The age old debate, street smarts verses book smarts. As I stare at a 2 ft. high stack of running books as I write this , I can only ponder what the information enclosed within their covers has and will do for my running. I have learned from them and at times have obsessed over them. Today I was clearly reminded about street smarts from my 8 year old son. His foray into street vending in front of my store and his dedication and enthusiasm for his stand is inherent and can not be taught in books. Anything in life, be it running or street vending or the multitudes of other activities we choose to involve ourselves in can not and will not serve a useful and positive purpose without passion. As runners we are constantly reminded that without passion what we do becomes real work. Once the joy of running fades we are left with very little to keep us going. It is like running with very heavy boots, we move forward but it is not with the grace and agility our passion provides for us.
Being self employed over 30 years now has taught me a simple truth. Love what you do and you are doing what you love. Luca, my son, exemplifies that as I watch him set up, sell, tear down and do all the little things involved in running a business. He is astute and attentive, and also rewards himself and his friends with ice cream and slush puppies towards the end of his day. That natural rhythm of work hard and reward is the cornerstone of any success and kids seem to know it without the 2 ft. high stack of books. What is it that you really love to do? Then do it after your run. A self congratulatory approach to your accomplishments is as much a part of your training as the long runs and the daily workouts. Rest too is actually training. What a great sport, we are actually training when we are resting and in my case eating pasta and pizza! Talk about the best of both worlds.
Runners are a clan that will persist through almost anything to get their runs in. For example I will be running tomorrow afternoon, in the middle of the day, in 88 degree heat with high humidity on hills! Why you might ask. I only have control over which time of day I run, not the elements or the terrain. St. john is volcanic, thus the hills and it is summer time. I cannot run until 2 pm because of family commitments. So I will run, and It will be hot, but I will pace my self and let the passion provide the foundation for the run. There is very little that will keep me from running tomorrow. I have geared myself up and mentally prepared for a tough, hot mid day run. Knowing ahead of time why you are running and where and how long or far gives the mind and body an alert, thus making it feel easier. I have said before always know why you are doing a run and what you are expecting from it in terms of training. I have identified my next Marathon in early October so my training now begins to shift towards that goal. As much as I loved running my first Marathon in Portland last fall, I do not want the same outcome or experience. I must train with that in mind if I am to alter my result. My respect for the 26.2 mile distance is immense. No amount of book smarts could equal the knowledge gained during that run last fall.
Perhaps street smarts mean so much to me because of my inner city upbringing and the survival mode you must go on at times to get by. Instinct is essential for all types of survival and running and marathoning are no different. Listen very closely to your thoughts while you are out on the trails and roads and you will know what works best for you. The 2 ft stack of books will always be their to assist you but your gut and your heart will always lead you best. Be Well and enjoy the summer runs and race season!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
ASCENT
Today I ran trails, I love them, so serene and unforgiving at the same time. The volcanic nature of St. John makes these runs very challenging, just what I want and need out of a good run. 700 ft. ascent in the first mile will test the resolve of any runner and at times will question ones mind as to just what and why we are doing this. On this eve of Fathers day I reflected on the trails, and my status as a father and as a person. Both works in progress and both being fueled by these runs. Running has allowed me to process the vast insanity that is sometimes life. It acts as a filter and sorts the waves of thoughts and reactions to the world at large. I am driven to run far more for the mental and spiritual aspect than for the incredible result on the physical level. My heart and lungs may thank me, but my spirit and soul applauds me. Running is simply the glue holding my life together and as long as I am physically able I plan on running.
I have not posted in 3 and a half months here. I have written an entry on every single one of my runs." Letters in my mind" I use to call them as I have written thousands and thousands of them but they rarely seem to make it to paper or fruition. Life side tracked my writings this season as it has been quite a ride this winter. I often wonder what a runner is thinking as I see them traverse by. Are they as deeply engaged as me in life's alluring nature or are they just happy to be exercising and planning activities for themselves or their family? Whatever the reason we run it is apparent there is something to it as it a wildly popular activity and sport. An undertaking as simple as running produces so much joy for people simply because it is just that, simple. Look at the kids on a playground anywhere on the planet and my point is proven. A natural movement that balances the complex nature of our beings. A motion so routine that it brings us back to the fundamental basics of what our lives are meant to be and edges us towards what is important and what we must cast aside.
I will tell you this much about running, it is the simplest form of exercise and offers the most results on all levels. Your ascent into running will prove this. A solitude sport that produces an outcome of clarity and well being. You can do it ANYWHERE and it requires minimal financial resources. Focus your thoughts on the passion within you and apply it to running and you will soon be thanking yourself for the gift you bestowed upon yourself and the example you are setting for the masses who are slowly killing themselves through inactivity and over eating. In closing please know that running is a simple activity with very complex results. See you on the roads and trails and Be Well!
I have not posted in 3 and a half months here. I have written an entry on every single one of my runs." Letters in my mind" I use to call them as I have written thousands and thousands of them but they rarely seem to make it to paper or fruition. Life side tracked my writings this season as it has been quite a ride this winter. I often wonder what a runner is thinking as I see them traverse by. Are they as deeply engaged as me in life's alluring nature or are they just happy to be exercising and planning activities for themselves or their family? Whatever the reason we run it is apparent there is something to it as it a wildly popular activity and sport. An undertaking as simple as running produces so much joy for people simply because it is just that, simple. Look at the kids on a playground anywhere on the planet and my point is proven. A natural movement that balances the complex nature of our beings. A motion so routine that it brings us back to the fundamental basics of what our lives are meant to be and edges us towards what is important and what we must cast aside.
I will tell you this much about running, it is the simplest form of exercise and offers the most results on all levels. Your ascent into running will prove this. A solitude sport that produces an outcome of clarity and well being. You can do it ANYWHERE and it requires minimal financial resources. Focus your thoughts on the passion within you and apply it to running and you will soon be thanking yourself for the gift you bestowed upon yourself and the example you are setting for the masses who are slowly killing themselves through inactivity and over eating. In closing please know that running is a simple activity with very complex results. See you on the roads and trails and Be Well!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
AFTERMATH
Another stellar race on Saturday, highlighted by local running legend Jeremy Zuber's 6th consecutive win and weather from the running God's! Well weather for the spectators anyway. A warm morning with sunny skies graced St. John as 800 plus runners traversed Centerline Road from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay, 8.38 miles, with an elevation gain of 1400 feet in the first 5.5 miles to compete in one of the toughest road races in this sport. Everything fell into place as the field of athletes competed in the 13th annual 8 Tuff Miles road race which has now become a major event for St. John. "The Zube" held off arch running rival Court Lilly in a close race to keep the title on St. John.
Pre race jitters always get the best of me and this race was no different. I ran hard at times, especially the last 3 miles of downhill road, but tried to conserve energy on the unforgiving hills in the middle part of the race. I divide the race into 4 parts as I run it and train for it, and part three, The Hills, as they are known can make or break a runner. They are loathsome at times and can be a physical and psychological barrier to a successful race. Although I still consider myself a newbie to this sport I am starting to get some experience and confidence under my running shoes. I believe our minds are our biggest obstacle to overcome as race day approaches. Many a runner has been shot down by the tricks played in the psyche at the start line. Mastering the mind is a whole other beast to slay and is always a work in progress. We can condition our bodies to peak performance and still have a bad day on the tarmac. Take a look around you at all the runners just before the starting gun is fired and you will see a congregation of deep thinkers with utter resolve.
I ran 1:10:47, 34 seconds slower than the year before. I place 60th overall. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I realize I am running in the top 10% of the field as I never considered myself an athlete before, but I do now. I run 5 days a week year round and train in the Gym also. I am committed to this running lifestyle and hope I am able to continue it with the same zeal I have for it now 10 to 20 years in the future. I never really fully understood why people ran in all types of weather and the distances they covered until I got out on the roads myself and then it ALL made perfect sense. The rewards of a good run, whether it be in a race or in training or in leisure cannot be measured in any said terms. It is something that must be experienced to fully understand the transitions that occur in one's mind when you are out on a run. I like to stay out minimally an hour because it sometimes takes 2-4 miles to find that zone, the one that provides mental clarity, and the best part of the journey is when that state is entered. There are so many times when I am running that I want to just keep going but I stop myself to avoid injury and over training. The first book on running I ever read clearly stated, know why you are running each training run, always know what you want to accomplish that day. I set my goals for my runs prior to their start and usually stay with them. My goal for this race was 68 minutes and I missed it by 2 minutes. My run nonetheless was still a major success but I want to do better, and I will, as I have identified what needs to occur to run a 68. Time will tell next year. Time is the runners friend or enemy depending on the situation. We all have a hidden athlete in us and I am glad I was able to find mine as it has smoothed out some rough edges in my life and for that I am eternally and utterly grateful.
I have stated before that the 8 Tuff Miles and the hills of St. John are a metaphor for life. In most cases this holds true and we make or break it come race day and every day of our lives. Thanx for being part of my journey and Be Well.
Pre race jitters always get the best of me and this race was no different. I ran hard at times, especially the last 3 miles of downhill road, but tried to conserve energy on the unforgiving hills in the middle part of the race. I divide the race into 4 parts as I run it and train for it, and part three, The Hills, as they are known can make or break a runner. They are loathsome at times and can be a physical and psychological barrier to a successful race. Although I still consider myself a newbie to this sport I am starting to get some experience and confidence under my running shoes. I believe our minds are our biggest obstacle to overcome as race day approaches. Many a runner has been shot down by the tricks played in the psyche at the start line. Mastering the mind is a whole other beast to slay and is always a work in progress. We can condition our bodies to peak performance and still have a bad day on the tarmac. Take a look around you at all the runners just before the starting gun is fired and you will see a congregation of deep thinkers with utter resolve.
I ran 1:10:47, 34 seconds slower than the year before. I place 60th overall. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I realize I am running in the top 10% of the field as I never considered myself an athlete before, but I do now. I run 5 days a week year round and train in the Gym also. I am committed to this running lifestyle and hope I am able to continue it with the same zeal I have for it now 10 to 20 years in the future. I never really fully understood why people ran in all types of weather and the distances they covered until I got out on the roads myself and then it ALL made perfect sense. The rewards of a good run, whether it be in a race or in training or in leisure cannot be measured in any said terms. It is something that must be experienced to fully understand the transitions that occur in one's mind when you are out on a run. I like to stay out minimally an hour because it sometimes takes 2-4 miles to find that zone, the one that provides mental clarity, and the best part of the journey is when that state is entered. There are so many times when I am running that I want to just keep going but I stop myself to avoid injury and over training. The first book on running I ever read clearly stated, know why you are running each training run, always know what you want to accomplish that day. I set my goals for my runs prior to their start and usually stay with them. My goal for this race was 68 minutes and I missed it by 2 minutes. My run nonetheless was still a major success but I want to do better, and I will, as I have identified what needs to occur to run a 68. Time will tell next year. Time is the runners friend or enemy depending on the situation. We all have a hidden athlete in us and I am glad I was able to find mine as it has smoothed out some rough edges in my life and for that I am eternally and utterly grateful.
I have stated before that the 8 Tuff Miles and the hills of St. John are a metaphor for life. In most cases this holds true and we make or break it come race day and every day of our lives. Thanx for being part of my journey and Be Well.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
R n' R
We all long for it, we all need it, yet we forget that it is not a given. It must be earned. Rest and Relaxation are a reward, not an entitlement. I rest only after I have put my miles in. Resting before I put my miles in can often lead to slacking, and that is just not an option. I know, I know, you do not have to be so serious about the running, but sorry, where the passion nestles the fury thus flies. Without the compulsion the journey somehow has less meaning and impact. The Chef who produces a meal without his inner zeal looks for work elsewhere. I will fully rest a day or two after the 8 Tuff Miles race that is coming up this Saturday, the one I will run in 68 minutes or less if I have the kind of day I have trained for and have focused on, well deserved rest as I will push my body and soul like I have never pushed them before. I am on a mission to challenge myself to becoming a better and stronger runner. The sooner I can get to the finish line the better as I also enjoy seeing other runners enter the racing chute and complete their convictions.
R n' R , Right and Wrong, Reading and Arithmetic, the cornerstones and foundations of our children's trek into the world of adulthood. As responsible adults who have chosen to have kids, it is our mandated undertaking to steer them in the direction of a better world. It is beyond my wildest comprehension that so many people think we can accomplish this by LITERALLY beating them. A child does not have the physical or mental capacity to challenge their abusers and thus the ignorance of the perpetrators of Corporal Punishment think that their ways are working. My son loves to chew sugarless gum, he is ardent about it. I am going to start to save all those pieces of chewed gum as a reminder of the unenlightened masses that believe in this band aid approach, this gum in the dike solution of correcting the behavior that us adults have deemed unacceptable. Please note that I understand children need guidance and discipline and that they are no better than what we nurture them towards and teach them. I am raising a son who has never been stricken by me or his mother. Perhaps our attempts at discipline will not produce the swift results that the paddles and beatings produce, but I can assure you that the patience in our approach will yield hundred fold results over the barbaric and archaic practices of Corporal Punishment that is rampant in our society at large. It is very similar to compounding interest in the world of finance. Put a little in now and reap the benefits for decades to come. Teach them that conflict resolution does not have to entail violence and you will be rewarded with a young adult that can navigate their way through society with the tools that are necessary for their survival in a convoluted world. . Many of you reading this know me quite well and are probably thinking I am being hypocritical here. I actually have to agree on some level. I have had a very violent upbringing that has resulted in me resorting, at times, to violence to resolve certain situations or at least propagating it as a means of outcome. I have often gone the way of Machiavelli or LaVey. I make no excuses for my actions nor do I ask for your understanding or forgiveness. I am Guilty as charged. Our lives are works in progress. We can all choose our paths. We can right our wrongs most of the time. We most certainly can break the destructive cycles that cripple our families and society for generations upon generations. So that is my answer to my own hypocrisy. Break the f@#%ing cycle once and for all. I am living proof that striking a child has tremendous negative ramifications on one's life during childhood and beyond. Our children deserve better and it is time we joined the rest of the world in banning Corporal Punishment once and for all.
R n' R, reasoning and resolution, the path to a better outcome for our disagreements. The future is right now. The reasons we have accepted Corporal Punishment into our society no longer hold merit. I often tell my son Luca, "today is the tomorrow you where thinking about yesterday" We must teach our children the proper reasoning that will produce the desired result, one that entails zero violence. We are at this point still teaching them that if something is not going your way or someone is not behaving in the manner you deem acceptable then striking them is a valid resource. The choice is ours. As Spike Lee said and put forth so candidly in his film "Do the right thing".
In leaving you tonight I can only hope that when my son reaches adulthood that this practice of Corporal Punishment will be banned globally. Over 100 countries have done so all ready. As leaders of the so called free world we are setting a very bad example. Be well
R n' R , Right and Wrong, Reading and Arithmetic, the cornerstones and foundations of our children's trek into the world of adulthood. As responsible adults who have chosen to have kids, it is our mandated undertaking to steer them in the direction of a better world. It is beyond my wildest comprehension that so many people think we can accomplish this by LITERALLY beating them. A child does not have the physical or mental capacity to challenge their abusers and thus the ignorance of the perpetrators of Corporal Punishment think that their ways are working. My son loves to chew sugarless gum, he is ardent about it. I am going to start to save all those pieces of chewed gum as a reminder of the unenlightened masses that believe in this band aid approach, this gum in the dike solution of correcting the behavior that us adults have deemed unacceptable. Please note that I understand children need guidance and discipline and that they are no better than what we nurture them towards and teach them. I am raising a son who has never been stricken by me or his mother. Perhaps our attempts at discipline will not produce the swift results that the paddles and beatings produce, but I can assure you that the patience in our approach will yield hundred fold results over the barbaric and archaic practices of Corporal Punishment that is rampant in our society at large. It is very similar to compounding interest in the world of finance. Put a little in now and reap the benefits for decades to come. Teach them that conflict resolution does not have to entail violence and you will be rewarded with a young adult that can navigate their way through society with the tools that are necessary for their survival in a convoluted world. . Many of you reading this know me quite well and are probably thinking I am being hypocritical here. I actually have to agree on some level. I have had a very violent upbringing that has resulted in me resorting, at times, to violence to resolve certain situations or at least propagating it as a means of outcome. I have often gone the way of Machiavelli or LaVey. I make no excuses for my actions nor do I ask for your understanding or forgiveness. I am Guilty as charged. Our lives are works in progress. We can all choose our paths. We can right our wrongs most of the time. We most certainly can break the destructive cycles that cripple our families and society for generations upon generations. So that is my answer to my own hypocrisy. Break the f@#%ing cycle once and for all. I am living proof that striking a child has tremendous negative ramifications on one's life during childhood and beyond. Our children deserve better and it is time we joined the rest of the world in banning Corporal Punishment once and for all.
R n' R, reasoning and resolution, the path to a better outcome for our disagreements. The future is right now. The reasons we have accepted Corporal Punishment into our society no longer hold merit. I often tell my son Luca, "today is the tomorrow you where thinking about yesterday" We must teach our children the proper reasoning that will produce the desired result, one that entails zero violence. We are at this point still teaching them that if something is not going your way or someone is not behaving in the manner you deem acceptable then striking them is a valid resource. The choice is ours. As Spike Lee said and put forth so candidly in his film "Do the right thing".
In leaving you tonight I can only hope that when my son reaches adulthood that this practice of Corporal Punishment will be banned globally. Over 100 countries have done so all ready. As leaders of the so called free world we are setting a very bad example. Be well
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
FOLLOW THROUGH
It is important to know why we are running each day and what we are expecting to accomplish with each run. A purpose defines our goal and brings the run into perspective. Our training is only as suitable as the goal we are striving for. The big race here is drawing nearer and nearer and as I define my remaining training runs I am aware of what I am expecting from myself. Nothing short of the desired result will be acceptable and I will use these last 10 days to define such an outcome. Giving it my all is the only option I have. I am a runner because I have passion beyond the norm for many things in my life. The running simply acts as a catalyst for what yet lies ahead for me.
I returned home tonight after attending a forum on "Expectation for Education" and raised my concerns to the Department of Education and the public at large on the Corporal Punishment being administered in the public school system here in the U.S. Virgin Islands which is legal and alive and well. I was compelled to do so and as nervous and anxious as I was I simply had to follow through on this issue. It did not go as planned on many levels, it never really does, but the issue was brought forth to the public by me and for what it's worth it sparked an emotional response from the attendees to say the least. My follow through on this issue is as spirited as my running. It simply has to be done. I am driven to do so at all cost. Passion is the fire that ignites one's drive and thus my resolve to bring this issue to the light of the public at large.
The fervor that is my running now co-exist with my tenacity to see that one day no child should have to live in fear of being paddled or hit in ANY school system anywhere. As I partake on this journey of running I am becoming more and more aware of what it means to be an advocate of change both within myself and for the world at large. Change to me was way more that a buzz word in Barack's Campaign and in his current administration. So I run to change, change myself and the world at large. I will not simply wait for the world to transform, I will be a spark for it in both my running and in my life.
So as I follow through on some of my convictions and when the path gets cloudy, I will simply go on a run and wait for an answer. Be it mile 1 or mile 20 it always comes, I just need to be still within my movement and listen.
Be Well
I returned home tonight after attending a forum on "Expectation for Education" and raised my concerns to the Department of Education and the public at large on the Corporal Punishment being administered in the public school system here in the U.S. Virgin Islands which is legal and alive and well. I was compelled to do so and as nervous and anxious as I was I simply had to follow through on this issue. It did not go as planned on many levels, it never really does, but the issue was brought forth to the public by me and for what it's worth it sparked an emotional response from the attendees to say the least. My follow through on this issue is as spirited as my running. It simply has to be done. I am driven to do so at all cost. Passion is the fire that ignites one's drive and thus my resolve to bring this issue to the light of the public at large.
The fervor that is my running now co-exist with my tenacity to see that one day no child should have to live in fear of being paddled or hit in ANY school system anywhere. As I partake on this journey of running I am becoming more and more aware of what it means to be an advocate of change both within myself and for the world at large. Change to me was way more that a buzz word in Barack's Campaign and in his current administration. So I run to change, change myself and the world at large. I will not simply wait for the world to transform, I will be a spark for it in both my running and in my life.
So as I follow through on some of my convictions and when the path gets cloudy, I will simply go on a run and wait for an answer. Be it mile 1 or mile 20 it always comes, I just need to be still within my movement and listen.
Be Well
Sunday, February 15, 2009
68
The amount of minutes I have allotted for myself to complete the 8 Tuff Miles on Feb. 28th. Our local running event will sell 838 racing bibs as the actual distance is 8.38 miles. It will sell out, it always does now that it has become the largest foot race anywhere in the Virgin Islands. 68 minutes of pure guts. It is a lofty goal for a newbie runner as I have only been running a little over 2 years. This will be my 3rd 8TM race, and even more noteworthy of a time due to my age of 52. Numbers do mean something. With math being an exact science their is little room to fall off pace. Last year I ran it in 70 minutes. I totally surprised myself, along with a slew of other local runners, with my time and on that given day last year it was good enough to win my age division of 50-54. Now I must defend my title. That old sports saying "On Any Given Sunday" holds steadfast. You simply never know in local road racing who is going to show up and how it will affect the standings. Last year if I had been in the 55-59 age division I would of not even been in the top 3, and one race last summer stateside I did not even place in the top 3 but if I had been in either of the 2 Lower age groups I would have placed 1st. So the time is really the way runners measure their improvements. I would like to think that since I started at such a late age, 50, that my accelerated growth, ones ability to improve over time, is still in play. Mostly all runners my age are slowing as they have been running a lot longer than me in regards to the amount of years. 68 will be my mantra come race day. I want to still be running when I am 68. Perhaps a 68 someday in a 10 miler, my current PB, personal best, is 73. Oh the magic of 68.
What a year it was for a young impressionable boy of 12 who had spent his first 11 years in a cauldron of social chaos and the familia lifestyle of an Italian American upbringing in South Philadelphia. Coming of age in 1968 for me was an accelerated learning process on social mores. Traditions at the time I thought normal and acceptable defined one part of me, and the social and political landscape and upheaval defining another. Chicago rioted that summer at the DNC and Bobby Kennedy was shot dead, fresh on the heels of the MLK assassination. Our country, along with my impressionable mind tried to sort out the unfolding scenarios and decide who we were and what direction would we as individuals take and what path the country would be driven towards. Who can ever forget Tommy Smith and John Carlos at the 68 Summer Olympics. Moving to southern New Jersey in 1967 with my family was like going to Disney. Who ARE these people with their white socks and lawn furniture! Farmers is what us city folk called them and a one horse town now defined our new home with my Spanish Grandfather, a man with a fist of iron and a heart of compassion. I did not realize it at the time of course but he saved my life. South Philly had all ready chewed up and spit out other family members and the hillbilly ways of Jersey would allow me to calm down somewhat and enjoy some nature and smell the roses. It was a rough going at first but my street smarts from Philly carried me through. The summer of 68 in Jersey was like viewing the social unrest from a private box at the opera. Aware but protected. Gone where the riots a half a block from our Philly row house, no bloodied and beaten bodies walking by, no car windows smashed out. Forgotten was the constant threat of a beating by a rival gang simply because my skin was the wrong color. Ended where the detours home to avoid being in the wrong hood at the wrong time. Oh sweet Jersey where the picket fences were white and the cheese steaks were loathsome! I learned a lot of things about a lot of situations in those years and ran with 2-3 different groups at a time and although never really feeling at home with any of them they all had merit and pulled me in and taught me the ways of life. A handful of close friends added to my adjustment and I grew to become one of them for the 9 years I lived their. 68 produced some of the best music ever recorded and in my darkest hours I would find the necessary solace to move forward and notch out a place for my self in this utterly confusing and indifferent world.
As a runner I have become aware of a lot of things buried in the recesses of my mind. Avenues have opened that other wise would have remained blocked had I not pursued this sport. 68 will have special meaning come race day this year. I have done the training and the work to make 68 meaningful in my life. Be well
What a year it was for a young impressionable boy of 12 who had spent his first 11 years in a cauldron of social chaos and the familia lifestyle of an Italian American upbringing in South Philadelphia. Coming of age in 1968 for me was an accelerated learning process on social mores. Traditions at the time I thought normal and acceptable defined one part of me, and the social and political landscape and upheaval defining another. Chicago rioted that summer at the DNC and Bobby Kennedy was shot dead, fresh on the heels of the MLK assassination. Our country, along with my impressionable mind tried to sort out the unfolding scenarios and decide who we were and what direction would we as individuals take and what path the country would be driven towards. Who can ever forget Tommy Smith and John Carlos at the 68 Summer Olympics. Moving to southern New Jersey in 1967 with my family was like going to Disney. Who ARE these people with their white socks and lawn furniture! Farmers is what us city folk called them and a one horse town now defined our new home with my Spanish Grandfather, a man with a fist of iron and a heart of compassion. I did not realize it at the time of course but he saved my life. South Philly had all ready chewed up and spit out other family members and the hillbilly ways of Jersey would allow me to calm down somewhat and enjoy some nature and smell the roses. It was a rough going at first but my street smarts from Philly carried me through. The summer of 68 in Jersey was like viewing the social unrest from a private box at the opera. Aware but protected. Gone where the riots a half a block from our Philly row house, no bloodied and beaten bodies walking by, no car windows smashed out. Forgotten was the constant threat of a beating by a rival gang simply because my skin was the wrong color. Ended where the detours home to avoid being in the wrong hood at the wrong time. Oh sweet Jersey where the picket fences were white and the cheese steaks were loathsome! I learned a lot of things about a lot of situations in those years and ran with 2-3 different groups at a time and although never really feeling at home with any of them they all had merit and pulled me in and taught me the ways of life. A handful of close friends added to my adjustment and I grew to become one of them for the 9 years I lived their. 68 produced some of the best music ever recorded and in my darkest hours I would find the necessary solace to move forward and notch out a place for my self in this utterly confusing and indifferent world.
As a runner I have become aware of a lot of things buried in the recesses of my mind. Avenues have opened that other wise would have remained blocked had I not pursued this sport. 68 will have special meaning come race day this year. I have done the training and the work to make 68 meaningful in my life. Be well
Monday, February 9, 2009
COMPULSION
I Ran the 8 Tuff Miles Course early today on a misty and overcast morning with a cool breeze and a heavy load of thoughts. The race is coming up in less than 3 weeks and I have set some lofty goals for myself, both on and off the course, to say the least. I am compelled to run now. For what ever the reason, it is deemed in me to run. Compulsions of a positive nature need not be analyzed and dissected. The wind to my back says it all. The wind in my face notes even more. I have shunned most overly analytical approaches to lifestyles and social anthropology. Better we flow along and be who we are, as long as we do not disturb the solace of others. As we enter this new age of social and political awareness with our new leader Barack, one may call into question just what it is that we are to do to better our existence. Your guessed it, RUN, well for me anyway. The basic primal movement of running serves as my gateway to personal and social change. Lots has been written and discussed about what occurs in the brain on a longer run. I will leave that for another entry. One thing is certain, the clarity I obtain on a host of subjects while on a run simply could not be achieved for me otherwise. On a 60-90 minute run I have sorted out the days quandaries, answered nagging questions, and made decisions that normally would occupy way more of my time. So I run. And as I run I am compelled to act.
Since my last entry I have been struggling with a very disturbing social issue that was recently brought to my attention. It involves our most precious resource and shapes the future of all things to come. As all things must pass, I proclaim they pass with dignity and honor. It is clear to me that damaging this resource has a direct effect on our own lives whether you be young or old, black or white, able or disabled. I am now compelled to protect this resource and let it flourish to find a place in the sun.
Imagine a 8 year old boy shaking uncontrollably in his Mothers arms, tears streaming down his face, having to once again relive the trauma of yet another day in our Public school system, both here in the US VI, and in the 21 states where Corporal Punishment in schools is still legal. Envision his fear and distrust of his educators, and conceptualize his horror that was bestowed upon him by the very teachers we have entrusted his well being to. Just picture him as he reveals to an astounded Mother the abuse he has been receiving at his school, the Guy Benjamin School in Coral Bay on the island of St. John, since his enrollment in the fall. Paddling, spankings, rulers on the hands and knuckles, and duct tape on his mouth! Now imagine it being your own child. What would you do? How far does one go to protect their children? Simple answer, all the way!
Thus my compulsion to do something. I was physically abused in both Catholic and Public school up to the age of 13 or 14 in the 60's. I could write volumes on that but I will not. What I will write is that I will not rest until this territory of the US VI takes a stand on this issue. I will devote my time to seeing that every child has an equal and fair playing field at school and is not stifled by the fear of being hit. My compulsion is fueled as I run and gather both physical and mental strength to summon up the resolve to see this through to the end. And no other end will suffice other than a complete ban on ALL forms of corporal punishment in our school systems.
Please know that children are our most precious resource and their well being is an inherent right. Why are they one of the last groups to be given true equality. We do not own them, we nurture them, and we DO NOT have the right under ANY circumstance to strike them, or other wise engage them in activities that are detrimental to their overall well being. I am a parent so therefor I am compelled. Be Well
Since my last entry I have been struggling with a very disturbing social issue that was recently brought to my attention. It involves our most precious resource and shapes the future of all things to come. As all things must pass, I proclaim they pass with dignity and honor. It is clear to me that damaging this resource has a direct effect on our own lives whether you be young or old, black or white, able or disabled. I am now compelled to protect this resource and let it flourish to find a place in the sun.
Imagine a 8 year old boy shaking uncontrollably in his Mothers arms, tears streaming down his face, having to once again relive the trauma of yet another day in our Public school system, both here in the US VI, and in the 21 states where Corporal Punishment in schools is still legal. Envision his fear and distrust of his educators, and conceptualize his horror that was bestowed upon him by the very teachers we have entrusted his well being to. Just picture him as he reveals to an astounded Mother the abuse he has been receiving at his school, the Guy Benjamin School in Coral Bay on the island of St. John, since his enrollment in the fall. Paddling, spankings, rulers on the hands and knuckles, and duct tape on his mouth! Now imagine it being your own child. What would you do? How far does one go to protect their children? Simple answer, all the way!
Thus my compulsion to do something. I was physically abused in both Catholic and Public school up to the age of 13 or 14 in the 60's. I could write volumes on that but I will not. What I will write is that I will not rest until this territory of the US VI takes a stand on this issue. I will devote my time to seeing that every child has an equal and fair playing field at school and is not stifled by the fear of being hit. My compulsion is fueled as I run and gather both physical and mental strength to summon up the resolve to see this through to the end. And no other end will suffice other than a complete ban on ALL forms of corporal punishment in our school systems.
Please know that children are our most precious resource and their well being is an inherent right. Why are they one of the last groups to be given true equality. We do not own them, we nurture them, and we DO NOT have the right under ANY circumstance to strike them, or other wise engage them in activities that are detrimental to their overall well being. I am a parent so therefor I am compelled. Be Well
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
8 Tuff Miles Sun Times Newspaper Article
8 Tuff Miles – the challenge
Since its inception in 1997, St. John’s 8 Tuff Miles road race has escalated into a mammoth event where 838 runners will gather on Saturday, Feb. 28 to summon up their inner and outer strengths to compete in one of the toughest 8.38-mile road races anywhere. The virgin run of this event had only 21 entries, who signed up on race morning. It is now the largest road race held anywhere in the Virgin Islands. It grows every year and has blossomed into THE premier running event of the Caribbean.
Runners are a dedicated clan. They run for reasons as diverse as the lifestyles that inhabit our islands, and they will all tell you how running has touched and changed their lives. We run to think, feel, and heal. We run to stay fit and strong. We run because we are driven by forces sometimes beyond our control. The hills on St. John are, of course, a metaphor for our lives, and as we propel our bodies and souls along these magnificent vistas we are reminded of the beauty in all things. The up and down nature of running here will leave you stronger in more ways than one might think. Running legend Steve Prefontaine believed that a race was a work of art. I concur. The 8 Tuff Miles race can be a simple fun run or an analogy for the challenges of living on a remote island such as ours. This race will mean a lot of things to a lot of people, and as a 21-year resident of St. John and entering into my third year of full-time running, it has a special meaning for me. It was my first race and one that drove me to become very passionate and dedicated to this sport.
I have offered support in various ways over the last few years to this event, and this year will be no different. I will donate one dollar to the college scholarship fund – created by Peter Alter, the race director – for every person who crosses the finish line in Coral Bay. Furthermore, I will match dollar for dollar any donation made by any runner who has a better time than me in the race. Last year 54 people finished ahead of me, so this leaves lots of room to raise money for the scholarships, which give $4600 to 6 children who win in their age groups, 3 male and 3 female, each year. Last year I donated the entire $4600, but due to the current economic crisis, I am unable to do so. This is where you come in. Please go to 8tuffmiles.com and make a donation, no matter how small. Our newly elected president raised money with this same tried-and-true way, one dollar at a time, and look at him now! Come race day we will push ourselves one stride at a time, one breath at a time and one person at a time to the completion of our journey. If you only have one dollar to give, your donation is equally important as any.
Saturday morning, the 28th of February, at 7:15am will be an exciting time on St. John. Thousands of people partake in the race as participants, volunteers and spectators. Each has a place in the success of the event, each has a reason for their involvement and each has a resounding effect on the state of running as a sport on St. John. I will be a cog in Peter's well-oiled machine and do my part come race day. The combined efforts of the community have made this race a jewel in the world of road racing and an annual event that any St. Johnian or Virgin Islander can be proud of. See you at the finish line!
Be Well,
Luigi Costello stjohnrunner.blogspot.com
Since its inception in 1997, St. John’s 8 Tuff Miles road race has escalated into a mammoth event where 838 runners will gather on Saturday, Feb. 28 to summon up their inner and outer strengths to compete in one of the toughest 8.38-mile road races anywhere. The virgin run of this event had only 21 entries, who signed up on race morning. It is now the largest road race held anywhere in the Virgin Islands. It grows every year and has blossomed into THE premier running event of the Caribbean.
Runners are a dedicated clan. They run for reasons as diverse as the lifestyles that inhabit our islands, and they will all tell you how running has touched and changed their lives. We run to think, feel, and heal. We run to stay fit and strong. We run because we are driven by forces sometimes beyond our control. The hills on St. John are, of course, a metaphor for our lives, and as we propel our bodies and souls along these magnificent vistas we are reminded of the beauty in all things. The up and down nature of running here will leave you stronger in more ways than one might think. Running legend Steve Prefontaine believed that a race was a work of art. I concur. The 8 Tuff Miles race can be a simple fun run or an analogy for the challenges of living on a remote island such as ours. This race will mean a lot of things to a lot of people, and as a 21-year resident of St. John and entering into my third year of full-time running, it has a special meaning for me. It was my first race and one that drove me to become very passionate and dedicated to this sport.
I have offered support in various ways over the last few years to this event, and this year will be no different. I will donate one dollar to the college scholarship fund – created by Peter Alter, the race director – for every person who crosses the finish line in Coral Bay. Furthermore, I will match dollar for dollar any donation made by any runner who has a better time than me in the race. Last year 54 people finished ahead of me, so this leaves lots of room to raise money for the scholarships, which give $4600 to 6 children who win in their age groups, 3 male and 3 female, each year. Last year I donated the entire $4600, but due to the current economic crisis, I am unable to do so. This is where you come in. Please go to 8tuffmiles.com and make a donation, no matter how small. Our newly elected president raised money with this same tried-and-true way, one dollar at a time, and look at him now! Come race day we will push ourselves one stride at a time, one breath at a time and one person at a time to the completion of our journey. If you only have one dollar to give, your donation is equally important as any.
Saturday morning, the 28th of February, at 7:15am will be an exciting time on St. John. Thousands of people partake in the race as participants, volunteers and spectators. Each has a place in the success of the event, each has a reason for their involvement and each has a resounding effect on the state of running as a sport on St. John. I will be a cog in Peter's well-oiled machine and do my part come race day. The combined efforts of the community have made this race a jewel in the world of road racing and an annual event that any St. Johnian or Virgin Islander can be proud of. See you at the finish line!
Be Well,
Luigi Costello stjohnrunner.blogspot.com
Monday, January 26, 2009
VICTORY LAP
Last Tuesday was of course a most excellent and historical day. I cut out of work for a few hours, hey I'm the boss and I can do that, to watch the transfer of political power to the most articulate politician of our modern time. 23 months had past since Barack announced his candidacy and 4 1/2 years have past for me waiting for that magical moment in front of the Lincoln Memorial. When Barack delivered his Keynote speech at the '04' democratic convention I was simply stunned! I knew right then and there that the democratic party had found their voice. Much Much to late to replace him for John Kerry, who has the personality of dried liver, and much to late to unseat W. The country was ready for a change in 04, but the wrong candidate was put up. And so we spiraled out of control as a nation and lost the respect of the world at large. W's decisions are a prime example how one persons choices affect the overall balance of the world! And oh did he affect! Don't get me started.
So elated this day I was that I adorned my self with 6 Blue and White balloons in the middle of a warm tropical day and took a victory lap, well much longer than a lap, and headed up the North Shore to that old familiar haunt of runners paradise. I ran to Easter Rock for Barack. I really looked quite silly but 4 balloons were for the 4 years I waited and the other 2 each represented a term he will hold. I believe he will be the most loved and proficient president since JFK and re-establish the good will that W and his gang of cronies systematically destroyed. Seeing Cheney in a wheel chair at the ceremonies was symbolic nirvana! As I ran I could not help smiling and relishing the moment. Running can intensify things in ones life. It was a brisk run but ever so easy as the wind felt especially cleansing and my leg just flowed and guided me to a new beginning in the modern history of our world.
Having a President that is into physical fitness as seriously as Barack is, also sends a message to our youth and the populous at large. Fit in mind and body, strong in will and resolve, ready and willing to walk the talk, and to be an example to all classes and cultures. I may not be the Barack Obama of running, but I am striving for a cabinet position in 2012. My journey as a runner is in its infancy, and as Barack heals our nation I too will master the hills and valleys that I embark on daily. That old cliche "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step" could not have greater meaning.
So elated this day I was that I adorned my self with 6 Blue and White balloons in the middle of a warm tropical day and took a victory lap, well much longer than a lap, and headed up the North Shore to that old familiar haunt of runners paradise. I ran to Easter Rock for Barack. I really looked quite silly but 4 balloons were for the 4 years I waited and the other 2 each represented a term he will hold. I believe he will be the most loved and proficient president since JFK and re-establish the good will that W and his gang of cronies systematically destroyed. Seeing Cheney in a wheel chair at the ceremonies was symbolic nirvana! As I ran I could not help smiling and relishing the moment. Running can intensify things in ones life. It was a brisk run but ever so easy as the wind felt especially cleansing and my leg just flowed and guided me to a new beginning in the modern history of our world.
Having a President that is into physical fitness as seriously as Barack is, also sends a message to our youth and the populous at large. Fit in mind and body, strong in will and resolve, ready and willing to walk the talk, and to be an example to all classes and cultures. I may not be the Barack Obama of running, but I am striving for a cabinet position in 2012. My journey as a runner is in its infancy, and as Barack heals our nation I too will master the hills and valleys that I embark on daily. That old cliche "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step" could not have greater meaning.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
PERSONAL BEST
As runners most of us strive for better times when we race. We train and strain and hopefully gain. As a self trained runner I am in the constant state of experimentation with my runs. No coach or group leader to guide me. No one telling me my mistakes or showing me my pitfalls. Formulating a training program for myself is not always easy and not always possible to follow due to the runners triangle(see previous post). Case in point the training I did for the Half Marathon I ran this past Saturday. The last long run I did was 5 weeks prior to the race. I had planned more but they simply did not occur. I have valid excuses though, trust me!!!!! Right! LOL
I train hard most of the time I am running, Taking easy days of course to balance the intensity of the overall training, but in general run hard. I have been doing a lot of out and backs of 7 plus miles along the North Shore and once a week running 3 Loops around the Lind Point trail starting from town. Both of those runs are tough to say the least. I can sometimes literally feel myself getting stronger. I am pretty adamant about getting my 5 runs in weekly. Sometimes even 6 and once in a while it will go down to 4. I am hard on myself and consider 3 runs in a week in the category of total slacking. Sick running junkie that I am!
So what to my wondering feet do I achieve, a personal best in the half marathon you see! Oh Santa would be proud of me but he is very busy making sure my son and all the other children of the world have a very merry one in "09". It was my 4th half marathon and each one the times went lower and I ran a 1:42:01 at Disney this weekend. I am quite pleased, ever though I had my eyes on a 1:40. I tried to stay with that pacing group but did not want to go out too fast and I held them in sight for the first 6-7 miles then just lost sight of them. Having clocks at every mile is awesome and I knew I was still on pace for a PB. It is always an awesome feeling crossing the finish line.
My stats where as follows: Time:1:42:01, 419th overall out of 12,434 finishers, age group(50-54) 27th out of 580 males, age grade 66.8% and 348th overall out of 5253 for males.
So the question is this. Did I under train by not doing my long runs or did I amply train and have a PB because the hills of St. John are the most awesome place on the planet to run and they reward all who suffer through their wrath? Probably a little of both I would imagine. I always tell stateside runners that a 7 mile north shore run is equivalent to a flat 10 mile run in the states because of the 3H club(see previous post) Hills, Heat and Humidity. We run in high heat and high humidity pretty much year round and in the summer and fall it is just plain brutal. So when we get up to the states and run on flat ground in much lower temperatures and lower humidity it is like having an extra jolt of what ever all those cheating athlete take that disgrace themselves and their perspective sport. What a sad state for sports when the playing field is not level and our children must deal with the multitudes of issues surrounding these athletes and the dire backlash that occurs due to ignorance, greed and ego. All boost in sports and performance are not created equal!
The next race for me will be the 8 Tuff Miles right here on St. John on Feb. 28th. I will be fully trained for that race and will enjoy every minute of it, even the ones I plan on shedding off of last years time!
I train hard most of the time I am running, Taking easy days of course to balance the intensity of the overall training, but in general run hard. I have been doing a lot of out and backs of 7 plus miles along the North Shore and once a week running 3 Loops around the Lind Point trail starting from town. Both of those runs are tough to say the least. I can sometimes literally feel myself getting stronger. I am pretty adamant about getting my 5 runs in weekly. Sometimes even 6 and once in a while it will go down to 4. I am hard on myself and consider 3 runs in a week in the category of total slacking. Sick running junkie that I am!
So what to my wondering feet do I achieve, a personal best in the half marathon you see! Oh Santa would be proud of me but he is very busy making sure my son and all the other children of the world have a very merry one in "09". It was my 4th half marathon and each one the times went lower and I ran a 1:42:01 at Disney this weekend. I am quite pleased, ever though I had my eyes on a 1:40. I tried to stay with that pacing group but did not want to go out too fast and I held them in sight for the first 6-7 miles then just lost sight of them. Having clocks at every mile is awesome and I knew I was still on pace for a PB. It is always an awesome feeling crossing the finish line.
My stats where as follows: Time:1:42:01, 419th overall out of 12,434 finishers, age group(50-54) 27th out of 580 males, age grade 66.8% and 348th overall out of 5253 for males.
So the question is this. Did I under train by not doing my long runs or did I amply train and have a PB because the hills of St. John are the most awesome place on the planet to run and they reward all who suffer through their wrath? Probably a little of both I would imagine. I always tell stateside runners that a 7 mile north shore run is equivalent to a flat 10 mile run in the states because of the 3H club(see previous post) Hills, Heat and Humidity. We run in high heat and high humidity pretty much year round and in the summer and fall it is just plain brutal. So when we get up to the states and run on flat ground in much lower temperatures and lower humidity it is like having an extra jolt of what ever all those cheating athlete take that disgrace themselves and their perspective sport. What a sad state for sports when the playing field is not level and our children must deal with the multitudes of issues surrounding these athletes and the dire backlash that occurs due to ignorance, greed and ego. All boost in sports and performance are not created equal!
The next race for me will be the 8 Tuff Miles right here on St. John on Feb. 28th. I will be fully trained for that race and will enjoy every minute of it, even the ones I plan on shedding off of last years time!
A Tradgic Run
Running never quite offers up the same ambiance. So many factors at play to adjust the desired result. Better we just flow along and see where it takes us than be disappointed when the result strays from our expectation.
One never knows when it strikes, at times as foreign to us as a Summers day on Lakeshore Drive in January. A run such as this is etched into our hearts as we feel the pain of another and wonder what order, if any, life's random assaults have. Moving one's body briskly along these hills when consumed with the grief of another, and one's own, is trying and troublesome, and offers up the excuse to slow down or simply quit. Tragedy slowly creeps like the ever prevalent misfortune that begot a family member of mine over the New Years weekend.
The overwhelming feeling and urge to stop the run is all encompassing and must be dealt with in the same manner as the grief facing my loved one. To continue on is the only logical option, but so shrouded is that line of reasoning it calls into question ones resolve. So we are tested. We are dealt a hand that can go either way. If the choice seems so simple then why do we struggle so? Simply said, we are mere flesh and bone, not the great warriors our ego leads us to believe. We must dig so deep within ourselves to convene our vigor that we seem to drain the very force we are relying on right out of us. And at that moment when we want to give up completely, when we feel we can not run another stride, not take another breath, not bear the burden of yet another one of life's insidious jokes, it is in that instant that we often see clarity and find the strength to continue on. Tragedy will call into question ones frivolous life. It will show you who you really are and what you are truly made of. So the legs keep moving and the arms continue pumping and the heart and lungs persist in striving and the will to sustain is carried on.
Trials and tribulations are often the cornerstones of great progress. We must not let anything slow us to the pace of submission. Great runners know this and use it to make themselves stronger. We are only as good as we allow ourselves to be. We simply must never stop!
One never knows when it strikes, at times as foreign to us as a Summers day on Lakeshore Drive in January. A run such as this is etched into our hearts as we feel the pain of another and wonder what order, if any, life's random assaults have. Moving one's body briskly along these hills when consumed with the grief of another, and one's own, is trying and troublesome, and offers up the excuse to slow down or simply quit. Tragedy slowly creeps like the ever prevalent misfortune that begot a family member of mine over the New Years weekend.
The overwhelming feeling and urge to stop the run is all encompassing and must be dealt with in the same manner as the grief facing my loved one. To continue on is the only logical option, but so shrouded is that line of reasoning it calls into question ones resolve. So we are tested. We are dealt a hand that can go either way. If the choice seems so simple then why do we struggle so? Simply said, we are mere flesh and bone, not the great warriors our ego leads us to believe. We must dig so deep within ourselves to convene our vigor that we seem to drain the very force we are relying on right out of us. And at that moment when we want to give up completely, when we feel we can not run another stride, not take another breath, not bear the burden of yet another one of life's insidious jokes, it is in that instant that we often see clarity and find the strength to continue on. Tragedy will call into question ones frivolous life. It will show you who you really are and what you are truly made of. So the legs keep moving and the arms continue pumping and the heart and lungs persist in striving and the will to sustain is carried on.
Trials and tribulations are often the cornerstones of great progress. We must not let anything slow us to the pace of submission. Great runners know this and use it to make themselves stronger. We are only as good as we allow ourselves to be. We simply must never stop!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
X-MAS EVE RUNNERS TRIANGLE
I had not planned a sunset run on the eve of X-Mas but one occurred nonetheless. That is what makes this sport so appealing, especially to a lone wolf like myself. Anytime is the time, barring other commitments of course. Many celebrating these holidays believe in the Holy Trinity. A fierce Agnostic like myself dismisses religion and believes it, along with over zealous Patriotism and Nationalism is the death of any free thinking society and the major contributor to disharmony in our lives.
The runners triangle is a lot simpler, yet pulls at us sometimes as aggressively as the Evangelicals trying to save our souls while they themselves live their lives of smug superiority over us lost pagans! Balancing running, work and family is the tightrope act we try to create even-handedly. Someone recently said to me, during a disagreement and in an emotional moment, your mantra now is "I gotta get my run in". It was true. I run 5 days a week and sometimes have to rearrange my schedule to do so. I have had a lot of weeks where I ran 6 days. I simply love it. It is categorically a part of me now. I refuse to change that for a host of practical and useful reasons that will appear in a future blog. This triangle, which must be equilateral in order to flourish, must be balanced and that, at times, takes a lot of planning and sacrifice to accomplish.
Plans changed on the morning of X-mas eve and my run for that day would now be at sunset rather than the afternoon one I had previously mapped out. X-Mas, in my humble, Pagan(LOL), opinion is all about the kids. Santa is pure magic and congers up a host of merriment and wondrous recollections that last a lifetime. My most memorable moments as a child stem from all the activities that surround the holidays and are now being passed on to my children. So I donned a red running singlet and a Santa hat and made my way from my house on centerline road to the North Shore for a 7 mile X-mas eve sunset run that included a rainbow as I approached the Trunk Bay overlook. My pace was brisk and I felt very strong and happy knowing my son would be ecstatic on X-mas morning and that this run added some joy to the host of onlookers in their cars and jeeps and trucks on the road that night. A very lean Santa, economic times have been tough, running up the Northshore in the Tropics was enough to evoke a multitude of shouts, waves, thumbs up, peace signs and abundant smiles from the onlookers inside their vehicles. Normally I pay little attention to what is going on inside the cars, rather I am monitoring them for safety reasons and road logistics. But on this night my eyes where fixated on the smiles and good cheer from the passerbys, especially the carloads of children that passed by. A run is usually a very solitary event, steeped in deep thought and solace, but tonight was a shared event and one I will always remember.
Be us Christians, Jews, Muslims or Atheist or any one of the multitude of other organized religions, we all share a common responsibility in leaving a better planet behind for our children and through running and physical fitness I am doing just that. Perhaps if we all kept our religious views to ourselves this might lend for a better world, but what do Godless running junkies know anyway.
The runners triangle is a lot simpler, yet pulls at us sometimes as aggressively as the Evangelicals trying to save our souls while they themselves live their lives of smug superiority over us lost pagans! Balancing running, work and family is the tightrope act we try to create even-handedly. Someone recently said to me, during a disagreement and in an emotional moment, your mantra now is "I gotta get my run in". It was true. I run 5 days a week and sometimes have to rearrange my schedule to do so. I have had a lot of weeks where I ran 6 days. I simply love it. It is categorically a part of me now. I refuse to change that for a host of practical and useful reasons that will appear in a future blog. This triangle, which must be equilateral in order to flourish, must be balanced and that, at times, takes a lot of planning and sacrifice to accomplish.
Plans changed on the morning of X-mas eve and my run for that day would now be at sunset rather than the afternoon one I had previously mapped out. X-Mas, in my humble, Pagan(LOL), opinion is all about the kids. Santa is pure magic and congers up a host of merriment and wondrous recollections that last a lifetime. My most memorable moments as a child stem from all the activities that surround the holidays and are now being passed on to my children. So I donned a red running singlet and a Santa hat and made my way from my house on centerline road to the North Shore for a 7 mile X-mas eve sunset run that included a rainbow as I approached the Trunk Bay overlook. My pace was brisk and I felt very strong and happy knowing my son would be ecstatic on X-mas morning and that this run added some joy to the host of onlookers in their cars and jeeps and trucks on the road that night. A very lean Santa, economic times have been tough, running up the Northshore in the Tropics was enough to evoke a multitude of shouts, waves, thumbs up, peace signs and abundant smiles from the onlookers inside their vehicles. Normally I pay little attention to what is going on inside the cars, rather I am monitoring them for safety reasons and road logistics. But on this night my eyes where fixated on the smiles and good cheer from the passerbys, especially the carloads of children that passed by. A run is usually a very solitary event, steeped in deep thought and solace, but tonight was a shared event and one I will always remember.
Be us Christians, Jews, Muslims or Atheist or any one of the multitude of other organized religions, we all share a common responsibility in leaving a better planet behind for our children and through running and physical fitness I am doing just that. Perhaps if we all kept our religious views to ourselves this might lend for a better world, but what do Godless running junkies know anyway.
Friday, December 19, 2008
WEIGHT
As I ever so slowly propelled myself up the north shore hills this morning I felt a great weight on me. Holiday cookies and my weakness for cheese gets the best of me at times. Runners are extremely more proficient in their racing times when they are carrying low body fat percentages and lots of lean muscle mass. The lower a runners body weight the faster they can usually run and they also minimize injury as the impact of the body, especially the legs, is GREATLY increased with each additional pound of weight our frames carry. The pounding of our body weight on the chosen running surface also has a lot to do with muscle soreness and injury prevention. Concrete being the worse and grass or soft dirt being the best.
The weight I felt this morning however had little to do with cookies and cheese. I do maintain a weight of 145-147 lbs on a 5' 7" frame and my body fat ranges between 9-11%. For my age, being 52, this is acceptable to me and falls into the upper echelon for most men in my age group. No this weight was simply the weight of the world and the ever present holiday doldrums that emerge every year around this time to test our resolve and try to downright beat us into mental submission. Usually a run offers solace to ones soul, but today the weight was so great I actually cut the run short, covering only 4 miles and calling it quits. At the end of mile 2 I simply turned around and ran back to town. I have been running a minimum of 7 miles on my daily runs the last few weeks. I am pushing the distances and also training for a half marathon in early January at Disney World, a trip me and my son take every year at the same time. He is the only reason I have stayed on St. John, as I am ready to move back to the states, and it is that very situation that weighs so heavily on me during these Holidays. As he often tells me "I Love You" and I tell him "I Love You Too" and he says "I Love You More" and it goes on and on, I can look to the hills I ascend and descend daily and know the motion of life will never cease
As an athlete I find mental stress takes way more out of me than the most grueling run. Hours on these hills may wear me out physically, but mental unrest lingers much further than the weariness of tired muscles. That magic pill that a good run sometimes offers was no match for my mental weariness today. My North shore hill runs are a metaphor for life in general or course, all the ups and downs, and never really knowing where the mental aspect of the run will take you. Overall running has given me tremendous clarity and is a coping mechanism as well as the countless physical health aspects it has to offer. In the end though all we really have is what we have put into it.
Everyday offers new challenges and rewards and my next run will surely offer me something and until then I will count my blessings and be still.
The weight I felt this morning however had little to do with cookies and cheese. I do maintain a weight of 145-147 lbs on a 5' 7" frame and my body fat ranges between 9-11%. For my age, being 52, this is acceptable to me and falls into the upper echelon for most men in my age group. No this weight was simply the weight of the world and the ever present holiday doldrums that emerge every year around this time to test our resolve and try to downright beat us into mental submission. Usually a run offers solace to ones soul, but today the weight was so great I actually cut the run short, covering only 4 miles and calling it quits. At the end of mile 2 I simply turned around and ran back to town. I have been running a minimum of 7 miles on my daily runs the last few weeks. I am pushing the distances and also training for a half marathon in early January at Disney World, a trip me and my son take every year at the same time. He is the only reason I have stayed on St. John, as I am ready to move back to the states, and it is that very situation that weighs so heavily on me during these Holidays. As he often tells me "I Love You" and I tell him "I Love You Too" and he says "I Love You More" and it goes on and on, I can look to the hills I ascend and descend daily and know the motion of life will never cease
As an athlete I find mental stress takes way more out of me than the most grueling run. Hours on these hills may wear me out physically, but mental unrest lingers much further than the weariness of tired muscles. That magic pill that a good run sometimes offers was no match for my mental weariness today. My North shore hill runs are a metaphor for life in general or course, all the ups and downs, and never really knowing where the mental aspect of the run will take you. Overall running has given me tremendous clarity and is a coping mechanism as well as the countless physical health aspects it has to offer. In the end though all we really have is what we have put into it.
Everyday offers new challenges and rewards and my next run will surely offer me something and until then I will count my blessings and be still.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Local Running Routes
The North Shore is the most amazing place to run here . Lots of options from road to trail and always a beach along the way to take a swim afterwards or during your run. I will be adding and editing content here ongoing so please check back often for added running ideas and options.
If you want to know how far you are running while on St. John I am providing estimated distances. A few tips on how to estimate your own runs also.
Both Northshore and Centerline roads have mile markers, although not always visible and in your face they are there more so than not. These will always be guides to your distance depending on where you start your run.
For purposes of this posting ALL Northshore runs where loosely measured and most likely within 1/10th of a mile as far as accuracy. All Northshore distances where measured beginning at the starting line of our local race, The 8 Tuff Miles. The starting line is located behind the National Park Service Tourist Office adjacent to the ball field, which is across the street from Mongoose Junction, one of the shopping areas in Cruz Bay on St. John. There is a palm tree and a sign for the Lind Point Trail (more on this run later) on the road behind the NPS office and again, that is where all measurements where started. If you do not run one of the distances I am providing just subtract 2/10ths of a mile from the mile markers along the Northshore Road. As you start your run you will follow the road out to the main road in front of Mongoose Junction and turn left up the hill that is the Beginning of the Northshore. These are tough runs so take it easy as the first 1/2 mile is very steep. Stay to your left while running with the traffic as you have a lot more shoulder to use to stay out of the way of cars. Good Luck and Be Well!
8TM start to the National Park Sign(1st crest of run) .5 miles
8TM start to the first scenic overlook(before Caneel Bay) 1.0 miles
8TM start to Caneel Bay Resort 1.5 miles
8TM start to Hawks Nest Beach (large parking lot) 2.0 miles
8TM start to Easter Rock (Huge rock past white fence) 2.5 miles
8TM start to Peace hill (small parking lot) 2.7 miles
8TM start to overlook (before Trunk Bay) 3.1 miles
10k(6.2 miles) run if you turn around here and go back to start.
8TM start to Trunk Bay 3.3 miles
8TM start to Peter Bay (crest after killer switchbacks) 3.6 miles
8TM start to Cinnamon Bay 4.3 miles
8TM start to Maho Bay overlook 4.9 miles
8TM start to Big Maho Bay beach 5.5 miles
I will stop here for now and add more distances and routes later. Please note the North Shore is a very tough place to run so go slow, rest and enjoy one of the best running routes in the world! Be Well and enjoy. E-mail me any questions you may have at stjohnrunner@gmail.com
If you want to know how far you are running while on St. John I am providing estimated distances. A few tips on how to estimate your own runs also.
Both Northshore and Centerline roads have mile markers, although not always visible and in your face they are there more so than not. These will always be guides to your distance depending on where you start your run.
For purposes of this posting ALL Northshore runs where loosely measured and most likely within 1/10th of a mile as far as accuracy. All Northshore distances where measured beginning at the starting line of our local race, The 8 Tuff Miles. The starting line is located behind the National Park Service Tourist Office adjacent to the ball field, which is across the street from Mongoose Junction, one of the shopping areas in Cruz Bay on St. John. There is a palm tree and a sign for the Lind Point Trail (more on this run later) on the road behind the NPS office and again, that is where all measurements where started. If you do not run one of the distances I am providing just subtract 2/10ths of a mile from the mile markers along the Northshore Road. As you start your run you will follow the road out to the main road in front of Mongoose Junction and turn left up the hill that is the Beginning of the Northshore. These are tough runs so take it easy as the first 1/2 mile is very steep. Stay to your left while running with the traffic as you have a lot more shoulder to use to stay out of the way of cars. Good Luck and Be Well!
8TM start to the National Park Sign(1st crest of run) .5 miles
8TM start to the first scenic overlook(before Caneel Bay) 1.0 miles
8TM start to Caneel Bay Resort 1.5 miles
8TM start to Hawks Nest Beach (large parking lot) 2.0 miles
8TM start to Easter Rock (Huge rock past white fence) 2.5 miles
8TM start to Peace hill (small parking lot) 2.7 miles
8TM start to overlook (before Trunk Bay) 3.1 miles
10k(6.2 miles) run if you turn around here and go back to start.
8TM start to Trunk Bay 3.3 miles
8TM start to Peter Bay (crest after killer switchbacks) 3.6 miles
8TM start to Cinnamon Bay 4.3 miles
8TM start to Maho Bay overlook 4.9 miles
8TM start to Big Maho Bay beach 5.5 miles
I will stop here for now and add more distances and routes later. Please note the North Shore is a very tough place to run so go slow, rest and enjoy one of the best running routes in the world! Be Well and enjoy. E-mail me any questions you may have at stjohnrunner@gmail.com
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Big 3- Heat, Hills, and Humidity
Running on St. John poses challenges that I often phrase as the 3H club. The hills, heat and humidity toughen you up rather quickly when you push yourself. I did not take up this sport to simply jog a few miles daily, although that in itself is a triumph for our sedentary society and I applaud anyone for doing so. No, I run to propel my physical limits beyond what most people in their 50's would do and more importantly to obtain a sense of elation and often blissful rapture. 3-4 miles into an accelerated run often produces a clarity and insight that will put me at ease for the remainder of the day and then some. Thus the 3H's work on all the levels that sustain my overall well being. They are the Big 3 for runners on St. John. Not preparing for or respecting them will spell disaster sooner or later. Running injuries are rarely due to a single incident, sure a twisted ankle or a fall occur, but are usually the culmination of a host of mistakes in training that one day manifest in an impairment in our ability to continue at our current training levels, or at all, depending on the severity. This is the time, if used wisely, we become better runners as we reflect on the causes of our affliction and route the course to recovery and most importantly refashion our training techniques that led to our affliction.
Detroit has ignored the prior set backs and blows to its industry thinking we need them and the products they produce. Their aliments are no different than a runners in time of distress. I am still running because I took heed after several injuries in my first year. They are faltering simply because they did not. Rewarding failure is the single most devastating signal you can send to the society at large. I am all for socialized programs that feed the hungry and educate our children, but I will be Damned if I will support, along with the consensus of most Americans(nice to be in the majority for a change), any so called bailout of the Big 3. Tens of thousands of small businesses are going under as we speak and our government is doing very little, if any thing at all to help them. Why is it that the bigger and greedier you get a magic safety net seems to go along for safe keeping?
I know that a lot of jobs are at stake here. I get it, but we MUST let them fail in order to create the openings for smaller companies to produce the products we need. There are a lot of smaller companies like Tesla that will lead the way to provide us with the products we will need to move forward and change the way we think about transportation in this country. I use the word products because the automobile will not and should not be the utter necessity it is now. The companies that will create the jobs lost by the Big 3 failure will lead us into an age of transportation that makes sense for the overall society and not individual needs. I support making sure no Big 3 worker loses their pension, the government should guarantee the workers that, but beyond that the Big 3 should pay for the sins of their fathers. They kept building vehicles that did nothing to alleviate global warming and gas consumption and now they come begging to congress fresh off their private jets. When the car companies starting tearing up all the rail lines in this country and making it a necessity to drive a car, that was the beginning of this whole mess and now they must pay. The party is over and the opportunity for a host of new companies to fill the void of the Big 3 is as welcome as the return of the cool breezes that lavish the north shore and add to the joy of my daily runs.
What ever we do in life, if not thought out or prepared for, usually ends in a haphazard venue of failure. My runs are carefully plotted and thought about and I always know why I am running a particular route and what I am expecting from it. Failure has its upsides, but for the impatient it has no merit.
We are turning a corner and page in history, and on Jan. 20th 2009, we will usher in a new way of thinking and we must let the heavy weight of the current US auto industry die along with the aimless irregularities of the Bush administration. It's true it is always darkest before the dawn. I will see you all at Sunrise!
.
Detroit has ignored the prior set backs and blows to its industry thinking we need them and the products they produce. Their aliments are no different than a runners in time of distress. I am still running because I took heed after several injuries in my first year. They are faltering simply because they did not. Rewarding failure is the single most devastating signal you can send to the society at large. I am all for socialized programs that feed the hungry and educate our children, but I will be Damned if I will support, along with the consensus of most Americans(nice to be in the majority for a change), any so called bailout of the Big 3. Tens of thousands of small businesses are going under as we speak and our government is doing very little, if any thing at all to help them. Why is it that the bigger and greedier you get a magic safety net seems to go along for safe keeping?
I know that a lot of jobs are at stake here. I get it, but we MUST let them fail in order to create the openings for smaller companies to produce the products we need. There are a lot of smaller companies like Tesla that will lead the way to provide us with the products we will need to move forward and change the way we think about transportation in this country. I use the word products because the automobile will not and should not be the utter necessity it is now. The companies that will create the jobs lost by the Big 3 failure will lead us into an age of transportation that makes sense for the overall society and not individual needs. I support making sure no Big 3 worker loses their pension, the government should guarantee the workers that, but beyond that the Big 3 should pay for the sins of their fathers. They kept building vehicles that did nothing to alleviate global warming and gas consumption and now they come begging to congress fresh off their private jets. When the car companies starting tearing up all the rail lines in this country and making it a necessity to drive a car, that was the beginning of this whole mess and now they must pay. The party is over and the opportunity for a host of new companies to fill the void of the Big 3 is as welcome as the return of the cool breezes that lavish the north shore and add to the joy of my daily runs.
What ever we do in life, if not thought out or prepared for, usually ends in a haphazard venue of failure. My runs are carefully plotted and thought about and I always know why I am running a particular route and what I am expecting from it. Failure has its upsides, but for the impatient it has no merit.
We are turning a corner and page in history, and on Jan. 20th 2009, we will usher in a new way of thinking and we must let the heavy weight of the current US auto industry die along with the aimless irregularities of the Bush administration. It's true it is always darkest before the dawn. I will see you all at Sunrise!
.
Friday, November 14, 2008
VARIATIONS
I have been wondering as of late where all this will lead. The intensity of my runs are heightening and the state of our nation and world seem to be on a rabid, fluctuating , and out of control joyride. I control each stride as my legs propel me, and I can literally feel them strengthening at times as I push the limits of my mind and body to reach the next level. Change and progress are not always sought after but occur nonetheless. Seeking them however allows us to be involved in the process that we solely answer for. So where will my legs take me in these runs, now that the training can be amped back up after my first marathon last month. Where does one set the bar? We have done something for ourselves and for the generations to come, something people said would never happen in their lifetime. The dust settles after my feet disturb the ground below me on my nightly journeys up the north shore, rearranged only to settle elsewhere. So I say to myself and to all of the people who actively participated in the election process and also to those on the sidelines that are beginning to realize they too must partake 'WE must take back what has been eroded over the decades and participate in our democracy'. Give this a chance, the dirt will settle, and then begin to shape it.
There are as many reasons for running as there are for any other activity in life. Great runners and elders of my sport knew that each stride was a straw in the hut, a block in the pyramid and an antidote for their mind. Variations, in respect to class and culture, will be as diverse as the thoughts meandering from my brain as I glide along the roadways and trails, but will all arrive at a common yearning to better ourselves and leave the next generations with the comfort of breaking the cycles, both personal and political, that have crippled this world for my lifetime and then some. It is really quite simple, either participate and change what you do not like about yourself and our world or do nothing and blame yourself, not your government or your brethren, when it all comes crashing down. I blamed myself as I was dry heaving at mile 24 of the Portland Marathon for not being fully prepared for my undertaking, no pun intended, but I finished and learned from it. With all the vast experience of all the people in this country and abroad it behooves me think we can not obtain societies that work for the vast majorities of people. Variations offer multitudes of ways to the end, and the means are as diverse as the clouds that grace the sky at sunset over my head, and as my nightly runs define my being, I will relish and never languish in knowing we can all change and make a change.
There are as many reasons for running as there are for any other activity in life. Great runners and elders of my sport knew that each stride was a straw in the hut, a block in the pyramid and an antidote for their mind. Variations, in respect to class and culture, will be as diverse as the thoughts meandering from my brain as I glide along the roadways and trails, but will all arrive at a common yearning to better ourselves and leave the next generations with the comfort of breaking the cycles, both personal and political, that have crippled this world for my lifetime and then some. It is really quite simple, either participate and change what you do not like about yourself and our world or do nothing and blame yourself, not your government or your brethren, when it all comes crashing down. I blamed myself as I was dry heaving at mile 24 of the Portland Marathon for not being fully prepared for my undertaking, no pun intended, but I finished and learned from it. With all the vast experience of all the people in this country and abroad it behooves me think we can not obtain societies that work for the vast majorities of people. Variations offer multitudes of ways to the end, and the means are as diverse as the clouds that grace the sky at sunset over my head, and as my nightly runs define my being, I will relish and never languish in knowing we can all change and make a change.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
IT'S OVER!
Runners training and careers are shaped and structured on the sound fundamentals of their sport and the ability to allow patience and common sense to prevail. My 30 day reverse taper, the gradual build up back to
Living here on St. John, who descendants are primarily from the slave trade, added extra measure to the historical event that I knew would follow later that evening as I took those hills and measured my worth as a person and as a father. As a white, uneducated 52 year old male, the stereotype would tell you what demo graph I should have supported in the polling and of course I did not. The 60's shaped my adolescent mind so strongly that I am forever sensitive to social injustice and prejudice. I have lived 32 of my 52 years, 11 in South Philadelphia in a black neighborhood, and 21 years here on St. John, as the minority race, and simply GASP at the difference the way society viewed race in the late 50's-early to mid 60's Philadelphia and what we now are seeing permeate the country, seeing all this through the eyes of my 7 year old son. He is still virtually colored blind, in stark contrast by my 7th birthday, as the lines had been drawn years prior. Here we go, turn the page!
My running follows cycles and reveals a lot about myself in simple moments of utter clarity as I traverse the hills. Getting lost in one's thoughts while briskly cascading through a national park is a positive forward motion into the future. Running for the highest office in the land is not much different than a runners daily excursions. Dedication, vision and confidence all play a major roll. Relying on how the masses view you in the realm of politics however is another story entirely. America has turned the page on an important chapter in it's history, and watching it unfold last night will hopefully make us a stronger, more unified country. I can only speak definitively for myself, but what seemed to have occurred last night is simply the result of a nations realization that it is finally time to move forward and work to leave a legacy for our children and grandchildren that nurtures them with peace and prosperity as they sow the seeds we planted on Nov. 4th 2008. And so I move forward on my daily runs and shape my future.
As I run along the sunset skies I can not help but feel we have all moved forward regardless of which candidate you supported. I often tell Luca, my son, "Today is the Tomorrow you where thinking about Yesterday". I will now be able to look back on election night 2008 and use it as an example for myself and Luca. The muckraking and finger pointing has subsided and we can get down to the task at hand. The dirt and earth that provides the foundation for my legs as I run does me no good if it is hurled at individuals we do not agree with. When we throw dirt we lose ground. I cover a lot of ground in my daily runs but no ground was as sweet as the notion that we CAN rise above antiquated cycles and become better people. Tomorrows run will be in honour of all who participated in the process on and up to Nov. 4th 2008! I have the utmost respect for every one of you who voted and participated in the electoral process and I commend all of you. Thank you for making history!
Living here on St. John, who descendants are primarily from the slave trade, added extra measure to the historical event that I knew would follow later that evening as I took those hills and measured my worth as a person and as a father. As a white, uneducated 52 year old male, the stereotype would tell you what demo graph I should have supported in the polling and of course I did not. The 60's shaped my adolescent mind so strongly that I am forever sensitive to social injustice and prejudice. I have lived 32 of my 52 years, 11 in South Philadelphia in a black neighborhood, and 21 years here on St. John, as the minority race, and simply GASP at the difference the way society viewed race in the late 50's-early to mid 60's Philadelphia and what we now are seeing permeate the country, seeing all this through the eyes of my 7 year old son. He is still virtually colored blind, in stark contrast by my 7th birthday, as the lines had been drawn years prior. Here we go, turn the page!
My running follows cycles and reveals a lot about myself in simple moments of utter clarity as I traverse the hills. Getting lost in one's thoughts while briskly cascading through a national park is a positive forward motion into the future. Running for the highest office in the land is not much different than a runners daily excursions. Dedication, vision and confidence all play a major roll. Relying on how the masses view you in the realm of politics however is another story entirely. America has turned the page on an important chapter in it's history, and watching it unfold last night will hopefully make us a stronger, more unified country. I can only speak definitively for myself, but what seemed to have occurred last night is simply the result of a nations realization that it is finally time to move forward and work to leave a legacy for our children and grandchildren that nurtures them with peace and prosperity as they sow the seeds we planted on Nov. 4th 2008. And so I move forward on my daily runs and shape my future.
As I run along the sunset skies I can not help but feel we have all moved forward regardless of which candidate you supported. I often tell Luca, my son, "Today is the Tomorrow you where thinking about Yesterday". I will now be able to look back on election night 2008 and use it as an example for myself and Luca. The muckraking and finger pointing has subsided and we can get down to the task at hand. The dirt and earth that provides the foundation for my legs as I run does me no good if it is hurled at individuals we do not agree with. When we throw dirt we lose ground. I cover a lot of ground in my daily runs but no ground was as sweet as the notion that we CAN rise above antiquated cycles and become better people. Tomorrows run will be in honour of all who participated in the process on and up to Nov. 4th 2008! I have the utmost respect for every one of you who voted and participated in the electoral process and I commend all of you. Thank you for making history!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Portland Marathon- OMG!!!
Well I did it and finished my first marathon(bib # 1559) on Oct. 5th and it was an experience I will never forget. I had a good time overall, pun intended. Portland is a great city and put on a world class event, with very friendly staff, and was extremely well organized. I am starting to get a feel for the logistics of these racing events as I have run 11 races thus far this year. The Portland Marathon is a smaller marathon with 7,856 finishers in 2008 and a few other smaller runs and walks tied in, and that makes for intimacy in a major event and thus added to its over all charm. Some of the major marathons sell 25,000-45,000 bib numbers!
I had trained properly by my own newbie estimations for the 26.2 mile challenge and was prepared for race day. Running on the North Shore of St. John has given me an added edge as the hills are unforgiving and they teach me humility within myself and respect for my sport and the millions of other runners facing the same daily challenges as me. I had several runs of 4 hours in my training and ran 24 miles on 2 separate occasions. The 4 hour runs however where not on the North Shore as I am not ready to attempt such a mammoth feat just yet. One was in Southwest Michigan and the other on a Treadmill in the local gym. I despise treadmill running for a host of reasons and will post about that on another occasion, but had no choice as September in St. john has very high humidity and temperatures of 80-88 for highs and lows. I wanted to know what it felt like to be on my feet for 4 hours as I planned to finish between 4-4:30 hour range. By setting that goal I broke a golden rule of first time marathoning by setting a time for myself, but at least it was not the totally absurd assertion that I could Qualify for Boston(3:35:59 or less for my age group) in my first marathon, that I seriously entertained for a few months after running a 1:13 ten miler in April and running our local race the 8 tuff miles in 1:10 in Feb. The adrenaline of those two races and all the prediction charts led me to a false sense that I could pull off a 8:14 pace in my very first marathon. WTF was I thinking! As my marathon training progressed and I started to get into the longer runs of 16 plus miles I realized I would be making a huge mistake by putting myself under such massive pressure and would undoubtedly ruin the pleasure of my first marathon. On the long runs a lot of things fall into place for me and the respect for the distance and sheer logic began to permeate my thoughts and I backed off the BQ(Boston Qualifier) thing and really started to enjoy those runs through the corn and soybean fields of Michigan.
I was saving the official marathon distance for race day to enjoy and relish in my soon to be accomplishment. The expo was great and it had a lot to offer runners both in the way of necessities and frivolous fodder. I purchased the Ultima sports drink 2 days prior to the marathon at the expo to get my body use to that drink as it would be offered on the course along with a host of other consumable products designed to keep our stamina going. The Breakfast Cookies from Erin Bakers are the perfect food for health conscious runners, not to mention supporting a cottage industry small business. They also happen to taste fantastic! Save for some deals on running shoes I find the prices at these expos on running gear and clothes to be average, no major deals, although Portland does not have sales tax! The Expo was well organized and had lots of volunteers to help the masses as we made our way into the Portland Hilton for the event.
The morning of race day was typical for me with lots of nervous energy and anticipation. The temperature was in the low 50's and although I was a little cold before the start it is ideal running weather. Someone however forgot to advise mother nature about the marathon as it rained on the event for the first time in its history. Not just a little mist or occasional drizzle that I am told occurred in a few previous Portland marathons, but outright rain, although not at the start. I lined up with the 4 hour pace group to see how I would feel running at that pace. After all the pre race hoopla and announcements we where on our way. The warmth of the crowd soon gave way to the real air temperature as the race started and the field of runners opened up, but after the first half mile I warmed up and enjoyed the early segment of the race. As we approached the first water station I realized running with this group was not going to work for me as their is a lot of bottle necking and chaos sometimes at these stations so I went out ahead of the group just a little and that made a world of difference in space and perspective. Around the 3 or 4 mile marker I veered way off to the right to spit and avoid gracing another runner with an unwelcome surprise, when another runner said "hey, you are suppose to save that for the St. Johns Bridge" a tradition he told me, as he had run a few previous Portland marathons. He had also broken out of the pace group so we chatted and ran together for the next 13-14 miles and the time went by fast and I felt great. At the 10K(6.2 miles) I was at 53:57 or 8:41(minutes per mile pace) and the Half way point(13.1 miles) I was at 1:54 or 8:43. I was feeling very strong still and was really enjoying the run despite the constant rain that started somewhere about the 5 or 6 mile mark and pretty much continued the entire race. Not torrential downpours, but a steady rain that began to leave puddles on the ground. Wet feet and blisters are a runners nightmare, but they would pale in contrast to what was to occur later in the race for me. I never did get the blisters, a little toe soreness was all around the 14 to 15 mile mark and I was use to this during my training so no big deal. About a mile before the upward accent to the Bridge I lost tract of my running mate and kept up my pace and felt great as I started to climb the steep hill that so many people at this race complain about and dread. I run hills like that every day so for me it was just another hill. Granted after running 16 miles it was a challenge, but I just kept going and although not going very fast, passed a lot of runners. They would have that same pleasure further up the road. My running partner kept saying that once you make it over the bridge the race is pretty much over and very easy, with only 9-10 miles to go and that they are easier miles as a lot of it is downhill or flat. At mile 20 I am at 2:59(8:59 pace) and although tired and starting to slow up a little still felt relatively good considering I have been running for 3 hours at sub 9 minute miles in the rain! Mile 20 in any type of Marathon lore is simply know as 'The Wall'. It is at this point the body may or may not defy your every will to continue and for some outright break you. With my type A personality I consumed any and all information about marathoning and read a lot about the wall, what to expect and how to avoid it. Nothing compares to hands on experience of course and there I was at mile 20 feeling like I could run an easy 10K, the remaining 6.2 miles and feel good about the experience and join the ranks of my fellow runners who have run this distance. Until this point I ran the whole race, no walk breaks or rest periods. I came to Portland to RUN a marathon. Although I have the utmost respect for any one who even starts to train for an event like this let alone finish it, I am of the opinion that there is a huge difference between running a marathon and finishing one that had planned walk breaks and rest periods. Bragging rights need to be clarified, for if you finished the race but did not run the entire race you did not RUN the marathon. Let us be very clear here, I did not RUN the Portland Marathon. Oh I tried but she broke me, chewed me up and spit me out, and reminded me of the utter challenge and preparation and strategy that must be Incorporated into RUNNING a marathon. The last timing mat was at 21.2 and I am at 3:11, averaging 9:04 per mile for the race. All these times I am quoting where furnished after the race, there where people calling out times at every mile marker and I had my watch on, but since I can not read without glasses my watch is difficult to see. Being ahead of the pace group also let me know that I was still on par to finish in 4 hours.
I am not exactly sure at what mile marker I was at but I started to feel a little Queasy. Maybe 12 or 13, but I just wrote it off. I was eating some shot blocks for energy along the way but started to have a lot of trouble swallowing them. My stomach bothered me but I was running a good pace and really did not feel fatigue in my legs the first 21-22 miles. I had been drinking along the course and making sure I had water and the Ultima sports drink they offered, even trying the glucose drink and the gel 'Liquid Gold' that I sampled at the expo. By mile 22 I was not well at all and began to walk and drink at the aid stations and was on survival mode at this point to just finish the race. It felt like the life force was draining out of me. Running became difficult. I thought of Steve Prefontaine running with 12 stitches in his foot and winning that race and all the guts he put out in his races, I thought of all my training and preparation and knew that I would finish this race and run the rest of the way. I am not sure either where the 4 hour pace group passed me, around 23 I think, but in a way it was a relief, because I felt so good the first 21-22 miles I actually started to think I would have a sub 4 hour marathon. I will NEVER forget me bent over hanging onto a pole and dry heaving at the 24 mile marker. It is so clear in my mind it is scary. The last 2.2 miles where absolutely the worst 2.2 miles I have ever attempted to run. Run a half mile then walk, run a 1/4 mile then walk. At the 25 mile marker the volunteer looked at me and knew I was hurting. 'Do Not Give Up Now' And although I knew I was crossing the finish line one way or another that started me running again, but not for very long, walk run walk run, and then it was into downtown and I sucked it up and started running. I will always remember the sound of my shoes dragging across the road, me being barely able to lift my feet at times. The roar of the crowd downtown as I turned into the last 1/4 mile was amazing and I ran to the finish line and crossed at 4:07:19, a 9:26 pace. That I will also never forget! Crossing the finish line in my first marathon is one of those moments that stays with you.
I went to the medical tent just for a little ice for my sore toes and sat out side the main tent in a chair, it being reserved for more serious cases and the injured. I would be getting a much closer look inside that tent, little did I know. After icing down I headed to most amazing after race runners Buffet! A true feast. Fruit, drinks, yogurt, ice cream, pretzels, potato chips, candy, juice and lots more in a very large area. I got a space blanket to keep warm as I was feeling a little chilly, got my well deserved Finishers medal and t-shirt and as I was chowing down I heard my name called and it was my running buddie, He said I looked strong going up the hill to the bridge and that was the last he saw me. He finished a few minutes behind me. We chatted a while then I started to walk towards the end of the enclosed runners area to go back to my hotel when I started shaking, first just a little and then literally uncontrollable. There was a very small medical station I was passing as I was walking so I went over and they sat me down and tried to warm me up and within a few minute it seemed like my whole body was starting to cramp and twist and ache. My Quads where sore almost immediately after I stopped running and I expected that and a host of other aches and pains, I am 52 years old, and just tried to run 26.2 miles! But these cramps and chills where different. They could not get me warm, remember it in the low 50's and I am soaked with rain and sweat, and not use to this type of weather ever! The medics decided I should go to the main medical tent where I iced my toes down 10-15 minutes earlier. I could hardly stand up as my body spasms continued and with one medic on each side they practically carried me to the main tent. All business in there! They where utterly fantastic. I can not say enough about all the volunteers. Doctors, Nurses, Interns, Masseuses, Medics and all volunteers! They laid me on a cot, I had made a gurney joke in a group e-mail a few days before the race, oops!, got me out of all my wet clothes and took my pulse and blood pressure and got me a little warm but the cramps and spasms continued. I was diagnosed with dehydration and hypothermia. I was in that tent for an hour and a half and 7 people initially worked on me and 2 stayed with me the whole time. The masseuse did accupressure and worked on me me the whole time and they got me strong enough to journey back to the hotel. I was taking baby steps but at least able to walk again. I found out later people can die from what happened to me and this experience will propel me to re-think my supplemental approach on my long runs.
I realize I did not drink enough on the course and did not realize how much sodium I probably lost. I lose 4 pounds just on an hour run on St. John, so I must be very careful the next time around. I met a fellow runner that night in the hotel and he had similar troubles and is also a heavy sweater. He swears by Karl King's S-Caps and all his products, so I will try them. When I called Karl's # listed on the web site to see if they ship to the US VI a women answered and we started talking and I told her what happened, she was Karl"s wife, and she was genuinely concerned about what happened to me and did not try to sell me anything! That speaks volumes about their business. They are Ultra Runners, and as I began researching them and their product a lot of testimony comes up. These S-Caps seem to be a staple in many ultra runners training and racing programs.
I could try to dissect and examine exactly what happened to me after the race, but for the most part I simply need to hydrate better, with better products. I never want to cramp up like that again. It was simply horrible!
I have a lot more respect for the 26.2 than before I finished the Portland Marathon. I have been running but not all out and not the 5-6 days I usually do. It's 3-4 and not to hard. In the last 3 1/2 weeks I only had 2 brisk runs. After election day I will resume full time training and get back into top Half Marathon shape, a fitness level I try to keep year round. My experience in Portland makes me want to run another marathon to get the kinks out of my training and to allow for a smoother post race recovery. I am looking to run the next 26.2 in the spring. The BQ will eventually come, I know I am a good enough runner to do that, but it may have to wait a year or two while I define a program that will work for me and get a lot more experience under my running shoes.
I want to thank all of you who have supported me in my running and especially to those who have rearranged parts of their lives so I can run. You all know who you are.
Be Well.
I had trained properly by my own newbie estimations for the 26.2 mile challenge and was prepared for race day. Running on the North Shore of St. John has given me an added edge as the hills are unforgiving and they teach me humility within myself and respect for my sport and the millions of other runners facing the same daily challenges as me. I had several runs of 4 hours in my training and ran 24 miles on 2 separate occasions. The 4 hour runs however where not on the North Shore as I am not ready to attempt such a mammoth feat just yet. One was in Southwest Michigan and the other on a Treadmill in the local gym. I despise treadmill running for a host of reasons and will post about that on another occasion, but had no choice as September in St. john has very high humidity and temperatures of 80-88 for highs and lows. I wanted to know what it felt like to be on my feet for 4 hours as I planned to finish between 4-4:30 hour range. By setting that goal I broke a golden rule of first time marathoning by setting a time for myself, but at least it was not the totally absurd assertion that I could Qualify for Boston(3:35:59 or less for my age group) in my first marathon, that I seriously entertained for a few months after running a 1:13 ten miler in April and running our local race the 8 tuff miles in 1:10 in Feb. The adrenaline of those two races and all the prediction charts led me to a false sense that I could pull off a 8:14 pace in my very first marathon. WTF was I thinking! As my marathon training progressed and I started to get into the longer runs of 16 plus miles I realized I would be making a huge mistake by putting myself under such massive pressure and would undoubtedly ruin the pleasure of my first marathon. On the long runs a lot of things fall into place for me and the respect for the distance and sheer logic began to permeate my thoughts and I backed off the BQ(Boston Qualifier) thing and really started to enjoy those runs through the corn and soybean fields of Michigan.
I was saving the official marathon distance for race day to enjoy and relish in my soon to be accomplishment. The expo was great and it had a lot to offer runners both in the way of necessities and frivolous fodder. I purchased the Ultima sports drink 2 days prior to the marathon at the expo to get my body use to that drink as it would be offered on the course along with a host of other consumable products designed to keep our stamina going. The Breakfast Cookies from Erin Bakers are the perfect food for health conscious runners, not to mention supporting a cottage industry small business. They also happen to taste fantastic! Save for some deals on running shoes I find the prices at these expos on running gear and clothes to be average, no major deals, although Portland does not have sales tax! The Expo was well organized and had lots of volunteers to help the masses as we made our way into the Portland Hilton for the event.
The morning of race day was typical for me with lots of nervous energy and anticipation. The temperature was in the low 50's and although I was a little cold before the start it is ideal running weather. Someone however forgot to advise mother nature about the marathon as it rained on the event for the first time in its history. Not just a little mist or occasional drizzle that I am told occurred in a few previous Portland marathons, but outright rain, although not at the start. I lined up with the 4 hour pace group to see how I would feel running at that pace. After all the pre race hoopla and announcements we where on our way. The warmth of the crowd soon gave way to the real air temperature as the race started and the field of runners opened up, but after the first half mile I warmed up and enjoyed the early segment of the race. As we approached the first water station I realized running with this group was not going to work for me as their is a lot of bottle necking and chaos sometimes at these stations so I went out ahead of the group just a little and that made a world of difference in space and perspective. Around the 3 or 4 mile marker I veered way off to the right to spit and avoid gracing another runner with an unwelcome surprise, when another runner said "hey, you are suppose to save that for the St. Johns Bridge" a tradition he told me, as he had run a few previous Portland marathons. He had also broken out of the pace group so we chatted and ran together for the next 13-14 miles and the time went by fast and I felt great. At the 10K(6.2 miles) I was at 53:57 or 8:41(minutes per mile pace) and the Half way point(13.1 miles) I was at 1:54 or 8:43. I was feeling very strong still and was really enjoying the run despite the constant rain that started somewhere about the 5 or 6 mile mark and pretty much continued the entire race. Not torrential downpours, but a steady rain that began to leave puddles on the ground. Wet feet and blisters are a runners nightmare, but they would pale in contrast to what was to occur later in the race for me. I never did get the blisters, a little toe soreness was all around the 14 to 15 mile mark and I was use to this during my training so no big deal. About a mile before the upward accent to the Bridge I lost tract of my running mate and kept up my pace and felt great as I started to climb the steep hill that so many people at this race complain about and dread. I run hills like that every day so for me it was just another hill. Granted after running 16 miles it was a challenge, but I just kept going and although not going very fast, passed a lot of runners. They would have that same pleasure further up the road. My running partner kept saying that once you make it over the bridge the race is pretty much over and very easy, with only 9-10 miles to go and that they are easier miles as a lot of it is downhill or flat. At mile 20 I am at 2:59(8:59 pace) and although tired and starting to slow up a little still felt relatively good considering I have been running for 3 hours at sub 9 minute miles in the rain! Mile 20 in any type of Marathon lore is simply know as 'The Wall'. It is at this point the body may or may not defy your every will to continue and for some outright break you. With my type A personality I consumed any and all information about marathoning and read a lot about the wall, what to expect and how to avoid it. Nothing compares to hands on experience of course and there I was at mile 20 feeling like I could run an easy 10K, the remaining 6.2 miles and feel good about the experience and join the ranks of my fellow runners who have run this distance. Until this point I ran the whole race, no walk breaks or rest periods. I came to Portland to RUN a marathon. Although I have the utmost respect for any one who even starts to train for an event like this let alone finish it, I am of the opinion that there is a huge difference between running a marathon and finishing one that had planned walk breaks and rest periods. Bragging rights need to be clarified, for if you finished the race but did not run the entire race you did not RUN the marathon. Let us be very clear here, I did not RUN the Portland Marathon. Oh I tried but she broke me, chewed me up and spit me out, and reminded me of the utter challenge and preparation and strategy that must be Incorporated into RUNNING a marathon. The last timing mat was at 21.2 and I am at 3:11, averaging 9:04 per mile for the race. All these times I am quoting where furnished after the race, there where people calling out times at every mile marker and I had my watch on, but since I can not read without glasses my watch is difficult to see. Being ahead of the pace group also let me know that I was still on par to finish in 4 hours.
I am not exactly sure at what mile marker I was at but I started to feel a little Queasy. Maybe 12 or 13, but I just wrote it off. I was eating some shot blocks for energy along the way but started to have a lot of trouble swallowing them. My stomach bothered me but I was running a good pace and really did not feel fatigue in my legs the first 21-22 miles. I had been drinking along the course and making sure I had water and the Ultima sports drink they offered, even trying the glucose drink and the gel 'Liquid Gold' that I sampled at the expo. By mile 22 I was not well at all and began to walk and drink at the aid stations and was on survival mode at this point to just finish the race. It felt like the life force was draining out of me. Running became difficult. I thought of Steve Prefontaine running with 12 stitches in his foot and winning that race and all the guts he put out in his races, I thought of all my training and preparation and knew that I would finish this race and run the rest of the way. I am not sure either where the 4 hour pace group passed me, around 23 I think, but in a way it was a relief, because I felt so good the first 21-22 miles I actually started to think I would have a sub 4 hour marathon. I will NEVER forget me bent over hanging onto a pole and dry heaving at the 24 mile marker. It is so clear in my mind it is scary. The last 2.2 miles where absolutely the worst 2.2 miles I have ever attempted to run. Run a half mile then walk, run a 1/4 mile then walk. At the 25 mile marker the volunteer looked at me and knew I was hurting. 'Do Not Give Up Now' And although I knew I was crossing the finish line one way or another that started me running again, but not for very long, walk run walk run, and then it was into downtown and I sucked it up and started running. I will always remember the sound of my shoes dragging across the road, me being barely able to lift my feet at times. The roar of the crowd downtown as I turned into the last 1/4 mile was amazing and I ran to the finish line and crossed at 4:07:19, a 9:26 pace. That I will also never forget! Crossing the finish line in my first marathon is one of those moments that stays with you.
I went to the medical tent just for a little ice for my sore toes and sat out side the main tent in a chair, it being reserved for more serious cases and the injured. I would be getting a much closer look inside that tent, little did I know. After icing down I headed to most amazing after race runners Buffet! A true feast. Fruit, drinks, yogurt, ice cream, pretzels, potato chips, candy, juice and lots more in a very large area. I got a space blanket to keep warm as I was feeling a little chilly, got my well deserved Finishers medal and t-shirt and as I was chowing down I heard my name called and it was my running buddie, He said I looked strong going up the hill to the bridge and that was the last he saw me. He finished a few minutes behind me. We chatted a while then I started to walk towards the end of the enclosed runners area to go back to my hotel when I started shaking, first just a little and then literally uncontrollable. There was a very small medical station I was passing as I was walking so I went over and they sat me down and tried to warm me up and within a few minute it seemed like my whole body was starting to cramp and twist and ache. My Quads where sore almost immediately after I stopped running and I expected that and a host of other aches and pains, I am 52 years old, and just tried to run 26.2 miles! But these cramps and chills where different. They could not get me warm, remember it in the low 50's and I am soaked with rain and sweat, and not use to this type of weather ever! The medics decided I should go to the main medical tent where I iced my toes down 10-15 minutes earlier. I could hardly stand up as my body spasms continued and with one medic on each side they practically carried me to the main tent. All business in there! They where utterly fantastic. I can not say enough about all the volunteers. Doctors, Nurses, Interns, Masseuses, Medics and all volunteers! They laid me on a cot, I had made a gurney joke in a group e-mail a few days before the race, oops!, got me out of all my wet clothes and took my pulse and blood pressure and got me a little warm but the cramps and spasms continued. I was diagnosed with dehydration and hypothermia. I was in that tent for an hour and a half and 7 people initially worked on me and 2 stayed with me the whole time. The masseuse did accupressure and worked on me me the whole time and they got me strong enough to journey back to the hotel. I was taking baby steps but at least able to walk again. I found out later people can die from what happened to me and this experience will propel me to re-think my supplemental approach on my long runs.
I realize I did not drink enough on the course and did not realize how much sodium I probably lost. I lose 4 pounds just on an hour run on St. John, so I must be very careful the next time around. I met a fellow runner that night in the hotel and he had similar troubles and is also a heavy sweater. He swears by Karl King's S-Caps and all his products, so I will try them. When I called Karl's # listed on the web site to see if they ship to the US VI a women answered and we started talking and I told her what happened, she was Karl"s wife, and she was genuinely concerned about what happened to me and did not try to sell me anything! That speaks volumes about their business. They are Ultra Runners, and as I began researching them and their product a lot of testimony comes up. These S-Caps seem to be a staple in many ultra runners training and racing programs.
I could try to dissect and examine exactly what happened to me after the race, but for the most part I simply need to hydrate better, with better products. I never want to cramp up like that again. It was simply horrible!
I have a lot more respect for the 26.2 than before I finished the Portland Marathon. I have been running but not all out and not the 5-6 days I usually do. It's 3-4 and not to hard. In the last 3 1/2 weeks I only had 2 brisk runs. After election day I will resume full time training and get back into top Half Marathon shape, a fitness level I try to keep year round. My experience in Portland makes me want to run another marathon to get the kinks out of my training and to allow for a smoother post race recovery. I am looking to run the next 26.2 in the spring. The BQ will eventually come, I know I am a good enough runner to do that, but it may have to wait a year or two while I define a program that will work for me and get a lot more experience under my running shoes.
I want to thank all of you who have supported me in my running and especially to those who have rearranged parts of their lives so I can run. You all know who you are.
Be Well.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Halfway There
Tuesday morning and a magnificent day. I was so excited about my run I locked the car key in the car. It phased me for only a few seconds. So what! I will be running the North Shore of St. John this glorious morning! I planned to go a little further today, as I have been keeping my runs to about 1 hour or so and only going as far as Peace Hill and then returning to the starting point which just happens to be the starting line of the 8 Tuff Miles, which is our local race on St. John and one of the reasons I became a runner to start with, no pun intended. Since finishing the Portland Marathon 16 days ago I am caught up in a practical rule of running pertaining to marathoning. For every mile, this being 26.2, give yourself a day to recover properly and do not push your self too hard, even if you feel great. I will play it safe and give myself 30 days. Holding back is part of proper training as is rest. Your days off are as important as your hard runs. So I am midway through the 30 days and I planned a little longer run at an easy pace. I am striving to be back in top half marathon shape by mid-December and will start running the 8 tuff miles course once a week starting the 2nd week of November, until race day on the last Saturday of February.
As I start my way up the first hill on the north shore at mongoose junction I am always reminded of the challenge and the awe of what I am doing. The first 5 minutes up that hill set the stage for the remainder of the run, and the obstacles I must overcome, both on the road and the ones I am sorting out in my head. As I flow along after the first hill something seems different. More open and spacious and safe. Initially I write it off as the mind plays a lot of tricks on you when your heart rate is that elevated and you enter that zone of mind games. But it stays with me and I soon realize the forest has opened up once again to allow room on the side of the road after all the rains of an active storm season. As I look to the side of the road I can once again run on the dirt and gravel and minimize the pounding somewhat that the feet and legs take with every foot strike. The sun is bright and the run is simply perfect. I pass by the national park employees that are clearing the brush and overgrowth from the road, that constant battle with nature that man will never win. They use the the old and new, Machetes and weed whackers and do an excellent job clearing the mountainside and the ravine side to make it safe, as safe as roads like these can be, for the cars and trucks and us runners, walkers, hikers and bicyclist. They are about halfway there, there being the turnaround point of my run and I imagine in the next few weeks they will have most likely cleared most or all of the North shore brush and once again I will have plenty of room to run on the side of the road as my runs get longer and longer. The 14 mile out and back from the race start to the taxi turnaround at Annaberg Ruins is the run I must once again conquer. It is both brutal and glorious, dreaded and anticipated, and a milestone of my training.
Halfway there is a good place to be, in the moment looking both at what you have accomplished and what remains to be conquered. Just me and the road workers on a perfect day on the North Shore.
As I start my way up the first hill on the north shore at mongoose junction I am always reminded of the challenge and the awe of what I am doing. The first 5 minutes up that hill set the stage for the remainder of the run, and the obstacles I must overcome, both on the road and the ones I am sorting out in my head. As I flow along after the first hill something seems different. More open and spacious and safe. Initially I write it off as the mind plays a lot of tricks on you when your heart rate is that elevated and you enter that zone of mind games. But it stays with me and I soon realize the forest has opened up once again to allow room on the side of the road after all the rains of an active storm season. As I look to the side of the road I can once again run on the dirt and gravel and minimize the pounding somewhat that the feet and legs take with every foot strike. The sun is bright and the run is simply perfect. I pass by the national park employees that are clearing the brush and overgrowth from the road, that constant battle with nature that man will never win. They use the the old and new, Machetes and weed whackers and do an excellent job clearing the mountainside and the ravine side to make it safe, as safe as roads like these can be, for the cars and trucks and us runners, walkers, hikers and bicyclist. They are about halfway there, there being the turnaround point of my run and I imagine in the next few weeks they will have most likely cleared most or all of the North shore brush and once again I will have plenty of room to run on the side of the road as my runs get longer and longer. The 14 mile out and back from the race start to the taxi turnaround at Annaberg Ruins is the run I must once again conquer. It is both brutal and glorious, dreaded and anticipated, and a milestone of my training.
Halfway there is a good place to be, in the moment looking both at what you have accomplished and what remains to be conquered. Just me and the road workers on a perfect day on the North Shore.
Mom's Run
Sunday was my Mothers birthday. She would of been 77. She was simply the glue that held the family together. Moms always run. So as I ran that night at sunset along the north shore we ran together. I chose a brisk pace in her honor and it was my first fast run since finishing the Portland Marathon 2 weeks prior. Portland took a lot out of me and I have been taking it easy and resting more than I normally do in between runs. Mom never rested. She always ran the household, ran to the store, ran to do the laundry, ran to make sure we were safe and loved. Moms always run. She was afraid of no one, not even the cancer that took her. She taught me to stand up for myself no matter what, and definitely walked the talk. South Philadelphia in the late 50's and 60's was a tough place for us kids and Mom ran a household and lifestyle that any one would be proud of. Trying to think what life would of been like without her as a child is unfathomable. So I run for her and now for my Son and Daughter. Will our children remember us the way we remember our parents? Go out for a run and the answer will soon come. Please know Moms always run!
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