I'm Running NYC: 2008

Friday, November 7, 2008

2008 New York City Marathon update -

As I am writing this - my legs are still in a lot of pain and walking up and down stairs is quite difficult. However, time heals pain and the memories of New York will be with me for a long, long time. As some of you know, I chronicled my training for the New York Marathon at http://imrunningnyc.blogspot.com/ - so that covers off the 'before' portion and this post will be about the days surrounding the race and the race day itself.

We flew into New York on Thursday, October 30th. This gave us a couple of days before the race to adjust to the time zone, relax, and get prepared for raceday.

I think my mood could be described as 'subdued'. I felt quiet, calm, and deep in thought. Part of me wondered "What the heck am I doing here!? I have no business being here!" I had never run a half marathon before, never mind a full marathon. My time won't be anything to brag about and I'll be lucky if I even finish this thing. At some point, though, my mind started shifting to thinking "This is an incredible event, in an incredible city with my family and friends - I am going to stop analyzing and enjoy this event!!"

Friday flies by - a quick stop at the Expo to pick up our bib, time chip and t-shirt and now it's Saturday and time for a warm up jog around and through Central Park with the group.

The butterflies start to kick in a bit on that run, but they calmed down pretty quickly. My right Achilles was not good - it was aching quite a bit, so I cut the run short. I figured that if I was going to hurt it - it might as well be during the big race!

Back to the hotel for a shower and then a meet up with my dad. I have an amazing family - my dad and my sister flew in for the event to support me. Having them there was so incredible - more about that later.

My wife Suzanne and I and my father decided to hire a car to drive the course I was going to run the next day. We thought this might be fun to get a lay of the land, check out the elevation, the neighbourhoods - and also scope out a great spot for us to spot each other during the race. With a couple million spectators - it could be difficult to just bump into each other without a plan.

I enjoyed that trip because not only did it get me off my feet for a couple of hours - I was able to spend some good time with my dad.

Here is a shot of the starting bridge - the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge -

And a little video -

It was lunch time so we stopped for a big lunch at a diner that the driver recommended. At first we were skeptical - but the lunch was amazing!

Back to the hotel for a little nap and then a nice dinner out with the crew.

I think the waiters were a little miffed - not much wine being poured the night before a marathon!

Back to the hotel again for the final sleep before the big day. This isn't a normal sleep, though - it's a very short sleep because we have to get up at 3 AM! to catch our bus at 4:30 AM from the New York Public Library. 3 AM is 7 and a half hours before the race! Oh well - let's do it!

I like hard boiled eggs in the morning - so I ordered a couple before bed so I could take them with me, along with some bread to make a couple of peanut butter sandwhiches.

Bed time, lights out..
3 AM comes way too early.

I had brought old tear-away pants, sweatshirts, gloves, earmuff's - just in case it was cold. The days and nights before Sunday were quite mild so I thought that may be I didn't need to bring it all on the bus and before the race. Suzanne reminded me that it's easy to get rid of it - but not easy to get if you don't bring it. So, I packed it all - including the big pillow and blanket that she picked up for me the night before. Out the door with my two bags full of 'stuff' - iPod, fuel belt, pillow, blanket, gloves, ear muffs, body glide, nipple covers, Advil, Aleve, eggs, bottled water, sanwhiches, gels, banana, yogurt - you get the idea.

We get outside to go to the subway to take us to the library and it's FREEZING - we can see our breath. A bit of confusion as to which direction we are going and we're on the subway, to the library, and quickly shuffled onto a bus.

With no traffic on the roads at 4:30 AM - we get to the starting line by about 5:00 AM. My starting wave is at 10:20 AM - 5 hours and 20 minutes of waiting!? Yikes.

At this point - I realize how smart I was to bring all of my warm gear! (Thanks Suzanne!) Before I left Vancouver - I stopped by the dollar store for some throw-away gloves and earmuffs (Thanks Isabelle!)- and I picked up some spares just in case.. I offered my spare gloves and earmuffs to people who didn't have any - and they were gone in a flash.

The key to being in uncomfortable situations is being with good people. Whether that's a dark alley in the wrong place at the wrong time or in the middle of a freezing cold field in New York 5 hours before a Marathon - the people you surround yourself with make all the difference.

I mean - how can you get frustrated when you have people like this around? -

We got to know each other very well in this field - if you don't know someone very well, there's nothing like spooning for body heat to accelerate the friendship..

Yes, that's a shirt on Kyle's legs - it was survival of the fittest in arguably one of the most uncomfortable elements I have been in - ever. You just couldn't get warm - the wind was piercing and all you could think about was the energy you were wasting before an important waste. However - we made light of it and laughed a lot.

The sun started coming up and it was getting warmer. YES!

Soon (4 hours later) it was time for breakfast and everyone was eating, hydrating, stretching, etc.

Then it was time to make our way to the starting line - a walk of a mile or so -

Again, I was fully committed to take everything in during this day and enjoy every moment. It was truly one of the first times I said "It's the journey, not the destination.." I spend a lot of time trying to get to the end, the destination, the result - and perhaps don't enjoy each step as much as I could. Today was going to be different!

The crowd was moving faster now - we were starting! Here we go!!

You start on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and it's a very long bridge and the scenery is amazing.

The wind up there is blowing hard and it takes awhile to warm up.

Mile 2 comes along and we're 7.6% of the way there! Only 92.4% left to go..

I was running this race for my mother who passed away from cancer last year and I found myself getting emotional on a number of ocassions throughout the race. I made this bib with my name on it and "Running for Mom" on it - and it was amazing how many people called out my name "Go Graham!" "Looking good, Graham!" And some of them also said "Way to go Graham, Running for Mom!" It was always energizing hearing that.

There were dozens and dozens of sightings of people running for different reasons - their mother, father, daughter, son, friends, and so on.

These thoughts and sightings along with the incredible energy from the crowd kept you focused and in the race.

76 years old - and he's in front of me! -

Around mile 10, still in Brooklyn, I run into Kim and Kay - another jolt of energy -

Mile 14 and we're in Queens and getting near the dreaded Queensboro bridge -

I started thinking that I am just over halfway. I am in a lot of pain, but stopping is not an option. My dad said he was going to shoot to meet me at the end of the Queensboro bridge, so I kept thinking of him while I was running. The Queensboro bridge is absolutely brutal. You've only got about 10 miles to go - but the bridge is a slow, steady, grueling uphill battle. There were 2 heart attacks on the Queensboro bridge during the race and I am happy to hear that both gentlemen were allright afterwards - thanks to the First Aid stations throghout the course.

I'm getting close to the top of this bridge and really, really looking forward to the hill down. Will I see my dad?

HELL YEAH! I spot him, run towards him, give him a big hug and we share an emotional moment together. I still tear up a bit looking at this photo - you can see that he is so relieved to see me and that I saw him -

Only 10 more miles to go!
If these guys can walk / run in full fire gear - then I can do it -

I spot Isabelle and Dragana! Awesome - Isabelle is so inspiring to run with and she keeps you motived. Dragana was on many of the training runs and is always cheery and smiling. I was going to try to run with them for awhile -

The crowd is probably a bit smaller than it was for the people who finished ahead of us - but they are still out in full force and their energy was transferred right to me.

Larry the Litehouse! I saw him at the starting line and wondered if he was going to run the whole race like this - and he did!

The 35K mark - seeing that sign made me realize that we were only '7 KM' away - less than a Vancouver Sun Run! It also made me realize that this is now the farthest I have ever run. I had never gone past 30K in my training.

And my body FELT IT! Quitting definitely was looking more and more attractive. We trained by running for 10 minutes and walking for 1 minute. It felt sooooooo good to walk for that 1 minute. I was determined, though, I wasn't going to stop - I was going to keep going. I would deal with the repurcussions at the finish line - not on the sideline.

With signs like this - how could you even consider stopping!?

I knew my sister and my wife would be somewhere in Central Park and I definitely didn't want to get caught walking when they first spotted me! :-) So, on I ran. You think that once you're in Central Park - it's a quick finish. Not so! The last part was definitely the hardest.

Hey - there's Niki and her her friend Louise! They jump onto the course and start running with me! More energy! That was awesome. I could barely speak by this point - I was completely drained and they were the perfect anecdote.

Here's my sister running beside me once she got kicked off the course -

Keep on running...keep on running...
Mile 25 - almost there!

I found the last 400 yards to be the hardest part of this race. You're done. Out of water, out of fuel, knees, feet, Achilles, hamstrings, back, arms, shoulders - they are all DONE. I think "400 yards.." that's 4 football fields... That's a long way! Keep going.

Hey - there's Suzanne! With Melissa videotaping -

A quick kiss and I have to keep going.

And the finish line is in sight! Here is the hardest (and slowest) 37 second run I have ever done -

If you crank the volume up on that video around the 28 second mark - you can start to hear my sighs of relief, accomplishment, pride and grattitude.

Immediately after the finish line, you are ushered away and told to 'keep moving' - when it's really the last thing you want to do! You want to just drop down and sleep. However, the line moves quickly - you are presented with a medal and a bag containing Gatorade and water and some munchies.

Now it was time to try to meet up with the family. My cell phone is dead so I ask a stranger if I could borrow her phone - no problem - I reach my dad and Suzanne and I am about 5 blocks away from them.. So I start walking back to meet up with them for congratulatory hugs. We also bumped into Isabelle and Dragana -

Now we're walking back to the hotel and Suzanne and Niki stop off at Whole Foods to pick up some post race fuel for me. Dad and I walk back to the hotel together.

When I get back, I get a call from Isabelle who congratulates me again and asks me if I want her to stretch me out. Absolutely!

And, then, it's time to bask in the glory of completing a goal that was set, trained for and accomplished! -

I'd like to thank everyone who supported me throughout the training and running of the marathon. I had so many encouraging comments along the way, it was incredible. People were calling and texting right up to the day of the race, throughout the race and after it.

My wife, Suzanne, put up with 'early to bed on Saturday night's' so I could get up and run the next morning. I left every wedding early this summer so I could get up and run. I missed a bunch of work for Chiro, Massage, Orthodics, etc. Thanks to Innovative Fitness for encouraging me to give this a shot. Thanks to my dad and my sister for coming to New York to support me. Thanks to all of the people who donated money to the B.C. Children's Hospital to 'sponsor' me for this run - we raised over $7,800! A special thanks to Isabelle for her training tips / running tips and support. And for all the treats along those Sunday runs! And to anyone else who I've forgotten to mention!

Lastly - here's a complete video of the experience, set to music -

Here's a high quality version of the above video with the original music -

2008 ING New York City Marathon from Graham Robins on Vimeo.

As I have said before, there are really only 3 things in life that are important, and they are - in order -
a) Health
b) Family
c) Friends

For me, this event involved all 3 - how perfect is that!?

Question - Will I do another marathon? We'll see...

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Quick status update.

Runner:

Graham Robins

Almost at the start!

I'm signing off from the BlackBerry for now. Next notification should be me crossing the start line. Should be 20 minutes or so.

First wave of runners just started.

Freezing cold in a big field.

I wish you could see this. Its like Woodstock for runners. Except its really cold. People in garbage bags. Blankets. Trying to stay warm. Its almost painful how cold it is. We will forget about it later. Right now, though, shivering.

On the bus to Staten Island / start line.

Up and at 'em! Just had the 3:00 AM wake up call...

Saturday, November 1, 2008

2008 ING New York City Marathon Alert Notification

Thank you for subscribing to the 2008 INGNYC Marathon Athlete Alert. You
will receive alerts at the start, all 5k splits and from mile 16 to finish.

Have a great race day!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Landed. In taxi en route to our hotel.

On the plane from Vancouver to NYC. Ready for takeoff.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Walking on egg shells..

It's been strange - the last couple of days - I have been very deliberate of where I step, how I place my foot on the stair in front of me, how I step off a curb, how I walk on slippery surfaces. All I can really think of is "Don't get injured!" It reminds me of when I used to BMX race and whenever we were going away for a big event - we always had a bit of a rule that we wouldn't go out and do anything out of the ordinary just to make sure we were in good shape for the event.

It would just seem silly to sprain an ankle 4 days before a race that you've spent weeks preparing for. So I probably won't be doing much once I get to New York, at least before the race! Afterwards, IT'S ON!

And, my new shoes arrived at my hotel in New York (Thank you, Janice!)..whether I am wearing them or not is another story..

Tonight, I'm finishing packing and we leave tomorrow. I don't think it has really sunk in yet.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Testing BlackBerry picture email to blog

This is a picture of some of the stuff I will be taking. Fuel, gels, salt, nipple covers!, body glide, advil, ipod, etc. I am sending this straight from my BlackBerry to see how it works.

10K on Saturday, 5K on Sunday - Now.. REST

We did a quick 10K on Saturday... Actually, I say 'we' - but there was nobody else there at 9:00 AM when I showed up at the running room. About 3K in, though, I ran in to Curtis and Steve - and I'm glad I did... This was supposed to be a 16K run and they told me they were only doing 10K... NICE! I now had a reason to only run 10 vs. the 16. :-)

So, did a quick 10K for the last time before the big race.

Then, on Sunday, we did a fun 5K "Great Pumpkin Run / Walk" starting from the White Rock Hospital. Strangely - this was a bit of a tough run. It was quite hilly and you were going down fast then up fast. My achilles hurt a bit and still hurts today.

Anyway - my big mission right now is finding my shoes. I have bought the same pair of shoes twice now and I would just walk into the store and ask for the same pair, same size. This time, however, nobody had them.. Yikes! My shoes are quite bagged and I need a new pair. Luckily, we found some online and I am having them shipped to New York. Not the greatest to run in a brand new pair of shoes - however if they are exactly the same pair - it shouldn't be much of an issue. I'll walk around in them for a couple of days first.

And, to track my progress throughout the marathon, the organizers have set up something called "Athlete Alert."

"ING New York City Marathon runners can sign-up to have five (5) of their friends and family receive e-mail tracking their progress on the course. Splits will be reported at every 5K mark along the course as well as at the start, half-marathon mark (13.1 miles/21.1K), miles 16 through 26, and the finish. This service is free and is a great way for people to keep track of your pace and location."

I have done a couple of things -
a) Set up this blog to receive the alerts. (You can email posts to the blog - so if all works well - it should send an email and automatically update my status.)

b) Set up Suzanne, my dad and my sister as recipients.

My race start time is approximately 10:00 AM EST - 7:00 AM PST on Sunday, November 2nd. If all goes according to plan - this blog should receive automatic updates of my progress. We'll see!

Off to New York in about 48 hours.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Athlete Alert - Testing email to Blog..

This is a test post to try the email to Blog setting for the Athlete Alert at the NYC Marathon.

You register email addresses and they will send out emails to family and friends of the runners status.

So, I have set up this blogs email address as a receiver and it should update my whereabouts directly to this site!
GB

Thursday, October 23, 2008

24K on Saturday, October 10th

Wow - it's been a bit since I last wrote. Time flies!

As I write this, it is saying there are 9 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes and 20 seconds left until the start.

Am I ready? Who knows!!

I was supposed to run 32K on Sunday, October 11th. However, I was in San Diego for my friend BJ's wedding. He and Laurel were married at a spectacular ocean front mansion in La Jolla, California. Check out this aerial view of the property - http://tinyurl.com/laurelandbj

Anyhow - I decided that I should run the morning of the wedding rather than the Sunday afterwards. Even though I had sworn off drinking for the month of October - here I was in sunny San Diego, on a boat cruise the night before the wedding... I mean, come ON! So, a few "Light" American beers aren't going to hurt anyone. I had a couple and I was good to go.

The next morning I really dreaded having to run. It was very warm out and I had no fuel and I was supposed to run 32K. I couldn't even find a sports shop in the are to buy power bars.. I was also in a bit of a time crunch because we were being escorted to the wedding on chartered buses and I couldn't miss that. So I grab my water belt and took off. I figured I'd run 16K in one direction and then just turn around and I'd hit 32K. Around the 10K mark I figured I wasn't going to make it to 16K in time to get back to the hotel to shower, change and make the bus. I hit 12K and turned around, hit the shower back at the Hard Rock, grabbed a couple of bagels to go for Suzanne and I at Maryjane's Coffee Shop, walked to the bus (Ran into the wedding party into the lobby...I was a tad behind..) and was good to go.

The Garmin readout from my watch is pretty cool because it shows San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, etc. as part of my route -

I definitely noticed the lack of fuel but was EXTREMELY proud of myself for getting out there and running it on a vacation like that.

Last weekend was another story... I was in Las Vegas last weekend and I brought all my gear and was ready to rock another 24K. But, I've been having this serious kink in my neck that has my left arm throbbing with numbness. It was also about 80 degrees in Vegas and I just wasn't feeling up to it. So, the 24K didn't happen.

This weekend, we are in full taper mode so we're doing 16K on Saturday and then a fun 5K and 1K run on Sunday - it's called the "Great Pumpkin Run" I'm pretty sure the crew at Innovative Fitness has us running while carrying a pumpkin for at least 1KM of this fun event.

It's really getting down to the nitty gritty and there's a lot of buzz going on between the people I know who are running it. There are face to face conversations, emails, text messages, Facebook posts - everyone encouraging each other and talking about last minute strategy, do's and don'ts, tips, information, etc.

Also, I've noticed that doing an event like this - you seem to be made more acutely aware of everything to do with Marathons. Sort of like when you're looking at a new car - all of a sudden it seems like that same car you are looking at - everyone is driving one - they're all over the place.

Anyway, I read this cool story about Rod Dixon and Geoff Smith in the New York Marathon in 1983. I guess Geoff Smith was leading the marathon for most of it and at mile 26, Rod Dixon caught up and passed Geoff Smith and won by 9 seconds.

Here's a picture of Rod Dixon standing and Geoff Smith on the ground -

Devastating for Geoff Smith!
Anyway, Dixon's time back in 1983 was 2:08:59. The cool part is that Dixon is running it again this year, at age 58, 25 years after he set that record in 1983.

I'm not running this for a personal best or best time - I'm just looking forward to completing it and giving my fellow runners a High 5 at the end! In 9 Days!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

27K on Sunday

Sunday, October 5th, I ran 27K in Vancouver. I was in Vancouver for a wedding on Saturday night - and Suzanne suggested that I hook up with the Running Room location in Vancouver and join their Sunday run. So, I did.

It was a nice change of scenery. Running along the seawall down through Granville Island, Kits Beach, Jericho Beach, out to the end of Point Grey Road to NW Marine Drive. And then back the same route.

You'd think I would have learned my lesson already - but it turned out that I didn't have enough fuel for breakfast so I found the run really exhausting. I got to about the 8K mark and didn't feel like continuing. However - if you've ever been to Kits on a Sunday morning - you'll notice that there are hundreds of people out there being active - running, riding, walking their dogs, kayaking, etc. So you have to keep going!

All in all a good run - a bit slower than normal but the knee held up. I'm feeling a little kinked in my lower back and left hip - and I hope to have that dealt with by going to Chiro / Massage. That's all for now!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I'm want (to be) a Hamburger

So, I haven't posted in a while, but I today I looked up quotes about Marathons, all of which are listed below. Some I like, some I don't, some I agree with, some I don't, but, to me that's one of the great things about training for a Marathon...it's ultimately about the experience of the individual. You can train with a group, you can stand at the starting line with a group, but, once you get going...it's all about you getting yourself to the finish.

I put my favourite, by the legendary Bill Bowerman first...hence the title.

"I still bother with runners I call hamburgers. They're never going to run any record times, but they can always fulfill their own potential." - Bill Bowerman, legendary University of Oregon track coach

"To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who's never run it is like trying to explain color to someone who was born blind."
Jerome Drayton

"Marathon running is a terrible experience: monotonous, heavy, and exhausting."
Veikko Karvonen, 1954 European and Boston Marathon Champ

"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."
Frank Shorter

"Marathoning is like cutting yourself unexpectedly. You dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when awareness comes, it is excruciating."
John Farrington, Australian marathoner

"There is the truth about the marathon and very few of you have written the truth. Even if I explain to you, you'll never understand it, you're outside of it."
Douglas Wakiihuri speaking to journalists

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."
Emil Zatopek

"I definitely want to show how beautiful the marathon can be. I am the opponent of all those who find the marathon bad: the psychologists, the physiologists, the doubters. I make the marathon beatiful for myself and for others. That's why I'm here."
Uta Pippig

"I felt like I played in a very rough football game with no hitting above the waist."
Alan Page, former Nfl football star

"You can actually suffer a little bit more going slowly than when you're going really fast. A faster marathon might even be easier than a slow one, in terms of what it takes out of you mentally."
Frank Shorter

"At the two-thirds mark, I think of those who are still with me. Who might make a break? Should I? Then I give it all I've got."
Ibrahim Hussein, on marathon tactics

"I'm never going to run this again."
Grete Waitz after winning her first of nine New York City marathons

"The marathon can humble you."
Bill Rodgers

"I am too tired, even to be happy."
Gelindo Bordin, Italy, immediately after winning the Olympic Marathon in Seoul

"I was unable to walk for a whole week after that, so much did the race take out of me. But it was the most pleasant exhaustion I have ever known."
Emil Zatopek's description of the Olympic Marathon win in Helsinki

"Get going. Get up and walk if you have to, but finish the damned race."
Ron Hill to Jerome Drayton during the 1970 Boston Marathon

"The New York Marathon: a fantastic event."
Pope John Paul II, 1982

"The starting line of the New York City marathon is kind of a giant time bomb behind you about to go off. It is the most spectacular start in sport."
Bill Rodgers

"When I came to New York in 1978, I was a full-time school teacher and track runner, and determined to retire from competitive running. But winning the New York City Marathon kept me running for another decade."
Grete Waitz

"I just run as hard as I can for 20 miles, and then race."
Steve Jones (when asked about his race plan, after he had won the "Chicago Marathon" in the then world's best time)

"Anyone can run 20 miles. It's the next six that count."
Barry Magee, marathon bronze in Rome, 1960

"A marathon is like life with its ups and downs, but once you've done it you feel that you can do anything."
unknown

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."- Unknown

"Good things come slow - especially in distance running."- Bill Dellinger, University of Oregon coach

"If you ever get a second chance in life for something, you've got to go all the way."- Lance Armstrong

"Anybody can do just about anything with himself that he really wants to and makes his mind to do. We are capable of greater than we realize." - Norman Vincent Peale, author

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"- Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian and Sub-2:12 marathoner

"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat."- Napoleon Bonaparte, legendary military leader

"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."- Sir Roger Bannister, first man to break the four minute mile

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."- Sir Roger Bannister

"Most men take the straight and narrow. A few take the road less traveled. I chose to cut through the woods."- Unknown

"Hills are speedwork in disguise."- Frank Shorter

"There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people."- Bill Bowerman

"What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."- Dwight D. Eisenhower

"How does a kid from Coos Bay, with one leg longer than the other win races? All my life people have been telling me, 'You're too small Pre', 'You're not fast enough Pre', 'Give up your foolish dream Steve'. But they forgot something, I HAVE TO WIN."- Steve Prefontaine

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."- Oprah Winfrey, talk show host and marathon finisher

"Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts."- Steve Prefontaine

"I prefer to remain in blissful ignorance of the opposition. That way I'm not frightened by anyone's reputation."- Ian Thompson, 2:09.12 marathon at the 1974 Commonwealth Games

Monday, September 29, 2008

23K yesterday morning

It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a couple of emails from people asking me for an update..

Here's a brief re-cap of the last couple of weeks for me.
As I've mentioned in the past couple of posts - I've been having trouble with my left knee. My last run was September 14th (29K) and I only made it through that run because of some Advil halfway through. However, I paid for it over the next week with not being able to walk properly.

I was then supposed to run 32K on Sunday September 21st. On Sunday, however, I was on a plane from Toronto to North Carolina and wasn't really in the mood for running. Plus, my knee was still bothering me. So, I didn't run the 32K and I decided to take it easy and keep off it. Other than a mild 40K bike along the Lake Ontario bike path that Suzanne and I did, I didn't do any major exercise.

I later found out that this knee thing left me in a bit of a funk. The thought of this injury not getting any better was weighing heavily on me. It was too painful to even jog on and I thought it wasn't getting any better. I thought "Will I be able to do this?" "What about my family and friends who have supported my fundraising and what if I don't end up running it!?" "Do I still go to New York?"

I've been doing Chiro, Massage Therapy, ART, etc., and it was still aching.

So, this past Saturday, September 27th - I was faced with having to run 23K the next morning at 8:30 AM. The knee actually felt pretty good and I said - well, I better give it a try. Around 8:00 AM I had an Advil in my hand and I was trying to determine whether I should take it or not. Should I mask the pain to get through the run or should I just try it without to make sure that I'm not further injuring myself?

For some reason, I decided to pop the Advil and grin and bear it.... Well, I'm glad I did!

I took it pretty slow (which is REALLY slow..) to make sure I paid attention to any pain, etc. I ended up finishing the 23K without stopping because of pain. I ran my normal 10 Minute / 1 Minute walk - and made it the whole way through. I was stoked!

I believe the issue was with my orthotics - I did not give myself enough time to work into them and so my body paid the price. I was warned a couple of times about this - but my first few runs, other than the blisters, were pain free. So, I took them out for this run and it seemed fine. The knee was throbbing a tiny bit - but that happens after 23K no matter what.

It was so energizing to finish without a ton of pain and I had the feeling that "I'm back!" This weekend, we run 29K and then 32K the following weekend - and then we start to taper down before the race.

Seeing the Running Room group again was awesome and running with that bunch of people has been really inspiring and helpful.

My brother-in-law, Chris, is in the early stages of training for the Ironman Triathlon and has started his running training. He's already strong on the bike. We've been talking about running and trying to find ways to improve our running technique and efficiency. He found a couple of links that you might find useful -

http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Fundamentals_of_efficient_running_technique.htm

http://www.momentumsports.co.uk/TtRunTechnique.asp

I have picked up a couple of tips that I'm looking forward to trying during my next run. Even if you increase your efficiency by 5% of 8% - it is a considerable amount over a long distance run.

Only 33 days left!

Monday, September 15, 2008

29K yesterday morning and Advil as my new best friend?

Yesterday's run was technically much better than the previous week. Mostly because I finished the whole thing without having to stop for long periods of time.

However, the challenge is that the pain in my knee that appeared last week around the 24K mark appeared this week around the 8K mark. When I hit the 14K mark, it was pretty bad. Thanks to the ladies who were there for us providing water top-ups - I asked if anyone had any Advil - and I was given a gelcap. It took about 45 minutes to kick in, but then the pain pretty much went away. It enabled me to finish the run! (Is that performance enhancing!?) I liked the course this week a bit better than last week. I found it to be a more enjoyable run - even though there were 2 long hills - one being the very last leg.

Back to the Advil - I heard from a few people who say they take Advil before any long run, and if it's a really long run, they take 1 or 2 more throughout the race. This may seem like second nature to many - but I rarely take any type of medicine. I can't remember the last time I had an Advil or a Tylenol - it may have been the last time I had surgery or maybe a Tylenol Cold when I had a high temp. So, I'm not used to poppin' pills. This definitely helped mask the pain.... Trouble is - this morning - wow - the knee was on fire. All night I could feel that it was warm and puffy.

After I finished the run on Sunday, one of the trainers from The Running Room overhead me say that I had knee pain. He said, immediately: "Stop running." "I don't want you running anymore until you see someone." (About my knee) Whoa - ok. So, I booked into Performance Chiropractic and saw Garret this morning. (I normally see Suzanne there - and she was on her honeymoon - congrats Suzanne!) Garrett did a pretty elaborate review of my knee. After poking, stretching, adjusting and moving everything around my knee and asking me a lot of questions - we came to the conclusion that it could be my body getting used to my orthotics. I had been warned to 'ease into' my orthotics - but I didn't really do that. I ran 8K, then 16K, then right up to 29K... And it was on that last 29K that my knee started acting up. Garret also figured out that my right leg is a bit shorter than my left - and so my left leg would impact harder and that may have something to do with it. He gave me a new time-frame for wearing in my orthotics by wearing them a little bit at a time and working my way up to longer distances. The good news, Garett said, is that it wasn't inside the knee where there can be wear and tear. It appears to be a ligament issue where it is being stressed abnormally. I'm also supposed to ice it on and off.

These next few weeks should be interesting - we have another long run this weekend - 32K! - but I will be in Toronto and North Carolina. So, I am going to take it easy this week and see if I can run 10K or so without pain on Saturday. Then see if I can do some more on Sunday.

Also, I should mention that I had another great massage on Friday from Tania - I can take more pressure now and we're working on my other tight spots like my hamstrings, quads, etc.

And, my blisters are doing better. With a combination of second skin, NuSkin and bandages - I am able to run without feeling them.

So, this week will be a bit of a breather with no gym or running until the weekend.

“Anybody can be a runner, ... We were meant to move. We were meant to run. It's the easiest sport.” Bill Rodgers

Monday, September 8, 2008

29 (30.67)K yesterday morning

We ran 29K yesterday morning. I would probably sum up the run as disappointing. The longest I had run before this was 26K.

On this run, I got to about 24K and my left knee really started bothering me. It got to the point where each time my left foot hit the ground, the pain was louder and louder, so to speak. So, I decided to start walking. I thought I would 'walk it out' - but it didn't work that way. It didn't get any better on the walk. So, here I am at 24K, thinking to myself "This is barely over half a marathon and I'm breaking down.." "If this was the marathon, I would have 18K more to go.." That's why it's disappointing.

However, I did what I could - I ran a bit, I walked a bit, I stopped and stretched a bit.

My goal for this marathon is changing around a bit. At first, I wanted to be under a certain time, then, I wanted to get a certain time. Now, after talking to a few different people who have ran marathons and remind we what a feat it is - I think my goal is "Finish the marathon uninjured." While I would love a great time - I want to remain uninjured. That's the first goal.

So, I've got to figure this knee thing out and I have to do 29K again next Sunday, then 32K the Sunday after that.

"The marathon can humble you." - Bill Rodgers

Monday, September 1, 2008

19.09K yesterday morning + lovely blisters

Yesterday morning we ran 19K. I had done a much better job of eating the days before and the night before and the morning of the run - so I felt physically ready. Except for the two small blisters on the inside of my feel that I had from earlier in the week. (We'll get to those later...)

However, I found that when I got to the Running Room - I just didn't feel like doing it. It was a nice day out, one of the last days of summer - and I would have much rather been crusing around with Suzanne. These runs are starting to seem SO LONG. It's tiring. In the last two weeks - I've run about 55K combined which is 13K longer than a marathon. We're really putting on the miles now. Next week is 29K, then 29K the following week, then 32, then 23, then 29, then 32, then 23... You get the point.

Anyway - I sucked it up and started running. I still didn't feel like doing it. As time went on, though - I forgot about it - now it's about running and improving my time over the last 19K that I did.

About 20 minutes into the run, my blisters started to bother me. For some silly reason, I thought that the blisters might be ok because they were pretty small. Other than that - things were pretty good. My back was ok, my left foot was still bothering me a bit - but these blisters - I could feel them getting bigger and bigger.

The weather was great for the run and thanks to Izzy again for her happy spirit and the fruit and treats that she brought us for fuel along the run.

All in all a good day. I 'beat' my last 19K time by a bit and therefore my average pace is improving.

It was a fantastic feeling to take off my socks and shoes after the run. This is what I found on the bottom of my feet!

Twins!

So, I'll have to take care of those this week. I've got some good tips from a few different people.

This week it's 7 hills and then 29K!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

I heart hills...Part 2

This evening we did hills again. The first time I did hills was 2 weeks ago and we did 4 x 600M. Tonight, we did 6 x 600M. (I skipped the previous week due to my back pain.) (We eventually work up to 10 x 600 over the next 4 weeks.)

Over the past week, I've been to massage, chiro and have been fitted for orthotics. I received my orthotics today and worked out in them and then did the hill training in them. Probably a bit much for just getting orthotics - but I want to get used to them for the big runs. I felt pretty good today other than a blister on the inside of each foot...from the new orthotics.

I have pain on the top of my right foot that sort of came out of nowhere. Someone said it may have to do with my laces being too tight - so I'm going to play with that a little bit.

Not much else new to report!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

26K + Not enough fuel = BONK

Today we did a 26K run.. man am I happy that next week is 'only' 19K! Crazy that as the numbers keep getting bigger - the distances you once thought were super long become a relief.

Apparently I "Bonk'd" today. Official definition from Wikipedia "In endurance sports, particularly cycling and running, hitting the wall or the bonk describes the condition when an athlete suddenly loses energy and becomes fatigued, the result of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles becoming depleted.

The term can be used both as a noun ("hitting the bonk") and a verb ("to bonk halfway through the race"). The condition is also known to long-distance (marathon) runners, who usually refer to it as "hitting the wall"."

And, just for my own reminder..

"There are several approaches to prevent glycogen depletion:

1) Carbohydrate loading is used to ensure that the initial glycogen levels are maximized, thus prolonging the exercise. This technique amounts to increasing complex carbohydrate intake during the last few days before the event.

2) Consuming food or drinks containing carbohydrates during the exercise. This is an absolute must for very long distances; it is estimated that Tour de France competitors receive up to 50% of their daily caloric intake from on-the-bike supplements.

3) Lowering the intensity of the exercise to the so-called 'fat loss' level (heart rate of 130 bpm for a 30-year-old athlete) will lower both the energy requirements per unit of distance and the fraction of the energy that comes from glycogen."

Anyway, back to today's run. Pouring rain, 26K, approximately 40% further than I've run before. Everything went well until about 16K. I remember saying to Ali that there's 'only 10K' left...when I saw her at the 16K mark. Thanks to Ali, by the way, for today's mobile fuel station..I probably should have had more than water and nibs. Ali is one of the trainers at Innovative and was there with us in the rain biking from point to point to have energy ready for us.

At that 16K mark, my legs were feeling really, really heavy. (The good news is - my back didn't really bother me today and I continue to stretch out my hip flexors, etc.) And, in a way, like someone was doing active release on my calves. Not a great feeling. I felt like my legs were not moving properly. Once I got back to the Running Room and completed the 26K - my legs felt like concrete blocks. I didn't know what to do because they were in such pain - even stretching wasn't helping.
That's when someone from the Running Room said that it sounds like I "Bonk'd" What did you have for breakfast "Um, a power bar.." What did you have for dinner.. "Um, some ahi tuna and a salad.." Did you eat any carbs on the run.. "No.." NOT GOOD. I got home and while my lovely wife Suzanne was running me an epsom salt bath and I was groaning in the kitchen with my sore legs - I put a few spoonfuls of peanut butter on a whole wheat wrap and wolfed it down. Along with some more food, I started feeling better almost instantly.

Good learning lesson. Nutrition has always been my downfall - and I am becoming acutely aware of how important it is in this whole fitness thing.. Suzanne jumped on the computer and started searching out some of the best foods for marthon running and thanks to her we now have a fridge packed with my ammunition for my next runs. Thank you, Suzanne!

That brings me to another point about how much my training has affected not only me, but my wife as well. These long runs are always on Sundays and that means our Saturday nights are fairly mellow - and Sunday mornings come early. (Remember, we don't have kids..) As mentioned in a previous post, I've left weddings early to get rest, I've scheduled dinners earlier than normal, enjoyed less red wine than normal on a Saturday evening, stretched more in front of the TV, gotten up earlier on Sunday mornings...and Suzanne is always game. It definitely helps having a supportive partner helping you along the way.

This week it's more hill training and then a little 19K'er on Sunday.