DFMC 2010 - because I can.

This is the first entry of the 2010 season – the stream of consciousness - here goes.

A couple of weeks ago my hot water heater crapped out on me. Being totally overwhelmed I did what I always do – called my sister. She listened, offered her advice and of course pitied my bad luck. At the end of my bitching we chatted about family stuff. She informed me that she had spoken to my mother and that Mary’s (my cousin’s wife) sister Gina wasn’t doing well. Lung cancer. All of a sudden my hot water heater didn’t seem like such a big deal.
The next day I dealt with my water heater.
That same day Gina died.
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I’ve run once since the Maine Marathon in October, not because I don’t want to – but because I really don’t think I can. Acetabular issues.
So last week I went to see my girl Lynn (http://mulrenanpt.com) the best PT in the biz. She created me a program, to work the small muscles in and around the hip (of course not the “big” macho ones).
Example:
Hip abduction http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/HipAbductor/CBHipAbduction.html
Sans cable (because apparently I’m not so tough)
And something she calls “sexy curve.” Unfortunately (or fortunately) there is no video clip, but it’s a small movement that starts standing with one foot on top of the other then you kick out your hip and straighten up. I’d make the video but it is so far from sexy when I do it.

I feel lame.
I feel pressure.
But more important, I feel like I’d better get my ass going on this remedial workout, because I trust Lynn will get me to the Hopkinton in 4 months and 17 days.

I don’t have to remind my DFMC teammates that the start line is only the beginning - Gina was only 50.

Keep running, even when you think you can’t.
Because you can.
RUN

PS – thank you Lynn for adding in squats, if for nothing else, my ego. I love you!

Be nervous, be very very nervous!

as some of you may recall, last blog season we had several "guest writers" who gave us insight on apparel & music, injury reports, and words of inspiration and hope. although the following entry was emailed to only a few of us, i know it applies to the hundreds and hundreds (okay 8) of twentysixpointtoomanymiles followers.
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I know what you are thinking:

Did I do enough training
What will the weather be
Wind is ok as long as it is a tail wind
Will my stomach be good to me
Will my hair look good when I am covered in sweat
Will people laugh at my pale legs
Will Monday be my day
How will I feel at mile 1,2,3,4...
Will my singlet show off my eyes appropriately and match my shoes

You are not really nervous about these things at all. You are nervous because you care, because the journey you are about to finish is important to you. You are nervous because you are about to accomplish something that only a small percentage of the people on the planet will accomplish. You are nervous because you are pushing yourself to your physical limit. You are nervous because it matters. You are nervous because you are special.

Be nervous, be very very nervous!

Love,
John

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Papa John, an 8 year member of our DFMC team, is one of this year’s injured soldiers. As you can see, instead of feeling angry, jealous, spiteful, etc. of the fact that he is unable to run this year, he passes along his love and inspiration to all of us - the true and absolute definition of a TEAMMATE.
THANK YOU PJ! WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU VERY MUCH!

back by popular demand - To Do's and To Don'ts

so here goes - in an effort not to be lazy and just cut & paste last years entry i have re-written some of the thoughts below, added some things i forgot last year, and of course made some additional editorial comments. ENJOY or be very scared!

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ladies and gents.... with just 9 days to go, i, as an 11 year vet of this crazy game of marathoning, want to impart some wisdom (baaahaaahaaa) on what to do and what not to do during these last few days before your 26.2 mile jaunt from Hopkinton to Boston. they are in no particular order, so here goes....

ladies, if you haven't gotten a pedicure, go NOW and go DARK, do not wait another day. if you're thinking "it can wait 'till after" think again. trust me, you will not want anyone touching those tootsies the week after. not to mention, you don't want to see whats going on under that polish nor does the person who has to go to work on them - there's no tip large enough to put another human through that.

suggestion -

drink water - pretty obvious, right? but here's the deal, if you aren't in the habit of drinking a lot of H2O, pounding it sunday afternoon will shock your system -BAD news!

don't over carb early in the week, not only is it not necessary, it'll just make you feel like crap

continuing that same idea, don't do anything drastically different to your diet or supplement intake. like, um, taking iron pills or going vegan. with that said, you might want to stay away from the fried food, excess sugar and big macs - then again ....

cool the boozin' monday, tuesday, wednesday, friday & saturday. sunday night on the other hand, you may need a glass of wine to help you sleep. HA! you could drink the bottle, you're still not going to be able to sleep

go for a good, hard 10 mile run on thursday - KIDDING.... just wanted to see if you were paying attention

rub it down - get a massage or 2 or as many as you can fit in. it'll rock the muscles and help to relax you for sure. just one thought - if you're thinking you could really use a good hard one, i mean who couldn't, go before wednesday, because if it's any good - Michaela or Gordon style - you'll be feeling it the next day

don't go food shopping in flip flops - you can't control someone else carriage - exhibit A - i almost ran over my sister's foot today post pedicure - not cool

rid your world of people who suck this week - i mean it. surround yourself with people who will pump you up, help calm you down, and who make you feel not just good but great, because you are

if you haven't already, start a journal - not a blog - a personal journal for you and you alone. it'll allow you to look back and laugh at how freakin' nervous, excited, anxious, etc. you were. you can't get these feeling and emotions back but writing them down will allow you to visit them whenever you want

listen to the JACKISM's - less is more - the hay's in the barn - the pennies are in the bank! if you do not run another step between now and the 20th, you're going to be fine. the objective is to "roll up to the starting line {insert jack hands here} feeling loose"

take a trip to the JFC if you can, there a a lot of kids there you won't see at mile 25. if you need any inspiration at all you will certainly get it there.

gals (and some of you dudes) - don't wait until monday AM to shave, and if you wax - go soon - but go (another event that it awkwardly awful post-marathon). in either case, tight clothes, sweat, rubbing, UGH!

guys - last year i reminded you pack your jock. some people may have found it obnoxious, but i'm not apologizing. pack your damn jock - hang it on the door knob - sleep in it, just make sure you have it. from what i'm told, that's not something you guys "pack an extra just in case," not to mention guys wouldn't share that stuff, would they? GROSS!

Gel/GU/Hammer/Blocks/Beans & Gatorade - if you haven't trained with them, don't go grabbing one at mile 17. it might help - but then again it might NOT and who knows how long the line at the fire station will be when it wants out - fast and furiously

(i can't believe i'm going to write this one) jack says stay away from chocolate (well what he actually says is keep the sugar intake low) but what does he know ;-), chocolate makes me happy

stay close to the ground... your shoes... stay off the stiletto's - no question they are hot especially since it is finally skirt weather (not today of course), but this will be the week you fall off of them

get yourself a red hot DFMC training shirt at the pasta party - all the cool kids are doing it

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ - get them! try to get as much good quality sleep as you can this week

wash it twice - if you are going to wear new ANYTHING - socks, shorts, sports bra, shorts - whatever wash it first, and twice if necessary

don't freak if out of the blue you have a joint or muscle pain, it's called phantom pains, they are in your head, you are fine. but if not, there is always the contrast bath, from heat to ice. heat (hot shower or light cardio), stretch, rub/roll/stick, then plop yourself into an ice bath.... just ask matt how small, i mean good it is for you

for crying out loud, send out your damn fundraising letter (yup that one's for me)

and "Oh Evan, thank you for bringing that lube" (Super Bad, you know the scene i'm sure) on monday you're gonna need it EVERYWHERE! your nipples (boys) & sports bra (girls), belly button, crotchal region, armpits, toes, thighs, you name it, just vas the crap out of yourself, and for goodness sake, don't be modest. but if you are, just yell out "no one look over here i'm lubing!" that'll definitely keep people from peeking

hug as many people as you can, actually just hug fast people, it'll make you faster by osmosis

and last but seriously not least, if you are not feeling "right" physically or mentally... reach out to jack (but remember you will be 1 out of over the 140 emails he receives daily). i've leaned on him for 11 years now. it doesn't matter how experienced you think you are, he can talk you off the ledge and he'll give you the necessary & magical information that will make monday, april 20th one of the best days of your life. i promise. we love ya jack!

9 days.... GULP....

taper on friends

you've got email

so my sister forwards me an email today with the familiar subject line “Congratulations! You just received a donation on your personal page!” obviously i assumed it was a BIG one, because why else would she forward it, right?

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Sent: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 8:50 am

Subject: RE: Congratulations! You just received a donation on your personal page!


Hi Kristan,
Yes, it is my cousin. She also told me that she has been following Hunter’s page since her daughter got Leukemia. She belongs to some sort of email support group for parents. She has never met her, but knew all about her and recognized your sister on your page after seeing her on Hunter’s page!
We will be at mile 20 with her and her family – we can’t wait!!
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How much did she donate? Who really cares?



keep RUNNING friends, we'll get there - we have to.


blast from the past post - http://twentysixpointtoomanymiles.blogspot.com/2008/05/note-from-stranger.html

my day at the donigan

i need to preface this with - i should be sleeping right now, but i can't let this day pass with out sharing something really special... last year, march 26th, 2008, i went to the DFCI Jimmy Fund Clinic to decorate the pasta party patient partner poster with Hunter - one year ago to the day. http://twentysixpointtoomanymiles.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-day-at-office.html
last sunday, March 22nd, i made my way to the Donigan house for this years poster decorating extravaganza. all i can say, what a difference a year makes! this day last year we were surrounded by beeping machines, shuffling nurses and doctors, a lot of laughter, and unfortunately too many tears. THIS year there were SIX healthy girls (yes i'm including katie and i in that number - not the cats), shuffling about, drawing, gluing, cutting, sticking, and yes - laughing. there were no tears, except maybe after i left katie to deal with 3.5 sugar coated kids, because i thought it would be a GREAT idea to bring whoopie pies over and eat them 5 minutes before making the grand exit... sorry katie ;-)!
what an incredible day - all i can say is not only does the poster kick ass, but the bond between us ALL grew even stronger. seeing that poster on the 19th will be great, but seeing Hunter and the rest of the Donigan's will be even more special!

i'm thankful beyond words that i didn't have to go to the JFC to do our poster - Hunter is cancer free... let's say it again CANCER FREE... one more time, on your own, as loud as you can. CANCERF-INGFREE! feels good doesn't it.

before i say good night i want to mention one more thing - last year when i blogged i talked about my experience at the JFC (which was hilarious). i also urged you all to swing in and visit the kids and their parents who are there for treatment. although we are not the docs and nurses who are giving them the best care in the world, nor are we the investigators who spend hours in the lab giving them hope, and believe it or not we aren't famous athletes, or TV anchors who offer them brief moments of excitement and entertainment. who we are, ARE their teammates and they are our inspiration. go visit, go now, it will change your life.

with that, good night (it's after the 26th - but don't hold it against me).
we're almost there - dig in, be smart, stay healthy and keep having fun.
and for goodness sake celebrate how fricken' far you've come...
RUN

another one in the books...

viewers - i'm curious how you celebrated Evacuation Day?
did you reflect on what the holiday means to you?

i know for some it meant evacuating their bed to stand in line at the Black Rose - at 530A. for others it meant evacuating the track before even getting to run a lap. and for a few it meant evacuating the green from their pocket for the red at the bone (yeah i know - that makes no sense - it's late - clearly any interesting, humorous and rational thought has evacuated my brain). but here's the question -

does anyone out there even know why we bostonians observe Evacuation Day? if you don't here's your history lesson for the day, the holiday commemorates the evacuation of British forces from our city after an 11-month siege early in the American Revolutionary War.

Good stuff, although it could have been better if i had had the day off. but seriously you can't beat them beantown (only) holidays, evac day, bunker hill day and of course in less than 5 weeks PATRIOTS DAY. ah, it is great to be a bostonian...

SO marathon monday (here's where we tie in the running part) in case you didn't know, the baa has posted the bib numbers - YOUR bib number. what does that mean? in 34 days my friends we'll be pinning that number on our singlet, lacing up our trainers and setting out on our journey.

on april 20th we will evacuation hopkinton to do battle - fighting our way to boston. 26.2 miles. wow.

are you ready?

RUN on friends - tick tock!

oh yeah - happy st. patrick's day!

where the heck have you been?

i'm back (i'd say "i'm back and better than ever" but i'm not making promises).

so what's new with me since you last tuned in - A LOT but most of the people who read this already know the life changes that have occurred since my last post (in september). in any case here's a snap shop - new jobs, great races, good health, socializing enough and sleeping very little. my family is great, my dog is the best, all and all no complaints.

that's pretty much it for me - now the important stuff. Hunter - you all know her - my patient partner and inspiration. it makes me ecstatically happy (and thankful) to say she is D-O-N-E with cancer! on JUNE 24th she reached the finish line after a longer than long run. i think i can speak for all of us DFMCers that the thought of the "long run" is what gets us out the door... especially this winter. for me, with the life changes above, the thought of our young and not-so-young friends and family with cancer, makes getting out in 18-feels like 4 degree weather more than just bearable, it makes it necessary. when all is said and done we won't remember the crappy weather or how tired we were after long days at work or all of the other personal emotional crap we have going on, we will know that we are steps closer to that ultimate finish line. DFMCers i am proud to be teammates and friends with all of you (even the ones who incessantly give me crap about this g-awful blog). good stuff. keep running.

SO what else can i tell you - oh yeah - i'm selling shirts again (look right). get them whole they are hot hot hot!

that's it for now (new beddy awaits). yes, i'll blog some more, but as i said to Les on the left coast, don't go holding your breath waiting for the next installment of twentysixpointtoomany miles, we need you on April 20th.

signing off.

RUN (jog or walk), stay healthy and for crying out loud celebrate yourself.

one last thing - look at this post-race photo... are you kidding me... crazy beautiful!

kcuf you recnac!