Cleveland Marathon Pictures

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

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

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

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

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%

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

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

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

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

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

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

The bottles are ready

Hump Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...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

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!

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

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

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!

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

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.

Back on Track

I had the most consistent week of training since before the Cleveland Marathon way back in May. Started with a 17 mile trail run last Sunday. Hit the track for some speed work on Tuesday. An easy 4 on Wednesday. 40 minutes of tempo running on Thursday. 8 miles at marathon pace on Saturday and 20 miles yesterday.

I haven't lost any speed on the track and was happy with the final 3 miles of my 20-miler, of which I finished in 20:44 (6:55 pace). In preparation for Akron, I'm going to strength train my quads and hams more than usual and place an emphasis on long runs of at least 22 miles. I normally do not run 20 this far out from the race but I'm making a conscious effort to bump up my weekly mileage, which will probably also mean warming up and cooling down longer during speed work and tempo runs.

I'm registered for a sprint distance triathlon this weekend in my hometown of Fairport Harbor. I'm really excited because the swim is only 1/4-mile! I may have a chance of exiting the water with other triathletes and not all by my lonesome! Should be a blast!

It's About Time

So my local blog friends are already in "the know" but for the rest of ya's, I'm happy to report that my wife and I are expecting twin baby boys later this year. My thoughts are quickly becoming consumed with the "boys" and they will no doubt begin to pour over into my blog entries between now and the time they are born. An attempt to put into words how I'm feeling would be futile (although I bought a real nice leather-bound journal to try). Let's just say that I'm super friggin' pumped. I keep picturing myself playing baseball with them or teaching them the run-n-shoot offense. I mean, just think of how much practice they can get running the option together (I once spent 2 straight hours with a teammate doing aforementioned exercise)! Of course there's more to life than sports and I'm equally excited to help mold the little fellas into proper men. Teresa shares in my excitement and is holding up considerably well. A few rough days here and there (not to mention a lot of indigestion/heartburn) is all that she's encountered so far. Although the most high risk part of the pregnancy is behind us, the most difficult part is still to come. Teresa's belly is seemingly growing by the minute and she looks so cute in her maternity clothes. I've already got my eye on a twin jogging stroller and should be able to get them out and running next summer when they're old enough to hold their heads up.

We're still struggling with name ideas so feel free to share your thoughts. Naming twins is always a fun thing to do, but I should warn you that we've already been through the whole array of comical names... Abbot and Castello, Brooks and Dunn, Turner and Hooch, Cagney and Lacey, etc.

Da' Weekend

Despite the fact that Teresa works all weekend (boo!), I'm hoping to enjoy what is going to be another hot couple of days! Tonight I'm going to see one of my good high school buddies who is in town from North Carolina and am hoping for an early night given that I'm planning to head into my hometown of Fairport Harbor tomorrow morning for a swim/bike brick workout. I'll run on Sunday morning and am thinking of going long (18+ miles). I've been in somewhat of a running funk of late and need a jump start to kick off my fall marathon training.

Speaking of fall marathons, I'm deciding between the Erie Marathon (at Presque Isle) or the Akron Marathon. Both are in September and both have good reputations. Akron is much larger and the course is more difficult. It's also more expensive. Hmmm, something small might be nice. But then again, a free pair of Brooks running shoes would be waiting for me at the finish line of the Akron Marathon. Decisions, decisions!

Alaska Pics

A Major Award

I received in the mail yesterday an award for placing third in my age division at this years Cleveland Marathon. I think I'll go to a trophy place and have it engraved with the date, my finish time, etc.

I'm searching for a shelf/hanger for my running medals and various awards I've received over the past 5 years. Anyone have some thoughts.

2007 Mayor's Marathon

I'm just now getting back into the swing of things after returning home from Alaska on Monday morning. In short, everyone from the Northern Ohio Team In Training chapter finished their event on what was an ideal day for running/walking. I spent the day on the marathon course assisting my peeps and anyone else in need. In all, I covered about 36 miles in 8-1/2 hours (some walking, most running). Needless to say, I slept good that night (despite the "midnight sun). I've got a ton of pics to get into my computer and a few that actually require developing. I'll try and get a few posted in the next day or two.

I ran this morning for the first time since Saturday and felt good... 3-miles at about 6:30 pace.