12 miles. I just like to say it out loud, or see it on a the page. That's what I ran on Saturday. Afterwards, I felt great. I still feel great.
In my last post, I mentioned my goal to run 20 mile weeks continuously. This past week I ran 24.34 miles and burned a total of 4224 calories. That's almost a whole Big Mac!
Seriously, I feel like an athlete again. Today I ran a 5k after work to get some miles in and set a personal best of 29'49". I try to use the shorter runs to improve on speed while my long runs test endurance and muscle stamina. I usually slow down a bit when completing a long run so I know I have enough in the tank to finish.
My beloved music professor from college once told me, "don't let all the horses out of the barn at the beginning of a piece of music". The same holds true for a long run. Start slow and you will finish strong. Start to fast, and you'll be struggling at the end.
This weekend is the Rodes City Run, a 10k through downtown. I'm looking forward to completing another race and working closer towards my goal.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Anthem 5k and the 20 mile week
I ran in my first competitive race last Saturday, the Anthem 5k. I had a fever, cough, and was suffering from a diverticulitis attack, but I ran. Every step felt like a knife in my gut and I had no energy. Despite the physical setbacks I finished the race in 38'15", much slower than my usual 5k time. I ran though, and finished, and that makes all the difference.
I'm amping up my weekly miles in preparation for the mini-marathon. For further motivation, I've challenged my sister to a run off on nike.com. Using our Ipod sensors, we can track the miles we run on the Nike website leading up to the mini. So far its a tight race. As of this evening I have 41 miles and Kim has 37. But my sister is a bit crazy, and can reel off miles quickly if properly motivated. Loser has to treat the winner to a massage after the race.
So my goal is to run a minimum of 20 miles per week. Some weeks I may approach 30 depending on my long run. For the first time in a long time I feel like an athlete. I'm getting leaner and feel stronger during my runs. In fact, when shopping last Sunday I purchased a size L T-shirt for the first time in many years. Robin said I look like I did in college which was a huge confidence booster.
I find my thoughts dwelling towards my father more and more. This entire ordeal has connected me with him past the Alzheimer's disease. Today, I wore my father's old silver cross while I ran. He was a man of profound faith, despite having suffered some terrible tragedies during his life.
When I came inside, Anja asked why I was wearing the cross.
"Because it was my father's"
"But why do want to wear it?" she pried again.
Robin interjected, "Because it makes daddy feel closer to his father, just like when you wear daddy's t-shirts to bed".
The little things bring us closer. The smell of a shirt, or the knowledge that this silver ornament once danced on my father's chest. Some people feel morbid wearing the clothes or personal effects of someone that is ill or already dead. I don't. It's comforting and feels familiar. Like a warm blanket.
The cross may be my new superstition, and being an Italian we LOVE superstition. It serves as a reminder of the man that inspired all of this.
After all, this is the run for Dad.
I'm amping up my weekly miles in preparation for the mini-marathon. For further motivation, I've challenged my sister to a run off on nike.com. Using our Ipod sensors, we can track the miles we run on the Nike website leading up to the mini. So far its a tight race. As of this evening I have 41 miles and Kim has 37. But my sister is a bit crazy, and can reel off miles quickly if properly motivated. Loser has to treat the winner to a massage after the race.
So my goal is to run a minimum of 20 miles per week. Some weeks I may approach 30 depending on my long run. For the first time in a long time I feel like an athlete. I'm getting leaner and feel stronger during my runs. In fact, when shopping last Sunday I purchased a size L T-shirt for the first time in many years. Robin said I look like I did in college which was a huge confidence booster.
I find my thoughts dwelling towards my father more and more. This entire ordeal has connected me with him past the Alzheimer's disease. Today, I wore my father's old silver cross while I ran. He was a man of profound faith, despite having suffered some terrible tragedies during his life.
When I came inside, Anja asked why I was wearing the cross.
"Because it was my father's"
"But why do want to wear it?" she pried again.
Robin interjected, "Because it makes daddy feel closer to his father, just like when you wear daddy's t-shirts to bed".
The little things bring us closer. The smell of a shirt, or the knowledge that this silver ornament once danced on my father's chest. Some people feel morbid wearing the clothes or personal effects of someone that is ill or already dead. I don't. It's comforting and feels familiar. Like a warm blanket.
The cross may be my new superstition, and being an Italian we LOVE superstition. It serves as a reminder of the man that inspired all of this.
After all, this is the run for Dad.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Meatballs and Memories
It's been a while and I apologize to my regular readers...all three of you. including my mother.
First, let's take care of business. I am running 100% again after a slight ankle injury and feel great. No discomfort or pain. I hope the ankle sprain was the last injury and stumbling block I have to face before the mini marathon.
I registered for the Louisville Triple Crown of racing today, finally. That means my first official race is March 3rd, the Anthem 5k. I eat 5ks for breakfast now, but if you asked me three months ago to run 5k, I would have laughed uncontrollably before becoming overcome with nausea. Now, 5k is just a regular weekly workout. I do; however, have a time goal in mind for the race. I would like to run it in 31'30" or less.
I had a great run today. The temperature is finally climbing out of the basement, making the workouts more enjoyable. Some of those days I recently ran, the temperature never topped 20 degrees. When I ran today, the temp outside was around 40 degrees which felt like a heat wave. All in all, it was a good relaxing run. My pace was good and finished strong. I stopped a bit shy of my 45 minute goal due to some wretched side splits that would not go away. I attribute them to my pasta and meatballs I had for lunch.
I made the meatballs on Sunday on a whim. Robin was upstairs taking a nap and the kids were off entertaining themselves. Out of boredom, I looked in the fridge to see what I could conjure. Ground beef, good. On the window seat in the kitchen lay a huge bundle of fresh garlic Robin bought to make garlic-rosemary mashed potatoes. What do you get when you mix garlic and meat? Garlic balls!
My father made the most famous (or infamous) meatballs in our entire family. Everyone agreed, they tasted the best. His secret was loads and loads of garlic. I can remember many a Saturday afternoon, my dad watching the tiny black and white TV tuned to channel 11. The Yankees would be playing a matinee and Dad would listen as he crafted a meal for us. He loved to cook, especially for the people he loved. It's a tradition I've tried to carry on in my family. Saturday and Sunday mornings are my time to feed everyone, just like my father.
So I made classic Don Hering garlic balls. I cooked some in the sauce, and left a handful out just like my Dad always did. My son, Jack, sat at the kitchen island as I stood by the stove, frying up my golf ball sized garlic bombs. As I put the finished meatballs on a paper towel to sop up the excess frying grease, Jack would pilfer a snack and scamper back to his seat. He reminds me of what I was like when I was his age.
You never realize how much influence your parents have on you until you really think. In every way that Sunday afternoon I emulated my father. Not consciously, mind you, but out of habit. I watched him do the very same thing hundreds of times. By the time I started cooking, it was rote. Despite being something of a slob, I also inherited my father's obsessive cleanliness in the kitchen. I never saw a kitchen so spotless as when my father cooked a meal. I try to do the same, although my wife may differ on that opinion.
I think on my father quite often. Many times, when I'm struggling during a run I imagine him encouraging me to continue. He always expressed such pride in his children, in everything we did. I'd like to think he's proud of me now. That on some strange plane of existence he can see what I'm doing and is glad. I hope.
On Saturday, I needed my father to finish a particularly brutal run. When I began my run, the snow just started to fall. I planned to run 10k up and down the rolling hills of Shelby County. Mid way through the run, the snow really started to coming down. But these weren't gentle fluffy snow-poofs falling from the sky. No, this was an angry snow, driven by the wind into my side. At one point I looked down at my pullover and saw the black fleece turned gray. My sweat froze on the outside of the fleece, changing the shade of my warm outer shell.
I finished the run, thanks in part to the imagery I conjured up. "Keep going, keep going", I would hear in my head, the soothing sound of my father's gentle voice.
I kept going.
First, let's take care of business. I am running 100% again after a slight ankle injury and feel great. No discomfort or pain. I hope the ankle sprain was the last injury and stumbling block I have to face before the mini marathon.
I registered for the Louisville Triple Crown of racing today, finally. That means my first official race is March 3rd, the Anthem 5k. I eat 5ks for breakfast now, but if you asked me three months ago to run 5k, I would have laughed uncontrollably before becoming overcome with nausea. Now, 5k is just a regular weekly workout. I do; however, have a time goal in mind for the race. I would like to run it in 31'30" or less.
I had a great run today. The temperature is finally climbing out of the basement, making the workouts more enjoyable. Some of those days I recently ran, the temperature never topped 20 degrees. When I ran today, the temp outside was around 40 degrees which felt like a heat wave. All in all, it was a good relaxing run. My pace was good and finished strong. I stopped a bit shy of my 45 minute goal due to some wretched side splits that would not go away. I attribute them to my pasta and meatballs I had for lunch.
I made the meatballs on Sunday on a whim. Robin was upstairs taking a nap and the kids were off entertaining themselves. Out of boredom, I looked in the fridge to see what I could conjure. Ground beef, good. On the window seat in the kitchen lay a huge bundle of fresh garlic Robin bought to make garlic-rosemary mashed potatoes. What do you get when you mix garlic and meat? Garlic balls!
My father made the most famous (or infamous) meatballs in our entire family. Everyone agreed, they tasted the best. His secret was loads and loads of garlic. I can remember many a Saturday afternoon, my dad watching the tiny black and white TV tuned to channel 11. The Yankees would be playing a matinee and Dad would listen as he crafted a meal for us. He loved to cook, especially for the people he loved. It's a tradition I've tried to carry on in my family. Saturday and Sunday mornings are my time to feed everyone, just like my father.
So I made classic Don Hering garlic balls. I cooked some in the sauce, and left a handful out just like my Dad always did. My son, Jack, sat at the kitchen island as I stood by the stove, frying up my golf ball sized garlic bombs. As I put the finished meatballs on a paper towel to sop up the excess frying grease, Jack would pilfer a snack and scamper back to his seat. He reminds me of what I was like when I was his age.
You never realize how much influence your parents have on you until you really think. In every way that Sunday afternoon I emulated my father. Not consciously, mind you, but out of habit. I watched him do the very same thing hundreds of times. By the time I started cooking, it was rote. Despite being something of a slob, I also inherited my father's obsessive cleanliness in the kitchen. I never saw a kitchen so spotless as when my father cooked a meal. I try to do the same, although my wife may differ on that opinion.
I think on my father quite often. Many times, when I'm struggling during a run I imagine him encouraging me to continue. He always expressed such pride in his children, in everything we did. I'd like to think he's proud of me now. That on some strange plane of existence he can see what I'm doing and is glad. I hope.
On Saturday, I needed my father to finish a particularly brutal run. When I began my run, the snow just started to fall. I planned to run 10k up and down the rolling hills of Shelby County. Mid way through the run, the snow really started to coming down. But these weren't gentle fluffy snow-poofs falling from the sky. No, this was an angry snow, driven by the wind into my side. At one point I looked down at my pullover and saw the black fleece turned gray. My sweat froze on the outside of the fleece, changing the shade of my warm outer shell.
I finished the run, thanks in part to the imagery I conjured up. "Keep going, keep going", I would hear in my head, the soothing sound of my father's gentle voice.
I kept going.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Goals
In business school we studied goal-setting motivational theory. Sounds fancy, doesn't it? At work we had mandatory goal-setting training to attend. Every year, around January people ask about your New Year's resolutions. Are you sensing a theme here?
Setting goals is an important part of being an ambitious citizen of the world. If you have no goals, nothing to strive for, than you basically are taking up space and using up perfectly good oxygen. I refuse to do either.
So this year I set some goals for myself. The training I received at work articulated that my goals should be SMART. That is:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Relevant
Timely
For example, saying I want to climb Mt. Everest this year is not attainable or, arguably, not relevant. Saying I want to complete school is not timely, unless I specify when I plan on finishing. You get the drift.
With that in mind, I have the following goals for 2007:
Setting goals is an important part of being an ambitious citizen of the world. If you have no goals, nothing to strive for, than you basically are taking up space and using up perfectly good oxygen. I refuse to do either.
So this year I set some goals for myself. The training I received at work articulated that my goals should be SMART. That is:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Relevant
Timely
For example, saying I want to climb Mt. Everest this year is not attainable or, arguably, not relevant. Saying I want to complete school is not timely, unless I specify when I plan on finishing. You get the drift.
With that in mind, I have the following goals for 2007:
- Complete my master's degree in June of 2007 - I'm so close I can feel it. I started this two years ago, attending class once a week for 4 hours on Tuesday night while doing lots of homework and reading. Now I'm almost done. What seemed like a major commitment actually passed quickly.
- Run the Derby Mini-Marathon on April 29, 2007 - Duh! Everyone that reads this blog should know this one.
- Run the NYC Marathon on November 4, 2007 - Please see above
- Start an online brokerage account by the end of January, 2007 - This is actually done. I wanted to use some of that financial knowledge I acquired while attaining my MBA. So far, my portfolio is up over 18%. I think I'm doing all right.
- Learn to speak basic Italian by the end of 2007 - Properly pronouncing menu items at Vincenzo's doesn't count. This has always been a goal of mine.
- Learn to fly fish by spring 2007 - I love to fish. It's, quite possible, my favorite hobby. Fly fishing has always held a special romance to me. The graceful casting loops and delicate presentations always looked more like art than science. I actually have a fly-fishing outfit now and am learning how to properly overhead cast and roll cast. Once the weather warms, I'll be on the water.
I think that's all, although more goals and opportunities will present themselves during the course of the year. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
On a different note, my ankle is feeling much better. This weekend, I plan on testing it out again, hopefully, with more encouraging results.
Monday, February 5, 2007
A Fresh Outlook
I ran yesterday and my ankle hurt...bad. I could only finish about 1.67 miles. My pace was good but the pain was too much and I feared further injuring my tender ankle so I stopped.
Downtrodden, I entered my house following the failed attempt. Disgusted, I ripped off my gloves and threw them on the table.
"How did you do?", Robin asked.
"Lousy".
I grabbed my Pepsi bottle filled with ice, sat at the kitchen island, untied my shoes and socks and began to put icy pressure on my left ankle. All the while, negative thoughts bounced in my brain. How could this be happening? I have to get over this injury. I rested an entire week and it feels worse than before.
before I could say anything, Robin entered the room and offered words of consolation.
"You'll complete the mini-marathon. Even of you fall behind in your training program. You may not run the entire distance. You may have to take walk breaks, but you WILL finish".
Just then, my solitary pity party ended. She was right and I knew it. I went upstairs. As I waited for the shower water to warm, I stared at myself in the mirror. Dad always accused me of looking at myself too much in the mirror. Only this time, I wasn't all that impressed.
I got angry, but not at my misfortune. I got angry that I almost allowed this injury to stop my forward progress. This isn't the end. Not unless I decide it is. I could be doing other things. Riding the stationary bike, lifting weights, or using the low-impact elliptical machine while my ankle fully heals. That way, when I return to the road I will be stronger and lighter than ever. With Robin's help, I regained my resolve.
I have several weeks before the mini-marathon and I may be forced to make adjustments to my goal. But one thing is for certain. This injury won't stop me.
Later that morning, in lieu of church, I sat down with my kids to do a bible study. I chose I Corinthians 9:24..."Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize".
I will not run aimlessly, or fight like a man beating the air. I will beat my body and make it a slave to my will, so I will not be disqualified from the prize.
Downtrodden, I entered my house following the failed attempt. Disgusted, I ripped off my gloves and threw them on the table.
"How did you do?", Robin asked.
"Lousy".
I grabbed my Pepsi bottle filled with ice, sat at the kitchen island, untied my shoes and socks and began to put icy pressure on my left ankle. All the while, negative thoughts bounced in my brain. How could this be happening? I have to get over this injury. I rested an entire week and it feels worse than before.
before I could say anything, Robin entered the room and offered words of consolation.
"You'll complete the mini-marathon. Even of you fall behind in your training program. You may not run the entire distance. You may have to take walk breaks, but you WILL finish".
Just then, my solitary pity party ended. She was right and I knew it. I went upstairs. As I waited for the shower water to warm, I stared at myself in the mirror. Dad always accused me of looking at myself too much in the mirror. Only this time, I wasn't all that impressed.
I got angry, but not at my misfortune. I got angry that I almost allowed this injury to stop my forward progress. This isn't the end. Not unless I decide it is. I could be doing other things. Riding the stationary bike, lifting weights, or using the low-impact elliptical machine while my ankle fully heals. That way, when I return to the road I will be stronger and lighter than ever. With Robin's help, I regained my resolve.
I have several weeks before the mini-marathon and I may be forced to make adjustments to my goal. But one thing is for certain. This injury won't stop me.
Later that morning, in lieu of church, I sat down with my kids to do a bible study. I chose I Corinthians 9:24..."Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize".
I will not run aimlessly, or fight like a man beating the air. I will beat my body and make it a slave to my will, so I will not be disqualified from the prize.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Concerns Mount as Injuries Increase
By all accounts, this past week was an extremely successful training week. I logged about 15 miles and tackled a daunting 7 mile run on Saturday morning. Wednesday night, during a 4.5 mile run, I tweaked my left ankle. I didn't notice the discomfort until after I was finished.
Ice, compression, elevation and two days of rest followed. Saturday morning the ankle felt fine, although probably still a bit tender. I decided to run anyway, fearing I would fall behind if I fail to complete the long run. As I started running my ankle felt fine. No pain or discomfort at all.
Then it happened. As I ran down Eastern Parkway I hit a uneven slab of concrete on the sidewalk with my right toe. Violently, I lunged forward landing hard on my right foot. As this happened I know I let out a primal yelp. The whole event caught me by surprise. I stopped for a second and gathered my composure. Is everything ok? Nothing hurts, no pulls or breaks. I lucked out.
I finished the run, passing several Louisville landmarks along the way. I ran past St. X, and then turned left and passed the Louisville Zoo, through Joe Creason Park and up Newburgh Road. Then I passed Bellarmine University before turning right back onto Eastern Parkway. Stopping in front of Fleet Feet my Ipod read 6.97 miles. I jogged around for 30 more seconds until I finished 7 miles. 7.04 to be exact.
I felt great after the run. It was a real sense of accomplishment to run that many miles. That's the real allure of running. Conquering goals, that seem impossible with discipline and time. I returned home invigorated and pleased with my workout.
Robin was very sick on Saturday and spent most of the day on the couch sleeping. She contracted some sort of nasty virus that left her fevered and congested. This meant I spent most of the day on my feet attending to the many chores and children in my house. That's when I noticed the ankle pain.
I should have rested, but duty called and Robin was in no condition to get up. By the end of the day, my ankle was pretty sore. The next day, it felt even worse. Rest, ice, compression, elevation, repeat. That's all I can do.
It feels a little better this morning, but I won't run again until the pain completely subsides. These ankle twists are normal for runners, but the injury raises concerns. Will this put me off schedule? How long will this take to heal?
Thankfully, I am a bit ahead of schedule for the mini-marathon so I can afford to take some time off and rest. I'll keep you posted on how my rehabilitation progresses.
Ice, compression, elevation and two days of rest followed. Saturday morning the ankle felt fine, although probably still a bit tender. I decided to run anyway, fearing I would fall behind if I fail to complete the long run. As I started running my ankle felt fine. No pain or discomfort at all.
Then it happened. As I ran down Eastern Parkway I hit a uneven slab of concrete on the sidewalk with my right toe. Violently, I lunged forward landing hard on my right foot. As this happened I know I let out a primal yelp. The whole event caught me by surprise. I stopped for a second and gathered my composure. Is everything ok? Nothing hurts, no pulls or breaks. I lucked out.
I finished the run, passing several Louisville landmarks along the way. I ran past St. X, and then turned left and passed the Louisville Zoo, through Joe Creason Park and up Newburgh Road. Then I passed Bellarmine University before turning right back onto Eastern Parkway. Stopping in front of Fleet Feet my Ipod read 6.97 miles. I jogged around for 30 more seconds until I finished 7 miles. 7.04 to be exact.
I felt great after the run. It was a real sense of accomplishment to run that many miles. That's the real allure of running. Conquering goals, that seem impossible with discipline and time. I returned home invigorated and pleased with my workout.
Robin was very sick on Saturday and spent most of the day on the couch sleeping. She contracted some sort of nasty virus that left her fevered and congested. This meant I spent most of the day on my feet attending to the many chores and children in my house. That's when I noticed the ankle pain.
I should have rested, but duty called and Robin was in no condition to get up. By the end of the day, my ankle was pretty sore. The next day, it felt even worse. Rest, ice, compression, elevation, repeat. That's all I can do.
It feels a little better this morning, but I won't run again until the pain completely subsides. These ankle twists are normal for runners, but the injury raises concerns. Will this put me off schedule? How long will this take to heal?
Thankfully, I am a bit ahead of schedule for the mini-marathon so I can afford to take some time off and rest. I'll keep you posted on how my rehabilitation progresses.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Playlists and Other News
Here's a list of some of my favorite running songs:
- Baba O'Riley - The Who - The opening synthesizer riff does something special to get my legs moving again. I like to put this song towards the end of a run so it pumps me up.
- Release Me - Pearl Jam - I know most of you are thinking, "That song is painfully slow". That's true, but it is also very relaxing and hypnotic, and really helps me find my groove while running.
- Going the Distance - Cake - C'mon...what runner wouldn't have this song on their playlist? Great beat, great lyrics and a great theme.
- In the Crossfire - StarSailor - Opens with the prophetic lyrics, "I don't see myself when I look in the mirror, I see the person that I want to be".
- Philosophy - Ben Folds Five - "Go ahead you can laugh all you want, but I got my Philosophy!" Upbeat song, with a good tempo and enough happy chords to keep you positive when the miles get grueling.
And now for some songs that will never make my running playlist but are in every other playlist:
- It Never Entered my Mind - Miles Davis - Good for dancing slow with your wife or reading a book on a rainy spring day. Not so good for running.
- Dear Someone - Gillian Welch - If you haven't discovered Gillian Welch's demure and silky voice, you really are missing out on one of America's treasures. This song highlights the whimsical beauty of her Appalachian infused folk.
- Wrecking Ball - Gillian Welch - Another beauty from Welch. It's sad and poignant and the music is amazing.
- Turn Me On - Norah Jones - If you haven't discovered Norah Jones demure and...wait a minute, didn't I just do this.
- Wayfaring Stranger - Sam Bush - Bush is the undisputed master of the mandolin. His version of Wayfaring Stranger is incredible.
Okay, so those are some of my favorite songs right now. Some are good for running, some aren't.
Saturday, I ran 10k in Cherokee Park. For the first time, I ran with the group at Fleet Feet on Bardstown Road. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. As I started running with the group, I noticed the pace was very brisk. About 1k into the run, I struggled to keep up with the more seasoned runners.
It was decision time. Should I try to keep up with that pace and jeopardize my planned distance or break off and find my own groove. Ultimately, I chose to run solo. I actually enjoy running alone. It's very introspective and quiet. I finished the run with a little strength left but not much. It was a tough run, conquering the steep hills and cold temperatures.
I did post a personal best fastest mile (10'15") and 5k (32'59"). I rested on Sunday and ran yesterday. I felt possessed and ran hard out of the gate posting a new fastest mile (9'54") and 5k (32'20").
My first race is coming up in a five weeks, the Anthem 5k. My goal is to run that in 31 minutes or less. I feel well on my way to achieving that goal.
Also, my sister confirmed she will run the Derby Festival mini-marathon with me on April 29th. I'm very excited to have a running partner, but also genuinely thrilled to spend some quality with my New Jersey family. Hopefully, Mom will make the trip as well to cheer us on.
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