It's Race Time Baby!

It's Race Time
Well after 8 weeks of training it's time for the my first race of the year, the Vancouver 1/2 Marathon.  I will be toeing the line at 7 am this Sunday to "enjoy" running 13.1 miles through one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  My original goal was to finish under 1:25--about a 6:30 per mile pace.  If I am honest, I don't really think that is possible.  I was honestly really out of shape 8 months ago, I am still carrying a few extra pounds around, and I haven't been running fast enough in training to run as fast as I wanted to this weekend.  The great news is after only 8 weeks of serious training I feel like I am in decent shape and I am really hoping to finish under 1:30 minutes.  This would put me right on pace to run my goal time of under 3 hours for a full marathon this fall.  My real running goal for this year is to FINALLY run a marathon under 3 hours this fall. So right now I feel pretty good about where I am at and I am fired up for the race this weekend and for a great marathon training season in the summer.

Looking Back and Looking Ahead
It has been 3 months and 7 posts since I started this blog and I think I am off to a good start.  I really admire anyone who writes a blog or does a podcast.  Man it's a lot of work.  Doing research and developing content, writing it up, and publishing it.  I don't know how people can do it every week.  Looking back I feel good about getting Naomi and our family's story out there.  I have also learned a lot about Type I diabetes.  AND we have raised $500 for Type I diabetes research!  That is 10% towards my goal of raising $5,000 this year!

It's just a start though. I have lots of running to do before my first marathon, probably about 1,200 miles, a whole lot to learn about diabetes, a bunch of blog posts to write, and $4,500 still to raise for Type I diabetes research.  I am excited to meet these challenges this summer!

Running is a Team Sport
So this is race week.  Running to me is the ultimate test.  There are no tricks, no fancy equipment, no teammates to carry you, no coaches out on the course.  It is you alone, running.  Whether the course if flat, windy, raining, or 400 yards too long (like it was for me last year), you chose how hard you run, you chose to give up or leave it all out on the course.  But running is NOT an individual sport.  All of us run for something and most of us run for someone.  I started running for my sons many years before they were born. After my dad had multiple heart attacks and a stroke I decided I better get in shape so I could be there for my kids. Now I run for Naomi who has let me run every day for 7 years, for Liam who when he sees me wearing my running stuff runs to the basement door (where the treadmill is) and says "Daddy go running?" and for Oliver's amazing smile.  While I have so many people who have supported me -including all of you- and I have so many people who inspire me, this weekend I run to fight the disease that threatens the one's I love most, Type I Diabetes. I run to suffer just a little to fight for a cure so that Naomi doesn't have to suffer anymore. I run so my boys never have to know what it is like to inject insulin. I run in fear and with hope.

So join me.  If you have wanted to donate now to my fundraising campaign now is the time to do it.  If you wanted to comment on the blog, do it (I need the encouragement).  If you want to learn more about diabetes, now is the time.  It's race day.  It's time to lace up your shoes and race like hell. Who knows what will happen but you will never know unless you try.

Click here to Donate to Mike's JDRF Fundraising Campaign  

A Dark Day in Boston

Three Years Ago

Three years ago Naomi, our 16 month old Oliver, and I jumped on a plane to Boston. I had qualified for the Boston Marathon!  We checked into our hotel, met up with my best friend Josh and had a great pasta dinner.  I didn't sleep that night.  Josh and I met up and we caught the bus to the start in Hopkington. We waited with 37,000 other runners, met people from all around the world, and then headed to the start.

Now I am not that fast, but I ain't slow either.  I can run a marathon in 3 hours, which typically means I finish in the top 100 in most marathons.  This means I run by myself for most of the race, maybe running with a few people once in a while. Even in larger races like New York or Chicago, I would still be pretty far up in the pack.  But in Boston you are surrounded by thousands of people who are faster or just as fast as you (most people have to run a qualifying time to get into Boston).  I mean I was beat by a guy dressed up as Miny Mouse.

And the people of Boston.  They are amazing.  I mean really they are unbelievable  At most marathons there are a few people cheering every now and then with a bunch of family and friends at the finish. But at Boston there is an entire city cheering for you.  You absolutely cannot hear yourself think for the last 5 miles.  You still hear the screaming when you go to bed that night.  It is the most amazing feeling.  There are people 20 deep, people high up in the trees.  They are cheering for you.  Most of them know nothing about running and could really care less about the elite runners.  That day they cared about the women from Canada behind me (I heard "GoCanada!" at least 100 times) and the couple who wore shirts that said "Just married!" (the wife beat me, but I beat the husband).  When you make that turn on Boylston you feel like you are running onto the field at the super bowl.  The people, the noise, the energy. It was without a doubt the most amazing athletic experience of my life.  And best of all your beautiful wife and your 16 month old son are waiting for you with a sign at the finish line, sharing in this amazing experience.

Then a bomb explodes.  And everything changes.

There was no bomb 3 years ago.  I crossed the finish line, got my medal, found Josh (who beat me by 20 minutes or more), then find my wife and kid, and headed back to the hotel.  It would have never crossed my mind that competing in a marathon would endanger my life and the life of my wife and kids.

But that is exactly what happened today. Today the greatest day of many peoples athletic lives was obliterated by someone who was full of hate.  Today children died, people lost their legs, lives are forever changed.

Life is like this I guess.  One day you are coming home from the Redsox game and boom everything is different.  I have run every day (except the day I forgot) for 7 years and I have never taken a day of running for granted.  On almost every run I have the thought "this could be it, the last one."  I have been so lucky to have the opportunity to run every day.

Today I have felt intense anger and sadness, as well as a little guilt and anxiety.  But as these intense emotions pass, I am reminded that change is the only constant and that every day is best spent living it to it's fullest. Whether you suffer from diabetes, cancer, the flu, depression, or you are just having a bad day, make the most out of every day you are given.

Today I put on my Boston Marathon shirt and went for a run.  About 10 minutes into the run the sky turned black and it hailed like hell.  After surviving the hail, I stopped looked up and saw the most amazing rainbow.  Within minutes the rainbow was gone and I ran home soaked to the bone. I got home, still sad and angry about what happened today, but still so grateful that I could run today, that I had the chance to have this amazing experience on my run today.  Grateful that I was able to run the Boston Marathon and that the amazing city of Boston has a special place in my life. Grateful that I have my family and friends. Hopeful that I will be able to run again tomorrow. Hopeful that I will be back running the Boston Marathon soon.

For now, I am only weeks away from running the Vancouver 1/2 marathon.  My training is going well, ran 24.5 miles this weekend, 6 more today.  I think things will go well at Vancouver and think I am on my way to a great summer of training and fundraising for Type I Diabetes research.

Thanks again to everyone who has supported my fundraising efforts, especially Sterling and Serena who were very generous with their donation a couple of weeks ago.