I wasn't sure I wanted to muddy the Independence Day celebration with a complaint about a local race organizer, but since both took place today I figured, why not?
First, lest we forget the sacrifice of many Americans in the fight for our independence as a country. For over 200 years we have since become the greatest nation in the world. Faults? Sure. Issues? Sure. But We The People will stand the test of time. A solemn remembrance, a hearty thank you and another birthday for the grand ol' gal, America. Happy Birthday.
Now onto number two. I ran the Hollidaysburg YMCA race (15k) again today for the third consecutive year and with each passing year it seems as though the organization suffers more and more. You may recall last year I posted about this race complete with pictures of the race shirt, award and bib. Well, today I cannot do that. Despite a 1:07:00 finish time (fairly impressive by normal standards), I walked away after paying $21 (a high race fee if you ask me) for nothing more than the privilege of running the streets of Altoona. I was finally able to secure a race bib afterward to put among my collection but no t-shirt and despite my time I only placed 5th in my age group. Still, to run out of water is inexcusable. To not have a packet together for someone who "pre-registered" is inexcusable. Either way, my days of running the Hollidaysburg YMCA 15k on the 4th of July have come to an end. I still don't know why I ever stopped running the Rolling Rock 5-mile run in Latrobe over the 4th of July weekend. It seems as though that's where I'm heading back to next year. Farewell Hollidaysburg Y. You've joined the ranks of the Johnstown YMCA in my heart.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ocean City to Sacramento and Back
Yesterday morning I hit another milestone. One that I expected to hit over six months ago, but thanks to my little hiccup with a broken foot it took a lot longer than expected. This time it was hitting my 6,000th mile running (since I started running for the sake of running back in 2003). It was a quiet milestone that I forgot I was hitting until I came home and went to log it into my log. I actually got this one about 1/4 of a mile into the run so I was basically just warming up.
Having just gotten back from my summer vacation in Ocean City, Md. it reminded me of a sign as you are leaving Ocean City on Route 50. I don't remember seeing it last year or this year, but there used to be a sign that read, Sacramento, CA 3,073. If that mileage is accurate I could have trekked from Ocean City to Sacramento and "almost" back by going over mile number 6,000.
Tomorrow: More steps toward 7,000....
Having just gotten back from my summer vacation in Ocean City, Md. it reminded me of a sign as you are leaving Ocean City on Route 50. I don't remember seeing it last year or this year, but there used to be a sign that read, Sacramento, CA 3,073. If that mileage is accurate I could have trekked from Ocean City to Sacramento and "almost" back by going over mile number 6,000.
Tomorrow: More steps toward 7,000....
Friday, June 19, 2009
D-E-E-N-A
Today I received an update from the Chicago Marathon organizers with very good news. Deena Kastor, an American running icon and women's record holder, will be making her return to marathon running at the 2009 Chicago Marathon. Why is this a big deal to me? Several reasons. I recall watching the women's marathon during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and it was that day that I became a huge fan of Deena Kastor. She worked her way up through a very tough field in 90 degree heat and finished in 3rd place capturing the bronze medal.
She then went on to win the Chicago Marathon the following year, setting a women's marathon record. I have followed her running since then and occasionally check into her blog site to see what is up with her. I decided to send her an email after watching the movie Spirit of the Marathon. She is one of the runners in the movie that directors followed and profiled as they prepared for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. Amazingly, Deena responded to my email and then again several months later after I emailed her again.
When I was injured last winter, I sent her another email as we both shared the pain and suffering of not being able to run (she broke a bone in her foot and was unable to finish the Olympic Marathon in Beijing last year). I connected with her on that level and when she responded to me with words of encouragement I realized that runners are unlike any other athlete. For those that don't know (if you're not into running, you probably don't), she is a running icon in American women's marathoning. For her to respond is like having Alex Rodriquez or Albert Pujols respond to an email. To me that was amazing.
Knowing that she will be in Chicago and I may have a chance to meet her and shake her hand and let her know how much she helped me get through a mentally tough period will be priceless. It is another reason to motivate me as well this summer as my Chicago training is now underway.
She then went on to win the Chicago Marathon the following year, setting a women's marathon record. I have followed her running since then and occasionally check into her blog site to see what is up with her. I decided to send her an email after watching the movie Spirit of the Marathon. She is one of the runners in the movie that directors followed and profiled as they prepared for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. Amazingly, Deena responded to my email and then again several months later after I emailed her again.
When I was injured last winter, I sent her another email as we both shared the pain and suffering of not being able to run (she broke a bone in her foot and was unable to finish the Olympic Marathon in Beijing last year). I connected with her on that level and when she responded to me with words of encouragement I realized that runners are unlike any other athlete. For those that don't know (if you're not into running, you probably don't), she is a running icon in American women's marathoning. For her to respond is like having Alex Rodriquez or Albert Pujols respond to an email. To me that was amazing.
Knowing that she will be in Chicago and I may have a chance to meet her and shake her hand and let her know how much she helped me get through a mentally tough period will be priceless. It is another reason to motivate me as well this summer as my Chicago training is now underway.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
What a Beautiful Day for a Run...Let's Do Two!
It had been since September of 2008 until today. Today was the day I decided to go for a run for the second day in a row. Most impressive was that yesterday I did 6 miles in the afternoon and then turned around with 4 today in the late morning. That's 10 miles in less than 24 hours and two consecutive days. People do it all the time, but for me today was a major milestone in my comeback from a broken navicular bone. It's almost as if the stars are aligning since my official Chicago Marathon training begins next Monday. I felt that I needed to be doing at least 8 mile long runs by the time that training started and although I have only done 6, I feel as though I could easily do 10 right now. As a result, my confidence grows and I am on track. Pain is always right around the next corner, but for now I have put it behind me and am feeling fairly healthy as I get ready for the next 17 weeks of training that I hope culminates in a Boston qualifier. Hey, I'll take finishing, but as I continue to find out in life and sports in general, never say never and never put anything out of reach. Anything is possible if you work hard and that's what I intend to do.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
10/25/08 A Great Day
The last "great" running day I had was on October 25, 2008. It was the day of my 11th wedding anniversary. I awoke and decided to run the Red Cross Vampire 5k. Even though it rained torrentially at times I still went out and had a great run. Now "great" is a relative term. Sometimes you feel great, but you can feel worse than other days when you wouldn't have said you feel great. My point being that like most of the English language we describe things in ways that can usually make no sense.
Not today. Today was what I would deem my first "great" running day since October 25, 2008. Seven months and one week to the day (put together you've got 71 so I expect Evgeni Malkin to have a GREAT night tonight drawing the Penguins even with the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals).
I went out with the intentions of going nice and easy and continuing to build a base that I can draw upon in a few weeks when Chicago training begins. By the time I finished I hit the stopwatch and continued to walk down the alley behind my house. I immediately said, "I feel great". No pain in any part of my body for the first time in awhile and I went fairly hard for a Sunday long run of 5 miles (37:37).
I may have another setback. In fact, I expect one at some point. But for today I can say that I feel great. It really gives you the perspective and the necessary mindset to not take any day for granted.
Let's hope today is also a Great Day for Hockey in the city of Pittsburgh.
Not today. Today was what I would deem my first "great" running day since October 25, 2008. Seven months and one week to the day (put together you've got 71 so I expect Evgeni Malkin to have a GREAT night tonight drawing the Penguins even with the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals).
I went out with the intentions of going nice and easy and continuing to build a base that I can draw upon in a few weeks when Chicago training begins. By the time I finished I hit the stopwatch and continued to walk down the alley behind my house. I immediately said, "I feel great". No pain in any part of my body for the first time in awhile and I went fairly hard for a Sunday long run of 5 miles (37:37).
I may have another setback. In fact, I expect one at some point. But for today I can say that I feel great. It really gives you the perspective and the necessary mindset to not take any day for granted.
Let's hope today is also a Great Day for Hockey in the city of Pittsburgh.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Finding My Way
Hope I'm not jinxing myself again but it seems that I've been able to settle into a tiny bit of a rhythm the past few weeks after getting going a bit prior to the Pittsburgh Half. After taking four days off to recover from the aforementioned half, I've been able to settle in and up my daily mileage to four miles. Seems like small potatoes in the larger picture, but in looking back I am absolutely ecstatic.
No racing until the Daily American 10k on June 13 so for the next three weeks I will continue to try and settle into that elusive rhythm. My body is not 100% but it's as close as it's been in seven months.
No racing until the Daily American 10k on June 13 so for the next three weeks I will continue to try and settle into that elusive rhythm. My body is not 100% but it's as close as it's been in seven months.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Kids
And so here I sit, typing away on my blog wondering what happened in my neighborhood. When we moved in ten years ago this July I recall a comment I made to my wife; "this neighborhood needs more kids". In probably one of the worst examples of "be careful what you wish for", we're now overflowing with plenty of youth. And I can't be more unhappy about it.
Make no mistake, I am not much of a kid guy. I think it had something to do with the way I was brought up, although I cannot be 100% certain. Let's just say that I don't particularly want kids of my own and leave it at that. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind kids, most of the time. I've dealt with kids my whole life. As a football coach, an ice hockey official, and umpire and a teacher I am fairly comfortable in dealing with kids. But perhaps it's those experiences that have given me insight into why I wouldn't choose to have my own.
With the weather turning nicer, our neighborhood has turned into an all-out playground screamfest. The high pitched shrilly screaming that sounds like blood-curdling murder is happening. And we're not talking about "every so often". This weekend it's been constant for like 9 or 10 hours. It has made living here difficult to say the least.
But it also got me thinking; again. What is wrong with kids (in general)? I truly believe it has a lot to do with the parents and/or adults that interact with these kids. And just in case you're a parent, I am speaking in general terms here. There are definitely good parents, good kids and good families. I'm not even saying that these local kids are 'bad' kids. All I'm saying is that if we screamed and yelled and hollered ALL DAY LONG like that when we were kids; well, it wouldn't have happened. Our dad, if not our neighbors first would have put a stop to it after a little while. But nowadays you deal with it because it's not your place to yell at your neighbors kids. And from what I can tell, you don't yell at your own kids. You let them do what they want to do for as long as they want to do it. And that, my friends is the symptom of the greater problem with what I believe is a societal issue. What's all this have to do with running? Absolutely nothing. It's just one of my rare rants on here.
Let me go back to half-marathon weekend two weeks ago in Pittsburgh. Saturday evening we're sitting at PNC Park enjoying a Pirates game. A foul ball is hit back behind the visitors dugout and a fan makes a beautiful catch to the point where he receives a round of applause. Some guy who is sitting about 15 rows in front of him and in the next section over goes up the steps a way and yells to the guy, pointing at a kid who was sitting with him. Now, even though I was sitting too far away to hear what was being said the message was clear. "How about tossing that ball down here for the kid?" The guy who made the outstanding catch flipped the ball to the other guy who then gave it to the kid and he received another round of applause. My point? When I was a kid, it was every man and child for themselves. No adult within 15 feet of me ever caught a foul ball and said, "here you go". Generally speaking I wouldn't have had much of an issue if the kid was sitting within a few feet of this guy, but a section over and that many rows away? What was the message given to that kid? Personally, I think it was, "here you go...people will give you things for no reason at all". It's a symptom. And around here I'm in the midst of an epidemic. Gonna be a long summer....
Make no mistake, I am not much of a kid guy. I think it had something to do with the way I was brought up, although I cannot be 100% certain. Let's just say that I don't particularly want kids of my own and leave it at that. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind kids, most of the time. I've dealt with kids my whole life. As a football coach, an ice hockey official, and umpire and a teacher I am fairly comfortable in dealing with kids. But perhaps it's those experiences that have given me insight into why I wouldn't choose to have my own.
With the weather turning nicer, our neighborhood has turned into an all-out playground screamfest. The high pitched shrilly screaming that sounds like blood-curdling murder is happening. And we're not talking about "every so often". This weekend it's been constant for like 9 or 10 hours. It has made living here difficult to say the least.
But it also got me thinking; again. What is wrong with kids (in general)? I truly believe it has a lot to do with the parents and/or adults that interact with these kids. And just in case you're a parent, I am speaking in general terms here. There are definitely good parents, good kids and good families. I'm not even saying that these local kids are 'bad' kids. All I'm saying is that if we screamed and yelled and hollered ALL DAY LONG like that when we were kids; well, it wouldn't have happened. Our dad, if not our neighbors first would have put a stop to it after a little while. But nowadays you deal with it because it's not your place to yell at your neighbors kids. And from what I can tell, you don't yell at your own kids. You let them do what they want to do for as long as they want to do it. And that, my friends is the symptom of the greater problem with what I believe is a societal issue. What's all this have to do with running? Absolutely nothing. It's just one of my rare rants on here.
Let me go back to half-marathon weekend two weeks ago in Pittsburgh. Saturday evening we're sitting at PNC Park enjoying a Pirates game. A foul ball is hit back behind the visitors dugout and a fan makes a beautiful catch to the point where he receives a round of applause. Some guy who is sitting about 15 rows in front of him and in the next section over goes up the steps a way and yells to the guy, pointing at a kid who was sitting with him. Now, even though I was sitting too far away to hear what was being said the message was clear. "How about tossing that ball down here for the kid?" The guy who made the outstanding catch flipped the ball to the other guy who then gave it to the kid and he received another round of applause. My point? When I was a kid, it was every man and child for themselves. No adult within 15 feet of me ever caught a foul ball and said, "here you go". Generally speaking I wouldn't have had much of an issue if the kid was sitting within a few feet of this guy, but a section over and that many rows away? What was the message given to that kid? Personally, I think it was, "here you go...people will give you things for no reason at all". It's a symptom. And around here I'm in the midst of an epidemic. Gonna be a long summer....
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