A Dream Realized

Thank you everybody who donated to the Multiple Myeloma Foundation in my name and to everybody who supported me over the last 5 months in preparing for the 2010 ING New York City Marathon. Yesterday was one of the greatest days of my life.
The entire experience was amazing.
At the start of training 5 miles was a lot. 10 miles seemed insurmountable.
Nearly every weekend I pushed my limits. 10 miles, 13, 16, 18. The Bronx Half Marathon and Staten Island Half were so much fun and integral to getting into full marathon shape. The 20 mile training run and 18 mile tune up w/ the New York Road Runners were vital as well.
Yesterday was amazing from start to finish.
My dad dropped me off at the Izod Center at 6:00 a.m. The bus driver didn't know the way to the Verenzanno Bridge- the start of the race! We got there an hour and a half later- and got stuck in a huge traffic jam. So me and a bus of 50 Spanish runners walked along the highway until we reached the racing village. There I had to wait 2 hours in the cold before race time. I ate bagels and wrapped myself in a blanket. The temperature was in the low to mid 40's.
I was in the 'Orange Second Wave Coral #33'.
The Marathon is a huge spectacle, almost a carnival atmosphere. Runners from around the world are there. People dressed up in crazy costumes. There are blind runners w/ guides. The amount of people on the course make it difficult to go fast. Thousands ahead and thousands behind. The course is not easy especially over the bridges. The terrain is difficult w/ a lot of uneven pavement. The aid stations are treacherous w/ thousands of cups and water and gatorade splashed everywhere. An inch thick sludge develops there. The race officials cannot clean the area because more people are running through.
The cheering crowds are amazing. Nearly the entire course is packed w/ spectators cheering the runners on. Rock bands are on nearly every block. DJ's spin records every block too! Children hand out fruit and candy. A little boy saved me at mile 11 w/ an apple slice and banana. I was getting hungry and it is impossible to distance run on an empty stomach. I made sure to drink gatorade or water at nearly every aid station.
The race was so emotional. So much time and effort put into one day. I ran hard and weaved in and out of the racers trying to keep my pace up. At mile 18 I noticed I was passing many people. The crowds up 1st Avenue are truly incredible. Thousands of cheering people urging on the runners. At mile 20 I started to pick it up. The crowds in Harlem and the Upper East Side are amazing too, constantly shouting encouragement and holding signs. At mile 25 the crowds are so intense packed up to 10 people deep on Central Park South. The last mile is uphill and that support is awesome. I tailed a fast runner the last half mile and blazed through runners. I made a sprint for the finish line up Central Park West and it was finally over. 26.2 miles in 3 Hours 49 minutes and 51 seconds!
I am incredibly sore now.
More to come later ...

The Time Is Now!

Thank you so much for your generosity! Blood cancer research is a worthy cause and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation does a great job in giving people hope for relief and a cure from this disease. Thank you very much for supporting me through 5 months of training. Thank you for your interest and curiosity and your questions about what it takes to prepare for a marathon. I am not sure yet because this is my first one but I have been running faithfully for 5 months increasing my mileage and pace. This experience has been the best time of my life. It has been fantastic to see results from my dedication and hard work. Now comes the true test and what all of this work is intended to accomplish. It will be a privilege to run on November 7. I am very anxious. I want to do my best. I want to finish. I will be running for all of my supporters, friends, and family. I promise you I will leave everything I have on the streets of New York. I will give my best effort on Sunday.
I will remember to pace myself slowly enough in the beginning to make sure I have enough to get past the wall and turn in the best performance possible. I will remember to hydrate along the way at every re-fueling station. Lots of Gatorade!
Please come to the Race on Sunday. It will be a lot of fun. Hundreds of thousands of spectators will be there to see 40,000 runners do their best in covering 26.2 miles through the 5 boroughs of New York.
Team Sears will do this!

Approaching Zero Hour

Today the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation 2010 ING NYC Marathon Team ran the final 10 miles of the official course in preparation for the race on November 7. The weather today was absolutely perfect! The sun was shining and thousands of tourists flooded New York City. The city was electric with hundreds of runners from all different teams out on the streets preparing for race day. The final leg of the race heads through the Upper East Side of Manhattan into the Bronx and back down through Central Park. There are many hills and inclines.
Coach Tom Holland was there to offer his knowledge and experience of marathon training and top performance on race day. I will be eating lots of salt and carbohydrates in the next 2 weeks.
I still have a good distance to go before meeting my fund raising goal and requirement. Thank you so much for your donation in my name. Please donate if you have not done so. It is very easy. There is not a better cause. I am working so hard to realize my goal!

10/13/10 - 16 miles starting in Summit through New Providence, Berkeley Heights & Gillette & back via Long Trail Road and River Road.

10/17/10 - 20 Miles starting in Bryant Park in Summit and climbed the hills up Mount View Road to Summit Ave to Morris Ave and then the standard 16 described above. This was a very difficult run as blisters became painful around mile 10. This won't happen again as I am back to my regular Asics running shoes.

2010 Staten Island Half Marathon

Thank you to all who have donated to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation in my name! Blood cancer research is a great cause. I am having a fantastic experience training for the NYC Marathon on November 7! My ability to run this race is only because of you.

Thousands of runners took over Staten Island today on a perfect day for running!
The race started at Richmond County Stadium across the Hudson River from Manhattan where the Staten Island Yankees play. With New York City as the backdrop the race started at 8:30 am w/ conditions of 47 degrees and sunny. The field pace was noticeably faster than the Bronx Half Marathon in August. It was evident many people had trained over the summer and cooler weather made a huge difference. The race was organized by the New York Road Runners club which did a great job as always. Many people lined the streets and were totally encouraging of the runners. The atmosphere was totally positive. I ran an excellent race prompted by the great competition. I finished in 1:37:59 and ran 7:29 per mile for 13.1 miles. I had only the typical discomfort that comes from running the distance at pace. I am very thankful to be injury free at this point in my training for the big race on November 7.
I have another long training run next Saturday. Until November 7 it's more pasta and miles and rest and stretching. The Staten Island race was a great experience. It is always fun to run a new course especially w/ runners committed to doing their best.

10/2 - 16 Miles through Summit, New Providence, Berkley Heights & Gillette.
10/6 - 8 Miles in Montclair, NJ

Entering the Home Stretch

Marathon training is going great!

9/22/10 - 8 miles in Montclair, NJ
9/25/10 17 miles in Summit, NJ
9/29/10 - 8 miles in Montclair, NJ

Eating lots of pasta and potatos. Drinking lots of water. Trying to stay injury free. I need to stretch a lot more before and after running. Staten Island Half-Marathon is coming up in 2 weeks!

I encourage people to attend the race on 11/7. It's going to be awesome. 40,000 runners w/ thousands of people cheering them on all through New York City. We can coordinate meeting up in New York and what mile marker I can look for you. Our charity team, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) will have a cheering section at Mile 18 for our team members. I will give you more information as it becomes available and as we approach race day.
Thank you to all who have donated! If you have not please do so. I will be grateful. I am working extremely hard. Blood cancer research is a great cause!

18 Miles 2010 ING Marathon Tune Up

The weather was great for this 18 mile race on Saturday 9/19 sponsored by the New York Road Runners club in Central Park, New York City. The atmosphere was totally positive as over 5,000 people ran, many in preparation for the NYC Marathon on 11/7.
My knees were sore from running 16 miles on 9/11, 5 miles on 9/13 and 8 miles on
9/15. I slept the night before the race w/ my right knee on ice. During the race, however, I felt great and ran 8:09 per mile for 18 miles. I finished in 2:26:25. I finished strong and kept a good pace on the hills. I certainly have respect for the distance and know 18 miles and 20 miles is a huge difference from 26.2.
Here on out I will be focusing on completing my fund drive total of $2,500.
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation in my name. If you have not donated please dig deep and do so. Blood cancer research is a great cause. I am privileged to run for this team. I am dedicated to the cause and dedicated to doing my best on 11/7.

Preparing For Long Distance Tune Up Run

Training has continued as scheduled. I must eat enough carbohydrates and drink fluids before each long distance run. Equally important is sufficient rest the night before. Otherwise the run is so difficult that the purpose is defeated. I must solicit more donations! Please help me out folks. I am running for the best of causes and working extremely hard. On 9/19/10 is the 18 Mile Long Distance Tune Up Run w/ the New York Road Runners in Central Park. Here I will meet other members of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation marathon team.

9/3/10 - 11 miles in Summit, NJ & Berekely Heights.
9/6/10 - 16 miles in Summit, NJ, Berkeley Heights & Gillette.
9/8/10 - 8 miles in Montclair, NJ.
9/11/10 - 16 miles in Summit, NJ, Berkeley Heights & Gillette.

The Beat Goes On

I combine strength conditioning w/ my marathon training. At least 1 day a week I hit the gym. It feels good physically and psychologically to be strong on the road when putting in the miles. And I understand it prevents injury.
Today I am still tight and a little stiff after the 20 mile run last Saturday. I was not winded on Saturday as much as my joints and muscles started to fail me as mile 20 approached. Fighting through this fatigue will be a challenge.

8/25/10 Ran the staple Montclair loop around the Cedar Knolls Reservior and back up Highland Ave.

9/1/10 Did the same run as described above. I tried a new pair of nike running shoes which I found to be lighter but w/o as much cushion as the asics I have been using. I may use the nikes for short hill climbing runs but I could feel the pounding on my feet. The asics are excellent.

Long Distance Training Run: Central Park 20 Miles

Thank you so much for your financial donations to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation in my name and your continued support in my marathon training.
Things are going great! On Saturday, 8/28/10, I completed a 20 mile long distance training run in Central Park New York sponsored by the New York Road Runners. The weather was perfect; the day was gorgeous. This was my first time running in Central Park and it was an amazing experience. I ran strong the whole distance even as fatigue set in around mile 18. All the muscles in my legs were screaming but how many times will I be at this point again? Best to make the most of it and deal w/ the human suffering later. I was very sore after the race. My muscles feel bruised more than stiff. It is still hard to walk. The race was not timed. I finished in between the 8:00 and 8:30 pace setters. I could feel the wall approaching at mile 20. Tom Holland says the best way to prepare for the wall is to keep hydrated and keep taking in carbohydrates. The rest is determination and will power.
I would love to get some advice from the experienced marathoners out there! Mom, Hop, Randi, Justine?

I am so thankful my hard work paid off at the Bronx Half Marathon. It really gives me confidence going forward as the big race day approaches on 11/7/10. I ran 8:17 per mile and finished in 1:48:35. Now comes the hard part-- long training runs of 13, 15 -18 miles. Every time I want to surrender to fatigue and walk the rest of the way home and sleep I remember there is no alternative. I read the Marathon Method by Tom Holland on a regular basis. He is a great teacher and motivator.
On 8/28/10 there is a Long Distance Training run in Central Park NY w/ the Road Runners Club. This will be an excellent opportunity to get a long distance run completed w/ pacing by professionals.

8/11/10 - I ran the traditional 7-8 mile route in Montclair in preparation of the Bronx Half.
8/15/10 - 2010 Bronx Half Marathon. 13.1 miles.
8/18/10 - I ran the same Montclair route mentioned above.
8/20/10 - Back to the Hills of Summit. I did just 5 miles here but there is a great hill climb up Mount View Rd.
8/22/10 - This is the farthest I have run to date. 16 miles starting in Summit, NJ, down Springfield Ave., through New Providence, Berkeley Heights and Gillette and then back on Long Hill Road and River Road and back up Springfield Ave. Luckily I was running down Long Trail Rd on the return as it is about 3 miles long. But I had a feeling I'll have to return and run up the hill. That will be great!

Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to my fund raising efforts. it is for a great cause. Your belief in me to do a good job gives me strength.

Bronx Half Marathon 2010

Today was a great day! What a privilege to run in the 2010 Bronx Half Marathon! 13.1 miles.
The weather was humid but not too sunny. It was perfect. Thousands of runners participated.
We were assigned to various corals according to our number. I was 5787 so I was pretty far back from the starting line. So many different kinds of runners were there to give their best on the streets of the Bronx. The course was blocked off to all traffic and there were water stops every mile and a half or so. Some residents came out to watch and were very supportive. What an encouraging atmosphere! The New York Road Runners Club did a great job. This race was one of five half marathons in each of the 5 boroughs. The last is 10/10/10 in Staten Island which I will be sure to register for.
I started out strong and finished strong. All of that hill climbing in Summit, NJ really paid off. At mile 10 I started to feel winded but I manged to keep pace w/ the other runners around me. The course was a great urban landscape. It went around a huge reservoir and main thoroughfares and up and down hills, under bridges. At mile 12 I had some gas left in the tank. With encouragement from the crowd I had enough to bring the hammer down and finish the last 2/10ths of a mile at a sprint. What a relief to have finished my first race! And and w/ strength. But at the end of the day I realize it is well short of the final goal of the New York City Marathon. And that I need to raise a lot more money for a great cause.

Thanks to all who have donated to my fund raising effort for the multiple myeloma research foundation! Steady progress has been made to the $2,500 goal. I am grateful for any and all amounts pledged. Every penny is earned mile after mile each week! The more money donated the more motivation I have each time I run. Thank you!

I am registered to run the Bronx half-marathon on 8/15/10 and the ING NYC Marathon 20 mile training run on 8/28/10. These will be excellent primers for the real thing on 11/7/10 and will help to gauge my progress since I started long distance training.

7/31/10 - Did an excellent 10 miles in the morning in Montclair at a steady pace down Highland Rd to Normal around the reservoir to Watchung to the Parkway back up to Valley Road. The heat was not bad on this day.

8/4/10 - Ran a 7 mile abbreviated version of the Montclair route laid out above. Montclair heights has many gorgeous homes in bucolic streets which are ideal for training. Completed this run at a steady as well.

8/6/10 - Ran the same 10 mile route as described on 7/31/10 in Montclair, NJ. There can be no avoidance of putting in the mileage if I am going to be successful on race day.

Cape May, NJ 2010

Had an excellent early morning run today of 9-10 miles in Cape May, NJ.

Nico and Luci morning of 7/27/10 at our house in Cape May-- 5 blocks from the beach.

Coming in at the tail end of the run!

Greeted by Zack, Nico and Lucy in front of our house on Broadway Ave. Visitors are welcome folks. Sophie and Tu were here Saturday night. Justine and Lydia arrive Thursday. I leave on Wednesday morning.

7/17/10 - 10 miles in Summit, Providence and Berkeley Heights, NJ. This was a successful & solid run of the course I could not complete the week before. I realize how important a good 8 hours sleep the night before is. It is still hot but not as much as the week before. Had a strong finish up Springfield Ave, about 1 mile uphill.

7/24/10 - Same course as above but again could not complete the entire run. Had to walk run the last mile. The heat index was over 90 at 10:00 a.m. This is likely the last time I will run this course as I am moving to Montclair, NJ, about 15 miles up the garden state parkway. I much prefer running the same course as it is safer physically and more comfortable psychologically.

7/26/10- Ben, Peggy & I, Zack, Mariana, Nico & Luci are here in West Cape May, NJ. The house is gorgeous and weather is extremely hot. The sun is intense. Heat advisory ended last night. Today I mapped a 10 mile run to North Cape May for early on 7/27/10.

7/3/10 - 5 miles in Valley Green, Philadelphia on Forbidden Drive.

7/5/10 - 7+ miles in summit w/ steep climb for 1+ miles up Summit Road towards end of route. This route is a staple of mine. 95+ on the heat index this day.

7/8/10 - 5 miles in summit w/ steady hill climbing up Mount View Road.

7/11/10 - 8 miles in Summit, NJ down Springfield Ave through New Providence & Berkeley Heights and back. 90+ heat index. Most difficult run yet. Had to run- walk the last 2 miles.

Today marks the kickoff of my 2010 ING NYC Marathon fundraising effort! Thanks to Justine for getting me started on my daily blog. I am already up to 20-25 miles per week but there are many miles to cover before race day on November 7. Thanks to Claire for her motivation in getting this dream put into action and connecting me to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
Please help me reach my goal of raising $2,500 for MMRF with a donation today. The goal of this foundation is to find a cure for blood cancer which remains the most deadly of all cancers. 93% of all funds raised go towards research, not administrative overhead. It is money well spent. Every penny will be earned over every mile up every hill every week and on race day itself.
Thank you!
Josh