Wall? What wall? October 30, 2006
Posted by anton in : Observations , 3 commentsWall? What wall?…the proverbial wall that makes you want to die and some do and makes you wish your mother had never given birt to you…Never hit it..never saw it.
I had a great day at the Marine Corps Marathon. The day was beautiful and made more so by all the special people that come together on a day like that. With an improving back problem I figurd to just have fun and enjoy the day…trying to run consistant 10 minute miles… My average pace was 10:06 minutes per mile..while I know some of those were faster and some were slower. I finished 8,062 out of 32,000 starters…not bad.
The marines were there. Some whole,some not, and some you couldn’t tell. They came in Chairs and hand cranks,with carbon fiber legs and disfigured faces…backs and arms covered in “dots.” (Dots are what they call the entrance wounds of shrapnel.) They are an inspiration and like my combat veteran Dad have a special place in the afterlife.
I carried a picture of Lance Cpl James pinned to my chest…This was his race.
The brother and sisterhood of runners,arms open for the brother and sisterhood of the combat blessed…and the embrace returned.
Race day snacks…A bagel with peanut butter and tea for breakfast. Banana.
Three Clif Block 20 minutes prior. Five servings of Power Gel (Double caffine,Tangerine), One Clif Shot vanilla and a package of Magic Beans (Sport Beans) at mile 21…and water…can’t stand Power Aid.
Beer and Pasta with chicken after.
The back in question held up great and caused me no problems….Thanks, Greg.
Thanks also to the ever lovely Mary Lou. Patient,loving and helpful….She ran the MCM 10K and did great finishing mid-pack out of 5,000. My Baby.
Next stop JFK 50 Miler November 18….Just for fun.
Pics posted soon.
You want angst? I got plenty. October 28, 2006
Posted by anton in : Angst , 1 comment so farHere it is…the day before MCM and I am all sorts of angst ridden. Which is odd. I’m usually not. At some point today,(as Lance says) I’ll grab the left side of my brain,smack it around a bit and yell “Shut up,shut up,shut up!”
It’s all about the brain…toss in a dose of injury and OY! The left side is the side that says “Oh you don’t have to do this. Stay Home and relax. You are injured ya know… Quit! Right here. If you stop, the pain stops!”
My back is much better…I’m 80% maybe…and since in “The Book of Limits for Anton S. ” a “Go” is 65%, I’m well outside the limits for sleeping in.
I’m looking at his picture. The one I’ll carry with me. It almost brings me to tears. Tomorrow I am sure it will.
Lance Cpl.James. I promised him I would carry his spirit. He was a great kid. He should be running himself tomorrow.
He ran track and we would talk about running and how he would like to run a marathon one day. Tomorrow is his marathon.
Lots to do today…Hit up the packet pickup and expo yesterday and scored some new trail shoes. Brooks Cascadia. JFK in three weeks. Have to lay out the clothes check and re-check everything make sure I have enough snacks…Succeed Caps and what not. Shave the legs, and get in a short easy run…Have to get a camera too…I’m going to take some pics for the blog and for fun.
Race time 8:25. Mary Lou is running the 10K and her start time is 9:00. Weather: 38 to a high of 58, Windy. Sweet.
If it dosen’t kill you… October 21, 2006
Posted by anton in : Angst , add a commentIf it doesn’t kill you …it might hurt like hell!
Out for my last longish (15 mile) run before Marine Corps Marathon last weekend…gliding through the forest…strong..happy…
WHOA! WOOPS! OUCH!!!
With the leaves coming down and covering the trail roots and all you have to pay extra attention. I didn’t for a second and slipped. I probably looked like one of those guys who throw themselves across the finish line in the 100 meters. No tumble, no bitting the dirt ,no nasty trail rash but a feeling in my lower back like someone shoved an ice pick in my back down in the direction of my right cheek. Jeepers it hurt.
Of course then all these things come flying at you…Can I still run the Marathon?…Can I train? Am I screwed?
After a few miles of that, I realize it is all just ego and get off of it. I never really care about my time in endurance events, just letting the chips fall where they may. Being a clock Nazi is just not me. But I digress…
Being a runner, I didn’t stop. Ran another 8 miles. By the time I got home, it sort of felt ok. An hour later I could barely move. Tried taking care of it at home, but by Wednesday I had to get in to see my Chiropracter. I love this guy. He helped fix my neck and shoulder this past summer and got me back into the pool…swimming again without stiffness or pain.
He has been doing his thing and I feel so much better..three more treatments next week…
I’m actually resting these last two weeks before MCM…Have been riding the trainer to keep some fitness, a few walks with a little jogging and some short runs next week. Seeing what the back will bear. A very significant taper!
While I won’t be setting any records next Sunday at MCM, I am confident that I’ll finish and have a great day.
After the race I’ll see how it feels and then decide on the JFK 50 miler on November 18. Really would like to do that as it would be the tenth anniversary of my first 50 mile finish.
If not…sights set on the Goofy Challenge in January.
Mary Lou’s running is going well. She ran her first ever 9 miler yesterday as she preps for The Disney Half Marathon.
I’m so proud of her, a newbie runner at the age of 53.
Working to the bike this weekend..new components to lighten it up a bit.
IM training starts in 50 days…
A smudge October 14, 2006
Posted by anton in : Observations , add a commentAs a run up to IMLP and as a base line to my health in general I decided to get a workup with the Doc. I’ve known him for years and he’s an athlete himself so he knows the demands that I’m placing on myself.
Blood work was good…blood pressure of a 16 year old. (110/76) Prostate (yikes!) was fine. Results of this last summers colonoscopy was clean as a whistle..
Then comes the EKG….”Lets do that again.”
So at 52 (almost) here it is…
Left anterior fasicular block. Right ventricular conduction delay.
A smudge on a clean bill of health.
We talked about what it means and I have talked with a cardiologist since then as well as communicated with several others and here is the gist.
At some point in the future…I will need a pacemaker.
I asked two docs…”If I get one now, will it help me run faster?” They laughed and said… “No.”
It’s an electrical thing..genetic (thanks, Mom and Dad…at least they rest in peace!) It will get worse over time. I will be more prone to arrhythmia..My heart beating sort of out of control.
In a three stooges sort of way ,the electrical impulses try to go one way in my heart get blocked, go wooo,woooo,wooo nyah,nyah,nyah, hey Moe! then run around to the other side of my heart to fire things off. So my heart now doesn’t go ba-bump, it goes ba-bump…bump.
So long to the HRM…well, now I don’t have to buy a new one.
While it doesn’t affect my endurance…my PR days are over. Thank god…no more time pressure.
Training as been going well for MCM…5,20 milers, assorted 18 milers a little “speed” work. As is usual I have no time expectations and may not even wear a watch this time..but it will be good to out on a great fall day taking pleasure in what I am able to do and in the good turns my life has taken.
PS. The EKG shown is not mine, but a representitive of my condition.