St. Jude Benefit Run

I'll take a brief respite from my normal marathon training posts to share with you this letter that I have sent out to many of my friends and family members. The chart I refer to at the end of the letter is a pictorial of the run from Memphis to Mobile and will track my fund raising activity.

December 30, 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

It is not my nature to be on the "asking" side of a fund raising campaign, in fact, I can honestly say that this is the first one I have ever been involved in. Normally it's me writing the checks, it seems! However, this cause is special and has my full attention; hopefully you'll join me in this worthy cause.

Most of us are familiar with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; if by chance you are not, I encourage you to visit its website at http://www.stjude.org/. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.

Unfortunately, too many of us are also familiar with a child who is suffering from cancer or another catastrophic disease. My niece and her husband, Erica & Jere Robinson, are living this nightmare right now as their younger son, Sam, battles brain cancer. While Sam is not being treated at St. Jude, there are thousands of children just like him that need our help. You can follow Sam’s progress at Erica’s blog: http://ericarobinsonphotography.com/samsblog/

I will be participating in the inaugural St. Jude Memphis to Mobile Run and I will be running in honor of Sam. This is a fund raising event for St. Jude and every dollar raised goes directly to the hospital. In order to participate in this event, I need to raise a minimum of $2,000, and I need your help to do it. I actually hope to raise at least $4,200, which comes out to $10 a mile. I am calling my own fund raising efforts the Sam-A-Thon and its slogan is “420 miles, 4 days, 1 great cause!” The run will start April 29th, 2010, and will begin in Memphis, running around the clock in relay teams; we will arrive in Mobile four days later on May 2nd. The race will culminate at Battleship Park and conclude with an end-of-run celebration. Runners will be divided into two teams and each team will run for eight hours before turning it over to the other team. The “off” team will then rest for eight hours while the other team is running. Run, rest, repeat for four days – sounds like fun! I may have a catastrophic illness by the time the run is over!

Cancer is a terrible disease, even more so, it seems, when it invades the body of a child. Please join me in this fight and in support of a wonderful hospital that is saving lives every single day. We may not find a cure for cancer today, but maybe the cure will be found in time to save your child, your grandchild or another loved one. No donation is too small; all are fully tax deductible and all are greatly appreciated. Please consider writing the check today while you are thinking about it, and please make it out to St. Jude on The Bay. You can mail your check to me at 3103 Riviere du Chien Loop E., Mobile, Al. 36693. If you prefer, you may also donate via PayPal by sending your payment to my account name: Tim1717@comcast.net. There are also some “corporate sponsorships” available with associated benefits - if you are interested in learning more about those, please contact me. So you can track my fund raising efforts, I’ll be updating the enclosed chart periodically on my Face Book page.

With your help, we CAN beat cancer. Sam and I are both counting on you!

Thank you!
Tim Mahoney
Tim1717@comcast.net

13 Weeks to the Shamrock!

Well, I clearly didn't get around to doing last weeks post - I'll blame it on the Holiday rush if that works for you!? Truth be told, it will get busier before it slows down in all probability.

Last Tuesday on "weigh day" I finally broke that 200 pound barrier that I have been working on since August! The previous Tuesday I weighed in at 201, this past Tuesday I dropped 3 pounds and weighed in at 198! I felt going into it that I would lose a pound or so, but never dreamed I'd drop 3 pounds in a week. We'll see if I can keep it off or not going forward.

Last Sunday (12/13) I set out to do another 12 mile run. It was an unusually humid (93%) day for this time of year, I'm guessing that's what de-railed me - I ended up only doing 8 miles that day. The weather cooled mid-week and yesterday (12/19) was beautiful (but windy), I went out and did 12 miles; 3rd time so far this training season. The First Light Marathon (or Half Marathon in my case) is 3 weeks from today, so I'll probably do 12 again next weekend and then taper back a bit before the Half Marathon.

I've also started doing sit ups to work on my abs and a little bit of "resistance training", but not a whole lot yet. I hope to increase my workouts in both of these areas in the weeks ahead.

Today's Song of the Blog is "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick.

15 Weeks to the Shamrock!

As of this past Sunday, the countdown stands at 15 weeks to the Shamrock Marathon. I ran 12 miles again for the 2nd Sunday in a row. This run was a bit harder than last week for some reason, not sure why. I was much more diligent about carbo loading prior to this run, but my legs started to get heavy around the 7-8 mile mark - still not sure why. I did finish the run (without walking!) however.

After reading several articles on this topic and consulting with a West Coast Personal Trainer (WCPT) I happen to know, I've decided to add some resistance/strength training to my marathon preps. I'm going to focus on the upper body mainly, but also do some work on my legs, abs and maybe lower back. My WCPT has laid out some suggested workouts on weight machines and I plan to start those either this week or next. I've already started my abs work (i.e. daily situps!).

Since my last post I have also solidified my "support team" for the Shamrock. I'm happy to report that the "A Team" will be traveling with me to Virgina Beach for the big day. The plane reservations are all made, so we're good to go!

I was not real good about skipping my beer this past week, as a result, this morning I was back up to 201. Must do better this week! The Holidays will be tough with lots of family and friends around.

I plan to keep my long run at either 10 or 12 miles for the remainder of December, then maybe taper for a week prior to the half marathon on January 10th.

Today's Song of the Blog is "Clickity Clack by Dicky Do and The Don'ts".

Ciao - keep runnin!

16 Weeks to the Shamrock Marathon....

Yesterday marked 16 weeks to go until the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach. I bumped my long run up to 12 miles as planned and completed the run. My legs got a little tired the last couple of miles, proper fueling prior to my long run is starting to come into play. I neglected to carbo load prior to this run, and while I did okay, it served as a reminder that from this point forward, proper fueling is definitely a consideration not to be overlooked. We'll talk more about proper fueling next time, today's lesson deals with proper pacing.

Lesson #12: If you want to finish the race, run your own pace! I learned this lesson the hard way while running the New Orleans Marathon this past February. I felt very confident going into the race based on an increased training regime from previous years, a nice flat course (instead of a hilly marathon course I was accustomed to) and the fact that my last long (20 miles) training run went very well. So...being confident (or over confident as it turned out!) I joined a "pace group" that turned out to be a little faster than I could handle. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until mile #11 when my legs started hurting way too early. By then, it was too late, I had burned up a lot of my reserve fuel and energy. I dropped back from the pace group at mile 11 and slowed a bit. By the time I got to the 13.1 mile mark, I knew the second half of the course was going to be tough. It was more than tough, it was downright ugly and painful. I did finish the race, but my hopes of a PR went down the drain. I was very disappointed in my bad judgement, but took away a valuable lesson. From now on, I run my pace!

Tomorrow I get back on the scale - could be bad news after Thanksgiving weekend! I've been at 200 or 200.5 for the last three weeks, but have a feeling that I've gained a pound or two this week.

Today's Song of the Blog is Hippy Hippy Shake by The Swinging Blue Jeans.

Enjoy the great running weather, I know I am!

Ciao for now....

17 Weeks to the Sham!

Ran the local "Turkey 10 Miler" race yesterday. I was happy with my time, this being the first time I've run a competitive 10 mile race - I've run longer and run shorter, but never this exact distance. I finished in 1:33:31; which equates to a 9:21 pace over the 10 miles. I actually thought I would do about a 10 minute pace, so I'm good with the results.

Next weekend I'll bump my long run up to 12 miles. I've done 10 miles 4 out of the last 5 weekends, so I'm ready to move up. I've got seven weeks until the half marathon, and the last two weeks will be sort of a tapering off; so really five more "serious weeks". Which brings me to today's "lesson" - which is #12: "Don't Peak Too Early When Training". The build up to a marathon or even a half marathon should be a gradual one. Again, the long run of the week is the most important, this is the distance you want to gradually increase throughout your training period. If you reach your goal too soon, you'll need to maintain that distance (by and large) until your race. This could lead to injury or just plain burn out. I'm actually a little ahead of where I want to be for the half marathon, but that's because I initially started to training for a full marathon and changed my plans. Over the next five weeks I plan to run 12 miles at least twice, probably 3 times - the other 2 or 3 weeks will be "step back" weeks where I run a slightly shorter distance - like 8 or 10 miles.

This week of training will be a little tough since it's Thanksgiving. Our son is coming home from NYC and we have lots of stuff planned, so I'll need to squeeze me runs in whenever I can. Today's song of the blog is  "Hold on Tight to Your Dreams" by ELO.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let the Countdown Begin! 18 Weeks to the "Sham"!

So 18 weeks from right now I will be cruising through the Shamrock Marathon in Virgina Beach! As you know, my training has a bit of a head start since I am doing a half marathon here in Mobile on January 10th. Yesterday I ran 10 miles, which is the third time I have done that distance in the last 4 weekends. I'll bump my long runs up to 12 miles by the end of this month in preparation for the half marathon, then after January 10th, start to focus on March 21st.

If you've read my earlier posts, you know I was originally planning to do the full marathon here in Mobile on January 10th. I opted out of that full marathon due to not being able to devote all the training time needed this Fall. My schedule has since opened up a bit, so I'm back in the game for a full marathon later in the year. I started this blog to help folks who may be training for his/her first marathon, and to share some tips I have learned along the way. Prior to my change of plans, I had gotten through the first eleven "lessons", which are re-capped here:

1. It takes determination

2. It’s a major time commitment

3. You can’t control the weather

4. Have a goal

5. Get motivated

6. Have a reward system

7. Invest in good running shoes

8. Stay healthy

9. Have a support team

10. Don't chafe me Dude!

11. Run safely

Starting with my next post, we will resume the "lessons" and pick up with # 12.
 
I also have been posting some great running songs (if you run with an MP3 player) that may help you keep moving when out on the road, a re-cap of those are below:

• Little G.T.O by Ronny and the Daytonas
• Rock and Roll Music by The Beatles

• Together Forever by Rick Astley

• I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett

• Knowing Me, Knowing You by ABBA

• We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel

• Cherry Bomb by John Mellencamp

• Crunchy Granola Suite by Neil Diamond

• Who Knew by Pink

• Katmandu by Bob Seger

• We Don't Talk Anymore by Cliff Richards
• Hey Tonight by Credence Clearwater Revival

• What if it all Goes Right by Melissa Lawson

• Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams

• Hot N Cold by Katy Perry

• That's What I Like About You by The Kinks

• God, Love and Rock and Roll by Teegarden & Van Winkle

• Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones

• Hawaii Five-O Medley by Jive Bunny

• Time is Tight by Booker T & the MGs

• Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon

So this week is sort of a milestone, being 18 weeks to go and all I decided to do a re-cap. From this point forward, we'll start the countdown to the full marathon in Virgina Beach, but being careful not to overlook the half on January 10th - never underestimate a run!
 
Ciao...

Into November We Go!

Hard to believe we are dealing with a Tropical Storm in November, but we are! TS Ida just passed through last night and besides a lot of wind and rain, was thankfully a "non-event". The wind (about 25-30 mph) continues today, so my run this afternoon should be interesting.


November is off to a good start running-wise. I had maxed out my running shoes (I didn't really like that model anyway) and rotated to a new style last Sunday, November 1st. I'm a New Balance fan, so I'm now running in the NB1225 and love them! Following my own advice, I have ordered two more pair while they are still available to store on my shelf. I ran 10 miles last Sunday for the 2nd Sunday in a row, so that was good. On Tuesday, 11/3, I did 6 miles and then a 4 mile run on 11/5. This past Saturday I ran in a local 10K race (Senior Bowl Charity Run) and finished in 54:53, which is right about where I normally do a 10K. Sunday, 11/8 I went out and did an 8 mile run - surprised how tired my legs were from the 10K! Like most folks, I run faster in a race environment than I do when training, thus the soreness the next day.
If you've read my earlier posts, you know that a typical marathon training schedule is about 18 weeks long. This coming Sunday, 11/15, marks 18 weeks to go until the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach. Since I am currently following a training schedule for the half marathon here in Mobile on January 10th, I will stick with that schedule for now. Once the half is out of the way, my mileage will begin to ramp up. I think I will be ready for the half marathon since I am already doing 10 mile runs and the half is still 2 months away. I'll do 2-3 12 mile runs before the half as well, so don't anticipate any problems.


Starting next week, I'll get back to posting my marathon "lessons" since I will officially be within the 18 week window. If memory serves me right, we got up to lesson #11. So, we'll do a quick re-cap and then continue as we journey toward March 21st! I have high hopes for "The Sham" and really want to PR in that race. The course is nice and flat, just one overpass that we traverse twice, both times within the first 13 miles - so no hills whatsoever on the second half of the course. Since part of the course goes along the ocean, wind might be an issue, but not much you can do about that.

Today is "Tuesday weigh day" and I finally broke the 201 barrier! I weighed in at 200 even this morning - who hoo! Need a good week this week to hit that 199 mark!

Today's Song of the Blog is Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon.

End of October

Hard to believe that October has already come and gone! Literally seems like only last week I was still complaining about the heat and humidity of August. October turned out to be a good month of training. I totaled 82 miles for the month, which is my highest monthly total to-date this year; plus, I bumped my long run up to double digits - 10 miles.

Since my last post I have only run twice, did a 5 mile run on 10/29 and did another 10 mile run this past Sunday, 11/1. The "long run" on Sunday (or whatever day you do it) is clearly the most important run of the week. You need to keep increasing this mileage as you approach your goal of a marathon or half-marathon. During the week, when time is more limited, do your "maintenance runs" of 5, 6 or 7 miles. I will run 5 or 6 tonight, then 5 on Thursday evening. I am doing a local 10K (Senior Bowl Run) on Saturday morning, so that will count as my Friday evening run. This coming Sunday, I'll do at least an 8 mile run, more if the weather cooperates.

I've added a couple of new links to my "front page" of this blog; Active.com and Hal Higdon.com. Both sites offer a lot of good articles related to running, so check them out if you have the time.

I haven't talked about my "Tuesday weigh day" in a while, but since today is Tuesday.... My weight continues to fluctuate by as much as 2.5 pounds every week, which still surprises me. My goal is to get to at least 199 pounds, I started at 206 back in August. I had gotten down to 201 for two weeks in a row, then bounced back up to 203.5, down to 203 last week, then today back down to 201. Can't quite seem to break through that 201 barrier yet!

I've signed up to do a local "Turkey 10 Miler" on November 21st. I am scheduled to run 10 miles that Sunday anyway, so might as well do it Saturday and get some more race experience.

So, that's about it for today; except of course for the Song of the Blog! Today's selection is Time is Tight by Booker T & the MGs.

Hope your training is going well.....Ciao

Double Digits...

Last week turned out to be a better week for running than I originally thought. Even with social commitments and out of town company, I managed to get all my runs in. Did 5 on 10/21, 4 on 10/22, 6 on 10/23 and broke into the double digits for the first time this training season with a 10 mile run on 10/25. Last Sunday (10/25) the weather was perfect! Overcast, mid-60's, slight breeze - really helped me hit the 10 mile mark.

This week is off to a good start as well, got my 5 in tonight as planned. This is a step back week of sorts, so I will only do 8 this coming Sunday.

Short post tonight....lots to do! Today's Song of the Blog is Hawaii Five-O Medley by Jive Bunny.

Hello Fall! Plus Exciting News!

Well the cool autumn air has FINALLY arrived on the lower Gulf Coast - can I get an amen!? Last week was not a good week for running, shame too because of the nice weather. Had a bit of a cold earlier in the week, then closed on my Mom's house on Thursday, had folks over for dinner Friday, yada yada yada. However, I AM happy to report that I was scheduled for an 8 mile run on Sunday 10/18 and actually did a 9 mile run - so that was nice. I felt good after the run, amazing what difference the weather makes!

This week will be tough schedule-wise as well. I have a root canal this afternoon (probably won't feel like running after that!), people over for dinner on Wednesday, then out of town company Thursday - Sunday. I'll have to squeeze my runs in somewhere. Scheduled to do 10 this coming Sunday!

Also - doing a local 10K (Senior Bowl Charity Run) on November 7th - then going straight to a beer can show after that! Guess November 7th is hobby day for me.

Now for the "Exciting News"! You may have noticed a new link on my blog page and some words in the "Welcome" section about the Shamrock Marathon. Now that things are settling down with my Mom's estate sale and house sale, I think I can now devote the time to training for a full marathon. So I will still do the half marathon here in Mobile on January 10th, then pick up my training to shoot for the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA on March 21st. My brother and his wife live in Virginia Beach, so we'll have some local support!

Seems like I'm forgetting something, but oh well....

Here is today's Song of the Blog: Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones.

Ciao for now...

Yes, I'm Still Here!

It's been several days since I've posted, but not to worry, the running goes on! My last post was September 30th so I'll catch you up on my running since then. As you recall, I've decided just to do a half marathon this year (unless I get the itch and do one later in the year!) due to lack of training time. So, officially, my half marathon schedule is 12 weeks long, starting on October 18th. In reality, I didn't want to give up the momentum I had gained by starting to train for the full marathon, so I am running a bit ahead of my half schedule for now.

Here are my scheduled runs and actual runs to-date for October:

10/1: scheduled for 5, did 5
10/2: scheduled for 5, did 5
10/4: scheduled for 6, actually did this 6 on 10/5 (that real life thing again!)
10/6: scheduled for 5, did 5
10/8: scheduled for 6, did 4 (yes, it's still humid in Mobile in October - this is getting old!)
10/9: scheduled for 5, did zero
10/11: scheduled for 8, did 8

So, pretty much on track. My long run this Sunday is 8 again (supposed to cool off this weekend - yea!), then the following Sunday goes up to 10. So I think if I'm doing 10 at the end of October and my half marathon in January 10th, I'm in pretty good shape.

So how about some songs? Here is a new one I just loaded to my Mp3 and is a great running song: Hot N Cold by Katy Perry. I feel like I owe you a couple more, so load these up while you're at it: That's What I Like About You by The Kinks; God, Love and Rock and Roll by Teegarden & Van Winkle. Trust me on that last one....

Ciao for now....

I'm Baaaaaack!!!

The long-awaited break in the weather happended yesterday, both the temps and more importantly, the humidity, have dropped! So like Michael Jordan and more recently, Brent Farve, I'm making a come back - of sorts!

I had already registered for the full marathon on January 10th and paid my entry fee. I have recently contacted the race director and requested to change my registration from the full to the half marathon. He replied that this is not a problem, so voila! I'll now do the half marathon on January 10th. I think this is a good compromise, I'll still reap some of the benefits of training for a long run, but my training schedule will not be so intrusive on my personal life like a full marathon training regime would be.

I've alread laid out my half marathon training schedule, but won't bore you with that. Basically it is a 12 week (versus 18 week) program, still doing longer runs on Sunday, mid-distance runs during the week. I will do a 12 mile run 3 times before the half-marathon, so I think I'll be fairly well prepared.

When running is part of your lifestyle, as it is with me, it's hard to give it up or cut back so dramatically. Then when the weather improved, I got the itch big time - went out and had a strong 6 mile run last night. So...away we go!

I won't be posting as much since I'm doing the half, but will post updates now and then. I'll also probably dispense with the "lessons" as well, since those are more geared toward a full marathon. However, the Song of the Blog will continue! Today's Song of the Blog is Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams.

Week #4, Day #1 + Announcement

Well, first the good news - I was scheduled to do 5 miles on Tuesday 9/22 and I did. Now for the bad news....after much deliberation and with very mixed emotions, I have decided to abandon my marathon training for this year. With everything going on in my normal life, I simply cannot abide by my own Lesson #2 - that marathon training is a major time commitment.

Of course I will continue to run, and even increase my running distance once the cooler weather arrives, because running is just part of my lifestyle. There is a slight chance I may opt for the half-marathon on January 10th, but I have time to decide on that. Training for a half is much less of a time commitment, particularly since I'm already in the 8-10 mile range.

I'm actually looking forward to having more free time this Fall. This is my favorite season, cool weather, football, etc. and for the last three Fall seasons I have been consumed with marathon training. The year before that, I trained for and did a half-marathon, so I have not had a Fall to myself in four years - so that is the silver lining in my decision.

If I decide to do the half, I'll come back and blog some more; if not, you won't see me on here until next August or September when I start "the journey" again.

My final "Song of the Blog" for now is one my favorite running songs: What if it all Goes Right by Melissa Lawson.

Ciao.

Week #3, Day #4

Well, my 10 mile run was apparently a bit much yesterday. After 3 straight days of running, plus a serious attack of "non-motivation", plus (most importantly) extremely high humidity; I tanked my scheduled 10 mile run. I ended up only doing a 6 mile run, actually 6.2, but I walked a tad, so I am only taking credit for 6 miles. It was so humid I think I lost at least a pound in water weight alone!

But...these things happen. So, I've re-arranged my overall schedule and will attempt 10 miles again next Sunday, so in essence, yesterday was my "step back" week. I can still get in three 20 mile runs before race day, so I'm good there.

I'm taking tonight off; so here is the schedule for Week #4:

• Tuesday, 9/22: 5 miles
• Thursday, 9/24: 7 miles
• Friday, 9/25: 5 miles
• Sunday, 9/27: 10 miles

I really need a break in the weather, but looking at the week long forecast, doesn't look like it will be happening any time soon.

Today we are up to Lesson #11, which is Run Safely. Again, seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people I see running in my neighborhood alone without any reflective gear, on the incorrect side of the road, etc. Now that the days are getting shorter, you need to make sure you have a reflective vest and/or the clip flashing red strobe lights. I normally use the clip on lights at a minimum - I've actually had drivers stop me and thank me for wearing them because they could see them from so far away! When it's really dark (no moon) or really late, I wear both a reflective vest and the blinking strobe lights. You can get both the vest and the lights at your local sporting good store - a good investment for sure!

Another good idea is to wear an ID bracelet. Road ID is getting popular (www.roadid.com) and is a neat product. I use a cheaper version that is a strap bracelet with a compartment - inside the compartment is a fan-folded form with my name, emergency contact info, etc. In my neighborhood, which is not a high traffic area, a man was killed while jogging just 3 years ago. I run by the spot where he got hit every run I take, and believe me, I think about it all the time! Whatever you do, look over your shoulder EVERYTIME you cross the street!

Which leads me to my next safety tip, run on the side of the road facing traffic if you must run in the road (like I do). When you see a car coming, look over your shoulder and when clear, move to the other side. Move back over (after looking) when the car passes.

I'm sure you can add your own thoughts on safety, but I think you get the drift - common sense is a key factor here!

Today's "Song of the Blog" is Hey Tonight by Creedance Clearwater Revival. Everyone needs a little CCR now and then!

Ciao - pray for cooler weather, I know I am!

Week #3, Day #3

Quick update this morning....did my 5 miles last night after church, so I'm back on schedule for this week. Need to do a 10 miler today (Sunday) and the weather right now is looking pretty bad, but that will probably change.

My legs have been tired/aching lately, not sure if its because I've increased my running or because of all the other work we've doing at my Mom's house related to the estate sale, getting it on the market, etc. Hopefully this will pass in time.

Today's "Song of the Blog" is We Don't Talk Anymore by Cliff Richards.

Hopefully my next post will be a successful report of my 10 mile run!

Cheers!

Week #3, Day #2

Well, another belated post - pesky 'ol "life" got in the way again this week. Thursday I was supposed to run 6, but didn't; so I ran it tonight (Friday). Now I have to do Friday's run (5 miles) Saturday evening after church. That will be followed by my 10 mile run on Sunday - so I've crunched the schedule into the end of the week. It's supposed to be another rainy weekend as well, so that will be another complication. Oh well....

I haven't mentioned the weather a whole bunch lately, but I normally run around 6:00 pm after work. The temp has been hanging around the mid 80's at that time and then when you factor in the humidity, the heat index puts into the high 80's. Still a little better than the "dog days of summer", but I could use a little relief on the weather front!

Let's recap our lessons to-date. BTW, I hope you don't take offense at me calling these "lessons" as opposed to "hints" or "suggestions". Not trying to sound like a know it all by any means!

So far we've talked about 9 lessons:

1. It takes determination
2. It’s a major time commitment
3. You can’t control the weather
4. Have a goal
5. Get motivated
6. Have a reward system
7. Invest in good running shoes
8. Stay healthy
9. Have a support team

So tonight we are up to Lesson #10 which is Don't Chafe Me Dude! The topic of "chaffing" will border on TMI, so you've been duly warned, but it's an important lesson! When you start doing some "serious" mileage, you really need to pay attention to chafing. Trust me, you'll chafe in spots you never knew existed on your body - so an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure in this case.

Invest in some Body Glide, and I'm not talking about buying a few packages, I mean buy stock in the company! If you are not familiar with this product, I'm sure you can get it at your local sporting good store and if not, certainly on line. It goes on like "cake deodorant" but is slightly greasy, thus allowing your skin to glide instead of rub. I use it under my arms, between my legs (TMI zone!) and on really long runs I even use it on my hips. After a long training run last year I had chaffed on my left hip - which was a new one for me. Apparently the tag on my shirt was folder over and after 18-20 miles of running, it caused a strawberry about 3-4 inches long - ouch.

There is another product called, oddly enough, Skin Lube. This is more like Vaseline and I only use this is one area of my body - between my buttocks. Sorry...I warned you earlier! But if you chafe "back there", your post run shower will not be pleasant.

Last but not least, I use band aids on my nipples. If you've ever chaffed your nipples due to a long run, you can relate I'm sure. I use Band Aid Sport Strips and they work great, stay on for an entire marathon. Don't try the little circle ones, they won't last - get a strip. Two years ago after a local 10k I saw a guy in a white, sweat soaked T-shirt, he had blood also soaked into the chest of his shirt coming from his nipples - double ouch! And that was only for a 10K.

Okay - enough TMI for this blog! Tonight I will do 5 and then tomorrow will do 10 - which should be interesting. Last Sunday when I did 8 it was in a light rain, which really helped.

Today's "Song of the Blog" is Katmandu by Bob Seger; good 'ol hard driving rock and roll!

Week #3; Day #1

Week 3 kicked off yesterday, I'm a day late posting! I was scheduled to do 5 miles and I did, so I'm still on track. I am scheduled to do 6 tomorrow, but have a commitment, so we'll see. Still trying to wrap up some loose ends from the Estate Sale.

Yesterday was "weigh day" also - as you may recall, I'm trying to lose 7 pounds by race day. I started at 206, then last week was 202.5 - which I felt strongly at the time was too good to be true. Turns out I was right, yesterday I weighed 204.5 - so we'll keep watching and hope a positive, downward trend develops.

Because it's late (I just got home) and I've got stuff to do, I will forgo today's "lesson". However, the "Song of the Blog" for today is Who Knew by Pink. Uh huh, that's right...

Sorry for the brevity - although you probably enjoy that for a change! More tomorrow!

Ciao for now...

Week #2, Day #3

Well after a VERY long weekend doing my Mom's Estate Sale, which was quite successful by the way, I did manage to get my 8 mile run in on Sunday evening. Saturday was a long day, lots of standing, got up early, etc. If it had not been for a very light rain Sunday during my run, I probably would not have completed it. But, I did, so Week #2 is in the books! I actually felt pretty good after the 8 miles, so I was encouraged by that - I have not run 8 since last year's training.



So now we're into Week #3, here is the schedule for the week:

• Tuesday, 9/15: 5 miles
  
• Thursday, 9/17: 6 miles
  
• Friday, 9/18: 5 miles
  
• Sunday, 9/20: 10 miles

Today is Lesson #9: Have a Support Team. A Support Team can take many different forms, but having a Support Team of some sort will make your training and also race day go much smoother. Because of my work schedule, training schedule, etc. I tend to train by myself. On the occasions when our daughter (who is also a runner) is home, I must admit, having a running partner makes for a better run in my opinion. But, the vast majority of my training is done solo and on the nice flat course I am fortunate to have in our neighborhood.

My wife is my primary Support Team - a role she loves :)! She is always there to help with my training whenever I need her, but she is most helpful on race day. For my two previous marathons here in Mobile, she has met me at the 13.1 mile mark and also the 20 mile mark; for New Orleans, due the course layout, she could only meet me at the 13.1 mile mark. Seeing a smiling face with a towel, gel pack and my favorite sport drink is a huge morale boost! Of course, she is also at the finish where I need the most help!

Bottom line is this: rely on friends and/or family to help out. Training for and running a marathon is tough, we can all use the help!

Today's "Song of the Blog" for your running MP3 pleasure is Crunchy Granola Suite by Neil Diamond. If this live track from his Hot August Night CD doesn't keep you moving, well, better check your pulse!

More later as we move through Week #3 of 18!

Ciao for now.....

Week #2; Day #1

Okay - 2nd week of training is underway! Did 5 miles last night and will do another 4 tonight. After tonight, due to the aforementioned Estate Sale, I won't run again until Sunday. So, this will probably be my last post until Sunday as well.


Today's Lesson is #8; Stay Healthy! In this case, I'm not talking about avoiding injury, although that is obviously important. My point here is that you are investing SO much time and energy into preparing for your marathon, that you cannot afford to get sick - i.e a cold or flu. When I trained for my first marathon, this concerned me quite a bit (as in almost obsessed!); particularly the deeper I got into the training cycle. If you get to the part of your training regime where you are scheduled for fairly long Sunday runs, but you can't do those due to being sick, it can be very hard to recover the schedule before race day.

Obviously getting sick is not totally in our control, if its going to happen, there isn't a whole lot we can do about it. But, you can avoid situations with lots of people, practice good hygiene (washing your hands frequently), get plenty of rest, etc. What a shame it would be to devote this much time and effort into training, only to get sick and blow it!

The "Song of the Blog" today is Cherry Bomb by John Mellencamp; definitely need this on your MP3 player!

Sunday will be my first run of any significant distance, the weather calls for rain all weekend, hopefully I can get it in!

All for now...

Week #1; Day #4

Well, this is a delayed post - I hate it when "life" gets in the way of my running! I was scheduled to do 5 miles this past Sunday, but due to getting ready for my Mom's Estate Sale all Labor Day weekend, I did not get around to running those 5 miles until Monday evening. But, I did them, so Week #1 is in the books.


Week #2 schedule is somewhat reduced due to the continuing preps for the Estate sale, but it picks up this coming Sunday. Here is the schedule for this week:



Wednesday, 9/9: 5 miles

Thursday, 9/10: 4 miles

Sunday, 9/13: 8 miles (now the fun starts!)



So Week #1 I logged 21 miles, this week I will only due 17 due to only running 3 days. We'll pick it back up in Week #3, rest assured!



Today is Lesson #7, Invest in Good Running Shoes! Whatever you do, don't cut corners when it comes to your running shoes, buy the best you can afford. If necessary, run naked (eeewwww!) but have good shoes on! Come to think of it, I remember running naked in only tennis shoes back in the 70's, we just called it "Streaking" back then! Seriously, I have been running for over 20 years and have been fortunate not to have any ankle, knee or foot problems. I attribute this to buying high quality shoes with a lot of cushioning and that are a good fit for my foot.



I think the best approach is to go to a quality local sporting good store where the sales people are knowledgeable about running shoes. Get fitted with the right shoe and once you find a style/brand that works for you, buy several and stack them on your closet shelf until you need them. Shoe models change more frequenlty (or so it seems) than car models - so the shoe you like this year may not be around in a few months. Once you find a shoe at your local store that works, you can also buy on line from places like Runner's World - they normally keep shoe models in stock longer than your local store.



One other thought on shoes, keep track of your mileage on each pair of shoes (I do this right in my running log). When you get about 300 miles on a pair of shoes, it time to switch to a new pair. This practice will also help reduce injury.

From the "Too good to be true" department, as you may recall, I am weighing myself every Tuesday in an effort to lose 7 pounds by race day. Last week I weighed in at 206, this morning I was 202.5! I'm obviously pleased, but it's way too early to call this a trend - we'll see how next week goes!


Okay folks, that's all for today; except the "Song of the Blog" for today is We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel.



Ciao for now...

Week #1, Day #3

Day # 3 of training; scheduled to do 5 miles...check, 5 more in the books!

Weather at run time: 76 degrees; humidity 93%; yielding a heat index of 81 degrees. Ugh and yuk! I hate running when the humidity is so high, would much rather run in higher temps with lower humidity. Today's run was 1 mile shorter than yesterday, but much harder due to the high humidity - but as I said "You can't control the weather!"

Lesson re-cap time:

1. It takes determination
2. It’s a major time commitment
3. You can’t control the weather
4. Have a goal
5. Get motivated

Today's lesson #6 is Have a Reward System. Training for a marathon is hard work, so you need to give yourself some positive reinforcement now and then. Pick something that works for you, but it should be consistently applied as your progress through your training. My reward system that I have used for years is very simple and serves the dual purpose of being my running log. Whenever I run, I put a star on my desk calendar at work. This calendar is in front of me all day long, so I am constantly looking at it. When I do a 3 mile run, I get a red star, 4 miles is a green star, 5 miles is a silver star, 6 is a gold star and 7 is a blue star. Of course, as your mileage increases and you star doing longer runs, you add multiple stars to show your total mileage for that day. These are the little stick on stars we (well, most of us) all got on our school papers as children. Explaining to your co-workers why you have grade school stars on your work calendar is your problem! The goal of course is to get 3 blue stars and 1 silver all on the same day!

One more run (on Sunday) to close out the first week. This has been a relatively easy week, the schedule picks up next week. Before I sign off for today; the "Song of the Blog" for your running MP3 pleasure today is Knowing Me, Know You by ABBA.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Week # 1; Day # 2

Day # 2 of training; scheduled to do 6 miles...check, 6 more in the books!

Weather at run time: 79 degrees; humidity 73%; yielding a heat index of 82 degrees. A little muggier than Tuesday, but at least it's overcast with a slight breeze!

Today we are up to Lesson # 5: Get Motivated. Motivation and determination pretty much go hand in hand in my book, but I think motivation carries that extra element of emotion. You need to find out what motivates you to do this for 18 weeks and make that your inspiration and drive to keep you going. There will be days, maybe lots of them, when you'll want to blow off training - think of your motivation!

For my first marathon, the biggest motivator was simply finishing. Many times during my long training runs I would visualize what it would feel like to cross that finish line at the end of my marathon - that was inspiring to me! And believe me, when that moment arrived, it was an awesome feeling - such a sense of personal achievement! But in subsequent marathons, when I knew I could do the distance, motivation got tougher to find - especially last year for some reason.

Every year however, there are two things that never fail to motivate me:

1. When I read marathon results online or in the newspaper and I see where a 72 year old person ran a marathon - and did it faster than me - that motivates the heck out of me! I mean, if they can do it at 72, then I have no excuse at 52!
2. I read a quote once in a marathon article that said "Only one-tenth of one percent of the world's population has ever finished a marathon" - that is a pretty exclusive club, and that motivates me as well! Have no idea if the stat is accurate or not, but I like it!

So...when you're out there on the road, thinking about somewhere else you'd rather be (like anywhere else!), think of your motivating factors and use them to keep you moving!

Todays "Song of the Blog" for your running MP3 pleasure is: I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett.

Ciao for now - more tomorrow!

Week # 1; Day # 1

First official day of marathon training - woo hoo! Only 130 days to go! Before we go into today's blog however; let's re-cap (repetition is a great form of learning you know!):

• Lesson # 1: It takes Determination


• Lesson # 2: It's a Major Time Commitment


• Lesson # 3: You can't Control the Weather

Today's lesson is #4; Have a Goal. Goals are good, they are motivating and can help keep you focused. For first time marathoners (and even for some training for a fourth marathon!) the goal is simply to finish; preferably vertically and not horizontally. In each of my three previous training periods, my goal has been to train harder; which basically meant running more miles and longer distances leading up to race day. Of course, this should support other goals such as merely finishing, having a faster time, etc. That's not always the case however, but we'll leave that for another day.

This year, my goal will be slightly different. As of this morning, Tuesday, September 1st, I weigh 206 pounds. My goal before race day is to lose at least 7 pounds and get down to 199. I haven't weighed less than 200 in many many years. You may think this is a cop out for a goal; surely when I start training for a marathon and running so much, the pounds will just melt away! Not so, in past years, I have actually gained a little weight (lost inches in the waist however) while training. According to my doctor, he feels this is due to increased muscle mass as I build up my leg and arm muscles. Apparently muscle weighs more than fat - or so I am told.

One of the nice side benefits to training for a marathon is that you can eat pretty much what you want because you are burning so many calories. I plan to do that again this year too! However, I will modify my beer/cocktail drinking and now only drink on weekends; alcohol is quite fattening as we all know. So I'm hoping by reducing my alcohol intake; plus my increased running, I can drop the 7 pounds and therfore be lighter on race day. Being lighter means I'll burn less energy hauling this frame across 26.2 miles and will hopefully allow me to perform better. I will weigh myself every Tuesday morning and report the results in this blog so you can see how I'm doing.

My other goal of course is to beat my Personal Record (PR) for a marathon of 4:41:11!

So today I was scheduled to do 5 miles and I did - 100% so far! Temp at run time by the way was 85 degrees, a pleaseant 44% humidity - yielding a heat index of 86; all in all, not bad for this time of year.

Todays "Song of the Blog" for your running MP3 pleasure is Together Forever by Rick Astley.

Ciao for now.....

The Schedule - Finally!

Okay - I've been talking about the schedule for a couple of days now, so let's get it out there on the table. As I mentioned, I'll be doing an 18 week program that I found on the internet and modified it slightly for me (adjusting for days I know I would not be able to run, etc.). Most marathon training schedules ramp up toward a final training run of at least 20 miles, preferably you want to do this distance more than once before your marathon. The schedule I have selected will have me running four days a week, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday; with the long run being on Sunday. Some schedules will have you run more days per week, but my lifestyle will only allow so much - so four days it is! Additionally, a lot of marathon schedules (mine included) use a "step back" method for the long runs. Basically this involves increasing your long run for two weeks in a row, then "stepping back" to do a slightly shorter long run on the third week, thus allowing your body to rest a bit and prevent injury.



Week # 1

• Tuesday, 9/1: 5 miles


• Thursday, 9/3: 6 miles


• Friday, 9/4: 5 miles


• Sunday 9/6: 5 miles

So, the first week I'll do 21 miles, weather permitting! Which leads me to Lesson # 3: You can't control the weather! Seems obvious, and during training this is usually not a big deal, if you get a bad weather day, you simply re-schedule your run for another day. If you get a lot of bad weather days in a row, well...don't sweat it, just get back on schedule as soon as you can. Ah...but what if you get all the way through your 18 week training schedule and race day is awful weather-wise?? Well...you still can't control it, so make the best call...waste 18 weeks of training, run in the bad weather (and possibly get sick or injured), or possibly set your sights on a different upcoming marathon and shoot for that one instead. Tough call...luckily that hasn't happended to me yet!

Today I'm tired, but need to run since it's overcast and relatively cool - need to take advantage of this weather! Before I sign off...today's "Song of the Blog" for your MP3 running sound track is: Rock and Roll Music by The Beatles.

I probably won't have time to post tomorrow, so I'll be back on "Day 1" with the first official day of training results!

Background and Beginnings Part Two

So...today we'll chat about some more background and then a bit about training schedules; but first a review! Yesterday's Lesson # 1 was that it takes determination to train for and run a marathon.

Today's Lesson # 2 is that training for a marathon is a major time commitment! If you decide to embark on "the journey" (as I like to call it), be prepared to give up a lot of other things you currently do with your free time. I usually run in the evenings after work and then do my "long run" (much more on that later) on Sunday afternoon/evening. There is a variety of training schedules out there on the web and you basically need to weed through them to see which one works for you. What will your time allow? What are your marathon goals? How old are you? How tolerant is your spouse/significant other of you spending most your time out on the road training :)? Do you run year-round or are you just starting out? Do you have any big events coming up during this 18 week journey such as planning a wedding, cleaning out your Mom's house and getting it on the market :), etc.? All these (and more) should be considered before starting out! Because, going back to Lesson #1 - once you've made up your mind, you're in for the long haul baby!

Most marathon training schedules are based on an 18 week "ramp up" toward your marathon date, some are longer, some shorter. Some training schedules include cross-training one day a week, such as bike riding or simply walking, anything to utilize some different muscles or use your muscles in a slightly different way. For my first two marathons, I bascially found one on the web and tailored it to my needs. Last year, when I ran the New Orleans marathon, I actually "hired" an internet training coach to custom design a schedule for me. It was a good schedule, but you really don't need to spend the money (in my opinion) to have a schedule tailored for you, I just thought I'd try it once! This year, I have found yet another schedule from a great website and have tailored it slightly for my needs.

So...I am a year round runner - with a caveat; the caveat being where I live. Mobile, Alabama is officially a "sub-tropical" climate; translation: it's hot as blazes here June through September and the humidity is like molasses. Thus, for me, trying to run any significant distance in the summer is basically not doable. So..I wait with baited breath for the weather to break (and it's coming, I can feel it!) and then my training takes off. During the summer months I run a minimum of 4 miles each time I go out, sometimes 5 or 6 if we have a relatively cool evening. I run at least 3 times a week during the summer, sometimes 4. The analogy I like to use is that running here in the summer is like running in a sauna with ankle weights; when the weather breaks, it's like taking the weights off and getting out of the sauna - so nice!

Well, right now, one of those "real life" issues is calling me, so I'll need to add my training schedule stuff later today or tomorrow. We're preparing my Mom's house for an estate sale and that is only two weeks away - so lots to do still! Before I sign off for today however, notice that I added a profile pic to my blog. I chose that pic for a reason, besides the fact it shows me crossing the finish line of the 2008 First Light Marathon here in Mobile, it also shows my personal best time (to-date!) of 4:41:11 - told you I wasn't fast! But, that is the time I will try and beat this year on the same course. The marathon course here in Mobile has some significant hills in the middle third of the course, one of which is worse than "Heart Break Hill" in Boston (I know that because I have friend who has run Boston twice and also run Mobile); hills and I don't get along very well.

Oh...one other thing - music! Some folks may "pooh-pooh" this for safety reasons, but I always run with ear buds and some type of MP3 player. Music is very motivating to me, so over the years I have compiled some great running tunes - I'll share one each day of this blog in case you want to start your own collection. My taste in music will probably vary from yours, but basically I look for fast, upbeat songs that will keep my legs turning over and keep my mind off all that heavy breathing! Todays music selection is (drum roll please): Little G.T.O by Ronny and the Daytonas.

More later....

Background & Beginnings

Not really sure why I've decided to blog my marathon training, I guess for the same reason I ran my first marathon back in 2007; simply because it's something I've never done.

I ran my first marathon 4 days before my 50th birthday and as I crossed the finish line I said what many first time marathoners probably say; "I'll never do that again!" Now I sit here, 2+ years older, trying to psych myself up to start "the journey" again - training for my next (fourth) marathon. I've learned a lot while training and participating in my first three marathons and I'll share a lot of those "lessons learned" as this blog progresses.

This will be a blog for the "average person". I'm not a fast runner or some semi-pro athelete, I'm a 52 year old, 6'2", 205 pound guy that loves to drink beer - not exactly a runner's profile! I've never run the Boston Marathon, New York or Chicago - and probably never will. But lesson # 1 that I learned during marathon training is that it takes determination probably more than anything else to complete the training and run a marathon - and I have an ample supply of that!

Next post we'll talk about my upcoming training schedule, the marathon I'm training for and some more insights. My training starts September 1st - 18 weeks and hundreds of miles later, I'll walk to the starting line and finalize my training with a 26.2 mile jog through our local streets - just because I can!