I ran the North Face Endrance Challenge 50-MIle race yesterday, finishing in 9:26. At about mile 18 I tripped on a rock nad did a hard face-plant. I came up with a cut on my leg anda a really sore hand. When I stopped at the EMS tent at mile 20, they told me they suspected it was broken, nad urged me to drop out. Well, it wasn't my foot, and it wasn't throbbing, so I kept going. As it turned outwhne I had it x-rayed after the race, it wasn't broken. I'm glad I went on to finish, but it makes me wonder when stubbornness becomes aliability instead of an asset.
I just got back from running the Long Beach Marathon as a 3:50 pacer this past weekend -- it was actually warmer in D.C. than in Southern California -- not fair! But it was good racing weather; I had fun and hit my promised pace. The course is nice but not spectacular: flattish, with some miles along the beach. But enough about that! I want to pass along some information from Hilary Cairns, a local elite runner and triathlete. Hilary has joined the advisory board of a nonprofit called Back on My Feet, a running program for homeless people. It was started in Philly and is expanding to DC in March of 2010. She'd like to pass along some more information about the program and let everyone know about a happy hour on Thursday, October 22. Founded in 2007, Back on My Feet is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the self-sufficiency of the homeless population by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. BOMF has received incredible media support, including attention from NBC Nightly News, ABC World News and CNN. The organization has chapters in Philadelphia and Baltimore and shortly in Washington, DC. Learn more at www.backonmyfeet.org. BOMF will be holding a happy hour/info session about the program on Thursday, October 22 at Union Pub in DC from 6pm-8pm. For more information, go to http://baltimore.backonmyfeet.org/Join-Us-For-a-Happy-Hour-in-DC.html This is a very worthy organization, and I urge everyone to check it out. I'll be out running in the Himalayas that day (what an excuse!) but I'm looking forward to finding out more about it.
If you haven't heard yet, there's sad news out of Detroit: at the marathon there this past weekend, three runners died within a 16-minute span. Their ages were 65, 36, nad 26. Autopsoes so far were inconclusive, but reports are that the 65-year old had fallen and sustained injuries. With weather in 20s-low 40s, overheating and excessive electrolyte loss through sweating was unlikely, so heart disease is suspected. The coroner called the three deaths a "statistical fluke." While certainly a tragedy, we can say that whatever the final cause, it's reminder that marathoning is a risky nad potentially dangerous activity. But so is life. Train smart, run smart, and live life to the fullest! And now, I'm off to fly out to India tomorrow, 10/22, for the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race! My wife Stephanie will participate with me in the Mt. Everest Challenge Marathon, which takes place on the third day of the stage race. It promises to be an unforgettable adventure. Internet access in the Himalayas is scatttered to non-existent, so you may not hear from me until I return. In the meantime, keep running!
In case you missed it, Meb Keflizighi won the NYC Marathon -- the first American to win it since 1982. Even better news for the state of Americna distance running was that he wasn't alone in the top ten -- there were five other American men with him. Good job guys! And as his reward for winning the race -- in addition to the money and fame, Meb was on Letterman the other night reading off the Top Ten list:
Top Ten Thoughts That Go Through Your Mind During the NYC Marathon:
10. "Wow, Staten Island is even more beautiful than I imagined!" 9. "Cool! Mapquest found a route that's only 5 miles." 8. "Am I experiencing runner's high or is that bus fumes?" 7. "Is that the finish line or crime scene tape?" 6. "Why can't I run 26 miles in less time than it takes to play a World Series game?" 5. "Car!" 4. "Cramp!" 3. "Who is that little boy waving at me? Oh, it's Mayor Bloomberg." 2. "I forgot to bring exact change for the Verrazano Bridge." 1. "I really hope that was Gatorade."
DEALING WITH THE HOLIDAYS
November marks the beginning of our national eat-fest, the period from Thanksgiving through New Years. This can be a very challenging time for people trying to stay fit and trim. Here are a few tips on how to get through the holidays without packing on unwanted pounds: 1. Eat before you head out for holiday dinners and parties. If you are already full, you'll be less likely to gorge on the wrong kinds of foods. And when you eat beforehand, you have more control over what you eat, so you can eat more sensibly. 2. Use a small plate. Studies show that people eat more when it is on the plate in front of them rather than when they have to go to the effort of refilling a plate. 3. Don't deprive yourself, but have a strategy: have a taste rather than a mountain of food. Instead of having a full piece of pie, have a spoonful. Aim for small amounts of a lot of different things; you'll be able to sample and taste everything, but without overindulging. 4. Pass along the treats. Don't let holiday food gifts sit in your house; bring sweets and baked good to work to share with co-workers instead of eating it all up yourself. Your co-workers will appreciate it, and so will your waistline. 5. Keep up with a regular exercise plan. Exercise not only burns calories -- especially in colder weather -- but it acts as an appetite depressant. So look for that Turkey Trot race in your neighborhood on Thanksgiving Day, and start off the holiday season on the right foot.
Check out the latest Runners World magazine, where you'll find me quoted in an article about dealing with race-day disappointments, titled "Let It Go.' Let me know what you think of it. Find it at http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--13346-1-1-2,00.html
I ran the North Face Endrance Challenge 50-MIle race yesterday, finishing in 9:26. At about mile 18 I tripped on a rock nad did a hard face-plant. I came up with a cut on my leg anda a really sore hand. When I stopped at the EMS tent at mile 20, they told me they suspected it was broken, nad urged me to drop out. Well, it wasn't my foot, and it wasn't throbbing, so I kept going. As it turned outwhne I had it x-rayed after the race, it wasn't broken. I'm glad I went on to finish, but it makes me wonder when stubbornness becomes aliability instead of an asset.
ReplyDeleteI just got back from running the Long Beach Marathon as a 3:50 pacer this past weekend -- it was actually warmer in D.C. than in Southern California -- not fair! But it was good racing weather; I had fun and hit my promised pace. The course is nice but not spectacular: flattish, with some miles along the beach. But enough about that! I want to pass along some information from Hilary Cairns, a local elite runner and triathlete. Hilary has joined the advisory board of a nonprofit called Back on My Feet, a running program for homeless people. It was started in Philly and is expanding to DC in March of
ReplyDelete2010. She'd like to pass along some more information about the program and let everyone know about a happy hour on Thursday, October 22. Founded in 2007, Back on My Feet is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the self-sufficiency of the homeless population by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. BOMF has received incredible media support, including attention from NBC Nightly News, ABC World News and CNN. The organization has chapters in Philadelphia and Baltimore and shortly in Washington, DC. Learn more at www.backonmyfeet.org. BOMF will be holding a happy hour/info session about the program on Thursday, October 22 at Union Pub in DC from
6pm-8pm. For more information, go to http://baltimore.backonmyfeet.org/Join-Us-For-a-Happy-Hour-in-DC.html
This is a very worthy organization, and I urge everyone to check it out. I'll be out running in the Himalayas that day (what an excuse!) but I'm looking forward to finding out more about it.
If you haven't heard yet, there's sad news out of Detroit: at the marathon there this past weekend, three runners died within a 16-minute span. Their ages were 65, 36, nad 26. Autopsoes so far were inconclusive, but reports are that the 65-year old had fallen and sustained injuries. With weather in 20s-low 40s, overheating and excessive electrolyte loss through sweating was unlikely, so heart disease is suspected. The coroner called the three deaths a "statistical fluke." While certainly a tragedy, we can say that whatever the final cause, it's reminder that marathoning is a risky nad potentially dangerous activity. But so is life. Train smart, run smart, and live life to the fullest!
ReplyDeleteAnd now, I'm off to fly out to India tomorrow, 10/22, for the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race! My wife Stephanie will participate with me in the Mt. Everest Challenge Marathon, which takes place on the third day of the stage race. It promises to be an unforgettable adventure. Internet access in the Himalayas is scatttered to non-existent, so you may not hear from me until I return. In the meantime, keep running!
In case you missed it, Meb Keflizighi won the NYC Marathon -- the first American to win it since 1982. Even better news for the state of Americna distance running was that he wasn't alone in the top ten -- there were five other American men with him. Good job guys! And as his reward for winning the race -- in addition to the money and fame, Meb was on Letterman the other night reading off the Top Ten list:
ReplyDeleteTop Ten Thoughts That Go Through Your Mind During the NYC Marathon:
10. "Wow, Staten Island is even more beautiful than I imagined!"
9. "Cool! Mapquest found a route that's only 5 miles."
8. "Am I experiencing runner's high or is that bus fumes?"
7. "Is that the finish line or crime scene tape?"
6. "Why can't I run 26 miles in less time than it takes to play a World Series game?"
5. "Car!"
4. "Cramp!"
3. "Who is that little boy waving at me? Oh, it's Mayor Bloomberg."
2. "I forgot to bring exact change for the Verrazano Bridge."
1. "I really hope that was Gatorade."
DEALING WITH THE HOLIDAYS
November marks the beginning of our national eat-fest, the period from Thanksgiving through New Years. This can be a very challenging time for people trying to stay fit and trim. Here are a few tips on how to get through the holidays without packing on unwanted pounds:
1. Eat before you head out for holiday dinners and parties. If you are already full, you'll be less likely to gorge on the wrong kinds of foods. And when you eat beforehand, you have more control over what you eat, so you can eat more sensibly.
2. Use a small plate. Studies show that people eat more when it is on the plate in front of them rather than when they have to go to the effort of refilling a plate.
3. Don't deprive yourself, but have a strategy: have a taste rather than a mountain of food. Instead of having a full piece of pie, have a spoonful. Aim for small amounts of a lot of different things; you'll be able to sample and taste everything, but without overindulging.
4. Pass along the treats. Don't let holiday food gifts sit in your house; bring sweets and baked good to work to share with co-workers instead of eating it all up yourself. Your co-workers will appreciate it, and so will your waistline.
5. Keep up with a regular exercise plan. Exercise not only burns calories -- especially in colder weather -- but it acts as an appetite depressant. So look for that Turkey Trot race in your neighborhood on Thanksgiving Day, and start off the holiday season on the right foot.
Check out the latest Runners World magazine, where you'll find me quoted in an article about dealing with race-day disappointments, titled "Let It Go.' Let me know what you think of it. Find it at http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--13346-1-1-2,00.html
ReplyDelete