Good Friday 2013

The last couple of days have been a tale of two different individuals wrapped in one body.

Tuesday morning I saw Dr. Berg, I arrived wearing my Terrapin Mountain shirt, feeling pretty well. There was just a lingering hint of the effort I put forth on Saturday (excepting my abdominals and hip flexors). We discussed my situation and the plan going forward involves stretching and strengthening. If, by the end of April I don't see any improvement I'll seek out a sports doctor or physical therapy.

Wednesday morning I awoke felling all my toes on both feet. I have been close to this before but this was the best it's been in a year ..... progress ! Of course almost immediately upon standing up both feet commence their move to partial numbness.

Thursday morning I decided it was time for a run and I headed out for a slow five, I made two and a half before my feet started to hurt. This is a new development that I am not too pleased about. Numb is better than pain but I guess this may be the start of healing and I'll just deal with it.

Thursday was also the day that Dr Toe Thane and I would be thanked for our donations of photographs at the FMH Regional Cancer Center. There was a nice gathering, a presentation of plaques followed by a tour to observe our framed work. It was quite enjoyable, yet as we walked the halls my feet started feeling like a hive of tiny bees had invaded and were voicing their displeasure.

My hands, which have been sore for months reached a new height of nasty when earlier today I went to wash them. The water was cold and felt like acid as soon as it ran over my hands. This is a new and totally unexpected development.

It's been fifteen months since chemotherapy ended, I have felt I was moving forwards (even if at a horrific slow pace) yet these new developments have me concerned.

Today is Good Friday, it's been a slow business day so I have been able to reflect upon the last few months. It's been difficult but not without it's rewards. I now look ahead to when the skies are clear, weather is warm and awaking with no thought of anything physical. I look ahead to running on light feet, kissing my wife, loving my kids and feeling a hundred percent at peace .... it will come.

Happy Easter All ..... Mike

Terrapin Mountain 2013

Driving down to Sadelia Virginia I expressed doubt that I would be able to repeat the performance I pulled off  at Terrapin Mountain a year ago. There were many reasons to think that I could yet I felt I had run such an inspired race in 2012 it would be difficult to repeat.

The plan was simple, attack the uphills and hope I didn't loose too much time on the down hill sections. The second part of the plan was equally as simple..... hope.

Saturday morning as I got ready for the race I really did not want to wear abdominal support but I knew if I didn't there would almost be no chance I would be able to run hard for thirteen miles. The injury I sustained in November, two weeks prior to JFK was re-injured and now plagues me on any runs over ten miles.

The start of the race saw overcast skies with temperatures hovering around thirty degrees. Perfect !

I placed myself in the middle of the pack, starting out nice and easy. Even so, I felt pain and discomfort across my midsection almost immediately. "Great", I thought. "This is not going to be a whole lot of fun".

Almost as quickly as it started it went away and by the time we reached the trail I felt good with spirits rising.

Last year I ran less than three months after surgery and just a few days after finding out that my Mother had Cancer. With her on my mind I ran what I consider one of the best runs I've ever had finishing in fourteenth place.

This year, three months after my Mothers Death and a scant few days after the passing of my running friend Rick O'Donnell I took on Terrapin dedicating my race to the two of them.

Splashing through the first steam crossing I felt I had an advantage over many of my fellow runners as I heard "God that water was cold, my feet are going numb." Though my feet are not totally numb they are about fifty percent ........so .............. no distress for me, I'm already use to it.

Without a Garmin, no watch, nothing to indicate time or distance I just felt like I was running well. I ran most of the way up to the first aid station (4.1 miles) Passing quite a few people with my legs feeling stronger as I went along.

Leaving the aid station, the summit push is really steep, more of a power walk then a run and my legs delivered. The training hikes up "TV Trail" loaded with a thirty pound pack had paid off. Arriving at the summit I punched my bib and off I went. Now for the part of the run I dread, three miles of downhill. Some of the sections are pleasant enough, but there seem to be more which are just "evil". My knees do not approve.

I had no way of knowing it but when I reached the summit I must have been the sixth runner. While I tried to push my downhill speed I still stepped aside multiple times to let runners pass, I did not feel slow but in a minute they would disappear from site. Perhaps they were simply figments of the imagination?

At the last aid station I felt good and replied to the question "What do you want ?" , with a snappy  "Young Legs". I got a laugh but the old legs were just fine and with uphill pulls ahead I was optimistic about catching some of the runners who smoked me on the downhill.

I caught and passed two, all the while feeling strong, being pushed by something I haven't felt for some time, the pure joy of running.

The final mile of this race places you back on a road and this is when pain returned to my midsection and Hip Flexors. With no one visible ahead or behind I set a comfortable pace to finish the race.

Approaching the finish I could see the clock displaying  2 Hours 23 Minutes. I had bettered last years time by almost five minutes. Prior to the start of the race I hoped for a top twenty finish, I ended by finishing eighth overall and first in my age group "Grand Master". (Next year Super Grand Master) Others have said they were not surprised but I for one am.

My run complete, in great spirit, nothing would ruin my day including five trips to the bathroom after my GI track went into protest.  The "Good News" .......... no need to stop anywhere on the four hour ride home !

As I write this a spring snow piles up outside. Hopefully this will be the last snow of the year. Black and white will yield to color and we'll move ahead into the time of new life. I am optimistic.

Mike



















 

Rick Is Gone

A friend passed away early Saint Patrick's Day morning after his long fight with cancer.

I do not have the words to express the depth of my sorrow for his wife, daughters and family. I've written about Rick O'Donnell before and though we knew this day would come it still is difficult. There will be a service this Saturday, I won't be there as I will stick with my plan to run Terrapin Mountain. I know that Rick would have wanted it that way. I will run now with my Mother and Rick as inspiration to give the best I can.

I have written before that my hands and feet are “New Barometers” of heath. I learned of Rick's passing early Sunday morning, just prior to heading out for my group run. It was chilly outside, just a bit below freezing but I was comfortable while running. We ran eight and a half miles at a decent pace, I felt strong when we finished, yet minutes later, for the first time in months fingers on my right hand went partially numb. Later, at home, nice and warm the numbness in my feet increased and my hands hurt. A couple of aspirin helped and later in the day I felt good enough to drive Patrick back to school. (End of Spring Break)

My buddy Larry has his birthday today, tomorrow it's Mel and Mom. (Mom would have been 82)

Happy birthday all !

Mike 

PS> Just got my Terrapin Seeding and the "Pressure is Off". Last year the race director (by mistaken identity I think) , Clark Zealand seeded me fourteenth which is exactly where I finished..... this year ........ 55th. Pretty sure if I have a decent race I'll more then live up to those expectations !  Bring it on !

Rick's Picnic

This was certainly a weekend to reflect upon.

Physically it was not my best: with a snowstorm coming in on Wednesday I did an aggressive hill run on Tuesday, just beating the living daylights out of myself. Wednesday was a “Cross Training” snow shovel day, ....... working hard enough to the point I'm breathing like anyone finishing a hundred meter dash. Thursday and Friday were short hiking days with a thirty pound pack. I assumed that the weekend would see a couple of really good runs.

Saturday yielded perfect weather and with the return of my friend Larry I ran seven miles “In Town”, my first “Off Trail” run since November. We enjoyed the run but my midsection complained moderately from the first to last step. It was not a result of our run, more likely it came from cutting firewood, snow shoveling or one of my hikes.

With the time change (Spring Forward) I looked out our bedroom window Sunday morning to see less sunshine then I would have expected at seven o'clock. Yikes, one hour ............. I need to meet the trail group at eight.

There have been many times in the past, when sleep, finally shook off led to the realization that I had minutes to dress prior to meeting running friends at Hamburg Road. I have been known to show up with different running shoes after utilizing a “Grab and Tie” shoe frenzy..........  Those days are gone ............... not complaining but now I like to have two hours to get ready.

An hour, not enough time .........these days ......... I showed up at Hamburg with my guts spinning but ever hopeful that the act of running would calm everything down. It didn't happen ...... I turned around with the six mile group instead of finishing the full eleven or twelve that I had hoped to run.

Returning home I felt bad but not as bad as I would feel an hour later..... and ..... I started feeling sorry for myself .......... this sucks!

At one o'clock members of the Frederick Steeplechasers would be heading to a small park directly across from Rick O’Donnell's home. Rick is a second “go around” cancer patient, a man who survived years longer than any doctor expected and if you have read my posts has served as an inspiration to me.

No longer able to walk, we wheeled Rick to the Pavilion where all our friends waited. The pain medication Rick is on makes him “Zone Out” yet often .... when you get his attention ...... there is a wry smile that lets you know he is there. I saw that smile quite a few times.

Feeling sorry for myself .............. I ought to be ashamed, but I won't beat myself up ........ for if I have learned anything ............ it's that being human is to lead an imperfect existence .......... problems of others may seem to dwarf ours yet our own issues push and compel us to relate the best we can.

Individuals like Rick and my Mother are those to be looked at as a guideline as to how handle adversity when life throws it your way.I hope I have learned something.

Two more weekends until Terrapin, this should be a hard training week.. I am looking forward to it. 

Mike 

Relay Day

I arrived at Mount Saint Mary's University a tad later then I figured, I wanted to visit my Mother's Grave-site. There was a half hour before the American Cancer Society Relay for Life was to start but the sun was setting, I knew it was not kosher to be walking around the Grotto or the Graveyard after sunset. ( Perhaps a posted sign gave me a clue)

The distance from the Gym to the grave has to be less than a mile with a good hill waiting at the end. According to my cell phone it was exactly 6:30; the relay started at seven, plenty of time to power walk up and jog back down.

This would be my first visit since the burial, I knew where needed to go but in the dwindling light it took several minutes once I got in the general area to find her.

With night coming I could barley read the name on the metal marker, one which will be replaced sometime by a headstone. The clear night revealed dancing lights in the valley below, it was beautiful. I had no idea how I would feel but soon, I realized I was totally comfortable. Mom would have wanted it that way. I spent a few minutes, talked a bit and then headed to the Relay.

Spring is Coming ........... New Life ............... Later ........ Mike

Writers Block

I feel like it's been a while since my last post and even so I don't really want to write anything, in the past week I have started and stopped several times, lack of motivation, lack of time, lack of words (aka writers block).

No idea why I remain in a funk but I'm fighting the best I can.

There are things that I do know and I can write.......

I Miss My Mom
I'm Proud of Dad
I Love My Wife
My Children
My Family
My Friends
And Life

It's about all I can say right now.

Mike