Interesting Week

As the saying goes…”Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them makes life meaningful.” (Joshua Marine).   By this definition it was truly an interesting week as I strove to also make it meaningful.

To recap, the Marathon Challenge was to run/jog 26.2 miles over 4 days in under 5 hours total time.   My strategy was to run a longer run on the first day, a shorter run on day two, give the old bones a rest on day 3 and then run the remaining miles on day four.  

Day one the weather is chilly but clear, a good day for a long run.   The target is to go at least 10 miles but not to wear the legs down knowing I have to get up the next day and run again.   While in the past that might not have been such a big deal, the legs these days have a mind of their own and demand more recovery time.   At some point it’s not unusual for them to just declare “enough” and cramp up.    When the legs lock up it’s like watching the tin man trying to run after a rain storm.      The first few miles were OK but as the miles went by the legs got stiffer making the last few miles a tough slog.  

Day two dawns chilly and over cast but the rain is holding off.   On a typical day it takes me a couple of miles till the legs warm up and I don’t feel like the joints are filled with cement and someone has shrunk my lungs.   Today I’m stiffer than normal and a bit sore from the day before.  One of the challenges of the area where I live is that it is very hilly.   When the legs are stiff and tired hills are a literally a real pain.  While the uphills are challenging for the lungs and quads, the pounding on the downhills are can be like someone driving a nail into your thighs.    The strategy for the day, go extra slow and keep the hills to a minimum.   It worked.

Day three is only significant in that I had to go in for a colonoscopy.  Just what you want on your rest day.  The good news, everything is fine and I slept really well during the procedure.

Day four dawns windy and with occasional sprinkles.   Feeling better after a day of rest and while stiff starting out, I gradually loosen up.   At the end I was tired but able to push through the last few miles at a slow but steady pace.  Mentally it’s so much easier to keep going when you can see the finish line.

So, 4 days, 26.2 miles and total time around 4 ½ hours.    It’s not going to set any record books on fire but definitely a step up from where I was last year (7 days and 5 ½ hours) and two years ago when I wasn’t able to run more than 100 yards.   It will be interesting to see where we are this time next year.  Doctors say it is unlikely I will regain what I had before the chemo/transplant but I don’t think we have found my limit just yet.

Thanks for all the support, words of encouragement and donations to Help in the Nick of Time.   I don’t have the words to tell you how much it means to me.   Your support feeds my motivation to keep going, keeps good memories of Nick alive, and it truly has a huge impact on all the cancer lives we are able to touch with our programs.

Stay well and safe!

Focus on Distraction

I swear my dog has ADHD (Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder).   The three-year-old pug rushes from one activity to the next with extreme enthusiasm and frantic intensity often with the annoying goal of getting everyone else to participate.     Tucker’s idea of a good time is to wait for when I’m focused on some activity like paying bills or house maintenance and then to start bringing me his toys and pushing them against my leg to play.   If I don’t engage, he goes and gets another, and another, and another until the house is a minefield of dog toys.   If I do engage, he plays for 30 seconds and then loses interest and wanders off to terrorize his sister or get into some kind of other trouble.   He’ll be back in a few minutes to start all over again.

If I could read his mind, I’m sure it would sound something like….”Play time, I’ll bring him a toy.   Here’s a toy, let’s play.  Not that toy?  OK, I’ll get another.  Oh, there’s my sister, I’ll go bite her tail.   I need a drink.   What’s that outside?  Another dog walking by, I’ll bark a warning to keep moving.   Is it food time? Check the bowl.   Hey, there’s a toy.   Play time…..

My life these days seems to be full of distractions and interruptions.   There’s likely no more than I was use to in the past it just seems I’m more responsive to them these days.   Part of it is the concern that if I don’t respond to this issue right now I’ll forget about it.   Definitely an age thing.   My feeble attempts to multitask only make things worse.   And don't even get me started on the impact of the internet and email.  The other day I spent an hour writing two checks not because it took that long to write them (not that senile yet) but because I kept thinking of issues related to the bills that I needed to take care of and was afraid I would forget if I didn’t handle them right now.

Distractions can be blessing when you are running long distance.   Anything to keep the mind focused off how tired you are, how far you still have to go, or that nagging little pain in your left hamstring.    Some people run with music as a motivator and distraction while others listen to podcasts or audio books.   I find the crowds during a race are also good distractions and motivators.    In the past I would often use the time on the road to work on business or family problems.   The challenge these days is running takes a lot more effort and focus.  Since the transplant I’ve had a problem with a “lazy” left leg (likely the result of micro-strokes) that makes my stride and balance a bit awkward.   Where in the past I may have been able to run on autopilot letting my mind wander, these days it takes constant attention to form and effort.   I really could use some distractions to focus on.

This weekend (traditionally Boston Marathon weekend) is the start of my Marathon Challenge (the goal is 26.2 miles over 4 days in under 5 hours total time).   It’s a step up from last year’s goal (26.2 miles over 7 days in under 6 hours) although a long way from the last Boston Marathon I ran 4 years ago.   No complaints though, just could use a few more distractions during the upcoming miles.   Maybe I should take some lessons from Tucker.

If you think of it, send along some good vibes over the next few days.  I’ll provide an update on the effort when I’m done.  Wish me luck!

An Angel gets his Wings

 

Over the course of my 50 years of running I’ve met hundreds of people who have turned their running into a way to help others.   It was not unusual before the pandemic to be asked by friends or families to sponsor their efforts in a run and even during the pandemic some people were raising funds participating in virtual races.   

Of all the runners I’ve met, four stand out as extra special, true angels.   One of those angels, Dick Hoyt, passed away this week.   Dick’s son Rick was born in 1962 with cerebral palsy and was quadriplegic.    At the age of 10, Rick was given a specialized computer that enabled him to communicate with the rest of the family.  An avid sports fan, in 1977 he asked his dad if he would push him in his wheelchair in a local 5-mile race.   Thus began a journey that spanned more than 1000 races including numerous Boston Marathons and even the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon (2.4-mile ocean swim, 127-mile bike and a full 26.2-mile marathon run).  In the swim Dick actually pulled Rick in a rubber dinghy behind him.    During that time Dick started a foundation, Team Hoyt, to foster athletics for disabled people.  I remember the first time I saw Dick pushing Rick in the Boston Marathon.   I caught up to them as Dick was pushing Rick up Heartbreak Hill.   I’m puffing my way up the hill thinking this guy is an animal pushing a wheelchair with a full-grown man up a steep hill 19 miles into a marathon and he is just chugging along.   As I passed them, I wished them well and said I’d see them at the finish.   It wasn’t too long after they went whizzing by me on the downhill.    As inspired and impressed as I was by his physical ability, it was the love of his son and willingness to help others that affected me most.  He will be missed but this angel now has his wings.

This year’s Boston Marathon was moved from April to October but in 2022 it will go back to April.   Registration opened this week for runners meeting the qualifying times from a previous marathon in the last 2 years.  The field is being restricted this year to only 20,000 runners so it will be very competitive to get in.    In addition, for the first time this year they will have a Virtual Boston Marathon.  No qualifying time is necessary and they will accept the first 70,000 runners to apply.   You have the option to run your marathon anytime between Oct. 8-11^th and I assume they will require one of the running apps be used as proof of completion and time.  In exchange for the entrance fee, you get a Boston Marathon completion medal, a marathon shirt and some running goodies. 

The Boston Marathon, arguably the most competitive marathon in the world, normally raises more the $30 Million a year for charities.  They do this by granting 2500-3000 runners who otherwise would not run fast enough to qualify for entry, the opportunity to stand on the starting line with world’s most elite runners and earn a coveted Boston Marathon completion metal.   Current fund-raising minimums for these runners start at $5000 and can be as high as $10,000.   With the virtual marathon offering people the option to get a medal without raising funds it will be interesting to see how it affects the charities.

As for me, I’m sticking to April for my Marathon Challenge.   You may recall last year we targeted to do the 26.2 miles in 5 days in a total combined time of under 6 hours.   This year we have upped the challenge to 26.2 miles in 4 days in under 5 hours.   To put this in perspective, the last time I ran the Boston Marathon in 2017 I completed it in one afternoon in 4 hours 5 minutes. 

Thanks to all who have supported me in my road back.   It’s truly a journey with no end date or goal but with your continued support I’ll keep plodding, blogging and supporting Pediatric Cancer programs.  More on the challenge next blog.

Winter Running - Slip Sliding Away

 

I often wonder what people think as they pass me on a cold winter morning.    I know what a few of them think because they yell it out the window as they drive by.  Most times it’s not complementary.     Running regularly takes a certain amount of commitment and fortitude.  Running in winter needs that plus a certain a degree of mental handicap.    So on a particularly slushy morning when a passing motorist yells “Crazy SOB”, I’m reticent to disagree with them.   They’re probably just jealous they can’t be out there with me.

The range of weather really defines winter running.   There’s cold, cold with wind, cold with rain, cold with wind and rain, cold with wind and snow….you get the picture.  Running in rain is manageable, snow is trouble, slush is worst, and Ice is the enemy.    Wind makes them all nastier.   Last winter was fairly mild with no snow and only a handful of really cold days.  This year Mother Nature is making up for it with 40 inches of snow in the last two weeks.  

Winter running does have its benefits.   You don’t sweat as much, you don’t suck in bugs panting up a hill, fewer dogs out to chase you, and you get to wear wooly hats that look like a racoon has taken up residence on your head.   But it’s not all lollipops and ice cream.   Here’s a few things I’ve learn over the years, usually the hard way. 

-         Icicles can form in the strangest places.   On your mustache and eye brows, on your hair, and off your hat and gloves.  

-         When it gets below 20 degrees, I have to double up on everything.  Two shirts, two pairs of socks, two pair gloves and running tights with wind pants over them.  Only one hat though.   It’s a bit of a miracle I can even move after I’m dressed.

-         Tights are never to be worn without wind pants over them.   My neighbors are not ready for the sight of "Dave in Tights".

-         Always bring a hanky.  The cold makes your nose run and an icicle hanging from your nose is just nasty.

-         Getting splashed by passing cars is a given in the rain.  When it snows the streets get narrower making dodging the spray from cars that much tougher.  I not as agile dodging the slush waves as I use to be.  There’s nothing worse than being miles from home and caked in ice from your knee down.

-         Running mornings when it’s dark can be a form of Russian Roulette.   Even with a headlamp it’s hard to pick out the icy patches.  It’s not unusual to see me skating around a corner, arms flailing and feet doing unnatural acts.  It supplies great entertainment for the school kids waiting at the bus stop.

I suspect some of you are thinking, “why would anyone voluntarily do this”.     I think we’ve established in the past that when it comes to running, I may be a few beers short of a six pack.    There are some days, when even the dogs don’t want to go out, I need an extra cup of caffeine and kick in the butt to get out the door.  But the reality is there are a lot more “nice” days than bad, and on the good days there something special about starting your day getting a bit of exercise, being outside and watching the sun come up.    Part of getting out is remembering that only a few years ago I had to spend most of a winter unable to even leave the hospital floor.    I often think about the kids with cancer going through the same isolation, an isolation we’ve certainly gotten a small taste of in the last year.    Finding ways to bring them and their families a bit of joy is the goal of both my running and the efforts of Help in the Nick of Time.    So, the next time you are hunkered down on a particularly nasty winter day, think of me and be glad that my form of insanity has passed you by.

Getting old ain't for the faint of heart

The wisdom of Anthony Hopkins, I can testify that truer words were never spoken.   It’s not so much that it’s a surprise that getting old presents challenges it’s the unexpected nature of where those challenges manifest themselves and the volume that seem to happen all at once.    I think the difficulties of getting old are like having your first child.   No matter how much you hear about it in advance, you have to go through it to really appreciate the challenges

Take my running for instance.   I’ve been running off and on for 50 years and whenever life got in the way and I took a break for a while I could comfortably return to a reasonable performance in a matter of months.     There have been some years, even in my 50’s where I would go from no running to running the Boston Marathon in 4 months.     Even after my first round of chemo and while still fighting Leukemia I was able to bounce back to run Boston in only nine months.    Fast forward to today, three years after my stem cell transplant, and running is a whole different experience.

A number of years ago I mentioned in a blog that anyone could run a marathon, it was just a matter of having the discipline to train for it.  Boy was I wrong.    As natural as running is, to do it right and not get injured requires a combination of coordination and strength that I find sorely lacking in my old age.    I was thinking about this as I was out for a morning waddle that serves for my runs these days.    I accept that as I’ve gotten older that it takes longer to warm up the old muscles and joints so I’m religious about going through a warm up routine before hitting the roads.   But no amount of pre-jog efforts seems to prevents the body from sounding like you just poured milk on a bowl of Rice Krispies (snap, crackle, pop).     The fact that it’s below freezing and I’m bundled up like the kid in the movie Christmas Story doesn’t help the situation.    Those first few miles are so slow and pathetic looking that the dogs in the neighborhood don’t even bother chasing me, not enough of a challenge.    Don’t even get me started on hills.  I’m breathing so heavy in the cold air the giant puffs of steam make me look and sound like a steam engine. 

Clearly age has a lot to do with the how much more effort it takes these days.    I find myself more sensitive to the cold, I don’t see as well in the dark, old injuries come back to haunt me with a vengeance and I just don’t have the strength I use to have.   But I also know that I lost a lot dealing with cancer and still today three years later I struggle to get back to where I was.  I think about all the children who have to deal with cancer and the aftermath so early in their lives and how they need encouragement to keep fighting.   There’s a lot of parallels between cancer and old age, their both not for the faint of heart.

And so it is that I’m taking on the marathon challenge again this year to support those kids fighting cancer through Help in the Nick of Time.   You may remember that last year they moved the Boston Marathon from April to the fall to avoid the pandemic.   The marathon was finally cancelled all together.   Given the current state of the pandemic this April’s Boston Marathon has again been moved to the fall but I’m going ahead with my marathon challenge in April.    Last year I set the goal of jogging a marathon over 7 days in under 6 hours.   This year I’m upping the ante and shooting for the 26.2 miles in 5 days and under 5 hours.   Far cry from 2017 when I ran the Boston Marathon in a little over 4 hours but progress over last year.   With your help I’ll make both my Help in the Nick of Time and marathon challenge goals.  

Kicking old ages’ butt until next time.

 

If I could save time in a Bottle

For Christmas this year my children gave my wife and I a year’s subscription to StoryWorth.    It’s a gift that fits the 2020 model of being trapped at home looking for things to do besides futile attempts to make sour dough bread.  I hoping it’s not clairvoyant on their part for 2021.    

The basis of the gift is the gifter (my children) sends a weekly question to the giftee (me) in an attempt to record insightful information about my past life.   The resulting collection of memories recorded by the giftee will be compiled into a book at the end of the year.    Pretty neat idea other than the weekly homework assignment.  Part of me thinks this is payback for all the years of chasing them to do their school work.

The exercise got me thinking about what it would be like to relive special days out of my childhood?   Would they be as joyous and carefree as I remember them or have I rewritten them in my memory to be that way.  Having reached the age of early senility my memory may be a questionable facsimile of reality.

 One place where I appear to have altered reality is around my memory of what running was like before LBL (Life Before Leukemia).    I have memories of rolling out of bed for a morning run, lacing up my shoes and blissfully hitting the streets without a moments thought to warming up.   Today’s reality involves crawling out of bed, cups of caffeine, a half hour of stretching, multiple layers of clothes, and at least a mile of creaky joints/muscles till I warm up.  After that the creaky noise level is reduced to the equivalent of a car needing replacement shocks.

I realized I can make good use of my time while out jogging to organize my thoughts to respond to Storyworth questions, a task that faces two challenges.  The first is the afore mentioned memory reliability and the second is trying to split my mental capacity between thinking and jogging.  You might think “no big deal, jogging doesn’t require much brain power, it’s pretty much automatic, like breathing”.    In a previous life, I would have agreed  but in the category of “the gifts that keep on giving”, chemo and steroids have presented me with balance and coordination challenges that make jogging require a bit more focus these days.   As a result, letting my mind wander can cause my jogging to wander (embarrassingly into traffic or people’s yards).    It’s also a constant vigil against potholes, curbs, and sidewalk cracks which are conspiring to cause rather dramatic face-plants.     At this point a reasonable person might ask “Why do you bother to continue to try to run?”  Fair question that deserves a thoughtful answer.    Truth is, I don’t have one.   Oh, I can come up with answers like it’s how I raise funds for Help in the Nick of Time/pediatric cancer programs or to keep my sanity during the infinitely boring pandemic or I’m better at it than making sour dough bread.  

 While these are all partially true, the real reason is, I hate what Leukemia treatment has taken away from me and I’m determined to take back as much as I can.  I can’t do anything about the loss of taste and smell, loss of balance or about the dry eyes but I can fight to get my strength back enough to run.    It’s clear now that I will never get back to where I was or even ever run a marathon again but I’m way ahead of where I was when I left the hospital and this year’s multi-day marathon challenge will hopefully be a step up (pun intended) from last year.  

More on that challenge, some of the programs we have funded this year through Help in the Nick of Time, and training during the pandemic in the coming blogs.  Stay tuned!