MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!

My Friends and Family- I really apologize for not updating the blog sooner....please forgive me. But the race took so much out of me that it has (literally) taken me a week to get myself straightened out again and get back to normal. I have posted pictures here of the race, and will now discuss it.

First of all - yes, I finished. My time was a bit higher than I wanted @ 6:37:19....but once I got to race day I scrapped the idea of finishing within a certain time and said, "screw that - just finish this damn thing". Here is a quick recap of the race:

Race Start (5 minutes into the race): Gastro-Intestinal Issue. Ran to a bathroom and was freaking out that I was screwed for the whole race. No clue what it was...but I was ok after that.

Mile 3: Right hamstring started cramping which made me nervous again. I make the VERY early decision that I will not ditch my fuel belt no matter what. I might need the water and Accelerade to keep me hydrated.

Mile 5-8 (downtown): I find a really nice groove and I am feeling good (see picture). So good that I start running faster and faster. I realize what I am doing and force myself to slow down. This is a marathon - not a sprint.

Mile 11: I get off the 163 and head west into Fashion Valley. Paramedics are pulling people off the course that are hurt. A Cal Trans worker gives me a cookie which makes me feel good, but the sun is starting to come out...I am off my pace and I know that Cordell is WAY WAY WAY ahead of me probably feeling great. I start feeling really alone and scared.

Mile 12: My Friend Scott is standing on the course waiting for me with a bottle of water and kind words. He bails me out and gets me going again.

Mile 15: The sun is now out earlier than expected and it is hot....REALLY HOT. I have 11 miles ot go and this could get rough. I press on. The pain in the feet is setting in.

Mile 16: I start getting blisters on my feet. The pain is brutal, but I have come too far. I press on.

Mile 18: Lots of drunk people in Pacific Beach make me happy by offering me beer and shots of Jaegermeister. I really want some but I can't. I realize the Igraham Bridge is coming up.

Mile 22: I officially hit "the wall". My kidney and liver shut my body down and I want to curl up and die. I walk from 22-24 and am wishing the whole time that I had my dads shotgun with me so I could put my useless legs out of their misery.

Mile 24: I get visibly angry because I am walking so I stop at a medical tent for some Tylenol. I wash it down with Accelerade, eat my last pack of Jelly Beans and promise myself (out loud) that I REFUSE to walk any more.

Mile 24-26.2: I run the final 2.2 miles faster than my training pace. Running the whole way...and SPRINTING across the finish line yelling "YES! YES! YES! YES!" While pumping my fists. (see picture)

This has been an amazing 32 week journey. People have been stunned and amazed that I actually finished, then immediately say "well - are you going to do another one?". My answer on race day and the day after was "probably not". But as the week has gone on, I have really felt like perhaps I could do it again next year. Right now I am going to take some time for my family, learn to play guitar a bit....and run a couple times a week for recreational purposes. I think I will start weight lifting again as well.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me during my training...and ESPECIALLY the massive group of people who were at the finish line waiting for us. Truly amazing.

Media coverage, including some T.V. interviews I did....will be on Sunday, June 15th on Fox Sports Network...and Saturday, June 21st on NBC.

See you all next time!!

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE...........

Hello Everyone.

Well.....This is it!! Right now it is about 5pm and we are taking the kids to my parents house to spend the night. I got back from the expo about 3 hours ago. Had to pick up my bib and timing chip. For those of you who need to know:
My bib # is 2 0 7 8 6
I am a little nervous. Not too bad though. As I have stated before, it feels like I am about to play a big game or go into a big fight. I am simply having faith in my training and in God....both of which got me here.

I will post again after the race to let you all know how it went, but I thought (because it would be fun)...that I would post the 74 songs that are going to carry me to the finish line on my iPod.
Here is my final music playlist for the 2008 Rock N Roll Marathon San Diego:

1-Jonah(Cal Fight Song)
2-Coach Herb Brooks pre-game pep talk, 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
3-Main Theme - Superman the movie
4-Now We Are Free- Gladiator Soundtrack
5-Picture-Kid Rock
6-Only God Knows Why-Kid Rock
7-Midnight Train To Memphis-Kid Rock
8-Hold My Hand-Hootie & the Blowfish
9-Touch Of Grey-Grateful Dead
10-Photograph-Nickelback
11-Training Montage-Rocky IV
12-War-Rocky IV
13-The Wild Rover-The High Kings
14-Fields Of Glory-The High Kings
15-Duke "You know what you gotta do"-Rocky IV
16-Only Time Will Tell-Asia
17-Roll With The Changes-REO Speedwagon
18-We Got The Beat-The Go Go's
19-She Bop-Cyndi Lauper
20-Twilight Zone-Golden Earring
21-Army Ranger Running Cadence
22-Till I Collapse-Eminem
23-Party People-Nelly feat.Fergie
24-Headsprung/Mama Said Knock You out mix-LL Cool J
25-Low-Flo-rida
26-Hands Up-Lloyd Banks
27-California Love-2Pac
28-Planet Boom-Motley Crue
29-Marine Corps Running Cadence
30-I'm Still Standing-Elton John
31-Wake Up Call-Maroon 5
32-Wont Go Home Without You-Maroon 5
33-Workin' For a Livin-Huey Lewis
34-Live Those Songs-Kenny Chesney
**This is the second half of the list - where the music get more hardcore**
35-Rites Of Passage-Demons & Wizards
36-Poor Mans Crusade-Demons & Wizards
37-Pull Me Under-Dream Theater
38-Misunderstood-Dream Theater
39-No More Tears-Ozzy Osbourne
40-I Walk Alone-Iced Earth
41-Elegy-Leeves' Eyes
42-Johnny B. Goode-Judas Priest
43-Look What The Cat Dragged In-Poison
44-The Number Of The Beast-Iron Maiden
45-Youth Gone Wild-Skid Row
46-Stricken-Disturbed
47-Same Old Situation-Motley Crue
48-Kickstart My Heart-Motley Crue
49-Too Fast For Love-Motley Crue
50-Girls, Girls, Girls-Motley Crue
51-Wild Side-Motley Crue
52-Primal Scream-Motley Crue
53-Epic-Faith No More
54-You Could Be Mine-Guns N Roses
55-Motivation-Dope
56-American Witch-Rob Zombie
57-Highs Without Lows-Brainstorm
58-Land Of Confusion-Disturbed
59-The Leading-Brainstorm
60-Stronger-Brittaney Spears
61-Herb Brooks Speech - movie "Miracle" during Sweden game
62-Timeless Winter-Into Eternity
63-Indigo-Prologue-Epica
64-Obsessive Devotion-Epica
65-Wipe The Tears-Machine Head
66-Demonoid Phenomenon-Rob Zombie
67-The Game-Disturbed
68-Ride The Wind-Poison
69-Talk Dirty To Me-Poison
70-Home-Dream Theater
71-Prelude (Live)-Symphony X
72-Evolution, The Grand Design (Live)-Symphony X
73-Hey Jude(Live)-Paul McCartney
74-My Spirit Will Go On-DragonForce

UPDATE - MAY 25th, READY AND WAITING!!

Went on a nice 6 mile run yesterday with my running buddy. Oddly enough, when I began training 31 weeks ago...this run killed me. I was screaming at the end, had no energy left in the tank and was a sore-muscled "I can't feel my legs" train wreck for 3 days following the run.

That was NOT the case this time.

We jogged out to about 2 1/2 or 3 miles, laughing and talking along the way...then stepped it up to a really brisk pace, and finally ended on a hardcore "get some" sprint. Finished the 6 miles at about a 10:40/mi pace which is way too fast, but it felt good to end on a good note and feel the positive Qi really flowing at that point.

No injuries to report, other than a sore muscle or "knot" on my left calf that has been nagging for a week or so. I will skip Monday's run, final acupuncture session on Tuesday...then run 3 miles Wednesday and walk 3 miles Thursday. Then shut it down until race day.

My new shoes came in, but they are a little suspect so I will be wearing Brooks' "Glycerin 5 running shoes with custom ortho inserts on race day. I will be wearing UnderArmour Gear only and will be using Tifosi running glasses.

I would like to personally thank everyone in my life for their support during this event in my life. The single most common question I have been asked over the past 31 weeks (other than "are you crazy?") has been "Why are you doing this?". So I will tell you all right here and now, that there are 3 major reasons:

1) I am not geting any younger, and would very much like to say that at 40 years old I was in the best shape of my life.

2) Common theory is that training for and FINISHING a marathon, proves to yourself that the only limits that are established in ones life, are the ones your mind puts on it. You can do ANYTHING.

3) Many people have many different perceptions of me. Some I can accept, some I cannot. What I cannot accept, is that anyone ever thought that I quit, or was a coward. Finishing the training proves I am not a quitter. Crossing the finish line next Sunday proves I am not a coward.

Bill

Mileage Dedications: Pat & Britt (24), Those Folks (25), Bill Hicks Jr. (26), WillyJ (.2)

**MAY 17th UPDATE**-THE LAST OF THE BIG RUNS

Hello everyone,

I will keep this short and tell you all that I am now ready (or as close to being ready as I am going to be).

All the runs this week were amazing, strong and pain-free. Today's 9.5 miler was done out by the beach and I specifically ran about 4 miles of the actual race day course to familiarize myself with it. All went well.

My knees were 100% pain free, my glutes and hips were strong, I was perfectly hydrated...and my lungs felt great. My foot was a bit tender, but nothing that was not manageable. For the most part, I am feeling that marathon day is really going to boil down to me running the first 5 miles very slowly and methodically....if I can do that, I will run a strong race.

This week is the taper week #2 (Mon-3 mi, Wed-5mi & Thu-3mi...with a nice and easy 6 miler next Saturday at the beach again).

Mileage Dedications for this week = Jessica(22) & Dana,Selena & Indy (23)

Bill

*MAY 10th UPDATE* - HARD TRAINING COMPLETE!!

Well, I never thought I would see this day (honestly). I figured that so many things would go wrong, whether it be injury or lack of motivation or even just lack of time to actually DO the runs...that I would not see the training completed. Yet here I am.

Before I begin the weekly summary, let me tell you that my foot is to about 98% full strength.

That being said, I really had to control myself this week and take the advice from my friends and family who kept telling me to NOT add additional mileage to my runs now that I am back from injury. All week I kept talking about how I was going to up the mileage...but every time I hit the pavement, common sense took over and I simply played it safe. That is not to say that I didn't run harder than I normally would - because Wednesday's 8 miler was a scorcher. But I ran smarter all week.

Today (Saturday) was my final long run before marathon day. I had debated whether to run 18 or 20 miles, and if I had not gotten injured I would have gone 20. As a result I ran 18 miles today (walking only .5 mi from 16.5 to 17.0). My time came in at a very consistent 3:55:24 for a 13:24/mi average. I am really not too pleased with the min/mi average, but I think it is important to note that the last 1/4 mi I got to get into about a 10:50 pace or so.....this tells me that I still had some gas left in the tank, and that my pace was just fine.

The pace WAS fine, but OH MY SWEET JESUS did it hurt. I haven't felt that way since the Carlsbad 1/2 Marathon, and even then it really didn't feel this way. This was, simply put, an absolute assault on the muscles in my legs. I really didn't feel too hot the whole way. I would say I felt good when I got out of the car, and when I got back into the car to leave - but even then I wasn't all that "peppy". :-) This tells me, in a nutshell, that the marathon will take it all ~ all my strength, all my power, all my love. Everything I've got, just to finish.

But I will finish - make no mistake about it.

So that's it. I went to the acupuncturist today and got a nice "tune up" on the foot. Things seem to be going well. I will probably have two more sessions before race day to make sure I am ready.

This week is week #1 of tapering. The weekday runs stay the same - (mon-5mi),(wed-8mi),(thu-5mi) while Saturday's run drops down to 10 miles. 28 miles for the week.

I am looking forward to completing my journey.....

Bill

(2) Mileage dedications this week. Aubrey(20) & Lori(21)

MID-WEEK UPDATE!! MAY 8th 2008

Hello everyone,
Just wanted to drop a relaly quick note to let everyone know that the injured foot is healing PERFECTLY (finally)...and this weeks runs have gotten progressively better. Todays run (Thursday), I was running really slow on purpose. I figured there was no point in pushing too hard because I will be going 18-20 miles this Saturday. In addition - Wednesday I ran 8 miles and really pushed it. Well, I ran slow and still checked in with a 12:06/mi average over 5 miles. And when I say slow - MAN, I WAS DOGGIN' IT. So that made me feel good. Also, it is getting to the point now that I dont even feel my foot until after the run, and even that is minimal.

All good now. Very positive feelings heading into this weekends final BIG run. Wish me luck, I will write again after the run.

Bill

**MAY 4th 2008 UPDATE!! -- DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK......

I'm back, the fog has lifted........the earth has shifted, and raised the gifted.

You knew I'd be back, just had to rethink it all and get a (SLAP!) "Wake up Jack!!"

The attempt on Saturday (after no running and no walking for 14 days) was to go run 6 miles pain free regardless of time, then go to acupuncture and get worked on...then go see the running doctor Monday and get re-evaluated. The expecation was to be in a TREMENDOUS amount of pain and just deal with it. Marathon day will not be sunshine and rainbows...so neither should this.

Boy-what a surprise. I ran 10 miles in 2:00:08 for a 12:01/mi average. Not bad, but my legs got pretty tired and I was awfully winded. That's ok though because after my acupuncture session I went home, rested and let it heal. All day today I have been bouncing around the house with no pain whatsoever. I am so excited I simply cannot beging to explain how I am feeling. I woke up this morning, took my daughters grocery shopping for 2 hours by myself...then came home and did yardwork for another 3 hours. All without pain. I am seeing my running doctor tomorrow for some basic questions and evaluations, then this week I am going right back to my original training schedule. What I might do is simply add on another 3-4 miles on my first week tapering long run (ie - instead of 12 miles....do 15 or 16). Either way - I feel I am back.

The plan is to take it careful still - dont run hard....just get the mileage in. Monday (5mi) Wednesday (7mi), Thursday (5mi) and Saturday will be 18-20 mi. After that, I will do a more mild week - but still get after it good. Coming down to the wire here - only 3 more weeks to the marathon. w00+!!

Bill

(4) Mileage dedications (Taylor,Kyle,Egan,Kirstine) and a new "Quick Quote" are up as well.

**UPDATE - SEVERE INJURY**

Hi Everyone,
As sad as it makes me feel to write this update, I feel it is only fair that I continue updating my blog when there is bad news. It wouldn't be right to only put in all the "good" stuff. So here goes....

Obviously (per my previous entry), I got hurt at the end of last week. My running doctor diagnosed it as Posterior Tibula Tendonitis (shin splint), which is very common. What is NOT common however, is where my tendonitis has appeared. The inflammation is on the inside of my left ankle (right around the bone, yet above the heel) and continues into the arch of my foot. Basically, it is where the "shin splint" tendon attaches to the bottom of my foot. The doctor has explained to me that the only thing that helps is heat, taping and rest.

So I did not run all week. At all. And I was a real pecker to those who love me. I don't think it was intentional (at least I hope not)...but I have really been on edge. My acupuncturist has REALLY helped to ground me. We have been communicating via email almost daily, and today instead of my scheduled long run I did one hour of "pool running" to help my foot, then followed that with a 1.5 hour acupuncture session. When it was all over, my foot REALLY REALLY REALLY hurt. I got in the car and had to sit for a second because it was throbbing. But I came home, got some food, took a nap and I am doing a little better now.

This next week is really going to be a challenge. I am going to have to really pace myself and not push too hard. My thought is that Monday night I am going to go for a 1 mile walk during the day, then do a 20 minute elliptical (zero foot impact). The next day I will re-evaluate and see how I feel. Truthfully, my friends and family have been very supportive and have been really doing everything possible to keep me in a positive mood - but I am scared. Never in my life have I put forth this much effort, and I really feel like I have failed everyone (including myself). This next week will be important. There are only 5 weeks left until Marathon Day and I HAVE to get back into training shap ASAP. If I cannot get at LEAST a nice healthy 5 or 6 mile run in by the end of this next week, I will be going into panic mode.

No dedications for this week. Just alot of medicine, alot of hopes, alot of dreams, alot of prayers.

Wish me luck everyone....

Bill

**APRIL 19th UPDATE** WEEK #11 COMPLETED

Hi Campers...

Well, week 11 came to a somewhat non-triumphant end. On Thursdays run I ran a downhill section a little harder than I normally do, and as a result I have developed some serious pain in my left ankle. I would have to say that this is the most serious injury of all, and it affected my run today (Saturday) pretty intensely. This is not your run of the mill "wow, my ankle is tight maybe I should keep an eye on it" injury. This is a "stop running, start screaming in agonizing pain because someone just stabbed your foot with a bowie knife" pain. Sharp, localized...VERY acute pain with NO SWELLING associated with it. I cannot figure that one out.

So all of that being said, I pressed on through Saturday's run. The first 10-11 miles were just fine. My ankle was tight, but not a problem. At about mile 12/13, it became VERY VERY VERY painful and I had to stop running and start walking. I did this a couple times over the final 4 miles, but there is some good news mixed into all this mess. 1) I did not run a flat 16 mile run today. I ran 17 miles with 2 miles of hills mixed in to simulate the marathon. It was a very satisfying "blue collar" run that despite the pain and the injury, once again, I finished. 2) The final 1/4 mile of the run I really did a gut check and cranked it up a notch. Nice long strides, finishing very quickly. So that let me know I still had some in the tank which is good.

As far as the injury goes, my plan is to skip Mondays short run and do some pool therapy instead. I will be icing it, using Ibuprofen and taking it easy Sun-Mon and Tues. If three days rest and recovery methods do not work, I will be contacting my running doctor and acupuncturist for some emergency intervention. The fact that there is no swelling is encouraging, and I think it is simply a small injury that needs rest to repair itself. If it wasnt, I could not have run 17 miles today. Simple as that.

So todays run was ok. 17 miles in 3:38:39 for a 12:51/mile average. That was with hills, walking AND an injury so I feel just fine with it.

This next week will be NO HILLS, a 8 mile run-walk, a 5 mile run-walk and very mild 16 miler next Sat. Total mileage will actually go down to 29, but that should be just fine and I am confident that I will be fine by weeks end. Only 3 more weeks of training and then I start tapering off.....

Mileage dedications for this week:

Mile Marker #14 - Cordell (my best friend and running buddy. I haven't got the words)
Mile Marker #15 - The Four Horseman. (no comment lol)

**UPDATE - APRIL 13TH 2008** WEEK #10 COMPLETED

Hello everyone. I would like to start off this weeks summary with a quick defninition.

Pain (from Ancient Greek ποινή - poine) is the unpleasant sensory and emotional experience an individual has when they perceive actual or potential tissue damage to their body.

Yes...that is correct. PAIN!!! So all week I was trying really hard to recover from last weeks 15 mile run. Each run I got a little bit better...but when Saturday came I knew that I was not fully recovered yet. I realize that is a VERY VERY negative attitude and I really do need to work on that this week. Now throw in the fact that a Santa Ana hit San Diego this weekend, complete with high winds and 90-100 degree heat....you have all the ingredients for a horrible run.

Well, Monday-Wednesday and Thursday's runs weren't that great...but they were ok and I finished them. Saturday started off pretty painful and I actually had one moment of positive energy about halfway through lap #2. But I became very dehyrated and ended up walking the final 3/4 mile of the 16 miles. I do feel a little bad about it, because quite honestly I probably could have finished...but as I was trying to push I simply felt something was happening with my body that was a bad thing. Hard to describe...but it was a hydration/cramping/injury feeling that I felt coming on, and I had about a 10 second window to make a decision (literally)...so I shut it down and walked. I am still proud of myself for finishing the 16 miles. My final time was 3:25:58 for a 12:52/mi average. As I have said the past few weeks - I am shooting for a 12 min./mile average. This run was well above that, but I feel fortunate to have completed the run injury free. PLUS - A BONUS - Today is Sunday and I am feeling fully hydrated and wonderful. That is always a plus.

No real pain to speak of this week - just the typical right kneecap and right hip. I have acupuncture this week so I will fill in my "sinsei". I also attended the 1st Annual Running Expo at my running center and got some GREAT info on the marathon course and some additional tips on warming up/stretching muscles. I will be doing that as well. In addition hydration - these long runs simply cannot be done with just my fuel belt. I need more than that (especially in the first few miles of the run). I checked with my new pals at the running center and they told me to load up on more fluid replacement drink during the front end of my run, and carry a bottle in my hand...because once I FEEL dehyrated........its too late. (I think I found that out the hard way).

All in all - a hard week that was completed anyway in a lot of pain. 30 miles in the books.

This next week will be 4 miles Mon, 7 miles Wed, 5 miles Thu with another 16 miler next Saturday at the same spot. Total mileage = 32 This next week the focus will be on hydration and nutrition. REALLY HARDCORE FOCUS too.

Mileage Dedications = Mile 12 (Dave - for always being there), Mile 13 (Marnie - for the tough love only an older sister can dish out)

*UPDATE (SORRY ITS LATE)*

Hello Campers,
My apologies for the late update on the blog...Saturday was my birthday (34) and we were busy the rest of the weekend cleaning and doing budget stuff. There is good news and bad news:

Week #9 completed - now starting #10.

Bad news = I am older now. 34 years. :-)

Good news = On my 34th birthday, I ran 15 miles in the fastest time I have run in 26 weeks. BOOYA!!

Early in the week, I did some more electro-stimulation of my knees with my acupuncturist. I am not really sure if that was the cause or not, but Wed and Thurs my legs were exhausted. I ran 6 miles Wednesday, but skipped my Thursday run. In the end, with my 15 miler on Saturday...I totaled 21 miles for the week. A far cry from the 30 I am scheduled for this week, but I will be ok.

My Saturday run was unbelievable. I will never forget it. It was my birthday, my running buddy met me up there and we started the run together. (Brace yourself)....at the Carlsbad 1/2 Marathon, I ran 13.1 miles in 2 hours 42 min. Saturday I ran 15 miles in 2:39:41 for a BLISTERING pace of 10:39/mi. I was tired when I was done, and my right knee was a bit sore...but that is to be expected. Everything held up beautifully - hips, knees, glutes....you name it, they performed well. There was some slight tightening in my glutes and knees at about mile 12, but nothing that could not be fought through. All in all, a very spiritual experience. I believe that is the only word to describe it.

This week!! 4 miles(Mon), 6 miles(Wed), 4 miles(Thu) and then 16 miles on Saturday. 30 miles total for the week.

Mileage dedications for this week: Mile #5 = Mom and Dad for their love and support. Mile #8=Landis and Ana for helping me to become more cultured in my appreciation of music. My playlist would suck if not for them. :-)

**UPDATE** The Crowd goes WILD!

Hello All -
This week saw a small shift in my running schedule that will carry into next week. I pressed REALLY hard last week and into the beginning of this week and as a result, my knees really started to hurt. After some consulting with my running coach and acupuncturist, it was decided that I should take 1 or 2 extra days off. So what I did was - run on Sunday rather than Saturday (giving me Fri & Sat off after my Thu. run), and I will take Monday and Tuesday off from running, while doing some strength training Monday and acupuncture Tuesday....then it will be back to running on Wednesday and Thursday with my next long run next Saturday. Should be just fine.

Today(Sunday)'s long run was supposed to be 12.8 miles (twice around Lake Murray). As I was driving to the lake I thought "well, I am getting extra days off and it sure would be nice to run the half marathon again @ 13.1....screw it - why not?" So off I went with my new running glasses and new fuel belt that I got for my birthday. The first 10 miles were so easy it felt like I was cruising around the zoo with my family on a lazy evening looking at the flamingos. There was no pain anywhere to speak of. A little bit of tightness in my knees and right hip at about mile 11...and mile 12 and 13 started to get awfully hard, but in the end I actually had some gas left in my tank and sprinted the last 1/4 mile to finish in a SOLID 2:29:34. For the record, my Carlsbad 1/2 Marathon time was 2:42:51. I went from a 12:26/mi average at Carlsbad, to a nifty 11:25/mi average today. There were no hills run today (which DOES matter)...but I ran the entire thing pain free and felt great doing it. Very nice.

So - week #8 is now in the books with week#9 coming up. Week #9 will be a bit different in that my total miles will not increase, but my long run will. As stated, Monday and Tuesday will be "Therapy/Treatment" days for the knees and glutes, Wednesday will be 6 miles flat, Thursday will be 4 miles flat and on my birthday (Saturday) I will be at Lake Miramar for 15 miles. 25 miles total for the week and this week is the official start of what I am calling the "Satanic Cinco". That would be the final 5 weeks leading up to the 2 week marathon countdown. More on that later.

Mileage dedications: Mile 7 - Nanaw (my grandmother). For all her love. Mile 10 - Kathie (my mother in law). Mile 10 I will be walking down the 163. I dedicate this mile to her for teaching me to just "slow down once in a while"...and enjoy life. I wish she could see me now.

*UPDATE* WEEK#7 COMPLETED

Week#7 is now in the books. 22 total miles were run this week and the Saturday run was extremely difficult and painful. My weekday runs were all strong, nothing unexpected and everything went fine. Beginning Thursday I started adding in resistence band exercises with my stretching IN ADDITION to starting up my running diet that was given to me earlier in the week by my nutritionist.

Saturday's run was 12 miles and was scheduled to be relatively the same course as last Saturday - just add one mile. But I made two decisions on the morning of the run that really changed things. 1) Because the weather was supposed to be 80 degrees today, I decided to sleep in a bit and push my run into the later part of the morning. (I have read several articles that say the single most difficult and tragic thing that can happen is to train at 50-60 degrees, then race day comes and the temperature jumps to 75-80. The hydration process really gets interrupted and it affects your performance.) Well, needless to say this is a VERY BIG CHANGE...and I am glad I did it, but the next time I do it will be on a shorter run. 2) The second thing I did was that I plotted a course that goes uphill, downhill, flat, uphill, downhill, flat every every three miles. So what I did is run 4 laps of this course for a total of 12 miles. Bottom line: all the muscles you THINK would hurt.......HURT! Glutes, Hips, Knees - all the "hill climbing" muscle groups. I would say the only part of me that really, really caused me any significant discomfort was the top of the patella on my right knee. Pretty sore and I will be mentioning it to my acupuncturist.All in all - a HARDCORE run that saw me really want to walk several times...but I didn't and I am proud of myself. I finished the 12 mile hill run in a very pedestrian 2:36:40 (13:03/MI).Considering the hills that were tackled...I am willing to accept that. Granted I was off my 12:00/MI pace, but as I stated...that's ok. I finished without walking.

Week #8 INCOMING!! This week sees 3 mi Monday, 5 mi Wednesday, 4 mi Thursday and a flat 12.8 (no hills) on Saturday. Total mileage for week #8 will be 24.8.

Mileage dedications: Mile#3 I dedicate to Katy. My little "scooter". I remember how right after she was born I immediately launched myself into weight loss and exercise. Mile#4 I dedicate to Tori. My stick o' dynomite. Who needs a bobcat for yardwork when I have her. :-)
draft

*UPDATE* FROM LITTLE STEPS - TO GIANT LEAPS!!

Greetings everyone! WEEK#6 COMPLETED.

Well, I am sitting here with a huge smile on my face knowing that I just completed the best week of training I have ever had, and as an added bonus - I am receiving my "official" menu from the nutritionist tomorrow morning and having a little pow-wow with my running doctor to go over my ortho inserts/shoes/knee strength probably one last time. For the record, I have completed 21 weeks of the 32 week training course. This last week my plan was for ONE of my runs to be a hill run (probably Monday thus giving me the rest of the week to recover before my Saturday long run). Well, not only did I run a hill on Monday...but I ran one on Wednesday and Saturday as well. Thursday was the only day that I simply ran a little 3 mile flat stretch. Now - on to Saturday's run.

I was feeling really, REALLY good as I left the house and I had scheduled myself to run a flat 11 miles at one of the Lakes. The main problem that running at the Lakes poses is that while it helps with overall running, it does not prepare you adequately for the uphill and downhill slopes that are always encountered during a marathon/half marathon. I have known since my half marathon in January that my training would eventually take me away from the flatlands of the Lakes and I would have to run hills. As I left the house this morning I made a mental decision "today is the day I ditch the baby bottle and pacifier - I am sick of surviving runs. Time to start destroying some runs."

This is always a bit dicey....because if you aren't careful it is very easy to get hurt with this mentality. But my thinking was "Bill - you have all the knowledge and equipment you are going to have for the ACTUAL marathon. The only thing you are missing is some nutritional content, which is coming soon. It's time to put up or shut up." So with that being said, I took off at the Lake, then left Lake Murray and went north up Lake Murray Blvd. to Navajo Rd. I turned east and ran in front of the Vons shopping center, then turned southwest down Fletcher Parkwy and continued to Costco in La Mesa. I turned north on Baltimore Dr. and then made a left back on Lake Murray Blvd. again and returned to the lake, and then ran 4 additional miles at the lake. Total distance traveled was 11 miles in a time of 2:21:15 (12:50/mi). Definately off of my targeted pace of 12:00/mi...but if you had seen me after the run, you would have been SOOOO impressed. I was standing there talking to my running buddy Cordell(who happened to be there doing his run) and I told him where I ran to. He stared at me and was like "uuuuh - and how do you feel?" I said, "AWESOME!!" And the rest is history.

So now here I come - charging down week#7 with a new found confidence. This week I am going to run a 3 mile hill Monday, then 4 mile flat surface Wednesay and 3 mile flat surface Thursday. On Saturday I am going to do the same run again, but add 1 mile to it for a 12 miler. Total miles for week #7 will be 22 (now we are gettin' up there).

Looking GOOD!!

Bill

Mile Marker Dedication for this week: On marathon day, mile #9 will be dedicated to Doc Vic (mile 9 is an uphill climb to the top of the 163 - without him I couldn't be doing this). Mile #11 will be dedicated to my nephew Jake who is running from 11 to 12 with me.

EXCITEMENT BREWING - NEW INFO!!

I read a chapter in a book about marathon running about a man who ran a marathon in Iowa. For his mental focus, he dedicated each mile of the marathon to someone significant in his life (parents, kids, etc.). I have decided to do the same.

There are now 12 weeks to race day. I will post the "Mile Dedications" at the end of each week. I will begin by dedicating Mile #1 to God for getting me to the start line (among other things lol) and Mile #26 to myself (for obvious reasons). Each mile I run I will think of someone else important in my life. STAY TUNED!

Bill

*New Update* Week #5 Completed

Greetings Everyone!

Well, today saw a week #5 end with a very large 12 mile WAR at Lake Murray. First, a little background on the week.

This week saw me have a 100% nutritional failure. All of my willpower was thrown out the window and I was eating absolute GARBAGE all week. Candy, fast food, girl scout cookies...you name it, I ate it. To go along with that, I came down with a really gnarly sinus cold right around Wednesday. It knocked me out of work for two days and really knocked me out. I really had to pay attention to my body and because of this I made the decision to skip my Thursday 3 mile run so as not to jeopardize missing my Saturday run. It was a plan that ended up working for the best. Now, on to the runs:

Monday I lifted weights and jumped on the elliptical. That worked out pretty good. Wednesday I ran a solid 4 miles at the Lake. You already know what happend the rest of the week.

Today (Saturday), I was really apprehensive about the run. I knew that I was scheduled for 11 miles, but because I missed my Thursday run I had to try and ratchet it up a little (even if it was only an additional .5 mile). That being said, I also knew that I was in for some pain because I had eaten so poorly and been sick. Well, I ran....and it SUCKED. At mile 2 my hips and knees were very, VERY tight. At mile 5 I was starting to feel like there was no way I would make it. I kept working on the mental aspect of the run and kept thinking positive. In the end, I ran 10 miles, then walked 1, then ran the last mile. 12 miles total....in 2:35:17 for an average of 12:56/Mile. I am honestly not very happy with the TIME, but I am extremely happy with the fact that not only did I battle through a bad run, but I battled through a bad run when I KNEW it was going poorly. It would be one thing if I didn't understand what was happening, but knew it....and made the adjustments necessary. I really need to talk to the nutritionist...I need help with the food part of it. I have to call my running doctor back and let him know that I am really feeling it in my knees and hips now...much more than I was before (and is this normal). And last (and certainly not least), I have an appointment with my Acupuncturist this coming Tuesday (Thank God) and I need to let her know that the pain is now localized on my knees and hips...and my eating willpower is awful.

Overall thought for the week - horrible physical performance that could have been MUCH worse had I given up mentally. I would say this is one of the strongest mental moments I have had in the past 20 weeks. Rock solid, focused and determinted ie-Commit,Train,Succeed.

This next week (Week#6) sees a MAJOR ramp up in running. Mon(3mi),Tues(Accu),
Wed(3mi),Thurs (3mi) and Sat. (11mi). Total mileage for week #6 = 20 miles AND it's time to start adding hills. Here we go... Woo-hoo!

Talk to you all next week!!

Bill

*UPDATE* Week 4 Complete!

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there everyone...

So today week #4 officially came to a close with a 10 mile run at Lake Miramar. This was my first time running at Miramar, so I really didn't know what to expect. The running trail does, however, come highly recommended by my running doctor and his staff - so I figured "why not?".

Well, it is definately a tougher run than Lake Murray. It isn't too much harder, but enough to where I can definately feel the strain on the legs. The main difference between the two is that at Lake Murray you go out to the 3 mile marker and back, then out and back, out and back. There is no constant loop around the lake because the dam is blocked off (post 9/11). At Lake Miramar, they recently upgraded the security around the dam and re-opened the trail - so it is a complete 5 mile loop all the way around ~ with the final mile being across the top of the dam. Very nice and very challenging. Now - regarding my performance.

Overall, the performance was VERY good. I came in at a nice and crisp 1:57:04 (11:42/mi). Considering I am targeting 12:00/mi for the marathon, I am pretty pleased with that. For the entire run, the cartilage in my knee was really bothering me. Not painful, but enough to where I noticed it was there. From mile 5 to 10, my hamstrings were fairly tight so I had to be careful. From Mile 8 to 10, the outside of my hip was starting to tighten up and my left knee started getting just a little hint of weakness. The good news is that I am now rolling with no knee brace on the left side, which is a far cry from where I was at this point 6 weeks ago. My playlist was very good on my iPod and I actually had fun today (despite the pain) LOL.

MAJOR improvements are being made and the best I feel is yet to come. Next week is 3 mi(Mon), 4 mi(Wed) Lifting(Thur) and 11 miles on Sat. Total mileage for week #5 will be 18. w00+!!

-Bill

*Mid-Week Update* - Week 4

Hello everyone...

It is now Tuesday night and I ran 3 miles yesterday UP AND DOWN HILLS with no knee brace. My legs were really tanked....these orthos. Uuugh.

I just got home from acupuncture and thought I would drop a quick line in here to give you the latest and greatest because I also heard from my running specialist today regarding my new ortho inserts. Here is his response:

"The orthotics do change the way your feet interface with the ground and cause muscles that were previously underworking to possibly work harder. Listen to your body. If it needs more rest/recovery then let it recover even if that means missing a short run."

So - that being said, my wonderful Lac (Licensed Acupuncturist) has taken that information and added some proactive work to my hips and glutes. Should work out nicely. Mooove that Chi.
:-)

ALSO - and this was a pleasant surprise - I heard back from my Nutritionist today and she is compiling my menu for the next few weeks. Strictly fuel and weight loss here...gotta hit that 240 pound mark by race day or the knees will be crying.

Thats it for now.... Hasta.

-Bill

Week 3

Hey everyone. Well today I officially finished week #3. 15 miles was run this week and the last two runs of 3 mi(Thu) and 9 mi(Sat) were done with new custom ortho inserts in my running shoes. More to come later on that, as the doctor and I are still hashing out the details of the pronation of my feet. But more importantly, I ran 9 miles today without a left knee brace on AT ALL. The right knee brace is still a necessity due to the cartilage problem, but running that far without the left felt good.

I ran 9 miles in 1:47:25. It was a nice pace that didn't hurt too bad. Because of my new ortho inserts, the insides of my legs were TOTALLY exhausted by mile 5. That is one of the things I am working on with the Doc, so hopefully it will get better.

Very, VERY productive week that saw me reacting very positively to difficult events in my life. The week started very difficult with a medical emergency in my family that really hit me hard. Were it not for the mental training I have been doing for the marathon - things might have gone much differently than they did. Fortunately, things are ok....and the result of the situation has caused me to ratchet up my mental toughness to a totally different level. My training is about to go aggro- I just need to stay under control.

Next week is 16 miles - 3mi(Mon&Thu), Accupuncture Tuesday and a 10 miler on Sat. I will probably post in the middle of the week when I get a response from the doctor about my shoes. More to come.....

Until Then!!

Bill

"A lion wakes up in the morning knowing he has to be faster than the slowest gazelle - or he will starve to death. A gazelle wakes up in the morning knowing he must be faster than the fastest lion - or he will be killed. The point? When the sun comes up, your ass better be running."

Week 2

Rough week, but I am pretty proud of myself for battling the way I did. Last week I ran 13 miles, this week I was scheduled for 14.

Started the week with a nice 1 hour workout on Monday night. Nothing major, just stretched some kinks out and lifted some weights. I saw the doctor on Tuesday and put myself into a MUCH better pair of shoes, so I was really looking forward to my run. Wenesday I ran 3 miles without wearing a single knee brace!! (on doctors orders) It felt weird and actually I was pretty scared, but I did it and felt great afterwards. Props to the doctor on this one. He is probably going to be the one to put me "over the top" and give me the final tools I need to finish this thing.

It rained heavily and even snowed at my house on Thursday...so running was out. It was also Valentines Day and I cleaned the house and got some flowers for wifey. In hindsight I probably should have jumped on the elliptical or something, but thats ok. Now I knew that I had to make up the difference Saturday with a monster.

Saturday (today) I ran 10 miles and it beat me up pretty good. I made it....though I walked about .5 miles. The good news was that I didn't walk because I was in pain. I walked because my legs were tired. Anyway - a very good run with very good results. 10 miles in 2:02:12. I can live with that. Next week will be two 3 milers (M-W) and a 9 miler on Saturday. Wish me luck!!

Bill

IT Band Progress

Making some very remarkable progress on the strength & conditioning of my legs (specifically my IT Band). I have enlisted the help of one of the best acupuncurists in San Diego, who has also brought in a Physio-Therapist & Chiropractor. This has really developed into a mission, and my team is counting on me to perform. I am up for it.

I will be doing 1.5 hour acupuncture sessions every other Tuesday for 16 weeks, and I have changed my shoes. My new shoes are Brooks' "Glycerin 5". Very good shoes.

Lets see how this weeks running shapes up.

Favorite Songs To Run/Workout To

Hey everyone. Thought I would start this thread for any runners and/or workout folks who enjoy listening to tunes while you workout. Finding new and energetic songs to run to is always a hot topic with my buddies. So go ahead and drop comments down as to 3 or 4 of your favorites (or more), and we can chat them up. Thanks!

As a preface: I truly realize that most running purists do not approve of the use of iPods/headphones while running. As a matter of fact, some sanctioned marathons actually BAN them and will Disqualify you if you try to run with them. Please understand - I have tried running with them...and running without them. I prefer to listen to music. That being said, fire away!

-Bill

Week One, 3 Miles - II

Thursday February 7, 2008

I went to Lake Murray by myself after work today. Did some decent stretching (probably should have done more), and fired off a nice 3 mile run in 32:36. There was a slight twinge in my right hammy and right glute at about mile 2, but nothing that stuck. It went away pretty quickly and I was able to stretch it out afterwards. Geez - when am I gonna learn to stretch properly? Awful.....

I will do some normal stretching tonight, then tomorrow stretch again at night while resting during the day. I will concentrate on ramping up my carbs during my meals, and getting some good veggies and alot of water too because Saturday I am running 7 miles. This will be the longest run since my 1/2 Marathon Catastrophe. Starting to get nervous about it....

Week One, 3 miles - I

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Went on a flat 3 miler with Cordell after work today and it felt AWESOME. I ran 3 miles in 29:57. By far the fastest I have ever run 3 miles. My legs felt pretty good. My knee was just barely starting to get tight at the end of the run, but definitely no pain…but that is to be expected as there were no hills in the run. I will really have to keep after the weight training. I tried to keep a really long stride for the entire run and it felt good! The only thing that was very, very, VERY noticeable was that I got really winded. I guess 2 weeks off will do that to a guy :-p Tomorrow I will re-vamp my training spreadsheet and add weight training in permanently. Later this week I will re-visit the running institute and have my feet checked. I still think better shoes will help.Side note: I got in touch with my acupuncturist (Lori) and she has agreed to see me every other Tuesday between now and the marathon. She is going to do very aggressive orthopedic treatments on my legs. This should help immensely as my body reacts very well to acupuncture.

Week One, Strength Training

Monday, February 4, 2008

Well I started weight lifting tonight. I decided to scrap my Monday run for the next 6 weeks and do leg training with free weights and small warm ups on my elliptical. Total workout is about an hour. When I finished the workout I was AMAZED at how weak my legs were. Truly painful workout. I will be sore in the morning on this one. Tomorrow I will go to the Lake with Cordell after work and get a good 3 mile jog in with no hills and test my legs.

Small Tune Up

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Well it has been 2 weeks and all I have been doing is mild stretching at night with my foam leg roller. I did a small 3 mile uphill/downhill run today that did NOT go well. About 1 mile out my knee got tight, about 2 miles out it started hurting….and I had to gut it out to get home. Not good. I am going to go in to the San Diego Running Institute this week and have them look at my shoes. I think that might be the problem. I also did some reading online that said there should be some weight lifting done as muscles support tendons (which I knew). Perhaps I need to look into that. This is frustrating.Note: Cordell tried a run today too and his ankle is tanked. He is frustrated too. He is going to have his shoes looked at also.

2008 Carlsbad 1/2 Marathon

Sunday, January 20th 2008

Just got home from the Carlsbad Half Marathon and I wanted to drop down my initial feelings.
The morning was very, very cold for San Diego (38 degrees at race start). I was FOOLISH and stretched for all of about 5 minutes, not really worrying about warming up or getting loose. I think this was in large part to my nerves taking over. BELIEVE ME…it will not happen again. I started into the run and settled in right away. The crowd did not bother me nearly as bad as I thought it would, it is just a matter of finding my groove. It should also be noted that most of those “skinny runner types” were using me as a lead blocker. LOL To each his own. About 3 minutes into the run, Cordell and I gave High-Fives and he went on ahead at his own pace. We do this regularly. I knew that the next time I saw him would be at the finish line – at least that is what I was hoping. I was really hoping he would be ok.
Anyway – at about 1.5 miles out, there was a bridge leading uphill which shocked the hell out of me considering this was supposed to be a very flat run along the beach. I cranked up it, did just fine and kept going. Something funny began to happen at about the 4-mile marker ~ my left knee/IT band became re-aggravated. It wasn’t sore, just started getting tight. I had my knee braces on though, and kept pushing.
The scenic route was nice; it took me right down the beach along the sand. Running with all those people cheering for you is an absolutely amazing experience that everyone should experience once in their life. People who live on the beach coming out with their cups of coffee going “all right!! Give it everything you’ve got!!” That was very cool.
So I continued down the beach, getting water at the stations to stay hydrated….and trying to enjoy myself. As the race got further and further along, my mental focus was TOTALLY derailed from enjoying the race, and I became totally 100% enthralled with my knee issue. By mile marker 8, the pain was so unreal I had to do what I swore I wouldn’t. I stopped and walked knowing full well that I was probably going to sacrifice my goal time, but I had to remind myself that the goal was not the half-marathon, it was the FULL marathon. I walked from mile 8 to mile 9, then started up a pathetic shuffle again in total agony. Every water stop ended up being an excuse to mug someone for the water they were offering. Just past the water station at mile 10, there was a 40-45 year old man standing by himself holding a sign. In the upper corners of the sign it read “go megan” and “go Jessica”….but in the center, in huge bold letters, it said “STAY FOCUSED”. I jogged over to him, tapped the sign three times and said, “yes, yes, yes!!” The guy got all excited and said “yeah! Go for it man! Go for it!” So I started running again a really nice pace. A strong pace. I got to the top of the hill at about the 11.5 mile marker and had to shut down again and walk. After a while though, I saw the 12 mile marker on the horizon and this feeling of anger, pride, resentment and emotion all came over the top of me at once and I thought to myself. “Everyone that I love is waiting at that finish line. Tylene, my daughters, my parents, Cordell and his wife….if I don’t come across that finish line running, I am useless. I REFUSE to walk any more.”

So with that I started the most pathetic, pain-driven, weak legged one mile run of my life. I couldn’t feel my legs – but I pressed on. People were passing me – but I pressed on. My knee was KILLING me – but I pressed on. Then, out of knowhere….at about the 12.4 mile marker and going down the bridge that I forgot was there, I pulled my right hamstring because I was overcompensating for my bad left knee.

So there I was. Bad left knee, pulled right hamstring, dehydrated and in the most intense pain I have ever felt. I felt the only thing I know do to – keep going. There is a quote that a lot of runners use nowadays. It is a famous quote by Winston Churchill: “If you are going through hell, keep going. This has never been truer than in this case. I kept going, and eventually looked up ahead of me and saw a sharp left hand turn with people 4 rows deep on either side screaming at the top of their lungs. I summoned up everything I had and (limping badly on both legs) hobbled across the finish line in 2 hours 42 minutes and 20 seconds. As I cam down the finish line chute, I looked to my right and saw Cordell standing there with his wife and new daughter. They had HUGE smiles on their faces and were cheering for me. I looked to my left and saw Tylene and the girls. I was very proud to be showing my family what I was made of. Then I took a second look to my left and saw my mom and dad right at the finish line….my dad started pumping his fist yelling “go buddy!” and I read my mom’s lips as she said, “oh my God”. I started to tear up and really had to compose myself for the last 20 yards. As I crossed the finish line the only thing I could think of was “my God – what have I done?” 12 minutes slower than I had wanted….walking a mile and a half, I was done.

I came home and got in the shower and mentally beat myself up for all the mistakes I made in the race. But in the end I got about 10 phone calls that night from people congratulating me, telling me they honestly did not think I could do it and that because I did do this….they would be sure to be at the finish line of the full marathon in June. (this horrified me).

Afterwards I learned a lot about the mistakes I made. (increasing my training mileage too much, too soon….not enough stretching, etc.) But I was grateful for completing the run. It taught me a lot about what my training is versus what it needs to be for the full marathon. I was so proud of Cordell. Not only did he run HIS race in less than 2 hours (1:59:24). But he ran negative splits. That means he ran the second half of his race faster than the first half. He performed brilliantly.
That’s it for now. Taking 2 weeks off to stretch and let my legs heal before cranking up my 17 week training program for the full marathon.

Tomorrow Is BIG DAY #1 (Sortof)

Saturday, January 19th 2008.

Well, tomorrow is the half marathon and I am feeling pretty good about myself. I ran 11 miles last Saturday and could have EASILY done more. All should go really well and I believe that I should come (fairly) close to my goal of 2:30:00. Weather is supposed to be REALLY cold, but I’m not too concerned with that. I just want to maintain my pace and get into a good rhythm. 10 weeks of training has led to this and I am very excited. Not too nervous…just wound up – like before a big game. I am really trying to temper my feelings because I know that this run is just a measuring stick for my training for the Rock N Roll Marathon on June 1, 2008. Because of the cold weather I got myself some Under Armor “Cold Gear”. I tried it on my 11 mile run and it worked great, so I will be using it the day of the race.
Side Note: I am really, really, really worried about my running buddy. I watched him struggle like I have never seen before during a 9 mile run last week and because he has been at home taking care of his daughter who has been sick, most of his training has tapered off badly.