The Home Stretch

We are lead to believe that all miles are the same distance. Somewhere north of 5,000 feet south of 6,000. Your car, a map, google earth, other reliable sources of distance related information. They lie. All of them.

Distance is always an important topic for runners. For myself, I am primarily interested in distance for 2 reasons. First, because I need to know how far to tell the guys at the Taco Joint that I ran that day as they hand me my free beverage. Second, because I need to know what to say at the various points in conversation over the next week whenI subtly/blatantly slip it into the conversation.

Oddly enough, however, distance is apparently a tad bit of a grey area when it comes to actually hitting the pavement. For example, Luke's Locker tells me that I am supposed to run "12 miles" on Saturday...but at the end of the "12 mile" runs, I have, in fact, run 12.6 miles. POINT SIX! If you dare to broach this topic with a member of the Luke's training team, they will simply stare at you and reply that the course is measured in "Luke's Miles." As previously mentioned on this blog, I believe measuring distance in Luke's Miles must be akin to measuring temperature in Kelvin. I have been told once that on the day of our actual marathon, the mileage we run will be greater than 26.2 and we should get used to pushing just a little further. (Side Note: To be clear...that's "a little further" than 26.2 miles.)

One lesson I have also learned is to try and run relatively straight, because weaving back and forth can add up to 10% additional distance. Fair point, duly noted, please tell all roadblocks to kindly step aside.

Perhaps the most amazing distance phenomenon, however, is the last mile of the run. Somehow, when you are not looking, little running elves stretch out the course so that it is twice, possibly even nineteen times as long. This applies whether you are running 4 miles, 9 miles, double digits or numbers that rhyme with mate-teen. It's a fact. Verifiable not by science, but by any runner who has ever run ever.

For those lucky souls training at White Rock Lake (and running the lake in a clockwise direction), this means that the stretch from the footbridge (shown in the picture above) to the bath house is somehow 2 to 19 miles long. Sure...your tape measures, odometers, pedometers, and other -ometers will tell you it's a mile. They lie.

I guess that is why it is all the better when you cross through the gate at the top of the hill. Your Garmin watch is evidence to the world that you ran their so called mileage...but everybody waiting on the other side of that gate knows exactly how far you really ran.

Timmy

Days Left - 69

Total Distance Run - 181.16 miles

Running in the Rain

Today was a big day for Dallas and for me. Today was the day that cooler heads prevailed, literally. After many broken promises, a cold front fought its way through and managed to bring a little rain with it...

I opened my door this morning at 6:15 and it was pouring down rain. I was thrilled. I have only run in the rain a handfull of times, but every time I do I become quite convinced that I am the most dedicated runner in the city of Dallas and perhaps the state. Today was no exception.

My goal for the day was to run the Sperry loop, which is an approximately 4.5 mile "loop" (of pain) that Luke's makes us run every Saturday. Last Saturday was my first experience with the aforementioned loop and it bested me. The first half of the loop is essentially a slow uphill climb...not sure it ever goes back downhill...the lake must somehow tilt upwards, because I don't remember ever having the pleasure of going downhill. This morning, however, me and the rain kicked the Sperry loop's...um...cul de sac?

It was only sprinkling when I started, but about halfway through the skies decided to commit and I frankly don't remember ever being that wet when I was not submerged in something. It was fantastic. While I am quite sure no one actually noticed me, I imagined the comments from the drivers as they passed me...something appropriate like "Oh! Look at that attractive and fit young man. He is a bastion of dedication to be respected and envied. I should stop and ask his name so that I will know what the name my children and my children's children."

Needless to say, I made it back to my car in just over an hour, having conquered the Sperry loop and totally and absolutely soaked to the core. Best. Run. Ever.

Timmy

Day Left - 74

Total Distance Run - 168.57 miles

Hip is hurting. Boo.

Saturday - 15.90 miles (some walking, but I'm counting it)! Monday - 2.84 miles. Leg pain = 3 out of 10.

Lessons (Part 1)

I have learned a number of things about preparing for and actually running a long run, and I thought I would share them...you can thank me later, should you ever take up running, and your welcome (in case we aren't speaking to each other when you later take up running...no excuse for being impolite).

1. Sweat and Paper = Oil and Water - Much like milk and graham crackers, the combination seems harmless but the results look disgusting. While running our Saturday long runs we have to carry directions with us to make sure we stay on course. The other option is to memorize the directions, but after about the 10th "turn left/right on _____" you just can't keep it all together. There are a number of methods for keeping the directions dry: (1 ) lamination - an excellent option of the scrapbook set, but totally inconvenient for normal people, (2) baggie - poor man's lamination...fancy people use a snack size bag, and (3) bond paper - much like a brawny paper towel, it's thicker so it takes longer for the absorption to totally ruin the paper. To be fair, I am speaking a little bit out of turn, since I have never actually had to carry directions. But I have seen the results. Not pretty.

2. Friction Non-Fiction - Basically, if it moves, it is capable of bleeding. Name an exterior part of the body. Yes, that chafes. How do you fix it...well, you smear it with something or cover it with something. Problem is, sometimes the covering just irritates something else. Let's say that you are developing a patch on you right arm where your arm hits your shirt while you run...let's say you then put a bandaid on that arm...arm is fixed, but your side is in for a brand new round of fun. My only fix to the slather myself in body glide (which is the second cousin to petroleum jelly, but in stick form). You feel weird doing it, but your nipples will thank you later.

Timmy

Days Left - 78

Total Distance Run - 145.12

2.95 miles. Also 2.95 gallons of sweat.

2.79 miles.

Marathon Training or "How I Learned to Love the Pain"

As you are all aware, the last couple of weeks have been filled with a lot of medical drama and not a lot of running. I was hopeful that last week's steroid shot would be a miracle fix that eliminated all the pain I was feeling and would also made my ass look awesome. Unfortunately, neither is quite true. Since my long run on Saturday (9.5 miles, give it up...after 2 weeks off), my hip has been providing a constant reminder that, while it could be much worse, all is not quite right in the world. Also, my ass is still only its usual self...amazing personality, great with kids and parents, but not going to stop traffic (except in the way a solar eclipse might stop traffic...but I digress).

Oddly enough, though, I am okay with it.

There were a few days when I really thought the marathon was over for me. I was upset, to say the least. In my head, I knew that running the marathon was not worth risking permanent damage to my hip...but that only gets me so far. Being told I could't do it, just made me want to do it more.

It's not easy to get up in the morning and face the heat. It's not easy to keep going a couple hours into a multi-hour run. So it helps to have a constant reminder that it's all a blessing and an opportunity.

This Saturday my group is running 16 miles. In light of my time off, I am going to take it pretty easy and shoot for 13 to 14 miles, but I plan to walk the rest of 16 miles. I probably won't be so grateful for the opportunity approximately 8 miles in.

Timmy

Day Left - 81

Total Distance Run - 139.38 miles

THANK YOU!

Also, I wanted to send a big thank you to everyone who has donated to my run. As of today, I am officially halfway to my fundraising goal. In light of my reentry to the running world, I think today is a very fitting day to have reached this point.

For those of you who have not yet given, now's your chance! All the cool kids are doing it! Just click below....and thanks in advance!

http://mskcc.convio.net/site/TR/Events/Freds_Team?px=1760239&pg=personal&fr_id=1310

Back in the Game

Wanted to post a quick update to say that I have been cleared to run again starting today.

My doctor and I took a quick look at some fascinating xray and MRI images and determined (well really he determined, but I feel good about it) that I have a extra bump on the side of my left hip bone that has slowly rubbed its way through the labral cartilage in my hip joint. The bump is called an impingement (or FAI...which stands for something...). It results from the fusion of growth plates and has nothing to do with my weight or misuse of my body (so suck it Dr. Curtis...who told me, and I quote, "You know Tim, most people lose the weight first and then run a marathon.")

The easy, but temporary, fix was to get a steroid shot directly in the joint, which I did on Tuesday.

Now comes the fun part...catching up on 2 weeks of missed training. Wish me luck.

Timmy

(Not) Runnin' Runnin' and (Not) Runnin' Runnin'

(Not sure what Black Eyed Peas song the above title that is from, but please sing accordingly)

Yesterday was a traumatic day for me and my hip. I arrived at the imagining center for what I assumed would be a normal MRI. In and out. Wrong.

First, I was told about the procedure, which would involve needles and a needed ride home (which I did not have, because I was not told I needed one).

Second, I was forced to wait for 30 to 45 minutes extra after being told about said needle and possible ride-home mandatory side effects.

Third, I was placed on an x-ray table, whilst a group of doctors watched a needle be inserted into my hip joint on a neighboring television screen.

Fourth, I was injected into an MRI tube where I remained for an hour an five minutes.

At the end of all this trauma, the technician told me that a hip arthograph MRI (I could totally be spelling that incorrectly) is the longest MRI that they perform in that office. She didn't want to tell me before since the idea of spending an hour in the machine scares people...you think?

How I spent my time in the tube:

1. First 10 minutes - PANIC! I clutched the emergency button and forced myself not to push it mulitple times, despite the clear fact that the MRI tube was getting smaller and cutting off all my oxygen.

2. Second 10 minutes - Silently counting the number of songs played on the radio station I was listening to (91.7...what, what) through headphones slapped on my head at the last moment in a failed attempt to keep track of time.

3. Third 10 minutes - Imagining that the technician and all other trained MRI operators in the building had been killed in a rampage and that I was left alone...stuck in the machine...again, did not push the button.

4. Fourth 10 minutes - Focusing on my right foot and how badly I wanted to move it. I needed to move it. I must move it! I did not move it.

5. Fifth 10 minutes - Loving the technician for telling me I only had 17 minutes left (and for not being dead...see 3 above).

6. Last 15 minutes - Silently counting to 1000 slowly. How is it possible that minutes go so slowly.

Not sure what the name of my technician was, but I am sure that I have never loved a stranger more than when she ejected me from my hole in the MRI machine. Next time they ask me if I am claustrophobic the answer will be a resounding...YES.

Timmy

Days Left - 93

Total Distance Run - Same as below. Booooooo.