CONGRATULATIONS!

Hey man, congratulations, congratulATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS! What a tremendous effort and a hell of a good time. I had such a great time the other day and I think we summed it up nicely though didn't we, when we said, "yeah, this was good, and it was fun, but mostly what is was, was a good start".

I ran last night and it really cleared my head - the whole car debacle threw me for about 8 hours. During my run I finally came to a point of gratitude that I had been given such substantial challenges (and humility, in that I was not dealing with the health of someone in my family). That's all very philosophical - the real deal is - I have to get those CD's out and help Karen with her business as well so we can get some $$$ flowing in the right direction!

Good luck this week with your runs, I mean, with your running! :)

Kazoo Foot Chase

Wow - check this link out! We HAVE to run this race!

Motivation Tips

Click the link above for a bunch of great motivational tips!

$25k

OK, so get this - between the orthodontist and the dentist, I am, over the next 5 years, going to be billed somewhere beetween $16k and $25k. It is hard for me to even get my head around this now, but I had to write something down, anything, just to get it out of my head for a moment.

Not What I was Hoping For

Well, it is about 4 days prior to "race day" and I ran a brief run this morning, maybe 2 - 2.5 miles; man was I ever dragging butt! I will run another short run on Thursday and that will be it until CRIM day. My mood hasn't been "into it" though for the last couple of weeks. I'm SURE it has everything to do with the beginning of work approaching and my mind can't just focus on the joy of running. After this race, and as the semester begins, I will have to find a way to use running even more as an "outlet" than I did over the summer. It still has a similar effect on my mood after the run and my body feels very good right now - but DURING the run, it hasn't been as much fun. I'm going to consider this as "just a phase" and keep pushing through to see what is on the other side of it. I'm sure it is due to work starting on Monday and once I settle into the semester, and find my new schedule, I'll adapt and be back on track.

Tips from Runner's World Magazine

Daily Tips

Marathon Recovery
Stay on your feet
Don't sit as soon as you finish the race. Stay upright and keep walking to avoid cramping. Your leg muscles need blood to be pumped through them. Otherwise, your legs will become very stiff and sore.

Nutrition
Low-cal mocha
Looking for a cool refreshing, post-workout summer drink? For coffee and chocolate lovers, nutrition expert Liz Applegate, Ph.D. recommends making your own iced mocha by combining coffee, nonfat milk, and a tablespoon of chocolate syrup. This drink will save you more than 200 calories compared with coffee-shop versions.

Nutrition
Boost your endurance with more fluid intake
While you're running, the recommended fluid intake is 6-12 oz. every 15 to 20 minutes. If you plan to run for 60 minutes or more, use your favorite sports drink, as the easy-to-absorb glucose will help boost your endurance

3400 Miles in 6 Days

Wow - now isn't that a cool title for running blog! The only thing is that it is the mileage I put on the rental car last week. I can't resist writing this down - it was a great 6 or 7 days.

Thursday Kalamazoo - Philadelphia
Saturday Philadelphia - Canton, OH
Monday Canton, OH - Stony Point, NY
Tuesday Stony Point, NY - Long Island, NY and back
Wednesday Stony Point, NY - Kalamazoo

What a great trip! I had a ball and learned a lot - books on tape - a lot of good "business" ideas that are being set in motion now came from that trip. I met with my realtor yesterday - we're going to look at some rental properties on Monday - I talked to an accountant back in NY yesterday and set him up as our personal/business accountant - going down to the county clerk's office today to file two DBA (doing business as) forms, one for Karen's business, and one for the one I'm starting; great tax advantages, protects the names of our businesses, etc. - I'm waiting to hear back from a lawyer who will help us get a will/living trust together - and I took out a 250k life insurance policy that costs me about 15 (pre-tax) bucks a month! Just what Karen needs to snuff me out, more incentive! So ...... I'm trying to get our shit together! O.K. all for now.

Big One (for me) W. Main Hill again

OK, so today, I did not really feel like running, a little bit discouraged, but I think mostly disinterested, or probably DISTRACTED. I finally am feeling the effects of running outside of a "support group" or training partners and just was bored with the idea of hitting the road - but I hit it anyway.

I ran the W. Main hill route again today with some added mileage, for God knows what reason. I ran around the block first just to get the blood flowing, stretched a little bit then went on with it ... ran down Nichols to W. Main left on W. Main all the way down the street, down the hill and turned right before you get the the "big merge".... turned towards E. Kalamazoo ave. up E. Kalamazoo, and back to the W. Main hill. So here's where the weird stuff started. I walked for about 1-2 minutes prior to turning the corner and running the hill. I started running up the shorter (and steeper) of the two inclines seperated by about 20 ft. of flat concrete. I felt great - really - felt really good .... walked across the flat part, then hunkered down for what I thought was going to be another grueling w. main hill run... about a quarter way up it, I had some crazy emotional burst, started laughing/crying as I pictured you and I crossing the finish line at the CRIM (I know, weird shit) and then .... ran, and I mean RAN the last 3/4 of that hill! I can't say I sprinted because it is simply too steep to be able to sprint, but I ran as fast as the hill allowed for ....and THEN ... I was breathing like a dog! Man did that wind me, but I stopped, totally stopped for about 5 seconds, and trudged on. The next couple miles were o.k., off/on difficult ....... but I think I may have found "the wall" - man was I tired, breathing heavy and just couldn't seem to make my legs go. So I ran in 2/2 segments the rest of the way home. I'm not sure of the total distance, but I would guess it was some where in the 6.5 mile range. Wow - big "mental" run today - had to dig in a few times as I could feel my lungs burn... legs felt o.k. today, not bursting with energy, but they felt o.k. with a few moments where I could feel small twinges of tightness in my hams and then they would go away. O.K., that's all for now. Time to get on the the rest of life!

Angel Story

The Jogger

By Becky Slot

When my youngest son was 18 months old we were at a family reunion at a country club. The group area was separated from the main area by a creek and a thick row of fir trees. My older son had to go to restroom so I left my younger son with my sister. She did not hear me ask her to watch him. He wandered off throughout the fir tree. He fell face first into the creek. A jogger picked him up out of the creek before he drown and brought him over a bridge and around the fir trees right up to my mother. When we turned to thank him, he was gone. No one ever saw him leave.

We don't know how he know where to bring my son. There was another group much closer then our group but he ignored them and brought my son right over to us. Also he took him right to my mother. All we can say is it was our angel. My son is now 10 years old and loves telling people about his guardian angel.

Rainy Running

Well, I started off today thinking I was going to do a leisurely 30-45 minute run/walk, but I ended up doing a very quick pace 1.5 mile run! It started to rain ..... which was fine, then it started to RAIN ... and I started to RUN .... because I had my iPod with me and didn't want it to get ruined. So, it was short, but I ran hard, and that was cool I guess.

Rocky Running in Philly and Rocky Running in Rockland

OK, last Friday or Saturday, I ran about a 5 mile run, in Philadelphia, with my Rocky tunes in my ears - that was cool. I ran, maybe in the 4-5 mile range in Rockland yesterday and that was a rough run. No need for too many details - I think I went too fast at first, had a couple steep hills, BUT - I finished the run in a big sweaty mess! So at least I got it in there.

Infiterra Sports and Southern Michigan Adventure Racing Club

OK, this might be something else for us to get into. If you think you are obsessed with running, imagine hiking, biking, canoeing, orienteering, kayaking, etc Man, I'm trying to keep myself focused on running right now and not get too carried away with this Adventure Racing business - but what a challenge and blast this stuff sounds like! The other link to check out, other than the one I have in the title is:

Prayer for Success in Work - Great Prayer

Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my many sins; to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop, by means of labor, the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, prudence and patience, never surrendering to weariness or difficulties; to work, above all, with purity of intention, and with detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account which I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and death. Amen.

GPS for runners by Garmin

Click on the titled link to take you to the Garmin webpage for their GPS set-up for runners.

Obsession in the face of Reality

So, now I am totally obsessed with this sport of running. I love to read articles about it, learn about different training techniques and apparel, love to actually run, and most of all I love the feeling of accomplishment I get after a run! So, what's a guy to do with this new found passion when there is SO MUCH CRAP that has to be done?! Work and personal obligations demand attention and can not be ignored. I haven't (and probably won't) had a chance to run today - I was either watching the kids or at work. The only upside to this is that tomorrow the temperature and humidity are supposed to be much more tolerable. Anyway, I've added the link to this month's Runner's World magazine. Enjoy buddy. You have to let me know how running the CRIM route went.

Living by Example

What an example you are setting for the rest of your training group and for me as well. I had fun running with you the other night and checking out your normal training route (even runny through the smelly fields!) In fact, if there was any down side to it at all, it would've been the realization that we don't live anywhere near each other and I'd be back to training on my own again in a few days.

I went for a short run early Sunday morning - about two miles I guess on a "walk" day so that felt pretty good. Thanks for passing along Jim's letter - they are always pretty motivational. It sounds like you are going to run the full CRIM course tomorrow which will be a strong psychological advantage come race day. Good luck, hydrate today, and take it easy tonight. Have a good run bro. Congratulations again on all your small triumphs that are building up toward one big victory!