In Training!

New Shoes

2008-09-06T21:45:00.002-05:00

There comes a time, every several years, when a runner must part ways with the make and style of shoe that has graced their feet. This time has come for me. This weekend, I retired the Pearl-Izumi Syncro-Float 2's that I had worn for Boston. For the past 4 years, this day meant that a new pair of Syncro-Float's were waiting in the wings to be broken in, but not today.
Today, I took a pair of Asics Nimbus 9's out of the box and wore them around town to break them in. Tomorrow, I will take them on a quick 3 mile run to really get my foot molded into the shoe. It will be the first miles not run in a pair of Pearl-Izumis (not counting speed work done in my Reebok track shoes). Granted, I still have a pair of P-I trail shoes with a considerable amount of life left in them, but the Asics now appear to be the shoe of my future. They are a nice neutral cushion with laces that really hug my foot. My feet are happy for now. I have always been picky about what shoes I wear and it took me several tries to find the Pearl's 4 years ago, so I am not yet ready to become a spokesman for Asics.

I'll miss my Pearl Izumi's but it is time for my feet to move on to a shoe with a slightly better fit.

Covered Bridges

2008-09-04T15:09:00.002-05:00

I ran the Swanzey Covered Bridges Half-marathon last Sunday. I had not been training too hard for it and wound up running out of gas early on. I finished 1:45, which I can live with. This guy from New Jersey was asking me about the course at the start. I told him it was a rolling course. It turns out "rolling" in New Hampshire means "hills" in New Jersey and I felt like I was the guy from Jersey by about the 7 mile mark.

The race's founder died last year of cancer (he was 31) and it is great that the race has continued. It was inspiring to have his parents yell "go" at the start.

The Baltimore Half-marathon is up next. I've got to get out and train a little harder for that.

Oh well, here is my friend Lindsey's running blog:
http://lindseyisrunning.blogspot.com/
You can check it out and see pictures of all of her meals.

Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson etc.

2008-08-27T20:21:00.002-05:00

It has been a long time since I posted, here is why:
1. I haven't been connected at the hip to a computer.
2. My running hasn't been as focused

So I am going to start posting again because:
1. I found out a friend of mine has been blogging her training and taking pictures of her meals and links to this blog.
2. If all goes well, we may run a marathon together.
3. Blogging keeps me inspired.

Here is an update:
1. I am running the Swanzey Covered Bridges Half Marathon this coming Sunday. I have no expectations for this race, as my training has not gone too well.
2. I plan on running the Baltimore Half-marathon in October.
3. I start a new Job next Tuesday.
4. I have been recording an album of sorts.
5. I hope to run a spring marathon. In California. Its called the Big Sur International Marathon.
6. I am going to make shirts or stickers that say ALL MARATHONS ARE 26.2 MILES LONG because I am sick of me saying I ran Boston and someone saying how far was it and me saying I want to run Big Sur and them saying How Far is that. The same goes for a half-marathon. If I tell you a marathon is 26.2 and say I am running a half-marathon, that means the half-marathon is how long? That is right, 13.1 miles.

So Good, So Good, So Good!

2008-05-20T14:17:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Jon Lester for throwing a No-hit gem!

Having just done the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, it is very inspiring to see such a young man overcome cancer to accomplish one of the best individual milestones in all of sports.

Jon, I hope you can let your humble side down for a minute and really enjoy your tremendous accomplishments. For anyone who complains that professional athletes are bad role models, you, Jon Lester, stand as one of the best examples of why we turn, time and time again, to sports.

It may be silly to say, but listening to the no-hitter last night, makes me proud to be human today.

Now, here is to a long, success filled career and an even longer, healthy life.

Theo: Make this young man a rich young man!

GO SOX!!!

Bike/Walk to Work Day

2008-05-16T06:26:00.002-05:00

It is bike or walk to work day and I will be biking. I am two miles from work. I drove yesterday because of the rain and after work, I went for a 30 minute run from the parking lot. When I got back to my car, I could not turn the key in the ignition. It was stuck... I tried for about 10 minutes. So I tacked on an extra two miles to my run and ran home. The point of this is that this is when I noticed how tired and sore my right knee is. It is the knee that was bothering me during training for Boston and as I write, it is quite sore. I could feel my IT band last night as I was in bed, it felt like a rubber band that was about to snap. So, I am going to have to be very careful. There is not a lot of pain, just a decent ache.
So now, I am going to bike to work and call AAA to tow my car or at least try to get the key to work.

No point to this really. I'm still getting back into the swing of things and this lingering knee thing is kind of a bummer.

Hiatus Over

2008-05-09T09:40:00.002-05:00

Ok, I have taken a hiatus from all things running and that has included this blog. Needless to say I was pretty tired after the big race. It turns out I was carrying a cold on the day of the Marathon and I still have not been able to shake it (of course I have had some allergies too). I'll be getting back into the swing of running this weekend. My legs are itching to run.
In the meantime, I have been writing a bunch, playing a ton of guitar and even written a few songs for the first time in several years. I hope this isn't a tradeoff: in order to write I have to not run.
Anyways, my unofficial fundraising total stands at just over $7300. I am considering my fundraising efforts completed, so anything else that comes in is just icing.
What is next? Looks like another marathon this fall. With a lot of good choices up and down the east coast for a fall 26.2, one seems as the logical choice, but I do not want to confirm anything yet.
I'll get back in the swing of blogging and running over the next few days, so keep checking back.

Pictures

2008-04-24T09:55:00.002-05:00

There are pictures available at www.marathonfoto.com

Just select the 2008 Boston Marathon enter my last name (Barry) and My bib number (22183) and you can see some pics from the race. They are trying to sell you the pictures, but you can still look at them.

Gory Details and other miscelaneous stuff

2008-04-22T09:31:00.004-05:00

I overcame dehydration that set in somewhere around mile 12 (you can see this in my split times), some fancy blisters on my toes and a nice sunburn. People keep asking me about the hills, which were tough, but I was more focused on the dehydration and the lack of any energy reserve in my legs so I did not really notice the hills. It was actually easier to run up the hills than transition into the downhill sections. I just kept taking water and Gatorade and moving forward. I dry heaved somewhere between 24 and 25, felt my legs crumple near the finish, but I did it. I earned this finish. It was a "bad" day on the course, but that means it was a great day overall. Sure, my time was slow for me, but what matters is that I crossed the finish and have my finisher's medal!

The best part is that despite the difficulty, I am committed to continued to challenge myself. After my first Marathon I was injured with knee issues and couldn't run for almost 2 months, which really took the wind out of my sails for running. Today, I know that once the soreness subsides, I'll be running injury free! This training episode also helped me refine my nutritional needs (IE my lactose intolerance), which had been a struggle in the past as I trained for and abandoned other marathons.

Anyways, more details about the run and fundraising will be forthcoming, so keep reading. I will definitely keep the blog going as my personal training journal.

Thanks to my "curb crew" yesterday Liz, Mom, Dad, Mandy, Sue and Cheryl who made the Boylston St. seem a little less long. And thanks to all the race volunteers whose tireless efforts make them heroes to the runners. And of course, the DFMC volunteers whose tremendous gift to the runners is their genuine care for our well being and who manage to take care of all the little details from the post-race escort to the massage to the excellent post-race running food. Truly, we DFMC runners are spoiled and pampered...

More details coming (my break was over ten minutes ago).

I DID IT!!!

2008-04-21T19:38:00.001-05:00

Last thoughts before the race

2008-04-20T18:24:00.004-05:00

Today has been a wonderful day - as a good a day leading up to the race as I could have imagined. Liz, my father and I went into Boston to pick up my number and register for both the race itself and for Dana-Farber. After shuffling through the crowds at the Hynes Convention Center and swiping some free stuff we went to the DFMC pasta party.
Up to this point, I had a good idea of what this is all about, but the Pasta Party puts it into real perspective. You walk into the party down a hallway lined by posters with pictures of children being treated at Dana-Farber. The tributes to the in memory of and in honor of children (children who are paired with a runner to represent them in the race) left lumps in throats and few dry eyes in the place. As I write this, I have broken the 7,000 dollar mark and how proud I am to know that that money can make a difference. The real perspective comes from seeing the last few months of training in terms of what was and drawing on the strength of the people that lost their battles to cancer in a sense, I was missing the now. Tomorrow, it is the strength of those who fight now and the happiness of those whose battles with this disease may be easier in the future that will carry me, along with the memory of those I have lost. Today Dana-Farber became not about the past, but about the present and the differences being made now. Those of us who have watched people suffer and fight and die from cancer know how horrible this disease is and we know the best thing we can do to honor them is to do all we can to lessen the suffering and bolster the fight of the nameless cancer patients who are presently afflicted. That is my hope going into tomorrow.

I am tremendously grateful for all who have donated and supported me along the way. The road doesn't end tomorrow...

P.S. Check out the articles about me in the Keene Sentinel and Clinton Item.

HONOR ROLL PART 2

2008-04-19T20:39:00.000-05:00

THIS IS WHO IT IS FOR!!

2008-04-18T14:21:00.006-05:00

HONOR ROLL 2008

SALLY PEG JACK JOHNNY ANDREW GLEN PHYLLIS NANCY B. CAROLYN J. WILLIAM G. JEAN-MARIE JOANNE JOHNNY L. BILLY C. DAVE AUDREY ERNIEPAUL S. JOHN S. SUSAN S. ADAM D. ETHEL M. SAM P. ELIZABETH C. CAROLINE F. ELAINE L. BEV ROBERT JOHN MARIE A. VIRGINIA T. JOHN C. CARMELA C. KIM SAM P. WALLACE H. BRENDA D. GLADDY CLAIRE GARY CHRISTINE CATHERINE C GLEN CAROLYN CONNIE W. MARY RAY ANTHONY VIC G. JILL ROSE MARY ROSE JULIUS GAIL N. PAUL P. JANET+BOBBY D. BILLY C. BETTY LORRAINE GLEN HAROLD MARILYN PHYL MARION BILL+JOHN KIM H. RICHARD W. ELIJAH B. MARIAN I. VIRGINIA CHARISE SHERI C. SHEILA EVE BOB+ANNE M. DON+MARY L. WILLIAM C. ROSE CANDY CLIFF TUT GRAEME GEORGE SUE JEANWILLIAM G. JEAN-MARIE JOANE B. JOHN S. CAROL F. ELAINE L. BEV JAMES MARY PATT LLOYD DENNIS EDDIE I. TONY CHARLOTTE GAIL PAUL JIMMY B.

Challenge!!!

2008-04-17T16:32:00.002-05:00

I know that the people who read this are mostly people who have already donated, but I have a challenge:
I want to break $7000 and I only need about $350 more to do so, But I want to earn it!
If I can get a few people to pledge $1 for every minute under 4 hours I run, I think I can break the 7000 mark easily.
For those of you who wonder: my one previous marathon was run in 3:32. I expect to be around that time but you just can't tell. So much can happen in 26.2 miles... I will say that it is more likely that I fall apart and run 3:50 than I have the perfect race and run 3:15, so this really is a challenge...

Any takers? Any Corporate Sponsors? Any challengers?

Ok, I know it is asking a lot for anyone to double donate, so I am going to be asking around at work on this challenge to see if any one is willing to challenge me...

I was in Ted's Shoe and Sport in Keene the other day. They have a signed poster of Bill Rodgers with his winning years and his famous quote "Relentless." I gave it a rub.

If

2008-04-16T09:36:00.002-05:00

IF...
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

"Many go fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after."
- Henry David Thoeau

Tale of the Tape

2008-04-14T18:47:00.005-05:00

AGE: Christopher (CB): 28 Boston Marathon (BM): 112
END TO END: CB - 5'4'' BM - 26.2miles
Weight: CB - 144lbs BM - ???
Previous Marathons: CB - 1 BM - 111
Born: CB - Oxnard, CA BM - Hopkinton, MA
Hometown: CB - Keene, NH BM - Boston, MA
Known Feature: CB - Calf Muscles BM - Heartbreak Hill
Secret Weapon: CB - Quads BM - all the downhills
X-Factor: CB - Motivation BM - The Weather
Sponsors: CB - Dana Farber BM - Many, many, many
Chief Fuel Source: CB - Pasta... BM - none
Pairs of Shoes: CB - 6 BM - about 25,000
Heroes: CB - Father, Liz BM - Bill Rodgers, Uta, Johnny Kelly, Rick and Dick Hoyt
Goats: CB- none BM - Rosie Ruiz
Chief Rival: CB - Self BM - New York
Non-Running Pasttime: CB - Music BM - Transportation

Analysis: The big questions are around the intangibles... how will starting in the slower wave effect the long term outlook of the race? What will the weather be? How will the legs feel as course switches from downhill to uphill? Also, how will recent injuries and illness affect the race? Will the easing up on training be a good thing allowing for the body to be well rested or will there be missing strength in the late stages??? One thing that can't be denied is that the challenger looks to be fired up, relishing his role as a David, as an underdog. He's got the motivation and the determination. He's had months to train. Now he's making final adjustments to his gameplan. He likes his odds. The course has no real surprises. We all know about Heartbreak. But the weather will be a huge factor. We'll all be watching the weather reports closely. We know that generally, if the runners are happy with the weather, the specatators aren't. So we'll be waiting and watching.
Edge: Even. For every thing one has, the other has an answer: tough hills, tough quads. Long distance, tough legs. Perhaps a slight edge to the competition. You have to wonder if after 111 years the course is lacking in the inspiration. Each year, the competition comes in with stories and personal inpsiration. This is after all the Boston Marathon...

Week In Review: 4/6-4/12

2008-04-13T09:25:00.002-05:00

SEVEN DAYS TO GO!!!
Sunday: 3
Monday: off. 28 years old today
Tuesday: 5, felt good despite lingering cold symptoms
Wednesday: off - exhausted from continuing to battle the aforementioned cold.
Thursday: 10x 200m with 2oom recovery. 5 plus total
Friday: 2 (just to stay loose)
Saturday: 8 - warm day.
Week Total: 23
2008: 448

Looking back: not much to say. Battled a cold all week. Had trouble with my energy levels on a given run.
Looking ahead: just stay loose, eat well. REST. I'm still tired from being sick. Try not to worry about not feeling as strong in the last couple of weeks as I did earlier in my training. Stay busy, not let myself think too much about it.

Seven days to go... Just seven... I'll try to be posting something each day leading up to the day so check back often!

Shoutouts: Turn It Up! for keeping my training music fresh; Armadillo's for the best non-pasta carb food; Elijah B. who helped me find the best running shoes and was an enthusiastic supporter or local athletes; Prime Roast, for keeping me in the coffee; Tim for letting me send him random emails from work; the workers at the Keene State College Rec Center for never asking to see my student ID. Thanks to you guys for supporting me by just doing what you do.

10 Days to go...

2008-04-10T15:36:00.002-05:00

10 days...

Did 10 200 meter repeats this morning. It was my last speed workout for the marathon and my first one on an outdoor track this year.

I received a donation today that had me crack 6500 (by my unofficial count). Is there 500 more out there? We'll see. Maybe I will have to busk on a street corner or in the cafeteria at work to raise some extra scratch.

10 days, 10 sustaining thoughts:

10. If I do this, I can eat donuts
9. I'll look good when Curtis' opens in April
8. Dana-Farber is a cause worth running a marathon for and asking people to donate to
7. There is no tomorrow
6. Someone has to run in all this snow
5. Who else is going to let Elmer and Sophie lick the sweat off of them while they stretch
4. Cancer sucks.
3. Breakfast in three parts: 5:45 Banana, 6:20 water and Gu, 8 Toast, Cereal, Coffee.
2. Some finish lines just mean more.
1. Sally. Nana. Johnny. Glen. Andrew.

11 days to go, in two Parts.

2008-04-09T17:25:00.008-05:00

Part one: What I have in My Pocket

What I have in my pocket is the experience of one marathon, I know how bad I will feel. I have the strength of the people whose honor and memory I am taking with me. I have the gratitude to know that I have been given an opportunity to run 26.2 miles. An opportunity that comes from taking care of myself, honoring human genetics (hey, Humans were MADE to run... it is how we survived. Running only became bad for your knees once we started becoming sedentary). And above all else, I am here on earth and healthy. That is where the opportunity comes from.
In my other pocket I have the drive to run, to train.
Where does the drive to run comes from? I point to my favorite scene in Rocky.
No, not that scene.
The scene that immediately follows that scene, where Rocky says to Adrian "If I go the distance with Creed, then for the first time in my life, I'll know I'm not a bum." When I line up in Hopkinton, I will know I am not a bum. I have earned that spot regardless of my doubts about recent weeks of training. When I cross the finish on Boylston St. I'll know I am somebody. And when somebody asks: what did you do? I'll say "I raised over 6000 dollars for cancer research and ran the Boston Marathon."

Part Two: Grudge Match
Hey Boston, I'm speaking to you: This is personal. You better have your best game on if you're going to test me. I'm taking you the distance and when I'm done, you're going to know. I'm running with a chip on my shoulder and the honor of friends, family and millions of faceless victims of cancer fueling my legs. Have you seen these legs? You're going too... I know where you live. I know what you call "hills" and what you call "Heartbreak." You've eaten your share of competition and you've faced down some tough runners, but you haven't faced legs like mine before. These legs are forged from the rutted roads and fantastic potholes of miracle workers who came before me. They are fueled by people who dance in the light of our ecstatic memory, who are behind every door and under every surface in our dreams. My legs are angry for the shattered widows who may never find peace on this earth and for the youth whose old age is mercilessly melted away in pounds. My legs have the strength of the tarnished and wasting warriors who choose to fight, regardless of their chance of survival. And my legs have the composure of those who choose not to fight and opted to go gently into the good night.
You think you can challenge that? These legs have trained with a purpose greater than running your measley distance and hills. And if I have to crawl and turn my knees to bloody scabs to defeat you, I will. I'll see you on April 21. This is a grudge match.

Part 3: I'm anxious and nervous. The fact that I have a lingering cold, sore nose and painful sneezes doesn't help the anxiety.

Week In Review: 3/31-4/05

2008-04-06T10:02:00.004-05:00

Tough week.

3/30 Sunday: off - very sore from yesterdays 21
3/31 Monday: 2.5 - still very sore. Did you see Obama go Bowling?
4/1 Tuesday: 5.5 - Still feeling it. Seriously, Obama bowled a 37! I could beat that.
4/2 Wednesday: off (scheduled rest day) went to the Celtics game, a lot of fun!
4/3 Thursday: Sick - sore throat, went home from work
4/4 Friday: still sick - Who do you want to answer the phone at 3AM?
4/5 Saturday: 12 - felt strong, but lost energy about the six mile mark because I had not eaten well on the previous couple of days. Doesn't the White House have a bowling alley?
Week Total: 20
2008: 425

Looking back: The first half of the week was spent recovering from last Saturday's 21 miler, the second half was spent fighting some sickness. I still have a sore throat. I started to feel sick on the ride home from the Celtics game on Wed night. Love Big Baby's mohawk. Kevin Garnett is an amazing player to watch.
Looking ahead: Nothing left to do but taper down so my body recovers. At three AM, the red phone is ringing, North Korea has mobilized. Kim Jong Il is demanding to bowl, heads up, against all major world leaders. America learns President Obama has moved the red phone to the White House bowling alley. His personal bowling ball has a clear shell with a hologram of the Presidential Seal that glows during galactic bowl. In a moment of perfect photo-journalism, Obama's steely countenance and set jaw are captured as he pauses, bowling ball to chest, staring down the alley prior to his first shot.

Fundraising: well, I have broken $6000 by my unofficial total. Once DFMC processes the next batch of donations, that will show on my page. I am far enough over 6000 to be thinking about the 7000 mark. It is possible!

Feeling Better

2008-04-04T14:18:00.002-05:00

I am feeling better after a day in bed and resting. This will be three days without running which makes me feel like a slacker. As the calender gets closer to the big day I have to trust that missing a couple of days now will not hurt me on 4/21. In fact, I must trust that what is more likely is that the running I do in the next two weeks has more of a chance to mess up the race than any other time during my training. I can't go back and add miles to my training, intervals to my speedwork or minutes to any given day. I didn't break 50 miles in a week, but I was consistently in the 40's. I will take consistent training over a couple of big weeks. At this point, all there is to do is slow down and let my body recover fully so I am prepared. I'll do another 12-15 mile tuneup this weekend and that is really it. After that, it is a taper.

Sick

2008-04-03T09:20:00.002-05:00

I'm sick.

I'm going to lie down.

If we had TV, I would watch General Hospital and Jerry Springer. We don't have TV.

week In review, week 13: 3/23-3/29

2008-03-30T05:24:00.002-05:00

Sunday: off
Monday: 4 easy (knee feels good)
Tuesday: 6
Wendesday: off (gentle yoga)
Thursday: 6x1000meters with 200m recovery. Did not feel great. Total: 7plus
Friday: 2.5 easy
Saturday: 21 - felt great! Knee feels good! Hilly! Last long run...
Total for week: 40.5
2008: 405

Looking back: Was cautious with the knee and it paid off. It felt important to get in the speedwork and long run. Felt awesome on the 21 thanks to some well timed Gu, and there was a good variety of hills (a few long gradual hills, a bunch of short, steep hills and a couple of long, steady, tough hills). Knee feels good. Tough workout on Thursday left me a little dissapointed. The schedule called for 8 repeats, but it was not happening. All in all a great week.
Looking ahead: One final speed session! One longish run and then the taper period begins.

Fundraising: thanks to all who have given! Don't forget, there is no deadline for making a donation so if you haven't made a donation yet and you are willing, now is as good a time as any. If you have given, spread the word! Tell them it is so simple to make a gift to this wonderful organization. Just mention www.rundfmc.org and all they have to do is click on support a runner and remember my last name: Barry. You can even tell them that giving on-line at www.rundfmc.org is safe and secure. It is also quick and simple.
So as Marathon Monday approaches, make sure you mention that you know someone who is running for Dana-Farber and if they want to they can make a gift to his cause. I would love to get a few donations from people I don't know!!!!
If you have been waiting to donate, here is another reason to put it off no longer: my birthday is coming up. I will be 28 on 4/7. So there are a couple of numbers for you: $28, $47. There is of course the magic number: 26.2!

Thanks!

#22183

2008-03-27T14:22:00.002-05:00

I am number 22183.

Search and Destroy

2008-03-25T14:24:00.006-05:00

I'm sitting at my desk at work on break, sorting peanut M&M's by color and I realize that like the number of peanut M&M's in a king size package, there are many reasons why I run.

One of the better writer's on the subject of running, John Bingham put it simply: I am runner because I say I am a runner. It doesn't matter if I run 1 mile or 100 miles; or if I run because I am trying to lose weight, I am a runner when I say I am a runner. But he did not answer the question of why I run. He wasn't eating M&Ms and he did not realize that each M&M seems to be a reason.

I run so that I can eat at Curtis' BBQ and eat packages of king size peanut M&Ms without too much worry. I run to honor my body. I run so my mind can wander and come back clear. I run because I sit at a desk all day and instinct cries out that humans are supposed to move. I RUN, I don't jog. I run to annoy snowmobilers in the winter by not giving way on snowcovered trails. I run because it makes me feel good. I have never once felt regret over the time spent running. I run to find my limits. I run because it fills a need. I run because I always run against my greatest competitor: myself. And for the extra portions of food. I run for the food. I run for pancakes and pie, and reuben sandwiches, and sausage and BBQ and donuts. I run because...

I run in Pearl Izumi SyncroFloat2 and SyncroSeek2 shoes. I run in black shorts. I run in shirts that have soaked up years and miles worth of sweat and no matter how often I wash them, they still smell awful. I run with a green watch on my left wrist and I stop it any time I stop, for any reason even when I hesitate at a crosswalk. My socks wear through on the back of my heels and my heels themselves are calloused and blistered. I am a stocky runner with quick leg turnover and I must be blessed with a decent heart and lungs to be able to move my 5'4" frame fairly quick. I traded in the raw speed of my high school days for endurance. I eat GU and prefer water to gatoraid, but I'll drink the latter on a long run. I listen to music when I run; why seperate my two passions? I use the iPod shuffle and I am forever skipping songs. This week, I have listened to "Search and Destroy" by Iggy and the Stooges on every single run/workout.
I'm a streetwalkin' cheetah with a heart full of napalm. Thank you Iggy. Thank you.
I am a runner.

week in review: 3/16 - 3/22

2008-03-23T09:08:00.003-05:00

Sun: 10 (This is when my knee started acting up)
Mon: 3
Tue: 30 min on the Elliptical, 15 or so on the bike
Wed: Yoga focusing on the hips and knee
Thu: 35 min Elliptical
Fri: 50 min Elliptical, 25 min bike
Sat: 1:40 bike ride
Miles running for the week: 13
2008: 365

Looking back: Stupid knee. Had a great ride on Saturday through snowy trails and was able to keep the effort level up. All this cross-training has confirmed that I am in great shape. It is very difficult to get close to the effort level I usually run at unless I crank up the resistance or ride the hills hard. Definitely had a great time trying to ride through the melting snow.
Looking ahead: Stupid knee. At this point it is all about balance: somehow get one more long run and one or two more speed workouts in. Just get to Hopkinton. I can rest on 4/22.

Fundraising: I'm getting thank you notes out and trying to plug the blog in them. Drop me a line of encouragement if you've been checking this out...

1 Month To Go!

2008-03-21T09:40:00.002-05:00

This is it! One month until Patriot's Day! One month until Boston!

It is a good day to reflect on the work I have done and begin to look at the final push towards Hopkinton.

It is also a good day to reflect on just how amazing the work is that Dana-Farber does. By aiming for a goal beyond a cure for cancer, specifically, a world without cancer, they provide world-class research and advances that help cancer patients today. Who knows if we will ever live in a world without this ruthless disease, but with Dana-Farber working towards nothing less than that, we can live in a world where the suffering is less and the odds are greater.

With one month to go, almost to the minute, I am proud to be part of this marathon challenge and proud of my friends and family who have been so willing to support this cause, especially in difficult economic times.

Some Finish Lines Just Mean More!

5K

2008-03-19T14:20:00.003-05:00

It is the distance that requires the perfect mix of raw speed and endurance;
the distance that the average runner can easily test their fitness or progress;
sucess at other distances doesn't guarantee sucess at this distance - the miler is too short focused and the marathoner is too long focused.
The best in the world cover the distance in under 13 minutes; anyone who covers the distance in running shoes has accomplished something;
To the American, the distance is odd, 3.1? To the rest of the world it is an even 5000 meters.
Just as the first mile adrenaline fades, the middle mile is upon you and the last mile is as quick and painful as you want to make it... but then it is over.
The greatest American runner* ran this distance. To paraphrase him, You have to run every race as hard as you can, to do anything less is to waste the gift.
He also said "I don't race to see who is fastest. I race to see who has the most guts."

5000 meters, 5K, 3.1 miles. It is a great distance.
5000 also happens to be a great fundraising milestone.

*Steve Prefontaine

An ounce of Prevention

2008-03-18T09:32:00.003-05:00

This is normally when I would rant about elliptical machines, stationary bikes and other horrible "fitness" creations. I won't. I'll reluctantly acknowledge their role in my training at the moment.

I am in full prevention mode... as in preventing my knee from getting any worse. The pain is tolerable, manageable, but I know that running through it will make it much worse. I have to trust that I am in great shape and that doing what my body needs now will lead to success on 4/21 and beyond.

IT: it's my job and the bane of my knee!

2008-03-17T14:22:00.007-05:00

The Illiotibial Band on my right leg is making its presence felt. I'm not happy about this. With just over one month of training to go, I woke up this morning with pain in my right knee. I've been through this before.
I'm in touch with Coach Fultz and I know the drill: Ice, Cross Training, stretching. Not too happy about this, but I have to try to see the big picture.

I'm not injured, but I would appear on Bellicheck's injury report as "Probable"

Week In Review, Week 11: 3/9 - 3/15

2008-03-15T09:47:00.002-05:00

Sun: 17.5 Felt Great
Mon: Off
Tue: 5 (sore)
Wed: 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800 w/ 400m recovery. Total: 6.5
Thu: 7 (Felt good, threw in another 1600 repeat)
Fri: off
Sat: 4 plus (ran outside, with shorts!)
Week Total: 40
2008: 352

Looking back: tough week, a lot of soreness. Was squeezed for time during the ladder workout and cut out one of the 1600 repeats.
Looking ahead: Long run tomorrow. Nap later today.

Fundraising update: Closing in on 5,000 by my unofficial total. What's posted at my DFMC page is always a little behind. Maybe I won't hit 8000, but, who knows...

addendum to week in review: Eight days a week version

2008-03-09T19:36:00.003-05:00

Just want to say that I got the long run in today. I ran to my mother-in-law's house 17.5 miles to the south. That's all really. No complaints, felt good, worked miles 12-16. Ate one Gu.
Liz met me at her mother's with dry clothes and little chocolate donuts. No complaints.

The donuts were better than the GU.

Week in Review, Week 10: 3/2 - 3/8

2008-03-08T14:02:00.005-05:00

Sun 3/2: Skiing
Mon 3/3: 5 hard
Tue 3/4: 5 easy
Wed 3/5: 10x800 with 200m recovery. Total: 8.5
Thu 3/6: off (ankle pain)
Fri 3/7: 3 easy
Sat 3/8: 5 - pushed long run to tomorrow due to NASTY weather and decision to not run 18-20 miles indoors.
Total: 26.5
2008: 312

Looking back: I was hoping to do 8-10 on Thurs and long on Saturday. Oh, well. Still a great workout on Wed.
Looking ahead: Long run tomorrow, try to put in the midweek 8-12 miler that I haven't been getting. Tough workout looms on Wednesday.

Basic Knead

2008-03-07T10:35:00.003-05:00

The past few days have been a struggle with tightness in my right ankle and the big toe on the same foot. I took yesterday off, which was tough because I really wanted to run. The weather was nice and I decided on an ounce of prevention.
The silver lining is that I got a massage from Maegen at Basic Knead in Keene and it really helped loosen the foot. I recommend Maegen to anyone who is looking for any kind of massage in the Keene area.
I'm going to try to run this evening to get loose for tomorrow's long run. Hopefully the weather cooperates tomorrow. I don't want to do 20 miles in the rain and I want even less to do 20 miles inside. I'll just have to play it by ear - at this point, I will err on the side of caution.

more reasons

2008-03-05T10:38:00.004-05:00

"It turned out that, like Satan, cancer had many names. Baba's was called 'Oat Cell Carcinoma.'"
- Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

I was not asking for extra motivation for my training, but it arrived in one of its many forms. In fact, I received a double dose of it yesterday. I visited a friend's mother who is near the end of her courageous battle. And I received the latest news on a family member who is just beginning her fight.

This is why DFMC is real to me.

Week in Review, Week 9: 2/24 - 3/1

2008-03-01T17:52:00.002-05:00

I go to pet your monkey, I get a faceful of paws

Sunday: light swimming
Monday: 3
Tuesday: 7
Wednesday: Yoga
Thursday: 4x(4x400 with 100m recovery and 400 recovery in between each set of four) total miles: 7.5
Friday: 3 (sore)
Saturday: 15 (indoors)
Week total: 35.5
2008 to date: 285.5

Looking back: Nothing to complain about except running indoors today because of the weather.
Looking ahead: More of the same. The speed work gets tougher...

Just cruising along, working hard.

Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out

2008-02-28T15:26:00.002-05:00

Coach Fultz, you did it. You had me begging for mercy this morning during some of the 400 repeats. I don't think you planned to have the heat on the indoor track set on "Inferno" with 0% humidity so that after every repeat my mouth felt like it was packed with dry steel wool. But you did plan on having 100 meters of "recovery." My heart rate and breathing could recover enough, but it was my legs, my hips, my quads and shoulders that were filled with a cocktail of lactic acid.
This is what training is all about.

The Minimum

2008-02-27T06:55:00.002-05:00

According to my unofficial records, I have raised the DF minimum! I hope this is a just a step along the way to my goal of $8000! I am grateful to everyone who has donated. Thank you!

On the training front, my right ankle has been bothering me a little, so I am going to keep an eye on it. I am scrapping my run today to let it rest. The schedule is a Rest day anyways, so it was easy to give myself a break.

A quick one...

2008-02-25T19:28:00.002-05:00

After last week when I plugged my radio show on this, my training blog, I forgot that for the next couple of weeks, I have given the majority of my radio show to the radio students so they can practice. So, if you tuned in after 6:30, you did not hear me, you heard students learning the ropes.

That is fine with me, I am tired, beat, exhausted, weary, worn-out, sleepy. I'm so tired...

Week in Review, Week 8: 2/17 - 2/23

2008-02-23T17:36:00.002-05:00

And of course Henry the Horse dances a waltz....
Sun: Off
Mon: 3
Tue: 22 x 200meter (the subtitle of this workout could be: how to make a marathon runner respect the 200!) total for day: 7.5
Wed: Fairly intense Yoga workout
Thu: 5
Fri: off
Sat: 20! Felt strong throughout (its all relative strong at 18 miles is different than strong at 8 miles)
Week total: 35
2008 total: 250

Looking back: Tough week even with only four days running. I was sore from the 200's and am feeling pretty dehydrated right now, several hours after finishing my 20 miler. Beautiful day for the 20, too. The backroads of Keene were beautiful after yesterday's snowstorm.

Looking ahead: I haven't. Let me bask in my post 20 mile glow. I saw something on the schedule about sets of 400's with 100 meter recovery, but I don't want to think about that right now.

Fundraising: go to my page and see for yourself! Know, that what is showing is not the full amount.

Indoors?Outdoors!

2008-02-18T18:12:00.003-05:00

Just for posterity, I ran outside this morning. It was raining and in the 30's. It seemed to be a matter of principal after doing every run indoors this past week, including a 13 miler. Considering that the rain and melting snow we had today is supposed to freeze over night and I have to do a speed workout tomorrow, I will be on the indoor track again. It is better than slipping and messing up my leg.

Also, I do a radio show on a college radio station on Monday Nights from 6-8PM. You can tune in online at http://www.wknh.org/ and use the streaming link. I do your usual free-jazz, noisy pop music and obscure rock gems. It's a short line from Punk rock to free jazz.

I don't want to jump the gun on this, but after tomorrow, I will be 100% mailed out. All fundraising letters will have been mailed. I know the letters I send tomorrow will not be the last, but at the moment, they represent the last addresses I have not sent to. From this point, it will probably be one or two at a time. I mention this only because it is a relief, it was a lot of work, it feels really good to be doing this, but the flavor of envelope glue lingers on my lips and Liz wants her dining room table back. I'm just patting myself on the back because, now, the fundraising focus shifts to follow ups, thank you letters and enjoying the fruit of our labors. Oh, and the focus should also have something to do with training for some big race...

Check out my show (mondays 6-8pm). Hopefully the streaming link works.

Week in Review, Week 7: 2/10 - 2/16

2008-02-16T14:43:00.003-05:00

SUN: off
MON: 3 easy
TUE: 6 easy
WED: off (ice storm giving way to rain...)
THU: 8
FRI: 3
SAT: 13
weekly total: 33
2008 total: 215

Looking back: a scheduled easy/recovery week with no hard workout and only a modestly long run. This whole week was run indoors.
Looking ahead: It was an easy week for a reason. The week upcoming holds a pure speed workout (repeat 200's: a lot of them) and the scheduled long run is 18-20 miles.

Getting strong now!

Fundraising Update

2008-02-15T20:38:00.003-05:00

I had hoped that today would be the day that I would get the mail and be able to blog that today was the day that I finally broke $1,000 raised so far. Instead, I got the mail (which we had not been receiving because our mail carrier did not seem to think we had sufficiently shoveled his path to the mailbox) and in the mail were 14 envelopes with donations totaling $987.20!!!
Ah... but it gets better.

As I put the donations in the mail to DFMC, I was thinking to myself, if only one letter had come one day sooner, I could say I had a thousand dollar day. It was later, back at work, as I was about to leave, I quickly checked my DFMC webpage. I check my page compulsively to see if any donations have come in or if any of the checks I sent in have been processed. I check it so often that 99% of the time I check it, it has not changed. It changed today. Another donation came in making today a ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR DAY!!!!! So never mind that I have broken one-thousand dollars, thanks to the donations I received today, I am just shy of two thousand total; almost 25% of my goal of $8000.

Thank you everyone, today was a very exciting day.

And just a by the way, my Dana-Farber page is obviously behind, and as of now, does not reflect anything but online donations.

Again, thank you to everyone, Dana-Farber is world class, cutting edge research and 100% of your donation goes towards making a difference in people's lives TODAY!

Oh well, tomorrow is a long run and it seems like I have a choice: run in single digit temps with high winds (negative wind chill) on icy, dangerous roads or spend 2 hours on a treadmill and on an indoor track. Do I have a third option of steam room, massage and lemon water?

Week in Review, Week 6: 2/3 - 2/9

2008-02-09T17:03:00.000-05:00

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE DONATED SO FAR!!! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO READ THE LETTER!!!

Sun, 2/3 : 11 plus
Mon 2/4: Off
Tue 2/5: 10x800meter with 400 meter recovery. 9 total miles
Wed 2/6: Yoga
Thu 2/7: 6
Fri 2/8: 3
Sat 2/9: 16 (last 5 in a snowstorm)
week total: 45miles
2008 total: 182

Looking back: Great week. Tough workout on Tuesday and felt strong on today's 16.
Looking ahead: My weekly schedule says this for my hard workout this week "Easy Recovery Run." Thank you, coach Fultz.
Fundraising: with almost all of the letters mailed, I am taking tonight off, and will get the remaining envelopes filled and in the mail on Monday.

Why the first 30 minutes of today's Run was best part of any training run so far:
I spent the first 30 minutes of today's run listening to the new Giraffes?Giraffes! album. This is some serious music. G?G! are two guys who do instrumental guitar-drum rock. They are also good friends. The first impression most listeners will get is that these two guys are just trying to show off their chops and that the guitarist is enamoured with his loop pedal. But upon further listening, you can tell that the there is a deep current of emotion running through their music. These two musicians are able to use their chops to express a full range of emotion. The fire burns deep within! There is a good amount of tongue in cheek humor in their song titles, album art and all around presentation of themselves. For example, the second song on their latest album is titled "I Am S/H(im)e[r] As You Am S/H(im)e[r] As You Are Me And We Am I And I Are All Our Together: Our Collective Consciousness’ Psychogenic Fugue."
The song itself is a suite with several distinct sections and features Glockenspiel, layers of e-bow guitar, and the voice of Alan Watts. This is passionate music. For the older generation, they will instantly bring up Frank Zappa at his finest and perhaps shades of Yes. For those keeping up with the million mile an hour growth of the today's underground music, the obvious comparison is early Hella, but I think the more appropriate reference is Battles. G?G! show endless chops, but their ability to use restraint sets them apart. By the end, you realize that these songs are not to amaze you with technical ability, but are there to move you.

Check them out:
www.myspace.com/giraffesgiraffes (you can listen to some of their music here)
www.lovesinheatrecords.com (their record label)

Enough about treadmills

2008-02-08T20:15:00.000-05:00

I am already discovering the joy of fundraising! Through this blog and my fundraising, I have learned something new about a "new" cousin (new because he married my cousin Dee who has been my cousin since the day she was born). He is training for an IronMan! I linked to his training blog on the sidebar. He's also a musician. We speak a similar language, because I understand what he means when he says "downtempo electronica." Not sure if we conjure the same influences though (Royksopp, Boards of Canada and Nightmares on Wax anyone?).

I've got about 90% of the mailings done, a sixteen miler on the slate for tomorrow... life is good! What did Jerry sing? "Nothing Left to do but smile, smile, smile."

My Training Motto

2008-02-07T19:57:00.000-05:00

Ok, So I was a little harsh on treadmills a few hours ago simply because the treadmill I ran on this morning was placed in front of the local news and then Good Morning America, and all that was on was Britney, Heath and Britney. GMA did show this video of a public defender getting punched in the face by his client... about 15 times as a teaser. It is not the treadmill's fault that the news in our country doesn't show news anymore, but rather focuses on entertainment.

I know that on Marathon Day, I will be grateful for the hours spent on the treadmill. The miles I ran in one place.

This is the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, the Boston Marathon! A few runs on the treadmill is nothing!

I have developed my training motto and I am now going public with it:
"Commitment Today
Sacrifice Today
There is no Tommorow!
Some Finish Lines Just Mean More!"

No Treadmills!

2008-02-07T15:19:00.001-05:00

I do not like treadmills. I do not like them when it rains, I do not like them when is snows.
I have been forced onto these horrid creations from the underdark several times over the past few weeks largely due to unsafe weather conditions (ice and dark).
While on the treadmill, I listen to my iPod and watch the local morning news stretch into GMA or Today. I am proud that in today's world, all we have to worry about is a has-been pop-starlet trying to soak up as much national attention and narcotics as possible and how a promising young actor's respiration was impeded by a combination of medications. Seriously, this morning, for what seemed to be 4 out of my 6 miles on the treadmill the "news" focused on Britney and Heath. The other 2 miles focused on the weather and recent extreme weather events. The tornado's being actual news. No coverage of the primaries and certainly no international news. I ran SIX miles, which stretched across actual news and into a morning news show. This is why I hate treadmills. Now I am worried about Britney's children. I need to know where she stands on the issues.
Enough of my rant, it does not make too much sense.
Two quick fundraising notes:
1. I noticed that some of the return envelopes went out with 39cent stamps. I asked the post office and they should still get to me, postage due. They don't say 39cents, but I feel like an idiot for not noticing that Liz had stopped using them on the bills.
2. I am staggering the letters, getting about 20-30 in the mail every day or so, depending on how much time I have to stuff the mailers.

ALSO: A HUGE THANK YOU TO TARA W. She is the first "new" donor. Thank you, thank you Tara for your quick response and generous donation.

Week in Review, Week 5: 1/27 - 2/2

2008-02-03T14:45:00.000-05:00

Sunday: off
Monday: off
Tuesday: 5
Wednesday: 5x1000m w/ 600m recovery on indoor track: 7.5 total (yoga in PM)
Thursday: 3.5
Friday: 7.5
Saturday: Off due to unfortunate and unforseen circumstances. As I write this on Sunday 2/3, I have completed the longish run I had planned.
Week Total: 23.5
2008: 137

Looking back: A good week, knowing that I have still completed my Saturday longish run, even if it was on Sunday. The workout on Wednesday was really good.
Looking forward: because of the rearrangement of my schedule, I'm looking at running 50 miles this week. But I don't want to speak to soon.
Fundraising: The first batch of Letters are mailed!!! I have about 150 more to send, but sent out a small batch earlier this week with the stamps I had. It was a random sampling of annual donors to DFMC and new people who I hope will consider becoming donors. Anyways, once I get more stamps, more letters will be in the mail.

Thanks for reading. Please donate!

Why DFMC?

2008-01-31T10:40:00.001-05:00

Why am I running for Dana Farber? Here are ten reasons that come to mind...

1. for My grandmother who showed us all that you can have a renaissance in your life at any time.

2. for my grandfather, cancer did not take him, but it certainly took pieces of him when it took his wife and life partner.

3. for Johnny who taught us to appreciate the small things and reminded us that if your driver is not working, leave it in the bag and use the club that is.

4. For Andrew, who followed his dream and lived a vigorous life

5. Because five years ago, my Father started running for DFMC and when he couldn't this year, I could not allow the torch of Hope to go out.

6. Because cancer sucks

7. read a few of the recent posts at http://www.38pitches.com/

8. I like running in the cold, snow, dark, ice and salty frozen roads of New England in the winter

9. Because Dana Farber wants a world without cancer and so do I.

10. Because as Dana-Farber works towards a world without cancer, maybe the money I raise can help ease some pain and suffering for cancer patients in the here and now.

Thanks!

D.O.M.S.

2008-01-29T10:35:00.001-05:00

It stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It's when the pain of a hard workout/long run doesn't set in for 24-72 hours.

It is what I am feeling right now.

Week in review, Week 4: 1/20/08-1/26/08

2008-01-26T21:39:00.000-05:00

Sunday 1/20: Off (skiing, driving, Patriots game)
Monday1/21: Off (not planned to be off)
Tuesday 1/22: 7 plus
Wednesday 1/23: 6x800 on Indoor track. Total: 6.5
Thursday 1/24: 4.5
Friday 1/25: 3.5
Saturday 1/26: 17.5 (Hinsdale to Keene, more hills than I thought)
Week Total: 38.5
2008 total: 113.5

Looking Back: Great week, despite slow start.
Looking ahead: No long run scheduled this week!
Things I craved during my long run: Egg, cheese and bacon bagel sandwich; Pancakes; The pasta I knew was in the fridge at home; Chicken Lo-mein
My Patriots prediction: late in a close game, Bellicheck hands the ball to Papelbon who shuts New York down 1-2-3!
Fundraising outlook: envelopes being stuffed and stamped!

Thanks for reading. Spread the word!

In the Meantime, I get back in the groove

2008-01-23T10:43:00.000-05:00

After sort of a down week last week, not feeling great and struggling through a few runs, the past few days have seemed to bring me back. I did an easy seven miler yesterday and a good hard workout today (6x800). I would have added another 1-2 repeats, but I had to get showered and get to work. Every so often, I hit these ruts, usually because my body is tired and the workouts are taking their toll, it is always just a matter of getting through it and knowing that I always come out stronger.

The seven miler yesterday was made all the easier because I had Helmet's Meantime playing on the iPod. I think "pummeling" is a good (and frequent) way to describe this album. The lead guitarist has a Jazz performance degree and he uses it to make full on, wall-of-guitar, assaulting heavy metal with subtle shifts in time signatures and riffs that make Jimmy Page weep. This is some serious stuff. As I mellow out as I grow older, some albums lose their appeal because they are just too much. Meantime just gets better and better. I think that not being hung up on how loud and fast a band can play, but how they use loud and fast as an ingredient in an overall meal that manages to both rip your face off and be graceful and subtle at the same time.

Of course, I could just be full of crap. Maybe it just makes running easier because it pushes my testosterone levels into the stratosphere and brings me back to the macho world of high school athletics. Since I am training for a marathon, maybe that is not such a bad thing.

3 Months to go

2008-01-21T18:07:00.000-05:00

It is 1/21. The marathon is 4/21. Three months to go!!!!

Week in review, Week 3: 1/13 - 1/19

2008-01-20T19:37:00.000-05:00

Sunday 1/13: 3.5
Monday 1/14: Off
Tuesday 1/15: 2.5 felt like absolute crap
Wednesday 1/16: 6 (COLD!)
Thursday 1/17: 4.5 easy on a treadmill
Friday 1/18: off (work then a long drive)
Saturday 1/19: 3.5 followed by a full day of skiing.
Weekly total: 20
2008: 75

Looking back: not a great week. Thought this would be a little better but, I've been working hard.
Looking ahead: This week will hold my longest run so far.
Fundraising outlook: still preparing for the mass mailing.
Patriots outlook: 18-0! One game to go!

Winter Mornings in New Hampshire

2008-01-16T09:36:00.000-05:00

"Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary."
- Henry David Thoreau

Just make sure you hear the weather report right: If the weather person on the radio says "...19 degrees" make sure that it was not preceded by "today's expected high is..." and be certain you did not miss when the weather report informed you that it is actually 4 degrees.

Favorites from 2007

2008-01-14T20:36:00.000-05:00

Music has been my true lifelong passion. My relationship with music predates running and fills in the brief gap in my life where I was too involved with extra curricular activities in college and I did not run. In the past few years, my relationship with music has evolved to a point where I no longer try to own or listen to EVERYTHING, just everything. I gave up being a running "snob," insisting that all runs must be done to the sounds of the world. Now I run with my iPod about 70-80% of the time. Why keep apart my passions?

My wife will still insist that I am a music "snob," but it is tough to slough off that title after years of playing in bands, working at a community/college radio station and independent used record store. I'm not a music snob, I just have a more refined musical pallate and I know more about music than the average person. Some people talk wine, some people dream fashion. I breathe music.

Introduction aside, I have decided to post my favorite albums from 2007. These are not the "best," and I am not going to rank them. They are just the albums I enjoyed thoroughly, and I am presenting them in alphabetical order. These albums are pretty relevant to my marathon training as they have accompanied me through many workouts in the past months. These albums are all over the Blogosphere and on various best of lists, so ultimately, my list is not too original. However, I think that says something about these albums!

!!! (Chk, Chk, Chk) - Myth Takes. How many runs was I on when "Bend Over Beethoven" came on and I did an 8 minute interval without realizing it??? More than thrice.
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam. I still haven't figured this album out.
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. Along with Spoon, the best "rock" album of the year. I don't get tired of this album.
Battles - Mirrored. Modern Prog-Rock, pristine sound, and fun. Battles are carrying the torch of "POST" rock and making it very interesting.
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup. Not on this album is one of the best tracks of the year "Elephant Gun," available on the Lon Gisland EP. Beautiful Melodies over a mishmash of horns, strings and ukulele. Beirut is mainly one man, Zach Condon.
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity. This came out at the beginning of the year. It is tight, noisy and no one else sounds like Deerhoof.
Iron and Wine - The Song of the Shepherds Dog. Iron and Wine are a full band now, but it is still Sam Beam's voice and lyrics that make us shiver.
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver. Will anything be worth listening to in 2008? Depends on if LCD Soundsystem gives us another album. Let's hope for one. It's dance music you can rock out to; no it's rock music you can dance to. "Get innocuous" is one of my favorites from '07 what with its sloppy ride cymbals and Kraftwerk robot synths.
Jens Lekman - Night Falls over Kortedala. I don't know what is more impressive, that this the music on the album is made up of mostly samples or that you can sing along to the whole thing. This brings the Sweden count to 1.
Liars - Liars. I grew up loving Sonic Youth, so I have to love this album.
M.I.A. - KALA. This may be my favorite album of the year. It may also be one of the most socially important. And you can dance to it.
Panda Bear - Person Pitch. Like the Animal Collective, I have not figured out what makes this so great yet, it is engrossing headphone music.
Powerhouse Sound - Oslo/Chicago: (((breaks))). My favorite Jazz album of the year. Ken Vandermark is the saxophonist/leader.
Radiohead - In Rainbows. They are the Beatles of my generation? Popular and really good at the same time? NPR thinks so. The music speaks for itself.
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Along with MIA, my other favorite of the year. A lot has been said about it. Do you have a favorite track? I do, it's "The Underdog."

Other Notables:
- the song "Other Girls" by Tigercity - this is my favorite song from 2007 and my play counter agrees. Some combination of Cheap Trick and Prince make up this song. Perfect Power Pop!
- No Wilco on my best of 2007 List: they sound too much like the Eagles. I hate the Eagles. The songs are good and Nels Cline is awesome. But why do they have to sound like the Eagles so much? Thank you Nels Cline for rewarding my repeated listens.
- Giraffes?Giraffes! - Friends Ken and Joe released an awesome album available here http://www.lovesinheatrecords.com/ It is very good.
- 2007, the year I made peace with Fleetwood Mac: Tusk is a great album. They were a good band. There I said it.
- Jay-Z. American Gangster. I like this album. A lot. One of my favorite tracks of the year is from this album, the track is called "Ignorant S***."
- One of my other favorite tracks from the year is from Bruce Springsteen's latest album, Magic, which is a very solid effort from the Boss. "Living in the Future" is a great track for running to and I use it during repeats on the local indoor track. There are maybe one or two tracks on Magic that keep it from being one of the best of the year, but it does not disappoint!

Ok, it is getting late. I am tired. I have to run tomorrow. As I've said, I'll be peppering this blog with some music thoughts. I write better when not in list form, so hopefully it will be more focused. It will also be related to my running because I get most of my best listening done when I run.

Thanks for reading. Check out some of the other DFMC blogs I have discovered!!!

Week in review, Week 2: 1/6/08-1/12/08

2008-01-12T14:43:00.000-05:00

Here is my weekly training log:

Sunday 1/6: Skiing with Liz (no run)
Monday 1/7: 3 easy
Tuesday 1/8: 4x 3:30 up ash hill rd. (about 4tenths of a mile up a good grade): daily total 5.5
Wed 1/9: 4 easy. Yoga PM
Thurs 1/10: 6plus Fartlek
Fri 1/11: off
Sat 1/12: 14
Total: 32.5
2008 total: 55

Looking Back: Tough week, legs tired all week. Warm weather made for black ice in the morning. Hills were tough!
Looking ahead: Not much change, just a few extra miles. Looking forward to Yoga class on Wed. Night.
Fundraising outlook: had a near miss when the computer crashed!!! Fortunately, it has been rescued and everything is on track.

I'm going to try to link to fellow DFMC bloggers as I find them. And, being inspired by one of them, I am going to start offering my thoughts on one of my biggest passions: music. Granted, there are gigabytes written on music blogs out there but, I have some of my best insights into music when I run. If only I can remember them by the time I untie my shoes...
As always, thanks. AND Donate!

Yoga for Beginners

2008-01-09T10:44:00.001-05:00

I'm going to a Yoga for Beginners class tonight. Hopefully, this will help me learn to stay loose and help me be more aware of my body. I'm tight and sore right now. I'm looking foward to it, I imagine it will help my overall training.

I'm in the middle of a tough week, but my reward is a full day of skiing this Sunday. It is tough balancing two sports I am passionate about: skiing and running. Right now, I think the mental break I get from skiing makes it the most valuable cross-training tool I have. Hopefully, this global warming weather we are having doesn't erase too much of the snow the mountains have.

A note on the blog, I changed the settings on the comments, so anyone can comment now.

Week In Review: Week 1, 2008

2008-01-05T20:28:00.001-05:00

Week 1: 12/30/07-1/5/08

Sunday 12/30: 12 miles.
Monday 12/31: off
Tuesday 1/1/08: 8 Miles in a snowstorm
Wednesday 1/2: 4 plus on slippery roads
Thursday 1/3: 4x800meters on indoor track with 400 meter recovery. 5 total miles.
Friday 1/4: off (see previous post for excuses)
Saturday 1/5: 5.5miles - roads and sidewalks pretty slippery, legs tired. Went night skiing: my legs are beat!
Week total: 34.5 miles
2008 total: 22.5 miles
Looking back: Workout on Thursday was solid with short recovery. Indoor track was Hot and dry.
Looking ahead: Skiing again tomorrow, probably no run. Looking forward to hill workout and 14-16 miler this week.
Fundraising outlook: Business cards are in, letters in are in final stages of editing, addresses are nearly complete! Donate online now and I'll donate the postage I save!

As always, thank you!

Being smart

2008-01-04T19:05:00.000-05:00

The 3 reasons I did not run today:
1. It was -6 degrees outside
2. It was the day after a hard workout.
3. It is the day before a long run

I'd rather be smart than frostbitten.

This should settle it:

2008-01-03T10:47:00.000-05:00

The song "Long Distance Runner" by Fugazi is a better song than "Long Distance Runaround" by Yes in regards to actually running. However, Yes' "Heart of the Sunrise" is a great way to kill 10 minutes of a long run.

Both Yes songs are on the Prog-rock classic Fragile while the Fugazi song can be found on Red Medicine which contains another great song for running called "Bed for the Scraping."

I recommend against combining Fugazi and Yes because of the combination of prog-rock and innovative post-punk may create an unstable environment causing one to run faster and farther than one intended.

Inspiration on a New Year

2008-01-01T19:12:00.001-05:00

First run of 2008: 8 miles in 8 inches of snow. It is a lot easier to track through fresh snow than to try to run in the tracks laid down by the cross country skiers.

The thought going through my head during the run was that the Boston Marathon doesn't get pushed back a day because of snowstorms. I guess it helps that I love snow and cold weather, so running in a snowstorm is kind of like a treat. A little slower going, but motivating.

The other day, during a run, I was thinking about what Dana Farber is and how in some small way, I am doing something good. To try and raise money to fight cancer by running a marathon makes me feel that for once in my life, I am doing something truly good. A good friend has a saying: "At the end of the game, the kings and the pawns get put back in the same box." This is not about being a person among persons, a king among kings. It is about taking the time we have and filling our role to the best of our abilities. When I don't feel like running, or I get anxious thinking "I am sending a fundraising letter to who?" I have to confront myself by asking, what did you do today that is going to make you strong on 4/21/08? How did you train today? and finally, why are you training? The last question is the important one.

Why am I training? Because Dana Farber's finish line is a world without cancer and at Boston, some finish lines just mean more!

Thanks. As always, please donate. (Don't worry, letters will be in the mail by 2/1/08)

Now this is real

2007-12-30T10:06:00.000-05:00

Ok, I have not touched this blog in six months. Now it is time to get serious.
I am in full training mode for the marathon and about to launch my full fundraising campaign for Dana Farber.

I am learning that training for the Boston Marathon is as much about dealing with winter in New England as it is about following the training schedule. I have had to move hard workouts to parking lots because of ice and snow and had to cut a long run short because of a stiff wind.
Some days it is a drag getting out of bed at five thiry, leaving for my run in the dark. But those days, the sun rises during my run and it all seems worth it. Other days, I'll run after work and in my first few strides out of the parking lot at work, all the stress just seems to melt away. Nevermind that at the end of some runs, I have to melt the ice out of my beard or that on some days I wear a third sock, Red Hot Chili Pepper style to help stay warm where it counts.
When I run, whether I am plugged into an iPod or not, I am free.

Speaking of which, I am typing this about thiry minutes before I have to go and put in 12-14 miles. The sun is out, the wind is still and the snow and ice are melting. Should be a great day for a run.

For any other runners out there, put this on your iPod and run to it: "Search and Destroy" by Iggy and the Stooges.

As always, please support my run by donating to Dana Farber. Click on the links! and thank you.

Long Slow Distance

2007-06-20T20:12:00.000-05:00

This blog is slowly developing. Eventually, I hope it can track all my progress and thoughts on running and training.
Anyways, I just started a new job with a new schedule and adjusting to this new schedule is hard, but will be very beneficial for my running in the long run.
It is hard making the transition to a first thing in the morning runner. I'm not used to waking up, lacing up the shoes and getting out the door. This is an adjustment that will take some time. I'll spare the details, but let's just agree that this new schedule isn't very regular.

Enough.
Song of the day: "Unsung" by Helmet

Take 2

2007-06-09T21:04:00.000-05:00

This is my blog.

I am not going to spend too much time on the editing of the template right now. I figure I will slowly edit it to be more to my liking. Anyways, my main goal with this blog is more practical.
You'll notice the address... I will be using this blog as a tool for fundraising in a few months for the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge.
Basically, I am going to blog about my training (and other things) and use this as an attempt to help bring people on board with me as I train for the DFMC.
Boston is not until April 08, but this is the beginning. I am shooting for the stars.
I want to raise 10,000 dollars for Dana Farber. The money goes to cancer research.
So anyways, here is a training update:
Monday was a 15.5 miler in about 2hours. Wednesday was 4x1200meter repeats at about 4:30each and friday was a 16 minute tempo in dreadful humidity. The other days were easy runs. I will have run about 44 miles this week after tomorrow's easy run.
It sounds kind of boring to report this, but it reminds me of a sign I saw once on the Green Line in the Boston T: It was a picture of an empty road. At the top it said "What Happens between Marathons?" and the answer was on the bottom: "Work."
I am so grateful to have been given this gift and this day... every time I run, it is a celebration.

Song of the day: Bend Over Beethoven by !!!

This is a test.

2007-06-09T20:59:00.000-05:00

Is this thing on?