Hallelujah, What a day!!!

I had hoped for cool weather, and that's exactly what we had - in the forties all day; cold and windy at the end but just about perfect.

It is one tough run!  I took 6 Ibuprophins at the start (and 4 more after 3 1/2 hours), concerned about the pain of my knee.  A friend, Jim, said he would join me at the halfway point, and he jumped in right on schedule.  Up till that point I was doing well, but a little slower than I had expected.  Two miles after he joined me, I was already as far as I had ever run - 15 miles.  By the time I hit Heartbreak Hill, I had to walk every once in a while.  There simply was no option.  At first walking was hard on me emotionally - particularly since I was running with fresh Jim; but after a bit, I got used to interspersing some walking - and Jim was a great partner.  

(These two pictures are from the beginning of the Heartbreak Hill series of hills.)

  

 They say that the real halfway mark is not at mile 13, but rather not untill you  are done with Heartbreak Hill.  It sounds crazy, but I can say

 it's true.  The last 6 miles of the race feel eternally long.  The last 3 miles feel like 10 miles, and the last few hundres yards seemed like running the wrong way on one of those moving airport sidewalks.  Every time I looked up the finish line looked the exact same distance away.

I am so thankful - and honestly surprised - that God afforded me the opportunity to run.  It seemed so clear that my body was too injured during my preparations.  The weather cooperated wonderfully; it began to rain a few hours later, and poured cold rain all evening - wow, that would have been impossible - 30 mile winds and pouring rain.

After the "race" I hobbled with my wife and youngest son to the Orange Line "T" and headed home.  I am more sore "the morning after" than I've ever been, yet I have accomplished one of my most difficult goals.  I raised over $3,000 for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and I completed the Boston Marathon (29 years after my last - 3 mile race) at 50 years old!

I am very thankful to many people who supported MSPCC and encouraged and prayed for me.  THANK YOU!

Tommy G

Get Read, Get Set ....

After my run on Monday my knee was hurting enough to cause me serious concern.  On Tuesday I was really questioning whether running might be a serious mistake.  (I'm willing to pay some short-term prices to complete the Marathon, but I don't want to do long-term damage.)  So, I contacted a Boston Sports medicine clinic and set up an appointment for Wednesday.  This was a big step for me because I hate to take the time and spend the money to go to doctors.

I was pretty confident that the prognosis would not be good.  I was preparing myself to the eventuality of considering whether I might want to try next year.  I had even received assurance that my fund raising could probably be applied to next year - and that I could postpone the run if medically necessary.  To my surprise, however, I received confirmation that my own general diagnosis over the past month had been correct, that the pain I have been experiencing is most probably Patellofemoral Syndrome - soreness under or around the knee cap.  

The prognosis: I will experience a good amount of pain, but should not cause myself long-term damage.

The good news:  I get to run in the Boston Marathon in 3 days!

The bad news:  I have to run the Boston Marathon in 3 days.

I am planning to go to Hynes auditorium later today to pick up my official bib number and starters pack.  

If you would like to track my progress on race day, you can go to   http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/113thMarathon.asp  and find the appropriate place to enter my bib number: 22652, and I believe you will be able to see where I am in the process.  Please pray for me if you can!!!

One Week to go and still Weak

7 Days till the Boston Marathon.  Wow, I would like 3 more months to prepare.

I've glanced back through some of my blogs, and I see I have really been facing a number of injuries and questions along the way.  It seems the mental battle has been the most challenging part of the training.  I didn't imagine this blog would be a whine-fest, but it has recounted a fair amount of difficulties.

Unfortunately this entry isn't any different.  My left knee has continued to irritate me.  I am sore on the inside of my knee cap.  It seems to me to be "Patellofemoral Syndrome."  Last week I only ran three miles - and my knee was significantly hurting.  So, I cross-trained with the elliptical machine 60-90 minutes a pop - including some pretty good hills, but not actual street pounding for the rest of the week.  I also started to ice my knee twice a day, and take Ibuprofen.  Today, I ran another 3 miles - and again felt some pain - not unbearable, but real nonetheless.  

My plan was to decide today whether I thought I could go for it or it not.  If I don't think I can complete the race, I think I would rather not run.  So, my hope was the decision would be clear and easy - I would either be pretty well healed up and go for it, or not and not.  However, as is often the case in life, the decision isn't so clear.  I am not all healed up, but I "feel" like I might be able to make it.

So ... I think I am going to go for it.  I will not run again between now and then (a very scary idea), and I will only do some very light elliptical training this week - no hills.  I will continue to ice my knees and take Ibuprofen.  I don't think I will use any kind of knee brace - as I have not seen any indication that they would be helpful.  I am possibly going to use some soul inserts, though.  It seems that part of the problem might be caused by over-pronation.  This is most commonly a problem for flat footed people, yet I have fairly high arches.  So, inserts may help to spread out the pressure of the continued pounding of 26.2 miles.

I don't know if I will be able to make - it doesn't look real good.  But, at this point things to don't seem clear enough for me to bag it.  If you've read this far, and it's not April 20th yet, please pray for me:  

1.  That I would be wise in the management of my body in this thing, and 

2. that God would allow me to accomplish this challenge

3 Weeks To Go

I am now three weeks away from the big day.  Some great news is that I made my fund raising goal three days before the deadline!

My knee has been feeling a bit better.  But, it's not all the way there.  Last week I ran 3 miles on Tuesday, 6 miles on Thursday and 9 miles on Sunday.  At the end of the 9 miles my knee was hurting.  I just felt like I had to run some kind of distance.  I generally felt pretty good, but I am concerned - 9 miles is only 1/3 of the way there.

But, now my goal is to heal up.  So, I am going to be wise with my tapering from here on out.  I think my situation is fairly common for first timers, but somewhat disconcerting nonetheless.  Everything I've read describes just how I feel.  I want one more long run - like 18 miles.  But, to try to push for such a thing would be foolish.  No matter what I "want" running wisdom says to begin to taper off and heal up.  So, that is what I intend to do.

Today I planned to do a short run and some elliptical work.  My knee was hurting right away, so I went home and did an hour on the machine.

If you are reading this blog before April 20th, please pray for my knee (and my other joints for that matter) to heal up.  I'd REALLY like to be able to finish this thing!  I would appreciate your intercession on my behalf.

Humbly -humbly - humbly pressing toward the goal with your help,

Tom

Cross Training - Isn't this kind of late?

So, my last long run of 15 ended up straining my knee. I think I built up a little too much for my own good. It wasn't the 15 miles alone that did it. It was a 12, at 10 and a 15 all within too short of time, and all including hills. I guess I should have known better. However, I felt strong every time!

Anyway, I am in a bit of trouble. I've done some elliptical work - with no pain, but I don't seem to be able to run worth a bean. I ran a 3 miler on Wednesday - through a some very minor pain. Then I did some more cross training, and I received some prayer for my knee on Saturday that felt great. I did another 3 miler on Sunday afternoon - hardly any pain. I kept it short on Sunday, so I could possibly do a more sizable run (hoping for 9) on Monday. When I went out on Monday, however, I couldn't even make 1 mile without pretty significant hurt - so I walked home.

This week I am only going to do cross training. The elliptical doesn't seem to aggravate the injury at all - I don't understand it, but I am going to go with it. I had hoped to get a long run of at least 18 miles in a few weeks before the marathon. At this point, however, I might be wiser to make sure that I can heal up well. I am not sure. I want to be careful, but I still need to build new levels of endurance and strength. This is causing some anxiety. But hey, this is all part of the marathon challenge.

I believe I can do this thing. I am learning to really enjoy running. Yet, I am anxious as to whether I can both nurse my knee and build strength at the same time.

A Beautiful Day Calls for a Long Run - oops!

On Sunday afternoon the weather was simply awesome! The next few days were supposed to be rainy and snowy and nasty. So ... I decided to go for another long run. Now, I don't usually run in the afternoons. And, I don't know if I have ever run on a Sunday afternoon - so, this was unusual for me. After standing up all morning, playing guitar and preaching, my legs tend to be shot - but, I wanted to go for it.

So, I strapped on my long run gear ... shorts, shoes, under armor, hat, sun screen (check); running watch, heart monitor, water bottles, three gue packets (these are part of the new check list, check). I didn't have time to plan a new route, so I headed for route 9 again and ran to and past 128. I ran about a mile and a half further out route 9 than I had before, and I felt generally great. When returning, about 4 miles from home (on a 15 mile run), I started to feel some discomfort in my left knee. This was a little different than I have felt before. It was kind of under the knee cap, on the inside. I didn't know if it was serious or not, but I had 4 miles to go, so I ran carefully home. I felt worn, but pretty good when I got home.

The next day I went to run a short run, and I could only go 1/4 mile without significant pain. I guess I strained something, or bruised my patella or my meniscus. This is common, but not good for marathon trainers (particularly for newbies). Now, I need to figure out how to nurse my knee, while continuing to train my body.

Help!

A very small glimmer of light

I went away for a few days to a conference this week.  The conference was good and very refreshing to my soul, but it meant that I had to miss a couple of days of training.  So, when I got back in the afternoon I squeezed in a 6 mile run.  I am not usually an afternoon runner, so I generally don't feel to good when I run at that time.

The run started slowly.  My ankle was hurting, and I had not felt any of this on my run out to 128 last week - so, that was a little discouraging.  I was dragging at about 4.5 miles, but it was an afternoon run.

Then I thought I'd stretch it out a bit.  I didn't particularly feel like it, but I thought is would be a good idea.  And something happened.  It was like a burst of energy filled me - and I powered it for the next mile and a half - to my pleasant surprise.  I don't think I have ever experienced this kind of feeling before.  I began to close on couple of people who had passed me along the way, and soon I was motoring by them without even really trying to do so.  I don't know what this was, but I enjoyed it.  It was a small glimmer of hope - amidst the mystery of this training season.

New Training Efforts - Humbled, but Hopeful

Since I couldn't do my big run, and I couldn't do any hard training for a while, I needed to come up with some creative alternatives.  First, I worked my way into more Elliptical training, taking it easy enough, but exercising nonetheless.

I have found that I get a really good workout on the Elliptical machine.  I am very glad I picked up this piece of equipment.

Yesterday I went after a new running course.  A friend from our church who is also training recommended that I try running along route 9, so I gave it a try.  

It was a warm Friday morning - perfect weather for a run.  However, if I was going to go for it, I would have to rearrange my schedule and cancel a couple of appointments.  I felt I had to do it - so I did, and everything worked out.  I ran from my house out to route 128 and back!  I wore my training belt with water battles on it (that my wife gave me for Valentines day) and I even ate some "gue" gel  packs every 45 minutes.  The run, over many hills was generally a delight.  It was long and draining, but I felt surprisingly good through most of it.

I got home and felt very proud of myself.  The I remembered this wasn't even half the length of the Marathon.  So, I remain humbled, but hopeful in the whole process.

Pressing Through the Unforseen Challenges

Well ... the surgery was a bit more than I thought.  It ended up requiring 20 stitches, and the doctor said I could not run in my 16 mile training event.  He said that I needed to do no strenuous exercise for a week and a half.  When I pressed him on this he said that if I ran, the increased blood pressure would likely pop my stitches, and they'd end up dragging me off the course.

So, not only did I not get to run my "Meeting before the Meeting," I have been set back in my training.  This is not good.  How often life seems to throw these curve balls our way.

I will do my best to regroup, but I am not sure just how yet.

The Big Race Before the Big Race

Often in Leadership materials people will talk about the importance of the meeting before the meeting.  They are referring to the value of meeting with key people before presenting them with a new idea or plan.  Well, I am looking at an upcoming preparation run as my meeting before the meeting.

This Saturday I am scheduled to run the last 16 miles of the Boston Marathon course with other charity runners as a kind of preparation run.  They will have some port-o-potties set up along the course and have a few water stations appropriately situated, too.  

This will be a huge challenge for me.  I don't know if I can make 16 miles at this point.  At mile 10 heart break hill/s will begin.  If I can, I feel like I will be golden - I am seriously on track in my training.  If I can't make it, I will be devastated.  There is no middle ground on this one.  If I don't make it, I will have to really adjust my training plans.  But, I am looking forward to it.

I have an additional challenge in the mix.  I am scheduled for some minor surgery tomorrow.  I will have some basil cell carcinoma removed from my right cheek.  I don't think it will be very serious, and I hope it won't hinder my run too much.

Winter Training

This has been quite a start to the winter.  Boston has had its full share of snow, and we are only two thirds of the way through January.  It's been snowy and cold - so the snow hasremained on the ground more than usual.  

Running on streets just doesn't seem worth it - too much work navigating ice, cars, plowed and unplowed surfaces.  I generally run around the pond (even a higher percentage than usual) when I run at all.  

I purchased an elliptical machine through Craig's List.  I got a really basic one for $30 to see if I even liked the work out.  And, what do you know?  I did like it.  So, I negociated with another woman in Weymouth for a good, solid machine at a great price.  Brenda and I had a wonderful time meeting this woman (teacher) and her husband and two girls.

So, I've been learning to work out a good bit on an elliptical machine.  It seems to have the potential to build leg strength for hills because you can set its difficulty.  It really seems to give me a good workout.  The muscles being worked are a little different from running, so it is a good cross-training, but I still need to run when I can.  However, it can be hard to motivate to run in the cold, on packed, plowed snow.   It's a little slippery.  My runs in these condtions are usually about 4.5 miles long.

Meet my running partner, "Amber."  

She enjoys "the process" much more than I do.  She doesn't seem to have very stringent training goals, however, other than to do it every single day, as many times a day as possible!  I don't know what she is thinking.

A Long Run

At this point in my training I need to make decisions; do I build strength for hills, or do I build distance?  Weather, time, strength, knees and ankles are the main actors that I consider.

The weather was pretty good.  I didn't really have the time I felt I needed; I had plans with my wife.  But Brenda said, "Go for how ever long you want - I know you don't have many opportunities."  So, I went out not knowing for sure how far I would go.  

After about 2 miles, I decided I would make this a long run.  I was going to go for 15 miles, but I didn't know if I could make it - I'd never run that far before.  The first 6 miles were with my dog, but that's about all that she wants to go.  So, when I dropper her at home I took about 4 swigs of Gator Aid and kept running.

This day 15 miles would mean 10 laps around Jamaica Pond + a little more.  It takes a long time to run long distances.  There are points when I felt good, and points when I was bored, and points when I was kind of hurting - but things were going well till about 11 miles.  Then my body stops wanting to do this.  I think it's partially because I haven't yet developed a good hydration or energy boosting plan.  After the 6 mile mark, I generally don't drink, and I seem to hit a kind of wall at around 12 miles.

The goal of 15 miles, however, helped me press through and prevail through the challenges.  I made it!  One very small step for mankind, but one huge one for me.  When I stop, I had nothing left - it was very difficult to walk home.  But, I recovered remarkably quickly.