A way to make a difference

If you are coming to my blog from Runner's World, then you already know that I am getting ready to run my third marathon. I am really looking forward to this because we are going to have friends that I have never met coming in from all over the southeast. It will be great time to meet and put faces to the names and personalities that I have gotten to know through the forum on Runner's World.

However, all the preparation was feeling a bit empty because there has always been a philanthropic component to my marathon preparation.

I had my first real distance running training and ran the Chicago marathon in 2005 with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

My training and fundraising was more personal when I ran in Houston in 2007. I ran for the American Cancer Society. My Dad had started treatment for colon cancer and a the son of a very good forum friend had suffered a reoccurred of a very aggressive form of childhood cancer. So, I ran Houston for Dad and Cody. The starting line picture from that race is the picture that I use for this blog.

Since that time, Dad has gone into remission, but Cody, Mickey, and their family are still fighting Cody's Neuroblastoma Cancer with everything they have.

On change.org I found a way that you can donate to the Band of Parents. Band of Parents is just what it sounds like. Their mission statement:

We are parents of children diagnosed with a cancer called neuroblastoma who want to help further the research and drug development desperately needed to save more children. Neuroblastoma is an "orphan" cancer; pharmaceutical companies are not developing new treatments because there is not a large enough patient base to make development profitable. Funding from the government is similarly limited. Time is running out for many of our children -- money stands between them and a cure.

As parents, we have banded together to increase public awareness about neuroblastoma and to raise funds for the development of novel therapies. We are working in partnership with a talented and dedicated team of doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) who are fighting to save our children from this deadly disease.

Please link over to the fundraising site and help where you can.

Thanks for the Quote GB

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life." Galatians 6:4-5

I just lifted the verse of the the blog of one of my very dear friends that I have never met. Like all scripture, it is filled with truth and applicability. I have a couple blogs going, and I'm going to put it up on both of them as a reminder because it gives great perspective.

Like most people, I have goals and demands, things I like to do, things I have to do. In every case and circumstance, I am known by what I do and directed by my aspirations.

I am a Christian. I want to serve God with my best.

I am a husband and father. I want to provide for my family in more than just what they need.

I an a Cub Scout Leader. I want to help these boys grow to be strong, productive members of society.

I am a runner. I would like to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and I want to help others to develop a love of running.

I am an engineer and an employee. I want to help my company to grow and be more profitable.

I am tired and feeling pulled in too many directions. Every now and then I need to pull back from the task at hand and look at the big picture. I'll still have just as much to do, and just as much time to do it. The perspective helps. I am not to be impressed with myself or to compare myself with others. I just need to do the very best with what I have.

Easy Wednesday

My training plan normally alternates between intervals and tempo runs on Wednesday. However, every few weeks, it throws in an easy day as part of a cutback week. Today was one of those easy Wednesday. I was scheduled for 5 miles at 10:21. I was able to turn in 5 miles at just under a 10 minute average, and it felt great.

It was another beautiful cool clear morning, and the stars once again showed up brightly. I actually pulled out the sweatshirt and sweat shorts for the run.

I have been having some nagging soreness in my right hip/groin, and even that was better. I attribute that improvement to the stretching after the strength training and the 1/2 hour of yoga that I did with my wife yesterday.

I wish every day could start like this...

Easy Week Tuesday

My training schedule is based on a running schedule from Smart Coach On Runners World Online. I was able to customize a schedule to accommodate my 2-3 weeks off from running last month and I still hope to be able to have a good showing for the Mississippi Blues Marathon on January 3.

Runs normally consist of an easy run on Monday, either Tempo or Intervals on Wednesday, and an easy paced Long Run on Saturday. I am augmenting the schedule with strength training on Tuesday and Thursday and with Flexibility on Friday.

This week is an easy week. All the runs are easy paced and the Saturday Run is relatively short. Also, this week, I found another website called SparkPeople. It has a number of great tools that include a meal and nutrition trackers, menu planners, exercise trackers and strength training plans. I am going to use the tools to track my nutrition and my strength training.

It has been a strange couple weeks

Between the meningitis, the stomach virus, life, and a Cub Scout campout, I have been away from the blog for far too long. I finally had a great tempo run this morning and life at work is settling back into a routine. Just as my life is getting more normal. Mickey's (Deckape) life is going crazy. he is at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC for another round of treatment with Cody. The treatments are very painful and Cody is having a rough time. Please link over to "Days in the Life" and leave an encouraging message for Mickey, Cody, and the rest of the family.

Back to the World of the Living

The Monday after I got back from Hawaii, I started feeling kinda puny. On Tuesday, I had chills fever and headache. So, I called and asked for a Doctor's Appointment (something I never do). The appointment was on Wednesday, and the doctor sent me from his office to the hospital. I was admitted for rehydration and bloodwork. After 2 nights in the hospital, they got the blood cultures back, and determined that I did not have a bacterial infection.

The tentative diagnosis was a viral meningitis or encephalitis. As with any other virus, the treatment was support while the virus ran its course. By the time the bloodwork had come back, the fever had ended and I was on the mend. So. I was released and told to take it easy.

So, I took a week off from running and did light tasks around the house. Today I rejoined the Running World with an easy 3 miler and I was happy to be out on the streets again. It is only 13 weeks until the Mississippi Blues Marathon.

Maui Marathon and Half Marathon Coaches report.

Not a race for me, but I did spend all day on the course. Mississippi Team in Training pulls from several areas. There were two of us from the coast, a coach who was running the 1/2 and myself. We had two girls from Hattiesburg running the half, and a dozen from Jackson doing the 1/2. The course was out and back for the 1/2 and point to point for the full. Start was at the same time, and finish was at the same place. The marathon finished on the back portion of the 1/2 course.

I started with the 1/2 marathon runners and stayed with the frontrunnners from our team until about 3 miles. Then I started looping back and picking up and checking on the rest of the Mississippi Team. I would drop each of them at the 3 mile mark until the last one. I went with her to a cheer station at about 4 1/2. I hung out there until my front runners came back and then I repeated the routine back to the ten mile mark. I stayed with the last one until the cheer station at the 11/24 mile mark.

I picked up the first marathoner and ran her in then turned around and went back for the last geel. It was getting late and really hot so I waited in the shade at 24 1/2 for a while. I got tired of waiting and a bit worried and continued back tracking. I found her at 24. She was hot, tired, and upset about her time. I gave her a quick one arm hug, dropped in next to her, and ran in the rest of the way with her.

I peeled off at the finish line so she could have a good finishing picture, and went around to the end of the chute. Her friend was waiting there, whe went in and got her. Helped navigate her through the chip turn in, got her some fluids and sat her down in the shade for a while. We encouraged her and told her that she had finished a tough, hot, marathon, and she did great!

The whole Mississippi Team was checked in. I went back to the hotel for an ice bath.

I was on the course for about 5 1/2 hours, and put in about 14 miles along with a bunch of standing, screaming and clapping..