deal done gone down

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ING NYC MRTHN 09

Staten Island, NY. A four-hour wait in the cold drizzle at Fort Wadsworth, along with some 45,000 other goose-pimpled runners; it's true, misery does like company -- a lot of it. The looming Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a reminder of the vast task at hand.








click here for the top 25 costumes at this year's nyc marathon; they should give out medals.

where's waldo?

In Central Park, a grueling 4-hours-22 minutes-and-12-seconds later; I came in 22,904th out of an estimated 45,000. I guess that makes me pretty average. But, hey, at least I'm six minutes less-average than Alanis Morissette, who clocked a 4:28.45.

Me-O Pie-O!

Came in 57th (out of 300-plus) in the 119th Bemis-Forslund Pie Race (4.5 miles) at my old high school, Northfield Mount Hermon, in Gill, Mass., and earning myself a sweet, farm-fresh apple pie. I posted 32:44, for an average of 7:12-minute miles, my fastest race pace ever. Mile 1: 7:11; mile 2: 7:09; mile 3 (uphill, rocky terrain, cramps): 8:30. I thought I was cooked, but then I went balls-out fugitive and clocked the last 1.5 miles in 9:51 (or 6:20 pace; a couple well-placed downhills helped carry me big-time). As a class of '88-er, I was in the '85-and-after division, which meant a pie-qualifying time of 33 minutes and pitted me against 14-42 year-olds. The kid who came in behind me threw up hard over the ropes. Looked like me 20 years ago, except without the running shoes.

Moscow Marathon 2009 (4:29.23), Appropriately Brutal

Vision 5K

chris guided me in the recent vision 5k road race at boston college; we clocked 31:28, placing 13th out of 37 in the blindfold division. click here for a piece i wrote previewing the race.

15.7-minute shave

clocked a personal record at yesterday's vermont city marathon: 4:04.37. that's 15.7 minutes better than last month's boston (4:20.05). the differences: a flatter course, 18,000 fewer runners, better eating the day before, no calling into the office every five miles, and one marathon in my pocket. click here for cool info graphic that the folks at vcm put together for each runner.

leftover boston pics

(at pre-race pasta dinner with fellow marathoner bill coffey, of chicago, the direct descendant of a revolutionary war soldier i once wrote about)

(chris and me on our way to the hopkinton buses the next day, 6:30 a.m.)

(hopkinton-bound flotilla, boston common, 7 a.m.)

(in line for the bus; impeccable and good humored organization all around, kudos BAA!)

(off to war)

(athletes' village, at the hopkinton high school)

(handing over my belongings, to be returned to me in copley square)

(in front of my corral, #23)



(the sound of so many feet on the asphalt sounded like soft applause, the road cheering us on)

(american favorite kara goucher who would come in third, in tears)

(no wide-mouthed waxy paper cups for the elites; i wore a bib of spilled gatorade for much of the race)

(the modern marathoner; i called into the office every 5-6 miles; link to the audio slide show in previous post)


(the crowds were unlike anything i've ever come across; we were rock stars for the day)

(aside from frenzied cheers, people doled out sponges, wet cloths, lollipops, orange wedges, pineapple slices, cheese cubes, even beer and pretzels; others held up the latest score from the red sox game)



(the religious nuts were representin', too)


(inspiration)






(a bu contingent)


(female leaders; salina kosgei, left, would win)


(deriba merga on his way to victory)


(turning up hereford street, my final dispatch)

(almost there)

(hope it's me she's cheering for)

(4:20.05)


(the cairns of copley square)


(home at last, and five pounds lighter)

photos by alonso nichols, andrew reed weller, kalman zabarsky and dick taffe

audio tour of my boston

click here for the sights and sounds from my run yesterday, unquestionably an amazing and singular experience.

4:20 on 4.20 (spark 'em)!

(photos by jessica ullian and zelim muradov)

this morning's run
distance: 26.2 miles (click here for route)
time: 4:20:05 (9:55-min-miles)
weather: 51F, cloudy with breaks of sunshine
surface: asphalt
music: boston marathon mix (4.20.09) (ended up only listening to approx. 50 mins total)
eats: banana, apple, toast with peanut butter, cup of coffee, glass of water, one banana chocolate chip muffin, one hard-boiled egg, two packs of energy goo, four fuel belt containers of gatorade, two orange wedges, approx. 6 cups of gatorade, approx. 5 cups of water.

Thanks, Marilyn!

#23164

Thanks, Darcy and Michael!

be the brickie

click here for my last training installment before the big run on monday. see you on the other side.

Thanks, Jean! Thanks, Tim!

thank you, thank you, thank you!

My fundraising mark has been hit, folks, and then some, (see widget at upper right)! Brought to you by the following sponsors:

Tim R., Jean K., Cathy C (2x)., Todd T., Katie B., Steve W., Rosemary B., Alex K., Louisa C., Dick T., Art J., Sophie M., Patrick "A.H." K., Cindy B., Alan and Barbara K., the Leggetts, Bari. W., Maggie H., Bill W., Funkmasta Shea P (2x)., Judith C., Nate B., Danny and Caroline K., Miranda M., Shawn and Jessica L., Mary C., Dennis B., Vicky W., Lee G., Toby F., Michelle M., Patti D., Jill and Lance L., Judy, Kyle & Bryce, Sara L., Peggy L. and John B., Robin B., Barbara E., Laura D'O., James W., Tim A., Ruth and Nick D., Jean K., MJ V., Chris and Meaghan B., Nicholas M., Mike B. and Stephanie J., Tim S., Noelle L., "layed-off dude," Nelia P., Evi M., Harold P., Florence L., Lilla W., Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, and Anonymous!

To one and all, you guys rock!

hopkinton-bound taper-down no. 1

this morning's run (next one will be the marathon)

distance: 4.81 miles (click here for route)
time: 41:21:71 (8:33-min-miles)
weather: 37F, bright sun
surface: asphalt and dirt track
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Rosemary! Thanks, Steve! Thanks, Katie! Thanks, Todd! Thanks, Cathy (again)!

hopkinton-bound taper-down no. 2

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:10:20 (8:58-min-miles)
weather: 43F, emerging bright sun
surface: asphalt and dirt track
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Louisa! Thanks, Alex! Thanks, Evi!

kinnaird-n.beacon st.-harvard bridge loop

distance: 11.73 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:49:18 (9:18-min-miles)
weather: 36F, wind-tunnel windy
surface: asphalt and dirt track
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

sublime sunrise science loop

(photo by george rizer, boston globe staff)

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:07:35 (8:36-min-miles)
weather: 43F, mild; gorgeous red sunrise bruising the river, then backlighting the skyline, clouds with pink underbellies; i live for such runs, it was like moving through a painting
surface: asphalt and dirt track, perfectly firm
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Dick!

marathon brains

click here for the latest installment in my training-for-boston series on bu today

this morning's run
distance: 6.37 miles
time: 58:18 (9:07-min-miles)
weather: 36F, cloudy, emerging sun
surface: asphalt and dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, cup of coffee, glass of water.

science museum loop

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:10:03 (8:57-min-miles)
weather: 44F, wet, spots of sun
surface: asphalt (dirt too soft and sloppy to run on)
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, mini banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Art!

chestnut hill reservoir-newton hills-kinnaird st.

distance: 17.26 miles (click here for route)
time: 2:37:24 (9:06-min-miles)
weather: 41F, windy, emerging sun
surface: asphalt, pleasant dirt track around chestnut hill reservoir
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, chocolate-banana muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Anonymous!

science museum circuit

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:08:33 (8:43-min-miles)
weather: 47F, windy, foggy
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

running with kids

click here for the latest installment of my marathon-training series on bu today.

this morning's run
distance: 7.82 miles
time: 1:05:31 (8:21-min-miles)
weather: 38F, overcast
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

river st.-longfellow bridge loop

distance: 6.69 miles (click here for route)
time: 59:40 (8:52-min-miles)
weather: 34F, overcast, wet
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

river st.-newton hills-finish line-bu bridge

distance: 21.51 miles (this morning's route)
time: 3 hrs. 23 mins., 24 secs. (9:26 min-miles)
weather: 44F, overcast
surface: asphalt, nice stretches of dirt along the newton hills
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, toast with peanutbutter, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water (1 packet of strawberry goo on the road, along with four fuel-belt containers of gatorade).

kinnaird st.-longfellow loop

distance: 6.69 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:01:01 (9:06-min-miles)
weather: 39F, overcast, wet
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash)
pre-run eats: banana, banana-chocolate chip muffin, energy beans, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Patrick! Thanks, Sophie! Click here to be just like them!

kinnaird st.-science loop

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:07:10 (8:34-min-miles)
weather: 34F, windy
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

kinnaird st.-science museum

distance: 8.19 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:12:03 (8:47-min-miles)
weather: 24F, windy, emerging sunshine
surface: asphalt and dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water

jay st.-science museum-eliot bridge

distance: 10.85 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:37:35 (8:58-min-miles)
weather: 33F, overcast, windy
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash; saw them at HOB this weekend, fantastic show)
pre-run eats: banana, toast with peanut butter, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Alan and Barbara!

kinnaird st.-mt.auburn st. ext

distance: 10.89 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:40:25 (9:12-min-miles)
weather: 29F, sunshine
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Florence! Thanks, Lilla!

cross-country team run

(photos by david proctor)

Ran with members of BU's cross-country team, most of them twenty years my junior; they wore butterfly shorts and T-shirts and looked like they'd stepped off the cover of Runners World. Even their veins had muscles. I showed up in wind pants, four top layers, and hat and gloves. Might as well have been wearing a shawl on my lap. I mostly kept up with them, even though I'm sure they were taking it easy (6 min.-miles is more their speed). Great bunch of guys, fun running with the pack.

this morning's route
distance: 4.12 miles
time: 31mins., 39 secs. (7:39 min-miles)
weather: 39F, emerging sunshine
surface: asphalt, and dirt
music: none
pre-run eats: banana, apple, banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Leggetts!

running-song slut

I recently found the perfect running song: “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” by the Scissor Sisters. I stumbled onto one of their concerts on TV, and within minutes I was scouring the Web for a download. Now, when I’m striding along the Esplanade and I hear that piano pounding, the relentless high-octane drumbeat, the exuberant disco falsetto, I find myself trying to catch up with my own feet. I hit repeat again and again. I’m flying into the ether, the shaved-off seconds scattering behind me like spores. But I know this athletic romance won’t last. It can’t. I’ll get to know the lyrics too well, the musical bridges and chord changes will wear thin, all of the surprise bled dry. And before long, I’ll start skipping it, already trolling for the next musical thrill. Yep, I’m officially a running-song slut. click here to read the rest.

Please consider sponsoring my boston marathon charity effort, on behalf of the michael carter lisnow respite center. click here for more info.

this morning's route
distance: 7.19 miles
time: 1 hr. 01mins., 45 secs. (8:32 min-miles)
weather: 35F, emerging sunshine
surface: asphalt, and gorgeous, nicely packed dirt
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, cup of coffee, glass of water