Dori resigned from school and said goodbye to her students and fellow teachers this week. Nothing about her farewells was awkward. She's good with it, and I'm glad.
Dori saw her 4th graders Thursday, determined not to cry. But all of them cried, so that was the end of that story. Yesterday, she went to lunch with co-workers at a diner where macaroni and cheese is considered a vegetable. They had a good time.
Dori will continue to pursue her master's in education, likely volunteer to help her old school co-workers with projects and look around for temp jobs while her immune system continues to mature.
Yesterday, Dori went to Vanderbilt to receive her annual osteoporosis medicine and receive her MMR shots.
I am enjoying seeing Dori not looking completely fatigued. Things have slowed down for a spell, and we're gonna enjoy it.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Old School
Time for that timeless tour. FNFs ...
This YouTube comment was unnecessary, however: "i started liking 80's rock and roll and hip hop and rap cause of my grandpa."
A great 5K song ... not for the kiddies.
Sensing a theme?
And one for the kiddies ... and another for the people who mind them.
This YouTube comment was unnecessary, however: "i started liking 80's rock and roll and hip hop and rap cause of my grandpa."
A great 5K song ... not for the kiddies.
Sensing a theme?
And one for the kiddies ... and another for the people who mind them.
The Beat to Beat Cancer Continues
From a presser:
Erie, Pennsylvania - The Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation announced today that Steven Curley M.D., primary investigator of the Kanzius Non-invasive Radio Wave Cancer Treatment at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This grant, to be paid over the next five years, will be used for continuing research on the Kanzius Treatment which seeks to kill human cancer cells treated with gold nanoparticles without damaging healthy cells.
“This is incredibly exciting and encouraging news for the Kanzius Foundation,” said Mark A. Neidig Sr., Executive Director of the Erie, Pennsylvania based Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation. “An NCI grant positions our research work with a stronger base; one which makes a very loud statement regarding the credibility and validity of both our preliminary findings and future studies.”
The work of the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation is far from complete. The added funding to Dr. Curley’s research is but one aspect of funding needed to advance the multiple research venues utilizing the Kanzius technology and to secure FDA approval.
“The NCI grant was sorely needed and advances our work with vigor,” said Neidig. “However, the total pre-human clinical trial cost is upwards to $12 million so our work continues.”
To read more about the NCI grant, please visit www.KanziusCancerResearch.org now.
On the home front against cancer, I attended a Team In Training meeting last night, having agreed to be a Coach. I met two people impacted by blood cancer. One young lady's 34-year-old brother-in-law is a Hodgkins' Lymphoma survivor (18 months), while another man recently lost his grandmother three days after she was diagnosed with AML.
I will be coaching activist runners like these as we train for the Country Music Half Marathon in April.
Erie, Pennsylvania - The Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation announced today that Steven Curley M.D., primary investigator of the Kanzius Non-invasive Radio Wave Cancer Treatment at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This grant, to be paid over the next five years, will be used for continuing research on the Kanzius Treatment which seeks to kill human cancer cells treated with gold nanoparticles without damaging healthy cells.
“This is incredibly exciting and encouraging news for the Kanzius Foundation,” said Mark A. Neidig Sr., Executive Director of the Erie, Pennsylvania based Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation. “An NCI grant positions our research work with a stronger base; one which makes a very loud statement regarding the credibility and validity of both our preliminary findings and future studies.”
The work of the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation is far from complete. The added funding to Dr. Curley’s research is but one aspect of funding needed to advance the multiple research venues utilizing the Kanzius technology and to secure FDA approval.
“The NCI grant was sorely needed and advances our work with vigor,” said Neidig. “However, the total pre-human clinical trial cost is upwards to $12 million so our work continues.”
To read more about the NCI grant, please visit www.KanziusCancerResearch.org now.
On the home front against cancer, I attended a Team In Training meeting last night, having agreed to be a Coach. I met two people impacted by blood cancer. One young lady's 34-year-old brother-in-law is a Hodgkins' Lymphoma survivor (18 months), while another man recently lost his grandmother three days after she was diagnosed with AML.
I will be coaching activist runners like these as we train for the Country Music Half Marathon in April.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Cape Cod Visuals
It's hard not to smile in Cape Cod. Some photos from the trip ...
Lucky Couple
The Smile I Married
Sea Observers
Two Beacons
Nobska Lighthouse
The English Settlement at Plimouth Plantation
Windy in Woods Hole
Great Hosts
Starting Line with a Slice of Ham
Finished!
Lucky Couple
The Smile I Married
Sea Observers
Two Beacons
Nobska Lighthouse
The English Settlement at Plimouth Plantation
Windy in Woods Hole
Great Hosts
Starting Line with a Slice of Ham
Finished!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Say Again?
I gave Dori a little ribbing this morning over a question she asked me within minutes of finishing Sunday's race.
"Do you think you'll run a marathon again?"
Ehhhh. Errrr. I certainly didn't want to field that question at that point.
This morning, Dori said something very interesting. She said I had the same look after this race that I had after my first half marathon in 2006. I was a bit shellshocked, for a brief spell, after both. In Sunday's race, I watched people drop out, cramp up, groan, and question and admonish themselves for entering the race. I cramped and pulled up twice, but wasn't going to partake in the rest.
For the uninitiated, the marathon is a beatdown. Going in, I respected the distance, but probably didn't give it full respect. How that's changed!
My only raceday downer was Miles 21-24. Leg cramps almost ruined the day. I've been e-mailing friend Chuck, an experienced marathoner, about what happened. I think the massive amount of salt loss tells me I was dehydrated, despite a good pre-race diet and plenty of fluids and energy supplements. By race's end, the temperature was 65 degrees under a full sun. I was bummed I had to walk a few stretches, but I had no choice after going out too fast. If I charged those late-mile hills, I would have been in one of those "Tired Runner Vans" that scoured the course for roadkill.
Yesterday, my legs hurt, especially my left achilles. Walking through airports took time. Today, the soreness has subsided significantly. I'm already thinking about a run later this week!
Which leads me back to Dori's question, now that I'm coherent enough to process it. Sunday, I answered, "I'm not going to answer that right now. I need to wait."
I'll likely tackle 26.2 again. My early parameters will be a flat course in the winter. I know I can do better than 4:53, just like I knew 2:06 in my first half wasn't an A+. The effort was there Sunday, so no beat-me-ups. I just need to be smarter. Savvy only comes with experience.
"Do you think you'll run a marathon again?"
Ehhhh. Errrr. I certainly didn't want to field that question at that point.
This morning, Dori said something very interesting. She said I had the same look after this race that I had after my first half marathon in 2006. I was a bit shellshocked, for a brief spell, after both. In Sunday's race, I watched people drop out, cramp up, groan, and question and admonish themselves for entering the race. I cramped and pulled up twice, but wasn't going to partake in the rest.
For the uninitiated, the marathon is a beatdown. Going in, I respected the distance, but probably didn't give it full respect. How that's changed!
My only raceday downer was Miles 21-24. Leg cramps almost ruined the day. I've been e-mailing friend Chuck, an experienced marathoner, about what happened. I think the massive amount of salt loss tells me I was dehydrated, despite a good pre-race diet and plenty of fluids and energy supplements. By race's end, the temperature was 65 degrees under a full sun. I was bummed I had to walk a few stretches, but I had no choice after going out too fast. If I charged those late-mile hills, I would have been in one of those "Tired Runner Vans" that scoured the course for roadkill.
Yesterday, my legs hurt, especially my left achilles. Walking through airports took time. Today, the soreness has subsided significantly. I'm already thinking about a run later this week!
Which leads me back to Dori's question, now that I'm coherent enough to process it. Sunday, I answered, "I'm not going to answer that right now. I need to wait."
I'll likely tackle 26.2 again. My early parameters will be a flat course in the winter. I know I can do better than 4:53, just like I knew 2:06 in my first half wasn't an A+. The effort was there Sunday, so no beat-me-ups. I just need to be smarter. Savvy only comes with experience.
Great Running Article
Are we built for marathons and such? Yes, according to this NY Times article. Thanks to Laura at Fixin' Supper for sharing.
The Human Body Is Built For Distance
The Human Body Is Built For Distance
Monday, October 26, 2009
How It Went Down
I slept very little the night before the race, maybe three hours. Pre-race anxiety and a howling storm kept me up most of the night. At 5 a.m., I headed downstairs for breakfast - two Clif bars, a banana, some dried mango and lots of Gatorade. My body felt good. No pains anywhere. That would change in a few hours.
Dori, her Uncle Tim and Aunt Jean, the kids and I arrived in the town of Falmouth about 45 minutes before the race. The local bank said it was 57 degrees, and the sky was clearing. We had a great running day for the 32nd annual Cape Cod Marathon.
A start cannon boomed and sent us on our way at 8:30. I ran my first mile in 10:20. I was in discomfort, hoping for a port-a-potty. I soon found one, losing only 30 seconds. A light NW breeze pushed us down the flat road, as we meandered along the the coast. My plan was to run 10:45/mile, but I wound up going faster. I felt great, like I was hardly working.
Through Mile 8, when we arrived at the cranberry bog, I was feeling strong. The course from Miles 8 through 15 rolls gently. I felt very good through this part, talking occasionally with fellow competitors. I passed the 13.1 mark in 2:15. Wow, I thought: If I hold this together, I might break 4:40.
At a water station at Mile 15, I looked at my Garmin, which said I was on a 10:12/mile pace. Too fast, a voice said, right before the first hill appeared. The hill at 15.5 was a long one before the turn to Sippiwissett. The course now was all bumps and big rolls, with three or four impressive hills. I didn't stop once, save for the bathroom break, until Mile 17. I walked very briefly here and again at a big hill at the Woods Hole Golf Course. I arrived in Woods Hole, where the ferry takes residents and tourists to Martha's Vineyard, feeling rough.
From here at Mile 21 to Mile 24, it was a battle. I guess I hit what folks call the wall. I had taken gels every 2.5 miles or so since Mile 4, but could not summon the energy to blast up hills. My biggest concern was the calf seizures I was having on climbs, a precursor to a cramp I could not let happen. That would have made finishing more than difficult.
I alternated running eleven-minute miles and walking up hills, including one at Nobska Light. I would say 80% of fellow racers were doing the same. Maybe they went out too fast, too. At Mile 24, the course flattened along the coast, with a view of Martha's Vineyard to the right. I told myself I was going to run the last two miles to the finish without stopping, attentive to the calf issue and despite the screaming pain. Where did it hurt? All over, but the things I'll remember are my back, knees, left achilles (which hurts today) and right side of my abdomen. I felt cramps, too, in the latter area.
Heading up Walker Street for the Green in Falmouth, I took a left at Main Street, where I sighted Uncle Tim. All excited, he yelled, "He's here!" He sprinted up the street to alert the kids, who bolted onto the course to run with me. Kathryn laughed with joy and Will said, "Dad, they're going to announce your name on the speaker!" I crossed in 4:53. Unbeknownst to me, Dori was near the finish line asking an official my whereabouts. She never saw me, but found me seconds later. She came up to me as I was hunched over, told me how proud she was, and watched me choke up briefly.
I enjoyed crossing the finish line, but not the next 25 minutes. Everything hurt. Stretching didn't help. The walk to the car was brutal. I could barely do that. This told me two things. I needed to train a little harder than I did ... probably more miles and hills, but not much more. It also told me I had left everything on that course.
In the car with Dori, the pain started to subside finally as I lifted my legs. I looked at my knees, which were caked in salt. Weird. Dori said my eyes were bloodshot. At the house, I took a brief ice bath to get the swelling down. This helped my legs significantly. Dori and the kids headed to Providence for their flight, while I catnapped. When Tim and Jean returned from the airport, they found me with some Old World French wine in hand watching the chickadees bathing in the birdbath. We had a great dinner and conversation. They're great hosts.
I learned a lot yesterday. If I ever run 26.2 again, I have some lessons, both training and race-day. I certainly would have benefitted from having a running buddy, especially for the hills. And I went out too quickly, 10:12/mile on the inner half, which led to a 12:03/mile on the home leg. Without the mistakes, I believe I would have run 4:40 or better. On a flat course, maybe closer to 4:30 or better. But 4:53 is a finish, and that was my goal.
The Cape Cod Marathon was the best organized race I've experienced. The race director and his team have it down pat. I love the size - 1,200 runners and the relay teams. I'll never forget the scenic course and the day God gave us to run it.
Cape Cod Times: Race Report and Photos
Marathon results 628 out of 791 finishers, about 1,200 entrants
This sounds familiar Thankfully I avoided the DNF
A very good account
Dori, her Uncle Tim and Aunt Jean, the kids and I arrived in the town of Falmouth about 45 minutes before the race. The local bank said it was 57 degrees, and the sky was clearing. We had a great running day for the 32nd annual Cape Cod Marathon.
A start cannon boomed and sent us on our way at 8:30. I ran my first mile in 10:20. I was in discomfort, hoping for a port-a-potty. I soon found one, losing only 30 seconds. A light NW breeze pushed us down the flat road, as we meandered along the the coast. My plan was to run 10:45/mile, but I wound up going faster. I felt great, like I was hardly working.
Through Mile 8, when we arrived at the cranberry bog, I was feeling strong. The course from Miles 8 through 15 rolls gently. I felt very good through this part, talking occasionally with fellow competitors. I passed the 13.1 mark in 2:15. Wow, I thought: If I hold this together, I might break 4:40.
At a water station at Mile 15, I looked at my Garmin, which said I was on a 10:12/mile pace. Too fast, a voice said, right before the first hill appeared. The hill at 15.5 was a long one before the turn to Sippiwissett. The course now was all bumps and big rolls, with three or four impressive hills. I didn't stop once, save for the bathroom break, until Mile 17. I walked very briefly here and again at a big hill at the Woods Hole Golf Course. I arrived in Woods Hole, where the ferry takes residents and tourists to Martha's Vineyard, feeling rough.
From here at Mile 21 to Mile 24, it was a battle. I guess I hit what folks call the wall. I had taken gels every 2.5 miles or so since Mile 4, but could not summon the energy to blast up hills. My biggest concern was the calf seizures I was having on climbs, a precursor to a cramp I could not let happen. That would have made finishing more than difficult.
I alternated running eleven-minute miles and walking up hills, including one at Nobska Light. I would say 80% of fellow racers were doing the same. Maybe they went out too fast, too. At Mile 24, the course flattened along the coast, with a view of Martha's Vineyard to the right. I told myself I was going to run the last two miles to the finish without stopping, attentive to the calf issue and despite the screaming pain. Where did it hurt? All over, but the things I'll remember are my back, knees, left achilles (which hurts today) and right side of my abdomen. I felt cramps, too, in the latter area.
Heading up Walker Street for the Green in Falmouth, I took a left at Main Street, where I sighted Uncle Tim. All excited, he yelled, "He's here!" He sprinted up the street to alert the kids, who bolted onto the course to run with me. Kathryn laughed with joy and Will said, "Dad, they're going to announce your name on the speaker!" I crossed in 4:53. Unbeknownst to me, Dori was near the finish line asking an official my whereabouts. She never saw me, but found me seconds later. She came up to me as I was hunched over, told me how proud she was, and watched me choke up briefly.
I enjoyed crossing the finish line, but not the next 25 minutes. Everything hurt. Stretching didn't help. The walk to the car was brutal. I could barely do that. This told me two things. I needed to train a little harder than I did ... probably more miles and hills, but not much more. It also told me I had left everything on that course.
In the car with Dori, the pain started to subside finally as I lifted my legs. I looked at my knees, which were caked in salt. Weird. Dori said my eyes were bloodshot. At the house, I took a brief ice bath to get the swelling down. This helped my legs significantly. Dori and the kids headed to Providence for their flight, while I catnapped. When Tim and Jean returned from the airport, they found me with some Old World French wine in hand watching the chickadees bathing in the birdbath. We had a great dinner and conversation. They're great hosts.
I learned a lot yesterday. If I ever run 26.2 again, I have some lessons, both training and race-day. I certainly would have benefitted from having a running buddy, especially for the hills. And I went out too quickly, 10:12/mile on the inner half, which led to a 12:03/mile on the home leg. Without the mistakes, I believe I would have run 4:40 or better. On a flat course, maybe closer to 4:30 or better. But 4:53 is a finish, and that was my goal.
The Cape Cod Marathon was the best organized race I've experienced. The race director and his team have it down pat. I love the size - 1,200 runners and the relay teams. I'll never forget the scenic course and the day God gave us to run it.
Cape Cod Times: Race Report and Photos
Marathon results 628 out of 791 finishers, about 1,200 entrants
This sounds familiar Thankfully I avoided the DNF
A very good account
Sunday, October 25, 2009
In The Bank
I finished today's Cape Cod Marathon, my first 26.2, in four hours, 53 minutes. Interestingly, my Garmin said 26.6. On my watch, that's an 11:03/mile pace. On theirs, an 11:10.
The course was tough from Miles 15 to 24. I paid for going out too fast. I'll blog later about the experience, which was both humbling and exhilarating.
Lots of highlights, but the kids running the last few hundred yards with me on the course was cool. So was Dori's beaming face.
The course was tough from Miles 15 to 24. I paid for going out too fast. I'll blog later about the experience, which was both humbling and exhilarating.
Lots of highlights, but the kids running the last few hundred yards with me on the course was cool. So was Dori's beaming face.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The Course
We drove most of the rest of the course today. Amazing, simply amazing. It's breathtaking.
It's super-flat the first eight miles with one small hill, then starts to roll gently until Mile 13, then gets bumpy and quite hilly to Mile 22. The last three miles are flat. The preview guide quotes some veterans who say this marathon is tougher than Boston.
I'm feeling better and my energy is building. I was a little concerned last night and this morning. No longer, knock on wood.
Winds are gusting to 40 MPH right now and the rains have started. I'd like to see it blow through as predicted. The winds and rain look like they'll subside right before the race. At the 8:30 a.m. EST start gun, it looks partly cloudy and 55 degrees with WNW winds at 10 MPH. Through noon, the temperature is supposed to stay constant as winds switch from the NW and pick up to 18 MPH.
This looks like good running weather!
It's super-flat the first eight miles with one small hill, then starts to roll gently until Mile 13, then gets bumpy and quite hilly to Mile 22. The last three miles are flat. The preview guide quotes some veterans who say this marathon is tougher than Boston.
I'm feeling better and my energy is building. I was a little concerned last night and this morning. No longer, knock on wood.
Winds are gusting to 40 MPH right now and the rains have started. I'd like to see it blow through as predicted. The winds and rain look like they'll subside right before the race. At the 8:30 a.m. EST start gun, it looks partly cloudy and 55 degrees with WNW winds at 10 MPH. Through noon, the temperature is supposed to stay constant as winds switch from the NW and pick up to 18 MPH.
This looks like good running weather!
24 Hours Away
We're in Cape Cod, enjoying some wonderful family time before tomorrow's race. I'll share some highlights and offer a preview of the race, having seen some of the course yesterday.
First, Dori received some great news Thursday. Her platelets are at 180, a new high. Her cough is almost gone and we seem to have emerged from our plane ride (passengers a-hackin').
Yesterday, Dori, the kids and I went to Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, then toured the Mayflower II. What a great time for kids and adults. We toured the English settlement circa 1627, where actors went about their business as they would have at that time. Three plantation residents ate a rooster over broth and bread with beets and talked about their day's expectations. Herb and vegetable gardens, livestock and chickens were all about the settlement, which overlooked Cape Cod Bay. It was marvelous ... photos later.
We also toured a Wampanoag settlement and talked with some of the Native People. Very interesting. Will loved the canoes. The Mayflower II, built in England in the mid-1950s, is an impressive replica. We toured the ship after a hearty meal in picturesque Plymouth. The town is lovely and the waterfront reminds us of parts of San Francisco.
Before dinner with Dori's relatives - Uncle Tim, Aunt Jean and Aunt Pru - the kids and I went to Falmouth, Woods Hole and the surrounding area to tour some of the Cape Cod Marathon course. I caught a glimpse of the first 10 miles and Miles 20-23. The first 10 are relatively flat, with some bumps, not unlike our Grassland-Harpeth River training run in Williamson County. The run along Sam Turner Road is gorgeous ... wow! We are in peak season right now, and the trees are lit up in color!
I showed the kids Woods Hole, gateway to Martha's Vineyard. Woods Hole is hilly. We'll take a look today at Sippiwissett, which is supposed to be challenging, and Nobska Light.
Today's weather is very windy and rain is in the forecast. Tomorrow morning, the winds are supposed to die down a little and the rain should end right before the race. Temps should be 50-55, with humidity in the 60-80 range.
How am I feeling? Physically, I'm 95%. I'm a tad tired, perhaps from fighting a minor cold. I've been scratchy in the throat and slightly sore. But it's not a big bug. I slept 10 hours last night and have been stretching my back and legs. Is this what I would like? Yes, it's better than I was before the Nike Half a year ago ... bronchitis and all.
My mind is in a good place. I'm a little anxious, but mostly eager to get at it. I have trained well. It is time to trust it all and give it my best.
First, Dori received some great news Thursday. Her platelets are at 180, a new high. Her cough is almost gone and we seem to have emerged from our plane ride (passengers a-hackin').
Yesterday, Dori, the kids and I went to Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, then toured the Mayflower II. What a great time for kids and adults. We toured the English settlement circa 1627, where actors went about their business as they would have at that time. Three plantation residents ate a rooster over broth and bread with beets and talked about their day's expectations. Herb and vegetable gardens, livestock and chickens were all about the settlement, which overlooked Cape Cod Bay. It was marvelous ... photos later.
We also toured a Wampanoag settlement and talked with some of the Native People. Very interesting. Will loved the canoes. The Mayflower II, built in England in the mid-1950s, is an impressive replica. We toured the ship after a hearty meal in picturesque Plymouth. The town is lovely and the waterfront reminds us of parts of San Francisco.
Before dinner with Dori's relatives - Uncle Tim, Aunt Jean and Aunt Pru - the kids and I went to Falmouth, Woods Hole and the surrounding area to tour some of the Cape Cod Marathon course. I caught a glimpse of the first 10 miles and Miles 20-23. The first 10 are relatively flat, with some bumps, not unlike our Grassland-Harpeth River training run in Williamson County. The run along Sam Turner Road is gorgeous ... wow! We are in peak season right now, and the trees are lit up in color!
I showed the kids Woods Hole, gateway to Martha's Vineyard. Woods Hole is hilly. We'll take a look today at Sippiwissett, which is supposed to be challenging, and Nobska Light.
Today's weather is very windy and rain is in the forecast. Tomorrow morning, the winds are supposed to die down a little and the rain should end right before the race. Temps should be 50-55, with humidity in the 60-80 range.
How am I feeling? Physically, I'm 95%. I'm a tad tired, perhaps from fighting a minor cold. I've been scratchy in the throat and slightly sore. But it's not a big bug. I slept 10 hours last night and have been stretching my back and legs. Is this what I would like? Yes, it's better than I was before the Nike Half a year ago ... bronchitis and all.
My mind is in a good place. I'm a little anxious, but mostly eager to get at it. I have trained well. It is time to trust it all and give it my best.
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