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.