A History of Running 2.0

So I covered my Glory Days a few weeks back, so I thought this week I would bring my running history to current times.  Shortly after high school, I stopped running all together (let's call it---discovering new found freedoms).  Though there was one day in college where I intended to wake up early on a Saturday to run, only to have my girlfriend (now wife) laugh and laugh.

We hear all of our lives that in our teens and twenties we feel invincible, and at somepoint in our thirties we start to sense our mortality.  That was certainly the case for me.  In January of 2008 I was 33 (almost 34), had two kids (2 and 4), was the heaviest I have ever been in my life 225 lbs, and began to see my mortality.  I was coming to grips with the fact that I have genes that most assuredly means that I will at somepoint in my life suffer heart disease of some sort, so I decided to act.

I still remember the first day I strapped on a pair of running shows and decided to head out on a cold February day.  I could only run about a quarter of a mile or so at a time.  I remember feeling embarrased at the time.  I read something from Hal Higdon that changed my view point, and that is "there is nothing shameful or embarrasing about having the courage to put yourself out there".  So I clung to that statement as I fought through those first difficult several weeks.  As the weeks went by I started to gain more confidence and stamina.  Over the next month I was able to get to the point where I was able to run a three mile circuit without walking.  So clearly the next logical challenge was to compete in a marathon, right?

Well at least in my diranged mind that was the next logical step.  I signed up for the Chicago marathon which was to be held in October 2008.  I had given myself 6 months to train, and I went in thinking baby steps.  Like a good scientist I set up a meticulous running schedule and kept a spreadsheet to track my runs.  Over the next six months I gained strength, lost about 40 lbs, gained confidence, and felt as though I was changing my future.  This was the summer that kick-started my healthier existence.

I will save the details of the marathon for a later post...let's just say it did not go well for now.

I got through my first marathon experience and was still excited about running and have kept it going since.  I battled injury on and off throughout most of 2009, but kept the faith and kept putting myself out there.  I got over my injury around September of last year and have been running on a consistent basis since that time.  This past spring I completed the 500 mini-marathon (meeting my goal time) and this summer I partcipated in a team run across Michigan that challenged my idea of what my body can handle.  Like all things there are days I am more excited about getting out there then others.  It's funny, I often get the most out of the days that I don't want to put myself out there but do (another one of those life lessons I'm sure). 

Scorecard:  A special thanks to my mom and dad for watching the kiddos on Saturday so I could get out and do my long run (17 miles...which went very well).  Weekly mileage hit 35 this week.  I unfortunately have come down with the flu, so am hoping for a quick recovery.

Flight versus Invisibility

Last week on our way home from Chicago we listened to an episode of This American Life entitled Superpowers.  One of the acts asked a simple question: You have been granted one superpower and you have to chose between flight and invisibility. 

It was an interesting debate.  Flight was portrayed as a virtuous superpower that only the truly selfless would chose, while invisibility was made out to be perverse power that would only be used to satisfy our most basal needs (think stealing and peeping tom).  Peggy knew right away which one she would chose...Flight (so did most of the people interviewed).  I on the other hand felt fairly indifferent about either superpower (if those powers alone really can be classified as a superpower).

I thought about this for longer then I care to admit during my run today.  On one hand, is the power of flight really so virtuous?  Sure you could fly around town delivering meals to the homeless or delivering that extra special piece of mail to a member of our military in the Middle East.  I am sure there are other virtuous uses, but wouldn't most people really just use their power of flight to satisfy their own needs (think dinner in Thailand or sunset in Hawaii)?

And does invisibility really mean stealing at your whim and cowardly self mutilation is your only motive?  I tried to think of how invisibility could be used for good.  Invisibility could allow you as a parent to view your child in a different light by watching them with their friends unchecked, giving you new insight to who they are as people.  Invisibility could be used to monitor politicians in those back room meetings to ensure that they are truly upholding the people's values and not simply their own.  You could monitor your local favorite Chinese restaurant to make sure they aren't serving neighborhood pets in their General's chicken.  Think about it you could expose so many unsavory truths in this world making it a better place!  I concede that the pure nature of invisibility does make it more on the edge than flight, which could lead you down the path of evil, but I disagree that by choosing flight you are somehow choosing a more virtuous path.

I am still unsure of which power I would select.  Peggy, an introvert, made a statement that certainly rang true to this introvert, and that is...I have spent most of life invisible so why would I select invisibility?  This is a good point, but I have to imagine there is something different than the invisibility made popular by Burt Campbell in the late 70's and true invisibility.  So which one is it...

Scorecard:  Total mileage hit 33 this week.  Long run completed today was 15 miles.  Body aches almost all the time, but I am feeling strong. 

What is Dyslexia? or Difficulty with Words.

So what is dyslexia? Well Rosie Hickle (Executive Director of the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana (DII)) did a better job then I ever could of defining dyslexia during her
recent appearance on Indy Style on Friday (follow the attached link).

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/indy_style/health/dyslexia%2C-who-does-it-affect%3F

Rosie's words define our families experience with dyslexia, and I imagine countless other Hoosier households.  It is the work DII does that allows children who suffer the effects of dyslexia to rise above this disability and meet their full potential.  The work the DII does on a daily basis allows parents to sleep at night.  It is because of this daily work that I decided to do what I could to help raise money for this great and valuable organization. 

If you have committed to donating, again I want to thank you.  If you have not yet made that commitment, please consider a donation.  I think we often think, "well, I am not able to donate $50 or $100 so what good is a $5 donation?"  $5 gets us that much closer to giving a young person and their family the opportunity to experience the hope that DII provides students and their families on a daily basis.  And through your donation you will be a part of creating that hope.

Scorecard:  Celebrated 10 years of marriage to my beautiful bride on Thursday September 2nd.  Weekly mileage hit 30 this week.  Took a step back from the long run this week with a focus on quality shorter runs, with a 10 mile run on Saturday.