The Heat is Back in a Big Way

As of Friday, the stifling heat and humidity had made a comeback. From Sunday through half of Thursday, it was unseasonably cool and dry outside. The highs on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were only in the upper 70s. By Thursday afternoon, it had started to warm back up and become more humid. On Friday, it was like a steam bath outside. I went out and did my tempo run on Friday night, and I could not believe how muggy it was outside. I left a little later than 8:00pm, and after only running a half mile, my shirt was soaked with sweat. I got through the 8-mile run okay, but I can't believe how much I was sweating. It was running off me like a faucet. When I finished running, I wrung out my shorts three times. I took off my shirt and hung it over a chair as I stretched, and there was literally a puddle of sweat on the floor under my shirt within a few minutes. Mind you, this was after I had already wrung a torrent of sweat out of it prior to taking it off! I plan to rise early on Sunday to try and get my 17-mile long run in before the heat becomes too oppressive.

Thirty-Five Years Young or Just Immature?

I turned thirty-five on Friday. Thirty-five! I know that thirty-five isn't old, but I just can't believe that it's been seventeen years since I was eighteen. I remember turning eighteen years old on the first day of classes my freshman year at Penn State. When I think back, it really doesn't seem all that long ago. I have lived almost that same complement of years again since that time. It just doesn't seem possible. Where have the years gone?

I remember being in high school and my parents and other adults used to tell me not to wish the years away because as you get older, they just tend to fly by at an unbelievable rate. It's not that I didn't believe them, but I just couldn't appreciate what they were talking about as I hadn't experienced it. I was young and had my whole life ahead of me. Now I realize that they were 100% correct. The older that I get, the faster that the time seems to slip away from me. One of my theories for this uneven passage of time is that when you're in elementary and high school, you are always excited for that next birthday or being old enough to drive, etc. Because you are waiting and hoping for time to pass quickly, it seems to go more slowly. Plus, you have Christmas vacation and the summer off from school along with other breaks that act as natural time dividers. This segmenting of your life makes things seem to progress more slowly. Even in college, you have Christmas break, Spring Break, and summer break to mark natural transitional periods. Once you get out into the working world, your daily life is pretty much the same routine day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Because there is very little change, there is nothing to act as a transition point in your life. This causes time to just zip by alarmingly fast. Before you know it, a few years have passed and you think - wow, what happened to the last three years?

Don't get me wrong - being thirty-five doesn't bother me, I just can't believe that's how old that I am. I don't feel thirty-five (except for some mornings when I roll out of bed after a tough workout), and I definitely don't act thirty-five, but I guess that immaturity has no effect on your actual age.

I guess the one thing that does bother me is that there is so much that I want to do and experience in life, and I am starting to realize that I had better start doing it; and soon. That is one of the reasons that I took my Dad to Canada on that train trip earlier this year. It's something that I've been wanting to do for several years and I knew that I just needed to make it happen before yet another year slipped away. I have been telling my wife that we need to start taking some trips aside from going to Disney or the beach. I want to see Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and I want to go to South Africa and get lowered down in a cage in the midst of Great White Sharks. The longer that we wait to do the things that we really want to in life, the less likely that we are to ever do them. Getting older makes me realize that life is a finite thing and no one knows when it will come to an abrupt end. I don't want to leave this world with any regrets. I don't fear death at all, but I do fear not living life to its fullest.

I hope that this entry doesn't sound depressing; it wasn't meant to at all. I don't feel depressed as I write it. I just feel more motivated to experience and appreciate life. I think that is a good thing.

First Physical Ailment of the Campaign

I now have my first physical malady of my Fall marathon training, and it didn't even come from running! Every Thursday night over the summer - usually from June until mid-September - I play volleyball at my friend's place down by the mighty Susquehanna River. He has a sand volleyball court at his cabin. It's mostly friends from high school, and none of us are accomplished players. It's just for fun and a little friendly competition. This past Thursday, I dove for a ball with my left arm extended and landed hard on my left side on a packed down patch of sand. Ouch! It knocked the wind out of me for a second, and my first thought was that I may have cracked a rib. I got up and immediately starting take deep breaths to see if I was capable of doing so. I didn't have any piercing pain, but the area was sore the rest of the night. It bothered me off and on Friday night when I was running, and it is really sore today. I think that I just bruised a rib and that should heal in a short time. It's just a little uncomfortable. I just thought that it was kind of funny that I hurt myself while playing volleyball and not while I was running. It just goes to show that you need to be careful what you do when you get old.

Good Start to the Week

Tonight's speed session went way, way better than last week's did. I ran 6x800m, and I was able to hit my target pace on each repeat. It felt good to start my training week with a productive workout. Now I am that much more convinced that my struggles last week were carryover effects of my pushing too hard the previous week; running three days in a row and barely making it through my long run.

Monday was an off day as planned, and I was going to hit the track and run on Tuesday night, but the truth is that I was just way too lazy. I was in bed and watching TV by about 7:00pm and ended up falling asleep about 9:00pm. I was exhausted and needed the sleep. I have been putting in a lot of hours at work and there has been a lot going on, so it has been more stressful than usual. We had an FDA inspection last week, which went great (no 483 observations), but was stressful nonetheless. I led the tour through my area and had to speak a little about our manufacturing process. I really wasn't nervous, and everything went just fine, but there was still a high level of tension in the plant. I am also having a few personnel issues, which are never fun to deal with, but they do need to be handled directly and appropriately.

The other reason that I didn't run on Tuesday was that it was pouring rain outside. It started to rain on Sunday afternoon and didn't stop completely until Wednesday morning. The nice thing is that the rain brought in a cold front. This front has cooled things down significantly. The high today was only about 68 degrees, with highs in the lower to mid 60s on Monday and Tuesday. It was only about 66 when I went over to the track at around 7:30pm tonight. There was also a nice breeze blowing which helped me to cool down after my workout.

Tonight's run was a promising start to the week. I am hopeful that my other two workouts will yield similar results.

Week 6 of Marathon Training 8/13 - 8/19

The after effects of last Sunday's nightmarish run carried over into this week's training. I took Monday off as planned and considered running on Tuesday, but my legs still felt pretty tight and weak so I took Tuesday off as well thinking that an extra day off from running might be wise.

I went over to the track on Wednesday for my speed session and almost didn't make it through the workout. After warming up, I started off with two 1200m repeats. I was able to run the first at the target pace, but really dropped off on the second 1200. Next, I moved on to four 800m repeats. On the first one, I had to stop after the first lap and recover myself before running the second lap to finish the 800m. At that point, I really wanted to just pack it in and go home. I had to talk myself into staying and finishing the workout. I was exhausted and disgusted. I could run about a half a lap before my legs would start feeling like rubber. I made it through the workout, but I wasn't able to hit my target pace for any of my 800m repeats.

On Thursday, I played volleyball and I noticed that my legs still didn't seem to have the jump and the snap that they normally do. On Friday, I headed out for my 5-mile tempo run. I usually like to wait until evening to run when it's hot outside, but I wasn't able to do that because we had company coming over at 7:00pm. I left the house at around 4:30pm for my run. It was warm and humid, and I felt pretty crappy at the outset of the run. The sun was really pounding on me, and I felt hot and still slightly fatigued. I still was able to run way better than I had on Wednesday although I didn't hit my target pace for most of the miles.

I got up this morning and capped off my week with a 15-mile long run. It was cool and overcast outside and the lack of stifling humidity was very refreshing. I ran fairly well and felt about 200% better than I did last Sunday on my 14-miler. My legs did start to tighten up slightly at the end, but nothing too out of the ordinary. I was able to finish the run at a fairly strong pace and still felt good. After three consecutive subpar workouts, it was nice to finish off the week with a run that felt productive.

Wed 8/15: Speed Work 2x1200m, 4x800m
Fri 8/17: 5-mile tempo run (5 miles at mid tempo pace)
Sun 8/19: 15 mile long run

Week 5 of Marathon Training 8/6 - 8/12

Aside from the fact that I had to squeeze all three of my training runs into a three-day span, and that my long run turned out to be brutal, I am pleased with the results that I obtained from the week's training. During my speed session, I hit my pace targets for my 1-mile repeats dead on, and I really smoked through my tempo run - running slightly ahead of my target pace. Even with how I suffered on my long run, I still ran a pretty respectable pace considering all of the circumstances.

Thursday 8/9: 40-minute weight workout
Friday 8/10: Speed Work 3x1600m
Saturday 8/11: 6-mile tempo run (2 miles easy, 3 miles at short tempo pace, 1 mile easy)
Sunday 8/12: 14 mile long run

Training, Interrupted

I had a challenging week of training last week. After running three out of the last four days the previous week, Monday was a planned rest day. While I was at work on Monday, my nose starting running, my throat was sore, and I began coughing. This oncoming illness probably began the day before, as my throat felt dry and raw when I woke up on Sunday morning. Well, throughout the day on Monday, my condition worsened. I went home and fell asleep at 8:00pm. When the alarm sounded on Tuesday morning, I felt like a truck had slammed into me; and I'm talking about a tractor-trailer, not just an ordinary old pickup truck.

I stayed home from work on Tuesday, slept until noon, and then spent the rest of the day just lounging around the house. I felt slightly better on Wednesday morning and went to work. Even though my chest was still very congested and I was coughing vigorously, I probably would have attempted a run on Wednesday night if it hadn't been 98 degrees outside with a heat index close to 110 degrees. I just didn't think that it was wise to run given the combination of circumstances. I went down to the river to play volleyball on Thursday evening, but it was pouring down rain and we didn't play. Again, I could have gone home to run, but didn't know if it was a good idea to run through a deluge while still dealing with a chest cold.

Suddenly it was Friday, and I still had all three of my runs to do for the week. I did my speed work at the track on Friday evening, blasted through my tempo run on Saturday evening, and left the 14-mile long run for Sunday.

It was close to 90 degrees again on Sunday, so I waited until 6:00pm to leave for my run. For the 14 miles, I planned to run a six-mile loop, a five-mile loop, and then finish up with a three-mile loop. I felt really good during the first six miles, came home, changed out my Fuel Belt bottles, and headed back out for the next loop. I still felt really good for the next four miles. During the last mile of the five-mile loop, I noticed that I was starting to tire noticeably. I returned home, used the bathroom quickly, dropped off some unnecessary items, and left to finish up my run. By that time, I had run about 11.2 miles, so I only had 2.8 to go. Let me tell you, I think that was the longest 2.8 miles of my entire life! I felt absolutely horrible. I don't know if it was running three days in a row, my lingering chest cold, the heat, dehydration, or the more likely combination of all those factors, but I struggled mightily to finish. I did make it through the run - barely, as I began cramping just as I was crossing over the 14-mile threshold. It took me a full hour and a half to realize any recovery whatsoever after the run ended. I was so tired that my jaws were too tired to eat until a few hours later. I don't ever remember feeling that badly after a run; not even after marathons that haven't gone well.

I learned an important lesson from last week's training. I will not be running three days in a row again; it just takes too much of a toll on my body. Sometimes my schedule necessitates running two days in a row, but I will try to ensure that one of those two runs is not my long run for the week. At this point, I'm just glad that I was able to complete all of my training runs for last week without hurting myself.

Week 4 of Marathon Training 7/30 - 8/5

Even though I was busy with work and some other things that I had going on, I managed to get all three of my runs completed this week along with a really good gym workout. As mentioned in my last post, I ended up shortening my 20-mile long run to a 12-miler as I've decided to change up my long run schedule for the remainder of marathon training. Overall, I had a pretty good week of training.

Thursday 8/2: 6-mile tempo run (1 mile easy, 4 miles at mid tempo pace, 1 mile easy)
Friday 8/3: 35-minute weight workout, 18 minute walk on treadmill
Saturday 8/4: Speed Work 5x1000m
Sunday 8/5: 12 mile long run

Reassessment of Marathon Training Plan

Today I was forced to reassess my marathon training plan. In an earlier post, I talked about how tough it was going to be for me to be able to keep up with the much more aggressive long run schedule of the newly revised FIRST training plan. That earlier concern transformed into harsh realization today. I was supposed to do a 20-miler today in Week 4 of marathon training. Due to some scheduling conflicts this week, I didn't do my speed work until Saturday which didn't allow me any rest before my long run. My legs felt heavy from the start and after struggling through ten miles with dead legs, I decided that I needed to reassess my training plan.

Back in 2004 when I got the stress fracture in my foot, it came from too much running on tired and overused muscles. When the muscles become overly stressed, they can't absorb the shock and strain of running and more of that force gets applied to joints and connective tissues. In time, this can only lead to one thing - overuse injuries. During my run today, I could sense that I was headed down that same path as three summers ago when I lost four months of running and a marathon season to an injury. I don't want to repeat that mistake.

I've decided that I'll stick with the speed work and tempo run schedule from the new FIRST training program. I'm doing well with it, and I am already seeing some measurable speed and pace increases. For my long runs, I'll go back to the original FIRST training plan that I used in the past. Just to compare the long runs from the first four weeks of the two programs, the newer plan had me doing runs of 13, 15, 17, and 20 miles, while the original plan was 10, 12, 13, and 10 miles. Quite a difference heh? I ended up running 12 miles today because I couldn't remember if the week 4 long run from the original plan was 10 or 12 miles and I didn't want to sell myself short. I'm already ahead of the game as I've completed long runs of 13, 15, and 12 miles in the first four weeks of marathon training. Next week, I am now scheduled to run 14 miles for my long run instead of 18. At the current time, I feel that the more aggressive long run schedule is just too much for my body to handle. It's better to train a little less aggressively and be healthy as opposed to pushing yourself beyond the limit and getting hurt. The old training plan got me into great shape two years ago, and I'm still working harder with my speed work and tempo runs than I have in the past. Come October, I should still be in my best shape ever, and more importantly, I'll be healthy.

Week 3 of Marathon Training 7/23 - 7/29

Week 3 started off really well, but ended with some disappointment. My weekend 17-miler was cut short by a really nasty thunderstorm that was just way too close for comfort. When I left the house, the sky was ominously darkening and thunder rumbled in the distance. I told Lisa the route that I was headed and to come look for me in the car if the lightning got too bad and too close. I ran about 4.5 miles as the storm approached ever closer. The wind picked up and lightning was flashing with the crack of thunder less than ten seconds later. I ducked into a park pavilion for cover and thought that I could wait until the storm passed. I spent about 10 minutes or so running laps around the pavilion while I waited for the storm to subside. After 10 minutes, it really didn't seem any closer so I figured that I would continue on my way home in case Lisa was looking for me. She picked me up about three-quarters of a mile from the house. After we got home, I looked outside and noticed that the storm hadn't really gotten any closer so I went out and started running laps around my block so that I would be close to home if the storm got too close. It was very unnerving being out there with almost continuous flashes of lightning followed by loud cracks of thunder. I eventually acquiesced and realized that this run just wasn't going to get completed. It was dark and storming, and I had to get up for work the next day. I ended up running about 7.6 miles instead of the planned seventeen.

Tuesday 7/24: Speed Work 1200m, 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m
Friday 7/27: 7-mile tempo run (1 mile easy, 5 miles at long tempo pace, 1 mile easy)
Saturday 7/28: 35-minute weight workout, 42-minute bike ride
Sunday 7/29: 7.6 mile run (scheduled to be 17-mile long run)

Week 2 of Marathon Training 7/16 - 7/22

Week 2 of marathon training, I was still trying to get back into the groove of structured training. The speed session went better than the previous week, and overall I had a good week of training. I had to do my Sunday long run in the middle of the afternoon due to being out of town most of the weekend and having some prior commitments on Sunday evening, but luckily it wasn't that hot or humid outside.

Tuesday 7/17: Speed Work 4x800m
Wednesday 7/18: 7-mile tempo run (1 mile easy, 5 miles at marathon pace, 1 mile easy)
Sunday 7/22: 15 mile long run

J&J Listerine 5-mile run

From July 14th

This race used to be called the Pfizer Fresh Burst 5-mile run until Johnson & Johnson purchased the consumer segment of Pfizer at the beginning of 2007. This year marked the fifth consecutive year and the seventh time overall that I've run this race. It is always very well-organized and the amenities are fantastic. The goodie bag is always loaded with Listerine, Lubriderm, and other former Pfizer products. This year, in addition to all of that, there were a bunch of J&J products in there as well such as Neutrogena, Aveeno, etc. When they handed my my goodie bag, I swear that it weighed over five pounds! After the race, there was free Turkey Hill drinks and ice cream, Subway, and this year a local Italian restaurant was there cooking up pasta. Yummm!

I planned to just go out and run a controlled race. I had no intention of pushing myself hard as I had to go out and run 13 miles the following day. I had a goal pace and a goal time in mind. I stuck to my plan pretty well, but ended up finishing a few minutes quicker than planned, and I ran a really nice last mile.

Being the first year that this race was associated with my company, there were a bunch of people from work who ran the race. I ended up running almost the entire race side by side with one of them.

The J&J Merck contingent (l to r: Craig, Jill, me) milling around at the start.


Kicking it in for the last 200 meters. I didn't quite catch the guy in front of me.

Week 1 of Marathon Training 7/9 - 7/15

Going into my training, I knew that the workouts at the track were going to be my toughest as I had only done three track workouts in the past year and a half. I ended up running two days in a row so that I could run a 5-mile race on Saturday and still complete my long run on Sunday.

Tuesday 7/10: Speed Work 3x1600m
Saturday 7/14: J&J Listerine 5-mile race
Sunday 7/15: 13 mile long run

Smith's Challenge 10K Trail Race

From June 17th

Every year on Father's Day, a 10K race is held on the trails of Lancaster County Central Park. Because the race is in honor of Father's Day, it is for men only and features women in bikinis at the water stops. That's actually the main reason that I like to run the race. Ha, ha. No, the real reason that I like the race is that it's a good test for me. I don't get the chance to do a lot of trail running so the course is always challenging for me and is a good gauge of my fitness level. The course is constantly going up and down steep hills and has two small water crossings. It was a hot and humid day even at 10:00am when the race started and this race showed me just how far off my conditioning was at the time. My Dad accompanied me to the race and shot some pictures of the event.

And we're off!


This picture makes it look like I was running really fast. I wasn't.


Approaching the finish.

Long Time......No Blogging

For those of you who may have been wondering, which is most likely no one, I am indeed still here. Despite the fact that I haven't been posting on my blog, I am in fact still running and training. I will probably do some catch-up posts to detail some of my running/racing experiences over the last seven weeks, but for now, I will just provide a brief synopsis.

During my four week FIRST tune-up, I built myself up to over 20 weekly miles with a 10-mile long run in preparation for marathon training. I ended up not doing my final 12-miler just before I started marathon training because I figured a little extra rest going into my 16-week training regimen might be a good idea.

I have my 17-mile long run to complete tomorrow and then I will be through three weeks of training. The training has gone well so far, but I haven't been cross training as often or intensely as I had hoped to going into my training. I plan to work it in more often and increase the cross training component as the training progresses.

I'm not exactly sure of the reason for my seven week hiatus from blogging except to say that I just didn't feel like posting. I detail all of my training in my running journal that I keep for my own personal use so I guess that maybe blogging just felt like doing twice as much work. Whatever the reason for my absence, I am back now and plan to post more regularly. My marathon training is in full swing, so I will definitely have plenty to write about.

Four Week FIRST Tune-Up

I am working on putting together a 4-week schedule to get myself ready for my FIRST marathon training that begins on July 9th. I need to be running about 25 miles a week by that time, and my long run should be up close to 13 miles. I am planning to run a total of 16 miles this week, so it's pretty easy to ramp up to 18, 20, 22, and 24 miles over the course of the next four weeks. The biggest challenge will be increasing my long runs as I haven't run anything over 8 miles since December. Endurance usually develops fairly quickly for me so I am confident that I can handle the build-up.

I have been reading "Run Less, Run Faster", a book that covers the development, evolution, and specifics of the FIRST training program in great detail. The marathon training plan outlined in the book is far different from the one that I obtained from Runner's World in 2005 and used to train for the Marine Corps Marathon. The program has evolved based on research studies done on runners using the program and now includes a total of five 20-mile runs over the course of 16 weeks. It looks to be much more challenging than the program that I used in the past, and I know it will push me to the limit. I am planning to execute the program as closely as possible, but if the program becomes too much, I will fall back to the FIRST program that I used back in 2005. I could then use the new FIRST program as a sort of advanced program that I could progress to when training for my next marathon beyond this fall. I haven't run a marathon since April of 2006 and my overall mileage and fitness have definitely slipped significantly since then. It will take some time for me to get back to my previous level and I don't want to push too hard too quickly lest I become injured or burnt out.

I am feeling pretty good right now as I've lost about nine pounds over the last month while getting stronger at the same time. The weight training/running combination has definitely paid dividends and I feel more fit each week. As I become more fit, I have more energy, which allows me to train harder. This in turn gives me more energy allowing me to train harder and on it goes. It's an upward spiral of fitness and conditioning that ultimately results in being at your utmost best. The dark shadow looming over all of this is injury. Months of great training can be dashed on the rocks by an untimely running ailment. I must be careful to give my body a chance to adapt to the progressive overload that I am placing on it in my workouts. I am gearing up for a summer of tough training. I feel like I am ready for the challenge. If all goes well, I am confident that a marathon PR is a very real possibility in the fall.

Work Change

My work life underwent a slight change last week. My actual job/position/title didn't change, but I switched departments. I moved from our packaging area into our granulation and tableting group. Although my roles and responsibilities are basically the same, there are some significant changes encompassed by this move. In Packaging, there were four of us that managed the area across three shifts. There were a total of 41 people that reported in to us. In my new role, I am solely responsible for both the Processing and Compression areas. So I now have 22 people on two shifts who report directly to me. This definitely means taking on more responsibility which can at times be stressful, but at the same I like the feeling of ownership. I left a great group of people behind in Packaging, but I have inherited a hard-working and very experienced group of employees in my new areas. They are a great group, and I am looking very forward to the opportunity of working with them. My manager is assisting me with the transition, and I really appreciate his support and input. Since he became my manager back in March, he has done a fantastic job of getting everyone engaged in running our business. All in all, I would say he is the best manager that I have ever worked with in any job that I've had. It's amazing the difference that a good manager makes when it comes to morale and job satisfaction.

The other significant change that comes with my new position is that I will no longer be working rotating shifts. I will now be on permanent 1st shift, although I do cover the beginning of the 2nd shift as well. The nice thing about this change is that I should be able to get and stay on a more regular schedule which will help with working out and running. I still haven't quite adjusted to getting up at 4:30am every single morning, but it has only been a week so I'm sure that in time it will get easier.

I feel energized and rejuvenated by this change in my job situation. I have more personal ownership now, and I feel like I have the opportunity to make a greater impact in my new role. I have a lot to learn about the intricacies of the area, but I have an experienced and engaged workforce to draw knowledge from so it's only a matter of time before I get up to speed. I really think that this change will be a positive one for me. I guess that time will tell.

Good Tweener Week

This week didn't turn out to be quite as productive as I had hoped, but it was a good "tweener" week between the tough week that I had last week and the absolutely fabulous week that I'm going to have this coming week.

I ended up running twice (4 and 5 miles), and going to the gym twice. I walked on the treadmill after my first gym workout, but ran short on time today. I did have a very intense 40-minute weight training session today though. I really blasted my muscles with a bunch of drop sets. I take little to no rest when weight training. I do all of my exercises like one giant set - going from station to station without pausing. Once I've completed the entire circuit, I start again from the beginning. It's very similar to circuit training, but from what I understand of circuit training, that includes a period of time between circuits where you do a cardiovascular exercise for ten minutes or so to keep up the heart rate. My workouts are just one continuous weight training session. I do my cardio at the end.

Recently, I've been reading Run Less, Run Faster http://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Less-Faster-Revolutionary/dp/159486649X which details the FIRST training theory and approach. I used the FIRST training program two years ago after reading an article about it in Runner's World and ended up shaving over 15 minutes off of my marathon PR. I am a big believer in the program. It works, and I will be using it again this summer. I highly recommend checking out this book. Their approach to measuring the effects and results of the training program is very scientific, which sets it apart from many programs that are proven to work based on only anecdotal evidence.

If you're looking for some good motivational material, check out this site: http://www.walkthetalk.com/the212movie.php?refsource=gpc1&gclid=CKzNnoa-wYwCFSWQGgodyUs0dA
They showed us this video at work during a training, and it really had an impact on me. Many of the tenets discussed in the video are applicable to running and to life. There are a ton of cool quotes to be mined from the video along with the 212 degrees book which I borrowed from someone at work. It's simple and straightforward yet powerful stuff.

On an interesting, but totally unrelated note, I think that I'm finally going to get my first tattoo. I'm not sure as of yet exactly where I want this body art to be located, but I do know what image I want decorating my body for the rest of my days. It will actually only be writing, but I'm still pretty excited about it.

Well, that's pretty much my week. I do have some other interesting news that I will address later in a separate post.

Overdue Props

I feel somewhat remiss in that I have mentioned my Dad several times on my blog, but that I have never given my Mom the gratitude to which she is so very rightfully entitled.

Throughout my life, my Mom has always been there for me. When I was in my formative years, and even during college, my Mom and I would sit and talk for hours. I would not be where I am today without all of her advice, guidance, and life lessons. Becoming a productive and responsible adult is not an easy process, and it was one that I often struggled with as I imagine that many people do. I think that I finally "got it" when I started really listening to my Mom and Dad and heeding the majority of their advice. I started to realize that WOW they really do know what they're talking about! They are both wonderful parents and terrific people that have lived their lives the right way. Taking their advice to heart made things immeasurably easier and led me to where I am today.

Well, I feel better now that I've given my Mom her due. Her love and support were critical in shaping the person that I became as an adult. I can't imagine where I would be if it weren't for her.

Tough Week Last Week

Last week ended up being a not so productive week for me from a workout perspective. I started the week off really strong with a run and two weight workouts in the first three days, but then didn't do any formal training the rest of the week. I felt sick after getting home from work on Friday and then was in bed half of the day Saturday. I was pretty busy the rest of the day Saturday and not really capable of a serious workout anyway. On Sunday, I had planned to go for a run, but I just wasn't feeling up to it. I didn't eat or drink much on Friday or Saturday so I was still somewhat weak and dehydrated. The worst part is that I missed my 5K race on Saturday. I could have probably forced myself to go and run it, but it would have been a token effort, and it may have made me feel worse. I was running a fever on Friday night and ached all over in addition to feeling queasy and having a headache. Overall, I was very disappointed with my training week and upset that I didn't run my race, but it is only one week in the grand scheme of life so I just need to push onward.

This week also started off in an unavailing manner with Monday being the holiday and thus a very busy day. We had a garage sale and a cookout so there was a lot going on throughout the day. I managed to get back on track yesterday with a 4-miler after getting home at around 8:15pm. It was kind of a late night for me as I had to get up at 4:30am this morning, but I really felt that I needed to get out and run to break up six consecutive non-running days. Tonight I will hit the gym for a weight workout and a walk on the treadmill. I am committed to making this week a good week of training.

Marine Corps Marathon

I have forgotten to mention it in my last several posts, but I registered for the 32nd Marine Corps Marathon to be held on 10/28/07. I registered back on 5/9 (the first day registration opened) thinking that the race would fill up quickly as it has in the past. Now that they are planning to field 30,000 runners every year, I guess that there are plenty of slots available for all who want to run the race as the race is still not full. I read some negative feedback on marathonguide.com about the race organization in 2006, which may be having an impact on registration numbers. Hopefully, the MCM race management is reading the comments too and working to correct the shortcomings.

I ran the MCM back in 2005, and I can't really say that I enjoyed it that much. I ended up running a PR by about a minute, which is nice, but that was far short of what I was capable of at the time. This is evidenced by the fact that I ran Harrisburg 15 minutes faster two weeks later. The MCM was very crowded for the first four or five miles and some dumb-ass stepped on my shoe while cutting across the shoulder-to-shoulder swath of runners to hug her friends on the other side of the road. My shoe flew off of my foot and got kicked several times before I was able to retrieve it. The worst part was that she tweaked my ankle slightly when she stepped on my foot and it bothered me for several miles. I expended a lot of energy trying to make up time after losing so much during the early miles which took a toll on me later in the race. It was a warm day for October, and I wasn't carrying any fluids on me. The aid stations were about every two miles so that by the time that I reached mile 16, I was becoming dehydrated. Somewhere around mile 18, they were handing out Subway cookies. I would have liked one, except that I had absolutely no saliva in my mouth. Had I attempted to eat a cookie, I probably would have choked on it. Going up a hill at mile 22, I had a cramp fly into my right hamstring. So as you can see, it was not my ideal race. I ran right through the heart of DC past the Washington Monument, the White House, the Mall, etc. and I barely remember seeing any of it. I was completely focused on running.

After all of that, you may be asking why I'm going back. There are several reasons. First, I did run a PR at that race; although it was short-lived. Second, I want to really look around and enjoy the atmosphere and scenery on the course. It is a great honor to run among all of the Marines that run in the race and help out on the course. It really makes me proud to be an American. Third, I have a little something to prove to the MCM, but let me elaborate on that. I'm not all that concerned with my overall time this year. I know that the first four or five miles of the race will be very congested for me and that I will lose time. I am prepared for that this time around. My goal this year is to go with the flow early, pick it up a little once things open up, and then run at or above my goal marathon pace for the last 10 or so miles. Effectively, I am using the MCM as a practice run for Harrisburg two weeks later despite the fact that the MCM falls at the conclusion of my 16-week training regimen. If I can run the last part of the race strong and finish feeling fresh, I will be happy. I want to go down there and just enjoy myself this time. I don't want to stress about the details.

So that's why I'm giving the MCM another shot. Hopefully, my experience will be better this time. I am already looking forward to the race. There's something to be said for registering early for a race. Even though the MCM is still five months away, it seems more urgent and real to me now than it did just prior to registering. I guess once you're registered, it's like you've made up your mind to do it and you're more committed.

The Training Effect

It seems that the initial uphill climb of getting back in shape is drawing to a close for me. Over the course of my last few runs, I have noticed the training effect beginning to occur. At points on my runs where two weeks ago I felt somewhat fatigued and winded, I now feel strong and my breathing is better. I have always enjoyed this phase of running/training. The start-up time always sucks because I hate how out of shape that I am and I remember how easy all of the running used to seem. Once I notice the training effect kicking in, I know that I have cleared the first hurdle to coming back. It's a satisfying feeling.

When I came home from work today, I was doing a few things around the house and got very tired all of the sudden. I just really felt like I needed to lie down for a bit. Well, I ended up falling asleep for close to two hours. When I woke up, I was slightly out of it for a time until I ate dinner and had some time to come fully back to my senses. By the time that all of this transpired, it was about 8:30pm. I was debating whether or not I should go for a run. After a few minutes of lively self-debate, I decided that I could do a quick 4-miler. I felt a little slow for the first three-quarters of a mile, but that was when I began to feel like I was getting stronger as I got warmed up and not weaker. I finished the last three and a quarter miles strong and was glad that I decided to go running. It was a delightful evening outside with a light breeze and temps in the low 70s.

I'm off to a good start for the week as I've already been to the gym and completed a run. I will hit the gym again tomorrow evening and probably run again on Thursday. I will probably take it relatively easy on Friday, although I may do a little something to get my legs warmed up and then stretch in preparation for Saturday's 5K.

Two Good Weeks and Upcoming Races

I followed up my 15 mile week with a 12-mile week last week and a 13-mile week this week even though the 12 miles last week was covered in two runs (4 and 8 miles). This week, I ran 4, 4, and 5 miles for my 13-mile total. I didn't do any long runs this week as my right heel was bothering me after the 8-miler last week. The best that I can ascertain, I was suffering from a brief case of retrocalcaneal bursitis. This can be caused by a quick jump in mileage or training intensity, and I definitely went from next to no running to 15-mile weeks in a hurry. That probably wasn't smart, but the heel feels fine this week and I don't think it will be a problem as my body adjusts itself to the greater workload again.

I have actually felt really strong on my runs as of late. I think the increase in training frequency is the main driver, but hitting the gym twice a week and taking off a few pounds (five so far) is contributing as well. I am going to continue working out at the gym at least twice a week and may try to add a third visit per week as I progress in my conditioning. I usually lift weights for about 45 minutes and I have been walking on the treadmill for about 25 minutes following my weight workout. My weight workouts probably aren't the typical runner workouts as I don't like to lift light weights (what's the point; I'm lifting weights to get strong). I tend to go pretty heavy on my lifts; within reason of course. I can really tell that I am growing stronger and as my aerobic conditioning improves, my weight workouts are becoming more intense.

I will be running my first race of the year next weekend. It's only a 5K, but it will serve as a good gauge of my current fitness level. I have established a main goal, a stretch goal, and a fall back goal for myself. I've run this race two times in the past and have done okay both of those times but nothing that overly impressed me. I am definitely not a 5K specialist as speed is not my forte, but I can still run what I consider to be respectable times. I don't think that I need to worry about winning any age group awards any time soon, but hey that's not why I run.

After the 5K next week, my next planned race is a 10K trail run on Father's Day. Again, I've run that race twice in the past. It's for men only, but usually some bandits (women) sneak in and run it. As long as they're scantily clad, that's fine with me. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

There is another Tussey Teaser race coming up near State College on June 9th. It's a 10.6 mile race, and I may make the trip up, but driving up, running, and then returning home shoots the better part of an entire day so I just don't know. The 10.6 mile distance is odd, but that's because it's a leg of the Tussey Mountainback Ultramarathon 50-miler held in September.

Beyond June, I have the J&J Listerine 5-miler (formerly the Pfizer Freshburst 5-miler until we bought them out) coming up in July. That is always a very nice race.

It looks like I'm going to have a pretty busy late spring/early summer. I definitely feel like I am getting ready so we'll see how it goes.

Sunday Hike

I had originally planned on going to the gym at some point today, but since it was so nice outside I decided to go for a hike up at Chickies Rock instead. From the Chickies Rock overlook, you get a great view of the Susquehanna River Valley. I ended up hiking the trails in the area for about an hour. After I got home from my hike, I took my dog for about a 20-minute walk. Nothing too intense as far as exercise is concerned, but I got to enjoy the outdoors while staying active.

Some pictures from the Chickies Rock overlook:

Spring - a Time for Renewal and Refocus

As the landscape and vegetation renews itself from the dark and damp chill of winter, I also feel my spirit and desire regenerating as well. My focus is sharpening and I am ready to get back to serious training again. Mentally, I have been through a lot these last few months and I have felt beat up and downtrodden at times. I guess that we all go through these slumps from time to time, and I finally feel like I am emerging from out of the shadows to stand in the bright light of day again.

With one day left in the week, I have already run three times for a total of 15 miles (4, 4, and 7), and been to the gym twice. I can already tell a difference in the way that I feel, and my pace on my runs is picking up while my heart rate is dropping. I am starting to enjoy running again, and I am making it a fixture in my life as it was so prominently in the past.

I weighed myself at the gym this week, and was both appalled and disgusted by the numbers that registered on the scale (does this thing weigh in grams?!) That was the last straw for me. I realized that it is time to get back in shape and feel like an athlete again. I've had a good, solid week and I'm really not sore at all from my workouts. I can already see and feel a change in my body. It is remembering and responding. With my renewed focus and dedication, I really think that I could get into my best shape ever for the fall marathon season. I know what has worked in the past for me, and I know the areas where I need to make some changes. Combined, I think that this is a formula for success. I truly do think this could be my best year of marathon running yet; although it won't be my most prolific. Oh well, quality over quantity.

Over the next two months, I will continue to build my base mileage and strength. In July, I will start marathon training and focus on speed and endurance. I have a plan to cross-train more often and more intensely to further increase my conditioning on non-running days. When I run, each and every workout will have a defined purpose and a goal. Spring is here, and I am back.

Rocky Mountaineer Vacation

My Dad is my hero. I know that sounds somewhat cliche, but I can't think of any simpler way to express my feelings for him. He has done so much for me and so much for our family without ever asking for a single thing in return. When needed, he is there at a moment's notice to do whatever needs to be done. He is a man of few words who has always quietly been there offering guidance and assistance.

For many years now, I've wanted to do something for my Dad to show how much I appreciate him. About two years ago, my Dad mentioned that he would love to go on one of those scenic train trips that travels through all kinds of beautiful and dramatic terrain. He made the statement that my Mom would never go because she is deathly afraid of heights. At that point, a light went off in my head and I started searching on the Internet for scenic rail trips. Surprisingly, there isn't much available in the United States other than day trips or trips that only last a few hours. I wanted something bigger.

During my research, I came across a train called the Rocky Mountaineer that travels through the Canadian Rockies. I gathered some information and started sorting through all of the necessary details. I am a AAA member, so I contacted a travel agent there and told her what I was looking to do. Last June on my Dad's birthday, I told him that him and I would be taking a train trip the following spring. He sounded a little surprised, but as I described the trip I could tell that he was excited.

We left for Canada last Wednesday, April 25th. We flew out of Harrisburg at around 8:00am ET. About 180 miles from Chicago, we were told that our aircraft was being put in a holding pattern due to rain and high winds at O'Hare. The pilot said that we would most likely be about 30 minutes late getting in to Chicago. This immediately made me nervous as our connecting flight to Vancouver took off only about 40 minutes after our scheduled landing. My only hope was that our connecting flight would be delayed as well. As luck would have it though, it wasn't delayed and we missed our flight. The next flight to Vancouver wasn't until 3:00pm CT so we sat around in the airport for about five hours. This wasn't too bad as I was reading a really good book (Deception Point by Dan Brown; highly recommended) and I was able to get a lot of reading done. My Dad and I also ate lunch at McDonald's; my God their food is horrible. We finally boarded the plane for a 3:00pm takeoff, but we didn't actually takeoff until about 3:30pm CT. The flight to Vancouver was about 4 hours, so we landed at around 5:30pm PT. We had to go through Canadian customs, get our luggage, and then catch the bus that would shuttle us to our hotel in Vancouver. We waited for the bus about 45 minutes and then it was about a 40 minute ride to the hotel so we didn't arrive until about 7:30pm. Keep in mind that I had now been awake for the better part of 18 hours. I woke up at 4:30am ET and it was now 10:30pm back home. Despite the long day, I wasn't really all that tired. As you can see, our trip got off to kind of a rocky start (no pun intended). Little did I know then that it would get much worse before it got better.

In Vancouver, we stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel located right on Vancouver's harbor. We had an incredible view out of our window.



We put our stuff in the hotel and then went out to grab a bite to eat. It was raining and in the 40s in Vancouver. After walking around a bit, we decided on an Irish style pub called Smiley O'Neal's. It was kind of cool because the hometown Canucks were playing against Anaheim that night and we got to watch the game with a bunch of Vancouver fans. I had a lamb burger and a salad along with a beer. We finished our meal and returned to the hotel. As we needed to get up very early the next morning to catch the bus out to the train station, we retired around 10:30pm. As I was laying down in bed, I noticed that my stomach didn't feel all that great, but it had been a long day so I just figured that I needed some rest.

I woke up around 1:30 in the morning and knew right away that I was in trouble. I rushed into the bathroom and it wasn't long before nature took its course. Luckily, I had brought some Imodium (btw - Imodium is another fabulous Johnson & Johnson product; sorry for the plug but J&J pays the bills) with me on the trip, and just as soon as I could get off of the toilet I went out and took some. Shortly after that, I found myself in the bathroom yet again. This time though - added bonus - I felt myself becoming sick in the stomach as well. I will spare you all of the gory details, but suffice it to say that I was up every hour until 4:30am vomiting. The Imodium did take care of the other problem fortunately. I don't know if all this was caused by something that I ate or what - the lamb burger maybe?

After purging all food and fluids from my body and getting very little real sleep, I was a mess the next day. We boarded the train and began our trip. I barely ate anything all day as I couldn't bear to eat solid food, but I was able to drink juice and soda all day and keep that down. I had a really tough time staying awake, and was drifting in and out all day. I couldn't wait to get off the train so that I could go back to the hotel and get some sleep.

The first day of our journey took us through the the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon including Hell's Gate - where water literally gushes through the narrowest point in the canyon. We also traveled alongside the Thompson River en route to our first day stop in Kamloops, BC. Even though I was sleeping off and on throughout the first day's journey, I did manage to get a few pretty decent pictures.

Approaching Hell's Gate


A rock slide shed across the river in the Fraser Canyon


The Thompson River Valley


Let's just say that after sleeping for a solid ten hours on Thursday night, I made an amazing recovery the next day. I felt a little rough when I woke up, but that is to be expected. After I had some coffee and some solid food, I improved rapidly and started to actually feel human again. The first day of the trip was scenic, but the second day was immeasurably better. If I had to be sick on one of the two days, I'm glad that it was the first and not the second.

On the second day, the train continued east from Kamloops toward the Rockies. We passed through the Monashee and Selkirk mountain ranges before getting to the Rockies. All I can say about the scenery and the vistas that we bore witness to on the second day of the trip is WOW!!!! The beauty of our surroundings was absolutely stunning. On our trip through the mountains, we saw several black bears, elk, and deer. I took somewhere around 250 pictures that day. The experience of traveling through those mountains is something that I will never forget. My Dad and I went out into the "vestibule" - the area outside between the train cars - several times and inhaled the fresh, crisp air of the mountains. The experience was uplifting and humbling at the same time. We were surrounded by natural beauty and my Dad and I kept saying how man-made beauty can never compare to what nature did all by itself. I was just awestruck. Some of the highlights are captured below; although it is only a minute sampling of what we saw that day.

The town of Golden nestled at the foot of the mighty Rockies


This was the type of stuff that we saw all day long.


The Kicking Horse River (yes there is a story behind the name)


Here are some of the elk that we saw. They are the first elk that I've ever seen in the wild. There is a bull in the middle flanked by two cows.


We ended up in Calgary and spent the night there before flying home on Saturday. In the end, the trip was a huge success despite a less than stellar beginning. I could tell that my Dad enjoyed himself immensely, and that was after all the whole point of the trip. On the second day of the trip he said, "This is my first time in the Canadian Rockies and probably the last time that I'll see it," so I know that he really relished the experience of being in the midst of such a magnificent display of natural beauty. That trip alone with my Dad is something that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I will always remember the time we spent together fondly. I can't begin to express how glad I am that I took my Dad on that trip. It was the fulfillment of something that I've wanted to do for many years and it felt good to see it come to fruition. It was truly a life-enriching experience.

Blue and White Game - A Classy Tribute

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we travelled up to the annual Blue and White game two weekends ago. The game was held the weekend after the tragedy at Virginia Tech. The members of the Blue Band were all clad in orange t-shirts and I would estimate that over a third of the 71,000 people in attendance were either wearing maroon or orange in a show of support for VT. A moment of silence was observed and then the Blue Band played "Amazing Grace." After that, one of the football players came out and gave a short statement of support to the Virginia Tech family in which he stated several times, "We are.....with you." People had signs that read, "Today, we are....all Hokies." It was all very moving and classy without being overdone. The whole experience made me prouder than ever to be a Penn Stater. It was a very fitting show of sympathy for the victims of the tragedy and all of those affected by it. In some ways, all universities are affected by it because the same type of thing could happen anywhere.

The "S Zone" transformed into the "VT Zone"


Five guys showing their dual support on this day



As for the game, it was a gorgeous day outside and the game was very entertaining. The White squad won by a score of something like 19-6, but it was evident that PSU has quite a bit of depth at QB and WR this year. The running game didn't look great as I still don't think Austin Scott is the guy to carry the load and Rodney Kinlaw just isn't consistent enough. There is a promising underclassman (#22, Royster maybe) that showed some flashes of great running ability. I have a feeling that he may see some playing time this year if Scott and Kinlaw fail to impress. The defense looks to be pretty solid with some real talent in the secondary and of course at LB. They should be a fun team to watch this Fall although I think a Big-Ten title would be a tall order. I think that they are a year or two away from that yet.

Spring.....er.....Summer is Here

We've finally begun to see the sun again after about a two-week hiatus. Those nor'easter storms that came through the area brought wind, rain, and a lot of clouds. It was also pretty chilly with temps in the 40's and 50's so it really didn't feel like spring.

It started to get nice on Thursday, Friday was even nicer, and it was really warm - upper 70's and low 80's over the weekend. Now it feels more like summer than spring, but less humid. Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining. I'll take 80 degrees over 40 any day.

Now that the weather is turning nicer, I'm trying to get back to a regular habit of running. After only running once all of last week, I ran 4 miles on Friday and 6 miles today. I actually felt pretty decent running today, but I can tell that I'm not in good shape. I did start to feel fairly comfortable running after a few miles, which is good. The odd thing is that I've noticed a tightness in my right Achilles after my last half dozen or so runs. I stretch it lightly before running, and thoroughly after running so I'm not sure what exactly is happening. It can't be from overuse. I mean, come on, I've barely been running at all. I'll just need to be cognizant of the area and start to ice it down if the problem worsens.

I feel badly that I've been neglecting the blog as of late, but I just haven't really had the desire to write much. I'm certain that will change once I am running and working out more often. I will try to post more regularly once I get going.

We were up at the Blue and White game yesterday, during which they had a very moving pre-game tribute to Virginia Tech. Once I upload the pictures onto the computer, I will post a little something about the game.

I am also taking a train excursion through the Canadian Rockies with my Dad this coming week. We leave on Wednesday. I can't wait. After I return, I will post details and pictures from the trip.

I'm glad that spring is finally here. It has been here on the calendar for over a month, but it didn't really feel like spring had arrived until this week. Hopefully, I will have a good spring/summer of training and racing.

Getting Back To It

From a running and working out perspective, this week has been terrible for me. I've had a very busy week at work, which required me to go in early on three different days. I've also been dealing with the great basement flood of 2007 from last Sunday. I'm also on 2nd shift (my final week, hooray) which always makes trying to train interesting. The end result of all this is that I haven't run a single mile or made it to the gym all week. The weekend doesn't look much better as I will probably spend the majority of my time ripping up ruined carpet and digging up pipes in the backyard.

I have already decided that next week I will get a fresh start. I am back on 1st shift (for a two-month period), and things in general should be calmed down significantly. I am getting back to running, back to working out, and back to eating well. I am committed to getting the ball rolling. I am going to try and accomplish some type of workout this weekend, but I'm not sure how that will go with all that I have happening.

I definitely need to get back to a solid regimen again. Marathon training will begin for me in July, and when that time gets here, I want to be in good condition so that I'm not struggling through the early weeks of the training.

The "Spark"

Over the course of the last few days, I have come to a realization about myself and my feelings toward other people. It isn't a particularly revolutionary or life-changing realization; it's just interesting. I now realize that I am drawn to people that have what I refer to as "the spark".

It's somewhat difficult to explain the spark sufficiently, but I will do my best. The spark can manifest itself in different ways in different people. Sometimes it's that very strong internal drive people have to succeed and excel. Sometimes it's a person's innate intelligence and sharp wit. Other times it's vigor, the strength of a person's character, or even what some others might refer to as "having an attitude". There are probably dozens of further examples, but hopefully by now you essentially understand what I'm trying to capture.

When I first started at my current company, coworkers of mine would often say to me, "stay away from _____, they're miserable," or "you don't want to have to deal with _____, they're a real pain." I took the warning under advisement, but decided that I wanted to give the people a chance and make my own call as to what they're really all about." Many of the people that I was warned about now report to me, and as it turns out, most of them are among the people that I regard very highly and always look to as my "go-to" people. I have a developed a very good working relationship with two of these people, and find that they are the two people that I most enjoy working with out of the 41 people in my department. The other day I was pondering all of this and it dawned on me: they have the spark! That is why I feel so strongly about them. I started to think about all of the other people throughout my life that I have had similar feelings about and I recognized that the spark really does seem to be the common thread. When I see that spark in people, I am just really drawn to that quality in them and I can relate to those people more easily.

Like I mentioned earlier, this realization is nothing earth-shattering, but it always feels good to learn something new about yourself and make that sort of connection. It really helps to bring things together and provide you a basis for understanding other aspects of your personality down the road.

Flooded Out

My wife was walking down the stairs into the basement this morning to put in a load of wash when I heard her exclaim, "Oh my God, there's water in the basement." My first thought was that a pipe had leaked or something relatively minor. That was until I went down the stairs and looked for myself. I don't remember exactly what I said at the time, but I'm pretty sure that it's not suitable for publication.

The sump pump in our basement had failed, and all the many dozens of gallons of water that would normally get pumped into the storm drain outside had come cascading through our basement. Half of our basement is finished into a family room and the other half is unfinished. Our washer and dryer are on the unfinished side and we also use it for storage. The finished side is carpeted and contains quite a few electronic devices including a big-screen TV. There were spots on the unfinished side that contained close to three inches of water. The finished side wasn't quite as bad, but the carpet kind of made it difficult to really tell. All in all, the basement was a sopping and soggy mess.

We called a plumber and fortunately they were able to get there within an hour and install a new sump pump because the water was still rising in the basement. We had a bunch of snow last week that recently melted, and it rained pretty much all day Friday and Saturday. Our water table is high in this area anyway, so the sump pump is pretty much all that keeps the rising groundwater at bay. After we got the new sump pump running, the standing water quickly receded. Then the real fun began. We spent most of the day using a wet/dry vac to soak as much water as we could out of the basement. The carpet down there is still soaked, and I fear that we will need to pull it up and discard it to prevent mold and mildew from forming. I have both of our dehumidifiers running full bore, and have two fans going in an effort to keep air circulating down there. I just hope that it's not a futile effort. We won't know the full extent of the damage for several days until we dry out all of the boxes that got wet and try out all of the electronic devices. The worst part is that I don't think our home owner's insurance will cover it. IMO, insurance is the biggest ripoff that there is in this country. You pay in and pay in and pay in some more for years never making a claim. Then, something bad happens and you need their help. Oh well, sorry, your policy doesn't cover that. You should have paid the additional X dollars per year for the optional coverage. Too bad.

At any rate, after several hours of bailing out the basement, I really needed some stress relief. It was beautiful outside today so I went for a quick 4-miler. It helped somewhat, but I was still really uptight when I got home. Later on, we went to my parents' house for dinner (they came over right away today and were right there beside us helping to clean up). I barely said a word at dinner as I was still trying to process all that had happened earlier and what still lay ahead. After dinner, I went upstairs alone with my iPod and just sat in my old bedroom listening to music for an hour or so. The alone time was really helpful as I was able to sort out my thoughts and feelings. I came to realize that the basement situation could have been much worse. Our furnace wasn't damaged, and the flooding didn't cause any electrical problems that could have led to a fire. No one was hurt, and our situation isn't 1/10000000th as bad as all of those poor folks in Louisiana and Mississippi that got flooded out the other year by Katrina. As always, my Mom and Dad were there for us when we needed them and did absolutely everything that they could to help out. There aren't two better parents or people in this world; of that I am certain. The whole situation somehow brought Lisa and I a little closer together as adversity often does.

Tomorrow, we continue the battle of cleaning up and drying out as well as dealing with the insurance company. Whatever happens, I am going to keep in mind that it could have been much worse and remain thankful for all that is right and good in my life.

Some pictures of the "Great Basement Flood".

re: How to Find Races to Run

I received a comment on my last blog posting, and I'm going to use this post to respond. The comment read:

Alex said...
Hey Kevin, just stumbled on your blog through GOTD. I too am a runner and am relatively new to the area (I live in South Jersey). SO what I was wondering, is where are you running these races? Philly (im hoping) as I'd love to get in on some of them this season. I don't run full marathons, but have gotten myself up to running just about 1/2 marathon distances now and would love to find some 10k+ races to get in on.Thanks and great blog.


Very nice to "meet" you Alex. I will post some links to some race websites and provide some additional information that will hopefully be helpful to you.

http://www.runnersworld.com/channel/0,7119,s6-239-0-0-0,00.html?cm_re=HP-_-Homepage%20Channel-_-Races%20And%20Places&location=_*topnav*

The above link is to a race finder on Runner's World's website. You put in the city, state, and distance, and it finds races in your area. The link for Philly is:

http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/racefinderresult/1,7149,s6-239-283-284-0-0-0,00.html


For marathons, the place to go is:

http://www.marathonguide.com/

Not only can you find marathons in any state in the U.S., in Canada, or overseas, but many people post their comments about how good or bad a race is on the website as well.


Some websites I use for races in my area:

http://lrrclub.org/localraces.htm

This is a calendar on the Lancaster Road Runners Club website that contains races in the Lancaster County, PA area, but there are links to the Berks/Reading area, York area, and Harrisburg area as well.


http://pretzelcitysports.com/

This site has races in the Quakertown and Pottstown areas close to Philly.


http://www.yorkroadraces.com/calendar.htm

This site mainly contains links to races in the York County area, but there are some Baltimore and Delaware races as well.


http://www.nvrun.com/calendar.html

This site is all about races in the Nittany Valley/Centre County area up in and around State College.

That about does it for the sites that I visit regularly. Alex, hopefully you will read this. Leave your email address in a comment and I will get back to you.

No Race and Not Much of Anything Else

I ended up not running the Laurel Switchbacker 10K up in State College last weekend. First, the weather forecast wasn't all that favorable. Second - and more importantly - I had to go in to work on Saturday. We were running production, and we did some interviewing early in the morning so I had to be there. Between the interviewing and the production coverage, I ended up being there 10 hours. The extra money is cool, but I would rather not have spent my entire Saturday (9 am to 7 pm) at work. Oh well.

The weather here has been crazy. Last Wednesday, it was about 75 degrees outside. I went running in shorts and short sleeves and was HOT! When I stepped outside, I couldn't believe how warm it was. Unfortunately the warm weather was short-lived. By Thursday there wasn't much snow left around anywhere except where there had been huge piles earlier in the winter. Wouldn't you know that on Friday the temps dropped down into the 30s and we had about eight inches of snow. It's like deja vu all over again. What a change two days can bring. It is supposed to warm up into the 60s next week, so hopefully the snow will all disappear again. I have only been running and weight training sporadically. I know that once the weather improves a little I will be more motivated. That and when I get off of 2nd shift. Those hours just don't agree with my running and working out. I always feel like there is no opportunity for me to get to the gym or go for a run (even though in reality there is; I'm just not regimented enough in my time-management). That's just me I guess.

I plan to get back on the running and weight training horse again this coming week. I did go to the gym today and had a really good, hard workout. I don't feel that I have lost much strength. That's one thing that I've never had too much trouble maintaining is a base of strength.

There are two upcoming races on the horizon. At some point I need to decide which race I want to do as they're both on the same day. One is the Sauder Egg Run (8K), which is a local race. I used to run it frequently back in the day. It's generally a pretty nice race, and the weather tends to be pretty nice that day. It's on April 7th, which is the day before Easter. The other race is Tussey Teaser #2 - the Tussey to Whipple 11 miler. It encompasses legs 1, 2, and 3 of the Tussey Ultra course. It's held on April 7th as well.

I would really like to make the trip up to Happy Valley and run TT#2 as I have also been talking to a realtor up there about looking at some hunting land/cabins in the Centre County area. When I go up to do one of the Tussey Teaser races, I am going to meet up with him later in the day and drive out to look at some places. I want to have my own place in the mountains within the next few years. I need someplace to escape to on weekends. Preferably someplace where I can enjoy the outdoors and do some hiking, scouting, shooting and trail running. I want a place within an hour to an hour and a half of State College so that we can stay there on the nights before the football games that we attend. Sproul and Rothrock State Forests are in the area, and there are some very nice parcels of land available. There are also state game lands aplenty in the area for hunting. Lisa and I have talked about just buying the land now, and camping out on it until we decide to build a cabin on the land. That's a cool idea, but I asked her if she realizes that there are coyotes, bears, and even the occasional mountain lion roaming around up there. I don't know that I can see her being comfortable sleeping in a tent. I'm not sure that I am totally comfortable either, but I would be armed so that helps. It wouldn't be easy for a .40 S&W to take down a bear, but 10 Hydra-Shok hollow points at close range would probably do the job.

I really am looking forward to warmer weather. I need to kick my training into a higher gear and take off about 10 pounds before bikini season.....yea right! I'm ready for bikini season now LOL. No, I am serious about the 10 pounds, but not the bikini. If I was a triathlete, I would probably wear a Speedo, but that would be the only way you would ever see me in one of those. I have a friend who has done Ironman triathlons, and he doesn't even wear one of those to swim except when competing and training very seriously. Some things just aren't meant to be displayed prominently IMHO. I am excited for spring and summer. There have been some recent developments at work that might mean that I'll be done with shift work within the next few months. It would be nice to have consistent hours. If my start time is late enough, I might start running and working out in the mornings before work. We will see.

Headin' Indoors

As promised, March came in like a lion. After some really nice weather last week, it turned pretty nasty over the weekend with temps in the 20s and the windchill making it feel like it's 10 degrees outside. I need to run three miles today so I decided to stay after work tonight and put in three miles on the treadmill instead of running outside. I've done all of my runs outside the past couple of weeks so I don't feel too guilty about wimping out and staying inside tonight. I'll make sure to challenge myself with a good "hilly" run including a lot of steep inclines.

My planned trip up to Happy Valley this weekend may be in jeopardy as they're predicting snow and very cold temps for the end of the week. There is also a pretty good chance of rain on Saturday. I don't know that I want to drive two plus hours to run a 10K in cold and rainy conditions. I will keep an eye on the weather and the conditions outside and adjust my plans if necessary. The Sauder Egg Run (5 miles) is coming up in four weeks as is the Tussey to Whipple 11 Miler (Tussey Teaser #2). After that, there are plenty more races to come.

I had a really good workout at the gym yesterday before coming in to work. I can really tell that I'm getting stronger. My lifts are starting to jump up in leaps and bounds from week to week. My increasing endurance due to running is also allowing me to circuit train pretty intensely without ever being out of breath. The running and weight training definitely work well together. Improving the one aspect really seems to fuel improvement in the other.

I'm on 2nd shift this month, and that usually means a real struggle to get going and accomplish much in the way of running or working out before coming in to work. I was happy that I was able to get myself motivated to go to the gym yesterday before work. I am going to shoot for the same tomorrow. I won't have a lot of rest after running late tonight, but I should be fine.

Super Saturday Seven-Miler

I was originally planning to go to the gym today and do my long run for the week tomorrow, but it was pretty nice outside today so I decided to flip-flop the two days. I ran seven miles; taking it pretty easy and just trying to keep my pace comfortable. I felt fairly good. I can still tell that I'm not accustomed to running long distances, but I am steadily getting back into distance-running shape.

Tomorrow I will go to the gym and hit the weights. After lifting, I will do some cardio; probably somewhere between 45-60 minutes depending on how I feel. Next week I taper for the 10K race on Saturday. Hopefully the weather next weekend is similar to the end of this week. Sunny and seasonable with only a slight breeze.

It won't be long before the race season kicks into high gear. The Sauder Egg Run (5-miler) is Easter Saturday April 7th. I haven't run that race in a few years as I'm usually either tapering for a marathon at that point or still recovering from one. This year I will probably run it and use it to gauge my fitness level. Once May arrives, there are a couple of races in the area every month. By that time, I should be in really good shape. It will be nice to be peaking right as the weather turns warmer and there are races to run. I'm not saying that I'll run too many, but I will definitely do a few. It should be a fun spring.

Didn't Let Fatigue Get the Best of Me

I was so drained when I got home from work today. I didn't feel sleepy as much as just exhausted in general. Getting up at a little after 4:00am for work just doesn't agree with me as I'm not a morning person. I came home from work and was getting my running stuff together and preparing to change and go for a run when this wave of debilitating fatigue just swept over me. I just felt like I had to lay down for a bit. Of course, I fell asleep, and usually once that happens I am pretty much down for the night. This time however, I woke up after about a half an hour. A short time later, I was out the door and running a 4-miler. I wouldn't say that my nap completely refreshed me, but it gave me the boost I needed.

It was actually not bad outside today. The temperature was probably in the low 40s, and there was only a slight breeze. I didn't leave the house until close to 6:00pm so I wore my Illuminite windbreaker and hat so that I would be visible to any passing motorists. I had originally planned to only run three miles, but once I got out there and was warmed up, I decided to make it four miles instead. I felt a little more controlled on my run tonight than I did two nights ago, but I am noticing a lingering soreness/fatigue in the lower part of my calves. I know that this is just due to not running for so long, and will get better as my conditioning improves.

I will probably only run once more this week. It will probably be on Sunday as I'd like to give my legs a two-day break from running. I will go to the gym tomorrow and lift weights. I will probably do about 45 minutes of cardio as well. I am going to play Saturday by ear. I'm thinking that I will most likely go to the gym again, but it really depends on how much else is going on that day.

Whew....Still Feeling Sunday's Workout

Well, I was certainly right about one thing - Sunday's challenging run has left me pretty sore - especially my calves. I had planned on going to the gym yesterday, but I had a pretty trying day at work and I had some errands to run so I took care of what I had to do and came home. It was just one of those days that sucks the life out of you - temporarily.

It was nice out today with temps in the mid 40s so I went for a 3-mile run from my house. I chose a hilly course again today, and I noticed that my legs felt a little dead from Sunday's trial. I made it through the run without any real difficulty though, and I kept up a pretty good pace. I just never really felt comfortable running today. I always felt like I was breathing heavier than I should have been and I just didn't feel like I was running under control. I have been trying to run as many hills as possible because the 10K that I'm planning to run has a lot of steep uphill and downhill sections. I want to be prepared; especially considering that I haven't run a race since last July and that was a 5-miler.

I will definitely go to the gym tomorrow and hit the weights. I will try and throw a little cardio in as well so long as I don't totally kill my legs. After all, I need to run again on Thursday.

Not a Bad Week

Today, I polished off a pretty decent week of training with a 6-miler. That is the longest distance that I have run in several months. Overall it wasn't too bad, although I chose a very hilly course so the run was quite challenging. The good thing is that I know the next time I run the same route it should be easier. Just as I left to go running, it began snowing outside, and by the time that I finished, the snow was coming down pretty fast. I'm glad that I finished when I did because within an hour or two, the roads became very slushy and sloppy.

The past week was busy, and I feel pretty good to have done as much training as I did. Monday I was off work for President's Day so I didn't do much but veg out and do some small things around the house. I also went out and de-iced the driveway from the snow and sleet the week before. On Tuesday, I went to the gym after work and got in a pretty good weight workout followed by 20 minutes on the recumbent bike and ~23 minutes walking on the treadmill. Wednesday was a very nice day in the upper 40's so I went for a 3-mile run on one of my well-worn running routes by my house. On Thursday, I had a dinner function after work and didn't get home until 8:00pm. I had planned to go to the gym, but it just got to be too late for that. It was cold and windy outside on Friday so I ran 3 miles on the treadmill at work. I ran a pretty challenging program with lots of long and steep hills so I really got a good workout. Saturday found me back in the gym. I trained shoulders, hamstrings, and lower back. I warmed up with 10 minutes on the bike and had planned to do a total of 60 minutes of cardio along with the weights, but I ran out of time. I was glad to have at least gotten to the gym and worked out though. As I mentioned earlier, I capped off the week with a 6-miler today.

I am still planning to travel to State College in two weeks to do the Laurel Switchback 10K, but that is somewhat dependent on the weather. If it is snowing or nasty outside, I'm not going to undertake the 2-hour drive just to run a 10K race. Before long, the local race season (mostly 5Ks and 5-milers) will kick into gear, and there will be plenty of opportunities to test my fitness level. I am starting to be able to see the weight loss in my face, and I can see and feel less bulk around my middle so that is a good sign. I can already feel some tightness in my calves so it's apparent that I'm going to be a little sore from today's effort. When I'm sore this soon after a run, I know that it was a strong effort. I don't find the soreness unpleasant at all. In fact, I love it. Bring it on! Tomorrow it's back to the gym to begin a new week of training.

A Good Week of Training

Thus far I've had a really good week of training. I started off the week in stellar fashion by doing nothing, but I made up for it the rest of the week. On Tuesday, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill at work. On Wednesday, I went to the gym and started out with weights followed by 15 minutes on the recumbent bike and 20 minutes walking on the treadmill. Thursday I was back on the treadmill at work for another challenging 3-miler along with some minimal weight lifting. Friday was a rest day, and then Saturday I was back at the gym to lift more weights. I wanted to do about 50 minutes of cardio as well, but I forgot that we had some other commitments later in the afternoon so I didn't have that much time at the gym. It was a struggle just getting the weight workout in, but I managed it. I have to go in to work tomorrow, so I am planning a longer run on the treadmill (probably about 5 miles or so). That will be a good crescendo to my training week.

I think that I am losing a little bit of weight although I haven't actually weighed myself. I wanted to wait before I had been training for a few weeks before hopping on the scale. I definitely feel a lot better, and I can see the difference in my physique. Things are firmer, and are located more where they are supposed to be compared to a few weeks ago. I can tell that my breathing is more controlled, and that my endurance is increasing. Thank God that muscles have memory. I've heard it said many times that it's easier to get back in shape than it is to get in shape in the first place. I must say that I'm surprised to be feeling this good this soon. I was a little bit sore after my first weight workout, but other than that I haven't been achy or sore at all. I'm sure that as the intensity level of my workouts increase I will probably have more discomfort. I guess time will tell, but so far, so good!