Counting Down Some "Lasts"

I am counting down the "lasts" toward the marathon in Philly.  There are a lot of lasts.  Today was the last "track" workout, although the "track" workout was actually on a treadmill.  I have to say it was one of the most boring treadmill workouts ever.  (I realize that some people think that all treadmill workout are boring.)

Why was it extra boring?

First, the space that the hotel at which I was staying for a professional conference had a fitness center with only three treadmills in a relatively small space.  So, there weren't many other people to look at.  For more than 20 minutes of my 52 minute workout there was no one else.  Eventually there were two other people--who were walking.  The fact that there were only three led to my decision yesterday to run outside rather than inside, and I got to run along the River Walk in San Antonio--although it was dark, and, I'm sure, less spectacular than seeing it in the light.

Second, the treadmill faced a wooden wall.  Not much to look at there.  Many places--even hotels these days--have mirrors next to the treadmills.  That would have been more exciting to see.

Third, I was exercising in the pre-dawn hours.  There were wooden blinds next to the treadmill I was on.  But there was not much going on in the section of San Antonio where I was staying, at that hour.

Fourth, as you can see in the picture. I was sweating like crazy when I was done.

Did I need the workout?  Yes. It is a part of my preparation for the Philadelphia Marathon.

Did I struggle with the workout?  No.  I was able to hit 6 one-half miles in 3:00 each without feeling overly taxed.

Do I feel ready?  As ready as I'll ever be.

The transformative moment?  At some point, I will return to all of the transformation topics I mentioned last week.  But for today the transformative moment was just the realization that this is it.  This is the end.  This may be my last marathon.  It will at least be the last marathon that I give this much training time--this many miles per week.  Hopefully it will be a crowning achievement.  At the very least it will be the end of the line for a specific type of goal.

That led me to the music I listened to on the way home from San Antonio today.  I have always liked the music from Rocky.  In fact, I had the sheet music for Gonna Fly Now when I took piano lessons as a kid.   Today, I had the album on random shuffle.  The two songs that can still give me chills when I listen to them and they come to their rousing conclusions are Gonna Fly Now and The Final Bell.  I don't always get chills when I listen to them.  But I did tonight.  I know when the most amazing parts are coming.  I can anticipate them.  Yet, I still feel the chills.  The sense of triumph (although Rocky lost the fight in the first movie).  I know I have reflected on that before, but it is a recurring theme.  Not that my entire life is a triumph, but I love seeking that feeling.  The sense of accomplishment.  The sense of completion.  This is what I hope to feel as I finish the race on November 23.  And I'm sure that The Final Bell will be running through my head.

And then we will see to what I transform my energies next.  Other than finishing out the year with as many miles as possible.  I'm at 1941.5 now.  Closing in on the goal.

So many goals.  So much achievement.  What will next year bring for me, my running, my family, and my career.  I cannot say.  But I am looking forward to finding out.  Continue to persevere and continue to love.  And the rest will fall into place. 

You can find the podcast at: http://www.buzzsprout.com/34388

Recovery run and a few more thoughts on the race

Today’s run was an easy 3 in 29 minutes.  Almost as long to go 3 miles this morning as to go 4 yesterday. But that is the difference between a race and a recovery run.  Total mileage 1459.  I am going to be at almost 1500 by week’s end.  Given the goal of reaching 2000 miles by year’s end, that will put me three weeks ahead of schedule.  I will reach my goal and celebrate my virtual arrival at Our Lady of Perpetual Hope a bit early. 

Not much to write about from today’s run.  A few more reflections on yesterday. 

First, during the 90 minutes between when I finished the race and when they started awards, I drank 2 bottles of water, 2 diet Cokes, a regular Coke, and a Sprite.  I ate a bag of chips, a bag of chocolate chip cookies, and 2 Fig Newton bars.  I hadn’t realized quite how much fluid I needed as that is more than a half gallon of liquid.  On top of that, when I went to the state fair with Sherry after a shower, I ate a cheeseburger platter (including cole slaw and potato salad) and an ear of corn.  And at home I drank a lot of pumpkin beer.  (But not all at once.)

Second, the race had 327 finishers.  I was the last one who finished in under 2:30.  In addition to the heat, there was another reason the race was difficult.  At one point, I think I didn’t see anyone else in the race for a mile or maybe two.  Losing visual contact with anyone else is a big deal in a race.  That is how far spread out things got.  If you look at the list of finishers, the person one ahead of me finished 48 seconds ahead.  The person one behind me finished more than two minutes behind.  That is a lot of distance between runners.  I did see the Navy guy who finished ahead of me as he headed along Paper Mill Road and back to York Rd. Still, in addition to the perseverance I mentioned yesterday, this is a reminder that sometimes we are our only light.  Or, more correctly, a reminder that sometimes our only light comes from whatever we think of as that bigger force in the Universe.  Some of us call it God.  For others it is something else.  The key is that sometimes we cannot rely on other people to be the light and carry the way.  We just have to rely on ourselves and our sense of where we fit in the bigger picture and why we are here.  And the reason for the run. 

Which for me is part of how I experience and give glory to God.  My own running.  Encouraging others to run.  And the spiritual focus that mimics the physical focus as I mentioned yesterday.  As well as the mental focus and task focus that I try to bring to the rest of my life. 

What am I Made Of?

So, the last time I blogged I had completed an easy 6 to reach 1408 miles.  On Tuesday I did a progression workout still feeling slightly tired legs from Sunday's 18.  But I was able to do it with miles ranging from 8:15 down to 6:30 in 15 second increments with the last at 8:00.  I stopped twice rather than once (once, because the treadmills at the Y only allow me 60 minutes maximum, and the second time because I must have hit some control that stopped it).  What was nice is that neither time (especially after the second) did I have difficulty getting started again.

Then I ran an easy 7 on Wednesday.  A nice course mostly east at west going no further north than Walker and no further south than Belvedere.

Then, there was yesterday.  Yesterday, I had a track workout scheduled.  I ran the 2.3 miles over to the at an 8:54 pace.  I felt really sluggish.  I had had several long days at work.  I had had a late and very heavy dinner the evening before.  I just wasn't sure if I could meet the goal that had been set: 10x400 at 1:27 +/- 2 seconds.

I took off my water belt and set it by the side of the track.  I took off my shirt and set that by the side of the track as well. I mean--it was 73 degrees at 5:35 in the morning when I was getting ready to leave.

I ran a warm up lap.  Nice and easy--just under two minutes.  Then, I took off.  First one--1:27.  It was great.  I concentrated. I kept my mind completely on what I was doing.  I did not run too hard.  I did not push myself too much.  And I did not look at my watch as I rounded the track.  It felt, just right.

Rest.

Second one--1:27 again.  Same thing.  I was amazed at the consistency.  As I completed my 200 meters of rest after lap 2, I hit the wrong button.  Distracted but not deterred, I corrected my watch and did the third one--1:26.  Stopped purposefully for a small drink of water, ran an active rest 200 meters, and ran the fourth one--1:27.  Feeling good I went on to do the fifth at 1:26, the sixth at 1:26, and the seventh at 1:27.  I thought about taking a drink but waited until after number eight--1:27.  Number eight was tough.  My legs were starting to yell at me after five days of running in a row that included the harder but not raced 18, the progression, and now this.  Number nine--1:26 again.  By that time, I was feeling confident but didn't want to push the last one too hard--1:26.

So, for a workout where I had a watch to time the laps, but I didn't look at my watch except at the end of each lap, I had run the most consistent times ever.  The rounded times were all 1:26 or 1:27.  I think I have found my "natural" fast pace, given the end result.

I ran home the 2.3 miles at a 9:09 pace.

I have never had a workout so consistent before.  All by myself.  Persevering.  Having had to go around two different runners who were running slowly in lane 1.  One with headphones.  A workout on which I had never thought I could do what was planned had turned into one of the most revealing workouts I had ever done.  What can I do?  What can I keep up?   What are my limits?

Hopefully what I pulled out yesterday will translate into a good performance in Sunday's race.  I now have 1432.6 miles.  I am still on US 54 west as I will be for a long while to come.  Making my way west.  Aiming to reach 2000 miles.  As I will likely reach 1500 by mid-September, I am way ahead of schedule.  Life is good.   

Three Well Chosen Readings

Each Catholic wedding has the potential to be a unique experience.  At least among people I know, the bride and groom working with the priest who will celebrate the wedding mass have a chance to choose the readings.  A Catholic mass typically includes one reading from the Old Testament, one reading from the New Testament that is not part of the Gospel, and a Gospel reading.  Each couple has many reasons for choosing the readings they do.  Each couple is at a unique point in their lives in terms of their understanding of their faith and their understanding of themselves.  The choice of readings was guided by both for me and Sherry 20+ years ago when we planned our wedding.  We were just two people of an age we now refer to as "kids" (22 at the time we were married) who had attended mass regularly, had some exposure to what was called CCD at the time (Sherry having more than me), and had been involved in the campus ministry while in college.  At Jackie and Patrick's wedding (at a slightly later point in their lives with a different background in exposure to and working with their faith) the choices were clearly inspired by their understanding of themselves and their faith.  And, as I am clearly one who thinks about how the words I am hearing from the Bible relate to the current day (myself or, in this case, those whose wedding is being celebrated) I projected from the readings onto my own life experiences and the lives of the two beautiful individuals getting married.

The first reading was Micah 6:6-8

With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow before God most high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old? 

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with myriad streams of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my crime,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 

You have been told, O mortal, what is good,
and what the LORD requires of you:
Only to do justice and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God.

I have never known Jackie and Patrick to be anything but humble.  Quiet--not necessarily.  Shy--definitely not.  But wonderful examples of humility before everyone and focused so much on the lives of others.  Giving not to be noticed but because it is right and it all comes from their hearts.

The second reading was from the letter to the Hebrews (12:1-3)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us 

while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. 

Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

As I heard this one, I looked around at the packed chapel on Loyola's campus (where Jackie and Patrick had met, gotten engaged, and were getting married) where they were surrounded by a cloud of witnesses as two people whose eyes are truly fixed on Jesus.  Running races (both figuratively and literally) is something they do a lot and endurance (whether the opposition of sinners as mentioned in the reading or, more, in a running race) is an important part of their lives.

Finally, the Gospel reading was Luke 24: 13-35, the story of the Road to Emmaus.  I won't copy and paste the whole thing (it is a long reading) but there is a link above.  It mentions that the disciples were walking a distance of seven miles when they came upon the person they did not recognize as Jesus at first.  In the reading, they ended up walking seven miles to Emmaus and seven miles back--14 miles or just over the distance of a half marathon.  Yes, my brain actually went to thinking about how it was like an "out and back" course that the two disciples ended up walking.  What else did I think about?  Jackie conducts many of the orientations for community members who want to be new participants in Back on My Feet.  I remember that she told us to try to remember to say hello to as many people as possible when out on our runs.  Just to be polite.  Just to try to brighten people's day.  Whether the person was homeless, outside a shelter of some sort, at a bus stop, or at Health Care for the Homeless.  There are many popular stories about how a person might come to meet Jesus or someone representative of the qualities of Jesus in a modern setting and overlook that person.  This is where I connected the story.  When we are out running with Back on My Feet, we never know who we will meet on the road.  We never know what type of difference we might make for the people we meet or what type of difference they may make for us.  We never know who might be able to demonstrate for us and share with us the grace of God.  In fact, we never know anywhere in our lives when we will come upon a sign from God or the second coming of Jesus himself.  Yet we should always be open to it.  And the disciples, once they realized that they had seen Jesus, did the second half of their "course" quickly and shared all the news when they returned.  Again, so closely similar to the experience of many runners who share stories about what they saw, who they experienced, and how they felt when they get back from a run.  And this relates to Jackie and Patrick not only because a half marathon distance is something with which they both are familiar but also because I know that they live their lives in a way that shows they are always open to receiving God's grace.  To welcoming a stranger.  To extending hospitality to a stranger.  To listening.  To relating.  And to sharing stories of the little things and most important things in life.

Their three readings were well chosen for them.  And their three readings served as a reminder for me. Of how incredible my two friends are.  And of the importance of living a life of humility, perseverance, and openness to the grace of God every day.