The 113 Boston Marathon – April 17-20, 2009

We left Cincinnati late afternoon on Friday the 17th, after the kids got home from school. We headed north and got as far as Erie, PA. It was 10:00pm when we checked into the Holiday Inn Express and we went straight to bed.

Saturday morning, we got up early and, feeling very smart, ate a quick breakfast and got on the road. We reached Hopkinton about 4:30pm. We got out and walked around, looked over the finish line and took pictures in front of the famous sign. I made sure I was wearing the t-shirt from my orthopedist so that they could see that I had made it this far.

Jumping back into the car, we drove the race route into Boston. This was fun and gave me a good idea of what to expect. I had heard descriptions of the course, and seen a You-Tube video, but it was great to see the course in person for the first time. Unfortunately, this meant that we arrived in Boston, just after 6:00pm and I was not able to pick up my race packet that day. By the time we had negotiated the downtown traffic and street closings to get to the Hyatt, we were tired and hungry. We ate at the hotel and went to bed.

We got an early start Sunday morning and walked through the commons. It was the first time in Boston for the kids and they really liked the city. On our way to the expo we stumbled upon the Invitational Mile Races and stuck around to watch. It was great to see the high school runners, and especially the elites. Stacy, who runs cross country and track, was particularly pleased to see the elite women like Shalane Flanagan and Anna Willard.

After the races we went to the expo to pick up my packet and do a little shopping. Unfortunately the place was so packed it was hard to move around. We left as soon as we could, hopped on the T and headed to Quincy Market. The place was also crowded but we were able to do a little shopping and had some lunch. Our circus expert, Erin, loved watching the street performers on the square. The highlight for me was being able to say hello to John Ellis at the Bill Rodgers Running Store. There were many people in the store, and I felt a little bad taking up his time, but I wanted to thank him for his help on my training plan for the 2008 Pig. John was great, and I think we would have talked for hours about running, but there was work to do.

After the market we walked back to the hotel and chilled for the rest of the afternoon until the pasta party. At about 6pm we walked back to Government Center for the party. It was well done, with plenty of food, but the night was a little chilly to be sitting around. Getting up and walking back to the hotel was much nicer. The great thing about walking around downtown Boston is that around every corner is a piece of history. When we got back to the hotel, we relaxed; I laid out my running gear and went to bed early.

Monday morning came early for me. I got up, dressed and headed the two blocks to the Commons to catch the bus. I was on one of the first busses to leave. I sat next to a woman from Denver and as it turned out, we had a mutual acquaintance from Cincinnati – very odd. Being one of the first busses, when we got to the athletes’ village it was nearly empty. It was fun to watch the place fill up and for the energy to start to build. I walked around and took it all in.

This was the first time that I started to get a little emotional thinking that this would be my last run. It helped that as I talked to people I got swept up in the excitement of the event. However, the best thing to happen was a conversation I had while in the long port-a-let line. I was explaining how this was my final run when one of the people said that it sounded like this was more of a victory lap than a final run. I thought that was the perfect way to approach the race and I kept that thought the rest of the day.

Soon it was time to head to the start area. I dropped my bag at the bus and started the walk to the corrals. I did not mind the walk; in fact it was kind of nice to be moving in the right direction. I was in corral 11 and met an old friend originally from Cincinnati and who was a couple of years behind me at Williams. It was nice to catch up and we ran together for the first mile or so.

After the fly over and the national anthem, the race started. It took us about 10 minutes to walk up the hill to the start line. The first part of the race is downhill and of course I started too fast. I was planning on running 9:00 miles, but with the downhill and the other fast runners around me I found myself running much faster than I thought I was:

Mile 1 8 :45
Mile 2 8:12
Mile 3 8:22
Mile 4 8:33

The first part of the race had the fewest spectators, and with the exception of TJ’s Spirits, was relatively quiet. After mile 4 I started looking for a port-a-let, but what I found was a spot of woods with a half dozen runners taking advantage of the lack of spectators and I decided to join them. This gave me a slow mile split, but combined with the flattening of the course, I started to get my pace back to where I wanted:

Mile 5 9:21
Mile 6 8:49
Mile 7 8:54
Mile 8 9:05
Mile 9 9:05
Mile 10 9:01
Mile 11 9:07
Mile 12 8:55

The crowds were heaviest as we got into the main parts of the towns and they were great. I was wearing my name on the front of my shirt for the first time. I had always considered it a little cheesy, but I thought it would be fun to try in my last race, and I thought I might need the extra motivation. It was the right decision, as the crowds really picked up on it. All the people calling my name helped, particularly latter in the race. On the back of my shirt I had:

The Final Run
Boston 2009

I must have had ten runners pass me and ask why it was my last run. When I explained it to them, many of them told me I should find a new doctor. If only it were that simple.

Shortly after mile 12 I started to get a cramp in my left thigh. It was not too bad and it did not slow me down, but it stayed with me for the whole race. I think in the end it may have altered my stride a little which drained energy and had me hurting at the end of the race. Unfortunately I did not think that at the time, or I would have stopped and stretched it out. As it was, I kept feeding off the crowds and kept running. The girls of Wellesley were great (no, I did not stop for kisses) and the crowd in the center of town I thought was just as louder.

At about mile 15 I started to get a pain in my right hip. It hurt, but did not seem to be slowing me down too much. Again, in hindsight I should have stopped and stretched. The left quad cramp and right hip pain stayed with me until the end:

Mile 13 8:52
Mile 14 8:58
Mile 15 9:16
Mile 16 9:09

By the time I got to the hills of Newtown, I was beginning to hurt. The cramps and hip had taken their toll and, while I kept moving, my times slowed. Again, the crowds really carried me through those hills. I had made the decision that no matter what, I would run up those hills. I did not want to walk up Heartbreak Hill in my only Boston. Maybe not the smartest decision, but this race was not about a finishing time:

Mile 17 9:30
Mile 18 9:38
Mile 19 9:33
Mile 20 9:47
Mile 21 10:22

I thought the widest crowds to this point were at Boston College. So many people were calling my name that another runner named Dennis decided to run with me to soak it in. I was much relived to be over the hills, but I was pretty spent.

At this point I was running all on guts. My conditioning was OK, but my legs were really hurting. It was at mile 24 that a fleeting thought went through my head that I may not be able to make it. I dug down to that source of discipline and commitment that, at some point in a marathon, a runner needs to draw on. I call it the decision point and I believe it tells you something about yourself. I knew I would finish because I did not consider anything else a possibility. It is all about character at that point.

Mile 22 9:13
Mile 23 9:35
Mile 24 9:21
Mile 25 9:57
Mile26.2 12:01

From Mile 23 one, the crowds were 7-8 deep on both sides of the street and they were into it. One of my favorite memories was around mile 24. There were a number of runners down. I saw one working out some cramps with some help. The crowd was encouraging her and when she got up and started to run the place went wild. It was inspiring. I knew I could not and would not stop.

I turned on to Boylston Street and started looking for the family. Unfortunately, they were on the other side of the street and I did not get to see them. The best part of the race was when I approached the finish line and I heard my name announced. I then knew that I had made it. It was great. I finished in 4:01:21. I had hoped to break 4 hours, but I really was not too concerned. Six months ago I had been told I would never make it to this point, so just finishing was an accomplishment.

I really wish I could run the race again now that I know the course. It is a tough course that can eat you up, but I think I would do much better if I ran it again. But, now I start my cycling career and my start as a race volunteer. I figure it is time to give back to the running community.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to run Boston. If I had to stop running, to go out running the most famous road race was the way to go.

The Final Run For Mountain T.O.P.

As many of you know by now, I am approaching my final run. A torn meniscus and arthritis in my right knee has spelled an end of my running. My doctor has said that I should not be running at all. The irony is that this injury came just as I reached the high point of my time in running – qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Only about 10% of all marathon finishers post a time fast enough to qualify for Boston. It was something I had only dreamed about. Fortunately, I was able to post a qualifying time at the Cincinnati Flying Pig marathon last year.

Over the past 25 years, there has been one aspect of my running that has been missing. I have never run for a cause other than fitness, stress relief and just plain fun. As I approach my final run, I would like it to be more than just that – a final run. I hope that it could be a means of helping to enriching other peoples’ physical and spiritual well being.

It is for this reason that I would like to make my last run, my last marathon, a fund raiser. The charity I have chosen is Mountain T.O.P. (Tennessee Outreach Project). (http://www.mountain-top.org/).

This is a ministry that the youth at my church have participated in for many years, but I really never knew the impact until my kids went this past summer. They described it as one of the most fulfilling and important experiences they have ever had.

The mission of Mountain T.O.P. is, as described on their web page:

We are an interdenominational Christian Mission affiliated with the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church, dedicated to rural life ministry in the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee. Specifically, Mountain T.O.P. seeks to empower those it serves through a philosophy of partnership. Helping to enable the staff, camp participants, and Cumberland Mountain families to realize their potential and their responsibility as God's servants to address the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.Mountain T.O.P. is concerned with achieving immediate results through direct social service programming and serves only those who have expressed a need. While striving to serve as a "faith-in-action" classroom, participants are encouraged to serve those who express needs in their own hometown.

These are the foundational objectives of Mountain T.O.P.:

* To help meet the physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs of the Tennessee Cumberland Mountain people.

* To actively encourage the Christian growth of the participants and staff who come to Mountain T.O.P.

* To develop the leadership skills of participants and staff.

In meeting these needs, Mountain T.O.P. has been able to effect change in the lives of many. As we move toward the future, we keep our eyes focused on the horizon ahead and our hearts rooted in the knowledge that He who began a great work in us will see it to completion. These are the foundational objectives of Mountain T.O.P.

I hope you can help in furthering the efforts of this fine group to improve the physical conditions of people very much in need, and at the same time develop an awareness in young people of the blessing in their lives and the importance of community service. I feel strongly about this organization because it helps people now and instills lifelong lessons for next generation.

There are two ways to help. First there is a link on my blog (http://www.earlymorningrunner.blogspot.com/) to a PayPal account donate button. You can use this with or without a Paypal account of your own. I have also added a link to the Mountain T.O.P. giving form. This form gives you the option to donate a specific item (wheelbarrow, step ladder, scholarship, etc.) or just an amount and send it directly to Mountain TOP. Every penny will go to Mountain T.O.P. (I am paying all my own race expenses). Either way, please e-mail me and let me know so I can personally thank you and tally the results.

I really appreciate any support you can offer. I have run many miles, but these last 26.2 will be the hardest. Physically, I hope my knee holds up. Emotionally, it will be the end of an activity that I have cherished and which I will miss terribly. The motivation of knowing that my final run could be a benefit for others now and in the future will keep me going to the finish line and beyond.

To hear more about this ministry and some of the young peoples’ experiences (my kids) listen to Episode 16 of the Early Morning Runner at http://www.earlymorningrunnner.blogspot.com/ or at iTunes.

Thanks again.

Recording History

It is a shame that it took the end of my running career to get me to start a podcast. The fact is that I likely would not have started one if my running was not coming to an end. Since I know my last race will be in April, I don't feel the need to keep the podcast going forever. This takes the pressure off. I don't have to think up new topics forever, only until April.

The reasons for starting the podcast are a little more complicated. On one level the experience is cool. It is hard to believe that I can produce something that may be listened to by people all over the world. It is rather mind boggling to think about. It gives you a sense of connection with the rest of the world.

The podcast also gives me an opportunity to say good-bye. Reviewing my running past and my thoughts on running has helped me mentally prepare for for the day when I have to hang up my running shoes. It is sort of a running Hospice. It allows me to come to terms with the end of my running and to prepare me for the next stage of my fitness life.

Finally, I would like to leave some sort of legacy. I would like to leave a history for my family and friends. I want my children to know how important it is to maintain an active lifestyle throughout life. I know I will soon not be able to run, and someday I may have to give up cycling or whatever other form of fitness I take up. But, I will always find something I can do that will enhance my physical well being and in doing so enhance all the other aspects of my life.

So the end is near for me, but there will always be a lasting memory for others to run with.

A New Thanksgiving Tradition

Another Thanksgiving and another Thanksgiving Day Race. I don't know how many times I have run this race, but it has definitely become a tradition in our family.

Every year I would head out early to run the race. I would come home and the family would be in their PJ's. The kids would ask me how I did and I would tell them that I came in 4th again; that is why I had no medal. Even when they were small they did not believe me.

Then seven years ago the whole family ran the race. The kids were eight years old. We trained all fall and slowly worked our way up the 6.2 miles. We would run a mile and then walk 30 seconds, and everyone took their turn running in the lead and setting the pace. It was a great time and a lot of fun, but we did not do it again as a family.

Last year my daughter Stacy ran the race with me. Stacy runs cross country and track and even though she had not run in about three weeks, she decided to run. She had started swim practice with the school so her fitness was fine, but she was a little unsure about the distance. We went slow, but that was fine. We enjoyed the race, the course and each other's company.

This year I ran the 99th Thanksgiving Day Race with both Hillary and Stacy. It was Hillary's turn this year to be worried about the distance. Since Hillary's tennis season ended, she has been running up to 3 miles, three times a week. She was concerned about running 6.2 miles since she had not run that far in training.

I was concerned on how my knee would hold up. I thought it very possible that I would have to DNF, and we discussed what to do if that did in fact happen. We decided that Hillary and Stacy would go ahead and finish the race if I could not.

The weather was perfect with race time temperature about 40 degrees, sunny and no wind. It was another record crowd of over 11,400 and it took us well over 15 minutes to get to the start line. When we crossed the start line, Hillary, Stacy and I ran together. Stacy soon took off on her own as Hillary and I settled in to a very relaxed pace. Every step I was thinking about my knee and Hillary was thinking about the distance. We did not talk too much the first couple of miles.

Just past mile two, the course crosses a bridge over the Ohio into Kentucky. Fot me, this was a point of no return. The course is a loop, beginning and ending at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincinnati. Once we crossed the bridge, there was no real way for me to get back other than to complete the race (or get a lift from an ambulance).

At three miles I started to get concerned about my knee. It started to feel odd, not really pain, just not right. After a while the feeling past and the knee felt better. I started to feel more concern about my quads. I think I still had some loss of muscle strength from the operation. The knee itself had very little pain.

It was also at this point that Hillary started to feel more comfortable about finishing the race. With our new found confidence we started talking more about everything and anything.

Hillary is begging me to let her run more, but is not overly concerned about time. I have not let her run more than three times a week until she gets her form more like the Chi Running form. I don't want her to heel strike too much and risk injury. Mom told her recently "You have got your Father's running bug".

We crossed over another bridge back into Ohio and headed for the last mile. I remember running this race fast and hard in the past. My best time for this race was "42:37" The last mile was brutal then and I agonized about finishing in a certain time. This time I enjoyed the scenery, the company and the race experience. I even snapped a few pictures with Hillary's cell phone.

As we approached the finish line, I instructed Hillary to get some good space between us and other runners so she could get a good finishers photo. As we approached the finish I told Hillary "Well, now you are a runner". We crossed the line together in what was one of my slowest times, but, without a doubt, one of my best times.

Stacy and Hillary are looking forward to next years 100th running of the Thanksgiving Day race. For me, this may have been my last Thanksgiving Day Race. If it is, I can't think of a better way to end my tradition and to start a new tradition with a new generation of runners.

Life Is All About Choices

The news from the surgery was not too good. On the way home, sitting in the back seat of the car with my leg up I asked my wife what the doctor had said about my return to running.


“Well I was wondering how long it would take you to ask,” Holly said, “it was not too good.”


“Really? I knew it would not be great, but how bad?” I asked.


“When he told me, my jaw dropped. I told him that he would have to tell you the full story when you see him Monday. I can’t.”


I could not let it go at that, so I pressed her, “OK, but in general what did he find?”


“He said the inside of the knee was pristine, but he found more arthritis on the outside than he had thought.”


So all through the weekend I wondered how bad it really was. I knew that my marathon running would be coming to an end, but how much would I be able to do? After all, I had just ran seven miles the day before without pain. How bad could it be?


Monday morning, Holly drove me into the doctor’s office at 9am for my follow-up appointment. My doctor is a very tall, big, athletic man, who could be very imposing if he wished to be. Fortunately he is very humble and always takes the time to explain what is going on and answer all my questions. He is use to treating athletes, including some pro teams, which is the reason I choose to start seeing him. He knows what it means to me to run and be active, so the news he had to deliver must not have been easy for him, but he handled it with his usual skill and frankness.


He explained that he had found more damage to the meniscus and, even more troubling, he found more arthritis than he had expected from the MRI.


“So what does this all mean” I said “I have a race in April you know.”


“Well, if you keep running you will need a knee replacement in 5 years; if you don’t run you may have 15 to 20 years. You can still cycle, swim use an elliptical machine, but I would not recommend running.”


Given that I said that I would still like to run Boston in April, and then I would be good with giving up running and I could start to cycle and swim.


“I’m not sure you will be able to even run this April” he told me.


So there you have it. Talk about a choice. Keep running and use up my knee and maybe have to be much less active in 5 years, or give it up and move on to more low impact activities. Do you continue to do what you love for as long as you can, or do you conserve your body and take a measured approach?


It is a week after the surgery and I have full range of motion in my knee, though it can get sore and stiff if I am on my feet too much. The swelling is almost all gone and I have been doing my therapy of stretching and strengthening every day.


In three to four weeks I will start back to running with the hope of being able to train enough to at least finish Boston. I will use the FIRST method and incorporate cycling into my workout regime. I will use up some of my knee to realize the dream of running Boston. If I was a younger man, or if I had run Boston before it might be different, but at 47 this will be my last chance. One more race, one more marathon and after that, I hit the bike path with no regrets.