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The Shamrock Shuffle and a great loss due to cancer

About a month ago I ran the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago on a cold morning in March. The 8K (4.97 miles) starts and ends in Grant Park. But I awoke to a 5:30 a.m. call I anticipated any day. It was my friend’s husband calling to say my friend’s dad, Don Salisbury, had just passed away. I met my friend Rachel as a freshman in high school when neither one of us really knew anyone else and I was quickly welcomed by her family who had to moved to the area for Don to take a pastor position at a local church.

Upon returning from a tour overseas in Iraq, Don learned he had a late stage of prostate cancer. He was given many timeframes for the rest of his life – he made it three years until he had become very ill in the last few weeks before his death.

This blog started because of cancer. So I thought it was only appropriate to keep sharing stories of this evil disease. But I know Don was cheering me on. I ran my quickest average mile time that day. Don was a runner. He ran a 1/2 marathon in Iraq they had put together for soldiers. I just kept thinking I can’t slow down, Don can’t run ever again.

Here are my splits – he was obviously pushing me along:

Mile 1: 9:34
Mile 2: 9:30
Mile 3: 9:25
Mile 4: 9:13
Mile 5: 9:03

Total: 46:45

Attached are some other pics from that day. Waiting for the race to begin, my shirt and goodies and the celebratory beer I was finishing at the hotel after the walk back. I met with some old coworkers that day as well. It was a day of high and low points.

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2010 Chicago Marathon pics

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Found a couple images on the OErunners site of me running the marathon. The one is of me and my buddy Mimi just starting. It was a cold day!

The Plan for 2010

What am I not doing in 2010? I’m running the Big Sur marathon in a matter of weeks, I’m signed up for the Chicago Marathon, I learn if I’m in for the NYC marathon this week and then there are the bike rides. I’m signed up to do the Tour de Pink again, plus a few other bike rides. I’m also on a RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa), but I’m trying to figure out how I can pull that off with my vacation time.  Not to mention there are the 5Ks, half marathons and century rides I’d like to do… Oh did I mention I’m doing the bike portion of an Ironman 70.3?

And all this after making fun of runners just a few years ago. I realized two weeks ago that it was just a year ago I ran my first 5K all the way through – no walking. I was soooo proud of myself. But then I saw the time on the finisher’s clock and realized I had ran one of my slowest 5Ks – those Galloway runners are on to something. But nonetheless I finished without walking – finishing in 32:01. This past Saturday I ran my fastest 5K finishing in 28 even.  I just knocked more than a minute a mile off my time in a year!

My training for the Chicago Marathon has been the EXACT OPPOSITE of my training for Big Sur. Due to long days commuting into the big city, I only ran the long runs on the wknds for Chicago, no weekday runs. Therefore I would run every Saturday or Sunday with a group only to hurt myself about every three weeks. My body was like, are you serious? You want me to go from nothing to 16 in a week? I don’t think so… This year I’ve been getting in weekday runs, pilates, etc, but without a group to run with on the wknds and some injuries I’m not getting in my wknd long runs. It’ll be interesting to see how I do. Chicago was flat; Big Sur most certainly will not be.

What I do know is I’m stronger. When I’ve run I feel good this year – cardio wise. Last year I did not.

The point of this year’s blog is to help beginners or serve as a place for people to read about a run they were thinking of doing. Of course most of my info will be Midwest based.

Type of motivation helps finish a marathon

As I continue to train for Big Sur and debate whether to run Chicago, this story points out which types of people will actually finish the marathon. If you’re trying to do it for weight loss or to compete with others, you’re likely not going to finish or even start the marathon you tried to train for. You DO NOT lose weight running. With all the running and cycling I’ve done in the last year I haven’t lost one pound. But then again, I eat non stop.

My motivation for a marathon? To finish it. All I need.

www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-he-marathon-20100315,0,4031946.story

chicagotribune.com

Motivation to run a marathon

Some run for accolades, some to lose weight. But the reason a person runs can make a difference in if they finish the race.

By Jeannine Stein

Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

March 15, 2010

On Sunday, more than 24,000 people will run the 26.2 miles of the L.A. Marathon from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica — a good chunk of them first-timers. Without knowing quite what they were getting into, they’ve trained for weeks and pushed their bodies to the limit. Their reasons are as varied as L.A.’s neighborhoods. Some have had the race on their bucket list; others will run in remembrance of a loved one, as a weight-loss regimen or to fulfill a bet.

Does the inspiration matter? Yes.

Good training is essential, helping runners get through fatigue, pain and bad weather. But when marathoners hit the wall and the finish line is still several miles away, they’ll have to tap into something within themselves to keep going.

An estimated 10% to 15% of L.A. Marathon registrants never complete the race, race officials say. True, some don’t bother to show up on race day, but others start and give up along the way.

This is where motivation comes into play. Some motivation comes from within. Known as intrinsic, or internal, motivation, it’s fueled by joy in the activity, like running, or in the sense of accomplishment that results. Extrinsic, or external, motivation comes from outside factors, such as wanting a medal or accolades from friends.

For a marathon, put your money on the intrinsic kind, say sport psychologists.

“If [running a marathon] is not intrinsically valuable — something that’s a sense of pride and self-satisfaction — it’s going to be very, very difficult to do what you have to do to get to the end,” says Kristen Dieffenbach, assistant professor of athletic coaching education at West Virginia University and a sport psychology consultant.

That doesn’t mean marathoners should become giddy at the thought of pounding the city streets for hours on end — motivation is often colored in shades of gray. Take the bucket list, for example, an often-cited reason that’s become even more popular as marathon participants have grown in numbers (last year’s L.A. Marathon enrollment was about 17,000).

“If the bucket list is to impress other people and get their validation, then it’s extrinsic,” Dieffenbach says. “But if it’s about you and accomplishing something in your life, then it’s intrinsic. Very few things are cut and dried, but at the end of the day, the majority of the day has to be intrinsic for something to be sustainable.”

Some research supports this. A study presented at a 2006 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine found that motivation may be an essential factor in whether a runner finishes a marathon. Researchers asked 106 first-time marathoners of both genders why they were running. Motivation was measured and assessed by type — such as the desire to improve self-esteem, develop better coping skills, lose weight or achieve personal goals.

Only 31 people finished the training and the race. The 75 who did not finish were those most likely to have been motivated by the wish to lose weight or gain recognition from others.

Even if a runner initially decides to do a marathon for the medal bling, that may change before he or she crosses the finish line, says Kate Hays, a Toronto-based psychologist specializing in sport psychology.

“People may start to run for reason ‘A’ and eventually discover reason ‘B,’ ” she says. “Reason ‘B’ is the one that keeps them going. The most typical example is that someone starts to run in order to lose weight, but then they discover they love running in and of itself and appreciate the mental and physical health benefits they get from it, and that’s the motivation that helps them continue.”

Sometimes, people run for a loved one who is sick or who has passed away or because they’re raising money for a charity. That can ratchet up the pressure to go the distance.

“They need to go into the race thinking, ‘I’m not finishing the race for Mom, I’m doing the race for Mom,’ ” Dieffenbach says. “Finishing is icing on the cake. It’s not a failure not to finish; it’s a failure not to try.”

The four people profiled here tell why they decided to run a marathon for the first time. We’ll catch up with them after the event to see how they did.

jeannine.stein@latimes.com

Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times

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First Trail 5K Ever… yikes

Starting up the ole blog again and I know I have a lot of catching up. But I may as well start with today and then go back in time.

I ran my first trail 5K today. It consisted of hills, more hills, even more hills, mud, ruts, ice, packed snow and powdered snow that so desperately tried to twist my ankle. I ran my slowest 5K ever, worse than my first 5K that I walked mostly. But they tell me that you don’t run trails for time.

Funny part is the race was called the Foot Pursuit. It was a fundraiser for local law enforcement. Every time I passed a cop on the course I so desperately wanted to say, “I thought this was a foot pursuit?” I passed about a dozen of them that were weezing and gasping for air.

Mom weighs in on new mammo recos in local paper

The reporter who interviewed me about my fundraiser sent me a tweet yesterday looking to interview my mom. Here is what my mom had to say:

home : local news : local news 11/19/2009 11:00:00 AM Email this article • Print this article Task force: Don’t bother with breast self-exams Alicia Ebaugh Staff Writer MICHIGAN CITY – A three-time breast cancer survivor, Rose Taylor said she’d probably be dead if she hadn’t done breast self-exams. But a government task force said this week breast self-exams do no good, and women shouldn’t be taught to do them. What’s more, the panel said most women don’t need mammograms in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50, a stunning reversal and a break with the American Cancer Society’s long-standing position. Taylor, 59, Westville, was 43 when a cancerous lump was first detected in her left breast, first through self-examination, then confirmed through a mammogram. Needless to say, Taylor doesn’t agree with their advice. “Women need to be more vigilant about their bodies, not less,” Taylor said. “This is totally off-the-wall thinking. I only hope women don’t listen to it.” For most of the past two decades, the American Cancer Society has been recommending annual mammograms beginning at 40, and it reiterated that position Monday. “This is one screening test I recommend unequivocally, and would recommend to any woman 40 and over,” the society’s chief medical officer, Dr. Otis Brawley, said in a statement. But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a government panel of doctors and scientists, concluded such early and frequent screenings often lead to false alarms and unneeded biopsies, without substantially improving women’s odds of survival. “The benefits are less and the harms are greater when screening starts in the 40s,” said Dr. Diana Petitti, vice chair of the panel. Dr. Smari Thordarson, radiologist at La Porte Hospital, said he understands mammograms cost women money, discomfort and sometimes a substantial amount of anxiety if an abnormal result is received from an annual mammogram. But the cost of not starting detection efforts at 40 could potentially be even higher, he said. “Over the past two decades, fewer women have died from breast cancer because they are being screened earlier, and better screening technology is available,” Thordarson said. “All procedures where nothing is found are unnecessary, but what about when cancer is detected? Would you call that unnecessary?” Both Thordarson and Taylor wondered whether insurance companies would attempt to use these reduced guidelines to restrict payment for mammograms. Taylor said her health insurance paid for her to have one each year, and every six months after she beat cancer the first time. “I almost feel as if this is like a conspiracy against women,” she said. “Didn’t these people know anyone in their lifetime who has dealt with breast cancer?” Spacing mammograms out every other year also would likely lead to the discovery of more advanced cancers, Thordarson said. “The longer the cancer remains undetected, it’s potentially less curable, and it’s more likely to spread to the rest of the body,” he said. Taylor said each time she has undergone treatment for breast cancer, it developed between her yearly mammograms. The new guidelines are for the general population, not those at high risk of breast cancer because of family history or gene mutations. Taylor was high risk because her mother also is a breast cancer survivor. Interestingly, Thordarson said, the panel did not include any oncologists or radiologists who examine mammogram and biopsy results, and work with women who have been diagnosed with cancer. “Guidelines have to be based on science, but there will always be a debate on what the best science is,” he said. “The people on this panel don’t have to look women in the face and tell them they have cancer. If some women I’ve treated had gone by these recommendations, I wouldn’t have found cancer until a year later.” As for mammography, the panel’s new recommendations are more in line with international guidelines, which call for screening to start at 50. The World Health Organization recommends the test every two years, and Britain says every three years. They were sharply challenged by the Cancer Society Monday. “The task force advice is based on its conclusion that screening 1,339 women in their 50s to save one life is worth it, but that screening 1,904 women in their 40s to save a life is not,” Brawley wrote. That stance “is essentially telling women that mammography at age 40 to 49 saves lives, just not enough of them,” he added. But Dr. Amy Abernethy of the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center agreed with the task force’s changes. “Overall, I think it really took courage for them to do this,” she said. “It does ask us as doctors to change what we do and how we communicate with patients. That’s no small undertaking.” Thordarson said he just hopes women aren’t confused by the conflicting recommendations and end up neglecting everyone’s advice. “They really need to talk to their physicians about their risk level and how often they should be screened, and follow through with it,” he said. (The Associated Press contributed to this article.)

The Great Turtle Run adventure

Last weekend, two of my former co-workers and I ventured north through Michigan on our way to Mackinac Island. We were meeting three other former co-workers. Okay, they all still work at the same place, so I’m really the former co-worker.

We were on our way to the Mackinac Island Turtle Run, a half marathon on the last open weekend. It rained the entire drive. We arrived at the ferry stop in Mackinac City at 5:35 thinking we would catch the 6:30 ferry. About a half hour outside of the city it became really windy but we didn’t think anything of it.

Well the ferry guys tell us the last ferry left 15 minutes earlier and that no other ferries were going out. One guy said, “If we took ya out we can’t save ya.” You really had to be there, but I felt like I was in Deliverance.

I call the hotel, because we had pre-paid. They insisted they are in constant communication with the ferries and that there was leaving at 8. We learn it was leaving for St. Ignace so we had to cross the 5-mile bridge. I don’t know how many times I heard about a Yugo that was blown off that bridge many years ago.

However many hours later, after the long car ride and then long ferry wait, we finally made it to the island, only to wait 25 minutes for a horse shuttle that never came, so we finally walked in the cold, blowing rain.

We woke up the next day to the same icky weather! At 11:30 we lined up to start the race and alas, the sun came out and the rain stopped! It was wonderful, perfect running weather.

The run went along the coastline for about three miles and then went toward the inside of the island to a hilly trail run and then back out along that same coastline. It was awesome!

Then we all gathered and went out on the town and it was Halloween wknd on the island. I just had a blast hanging out with old friends and I had my best half marathon time – 2:21 and I ran with my buddy, Angie the entire time.

And now I’m on a running hiatus. By doctor’s orders I’m not to run for six weeks – due to shin splints or the beginning of a stress fracture. But as soon as I’m strong, it’s time to beginning training for the Indy Mini!

 

 

 

Chicago Marathon…. check.

I did it. Still hasn’t set in. I ran 26.2 miles and it really wasn’t that bad. Of course I haven’t been able to walk right for a couple days, but that was going to be a given.

Just about 2 years ago, I couldn’t even run 30 seconds. At last year’s Indy Mini I ran my first full mile and then this year I ran my first 5K all the way through without walking.

Run after run I despised it. No Powersong could power me through. I hated it. But then it became not so bad. I would only train on weekends… the long runs… since my long weekday commute to work really prevented any weekday runs. So I’m not fast. I ran an 11 minute something mile and finished in exactly 5 hours.

But again it still has not hit me. I felt way more emotion in the half marathons I ran… so this is odd. It was too easy. The miles just kept coming up and before I knew it the marathon was over. It was way easier than day 1 of the Tour de Pink so I think maybe that’s why I feel unphased.

The Chicago Marathon was just awesome. Cheering crowds were everywhere and deep. Funny who you notice over and over again. Two ladies with Toby Keith signs or some country singer kept appearing and so did this one chick with a sign that said free hugs for runners.

I ran along side Captain America, the Hulk, a bee with a sign that said, “bee careful, I’m injured,” Thing 1 and Thing 2 and saw a bear with a sign that said, “run faster you’re being chased by a bear.” Boy’s Town was a lot of fun. Very masculine looking men in Snow White Gowns and cheer squads just made me smile.

There were annoying people. Like these people running with some sign who would run side to side. Random people who needed to get to the other side of the course right now, the spectators who saw friends and decided to begin running along side them, the full grown adults who stop in the middle of the course while you’re running directly behind them, there were all types.

But I couldn’t believe how people were walking. Oh and peeing – yea, I wouldn’t sit anywhere on Lower Wacker. The sheer number of people walking at one point was unbelievable. I know there are run/walkers – the Galloway program, but that’s not who I’m talking about. There were just so many people who obviously never trained. I mean 8,186 people finished behind me. Come’on. I never ran three consecutive miles before April!  Walking is cool – I get it and thought I would have to do it. But I just couldn’t get over the number of walkers.

I was bummed by Chinatown. There were nothing but white people there. I do love white people – but I would have really liked to have seen an angry dragon or something a bit traditional.

And I can’t say enough about friends rooting me on via Facebook, even though I didn’t see it until I finished – but people are just great. Oh and don’t get me started about people on cell phones during the race.

It was a frigid morning of about 38 degrees and perfect and I really think the key reason to why I was able to run the entire time. Not sure what I’m going to tackle next… well there is that half marathon in less than two weeks.

Clean bill of health

I know, I know. I owe lots of posts. The 2009 Tour de Pink is officially over and I want to fill you in play by play…. primarily for those thinking of 2010. After the three hour bus ride from NYC to Hershey I didn’t even shop for souvenirs and I need to get a lot of thank yous! Then I had a 9+ hour drive back home. That landed me in town around 12:15 a.m.

The next day was a flurry of doing laundry, getting my marathon shirt, etc and then boom, I got sick and had to go back to work. The achy, sneezing kind of sick. I had not had it in a year, so I was due.   I promise I will update my blog with TDP details.

But I wanted to share some good news! My mom went to her oncologist in Indy on Monday and they said she is cured! Probably b/c she does not have any breasts… but yes, the cancer is gone! The pic shown here is me and my mom before her surgery… now she is waiting for her hair to grow back.

Thanks to everyone for their support and prayers!