Racing to Save Lives

This is my second year with TNT and my first as a Team Captain.

There are many reasons why I chose to come back a 2nd year. In seeing the work that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and realzing, unfortunately, how far too common leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancers are, I wanted to continue what I started last year. On a personal level, 10 days after the marathon in Nashville is my 40th birthday.

I hope that you will consider an early birthday present and make a donation to LLS as I train to participate in an the Music City Marathon in Nashville as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

May 4, 2010

Celebrated my 40th birthday with a 7.15 mile run (my 1st post-race run).

April 25, 2010

My 2nd marathon is in the books. Last year, we had to deal with the sun and heat. This year we had to deal with rain and the threat of tornadoes.

This race had a lot of drama, even before the gun sounded. The day before, with the threat of severe storms travelling through Nashville during the race, the decision was made that runners who did not reach the cutoff point (11.2 miles in) before a certain time would not be allowed to continue with the marathon and would be directed to the half-marathon finish. This pace was 4 hours, 30 minutes (my estimated pace was 5 hours). I made the decision to pick up my pace during the first few miles to try to make the cutoff and see what happened afterwards.

When we arrived at the start line, we were treating to a wonderful sunrise. There was a passing storm to the north of Nashville, but otherwise a great morning to run. I started in coral 18. This year, the marathon organziers made an effort to keep people in their corals and keep the corals organized. With 90 seconds between each coral, our time to start came around 7:30. For once, I was at the start line when our coral was released. It was an amazing feeling starting out with no one in front of us (except for the prevsiou corals which were ahead of us by a distance).

Even with rain expected, around mile 6-7, the sun came out in full force. I was able to keep my advanced pace up till around mile 10. With the cutoff point approaching in both time and distance, I had to dig deep to make it onto the marathon course. I found out a couple of miles later that 10 minutes after I passed, they cut off the maraton course.

Around mile 13, the weather started to change again, this time the storms were on the way. At mile 15, we were alerted by police that a strong storm was approaching and that we might need to seek shelter. A heavy rain started about 10 minutes later, with a couple of thunderclaps. At mile 18 nearing downtown, we were alerted that, due to weather concerns, the race was ending early and at mile 20, we would be diverted to the half-marathon finish. Myself and a lot of other runners were dissapointed. Many of us decided to get in "extra" miles by running back on the course and then heading towards the finish. (Some runners were going to try to run back 3 miles and then back to the finish to get in 26.2) I decided that I wanted to run more than 21 miles (my longest run during training), so I ran back 1/2 mile and then headed towards the finish. I found out later, those that headed too far back were picked up and driven to the finish line.

All told, an offical 20.4 mile race (not counting my 'turn around') was completed in 4:07:06, which would have put my close to my 5 hour goal.

April 6, 2010

Saturday, I completed my 2nd longest run ever... 21 miles. Last year, while training for Nashville, I ran 20 miles in my longest run before the marathon. With this 21 under my belt, we start tappering off before the big race less than 3 weeks away!!

March 6, 2010

Spring is around the corner, but it can't come soon enough for me.

Today, I feel I had one of my best runs ever. 16 miles on the Maryville/Aloca Greenway. I'm very proud to say that I ran most of it (except for a stop to walk here and there, less than 1/4 of mile total). The day started out at 7:30am at the start of the run. Did I mention the temperature was 26 degrees, with a wind chill of 21?

It was a daunting task ahead, but we left around 7:50 to begin. 8 miles down and back... sounds simple right? Maybe it was the pre-run pasta carb load up at Louie's on Old Boradway last night that helped out, but I kept my pace and made to the the turnaround feeling great. I passed the 13.1 mark around 2 hours and 15 minutes, which may be a PR for me. About mile 14.5 I started slowing down, but at least the end was in sight and I was able to finish strong.

Final time of 2 hours, 46 minutes, 42 seconds.

February 20, 2010

This morning was 15 miles. A nice change from the past couple of group trainings was the fact the weather was nice. It was a little cool to star, but warmed up to the mid 40s by the time the run was over. We ran down at 3rd creek again. This time the run was the 3.75 mile course from the Bearden Earthfare down to Neyland Drive. I ran down and back twice.

This was my first run longer than a half-marathon length since last year. The last two miles were a little rough. My 13.1 split was 2 hours and 25 minutes and my final time was 2 hours and 47 minutes. Two weeks from now, we up the distance to 16 miles. Closing in on 2 months to the big race.

February 6, 2010

Without a doubt, today was the toughest group training in my 2 years with TNT. This morning was 13 miles (.1 mile short of a half-marathon). When the alarm went off at 6:15AM, Sarah and I were greeted to the sound of pouring rain outside. Coupled with the fact that temperature was supposedly around 40 degrees, we both knew this morning would be extra challenging.

Because of the rain, we had to change our location for the group training. (Part of the greenway we were going to run on was under water.) While waiting to begin, the 'supposedly 40 degree temperature' dropped quite a bit as the rain momentarily changed to sleet. The good news was the rain stopped shortly thereafter. The bad news was that, since our location changed to Cherkoee Blvd, we now had a nice wind coming off the Tennessee River.

At 8:30, off we started. We ran up Cherokee Blvd (2.5 miles), across Tennessee and down to the 3rd greenway and headed toward downtown, passing through Tyson Park and nearly ending up at Neyland Drive (another 2.5 miles), dodging puddles along the way. We then returned to the start and ran back down Cherokee another 1.5 miles and returning.

All told 2 hours and 34 minutes later, we were done. Two weeks from now we tackle 15 miles.

Jan 23, 2010

Today I ran 11.5 miles. This is the first time I've run a "double digit" number since last year's marathon. I approached today with a little bit of aniexty. Honestly, the most I had run leading up to today, was a rough 7 miles two weeks ago. I had made sure to get all my miles this past week leading up to today.

I'm very happy to report that I completed the 11.5 miles in 2 hours, 9 minutes. I don't want to say it was "easy", because it wasn't. But I was able to run the full distance strong. (In fact, if need be, I feel I could have completed a half-marathon today.)

After today, I feel confident that I can post a strong time in Nashville. But I need your help to get there, I hope that you will consider a donation.