2009 Running Review

Well it's December 31st 2009, so I thought it might be good to look back on 2009 and review my running progress.

January: I became a vegetarian and started running in January. First on my treadmill, then outside, my runs were slow small affairs - 1-2 miles long with (very) frequent walk breaks. It seemed as though it would take forever to develop the ability to run races. I just wanted to try not knowing the outcome.

February: During the month of February, I was inspired and coached by my new daughter-in-law. I can't imagine how she saw my potential, but she did. She listened, taught, talked, emailed, supported, encouraged and held my emotional hand as I began to run. My son who also runs gave me wise & steady advice and heaped praise for my efforts. He too saw my potential and rather than discouraging his over 50 mother, he offered positive words, an "of course you can do it" philosophy that encouraged me to go forward. His only concern was that I not "fall & break a hip". That gave me pause; I'd never thought about my hip.....

February ended with the Fun Run with Bill & Frank - my first 5k adventure on a frigid cold New England night. Billed as a "fun run" and having no idea what a "fun run" was, I showed up at our local shoe store and joined in with the local running club's annual pre-marathon Friday night fun run. On hand for the event were 2 Olympians - Frank Shorter (1972 Olympic Marathon winner) and the equally famous Bill Rodgers - winner of 4 Boston Marathons and an Olympian in his own right. I was too green, too new to running to realize that I was 'way out of my league that night. I called for back-up and ran alone and in the dark for 45 freezing minutes, but I finished. Back at the shoe store, everyone was incredibly welcoming & supportive, especially Bill & Frank, who graciously allowed me to gush & take pictures and gave me their autographs. It was then that I thought I had a chance with this running thing. The next day I bought a pair of orthotic insoles at the Hyannis Marathon expo for my "over pronation" issue and I was good to go.

March: March brought a nasty knee injury from bowling that lingered off & on till August. I've never injured myself running, just doing other activities. Throughout the spring & summer, I iced iced iced & elevated, wore a variety of knee braces, and continued to run. I learned how to run outside in all kinds of weather. Never having been much for "weather" as in "I hate weather", I realized that I had to learn to run outside if I was ever going to call myself a runner. March in New England is not for the faint of heart but during that month I learned to love running outside. I loved timing myself, seeing how far I'd run, how many hills I'd run up, how long it took me to go from one end of my neighborhood to the other end. I mapped out a 13.1 mile running route around my neighborhood, mile for mile. March was also the month that I decided to train for the Falmouth Road Race. I registered for it and entered my name in the lottery hoping that I'd be selected along with 10, 447 other runners. I convinced a new friend I'd met to enter the lottery also and we set about to train for it and crossed our fingers we'd be selected.

April: I was sidelined much of April with the knee injury but managed to squeeze in 29 miles for the month. I decided to do a test run of the Falmouth race route. I ran 5.5 of the 7.2 miles, the longest I'd ever run. I was elated that I actually ran over 5 miles - my longest run up to that point. I realized that Sunday in April that I had a shot at finishing Falmouth. My knee was freshly sprained again, this time from running on our beach. I was beginning to love running when I had time, and my running was based entirely on two motivations: improved mood and training for Falmouth. "Falmouth" became my obsession outside of work. I wasn't sure if I'd run again after Falmouth, but I was determined to run & finish Falmouth. I was becoming a runner,

but I wasn't there yet. I lacked consistency.

May: I ran 11 days in the entire month of May, 5 of those 11 days were run while vacationing on Sanibel Island, Florida with my wife & 2 friends. I convinced them to get up at 6am five of the six days were were there and run around the resort's outdoor track. It was hotter than Hades there, but I managed to run 17.5 miles that week. What amazed me even more was that our friends actually got up at that ungodly hour and ran with me. One was an experienced runner for years; the other was my friend Jan who would eventually become my daily running partner when we returned home. I learned a lot about myself that week in Sanibel. I began to understand consistency and I recognized that I'd learned a lot about running during the winter and I loved teaching it to Jan. Jan absorbed it like a sponge. We formed an enduring friendship and running partnership that week that continued all year. I ran 37.5 miles in May.

June: June was a turning point. I joined a gym, ran a total of 53 miles, and began to do long runs on the weekends. June was also the month when I decided to train for more than Falmouth. I decided to train for a half marathon. I began to cross train too. My weeks now included circuit training at a local gym and workouts to Biggest Loser Boot Camp DVDs. I also worked with a personal trainer a few times a week. My knee continued to be painful and there were times when I thought I'd really wrecked it. I think ice should be listed as a miracle drug. Ice, Tylenol and Advil - my constant companions. June was also the month in which I ran with my 13 year old granddaughter for the first time. She ran track in school and together we tackled "Killer-manjaro" - my personal nemesis hill in our neighborhood. Avery coached me and encouraged me and I ran up that blasted hill that day faster than I'd run ever run it. I ran my first official 5K and finished with a 00:41:31 time. It was thrilling.

July: By July Jan & I were running 3-4 mornings every week including 8 mile long runs along the canal on the weekends. My knee refused to heal but I continued to train for Falmouth. July was the month Jan & I got serious about running. Jan arrived at our house at 6 am most mornings. We outfitted ourselves with summer running gear - head bands, sweat bands, Mister Fan, and lots of cold cold water. We bought hydration belts & carb shots, sunscreen and visors. One Sunday in July I ran 7 (flat) miles in 107 minutes (01:47:00). My total for July was 69.6 miles. For the first time, I noticed that my body's shape had changed. I was down 2 sizes and my abs were flatter than they've ever been. My knee was killing me, so my daughter-in-law advised I take a week off of running & doing my power sculpting DVDs until my knee was fully healed. I began to worry that I'd have to miss Falmouth if that knee was seriously wrecked.

August: I ran the Falmouth Road Race on August 9th. My official time was 01:41:39. An interesting thing happened at the start of the race. My knee was perfect that day and it's been perfect ever since. I have no explanation. After Falmouth, I registered for the Harwich 1/2 marathon on Oct. 4th. Jan & I increased our running distances. We were now running 5 miles minimum during our early morning daily runs. Our long runs on Sundays increased as we gradually worked up to 13 miles along the canal and in my hilly neighborhood. During August I also decided to put together a marathon relay team and signed up 5 friends (including Jan) for the Cape Cod Marathon Relay on Oct. 25th. I registered for the 1/2 marathon & the marathon relay after finishing Falmouth. I think there's something to this "runner's high" because I began to feel as though I could run almost anything short of a marathon and finish. When I believed I could finish, I began to think about my times and how I could improve them. Once I started to focus on my times, I realized that I was nearer to becoming a runner. But I wasn't there yet. I had to finish the 1/2 first. August's running total was a whopping 93 miles.

September: September began with Briana's invitation to run the Central Park 4 Miler. My time was 00:53:00. I wrote a blog entry about it. One of the happiest days of my life. I got Bob Harper's autograph (Bob the trainer from The Biggest Loser TV show), ran with my son and PR'd - my first. I ran a 00:13:03 mile. I'd shaved 01:38 minutes off my first 5K time in June. Unfortunately, I may have hurt my right foot during the pre-run stretching activity Bob Harper conducted. The day after the 4 Miler, my foot was swollen and I couldn't put any weight on it, couldn't get my shoe on. Looking back, I may have had a small hairline fracture or plantar fasciitis. I hurt like crazy and I had to stop running for a week. By mid-September I was running 12.5 miles with Jan again but it would be 3 months before my foot was pain-free. I have no idea what I did to that foot or what caused that much pain. September's running total was 98.5 miles.

October: I finished the Oct 4th Harwich Half Marathon with a severe back spasm and an official time of 03:12:00. The key word was "finished". I did it. I ran the Half. Jan & I ran our respective relay legs in the Marathon Relay 10/25. It was grueling but Jan did it and did it extremely well, beating my time even though we ran almost identical distances (6.3 miles). My official time was 01:22. This was Jan's longest race. We'd run a 5K together in June but none since. I was so proud of her determination and grit. She toughed it out like a pro. I started going to beginner's yoga once a week. Love it love it. Unfortunately my foot was uncooperative so I had to give it up temporarily but I'll return to it after the new year. I ended October running a 00:40:00 Halloween 5k. October's running mileage was a good 51.2 total even with my foot injury. I just could not run consistently on that foot after the Half.

November: My total running mileage increased to 61 miles during November. Jan & I continued to do 5 mile morning runs when my foot allowed it and schedules permitted. I went back to work in September after my summer vacation from teaching. Our long runs were reduced to 6 miles. My running schedule was impacted by work-related activities including a week-long trip to New Orleans (gorgeous city, terrible food). I was able to run a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K with an unofficial time of 00:40; this was my best time to date with a 12:05 min mile. Considering I ran a 14:30 mile during the fun run with Bill & Frank in Feb., I was ecstatic at my progress.

December: December's weather on Cape Cod has not been conducive to running outside, at least from my perspective. I don't like running in inclement weather and we've had a lot of "weather" this month. I've been constrained to running on my treadmill, which after a year of outside running, I no longer consider it "running". It's more like training. I got an iPod Nano, downloaded lots of songs to pace my time, and finished up the year running minutes at 5 mph, a 12 min mile. I've probably run about 30 miles this month, but it's hard to keep a running total from a treadmill. Very different running.

Throughout 2009, my wife was my most steadfast supporter. I would never have had the courage to do this without her love and encouragement. She had a way of finding all manner of running gear presents for me when she thought I needed them. She set the alarm for 5am and made the coffee that started me on my runs. The list is endless and unending of her devotion. My success is due in large part to her. Thank you!

So that's 2009 in review. I progressed from thinking about maybe I might possibly try to run a little to finishing a half marathon and shaving 2 1/2 minutes off my minute mile. I'm down 10 lbs and 2 sizes. My doctor is thrilled with my health. I get my cholesterol check in January and I'm expecting a good report.

Plan for 2010: Train for a marathon.

I'm a runner now.

My new (temporary) best friends - Mac & Nano

I'm running alone these days; running pal is recovering from surgery (she's fine thank goodness!) so I'm left to my own devices for awhile. After sleeping through too many 6am runs, I decided to get cranking and get some of my mojo back with music.

Enter Mac & Nano and the iTunes store. Runners have been using iPods since their arrival but I just got my iPod Nano a few weeks ago, and oh goodness, I'm in love!

I learned that I can google just about any song and find out its "bpm" - beats per minute. I now know that 145-165 bpm's are just about right to get me up to my mid-run speed. Some of my all-time favorite songs fall within those bpm's: Van Morrison's "Wild Nights" is perfect, as are "Da Doo Ron Ron" (old 60's hit), Linda Ronstadt's "Heat Wave", "One Fine Day" (another 60's gem), the Dixie Chicks' "Hole in my Head". But the best by far is Mitch Rider's "Devil with the Blue Dress" a real up-tempo barn-burner for me. When I find my self dragging through the last few miles of a run, Mitch Rider's rendition of Devil with a Blue Dress lifts me up and somehow I forget my tired legs as I run singing to no one "......devil with the blue dress blue dress blue dress, devil with the blue dress on!"

For hills - especially when running up Killermanjaro - "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day is good, but the best songs to pace me up that darn hill are Bob Segar's "Old Time Rock & Roll" - a perfect beat to keep me "putting one foot in front of the other" (thanks Daddy for this all time memory!) till I reach the top, and "Turn the Beat Around" (Vickie Sue Robinson's version).

Warm up tunes are also a must. Dire Straits "Walk of Life" Fleetwood Mac's "You Make Lovin' Fun" and "Say You Love Me" and then "Do You Love Me" by the Contours (ah, the 60s were great!) pace my beginning walk down to our beach access parking lot where I begin my runs. It's about a 15 min walk from my house and by the time these songs have played, I'm ready to run.

For my cool down, the absolute best song is "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright. It's a bit slow, but I like singing "hallelujah" after finishing my long runs! :D

I'm not a fast runner. My best PR was a 13:15 mile. But I finish, and with this music, I can pace myself well until runner-gal partner returns.

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today was my first turkey day race - the "We Gather Together 5K" Sandwich (Cape Cod) MA. I had walked this many years ago to raise funds and food for our local food pantry. This time I ran it. Lovely wife walked it.

It was thrilling to be out at 7:30 am on a brisk Cape Cod morning with 2000 runners & walkers from all over the Upper Cape running to raise funds for our food pantry and to run with one another. It's magical and I never get tired of being with other runners.

The time clock was broken so the race organizer just announced times as they occurred ("45 minutes, 46 minutes, 47 minutes!" etc.). I was dressed quasi-appropriately but I do need to do some shopping and get better fall/winter running clothes. The weather fully cooperated - 45 degrees & overcast - perfect for running.

I'm not an experienced runner of races. I've run about 8 races so far, and in every one of them, I seem to get side-tracked and allow myself to abandon my race plan. When I train in my neighborhood, I'm either alone or with my running partner. We're disciplined & all business. But when I race, something crazy happens to me. I start out with a plan to run a tempo pace during the first mile, utilize Galloway's run/walk system to PREVENT fatigue, and then crank up to race speed in the last 1/2 mile. But I ALWAYS manage to check out the other runners near me, pick out a runner who is a) older than me; and b) slower than me. I then decide to compete with this runner, sometimes pacing myself with him/her, or sometimes sprinting past while telling myself "If I can't beat YOU, I'm going to hang up my running shoes!". This of course does me absolutely no good. I begin to run THEIR race instead of mine.

It happened again in this race. I was running along, pacing myself, running 6 min/walking 60 seconds, for the 1st mile when at mile 2 I ran up to a woman runner in my AG who was clearly running slowly. She was dressed for a summer day at the beach - shorts and a flower print top. I thought - hmmm....I bet I could beat her..... Although she was ahead of me, I had started at the back of the pack and she was running rather slowly so I had caught up to her. Lovely person - we traded chit-chats about our work (come to find out we do the same thing in different universities - small world), and basically paced each other during the entire mile 2. She told me she has just started running in April 09 (I've been running since January 09), and although she's walked this turkey day run/walk many times, she decided to run the entire 5k this time - no walking at all.

Long story short....she beat my time. Why? Because I abandoned my run/walk strategy that I've trained on and ran HER race. Needless to say by mile 2.75 I had to walk for about 2 minutes, she continued to run, sprinted at the finish and came in ahead of me.

However, I did unofficially PR this race. I heard the race organizer call "41 minutes" and I had crossed the finish line at least a minute prior (maybe more?). So I figured I probably unofficially finished at about 40 min. giving me a 12:50 min/mile time - a personal best. I ran 14:30 min mile in my first race - the Fun Run with Bill & Frank 5K 2/22/09 . Maybe not a finish most people would be proud of, but I sure was.

So I've improved - shaved 1:40 minutes off my time, something I never dreamed I could do. My daughter-in-law, the marathoner, says I haven't plateaued yet. That's music to my ears. My goal for the next race I run - to run my own race. I'll put my ear buds in and let my music shuffle on my iPod Nano pace me. I'm going to try to break 39 minutes.

It was a great start to Thanksgiving Day. Hope it was a good one for all.

The Cape Cod Marathon & Marathon Relay, Falmouth MA 10.25.09 - Are we there yet?

This was my first relay race and I have to say, I had a ball.

It was 2 1/2 months in the planning. I was the captain of the team, having recruited 2 friends and 2 friends of friends with my idea of "let's run a marathon relay - it'll be fun!" Our team consisted of 4 women, 50- and 60-somethings, and one man - the 60-something friend of one of the women. We named ourselves "Team Are we there yet?" Three of us live in the same town, the other two live in another state. Our team planning consisted of emailing each other exactly twice - not a whole lot of team time together, but in the end, it really didn't matter. We're all runners and knew what we had to do to prepare.

The day before the relay, I thought it would be useful to drive the relay route, so 3 of us on the team set off to get a lay of the land and see the various exchanges. We recruited my lovely spouse to be our "escort" (although she preferred the title of "driver" - we thought "escort" sounded sexier:D) and off we went to Falmouth for a little Saturday afternoon adventure. We figured we'd see if we could buy team tee shirts, then hit the race expo & pick up our numbers & some goodies, drive the race route, have lunch, and be home by afternoon. Not quite.

The maps provided by the race coordinators were difficult to read (I'm being kind here) and there were actually 2 routes - the route the runners were to take, and the route the support vehicles were to drive on; then there was the issue of support vehicle parking. So we had to drive 2 routes - that's 52 miles, find 5 exchange spots and 5 parking areas. We met up with our other 2 team members later that evening when they arrived at their hotel, had a drink or 2 at a local Irish pub and got home 'way too late. Not exactly the best race prep....

But race day was a typical Cape Cod autumn day. The fall foliage was at peak, the weather was cool, crisp, sunny, breezy - a cloudless perfect day for running. The relay start was in Falmouth village center; approximately 2200 runners participated, including 194 relay teams. Kathy ran the first leg - 3.0 miles. She made it to the first exchange in 32 minutes. I ran the second leg - 6 miles. Checking my watch as I passed the 3.1 mile marker, I noted 39 minutes - a big PR for me. I was cruising. My route was flat, much of it run along Vineyard Sound - an easy leg compared to the rest of it. But as usually happens, I went out too fast, and paid for it later, finishing my leg in 82 minutes. Jan, my daily running partner, ran next - 6.2 miles; hers was an extremely difficult course, hilly and rather desolate past an industrial park and along a state highway; it was made even more difficult because of my time. By the time I handed her the baton, Jan had to ran alone for most of her leg, for which of course I felt awful; she finished in 71 minutes. Gerry took over for Jan; he's a seasoned runner, having been running for 35+ years. His sons were running the marathon, his fiance was on our team, so it was family affair for him. Gerry flew through his 6.25 leg in record time (I don't recall his time), and handed the baton off to Elaine for the last 5.3 miles. Elaine finished in 58 minutes. We were all there at the finish line to cheer her in.

We decided to meet up at the aforementioned Irish Pub after the race, but it was mobbed and there was a one hour wait for a table. I was starved, I don't care for beer, so Pat & I came home, just in time to watch the second half of the Patriots game from London.

My overall time for my leg of the relay was a 13:30 mile, although I ran the first 3.1 miles in 39 minutes, a 12:30 mile. That's the best I've done since the Central Park 4 Miler in Sept. in which I ran a 13:15 mile, finishing in 00:53:09.

Considering I ran a 00:45:31 5K in June, I suppose I'm making progress. I doubt if I'll get much faster. Although our team didn't come in last, we finished "back of the pack". No one on the team seemed to care, so as long as I'm not the last one in, I'll be back for more.

Running has captured me.

Running the Harwich 1/2 Marathon

Today was my first 1/2 marathon, the Harwich (MA) Cranberry Festival Half Marathon and 7 Miler. After a week of local weather people forecasting everything from biblical downpours to scattered showers, today was a day made for running. Temps in the 60s, partly sunny, no humidity - couldn't have been better.

Since this was my first 1/2, I had huge anxiety all week. I don't think I was especially easy to live with all week either (we'll leave it go at that). Anxiety does nutty things to me. I'm not used to feeling like that. My running partner was away for the weekend, so the idea of running 13.1 miles without her was somewhat daunting.

We arrived at the designated area about an hr and a half before the start of the race, picked up my bib, etc. and did my race warmup. I saw a famous person lining up ahead of me, and my supervisor from my college internship days. After many trips to the portapottys, we were asked to line up.

At arriving at the starting lineup area, I noticed that we were asked to line up under mile minutes signs. BIG SIGNS that said "9 min" "10 min" and of course "14 min". I was supposed to stand under a large sign announcing to the world that I ran 14 minute miles. Wonderful. I stood there alone under that sign, mortified. The walkers - all 6 of them high school girls - were behind me. The national anthem was sung by a local opera singer, my wife took a bunch of pictures, and the race began.

Within 2 minutes, I was running alone. Apparently, people who run 14 min miles don't enter half marathons. What was I thinking when I signed up for this thing? That somehow I could compete? I decided to run my race & nobody else's race, and just go for it and see how I did. I can't say I enjoyed it to see almost 2100 runners ahead of me but since this was the first time I'd run a 1/2 marathon, I tried to relax and have fun. At first, my plan worked.

Harwich is one of the villages in the middle of Cape Cod. The fall foliage was spectacular and I must admit I tried to be aware of my surroundings. I was, however, more interested in my new Timex watch with stopwatch function ($19.99 as suggested by my son) than the red & gold leaves.

At mile 7 I felt great. A quick check of my watch showed that I was beating my Falmouth time by 12 minutes, & life was good. My plan to run 6 minutes, walk 90 seconds, was working. I anticipated no major fatigue. There were runners behind me, always good for the soul. The race was very well organized; volunteers were at every 1/2 mile to point the way and give the runners encouragement; plenty of water stops too.

I began to notice that there were a lot of hills on this course. Really - a ton of hills. I kept waiting for the straight-away that never really materialized. Up and down, up and down - I began to notice that I was running hill after hill after hill. I've trained on hills in my neighborhood ("Killermanjaro" comes to mind); there are 4 of them during a 4 mile run. I am positive there were more than 12 hills on the 13.1 miles I ran today. They seemed never ending.

At 11.5 miles my right lower back went into spasm. I don't know why this happened. Having never experienced back spasms in my life, I had no idea how painful they can be. The spasm continued until I had to stop running and walk slowly, which allowed the race walker to go ahead of me. Oh the humiliation. I told myself "you're a runner, don't let a walker get ahead of you" but there was nothing I could do. The pain was intense with every step and at times I couldn't move my legs at all. So I walked the last mile until mile 12 3/4th.

At mile 12 3/4s a volunteer told me that I only had 1/4 mile to go. I tried to run but couldn't when saw the finish line up ahead. My wife ran down the path to meet me and I told her I can't run the last 1/4 mile. She said oh yes you can. Sprint to that finish line! If you run right now like crazy you'll finish with a 14:30 min mile average time. You can rest on the other side of that line. So from somewhere (not sure where), I took off and sprinted the last 1/4 mile.

I finished. I finished upright. I finished with a 14:30 min mile. I ran the Harwich 1/2 marathon in 3 hrs 12 minutes. The race walker beat me but I wasn't the last runner in. Thanks to my wonderful family & friends for their love & encouragement. Thanks to the best wife in the world who knows me better than I know myself.

Next stop - Cape Cod Marathon Relay 10/26/09.

Running in Central Park

It was billed as the "Central Park 4 Miler" on Sept. 12. We were scheduled to visit my son, daughter-in-law & granddaughter for that weekend. My daughter-in-law Briana emailed me "any interest?" Interest? Oh yes indeed - I most definitely had interest! And so it was that I had a chance to run with Chris & Briana in the Central Park (that's NYC of course!) 4 Miler.

To those who have just begun to run, who are over 50, and who have family members who are experienced and talented runners, you can imagine what a thrill it was to be invited to run with my kids.

Central Park in NYC is of course the world famous park in the heart of New York City. The race route wound around some of the best real estate in Manhattan. It was gorgeous. Weather was perfect & made for running - a cool, clear & crisp almost-autumn morning in the Big Apple.

We arrived at 9am for the start of the men's race. While a few of our family went to see the men start their race, Briana & I went to the exhibits and encountered Bob Harper from NBCs Biggest Loser TV show. Pictures were taken - he's very nice and was very accommodating as I gushed "I love the show. I have your DVDs", etc. :D He was there to lead the women in a stretching routine. So Briana & I stretched with Bob Harper and about 200 women runners. Very cool. Great fun.

The women's race started at 10 am. We walked over to the start line and of course I found my bib color denoted that I start at the very back of the pack. No problem. I get it. I'm no Joan Benoit Samuelson - I just want to be there, run my race, and do my best. So as I'm standing there, waiting for the race to start, my son Chris arrived and told me "I'm going to run with you". I was quite surprised - didn't realize he was allowed to do this, but looking around I saw other men also running with the women after they finished their race.

So Chris ran with me, pacing me and coaching me as we ran together. I tried to match him step for step, realizing after the first 1/4 mile that he was indeed pacing me. Mile one, stop for water, mile 2 - feeling good, stop for water & walk a minute or 2, mile 3 - how are you? I was better than I thought I'd be - we're running the entire mile - not run/walking. Chris suggested I only walk at the water stops if I could between mile 3 & 4. At mile 3 1/2 I was starting to fatigue, so I walked about a minute, then continued running. At mile 3 3/4, Chris said, listen - do you hear the loudspeaker & music? You're a 1/4 of a mile from the finish line. Did I need to walk for a minute? No - I was fine! As we came upon the finish line, he held back and then told me - go for it Mom - sprint now! So I took off and ran as fast as I possibly could.

I PR'd that race - finished it in 00:53:03 - and ran a 13:15 min/mile all the way. This is two minutes faster than I've ever run consistently throughout a race. For me - it was an incredible achievement, considering that in January, I was walking on my treadmill at 3.0 mph (20 min mile) and feeling as though I was about to collapse because it was too fast.

This is what running has given me. A feeling of utter joy at knowing that my body is capable of performing like this, AND being able to run with my kids. That I've improved that much in nine months is astounding to me.

Briana's time was a PR for her, which elated us! We all took pictures, then headed home for (what else?) New York bagels with cream cheese & lox. My Central Park 4 Miler - I had a ball.

13.1 - Training for the Half

I ran 13.1 miles this morning along the incredibly beautiful Cape Cod Canal. Actually, this is the second time I've run 13 miles there. Training for a half marathon is apparently not easy. It's a grueling, sometimes painful, exhausting, time-consuming labor of love, not unlike childbirth. I'm exhausted, exhilarated, proud, and sore. Mostly proud, very sore.

Having made the commitment to "run the Harwich 1/2", I set out to train for it. My daughter-in-law told me that the body can run double what it's trained for, so after running Falmouth's 7.1 miles, I started training for the Oct. 4th Harwich 1/2 Marathon. I decided to be very very faithful to my training plan which required me to set the alarm for 5am five mornings a week and be out running at 6 am. In that first hour, I get dressed and do basics, make a pot of coffee and drink a cup or 2, eat a banana (or a 1/2 bowl of oatmeal if I'm out of just about everything in the cupboard - I can't stand the stuff), pack my hydration belt with Clif Shot Bloks, a bottle of SmartWater, my cell phone, house key, and get mentally ready to run. Typically my friend Jan pulls up in her enormous GMC Yukon at 6:00 on the dot and off we go.

Weekly runs are usually around the neighborhood; due to its topography, my neighborhood is a perfect training ground for Cape Cod races: rolling shaded hills and open flat roads & views of Cape Cod Bay with its wide beach as a reward for finishing our run. A typical week's total mileage is 30-35 miles. This past week we ran 3, 5, 7 and 6 miles on each of those four mornings and then did a long 13.1 mi run along Cape Cod Canal this morning for a total of 34 miles. I've been doing this since the week after Falmouth (Aug. 9th). One of my toes is starting to turn a funky color but I understand that this is normal for long distance runners.

I drove the Harwich 1/2 race route yesterday. It looked hauntingly familiar - shaded rolling hills, flat roads leading to a beach along Nantucket Sound - a double Falmouth! - and an unexpected turn onto the Cape Cod Rail Trail - the Cape's bike route for cyclists. A spectacular race route to be sure. Driving the race route seemed endless, but I watched the mileage on the dashboard and what I thought was one particularly dreadfully long stretch turned out to be only 2 miles! I can do that!

The rest of the training plan calls for me to taper off a bit on my long runs. I'll miss next week's long run - I'm running the Central Park 4 Miler on Sat. with my son & daughter-in-law. (I'm more excited about that than anything. What an experience to run a race together! I can't wait.)

The following week's plan is to run a 10 and then a 9 mile long run in order to allow my body time for recovering and regrouping before running the 13.1 mile race.

So I think I'm done for now. Not done in - just done. I've finished the bulk of my "1/2 mary" training. The next few weeks will consist of 5 miles on those 4 mornings and a tapered long run for two weekends. That's it.

Harwich is 4 weeks from today. Am I ready for the half? I hope so. I think so. :-)

TiaRT - Fuel before my long run

Hmmmm.....I've tried a lot of different foods before my weekend long runs. Since I leave the house at 5:30 am and drive to my long run, I don't have much time to prepare breakfast. Typically, I always make myself a cup of coffee as soon as I get up and eat a 1/2 banana. I've tried 1/2 cup oatmeal and that worked okay. I don't usually eat much at 5:30 in the morning, so I've started to take Luna bars with me and I'll eat one during the run. I take SmartWater on every run, short, easy & long, along with Clif carb shots with caffeine. I stay away from anything with nuts and no dairy till after the run. It's worked for me. Last week I ran 11 miles, no problem.

10-11-12-13.1

In my post-Falmouth afterglow, I signed up for a half marathon on Oct. 4th on Cape Cod. When my mind cleared somewhat, I realized that I had to actually run 13 miles. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I had just finished running Falmouth, a 7 mile race, I felt great, and wanted to tackle something a bit more challenging. Imagine thinking there was something more challenging than Falmouth......when did that happen? I spent the better part of 2009 planning and dreaming of Falmouth, practically everything I did was geared toward running and finishing Falmouth. Now, afterwards, I was thinking of something more challenging? Runner's high most likely. Very high.

I bought a marathon & half marathon training book and got to work. Training plans for "the half" are all over the internet on various running websites. And all are different. Each time I found a half marathon training website, the plan was completely different than previous ones I had seen. Obviously, runners come in all different ability levels; one size clearly does not fit all.

I settled on a plan written by a Canadian sports physician and started from my last long run which was 8 miles. However, I only had till Oct 4th to get ready, so I decided to push it a bit.That meant that seven days after I ran Falmouth, I had to somehow run 10 miles. The day before I ran Falmouth, I had re-read Jeff Galloway's Training for 5K and 10K book for possibly the hundredth time and something caught my eye. He suggested that runners adopt a 5-6 minute run/ 1 minute walk routine early in a race in order to prevent fatigue from occurring. Once fatigue sets in, Galloway believes, the runner can never really overcome it; it's fatigue that ruins most runs, and is the culprit in many poor PRs. I used his strategy when I ran Falmouth; I ran for 5 minutes, then walked 1 minute. I repeated this 5/1 for the entire 7 miles. I finished without fatigue, saving my energy for the last few hundred feet. Had I not stopped to get my photo taken, I could have easily finished under 100 minutes.

Fast forward to the Sunday after Falmouth. My running partner Jan met me at the Cape Cod Canal. Jan's thinking about signing up for the half, but hasn't committed to it yet, so she's training for it with me just in case she decides to run it. We met at 6 am, hoping for an hour of coolness by the water before the heat settled in. We walked a half mile for warm-up and then proceeded to run an out and back: 5 miles out, 5 miles back, 1/2 mile cool-down walk. We thought we were going to die but we did it. We actually ran 10 miles on one of the hottest days of August, 5 minutes at a time. We told ourselves "we can run just 3 more minutes" "just 2 more minutes till our 1 minute walk" "we can certainly run one more tiny minute" and we did, for 10 hot, humid, exhausting miles.

Jan & I came prepared. We wore our hydration belts; we stocked them with Clif carb shots (WITH caffeine), Luna bars (NO nuts- bad for digestion during running per JG), dried fruit bars, and of course SmartWater, lots of it. Additionally, we lathered up with 70 spf sunscreen, and took Mister Fan along for the ride. Ten miles.

I went home and, according to Galloway, I immediately plunged my legs into a tub of ice cold water. It felt like heaven. My leg muscles were somewhat sore that evening, but 24 hrs later, the soreness was gone. Jan & I ran again 2 days later.

A heat wave settled over the Northeast last week, creating unusually hot & humid conditions even for Cape Cod. Blistering is the only word to describe the weather here. Jan & I tried to run our Tuesday 6am easy 5 mile run around the neighborhood, but had to discontinue it after mile 2. Same for Thursday's run - blistering hot by 6:30am. As a result, I got in all of 4 miles all week. So much for my training plan.

This past Saturday I had to run the canal without Jan. This week my training plan required an 11 mile run. So I ran 11 miles, 5 minutes at a time, 5.5 out, 5.5 back, Clif shots, Smart Water, Luna bars & all. After a 20 minute ice water leg bath, I continued my Saturday activities (which included putting together a media cabinet I recently bought at Crate & Barrel) with no leg soreness at all.

I ran 11 miles on Saturday and maintained a 15 minute mile in a miserable heat wave and that's ok with me. It's unbelievable what the human body is capable of doing if we just give it a chance to show us. Next week 12 miles: 6 out, 6 back, 5 minutes at a time. Briana thinks I can do it; so do I. Thanks Jeff!

Basking in the After-Glow of Falmouth

I'm basking in after-glow this week. I feel an elation I cannot adequately describe. The Falmouth Road Race goal is now on my "Races Completed 2009" list. It's still amazing to me that Falmouth is over, that I actually was lucky enough to run in it, and that I finished strong and upright. That's all I wanted.

I didn't run Falmouth for attention. I didn't run it for accolades (although my family's praise certainly helped me get out there and run when I wanted to stay in bed). I ran it for me. I ran Falmouth to say to myself that being over 60 wasn't a slowly advancing death sentence but an opportunity to embrace this time in my life and enjoy it. When I realized just how healthy I was/am, I made the decision to do whatever I could to maintain this gift. And running seemed the natural choice. Initially I started running for my mental health - to ease a sense of sadness, loss & failure of a family relationship gone sour. But I soon realized that running was giving me much much more than improved mood. Running was sending me messages of hope and for a life to be lived to its fullest.

This experience has given me an incredible gift. I now believe in my body's abilities. My body continues to work for me if I just listen to it and give it the opportunity to show me what it was designed to do.

I have never allowed my age to drive my ambitions, certainly not professionally, and not with running, even with regard to speed. I started out as a painfully slow runner, but since I've been running the hills of my neighborhood, I've noticed I have more stamina during my runs and definitely improved times. I remember many 20 minute miles running on my treadmill in January of this year. I've recently run 13 minute miles along the flat Cape Cod canal. My average time during the Falmouth race was 14.4 minute mile. Again, not to diminish my performance, but had I not stopped for pictures (what was I thinking?) I think I could have finished under 100 minutes. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to run Falmouth again next year (entry is by lottery for non-Falmouth residents) and test my hypothesis.

This week I signed up for the October 4th Harwich Cranberry Festival Half Marathon. Between now and 10/4, I will train to run 13.1 miles. My longest run was 8 miles a few weeks ago (Falmouth is a 7.1 mi race). So far I've managed a 5.5 mi run and a 6.5 mi run this week. So far, so good. My daughter-in-law, the marathoner, thinks I can do it. That's good enough for me.

Additionally, I'm registered for the October 25th Cape Cod Marathon Relay. I put together a relay team this summer and our team will be meeting soon to go over the race route and decide on our relay strategy.

And if those races aren't enough, the other day my daughter-in-law mentioned the women-only Mother's Day Half Marathon in Central Park NYC. Yes yes yes - I'll be there! Perhaps we'll run together.

My son qualified for the New York City Marathon. I'll be there to support him and see him run - a huge day for our family of runners. I'm thrilled to be able to write that sentence.

Falmouth Road Race

Falmouth Road Race is a memory now. And what a terrific memory it is!

I met my goal to finish strong and upright - no medical tent or EMTs for me. My time was 1:41:39 - better than I expected, but hopefully better next year.

The weather was perfect for running - sunny with high puffy clouds, an off-shore breeze to keep the runners cool, low humidity, and temps between 75 & 80 - a day made for racing on Cape Cod.

There were 10,448 runners registered and it looked as though 1/2 of them were in my group - we were the runners with a yellow background behind our number. The runners with faster times than us were placed in two other groups - the blue group & green group - and were given earlier start times. My start time was 10:12 am but I don't think I actually crossed the start line till 10:14 am.

My preparation began Friday. I read about pre-race preparation and devised a hydration and nutrition strategy that I hoped would pay off (www.jeffgalloway.com). Saturday I ate a fairly large breakfast with lots of protein, then ate a very small lunch - crabmeat rollup & fruit - and began to drink my electrolyte beverage of choice - SmartWater. I tried to drink the recommended 4 quarts, but got 3 quarts down and that was enough. I avoided dairy, peanut butter, all fats, salads, veggies, fried foods & nuts. I drank a few soy milk protein shakes during the evening and finished up with 2 waffles with jelly around 10 pm.

On the day of the race, I began hydrating myself at 6 am - 6 oz every hour. I packed breakfast and tons of bottled water because we arrived at the race start 2 hrs before start time. With 10,448 runners required to take buses to the starting point, I got on the 2nd bus out of Falmouth. We arrived at Woods Hole at 8am. About an hr and a half before the start of the race, I ate dry shredded wheat, a banana, and a Luna bar. And drank water - water - water.

So I wondered to myself - what on earth would Elaine (my running friend) and I do for 2 hours before the race started? Answer: stand in Porta-Potty lines! 10,000+ runners all in line - an amazing sight :D We ate our nutrition & carb bars, drank our H20, and immediately got into a PP line - each took about a half hr & by the time I arrived at my PP destination - I was ready to use it. Then drank more H20 and stood in line for another 30-40 min. Did that 3 times, quite hilarious.

My running plan, again from Jeff Galloway's many running books, was to walk before I got tired, so I ran 5 minutes, walked 1 minute. Except for when I encountered lots of spectators and a band. Then I ran like crazy! My son told me to conserve my energy for the last 2 miles, which I think I did.

The Star-Spangled Banner was sung at the start of the race, there was an incredible silence during it, and then we were off.

Mile One: This was really no problem. I walked the first 1/2 mile just because I couldn't run - too many people ahead of me in my group. I started running at 1/2 mi and immediately encountered a small hill which I was prepared for. Mile one covered a lovely tree-shaded neighborhood and I began to notice the spectators - which I'd heard about from former FRR runners. They were sitting on the sidewalks in front of their houses ringing cowbells & waving to us, yelling "good luck runners!" They were a wonderful send-off to us.

Mile Two: At around Mile 2 we entered a woodsy hilly area and ran on a state road, so few houses and few spectators. I'm wondering where are all the water stations? I'm thirsty! None at this point. My legs were not happy. I hadn't run since Sunday and I was stiff. Rested and stiff! I reminded myself that this always happens to me between miles 2 & 3. My legs are asking what the heck are you doing? I push on because I know I have to use my mind at this point. I tell myself "don't be a ninny; all you have to do is run 5 minutes then you can walk a minute or 2 if you need to. Just run 5 minutes".

Mile Three: I arrived at Mile 3 in 44 minutes. My legs are fine. I'm gliding in my own rhythm, running my plan. My knee is fine - can't feel a thing. All systems go.

The FRR fans were there and they had water tables set up for us. A few people were spraying the runners with garden hoses. I took advantage of every water station and every hose. I probably ran soaking wet for most of the race. They waved and played great running music from boom boxes that were placed strategically on the sidewalks. There was a guy playing his guitar about here although I don't remember the exact place, singing "She'll be comin' round the mountain when she comes". I purposely ran fast & in time with his guitar when I passed his house. Spectators yelled "almost half-way there" and "keep running" "don't ever give up!". I was amazed at the outpouring of love and encouragement from the crowds. I didn't expect it and I was incredibly touched by their collective kindness. I started waving & saying "thank you" as I ran past them to Mile 4.

Mile Four - Mile 4 includes a stretch of beach road that runs alongside Vineyard Sound. It is literally a stone's throw from the ocean. What a magnificent view! We all enjoyed the cool breeze coming off the water and thanked the weather gods for this glorious day that was made for running. Again, big crowds lined the beach road with music from boom boxes and a live band, garden hoses (thanks to all who "hosed me" - love you!), kids with noise makers and more water! Finally - water tables - lots of water tables! Thank you!! I drank some water from every table - usually when I did my 1 minute walk. Someone shouted "Great run Suzanne!" and I looked to see if I recognized her. I didn't but ran on. I soon realized that the crowds were calling out the runners' names from their number forms pinned to our shirts! "Great run Bob!" "You can do it Jennifer!" I could not believe the outpouring of affection they were giving us. It made me run when I wanted to walk, made me run faster when I was sort of cruising. I appreciated each and every person and wished I could have personally thanked them all.

Mile Five: Mile 5 begins somewhere after we leave the beach road and enter the town of Falmouth. This is as far as I've run on this route before. From here to the finish line, I have no idea what to expect. We run past Falmouth Harbor on our right, past the Flying Bridge restaurant at the harbor and I think of memorable lobster dinners there with my family. At this point, I recall reading about carb deficiencies in leg muscles, so I pull out my Clif carb blocks and eat a couple. I hope that they help my leg muscles to stay strong. I don't know if they did but I had plenty of energy to keep going.

Mile Six: There are tons of crowds here. We've turned on to the next to the last street before "The Heights" and the finish line. People are waving and telling us "you've just finished a 10K!!". I love the huge red, white & blue painted numbers on the road - 6 - I can't miss it. I've just run my first 10K and I'm fine! Walk 1 minute, run 5 minutes - still working for me. I love the little kids that lined the roads - they hold out their hands and are thrilled when a runner comes over and high fives them as we run past them. The little ones hand out cups of water and oranges. They seem like they're having a great time shaking their hand-made noisemakers: pebbles in plastic water bottles!

Mile Seven: We round the curve at the end of the street and come upon Vineyard Sound again and the last hill. It's huge, most runners ahead of me are walking it, and I decide to walk up the first half and then run up to the top so I would be fresh for the last 1/2 mile. There's a man sitting on a tall chair taking photos of the runners coming up that hill, so I stop & smile for my picture. Those 2 decisions probably ruined my chances of coming in under 100 minutes. Oh well.

As I crest the hill, I looked down for a moment to take in the scene: I saw thousands of runners milling around on the grass overlooking the beach, and spectators under tents, a huge "Finish" sign hung across the road, music blaring, and best of all, my beloved wife standing at the bottom of the hill waving furiously to me. She was screaming "Come on come on - run!" as she told me later. All I could see was Patti jumping up and down, waving her arms and smiling. I decided to run as fast as I possibly could. I checked my new Polar watch and I realized I was going to finish before 12 noon, the official end of the timed portion of the race. I ran down the hill, across the finish line, and into her arms. We hugged and cried. She told me she was so proud of me. She cried and said "You did it, you did it!". (I told her later this must have been what it was like when her softball team beat Perry's). I finished strong, came in upright, no medical tent, no EMT (there were plenty of people who needed help). It was one of the best days of my life.

The runners were corralled down & around to the ballpark, where hundreds of volunteers were at their food stations giving out hot dogs, fruit cocktail, chips, and fruit drinks. I sat down on the cool grass & ate a hot dog - oh so good. We took pictures, and watched the awards ceremony. My son called to congratulate me on running this race & finishing strong - he told me I could have coasted to retirement thinking that running and new frontiers were part of my distant youth, but I didn't and he was so proud of me. What a thrilling moment to hear that from him.

And then it was over. We walked 2 miles back to our parked car, dropped Elaine off at her house and went home for a shower & a nap. We were still pretty jazzed up, so we went to Spanky's in Hyannis for lobster rolls & raw oysters. It doesn't get any better than that on a summer evening on Cape Cod.

So my journey to the Falmouth Road Race is complete. Many thanks to all who were with me every step of the way and gave me their love, support, running tips, and their unending faith that I could do it - Chris, Briana, Avery, Beth, Jan, and of course, the love of my life - Patti.

Happy running everyone!

Almost Falmouth

It's sunny, hot & humid on Cape Cod today. Training's over. Falmouth is 5 days from today. I won't run again till the race. I want my legs fresh and my body ready to run. I've done about as much as I could to prepare to finish this race, the largest and most well-attended road race on Cape Cod. http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/

I've read the books & blogs, bought the shoes (2 pr so far) & the microfiber socks, the Nike shorts & Mizuna tops that wick sweat away. I purchased the runner's sunblock (not impressed - I don't sweat), hydration belt (love it!), and the Luna bars.

I adapted Jeff Galloway's run/walk training to fit my schedule - 2 easy runs and a long run on the weekends, each long run 10% longer than the previous long run. My last long run was 8 miles.

I learned to hydrate the night before a training run with water containing electrolytes, then more hydration, a banana, & a cup of coffee 2 hrs before the run. I should own stock in Smart Water by now. I learned to never run on an empty stomach. When I followed these few rules, I ran well, easily, and without problems. When I didn't, I paid a heavy price and learned that the rules of running were there for a reason.

I joined a gym and started working out to improve my "core strength". I bought work-out DVDs to lose a little extra weight. Note to self: ditch the DVDs, especially those with lunges & squats - most knees don't like these activities, particularly the one named "The Surrender". If it sounds horrible - trust me, it is.

My daughter-in-law, the marathoner, gave me her unlimited time & guidance, who coached me when I needed her and & helped me stay positive & focused while I recovered from the 3 injuries I sustained, all to the same knee, since January. Although none were caused by running, they cut into my training timetable and just about drove me nuts as I iced, elevated, and waited. Her patience and guidance were exactly what I needed. She was never too busy to talk running with me.

My son's amazement & pride on my development as a distance runner is a constant source of encouragement for me. I love that he is proud of me. He and my daughter-in-law are my inspiration. What can I say - I adore my kids.

I ran twice with my Everything - my 13 year old granddaughter. She taught me how to adjust my form, and echoed her track coach's words to me for encouragement as we ran up Killer-manjaro. I ran up KMJ in one minute - a PR for me - with Avery. It doesn't get any better than that.

I've met wonderful fellow runners along the canal who encouraged me during all the spring & summer training runs. A special thanks to my friend Elaine for agreeing to run Falmouth with me. It's a first for her too. We're going to have a blast.

I have a terrific running partner in Jan. Jan actually drove to my house at 6am to run with me on most of my hill training days and together we tackled the hills around my neighborhood. We treated ourselves to the magnificent view of Cape Cod Bay after mile 4, marveling at its beauty at that hour of the day."Remember, when we get to mile 4 - we have The View!" we'd say and looked forward to seeing it. We ran the length of the Cape Cod Canal together for my Sunday morning long runs when everyone else in our lives was either asleep or enjoying a leisurely breakfast & coffee with their Sunday Globes and Cape Cod Times. We chatted and caught up on the mundane & the dramatic in our lives. "Have I taught you nothing?" became our mantra when one of us forgot one of our essential rules of running. Through laughter, tears, Smart Water, and Mister Fan, Jan & I accomplished our individual goals together. Although Jan won't be running the Falmouth Road Race this year, she'll be there at the finish line to experience what she helped me accomplish. We're teamed up for the Cape Cod Marathon Relay in October and I have a feeling she'll be "running Falmouth" with me next year. I can't thank her enough for her steadfast friendship.

My spouse Pat is my #1 fan and without her quiet wisdom & unfailing support for just about everything I have ever done (including 10 years pursuing a PhD that came in mighty handy), I never would have gotten this far in my life, especially with this new running gig. I owe her a debt of gratitude I can never repay. Let's drive 65 miles to the Nike outlet store - no problem. Set the alarm & make me coffee at 5:15 am? - Jan's coming at 6! - done. How do I look in this clunky hydration belt? "Not fat" :D. She's been to both 5Ks that I ran for practice, was right there at the finish line yelling for me to finish strong. During my first race, when all the other runners had left me in the dust, she drove behind me, shining her high beams on me while I ran along a very dark shore route on a cold night in February because I insisted on finishing the race. She's searched the internet for tips on running, came home with all kinds of runner stuff ("I saw this and thought you should have it") & bought me the best gift any runner could have - Mister Fan - a small hand-held battery-operated fan that also sprays a cool water mist. I (almost) never left home without it once the warm weather arrived. These and a hundred more everyday occasions - unsung but never unnoticed - happened every day since January. Thanks for Mister Fan, Patti, and thank you for another perfect day. "Never a dull moment" and it's only just begun, after 30 years together.

So training's over. It's been an incredible journey - one of fun and self-discovery. Falmouth here I come. I can't wait.

Time and PR Envy: The Late Bloomer Blues

I think I've got the Late Bloomer Blues.

I've taken to reading other runners' blogs on this and other blog sites. This activity is usually accompanied by the same trio of emotions: 1) happiness at finding running blogs written by women my age; 2) curiosity about them, their races, where they live, how long they've been running, and their times; and 3) inevitably, envy. Yes, pure unadulterated times envy.

I crave info about other runners. I read runners' blogs frequently (obsessively? maybe, but I'm on vacation this summer - I can). I check the dates (anything new since last week?), the races they've run, links they like, and their times. Always their times. And I guess that's one of the traits that makes me a runner now. Trying to see where I fit in to this newest of worlds into which I've thrust myself.

I love learning new skills, love trying something new and seeing if I can master it or at least see how good I can get at it. In my lifetime, I've tried some pretty interesting activities and got pretty good at them. Like the time I took a knitting class and learned how to knit a child's hooded cable knit sweater. I knitted one for my kids when they were little for much of their early childhood, along with hats, scarves, and slippers. Every autumn I made a different color cable knit hooded sweater for both of them to start the new school year, until they reached the age when they rightfully refused to wear another one. I learned cake decorating, and learned to make elaborate birthday and holiday cakes for them; I even opened a cake decorating business running it out of my kitchen (a sure recipe for disaster, particularly during an especially dreadful summer heat wave). I learned to do crewel embroidery, photography, sewing (lots of cafe curtains, kids pajamas, and of course Halloween costumes), canning, gardening, and jelly making. I can make a fairly memorable blueberry pie too. And when I felt like I'd mastered the activity, I left it on my way to learn something else.

I recently thought of these past efforts while on my "easy run" this morning. I decided that I love running. I probably love running more than any of the previous activities I learned to do so many years ago. This is the first activity I've tried that engages my body and my mind at the same time. I can run anytime I want. I can run alone or with a friend. I can run on my treadmill or in my neighborhood or along the canal road. All I needed was a good pair of shoes, microfiber socks, a couple running shorts & shirts, a good bra, and I was good to go. I love it all. I like that my friends are shaking their heads at this new "running thing" I'm doing. I enjoy hearing my friends who run tell me they're amazed that after only 7 months of running, I have the guts (or insanity) to try to run Falmouth. I love that my family are proud of me, and that my son was surprised that I could not only run decently, but write about it too. And I love that I've lost some weight on my way to that "runner's body" I've been promised. I've taken three inches off and 2 dress sizes down; this may not seem like much, but girls & women alike know what that means. Heaven. So why the blues?

Because try as I might, I'm not getting better run times. My 5K is still 45 min. Yes I'm running 3 enormous hills with every neighborhood run; yes I ran up Killer-manjaro today in 2 minutes (my own PR); yep, the heat & humidity slow my time as predicted. I'm 63 and I just started running 01/01/09. I tried core strengthening exercises with a personal trainer, joined a gym for weight training, even got a Boot Camp DVD (during which I tweaked my cranky knee again.) I've developed endurance but haven't improved my speed. And that's when my time-envy comes in. Runners on their blogs can actually run a 5K in under 30 minutes - that's less than a 10 minute mile. Try running a mile in 10 minutes; it's pretty hard to do. Many runners report 5K PRs of 25 minutes and under. They even post photos of themselves on their blogs - running with great form in a 10K or rock&roll marathon somewhere with gorgeous scenery in the background, and smiling, always smiling. Good for them I tell myself. How wonderful for them and I really mean it. I've noticed that runners seem to naturally support one another when we see another runner on a route - thumbs up and go for it! we say to each other. I'm just green with envy. Will I ever do better than a 15 minute mile? Sometimes on a flat stretch along the Cape Cod Canal road, I manage to eke out a 14:30 mile, but that's the first mile. The second, third, fourth etc. miles are usually back to 15 min. each.

So I'm trying to run without thinking about my time. I'm trying to focus on my stride, my pace, my breathing, my form, and enjoy the process. When I run, I'm learning that time and PR isn't all it's cracked up to be. My son says we're a family of late bloomers. He's usually right about these matters. I may be a late bloomer, but at least I'm blooming at something, so I guess for now, that'll be have to be good enough for me.

Running "Killer-manjaro"

Our neighborhood terrain is unusual for Cape Cod. A little topography lesson might be in order first. Cape Cod is a peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic ocean from the southeastern part of Massachusetts much like an arm bended at the elbow. The western-most area of Cape Cod, known to Cape Codders as the "Upper Cape" includes something we refer to as the "holly ridge". This is a series of hills and prominences that centuries ago were covered by forests of the American holly. The remainder of Cape Cod is at sea level and is known for beautiful beaches and harbors. Our neighborhood sits right on what was once the holly ridge. There is literally one flat road in the entire neighborhood; every other street, all 14, were built on hills. This makes for a very challenging run.

There are four significant hills in this holly ridge neighborhood. I've named the biggest hill "Killer-manjaro". "Killer-manjaro" or "KMJ" has a 13 ft gain; its elevation above sea level is 39.6 feet. But here's why it's killer-force: it goes from 26 ft above sea level at its base to 39.6 ft at its peak. Running up this hill is more than challenging; it takes everything I have to reach the top. The other 3 major hills on my neighborhood run are smaller but no less challenging, especially running them after I've scaled Killer-manjaro.

I've plotted out a 13.1 mile route around the neighborhood, with each mile completed noted on the cheat sheet I carry in the pocket of my Nike running shorts. I know when I've run each mile. By mile 2 I've run up 2 moderate hills; at 2.6 miles, I arrive at KMJ. When I first started running outdoors this winter, I walked up KMJ, calves burning, lungs about to burst, heart pounding. I tried running it fast, slow, sprinting, walking - it didn't matter. I could not get up that blasted hill without feeling like I was dead on arrival.

My family has often referred to me as the family "book nerd". When in doubt, or when a problem is encountered, I taught my children to get a book and figure it out. So I bought more running books and I read running websites and running blogs (the latter especially useful for motivation). I learned that running hills ("hill work") is considered the best training there is for speed and endurance. If you can run up a hill, run it effortlessly with good form, without cardiac arrest, then running on a flat plane should be a piece of cake, so to speak (http://www.runnersworld.com/video). I began to incorporate hill work into my runs this summer.

I run with my friend Jan who is new to running outdoors but who now runs with me at the ungodly hour of 6am most running days. (BTW: 6am on Cape Cod is perhaps the most beautiful time of the day.) Her legs are stronger than mine, and she's been running longer and can run faster than I'll probably ever be able to run. Jan typically runs along side me up KMJ, giving me pep talks which keep me focused on my continued climb upwards. We tell each other to remember our form: head up, chest out, back straight, no slouching! Run after run after run, we'd get to KMJ and ask each other, "are you ready?" "Let's go!"

Fast forward to this week. Jan was at an appointment the other day, so I was on my own. I ran up KMJ without thinking about it; it was there and it was part of my running plan for the day. It wasn't until I was on my way down that I suddenly realized I'd run up KMJ seemingly effortlessly. Not fast, certainly not with any PR in mind. My legs are stronger now. My calves have "definition". I'm no longer out of breath when I tackle KMJ.

It was a day to remember: I ran up KMJ and never gave it a thought. I wish Jan had been there to experience it with me. But we're scheduled for another 6am run tomorrow and I can't wait to show her how I conquered KMJ. It's the little things in life , as they say. For me, conquering Killer-manjaro was huge and sweet!

Running for my Everything

This poem by Emily Dickinson went through my mind this morning as I ran:

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all".

I ran for my Everything today.

Running with Avery

I ran 3 miles with my 13 1/2 year old granddaughter one morning last week. She ran out in the open, all around our neighborhood, with her grandmother - me - and even seemed to enjoy it. We talked about running, used runner's lingo ("what's your tempo?" "ear to pocket while running"), and encouraged each other when we arrived at an especially big hill. Along the route, we rescued a turtle who was crossing the street a little too slow for our liking. We talked of her track coach, my stride, her form, and she brought me up-to-date with the latest news from the city where she lives. For me, this was my agape day - a day of pure love. And then it hit me. Would I have been able to do this with my grandmother?

My grandmother was eccentric, wildly devoted to her family, depressed most of the time, and crazy about me, her only grandchild. She wore corsets, Red Cross shoes, house dresses, and dentures. Grandmom had bad knees & gnarled knuckles, problems she believed were caused by her father whom she reminded us bought beer for himself instead of milk for his daughter. She never forgave him and never passed up an opportunity to remind me that I had a much better father - her only son- than she ever did. She lost her home during the Great Depression. There was no social support system then, no jobs, no money, nor the ubiquitous and ever-present "grief counseling" during times of social stress. Grandmom was 61 when I was 13, two years younger than I am now. I adored her. I went plenty of places with Grandmom - mostly to church, or shopping, or sometimes to a local restaurant on special occasions. But never ever in my wildest fantasy did I ever entertain the idea or desire to run 3 miles with Grandmom. And I would have been mortified to do it.

Times change. We "Boomers" had no intention of living our lives like Grandmom. I don't own a corset or even a girdle (which are now referred to as "spanks" - figure that out). I have all my own teeth, my hair color is the same as it was in high school with a few gray strands here and there. The Baby Boom generation had all the advantages Grandmom didn't. If we're not healthy, for many of us, it's due to our lifestyle, overeating, no activity, or the myriad of behaviors that are slowly killing the Class of '63. I was lucky, I know. My father did buy milk for me. My bones are able to endure distance running. Thanks Grandmom for insisting that I drink my milk.

I ran 3 miles with my granddaughter last week. I wish for every grandparent an experience like this - my agape day with Avery.

A personal trainer for me

My competitive nature is starting to show up these days. I try to suppress it whenever it starts to rear its ugly head but today it came upon me full force. And I thought of my father.

Daddy was a teacher and an athlete; he loved coaching his high school teams and he loved playing tennis. He began competing in something called the "senior games" when he was in his 70's, and racked up a number of bronze & silver medals every year. We never gave it too much thought; my mother never joined him, never went to cheer him on, and when he'd call to announce that he'd gotten another silver medal at "the games" it brought on only mild interest on our parts. "Great Daddy!" I'd say, then update him on the latest adorable thing our kids had done. But he kept on competing and winning medals, always announcing it to us as if it were the Olympics. Daddy finally won his one & only gold medal at 80 years of age. Still competing, this time with only one other 80 year old in his age category, the two of them signed up for the 3-point hoop shooting event and when he won, he sent us a photograph he had taken of himself with his gold medal around his neck and an enormous smile. When he died too soon, we made sure he was wearing that gold medal. At his funeral, his friends marveled at his talent and told me stories about his competitiveness at "the games". Oh Daddy. If you could see me now.

I thought about my father this morning. I hired a personal trainer today to help me train for Falmouth and for a possible 1/2 marathon sometime in the future. I'm running in a seven-mile road race in two months. What do I possibly need with a personal trainer? A competitive edge.

I've told myself and everyone "I just want to finish"; then "I just want to finish strong." Then my friend beat me by 2 minutes in the 5K we ran last Sunday. Granted, I'm 10 years older than her. Granted she's been running for years on her treadmill. But my legs were getting tired toward the end of the race and the heat was starting to bother me. And as I watched her blow past me, just like my same-age neighbor did last week, I realized that I don't just want to finish. I don't just want to finish strong. I want to finish better, better than I am now.

So I hired a personal trainer.

God help me, I thought, when I first saw him at the gym; what have I gotten myself into? He's going to make you do all manner of crazy exercises with equipment, the names of which you haven't the vaguest notion nor how to use them. And it's going to hurt - a lot.

Turns out, Steve's 35, a research scholar in linguistics and also drives a limo to make extra money. He has a young daughter who is a cancer survivor and he's lost 100+ lbs on his way to running marathons & becoming a certified personal trainer.

"Hi - you must be Suzanne" he said. "Let's get started." Oh lord here it comes. I had spoken to him on the phone the day before, giving him some background info, and outlined my goals & my reasons (however moronic) for hiring him. He said based on all of that information, he created a 3-session training plan that I could implement on my own. He didn't think I'd need more than 3 sessions. Really? You're kidding I thought. I have absolutely no idea how to do ANYTHING here.

He suggested I warm up on the treadmill for the first 15 minutes of the 60 minute session. Then the fun began. Steve showed me how to strengthen the muscles in my torso for balance, the abdominal& back muscles to support my posture. He gave me exercises to improve my "quads" - those muscles on top of my thigh that help propel me and contribute to running endurance. We did cardio intervals on the treadmill, and when we were finished, he told me I was "actually strong", a "natural runner" and of course I could finish Falmouth better. I wanted to bottle him and take him home.

I don't know if I can get better. Maybe I can based on what Steve told me. But I think I understand Daddy now and that gold medal that he chased year after year. He just wanted to get better. So do I.

A real 5K

In my quest to prepare for the Falmouth Road Race in August 09, I decided to register for a few local 5K & 10Ks.  I had run a 5K in February, billed as "a fun run with Bill and Frank" (yes, that's Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter, 2 Boston icons of the running world and Olympians as well) which was really just that - a fun run with a group of experienced runners (more about this "fun run" in another post). Today's 5K was a well-organized charity event to benefit our local hospice provider. 

I convinced my friend Jan who never ever runs outdoors, and who only runs 2 miles on her treadmill, no more no less, to consider running with me. We started running together during our Florida vacation when I gave her and our friend Elaine "I run like a girl" running shirts and a challenge: run outside with us just for one week. She did, and had to admit it was much more fun than running her 2 miles alone on the treadmill. She decided to give today's 5K a try. 

I try never to do anything without being as prepared as possible. So I read my "5K/10K Running" preparation book from cover to cover last night and followed the guidelines for "what to eat 24 hrs - 12 hrs - 4 hrs - before a race".  I laid out my clothes & running shoes last night and got precious little good sleep. Somehow those dreams of twisted ankles and pulled IT bands were able to creep into my sleep and I awoke feeling as though I had already run the 5K and failed miserably. Heart pounding, and many bathroom visits and a 20 minute warm-up on my treadmill later, my wife and I left for the race.

Jan called en route - where were we? - we were 5 minutes late! In my haste to leave, I forgot my ID and sunglasses. But we arrived in plenty of time to register and Jan had already walked her 1/2 mile warm-up. I was amazed to see so many people I knew; I had no idea they were runners. The hour leading up to the race start was filled with reunions and catching up ("Wow Avery's 13 already? Where did the time go?") until we were notified time had come to start running.

Jan & I positioned ourselves in the middle of the pack. As in any race, the experienced runners  immediately left us in the dust, with walker moms with strollers, men with kids behind us. It was hot at 9am - hotter than I expected for a New England morning in June. I determined the Galloway run/walk system would work best for me as a beginning race runner. I wanted to be consistent, avoid injury, and finish STRONG.  Jan and I began the race running up the 1st hill turning a corner and and then up the 2nd hill; after 10 minutes, I began my 1 minute walk breaks - 10 minutes running, 1 minute walking. Mile one finished in 13 minutes. Mile two was mostly downhill and partially on a shady gravel road. Up ahead we saw a water station with high school kids giving out small cups of water - I could have used 4 or 5 of them, but I was grateful for the 1/2 cup I was given. The course was lovely - we ran through a wooded area with a canopy of oak, maple and pine overhead. It was cool and shaded - perfect for mile 2; then past a lake with a dad & his son fishing, and past homes with perennial gardens in full bloom overlooking the lake.

Runners passed us, walkers passed us. Jan didn't want to confine herself to the 10 minutes run/1 minute walk system, so she began to pull away from me. "Tell me when to walk" she'd say, and I did, but she never really walked after mile 2. At mile 2.5, we came out of the shady residential lakefront road, and entered the center of town, running around our towering Town Hall. I noticed our local spring water fountain up ahead and knew I had to stop and take a short drink at the fountain. I probably lost 1/2 minute off my time, but I knew I needed that drink to be able to continue. Jan ran up ahead and I never saw her again until the finish. 

I crossed Main Street where the police officer on race detail told me to cross, and headed up the 3rd hill to the tennis courts and fairgrounds behind the school where we started. I ran up behind a man walking slowly toward the tennis courts. "Well" he said, "I guess we'll make it after all." Odd statement I thought, so I didn't respond. Did he think he wouldn't be able to walk the 3.1 miles?  I'd conserved my energy like the books instructed. My cranky knee was fine; my legs were holding up. I told myself I'll run it to the finish, not walk in. 

I rounded the curve on the final few hundred yards and saw my wife, Jan, and a group of my friends at the finish line, whistling, waving their arms and yelling "You can do it - come on Suuuuzannnnne!" All of the sudden, without warning, the slow walking gentleman behind me started to run! What? You're going to walk the entire race and and start running now, passing me at the finish? I thought "oh no you don't" and I took off like a shot out of a cannon. I gave it my best, gave it everything I had. I ran faster than I ever thought I could possibly run and sprinted to the finish ahead of him. My time was 45:31 minutes.  Jan had come in at 43:31, a full 2 minutes ahead of me. I told her she was a born runner of races. Her response: "I'm hooked!" We hugged and cried and congratulated each other on finishing.  

My wife took pictures, Jan's husband stood in stunned appreciation at her accomplishment, and my friends talked of running more races in the next few weeks. My emotions ran rampant - from abject fear to a "put-the-pedal-to-the metal" commitment to a wave of competitiveness that overtook me and propelled me to the finish, and finally to sheer elation that at 63, I had actually run 3.1 miles in 45 1/2 minutes. It doesn't get any better than that. I love you Patti, Chris & Briana. 

7 miles 100 minutes

Back from vacation - it's time to get serious about Falmouth. 

The Falmouth Road Race is a 7 mile race through Falmouth MA on Cape Cod. The race route runs through spectacular waterfront scenery, including a typical Cape Cod lighthouse, and along stretch of road paralleling a gorgeous beach along Vineyard Sound, ending at Falmouth harbor. Seven miles including 3 major elevations - 2 at the beginning and one right before the finish line. I drove it one day last winter, terrifying in its winding roads and seemingly enormous hills and never-ending beach. It woke me up some nights - how will I ever do this? What have I done? I've never run anything or anywhere ever before my first 5K in Feb. (which was billed as a "fun run with Bill & Frank"). 

I decided to run Falmouth alone on a sunny Sunday in April. I figured if I could practice running the route I may have a shot at finishing. It would also help with my nightmares - it's midnight - everyone's gone and I'm still......running....walking.....crawling toward the finish line..... Oh lord. I'm toast.

I didn't anticipate the traffic - cars literally zooming around the curves and down along the beach as if they were racing at Daytona. I ran 5 of the 7 miles - my heart pounding - hyperattentive to every noise. A large dog ran down a driveway and decided to run a mile or so with me just for the fun of it. A neighbor said the dog has a habit of joining runners along that stretch of beach. 

I think I could have finished the route but my wife disagreed, so I stopped at 5. The nightmares continued. I had to find out if I had any shot at finishing or if this was going to be a humiliation.

Today I ran 7 miles in 100 minutes. Granted it was in my neighborhood - no traffic, no dogs, but lots of hills with similar elevations. A woman my age blew by me running at top speed and with spectacular form. That'll be for another day and another challenge. 

 Today I ran 7 miles in 100 minutes. I expect to sleep well tonight.

On Vacation

A Florida vacation - the first bona fide full vacation in years - I was psyched. My wife and I flew into Tampa with 2 friends, rented a big SUV to accommodate all the luggage, and arrived at our destination ready for big time R&R. I brought my running shoes & microfiber socks (best ones to run in). I gave my running companions running shirts as a gift and we were all set.

Florida in May - hot hot hot! First day there, 3 of us went out to run and one to walk at 9am - too late - too hot. The resort has a one mile "walking/jogging" track for its guests. I ran 3 miles and was dripping in sweat. That wasn't so bad, but the hot humid tropical air was an energy sapper slowing our times 'way down. We all dragged ourselves back to the condo and dove into the pool.

Day 2 - Out by 8am - our clothes were clearly not appropriate for tropical weather running but we had a good 4 mile run and planned a shopping trip for lighter running shorts - ones that "wick" - at the local outlet mall. But first, a trip to the beach for an afternoon of swimming in the Gulf of Mexico and some shelling on the beach. And then it happened - I went one way - and my left knee went the other way.

 I don't know if it happened while swimming in the water or walking in the sand on the beach - I only know that I felt that feeling twice before - after bowling and after running on the beach at home - significant discomfort with every step and an occasional sharp pain involving a nerve - as if I was getting an electrical zap!  Not being one who has much experience with injury or pain, I was at a loss as to what to do. I spent the rest of Day 2 elevating and icing - granted it didn't hurt that I was elevating & icing while sitting on a lanai at a pricey resort & spa sipping wine coolers - but still - I wanted to run!! 

Day 3, 4, 5  - It's amazing what 2 Tylenols and 3 Advils and ice packs will do to alleviate pain. I ran 4 miles each day. Not great (I've run 6 miles at home) - but every day in late May gets hotter and more humid in Florida, so 4 miles is decent. 

What was most important was my time - 4 miles in 50 minutes - a record for me. Running in hot humid heat, running with a mild injury, running on vacation when most people take off from exercise - but this was my plan and I stuck to it. My daughter-in-law/coach/inspiration wrote an article about running after injury; although hers was much more severe (cast & knee surgery), she made an amazing comeback and has run many marathons since then. She has told me that injuries heal faster when one is in shape, healthy, and eating well. I can attest to that. I'm home now - vacation's a happy memory - and it's been a week since the injury; with applying the same regimen, my knee is almost back to normal. I'm ready to run 6 miles, hopefully more. Falmouth is only 8 weeks away. It seemed like a lifetime back in January...... I can't wait.

The beginning

"You're running?" "You?" "Wow, that's ambitious!" "Wonderful!" "Of course you can do it" I've had a variety of responses to my decision to begin running. I decided that this was the year I would try running. It was time to set a new goal.

I'm over 55, healthy, with decent joints and no major pain areas. My occupation is not physically demanding (assistant professor at a local state college) and doesn't require a long commute. My formal education is basically completed, my children are grown with families of their own and do not live in my locale. I've battled high cholesterol for many years and recently become a vegetarian (much easier by the way than I expected). I am in a happy relationship, my yard only needs occasional mowing by my "gardening guy" and my veggie garden just needs its tomatoes & green beans planted. It was time to try running.

My youngest son and his wife are runners and both have served as my inspiration. Always positive, encouraging me daily, praising every small (and large) success, "my kids" particularly my daughter-in-law, have given me countless tips on beginning running. My friends, while surprised, are generally supportive, some envious, others happy for me but disinterested in the mundane details of my runs. In other words, support for this venture has been ongoing and overwhelming.

So this blog will be about my progress as I train for the Falmouth Road Race, a Cape Cod favorite race, run in every August. FRR route is 7 miles long, with 2 large hills initially. The course winds around a lighthouse, through woodsy areas, and then finishes with a long stretch of road along Vineyard Sound and a final hill right before the finish line. I've lived on Cape Cod for 23 years and always thought about "running Falmouth" usually on the day of the race, but forgotten by the next day.

This year was different. I started consistently walking on my treadmill last Oct. in an effort to lose those last 10 lbs and to create some space for myself to sort out some emotions related to a family rough patch. By Christmas I noticed that walking was okay, but as the family issues worked themselves out, walking became boring. There was no challenge, no goal. I need challenges & goals to feel and be "in the present". There's nothing worse than an irrelevant life. And I will not go easily into that good night. So I decided to try running. I've always told my children (and my students) that you can't win if you don't play. There's no disgrace in failing - just in failing to try. I decided to try.

I bought running books, running magazines, running shoes, running clothes, running hats. I downloaded a list of 5K races in my area. I spent the better part of the winter of 2009 learning about the "run/walk system", "hill drills", "glides" and icing icing and more icing. I learned to live with muscular discomfort after runs. I learned that the discomfort is short-lived and won't kill me. I learned that contrary to those happy runners in TV commercials, running on a beach is a surfire way to sprain a knee and lose precious training time. I called it "running while stupid". I learned that people over 50 don't experience thirst the way younger runners do and I had to make a concerted effort to drink water even when I wasn't thirsty. Along the way, I ditched meat, refined sugar, and that glass of wine with dinner the night before a "long run". A cup of black coffee & a banana became my pre-run nutrition, yogurt on cereal my after-run breakfast, replacing the Dunkin Donuts bagel I'd come to look forward to. I learned to tolerate the cold and began to appreciate how the cool air felt on my hot skin even as I ran in our cold New England January.

I ran my 1st 5K in late Feb. 09, an evening run with a local running club, including 2 Olympians. It was dark, freezing cold, and I ran alone after the 1st 30 seconds. I had to call for back-up. My spouse drove behind me, the headlights lighting my footsteps. I made it back to the starting point (a running shoe store) in 45 minutes where the 2 Olympians were drinking beer with the rest of the runners and waiting for "the gal who's running her first race". We took pictures and they gave me their autographs. It was a night to remember.

When I started running, I was able to run 1 minute before I had to stop, legs screaming, lungs about to give up. I ran 5 miles yesterday, and walked another mile during warm-up and cool-down. I ran up 6 hills. I came home, cleaned my house, went shopping, and finished the day with dinner at a restaurant. I'm amazed what my body is doing for me. It works. It talks to me and I listen now. It's doing what the books say it will do if I do my part.

Along the way, my mood stabilized and clarity returned to my thinking. I didn't need meds, I didn't need a therapist. I needed time for me, oxygen for my brain and a challenge for my body. Running gave me all that and more.

I'm going on vacation next week with friends and we're all planning to run together every day. I'll let you know how we do.