Running Down a Dream

#18 - Bring it On!

2012-01-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

CLE2012 will be my 18th attempt at 26.2... and hopefully my 18th successful 26.2 as well. I set a new PR at CLE2011 and I'm well ahead of where I was last year at this time from a fitness standpoint. Assuming I can continue to train with relative consistency, I can't think of a good reason why I wouldn't aim to improve my PR by a minute or two. I've got plenty of benchmark type workouts to gauge my progress and should have a real good idea of what to shoot for on May 20.

Extreme Makeover - Boys Bedroom Edition

2012-01-04T20:58:00.001-08:00

In the spring of 2011, I redid the boys room extreme makeover style. It was a lot of work (roughly 3 weeks) but I learned a lot and now with the benefit of hindsight, feel as though this project was my foray into the world of DIY and becoming a little more handy.

The first stage (or demo stage) included; ripping out the carpet and padding, prying off some chair rail, painting/priming over the old paint scheme, scraping off the pointy plaster stuff on the ceiling (there's a good reason for this), and installing a new receptacle for an overhead light. Fun, right? Lot's of destruction!

Stage two involved making the vision in my head a reality. This involved; laminate installation, crown molding, wiring overhead light to a new switch, wallpapering, and last but not least, skim coating the ceiling. Count your blessings if you don't know what it means to skim coat a ceiling. That's all I've got to say about that!

A couple before pics...

Nursery was Baby Pooh themed... great for a newborn.. lame for 3-1/2 year olds

It was definitely time for a change!

I really has no idea how long this project was going to take but I envisioned letting everyone get one last look at the old room, closing the door and opening it a few days later to everyone's utter amazement. Well, unlike the real Extreme Makeover, I didn't have a team of re-modelers ready to pounce.... so, it took a little longer. But I was able to enlist the "help" of a couple eager little boys...

Once the room was gutted and the ceiling was skim-coated to my satisfaction, things started to move pretty quickly... First the wiring, then the new paint and wallpaper (brick), then the molding, and finally the laminate floor.

Almost done...

I dropped the crown molding about a foot down from the ceiling to function as a tray for rope lights that I snaked around the room's perimeter. The ropes and outlet are completely hidden from floor level. It's only when you turn off the lights and flip the new wall switch that you see this...

It's much cooler in person...

Overall, we wanted the room to grow with them and I think we accomplished this in that different "themes" can be realized simply by accessorizing with the boys favorite thing(s). In June, when I wrapped things up, they were into Cars 2. Perfect, since we already had a bunch of stuff from the first Cars movie!

The finished product...

Oh yeah... the reason I "had" to scrape off the pointy plaster stuff from the ceiling was so I could stick glow-in-the-dark stars up there! Definitely worth it in the end!

Daze Gone By!

2012-01-04T20:34:00.000-08:00

I'm surprised I remembered my password to get into Blogger. Damn I'm a slacker! Crazy thing is that I had a million things I intended to blog last year but kept putting it off.... I don't know if this service will be around forever (probably not) but I like to think I will at least be able to capture it in a format that will allow me to look back on it many years from now. In that sense, I think of my blog as somewhat of a journal (the manly word for diary ; ) At this point in my life, I really appreciate the value of capturing the little things in life as they tend to be whizzing by at a feverish pace.

2011 Cleveland Marathon - 2:54:42

2011-05-25T20:31:00.001-07:00

I arrived at the start line with about 5 minutes to spare and had a chance to mingle with a few other runners. The court announcer from the Cavaliers was there to pump up the crowd and give the official start. It was a smooth start… no jockeying for position, etc. I kept my eye on a group I knew would be running 6:15-6:18 for the first mile and distanced myself far enough back hoping to lock into my target pace. Mile 1 was up W. 3^rd and onto the shoreway (heading towards Edgewater / Lakewood). I felt a little winded early and wondered if I had gone out too fast, but in hindsight I think it was a combination of the early climb and my body adjusting to the brisk pace after standing around all morning. I also started to feel a little warm in the early miles and considered shedding my arm warmers, but decided against it because I knew the temp was going to drop slightly and the rain would continue. My mile splits stayed pretty consistent through the first half with the slowest mile being a 6:46 mile 11 (over the bridge against a headwind). Figured I was around 2:51 pace at the half, which is pretty much right where I wanted to be. I knew I was not likely to run the second half as strong as the first but I set myself up for a very realistic chance at running 2:55, and was almost certain to break 3:00.

The second half of the course brought with it two new challenges… isolation and unfamiliarity. Isolation is by far the greatest challenge but knowing my family was waiting for me at mile 17 made the first four miles bearable. At that point, the course became a little more familiar (very familiar actually) as we descended north on MLK towards the lake, but this is the most isolated part of the course by far. A couple strong runners passed as if I was standing still and I watched them slowly but steadily increase their lead, leaving me to wonder whether I was slowing or they were surging. My splits for mile 18 and 19 were 6:42 and 6:38, respectively (dead on pace), which made me feel better. By the time I hit the lake, I was starting to feel it in my legs… nothing was cramping but that all too familiar feeling of pain and discomfort was present and it’s at this point when my natural response is to do whatever is necessary to ease the pain, which in most cases means slowing down. This is also the point I train months for (both mentally and physically) so I tapped into my favorite mantra “You earned this pain” and my thoughts and inner dialogue were with a dear friend who passed earlier this year. Mile 22 was slow (7:32) but I knew it was due in large part to the hairpin turn coming off of marginal and the climb up E.55^th towards St. Clair. Also because I walked through a water stop for water and a gel. Fortunately, I was encouraged by a runner just as I was starting back up after water, which really helped get me back on track. Unfortunately, he was moving too fast for me to go with him, but it was just the right amount of motivation to keep me from fading. At this point in the race, motivation in any form is welcome and I received it once again somewhere between 22 and 23 when another runner was on my heels and passing. This time, I urged myself to go with him. Looking back, this was the most critical moment of my race. Had I let him go, I would have watched another dozen or so other runners go by, having no energy or confidence to go with them. We silently urged each other on until just before mile 24, when he suddenly stopped to stretch. I had no idea he was hurting because he just looked so damn strong to me. I was running alone once again but was less than 15 minutes from being done and starting to surge knowing sub-3 was a lock and 2:55 was still on the table. Miles 25 and 26 were 6:59 and 6:56, respectively.

Earlier in the morning as I headed down E. 9^th towards Brown’s Stadium, I saw mile marker 26 and it was practically falling over backwards given its position on the steep descent towards the lake. Pretty much right at mile marker 26, I spotted Teresa and the boys off to the left. I remember yelling, “I’m doing good!” and “I think I’ll be around 2:55!” The homestretch was incredible as always and I crossed the finish line in 2:54:42! I really wish I could be a spectator at my own race because it would be interesting to see how I look on the outside knowing how amazing I feel on the inside. My guess is that I probably look like a pile of garbage! My finish time is a new personal best and was accomplished on about 8 weeks of training with next-to-no running in the second half of 2010. During my training, I think the following things worked in my favor:

Perfect mix of training runs (i.e. tempo, speed, LSD, etc)
Quality over quantity... 35-40 miles/week except for the last week before taper (70 miles)
Did not over-train (i.e. peaked at just the right time)
Lots of core work (P90X - Ab Ripper X)
In bed by 10PM most nights
Took a full year off between marathons (plenty of time to put running/marathoning into perspective)
Support of my family! This is a constant, but I'm eternally grateful for their love.

Together Forever?

2010-12-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

Our boys have/are growing up so quickly. It makes me sad to think that one day they may go to separate colleges, live/work in different cities, etc. I wish they could stay together forever! These pictures are priceless and mean so much to Teresa and I. Hopefully as time goes on, the idea of them separating (both from us and each other) becomes a little easier to accept.

Do I Have To Say The Words?

2010-11-30T09:53:00.001-08:00

Tree and I had a surprise date night last night.... well, it was a surprise for her anyway. About 2 months ago I caught wind that Bryan Adams would be playing an acoustic (Bare Bones) show at the State Theater in Sandusky. After some thought, I decided not to tell her until the day of the show (I'm good at keeping secrets). She's got a photographic memory when it comes to music - this dates back to the countless hours she spent singing in dancing in her room as a child - so I didn't feel as though she needed advance notice to "prep" for the show. I was right. As he stood up there singing and playing his acoustic guitar (accompanied on some songs by a piano) I could hear her singing along with every word and knew she was enjoying herself.

For some reason, I'm still amazed to this day how much of a Bryan Adams fan she is (and always has been). We first met at a time when "grunge" rock and "gangster" rap were mainstrseam and my impression of her was that she was like me and every other kid in their late teens at the time. Not so much! I guess she's an 'old soul' in that sense!

Goal Setting

2010-11-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

It's never too early to set goals for the new year. In fact, some of the goals I have floating around in my head can be accomplished before the new year and some are more long term and will not come to fruition until 2012 and beyond. However, as is the point of any goal setting session, the important thing is getting them out there so I can formulate a plan of attack. Here goes:

Ironman #2 - probably a 2012 and beyond goal, but I have to keep sight of this and continue working in the pool and on my biking.
Build a playroom and indoor workout area - Our recently flooded basement has inspired me to make the most of the space we have (there's tons of it). Certainly more to come on this.
Run another sub-3 marathon - Spring 2011, Cleveland.
Organize garage, including priming and painting drywall, building shelves, etc.
NYC Marathon - This one is definitely 2012 and beyond as I want to wait until the munchkins are old enough to take on the big apple.
Office/Study Build - Our home came equipped with an office/study... well, everything except the desk, chairs, computer, etc. So much of our house is filled with old furniture left over from our college days and this room is in sore need of a more grown up look (and feel). I'm thinking laminate floor, suede-textured walls, a two-person desk, wall space for our diplomas, etc.
Outdoor Patio - The plan is to do all the legwork (i.e. line up contractor) by spring of 2011 so it's complete in time for the warm weather.
Finish Books - I have trouble reading a book to completion. Mostly because my interest level has dimished by the halfway point and it's a real bore going from page-to-page. I guess my goal should instead be to find more compelling books ; )
Start collecting a Gregory Peck movie library - and to go along with it, a collection of all the novels his movies were adapted from.

2010 Greater Cleveland Triathlon

2010-08-11T12:59:00.000-07:00

My path towards the 2010 Greater Cleveland Triathlon started sometime mid-to-late 2009 when a little bird told me that it would be included in the summer 2010 Team In Training schedule. I have been a run coach with TNT for the past 3 years but have been wanting to fundraise again and since I've already done a marathon with TNT, I figured a triathlon (especially a hometown triathlon) would be perfect.

The day turned out to be great! Competing while wearing TNT purple is like nothing else. The course was littered with cheer squads (scream teams) wearing purple and urging, not just us, but everyone on (props to Mentor High cheerleaders for ditching the red and donning the purple).

SWIM - What can I say about the swim? Yikes... really. I am a horrible swimmer. I can't figure how I have a god-given ability to run and can hold my own on the bike, but am so incredibly slow as a swimmer. For some silly reason (more mental than anything) I decided not to wear a wetsuit. Who knows how much time I lost because of this but I was 10-15 minutes slower than my previous swim times would have predicted. Oh well. I didn't drown and I wasn't the absolute last person out of the water so... on to the bike.

BIKE - As much as I want to get-up-and-go on the bike, I am still fairly winded from the swim. Plus, and maybe it was just me, I felt a fairly strong headwind when heading south on the bike course. Still, I have a lot of fun on the bike. I did good negotiating the hills and a few of the more technical sections of the course and managed just under 18 mph as an average speed.

RUN - Normally I love hitting the ground running. It's my chance to pass everyone who treaded over top of me in the water. Not on this day. I was looking for any excuse to rest at T2 and was fortunate to find 1/2 cup of Gatorade next to my bike. Three seconds later I was out of excuses and was on the go. My average pace was consistent but slow for me. I knew this would be the case as I've run only a handful of times since the Pittsburgh Marathon in May. Plus it was really frickin' hot and I hate running in hot weather.

FINISH - As I neared the finish line I saw my family, friends, TNT posse, and my honoree, Page. I took my medal and put it around her neck for keeping. Her bravery and spirit over the years is enough to warrant all the medals in the world.

Afterwards, I hung out on the beach with the family and a high school friend of mine and her family. An amazing day all around.

Woot, Woot!

2010-07-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

Results are in from the Pirate Triathlon and I'm really surprised I did so well. The modified/shortened swim really helped but I figured my lack of training over the past 2-3 months would catch up to me by the end and I'd fall apart late.

The mass swim start combined with the modified course and the fact that I was able to keep up with the pack (for the most part) made for a rough swim. I nailed the bike (I think). I still don't have a computer to know my pace, but it felt fast and I was doing a fair amount of passing. Had a decent run... got passed by a 13 year old very early who made me (and many others) look silly. Finished strong and somewhere in the top 10% overall!

All in all, another great experience in my hometown. This race has grown in numbers almost every year since its inception way back in 1994. Soon it will be May and time to register again.

Team In Training Video - In Honor of Page

2010-07-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

I created this video as a fundraising tool and to tell my story of how I came to run on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Enjoy.

Update

2010-06-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Triathlon training is going like this....

Swim: Hitting the pool with some regularity. Jumped in the lake once about two weeks ago. All in all, I feel really good in the water.

Bike: Now, in addition to my fancy bike that is rarely used, I have fancy new tires! Gotta schedule some time for a few 20-30 mile rides!

Run: I injured my left knee about 2 weeks ago playing flag footbal and haven't been able to run since. It's just now starting to feel good enough to run. Soon I will ramp up the mileage in order to run a solid 10K at my August 8th triathlon.

P90X Week 1

2010-05-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

Day 1 - Yikes... I just got my butt kicked by the chest and back (+ ab ripper x) DVD, which is the very first workout in the 90-day P90X cycle. It's basically a mix of push-ups and pull-ups - with a splash of dumb bell exercises. I don't really feel like explaining the structure of the workout at the moment as the simple act of typing is anything but simple. Suffice it to say, it's a bitch of a workout. And then when it's all done... SURPRISE, 15-minutes of ab ripper x. I couldn't keep pace with TH and his posse, but did at least 75% of the reps.

I'm gonna scour the house for some protein and then go to bed. Gotta wake up early to swim... bet that will feel good!

Day 2 - Day 2 is Plyometrics, and from what I've read it's considered to be the "mother" of all the P90X workouts. I was more afraid of falling on my face as it consists of lots of jumping and twisting and other airborne antics that requare some degree of rhythm/coordination. All in all I had a pretty easy time with it. Definitely worked up a good sweat and felt the burn in my legs at times. For the next three weeks, I will welcome it as a break between upper body resistance workouts.

My body is still SCREAMING from Day 1! Every part of my upper body hurts and now it's becoming difficult to sit/squat from Day 2. I know this is the initial "shock" but I would never have guessed it to be this bad (bad as in good... sort of).

Day 3 - Shoulder's and arms. This one is definitely for the "beach" muscles, or "marathon" muscles for a guy like me. The structure of the workout was simple. Five "blocks" of exercises for the shoulders, biceps and triceps. Run through a block once and then repeat before moving on to the next block. I found some of the exercises to be too easy (too little weight) and some to be too hard (too much weight) so I ordered some resistance bands for next week. Even though I was still incredibly sore from days 1 and 2, this workout felt great. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being 'check your ego at the door', this one was about a 6... really not too bad. The focus was on form/technique rather than high heartrate or max reps.

Day 4 - Yoga X. I'll never forget the first time I did Yoga X... not because I've never done yoga before or because I'm completely inflexible, but because I "pushed play" minutes after the Cavaliers monumental collapse against the Celtics. 90 minutes of deep breathing/meditation was the perfect remedy for a frustrated Cleveland sports fan. My form on some of the poses was probably way off but they felt great and I pulled most of them off... except for the crane! I will consider this program a success if I can eventually hold this pose for more than half a second.

Day 5 - Legs and Back. Lot's of squat-type exercises and plenty of pull-up/chin-ups for the back. Similar to Plyometrics, this one burned at times, but my legs are in pretty good shape from running/biking. The hardest exercise was single leg wall squats. Oh, and pull-ups are always tough!

Day 6 - Kenpo X. After doing this one, I may opt to skip it in the future as I just don't see a whole lot bang for the buck. It's more cardio than anything and my time would be better spent running for an hour instead. Plus, this one requires even more coordination than plyometrics. It's just not for me.

Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch. I chose to rest... will try X Stretch next week.

Weeks 2 and 3 are identical to Week 1. Week 4 is a recovery week (i.e. no resistance stuff).

Ready to Run

2010-04-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

Wrapped up my training today with a 2-1/2 mile easy run around Huron High School's track. I used this time to contemplate my race strategy for Sunday's Pittsburgh Marathon. As Ryan Hall said pre-Boston, I'm going to run "free" and let the day dictate my pace. Rain/thunderstorms are in the forecast, which may be a good thing because temps will be in the 60's (would they cancel a marathon due to lightning?) .

I'm ready to run and proud of myself for whipping into decent shape over the past 8-10 weeks. I love to run and the challenge of running a marathon (especially to a father of twin toddlers) is no less daunting than it was prior to the first time I ran 26.2 seven years ago.

T-Minus 2 days until marathon 16

12 Days and Pasta!

2010-04-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

Twelve days remain until the Pittsburgh Marathon and I'm feeling good about both the quantity and quality of running I've done over the past 6-8 weeks. An additional 2-3 weeks of focused training would be ideal as it would add to my confidence... but since I'm out of time, I have to trust in my intuition as a runner to tell me where I stand fitness-wise. So next week I'll probably have my race strategy worked out, along with my race outfit, pre-race dinner plans, etc. Teresa has a friend who lives in Pittsburgh whose Dad is "famous" for his spaghetti. Call me selfish, but I would love a homemade pasta dinner!

And just like that...

2010-04-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

...I'm back to swimming again and having an indoor track to run on. The YMCA opened on Monday so Teresa and I took the boys up there last night to get our membership cards and take a look around. They offer child watch so we got the little dudes checked into the play area (which is pretty awesome) and took our time walking through the brand-new facility highlighted by an aquatics room featuring a family pool and a competitive 8-lane pool. The second floor has all the exercise equipment and the indoor track. The indoor track is not the best as it has only 2 lanes and half of it runs through the exercise equipment. There are a ton of treadmills though (all equipped with TV's) so if it's crummy outside and crowded on the track, there's always plan C. As a family, we will take full advantage of all the programs available, including kiddie swim lessons, spin classes, 'Mom-and-Me' Yoga, etc. The new Y will definitely bring a better quality of life to those who make the most of it.

This morning I hit the pool for 20 minutes, ran 2 miles and squeezed in 25 minutes of strength training.

Spring Running

2010-03-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

My fitness level is gradually improving. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I know enough about the physiology of running to understand why it's been difficult to complete certain training runs I was doing with ease last year at this time. The good news is, at the current rate and with just over 6 weeks remaining until Pittsburgh, my fitness will be much improved and at a relatively small cost. Following Pittsburgh I will focus primarily on triathlon training and completing a P90X cycle. Then it's back to a month or two of base building before 3-4 months of intense marathon training with the goal of being back in sub-3 shape in time for the Miami Marathon on January 31, 2011. By then I'll have the option to run indoors at the new YMCA (18 days and counting!).

In a side note, and to follow up on a previous post... I've been running a lot at lunch time. Huron High School's track is about 2.5 miles from where I work, which makes for a nice warm up... then I can hit the track for 3-4 miles of intervals or tempo running... followed by a nice 2.5 mile recovery run back to work. It's great not having to worry about waking up early to run and/or run later in the evening after the munchkins are asleep.

Goodbye Morning Running

2010-02-09T09:55:00.001-08:00

I think it's officially time for me to accept that morning running just ain't working anymore. Ever since last summer, one thing after another has kept me from getting out before sunrise on a regular basis. I've used about every excuse in the book. Some legitimate and some not so legitimate. Nonetheless, it's time for me to let go and figure out a better time of day to run. At the moment, since I no longer have the option to run indoors, the snow is making it difficult to run regardless of the time.

Fingers crossed, the new YMCA will open mid-March and I'll have roughly 4 weeks to squeeze in certain workouts that are best done on a track. Until then, I have to suck it up, stop being bitter, and head out at lunch or late in the evening after the smallzies are in bed. My lack of training since last winter/spring is reflective in my most recent marathon times and I do not want the trend to continue! Time to walk the walk!

2010 Calendar

2010-02-05T09:57:00.000-08:00

My 2010 training and competition calendar is starting to fill up, which is a good thing. I need to get my butt back in shape. First up will be the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 2nd. If I shape up (literally) I should be able to run a solid race that I can walk away happy with. Next up comes triathlon season with at least 2 races scheduled. The first being the Pirate Triathlon (500m swim, 20k bike, 5k run) in my hometown of Fairport Harbor on July 25th. Second is the Greater Cleveland Triathlon (3/4 mile swim, 23 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) at Mentor Headlands State Park... another old stomping ground from my childhood. I will be completing the GCT with Team In Training... this time as a participant! Following GCT, I'll be ready to get back to marathon training and will consider a fall marathon. If I choose not to run a fall marathon, I'll focus my efforts on a fast half-marathon.

Girl Informed Me

2009-10-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

James Mercer is collaborating with Danger Mouse on a new project called Broken Bells. Good stuff but looks as if The Shins are a flash in the pan. No more "You gotta hear this song. It'll change your life.". No more obscure Sportscenter references comparing Lew Ford to James Mercer. Even if they launch another album, it'll be a different cast of characters... just not the same. Oh well. I'm a proud owner of three of their albums. And besides, my taste in music is ever expanding thanks to my ultra-cool wife ; ) Lady Gaga (Lah-D Gaga as I like to say) is fascinating to me... and I totally dig The Ting Tings! I mean, at least the two songs that are always played. And I still listen to Metallica, my old school fave, all day at work. You gotta have balance. There's nothing like creating a diverse playlist of 20 songs all approximately 3-minutes in length and alternating between easy and hard running for an hour.

2009 Columbus Marathon

2009-10-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

In April/May my goal for this race would have been a sub-3. On the heels of Boston I finally convinced myself that I am a sub-3 marathoner and there should be no excuse to run anything over 3 hours on a course like Columbus. Unfortunately, I lost focus and maintaining a sub-3 level of fitness became less of a priority. Nonetheless, in order to achieve one of my long-term running goals, I planned for a fall marathon (second marathon of the year). With this said, I wanted to avoid running a marathon just to run a marathon. I needed a goal. Enter long time running friend Elizabeth. She has made huge strides in her running over the past 6-8 months and was setting her sites on a new PR at Columbus. For anyone running faster than 3:10-3:15 pace, this course can be very challenging from a mental standpoint. The half-marathoners drop off after 13 miles and it's practically no-mans land until the finish. In my previous two races at Columbus, a buddy on my shoulder would have made things so much easier.

Race day conditions were good. Not ideal, but good. The temperature in the morning was roughly 34°F. I wore shorts, arm warmers underneath long-sleeve under armor heat gear with a singlet over the under armor. I also had on gloves and a winter running/racing hat. I never felt overly chilled but I never really warmed up. Elizabeth had provided me in detail her plan for the day: start slow, fall into a consistent pace by mile 3, hold a steady pace until mile 21-22, maintain or increase pace over the final 4-5 miles.

Running with Liz provided me a different marathon experience than I’m used to. People were eager to talk to us (her). At times it seemed as though guys were making stuff up. Like this one guy who said, “You guys ran this race last year, didn’t you?” Maybe this guy was sincere and truly thought we looked familiar, but as we blew by him, it seemed a cheesy attempt to spark conversation. One of Liz’s directives was to keep her mouth shut, which she did a good job of… for the most part. There was a time or two when she got a little too chatty with other runners and I had to decide how to intervene. I could have told her to zip it… or I could have told the other runners to shut up because she needs to conserve as much energy as possible, but that would have been really lame… I decided the best way to minimize the small talk was to insert myself between her and anyone we were running with at the time. This seemed to work! With that said, some of the conversation with other runners was great. We single handedly helped ‘Eric’ to a new half-marathon PR and enjoyed hearing about his plans to qualify for Boston.

Battling headwinds was a bit of a challenge throughout the day… must have been a Northwest wind because running east and south was a breeze. The other battle we faced was getting through “boring” sections of the course, especially those late in the race (after 18 miles). Fortunately it was at this point when we noticed one of the female runners who passed us early on slowly coming back to us. As we steadily gained on her, Liz commented how she hoped to pull her with us, which I thought was extremely good-natured and a great display of sportsmanship.

Between mile 19 and 20 I could feel my calves wearing down and the pace was becoming uncomfortable. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold out and was relieved when Liz began making comments like, “Now’s the time when I get strong” or “time for a little 10k race action”. I think it was just shy of mile 21 when my lack of fitness caught up to me and like Leo in Titanic, I let go and watched a very determined gal surge ahead in complete control of her race. For a mile or so I could still see her ahead and managed a slight smile each time she passed someone.

My race became dramatically different at this point. I immediately backed off the pace, which was a relief both mentally and physically. I was getting passed right and left but was also doing a fair amount of passing. With no concern for my own time, I did what I could to help those who were struggling, telling them how amazing the downhill finish is… all the people, balloons, brick-lined street, etc. This was also keeping my mind off of my cramping right quad. Around mile 25 I snagged 2-3 chocolate covered buckeyes being offered by volunteers. Being all too aware of the carnage on the course at this point in a marathon, I couldn’t help but smile as I made a final push towards mile 26. After all, only a marathoner could find humor in subjecting ones body to such distress. Hit the finish line in 3:14:36. Liz never faltered and realized her goal with a solid 3:05:57 (1-second negative split).

I’m extremely happy with yet another marathon finish (#14) and thankful for my family for supporting me in this ridiculous hobby of mine! It was great coming home to hugs and kisses from Teresa, Caden and Cole. My training may go up and down but their love is constant!

OU Alums Reunited before start

Early in the race - Liz still has zebra gloves on

Nearing the finish - Cole and Caden protecting my knees

Low Expectations

2009-09-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

Last fall I was ill-prepared to run the Erie Marathon and had no idea of what my finishing time might be... As fate would have it, race day temps ventured into the mid-80's and it was a long day, providing no indication of my fitness level at the time. I feel even less prepared for Columbus, which is now less than 5 weeks away. However, I'm going to give myself credit for having continued to run over the last 2-3 months as the challenges at home have mounted.

My only goal on race day will be to finish (hopefully with a smile). I've run and observed enough marathons to fully appreciate what it means simply to finish. I'll go into it with a gameplan and will pace myself for a goal time but will not be at all disappointed if I begin to fall off pace.

With no pressure and/or expectations, I may actually enjoy this marathon!

Columbus for a third time

2009-07-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

For me, the second time at Columbus was a charm (broke 3 hours for the first time) but I've decided to give it another go. I won't say I'm aiming for another sub-3 but I will definitely give the race a solid effort and hope for the best.

2009 Pirate Triathlon

2009-07-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

Had a great time at the newly themed triathlon held annually in Fairport Harbor. My time was a little off from last year but not by much. The swim went as expected, slow. Had a decent bike, but battled some nasty headwinds (not to mention car traffic) on the second half of the course. Felt very sluggish transitioning from bike to run. This is where I think proper tri training (bricks) makes a big difference and since I haven't done any of that this year, it's no surprise that nearly 5 minutes passed before I got my run legs back. I was at or near 6 minute/mile pace for the last mile and was able to finish with a relatively strong kick.

Following the race, I marveled at a 12-year old whos finish time was only a minute or two off from mine. Next year, I'm pretty sure he'll beat me with ease.

My final splits were as follows.

Swim - 15:00
T1 - 3:15
Bike - 36:11
T2 - 1:26
Run - 17:57
Total - 1:13:51

Back In The Saddle Again

2009-07-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

Got out for a 20 mile ride with D. Mika on what was a perfect evening for biking, especially in the valley where it was nice and cool. Mounting and clipping in to my bike felt great! There were three moderate climbs on the course we chose and plenty of straights to make use of the higher gears for short sprints. To my surprise, I never dropped out of my 53 chainring (fresh legs make a difference). Going to swim/bike brick in the AM. I forgot how much fun tri training is!

2009 Painesville Sunrise 5-Miler

2009-07-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Woke up super early Sunday morning to be at a race on the other side of Cleveland by 7AM. It was a 5-miler, organized by my brother, through the streets of Painesville (the neghboring town of where I grew up). It's been 2+ months since I've run mile repeats or 800's or any sort of consistent tempo running. Nonetheless, my plan was to go out running 6:00 min/mile pace and see how it felt. About 1/4 mile into the race I was in 5th place. The leader/eventual winner established what looked to be about a 5:30 pace and didn't look back. He was smokin'! I sat comfortably behind #2, 3 and 4 waiting to see how the race for second would shape up. Mile 1 (5:58) was no sweat. A long downhill and equally long uphill defined mile 2 (6:21). By mile 3 I was in 3rd place and holding 6:00 min/mile pace with relative ease (despite coming off a hill). I never fell off pace but had a hard time finding that extra gear at the end. Finished 3rd overall with a time of 30:21 (6:04 min/mile).

Talked with the 4th place finisher following the race and was surprised to find out he was just a 22 year old "kid" working towards a Boston qualifier. He was throwing questions at me left and right and I was happy to share with him what has worked for me. Kinda made me wish I would have said a few words to him out on the course as I pulled even with him. Some runners are so hardcore though... say two words to them and they chew your head off. This kid would have loved some encouragement. He's local so it's possible I'll see him again. I hope so.

Pittsburgh 2010

2009-07-06T06:45:00.000-07:00

Columbus 2009 is likely to be my fall marathon... but why think fall when I've got spring 2010 to look forward to? I got a heads up from a friend on a one-day-only early bird special on Pittsburgh 2010 registration so I'm in for a run through the steel city. Should be fun!

On the Bright Side....

2009-06-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

...now I can finally get back to my normal routine, including spring/summer house/yardwork, running, etc.

As disappointing as it was to watch another Clevelend professional sports team go down in flames, life is back to normal once again. I hit the trail this morning for a quick 4-miler, just to get back into the swing of things. My plan is to average 45 mile weeks in the month of June and then gradually bump up the mileage/intensity from July-October, culminating with a fall marathon on October 18th. Soon I'll have to buy new shoes as my Sinister's are nearing the end of their life. Since I will be doing a lot of "trail" running this summer, I'm thinking of getting a pair of Saucony ProGrid Xodus.

Fall 2009 Marathon

2009-05-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

Got out and ran this morning for the first time since Boston. It's been a lazy 4 weeks filled with ice cream, late nights and not having to separate running clothes from the rest of the laundry! I was afraid I'd be a little slow to get back to where I was just before Boston but it seems I haven't missed a step, running 4 miles in 25:29 for a 6:22 average pace. I wanna dip under 2:55 in the fall so I need to maintain my current fitness level - at the very least - and hopefully add to it by working in 20-30 extra miles per week in the evenings.

I'm deciding between Columbus or Detroit. I'll probably go with whichever one starts later in the morning but I'm having a hard time finding out what time Detroit starts... hopefully their race is better organized than their web page!

Photo Dilemna

2009-05-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

#1, #2, #3 or one of each? A photo dilemna?

2009 Boston Marathon

2009-04-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

I've had two weeks to soak up my performance at Boston and am having a hard time finding anything I could have done better or different. My goal was to finish under 3 hours and since I tend to slow a little over the last 5-6 miles, I developed a pace strategy for 2:58:00, allowing a mere 2 minutes of wiggle room. The temperature was a bit cold at the start (low 40's) and there was a slight headwind. Uta Pippig spoke to the masses prior to the start of the race and commented on race tactics under such conditions. In addition to Uta's words of wisdom, I received some valuable advice from an 18-year Boston veteran lined up in my corral. In his late-40's (possibly early 50's), he shared with me his secret to success on the course. It was nothing I hadn't heard or read before but it was nice to hear it from a "pro". I couldn't be sure but I assumed he too was aiming to run under 3 hours. Notable events from the corrals: Wore a long sleeve cotton t (2006 St. Malachi) until the last minute and then tossed it to the side; sipped orange Gatorade until the last minute; F-15 flyover about a minute late following the end of the national anthem; many shouts urging Ryan Hall on when the gun sounded; Relatively slow movement before hitting the START mat (1 minute 2 seconds).

Hopkinton to Wellesley College
I got a little wrapped up in the excitement at the start and it wasn't until about mile three that I started to focus on hitting my paces as detailed on the pace band I was wearing. By the time I got "serious", I had fallen off pace by about 40 seconds. I now had only 1 minute 20 seconds of wiggle room and would have to be near perfect through and after the hills. The weather never changed and by mile four I was as warm as I was going to get, which wasn't that warm despite wearing gloves, arm warmers and a Brooks racer hat. At this point and throughout the race, I felt a slight urge to go to the bathroom, but thankfully never had to stop. By mile ten I was hitting my splits and feeling good, maybe a touch out of it mentally as it was sort of dreary out. To combat this, I would turn to the crowds on occasion for a pick-me-up (one of the many wonderful things about Boston). The stretch through the Wellesley College was remarkable as usual. It's amazing those girls can keep at it for so long.

Wellesley to Newton (the calm before the storm)
Hit the half at 1:28:52. Pace strategy called for 1:28:08, meaning I had not lost any time since the initial 2-3 miles. I've found in other marathons that a lull can creep in after the half way point, sometimes due to the fact that nearly half the field (half-marathoners) peel off toward their finish line. At Boston, the course becomes quite dynamic around mile 15 and I knew this upfront. So, instead of the usual lull, I enjoyed two miles of flat terrain and steady running. Since my pacing strategy was based on putting forth an even effort (versus an even pace), I never physically upped the effort when it came time for a fast mile. I simply let the course/gravity do its thing to guide me along. The best example of this is mile 15, the fastest mile on the course per my pace band due to the long gradual downhill. As fun as it was zooming downhill, the first of the Newton hills was waiting at the bottom.

The Newton Hills
The trick to this course is to take it easy (i.e. conserve energy) the first 15 miles, run strong through the hills and still have something left in the tank to "race" the remaining 5.5 miles. As crazy as it sounds, you've gotta have fresh legs after 20.5 miles! The first hill in the Heartbreak series starts at mile 16, just past Newton Lower Falls. This is the longest (0.6 miles) but also the "flattest" with an average grade of only 2.4%. For the most part I had no trouble staying on pace through the hills. I remember feeling tired, legs heavy, etc. but never “beaten”. One of the keys to successfully navigating the hills was to take advantage of the level sections after each hill. In years past, I wasn’t as aware of these flats and probably thought of them as part of the hills. This year, I used them to make up time and stretch my legs out. I remember pumping a fist when I reached the top of heartbreak still on pace.

Cemetary Mile - Coolidge Corner
If Boston ended at the top of heartbreak hill, it would be considered an easy course. Sure, finishing with 4 miles of uphill running is a challenge, but at least it’s over at that point. What makes Boston such a challenge is the 5.5 miles following heartbreak hill and having to hammer already sore quads on what is a gradual downhill to the finish (save one hill near mile 25). My memory of this section of the course is simple… I couldn’t believe I was still running at pace and feeling good. It seemed as though my legs were fresh. As hopeful as I was, I couldn’t help but wonder when I would crash and lose the 70-80 seconds of wiggle room I had. Another strange thing happened, mentally I began to let go of the moment. I’ve grown so used to slowing at this point that I thought, “it’s time to slow down”. However, the better part of my mind stayed the course and I kept on pushing. I still remember thinking to myself how good I must look to the spectators standing on the sidelines. How is it possible to be running so well after 23+ miles? This also kept me going.

To the CITGO Sign and Beyond
My legs were crushed as I approached the CITGO sign but there was no way I was backing off with just over a mile to go. The crowds were great as usual and I used this as a distraction from the pain. I wasn’t entirely sure how much longer I would be on Commonwealth but I knew it was only a matter of minutes until the turn onto Hereford and then onto Boylston. ‘Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston’ is the ultimate for many runners and how cool to still be on pace at this point. Looking at my watch, I knew I would get in under 3 but wasn’t sure by how much. One of the things that kept me going at the end was the thought of hitting the line with the race clock under 3 hours. As I got within 40-50 meters of the line I knew it was going to be close and I kicked as hard as I could. I saw the 2 switch to a 3 just about the same time I hit the line and wasn’t sure what would show up on my finish line photo, 2:59:59 or 3:00:00. Turns out it was 3:00:00, but a little work in photoshop fixed that right up and I now have a Boston Marathon finish line photo displaying my official time of 2:58:58!!

A Perfect Training Run

2009-04-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

My final long run of Boston training went exceptionally well. The plan was to complete 8 laps of the 2.8 mile French Creek Reservation loop for a total of 22.4 miles. As far as pace goes, I wanted to be in the ballpark of 7:00-7:10 min/mile (roughly 19:49/lap).

Lap Time Pace
1 20:03 7:09
2 19:25 6:56
3 19:44 7:03
4 19:41 7:02
5 19:27 6:57
6 19:17 6:53
7 19:55 7:07
8 19:17 6:53

Total run time of 2:36:50 (7:00 min/mile average pace). No trouble mentally or physically throughout, not even a slight burn in the legs. Wrapped things up just shy of 9AM feeling very happy having wrapped up a 71.4 mile week. I'll run 2-3 10-milers this week along with some speedwork on the track.

Almost April

2009-03-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

3 weeks until Boston, which for me means 1 more week of hard training before I back off the mileage . The plan is to do between 75-80 miles this week, culminating with a 20-22 miler on Saturday morning. Highlights of the past 4 weeks include an indoor 18 miler (never again)... back-to-back 12-milers done at planned marathon pace, back-to-back "fast-finish" runs, the first being 8 miles easy, 4 miles at 6-minute pace; the second being 5-miles easy, 4 miles at 6-minute pace. Runner's World says these runs yield the same results as 18-20 slow miles. I hope to come out of this week feeling mentally and physically prepared. Hill workouts have been notably absent from my training, which I'm afraid will keep me from my "A" goal.

Running Ducks

2009-03-03T08:12:00.000-08:00

Just under 7 weeks remaining until Boston. I'm trying not to obsess but it's getting more difficult with each passing day, especially those days when it feels like spring. I've been obsessively checking Bill Rodgers web page daily waiting for the 2009 line of adidas Boston Marathon clothing to appear and it finally did earlier this week. The jackets are the traditional blue and yellow colors of the BAA. There's a really cute kids shirt as well, featuring a running duck and the words 'Just Keep Running'.

Training is going great. I've nailed every key workout in the last 6-8 weeks, including weekly LSD's, pace, tempos, and intervals. I'm averaging about 40-45 quality miles a week. I'll bump that up to 55-60 in the next 3-4 weeks, which should leave me feeling very confident as April 20th approaches. Found a geat link on the internet to a spreadhsheet written specifically for developing a pace strategy for Boston's course. I plan on starting moderately fast, running an even effort (rather than pace) and allowing for maximum fade at the end (is there really any other option?). The last time I ran Boston in 2006 I was familiar with but not intimate with the course. I truly think knowing the course in and out and having a plan on how to run each section is key. Time will tell!

Is it spring yet?

2009-01-21T06:28:00.000-08:00

Boston training is going well. The five workouts I try to squeeze into a week are very structured and challenging. In a way, they're the same workouts I've been doing for years but are presented differently. Different enough that somehow they seem new. There's no fooling around this go-around, which is good because I don't have a lot of time these days. So far my favorite is balanced pick-up's; 2.5 minutes easy, 2.5 minutes hard (faster-than-5K pace). Repeat for about an hour or so. Also, instead of 800-meter repeats, which I've done loads of in the past, mile repeats are what's called for. The equation is simple... run one mile every 7 minutes, no matter what. I aim to run a 6 minute mile, allowing 1 minute to recover. So far I've done as many as 5 repeats.

Returned home from Phoenix on Monday evening after spending 4 days basking in the Arizona sun! Highlights include a day trip to the Grand Canyon, a visit to the Arizona Cardinals stadium, and the reason for the trip in the first place, the Rock'n'Roll Marathon. Pics and stories to follow.

Base Mileage

2008-12-28T18:22:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow marks 16 weeks until Boston! Knocked out 20 miles yesterday to cap off a solid week of base training. April still seems so far away but will seem a lot less distant in a few days when the 8 turns to a 9. Received the first of several newsletters from the Boston Athletic Association with the news that two of the most promising American distance runners, Ryan Hall and Kara Goucher, will be joining the elite field on 4/20.

The holiday season was very kind to my family as we were fortunate enough to see many loved ones over a 3-4 day period. I'm stoked for New Year's eve as Teresa and I will watch the ball drop while celebrating the marriage of our friends Lexi and Keith at the Terrace Club of Jacob's Field (I will never call it Progressive Field). As a groomsmen, I get to pimp out in a black suit!

Happy New Year! Don't wait until Jan 1 to make changes in your life... Start today!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! 2008 will be nothing but a memory before too long. Things with the twins are getting more and more interesting by the day. Both little guys are walking (practically running), are very curious, and very loving towards Teresa and I as well as each other. There's already some sibling rivalry but they make up with each other in no time. Just yesterday Teresa caught on film one of the things I've been looking forward to ever since before they were born. I saw on a TV program about multiples how at approximately 1-year of age, one of their favorite games will be to play with each other through a thin sheet placed between them. It's supposedly very much like simulating their "playtime" through amniotic sacs while in the womb. They were giggling like crazy. Too cute.

122 days until Boston (17-1/2 weeks). I believe I'm in good enough shape to begin an advanced level training program that I've developed for myself with the help of Jack Daniels and Joe Bowman. I've got sub-3 on the brain. Have no idea if it's do-able, but I'm gonna shoot for it. Sometimes getting in "sub-3" shape is more rewarding than realizing the actual goal.

Walking

2008-11-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

Friday, while Teresa and I were at work, Caden took his first steps with the help of Teresa's parents. It was such a nice treat to come home from work and see him taking 3-4 wobbly steps before crashing. We practiced some more over the weekend and he's now walking steadily for about 10-15 feet. The look on his face is priceless. So proud of himself. What's more entertaining is the look on Cole's face as he watches in amazement with a big smile.

This past week has been perfect running weather and I've taken advantage by getting out in the mornings for an hour or so. My new favorite piece of running gear is my Nike Sphere Dry Hoody. I can wear it as a mask or pull it down under my nose/mouth if I get too warm. Also, it provides complete coverage of my ears and neck. My Bolega socks are a close second at this point.

Direct your positive vibes south this weekend as Elizabeth returns to Richmond, VA to tackle their marathon. Give it hell!

A Plan?

2008-11-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

In 2-3 weeks, I will start peppering in some workouts specifically designed by one of the most consistent sub-3 hour marathoners in the world, Joe Bowman. In the meantime I plan to increase my mileage by running 5-6 days a week and doubling up on at least 2 of those days. To keep from getting bored, I'll hit up a different route each day and add some variety to my ipod. I think my favorite route will be the French Creek Reservation, about 2 miles from our house. The main trail winds 3/4 of a mile (mostly uphill) to a flat loop just over a mile in length. Just off of the loop is a 3/4 mile access road to the Reservation, catering to measured intervals on pavement. I'll run indoors when it's too cold and will strength 2-3 days during the week (either at home or at the gym). Geez, all this sounds too much like a plan.

One Year

2008-10-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

There's no way to articulate how special the last year has been for my wife and I. It's late in the afternoon on October 16th. One year ago I was returning from a business trip to Houston. It was a very exciting time. The Indians were on the verge of making it to the World Series... every game was incredible to watch. Teresa was on bedrest in the hospital, meaning the twins could come any moment. It was fall. The weather was perfect. The air smelled of crisp leaves.

By noon the next morning we were officially parents of beautiful baby boys. The first six months were rough. Caring for and getting used to the needs of the babies was never an issue. We managed perfectly. Since I tend always to squeeze something running related into my posts, seven months after they were born, I ran a 3:02 marathon. Amazing to think I pulled that off at the same time I was doing the 4AM feedings.

The last six months have been a whirlwind! Rolling over, sitting up, holding bottles, teething, crawling, first haircut, furniture walking... It's been amazing to witness. Their interaction with each other is incredible. So indepedent but so very aware of the others presence. I cannot wait to see what's in store for the next six months and beyond!

The pic below was taken on October 9th at Portrait Innovations in Avon.

Accepted

2008-10-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

With the twins birthday rapidly approaching, I prepared a list of everything that needs done around the house prior to their party. About four seconds later, I delayed starting training for Boston until next week when things are a little less hectic. I need to get it goin' soon though because the following showed up in my inbox last week...

Your entry into the 113th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20, 2009 has been accepted.

Woo hoo! I'm looking forward to Boston for so many reasons. Last week Teresa and I discussed taking a trip to either Plymouth or Rockport. Also, we may have an opportunity to visit a friend who lives near Bristol, CT and works for ESPN.

2008 Erie Marathon

2008-09-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

This one's hard to summarize... My final time of 3:33:24 is my slowest marathon since May 2003. I knew I wasn't in good marathon shape and anything even close to a 3-hour marathon would be asking an awful lot of my body. However, given my 3:02 at Cleveland in May and how I felt during my long runs over the last 6 weeks, I felt 3:10-3:15 to be realistic.

Race morning... Yikes! 80 degrees, humid from the rain that passed through the day before, and a little on the windy side. I thought to myself how I've never been warm prior to starting a marathon. That's just the kind of day it was, a day of firsts. I was shirtless by mile 8 (a first) with my race bib pinned to my red split-leg shorts (another first). I had to stop for at least a minute to make this happen (not at all concerned about time). About a mile later I shoved some ice down my shorts (not only a first, but also a last!). I can't figure how I was on pace to run a 3:10 through the half because the contingency strategy was in effect since mile 7 (i.e. finish in one piece). I know more than the average bear about how hard the body must work to stay cool on a hot day and I wasn't about to make it work any harder.

It was a fun race nonetheless. Highlights include (in no particular order): running a mile with the winner of the '85 and '95 Erie Marathon, helping and being helped by others over the last 6-8 miles, very nice volunteers, not stopping to walk despite cramping quads, running faster miles 22-26 than miles 18-22, crossing the finish line, and last but not least, shaking the hand and talking with a 90-year old who ran the 1/2 in 3:04, a world record (see picture below).

I was sad Teresa had to work. She knows more than anyone what running means to me and understood my desire to squeeze this one in despite her not being there with me. She also understood how much it meant for the twins to be there with me despite the forecast of rain. I believe they were both awake at the finish line this time!

The sleeves were definitely not needed... could have ditched the shirt as well

Age group world record, Henry Sypniewski, 90 years young

Finish line in site

Happy to be done.. and proud to be an American : )

Me and my homies

Not Sure What to Expect

2008-09-11T13:04:00.000-07:00

T-minus 3 days and counting. Marathon #12 is sure to be an interesting one. I'm predicting I blow up somewhere on the course and have to drag myself through the final miles. The devil on my shoulder is telling me to go out at my standard marathon pace and see what happens... the angel is urging me to take it easy, run a nice even pace consistent with your current fitness level. I think I'll lean the direction of el diablo for the first ten miles or so and rely on the lighter side of my conscious to bring me home in one piece. The weather is forecast to be nice... a little rain perhaps, but mild temps. Wish me luck!

Me and my little buddies - early August

The 26.2 Mile Experiment

2008-08-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

In case anyone wonders how effective a training program is that consists primarily of long runs on the weekend, say hello to your guinea pig. I'm guessing my post marathon blog will read one of two ways. Either I have a good race and am raving about how long runs trump high weekly mileage... or, I blow up on the course and am swearing never again to neglect the tried and true training programs. Either way, I'll learn something.

Took video of the boys playing together... the smile on Cole's face (on the left) about halfway through the videw is so damn cute.

Kick-Off

2008-08-21T07:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the kickoff meeting for the winter Team In Training season. I will be co-coaching for the Disney and Rock'n'Roll Arizona marathons. I've met so many great people through Team In Training and am excited about getting to know another group of runners focused on accomplishing a common goal. Once again, the experience level of the participants is as diverse as the people themselves. I'm always impressed with the experienced marathon runner who uses their abilities for a higher purpose. It's impressive enough to run a marathon for yourself but to run one for someone suffering from a life-threatening illness is beyond impressive. I try very hard to convey to my runners how they will be viewed in the eyes of the average spectator, not to mention the eyes of a young child affected by leukemia. How often in our lives do we have the opportunity to be a hero?

My training is going so-so. I've managed to squeeze in long runs of 16 and 18 miles the past two weekends, respectively. Have also managed some medium long tempo runs, hills workouts, track work, etc. I don't know what my gameplan will be come race day. Part of me is already looking forward to Boston '09, which will be marathon number 13 and mine and Teresa's first trip (of many) to Boston with our family.

Back at the Track

2008-08-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Dropped in to see some old friends ar the track in Independence last night and surprised myself by running consecutively faster 800m/400m repeats. My 4th and final 800/400 split was 2:38/1:09. Felt pretty good throughout and afterwards. Legs are pretty fresh from a relatively light schedule of late. Also helping my cause were my super lightweight Brooks T4 Racer's. Running fast is a must when wearing such flashy shoes.

After my final 400 I realized my pace (4:36 min/mile) was just a tad bit faster than what Haile Gebrselassie ran for a full 26.2 miles last fall in Berlin (4:45 min/mil). I couldn't have run 20 more feet at that pace and he rocked a full marathon at that clip!! Unbelievable. Too bad he's not running the Olympic Marathon.

Lighthouse Tri

2008-07-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Just finished a sprint distance triathlon in my hometown of Fairport Harbor. Finish time of 1:11:10 was good enough for 4th place in my age group. With a little more work in the pool I may actually place in my age group next year. I was as impressed this year with the organization of the race as I was last year. Hard to believe the race costs only $20. I've gotta get in marathon mode real soon as my next race is six weeks (and change) away. You know my silly butt will shoot for another sub-3, so I better get at it so as not to crash and burn!

On another note, watched Running on the Sun last night. This is a movie documenting the journeys of a dozen or so participants of the 1999 Badwater 135. I've since learned that a local runner placed third in that very race. The challenge of such a race is intriguing as hell, but it's not for me. I need to work out my mental issues with the marathon before even thinking about something as nutty as that.

Caden has a cold and had a rough time last night. Their room now smells worse than a nursing home (I should know, I visited one recently). Talk about Vick's Vapor rub overload. Poor little guy. He's doing good tonight.... so far!

Daryl and I getting ready

Exiting the swim in 11:26

Exiting the bike (20.9 mph average)

My support crew, sans Teresa : ( you were with me the whole time

Le Tour

2008-07-22T05:32:00.000-07:00

I've been watching as the tour de France makes it's way through/up the Alps. Unfortunately, so has the spin instructor at the gym. This morning we climbed for 40-minutes non-stop. Nothing I haven't done before. It's just been a couple of years since the 12-mile climb at Ironman France. I followed it up with 3 progressively fast miles (6:47, 6:26, 5:56) to get used to the feeling of running off the bike, which I will do this weekend at a sprint distance triathlon in Fairport Harbor. I finished 6th in my age group last year and hope, at the very least, to equal that this year. If only I could cut a minute or two off of my swim time. It's nice to dream : )

My Eyes Burn

2008-07-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

Why do my eyes burn? Because I swam this morning without goggles. I woke up with an urge to get in the pool and by the time I arrived at the gym, realized I forgot the one piece of equipment really needed to swim. It took about 5 minutes, but I got used to swimming "naked" and ultimately had a really good 20-minutes. I guess I'm paying for it now!

2008-07-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

A couple recent pictures... You'd never know it from the picture below, but Cole has been feeling a little under the weather of late (ear infection). Caden is probably a month away (maybe sooner) from crawling. Watch out!

Caden (AKA Spanky)

Cole chillin w/ Dad

Milestones

2008-07-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

Had a great 4th of July weekend! We spent a lot of time outside eating grilled hamburgers, playing bocce ball and constantly avoiding UV-B rays. Thank god for SPF-50! Teresa and I get loads of comments on how "good" Caden and Cole are, which is nice, but it makes me think of the thousands of good babies that have a hard time being out-and-about and would be labeled as "bad". We're doing a good job as parents but we're also very lucky in that our little guys have settled into a schedule that many parents only dream of.

I was recently asked by a friend what milestones the boys have hit and I didn't have a real good answer. It seems like every day they're doing something new/different but nothing that can be easily described or summed up in words. I mean, how does one explain the silly new faces being made or goofy laughter or puckering of the lips resulting in a funny noise. So many little things... Caden has started to sleep on his side... Cole likes to shake his head when he's had enough food... In the last month or two, they've both come to enjoy bathtime (except when I give them a bath and forget to put the bath pad down). The major milestones, other than sleeping through the night... they've been doing that for 2+ months, are right around the corner. Crawling, walking, talking, feeding themselves, etc.

I've been slowly working on a scrapbook for each of the boys and have a goal to finish by the 15th (one week from today). I enjoy scrapbooking but tend to get carried away, spending way too much time on one page.... which is why it's taken me so long.

Smiles for Sophie 5K

2008-07-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping to do a 5K on the 4th of July in memory of a local girl who lost her battle with brain cancer last October. I came across the flyer on Tuesday and was immediately drawn into the what this little girls family must be feeling just a few short months after her passing. I want to reach out to her Mom and Dad and let them know I feel their pain and showing up as a complete stranger and running in her memory is perhaps the best way to do so short of giving them a big hug and crying with them. This is the first of what will be an annual event and even though each 4th of July (her birthday - 7/4/03) will bring with it the same heartache, I'm hoping memories from these races will bring joy to their lives and give them something to celebrate and look forward to each year.

http://www.smilesforsophieforever.org/events.asp

Fun in the Sun

2008-06-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

Took some great pics last night of Caden and Cole playing in what will eventually be our dining room. The room is sun-bathed in the evenings and they had fun discovering their shadows, rolling around, laughing and being silly with each other. We had fun just watching them take everything in. Cole in blue, Caden in red.

Landscaping

2008-06-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Making progress on the landscaping. All the shrubs/plants in this picture now have a home in the ground. All except for the two junipers in the back. We're going to exchange them for some more golden cypress.

Friday the 13th

2008-06-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't run since last Friday morning and am feeling no need to get back on the roads just yet. Although I'm thinking of racing the Shot in the Dark 4-miler, which I believe is sometime mid-July. I want to match my sub-24 from 2005. Yeah, I think 4-weeks of hard running will do the trick. It's actually a relief to think about training for something other than a marathon. Something a lot less gruelling. Something that requires less time!

I'm about 75% done with my landscaping project and am 100% pleased with how things are shaping up. It's a lot of hard work and I've had a lot of help, especially last Saturday. Our yard was littered with wheelbarrows, shovels, and babies (our two, our 10-month old niece and my friends 3-month old). The day was capped off with a great dinner. Teresa whipped up two huge dishes of yummy pasta like it was nothing, followed by strawberry shortcake w/ ice cream!

Other than all that, babies are still the most incredible things ever. Cole is very much a Daddy's boy. Teresa says he's my mini-me. Caden is still our crazy guy. He went through a 3-4 day phase of laughing like Woody Woodpecker.

I'm infected with the melodic tunes of the new weezer album. They (Rivers Cuomo) never fails to please. Hope to catch them on tour this summer/fall. Going to see the new M. Night Shyamalan movie tonight with a friend. I've avoided seeing the trailer, so other than seeing the movie poster and knowing who the lead male actor is, I have no idea what to expect, which is great. I'd love to walk out of the theater feeling like I did after seeing The Sixth Sense.

Cowboy Rivers... almost as good as bearded Rivers

5.5-Mile Twinterval Run

2008-05-30T19:44:00.001-07:00

Interval run + twins = twintervals! I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get out for an evening run with the boys given the 80 degree temps. Headed over to the Black River Reservation, which offers a nice 3 mile all purpose path wide enough for the double jogging stroller (officially nicknamed the "Twinnebago"). I was excited to finally be out with the little guys and pushed the pace early. The thing about running with them is that they're always beating me : ) Hit the turnaround in 19:10, grabbed some water and headed back into an unexpected headwind. It wasn't until I hit the 5 mile mark that I heard Cole voice his displeasure/boredom. I ran the last 1/2 mile hard, despite the wind and finished the return trip in 19:15 for a total run time of 38:25. This was in addition to a 3-mile push-up run this AM.

My Landscaping Project

2008-05-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

I started to prep what will soon be the flowerbeds at the foundation of our house. This is a project I hope to have complete by the end of next weekend. I was contemplating having a professional landscape outfit do the work but this past weekend changed my thinking. First, I met a guy who owns a landscaping company on the east side of Cleveland who offered to let me use one of those long flat pull-behind trailers in the event I want to load up a bunch of shrubs, trees, etc. from one of the many nurseries in northern Ohio. That same day, I visited a friend who happened to be in the middle of a project similar to the one I'm now planning.

Loaded with all this information, I feel a lot more confident that I can do the job myself (with a little help of course). My first step was to mark the beds using some 6" nails and household twine. Teresa and I decided on a curved pattern similar to the shape of the sidewalk leading to our front door. The engineer/nerd in me drew up the design in AutoCAD in order to get exact coordinates to use when placing the nails in the ground. The nails were probably enough for me to visualize the curvature of the bed but the twine wrapped around and between each nail takes the guesswork out of it. I then mowed down the grass/weeds that fell within the newly marked off area and sprayed it with RoundUp. The grass should be dead/browned in 7-10 days, at which time I can rake it all up. In the meantime, Teresa and I are going to steal some ideas from our many neighbors whose beds are already planted. I'm also planning to have approximately 12 cubic yards of topsoil and 6 cubic yards of mulch delivered next Friday. Still have to work out the details around getting the shrubs, trees, etc.

Cleveland Marathon Pictures

2008-05-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

Making sure I didn't forget anything Lined up and ready to run Just past mile 11 - overcast and rainy
Feeling cruddy but looking decent at the finishHappy to see the twins at the finish

2008 Cleveland Marathon

2008-05-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

Woke up Sunday morning at 3:00, then again at 4:00 with my alarm. Showered, gathered all my gear and was out the door by 5:00 to catch a 5:15 carpool to the race start. Part of what woke me up throughout the night was the constant rainfall outside the window. I kept thinking that it's better now than in a few hours. After parking in a nearby lot, we headed to The Galleria for shelter as the rain was showing no sign of letting up. I can think of a handful of changes I'd like to see on the marathon course, but the start location is definitely not one of them. For those that know about it, and it seemed like plenty of people did, The Galleria is a blessing. Having somewhere to stay dry and warm with plenty of room to stretch, relax or even run laps (the second floor) is a great thing. With about 15 minutes to spare, I ditched my sweats, threw a garbage bag over my head (still amazed I remembered to pack one) and headed to the start line. Once there, I warmed up a little with some 50 meter strides, made sure my watch was in chrono mode and surveyed the field, taking note of the local running talent. Still raining, the horn sounded and we were off.

Mile 1 (6:06) was either short or I went out way too fast. I know 6-minute pace and it felt way too easy for that so I assumed it was short and kept the pace steady. The rain was steady as well. Passed through mile 2 in 6:18, which seemed right given the downhill section on E. 9th heading towards the Rock Hall. The climb up W. 3rd came in mile 3 and I was fortunate enough to fall in behind one of the most consistent sub-3 marathoners I know of, Steve Godale. He backed the pace way off and I made sure to hold back as well (mile 3 - 6:50). For the next 4 miles I paced off him and another guy and averaged 6:33's, each mile within a few seconds of each other. Mile 7 may have been slightly faster than the rest as I was anticipating seeing my family and friends for the first time. Took my first gel at the mile 7 water stop (Vanilla PowerBar). It was there that I lost Godale, but this was a good thing as he went on to run a 2:49. The rain had let up a little by mile 6 but was coming down again at mile 11 or so. I was well ahead of sub-3 pace at this point but wasn't feeling too confident. Someting about the weather and the occasional headwinds caused my mood to be off. Plus, as usual, I found myself in no-mans-land, having no one to pace with and/or keep me going. This is where the mental toughness built up during long training runs comes into play. If I was lacking one thing heading into this race, it was this.

My half-marathon split was 1:27:08 (2:54 pace). I mentioned a handful of changes I'd like to see on the marathon course and the stretch down Chester Ave. is one of them. The half marathoner's peeled off at mile 12, leaving a very desolate field. Not too spoil the ending of this entry, but placing in the top 50 in a race as small as Cleveland means a lot of running solo. Running alone in the rain down what was essentially an abandoned street got to me a little and caused for a slow miles 14 and 15 (6:58 and 7:09). Teresa was waiting for me at mile 16 with the babies, which was enough of a pick-me-up to get me back on pace (mile 16 - 6:39). My plan to clock a few fast miles leading up to mile 20 didn't exactly play out but I managed to average 6:53 over miles 17-20 and was still on 2:56 pace heading into the final 10K.

In the back of my head, I didn't feel I was prepared to run a sub-3 marathon. I just kept thinking to myself, there's no way 25-30 miles per week over the previous 4 months would cut it. My fast start allowed for a few slower miles on the back half, but I couldn't afford any more than one or two miles over 7:10-7:15. Mile 21, 7:27. I knew then to refocus on finishing consistently and as strong as possible. My focus showed up in the form of my good buddy Lou who helped pace me through to the finish. Lou kept me upbeat and helped supress the negative thoughts that wanted so desparately to do me in. Given how I was feeling at the time, I'm surprised to see that I averaged 7:47's from mile 22-26. Even managed consecutively faster miles 24-26. In hindsight, this was a small victory. So too was the finishing kick I laid down the last 385 yards (0.2 miles for those keeping score at home). Official time: 3:02:22, good enough for a top 50 finish at Cleveland for the 2nd consecutive year.

I'm very grateful for my family and friends who came out to support me. Teresa especially as she made it to three spots on the course (not easy with twins in tow). The finish line of a marathon is one of my favorite places in the world. Finally being able to hug and kiss and talk to everyone makes it all worthwhile. This year was especially amazing as my twin baby boys were there to greet me. Caden was awake and smiling at the sight of me. Cole must not be a big fan of distance running as he was passed out. I can't wait until they're big enough to cross a finish line with me!

Chomping at the Bit

2008-05-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

Six days until race day. I learned back in 2004 that consuming oneself with a race too far in advance can lead to burnout/letdown. Not that I have time to be consumed with anything other than all things baby related, I've made a concsious effort not to look at the marathon web page or check the weather forecast until just recently. Logging on to clevelandmarathon.com I discovered a change to the course that's major in that 3 miles are affected (10-12), but minor in that it does not dramatically affect the elevation. I was hoping they yanked the climb up W. 3rd between mile 23 and 24. No such luck.

Patience

2008-05-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

A good week of taper runs. 5 miles at pace on Thursday, 4 miles of treadmill hills this morning. Plan to run an easy 8 on Sunday and then wrap it all up with some 400 meter intervals on Tuesday followed by an easy 3-4 miles on Wednesday.

I've got a gameplan for the marathon. No idea what the weather is going to be like on race morning. It's been pretty rainy of late. If not rainy, overcast and dreary. I'll take dreary so long as the temps and winds are mild at the start.

Some new pics of the twins are below! Can't say enough about these little guys! They're amazing in every way!

Cole - May 1st

Caden - May 1st

Ready or not, it's taper time

2008-05-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

Monday morning - 13 more mornings until race day. It's taper time and I'm comfortable with the training I've put in. I've got a gameplan for the marathon and will spend a lot of time visualizing how I expect it to play out (the final 10 miles more so than the first 16). For instance, there's a nice 3-4 mile gradual downhill just after mile 16 that I used to back off the pace a little last year when I'm thinking I should have done the opposite. This year I'll use that bit to stretch out my legs and bank a few seconds. Can't say I had a bad race last year but there's always room for improvement.

I squeezed in two great workouts over the weekend. Saturday night after the babies were asleep and Teresa was home from work, I did 8x800 meters (the culmination of the Yasso 800 buildup) with each 800 < 2:55. Send-offs ended up being closer to 4:00 because I was running from one end of my development to the other which, surprisingly, is pretty darn close to 800 meters on the nose. Final 800 in 2:49.

My long run this morning wasn't quite as long as I was hoping. I started 15 minutes late and had to take a couple pit stops (hope that issue resolves itself in the next two weeks!). In all, I did 17 miles at 7:25 pace with a 6:36 final mile. Strangely enough, my final mile felt as easy, if not easier, than the rest and it was then that I felt "warmed up". I wonder if holding back from my natural pace is causing me to work harder. Hmm, something else to ponder over the next 13 days.

I think my 3-year old iPod shuffle played it's last tune this morning... hopefully it's just the headphones.

38%

2008-05-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

This morning I ran 10 miles at what I'm guessing will be my planned marathon pace (PMP) and although it was relatively easy, I started to feel the slight discomfort that eventually turns into a pain that makes me want to quit running and/or question why I ever started running in the first place. I fear the marathon distance more than I lead on, which is a good thing. I learned my lesson the hard way 5 years ago when I set out at a pace I had no business attempting. I'm afraid I'm going to do the same at Cleveland, which is why I'm desperate to gauge my level of fitness. I've got 3-4 more opportunities to do just that in the next 5-6 days before taper time. I'm thinking 18-20 miles at PMP +60-75 sec, 8 x 800 meters (2:55 800's, 3:00 send-offs) and possibly some treadmill hills. I probably wouldn't be worrying so much if all I wanted to do was have fun out on the course. I just can't shake the competitive bug.

3, 2, 1... Failure to Launch

2008-04-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

With less than 3 weeks until the Cleveland Marathon, I'm feeling the need to work in some high-intensity workouts so as to gauge my overall level of fitness. I need a measuring stick in order to plan my race day strategy. Last year, I used a half marathon 2 weeks before Cleveland as a gauge and I may have the opportunity to do the same this year, dependent on the weather on Saturday. Just in case, I planned a full 3-2-1 run this morning, which works out to 12 miles total, 6 of them done at 6 min/mile pace (3 slow, 3 fast, 2 slow, 2 fast, 1 slow, 1 fast). I was nervous and actually carb loaded last night thinking that might help. I also brought along a vanilla Power Gel.

The heart of the workout is without question the first 3 miles done at 6 minute pace following an easy 3 mile warm-up. I hit all 3 miles in 5:59 but felt completely drained afterward. I walked for a few minutes feeling slightly dizzy and nauseous. I slowly took down the gel with water and eventually started running again. By the end of my 8th mile I was feeling slightly better but had a side stitch that wouldn't go away. I started into a fast miles 9 and 10 and bailed about half way through, succumbing to the side stitch. I normally would fight through something like this, but not during a Tuesday morning traning run. I was happy to have done what worked out to an intense 9-mile tempo run. Plus I had a few extra minutes to strength train.

Step 2: Reserve Hotel

2008-04-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

The gears are in motion for my return to Boston in 2009. Today I sent out a deposit for a room at the Marriott Copley, which is 0.15 miles from the finish area and within walking distance to both Copley Square (bus loading) and Hynes Convention Center (Expo). As of today, I will use my 3:01 from Akron this past fall as my qualifier, which should land me a good starting chute ahead of the traffic jam that starts to build at chutes 4-5. I'll aim to better my Boston PR of 3:05 back in 2006. It's such a tough course but I've analyzed a number of strategies employed by recent sub-3-hour Boston finishers and think I have it down to a science.

Congratulations to everyone who ran this past Monday!

22 Long and Slow Ones

2008-04-14T12:40:00.002-07:00

Having twin newborns turn into twin infants with the thought of twin toddlers has done a number on my mental state when it comes to running. I ran 22 miles yesterday not even thinking about the distance. I was conscious of the time but the miles flew by and I took no notice of any discomfort. Helping keep my mind occupied was the company I ran with, three others (all parents) who were happy to listen to my stories and share their experiences in return. Runnnig took a backseat to the conversations at hand. It was as if we were in a coffee shop chatting away for hours, except we weren't in a coffee shop. We were running 8 minute 30 second miles in a light, yet comfortable rain. Ultimately what this means is that my training runs will be a lot less mentally gruelling. I'm curious as to how marathon day will play out from a mental standpoint. The thought of seeing Teresa and the boys on the course may bring me to a new level of comfort that I've yet to experience.

With faces like these, who wouldn't be inspired?

Talkin' Tempo

2008-04-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

I stole a tempo workout from Runner's World in an effort to add a little spice to the monotony of running around an indoor track. This one called for 9-minutes easy x 1-minute hard, 8x2, 7x3, 8x2, and 9x1, for a total of 50-minutes. Turned out to be a pretty good workout, probably 7 miles total with 1.5 done at sub 6-minute pace.

I ran for the first time in my new Saucony Grid Fastwitch 3's that I picked up over the weekend along with a pair of triathlon specific shoes from Zoot.

The Bottles Are Ready

2008-04-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

I couldn't pass on taking this picture...

The bottles are ready

Hump Day

2008-04-02T08:38:00.001-07:00

I woke up at 3:30 this morning, not to cries of hunger from one of the babies, but to complete silence. It took me a minute to realize that yes, I was actually awake and no, I was not in a time warp. Some quick math and I realized the babies had been asleep for 7.5 hours! Caden woke up shortly thereafter followed a minute or two later by Cole (you'd think they were twins or something ; ). My workout this morning consisted of two warmup miles at 7:30 pace, one mile at 5:55, two miles at 7:30 and a final 5:51 mile. I should be getting my new shoes soon. Saucony Grid Fastwitch 3. I loved the 1's and the 2's, and am dying to get my hands on the latest and greatest.

Make It Right

2008-03-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

Teresa has decided to walk the Towpath Half-Marathon on October 12th in support of the Make It Right Project. She hopes to raise awareness and is asking for the financial support of our friends and family. Unlike most marathon fundraisers, there's really no way for her to track how much money she's raised nor is she required to raise a minimum amount of money. This is simply a case of her wanting to help a cause that's close to her heart in whatever way she can, all the while getting in shape. In short, the MIR Project will build 150 houses in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, one of the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Katrina. To date, 81 of 150 homes have been sponsored/built. Click on the link below to be directed to the Project's web page and learn more about the cause and how you can help.

http://www.makeitrightnola.org/

I'm going to head up her cheering section on that day, which is also her birthday. If you're in the Cleveland area on that day, come out and celebrate with us!

5 Months Old

2008-03-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

I gladly took St. Patrick's Day off of work to watch the boys while Teresa went to the parade with her friends. I've been telling her for months that she needs to get out and do a few things that don't involve burpies, binkies or bouncies! Before she took off for the day, I hit the gym for a swim/run brick. Swam about 750 yards, mostly laps with a few drills worked in. Ran 4 miles at roughly 6:43 pace and then did about 30 minutes of strength training. It always surprises me how odd it feels to run after having been in the pool!

Yesterday while trying to kill some time and keep the twinfants occupied, I strapped them in our jogging stroller and did some laps around the house. They really seem to like it and would start fussing every time I stopped, even if just for a moment to make sure they were doing OK. I told them all about how I came to run my first marathon. It's nice having an audience who isn't bored with my running stories : )

Little Men

2008-02-25T07:56:00.000-08:00

Caden and Cole are thriving, which I now understand is an actual medical term. When a child is consistently underweight or who does not gain weight for unclear reasons, he/she is considered to have "failure to thrive". And here I thought our doctor was dishin' some slang when describing their development!

Caden

Cole

The Last Battle

2008-02-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

I've been reading The Chronicles of Narnia books to the boys every night before bed and came upon a great passage at the end of the seventh and final book 'The Last Battle'. At that point in the book, after the last battle, the characters were instructed by Aslan (the almighty Lion) to "Come further up, come further in!" to a new world they have just found themselves in. The group begins to run...

"The air flew in their faces as if they were driving fast in a car without a windscreen. The country flew past as if they were seeing it from the windows of an express train. Faster and faster they raced, but no one got hot or tired or out of breath. If one cold run without getting tired, I don’t think one would often want to do anything else."

Having read all of the Narnia books, I know this passage speaks directly to a tireless devotion to a faith-based life, which I think is a great analogy (especially for children who read the stories). However, I can't help but pull from it what every longtime runner has already experienced and what new runners strive for, that moment when running is no longer a struggle and you actually feel like you could run forever and do nothing else with your life.

It's important to maintain perspective as a runner. I didn't start out as a sub-3 hour marathoner, nor will I remain one. I know where I came from and where I've been and can fully appreciate each in the same way I will continue to appreciate the endless possibilities of a lifelong runner.

New Pics

2008-01-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

Took these pictures yesterday for a scrapbook I'm keeping showing the boys growth from month to month. They're getting pudgy and have Teresa's hair line (thank the lord!). I was holding them upright in my lap allowing them practice holding their head up. They seem to like the "strength" training!

Caden

Cole

Another Year Older

2008-01-14T09:26:00.000-08:00

Well, my 31st birthday quietly came and went (as I like it) and I feel as youthful as ever. Last year I intended on running a marathon on my 30th birthday but the weather was brutal and I got out of work late anyway. This year I simply went to the gym in the morning for a quick 3-miler and some strength training. A new year hasn't broken me of my bad habit of pushing myself each and every run. I start off with the intention of running an "easy" 3-miles and end up running at near 5k pace. Oh well, there could be worse problems to have.

Had a great 8-mile run on Sunday. Again, thought to myself prior to starting that I'd go at it easy, but hit my first mile in 6:38 so I figured what the hell... I'll make this a tempo run. Mile 2 - 6:19, 3 - 6:22, 4 - 6:32, 5 - 6:57, 6 - 6:28, 7 - 7:00, 8 - 5:57. Was a little too tired afterwards to do much weights so I settled on about 30-minutes of core work.

Congratulations to those who ran in either the full or half marathon of yesterdays P.F. Chang's Rock-n-Roll Arizona. Frank and Kelly did great as did my TNT crew!

First of '08

2008-01-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

Haven't been blogging much of late but am happy to report that life in the '08 is going well. Twins are lively as ever, gaining weight and achieving milestones that make Teresa and I proud as parents. Sleep's been pretty much non-existent of late, especially for Teresa. She somehow manages the energy to remain herself throughout the day, singing, laughing and being an awesome mother to our little men.

I did a 7-mile tempo run this afternoon and was very pleased with my splits. I shouldn't be so surprised but that's what a few months of next-to-no traininig will do. Anyway, did one of my favorite tempo runs with the following times: Mile 1: 7:06, Mile 2: 6:53, Mile 3: 6:00, Mile 4: 5:53, Mile 5: 7:51, Mile 6: 5:59, Mile 6-6.5: 4:15, Mile 6.5-7: 2:52

The earlybird registration deadline for Cleveland is this Thursday. Committing to a marathon (atleast financially) is one of the biggest motivators for me. I know finding time for my long runs will be a challenge in the coming months. I'm all about challenges though!

18+ Miles

2007-12-22T17:34:00.000-08:00

3-weeks out from P.F. Chang's Rock'n'Roll Marathon in Arizona and we had desert-like weather in Ohio. Well, not quite, but not too far off given temperatures in the high 30's prior to last years start. It was in the low-40's this morning, which was great weather for my Team in Training group's final long run. The towpath was a mess and was a little difficult to negotiate at times. In the end we probably covered just over 18 miles but it sure felt like more. Maybe that's because I haven't been putting in consistent mileage of late. Or it could be that I only took one gel at mile 5-1/2 (I was saving the others for my runners). Hmmm, guess I should be thankful my little legs haven't completely lost it in the last 2-3 months.

Six Degrees of Separation

2007-12-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

Nevermind six degrees of separation, I now have a direct link to Hulk Hogan. One of my friends from OU has landed a spot on the upcoming American Gladiator series, which will be hosted by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali. I'm impressed! She was real close with one of my roommates, hence my getting to know her. He's kept us up to speed on her career, which of late has included running a health cafe and competing in bodybuilding at the world level. Kudos to this OU alum! Matt Lauer and Al Bundy have nothing on her!

'Speaking' of Running

2007-12-10T09:43:00.001-08:00

Our good friend Frank was in town this past weekend following a speaking engagement at Ohio University. He and his partner Roger make up Bad Bad Apples and have made stops all over the country in the last year, including a stop at the University of Miami where they fell just short of setting a world record for the largest game of 'Simon Says'. Needless to say, Frank is a very driven individual so it should come to no surprise that he and his girlfriend are working towards the goal of running a half-marathon this Janaury. Traveling makes it difficult but he always finds time, which is exactly what we did on Saturday morning. His schedule while in town was tight so we arrived at the gym as the doors opened and were on the track a few minutes later for a solid 4-miler followed by some strength training. I normally bail about 10-15 minutes after my run so it was nice to have someone motivating me to stay a little longer.

Yesterday I was able to sneak out with my normal Sunday running group for 12-miles. It was the first time I was able to speak to Dan and Cathy (both parents) as a parent, which made for some real good conversation.

Crepe Craving

2007-12-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

I had an extreme craving the other night for banana crepes so I did a quick internet search and found what looked to be a good recipe. By good, I mean easy. I've found that the hardest part of any recipe is getting the ingredients together and measured out (these cooking shows never show you what a pain in the butt that is!). About 20 minutes after pulling the ingredients, I handed 3 freshly made banana crepes over to Teresa for the taste test. I'd have done it myself but I could tell they were going to be delicious. It's fun indulging in these simple pleasures and I rarely feel guilty knowing I'll eventually end up running it off!

1AM Push-Ups

2007-11-29T07:03:00.000-08:00

Day 9 with the boys home and the middle-of-the-night feedings are getting easier. For the two of them it takes about 30 minutes. 10 minutes to prep/warm bottles and get diapers changed, 5 minutes to eat, 5 minutes to burp and 10 minutes of sitting in bouncers to settle their stomachs before being tossed back in the pack'n'play. I've been taking advantage of the 10 minute bouncer time by doing reps of push-ups and crunches. I've been keeping with 3x30 push-ups and 3x20 crunches although I'm leaning towards getting back to my old push-up routine of 50-40-30-20, which takes a little longer but yields 140 push-ups vs 90. Leave it to me to squeeze in some strength training during such a time : )

After our 4AM feed this morning (which ended at 4:30), I headed to the gym for a 5AM 5-miler and some light weights (the only type of weights I lift). Total run time 33:36. I'm looking forward to going 18-miles on Saturday morning with my Team in Training group. I need to get reacquainted with my slow-twitch muscles.

Home Sweet Home

2007-11-26T12:01:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday November 20th, 2007 we brought Caden and Cole home from the hospital! I was able to capture on video our final moments in the hospital and their first time in their new home. We're still working out the bugs on how to best care for them as it's all so new and somewhat different than caring for a full-term baby. 'Constant vigilence' is the inside joke Teresa and I are using at this point (fans of The Office will understand). I may just Google "how to maintain a food processor" because that's pretty much all they are. Damn cute food processors!!

What I've learned so far?:

1. Make the most of every second of free time in your day
2. Newborns will eat your hand if you let them
3. They will also eat their own shirt
4. Diaper changes can be made into a game
5. Newborn cloths do not necessarily fit newborns

Jogging Stroller

2007-11-14T05:28:00.000-08:00

Seven miles at 5AM on Wednesday morning worked wonders to clear my head of all that's been clogging it up of late. I must've knocked out 2-3 of those miles at near 6-minute pace despite not having tempo or speed trained in 5-6 weeks. I'll take that as a good thing. If I can maintain 3-4 days of solid running per week, I may shoot for another sub-3 at Cleveland in the spring (wish me luck : )

Speaking of spring, my Team in Training friends hooked me up with an amazing jogging stroller to use next year. It recommends the babies be 6 months before jogging with them in it so the May/June timeframe will work out perfect. My goal is to wear out the tires in one season! Don't know if that's possible, but I'll try! My friend who owns Fleet Feet Northfield picked out the stroller and all I can say is that I owe him and everyone who chipped in on it a world of thanks. It will without question go a long way in enriching the lifes of Caden, Cole, Teresa and myself.

In It Together

2007-11-13T13:03:00.001-08:00

Caden will remain in the hospital for another few days. I guess he just didn't want to make Cole feel left behind. I know there's a good reason for them being in the hospital but it's that fact in itself that is of great concern to Teresa and I. Today is day 27 after all and it's hard to look past the next day or two as to when they will both be discharged. Our patience is being tested as is our ability to stay upbeat and optomistic. Who knows, in another hour or two (or after a good long run) I may be completely recharged and feeling better about all of this.

One to show them when they're older

One of my favorites of Cole

The Little Guy

2007-11-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

As of a half-hour ago, Caden will be discharged sometime this afternoon! Cole is still having some issues that will keep him in the hospital for another week or two. Again, nothing too serious, just a couple of things the doctors need to see resolved before he too gets the boot!

Caden has been the stronger of the two since day 1 (nearly 4 weeks ago) so it's not surprising to Mom and I that he's ready to go home first. It sounds silly to say this so early on in his life, but I'm so proud of him for how amazing a brother he's been of late with Cole not feeling good and being very dependent on Teresa and I. It's almost as if Caden senses the need for Cole to have most of our attention. I've seen this type of behavior in our dogs and am amazed that one can sense when the other is down.

This past month has been an incredible look into what lies in store for us as parents of twins.

Caden - Ready to go home!

Ryan Shay - Mile 26.3

2007-11-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

Tight marathon community touched by competitor's death

"Shay died trying to do his best, and there's little question that he will be the fourth member of the U.S. men's marathon team in Beijing -- absent but present in every stride his friends and former rivals take."

Day 7 - Rainbow 4

2007-10-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

The boys have moved to a stepdown area of the hospital, which is a big step for them and for Teresa and I. For them it means no more CPAPs, intubators, bright lights, etc. For us, it means peace of mind knowing they're one step closer to coming home. It may be another week or two but we now have the freedom to stay in the room with them overnight. I'll take my turn with them this weekend while Teresa gets some much needed rest in the comfort of her own bed.

Day 6 - Breathing Easy

2007-10-23T08:19:00.001-07:00

Caden and Cole are breathing easy as are Mom and Dad knowing that the boys CPAPs have been removed! This a result of good blood gas levels, normal respirations, etc. Teresa was at the hospital all afternoon and was able to hold each baby for an hour. By the time I arrived at 5:00 it was nearly feeding time and for the first time, they each received about 2 ml of Mom's milk. I was holding Cole as the milk went from a syringe through his feeding tube and into his belly and noticed the soothing effect it had on him as he was fast asleep within minutes. Cole has lost 300 g (0.66 lbs) since birth and will be put in an isolette to better regulate his temperature. This is so he doesn't have to expend the energy (i.e. calories) to regulate his own body temperature. Weight loss should not be an issue going forward as they're beginning to eat and are not having to work as hard to breathe.

Day 5 - Blue Lights

2007-10-22T08:53:00.001-07:00

We were told yesterday that the boys bilirubin levels were getting a little high and that they may require some phototherapy treatment for mild jaundice (yellowing of the skin). Sure enough, we walked in to the NICU and there they were, bathed in blue lights. We joked that they were tanning because they had little masks to cover their eyes. We were free to touch them but were unable to hold them again. The nurses had built Cole a little nest of blankets, in which he was perfectly cozy. Every now and then he would stretch both of his legs straight out and up in the air, which looked really funny from the side as all you could see was his legs. Caden always has to have one hand up at his face or above his face. Even yesterday when Teresa was holding him, he worked his hand out from under the tightly wrapped blankets and put it next to his mouth. Both boys are on minimal settings on their CPAP and will probably have their central lines pulled soon.

Day 4 - Mother's Touch

2007-10-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

We finally got to hold the boys today! Teresa was discharged around 3PM and after loading up the car with her stuff, we made one last trip to the NICU to see the boys and say goodbye for the day. It was going to be an emotional visit knowing that we'd have to leave the hospital without them. One of the nurses must've sensed what we were feeling and asked if we had held them yet and would like to before we left. For 30+ minutes, Teresa held Caden and I held Cole. We just kep looking at each other so relieved to finally be holding the little guys. Cole was extubated in the morning and is doing great on the CPAP.

Cole hanging loose in his incubator

Day 3 - Extubation

2007-10-22T08:20:00.001-07:00

Caden was extubated today while Cole continues to need a little more help. The doctors/nurses keep telling us how similar they're conditions are, except that Caden is about a day or so ahead of Cole. This is encouraging and gives us hope that with each step Caden takes, Cole isn't too far behind. The one thing that brings comfort to both Teresa and I is how comfortable they appear given all the wires and tubes leading to and from their little bodies. Cole was wide awake and looking around the room. Caden opens his eyes from time to time and makes us laugh as he ultimately ends up cross-eyes from not being able to focus. Each had a central line put in today for blood draws.

Day 2 - Intubation

2007-10-22T08:15:00.001-07:00

By the end of day 2, both boys had been intubated to further assist with their breathing. This is more of a "severe" measure but was necessary to assist them with their breathing. Caden, a tad bit smaller than Cole, is doing a little better than Cole and is on minimal settings (pressure and O2). Cole wasn't too far behind. It's possible that Caden will be extubated tomorrow given his progress. They are pulling blood samples from their feet, which is causing them to become bruised. They will continue pulling samples to check bilirubin levels (an indicator of jaundice in newborns) and blood gas levels (O2 and CO2) and may end up putting a central line through their belly buttons to obtain these samples easier and without continuing to irritate they're little feet.

Day 1 - Birthday

2007-10-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

Our twin baby boys were born on Wednesday October 17 at 10:40 and 10:41 AM. Cole was first into this world weighing in at 5 lbs on the nose. Caden was out shortly thereafter tipping the scales at 4 lbs 8 ozs. About 5-6 weeks premature, they were taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to be cared for, focusing primarily on helping them breathe since they're lungs had yet to fully develop. They were never in what you would think of as critical condition, but they got off to a rough start. Day 1 consisted of being put on a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) unit, which is essentially a respirator that supplies oxygen rich compressed air via a hose connected to a nose piece (a very tiny nose piece) so that unobstructed breathing is possible. It was an incredible day to say the least. Teresa is doing good considering everything that she has been through in the last couple of days, not to mention the previous 8 months!

Cole Grady Whittaker

Caden Noah Whittaker

Finish Line Photos

2007-10-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

Teresa and I had the funniest conversation last week. As I complained to her about how awful my finish line photo from Akron was going to be, she bounced me right back into reality by saying,

"Don't feel too bad. Imagine what my finish line photo is going to look like after having these babies!"

She always knows what to say to make me feel better. She even went as far as saying that if I held one of the babies she would signal "#1" with her free arm. So if you visit after the babies are born and see a picture of me finishing the Akron Marathon next to her post-delivery, you'll be "in" on the joke.

Turns out my finish line photo wasn't all that bad (sans elbow would have been better).

3:01:19

2007-10-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

...my official finish time for the Akron Marathon this past Saturday. I ran amazingly for 22 miles but really struggled during the final 4, which is, of course, when it counts the most. To be honest, I'm surprised to have come so close to another sub-3. To think that I ran a 2:57 in May and a 3:01 in September, all the while planning for the arrival of twins.

THE GOOD
- The weather was PERFECT! Low 50's at the start with not a cloud in the sky. 60's and sunny by 10AM. Sitting, sundrenched, in Canal Park watching for my friends was a highlight.
- Convenient, FREE parking. I drove up the morning of the race and had no problem with traffic or finding a parking space central to both the start and the finish.
- Final 16 miles were breathtaking (UofA campus, Ohio-Erie Canal Towpath, Sand Run, Stan Hywett Hall & Gardens)! The miles flew by (for the most part)!
- Six GU stations and plenty of water/aid stops. No need to carry anything with me at the start. Good, one less thing!
- Medal is hardcore!

THE BAD
- The finish inside of Canal Stadium was cool, but too much of a novelty in my opinion. I'd rather the finish be on the road where there's plenty of space and no stadium stairs to climb afterwards.
- Only one finish chute! I finished on the heels of two half marathoners and was forced to share the same finish chute with them, and therefore, the same finish line photo. How 'bout one chute for marathoners and one for half marathoners?
- Only two GU flavors (chocolate and vanilla). Vanilla worked fine once I knew Tri-Berry was not an option (should list flavor choices on the web page).

Throughout the course, I saw the name we will be giving to one of our sons multiple times. It showed up on two street signs and on a campaign sign placed in the yards of many houses along the course. I was inspired to say the least. Congratulations to Cathy, Dan, Athena, Elizabeth, Janet, Darryl, Matt, Sara, Debbie, Heather and Jody. Also, congrats and thank you to Nick for pacing with me for 12+ miles.

Seeing Pink

2007-09-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

I was happy I was able to make it to this years Race for the Cure held in downtown Cleveland. When it comes to running, I have found motivation pretty easy to come by over the years, but there's nothing like being a part of such a massive event that means so much to hundreds, even thousands!

Props to race organizers for making the event a successful one despite the need to make a last-minute course change due to ODOT restricting the use of one of the bridges on the planned course. Turns out the alternate course was a little short of 3.1 miles as everyone who crossed the finish line marveled at their record time (including me). Even so, I felt good about my race given the absence of mile markers and a water stop. Since adding regular tempo runs to my marathon training regime, blasting through a 5K has become a lot more enjoyable and seemingly less gruelling. Perhaps I'm realizing the benefits of getting older and becoming more of a seasoned runner ; )

800's in my sleep!

2007-09-11T10:53:00.000-07:00

When 8x800 is on the menu for a Tuesday morning at 5AM, it practically feels like I'm doing them in my sleep. Truthfully, it's a rough wake up call to say the least. I had a great workout though and am feeling confident about my ability to go out and run the Akron Marathon hard. My final Yasso 800 workout is always a good gauge as to where I'm at relative to where I've been in the past. Surprisingly, I knocked off these 800's faster than I did prior to Cleveland.

Total Time: 1:00:33
Total Distance: 9.1 miles
Average Pace: 6:39
2-Mile Warm Up: 7:10, 6:42
8x800 (3-minute send-offs): 2:48:35, 2:44:40, 2:48:87, 2:49:64, 2:48:20, 2:46:84, 2:44:85, 2:43:56

I wore my new shoes again (with band-aids and longer socks for protection). The wounds are almost completely heeled.

Nursery Mural - In process

3-Day Weekends Rule

2007-09-04T07:57:00.001-07:00

There's nothing like a 3-day weekend and Labor Day weekend is perhaps the best of them all. The weather is great, there's always a picnic or two to attend, etc. With four weeks to go before Akron, I ran 10-miles at planned marathon pace on Saturday morning followed by a 20-miler on Sunday. After my run on Saturday I drove down to Fleet Feet for a shoe clinic, at which time I picked up some New Balance 902's. I was eager to wear them because I've been running in shoes that I bought last November (or older). Instead of waiting for my shorter weekday runs, I decided to wear them for my long run. This isn't the first time I've broken in a pair of shoes on a long run but I've had better luck in the past. About 5 miles in, I felt some discomfort on the front of my ankle and realized it was due to the tongues of my shoes rubbing against my skin. There wasn't much I could do at this point so I pressed on, feeling the pain only when I stopped for water. In the end, I had dime-sized "sores" on each ankle and was dreading getting home and into the shower (this is always when it hurts most). In hindsight, I probably could have adjusted my laces to position the tongue differently. Aside from this, I love the shoes. First and foremost, they're orange (enough said). Secondly, they have a snug heel, a nicely wrapped arch area and plenty of room in the forefoot.

The balance of my weekend was great. I did some work in the yard and around the house, including installation of chair rail in the babies room. Teresa and I went to two Labor Day picnics and watched two good movies (The Shooter and Wild Hogs). Wild Hogs had Teresa rolling and nearly made me spit up my drink.

Lunar Eclipse of the Heart

2007-08-28T05:19:00.000-07:00

I thought for sure I'd miss the lunar eclipse last night only because I assumed it would take place between midnight and 4AM. But to my surprise, it was just starting at about 4:30 when I woke up to head out for my morning run. I took notice of it as we started our 2-mile warmup to North Olmsted's track. The top of the moon looked partially covered (almost like cloud cover at this point). We launched into our track workout by 5:15 and near the end of the first 400, the top of the moon was "disappearing". Three 600's and two 800's later, only a tiny sliver at the bottom was white. The rest of the moon was now a shade of red. Really, what a cool way to watch an eclipse. I ran the final 400 in 70 seconds, which I thought was good considering the time of day and having no one to pace with. Cooled down with the short run back to my car.

An Update, Finally!

2007-08-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

I've got a handful of things to report on since my last post 2+ weeks ago.

1. On August 8th at 6:46AM, my brother and his wife became the proud parents of a baby girl (Hannah Grace). She was 7 lbs, 14 oz and 20" long.
2. Painting commences in the twins room on August 8th (before and after pictures to come).
3. Officially registered for the Akron Marathon on September 29th.
4. Fairport Lighthouse Triathlon was a blast! Slow swim, decent bike, smokin' run.
5. FCK safe and sound in Arizona. His going away party was great!
6. First Team In Training group run this past Saturday followed by a pancake breakfast.

Delivering Bad News

2007-07-27T06:35:00.001-07:00

I had the bismal task of delivering bad news to someone while at work today. No fun. Especially when it weighs solely on your shoulder. Uugh! That silence... those awkward moments of bitter disappointment eminating from across the table... my futile attempt to say a few words to bring a ray of sunlight upon the situation. I feel I handled it very well and having done so, I should be more at ease the next time around.

I'm really excited about the sprint triathlon in my hometown this weekend. I know Fairport Harbor like the back of my hand and it will be so much fun to experience it in a slightly different light. This race is the 15th annual, which means that it started while I was still in high school. I can't begin to imagine what I was busy doing on those Sunday mornings back in '93, '94 and '95 while a gathering of triathletes were racing around in my "backyard". Sleeping is my best guess. Kinda makes me appreciate how far I've come since being a punky littly high schooler.