On the bus to Staten Island / start line.

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

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!

Landed. In taxi en route to our hotel.

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

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.

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.

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

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!

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!

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

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!

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

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

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!

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!

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.

Why I'm Running It...

I read Graham's post and it got me thinking. Thinking way back to when I first started with Innovative...35lbs heavier, though only a fraction of who I am today. I remember working out with Curtis...almost dying from the exertion (a little bit of drama perhaps), and then, during stretching, Curtis raised the topic of setting some fitness goals. It was November 2006, and he said..."How about a marathon....New York in 2008?" At the time, I must have looked pretty terrified, because Curtis, in his infinite wisdom, changed his suggestion to the Sun Run in April of 2007. I remember thinking..."Me...a marathon?...No way!!" The Sun Run, though still scary, seemed less so compared to a marathon...it was what I could handle in that moment.
Well, life has taken some pretty amazing turns since then, and I was one of the people that Graham supported at the Honolulu Marathon. Graham is somebody very special and it was so great having him there for us.
So why am I running New York? Well, partly because, thanks to Curtis and his team, I now know I can do things like marathons, but mainly because of the wonderful group of people who are also doing it.
It's going to be so great to be with Graham after he completes...no...after he ROCKS his first marathon...I won't be able to film him like he did me, but I'm sure going to give him a big hug.

Only 72 days left!

Wow, time is flying. It seems it was just yesterday that I asked Curtis at Innovative if there was any room left for me to register for the New York Marathon. Innovative had encouraged me to go for a Marathon - if you don't know much about Innovative Fitness - they're all about goal setting.

Anyhow, I had gone with them to the Honolulu Marathon in early December 2007. I went as a spectator / cheerleader / what-is-this-all-about / finish-line-beer-opener. When I was there, it was such an emotional event to watch - I thought it might be something I want to do myself. Then, as I was vacationing back in Hawaii with my family in early January 2008, I started to think about what fitness goals I wanted to accomplish this year. I guess I had a Coronoa or two and got my BlackBerry out and sent this off to Curtis -


from GB Robins
to Curtis Christopherson

date Mon, Jan 7, 2008 at 11:17 AM
subject New York...

If I wanted to run this marathon - am I 'able' to? Is there room?

Here is the rest of the exchange -

from Curtis Christopherson
to GB Robins

will find out today.

from Curtis Christopherson
to GB Robins

I can get you in...if you want to do it. need your info today however.

from Curtis Christopherson
to GB Robins

you get this?

from GB Robins
to Curtis Christopherson

Let's do it.

from Curtis Christopherson
to GB Robins

Ahhh shit.

do you want to use your mc on file for $180 deposit?

And now we're 72 days away from the big event!

Here's a video from YouTube showing a bit of what we can expect -

Thank you, Tania!

I went for a deep tissue / sports massage last night at Spa Aqua Vitae. According to Tania, 'we've got some work to do..' on my stretching, knots, flexibility, etc.

She also observed that, along with my hamstrings being very tight, my hips seem out of alignment a bit (could be contributing to my back pain).

I have only had 1 other deep tissue / sports massage before and they aren't quite the same as a "resort massage" where you're on vacation and you fall asleep and they gently wake you up when it's all done.. It's more like digging, grinding, tenderizing - sort of like what you do to a steak before putting it on the barbecue so it's nice and tender.. In a good way, though!

I really enjoyed it and felt relaxed afterwards. I also have a new focus on my 'problem areas' and need to do a better job of stretching after workouts and runs.

I'm looking forward to more sessions!

Back hurts - not running today -

I'm a little disappointed that I'm not running today. This morning we are supposed to be running 23K.

However, even though I was at a wedding last night and didn't drink and left early in anticipation for this morning's run - I have some pain in my lower back and I don't want to aggravate it.

With all of this training - one of my main concerns is getting a life long injury. I think I said it at the beginning of this blog that my doctor told me not to run a marathon. He said "It's not the marathon, it's all the training that will get you.."

It was a tough call to pass on today's run - but I felt it was better to have this pain go away than to aggravate it even more and miss a couple of future sessions. I was looking forward to the run and to make sure I kept up my mileage.

I'm not really sure where the pain came from. It could be the hill training that we did last week. It could be the hike that Suzanne and I did yesterday. (We went to Deep Cove yesterday and did a hike for about an hour and a half or so.) However, I have had this pain before and it feels like my whole spine is out of joint with some clicking and clacking when I move in certain ways.

So, I am going to concentrate on fixing this pain so I can do more hill training this week and the long run again next weekend.

I heart hills...

So, today we did hills..

This is the firs time I've done hill training. We ran for about 2.5K to the hill location and then did 4 times up, 3 times down.

Here's a picture of my heart rate monitor readout along with the elevation. You can see 4 distinct peaks - that's when I was running up the hill...



It was definitely challenging - and I am looking forward to getting stronger on the hills.

I really can't say enough about the great group of people that I am running with. The encouragement, camaraderie - it makes the training so much better.

Apparently we do more and more hills as time goes on - 4 times up today, then 6, 8, 10, 12... lots of fun! But this is where we get stronger.

"Hills are terrific for running.” Bill Rodgers

Running slows down the aging process: study

A good reason to keep running? :-)

Running slows down the aging process: study
Updated Mon. Aug. 11 2008 10:27 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Regular running slows down the body's aging process, according to a new study out of Stanford University that tracked more than 500 older runners over 20 years.

The study says that runners develop disabilities in life a full 16 years later than non-runners, and runners are half as likely to die early deaths.

Twenty years into the study, 34 per cent of the non-runners had died, compared to only 15 per cent of the runners.

The report confirms what many runners have already known, that despite many non-runner's fears that pounding the pavement will hurt a person's joints and body later in life, the exercise actually does the opposite.

"One of the arguments against exercise is that it could be hard on my joints, (that) I am going to become crippled in my old age (and) that my knees are going to have worn out and that is just not true," the study's senior author, Dr. James Fries, said.

John Stanton, running guru and president of the Running Room, told CTV Newsnet that he wasn't surprised by the study's results.

"Over the past 20 years we've seen the benefit of remaining active and running really does engage us to improve our overall wellness," he said.

Stanton said that running fights against osteoporosis, improves bone density and posture and that people who run don't show the aging that non-runners do.

"The one race we all do at the same pace is aging but where we can be an Olympian in life is to make sure you stay active and enjoy your longevity more," he said.

Larry Rich turns 71 this week and has been running for more than 45 years.

"I enjoy the running because it allows me the ability to enjoy the fresh air, clear my head (and) feel better physically, emotionally and mentally," he told CTV News.

He said that some friends and family members tell him he shouldn't be running at his age, but that doesn't dissuade him.

"(What) I am saying is that you are never too old and you are never too sick to start running."

Stanton had some advice for running beginners:

Talk to your doctor before starting to exercise.
Walk before you run.
Run with a group to make it more enjoyable.
Keep it fun and diverse. Try different routes and speeds.
Rest is not a dirty four-letter word.
Wear good footwear.
"Even for those with couch potato status now, you too can become an athlete if you approach it with intelligence," Stanton said.

For those still not convinced running is right for them, researchers says that a number of other activities can provide the same benefits, such as swimming, biking and walking.

"As long as you get your heart rate up several times during the week to where you are sweating . . . it seems (that) will provide the benefits," Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky of McMaster University told CTV News.

The Running Room has 92 stores throughout Canada and the U.S.

With a report from CTV's medical specialist Avis Favaro

The Fundraising Page is up and running!

Thanks to my friends at the BC Children's Hospital, we have our very own page for fundraising for the New York Marathon. There are many people from B.C. running this event, and the hope is that they will join together and encourage family and friends to donate in support of running the marathon.

The page can be found here - http://www.bcchf.net/nym/index.cfm

On that page, you can do two things -

1) Join the team! If you are running the New York Marathon - click on the "Join now" link to join the fundraising effort. Then you can send the link to your family and friends, co-workers, etc., and they will be able to click and donate in support of this event.

2) Donate! If you aren't running but would like to support someone who is - click on the "Team Listing" link to find the person you would like to support. Click on their name and it will take you to a donation screen.

It's that simple.

This is a new donation system with the BC Children's Hospital and I am very excited for us to be among the first to get set up with it.

If you have any questions, please post them in the comments of this post, and I will reply to them.

Thank you,
Graham

19.11K this morning

I really enjoyed the run this morning. It was a great route - we ran down to the beach and along the promenade. My mom used to walk along the promenade with her friend Vic - so it was a little bit emotional for me, actually. Very deep in thought and thinking about how much she would have enjoyed the sun and the nice breeze coming off the ocean.

Izzy was out in full force again today - she was a mobile fuel station, on her mountain bike providing us with water and treats to stay energized throughout the run. I felt a little bad for her because she had my water and Curtis's water with her and Curt was at the front of the pack and I was at the back - so she biked the route about 5 times!

This was the longest distance I've run and each of the next few weeks will get increasingly longer. 23K, then 26K, back down to 19K, then 29K, then 29K again, then 32K...it looks a little crazy actually. I just added up all the Sunday runs for this program and it adds up to 368K in total distance (not to mention the weekday runs.) That's equal to 8.76 marathons! My doctor once told me to not run a Marathon - he said it's not the race that will get you - it's all the training for the race... Hmmm.. Well, I am doing my best to listen to my body and if there are pains or kinks, etc., I will pay attention to them.

That's it for now - next week is 23K!

"The marathon can humble you." Bill Rodgers

I'm Inspired

I'm a couple of days late with this post, but I need to tell you all about Mark. I went running with the Running Room group on Tuesday evening and had a great time running with Mark. This was my first weeknight run with this group so I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't realize that nobody runs alone. When I figured that out, I admit that I had a fleeting moment of fear that I would slow somebody down. It turns out that Mark, an extremely fit middle-aged man runs at my pace, which is that of a 5 1/2 hour marathon. On Tuesday night, he taught me that it is not important how fast you run, but that you just do it. Two years ago, Mark, an overweight smoker and heavy drinker, had quadruple bypass surgery and his "pace" was a slow shuffle just to make it across his living room. He decided he wanted to change his life and wanted to run...not just run, but run marathons and his doctors told him he was crazy and that it would never happen. Let me restate, on Tuesday night, I ran an awesome tempo run with a guy who, only two years ago had quadruple bypass surgery!!! Oh ya, he ran the Kelowna half marathon a year ago, and, just last May, ran the Vancouver Marathon!!!
What an incredible, inspirational individual. What is his secret? An unwaivering belief that he can do whatever he sets his mind to. Now he lives a healthy, active, vegan lifestyle and radiates the most amazing positive energy. His doctors are in awe of him...he doesn't even need to take heart medication...he has completely rewritten the book on how to LIVE after major heart surgery. I'm excited to run with Mark again and hope all of you get the chance to talk to him because you, too, will be inspired!!!

The history of the Marathon

A lot of people ask me "How long is the Marathon?" "How far is the Marathon?"
What I learned awhile ago is that a Marathon is a Marathon is a Marathon - and all Marathon's are 42.195 Kilometers or 26 Miles, 385 Yards.

To put that into perspective, here is a little map of a 40.4 Kilometer route from Innovative Fitness in White Rock, B.C. to Science World in Vancouver, B.C.


View Larger Map

It is a 39 minute car ride or an 8 and a half hour walk. The average marathon is completed in about 4 hours and 30 minutes. Of running. Or jogging. Or running and walking - or many combinations thereof.

This information is taken from a Wikipedia post on Marathon -

The name marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. The legend states that he was sent from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon.[2] It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the Senate, exclaiming "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won') before collapsing and dying.[3] The account of the run from Marathon to Athens first appears in Plutarch's On the Glory of Athens in the 1st century AD who quotes from Heraclides Ponticus's lost work, giving the runner's name as either Thersipus of Erchius or Eucles.[4] Lucian of Samosata (2nd century AD) also gives the story but names the runner Philippides (not Pheidippides).[5]

The "10 and 1's" are messing with my head!

Today I ran 10K with The Running Room group after my IF workout.
I am toning down my workouts because I am feeling a bit 'flat' or, tired.

So, no running during my IF workouts if possible. Otherwise, all this running is going to drive me a bit crazy.

Back to the 10 and 1's messing with my head...I didn't run during the week at all last week - but I ran two Sunday's ago and that was a 10 and 1 run - Run for 10 minutes, walk for 1 minute. Then, because I missed the runs during the week last week, I ran another longer distance (17K) on Sunday and did 10 and 1 again.

Today, when we ran the 10K - my body kept telling me to stop running around the 10 minute or 12 minute mark. It was strange - I have run a 10K without stopping but today for some reason, I kept wanting to walk for a minute or so. Pretty strange and actually a little frustrating. I knew I could do it but it felt like I didn't want to.

The lesson? The tempo runs, the steady runs, the 6K's, 8K's, 10K's, etc., are a very important part of the overall training - so I must fit them in!

16.9K this morning

This morning, I did another "16K" run. It was a beautiful day for a run. I'm glad The Running Room starts these runs at 8:30 AM so that it doesn't get too warm by the time we are finished. (Although in October I may be singing a different tune.)

The run was a bit of a different route than last time - and I like the change up. The group was quite a bit smaller today - a lot of people were out of town for the long weekend.

We ran 10 and 1's again today. I like the rhythym that we get into with these runs. It keeps your sanity knowing that you 'only' have to run for 10 minutes at a time.

I didn't do any runs this week so I was a little concerned how I would do - but I felt pretty good. I did some extra stretching this week to work on the areas that felt tight.

I have to admit that I feel a little 'flat' or fatigued with the mix of running and going to the gym. I am considering scaling back on the gym to 2 times per week - we'll see what happens.

That's about it for now. The runs start getting a bit longer from here on in and then we get into some hill training... yaay!