Wow - it's been awhile. Back on my feet, my first Yoga Class and Hitting the Ice!

Well, like it said above, wow - it's been awhile and it's been an interesting time for both me and Teens Run Westchester. First off, we are piloting our first ever Winter Training Program with an eye towards the participant running in the Celebrate Life Half Marathon. I want to respect their confidentiality so suffice to say, they are a nonprofit that is doing exemplary work with youth from throughout Westchester County. On January 15th, we began the program by simply having the group run a mile to get a gauge for their various paces. I'm thrilled to say that I have no doubt that every one of these teens have it in them; they have the natural tools to run for long distance i.e. a half marathon. The challenge has been more about outside elements - the weather, training on dark winter nights. Bottom line, we are going through a very positive and instructive learning process. And in the process, I do believe we're doing very good work with these teens.

One of things that is really fantastic to see from an organizational perspective is the development of our mentors and their leadership. John Rubsam (and I hope he doesn't mind me mentioning him here) is a doing a fantastic job as the Project Leader for this pilot program. In this role, which is new to TRW, John is managing the relationship with the partner nonprofit, leading the runs and generally overseeing the progress. The other two mentors that are part of the team, Katie and Marie, are also amazing! What's very cool to me is that while I wasn't looking to step back, other people in our organization are really stepping up as leaders. And that's truly the only way TRW will grow. And so it will. Which leads me a bit to my own personal story....

Over the last several months, it seems that my feet decided to declare all out war against me and the running. In retrospect and in all fairness, they had every right to - but more on that later! Here's the story -

Right after Hurricane Sandy, my wife and I went to Toronto where she is doing some consulting work. In fact, we were very fortunate- since we lost the power in our home, we drive to Canada where the organization she's consulting for had provided housing WITH ELECTRIC and everything. My first day in Toronto, and just three weeks before I was scheduled to run in the Philadelphia Marathon, I decided what better way to get to know Toronto than do my 2nd to final long run (20 miles) along the main drag of the city. And so I did. And it was good. Until the next day when, after my recovery run, my left foot was twice it's normal size. What I initially thought was a stress fracture was really just a bunion on my left food screaming in pain. To keep this short - and I know I've written about this before (sorry about the rep), stayed off the foot for a week, let it heal and yes, incredibly brilliantly, still ran the marathon. After, did an overly aggressive recovery schedule because....

Fast forward three days before Christmas and I've gotta start training for the Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon on 2/17. I had done this one before, really liked it and in fact, had one of my better times. So I was really looking forward to it and even hoping for some improvement. NOT! I went out for a long run (14 miles) and the next day was in agonizing pain. But very different kind. In fact, it was on the other foot and could barely walk. Again, don't want to bore you with more details. Bottom line, in the course of the last month, I've learned that I have bunions on both feet, heel spurs on both and plantar fasciitis much more so on my right - it's pretty likely that's due to the overcompensating for the bunion on my left. So am I stopping?? No. But as I stated initially, this is clearly my feet saying that as much as I may love this and doing all the runs with the teens, my 48 year old feet aren't quite willing to keep the same work schedule.

No, I'm not stopping but am a strict schedule of no more than 3/4 days of running of which 3 will be easy - and I do mean easy. I've also been reading and practicing Danny Dreyer's ChiRunning. It does seem to be helping but I'm not going to make a full out pitch for it quite yet. Finally, I'm off my favorite running shoes, Newtons, for a bit in favor of more supportive Mizunos. I guess the times they are a changing..

I've also tried my first two yoga classes and they've been a combination of challenging, entertaining and helpful. The challenging part is that this stuff is hard. Especially when you (presently) have limited flexibility and feet aren't exactly in grip mode. The class I went to on Friday was entertaining... It was me and six women. The teacher started off by asking me if I was OK with six women and working on our butts. I said that's fine - I'll sit in the back! But it wasn't for any reason but so that they couldn't see how lame I was at all these poses. And I'm still not clear on all the spiritual stuff - but it is kind of relaxing.

But today, I truly found my #1 alternative for my non-running days. I started my hockey lessons today and I have to say I have a renewed appreciation for this sport which I have loved since I was like 5 years old and I watched the Philadelphia Flyers win the Stanley Cup. I always dreamed of being out on the ice with all that cool equipment and playing this awesome game. I got a little taste of it when I was about 11 or 12 and went to some hockey clinic where I grew up. But it was just once or twice.

I had a 1/2 hour lesson with a coach that was a great workout. But even better was after, the ice was free for another hour for practice and I just kept skating and practicing and probably wouldn't have stopped but my legs were definitely beat. Very psyched to keep working on it. And this will be great for some other updates I will be sharing in the next few days.

If you're still reading this long blog, glad you're interested, feel free to comment, yawn, laugh or cry. Shanti Shanti (as they seem to say at the end of yoga!)

And we're back

And we're back....

Yes, it's been quite a while since I've done a post and that's for any number of reasons; typical holiday distraction, business, lack of real content - the list goes on and on.

But I am happy to be doing this again. Personally, the end of the year was a bit of a mixed blessing. We had a wonderful holiday where we (while let me give my wife quite ample credit as she does most of the work) had at any given time somewhere between 18 and 20 people at our home. This included a lovely Christmas Eve Dinner as well as celebration on Christmas Day. What was most amazing of all was that, since we (my wife and I) were heading to Toronto on the day after Christmas, we had the place completely vacant (all guests had checked out of the inn) and clean. That includes the Christmas tree.

OK, this is a semi-Seinfeld riff - and maybe it has to do with being Jewish- but I really feel crummy about just tossing the tree out the next day it's like a dead body. I mean there it is in your house, decorated to the nines, everybody staring at it likes it's some sort of semi-god. And then on December 26th; it's as useless as a bucket with a whole in it that has to be tossed ASAP. While I know that lots of people keep them around for awhile, I still feel really bad when I drive around in early to mid January (NOW) and see these unwanted trees just waiting to get trashed along with smelly garbage. Some day, someone really entrepreneurial is going to come up with some wonderful use for these trees. They have to!

Anyway, why a mixed blessing? Well, to try to look at the positive, I can only say that my health at the end of 2013 has to be better than I've started out with. It started a few days before Christmas. To get my training kicked off for the Ft. Lauderdale Marathon which is on February 17th, I did a 14 mile run. Very even, nice pace from Yonkers to Tarrytown. I initially felt good after. A day or so later, my left foot starting feeling the way it felt back in November before I almost bowed out of Philly.

I decided to give it some space and it actually started to feel a bit better. So, being me (not always smart) I decided to do some speedwork on the day of Christmas eve. Big mistake. My foot felt fine during the run but was toast by an hour after. To the point where I was hobbling around on Christmas Day. I guess the only pleasure I can take is that I kind of felt like Bruce Wayne/Batman in the beginning of the Dark Knight Rises when he was hobbling around. That's as close as I'll probably come to being Batman.

OK, more rest. In fact, I kept on the bike until January 2nd. Thinking I must now be OK, I did a very, very light run on a treadmill. While it felt OK while I was doing it, an hour after, the pain was so excruciating I thought I'd pass out.

As I'm reading all this, really depressing so I'm done. Bottom line, between the feet and a flu which I hope is on the way out, my new year has started out anything but healthy. Hope better things are to come!! Bottom line, I have a feeling the Daily Runner might be the Daily Biker or Daily something else for a bit.

On a happier note, thrilled that Teens Run Westchester is starting it's first ever Winter Training Program this Tuesday January 15th. Looking forwards to keeping you up to date on that.

Actually, lots of other stuff to write about but this is really long already so to be continued...