SalsMiles2

My first rule of swimming in a public pool is that men should not wear white trunks that become see-through after you get wet. If all you own is white trunks, then at least stay in the pool and and keep swimming, don't get wet, then walk, or strut around on the deck letting "it" all hang out. Really, we don't need to see that. Jan swam 1700 yards and I swam 1400, in a lane far away from white trunks man. The divider that is usually in place at 75 yards was removed, boy it is a long way to the far end of the pool! The pool temperature was like bath water.

Construction is rampant throughout Rochester now. It's good that the roads are being taken of, it stinks that they have to do every major route through and around the county all at the same time. This means there are no alternate methods of getting to or from work. This means it takes extra time to go home. It also means there are days the commute can cut into workout time. In other words, we didn't swim last night. We drank Southern Comfort instead. Maybe tonight we will swim?

Here's my pet peeve for today: If you aren't handicapped, don't use devices set up for handicapped people. Use those things called muscles. We have a button you can push to automatically open the doors to the library. This is a useful feature, especially if you are in a wheelchair or using crutches, or if your arms are too full while you are carrying in books or other items. But it is incredible how many able bodied people use the button because they are too lazy to push the door! Our society is filled with sloths masking as people. I feel better now. Jan put her bike in the basement on Monday and got up before work Tuesday morning to ride indoors 15 miles. After work she ran 8 miles. This morning was a six mile run with Eileen, starting before 6am. Tonight she will be at the pool for a one mile or so swim.

Several training partners are competing in the Steamtown Marathon on October 7. Mike W., Lou, Mike M., Andy, and Pete will all be attempting Boston Marathon qualifying times. With their great training over the summer I'm sure they all have legit chances at reaching their goal. In case they don't feel so confident and attempt to push the next two weeks, here are some miscues typically made and what you should do, according to a November 2007 Running Times article by Greg McMillan. (I'm paraphrasing, not direct quotes). Try to minimize non-running stressors at work and home over the next 12 days. So, beg for less chores, let the grass grow, don't work overtime, take an extra day off from work this week, find ways to have fun and relax, like watching the Yankees take over first place from the Red Sox. Don't get too worked up in the day or two before the race. Review your positive workouts and races leading up to the marathon, focus on the opportunity the race provides ...

Jan has ramped up her Disney marathon training, completing a 14 mile run on Friday and 10 miles on Sunday. Jan is swimming a couple of miles a week, but has yet to get back on the bike. Congratulations to Eileen for a third place age group finish in the FingerLakes Triathlon on Sunday. It was a beautiful day for racing and there were over 700 participants in the sprint and Olympic distance events. Eileen competed in the Olympic event.

Thanks to coach Augie and Andrea for taking photos of Jan's Ironman race. To the left is Jan after the 2.4 mile Ohio River swim. She beat the Hawaiian Ironman qualifiers in her age group by 8-10 minutes in the swim portion of the race. Jan getting on her bike to begin the 112 mile ride in the hot, hot sun. Jan beginning the marathon.

Saturday afternoon Jan and I went to a shifting clinic at the Full Moon Vista bike shop on St. Paul street in Rochester. Owner Scott Page talked about and demonstrated shifting techniques to a group of six of us. Jan and I both came away with more knowledge of how, why and when to shift as well as the mechanics of the bike.

Sunday, September 16, is the Preferred Care Rochester Marathon . Neither Jan nor I are running in it, but we will be working at the timing chip station before the race. Hopefully there is some hot coffee brewing since we have to be there at 4:45 am. The weather looks great for the race, 45-65 degrees for the day. The course is pretty flat, with some small rollers. Several miles of the marathon and 21k race are along the Erie Canal path and Riverwalk trail near the University of Rochester. The finish outside of Frontier Field should be exciting. Good luck to Marty, a newby Sal's member, who is racing the marathon and hopes to break 4 hours. Also Mike and Eileen are running together in the 21k race. A couple other Sal's people are using the 21k as a marathon pace training run as they prepare for Steamtown Marathon in October. Jan and I hope to get in an easy bike workout after our volunteer time is up, by riding around the course and cheering the runners on. Norm Frank, an amazin...

Amanda, Jan and I signed up today for the runner's retreat at Disney . I wasn't sure if this was a good idea and was surprised when everyone running with the Sal's group last Saturday thought it would be good. For $50.00 we get treated like elite runners (I hope). If it's raining we can stay dry before the start. We really hope the retreat makes marathon morning less stressful. Here is what is included in the package, as written in the marathon email newsletter; "are you looking for the ultimate way to experience the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon Weekend? Treat yourself before and after the race with a trip to the Runners' Retreat! By purchasing the Runners' Retreat Package, you will receive exclusive pre and post race access to the Runners' Retreat which will include: Heated or cooled Tent Pre-race hot and cold beverages, fruit and bagels Post-race beverages and snacks Carpeted area for stretching Exclusive baggage check On-site restroom facilities Speci...

Day one of Jan's Disney Marathon training began on Monday, September 10 with a rest day! She is using a plan from Pete Pfitzinger's book, Advanced Marathoning. Jan used this book for the 2003 Wineglass Marathon , finishing in 3:36 and 8/62 in her age group. My marathon training plan is to do anything to beat Jan at Disney and have us both qualify for Boston 2008/2009.

Half-marathon. The name frustrates me. That is a long way to race, but if you tell a non-runner, or sometimes even a runner, that you are competing in or just completed a "half-marathon" they wonder why you couldn't do the whole thing (meaning 26.2 miles). This is true even though most non-runners don't really know how long a marathon is. All they know is you could "only" run half! I like the distance. You can race it and recover much more quickly than a marathon. A 13.1 mile race demands stamina, pacing, endurance. You don't really need to carbo load. If you tell a non-runner you raced 13.1 miles, they will be duly impressed, and well should be. Don't say you ran a half-marathon. Is a 5k called 1/2 10k? No. So why is 13.1 miles called a half-marathon? It does the distance a disservice. I'm starting a movement and from hereafter will strike the term half-marathon from my vocabulary. Anyone want to join?

We registered for the Walt Disney Marathon , being held January 13, 2008. Registration for the 13.1 mile race and the marathon is now closed. Our daughter, Amanda, will also be running the race, for the second time. Amanda is the one who convinced us to come down and run, and me to forget about my promise never to run another marathon. Amanda is a firefighter/emt in the Orlando area, also a Disney employee, so she thinks seventy degrees is a cool day. Amanda promises it will be the perfect temperature and low humidity on race day. If not, I'm having my photo taken with every Disney character I see on the course and taking seven hours to finish. But this is it! Unless I qualify for Boston. Then that is it! Really. No more marathons. This should be easy for Jan. Just a marathon. She doesn't have to swim or bike first. No problem.

Jan has cooked dinner at least four times since we returned from Louisville! That is four times more than she cooked in the previous three months (stopping to pickup a pizza doesn't count as cooking dinner). Jan swam once last week, for a mile, has run a few miles, and we biked very easy on Sunday for 12 miles. I think coming down from all the training, feeling like you have to exercise 1-3x a day, has been a little difficult. But it is also vital to long-term health, getting refreshed mentally and physically and not incuring some chronic injury.

It's official! Jan just entered the Louisville Ironman for 2008. Next year the triathlon will be held on August 31, which is Labor Day weekend. This will be great for planning time at the race. We just made reservations at the Galt House, which will again be the host hotel for Ironman. After considering Florida and other Ironman tri's, it just seemed to make sense to go for Louisville again. Jan knows the course, her support crew know their way around and she is more determined than ever to finish the entire distance. Hopefully Louisville won't set a heat record like they did for August 2007.