Tag: Championships

Hurricane season and Lane 8

Lane 8 and hurricane season have a common thread.  A David versus Goliath type of thread.

A big, formidable foe, and a lowly and weak opponent.

Humans versus a category four hurricane.  Who loses?  Humans.

David versus Goliath.  Looking at the two, most would bet on the giant – the obvious, overwhelmingly physically superior human.

Ya still with me?

With proper preparation, a foe’s strengths can be mitigated.

We can’t stop hurricanes, but we can wisely prepare for them.

We also can’t stop the aging process, but with dedicated and consistent focus, we can age wisely.  Certainly, at the very least, we can make it better than if we do nothing.

We also might surprise ourselves at the house we can build, if we plan ahead, and work hard.

That’s why I think going to Finland in August is such a David versus Goliath feat.

Win or lose, I’ll leave nothing on the track.

Carpe diem, jeff noel  🙂

PS.  If you do happen to click on the Finland in August link, scroll to the 400 meters.  There I am, next to last.

Slow Lane Sunday?

Slow Lane Sunday?

OK, so yesterday morning, as I’m jogging out of our neighborhood, a dear friend and long-time neighbor was walking her two dogs.

This neighbor attended our Son’s first Holy Communion on April 25.  She had dinner with us that night, along with my In-Laws from Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The day before I had just broken the news to my Mother-In-Law that I’d be going to Finland for the Master’s Track & Field World Championships.   She was surprised, of course, and also skeptical.

While celebrating our Son’s major accomplishment, we spoke of many things during that dinner.

Eventually, Finland came up.  I saw it as an opportunity to share a vision of why I am going.  My Son completely gets it.  My wife is right there too.  My In-Laws and my neighbor, not even close.

I had to tell you that so I can tell you this:

Yesterday my neighbor asked, “How’s your training coming?  Are you still going to Finland?”

Here’s the point.  Without even hesitating I replied, “Yes, even if I have to walk around the track!”

That had a haunting revelation, to hear myself say those words.

This is bigger than anything I can explain.  At a gut level, I’m so invested in it, that seeing it through, no matter what the obstacles, is the only course of action

This scares the heck out of me.  Talk about pressure and second-guessing yourself.

Than why?

It’s a platform, a metaphor, a challenge, a childhood dream reborn, a legacy, an impossible goal.

It’s all that.

My son will remember this long after I’m gone.  I hope he will find strength and determination, in my strength and determination.

On Friday a colleague and I were talking about exercise and I asked if he was still running.  He said no.  He explained that it’s too difficult for him to get motivated. 

I suggested his reason to exercise wasn’t compelling enough.  Maybe if he was doing it to show his kids that getting old doesn’t mean you have to get overweight and out of shape.

PS.  Make it a GREAT day. 

PSS.  I booked the flight to Helsinki last night.  🙂

Damn the Doubt!

Damn the Doubt!

First pain, then doubt.

Add in the underlying concern about expenses in both time and money, not only to travel to Finland, but the constant preparation.

It does wear on me.  A lot of things wear on humans.  We are all carrying a heavy load.

Yesterday’s “walk, stretch, slow jog, stretch combo”, for about 35 minutes, was relatively pain free.

A far cry from the previous day.  This added some hope, to what could have been a hopeless day.

Heading out for another run before Church, so I better get going. 

Make it a GREAT Sunday, because if you don’t, who will?  If not today, when?  Seriously!  Carpe diem, jeff noel  🙂

Damn the Pain!

Damn the pain!

Yesterday’s five-miler started out great.  After the first warm-up mile, the second mile, without trying too hard, was 6:26.

My best “opening mile” since July 2007.

The “opening mile” is actually the second mile – the very first mile is simply a warm-up, in the 8-9 minute range.

Mile three is a “recovery” mile with slower jogging, three minutes of backwards jogging, some walking and stretching, etc. 

Mile four is designed to be the fastest mile of the five.  I use this for conditioning and especially for learning to gauge pace.  I mentally aim for a mile time, then study my 400, 800, and 1,200 split times to see how my pace is going.

I also try to run negative splits, meaning, the second half is faster than the first half.  Last month, a did a mile time trial, and clocked 5:38, with 2:53 and 2:45 splits.

I had juice left at the end, because I was running about 90%.  Going a full 100% felt risky, since I hadn’t run that hard in nealy two years.

Yesterday, however, at the mile four, I was excited.  But quickly became discouraged as the pain started right away and I couldn’t shake it.

Naturally, I backed off, and jogged the rest of the way, called Dr Wagner, my podiatrist and scheduled a 10:15AM appointment.

Now I’m back on Celebrex, and an anti-inflammatory heel cream.  I also delivered a script to my friends at Florida Hospital Celebration Health.  Electric-stimulation and massage therapy might be helpful.

I remain optimistic.  How can I not?  

Hope you have a great Saturday.  Carpe diem, jeff noel  🙂