Recovering from Ankle Surgery, Training for a Marathon, Raising Money to Beat Cancer

Final Entry

2010-11-23T16:06:00.005-05:00

1 hour, 40 minutes, 40 seconds, that was my time in Sunday’s Philadelphia Half Marathon. 554th place out of almost 8400 runners, the top 6% of the field. The fastest half marathon of my life, shattering my old pr set over four years ago in New York. And equally as important, I did it injury free; no ankle pain, knee pain, or anything out of the ordinary --- just the usual soreness that accompanies running flat out for 13.1 miles.

Sunday’s race was a long way from when I started this blog two years ago. Back in 2008, I was struggling to regain my old running form. 5K’s and 10K’s were a challenge. I was slow and not quite steady, and honestly very frustrated at not being able to run as fast as I once had.

At the same time, Kate was in the thick of her battle against pancreatic cancer. After six months of treatment, she scored a huge victory by going into partial remission, and though she had hit a bit of a plateau in 2008, all of us were optimistic about her future. All she needed was that magical combination of drugs and treatment to deliver the final knockout punch, and she would be back to full health. She was determined and brave, and I really thought she was going to be one of the rare few to make it over the long haul.

I would describe 2010 as bittersweet. A year of resolution and almost getting back to the way my life was in 2006 --- before the injury, before the surgery and rehab, and before Kate and my grandfather got sick. But it can never be the same, not with the passing of Kate in June, and the day after her funeral, the passing of Grandpa from stomach cancer. Those two losses hit me like a ton of bricks, and I was overcome with sadness, guilt, anger, depression (not the clinical kind) --- all of the emotions usually associated with grief.

Yet through it all, there was one aspect of my life that was going well --- running. Every day, I was running faster and stronger. It’s like my body awakened from a four year sleep. Runs of every distance became easier, be it a 4 mile jog or 13 mile long run. And the training runs and track workouts with Anne went better than at any time since we started working together.

In a certain respect, Sunday marked the fact that I have come full circle from that horrible Saturday in January 2007 when I injured my ankle. Like the fading scar from my surgery, the events of the past four years are becoming less and less vivid in my mind, and for the first time in years, I’m eagerly looking forward to what the future holds in running and with life.

Now that I have closed this chapter in my life, I have decided to make this my last and final entry on this blog. A new blog that will solely focus on running is in the works, Matt’s Running Blog, and should be up and running (no pun intended) shortly. I will continue to maintain my efforts to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer by getting more involved with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. I would encourage everyone to consider making a donation to support this wonderful organization and worthy cause.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all my friends and family for your incredible support over the past few years; I really could not have gotten through these challenges without you guys.

Finally ---

Rest in peace, Kate. Rest in peace, Grandpa. And may G-d bless both of you.

Matt

Kate and Me, June 2008

Grandpa and me in NYC, May 4, 2003

KATE

2010-06-06T21:05:00.002-04:00

It is with great sadness to report that Kate passed away Saturday morning after a 3 ½ year battle with pancreatic cancer.

When I got home a little while ago, I decided to go out on the balcony. I just sat there for a while enjoying the peace and tranquility of the sun set. What stood out was the beauty of the few remaining rays of sun reflecting off of the clouds. And then I started to think about Kate, and I couldn’t help but think that if there really is a heaven, Kate is up there right now enjoying the view. And for a brief moment today I felt like smiling rather than crying, and with that, the realization that Kate had suffered for way too long, and that she deserves the peace of this beautiful evening. I am confident she is at peace, and no one deserves it more than her.

In less than one week, I am running in the Lawyers Have a Heart 10K. It was 10 years ago that Kate and I first ran this race together. Ten years ago that she was encouraging and cajoling me, and yes even telling me to stare at a pretty girl’s butt (see last blog entry), to get me to finish the race. That was Kate in a nutshell --- determined, competitive, caring, funny, kind, and just an all-around great friend. I’m not sure what sort of emotions I’ll experience on Saturday. But I do know this, that although Kate has left us here on Earth, her spirit will be with me from the starting gun to the finish line.

Kate spent the last month of her life at a hospice facility in Rockville, and I knew this day was coming. Still, I am in disbelief and shock about her passing. I wish I could write more eloquently about what a wonderful and terrific person she was, but I don’t think I could do her justice. Instead, I commend to everyone a wonderful entry on her blog reporting the sad news: http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/

Rest in peace, Kate.

10 Year Anniversary

2010-05-10T20:46:00.001-04:00

9 years and 11 months ago, almost to the day, Kate and I ran the Lawyers Have a Heart 10K together. As those of you who read my blog two years ago remember, Kate not only is the person primarily responsible for getting me into the sport of running, but also the one who provided me a great motivational technique during the struggles of a big race --- stare straight ahead at a cute girl’s butt and run fast. I have heeded her advice many times and with much success!!!!

This year’s Lawyers Have a Heart is about one month away, and as race day approaches, I can’t help but think of Kate and that day almost 10 years ago: June 17, 2000. Her finishing time was 58 minutes, 45 seconds, good for a 9:33 per mile pace. Of course, her motivational technique worked all too well, and as she always reminds me, I ditched her, sprinted ahead, and finished in 58:35, a mere 9 seconds faster (yes, that blonde’s butt in front of me was quite something!)

Unfortunately, Kate has taken a turn for the worse over the past month, and about two weeks ago she moved to a hospice facility in Rockville, MD. I have visited several times, and although she is not doing well, pancreatic cancer cannot take away what’s really important --- her heart, her soul, and the inner being that makes her such a great wife, daughter, colleague, and most importantly for me, a great friend. If you happen to read this post, please say a prayer for Kate and her family.

Two Weeks Until Chicago

2009-05-09T07:48:00.007-04:00

Exactly two weeks from today, I'll be running in the Soldier Field 10 in Chicago. Bum ankle or not, limping or in full stride, I plan on crossing the goal line and finishing on the 50. This is why I run and why I need to get over this left ankle injury pronto! There are more races to run and cool venues to see and I'm not going to let some crummy little ankle issue get in the way!

Injured Ankle - This Time It's My Left

2009-05-08T09:47:00.001-04:00

I am back on the blog to report some disturbing news, my left ankle is aching and I’ve taken a break from running. About two weeks after the marathon, I was on a nice Saturday afternoon recovery run when all of a sudden I felt that familiar pain, only this time it wasn’t my right ankle, but my left. Mind starting racing. Panicked thoughts about surgery started to flood my every thought. And the fear that perhaps my time as a runner had come to an end became overwhelming.

At first I denied that there was even a problem. Must be the shoes! Must be my gait! Or lack of stretching. Over the next two weeks I desperately tried everything from having my ankle taped by Anne to wearing different kinds of shoes to work, all with the hope that the soreness would somehow magically disappear. Yet it persisted. It continued. It worsened. I knew what I had to do --- go see the doctor.

Last Tuesday I saw the awesome Dr. Marc Danziger, who thoroughly examined my ankle and determined that the tendon sheath was irritated. Could I run? Yes, as long as it doesn’t hurt, but keep it short. What about the Soldier Field 10 in Chicago which I’m supposed to run Memorial Day weekend? Yes, even if I have to limp to the finish line, it would be okay. How do we lick this? Rest and 750 mg of Relafen twice a day for two weeks. Do I need surgery? Not recommended. If rest and Relafen don’t work, then we’ll supplement with physical therapy.

I’m going to recover, I know that. Hopefully by June I’ll look back at this left ankle issue as nothing but a bump in the road. I’m anxious to start running again. I’m anxious to build off the progress I’ve made over the past two years and to maximize my ability as a runner. Yet, I also realize that rushing back will set me back. Doing too much too soon will only increase the chances that I will develop a more serious injury. Patience is the order of the day, and I’m trying my best to exercise some.

Race Pics

2009-03-22T13:31:00.007-04:00

Approaching the finish line on my bum left knee

Anne the amazing pt stretching my knee

Kate and I in sporting"F" cancer t-shirts; she and her husband are big fans of Detroit sports teams - notice my Red Wings hat

National Marathon Race Report

2009-03-22T08:14:00.005-04:00

After 8 months of blogging and trying to come up with interesting little bits, I’m struggling with how to summarize yesterday’s race. So let me start with a straight forward play by play, and then some thoughts.

I arrived at RFK about 30 minutes before race time and stayed in my car to keep warm --- it was freezing outside, about 30, and I was wearing only shorts with a long sleeved t-shirt and running jacket. Thankfully I had in the mess that is the trunk of my car, running gloves and an old Syracuse hat. After briefly meeting Anne and her boyfriend Bert, I lined up and boom, the race was on. The first 6-7 miles went by so quickly --- at mile 5, I picked up some Gatorade from Anne and felt really strong. A few hundred yards later, at the corner of 18^th and M, my parents were cheering me on. I felt great --- my pace was consistent (about 8:50 per mile as planned), ankle felt solid (no pain at all), and my left knee which had been acting up the past few weeks, was not giving me any trouble. At that point I’m thinking perhaps I could make a run at a pr. After seeing my parent’s, it was on to Connecticut Avenue, where my friend Emily was stationed around DuPont Circle. Still felt great, no problems at all

But then the hills started. We had quite a big one going up Columbia Road into Adams Morgan. Though the map indicated there were some hills along the course, I had not anticipated them being quite so steep and long. Ok, no big deal. I had done hill training, and knew to take them slow and steady. But the hills didn’t let up. We faced at least 3 or 4 more big ones as we made our way through Northeast during the first half of the race. Still, I felt great, was perhaps a little dehydrated, but nothing a little Gatorade wouldn’t fix. I reached the halfway point in 1 hour, 55 minutes, just as planned.

The beginning of the second half of the race retraced part of the first half, going down East Capital and then heading down Constitution. I took some more Gatorade from Anne at about mile 16, and at this point I was feeling a bit fatigued, but overall still felt pretty good. As I neared the corner of 9^th and Constitution, a big cheering section of my parents and friends Janet and Helen awaited me; it was so great to see them and I felt a surge of energy. That was about mile 17. About a half mile later, my left knee started aching, and aching, and I started to slow down. By mile 20 I was moving at barely a shuffle. Thank goodness for Anne, who was waiting for me right before I crossed the bridge into Anacostia. I stopped running for a good 5 minutes while Anne worked my knee, stretched and contorted it, and made me feel a whole lot better. At that point I thought I had dodged a bullet. But by mile 21, the pain was back, and to make a very long story short, I struggled over the remaining 5.2 miles. I alternated between walking and running, and the further I went, the more I walked. At mile 26, with only 385 yards to go, I was determined to run to the finish, and did --- final time of 4 hours, 19 minutes 46 seconds.

If this had happened to me before I injured my ankle, I would have been pissed off. After all, my slowest time prior to yesterday was 3 hours 56 minutes. I had never ever finished a marathon in over 4 hours. Yet, even though yesterday’s race was my slowest, it was also my most satisfying. Two years ago I never imagined I would be able to run at all, let alone finish a marathon. In the past year, I’ve gone from barely being able to run for more than 5 minutes at a time, to finishing a 26.2 mile race. That’s called progress. More importantly though, was the fact that we raised over $4,000 to support pancreatic cancer research and to raise awareness about the need to generate more support and funding for this awful disease. As I struggled to climb the final hill around mile 24, I had not a frown, but a big smile knowing how much I accomplished personally with my comeback from ankle surgery, and how much WE accomplished with the fundraising for cancer research. How could I feel nothing but satisfaction on such a day?

As I approached the finish line I saw Kate and her husband Tim cheering me on, and afterwards I was able to meet-up with them as well as my parents and the rest of my cheering section to share lots of stories and laughs. Even though yesterday’s race was the slowest I’ve ever run, it was by far the best and most memorable.

One Day to Go

2009-03-20T07:41:00.003-04:00

In almost exactly 24 hours, a few thousand of my closest friends and I will start our 26.2 mile journey through the streets of DC. The race begins near good ole RFK Stadium, heads toward the Capitol and down Constitution, followed by a loop in Northwest and Northeast, and ending with a loop around Southwest. The reality of what I’m about to do is hitting me like a ton of bricks and I’m starting to get nervous. Last night my mind was racing --- what if my ankle doesn’t hold up? What if I catch a terrible cold in the next 24 hours? What if the electricity goes out in my apartment and I oversleep? Needless to say I don’t exactly feel rested this morning and the nervousness and worrying continues.

What to do?

Well, besides taking lots of naps, I need to stay busy today, especially since I decided to take the day off work. Tradition holds that I watch a movie to psyche myself up, and normally that movie is Rocky I, and why not. You have the great music, the scene of Rocky running up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, and of course the story of a long shot going the distance with the champ. But I’m thinking about breaking with tradition this year and going a different route. We’re in the thick of March Madness and this afternoon I’m going to be glued to the tv watching wall to wall games, including Syracuse making a run at their second title (Go Orange!). I can think of no better movie that melds March Madness with athletic determination than Hoosiers, the 1986 classic based on the true story of a small town Indiana high school overcoming the odds to win the Indiana High School Basketball Tournament. No one gave them a chance --- a washed up coach leading a small team from a small school --- yet through hard work, determination, grit, and teamwork, they won the state championship.

Tomorrow when I’m struggling a bit, and I will struggle at some point during the race, every marathoner does, I’m going to think about all the people who have believed in and supported me, who displayed amazing kindness and generosity as I raised money for pancreatic cancer, and who told me to keep my chin up during the really tough times when I was recovering from surgery. Will I win tomorrow’s race? Of course not, but in my own way, finishing the race will feel like making the game winning shot.

One Week to Go

2009-03-14T14:07:00.001-04:00

It’s hard to believe that the last eight months have gone by so quickly. Back in July 2008, I could barely run more than 5 or 6 miles; the thought of completing a 26.2 mile race was a bit overwhelming, though the fact that I had so much time to train and prepare made it seem that this day would almost never come. Well, it’s almost time and I’m ready. I’ve logged the miles, done the training, lost the weight, and have stayed healthy. There have been a few aches and pains along the way, but overall I’m in a much better place than I was even a year ago.

Today I did a light workout with Anne at Gravely Point, and other than a handful of 20 minute jogs over the next few days, the training is essentially over. Now I just need to rest and relax, and look forward to next week.

Perspective

2009-02-26T11:34:00.001-05:00

Most of us go through life looking forward to birthdays, anniversaries, and key dates that mark important events and milestones in our lives. We take for granted the fact that we’ll celebrate a birthday next year, go on vacation with our family, and endure another mediocre season with the Redskins. Some of us even look forward to running 26.2 miles. This is part of the normal rhythms of life; it’s something we all take for granted.

Perspective is everything. What we celebrate and take for granted has a much different meaning when you change your point of view. Kate makes this point so eloquently in her most recent blog post. Suffering from a horrible disease makes it difficult to look forward to birthdays, holidays, and the future in general, when the present is filled with so much uncertainty. Yet, despite every reason to despair, Kate endures, moves forward, and works through these challenges. She has hit some bumps in the road, yet refuses to give up. She remains optimistic and more committed than ever to win her epic struggle against pc, and does so with great wit and a sense of humor.

In three weeks when I cross the finish line near RFK Stadium, I look forward to celebrating with Kate. But I will not be celebrating the accomplishment of running 26.2. No, I will be celebrating Kate and her accomplishments, her spirit, and the inspiration she provides to all of us. Knowing Kate, though, I think she’ll want to celebrate the fact that I finished the race without tripping over myself. Perspective really does matter!

Kate and Pancreatic Cancer Research

2009-02-24T17:10:00.001-05:00

After a bit of a hiatus, Kate returned to the blogosphere a few days ago with a new entry on her blog. Kate was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago, and is still fighting strong. You won’t find a more inspiring and courageous person.

I have a special plea: to those who have not made a contribution to support pancreatic research, I hope you will consider making a donation. Kate needs your support. The 37,000 people in the United States who are diagnosed every year with pc need your support. The men and women working tirelessly for a cure need your support. One day, hopefully in the not too distant future, scientists will get a handle on this horrible disease, one that kills more people in the USA every year (34,000) than AIDS (14,000). Incredibly, your United States government only spends $73 million per year on pancreatic cancer research, yet sees fit to dole out $2.5 BILLION for HIV/AIDs research. We don’t have pancreatic cancer quilts, high impact public relations campaigns, celebrity spokespeople, movies (think Philadelphia), or the media behind us. No, we just have the devastation and destruction wrought by pancreatic cancer, a disease that kills 90% of its victims within one year of diagnosis. It’s an outrage and quite frankly offensive that some people’s lives are valued more than others by our so-called elected officials. It’s offensive that some people are given priority over others based on political standing and/or political correctness. And it’s completely outrageous that Kate and people like her are essentially left to fend for themselves. This has to change. This must change. I hope my little effort can help in this regard.

One Month to Go!

2009-02-21T07:43:00.000-05:00

That's right boys and girls, only one month to go until race day. It's hard to believe we're almost at the end. Before you know it, I'll be crossing the finish line behind RFK Stadium. Training has gone as planned. Fundraising to support pancreatic research has exceeded expectations. I'm healthy. I'm fit. And I'm ready to go. The only real outstanding issue is determining where I should eat the big post-race dinner. I'm thinking Ruth's Chris in Bethesda. What say you?

Home Stretch

2009-02-17T16:16:00.002-05:00

It’s hard to believe, but the big race is less than five weeks away, 31 days to be exact. It’s been a long road back from surgery and rehab. Less than a year ago, I was running for just a few minutes at a time. Now I’m doing long training runs; this past Saturday I did an 18 mile run, the farthest I’ve run in over two years. The first four miles were uneventful, but then at about 4.5 miles, I felt a sharp pain in my right ankle. I had to stop running. Panic set in and I started to freak out big time. The pain felt eerily similar to what I experienced two years ago and almost in the exact same place! Thank goodness I was running with Anne. She calmly assessed the situation, had me do some stretches, and did a little Mr. Miyagi action on my ankle, and as quickly as the pain came on, it disappeared and we were able to do the remaining 14 miles without incident.

These days I’m feeling very optimistic. The 18 mile run was tiring, but I felt strong throughout and finished with energy, not exhaustion. For the first time in a while, I could actually visualize myself finishing. After two years of injury and pain, surgery and rehab, doubts and worrying, I’m finally starting to believe again: I’m starting to believe I’m a runner, not an injured runner, not a runner recovering from injury, not a runner who is out-of-shape or a runner trying to get back into the swing of things. No, I’m just a regular runner who is able to go out and run without worry. This is such a huge relief. In the darkest hours and weeks after surgery, I wondered if this day would ever come. Now I’m coming down the home stretch and those dark days are but a distant memory. Brighter days are ahead, and for that I am truly grateful.

Training Rut

2009-02-02T15:55:00.002-05:00

I’ve hit a rut in training, something not totally unexpected, but very frustrating. I’m trying to do all my runs, but it’s quite difficult these days. First, the weather has been absolutely lousy. Over the past week here in the DC area we’ve had snow and sleet, freezing rain, and the biggest enemy of any runner, particularly me --- ice. I admit it, I have an ice phobia, and for good reason. In January of 2008, I slipped on black ice and fractured my left radial bone (left elbow). This was a particularly nasty, and painful, injury as the elbow cannot be set in a cast, nor immobilized for extended periods of time. The pain of pt for this particular injury was worse than even rehabbing my ankle. So anytime I even catch a glimpse of ice, I'm homebound.

The second impediment to training over the past couple of weeks has been a lingering sinus infection. My nose is quite stuffy, my ears ache, my sinuses kill me, and my balance is a bit off --- not exactly a recipe for going out and doing a 7-8 mile mid-week run, let alone a long training run on the weekend. I’ve probably missed about 50% of my scheduled training runs over the past two weeks.

None of this is the end of the world. My sinus infection has finally started to clear up, and the weather seems to be improving, though the forecasters are predicting snow showers tonight and possibly tomorrow, with “minimal” accumulation. My motivation, though, is a bit lacking. I’ve spent the last year getting back to my old running self, and I’m probably 75 to 80 percent there…the last bit shouldn’t be that hard. My fitness level has dramatically improved, my legs are strong, and my endurance is improving by the week. Mentally, though, I’m struggling to find my motivation and I’m not sure why. I have so much to run for, but when I don’t feel well and the weather is less than desirable, my first instinct is not to lace up my shoes and power through, but to hit the couch and watch ESPN.

I will break out of this rut; I always have in similar situations in the past. I just need to find my groove again. A week of decent weather and good health would help, but irrespective, with less than 50 days to go until the big race, the fact that I will soon be running 26.2 miles is motivation enough.

Da Bears

2009-01-11T11:12:00.002-05:00

I’ve decided to add a new race to my schedule for 2009, the Soldier Field 10 in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend. The finish is the 50 yard line of Soldier Field. How cool is that? Football legends such as Mike Ditka, Walter Payton, and Dick Butkus have graced this stadium. Now you can add Fullenbaum to the list! I’ll certainly write more as the date approaches. Needless to say, I'm very excited and look forward to proudly wearing my Redskins hat as I cross the 50.

Winter Running Blues

2009-01-11T10:57:00.002-05:00

The one downside about signing up for a March marathon is that a majority training takes place in wintertime. In years past, winter running was a piece of cake. I’d run in snow, sub-freezing temperatures, and I would do it most of the time in nothing more than a pair of shorts and long sleeved t-shirt. I still remember running in the Jingle All the Way 10k years ago in nothing more than shorts and a short sleeved t-shirt, despite the fact that it was snowing and 29.

These days, however, I find it more difficult to get outside when it’s cold and dark, damp and dank, and just downright depressing. I don’t know if it’s old age or the long layoff from running during the recovery from injury, but now I’m wearing long pants instead of shorts, three layers of shirts instead of one, and I’m even running inside a couple of days a week. Everyone from friends and family, to running buddies and pt’s, have even suggested, gasp, running on a treadmill. The treadmill, in this man’s opinion, is an evil piece of exercise equipment. It reduces you to nothing more than a gerbil, just running in place second after second, minute after minute, mile after mile. I can think of nothing more boring.

So I’m in a bind. I’m having a tough time running outside 6 days a week, I despise the treadmill, yet I have lots of training still to go before the big race in March. The solution --- an indoor track. Unfortunately, there are very few in this area, most are on college campuses or that far away land of Virginia. There is a little know gem, though, at Bally’s gym on Rockville Pike. The have an indoor track, 1/10th of a mile in distance, that should do the trick. I joined about a month ago and run there about once or twice a week. It’s a pain for sure; having to turn so often puts pressure on my hips, yet this slight discomfort is far preferable to the boredom of the treadmill.

The weather forecasters are predicting an arctic blast to move through the DC area on Thursday and Friday of this week. Originally, I was scheduled to do a 15 mile run on Saturday, but I’m going to Florida to visit my 86 year old grandfather and won’t have time to do such a long run between playing golf and eating early bird dinners at his Del Boca Vista retirement compound (think Seinfeld). I’m going to get creative and instead do my long run inside on Friday night --- 5 miles on the track followed by 5 on the treadmill, and then the last 5 on the track again. Is this ideal? Nope, not by a long shot, but it allows me to get the miles which should payoff down the road in March.

A Long Run Throwback

2008-12-27T11:59:00.008-05:00

Until today, my handful of long runs this year have been on the very flat, Washington and Old Dominion Trail in Virginia. In fact, there isn’t a significant hill to be found on the stretch from Shrilington out to Falls Church. Plus, I did these runs under the careful supervision of Anne, who would ride her bike to pace me, and also carry Gatorade that I could gulp at any time. I was in heaven. I was spoiled. I was on easy street.

Since Anne is out-of-town for the holidays, I decided to do today’s long run along a classic course I developed years ago, the brutal Capital Crescent-Wisconsin Ave route. And I ran it with my other running friend Kate (yes, I have two friends named Kate) who is a speed demon and pushes me to my limits. We started out this morning in front of Barnes and Noble, making our way down the 7 miles of the Capital Crescent Trail into Georgetown. So far, so good. I was a little tired and a bit overheated since I over-layered again, but once we reached M Street in Georgetown, I was feeling okay.

Then the madness began. We hooked a left on Wisconsin Avenue to go straight back to Bethesda. It’s only 6 miles, but it’s the most difficult 6 mile stretch anywhere I’ve ever run. You basically run from sea level to over 400 feet asl in three incredibly steep hills. To put this in perspective, the famous Heartbreak Hill on the Boston Marathon course is only 88 feet. The first hill from Georgetown to Glover Park was tough. I struggled mightily; my legs were tired, my breathing was heavy, and I wanted to give up. Thankfully, after the first hill, we stopped at a CVS for Gatorade. Then it was on to the next hill, which goes from Glover Park, past the Russian Embassy, and up to the Cathedral area. Maybe it was the Gatorade and quick rest that helped, but I handled that hill just fine. Kate and I continued our journey on Wisconsin, through Tenley/AU and Friendship Heights. When we reached the Maryland line, I knew I was in trouble. I had no energy whatsoever, and there was one last big hill to climb to get back to Bethesda. I told Kate, half joking, half serious, that I wanted to quit. She wouldn’t let me. Somehow I made it back to Bethesda, but by the time we finished, I couldn’t run another foot.

Although I’m very sore and extremely tired, I feel as if today was yet another step toward getting back to my old running self. Running with Kate along an old, tried and true route made the last two years of surgery and rehab seem like a distant memory. I like that feeling.

Final Race of 2008

2008-12-15T10:18:00.006-05:00

Yesterday’s Jingle all the Way 10k marked my 8th and final race of the year. From outward appearances, I did pretty well, finishing in 47 minutes, 59 seconds, for an average of 7 minutes, 43 seconds per mile. Not a bad way to end the year, and it certainly shows I have come a long way in my comeback from injury. Just a year ago, I couldn’t run for more than 20 seconds at a time. Yet, I was somewhat disappointed with the result; I could've done better. So what happened?

First, I was too layered. The temperature yesterday morning was chilly, about 30 degrees at the start of the race. Now in past years, I would’ve worn shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt, nothing else. Why? Because one of my big rules of running has been to dress like it’s 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature. For whatever reason, I decided to layer up yesterday, wearing long running pants, a t-shirt and then a long sleeved shirt, plus a running jacket to boot. By mile 2, I was overheating big-time, but because I had my bib pinned to my jacket, I couldn’t de-layer. Second, I was tired. Instead of relaxing the night before the race, I stressed and worried about the conditions for the race, and consequently did not sleep well and got maybe 5 hours total.

Last but not least, I was too heavy. For a year after ankle surgery, I wasn’t really able to exercise on a regular basis, and as a result I gained some weight, about 15 pounds to be exact. Most people haven’t noticed, and I don’t exactly look heavy or obese, but it does impact my running stamina. I’ve already lost 5 of those pounds, but I still need to drop another 10 before the marathon.

I’ve worked extremely hard during my comeback and it really is paying off. My fitness is improving each and every week, which is reflected in my improving race times. What’s frustrating, however, is that I’m really close to getting back to my old, pre-injury self, but I’m not quite there yet. There’s no doubt in my mind that if I had been well rested, dressed in fewer layers, and weighed less, I could’ve finished yesterday’s race in about 45 minutes. That’s the kind of time I used to clock with ease prior to injury. Some people might say that I shouldn’t be so negative, that I’ve come so far since 2007, and to take the long view. I’m probably about 90% back, but sometimes it’s the last 10%, that final push over the goal line, to borrow a term from football, that is the most difficult. Nonetheless, I’m very confident that I’ll pick-up those last few yards (unlike my pathetic Redskins yesterday against Cincinnati) and will make a big score next March at the National Marathon.

2009 Race Schedule

2008-12-03T10:27:00.002-05:00

This is the time of year when we start planning out the new year, and I’ve just finished developing a preliminary 2009 race schedule. The big highlight is the Sun Trust National Marathon on March 21st here in Washington. All of the other races are ones I’ve done before, and there are some particular classics I look forward to running like the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia and the Army 10 Miler. I may add or subtract a race or two, but for the most part, this is how my 2009 is shaping up.

03/21/09 – Sun Trust National Marathon
04/26/09 – Pike’s Peek 10k
05/03/09 – Broad Street Run
06/13/09 – Lawyers Have a Heart 10k
07/04/09 – Potomac 5k
08/30/09 – Annapolis 10 Mile Run
09/20/09 – Philadelphia Distance Run
10/04/09 – Army 10 Miler
11/22/09 – Philadelphia Marathon

It's Freakin Freezing!

2008-11-21T16:13:00.002-05:00

Winter has arrived early here in the Washington, DC, metro area. There were brief snow showers today that moved through downtown DC, and tomorrow’s high is expected to reach a balmy 38, but with the good old windchill, it will feel like it’s in the 20’s. Perfect running weather, not! In the immortal words of Dr. Evil in the first Austin Powers movie, it’s freakin freezing in here!

Now I don’t mind running in cold weather. In fact, my fastest races generally have been when the weather is cold. The temperature at the start of the 2002 Chicago Marathon was 34 and the mercury only made it up a few degrees more by the end of the race. However, the wind was pretty calm and the sun was out, which made for pretty racing conditions. Here in DC, however, we’ve had the unfortunate combination of cold weather and lots of wind, which makes an early evening run feel like an excursion into Antarctica.

What to do? Dress in layers, lots of layers. Most experts recommend that runners wear a base of “high tech” material, a shirt that “wicks” away moisture, followed by either a similar type layer, and finished off with a running jacket or shell. Well, there’s the recommended way, and then there’s the Matt way.

As I prepared to go out for my run last night, I started with a cotton t-shirt, followed by a long-sleeved cotton shirt, followed by a good ole fashion sweatshirt. No high tech materials. No fancy synthetic micro-fiber shirts to wick away moisture. Nope, I went old school, Rocky Balboa-style. I actually own a few pieces of this new fangled high tech running gear, which I always wear for races, but when it comes to training runs and getting back into shape, there’s nothing like going back to basics. Tomorrow morning during my tempo run in Siberia-like conditions, the gray sweatshirt will make another appearance.

Running Shoes and Throw Momma from the Train

2008-11-14T12:15:00.006-05:00

I keep a fair share of running shoes around my apartment, about eight pairs right now (see below). Most are retired from active duty, except for my sweet pair of Asics GT-2130’s (also see below) with the Superfeet inserts for additional support. Running shoes, more than any other item, are essential for running. A good pair will keep you pain free, injury free, and hopefully blister free. All of us have a different preference; I’ve tried Nike’s, but they caused knee pain. New Balance gave me horrible blisters. Brooks, Mizuno, and Saucony just don’t fit right and Reebok has never done it for me. That leaves me with Asics, the Japanese brand that uses gel for cushion. These bad boys always are comfortable, never cause blisters, and never let me down.

You may ask why on earth I keep old pairs of shoes. The 1987 classic comedy movie Throw Momma from the Train, starring Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal, provides the answer. About midway through the movie, DeVito wants to show Crystal his coin collection, which consisted of a bunch of random coins ---- quarters, nickels, dimes, etc. Crystal looks incredulously at DeVito wondering what was so special about the coins. Then DeVito takes out a specific quarter, identifying it by the year, and explains that the quarter was change from a ball game at Yankee Stadium that he went to in his youth with his dad. Each coin had a similar story and memory.

In the same way, my shoes look like nothing more than a pile of worn out, well, shoes. When I look at my shoes, though, I see more than laces and cushion, insoles and arch support. What I see is my running history and lots of memories --- finishing my first marathon in Chicago, setting a personal record in the half marathon in New York, walking for the first time after surgery, running the first race in my comeback. Sometimes when my motivation is low and I don’t feel like going out for a run, I’ll look at my old pairs of shoes and usually within a few seconds I’m out the door and making new memories that will last for years to come.

Eight pairs, all Asics!

The Asics GT-2130s

Dispatches from the Road: Phoenix

2008-11-10T09:19:00.002-05:00

As most of you know, I tend to do a fair amount of traveling for my job --- about 10-20 trips a year. This week I’m in Phoenix for a three-day conference and am staying at the Arizona Grand Resort, replete with golf courses, pools, and a water park. It’s quite a nice venue, so nice in fact, that the Arizona Cardinals stayed here last night before their big game tonight against the San Francisco 49ers (it’s a real site to see 330 pound offensive linemen and 250 pound linebackers walking around your hotel).

Anytime I travel for work, I try to get in a few runs, and this trip is no different, except for the fact that Phoenix is basically located in the desert. There’s lots of cactus, palm trees, and golf courses. There’s also lots of little creatures wandering all over the place that I’d rather like to avoid --- snakes, scorpions, things we as runners normally don’t have to contend with running the DC area.

Somehow during yesterday’s run, I managed to avoid all those nasty little critters. I did, however, see some beautiful rock formations and lots and lots of golf courses. There are also tons of strip malls and retirement communities. My impression of Phoenix is that it’s sort of like Florida, only in the desert. Bring on the 3 pm early bird specials!

I have found that running while on travel provides me an opportunity to see and explore a new city or area, and I normally take away something memorable from each of my runs. In Seattle it was the beauty of Puget Sound, in San Francisco the impressive Golden Gate Bridge, and in Chicago the amazing skyline. What I’ll remember most from my runs in Phoenix is the sign I saw outside a church yesterday, which read: HEAVEN IS NO TRICK, HELL IS NO TREAT. I bet most kids avoided that church on Halloween.

More Photos from the Rockville 10K

2008-11-03T20:57:00.006-05:00

The photographers were out at yesterday's Rockville 10k. This was the first time I ever wore sunglasses during a race. Given how well I did, this might turn into a tradition.

Before the Race

Nearing the finish line

Rockville 10K - It's Morning Again

2008-11-03T11:08:00.004-05:00

It's morning again in my running world. Today I am running faster and more often than ever since my surgery. With a newly strengthened ankle, I’ve run six races already this year and am scheduled to run two more. Yesterday morning in Rockville, I ran a 10k in 49 minutes, 5 seconds, a time much faster than anything I’ve run this year at a comparable distance, and with this improving trend, I can look forward with confidence to the future. It's morning again in my running world, and with tons of hard work, training, and rehab, all under the supervision of my personal trainer Anne, my running is stronger and better than at anytime in the last two years.

(For those of you who don’t “get” this post, it’s a take-off on Ronald Reagan’s popular “Morning in America” tv ad from his 1984 re-election campaign. The picture above is from yesterday’s race and I’m the runner on the left hand side wearing a long sleeve shirt and sun glasses.)

Welcome SunTrust National Marathon Runners

2008-10-17T12:49:00.008-04:00

Through the miracle of google or some other search engine, the folks at the Greater Washington Sports Alliance, organizers of the SunTrust National Marathon, found out about my difficulties with the Los Angeles Marathon and kindly offered me a complimentary registration to the race here in DC. In addition, they have made me a “featured runner” and will highlight my training, reasons for running, etc. I am flattered beyond words that they think my story is interesting enough to share with the broader running community. More importantly though, is the opportunity this presents to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer and raise additional money for the Lorenzen Cancer Foundation, the charity I’m running on behalf of to support Kate in her battle with stage four pc. For those visitors who found my site through the SunTrust National Marathon email, I’ve pasted my first blog entry below so you can understand the purpose of this blog and why I’m running. Please feel free to read through old blog entries and of course provide feedback. Welcome!

Monday, June 30, 2008
Welcome
On a clear, unseasonably mild, Saturday afternoon back in January 2007, I experienced the nightmare of every avid runner --- injury. One minute I'm running 7 minute miles and dreaming of a run at a Boston qualifying time, the next I'm limping back home on a bum ankle hoping against hope that the pain is temporary, a small bump on the road to marathon glory. Well, after two rounds of x-rays, six weeks of physical therapy, and no diagnosis, the orthopedist ordered an MRI, and as I suspected, a serious underlying problem was discovered, the dreaded ganglion cyst. No, this wasn't life threatening, but it took away my life as a runner, at least for the time being.

The only option to get back to running was surgery, and not an easy one. Because of the location of the cyst, an arthroscopic procedure was out of the question. Nope, I was in for good old fashion open surgery. And so it went. On June 1, 2007, I underwent a 2+ hour surgical procedure at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Northwest Washington, DC, to remove the cyst, clean up some scar tissue, and get me back on the road to running. The expected recovery time was six weeks, but as it turns out, the procedure was much more complicated than originally anticipated, my body didn't react well, and it's taken over a year to recover.

I'm writing this blog to chronicle the challenges of recovering from surgery, getting back into shape, and training for a marathon, the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon, as well as to share my passion for the sport of running, which has made such a positive impact on my life.

But what about the last part of the title, raising money? At the same time I sustained the ankle injury, my friend Kate (who got me into all this running non-sense in the first place over 10 years ago) was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. She is fighting pc really hard, going through treatment, and not only surviving, but living as full a life as possible. I admire her strength and fight, and want to support her as she goes through this difficult period. And in that spirit, I am raising money for my marathon run in L.A. to support the Lorenzen Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. Donations can be made at the following webiste: http://www.active.com/donate/pancreaticadedicat08/beatpc. Also, for a look at Kate's inspirational blog as she fights pc, go to http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and I look forward to sharing with you the trials and tribulations of training for 26.2

A Friend Goes Down to Injury

2008-10-12T16:51:00.003-04:00

I have written extensively about what it’s like to experience and recover from a difficult orthopedic injury. Unfortunately, my good friend Mike has just fallen to a horrible sports injury, a snapped Achilles tendon. Mike was playing flag football last week, heard a pop, and fell to the ground. Shortly later at the hospital, Mike got the bad news: his Achilles tendon had snapped in two and he underwent emergency surgery the next day to have the tendon repaired. For two months, Mike will be in a cast and unable to put any weight on his right leg. He will then undergo physical therapy. Total expected recovery time is 6 months. To make matters worse, Mike just started business school and has two children under the age of three, including a precious one month old little baby girl. Needless to say, Mike’s wife has her hands full. I can definitely sympathize with Mike’s situation and wish him a speedy recovery!

Appreciation

2008-10-06T00:15:00.003-04:00

As I was eating my delicious fried chicken dinner on Saturday night at Jacques-Imo’s in New Orleans, a feeling of appreciation came over me. For almost the first 32 years of my life, I took for granted being able to walk and run, to live my life without a care in the world; disease, pain, and adversity --- those were things that happen to other people, not to me, and not to my friends. Life just seemed to float by without major upheavals. Sure I had my ups and downs, like everybody, but overall life was good.

Injuring my ankle, having surgery, and going through a difficult recovery has changed my perspective. Not being able to walk for almost two months, and thinking at one point that I was sentenced to a lifetime of pain, will have an impact.

What I appreciate now, in a way I never could two years ago, are the little things in life --- a simple get together with my parents, a night out with my friends, a walk on the beach, sitting on a park bench and reading the newspaper. What I appreciate the most, however, is good health. My ankle is fully healed, I’m running again and training for a marathon, and I have no major health issues whatsoever. I’m fortunate, I’m lucky, and I know it.

Unfortunately, there are others in life who aren’t so lucky, people like Kate. The other day I was reading her blog and listening to the audio interview she gave to the New York Times. She is fighting her heroic battle against cancer not only by going through medical treatments, but also through her determination to keep doing the little things --- working, going to the grocery store, the activities we all take for granted as the normal part of life. She does this with great wit and humor, as evidenced by her inspiring blog.

Ankle injuries don’t come close to cancer, not by a long shot. However, having gone through my own little health struggle has given me a better perspective and appreciation of just how important our little routines are in life. In fact, I would argue it's the little things that are the essence of life, though we may not always realize it until we have them taken away from us.

California Dreaming? Try California Nightmare!

2008-10-01T13:24:00.004-04:00

When I started this blog, it was intended among other things to chronicle my training for the Los Angeles Marathon, scheduled for March 1, 2009. I’ve registered for the race, bought a plane ticket, booked a hotel room, and made plans to visit friends while out in sunny Cali.

However, in the immortal words of ESPN football analyst Lee Corso, NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND! Today, I went to the Los Angeles Marathon website to check out the race course, and there was an announcement that the date of the race has been changed from March 1st to President’s Day, February 16th.

A few thoughts…..

The organizers of the marathon did not notify those who had already registered of the date change nor did they provide an explanation. Simple courtesy and business ethics dictates such minimal steps. Although a two week change might not seem like a big deal, the fact is that training for a marathon requires months of planning. I won’t bore you with the details, but I specifically chose the Los Angeles Marathon because I knew it would allow me enough time to properly train for the race. Even a two week change totally screws up my training schedule, not to mention my travel arrangements.

What to do?

I have one of three options: (1) re-arrange all my travel and training and run the Los Angeles Marathon in February; (2) find a different marathon to run that will fit my training schedule; or (3) not run a marathon at all.

Options one and three are not options at all. I will not re-arrange my travel and training, moreover my work schedule makes it nearly impossible for me to run on 2/16. As for not running a marathon at all, ABSOLUTELY NOT. I am running to support my friend Kate in her battle with cancer, and I’m running to prove to myself that I’m finally over my ankle injury. There's no turning back.

Believe it or not, there is hope --- the National Marathon, right here in good old Washington, DC. As it turns out, the National Marathon is scheduled for March 21st, a little bit later than March 1st, but it's never a bad thing to have more time to prepare. Disaster averted, training schedule in tact, all is well with the world. And a big bonus, those of you who live in the DC area can now come out and watch me run. I guess there really is a silver lining in every situation.

Kate in the New York Times

2008-09-23T17:18:00.003-04:00

I commend to readers a piece that appears in the New York Times online that features personal stories of cancer patients. One of the individuals is my friend Kate, the very Kate I’m running to support in her battle with pancreatic cancer. Rather than bloviate, I think Kate’s compelling story requires no more words from me. Click here to listen to Kate in her own words; she is the third person down on the page.

(If you haven’t made a donation to the Lorenzen Cancer Foundation, please consider doing so and visit my fundraising website)

Yo Adrian, I Did It!

2008-09-23T16:44:00.009-04:00

Ok, so I didn’t win the heavyweight championship of the world on Sunday in Philadelphia, but I did finish the Philadelphia Distance Run, one of the nation’s premier half marathons. Only a year earlier, I was in Philadelphia hobbling around on my bum right ankle. I remember vividly the struggle of walking from my hotel near the Philadelphia Convention Center to the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Several times I had to stop and rest my poor foot for a few minutes, and when I eventually reached the Art Museum, it took me more than 5 minutes to struggle up the steps made famous by Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky movies.

This past Sunday was quite a different story. I had intended to use the Distance Run as a training run; I wasn’t going to run for time. In fact, I had agreed ahead of time with Anne the personal trainer that I would take it easy and try to finish in about 2 hours and 10 minutes. For better or worse, when I started the race I couldn’t help myself. The beginning of the race went straight down the Ben Franklin Parkway along the same route I struggled so hard to walk just a year earlier. I was overwhelmed with the sense that I had come so far in my recovery, and to prove to myself just how far I had come, I decided to adopt my own strategy, run as fast as possible for as long as possible. My pace quickened considerably, and before I realized it, I had whipped through the first 10 miles more than 3 minutes faster than I had finished the Annapolis 10 Miler just a month earlier. By mile 11, I was in position to finish in about 1 hour, 50 minutes, just about a normal time for me at the half marathon distance. However, my left knee started to ache just a tiny bit, at which point I knew I needed to pull back and slow down. My knee is fine, but my body was not used to running full throttle after over a year layoff. Even after slowing down, I still finished in 1 hour, 54 minutes, 33 seconds, almost in the top 1/3 of all finishers.

Running the Philadelphia Distance Run takes me further down the road to recovery. Certainly compared to a year ago, I have made huge strides, and with some hard work and sensible training, I will reach my goal of running, and finishing, the Los Angeles Marathon next March.

Dispatches from the Road: Austin

2008-09-12T17:07:00.008-04:00

One of the challenges of training for a marathon is running your weekly mileage no matter what your schedule. Family obligations, chores, work; all these can be impediments to the runner training for 26.2. One obstacle that can really throw a monkey wrench into training is the dreaded business trip. Often less than 48 hours, the business trip can constrain even the most dedicated of runners --- meetings, boring panel discussions and presentations, the obligatory schmoozing over lunch and/or dinner, it can eat up all of your time. Yet, the business trip also provides an opportunity, a chance to run and take in the scenery of a totally new and unfamiliar place. Over the years, I’ve traveled all over the country for business to places like Chicago (see previous post), Seattle, New Orleans, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Hilton Head, Oklahoma City, Miami, Boston, and New York. I can still remember running along San Francisco Bay toward the Golden Gate Bridge and seeing Alcatraz in the distance. Running along Puget Sound in Seattle was an unforgettable experience --- the peace, tranquility and beauty still are deeply etched in my memory.

This past week I had a quick business trip to Austin. Y’all know that Texas has the biggest and best of everything. Just ask a native Texan, they’ll tell you. They have the best Mexican food, steaks, football teams (high school, college, and pro), the biggest capitol building --- everything is super-sized and deluxe. Texas, and in particular Austin, is a pretty good place to run, too. In fact, Runner’s World named Austin one of the best places to run in the country, and I agree. On Tuesday, I went for a run in an area known as Town Lake; the area along the Colorado River that has nice parks and a fantastic gravel running trail. Last November, I was in Austin for a 5-day conference. At that point, I was cleared to run for no more than 30 seconds at a time, followed by 10 minutes of walking --- not exactly the ideal scenario for an avid runner. To say that I was frustrated by these restrictions would be an understatement, particularly since I was surrounded by avid runners just like me.

I vowed to return, and return I did! My run on Tuesday was hardly like last year’s run. The sun was strong, the humidity was oppressive, but my motivation was at an all-time high. I was determined to make this the best run since the surgery. Instead of running for 30 seconds, I cranked out five, 8 minute miles and probably pushed myself a little too hard. By the time I got back to the hotel, I was completely soaked and totally exhausted, but it was worth it. It was worth knowing that I really have made progress in recovery from surgery, that I really am improving, and that I really am on the road back to my old running self. On Tuesday, I ran with a little “Don’t Mess with Texas” attitude, and I think I’ll carry that with me into next March when I run the Los Angeles Marathon.

Six Months to Go Until Los Angeles

2008-09-04T15:43:00.001-04:00

It’s hard to believe that the Los Angeles Marathon is a little less than six months away. Oh how the time has flown by. When I started this blog in June, the most I could run was 3 miles. My legs were weak, my stamina non-existent, and my confidence was shaky. Fast forward to today; I’m running 10 mile races, stamina has improved, and my confidence is increasing every week. Training for a marathon is like the race itself --- long stretches requiring patience and perseverance. Last Monday during my weekly workout with Anne the personal trainer and physical therapist extraordinaire, I realized just how much progress I’ve made --- my 800 meter times were dramatically faster than even a few weeks ago and I felt refreshed rather than totally exhausted. Clearly I’m making progress.

While the training has gone well and progress is evident, it hasn’t been easy, not by a long stretch. I’ve had moments of impatience where I’ve wanted to run longer and faster, but my body wouldn’t respond. I’ve had moments of frustration where I finished races in times far slower than in the past. And I’ve had moments of doubt where I’ve wondered whether I’d bitten off more than I could chew by trying to run a marathon. Through it all, I’ve had incredible support from you --- my family, friends, and colleagues. You’ve let me vent my frustrations and provided the encouragement I need to persevere and keep going. Without your support, there is no way in the world I could make this comeback.

Most gratifying, however, is the outpouring of support I’ve received with my fundraising efforts to support pancreatic cancer research. My goal when I started this journey was to raise $2,000. To date, contributions have totaled $2,795, most of which came within the first month of the fundraising campaign. Wow! I am grateful and appreciative beyond words. This kind of generosity and kindness is a rarity in today’s world. Thank you for you contributions, generosity and support of such a worthy cause.

Chicago: My Kind of Town

2008-08-03T19:45:00.009-04:00

I was in Chicago on a business trip for a few days late last week, and as usual, I had a fantastic time. I had a great Italian dinner at Rosebud on Rush on Thursday night and a very tasty steak Friday night at the Chicago Chop House. I also had a chance to walk down the “Magnificent Mile” and to spend some time reading on the beach on Lake Michigan. Over the past ten years, I’ve probably visited Chicago about 15 times, mostly for business, and have grown to love the city. There are lots of cool restaurants, museums, blues clubs, and the people really embody Midwestern nice.

But the reason Chicago is so special to me is running. You see, back in 2002, I completed the Chicago Marathon, my first marathon of any kind, and it was one of the best experiences of my entire life. At the time I decided to run the race, I was miserable in my job and really didn’t have much going on in my life --- I was in a rut. I needed to shake things up and decided after attempting to register for the Marine Corps Marathon (it was full), to sign-up for the Chicago Marathon.

On October 13, 2002, I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon in a time of 3 hours, 51 minutes, 58 seconds; the top 1/3 of the field. Not bad for a first timer. To this day, I can still remember waiting nervously to begin the race as the National Anthem played. I can still picture the guy dressed like Elvis singing on the side of the course near mile 12. I can still taste the jellybeans I ate at mile 18 (cherry). And I still remember seeing the wonderful people of Chicagoland coming out to encourage the runners (more than 1 million lined the course). Most of all, I remember the finish. All the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice came together at that one moment. And I can honestly tell you, it was worth it. All the Saturdays I got up early in the morning to run 20 miles, all the times I struggled up the big hill on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown in 90 degree heat, all the times I came home from a run totally wiped out, all the times I passed up a “big night out” with my friends to get a good night sleep, it all paid off. Finishing the Chicago Marathon showed me that I could accomplish anything if I put my mind to it. Finishing the Chicago Marathon gave me a new found confidence and a basis to believe in myself in a way I never could before. Finishing the Chicago Marathon changed my life.

As I went for a run just two days ago along Lake Michigan, all those memories from 2002 came rushing back. My stride quickened, my breathing increased, and a big smile emerged. After I reached the beautiful Lincoln Park, I decided to head back to the hotel. A t the moment I turned around I caught a glimpse of the spectacular Chicago skyline. It was then that I realized that while DC is my real home, Chicago is my home for running and I was glad to be back.

My Recovery Team

2008-07-28T17:13:00.005-04:00

Immediately after the surgery, I knew something was wrong. The procedure took much longer than expected and the surgeon indicated that the operation was much more complicated than he had originally anticipated. A week after surgery, my ankle and foot looked like an artificial limb – all puffed up and swollen beyond recognition in a disgusting shade of yellow (I won’t gross everyone out by posting the picture, but trust me, it’s icky). Plus, parts of my foot were numb to the touch, yet I was experiencing excruciating pain in parts of my foot that weren’t even targets of the surgery. Something as innocuous as a breeze hitting my toes caused severe pain, the likes of which I hope I never experience again.

So how did I get from deformed foot/ankle man to today? With lots of hard work and the support of my friends, family, and colleagues. However, there is a duo that deserves special recognition, my physical therapists, Anne and Jacob. These two had the unenviable task of treating me --- the king of complainers, the world class kvetcher, and the undisputed heavyweight champion of worrying.

When I started physical therapy two weeks after surgery, I couldn’t even move my foot. The swelling and pain were terrible. Before they could even begin having me do exercises, Anne and Jacob had to get the inflammation and pain under control, and did so primarily by rubbing and massaging my foot (they should get a medal just for doing that!) Gradually, we built up the rehab regime to include various stretches, leg and ankle strengthening exercises, as well as some cardio-conditioning on the stationary bike and elliptical machine.

To say that I am grateful to Anne and Jacob for all of their help would be an understatement. At the lowest point during recovery, I didn't think that I would ever walk or run again. Yet, Anne and Jacob were unwavering in their encouragement, support, and optimism and I have made a full recovery, due in large measure to their exceptional talent and skill.

Yesterday morning at Washington and Lee High School in Arlington, I went through a grueling workout at the track --- 400 meter repeats, 800 meter repeats, ankle strengthening and hip strengthening exercises, balance work, and leg strengthening. This was all done without pain, without soreness, without a limp, without even a hint of what had happened a year ago.

The benefits of physical therapy are obvious. I’m walking and running, training for a marathon, playing tennis, and taking up golf. But I also reaped another benefit, one that I never expected at the beginning of this journey --- friendship. To Anne and Jacob, for all you did to help me, and for your friendship, thank you.

POSTSCRIPT – Every Saturday I workout at the track at Washington and Lee High School under the supervision of Anne, who has agreed to be my personal trainer. She is helping me improve my fitness level and speed, and to provide guidance and strategy to avoid injury as I build up weekly mileage in preparation for the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon.

Courage

2008-07-21T14:09:00.003-04:00

The word courage is defined in Webster’s dictionary as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” We often hear the word used in conjunction with athletics or politics, as when a great athlete showed great courage by playing through injury to win the big game, or such and such politician displayed courage by standing up to his party by taking a politically unpopular position on the issues.

I would argue, however, that this isn’t the real essence of courage. What takes real courage is to battle cancer, to endure the often harsh treatments that make you sick, leave you without hair, and make you feel lousy. It takes real courage to fight through the adversity of cancer and continue to live. My friend Kate (pictured above) has had stage four pancreatic cancer for over one year and I’ve never seen anyone in my entire life display more courage than her. She’s undergone countless tests, procedures, blood transfusions, chemo treatments, even a hospitalization. Yet through it all, she continues to work. She continues to see her friends. She continues to write an amazing blog about her battle with cancer and inspires others who are going through their own battles against this dreaded disease. You want real courage? Last year, I was bed ridden after my ankle surgery, and Kate came to visit me! She visited while she was going through chemo. That is the true definition of courage and of a great friend. Yes, the athletic feats by our sports heroes are amazing. Yes, the political stands taken by our politicians are important, but in real life, in the real world, it is Kate and the people like her who display the true meaning of courage everyday.

Running Naked in Rockville

2008-07-20T17:58:00.007-04:00

I felt like I had nothing on during last night’s Rockville Twilighter 8k --- exposed, vulnerable, totally out of sorts. I was fully clothed for the race --- shirt, shorts, socks, shoes, timing chip, but I was missing something critical for all runners, a watch! The running watch is the lifeblood of every runner, about as important as shoes and socks, key for monitoring progress in a race and a major determinant of race strategy and tactics.

As I approached the starting line to begin the race last night, I looked at my left wrist to zero out the chron setting from the previous day’s run, and there was nothing on my wrist. Zip. Zero. Nada. What a blunder! At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. How would I be able to monitor my progress? How would I be able to keep an even pace without knowing how long I was running for? How could I forget this most important tool? Panic set in. This was going to be a difficult enough race with a watch --- 95 degree heat, high humidity --- running at a realistic pace is crucial in these types of conditions.

The first two miles went by with relative ease, and as I settled in and pushed through mile three, I looked at the race clock that is stationed at every mile and realized I was going too slowly, so I stepped on it and logged the last two miles in 16 minutes, much faster than I’ve run in a long time. As I approached the finish line and saw the big race clock overhead, I realized I would easily beat my goal of 50 minutes. As it turns out, I finished in a little over 43 minutes, much faster than I had planned to run. My legs felt fine, I was tired and my shirt was soaked through from the humidity, but otherwise I felt great. I survived running without a watch and probably did better than if I had worn one. Does that mean I’m going to ditch the watch in future races? Not a chance, but it worked out well for me last night and it’s just another strange twist and turn in my recovery from ankle surgery and return to running.

The Saturday Breakfast

2008-07-16T17:40:00.006-04:00

Traditionally, I like to do a hard work out and/or long run on Saturdays, followed by a nice, big breakfast (think eggs, pancakes, and hashbrowns) at a diner or other dive-type place. Below is a list of my favorites. The rotation is becoming kind of stale though, and I'm always looking to add new places --- would love to hear your suggestions.

The Diner (Adams Morgan)
American City Diner (Friendship Heights)
Silver Diner (Rockville)
Parkway Deli (Silver Spring)
The Original Pancake House (Bethesda)

New York or Philly?

2008-07-13T17:38:00.003-04:00

The New York City Half Marathon is a mere two weeks away, and I need to make a decision: run the race or scratch it from the schedule. This is one of the best races anywhere in the country. One lap around Central Park, then straight down Seventh Avenue through Times Square (passing such landmarks as Carnegie Hall), head over to the West Side Highway, and finish near Battery Park. Except for the New York Marathon, this is the only road race run through the streets of Manhattan. I ran the inaugural race back in 2006 and set a personal best at the half marathon distance, 1 hour, 43 minutes, one second, good for a pace of 7:51 per mile.

Fast forward to the present: barely two months back into running full time, trying to find my stride again, both in terms of speed, pace, and endurance. The longest distance I’ve run during the comeback is eight miles, and it was a struggle. If I decide to run New York in two weeks, I’ll have to take the opposite approach from 2006: slow, steady, cautious. This is out of necessity, to prevent both injury and hitting “the wall” and running out of energy. I don’t like to run this way, but for the time being, it's my reality.

I talked it over yesterday with my friend Anne, a very important person when it comes to all things ankle. You see, Anne was one of two physical therapists I worked with during my recovery from ankle surgery, and she is now my personal trainer (more about her and the other pt Jacob in an upcoming blog entry). Anyway, Anne framed my dilemma perfectly: I could run the race in New York and finish, but I wouldn’t be able to run it the way I want and I would probably be frustrated and miserable. She knows me well!

I’m 99% sure that I’m going to scratch New York, continue to train hard, strengthen my ankle, improve my fitness, speed, and endurance, and target a half marathon in the fall, perhaps the Philadelphia Distance Run in September. In the meantime, there are lots of shorter distance races being staged in the DC area in the next few months; I plan to participate in as many of them as possible.

Patience

2008-07-09T14:46:00.003-04:00

Way back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I was your typical, high energy, impatient little boy, always wanting instant gratification rather than taking the long view. Kids, especially at a very early age, are prone to such thinking. After all, at that age we don’t have the benefit of life experience, and our little brains can hardly see beyond the next minute or hour. By golly, if I want that cookie or the latest cool Atari video game, I want it now. What’s with this waiting or patience stuff? To this day I can still remember my mom preaching the old saying, patience is a virtue, and I suppose over the years, I have grown and matured (though that is subject to some debate) and am much more patient as an adult.

Since June 2007, I’ve had to exert more than my fair share of patience, first with the slow recovery of my ankle, then breaking my left elbow and going through yet more physical therapy, then enduring a nasty case of pneumonia this past spring. Through it all, I would tell myself that the end was just around the corner, and that better days were ahead --- PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE, I kept telling myself.

Now that I’m better, with no major ailments or afflictions in sight, my reserve of patience seems to be dwindling, at least in regards to running, not a good thing when training for a marathon. Prior to injuring my ankle, I was what you would call an avid runner, some might say too avid. I would run 6 days a week, sometimes twice a day. I would run in the rain, in the snow, in hot and humid weather, in below freezing temperatures, nothing would deter me from pounding the pavement. In a typical year, I would run 15-20 races over varying distances from 5ks and 10ks, to 10 milers, half marathons, and of course the big daddy, a full 26.2. The injury was but a mere interruption.

Training for a marathon, like the race itself, requires a great deal of patience --- slowly building up your weekly mileage, slowly adding miles to your long runs and daily runs, and gradually increasing your pace and speed. Too much, too soon, too fast, and you’ll wind up injured. Yet as I write this post and realize that I need to take my time, there is a part of me that wants to go home this afternoon and run 20 miles. There’s a part of me that wants to prove that this ankle injury is behind me, a distant memory, and the only way to do it is to push myself to the edge, to the brink, even chancing injury. In the end I know that I shouldn’t and that I probably won’t go out for that run, yet there is still a small part of me, that five year old in me, that wants that cookie right now!

Heat, Humidity, Hills, and the Potomac 5K

2008-07-04T15:00:00.003-04:00

Today’s Potomac 5k marked the second race in my comeback from ankle surgery. Prior to injury, a 5k would have been a piece of cake, a walk in the park, no big deal --- pick your cliché. It was an easy distance to run, the type of race I could finish in less than 22 minutes without exerting myself. One ankle surgery later, with a year and half layoff, and even a shorter distance race becomes a challenge.

I started off the race knowing I couldn’t push myself the way I used to, not at least until I get back into shape. I set a realistic goal of finishing in under 27 minutes, which averages out to less than 9 minutes per mile, respectable, especially coming off an injury, but no where close to the 7 minutes per mile I used to churn out in a race of twice the distance. From the beginning today, I struggled. The weather was warm and extremely humid to the point where I was sweating even before the race began.

I started off the race pretty well, completing the first mile in 8:07, second mile was even faster, 8 minutes flat. At that point I’m thinking that I could kick it up a notch and finish in under 24 minutes. Wow, how wrong I was! 100 yards into mile three my legs started aching, I felt completely overheated, my shirt was completely soaked through --- I hadn’t felt this wiped since I hit the “wall” during the 2003 Chicago Marathon and wound up walking the last 2 miles. This time, however, I would have none of that. There was no way I would surrender and walk, no way I would let a 5k beat me down, so I pushed on, running slower and slower, but still running. The hills, oh there were some steep ones, started to wear on me, yet as I approached the last hill on the course, I felt a sudden surge of energy, and resumed running at the pace I had used during the first mile. As I ran down hill towards the finish line, I glanced at my watch and was amazed to see that I would easily finish in less than 27 minutes.

My official time for today’s race: 25 minutes, 22 seconds, good for an 8:09 per mile pace. On the one hand I was happy with my time, given everything I’ve gone through in the last year and a half, on the other hand, it also shows that I have a long way to go before I’ll be ready for a marathon. Thank goodness the L.A. Marathon is 8 months away.

Happy Birthday to Me: Wimbledon, A New HD-TV, Steak Dinner, and Good Health

2008-07-03T10:46:00.004-04:00

Birthdays are a time to celebrate. Some throw themselves a big blowout party, others take a group to dinner, and others still go on a trip or take a long weekend getaway with a significant other. I have developed my own traditions over the past 33 years: watching Wimbledon, taking a long afternoon nap, eating a steak dinner at a top shelf steakhouse, plus sometimes mixing in the occasional summer blockbuster movie, a round of mini-golf, and/or a few frames of bowling. It’s a winning formula, and those of you who know me well know I love my traditions! Yesterday, my 33rd, was no different. I watched Roger Federer dominate his quarterfinal match, I bought myself a fantastic new 37 inch Sony HDTV (March madness at my place next year), and had a thoroughly enjoyable and delicious dinner with my parents at Charlie Palmer Steak near the Capitol building in Washington, DC.

As I was eating birthday cake last night, I couldn’t help but reflect upon my situation one year ago. At that time, I was one month post-surgery and not doing well. I couldn’t walk, my right foot was so swollen and puffed up it didn’t even look human, I had pain throughout my foot and ankle, yet parts of my foot were numb to the touch. My legs were so weak from lack of use that I couldn’t even stand in the shower and had to use a shower bench, something normally reserved for the elderly, not a 32 year old marathon runner. The progress with my recovery was slow to none and the orthopedist thought this was being caused by reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), a rare nervous system disorder that is sometimes caused by the trauma of surgery. To say that this was the low point of my life would be an understatement. I never thought I would walk or run again, or live a normal pain free life for that matter.

Oh what a difference a year makes. After physical therapy three days a week for almost a year, lots of hard work, and the unwavering support of my family, friends, and colleagues at work, I’m pretty much back to normal. It turns out I didn’t have RSD, but a case of badly bruised nerves. It turns out I was able to walk again and now I’m training for a marathon, and 99% of the pain has disappeared. All in all I have pretty much made a full recovery.

Yes the new high def tv is nice, the presents are great, the well wishes from everyone is terrific and I’m grateful for people remembering my bday. AND of course the steak dinner last night was awesome.; but what I enjoyed most about yesterday was being healthy. It’s something I used to take for granted, but I now know from my own experience and from watching my friend Kate's battle with cancer, that good health is something to be cherished, to be grateful for, and never to be taken for granted.

Ok, so I don’t want to end on too serious a note, so below is my top 5 steakhouse list - would love to hear yours.

1. Sparks Steakhouse (New York City)
2. The Palm (Washington, DC)
3. Chicago Chop House (Chicago)
4. Metropolitan Grill (Seattle)
5. Charlie Palmer Steak (Washington, DC)

Welcome

2008-06-30T14:52:00.003-04:00

On a clear, unseasonably mild, Saturday afternoon back in January 2007, I experienced the nightmare of every avid runner --- injury. One minute I'm running 7 minute miles and dreaming of a run at a Boston qualifying time, the next I'm limping back home on a bum ankle hoping against hope that the pain is temporary, a small bump on the road to marathon glory. Well, after two rounds of x-rays, six weeks of physical therapy, and no diagnosis, the orthopedist ordered an MRI, and as I suspected, a serious underlying problem was discovered, the dreaded ganglion cyst. No, this wasn't life threatening, but it took away my life as a runner, at least for the time being.

The only option to get back to running was surgery, and not an easy one. Because of the location of the cyst, an arthroscopic procedure was out of the question. Nope, I was in for good old fashion open surgery. And so it went. On June 1, 2007, I underwent a 2+ hour surgical procedure at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Northwest Washington, DC, to remove the cyst, clean up some scar tissue, and get me back on the road to running. The expected recovery time was six weeks, but as it turns out, the procedure was much more complicated than originally anticipated, my body didn't react well, and it's taken over a year to recover.

I'm writing this blog to chronicle the challenges of recovering from surgery, getting back into shape, and training for a marathon, the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon, as well as to share my passion for the sport of running, which has made such a positive impact on my life.

But what about the last part of the title, raising money? At the same time I sustained the ankle injury, my friend Kate (who got me into all this running non-sense in the first place over 10 years ago) was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. She is fighting pc really hard, going through treatment, and not only surviving, but living as full a life as possible. I admire her strength and fight, and want to support her as she goes through this difficult period. And in that spirit, I am raising money for my marathon run in L.A. to support the Lorenzen Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. Donations can be made at the following webiste: http://www.active.com/donate/pancreaticadedicat08/beatpc. Also, for a look at Kate's inspirational blog as she fights pc, go to http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and I look forward to sharing with you the trials and tribulations of training for 26.2