5 Miles More Podcast-Episode 7 "Do Epic Shit"

Happy Saturday everybody! In this episode I talk about not waiting to do the things that you want to do in your life! 

Ride that lightning & do \some epic shit...

5 Miles More Podcast-Episode 6 "Trying To Catch Up"

In this episode I return to the world of video podcasting from the land of the dead. I catch you up on what's been going on lately, talk about new shoes and my craziness!

Ride that lightning my friends and have a great day!

500 Days

   Today is a pretty cool day, 500 days of running. I look at that number and to be honest, it's a little scary. The miles have gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday that it was New Year’s Eve and I started my 366 Project.

   Truth is, I never meant for it to go on this long. I remember thinking that 366 days was more than enough of a worthy challenge. During that first year suffering through peroneal tendonitis and hamstring strains I swore that on day 367 that this obsession would most definitely end. Why continue on?

   But, as dawn broke on January 1, 2014 I found myself not the same runner that I was before. Not the same person. Through that 366 day journey I overcame those nagging injuries, resurrected what was left of my training year and went on to destroy my previous marathon PR by more than five minutes giving me my second 26.2 mile race finished in less than four hours. I accomplished something that didn’t make sense. Something that I thought I could never do; I became someone who wants to run everyday.

   Some experts say that running every day is bad for you, will wind up giving you nothing but injuries and make you hate the sport. Being the obsessive bunch that we runner types are, I could certainly see the truth in those statements. Sometimes too much of a good thing can be bad for you. I know that those fears were in the back of my mind when I started this journey.

   But, as I look back on the past miles I smile to myself. I did have my fair share of injuries that first year and continue to fight others even now. But, I continue to overcome them. There were days when the thought of running just a single mile was the last thing that I wanted to do. But, just like now, at the end of those runs I don’t have a regret in the world.

   While talking to a good friend the other day he told me that training every day wasn’t what normal people do. I asked him if that meant that I wasn’t normal? Running for 500 days isn’t something that normal people do. So, yes I fit the bill.

   While on my 500th run tonight I marveled at the strength that I felt surging through my legs, the ease at which I climbed the hills that tortured me last year and the serenity that surrounded me. Running everyday has awakened something inside me that I've been desperately searching for my whole life, peace. By doing it everyday I've found my own way to center myself, put aside the negativity of the day and prepare myself for the challenges that lay ahead.   

   I realize that running may not be for everybody. It won't save even the most dedicated of us from all of our problems. All I'm offering up here is some friendly advice that took 500 days of running to realize. Life is too short to worry about how you may fail at your pursuits. You are stronger than you think. You can overcome more than you think that you can bear. If you want to do something, then go out and do it. You may fall, you may get be horrible at it at first, you may even get hurt. But, if you get up off the ground, dust yourself off and try again you will find that eventually persistence will lead to success.

   I used to think that I had my life figured out. But, much to my chagrin I was wrong. Life is something nebulous. It's constantly changing. If you aren't able to adjust you'll be left behind as a relic. I'm learning to let go of my rigid thinking and be more flexible. Running everyday is a lot like a test. Everyday I try to gauge how fast, how far, how hard I can push my limits, how flexible I can be. I'm even planning on running my furthest distance this Fall, 50K. I don't know where this journey will lead me. I don't know when it will end. All I know is that I'm looking forward to the next 500 amazing days.

   Ride that lightning my friends...

Catching Up

   All right. I know what you're thinking. Time has gotten away from me and I dropped off the face of the Earth for a little while. But, I'm finally back to tell you what's been going on during all those miles in between.

   First and foremost, nothing's wrong. I'm healthy, the family's good and the world that I run on continues to spin as it should. Overtime at work has opened up after a long dry spell and I'm trying to get as much as I can stand. Unfortunately, due to my little man's schedule that means working on many of my days off. Doesn't leave much time for anything else. Don't worry everything else in my busy life has been ignored just as much as my poor blog!

   So, what's new? How's everybody doing out there? Easter was wonderful. I had to work that day. But, we managed to pull off yet another successful holiday having everyone over to our house. Mainly because of my amazing wife! The woman can host a party and is an incredible cook! I ate too much and drank a little too much too. But, it was a great time.

   Springtime has finally made its way to upstate NY! The heavy snow of the winter that seemed to last forever has melted and been replaced with endless rain. The temperature has been about ten degrees cooler than usual for this time of year. But, the sun has been shinning often enough to lift everyone's spirits and make treadmill woodchucks like me poke our heads out from our holes and take a few tentative steps out there on the roads.

   Running my new treadmill most of the winter kept me in some really good shape during my off season. But, there's no substitute for running on real roads. Over the last few weeks I've been putting in some serious training time outside. I've got to get my legs used to hills, trails and pavement again. The cross-training at the gym has been a must and I've made some good movement forward there too.

   Somewhere along the way I managed to tweak the hell out of my right shoulder and it just isn't going away. My elbows have been really sore from a lot of pull up work. So, I've decided to cut the free-standing pull ups back a bit and use the weight assisted pull up machine a little more. I've also been using a tennis ball to attack my nagging left hamstring. It's painful. But, it's slowly working. It sometimes seems more like damage control versus training. But, I carry on.

   Even if you're not a runner I hope that you had a chance to witness history in the making on Patriots Day in Boston. For my all time favorite running idol Meb Keflezighi to win that race on that day was just amazing to watch. It was almost magical to see someone who's considered an older runner to win THE marathon of marathons as an American. I mean the last time an American won Boston was in the early 80's! Just an incredible race and day of healing! I basked in DVR glory watching the coverage!

   Now that the weather's broke my wife and I have begun taking the new puppy out for his first short runs. He's a running natural and thanks to some good training from my wife doesn't trip you or behave badly at all. Just the other day I watched him closely while we ran a short mile. Every now and then he would glance over at me, tongue hanging out with a big dog grin across his face. So hilarious! I think I've found a great new running partner. I'll make a distance dog out of him yet!

   With all that I've accomplished recently over the last two years, I'm finding that breaking out of my self created barriers is really working for me. So, with that in mind I did something that I NEVER do, I bought two different pairs of new running shoes. I've been religiously wearing the Brooks Beast going on 12 years now. It's a great shoe and has worked extremely well for me. So, I'm not trying to replace it with something else. But, I do need something more dedicated to trail running. So, I picked up a pair of Brooks Cascadias. I've only done a six mile run on the trails with them so far. But, what I've seen I like so far. I've been intrigued with the whole minimalist running craze since it's started. So, I also picked up a pair of Brooks Pure Connects. I've only done one short mile run in them so far. I didn't expect it to feel as different as it did. It really changed the whole feel of the run. I'm looking forward to future runs with them. But, am going to be cautious and not overdo it. More complete reviews of both of these new shoes coming in the future!

   If buying new shoes is crazy for me, then I did something completely insane earlier this week. As I've mentioned before, I was an idiot and waited too long to register for the Can 50K which is the ultra marathon that I'd like to break my cherry on. As a result, I'm number 10 on their dang waiting list. Not where I want to be. So, I'm now registered for the Mendon Trail 50K. This race's registration wasn't closed so I have a guaranteed entry. I'm most likely going to be able to get in for my original race. But, I just didn't want to gamble. If I do get into it I know what's going to happen. My personality won't let me run just one race and cancel the other. So, it looks like I'm going to be running a total of 100K total in two races that are a month apart. I never jump into it slow! I'm looking forward to the challenge!

   Had a nice chat the other night with my friend, Coach Jeff for his Running Podcast. He's just an amazing guy! Knowledgeable as hell about running and a huge inspiration. He reminded me of how great this run-net community is and how much fun it is to be part of it. Hence me getting of my tired butt and writing again! Thanks Coach!

   As I close in on a little over a month before I start the real ultra training I'm getting everything squared away. My 16 week training log is all set and I know what I have to do. Right now I'm just focusing on staying healthy, enjoying time with my family and friends and figuring out the best way to not kill myself while cross-training. Enjoying those last few cold beers, warm glasses of wine and somewhat unhealthy food for a while longer too. Then it's time to start a journey making history to go five miles farther than ever before.

   Until then I hope you get out and enjoy this wonderful spring weather. Ride that lightning my friends...     

Marathon Monday

   As I sit here on Patriots Day I am flooded with varied emotions. I've always been the kind of person who's had the ability to hide my feelings well. That particular skill has served me well throughout my career in law enforcement. I've always prided myself on my calm professionalism, my ability to show control when it's needed and being able to detach from the terrible things that mankind can do to one another. Maybe that's why I love distance running so much. I seem to have a knack ignoring the discomfort of the long miles. Maybe even take some solace in the pain that they give. Even if I'm smiling the whole time. 

   But, like I said today was a day of emotion that, even with my poker face, I couldn't help but show on my face. I think that as runners we're much more in touch with who we are than regular people. We are able to go to places within ourselves that nobody understands but other runners. Sometimes those places are wonderful. Sometimes those places are downright frightening. Places where you find out what you're truly made of deep down inside.

   Last year I worked the day of the race. Sometimes in my line of work you can get cut off from the outside world. I didn't find out about the bombing until I was driving home well after 3 PM. My thoughts ranged from anger to sadness. It was even worse after I got home. All that I could do was watch the horrific images coming out of Boston on my TV. So terrible, so sad, so tragic. Terrorists had turned the most sacred of races into something horrible. I checked to make sure that all of my friends who were there running that day were OK. I assured everyone who contacted me that I wasn't there and was safe.

   I couldn't take the haplessness anymore and didn't know what else to do. So, I went to my local gym for a run. I couldn't stand anymore of the non-stop TV coverage. So, I decided to run outside. I ran 6 miles in 50:07. Looking back I remember a gray, overcast sky, lots of yelling at nobody in particular, swearing and maybe a tear or two. I'm a runner, I'm a patriotic American, I love Boston and I hate scumbags who do shit like this. So cowardly.

   Over the following week I honored those who lost their lives, prayed for those who were injured and eagerly watched the news coverage of the manhunt. I ran my own tribute runs. Blogged about Boston in my running blog. I cheered with joy when Boston PD got their man. I even traveled to Boston, met with fellow runners and visited the finish line.

   A year later I still have a lot of strong feeling about this day. What it means. I've met many different people over my lifetime. But, distance runners are some of the best. Talk about the wrong group of people to piss off. We don't back down. We don't cower. We are the ones who pay money to run 26.2 miles for fun. You can't even begin to fuck with us. We are what defines "hardcore".

   I salute all of those today who ran Boston for the first time, those of you who ran to finish a marathon that was brutally cut short last year and those of you who ran because you needed to. I wish I could've been with you. Mark my words, I will be someday. You showed that we re not afraid as a group, as a country, as individuals. 

   I may have not been able to run in Boston this year. But I did go for my own Boston run. It was much different than last year's. It was just a perfect day. The sun was shinning. The air was clear and light. Yes, the anger still remains. But, there's now an overwhelming sense of hope. The horrific events that occurred in Boston a year ago didn't weaken our sport, our community or our country. It shot what we do into the forefront and if anything, encouraged people to try on some running shoes and test their limits. That my friends, is an extremely powerful thing!

   Runners are the strongest people that I know. But, we bleed like everyone else. Even with the ability to run for 26 miles, we do have our limits. But, we as a community have come together and shown the world that we're not going to let fear overshadow what we love. Yes, there were some tears choked back today. My most favorite American distance runner, Meb has won the race. He's the first one to do so since 1983. You couldn't have picked a better person to win this race for us this year!

   It was a good day to be a runner! Ride that lightning and stay strong...

A Mile With My Son

   Being the person that I am, sometimes it's difficult to slow down to enjoy the good things that are in my life. It's been pointed out to me on several occasions. I try to stop it. But, my stupid mind always seems to be thinking one step ahead of where I am. Never  usually on the here and now.

   I haven't had the time to blog much lately due to spending extra time at work. Just not enough time in a day. Today was another long one. Signing up for overtime seemed like a great idea earlier in the week. But, as my alarm went off this morning I groaned. I'd made the mistake of staying up too darn late on what should've been my Friday night.

   Every time I passed a window at work all that I saw was brilliant sunshine. What a beautiful day. I managed to get out a little early and raced home to throw on my running shoes to get some miles in. There's been such little of this type of weather lately. I wanted to take full advantage of it. Before I left my son asked if he could go running with me. Inwardly I cringed. Running is one of the few things that I'm selfish with in my life. I like it alone. That way I don't have to slow down, speed up or talk to anybody. It's my time where I settle my mind, reflect on my life and find some of that precious inner peace that eludes me. We'd done some single mile runs together last summer. It was good running with him. But, he's only nine, slow, complains quite a bit and certainly can't go any further than a mile. Not quality training stuff. But, he's been cooped up all winter long. How could I say no? So, we made a plan that I'd run a short five miles and then swing back to pick him up for a mile run on the local trails near our home.  

   I was having a great run all by myself and wanted to continue listening to good music. No, I didn't want to swing back home to pick him up. I was already exhausted. The last thing that I wanted to do was stop. I didn't want to take the time. I was barely standing up after such a long day. But, I of course did.

   It started out like every one of our runs does. He leapt off like a jack rabbit. "Slow down and stay with me! Remember pacing!" I yell. It's about a quarter mile to the trail head from my home and the road doesn't have a shoulder. You even have to pass underneath an extremely narrow bridge that can barely fit two cars side by side. We've affectionately nick-named it the "death bridge". To make things worse, motorists seem to treat me as a moving target when I'm out there. All of these great things nervously rolling around in my mind as we raced to the trail head. I don't care if I got smushed. But, my son's another story.  

   Once we got on the trail we both felt safer. By this time he was panting heavily. His cheeks brightly flushed. Apparently playing video games all winter didn't do too much for his cardio system. The complaining starts like it always does. "Dad, I'm too hot!" We stop, the jacket comes off and I tie it around his waist. We push on for a bit. "Dad, I've gotta cramp!" We slow down to get it to settle down. "Ouch!" he yells as he stumbles through some pricker bush. "Keep your eyes open son." I chide. I try my old tactic of talking about our day to keep his mind off the discomfort. It works like magic and before you know it we're at the turn-around point. "Dad, I want to walk a little! I'm tired!" But, we need to get home to dinner. So, we only briefly stop for a selfie and then continue on.    

   He doesn't know it; but, I watch him as he runs. Where have the past nine years gone? My little boy has grown into himself. He's tall for his age and those long legs smoothly propel him forward on the trail. His brow is knitted. His face set in determination. Those arms pumping away for all they're worth. I look down at my Garmin watch; we're barely moving compared to my normal easy pace. But, I don't care. He's my son and he's nothing but magnificent. We run on in silence for a while.

   We make it off the trail and through the dangers of the open road. One more big hill before our street. He's barely able to stand now. "Dad, I can't do it!" he yells. "One step at a time son. Don't stop. Don't let this hill stop you. You can do this." I say. With gritted teeth we make it to the top and the mile mark beeps. We stop, smile and do our fist bump thing. "Good job son!" I say. He grins and takes off sprinting to our door like he always does. Someone was sandbagging their old man. Apparently someone still had gas in the tank. I race to catch up and we spill laughing through the front door.

   Yes, running can be a selfish thing. Yes, it helps me reflect, settle and find peace while I'm alone. I've gotten so much out of it through the years. I need it and welcome it when it comes. How could I not show him that gift. Yes, today's run with him was slow, full of complaints, cramps, pricker bushes and sweat. But, the whole time I wasn't thinking about the next thing that I had to do.

   I was thinking how wonderful it was to be a father, running with his son on a clear sunny day on a deserted trail. Someday, he won't want to run with me. Someday I'll be the one he has to slow down for. Someday I'll be the one complaining. Until then, I will relish many, many more slow miles.

   Ride that lightning my friends...  

Sun Protection

   Hello my fellow runners! It appears that Mother Nature has finally given Old Man Winter the big old boot! On March 30^th we had what will probably be our last huge snowstorm! When I went to bed the night before it didn’t look like it was snowing all that bad. The next morning though, I was amazed to find five fresh inches of some of the heaviest snow of the year covering everything. Thank God for my snow blower. Even this endurance athlete wasn’t going to try that stuff with a shovel.

   After that big storm everything started to warm up. It’s incredible how much just a little rise in temperature along with some sunshine can boost my spirits. It seems like I’m not the only one. Everything’s coming alive again!

   With the added sunshine on its way I started to poke around the house for something that I haven’t needed since last summer, sunscreen. About three years ago I had a severe allergic reaction when I switched to a different shampoo. It got so bad that I had to go see a dermatologist about it. I’d never been to one before. I thought he’d examine my head, prescribe some medication to make the insane itching go away and that would be the end of it. But, along with doing that he also examined the rest of my skin. He noticed an irregular shaped mole on my stomach and decided that it needed to be removed and tested for skin cancer. All I can say is ouch! The procedure absolutely sucked! But, I was assured that was the worst of it, that they’ll get the biopsy results in about a week and that there’s nothing to worry about. He told me that it’s most likely non-cancerous.

   Well, it wasn’t. Three days later I got a return call from his office They told me that I needed to come in as soon as possible. The entire mole needed to be removed. I made another appointment and was subjected to another painful procedure at my wound site. Double ouch!

   Runners, especially long-distance ones, face huge challenges with regards to keeping sun safe while were out there on the roads and trails. We’re out in the sun for hours at a time, we wear little clothing and sweat like crazy.

   What is skin cancer? Skin cancer is the direct result of a person’s exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. A person’s exposure to UV rays can increase their risk of developing the two most common forms of skin cancer, squamous and basal cell carcinoma. According to the American Skin Cancer Foundation, marathoners typically have more small moles and large atypical ones due to our prolonged exposure to the sun while training and racing. Both of these factors increase our risk of developing the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma. All of those training miles we log can also decrease our immune system and make us more susceptible to skin cancer. 

  

   Even with those challenges, there’re some simple things that we can do to protect ourselves. Hit the trails! Instead of running on the open road, try the trails. When running on a trail you’ll find much more tree cover which can help block the sun’s rays. As an added bonus, that extra tree cover may slightly reduce the temperature and make training more comfortable.

   Throw on a hat and sunglasses! Most running hats are now typically made with material that wicks sweat. They’re quite comfortable, will help block the sun from your eyes and absorb some of your sweat. Running sunglasses will protect your eyes from UV rays, give you increased vision and most typically have venting slits to prevent fogging.

   Wear clothing! Even though it’s blazing hot outside this is a must. Wearing clothing is the most effective form of sun protection. There are numerous different clothing options to choose from. Some running clothing now even has sun protection woven into the fabric. Clothing will help to absorb your sweat and keep you cooler.

   Wear sunscreen! Sunscreen is obviously a must. But, it can be a tricky thing to use when running. Keep in mind that the recommended lifespan of whatever sunscreen that you use decreases when you start sweating. So, if you’re going for a long run that day you may want to pack a bottle so that you can reapply. Shoot for a sunscreen with a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30 or higher. I’ve found that sport spray on sunscreen is lighter than creams, easy to apply and easier to pack. The only drawback is that it’ll run into your eyes when you begin to sweat. I To solve this I use a cream on my face. Don’t forget to use chapstick with UV protection too.

   Run during non-peak sun hours! The sun is at its peak from 11 AM to 3 PM. So, avoid that time frame. That way you’ll avoid the highest exposure and temperature times. Also, pay close attention to the UV index rating for that day. Most weathers apps and forecasters now include this number during the summertime. It’s scored one through ten. Ten is the highest exposure risk. Consider taking it inside that day to a treadmill.

   I learned not to play around with the sun. I’ve been lucky and haven’t had any other issues. I’m not going to stop running in the sunshine. It’s one of the best things that I love. But, I am going to protect myself. You should too.

   Ride that lightning my friends and buy some sunscreen…