Tony Danza

Quick...

Yup, Who's the Boss. 
How good was that show?

Last Sunday, I went out early for what is currently my long run--10 miles.  The prior week, I had done the same run and was feeling pretty darn tired out by the end.  This week I ran it considerably faster and felt a ton better.  It was nice to finally feel like I was in control of the run, instead of the run being in control of me.  I felt like that again today while I was on the track.  The workout isn't anything to write home about in terms of volume or speed, but it served its purpose of reclaiming some fitness and allowing my muscles and tendons an opportunity to adjust and strengthen themselves.  I felt like the injuries that seemed to be cropping up were related to muscle weaknesses or imbalances and I need to make sure they are corrected and strengthened as I progress. 

I've been running long enough to know that sometimes the run is the boss, but it was nice to be on top the last few days.

Bouyed

Bouyed by how my Achilles felt after the Anne-Marie House 5K (one of my longer runs so far--w/warm-up and cool-down--and moving a little quicker than I had), I decided to hop into my brother's workout on Wednesday.  He was doing a broken up tempo run on the track and I jumped in for every other quarter.  I ran the quarters in 88-89--again, to see how it felt and my Achilles would react.  I'll sure be happy when I can stop being concerned about this tempermental 3 inch section of my leg!  I felt good and it was fun to be doing something different than what the past few weeks consisted of. 

Last fall, my brother, our friend Todd, and I did workouts together every Wednesday.  It was a good workout group and I'm hoping to make my way back into the workout wednesday routine.  But, I'm going to be realistic where I'm at, so I'll swallow (and no doubt choke) on my pride and just try and hit paces and interval lengths that are representative of where I'm at, not where I want to be.  As I was doing the 4's, I thought about how I want to be able to run this pace for a much, much longer distance, but if I can only do it for 400m at a time right now, that's okay, too.


My run last night started in the dusk and finished in the dark so I got to sport my headlamp. I'm used to wearing it in the winter, so it was a treat to be in a tank top while sporting it!



Anne-Marie House 5K

Earlier this spring I was contacted by Dennis St. Lawrence and asked to participate in a fundraiser for the Anne-Marie House in Hudson, NH, which provides emergency transitional shelter, meals, and services for families experiencing homelessness.  The house is part of the Greater Nashua Interfaith Hospitality Network (GNIHN), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.  Their vision is to eliminate homelessness one family at a time.  Beautiful.  And, it seems as if they have already made a huge difference in the lives of a number of families.

When I was contacted, I didn't know where I would be living or what I would be doing in the fall, so I expressed my interest in helping, as long as I was in the area.  When I found out I would be around, I called Dennis and said I would be there to help, but wouldn't be able to do much in terms of racing...that whole Achilles lay-off thing.

It was a great afternoon with a lot of people out to support the cause.  I felt horrible warming up and didn't have a game plan.  My main goal was just to get in 8-10 miles and not do anything stupid to my Achilles.  I started the race pretty conservatively and then picked it up as I went along.  I ran 20:31, which was the first time I dipped under 7:30 pace since starting running again.  Good to know it's still possible and not bad since I felt comfortable and purposely wasn't trying to race.  My brother said I could run on his XC team...maybe even Varsity.  Sweet. 

It was a well organized event for a great purpose. I hope to return next year and continue to support the Anne-Marie House.

Thank You!!

I wanted to take a quick moment and thank my sponsor, Hammer Nutrition, for being so supportive during my lay-off this summer. While I want to represent them well and be able to show them fast times and high places, I felt no pressure to perform this summer. In fact, I even received words of support for my decision...just another reason why they are such a wonderful company. They make products that work and taste great and truly are an athlete-centered company. Thank you Hammer Nutrition!!

(And thank you to those who have shared with me that you tried Hammer Nutrition because you saw that they sponsor me…I’m sure you are enjoying it as much as I am!  If you have any questions or want any suggestions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment and I’ll reply.)

Also, a thank you to Marx Running & Fitness in Acton, MA for taking a similar stance--support and patience.  They (Mark) hooked me up with some great gear and race support...then I stopped running.  It's nice to have people say, "it's okay...you'll be ready when you're ready" and be totally cool with it, even after pumping time and money into you.  Thanks! and I'm looking forward to getting the singlet back on!

Long Run

Today I did the longest run since coming back...a solid 10 bangs.  I still have a cold, but wanted to give it a go, especially with the company of Lance (brother) and Mae (brother's dog) and since I "tapered" for it the day before.  It was a fairly hilly 10, but we hit up some great dirt roads and logging trails. 

I was super sleepy when I woke up this morning, so as I sipped my coffee and scanned the internet, I was stoked to get some inspiration in the form of a Runner's World interview with Hansons-Brooks runner and friend, Desiree Davila, who's going to crush it (along with her teammates, no doubt) at Chicago this October.  Inspired, I put on some of my sweet Brooks gear from my time with the team and happily headed out the door.

Here's a snap of me after the run, faking feeling fresh.

And then here is one of me, with my eyes half-closed that more properly represents how I felt.
  

Establishing A Routine

Yesterday I was as sick as a dog.  (I wonder where that saying originated from....hhhmmmmm.)  My eyes burned, my nose dripped, my throat ached, my sinuses throbbed, and my eyelids drooped.  I was miserable and it was pretty darn late when I left work.  I debated about running and whether it was a bad idea being sick, but I really wanted a touch of fresh air and to start getting in a good routine of getting my runs in whether I was at work late and/or hungry and/or tired, etc, etc.  After an achy first few minutes, I had a nice run.  It started to get really dark towards the end and I reminded myself that I should throw in my bag my uber-cool safety devices: headlamp and reflective vest.  (I had never really run in a headlamp too much until last year...I did some early morning runs when it was dark out and since there are no street lights and only woods, it was essential.  It's a light weight, low cost Petzl.  I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I give it a thumbs up.)  Either way, safety first!  (I spent the first week of school going over laboratory safety, so it's fresh on the mind.)

Today, I tested out some new trails, which I was rather unsure about.  The only people I had ever seen at the parking area were two pretty intense looking mountain bikers.  So, I figured it may be rather technical, single track that may not be great for running.  But, it was great!  I figured out a loop and then added on, making somewhat of a figure 8.  It was late in the evening, so the way the sun hit a few clearings in the woods was rather majestic.  And, there was a really cool foot-bridge.  FYI, I greatly enjoy a good foot-bridge...I don't know why, it's just one of those things.

Anyway, I'm off to a good start this week and the Achilles is doing well.  I wish you all well.

Kickin' It Off

Soooooo, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Why? I don’t know. I guess I felt like I didn’t have anything too interesting to write, I was too lazy, and I was waiting to have BIG news to relate. I’m not sure I have anything too interesting to convey, but that, I suppose, is not for me to decide. I have news and I’ll share it---that’s what this whole blog thing is about…right?!

Along those lines, a few months ago I was emailing back and forth with one of my friends and she mentioned my blog and I wrote back something to the effect of, “yeah, I really need to update it. I need to write more often and be more witty.” I can’t make any guarantees about stunning wit coming to you (and probably surely not right at this moment), but I am going to make a concerted effort to update more regularly. Whether or not I have major news…because all the little parts that eventually lead to something major may hold their own degree of importance. Is it not the journey that we are urged to enjoy and view the significance of?

To get this rolling, let me give you a brief update of where I’m at right now.

I voluntarily took a long layoff from running this summer. I have had a nagging Achilles the past few years and while it gave me very little problems, I knew it had a degree of inflammation and limited mobility. It seemed to be getting worse early this summer (even with reduced mileage and intensity) and I figured that in order to take a step forward, I was going to have to take a step back.  It took quite a while and there is still a bit of scar tissue, but I think it was worth it. Despite what happens running-wise, it is nice to be able to not limp around the house upon rising from bed, after sitting still for a few minutes, and, of course, after running. It is also refreshing to not hobble through the beginning of a run, waiting for it to “warm up” or “loosen up.”  I think it was causing other problems and was definitely a weak part of my chain. 

I just started to run again recently and I plan on taking it fairly easy to start, especially since there is still a bit of scar tissue and I'm turbo out of shape.  While running this morning, I was talking with my brother and saying that I would like to try and qualify for the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, but that it was going to take a (very) concerted effort to do so. But, I think I’m going to go for it and see what comes. I know that I just can’t rush trying to get a qualifier or I’ll end up back on my butt, so I’ll take it as it comes.

The other news is that I got a new job...a job that I'm very excited about!  This past year I substitute taught and spent most of the spring and summer applying for college coaching jobs, but no dice. Then, right at the end of the summer I applied for a high school teaching position (chemistry), which I was also interested in doing, and I was hired less than a week before classes started. Suffice it to say, it’s been a lot of work, but I’m really enjoying it. As it relates to running, I’ve been so busy that it has tempered my running, which is good for this “getting back into it” stage.  Going forward, I’m going to have to plan and schedule my runs and make sure I get them in despite what goes on during the day or how tired I feel. I’m a routine person, so once I get it ironed out I should be good.

Well, that was not witty, but an update’s an update (and I stacked wood for over 5 hours today), so it is what it is. I’ll be more regular in updates, more open in my writing, and perhaps even more entertaining.