Happy Birthday Dad / Log 14

Today my Dad would have turned 71 years old. All I can say is that my Dad was there for me. He would have given me the shirt off his back and I always felt supported and loved. He was my biggest champion. I have many fond memories of my time with Dad, but now that he's gone it's the simple things that I hold most dear. We miss you Dad and we love you always.



What follows is an excerpt from my Dad's Memorial Book. He had five brothers and one sister. This excerpt was written by Dad's older brother Dave and may give you an idea about who my Dad was:

Treasured Memories of my brother Fred.....

Today, as I begin to write down a few memories of my brother Fred, I'm seated at our original dinning room table in the kitchen of our childhood home where our family once gathered so long ago. As I gaze through the rooms of our small home, some knickknacks and furniture yet remain in place just as they were when Fred and I were youngsters. They evoke a flood of wonderful memories from the past.

Thanksgiving, on through Christmas and New Years, provided some especially fond memories. It is at this same table, where I am now typing my tribute Fred, that our family shared so many happy holiday meals and where afterwards , we might play poker with our Dad...just for fun. Even our sister and brother, Carol and Roy, who were quite young back in the late 1940s and early 50's, would join in and help stack chips for our Dad. And, it was also on this table that Fred and I would spend many happy hours together playing "Authors", "Easy Money", "Camelot", and game after game of "Chess"... our favorite! I can't recall who was better at "Chess" in those early days, but I found out in later years that Fred was unbeatable.

I remember, during the summer when school was out, Fred and I would sometimes walk up to the railroad tracks. It was about a quarter of a mile away from home where there was runoff water that formed small ponds. It was an adventure to Fred and I. The water was murky and not all that inviting, but somehow it was a home for tadpoles and frogs that Fred and I would try to scoop up using our homemade dip nets.

A special hobby Fred and I shared was stamp collecting. Our Dad had saved many old letters he received during 1920s, 30's and 40's, and had stored them in boxes. With great excitement and anticipation, Fred and I would rummage through Dad's old correspondences hoping to come across a stamp we hadn't seen before. The stamps were of little value, but the memories were priceless.

Fred Akers(High School Senior)



A constant throughout Fred's life was his dedication to the ideals he held dear. His tireless support of so many political causes set a high standard for all of us to follow who love our country as he did. He was a true patriot. I believe had he lived during the American Revolution, he would have stood tall with our founding fathers.

The most important memory I have to share about his kindness, love, and support he gave to others...he was a deeply caring brother. I remember the time Fred, my brothers and I were taking care of our elderly father on a daily basis. One evening when I was caring for our Dad I mentioned to Fred on the phone that we had run out of Dad's cough medicine. We agreed that one of us would pick it up the next day.. It was a cold, rainy and I was watching TV as our Dad slept in the nearby bedroom. A short while later, there was knock on the door...it was Fred. He was wearing his familiar overcoat and his old brown hat with the rain dripping off the brim, and holding a bag containing Dad's new supply of cough medicine. This is Fred doing what he did so well, lending a hand in a time of need.

I can never forget when our younger brother Roy was battling cancer. Fred traveled to UCLA to consult with specialists, purchased medical journals, and personally took Roy and his wife Virginia to City of Hope to obtain further treatment; no brother could have done more.


above: Uncle Roy, Dad, Uncle Arnold

The last time Kay and I talked to Fred, he had called to extend his sympathy about a friend of ours who had passed away, Even in his own suffering, Fred was still thinking of others.

I feel so blessed to have had Fred for my brother. His courage, determination and love for others will forever inspire me. I will miss him so, and will always treasure the memories we shared together.

May God bless you Fred.

With love, your brother Dave


I'm off for a trail run up the old Mt. Wilson Trail. After, I'll go and help our Team in Training wash cars and earn a few bucks for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. More later............

Well, I spent an hour or so writing my thoughts and lost it with a computer snafu...Let's just say a lot of beautiful scenery, company and trail dirt! Today the stresses of the world vanished. It was me and the trail and the other people on the trail. What was important was getting up to Manzanita Ridge in good time.




1000 year-old oak at Orchard:


(below)Tom and his Daughter washing cars and washing out cancer


Monday - Rest
Tuesday- 7 miles Old Mount Wilson Trail To Orchard Camp (great)
Wednesday - 5 miles Rose Bowl Trails
Thursday - 6 miles Rose Bowl Trails (too fast)
Friday - Rest (Doc Smith maintenance)

Step Back Weekend

Saturday - planned on 9, but legs weren't feeling right. Concerned about my quad. Ran 7 and felt better. To be safe I hopped in the pool and aqua-jogged for an hour.
Saturday I did a double take on a bumper sticker at the Pasadena Aquatic Center. It said, "Smile... It's Not A Commitment"

Below GO TEAM


Manzanita Ridge



Sunday - 11 miles - Mt Wilson Trail to Orchard to Manzanita Ridge. A lot of climbing and some great downhill. Great day.

Small Spring below Orchard Camp

Positive Vibrations

Life is one big road with lots of signs
so when your trodding through the ruts don't you complicate your mind
flee from hate, mischief and jealousy
don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality
~ Wake Up and Live, Bob Marley

Sophomore year of high school I was getting ready for a football game. I stepped outside to the outdoor basketball courts to put on my shoulder pads when I heard some music that I'd never heard before. The soulful sounds were coming from the student parking lot. Reggae, not exactly the type of music one listens to in preparation for a football game! Nonetheless the song stuck with me.

The next day I inquired to my older brother the name of song and the artist. The singer of the gospel tinged song was Bob Marley and the song was No Woman No Cry from the Live album.

I gathered up what little money I had and asked my Dad to drive me to the now defunct Mobey Disc record store in Pasadena. Dad kindly agreed. Dad scoured the classical record selection and I found the reggae goldmine. My first two reggae tapes were Bob Marley's Live and Burnin'.

It would take some time but eventually Dad grew to like some reggae and I became more open to his classical tastes.

Years of collected amassed more than 400 reggae cds. I don't purchase much new reggae anymore. I think I have enough to keep me going. There's something about this music that hits home for me. As trite as it may sound I use it to inspire and to lift me up when down.

Some think reggae is all about dreadlocks, ganja and good times. While some songs reference these themes the foundation of reggaes message is the idea of uniting people, peace, overcoming obstacles and freedom. It's listened to around the world by all types of people. Freedom fighters played Marley's tunes in the bush during Zimbabwe's war to gain independence from Great Britain. White kids in Beverly Hills can be heard blasting "irie tunes" from their BMW's. A music that evolved from mento, ska, and rocksteady in Jamaica reggae is now international with bands and singers in every corner of the world.

A show on PBS this evening inspired this post. Check out playingforchange.com for some great music from around the world. This is one cd I will be purchasing. Made up of lesser known, but very talented musicians this looks like a keeper.

Log 13. Perspiration, Inspiration, Precipitation

This last week, especially this weekend, had been one of the most inspiring in quite awhile. I use the word 'inspired" quite a bit when I talk about Team In Training. I've yet to find a more accurate word.

Check out the video below to find out more about Team in Training and what we do. I have a brief spot towards the end of the video. I have yet to get a call from any Hollywood agents:





M - Rest
T - Aqua jog 1 hr
W - 4 miles AM / 4 miles PM (heavy legs PM)
R - 5 miles / felt good
F - Rest

Friday - I helped man the Team in Training booth at the Pasadena Marathon expo. I met a bunch of interesting people including a woman who started an organic clothing line, a guy who gave me some good advice for my upcoming ultra, someone who runs barefoot, and Dane 52.

The Weekend



Sat - 18 miles coaching the TEAM and then some. Our small but mighty TEAM did great. I felt pretty good throughout the whole run. Afterwards I joined the Summer Team's Potluck and enjoyed some good food and great company. Alfredo is the grillmaster and their version of glycogen recovery goes against all sound nutritonal advice.




Sunday - 13-15 miles

Up at 4AM , a bowl of oatmeal, a glass of orange juice, a leg of chicken and I was off to coach / run the inagural Pasadena Half Marathon.

About a dozen Spring 09 SGV TNT used this race to train for the upcoming L.A. Marathon. They all did great! Some came through with personal bests and some limped through the finish.

Mother Nature dropped a sheet of rain at 6:25AM five minutes before the start. In a feable attempt to stay dry runners scattered for cover. Excitment hit the crowd as people hooped and hollered. I went to grab my shell out of the car and as soon as I did the rain stopped. I wound up running the half with TNT alum Megan as she pushed for a personal best. At around mile six we were again treated to wind and a heavy rain. I loved it! How often do we get a chance to run in the rain?

Megan set a new personal best in the half improving her time by 12 minutes! She's been training long and hard for this event and it payed off. She did great!

After running with Megan to the finish I turned back on the course to run with our TNT runners. Everyone on our team finished...some had great races and others were just happy to see the finish. Regardless, they had a unique experience. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.

For a first time event I would say this marathon and half marathon was a success. The only snafu wound up being the parking. Folks were still waiting to park as the gun went off. Perhaps that's not the fault of the race organizers though.

The half course was mostly flat with a only one challenging hill. I would give it a thumbs up for scenary too as we ran through some nice neighborhoods, Old Town Pasadena, and the Rose Bowl.

Did I mention that the downpours were great!

This weekend was one of my best training weekends to date. It was a treat to be out there with so many friends and I'm pleasantly surprised with how my legs felt on Sunday.

Aloha Winter. Aloha Spring

I'm sorry to see Winter go. What does that mean in Southern California? We need more rain, we need more adverse weather! We're spoiled. When it comes to adverse weather we're soft. Drizzle calls for "Storm Watch" on the news and we're treated to camera shots of water going down a storm drain.

Californians are fickle when it comes to weather. When it's hot people complain and moan for cooler temps and moisture. When we have a cold snap... the opposite.

Here's to a So-Cal Spring cold snap snafu to throw everything out of whack!

Monday -
Rest

Tuesday -

Aqua-jogged 1 hour.
Legs were a bit trashed from the weekend so I exercised PATIENCE and
hopped in the pool. Three showers later and the chlorine still rose from
the skin. I'm still itching like a dog in a flea circus!

Wednesday -

8 miles total - Split up into an AM Run and a PM run. The morning run
felt good. My legs were heavy during the PM run.

Thursday -

Time for some uphill and downhill. Echo Mountain once again for 5.4 miles. Hazey and sticky late afternoon. I always feel better after a run than before.

Spring has sprung! The grasses are growing, the
wild mustard is flowing and the blossoms are growing!

Today I was heading down the trail when I almost blew out my ankle. My mind was on what I would do after the run. I was thinking about buying gum of all things. It was then...when my LD 50 dreams almost snapped.

My mind drifts when running. I thought of pizza, Anne Frank, the LD50, The Van Morrison remasters, burritos, counting lizards and other random thoughts that I don't recollect.

Watch out for the rocks!

George Sheehan the running philosopher has a great quote that says something like "running cleanses the soul better than any shower can reach".

Friday will be a rest day for a big training weekend ahead

Irish Mountain Running

Here's Céad Míle Fáilte to friend and to rover
That's a greeting that's Irish as Irish can be
It means you are welcome
A thousand times over
Wherever you come from, Whosoever you be

I want to dig up an old Runner's World magazine that I have somewhere. There's a fun article on Irish mountain running in it. From what I recall those in the the IMRA are pretty hardcore in terms of the inclines they run and the pubs they visit afterwards.

Mud, moss, rocks and a pint of Guinness as your recovery meal. Sounds like a fun time.

The Broad Majestic Shannon (Written By Shane McGowan)

The last time I saw you was down at the greeks
There was whiskey on sunday and tears on our cheeks
You sang me a song as pure as the breeze
Blowing up the road to Glenaveigh
I sat for a while at the cross at finnoe
Where young lovers would meet when the flowers were in bloom
Heard the men coming home from the fair at Shinrone
Their hearts in Tipperary wherever they go

Take my hand, and dry your tears babe
Take my hand, forget your fears babe
Theres no pain, theres no more sorrow
Theyre all gone, gone in the years babe

I sat for a while by the gap in the wall
Found a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball
Heard the cards being dealt, and the rosary called
And a fiddle playing sean dun na ngall
And the next time I see you well be down at the greeks
There’ll be whiskey on Sunday and tears on our cheeks
For its stupid to laugh and its useless to bawl
About a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball

So I walked as day was dawning
Where small birds sang and leaves were falling
Where we once watched the row boats landing
By the broad majestic Shannon
Sung by Liam Clancy


May you have warm words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night,
and the road downhill all the way to your door.



Slainte!

Log 12

Dinah Shore sang What A Difference A Day Makes. In my case, I'd have to say what a difference a week makes.

This is the first week in awhile where I was free of physical setbacks. As the week progressed each run felt better and I ran stronger.

T - 5 miles trail
W - 5 mile trail
R - 5 mile trail

Saturday - 10 miles with TNT

Sunday - 16 miles on the LD50 course

I parked my car at the PCT trail about 23 miles from Castaic on Lake Hughes Road and hit the trail. The first section from Lake Hughes Road to dirt road 7N05 wound its way up the mountain via the PCT. This will be miles 42.6 to 46.1 on April 18th. I imagined what I may be feeling like at this point of the race and will be happy with a good power hike on this section.

When I arrived at the ridge where the PCT meets road 7N05 I bumped into two guys in an old pickup marking the course. I talked with John and Hughes for about 5 minutes. They offered some good advice and one repeated the comments by my coach. "If you're in marathon shape you can finish a 50 miler. The difference between a marathon and 50miles is a change of perspective."

"Patience", I asked. "Yep", John replied.

My goal with this event is simply to finish. Injury or illness aside the biggest obstacle for my finish are the cutoff times. I expressed that to the two grizzled oltimers and they gave me a vote of confidence that it shouldn't be a problem for me. With that they took off on the dirt road and I continued along the PCT.

From the ridge I backtracked what will be miles 24 to 20 to San Franciscito Canyon Road. I got in some good downhill and tried not to think too much about my return uphill. Being focused on April 18th is going to serve me well. I'll need to do my best to stay in the moment and not think about the miles ahead. The plan as of now is to take it section by section and run from aid station to aid station.

I passed a few others coming up on the downhill and arrived at SF Canyon Road. Here I drank and took a plain GU. Now for the climb back up. There's nothing too steep on this course, but come later in the race I may feel different.

I paced my way back to the ridge and dirt road 7N05 and was able to get in some more downhill back to my car. In this direction the trail will be miles 24 to 28.

A good day of training on the course and I was able to experiment with some new gear. I used my hydration pack for the first time on a long run and tried out my new gaiters that were given to me by mentor Elizabeth. Gaiters attach to the heel and front of the top of the shoe and help in keeping dirt out of the shoe. She bought me a pair from Dirty Girl Gaiters. Dirty Girl makes gaiters with interesting designs. When we're kids our parents tell us not to run with scissors. On Sunday I ran 16 miles with scissors.



Sunday the Spring TEAM had a "Take Your Picture With The Easter Bunny" fundraiser. Looks like teammate Juan had fun wearing the bunny outfit.

One last look at Snowshoe the Bear

With Spring at our doorstep one last look at Snowshoe the Bear. Turns out I came in
5th out of a field of 41. I was suprised! I found the following video on youtube. The snowshoe was the first in a series of events to "Conquer The Bear". Other events include a mountain bike race, lake paddle, and Big Bear Marathon. Sounds intriguing. I wonder how much to rent a canoe?

Happy Trails

A Purpose For Every Run

My confidence has been shakey lately due to the injury, more recent illness and limited running. I have been enjoying the whole training process and the setbacks have been a bit of a letdown. Running boosts endorphins and with those being limited of late I allowed myself to fall into a bit of a funk.

I broke down and picked up the doctor perscribed antibiotics and have been taking the Claratin D. That, along with time, has me feeling much better. I hope this is the last of my reporting on injury and illness. It's not very exciting and frankly I'm starting to feel like a crotchety oldtimer who constantly bellyaches about his aches and pains.

Today I went out for a five mile run. As I did a walking warm up to my start feelings of apprehension and self defeating thoughts ran through my head. I found myself expecting something to go wrong. The injury would be reaggravated or I'd feel the lack of energy I'd been experiencing for the past week. I was building up some sort of internal pressure to perform. I reminded myself that this isn't something to be taken too seriously. Running should have an element of fun in it. I then asked myself what the purpose of this run was. Weekend long runs are meant to train the body to run on tired legs and to train the body to burn fuels efficiently. Speedwork is self expanatory. Hill repeats are there to build hill running muscles and improve mental toughness. Sometimes the purpose of a run is to simply get out there and move. I decided that this would be the purpose of today's run. No expectations and an attempt to get out there and enjoy myself.

With that I set out on five miles. The weather was great today. Blue skies and green grasses set the scene. Plenty of squirrel and a few rabbits darted across the trail. There were times when I felt the internal pressure to monitor my performance. I reminded myself of the purpose of the run. A few miles in and I was finally running somewhat relaxed. Some of my best and most enjoyable running comes when I'm in this state. The breathing is easier and the legs and body feel lighter.

With about a half mile to go I hit a small hill that I've dubbed chemo hill. Almost everytime I hit this section I think of my Dad. I gave this section that name when he was undergoing cancer treatment. Usually at this point in my run along this course my pace is increased. Chemo hill is the last incline before the finishline. Back when my Dad was fighting cancer this hill served as a metaphor for what he was going through. It was something hard, but it was something I believed could be conquered. "If he can go through treatment" I would tell myself, then "I could push up this little hill."

I finished my run feeling good. The post run endorpins kicked in and the rest of the day was improved. I should make a better effort to get my training in during the morning.

Below, Leftover Snowshoe Pics



Jen Is a Natural Chain Installer




A View From The Trail


Look Closely And You Can See The Coyote. Click on photo to enlarge


TNT Alumni Conquer The Bear (Jen, Rosemary, Kiley, Liz. Missing is Jeff)Photos courtesy of Liz

Log 11

Thursday - sick
Friday - sick

Saturday (3-7-09) - 10 miles coaching the Team. Started off feeling good and started to fade towards the end. Enjoyed getting in some miles with TNT (team in Training) alumni.

Sunday (3-8-09) - I planned on covering 15 miles on a section of the LD50 course, but cut it off short. I wound up doing an hour and forty five minutes on the Pacific Crest Trail. Still feeling shabby.

A section of miles 28 through 42:

One guarantee with training......

Things will rarely go as planned.

I've been trying to stay positive. With each setback I've felt apprehension about being able to finish the LD50. At this point I think I'm under trained. Worrying doesn't pay the bills so unless the wheels completely fall off the plan is to still line up at the LD50 and wait for the hammer to hit the saw blade. That's how they start the race.

Early in February I dealt with a cold, then the injury and this morning I woke up with a another head cold. If it were just head congestion I would have been fine heading out for a run this evening, but I'm also feeling wiped out. Listening to my body I knew it wouldn't be wise to head out this evening. Instead I sit typing with the bitter taste of the cayenne pepper in my mouth from home brew witchdoctor tea. I type slathered in Vicks. My eyes are stinging from the menthol fumes. I've been pushing liquids all day and been taking it easy. I also picked up some eucalyptus shower tabs. Those do a decent job of clearing up the sinuses. I'd lie down in a mixture of warm mud and manure if I thought it would help.

I'm taking this setback in stride. Well, I'm doing my best to take it in stride. It's getting to be a bit ridiculous. I sense that this is a short term cold. Hopefully I'll be able to get out there tomorrow!

Monday - Six miles no pain in the vastus medialis during or after run.
Tuesday - Aqua-Jog 1 Hr
Wednesday - sick.

Log 10

The VM is feeling pretty good. Despite this it's been a frustrating week. I'm holding back because I just want to make sure I'm over this thing. I've been told that this whole ultra thing is about patience. One needs patience to run 50 miles. I'm getting some good training in the patience department. I've also been told by my coach that if one has the fitness to run a marathon then one can complete a 50 miler. This concept is a bit harder for me to believe, but I will take my coach's word for it. He seems to have more faith in my ability than I do.

I set my alarm for 4:30AM Saturday with hopes of getting in eight miles before coaching with Team in Training. Somehow I slept through the alarm and was awakened by my back up watch alarm. I didn't have time for eight so I wound up doing five pain free miles before talking to the team about belly breathing.



The belly breathing came up because I was talking about preventing and getting rid of a side stitch. Some believe that a stitch is caused by a spasm in the diaphragm caused by shallow breathing. To remedy this exhale forcefully a few times. To help prevent this from happening become a belly breather. Lie on your back with a heavy book on your stomach. Breath in such a way that the book rises and falls as opposed to breathing higher up with your chest. If you have the patience do this for a few minutes each day for a month until it becomes habit.


Above: Post practice potluck with Team Captain Gail, Coach Vicky, and CM Jill.

After Saturday's run and practice I was feeling encouraged. No pain and no post run ache. I called my coach and he thwarted my planned run on Sunday and told me to rest the quad and head out on Monday. He wants me to get in three more pain free runs before adjusting my schedule. I can't say I disagree. I would tell a participant the same thing. I have difficulty taking my own advice sometimes so it is really great to have someone else who's experienced looking out for you.

Feeling pent up and wanting to be proactive I went to the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, purchased a one-month pass and proceeded to Aqua Jog for an hour and a half. Just when I was going stir crazy with boredom I was joined by Maria. Maria's a long time marathoner of Boston qualifying speed. She was in the pool nursing an injury as well. We chatted about local running routes, marathons, and future plans. It was great having someone to talk with.



I was reminded by my coach that while it's nice to wind up at the starting line feeling confident, it isn't necessary. The confidence is icing on the cake and doesn't guarantee a finish. There's no guarantee either way and that, upon further reflection, is somewhat exciting.