGvkydNjV2AOZcCy7KjJGhNa2L55XSa6Q2iBcIbiF6-kyJsLygwhFmaA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">I came along promptly after and they
repeated the celebration for me too. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwdj9fcG2eS7TXqy8H7Gy1O-wpZlkw7xAzlvwJIrcbLudo16v0ZXf4yNz9uIZxA_G82duLOomYJkeur1igXHw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">We took lots of pictures and the Team RWB folks also had a friend take some too.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirli3cVSVN_DynxfjXKdKRbG3lAqKQxui2YfoMqmzN2CJOHHYlbw02jAvHe3FOTgh_PQvYJcn8hsijp1RpvJPgIsF9QI1Jx34JRXuplfd_5ldmRS10D4t-Jj3EE-_MCIwrlMBqdAa6yLc/s1086/123630727_366684481274346_3724298566781847181_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1086" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirli3cVSVN_DynxfjXKdKRbG3lAqKQxui2YfoMqmzN2CJOHHYlbw02jAvHe3FOTgh_PQvYJcn8hsijp1RpvJPgIsF9QI1Jx34JRXuplfd_5ldmRS10D4t-Jj3EE-_MCIwrlMBqdAa6yLc/w320-h213/123630727_366684481274346_3724298566781847181_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was in my 50's when I saw my first marathon. <br />Sisi got to see her first and she was not even 4 yet!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKcopnyYKq8NDu5ocSs_05hzv9ZMgqdOkpLC8-7NZOULvmukS1Joz67iZ11OZ6eWU3a3YfqY5jCb4YH6Sge0X8z8YgJi9v2LD2PN6lU83FNdZTpS_zmj0hYVY7PDvswURydGwyBp9PUE/s1086/123823942_828820921216275_4679340683355776827_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1086" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKcopnyYKq8NDu5ocSs_05hzv9ZMgqdOkpLC8-7NZOULvmukS1Joz67iZ11OZ6eWU3a3YfqY5jCb4YH6Sge0X8z8YgJi9v2LD2PN6lU83FNdZTpS_zmj0hYVY7PDvswURydGwyBp9PUE/s320/123823942_828820921216275_4679340683355776827_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bon's been at every one -- sometimes it's warm, sometimes it's raining, sometimes it's cold. But she is always there!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW92Gd_8za03AVr8lM67pEYhxfyI9R8Xe0m1LIs7hOcoYjvCc39nH7XMkJxQSktMRp7B5coTZ1sdSgtp2eD_ulM8NwDljVHOubK_DF02oStETJ_E70HgQ-CWpVkjR_yAnHkh9tdXNFm-k/s1086/123655110_3739852649400912_7637118830251554172_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1086" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW92Gd_8za03AVr8lM67pEYhxfyI9R8Xe0m1LIs7hOcoYjvCc39nH7XMkJxQSktMRp7B5coTZ1sdSgtp2eD_ulM8NwDljVHOubK_DF02oStETJ_E70HgQ-CWpVkjR_yAnHkh9tdXNFm-k/w400-h266/123655110_3739852649400912_7637118830251554172_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole group. You guys made the finish line <br />very meaningful, thanks for supporting us!</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzau3HEM22MLy2IYubajNWZKFPWTL2RRCyNJ9Cz_PnJayLAfFUoFrG82utjNFVYMku3T4nR60gG8sPcYcehPEA_UkTUKcemCwcvCdNysaMH4lskWSqg_K-oVn_BNUWshcxNPc8SMT7RT8/s1086/123764859_403197387503244_137916401918472292_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1086" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzau3HEM22MLy2IYubajNWZKFPWTL2RRCyNJ9Cz_PnJayLAfFUoFrG82utjNFVYMku3T4nR60gG8sPcYcehPEA_UkTUKcemCwcvCdNysaMH4lskWSqg_K-oVn_BNUWshcxNPc8SMT7RT8/w400-h266/123764859_403197387503244_137916401918472292_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MCM #7 in blue <br />(www.wearblueruntoremember.org)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">We all retreated back to the nearby AirBnB
for a big pizza lunch. There was some more running -- some spectators were still motivated to get their own miles in for the day.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyURg9Bhhjaok8XQDu0RiXX-bbHtQHHwwsErwlmKJ5ZziWpKWkdUR8rYomgkomNT0T9FYe7Mxi0HpRhiVGTvA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Nice swag</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1-EzdILF9KEtOcERWKdBbCGAfSUJHBnqG5arfEpB9p_rZKt2FF_vkCqQ_gl5xwlsBbSHYliFsHA-VvCalG-XK5i6i4RK62tqmQha_HXwbrxRh0bA6CiW8FMj9vLsl7dK3Sm3bKPXn_c/s1080/medal+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1-EzdILF9KEtOcERWKdBbCGAfSUJHBnqG5arfEpB9p_rZKt2FF_vkCqQ_gl5xwlsBbSHYliFsHA-VvCalG-XK5i6i4RK62tqmQha_HXwbrxRh0bA6CiW8FMj9vLsl7dK3Sm3bKPXn_c/w227-h302/medal+2.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>This year commemorated the 75th anniversary of the US Marines landing on Iwo Jima and the 45th running of the MCM.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil85Uj7hXZ4IxbUzCgW4glGqQzDyw9qJywQHZsTMHPei_8QjI8JoxyjLLtPGQazDQM6ZbqI4mIvcczBP9VRIF_Mwj1tEJTYm1NesxotQzybwOM_MlIupv9PyXOCFmyW7bK3B9DBlEkr3Y/s1080/medal+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil85Uj7hXZ4IxbUzCgW4glGqQzDyw9qJywQHZsTMHPei_8QjI8JoxyjLLtPGQazDQM6ZbqI4mIvcczBP9VRIF_Mwj1tEJTYm1NesxotQzybwOM_MlIupv9PyXOCFmyW7bK3B9DBlEkr3Y/w228-h304/medal+1.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2020 was the 45th annual Marine Corps Marathon</td></tr></tbody></table>As a special gesture, this year's finisher medal has actual sand granules from Iwo Jima beach enclosed:<p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrZK7dXiZEoVlRDJ7dNNbGpLiT36YfxaN7-T2ZqHo76f5PhXk9kK27oGD9OfcYPnkoZCQK85cp-rFttSsTTqLiRRZN2NccYK9ve3E6UJ72Gcbqcd9CeSVOb2y0hWyg9Kvh-LmydTeio0/s1024/Swag1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrZK7dXiZEoVlRDJ7dNNbGpLiT36YfxaN7-T2ZqHo76f5PhXk9kK27oGD9OfcYPnkoZCQK85cp-rFttSsTTqLiRRZN2NccYK9ve3E6UJ72Gcbqcd9CeSVOb2y0hWyg9Kvh-LmydTeio0/s320/Swag1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great time was had by all</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Summary thoughts</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was surely different to do this virtual event. Had it not
been for Jim joining along through the training and the event, I’m not sure how
I would have done it alone this year. Similarly, it was an amazing accomplishment
for him – to stick with and do this event without the normal fanfare on race
day to provide that inspiration and motivation. We will stay active and then begin
our training for the 2021 live event sometime next summer. I just can’t wait to
do the full DC trip and for Jim to get the full marathon experience; to watch the MV-22 Osprey flyover, to cross under the start line archway after the howitzers signal the start, to feel the solemn honor through The Blue Mile, to get that extra boost of adrenaline running through the national mall through the 20 mile marker -- only 10k left -- and then to have
a US Marine place that medal around his neck at the finish line.<o:p></o:p></p>Thanks for reading and as always, visit some of these links for more information:<div><a href="https://www.marinemarathon.com/" target="_blank">Marine Corps Marathon</a></div><div><a href="https://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/" target="_blank">Wear Blue Run To Remember</a></div><div><a href="https://www.teamrwb.org/" target="_blank">Team RWB</a></div><div><a href="https://www.travismanion.org/" target="_blank">Travis Manion Foundation</a><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.rollingthunder-nj2.org/" target="_blank">Rolling Thunder</a><br /></div>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-21843375209147407772018-08-16T10:14:00.001-04:002018-08-16T10:14:24.159-04:00New Jersey State Triathlon, July 21, 2018<h2>
Let's "tri" something new!</h2>
<h3>
How do I get myself into these things?</h3>
Well, it makes sense. As I've continued my training for marathons I have been adding more cross training into my regimen and swimming was the first. Great cardio without the pounding that drives our knees and ankles and hips crazy. We belong to a fitness club with great swim facilities (both indoor and outdoor) and they are really great about keeping swim lanes available at all times. All I had to do was just get in there and get started .... easy!<br />
<br />
<h3>
But who took swim lessons as a kid? Not me!!</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNwGsN6k4WzuRVdSDybQvMTAxaFGrA8YvVjLzIqJxr4X1lRkQicbYN2V_4oDcmwia4akLU-2JFhEl4yU9lH8-4kHLIMloz3PmFEouR8Uowh-mUfoJbmRY2tqlX7Lswf5CGKDuwWygxmM/s1600/babypool1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="400" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNwGsN6k4WzuRVdSDybQvMTAxaFGrA8YvVjLzIqJxr4X1lRkQicbYN2V_4oDcmwia4akLU-2JFhEl4yU9lH8-4kHLIMloz3PmFEouR8Uowh-mUfoJbmRY2tqlX7Lswf5CGKDuwWygxmM/s200/babypool1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Good thing our kids did and good thing that I assimilate new sports well because I had some learning to do. Until you master proper breathing within your swim strokes, you can't swim any kind of distance. And if you are going to leverage swimming for aerobic training, you need to add some real distance. Unlike running and other aerobic activities though, there are natural fight/flight reflexes when it comes to sticking your face in the water, not being able to touch the bottom, and sinking that spike your adrenaline which in turn saps your oxygen and the nasty spiral begins. I could remember the feeling, "why can I run for 3+ hours without feeling winded but I cannot swim more than 2 pool lengths".<br />
<br />
With a lot of reading and watching swimming videos I slowly got the hang of things enough that I could do 5+ laps at a time, rest a bit and repeat. Within a half hour I could get some marginal aerobic conditioning.<br />
<br />
I had decided to do 2 full marathons in 2017, first the San Francisco Marathon in July and then the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC in October. I had mostly been doing only 1 full marathon per year combined with numerous half marathons and random smaller events but I had done 2 full marathons back in 2014 so I knew the wear and tear of that amount of training. Once I got some confidence with the swimming during the winter I was able to add in some laps each week to supplement my marathon training.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Well, you're 2/3s there now and everyone can ride a bike!</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTwhYlgBfWgLiaWfQ5Yw7Rjc-evd0I9P__aUyllN7mxLhh-W3ZVQonFzEcNz7LfNDA6xBD6RXzwpE_RjgxvYleOgHfnAV9mq2Acn3pLnrc6ZCdpY29GMYOlh7_hp0UorkAzeQbYytPzY/s1600/bike-crash.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="195" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTwhYlgBfWgLiaWfQ5Yw7Rjc-evd0I9P__aUyllN7mxLhh-W3ZVQonFzEcNz7LfNDA6xBD6RXzwpE_RjgxvYleOgHfnAV9mq2Acn3pLnrc6ZCdpY29GMYOlh7_hp0UorkAzeQbYytPzY/s200/bike-crash.gif" width="196" /></a>As I've written many times previously, I find the running community to be some really great people. And also, the kind of people who can challenge us to be our best. I began to talk with one of the guys that I saw in the pool frequently -- this guy could really swim and I wanted to pick his brain. He's one of these people who appears to have zero resistance against the water, he seems to just cut through like a warm knife through butter. Great technique and that's how you can rack up the laps and get real good aerobic benefit. He is also a runner and -- wouldn't you guess -- a triathlete. Same welcoming manner, same openness to help me and make me feel comfortable.<br />
<br />
When we discussed what each of our planned events were for 2017, I mentioned that I wanted to use swimming to supplement my marathon training. Which he fully understood and reinforced as a good plan. When he shared his planned events he included a few triathlons across the 2017 calendar and he just winked and said, "hey, you're 2/3s there now and everyone can ride a bike..."! "Arggg" I said, "no way"!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Who knew; triathlons come in different distances!</h3>
I kind of knew this but not the details. I think back to when I first began running 5Ks and I thought how daunting and unattainable a full marathon would ever be. Well, when it comes to triathlons, I simply put that one out of my head. Ain't no way! Images of IronMan events on TV and 9-hour durations. Nope, not gonna do it!<br />
<br />
Until my new swimming buddy took time to read me in (duh on my part). Just like running events that come in common distances like 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles), full marathon (26.2 miles) and then ultra marathons of 35, 50 and 100 miles ... triathlons also come in a few well-defined distances like:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDoW4qbTcCcWDeMDWyJYM0hN-CeCLz3AOdttCgms7MP3CF3DyebTicmLhnjtT1kWqsYNyC0NPwKXBCTOy_u33_UpqaaYP54Jv4jD-XX2XFDVpcwYGt-6tpxHZGrf4wqUfYbtTBsaYNsU/s1600/tritimes1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="588" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDoW4qbTcCcWDeMDWyJYM0hN-CeCLz3AOdttCgms7MP3CF3DyebTicmLhnjtT1kWqsYNyC0NPwKXBCTOy_u33_UpqaaYP54Jv4jD-XX2XFDVpcwYGt-6tpxHZGrf4wqUfYbtTBsaYNsU/s400/tritimes1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Hmmm, so now that I can swim for aerobic cross training for marathons and since I swim 10+ laps at a time (250 yards), can I extend myself twice that length and be capable to do 500 yards?<br />
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
A few small details to consider...</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9xcSUFENiWfGar1C5uH1lUWauxS2iDSmrEjGG_caBGY6ETM_XN2GMSFSr11JorcCEenZyCeIgMZdWEyCEZ1ofn4oNO89UtAjdXSqOxhwI9LP-WTxZ19On3qjMhydbDCrZ3Ob9unUtjc/s1600/triathlon-group-swimming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="600" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9xcSUFENiWfGar1C5uH1lUWauxS2iDSmrEjGG_caBGY6ETM_XN2GMSFSr11JorcCEenZyCeIgMZdWEyCEZ1ofn4oNO89UtAjdXSqOxhwI9LP-WTxZ19On3qjMhydbDCrZ3Ob9unUtjc/s320/triathlon-group-swimming.jpg" width="320" /></a>Two small words: "open water". Hehe, just when you're feeling all proud and confident about swimming 10-15 laps in a nice indoor pool and thinking "hey, I can stretch this to 20 laps (500 yards)". That's when you read up on the concept of doing a triathlon in open water. As in, cannot touch the bottom, as in cannot really see through your goggles in the water -- no clear black stripe to follow down the center of that crystal clear pool water below. And the best one ... someone may kick you, elbow you or even grab you. Yep, open water swimming becomes a new challenge. So the best advice is to make sure you get the chance to train in some open water in order to get comfortable with these dynamics. More on that later...<br />
<br />
And one more 4-letter word: bike! Who has one? Who has ridden one in the last 25 years (aside from a stationary bike in the gym from time to time). So yeah, we have a few small details to deal with!<br />
<br />
<h3>
And then you learn about the 4th facet of triathlon (like swim and bike and run weren't enough)</h3>
When you switch from swimming to your bike and then again from your bike to running, they call this "transition" in triathlon-ese. Specifically T1 and T2. And the time it takes you to do your best Superman changing in a phone-booth routine counts toward your total event time. So getting in and out of T1 and T2 is a thing. And this can really range in time and takes its own bit of practice -- especially for a novice.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Just purchase entry to an event, then figure it all out</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOibK8idNdifCwkvQnJ4bdXsw94vKaNX4Q8sn4sFsTBI5mD0g2QKRedPboCbzJCexMWNpetPNWUY4c3I_qD-lmkSH2bM2YwsSg7nei7XYWYCLjzJ4nukdvHTgsUpnH_NLGG_vFp0opFM/s1600/Tri+register+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="608" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOibK8idNdifCwkvQnJ4bdXsw94vKaNX4Q8sn4sFsTBI5mD0g2QKRedPboCbzJCexMWNpetPNWUY4c3I_qD-lmkSH2bM2YwsSg7nei7XYWYCLjzJ4nukdvHTgsUpnH_NLGG_vFp0opFM/s320/Tri+register+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Having entered and completed enough running races I knew that buying an entry was the best way to lock myself in. For some added incentive, I have various work colleagues internationally who are triathletes and their supportive guidance was influential. I had some meetings in Lisbon first week in March and their stories about their experiences really pushed me over the top. With the advice of my pool swimming buddy and also checking with Ryan, my friend who got me into my first 5K a few years back, I selected the New Jersey State Triathlon. The event wasn't until July so I could now set a training plan.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Get back on the horse ... or bike</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_RgGQtZDqyOBwmWGWdqadOEu-ml3tesilQ6gO29ufZdQtw0iG4B9I5TEP5RHAisQ84izhC4yeb4OSGvM8Jw1Jl5twvw51Fs8lZqNGA7oWevGkHKu6Ca_TdJmooFQgD28avKw911PoaM/s1600/Bike+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_RgGQtZDqyOBwmWGWdqadOEu-ml3tesilQ6gO29ufZdQtw0iG4B9I5TEP5RHAisQ84izhC4yeb4OSGvM8Jw1Jl5twvw51Fs8lZqNGA7oWevGkHKu6Ca_TdJmooFQgD28avKw911PoaM/s320/Bike+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>The best advice is to go easy on purchasing a bike. This can become an extremely expensive purchase if you get caught up in all the bells and whistles. The best suggestion I got was to buy an intermediate level road bike and consider some small customizations to be more appropriate for triathlon. I got this bike in March and began to slowly incorporate some riding into my weekly training regimen as the weather got warmer.<br />
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<h3>
To clip or not to clip</h3>
As I quickly learned, feet slipping off the pedals as I began to push harder and pedal faster became annoying very quickly. Not to mention the wasted energy. So I quickly read up on those goofy bike shoes that "clip in" to special pedals because that keeps your feet locked-in. No more slipping off the pedals, full efficiency of energy, etc. And oh yeah, you fall down and go boom! Getting in -- and most importantly out -- of the pedals is a skill you'd better learn. Quickly! Because the first time you slow down and come to stop, you're going down! You cannot put your foot down to lean on until you "un-clip" from the pedal. Not a natural reflex at all. Just look on YouTube, there's lots of funny videos of cyclists learning and falling. Suffice to say, this was a priority.<br />
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<h3>
The event</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4UzMrGDqL3czDtwZTOlBj_-bV2fpI2zgIy5KKxcD4OlsfKnaoQzXftaKf5r2NszzfgyBSzg_Jj4hDK3SehiJTXr83Mn5IGb2tt5KjE7yvRHBjFIwE1ptgL60uPNQaPTf0GlTgwsBKz0/s1600/Lake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4UzMrGDqL3czDtwZTOlBj_-bV2fpI2zgIy5KKxcD4OlsfKnaoQzXftaKf5r2NszzfgyBSzg_Jj4hDK3SehiJTXr83Mn5IGb2tt5KjE7yvRHBjFIwE1ptgL60uPNQaPTf0GlTgwsBKz0/s320/Lake3.jpg" width="240" /></a>As I do in my running race reviews I will provide a brief review of the event here. Not too detailed but hopefully helpful for anyone else planning for their first triathlon.<br />
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The New Jersey State Triathlon is run by the folks at CGI racing. They also do the annual Rutgers Unite Half Marathon that I have done many times. They do a great job at Rutgers and as I expected, a phenomenal job with this triathlon. The event hosts both the Sprint and Olympic length races held on Saturday and Sunday respectively at the Mercer County Park in West Windsor NJ.<br />
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What a gorgeous venue, such a huge park and a beautifully cared for lake to host the swimming. The bike and run courses are flat and lend to really great times.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xVFxe0v1wgLng77QJyphE6bGOt0v1eliR-cgByVQ5Io_E4VwyS9k0un5gQ4vNyCiXlyt7Ilat7ueZZdNhIcCuOFsjnUCbSSHYd4jpvUet7nNXNxphmwOAuQ8SMf_hA6KmoQr6vKgIu8/s1600/Trans1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xVFxe0v1wgLng77QJyphE6bGOt0v1eliR-cgByVQ5Io_E4VwyS9k0un5gQ4vNyCiXlyt7Ilat7ueZZdNhIcCuOFsjnUCbSSHYd4jpvUet7nNXNxphmwOAuQ8SMf_hA6KmoQr6vKgIu8/s320/Trans1.jpg" width="240" /></a>The transition areas are well laid-out and roomy so you don't feel crowded among all the participants. On the left you can see the transition area on Friday, well laid out and all slots identified clearly. Very important to find your slot so that you can set your transition area on Saturday morning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_6LRXCIvVpmmp6Ta_s2ghutJWUsxm8GeA8zBAD2R8Sv3RN4ZZhKMRy6bZQno9JP5wN276EGaqGgOdtQrzfNCTS0MngGX3vU25OnOJl9K6u6M1PI5TfKJzHdFWFIDYrAK8YMUzR2YyhM/s1600/Trans2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_6LRXCIvVpmmp6Ta_s2ghutJWUsxm8GeA8zBAD2R8Sv3RN4ZZhKMRy6bZQno9JP5wN276EGaqGgOdtQrzfNCTS0MngGX3vU25OnOJl9K6u6M1PI5TfKJzHdFWFIDYrAK8YMUzR2YyhM/s320/Trans2.jpg" width="240" /></a>Next you can see how busy things get on Saturday morning with everyone setting up their transition areas. Notice these bike racks are ground-based and you slot your bike tire into the numbered groove. Many other events use standing bike racks -- just another technique. The bikes are racked in alternating directions to create space for us to set up. This event aligns the transition areas by the 5-year age groupings that will be used for the start waves. This way I got to meet some of the other old geezers like me in the morning to establish some camaraderie. I seem to be the first "triathlon virgin" in this area today so they all wish me luck. We will see each other as we line up to enter the lake and again during the transitions if our paces align.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlQVxmFJ6gVepV6lNGT0BRLtpUYNn0oHGtm6xdLf3f0hyphenhypheng51IfMR_yhim72C1G7lKcmyh6IfEPL0DBLfUHvxBphVV5wBD1jE8z2S3FTGUibIK_Qjwzzs76aUOj_9X4QxUvlq9HKNbhTM/s1600/Setup1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlQVxmFJ6gVepV6lNGT0BRLtpUYNn0oHGtm6xdLf3f0hyphenhypheng51IfMR_yhim72C1G7lKcmyh6IfEPL0DBLfUHvxBphVV5wBD1jE8z2S3FTGUibIK_Qjwzzs76aUOj_9X4QxUvlq9HKNbhTM/s320/Setup1.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
Next, a picture of my transition setup area with the numbered slot matching my race bib number 354. Everyone uses a small space on the ground near their bike for their setup. Things are all laid out in the order that you will use them; bike shoes, helmet, shades, etc. first and then running shoes, hat, etc. in the back. Best idea is to use an easily identifiable towel because in the heat of the event it's important not to waste time searching the small numbers for your slot. I kinda like my red, white and blue towel!!<br />
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<h3>
So how did it go? I loved it!</h3>
We were blessed with beautiful weather -- approximately 65 degrees for our 07:40 wave start and only heating up to about 80 degrees by the time we finished the run 90 minutes later. Swim waves went off every 5 minutes in groupings of some youngsters plus some oldsters. For example, my group was males 30-34 and 60-64.<br />
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Spoiler alert: no I did not have the opportunity to practice any open water swims during my training. So I was a bit anxious about that but otherwise I felt very comfortable in the swim. My strategy was to stay off to the side and let the crazies rush ahead in a big pack. Well, mine wasn't exactly a novel idea -- many others used the same technique. So "off to the side" became "in a pack" of its own real quickly. I was very disciplined to get into my regular freestyle stroke and began to forge ahead. I'm glad I have done so many large-scale running events that I was able to control the natural adrenaline rush so I didn't trash my wind. I kept it slow and steady and the yards slowly went by. By the time I did my first distance check we had already passed the 200 yard buoy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2w5srbensUEPBNskWFFp0OFtldrn_oFsNpe0_hSig2gzbX1FWWBBTTSaPjc-C99DL80voDOkqqQFCIUamwnxlcX9saAPy39d_ZvcC3uX87P90lOVSN2WzRuc0gO5hQKF8f2JXiU_ge0/s1600/water+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2w5srbensUEPBNskWFFp0OFtldrn_oFsNpe0_hSig2gzbX1FWWBBTTSaPjc-C99DL80voDOkqqQFCIUamwnxlcX9saAPy39d_ZvcC3uX87P90lOVSN2WzRuc0gO5hQKF8f2JXiU_ge0/s320/water+2.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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Every wave-group is given a color-coded swim cap so the guards and judges can identify us. Ironic the color choice for my group -- a nice skin-toned orange that blends in so nicely with my un-hair!<br />
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Jogging barefoot across that pebbled path to get to our bikes is a bit uncomfortable but we are quickly onto grass which is much softer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMY6S4qzKTsGGuZFAfAimISLg64tSo3gzNNMOZt_gW7kCRQPG-vUZqs6Zlc12eEQ58w3652cA7p-WQkQF6Je7ay7ISxGYD21-RmG8Cq05XZIbM64zAyG6rWQl5xQ62TR-UrD7f3r1Gf8/s1600/riding+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMY6S4qzKTsGGuZFAfAimISLg64tSo3gzNNMOZt_gW7kCRQPG-vUZqs6Zlc12eEQ58w3652cA7p-WQkQF6Je7ay7ISxGYD21-RmG8Cq05XZIbM64zAyG6rWQl5xQ62TR-UrD7f3r1Gf8/s320/riding+1.jpg" width="213" /></a>Just getting started on our bikes is a bit chilly as we are still wet. But we quickly dry off -- only to be replaced by sweat in about 10 minutes. During the 11-mile bike ride it was easy to get caught up in the adrenaline to really push. More elite riders come buzzing by throughout the course and it's human nature to try to mimic their pace. I was glad that I had followed advice to do some "brick runs" in my training where you ride for a while and then quickly get into your running shoes and run. A very odd feeling in your legs until your blood flow can smooth out after the effects of the the bike saddle and leg positions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Vh6z5_j6Uf2GZiKjiBzCiDcjqivqj45FaQRC0ORQ4gseykky4v_FvLM4CPSSi9rYPFe1KJPJUxzdK3cP_x-POcQwUjradJpWTCTGDtZJVm6DYp_4fwLz7VYM_ps6WyvjFQyKJ_p7omc/s1600/riding+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Vh6z5_j6Uf2GZiKjiBzCiDcjqivqj45FaQRC0ORQ4gseykky4v_FvLM4CPSSi9rYPFe1KJPJUxzdK3cP_x-POcQwUjradJpWTCTGDtZJVm6DYp_4fwLz7VYM_ps6WyvjFQyKJ_p7omc/s400/riding+2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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After the ride and my final transition I am finally back into my element running a 5K race. After my brick legs loosen up I quickly reach my 8:15/mile pace. The run course is out-and-back on a fairly flat path throughout the park so there is lots of banter among the runners as we pass each other coming and going. I even saw my friend Ryan on his way back in so I got to call out to him and he yelled back. He cruises with the elites and somehow appears that his feet don't even touch the ground. So smooth!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5qzO9UC2CuooFHFIhErdCmdcYJ1iybk6IKEQ4BGeRp5sMyohRwVFOeh7y6GtUyvO3vtkA3fm-44y74gHBm0r2OO2eD80R2QEAq5xvI64JRdmBLXRG5gK20eKjXAoyC0W-ltQNXlRS40/s1600/Tri+finish+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5qzO9UC2CuooFHFIhErdCmdcYJ1iybk6IKEQ4BGeRp5sMyohRwVFOeh7y6GtUyvO3vtkA3fm-44y74gHBm0r2OO2eD80R2QEAq5xvI64JRdmBLXRG5gK20eKjXAoyC0W-ltQNXlRS40/s320/Tri+finish+1.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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As I turned the corner into the long gauntlet to the finish line I could hear lots of great fan support. Since our start-wave went out fairly early, most of the participants were still behind us and we had the finish line to ourselves.The announcers call out your name and hometown as you approach the line. That's a really nice touch. The Finish Lines of full marathons still have a special place in my heart but this Finish Line was a real kick. One of my friends had said that a Sprint Triathlon like this would probably feel like the exertion level of a Half Marathon and I suppose he was right -- assuming you master a good swim stroke so you don't completely exhaust yourself with poor form and you don't completely destroy yourself trying to speed-cycle your way through the entire bike course.<br />
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Not bad for my first effort and I plan to improve these times in the next few months:<br />
Total time: 01:28:03<br />
Swim time (500 yards): 12:57<br />
Transition 1: 4:19<br />
Bike time (11.5 miles): 39:44<br />
Transition 2: 4:02<br />
Run time (5K): 26:58<br />
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(Note to self, some folks do their transitions in under 1 minute 30 seconds each. I can get my total time below 01:25:00 just doing my transitions better).<br />
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Once again, proud to wear blue:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyaM4t0oGjDI0DHpa9sWHB25sROtnuzbunECK0IGMMXRXwTWkXMajKn8OD0c33_7YrRE9W_iWbKeKJz8kKNqnWn6Wacg-_KYa-tW98pzuzjzo7cmH8ePrvZm4JA9q1OgkK_omb9WhzLQ/s1600/Trimedal1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyaM4t0oGjDI0DHpa9sWHB25sROtnuzbunECK0IGMMXRXwTWkXMajKn8OD0c33_7YrRE9W_iWbKeKJz8kKNqnWn6Wacg-_KYa-tW98pzuzjzo7cmH8ePrvZm4JA9q1OgkK_omb9WhzLQ/s640/Trimedal1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#wearblueruntoremember</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/" target="_blank">www.wearblueruntoremember.org</a></div>
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<br />Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-65653391408185458132017-09-08T14:59:00.001-04:002017-09-21T21:37:00.507-04:00Running the 2017 San Francisco MarathonThis was to be my 5<sup>th</sup> full marathon and first on
the west coast. My first was the 2014 NJ Marathon and I have run the Marine
Corps Marathon in Washington DC the last 3 years (2014 – 2016). I am registered
to run Marine Corps again this coming October so if all goes well, for 2017 I will have run two full marathons,
same as 2014.<br />
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<h2>
<b>Great scheduling</b>:</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEMwCU4KD6bn1ee7sj-NFOohR4SPAwKC2gaCj_-dbee3GIMZBlm7uo9cjVOdzl10R5ND-QUOqxEKbcoPjYyYH8YB7oetb4IjyqeQByczBl5arOJqVyzAvgbcJ5R594ZZzXxCEc-zdFf8/s1600/JessAisle+Natalie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEMwCU4KD6bn1ee7sj-NFOohR4SPAwKC2gaCj_-dbee3GIMZBlm7uo9cjVOdzl10R5ND-QUOqxEKbcoPjYyYH8YB7oetb4IjyqeQByczBl5arOJqVyzAvgbcJ5R594ZZzXxCEc-zdFf8/s320/JessAisle+Natalie.jpg" width="213" /></a>The real reason to travel to San Francisco this July was a
much more important reason as we were celebrating our daughter’s wedding. It
was simple serendipity that when Jess asked us if we could take some time off after
the wedding to dog sit for Nala while she and Joe went to Hawaii for their
honeymoon. Well, a free week’s lodging
in San Francisco and the chance to help them out and spend time with our grand
dog was an easy sale – we were in. Of
course, that’s when I got the brainy idea to check the upcoming race
schedule in the Bay Area and lo and behold, Sunday July 23rd was 8 days after the wedding and it was the the 40<sup>th</sup> annual San Francisco Marathon. Here's a great idea, let's do that in addition to the wedding ... all in the same trip!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Planning:</b></h2>
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It’s a good thing this wasn’t my first full marathon for
numerous reasons. First, because it’s an extremely difficult course and second
because I was already comfortable with finding ways to incorporate my training plan into my schedule because the last few months before the
wedding were going to have lots of activities and challenges to work around.
Once my registration was confirmed, I mapped out my
training plan and wove it into life’s schedule.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Review:</h2>
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Event organization</h3>
Having
run Marine Corps and having attempted to get entry to New York, I am familiar
with race entry lottery systems. I was surprised to find this wasn’t the case
with San Francisco and I was able to get online, register, pay my fees and
confirm my slot very easily. The
registration process was very simple and easy to deal with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqu4HgZsN3wKAqOig3HwubWVsxF6ZRei1cKWeSPZokIpNJLJ1Jiv-m8gOy9koSpeQbnzC7-QrTRgoeYA318k1qGB2F1tJAMBzJsThjxg82zQzLspghgB3ti1kW8X6968rM_MJLPdm6nrE/s1600/TSFM1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="635" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqu4HgZsN3wKAqOig3HwubWVsxF6ZRei1cKWeSPZokIpNJLJ1Jiv-m8gOy9koSpeQbnzC7-QrTRgoeYA318k1qGB2F1tJAMBzJsThjxg82zQzLspghgB3ti1kW8X6968rM_MJLPdm6nrE/s320/TSFM1.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="text-indent: -24px;">The San Francisco Marathon is one of the events that offers both half and full marathon distances as a part of the event. Uniquely, they also offer options for the half marathon distance; you can choose the first 13.1 or the second. The first 13.1 has the exciting experience of going over and back across the Golden Gate bridge but it is an extremely hilly 13.1 as a serious trade-off. The second 13.1 also has hilly sections – especially in the beginning through Golden Gate Park – but then the hills subside a bit – at least in comparison to the first half.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhYAJbKAxSeXlr-HMHN-aEtN9nwnETFg8W4JKt2yVKb5szNcTZpGwfOgP20A8Rs54l2DVwhw7vV1EiNoMRS5yE_06KmBivbdX9fet3sdn25Fxvzo9VbQyj6ZnPV1PLRQOXdCtOCmWTR0/s1600/BV1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="260" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhYAJbKAxSeXlr-HMHN-aEtN9nwnETFg8W4JKt2yVKb5szNcTZpGwfOgP20A8Rs54l2DVwhw7vV1EiNoMRS5yE_06KmBivbdX9fet3sdn25Fxvzo9VbQyj6ZnPV1PLRQOXdCtOCmWTR0/s320/BV1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Packet pick-up was offered all day Friday and Saturday at the Fort Mason facility. We chose to go on Friday so I could spend Saturday off my feet as much as possible. We used Uber – as we had throughout our time in San Francisco – and the trip to Fort Mason was simple and quick and left us just a short walk from one of our favorite tourist stops for Irish Coffee at The Buena Vista.<br />
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Race review:</h3>
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">Starting corrals were very well organized. The race begins very early at 05:30 and each assigned corral has a defined starting time every 15 minutes or so after the elite runners start. My corral began at 06:15 and we indeed began promptly. </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">The start and finish are on the Embarcadero at Justin Herman plaza with lots of room spread out for corrals, restrooms, vendors, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">My day started out very early, up at 03:45 to fuel and use the bathroom before taking Uber to the start area. I arrived comfortably by 05:20 or so as the first corral was just about to start. This gave me time to drop off my bag at the UPS bag drop, use the bathroom and eat my Stinger waffle and then do some light stretching before entering the corral. Considering how dark it is at that hour, we were blessed with good San Francisco weather. It was cool but not cold – perhaps upper 40 degrees. There was a bit of fan support but not a whole lot considering the early hour and the darkness but still an exciting start with music, loudspeakers and a good motivational send-off by the race announcers.</span><br />
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">The more races I run, the more I am able to stay in the moment and take in the experience. I was intent on doing that so I specifically recall our first mile where we passed the docks for Alcatraz tour boats and folks were already on line for the first boat of the morning at 06:30. Imagine their surprise, they get up early to go on a boat only to find 15,000 crazy people out there before them going for a morning run!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iTRa2kqF0jgapx3dgDyuS7CO4l-TFb06pN3bBuja-uWNXcsOLzVa_eeB9C96KnCO3J5w9dhVllkvpY5xYKKbXhGr6LjDMjtBu748zcEsDB8jLIY2JINmEkjN8WDvyLScgu8iqroEu4Q/s1600/FortMason1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iTRa2kqF0jgapx3dgDyuS7CO4l-TFb06pN3bBuja-uWNXcsOLzVa_eeB9C96KnCO3J5w9dhVllkvpY5xYKKbXhGr6LjDMjtBu748zcEsDB8jLIY2JINmEkjN8WDvyLScgu8iqroEu4Q/s1600/FortMason1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort Mason hill (photo from a previous event)</td></tr>
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">The first 5 miles up the Embarcadero take in the most famous tourist areas of San Francisco past Pier 39, past the restaurants, past Ghirardelli square and the aforementioned Buena Vista and on up to the Maritime museum. We get our first taste of hills on the Fort Mason hill alongside the bay. Up and over that first hill and we quickly pass the site of the packet pickup and then on to the Marina district. Another simple, flat 2 or 3 miles up to Chrissy field and then it’s time to make our way up to the bridge.</span><br />
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">The surface of the road is wet and I can hear some runners commenting that it is raining but as any San Francisco resident knows, there ain’t no rain this time of year. There is such thick fog that droplets are forming in the air plus drops are falling down from the bridge structure to simulate a rain shower. The bridge surface is a fairly steep incline so lots of focus on footing, avoiding some small puddles and generally not slipping on the surface. Once we reach the Marin side we veer right to the vista point for our turnaround and the fog is broken up unveiling a beautiful blue sky above. As we make the turn and look back onto the bridge it is almost surreal how clear and blue the sky is above us because within a few minutes we will re-enter the bridge southbound and be fully engulfed back into the fog.</span><br />
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Miles 11-13; a triple treat: This is a very pretty part of the course through the Presidio along the outer coastline on the San Francisco side. Treat 1 is that we have completed some of the most hilly parts of the course. Treats 2 & 3 are that I will get to see my wife and our grand dog Nala at mile 12 because the race passes 3 blocks from our daughter’s apartment. How’s that for race planning! Bonnie has been at every one of my full marathons and I always look forward to the part of the course where I will see her. It works out well that we are just about at the halfway point and I see her clearly up ahead, I stop for a quick hello kiss and hug and one for Nala too and now I am ready to tackle another 14.2 miles. I even got to share half of Bonnie's cereal bar, I was hungry already!<br />
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">Miles 13 – 16 are all within Golden Gate park. This is a big place – actually larger in area than New York’s Central Park and this race course lets us see EVERY bit of the park. Since we are still out in San Francisco’s Richmond and Sunset districts we are still very much engulfed in fog for the entire period in the park. We see the finish area for the runners who did the first half marathon and we see the start area for the folks beginning the second half. We pass the bison paddock, the lakes, the beautiful botanical gardens and gradually make our way east – up considerable hill inclines again until we exit the park near the old Kezar stadium.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">course map</td></tr>
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">Miles 17 – 21 take us through the upper and lower Haight districts on our way toward downtown and finally we have crested the midland heights of San Francisco and most of the race will gradually descend now. A byproduct is the weather change as this is one of the dominant fog lines in the city where the fog parts. We see some last wispy low clouds and then bright blue sky and oh wait, what’s that, the sun is out! I distinctly remember that I began to re-sweat if there is such a word. Having been in fog and cold for 2 ½ hours by now my body was pretty much fully drenched in a combination of sweat and dampness but I had mostly regulated to a type of constant body temperature. As soon as we ascended one small neighborhood hill in bright sunshine somewhere near mile 18 I notice profuse sweat coming down into my eyes. By this time in the race my Nike running hat is fully drenched and has no more absorption capability and this new rush of sweat flowed a salty sting into my eyes. I squinted my way to the next water stop so I could flush my eyes and use my wristband to dry them out.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McCovey Cove</td></tr>
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">Miles 22 – 26.2; let’s play ball. Yep, as luck would have it, the SF Giants were having a 1PM home game at AT&T Park and the early arriving fans became our final home stretch support crowd. There is some desolate area between miles 23 – 25 as we approach the stadium from the south. It was so great that we were in clear sunshine and we could see the city skyline ahead, the Bay Bridge and the ball park. The course takes us along the docks to the front of the stadium and out around through McCovey Cove with fans cheering us on all the way. Like the folks a few hours ago who bumped into 15,000 crazy runners on their way to the Alcatraz tour boat, here these folks thought they would be cheering a baseball game and find themselves spontaneously cheering for us – really great support!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another 26.2 in blue #wearblueruntoremember.org</td></tr>
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">The finish line is back on the Embarcadero just about where the start had been. Great fan support now as we run this final hundred yards under the Bay Bridge in bright blue sunshine. My finish time was within the range I had hoped for considering the challenging course.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/" style="text-indent: -24px;" target="_blank">http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/</a><br />
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;">As my family has come to learn, I get a really good appetite and like a really hearty meal after marathons so my reward was a beautiful gift that Jess and Joe had left for us, dinner reservations at Ruth's Criss steakhouse. All I needed to do was to get myself into an Uber for the ride back to the apartment where I could rest for a while before our early dinner.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for dinner Jess and Joe and thanks Bon for your support!</td></tr>
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Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-33322589131776201282016-03-28T16:03:00.001-04:002016-04-07T04:44:46.498-04:00The people that we pass<h3>
Have you ever noticed ...</h3>
This is a short post about observations I make of the people that I pass as I run. For those of you other runners out there, you know what I mean. The more miles we run and therefore the more time we spend running, the more people we pass. Some are other runners, some folks walking in parks and paths, sidewalks and streets.<br />
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Location and setting play an important part of how the social interaction happens between people as well as regional or geographic differences. In general, when I am training, I like to make a polite acknowledgement of folks. I think that the Brooks company has a good slogan; "Run Happy" and I like to do just that. Sure I realize there are situations where it may not be appropriate for folks to acknowledge me but in general, it's a simple social interaction and I generally reach out to people, make eye contact and make a simple "hi" gesture.<br />
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Here's my observations of the categories of folks I meet. Something tells me this will be like George Carlin's original list of the 7 bad words you can't say on TV. Once he shared that list, he got feedback to quickly extend the list to over 200! I welcome your thoughts and comments!<br />
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This seem appropriate:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWn_gtP7IfW9__syx75qDVkZ8NjjOfFcCxUiLufEc8Io_YckADgnTV3nMiwuixMeD4m5RX4MGOOCxNrP68f097xzM_m1KI0CSb-9P_fhPL34f01kwwE7YHYiEHleZi3UAhFBSFwXkTULc/s1600/1+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWn_gtP7IfW9__syx75qDVkZ8NjjOfFcCxUiLufEc8Io_YckADgnTV3nMiwuixMeD4m5RX4MGOOCxNrP68f097xzM_m1KI0CSb-9P_fhPL34f01kwwE7YHYiEHleZi3UAhFBSFwXkTULc/s1600/1+2.png" /></a>The other runner or person walking toward me who acknowledges my "hi" and responds in kind. Takes little effort, very economical and seems clear these folks are "ok" with the situation. Fortunately, these people are in the majority.<br />
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<h4>
The polite watcher:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG4dJPDBRcEjSq7Z_5lKDuzkjSqLRJ__9X7LjNigZctOjgXnxJiUkJIGoHxO_b7ObU7jArG8iGngbVpC3rR2yKx38EuDi1YHDWF1cPo5oM_lsiqNgMZiPIyt-K45jLt5ifCLGqk_4TN0/s1600/2+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG4dJPDBRcEjSq7Z_5lKDuzkjSqLRJ__9X7LjNigZctOjgXnxJiUkJIGoHxO_b7ObU7jArG8iGngbVpC3rR2yKx38EuDi1YHDWF1cPo5oM_lsiqNgMZiPIyt-K45jLt5ifCLGqk_4TN0/s1600/2+2.png" /></a>This person doesn't attempt to conceal their interest in me as I run by. They don't ogle or look on in any awkward way, just a polite glance.<br />
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<h4>
The awkward avoider:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHXg8wwlILcyMIV0n7VnwEmC8nmqqizx0b9ly4OfoR2OO3qhtVOYsRR7NJ8ERvl-ulemqAfNKC3j67xDSMmQy9T3fc8O62PdxBdmdGIVv9dUIJia3zHKzlzQ7Nc3Ucn1TFXPU0AzDAeg/s1600/3+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHXg8wwlILcyMIV0n7VnwEmC8nmqqizx0b9ly4OfoR2OO3qhtVOYsRR7NJ8ERvl-ulemqAfNKC3j67xDSMmQy9T3fc8O62PdxBdmdGIVv9dUIJia3zHKzlzQ7Nc3Ucn1TFXPU0AzDAeg/s1600/3+2.png" /></a>This one always confuses me. Here's the scene -- I am running through a nice suburban park in broad daylight. There are other people out and about. I approach another person coming toward me and I make polite eye contact to say "hi". And somehow this person "doesn't see me". They just continue looking straight ahead as if I am not there. I'm not sure how or why that is possible except that I conclude that it actually takes more effort for that person to "not see me".<br />
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<h4>
The deliberate avoider:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOhQGNiC5bzPwg-pWA7C5RgWTRJPd2P82kXY483etOA1IIZvFyvswk7kzGhK2wEFvfhlLMiS3vQRlc87rPdU4gKaTzvb5jEPX1puwCcnZG8N09s0SX3hobMlqFiDWtCu50HXoyhLvSGM/s1600/4+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOhQGNiC5bzPwg-pWA7C5RgWTRJPd2P82kXY483etOA1IIZvFyvswk7kzGhK2wEFvfhlLMiS3vQRlc87rPdU4gKaTzvb5jEPX1puwCcnZG8N09s0SX3hobMlqFiDWtCu50HXoyhLvSGM/s1600/4+2.png" /></a>Slightly different than that last one, this person actually "sees" me from a slight distance and then as I approach to pass them, they deliberately turn away. Perhaps shy or uncomfortable but for sure they don't want to engage in any kind of "hi" or "hello".<br />
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<h4>
Do you come here often:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0fcNJ4hyphenhyphenwIKY34HI5omzwCw5GhlhrDAW7N6at9iZiLqUtqSOCNUtWIaLjaFhxz8O3kmUTz_A1NpxGTkW0FFTZLbN1EtoQ1jvhvMiqTO69amxkoZZKARy-jzcrKGQ380lXRp5aBgQz_w/s1600/5+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0fcNJ4hyphenhyphenwIKY34HI5omzwCw5GhlhrDAW7N6at9iZiLqUtqSOCNUtWIaLjaFhxz8O3kmUTz_A1NpxGTkW0FFTZLbN1EtoQ1jvhvMiqTO69amxkoZZKARy-jzcrKGQ380lXRp5aBgQz_w/s1600/5+2.png" /></a>A further variation of the two above, this is another runner who I can recognize from numerous previous outings. Often times, they are a "better runner" than I am (meaning they are at a much faster pace so they perceive themselves to be better). Yet I have seen them enough times that it's clear that we are each "regulars" at this venue. And yet still, they cruise right on past me -- and I am not even there.<br />
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Pleasantly surprised:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtQuQ63bTHYN-VeJ-E4urUVTW89n_deIKuB37O5ucGQMKuggwXMtktTP4yB4wLCUKFqOudqaRc4HA_WVZ2VUrRGcV4XZ2zGCLAFVjM164p0LyRaUjcSqViq9DI7MKn8HkBCqDb5p299M/s1600/6+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtQuQ63bTHYN-VeJ-E4urUVTW89n_deIKuB37O5ucGQMKuggwXMtktTP4yB4wLCUKFqOudqaRc4HA_WVZ2VUrRGcV4XZ2zGCLAFVjM164p0LyRaUjcSqViq9DI7MKn8HkBCqDb5p299M/s1600/6+2.png" /></a>Whenever I pass someone running with a baby jogging stroller, I make a clapping gesture with my hands to show them that I "get it" and I really respect them for putting in the extra effort. Hey, it's not just the added weight of pushing the stroller but it's all about the effort to get the child out the door, into the car, out of the car, into the stroller, give them a snack, a juice box, a toy, etc. And these seem to be the folks who are most alert, most engaging, always with a pleasant "hi" and when I clap to show my appreciation, they react with a "who me?"<br />
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<h4>
You talkin' to me?:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiE_KRP6Cp84Gd8C-m_din7JfzRASDAZvmvizg-xs4LfKkuRDaETfhpE-C8Y2TyneHEQ7LEcAfUFDMJ7Vgisvci1E9Ya5PCd_y9szSqnLYu5K1agpmeyauIP2yo3xauokUlTmBCO0CKo/s1600/7+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiE_KRP6Cp84Gd8C-m_din7JfzRASDAZvmvizg-xs4LfKkuRDaETfhpE-C8Y2TyneHEQ7LEcAfUFDMJ7Vgisvci1E9Ya5PCd_y9szSqnLYu5K1agpmeyauIP2yo3xauokUlTmBCO0CKo/s1600/7+2.png" /></a>Yep, this really happens. This is the person that I make a polite "hi" gesture to and they respond by looking behind them, beside them etc. as if to say "were you saying "hi" to me? "there's nobody else here...". "I don't know who else you may be saying "hi" to..."!<br />
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<h4>
The newbie:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqdGUdckDjm9HoDOYWwpKC5ykB7TzAD6lwRVbFJjf_bF_Tu3LBtUXkgcXWPQIt5YHE1rkty5hp_l14czjp4KbEbHaOmjRKJBKxdK6DOy5SfuWTPL-JrsvMIvUsKX55xYZYtb6rhRglZE/s1600/8+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqdGUdckDjm9HoDOYWwpKC5ykB7TzAD6lwRVbFJjf_bF_Tu3LBtUXkgcXWPQIt5YHE1rkty5hp_l14czjp4KbEbHaOmjRKJBKxdK6DOy5SfuWTPL-JrsvMIvUsKX55xYZYtb6rhRglZE/s1600/8+2.png" /></a>This is another person who is new to the activity -- whether another runner or walker, etc. They haven't quite gotten comfortable with all the nuances and so they are constantly fussing with their gear, their outfit, their course or route, etc. They are so preoccupied that when passing them, there really isn't a chance for them to acknowledge my polite "hi" because they have so much else going on. <br />
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<h4>
It's like riding a bike:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jS8VUR4sA2Lybs2dOJM5Vnj-9mYqybzYiTVWwETE9enyM3ZuuzKJIGb5M88kPo0BvBf9pzO9NtRSSnkdwPqKkDc50MtrtRtUzNhySms7po5ssOgDsowmVvsmHy-0-XL5OiqW6TBs62c/s1600/9+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jS8VUR4sA2Lybs2dOJM5Vnj-9mYqybzYiTVWwETE9enyM3ZuuzKJIGb5M88kPo0BvBf9pzO9NtRSSnkdwPqKkDc50MtrtRtUzNhySms7po5ssOgDsowmVvsmHy-0-XL5OiqW6TBs62c/s1600/9+2.png" /></a>Ah yes, a parent running along behind, holding the seat to keep the bike upright, all the time muttering words of encouragement (mixed with raging expletives), this is a common sight. Did you ever notice that when it's not your child and you are personally removed, all the kid needs to do is just pedal and be done with it? Easier said than done. Whenever I see a parent or older sibling helping a young child to learn to ride a bike, I just say a few small words of encouragement to the kid like "nice job, you got this!" or something like that.<br />
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<h4>
They ARE riding a bike:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YnpCqWtX404BvbnMXIHvj6QSb3YKsQx_6FOSpad0T5y9VLMXz5jxysNjgfZSC4Tx8AiqR9486rbxg0GsoRwuTuITjVQDE_-i2vM9jYNCPQg4_WT6uD6U8hyphenhyphencE41ZXpO2MnNr1FZV1rg/s1600/10+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YnpCqWtX404BvbnMXIHvj6QSb3YKsQx_6FOSpad0T5y9VLMXz5jxysNjgfZSC4Tx8AiqR9486rbxg0GsoRwuTuITjVQDE_-i2vM9jYNCPQg4_WT6uD6U8hyphenhyphencE41ZXpO2MnNr1FZV1rg/s1600/10+2.png" /></a>What a thrill, who knows how long they have been working at it but you happen to run by as a youngster has just taken their first solo bike ride. The look on their face is matched only by the look on their teacher's face. I applaud, say great job to the kid and congrats to the teacher.<br />
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<h4>
Kicking and throwing:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBX2d4j9ON-fMAlNhhKX8zCD6ITPNgfoXicUDNsgv3NE2cNbFugYyID0wTHXMmdqqIAIcl3Qpsp8QuZD_1freG2mPMM_ynHhSpJ6rLq2NlAyh36uunF1fh7_F7DA3Dpjtcy8dqSYADaa0/s1600/11+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBX2d4j9ON-fMAlNhhKX8zCD6ITPNgfoXicUDNsgv3NE2cNbFugYyID0wTHXMmdqqIAIcl3Qpsp8QuZD_1freG2mPMM_ynHhSpJ6rLq2NlAyh36uunF1fh7_F7DA3Dpjtcy8dqSYADaa0/s1600/11+2.png" /></a>Mostly in parks but sometimes in local neighborhoods, a soccer ball comes flying at you as you approach or a softball is fouled over the backstop and lands near you. Unless I am specifically working on timed intervals in my training, I usually take the deviation from my running to return the ball or frisbee. My favorite is yelling "I'm open" to someone throwing a football just to see if they respond to throw me a pass. Better yet, catching the pass and continuing to run a few strides to see their reaction!<br />
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<h4>
Dog lovers:</h4>
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIQOT5YeccATCmzNU7xLk52iWcev_NDSbWYIbEhevsC5DlGvDoZPBAuxpzfRO2OXznsP5gB_BLlI66uKUJuDli4IvDOMZTlzBYt0cDPinx1XiV0zZ-b0OimXQr712FZN-TaMCc9kgmns/s1600/12+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIQOT5YeccATCmzNU7xLk52iWcev_NDSbWYIbEhevsC5DlGvDoZPBAuxpzfRO2OXznsP5gB_BLlI66uKUJuDli4IvDOMZTlzBYt0cDPinx1XiV0zZ-b0OimXQr712FZN-TaMCc9kgmns/s1600/12+2.png" /></a>We own a rescue mutt and he's a bit bonkers in the brain so we get it. I'm always concerned when I come up from behind someone walking their dog not to startle them so I will cough or make some sound to get their attention. I can't get myself to say "left", the running protocol to alert someone that you are coming up behind them ... perhaps I should?<br />
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<h3>
The gadget folks:</h3>
<h4>
Music to your ears:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuC62jSISWWXKO87oL4oHxQJoVQtvABXDKCy6Iv9WyYQeTvtpFxKdukx9juxJlE3G6fmESiiXU2Sni_1jhTskQtYnQBb99Fm4gfQnUcw3aS7PygiV5CFVg8ZEdseaw28mRm8zJ8VNiQY/s1600/13+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuC62jSISWWXKO87oL4oHxQJoVQtvABXDKCy6Iv9WyYQeTvtpFxKdukx9juxJlE3G6fmESiiXU2Sni_1jhTskQtYnQBb99Fm4gfQnUcw3aS7PygiV5CFVg8ZEdseaw28mRm8zJ8VNiQY/s1600/13+2.png" /></a>They make these things called ear buds now, have you seen them? Some are wired, some are wireless, some go over the ear, some in the ear. Lots of choices to choose from. Yet still, there are folks who listen to their music in public places aloud ... no ear buds, nada. Perhaps they forgot their ear buds or they broke. That could be understandable and quite a nuisance for them. Otherwise, must we all have to hear what you are listening to?<br />
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<h4>
Talking points:</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vjIaAua9qTyfjm8LzQgCdNXexlw-uiSAhWxWUdBy5R2PmHpvfSdNmcHc7aLLFC7xGiRUatDhl8MK5kTtVLYIOoy1Slua7r9Ec62uziiFQOlAXPZk6ZUHH5dSzoBhQHidrn1iiBtFBK8/s1600/14+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vjIaAua9qTyfjm8LzQgCdNXexlw-uiSAhWxWUdBy5R2PmHpvfSdNmcHc7aLLFC7xGiRUatDhl8MK5kTtVLYIOoy1Slua7r9Ec62uziiFQOlAXPZk6ZUHH5dSzoBhQHidrn1iiBtFBK8/s1600/14+2.png" /></a>We all have our cell phones with us at all times. Many of us use running apps, music apps, etc. And generally speaking, most of us liberate ourselves from talking on the phone while we are working out, running, etc. But then there are the folks who just cannot separate themselves from their phone calls and their conversations go on and on and on .....<br />
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<h4>
How these gadgets have simplified our lives ... or not:</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkx7nrnMfjxaGvMcZmVYas14SG8uMSuqx5RC7csyLo-YuAgP485J-jLFb3L2TYnKeT_QJJ1Q9T_uhUO3-NTmZmgs8zJlrNx0oHfWmHOEQLF1BCiDIcdgilm6jpymTqJ_0sZYIyljyqkU/s1600/15+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkx7nrnMfjxaGvMcZmVYas14SG8uMSuqx5RC7csyLo-YuAgP485J-jLFb3L2TYnKeT_QJJ1Q9T_uhUO3-NTmZmgs8zJlrNx0oHfWmHOEQLF1BCiDIcdgilm6jpymTqJ_0sZYIyljyqkU/s1600/15+2.png" /></a></div>
The running app and the music app and the podcast app and the audible book app and the GPS watch and the heart rate monitor and the head lamp ... we runners have really gotten ourselves loaded with technology. Once we have everything figured out, it all works quite seamlessly. But when something is new, phew it can take a bit before we get all the kinks out. What's worse, stopping every 50 feet to re-adjust something or waddling in a duck-like form while fussing for 1/4 mile, until we get it all sorted out.<br />
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So there is my initial list. I seem to add another one every time I take a run but I will stop and post this for now. I look forward to your comments and suggestions for more...<br />
<br />Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-9634066570840271282016-01-05T12:20:00.000-05:002016-01-05T14:40:51.174-05:00Newport Liberty Half Marathon 2015<h2>
Race Recap: Newport Liberty Half Marathon, Jersey City NJ, September 20, 2015</h2>
At some point during the summer, my friend Bob invited me to run this race with him. He lives in Jersey City and this would be a nice "local" event for him and one that I could easily join him at.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
My training approach</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7OGNmQXLNNKRw73l3dMnsQ6lPcuvFhkQj-S_wszr6p_-yCaZfLC0L5If1Ai_ocTfUnjqQHyUP95eU1nH7BDH5ZMqV-fbJzYk2NOJCbYd2YuIeHWm4-VAKHAUAPGnPiXrn1cQnn7mwz0/s1600/Newport+half+together+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7OGNmQXLNNKRw73l3dMnsQ6lPcuvFhkQj-S_wszr6p_-yCaZfLC0L5If1Ai_ocTfUnjqQHyUP95eU1nH7BDH5ZMqV-fbJzYk2NOJCbYd2YuIeHWm4-VAKHAUAPGnPiXrn1cQnn7mwz0/s200/Newport+half+together+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob and Bill just before the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was already underway with my training for the October 2015 Marine Corps Marathon so I quickly made a few modifications to my plan so that I could incorporate a 13.1 run on the date of this Newport race. As it worked out, I would already be running 18 mile Sunday long runs by that time so I modified my schedule to use this race as a step-back week and run the 13.1 as a tempo training run. Bob was doing some training for another half marathon in the fall also so his plan was to use this race to test how far his training had taken him.<br />
<h3>
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<h3>
Logistics and our support team</h3>
<div style="text-align: right;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVDpDNLY9_X3uIz3oEPegmOAJwIPtsAUeT9DWpDFge2kIQvtsqLr1oYblZtjoDVFPXP-Awp34pKh1BEby0N6JOpAJFgWtUzL8icppAPdL4ZF7jthzZtWA_3rqbfl9RkbZgRU3gMjTI4M/s1600/Newport+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVDpDNLY9_X3uIz3oEPegmOAJwIPtsAUeT9DWpDFge2kIQvtsqLr1oYblZtjoDVFPXP-Awp34pKh1BEby0N6JOpAJFgWtUzL8icppAPdL4ZF7jthzZtWA_3rqbfl9RkbZgRU3gMjTI4M/s320/Newport+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newport section of Jersey City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since Bob and Susan live in Jersey City, it was a simple plan for us to drive to their apartment, park there and then walk to the start area. Since we live 40 minutes away, Bonnie and I had to start our day a bit earlier but that worked well for my morning nutrition timing as I ate at home and then had driving time for digestion. Bob and I headed over first for packet pick-up and registration. Bonnie and Susan walked over a bit later to be in time for the start. After the start, they were able to see us at mile 2 before heading back to the apartment for a while where they could look out from Bob and Susan's 10th floor terrace as the race moved over to Liberty State Park. They came back downstairs to see us passing mile 11.5 where I told Bonnie that I was ahead of pace and looking to PR.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2Dxe2yDFv46hz9lEOOeMGRv61c-tc71ckuTkZmjT_2TY_U_LY_zeefZnfgG5wfLro-OVOd_BfXv6fafQWmMy2sF_L-EeLiY8cFoycngdl4khWScdFOHZ3HXIQ9Fh7MfvRh4NIy7RqgQ/s1600/Newport+Bon+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2Dxe2yDFv46hz9lEOOeMGRv61c-tc71ckuTkZmjT_2TY_U_LY_zeefZnfgG5wfLro-OVOd_BfXv6fafQWmMy2sF_L-EeLiY8cFoycngdl4khWScdFOHZ3HXIQ9Fh7MfvRh4NIy7RqgQ/s320/Newport+Bon+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonnie snapped this at mile 11.5</td></tr>
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<h3>
Weather and general conditions</h3>
September can bring some beautiful weather to the northeast but it is a bit of a transition month from the warm humid summer days to the early days of autumn. We actually got a day in the mid 60's with considerable humidity. For us runners, that is a bit warmer than desirable but is was very comfortable for the fans and spectators.<br />
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<h3>
Race recap and course review</h3>
As Bob and I have done at previous events, we knew that we would each be running our own race pace so we lined up together at the start area and then quickly separated after the start. Since I was 3 months into training for a full marathon at a 9:45 pace, I chose to pace myself at 9:00 as an up-tempo training run for this race.<br />
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The race course is very flat and offers a real nice opportunity for runners who are looking to PR or just drive a fast pace. The course is an out-and-back route that is half city and half park-like. For the many runners who live and train in this area, much of the park and the harbor-side sections of the course are very familiar, favorite training grounds. For out-of-town runners, the course offers a nice mix of the city and the park. And for both local and visiting runners, it's always a lot of fun to run down the middle of streets in otherwise busy city districts with fans lining the roads to cheer you on -- somewhat like the privilege of marching in a parade. This course offers a good bit of that.<br />
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The race starts on Washington Boulevard, just outside of the Newport Town Square Plaza near the Newport PATH station. For the quantity of running participants, there is good infrastructure in the area for packet pick-up and race staging. There may have been a shortage of porta-potty facilities for the runners waiting near the start area but isn't that just about always the case?<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH2XEGYYPntDrjvKPJ9GyVcxLfCCbovbzfFLefhvRJBbqstp9IwhpQYedQy0yYNFpAjBOf15BV2x00NqKwmoC8vNND6G4q-so9zyzGuZPnwxXTKH52M_jK6UaPxgkbJqpMdAuSDUfwHg/s1600/Newport+Half+course.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH2XEGYYPntDrjvKPJ9GyVcxLfCCbovbzfFLefhvRJBbqstp9IwhpQYedQy0yYNFpAjBOf15BV2x00NqKwmoC8vNND6G4q-so9zyzGuZPnwxXTKH52M_jK6UaPxgkbJqpMdAuSDUfwHg/s320/Newport+Half+course.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newport Half Marathon course map</td></tr>
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The course winds through the downtown area from Newport to Grove and then over to Liberty State Park at mile 4.5. The next 6 miles in the park offer exceptional views of the harbor, the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan as we pass miles 6 through 10. Then the course winds back over to the downtown area for the final leg past Exchange Place and back to Newport.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpB7oEkB02JT0Uvz3r4x-U-QOn7jsbQ3nK_5bonvjphmHKPq2yWJ8ma36TQfQuK9xodE_L3UORp4bnxez-bD7CQi_noZ2ofGcun0-Q7V_wm3fn38s9WKhvFv_KW8_T0qATjpHW9a4RIk/s1600/Newport+half+PNG+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpB7oEkB02JT0Uvz3r4x-U-QOn7jsbQ3nK_5bonvjphmHKPq2yWJ8ma36TQfQuK9xodE_L3UORp4bnxez-bD7CQi_noZ2ofGcun0-Q7V_wm3fn38s9WKhvFv_KW8_T0qATjpHW9a4RIk/s1600/Newport+half+PNG+3.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit Ken Shelton Photography<br />
(kenshelton.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I always credit the race photographers who try to position themselves in place to capture great backgrounds in their shots. Always tricky to do that as the light and shadows tend to move as time spans across the race duration. I was really fortunate that they snapped this shot as I turned a corner at mile 8.5 with the Statue of Liberty behind me. My friend Bob was merely 2 minutes ahead of me at this point in the race and his photo was from a slightly different angle with no statue -- just the luck of timing.<br />
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Despite the warm and humid conditions, I was happy to PR at 1:58. Since I was well along in my training plan for the upcoming Marine Corps Marathon a month later, I was confident to go out a bit faster and I carried a sub-9:00 pace for most of the course (save for 1 potty break and water station slow-downs).<br />
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<h3>
The camaraderie of the running community</h3>
I have written about this in previous posts. One of the things I enjoy most about running is the people that we get to meet. Always friendly, alert, funny and bright, and supportive to other runners, I've been fortunate to meet some really great people along the way. In this race, as Bob and I were well separated and running our own separate pace, I struck up a conversation with another runner near the mile 2 mark. I had just passed Bonnie and Susan and said I would see them again near mile 12 when another runner asked if I had run this race before and whether I lived in the area. That got us going on a conversation for the next few miles and I came to learn that he (Alex, I wonder if you are reading this as I remember you vividly) was running his first half marathon and he was training to run his first full marathon. Being younger than me -- as most runners are LOL -- but maintaining an 8:50 pace with me, he went out ahead of me after the first water break at mile 4. I saw him again later at mile 8 where the course switches back along the harbor and wished him well. In that short 10-15 minute span that we paced together I got to learn about his family, we discussed the busy schedule of young parents and how to find time to train, how old guys like me already have our own kids that are his age, all kinds of things. Very enjoyable!<br />
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<h4>
Happy Anniversary!</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecEQC2kT45mrngbPEM_zlvjfSeogF47cIfsnTm8hjtDnv7N3EaenR3jJVjzZ9B6JA31Px6wO1b648wThSCf2glAYpr9TSGNG-vuEFV1BZbozLLAdjOKLOPmlUKvNXk_8M3aFQaMPaiJY/s1600/Newport+post+race+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecEQC2kT45mrngbPEM_zlvjfSeogF47cIfsnTm8hjtDnv7N3EaenR3jJVjzZ9B6JA31Px6wO1b648wThSCf2glAYpr9TSGNG-vuEFV1BZbozLLAdjOKLOPmlUKvNXk_8M3aFQaMPaiJY/s320/Newport+post+race+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great location overlooking the harbor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since we ran this race on September 20th, our anniversary the night before was a quiet one. We always try to grab a meal when we get to visit with Bob and Susan so they had made reservations for brunch after the race. They know Jersey City dining and they chose Satis Bistro, a short walk from their apartment. We had excellent meals and -- of course -- they stealthily took care of the check as an anniversary gift to us. The weather cleared up beautifully and we took this shot to close out a really great day.<br />
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<br />Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-47057763863282734882015-10-08T17:43:00.001-04:002015-10-08T21:22:17.105-04:00Planning and Running My First Marathon, the 2014 New Jersey Marathon<h3>
No, there's no way I'll be running a marathon!</h3>
I can still remember saying that to my friend Bob after watching him run the New York City Marathon in 2010. It was my genuine sentiment at the time, I really didn't envision myself running a full marathon, nor did I really want to.<br />
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Fast forward a few years and by the end of fall, 2013, I had run a few half marathons and I decided that I would attempt a full marathon the next year. I had just completed running a half marathon in Atlantic City and the atmosphere of running near the New Jersey shoreline was invigorating. <br />
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<h3>
So, where will I be running a marathon?</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEYsdcEBuNUM15NT8iKoBa67Mqd_xbBCUoZRelBTbO_E_rmM_UWjHNIuTDLLlL3f8OgwPnvqVJY3ushw-P_Bdm82L7_aHGLltUfX5ax9BNbw8uWnPzy9M1WHxkHc88tfKZIcAJ1-rjyE/s1600/NJ+full+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEYsdcEBuNUM15NT8iKoBa67Mqd_xbBCUoZRelBTbO_E_rmM_UWjHNIuTDLLlL3f8OgwPnvqVJY3ushw-P_Bdm82L7_aHGLltUfX5ax9BNbw8uWnPzy9M1WHxkHc88tfKZIcAJ1-rjyE/s320/NJ+full+1.PNG" width="320" /></a>Now that I had decided to try a full marathon, I began to research potential events. As I have written about in previous posts, as far as race events go, there are many more small local races (5k being the most popular) followed by some 10k races and then as you increase in distance, fewer half marathons and even fewer full marathons. The race seasons -- especially in the northeastern US -- are spring and fall. With these facts at hand, I selected the NJ Marathon in April of 2014 to be my first full marathon.<br />
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<h3>
Born to run!</h3>
Being born and raised in New Jersey made it extra appealing to run the NJ Marathon -- especially as my first attempt. The race is run in Monmouth County with a picturesque finish on the boardwalk in Long Branch. I will describe more about the race itself later in this blog but suffice to say, Bruce's presence is clear at the starting line. And the Monmouth County venue would become uniquely relevant to some life events that unfolded as race day approached -- more on that later.<br />
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<h3>
Training</h3>
As I did my research and spoke with other experienced runners, I came to learn that it is mandatory to identify and commit to a marathon training program. I had already done this with the half marathon races that I had run so I was already familiar with the rigors of adhering to the training plan and I was familiar with how my body felt and responded to the training. What I also came to quickly learn is that for full marathon training, it is not recommended or advised to ever run beyond 18 or 20 miles as the longest training run. So as a first time marathoner, this would mean that the day of the race would be the first time that I was to run the full 26.2 miles. Seasoned runners know all about this, for first-timers, it's interesting news!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkP5o7KbgPjxnQUHglhYSmYipUYydWeLe7Hd3pA5LsBAX8ZANTBdDrGDrKJHONUTQkB8NoajUlinoW473JqnuDBQpwZmZ71mKslt5SvkFBm_bqLjZEE7mIlRStdgu8DpttX1a5mOyxRlw/s1600/NJ+Marathon+Plan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkP5o7KbgPjxnQUHglhYSmYipUYydWeLe7Hd3pA5LsBAX8ZANTBdDrGDrKJHONUTQkB8NoajUlinoW473JqnuDBQpwZmZ71mKslt5SvkFBm_bqLjZEE7mIlRStdgu8DpttX1a5mOyxRlw/s400/NJ+Marathon+Plan.jpg" width="400" /></a>I selected a 20-week training program with 4 runs per week, where every Sunday was set as the weekly "long run". In general, the plan increases total weekly mileage and Sunday long mileage on a week-over-week basis. I opted for a popular training approach whereby I would have several "step-back" weeks programmed into the schedule. These weeks allow for body recovery and preparation for each subsequent increase in mileage. This plan assumed that before I started, I was routinely running long runs of 6 miles and an average of 20-25 miles per week. You can see the "taper period" in the last 3 weeks of the plan. This is instrumental to marathon training but also drives runners crazy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMejPBExN-mdS_i53NyRJjTvto55XogMbPJrCpUICKq4TszVyZWDaOXP2IXGjTjPD6gljtwP74aaTOp3q16jBK5pz_wXdzVEGPtXdZA1UBHNrrFxSQejayHmgvCfnu3NZhZvbt2XJuFs/s1600/taper+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMejPBExN-mdS_i53NyRJjTvto55XogMbPJrCpUICKq4TszVyZWDaOXP2IXGjTjPD6gljtwP74aaTOp3q16jBK5pz_wXdzVEGPtXdZA1UBHNrrFxSQejayHmgvCfnu3NZhZvbt2XJuFs/s200/taper+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seems funny...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnFjYkAF186rh-vTE7Ae8MGsEb_SiljTa5OJhqVPjcgaY5uSB_u07S0ZH5ejj-No7K6gTOonhQDdytBn-imxwpvFtA8mFo7g1YLponJFmtLG_ldUJzmNfuVrumIB0hRen_QKtT6XSWMA/s1600/taper+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnFjYkAF186rh-vTE7Ae8MGsEb_SiljTa5OJhqVPjcgaY5uSB_u07S0ZH5ejj-No7K6gTOonhQDdytBn-imxwpvFtA8mFo7g1YLponJFmtLG_ldUJzmNfuVrumIB0hRen_QKtT6XSWMA/s200/taper+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">but very real!</td></tr>
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As I have written about in previous posts, a spring marathon calls for training to begin in the winter months. With an April 27th race date, I began my training program shortly after the New Year in January but I hedged a bit with my full commitment. I waited until late February to assess how the training was proceeding before I registered. The NJ Marathon is not always a sold-out event so I submitted my registration on February 23rd to secure my position. Was I really going to do this?<br />
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<h3>
Life events</h3>
Here is an interesting runner-geek thing I learned while preparing for this race. Since marathon training lasts so long (4+ months), we runners begin a life cadence around the cycle of training for races. As events in life occur, I find that I store them in my memory according to the respective race plan that I was training for. <br />
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The first of these interesting life events to occur while I was training for the NJ Marathon was when I received confirmation to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC that same year. That race is held in October, is one of the largest in the world (25,000 plus runners), sells out every year and entry is via lottery. The lottery applications are in March and I was fortunate to get lottery acceptance on my very first attempt. Haha, now it appeared that I wasn't just running one marathon in 2014, I would be running two.<br />
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The second and third life events during my training plan were much more profound for our entire family. On March 16th my wife's mom passed after a number of years of illness. Even though she was ill, as we always say, we are never fully prepared for the loss of a loved one and this was a sad event for our family.<br />
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And then the third life event. On March 19th, while our family was grieving my mother in law's passing, our nephew tragically lost his life at age 23. Needless to say, we all went through all kinds of emotions and struggles during this time. Our family and friends held close together to support each other -- especially my wife's brother, his wife and their daughter -- who lost their only son and brother.<br />
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<h3>
Race dedication</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsQnoL237FQki_0hAtdItH4RfiT5xv6PyvhoQDlFOkRc_vBIFeNWFHSIf4JVKbNYdvGjBTcDndFUMxabxYDBNGxW0XcLUXgCR2tsL2aEZ6nK0dyBLh0b8MocYjDXYv4GIrWa_USIa16o/s1600/171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsQnoL237FQki_0hAtdItH4RfiT5xv6PyvhoQDlFOkRc_vBIFeNWFHSIf4JVKbNYdvGjBTcDndFUMxabxYDBNGxW0XcLUXgCR2tsL2aEZ6nK0dyBLh0b8MocYjDXYv4GIrWa_USIa16o/s320/171.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My nephew's uniform jersey number</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This ties back to the venue for the NJ Marathon in Monmouth County which is where our nephew grew up. He was the most joyful person to be around, vibrant and personable, sensitive and caring. He was a standout athlete and played his High School sports in Freehold Borough, NJ which is just a stone's throw away from the starting point of the race at Monmouth Race Track.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-eJAbc9uNFUHf77FZmpgzG5cO9ArrMgU3lcUlLr1RW1km_ieoaeszijUjY9xNnvJJ-v-tTXHtwRgPFr1l4STeAg29clgUzL73Gkl_tfEGawcLI6iU5_pG_y_IWSjoQTPtKeQ2DntyXg/s1600/173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-eJAbc9uNFUHf77FZmpgzG5cO9ArrMgU3lcUlLr1RW1km_ieoaeszijUjY9xNnvJJ-v-tTXHtwRgPFr1l4STeAg29clgUzL73Gkl_tfEGawcLI6iU5_pG_y_IWSjoQTPtKeQ2DntyXg/s320/173.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My race-day shirt to honor my nephew</td></tr>
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With his family's approval, I dedicate my run in my nephew's name and I affiliated with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County as the benefactor. My nephew's great grandfather had been the founder of a Boys Clubs chapter in my home town in northern NJ and I felt it appropriate to tie-back to that cause. It was a modest effort but through my friends and supporters, with only 1 month remaining until race day, we raised $1,000 in his name.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h3>
The Race </h3>
Since this was to be my first marathon event, I followed recommendations and decided to stay in a hotel nearby the starting area for the night before. I would need to attend the venue at Monmouth Race Track on Friday to retrieve my race packet and then find an early dinner to relax for the night. I set my alarm for 05:15 in order to dress and eat (nutrition is key before a marathon) before heading over to the venue at 06:30 for the 08:00 race start.<br />
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The race organizers do a great job with coordinating the arrival of runners, parking lot logistics, bathrooms and other amenities. I had heard so many stories from other runners about the challenges on race day but I was impressed by the organization and their handling of the event.<br />
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<h4>
It is a race track after all...</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9KeUMbuxjxXL-9RfHDU2vg8bZ7ou9qrwg8xWAgcG7NMBCjRbMH38B9SXb5U7jhdJQrr7-cR1yZEWBFnRji01UTSSuYpesYGMCuO-cUefCnGlQGKfbq8gmK73zmBRRMgDO_Uplu5pqTo/s1600/Monmouth+park+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9KeUMbuxjxXL-9RfHDU2vg8bZ7ou9qrwg8xWAgcG7NMBCjRbMH38B9SXb5U7jhdJQrr7-cR1yZEWBFnRji01UTSSuYpesYGMCuO-cUefCnGlQGKfbq8gmK73zmBRRMgDO_Uplu5pqTo/s320/Monmouth+park+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monmouth Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's only fitting that the start of the race is "The Call To Post", the bugle sound we are all familiar with when we watch the Kentucky Derby on TV every year. But wait, not to be outdone, the bugle call is followed directly by "Born To Run" played VERY LOUDLY over the speakers throughout the track. I told you that Bruce's presence would be felt, especially since he was born and raised in this area.<br />
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<h4>
Race recap</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIQxrm_myE_TsN8eUEFANjGny0_WhPIYvutwLQTG5aKeny260JL-pSPMX8AS6kOSshSs3BAHBtXN6JcxgYuj-YM7dSYmxFLP-XBgZsGGesjNpLz9SuIRHL6ujSTpU9bt8VumXZ1y-sig/s1600/NJMarathon+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIQxrm_myE_TsN8eUEFANjGny0_WhPIYvutwLQTG5aKeny260JL-pSPMX8AS6kOSshSs3BAHBtXN6JcxgYuj-YM7dSYmxFLP-XBgZsGGesjNpLz9SuIRHL6ujSTpU9bt8VumXZ1y-sig/s320/NJMarathon+1.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local streets in Ocean Port</td></tr>
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This race course can be easily described in three sections. First of all, we were blessed with beautiful morning weather -- upper 40's and sunshine. Having run a few very large half marathons (Rutgers Unite and Atlantic City), I was familiar with the hype and excitement at the Start so I was able to contain the adrenalin rush and resist the urge to start too fast. I maintained my pace for the first section of the race. The course begins out very flat as we leave the confines of the Monmouth Race Track. We traverse lots of local suburban streets where families line up outside their homes as they would if a parade were passing by. This takes us through the first 8 miles in the towns of Ocean Port and Monmouth Beach and into the northern parts of Long Branch.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwM5KlreLqTmKIXaOo_yAnkkOFL3K84d4Bk8_OmRRx8OYUaRk3CTiBlZbMyGbUPQQStUa3ICxwPLe9fMd3Y7c-IgeeZHdcUmi7NeWYMNOxdij7xvq-bZjOQsqAibX_QGfNVPeboATJXs/s1600/2015-New-Jersey-Marathon-Course-Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwM5KlreLqTmKIXaOo_yAnkkOFL3K84d4Bk8_OmRRx8OYUaRk3CTiBlZbMyGbUPQQStUa3ICxwPLe9fMd3Y7c-IgeeZHdcUmi7NeWYMNOxdij7xvq-bZjOQsqAibX_QGfNVPeboATJXs/s400/2015-New-Jersey-Marathon-Course-Map.jpg" width="308" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgem6F0Qdf6qlmD3tibaEP3mDNwFVzSkjUn8-eE-uWPx9Rv4Cng9wxDueS7AryJgEwGhja__iFPPl71_4wPhP0-zLuYQSNHT16zr3Jw0MhNjOiACUC-L7wB37fxywvv-ZqGu9blMtOG3Dk/s1600/auditorium+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgem6F0Qdf6qlmD3tibaEP3mDNwFVzSkjUn8-eE-uWPx9Rv4Cng9wxDueS7AryJgEwGhja__iFPPl71_4wPhP0-zLuYQSNHT16zr3Jw0MhNjOiACUC-L7wB37fxywvv-ZqGu9blMtOG3Dk/s400/auditorium+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Great Auditorium, Ocean Grove NJ.</td></tr>
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The second section of the course takes us in a southerly direction through Long Branch and on past Monmouth University. In one of my last training runs, I had visited this area and run much of this section of the course. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately as the prevailing off-shore breezes would prove), the boardwalk along this section of the New Jersey shoreline was still not yet rebuilt after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy the previous year. From Long Branch down to Asbury Park we run on Ocean Avenue which is a few blocks inland from the shore line and therefore not as picturesque.<br />
<br />
We make our way around and across Deal Lake and Wesley Lake into Ocean Grove where we pass directly in front of the Great Auditorium to head down the Ocean Pathway to our turnaround point. At this point, we are at mile 19 and I knew this was the furthest I had run during my training program. I was feeling considerably sore and just before we went back across Wesley Lake, I turned my ankle in some irregular pavement around a construction area. Not a good thing as I entered the final 10K (6.2 miles) of the race.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxT3uqw0NMAqgxZJuWT2HfBMAXeXnmLmqVjrRDoE7lsoO_VOfGgtvyiMUgfPNWs5qV-biK8jIBGAoDtooBH7-Zqk6u_n0nwS-BWqIle2IcQdMM68YlEuM5z6tFQGmSIHvFv4S2KxSirGk/s1600/windy+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxT3uqw0NMAqgxZJuWT2HfBMAXeXnmLmqVjrRDoE7lsoO_VOfGgtvyiMUgfPNWs5qV-biK8jIBGAoDtooBH7-Zqk6u_n0nwS-BWqIle2IcQdMM68YlEuM5z6tFQGmSIHvFv4S2KxSirGk/s1600/windy+1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">I felt like this guy!</span></td></tr>
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The last section of the race was tough. Not only was I beyond the furthest distance I had trained, we were headed up a mostly steady incline through mile 24. At Brighton Avenue, we turn due east for a few blocks, directly into a headwind. I actually tucked in behind another pair of runners to draft behind them for a few blocks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfDo0LXseKNscJ5crfcJ0YM_KJGDPe60qjmgpIJCTUcsnC-5XyhyphenhyphenQgTnNGQg3dbudEZ7scZWT9wOrBkrfZcW3GyEyjJXTiIjAlyK-7HI3AVRDefI3dKJ0ybA7hq_z8rVpatlC3HQesRc/s1600/NJMarathon+3+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfDo0LXseKNscJ5crfcJ0YM_KJGDPe60qjmgpIJCTUcsnC-5XyhyphenhyphenQgTnNGQg3dbudEZ7scZWT9wOrBkrfZcW3GyEyjJXTiIjAlyK-7HI3AVRDefI3dKJ0ybA7hq_z8rVpatlC3HQesRc/s320/NJMarathon+3+2.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My actual finish time</td></tr>
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Finally we turned back to he north as we picked up the Long Branch boardwalk. Things got very picturesque here at mile 25 as we headed for the final 1.2 miles. For the past few miles there were very few -- if any -- spectators along the roads to cheer moral support. Along the Long Branch boardwalk this began to change and the final 3/4 of a mile was packed with screaming fans. Along the boardwalk always makes for a great finishing area for races as fans line the interior of the boardwalk and the beach forms the opposing side. I knew that my wife, my son and my younger daughter would be there to see the finish so I had my eyes peeled to see where they were. A few other friends had told me they may be there and I actually heard them call out my name first and then up ahead I saw my family. Since this was my first full marathon and there wasn't an opportunity for them to see me anywhere else along the course, they were curious/concerned with what condition I would be in. So was I, come to think of it!!<br />
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<h4>
Finished!</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIUixZBrpYYHSgbDizoaivMiaNcxlavKM15ncL4GOQXQomxv1mTzhr1rOTQCifwAoYZQpQ7CL0_hgQeDq7lE-iITvwtFRR2bF0yMyS9R5tMRwbvpbfGOSQUeLinA2KcW95hlggFCgpdM/s1600/172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIUixZBrpYYHSgbDizoaivMiaNcxlavKM15ncL4GOQXQomxv1mTzhr1rOTQCifwAoYZQpQ7CL0_hgQeDq7lE-iITvwtFRR2bF0yMyS9R5tMRwbvpbfGOSQUeLinA2KcW95hlggFCgpdM/s320/172.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
My finish time was a modest 4 hours, 47 minutes. I was delighted to have successfully finished the race but also a bit frustrated that I had lost a lot of my pace on those final miles after I turned my ankle in Asbury Park. It was a treat that my family was there to congratulate me and my son did the honors of driving my car all the way home. I had some cramping symptoms in my legs, I was generally dehydrated -- evidenced by the dry white salt that was caked on my face -- and my GI tract was a bit jumpy from the nutrition gels that I had eaten during the race. But overall, I held up pretty well and by the time we got home, I had a strong urge for a juicy burger and a beer which we all went out for as soon as I took a long needed shower. <br />
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All in all, it was a great accomplishment and my first of what may become multiple more marathon challenges. More about that in other blog posts!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAWQ0g_E3C-onLLkWmgADBSvCXrwZliOTUePMadm6eCnGIdkJJ-G-byBS5PfT3TAvj-fm_tUqi9QuktxECpASINJFSFqP0VU0DmVUhBk3E5ir-ApZiAExSRFV-fBFnmvw88XyOt2UNy4/s1600/Gerry12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAWQ0g_E3C-onLLkWmgADBSvCXrwZliOTUePMadm6eCnGIdkJJ-G-byBS5PfT3TAvj-fm_tUqi9QuktxECpASINJFSFqP0VU0DmVUhBk3E5ir-ApZiAExSRFV-fBFnmvw88XyOt2UNy4/s200/Gerry12.jpg" width="121" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Loving Memory<br />
Gerry M. Plescia<br />
10/8/90-3/19/14</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-31577834905462561952015-05-10T12:26:00.002-04:002015-05-10T14:34:12.752-04:00Sundays are for long runs... and for visiting Mom<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Let's try a Half Marathon!</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This post is dedicated to my mom, my biggest fan ever.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79SiIdwKjkEa8-8_vVjEI9sZv0_nCrO4ljW6ng6fL3zFuvdaosdyod6Uv0tHGJWf9OQrL7YCbShXt2itgUf6WedSfjb8gqRByOPJqb2I9AaD3-hvV7pBouCFgG8RDHSJQR1hA0DopbRA/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79SiIdwKjkEa8-8_vVjEI9sZv0_nCrO4ljW6ng6fL3zFuvdaosdyod6Uv0tHGJWf9OQrL7YCbShXt2itgUf6WedSfjb8gqRByOPJqb2I9AaD3-hvV7pBouCFgG8RDHSJQR1hA0DopbRA/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In my last post, I spoke of slow progression and no master plan. I spent most of 2011 rehabbing from a nasty spell with
ITBS and furthering the changes to my running form. I was able to do a few local 5K’s in the fall
of that year so things were looking up. I
even completed a local Thanksgiving Turkey Trot at a 5 mile distance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was progressing well to these next
distances and after some consideration, I began looking into running a Half Marathon. I had already doubled my race distance from 5k (3.1 miles) to 10k (6.2 miles) so why not double again to 13.1 miles! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKver7lZPVpOSf3XWG0ql8MtyPDeyQtWBxPHavtVNIaOaQIeI4W3LM6e_2zLIm42esscv8zbIMebEHYNNRjzB7noGBakjzi_WAnCrMFCe6R5DBWCprP0Zf_uwQK08HZE1u5SBGl399XE/s1600/RUnite+Pic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKver7lZPVpOSf3XWG0ql8MtyPDeyQtWBxPHavtVNIaOaQIeI4W3LM6e_2zLIm42esscv8zbIMebEHYNNRjzB7noGBakjzi_WAnCrMFCe6R5DBWCprP0Zf_uwQK08HZE1u5SBGl399XE/s1600/RUnite+Pic+1.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I said in my earlier posts, as you move up in distance, (from 5K to 10K to Half Marathon, etc.) there are fewer of these races and they are strategically placed
in spring or autumn. So I found a Half Marathon scheduled at Rutgers University
(yes, the site of my first ever 5k charity run) and since I lived and worked
very near the campus, this seemed an appropriate venue. I signed up for the event and my friend Bob -– who
had completed multiple Full Marathons by this time -- offered to support me and
run the race with me. He was somewhat off of his marathon training cycle and
would use this as an opportunity to get back onto his training.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We both registered and I began a 15-week training program
from January to April race day. At times
through the training I felt really confident and things were progressing
well. At other times – after a Sunday long
training run of 9 miles or so – I would ask myself if it was really possible to reach
the 13.1 mile distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My training plan</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had selected a training program of running 3 times per
week. When it comes to running training plans, there are as many opinions as
there are runners. So I won’t get into
that debate here except to say that I chose the 3-day plan because I felt I
needed at least 1 day off between training days. If you select a 4 or 5 day
running plan, you are going to have to run back-to-back days – it’s that 7 days
in a week math thing (more to come on this concept in future posts about marathon training). The plan went well
and as with most running plans, the plan included a Sunday long run (this is where you stretch your overall distance
toward that goal of 13.1 miles) and two other shorter distances per week where
I would run “intervals” and “tempo” runs. Intervals are training runs that
alternate faster and slower paces as a way to advance your overall capacity.
Tempo runs are very grueling where you run a fairly long distance at a pace
that is faster than you plan to run for the Half Marathon. And then Sunday was the increasingly longer
distance week after week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Visits with Mom</span></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n8JL-HZ4u7zSLjLgXO0nsMzzXH5H1ntOlEyMGoCYYByr67nFTaeULdJVzv2k7lcHLsTjU5-05JGrVyFEftDUu3RTuxEeLnKi1oFYXCo_a8GqMa5Cvz7Li1z-4vxlwjRFuyW5QVy18Ic/s1600/saddle-river-county-park-rochelle-park1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n8JL-HZ4u7zSLjLgXO0nsMzzXH5H1ntOlEyMGoCYYByr67nFTaeULdJVzv2k7lcHLsTjU5-05JGrVyFEftDUu3RTuxEeLnKi1oFYXCo_a8GqMa5Cvz7Li1z-4vxlwjRFuyW5QVy18Ic/s1600/saddle-river-county-park-rochelle-park1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of memories</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right around the time that I began to train for this first
Half Marathon, my mom was in declining health and I took the opportunity to do
my weekly long runs at a county park nearby where she lived. This was 50 miles
from my home but served as a great way to combine my weekly visits with
her. On Sunday morning, I would drive to her house for a
quick hello (and bathroom visit) and then head out to the county park for my run. Afterwards I would return to my mom’s house
and we would visit. Sometimes I would pick up a pizza or Chinese food to share
for lunch. We would often watch the NY Giants games or whatever other NFL games
were on TV while thumbing through the Sunday New York Daily News and Sunday Post and talking about the upcoming baseball season.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5QDdNxWpQqZBCMC9lPRs1RffTg1LeqauwRhAijccKgFnumZOIoA8yDhyphenhyphenuTlN5CRJZMSPfIU-n4N4YUb6gh-0bYx8WKJ8dUA1sKi6ss6zAoYUSa2hPmKl5QwAPAC1L5Fi9ppqnQi5Eqg/s1600/Saddle+River+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5QDdNxWpQqZBCMC9lPRs1RffTg1LeqauwRhAijccKgFnumZOIoA8yDhyphenhyphenuTlN5CRJZMSPfIU-n4N4YUb6gh-0bYx8WKJ8dUA1sKi6ss6zAoYUSa2hPmKl5QwAPAC1L5Fi9ppqnQi5Eqg/s1600/Saddle+River+1.jpg" width="238" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This map to the left shows the route through the Saddle River County Park system. To think that I used to go to these parks 30+ years ago to hang out with friends and play frisbee and softball and touch football.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These Sunday visits with my mom were very enjoyable and I am certain had a strong contribution to my evolving enjoyment with running. As I believe happens for other beginner runners, I would enter each Sunday with eager anticipation to get to a new longest distance and then finish the day with new and more nagging discomforts and pains. But with this additional time spent with my mom, the overall tone of my Sundays was overwhelmingly positive. </span></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Race time</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Race week quickly came around and the entire experience of a
Half Marathon was a considerable notch above the local 5 and 10K races that I
had done. The Rutgers Unite Half
Marathon has over 3,000 runners and so the logistics take on a different scale.
Most of these larger races require the runners to retrieve
their race packets the day before. Since I live and work nearby to the Rutgers
campus, this worked out fine. I arranged to pick up my friend Bob at the New Brunswick NJ Transit station on Saturday afternoon and then we went to the Rutgers campus to retrieve our packets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since the race started at 8:00 AM on Sunday, the plan was for Bob to stay at our house Saturday night and then we could head out to the race together on Sunday. A Half Marathon is a considerable step up from my previous longest races and so it was great to have Bob with me to reinforce the discipline in nutrition and hydration on Saturday evening and Sunday morning before the race.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We arrived and found parking on the Rutgers campus on a mild April morning, temperatures in the 40's. Getting situated into the start corrals was a new experience for me and the nerves and anticipation were growing. Bob was committed to pacing for me and although this was my first Half Marathon, I was fairly consistent with my Sunday long runs to know that I would strive for a pace just above 9:00 minutes per mile -- this would put me in position to beat the 2 hour mark for the 13.1 miles.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-cmd6-7yW0XbF8gSsDeH5yByBK3B6DUOxkFvkhND-6Yxu435JTO1OpguaPlEBpCNoy3L92umESR6Z16mBVzIo-YECQE2RYvj6YVupyGhg4_EXCvl6O3CcQYRewyjxn-JNooQA8hkYLs/s1600/RUnite+start+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-cmd6-7yW0XbF8gSsDeH5yByBK3B6DUOxkFvkhND-6Yxu435JTO1OpguaPlEBpCNoy3L92umESR6Z16mBVzIo-YECQE2RYvj6YVupyGhg4_EXCvl6O3CcQYRewyjxn-JNooQA8hkYLs/s1600/RUnite+start+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first Half Marathon, lots more runners than a local 5k!</td></tr>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Did you hear the one about the ITBS?</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I won't go into a full race recap here but I will mention that the Rutgers Unite Half Marathon is run in partnership with CGI Racing and they do a phenomenal job. Support services for the runners are great, hydration stations are well placed and well staffed and the course is a very interesting layout that takes us through many of the Rutgers University campuses from Busch to Livingston, back to Busch and over to New Brunswick for a finish on College Ave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things were going very well and Bob continued to notify me that we were ahead of pace through the first 5 miles. With a target pace of 9:05, it seemed that we were cruising at 8:45 - 8:50 and Bob (and I) were concerned that I might outrun my conditioning and "hit the wall". In fact, keeping this aggressive pace was actually helping me to employ the changes that I had implemented in my running form. I was focused on a rapid turnover rate -- the pace at which the next foot hits the ground -- as this is one of the best techniques to alleviate the cumulative affect of distance running. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But then ... as we approached mile 7, I turned to Bob and said "left knee". That was all he needed to hear me say, he knew of my chronic problem with ITBS and we both knew that I had tweaked it. Sometimes I find that if I lose concentration as the course turns distinctly up-hill, I may not lean into the grade correctly and I hyper extend my left knee in the first few strides of the inclined grade. Seems that was all it took and here I was, only at the half-way point. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I insisted on continuing and Bob pushed me to think twice about it. I told him to go on ahead and maintain his pace but since he was only running the race to pace me, he chose to stay with me to provide support. Well, in retrospect I should have stopped. As I have explained about ITBS before, it wasn't going to get any better. Only worse. ITBS is not like a cramp, it wasn't a case of stopping for a few minutes, doing some stretching and then moving ahead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I forged ahead in considerable pain. Every footfall on my left side would aggravate the ITBS and of course, I was beginning to alter/modify my running form to attempt to alleviate the pain. Two wrongs don't make a right! This went on for another 3 miles and then the course takes a steep decline down to the Johnson Park area. I chose to walk down that steep pathway because downhill strides would hurt even more. Then we pushed on through miles 10 to 12 and I was committed to finish. I urged Bob to go on ahead -- at least to shoot for the 2 hour mark -- and that I would meet up with him at the finish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wouldn't you know it, my final time was 2:00:52, just a minute off of the 2 hour mark. My wife -- my ultimate cheering section -- was there at the finish to meet us and to capture this picture. </span></div>
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<span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PSAGLEOWG0ZVtUToduDfoehQcxTumOMlHDC5-C0ze8PbIBz-TTBRGGyMxnUeVkdZ6GgxlBUC1w2oNDwWr4NDErlsVEklRTj_w0Jy27RTWLbIO6vXf_4A-Ucrrhr39KrTkAz7uqVddeo/s1600/RUnite+1.jpg" width="240" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then the task of walking back to where my wife had parked her car so she could shuttle us back to the original start line where I had parked earlier that morning. My mom was one of the first people that I called to let her know that I was alive and well. She congratulated me and said that she was proud of what I had accomplished (good thing I didn't tell her too much about my leg;).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well the pain in my left knee and leg was pretty bad and I recall a really bad night's sleep. As I said earlier, I probably shouldn't have finished the race and I am fortunate that I didn't experience any longer-term complications.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was convinced that I was on the right track with the the changes that I was incorporating into my running form and I was eager to recover from this setback so that I could further that progress. This would be essential if I was going to be able to go on enjoying this crazy sport that I appeared to be hooked on! </span>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-90915701541776857202015-04-03T11:34:00.001-04:002015-04-22T16:25:30.240-04:00Slow progression, still no master plan<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>Step By Step</u></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I explained in my introduction, I got started with running by joining
a colleague in a local fund-raising 5K (3.1 miles).
That served as my motivation and purpose and since I had been in athletics
most of my life as a participant or coach, I respected the need for some type
of a plan or approach. There are no
shortages of these – just Google “beginner 5K” and you will find endless
options. Perhaps the most important
training tip that I received as a beginner was to just forget about speed and
pace and even distance. Just focus on duration; run for x minutes in a row and then increase that over time. Lots of other details came into the mix like
not increasing distance too much week-over-week, what pace would I run the 5K
at so that I can project how many minutes I would need to be able to run,
etc. So much of running is in our minds
and to get started from zero, I found it much easier to use the “minutes in a
row” approach. Even at its simplest
level, I knew I could get myself to run for 5 minutes so I set that as my
starting point. Surely I could run the
next time for 5 ½ minutes – just 30 more seconds. Onward and upward from there I went until I
was stretching out to over 10 and then 15 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I ran that 5K in April of 2010 on a drizzly, humid morning
in Piscataway NJ, the Rutgers University “High Speed Chase For The Cure” with
proceeds to benefit the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The race start was
called by Greg Shiano, then head football coach at Rutgers who then moved on
to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZT3uv0XuHNVsYXzosqicK9Yf69s3srf3QrCB-aBHpeZ5vWrBHCX0kfklAOB4qO6_LjTuZ4SN1tD6W3EBTgth_Raq4uNFi5me58MMw8dDkDeISb9lgLIDnWwNIbLoN3AS2lOtNtUxkFQo/s1600/Shiano+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZT3uv0XuHNVsYXzosqicK9Yf69s3srf3QrCB-aBHpeZ5vWrBHCX0kfklAOB4qO6_LjTuZ4SN1tD6W3EBTgth_Raq4uNFi5me58MMw8dDkDeISb9lgLIDnWwNIbLoN3AS2lOtNtUxkFQo/s1600/Shiano+1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My finishing time was somewhere north of 31
minutes and I totally enjoyed the experience.
Having done most of my training alone, this was my first experience with
an organized race, running with other runners and all that goes with that. I was
fortunate to have my colleague Ryan, and his other fund-raising team members to
meet up with before the race, mingle with and learn from. We didn’t run
together because we all had such different pace levels but at least I wasn’t
completely alone before the race, picking up my race bib and pinning it on, and
getting into the start area. Then the adrenalin rush and the impulse to jump
out too fast – after all I had never run beside other runners, not to mention a
few thousand of them. After a few
hundred yards of panting and adrenalin dump, I eventually settled into a pace
that was more “my speed”. A half-hour later I was done and my wife and daughter
were there at the finish line to cheer me on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After that initial 5K run, I didn’t have any master plan. It
all just seemed to evolve naturally. I
began to do more running on the treadmill at our health club and I would take
my gear on business trips so I could run in the hotel gyms and outdoors when
time and weather allowed. I enjoyed the running itself but soon the competitive
athlete in me began to itch so I signed up for another local 5K fund-raiser.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This seemed to work for me as I could plot the race on my calendar and then
“train” toward that event. I was
beginning to notice that I enjoyed this cadence; find and schedule a local
race, train for the race, run the race. And this is when I learned more runner
jargon: the “PR”, Personal Record. Like everything else in life, when you are
just starting out running, you are able to improve your performance on just about every race
you run. The verb form of the word is “to PR” which means to set a new Personal
Record and I was setting a new 5K PR on each race. And back to my introduction again, I was
beginning to notice and enjoy that camaraderie and community of runners. Each
5K race I entered gave me another opportunity to enjoy that fraternity and to
be among other runners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At this point, I began to look into more challenges and the options were to improve my speed for 5K distance and/or extend my
distance to the next natural level; 10K (6.2 miles).
I began to learn that in the running community, there are far more local
5K races than 10K’s and that continues up the scale. There are fewer Half
Marathons and even fewer Full Marathons. I also began to learn the seasonal
cycles for races. Living in the northeast, the two race seasons are spring and
fall. So late in 2010 with about four 5K’s under my belt I began to look for a
10K to enter and there was one in my area in the March timeframe. I made the
decision to register during the Christmas season 2010 and gave myself a 3-month
window to train for this new distance.
This would mean a 100% increase over my current distance of 5K and it
sounded very daunting at the time. I
mentioned the race to my friend and colleague Bob who was well on his own way
to Full Marathon training, and he agreed to enter the race with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I began to train for this 10K race, I quickly learned
another reality of the seasonality of running in the northeast; training for a spring race
means you begin your training in winter while training for an autumn race means
training during the summer. Pick your
poison! So I began my training in January and I realized that I enjoyed running
in the cold elements. As long as it wasn’t bitter (temperatures in the teens or
lower) nor too windy or slippery, it was a challenge to get out there and withstand the
elements. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRBFewkAHbad9U5lkfrBYgzkfU5GzvfFAFomye4hDjDNs5SkfJr98iHLJpWcpT2xpiCsTLP_su26X6O3Wtz0ycihhmvNFmfF_TO597IRtiHMIoMHt1FUMlCCg2TaGfmLZfaXxwyHW9iw/s1600/IMG_2288%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRBFewkAHbad9U5lkfrBYgzkfU5GzvfFAFomye4hDjDNs5SkfJr98iHLJpWcpT2xpiCsTLP_su26X6O3Wtz0ycihhmvNFmfF_TO597IRtiHMIoMHt1FUMlCCg2TaGfmLZfaXxwyHW9iw/s1600/IMG_2288%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter training for springtime race</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My biggest challenge was the jump up in distance and as all
runners learn, that has to be done gradually over time. I would tell my friends – especially other
runners – that I didn’t feel limited in an aerobic sense, I wasn’t breathing
too hard or feeling tired in that way. I
was feeling increasingly sore and painful in other areas; specifically my knees
and hips. Oh boy, did I get an anatomy lesson real fast. I had learned my high
school biology pretty well and I could recite all 206 bones thanks to Mr. Niosi's 10th grade biology class. But I had never
heard of something called my Iliotibial Band. So I quickly learned about my ITB
and the ever dreaded ITBS; Iliotibial Band Syndrome. Suffice to say, now I
must’ve been a “runner” because I was experiencing one of the most prevalent
runner’s ailments and a classical case that was tied to my increase in mileage
and training.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T7IYnUVJNlGYZs2SYtcZJCztAALWpB8vqC0brYtMG2ujKDJoKlzsm95le_m8lXZMPj5dgyP9BL6cnRURtMxY_0cYQY1Mfj09u4qTQIYmMOWD0BcJjsk_5-CGo9hMHlhNt3LZ-e5jvpI/s1600/ITBS1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T7IYnUVJNlGYZs2SYtcZJCztAALWpB8vqC0brYtMG2ujKDJoKlzsm95le_m8lXZMPj5dgyP9BL6cnRURtMxY_0cYQY1Mfj09u4qTQIYmMOWD0BcJjsk_5-CGo9hMHlhNt3LZ-e5jvpI/s1600/ITBS1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dreaded ITB and ITBS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The training for the 10K went OK and I flirted on and off
with setbacks due to knee pain from the ITBS. Race day came and I enjoyed
having my good friend join me although we didn’t plan to run together. Bob was
looking to PR in the 8-minute per mile range (there’s that PR word again) and I
was just looking to finish. Being an early March race – and aptly called “The
Run From Winter”, the weather could be unpredictable in the northeast. We were
lucky to get an overcast day of 40 degrees in the morning and up to 50 during
the race which was ideal. Bob and I separated just after the start and I
settled into my pace comfortably having learned in my earlier 5K’s not to be
caught up in the adrenalin rush to jump out too quickly. Somewhere around mile
3 we passed each other because the course was out and back, meaning we
re-traced our steps after about half-way.
He looked great and said he was a bit behind his PR pace but felt good.
It’s amazing how much two runners can communicate to each other in such a short
pass-by.</span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS62RJdumLnOCX7AdaynMiN-UgzqWhGsjClLFpBlJMMn-kZHWErCugKBHMHskWofera3n5zXLf3rVU9paZSEXrFJ-0S9axZsaOCADrOXAKFWKWsasQz4NW1nXU41789FDHfF649gym6AQ/s1600/BS+run+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS62RJdumLnOCX7AdaynMiN-UgzqWhGsjClLFpBlJMMn-kZHWErCugKBHMHskWofera3n5zXLf3rVU9paZSEXrFJ-0S9axZsaOCADrOXAKFWKWsasQz4NW1nXU41789FDHfF649gym6AQ/s1600/BS+run+1.JPG" height="320" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early in the 10K race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I approached mile 5 I could feel my left knee getting
very painful. This is one of the characteristics of ITBS, it doesn’t come on
gradually, it’s very rapid. The biology is all about inflammation that impedes
free movement of the ITB as is passes back and forth over the knee joint and
once it happens; every stride brings direct pain to that spot. I struggled for another ½ mile but then I
pulled up with my knee completely locked up. I could barely walk on it and so I
got my first ever DNF – Did Not Finish (there’s another term we learn). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After the work I had begun to do to combat the ITBS, this was a frustrating setback for sure. I went to a
physical therapist to assess the problem because I was having trouble walking
on it and maintaining normal lifestyle.
The fact that I couldn’t run on it at all was additional frustration but
I wasn’t that “hooked” on running yet – I just needed to get back to walking!
After some weeks of PT and focused exercises I was slowly able to get back to
normal and some light running again. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More on that in my next post.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-2015791840886579532015-02-27T14:41:00.000-05:002015-02-27T18:37:09.282-05:00From 0 to 26.2 in 4 years<h3>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Introduction:</span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I
started this blog a few weeks ago with a recap of my recent experience running
the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC this past October. As I stated in that post, now I am going back
to write some posts about how I got into running a few years ago. You can go back and read the MCM post by clicking on the lower left of this page.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hadn’t really considered writing about my running until
now but here’s my theory; I am curious how many others feel this way. I (and
many other runners) do a lot of running alone. Some of this is due to
scheduling, some is due to preference. Although we spend so much time “alone”
with this hobby of ours, I think we enjoy a great feeling of camaraderie with
other runners. I find that the running community works this way; just join any
race/event from local fund-raising 5K’s to marathons and ultras. In my
experience, I find the most inviting, open, engaging, clever and funny people
out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I write this blog for other runners who share my
experience with this hobby, but also for those of you who may not be into
running but who may be curious about it. Or you may be curious about the
experiences of those of us who do run – perhaps a personal friend or family
member. Some of you may have other “hobbies” that serve a similar purpose for you. I enjoy reading other runners’ stories in
this way and hopefully I can provide another voice for others to enjoy too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Back Story:</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was always very athletic yet I disliked endurance-type
exercise. I grew up in a world that
always included a ball of some sort and lots of hand-eye coordination was an
asset. I was a bit smaller than average and always seemed to be among the
smallest/shortest/lightest in all of the traditional organized sports that I
played; football, and baseball mostly. After school years and varsity team
sports I picked up the common 20-something activities like tennis, golf,
softball and flag-football leagues, and that late 1970’s craze -- racquetball
(I blame Flash!!). Everyone is invincible at those ages and conditioning was never
an issue. Then from ages 30 through
early 50’s came the inevitable reduction in “discretionary” time while
parenting and raising our family. Fortunately my wife and I kept a health club
membership alive through those years and on a very varying schedule, there were
trips to the weight room and basketball courts and stationary bike (for me) and
the dance fitness classes and elliptical machines (for her). Some activity is
better than none. To think that the criteria we required when we joined our
health club was on-site childcare and racquetball courts … that goes back quite
a few years!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">From participant to fan...</span></h4>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My wife and I each enjoy following the activities and
accomplishments of people that we know. We are especially fans of do-er's. We
each participated in a lot of organized activities in our youth -- sports for
me and performing arts for her. Maybe
for that reason or maybe for some other reason, we just enjoy taking an
interest in the things that people are passionate about, and we know how much it
means to them. Certainly we watched our own kids' events from dancing to
singing to piano to guitar to drawing to painting to football to baseball to
roller hockey and wrestling... oh my!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAFQVtkaUCG22eEVBUstw1uZAs5XjZJHAOT-Id6Kd1a663oh7OVLzVBrFaPPg_pz8GaHfls1llfnqbrGRvJC7RQtkBtqHjJZ09RUBKxP6QHkzj7sk9pZvqtP8WeJfbzgjO6pKxbTzqzg/s1600/Rugby1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAFQVtkaUCG22eEVBUstw1uZAs5XjZJHAOT-Id6Kd1a663oh7OVLzVBrFaPPg_pz8GaHfls1llfnqbrGRvJC7RQtkBtqHjJZ09RUBKxP6QHkzj7sk9pZvqtP8WeJfbzgjO6pKxbTzqzg/s1600/Rugby1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and don't forget rugby (Jim, TCNJ Lions 2008-9)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But we've been known to drive 50 or 60 miles to watch a
nephew or a niece or a friend's event. People doing things, people taking
action and being active. We support that
any day of the week. However, aside from a high school track meet to watch our
son throwing the javelin, I had never been to nor participated in any kind of a
track or running event. That was about to change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">From Here to Eternity or, that’s a long flight!</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’ve always done a lot of traveling for business and I’ve
always packed some gym clothes so I could get some exercise in the hotel
facilities. In late 2008 through 2009 I was developing a close friendship with
a colleague who was well along with running and he was on a marathon training
program. We were working on a project
that required us to travel to Hawaii 3 times within a 6-9 month span – a
terrible assignment indeed! Given the schedule of our daily client meetings and
thanks to the time-zone/body clock differential between the US east coast and Honolulu, Bob
would get his training runs done early in the morning. I distinctly remember the numerous
conversations we would have about routes where he could run, distances to cover
to satisfy his training plan, etc. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3TgYU1Q-qU9IKHLefFUbXX4BDDoK2xgKiyu4YTcklgWsgONehkKZpa63PoDHM93bskXBlB3RVJn2ott9O01pN7t7gjZ7yiSSl7JhA3SkdlNEPxgZvSb2uJjk9VTWCCF-fzga09AUzjk/s1600/Waikiki1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3TgYU1Q-qU9IKHLefFUbXX4BDDoK2xgKiyu4YTcklgWsgONehkKZpa63PoDHM93bskXBlB3RVJn2ott9O01pN7t7gjZ7yiSSl7JhA3SkdlNEPxgZvSb2uJjk9VTWCCF-fzga09AUzjk/s1600/Waikiki1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waikiki was a tough assignment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At around that time, I had begun to do a little running on
the treadmill myself. Dawn on Waikiki is very beautiful and one morning I took
to the road. It was balmy and warm, I was not in running shape and I could
barely complete a mile or two along Kalakaua Ave. Our hotel, the Marriott
Waikiki, was at the south end of the strip with quick access to the state park
recreation area where many local early riser residents would go to practice
their tai chi and other exercises. It was a great way to start the day before
we would don our business attire and leave the beautiful beach area to head
over to downtown Honolulu for our meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can still remember taking a drive around Diamond Head one
day to scope out the road because Bob was planning to use that route for a
5-mile training run. He was especially
interested to see the elevation of the route in order to get some hill training
into his regimen. For me, at that time,
a 5-mile run seemed very daunting but I was intrigued with the idea about how
running could be a great way to experience different locations. This would become a recurring theme for me.
To think that in a few short years, I would eclipse that 5-mile distance by 5
times to run my first full marathon in 2014.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FS-5PtEea9cFVsFA64D0FeAgT3q6YfpB1yJR4fKeclFZ4fnSr-JHCfNHbsbCxVIEUzo9SNEh1zzYF_lPpRjwVM57ID3IxAUdvg6MfpIbtgpa_4d3EGuzYDyg5RfumpR6_Tz5Ilzv3qo/s1600/Waikiki4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FS-5PtEea9cFVsFA64D0FeAgT3q6YfpB1yJR4fKeclFZ4fnSr-JHCfNHbsbCxVIEUzo9SNEh1zzYF_lPpRjwVM57ID3IxAUdvg6MfpIbtgpa_4d3EGuzYDyg5RfumpR6_Tz5Ilzv3qo/s1600/Waikiki4.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob's 5-mile route around Diamond Head</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I continued to do a bit of treadmill running at the gym and
out on the roads when I traveled for business.
Never too serious and no specific plan in mind – just a way to stay
active. I continued to follow my friend
Bob’s running as he was well into a rigorous training program to run a marathon
in his home city of Ottawa and numerous of the New York Roadrunners events in
order to qualify for the New York Marathon.
I still thought it to be quite crazy and I hardly ever imagined doing
those things myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And back to participant again. A small contribution to a huge cause!</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In early spring of 2010, another business colleague that Bob
and I worked with lost his mom to cancer. Shortly after, Ryan circulated an
email to invite friends to contribute to a fund-raiser. It was a 5K race held
at nearby Rutgers University and like most of these events; the online
fund-raising invitation included the request to contribute and/or to join in
the run. So on a whim, I joined Ryan's team and thought I was biting off a
whole lot more than I could ever chew. You mean, run for 3.1 miles? In a row? That’s likely to take over a half
hour! At that point I didn't have a master plan or a vision to run a marathon
or anything else like that. I just liked
the idea of supporting Ryan's cause and the opportunity to become a participant
again.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgTF585FBZ2ghXxZdZx8YvZwUzQF3z5_nOW10itJm0nhW2JwHikH6lM52YOdPoQ1VB9AIEGbiEtNSbCC4lLYiSh5NKQ35Holy-Jf7RihfcJ0w9VuUKfySlWmXJvgH8XbFJB61-V_WDv8/s1600/IMG_2252%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgTF585FBZ2ghXxZdZx8YvZwUzQF3z5_nOW10itJm0nhW2JwHikH6lM52YOdPoQ1VB9AIEGbiEtNSbCC4lLYiSh5NKQ35Holy-Jf7RihfcJ0w9VuUKfySlWmXJvgH8XbFJB61-V_WDv8/s1600/IMG_2252%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T-shirt from my first 5k</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That was spring of 2010. Fast forward to October 26, 2014
and along with completing countless other fund-raising 5Ks and 10Ks and 15Ks
plus 4 Half Marathons, I have also completed my first Full Marathon, the New
Jersey Marathon in Long Branch, NJ and my second full marathon, the Marine
Corps Marathon in Washington DC. I still blame/credit my close friend Bob who
established my baseline appreciation for the work ethic necessary to enjoy this
crazy sport and the blame/credit is compounded upon my colleague Ryan for
dropping that invitation into my email box and how gracious and inviting he and
his family were to have me join their group to honor his mom’s memory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In later posts I will write more about my own training
regimen and how Ryan’s commitment to his mom’s cause paid dividends in my
relationship with my mom in the years to come.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For that 5K at Rutgers, let's just say that I finished, I was exhausted and I was somewhat certain that I wouldn't be doing another one of those anytime soon. However, I did get to experience my first dose of that great camaraderie among runners and, my wife and my younger daughter Jaclyn were great sports to come out to cheer me on at the finish. In a small way, I took the first step "back to participant" that day.</span></div>
</div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4586545891230277219.post-27605024771274775822015-02-07T22:04:00.000-05:002015-02-08T17:01:02.309-05:00My experience running the Marine Corps Marathon, October 2014<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the first article that I am posting. It is about my experience running the Marine Corps Marathon this past fall. It took some time to get this written, even though I had drafted my notes a few weeks after the race. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a back story about how
I got into running 5 years ago and the steps (no pun intended) that took me to
this point. I will post those stories as well, and I welcome you to go and read that back-story
too. For this article, I pick up the
story about my training preparation and eventual completion of the 2014 Marine
Corps Marathon in Washington DC. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marine Corps Marathon
October 26, 2014</span></b></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Marine Corps Marathon (known as MCM) is one of the 5 largest marathons run
annually in the US (after New York and Chicago and very similar to Honolulu and Boston). Prestigious for its
affiliation with the Marine Corps and run through the nation’s capital, this is
one race that I really wanted to run. For
most runners, entry into the race is by a lottery system because demand for
runners far surpasses supply.
Approximately 20,000+ runners participate in “The People’s Marathon”. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqB2g70w1zW1wN7Tx2sCb1-do-ZYO936KJ_0g2DW7xMiZhq2Ncjr19Crd0xgDiOIGYWh5NomuV60U3WNQP5JeRFala1ICZCUhPQ9hZvjG958MDaAs1sDa4ksSwU4CUgDuSW-p40Gczeeo/s1600/mcmarathon+(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqB2g70w1zW1wN7Tx2sCb1-do-ZYO936KJ_0g2DW7xMiZhq2Ncjr19Crd0xgDiOIGYWh5NomuV60U3WNQP5JeRFala1ICZCUhPQ9hZvjG958MDaAs1sDa4ksSwU4CUgDuSW-p40Gczeeo/s1600/mcmarathon+(1).jpeg" height="208" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
lottery system is very well organized and all candidates submit their
applications online well before the day the lottery is run. Then you sit back and hope that your name
gets picked by the random machine. I received my confirmation email on March 19<sup>th</sup>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>" Congratulations. The MCM Lottery has been conducted and you have reason to celebrate as one of the officially registered participants in the 39th Marine Corps Marathon to be held on Sunday, October 26, 2014 in Arlington, VA."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<h4>
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preparation Time </span></b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine
the timing. I was already registered
for, and actively training for my 1<sup>st</sup> full marathon to be held on
April 27, 2014 – the NJ Marathon held in Monmouth County NJ (more on that race
in a separate article). Due to the lottery system for the MCM, these two
activities overlapped. I was actively training for the first race while waiting on the lottery entry process for the second.
Upon receiving the acceptance email for the MCM, I was at week 14 of a
20-week training program for the NJ Marathon. I still had all the normal
apprehension about being able to complete a full marathon and here I was
getting accepted to run a second.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white;">Workload</span></b><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">For seasoned runners, running 2 or
more marathons in a single year is serious work but not uncommon. For a 1<sup>st</sup>-time
marathon runner, running 2 full marathons in a single year is very aggressive.
By the time 2014 was over, I had run over 1,100 miles – most of which are
accumulated during the two, 20-week training programs for the two
marathons. The 26.2 miles for each race
is the tip of the iceberg for each of those training programs. </span>By comparison, my previous year total mileage was approximately 500 miles. That
was a year where I ran multiple half marathons and various other shorter
distance races. So I chose a
considerable step-up in workload for 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is so much of a sense of fortune and luck about
how your body reacts throughout the training. Injuries and setbacks are a
constant part of running – especially when you take the training up to these
levels. I had my fair share of injuries
and setbacks but I was fortunate enough that they never became debilitating
enough to steer me too far off the training course. Some weeks were very difficult to complete
and I had to learn ways to be flexible in the regimen in order to work with the
small injuries and setbacks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time I began
to train for the MCM, I had already completed my first, the NJ Marathon on
April 27</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. I took my running
volume down considerably during May and June to give my body some rest. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white;">Race Weekend</span></b><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been looking forward to writing this
section because it was such a great experience. I break the experience down
into four great parts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span><span style="font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="background: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">The family perspective</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span><span style="font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="background: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">The overwhelming event that the Marine Corps
Marathon is</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span><span style="font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="background: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">Wearing blue</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span><span style="font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-indent: -0.25in;">The athletic part -- the culmination of all the
training and running the event.</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<h4>
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Family</span></b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traveling down to
Washington DC from NJ for the race was an opportunity to get away for a long
weekend with my wife. We left on Friday and returned home on Monday. My
oldest daughter now lives in San Francisco (that’s a great story for a separate
day) and she chose to fly in to watch and support me. My other two kids were
present when I completed my first marathon – the NJ Marathon – in April. Every
time we get to see her is a treat, having her there for the race was priceless!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9BSfn66hdBk952yCNgPKhrstNunP1V074xH_JlbTGBF-YFrBh9spDkjfiOc8zf2-850EO30wSQFMhTnQ466j9Fopg6ZwU8CRqn2afcY1H_5xeP0Sk0KqbJgL7LaLxFL6FeckM1waYes/s1600/1958302_10101192288875592_1129300127830791021_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9BSfn66hdBk952yCNgPKhrstNunP1V074xH_JlbTGBF-YFrBh9spDkjfiOc8zf2-850EO30wSQFMhTnQ466j9Fopg6ZwU8CRqn2afcY1H_5xeP0Sk0KqbJgL7LaLxFL6FeckM1waYes/s1600/1958302_10101192288875592_1129300127830791021_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Heading to brunch in Georgetown with my support team on the day after the race</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My nephew and his wife live in Bethesda Maryland
and I sometimes have dinner with them when I travel to the DC area for
business. We planned to have dinner with
them on Friday evening and our daughter arrived from San Francisco in time to
take the Metro over to join us. My
nephew’s wife is a runner too, and was in training herself for the upcoming
Rock and Roll half marathon in Las Vegas. The five of us had a wonderful Italian
dinner and talked for 4 hours.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As if that’s not enough, I have another niece who
lives in the DC area and works in Crystal City – miles 22-23 of the MCM
course. She was able to come into town
on race day with her daughter to support me. At that point in the race, you
cannot imagine the pick-me-up it was to see them. I wasn’t exactly sure if they
were going to make it and when I heard “Uncle Bill” being called out – phew
that was such a treat. I paused and
hugged my niece and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek. Wind in my sails for another mile or so. More on that in the race recap.</span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<h4>
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The MCM Event</span></b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">A lot is
written about events such as this. Whether the New York Marathon or Boston or
Chicago or MCM, when it comes to events of this size and scale, it is a miracle
the way things come together. For
runners, the issues that matter involve things like the availability of Porta-potties,
transportation logistics to and from, and overall race course support like
water/aid/nutrition stations, etc. If
you have an ounce of patriotism in you, as a runner you cannot overstate the
fact that these services are provided by US Marines for this event. From start to finish and all along the way,
uniformed US Marines provide those support services, cheer us on, have
supporting smiles on their faces and just make it better! To that, add the fabulous flow of events at
the race beginning </span><span style="background: white;">where </span><span style="background: white;">US flags are parachuted down to the start line, Osprey
aircraft perform a fly-over and the National Anthem is sung to the backdrop of
sunrise on a crystal clear blue morning.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ptURZxn1yQMVR8xF1qUBhEi2W-CXYP-iu-9nCT5bOLhfUSe6lSLwItYa7YTZLvfkfSzOBYwu-9zempQz3F7CYg4bIwqiPczmMuyUSlW4gk_MIgFwKp3-njTuKLbhtqihSYe5hLxM2xA/s1600/IMG_2044%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ptURZxn1yQMVR8xF1qUBhEi2W-CXYP-iu-9nCT5bOLhfUSe6lSLwItYa7YTZLvfkfSzOBYwu-9zempQz3F7CYg4bIwqiPczmMuyUSlW4gk_MIgFwKp3-njTuKLbhtqihSYe5hLxM2xA/s1600/IMG_2044%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Moments before the official start!</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still remember exiting the Pentagon Metro station
to walk to the runners’ village before 06:00AM. It was still dark and all
20,000 of us runners were arriving via Metro, busses and shuttles. We all moved along quietly – felt like I was
back in high school on football game day – some small talk and anxious quips
among friends but mostly a quiet group of athletes making their way to the
start. We were on the Pentagon side of the Potomac River, and looking to the
east, I could see the Washington Monument and the Capitol building off in the
distance all lit up against the dark sky with the slightest hint of dawn across
the horizon. I had 2 immediate feelings; one, what a beautiful vista on what
was going to be a crisp, clear blue day and two, holy crap … that is far away
from here and we are going to be running all the way over there … and
back! </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGHvQEbf5AwTZvcfSXMCrP9FDh1n2Qs8IHlKJeahRwOjzH7eva8xsQT-lII6Tn6ew0A1JNa1eBuxbcVSNA_HDhYX7KcQ27N3MHBADdsxrstE8ylPE-ljMTQllCzBkNXqBLVzm6IcTj1U/s1600/Sunrise166small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGHvQEbf5AwTZvcfSXMCrP9FDh1n2Qs8IHlKJeahRwOjzH7eva8xsQT-lII6Tn6ew0A1JNa1eBuxbcVSNA_HDhYX7KcQ27N3MHBADdsxrstE8ylPE-ljMTQllCzBkNXqBLVzm6IcTj1U/s1600/Sunrise166small.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Dawn over DC</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h4>
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wearing Blue</span></b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">The
running community and “causes” are tightly knit. Whether it’s the local weekend
5K or it’s the largest of marathon events, runners and supporters have the
opportunity to attract interest and support to various causes. For my first marathon in April, I formed a
support program to honor my 23 year-old nephew who died tragically a few
months before the race (more on that in a separate post). For the Marine Corps
Marathon, I researched and chose to join the group called “wear blue: run to
remember” (wbr2r) <a href="http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/">http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/</a></span><span style="background: white;">. Please read up on them and the wonderful cause they
support. </span><span style="background-color: white;">I find their mantra to be so meaningful because I
am a fan of taking action:</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mission of wear blue: run to remember is to
build running communities that honor the service and sacrifice of the American
military</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Goals: wear blue seeks to (1) act as a support
network, (2) serve as a living memorial, and (3) bridge the gap between
military and civilian communities.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRM1KnIr07Y2HM4tghNax5lhhF5M3hg0gnvQt-EFDJlZ1R-9HmWU8kbiEcXI2gHZBP9K_dxtEqtqyNOiQj3d7OH_4KLWdyvFs-fPtWIdAjhohzpWnD3BvclAIPCXheh0G3ZH0JrnCugk/s1600/wbr2r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRM1KnIr07Y2HM4tghNax5lhhF5M3hg0gnvQt-EFDJlZ1R-9HmWU8kbiEcXI2gHZBP9K_dxtEqtqyNOiQj3d7OH_4KLWdyvFs-fPtWIdAjhohzpWnD3BvclAIPCXheh0G3ZH0JrnCugk/s1600/wbr2r.jpg" height="164" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>A great group doing great work</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoHjpMrGMqttk6cRHmQQ4hXcjmksVL02OahSYnizqIiW73gtUSCSBrLJAbR0uHrUhMbhOKRTQlFf12hHiW5I3O1NWJKyfkLhk7ZMiyorYiKkd8X14OhdJ_mUCxV-ZYE6BMXS3YFQ9reM/s1600/222460_173172559_XLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoHjpMrGMqttk6cRHmQQ4hXcjmksVL02OahSYnizqIiW73gtUSCSBrLJAbR0uHrUhMbhOKRTQlFf12hHiW5I3O1NWJKyfkLhk7ZMiyorYiKkd8X14OhdJ_mUCxV-ZYE6BMXS3YFQ9reM/s1600/222460_173172559_XLarge.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud to wear blue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></h4>
<h4>
<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Race Recap</span></b></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I write this
section with a concern for who may be reading.
I will attempt to give a small sense of the experience from the runner’s
perspective including the physical and emotional. I won’t go into a mile-for-mile recap but I
will break this down into sections of the course as they unfolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My race strategy: this was to be my second full
marathon ever – and the second in 2014.
It was a risky and aggressive decision to run two in a single year but when
the acceptance to the MCM lottery arrived in March, I couldn’t turn it
down. And I was already well underway
with planning for my first marathon in April. So I decided to run both and to
keep a modest pace objective for both. I
usually train in the range of 9:15 – 9:40 minute mile and with all the best
recommendations, I slowed my training to a pace near 10:00 for these races.
This would lead me to a conservative goal of 4 hours, 40+ minutes for the full
26.2 miles, allowing for further slow-down after the 21 mile point where things
start to get tougher. With this
approach, I completed my first marathon in April at 4:47 and I completed the
MCM in October at 4:50. Pretty consistent and respectable for my first and second
efforts at this distance and at my age. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I came to learn during my first marathon,
nutrition and hydration are critical. I had worked on this during my training
runs and I had settled in on my plan for fuel (Clif Shot energy gel) at every 6
miles and 2 full water cups. My GI system seemed to process these well and
worked throughout my training runs and I opted to be more aggressive than I had
been for my first marathon in April (where I believe I may have “hit the wall”
at the 20-mile point due to insufficient fuel).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was fortunate that the only injury/tweaks that
I entered the race with were a mostly recovered blister beneath my right foot,
a chronic left hip/gluteal/psoas strain and a right calf that would threaten to
cramp at the slightest misstep of my running gait. Compared to some other runners I have spoken
with, many have entered race day with much worse ailing them. Just like when you watch sports on TV, you
realize that most athletes always have something ailing them – just hopefully
not major injuries. I had perfected my
technique of wrapping the blister below my right foot (lots of reading up on
that one) and I wore Zensa calf sleeves on both legs which seemed to help avert
the worst of the calf problems. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The course: I am much attuned to geography and as
such, I had a great understanding of the course layout. But there is nothing
like the experience of being on that course, on those streets as the course
unfolded. The race begins on a section of the Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington,
VA a short distance from the Arlington National Cemetery where the race will
finish at the Marine Corps Iwo Jima memorial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xDItpwsbYBZcGCoD1zaTKBfYRM5SH7XsIvbdyoPfgBKnop1lldLDa90wnDg9FDxaUXJVtuMAkoenGLKK7vxvwf297KjjGeyy_W6dPnH7CxdEeXMa99aNKYG7zEzw3o5rbkOJGXNCabM/s1600/marine-corps-route-676x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xDItpwsbYBZcGCoD1zaTKBfYRM5SH7XsIvbdyoPfgBKnop1lldLDa90wnDg9FDxaUXJVtuMAkoenGLKK7vxvwf297KjjGeyy_W6dPnH7CxdEeXMa99aNKYG7zEzw3o5rbkOJGXNCabM/s1600/marine-corps-route-676x450.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>MCM Course Map</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miles 1-4 are up-hill and take us north and west
through the town of Rosslyn, Virginia.
This will be where we return in another 22 miles after the race is
complete. The up-hill route is a bit challenging but serves as a great pacing
mechanism. Otherwise, a common mistake is to allow adrenalin to take you out
ahead of your own pacing plan. The crowd support through this area was great
and it really got me in a great mood to tackle the course. As I mentioned earlier, I had my “wear blue”
running shirt on and I was already getting calls and yells from crowd members
and other “wear blue” runners alike. I
had positioned myself among the runners projecting a 4:50 finish so we all got
underway and settled into a comfortable pace together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miles 5-7 take us east and north, across the
Potomac River for the first time at the Key Bridge. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO3rgy_kVAF36Oem398HEXcb0GwICOpfnEjl7jEkHNuFL3qNjgG6t_ahOwifXpKjpxrgSNg4dAr_MJwSWKg1HLJqMProkC2RbM9CcFBTcsJvN1315LodQE4nf2Dh8QtK37wFrj_Bg6l8/s1600/KeyBridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO3rgy_kVAF36Oem398HEXcb0GwICOpfnEjl7jEkHNuFL3qNjgG6t_ahOwifXpKjpxrgSNg4dAr_MJwSWKg1HLJqMProkC2RbM9CcFBTcsJvN1315LodQE4nf2Dh8QtK37wFrj_Bg6l8/s1600/KeyBridge.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Aerial view of the race crossing the Key Bridge into Georgetown</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a gorgeous vista and takes us into
Georgetown where the spires of the University sit directly ahead of us. We turn onto M Street in Georgetown and the
crowd support is wild. Very much
expected, but still very inspiring and fun. We pass directly by the spot where,
in 24 hours (give or take) we will have a great brunch here with our daughter
before we see her off on her return to San Francisco. I was feeling quite good
at this point in the race and I had already taken my first fuel (Clif Shot gel)
and water on schedule. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we turn due north on the Rock Creek Parkway,
a beautiful road that winds through green, park-like countryside toward
Maryland. There are still lots of spectators lining the parkway and across the
stone bridges that we pass beneath. This
is the only area of this course where runners will pass each other, we travel
the parkway northbound and we make a hairpin turn at mile 7 or 8 and return
southbound on the other side of the road.
This creates a great atmosphere of camaraderie as runners get to cheer
to those who are already ahead and returning down the course. I felt a stab below my right forefoot at
mile 6 or so and I spent the next mile trying to determine if my tape-job had
slipped. At mile 7.5 I took a quick stop
near an aid station to remove my shoe and check the tape. Seems that everything was intact but the
blister had returned. Now I had to
decide to remove the tape altogether or re-attach it. I chose to re-attach it,
re-lace my shoe and move along. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was the first point on the course where my
daughter may have been positioned to see me.
To her surprise, I took out my cell phone (yes I always run with my
phone – it has my music and my pacing app), and called her. True to my pacing and training, I was running
at a comfortable pace (conversational pace) so I could speak to her but it was
very difficult hearing due to noise on both ends. She was en route to see me as we exited Rock
Creek Parkway but we missed the connection. I may have been slightly ahead of
the pacing map I had given her. But we signed off and I told her that I looked
forward to seeing her and my wife later along the National Mall – our next
agreed check point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miles 8-11 bring us back below Georgetown and
along the eastern shore of the Potomac. We pass the Lincoln Performing Arts
Center and the very west side of the Lincoln Memorial. This is our first glimpses of the great
thrill ahead where we will run along the National Mall between and all that
great history. I was also looking
forward to reaching mile 12 to see the Blue Mile. I was still feeling nasty friction below that
right foot and I chose to make another quick stop to completely remove the tape. Another quick look at the blister just
between the big toe and the ball of my foot and it was clear that this was
going to be with me for the rest of the day.
I re-laced my shoes and got back underway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miles 12 – 16 continues south along the Potomac
to Hains Point where at the southern tip, we turn back toward the north. Many
consider this to be a low point of the course because there are many fewer
spectators. However, that scene of the Blue Mile changed this to one of my
favorite sections of the race. If you take the time to read about the Blue Mile
or go to the “wear blue, run to remember” site, you will understand the
wonderful job that these volunteers do.
The first half mile is lined with placards of the heroes we have lost,
each with a full picture and name. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsHCPWrLPO0xtKOq-BrSBHoXPYa1xsEKYdP_lTzzzU0HG8eB_sFOmkl9yuE2KiM_Le7ctIUdTeqI2DKgTfYl_cmWElUftkumtQ1wBhQw52vHYS72KwCMoEza7CVHiEMaz_Sofzixl9WM/s1600/Blue+Mile+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsHCPWrLPO0xtKOq-BrSBHoXPYa1xsEKYdP_lTzzzU0HG8eB_sFOmkl9yuE2KiM_Le7ctIUdTeqI2DKgTfYl_cmWElUftkumtQ1wBhQw52vHYS72KwCMoEza7CVHiEMaz_Sofzixl9WM/s1600/Blue+Mile+2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A small section of the Blue Mile placards</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is followed by another half mile of American flags adorned with small ribbons with the names of fallen heroes – each flag held by a volunteer. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LhShvh6dHvbVm2zabx4qqJiMg0W_bXxItc2Vk3h3khvwvY8nmY5HJbnPbxzRR_hMp_RQWh2ofhjRmVJrOaeP4xEzo_4IO21fNSXwvdOusW5ERbb_aZmvfBuarNv4FUkwShAK2-DLJNk/s1600/Blue+Mile+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LhShvh6dHvbVm2zabx4qqJiMg0W_bXxItc2Vk3h3khvwvY8nmY5HJbnPbxzRR_hMp_RQWh2ofhjRmVJrOaeP4xEzo_4IO21fNSXwvdOusW5ERbb_aZmvfBuarNv4FUkwShAK2-DLJNk/s1600/Blue+Mile+3.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">These great volunteers cheered us on all the way</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I entered this section of the race with anticipation for how I would
feel. I hugged the left side of the road and since I was “wearing blue” myself,
I got a steady diet of high-fives from the Blue Mile volunteers. Most impacting
though – and it took me a minute to realize what I was seeing – I was behind
another runner cruising at my pace and I noticed that he wore a running shirt
and hat indicating his rank as a retired officer. As we passed the placards of
the fallen heroes, he read each name and called the name out aloud; “Jonathan,
Steven, Louis, Susan, Michael, Jorge", and on and on for every name on each placard. The momentum of the moment prompted me to
join him in calling out these names, but then I realized that this was his
moment. He had served in the armed forces and he felt a brethren with these
fallen heroes and I respected his moment and I just continued along silently
behind him taking the high-fives from the Blue Mile volunteers as tears welled
up in my eyes. I was not alone; many of
the runners feel this during this section of the race with many openly breaking
down to cry. As inspiring as it is, it can also take a lot of energy out of
you. I forged ahead toward mile 13 and
the “half-way” sign at the 13.1 mile mark. Half marathon done, only one more
half to go. Phew! I took my next fuel gel and water at the 13 mile point and we
headed toward the National Mall. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miles 16-20 take us along the Potomac Tidal
Basin, past the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial to enter the
National Mall area. The crowds are wild
again and the quiet and solemn section along the Blue Mile and Hains Point is
behind us. As we were crossing the Ohio
Street Bridge past the Jefferson Memorial, we saw Marine 1 flying directly over
us on approach toward the White House.
Whether the President was on board or not, it was just very inspiring at
that point and runners and spectators alike gave a big cheer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">At this point I made another call to my daughter
and she confirmed that she had met up with my wife and they were stationed
along the Mall. Once again, with noise
on both ends, it took a few minutes to get a clear sense of where they were but
we finally did sync up. I saw them up
ahead at mile 18 with 2 big bright pink poster cards saying “GO DAD”! </span> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66utVFIGKCDALfPqA3uu0eUgMfnMJwGUrXynV02tdBTXwZKJUq2xHf7OBCDGGutwv65ZIJ_I633HYBRV4bGOP0ZTwFKWIGH_1OGeaN5YtgqAb24dh9WFvIOXb2VI_kWbLlEJi903JkL4/s1600/GO+DAD2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66utVFIGKCDALfPqA3uu0eUgMfnMJwGUrXynV02tdBTXwZKJUq2xHf7OBCDGGutwv65ZIJ_I633HYBRV4bGOP0ZTwFKWIGH_1OGeaN5YtgqAb24dh9WFvIOXb2VI_kWbLlEJi903JkL4/s1600/GO+DAD2.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>These were huge!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mile 18
is very far along in the race – eastbound on Constitution Drive just before we
turn right in front of the Capitol building.
By now I was feeling lots of pain points. I slowed to visit them to give them a hug –
it was so great to see them. All they could do was tell me “go, go, don’t
stop”. I told them I was fine and just wanted to visit a sec. Then we agreed
they would make their way back across the mall where I could see them again in
another 2 miles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A quick note about this distance, pace and
exhaustion; Over 20,000 runners finish this race and a time of 4:45 is about
the median point among the finishers. The elite runners, professional and
amateur, were well passed this point but, half of the runners were still behind
us. By this point in the race, many
runners are taking longer walking breaks. Many runners follow Hal Higdon’s
walk/run training program and it is completely within their strategy to mix
running with walking along the course. Others are just hurting or taking a
longer time to regain their energy to continue.
Shortly ahead of us is the Memorial Bridge that takes us west, back
across the Potomac for the last time.
This bridge is one of the time hurdles on the MCM course. Runners must
“beat the bridge” in 4 hours which means you need to pass mile 20 in 4 hours in
order to continue. I am well ahead of
that hurdle time so no worries about beating the bridge. But already there are
lots of folks having trouble at this point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I meet up with my wife and daughter again just
before I leave the National Mall to enter the Memorial Bridge. They tell me that I look great and they will
take the Metro back to see me at the finish area. The bridge is a grueling part
of the race and many runners are walking.
We are headed directly into a stiff breeze and half of the mile-long
bridge is a series of up-hill road ramps. From this mile 20 point, we only have
10k left to run, the last 6.2 miles. Experienced runners like to say, “…this is
where the race begins”! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisV0kJdXo0wVylkGNefAKLa7o_5SkTJLhlEfv0o6nYVJbT1TM_MqEE7VcEgu_Bkmb_-IqRBvYSPS3ObeFHrmAVI_dH65LZss-Ax5nTrUh6Vh6kWMhUUUc982SwAx_FhzZodmBoS5C0His/s1600/222460_172616761_XLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisV0kJdXo0wVylkGNefAKLa7o_5SkTJLhlEfv0o6nYVJbT1TM_MqEE7VcEgu_Bkmb_-IqRBvYSPS3ObeFHrmAVI_dH65LZss-Ax5nTrUh6Vh6kWMhUUUc982SwAx_FhzZodmBoS5C0His/s1600/222460_172616761_XLarge.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the National Mall, still on pace</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">Miles 21 – 26 take us south for a loop into
Crystal City and then back north again onto Jefferson Davis Highway and the
path home. Crystal City is another wild
spectator area and this is very welcome.
We are really feeling the race now and every little bit of support is
important. </span><span style="background-color: white;">A note about the weather conditions – I had
mentioned in the beginning that we had a beautiful, crystal clear blue
day.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Well, in fact the weather was a bit
too nice as temperatures crept up to 72 degrees by 1PM, humidity was at an
unusual low below 10% and there was a steady breeze out of the west.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">This all led to a more aggressive rate of
dehydration for the runners as moisture flew out of our systems faster than we
could replenish.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">It was sneaky though
because it felt very comfortable for the runners and we weren’t really
conscious of the rate of dehydration.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">Give the conditions, there were multiple cool
mist fans stationed along the course in Crystal City. Unlike other hot weather
races where these fans are a welcome sight, we runners weren’t even looking for
them – they almost seemed silly to us.
Only later did we hear more about the rate of dehydration and why they
were operating the fans. </span><span style="background-color: white;">There is another hairpin turn in Crystal City
where we turn due north to head back up toward the final few miles. As we
slowed down to make this turn, I heard “Uncle Bill” above the other noise and
cheering. Standing right in front of me were my Niece and her daughter! It was
so great to see them and I stopped for a quick hug. They must’ve read the same
book that my wife and daughter had because all they could say was “go, keep
going” and all I said was, “I will, I’m fine.”</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAEkweBbYWTgeXjfQo_ATGITj1sCqTchPqd9M4SjPzDn9BgFvTnzCzzGRIcxrZuKJ5dqb-mMx6b0YZU2j-QlIsydRVDvHe6fNWJYbH-9kNDjLRQgLEMTRYw_UntrA8oBnmMtPndpm3Vc/s1600/IMG_2047%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAEkweBbYWTgeXjfQo_ATGITj1sCqTchPqd9M4SjPzDn9BgFvTnzCzzGRIcxrZuKJ5dqb-mMx6b0YZU2j-QlIsydRVDvHe6fNWJYbH-9kNDjLRQgLEMTRYw_UntrA8oBnmMtPndpm3Vc/s1600/IMG_2047%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>With my niece and her daughter after lunch</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I knew that would be my last family support
point. Due to the crowded conditions at the finish line, it would be very
difficult for my wife and daughter to see me cross the line. They were on the Metro on their way back to
Arlington from the DC side and they would have to walk from the Arlington
station to the finish area at the Iwo Jima Memorial. As we would later find out, they got real
close to matching my time by a few minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the last 3 miles along the Jefferson Davis
Highway, we are re-tracing our steps from over 4 hours ago at the start. I
slowly make my way past the original start point toward the last 2 mile
stretch. This area gets tough, there
isn’t much crowd support because most folks have positioned themselves up ahead
at the finish line and many other runners are walking and struggling
along. Some of the most supportive US
Marines seem to be lining this area of the course and cheering us all on to
push and finish. I was passing a lady
who was struggling and a Marine came to her and offered encouragement. The lady said – half in gest, half seriously
– “…can you carry me the rest of the way”.
The Marine said “… no Ma’am I can’t do that but come on, I‘ll run along
with you”. She smiled and thanked him
for the gesture and they plodded along together a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we approached and passed the “26” mile marker,
I was feeling a raging conflict of emotions.
I was very excited to be near the finish but, I knew that the last .2
miles were 352 yards of up-hill climb.
The course makes a sharp left turn into Arlington Cemetery at N.
Marshall Drive and then another sharp right onto the US Marine Corps War
Memorial Access Road. These final few hundred yards is a gauntlet of a narrow
access road to the finish line. Fans are lining the road on both sides cheering
us on and we push ourselves for that last ounce of energy to give our best
final kick into the finish. I know the feeling that I am experiencing – one
step short of being sick just like the final wind sprints of high school
football camp on those sunny days in early September. I push ahead to cross the
finish line, I shut my race watch timer and move forward with the other
runners. Remember, 20,000 runners finish
this race so there are lots of us crossing the finish line together and we are
all quickly corralled into gate lines to be awarded our medals. The nausea is
matched by a feeling of joy and accomplishment.
Each of us is met by a US Marine who cheers our accomplishment and
gently reaches out to place the medal ribbon over us. I give a huge embrace and
say “thank you” to this young kid who has made the commitment to protect our
way of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiw3zYpC6lbG9kwfFvtq97idwsOpW63Wkbr_vMevhbTsbXRlVnxx4szbP1UZFmQzVFqHB-jlXNKTU2u9jBwS2b9VJ_h7FS8kTSuVRCpforILMpKquisC3rNwFzy9ncAK4iZnbDZCibEgM/s1600/IMG_2045%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiw3zYpC6lbG9kwfFvtq97idwsOpW63Wkbr_vMevhbTsbXRlVnxx4szbP1UZFmQzVFqHB-jlXNKTU2u9jBwS2b9VJ_h7FS8kTSuVRCpforILMpKquisC3rNwFzy9ncAK4iZnbDZCibEgM/s1600/IMG_2045%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>OORAH!</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEike_XEejzuXjqPktJ-4MaCxCxsw7oBc4IweJXKB3aIcbAIcYuGbpDicAcn8Czc3cv2H6UWeDPxZE-AhOnH23LrJwHRzQb5RXLK7UNuFJXbEKx8JCbNGfuay3KcxIsRvliDLzCzhqq-iGI/s1600/222460_173425615_XLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEike_XEejzuXjqPktJ-4MaCxCxsw7oBc4IweJXKB3aIcbAIcYuGbpDicAcn8Czc3cv2H6UWeDPxZE-AhOnH23LrJwHRzQb5RXLK7UNuFJXbEKx8JCbNGfuay3KcxIsRvliDLzCzhqq-iGI/s1600/222460_173425615_XLarge.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mission Accomplished</td></tr>
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Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737194675586819794noreply@blogger.com1