5 Miles on the Treadmill Again

I found some lively music from a post to the Americans on the Camino Facebook page, downloaded the album and found the ambition I needed to run.  It was really hot in the exercise room though.  I wish there was some kind of air movement in that place, at least near the treadmill. But compared to the -20 temperatures outside, I don't want to complain too much!  At least there is a place to run indoors.  This month I've really been missing outdoor running and walking.  There is none of that up here in the winter.  Although sometimes I feel like I should just wake myself up in the middle of the day when there actually is some twilight, and go for a short walk.  I'm not so sure about even a short run out there on the ice covered road, but a walk sure would feel good.  I've been surfing around for more marathons for next year.  I feel some attraction to a couple in Italy in February, but have not committed to any of them yet.  I need to commit more to just dragging myself out of bed in time to run on the treadmill!  I'm feeling very lazy this month.

But cancer isn't going to wait for me to drum up some ambition, so I'll try to keep myself motivated, keeping the cause of finding a cure, high in my thoughts. 

As the year draws to a close, this is a good time to get in another tax deduction. Click on the picture below and let's put an end to this disease forever. 

End Cancer Now!

5 Miles

Finally, a rather short treadmill but of only 5 miles but with no pain to my ankle.  I'm not sure what that pain was all about but I guess my ankle has adjusted to the idea of running on the treadmill again.  I stopped after each mile for a quick stretch just to be sure I wasn't causing any problems.  I have to concentrate on good training this month because I have 4 marathons on the upcoming agenda.  If that isn't incentive to train, I don't know what is!

Of course curing cancer is my primary incentive.  It's not too late to get another 2014 tax deduction, so consider supporting my cause with a donation. 

Just click here to donate!

Another Short Run

My ankle started hurting really badly so I stopped my treadmill run.  But a few minutes later it felt good again, so I went back for another try.  This time it felt fine, but I took it nice and slow and just ran 3 miles.  I had to go in to work early so was pretty short on time anyway.  I'll be taking a rest day tomorrow.  I suspect that my running muscles just need to adjust to the treadmill again.  It is annoying when things like that happen though.  I have to be able to run because it is my main way of fighting cancer!

The end of the year is approaching, so this is a good time to get in one more tax deduction.  Please support me with a donation, large of small by clicking here!

Australia!

I just signed up for the Bunbury 3 Waters Marathon in Australia. Suggested by a new friend I met on a little cruise to the Greek Islands while in Athens for the Athens Classic Marathon.  Always wanted to go there but now my wish will come true. Adding another continent to my marathon running list.   

Upcoming Marathons

I am now signed up for 3 marathons for 2015.  January 18 I'm running the Bahamas Marathon, which should be a nice break from January Alaska weather.  Then later on, I'm doing my next event for Team In Training, The Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 3rd.  Later that month on May 24th I'm running the Coeur d'Alene Marathon in Idaho. It will also be a great chance to visit my family in Southern Idaho and visit the lovely town of Coeur d'Alene.

So once again I'll be fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to try to eliminate the horrors of cancer from our world. 



Race 4 Cancer

 



Back on the Treadmill

Now I'm back up in Deadhorse in the icy cold winter weather.  So back on the treadmill for all of my running.  It's not really possible to run up here in December because it's dark all month and the roads are ice with no shoulder.  A runner would be a hazard both to himself and to the trucks on the ice road.  So I spend my training time on the treadmill watching TV and listening to my music.  It works!  I only ran 3 miles today because my right ankle started hurting.  It always take a day or two to get reacquainted with the treadmill. Tomorrow should be better.

New York City Marathon

I made it!  All 26.2 miles in the icy cold 40 degree temperatures in spite of the accompanying 40 mile per hour wind.  It was brutally cold the whole way.  We had to hang out at the start line for close to 4 hours too, which was probably the coldest part.  I had on a heavy sweatshirt that I bought at the 99 Cent Store in Queens, but it wasn't enough.  I was still freezing.  I did ditch that right after I crossed the bridge, but later on wished that I still had it.  At one point I picked up a heavy scarf that another runner had discarded, and wrapped that around my neck for a while.  I was ok until about mile 20 or so when suddenly the cold became nearly unbearable.  But a really thoughtful Team In Training coach happened along and asked how I was doing.  When I told him how cold I was, he gave me a spare long sleeved T-shirt that he had.  That saved the day for me.

It was a really nice run in spite of the icy cold conditions though.  It was amazing to see thousands of people in front of me and thousands behind me.  I was in the middle of a crowd for the entire race.  There were over 50,000 runners and there was no half marathon.  All 50,000 ran the full marathon.  We ran through all of the boroughs and finished in Central Park.  It was actually getting dark when we finished, yet my wave started around 10:30 in the morning. 

The walk back to my hotel was about 3 miles and I was really tired.  But they gave us really nice fleece lined ponchos and I was totally wrapped up in that.  At the desk in my hotel I had to arrange for transportation to the airport for the next morning, and nearly collapsed while working on that transaction.  I barely made it to the elevator and was leaning over clinging to the hand rail hoping to not faint before I reached the 14th floor.  I did manage to remain standing but threw myself onto the floor as soon as I opened the door to my room.  I think that was the most exhausted I have ever been after a marathon.  But it was worth it! 

NYC Marathon Finish

The greatest part was knowing I raised $4000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to fund needed cancer research. Finding a cure is the real finish line!