Marathon Madness

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2011-10-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings, all! We're at the end of "Marathon Madness" but not the end of blogging! Marathon Madness has raised $22,132.10 to date. If you'd like to contribute, go to the "How to Give" link at www.ccgb.org and follow the prompts. If you'd like to continue to follow posts about running, faith and life, follow me at therunningreverend.blogspot.com.

More milestones

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

A check, hand-delivered this morning and cleverly written for $26.20, put us over $22,000 in gifts and pledges: $22,002.10, to be exact. I have been told at least one other check is "in the mail," so this is a record-high fundraising for this event. Thank you to all who supported us, financially and in every other way

My 3 mile run this morning is my first recollection of running any distance so soon after a marathon. Running partner Priscilla is in the final 3 days before her marathon, so we ran a leisurely time of 30:50, a 10:17 pace. Despite the initial protests from my quads, they quieted down and I felt good. She will be in the Hartford (CT) Marathon along with my colleague, the Rev. Kun Sam Cho of Fairfield, CT, who is running the half-marathon. Both will have lots of supporters. I know Priscilla's will include her husband Mike, daughters, friends (including moi) and Cadet Girl Scouts from the unit she co-leads. She has raised over $5,400 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in honor of her friend's son, Bryan, a 12 year old fighting leukemia. Power on!

There will probably be one or two more posts, mostly to let people know our final financial tally. If you'd like to be among them and haven't yet, please go to www.ccgb.org and click on "How to Donate" or send a check payable to "CCGB" memoed "Marathon" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610.

Due Diligence

2011-10-10T05:38:00.000-07:00

Steamtown Marathon's official race results are posted at http://www.runhigh.com/2011RESULTS/R1000911AA.html. "Due diligence" is a responsibility of Board of Directors, donors and folks, like me, who ask for their support.

I was 41 seconds faster than I thought. I finished with a "chip" time of 5:06:54, faster by 1 minute, 31 seconds than 2009. "Gun" time was 5:09:02. To say that I am thrilled, particularly in light of how I felt between miles 20 - 23, is a massive understatement.

Still, I'm pretty slow. As a friend said candidly, "You know, you don't really have the body of a marathoner." So true. I finished 1661st of 1860 overall finishers, and 74th of 86 men ages 55-59. But I finished, and I am grateful

And really not in too much pain today, either. A great race and a great day. Thanks for reading.

We did it!

2011-10-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generous support of this fund-raiser for CCGB. Even here in Scranton I'm getting donations: Sherry Duff, a delegate from Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Trumbull and runner extraordinare (she finished in 3:30, an 8:01 pace for 26.2 miles, while nursing a sore back!) dropped by a generous gift. Along with another that was pledged last Friday, I was worth $845 a mile today, putting us close to $22,000 raised. I couldn't have done it without all of you.

There's still time to give: www.ccgb.org and click on "How to Donate," of mail a check payable to "CCGB" memoed "Marathon" and mail it to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610.

As for me, I beat my 2009 time (2010 was even slower) by 50 seconds, finishing in a "chip" time of 5:07:35 and a "gun" time of 5:09: approximately an 11:45 pace. Official results aren't posted yet, but this is close. While I would have enjoyed finishing under 5 hours, quads and back were not cooperating, particularly between miles 20 and 23. I felt better after that but the moment to capture a sub-5 hour marathon was lost.

Praying for so many people and churches helped keep my focus where it belonged. And I know many of you were praying for me. Thank you! I am sore but recovering well. Off to the local hobby shop and then to dinner! More later, or tomorrow.

Ready, Set, Go!

2011-10-09T01:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, one more post before the race after all.

I was in bed and asleep before 9 p.m., having taken a non-drowsy antihistemine on which the box warning declares: "May produce drowsiness." I won't take it today, for that reason and that, mercifully, my symptoms seem reduced and the head congestion that hurt last night seems much better this morning.

Both alarms (in room and telephone wake-up call) rousted me at 4:15 a.m. from a very good sleep, no doubt helped by my non-drowsy meds. Good sleep is not always the case the night before a race, so I am blessed with both the rest and the timely wake-up. Although it has never (yet) happened to me, legion are the stories of marathoners and other racers whose months of training were forfeited by sleeping through the alarm. Today will not be that day for me.

Last night I followed the usual pre-race drill: lay out everything I will need: shorts, singlet (jersey), socks, shoes, hat (for the 50 degree start), watch, prayer list and Shot Blocks. This last is a highly concentrated jelly-like sugar cube with consistency looser than a jelly bean but more stiff than jello. I learned from my running partner Priscilla that if you put one in your cheek, chipmunk-style, it will provide energy through long runs. I used it with great success on my 25 mile training run and so hope it will help me today.

I also took the time last night to pin my bib number on my singlet and lace my running chip into my sneakers. A running chip is a timing device, used to record the actual amount of time racing from start to finish. These are necessary for any large racing field (Steamtown's is about 3,000) because all those runners can't start at exactly the same time at the starting line. And we are not all of the same ability, so elite runners are at the start and "weekend warriors" such as myself place ourselves at the appropriate finish time sequence in the racing queue. This keeps slower runners from fouling the elites; and the elites from trampling the rest of us!

The pesky issue of time raises dual themes: weight and goals. Alert readers will note that I have not touched on the former subject since my "Weight/Wait" post some weeks back. Alas, I did not reach 180. I did lose 13 pounds and will be racing at 190 this morning.

But that extra ten pounds will slow me down today, just as it did in training. One piece of marathoning wisdom is to have three goals: "Great!", "Good" and "I can live with that." In light of my training and weight, a "Great!" goal will be to finish under 4:48, which will be less than 11 minutes per mile. A "Good" goal will be to finish under 5 hours; and I'll also be happy just to finish. I would very much like that finish to be less than last year's 5:10 and a few seconds.

With everything laid out the night before, the reason for rising early is pretty basic: clear out my G.I. system, and fuel in time that the body gets energy and digestion is complete. Getting the timing on these functions takes a lot of trial and error, especially eating in time to prevent stomach upset or weakness. Eating too late is my biggest danger: it leaves blood in the stomach doing its digestive thing instead of in my head and legs where I'll need it most. I'm alternating sentences with forkfuls of oatmeal (it's what happens when you forget a spoon). From the number of turned up noses I get when I tell people I actually like oatmeal, and remembering that I detested it as a child, I think it must be an acquired taste, like grits or liver.

The other reason for waking early is to let muscles and knees and other joints warm up. I'd love to say I spring mightily out of bed in the morning, but those days are long gone! Allowing time to stretch, warm-up and loosen up is essential to a good race.

So, having observed my pre-race rituals, it is 5:30 a.m. and I am ready to shave (all these big races have companies that take your photo en route, so ya gotta look good!), shower and get out the door in time for the 45 minute ride to Forest City. See ya at the finish!

Scranton! And a *&^%#! cold.

2011-10-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

I'm here! The Hilton Scranton and Conference Center will be "home" for the next two days. An early dinner at 5 p.m. will get me in bed in time for plenty of sleep and a 4 a.m. wake-up. The morning ride to Forest City comes early to be in time for an 8 a.m. race start. The 26.2 mile race is point-to-point, Forest City to Scranton. The Forest City High School cheerleaders will give us a rousing send-off after the starting cannon (yes, cannon, really!) is fired. If I do well I'll finish about 1 p.m.

Meanwhile, a cold I have been fighting all week has fully blossomed, starting last night. Drat! As long as it doesn't drop into my chest, it's only uncomfortable. Here's hoping.

I'm in an even-numbered room, which puts me trackside, in view of the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad (a regional freight carrier), the 100+ year old Lackawanna Station (now home to a Radisson hotel), and the Steamtown National Historic Site. Who's better than me?

A big "shout out" here to CCGB Chief Operating Officer John Cottrell, who reviewed the shake down list with me for the laptop I've brought to Scranton. In passing he said, "In case they don't have wi-fi, use this blue connecting cable." Guess what? If he hadn't reviewed that with me, I'd probably be crazed for two hours figuring it out. Thanks, John!

The weather here is gorgeous: too gorgeous, with temps in the upper 70's and the same forecast for tomorrow afternoon after a 50 degree start. This range is a bit too warm for ideal racing. But as I guy I spoke to on the elevator said: "As slow as I run, it doesn't matter."

Otherwise, an uneventful drive to The Electric City and an uneventful race packet pick-up at Scranton High School made this an easy day. Off to dinner with friends. Keep me in your thoughts. The next post will be tomorrow afternoon with finishing times. Stay tuned!

O Morning Star....

2011-10-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

...how fair and bright
thou beamest forth in truth and light,
O Sovereign meek and lowly!

This German advent hymn came to me as I rolled out the door in darkness and saw the Morning Star--for the purists, not a "star" at all but the planet Venus, reflecting the sun's light--high and bright in contrast with the 6 a.m. pre-dawn night. It was a pretty sight. What is more, as daylight shortens the neighborhood is slower to stir. Only the sound of the wind accompanied me for the first 15 minutes of a short, two mile run. Nothing strenuous; I didn't even take my watch or time the run. Just keeping things loose.

The last 5 minutes dawn lightened the sky, which was also beautiful. Idling cars told me work days were beginning; and a yappy dog left unleashed by its owner gave chase for all of 30 yards, until satisfied that she had chased me off. So the day began and the serenity was no more.

But for those few minutes the run was exquisite. That is the contrast of life: solitude and serenity; engagement and action. We need both, and one is sweeter in its contrast with the other: yin and yang, if you will. I hope you will appreciate both in your journey today.

Feelin' strong now

2011-10-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

It is inevitable for most runners that the theme from "Rocky" (along with "Chariots of Fire") goes running through your head. From the former is this post title taken.

And I am "feelin' strong now." Yesterday's 5.3 very hilly uphill run finished at a 10:12 pace, pulled along (as usual!) by running partner Priscilla. I got 8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night. I am hydrating well. I will get to bed early again tonight, and have a 1/2 workday tomorrow. Doing all the right things gives me confidence.

I am also excited about the number of prayer requests I have received. Later today I will put them in orderly form and figure out a way (maybe laminating them) to carry them with me.

The laptop will go with me to Scranton, so I'll keep you updated from there. If more donations arrive today, I'll update with a post tomorrow.

Otherwise, despite the aforementioned musical themes, I have to keep telling myself to rest, rest, rest. These last couple days before the race, most runners get a bit hyper. I'm no exception. And pray, pray, pray for all those in need and whom we serve.

"Thou shalt not..."

2011-10-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

For my money, the "Thou shalt not..." commandments get a lot of bad press. The prevailing wisdom seems to be that people don't like to be told what they may not do. Never mind that it's God doing the talking.

I'm not buying it. From our earliest years, there are times that limits need to be set by those who are wiser/stronger/more vigilant than we. Sometimes those limits prevent us from doing harm. Sometimes they keep us out of trouble. Sometimes they enable us to do good.

The "thou shalt not" this week is "Thou shalt not overtrain." The temptation is ever-present. "After all" whispers the Voice "you might not have trained enough. You only have a few more days. You might not be ready."

It is, as astute readers and runners already know, the Disease voice, the voice of Doubt, the Tempter seeking an opening to undermine the wisdom of generations of runners and this individual runner's confidence in his training program. The Voice is a liar. The truth is that you can't undo six months of training in three weeks; that "rest" is what re-builds fatigued muscles; and that "sleep" is the most important thing that can happen ("rest" being second) during the days before running 26.2 miles.

So relying on those runners who have gone before, I ran only a 5k this morning. In a merciful 28 minutes, my run was done and at a 9 minute per mile pace: fastest of the season! Yes, "Thou shalt not overtrain."

On a different note, I'm putting together my prayer list for race day, which includes my District Superintendent recovering from cancer and young Bryan Platt, also recovering from cancer. My friend's church in Texas is on the list as they face a major building campaign with a sick pastor; as are my mom and dad; The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport (CCGB); several other friends facing crises and several other friends experiencing joys. Let me know if you'd like a prayer intention while I'm running.

The race is the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania on October 9th. As regular readers know, I'm raising money for CCGB, at this point tallying $21,515.70. I'm now worth $821.21 per mile! Keep those cards and letters coming in! I pay all my own expenses for the trip--meals, lodging, gas, tolls, racing fee, everything--so your gift goes directly to CCGB services. Please make gifts payable to "CCGB", memoed "Marathon" at 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610; or go to http://www.ccgb.org/ and click on "How to Donate" to use your credit card. Your gift will "turn faith into action...to help people at risk meet their urgent needs." And no one will say "no" to that!

Plays well with trains

2011-10-01T03:54:00.000-07:00

Looking for a running post today? Look away. Pouring rain deterred an early run. Instead, I ready myself for another run, long-planned for today: serving as caboose conductor on the run of the scheduled trains of the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT.

Friends and astute readers know how freely I share (in the interest of full transparency, of course!) my passion for trains. If a steel wheel meets a steel rail, I'm there! If curiosity for the subject or my obsession does not pique your interest, read no further. This "run" is the only one I'm writing about today.

This year the Valley Railroad (VRR) celebrates its 40th anniversary as the Essex Steam Train (www.essexsteamtrain.com), founded 100 years to the day (July 29, 1971) after the original Valley Railroad was founded to connect Hartford to Old Saybrook. No less a personality than Katherine Hepburn rode these rails, including a long-gone extension to her home in Fenwick. Today, operating the only steam engines in Connecticut, the VRR operates regular steam passenger service from May through December along the Connecticut River from Essex to Chester. Special seasonal trains and the unique Yankee Clipper dinner train also ply the line, the latter going as far north as Goodspeed Station near Haddam.

The Friends of the Valley Railroad (FVRR) is a 501(c)3 non-profit that voluntarily supports the rolling museum and history lesson that is the VRR. In that service we maintain a former Pennsylvania Railroad caboose (N5a cabin car, for the purists) that runs the first weekend of every month, and members of FVRR get to serve as industrial docents to the passengers that ride. An extra $5 fare is a modest sum to support FVRR and learn how the (mostly) men who ran the trains lived and worked until a generation ago. Most cabooses were phased out in the 1980's, as federal deregulation of the railroad industry allowed crews to be smaller and technology allowed FRED's (Flashing Read-End Devices) to inherit the critical safety role of cabooses and their crews: protecting the rear of the train when stopped.

My joy today is riding the caboose and introducing visitors to a life that was, in its day, the equivalent of our airline pilots or even astronauts. Crews lived in, and worked out of, the caboose; and the conductor in charge of the train (not the engineer, as often believed) did his paper work and received orders en route to get them safely to their destination. It was hard, demanding and--until the wide-spread adoption of the airbrake and the automatic coupler in the 1880's--very dangerous work. (And even today: the son of a former parishioner died nearly a decade ago in an accident in the Stamford, CT yard of Metro-North). With a depot in most every town where rails ran, "train time" was a momentous event; the depot served as a community and information center, and young boys (and likely girls who would have been discouraged) looked with admiration and yearning at the engineers who rode their iron horses into town.

An added bonus to this year's schedule is the Saybrook Special. For the first time since the 1950's, passengers with tickets for the first, 11 a.m., northbound train are allowed to board for a 10 a.m. southbound run from Essex to Old Saybrook. There is no extra charge for the 50 minute ride through forest and marshland that represents one of the largest coastal forests in New England. Visit the website and click on "Saybrook Special" for more detail.

Life is all about balance. Running and trains. For me, a taste of heaven on earth!

Mileage

2011-09-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

As September closes, I've caught up to being on target to run 1,000 miles for the year. With a 5.4 mile run this morning in 56:05 (10:23 per mile pace), I finished the month with just over 750 miles run for the year.

In some respects, it's an arbitrary goal. 950...1,000...1050...what's the difference? But there are thresholds that seem to connote a "next level" of accomplishment. For me, 1,000 miles a year is that threshold, one that I have attained for 6 of the 8 years since I started serious (i.e., marathon-goal-training) running in 2003.

The last quarter of the year poses unique challenges: colder weather, shorter days, ice and snow, major holidays...and the warm bed and sloth that temps me from venturing out. 25 miles a week will get it done. Anything less....well, as I said, two of the last eight years I didn't make it, and the last quarter was why. To be sure, the first 9 days of October should get me off to a good start, as I finish taper and culminate with the necessary weekly mileage in just one day on October 9th. Stay tuned.

Another perspective on mileage is the amount I'm worth at this year's marathon, which is now up to $21,415.70 in total contributions for $817.39 per mile. If you'd like to add to that total please mail a check payable to "CCGB" memoed "Marathon" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610; or, to donate on-line, go to www.ccgb.org and click on "How to Donate" and follow the prompts. The people at risk that we serve are the beneficiaries of your support. For "leveraging hope and changing lives" for them, I thank you.

Life is like a box of chocolates....

2011-09-28T19:18:00.000-07:00

....as Forrest Gump so famously observed. "You never know what you'll get." Today was one of those interesting days with, among other commitments, a 10 a.m. radio interview on WVOF, 88.5 FM, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT. I've been on this station each of the last three seasons with host Beth Lazar. Today, I felt like I could have run there faster than I drove. I left "in plenty of time," famous last words on the major roadways of Connecticut, especially I-95. Rush hour should have been long gone, but coming from East Bridgeport into downtown, I saw four lanes of traffic at a standstill. There was nothing to do but go local roads. A 15 minute trip became 25, and I walked in the studio with literally a minute to air time. In fact, one listener said he could hear me catching my breath. No doubt: I sprinted the 200 yards from the parking lot to the studio. But the interview went well, hopefully for our fundraising but also for promoting the mission of The Council: "leveraging hope, changing lives."

An early workday postponed my 6 mile run until evening. When it was raining. Pouring, actually. So inside I went at my community center's gym. The treadmill can be a beautiful thing, keeping me on pace for a 10 minute mile through the work out, no small feat for someone who is a much better "morning" runner. Tomorrow is likely an off day, owning to work schedule and plans for a long run on Friday (and therefore the need for rest before it).

One of the things I've been jotting notes about are my prayers during the marathon. I typically have a list of people and situations that I pray for: usually many more than 26, so I "double up" my intentions for each mile. One especially on my heart is our District Superintendent, who is facing chemo and radiation therapy after the removal of two neck tumors in late August. A colleague is organizing prayer partners for Rev. Kieffer, so I will await word of the days assigned to me. But rest assured I have assigned October 9th to myself, and ask that you join me in prayer for him, his wife Karen and their 13 year old daughter Olivia, that he be healed.

If you have prayers you would particularly like me to pray, reply to this blog or send me a note at brianbodt@ccgb.org and I will include them on my run. After all, life is like a box of chocolates. We don't know what we'll get. But while we may not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. And that is most assuredly sweet.

"Complete" collapse

2011-09-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

Years ago my parents shared my grandparents' beach house with my uncle. My uncle had a proudly-earned reputation for ten minute "power naps" and the beach house had a lovely big porch glider perfect for them. It was also perfect for longer nocturnal sojourns. One hot New Jersey afternoon both he and my father wanted to rest there. Uncle Lowell got there first, said he would take one of his quick naps and then turn it over to my dad. However, atypcial for Uncle Lowell, he fell fast asleep. After about an hour of floating in and out to check on the availability of the glider, my father was heard mumbling, "Someone should tell Lowell the difference between a nap and complete collapse."

This past week began my taper, that three week period of decreasing mileage and effort. However, I should have been reminded of the difference between a taper and complete collapse. I ran a paltry 7.2 miles this last week, training again becoming a casualty of work and travel schedules; and "of too much getting up by candlelight" as Dickens mused about sleep-deprived folks. It wasn't all bad: I rested; and on the weekend visited my sons in Boston in their new, beautiful house rental. But training discipline paid for it.

While it would be easy to be dispirited, that really serves no purpose. I made choices that excluded training. There is no one to look at but myself. That said, "taper time" is not the time to "make up" missed workouts. The experts agree: the level of training one has at this point is what one will have on marathon day. Training in this time is for the purpose of keeping that level while, at the same time, allowing the body to rest. In the resting it grows strong for racing. If that sounds like rationalization, so be it. Authors wiser than me attest to it.

One sage has written, "Work outs are not to be 'made up.' Your body did what it could do, or what you were willing to push it to do, on that day. The point is to resume your schedule after you have left it." Which is precisely what I began to do this morning with a 4 miler at 6:15 a.m. before an 8:15 a.m. meeting. It wasn't a great run, but it was an okay run. So the collapse was not at all complete, despite my feelings along those lines. The run felt good, and tomorrow's run will feel better.

On the fund-raising side of the aisle, we continue to grow beyond our $20,000 goal with your generous support. Our gifts and pledges totalling $21,165.70 makes me worth $807.85 per mile on October 9th. If you'd like to give, see a previous post for how to do that or go to www.ccgb.org and click on "How to Donate."

Many, many thanks!

2011-09-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

In Wednesday's post I mused that I would like to be worth $800 per mile on race day.

I am now worth $800 a mile on race day. To be precise, $800.21 per mile.

Yesterday a gift from an area church arrived for $200. One of our staff with a great sense of humor wrote a check for the difference, $9.60, to bring us to $20,965.70 and the aforementioned per mile value.

Which is why they keep me away from the math around here, since a gift of $4.14 would have accomplished the goal. I think I owe somebody lunch.

Training? Oh, you want to know about training. Well, this week hasn't been stellar, but I should finish with about 25 miles, including a 13 mile long run scheduled for the weekend. This is "taper time," the three week period right before the marathon where rest is as important as training. I am following the program by resting rigourously!

Are we finished yet?

2011-09-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

One of the great advantages of doing training runs of over 20 miles is confidence. Having run 25 last Sunday, I am now confident I can cross the finish line on October 9th. Trust me: I'll need that reminder on race day.

I have not been so confident about reaching our goal of $20,000 for this event. As of Monday we stood at $14,400 with three weeks to go.

Then, yesterday, a donor called to say he and his wife will make a direct contribution from their IRA before year's end, and to put it toward the Marathon Appeal. That contribution reduces their taxable income under IRS regulations. And as a $5,000 gift it brought us just short of goal.

Today, another donor, a member of our Board, arrived with an envelope. As a number of our Board members and supporters have chosen to do at times of celebration, she had asked those people celebrating her retirement to give gifts to The Council instead of her. The envelope? $1,055! She put us "over the top" and, along with other gifts arriving today, we have exceeded the goal at $20,756.10. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all our supporters and on behalf of all those we serve.

So, are we finished yet? No. Although I can no longer joke with my Board that I will only run 2/3 of the race since I have only raised 2/3 of my goal, I can say that every gift counts and that nothing would please me more than to receive additional support in the days to come.

So I've set a new goal. Right now I hope that a donor or donors will make me worth $800 a mile on race day. Right now I'm worth $792.22, so any gift(s) totaling $209.60 will make it.

Beyond that, I hope people will continue to be generous. Your gifts "leverage hope and change lives." To see how, visit http://www.ccgb.org/. Then click on "How to Donate," or send a gift to CCGB, 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610 and memo it "Marathon."

After all, race day is October 9th. So we're not finished yet!

Setting records

2011-09-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

One of the appealing things about racing is that, unless you are among the elites, you are primarily competing against yourself. This week was stellar in that I set two personal records. First, I ran the most miles I have ever run in one week: 60.25, surpassing by 1/4 mile a mark I set in either 2005 or 2006. Second, I ran the most miles I have ever run in a single training run: 25 miles. Both of these marks were reached this week past.

Yesterday's 25 miler was absolutely glorious! Yes, it was slow: 5:12:30, 12:30 pace. But it was, after all, a training run and not a race. Even better, the weather was perfect: upper 40's at the 7:30 a.m. start in the Lordship section of Stratford, CT; bright sunshine throughout but low humidity. A stiff headwind lessened as the morning went on. The race, the "Fall Frolic," is designed as a 10k (6.2 mile) loop which is done in multiples for those wanting a 20k or 30k. Priscilla and I added one more to make it 24.8, and tacked on another 2/10 to round it to 25.

The advantage of this long run was not only physical, but psychological. In last year's marathon I remember hitting the 23 mile mark and wondering "How will I ever finish this?", even though I'd finished four marathons before. This year I am confident that when I get beyond 20 miles I will do fine. It is a major boost to mental preparedness!

On the publicity front, we have been promised coverage in the local Fairfield newspaper on 9/29 and the Stratford Star sometime before October 9. I will also be interviewed on WVOF, 88.5 FM, Fairfield on September 28 at 10 a.m. A fund-raising update will follow this post later this morning. Thanks for your interest in reading and following along.

A good peak week

2011-09-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

A friend asked me earlier today how I was doing. "Falling asleep in my afternoon meeting" was my snappy reply, a product of too-little shuteye during peak week.

Still, I am right on plan for the week: four successive days of a 7.5 mile hilly run has me 1/2 through the week and 1/2 way to my goal of 60 miles. Getting there has meant getting up at 5 a.m. except one day, when I forgot (yeah, right, Brian) to set the alarm and woke at 6 a.m. with the worrisome thought "It's awfully light for 5 a.m." Which, indeed, it was if it had been 5 a.m.! Racing against the clock of an 8:30 appointment, I had my best pace of the week: 10:30 miles.

My new shoes (Asics Gel-Kayuna 17 for the purists) are working out well, alternating with my older Asics. If the work events would stop--three successive nights after 9 p.m.--I could actually get the sleep I need.

Yet I am blessed. I am healthy, injury-free, and seemingly on track for a good race on Sunday, when my running partner Priscilla and I will peel off 25 miles at the Fall Frolic in the flat, seaside neighborhood of Lordship in Stratford, CT. Okay, Priscilla (37 years old, 5'8', 125 pounds) will peel them off and I will slog through them!

Please keep in your prayers my friend and our regional church leader (District Superintendent to United Methodists), the Rev. Ken Kieffer, who is recovering from cancer surgery and will soon begin both radiation and chemotherapy. He will be among the many on my list of people to remember as I run the Steamtown Marathon on October 9.

Meanwhile, please consider a gift to this Marathon Madness challenge if you have not already. Go to http://www.ccgb.org/ and click on "How to Donate." Thanks!

Gift Update

2011-09-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

As of this afternoon we have raised $14,314.10 toward our $20,000 goal. Thanks to all for your support.

Peak Week

2011-09-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Recent days have been given over to life transitions: hatch, match and dispatch. Two funerals, two weddings and a baptism, along with Council of Churches participation in the Fairfield, CT remembrance of the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 squeezed out weekend training.

Except for last night, when a 5.5 miler--finished under a silvery moon dancing with whispy gray clouds--reminded me of a silent Nature, watching our unfolding drama with quiet detachment; a nocturnal New England version of, in the lyrics of "Showboat," "Old Man River, he keeps on rollin' along."

The best part of this run was, for the first time in many months, that I had NO LOWER BACK PAIN! I'm not sure why, but the previously mentioned weight loss is likely a healthy contributor. Or so said my PCP last Friday when I arrived for prescription treatment for poison ivy. A lighter weight Brian also had a more reasonable B.P., which has been high for three years and recently prompted Doc to say "Less weight or meds." 12 pounds lighter, my 150/90 hypertension is down to 130/86. Since for many years I was a predictable 120/80, this is good news as I continue toward that goal.

But these exciting peaks of joy are not the Peak Week I had in mind. Rather, this is the week of highest mileage before the marathon. By week's end I will have run over 60 miles, beginning with today's hilly 7.5 miler at 6 a.m. at an 11:23 pace. I get new shoes tonight that I will start to break in, alternating with the current pair that are only 60 miles old but less padded. I am excited about a 60 mile week, something I have not done since 2006. It will culminate on Sunday with a 25 miler, part of which is the Fall Frolic in Lordship, a neighborhood of Stratford, CT. More on that in the days ahead.

Meanwhile, I am still encouraging readers who have not donated to do so. Go to www.ccgb.org, click on "How to Donate" and designate your gift to "Marathon Madness;" or mail a check to CCGB, memoed "Marathon" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610. We are nearing $14,000 with four weeks to go to race day's $20,000 goal. Your gift will add one more layer of meaning to "Peak Week!"

Wait. Weight.

2011-09-08T04:10:00.000-07:00

A number of runners are motivated because of weight management challenges. I am one of them.

Today's childhood obesity epidemic was non-existent in the 1960's when I was the class "fat kid." That inner visual remains. And my mother was actually right: I probably am "big boned:" i.e., having a heavier and denser skeletal structure than some folks. At least, I constantly hear variants of "you can't weigh that much." But I do.

My six foot frame is currently holding 191.5 pounds, 7.5 over the federal BMI upper limit for "normal" weight and 11.5 over my Weight Watchers goal. This latter program, along with running, has proved the most successful for me in losing the excess. Yes, I'm back attending sessions and recording everything that goes in my mouth.

Do I have a chance "making weight" by race day? Yes, although it will be a stretch: 2.5 pounds a week to get there. But I've lost 12 in just a little over a month, so we'll see.

One of the other strategies I employ is "wait." "Wait" to eat. "Wait" to eat until I've consumed water. "Wait" to let what I've eaten register with my body (I am a terribly fast eater, which means it is easy for me to overeat). "Wait" to eat when I am hungry at night (I've always, I've learned, confused hunger with fatigue). So far these strategies are working. Those who remember this blog from 2009 (the entry is still here) remember that I lost the battle before race day, ending up racing at 188.

Stay tuned.

Training

2011-09-06T02:53:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post I mentioned I'd write about my training. It seems like a good subject on a day when the remnants of Hurricane Lee force me inside.

Simply, the core of marathon training is LSD: long slow distance (just to be clear for anyone in a '60's time warp.) Around these weekly long runs are built shorter, faster runs (to build fast-twitch muscles), hill work (to strengthen quads and expand cardio) and speedwork (intentionally timed speed and distance). Most training programs are a minimum of 16 weeks and presume the runner is running at least 20 - 25 miles, 4-5 days per week. From that base, most programs "peak" three weeks before race day with a 50 - 60 mile week and at least two 20 mile (or longer) rungs. The old adage rings true: a marathon is a 20 mile run and a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) race.

From there, programs become more specialized depending on the current fitness of the runner and the particular philosophy of any given training program. Jeff Galloway's Run/Walk program (roughly, walk one minute for every ten run) and Team-in-Training's (TNT) group work (especially noted for their charitable fund-raising) are especially popular.

Last week I logged 42.5 miles over 5 days, which included 17.2 LSD, two 5.5's on a moderately hilly out-and-back, an even hillier 7.5 out-and-back, and a 6.8 mile loop with running partner Priscilla.

By the way, running at least one run every other week with a partner is great motivation. Some runners do so more frequently (Priscilla and I meet about once a week) but at least every other week builds in accountability. Priscilla and I have run together for a number of years. This particular training season we have found that making a commitment to run our long runs together means that we do them, and more of them, (pardon the pun) religiously.

What about rain? Some runners go out any way. They are heartier than I. I run at my gym on the treadmill. Yes, yes: I know the wisdom of training for race conditions, rain among them. Having run one marathon (Hartford, 2005) in the rain, I know I can do it.

I've omitted one aspect of training: rest. This may surprise some but is integral to avoiding injury. Marty Jerome, in the annual running calendar he publishes, observes "...the business of getting stronger occurs when your body rests." I generally try to bracket rest days around my long run, but rest days are also affected by work, social plans and life: that thing that happens when you're making other plans.

Speaking of other plans: there's that thing called work. To which I need go. More tomorrow.

In Memoriam

2011-09-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

We lost "one of the great ones." Philip E. Norgren, Treasurer of The Council of Churches, was taken by cancer on Tuesday, August 30. Phil was a gentleman in the best sense of that word. For The Council, he brought a steady hand and a committed heart to the management of our financial resources. In the wider Bridgeport community he was an active Rotarian and a leader at United Congregational Church. All this was accomplished in a few short years after he and Jane moved here from Stamford. Jane is active in her own right as, among other commitments, a member of the Board of the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition, where I am pleased to serve with her.

Calling hours are at Leo Gallagher Funeral Home, 2900 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06905 on Thursday, Sept. 8 from 4 - 8 p.m. A memorial service will be held at North Stamford Congregational Church, 31 Cascade Road, Stamford, CT 06903 on Friday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. A private internment will be held in Vermont.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Jane Norgren and family, 26 Penfield Place, Bridgeport, CT 06605.

For the love of....

2011-08-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

....running. That's why we do it.

Like most passions, running day in and day out is an affair of the heart. Runners love to run. The commitment keeps us running, even when we don't like it.

Which has been my saga of late. I just haven't enjoyed running. I love it, but it hasn't loved me. A sore lower back and aching calves persisted. Weight loss has helped, but not solved, the issue.

Whenever something/someone we love moves us to dis-like, it's time to take a look. Yesterday I whined about all the reasons I wasn't running in the morning. So today I ran in the morning. I also got new shoes (duh!), stretched, hydrated well the day before and got to bed early.

Lo and behold, the joy of running returned! 7.5 hilly miles on a trail I once loved but had come to loath, unable even to consider the hilliest mile at the end of the route. Today, sub-11 minute miles: a long way from where I want to be but with new hope and vigor for the challenge!

Thanks to the 63 donors who have contributed $12,375 toward my $20,000 goal. To donate, go to www.ccgb.org and click on "How to Donate," or simply send a gift payable to "CCGB" memoed "Marathon Appeal" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610. I, and all those we serve, will love you for it!

Morning or afternoon?

2011-08-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

I am a morning person. So why is it so hard to run in the morning?

Most of my runs this week will be in the afternoon, a consequence of needing time to clean-up from the storm and the resulting soreness from unused muscles the following morning. Coupled with the encroaching darkness of "shorter" days, a 6 a.m. run does not have the allure it did just a few weeks ago.

For the indulgence of a few extra minutes of peace and a less-hurried morning, I pay with slower run times less daytime energy. Is it worth it? Depends on the day or week in question. With early morning meetings several days this week, the choice to sacrifice speed seems worth it, at least until I look at a stop watch that tells me my pace was over 12 minutes a mile. Which is what it told me yesterday after a favorite, moderately hilly, 5.5 mile "out and back." Ugh.

Yet it will not change today, or tomorrow. Not until the weekend will I be able to couple a reasonable bedtime with an early awakening. That is the other part of the equation, too. Sleep. More of it, and earlier. For although I am a "morning" person, sleep does not always come early. When it does not the next day's workout suffers.

One other thing: I somehow ALWAYS manage to get up when my running partner is waiting at an agreed-upon time. Ah, accountability! What a great antedote for sloth!

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Connecticut, along with most of the East Coast, is recovering from Hurricane Irene: amazingly downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it made landfall late morning on Sunday, August 28.
Click on the link below to see a 2 minute video of the hit in Lordship (coastal Stratford, CT)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u4b_kvARlbM

My home in Shelton, CT came through with only a loss of power and a plethora of boughs, limbs, branches and sheared leaves littering my otherwise pristine lawn. By "lawn" I mean "moss that I try to pass off as grass." No trees fell and no one was hurt. Power had not been restored at 9 a.m. today when I left for the office, which has full power and is running our full program of services aimed at "helping people at risk meet their urgent needs": http://www.ccgb.org/.

While I might have run yesterday afternoon--the worst of the storm was past by 2:30--the yard was the aforementioned mess. 5 hours later I'd cleaned up 2/3 of the mess but sacrificed the run to do so. It might have been just as well: I kept hearing sirens and, about 6:30, the wind kicked up noticeably. No matter where I run in my neighborhood, trees abound.

Today's plan is to finish the yard and work in a 7.5 miler before dark. Perhaps "dark" will find my house again with "light." If not, come on over for an impromptu food fest before everything in my refrigerator goes bad! No charge as long as I find your name on our "Marathon Appeal" donor list!

2011 Marathon Appeal

2011-08-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the zaniness of a marathon blog. I didn't blog last year and a few folks missed it, so I've blown past the laziness to write again. Here's where we are:

THE CAUSE: 2011 will be my 6th marathon since I started running them in 2003; and 4th as a fund-raiser for The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. A gift of support helps educate young scholars, assists families in crisis, gives former offenders a fresh start, feeds hungry people and builds bridges of understanding. Gifts may be made online at http://www.ccgb.org/ using the "How to Donate" tab, or send a gift payable to "CCGB" memoed "Marathon Appeal" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610. This year's goal is $20,000. We have currently received just over $12,000 with six weeks to race day. By the way, I pay all my own expenses, so every penny of your gift supports The Council's vital mission.

THE RACE: For the third consecutive year I will be running the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania on October 9, 2011. Last year, its 15th anniversary, this race was named as one of the ten best marathons in the country. As a result of that publicity and a relative small field, it sold out this year in six weeks from the April 1st opening of registration (no foolin'!). As a self-identified "train nut," there could be no better combination than a race and the Steamtown National Historic Site, part of the National Park system (your tax dollars at work).

THE EVENT: The word "marathon" is sometimes loosely and incorrectly used. It is, in fact, a race of 26.2 miles. Anything else, whatever kind of endurance race it is, is not a marathon. Preparation involves long, slow distance runs (miles measured in double-digits) combined with shorter, usually faster, training. As the blog unfolds I'll chat about my training.

THE HISTORY: Although likely non-historical, legend has it that a Greek messenger, Pheidippides, ran 24 miles from the plains of Marathon to Athens to annouce that Athenian army had defeated the Persian invaders in 490 B.C. "Rejoice, we conquer" he declared to the Athenian city-state, only to then drop dead. Whatever the accuracy of that story, the Battle of Marathon was clearly a turning point in world history. The legend served as the inspiration for instituting the marathon as an Olympic event in 1896. From then until 1908, the distance varied from 24 - 25 miles, depending on the Olympic host. In 1908, Great Britian hosted and the route was 26 miles. To complete the course in front of the Queen's viewing box, another 385 yards were tacked on, to make the race the 26.2 miles it remains today. I can tell you that, more than once, I have thought something other than "God save the Queen" as I slogged those final few but exquisitely painful feet to the finish line.

MORE TO FOLLOW: I'll be talking about my training, weight management, and some of the thoughts that pass through a mind that is busy piling up training miles. If you'd like to comment, please do. Thanks for following along.

WE DID IT!!

2009-10-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

YES, WE DID!

Thanks to a $5,000 challenge grant from a donor who prefers anonymity - and the amazing response it triggered - we re-set our original $10,000 goal to $15,000, and surpassed it! I was worth nearly $609 a mile on race day, and gifts are still arriving. Praise the Lord! We at The Council of Churches are deeply thankful for this tremendous outpouring of support from so many.

It wasn't pretty, but I finished. One blog reader e-mailed me: "I'm waiting for your book." Hope you've enjoyed reading, too.

Rev. Brian

And a Few Pictures

2009-10-13T03:40:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to view some photos of me racing the Steamtown Marathon, go to www.runphotos.com. Under "Select Event," select "Steamtown Marathon 2009 (11 Oct. 09). Then, under "Enter a Runner's Bib Number" enter "1778." Then, under "Click to Search" choose "Find Photos." And there I am!

The rural path with the white fence behind is part of the "Rails to Trails" section of the race. It was the former Scranton Branch of the New York, Ontario and Western Railway, which was abandoned in 1957. The "Old and Weary" was a rolling museum in its final years.

Thanks again for reading.

Rev. Brian

A Few More Numbers

2009-10-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

The Steamtown Marathon website has posted finishing times. Mine was 5:08:25, an 11:50 pace finishing 98th out of 107 men ages 55-59 and 1,739th out of the entire race field of 1,889. So I have lots of room to improve.

Sherry Duff, Council Delegate from Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Trumbull, posted a personal record of 3:31:02, which is an 8:04 pace. Her pacer was Marty Schaivone, well-known area race organizer and coach of the Trumbull H.S. girl's track team. This was Marty's 10th Steamtown Marathon (out of the 14 times it has been run) and I mention him because it is humbling to realize he and I are the same age! Oof-tah!

The most exciting number for me was that created by our many donors. As of my last count, we were within $375 of reaching our $15,000 goal. If you'd like to help us over the top, please visit www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org", or mail a check payable to "CCGB" and send it to 1100 Boston Avenue, Bldg. 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610. Thanks!

Rev. Brian

The last dance

2009-10-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

This has been a fun experience: blogging about something of interest to me and, seemingly, to a few others. I'm about to head back to Connecticut.

The day after race day I feel reasonably good. I am aware of my quads--the function of a mostly downhill race--but they are not unduly sore. The main pain remains the calves, and that will last for another day or so. While some advocate a formula of one day not running for every marathon mile run, my experience has been 10 - 14 days of rest is sufficient. In the meantime, walking, stationary cycling and the pool are good cross-training that restores strength and reduces pain quickly.

My next race will likely be the Commodore Hull Road Race on Thanksgiving Day in Shelton, a 5k across the bridge to Derby, up hill most of the way until the reverse, which is mostly downhill. At least four other runners I know will be there.

One of the great things about a race in Scranton is that you can hear the steam engines "whistling off" (two toots that signal they are about to move) in the Scranton yard. How sweet!

While closing with this thought, it is really the first: that I have been very blessed by God and the support of family and friends throughout this journey. To return to distance racng after two major surgeries is indeed a gift. I am grateful to receive it and fully aware of how fragile it is. Perhaps if I, and all of us, learn to view life in the same way, we would live better and work harder to help others to do so. Namaste!

Rev. Brian

With a nod to Dickens

2009-10-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

It was the best of "times," it was the worst of "times".....

The best of times included:
a beautiful fall day in Forest City, Pennsylvania;
tremendous race support by police officers and race volunteers;
raising nearly $15,000 for The Council of Churches;
prayer for all of our donors, member churches and others in need;;
meeting up with some Connecticut runners;
Steamtown National Historic Park;
Scranton Hobby Shop;
dinner at the restored Lackawanna Train Station;
finishing 26.2 miles;
finishing my first 26.2 miles in three years after two major surgeries;
eating a chocolate-covered doughnut and not even feeling guilty;
congratulation one of my friends on her PR (personal record) finish time.

The worst of times included:
not training well/long/aggressively enough;
going out too fast on the first 8 miles that dropped over 600 feet;
aching legs that gained 450 pounds in the last five miles (okay, maybe not)
a gun finish time of just over 5:10, my worst marathon time by nearly 50 minutes.

There is an old saying about the marathon: Respect the distance. I didn't, and I paid.

Physical recovery takes a few days, but began with walking around, heading off to Steamtown and an early dinner. I'll get to the hot tub shortly and then lights out!

I am satisfied that I finished, but it was my lowest-level goal. The good news: I'll run another and do better!

Thanks to everyone who has been reading this blog and supported my efforts with gifts and prayers.

Rev. Brian

Running Reverends, Rabbis and rooms that don't work

2009-10-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

The most recent edition of "Runner's World" magazine featured two Reformed Jewish colleagues who will be running the NYC Marathon (Nov. 1) and raising funds for the Newman's Own Foundation's "Hole in the Wall Gang" camps. It was exciting to see other spiritual leaders gaining important exposure for their efforts at putting faith into action.

Yesterday's post named a number of Christian clergy just within my circle of colleagues who are doing this very thing. It makes me wonder what it might take to galvanize a movement. One thing is for sure: we need as much attention to physical health among the clergy as among the general population. Long hours, careless nutrition and a sendentary work environment create a "perfect storm" for physical inactivity and the unsavory by-products that follow.

After an eventful evening, today has been a wonderful day in "The Electric City," Scranton, Pennsylvania. Yesterday the hotel gave me a room key that didn't work. They reprogrammed the key. I let myself into the room, which was clearly occupied! Luckily, no one was there at that moment! Informed of this fact, the hotel staff assigned me a new room with compensatory free breakfasts! Ahhhh......

A train hobby shop is two blocks south of the Hilton. The morning was spent there; at the Steamtown Mall and wandering through the Steamtown National Historic Site. Steam, in the form of a Canadian Pacific 4-6-2, was underway with two open vestibule passenger coaches. On the mainline, two RS-3 Alco diesel locomotives (vintage 1950) were actually underway in revenue service on the Delaware Lackawanna, a regional carrier using former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western trackage. Oh...right...this is a running blog!

I got to the race expo, picked up bib number and racing chip (an electronic race-time recording device) and heard a presentation on the difference between tendonitis and tendinosis. The difference is important: treatment for such injuries is not to reduce inflammation, but to stretch tendon fiber. Learning something new every day!

Weather today has been perfect for running, except for a headwind a bit stronger than desireable. Cool, cloudy, temps in the mid-50's after a 40 degree start to the day. The same is predicted for tomorrow, although less wind, fewer clouds and more sun. It could be a perfect runner's day.

Off to dinner shortly with Sherry Duff, a delegate from one of The Council's member churches, and friends of hers who are runners from Connecticut. No running today of course. Early bed time, too. Rising time is 4:30 a.m.; depart at 6:30 a.m. for the 45 minute ride to the start in Forest City, PA. The gun goes off at 8 a.m. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers. I'm ready, excited and very much looking forward to race day!

Rev. Brian

Posting comments

2009-10-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

In response to one reader we attempted to make it easier to post comments and instead made it nearly impossible! Trying once more, we have opened the blog to posting by anyone reading. This is a leap of faith but we will see how it goes.

Rev. Brian

Jitters

2009-10-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here they come, as predictable as the calendar and as maddening as the forewarning of a migraine. Pre-race jitters.

Not that we're talking a huge deal. Iran's nuclear capability, Darfur, Somali pirates, the international slave trade: these are big deals.

Yet in the small cocoon of life before the starting line there is that discomforting feeling of uncertainty that attends most great efforts. Am I ready? (Yes, mostly.) Did I train well? (Yes, mostly.) Did I work hard enough? (No, mostly.) Do I trust my training? ( ) Ahem, do I trust my training? (....ahh, well, I mean, I think so...but then again....)

At times like these community means so much, and particularly those who have made similar efforts. Thinking of them and similar efforts, now and in the past, remind me that "nothing is new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Thinking of them reminds me that I am part of something far greater than myself. So hats off to Rev. Paul and his "Southport Six" racing at Chicago this weekend; Sherry of Stratford who will also be at Steamtown; my Bishop, Jeremiah Park and my Superintendent, Kenneth Kieffer, and a number of clergy colleagues racing at Hartford; and the runners revisiting my first marathon, Baltimore. And it's all this weekend!

For the Joe Friday's, today's 3 miler with my training partner Priscilla was a leisurely 29:56. The legs feel rested and tonight is key for a good night's sleep, since however the jitters are quelled they are sure to reappear the night before the race. I'm headed for Scranton later today but am taking the laptop so expect to blog from there. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers.
We're almost at our $15,000 goal. If you'd like to help push us over the top, visit www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org" or send a check to CCGB, 1100 Boston Avenue, Bldg. 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610. Thanks for reading!

Rev. Brian

Sounds like Life to Me

2009-10-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

In a fantasy world, taper time is a week (or two) where runners rest, refuel and look forward to race day without distraction. Today's meetings at 8, 10, Noon and 2 burst that bubble. I am glad to work, and have meaningful work. I just hoped for a more relaxed tempo.

Darryl Worley's hit "Sounds like Life to Me" nails it:

Sounds like life to me plain old destiny
Yeah the only thing for certain is uncertainty
You gotta hold on tight just enjoy the ride
Get used to all this unpredictability
Man I know its tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk you’re caught up in some tragedy
Sounds like life to me, Sounds like life.

Life is what happens when you're making other plans. I think back to a year ago, trying to rehab a recalcitrant knee and facing the disappointment of realizing that the race I'd spent the spring preparing for was going on without me. This year, God willing, I'll be at the starting line. How sweet it is!

I'm out for a pre-dawn run tomorrow so took today off. Tonight is packing and making sure all the paperwork is ready. I'm taking The Council's lap top so will blog the last couple of days to, and through, race day. We've crested $14,300 in financial support, so perhaps we'll yet make that $15,000 goal. If you'd like to help, see yesterday's post for how to give. And thanks for reading.

Rev. Brian

Mobility

2009-10-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

My mother came home today.

This is no small thing. After coming through heart valve replacement surgery with flying colors, she had a spinal stroke at the end of July that has, at least for now, rendered her paralyzed from the waist down. This "one-in-a-million" (according to her surgeon) catastrophe has been a ten week odyssey that may well be a "new normal" for the rest of her days. Time will tell.

But my mother is mobile. And now, after ten weeks, she is home. She was already regaling me this evening of how she is getting about the living room, dining room and kitchen in her wheelchair. She said, "I haven't gone down the hall or into the bedroom yet, but I know I can do it." If she was a few years younger and a few pounds lighter, I might challenge her to join the wheelchair athletes in a race. One thing's for sure: she is a fighter and is not giving up.

Her plight makes even my worst days look like nirvahna. Creaky back, aching knees, tight hamstrings: all of these are trifles when one considers what life looks like from the seat of a wheelchair. Completing, with my two younger brothers, the construction of her wheelchair ramp to the house as night fell last night is nothing compared to having to use it. I am blessed to be upright, blessed to be running, and blessed to have people praying for me and my mom, for our different needs and with encouragement to cross our different finish lines. For these blessings, and the blessings of a mother and father whose 65 years of marriage has taught me about tenacity and perseverance, I am exquisitely grateful.

This is taper week, so running is at a minimum. Sunday and Monday were days off; I ran 3 miles on the road by my parent's house on Tuesday; and two miles tonight on the treadmill. I'll log somewhere between 10 and 12 for the week, before Sunday's 26.2 mile effort. Times were in the leisurely 10:30 range. Nothing is to be added to my training now. The two main goals are to rest, and not get hurt.

In the interest of full disclosure, I lost the weight battle relative to Sunday's deadline. I could not hold 184 and am back to 188. Not great, but not all that bad, either. Come race day, it doesn't matter: I'll be on the starting line giving thanks for mobility, wheeled and sneakered.

If you'd like to support my race effort with a contribution, please visit www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org" or send a check payable to "CCGB" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06610. I'm paying my own expenses to Scranton, so every penny of your donation goes to help "leverage hope and change lives."

Rev. Brian

Great Publicity

2009-10-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

"There's no such thing as bad publicity" is an old axiom. While I disagree, today's publicity in our local Connecticut Post newspaper is pretty exciting. Check it out at http://www.connpost.com/ci_13479283.

No running today. The body as well as the spirit needs to observe the Sabbath. I'll be preaching for my colleague, the Rev. Bryan Hooper, at the United Methodist Church of Hartford later this morning.

My plan is to borrow The Council's laptop for the next two days as I make an unplanned but necessary trip to my parents. Failing that, posts will resume on Wednesday. My mother has a major health challenge and the next two days involve a residential transition for her.

A week from today I am 15 minutes away from the starting gun. Pretty exciting after nearly six months of training!

Most of you reading this have donated. If not and you wish to, check yesterday's post. It's easy!

Rev. Brian

Time Machine

2009-10-03T05:35:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to travel on a time machine.

The modern world laments (although this is not unique to moderns) the speed at which life, and we, travel. While we are often happy to get "there" faster, we also bemoan not being able to "take time to smell the roses." Baby Boomers like yours truly are especially prone to note the swift tick of the clock, not yet reconciled to Grim Reaper as are many of our elders, yet too worldly-wise to "don't worry, be happy" as are many of our youngers. So we compile our "bucket lists" and, ironically, hope to have time to check them all off.

So today I'm going to slow down and travel on a time machine.

As a member of "Friends of the Valley Railroad" it is my annual privilege to be the host on the caboose we own in conjunction with The Valley Railroad Company (www.essexsteamtrain.com) in Essex, Connecticut. From May to October on the first weekend of the month, the caboose rides at the end of all scheduled passenger trains. The train and caboose (ex-Pennsylvania Railroad N5a cabin car, for the purists) typify rail travel as it would have been known in the 1930's (the station scene in the last "Indiana Jones" movie was filmed there). The train winds its way north through the bucolic Connecticut River valley in a leisurely 60 minute ride.

The point? (1) While "life is a journey, not a destination" is a bit too cute, it does point to the balance we all need. If you're feeling frazzeled, who's in charge of your schedule? (2) You live with a time machine available for use at any time. It has two main systems, both radiating from your hips. Take a walk. Take a run. See--really see--your world and your neighborhood. Stow the car, just for a day. (Yes, I have, more than once!)

As for me, my time machine today took me on a leisurely 4.8 miler at a leisurely 48 minutes. Ahhhhh!

The marathon is a week from tomorrow. I appreciate your prayers and your encouragement. If you know of someone who might want to be a sponsor, please send them our link: www.ccgb.org.
Have a great day. Easy does it.

Rev. Brian

Getting past the filters

2009-10-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

It has been called to my attention that posting a comment here is difficult. This is new technology for me, and the reason for the difficulty is the choice of filter.

I believe I have now chosen a filter that allows comments from those who register as followers of the blog. I may eventually be comfortable with allowing open comment but am not currently. I will run a test shortly to see if what I have chosen works. Stay tuned.

Rev. Brian

2009-10-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

"Listen, I will tell you a mystery...." observes St. Paul with respect to the Resurrection (I Corinthians 15:51, NRSV) The same could be said of life, or a particular daily run.

In this case, mine, a favorite four mile moderately hilly out-and-back route in my neighborhood that I run, on an average, once a week. There is only 2/10 of a mile on a major thoroughfare; the rest is on side streets. I like it for many reasons, principally that it is a quiet run with few cars, longer than a 5k but short enough to complete before work.

The mystery is today's time. Over the last two months I have posted an average pace of 10:09, with a high of 10:59 and a low of 9:00. Today, 8:48! I was flying.

I have lots of theories: better rest, better nutrition, lower weight, later than usual (9 a.m.) start. But none of these is a full explanation, even taken together. Contemporary culture says "Go figure." Which really isn't much different from "Listen, I tell you a mystery...."

So, like many moments of serendipity, I just enjoy it. Not that I won't try to replicate it tomorrow! But just for today I will enjoy the feel of speed and the possibility of what, on any given day, can actually happen. And hope that God, on any given day, takes joy when his human creations fulfill the divine potential entrusted to them for more weighty matters that the click of the stopwatch. Would that more often we could act in the spirit of the Sanskrit greeting "Namaste," "the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you."

So many of you have been so generous, I am now worth $528 a mile on race day, October 11. Thank you! If you'd still like to contribute, go to www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org" or send a gift payable to "CCGB", marked "Marathon Madness" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Bldg. 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610. Thanks for your interest, reading and prayers.

Rev. Brian

2009-10-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Frederick Law Olmsted. Landscape architect extraordinare, his 19th century accomplishments include the grounds of the United States Capital, New York's Central Park, and George Vanderbilt's Biltmore estate in Asheville, N.C., the largest privately-owned home in America.

And Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Our local "jewel on the Sound" is often overlooked by locals as well as out-of-staters, though its three miles of uninterrupted vista of Long Island Sound sits less then one mile south of I-95. Bordered by Fayerweather Light on the entrance to Captain's Cove harbor on the west and Bridgeport Harbor to the east, it hosts swimming, fishing, walking, running and many team sports, in addition to many public events. P.T. Barnum, mayor of Bridgeport and entrepreneur, is largely credited with founding the park, which was formed in a series of acquisitions from 1865 to 1920. His statue views the widest expanse of the park, including the travel of the Bridgeport - Port Jefferson (NY) ferry which company he also founded.

On a clear, comfortable day like today, Seaside Park is a joy to behold. So it was with the delicious decadence of one who is really playing under the guise of working that I met Connecticut Post photographer Phil Noel at the Barnum statue for an 11 a.m. photo shoot and a five mile run. The photos will be part of a feature by reporter Amanda Cuda in the Sunday, October 4th edition. My hope is that the article's exposure to the good works of The Council of Churches and my own quirky interest in running will inspire a few more donations. The late morning time afforded a luxury I seldom experience: a quick mid-day run.

And it was, for me, quick. Chatting up Phil, getting the photos and five pristine miles were all accomplished in less than one hour. I'd decided before running not to set my watch and was sorry after I hadn't. Helped along by a westerly wind, I'm sure my time was sub-10:00 given the time I spent with Phil.

I'm holding steady on weight, which is good news that I'm not gaining but bad that I'm not losing. Eleven days to go to race day.

Thanks for reading. Want to help us reach our goal? Go to www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org" or send your gift, marked "Marathon Madness" payable to "CCGB" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Bldg. 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610. I appreciate your support.

Rev. Brian

2009-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Running partners and accountability partners have the same function: they keep you focused when you'd rather not be.

Commitment to a running partner is the only way to explain leaving a warm bed at 4:30 a.m. to be running at 5:45 a.m. Unless you are a fisherman. But I digress.

So Wednesday dawned with my running partner Priscilla and I having already completed a 3 miler at a 9:13 pace. That's another thing that, in my case, works to my advantage: Priscilla is lighter and faster than me so challenges my out of my comfort zone. I would not have posted this time without her setting the pace.

This is why the community we call "church" will always have a vital role to play: there is no substitute for human contact and human interaction in matters of faith. We already know that is true in so many other areas, yet sometimes we indulge the notion that we can get our faith on-line or on t.v. and that will be enough. I suppose it is for some. But it misses the rich blessing of being challenged as well as comforted by our aspirations; and it misses being held accountable by a fellow-traveler on the spiritual path who faces the same obstacles and excuses as we do. When one is "pushed" by a peer in this way, one is motivated to do better next time.

Good news also came this morning from the local Connecticut Post newspaper, which will have an article on this effort in the news section of the Sunday, October 4 edition. It may also be available on-line at www.ctpost.com.

In addition to providing exposure for our organization and its good work to people in need, we hope it will help us reach our $15,000 fund-raising goal. If you'd like to help, go to www.ccgb.org and click on the "justgive.org" icon, or send your gift payable to "The Council of Churches" to 1100 Boston Avenue, Building 5A, Bridgeport, CT 06610 and memo it "Marathon Madness."

Thanks for reading. Please keep me, this effort, the churches and those we serve in your prayers.

Rev. Brian

2009-09-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

If confession is good for the soul, is a blog distribution of the confession better?

Probably not. But perhaps it will help a few readers who, like me, struggle with weight management. My favorite lie is "I can eat that because I'm a runner." While it is true that my running helps weight management, it is also true that this lie I tell myself has kept me ten to fifteen pounds above optimal running weight.

Until September 20th, the 20-miler day of reckoning. While my posted average of 9:51.5 per mile was not bad, it would have been better if I was closer to racing weight. So with only three weeks to marathon, a "marathon" effort to lose the weight ensued.

I'm happy to report an 9.5 pound loss through nothing more than (a) ceasing eating after 9 p.m., (b) eliminating sweets and substituting fruit (c) eliminating added salt and (d) reducing caffeine. These strategies (a) eliminate calories when they will not be burned efficiently, (b) change empty calories for nutritrious ones, (c) reduce water retention and (d) reduce the appetite-stimulating effect of caffeine. Doing these things and maintaining my exercise is having the desired effect. Five more pounds to go before race day.

Yesterday was a treadmill day due to inclement weather, running 3.5 in 32:35 for a 9:18 pace. For those who chirp "You gotta train in the rain in case you have to race in the rain" I will rejoin that I ran Hartford in 2005 in everything from a mist to a downpour and those 26.2 wet miles will satisfy my need to train in wet weather for a lifetime. If it rains in Scranton, I'll deal.

Today was a picture-postcard New England morning, with a resulting 9:41 pace over five hilly miles. I am atoning for my summer transgressions and, while it is too late to be fully absolved, I will make progress toward a better race day.

Thanks again for reading. If you'd like to donate to my effort raising funds for the many services and ministries of The Council of Churches, visit www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org" or mail a gift to The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, 1100 Boston Avenue, Bldg. 5A, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06610 and memo your check "Marathon Madness." Thanks so much!

Rev. Brian

2009-09-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

It was another beautiful, if crisper, day in New England. I conducted a wedding in Manchester last evening, so morning came earlier than I'd have wished. With chores and lethargy, the run didn't happen until 4 p.m. Still, staying on track for Steamtown as my taper decreases mileage so that limbs and joints are well-rested come race day.

No blog tomorrow: several of us from The Council of Churches are working as volunteers at the Bigelow Community Challenge 5k in Southport, CT before church. Bigelow has been a strong support of our Janus Center for Youth in Crisis, and we are pleased to assist their efforts.

Rev. Brian

2009-09-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

What a glorious day to be alive in southern New England! Today's 7 a.m. weather was cool (mid 50's), low humidity, bright sunshine and blue skies with just a trace of cirrus clouds. The morning run was a snapshot of a Rockwellian autumn, minus the change of leaves that is just beginning. Much of the five mile run was in the woods and along a reservoir near my home, more reminiscent of Vermont that the urban corridor of I-95 just ten miles south that many non-Nutmeggers associate with the Constitution State as they drive between New York and Boston.

This morning's running route is a hilly one, so the terrain, early hour and less-than-optimum sleep resulted in a pace slightly over 11 minutes/mile. This is not unusal as knees and legs warm up, but is still an unpleasant reminder that my training could have been, per yesterday's post, more persistent.

A friend of mine, running the Hartford half-marathon the day before my Steamtown race, commented that "Marathon Madness" is a redundancy. I rejoined that "madness," like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. For me, running is sanity in the midst of some "hot messes." All of the usual benefits apply: heart and circulatory health, weight control, increased energy. There are other ways to obtain these, of course. Recreational enjoyment, like our spirituality and our DNA, is unique to each person. But besides these blessings and the over-hyped "runner's high," (elusive for me) the principal benefit is "alone time" with God in the beauty of God's world and the four seasons that unfold. Our God IS an awesome God!

It is always good to know, too, that many people will be with me in spirit in the quest on October 11; and many of those will have reached to those we serve by their financial support of my race. If you'd like to see how we are "leveraging hope, changing lives," visit www.ccgb.org. If you'd like to support my race, click on the "justgive.org" icon. Thanks for reading.

Rev. Brian

2009-09-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Today dawned like summer, with temps in the mid 60's at 6:45 a.m. and humidity in the 90's. My time read like summer, too, at a 10:30/mile pace for four miles. Small comfort that it was a hilly course: the clock is ticking down toward October 11.

Persistence is the key to so many things: a faithful prayer life, happiness in relationships, professional success and effective marathon training, to name a few. I am now reaping the results of less-than-optimum persistance in the summer months.

That said, I am confident to finish and borne up by the prayers and good wishes of many. Knowing that I currently worth $500 a mile will make a huge difference come race day.

If you're enclined to join my sponsors, please visit www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org," or contact Patty Jensen at 203.334.1121, ext. 243.

Rev. Brian

Marathon Madness

2009-09-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

This will be my fourth marathon, after Baltimore (03), Hartford (05) and Portland, Maine (06). A neck surgery in 07 and a knee surgery in 08 held me back the last two years.

The genesis of this blog is my need to master new technology and apply it to the work of The Council of Churches; the desire to keep donors and other interested folks informed of my progress; and a completely egocentric desire to blather on along with the rest of popular culture! I also will talk about my training, and its connection to my Christian spirituality.

A reminder: don't call anything a "marathon" that isn't 26.2 miles. It may be a long, arduous, grueling race, but it isn't a marathon. More tomorrow!

Marathon Madness

2009-09-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

18 days away from 26.2 miles in Scranton, PA to raise $15k for the 65th Anniversary of The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. Is that enough statistics for ya?

This is my first-ever post on my first-ever blog with the assistance of our Yale Seminary intern, Sandra Valdes-Lopez! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

More to come...want to donate to help me reach my goal? Visit www.ccgb.org and click on "justgive.org"

Rev. Brian