Month of Mike

Sue always calls the month of June, the “Month of Mike”. It's no wonder as June typically includes the Mount Saint Mary’s Alumni Golf Tournament, my birthday, Fathers Day, a race or two and typically a few "extra" Golf outings along the way.

Late in May, as the “Month of Mike” approached; probably feeling sorry for myself, I mentioned to Sue, that this year it just wouldn't count, that I would want a “redo” somewhere along the way.

So now, on the last day of the month, as I sit and think, I cannot say everything worked out in the tradition of previous years, yet it was a keeper after all . 

This year the “Month of Mike” proved to be an exercise in adaptation, appreciation and understanding.

The “Month of Mike” took me on a ride that led me to highs and lows unknown to me before.

The “Month of Mike” reinforced the value of love and friendship, the power of touch and the importance of a sense of humor.

The “Month of Mike” proved to me (once again) that thirty years ago I managed to make a great decision and married the right gal.

Thank you my friends and family, you have made "Month of Mike" a good one.

Later..... Mike

Twelve Hours

Yesterday evening I headed out to meet my Tuesday evening trail running buddies for what ended up being a shorter then expected miserable run. It was hot, humid, body felt sluggish and I was not in the best of moods. Four nights, without a block of sleep longer than two hours might explain how I felt and my mood.

Last night, I fell into bed at 9:00 P.M., tired and ready for a good night's sleep only to wake up an hour and a half later. When I awoke I felt pretty refreshed but was shocked to see it was 10:30 (not in the A.M.) , thereby assuring another long night of short naps and clock watching. I've become a Master of clock watching and optimistic caculation.......... Ok......... it's 3:30, if I fall asleep right now and sleep to 6:00 that’s two and a half hours................Damn......... 4:45........ an hour and fifteen minutes.................. 5:50....... What the hell, might as well get up.

This morning, after another night of optimistic calculations I got up feeling good, to a gentle breeze and highly unlikely end of June Maryland Weather. (Cool and no humidity). Molly and I went for our morning run taking a longer route then planned, enjoying every minute of it.

In twelve hours everything seemed to do a one hundred eighty “about face”. Sort of a metaphor for life that I will need to focus on in the coming months.

Later... Mike

EGO

My son Kevin and I have been attending Buddha 101 classes held at the Tibetan Meditation Center Sunday afternoons. (conveniently located less then a mile from our home). After a few classes we have hardly scratched the outermost understanding about this philosophy but we did speak about the concept of ego which leads me to this posting.

As we walked into the Meditation Center today, we were greeted by Lance, a distinguished looking man who serves as our teacher. Lance, who is aware of my situation, asked me how I felt, and then answered his own question when he said, “Well since your here you must be feeling OK”. I replied that I was indeed feeling much better and had runs of sixteen miles on Saturday and another ten miles earlier on Sunday.

Do you know the feeling...........the one that you might have spontaneously after mouthing words you wish could be taken back? We'll, for a split second that was me.

Ego, was I bragging or simply giving a response that those who know me would understand as a “my measuring stick”. To be perfectly honest, it probably was a bit of both. To be more honest, after thinking about it, I really don't care. This was a really great weekend.......I enjoyed the heck out of it.

Later....Mike

Eleven Days

Eleven days have passed since my last chemo and radiation treatment and I can honestly say I'm getting stronger with each day.

This morning I took Molly out for our morning run and found myself just gliding along the trails in a daze as streams of light poured into haze filled woodlands. I'm still not at a point that I can have one hundred percent confidence regarding “unplanned stops” but that has gotten much better the past few days.

Sue and I have decided to make our annual pilgrimage to our cabin in the U.P. , we have scheduled it so I can even compete in the famous “Run Your Bass Off” 10K. Look out senior division! I have also decided to run an unofficial “Half CAT” on July 30th. For those not familiar with the Catoctin 50K, it is without a doubt the hardest race I've done to date. The 50K race is actually closer to 55K and covers trails full of ankle twisting, foot grabbing roots and rocks. Throw in the fact that it's the end of July in Maryland when the ole 90/90 (ninety degrees, ninety percent humidity) is often the norm. If that isn't enough then factor in hill after hill, yellow jackets, gnats, deer and horse flies large as Vampire Bats to paint the final picture. And we call this fun? I'll be very content to finish half of this race.

Later... Mike

U.S. Open

If you have never been to a U.S. Open it should be something to place on your “Bucket List”. Even if you don't play golf you couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of the grounds and the ability of those one hundred and sixty or so golfers taking on the challenge.

Perhaps the best time to go is before the actual tournament begins, the practice rounds. You can bring a camera (which is strictly forbidden during the tournament), get autographs and see the players in generally relaxed and happy moods. Walking the course will provide prospective that you just can't get on TV. You'll know for example that the a certain tee box is elevated far above the green or that you just “can't hit” a ball to “that part” of a green or you'll be in big trouble.

The enormity of the event is also impressive, at this years Open there were fifty five hundred volunteers working on and around the course in addition to many hundreds of others needed to pull it together. I only got to Marshall one day but my day was the best of the day weather wise and I really enjoyed it.

The Monday I worked, I was initially at the twelfth hole crosswalk but was later promoted to work ropes as the golfers came off #11 green and entered #12 fairway. Actually, this second “job” should have been handled by two people but I got through it enjoying “Power I exerted” over the mobs. To be honest the mobs were more like five or ten people at a time so it was not too nerve wracking.

Since I was right there as the golfers came of the green I saw a good number of the players although I missed Rory McIIroy.

One of the players I saw was Rory Sabbatini and as he left the eleventh green he stopped to sign autographs for the kids.

I finished my duties, leaving my post at five P.M., to wander around the back nine. I kept "bumping into" Rory Sabbatini on several holes, and noticed he was still signing autographs for every kid who stuck out a hat, ball or flag.

When the players come off the #18 they cross an overhead bridge, I think to the putting green. As Sabbatini approached the bridge he saw a group of kids waiting to catch the players on the far side. His caddy headed up the overhead but Rory snuck around the side of the bridge, poked his head out, looking to see where those kids were. He saw me watching him, put his finger up to his mouth "Don't say anything". At this point the kids were looking the wrong way, and after the caddy passed were a bit confused when Rory didn't appear. At that point, Rory snuck up behind them, tapping one on the shoulder, asking "Are you looking for me?" and signed everything they had. I guess a lot of people are upset with him, think he's a jerk, but from what I saw he was nothing but first class with the kids. I walked up to him, told him I thought it was great what he was doing. I started to walk away but then turned around and asked him to sign my hat. That was the only autograph I requested all day.

Later.... Mike

F.M.O.

For the past three years I have hosted the F.M.O. (Fathers, Mothers and Others) trail run. The concept for this run was born from a Fathers Day experience four years ago. That Fathers Day, I left the house just shy of eight A.M. mindful of the fact that it was “My Day”, but even so I probably shouldn't linger too much after we finished; after all Fathers Day breakfast would be awaiting my return.

On occasion, intentions don't match actual performance, so as my wife's van rolled towards the parking lot where we start and finish our runs, I glanced at my watch to see it was twelve thirty. (We had not been running for four and one half hours). As the window of the van rolled down, I attempted to relocate a beer, not at all fooling the annoyed one who asked, “Are you coming home, we've been holding breakfast hours for you”.

Hence the start of F.M.O., starting and finishing at my house just couldn't get me in too much trouble, could it?

Tomorrow we should have twenty or so runners start off with planned runs of 5,8,11,16 and 21 miles. Of course someone might get lost and have that “mystery run” of untold miles, similar to last year when, mid afternoon someone noticed that one of our group was missing. Ah yes, nothing finer then putting back on the trail shoes, after a few beers, dogs and burgers to sweep trail trail a few miles for a wayward runner.

I can't wait for tomorrow!

Later... Mike

Surgery Scheduled

We'll the date for surgery has been set for August 8th; bright and early too as I'm to report to Frederick Memorial Hospital at 5:30 A.M.

Our meeting with Dr. Berg went well and though there are no guarantees I may be out of the hospital in three or four days. He will want me to walk but no running/jogging for at least three weeks. If all goes well my "Plumbing" will be reconnected before Thanksgiving. 

Graduation Day

This morning was my final radiation treatment. Brought Bagels and Cream cheese to the doctors office this morning. Six weeks has just flown by and I am grateful that I have seemed to weather this phase well. The last few mornings have been somewhat difficult but it didn't stop me from running eight miles on my birthday and six yesterday.

Good thing I'm a trail runner; with the number of urgent stops I made over the weekend I surely would have been arrested for indecent exposure had I been running roads!

More to come later, I know I'm behind in my posts but I'm off to Marshal at the US Open. This is a practice round so it ought to be a lot of fun and I can take my camera. Hope to get some good pictures.

Mike

Rich's Quote

As I near the completion of the radiation and chemotherapy I can't help but feel lucky at how I've weathered this stage. This is not to say it's been a “cake walk” as it certainly has not. Last night for example, I was in bed at seven thirty with my feet feeling so hot that Sue placed cold towels and ice packs on them to make me comfortable. This morning I had recovered enough to be able to start my day at five thirty with a three mile run.

Talking with Rich after my morning treatment he asked about symptoms; I replied “We'll everything downstairs is sore but not too bad. I mentioned that one of the side effects I didn't expect was that marital relations was now a balance of pleasure and pain.” Rich had me almost on the floor when he replied, “We'll, when the going gets tough, I guess the tough go running”

Later... Mike

Thirteen One

Thirteen point one, the little brother or sister to the well notarized twenty six point two, the length of a full marathon.

On the roads thirteen point one doesn't really appeal to me but throw that distance on trails and now it becomes a race of interest. Run the event with friends or family and now it becomes fun, just as it was Sunday morning when I ran with my nephew Matt.

Matt's in great shape but this would be his first trail race and the longest run he had ever done. As the race started Matt took the lead and we headed out at a comfortable pace something I'm guessing in the eight to nine minute range.

The course was a combination of paved road, jeep and single track trail winding through mainly woodlands. At four and a half miles we encountered the only “real” hill on the course which we half ran, half walked. Soon after the hill, we hit an aid station (mile five), for a quick water and Gatorade stop.

Since the course is an “Out and Back” we knew the lead runners would be running straight back into us. I was hoping we would meet them somewhere away from the single track trail and as it played out for us, most passed on wider sections of trail. Good thing too, as these guys and gals were flying!

Before the turn around point we had our only real stream crossing, offering a short but steep bank leading down to the stream, this just got slicker and slicker as more runners passed. You just had to know that someone was going to take a bath or face plant, point proven at the finish with several people covered head to toe in mud.

At the turning point the thought crossed my mind that if Matt were able to keep this pace going we might finish in under two hours. Eight miles into the run we were back at the aid station with the hill looming ahead, we managed the hill well but Matt started feeling fatigue in his legs and “bathroom urgency” soon after.

Two miles to go and our pace had slowed down to the ole “Marathon Shuffle”, to Matt's credit he never stopped or walked, he simply gutted it out to the finish.

We crossed the finish together with a clock time of two hours twelve minutes. Matt had completed his longest run ever with a highly respectable time. If I can get him motivated for a few ten plus training runs next spring I suspect we'll crush two hours.

Later.... Mike

Golf II

Visualization Sucks

Golf

Tomorrow I'll get up at five in the morning, take a quick shower, woof down food, put on suntan lotion and head to The Links at Gettysburg to play in something like my thirty fourth or thirty fifth alumni golf tournament. This will be a first, for the tournament will also be my first round of golf for the year. In preparation during the week I managed to smack about a small bucket of balls and this evening spent an hour or so putting and chipping at a nearby golf club.

Now the hard part really begins, visualization. Studies have shown that visualization in many cases is as effective as actual practice so I'm pulling together all the new meditation knowledge I've acquired for an all night cram session.

Relax, good balance, slow back-swing........no dummy don't break parallel ! .......start again. Relax, good balance, slow back-swing........ that's better, start that right hip, lets the arms follow, smack. Oh, that felt good. Repeat one hundred more times.

Mark the ball, check the break, gauge the speed and now, using that silky smooth stroke, strike the putt. Goodness, another one dead center. Why didn't I think of this sooner?

This whole process started in the morning at the Reike session. Before we begin my practitioners ask “What is goal of today's session”. I'd be willing to bet that most responses would be along the lines of reduced stress / pain or just relaxation. Doubtful that anyone has asked for help with their golf swing before. When I think about, it I've come to the conclusion I was really asking along those same lines, pain reduction.

Can't wait for the morning, I visualize greatness or at least great enjoyment.

Later ..... Mike

Better Eating

With three days respite from treatments I've started this week feeling stronger then when I started five weeks ago. Over the long weekend I enjoyed an eleven mile run on Saturday followed by an eight and a half one on Sunday and a twenty five mile bike on the C&O Canal Monday. Each time I set foot the trails I wonder what shape I'll be in this time next year and in doing so I appreciate my time running now ever so much more.

Yesterday Patrick graduated TJ High School with the graduation service at Mount Saint Mary's University. I'm not sure he'll remember with fondness the one hundred and two degree temperature (107 degree heat index) of the day. Sitting on the bleachers it was remarkable to see the continuous movement of thousands of improvised fans almost like a hive of bees. Patrick left TJ in good style, after a final semester where he played the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, Student Conductor, Senior Band member of the year and nominee for Student of the year he finished with a solo performance as the choir sang “Lean on Me”. What a stage hog! (We could not be prouder)

Lets see what else is going on?

Richard really enjoyed my “Pimped out Car”

Dr. Lee, one of the radiologists I'm working with has “released me” so that I can start taking supplements like vitamins and foods with anti-oxidants again. I would be really happy if I could get off this low fiber diet. You can't image how difficult it is to look at veggies and not take any until your deprived of them for a while. Now at night, instead of dreaming about beautiful women, fast cars and adventure it's cauliflower and broccoli. How fricking sad is that!

Later.... Mike