Shivers Down the Backbone

Fresh off his Tokyo triumph, Jimmy Dean Freeman plans to run 68 miles this Saturday in preparation for his debut in the Western States 100. (Cancelled last year because of fire.) Along with a friend preparing for the Miwok 100K, Jimmy intends running the Backbone trail from Point Mugu to Will Rogers State Park in Santa Monica.  Pace and terrain being what they are, that's about 16 hours of running. 

Speaking of mile-stackers, my friend Tim sent me this link about a man who just reached his goal of running eight miles a day until he reached 100,000. It only took him 34 years. He's now thinking about maybe setting other life goals that don't involve running. 

Kind of like me these days. 

Within the MRI

In the film Soylent Green, the world is an overpopulated dystopia. In one scene, actor Edward G. Robinson discovers an appalling secret and decides life isn't worth living. So he checks into the neighborhood suicide center. There he's given a lethal beverage, placed on a couch in a darkened room with his choice of classical music, and slowly dies.

That scene kept running through my head during the MRI. When the technician slid me into the machine, my head looked up at an array of lights and LED readouts, counting down, resetting, counting down again. Whirrs, clicks, extended buzzes sounded from the machine while the surface I rested on moved subtly forward and back. Throughout, I wore head phones pumping my ears full of New Age and World music: soothing Celtic tunes, steel drums, very relaxing. (They're going to kill me!)

But I survived just fine and now await word from the orthopedist. In the meantime, I'm meeting TNT chums on Monday at the pool. They train for a triathalon, while I train. But watery misery loves company, so it should be fun.   

MRI Update

Tomorrow evening. Yeee-ha!

Swam today. For some reason the lanes seemed smaller than usual. Did a few laps, then lengths for 35 minutes, then aqua ran for 45. My arms were heavy at the end. Stay in the pool and get better. Chlorine tires me out. I want to nap once I get home. And eat. But not at the same time.

Way to Go!

Congrats to F.J., Anna, Ryan, Crystal, Emil and all the other runners who braved wind and rain to finish the Pasadena Marathon. 

Dean FreemJimmy

Jimmy posted a Facebook link to his splits. (Note the artistic spelling of his name.) Kate didn't run, but took photos and yelled. Apparently, conditions were windy and rainy - as they are now for those afoot in the Pasadena Marathon.

"There is No Finish Line"

Nice quote by Joan Benoit Samuelson, now in her 50s, who just set an American age-group 3K record of 10 minutes 22.69 seconds.

In the "People I Know" category, Jimmy Dean Freeman ended a 6 and a half year quest to break 3 hours in the Tokyo Marathon. He called sub-three earlier today, than backed it up with a 2:58:19 finish. That's 6:48 a mile. Congrats to Jimmy on reaching his goal. No idea on how wife Kate did, but I should know soon.

Meanwhile, as I wait for MRI approval, I can't even run my mouth.

I Miss Chow

Last year, I assistant coached San Gabriel Valley Team in Training. Here is a picture from 09 Phoenix Marathon. Coach Dave is to my right with Virginia (l) and Kim Possible (r) ahead of us near the half-way point. That's the last time I ran any amount of distance, most of it "coaching" miles. (Speed up, slow down, double back, find teammates, run teammates in.)

Today, I met my old Team in Pasadena as they trained for the San Diego and Seattle Marathons. As in days past, they were holding a barbecue after a long run. Spread out on the picnic table were hot dogs, hamburgers, and strange soy products that looked like real food, plus cakes, bagels, chips, whatever. No longer do I burn the calories allowing me to scarf down all that tasty snackage without bulking up. So I had a grape.

Several coaches are training for triathlons and we compared notes on swimming in over-chlorinated pools. (Even after a shower, your skin's so dry you look like you rolled in a salt lick.)

Meanwhile, over on Facebook, former TNT coach Jimmy Freeman predicted a sub-three hour finish in tomorrow's Tokyo Marathon. Best of luck to Jimmy and wife Kate, plus all the Pasadena marathoners.

May they run like deer and eat like pigs.

Like A Great Moonhead . . .

I was messing around with the template and managed to screw up the blog. I've had to reconstruct. What a bother.

D1 Track Workouts

Need a challenge? Courtesy of Flotrack, the University of New Mexico Lobos log in repeats. Here's their workout:



*Milers/3k - 10x400 w/1min rest (65-66 for first five; 62-63 for second five)

5k/10k - 16x400 w/1min rest (65-66 throughout; first 5 with milers)

Feels Like Old Times

Over thirty and itching to set a record? The USA Master's Track and Field Indoor Championships happen this Friday through Saturday in Landover, Maryland. Olympic marathon winner Joan Benoit Samuelson, 1981 middle distance champ Henry Rono and other top athletes from back in the day will be gunning for American and world records. Televised? Bwaaa-haha. Who wants to watch a bunch of old wrecks? Other than me, that is.

Upcoming Races

More pool training. I used the kickboard for around 15 minutes, then freestyle swam 30, then aqua ran for 45. Knee felt a bit tender today, so I backed off sprints. Forty-five minutes consisted of 12 25-meter laps. (300 meters).

Jimmy Dean Freeman and his bride, Kate, will be running the Tokyo Marathon Saturday. They're honeymooning over in Thailand, betting on muay thai matches and chasing apes for sport.

Pasadena Marathon is this weekend. Good luck to F.J., Anna, and many more who are giving the race a second try. (Cancelled in November due to smoke from the hill fires.)

Head Start

Running Within examines mental and spiritual facets of running, listing techniques such as visualization and affirmations that can help runners tap the power of the subconscious to achieve peak performances, accept set-backs, deal with injuries (me), and grow with the sport. I've cherry-picked snippets from this book and had good results. A systematic approach could be invaluable in rounding out a training or rehab program. Very much worth a read.

Cycle of Violence

Actually, it wasn't that bad. But I can't stand up on the stationary bike because of my knee. So I sit and peddle as fast as I can. Doesn't seem like I'm getting that much of a workout. I rowed for 10 minutes and did core and hip work. Still some stiffness to my legs from yesterday's aqua run.



Speaking of running, Flotrack has footage from the NCAA Indoor Championship. Here's a clip from the women's 3K final. Colorado's Jenny Barringer laps the field to set a new NCAA record. Quite an impressive kick, I'm thinking.

Medical News

The new doc recommended an MRI. He seemed confidant the insurance company would approve. However from approval to scheduling to MRI to meeting the doc again will take six weeks. If surgery is needed, that's another six to twelve weeks. At a minimum, I'm seeing no running until June or July. No walking or hiking either. Swimming pool, thou art my new home.

Speaking of which, I swam today.Did a workout that started with kickboard laps, then freestyle, followed by 45 minutes of aqua running with intervals (aqua fartlek if you will), and a cool down of easy laps. 1:38:09 total.

Next time I run on a dirt trail, I'll have gills.

I Am A Big Chicken

I bailed on swimming this morning and felt bad. I stink at swimming. Naturally, the answer is lessons and swim more, but bailing seemed easier. I ended up doing some core work later in the day. Tomorrow, I see the new doc about my knee. Hopefully, this is the beginning of the end. The last orthopedist I spoke with leaned toward meniscus tear. I know runners who have recovered from that. If that's what I have, I hope to be one too.

Without running, I've put on about 16 pounds since September. My cholesterol is up and I have to watch what I eat. I hate watching what I eat. There's nothing like a big, high-mileage breakfast after a long run. Ha, well. No more of that. But it'll be good to whittle away poundage before I hit the road again.

Howdy!

Back in September 2008, while training for a marathon that I hoped would get me Boston, I suffered a knee injury. Over the months, this injury has been variously diagnosed as a stress fracture, tendinitis, bone bruise, and cartilage tear. I'm weary of cross-training, but that is my lot. Hopefully, a new doctor will get me the treatment I need to heal properly and return to the roads. In the meantime, I thought I'd open this running blog. 

Since 2005, I've been blogging at Write Enough. At first I sporadically chronicled runs with Team in Training, as well as thoughts on various animation writing projects. (The thing that occupies my time when I'm not training.) But I've decided to branch out and dedicate these pages to running and runners, big and little goals, injuries, triumphs, cross-training, defeats, mental and physical preparation and all the things that go into the sport.

Not long ago I came across a YouTube interview with Billy Mills, 10K champ at the 1964 Olympics. I was blown away by how Mills used his subconscious to program victory. I was inspired by his race and how he refused to deny his dream and settle for less. This site is dedicated to Billy Mills and all who strive, at whatever level, to make their own mark in running.
"Say you can,
Say you can't,
Either way,
You're probably right."
--Old Adage

Eugene 2008

A fun race.