Running

by

My life, my running, and stuff you never knew about me

I write a running blog.

Most of the time, all I write about is something to do with running.  Something related to running.  Something/anything I can relate to and want others to relate to.  I write about a tiny slice of my day.  I have written a post for this blog about 90% of the days since I started… Just about running.

Ideas can be difficult to come up with. Sometimes when I run I think of what I will write the next morning.  Hmmm, there is a pain in my left foot… A blog post was born!

One of the consequences of magnifying a single part of my life is that people get the impression that this is all of my life.  If I am hurt and writing about my depression of not running, then people get the impression that all I am all day is depressed and hurt.

There are 23.5 hours of the day that I never write about.  Sometimes I’ll include some personal stuff in my blog, but that is rare and when I do it is usually related to my running.

So I decided to write some random personal things about myself that I don’t think I have written about before, or that people who are new to my blog don’t really know unless they have gone over the 300+ posts from the past year (and I don’t think they have).  Also this is in part accepting the Sunshine award that runningtoherdreams gave me last weekend.  Thank you.  It means so much.  It made me think of putting just a little about myself “out there” and I hope people read her blog.  It was one of the inspirations that got me to my marathon last August.

Here we go:

I was born the youngest of 4 children.

I am now the youngest of 3 living children as my sister passed away in a cave diving accident.

My mom went into labor with me at a Penn State football game.

I was born with hips that turned in so severely that I spent a long time with corrective shoes and a bar between my feet.

I could hear when I was born, but soon lost my hearing. My adenoids grew and blocked my hearing.  Since I could hear for some time, I learned to read lips, so no one caught on that I couldn’t hear.  One day when I was 4 years old my mom put me on her lap, facing away from her and asked me if I wanted ice cream.  I didn’t make a move (I’ve always loved ice cream).  My speaking was so poor that my late sister was the only one who could understand me.  So after lots of tests and a surgery, I woke up from the anesthetics and the first thing I said was, “I can hear”.

I lived in a small town in Pennsylvania.  We left our doors unlocked and open when we left the house.  Us kids would all play at the other kids house and vice versa.  It was a good childhood.

We moved to Northern Va. (Mt. Vernon area) when I was in high school.  George Washington used to fox hunt in the backyard of the home my parents bought (long before I was born ). 🙂

I used to race sailboats with my mom and dad on the Potomac.  We won many trophies over those few years.

I was a messed up kid from the time we moved to DC (age 15) until after my freshman year of college.  During that summer after my freshman year I became a Christian (that story is under my “Faith” tab) and my life has never been the same.

I am married with lots of kids.  They are almost all grown (no more child tax credits), and have all turned out to be honorable, good children.

I have been an evangelical Protestant Christian my whole Christian life, and am becoming Catholic on Easter this year.

Although life has thrown in some challenges over the past few years, I am so thankful and grateful for my life, my family and my work.  I couldn’t have created a better life for me if I was the one creating it.

The day Joe Paterno got fired from Penn State, I was going to have wrist surgery, I weighed almost 300 lbs, I couldn’t get my wedding ring off and they threatened to cut it off, so my Lovely Wife “helped” me get it off.  Hmmm. That hurt.

I lost 100 lbs in under a year.

Running is a big deal to me because it has allowed me to do so much more in my life since I stated.  It was almost 2 years ago when  I ran my first 1.5 miles.  I have run many 5K’s a half marathon and a marathon since then.  I enjoy the outdoors for the first time since I was a child.  I am in great shape for the first time ever in my life.  Since the age of 49, my life has been more impacted from running than almost anything else.

Okay, I’m done.  I guess I wanted those who read this to know that running isn’t everything.  It is just a thing God has used to add value to my life and give me experiences that I never thought I would have.  One day when I finish this ultimate race I am running called life, I will look back and be in awe over my “midlife crisis” called running.

Thank you all for being a part of it.

Tom

by

Musings on my running

Yesterday was my second run this week.  I got out Tuesday for 4.25 miles and another 4.2 yesterday.

I DID NOT WANT TO RUN WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WORK…

Sorry, did I say that too loud.

Work went well, but I was feeling quite tired.  I honestly think I am still feeling lag from my adventure in the snow last week.  But I knew what I had to do.  I got home, I went upstairs and got into my running clothes.  I put on my jacket.  I went out into the 40 degree cold with 20 mph wind and ran 4 miles.

I was glad that I did when it was over.  Also it was a fast run for me.  I ended at an 8:45 pace for 4.2 miles.  I was in pain somewhat with my hip.  I think when it is cold out, I hold my body tight and that isn’t good for either hip.

Last night I woke up with my good hip hurting.  Hmmm.  Will I ever just feel good running?  Maybe not.  I also wonder sometimes if I will ever get back to my 200 mile months.  I am not going to push it right now, but it has been a long time since I went up that high in my mileage.  If it weren’t for the snow last week I would have broken 100 miles for the first time since August.  Actually last month was double of any month since before my marathon.  So I can’t complain.

HOWEVER…

Thinking of running a marathon again, let alone qualifying for Boston is so far beyond me at this point that it is rather upsetting.

I guess I have to forget what is behind and push forward.  I have to see today, tomorrow and a year from now.  One day I will get back my mileage, I will run a marathon and, Lord willing, I’ll qualify for Boston.

IF NOT….

I am still a 51 year old man who has lost 100 lbs, and can run 6 days a week.

It could be worse.

Tom

by

It gets complicated when I can’t run

Relax!

That is what I kept telling myself yesterday as I ran.  Relax and run easy.

I hadn’t run since before the snow last week.  After getting home and realizing I injured my back by my antics at work (sleeping on the floor, walking in the ice, falling on the ice, etc), I had to hold off running.  That is not a good thing for me.

I think because I run  5 – 6 days a week, if I go a few days without running my emotions take a dive.  I don’t know if it is the lack of endorphins or just lack of sleeping well, but I become a monster emotionally.  Just angry with the world and everything in the world.

Sunday was another one of “those” days.  I just had to leave.  I went for a 2 hour walk and ended up in a park and sat for an hour.  Actually that seemed to help get me back a little.  It was a rough day and I could feel it from the moment I woke up.  One week without running makes one weak, if you ask me.

Monday I just didn’t feel like running.  My hip was bothering me.  I decided to take “the dog” out for a walk.  That was nice, but it bothered me that I didn’t want to run.  It isn’t like I love my runs, but I love the aftereffect.  The peace.  The satisfaction of finishing a run.

Finally, yesterday I ran.  I got in 4.25 miles under a 9:00 pace.  I feel better.  I like that feeling after I run of my lungs breathing in full and easy.  I like the peace I feel and the fact that after two years, a run still finishes my day.

So I guess I am back again to my running days.  This crazy weather has been playing havoc with my hip, but I just relax and run easy and that helps (going back to how I started this post).

Relax.  Enjoy.  Run.  Be happy.

Sometimes I make life too complicated.

Tom

by

Home at last

Just a short post. I made it home yesterday afternoon after spending 2.5 days stuck at the office because of snow and ice.

All is well other than a possible reaggravation of an old back injury. Quite a lot of muscular pain in my middle right back (but only when I move). This started last night.

So now rest. No running and no work.

I hope you all have a productive weekend.

Tom

by

An unexpected consequence of being a runner

I love running.

Okay, when I am out there and it is really cold or really hot or I just don’t feel good, running can be a chore.

What I love most about running is the freedom that it gives me.  An unexpected consequence of being a runner.

Last Saturday was a rough day.  In fact it was a difficult week overall, it just came to a head on Saturday.  I needed to get away.  A couple of years ago that would have entailed driving to Walmart and surrounding stores and walking through the isles of stuff.  Not this time.  Instead, I walked.  In fact I turned off my phone and walked for hours.  I walked on a trail I have run before, but never actually just took the time to look at the surroundings.  It was really cool.  Waterfalls, beaver dams and quietness.

I realized that day that because of my running I could walk as far as I wanted and not worry about how to make it home.  I was able to just go and be free.  It was awesome.

The other time this “consequence of running” occurred to me was this week while shut in at work for two days because of the snow.  I was able to spend hours outside helping people get their cars going.  I walked miles to the pharmacy to pick up meds for a coworker (and buy toothbrushes).  I never once thought, “can I make it back?”  I had freedom.  Who needs a car!

So if you are debating if you should start running or you are a runner and are trying to encourage others to run, remember what I learned.  There is a lot of freedom in life once the chains of poor physical fitness are removed.  Once you run 26.2 miles, it dawns on you that if needed, you can walk the 23 miles home in an emergency.

Freedom.  A basic instinct.  One that I am glad I received almost 2 years ago when I started running.

by

Southern Snowstorm (Part III)

Honestly I have nothing to do, so I thought I’d write a post for my blog.

We are stuck.  Massively stuck.  The road where my work is off of only has two ways out.  One side has a sharp hill that is ice and the other is filled with a quarter mile of cars that were abandoned yesterday.  The Interstates are crawling and abandoned cars all over them.

Basically the weatherman made a booboo.  He said that this storm was going to be much more south than it was.  So they sent all the sand trucks (and what few salt trucks and snow plows we have) south.  Thus we had 2 inches of snow on frozen roads that turned to ice and no way to move.  I know people up North say, “2 inches of snow… those wimps”.  I am from the North and I’m telling you, if you had this snow with no equipment to clear it or melt it and sub freezing temperatures… Okay, you would have handled it better than us Southerners who haven’t seen snow in 10 years, but still it would have been a mess.

So I spent the day getting medicine and supplies from a CVS a few miles away and walking a co-worker to her husband’s hotel.  Oh yeah, I also worked some.

Another night her in the office and probably most of tomorrow.  I don’t see them getting these cars cleared very quickly.  It is a mess.

No running for me, but I did walk about 7 miles in the ice.  That should account for something.

UPDATE:

It has been two hours since I started this post.  Seems some cars are moving on the Interstates, but our road is still blocked.  Ugh.  The guys who brought the good came and picked it back up.  I’m not sure where they were going, but they were so nice and said to keep anything we needed.  The main guy was a pastor and his deacon was helping him.  Very nice people.

So another day is done.  I may write in the morning if I can keep my eyes open.  I have nothing to sleep on, so it will be another long night.  Reminds me of my collage fraternity days.  Sleeping on the floor in strange rooms. 🙂

I am so thankful for this experience.  It has been hard and I miss my family, but we are all safe and warm and have food and shelter.  There isn’t much more we can ask for in this life.

Goodnight!

by

Southern Snowstorm (Part II)

IMG_0667The saga continues.

I sit here at work.  It is 4:51 in the morning.  It was a long night.  I slept on an office floor and, being a runner, my hips have little cushion between them and the floor.  Ouch.   I got about 3 hours sleep and now am up for the day.  It is cold, icy and not going to get better soon.

It is supposed to get just above freezing today around 2:00 – 3:00 and then go back into the teens.  I have a strange feeling I won’t be going home tonight.  There are thousands of stranded Birminghamians and at 2:00 they will all try to head home.  The only thing worse than spending another miserable night on an office floor is to spend one in my car.

Okay, back to yesterday.  Honestly in many ways it was amazing.

I got about 1/4 mile from work when the cars in front of me stopped.  There was a hill and they were struggling to get up it because the snow was so slick.  I had to stop and each time I started to go forward, my wheels would just spin.  Funny, I drove my son’s car and had just told him that his front tires are getting bald and need to be changed.  Oh well.

My stranded car

My stranded car

I sat for 20 minutes watching 20 cars in front of me trying to get up the hill.  Some made it and many did not.  Eventually, at the top of the hill, there were several cars just blocking the road.  They either couldn’t move or were sliding down backwards.  I sat in my car amazed that no one was getting out to try helping these people get moving so that at least someone could head on.  Then it occurred to me… “Hmmm. Why am I just sitting in my car not helping these people.  Here I am mad at everyone else and I am doing the same thing.  Someone has to do something.”

So I got out and went up to a car and started pushing and tried to explain to Southerners how to drive in icy snow.  I have driven in a lot of snow in my life; not much in the past 15 years, but I know how to drive in the snow from a lot of experience.  So I explained to people how to get the car moving slowly forward and I pushed from the side of the car.  My little push seemed to make all the difference.  Honestly, as Christian, I’d have to say there were angels helping me.  I even pushed a small school bus full of kids.  As soon as I started pushing, the bus started moving.  It was quite amazing.

I finally came to a car that had been stopped for an hour or so.  It was in the wrong lane and sitting out in the road.  I couldn’t help them because of the angle that the car was sitting.  I finally saw 3 men walking down a nearby hill and asked for help.  The jumped in and we got this guy up the hill.  I mentioned to one of them that I wish I had gloves and he gave me his extra pair.  After about 20 minutes they left to get some people to shelter and after offering to help me get my car out (I declined), they went their way.  I still have his gloves.  He never asked for them back.

The irony of the situation was that the road was blocked ahead and behind.  After people got up the hill, there was no where for them to go.  But at least they were parked on the sides of the road and not in the middle of a hill.

After a couple of hours, I finally decided to walk back to work.  Then the next amazing thing.  Someone with a pickup truck full of food from SAMs had to park in our lot because he couldn’t get anywhere.  He asked if it was okay to leave his truck and then told us to eat anything we wanted.  I’m talking a lot of food.  There were probably 15 pizzas, lots of bags of rolls, pies, cookies and much more.  So the 10 or so of us got to cook anything we wanted.  I think we will be eating this for the next few days.  We made a list of what we eat so we can reimburse him.  The food was for a church ministry, but he didn’t want it unused.  So we have electricity, heat, tons of food and I even get to be one of the few people who will make it to work today. 🙂

Our food truck

Our food truck

I sit here in the quite as my coworkers try to sleep.  My hip hurts from all the pushing yesterday.  I am exhausted.  But I am thankful for the events of the past 24 hours.  I miss my family and my bed.  I do know that there were still people stranded on the highway late last night.  I pray they made it somewhere safely.

So no running yesterday. 🙂  Just lots of memories.  I hope and pray that I get home tonight, but if not, I’ll write part three of this saga tomorrow.

by

Southern Snowstorm

I just spent 2 hours helping cars get up a hill that my car couldn’t climb.  Now just walked back to work.  I may have to spend the night.

IMG_0639

 

IMG_0640

 

by

Photographic proof. We did run that race! :)

FB_Home_Page.jpg.w560h452

Okay, I’ve gotten over my lack of recognition in this race and am glad that it gave money to a charity.  However, even though we are no where to be found in the results, below are pictures of TJ and me running and finishing the race (and stuffing out mouths with donuts).

 

47a4df04b3127cce9854805a312600000035110IbN3Dlo4aNi47a4df04b3127cce98548d3bf0e900000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi47a4df04b3127cce98548d49f09b00000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi

47a4df04b3127cce98548d3a71d800000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi

47a4df04b3127cce98548d21f0f300000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi47a4df04b3127cce98548d0271e000000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi47a4df04b3127cce98548d2071c200000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi47a4df04b3127cce98548240b00d00000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi47a4df04b3127cce98548223315e00000035100IbN3Dlo4aNi

 

It is now official for all time on the Internet and with the NSA that we RAN THIS RACE!

Have an awesome day!!!

Tom

by

Nailing the Doughnut Dash

The Krispy Kreme Donut Dash was a good race overall.

TJ and I decided to race the night before. I kept going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to go.  Finally on Friday evening I agreed to do it.  We wrote the race director and asked if we could pay at the race and they said yes.

So we got there and signed up.  It was about 25 degrees and 20 – 30 mph winds.  I was cold.  We waited around for a while because we wanted to get there early to sign up.  There was really no where to keep warm, but the bathroom was packed.  No porta potties (first ever for me), just a bathroom with one toilet out of service.

So the race finally began.  TJ suggested we run hard for the first two miles, since we wouldn’t know how we would feel on the last two after eating a dozen donuts.  I thought that was a good strategy.  I ran hard out of the gate.  I totally forgot to look at my time when I hit the donut station, but I think I was in the 7:30 range.  Then we were given a dozen donuts to eat.  It is hard to eat a dozen donuts when you are breathing hard from running 2 miles and it is freezing cold.  Also you had to show proof that your box was empty before they would let you continue.  So TJ was well into his donuts when I arrived.  Then he was off and I finished mine off.  I headed back the last two miles.

I finished strong.  I Ended up coming in 8th overall and TJ came in 2nd overall.  That was exciting.  Our first Donut Dash and we nailed it.

So we waited around for the giving of the medals.  This took an hour.  It was cold and my sweat made me colder.  When they called up the winners, they didn’t call TJ.  Hmmm.  Seems that since we signed up at the race, we weren’t included in the results.

So after all that, we turned and went home.  Sort of sad that we didn’t get our medals.  I would have placed first in my age group.  I think the race director should have told me that we could sign up at the race, but it would cost more and you won’t be included in the totals.

At least it was just a fun race.  Strangely I didn’t feel sick.  It was hard eating those donuts though and I don’t think I’ll be eating Krispy Kreme donuts anytime soon.

So that was it.  I’m proud as always at TJ finishing 2nd.  I guess I shouldn’t have waited to make up my mind.

by

Freudian Autocorrect

My youngest is a good kid.  He is 16 and gets along with everyone (other than his siblings).  Anyway, I thought I’d share a text I got from him last night…

Autocorrect?

Autocorrect?

Okay, I honestly think it was an autocorrect thing, but since I wrote mine in all caps, I wonder if there was some type of Freudian thing going on. 🙂  Now that I think about it, he never did let me know when he got home.

So TJ and I are off to the races in a few minutes.  It wasn’t until last night that I decided to go, so we have to register there.  Should be fun… 23 degrees, 18 wind chill at race time.  I’m glad I live in the South.

Have a great weekend.

Tom