Thank You!

Three months after the marathon, the fundraising now draws to a close. I would like to thank all of you for your generous support. Together we raised

$9,143.45

I could not have done it without you—not without your generosity, encouragement and reassurance.

Thank you for following my training and fundraising progress. I loved sharing my ups and downs with you. My Boston Marathon run was a special and unforgettable event for me, and I hope to do it again one day. Until then, this blog will stay quiet. You are welcome to follow my life outside of running through my personal blog.

Thank you again for your generous donations, for your support. You made an enormous difference in the life of many. Thank you!

26.2 in 4:32:17

In Hopkington my corral was lining up on the uphill. Where is the crazy downhill everyone was talking about? Then we started walking, then running. Ah, here comes the steep downhill.

A sea of people in front of me. A few miles of making sure I am not running faster then 10 minute miles, and I reached Ashland. With so many people passing me by, I turn around, but there was still a human sea behind me. After Ashland, the area was becoming more familiar with every minute. By the time I hit the Framingham train station, I was so excited—I knew I was close to Natick, where people were going to cheer for me.

The miles between Framingham and Natick flew by as I chatted to a fellow runner. Lev was from Latvia, and has been running road races, including many marathons, for many years. We ran together till mile 16 where he stopped to say hello to his children, while I decided to run ahead.

Many of my coworkers cheering in Natick gave me an extra kick. Also, the idea that I just ran 10 miles without any significant IT band pain was exciting. My doubts about finishing were fading away, replaced by utter elation. Knowledge that I have run from Natick to Boston several times was also boosting my confidence.

The smell of fresh pine cones filled the air as we approached Wellesley College. Here I finally got to run through the “screech tunnel”, where the Wellesley College girls show off the incredible powers of their vocal chords. Yet, more amazing was the number of “kiss me” signs the girls were holding up. “Kiss me, I am Mormon.” “Kiss me, I am a virgin.” “Kiss me this Passover.” “Kiss me, I love you.” I did not get to read them all. Incredibly, numerous sweaty middle-aged men flocked to the barricades and followed the signs’ directions. Last chance? At the end of the “screech row” stood several tall young men, also holding up “kiss me” signs…

I reached Wellesley Square and cleared the half way point of the marathon. Now I was on a roll. Of course, according to the amazing DFMC coach and 1976 Boston Marathon winner, Jack Fultz, the real half point only comes at mile 17.

More people, cute dogs, the first real hill at the Route 95 overpass, and I found myself in the Dana-Farber cheering area by the Newton Wellesley Hospital. Mile 17 marker is in the relatively flat area right before the course makes its first turn ever onto Commonwealth Avenue. I felt so excited as I passed Jack’s half point in the race. Finally, I was facing major hills, as opposed to downhills for a change!

I was so excited, that the hills did not seem that bad. As I cleared the Heartbreak Hill the scenery changed. Mildly to heavily intoxicated Boston College students replaced the happily cheering families with cute labs. If you think the Wellesley girls are loud, you have not heard the BC crowd.

In training I have always found reaching the beginning of the B line depressing. Only 5 miles to the finish line, but I know these 5 miles with my eyes closed, so you cannot fool me into thinking I have only a short way to go. I thought the race day will be different, but it was not. The feeling of dread was compounded by a strong suspicion that my quads have solidified into brick, and lifting a leg was becoming an increasingly arduous task with every step. Who said that the last 5 miles are the most enjoyable? I was still hoping for running without feeling my legs as Jack promised.

People practically sit on the B line tracks along the “graveyard” mile of the course, and they do not move an inch when the trains blow the whistles and slow down to a crawl just to get by them. The familiar Washington Square and Coolidge Corner both looked unrecognizable, filled with the screaming crowds. I spent the next block debating about why Trader Joe’s is not passing out or selling anything to the crowds outside their store. Would it not boost the business? I then tried to remind myself that Nick and I have walked to Coolidge Corner, and that the John Hancock tower looming in the distance is really not that far.

I perked up after St. Paul Street. My personal cheering squad was supposed to be near Park Drive. I could see the Japanese bakery, and the True Value Hardware by St. Mary’s T stop. A little further a long there were my parents, pressed tight into the barricade. I was so excited to see them, that I did not notice Nick and my friends standing behind them. I was still looking for Nick, as I scaled up the Mass Pike overpass, the last noticeable hill on the course.

Suddenly it hit me—the screaming Dana Farber cheering squad at mile 25 on top of the overpass. It was as if the entire overpass was screaming. A sea of brown and yellow Dana-Farber shirts. This was it, the final mile. What fatigue? What pain? I could not feel any of it. I remembered Jack’s words—no one drops out in the last mile. Here was my darling dirty Kenmore square with at least 20 rows of Red Sox fans leaning against the barricades. I am sure I was not, but I felt like I was sprinting onto Hereford Street, and finally I was on Boylston running as hard as I could.
I know it sounds cheesy, but I was trying hard not to cry. I made it. I could see the enormous blue gate over the finish line, the cheering crowds behind the barricades, the sun and the beautiful blue sky. I reached the bleachers, and crossed the finish line with my arms raised high in triumph.

And the Winners Are...

Yes, I have earned my "bragging rights" by completing the 112th Boston Marathon on Monday. I ran a slow but even race, passing the half point at 2:15:13, and finishing in 4:32:17.

Between December 1, 2007, and Monday, not counting the race, I ran 364 miles. (Please refer to my complete running log if you would like to check my math.) I understand that my injury 6 weeks ago not only potentially sabotaged my marathon run, but also affected your training guesses. I am sorry, but it is really a game. Smile!

Here are all the bets--only 8 bets overall, so your chances of winning were quite high!

And the winners are:

• the closest guess to the number of training miles: May Jiang at 410
• the closest guess to my marathon time: Julie N. at 4:37:11

Congratulations! Your Amazon gift certificates will be emailed to you shortly!

Thank you, everyone, for your tremendous support!!!

Return soon to read about every detail of my race day.

Spot Me Amongst 24,999 Other Runners

Insert me here (see photo). Of course, there'll be over 500 other Dana Farber Marathon Challenge runners wearing the same singlet! Yes, we are strong!!!

You can follow my progress using my bib number, 22115, at the BAA website.

However, I hope you are out there enjoying a nice day and watching the marathon along the course, not at your computer. Wish me luck!

You, the Spectator, at the Boston Marathon

Please come and watch the race. Besides witnessing my groundbreaking marathon run, you might also find yourself inspired. Of course, I would just be beside myself with joy, if you cheered me on.

Where to watch the race from? A highly debatable question. Let’s assume you are coming from Boston, and that you have the entire day off. Even so, you might have to decide whether you want to anchor yourself in one perfect spot with a cooler and some cucumber sandwiches at your feet, or if you want to skip around and see yours truly at multiple locations.

Please refer to the course map here.

Just about any location on Beacon Street along the C line should be easy to get to and a good place to see runners in action. If you take the B line all the way to the end, you may be able to witness runners right after they have scaled the infamous Heartbreak Hill. You would be stationed near the "graveyard" mile, with the Evergreen Cemetery stretching along the course.

You could also hop onto the D line, and take it to Woodland, which will put you along Washington Street, very close to mile 17. You would be able to see runners before they hit the Newton "Flats". You should be able to make it back to the Fenway or Kenmore stop on the T faster then most people can run 8-9 miles.

You can also hop on the Framingham/Worcester Commuter Rail, and take it to any of the Wellesley stops. The most interesting is probably the furthest--Wellesley Square, which is closest to Wellesley College. You would be near the half point mark, and you will learn the power of the Wellesley girls vocal chords, where the course is sometimes refered to as the "screech tunnel". Please refer to the train schedule carefully, since the trains do not run nearly as often as the T, if you want to make it back in time to see the same people near the end of the race.

Enjoy!

P.S. Kenmore Square spectators beware: there is a Red Sox home game that starts at 11:15am. The crowds will be especially overwhelming once it gets out.

Less Than Five Days To Go

Is this a sign of excitement, stress or sheer panic? You tell me. All the recent dreams I can recall involved me running, sometimes on ice. Nowhere specific—just running. I suspect that I have also been running in those dreams which I cannot remember.

I have resolved to:

• Stop saying that I am not sure if I will be able to finish the marathon due to my IT Band injury. I have decided to drop that line of thinking. I WILL FINISH THIS MARATHON!!!
• Stop stressing over what the weather will be on race day. Nothing I can do about it. (Maybe I am only able to do it because the current forecast looks rather nice.)

Despite the resolutions above, I am still stressing about:

• Missing the BAA buses from the Boston Common to Hopkington.
• Not being able to pee right before the start.
• Having to pee in the field with 24999 other people.
• Having to pee during the race.
• Eating too little or too much on the morning of the race.
• Starting to feel IT Band pain before I reach the 10 mile mark.
• Losing my hearing while running by the screaming girls in Wellesley.
• Ok, I'll stop now.

I may have to append these lists as Monday draws near.

The Gym Marathon

To make up for not running, I simulated my 3rd 20 mile run by doing 4 hours and 15 minutes worth of other aerobic exercises at the gym today--about an hour and a half on an arc trainer, followed by about an hour and 15 minutes on an elliptical machine, and then another hour and a half on the arc trainer. At first, I was beating my head against the wall, internally of course. People happily running on treadmills in the row in front of me were not too helpful. But by the 2 hour mark I have settled down. Perhaps it had something to do with being half way done. I have accepted my plight of working out without moving a yard. Gradually I have become somewhat amused by people like Jeremy "Twitcher" Something or Other jumping and twisting in the air together with his motorcycle on the mute TV on the wall. 4 hours 15 minutes is a good time--after all I only planned on going for 4 hours, but decided to push myself for 15 minutes extra. Very satisfying. Only 22 days to the marathon. I am psyched!

The Coming Weeks of Torture

Time has come to pay for my wonderful 20 mile run in DC. I was finally able to see a physical therapist about my aching IT band today. (With the marathon coming up in just 4 weeks, everyone in Boston seems to have lined up physical therapy appointments). And the verdict is (drumroll please):

• Yes, I will probably be able to complete the marathon--my chances are higher then 50%. (Am I supposed to be happy about that number? I suppose even a healthy person's chances to complete a marathon have to be somewhat less then 100%.)
• No, I should not run at all. While running 2 or 3 miles at a time will probably not hurt me, the risk of re-injury is higher then the potential benefit.

So from now on, potentially all the way to the marathon, I will be getting super intimate with the elliptical machines at the gym. I stand 0% chance to run my 3rd and last 20 mile run this weekend. While hordes of people will be scaling the grand hills of Newton, I will be sulking in the gym.

I thought 65 minutes on the elliptical was torture (after 7.5 miles on the treadmill) a week ago! Just you wait till I do it for 4 hours this coming weekend. I sympathize with the surrounding public. Any volunteers to spin your legs next to me and keep me company for at least part of the time?

Let me just say that advice is welcome, morale requires an uplift, and pity is intolerable. Good night.

Exactly One Month Away

Hard to fathom, but the marathon is only a month away—exactly a month from today. The city of Boston has revealed 2008 Boston Marathon banners today, and I could not help but smile watching them flap in the wind on every other lamp post lining Boylston Street into Copley Square.

Earlier in the week, BAA posted bib numbers. So it is now official. I am definitely in—I have an official bib number! (Did I say that too many times? Well, I need to repeat it to myself because it is so incredible that it is hard to believe.) Here it is:

22115

I noticed many people try to glean some prophetic information from this number. I did not attempt this. However, if you wish I invite you to explore the number on your own. Do let me know if you find any interesting information about my past or future!

Running to DC

Last weekend I took the Amtrak to DC to see several close friends and celebrate their birthdays. Great company, a lot of fun, some excellent food, and a life-size David Hasselhoff. Do I have to say more? That was Saturday.

The plans for Sunday included the joy of a 20-mile run, my second one in preparation for the Boston Marathon, the loss of one hour to the Daylight Savings Time, and the speedy train ride back to Boston. The up-side was that Eric was running a couple of miles along with me, and we were taking the train together part way. Losing an hour was definitely a downside—I came all the way to DC only to spend an hour less there then I would have any other weekend!!!

Expecting a warm and sunny day and completely unprepared for 20-30 mph winds, Eric and I lost all feeling of our toes and fingers by the time we found the tunnel leading to the Capital Crescent trail near the Bethesda metro station. The trail was paved over an old train track, and ran through wooded areas leading down to the Potomac and Georgetown University. The winds were high, and the morning was chilly, but we soon warmed up and the blue skies made up for the few initial discomforts. Bidding goodbye to Eric after a couple of miles, I continued slowly down the trail downhill towards Georgetown.

The trail ended in Georgetown, and the true adventure began. My first goal was to run by the White House. I followed K Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, until I reached the barricades. As I ran past the White House I was definitely attracting the attention of a group of Japanese tourists.
I turned right at the next corner heading south towards the Mall, and the second target of my run—the Lincoln Memorial. A few minutes later I was gliding along the reflective pool through mile 11, the Washington Monument and the Capitol behind me, and Lincoln Memorial looming in front of me. Goal accomplished, I headed north. Passing some colorful rowhouses on the 25th Street, I turned back on K Street, and soon found myself back on the Capital Crescent trail.

You would think the adventure was over, but I still had about 7 more miles to go. Enjoying the smooth trail, I did a 2 mile dash which also helped my aching IT band. (Why, why, why did I stay on the side of the trail on my way from Bethesda!!!) At one point, I turned the corner, and a herd of deer dashed by me. Luckily we were separated from each other by a fence. Otherwise, it was unclear who was more scared. Up and up, I climbed back into Bethesda.

By now, the sun has come out in full, and so did the people. I hit the 20 mile mark before entering the tunnel, so I walked along a busy shopping street back to the Bethesda Metro station. Compared to my last 20-mile run attempt 3 weeks prior, Sunday’s run was definitely triumphant. However, if you are wondering why my running log has not included any runs this week, it is because I have been spinning my legs on the elliptical machine while I nurse my aching IT band back to health.

Bake Sale Results

On Tuesday, I held a bake sale at my workplace to push my fundraising along. After baking non-stop for 3 days, I was delighted by the results of the sale. Through support and generosity of my coworkers I was able to raise $494.61!!!!, which will also 100% match by my employer. THANK YOU!

As always, the bake sale was another great learning experience. Besides the lesson on dough volume, I also got a lesson on wrapping—as much as it seems like a super cute idea to wrap cookies in red colored saran wrap, I will avoid it at all costs next time. And that should not be too hard to do—I do not normally stock up on red cling wrap.

Reactions to cookies wrapped in red cling wrap:

• What kind of cookies are these bright red ones? (Probably the mildest comment)
• Are these left over from the Valentine’s Day? (It did not help that for additional cuteness I used a heart shaped cookie cutter for a good portion of the ginger bread cookies.)
• I thought you were selling burger patties

Notes for next time:

• Do not double up the Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie recipe and expect it to fit into the KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer
• Do not try to be cute and wrap cookies in red colored

Pulling the Plug on the T-Shirt Project

In the last 48 hours, no one expressed interest in my Running To Stop Cancer DFMC t-shirts I will not proceed with the project.

But not to worry. I am shifting my focus to the bake sale coming up on Tuesday.

DFMC T-Shirt Potential

Would you be interested in a DFMC t-shirt?

I am trying to gage how much interest there would be to buy a DFMC t-shirt.
These are technical fabric, white t-shirts. Sizing is unisex. The t-shirts are made in the USA by Leslie Jordan, Inc. The design will be screen printed onto the t-shirts.

The reason I need to gage interest is because it would be prohibitively expensive to order and print fewer then 25 t-shirts. So I want to see if there is enough interest to justify the order.

The price will be $27, where $11 is the cost of the t-shirt, and $16 will go directly to Dana-Farber.

It will take approximately 3 weeks for the t-shirts to come in once I place the order. So I will assess the number of completed forms in the next 48 hours to make a decision on how to proceed, and will notify everyone who fills out the form as to whether any t-shirts will be printed.

If you are interested, please feel out this form. You are under no obligation to buy anything, but it would be great if you could please fill out the form as accurately as possible.

If there is enough interest, and the t-shirts are ordered, I will bring them to DFMC group runs and meetings. If you do not live in the Boston area, I will be happy to mail them to you.

T-Shirt Order Form

CURRENT NUMBER OF T-SHIRTS ORDERED: 4

T-Shirt Sizing Chart

	XS	S	M	L	XL
Chest	32-34	35-37	38-40	41-43	44-46
Waist	26-28	29-31	32-34	35-37	38-41
Hip	32-34	35-37	38-40	41-43	44-46

T-Shirt Front Logo









T-Shirt Back Design

The Spirit of the Marathon

This past Thursday, exactly 2 months before Boston marathon, I went to see the movie, Spirit of the Marathon. Inspiring and informational, the movie follows for pro athelets, first-time and many-time marathoners through training and running the 2005 Chicago Marathon.

I do not know much about running and race history. So I was very impressed to learn about Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially enter register for the Boston Marathon, men-only event at the time.

My one complaint is that right away the movie claimed that crossing the finish line of a marathon changes your life. I am not a fan of such big, "powerful" statements. I have crossed the finish line of the Adirondack Marathon, and I don't think my life has been any different ever since.

The big statement reminded me of people asking me if my first trip to Honduras was a life-changing event. No, it was not. I think the decision to train and run a marathon, just like my decision to go to El Hogar, is the result, or the evidence if you will, of some change in outlook on life.

Not Quite 20 Miles

Today I planned to complete my first in preparation for Boston 20 mile run. Triumphantly, of course. Unfortunately, things do not always work out as planned. I felt sluggish at the start, and hit a wall at 14. (Or is it THE wall?) After 17 miles, I was running purely on self pride. After 18 miles, I only ran because I did not want to walk home. The final result—19.72 miles.

I kept coming back to the subject of car thieves shopping in CVS, which made me mad, which in turn made me run faster. Maybe I can blame the thieves for my inability to complete the mileage. On the other hand, I am convinced, that as bad I as felt on my run today, chemotherapy feels at least 100 times worse.

Thirteen

Grandma passed away 13 years ago today.

The Boston Marathon Course Beckons

Yesterday, I did my 14 mile run along the Boston Marathon course--from Wellesley College to Boston. It was a great experience--working on building up my confidence before the race. I managed to "misplace" the Heartbreak Hill and found it during my 8th mile when I was doing a mile long sprint. Oops... Hopefully I will be wiser next time.

In other news, more celebrities want to run alongside me in the race this year. While Lance Armstrong qualified for the race, and is raising money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, will join the Team Hoyt, a local charity which strives to integrate the physically challenged into everyday life.

Running For More Moments Like This

Inspiring The Youngsters

Almost a week ago Sunday I had the great honor of speaking to a small group of 9-year-olds about running a marathon. With very little knowledge of what kids at 9 years of age are like, I was very nervous. I spent most of the day Sunday trying to prepare. I decided that I would try to speak mostly in Russian. No, not as a joke. All of these kids were children of Russian immigrants like me (except that all of them were born in US), and all of us could use a little more language practice.

When I walked into the little classroom, the chatter did not die down, and I was thankful. I was very afraid of the cold expecting silence staring me in the face. Instead, I could hardly finish a sentence before little hands shot up in the air with questions ready. The kids wanted to know everything, and the questions anything and everything you could possible think of—silly, and thoughtful, and funny.

• How much money can you win?
• Is the trophy 7 feet tall?
• Do you get annoyed by little kids holding out drinks and orange slices along the course?
• Do you have to pay for the water along the course?
• How old do you have to be to enter in a marathon race?

As I was leaving a little girl stopped me and said, “Was it fun?” Her question made me feel sad, as I realized that I forgot to tell them how much fun it was to train for and run the Adirondack Marathon, and how much fun I am having right now training for Boston.

Talking to the kids was a very rewarding experience, and I hope they will go watch the Boston marathon this year with a renewed interest.

Randomness

Did you know that literally marathons save lives? (Thanks, Ryan)

Bluestocking Runner's blog, which I just came across today, has an excellent Jane Austin quote, which Nick and I were able to place immediately despite a minor modification ("walk" to "run").

"Why must she be scampering about the country... ? ... To walk three, or four, or five miles, or whatever it is... what could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country town indifference to decorum."

Thus the Bingley sisters were talking about Elizabeth after she has walked to Netherfield to see ailing Jane.