The Longest Run

For a couple of weeks in 2008, during the peak of training for the Chicago Marathon, I was at my target weight: 165 pounds. Given the aftermath of all the running I did in 2008, 2009 was not a great year for running. I'm back on track now, though, and eagerly looking forward to the NYRR Manhattan half-marathon in a couple of weeks. I'm recommitting myself to achieving my target weight, and I'm using the steps outlined in the Motivation chapter of 59 Seconds: Think A Little, Change A Lot to focus my efforts. It's a fun book that I highly recommend. The key steps include: 1. Identify the overall goal 2. Create a step by step plan to achieve the goal (including specifics on how each step will be achieved and how you will reward yourself as each step is achieved. 3. Specifically identify the benefits of achieving the goal. 4. Tell lots of people about your goal. That's what's happening here, by the way..... For more background, check out this post on Wiseman's ...

Image via Wikipedia Saw the physical therapist today for treatment of my ongoing leg/back pain. He thinks maybe it's time for an MRI and that I might have something called FAI.....just like Alex Rodriguez. From cnnsi.com: Expert: A-Rod's pending surgery necessary to prevent hip arthritis As finely tuned a baseball machine as Alex Rodriguez might appear to be, a critical part of his body's machinery has long been working its way toward malfunction. The cyst on his hip that was drained last week is not the problem, but simply a result of a deeper structural problem with the joint itself; one that has developed over years and resulted in a condition that is increasingly being recognized in both athletes -- and the general population -- as a common cause of chronic groin and back pain. According to a rough estimate by Rodriguez's surgeon, Dr.Marc Philippon, who has operated on dozens of pro athletes, perhaps 20 percent of people have a structural abnormality that can impair...

Great entry at Science of Sport with a look back at the mental challenge of breaking through the 4-minute mile barrier: Mind vs Matter . Love this quote: we can each improve within ourselves by reframing our expectations, by challenging our beliefs, by identifying our own mental barriers and then breaking them down

Came across an article today in the New York Times that's quite timely: The Pain May Be Real, but the Scan Is Deceiving . I'm currently enjoying my own medical odyssey - trying to get to the bottom of what's up with my back and leg pain and soreness. After seeing an orthopedist yesterday, my next step is to see a physical therapist who specializes in runners; I'll see him next week for a video analysis (!) of my running gait to check if there's something I'm doing that's causing the problems. No running for now, but I have been cleared to do biking; lots of spin classes in my future! The lack of a clear diagnosis of the cause of the problem is a bit frustrating....but I'm hopeful that connecting with a good doctor will lead to some answers.

....but interesting nonetheless: Providing Toilets for 39,000 Runners

Over the weekend I found a cool website called The Science of Sport . There's a lot of great material on the site, run by two guys with Ph.D.'s in Exercise Physiology, on things like hydration, shoes, running form, etc. It wouldn't surprise you to know I found the post Chicago Marathon 2008 - The data do not lie: The actual environmental conditions from the course to be MOST interesting. Related articles by Zemanta Around Town: 2008 Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon Sends 61 To Hospital, Starter Numbers Down

Check out this story from the San Francisco Chronicle: At Women's Marathon, Fastest Time Didn't Win . There were over 20,000 competitors in Sunday's Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. And 24-year-old Arien O'Connell, a fifth-grade teacher from New York City, ran the fastest time of any of the women. But she didn't win. Something similar happened at the Chicago Marathon on October 12. More details in the article, but the gist is that the person with the 4th fastest time didn't get the prize money for fourth place because he didn't run with the elite runners.

Here's the report from the New York Times on this year's Chicago Marathon: Another Hot and Steamy Marathon in Chicago .

It's 5:30AM. Chris and I are up and getting ready for the big day. I had a short but good night of sleep (I woke up at 4AM) but feel rested and ready to go. Latest weather report looks ok. It will be in the low 60's at the start and the mid-70's by the time we finish, with partly cloudy skies and moderate humidity. We leave here in 45 minutes....

This list comes from a friend of mine. Substitute 'Chicago' for 'New York' and take out the part about hills and it's perfect for this weekend's race. My favorite: 'It’s the last mile and knowing you can do it.' DEFINITIONS: What is 26 Miles 385 Yards? It’s more than a race, it’s a state of mind. It’s sore muscles. It’s stiff legs. It’s pasta parties and port-a-potties. It’s a number and four safety pins. It’s love It’s hate It’s glory. It’s 20 miles of hope followed by six miles of truth. It’s cramping muscles and aching legs. It’s sweat on your forehead. It’s tears in your eyes. It’s anguish and agony. It’s elation and ecstasy. It’s blisters and black toenails. It’s aching armpits and tender nipples. It’s knowing better, but not caring. It’s orange slices in the hands of kids. It’s crumpled cups underfoot. It’s smiling volunteers. It’s screaming spectators. It’s uphills and downhills. It’s potholes in the pavement. It’s messages on T-shirts. It’s signs...

I'm a big fan of the Runners Lounge website and blog; it's been a great source of information during my training. I recently signed up to participate in a 21-Day test of a self-massage tool called 'The Stick'. I'll pick up the stick at the Marathon Expo in Chicago this weekend and will write about my experiences in a dedicated forum on the Runners Lounge site. Related articles by Zemanta Announcing The Stick 21-Day Challenge Get Ready for Chicago! Carbo-Loading the Chicago Way

I can't express how moved I am by the outpouring of help in response to my request yesterday for doctor/physical therapist recommendations. In spite of a full day of meetings, I was able to see a doctor, have a physical therapy session, and get a set of x-rays yesterday. While I don't yet have the results of the x-rays, it seems that my problem is just a strained muscle rather than something more serious (like a stress fracture). I can now go into the marathon Sunday confident in the knowledge of what's up with my body. For those of you who are interested in the details, I have a strained adductor muscle in my right leg... I do have to say I was surprised to hear how many of you have physical therapists or massage therapists who you swear by - it makes me wonder what I've been missing out on! On a more serious note, the lesson learned is that it makes sense to develop a good relationship with a doctor and/or a therapist who can help you get through the inevitable ache...

Some interesting notes from the race organizer today. Exciting and daunting stuff.... Welcome to race week for the 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. The race is only days away, and participants from across the country and around the world are waiting in eager anticipation to hit the ground running on the historic streets of Chicago, where more than a million spectators will be standing curbside and cheering them on. And... Question of the Month For our September Question of the Month, we asked: Marathon veterans, what last-minute advice would you offer someone who is preparing to take on the marathon for the first time? “There is only one piece of advice, and it's an essential element to having a good marathon. Quite simply, ENJOY IT! You have to get into the whole event, not just the race. Make the most of the Expo. Get excited about buying new running kit that will proudly tell your friends that you ran the 2008 Chicago Marathon when you get home. Go and check out some of th...

Here's the week 16 training update: Week 16 target mileage: 27 miles Week 16 actual mileage: 24.2 miles Target cumulative miles through last week: 612 miles Actual cumulative miles through last week: 586.1 miles Variance: (25.94) miles Training miles to go: 14* At this point I've got just 5 days to go until the race; it's hard to believe that it's so close after more than 9 months of thinking about it, planning for it, and training for it. Last week's training - the second week of a three week taper - was ok. I didn't feel particularly relaxed or refreshed from the reduced mileage, and while my knees and ankles feel great, the soreness in my groin/thigh got worse. I've talked with a number of people about what to do and the one point on which there is great consensus is that I should not run any further this week. I have to give a particular shout out to Tom at Runner's Lounge , which is a terrific running community on the web. Tom is one of the co-found...

I'm guessing there was a time when big marathons weren't quite so corporate.... From the 2008 Chicago Marathon confirmation brochure: Help Nike Inspire Your Favorite Runner Join forces with Nike as they support the marathoners along the course. Nike will feature a cheer station at the 25k (mile 15.5) mark near Ashland & Jackson, as well as a motivational zone near mile 22.5 at 33rd & Wentworth. Both stations will offer cheer supplies and entertainment to help spectators motivate and encourage their favorite runners. The 33rd Street motivational zone will also feature a live video feed of runners, music, an emcee and cheer groups who will work to give runners an extra boost as they enter the final stretch of their marathon. Bank of America Cheer Zones Bank of America is with you every step of the way from start line to finish line. To demonstrate support of your mission, Bank of America will host four Cheer Zones in four different neighborhoods to provide encouragement ...

If you are interested in tracking me (or any other runner) as I progress through the Chicago Marathon, you can sign up here . Here's what you'll get (according to the official Chicago Marathon website): Spectators can electronically track multiple runners along the race course by receiving real-time updates via e-mail or text message throughout the race. Updates will be received as runners cross the 10K, halfway (13.1 miles) and 30K checkpoints, as well as the finish line.

Here's the week 15 training update: Week 15 target mileage: 35 miles Week 15 actual mileage: 28 miles Target cumulative miles through last week: 585 miles Actual cumulative miles through last week: 561.8 miles Variance: (23.15) miles Training miles to go: 41 Last week was ok. I had a great couple of runs in the middle of the week ( including Wednesday's new PR ) but somehow ran out of steam at the end of the week. Torrential rain knocked me off my game Friday morning (I couldn't run my typical 3 mile warmup in Central Park before doing strength training) and the hard session with my trainer Friday left me sore and achy going into Sunday's long-ish run; the run was supposed to be 15 miles but I went out assuming I'd only do 11. Conditions were gross - warm and humid - and it was one of those runs where every step was a chore. I've not gone back yet to look over the full training program, but I have the sense that my good training weeks (such as last week) are oft...

A few of you have asked if the race will be televised. Below is some information I recently received. I'll also post details soon on how you can get updates via email on the progress of specific race participants. 2008 Broadcast Information Whether you are in Chicago or across the world, you can catch live action of the 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on TV, radio and/or the Web. Check out exclusive coverage from the Bank of America Chicago Marathon’s broadcast partners: *All times are Central Universal SportsNBC 5 Chicago NBC 5 News coverage begins at 6 a.m. followed by live on-air and on-line coverage of the 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, 7 to 11 a.m. The Score Sportsradio 670 AM On race day, The Score Sportsradio 670 AM will bring you all the race action live from 7 to 11 a.m. Prior to race day, Bank of America Chicago Marathon preview shows will air on The Score Sportsradio 670 AM on Saturday, September 27, from 7 to 8 a.m. and Saturday, October 4, from 7 to 8 a.m...

From Runner's World Magazine, A Brief Chat With Carey Pinkowski (director of the race).