The "Geezer" and Donna celebrating after the finish of the "26.2 with Donna-National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer." We will be back next year! If this is your first visit to my blog please check out the previous post for "our" story. Thanks Fred!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
It's Not Christmas
It's February 25th, not December 25th. It's not October so it can't be my birthday. Despite those facts, I received two of the most beautiful and precious gifts today.
The first gift came from my friend Donna who, if you read an earlier post, is battling breast cancer. She was my inspiration during the half-marathon last Sunday. (She is an inspiration everyday). When I completed the race, she and her husband were waiting at the finish. We posed for pictures between the hugs and tears. What I received today from her, is a picture capturing that moment. Remember the ad, "a Kodak moment." Now I know what they meant. Or the adage, "a picture is worth a thousand words." That photograph is my "Olympic Gold" medal!
This afternoon, I received my second gift. It was an e-mail from another Donna, Donna Deegan, the founder of the "26.2 with Donna - National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer." I and probably several thousand other participants contacted her to congratulate her on the success of the event. She too is battling breast cancer. Her kind and inspirational words have brought this event "full circle" for me. She says of the events success, "it makes me think that anything is possible."
I made my room reservation last night for next year's event, February 15, 2009. If you have never run a half-marathon or full marathon, better yet if you have never run, take the time, make the effort to start training and run next year to support the fight against breast cancer. Here is the link to the website 26.2 with Donna Please take a moment to visit the site, you will come away inspired.
I will have the photo to post soon, I promise!
"Prayers & Love"
The first gift came from my friend Donna who, if you read an earlier post, is battling breast cancer. She was my inspiration during the half-marathon last Sunday. (She is an inspiration everyday). When I completed the race, she and her husband were waiting at the finish. We posed for pictures between the hugs and tears. What I received today from her, is a picture capturing that moment. Remember the ad, "a Kodak moment." Now I know what they meant. Or the adage, "a picture is worth a thousand words." That photograph is my "Olympic Gold" medal!
This afternoon, I received my second gift. It was an e-mail from another Donna, Donna Deegan, the founder of the "26.2 with Donna - National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer." I and probably several thousand other participants contacted her to congratulate her on the success of the event. She too is battling breast cancer. Her kind and inspirational words have brought this event "full circle" for me. She says of the events success, "it makes me think that anything is possible."
I made my room reservation last night for next year's event, February 15, 2009. If you have never run a half-marathon or full marathon, better yet if you have never run, take the time, make the effort to start training and run next year to support the fight against breast cancer. Here is the link to the website 26.2 with Donna Please take a moment to visit the site, you will come away inspired.
I will have the photo to post soon, I promise!
"Prayers & Love"
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Go Figure
What an eventful week of running. I started out Sunday with the half-marathon in Jacksonville Beach, FL. (1:55:24). I did my ususal Tuesday evening workout, doing 5 x 800's at a moderate 4:05 - 4:10, in addition to warm-up and cool down. My quads were still a bit tight from the half-marathon. On Thursday, I went for my scheduled practice only to be rained out after about 1 mile. I had signed up to do a 5K in Winter Park, FL on Saturday morning. I have never run a race in the same week that I have done a half or full marathon. Prior to the 5K, several people from my running group and I did a 4 mile warm-up at about a 10:00 minute per mile pace. Slow and easy. Something else I have never tried. I arrived at the starting line about 5 minutes prior to the race. The temperature was about 66 degrees, humidity was about 90%, but there was a nice breeze. The race started and I felt good as we headed out. I reached mile 1 in 6:50. I reached mile 2 in 13:45. I began to tire as we neared the 3 mile mark. I could tell my pace was slowing a bit. I crossed the finish line with a new PR of 22:03 and a 3rd place finish in may age group (3rd of 20 and 180th of 718 males).
So what does that tell me about my conditioning? If I hadn't run the half-marathon would I have gone faster in the 5K? We'll never know. That's what I like about running, you just never know what's going to happen. Go figure!
So what does that tell me about my conditioning? If I hadn't run the half-marathon would I have gone faster in the 5K? We'll never know. That's what I like about running, you just never know what's going to happen. Go figure!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
What Would You Do?
You go on a road trip to a race with a group of friends from your running club. You share a hotel room to keep the costs down. You think you know your roommate well, after all you're sharing the room. At 2:00am your roommate gets up to use the bathroom. You hear something, but you're not really sure what it was. Looking at your friends bed you realize it's empty. A quick glance around the room and you see their motionless body on the floor, blood coming from their ear.
First, you are going to call "911" from your cell phone. Do not call the front desk and ask them what to do. (unless you cannot contact 911 from your phone). Call the front desk after you notify emergency services. This will help in directing the EMT's to the room. Do not move the person. Help arrives to take care of your injured friend, but they are still unconcious or incoherent. Do you know who to contact if a friend is injured? Remember they can't tell you who to call.
There is a program that gained much publicity several years ago, it is called "ICE". It stands for "In Case of Emergency". Everyone who owns a cell phone should have at least two phone numbers listed as "ICE". Simple to do, add "ICE" as you would enter any name, then the persons home, work and/or cell phone numbers. Emergency Responders are, or should be, trained to look for this on a victim's cell phone.
This scenario, with a few changes, actually took place recently. Thankfully the "victim" was staying with her husband and the notification was not necessary. We lucked out!
Do you have "ICE" entered on your cell phone. If not take a moment to add the numbers.
First, you are going to call "911" from your cell phone. Do not call the front desk and ask them what to do. (unless you cannot contact 911 from your phone). Call the front desk after you notify emergency services. This will help in directing the EMT's to the room. Do not move the person. Help arrives to take care of your injured friend, but they are still unconcious or incoherent. Do you know who to contact if a friend is injured? Remember they can't tell you who to call.
There is a program that gained much publicity several years ago, it is called "ICE". It stands for "In Case of Emergency". Everyone who owns a cell phone should have at least two phone numbers listed as "ICE". Simple to do, add "ICE" as you would enter any name, then the persons home, work and/or cell phone numbers. Emergency Responders are, or should be, trained to look for this on a victim's cell phone.
This scenario, with a few changes, actually took place recently. Thankfully the "victim" was staying with her husband and the notification was not necessary. We lucked out!
Do you have "ICE" entered on your cell phone. If not take a moment to add the numbers.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Mind Over Matter
We were having a discussion last evening over pizza and beer. Yes, runners can eat pizza and drink beer. Great article in the March issue of Runner's World, "The Suds Report."
Our discussion was how the mind can control the body. Specifically, I was running the Breast Cancer Half-Marathon on Sunday in Jacksonville Beach, FL. It turned out to be a hotter than expected day with temperatures well into the 70's and no shade. I had started out with a fast pace (for me). I completed the first 5 miles in 40:38. At the turn around point I began to feel the effects of the heat and direct sun. I slowed my pace, knowing I was still below my goal of finishing under 2:00 hours. A 9:00 minute per mile pace will give you a 1:58. At the 11 mile mark I was maintaining a pace that would put the 2:00 hour goal in jeopardy. I reached the 11 mile mark at 1:40, one minute behind pace. I have a dear friend "Donna" who is currently battleing breast cancer. I was running for her, with her in my heart and her bib number was pinned under mine. She had signed up to run, but was unable.....wait until next year. I knew she and her husband would be at the finish. At that point, mile 11, I let my mind take over. My body said "NO" my mind said "YES". I completed the last 2.1 miles in 15:24 or a 7:20 minute per mile pace. That's my 5K pace, not my half-marathon pace. "WE" finished in 1:55:24.
Our discussion was how the mind can control the body. Specifically, I was running the Breast Cancer Half-Marathon on Sunday in Jacksonville Beach, FL. It turned out to be a hotter than expected day with temperatures well into the 70's and no shade. I had started out with a fast pace (for me). I completed the first 5 miles in 40:38. At the turn around point I began to feel the effects of the heat and direct sun. I slowed my pace, knowing I was still below my goal of finishing under 2:00 hours. A 9:00 minute per mile pace will give you a 1:58. At the 11 mile mark I was maintaining a pace that would put the 2:00 hour goal in jeopardy. I reached the 11 mile mark at 1:40, one minute behind pace. I have a dear friend "Donna" who is currently battleing breast cancer. I was running for her, with her in my heart and her bib number was pinned under mine. She had signed up to run, but was unable.....wait until next year. I knew she and her husband would be at the finish. At that point, mile 11, I let my mind take over. My body said "NO" my mind said "YES". I completed the last 2.1 miles in 15:24 or a 7:20 minute per mile pace. That's my 5K pace, not my half-marathon pace. "WE" finished in 1:55:24.
Under Construction
Thank you for visiting my blog. I must apologize as this whole process or project is new to me. If you notice, one portion of the title is "Geezer", not to be confused with "Geek". My hobby is running not computers. So please bear with me for awhile as I begin my quest to complete my first "Blog". It took me about one year from the time I started running to completing my first marathon. Hopefully, this project will reach conclusion sooner than that.
I hope you like the photograph, I took that at an event on the Florida Gulf Coast, specifically at Crystal River in Citrus County.
The other photo is of me, "The Running Geezer". It was taken the day after the Marine Corps Marathon in 2007.
A special "thank you" to Shirley and Jim!
Look for more coming soon, I promise.
I hope you like the photograph, I took that at an event on the Florida Gulf Coast, specifically at Crystal River in Citrus County.
The other photo is of me, "The Running Geezer". It was taken the day after the Marine Corps Marathon in 2007.
A special "thank you" to Shirley and Jim!
Look for more coming soon, I promise.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
