Swing away

When we moved here, the former homeowners -- an elderly couple that had lived here for more than three decades -- left a lot of stuff in the house. Some of it was useful. Most of it was junk (to us anyways).

In the back corner of the basement, we piled up all that was left behind (we were told there was a mishap with their moving crew) in one place and have called that section of our house "The Johnson's Room" for the past 15 months. This week, I finally emptied their room.

Over the past year, we've rid of most of their leftovers, but there was still a huge pile of wood, some other random objects and a huge behemoth of a workbench. Figuring out a way to remove that beast of a bench was my final task.

On Satuday, I did my new routine of waking early, but with no run on the schedule I opted for a slow morning. By early afternoon, I was dragging, so I opted for a quick power nap. During my break from the day, I had a dream that I fetched a sledge hammer from the garage -- the one Mr. Johnson left behind -- and used it to smash apart the workbench.

I woke up and thought, "You know? That's not the worst idea."

What happened next was about 10 minutes of sweating, smashing and unleashing my inner manimal. You want a good workout? Go nuts on an ancient workbench with a sledge hammer. By the end, I was standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by shards, hammer in hand. I couldn't help but let out a yell of satisfaction.

My wife called down to the basement, thinking I was yelling out in pain.

I'm fine, honey. Just letting off some steam.

So that was my Saturday workout. That smashing session, combined with the 20 or so trips up and down the stairs to haul lumber to the curb. Then, I spent an hour on my stationary bike while watching the Saints carve up the Lions' secondary.

For the week, I logged 22 miles, ending with a 7-miler today on a gorgeous day. It topped 50 here in Northeast Ohio. I was running without gloves. I was wearing shorts. I needed sunglasses! It's Jan. 8, for crying outloud.

I planned on 21 miles, but felt good enough to tack on one extra today. Besides, it was a great day to take advantage of the weather. So for the past three weeks -- following a two-week break -- I've increased from 16 miles to 18 miles to 22 miles. I'll aim for 24-26 next week. I'm trying to be smarter about building gradually this time around.

For the past few months, when I'd take a week or two off, I'd jump right back to 25-30 miles my first week back and Lord knows that's not the best way to go about things. I need to be better about having a purpose behind each run and each week's schedule.

All of that said, Week 1 of 2012 is in the books. So is my first weekly wrap blog entry. We'll see if I can keep it up.

~JB

2011: A year of experimenting

When it came to running, this past year was quite an experience. This blog was pushed to the side, but I was out there on the roads as often as my wonky right knee would permit. Boredom from my old routines led to a year full of trial and error.

I'm not much for New Year resolutions, but I would like 2012 to include better health and a more consistent approach to running. I tried all sorts of new things these last 12 months and my body took a hit as a result. I think consistency -- with my running, my workouts and my eating habits -- is really the key to feeling my best.

In 2011, I felt my best in spots, but I also felt the worst I ever have in others.

Here's a quick look at a few things I accomplished this past year.

1. The Wahoothalon -- That's what one of my readers on Twitter dubbed it anyway. On Sept. 25, before the final home game of the year for the Indians, I ran from my house in Avon Lake to the ballpark before covering the game for MLB.com. Front door to media gate, it was almost exactly 20 miles. This was my longest training run for the NYC marathon, and it was easily my most satisfying run of 2011.

2. The Streak -- I began 2011 with the idea of starting a running streak. I lasted 84 days, finally caving to increasing right knee pain after logging the last run of the streak on March 25. Getting out the door every single day for a run for nearly three straight months was a solid feat, but one that was probably ill-advised. I wasn't smart about it and I am still dealing with some lingering issues in my knee.

3. Cleveland Half -- I ran the Cleveland half marathon (my second career 13.1) in May and set a new personal record for the distance. I ran it in 1:41:12, beating my 2008 Las Vegas half time by about 30 seconds. I did so in cold and rainy conditions. Making the race that much more special was my big sis Melissa came to Cleveland and completed her first half marathon. It was awesome being able to share that accomplishment with her.

4. Sixth Marathon -- It was the worst of the six marathons I've run, but I completed the New York Marathon in November. It was a great trip to the Big Apple with my wife and son (and my sister joined us for a couple days), but the race went awful. I was not prepared for the bridges or hills and I was plagued with bad stomach issues throughout the run. No fun. BUT, I finished and added another medal to my wall, and I was close to quitting when I met up with my family around Mile 18. I wasn't raised to be a quitter, though. I would've walked across that finish line if that's what it took.

5. Trail running -- Moving to Cleveland meant covering Spring Training in Arizona instead of Florida. That created a great chance to take up trail running in the mountains around Phoenix. I loved getting lost up in the hills (mentally, not directionally) and just enjoying the solitude. My longest run in the mountains was 17 miles and it flew by. I'm looking forward to this being an annual part of my yearly training.

6. Conquered new places -- Phoenix wasn't the only new terrain I covered this past year. I also chalked up runs in Cincinnati and in Massachusetts near my sister's new house. In Cincy, I went over a handful of bridges and had a blast. Other places I ran this year: Toronto (as a visitor for the first time), Seattle, Anaheim, Kansas City, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore, Minneapolis, Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee and New York. I love that my job allows me to run in so many different cities. Such a great way to take in scenery.

7. Re-evaluated training -- Moving from Toronto robbed me of my free gym membership (at an awesome gym located right across the street from our condo). As a result, I wasn't as active with strength or core training this year and I think that partially led to me becoming a bit more susceptible to injury. I recently added a weight bench and some free weights to my basement and I'm starting to work in weekly workouts to try to gain what was lost in that department. I'm also considering dropping fall marathons from my plans. My best races have been in December, February and May. My worst runs in October and November. With my work schedule, I'm in my best shape in the late winter and spring. The Cleveland Marathon is in May, so that might be my yearly target from here on out. Once I get to 10 fulls, I might also consider scaling back and focusing on half marathons. We'll see...

8. The stats -- In 2011, I ran 869 miles over 170 runs. On average, that worked out to 2.38 per day and 5.11 per run. My goal going in was to top 1,000 miles, so obviously I fell short of that. But I did increase my yearly mileage for the second year in a row. I have gone from 733 to 858 to 869 from 2009-11. The 2.38 per day was my highest since 2008, when I averaged 3.12 per day during a 1,113-mile showing that year. The 5.11 was my lowest per run average since 2007, but much of that is due to the 84-day running streak. I knew my per-run avg would take a hit this year. Likewise, the 170 runs were the most since I logged 177 in 2008. The goal for 2012 is to beat my 2008 mileage total. I just need to be more consistent. If I can do that, it shouldn't be that tall of a task.

Another goal I have is to post on here more consistenty, though I say that every year! Maybe I'll try to post each Sunday to update about my weekly progress. It's a nice plan anyways.

Happy new year!

~JB

Day 33

The hardest part about starting this running streak in the winter has not been the weather. Snow. Freezing rain. A blizzard. More freezing rain. Ice-covered roads and sidewalks. Slush.

I can deal with all of that. You can always put on more layers and hope the hail doesn't strike you in the eyes -- the only thing exposed when you went for a four-mile run during the Snowpocalypse.

No, the hardest part is when your 17-month-old son walks up to you, grabs your leg and looks up while you're putting on all your winter running gear. Then, he says, "Dohn-go, dada," and your heart is subsquently melted. How do you explain your crazy streak to him?

Even harder than that one fantastic moment, however, was Day 33.

I had developed a pretty nice routine of running in the afternoon or evening, either during Hayden's nap or shortly before dinner time. On Wednesday, though, the Bastian Family routine was thrown entirely out of whack. Hayden tried turning his toy wagon into a surfboard and the end result was his first trip to the ER.

After he put one foot inside, the wagon rolled, Hayden flew forward and landed face-first into a plastic block. It cut deep into his foreheard -- right between the eyes -- and made for a bloody scene in my office. My wife and I had only looked away for a couple seconds. Ain't that always the way.

Sure enough, Hayden needed four stitches. He might have a scar, but over time it will probably be nothing more than a small mark. It was a draining day to say the least -- we had to drive to the ER through this week's massive snow storm -- and neither my wife nor I felt like doing much of anything when we finally got home.

The thing is...

... the streak.

This was the first time throughout the first 30-plus days that I really weighed how much this little streak of mine is worth. Nothing really, when you think about it. Take a day off. No one would care but me. In fact, I'm sure my wife would love if I took a day off. But I set a goal. And, barring some unforeseen circumstance that derails everything, I plan on getting out there for a few miles every single day in 2011.

So, after Hayden went to bed and darkness fell our neighborhood, I put on my winter mask, slid into my gear and hit the roads. I was only going to do a slow mile or two so I could check off another day. I wound up feeling pretty good and ended up doing an aggressive 5K through our the snow-covered roads.

Soon enough, I'll be in Arizona for baseball's Spring Training, the cold winter in my rear-view mirror. And in May, I'll be lining up for the Cleveland Marathon.

Gotta run...

Streak: 35 days
Miles: 164 miles
Average: 4.7 miles
January: 146 miles
February: 18 miles and counting

--JB

Day 1

Nothing is ever easy.

Standing in our upstairs bathroom, downing a bottle of water as I tried to will away the cold that overtook my body in the night, a steady rain pounded the skylight above me. This morning, there wasn’t much light. It was all gray and gloom.

This was the day I was supposed to start?

There are times when you feel like you’re the only person on the planet and your plans are the only ones being ruined. This was one of those moments. God was showing off his cruel sense of humor. My plans were now His punch line.

A few weeks before, I decided I’d attempt a new challenge. I’d run five marathons, logged thousands of miles over the previous few years and, honestly, was getting bored. I could get faster. Or, I could make things interesting. I’m not going to be lining up with Ryan Hall anytime soon, so interesting seemed like the way to go.

Beginning with Jan. 1, 2011, I was going to run every day. No excuses. Weather, injuries, delayed flights. None of that could serve as a way out. Somehow, some way, I would strap on my running shoes and hit the pavement every day.

The goal of running 365 consecutive days is challenging enough standing alone. Working as a baseball reporters adds another element. My schedule is erratic. I often work late nights. On the days I have off, I’m often sitting in an airport. It is practically impossible – with the unpredictabile life of a journalist – to have a set time to run each day.

The offseason would seemingly make things easier. That used to be true. Now, though, there’s this 16-month-old wild boy taking over my house. Fortunately, Highspeed Hayden typically powers down for a couple hours in the early afternoon. His naptime becomes my Go Time. On Day 1, this would be my plan of attack.

After Hayden decided to exchange Mickey Mouse’s Clubhouse for his crib, I went for my gear. It had warmed up enough to melt the piles of snow that had blanketed our town. The only problem was that rain. That freezing cold rain that was showing the streets that I needed to cover.

I headed out the door and made my way through the mist. I could deal with mist. It actually felt a bit refreshing at first. I was quickly warming up in my long sleeves. The rain cooled me off some as I pushed a hard pace at the start. One mile in, I was feeling good, feeling confident. I had planned to do four miles, but maybe I’d do six or seven. Shoot, the way I was feeling I might consider eight or 10 miles.

Two miles in, that all changed.

Now I felt like death. The confidence was gone. All I could see were all the Christmas cookies I’d downed at the in-laws’ house. After running the Philadelphia Marathon in November – with the exception of a Thanksgiving Day 5K run in Illinois – I had taken more than a month off. I deserved it. That’s what I said anyway. Truth is, I lost interest.

This four-miler on New Years Day was my way of getting interested again. It was going to be the same as countless runs before, but so much different. It was the first in a long line of runs. No. 1 of 365 and beyond.

And it hurt.

Almost three miles in, the blue question marks spray-painted on the sidewalk at my feet mocked me. “Why are you doing this?” they asked. “What were you thinking?” they taunted. “You didn’t actually think you could do this, did you?” they continued.

I picked up the pace, and a cold wind at my back pushed me forward. Finally, the elements were extending a helping hand. Finally, God’s cruel joke ran dry and he was giving me a little assistance down the stretch.

Nope.

Turns out that breeze was the calm before the real storm.

I was suddenly in a complete downpour. I couldn’t tell if the drops streaming down my face were from sweat or from the rain. It was probably both. I wanted to stop, but running outside presents a classic dilemma. If I stopped, I would be no closer to being home. I had to run harder if I wanted to escape the storm.

Or, maybe I could stop and build an ark.

I bolted down Redwood and finally reached my street. Completely drenched, I walked to the porch at my home, stopped, and looked up at the sky, hands on my hips. I was done.

And I was only at the beginning.

Proud to be a Turkey

In my immediate family, I have always been "the athlete." I played baseball, ran cross country and eventually went into marathon running.

Yeah, I had my little hiccup in college and had to shed 50+ pounds to get into the marathon shape I'm in today, but for the most part sports and I have always been tied together.

I've got to say, it's nice to be able to say that I've finally got company.

My big sister, Melissa, is a great source of inspiration for me, and I know many others would say the same. She is currently on a journey of turning herself into a completely new person, dropping around 100 pounds so far in her quest to one day complete an Ironman.

She always kids that someday she's going to buy a shirt that says, "Oh, you run marathons? She reminds me often that she's going to beat me fair and square in a race one day, and no one is rooting her on more than I am. Come and get me, sis. How cute." They are jokes now, but I really can't wait until it becomes reality.

On Thanksgiving morning, finally feeling better after Sunday's marathon, and FINALLY rid of my swollen feet, I decided to join Melissa for a Turkey Trot. The 5K race was in Long Grove, Ill., with a gorgeous little course. The weather was cold, but the rain stayed away, allowing for a pretty impressive race.

Nearly 1,000 people lined up for the 5K. I had a couple reasons for wanting to take part. First of all, this was my sister's first event since finding out she has Crohn's disease. It's just one more thing for her to compete against and I wanted to be there to see her back out there running. Second, I was still kicking myself over how my marathon went, so I wanted a race to help me put it swiftly behind me.

I was happy to take care of both wishes.

It was a blast to get ready for the race with Melissa, chat in the car while we were freezing our butts off, making fun of other runners stretching routines... just having a good time together. And it was a thrill to see her cross that finish line. When she turned the corner at one point, I barely recognized my sister. It's like she's this brandnew person, and it's been amazing to watch that process over the past couple of years.

My sis blogs at http://www.mommymeepa.blogspot.com/ and tweets under the handle @306to140.

Beyond that, it was great personally to get back on the roads and perform the way I know I can. With a pair of sore legs and a couple of beat up feet, I ran a 7:13 average (6:55 for my first mile) and placed 48th out of 977 runners. I was fifth in my age division, just two freakin' spots away from earning a medal! Boooo.

I came away from Philadelphia upset and disappointed. This run helped me shake that experience off and walk away with a smile.

And, it helped me feel better about shoving my face at Thanksgiving dinner!

~JB

Yo Adrian! I did it!

Well, I did it. I ran my fifth career marathon. That, right there, is just about all there was about the race that brought any sense of satisfaction for me. I've had a hard time feeling happy with this one.

I knew going in that this was going to be one of the harder marathons I took on. I had a handful of obstacles to overcome and I knew that realistically I probably wasn't ready to tackle a full 26.2 miles at a consistent pace.

Whether it was the old self-fulfilling prophecy or not, the race went just about exactly as I expected. I held strong for 9 miles, was still good through 13, was hanging in there through 16 miles... and then I fell apart. Utterly and completely fell apart. My body was done, and I still had 10 miles to go.

The course was beautiful and reminded me a lot of the Chicago course. There were a few sections that were more hilly than I anticipated, but that was hardly my worst problem in this race. The marathon and half marathon ran at the same time and at Mile 12 I was seriously considering dropping out at 13.1 miles, and trying to persuade them to give me a medal for the half and calling it a day.

Instead of turning right and calling it quits, though, I turned left and sucked it up. I ran the first half in roughly 1:49, and I remained on pace for about a 3:40-45 finish through the first 16 miles. After that, my body just couldn't keep up the pace. It felt like I was running hard and my watch showed I was averaging over 10 minutes per mile.

Once a PR was out of the question, I opted to listen to my body and ease to the finish line. I finished in 4:13:35. Depending on how you want to look at it, it was either my fourth-best marathon, or my second-worst. Off the top of my head, though, I think that might have been my fastest first half of any I have run so far. So, there's that.

Actually, thanks to archived results on the ol' internet, I just found all my first-half splits for my marathons. Here is how they rank, with final time in parentheses.

1:44:49 -- Tampa 2010 (3:43:43)
1:49:16 -- Philadelphia 2010 (4:13:35)
1:50:36 -- Chicago 2008 (4:22:22)
1:51:06 -- Chicago 2009 (4:09:04)
1:53:22 -- Disney 2009 (4:04:05)

So I had a fantastic first half and then a terrible second half this time around.

My unofficial splits, according to my watch, looked something like this: 8:17, 8:04, 7:50, 8:09, 8:10, 7:44, 7:51, 8:15, 7:50 (here comes the first wall), 8:48, 8:43, 8:27, 8:40 (here comes the second wall), 9:35, 8:59, 9:10 (And here comes the collapse), 9:57, 10:45, 10:17, 10:49, 11:23, 11:27, 11:46, 12:54, 12:10, 11:29, 3:26 for final .2 miles.

The end result brought on two thoughts: 1. Maybe I am built for, and should stick to, half marathons; 2. I need to run another full soon to put this one behind me. I might revert back to No. 1 later in life, but I'm not done with the marathons. I'm already giving serious thought to the Cleveland full in May, and I might plan on a fall marathon as well (Chicago again? NYC if I make it through the lottery?).

The best part about this marathon was meeting up with a few friends in Philly. I met up with a friend I've known through Twitter and we ran together for the first 8 miles before she bolted off and qualified for Boston with a 3:28. Another friend who I've talked running with on Facebook completed her first full marathon as well. Great accomplishments for both of them.

And, as bummed as I might be about certain aspects of this marathon, I'm proud to add a fifth medal to my display in my office. I'm also proud that I went through with this one even though I knew it was going to be tough sledding. I'm also happy that I turned left and kept on with the full when my body and mind both wanted to quit at the halfway mark.

On that note, I'm going to leave you with this, a photo of my swollen right foot from Monday morning!

... I warned ya.

~JB

Gonna Fly Now

Just got back from dinner with some friends here in Philadelphia. I'm carbo-loaded and ready to go. My fifth full marathon is roughly 10 hours away.

I'm not satisfied with how my training went this time around. But, I guess who ever really is when going for a marathon? There's always more you could've done, ways you could've been better, areas you could've improved.

In the past 18 weeks, I've logged 303 miles, which is, oh, about 200+ miles short of where I wanted to be over that same time period. But, I got the key long runs in, did squeeze in speedwork and certainly have experience on my side.

Last night, I had an odd dream. First off, I was late to the start of the marathon. I bolted to the line and had to sort through my goodie bag (the one you pick up at the expo) to find my bib number and timing chip. Then I darted off to run the race, long after it had started.

The next thing I remember... was not being able to remember if I ever finished. It was like I woke up from a dream, in my dream (or from a blackout in my dream?) and I had no memory of my finish. I remembered starting, but not crossing the finish line. I'm sure some psychiatrist would analyze the heck out of that.

What does it mean to me?

Well, it means the obvious: that this is the most unsure I've been about a race. I'm still fighting some heel pain in my left foot, my training was not as good as it should've been and I'm a little over my race weight. That said, the "injury" only hurts when walking, not when running, I trained decent enough and have tons of experience, and I've completed one marathon at a heavier weight.

So I fully expect to cross the finish line tomorrow. I just am not sure about setting a new PR, which I've done in each marathon I've run. I'll go out at a solid pace -- one that puts me on target for a 3:30-45 finish -- and see where that gets me. If I finish under 4 hours, I can walk away happy with how I performed. If I beat the 3:43 I put up in Tampa, fantastic. If not? Well, hey, I ran another marathon and that should be enough to bring me satisfaction.

The problem is, if I ever was satisfied, I wouldn't keep running marathons.

I keep coming back because I am hooked on the feeling you get when you complete one, and I'm also hooked on trying to get better each time. Whether or not I do set a new personal best, at least I'll be better for following through with this one. That's one thing I do take pride in, that I am going ahead with this daunting task when it'd be easy to throw in the towel.

Now that I've got that all out of my system, it's time to get some sleep. I've got a marathon in the morning.

~JB

Still Here, Still Running

Man, I really did not plan on going so long between posts. One day I'm a shirtless wild man running through Arizona mountains and then I disappear off the face of the Earth. Well, I'm still here. And, as the title of this entry says, I'm still running.

In fact, I've logged 376 miles and moved into a new pair of Saucony shoes since I last wrote. My training has been sporadic -- to put it mildly -- but a lot has happened. Life events that constantly threw wrinkles in my schedule and tested my endurance, on the roads and otherwise.

Let's see...

I moved into a new house in a new country (back in the USA!) and my family said goodbye to Grandma Bastian. As it turns out, I've learned that I do not use running as a form of stress relief. While back home during the time my grandma was ailing in the hospital, I had absolutely no interest in logging miles. That hurt me right in the heart of my marathon training plan.

I've managed, though. Since I last wrote, I took part in the Garden of the Gods 10-miler in Colorado Springs (holy hills!), and logged runs in Philadelphia, along Lake Erie in Cleveland, through NYC's Central Park, along the Charles River and around the Cherry Hill Reservoir in Boston, all over Toronto, here and there in Baltimore, through the wall of heat in Kansas City and over the bridges of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Along the way, I've fought back soreness, calf tightness, some stomach isues, sharp heel pain and, oh yeah, I stabbed myself in the bottom of my left foot with a knife while installing a baby gate.

And now? Now, I've got the Philadelphia Marathon in less than two weeks.

I'm in good enough shape to finish, there's no doubt about that. Two Sundays ago I logged 20 miles in roughly three hours, so I'm more than ready and able. As for breaking the 3:43 I posted in Tampa in February, well, we'll see. I'm gunning for under four hours and am hoping to crack 3:45 again.

When I get to Mile 16 or so on Nov. 21, I think I'll know how realistic that finishing goal is for this fall. One way or another at least, I'll have another medal and a fifth marathon on my resume. I'm already looking ahead to No. 6, too. Cleveland has a marathon in May that just might work for me, and I think I'll be better prepared.

I also hope to begin blogging more again...

~JB

Phoenix Running

Sitting in the back seat of the cab, I peered out the window to my left. Rising over Phoenix was a series of peaks. Not high enough to intimidate -- only enough to intrigue.

I'd been reading "Born to Run," which includes tales of ultra-running through trails, deserts and mountains. This was no Everest I was looking at out my window, but it was certainly a challenge. One I wanted to take on.

After settling into my hotel, I grabbed an area map and plotted my next run. South of the city's downtown was a green shaded section labeled "South Mountain Park." That was what I had spotted and was now officially my target. I had never really run trails, or on any kind of steep grade, but that was going to change in a hurry.

I hopped online and found a map of the park's trails, picking out one called the "National trail" for my run the next day. I wanted to run at least 10 miles and that route seemed to be a good place to accomplish that goal. I discussed things over with the concierge, phoned up a rental car agency, purchased some water and gatorade and was set.

At 9 a.m. the next morning, I pulled into a small parking lot at the edge of a dirt trail. Peering down the path, I saw it disappear into the foothills of a much larger hill, covered in large boulders, plenty of cacti and I could only assume a large assortment of snakes, scorpions and mountain lions.

I'm from the city, how would I know?

With my water bottle full, my shoes laced tight and my sunglasses on, I set off into the unknown. For the past two years, I had been running on paved paths and roads, lined with roller-bladers, bikers and runners. Finding my way down dirt trails, over boulder-covered hills, and up and down steep switchbacks was completely foreign.

Man, I had a blast.

Two miles in, I had ascended high enough to have a gorgeous view of downtown Phoenix in the valley below, and I still had higher to go. When the path was flat, I ran. When it went downhill, I ran. That was the pact I made with myself. Only when the path was overrun with rocks and required the use of my hands for climbing did I walk.

Midway through the 10-mile adventure, I felt like I was on another planet. There was not another soul in sight. Just me, shirt off and tucked in my shorts, water bottle running dry, sun beating down with no cloud cover, making my way along the rocky terrain. Suddenly, I didn't care about splits or pace. I never once turned on my iPod.

In fact, I lost it somewhere on the mountain, and did not realize it until later that day.

The second half proved to be mostly a descent, and I took advantage. I flew down the hills and switchbacks and top speed, concentrating on making careful landings as I blew down the mountain. My ankles buckled but held strong. My arms pumped but did not fatigue. I bounced off boulders and zig-zagged on the steepest sections, keeping a steady pace to the end.

Before I knew it, I was on a dirt trail, running toward the small parking lot. It was over. I had completed the 10-mile journey and still wanted more. If I did not have work in a couple hours, I might have been tempted to refill my water, turn around and go again. It was easy to see why trail running is so addicting for some.

It also proved to be a great workout leading up to a race on my calendar next month. On June 13, I'll be running in the Garden of the Gods 10-miler. It is a hilly course held in the thin air of Colorado and will present another challenge. If running through South Mountain Park was any indication, I will probably have a blast.

~JB

Unwritten Rules Vol. 1: No Drafting

The great thing about running is its simplicity. If you have a pair of shoes, and a strip of pavement, you can head out the door and consider yourself a runner. There is no handbook. No pamphlet. No instructions.

But, maybe there should be.

You see, once you are a runner, there are indeed rules. Many are of the unwritten variety and plenty are broken on a daily basis out on the roads and in the gyms across the country. Spitting while on the treadmill? Come on, people. Running two- or three-people wide across an entire path? That's just rude.

Today, though, let's tackle "Running Etiquette for Dummies" with a lesson in drafting.

Last week, I headed out for a relatively fast-paced six-miler along the Toronto lakefront. It's a gorgeous out-and-back run that takes me by a couple parks, along the water and up and down a couple of decent hills. I run alone and I am a waver, giving a slight nod or a brief salute to the runners I can tell are also serious about their craft.

As I bolted around a curve entering my second mile, I noticed someone closing in behind me. I respected the man's speed and glided to my left, hugging the blue line painted down the center of the path -- the boundry between runners heading east and those heading west. I was giving clearance for my fellow runner to pass.

Something strange happened, though. He did not pass me.

After I shifted to the left, so did the man behind me. I glanced back and I saw a thin runner, wearing a loose-fitting tank top and some small shorts. It was the attire of a serious runner -- maybe a fellow marathoner. You would think someone of that ilk would know better than to tuck behind a complete stranger on a run.

You see, on this particular day, it was windy along the lake, especially heading west as he and I were at the moment. I was running against the wind and he was running relatively wind free. He was drafting off me, allowing me to absorb the heavy wind while he ran in a calm pocket behind me.

This was entirely unacceptable.

I pushed my pace to try to separate myself from him, but he sped up as well. I moved to my right and he followed. A few runners sprinted by in the opposite direction, nodding and waving as they ran past. I gave a nod in return, but I wanted to say, "I don't know this guy! We're not running partners!"

Because that is what it likely looked like.

It probably looked like me and Mr. Short Shorts were running buddies, taking part in some tough training exercise along the lake. In a sense, for two miles, we were running partners, though. I ran harder. He stayed with me. I shifted to the other side of the path. So did he. I moved back. He followed.

In a word: annoying.

Finally, as I was nearing my third mile, I glanced back again. And, just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone, and I slowed my pace back to my normal range. I'll say this about Captain Shadow, he gave me a good workout, because I was not going to allow him the satisfaction of passing me after his little stunt.

Drafting off another runners is one of those unwritten rules. Unless you know the other runner, and such a strategy has been approved, you simply do not do it.

A new PR: Gasparilla 2010

I've got to say, I am completely bummed that Tampa's Gasparilla Distance Classic is no longer going to include the marathon.

At the end of February, I ran the "Final Voyage" of the Gasparilla Marathon and I had an absolute blast. A gorgeous day made the out-and-back course along the water so enjoyable. It was flat and fast and the size of the field was perfect.

I crossed the finish line in 3:43:43 -- a new PR by more than 20 minutes. I was thrilled. My training program was an aggressive six-week plan after roughly three months of simply sticking with a weekly mileage base with few long runs.

I ran Chicago in October after training poorly, mainly due to the birth of my son. When you've got a newborn in your arms, let me tell you, the last thing you want to do is head out for a long run. I PR'd in Chicago, but I didn't break four hours. I didn't really plan on doing another 26.2 so soon. I was feeling so strong with my running by the end of December, though, that I decided to take on another full.

The Gasparilla Marathon worked out perfectly because I was going to be in Florida for work from mid-February through the beginning of April. The bulk of my training was done in Chicago and Toronto -- often through the snow -- and only one final long run during my tapering period was needed while in Florida.

When race day arrived, I got up at 4 a.m. and was at the convention center in Tampa well before the 6 am start. While stretching inside -- I've got to say, having indoor bathrooms and places to get loose inside was an awesome change from other races -- I met a guy named Chris. We chatted for a bit and headed to the start line together.

I saw Chris later that morning, around Mile 20. I caught him and we wound up running the final six miles together. I think it was good for both of us. He pushed me when I was hurting and when we got to the home stretch, I pushed him to a strong finish. We finished only a couple seconds apart.

I ran the first half in 1:44, which was only two minutes slower than I ran the Las Vegas half marathon in December 2008. I took a similar approach to my last Chicago Marathon -- go out hard with the intent of slowing some later. The only difference this time was I put in the training and was able to hold that early pace for much longer.

In Chicago, I was really only ready to do maybe 16-18 miles total. I faded hard during that race, but went out fast enough at the start to PR at 4:04. This time, I was able to hold a hard pace (for me) for 18-20 miles. I knew I could slow to an 8:30-9:00 pace, if needed, and still be on pace for around a 3:45 finish.

I wound up doing the second half in 1:59, which was almost exactly what I was aiming for. When I saw I had 1:44 in the first half, all I said was get under 2 hours for the second half. That's a comfortable pace for me, even when my legs are aching. So, my game plan paid off. I hit my targets and crushed my previous marathon best.

As for the course, it was fantastic. You run through downtown Tampa, through some nice little residential areas, along the water, down beautiful Bayshore Boulevard, around a small lake and then back. The only complaint I had was that the half marathoners rejoin the marathon pack at one point. So you went from running in a very thin crowd to being in a mass of people at about the halfway point. Really, though, that's a small complaint.

Following the marathon, I felt great, too. The next morning, I was walking fine. This meant two things in my mind. 1) I trained really well this time around and have really learned how to approach things in the days leading up to the race. 2) I didn't run hard enough! I think it was more of the former than the latter. I can't stress enough how much core and strength training have helped me stay injury free for the past year.

I was so happy with how things went at the Tampa Marathon, that I decided to take a physical and mental break from running. Here we are, it's April 25, and I've only JUST started running regularly again. I did four six-milers this week for a solid 24-mile week. I'm over 2,300 miles since I started logging them in October 2007 and I'm planning on running my next marathon in November.

My favorite part of the last marathon wasn't the cool medal, the PR or anything that happened during the race, though. When I got home from the marathon, I opened up the door to the condo I was staying at and my lovely wife had my son in a little T-shirt that read "Future Marathoner." Let's learn how to crawl first, buddy.

~JB

Gaining Strength

"Free your mind, and your feet will follow."

--Kevin Nelson
The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration

Opened up an e-mail the other day from Runner's World and received that quote. Some of the items they send are quickly deleted, others hit home a little bit. This one stuck out for me in that it very succinctly summed up one of the main motivations I have for running.

A lot of people will say they enjoy running so much because it provides them with time to think about things, time to plan or to ponder. For me, it's the complete opposite. When I hit the road, I completely clear my mind. I might be out there running for two hours, but all I'm thinking about is how my feet are landing, how my breaths are timed and whether my pace is strong.

When I'm at home, I'm constantly thinking about deadlines, assignments, and how to organize all those work items in a way as to intefere as little as possible with being a father and a husband. My mind is running on overdrive when I'm at home. The last thing I want to do is take that with me onto the road.

My wife has always marveled at how I can shut my mind off when it is time to fall asleep. She'll lie in bed, going over the million things that wives go over in their minds. Me? I close my eyes, clear my mind of all that daytime clutter, and am able to fall asleep within a few minutes. It's the same when I head out for a long run.

Some time in the past year, someone said they didn't understand how someone could run a marathon -- that at some point you'd run out of things to think about over 26.2 miles. It was funny. That was something that never occurred to me. During marathons, all I think about is one foot in front of the other until that finish line is behind me.

Speaking of which, it's official:

I am signed up for the Tampa Marathon.

I just wrapped Day 2 in Week 3 of my accelerated 6-week training plan. So far, I have not missed one workout and have only used two of the 16 days as pure rest days. I did an "easy" 8-miler today, split between the treadmill and track. This past Sunday, I logged 16 miles on the Don Valley Path here in Toronto.

I stepped on the scale today and it read 163, so I'm down about 10-12 pounds since I ran the Chicago Marathon in October. Not only am I trimmer, but I'm stronger. I feel better than I have before any of my marathons. Unlike leading up to my first one, I have really mixed in strength training, and done a lot of core work, to help with injury prevention and form.

I'm not going to be qualifying for Boston, but a fourth consecutive PR is not unrealistic and that would likely mean I'd finally break four hours for a marathon. That's the goal. If I can get close to the 3:45 range where I'd like to be, that would be an added bonus. Barring some sort of setback, everything seems to be lining up well right now.

So, wish me luck. My weekly mileage is nearing 40 and I'm due for an 18-miler this Sunday and a 20-miler the following weekend. I've been doing the bulk of my training indoors, except for those long runs. On the past two Sundays, I've braved freezing rain and snow flurries, respectively. Let's hope for better conditions this week...

~JB

Somebody's watching

A cool thing happened the other day. I was running laps around our indoor track, working on finishing a six-miler, when I noticed a pair of little eyes were locked in on me. As I whipped around one of the tight turns, the eyes followed me and his head turned, his tiny mouth agape.

My four-month-old son was watching me run.

Kelly brought Hayden to the gym to walk laps with him strapped to her in his carrier -- he doesn't like being idle. She took a break to bounce on a large rubber ball with him, and he loved it, giggling like crazy. But when I ran by, he recognized me for that split second and watched me fly around the track.

That was a pretty neat experience. The moment lasted all of three seconds, but it served as a pretty big reality check. Whether I like it or not, he's watching everything I do and he's bound to try to copy me. In that case, I have even more motivation to keep running. I want my little guy growing up in a household where athletics are normal, where doing something like running a marathon is a way of life, not some unattainable dream.

I want Hayden to grow up knowing that he can accomplish anything he wants with the right attitude and the right work ethic. That's one of the main reasons I ran the Chicago marathon in October, even though his birth took a toll on my training. It was an exercise in determination, and something I could tell him about someday.

Along those same lines, I have decided to run the Tampa Marathon on Feb. 28. I have been running steadily and strong since Chicago and am actually in better shape now than I was then. I set a PR for that marathon and am confident I'll do so this time around as well.

I have mapped out an abbreviated marathon training plan. A crash course leading up to the big day. I have been doing weekly long runs up to this point, but I'll now up the anty, going for 14, 16, 18, 20-22, and 10 miles, respectively, on the five Sundays leading up to the marathon. There's speedwork, tempo runs, easy efforts, and plenty of cross-training, core workouts and lifting days.

I will be a four-time marathoner in less than six weeks.

Today was further proof that I'm feeling very strong on the run right now. I did a 5-miler, with 3 at a tempo pace of between 7:55-8:00 per mile. I finished with tempo splits of 7:57-7:54-7:58. As if that wasn't steady enough, I hit exactly 1,390 steps in each of the first two miles and 1,394 for the third.

Hayden wasn't there watching today. But I can't wait to show him my fourth medal down in Florida.

NYD 5K RESULTS: I finished the New Year's Day 5K in Chicago in 23:14 for an average of roughly 7:30 per mile. Among an estimated 600+ timed participants, I finished 43rd overall. I wanted to break 21, but the path was covered in snow and ice for a few long stretches and the wind chill was about 7 degrees F. My sister Melissa ran in the event as well -- one of her steps in becoming a future Ironman finisher.

After Melissa finished, we crossed the finish line together.

Running into the New Year

My sister Melissa -- on a journey to become an Iron[wo]man -- told me that she was signed up to run a 5K on New Years Day in Chicago, and asked if I was interested in taking part in the event. Today, I signed up, too, so I'll be among a couple thousand crazies running on New Years morning.

Here's why we're all crazy:

The race will be held in Lincoln Park, which you hit at around Mile 6 or 7 during the Chicago Marathon. Part of the reason I thought this race sounded fun was because I haven't run in an organized event off less than 13.1 miles since high school. I'm looking forward to going all out for 3.1 miles and seeing how I do -- cold weather and all.

I'll be aiming to break 21 minutes, but we'll see what happens. I can break that no problem on an indoor track inside the comforts of a gym, or on a treadmill. We'll see if I can do it out in the cold with a few layers on. If I finish fast, I'm hoping to go find my sister and push her along to the finish to hopefully help her reach her time goal.

I have taken Monday and Tuesday off this week, so I'll hit the snow-covered sidewalks here again tomorrow. Last week, I met my goal of 21 miles in 3 runs, logging a nice 6-miler at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. It's been hard to steer completely clear of all the Christmas cookies between runs, though!

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Bring it, winter

After one little purchase, I no longer view a winter storm the same. When I look out the window now, and I see snow falling and ice forming, obvious signs that the temperature is dropping fast, I no longer worry about how I'm going to get my run in.

Thanks to these...


... I now smile when the weather outside is frightful.

A little snow and ice -- or a lot of snow and ice, for that matter -- is no match for me and my new Yaktrax. Puddles... well, puddles are still a problem. This week, back here in Chicagoland for the holidays, I have logged a 7-miler in an ice storm and an 8-miler during a big snow storm. And I had a blast each time I've headed out.

That's me heading out on an 8-mile jaunt the day after Christmas.

With these babies strapped to my shoes, I can run without worrying about any nasty slips or falls. Last year in Toronto, I had a couple of those while running in snowy conditions with no "tire chains" on my feet, as the family has referred to them. It's made running in the winter fun. Yeah, I said it. Fun. No, I'm not crazy. I'm just a runner.

One thing that added to the whole experience was watching the reaction of people in cars as they drove by me running out in the nasty weather. I saw a few dropped jaws and a couple people did full head-turns like, "Is that person nuts?" One man in a snow plow gave me an extra boost of adrenaline, though. He honked his horn, rolled down his window and threw a fist up in the air as he drove by, like "Right on, man!"

Right on, indeed. I also reached a milestone today. I passed 2,000 miles since i began logging in October 2007. I've averaged more than 2 miles per day since I started running regularly, and have averaged 5.8 miles per run over that span.

Can't wait for tomorrow's 6-mile run. Here's hoping it doesn't warm up!

~JB

Eight Mile

That was what I logged today. No big deal, except that I've been sidelined for a little over a week with one of the worst back issues I've ever had. I even admitted defeat and went and saw a doctor on Monday. For anyone who knows me, that's a big deal.

The doc cracked me in a thousand places and gave me some meds and I've been feeling a lot better in the last two days. My job forced me to leave Chicago and come back to Toronto this week, so instead of sitting around the condo today, I made a point to head over to the gym.

Feeling good, I did six miles on the treadmill and then two around the track at about an 8-minute pace. I skipped the core workout or any lifting, because I was worried about tweaking my back. I've had sharp pain in my neck, upper right back, right shoulder and even some strain in my right chest muscles.

I'm just happy I was able to get back to running again. When you finally become a "runner", it's funny how even a few days off make you really antsy. Between my job and not running, my stress level was going through the roof. I've been feeling really irritable and quite tense. I'm sure my wife can attest to that!

But, after running today, I felt so much better. And relieved that the whole run went well, no rust really to shake off. Since the week after I completed Chicago Marathon, I've been trying to maintain an average of at least 21 miles per week. Minus last week, I've been able to manage that type of work load.

Don't tell my wife :) but I'm contemplating running the Tampa Marathon on Feb. 28. Someone reminded me that it was going on while I was in Florida and I'm considering giving it a go. I might not, but I'm at least letting the idea linger in my head. I have yet to sit down and map out a plan to see if it's realistic or not.

That's all for now. Just haven't updated in a while.

~JB

Memory Lane

Two weeks out from this year's Chicago Marathon and I'm back on the roads again.

Today, to get to 21 miles this week, I logged 6 around Thornton and South Holland here in Chicagoland. I decided to run into SoHo for a change. Normally, I stick to a nice route that goes around Kell's hometown of Thornton and takes me through some woods.

This time I was feeling a bit sentimental and wanted to run through the town I grew up in. From Kell's parent's house to the house where I spent most of my childhood is almost exactly 3 miles, making for an easy out-and-back.

The photo (thanks Google maps!) is of the park that sits next to the culdesac where my old house stands. I did one loop around the park, running by the baseball fields where I used to practice and the playgrounds I spent so many hours on. It was fun heading down my old street and seeing what had changed and what little things were still the same.

My old house still had the same rickety shed along the side that my dad put up -- broken door and everything! He also put up this small strip of pickett fence on the front corner of the house to "hide" the garbage cans. Yup, still there. I was cracking up. My friends' old treehouse, where no girls were allowed, still stands a few houses down, too.

I actually took a break at the 3-mile mark to walk around the end of the culdesac before heading on my way. I noticed a neighbor in the house next to my old home pulling back some curtains and peering out at me. Probably seemed weird to have some random dude running on his street. When you live on a street like that, it's rare to see anyone who doesn't have a reason to be there. We always could tell when a car made a wrong turn onto our block. Everyone knows everyone.

As I was walking by my old house, a woman came out with a couple of kids, looking at me funny. I smiled, said hello and said I was just taking a run down memory lane -- that I lived on this street a decade ago and happened to be back in the neighborhood. She smiled back and said OK, but still was looking at me like I was some whacko. As to avoid anyone calling the cops on the strange runner guy, I headed on my way.

As for the run itself, my left foot was a little sore throughout. I've had some minor pain on the underside of my foot at the base of the two toes next to my big toe. Pounding the pavement so soon after a marathon might be the cause, just overuse. I also switched back to a pair of shoes that have 400+ miles on them, which could have contributed.

My other pair of Saucony's are still drying after a fun run I did a few nights ago. It was pouring rain, but I didn't let that stop me from heading out for a quick 3 miles. I got drenched, and had a blast. At a certain point, I no longer cared about running through puddles -- that's how soaked I was. I'll take a day off here to let my foot rest and to let my the shoes with fewer miles on them dry some more. Might have to take a blowdryer to them.

That's all for right now. Just thought I'd add a quick update, as well as some photos to the blog. Kelly and Hayden and I are planning on heading back to Toronto in early November, so it'll be back to running north of the border, where it's a bit colder than here. I'm thinking of sticking to 3-6 miles each time for a while, so I might just stick to the track/treadmills back home.

Who am I kidding? I'll probably get out the winter gear and run through the snow like I did all last winter. Sometimes those are the most memorable runs. Today's certainly ranked up there.

3-peat: Running Chicago 2009

I did it. I never doubted that I would cross the finish line at this year's Chicago Marathon, but I definitely did not expect to do as well as I did this past Sunday. Here on the couch, with my feet up and the race behind me, I am completely satisfied with the results.

First, the raw data: I finished my third career marathon in 4:04:04, representing a new personal best. Among 33,608 finishers, I placed 12,117. Among 18,983 men, I ranked 8,811. Among men between the ages of 25-29, I was No. 1,493 out of 3,117. Not too shabby in my book.

This marathon was the most satisfying of the three I have run.

I'd say last year's Chicago Marathon (4:22) was the most fun. Once I knew the extreme heat was not going to allow me to meet my time goals, I slowed down and soaked up the experience of my first 26.2. Running the Disney Marathon (4:09) showed me something about myself. I set a PR at the time, despite running the final 7 miles with increasing pain in my hip.

But this year's marathon was the most satisfying.

I went in without expectations. The birth of Hayden on Sept. 1 took away about two weeks of training during the most critical period. Leading up to his arrival, I had actually cut down my mileage, trying to convince myself that running a marathon under the circumstances was not a good idea. I was talking myself out of it.

Then, the more I thought about it, I told myself that I've never backed out of anything in my life. When I put my mind to something, I do it. Full training or not, I had the experience and determination to carry me through. So, in the two weeks leading up to the marathon, I banged out a 20-mile run and did some workouts to get myself as prepared as I could.

The last thing I wanted was to be sitting at home on marathon day, having not even tried. Giving up is something I have never done and -- with a new son to raise -- I am now an example. Sure, he's just a baby right now, but when he is older, and he's asking about my marathons, I don't have to say I sat one out because I wasn't sure I could do it.

That is why this run was the most satisfying.

I went in with a specific strategy. My only goal was to cross the finish line, but I came up with a plan to try to shoot for a new personal record. I hadn't logged the really long runs, and I was 15 pounds heavier than last October, but I knew I could do the first 13-16 miles at a good clip. So, I figured my best shot at coming close to 4 hours was to go out fast and slow up late.

I ran the first 13.1 miles in 1:51 -- not bad considering I ran the Las Vegas half in 1:41 in December. I knew I couldn't hold that pace, but that early split could make up for my slower pace in the second half. I did the second 13.1 in 2:13, falling four minutes shy of cracking 4 hours, but beating my previous best by five minutes.

How could I have made up those four minutes?

Well, there were two quick porto-potty stops and few brief walking breaks between miles 16-24. Then, during the last mile, I stopped to help a guy who was collapsed in the road after having his hamstring blow up on him. I ran by a guy crawling off the road last year and that always stuck with me. This year, I decided not to be one of the people who ran on and did nothing.

So, with all of that, there's your four minutes. But, who cares? I didn't know I'd even be able to set a new best time thisyear and I can look back knowing I helped someone. I have nothing to be upset about.

The weather conditions were almost perfect. I say "almost" because it was cold - in the low 30s at the start. I wore short sleeves and gloves to start off and was warm enough 3-4 miles in. I ran by my sister Melissa between miles 4-5 -- gave her a big hug, so there's another 5 seconds I can't get back! -- and gave her the gloves before moving on.

About a half hour after finishing, I started to get really cold again while waiting to pick up my stuff at gear check. Even though it was so cold, it still beat the 85-degree day we had in Chicago for the marathon last year. That wore me down so much in the second half of the run. If only I could've combined last year's training with this year's conditions.

After the race, I met up with Melissa and my wife Kelly drove downtown with Baby Hayden and Grandma to join us for a celebratory lunch at my favorite Chicago restaurant: Flat Top Grill. In the days since, I've had a Chicago pizza, Taco Bell and Kell's awesome lasagna. Living it up before getting back to running the roads.

Next year, I'm thinking about doing a November marathon. San Antonio? New York? We'll see.

For now, I'm satisfied with calling myself a three-time marathoner.

Here is Hayden modeling my medal.

Where there's a will...

Can you see me in that crowd? I'm right there, on the left, about 300 yards in front of that big white tent back there. Can't see me among the 45,000 runners? This year -- on Sunday -- I'll be a little closer to the front, in one of the designated start corrals rather than in the open section.

A year ago, Chicago was my first marathon. Over more than a year of running up to that point, I had shed more than 40 pounds. Now, a year since that photo was taken, I am a two-time marathoner. Did Chicago in 4:22 in very hot conditions, did Disney in 4:09 with a bum hip for the last 7 miles. Ran the Las Vegas half in 1:42 in perfect conditions in between.

This Sunday, I will be able to say I'm a three-time marathoner. I haven't trained as hard leading up to this one -- funny how bringing a son into the world will throw off your priorities, and your training (Kelly and I welcomed Baby Hayden Bastian to our family on Sept. 1). I haven't been blogging, because I haven't been running as much. Only recently did I pick it up hard again, and I feel like I've been cramming for an exam.

This year will be all about experience and will power. I want to crack 4 hours, but if I don't I'm not going to get all worked up over it. My goal this year is to cross that finish line. Last week I successfully logged 20 miles after not having gone 10+ in a month. The 32 miles I ran last week were my most in one week since January. Sunday is going to hurt and I know it. And I'm ready.

Having run two marathons before, and with that 20-miler under my belt recently, I know what I'm in for and I know I can handle it. I might not be able to clock as fast of splits as in the past, but I will hold a steady pace with the goal of not slowing much as I get deeper in the run. I want to prove to myself that I can push beyond my limits, using my experience.

I look forward to putting that medal on after I finish my third career 26.2. I also look forward to updating this blog more often as I get back at it over the next year. I hope to run at least one marathon per year from here on out. I'm already thinking that one in October or November of 2010 will be next.

I'll post more after Sunday's adventure...

Intermission Over

That's the hope anyway. I've been on -- how shall I say it? -- an extended mental and physical "break" from running. You could probably gather as much from the time between posts here. Since my last update, I have logged 84 miles in roughly 11 weeks, which is a big drop-off for me.

Things are going to pick up, though. They have to. I've had a few moments recently that have started to nudge me back in the right direction. My lovely wife, Kelly, teasingly told me the other day that she liked that I was getting my belly back. I signed up for the 2009 Chicago Marathon the next day.

Beyond that little bit of motivation, I keep having people ask me how my running is going and I'm sick and tired of saying I'm on a break. Me and running haven't broken up, but we're on a break. A Blue Jays player asked me this week and then another person at work brought up the running again yesterday.

What this has showed me is how much running became a part of my identity and I have let it slip away over the past couple months. It's time to get back at it. I stepped on the scale last night before bed and I was up to nearly 175. That's 20 pounds heavier than I was last October! I don't look heavy by any means, don't get me wrong, but it's time to hit the path again.

I started this morning. Kelly got up at 6ish this morn to get ready for work and rather than stay in bed like I normally do, I got up as well. I loaded up my ipod with some fresh tunes while she got ready and after she left, I headed to the lakefront. Now, I planned on punishing myself with 10 miles, but I settled for 6 at a 7:57 pace with a brief break at the midway point.

My legs were singing as I wrapped up the run and I'm sitting in the pressbox at work right now fighting a cough. That tells me that it's been way too long since my last run -- 17 days in fact. Now that I have another 26.2 on my schedule, I can't afford to stray away from running again. Now is the time to step up the program again and get back to watching what I'm eating.

"Success does not cometo the most righteous and rigorously disciplined but to those who continue running." ~Amby Burfoot