My Boston, Monday, April 16th, 2013

A day that will resonate with me forever.....

After last year's heated Boston Marathon, I decided to take another shot at it. I re-qualified in May 2012 to get back in the race for 2013. The morning of I was more relaxed for a race than I have ever been, I'd promised myself to enjoy this year. I began my 2nd Boston in hopes for a light hearted, fun run. I set out the gameplan and went out relaxing into my pace. The weather was glorious, the fans were jubilant, and I think I smiled during a race for the first time. I had a big wide grin as I high fived small children, laughed at the signs of the Wellesley College girls, and enjoyed cheers with the crowd of Boston College. As I passed the finish line at 3:03, I was happy. The crowd, the pace, the environment was perfect. These days are supposed to be such a postive experience for runners, fans, and families. As are most races, most athletic events, and most big events where people are brought together. They're times where we can make memories and enjoy smiles, laughs, pictures.

As I made my way off of the course, I decided that I felt good enough to get to the meeting area and back to our friends house where we were staying for some rest. For once I didn't stop and watch, sit on a curb to enjoy the relief from the road, or go and meander around the finish for a bit. So I left and met my wife and friend at the family meeting area, and we went back to our friend's apartment a few miles down the road. After eating a sub and taking a quick nap I awoke to the news of this tragedy.

You didn't have to be at the scene of the explosions on Boyleston Street to feel the thunderous emotion that shocked the world on Monday. To hear of it hurt, it hurt your heart, and it might still hurt. For me knowing that just last year my family would've been right there:hurt. I would've been just behind them at 4:16ish pace. That "could have been" feeling hurts. To have just come back from the finish line an hour earlier made it even more realistic.

As an athlete and marathoner I feel like my community was attacked. I've felt completely helpless. It feels like something was taken from us, our safety was taken from us. You can't put a price on safety. It's hard not to feel angry, upset, furious that such a horrible tragedy could take place at an event that should be safe, and secure. You want to hold your family close and contemplate on the evil that exists on this planet. It leaves you asking why..?
I'm not sure that why is a great question for this situation. Trying to find the why in the small slice of evil in this world is difficult, because much of the time it's an evil that has no reason that any of us could ever understand or relate to.

I have to be honest, I'm still getting over this. It may take a while. All people 'round the world with compassion have felt the weight of this. But I have found great solace in knowing that there are some amazing people out there. Heroes from those opening their doors to strangers, those running at the blast to save people, those offering their medals to participants who couldn't finish, those countless people who went to the hospital to give blood, and there are many more stories out there, I'm sure of it. We rise to the occasion together;united.

Next year the race will have a different atmosphere to it. I'm certain it will be much more quiet, and reserved. But I hope we can run again together. Together as the 2:10 runner and the 5 hour runner, together as runners. I hope we can have our families cheering at our events again, and watching us from the finish line, I hope we can smile again, I hope we can go out there and honor those victims affected by yesterday's tragedy and hold our heads high for them, our countless heroes and for Boston.

I'll see you there,

D

Boston Revenge

When you get beat up and knocked down, a great philosophy is that old famous one... to get back up. When you really really get beat up, it takes a little more time to get over it. But to take that challenge and get back up, that sounds glorious. After my Boston Marathon of 2012, I've been training just for that.

About this time last year I was preparing for Boston, feeling great and in 3:00 marathon shape. It would be a series of unfortunate decisions that would lead to a complete collapse and cause me to spiral into a 4:16 marathon and a terrifying experience. One of my greatest faults last year was drinking a lot of Gatorade the day before the event, I mean about 3 litres a lot! Why...why would I on my 7th marathon do something that I had never done in any of my other marathons? The only thing I can come up with is nerves. To err is human, and with the news broadcasts' predicting a record heat day, and my 1st Boston about to go down. I err'd, I err'd that $*#T up big time. During the run I suffered from something I had never heard of until it happened: overhydration (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/overhydration) Along with my sugar and salt probably hitting the critical meter. Needless to say I blew up early and my race was over before I started. To read more on that (http://dstyb.blogspot.ca/2012/04/my-monday-april-16th-2012-in-boston-262.html)

I remember sitting on the ground after the race with my family and friends surrounding me. I wasn't cognizant of the situation, and for the first time racing I was scared for my health. I had pushed it to the edge. An hour later after being wheeled to the med tent, I managed to come back to earth and get some fluids in, just short from going on an IV. This one really really beat me up.

A week after the Boston debacle, I got back on the road and the thought of another marathon seemed daunting. At the time I was signed up for Ottawa Race Weekend for the 27th of May and I was really nervous that I would have the same experience I had in Boston. Even thinking about Boston at this point wasn't an option. It took me a few weeks to regain my form, and I showed up to ORW with a nervous curiosity about me. It was as if I was running my first marathon. At the starting line I took some deep breaths and promised myself to relax into a comfortable pace right away. I was off and the plan came together flawlessly to finish in 3:01. This race brought my confidence back, I needed that. To let me know what I already shouldve known, that Boston 2012 was a one time thing.

 Now that I`m a week out from the race, I contemplate, review the past, and visualize this years starting line. A month ago it was fearful, after running Around the Bay, (not a great race for me) that Boston fear started growing again. My last long run, and my last hill workout fixed that completely. I went out for my last 3 hour run and destroyed it, I added a couple big hills the last 40 minutes of the run and felt like a gem. I then came out smiling from my last hill workout-My favourite in Ottawa. (https://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=217705717122258425059.0004d9a1397c97f97e437)

I`m very excited for Beantown this year. I`m excited to laugh, I`m excited to smile. Particularly over some of those hills that had me cringing last year. I will enjoy this year, and I think that`s what I can take from last year. Just settle in and enjoy the great experiences, because there may be a time when they don`t come around so often.

Here`s to you and Boston Monday!!

D

Around The Bay 2013

It's Thursday, March 28th, I'm on a plane flying back from China. I'm wiped, and yawning as I pull up my airplane approved knee high compression socks. My twin brother who lives in China just got married, so my older brother Ryan and I headed to China for a week to be there for the ceremony. As I'm sitting for the 15 hour flight from Hong Kong to Newark,New Jersey, I've got a lot of time to think about my 30K race in 2 days. There are a few unusual's that may come in to play: First off I just finished running 2.5 hours on this past Sunday night (Ontario time) to prepare for Boston 2013. Second, I drank a lot at my brothers bachelor party. Third: the 18 hour total flight time. Fourth: The drive to Hamilton. All things considered though, I'm still excited to get out there. I'm getting up a lot on the plane to stretch-which has gotta help, right?

It's Sunday, March 24th, I'm feeling great;all things considered. Though I'm excited to get this race over. It's as if it's the last notch from my big trip to China. Last notch before I get back to work. I walk from the parking lot to where the starting line is. 1st time to Hamilton, it's cold! One of those mornings where the chill just cuts through you, but then you wonder if you're dressed to warmly or not warm enough. Usually I prefer too warm. I've got on under armour, a warm half-zip, and my Boston jacket.
Once I get to the start line I see two good guys I've run with before. Mike and Steve from GoodGuysTri. They're wearing shorts and long sleeves, I'm envious now that the race is about to begin. Ahhh....well.. too late now! The gun goes off.

First 10K, what a relief to get started. I've got my pal Mike Herzog beside me, and I'm glad to have him there. You've got to love once a race starts, all of the questions start to get answered. How do my legs feel? How will this gameplan actually play out?
 I'm awake and in tune, regretting the Boston jacket. As we get going, I can see something's up with Mike, and by about 9Km in I've lost him. Our game plan was 3:50/km for 20Km, then just hold on for the last 10KM. I'm hitting 10Km as we crest a bridge, I start to feel the hurt.

10K-20K, once you feel the hurt, it just gets harder. I think the first time "the hurt" happens in a race, you can hold on a lot longer, not believing the end will come. After a few races you get to know that feeling, it's inevitability. As I pulled up to the first good hill around 14K, I fought and began the self motivation, the emotional battle. By 20KM I was destroyed, my legs went home. It's the point in a race where every kilometer is an eternity, you're lacking self motivation, and hating and hurting every minute until the end. Emotionally toasted, physically exhausted! One plus though, was seeing my wife and cousins waiting for me at 18K. I was able to get a small boost and drop my jacket off. Bonus!

20K-30K, A few more hills to come. Game plan 2 arrives. Now I'm looking to achieve a 2:05. I'm stumbling and struggling to maintain some kind of pace. As we hit the first few hills after 20, I push and do alright coming over them. After I reach the top I've realized that I may have gassed out completely. As I maintain, I come around the corner to see racers climbing a hill in the distance...It can't be, this hill looks ginormous! It is...as I work my way there I'm officially decimated by this monster. At this point in the race, it's the last crack in the glass...shattered. I stumble my way to Copps Coliseum where I'm jubilant to be finished this tough race. My foot has a blister the size of a fist, and I'm emotionally riddled. Great race though, I'd love to do it again, because it kicked my ass! Next time, I'd be smarter and drop 15 seconds per km to make up for any travel and heaviness in the legs.

Here's to you a getting your ass kicked!

D