Highest Compliment

So, I received what I count as one of the biggest compliments I have ever received last night.  I was at the annual gala event for Back on My Feet, Baltimore.  It it referred to as a bash.  People come in suits and other non-casual clothing but with running shoes.  It's a fun time.  

I've only been to two of the seven that Back on My Feet, Baltimore has had but the director (and now executive director) was the same person at both.  She is a running mentor.  She has become a dear friend.  And she was a former part-time MPH student whom I advised.

Last night, I was able to compare her presentations at the event to how she had presented several years back.  Several years ago she was great.  But she spoke at an incredibly fast pace.  Last night her poise, serenity, and sense of presence had matured incredibly since the last time I saw her present.  It was wonderful for someone who had been her academic advisor and one of her many mentors on the professional development side see that maturation process in action.

Afterwards, I mentioned it to be her and her husband.  She thanked me.  That provided an uplifting feeling.  But what made me stop and catch my breath was when her husband thanked me and told me what a difference he knew I'd made in her development.  Sure, I've had an occasional parent tell me at a graduation ceremony about how I made a difference for a doctoral student in their dissertation or something like that. But to have someone, eighteen months after the student graduated, point out that they could see how I made a difference for the student during the time I worked with the student (which was three years in the part-time program) was truly an incredible, delightful, and overwhelming experience.  Then he went on to say something to the effect that I had probably had a bigger influence on most of my students than I would ever realize.

Maybe I have.  Perhaps someday I'll hear that.  Perhaps it will remain unsaid until a retirement celebration or memorial service someday.  Perhaps the thoughts will remain in the hearts and minds of those I've advised.  In fact, I'd have no problem with that outcome.  Because I know that I have done the best I can for each student in that type of position.  And that is all anyone can ever ask of me.

But to have even one person point it out made it more real.  And made my hopeful that my difference in the world will not be confined just to those I touch directly.  But that it may make a difference to many people separated from me by one or two or three connections.  

And that is not to get big headed about it.  Just to recognize it. Be thankful for it.  And go on doing the best I can for each person with whom I interact in the amazing life with which I have been blessed.

Presence

Yesterday was the third consecutive Friday that I structured my life to run with Team Christopher's Place with the Back on My Feet Baltimore program.  There was a time when that would not have been a big deal.  I consistently made three workouts a week with Back on My Feet.  But since my job change in April 2013, I had gone less and less.  And with my training for the Philadelphia Marathon, I went even less.  But after I achieved the marathon on my life and a half marathon personal best a week later, I decided it was time to refocus my running a bit.  And, so, the journey to other running goals began.  One of them was weekly participation in Back on My Feet.  I had continued to run with many non-residential members of the group (i.e., volunteers from the community who run with the members of the residential facilities who participate) but in workouts outside official Back on My Feet activities.  The goal was to get back to feeling like I was part of the team.  And, I have started to achieve that goal.

What was fascinating about yesterday was that it was not just "any run".  On Christmas Evening after we returned to Baltimore from Philadelphia (another city with Back on My Feet), I was surfing the Internet for just a bit before going to bed relatively early.  The current Team Leadership posted on social median that neither would be able to attend the next morning and asked if anyone wanted to lead the circle.  I volunteered and also asked about routes.  Our coach was supposed to be there but just in case, I wanted some suggestions.  So, armed with all the information I needed, I went to bed early and felt comfortable with the idea.

Friday morning came along, and I took care of some work emails and prepared myself to run.  It was a bit chillier than it had been recently, so I had my running tights, a pair of shorts over top (to provide pockets), a long sleeve tight shirt, a short sleeve lightweight shirt, and a windbreaker.  Plus the little belt to carry my phone.  I drove to Christopher's place and did a quick half mile before the official start because I wanted to get 4.8 miles total yesterday.

Then, I went inside at Christopher's Place to see who was there.  One other non-residential member and seven residents.  I must say, in all the time I have run with Christopher's place the number of times the residents have outnumbered the non-residents has been small.  But we went with it.

We waited just a moment or two to see if a third non-resident member (the current coach) showed up.  He did not, so we just went with it.  Circle involves announcements (in this case, only one, that the long run for the weekend would start at 7 AM at the same location the next day).  Then, a quick look around to ask for any others.  Then, the question, "So, who woke us up this morning?"  The "So..." at the start of a sentence is not a necessity.  It is just a mannerism of mine.  In almost four years with Back on My Feet I have been a member and I shared coaching for a little less than a year.  But I had never started circle.  The "Who woke us up this morning?" is followed by the serenity prayer.  I have written abut the serenity prayer on multiple occasions.  I find the prayer comforting.  I find the prayer a call to action.  But I had never given the invitation to the prayer before.  There is something quite moving about calling people together to utter the words asking for serenity, courage, and wisdom.  The presence that members share in that moment is amazing.  The act of everyone saying it together is amazing as well.  (As readers can tell from my past few entries, having multiple voices together does tend to make a big impression on me.)

While running, we had only give go with us rather than seven.  The other non-resident went two miles with two of the residents.  I ran ahead with three others.  Two went four miles (yesterday's maximum).  I ran three miles with a gentleman who goes by Junior.  We talked about Christmas Day and our kids and our families and the food we ate.  Then we got to talking about how long I'd been with Back on My Feet and how I was trying to come back more often.  Junior told me that I was always part of the team and always welcome.  I had not realized how much just running with one person even one time would be appreciated.  When I finished the 3.1 with Junior, I circled back to help to get the distance I had set as my goal and ran in with one of the two gentlemen who had gone to run 4.  Again, the appreciation of the company was clear.

Sometimes, it is easy for someone who has run more than 4000 miles in the past two years to remember how much the presence of another can help when running even just 3 or 4 miles.  And how much keeping that presence can be worth to others who are looking for direction in their running and in their lives.  And while I had posted that starting circle was part of my #PayItForwardFriday by helping my Back on My Feet Team, it turns out that (as so often happens in life) by giving I received in ways that I had not anticipated at all.  

This is How Long Runs are Supposed to Go...

The past two weekends I had sub-par long runs. This weekend--it went exactly the way that I wanted it to. And it is a great way to get ready for the marathon coming on November 23.

Here is my "run report". Most of us who choose to share about our runs usually write about our races as a race report. Here is what happened this morning. (You can see the link here.)

Due to some imperfect planning and a promenade along the waterfront of the harbor in Baltimore that is challenging to map perfectly we did 20.9. The last 0.9 was cool down. 

We began with a somewhat pedestrian (for us) 8:44. For the first time in a while the warm up felt important for the muscles. Cold is good. But also calls for care. 

Mile 2 was 8:23. Nice pickup from mile 1. A little conservative as the promenade along the waterfront has lots of turns, no guardrail, and was poorly lit in some areas-- we had begun at 5:30.  There were a few places this morning that if we had just gone on without looking (in the dark) we could have ended up falling in the harbor.

Miles 3 & 4--8:12 and 8:05. Were were continuing along the very level waterfront and continuing the nice progression to faster times. 

 Miles 5-8 were quite consistent as we settled in: 8:02/7:56/8:02/7:58. This was still mostly flat. 

Miles 9-12 were more uphill (gentle) and we began to pick up. All these times are 7-something: 48, 49, 46, 41. 

The next 4 took us up on some switchbacks into Druid Hill Park and around the lake with an uphill on one side (times are again in the seven minute range): 43, 53, 40, 34. 

 Mile 17 we climbed at 7:50. Then a flat mile at 7:37. A downhill mile at 7:18. And an uphill till the end at 7:28 (we arn up Monument and finished at Monument and Washington). 

 The 0.9 cool down was run in 7:25, so we eased way off (that is an 8:28 pace). 

The whole wokrout felt great. It was great to have company for the first time in sevearl weeks again. And after two weeks of poorer runs, this has helped me to return to confidence in long runs.

The rest of the day has been busy (and contineus to be).  Met my running partner's dog.  Got home and showered quickly.  Got a child to Sunday School.  Had a quick trip to the grocery store.  Home to walk my dog.  Back to church for pickup.  Chatted with Sherry.  Made her a smoothie.  Helped make lunch.   Made stuff for dinner.  Took my nine year old to lacrosse evaluation.  Now taking a quick break at home.  Wash more dishes.  Go to church.  Eat dinner.  And grade for a class.

While doing all that, my legs have felt good.  This is a good sign for the marathon in seven weeks.  

Between now and then the person I still have many miles to run. Much work to do.  And plenty of stuff for family.  The person I ran with this morning has plenty to keep her busy and as part of her job will be helping to run the Back on My Feet Baltimore 6th Annual Bash.  This is a wonderful event to meet runners from the community who have decided to dedicate some of their running to helping others and runners from the partner organizations who have been impacted by the Back on My Feet program.  This wonderful progam uses running to help with motivation and a personal sense of drive and accomplishment and provides services to supplement the programs of the partner organizations.  This organizations is in multiple places around the country and the Baltimore program is going strong.  This is a great way to celebrate 6 years.    

One other thing--on my personal virtual pilgrimage, I am now at 1698.9.  I am in Tucumcari, NM.  Finally off US 54.  The Catholic Chuch here is St. Anne--she is historically thought of as the mother of Mary.  This makes me think about connections over time.  Or, perhaps, I helped someone and they helped someone.  (Or examples of those who helped me and me helping others.)  I'll think about that more for a conversation tomorrow.  But the connections are fun to think about  

NCR 20 Mile Run--Race Report

Today, my bib number was 97 for the Charm City Run NCR 20 Mile Race.  I was on the last bus from the shopping center at Ashland and York in Cockeysville up to the starting line near the Maryland/Pennsylvania border.  I lined up a few rows back and settled in.  I ran a 2:29:57.  Life is good.  I met my goal and may never run this race again unless I have reason to pace someone else some day--for instance if one of my sons gets into running.  This is not a great weekend to have a 20 mile race.  But I've done it four times.

That is the short version.  Mission accomplished.  Near even splits (I ran the second half about 40 seconds slower than the first).  Continue to prepare for the marathon in Philly.

Now for the longer version.  

Today began with doing dishes from last night and walking the dog.  Then, I made a shift in what I was going to wear.  In any race before when I'd carried Gu or Stinger supplements, I'd worn shorts with big pockets.  The only shorts I have with big pockets are made of thick material and are heavy.  I got some advice to take some extra safety pins and pin the packets to my shorts.  Placing them on the inside to rest again my hips.  (Although the person giving the advice realized I have less "hips" than she does and that I don't have a sports bra to attach an extra one.)  That worked amazingly well, except for the one of the two packets I had during the race that ripped off the safety pin but didn't rip and I had a heck of a time with one wrist still not 100% mobile trying to get it open.  Nevertheless, it didn't cost me.

Then, I made the decision to race shirtless.  I've worked out shirtless before.  But I had never raced shirtless.  That meant attaching the number to my shorts.  Worked pretty well in the end.

With those adjustments taken care of, I consumed one Stinger and I drove to the shopping center at Ashland and York Roads.  There was no line at the porta-pottie, so I took a quick bathroom break.  I also took a quick selfie to show where I had my number pinned.  Then I waited.  I was there before 7 and didn't see a bus that I thought was supposed to come at 7.  There were a lot of people there for the bus that showed up at 7:15.  They got us all on but adults sat three to a seat.  The person sitting next to me in the very back row (which was made for even 2 kids at most) was in training for the JFK 50.  And many of the last people on the bus--mostly runners from Navy--ended up in the aisle.

The bus ride to the start took nearly 30 minutes.  The only good thing was that there was no line at the porta-potties there either.  Quick second use.  Another Stinger.  Jogged to the starting line.  I had forgotten how far up the trail it was.  At the starting line, I had to wait for the rest of the people from the bus to make it up.  By the time we started it was 8:09 according to my watch.  I saw some running friends I had not seen in a long time at the start.  That was great.

So, we began.  I jockeyed for position in mile 1.  One downside of having to walk up the trail to the start is that people who don't belong near the front based on their expected pace end up there.  Not too big a deal.  But not ideal.  We ran back past the parking lot where the buses had been and continued down the narrow section of the NCR trail.  First mile tends to be a little fast.  I ran it in 7:19.  Time to be a little more cautious heading into mile 2.

So, I really found my pace in mile 2.  I was not doing much passing at that point.  I was being passed by people.  I had to remind myself of one thing.  This was my race--not theirs.  Just stick to the plan. The goal was under 2:30.  While I believed I could run faster as that is only a 7:30 mile and I've held 7:20 for 20 miles in the past in marathons, I have not run marathons in which the starting temperature was 75 degrees with 89% humidity.  Second mile--7:29.

So, now I knew that the goal was just to hold that.  Still running along largely tree-lined paths, I continued to be passed by people here and there.  Some of whom would pull away.  That was okay.  Mile 3--7:31.

Mile 4 was, I believe the first water stop.  Took a Gatorade and a water. Drank the Gatorade.  Poured the water on myself.  Felt refreshing.  Life was good.  Mile 4 at 7:27.  Coming in just a bit under 30 minutes for 4 miles.  Exactly on schedule.

Mile 5--continued to be passed here and there.  Just kept running my race.  (You will see how much it became just "my' race later on.)  Ran it in 7:29.

Mile 6--first attempt at pulling a supplement off a safety pin.  Worked wonderfully.  Life was still very good.  Cruising along.  Ran it in 7:19.  Getting a little ahead of myself.  Don't know what made my break pace there.  But not too out of control.  Two years ago when I did this, I think each of the first six miles was faster than that and I went downhill starting at mile 12.  

Mile 7--7:24.  Not much to report.

Mile 8--this was the last time anyone passed me on the course.  I ran it in 7:26.  

Mile 9--I started to rein in people who were out ahead of me.  I don't know how many I picked off between the end of mile 8 and the end of the race, but it was nice that I was picking off and not getting passed.  I picked off some runners whom I know sometimes have better times than I do.  I picked off at least two Navy runners.  I picked off a couple people who had been just ahead since the start.  And I picked of one or two who had been way ahead at some point.  In any case, as I reached the trail mile 10 marker and the race mile 9 marker, I ran a 7:32.

Now it was time to really concentrate.  The easygoing nature of the pace for the first 8 turned into a battle of mind over temperature.  Mile 10 was another 7:32, but I reached the half way point with a little cushion between me and 1:15--half of the 2:30 I hoped to run.  During that mile I passed the point at which one training partner who was not running the race might have stopped out to say hi but there were other things to do on a Sunday morning.

Moving along, mile 11 was fine and I ran it in 7:27.  During mile 12, I consumed Stinger #4 for the day.  Maybe a little earlier than I should have.  And this one was messy as I had to try to open it without having the full use of my left wrist--still in a brace.  In any case, I came through in 7:26.  

 Up to this point everything felt fine.  Miles 13 and 14 were run in 7:26 and 7:25  Pulling a little faster.  Much like I had moved to a faster pace later in my training runs during the past several weeks.  Maybe a little too early.  Keys at this point: I passed the half marathon mark just around a 7:30 pace.  I made it through the first 14 in under 1:45.  Not just to hang on for the last six.  This was taking more concentration every mile.

So, mil 15 was okay at 7:32. I still felt like I was cruising mile 16 but apparently ran a 7:39.  Still, I came in under two hours but now the work got really hard.

Mile 17 was 7:43.  I slowed down particularly at the end as I passed the very familiar 2 mile marker on the trail.  I tried to get myself going again as I was slowing.  My stomach wasn't sloshing but maybe I had taken in too much liquid as I was getting a cramp in my side.  Mile 18 was 7:50.  I thought now that it would just be about finishing.  Maybe beating the 2:31 and change from three years ago.  Mile 19 has seemed short ever year I've run this race.  But my Garmin said 7:48.  And mile 20 (which is a full mile but my Garmin only recorded 0.93) was run at a 7:52 pace but in 7:17.

So, is the course off or is my watch off?  I don't know.  What I do know is that this was my PR.  I ran it in under 2:30.  Aside from any minor misplacement of the start or the turn around on the course, this is the same course I've run three times before.  So, I achieved my goal.

What else did I learn?  I compare this with the same race two years ago.  Temp was about the same to start although they day didn't get as warm two years ago.  I went out much faster and died by mile 12 and took over six minutes longer.  Today, I went out more slowly and held until mile 17.  And while I slowed down it was not by as much as two years ago.  Going out with a plan and sticking to the plan works much better than trying to excel too early.

Where does this put me? 1456 miles from the start of the year.  Still on US 54 heading west.  

What else did I think about?  I thought about not giving in.  I thought about all the advice from Shannon.  I thought about pushing with my multiple training partners.  I thought about my tattoo and how St. Sebastian didn't give in.  And I thought about Hebrews 12:1 that I saw posted this morning before the race and that is the motivation for a group called Team Persevere that I have mentioned before:

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 (from USCCB website)

I also thought about the second reading this week (Romans 12:1-2).  That says:

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.
Do not conform yourselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and pleasing and perfect.   (USCCB website)

My personal spiritual search is for what is right.  Am I perfect?  No, of course not.  But my search is through my running.  The relationship between my running and my spirituality.  My transformation given a focus on serving God and not doing all the things that the current society suggests but to focus on excellence.  

Finally, my bib number (that I started with) was number 97.  If we look to Mark 9:7, we find:

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him. (USCCB website)

This serves as another note to myself to focus my spiritual search in the same way that I focus my running.  

And, last but not least, with the focus comes joy.  I want to share two pictures.  They show the joy with several fellow Back on My Feet runners who I actually know through several things each and then with a fellow blogger who writes So What?  I Run.  These pictures are after each of the four people in the pictures ran 20 miles.  Were we tired?  Yes.  Were we covered in sweat?  Yes.  Were we achy?  Yes.  But we were joyful at the completion of the race and what we had accomplished.  I should have gotten pictures with a few others--next time.

To conclude--today I focused and persevered.  As long as I continue to focus and persevere in both my physical and spiritual and friendship pursuits life will continue to be amazing.

Breaking In New Shoes

Today's run:

5.3 at 6:59 to get to Back on My Feet on time.  I call it a terrain assisted unscheduled tempo run.  It was mostly downhill and I wasn't planning on working so hard again after the long run I had on Saturday.

Then 4.1 easy with Back on My Feet friends.

Then 5.4 nice and slow home.

A couple of interesting observations;

First, when running with my friends from Back on My Feet, we saw a bus labeled "Quick Bus Paradise."  I thought it was just fun to be able to say that there is a bus in my city that is the quick bus to paradise.  In reality there is a Paradise Loop in Catonsville.  There is a Paradise Ave, a Paradise Animal Hospital, and Paradise Motors.

Second, my virtual pilgrimage would continue along the winding US 30.  It would take me through Bedford, PA.  The path would take me a bit south of the main thing I remember from Bedford.  Many years ago my wife and I went there for a wedding on her side of the family.  We went to a restaurant called Ed's and I got an orange juice that surprised us because it was large for what we paid.  Almost everywhere else we had ever been we thought we were paying too much for orange juice.  So, my memories of Bedford are favorable.  

More running tomorrow before the predicted large amount of snow.      

An Amazing Wedding

Yesterday was an amazing day for my friends Jackie and Patrick.  It will take me more than one blog entry to write about everything that I observed and connected with on their wedding day.  I'll outline what I want to comment on here and then take however many days I need to get through it all.  The fact that this will all be about a wedding will then lead into my last entry for my personal vision board.  Sometimes it amazes me just how much aspects of my life intertwine.

I'll comment most fully on how the day began.  The day began with a run.  I know that some people may find this totally crazy.  Who starts their wedding day with a run?  A run at 6 AM in downtown Baltimore.  A run with 100+ friends.  A run in which out of town family is invited to attend the run rather than sleeping in on the wedding day--and many of them came.  It was incredible.  It shows how important running is to both of my friends.  It shows how much family embraces the fact that running is important to both of my friends.  And it shows just how much the two of them have helped in building up the community of Back on My Feet (running to help with part of recovery) in Baltimore and how that entire community embraces them.  It shows how their love of others, their kindness, their helpfulness, their generosity even overflows into their running.  It was also the second time I had met Jackie's father after running.  It was nice to then be able to meet him after the wedding in the receiving line to show that Jackie's academic advisor does not always look totally winded and sweaty. I haven't run downtown on a Saturday morning with Back on My Feet in quite some time.  I forgot that one of the most exciting things about running as part of a community is the chance to meet new people almost every time I am out there.

The things I would like to comment on from the wedding and reception include: seeing Patrick helping his father (who was in a wheelchair) into the chapel; the appropriateness of each of the three readings--they fit perfectly for the two of them representing what I have seen in their lives from my Augustinian prayer life perspective; the appropriateness of all the songs they chose and the ease with which I could sing along with several of them; the wonderful music that drew on instruments including the piano, violin, guitar, bass, and drums in ways that made the mass come alive in ways that I have not seen at other Catholic masses; the fact that Jackie and Patrick served as extraordinary Eucharistic ministers sharing the Blood of Christ with everyone who received communion; the fact that Jackie played the piano part of Pachabel's Canon in D as part of a duet after communion; and the band at the reception.

So many wonderful moments yesterday.  For them.  For everyone they brought together. For the community of friends and family.  A wedding planned down to each amazing detail.  A ceremony that I hope others will also remember as representing the couple for whom we were celebrating the beginning of their married life in a way that seemed as close to perfect as I could imagine.

Today will be another wonderful celebration of life--teaching third grade students in St. Pius X's religious education program about the importance of community (including our faith community), having lunch with my parents for a belated celebration of my middle son's 13th birthday, playing bass at mass, and catching up on some work. 

My Running "Family"--Thank you Back on My Feet

Yesterday, I announced to Team Christopher's Place (Team CP to those of us who are in it) that I would be handing over my coaching responsibilities to one of the other community volunteer runners in the group.  The announcement was simple.  I trust that the next co-coach (the other co-coach I'd worked with since last December is staying on) will help the team at least as much as I did.  Many people thanked me for my service.  And even after more than a year involved with the group, I am still meeting new people--both new people who come to run with Team CP and members of other teams whom I meet in Back on My Feet city level events or when they come for track workouts.

While my team thanked me, I really should have thanked them.  So, this is my public "Thank you."  Thank you for bright and cheerful 5:30 AM circle ups?  Thanks for trusting me for the last nine months.  Thanks for running with me.  Thanks for sharing your running growth with me.  From Jeanne who ran Boston and did her best half-marathon this year.  To Kani who is the "king of encouragement" most mornings (I've never told him that directly) and who made it to a five mile run. To George who has done a half marathon and who always admired my food posts on Facebook.  To Arnell who proudly shared with me the news of his first eight mile run while I was on vacation; I know he'll be ready for the half marathon in the Baltimore Running Festival in October.  Thanks also for the many stories about pets and studies and jobs and where we all came from.  To Jerome who started out unsure of himself but who has come into his own as a very fast runner who I don't expect to ever come in ahead of again.

Why am I stepping down as co-coach?  I still believe in the good that Back on My Feet does.  I will still stay involved.  I'll still be there as often as I can.  But I have so many things to balance right now that something had to give a little.  My immediate family at home will appreciate this.  Especially as we enter another school year and I continue to drive my high schooler to school nearly every day.  Not going to run with Back on My Feet quite as often in the mornings will ease the morning tensions a bit.

I titled the post my running "family" as I see the people I run with a lot more than I see anyone I'm related to by blood or marriage other than the people I live with.  And, I am blessed to have "two sides" of my running family.  The one side is Back on My Feet.  The other side comes from several training seasons of Charm City Run.  I see some members of that group more regularly as we still like to train together when we can.  I'll see a bunch of them at the 20 mile race in twelve days.  And I did join them for one evening track workout this summer.

Occasionally the "two sides" or my running family cross--at morning track workouts.  The workouts are dominated by people I know from Back on My Feet and some I know from Johns Hopkins.  Sometimes my Charm City Run companions will come out as well.  For track workouts--the more the merrier.

As I continue to run--for my own fitness, to achieve goals, as an opportunity to help my 7 and 13 year olds realize what they can do, for part of my socialization, for part of my volunteering, and for part of just a chance to see other people reach for and achieve their goals--I have to think about how to integrate the two sides of my family, with my own need for occasional solitude, with the needs of my immediate family.  Of course, the last (my immediate family) comes first.

As long as I let my conscience lead me it should work itself out.  And I count myself blessed to have so many wonderful opportunities for my immediate family and my running family that I have to choose how to balance them rather than having to ask "where is the good in my life?"  For that, I thank God every day.