Normally, I write my blog and I add the top paragraph when I’m done. I think of something clever to get you to read the rest of the blog. But today, I’m not feeling very creative and I’m in a hurry.
Just in case you’ve never been here before, I’m a father of three and a marathon runner. My middle child, 6 1/2-year-old Jack, is severely autistic and to make a really long story short, I’m trying to run 60 marathons this year to raise money and awareness for a charity called Train 4 Autism. The long story is here.
Speaking of Jack, keep happy thoughts for us today. We’re heading up to a highly recommended DAN doctor in Los Angeles. If you don’t know what a DAN doctor is, be grateful!
E-Mail Notices
A lot of you get email notices when I post new blogs. I’m not going to send those out any more because they take up too much of my time in the morning. But you all know I post them Monday through Thursday and I have an RSS subscription.
Weekly Contest
Every week, I have a weekly contest where you guys make an easy donation to a great cause by guessing how fast I’m going to run my race. If you think I’m going to run a 3:12, you donate $3.12. It’s super easy, less than the price of a happy meal, and did I mention that it’s going to a great cause?
Last week, I changed the contest up a little bit because I had a pancake-eating contest with a fellow former big-boy named Lonnie Butler. So y’all picked who you thought would win and it was me. I took everybody who picked me, came up with a very random process and legitimately chose Jennifer Whitter of St. Louis as the winner.
This week, it’s going to be the pick-Sam’s-time contest again. I’ll get to that in a bit.
Great Weekend, Coming Right Up!
San Diego is about a 90-minute drive from my house. I have to stay down there Saturday night, but it’s going to be a nice, easy weekend for me. I’ll be able to relax at home with the family on Friday night, sleep in and then hang out with the family on Saturday. I won’t need to head down until after lunch. I’ll have plenty of time that I won’t be rushed, I’ll be able to visit with people I want to meet in San Diego, and still have enough time to relax in my hotel Saturday night.
Sunday, after running the race, getting cleaned up and then having In-N-Out with some friends, I should be home by 1 p.m. Does it get any better than that? I’m not saying I deserve a break for a weekend, but that’s what I feel like I’m getting.
Ice Cream Update
I had butter pecan with s’mores flavored Magic Shell last night. Kind of an odd combo, but it was good. Really good. I highly recommend that magic shell. I’m at 123 days on my current streak now, in case you’re keeping track.
San Diego Race Preview
Well, this is my fifth time running the San Diego Rock ‘N Roll Marathon. They’ve changed the last few miles of the course, but I don’t think it’s going to have much of an impact on how I approach the course.
The first oh, 15 or 16 miles (maybe even more) are going to be the same and I’m really not concerned enough about the changes to study the course profile before I get my packet at the expo. I saw it a few months ago and nothing stood out. For the most part, this course starts off on a gradual uphill, has a blazing fast gradual downhill at somewhere around 4 or 5, then goes into a gradual uphill at around 6-7. There’s a long, fairly difficult climb from miles 8-10 or so up the 163, and a big part of that challenge is the camber of the road. You’re running on a slant, which is tough.
After that climb, though, there’s a big, sweeping downhill where you get some time back and catch your breath, and then you roll in on an unremarkable second half.
As much as I dislike Rock ‘N Roll events, this was my first marathon, so I’ll always go back and feel at home. In 2006, I ran a 4:06 in my first full. The next year, I went 3:21, which was a 17-minute PR at the time. In 2008, I went 3:07 five or six weeks after running a 3:03 at Boston, but I didn’t feel like I really had it that day. Last year, it was humid and I chose to run at sub-3 pace even though it was 10K effort for me. Seven miles of that did me in and I bonked pretty hard, finishing in 3:31.
I have a tiny bit of a confidence problem with my 3:57 in the Minnesota sun last weekend, but I know that was a 1-in-60 kind of day. I’m feeling fairly fast right now, though, and I’m still planning on chasing a sub-3:10. I’d love to set a course PR, which would be a 3:07:11. I think that’s fairly realistic. If I was setting an over/under for Sunday, it would be 3:09.
OK, so you hear that? Now enter the contest!
That’s All For Today!
Have a great weekend, everybody. I’ll see you back here Sunday with a San Diego race recap.
I hope today goes well with the DAN doc. Like I’ve said, we have had a ton of success with ours and have seen a ton of improvement in Zach since he started seeing him. I just hope you guys will have as much luck and success with this one. Keep us posted!
As for SD…I’m feeling lucky this week! Good luck and have fun with your family:-)
We’ll be thinking of you in Ann Arbor as Asia runs her 100th race! And maybe raises some more $$$ for OJ in the process!! Good luck with the DAN doc Sam!Hopefully you’ll get some more pieces to the puzzle.
Good luck with this doctor, I hope it all goes well. I’ll be thinkin’ about y’all (could I sound a little bit more country? NO)
And S’mores Magic Shell? I’m telling you, this is the only bad thing about my great state is that we DO NOT get all these yummy ice creams and ice cream toppings. No s’mores ice cream, no root beer float ice cream–this is insanity.
But, next year, my sweet city gets an In N Out, so, it isn’t all bad.
Good luck on Sunday! Enjoy your “easy” weekend, although, I don’t think a weekend in which you run a marathon is “easy” or “relaxing” but, for someone who’s been running doubles, etc, this weekend should be a nice break.
I hope all goes well at the doc today! I’ll be thinking of Jack and your fam! And #123 on the ice cream streak?! That’s just impressive!
Those of us who do not know what a DAN doctor, still want to support your family! More info when you can. . . ;)Good luck in San Diego. You will ROCK it!
I’ve never had S’mores Magin Shell – I may have to pick some up…sounds yummy!!! Sorry today’s doctor visit wasn’t a fabulous one. Give Jack a hug from all of us!!